Though I absolutely love films, I still have a lot that I need to watch. Currently, my movie watchlist has over 900 films on it (that does include short films and features that haven’t been released yet). Lately, I’ve been on a mission to finally sit down and view these films. Then I realized I should be expressing my thoughts on these films as I go along. These won’t be full reviews, merely notes I’ve had throughout watching these films. So, here are the films I watched for July 2019 Part 1!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): Five sisters in 19th century England must cope with the pressures to marry while protecting themselves from a growing population of zombies.

My rating: 7/10

Notes: I wanted to watch this film because I loved Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which was written by the same person, Seth Graham-Smith. With this film, I feel it didn’t have enough of the horror element to counter-balance the drama. I may just be nitpicking, but I wanted a lot more zombies. That being said, this movie gets points for its creep factor! Overall, I’d definitely say I recommend Pride and Prejudice and Zombies!

 

House of Wax (1953)

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): An associate burns down a wax museum with the owner inside, but he survives only to become vengeful and murderous.

My rating: 8/10

Notes: This was just a wonderfully crafted film. After finally seeing it, I definitely understand why people were angry at the remake. The film’s antagonist, Henry was such a sympathetic character. Witnessing everything he created destroyed in front of him was so heartbreaking. I’m definitely not saying he was right in what he did, it just gave our villain a little more humanity, and I love that. This was a wonderful classic that should be watched at least once by horror fans!

 

Incredibles 2

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): The Incredibles hero family takes on a new mission, which involves a change in family roles: Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) must manage the house while his wife Helen (Elastigirl) goes out to save the world.

My rating: 8.5/10

Notes: This may be the most controversial comment I ever make on this post, but I prefer this film over the first Incredibles. I absolutely love the motivation of the villain, Mr. and Mrs. Parr switching roles, and how can you hate Auntie Edna babysitting Jack-Jack? After 14 years, this sequel was definitely worth the wait for me.

 

Vegas Vacation

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): In the fourth outing for the Vacation franchise, the Griswolds have to survive Vegas fever when they go to Las Vegas for a fun family vacation.

My rating: 6.5/10

Notes: I honestly don’t understand all the hate for this film. yes, it’s definitely not as good as the first Vacation, or Christmas Vacation. However, it’s still a decent sequel with the same shenanigans you’d expect from the Griswolds. Also, it was a nice surprise to see cousin Eddie make himself actually useful in the film.

 

Lizzie Borden Took An Ax

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): In 1893 Massachusetts, Lizzie Borden is put on trial for murdering her father and stepmother with an ax.

My rating: 7.5/10

Notes: One thing that I found very distracting in the film was the music. It was too modern and it really took me out of the story. Other than that, I really enjoyed this film! I loved Christina Ricci’s performance as the titular psycho. I highly recommend this film, and I can’t wait to see the mini-series that follows Lizzie’s story!

 

Vice

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): The story of Dick Cheney, a unassuming bureaucrat Washington insider, who quietly wielded immense power as Vice President to George W. Bush, reshaping the country and the globe in ways that we still feel today.

My rating: 7/10

Notes: I have to say that Christian Bale did a fantastic job portraying Dick Cheney! This whole film just had a wonderful cast. I can’t really give the film points on historical accuracy because I’m not entirely sure how accurate it is. Nonetheless, it’s still a very informative and entertaining biopic.

 

The Great Gatsby (1974)

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): A midwesterner becomes fascinated with his nouveau riche neighbor, who obsesses over his lost love.

My rating: 5/10

Notes: This was one of the most depressing films I’ve seen in a while. Daisy (Mia Farrow) is such a frustrating character. The film had a stellar cast, but the story was so hard to sit through. It’s definitely a classic, and I’m happy I finally saw it, but it was definitely a one-and-done film for me.

 

Goosebumps 2

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): Two young friends find a magic book that brings a ventriloquist’s dummy to life.

My rating: 6.5/10

Notes: I was honestly pretty disappointed that Goosebumps 2 didn’t follow the same family as the first one. However, this sequel still had plenty of comedy and nostalgia. The protagonists were hilarious and likable, and I thought the way they brought the main antagonist back through a completely different story was really clever. With the way the film ended, I sincerely hope there’s a third Goosebumps!

 

The Hills Run Red

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): A group of young horror fans go searching for a film that mysteriously vanished years ago, but instead, they find that the demented killer is real, and he’s thrilled to meet fans who will die gruesomely for his art.

My rating: 5/10

Notes: I’ve been waiting for this film to be available for years. It was pretty much everything I expected it to be. My problem with it is not a single character was likable and had me rooting for them. I’m very happy it didn’t skimp on the gore. It has a very interesting story that separates it from other slasher films, but it was still very predictable. I’d still say this is a must-watch for slasher fans.

 

Santa’s Slay

Synopsis (provided by IMDb.com): Santa Claus is actually a demon who lost a bet with an Angel, so he becomes the giver of toys and happiness. But, when the bet is off, he returns to his evil ways.

My rating: 4/10

Notes: Even though I went into this film knowing exactly what to expect, I was still pretty disappointed. For starters, I really love the film’s concept, but hate the execution. I will say that the one redeeming factor the film has is the first scene. I keep going back and rewatching that one scene. The rest of the film was pretty forgettable, but actually had some decent fight scenes and kills. I definitely don’t blame James Caan for keeping his name off of this film.

Part 2 will be posted soon!