Student Film Reviews

Film reviews from theaters, couches, and film festivals

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1. Qingyi Zhu 02.20.19 / 1pm

   As a coward, I will never watch this kind of film. But when I read this film comment, the video I was watching at the same time suddenly interrupted the signal for several seconds, which made me think that I must say something about that. Like the beginning of this film reviews, the most important thing must repeat at least three times. Even though this thing may not be true, but after that is enough to reach the result that fears the audiences. That’s what horror movie needs to do and this film did it. The more repeat the more horrible it is. And this film succeeds no matter as a horror or a comedy film.
2. Veronica Goldstone 02.27.19 / 5pm

   I very much enjoyed this film, it keeps the audience in suspense the entire time. This added effect of suspense really helps the viewer stay engaged. This film keeps the view on there toes, with the plot taking various twists and turns. Personally I think the actors chosen for this film were a good fit and helped enhance the story line.Overall this movie could have turned out cheesy and over played as some sequels do but I think the director did a good job making this film.
3. Jessica Salas 03.01.19 / 6pm

   I also watched and enjoyed this film, I thought that it involved much more humor than the first movie of the sequel. This movie actually adds more effect of suspense and keeps its viewers engaged. The plot to this movie takes many twists and turns which keeps everyone feeling thrilled and on their toes. I personally think that the actor’s in this movie help allow more interest for the plot. Overall I think the director of this movie did a good job making this film.
4. Jake Soldner 03.03.19 / 9pm

   I watched this film on Valentines day and was hoping to see a scary film but instead I saw a film with a hard to follow story line as well as a film full of narrative gaps that left me confused. I never saw the first film so maybe this film is better if you understand what happened in the first film but I think a good sequel should be good on its own with a understandable plot and story line. This film wanted so be a mix of scary and funny but in the end I feel like they did a poor job on both sides. I don’t recommend this movie
5. Jessica Ng 03.05.19 / 7pm

   I am not too big of a fan of horror movies, and I still am uncertain if I would enjoy this one. I like movies with more plot and less gore, and this movie with the repetitive plot of Tree Goldman dying over and over again just does not sound that appealing to me. I do appreciate that you do not need to watch th first sequel to understand this movie however. I also like that you are honest when you say tat this movie is kind of all over the place and can’t decide whether it is horror, ski fi, or even a comedy.
6. Ambar Gonzalez 03.06.19 / 10am

   I love scary movies, it’s my favorite film genre. While I never got the opportunity to see the
   sequel, the first film was a good scary movie. Usually I think sequels are just another way for a company to make more money off something that did well, but usually, the 2nd movie can’t compare. But I’m glad to hear that this one seemed to be entertaining. Considering it has a very successful director that has done many scary movies AND a prominent/popular production company set this movie up for a little hype and excitement. I think it’s hard to make a good and successful scary movie, and the cult groups are really specific about what they want. This movie is still on my watch list.
7. erick miranda 03.07.19 / 11pm

   Happy Death Day 2U is an enjoyable movie. The first one is recapped in a 2 minute blurb by Tree within the first 10 minutes of the movie (which is also an enjoyable movie for those who like a different take on Groundhog’s Day with murder mixed in). The second movie adds a science fiction spin to it (giving an explanation to why Tree was repeating the same day in the first and second movie) by having her relive the same day, but she isn’t actively being hunted by a murderer in the sequel. She instead is knocked into an alternate dimension where she is reliving the same day but details are different. Like Groundhog’s Day, the character of Tree is developed and you see her learning from each day that she has to live and grows as a person. She also doesn’t fall into the damsel in distress archetype which is refreshing. Although the support characters are not as well developed as I would have liked, this is still an enjoyable movie to see.
8. Gabriella Moreno 03.08.19 / 12pm

   Although I have never seen this film, I have seen another film also made by Blumhouse Productions, “The Purge.” I am also a horror film fan, so I have seen quite a few. Elements that are important for conveying a horror film’s message and provoke fear in the audience include lighting, body language, and open/closed framing. However, this review did not mention any of these elements, calling the film “superficial and simple” and giving me a sense that the mise-en-scene did not have as much effort put into it as it could have. One key role that this review mention was that this film relied heavily on the character Tree Geldman, who brought lots of enthusiasm. From the review, I would say that this film is lacking certain elements that could have created a more wholesome mise-en-scene.
9. Lizett De La Mora 03.08.19 / 11pm

   Happy Death Day 2U is a film that I have seen advertised heavily, which makes me want to watch it. I have seen most of the Paranormal Activities, The Purge, and Get Out and have enjoyed them all. Knowing that Blumhouse Productions is behind the scenes, it makes me want to watch it even more. I know that the miss-en-scene to those movies are crazy and actually make you feel the horror and pain the characters go through. The only problem with watching these movies is that I cannot watch them alone. I love movies that have a little drama and horror with a twist of comedy so this is definitely a movie I look forward to watching. After reading the review, I know what to expect which makes me extremely curious about the movie!
10. Michael Orosco 03.10.19 / 3pm

    Happy Death Day 2u is a film ad that can’t seem to stop popping up on our computers when on Netflix or Hulu. This film must have been high praised in it’s orginal film since the sequal is making such a buzz. I liked how you talked about the orginal film and how it ties into the sequal. Also the production company Blumhouse is a major underdog when it comes to these horror films so meationing them does hold your positive sway on this movie. It also enjoyed the negative feeback that you had to say about this movie. Many times we see these movies try to dive into multiple genres and it doesn’t always work out.
11. Madison Bowman 03.10.19 / 6pm

    I loved this film. Although it was a bit cheesy, putting that aside it was funny, well put together, and entertaining all around. I had no idea the film’s director, Christopher Lindon, also directed the Paranormal Activity films. Those films were a huge hit in the movie theatre industry and it shows he knows what he is doing. The film was also directed by Blum House which is also an extremely notable production company. As noted, the film takes off right where it ended in the previous film. Although it isn’t necessary to watch the first, since i did I found it much more enjoyable being able to see both.
12. mayab101 10.15.19 / 11am

    I watched this film recently finally. I actually liked this movie because its not actually scary but the way they have the characters react is scary if that makes sense. I think this movie is a bit cheesy but I like it. I think it’s funny because of the way the plot is directed and having the day start over and over every time. I enjoyed the first one more for some reason. I think it would get annoyed or it would not be as good if they were to do another movie of this.
13. Charles Hedrick 03.06.20 / 5pm

    So, I was looking for something like ‘Area 51′ (Oren Peli, 2015) with its budget of $5,000,000, its gross of $7,556, and extremely poor critical reception for an example of Blumhouse Productions’ auteur business model going wrong… But instead I stumbled upon to ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ (Christopher Landon, 2019), which is yet another example of their auteur model going extremely right with how much money it made and its general audience appeal.
    I have to say I totally agree with you about this film, it might not be as good as the first one (some might say this sequel might’ve been a bit unnecessary), but it is definitely very fun and Jessica Rothe did a great job! I would also like to add that I feel the reason this sequel felt off was due to the writer for the original, Scott Lobdell, not returning to work on the sequel.
14. Brianna Ellis 10.10.23 / 7pm

    Your analysis of “Happy Death Day 2U” accurately conveys the passion Jessica Rothe brings to the movie. A sci-fi sequel that takes chances is welcome, and Tree Geldman’s persona seems to be more prominent than before. It’s interesting that you pointed out that the movie struggles to define its genre; finding the right balance is difficult, particularly when combining action, sci-fi, and horror elements. I like your analysis of the ways the film might have explored each subject in more detail. Outstanding insights!
15. Brianna Ellis 10.10.23 / 8pm

    Your review of “Happy Death Day 2U” perfectly captures the infectious energy Jessica Rothe brings to the film, and your insights into the Mise-en-scène elements are on point. The sequel’s venture into the sci-fi genre adds a refreshing twist, and it’s evident that Rothe’s portrayal of Tree Geldman steals the spotlight. It’s intriguing how the film struggles to define its genre, a point you raised skillfully. In our class discussions about Mise-en-scène, I couldn’t help but think about how the visual elements contribute to the film’s overall atmosphere and whether they play a role in its genre identity crisis.

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