Speak No Evil (2024) - The scoop and digest

Writer-director James Watkins (known for his critically acclaimed debut Eden Lake) remakes Christian Tafdrup's 2022 Danish psychological horror of same name.

Mackenzie Davis - Louise Dalton

Scoot McNairy - Ben Dalton

James McAvoy - Patrick

Aisling Franciosi - Ciara

Alix West Lefer - Agnes Dalton

Dan Hough - Ant

Summary

While on vacation in Italy, American family the Daltons (Ben, Louise and daughter Agnes) meet Patrick, Ciara and their son Ant.

Back home in London, Ben receives a postcard from Patrick, inviting them to stay at their countryside farmhouse.  Though reluctant at first, they decide a change of scenery would be just the ticket.

Things go swimmingly at first, but Patrick and Ciara's bizarre behaviour overwhelms, prompting Ben and Louise to leave.

After Agnes demands they go back to retrieve her teddy, Ant reveals dark secrets about his 'parents'.

Eternal flame

Despite McAvoy's energetic performance, this was pointless.

Apart from nationalities and setting, shit is largely shot for shot, with threat, violence and depravity toned down.

Original's most shocking sequence was Karin cutting off Agnes's tongue.  We don't get that (or similar equivalent).

Show some balls for fuck's sake.

In truth, the primary difference is antagonists dying and couple surviving.

Whether intentional or not, Ant beating Patrick to death with a brick may be a nod to how Bjørn and Louise were stoned to death.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - The scoop and digest

From a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, Tim Burton's first film since Dumbo (2019) resurrects everyone's favourite bio-exorcist.

A few interesting quirks to note.

The late Michael Gough portrayed Alfred in Warner Bros' initial Batman film series.

Going further, Christopher Walken was originally offered the role of Wolf Jackson.

Walken played Max Shreck in Batman Returns, with made-for-film character's name paying homage to Nosferatu's Max Schreck.

Michael Keaton - Betelgeuse

Winona Ryder - Lydia Deetz

Catherine O'Hara - Delia Deetz

Jenna Ortega - Astrid Deetz

Justin Theroux - Rory

Monica Bellucci - Delores

Willem Dafoe - Wolf Jackson

Arthur Conti - Jeremy

Summary

Psychic mediator Lydia Deetz hosts paranormal TV series Ghost House with her manager Rory.

After she's told by Delia that Charles was killed after a shark literally bit his head off, Lydia returns to Winter River for father's funeral.

During which, Rory proposes to Lydia, which goes down like a lead balloon with her estranged teenage daughter Astrid, who soon befriends a boy called Jeremy.

Meanwhile in the Afterlife, Betelgeuse learns his soul sucking ex-wife Delores is still pissed at him for denying her immortality.

Jeremy (who is actually a murderous ghost), tricks Astrid into entering the Afterlife so he can use her body to become human again.

Out of desperation, Lydia summons Betelgeuse and agrees to marry him, on the condition that he helps prevent Astrid from boarding the "Soul Train".

Unpacked trauma

First off, title doesn't make any fucking sense, as name must be repeated three times.

Anyway, unnecessary sequel was a menace to humanity, stuffed with horrible characters and pointless subplots, equating to an absolute mess.

Keaton is inevitably the positive, but performance felt subdued, and notably less vulgar.

And yeah, I know it was 36 years ago.

Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) were due to cameo at the end, but it was decided that no amount of de-aging would be convincing.

Fair enough.

Lydia says they found a loophole to move on.

We all know why Jeffrey Jones didn't reprise role, so the amount of screen time 'character' gets is frankly disgusting (rather like his crime).

In the beginning, Bellucci is briefly in pieces, but body parts coming together make her complete.

Ignoring stapler and obvious Frankenstein nod, principle blatantly rips off the Jangly Man from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

Finally, closing sequence is absolutely BIZARRE.

Against Pino Donaggio's theme for Carrie (1976), Astrid marries Jeremy and then gives birth to Betelgeuse's child in hospital, with infant climbing on the ceiling.

I appreciate nightmare is probably a Trainspotting reference, but shit couldn't be more out of place if it tried.

Afraid - The scoop and digest

Chris Weitz writes, directs and co-produces the latest horror centred around AI.

John Cho - Curtis

Katherine Waterston - Meredith

Keith Carradine - Marcus

Havana Rose Liu - Melody/AIA

David Dastmalchian - Lightning

Summary

Curtis Pike is introduced to AIA and agrees to take next generation digital assistant home to his family.

She settles down in no time at all and is immediately popular.

But as ambient intelligence becomes more 'human', tech turns nasty.

Wanna hang?

At just over 80 minutes, there isn't much to say.

Predictable yarn was terrible, but at least those concerned do their best.

To compound matters, premise clones numerous sources.

1. The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XII - House of Whacks (2001).

2. Smart House (1999).

Both of which have Demon Seed (1977) to thank.

Resident Evil and Léon: The Professional

Capcom's illicit love affair with Luc Besson's controversial masterpiece is hardly a secret, but I'm going deeper then ever before.

Apart from Gamecube original, every other version of RE 4 (2005) inserted Ada's campaign Separate Ways (bizarrely called The Another Order in Japan).

Title screen pays homage to La Femme Nikita.

Not that we knew at the time, but Capcom's obsession began in RE 2 (1998).

Yes, Leon S. Kennedy was named after (who I wonder?)

As a relevant side note, Alt-J was originally called Daljit Dhaliwal and Films.  Under latter name, band penned Leon, which wouldn't be played live until 2015 at London's O2 Arena.

Oh, they was forced to change their second name because of American group The Films.

RE 4 (2005)

Professional difficulty is a direct reference to subtitle.

Green herb vs Chinese Evergreen

While exploring Salazar Castle, you'll occasionally see a portrait of a monk, which I believe is modelled on Jean Reno.

Finally.

Outbreak: File #2
Bolt cutters debuted in the Wild Things scenario.

Resi 7: Biohazard

Key item also returned in the RE2 and RE3 remakes, but was curiously omitted from RE 4.

Check this out.

International Cut only
Leon takes Mathilda on a training mission and uses bolt cutters to cut door chain locks.

A huge stretch I know, but it's possible.

Mathilda

Once again, shit began in original Resi 2.

Like Miss Lando, Sherry is twelve-years-old.

The Matilda² can be purchased after finishing RE 4 (2005).

I still have no idea why they altered spelling, and may even be a translation goof.

Alt-J's debut album An Awesome Wave features Matilda, and the lyrics "This is from Matilda" quotes Leon's dying words to Stansfield before grenades hidden beneath his jacket detonate.

Ignoring Roald Dahl's 1988 novel Maltida, Mathilda (or Matilda) is Mary Shelley's second long work of fiction.

²Remake allows you to obtain pea-shooter from the Merchant starting in Chapter 8 by trading 10 Spinels.

Although character is now thirty (eighteen years Natalie Portman's senior), I'm convinced Ada in RE 4 (2005) was purposely redesigned.

For shiggles.

Li Bingbing - Resi Evil: Retribution

RE 2 (2019)

Registration number of Leon's jeep is M4T-ILD4

Unlike OG, dude starts with the Matilda.

Topping the lot though.

Resi Evil 3: Nemesis

Completing game unlocks an Epilogue file, revealing what happened to main characters (less Rebecca), after the destruction of Raccoon City.

There's eight in total, but Sherry sat on window sill rings the loudest of bells.

Fucking awesome.