captmorgan-18330

Is it even possible to dislike a Christmas movie full of actors I love that is meant to be watched while on drugs? Yes. Yes, it is very possible. I enjoyed the first film for what it was and spent many late nights watching it laughing. It's A Wonderful Binge however just wasn't enjoyable. I know when the filmmakers wanted me to laugh, but the laughs never came unfortunately. I chuckled a few times here and there, but I found myself checking the amount of time left until it was over more than once. I'm sure that some people will enjoy this movie but for me this is on par with Caddyshack 2 when compared to the original.

My latest watch, I actually watched twice because I wanted to give it a fair shake. In a nutshell, the 2022 'Hellraiser' reboot just does not have enough spark to reignite the fire in the franchise. While I won't say Jamie Clayton did a bad job, her pinhead was more quiet and reserved which really made miss Bradley's deep voice and imposing figure. There was a genuine lack of sex and grit and the majority of the time the cenobites were on screen it was dark to the point of annoyance. This is NOT a movie inspired by grungy BDSM clubs in NYC. The story was okay with a bit of a cliche ending, and it could have used more editing to cut down on the runtime. All and all 'Hellraiser' was basically like digging up a beloved friend, reanimating their corpse, and then sending them back to their job at Wawa. Personally I would never bring someone back from the dead merely for the promise of mediocrity.

Filmed simultaneously in secret with 'X' the prequel, 'Pearl', certainly does not disappoint. While less of a "horror" movie than 'X' it will still make you jump and cringe. 'Pearl' answers the question many people ask, "Is there anyone out there crazier than my ex?" and spoiler, there is! While I do not believe 'Pearl' has as much rewatch value as 'X', Mia Goth's performance alone was worth the price of admission. If her performance, (especially her monologue at the end), doesn't AT LEAST get her an academy award nomination Will Smith should slap someone, scratch that, EVERYONE. The homages to Psycho and The Wizard of Oz are much appreciated and the cinematography overall is just stunning. 'Pearl' is the prequel fans of 'X' truly deserve. *No scarecrows were harmed in the making of this film.*