Jamie Foxx as a leading man is not something that has gone wrong since, maybe, 2005's ‘Stealth’ — an awful, awful, movie, honestly.

But for $100 million, almost anyone could come up with a better movie than the Box Office flop, ‘Stealth’ (it's so bad, I mean what were they thinking?) That's even if a streamer churns out such a whopping sum and hands it to amateurs. Well, not amateurs exactly but to be fair, it is J.J Perry's directorial debut and the writers are relatively unknown, although Shay Hatten has previously worked on ‘John Wick 3: Parabellum’ and ‘Army of Thieves.’

Nonetheless, ‘Day Shift’ rises above the odds (there weren't a lot stacked against it to begin with, if we're being honest) and shapes up as a quite remarkable, if unnecessary, adventure film about one of the most-cliched fantasies—vampire hunting.

The movie is about a Bud Jablonski (Jamie Foxx), pool cleaner during the day and a hunter at night. Bud hunts vampires for a living, but he is as erratic as he is skillful and he doesn't believe in the Union rules and regulations. As a result, he's been excommunicated and that means less money for him. The thing is, he kinda needs more money or he'll lose his family. So, what he really needs is to get back in the Union—one last time and kill as many vampires as he possibly can before the ultimatum.

Bud, like most hunters and fighters, is this macho man that prefers to work alone. But when you're who he is, you'll soon find that you can't do shit alone. Not to worry, he's got friends. Some old and some, he doesn't even know yet. It all works out fine.

Oh, except for one little problem; he's killed the relative of a powerful lady vampire who's trying to revolutionize the vampire industry with her disruptive innovations. And, well, she kinda has a vendetta against human beings, what a surprise! So, it's not going to be such an easy ride for our friend Bud after all.

The world-building is shabby. Not that there are not enough details. That's just the thing; it's got too many details. They tried to fit in all these details to create some kind of unique universe but it all forms like a bad, drunken dream at best. On the bright side, there's enough to go on should they decide to make a sequel sometime. But all of that info dump just sort of drags the whole show on the floor.

The supporting cast is not half bad and while I had expected more from Snoop Dogg, it's just as well that he didn't do much.

‘Day Shift’ is all right. It's a fun watch if you got nothing else going for you. I mean, I wouldn't substitute a hangout with a girlfriend for watching this, but I would—and will also recommend—seeing the movie as part of a hangout with a girlfriend or even any friends for that matter.

*** (3 out of 5 stars)

Inventing Anna is Netflix's new soap-ish true-crime drama about Anna Delvey (real name, Anna Sorokin), a Russian-born con artist that scammed her way into a lot of money by building a profile as a German heiress.

The nine-part series details a direct story of a scam that became a huge story circa 2017, in a rather complicated series of interconnected stories from different perspectives.

The show delivers on its promise to tell the story of Anna Delvey. It tells the story all right, but it tells a lot of other things too and that just makes it very long and not exactly straight to the point. So, instead of a short miniseries on Anna Delvey, you've got a 10-hour plus series that tells the story of not only Anna but also quite some other people, who as a matter of fact could be ignored completely.

They kept telling us the whole story is totally true except the parts that are totally made up, and that just feels corny because who knows how much of it is real.

Inventing Anna will probably feel better to watch to people who are unfamiliar with the original story, or people who weren't into the details, anyway.

The show was created by Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy), so it can't be all that bad, yeah? Well, it isn't. It may come across as disappointing to people who had expectations. But you'll find Inventing Anna absolutely interesting and thrilling to watch if you just want something to binge on Netflix for a good time and you're not trying to learn history or anything.

They probably could have been done better though by going straight to the point, hitting the nail on the head, making a shorter show, and more importantly, one of the best TV series of the year. But I don't think they did any of that all.

Inventing Anna was probably saved by its cast of characters which includes Julia Garner (Ruth Langmore from Ozark) in the main role of Anna Delvey. She was stunningly beautiful in the role and a whole lot more could have gone wrong if she didn't play it well. But she did.

TWR score: 62%

Netflix’s 2022 mystery movie, “Brazen” is a book adaptation with clean graphics.

But that's about the only thing that's right (or should I say good?) about it. And, seeing as it's a Netflix film, was the graphic going to be bad? Were they going to shoot with a phone camera? So, that's not exactly a prize, is it?

Based on a 1988 novel from New York Times bestselling author, Nora Roberts (read she's written over 200 novels), “Brazen” is actually going to make me consider reading the book. I mean, if the movie is this horrible, right? I gotta find out if it's the story.

But the story isn't bad. Well, not in theory. Besides, the setting is present-day, and it certainly doesn't look like anything someone must have written in 1988. At least, not specific details like computers that look they're really for a science fiction film and adult-content subscription platforms on the internet. So, I'm guessing it's only loosely based at best.

The movie focuses on a famous novelist who writes about murders, Grace Miller, the mysterious death of her sister, Kathleen, and the investigation into the apparent murder led by an attractive detective Grace is involved with, Ed Jennings.

The plot isn't complicated at all, and honestly, there's not much you can expect from a movie with such a story, anyway.

I'll be honest about one other thing: the execution is poor. Not poor to the extent that you won't be able to watch it at all. Of course, you can watch it, but don't get your hopes up is all. It is about one and a half hours long, so it shouldn't be all that stressful, I reckon.

“Brazen” is supposed to be a mystery or thriller or something along that line, but there's nothing mysterious about it. Nothing thrilling either. It's just there. No exceptional cast, no exceptional performance. I mean, there was that one punch Grace gave Jonathan, though. It was, um, oof!

You can decide to either watch it or not. Still, if you're trying to make good use of your time, I'm sorry I gotta tell you to take a pass on this one.

RATING: * (1 OUT OF 5 STARS)

I was drinking whiskey and smoking a blunt while watching this one. Turns out, I totally needed it. Now, I’m not saying to watch “The Power of the Dog” you need to move to Canada where smoking some janes is legal. All I’m saying is, if you happen to have the opportunity to, that’s what you should totally do. Because, boy, this film will drive you crazy. I should know, it drove me crazy.

Already one of the most critically acclaimed movies on Netflix, “The Power of the Dog” is a movie directed by Jane Campion. Categorically speaking, the movie is a Western drama, but its Horror-influenced storytelling is not only thought-provoking but also breathtaking.

At five minutes, you might ask “what the fuck is going on”? At twenty minutes, you’ll ask the same. At one hour, you’ll still not know what the fuck is going on, or if anything’s gonna happen at all. A lot didn’t really happen, honestly. It’s just sheer dramatics, some ‘weird’ music score, and some fine-ass cinematography and directing.

The story is inspired and the premise is absolutely intriguing. The Western melodrama is a dramatization of a 1967 novel of the same name by Jason Savage. It follows four main characters at a big ranch in Montana. The movie starts when Phil (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) and his brother, George Burbank (Jesse Plemons) arrive at an inn run by Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst) and her queer son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee).

Phil is a ‘domineering rancher’, an alpha male, and the de facto leader of the group of cowhands that work with the Burbanks. His brother, George is a free-spirited gentleman, and just everything Phil isn’t. After a distasteful encounter on a night at the Gordons’ inn, George became entangled with Rose and quickly proposed marriage to her. Things went crazy when Rose moved into the Burbanks ranch and Phil’s distastefulness towards Rose increased. This cruelty ultimately drove her into an alcoholic and depressive state.

Towards the end, Peter came home from school, and although he’d naturally pick on him for being a “sissy,” Phil was impressed to find out young Pete isn’t exactly a milquetoast. They become friends, while Rose (Peter’s mom) continues to struggle with her mental health.

Even though the movie is captivating right from the beginning, very much didn’t really happen until towards the end. The dialogues were kept minimal and at a distance away from the real action. So, for instance, while the cowhands (supporting characters) are blabbering on about or talking at Peter in some particular scenes, Peter was mostly quiet. He didn’t speak unless it was really important. He did do that beautiful panic pacing, though.

“The Power of the Dog” is that film that will leave you with several deep sighs. It’s the kind of movie that captivates you, fills you with curiosity, and lets you down slowly. It’s a beautiful work, to say the least. The end also tells us there could be a sequel—or as many sequels as they want. Or even a prequel about Bronco Henry? This is because the storyline pokes into a lot of places but doesn’t really do a deep dive into any of it.

Unanswered questions might keep you wondering what detail you may have missed, and you might not be able to say no to a rewatch. Don’t say I didn’t tell you.

RATING: ***** (5 OUT OF 5 STARS)

Netflix's new action comedy film, Red Notice, is a star-studded big-budget 'blockbuster' that sacrifices originality and quality material for professional expensive-ass acting that cost a little too much if you ask me.

But the bland disposition of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the quirky and humourous narration of Ryan Reynolds, and even Gal Gadot's eccentric and electrifying elegance, is not enough to save this disaster of a movie, which a viewer will find to be average at best, depending on a number of factors.

One of those factors would be just how much you loved Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool. Another will be how well you know Johnson and Gadot. Another is just how much interest you have in movies about antiquities and con artists.

For instance, if you're a fan of CBS’ 2019 series, Blood & Treasure and you can't wait for season two, you're gonna hate Red Notice. All that money just to bring some Hollywood stereotypes to life and show scenes in a couple of cities across Europe? Bullshite.

Eclectic, is what Red Notice is. Maybe it is interesting to see a film re-enact some stylistic elements from other recent blockbusters, but at $200 million—Netflix's biggest spend, by the way—you'd think they can make a decent movie with something worth writing home about. Well, that is obviously not Red Notice.

The action film, Red Notice, is a thriller about an FBI agent, John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson), who is on the trail of the number-one art thief in the world, Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds). Hartley catches Booth just as the movie begins, only to be set up by another elusive art thief known as The Bishop (Gal Gadot).

Hartley finds himself in jail alongside Booth, where they both have to plan an elaborate escape and carry out a time-sensitive heist. They had to race against time, the flawless—and sexy—Bishop, and an Interpol agent that's out to get them all.

It is no Mission Impossible, of course, but it sure has it's “okay, how the actual fuck” moments. For instance, before the main heist, Booth described what they were going up against. “The eyes and ears are in a secure room in the west hall. Eighty-seven motion-sensitive 8K cameras with an overlapping field of vision, so there are no natural blind spots. They're always watching, always listening. Kinda like Alexa. But with guns.” I admit, I don't even know what that means.

“Now here's where things get a little tricky,” Booth continued, like that wasn't tricky enough? “The vault to the egg room is a military-grade, biometric portal made out of a foot and a half of solid titanium.” Okay, come on now.

Quite a number of twists, there are. A few moments of interest, too. But the story is not just cliched, but it also lacks idea, in the basic sense of it. At a budget of $160 million that increased to $200 million due to delays, there would of course have been no excuse for floppy execution. The graphics are beautiful and the artistic display was on point all through. I imagine those props could not have come cheaply.

The action is not the best you've ever seen, but it's okay, it's not the worst either. Exaggerated fight scenes that still manage to be 13+ since no one died even with all that shooting? Love it.

Red Notice is just another Netflix blockbuster film that fails to deliver the promise that is seemingly attached with the high-budget tendency of Netflix originals. Originally budgeted for $160 million, Johnson, Reynolds, and Gadot got a paycheck of $20 million each, and the director Rawson Marshall Thurber, got $10 million, even before production began. That's a whopping $70 million for just four people.

But even with the high paychecks, the four of them have been better elsewhere. Take the director, for example. Thurber has teamed up with Dwayne Johnson twice before this, on 2016's Central Intelligence—arguably The Rock's best—and 2018's Skyscraper.

Gadot has had success playing Gisele Yashar in the Fast and Furious universe, and Wonder Woman in the DCEU. Ryan Reynolds may be goofy, but this is most certainly not the best he can be. Especially not for $20 million. Good thing, it's just a Netflix movie, right?

Okay, let’s get this straight. Red Notice is not the best action-comedy around. It’s not the best Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds movie around. It’s not the best heist movie, either. It’s just the most expensive Netflix original movie ever. Nothing more.

Rating: ** (2 out of 5 stars)

Secrets. What is it they say about secrets?

Oh, I got one. “If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.” That one’s from George Orwell. But you can’t really hide anything from yourself, can you? Ergo, secrets can’t really be kept. They’re bound to be revealed with time.

Secrets. That’s what this 2021 American slasher film, “There’s Someone Inside Your House” is all about. On the surface, this is just a modern-day ‘horror’ movie with a format that’s as old as the history of horror. But thanks to the original idea, some dope-ass direction, excellent cinematography, and a slick execution aided by the talent of the young main actors, this Netflix film turns out to be much more than just what you’d expect it to be.

The idea isn’t exactly original, as the movie is an adaptation of a 2017 horror novel of the same name, written by Stephanie Perkins. This adaptation was directed by Patrick Brice, who has also directed some horror and psychological movies, in the past.

But on the list of things I can call this movie is, “horror” wouldn't be my first choice. Yes, there’s some blood, and some slashing, but not the cover-your-face-with-your-left-hand kind, I assure you.

I’ll probably describe it best as a high school film — and believe me, I love me some of those.

“There’s Someone Inside Your House” runs for 96 minutes; that’s one hour and a half, and in that duration, the themes that were explored were enough build-up to the, well, the end. It wasn’t really unexpected if you were paying attention all through, though. The end was pretty obvious and before the main characters even figured who the real killer was, we already know.

So, well, here’s the thing. The movie is about a masked killer who’s going around killing students of Osborne High, a school in a small Nebraska town. The killer’s thing is to reveal the deepest secrets of his (or is it “her”?) victims, sharing it with everyone in town, before proceeding to slash them.

The first kill was pretty clichéd and not as chilly as you’d want. In the first few minutes of the movie, this guy starts seeing strange things. Okay, he sleeps at night, wakes up to even stranger things (I swear to God, that’s not a pun.) Okay, what does he do? He goes downstairs, everything looks strange, the door’s open, he steps out, discovers his truck is gone, he’s scared shitless. What does he do now? He goes right back into the house. Whew. Probably not his best decision ever.

Well, now one guy with a secret is dead and the whole town’s talking. Whom could it have been? And most importantly, “what if it happens again”?

What follows is the usual high-school drama, with all of the clichés, of course. There are cliques everywhere (maybe), there’s the student council president who everyone kinda dislikes, the football team of course, and the group with all the weirdos.

And, you know it’s not a high school movie until there’s a party, right? I mean, it’s not exactly “Varsity Blues” but the portrayal of the school was good enough.

The movie actually focuses on a group of friends in particular. The de-facto leader of the group is Makani (Sydney Park), who takes the lead role and her ‘best friend’ Alexandra (Ashja Cooper, from “All American”) is the ‘bitch-in-residence’ of the crew.

Then there is Darby, their non-binary friend who recently just came out as he, she, and they. Rodrigo is the drug-addict cool guy in the team, and Zach Sanford is the son of a man everyone in town hates that just somehow happens to be the life of the party. Together, they make a very good team.

But one thing’s sure, they all have secrets and could all possibly be the next victim of a psycho killer who’s targeting students at their school. Can they figure out who it is before one of them gets slashed?

“There’s Someone Inside Your House” probably isn’t the best movie you will watch in 2021, but it’s got all the elements, the right things in the right places. The idea is great, and the execution isn’t bad either.

If you’re looking for very horrific horror, this is not it. But if you’re okay with some good drama where some people get axed, and others still get a happy ending, here you go!

“There Is Someone Inside Your House” is currently streaming on Netflix.

Rating: *** (3 out of 5 stars)

“Young Royals” is a Swedish series on Netflix that exploits the European noble high school narrative that has made shows like “Elite” a major success in recent years. It is in its own right one of the better releases on Netflix in 2021.

Set in present-day Sweden, this teenage flick follows Wilhelm — eventual Crown Prince of Sweden, his love interest, Simon, and the rest of Hillerska, as they navigate school life, fall in love with each other, and gain new experiences.

What makes this series an instant favorite is its pace. The storyline was not dragged on the floor; it moved fucking fast and the plots were tied to each other very quickly, from the beginning to the end. The last scene of the last episode could just as easily have been the first scene of a film or a show.

The High School clichés are present, of course. There’s the popular senior who philanders and bosses young boys around (August), there are students that come from a humble family who don’t really fit into the vibe all around them (Simon and Sara), and there’s the hot and popular girl who is always taking photos for Instagram (Felice.) Then there are parties, there’s alcohol, drugs, sex, and whatnot.

While there’s no special cast that should turn your head from the start, the character development is something. Teenagers ‘finding’ themselves will forever be a delight. The synopsis is based on teenage Wilhelm’s interest in Simon, which was first introduced as a subplot. Towards the end, the aftermath of their complicated relationship made it clear that Season 2 will focus primarily on just that.

The themes that bind the story together are very interesting, to say the least. For instance, August thought he had problems, but wait till he realizes the colossal problems coming his way. The main theme itself is a ‘royalty falls in love with peasant’ kind of stuff.

The themes and storyline are held together by the occasional suspenseful twists that just keep you glued. Like, who knew little Wilhelm could stand up for himself? Or that the heartbroken, sad, and bitchy Felice could turn nice all of a sudden? You can always guess what’s coming, yes, but that doesn’t take away the fun at all.

By the end, it was all a mess.  But I tell you, it is a beautiful mess. Season 2 has been confirmed for a 2022 release and then we finally get to see how things unfold, after a little period of bliss came crashing down like an asteroid.

If you are into films about young adults as they develop (“Sex Education”), or movies set in modern-day Europe (“Elite”), then “Young Royals” is for you. Otherwise, I still recommend you watch the series for a good time.

Binge-worthy? Yes.

“Binge-worthy” means it’s so interesting you can totally watch it in one sitting. You wouldn’t want to get up to take a leak even.

Rating: **** (4 out of 5 stars)