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Unfriended: Dark Web 2018 ★★★★
Now that it's on Netflix, I decided to squeeze in a rewatch. It was worth the time.
In all aspects, Unfriended: dark web is a step up from Unfriended.
It starts with a good idea and a good story. I not only like how they cast an actually deaf actress for the part of Amaya, but also how the characters use ASL to their advantage later in the film.
The villains are also better fleshed out than in part 1. With all due respect, but the whole Laura Barnes-thing is just rehashing a lot of the slashers from the eighties with a FF coat. Granted, the whole idea of this secret Spectre/Illuminati like organisation is perhaps not very original either, but at least it's more appealing.
One of the main things in these movies are the characters. In part 1, it's a group of total douchebags that - certainly on a rewatch - have you thinking "how are these people friends?". Here, they may not be supergreat either, but at least they are (more) believable as friends.
The kills look good, with the villains using all sorts of technology and hacking skills to their advantage. To this films credit: they managed to make the techno babble not sound all that much like techno babble and the exposition does not sound all that much like exposition. But if you're not into the story, I can also totally see how this stuff looks silly.
The climax is better than the one part 1 too, but fair is fair, the studio producing the first Unfriended also had a hand in that. Here, we get several possible endings with one being bleaker than the other. That said, it rounds the story off in a good way.
So in short: a very enjoyable horror movie centered around a nice concept. Not sure where they would go next without repeating themselves, but if Unfriended 3 ever comes up, I will be in for it.
Freaks Out 2021 ★★★½
Freaks out, a Belgian-Italian coproduction, is a lovely story about friendship, about overcoming hardship and about being there for your friends. Because that's what you do for the people you hold dear.
It plays during world war 2, which paves for the sort of nazi killing that would have Indiana Jones and Aldo Raynes nodding in agreement.
The four main characters have gifts that can serve as superpowers. But this movie has a lot more heart than the average superhero movie. Not to mention the fact this one has the amount of gore that will never get you close to a PG 13.
And if that does not convince you, it also features a unique version of Radioheads Creep.
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