Yonder spooky woods
Aug. 27th, 2025 11:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowhiveIt’s time again for another post, this time it’s almost entirely reviews of various things.
Cabinet Of Curiosities
Over the past nights I have continued my Cabinet Of Curiosities run with Dreams In The Witch House and The Viewing.
Dreams, like Pickman’s model is a Lovecraft adaption. I dunno how faithful it is to the original (tv tropes says not really) but I just know the man would have hated that two of the characters were played by black women.
The main actor in this one was Robert Grint, as a guy who lost his twin sister when he was younger and is obsessed with finding her in the afterlife after seeing her spirit get taken. He does a pretty good job with what he’s given and plays it pretty well. And there is some good other stuff in there, like the paintings (I’ve never seen triangular paintings before) and the visuals of vines/branches dragging him in the afterlife but…
There’s this rat thing with a human face and he is just… it’s strange and not in a good way and kinda takes away from it (not helped by the accent that he’s been given). And it really took away from the final scenes too.
6/10
The Viewing was the one I was most excited to see from the synopsises and it started promising. With a group of people being gathered to a rich guys house to view… something. What surprised me was the setting was the 70’s but I really loved the vibes, the electronic music, and the aesthetics of the rich guys house so I was hopeful it’d be good.
The rich guy clearly picked these people for a reason (and knew a concerning amount about them all) and then they got plied with booze (and drugs) before the titular viewing happened. It was a mystery object and it had an eerie vibe to it… but then it opened up and went down hill a bit.
With a thing like this one it’s the reveal that matters and, to be honest, it wasn’t a great one. Partly it was the design, partly what happened to the people but I dunno I just didn’t vibe with it which is a shame as the build up was good (until the drugs came out)
5/10
Clown In A Cornfield
So I finally finished the first Clown In A Cornfield book. Yipee! I probably would have finished it soon but my focus just hasn’t been there and being at the library today meant I could. I only intended to read a few chapters but it just pulled me along and I had to finish it (only pausing to get hime and have lunch)
It was really good! I’m glad I read it and it made me love Cole, Rust and Quinn all the more. Of course having watched the film first there were obvious comparisons between it. The film did make some changes, most understandable. But honestly? The killings being a one off thing feels better than the film where it happens every few decades. That kinda felt it was only done to have the opening scene of the film happen which, yeah was well done but ultimate caused more issues and took away from the suspense of other parts.
But anyway! Like I said it made me love Quinn even more and the scene of the big damn kiss at the end… I just loved that. Quinn being terrified that something had happened to Cole and he was getting cpr only for it to become clear it was actually a kiss.
9/10
The book did have a preview chapter of the second one, which made me wanna get it even more. The problem is it’s out of stock pretty much everywhere so does anyone know any book sites?
Also the film is getting its uk dvd/blu ray release next month and I hope we get that cool steelbook America has.
I was debating going to the cinema today, cause my eye had felt strange and with the library today, and there was dark clouds so I felt there’d be a storm. Said storm didn’t come so I ended up going. I got some earphones since mine inexplicably stopped working (I’m not sure about them), got a lil Halloween spooky succulent and a sonic mystery capsule. I opened it up and inside was Shadow! I took it as a sign to go to smyths since the site had sonic x shadow generations for over £10 but alas no, that offer wasn’t in store (it was only £2 off) but there was a shadow Funko so I picked him up.
Film thoughts under the cut but first trailers!
Freakier Friday had a bunch of things I’d not seen of heard of. (Wicked For Good was one I’d seen before and there was a different I Swear trailer). Regretting You isn’t something I’d wanna see probably. Good Fortune has Keane Reeves as an angel which feels like it could be a fun concept. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey seemed to be a romantic thing to start with but then went more… strange so I’m slightly curious about that.
The mystery film trailers were almost identical to the ones for Weapons, though I think the Him trailer was slightly different and this one also had fnaf 2. It’s funny thought that all but Him were sequels.
Freakier Friday
This was really fun and I’m so glad that I ended up seeing it. The cinema was pretty empty (I think there were only two people closer to the front) but it was a good time. I honestly didn’t like the British girl at all at the start, but by the end I’d warmed to her slightly.
But damn Chad Micheal Murray looks good (anyone else kinda wished he’d kissed Eric that one time they were together?) and the film also answered that there’s something Manny Jacinto can’t do (surf) though he can dance. Someone get him in more stuff (and yes I’m still pissed we don’t have an Acolyte season 2, though it’s hard to believe he’s the same person who played Qimir)
But yeah it was a fun time, if you liked the first you’re definitely gonna like this (and conversely if you didn’t this is probably not gonna win you over. (Also Mark Harmon is still a silver fox)
7.5/10
Unlike with Superman and the last Mystery film there wasn’t time to get food (and I wasn’t sure about eating anything major before an 18 rated film) so I just had a cookiee which was ok.
Mystery film - The Toxic Avenger Unrated
Then there was a mystery film, which turned out to be The Toxic Avenger Unrated. I suspected it would be, mainly cause it was the only 18 rated horror film, albeit having a short run.
The showing was at the same screen as Freakier Friday, which was funny but it was pretty packed.
The film very clearly didn’t take itself seriously at all, which was mostly clear in whenever place names came up. The whole world of the film and the setting is so ridiculous but unlike certain things it’s intentionally so. Like the film opens with a detective being bought proof of a companies shade dealings. He acts if she’s been followed, she says no but of course she is… only the people that have followed here are this an and instead of trained professionals.
It’s a very cartoony film like that and it leans into it pretty well. Like you can tell the actors are having a good time. Peter Dinkledge brings heart as Toxie, Kevin Bacon hams it up as the villian (and is shirtless A Lot), Elijah Wood is his creepy brother. Taylor Paige kicks ass as the informant mentioned above. (And for some reason Annette Badland was there which was so unexpected) It was silly, it was fun.
Obviously as a remake/reboot it’s gonna be compared to the original one but as I’m not seen I’ve just judged it on its own merits.
I did kinda expect it to be a bit more gorier than it was cause of being unrated. Don’t get me wrong it is gory when there’s kills (but again in a mostly cartoonish type way) but it feels the most talked about reason for it being unrated is toxie getting his dick out and pissing which is only for a few seconds towards the end.
But yeah I had a good time with it. It’s very much a film that wouldn’t be for everyone, but it is a fun time.
8/10
Sadly there’s not another mystery film listed which is a shame. Maybe there will be closer to spooky season but who knows. The next cinema trip might be next week, cause ai am thinking of seeing Jaws but if not it’ll be for the Thunderbirds thing in a few weeks.
I did see a fic meme post Monday that I am working on doing (so that might be the next post). It probably would’ve been done yesterday morning but as I was at the library I didn’t finish it (I did some then got sidetrack by Clown. (And I might post pics I wanna flail over then too)
Cabinet Of Curiosities
Over the past nights I have continued my Cabinet Of Curiosities run with Dreams In The Witch House and The Viewing.
Dreams, like Pickman’s model is a Lovecraft adaption. I dunno how faithful it is to the original (tv tropes says not really) but I just know the man would have hated that two of the characters were played by black women.
The main actor in this one was Robert Grint, as a guy who lost his twin sister when he was younger and is obsessed with finding her in the afterlife after seeing her spirit get taken. He does a pretty good job with what he’s given and plays it pretty well. And there is some good other stuff in there, like the paintings (I’ve never seen triangular paintings before) and the visuals of vines/branches dragging him in the afterlife but…
There’s this rat thing with a human face and he is just… it’s strange and not in a good way and kinda takes away from it (not helped by the accent that he’s been given). And it really took away from the final scenes too.
6/10
The Viewing was the one I was most excited to see from the synopsises and it started promising. With a group of people being gathered to a rich guys house to view… something. What surprised me was the setting was the 70’s but I really loved the vibes, the electronic music, and the aesthetics of the rich guys house so I was hopeful it’d be good.
The rich guy clearly picked these people for a reason (and knew a concerning amount about them all) and then they got plied with booze (and drugs) before the titular viewing happened. It was a mystery object and it had an eerie vibe to it… but then it opened up and went down hill a bit.
With a thing like this one it’s the reveal that matters and, to be honest, it wasn’t a great one. Partly it was the design, partly what happened to the people but I dunno I just didn’t vibe with it which is a shame as the build up was good (until the drugs came out)
5/10
Clown In A Cornfield
So I finally finished the first Clown In A Cornfield book. Yipee! I probably would have finished it soon but my focus just hasn’t been there and being at the library today meant I could. I only intended to read a few chapters but it just pulled me along and I had to finish it (only pausing to get hime and have lunch)
It was really good! I’m glad I read it and it made me love Cole, Rust and Quinn all the more. Of course having watched the film first there were obvious comparisons between it. The film did make some changes, most understandable. But honestly? The killings being a one off thing feels better than the film where it happens every few decades. That kinda felt it was only done to have the opening scene of the film happen which, yeah was well done but ultimate caused more issues and took away from the suspense of other parts.
But anyway! Like I said it made me love Quinn even more and the scene of the big damn kiss at the end… I just loved that. Quinn being terrified that something had happened to Cole and he was getting cpr only for it to become clear it was actually a kiss.
9/10
The book did have a preview chapter of the second one, which made me wanna get it even more. The problem is it’s out of stock pretty much everywhere so does anyone know any book sites?
Also the film is getting its uk dvd/blu ray release next month and I hope we get that cool steelbook America has.
I was debating going to the cinema today, cause my eye had felt strange and with the library today, and there was dark clouds so I felt there’d be a storm. Said storm didn’t come so I ended up going. I got some earphones since mine inexplicably stopped working (I’m not sure about them), got a lil Halloween spooky succulent and a sonic mystery capsule. I opened it up and inside was Shadow! I took it as a sign to go to smyths since the site had sonic x shadow generations for over £10 but alas no, that offer wasn’t in store (it was only £2 off) but there was a shadow Funko so I picked him up.
Film thoughts under the cut but first trailers!
Freakier Friday had a bunch of things I’d not seen of heard of. (Wicked For Good was one I’d seen before and there was a different I Swear trailer). Regretting You isn’t something I’d wanna see probably. Good Fortune has Keane Reeves as an angel which feels like it could be a fun concept. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey seemed to be a romantic thing to start with but then went more… strange so I’m slightly curious about that.
The mystery film trailers were almost identical to the ones for Weapons, though I think the Him trailer was slightly different and this one also had fnaf 2. It’s funny thought that all but Him were sequels.
Freakier Friday
This was really fun and I’m so glad that I ended up seeing it. The cinema was pretty empty (I think there were only two people closer to the front) but it was a good time. I honestly didn’t like the British girl at all at the start, but by the end I’d warmed to her slightly.
But damn Chad Micheal Murray looks good (anyone else kinda wished he’d kissed Eric that one time they were together?) and the film also answered that there’s something Manny Jacinto can’t do (surf) though he can dance. Someone get him in more stuff (and yes I’m still pissed we don’t have an Acolyte season 2, though it’s hard to believe he’s the same person who played Qimir)
But yeah it was a fun time, if you liked the first you’re definitely gonna like this (and conversely if you didn’t this is probably not gonna win you over. (Also Mark Harmon is still a silver fox)
7.5/10
Unlike with Superman and the last Mystery film there wasn’t time to get food (and I wasn’t sure about eating anything major before an 18 rated film) so I just had a cookiee which was ok.
Mystery film - The Toxic Avenger Unrated
Then there was a mystery film, which turned out to be The Toxic Avenger Unrated. I suspected it would be, mainly cause it was the only 18 rated horror film, albeit having a short run.
The showing was at the same screen as Freakier Friday, which was funny but it was pretty packed.
The film very clearly didn’t take itself seriously at all, which was mostly clear in whenever place names came up. The whole world of the film and the setting is so ridiculous but unlike certain things it’s intentionally so. Like the film opens with a detective being bought proof of a companies shade dealings. He acts if she’s been followed, she says no but of course she is… only the people that have followed here are this an and instead of trained professionals.
It’s a very cartoony film like that and it leans into it pretty well. Like you can tell the actors are having a good time. Peter Dinkledge brings heart as Toxie, Kevin Bacon hams it up as the villian (and is shirtless A Lot), Elijah Wood is his creepy brother. Taylor Paige kicks ass as the informant mentioned above. (And for some reason Annette Badland was there which was so unexpected) It was silly, it was fun.
Obviously as a remake/reboot it’s gonna be compared to the original one but as I’m not seen I’ve just judged it on its own merits.
I did kinda expect it to be a bit more gorier than it was cause of being unrated. Don’t get me wrong it is gory when there’s kills (but again in a mostly cartoonish type way) but it feels the most talked about reason for it being unrated is toxie getting his dick out and pissing which is only for a few seconds towards the end.
But yeah I had a good time with it. It’s very much a film that wouldn’t be for everyone, but it is a fun time.
8/10
Sadly there’s not another mystery film listed which is a shame. Maybe there will be closer to spooky season but who knows. The next cinema trip might be next week, cause ai am thinking of seeing Jaws but if not it’ll be for the Thunderbirds thing in a few weeks.
I did see a fic meme post Monday that I am working on doing (so that might be the next post). It probably would’ve been done yesterday morning but as I was at the library I didn’t finish it (I did some then got sidetrack by Clown. (And I might post pics I wanna flail over then too)
no subject
Date: 2025-08-27 04:25 pm (UTC)I quite like when cinema screens are nearly empty, but also like when they're packed as it tends to be a great atmosphere. Guess I just like the cinema in general, really.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-28 08:00 pm (UTC)Me too. I think this was the quietest showing at this cinema I’ve been too (clown was close though). I remember when I saw Resident Evil Apocalypse and I was the only one there! But yeah that’s true!
I have to agree there I am enjoying going so often. I remember walking out of Sinners and thinking I should go more and now I’m glad I am with this pass thing.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-27 09:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-28 08:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-28 11:01 am (UTC)Agreed on basically all points for The Viewing. I loved the music and overall vibes, but it kind of fell apart at the end.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-28 08:05 pm (UTC)Oh I’m glad I’m not only that thought that! It’s such a shame cause the vibes and the music and asthetics was so good and then the end…
no subject
Date: 2025-08-29 10:21 am (UTC)The story, by the way, is about a student of Miskatonic University who rents a room in the so-called "witch house" to work on his thesis, essentially, and discovers creepy things about his room, and his neighbors. The Stuart Gordon version (that's the Masters of Horror one) modernized it and made him a struggling novelist, rather than a mathematician, but it's closer than this other thing.
ETA: UH, it's worth mentioning that the Masters of Horror episode being more faithful absolutely DOES NOT mean it's a better piece of media than Cabinet of Curiosities. The latter is more competent in every single way, it's just not a good adaptation, lol.
Yeah, I remember being really excited with that one. It's weird, because the buildup is so great, but then it doesn't really take you anywhere.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-29 10:45 am (UTC)Oh! Yeah that’s completely different to what curiosities did, I see what you mean. I don’t get why they didn’t just do that cause that sounds like it’d be a great concept.
But oh that’s a shame! It did sound intriguing but it’s sad that the options are ‘faithful adaption but executed not well’ and something done well but not faithful at all
I was too from the description and it did feel so promising. It is such a shame that the ending let it down so much.
I’ve still got the last ep to watch though which I’m hoping to do this weekend sometime
no subject
Date: 2025-08-29 03:14 pm (UTC)Overall, Cabinet of Curiosities is pretty great, though. The last episode is one of my favorites, so enjoy that when you get to it! "Pickman's Model" was another highlight for me--that image of Ben Barnes tied down to the bed is going to live rent-free in my brain. For, uh, reasons.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-29 04:42 pm (UTC)I watched the first 4 eps close to when it came out so can’t remember them as clearly (other than thinking the autopsy one was really great) and that makes me curious about the last one! I’m hoping to watch it this weekend. And yeah I don’t blame you for that at all!👀