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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated House of Wax (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
As sure as the winter season brings snow and rain, summer is sure to bring sequels and remakes to theaters across the land. With many classic horror films such as “The Amityville Horror:”, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” already released and with “The Fog”, pending, Hollywood is trying to find gold from the past.
The latest remake to make the screen is The House of Wax which shares precious little with the 1953 Vincent Price classic aside from the title house and an abundance of wax figures. The story follows Carly Jones, (Elisa Cuthbert), a young college graduate who is planning to move from her small town to take an internship in New York. Her boyfriend Wade (Jared Padalecki) is unsure if he will follow her to the big city which is a source of tension between the otherwise happy couple.
Carly and Wade decide to take a road trip to a big sporting event, and have their friends Paige (Paris Hilton), Blake (Robert Ri’chard), Dalton (John Abrahams), and Carly’s brother Nick (Chad Michael Murray), along for the ride. In a true horror film cliche, the road trip becomes and overnight campout in a remote backwoods area where drinking, sex, and other youthful merriment abounds.
Of course the merriment is interrupted when a strange encounter with a mysterious truck and an unexpectedly broken car fan belt in the morning forces Carly and wade to stay behind to locate the needed part in a nearby town while their friends continue on to the game.
The local town is mostly empty, and looks like something out of the 60’s aside from numerous signs that tout the local wax museum. While exploring the empty town, Carly and Wade stumble upon a church where a service is in session, and meet Bo, (Brian Van Holt), who is the local mechanic who tells them he can get the needed part as soon as the service has ended. With time on their hands, Carly and Wade visit the local wax museum which is equally deserted, but filled with life like figures.
When Carly suddenly sees a bizarre figure lurking in the shadows the events soon unfold leaving Carly and Wade trapped in a nightmare that is out of control. As if that was not bad enough, their friends have become stuck in traffic and decide to forgo the big game and return to pick up Carly and Wade not knowing bizarre nightmare they are about to encounter.
Despite some flaws, House generally works and as horror films go, is entertaining. Sure the characters and plot are paper thin and characters seem to have a severe lack of common sense, yet despite the flaws, there are some good moments. The film goes almost 50 minutes before the mayhem starts, but when it does, the killings are some of the most brutal in horror film history. On more than one occasion during my press screener did I see a member of the audience hiding their face in the shoulder of a significant other during some of the films more intense moments.
The film also has a good villain that while not well defined, is nevertheless chilling and projects menace very well. The cast works well with one another given the limitations of the genre, and the pacing of the film by first time director Jaume Serra is effective in adding a bit of tension yet keeping the adrenalin moving during key parts.
My biggest issue with the film would be the ending that I thought took the Hollywood way out, with a big effects spectacle instead of staying focused on the characters and their plight, That being said, as mindless Summer thrills The House of Wax is a decent if albeit at times lacking film.
The latest remake to make the screen is The House of Wax which shares precious little with the 1953 Vincent Price classic aside from the title house and an abundance of wax figures. The story follows Carly Jones, (Elisa Cuthbert), a young college graduate who is planning to move from her small town to take an internship in New York. Her boyfriend Wade (Jared Padalecki) is unsure if he will follow her to the big city which is a source of tension between the otherwise happy couple.
Carly and Wade decide to take a road trip to a big sporting event, and have their friends Paige (Paris Hilton), Blake (Robert Ri’chard), Dalton (John Abrahams), and Carly’s brother Nick (Chad Michael Murray), along for the ride. In a true horror film cliche, the road trip becomes and overnight campout in a remote backwoods area where drinking, sex, and other youthful merriment abounds.
Of course the merriment is interrupted when a strange encounter with a mysterious truck and an unexpectedly broken car fan belt in the morning forces Carly and wade to stay behind to locate the needed part in a nearby town while their friends continue on to the game.
The local town is mostly empty, and looks like something out of the 60’s aside from numerous signs that tout the local wax museum. While exploring the empty town, Carly and Wade stumble upon a church where a service is in session, and meet Bo, (Brian Van Holt), who is the local mechanic who tells them he can get the needed part as soon as the service has ended. With time on their hands, Carly and Wade visit the local wax museum which is equally deserted, but filled with life like figures.
When Carly suddenly sees a bizarre figure lurking in the shadows the events soon unfold leaving Carly and Wade trapped in a nightmare that is out of control. As if that was not bad enough, their friends have become stuck in traffic and decide to forgo the big game and return to pick up Carly and Wade not knowing bizarre nightmare they are about to encounter.
Despite some flaws, House generally works and as horror films go, is entertaining. Sure the characters and plot are paper thin and characters seem to have a severe lack of common sense, yet despite the flaws, there are some good moments. The film goes almost 50 minutes before the mayhem starts, but when it does, the killings are some of the most brutal in horror film history. On more than one occasion during my press screener did I see a member of the audience hiding their face in the shoulder of a significant other during some of the films more intense moments.
The film also has a good villain that while not well defined, is nevertheless chilling and projects menace very well. The cast works well with one another given the limitations of the genre, and the pacing of the film by first time director Jaume Serra is effective in adding a bit of tension yet keeping the adrenalin moving during key parts.
My biggest issue with the film would be the ending that I thought took the Hollywood way out, with a big effects spectacle instead of staying focused on the characters and their plight, That being said, as mindless Summer thrills The House of Wax is a decent if albeit at times lacking film.
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019
**I was really high on this film after seeing it in theaters in 2009. I haven't seen the film since or edited the review since seeing it. I feel like it hasn't aged well over the past decade; hence the average rating. This is my original review though.**
It's been eight years since Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy MacManus (Norman Reedus) have gone into hiding after assassinating Giuseppe Yakavetta in public. Now living on a sheep farm in Ireland with their father, Noah "Il Duce" MacManus (Billy Connolly), everything is relatively quiet in their lives. That is until their uncle, Father Sibeal MacManus, visits them and informs them that a priest was killed in a church back in Boston and made it look like the MacManus brothers had come out of hiding. The brothers waste little time digging up their old clothes and Berettas to head back to Boston to figure out just who is behind this while continuing to rid the world of as many criminal overlords as they can along the way.
What can be considered a worthy sequel, especially when it's a sequel to a film that has reached cult like status? A sequel has to at least be as good as the original film, if not better. In fact, the sequel should attempt to be better than the original film otherwise why visit the same material again? A worthy sequel should bring together most, if not all, of the original cast, have a solid storyline, and be entertaining above all else. The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is such a sequel as it's everything the first film was and then some.
As great as the first film is, All Saints Day just felt bigger and more entertaining overall. The story is simple, but effective. The easiest way to flush somebody out who's gone into hiding is to flush them out yourself by using their MO, but is it ever really that easy? There's always something bigger going on with a setup like that and the payoff is just as sweet as the buildup. The dialogue and a lot of the arguing between the MacManus brothers in the original film was hilarious at times. The arguing between the brothers in the sequel doesn't miss a beat as the ten year gap between films hasn't affected Troy Duffy's writing at all. The addition of Clifton Collins Jr as Romeo was brilliant in terms of entertainment value as Romeo steals quite a few scenes and has some pretty incredible one liners throughout the film.
A sequel's ending is just as important as it being an acceptable addition to the franchise it finds itself a part of. The ending to All Saints Day not only satisfied my appetite, but also left me craving the next film and wishing there was another hour or two to the duration of the film. There's something in the last few minutes of the sequel that's a throwback to the original film that just absolutely blew me away since I wasn't expecting it at all. The ending managed to wrap up just about everything to that point and tease another film. It's very rare that a sequel like that is satisfying, but All Saints Day managed to pull it off.
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is a sequel that lives up to the cult status achieved in the original film by delivering a film that is nearly better than its predecessor in every way. It hardly feels like there's ten years between the two films as everything between familiar characters feels just as natural as it did in the original film. There's no doubt in my mind that if you enjoyed the original film that you'll enjoy the explosive sequel. The saints are comin' and I highly recommend you pay them a visit.
It's been eight years since Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy MacManus (Norman Reedus) have gone into hiding after assassinating Giuseppe Yakavetta in public. Now living on a sheep farm in Ireland with their father, Noah "Il Duce" MacManus (Billy Connolly), everything is relatively quiet in their lives. That is until their uncle, Father Sibeal MacManus, visits them and informs them that a priest was killed in a church back in Boston and made it look like the MacManus brothers had come out of hiding. The brothers waste little time digging up their old clothes and Berettas to head back to Boston to figure out just who is behind this while continuing to rid the world of as many criminal overlords as they can along the way.
What can be considered a worthy sequel, especially when it's a sequel to a film that has reached cult like status? A sequel has to at least be as good as the original film, if not better. In fact, the sequel should attempt to be better than the original film otherwise why visit the same material again? A worthy sequel should bring together most, if not all, of the original cast, have a solid storyline, and be entertaining above all else. The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is such a sequel as it's everything the first film was and then some.
As great as the first film is, All Saints Day just felt bigger and more entertaining overall. The story is simple, but effective. The easiest way to flush somebody out who's gone into hiding is to flush them out yourself by using their MO, but is it ever really that easy? There's always something bigger going on with a setup like that and the payoff is just as sweet as the buildup. The dialogue and a lot of the arguing between the MacManus brothers in the original film was hilarious at times. The arguing between the brothers in the sequel doesn't miss a beat as the ten year gap between films hasn't affected Troy Duffy's writing at all. The addition of Clifton Collins Jr as Romeo was brilliant in terms of entertainment value as Romeo steals quite a few scenes and has some pretty incredible one liners throughout the film.
A sequel's ending is just as important as it being an acceptable addition to the franchise it finds itself a part of. The ending to All Saints Day not only satisfied my appetite, but also left me craving the next film and wishing there was another hour or two to the duration of the film. There's something in the last few minutes of the sequel that's a throwback to the original film that just absolutely blew me away since I wasn't expecting it at all. The ending managed to wrap up just about everything to that point and tease another film. It's very rare that a sequel like that is satisfying, but All Saints Day managed to pull it off.
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is a sequel that lives up to the cult status achieved in the original film by delivering a film that is nearly better than its predecessor in every way. It hardly feels like there's ten years between the two films as everything between familiar characters feels just as natural as it did in the original film. There's no doubt in my mind that if you enjoyed the original film that you'll enjoy the explosive sequel. The saints are comin' and I highly recommend you pay them a visit.
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Chris Byers (4 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Mar 14, 2018
Great action (3 more)
Cool references
Engaging
Solid detail and character development
Some anti-Christian sentiment (1 more)
What happens after the ending- would love follow up info
A Christian Review Of Ready Player One
I just finished another entertaining romp into the fictional realm with Ernest Cline's, Ready Player One. This was particularly engaging for a former/current video gamer like myself. It also provided a setting that I feel is a potentially realistic outcome of our current technology boom and humanist outlook in society.
The plot centers around Wade and the online game OASIS. The OASIS has expanded such that nearly everyone in society is constantly jacked into the system, neglecting real-life in favor of virtual fantasy and role playing. The OASIS gives users the ability to level up a character (Similar to an MMO like World of Warcraft), and interact virtually with other "Avatars."
The sad reality is that the real world has become a shell of its former self after multiple wars, and no one really seems to mind as they are constantly jacked into the fantasy world of the OASIS.
The OASIS creator dies and leaves his money (multi-billion) to whomever can solve a set of obscure puzzles built into the OASIS, all linked to 1980s trivia.
While it sounds odd on the surface, the first-person narration style gives the feel that you are actually a part of this new reality. The descriptions of the game and Avatar functions are well done.
Spiritually, just like the Hunger Games Trilogy, it is lacking. In what I am calling post-apocalypic humanism, the world is obviously very anti-religion/Christianity in this setting.
My theory would be that the humanistic views that are permeating our society currently eventually led to the decline in civilization as man was not accountable to anyone but himself, and the world suffered for it.
It is clear from the beginning that the protagonist, Wade, has never believed in God (though his friendly neighbor is described as a Christian who spends time logged into the OASIS at a virtual church, worshipping). The way that this is expressed comes across much like the way humanists and atheists of our day express it. With much distaste and an inferior view of God. God is compared to the Easter Bunny and other childhood fantasies, and the characters in the book do not seek any higher power. Still Wade is not an entirely unlikable character, even in light of his lack of faith, and this mindset is not prominently mentioned enough to detract from the book as a whole. Christians will likely feel pity for the characters whose mere existence has no meaning.
For Christians, we know that through our relationship with Christ, this life has meaning, and we have a purpose. There is no randomness, but rather a carefully orchestrated plan for each of us by a God who loves us and longs for us to be with him eternally.
A post-apocalypic world viewed through Christian eyes would be much less dystopian, so I imagine that is why authors in this category of fiction stray from God when possible. It adds to the bleak outlook of characters whose only purpose is living day to day, and trying to get along with one another.
I think Christians who read this type of literature should be aware that it is far from the truth that we know in Christ Jesus. When we see the world through only human eyes, and every man does what is right in his own eyes, we can only expect such a derelict society to be the result.
Ready Player One is an entertaining, albeit bleak story with solid detail and character development. Most Christians can skip this one, but for any gamers or fans of the 1980s out there it could provide a good fiction read.
Discussion Questions for Christians:
Does our society seem to be heading down a path that would lead to this type of world?
How would the worldview in the book be different if the main characters had a focus on Christ?
Can a protagonist that is not Christian, but a "decent guy" be a good role model for us?
Would living in a virtual world the majority of the time give us a distorted view of reality?
The plot centers around Wade and the online game OASIS. The OASIS has expanded such that nearly everyone in society is constantly jacked into the system, neglecting real-life in favor of virtual fantasy and role playing. The OASIS gives users the ability to level up a character (Similar to an MMO like World of Warcraft), and interact virtually with other "Avatars."
The sad reality is that the real world has become a shell of its former self after multiple wars, and no one really seems to mind as they are constantly jacked into the fantasy world of the OASIS.
The OASIS creator dies and leaves his money (multi-billion) to whomever can solve a set of obscure puzzles built into the OASIS, all linked to 1980s trivia.
While it sounds odd on the surface, the first-person narration style gives the feel that you are actually a part of this new reality. The descriptions of the game and Avatar functions are well done.
Spiritually, just like the Hunger Games Trilogy, it is lacking. In what I am calling post-apocalypic humanism, the world is obviously very anti-religion/Christianity in this setting.
My theory would be that the humanistic views that are permeating our society currently eventually led to the decline in civilization as man was not accountable to anyone but himself, and the world suffered for it.
It is clear from the beginning that the protagonist, Wade, has never believed in God (though his friendly neighbor is described as a Christian who spends time logged into the OASIS at a virtual church, worshipping). The way that this is expressed comes across much like the way humanists and atheists of our day express it. With much distaste and an inferior view of God. God is compared to the Easter Bunny and other childhood fantasies, and the characters in the book do not seek any higher power. Still Wade is not an entirely unlikable character, even in light of his lack of faith, and this mindset is not prominently mentioned enough to detract from the book as a whole. Christians will likely feel pity for the characters whose mere existence has no meaning.
For Christians, we know that through our relationship with Christ, this life has meaning, and we have a purpose. There is no randomness, but rather a carefully orchestrated plan for each of us by a God who loves us and longs for us to be with him eternally.
A post-apocalypic world viewed through Christian eyes would be much less dystopian, so I imagine that is why authors in this category of fiction stray from God when possible. It adds to the bleak outlook of characters whose only purpose is living day to day, and trying to get along with one another.
I think Christians who read this type of literature should be aware that it is far from the truth that we know in Christ Jesus. When we see the world through only human eyes, and every man does what is right in his own eyes, we can only expect such a derelict society to be the result.
Ready Player One is an entertaining, albeit bleak story with solid detail and character development. Most Christians can skip this one, but for any gamers or fans of the 1980s out there it could provide a good fiction read.
Discussion Questions for Christians:
Does our society seem to be heading down a path that would lead to this type of world?
How would the worldview in the book be different if the main characters had a focus on Christ?
Can a protagonist that is not Christian, but a "decent guy" be a good role model for us?
Would living in a virtual world the majority of the time give us a distorted view of reality?