Anonymous (2011) Movie Review

Anonymous (2011) IMDB

Anonymous (2011) movie poster

I watch a lot of movies. Like a lot. And sometimes I seek out movies to watch that deal with labyrinths and mazes, but sometimes I am watching and I get a surprise. Anonymous was a surprise !

The overall story takes place in the UK during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. While portions of the movie occur in flashbacks the timeline centers on the end of her life and what will happen with her successor. This includes a rebellion against her, the Essex rebellion, and behind the scenes political machinations that accompany it.

But it is also a story about William Shakespeare and whether or not he is the writer of the plays attributed to him. This movies poses that the writer is actually the Earl of Oxford who cannot put his name of the plays for political reasons. Who really wrote the plays ? Before watching this movie I had no idea that there were a group of people called Anti-Stratfordians who believe Shakespeare was not the actual writer of his works. It is considered a fringe theory but you can read about the controversy on Wikipedia if you want to take a deep dive.

The movie is included here because it contains a maze ! Slightly over an hour into the film, the Earl of Oxford gets into a duel inside a hedge maze ! Check out the (very foggy) scene below that shows the maze from above !

Anonymous (2011) maze scene

The period piece is well acted and has wonderful costumes and a fun story. Director Roland Emmerich has also been the writer/director of many big budget Sci-Fi movies that you know (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, Godzilla, and Stargate).

I give this movie a 6.9/10.

Check out the trailer below.

Exit Strategy (2019) Movie Review

Exit Strategy (2019) IMDB

Exit Strategy (2019) movie poster

If there is one thing I like it is a good time loop movie. This short film, while clocking in at 15 minutes, is just that. At it’s heart it is a film about problem solving how to escape the time loop between two brothers. It is solid with a good story and it is worth the investment, Hey it has a maze as the film poster and since they are in a time loop they use maze terminology in the movie to explain what is happening.

This is the second time loop short film I have reviewed for the site. Check out my Iteration 1 (2016) Movie Review which includes a link to watch the movie !

I give this movie a 7.5/10.

Why watch a trailer when you can watch the entire movie !!

Oxygen (2021) Movie Review

Oxygen (2021) IMDB

Oxygen (2021) movie poster

Oxygen is a French science fiction thriller exclusive to Netflix that takes place in a very confined place. If you have seen the 2010 movie Buried starring Ryan Reynolds, this is the sci-fi version of it.

The gist of the movie is a woman wakes up in a cryogenic chamber with no memory of how she got there and with her oxygen levels lowering rapidly and unable to get out of her chamber. Obviously this is a problem. The movie is her trying to figure out where she is, what is happening, and how she can fix it.

All of this happens from a claustrophobic space. So why is this review on a maze website ? Well, there are a few scenes that show mice moving through a maze. These scenes are all about conveying the feeling our main character is feeling being stuck in here chamber and trying to get out (troubleshoot).

While the concept is good, the plot peels away like the layers of an onion. It’s a bit slow, but worth a look if you like Sci-Fi.

I found an alternative movie poster for it, the French version, which I really love. I features a circular maze on our main characters eye. Great design and concept. But did it make my list of the 10 best maze movie posters ?

Oxygen (2021) movie poster eye

I give it a 6/10.

Enjoy this trailer for the movie:

Hubie Halloween (2020) Movie Review

Hubie Halloween (2020) IMDB

Hubie Halloween (2020) movie poster

By Netflix - Google, Fair use,

Hubie Halloween is the story of Hubie Dubois, played by Adam Sandler, a childlike grown-up who protects his hometown each Halloween from bad actors and makes sure they play within the rules. He is mocked each year by everyone in the town. This is a family movie exclusive to Netflix with a ensemble cast. You get Dan Patrick, Shaq, Kevin James, Ray Liotta, and your standard alumnus of SNL to name a few.

Now this is not a maze movie, but there is a reason this is included on the site. During one sequence of the movie there is a report of a lost child in a corn maze and Hubie goes to check out the situation. Of course it is all a practical joke.

The movie centers around a Halloween where a convict has escaped from the local mental institution. Can Hubie, mocked for his entire life, save the town ? Well, regardless of how things turn out, the movie has weak laughs and is one of Sandler’s weakest films. Kids might like it, but most adults will not. I will say it is a nice Halloween movie that is horror light and rated PG-13.

I give the movie a 5/10.

Here is the trailer for the movie: