129 Contributions by: Kerine Wint (Page 8)

Kerine Wint is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. When she’s not absorbed in anime and weird docu-series, she reviews speculative fiction for Fiyah Lit Magazine or designs album covers and magazines. As for her film taste, One Cut of the Dead (2017), The Lure (2015), Inu-Oh (2021), and Dear Ex (2018) sum it up pretty well.

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106. How to Become a Cult Leader, 2023

In the style of a handbook, How to Be A Cult Leader chronicles the manipulative tactics of infamous cult leaders, from their upbringing and early interests to the failures that honed their charismatic pull. Each episode profiles a leader (Charles Manson and Jim Jones for the first two episodes) with ex-followers and specialists that break down how the cults were sustained and eventually toppled tremendously. The overall tone is unsettling at first, and as the lies and crimes of these leaders are exposed, the lessons of the handbook mostly manage to be warnings. News (and stock) footage, meme-esque inserts, and animated renditions of events round out Peter Dinklage's narration and keep this unorthodox docuseries dynamic — but to what end?

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Peter Dinklage

Rating: TV-MA

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107. Lust Stories 2, 2023

Although the sequencing of the four segments makes sense, the overall result does not land in this new installment of the Lust Stories franchise. It shines with Konkona Sensharma's 'Mirror,' an unexpected take on voyeurism and camaraderie between women. It loses touch with Sujoy Ghosh's 'Sex with Ex,' which sticks out with a weak storyline and questionable use of a green screen. The bracketing stories are engaging if only for the stark difference in tone and conclusion. They round out the film well enough, allowing for an entertaining experience but a lukewarm memory after the credits roll.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Amruta Subhash, Angad Bedi, Anushka Kaushik, Hemant Kher, Jeniffer Piccinato, Jugal Hansraj, Kajol, Kanupriya Pandit, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kumud Mishra, Maharshi Dave, Mrunal Thakur, Mukti Mohan, Neena Gupta, Prateek Pachori, Shrikant Yadav, Tamannaah Bhatia, Tarun Khanna, Tillotama Shome, Vibha Chibber, Vijay Varma

Director: Amit Sharma, Konkona Sen Sharma, R. Balki, Sujoy Ghosh

Rating: R

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108. Mech Cadets, 2023

With the ingredients of a standard sci-fi animated series, Mech Cadets almost shines with its thoughtful approach to grief, parental expectations, and self-discovery for its child-to-teen audience. From Stanford losing his father and his dream of being a pilot to Frank becoming a Robo pilot despite his prosthetic leg, the series tries to build something substantial beneath the generic giant mechas and alien antagonists. But with so many mecha/robot franchises coming to mind, the show has no distinctive qualities to stand apart. It's an overall straightforward animation that carries expected lessons on responsibility and teamwork, which kids will surely enjoy, that is, until the next Transformers-esque show is released.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Family

Actor: Anairis Quinones, Aparna Brielle, Brandon Soo Hoo, Josh Sundquist, Victoria Grace

Rating: TV-Y7

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109. Love, Sex and 30 Candles (2023)

Turning 30 is a milestone that is a staple drama storybeat; it's own coming-of-age subgenre for facing unrealized dreams and heartbreak. This South African take adds a few dashes of sex as the lead quartet look back on their college years and mostly lament their dysfunctional, or lacking, love lives. All four women get equal screen time (impressive) and a series of devastating hardships (sad, yet expected), but the predominant focus on their relationship with men cornered it into predictable territory. Ultimately, the film is formulaic, always on the cusp of prioritizing friendships until its archaic romances and interpersonal drama remind you that a man and a job will make you MUCH happier.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Anthony Oseyemi, Bahumi Madisakwane, Candice Modiselle, Lunga Shabalala, Terence Bridgett

Director: Stephina Zwane

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110. iNumber Number: Jozi Gold, 2023

While investigating a gold heist in Johannesburg, Chili (S'dumo Mtshali) is jaded after an undercover operation fails spectacularly. With one chance left, he must choose between following the law and protecting the wealth of higher-ups or going against it and helping a heist crew dole out the riches to those in need. Wealth redistribution is at the heart of the film, with greed on all sides thwarting any prospects of prosperity for the city. The action-crime-thriller examines economic inequality via the lead cops trying to effect change, all while leaning into a warm visual style that shifts cameras to mirror the tensions. It's a nice touch to the average Robin Hood and "for the people" narrative, but the CGI choices and generic action scenes can get distracting at times.

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Actor: Brenda Ngxoli, Deon Lotz, Presley Chweneyagae, S'Dumo Mtshali

Director: Donovan Marsh

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111. HeartBeat, 2023

A vampire story is a tale as old as time (I couldn't resist), and adding a long-lost love to the narrative is the cherry on top of a potentially swoon-worthy supernatural romance. But despite the addition of elements like centuries-long sleep, talking cats, and a school nurse whose bad luck welcomes shenanigans every other second, there is only so much to expect with this basic premise, and the quest to become human is not a solid anchor to keep watching. Although if you're after an effortless watch, then HeartBeat's handsome lead, quirky sidekicks, and headstrong leading lady check all the boxes for an easy watch to fall into.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Baek Hyun-joo, Baek Seo Hoo, Go Gyu-pil, Jung Young-ki, Ok Taec-yeon, Park Chul-min, Park Kang-hyun, Won Ji-an, Yoon Byung-hee, Yoon So-hee

Director: Lee Hyun-seok, Lee Min-soo

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112. The Perfect Find, 2023

The Perfect Find follows Jenna (Gabrielle Union), a fashion editor trying to make a comeback after a public breakup and a high-profile firing. She lands a job at a new fashion magazine, but this is complicated when she falls for her charming and much younger coworker, Eric (Keith Powers), who just so happens to be the son of her boss. Admittedly, the plot is as cliche as can be, with a few shenanigans, quirky best friends, and an ex or two popping up in the third act. But it's also easy to fall for, especially with Union as the charismatic lead. The jokes about her character and Eric's age gap land well most times, and many parts of the film are beautiful enough, most notably: the talent, the color grading, and the eye-catching New York landscape.

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Actor: Aisha Hinds, D.B. Woodside, Gabrielle Union, Gina Torres, Godfrey, Janet Hubert, Keith Powers, La La Anthony, Leigh Davenport, Numa Perrier, Remy Ma, Shayna McHayle, Sterling 'Steelo' Brim, Ts Madison, Winnie Harlow, Yrsa Daley-Ward

Director: Numa Perrier

Rating: R

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113. The Chosen One, 2023

Based on Mark Miller and Peter Gross' graphic novel American Jesus, The Chosen One opens with a tedious build-up and a predictable plot. The possibilities are endless when you have a superpowered Christ-like boy as a protagonist, but in four of the six episodes watched, the pacing only manages to come up with a myriad of miracles, a teenage love triangle, and strange voices in the wind. Even more potential is lost as side stories begin and never end, giving side characters backstories that only resurface to contextualize Jodie's story. The worst of these is when one of Jodie's spiritual possessions overshadows Tuka (the only native in his friend group), who is protesting the mistreatment of the Yaqui tribe. And although the Mexican setting and the secrets behind Jodie's powers were initially exciting, the show ends up feeling as narrow as its 4:3 ratio.

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Bobby Luhnow, Carlos Bardem, Dianna Agron, Juanito Anguamea, Lilith Curiel

Rating: TV-MA

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114. Shaitan, 2023

Shaitan is a Telugu crime thriller series that follows the story of a family caught in the crossfire between the police, the Naxal movement, and the political establishment. Through the eldest son, Baali, we see the struggles of poverty on the decisions forced upon them; crime often being the only option they can afford. The series is dark, violent, morally ambiguous, and not for the faint of heart. It is a dark exploration of the human capacity for violence, often calling attention to the mistreatment of the working class for capitalistic gain. While it is a main staple of the plot, it becomes laborious to engage with every episode. The show excels in its immersive reality but sells itself short on a more fulfilling narrative.

Genre: Crime, Drama

Actor: Aneesha Dama, Bindu Madhavi, Deviyani Sher, Jaffer Sadiq, Lenaa, Manikanda Rajan, Nithin Prasanna, Priyamani, Ravi Kale, Shelly Kishore

Director: Mahi V. Raghav

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115. Run Rabbit Run, 2023

In the sea of mommy-horror films, Run Rabbit Run would float somewhere in the middle. Despite Sarah Snook's imposing commitment to playing a mother haunted by her past, the story doesn't meet her halfway with a memorable script. The dynamic between mother and daughter gets stuck in an exhausting loop of sudden bursts of anger and angst followed by glaringly quick reconciliation. Twists and scares are present as Snook's character, also named Sarah, confronts the dark and disturbing truths of her past, but it feels more mandatory than useful. The potential for transforming gripping familial tension into horror is lost in a meandering mother/daughter fight.

Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller

Actor: Damon Herriman, Genevieve Morris, Georgina Naidu, Greta Scacchi, Julia Davis, Katherine Slattery, Lily LaTorre, Michala Banas, Naomi Rukavina, Neil Melville, Sarah Snook, Trevor Jamieson

Director: Daina Reid

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116. Marry My Dead Body (2023)

Fifteen minutes into Marry My Dead Body, it becomes clear where this supernatural crime dramedy is going; the only question is if the two-hour runtime is worth it. It has “don't drop the soap" bits that will cause severe whiplash, and sporadic mentions of misogyny that are just as offensive. As an action film, there's nothing notable or memorable about it, and as a drama, there isn't enough emotional substance to overshadow the childish antics of our protagonists. If anything, Greg Hsu as Wu Ming-han and Austin Lin as Mao Pang-yu have a chemistry that somehow survives everything thrown its way. But don’t let curiosity get the better of you—as absurd as it sounds, the film isn’t nearly as exciting as it sounds.

Genre: Action, Comedy, Mystery

Actor: Austin Lin, Gingle Wang, Greg Hsu, Ma Nien-Hsien, Tsai Chen-Nan

Director: Cheng Wei-Hao

Rating: R

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117. The Lady of Silence: The Mataviejitas Murders (2023)

As far as documentaries go, The Lady of Silence doesn't deviate much from the true-crime formula. It follows a serial killer in charge of a series of attacks against elderly women from the late 1990s to 2003 in Mexico City. But the show stands out for highlighting just how unfamiliar the Mexican government was with understanding and handling serial killers at the time. There's also an insightful exploration into the socio-political implications of the case; political parties fueled the incompetence of the police, and the case remained ignored allegedly because women were the only victims. But it's jarring how much of the victims' stories are sidelined to make way for sensationalism. It's a tasteless and heartless choice made by the filmmakers.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Actor: Aileen Wuornos, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, Juana Barraza, Ted Bundy

Director: María José Cuevas

Rating: R

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118. Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon, 2023

Being reincarnated as a vending machine is, admittedly, a good hook. But when you're watching a machine fight frogs in a new dimension, the plot starts to lose you. At its core, it's an easy watch, without any nefarious characters (yet), but even though Boxxo always finds a way to utilize the powers of his new vending machine body and has a genuine, endearing personality, the gimmick doesn't hold attention past that. It is a wholesome isekai adventure, but the vending machine-loving vending machine isn't as memorable as you'd think.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Jun Fukuyama, Kaede Hondo

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119. Killer Book Club (2023)

As far as slashers go, Killer Book Club is a painfully run-of-the-mill entry. After a clown prank goes wrong, ending with a dead professor, a group of "horror-obsessed" friends are stalked by a killer clown. But, as they die - forgettably - one by one, the accusations are comically baseless, and the lacking tension dissipates because at no point do you doubt who will make it to the end. The overall result is underwhelming since there's no new take or critique on the numerous, poorly executed horror tropes littered throughout an already unimaginative plot.

Genre: Horror

Actor: Álvaro Mel, Carlos Alcaide, Hamza Zaidi, Priscilla Delgado, Veki Velilla

Director: Carlos Alonso-Ojea

Rating: R

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120. Seasons, 2023

Bogged down by a platonic best friendship with a suspicious lack of communication and the repetitive use of tacky nicknames, Seasons never gains enough momentum to justify 108 minutes of uninteresting romance tropes. Carlo Aquino and Lovi Poe's chemistry is overshadowed by the glaring mound of unoriginal dialogue and drawn-out story. The lack of awareness and childish antics that culminate at the tail-end of a 15-year-long friendship are more disappointing than believable. With no external (or personal) struggles of their own, every sequence reinforces how flat and underdeveloped our leads are, as if they only engage with the world when close to, or thinking about, each other. Love-me/Love-me-not is never enough to carry the film.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Carlo Aquino, Christian Ty, Ivan Carapiet, Jolo Estrada, Lovi Poe, Ron Angeles, Sarah Edwards, Sheenly Gener

Director: Easy Ferrer

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