The Babysitter (2017)

My favorite genre is horror-comedy. Movies like Tucker and Dale vs Evil are a staple in our home. We have found yet another film to add to our list of absolute faves with The Babysitter. Brian Duffield, writer of The Babysitter, caught the innocence of childhood, the manipulation of naughty teens, and the comedy of accidental murder in his screenplay.

The Premise

It's parental date night and Cole is stuck at home with his babysitter Bee. Not that he minds. Bee is smoking hot and they always have a blast. This time is different, though. Cole stays up to find out what happens after bedtime and finds out Bee and her friends are Satan worshipers and they need his blood to complete their ritual! Cole spends all night evading Bee and her friends, accidentally killing a few along the way.

My Take

I sympathize with Cole in more than one way. I always thought I had a babysitter for way too long. Then I was the babysitter for my little sister and all our neighbors. Now as a parent I feel for my kids. My mother-in-law lives with us - we have a built-in babysitter 24/7. Poor guys! So, I see a bit of Cole in myself and my kids. Except I was never as hot or half as fun as Bee.

Judah Lewis and Samara Weaving portray Cole and Bee, respectively. This is where the combination of writing, direction, and acting collide to make the chemistry of these two characters work perfectly. Cole is discovering girls and thus discovering Bee as an older woman. The awkward and tender moments between them are beautiful. It makes everything that happens later all the more tragic and emotional.

To be fair, Bee does try to protect Cole from all her evil doings. But, kids being kids, his curiosity ruins all her plans which leaves her Satan worshiping friends with no choice but to hunt him down. Bee's friends include Robbie Amell - the jock, Hana Mae Lee - the Goth, Bella Thorne - the cheerleader, Andrew Bachelor - the best friend, and Doug Haley - the nerd. Each friend, sadly, meets a tragic, and hilarious, end.

The Verdict

Now, I am biased because I love these kinds of movies. But given the combination of writing, McG's direction, and everyone’s acting, I personally recommend The Babysitter to anyone with a dark sense of humor and a twisted funny bone. I give The Babysitter 6/6 Satanists or was it 666??? I can never remember.

Battle for Sevastopol (2015)

A good "true story" movie should pique your interest. We all know Hollywood works its magic on whatever subject it picks and stretches the truth. That's exactly why biopics are always "based on a true story" or "based on true events" rather than factual, actual movies. That being said, Battle for Sevastopol is an excellent film and makes me want to learn more about its heroine, Lyudmila Mykhailovna Pavlichenko.

The Premise

Credited with an amazing 309 kills, Lyudmila Pavlichenko is the most successful female sniper in Soviet history. She became an advocate for women's rights, a friend of the U.S., and a battle-worn hero of World War II. Based on the incredible true story, Battle for Sevastopol focuses on the career of one of WWII's bravest soldiers.

My Take

It is no secret that the military is very much a fraternity. It was even more so during WWII. However, attitudes in the former Soviet Union were more progressive than I originally thought. Early in the war, the Soviet military allowed women to volunteer for service. This of course was not without its difficulties. Women back then faced more challenges than women do now, but if not for these groundbreaking souls, no military in the world would be where it is today.

Lyudmila Pavlichenko was one of these women. Played by Yuliya Peresild, Pavlichenko became a sniper at a time woman were largely pushed into nursing. The real Pavlichenko passed away in 1974, so I can only imagine that Peresild portrayed her with the right amount of bravery and vulnerability. In the film, she fell in love with two fellow soldiers (Anatoliy Kot and Oleg Vasilkov) and an army doctor (Nikita Tarasov). While I can't find anything to back up these relationships, what is true was her friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt (Joan Blackham).

What I found most amusing in my research, is the realism of the writing in Pavlichenko's visit to America. At the time, reporters were more concerned with her appearance and style on the battle-front than her cause and reason for her trip. Writers Maksim Budarin, Maksim Dankevich, Leonid Korin, Sergey Mokritskiy, and Egor Olesov were somehow able to capture the many varied atmospheres and settings of this film.

The Verdict

Battle for Sevastopol featured excellent make-up, especially during the battle scenes. The writing was very well done as was the direction, thanks to Sergey Mokritskiy. The portrayal of Americans was a bit amusing - a little like watching caricatures of ourselves. But as far as I could tell, the acting was top-notch (it is a foreign film after all!). I give Battle for Sevastopol a full 309 kills. Anything that makes you want to learn more about female snipers is worth the watch!