November 2023 Review: The Best Movies I Saw Last Month
I’m finally back to reviewing one month at a time, November was an overall disappointing month. On a personal front, I had to battle a lot of health concerns which made truly enjoying movies difficult for me. Of the 19 first time watches I saw, I truly only enjoyed about 6 of them, with the rest being varying shades of average. I did get a chance to re-watch one of my favorites in Dead Silence, but with no rating change it didn’t feel necessary to do a full write up. Anyway, here are the best 6 films I caught in November!
Re-Watch Highlight: None
BEST #5) 12 Feet Deep (2017); Director: Matt Eskandari; United States
Sisters Bree and Jonna find themselves trapped underneath the fiberglass cover of an Olympic sized swimming pool right before the Memorial Day weekend starts. With the realization sinking in that they need to find a solution fast, the duo schemes up ways to escape their watery prison. Hope comes in the form of a disgruntled worker finishing their last shift, but their salvation may not be as straightforward as they hope. A tense, psychological horror film that focuses on the battle of wits between the three women, 12 Feet Deep finds a satisfactory amount of ways to keep the action flowing in what would otherwise be a stagnant film. It doesn’t quite fully capitalize on the premise, but it makes for an enjoyable watch, nonetheless. For those with a fear of water or swimming, it will definitely be an endurance test to avoid.
Overall Score? 6/10
BEST #5) It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023); Director: Tyler MacIntyre; United States
Please check out the full review here.
Overall Score? 6/10
BEST #4) Night of the Hunted (2023); Director: Franck Khalfoun; United States/France
Please check out the full review here.
Overall Score? 6/10
BEST #3) Birth/Rebirth (2023); Director: Laura Moss; United States
Please check out the full review here.
Overall Score? 7/10
BEST #2) Wer (2013); Director: William Brent Bell; United States
An esteemed defense attorney, Kate, is determined to provide an adequate and fair defense for France’s most wanted spree killer: Talan Gwynek. Gwynek is accused of murdering a vacationing family in cold blood. Despite the evidence being largely circumstantial, Gwynek’s rare medical condition is used as an excuse to shut this case down quickly. With Kate and her team on the case, however, the defense will not rest without a fight. That is, until, they discover that there may be more truth to the claims that Gwynek isn’t entirely innocent. Wer is a curious little film that I cannot believe I hadn’t heard of until this year. Good werewolf horror is hard to find, and Wer checks a lot of the necessary boxes. Solid special effects, a solid story with a great hook, and great lead performances make Wer an engaging and fun watch. With such a hit-or-miss filmography, Wer is easily one of William Brent Bell’s strongest films and deserves a watch for those interested in lycanthropy.
Overall Score? 7/10
BEST #1) Trick or Treat (1986); Director: Charles Martin Smith; United States
Relentlessly bullied by the jocks at his school, Eddie finds solace in the heavy metal music of his idol. But when Sammi Curr unexpectedly dies in a hotel fire, he believes all hope is lost. That is, until he is gifted a lost demo record that belongs to Curr by his local radio DJ. Eddie unintentionally channels the spirit of Sammi Curr from the record, and not long after he goes on a supernatural killing spree across town. Armed only with the girl of his dreams and a love of metal, Eddie is the town’s only hope for ending the vengeance of Sammi Curr. Trick or Treat is a fun paranormal slasher that charms with its endearing leading character and the gleefully gory kills left in the wake of its antagonist. It does sag a bit near the end, but fans of heavy metal, slashers, and 80s horror will all have something to take away from this once hard-to-find gem.
Overall Score? 7/10
