aronharde

In Mangalavaaram, the audience is introduced to a village plagued by a recent murder spree. Each death is accompanied by confessions of illicit affairs written on walls, creating an atmosphere of fear and suspicion among the villagers. The lingering question of who the killer is adds tension, especially as more murders continue to occur.

The movie tackles interesting themes such as societal hypocrisy, sexual abuse, and the quest for justice. However, the execution of these ideas falls short in several aspects. My main complaint with the film is its slow pacing, combined with an unnecessarily long runtime, which makes the narrative feel laborious and tedious. The story could have been presented more straightforwardly, avoiding many of the unnecessary scenes that detract from its focus. Instead, the plot feels overly drawn out, attempting to address more than it can handle.

The acting ranges from decent to slightly poor at times, and even the songs fail to leave an impression, lacking catchiness or strong writing. Overall, the execution of this story fell flat, offering little to entertain or engage the audience. [4,2/10]

In this 2023 vampire dark comedy with its massive title from Canada, we are introduced to a coming-of-age story about a young female vampire who is unable to kill and a teenage boy with suicidal tendencies. After some character introductions, they come together, and their relationship deepens.

The movie is stylishly shot and tackles themes like existentialism, loneliness, and consent. It is smartly crafted, and the characters are mostly likable. With its charming approach and deadpan humor, the film will certainly appeal to a specific audience. However, it doesn't fully succeed in being particularly original or consistently entertaining. It draws comparisons to movies like A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night and What We Do in the Shadows, but HVSCSP lacks the horror of the former and the humor of the latter.

The pacing is very slow, with minimal dialogue and many still shots that linger for a while. This filmmaking style only works if the story fully immerses you, but this movie never quite managed to grip me. It's certainly different from the usual Hollywood formula, but it also fails to entertain or engage the audience effectively.

The movie has a pretty good rating, but that's no surprise since films like this often resonate with audiences by pretending to be something original and new. Unfortunately, I was rarely entertained, and the horror and comedy elements didn't work for me. [4,0/10]

2023's movie The Well lures viewers with Lauren LaVera (Terrifier 2 & 3) as the protagonist, Lisa, who travels to a small Italian village to restore a medieval painting to its former glory. Little does she know that there's much more to the painting, as it is bound by an evil curse. On her way to the house where she is to meet the woman who hired her and her seemingly stubborn daughter, she also encounters three backpackers. The audience follows their parallel storyline, though not necessarily to flesh out their characters but for different reasons.

Lisa's father, a well-known art restorer, was unable to restore the painting himself, so he sent his daughter. It quickly becomes clear that their relationship is somewhat strained, as Lisa mentions he is a very strict man. The painting must be finished within two weeks because, as the owner says, it will be part of an exclusive auction in London. This sudden deadline catches Lisa off guard and puts pressure on her work, prompting her to start the restoration immediately. However, she quickly becomes distracted by various things, as her character is overly curious. This tendency is slightly annoying to watch because you know it will inevitably get her into trouble.

The movie has a good and creepy atmosphere, and the painting definitely carries a mysterious aura. The film has a nice vintage style and looks visually appealing overall. The acting is mostly fine, with Lauren LaVera particularly standing out as she carries most of the film's weight. True to its title, The Well includes scenes involving a well, but since the primary focus is on the painting, the title feels a bit misleading. Whenever the well is brought into the story, the film shifts toward a tone of torture porn and gore. These scenes, while unsettling and somewhat out of place, weren't entirely unwelcome, as I do enjoy some good gore-and the movie certainly delivers on that front.

In the third act, the different elements of the story come together, revealing the truth about the painting and the people surrounding it. Unfortunately, the ending feels a little rushed and leaves many things unexplained, which was disappointing. The film also includes many predictable elements, but overall, I had a decent time with it. While it's not groundbreaking, I think it's worth a watch for fans of the genre. [5,7/10]