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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Haunting (1999) in Movies

Mar 5, 2021

The Haunting (1999)

1999 | Horror, Mystery

5.8

(17 Ratings)

Movie Rating

The CGI (0 more)

Hill House

The Haunting- doesnt live up to the oringal, now thats with most horror remakes, and this is one of them. Liam Neeson and Lili Taylor did a good job. Why cast owen wilson, he does nothing in the film but just say "wow". Catherine Zeta-Jones was just there.

The plot: This horror tale focuses on visitors to the secluded mansion of Hill House who have been called to the isolated location by Dr. David Marrow (Liam Neeson) as part of a study on insomnia. However, Marrow is really investigating fear, and he plans to scare the subjects, including the introverted Nell (Lili Taylor) and the seductive Theo (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Unfortunately for Marrow and everyone staying at Hill House, the manor is actually haunted by an evil spirit out to torment its guests.

Steven Spielberg talked to Stephen King about doing a haunted house movie, and the two agreed that Robert Wise's 1963 film "The Haunting" was a benchmark of cinematic house horror, but after they started writing, the two had creative differences. Spielberg agreed with King's idea to use the real-life Winchester Mystery House, in San Jose, California, as a source of inspiration.

Just watch the oringal.

Kudos

Erika (17789 KP) rated Twelve Nights at Rotter House in Books

Oct 31, 2020

Twelve Nights at Rotter House

J.W. Ocker | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror

6.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

This book has stuck with me. I read Ocker's non-fiction book @Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items, the other day, so I decided to try out his novel.

In the first chapter, we find out that the original title of the book was 13 nights, rather than 12. So, obviously, something happened. The main character is a travel writer (like the author), and a skeptic (like the author), who decides to spend 13 nights in a supposedly haunted house.
There were hints, dropped throughout, as to what is actually happening, various movie and book references. Crimson Peak was the most obvious one.

After one night spent alone, the author's best friend comes to visit. There's some unspoken thing that happened a year ago, that's not all that hard to figure out. When things begin to happen, screams, apparitions, etc, the author explains them away. He is a skeptic after all.

The woman character/ghost, has a head that's split down the middle... wonder what that symbolizes.

Towards the end, the author gradually unravels. The end, with the twist... Honestly, I have mixed feelings about it. That's why I just rated this as ok. It was entertaining, and haunted me for about three days,

Kudos

Kristina (502 KP) rated Home Before Dark in Books

Dec 7, 2020

Home Before Dark

Riley Sager | 2020 | Mystery, Thriller

7.4

(5 Ratings)

Book Rating

Contains spoilers, click to show

To the best of my knowledge, I've read all of Riley's books. I've enjoyed them, for the most part. This one felt similar to Lock Every Door, but I think I liked it better. Unfortunately, I did not like it was much as Final Girls or The Last Time I Lied. The back and forth was a tad bit confusing, but it was interesting to see the parallels in The Book and Maggie's life. I think the most interesting part was trying to determine whether or not the house is truly haunted or if her father was making everything up. To be honest, I was a little disappointed in the ending. I was kind of hoping for the house to actually be haunted - but the scene at the end of The Book (when Maggie is lifted up to the ceiling and dragged around) didn't strike me as scary so much as cliché. While the story was spooky, it certainly wasn't scary or disturbing. I conjured up so many different theories, I don't think I'd have been satisfied with any ending. But as a whole, it kept my attention and made me curious about how everything would tie together, so it was still worth reading. Not necessarily sure I'd recommend, though.

Kudos

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A House of Bells in Books

Jan 9, 2024

7 of 220
Kindle
A House of Bells
By J.T. Croft
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A woman haunted by fate, a child silenced by fear, and a house full of secrets and bells.
1918. Stripped of her reputation and haunted by a spirit she failed to protect, the young governess Grace Meadows finds herself out of time and growing more and more desperate. But when she’s offered a strange job from an eccentric medium, she never could have imagined what she was signing up for.

Tasked with caring for a troubled young girl who has lost the ability to speak, Grace must unravel the dangerous secrets at the heart of a run-down country mansion and find the source of the horrors which now threaten both of their lives.

As she’s forced to confront her own demons and reconcile the ghosts of past and present, can Grace protect the child from the living and dead? And what is waiting for her beyond the mysterious silk and bells which protect them from forces unseen?

This was a haughtily beautiful gothic horror. It was so well written. The characters were endearing and dislikeable when needed. I’m glad to have found this author and looking forward to reading more.

Kudos

Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated Haunt (2019) in Movies

Oct 22, 2019

Haunt (2019)

2019 | Horror, Thriller

7.5

(11 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Entertaining

Just in time for Halloween. This movie had good cinematography and some nice gore effects(probably not for kids). The acting was decent. The story was your the typical kids go to a haunted house attraction that turns out to be one big death trap run by some psychos. I was cheering the protagonist on throughout the whole movie as she lost friends one by one. The ending was a little, odd, but cool as it didn't do the typical sequel setup they do so often. Overall, for you horror movie/ halloween fans, this one is worth a watch!