Tag: FredHechinger

Fear Street Part 3: 1666

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In the final instalment of the Fear Street trilogy, we are transported back in time to 1666. Finally, we would be able to see the beginning of Sarah Fier’s curse! Not only do we have the chance to witness the events leading up to her death, but we are also able to have a better understanding of who she really was. Meanwhile, back in 1994, the teenagers are once again in a race against time to save Shadyside and put an end to the curse forever.

When the movie started, I’ll admit that I was skeptical. While I’m so happy to have learned more about Sarah, it took a little bit of time for the story to take off. As soon as things picked up though, I was completely transfixed and couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen. I thought it was interesting as well how the lives of Sarah and Hannah seemed to mimic those of Deena and Sam’s and how at the end of the day the theme of love was at the root of the entire story.

The way in which everything came together was really impressive. I was hoping for a proper wrap up and was not let down in the slightest. There were twists and turns galore, however the main one was pulled off so incredibly well that I was left speechless. Still two days later, I am thinking about it! Now that I have seen all three films, I would love to rewatch them sequentially so that I can catch the little clues and see how they fall into place.

I am still amazed at how much of a treat Fear Street has been for me. Sure I was curious at first, but I never expected to become such a dedicated fan. I hope that this isn’t the last we have seen of this franchise but until then, I am going to seriously consider venturing future into the horror genre.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥.5

Fear Street Part 1: 1994

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Welcome to Shadyside. Legend has it that a curse has shadowed the town for centuries. When a circle of friends accidentally stumble across the grave site of the witch responsible for said curse, a series of murders begins. As it turns out, this is not the first time something like this has happened either. It is up to the teenagers to do whatever they can to stop the forces of evil while facing their fears in the process.

First things first, I am not a fan of horror. It is not a genre that I usually gravitate towards. Jump scares, in particular, are too much for me to handle. But I don’t mind a bit of gore. When I heard about the premise of this trilogy, I was intrigued. I never read the books, but I am familiar with R.L. Stine’s work. I had a feeling that this was the type of horror I could take, even if it meant I would watch some of it hiding behind a pillow.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It was very entertaining and I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time. I liked how the energy was turned on high and just when you thought you knew the direction in which things were going, you had to think again!

Another aspect that I appreciated was the 90s setting. As someone who grew up during that time period, it made me feel nostalgic to see the cassette tapes, fashion and those retro TVs. I also loved the music choices that were made throughout. I felt like I had stepped into a time machine.

Unfortunately the main character just didn’t do it for me. Deena (Kiana Madeira) came off as whiny and annoying. I found it difficult to root for her at times. Everyone else was cast well though. I particularly enjoyed Deena’s brother Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr.) who was the horror know it all and Deena’s girlfriend Sam (Olivia Welch).

I also thought that there were a couple of unanswered plot points by the end of this film. I understand that this is the first instalment of three so I am hoping that these questions will be tackled down the line.

As far as horror goes, Fear Street Part 1: 1994 was a wild ride that I did not want to get off from. I am very excited to see what 1978 has in store. Bring on the scares.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

The Woman in the Window

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The Woman in the Window was one of my most anticipated films of the year. I read the book by A.J. Finn at the very beginning of the pandemic in preparation for the big screen release. As we all know now, the date was pushed back and the rights were ultimately bought by Netflix. You can imagine the build up and excitement that I have harboured ever since. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it this weekend!

Anna Fox (Amy Adams), is a psychologist who has recently separated from her husband. She lives in their New York City home with her cat Punch where she sees a therapist on the regular for her agoraphobia. Since she doesn’t go outside, Anna often finds herself spying on her neighbours, assuming that she will never have to come face to face with them.

One day, new to the area Jane Russell (Julianne Moore) from across the street appears on her doorstep. The two form a bond over a game of gin and a couple bottles of wine. So, when Anna witnesses a violent incident happening to Jane through her window, who will believe her? Nobody saw them together and to make matters worse, Anna usually washes her medication down with alcohol altering her perception of reality. Not to mention the fact, that it appears Jane Russell (Jennifer Jason Leigh) seems to be alive and well, except she is not at all who Anna met that night.

Let’s start with the good. I thought the casting choices were well done. While I am not usually a fan of Amy Adams, I actually thought her portrayal of Anna was spot on. That was exactly how I imagined the character while reading about her a year ago. Julianne Moore as Jane was uncanny and the two had great chemistry together. Having Gary Oldman as Jane’s husband Alistair and Fred Hechinger as their troubled son Ethan were perfect additions. Rounding out with Wyatt Russell as Anna’s tenant David, Brian Tyree Henry as Detective Little and Anthony Mackie as Anna’s husband Ed, there are a lot of familiar faces to appreciate.

I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way. Despite knowing what they were going to be, seeing the reveals occur on screen was still satisfying. The pacing, while slow to start, was necessary for the film and helped set the tone. It was creepy and kept me on the edge of my seat which is really all that I could want from a thriller.

Unfortunately, as is customary with every book to movie adaption, some scenes just do not make the cut. Most of the time, these changes are necessary and I can understand them. This time around, however, there were two plot points in particular that I felt were integral to the story and therefore should have been included. I truly believe if they were added in that everything would have been fleshed out more.

At the end of the day, I am still happy that I finally had the chance to watch The Woman in the Window. It may not have been entirely what I was expecting, but I did like it for what it was.

Rating: ♥♥♥