Only Murders in the Building – Open and Shut

 

(TV Series, 2021)

The season finale is coming in a few hours. Here are my theories:

1) JAN is the one depressed. It was her notes in Tim Kono's trash. 

a) Jan may have poisoned Tim due to jealousy. There may be a third party or at least a suspicion thereof.

b) Another person poisoned Tim. A jealous ex-lover or unrequited love?

c) The poison may be intended for Jan and Tim was only collateral damage. The poison may have come from gut milk since Evelyn the cat was also poisoned the same way as Tim. However, I doubt the cat will drink the said beverage because it's with 15% alcohol. Nevertheless, in this scenario, there's another person between this Tim-Jan affair. 

There is something about gut milk that I am extremely suspicious of. 

2) Tim Kono was shot because of his failed job.

3) Tim Kono was shot because of his investigation on Angel jewelry business. If this is right, it certainly has something to do with the green ring. Whoever possessed it after the Dimases retrieved it 10 years ago is the killer. 

The shooter has an accomplice and it may be LESTER. 

I will be back to rate the season finale. 

U • P • D • A • T • E

My Theory #1A is on point! I was teensy weensy disappointed with the finale probably because my very high expectations. But overall 👏 👏 👏 

• It was indeed a "scorned lover" situation. But if you think about it deeper, I think it was more about PRIDE and life-long BITTERNESS. 
• I was waiting for the scene repeatedly shown from trailers and every episode where the two men where nervoulsy running down the stairs and Mabel kneeling in front of a blooded body. It turns out to be like an opening for another case/season.

• I do not like TV shows with cliffhanger finales like the showrunners are holding the network hostage to give them another season. I admire how OMITB made the finale a combination of a closure and a cliffhanger: Tim Kono's case is finally closed albeit a couple of loose ends (as per Mabel), and an opening for a new storyline.
• Tim Kono was already dead before he was shot, right? Why did Charles not die? They were given the same poison, right? A paralytic? I wonder why it did not affect Charles as fast when Tim is much younger and stronger.
• The basement scene is hilarious! 

PREDICTIONS for next year's awards season: TED LASSO will have a great competition in OMITB.

• Martin Short may win over Jason Sudeikis as Best Actor 
• OMITB season 1 may win over Ted Lasso season 2 as Best Comedy
• OMITB The Boy from 6B (episode 7) will receive numerous accolades

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Casting & Acting:     9.0

Plot/Story:     9.0

Editing:             9.5

Sound/Music:    10.0

Overall Production:      9.5

Rating:  9.400

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THE RENTAL

(Movie, 2020)

Plot: stupid people doing stupid things
 
The effort is there. But the story is just unforgivable. At least it's not like the usual slasher film with hysterical screams, over-the-top sound effects, and remarkably calm killer. In this movie, the killer runs! Runs with gusto. Just like any other human being.

 

Casting & Acting:         7.5

Plot/Story:                  4.0

Editing:                       7.5

Sound/Music:               6.0

Overall Production:      7.5

Rating:                    6.500

SLAUGHTERHOUSE RULEZ

(Movie, 2018)

Plot: British boarding school vs. evil.

Interestingly, there's a lot of big names in the movie.  I don't know nor understand what made them take part on this. It seems to be trying the Edgar Wright - Three Flavours Cornettos approach but fell short (big time).

I lost focus/interest/care 20 minutes in. I played it twice. Did they address the intense bullying and questionable house practices? I do not know. And I really don't care.

There are a number of films about youngsters killing each other: Battle Royale, Hunger Games to name a few. But at least the rationale was clear from the get go. In SHR, it's all blood and nothing else. 

Casting & Acting: 7.0 

Plot/Story:                2.0 

Editing:                    3.0 

Sound/Music: 4.0 

Overall Production:    6.0 

Rating:                  4.400 

CAMPUS CODE

(Movie, 2015)

It is one of those movies where the premise is there but the execution is is just in disarray. IT COULD HAVE BEEN MADE BETTER. There!

First, the acting was awful (except maybe for Jesse McCartney and Jack Falahee). The rest, nah! My high school can act way better. And we didn't even have an acting class!

Also, the editing is terrible. I have seen high schoolers make better videos out of their phones. 

What a waste of resources. 

Casting & Acting:       5.0

Plot/Story:                7.5

Editing:                     3.0

Sound/Music:             5.0

Overall Production:    5.0

Rating:                  5.100

THE GRUDGE

(Movie, 2020)

I don't understand why they feel there is a need for a remake of this. Is it similar to a right over comic book character/s? Like you need to make a movie every 5 years or so otherwise you'll lose the right/license?

Casting & Acting:       7.5

Plot/Story:                4.0

Editing:                     7.0

Sound/Music:             6.0

Overall Production:    7.5

Rating:                  6.400

THE DUFF

(Movie, 2015)

It's rare that I watch teenage Hollywood films without gagging and commneting "white people problems". This is one of those rare films! It's simple, funny, and well-acted. 

Casting & Acting:         7.5

Plot/Story:                  7.0

Editing:                       7.5

Sound/Music:               8.0

Overall Production:      8.0

Rating:                    7.600

Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker

(Movie, 2019)

Episode VIII - The Last Jedi had good critical reviews but not from the viewers. It appears that on Episode IX, the critics wanted to satisfy the fans. 

The only uncomfortable choice, I think, they made for this film is keeping Leia Organa given that she the actress, Carrie Fisher, died before the release of The Last Jedi. They used archive footages and CGI, which is only obvious if you are conscious of the fact. However, the CGI for this  flashback is awful! 

Other than that, I think they did a decent job. The writers probably already had a long-term story planned from the start that is why they chose not to write off the character from this installment. I personally think that her character has a stronger connection to Adam Driver's Ben Solo/Kylo Ren than the other original main protagonists.

Casting & Acting:          9.0

Plot/Story:                   8.5

Editing:                        8.5

Sound/Music:              10.0

Overall Production:       9.0

Rating:                     9.000