‘Weapons’ (dir. Zach Cregger) | Warner Bros (8/8)

[Apollo Creed]

Yeah, Cregger hit this out the park. I watched that ish yesterday in a crowded theater where people audibly reacted throughout the whole damned movie. Barbarian's tonal shift felt hella abrupt, but I think it felt more natural here with the multiple POVs. Multiple scenes stuck with me, and I've found myself thinking back through the plot and discussing bits with friends all damned day. The best part is that I'm confident I'll pick up way more on a second watch.

I don't find anything scary anymore. So, I generally look at scare scenes for how much suspense they build and this has some killer moments. The scissors bit; the liquor store walk; the gas station convo; the breaking and entering part...and every damned time that door opened with darkness behind it, you knew something bad was coming.

I realize those intense scenes throughout a slowburn narrative, but I think the comedy/drama/etc. helps make those moments more impactful. The first stroll through the liquor store sets up the "following" bit. Then, the "following" scene leads up to the gas station attack. The tension is higher each time, and so is the payoff. I get how that didn't work for some heads, but I eat it up.

I'll also enjoy how much is recontextualized on additional watches. I love Hereditary, The Witch, and Night House because rewatching them is rewarding. You might catch a detail you missed or some clever foreshadowing in the dialogue. I think this is gonna be the same.

Lastly, I think this year has had the best two final act payoffs in a long time. Sinners had the morning shootout. This has the final chase scene. I like that both movies give the audience a reason to cheer after watching the horror unfold. It makes them more rewatchable than Bring Her Back, which I think is on the same level but so depressing that it's hard to revisit.

I've got Weapons neck and neck with Sinners for my favorite movies of the year. This is a banner year for horror.

Yeah I'm desensitized to "scary" so things for me is usually
1.Gory
2.build up/suspense for something about to happen
3.jump scare (I usually anticipate them all now)

I would say unsettling imagary but only people I can think of that hit me with that was the It remake where after the movie I still thought about the dipictions of things.

I think what's been refreshing with horror is introducing new takes/stories on things where I can just enjoy the experience as a whole while most other genres feel too formulaic now

 

[Dr. Narcisse]

Again...I really enjoyed this. However, the more I think about it ..



I've only seen it once so if Im mistaken my bad.

Spoiler

Whats the point of "weapons" if you're not going to properly take care of them. Especially when thats what the movie hinges/big ask of the audience.

A 9 or 10 year old is feeding his parents and 17 kids for a month and showing no signs of a mental breakdown or collapse? It'd be one thing if the old lady was helping, but he was just doing it. And they all have survived off rationed Campbell soup. Like if thats whats keeping her alive why would the kid be the one doing it. That basement should have been full of shyt and piss. No way he was taking care of everyone that well.

 

[Notorious 1 E.Y.E.]

this shyt was raw as hell

 

[mbewane]

I was confused by the gun motif in that one dream sequence. I figured the movie would be about school shootings.

Spoiler

Maybe because I'm in Europe, but it didn't surprise me tbh. White middle-age US man who looks like the type to "take matters in his own hands" if the authorities take too much time answering his questions dreams about a gun, as he grows more and more frustrated with the whole situation.

 

[Mr. Manhattan]

The director was one of the founders of The Whitest Kids You Know


this is literally him as the director in the sketch

 

[Rollie Forbes]

 

[BlackMajik]

So was Gladys really the kid's aunt???

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

Spoiler

Maybe because I'm in Europe, but it didn't surprise me tbh. White middle-age US man who looks like the type to "take matters in his own hands" if the authorities take too much time answering his questions dreams about a gun, as he grows more and more frustrated with the whole situation.

As a proud red blooded American, I can confirm that when anger or even the slightest inconveniences arises, I too envision fire arms especially assault weapons, so we can take our beautiful country back from those damn immigrants and lib tards! Murica!

 

[storyteller]

Yeah I'm desensitized to "scary" so things for me is usually
1.Gory
2.build up/suspense for something about to happen
3.jump scare (I usually anticipate them all now)

I would say unsettling imagary but only people I can think of that hit me with that was the It remake where after the movie I still thought about the dipictions of things.

I think what's been refreshing with horror is introducing new takes/stories on things where I can just enjoy the experience as a whole while most other genres feel too formulaic now

100% the bold. I really like when creators take the old formulas and twist them in new and unique ways. It's one of the reasons I watch a bunch of low-budget, indy schlock...every once in awhile you'll find directors that come up with really smart ways to stretch a paper thin budget (plus I still love practical effects).

I can sit back and have fun with a popcorn horror. But the standouts always make me wonder about the world outside of what we saw.

 

[WTFisWallace?]

Fire. 9/10....I thought it was getting a little dry towards the middle, but it sped right back up.

Spoiler: spoiler

- I wanna know if the principal was able to make his eyes bulge like that on his own or was it make up effects shyt had me dying when it shows the initial glimpse of him running


- a bowl of water? she getting kicked out immediately

- a lot of great camera & angle decisions.....catching the principal running over Brolin's shoulder....the officer's wife running in and out of frame in the grocery store.....Brolin down in the basement

- the police aint shyt......ring and neighborhood cameras should've easily showed them coming to that general area. And Alex & the teacher's house should have been thoroughly searched off GP


- Justine seeing the parents siting like that.....not only not calling the cops, but falling asleep on a stakeout


- all the comedy hit. The head smash scene was A1.

 

[WTFisWallace?]

Also what was the point of the AR-15 in Brolin's dream?

Was listening to the Frames Per Second review and I liked Myke C-Town's theory of the 'message' of the film relating to school shootings and/or depression/mental fracture.

Spoiler: spoiler

- the bullying of Alex

- even tho Alex had a seemingly loving home....the parents' not realizing something has crept into their home (Gladys) and is or will effect their kid

- the parents being (rightfully) upset with the school/teacher.....even tho when the children left it was on the parents' watch. All around blame/accountability.

- the school system/principal kind've slacking in regards to not peeping something's off with the child at home (Gladys showing up to school instead of the mom with the "stroke" father)

- after the tragedy occurred, the depression / mental fracture (the clown kid/gladys) spreading and showing up in people's dreams [at this point, if I'm not mistaken, Gladys had not yet gotten a personal item from either Justine or Brolin]

- people, specifically the parents not dealing with the post events together.....the other parents' didn't initially want to help Brolin out..seemed to just want to move on. Gladys (depression) telling Alex not to tell anyone, just keep it between him and her. The dreams/nightmares (emotional trauma) never shared.

- the piling on of Gladys......but the kids still being under the spell (PTSD/dead)......the narrator saying years later a few kids started talking, but a lot are still being spoon fed (some people/kids take super long time to recover or maybe never will at all)

- the smiling clown make up to cover up what's going on inside

 

[WTFisWallace?]

I'm curious to see how audiences react. The IMAX showing I went to may have had like 12-15 people in that big ass room. By the third act there were a couple people in there crying/sobbing and not gonna lie...I had some slight water in my eye at one point lol.

I'm trying to think which parts could even invoke tears......? Brolin's bedroom scene?

 

[kdslittlebro]

Rather difficult to avoid them when you regularly attend theaters.

I usually show up ~15-20 min late now and I’ll look at my phone until they get finished with the theaters ads.

I did end up watching the Him trailer when I went to see Together, and I’m less interested now than if I coulda seen it completely blind. Especially now that I know Peele only threw his name on it and isn’t directing

 

[duckbutta]

I'm trying to think which parts could even invoke tears......? Brolin's bedroom scene?

Spoiler: Gape your 3rd eye

Probably trying to do the macros of how 19 people can survive on nothing but soup for so long and the impossibility of it broke their brain and made them cry. Or maybe they randomly remembered at the beginning of the movie the narrator says the kids were never seen again when in fact the kids were very much seen again. Then the director said whoops I fukked that up I forgot I said the kids were never seen again let me throw some shyt in here about them not talking and being responsive and just hope people be like "never seen again metaphorically". Probably made them cry to.

 

[storyteller]

If the witchcraft didn't break your immersion, but the soup did....you're being a Karen.