Child's Play (2019/SPOILERS)

You are my buddy, until the end...

Slashers are a staple of the horror genre. These movies are the kind that many go to just watch these icons slash and dash their way through several unsuspecting victims. Michael, Jason, Freddy, Leatherface, the list goes on and on. Among these guys is Chucky the killer doll. Chucky has always been a favorite of mine, being that what sets him and his movies apart from the others is that they add a touch of humor that makes for some quality entertainment. He's been after the same kid for the first three movies, then he got married, had a son, and recently ended his original tenure creating an army of multiple versions of himself. What is even better is that he's actually had very few bumps in the road, with only a few installments ranging from average to downright awful. All of this good buzz has been propelled by the iconic voicework of Brad Dourif, who is to Chucky what Robert Englund is to Freddy. Now when news surfaced that the series was to be rebooted with a whole new crew and Dourif no longer voicing the character, you can imagine how concerned I was. Then this happened. Needless to say, that played a big part in wiping away all of my concerns. Aside from the awful design of Chucky, the marketing also did a good job of really selling this as something completely different from the original which was deeply appreciated by me. Things were looking up for this movie, so how did it hold up? Surprisingly well. Honestly, I loved this movie so freaking much! It was everything I could want in a Chucky movie and I was finding myself enjoying it more than the originals at times. With that being said, let's get into what makes Child's Play a hit and what doesn't:

UPS

1. The cast is solid. One thing that was a plus from the start was that the movie was populated by several incredible and popular actors. Overall, they all did a really good job, especially Aubrey Plaza, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Gabriel Bateman. They added a lot to their characters and made it easy to care about them and their struggles, particularly in Bateman's case. Of course, they are no match for the standout, who is none other than...
2. CHUCKY! There were so many ways the producers of this movie could have ruined this character, but it's safe to say that they did not do anything of the sort. In fact, the new spin they gave Chucky was probably the best thing that they could have done in their situation. Having him be a robot who developed a real bond to Andy brought a sympathetic light to the character and offered a more tragic iteration that produces a clever message about the many dangers that come with producing AI technology. And of course, Mark Hamill nails the voicework as I always knew he would. He may not be as iconic as Dourif, but if there was anyone who could even come close to replacing him, it would have to be Mark. 
3. As morbid as this sounds, the kills. This movie was outrageously gory...and it's all the better for it. The clear standouts are Karen's bastard boyfriend Shane, the creepy apartment custodian who shares an uncanny recognition to Jack Black, and the massacre at the store. All the kills were just so over the top and bonkers that as gruesome as they were, the absurdity of it all makes it a joy to watch instead of being hard to stomach. 
4. That kickass theme song from Bear McCreery, composer of the The Walking Dead. Oh, and the "Buddi Song" :)
5. The tone of this movie is definitely fitting for a Chucky movie. It knows exactly what kind of movie it is and rolls right along with it. Simply put, if you love Chucky and especially when the movies take the horror-comedy route, then you will have an absolute blast watching this movie.

DOWNS

1. Some wonky effects in regards to Chucky's new design. Admittedly, the look of the doll is not great but I actually grew to like it once I saw that it highlighted the Quasimodo-esque nature of Chucky before he makes the shift into evil killer doll. I do not however like when a moving mouth is clearly photoshopped onto the doll. It is so utterly distracting, and for a film that is actually incredibly well made for the most part, this is a glaring flaw that persists throughout. 
2. I was surprised and rather disappointed with how there wasn't much time dedicated to the idea that no one believes Andy when he tells them Chucky is alive. Given how integral that was to the story of the original, it seems odd with how little it actually occurs here, and the times that it does happen are so minuscule that it seems rather unnatural with how everyone turned against him in the ways that they did. I don't know, I was just put off by how he has one little outburst and that leads to his mother being concerned for his well being and his friends thinking he's a freak even though they helped him hide a severed head and were perfectly fine with hanging around him afterwards. Doesn't really add up to me. 

OVERALL

Child's Play managed to be an incredibly solid remake that set itself apart from the original and put a nice little twist on the story. It's not all perfect, but overall, a worthy addition to the franchise and a testament to how remakes can be done right. 

And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more on the way and till then, take care :)

In The Mind Of: Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen (SPOILERS)

We break the Wheel together...

Westeros is a cruel and unforgiving place filled with deception, betrayal, and murder. It was not where heroes would triumph over the villains and bring about everlasting peace. The fact of the matter is that nothing comes easy in this world. Despite all of this, there are still people out there who wish to do the right thing and make it a better place. Among them are Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, two people who have been outcasts in the past before eventually becoming two of the most influential and powerful people in Westeros. 

Both come from rather obscure places. Jon is the illegitimate son of Lord Eddard Stark who does not know the identity of his mother and feels out of place in the Stark family due to his status as a "bastard." Daenerys, meanwhile, is the daughter of the Mad King Aerys Targaryen, whose tyrannical reign was ended during Robert's Rebellion. Born as soon as her family fled King's Landing, Dany never knew what life was like outside of where she and her brother Viserys were held up. Eventually, both Jon and Dany go on journeys of self discovery that shape them into the people they become. 

Joining the Night's Watch, Jon matures into a braver man who realizes that what he thought he wanted was far from what he needed, and it is through developing bonds with people like Sam and Ygritte that he starts to see that. Likewise, Dany is faced with several struggles that test her resolve and how far she is willing to go to get what she wants. Through the strength of her compassion and the advice of people like Jorah, she is able to check her worst impulses and become a fierce yet caring leader.

By the time these two meet, they both have reached high points in their lives. Jon has become King in the North and Dany has amassed an army large enough to take back the Iron Throne. It is here that tragedy strikes. Once she reaches Westeros, Dany is faced with overwhelming odds that see her lose a lot of what she cares about. Likewise, Jon is faced with the burden of being King, which brings responsibilities he has no desire of holding. In spite of this they manage to find allegiance with one another which soon blossoms into romance. Together, they work with everyone else to combat the greatest threat imaginable and manage to defeat it. However, what seals the final nail in the coffin is the truth of Jon being the son of Dany's late brother, Rhaegar Targaryen, and Lyanna Stark, thus making him Dany's nephew and the true heir to the Iron Throne. From here, their relationship takes a downward spiral and further complications cause Dany to give into her darker nature, which in turn forces Jon to make the ultimate sacrifice and take her life before she can bring ruin to a world she sought to save and protect.

In the end, Jon and Dany's story is not particularly happy, especially in Dany's case. Still, their actions led to the status quo being changed and the people of Westeros opting to elect who rules from now on. Ultimately, Westeros is far from where it could be, but there's a glimmer of hope that change is coming, so it was not a completely bitter end for the two of them either. Plus we got this :)

UPDATES: Top 10s for Game of Thrones (SPOILERS)

With Game of Thrones officially over, it's time for my final updates of the Top 10s. Let's see how things have changed one last time:

Top 10 Moments
 10. "Hold The Door" (Season 6 Episode 5 "The Door")
 9. The Battle of Blackwater (Season 2 Episode 9 "Blackwater")
 8. The Battle of Hardhome (Season 5 Episode 8 "Hardhome")
 7. The Battle of Winterfell (Season 8 Episode 3 "The Long Night")
 6. The Battle of The Bastards (Season 6 Episode 9 "Battle of the Bastards")
 5. Drogon burning the Iron Throne/The Last of The Starks (Season 8 Episode 6 "The Iron Throne")
 4. The Red Wedding (Season 3 Episode 9 "The Rains of Castamere")
 3. Tyrion killing Tywin (Season 4 Episode 10 "The Children")
 2. Ned's Death (Season 1 Episode 9 "Baelor")
 1. All of "The Winds of Winter" (Season 6 Episode 10 "The Winds of Winter")

Top 10 Episodes
 10. "Blackwater" (Season 2 Episode 9)
 9. "Hardhome" (Season 5 Episode 8)
 8. "The Long Night" (Season 8 Episode 3)
 7. "Battle of The Bastards" (Season 6 Episode 9)
 6. "The Dragon and The Wolf" (Season 7 Episode 7)
 5. "The Bells" (Season 8 Episode 5)
 4. "The Rains of Castamere" (Season 3 Episode 9)
 3. "Baelor" (Season 1 Episode 9)
 2. "The Children" (Season 4 Episode 10)
 1. "The Winds of Winter" (Season 6 Episode 10)

Top 10 Characters
 10. Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish
 9. Sansa Stark
 8. Jaime Lannister
 7. Eddard "Ned" Stark
 6. Tyrion Lannister
 5. Theon Greyjoy
 4. Sandor "The Hound" Clegane
 3. Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen
 2. Cersei Lannister
 1. Arya Stark

And that's it! Consider these my definitive rankings for Game of Thrones. What a journey it has been.

Retro-Reviews: Game of Thrones: The Final Season (SPOILERS)

If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention...

2019 seems to be the year of endings. Be it the Infinity Saga of the MCU or the Sequel Trilogy of Star Wars, there are many big stories that have reached their final chapter. Among them is Game of Thrones, which returned after having a whole year and a half off to develop the final season. Anticipation was through the roof, and now that it's all wrapped up, how have things held up? Well...if this was anything to go by, you'd be damn sure to believe what Ramsay Bolton had to say all those years back, and I'm not talking about the end of the show itself. Simply put, I have never seen such an uproar from a fanbase as I have with the final season of Game of Thrones. I almost was considering not even reviewing it because it may just be better to just let it all go to rest...but I ultimately decided that it needed to be done. Without further adieu, let's get into my very mixed reaction towards the conclusion of one of my favorite TV shows of all time:

UPS

1. Emilia Clarke! While she was never a bad actress, it was clear that she wasn't as strong as some of the other actors like Peter Dinklage or Lena Headey. That all changed this season. While there were issues with the progression of Dany's arc, Clarke played the part so masterfully and portrayed Dany's descent into madness so convincingly that it could almost be forgiven.
2. ARYA FREAKING STARK! If there was one character that was given the best treatment this season, it was definitely Arya. After three whole seasons of being thrown through the wringer with lackluster storylines, Arya was finally given her time to shine...and boy did she ever. Not only did she manage to save the world by killing the freaking Night King, but she was also able to overcome her lust for vengeance in favor of being able to live her life the way she truly wanted to. Her being reunited with the Hound also allowed for a touching scene that brought both their arcs full circle, and out of every character, I think her story had the most satisfying ending. Overall, it's nice to know at least one character managed just fine at the end of it all.
3. The visuals, direction, and music. I don't usually discuss technical aspects in my reviews, but I have to admit, this season really was something to behold. It's clear that this is why it took extra long for this season to come out. Everything is just so gorgeous to look at that you can't believe you're watching a television show at times. I mean, come on, how epic is this shot?

DOWNS

1. IT'S TOO DAMN SHORT! Back when it was announced that the final two seasons would be shortened, I had my concerns. I hate to say that my fears were sadly realized. Season 7 spent its seven episodes setting up everything that happens in this season, and as a result we have things moving at a breakneck speed that hurts the narrative more than it helps. The rushed storytelling only serves to make the story feel nonsensical, character arcs ring hollow, and the ending anticlimactic. It's unfortunate that what could have been an epic endgame feels so empty because the showrunners did not put in the time needed to make it all work. 

OVERALL

The final season of Game of Thrones is a frustrating mixed bag for me. I don't hate what I saw. I actually really liked it. It's just that I wished things were given more time to breath and flow so that I (and apparently everyone else) would feel more satisfied with the final product. I guess this is just one of those times where I shouldn't be angry over how Game of Thrones ended, but rather glad that I got to spend a good portion of my life with characters I enjoy and watching this show evolve into something great, even if there were several bumps in the road. At the end of the day, as long as there was something good to be taken from it, then at least one thing was done right. 

And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more coming your way :)

And now my Watch had Ended...