'WITCHING AND BITCHING' is the best witch film since 'Hocus Pocus'

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- Unrated

RUN TIME- 112 Mins

WRITER(S)- Jorge Guerricaechevarría and Álex de la Iglesia 

STARRING- Hugo Silva, Mario Casas, and Pepón Nieto

DIRECTOR(S)-  Álex de la Iglesia

Synopsis taken from IMDb
A gang of escaping jewelry thieves get trapped by a coven of witches.




Like Vampires, I know a lot about witches and the mythology behind them. And, one thing that gets under my skin is how a lot of the time, witches are portrayed as beautiful women. That shouldn't be the case. I've heard stories of people being accused of witchcraft because of how ugly they are, and because of the way they dressed. Therefore, to me the stereotypical witch should look like older women, and not be very attractive, physically. That's one thing that Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem got right.

BIG BAD WOLVES (2013)

RATED- Unrated
RUN TIME- 110 Mins
WRITER(S)- Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado
STARRING- Lior Ashkenazi, Rotem Keinan, and Tzahi Grad
DIRECTOR- Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A series of brutal murders puts the lives of three men on a collision course: The father of the latest victim now out for revenge, a vigilante police detective operating outside the boundaries of  law, and the main suspect in the killings- a religious studies teacher arrested and released due to a police blunder.




Quentin Tarantino is quoted as saying that this flick is the "best film of the year". That's all I really needed to hear, I knew I had to see this. Although Tarantino puts his name on films to give them a push with audiences and critics, they aren't all good. So this was a gamble. But after a few minutes of watching, I knew that I was going to like it.

It picks up pretty quickly, throwing you in amidst the chaos of a suspect being beaten and interrogated. I instantly saw some "Reservoir Dogs" in the scene, and could tell that this was going to be an unconventional experience. The suspect ends up being released, and we discover that a teenager was in the building when the violence was happening, and he recorded the incident. Shortly after leaking the video on YouTube, the lead cop on the case, Micki (Lior Ashkenazi) is dropped from the police force. But rather than quit while he's ahead, he pursues the suspect on his own time and terms.

I like that we get some alone time with the suspect, Dror (Rotem Keinan) and see how his life is effected by the accusations made about him. They make you wait a bit before finding out exactly what he's suspected of doing, but it's quite gruesome. Supposedly he kills little girls by sawing off their heads with a rusty saw, but after drugging, raping, breaking their fingers one at a time, and peeling off their toenails and keeping them as souvenirs. Dror appears to be such a wholesome guy that it's hard to say whether or not he's really guilty or just being falsely accused. He's subjected to finding students making nasty drawings about him, and he's treated to nasty comments on exams he's grading from. He's definitely weird, but the mystery of his innocence or guilt is well told, and leaves you guessing.

Then we discover that former cop; Micki, is being spied on by Gidi (Tzahi Grad), the father of the latest missing child. His introduction is when the movie gets serious. He purchases a nice new house, and makes sure that it has a sound proof basement. He makes it a vital point to get a basement that you can't hear screaming from. After a brief discussion with Micki, they decide to team up and question Dror the hardway, and off the books. This is where the movie goes from "Reservoir Dogs" to "Kill List" quickly.

There's not a lot of gore in the film, but what is used is mostly spent in Gidi's basement. And despite the extreme nature, there's some good dark humor that keeps the mood from sinking too deep into making "Big Bad Wolves" an uncomfortable film. Gidi offers a quick death to Dror if he just tells him where his daughter's head is so he can bury it with her body. Dror being persistent, refuses that he doesn't know and that he's not the guy they're after. He's so convincing that he almost sways Gidi and Micki's bond. But after not confessing, the torturing begins.

There's some painful moments to watch, including a finger breaking, and toenail removal. Needless to say, the soundproof basement comes in handy. But things get even crazier when Gidi's father, Yoram (Doval'e Glickman) stops by for a visit, sees what's going on, and joins in on the party. The dialogue between Yoram and Gidi is funny, and the entire cast flows smoothly together and interact with great screen chemistry.

There's a sudden turn of events that blindsided me, and makes for a really screwed up, non-happy ending. Although considering what happens, I don't feel that it was emotional enough. I think there was some powerful acting to be had at the end, and it never happened. So the movie could have ended on a strong note, even if it still ended in a shocking way. Overall, "Big Bad Wolves" is full of suspense, and it's not predictable. There's some good acting all around, and a strong story with disturbing content matter, and an unexpected twist.

3.5 stars out of 5

OLDBOY (2013)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 104 Mins
WRITER(S)- Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, and Mark Protosevich
STARRING- Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, and Samuel L. Jackson
DIRECTOR- Spike Lee



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Obsessed with vengeance, a man sets out to find out why he was kidnapped and locked into solitary confinement for 20 years without reason. 



Now, being fair, I'm not going to do as some movie critics do and judge the film at hand on how much they like/dislike the director. In this case, Spike Lee being widely disliked for many reasons was, I believe, the reason for so many bad reviews for this flick. Being totally unbiased as usual, I can admit that the guy makes good movies, so my personal feelings towards him don't effect my opinion of his films.

It took me at least two viewings of the original Korean "Oldboy" before I got its appeal. Now, I'm a fan of the movie, like most. But, it took a little getting used to for me. However, since I've grown to like the original movie, it made it really easy for me to like this American remake, since it stays very true to the first film. But, there are differences, and some of them aren't for the better.

One of the things that made the 2003 motion picture so interesting  to me, was the revenge element. I'm not a fan of torture films typically, but there are exceptions. And I really enjoyed watching the vengeance part, and seeing the truth be chipped away at. However, what I didn't like about the original Korean film was the incest. In fact, it's the reason I had to watch the film a few times before I was able to soften up to it and see what all the hype was about.

Funny thing is, in this rendition of the story, Joe Doucett (Josh Brolin) really doesn't get a good and healthy overdose of revenge. The hammer scene isn't as impactful, and is totally changed for that matter. I was expecting to see teeth being pried out, like in the other version. But nope, not this time. Instead, the torture is dulled down to a bare minimum, but still enough to keep me watching. Where things really got out of hand in my book, was the incest. And I thought the family relations in the original film were bad!

Turns out, they upped the incest element by a lot. They dulled down the torture and gore, as I stated above, and really went for the gross strings with the incest. So, the things that I liked about the 2003 Korean film are completely flip-flopped in this one. There's hardly any torture, which disappoints me. And the fact that this film seems to be made solely for the shock value by raising the stakes of the family "bonding" seriously takes the wind out of my sails.

I will give it the credit of never getting boring, or dragging out too long. That was a main concern of mine. I didn't want it to really lack in things that the original didn't. Luckily it dodged this bullet and managed to keep me entertained the entire time. Only thing is, I was hoping to be excited, not just entertained. It doesn't take long before it picks up and throws you in the middle of things, and I do like that. Now, if only this flick had some meat on the bone, instead of just bone, we would have really been onto something.

On the other hand, the acting was very well executed. Josh Brolin, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Olsen, and Sharlto Copley give top-notch performances that are definitely worth remembering. It's a powerhouse of acting, for a story that needs to have it's balls reattached.

With this film not having the guts it needs to pull off such a twisted and demented story, it ends up being ridiculed by fans of the Korean film. And to be honest, I can't really defend it, nor will I. Even though I enjoyed the film, I didn't love it. So, I'm going to give it a passing grade, but I'm not going to act like it deserves a great rating, because it doesn't. Sad thing is, it really is one of the better American remakes! Still not impressed.

3 out of 5 stars

Frontier(s) (2007)

RATED- NC-17

RUN TIME- 108 Mins

WRITER(S)- Xavier Gens

STARRING- Karina Testa, Aurelien Wiik, and Patrick Ligardes

DIRECTOR- Xavier Gens

Synopsis taken from IMDb

A gang of young theives flee Paris during the violent aftermath of a political election, only to hole up at an Inn run by neo-Nazis.



 

So, I finally got off of my lazy ass and decided to watch "Frontiers", a French film that's went and gotten itself a reputation in the horror community. I've heard great things about this, so I was eager to view it for the first time. However, I was still iffy with it being an Afterdark Horrorfest film, seeing as I only really liked one  of them, "The Gravedancers".

It's funny to me how people say that Asian horror is where "real horror is at right now". Because from where I'm standing, it's clear to me that the French are the ones dominating. With such hits as "Inside" and "Martyrs", to add another heavy hitter to that group of films with "Frontiers" sends a huge message to all genre fans.

Now, going into the film, I only saw the trailer and knew the synopsis. The only spoiler I really knew was that the lead character, Yasmin (Karina Testa), in which I knew she eventually gets a shaved head somehow. So the experience was totally new to me, the way I prefer it. And I definitely didn't take that From The Director Of Hitman seriously. Because if that's supposed to sell this motion picture, that's a bad call. Did anyone like that movie?

The movie starts off with riots in the streets of Paris, France and pretty much runs with the ball. It slows down for a bit, but it builds an unsteady and nervous tension that kept me on edge, expecting anything to happen at anytime.

The story is something new and creative, and I haven't really seen anything like it, really. It's a very basic and grounded plot, which makes it believable and more intense. The realism keeps things gruesome, but dares you to watch.

The gore and effects are close to perfect, both believable and painful to view. I can't even imagine the amount of blood that was used during the filming of this movie, because it's a very bloody ride.

The climax is nailbiting, and packed with a grueling weight I felt while watching. Even though there's not much character development, I still felt scared for the characters because the situation was real. As the plot played out and this flick came to an end, I was satisfied. I definitely liked what I saw, and it's undoubtedly good. But, I wasn't overly impressed with it. And I feel that the previous films like "Inside" and "Martyrs" pushed the bounds a bit farther, so they're more memorable.

In the end, "Frontiers" is a landmark horror film, but there's bigger landmarks.



Cravings (2006)

A.K.A "Daddy's Girl"

RATED- R

RUN TIME- 90 Mins

WRITER(S)- D.J. Evans

STARRING- Richard Harrington, Jaime Winstone, and Louise Delamere

DIRECTOR- D.J. Evans

Synopsis taken from IMDb

A psychiatrist is confronted by a troubled teen, who's out for blood.

First off, let me start this off by saying how good it feels to be back! I had to take a short break from writing due to personal issues. However, I'm back, and ready to do what I do best. I've missed this writing life, and it's a great feeling to be back at it. I've gotten so many messages asking me where I disappeared to. It's always good to know people look forward to my reviews that much! I appreciate everyone and their support.

Secondly, let me say that the title of this film I'm reviewing is ludicrous. And what's even worse, is the cover. For the sake of attracting a bigger audience and cashing in on the vampire craze, this flick was marketed in a way that doesn't do it justice, and is misleading. Not to mention unnecessary. However, a misleading title and cover art aren't enough to make me not fairly assess the movie.The lead character Nina (Jaime Winstone) is not a vampire in the traditional way, but more in the most basic of terms way. 

I was turned on to this by a few friends who were talking about it. Although it was hard to track down and get my hands on, I did it. Most people wouldn't expect this to be as psychological as it is. It's a deep, slowly drawn out plot that ultimately shows how someones obsession and urge to help someone can end up harming them, and that some things are better left alone. There's also a huge underlining of bad parenting, and enabling. It's a refection of our will to overlook our troubles and cover them up.  

This isn't a flick for people looking for action in every second. This is slow paced, and takes it's time sinking in. If your a fan of atmospheric films, then this is worth a watch. It definitely leaves an impression, for better or worse. 

If found the the characters a bit drawn out and dry, even typical. But, the film was set in reality so it actually kinda works. It's not a very eventful piece of cinema, in fact it's sorta anti-climatic. But, for some reason it sticks with you, and I believe it's because it's unlike other films you're likely to see from the vampire genre. It tackles the vampire myth by coming at it from a mental and psychological standpoint. Breaking down the fundamentals of what makes a vampire work in the real world. For the realism and grounded approach, I tip my hat.

As the story carries out, it becomes apparent that there isn't any help that can be done for Nina. And really getting involved with her is a bad idea, period. We witness the downfall of a psychiatrist named Stephen (Richard Harrington) who had his life together until he became obsessed with helping Nina. Temptation rules over the moral in this picture, and that's a deep and profound point of view. 

Overall, there's plenty of flaws with "Cravings", but it remains entertaining. And it has a tragic and sickening ending that left me in a depressed mood. So if it can invoke emotions out of me like that, then it did something right. However, it's not something that I'd praise, as much as appreciate for the things done in this film that should have been it's marketing center. Such as the original and dark story. In the end it gets my seal of approval, but it's not as good as it could be. The acting doesn't stand out, and if it had, it'd be a much better movie.

WITHER is an explosive gorefest

RATED- Unrated

RUN TIME- 95 Mins

WRITER(S)- Sonny Laguna, David Liljeblad, and Tommy Wiklund

STARRING- Patrik Almkvist, Lisa Henni, and Patrick Saxe

DIRECTOR- Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Ida and Albin are a happy couple. They set off to a cabin in the vast Swedish woodlands to have a fun holiday with their friends. But under the floorboards waits an evil from Sweden's dark past.

A friend of mine gave me the title of this film, and told me it's the Swedish version of "The Evil Dead" (1981). Upon hearing which, I quickly found this flick and had to give it a watch. Those of you who read my reviews from time to time know that I'm obsessed with "The Evil Dead" series. So, telling me this is similar to the films I love so much isn't going to get any sort of reaction out of me other than me rushing to watch it.

Reading up on it, I came to discover that a lot of miss information has been spread about this movie, mostly by Swedish newspapers which stated that it was the first Swedish zombie film. False. The first Swedish zombie film is 2005's "Die Zombiejager". However, while reading, I found a quote from a critic stating that this is "the film that 'Evil Dead' 2013 should have been." So of course, my interest was only piqued even more.

What is clearly a low-budget production, opens with a paranoid and gory beginning. Right from the go, you know what type of motion picture you're in for. It's got balls like the original "Evil Dead", and isn't afraid to go to new lengths of brutality. About a minute into it, I knew I was going to like it. It was a little eerie watching such a crazy flick late at night, by myself. But, it's not scary.

Although the plot is far from original or inventive, it managed to keep me enthralled. Though, there's a lot of predictability, it's still a very fun watch for those who love their violence with an abundance of gore. You can smell the influence that Sam Raimi's classic has had on this entire project, and some can even say that this is a foreign remake. The lead character even has a blue button-up shirt on, and other obvious nods to Bruce Campbell's portrayal of the hero, Ash Williams.

There are differences though, such as, what's in the basement isn't a creepy book and a shotgun with some ammo. Instead, it's a Vittra. A nature spirit that lives underground and one of the animistic elements of the Norse religion. Again, while not scary, there is a level of creepiness to this creature and the entire film.

The only problem is, if you've seen the "Evil Dead" series, then you know what to expect from this. It doesn't really offer anything new that's worth mentioning. It's just very graphic and bloody. It's definitely a gore flick, for sure. There's not much story or character development, much like the "Evil Dead" remake. There's just a ton of chaos and confusion spread amongst characters.

My criticism would be that while I appreciate a good homage to a classic movie, you also need to have something of your own to offer. And this is one of those films where you've seen what's in it before several times over. I'm sure for the Swedish population who haven't ever seen "The Evil Dead", that this is something mind blowing to them. However, to me and the rest of us, this is just a fun rehashing.

So, if you're in the mood to see a bunch of young adults turn on each other due to possession, and start hacking each other up with various weapons, you should probably check this out. For those of you who have the "been there, done that" attitude, you're probably better off sitting this one out. I don't think there are too many positive things someone with that mentality will have to say about it.

Not the best thing I've ever seen, but I am definitely a fan. To me, it's fun seeing other cultures take a stab at this type of thing. And it's a testament to how Sam Raimi's original film is still as influential as ever, and one of the greatest horror films ever made.

The Depraved (2011)

aka Urban Explorer

RATED- UNRATED
RUN TIME- 94 MINS
WRITER(S)- MARTIN THAU
STARRING- NATHALIE KELLEY, NICK EVERSMAN AND KLAUS STIGLMEIER
DIRECTOR- ANDY FETSCHER



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Anxious to explore the mysterious hidden world under metropolitan Berlin, an international group of four urban explorers hires a local guide, Kris, who leads them into the maze of escape tunnels and subterranean fortifications under the city. When their guide has a bad fall, two of the girls in the group frantically set off to seek help while Denis, the young American, stays behind. Armin, a former East German border guard suddenly appears from nowhere. Out of sheer desperation, Denis allows Armin to lead them and their unconcious guide to safety. And it is at this moment, that Denis realizes he has just made the biggest mistake of his life!




For me, this was one of those movies that I had to sit and think on for a bit before coming to a conclusion on if I liked it or not. I stumbled upon this film while stopping at the local Walgreens redbox machine. We all know redbox isn't known very well for carrying good horror films, but I figured I'd give this one a shot. Blame it on my positive attitude as to why I couldn't turn away, maybe somewhere inside I was hoping that I'd find a gem. Curiosity is the killer, I never want to pass up a movie that may turn out to be great. Can't knock it 'til you try it, right?

First of all, I had no clue what this movie was or what it was about. I have a tendancy to do that lately, I hate spoilers and I let my own opinion judge my movies, not the opinions of others. I don't review movies hoping to turn people on or away from movies. I do it to share my opinion (which is rather awesome). If you try or don't try movies out because of what I say than I am truly greatful that my opinion matters so much, but I always suggest you to check out movies for yourselves, you never know what you'll find. Of course from time to time there are ones that I have to suggest you don't watch due to how terrible they are.
I wouldn't be a pal if I didn't save you a few hours of you lives that you'll never get back. 

"The Depraved" director Any Fetscher, actually shot this film on location in what used to be inaccessible tunnel systems underneath Berlin. That's a nice touch, if I say so myself. I'm certain it added a ton of realism for the actors and actresses who were actually on scene shooting. I just wish that the film didn't take so long to pick up. Don't quote me on this, but I believe it was close to 45-50 minutes into the 94 minute film before things actually started getting interesting.

It comes off like "Hostel" and "Turistas", only the characters aren't as likeable and there's hardly any in-depth developement between them. It takes so long to pick up that by the time the suspense hits, you're excited something interesting is happening, over anything else. The kills and torture are clever and brutal, but not enough for the movie to stand on. Had I actually liked the characters, or cared about them, the realism of the brutality done to them would have sunk in deeper. Instead, I was just watching a bunch of awful things get done to some random people. I had no extra sympathy for them than I do roadkill.

Yeah, it's terrible it happened, but what can you do? There's no emotion there.

Another thing that I didn't like about the film was that it's yet another film showing how weak and feeble American's are. Being an American, I'm okay with this being done, it's been done countless times. It's funny to me how people seem to forget that us American's are ass-kickers and only want to exploit weaklings. But, the characters in these films fall into the cliché that past horror movies have created. They're moronic and have no guts.

The actors in this film do a decent job, you just simply don't care. Some of the gore in wince worthy, but that's about it. I really liked the story of the underground tunnels with the Nazi's, this film had all of the tools to be a good horror film. It just dropped the ball with little to no character maturity, or developement. I'd be praising this movie if the film makers made some room for the characters to flourish in that near-hour it takes for the film to pick up!

Sadly, this film is another coulda woulda shoulda horror film that let the grip slip on what could have been something special.

THIS FILM GETS 2 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5

Grimm, Carnage and the Madeiros girl part 3. [REC] 3: Genesis (2012)

RATED- R

RUN TIME- 80 MINS

WRITER(S)- LUISO BERDEJO, DAVID GALLART AND PACO PLAZA

STARRING- LETICIA DOLERA, DIEGO MARTIN AND ISMAEL MARTINEZ

DIRECTOR- PACO PLAZA

Synopsis taken from IMDb

A couple's wedding day turns into horrific events as some of the guests start showing signs of a strange illness.

This is the crossover review. I have no idea what Doctor Carnage's take on this film is, we just watched it and reviewed it. Now we'll find out how different or alike our opinions are on this. His review is posted below mine.

After not knowing what to expect from the second film, I decided I'd stay away from spoilers with this film as well. Sadly, this film strays far from what the first two films had created. They drop the POV angle for this film after a few minutes, and go live action style. I didn't like what they did with this installment. They tried way to hard to be a Resident Evil film, thus they lost that grip of reality the previous films had.

I liked that the film took place during a wedding and that it interlocks with the previous films. The concept of this virus of possession breaking out in the middle of a wedding ceremony is clever. However, once the action picks up, you're just hit with gore effects. I know the other films had gore, but this one showed it off, used the gore as a means to make the movie better. That's not the case.

I like a lot about the film, it had good things to go off of. I feel as though they didn't know how far to take it and ended up losing the integrity the series had. The good angles they worked from weren't done in the idealistic way I wanted or expected. 

I liked that this film is a love story, that's good, we can work with that. Then, it turns into too much of a love story! Every time the bride and grooms see one another, dramatic music plays, and it becomes over-the-top and just doesn't seem genuine or real at all.

The infected (yes, I said infected. They're not zombies), certainly look good in this film. There are some jump-out-of -your-seat moments, but they're just cheap jumps that have loud music accompany them in order to achieve the scare. The makeup and gore wasn't used as a means to tell the story any more. Instead, they use the gore and effects to make the story good, and that's not how it works. Great story is everything in a horror film, it's the foundation. I think they focused too hard on the wrong material to make this movie a success.

Overall, this film is entertaining and a fun, gory mess. It's far from great though and by far the weakest in the series. There are some twists and turns that keep you invested in watching, but there isn't any good payoffs. The ending is twisted and tragic, though I feel if this film were meant to feel more realistic, it would have gone over better.

THIS FILM GETS 2 1/2 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5

                                                                                                                  
You can also view this review HERE

This is my crossover review for [REC]3 Genesis (2012). I hope you all enjoy both of our views and opinions on what I found to be a very entertaining movie.

The third movie in the [REC] franchise was surprising in many ways. The story follows two characters, Koldo and Clara, on their wedding day, which is rudely interrupted by people infected with Madeiros girl virus. The film follows the characters through all kinds of gory and chaotic situations, and always manages to keep it's tongue planted firmly in it's cheek. 

[REC]3 Genesis takes things in a totally different direction than the previous [REC] movies, replacing the fear and tension generated by the first two movies with splatter and comedy. It also ditches the found footage style after around twenty minutes, with the guy documenting the wedding saying "people have the right to see this" only for one of the main characters to smash the video camera, and the film then goes for a more traditional camera format.

This is an incredibly clever way of freeing the franchise from the found footage drama, whilst also allowing the director to have fun with the movie, whilst also building to the fourth and final movie in the franchise, [REC] Apocalypse. It bugs me that a lot of people tend to put [REC]3 Genesis down because it's fun. Fun is what sets it apart from it's predecessors, and anyone who even hints at it not belonging in the franchise, are taking things way to seriously themselves.   

This movie is similar in tone to the awesome Evil Dead 2. There are some amazing moments of comedy, some incredible gore scenes, and some beautiful and touching moments between Koldo and Clara. Paco Plaza (one half of the twosome that directed the previous [REC] movies) has made an old school infection movie that harkens back to the days of splatstick (a phrase coined in the 80's for splatter comedy movies) movies like the aforementioned Evil Dead 2 and Peter Jackson's Braindead (Dead Alive). 

[REC] Genesis is certainly worth a look. Just don't go in expecting the same old thing as the first two movies, and don't go in looking for something serious, and I'm sure you will have a riot.

Darkest regards......Dani

Grimm, Carnage and the Madeiros girl part 2. [REC] 2 (2009)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 85 MINS
WRITER(S)- JAUME BALAGUERO, MANU DIEZ AND PACO PLAZA
STARRING- JONATHAN D. MELLOR, OSCAR ZAFRA AND ARIEL CASAS
DIRECTOR- JAUME BALAGUERO AND PACO PLAZA



Synopsis taken from IMDb
The action continues from [REC], with the medical officer and a SWAT team outfitted with video cameras are sent into the sealed off apartment to control the situation.




This is the beginning of a crossover with another blogger. We discussed a theme for a crossover and since I haven't seen the second or third installment in this series yet, we decided that this would be a great topic. He reviewed the first film earlier today, you can read it HERE. I finally watched [REC] 2 and tomorrow we'll be co-writing the third film review together.

I saw the US remake of [REC], "Quarantine", before I saw any of the [REC] films. I was very fond of the US version and still am. However, once I finally saw [REC] I knew what all the hype was about. And I was definitely a big enough fan to want to see the sequel.

I didn't read any spoilers, I had no idea what part 2 was going to be like, or about. To my surprise, it takes place right after the first film, on the same night. I always like when films do that. It makes watching them back to back come off as one big movie. I've recently done this with "The Collector" and "The Collection". Both of which I've seen before, just never back to back.

This film doesn't take any time to pick up like the first film did, it's intense and nail biting 10 minutes in! Yet again, the viewer is thrown into the chaos. There's so much going on, that it's hard to keep track among all of the havoc. 

This film delves deeper into possession, allowing us to understand more than we could in the original film. The idea of possession going around as a virus isn't exactly original (they did it on the hit CW series "Supernatural") but, it's never been done this well before. As most of you know, possessions are the type of movies that scare me the most. I don't play when it comes to that stuff. So this one had me more scared than I was in the original, just because you know now that they aren't just rabid people. They're evil and that's why they're attacking everyone.

I thought it was cool that some of the characters from the original film were in this as well. A lot of people would have just moved on and picked up with a new film, but that's not the case with this one. It adds to the authenticity of it being a continuation, to see the little girl and the lead, Angela Vidal,  from the first film in this one. When Angela shows up, questions immediately arise.

The aren't allowed to leave unless the doctor gives the orders for the doors to be opened. He'll only do that when they get the blood from a possessed human, so he can come up with a cure. As if that isn't hard enough to accomplish, the situations never go as planned and they always end up worse. They're on the run for their lives inside the apartment building but can't leave.

I liked that we get introduced to new people, who are residing on the roof with their camera. Once they're involved, we watch things through their camera too. The film makers did a good job of making these teens or young adults come off as real people and not actors. 

As the film reaches its climax, a lot of death and twists are bestowed. Including one that I didn't expect, but had a slight suspicion about. This film is non-stop scary, it's the scariest parts of the first film and then some.

It's a really tough call to make on if I like this film, or the first more. It's one of those ones I'll have to let sit with me for a while and give it time to sink in. Solid horror film though, no doubt. And a damn good sequel.

THIS FILM GETS 3 1/2 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5

Funny Games (1997)

RATED- UNRATED
RUN TIME- 108 MINS
WRITER(S)- MICHAEL HANEKE
STARRING- SUSANNE LOTHAR, ULRICH MUHE AND ARNO FRISCH
DIRECTOR- MICHAEL HANEKE



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Two psychotic young men take a mother, father and son hostage in their vacation cabin and force them to play sadistic "games" with one another for their own amusement.




Recently, all that I have on my Netflix instant queue is foreign horror films. I've watched just about every other English horror film I've added. So now I'm chomping away at watching 30+ foreign movies, little by little and day by day. This is one of the ones I've had on there for a while and have never gotten around to viewing it, until the other day when I finally decided that "Funny Games" should surface to the top. It seemed the most appealing. What I do is I pick 3 movies on my queue and then view the trailers for all three on youtube, whichever looks the most appealing is the one I go with.

One of the reasons that I chose "Funny Games" is because it's content is extremely close to "The Strangers" and Ethan Hawke's new film "The Purge". If you haven't seen the trailer for "The Purge" you may do so now and thank me later. It looks as though it's going to be a very creepy movie and with Ethan Hawke as the lead it should be promising. Ethan Hawke is a very strong actor and is utterly convincing in some of his roles. Like "The Purge" and "The Strangers", "Funny Games" is a home invasion movie.

What's so scary about home invasion movies? It's the shock of not being in control in your own house. The not so good feeling of being helpless and ultimately it's the invasion of privacy. Your home is your domain, it's your castle, so to speak. When someone trifles that, it strikes home and hits you where it hurts. Here you are paying rent, working a job (possibly even multiple) and some stranger comes along and makes it all go to hell. 

Permanently scaring you and causing you paranoia whenever you're alone. Scarring you for good. Ruining your vision of your comfort zone and constantly reminding you that no matter where you are, you're never safe. To feel that helpless in your own home, a place that you've put all your earnings into, is unsettling. I can't even imagine the mental state some families are in when they go through this. To be a victim in the one place that you feel safe and feel you can hide is not only chilling but terrifying.

"Funny Games" starts with Georg, his wife Anna and their son Georgie arriving at their Austrian lake house with their dog, Rolfi. They seem like an average happy couple and people we all can relate to, and thus making the characters known to us so we can sympathize with them during the events of this movie. The film surprisingly doesn't take long to pick up the pace and start rolling the ball.

Two young men by the names of Peter and Paul arrive at the house, saying they're with one of the neighbors and need to borrow 4 eggs. They're liars, of course, and are only using the egg situation as a means to disable Anna's phone and to scope the house. When Anna picks up something's strange with the boys she asks her husband to make them leave, only to make the situation worse. 

Peter and Paul take the family into the living room after crippling Georg with a golf club. From here they start mocking the family and start to play games with them. What I found truly disturbing is that Peter and Paul have no remorse. They're heartless bastards who need a good old ass whooping from their daddy. They're actually amused at taking this family and terrorizing them. It's all fun and games to them, no pun intended.

There are several parts where Paul looks at the screen and addresses the audience and thus reminding us, the viewer, that this is only a movie despite how screwed up it is. I believe they did this because the movie's so horrific and tragic with how the victim's are terrorized. But despite being unrated, the film hardly has any violence in it. Most of all the brutality happens off screen but we get the idea of what happened. This shows you that you can create enough tension and terror that you don't need to show gore or overly violent deaths or tortures.

The whole movie you're just waiting for Anna to make her move and take atleast one of the young men out. They toy with her son by sacking his face (cover picture) and threaten to hurt him unless Anna undresses and shows them her body. Peter and Paul also do some major damage to Georg, and I couldn't help but get upset at how smug these guys are. They really played their parts well. Unfortunately, Anna doesn't get to get redemption. None of them do. 

And Anna watches her family murdered in front of her eyes before she herself is tied up and thrown into the lake, meeting her demise. What really unnerved me was that not only do Peter and Paul get away with this atrocious crime, but they continue the cycle as the movie ends with them going to Anna's neighbors house and asking to "borrow some eggs".

"Funny Games" was definite a good watch and it gets my seal of approval. It's the realism of it that unsettles you. However, I couldn't help but think that if I was Georg or Anna I would have done more to stop the evil scum terrorizing their family. I understand Georg's leg was messed up but unless my legs were chopped off I would have still severely hurt Peter and Paul and it wouldn't have been pretty. I'm afraid it's Anna and Georg's lack of action that results in their death and their son's death.

THIS FILM GETS 3 1/2 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5 

Sleep Tight (2011)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 102 MINS
WRITERS- ALBERTO MARINI
STARRING- LUIS TOSAR, MARTA ETURA AND ALBERTO SAN JUAN
DIRECTOR- JAUME BALAGUERO



Synopsis taken from IMDb
You wake up day after day to the comfort and security of your home. But how safe is it really?



Sleep Tight is a Spanish horror film that was developed under the title Flatmate.

The film centers around Cesar (Luis Tosar), an apartment building manager. Cesar is a very depressed man. The film starts with Cesar narrating, saying how unhappy he is and how he has never ever been happy, not once.

Cesar is fixated on a tenant named Clara (Marta Etura), she's got a beautiful smile and always appears to be in a happy mood, the ideal girl. She's also very nice to Cesar.

Marta starts looking rough and disheveled in the mornings, when Cesar asks her what's the matter she says she doesn't think she's sleeping right and is tired. Even though she gets plenty of sleep.

Little does Marta know that Cesar is to blame. Cesar is sneaking into her room every night and hiding under her bed. He waits for her to fall asleep and then uses chloroform to keep her unconscious so he can crawl into bed beside her and cuddle with her.

Cesar does this night after night until one night when he hears Clara making fun of him on the phone to her boyfriend. After this he decides it's time for Clara and himself to step things up, take things further...

Throughout the whole film Cesar is blackmailed by a little girl living in one of the apartments, she's onto him and uses that to get what she wants. This really added a good dimension to the film, keeping it very suspenseful.

When Clara brings her boyfriend over it only makes things more hectic and complicated. This is when the film picks up and really starts hitting hard. Clara's boyfriend isn't as blind when it comes to Cesar, he knows he's suspicious and doesn't like him.

This film comes off like an Alfred Hitchcock movie, it's brilliant! It's slow paced and takes its time building up. The suspense is nothing less than nail biting. It can be paralyzing. There are some good jumps as well.

What makes this film so terrifying is the realism of it. It taps a core nerve, the fear of invasion, living your life while someone obsesses over you and knows your every day routine. Someone being in your home night after night without you ever knowing.

The acting in this movie was great, Luis Tosar did put on a powerhouse performance. There are scenes with his mother where you get to see a more emotional side of Cesar, get to see what's in his head and how he thinks. Tosar's performance sells this movie, he's the main focus and carries the movie.

This movie is a gem and should be seen by any fan of the genre. It's one of those movies that creeps you out days after you've seen it. Sleep Tight will keep you looking over your shoulder...or under your bed.

THIS FILM GETS 4 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5

White: The Melody Of The Curse (2011)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 106 MINS
WRITERS- SUN KIM AND GOK KIM
STARRING- EUN-JEONG, WOO-SEUL-HYE HWANG AND MAYDONI
DIRECTOR- SUN KIM AND GOK KIM


Synopsis taken from IMDb
Girl group "Pink Dolls" is always pushed into the background by other popular idols. When the girls release their new song "White" - a remake from unknown origins they become instant sensations. The four members of "Pink Dolls" includes Eun-Joo, a former break dancer, Je-ni, a singer insecure with hitting high notes, Ah-Rang, a singer addicted to plastic surgery, and Sin-Ji who can't sing, but is good at rapping and singing. As the group becomes more and more popular, jealousy and competitiveness as all the girls tries to become the lead singer. But, when a member becomes the lead singer that person falls victim to a horrible accident, one by one. Eun-Joo the realizes that the song "White" is cursed and she attempts to reveal the secret...


I didn't have alot of hype going behind this movie because I didn't hear of it prior to viewing it. But after watching 3 Extremes (2004) and loving it I figured I had nothing to lose. And besides, I was looking for some good foreign horror films to add to my list.

Like so many other foreign horror films, this one is surprisingly original and incredibly creepy. The suspense in this film is top-notch and it isn't shy of giving us plenty of scares and jaw-dropping moments.

This movie is a good ghost story, period. It keeps you guessing and keeps hitting you with twist after twist and turn after turn, constantly changing what you believe the truth to be. And just when you think you figured it out they change it again. This was a good thing because it kept me very interested in this film. There is layers upon layers of story here.

As the story unwinds and you go through the maze of plot twists, it makes total sense and I was eager for the climax.

The ghost in this movie is downright creepy and whenever I saw her I was scared of what was going to happen next. The suspense was used well throughout the movie.

The deaths in this ghost movie were well done and alot weren't predictable. Some were even surprising and gripping. One scene with one of the girls practicing her high notes really late at night really caught me off guard. It was brilliant.

This film wasn't one for gore but what it showed was proper and worked for the better of the film.

The acting was good as well, I thought the filmmakers did a good job with the casting. Convincing.

If you want to watch a good ghost story here you go. This film is available on Netflix instant, so check it out!

THIS FILM GETS 2 1/2 REAPERS OUT OF 4