Fear Street Part Three: 1666 [2021] ★★½
July 16, 2021
In this third and final installment, we travel all the way back to 1666 in order to witness the origins of Sarah Fier and the curse that was cast upon her. The film also wraps things up in a neat way, keeping you on the edge of your seat with a totally entertaining climax that should satisfy fans of the trilogy. Basically, if you’ve made it thus far, then you’d want to see how things end here. Overall, I think Netflix did a good job with this horror trilogy, and I would like to see more of the same in the future (perhaps during Halloween season?).
Many will say that “The Haunting of Bly Manor” isn’t like “The Haunting of Hill House”, but it doesn’t have to be. This is a new story in a new house, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll find it just as captivating as its predecessor. And yes, I binged the hell out of it on day one, so might as well write a review while I’m at it. It is important to know that several cast members from the first series are back, but mostly everyone and everything else is new. Victoria Pedretti (a Netflix regular at this point) plays a young American woman who is hired to take care of two orphaned kids at Bly manor, their family’s English country house. Then we meet the other residents of that beautiful estate: chef Owen, groundskeeper Jamie and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose. Of course, not everything is what it seems, and this is my cue to shut up. Plot-wise, the series will be compared to Guillermo Del Toro’s underappreciated “Crimson Peak” and mostly any other Gothic horror drama. It’s also worth mentioning that almost everything, from the beautiful costumes to the lavish sets, is perfectly designed, and the story truly pulls you in from the word go. That’s not to say that the series is flawless. It can get a bit confusing somewhere in the middle, and I wish they trimmed it a little bit (this was my problem with “Hill House” as well). Still, the last few episodes wrap things up in ways you don’t always see coming, and the ending will satisfy even the naysayers. I didn’t think I’d care for another ghost story, so soon after “The Haunting of Hill House”, but “Bly Manor” kept me hooked from start to finish. It should absolutely be your go-to series this Halloween season.
oseph Gordon-Levitt is on a plane. He plays a young American co-pilot who finds himself dealing with terrorists when his flight from Berlin to Paris is hijacked. Sounds familiar? That’s because you’ve seen movies like “7500” so many times before, from “Turbulence” and “Air Force One” in the 90’s, to “Red Eye” and “Non-Stop” in the 2000’s and 2010’s. The twist here is that all the action takes place in the cockpit, which means it can get claustrophobic at times. Director Patrick Vollrath keeps you on the edge of your seat, at least until the hour mark. There are no real twists and turns in the narrative here, and you can see the ending coming a mile away. Still, it’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s committed performance that elevates “7500” above the routine. I don’t think this film was meant to be experienced on the big screen, which is why it goes down much easier from the comfort of your own couch. Just know straight away that it doesn’t have anything new to offer.
In this half decent Argentinian Netflix thriller, a man becomes convinced that his wife has switched their newborn baby. We don’t know why or how, but we play along, even when our man drowns in a sea of paranoia and confusion. It’s an intriguing idea that sadly doesn’t live up to its full potential. The film does a fine job at keeping you on your toes, but an abrupt ending left me with so many unanswered questions. Of course, open-ended conclusions are something that would encourage a discussion, long after the credits start rolling, but in the case of “The Son”, perhaps a much more cohesive finale would have been more appropriate. Still, the movie isn’t a complete waste of time and has some good ideas here and there. Too bad it doesn’t gel together to create something memorable.
Netflix’s “Wounds” is 5% intrigue and 95% a waste of a talented cast. It starts out well enough then quickly degenerates into a confusing mess. Armie Hammer is good as always, but he doesn’t have much to work with. He plays a bartender who finds his life spin out of control when he finds a cell phone with disturbing messages and photos on it. This is the 5% intrigue I was referring to. And I admit: I really wanted to see where this story was going. Unfortunately, nothing makes sense here, and the movie never truly gives you the answers you’re looking for. In fact, it raises more questions than it answers, leaving you with a sense that you’ve just wasted your time on yet another terrible Netflix movie. You’ve been warned.
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