The Black Phone

The Black Phone (2022)

Directed by Scott Derrickson

Screenplay by Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill 

Based on the short story, "The Black Phone" by Joe Hill

Stars: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, Ethan Hawke, James Ransone,  E. Roger Mitchell, Troy Rudeseal, Miguel Cazarez Mora, Tristan Pravong, Jacob Moran, Banks Repeta, and Brady Hepner

After the horrific experience of watching that last movie, I needed to see a competent attempt of making a movie. This is one of the horror movies that I was intrigued to see.

1978. A North Denver neighborhood is on edge when a series of kidnappings happen. Finney Blake (Thames) becomes the latest victim of The Grabber (Hawke). Finney is trying to find his way out. He might get it with his little sister, Gwen (McGraw).

Watching this movie, I didn't understand how The Black Phone came to play or how the voices came out of an inoperable phone. Then, I got it. I was on board.

Can I say that Gwen was the star of this movie? She did all of the legwork. She was like Nancy Drew. Loved her fool mouth. The colorful phrases that came out was so good.

Usually, I would hate jump scares. This movie did have them, but they were needed to convey Finney's mental state throughout his journey. It was effective.

The criticisms I have with the film is that the middle of the movie dragged so much. If the movie was trimmed by ten minutes, I would have been better. There is also the matter of the detectives in the movie. They did nothing to help the investigation and they got all the credit. The fuck is that. There is also the matter of Jeremy Davies' character. He was scarier than The Grabber.

Rating: 9/10

Secretary

Secretary (2002)

Directed by Steven Shainberg

Story by  Steven Shainberg and Erin Cressida Wilson

Screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson

Based on the short story by Mary Gaitskill

Stars: Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Spader, Jeremy Davies, Stephen McHattie and Leslie Ann Warren

I had a very long and hectic day that took me out of the house for most of the day. I had no time to watch a movie. Now, that I am rested I watched Secretary. This movie is like the prequel to that Fifty Shades of Grey movie that is sweeping the country for some reason. This movie is very disturbing love story.

Lee Holloway (Gyllenhaal) is mentally disturbed woman that is released for the looney bin when she accidentally tries to kill herself. Coming back home she feels isolated from her family. She tries to develop her secretarial skills. Lee finds a want ad about an enigmatic lawyer simply named Mr. Grey (Spader) hires her. Things around the office turn to the S&M side when Mr. Grey falls for Lee after he sees that Lee is a cutter.

The dominant/submissive relationship is an interesting topic to put in a movie. When I heard about the movie when it came out, I thought why would a woman be humiliated by her boss? Knowing that Lee is not right in the head, it kinda makes sense. She is a self-harmer and the pain from spankings replaces her need to cut herself. She trades in one addiction for another. That aspect of the film is fascinating to watch.

I'm not saying that this is a great movie. It seems like everybody is the movie have a couple of screws loose. You have Lee's alcoholic father, Burt (McHattie) becoming physical towards her mother, Joan (Warren). Joan has a weird attachment to Lee that seems stalkerish. There is also Lee's love interest, Peter (Davies) that seems not right.

My Rating