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Andy K (10821 KP) rated Brightburn (2019) in Movies
Oct 19, 2019
I like the idea of a horror superhero genre but...
Brightburn is a classic modern example of a great idea, with mediocre execution.
The classic "Superman" story is turned on its head in a way when a spaceship falls to Earth with a baby within. The young couple who live on a farm decide to adopt the infant as their own. Now 12 years old, young Brandon starts to feel differently. He is compelled to seek out his mother ship now locked inside the depths of a barn where he seems to receive unknown demonic instruction.
Things aren't going well at school either. He injures a young girl's hand after an incident where she fails to catch his fall while playing a game of trust during their physical education class. Afterwards, the girl's mother has some distasteful words to say about Brandon which he overhears and his lust for retribution emerges.
The lack of specific direction or even which genre this movie wanted to inhabit is its biggest flaw (which means bad screenplay). At some points it was underdog outcast teen drama and at others darkened house jump scare or even some scenes involving gruesome gory horror. The first half of the short 90 minutes was devoted to establishing Brandon's status at school and with his family and wasn't terribly interesting while the 2nd half was just the standard gruesome kill after gruesome kill which were cool I guess, but won't stay with me.
Going in, I really thought the film was going to be more epic and concentrate on his emerge and then quest for world domination (which was only shown during the end credits) which I think would have been way more interesting, similar to Chronicle which was done in a much more interesting way than this.
Maybe they were hoping for huge success so the 2nd film could've explained more of the origin story. I guess I don't mind that nothing as to the source of the spaceship or the creatures within were explained. I don't need every plot point spoon fed to me, but it was a wasted opportunity to create a new completely original super villain universe which they could've drawn from indefinitely.
Is Brightburn supposed to be an antihero? Are you supposed to root for him to avenge the wrongs he has had in his ife or are you simply supposed to cringe like you would when Jason or Michael hack into a sex crazed teenager?
The classic "Superman" story is turned on its head in a way when a spaceship falls to Earth with a baby within. The young couple who live on a farm decide to adopt the infant as their own. Now 12 years old, young Brandon starts to feel differently. He is compelled to seek out his mother ship now locked inside the depths of a barn where he seems to receive unknown demonic instruction.
Things aren't going well at school either. He injures a young girl's hand after an incident where she fails to catch his fall while playing a game of trust during their physical education class. Afterwards, the girl's mother has some distasteful words to say about Brandon which he overhears and his lust for retribution emerges.
The lack of specific direction or even which genre this movie wanted to inhabit is its biggest flaw (which means bad screenplay). At some points it was underdog outcast teen drama and at others darkened house jump scare or even some scenes involving gruesome gory horror. The first half of the short 90 minutes was devoted to establishing Brandon's status at school and with his family and wasn't terribly interesting while the 2nd half was just the standard gruesome kill after gruesome kill which were cool I guess, but won't stay with me.
Going in, I really thought the film was going to be more epic and concentrate on his emerge and then quest for world domination (which was only shown during the end credits) which I think would have been way more interesting, similar to Chronicle which was done in a much more interesting way than this.
Maybe they were hoping for huge success so the 2nd film could've explained more of the origin story. I guess I don't mind that nothing as to the source of the spaceship or the creatures within were explained. I don't need every plot point spoon fed to me, but it was a wasted opportunity to create a new completely original super villain universe which they could've drawn from indefinitely.
Is Brightburn supposed to be an antihero? Are you supposed to root for him to avenge the wrongs he has had in his ife or are you simply supposed to cringe like you would when Jason or Michael hack into a sex crazed teenager?
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Soul Possessed (The Life After #2) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Dear <i>Soul Possessed</i>,
I have mixed feelings about you. Very mixed feelings.
I didn't make an attempt to predict you as I had with your older sibling, <a title="Soul Taken review" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-soul-taken-by-katlyn-duncan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Soul Taken</em></a>. I find that not predicting is sometimes more fun. But I am not mind blown. I find that I'm not that mind blown with a lot of books these days because when you get to a certain amount of books, some things tend to be repetitive.
But you, <i>Soul Possessed</i>, have something that I like about you. Your world. The After sounds awesome I think I probably mentioned that back in <i>Soul Taken</i>. I also want to know more about the wards that appear quite often, but I'm probably not going to get much of an answer if I look again into your depths and many layers.
Obviously, I don't like the villain. But I don't feel anything for the "demonic" presence within you. I'm that bystander who watches a little kid get pushed and pulled on the playground by the big kid and his cronies, and I do nothing. I just sit and watch as the events play out and feel nothing at all.
You are that weird one that I like but don't feel anything for. It's like a best friend having a crush on you and finally making a move, only finding out after making the move that you don't feel anything for that friend. Just an affection. A fondness. Something that you would feel for a sibling.
I don't know if I want to meet your little sibling. I want to, maybe just for the sense of finality. But I don't want to, because I'm pretty sure I'll feel the same way for him as I do for you.
I am sorry to inform you, <i>Soul Possessed</i>, that my soul is not possessed by you. But there will be others who will be possessed by your world and your characters, and simply everything there is about you because I'm sure you deserve it. I'm just not one of them.
<div style="text-align: right;">Sincerely,
Unpossessed Soul</div>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-soul-possessed-by-katlyn-duncan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Dear <i>Soul Possessed</i>,
I have mixed feelings about you. Very mixed feelings.
I didn't make an attempt to predict you as I had with your older sibling, <a title="Soul Taken review" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-soul-taken-by-katlyn-duncan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Soul Taken</em></a>. I find that not predicting is sometimes more fun. But I am not mind blown. I find that I'm not that mind blown with a lot of books these days because when you get to a certain amount of books, some things tend to be repetitive.
But you, <i>Soul Possessed</i>, have something that I like about you. Your world. The After sounds awesome I think I probably mentioned that back in <i>Soul Taken</i>. I also want to know more about the wards that appear quite often, but I'm probably not going to get much of an answer if I look again into your depths and many layers.
Obviously, I don't like the villain. But I don't feel anything for the "demonic" presence within you. I'm that bystander who watches a little kid get pushed and pulled on the playground by the big kid and his cronies, and I do nothing. I just sit and watch as the events play out and feel nothing at all.
You are that weird one that I like but don't feel anything for. It's like a best friend having a crush on you and finally making a move, only finding out after making the move that you don't feel anything for that friend. Just an affection. A fondness. Something that you would feel for a sibling.
I don't know if I want to meet your little sibling. I want to, maybe just for the sense of finality. But I don't want to, because I'm pretty sure I'll feel the same way for him as I do for you.
I am sorry to inform you, <i>Soul Possessed</i>, that my soul is not possessed by you. But there will be others who will be possessed by your world and your characters, and simply everything there is about you because I'm sure you deserve it. I'm just not one of them.
<div style="text-align: right;">Sincerely,
Unpossessed Soul</div>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-soul-possessed-by-katlyn-duncan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated The Rising of the Shield Hero in TV
Jul 7, 2020
Shield Hero
The Rising of The Shield Hero is an anime series produced by Kinema Citrus and directed by Takao Abo with the light novel written by Aneko Yusagi. The series is licensed by Crunchroll and Funimation in North America. The series composition was by Keigo Koyanagi with music composed by Kevin Penkin and Masahiro Suwa designing characters.
College student, Naofumi Iwatani finds a fantasy book about "Four Heroes", while in the library, and is summoned to another universe, along with three others to save mankind. Each of the heroes are respectively equipped with their own "legendary" weapon. Naofumi, though, received the Legendary Shield, the only sole defensive equipment. They are expected to fight "The Waves", a series of demonic invasions that are set to occur soon. Nobody joins Shield Hero Naofumi when partners are assigned, believing him to be the weakest of the four. However, a beautiful woman named Myne, from the Spear Hero's party joins him to help him train. To his disbelief, Myne steals his belongings while he sleeps and accuses him of rape. He becomes an outcast when his denials are ignored and he is shunned by everyone from King to peasants. Enraged and embittered, he struggles to learn how to upgrade his shield, but realizes he can't upgrade without experience or strength. Desperate and alone, he finds himself at a slave market, contemplating whether he should buy a slave to gain XP (experience points) and fight for him.
This anime is great. I really like it a lot. It is also an "Isekai" genre anime, but right away it's very different from others. Beginning with the first episode, this anime had me. I've always said that actors who can get you to hate them in movies are really good actors. And man the character, Myne, really made me hate her. I didn't expect that twist, and it is very "adult" to bring up rape like that in an anime that didn't look to me like it would have something like that in it. But it plays a big part in how the character proceeds after. I also really like the character designs and art style, but the story is what gets me wanting to see the next episode every time. That and how he is a pretty smart character too, which really helps him, since his shield holds him back from being able to use any weapons. But it's not completely useless and he learns new abilities for it constantly. This anime definitely gets my "Must See Seal Of Approval" and I give it an 8.
College student, Naofumi Iwatani finds a fantasy book about "Four Heroes", while in the library, and is summoned to another universe, along with three others to save mankind. Each of the heroes are respectively equipped with their own "legendary" weapon. Naofumi, though, received the Legendary Shield, the only sole defensive equipment. They are expected to fight "The Waves", a series of demonic invasions that are set to occur soon. Nobody joins Shield Hero Naofumi when partners are assigned, believing him to be the weakest of the four. However, a beautiful woman named Myne, from the Spear Hero's party joins him to help him train. To his disbelief, Myne steals his belongings while he sleeps and accuses him of rape. He becomes an outcast when his denials are ignored and he is shunned by everyone from King to peasants. Enraged and embittered, he struggles to learn how to upgrade his shield, but realizes he can't upgrade without experience or strength. Desperate and alone, he finds himself at a slave market, contemplating whether he should buy a slave to gain XP (experience points) and fight for him.
This anime is great. I really like it a lot. It is also an "Isekai" genre anime, but right away it's very different from others. Beginning with the first episode, this anime had me. I've always said that actors who can get you to hate them in movies are really good actors. And man the character, Myne, really made me hate her. I didn't expect that twist, and it is very "adult" to bring up rape like that in an anime that didn't look to me like it would have something like that in it. But it plays a big part in how the character proceeds after. I also really like the character designs and art style, but the story is what gets me wanting to see the next episode every time. That and how he is a pretty smart character too, which really helps him, since his shield holds him back from being able to use any weapons. But it's not completely useless and he learns new abilities for it constantly. This anime definitely gets my "Must See Seal Of Approval" and I give it an 8.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) in Movies
Aug 19, 2019 (Updated Oct 25, 2019)
A dammmnnn shame
Contains spoilers, click to show
Oh boy.
I'm going to get straight to the main flaw with this one - I'm not sure how someone can really mess up Apocalypse so bad - he is a great X-Men villain. I remember watching the cartoon as a kid, being enamoured whenever Apocalypse turned up. The first mutant, practically a god, terrifying voice etc.
The Age of Apocalypse story arc is also a great comic - one where we see just how dangerous Apocalypse can be.
But instead of this classic villain, we get, well whatever the hell this is.
Oscar Isaac is give or take in other films I've seen him in, he just sort of exists to me, but I'm sure he did the best he could with what he was given.
But the character we're presented with in X-Men: Apocalypse is a mutant that isn't particularly terrifying, whose motives aren't very clear, and who speaks in a goddam normal human voice for the entire movie.
He looks, ok I guess, a little Ivan Ooze-ish at times, and there is a (very) brief moment where his voice goes all demonic and his eyes turn white, which offers a tiny glimpse of what could have been.
Elsewhere, the still awesome Michael Fassbender is relegated to a sidekick character, new cast members such as Psylocke, Angel, and Storm are there just to strike poses to edgy rock music, and Quicksilver gets a re hash of his great scene from DOFP that just doesn't quite hit the mark this time round.
The introduction of Sophie Turner as Jean Grey is fine, and it's nice to see a young Cyclops, Nightcrawler etc, but they're not given too much to do. It all just feels like one big wasted opportunity.
The film would have been much better and ballsier had it ended with Apocalypse winning, and ushering a full on Age of Apocalypse scenario for a sequel, but instead, he is dispatched with not too much trouble, as the writers poorly shoehorn in a segue for Dark Phoenix (for the second time in this franchise)
It's not all bad, there are times where I felt I was watching the cartoon come to life. The opening scene in ancient Egypt was pretty fun, and I actually quite enjoyed the brief Wolverine scene - those few minutes were way more entertaining to me than the entirety of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Overall though, this one had me wanting the rights to return to Marvel Studios.
I'm going to get straight to the main flaw with this one - I'm not sure how someone can really mess up Apocalypse so bad - he is a great X-Men villain. I remember watching the cartoon as a kid, being enamoured whenever Apocalypse turned up. The first mutant, practically a god, terrifying voice etc.
The Age of Apocalypse story arc is also a great comic - one where we see just how dangerous Apocalypse can be.
But instead of this classic villain, we get, well whatever the hell this is.
Oscar Isaac is give or take in other films I've seen him in, he just sort of exists to me, but I'm sure he did the best he could with what he was given.
But the character we're presented with in X-Men: Apocalypse is a mutant that isn't particularly terrifying, whose motives aren't very clear, and who speaks in a goddam normal human voice for the entire movie.
He looks, ok I guess, a little Ivan Ooze-ish at times, and there is a (very) brief moment where his voice goes all demonic and his eyes turn white, which offers a tiny glimpse of what could have been.
Elsewhere, the still awesome Michael Fassbender is relegated to a sidekick character, new cast members such as Psylocke, Angel, and Storm are there just to strike poses to edgy rock music, and Quicksilver gets a re hash of his great scene from DOFP that just doesn't quite hit the mark this time round.
The introduction of Sophie Turner as Jean Grey is fine, and it's nice to see a young Cyclops, Nightcrawler etc, but they're not given too much to do. It all just feels like one big wasted opportunity.
The film would have been much better and ballsier had it ended with Apocalypse winning, and ushering a full on Age of Apocalypse scenario for a sequel, but instead, he is dispatched with not too much trouble, as the writers poorly shoehorn in a segue for Dark Phoenix (for the second time in this franchise)
It's not all bad, there are times where I felt I was watching the cartoon come to life. The opening scene in ancient Egypt was pretty fun, and I actually quite enjoyed the brief Wolverine scene - those few minutes were way more entertaining to me than the entirety of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Overall though, this one had me wanting the rights to return to Marvel Studios.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A Terrible Fall of Angels ( Zaniel Havelock book 1) in Books
Aug 14, 2022
145 of 230
Book
A Terrible Fall of Angels ( Zaniel Havelock book 1)
By Laurell K Hamilton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angels walk among us, but so do other unearthly beings in this brand-new series by the international bestselling author of the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series.
Meet Detective Zaniel Havelock, a man with the special ability to communicate directly with angels.
A former trained Angel speaker, he devoted his life to serving both the celestial beings and his fellow humans with his gift, but a terrible betrayal compelled him to leave that life behind. Now he's a cop who is still working on the side of angels. But where there are angels, there are also demons.
There's no question that there's evil at work when he's called in to examine the murder scene of a college student - but is it just the evil that one human being can do to another, or is it something more? When demonic possession is a possibility, even angelic protection can only go so far.
Now the race is on to stop a killer before he finds his next victim, as Zaniel is forced to confront his own very personal demons, and the past he never truly left behind.
I can’t be the only one that gets super anxious when an author you have read for years and invested so much of your time and money into their books write a whole new series? Yes I’m one of those fans that are die hard LKH but I’m also one who will be honest if I dislike a book she’s wrote and I’ve had my wars with Anita! And I’m one of those craving a new Merry! So when this came out it’s actually sat on my tbr for a while.
I started this with fresh eyes and a positive attitude and at first it was a bit strange and I struggled to settle in but once I had I absolutely loved it! I like Havoc I like the supporting characters and I actually really like how she has started building these characters and their personalities. A few times I’ve worried and questioned whether she will get to wrapped up in the relationship stuff like she has with Anita but somehow it fits in the style she’s gone for here. I love Angels and Demons so the story and the information she’s tried to pack in I actually really enjoyed. I’m really looking forward to seeing where this series can go as it’s new and fresh from LKH and that can only be a positive thing!!
Book
A Terrible Fall of Angels ( Zaniel Havelock book 1)
By Laurell K Hamilton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angels walk among us, but so do other unearthly beings in this brand-new series by the international bestselling author of the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series.
Meet Detective Zaniel Havelock, a man with the special ability to communicate directly with angels.
A former trained Angel speaker, he devoted his life to serving both the celestial beings and his fellow humans with his gift, but a terrible betrayal compelled him to leave that life behind. Now he's a cop who is still working on the side of angels. But where there are angels, there are also demons.
There's no question that there's evil at work when he's called in to examine the murder scene of a college student - but is it just the evil that one human being can do to another, or is it something more? When demonic possession is a possibility, even angelic protection can only go so far.
Now the race is on to stop a killer before he finds his next victim, as Zaniel is forced to confront his own very personal demons, and the past he never truly left behind.
I can’t be the only one that gets super anxious when an author you have read for years and invested so much of your time and money into their books write a whole new series? Yes I’m one of those fans that are die hard LKH but I’m also one who will be honest if I dislike a book she’s wrote and I’ve had my wars with Anita! And I’m one of those craving a new Merry! So when this came out it’s actually sat on my tbr for a while.
I started this with fresh eyes and a positive attitude and at first it was a bit strange and I struggled to settle in but once I had I absolutely loved it! I like Havoc I like the supporting characters and I actually really like how she has started building these characters and their personalities. A few times I’ve worried and questioned whether she will get to wrapped up in the relationship stuff like she has with Anita but somehow it fits in the style she’s gone for here. I love Angels and Demons so the story and the information she’s tried to pack in I actually really enjoyed. I’m really looking forward to seeing where this series can go as it’s new and fresh from LKH and that can only be a positive thing!!
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Secrets (Beauties from Ashes, #1) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
Every girl has a secret she hopes the light will never find–but the demons already have.
Four girls. Four sets of secrets. Four searching for answers.
Mackenzie is the shy, awkward new girl at school, depressed and desperate for a real friend. When she stumbles upon the deepest secret of a sarcastic, angry-at-the-world track star, Krystal, they become instant enemies-especially about the flirtatious baseball player, Bryce.
Tammi, a gloomy singer/musician who couldn’t care less about what others think of her, meets Sadie, a dancer and a people-pleaser with a cotton candy disposition. They have nothing in common until their lives begin to collide in more ways than one.
As the girls’ worlds begin to converge, their secrets rather than their similarities draw them together. Meanwhile, all that’s kept hidden has left them vulnerable to a battle in an invisible realm where demonic creatures fight to keep the girls chained to their pasts while angels of light work to free them.
Can good ever come from evil? Can beauty ever arise from ashes?
My Thoughts: This is an amazing story of how 4 teenage girls deal not only with every day teenage issues, but with a war with demons. There is a war waging around us that we can not see and this book illustrates this extremely well. Do we think of where our bad moods and thoughts come from? This is an intense and creative novel that truly illustrates what goes on in a realm that we cannot see. This novel teaches us that with God, we can be set free from our past and win the battle against evil.
In this story-line, not only did the girls had to deal with some issues from their past, from abuse, arents dealing with depression and alcoholism; they had their usual teenage issues to deal with as well. We as readers learn how they all came together to face these demons controlling them and winning the war.
While reading this book, it made me think what is happening around me when I have a bad thought or a bad mood; those demons in this book will come to my mind to remind me that all I need to do is turn to God in prayer.
The unbelievers are given the gospel and learn how to trust in God and learn how prayer works in their lives.
This was an amazing book, those who enjoy reading about the spiritual realm around us will certainly enjoy this book as much as I did. I am looking forward to her next book in the Beauty from the Ashes series "The Uninvited".
Four girls. Four sets of secrets. Four searching for answers.
Mackenzie is the shy, awkward new girl at school, depressed and desperate for a real friend. When she stumbles upon the deepest secret of a sarcastic, angry-at-the-world track star, Krystal, they become instant enemies-especially about the flirtatious baseball player, Bryce.
Tammi, a gloomy singer/musician who couldn’t care less about what others think of her, meets Sadie, a dancer and a people-pleaser with a cotton candy disposition. They have nothing in common until their lives begin to collide in more ways than one.
As the girls’ worlds begin to converge, their secrets rather than their similarities draw them together. Meanwhile, all that’s kept hidden has left them vulnerable to a battle in an invisible realm where demonic creatures fight to keep the girls chained to their pasts while angels of light work to free them.
Can good ever come from evil? Can beauty ever arise from ashes?
My Thoughts: This is an amazing story of how 4 teenage girls deal not only with every day teenage issues, but with a war with demons. There is a war waging around us that we can not see and this book illustrates this extremely well. Do we think of where our bad moods and thoughts come from? This is an intense and creative novel that truly illustrates what goes on in a realm that we cannot see. This novel teaches us that with God, we can be set free from our past and win the battle against evil.
In this story-line, not only did the girls had to deal with some issues from their past, from abuse, arents dealing with depression and alcoholism; they had their usual teenage issues to deal with as well. We as readers learn how they all came together to face these demons controlling them and winning the war.
While reading this book, it made me think what is happening around me when I have a bad thought or a bad mood; those demons in this book will come to my mind to remind me that all I need to do is turn to God in prayer.
The unbelievers are given the gospel and learn how to trust in God and learn how prayer works in their lives.
This was an amazing book, those who enjoy reading about the spiritual realm around us will certainly enjoy this book as much as I did. I am looking forward to her next book in the Beauty from the Ashes series "The Uninvited".
Mark Jaye (65 KP) rated The Conjuring (2013) in Movies
May 13, 2019
The Conjuring Review
Contains spoilers, click to show
Originally wrote in 2013:
As an avid fan of horror I look for a few little things which if aren't apparent within the first minute decide on whether I'm going to bother with the rest of the film. Usually the company releasing the movie is a good starting point, reputable/recognised director or producer, recognisable actor/s, good production values - that sort of thing. I've seen some hum-dingers over the years - those films where Johnny Nobody has gathered several of his buddies together with a cheap camcorder or two and filmed some alleged zombie epic in the woods at the back of their school.
**The Conjuring is not one of those**
I like to think I have a strong disposition when it comes to scares - usually it takes a lot to make me squint. Examples that come to mind are 'Sinister', 'The Grudge', the end of 'The Ring' (you know, the scary dark haired girl climbing out of the TV!). The Conjuring is one of those - I watched this in the middle of the morning and found it pretty scary in places.
James Wan certainly knows how to make a movie of this type and is great at evoking atmosphere and notching up the scares as the film develops. In a nutshell, this is the alleged real life story of the Perron family who in 1971 moved into a new farmhouse. It isn't long before the usual shenanigans begin - pictures pulled off walls, doors knocking in the dead of night, the children befriending mysterious 'imaginary' kids (who we all know watching are going to show up at some point). The film sticks to the tried and tested story - gradual possession of one of the adults (Lily Taylor), gradually increasing appearances by ghostly figures, calling in the ghostbusters, gathering the proof, then the exorcism. It may be join the dots territory but it works.
Patrick Wilson shines and seems to be making his mark in films of this nature (Insidious and Insidious Chapter 2) - he portrays real life paranormal investigator Ed Warren who with his wife Lorraine (played just as well by Vera Farmiga) become immersed in the life of the Perron's making themselves targets of the supernatural force at work in the process.
The demonic spirit at work is that of a witch who was married to the guy who built the house back in the 1800's who cursed the land before committing suicide after murdering their child whilst a few days old. There is one particularly pant browning scene where the witch makes her first appearance atop a bedroom wardrobe....and I'll leave it there!
Quality. Best horror I've seen since Sinister.
As an avid fan of horror I look for a few little things which if aren't apparent within the first minute decide on whether I'm going to bother with the rest of the film. Usually the company releasing the movie is a good starting point, reputable/recognised director or producer, recognisable actor/s, good production values - that sort of thing. I've seen some hum-dingers over the years - those films where Johnny Nobody has gathered several of his buddies together with a cheap camcorder or two and filmed some alleged zombie epic in the woods at the back of their school.
**The Conjuring is not one of those**
I like to think I have a strong disposition when it comes to scares - usually it takes a lot to make me squint. Examples that come to mind are 'Sinister', 'The Grudge', the end of 'The Ring' (you know, the scary dark haired girl climbing out of the TV!). The Conjuring is one of those - I watched this in the middle of the morning and found it pretty scary in places.
James Wan certainly knows how to make a movie of this type and is great at evoking atmosphere and notching up the scares as the film develops. In a nutshell, this is the alleged real life story of the Perron family who in 1971 moved into a new farmhouse. It isn't long before the usual shenanigans begin - pictures pulled off walls, doors knocking in the dead of night, the children befriending mysterious 'imaginary' kids (who we all know watching are going to show up at some point). The film sticks to the tried and tested story - gradual possession of one of the adults (Lily Taylor), gradually increasing appearances by ghostly figures, calling in the ghostbusters, gathering the proof, then the exorcism. It may be join the dots territory but it works.
Patrick Wilson shines and seems to be making his mark in films of this nature (Insidious and Insidious Chapter 2) - he portrays real life paranormal investigator Ed Warren who with his wife Lorraine (played just as well by Vera Farmiga) become immersed in the life of the Perron's making themselves targets of the supernatural force at work in the process.
The demonic spirit at work is that of a witch who was married to the guy who built the house back in the 1800's who cursed the land before committing suicide after murdering their child whilst a few days old. There is one particularly pant browning scene where the witch makes her first appearance atop a bedroom wardrobe....and I'll leave it there!
Quality. Best horror I've seen since Sinister.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Mandy (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Red Miller (Nicholas Cage) is sent on a rampaging quest for vengeance when an evil cult abducts and kill his partner, Mandy Bloom.
The story is simple, Mandy and Red live alone in a forest. By chance Mandy is spotted by a cult leader who decided that he wants her to join him. Things don’t go to plan and Mandy ends up dead and Red starts on a quest for revenge. Simple and familiar, it’s not an uncommon plot, however Mandy is part film, part drug filled dream with snippets of animation thrown in, overlaid with a psychedelic, prog rock soundtrack. It has drugs, cults, demonic, slipknot esc bikers, (male) nudity, chainsaws and crossbows, religious parables and Jesus parallels. There is a metaphorical decent to hell and there is Nicholas Cage. All this is shot with constantly changing, coloured filters and distorted voices.
You can probably tell that Mandy isn’t for everyone, at times the film feels like an Italian horror, something like Suspiria or Deep Red and other time it seems like someone has brought a 70’s or 80’s rock/metal album cover to life. Throw in some animation that would be at home in ‘Heavy Metal’ Magazine, turn the crazy dial up to 11 and let Nicolas Cage (slowly) off the sanity leash and you have Mandy.
There are plot point that are not explained, for example Red suddenly has a friend who has a cross bow stored away for him and Red suddenly has a forge and knows how to use it. Is Mandy some kind of witch and, of course, is Red dead at the end.
I would say that there are some crazy scenes but the whole film is crazy but it does lead to some great scene’s like a chainsaw duel.
As I said, Mandy isn’t for everyone, it has a simple plot that has been turned in to a surreal nightmare so if you don’t like weird don’t watch this.
Mandy is also slow to get started as it builds up the atmosphere. I think that, if the film kept the atmosphere it starts with it could have been a similar tone to something like Midsommar however by the halfway point it has past that and, by the end the film just takes a head dive down the rabbit hole (almost literally).
Given all that I found it hard to rate, it has the feel of a 70’s horror and an 80’s grindhouse, some of the filters make it hard to understand some of the lines and the colour filters were disturbing and distracting although most of this was on purpose but over all I did enjoy it.
The story is simple, Mandy and Red live alone in a forest. By chance Mandy is spotted by a cult leader who decided that he wants her to join him. Things don’t go to plan and Mandy ends up dead and Red starts on a quest for revenge. Simple and familiar, it’s not an uncommon plot, however Mandy is part film, part drug filled dream with snippets of animation thrown in, overlaid with a psychedelic, prog rock soundtrack. It has drugs, cults, demonic, slipknot esc bikers, (male) nudity, chainsaws and crossbows, religious parables and Jesus parallels. There is a metaphorical decent to hell and there is Nicholas Cage. All this is shot with constantly changing, coloured filters and distorted voices.
You can probably tell that Mandy isn’t for everyone, at times the film feels like an Italian horror, something like Suspiria or Deep Red and other time it seems like someone has brought a 70’s or 80’s rock/metal album cover to life. Throw in some animation that would be at home in ‘Heavy Metal’ Magazine, turn the crazy dial up to 11 and let Nicolas Cage (slowly) off the sanity leash and you have Mandy.
There are plot point that are not explained, for example Red suddenly has a friend who has a cross bow stored away for him and Red suddenly has a forge and knows how to use it. Is Mandy some kind of witch and, of course, is Red dead at the end.
I would say that there are some crazy scenes but the whole film is crazy but it does lead to some great scene’s like a chainsaw duel.
As I said, Mandy isn’t for everyone, it has a simple plot that has been turned in to a surreal nightmare so if you don’t like weird don’t watch this.
Mandy is also slow to get started as it builds up the atmosphere. I think that, if the film kept the atmosphere it starts with it could have been a similar tone to something like Midsommar however by the halfway point it has past that and, by the end the film just takes a head dive down the rabbit hole (almost literally).
Given all that I found it hard to rate, it has the feel of a 70’s horror and an 80’s grindhouse, some of the filters make it hard to understand some of the lines and the colour filters were disturbing and distracting although most of this was on purpose but over all I did enjoy it.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Gate (1987) in Movies
Sep 29, 2019
Gremlins meets Explorers in some good 80's fun!
After a lightning storm, a major tree get uprooted in the suburban back yard of Glen and his sometimes nice big sister, Al. Glen and his best friend Terry proceed to investigate and discover some cool geode stones. At the same time, Glen and Al's parents are going away and leaving the teen and pre-teens home alone (doesn't this always happen in 80's movies).
All seems well enough until the boys split the geode and it spurts out some ancient writing that Glen reads aloud. Al decides to have a party while her parents are away (go figure) where Glen is levitated during a mini seance. Terry discovers during one of his headbanging sessions some of these events coincidentally are said to open a demonic gate where strange creatures can emerge, torment those they find and ravage the Earth.
The three protagonists decide to try and close the "gate" by reading ancient text and Bible verses. This proves successful and small, feisty demons begin to appear and creep into their house. After several run ins, more unusual things start happening within the home, possibly as a precursor for something even bigger on the horizon.
The teens must formulate a plan to dispose of their new house-guests before it is too late!
Funny that Glen is played by a very young Stephen Dorff in his very first role. He reminds me of a young Ethan Hawke in Explorers as his nerd friend Terry reminds me of River Phoenix in the same film.
The movie is cheesy with dated special and optical effects that modern audiences might get annoyed by or find lame and of poor quality. The small demons are more funny than they are scary, but I still enjoyed seeing them on screen. I actually thought it was stop motion animation similar to a Ray Harryhausen film like Clash of the Titans, but they were actually actors in demon costumes and then shot in forced perspective to make them seem smaller.
The movie is only 85 minutes and the plot does take a little while to get going. The first half of the movie is more like every 80's movie you have ever seen with dated hairstyles, clothing and dialogue, but once the demon stuff manifests it becomes more interesting.
Even though PG-13 with some semi scary moments, the movie does seem the style of Gremlins meaning maybe aiming more for a younger audience rather than being excessively disgusting or graphic.
Hopefully you can put aside the elements I mentioned that aren't up to today's standards and enjoy the cute, interesting story this film inhabits. I surely did.
All seems well enough until the boys split the geode and it spurts out some ancient writing that Glen reads aloud. Al decides to have a party while her parents are away (go figure) where Glen is levitated during a mini seance. Terry discovers during one of his headbanging sessions some of these events coincidentally are said to open a demonic gate where strange creatures can emerge, torment those they find and ravage the Earth.
The three protagonists decide to try and close the "gate" by reading ancient text and Bible verses. This proves successful and small, feisty demons begin to appear and creep into their house. After several run ins, more unusual things start happening within the home, possibly as a precursor for something even bigger on the horizon.
The teens must formulate a plan to dispose of their new house-guests before it is too late!
Funny that Glen is played by a very young Stephen Dorff in his very first role. He reminds me of a young Ethan Hawke in Explorers as his nerd friend Terry reminds me of River Phoenix in the same film.
The movie is cheesy with dated special and optical effects that modern audiences might get annoyed by or find lame and of poor quality. The small demons are more funny than they are scary, but I still enjoyed seeing them on screen. I actually thought it was stop motion animation similar to a Ray Harryhausen film like Clash of the Titans, but they were actually actors in demon costumes and then shot in forced perspective to make them seem smaller.
The movie is only 85 minutes and the plot does take a little while to get going. The first half of the movie is more like every 80's movie you have ever seen with dated hairstyles, clothing and dialogue, but once the demon stuff manifests it becomes more interesting.
Even though PG-13 with some semi scary moments, the movie does seem the style of Gremlins meaning maybe aiming more for a younger audience rather than being excessively disgusting or graphic.
Hopefully you can put aside the elements I mentioned that aren't up to today's standards and enjoy the cute, interesting story this film inhabits. I surely did.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Drag Me to Hell (2009) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
“I beg you and you shame me? ” – Mrs. Ganush
Number of Times Seen – Twice (28 Jun 2009 and 2 Oct 2019)
Brief Synopsis – A young ambitious loan officer rejects an extension on a loan form an old woman and has a demonic curse placed on her.
My Take on it – As a film lover who is not a big fan of horror films, this was a hard month for me to choose what movies to watch for this series.
This is actually a movie that I recalled going to see on a date over a decade ago because the girl was a horror fan and I decided to indulge her wishes to see it.
I even recall inquiring why she loves horror genre so much and her response was “because it is so unpredictable and anything can happen at any point in time.”
This film actually has an intriguing plot that works most of the time and stays entertaining.
Unfortunately, it probably could have been a bit more impactful, but still manages to get across what it attempts to.
The story remains unpredictable throughout and finds ways to keep surprising as things move along and the story unfolds.
Allison Lohman is an interesting choice as the lead especially since she feels so miscast in the role yet excels in every scene she is given.
As expected from a Sam Raimi horror film, this movie has a fair amount of blood and gore that might seem a bit excessive yet helps make this even more horrific along the way.
The film has lost of twists and turns along the way that helps keep it feeling fresh and interesting as the story gets more and more intriguing especially given the fact that we never truly know where things are heading.
Bottom Line – Interesting idea that works most of the time, but fails to really be more impactful. The way that the story remains unpredictable is done quite well and keeps things surprising as the story unfolds. Lohman is quite good in the lead because she seems so miscast and that helps keep things intriguing as the plot thickens. The amount of blood and gore is on par with what one should expect from Raimi even if at some points if feels excessive. The story stays full of twists and turns that helps keep it enjoyable throughout. Recommended!
MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – In the movie, Shaun San Dena (Adriana Barraza) mentions her late husband Sander, a reference to both Sam Raimi’s older sibling, Sander Raimi, who died in a swimming accident at age fifteen while on a trip to Israel, and his oldest nephew, Sander Rubin. (From IMDB)
Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)
Number of Times Seen – Twice (28 Jun 2009 and 2 Oct 2019)
Brief Synopsis – A young ambitious loan officer rejects an extension on a loan form an old woman and has a demonic curse placed on her.
My Take on it – As a film lover who is not a big fan of horror films, this was a hard month for me to choose what movies to watch for this series.
This is actually a movie that I recalled going to see on a date over a decade ago because the girl was a horror fan and I decided to indulge her wishes to see it.
I even recall inquiring why she loves horror genre so much and her response was “because it is so unpredictable and anything can happen at any point in time.”
This film actually has an intriguing plot that works most of the time and stays entertaining.
Unfortunately, it probably could have been a bit more impactful, but still manages to get across what it attempts to.
The story remains unpredictable throughout and finds ways to keep surprising as things move along and the story unfolds.
Allison Lohman is an interesting choice as the lead especially since she feels so miscast in the role yet excels in every scene she is given.
As expected from a Sam Raimi horror film, this movie has a fair amount of blood and gore that might seem a bit excessive yet helps make this even more horrific along the way.
The film has lost of twists and turns along the way that helps keep it feeling fresh and interesting as the story gets more and more intriguing especially given the fact that we never truly know where things are heading.
Bottom Line – Interesting idea that works most of the time, but fails to really be more impactful. The way that the story remains unpredictable is done quite well and keeps things surprising as the story unfolds. Lohman is quite good in the lead because she seems so miscast and that helps keep things intriguing as the plot thickens. The amount of blood and gore is on par with what one should expect from Raimi even if at some points if feels excessive. The story stays full of twists and turns that helps keep it enjoyable throughout. Recommended!
MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – In the movie, Shaun San Dena (Adriana Barraza) mentions her late husband Sander, a reference to both Sam Raimi’s older sibling, Sander Raimi, who died in a swimming accident at age fifteen while on a trip to Israel, and his oldest nephew, Sander Rubin. (From IMDB)
Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)