Cuckoo/The Life of Chuck

Cuckoo

With hesitation, 17 year old Gretchen leaves her home in America to live with her father, who has just moved to a resort in the German Alps with his new family. Upon arriving at their future residence, they are welcomed by Mr. König, her father’s boss. However, something does not feel right in this seemingly peaceful holiday paradise. Gretchen is tormented by strange sounds and bloody apparitions, until she uncovers a shocking secret that also involves her own family. Is it worth watching?

• An interesting initial idea.
• At times it manages to create a creepy atmosphere.
• An otherworldly cinematography that is quite intriguing.
• Hunter Schafer makes an effort.
• Deals with surreal fears.
• Gives off cult vibes and I believe it will find its audience.

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• Predictable, even though it could have stood out.
• Script wise it feels disconnected. Do not look for logic in the whole endeavor, not that this is necessarily a bad thing 😅.
• Becomes flat after a certain point.
• Lacks energy and gets boring at times.
• The finale is completely all over the place.
• Many things are left unexplained.

The Life of Chuck

As the world seems to be collapsing, the residents of a town begin seeing thank you posters everywhere addressed to an unknown man named Chuck, who appears to be connected to these strange events. Is it worth your attention?

• Three chapters that highlight the miracle of love, the pain of loss, and the personal universe each of us creates during our time on Earth.
• Direction wise, Mike Flanagan does a solid job in his first film outside the horror genre he is known for.
• Mark Hamill delivers a wonderful monologue in the film.
• The young lead actor is also very strong in terms of performance.
• The film’s structure feels literary, moving from the end to the beginning, like a reverse autobiography.
• Tom Hiddleston is good.
• Includes tender details that bring out the beauty of everyday life.

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• It leans toward idealization, which may alienate part of the audience.
• Chuck’s presence never truly reaches a dramatic peak.
• There are moments you may find boring.
• The pacing is quite slow, carrying risk through an overly deliberate tempo.
• The central dance scene feels awkward and resembles a commercial.
• Some moments may feel excessive, especially in the messages it tries to convey to the viewer.
• The film constantly reminds us that Chuck is going to die in a very, very tragic way.