MovieRankingReviews

It's refreshing to see a Stephen King story that isn't rooted in horror or dystopia. The film features wonderfully fun dance sequences that are a joy to watch, along with a genuinely hopeful message. The cast is excellent, with special mention to Mark Hamill and Mia Sara, who are phenomenal as Chuck's grandparents. Likewise, all the young actors portraying Chuck are terrific and incredibly lovable.

What keeps me from completely loving this film is the heavy reliance on narration. Too often, the story tells us what the characters are feeling and seeing, rather than allowing the audience to experience it naturally. I also wish we had spent more time with the present-day, adult Chuck (played by Tom Hiddleston). While Act 3 sets up an intriguing mystery, it doesn't feel fully centered on Chuck.

Still, this was an enjoyable watch, and I look forward to seeing more Stephen King adaptations!

This is a beautifully animated film about self-discovery, connection, and creativity through music. The characters are super expressive, and the animation is colourful and vibrant in all the right ways. The relationships are a joy to watch, especially between our two main girls: Totsuko and Kimi. The music is great too, with a strong score and a fantastic performance at the end.

What keeps it from being truly amazing is that it tries to juggle too many storylines without giving them enough time. Totsuko's Synesthesia feels like it's just there rather than something meaningful to her character. Kimi hiding the fact that she dropped out of school from her grandmother never really pays off, even though it builds a lot of tension. Rui, the third member of the trio, is the least developed, he barely gets screen time compared to the girls, and his conflict between music and inheriting the family clinic isn't explored much at all. The Catholic school setting brings up an interesting angle of religion versus creativity, but the film doesn't really dive into it. There are even some pretty clear lesbian undertones in certain scenes, but they stop short of moving into romance.

Because of all this, the film ends up feeling more like a solid, serviceable story rather than something special. But honestly, it's still really enjoyable. It's well put together, the music is excellent, and it's just nice seeing a couple of teens dealing with relatively normal problems while still creating something beautiful together.

Weapons is one of the most interesting experiences I've had with a horror movie. The premise alone is incredibly intriguing, and the gradual unravelling of the mystery kept me engaged for the entire runtime.

The first two acts are suspenseful and eerie, with a strong sense of foreboding. The cast deliver terrific performances, with special praise for Julia Garner and Josh Brolin.

However, the film is surprisingly comedic, containing far more humour than the trailer suggests. By the final act, the horror elements have largely faded, and the tone becomes quite goofy. The story also leaves many questions unanswered, and the ending may feel slightly unsatisfying.

Nevertheless, I had a great time with it, and I appreciate bold, original films like Weapons.