The Boogeyman REVIEW: A New Nightmare is Born

The legend of the "Boogeyman" is not a recent phenomenon and has taken various forms in different cultures throughout the centuries. In Quebec, it is better known as the "Bonhomme Sept Heures" (Seven O'Clock Man). Stephen King breathed new life into the legend in 1973 with his literary short story "The Boogeyman," which sends shivers down your spine. With the recent wave of Stephen King adaptations, it was not surprising to see Hollywood producers tackle this story for a film adaptation. Director Rob Savage (Host, Dashcam) took up the challenge, and his experience with horror films paid off as he gives birth to a horrifying nightmare for a new generation.

Synopsis: "The Harper family is recovering from a recent tragedy when an unexpected visitor turns their grieving process upside down by bringing a supernatural entity with them...The Boogeyman."

Right from the opening sequence Rob Savage is here to make a statement: this is going to be a scary movie. The Boogeyman is an utterly terrifying nightmare crafted by Rob Savage and elevated by all the performances from Sophie Thatcher to Vivien Lyra Blair. A great horror film needs solid foundations and this movie has a powerful family story at its core that solidifies the material.

The concept of the Boogeyman allows them to play with lightning and shadows in a creative way and it doesn't disappoint on that level. Either it's the use of colors or darkness it's always used to great results and they came up with some genuinely terrifying moments. It's very likely that you won't be looking under your bed or in your closet at night the same way after seeing this movie. Even though they can't avoid some clichés and horror tropes that might have some general movie-goer screaming at the screen, it's all done in the service of horror and scaring the shit out of the audience... which they do. A lot.

There's a few jump scares but it doesn't rely too much on them to create tension or bring conclusion to a set piece. One of the biggest challenge was to extend the short story into a full-feature length and the writers Beck/Woods (who I gave them shit about for 65) did a good job fleshing out the characters but also honoring the original short story. Without revealing too much about the movie, I'm pretty sure most fans of the short story will be pleased by the final result. They understood the essence and the themes of the story which is why the movie is not just scary, but also emotionally well-rounded. However, it's the directing and the acting that steals the show here. Vivien Lyra Blair who played Princess Leia in Kenobi recently was fantastic.

Without revealing any details about "The Boogeyman," there is also excellent sound design throughout the film that adds a whole other dimension to the legend. It's a movie that must be seen during its opening weekend, with a large crowd. "The Boogeyman" doesn't reinvent the wheel, but Rob Savage's vision behind the camera and the talent on screen are enough to breathe new life into Stephen King's story. Don't forget to check your closet after watching the film...

Initial Score: 8/10

The Boogeyman opens in cinemas on June 2nd.

Platonic REVIEW: Binge-Worthy Comedy on Adulthood

It's a reunion with this new AppleTV+ series created by Nicholas Stoller starring Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne who all worked together on the two Neighbors films a few years ago. The mix of Seth Rogen's raunchy humor, his chemistry with Rose Byrne and Nicholas Stoller's comedic sensibilities made those two films quite enjoyable. I was curious when I heard about Platonic to see how it would reflect in a series and the good news is that I ended up binge-watching the whole thing in a weekend. Sure, it's nothing special in terms of recipe, but the final dish is refreshingly sweet and honest.

Synopsis: "Former childhood best friends Will & Sylvia reconnect as adults and try to get past the rift that led to their falling out."

Platonic is a mostly feel-good and charming look at adult relationships, friendship and midlife crisis shenanigans with Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen's chemistry elevating the material. If you're not into the Seth Rogen brand of humour you might actually be surprised by this performance which shows a more mature Seth Rogen who's still able to pull out some genuinely funny moments of comedy when necessary. In terms of exploration of adulthood, don't expect anything too deep but everything is flowing so smoothly that I ended up watching one episode after the other over two days.

Will (Seth Rogen) just got out of a divorce and is a owner of a brewery while Sylvia (Rose Byrne) is a stay-at-home mom of three kids who's clearly bored with her life, they both end up reconnecting after spending a few years apart. It's a light and entertaining Friday night watch with some good performances all-around. When Rose Byrne channels her inner comedic side she can be effortlessly hilarious and it's almost as if Seth Rogen brings out the best of her which allows her to unleash her wild side.

I got attach to them pretty quickly thanks also to the writing which is not flashy but can be clever at times. It wins you over with the smaller moments that speaks volume. Maybe it's because I just hit my 30's or maybe it's because I always liked Seth Rogen, but this resonated with me without saying I was emotionally moved by the series it does get you hooked with the blend of drama and comedy, all thanks to Byrne and Rogen's charms and wits.

I just think this works without being special or ground-breaking, it immediately becomes some sort of comfort food. In some ways, this might've benefited from the whole season dropping the same day but the first three episodes will be releasing on May 24th. It might lose some people along the way with the week-to-week format. By the end of the series, I was a bit underwhelmed by the finale, it left me wanting more. I still think it was a good watch overall.

Initial Score: 7/10

Platonic starts streaming on May 24th on AppleTV+