Ratings Central - Movies

When I sat down to watch Heretic , I thought I was in for a straightforward creepy-kidnap thriller. And yes, there’s a captivity element at its core, but the film takes a turn into something far more introspective and psychological than I expected. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does catch you off guard—it isn’t the typical cat-and-mouse horror. And that approach actually manages to bring out some deeply unsettling elements, just in a different way. Image by IMDb Words as Weapons of Fear One of Heretic 's most unique aspects is its slow, simmering creep factor that doesn’t rely on dark corners or shadowy lurking. The captor isn’t hiding or cloaked in mystery; in fact, he’s front and center. It’s his words, his unnervingly calm demeanor, that inject a skin-crawling tension. It’s refreshing—and disturbing—to see a character who doesn’t need to physically intimidate. His words do all the damage. Image by IMDb Hugh Grant's Haunting Performance The standout here, without

I went into the first Smile  movie thinking I was in for a quick, predictable “one-and-done” horror flick in the style of Truth or Dare or It Follows . I expected slim plotlines, B-list vibes, and a forgettable experience. But Smile actually managed to deliver depth and genuine creep factor, and when I heard there’d be a Smile 2 , I immediately thought, Here we go—they’re going to milk this dry. Turns out I was wrong— Smile 2 was solid, continuing just six days after the events of the first film and taking an impressive dive into the dark, manipulative nature of the Smile demon. That level of respect for continuity and commitment to the psychological angle actually had me cautiously optimistic for Smile 2 .  Image by Rotten Tomatoes Solid Lore and a Deeper Character Dive Smile 2  builds well on the groundwork set up by the previous film, especially when it comes to understanding the Smile demon. In Smile 2 , we really get to see the mind games and subtle manipulations it uses to ta

The premise of 9 Windows seemed like it might bring a fresh spin to the “stalker on the loose” genre. At first, it did. The story builds up the mystery effectively, keeping us on edge as Liza, the main character, tries to figure out who’s killing these people that are all in an online group she watches. The classic “who can you trust?” theme is strong, with Liza second-guessing everyone around her. Given her physical limitation from a recent car accident, which leaves her wheelchair-bound, it ups the stakes considerably. But as solid as this setup was, the film just didn’t deliver all the way through. Image by IMDb A Mix of Decent Performances and Muddled Execution The cast here does a good job, especially given the limitations of the script. Liza’s role, in particular, is solidly acted; she’s sympathetic yet flawed, prickly yet likable. You can feel her vulnerability and resilience, which carries much of the movie’s initial appeal. But as the story derails in the final act, her chara

When I first saw the trailers for The Wild Robot , I expected a straightforward story about a robot learning to survive in the wild. To some extent, that’s true, but that’s far from the movie’s main focus—and honestly, that’s for the better. What I ended up with was a much more emotionally rich experience than the marketing suggested. Image by Universal Pictures Story and Animation: A Beautiful Combination Right off the bat, the story was more compelling than I initially thought. While the survival element is there, it quickly shifts into something more meaningful, as Roz, the robot, becomes the caretaker of a duckling. It’s a unique twist for an animated movie, and it doesn’t sugarcoat the harsh realities of nature. We see animals getting hunted or taken by predators, something most animated movies shy away from—certainly not the Disney-fied version of the animal kingdom. The movie wasn't afraid to take risks that feel refreshing in today’s overly safe films. And I can't talk

Going into The Bagman , I was fully prepared to sit through a low-budget gorefest, packed with cheap jump scares and predictable plotlines. But to my surprise, what I got was something much more refined—a slow-burn suspense thriller that outshines many bigger-budget projects. The film uses its time wisely, building tension and setting up a compelling atmosphere, while steering clear of the typical pitfalls that drag many horror flicks down. Image by IMDb Slow and Steady Wins the Race This movie doesn’t rush. It takes its time to develop the story, but does so in a way that keeps you mildly hooked. It’s one of those rare films where the slower pacing actually benefits the narrative, allowing each element to breathe and come into focus. You won’t find rapid-fire scares here, but rather a creeping sense of unease that makes you wonder what’s lurking in the shadows. The way The Bagman sets up its "rules"—through a twisted fairy tale—was pure brilliance. By tapping into something

When I first heard about  The Substance , I was fully prepared to hate it. The concept just seemed weak, like something I’d seen recycled a dozen times in other sci-fi and horror flicks. But sometimes, it's good to be wrong. The movie managed to surprise me in more ways than I expected, and while it wasn’t without flaws, it certainly wasn’t the shallow mess I thought I’d be sitting through. Familiar Tropes, but Done Better Sure, there were elements in The Substance that I’ve seen before—stories about beauty, youth, and vanity have been done to death—but this one somehow managed to do it in a way that felt fresh. The execution here stood above a lot of other attempts at the same theme. I found myself more intrigued by the storytelling than I expected, and that’s saying something for a film I walked into with low expectations. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this film was the twists. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, The Substance would throw in something unexpecte

The prospect of Speak No Evil (2024) intrigued me from the get-go. It’s a chilling thought: meeting strangers who could turn out to be sadistic killers—an everyday occurrence with terrifying possibilities. The potential for genuine thrills was there, but unfortunately, the film didn’t deliver the suspense it promised. Image by IMDb Something’s Just... Off I can’t quite put my finger on what was "wrong" with this movie, but there’s definitely something missing. Speak No Evil takes its sweet time introducing us to the characters and setting up the plot. It’s like the film was determined to make sure we were well-acquainted with everyone before anything remotely exciting happened. It’s not inherently bad to build up your characters, but when you’re an hour into a thriller, and nothing thrilling has happened, there's a problem. Image by CBR James McAvoy: The Misfire Performance I usually consider James McAvoy a standout star, but in this film, he just didn’t land for me. In

Deadpool and Wolverine was a difficult movie to rate. On one hand, it’s a fan's dream to see all these characters from superhero movies past—some even from movies that never got made—all battling it out on the same screen. But that’s the entire movie, really. It’s almost as if the plot exists solely to justify bringing these characters together for one big farewell. Let me start with a bit of honesty: I’ve never been the biggest Deadpool fan. I don’t hate the character, but the constant 4th wall breaks get old fast. Sure, it’s funny at first—Deadpool is supposed to be irreverent and self-aware. But after a while, I found myself saying, "Okay, we get it, you can talk to the audience. Can we move on now?" There’s only so much self-referential humor I can take before it starts to feel forced. Image by IMDB Action-Packed but Hollow Deadpool and Wolverine is as wide as an ocean but as shallow as a puddle. There’s no shortage of exciting fights, hilarious one-liners, and epi

Longlegs was a difficult movie for me to review because it’s caught in a tug-of-war between two very different horror styles. On one hand, it seems to want to be a crime thriller in the vein of Silence of the Lambs , while on the other, it flirts with the supernatural horror of The Exorcist . Both of these films are iconic in their own rights, but they don’t belong together, and that’s where Longlegs falters IMO. Image by Wikipedia Artistic Vision: A Visual Standout Right away, I noticed that Longlegs is shot differently than most modern films. The artistic choices, especially the shift between the 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios, gave the older footage a genuinely vintage feel. This was a clever touch that added depth and atmosphere, making the movie visually compelling in a way that’s rare today. Image curtesy of Longlegs by C2 Motion Picture Group Missed Potential: A Grounded Horror That Never Was Personally, I would have loved if the film had hinted at a supernatural presence only to

Girl in the Basement is a film that might easily be overlooked as just another made-for-TV movie, but that would be a mistake. It’s actually a surprisingly well-crafted and emotionally gripping film, especially considering its television origins. Image by Senscritique A Heartbreaking, True Story The story at the heart of Girl in the Basement is absolutely heartbreaking. We’ve all seen movies that claim to be "Based on real events," but this one is different. It doesn’t take liberties with the truth for the sake of drama. In fact, it tones down the horrific reality of the true story it’s based on, which is almost unheard of. After researching the actual events, it’s clear why the filmmakers made this choice—it would have been too much to bear otherwise.  Image by Heavy.com Genuine Suspense and Engagement It’s been a long time since a film had me so actively engaged in the moment. The suspense in Girl in the Basement is palpable. From the first moment, I found myself anxious