Category Archives: Ethan Suplee

2025 Films, Ethan Suplee, Fabianne Therese, Horror, Independent, Independent Horror, Max the Impaler, Rod Blackhurst, Seann Williams Scott, Slasher

Dolly-2025

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Dolly-2025

Director Rod Blackhurst

Starring Max the Impaler, Fabianne Therese, Seann William Scott

Scott’s Review #1,532

Reviewed May 3, 2026

Grade: B+

Dolly (2025) is a disturbing yet effective slasher film patterned after the 1974 horror masterpiece The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. With grainy filmmaking, a remote, woodsy locale, and hints of inbred country folk living a secret, macabre existence, the parallels are clear.

Following the film’s viewing, it’s almost a necessity that a prequel is in the works, as many questions remain, especially among the family.

While following a standard slasher film in terms of a masked, unknown assailant, jump out of your seat scares, and characters making inane decisions, Dolly has a uniqueness all its own.

Since Dolly is an independent horror film, the low-budget nature works in its favor.

The opening sequence features a hulking woman wearing a porcelain doll mask, clutching a decapitated body. In her bedroom, she sobs with grief and appears emotionally wounded as she utters wounded, animalistic sounds.

The room is infested with buzzing flies, creating a hot summer atmosphere.

The plot then follows Macy (Fabianne Therese) and Chase (Seann William Scott), a happy couple on their way to a remote mountain-top getaway where Chase nervously intends to propose marriage.

A silly and superfluous add-on about Chase having a young daughter from a previous relationship and Macy’s uncertainty about being a stepmother, since her own mother was a shitty parent, is discussed via FaceTime with her sister.

This has nothing to do with the main story.

Chase and Macy briefly hike and enjoy the picturesque views before noticing an array of doll figures strewn across the forest and an eerie music box lullaby barely within earshot.

Naturally, since Dolly is a horror film, the couple separates as Chase goes to figure out what the mystery is all about, leaving Macy alone and both of them vulnerable.

Why they don’t go together is beyond me.

Eventually, Macy is abducted by the hulking mask-clad woman and dragged to a dilapidated house in the woods. She fights for survival after she realizes the woman intends to raise her as her infantile child.

Dolly is never a boring experience; it is divided into six chapters aptly named Mother, Father, Daughter, and so on. While the film is ambiguous, the chapters at least help the viewer ascertain that something weird is going on in the house, involving a family.

But is the hulking woman, assumed to be named ‘Dolly’, a victim herself? Why does she put Macy in a baby dress and give her a pacifier? Did she kill the decapitated body or did someone else?

Dolly is certainly nuts, but why is she nuts?

Eventually, another character is introduced who provides a shred of clarity but also raises even more questions. Why is the character bound and tied, and can they be trusted?

To offset the gruesome physical suffering and emotional trauma the characters endure, the audience can have some good, clean, slasher fun. Macy, in particular, makes one dumb decision after another, which may make the viewer scream out to the screen in comical frustration.

Seemingly countless times, Macy foregoes escape to either pause and ponder the situation, wasting precious time, or merely wounds her assailant instead of decapitating them to ensure she is safe.

There are also clichés like a character wearing headphones and blasting music, not hearing a victim’s pleas for help, a barricaded door, tripping and falling in the forest, curiously yelling out ‘hello?’, and various other devices to keep the character trapped and in peril.

It also makes Dolly seem predictable, especially as the conclusion draws near.

I wouldn’t say I was glad Dolly ended when it did, but it felt like it went as far as it could with what might be ‘Act 1’ of a multiple-film experience.

Dolly (2025) has an excellent horror vibe, great elements, and decent acting, but provides few answers to a myriad of questions.

While riddled with clichés from many past horror films, the setup is there, and the film successfully intrigues its audience enough, prompting a follow-up.

2022 Films, Brad Pitt, Chloe Fineman, Comedy, Damien Chazelle, Dark Comedy, Diego Calva, Drama, Epic, Eric Roberts, Ethan Suplee, Flea, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, Lukas Haas, Margot Robbie, Olivia Wilde, P. J. Byrne, Period Drama, Samara Weaving, Spike Jonze, Tobey Maguire

Babylon-2022

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Babylon-2022

Director Damien Chazelle

Starring Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt

Scott’s Review #1,365

Reviewed June 4, 2023

Grade: A-

Babylon (2022) is a film that will likely divide audiences broadly. Slightly late to the table, I viewed the film after the awards season hoopla had ended, and the film came up empty-handed.

Sure, a few nominations were received, but much more was expected from the epic Hollywood-themed venture.

I’m a fan of director Damien Chazelle, most famous for the similarly set Los Angeles film La La Land (2016), which I adore.

His direction style reminds me a great deal of Baz Luhrmann’s, with the incorporation of intense musical numbers during many scenes and a strong, chaotic, and frenetic nature.

I realize this style is not for everyone, so I’m not surprised that Babylon is both revered and reviled. This isn’t always a bad thing, as a good film debate can be fun.

I adore Babylon primarily for the potent silent-era Hollywood story and the terror stars of the 1920s faced with the realization that sound had entered their pictures and they were expected to keep up with the times.

Sadly, many careers ended devastatingly, sinking one-time big stars into depression and despair.

The acting is superb, and major props go especially to Margot Robbie as debaucherous film star Nellie LaRoy and newcomer (to me) Diego Calva as handsome Mexican immigrant Manny Torres.

Both actors elicit superb performances that should have landed them Oscar nominations.

The major themes that Chazelle incorporates into Babylon are those of ambition and outrageous excess, as well as belonging and acceptance. The rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood are explored.

As Hollywood transitions from silent films to talkies, ambitious up-and-coming actress Nellie and aging superstar Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt) each struggle to adapt to the new medium, as well as a rapidly changing world.

And Manny wants a seat at the table.

Another reason I love the film is the dedication and exposure given to pre-sound Hollywood movies, which are often forgotten. I struggle to recall ever having viewed a film from that era, with my earliest film being the 1930 film “All Quiet on the Western Front.”

The hit film The Artist (2011) may have paid tribute, but it’s not the same, and Babylon goes for the jugular in showcasing an entire movement that is now largely forgotten.

Cinema fans will respect Babylon.

Besides the film’s characters, there is much to appreciate in the movie itself. A Hollywood movie set, repeated takes, scripts, dialogue, lighting equipment, and rehearsals make for a feast of riches for any cinephile.

The weak point is the film’s excessive length. At three hours and nine minutes, an epic length, the erratic structure is a challenge to get through. A piecemeal approach can sometimes affect the continuity, and it did detract a bit in this case for me.

If one can sit still long enough, the final thirty minutes are superb. A tidy wrap-up and truthful storytelling give several characters a proper sendoff.

The film ends in 1952, so a fitting conclusion is in order.

Before we get to this point, though, a nailbiting sequence involving Manny and a fiendish Los Angeles gangster played by Toby Maguire is second to none. Fake money, a rat-eating entertainer, and pornographic dwarves make for an odd adventure that one can’t look away from.

A fascinating and bombastic experience, Babylon (2022) delves loudly into the silent film world and pays a proper head nod to a long-forgotten era.

The film has made me appreciate Hollywood and its history even more than I already do.

Oscar Nominations: Best Musical Score, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design

2020 Films, Amy Madigan, Betty Gilpin, Craig Zobel, Emma Roberts, Ethan Suplee, Hilary Swank, Horror, Ike Barinholtz, Satire, Wayne Duvall

The Hunt-2020

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The Hunt-2020

Director Craig Zobel

Starring Betty Gilpin, Hilary Swank

Scott’s Review #1,117

Reviewed February 26, 2021

Grade: B

A disturbing satirical effort presumably produced because of the volatile United States political climate circa the 2016-2020 time period, The Hunt (2020) is timely and thought-provoking.

The premise is admittedly intriguing and relevant.

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t always come together and has little character development. It is cartoon-like and mired in B-movie appeal.

I wanted more background from the characters to understand what made them tick. It’s not always clear if the film intends to provide dark comedy, provoke horror, or mock stereotypes.

Perhaps a bit of each?

The Hunt is quite violent and bloody, like a horror film should be, but has tinges of cerebralism. Your political affiliation will dictate which characters you root for. Unclear is whether the message evoked is a liberal slant or a conservative one, and which side the filmmaker leans.

Who is the target audience, liberals or conservatives?

While the effort is praiseworthy and will undoubtedly leave the viewer pondering many details, some confusing elements aren’t worked through. There is also ridiculousness that doesn’t work.

On the plus side, The Hunt includes two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank, one of my favorite modern actresses! She doesn’t appear until the finale, but it was the high point for me.

Twelve strangers wake up in a forest clearing. They have no idea where they are, how they got there, or even what country they’re in.

A large box is in the middle of the field. When they pry it open, a pig emerges along with a plethora of guns and ammunition. Confused, rapid gunfire erupts from the forest, and the group realizes they have been kidnapped and are being hunted for their conservative beliefs.

With most of the group dead, Crystal (Betty Gilpin) and Don (Wayne Duvall) traverse the nearby locale, which includes an Arkansas service station and other booby traps. To make matters worse, it is uncertain whether the people they encounter are enemies or allies.

Finally, they realize they are really in Croatia.

It’s quickly revealed that a group of liberal corporate executives led by Athena Stone (Swank) anticipates an upcoming hunt of “deplorable” people at a manor through a group text. Done as a joke, they are caught, fired, and decide to set out to perform the hunt as revenge for their dismissals.

Let’s mention how each side is portrayed because it’s essential. The liberals are portrayed as elitist, martini-sipping, kale-eating, judgmental “libtards” who mock conservatives at every turn. They are overly politically correct, live in a bubble, and are essentially pricks.

The conservatives are written as racist, dumb, simple-minded, poorly dressed people who love their guns and believe in conspiracy theories. Crystal is written to be a bad-ass tomboy from Mississippi who can shoot guns, blow things up, and fight.

Her character is overdone and not my favorite, although the twist at the end and the references to George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945) are pleasing.

The opening sequence and the final sequence are the best parts of The Hunt. As the liberals fly in luxury, sipping champagne and munching on caviar, a conservative wanders to the front of the plane and is killed.

At this point, the premise isn’t yet revealed, so the audience has no idea what is going on. This immediately made me engaged and intrigued.

I loved the final fight sequence between Crystal and Athena. Craig Zobel, who directed The Hunt, borrows heavily from Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill (2003-2004) during this scene, and the result is a marvelous battle involving kitchen knives, glasses, blood, and bruises.

The Hunt (2020) is a brave and clever effort. I only wish the mechanics of the characters were better explored. My takeaway is that the intent is not to take the film too seriously.

But I wanted to.

2013 Films, Christine Ebersole, Comedy, Crime Drama, Dark Comedy, Drama, Epic, Ethan Suplee, Fran Lebowitz, Jean Dujardin, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jonah Hill, Kyle Chandler, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Martin Scorsese, Matthew McConaughey, P. J. Byrne, Rob Reiner, Spike Jonze, Ward Horton

The Wolf of Wall Street-2013

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The Wolf of Wall Street-2013

Director Martin Scorsese

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill

Scott’s Review #33

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Reviewed June 17, 2014 

Grade: A

Martin Scorsese’s latest offering, The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) is a tale of overindulgence, chaos, and debauchery in the world of stockbroking during the 1980s.

The film is superb.

It is a drug-filled, sex-filled, over-the-top, loud, testosterone-fueled, frenetic extravaganza that works on so many levels.

Humorous and mouth-dropping scenes occur throughout the film.

The casting is flawless- Leonardo Dicaprio and Jonah Hill deserve the praise and Oscar nominations heaped on them.

The supporting actors are perfect- Rob Reiner, Matthew McConaughey, Jean Dujardin, and Kyle Chandler.

With Scorsese, you will receive an intelligent film, though very R-rated.

Similar in style to another of his masterpieces, Goodfellas-1990, as it is narrated by the main character (Dicaprio).

Comparisons to the 1987 film Wall Street are silly. This film is much deeper, grittier, and frankly, much better.

Do not let the unfathomable running time of three hours discourage you- the time goes by very fast.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director-Martin Scorsese, Best Actor-Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Supporting Actor-Jonah Hill, Best Adapted Screenplay