Tag: Joel McHale

Christmas Advent 2023: It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023)

Rating 18
Length 1h27
Release 1.12.2023
Director Tyler MacIntyre
About What would happen if George Bailey stopped a serial killer before asking to have never been born? Winnie, a year after ending a psychotic murder spree is consumed with PTSD. It doesn’t help that the whole town she saved has moved on.
So in a Christmas classic wish, she is shown a town in which she was never part of and that’s where the nightmare begins…
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Online in the US
Trailer:

Naughty

  • There’s what appears to be a final act rewrite that just doesn’t quite mesh with the rest of the film that we’re meant to buy due to some magical inclusion.
  • While the slasher outfit is incredible once you know what it is; it’s impractically for a spree and really just takes me slightly out of it.
  • The happy ending for happy ending sake! Bullshit! Let it be the start of something new and not some magic loophole.

Nice

  • Some great casting going on from the get go; from tween show stars taking their leap to movie horror, to character actors Joel McHale and Justin Long.
  • It’s an ideal blend of Christmas kitsch, meta comedy and all out horror.
  • Short run time is always a win for me. Especially with these types of films that play fast and loose with the meta sheen.
  • Stay put for the credits because Joy 2 the Girls by Hael is a bop.

Final Thoughts

Could this have been sacrilege? Oh yes, this could have easily been the worst film ever made for taking the greatest film and making it into a horror comedy! However, it works.

Queenpins (2021) Film Review *with spoilers*

Rating 15
Length 1h50
Release 29.10.2021
Director Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly
About A frustrated suburban housewife and her best friend hatch an illegal coupon-club scheme that scams millions from corporations and delivers deals to legions of fellow coupon clippers. Hot on their trail is an unlikely duo — a hapless loss-prevention officer and a determined U.S. postal inspector — both looking to end their criminal enterprise.
Moon: none sighted
Where to Watch:
Trailer:

The Good

  • Kristen Bell can do no wrong. She is an utter chameleon and she has the perfect voice for narration. It makes her the ideal casting choice for Connie as not only is she able to sell the character from the beginning, she is able to show the progress and evolution.
  • Kirby-Howell Baptiste is one of my favourite actors at the moment and she is definitely one to watch. her role as JoJo is very different to any character I’ve seen her play to date, so much so that I actually had to double check that it was her.
  • It was nice to see upcoming Stranger Things cast member Eduardo Franco in a small role. I love his hair more than anything, but he also gave a solid, funny, performance.
  • The partnership of Vince Vaughn and Paul Walter Hauser was a surprising hoot.

The Bad

  • I don’t like hating Joel McHale! He, unfortunately, is very good at playing this type of asshole. I also really wish the film gave us a little more, so I knew if he was an actual asshole, or if it was his grief.
  • Like, how he responds to Connie is not too far from how I would expect most people to react, so I still retain some of my sympathy for him. Which is a shame, because that then makes me like Connie less.

The Ugly

  • I found the ‘body autonomy’ lesson too righteous. Yes, it is Connie’s body. However, I’m not sure that she has the moral high ground in keeping her IVF treatment from her husband.
    While autonomy, rightly should be given to the women in terms of abortion and the law. There still should be that dialogue within a couple. A man cannot force a woman to keep a pregnancy, but they should be allowed to grieve. My problem is that as a woman, I want equality and I find these sort of messages in film, truly muddy the social waters.
    A fix for this would perhaps be that we have Rick voice his insistence that they will never try for another baby. I need something that doesn’t make what Connie did a really shitty thing.

Final Thoughts

Decent film, well executed and something I would watch again.