THE BAY
NOVEMBER 2ND
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2
NOVEMBER 16TH
THE COLLECTION
NOVEMBER 30TH
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Chained (2012)
RATED- R
RUN TIME- 94 MINS
WRITERS- DAMIAN O'DONNELL AND JENNIFER CHAMBERS LYNCH
STARRING- VINCENT D'ONOFRIO, EAMON FARREN AND EVAN BIRD
DIRECTOR- JENNIFER CHAMBERS LYNCH
Synopsis taken from IMDb
This movie is about a cab driver called Bob (Vincent D'Onofrio) who picks up women and takes them back to his house where he kills them. But on this one day he picks up a woman and her 9 year old son, Tim. Bob then makes Tim live in the house with him all while he keeps killing women. Time grows up there, watching, seeing all that happens. Bob wants to make him his protege. Will Tim carry on the legacy?
Jennifer Lynch comes out swinging with this psychological horror film that completely envelopes you. The movie is full of despair and it makes your heart sink to see the torment Tim goes through and how he's forced to live a life of hell after being captured by Bob, the cab driver. It hits everyone's worst fear, the fear of hopelessness and of being stuck somewhere with no where to go and no one to turn to.
Tim and his mother get dropped off at the movies by Tim's father at the movies. After being dropped off, Tim's mom tells him that since his dad isn't there she'll allow him to see the horror film he wants to see. It'll be their little secret.
After seeing the horror movie they catch a cab home. On the way home the driver takes a wrong turn, alarming Tim's mom. The cab driver gets out of the car and knocks out Tim's mom. Shortly after, Bob takes Tim and his mom to his house where he proceeds to murder Tim's mom.
Bob tells Tim that he didn't want him but now he's stuck with him, so he lays down the ground laws for Tim. He tells Tim that he is owns him and that Tim will obey him, turning Tim into his slave and making him do such things as clean his house and have dinner ready for him after work or else he'll face the consequences. He gives Tim the name of Rabbit.
Vincent D'Onofrio does a great job at playing Bob. This film really shows off Vincent's acting ability that some may not have known he had. Vincent delivers a chilling performance that showcases his acting in this film. Bob was the victim of being bullied by his father, taking the brunt of his father's abuse to protect his younger brother. Vincent transforms himself in this role, giving himself a hunch in his back and making himself have a lisp and a stutter that almost made him unrecognizable to me at first.
This film mainly focuses on how Bob is an average man who could blend in anywhere, nothing stands out about him to make you suspect him of anything. Jennifer Lynch takes advantage of how this could happen anywhere and drives it home with a suspense and fear that gnaws at you the whole movie.
As Rabbit starts to grow up, Bob decides he's going to start teaching him things he'll know to "be a man". To Bob, this means that Tim will learn how to hate women and kill them, making him see how they all "deserve" it because they're all born "whores".
The actors playing young and late-teen Tim do great jobs, Tim is a sympathetic figure you feel pitiful for. He's subjected to seeing Bob kill women on a regular basis and has to clean up the mess for years. We see how emotionally damaged Tim is, and how his hopes of escaping dwindle as the years pass. He's only allowed to eat what Bob leaves on his plate and can only speak when spoken to and he lives like this for years.
The most terrifying thing about this is how Bob doesn't see a thing wrong with what he's doing! When Tim grows up and starts to see that what Bob does is wrong, Bob calls Tim sick in the head! To think of people living with that type of "normal" standard is disturbing and terrifying.
Bob starts to make Tim learn the human anatomy so he can start killing women like Bob does. Teaching Tim the tools of the trade. Even with resistance, Tim goes ahead and reads the anatomy books.
Will Tim become truly hopeless and suffer the same fate as Bob, or will Tim hang on long enough to make an escape?
Bob makes Tim pick out a girl he likes, Tim picks a girl named Anne. Bob catches her for Tim in high hopes that Tim makes Annie his first kill. This was a breaking point in the film because it begs the question of how much of Tim's humanity has he lost after growing up in such a twisted environment.
When I first saw this trailer I knew I was going to like this movie. Overall I was very impressed with it. I didn't think that it dragged on too much at any part, I found it consistently entertaining. I thought the acting was top-notch and added to the well written story. This film is atmospheric and shows you how horrifying "daily life" can be.
This is one of the best horror film of the year for me, no doubt. I liked it instantly and it has a good twist.
THIS FILM GETS 3 1/2 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Grimm Reviewz Remembers: Halloween (1978)
Every some odd years a horror film comes out that pushes the genre in a new direction, that comes up with a new way to terrify people. That stands out amongst any other horror film. In the year 1978 we witnessed the birth of the new face of horror. Halloween isn't the first slasher film, it's predecessors include Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) and Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974). However, Halloween is the one that terrified audiences into the transition of the slasher genre.
The story goes that John Carpenter and Debra Hill wrote the script titled "The Babysitter Murders" about a masked man who stalks the streets on Halloween killing any babysitter he can literally get his hands on. John and Debra took this film to such studios as Paramount Pictures and others to only be declined. They were told the script is too scary and "no one will want to see it", but John and Debra didn't give up that easy. They decided they were going to release the film through an independent company called Compass International, independent film companies don't worry too much about reception and aren't afraid to take any heat. Halloween ended up breaking independent film records in grossing's and was a smash hit that everyone was going to see and talking about. Soon after the immediate success of Halloween, those same studios that declined Carpenter and Hill's script now saw the value and that people do want to see it.
However, after already being declined, John and Debra refused the studios' offers. So in the heat of not being able to buy the licence, those studios such as Paramount had to find another way to cash in on the slasher genre. That's how you get Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger, they're the studios' versions of Michael Myers. So yes to all you Jason fanatics and Freddy Fanatics, Michael is the grandaddy and Jason and Freddy are creative imitations. I love all of the Friday the 13TH and A Nightmare On Elm Street films and I've been there since the beginning, but Halloween takes the cake.
DID YOU KNOW?
HALLOWEEN WAS JAMIE LEE CURTIS' FIRST FEATURE FILM AND SHE WAS REPORTEDLY GETTING $8,000 FOR THE ROLE OF LAURIE STRODE.
Through all of the years both before Halloween was made and after, one thing remains true to this day and that is that Halloween is the golden standard, the measuring stick in which all slasher films and horror films in general are compared. It's the golden child of horror. Without Halloween we wouldn't have the slasher genre and we wouldn't have Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees. Halloween changed the playing field, it gave horror films a new opportunity to do something truly terrifying. Halloween is my favorite horror film of all-time and I truly believe it's the greatest horror film ever made.
Just from the opening credits you knew you were in for something that was going to chill you to your marrow, that theme playing and plucking at your nerves as you felt the suspense instantly. This is what would become the greatest horror movie theme of all-time, everyone knows that theme. It's as common a part of music as the billboard charts. Even people who haven't seen the film know the theme and that says a lot. I remember the theme scaring the hell out of me, I knew this was something special right of the bat.
The opening scene of Michael's POV as he watches his sister Judith and her boyfriend go upstairs for a quickie is just downright creepy. You can smell the bad intentions little Michael has in the air. Soon after her boyfriend leaving Judith is brushing her hair when we see little Michael put his mask on and we watch him stab her multiple, multiple times until she's dead. Michael then walks out side and is confronted by his parents and we see that Michael is wearing a clown costume, which is funny because grown Michael was originally supposed to wear a clown mask but they changed that last minute. After seeing this scene there really isn't too much you can say, I remember glued to my seat and speechless.
FILM QUOTE
DR. LOOMIS: I MET HIM, FIFTEEN YEARS AGO. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT. NO REASON, NO CONSCIENCE, NO UNDERSTANDING; EVEN THE MOST RUDIMENTARY SENSE OF LIFE OR DEATH, GOOD OR EVIL, RIGHT OR WRONG. I MET THIS SIX-YEAR-OLD CHILD, WITH THIS BLANK, PALE, EMOTIONLESS FACE AND, THE BLACKEST EYES...THE *DEVIL'S* EYES. I SPENT EIGHT YEARS TRYING TO REACH HIM, AND THEN ANOTHER SEVEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM LOCKED UP BECAUSE I REALIZED WHAT WAS LIVING BEYOND THAT BOY'S EYES WAS PURELY AND SIMPLY...*EVIL*.
15 years later, we're introduced to a Laurie Strode played by a young Jamie Lee Curtis. Carpenter drilled it into you from the first time you see her that she's pure at heart and a kind, loving person. And thus making us so scared for her when she has to face the monster that is Michael Myers. We don't find out that Michael is Laurie strode's brother until the sequel, because that wasn't Carpenter's first idea of where to go with the film. Laurie Strode is a great character and played perfectly and convincingly.
We're introduced to Dr. Sam Loomis played by Donald Pleasence, he's driving to a mental institution with a new nurse, telling her how dangerous Michael is as they slowly start to realize that the inmates are lose. Loomis goes to check on the situation and Michael soon after sneaks away in Loomis' car. Loomis adds such dimension to this film, it wouldn't be the same without his character. Having been Michael's psychiatrist, he knows how Michael thinks and becomes the hero of the film, the only one who can take Myers down.
I remember the scene where Michael is outside of Laurie's class window watching her, and when Laurie sees him. Truly chilling scene. Downright creepy. As Loomis predicts, Michael has come home on Halloween. 15 years after he murdered his sister. Back to do it again. There's just so many things about this film that work, it's a work of art. A masterpiece. Halloween is to horror what The Godfather was to drama. The white mask, so daunting and cold, creepy. A blank canvas for you to project your worst fears.
DID YOU KNOW?
ALL THE ACTORS WORE THEIR OWN CLOTHES, SINCE THERE WAS NO MONEY FOR A COSTUME DEPARTMENT. JAMIE LEE CURTIS WENT TO J.C. PENNY FOR LAURIE STRODE'S WARDROBE. SHE SPENT LESS THAN A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE ENTIRE SET.
The kills in this movie were nothing short of frightening. The thing about Michael is that he can be anywhere and doing anything. Watching you, studying you and preying on you. Myers is an alpha male with no heart, no soul, no emotion and no motive. Motivated only by his desire to do very bad things.
I think that another thing that makes this movie stand out is that all of the kills stand out and are memorable. You recall every one of these kills because they're sprinkled with a big dose of suspense and the fact that Michael is such a mystery makes it even more terrifying. When he dresses as the ghost, acting like Lynda's boyfriend, I think every audience was terrified and metaphorically crapping their pants. Especially after watching how brutal and scary the death of Lynda's boyfriend was, and possibly the most iconic and memorable at that. Leaving him impaled to the wall with a butcher knife inches off the ground. As he creeps up on Lynda as she's on the phone and the music kicks it it's truly nail biting suspense.
The scene where he kills Annie is also a very terrifying scene. She goes to her car to see that it's locked, so she goes back inside the house to get her keys. When she returns and gets into the car she realizes that the door wasn't locked like it had been moments before. Michael comes up from the backseat and murders her ruthlessly. This is a scene where if you have a girl with you, she's squeezing the hell out of your hand and or turning her head. And the thing is, I don't even think it's the scariest part of the whole ordeal with Annie, I think his stalking her was scarier, how he was watching her in her house, while she was doing laundry and even killing her dog.
FILM QUOTE
LYNDA: [CONCERNING ANNIE] THE ONLY REASON SHE BABY SITS IS TO HAVE A PLACE FOR...
LAURIE: [REALIZING SHE FORGOT ONE OF HER SCHOOL BOOKS] SH*T.
ANNIE BRACKETT: I HAVE A PLACE FOR *THAT*!
LAURIE: I FORGOT MY CHEMISTRY BOOK.
LYNDA: SO WHO CARES? I ALWAYS FORGET MY CHEMISTRY BOOK AND MY MATH BOOK, AND MY ENGLISH BOOK, AND MY, LETS SEE, MY FRENCH BOOK, AND...WELL WHO NEEDS BOOKS ANYWAY. I DON'T NEED BOOKS, I ALWAYS FORGET ALL MY BOOKS, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER IF YOU HAVE YOUR BOOKS OR NOT...HEY, ISN'T THAT DEVON GRAHAM?
Then of course Laurie goes and gets suspicious as to why all of her friends are disappearing and not answering their phones. She pursues them by going to Annie's house and in lies the epic conclusion to the best slasher film to ever grace the screen. So many memorable scenes that're frightening and shocking! Laurie hiding in the closet as Michael destroys the closet door to get inside and get at her. Him sitting up in back of her while she weeps with her back turned to him. Dr. Loomis coming to save the day and running Michael off, saving Laurie but also leaving her completely traumatized.
She is forced to accept the fact that she was face to face with the boogeyman. Loomis discovers Michael's body is missing and realizes that you can't kill pure evil and that sooner or later he'll be back. This film ends with you seeing Michael's POV as he watches around the neighborhood, adding to the scares and suspense of this is his heavy breathing, sounding vacant and sinister.
Halloween went on to spawn 6 sequels, none of which lives up to their predecessor but are enjoyable. In 2007 Rob Zombie did the remake of Halloween to generally negative reviews.
DID YOU KNOW?
INSIDE LAURIE'S BEDROOM THERE IS A POSTER BY JAMES ENSOR (1860-1949). ENSOR WAS A BELGIAN EXPRESSIONIST WHO USED TO PORTRAY HUMAN FIGURES WEARING GROTESQUE MASKS.
Halloween isn't a film that's replaceable. It isn't going anywhere and there's no outdoing it. It cemented it's feet in the horror genre over 30 years ago and hasn't aged a day. Michael Myers is at the forefront of horror icons and will forever remain there. He's somewhat of a pop culture phenomenon, with merchandise of just about any thing you can think of and especially some awesome action figures and collectibles.
Another thing about Halloween that makes it special is that it isn't known for the cliche's that usually tag along with slasher films. I blame Freddy and Jason for the cliche's, everyone in Halloween seemed like real people, not imbosols who trip when fleeing from the killer.
Halloween was achieved on such a low budget and yet it was done with a genius that you can't buy or fund. People often claim they don't have the "means" to make a good horror film, like they don't have enough of a budget or they don't have the right actors, and that's where they go wrong. You don't have to have an Oscar winning cast or a unlimited budget to make a good horror film, those are excuses. Being talented and being able to tell a scary story is all you need and that's what John Carpenter understood.
FILM QUOTE
[INTO PHONE]
DR. SAM LOOMIS: YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE ME, OFFICER, HE IS COMING TO HADDONFIELD...BECAUSE I KNOW HIM! I'M HIS DOCTOR! YOU MUST BE READY FOR HIM... IF YOU DON'T, IT'S YOUR FUNERAL.
To say that Grimm Reviewz remembers Halloween is kind of an insult. I don't remember it, I celebrate it. Movies like this are why we like this genre, and despite all the bad ones us horror goers have to sit through, one like this comes along and makes it all worth it. We will always remember The Night He Came Home.
COMING NEXT MONTH
GRIMM REVIEWZ REMEMBERS
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Dark Shadows (2012)
RATED- PG-13
RUN TIME- 113 MINS
WRITERS- SETH GRAHAME-SMITH AND JOHN AUGUST
STARRING- JOHNNY DEPP, MICHELLE PFEIFFER AND EVA GREEN
DIRECTOR- TIM BURTON
Synopsis taken from IMDb
In the year 1752, Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from Liverpool, England to start a new life in America. But even an ocean was not enough to escape the mysterious curse that has plagued their family. Two decades pass and Barnabas (Johnny Depp) has the world at his feet- or at least the town of Collinsport, Maine. The master of Collinwood manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy...until he makes the grave mistake of breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). A witch, in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive. Two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972. He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his one- grand estate has fallen into ruin. The dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better.
Dark Shadows the movie marked Jonathan Frid's final screen moment, he died shortly after on April 14th. To those of you who don't know who Jonathan Frid is, he's the original Barnabas Collins from the show. He only has a bit part in a cameo in this film.
I used to watch the show all the time, my mom is a huge fan of it and she got me into it. I used to sit in the living room and watch hours of it. I thought it was brilliant. I soap opera that's horror and dramatic. Dark Shadows is a landmark in TV history.
That being said, as I've mentioned in my Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter review, I don't like Tim Burton's latest films. I personally, think he's lost it. I don't think he's up to par with his old self anymore. I think he tapped out after Big Fish. Big Fish was his last truly great movie. After that it was all downhill.
When I heard Dark Shadows was being made into a movie I was actually excited. I wanted to see what could come of it. Then when I found out Depp was in it I was still stoked but I started to feel weary of this film. Then I heard Tim Burton was director and I threw my hands up in disgust. Here's another movie that has serious potential and they're throwing it to the wolves, letting Tim Burton have it.
Honestly, I'm really sick of the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp team. It was good for a while but it's got to stop. It's all so common and predictable now, I think it's past the point of moving on. Do something fresh and get a new actor to add perspective to the films. Instead Burton wants to use the same people over and over and over.
The film starts off in the year 1760 and the Collins family comes to America for a fresh start. When Barnabas grows up he seduces Angelique, his maid. But he doesn't know she's a witch and he makes the mistake of breaking her heart. Josette, Barnabas' new love interest is forced to her death by Angelique as she jumps off a cliff. Barnabas follows suit and jumps to his death, but he doesn't die and instead realizes he's been cursed into being a vampire and Angelique as him locked in a coffin and buried for eternity.
In 1972, 196 years after his condemnation, Barnabas is freed by some construction workers digging on a work site. This is funny because Barnabas later in the film says he was dug up by a yellow dragon with steel teeth, referring to the construction vehicle that dug him up. Barnabas returns to his manor and although the Collins living in his manor are thrown off by his appearance and by his being a vampire, but they work out a deal where he can stay.
Barnabas throws a party to revive his families name and Alice Cooper plays at the party. It was an awesome surprise to see Alice Cooper performing some old goodies. Barnabas encounters Angelique and she tries to win him back to no avail. Barnabas is attracted to Victoria, who looks like his beloved Josette and Angelique witnesses them kissing, sending her further over the edge of anger and jealousy.
To be totally honest, I didn't know how to feel about this movie after seeing it. I mean, there's a lot to consider. The movie actually wasn't bad, I enjoyed it. If I wasn't such a big fan of the show I'm sure I'd love it. There were some genuinely funny parts in it, I snickered here and there and even laughed out loud a few times.
I thought the story was good and over exaggerated in Tim Burton's way, and although the film did fit his signatures with the weird coloring, it also had beautiful scenery and sets. The acting wasn't bad either, you could tell that they were going for the dramatic element that the show was known for.
There's a part where Barnabas can't figure out where to sleep, constantly changing spots throughout the film and I found it to be pretty funny.
I thought the cast was superb and great choices. It was great to see Jackie Earle Haley in this film as Willie Loomis. Jackie is an extremely underrated actor. That dude has talent.
But even through being entertained, it wasn't Dark Shadows to me. It isn't dark like the show was, it's very lighthearted and comedic. It's not the Dark Shadows I am used to or wanted, but the film still entertained me enough to like it and appreciate it. As a stand alone film, not compared to the series, it's good. I want better for the Dark Shadows legacy, but Tim Burton did this one some justice so I'll just be thankful I can say I like it.
THIS FILM GETS 3 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5
Friday, October 26, 2012
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
RATED- R
RUN TIME- 105 MINS
WRITERS- SETH GRAHAME-SMITH
STARRING- BENJAMIN WALKER, RUFUS SEWELL AND DOMINIC COOPER
DIRECTOR- TIMUR BEKMAMBETOV
Synopsis taken from IMDb
At the age of 9, Abraham Lincoln witnesses his mother killed by a vampire, Jack Barts. Some 10 years later, he unsuccessfully tries to eliminate Barts but in the process makes the acquaintance of Henry Sturgess who teaches him how to fight and what is required to kill a vampire. The quid pro quo is that Abe will only kill those vampires that Henry directs him to. Abe relocates to Springfield where he gets a job as a store clerk while he studies the law and kills vampires at night. He also meets and eventually marries the pretty Mary Todd. Many years later as the President of the United States, he comes to realize that vampires are fighting with the Confederate forces. As a result he mounts is own campaign to beat them.
Here is a film that I have put off, I wasn't sure how I felt about it. And seeing Tim Burton as producer of this film didn't sell me on it. I like Tim Burton's old movies like Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice, but as of late I haven't been a fan of his latest works. So I was wondering how much of Tim Burton's limited imagination of trippy effects and bright colors would be seen in this film. Not to mention the whole concept is silly.
The film opened to fair reviews, some liking and some hating. It made a smash at the box-office with total grossing's of $108,319,139 world wide.
The film opens and we see young Abe and his family working on a plantation. While on the plantation, Abe makes friends with a young African American boy about his age named William Johnson. Abe sees William being beaten and stands up for William, getting his father Thomas fired from the plantation. Later that night Abe sees a vampire break into his home and bite his mother. She soon after dies.
9 years later Abe attacks the vampire that bit his mother, but he's over powered and no match. He's saved from the confrontation by Henry Sturges, someone who trains him to become a vampire hunter. He tells Abe their weaknesses (silver) and how to kill them.
Although Abe was warned by Sturges to not form any relationship due to his line of work, Abe meets Mary Todd when he movies to Springfield Illinois and they become romantic.
Soon after, Abe fights the vampire who killed his mother and finds out a secret about his friend Sturges. Abe gives up his mission to hunt vampires.
Years later, Abe marries Mary and begins his political campaign to end slavery. Eventually he becomes President and moves to the White House, they soon later have a son named William.
Years later, Abe is forced out of retirement to fight the blood sucking undead one more time.
I have got to admit that this movie surprised the hell out of me! I was seriously entertained. I think that getting past the ridiculous concept is the hardest part for people. If you don't judge it for accuracy and understand it's a pure pleasure film, you'll love it. It's a fun movie.
The kills and gore were well done. The action scenes are awesome and well shot, there's always a lot going on so it makes the movie more suspenseful and entertaining.
I thought the acting was well done, Benjamin Walker did a great job as Lincoln, this movie wasn't over or under acted. It fit the movie well, they knew where they were going with this. They didn't go too far on the stupid side. Although I did not like the way the vampires looked. They were too cartoony. I think if they made them real scary vampires the movie would be taken as kind of a film like Constantine.
This film won me over. If you're in the mood for an entertaining movie that's fun and full of gore and action, you should check this one out.
THIS FILM GETS 3 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5
Thursday, October 25, 2012
No Tell Motel (2012)
RATED- R
RUN TIME- 84 MINS
WRITERS- T.J. CIMFEL
STARRING- RILEIGH CHALMERS, JOHNNY HAWKES AND ED HOLDEN
DIRECTOR- BRETT DONOWHO
Stranded in the middle of nowhere, Megan Walsh and her friends are forced to spend the night in an abandoned roadside hotel. Little do they know the crumbling structure is haunted by the spirit of a vengeful little ghost named Angela. As the haunting turns violent and the group's numbers dwindle, Megan realizes that the key to her survival lies in uncovering the secrets of the motel's tortured past. And even that might not be enough to save her.
I was at a Redbox a few weeks ago and saw this movie. Nothing stood out to me about it, I thought the cover looked generic and overdone and I thought the film title was cheap. But for some reason, maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, I rented the movie.
This film starts off with a little girl named Angela (Rileigh Chalmers) and she's left unattended by her parents. She soon meets her demise when she's in the road and gets hit by a car and killed.
Now in present day, Megan (Chalie Howes) and her friends are traveling and under dire circumstances are forced into staying at an old abandoned hotel. Slowly they start to catch on that the hotel isn't just some ratty, harmless broken down building. It's creepy and haunted by the spirit of Angela.
Megan and her friends are mystified by a newcomer to the group. He knows a lot about Angela and her deranged family and he fills them all in on the details.
The haunting's become hostile and Megan's friends start to die off one by one with gory fashion, the kills are so typical it may actually make you roll your eyes.
The effects in this movie are so weak and cheaply done that it comes off as a low budget Syfy channel movie. It's really hard to take this movie seriously. The only people I see this movie scaring is people new to the genre, otherwise the movies obsolete and pointless. Just another cheap horror film to slip through the cracks and gone forever.
This film isn't scary at all and it's even less suspenseful. The plot is so common and simple for ghost stories, I've seen several horror with the same story but I can't tell you their names because I forgot them, they aren't worth remembering. Here's another to add to that list.
The makeup is deplorable, looks like a trick or treater, not a ghost and not intimidating or menacing.
I don't think the actors put a bit of effort into their roles and it showed. There wasn't a character you really like or don't like. They're not likable characters and their poorly portrayed.
On the other hand, I'll compliment this movie because it isn't the worst film I've seen or even close to it. It's also pretty good amongst some of the others I've seen. It's just a poorly made movie that didn't require any originality or creativity. This was one of those movies that was typical to most horror films, but for some reason they thought it would be better than the typical standard and they were wrong.
Not too many good things to say about this movie. It's totally forgettable.
THIS FILM GETS 1 REAPER SKULL OUT OF 5
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Evil Dead Official Teaser Trailer (2013)
Evil Dead hits theaters April 12th, 2013 and is my most anticipated horror film for next year. This trailer shows us what we're in for. Hardcore, gory and terrifying as well as gross. Can't wait to see this!
House at the End of the Street (2012)
RATED- PG-13
RUN TIME- 101 MINS
WRITERS- DAVID LOUCKA AND JONATHAN MOSTOW
STARRING- JENNIFER LAWRENCE, MAX THIERIOT AND ELISABETH SHUE
DIRECTOR- MARK TONDERAI
Synopsis taken from IMDb
Newly divorced Sarah and her daughter Elissa find the house of their dreams in a small, upscale, rural town. But when startling and unexplainable events begin to happen, Sarah and Elissa learn the town is in the shadows of a chilling secret.
House at the End of the Street was originally set for an April 2012 release but got pushed back 'til September 21st, 2012. While the movie seemed to have success with it's target audience (teenagers), it received mostly negative reviews.
Jennifer Lawrence plays the lead, Elissa. Lawrence is know for her roles in Winter's Bone (2010), X-Men: First Class (2011) and more recently smash film The Hunger Games (2012), based after the popular book series. A sequel for The Hunger Games is in the works and set for a 2013 release.
Max Thieriot, who's known from the movie Jumper (2008) plays the weird neighbor with a secret. As well as Elissa's love interest.
Shortly after moving into their dream home, Elissa and Sarah find out a secret. Years earlier, in the house next door, a murder happened. The daughter of the family, Carrie-Ann, killed her parents and vanished. Leaving Ryan behind and alone. Ryan still lives in the house alone. Some say Carrie-Ann is living in the woods, but no one knows where she is for sure or if she's even alive.
The townspeople hate Ryan and treat him as an outcast, because he not only reminds them all of the tragedy that happened, but he refuses to move. His refusal to move is driving down property values in the neighborhood. They want his house demolished. A lone police officer supports Ryan, knowing Ryan is a good kid who's been dealt a bad hand from life.
Sarah accidentally bumps into Ryan and they like each other. Sarah, isn't happy with this so she makes Elissa and Ryan promise that they won't hang around each other unless Sarah is home. Sarah makes it clear that she doesn't trust Ryan with her daughter.
Against Sarah's wishes Elissa and Ryan continue to sneak around and see each other. Ryan begins to reveal more about his sister Carrie-Ann. Ryan tells Elissa he was sent away to take care of a sickly aunt and wasn't home when the murders happened to his parents.
Throughout the film, we see Ryan going into a back room and taking care of the hostile Carrie-Ann. I'm not giving away spoilers, don't worry. They reveal this point in the trailer, so if you know of this movie you already know. Ryan tells Carrie-Ann not to mess with Elissa because he likes her.
While visiting Elissa at a battle of the bands competition at her high school, Ryan's car is vandalized and he is jumped by a group of teens jealous that he's dating Elissa. Ryan breaks one of the bully's ankle's in self defense and runs home. Elissa follows him in order to stop his house from being burned down by the disgruntled teens. But when she arrives will she find out Ryan's secret? And will Ryan be able to save her from the wrath of Carrie-Ann?
I thought this movie started off good, had good suspense and alot of mystery. Unfortunately, this only lasts about 20 minutes. It quickly becomes very boring and predictable. So essentially I was just waiting for the movie to go off.
This movie wasn't scary at all. There was one or two quick jumps that I didn't see coming, but that's it. Nothing scary and no suspense. I figured out the twist rather early and wasn't impressed. If you watch alot of horror you'll see what I mean.
I was hoping this film would be as scary and chilling as they made it look in the trailer. This film is one of those that makes the trailer look better than the film is capable. It's completely hollow, a hollow shell of a horror film. I was giving it the benefit of the doubt, but this film was another bad attempt at a PG-13 horror movie.
The very last scene tries to pull another twist and take a kind of Sleepaway Camp twist. At this point the movie's beyond saving and the twist falls flat. I already had the twist figured out way before the end and yet again I wasn't impressed.
THIS FILM GETS 1 1/2 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Rob Zombie's The Lords Of Salem Trailer (2013)
Rob Zombie comes at horror again with a another throwback to 70's horror. This film is about a DJ who mistakenly unleashes a hellish curse on the town. 300 years earlier on the very streets of Salem that the townspeople walk on today, innocent folks were rounded up from their homes, convicted of being witches and sentenced to death. The Lords of Salem ran the town with an iron fist, but four witches who were tortured and killed in secrecy vowed that one day they would be back for revenge.
Monday, October 22, 2012
The Barrens (2012)
RATED- R
RUN TIME- 94 MINS
WRITERS- DARREN LYNN BOUSMAN
STARRING- MIA KIRSHNER, STEPHEN MOYER AND SHAWN ASHMORE
DIRECTOR- DARREN LYNN BOUSMAN
Synopsis taken from IMDb
This movie is about the Vineyard family and their trip to the New Jersey Pine Barrens. There is a legend that the Jersey Devil lives in these woods. It came about after a woman known as Mother Leeds had 13 children, but she offered up the 13th child to the Devil so she and her other children didn't have to leave their house as they were going to be forced out by the town folk because she was having too many kids in the area back in the 1700's. So it's now the present, and the Vineyard family are going to camp there so the father ('Stephen Moyer') can release he father's ashes. But while there they hear that someone has gone missing, and Richard (Moyer) thinks it's the work of the Jersey Devil. So they move their camp site to get away from the rest of the campers only to find that they're in more trouble than they were before. But is the legend of the Jersey Devil real, or is it just another story?
Darren Lynn Bousman has had success with his previous films, Saw II, Saw III and Saw IV as well as Repo! The Genetic Opera. Bousman wrote The Barrens soon after finishing Saw II (2005), the film was shot in Toronto, Ontario.
Mia Kirshner, most recently know for her role on The CW's hit series The Vampire Diaries as Isobel Flemming. I am most familiar with her from her role as adult Sarah in The Crow: City of Angels (1996). She was also recently in 30 Days of Night: Dark Days (2010) as Lilith, which I wasn't a fan of. In The Barrens, Kirshner plays Cynthia, Richard's wife.
Stephen Moyer, who's popularly know as Bill Compton, Sookie's love interest on HBO's smash series True Blood. I've been watching the show from the beginning, but one thing that I've learned about Moyer is that he apparently has trouble picking what movies to be in outside of starring in True Blood. The movies I've seen with him have been underwhelming, but with Bousman on the case I figured this one was a sure thing. So you can imagine my disappointment when this movie failed my expectations.
The movie starts off with a couple walking through the woods to find a grisly discovery. It was a nice surprise to see Shawn Ashmore in this film playing Dale, the boyfriend.
The Vineyard's are getting ready to leave to go to the Barrens and we see that Richard's daughter, Saddie, doesn't like nor have much respect for Richard's wife, Cynthia. After some convincing Richard is able to get Saddie to hurry along with getting ready.
Soon after arriving to the campsite Richard realizes things have changed since he was a child and used to com to the Barrens. The campers are teens and disrespectful, they're texting and partying. Not the ideal camping trip Richard wanted with his family. He wanted to have a wholesome trip and free of all electronics including cell phones.
While sitting around the campfire a teen tells the story of the Jersey Devil, and a goofy stunt startles and frightens Richard's son. Richard overreacts and gets hostile with the teens.
During the night Richard has a nightmare where he's chased by an unknown creature. When he awakens the next day he looks like hell, looks ill and Cynthia notices.
He decides they need to move their location to deeper into the woods to get away from the crowds of mischievous teens. His family objects but they go anyway.
Richard starts to have more hallucinations and claims the Jersey Devil is after him. He becomes sickly and aggressive. He becomes dangerous.
The reason this movie was such a letdown for me is because I thought that it had a good story here and they could have gone in many directions with it. The movie starts off slightly creepy and keeps you invested for about 35 minutes.
The problem is, by that point in the movie you don't care anymore if it has a twist or not. It lost it's appeal long ago and the payoff doesn't matter because quite frankly it's predictable and lame.
The creature Richard sees is ridiculous looking and not scary at all. This movie wasn't scary, it was more of a psychological thriller reminiscent of The Mothman Prophesies, which was better. The ending of The Barrens is completely lackluster.
This movie was quite bad but it's far from the worst I've seen this year. I'm sure some people will like this but it's not for me.
THIS FILM GETS 1 1/2 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5
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