Smile

Victoria Camarda

This movie may be called Smile, but while watching it, all I did was frown. Directed by Parker Finn, the film revolves around Dr. Rose Cotter who witnesses a traumatic incident involving her patient. After the terrifying accident, Cotter experiences events she cannot explain and has to try and escape these occurrences.

With most bad movies, either the acting or the writing is poor, but in Smile, both are true. The acting is mediocre and the writing of dialogue between characters is insufficient, almost comical, considering the dark connotations of the movie.

The plot of the film is underdeveloped -nothing of major importance happened. There are many plot holes and by the end, nothing is accomplished, making the movie very, very underwhelming.
I would rate this movie a one and a half ghosts out of five ghosts.

Hocus Pocus 2

Anna Wittenkeller

This movie is witchin’! Hocus Pocus 2, directed by Anne Fletcher, brings nostalgic feelings with the reunion of the iconic Sanderson sisters. In this installment, two Salem teenagers are tricked into resurrecting the 17th century sisters, and as a result, must stop Winifred, Mary, and Sarah from becoming all-powerful witches seeking revenge on the town of Salem.

To combine the nostalgia of Hocus Pocus with the current year, the movie includes updated references to the original. One of my favorite references includes Mary Sanderson using a vacuum as a broom in both movies. In both, she got the last pick of makeshift brooms, but to update the idea, Mary is stuck with two flying Roomba vacuums: very 21st century

I would rate this movie a four out of five pumpkins!

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone

Orianna D’Landazuri

Stephen King movie adaptations are ones to be rightfully excited for, from the IT Series to Pet Sematary to Carrie. They don’t disappoint often- that is until Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, released on Oct. 5, 2022.

The plot centers around Craig, a boy who builds a close relationship with a retired businessman he reads to daily. He buys himself a phone and gifts Mr. Harrigan with one. After Mr. Harrigan’s unexpected death, Craig realizes he can communicate with him through the phone.

The movie starts off slow and is boring to watch. The hour and 45-minute movie only picks up around the last 30 minutes. The dark twist leaves viewers engaged if they made it that far. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone has reached number two of Netflix’s top ten movies, but it is difficult to see why.

Overall, I would rate this movie one and a half out of five phones.

Werewolf by Night

Isy Davis

Werewolf by Night, released Oct. 7, is my favorite new age Marvel special. It’s charming with hints of comedy. A group of monster hunters battle each other and hunt for the bloodstone, a powerful redstone able to repel monsters and allow one to become the monster hunter leader.

I wouldn’t call it a horror, but the soundtrack and visuals provide a creepy mystery-type feel for audiences. It’s written in a way that ties up all loose ends while still making me want more without it having to lead up to some big blockbuster (even though I wouldn’t mind if it did).

The visuals are quite eye-catching even though the whole special is in black and white, although the bloodstone glows a deep red. The emphasis of the blood stone really makes my artist’s brain very happy.

I’d give this movie five redstones out of five.

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies

Rachel Mackey

Directed by Halina Reijn, Bodies Bodies Bodies is a modern-day slasher whodunit, in which college-aged kids throw a party that quickly becomes deadly.

It’s easy to skip over a movie like this because of an overused plot setup and a seemingly obvious twist, but the ending is actually surprising, invoking many gasps from commentators. The rest of the movie has viewers on the edge of their seats, trying to solve the mystery.

Actress Rachel Sennott is the funniest cast member, delivering lines like she’s constantly just a little confused. While everything is scary throughout the movie, viewers can count on Sennott to lighten the mood.

The movie could stand to have a bit of a longer run time, but other than that, Bodies Bodies Bodies is a genuine four out of five bodies.

Halloween Ends

Leeander Davis

Halloween ends was not as killer as I hoped it would be. From what is shown in the trailer, the movie is marketed as Michael-centric, but Michael’s appearances in the movie are scarce. The movie does not only miss key points in the films, but sets us up for a short, poorly executed, final fight between Laurie and Michael. It also manages to make me feel like I was watching a dark romance between Laurie and Cory (a new character that is introduced) with Michael as some special guest.

The ambiance of Michael Myers being subhuman is lost in this last movie as Laurie goes back on her word. She goes from believing he gets stronger with each kill to claiming that Michael is just a man. However, the graphics make up for the inconsistency in the film.

Overall, I rate this movie a three out of five Michaels.