Shows / umskaboom Movie Reviews
umskaboom Movie Reviews
Honest movie reviews, out-of-theatre reactions, weekly rankings, and long-form film discussions from umskaboom. I cover new releases, older movies, and everything I’m watching.
Episodes
- umskaboom Movie Reviews
What If the Empire Destroyed R2-D2’s Escape Pod?
At the beginning of A New Hope, an Imperial officer lets an escape pod go because it shows no life signs. What if he gave the opposite order? In this Star Wars…
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Could One Order Stop Han Solo on Endor? | A Star Wars What-If
What if the Imperial officer never opened the bunker door? In this episode, I explore one small change to Return of the Jedi: the officer refuses Han Solo’s…
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These Movies Started Slow… But Completely Won Me Over
A strong premise and a great performance don’t always mean I’m hooked immediately. The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil and Digger both tested my patience before…
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4 Movies Worth Discovering From Hilarious to Heartbreaking
A comedy that knows when to get dark. A supernatural story that finds its power in guilt. A mystery that kept me hooked through the confusion. And a survival…
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4 Intense Movies That Had My Heart Pounding
Desperate escapes, a threatened chance at freedom, an unbearable home invasion, and a night spiralling into panic. In this episode, I discuss The Yellow Sea…
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The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil Review Worth the Wait
How do you make me root for a ruthless gangster? Put him up against a serial killer who somehow makes him look like the reasonable one. In this episode, I…
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Wasteman Review I Just Wanted Him to Get Out
Taylor is so close to freedom, and I spent Wasteman worrying that every decision could take it away from him. In this episode, I talk about David Jonsson and…
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Heart of the Beast Review — The Bond Hit Hardest
The relationship between James and Odin was easily my favourite part of Heart of the Beast. Brad Pitt and Uber, the dog playing Odin, make their loyalty and…
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Perfect Days Review — The Beauty in Everyday Life
Perfect Days made me tear up twice just by letting me spend time in someone's everyday life. In this review, I talk about Koji Yakusho's beautiful performance…
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MadS (2024) Review — One Take. Pure Panic.
I don’t think my heart has ever pounded this hard watching a movie. MadS uses its one-take approach to pull you through an increasingly terrifying night, and…
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Stranger Than Fiction (2006) Review — This Made Me Want to Live
Stranger Than Fiction really spoke to me. I talk about Will Ferrell’s beautiful performance as Harold Crick, the guitar scene that became my favourite moment…
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The Yellow Sea (2010) Review — A Brutal Chase That Never Lets Up
I went into The Yellow Sea expecting a crime thriller, but I wasn’t prepared for how intense and brutal it would get. I talk about Gu-nam’s desperate…
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Digger Review — A Slow Start and an Incredible Tom Cruise Performance
The first half of Digger had me worried. The setup felt long, and the dark jokes weren’t working for me. Then the courtroom scene completely changed my…
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The Ring (2002) Review — Creepy Look, Slow Story
The Ring looks fantastic, and its mystery kept pulling me back in. But despite the suspense and one really good jumpscare, I was bored at points and didn’t…
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Risky Business Review — No Consequences for Joel?
I expected Risky Business to be a straightforward teen party movie. Instead, it left me thinking about Joel’s fantasies, his growing greed, and how much he…
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Lake Mungo Review — More Sad Than Scary?
Lake Mungo surprised me with how convincing its documentary style feels and how much darker Alice’s story becomes. I loved the family performances, the…
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Lanterns Episode 8 Finale Review — The Truth About Hal
Spoilers for the Lanterns finale. Episode 8 gives us the answers behind Hal’s death and Noah’s place in the mystery. I’m talking about why the reveal took time…
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Ghost Killer Review — Great Fights, Boring Movie
I expected Ghost Killer to be a serious, action-packed martial arts movie. Instead, its silly tone and long stretches between fights left me bored. Fumika and…
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Episode title: Seance (2000) Review — Guilt Never Leaves | Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Seance is one of my favorite Kiyoshi Kurosawa films so far. I’m talking about the couple’s chemistry, Junko’s psychic abilities, the decision that changes…
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Noroi: The Curse Review — Cool Lore, Slow Movie
Noroi: The Curse had ideas I wanted to get into: connected paranormal cases, psychics, convincing TV footage, and the wonderfully over-the-top Hori. But the…
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Funny Games (2007) Review — They’re Watching You
Funny Games had me tense almost the entire time. I talk about the family’s painful performances, the two intruders who made me want to yell at the screen, and…
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Tuner Review — Good, Not Great
I liked Tuner, especially Leo Woodall’s performance as Niki, Dustin Hoffman’s funny scenes as Harry, and the visuals that make safecracking interesting to…
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Retribution (2006) Review — A Ghostly Mystery That Stuck With Me
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Retribution drew me in with its detective mystery and some clever, unsettling uses of mirrors and camera placement. I talk about the ghostly…
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Cure: Who’s in Control? | Second-Watch Review
Cure worked much better for me on a second watch. I talk about the mystery of the killings, the unsettling antagonist, the detective’s relationships with him…
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Dog Day Afternoon: They Cheered the Robber
Dog Day Afternoon surprised me with its humour and how much I cared about Sonny, Sal, and the hostages. I talk about the tense opening, the crowd cheering…
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Creepy (2016): Not Creepy Enough
I gave Creepy a 3/5. It had some disturbing moments and haunting final screams, but I wanted more tension throughout, a tighter connection between its two…
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Lanterns Episode 7: Hal’s Back
I loved how Episode 7 explored Hal’s father and the Jordan legacy. Bringing Hal back as a ring construct gave him great moments with Kerry and John, while the…
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The Lincoln Lawyer: Slow Start, Strong Mystery
The Lincoln Lawyer was a little slow for me at first, but the mystery drew me in. I talk about why I enjoyed Mickey Haller’s confidence, his relationships with…
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Primetime: The Cost of the Show
I thought Primetime was good, especially the relationships between the people making To Catch a Predator. I talk about why each character is there, the…
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Hell House LLC: Good Scares, Weak Ending
Hell House LLC had some good scares, and I enjoyed following the crew, especially Paul. But the interviews took me out of it, the movie felt repetitive, and…
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Chime: 44 Minutes of Chills
Chime surprised me. I talk about Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s beautiful cinematography, the long shots that follow a character, and the uneasy feeling that stayed with…
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Upgrade: Tech Took His Body
I review Upgrade and talk about its action, the cool camera movement, and Grey’s relationship with STEM. What stayed with me most was the horror of technology…
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I Saw the Devil: Revenge Went Too Far
In this episode, I review I Saw the Devil and its dark, escalating story of revenge. How far can revenge go before it becomes something even more disturbing?
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Lanterns Episode 6: What Happened to Hal?
I loved the mystery surrounding Hal’s death in Lanterns Episode 6. Kerry and John’s relationship was great to watch, and the episode had a really good ending…
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Memories of Murder: Mystery Done Right
Memories of Murder delivers a compelling mystery with a really well-done ending. In this review, I discuss the amazing acting, the relationships between the…
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Resident Evil: Okay Movie, Great Ending
Resident Evil was an okay movie overall, but I really liked the ending. In this review, I discuss what worked for me and why the final part was the highlight…
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The Hunt: Rumors Ruined Him
The Hunt has a great premise about a man forced to live with damaging rumors while his community turns against him. In this review, I discuss the community’s…
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Eastern Promises: Every Word Feels Dangerous
Eastern Promises portrays the mafia really well and becomes incredibly dark. In this episode, I discuss the tension created through the dialogue, the top-notch…
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Lanterns Episode 5: What Just Happened?
Lanterns Episode 5 had a chaotic and destructive feeling that I loved. In this spoiler-filled review, I discuss the episode’s intense atmosphere and my…
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Hope: Surprisingly Fun
Hope surprised me with how funny and entertaining it was. In this episode, I discuss the exciting action and chase scenes, the intriguing story, and why I had…
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Practical Magic: These Two Are Magic
I enjoyed Practical Magic a lot. It was funny, and Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman were both great. In this episode, I share my thoughts on the humour, the…
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Fruitvale Station: This Felt Too Real
I loved how emotional Fruitvale Station was and how real it felt. In this episode, I share my thoughts on the movie and why its realism made the emotional…
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Fresh: This Took a Dark Turn
The main relationship in Fresh worked well for me, and the movie had some really good dark twists. In this episode, I share my thoughts on that relationship…
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Lanterns Episode 4: Who Can You Trust?
Lanterns Episode 4 was really good. I loved the tension created by all the lies between Hal and John, and the twists were another highlight. In this episode, I…
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First Reformed: Hope vs Despair
First Reformed was a really great movie with a powerful exploration of hope, despair, and faith. In this episode, I discuss why those themes worked so well and…
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The Dog Stars: Overstuffed but Empty
The Dog Stars had too many things going on, but it still felt like nothing happened. In this episode, I explain why the story failed to keep me engaged and why…
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Mommy (2014): Beautiful Chaos
My full review of Mommy. I discuss how realistically the movie portrays family, love, conflict, and the dysfunction that can take over people’s lives. Its raw…
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Finding Emily: A Rom-Com Done Right
My full review of Finding Emily. I discuss how the movie builds its central relationship, why the romance worked for me, and what made the two lead characters…
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Batman: Knightfall Part 1 | Bane Is a Menace
My spoiler-filled review of Batman: Knightfall Part 1. I discuss Bane’s dark backstory, his terrifying plan for Gotham, Batman pushing himself beyond his…
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Lanterns Episode 3: John’s Past Hit Hard
My spoiler-filled review of Lanterns Episode 3. I loved exploring John Stewart’s past and learning more about his relationship with his parents. This more…
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Colony: The Zombies Are Learning
My full review of Colony. I discuss the terrorist attack behind the infection, the zombies learning through a hive mind, their ant-like behavior, Kwon leading…
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Buddy Movie Review: Dark and Hilarious!
My first-watch review of Buddy, a dark horror comedy that kept me entertained from beginning to end. I discuss the increasingly disturbing Buddy Show episodes…
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Bugonia: Even Better on Rewatch?
My spoiler-filled review of Bugonia after watching it for a second time. I discuss why the movie worked better on rewatch, its emotional score, Yorgos…
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Spa Weekend: Fun but Familiar?
My full review of Spa Weekend. I discuss the chemistry between the four friends, their individual storylines, the jokes and awkward moments, the spa party, the…
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Lanterns Episode 2: Better Than Episode 1?
My spoiler-filled review of Lanterns Episode 2. I discuss Hal and John’s growing dynamic, John’s bird construct, the expanding alien mystery in Rushville…
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Lanterns Episode 1: A Strong Start for the DCU?
My spoiler-filled review of Lanterns Episode 1. I discuss the immediate chemistry between Hal Jordan and John Stewart, Hal’s unusual training methods, the…
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Ronin (1998): The Car Chases Are Insane
This episode contains spoilers for Ronin. I’m reviewing the 1998 action thriller starring Robert De Niro and Jean Reno. The car chases were easily the…
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In Bruges (2008) Review: That Ending Was Incredible
In this episode, I review In Bruges, the dark crime comedy starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes. I discuss Ray and Ken’s hilarious…
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6 Movies Ranked Worst to Best: What I Watched Last Week
In this episode, I rank all six movies I watched last week from worst to best. The movies include The Road, Ronin, The Fast and the Furious, The End of Oak…
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Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma: A Perfect Slasher?
In this episode, I review Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. I discuss Kris and Billy’s relationship, Gillian Anderson’s perfect performance, the creative…