#horror Archives - Page 15 of 16

The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)

If horror films are meant to shake you out of your comfort zone, this one definitely qualifies. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense though and that’s a pity because some movie goers like sense.

The Blackcoat’s Daughter

“Two girls must battle a mysterious evil force when they get left behind at their boarding school over winter break.” -IMDB

Cast

Emma Roberts Joan
Kiernan Shipka Kat
Lucy Boynton Rose
Lauren Holly Linda

Directed by

Oz Perkins

Written by

Oz Perkins

Other Info

Horror, Thriller
R
Fri 14 Oct 2016 UTC
93min
IMDB Rating: 5.6

Imagine a director capable of creating Secretary and Legally Blonde. Were there ever any films so different? He meshes the two in a way with this film, combining horror with young college girl challenges.
Emma Roberts and Lucy Boynton plpay opposing roles and they do a spectacular job. The whole world fell in love with Boynton in Sing Street. The other had lesser parts in Aquamarine the series and Nerve. Their lovely faces are part of what makes this film so entrancing. It helps you weather the mystery, enjoying their performances.

These girls are at a boarding school at end of term. They seem to have been forgotten by their parents. Meanwhile, the priests and nun’s appear of a certain evil. There is a pan away set of scenes with another girl whose identity is unknown. The spanse of the film consists of figuring our what the hell is going on. Some would say we di in the end, I might question that.

I’ve never been big fan of non-linear stories. I like it when there is a little at the beginning or end but not throughout. I sense that’s what’s going on here. How can you interpret what people do if they may be in the past or future? It’s quite frustrating at times. What I do like here is the darkness and shadowed images. These actors do a great job and the screen is full of fearful scenes. What can make these characters do evil acts? We are left to figure that out for ourselves. Lots is left to the imagination. So,e may find that appealing. In this case, I saw that as a detractor to its quality.

FINAL THOUGHTS
We may not have to understand the killer completely but a few clues as to his/her motives help with the scares. A dark movie visually is more scary when the content is understandable dark and mysterious. This film doesn’t make it entirely clear why people do the things they do, even kill. For the mood and horror feel, I give it props but for lacking sensibility even on a low level, it lost points with me. I would recommend it to those who don’t require a lot to be explained in films.

6/10

Pet (2016)

Kidnapping and caging a woman may be fine and dandy in a BDSM play ritual, like perhaps in Fifty Shades of Grey, but in this film it’s not asked for or welcomed and that’s a horror most people can’t imagine.

Pet

“A psychological thriller about a man who bumps into an old crush and subsequently becomes obsessed with her…” -IMDB

Cast

Dominic Monaghan Seth
Ksenia Solo Holly
Jennette McCurdy Claire
Da’Vone McDonald Nate

Directed by

Carles Torrens

Written by

Jeremy Slater

Other Info

Horror, Thriller
R
Fri 02 Dec 2016 UTC
94min
IMDB Rating: 5.7

Pet isn’t the best thriller of 2016. I’ll venture to say 10 Cloverfield Lane is that. But it has its moments and if nothing else, you wonder what such a stupid psycho killer will do next. Since this film is still quite new, I won’t engage in spoiling the twist. Suffice it to say, I saw it coming. The film does raise the interesting and creepy question as to whether you or I could handle this sort of entrapment and confinement. What lengths would we go to to be set free?

Dominic Monaghan (Lost) plays the “touched” psychopath well. He’s an animal control officer by day which is rather fitting since he’s a killer in his off hours as well. But this movie isn’t about killing so much, it’s about confining someone, holding them against their will. If you’re like me, that’s a quite uncomfortable notion. This film definitely makes you feel discomfort all throughout. Is the end satisfying or mundane and noncreative? You be the judge and then let me know in the comments.

FINAL THOUGHTS
In the final analysis, this is not an amazing piece of craftmanship. We see a lot of tired conventions seen in prior thrillers. You might be tempted to yell at the screen to help avoid a few times but it probably won’t work. Despite the weak script and tired conventions, the raw fear of being detained against your will is what makes this film worth watching. That is such a scary prospect for most people, I think the film would work regardless of any flaws. The question is: does it work in an amazing way I feel like writing more that 355 words about? No. I recommend it for a light hearted scare/thrill.

6/10

‘E.T. The Extra Terrestrial’

ET might as well be subtitled ‘A Gen-X childhood.’ Those of us who were around age 10 in 1980 received this film that was aimed right where we live.

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Cast

Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote

Directed by

Steven Spielberg

Written by

Melissa Mathison

Other Info

Family, Sci-Fi
Rated PG
115min

Suburbs had been a thing in the 60’s and 70’s but they were blooming all over the American map in the 80’s. ET isn’t the only film from that decade that features them prominently. They are still very much with us today but there was rarely a time when new suburban plots and neighborhoods reminded so many people in America of home. The alien named ET is the interloper who walks across the suburban threshold and gives us an accounting of what we’ve done and where we’re headed. There is also a part of ET that will always appeal to any child. He is the little green man with magical powers that all the kids want face time with. He’s the pet on the street that every kids wants until the next cute one comes along.

ET came on the heels of Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I remember seeing ads, on paper, that described what the film was going to be about. It explained the meaning of the term ET “Extra Terrestrial.” A creature from a place other than Earth. There was no photo but I think his green finger was pointing. This built incredible suspense or me at that age about a mysterious creature that Steven Spielberg was going to show us.

When the film starts out, we are in a tract home kitchen. There are Mexican designs like stucco visible but it might as well be a cookie cutter copy of what most American kids recognized as home. The kids are playing a board game and a single mother is supplying them with munchies, a pizza is on the way. This could not be more Americana, to me anyway. What makes it even more close to home for me is the way the mother (Dee Wallace) is a real estate agent. My dad was a real estate agent most of my young life in an Orange County city called “Mission Viejo.” It looks almost identical to the town in this film.

There is a little sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore) and an older brother Mike. Elliot is the middle child who makes the strongest connection with the alien. One night, after being left behind by his ship, ET is discovered by Elliot and that’s where the meter play begins. We get an other-worldly look at ourselves as earthlings through the eyes of this alien called ET.

Spielberg has been making movies that do this for decades. If you recall Back to the Future and the way it took us on a ride back to our childhoods to observe the choices the characters made and how they affected their future. Wouldn’t it be grand to go back and change things? I think it’s a very human thing to wonder that and therefore Spielberg’s film appeals to many. ET has a conflict with grow ups (who might report him to the authorities) and the government, NASA to be specific. In the film, I think Spielberg is showing us about ourselves and the way we want to conquer and own something alien rather than respect and learn from it.

There’s a hypnotic effect that comes from scenes with ET. He is such a creative figure. I heard that Spielberg wanted to make a creature that appeared ugly but would still be endeared to children and adults because of his mannerisms and actions. For many years after the film was released, there were ET shirts and toys selling off the shelves. Watching ET, especially in the final scenes, almost puts me in a trance every time I watch it. He gives the film a dreamy aesthetic that evokes wonder without fear.

I remember the Halloween scene so well because it reminded me of when I would go trick or treating. ET is still being hidden from the mother but the kids pull it off by pretending he’s Gertie dressed up like a ghost in a sheet. He is about her height. To me, this movie is more of a flashback to my childhood than a move plot to be reviewed. I would recommend it to any human as a heartwarming film about childhood. At the same time, know that it is a little sing-song and certainly there is no intense action or definitely no horror. This is a family film with enough of an edge to keep it highly suspenseful and engaging. It has the fingerprint of its household name producer on it for sure. As a classic film of all time, I highly recommend it to you.

The Cell (2000)

Looking back at J Lo in this reveals and/or reminds the appeal she had even in 2000. She’s a detective out to catch a serial killer and he is quite elusive indeed.

The Cell

“An FBI agent persuades a social worker, who is adept with a new experimental technology, to enter the mind of a comatose serial killer in order to learn where he has hidden his latest kidnap victim.” -IMDB

Cast

Jennifer Lopez Catherine Deane
Vince Vaughn Peter Novak
Vincent D’Onofrio Carl Stargher
Colton James Edward Baines

Directed by

Tarsem Singh

Written by

Mark Protosevich

Other Info

Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
R
Fri 18 Aug 2000 UTC
107min
IMDB Rating: 6.3

The most important thing to note about this film is its visuals. They are creepy at least and horrifying at most. The visuals make this more than just a serial killer cat and mouse chase. Through a new technology, we get to see inside his thoughts, even through the murders themselves.

This movie may be hard to watch for some who are not open to its avaunt garde approach. It’s surreal and not always clear as to where people are or what is really happening.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Even by today’s standards, the effects in this are stunning. The acting and stories are not the best in this genre but they aerve the story well enough to make the film a fun ride. Despite it’s few flaws, I recommend it.

8/10

We Go On (2016)

Don’t go messing with the dead, that’s what this film is letting us know. Perhaps it’s better that door remain closed.

We Go On
“Paralyzed by his fear of dying, Miles Grissom is offering reward money to the first person who can show him a ghost…” -IMDB
Cast
Annette O’Toole Charlotte
Clark Freeman Miles
John Glover Dr. Ellison
Giovanna Zacarías Josephina
Directed by
Jesse Holland, Andy Mitton
Written by
Andy Mitton (screenplay), Andy Mitton (story)
Other Info
Drama, Horror, Thriller
Tue 07 Feb 2017 UTC
90min
IMDB Rating: 6.4

This is a pretty good idea for a movie but it certainly doesn’t belong on a big screen. This film is enjoyable but not clever or ultra-creative in any way. To put it bluntly, we’ve seen this before. It’s a lot the The Sixth Sense the way supernatural and/or dead things cross his path. Unlike that film however, there are no mysterious curves in plot that deserve discussion over coffee.

I suppose the film is good enough on the couch as you’re preparing to fall asleep. The jump scares are very mild and nothing really comes close to scary or jarring. Will our hero learn about and believe in the afterlife? That is the question. He pays for a full page ad in the paper asking people to give him proof and the movie him seeking that proof through strangers. Do we go on? I won’t say, watch if you want to see what this film maker thinks.

Final Thoughts
This film is better suited to the drama genre. Nothing horror here but the same old tired cliches of seeing dead people. Having said that, it is cleanly made and has a beginning, middle, and an end so it’s something just worth watching at home when you are seriously out of any impressive horror to watch.

My Rating: [usr 6 text=”true” tooltip=”false”]

I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016)

I actually enjoyed this movie despite its nonsensical plot and unbelievable characters. As a thriller with some horror and a lot of gore, I think it’s a good choice.

I Am Not a Serial Killer
“In a small Midwestern town, a troubled teen with homicidal tendencies must hunt down and destroy a supernatural killer whilst keeping his own inner demons at bay.” -IMDB
Cast
Christopher Lloyd Crowley
Laura Fraser April
Max Records John Wayne Cleaver
Karl Geary Dr. Neblin
Directed by
Billy O’Brien
Written by
Billy O’Brien (written by) &, Christopher Hyde (written by) …
Other Info
Drama, Horror, Thriller
Not Rated
Thu 29 Sep 2016 UTC
104min
IMDB Rating: 6.2

Here we have a main character from Where the Wild Things Are. It was cool seeing him on screen again, though I must admit I had to run and look him up. The other astounding feature of this film is the amazing and timeless Christopher Lloyd. He has a new “Marty” in a way in this odd film.

John Wayne Cleaver is a teenager by all accounts. He broods, he yells, he laughs. We never see him doing it, but he probably smokes pot! He is a student of killers and unwittingly has to track and eliminate a killer in their town. Be careful what you study kids!

FINAL THOUGHTS
This film is not a genius piece of writing but I did enjoy it. It definitely takes one on a thriller journey through the body parts of the morgue and the knife trails of a serial killer. Remember the title though as you predict the ending! Some will be turned off by this film’s quirkiness and frankly, terrible characterization in acting and writing. Still, if you’re a horror buff and like those teen angst characters, you’ll love this give it a try. Oh yes, and then there’s Christopher Lloyd!

My Rating: (6.5 / 10)

Museum of Pop Culture Seattle – Horror

Going today.

Intruders

“He WAS your friend, NOW he’s a doorstop.”

Fans of “Panic Room” may really like this one. A group of under thirtysomething males break into the protagonist’s home on a tip there is cash there. She surprises them and delivers some top-shelf girl kickass.

Intruders (2015)

Cast

Beth Riesgraf

as Anna Rook

Rory Culkin

as Dan Cooper

Jack Kesy

as J.P. Henson

Directed by

Adam Schindler

Written by

T.J. Cimfel
David White

Other Info

Drama, Horror, Thriller
Rated R
1h 30min

This is a girl kicks ass movie but there’s is another element. Madness keeps her in the house where she has remained ever “since daddy died” which we are given no exact time on. She nursed her cancer stricken adult brother in the house for years until he died and then even at his funeral she still will not leave the house. So, her madness is an extra element not always seen in “girl kickass” movies.

Beth Riesgraf plays Anna Rook, the heroine/protagonist. She is well known for her role on “Leverage” which I must admit, I now want to see more of. She’s very talent with a ton of potential. This is an excellent revenge type role but it wasn’t received well by the critics. I hope Beth Riesgraf gets roles that get her more exposure, she’s very talented. By the way, if you remember Rory Culkin from “Signs” as a child actor, he reappears in this film as the delivery guy. Buy, his look has changed.

I’d say this film is mostly a thriller and less horror that the posters promote it as. We do find out some horror elements exist like the frozen hand in the freezer and the makeshift dungeon in the basement. Still, this is a thriller with a fairly decent script that holds the viewer’s attention. It has a strong concluding scene that I fond very creative. Overall, I highly recommend it. As is my common theme lately in my reviews, you can’t always trust Rotten Tomatoes. This is a creative and fun thriller with an added mental illness factor. It spent a little too much time developing the relationship with her dying brother and I found that cumbersome. Still, I enjoyed it and highly recommend it. Now I’m off to watch “leverage.”

Life (2017)

Director Daniel Espinosa has given us a great space action horror flick. There’s a good lesson here too that we’ve seen before in movies like Jurassic Park: Don’t mess with nature.

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[imdblive:posterRemote_nolink]
“[imdblive:plot]” -IMDB

Cast

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Directed by

[imdblive:directors_nolink]

Written by

[imdblive:writers_nolink]

Other Info

[imdblive:genres]
[imdblive:certificate]
[imdblive:date]
[imdblive:runtime]min
IMDB Rating: [imdblive:rating]

It starts like any other space team film. You might even expect the label predictable. still, if you want a Big Mac, there’s nothing better to satisfy your hunger. People who liked Alien and Gravity will like this film. Scene for scene it’s a lot of the same stuff. Creature is brought aboard, impossible to kill. Yeah. There is an ending eerily similar to Gravity but I will spare you the twist.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is a great ride. While parts seeem highly borrowed, I chose to enjoy it and let it rock me. I would have liked to have seen something more scientifically illuminating as the trailer and title alluded to. Still it’s a great thriller with horror elements that fans of these genres will enjoy. A lot of work clearly went into this. Too bad it’s a rehashed plot. Most people will enjoy it.

3/5

Devil

One of Director M. Night Shyamalan’s stories was adapted into a screenplay and made into a movie. This is a different way to market something of his because he usually writes, produces, and even acts a small role in everything he makes. This time, he just gets the producer credit.

Devil is a combination of light horror (PG-13), mystery, and thriller. It’s hard to believe all three of those can be pulled off from inside an elevator but they are.

Devil is directed by John Erick Dowdle who recently directed Quarantine and The Poughkeepsie Tapes. He’s created a movie that looks smart and interweaves all three genres previously mentioned to make a scary, engaging movie that adolescents and adults will love. This film is not for kids. There are some bloody scenes that kids shouldn’t see. Having said that, it is pretty tame material for 13 and up.

The premise of this movie is that the Devil has entered an elevator at a metropolitan high-rise. The people locked in the elevator all have one shared flaw: they refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes in life. In each person’s case, the mistakes have caused death or other harm to befall innocent people. The Devil delivers justice in clever ways. There is a twist, as in all of M. Night’s movies. The twist reveals the mystery and so ends the movie.

The acting is top notch. The cast is a set of relative newbies. A notable performance however is given by veteran actor Jenny O’Hara. All the acting in this movie is given with a visible purpose and it makes the mystery all that much more fun to try and figure out. You feel like the characters are so real, you have a chance at figuring out what the end point will be. I find it incorrect that the movie is being marketed as a horror movie. I almost missed it because of such marketing. It is more than that. It reminds me of Rod Serling’s short Twilight Zone episodes. We can take a moral element from it and that is rare in today’s sound byte movie culture. So, to do my part for my blogging ‘compadres,’ I’m clearing up the misconceptions. This is a smartly crafted film. There are a lot of movies out there that are scary, but not many that leave you deep in thought as Devil does.