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Dean (6925 KP) rated Cry Wolf (2005) in Movies

Mar 10, 2018  
Cry Wolf (2005)
Cry Wolf (2005)
2005 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
7
5.9 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I'm not sure how I stumbled across this film but I am glad I did. It's not very well known but considering the cast includes Jared Padalecki (Sam from Supernatural), Lindy Booth and even Jon Bon Jovi amongst others, as well as being made fairly recently it deserves better publicity! It has a good plot, good acting and a good twist too. It's not that scary to be honest and won't satisfy gore fans but otherwise an all round enjoyable film. Similar to Urban Legend, Scream and another slasher but I won't name it as it'll give the twist away!
  
Second Debt (Indebted, #3)
Second Debt (Indebted, #3)
Pepper Winters | 2015 | Erotica, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
What the f...

Seriously? Leaving me hanging with that cliffy? I want to scream and cry and bawl.

I want to beat the shite out of Cut and Daniel and the old hag.

I want to run away with Nila and Jethro and Kes and Jasmine.

But the worst thing is having to wait 2-3 weeks for book 5, and then another month for book 6! Pepper Winters, I wish you could write quicker, and not so captivating stories, so I wouldn't feel so stressed right now over whether to read book 4 right now or wait a week or two.

TORTURE!!!!!!!
  
Dark Soul Vol. 1 (Dark Soul, #1)
Dark Soul Vol. 1 (Dark Soul, #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I finished this about two hours ago on my break at work and wanted to scream because I didn't have the other volumes to finish the series.

I'd been wanting to read a book by this author for a while now after seeing all my Goodreads friends giving his books good rating so when I saw this free on Amazon I got a little giddy.

I wasn't sure at the start whether I'd like it but boy did I get drawn in quick! I really need to see what happens next with these two!

Off to check the price right now :-)
  
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Dean (6925 KP) rated Scream (2022) in Movies

Jan 17, 2022  
Scream (2022)
Scream (2022)
2022 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Ticks all the Scream boxes (2 more)
Good gore effects
Ties in well with the other films
Welcome home Sidney
Good to see this get good reviews from the critics and you can see why. A great entry in the series while being new also pays homage to the original. The have the usual humour and Horror film commentary that has featured before. Plenty of nods to the other films and to Wes Craven, along with some nice touches. It will keep you guessing until the mask comes off. If you love the original you'll definitely enjoy this.
  
Scream 6 (2023)
Scream 6 (2023)
2023 | Horror
7
6.2 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Following the events of “Scream” which not only served as a soft reboot
and the fifth film in the series; “Scream VI” has arrived a year later and
picks up shortly where the last film ended. The survivors have now moved
to New York to attend college and are eager to put the horror of the
massacres behind them.

Sam (Melissa Barrera), has started dating in secret and is overly
protective of her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega), to the point where Tara has
started to lash out. When a murder is reported that has evidence of
Ghostface influence, Sam desires to leave the city with Tara but again
finds her sister reluctant and the sister find themselves suspects under
Detective Bailey (Dermot Mulroney). The fact that Tara is rooming with
Bailey’s daughter does not help as many online conspiracy nuts think that
Sam is behind the recent and new killings based on her lineage and has
gotten away with it once again.

As the threatening calls, attacks, and body count start to rise; Gail
Weathers (Courtney Cox), arrives much to the chagrin of the survivors who
believe that she is there simply to fein friendship and support all the
while looking for material for another book.

The arrival of now FBI agent Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere), moves things
into overdrive as the attacks, deaths, and danger become more frequent and
brutal and the investigation leads to even more questions and mysteries as
the characters struggle to survive.

While like the prior films I was able to figure out who was responsible
very early as well as all but one of the twists, the film still
entertained and in a era where many franchises are going through the
motions, “Scream VI” shows that there is still plenty of life left thanks
to an enjoyable cast, some creative and intense scenes, and a formula that
fans should enjoy.

3.5 stars out of 5
  
Scream (2022)
Scream (2022)
2022 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Creepy telephone calls, a will-they-won't-they romance between Gale Weathers and Deputy Dewey, a killer that falls over a lot, on-the-nose meta dialogue, and copious amounts of stabbing and blood, can only mean one thing - Scream is back and dammit, it feels good.
The key to the quality of the franchises 5th entry is balance. For a start, it tickles that nostalgia button just the right amount. It's certainly a chronological sequel to all of the 4 movies that came before, but it mainly serves as a love letter to the first. Saying too much could be considered as spoilers, so all I'll say is, the obvious call backs to the original don't feel forced, and make sense in a narrative manner. It doesn't feel like a cash grab. It feels like a film made by fans, for the fans.
Another noticeable balance is found in the characters. With a new Ghostface comes a new set of doomed teenagers. They're just about tolerable enough, but are well written, and aren't over reliant on the legacy characters to get by. Seeing Sidney Prescott, Gale, and Dewey all back together again is, of course, a delight, like a warm embrace from an old friend, but they're utilised in a precise manner. They don't stifle the new cast but their presence is unmistakably notable throughout.
The horror is well realised. Scream is a whole bag of fun, but is also suitably tense. The violence on display is quite brutal and unflinching. Ghostface once again feels menacing and threatening, and the mystery of their identity ticks along until the final moments. Like all of these movies, the reveal is a "I knew it!" moment before realising that you could have said that about anyone. Everybody is a suspect after all.

Radio Silence have done a cracking job of bringing a beloved horror series back to the big screen. I've seen plenty of people saying that Wes Craven would be proud, and I completely agree. Long live Scream.
  
Scream (2022)
Scream (2022)
2022 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
The much anticipated new release, I was amazed that I managed to avoid seeing the trailer or spoilers (I even only vaguely saw the poster), and after seeing the film... I'm not sure that was entirely sensible, I should probably have knocked down my anticipation a bit by looking at all of it.

The Scream franchise has long been one of my favourites, the lighter kind of horror that isn't actually that horrific. (Maybe I'm just a little jaded.) Controversially, my favourite is Scream 4, I enjoyed the slightly updated concepts, and that's what gave me some hopes for this fifth instalment.

Woodsboro once again feels the weight of its history when Ghostface comes back to torment the locals, bringing home its most famous residents.

A young girl, Tara, has the typical Scream opener, setting off the latest spree. With all this happening it draws her estranged sister back to town, and she feels the need to investigate the recent incidents. But she needs help, so she enlists one of Woodsboro's experts who has seen his fair share of Ghostface. As the killer gets closer to their end game, Sydney and Gale are drawn back to try and end his legacy.

That's a tried and tested formula, so it's a reasonable decision to go with it, but the execution didn't hit right for me. There were too many points that just weren't believable, even with the suspension of belief for this type of film, and this was yet another film that really overegged the fact that it was trying to be clever.

While all four of the previous films we have some different aspect to them to set them apart from each other, here, while they do have a new twist, the rest is just a rehash. Which I get, that's the point, but that only works if it's executed well.

Our returning cast were as you would expect, great repeat performances for their characters. The new additions... well, I felt like they would have been better suited to a spoof than a "serious" horror movie. While I wasn't keen on their performances, the script also didn't help them much. The prospect of seeing any of them again in the next one (yes, Scream 6 has been greenlit) doesn't appeal.

Sam is our lead character, and she's no Sidney Prescott. While her backstory has potential, it's definitely not realised in this film. There's little chemistry on screen and a distinct lack of terror befitting someone in this role.

I did go and see it twice, I genuinely thought I must have missed something. This was a similar feeling to when I saw Endgame, initially I was not a happy bunny, but the second watch was a definite improvement. Here that sadly wasn't the case. There was that same feeling as the first time, no excitement to come back and see it again, and absolutely no love for the way the storyline unfolded.

The score for this is a little upsetting, it puts it at my least favourite of the franchise. The few bits I found enjoyable had no chance of outweighing the bad, this definitely won't make it out of fifth place in the series ranking. Will I watch it again? Sure. When it's streaming, and in a rewatch before 6... but apart from that, I will have to relegate it to the pit I threw Die Hard 5 into.

For added spoilers, check out the full review on my website: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/02/scream-2022-spoiler-movie-review.html
  
Scream (2022)
Scream (2022)
2022 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
It is hard to believe it has been 25 years since “Scream” premiered and in doing so; brought new life into the slasher genre which had become stale due to an abundance of direct to DVD and cable releases combined with many uninspired and stale theatrical releases.

The movie was a massive success and launched a very successful trilogy and made the Ghostface killer and many moments from the series Pop Culture mainstays.

After a hiatus; “Scream 4” arrived and continued the series and in 2022; “Scream” has arrived which continues the story to the eager anticipation of fans.

When a young girl named Tara (Jenna Ortega); is brutally attacked in a fashion very similar to the Ghostface Killer; her sister Sam (Melissa Barrera); returns to Woodsboro to be by her side while Tara recuperates.

Sam is joined by her boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid), who has no idea about the history of Woodsboro nor the popular “Stab” film series that is based on the events of the murders that have plagued the town.

Sam’s past troubles makes her return difficult and when Ghostface strikes again; she and Richie seek the help of Dewey (David Arquette); who has fallen on hard times and has split from Gayle (Courtney Cox). Despite his reluctance; Dewey gets involved and tells Sam the “rules” which would indicate the killer might be someone she knows and soon everyone in her and Tara’s circle becomes suspect even as the deaths start to increase.

This allows for some of the best moments of the film as the characters make references to several other modern and past horror franchises and discuss things from online Trolls, rabid fans, and other Pop Culture references which provides some tongue in cheek humor about the series and also establishes the world of “Scream” as one where people are well-versed in horror films old and new and have modified the rules based on sequel, prequel, and “Requel” rules for films.

As tensions and body count mounts; Gayle, Dewey, and Sidney (Neve Campbell) must face their fears to stop Ghostface before it is too late.

While the final act of the film is very over the top and at times absurd; it does provide plenty of the elements that fans have come to expect from the series. I was able to accurately see and predict almost all of the twists very early in the film and did not have many surprises as the film unfolded; I think many will still find enough enjoyment watching the tale unfold as after four films I have a pretty good idea of the formula for the series and also have many years of this as I saw the twists in “The Sixth Sense” and “The Village” very early in the films so I just seem to have a knack for this sort of thing.

While it does not break much in the way of new ground; the film does deliver what fans have come to expect and I did find in more enjoyable than “Scream 3” and there was more than enough to keep me entertained. There have been rumors that a sixth film has already been planned and if so: I will be more than ready for more.

3.5 out of 5
  
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Kevin Phillipson (9973 KP) rated Urban Legend (1998) in Movies

Aug 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 22, 2021)  
Urban Legend (1998)
Urban Legend (1998)
1998 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Plot (1 more)
Gore
I remember this film about the time of the scream movies and i know what u did last summer and liking it alot especally the plot centering a killer who was using urban legends to commit murders plenty of cameos and red herrings to keep u guessing who the killer is.
Thought tonight i would update my review since the last time. tonight I've been rewatching the film as part of the four disc blu ray boxset which includes both sequels which I will get round to reviewing next week.
On two the film I remember seeing the film when it first came and I really liked it it ticked all the boxes came out in the nineties after the success of both scream and I know what u did last summer there are enough red herrings including Robert Englund who would obviously be the killer but isn't and there's a plot twist which I didn't see at first but I won't give it away here. But why give the rating a nine thats where we move unto disc two thanks to 88 films they have put together 2 and half hour documentary reuniting both cast and crew to talk about there memories of the making of the film. Good film then still is today
  
Hark! the Herald Angels Scream: An Anthology
Hark! the Herald Angels Scream: An Anthology
Christopher Golden | 2018 | Horror
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Anthology of Christmas or winter themed horror stories
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

I waited until closer to the holiday to read this book and, with all of the rushing involved with the season, forgot to post my review. The Christmas season may be over, but it is still winter, so grab a cup of hot chocolate and be prepared to be entertained.

Hark! The Herald Angels Scream by Edited by Christopher Golden is an "anthology of all-new short fiction from some of the most talented and original writers of horror today." Included are eighteen stories of Christmas or winter themed horror from authors: Kelley Armstrong, Christopher Golden, Elizabeth Hand, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Sarah Lotz, Jonathan Maberry, Josh Malerman, Seanan McGuire, John M. McIlveen, James A. Moore, Sarah Pinborough, Angela Slatter, Scott Smith,Thomas E. Sniegoski, and Jeff Strand.

The cover quickly bring to mind "Tales from the Crypt", a campy, horror anthology television series with a memorable narrator, Crypt Keeper. The stories written could have been been portrayed in any of the episodes. As with "Tales from the Crypt", the stories in "Hark! The Herald Angels Scream" were creepy, funny, chilling, gruesome, dark, and definitely worth your time.

The stories are well written and stand alone.