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Awix (3310 KP) rated Viy (Spirit of Evil) (1967) in Movies

Sep 21, 2021

Soviet horror movie from the 1960s rather unexpectedly turns out to be a close spiritual cousin of the kind of films that Hammer et al were making in the west at the same time. A trainee priest finds himself compelled to spend three nights reading prayers over the body of (supposedly) a wealthy landowner's daughter - but the corpse bears a striking resemblance to that of a witch he earlier killed...

Not the longest of films, which is just as well as the pacing may require patience on the part of the viewer; after a very eerie sequence early on, there's a long wait until the stuff with the protagonist's vigil in the second half. Nevertheless, it's worth it, mainly because the special effects are remarkably good, well up to the standard of equivalent western films of the same period (and probably better). Not particularly scary or graphic by modern standards, but the climax has a creepy sort of power to it and the overall impression is of a classy and well-made film; if there's a political subtext to it, it's very well-hidden.

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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Jennifer's Body (2009) in Movies

Nov 1, 2020

Jennifer's Body (2009)

2009 | Comedy, Horror, Mystery

6.4

(17 Ratings)

Movie Rating

The best way to describe Jennifer's Body is that it's pretty middle of the road. Nothing spectacular, but still pretty entertaining, and a would-be standard demonic posession horror-comedy if it wasn't for some good turns from the cast.

The plot revolves around popular high school teen Jennifer (Megan Fox) becoming possessed after a satanic ritual goes awry. Her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) is caught in the crossfire as she tries to find a way to stop Jennifer's murderous Succubus ways.
The movie misses a trick in its titular character. Megan Fox is good at the whole evil schtick, but Jennifer is possessed for about 95% of the runtime, and for that entire duration, she's an absolute douche. We don't see enough of Jennifer beforehand to feel much sympathy towards her. A flashback sequence dealing with how she ended up possessed starts to lean in that direction, but it's an opportunity that's not explored enough. It feels like there's a message in here about the pressures put on women in today's culture to always look the part. An important message indeed, but it's gets lost somewhat in this oversight.
Amanda Seyfried is the real lead here, and her character is wholly sympathetic, and a huge bonus for the overall film. The relationship between her and her boyfriend Chip (Johnny Simmons) is believable and often humourous, and together, they add so much to this movie.
It's also worth mentioning that Adam Brody and J.K. Simmons are both great, and definitely provide the best comedic moments.

The scares are spread pretty thin, but there are a few creepy moments here and there, and some decent gore for good measure. A lot of it seemed practical as well which is always a plus. The little CGI on display is a bit dodgy, but a minor gripe.

Overall then, Jennifer's Body is an imperfect, but solidly entertaining splatter film that tries to capture the struggles of being a teenager, and kind of succeeds, and is certainly worth a watch.

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Mehndi Designs 2016 10,000+

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Best Mehndi Designs and Henna Tattoo Collection Mehndi Designs is an application that presents to...

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Blackberry Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen, #17) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

It's been four months since Hannah last found a dead body, and the only thing on her mind is getting her mother to settle on something for her wedding. That is until a sever summer storm forces Hannah to lose control of her car and hit a man, killing him. But no one recognizes him. Who is he? And what was he doing in Lake Eden?

There is little that changes in the lives of the characters, but I still enjoyed visiting them again since I found them their normal charming selves. The cliffhanger at the end definitely made me want the next book out soon. Can't believe I have to wait a year to find out what happens next.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/03/book-review-blackberry-pie-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

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Russ Troutt (291 KP) rated The Irishman (2019) in Movies

Nov 28, 2019 (Updated Nov 30, 2019)

The Irishman (2019)

2019 | Biography, Crime, Drama

8.2

(37 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Some people paint houses. Some people paint our screens with incredible performances. I have been looking forward to seeing The Irishman all year and it was even better than I could have hoped for; what a story. Not sure which excited me more, just seeing Pesci back on the screen, De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci all together on screen, or Scorcese back behind the camera(even if I disagree with his opinion on Marvel movies). This movie is packing some serious heat in regards to the supporting cast as well. I was a little nervous when I heard they were using cgi aging technology, but if was very well done. The movie's run time is as long as a mid 70's Lincoln Towncar, but cruises along just as smooth, and just like Jimmy Hoffa's body the time disappears.