Scream 2022 and Belle (AKA: The Dragon and the Freckled Princess)

 SCREAM 2022

My initial thoughts on the latest film in the Scream franchise is that it does precisely what the Scream franchise does and there's no reinvention of the wheel here. In fact, it' meta commentary on modern horror movies is going to probably split a vast majority of the fan base, and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. I am not entirely sure that the commentary will hit with quite the same snark and humor as previous entries so that will be as it will be. 

Scream (2022) picks up in Woodsboro, the small town location of the original film, eschewing the numerical order as part of he "requel" commentary of the film. As we learn from this movies Expert, a "requel" is a film that acts as neither a sequel nor a reboot but a combination of both. That modern films who take this approach are trying to appeal/respect the older fans while also creating something "new" on the back of something that's already come before. It's a convoluted explanation, but works as a commentary on modern films currently making their way through streaming, cinemas, and direct to blu-ray. It' can't say it's Scream 5, but it's still basically Scream 5. 

It's been decades since the events of the first film, and all the kids are watching "elevated" horror these days and stupid slashers are cliche thing of the past. Nobody is likely to receive a mysterious phone call, because we have caller ID and we have Smart Phones, and security systems, and all the other stuff that makes us feel seen and safe- but then Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) receives just that sort of a call with a lingering threat that leads her to run out of her house- and directly into the waiting attack from a killer with a knife. This draws her older sister back to town, Sam Carpenter (Melissa Berrera) and it isn't long before a connection to the original Wooodsboro killings would be revealed. A new supporting cast of potential killers and victims introduced, the legacy characters are also drawn back to town for the grisly events. 

I have had a pretty interesting relationship with the Scream series, myself- as a fan of the slasher genre, the Scream series always sort of worked as a comedy horror more so than a general straight fright film. The "killer" was always pretty damned obvious, while everyone around me were losing their collective minds about the twists and turns of the pot. This film also has a lot of twists and turns, leading me to fully believe that one of the red herrings is responsible- 

BUT- when the big reveal does make itself known- there is virtually nothing that really makes sense within the plot or direction of the film that would follow through with it. It's so out of left field that it only works as a twist because nothing supports it. They retcon quite a bit of the film in order to shoe-horn the ending, linking it to the meta-commentary of film in the broader scope, but they forget the biggest point of a "reveal" in the process- it HAS to show some degree of consistency, and this one doesn't really do that. 

So, while the film is fun and consistent with it's meta-commentary- it ultimately fails to exist outside the line of what it's trying to say about modern horror films.

7 out of 10, strong recommend. 

 BELLE (2021) (U.S. Release in 2022)

Visually stunning- like so many reviews have already said, but also an emotional exploration of depression, abuse, neglect, and the dubious comforts of a virtual "reality"- a future MMORPG that allows the user to enter a VR that utilizes their own bio-metrics to create a virtual avatar. This Japanese animated feature film was originally called Ryū to Sobakasu no Hime (The Dragon and the Freckled Princess). It premiered at the previous year's Cannes where it received a 15 minute standing ovation from an appreciative audience.

A young woman named "Suzu" is a high school loner, shy, awkward, and coping with a severe depression after her mother's untimely demise. She enters the world at the behest of her friend and creates a persona that draws almost immediate attention with her music and singing. Her fame comes to a staggering halt after an encounter with "The Dragon", a ferocious loner known for combat games. 

The movie delves into the deep mystery of discovering the identity of the Dragon and his motives.

This is a solid 8.5 out of 10 and is nearly perfect, with unexpected twists and turns. It unwraps in a way that plays with audience expectations, but also openly defies many of those expectations in surprising ways.