{"id":2346,"date":"2025-02-26T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/?p=2346"},"modified":"2025-02-26T04:04:20","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T04:04:20","slug":"movies-with-the-doomsayer-october-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/26\/movies-with-the-doomsayer-october-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Movies with the Doomsayer &#8211; October 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Darkness falls across the land.\u00a0 As seven movies fell into my hands.\u00a0 Movies where monsters crawl in search for blood.\u00a0 Where power hungry men terrorize the neighborhood.\u00a0 Tales where tension can be found.\u00a0 Shows with sorrow that will bring you down.\u00a0 Movies with demons straight from hell.\u00a0 Movies that will bring you straight out of your shells.\u00a0 I, the Video Game Doomsayer, present the seven movies I saw in October 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/NCFOM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/NCFOM.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/NCFOM-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>No Country for Old Men (2007)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My loyal followers, gather round.\u00a0 For I have a confession to proclaim.\u00a0 I feel a little lost when I try to compose my thoughts on <em>No Country for Old Men<\/em>.\u00a0 I dare not stand atop this soapbox and claim it to be a bad film.\u00a0 The Cohen brothers were able to masterfully craft this novel into a bleak and gut-wrenching film about how expecting a happy ending is a fool\u2019s errand.\u00a0 The couple trying to scrape by don\u2019t get the money, the aging cop doesn\u2019t prove he still has it, and the outlaw isn\u2019t brought to justice.\u00a0 You would think, as someone who revels in Lovecraft\u2019s nihilistic cosmic horror, I would resonate with the film, but I walked away from <em>No Country for Old Men <\/em>unable to swallow the bleakness of it all.\u00a0 Maybe it is due to the film being a modern western, a genre famous for the hero walking off into the sunset, rather than a horror film where it is common for the hero not to survive.\u00a0 Although I often shout to the heavens proclaiming the art of video games, movies and entertainment, in general, is marching towards its own demise, I often find media that reminds me of the futility of it all difficult to endure.\u00a0 How could I do what I do if it is all for nothing?\u00a0 Despite these mixed feelings, I urge you all to give this film a watch.\u00a0 I, for one, will certainly be giving this film another shot in the hope to gain the appreciation it certainly deserves.\u00a0 Let it comes down to that infamous coin flip.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GF.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GF.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GF-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GF-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Goodfellas (1990)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Worry not, my followers.\u00a0 I will not sear your senses with another controversial take, especially when it comes to the <em>Goodfellas.\u00a0 <\/em>To simply say it is one of the best mobster movies would be an understatement.\u00a0 Scorsese is so easily able to take us back to the days when if you snitched, you simply got wacked.\u00a0 I walked away from <em>Goodfellas<\/em> nostalgic for the days when if someone was acting out and making the family look bad, they simply go missing like Billy Bates.\u00a0 Maybe if we had men like Henry Hill and Tommy DeVito around, we wouldn\u2019t need to be taking out healthcare executives in the streets.\u00a0 Just saying.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TCM-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TCM-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TCM-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TCM-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TCM-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TCM-1568x882.jpg 1568w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TCM.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Step forth, my followers, and heed my transgressions against the horror genre: I hadn\u2019t seen the original <em>Texas Chainsaw Massacre <\/em>until the year of 2024.\u00a0 It had occupied a spot on my pile of shame for far too long, and with it being the month of October, I felt it was time to watch this classic.\u00a0 So, what opinion of this film do I wish to share with you all?\u00a0 I certainly respect it for creating this southern cannibalistic slasher aesthetic.\u00a0 Previous horror films would take place in the dark of night, but here is Leatherface chasing around teens under the bright Texas sun.\u00a0 No doubt, <em>Texas Chainsaw Massacre<\/em> was a game changer.\u00a0 Without this fifty-year-old slasher<em>, <\/em>we would never have the likes of <em>House of 1000 Corpses<\/em>, <em>Wrong Turn<\/em>, or <em>The Hills Have Eyes<\/em>.\u00a0 While I respect the groundwork the film has laid, I think both <em>Jaws<\/em> and <em>Alien<\/em> have aged better than this schlocky slasher, and <em>Resident Evil 7<\/em> is the new master of this dark southern subgenre. \u00a0 Yet, I have not an ounce of doubt in my mind, that we wouldn\u2019t have gotten The Baker family without the help of the Sawyer family.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"660\" height=\"330\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SNE.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SNE.jpg 660w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SNE-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Speak No Evil<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another confession for you, my followers: I initially wrote off <em>Speak No Evil <\/em>as Blumhouse\u2019s pathetic attempt to claw back the goodwill they have eroded throughout the years.\u00a0 An American remake of a Danish-Dutch thriller about a family going to spend a week with this mysterious family they just met on vacation?\u00a0 Truly another sign that the end is nigh.\u00a0 However, through good word of mouth and solid recommendations from YouTube film critics, I gave the film a chance.\u00a0 I walked out of <em>Speak No Evil<\/em> surprisingly shocked at how well the movie was able to escalate and deescalate the tension in moments through strong writing and acting.\u00a0 It\u2019s a rollercoaster of a thriller as you go from panic and unease to awkward laughter as James McAvoy\u2019s character is able to convince everyone it was just a misunderstanding.\u00a0 I SAY ONTO THEE, DON\u2019T DO AS I DO.\u00a0 DO NOT PASS JUDGMENT ON THIS FILM BY THE TRAILERS ALONE.\u00a0 GIVE THIS FILM THE FORTUITY TO SHOW IT IS NOT A LAZY AMERICAN REMAKE.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"413\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/MOA-1024x413.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/MOA-1024x413.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/MOA-300x121.png 300w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/MOA-768x310.png 768w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/MOA.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>My Old Ass<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My loyal followers, I hear it every day from the hordes of movie goers who stop by my soapbox when I rant about movies.\u00a0 Doomsayer, there are just no more good movies anymore.\u00a0 No movies that make me laugh or cry like I used to.\u00a0 They are all the same as though they are produced in a factory line.\u00a0 NAY, I SAY UNTO THEE!\u00a0 Yes, I agree that the likes of Disney, Warner Brothers and many others are turning out the same slop as always, but I urge you to look beyond the big studio releases and look towards the independents.\u00a0 A prime example is the comedy <em>My Old Ass, <\/em>produced by Indian Paintbrush and LuckyChap Entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For those unaware, <em>My Old Ass<\/em> is a coming-of-age comedy about Elliot, a young teen itching to leave her small town life behind.\u00a0 However, during a mushroom trip, she is able to meet her 39-year-old self, who attempts to give her some advice to help better their lives.\u00a0 Along with some classic teenage gags, I found the film message that both younger and older generations could learn from each other: older generations could stand to be less jaded and younger generations don\u2019t need to sprint towards the future.\u00a0 Along with some sharp comedy gags, the film\u2019s ending brought me to a sobering message with a beautiful final moment that had me in tears my entire walk back to my soapbox.\u00a0 <em>My Old Ass<\/em> is no doubt one of the best films of the year, and it would be a cardinal sin, if you, my loyal followers, passed on this film.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SN-1024x536.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2353\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SN-1024x536.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SN-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SN-768x402.png 768w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SN.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Saturday Night<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Saturday Night <\/em>is a testament to the old adage that all you need for a good story is some drama.\u00a0 This film is a tale about the hour leading up to the debut of the sketch comedy show <em>Saturday Night Live<\/em>.\u00a0 The film is a boiling pot as the actors, executives and even series creator Lorne Michaels are unsure if they can actually pull this off.\u00a0 Just as the crew think they have everything pinned down, another wrench is tossed in to gum up the works.\u00a0 I am sure, like all period dramas, this might not be an accurate depiction of how the night went down, but the steady stream of drama and wild cast of characters kept my eyes glued to the screen, a feat that many films fail to do.\u00a0 If you are a writer looking for a masterclass in slowly bring the tension to a boil, then <em>Saturday Night <\/em>is the film for calling to you.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Violett-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2354\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Violett-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Violett-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Violett-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Violett.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Violett<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My followers, one last confession for you all.\u00a0 As the final hour of October drew close to the end, I felt I had failed the eldritch lords that drew their power from this month.\u00a0 A fifty-year-old film and a remake?\u00a0 What pathetic offerings during the month of Halloween.\u00a0 So I dug deep to find a film that would sate the God&#8217;s and my own hunger for horror and found <em>Violett<\/em>, an Australian indie psychological horror about a mother worried the world is out to take her daughter from her.\u00a0 The film takes cues straight out of <em>Silent Hill&#8217;s<\/em> playbook as Sonya, the mother, is constantly seeing gruesome and horrific scenes designed to play on her fears, such as neighbors giving her rotten fruit or painting gruesome scenes.\u00a0 I dare not say more in fear of spoiling the movie, but I do promise that this film is not heading in the direction you think it&#8217;s going.\u00a0 Like many films that take inspiration from <em>Silent Hill<\/em>, I found <em>Violett <\/em>to be a worthy tribute to the dark, eerie nights of Halloween.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Darkness falls across the land.  As seven movies fell into my hands.  Movies where monsters crawl in search for blood.  Where power hungry men terrorize the neighborhood.  Tales where tension can be found.  Shows with sorrow that will bring you down.  Movies with demons straight from hell.  Movies that will bring you straight out of your shells.  I, the Video Game Doomsayer, present the seven movies I saw in October 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2347,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-opinion","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2346"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2346\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2356,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2346\/revisions\/2356"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}