The Zachtastic Movie Blog

Happy Halloween, everyone! For this special spooky time of year, I thought it would be fun to explore the types of things that scare me the most in horror movies. What ultimately frightens somebody is subjective anyway, so obviously what affects me will differ from most people. Still, I hope you enjoy what I have to share. There is no text-based version of this post, though. This is a piece of mine that is best experienced by simply watching the video essay.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens proved to be monumental for the franchise in a multitude of ways. First of all, it was a sequel to Return of the Jedi released 32 years later. The film also took place 30 years later in the official timeline. Most of all, it was the first film to be released under the Disney banner, let alone without the direct involvement of George Lucas. The Force Awakens was directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay he wrote with veteran Star Wars scribe Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt. While The Force Awakens features original cast members such as Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew, and Anthony Daniels, the new players consist of Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, among a large assortment of cameos such as Daniel Craig’s stormtrooper. The film’s page on IMDB lists this as the official synopsis: “Three decades after the Empire's defeat, a new threat arises in...

Zombieland: Double Tap was directed by Ruben Fleischer, who is best known for his work on the original film as well as last year’s Venom movie. Practically the same creative team from the original returned, most notably Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The project was in development hell until its production was greenlit in 2018; Double Tap eventually debuted in cinemas on October 18, 2019. Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin all reprise their same roles from the previous installment, while Zoey Deutch and Rosario Dawson joined the cast of this new one. The film’s page on IMDB lists this as the official synopsis: “Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.” For my full thoughts on this particular movie, click the link above for my review on YouTube. The video is just shy of bein...

Heave Ho was developed by an independent studio in Paris, France called Le Cartel. Top-dog indie game publisher Devolver Digital published the title on Nintendo Switch and PC on August 29, 2019. This multiplayer platform puzzle game, the likes of which allows up to four people to play together, forces players to cooperate in a series of easy to grueling physics-based environmental puzzles. Utilizing momentum caused either by the player-controlled character or working in tangent with others, objectives are only met when the characters reach the end - all while trying to collect optional coins that can be used for in-game cosmetic purchases. For my full thoughts on this particular video game, click the link above for my review on YouTube. The video is just shy of being 8 minutes long. Otherwise, read on for a short summary of my thoughts on Heave Ho ! There are two types of games: the ones you play alone, and those best experienced with friends. Oftentimes multiplayer...

Joker was directed by Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Academy Award-nominee Scott Silver. Todd Phillips has previously been known for raunchy comedies such as Old School , The Hangover trilogy, and Due Date , but decided to take a creative and tonal leap by creating a bold, new take on the Joker’s origin story. The resulting cinematic project debuted in cinemas worldwide on October 4, 2019. The cast of Joker consists of Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role, supported by Robert de Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, and Brent Cullen. The film’s page on IMDB lists this as the official synopsis: “In Gotham City, mentally-troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: ‘The Joker.’” For my full thoughts on this particular movie, click the link above for my review on YouTube. The video is about 14 and a half minutes...

Untitled Goose Game (yes, that really is the title) was developed by an independent, four-person studio in Australia called House House. They received financial assistance and consultation from the State Government of Victoria for its production. It was later released on Windows, macOS, and Nintendo Switch by Panic on September 20, 2019. This single-player adventure borrows elements from the stealth and sandbox genres, in which the player controls a mischievous goose prowling about a middle-class town in England. Throughout the course of the game, the players can freely choose how they wish to interact with the various townsfolk, while they are also tasked with random assignments on to-do lists . Some of them are integral to the story and others are simply there for amusement. For my full thoughts on this particular video game, click the link above for my review on YouTube. The video is 8 minutes long. Otherwise, read on for a short summary of my thoughts on Untitled Goose Ga...

Return of the Jedi was the conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy; prior to the release of The Force Awakens in 2015, this was the final film in the official timeline. Just as the case was with the previous installment in the franchise, Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas collaborated on the screenplay. Richard Marquand took over directing duties. It was originally released in theaters on May 25, 1983. The cast consists of largely the same players as The Empire Strikes Back , although this film served as the first onscreen synopsis of Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine. The film’s page on IMDB lists this as the official synopsis: “ After a daring mission to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebels dispatch to Endor to destroy the second Death Star. Meanwhile, Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side without falling into the Emperor's trap. ” Considering that the above video is just over 37 minutes long, I declined to write a full summ...