What to Watch This Weekend: Blush, James Bond, Horror Movies, and Kids Movies

For An Emotional Animated Experience: Blush (Apple TV+) 
Blush is a beautifully animated triumph that packs a ton of emotion into this short story supported by a deeper meaning to the whole experience and some beautiful music!  For more information, check out the review!

For A Dramatic Indie Thriller: Coming Home In The Dark (Theaters and Digital)

Coming Home In The Dark is an indie film that masterfully uses all it has to offer, with a tense story, brilliant performances, and an unsettling encounter that will have you holding your breath.  For more information, check out the review!

For An Atmospheric Experience With A Deeper Message: Madres (Amazon Prime)

Madres has a slow, dread-filled build up that directs viewers to its deeper message of the marginalization of people and the horrors of the past and present.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Stylish and Grotesque Horror Film: Bingo Hell (Amazon Prime)

Bingo Hell is a winner, bringing a bright style, wonderful music, and eccentric characters to craft an entertaining horror film that scores with visceral gore and social commentary.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Triumphant Return to Theaters: No Time To Die (Theaters)

No Time To Die is a solid return to the theaters, with intense action, amazing sound, and the Daniel Craig Bond you know and love.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Season Finale That Scores A Hat Trick: Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Ted Lasso's season finale scores by tying up several loose story threads, giving a satisfying end to the drama this season, and setting up an exciting clash for the next one!

For The Kids: Muppets Haunted Mansion (Disney+)

Muppets Haunted Mansion hits Disney+ today and it is a great, family friend way to get your kids into the holiday spirit!

For The Kids Part Two: My Little Pony: A New Generation (Netflix)

My Little Pony touches a new generation of kids with a message about unity and banding together against misinformation, something many kids and adults could use these days.

Bingo Hell Review: Scores With A Bright Style And Grotesque Practical Effects

Release date: October 1, 2021
Running time: 86 minutes
Directed by: Gigi Saul Guerrero
Written by: Shane McKenzie, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Perry Blackshear
Starring: Adriana Barraza, L. Scott Caldwell, Richard Brake and Joshua Caleb Johnson

When a sinister figure threatens the residents of a low-income community, a feisty senior citizen tries to stop him in Bingo Hell, a wickedly original horror movie with a fiendishly funny twist. After 60-something neighborhood activist Lupita (Adriana Barraza) discovers that her beloved local bingo hall has been taken over by a mysterious businessman   named Mr. Big (Richard Brake), she rallies her elderly friends to fight back against the enigmatic entrepreneur. But when her longtime neighbors begin turning up dead under grisly circumstances, Lupita suddenly discovers that gentrification is the least of her problems. Something terrifying has made itself at home in the quiet barrio of Oak Springs, and with each new cry of “Bingo!” another victim falls prey to its diabolical presence. As the cash prizes increase and the body count steadily rises, Lupita must face the frightening realization that this game is truly winner-takes-all.

Bingo Hell is all about style, and this movie has it in spades.  The film has a muted color palate and film grain for the town to let you know that this place is supposed to be a drab, down on its luck locale.  The bingo hall, by contrast, is bright and colorful with lights and sounds to keep your eyes and ears entertained.  However, the brilliance of this film is that the bright hall feels sinister and otherworldly, whereas the drab town feels secure and safe.  The hall has so much going on that it can feel suffocating and overbearing, putting you on edge despite the bright exterior.  And the style doesn't just go to the visuals; the film has a really great soundtrack that helps to move the story along.  

And this strange, but entertaining story is brought to life by some good acting.  The characters are exaggerated, as is much in this film, but they add flair to the already stylish endeavor.  The standout is Richard Brake, who gives a creepy performance as Mr. Big with his flashy but ultimately sinister persona.  And Adrianna Barraza provides someone we can root for as she investigates the strange happenings in her town and the sudden conversion of her closest friends.  And the film is also brought to life by some really good, and disgusting, practical effects.  Blood, ooze, and other fluids are ever present as these bingo players find out the thrill of winning and the consequences of their choices.  Overall this is just a really well made, entertaining horror film.

The story of Bingo Hell also tries to add some socioeconomic commentary into the horror genre.  The thrill of winning and of seeking wealth over community are ever-present in this film and are reinforced by the story and consequences.  I love when horror films speak to more than just entertainment (but don't get me wrong, I love entertaining horror as well) and Bingo Hell does all of that in a stylish package.  

Bingo Hell is a winner, bringing a bright style, wonderful music, and eccentric characters to craft an entertaining horror film that scores with visceral gore and social commentary. 

Watch it.

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Bingo Hell is available to stream on Amazon Prime.