All User Reviews

Over-rated in my opinion

Missed this in the hey-days of MTV, finally got around to checking what the hype was about.

The first runs do a pretty good job of a suspenseful, dialog-less, condensed narrative, with each episode being under 5mn. And the main characters dies before the end of each episode. Music is different and appropriate.

The last season is closer to the norm: 22mn and dialog. And far less interesting.

Still, I couldn't get over the art style, and the pervasive sexual fetish imagery.
I can see how it could serve the underlying discourse, but I find it complacent, and thus gratuitously degenerate.
Not woke per se, but definitely proto-edgelordy of the time.

A miss for me.

More Anti-White Racism

Given that Brandy is a terrible actor and always has been her casting here is straight DEI. Of course her husband is white. Stepmom is a racist. Her awful acting is front and center in the first 5 minutes and it doesn't get any better. The writing is poor and makes no sense. One scene she's upset that her employment taking away some of her classes and afraid she might lose her job and then a couple scenes later she just suddenly quits because her boss missed their appointment, then the next scene she's complaining about not having money to buy a can of paint. Portrays Christians as crazy racist evil cultists. This is yet another slow boring drama attempting to leach onto the horror genre to trick people into watching. There is nothing scary, no blood or gore, no kills. Just a senile old annoying woman's bodily functions. It's racist anti white trash, nothing more.

10 Seconds to Interracial Lesbo Love

I really don't actually try and watch these shit films so I can get all in the movie's face about having a lard-ass black woman and white chick going at it 10 seconds into the film. I just wanted a stupid, maybe rom-com type to watch with my wife on a Sunday morning.

Griefing+Zombies+LoneSurvivor

Badass Lone Survivor learns how do deal with grief while helping others in his way to reach his sister that is in another state in the middle of a zombie break.

Low Budget Nonsense

Some DEI casting. Cheap CG. Acting and dialog are not so good. More bad writing. Terrorists blow up 2 bombs on a bridge trapping and cutting off the police van and they don't bother to immediately call in support even though the enemies take forever to work there way up to the actual transport they want to attack. The main character calls in 911 to report bombs going off and terrorists on the bridge and is told by operator they don't have the authority to dispatch anyone. Also if I'm understanding the badly explained story the woman being transported is a witness set to testify against the villains. That should be a WITSEC program with the U.S. Marshalls not a police prisoner transport as this is a federal military issue, and why would you put your witness who is a target in a bright red jumpsuit? Just one police van with 3 officers and no escort at all. The main villains terrible over acting is laughable every time he's on screen. There's not even any good action to save this low budget stinker.

Wasted Potential

The black friend is a token DEI hire. All the male characters are useless and just there to be killed. I actually don't recall a single female character dying or even really being hurt. Jester character is the highlight and has some creepy moments. The acting is not very good with a couple of average but mostly bat actors. Some awkward dialog and long conversations between characters hurt the pacing. Some jarring editing between scenes as well. Other than the F-bombs its all very PG-13. The blood is minimal with no real gore and the kills are pretty tame. The older sister is a nasty miserable generally unlikable character.

Within 3 min teen male character states he is a lover of boys. DEI heavy casting in the U.K. with an 83 percent white population. White girl is of course instantly attracted to the black kid who naturally the gay white male also wants. The straight white male is a complete p.o.s. who tries to assault a teenage girl and is killed. This is all within the first 20 minutes. By this time it's obvious this is going to be an agenda driven woke fest so that was it for me.

Not Really Horror.

Nothing really woke. Main actress is actually pretty good, everyone else is terrible. The voice on the phone at the beginning is
notably awful. Sounds like someone reading of a cue card. Long drawn out awkward pointless conversations between characters that seem totally unnecessary. All of the dialog is poorly written and seems unnatural. The whole CPS interaction is nonsense. CPS cannot gain access to your home without a warrant. The likelihood of getting on based on 1 single generalized welfare complaint is pretty much zero. Even if you let them in voluntarily they have no authority to just run around your home looking wherever they want much less requesting to see behind a closed door then when denied open it anyway. Then when you find nothing just demand a follow up appointment with your child present. This writer knows nothing about CPS. The entire movie is shot
with minimal lighting making some scenes are to see what's even happening. I checked out at the 40 min mark but based on reviews elsewhere it gets worse as it goes.

Western With a Butch Lesbian

Lead villain character is a lesbian. Leading a dangerous group of men in the early 1900's. Lewis character's attemtp at being
threatening and sinister are a complete fail. She's just comes across as annoying and punchable. There's no real reason these men would follow her around and just take her garbage. Her voice is terrible making a lot of her lines incomprehensible. Multiple characters had chances to kill her and just don't for no reason. Dinklage opening scene is also laughable. He's 4 foot 5 and 100lbs but physically overpowers and beats up a large man with no trouble. The acting is hit or miss. The cinematography and atmosphere are very good, with some better writing and acting and drop the woke crap this could
of been a decent western.

Woke

A group of unsympathetic British hijackers taking control of a plane filled with passengers, primarily Arabs. The case is under the watchful eye of government agents – strong, capable women, of course. A young black protagonist delivering a pointed line to a police officer about buying a stationary bike to avoid random stops. A heroic black lead, and his wife – not just any partner but a distinguished physics professor.

Then there are the other characters, many of whom appear to check off various diversity boxes, feeling forced rather than adding depth to the story. Queer / gay characters whose presence seems intended to hit a quota, rather than contributing logically to the story.

And naturally, it’s made by Apple.

If any one or two of these elements were included, it might be no big deal. But the show seems intent on including everything, all at once. What was the name of that deep Chinese pan that holds everything together? Ah, yes – a wok.

P.S.
So, I decided to add my thoughts next day after I've finished watching it:
The three first episodes held a certain intrigue and felt somewhat realistic, even as the "woke-ism" was apparent throughout. But as the show progresses, the story loses plausibility, piling on unrealistic coincidences and deus ex machina moments that quickly erode its initial appeal, so I have deducted another point. And yes, it’s woke, woke, woke – practically to the point of parody.

Strong LGBT Narrative

The first season did a great job weaving the homosexual characters into the story so that they were a part of it. Now it's gratuitous.

Season 2 is spending so much time highlighting gay night life, you'd think it was Disney +. Paramount owns Showtime and they have long since bent the knee to DEI so it's no wonder.

They've taken a great narrative about Chief Harris and handed it over to a heaping dose of woke writers, with Game of Thrones level preoccupation with homosexuality.

A 70's classic still delivers

"The Amityville Horror" stands out among the late 70's horror films inspired by "The Exorcist," offering a surprisingly nuanced narrative that has stood the test of time. The film weaves together multiple compelling storylines: a demonic presence, a man grappling with his new family dynamics, a priest whose faith is tested, and a persistent police officer driven by curiosity.

The movie's strength lies in its character development and the gradual build-up of tension. It explores the psychological impact of the haunting on each character, showing how the supernatural events slowly erode their sense of reality and sanity. This approach creates a more immersive and unsettling experience than relying solely on overt paranormal occurrences.

However, the film leaves several intriguing plot threads unresolved. The abrupt ending, with the Lutz family fleeing the house, leaves viewers with unanswered questions about the fate of secondary characters and the significance of certain plot elements, such as the Vietnam-veteran monk.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the film is its portrayal of the demon's influence. The scene where the priest is blinded after praying in the church raises questions about the extent of the demon's power and its ability to affect sacred spaces.

The movie's connection to real-world events adds another layer of intrigue. The actual Amityville house played a significant role in popularizing ghost hunting, particularly through the involvement of Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators who later purchased the house.

The film could be viewed as a metaphor for insomnia. The blurring of reality and hallucination, coupled with the prominent role of sleep-wake cycles in the story's pacing, supports this reading. This perspective adds depth to the narrative, inviting viewers to question the reliability of the characters' perceptions.

In conclusion, "The Amityville Horror" succeeds as a horror film by balancing supernatural elements with psychological tension. Its exploration of faith, family dynamics, and the gradual descent into madness creates a compelling narrative that continues to resonate with audiences. The film's infamous line, "That room is the gateway to hell," aptly encapsulates its ominous atmosphere and enduring impact on the horror genre.