Monthly Media Recap - February 2022

 I slacked a little getting this post ready so no witty chat at the top.

Here's what I consumed in February.

 

Series

 

The Book of Boba Fett (2022, Disney+)

I'm still a little mixed on this. It had some great moments (mainly flashbacks and finale), a really bad moment (that cartoon chase), and a lot of pretty okay moments. My main "issue" with it is I just didn't feel Fett was very competent in the 'modern' timeline.

 

All of Us are Dead (2022, Netflix)

This is where a lot of my movie time went this month. I really liked it from the start, ain't no zombies like Korean rage zombies! It had a lot of good character interaction, which they might have been able to trim an episode worth to tighten it up just a tiny bit. Still a good time and something fresh if you're Walking Dead out-ed. Might be the most competent military zombie response I've seen.

Movies

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

That's right, kids! I went to the movies for the first time since The Rise of Skywalker! And it was totally worth it! I might have been the last person on the planet to see it but just in case, I won't spoil anything. Not that I hadn't heard everything already. Oddly it wasn't anything that really took away from my viewing experience. It had a lot of heart, as Spidey should. They maybe could have dropped a couple villains that didn't do a whole lot for most of it. My biggest beef with this is how Strange is portrayed. This did not feel like what I'd expect but maybe he's miffed about the Sorcerer Supreme thing.

Rating: 8/10

Streaming

 

Hell Baby (2013, Tubi)

What. A. Cast! This is a pretty funny send up of haunted house/possession flicks. There's some great gags and I can't overstate how terrific this gathering of talent is! I can't explain why but I found the diner scene incredibly funny, kinda of reminded me of the campfire scene in Blazing Saddles.

Rating: 7/10

Antlers (2021, HBO Max)

Knew nothing about this going in other than it was on a lot of folks lists for 2021 and it did not disappoint. But what else would you expect when Del Toro is involved? Definitely a different take on the wendigo than I've seen before. The effects and creature design are top notch and the lead kid does an amazing job.

Rating: 7/10

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022, Netflix) 

I've only ever seen the original so this is certainly not a franchise I'm invested in. Having said that, I agree with the folks calling this the Wish.com version of Halloween (2018). It was decent up until the bus scene and then they...brought in a high schooler to do the writing? The script clumsily incorporates some millennial touchstones for no reason that really pays off. I'll give it points for the on screen brutality and gore so if you're in the mood for a dumb slasher, here you go.

Rating: 5/10

The Stuff (1985, Shudder)

I feel like this has such a huge presence in the horror community but I'd never seen it! This isn't a great movie but it is a fine example of fun 80s schlock. It's a little more out there than I was expecting (even for a movie about killer Fluff). My two least favorite things are the editing and main character "Mo" Rutherford. If I had to listen to him explain why people call him Mo one more time...

Rating: 6/10, Recipe: blend The Blob, Street Trash and sprinkle with They Live

Hellbender (2022, Shudder)

Movies like this are why I love Shudder. It popped up one day, I watched maybe the first 10 seconds of the trailer and jumped right to the movie. It offers a fresh take on witches, beautiful outdoor cinematography, and an assortment of psychedelic scenes. Stoners beware! Shot during the pandemic, cast and crew are mainly 18 year old Zelda Adams, her parents and sister. The inspiration for the movie is actually a lo-fi band of Zelda and her parents called H6LLB6ND6R and I really liked the music featured in the movie. There's a good interview with them here.

Rating: 7/10

Monthly Total

New: 6

Year to Date

New: 15   Rewatch: 0