Reviews

Flick from the makers of the The Witching Season web anthology takes one of those tales and expands it to feature length. The story is simple. Writer Jake (James Morris) is looking for inspiration, so he and his daughter Dani (Emily Broschinsky) stay in a haunted house on Halloween. The Booth House has a past filled with witches, madmen and murder and Jake may get more inspiration than he bargained for.

They Live Inside Us is written and directed by Michael Ballif and acts as both stand alone film and an anthology film in itself, as we visualize Jake's various story ideas as he writes them. These segments are filled with Halloween imagery and many of the popular tropes, such as masked killers, living scarecrows and killer clowns (each played by lead Morris) all chasing a pretty woman (Hailey Nebeker). In between the segments, we see writer Jake slowly feeling and seeing the effects of staying in an allegedly cursed house with a terrible past. It's not quite as fun as the bits born of his writing ideas, but it certainly has it's spooky moments as the house brings Jake's tales and it's own story to life. A Halloween horror would not be complete without some spooky reveals and Baliff provides them in a chilling last act. It's moderately paced, but that suits the type of story it is. On a production level, the film looks good. Ballif has a really strong visual eye, especially for the All Hallow's Eve inspired stuff and his cinematography gives this some nice atmosphere and Halloween spirit. There is also a really cool house location and a very atmospheric score by the aptly named Randin Graves.

The cast is solid. James Morris is good as Jake. He could have been livelier in a few scenes, but nails it when it counts, such as his scenes with dead wife Cynthia (Stevie Dutson). He also has fun playing all the film's Halloween creepers. Emily Broschinsky is good as Jake's precocious, paraplegic daughter Dani. The two actors have a nice chemistry together and sell being father and daughter well. Hailey Nebeker gets to show various degrees of fear as the "Woman in White" in Jake's stories. The actress does however, get to do a bit more once Jake's stories and the house's history collide.

This movie shows a lot of love for the spooky season and of horror films in general from Michael Baliff. It's not perfect, but one can really see the labor of love put into it and Baliff's passion for all things Halloween and horror, show through. Baliff knows the tropes well and knows how to use them effectively. It's certainly worth a look and has enough spooky moments to make it a nice new flick for watching during The Witching Season. Available to rent on streaming networks such as Amazon Prime and on blu-ray.

Bobby Roe's fun 2014 found footage horror had five friends deciding to take an RV road trip to seek out and find the most extreme and scary Halloween attractions...they get more than they bargained for. The film was actually inspired by a documentary Roe made three years earlier with the same premise. He, Brandy Schaefer, Mikey Roe, Jeff Larson, and Zack Andrews all pile into an RV and seek out the scariest Halloween haunts they can find. The five friends take us through a tour of quite a few halloween haunts, focusing on Schaefer going inside, experiencing the haunts and then interviewing owners, employees and attendees. It's fun and as Roe pursues the notion that some haunts employ real deviates and use actual corpses in their exhibits, one can see where the 2014 film idea grew from. This leads to tracking down the elusive Blue Skeleton Inn haunt which closes this amusing documentary in theatrical fashion.

If you are a fan of the 2014 film, and it's 2017 sequel, this is actually a must see, to give you some nice background on how those film's came about. It is also a good way to get to know the real people behind the movie characters and some of the real haunts that made it into the films. It's also a fun look at Halloween haunts and the pursuit of the scariest way to spend Halloween. The documentary is currently found as an extra on the Houses October Built blu-ray, making the disc a real bargain, if you are a fan.

Shudder Exclusive opens with something being released from the ocean floor near a beachfront community, something that soon gets into the water supply and air. At the same time, young couple Randall (Noah Le Gros from Depraved) and Emily (Liana Liberato) arrive at Randall's family beach house to sort out some relationship issues. When they arrive, they find friends of Randall's father staying there as well, couple Mitch (Jake Weber) and Jane (Maryann Nagel). The older couple is the least of their worries, as whatever is seeping out of the ocean floor begins affecting and infecting the local lifeforms, including both couples.

The film is basically Lovecraft's The Colour Out of Space set at the beach, instead of a rural farmhouse, as written and directed by Jeffrey A. Brown. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as it is unsettling and spooky as people begin to get sick and change. The fear of infection element is always present and extremely relevant in these COVID 19 times. It's Liana (2013's Haunt, not the Shudder flick from last year) Liberato's likable heroine Emily, though, that really makes this work for us, despite the familiarity with Richard Stanley's The Color Out of Space Lovecraft adaptation released this past January. Emily is smart and understands what's going on, somewhat, which makes it all the more frightening as she tries to survive it. It's a now familiar story, but done very well, especially since Brown creeps us out in broad daylight and in such a picturesque North Truro, Massachusetts settings. The make-up and visual FX are solidly rendered and they are used sparingly enough to be effective when they are presented. Worth a watch. Streaming now on Shudder.

Malevolence 3: Killer opens with the final scenes of the first film...remember, Bereavement was a prequel...with serial killer Martin Bristol (Jay Cohen) escaping into the woods. Martin, in true Michael Myers fashion, returns to his childhood home town and begins a killing spree. He leaves a trail of bodies as he returns to the house he was born in, which is now home to pretty student and musician Elle (Katie Gibson) and her roommates Tara (Kelsey Deanne) and the vivacious Lynn (Alli Caudle). Drawn to the three girls, Martin begins stalking them, killing anyone who crosses his path. All the while Agent Perkins (Kevin McKelvey) is hot on his trail in hopes to stop Martin before he kills again.

Malevolence was a solid slasher homage giving us elements that evoked both Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Bereavement was something all it's own with a portrait of a deranged killer (Brett Rickaby) teaching his grim trade to kidnapped little boy, Martin (Spencer List). With the third installment, Stevan Mena returns to a more traditional slasher film with the adult Martin paying his home town a bloody visit and a trio of young girls picking the wrong house to preside in. As such, Mena crafts another solid slasher flick much on par with his original. The film doesn't quite have the emotional resonance of his creation of a serial killer prequel, though there are some scenes with Martin's grieving mother (Ashley Wolfe) and grandmother (the legendary Adrienne Barbeau), which work nicely on that level. In most slashers if the killer's mother is still alive, she's usually portrayed as equally deranged, so this was a nice change and added some depth. Most importantly, the film does do what it's supposed to do and does it well. It's paced much like the slashers of the early 80s with a moderate burn till the last act. There is some traditional skin shown by it's lovely cast and the kills are bloody and brutal, yet grounded, so they keep their impact and avoid the outlandishness of many other slasher franchises. Mena's killer is effective and needs no mask to elicit chills and his prey are a likable group of girls and neighbors, so we feel for them. When that last act comes and Martin and Elle throw down, it's intense and bloody as Agent Perkins closes in...but will it be in time? On a technical level Mena's shots are excellently framed, that and his cinematography evokes Carpenter and Dean Cundey in the very best way. The film looks very good for a low budget flick and except for a few shots of Katie Gibson's hair changing length a bit, there is really no evidence the film had such a troubled production. Again, a filmmaker's passion and perseverance found a way to complete his vision.

Cast-wise Mena hits a home run with the casting of Katie Gibson as Elle. Her Elle is sweet, strong and a very likable young lady. She is also tough and resilient when Martin finally moves in for the kill. She's a great final girl in every sense of the word and even gets to play a variation of the traditional babysitter, when, thanks to Martin, her young neighbor Victoria (Victoria Mena) finds herself all alone. If Stevan Mena continues this franchise or makes another horror film, I hope he brings Gibson along. As Martin, Jay Cohen is an imposing figure. He doesn't speak, but isn't hidden behind a mask, so the actor has to display his cold blooded-ness with only his eyes and facial expression and he does so very well...and rememeber, Martin also has congenital analgesia, so he can't feel pain. Kevin McKelvey returns for his third go as Perkins and fits the mold of the "Dr. Loomis" of the film. He's tough and strong, yet there is also compassion, as he recognizes that in some ways Martin is just as much a victim as he is a killer. This touch helps Perkins avoid being a stereotype. Barbeau is effective in her few scenes as Martin's grandmother, as is Ashley Wolfe returning as Martin long-suffering mom. In support, Alli Caudle and Kelsey Deanne are likable as the saucy Lynn and studious Tara, respectively and it is sad Scott Decker was not able to complete his role, as Agent Roland is a likable character with, unavoidably, too little screen time. RIP.

Overall, this was a solid slasher and another example of Stevan Mena's love of the genre. IMO Bereavement is one of the best horror films in the last ten years and Mena wisely doesn't try to replicate it. Sequel instead returns to basics to display the results of Graham Sutter's (Rickaby) work in Martin. It has a moderate pace echoing it's influences and delivers the goods from some bloody kills to a resilient and very endearing final girl. Mena overcame some heavy obstacles to complete his trilogy and one hopes the trilogy becomes a series and Malevolence 4 will be a smoother production and come sooner than the eight years between these films. Mena is yet another filmmaker people need to be talking more about and another example that you can get your film made!

The story opens the same night as the massacre at The Blackwell Hotel, with pretty morgue attendant Amy (Danielle Harris) about to leave her shift and head out to celebrate her birthday. But, with bodies from the massacre heading in, Amy decides to stay and help her co-worker Seth (Kaj-Erik Eriksen) with the added workload… and thus her friends, including vixen with a morbid side, Tamara (Katharine Isabelle) decide to surprise her at the morgue with an impromptu birthday party. But, there is still some life in the prone corpse of vicious serial killer Jacob Goodnight (Glenn "Kane" Jacobs) and soon he rises from his slab, with an assortment of postmortem surgical tools at his disposal, to continue his work by slaughtering the "sinners" who are partying in the morgue. Will any of them escape alive as Goodnight seals them in and begins adding to the bodies already stored there?

With the Twisted Twins taking over from ex-porn director Gregory Dark, the film is an improvement over the first one and for some very surprising reasons. The Soskas are working from a script by Nathan Brookes and Bobby Lee Darby and thus it doesn't quite have the delightfully eccentric tone of Mary, that they wrote themselves but, it does have their style and does have a bit more fun with this slasher sequel than the deadpan and too-serious-for- it's-own-good first flick. And at first I was a little disappointed as the film started out and seemed to be a bit routine coming from directors whose work is anything but, until the second half suddenly cranks things up considerably and that's where the film surprised me a little bit. And it's not with the kills, which are cool, that the Soskas really got my attention with, but, with some surprisingly poignant moments between the characters, mostly involving Harris' Amy, that really resonated and really added something to the proceedings. It's been a while since I've seen a slasher/horror that took the time to have such nice character moments between the carnage and it really added to the endearment of those characters and the suspense of wanting them to get out of there moderately intact. The film also deviated at times from the slasher formula and that added some freshness to it and the Soskas, as with American Mary, give us some disturbingly gruesome moments but, without going overboard or being gross for gross sake like SNE #1. A little restraint makes the violent moments all the more effective when they do come… and there are a couple that elicited an out loud "whoa" from me as I watched. Add in some nice moody cinematography by Mahlon Todd Williams that takes good advantage of the city morgue setting and a nice score from The Newton Brothers and you have an entertaining little slasher that does have the usual slasher plot holes… such as, are there so few exits in such a large public building that Goodnight could seal them all on all floors and without anyone knowing, and why are the guests' cellphones locked in a safe?… but, it still entertains like it's supposed to.

As for the cast… "Kane" is as imposing as ever as Goodnight. Harris does really strong work here. Not only in creating a little depth for Amy, who has chosen a career that is obviously not popular with her family, but, really shines in some of those character moments I mentioned before. Amy is a strong, though slightly cynical, heroine with guts and a heart. She also has a nice chemistry with Eriksen, who is good as Seth. Seth is crushing on her big time and she knows it and the scene when they reveal their mutual feelings for each other works really well and the actors' chemistry makes it work despite there being a 7 foot madman stalking them at the moment. Isabelle is a hoot as the promiscuous babe with a dark side, Tamara. It's not a deep role as her Mary Mason and it seems like, this time, she's having some fun with a more ditzy part and letting Harris do the more serious emoting. Her postmortem lap dance for Jacob Goodnight's corpse is a fun number, to say the least. The rest of the cast are solid and despite Amy's brother Will (Greyston Holt) being a bit of a self-centered jerk, we have a fairly likable cast of supporting characters with Chelan Simmons as pretty blonde Kayla, Lee Majdoub as Tamara's boyfriend Carter and Michael Eklund as the chief morgue attendant Holden. A much more endearing bunch than the angry delinquents that populated the first flick.

So, See No Evil 2 may not be a classic but, it is a solid and entertaining slasher that has some surprisingly effective quieter moments in-between the well-orchestrated carnage. The Soska's bring the action and suspense, especially in the second half and even with it's barely 90 minute running time, give us some nice resonating character scenes bolstered by it's lead actors especially, Harris, who does some of her best work. And that's what impresses about the Twisted Twins the most… they can deliver some very sick and twisted moments but, can also deliver some poignant quiet moments in between, just like the little conversations between Mary and Lance in American Mary. Another intriguing film from two of the more original filmmakers out there.

I am a big fan of Mike Flanagan's low budget chiller Absentia so, I was very much looking forward to his next flick. And Mr. Flanagan didn't disappoint. Supernatural horror starts out introducing us to two siblings, Kaylie (Karen Gillan) and Tim (Brenton Thwaites) Russell. 11 years ago a horrible incident occurred in their home leaving their mother, Marie (Katee Sackhoff) and father, Alan (Rory Cochrane) dead, with 10 year old Tim incarcerated in an institution. From appearances, Alan murdered his wife and Tim killed him in self defense. It's over a decade later and Tim has just been released and his older sister has come to help him get back on his feet… and destroy what she claims is the real culprit in their parents' deaths. After years of treatment Tim sees the murders as a simple case of domestic problems and negative emotions gotten out of control. His father driven to torture and kill their mother and he, forced to defend himself and his sister by killing their dad. A tragic but, rational explanation. Kaylie believes it to be the influence of a demonic entity that lives in an antique mirror purchased by their father for his office. While Tim was away, Kaylie has been planning to prove her belief, once and for all, and has tracked down and procured the mirror through her job as an antiques dealer and brought it to their still vacant former home. She convinces Tim to join her on calling out and destroying the sinister force that she believes, from her research, has left a trail of bodies and tortured souls for over 100 years. Is Kaylie delusional and in need of treatment herself, or has Tim's treatment created a more practical way of rationalizing an even more horrible truth? Director and co-writer (with Jeff Howard) Mike Flanagan crafts an intelligent, inventive and really creepy horror film that certainly has it's share of out-right scares, especially in it's last act. But, much like his spooky Absentia, Flanagan never bludgeons us over the head with the horror and thus keeps it effective by keeping us from getting numb to it. As with his previous flick, he doesn't give us everything at once and plays with our heads for a bit as to whether Kaylie is creating a supernatural fantasy to avoid the realities of the domestic horror she witnessed or, is Tim candy-coating the nightmarish truth with the psycho-babble fed him by his doctors? The film is a moderately paced but, constantly unnerving and creepy build-up as the siblings delve deeper into the events that occurred over a decade ago and Flanagan… who also edited… deftly mixes in flashbacks to those horrible events and seamlessly blends them so that at times they all seem to be happening at the same time and in the same space. It's really disturbing as we try to figure out if these two are finally reliving and facing what happened, or, is there an evil presence in that mirror that is happy to make them experience again the memories that torment them most. It's in the last act where the full truth is revealed and I will say no more except to be ready for the film to deliver the goods when the time is right. It's an intense and scary ride Flanagan takes us on to get our answers, made all the more effective due to the skilled and disturbing build-up by a director who makes good on his potential. Again, Flanagan also has an underlying theme about the effects traumatic events have on a our lives. With Absentia it was the emotional effects of a missing loved one and not knowing their fate. Here it is growing up and living with the trauma of witnessing domestic abuses and violence. He weaves these into his story subtly so they are not intrusive to the plot but, they are there. And that is one of the things I like about Flanagan's work and especially with this film, he knows when to be subtle and when to get intense and he does both here to maximum effect. Sometimes less is more and Flanagan's instincts are good at knowing when to feed us an underlying creepiness and when to outright scare the pants off us. It's what makes Oculus work so well and made Absentia such a treat. He knows what degree to feed us the films elements and when. He is also clever with his use of the traditional elements so, they appear fresh. The director also gets good work from his cast with Gillan and Sackoff really standing out here with strong performances but, the acting is solid all the way around. No one ever goes over the top even when the film is in full scare mode, the performances stay grounded and thus more effective. He got good work out of Katie Parker and Courtney Bell (who has a cameo) in his last film and seems to have a knack for writing and directing strong female characters that aren't stereotypes or caricatures. The film is not perfect, but, it's flaws are very minor and I loved that when the blood does flow, it was practical effects as did a lot of the make-up and effects seem to be. If digital was used, it was excellently rendered so it was not noticeable which, in a film like this, is the way should be.Overall, I really enjoyed Oculus and how it was equally effective in it's subtle moments as it was in the more intense ones. It never overloaded you with plot elements or the horror elements and fed you the answers to it's mysteries gradually so it held your attention till it was ready to let you have it.. and the final act does exactly that. A smart, disturbing and sometimes downright scary horror from Mike Flanagan. Also stars Annalise Basso and Garett Ryan as young Kaylie and Tim respectively.

Even someone like me who has been watching movies for almost 5 decades and can be very cynical about them at times can be pleasantly surprised occasionally by a movie I wasn't expecting much from. Odd Thomas is one of those pleasant surprises. Based on a book of the same name and the following series of novels by Dean Koontz, Stephen Sommers' adaptation tells the story of Odd Thomas (Anton Yelchin) an eccentric young fellow who lives in Pico Mundo, a small town in California, and has a very unique talent. He is a clairvoyant who not only sees dead people but, other unearthly spirits as well. Odd Thomas… his real name… uses his special gifts to not only bring justice to those whose deaths are caused by foul play but, to thwart evil in general whenever it rears it's ugly head. He has a beautiful, loving girlfriend Stormy (Addison Timlin) who understands his powers and is very supportive and acts as a sidekick and a good friend in the local police chief (Willem Dafoe) who is grateful to Thomas' ability to find the guilty and prevent heinous acts before they are committed. But, there is an evil brewing in Pico Mundo signaled by the appearance of a strange man (Shuler Hensley) surrounded by demons and a rash of nightmares suffered by Odd, and some close to him, that foretell of a coming doom… a doom that even Odd Thomas may not be able to stop. But, Odd is going to try, even if it costs him his life. Despite being a far smaller film then Mummy and G.I. Joe director Stephen Sommers is used to, he brings his creative energy and fine-tunes his over the top style to give Odd Thomas a fast paced and eccentric tone that perfectly fits the material. He also creates some very creepy moments with his visual eye and crafts some very tense and suspenseful sequences especially in the nail-biting last act. But, what really made Odd Thomas a special treat for me was the combination of Sommers' witty script banter and the wonderful work from his cast, especially lead Anton Yelchin. Yelchin creates a very likable hero who is saddled with a great burden and yet, not only uses it to do good and defeat evil but, is actually happy to do so. The banter between he and adorable leading lady Addison Timlin really creates a delightful character dynamic between the two and totally makes the relationship between this strange yet noble young man and his spunky and fiery girlfriend work. It's very effective and makes you really care about both of them. The same goes when either character is on screen with Dafoe. The dynamic between the three characters is a delight to watch and really is what makes an already good supernatural suspense thriller even more enjoyable. Timlin and the veteran Dafoe shine in their parts and are great support for what is Yelchin's show, one he carries to perfection. Shuler Hensley is also creepy and unsettling as "Fungus Bob"… Odd's name for the man who triggers the events of the film… but, he is just the tip of the iceberg and I will say no more as the less you know going in, the better it draws you into Odd's attempt to uncover the diabolical plot in the making. Odd Thomas is an odd and off-beat but, very effective film from a writer/director usually more at home with bigger, more comic book style stories. But, here he shows he can also take things down a few notches and gives us some chills and entertainment on a smaller and more intimate scale. He can also gives us some very endearing and three dimensional characters to go with his story. And this book-based story of evil, both supernatural and human created, and the young man who stands in it's way, is very entertaining if anything. A really fun and very pleasant surprise. Shame this flick is getting dumped unceremoniously onto home media when so much junk gets a theatrical release.

In 2010 there was a chilling documentary called Cropsey about the real-life disappearances of five children in Staten Island and the urban legend it spawned. Now from Chiller TV, the director of Cropsey Joshua Zeman, is back with a new and equally unsettling documentary taking on four more classic urban legends and the real-life crimes that inspired them. Zeman and researcher Rachel Mills travel across the U.S. and dig deep to find the truth that inspired some of America's most chilling campfire tales… and truth is always scarier then fiction. Zeman and Mills first travel to Houston, Texas to investigate the murder of a little boy poisoned by tainted Halloween candy and quite possibly the case that started the popular fear-inducing Halloween urban legends of candy filled with glass, razor blades and poisons… of which there are actually no recorded incidents aside from this sad tale. We learn of the death of 8-year-old Timothy O'Bryan in 1974 and the intense police investigation which culminated in the arrest, conviction and eventual execution of the "Candyman", the man who poisoned the Pixie Stick that lead to Timothy's death and the start of these scary Halloween tales. Even more shocking was the man's name was Ronald Clark O'Bryan… the boy's own father. Proving the most frightening ghouls and goblins are the ones living in our very own backyards. The duo next take us to Columbia, Missouri to tackle the popular urban legend of babysitters being stalked by unknown fiends with the heart breaking rape and murder of young Janett Christman in 1950, who was sexually assaulted and strangled while babysitting for a local family. We are treated to an investigation that finds how the popular urban legend was fueled by the possibility that the same man may have committed a number of similar crimes and was never caught…though some unfortunate individuals were blamed for his heinous acts. Even more chilling is their research points to a man who was questioned but, never connected to the crimes… a man some of the victims knew as a neighbor and friend. This segment was particularly disturbing to think someone got away with murdering these poor young women and actually might have lived among them in plain sight. Zeman and Mills then travel to Texarkana to investigate a series of brutal murders of teens at a popular make-out spot that occurred in 1946 and inspired not only the urban legend of the "Hookman" but, the chilling horror classic The Town That Dreaded Sundown. We get another chilling investigation into a series of attacks and murders by a man dubbed "The Phantom", a crime spree that was never solved and even more unsettling is how the town is still haunted by these horrific events decades later and it has provoked some equally disturbing customs from the residents. Our final segment is sure to send goosebumps rippling up and down arms with a story touching on the fear of clowns and some really creepy clown cases and tales from the windy city of Chicago. For decades Chicago has suffered reports of clowns driving around in white vans trying to lure children inside and even more disturbing is that there are actually police reports and eye-witness accounts of this occurring… and the reports suggest there were more then one of these 'clowns' stalking the city. Thankfully, no children were abducted... that we know of. It's a case that has never been solved. We also get an in-depth look into a city that was home to the world famous Bozo The Clown show and to perhaps the spookiest clown creep of them all… John Wayne Gacy, who was convicted of killing over 30 people. Where did the fear of clowns originate?… Chicago apparently! All these stories are given some very thorough investigations by the documentary filmmaker and his researcher. We get some bone-chilling facts, shocking crime scene photos, interviews with those involved and visits to some of the actual locations which these real-life crimes and occurrences took place. It's very informative and the information provided can really be unnerving as we find the true start to some popular urban legends and the movies they inspired. And Zeman and Mills take us on this journey of discovery, eagerly trying to get to the bottom of these cases from which some of our culture's scariest bedtime stories have spawned. They dig deep and it's not only fascinating but, also quite horrifying that, in most cases, the perpetrators were never caught, or worse still, the wrong person was charged or suspected of the crime. And what better way to start an urban legend then an unsolved real incident?… and Zeman and Mills are more then happy to give us some hauntingly all-too-real facts that will make one sleep with a light on far more effectively than any movie or bedtime story. A very effective and disturbing documentary that chills and informs equally.

The previous entry in this found footage franchise was widely panned as the weakest of the series even by fans and while I didn't think it was as bad as it was made out to be, it was still the lesser of the series and was showing a franchise in need of either fresh ideas and more daring directions or a final chapter to wrap it up. The Marked Ones is definitely a good start back in the right direction and a spooky sign that these movies may not be done yet, if this is where things might be headed. Fans of this series will be happy to know that not only does this supposed "spin-off" get PA back on track but, is more reliant on actual scares than jump scares and answers a lot of questions that the other films have set up. It ties in perfectly with the previous entries and yet is it's own flick. The movie starts out with friends Jesse (Andrew Jacobs), Hector (Jorge Diaz) and Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh) who live in an urban neighborhood and have a downstairs neighbor Anna (Gloria Sandoval) who is said to be a witch. One night this 'witch' is murdered and Jesse and Hector… who are always filming things with a new camera… choose to sneak into her apartment and poke around. They find the woman's journal and it does indeed seem to indicate this mysterious woman was into the black arts and was part of a witch coven seeking to build an army of demon possessed first born males. Jesse wakes up the next morning with a bite mark on his arm and things start to get weird and Jesse's behavior starts to change with heightened aggression, strength and an almost supernatural ability to keep himself from harm. This causes Hector and Marisol to investigate further… which includes meeting with Ali Rey (Molly Ephraim) from Paranormal Activity 2… and they soon find that Jesse may have been marked by this coven since before birth to become the next soldier in this nightmarish army. Can they save him or will Jesse be damned like the others before him? Writer/director Christopher Landon answers that question… and many more… with a truly 'crap you pants' finale following a fun and scare filled flick that is both familiar and fresh at the same time. He knows how to build scares and he does so slowly with a film that builds it's momentum steadily till a really intense last act that leads up to one of the best horror movie endings in quite a while and a climax fans of this series will love from between the spaces of the fingers that are covering their eyes. Landon cleverly ties this flick in with the previous entries and we get references galore and revisit a few familiar settings as well. As for the return of any other familiar faces other then Ali, you'll have to see it to find out. The cast are really good here. Our three leads are very likable and supply some fun laughs early on especially from Diaz's lovable goof-ball Hector. Jacobs makes a solid leading man and we like Jesse and feel for him as it becomes obvious he is in deep supernatural trouble. The camaraderie between the three makes Hector and Marisol's efforts to save him seem real and the risks they take believable… and messing with demonic worshiping witch cult is risky, as we find out. So, in conclusion Christopher Landon has things back to form and even shows promise of more intense things to come. He makes good use of the found footage format which is far less obtrusive here then in the last flick and he has a nice visual style to add to the atmosphere. This is also the most violent entry in the series and one of the scariest since the first flick so, this film earns it's R rating from more then just a few curse words and snapped necks. And if nothing else, Landon gives his Latino themed entry in this series a really great ending that will stick with you for a while after leaving the theater, especially if you are a fan. Now with Paranormal Activity 5 being released October 2014, hope they can keep this new momentum going. It may still not attract any new fans to the series but, should rejuvenate the interest of fans disappointed byPA4. Well done and a lot of scary fun!

I have to start out by saying that I have never read the Hunger Games books and therefor am taking the movies for what they are. That being said, I enjoyed the first film, it was no classic but, it was entertaining and Jennifer Lawrence gave a strong performance as usual. But, sadly the second film based on this trilogy of popular books is a moody and bleak disappointment. Catching Fire picks up with Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) about to embark on their victory tour to be paraded like show ponies through the districts. But, Katniss' act of defiance that provoked the unprecedented two winners in the 74th Hunger Games has sown the seeds of dissent throughout the 12 districts and is seen by The Capitol as a symbol of rebellion. President Snow (Donald Sutherland) himself visits Katniss to warn her to play nice on the tour or her family and friends will suffer the consequences. Meanwhile Katniss is suffering from the horrible guilt of having to kill and watch others she bonded with die and no matter where she goes, she finds herself being looked up to as a symbol of hope against the totalitarian government and her own contempt for The Capitol grows each day. Snow's new game-maker Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) proposes a solution to their woes... to make the 75th Hunger Game a battle between selected former winners of the games from each district and to make sure Miss Everdeen is not amongst the winners this time. Now, as the wind of rebellion is starting across the districts, Katniss and Peeta must fight once more and this time against proved killers. Will the shell shocked Katniss survive once again or will the country's hope for freedom be crushed with the death of their symbol of defiance. Catching Fire is this time directed by Francis Lawrence who gave us the moody and bleak fantasy flicks Constantine and I Am Legend and brings that same dark and grim atmosphere to this middle chapter of the book based trilogy and to be honest little else. Fire is a rather dull and by the numbers sequel with a very sedate and bleak look to go along with it's oppressive atmosphere. I realize this is a story of a land governed by a cruel and iron fisted government who are planning to basically execute the peoples' first glimmer of hope so, I didn't expect rainbows and unicorns but, when a movie like this' best scene involves a dress, then you know there's not much going for it. Even with Katniss being inserted into another combat, the 75th Hunger Game provides very little action and literally no suspense as it focuses on Katniss and group of allies commiserating in the jungle arena with very little threat save some poison gas and some foul tempered primates. Their actual foes rarely put in an appearance, save when their pictures are displayed above in the sky to signal their demise... most of which prompted this reviewer to ask "who the hell was that?" And that's also a problem, we only get to know the participants that are crucial to the plot and the rest are just fodder to try to give the game some urgency and body count... and it doesn't really work because, we never really care about these people and some we have never even met. To be honest save for a few moments, such as the before mentioned dress scene, I was pretty bored with what was going on. Katniss never seems to be in control like in the first film and spends most of the film pouting or having combat flashbacks and we never get endeared to or behind her like in the first flick. Here she seems to stew in her unhappiness and let others around her do all the work till literally the last few moments of the film. And it's not until the very last scene do we finally see the fire back in the eyes of the girl on fire... then we are left with an open ending leading into the third flick. Sorry, but for someone who hasn't read the books, this was completely unsatisfying. The cast all perform their roles just fine with Harrelson once again standing out and giving a strong turn as Abernathy... he has become one of the best actors out there... Sutherland is appropriately slimy and singer Lenny Kravitz also impresses as Cinna. As for leading lady Lawrence, she is good and gives the part a lot of emotional depth but, since most of those emotions require her to pout, cry or have a screaming out-burst, it's just hard to warm up to Katniss this time. And as for her co-star, like in the first flick , Hutcherson recites his lines with does eyes making his every scene appear like he's posing for a velvet painting. And does Katniss really love him or the hunky Gale (Liam Hemsworth, Thor's brother) because, I am confused at this point and not sure I care. So, in conclusion, this second Hunger Games failed to get my interest or emotional involvement in the story because, it was just too dark and bleak and gave us a lead character who, instead of being a symbol of hope, looked like she was ready to climb under a blanket on the couch and pout with a gallon of ice cream and a bottle of scotch. And after watching this moody second installment you might want to too! At least the sets and FX were top notch and Harrelson and a few others elevated their performances above the dark cloud that hovers over this flick. Very disappointing.

Blackfish is a very effective and heartbreaking documentary from Gabriela Cowperthwaite that portrays the psychological effects captivity has on the killer whale, a creature known for it's exceptional intelligence and a surprisingly wide array of emotions. While a predator, the killer whale also has never been known to harm a human being in the wild yet, Blackfish reveals that the effects of their treatment in captivity may have changed that as a number of injuries and deaths have been attributed to these normally majestic and human friendly animals. The documentary uses the story of Tilikum, a SeaWorld resident and one of the largest killer whales in captivity who has been involved in not one but, three deaths including two trainers and one individual who chose to sneak into the park at night and was found dead draped over the animals back the following morning. While SeaWorld has attributed these deaths to trainer error or in the case of the park intruder, accidental drowning, the condition of the bodies revealed by autopsies indicate otherwise. We are painted a picture that depicts an organization that keeps these large animals in small dark tanks for hours, takes babies away from their mothers at only a few months old and puts the very family oriented animals in with unfamiliar members of it's species resulting in bullying and aggressive behavior. We get interviews with former trainers who describe the sad and sometimes cruel way these majestic beasts are treated and how SeaWorld likes to paint a far different, almost fairy tale like picture of the animals' life there. The footage we see and the trainer testimony is organized in a very effective profile of an intelligent animal that is normally gentle and friendly towards humans whose life in captivity frustrates and twists them till they become violent and aggressive to not only each other but, towards their keepers as well. And to be honest it is not only heartbreaking but, aggravating to watch. Not only for the whales treatment but, at the audacity of SeaWorld to blame the injuries and tragic deaths on the trainers themselves and not the emotional scarring of the animals they work with. The recent death of trainer Dawn Brancheau is especially focused on here and you watched with clenched fists as this woman who obviously loved her job and the animals she worked with was brutally killed by an emotional outburst by Tilikum only to have SeaWorld blame her death solely on her. If this documentary sounds bias, to a degree it has a point to make and in it's defense SeaWorld was offered a chance to appear on camera and tell their side and refused, only now issuing a statement refuting the film now that it has been shown and gotten attention. So, while the film does give a very negative view of theme parks like this and it's effects on the animals that are captive there, it wasn't like the theme parks weren't given an opportunity to have their say. And by letting Cowperthwaite paint her emotional and heartbreaking story with actual footage and testimony unchallenged, we get a powerful and moving indictment of a business that seems to turn a blind eye to it's treatment of animal and trainer alike and the sometimes fatal repercussions it has, as long as those turnstiles keep turning and the money keeps rolling in. A very effective documentary and more of an emotional impact then most films you're likely to see.

Thor was one of my favorite of the Marvel Phase 1 movies. I loved it's fun mix of fantasy and real world adventure and thought Hemsworth made a noble and very likable hero. And now the Norse God turned superhero is back in his second solo adventure and a welcome return it is. Thor: The Dark World opens 5000 years earlier with an alignment of the planets being taken advantage of by the Dark Elves and their leader Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) to unleash a weapon called The Aether which will convert all the worlds into dark matter where only the Dark Elves may exist. Thor's grandfather Bor (Tony Curran) defeats the invaders and they are assumed destroyed and The Aether is hidden away never to be found... or so Bor hoped. But, in the present, the worlds are aligning again and the long dormant Malekith and the remaining Dark Elves seek to destroy all once more and, as fate would have it, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) stumbles upon the hidden weapon and it is absorbed within her. Now hunted by Malekith, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) brings Jane to Asgard against Odin's (Anthony Hopkins) wishes and must somehow find a way to stop Malekith, banish The Aether and save the woman he loves and all the known worlds... and the only one who can help him is his devious step brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) imprisoned in Asgard's dungeons by Thor's own hand. This second solo adventure is this time directed by Game Of Thrones and Deadwood director Alan Taylor who creates a much grittier and down to Earth version of Asgard then the bright and magic kingdom-ish version we saw in the delightful first feature directed by Kenneth Branagh. It's still recognizable as Asgard and it blends perfectly with the first Thor but, we get to see far deeper into the city and into it's halls and pubs and get a more lived in and functional look at Thor's homeland. The tone of the film is also darker at times and that was a nice change from the upbeat first film and Avengers but, so not to get too dark or grim, the film is punctuated with a lot of fun and humorous sequences especially those involving Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard), the latter's trip to Stonehenge being especially hilarious. I thought the humor and the darker story elements were blended just fine and there was plenty of action and strong drama throughout till the big free-for-all ending set in London where Thor and Malekith finally get to throw down. And the action and special effects do not disappoint, they are top notch as all the previous Marvel films. The budget is on screen in all aspects from sets to costumes to FX. Taylor gets good work from all the cast. There are some nice character moments in between the drama and destruction and all the actors are now very comfortable in their roles and work very well together. Hemsworth is once again a noble hero who has grow since his first visit and the battle in New York. He and Portman still have a nice chemistry together and I liked their scenes especially when Thor has to explain where he's been for two years. Dennings gets a bit more screen time and handles it well getting some of the bigger laughs and Hiddleston is once again scene stealing as Loki. It was also nice to see Rene Russo get a big scene and have a bit bigger part this time and Hopkins is still endearing as the weary but, majestic Odin. We also get some nice scenes with supporting characters Heimdall (Idris Elba), Sith (Jaimie Alexander), Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), Fandral (now Zachary Levi) and Hogun (Tadanobu Asano) but, those expecting expanded roles from this bunch will be disappointed. Newcomer to Thor's world Christopher Ecceleston, is OK as villain Malekith but, he really doesn't make a strong impression or stay with you after the film is over. To me his somewhat tepid villain is the film's only real stand out weak point. Taylor's interpretation of Don Payne and Robert Rodat's script is highlighted by a moody score by Brian May and some nice cinematography by Kramer Morgenthau. Overall, Thor: The Dark World is a very entertaining follow-up that gives us enough of the action, drama and suspense we are looking for and takes it in enough of a different direction to keep it fresh but, not straying too far to alienate us. It's not perfect, as stated the villain could have been stronger, there are a few slows spots here and there especially in the first half and earlier on we can tell there was a bit of editing to manage the running time but, for all the entertainment we get, those minor flaws can be overlooked. A fun and worthy sequel to both Thor and The Avengers and certainly less schizophrenic then the mixed bag that was Iron Man 3. As with all Marvel films stay through the entire credits for not one but, two additional sequences and keep an eye out for a couple of really fun cameos. Another solid bit of entertainment from Marvel and Disney.

Lovelace is a well made if not somewhat flawed biography of Linda Lovelace (Amanda Seyfried), the first bona-fide porn superstar who appeared in the equally legendary adult film Deep Throat. While I'm not quite sure that the narrative structure completely works, the film is elevated by some really good performances all around from it's good cast. The film's story is basically told twice. First we have a fun look at girl next door Linda Boreman who comes from a home with an overbearing mother (an almost unrecognizable Sharon Stone) and upon meeting her future husband Chuck Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard), embarks on a journey into making the adult film classic Deep Throat… a film that basically ignited the porn industry's growth into the billion dollar industry it is today… and becoming an overnight sensation herself. The first half of the film portrays it from the outside appearance of this wide eyed girl becoming a star practically overnight by making one of the most infamous porn films ever made. She even gets to meet Hugh Hefner (James Franco) who tells her she has what it takes to be a true star away from porn. But, then we jump six years later to Linda getting ready to publish her memoir "Ordeal" and then we jump back to the beginning to see the true story of what happened including the horribly manipulative and physically abusive treatment by husband Traynor who forced her into prostitution and then the production of the legendary porn flick all to fund his own life of excess. We then see how she was physically abused and forced into sex acts with other men for money in some very effective and horrifying sequences. We get to see the effect on her and how it ruined the relationship between her and her parents for many years until she finally got the courage to leave Traynor and the adult industry and start on a path to a new life that included releasing her memoir and becoming a feminist as well as a wife and mother. And this is where I feel Lovelace had it's biggest problem. I just don't think telling the same story twice from two different perspectives really worked to the benefit of the story. At a little over 90 minutes that basically gives us 45 minutes to cover the same events twice instead of telling the full story from start to finish and covering more ground. I appreciate the concept of telling the story from first the public's point of view of what happened to then showing us how it really was but, to me the mood shift is very jarring from the more entertaining perspective of her rise to infamy and then this harrowing and heartbreaking story of her abuse at the hands of her slimy husband. Both halves taken individually are done well and are effective but, don't quite work as well as a whole. A more traditional narrative might have better suited the material. But, what makes this film really worth seeing are the good performances from the actors. Seyfried gives her best performance yet and is exceptional at presenting both the public and private sides of Linda Lovelace's life during her fame and then her escape to living a somewhat normal life and crusading against porn and domestic abuse. Sarsgaard is equally good portraying the charming man on the outside and the insecure and abusive monster that lurked behind closed doors. A man who had no problem selling his wife to a room full of scumbags for a gang bang. As her parents, Stone is almost unrecognizable and also gives one of her best performances as Linda's overbearing mother Dorothy and Robert Patrick gives an emotionally filled performances as her father John who cares deeply about his daughter but, appears afraid to assert himself in front of his wife. The supporting cast are equally solid with Juno Temple as Linda's friend Patsy, James Franco as Hugh Hefner, Hank Azaria as Deep Throat director Gerard Damiano and Chris Noth as Deep Throat investor Anthony Romano who starts to see Chuck for who he really is. Overall I liked Lovelace especially for the performances. Directors Rob Epstein and Jeffery Friedman do a good job recreating the era and giving the scenes the emotional depth they need it's just that the narrative structure robs us from appreciating the emotional contrast of seeing both sides of the story as it occurs instead of revealing it all in one big flashback. The script by Andy Bellin seems solid but, again, we have the narrative issues it's structure causes. A good film, not a great one but, one that does still have an impact and is really made worth watching for an exceptionally good cast. Also stars Wes Bently, Adam Brody, Bobby Cannavale and Debi Mazur as Dolly Sharp.

Gravity isn't just a good film, it is a great film. I have been watching movies for well over 4 decades and this might have been one of the most emotionally harrowing film experiences I have ever had. I rarely use the word masterpiece but, if this isn't one, it's damn close and as close to a perfect movie as I've seen in a long time. Gravity's story is simple, a crew of 5 astronauts in the space shuttle Explorer are working on additions to the Hubble Telescope. Mid-mission they receive news that the Russians have destroyed one of their own satellites with a missile test and debris has been sent rocketing close to their proximity… news which becomes a dire warning as the satellite debris has impacted other satellites and now a cloud of wreckage is heading right for them at an increasing velocity and they have moments to abort their mission and get out of harm's way. Despite their efforts to get out of danger, the debris hits them full on and only Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), who is on his last mission, are left alive tethered together with with Kowalski's jet propulsion pack running out of power and Stone running out of air. Can they reach the International Space Station and before the cloud of debris orbits Earth and returns? And if they do, are they even safe there? Co-written (with Jonás Cuarón) and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity is 90 minutes of one of the most emotionally gripping and suspenseful movie going experiences you're likely to have as he quickly establishes two very likable human beings who are put in one of the most frightening scenarios one can imagine. Cuarón not only gives us two people to root and care for but, his masterful camera work and the flawless SPFX create a vast and frightening void that is as beautiful as it is intimidating. One false move and you can be lost in the vast empty coldness and with no air and no one coming to your rescue. Cuarón uses a lot of POV and stunning camera shots to put us in space right there with our two stranded astronauts and we experience what they do and feel their fear every step of the way. Not to mention that the Children Of Men filmmaker gets two Oscar worthy performances out of Clooney and Bullock and these veteran actors create two very endearing three dimensional characters we embrace all the way and are right along with in experiencing every heartbreaking setback and grasping every glimmer of hope. The film is truly an emotional roller coaster ride that most movies promise but, few can actually deliver. By the time the credits rolled I felt I had been through everything the characters had and thanks to Cuarón's skillful directing and wonderful script, I had. An exhilarating, harrowing and wonderfully suspenseful movie that is more then just a film, it's an experience. A must see movie! Best film of year for me and doubt I will see anything as powerful for some time.

Insidious: Chapter 2 starts up almost right after the original Insidious ended with Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) Lambert reunited with their son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) after his spirit was held prisoner by a demon in an afterlife dimension called 'The Further'. But, as we saw in the final frames, something else was now inhabiting Josh's body and it had strangled paranormal investigator Elise (Lin Shaye) to death. We pick up as the unsuspecting family, including older son Foster (Andrew Astor) and their infant daughter Kali, have moved in with Josh's mother Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) while police investigate Elise's mysterious death in their house. They are barely moved in when supernatural occurrences start to begin again with objects moving, spectral voices, apparitions appearing and dear old dad acting very strange. While Renai tries to deal with the fact that supernatural forces are still with them, Josh tries to convince her all is well and Lorraine decides to team up with Elise's former assistants paranormal investigators Specs (Leigh Whannell who also wrote the screenplay) and Tucker (Angus Sampson) along with one of the original investigators from Josh's childhood haunting, Carl (Steve Coulter) to get down to the bottom of these haunted hi-jinx once and for all. And that is all I will say about the story as, despite some familiar trappings, James Wan (The Conjuring) takes this installment in some clever directions and once again uses the familiar elements very well. We get to know the story behind the evil woman in black seen in the last film and even revisit The Further though, this time it is inventively linked to events in the first film. The pace is a bit slower and more methodical this time round but, since this film is a bit of a mystery as well as haunting, it takes it's time to let the story unfold and secrets be revealed. We still get some spooky scenes but, it is refreshingly mixed in with Lorraine and co's equally goose bump inducing investigation. And what they find is deviously fun. The film is not quite as lively as Insidious part one but, I liked the mystery element and the film earned points with me for using it's return to 'The Further' a bit more clever and less silly then last time. That is the point where the first film lost it's grip on me and here I like how it was done and was with this supernatural chiller up to the spooky end. Wan is a good director and he takes what could have been a ho-hum retread and makes it a fun follow-up. He gets good performances out of all his cast and while I found Patrick Wilson to be bland in both Insidious and The Conjuring, he gets a far more lively performance out of him here. He gets to ham it up a bit and it suits him. The film has some beautiful and creepy visuals, as is Wan's trademark, and Joseph Bishara's score adds some nice atmosphere too. So in conclusion, while the story elements are more familiar; we've seen some of it before and the pace a bit slower, Wan does give us a spooky mystery to add to the paranormal activity and makes much more clever use of his otherworldly 'Further'. He also gives us some clever answers to the questions left by his first Insidious and that all adds up to a spooky fun time at the movies. Also stars House Of The Devil's Joceline Donahue as young Lorraine in some equally clever flashback sequences that tie into the rest of the film in a fun way.

As a huge fan of writer/ director Neil Blomkamp's District 9, I couldn't wait to see what he came up with next. Now after a 4 year wait, his sophomore flick Elysium has arrived. I liked Elysium. I was certainly entertained but, it does have some problems that keep it from reaching the standard set by District 9 such as, a bit of an overloaded story and some surprising overacting by a few principles. Elysium tells the story of the future Earth of 2154. The planet is overpopulated and ravaged and the rich and powerful have moved off planet to the enormous space station of Elysium where they have every convenience and luxury, while the rest are left to labor and wallow in the mess. Enter ex-con Max, (Matt Damon) a man trying to work hard and stay out of trouble and prison, while dreaming of reconnecting with childhood sweetheart, Frey (Alice Braga). An accident at work leaves Max fatally poisoned with radiation and with 5 days left to live, Max needs to get to the only place where he can be cured, Elysium which is off limits to the poor inhabitants of Earth. Max turns to crime-lord and hacker, Spider (Wagner Moura). Spider will get Max on Elysium if he helps steal the information about all it's access codes stored in the brain of one, John Carlyle (William Fichtner) who, unknown to Max and Spider, is working with Elysium Secretary Of Defense, Delacourt (a surprisingly miscast Jodie Foster) to overthrow Elysium's president (Faran Tahir). Still with me? Needless to say Max now has information that Delacourt will kill to get and is being hunted by her henchman, Kruger (Sharlto Copley) all the while trying to find his way to Elysium to heal himself. Throw in strength enhancing exo-skeletons, Frey's sick daughter and we have a Sci-Fi action soup with a lot of ingredients. Elysium does have a bit of an overcomplicated story and while it is not hard to follow, it just has a lot of elements to it as, once again, Blomkamp tackles the theme of 'the haves and the have-nots, as he did in District 9. We get the contrast of the over populated slum Earth has become to the spotless and perfect living conditions the wealthy enjoy in Elysium which, floats above in Earth's orbit as a constant reminder of how little we all are to them and how they are so above us. The message is not subtle but, Blomkamp skillfully keeps it from overwhelming things with so much else going on. There is a lot of fast paced action and with a complex story as we have, the director keeps things moving very quickly. The excess of plot doesn't slow things down though one feels it might have served the film if things were streamlined a little bit and there weren't quite so many players in the game. And as for the players, Damon and Braga are strong though Braga's Frey really doesn't get that much screen time till the last act so we don't identify with her as much even though we do get treated to flashbacks of she and Max as kids in an orphanage. Damon proves once again he can be an action star yet with some nice depth, giving Max some layers that enhances his character much like his surgically attached exo-skeleton enhances his strength and agility. Sadly it's veteran actress Foster who seems to be miscast here. She never quite strays into camp but, plays Delacourt like one half stereotypical bureaucratic douche and the other half Roger Moore era Bond villain complete with unidentifiable accent. It sticks out awkwardly in what is a serious Sci-Fi flick as does District 9 star Sharlto Copley, who is completely over the top as Kruger. Which is disappointing consider how good he was in D9. A calmer demeanor would have made him more threatening. Neither characterization seems to fit in with the more grounded performances of the leads and more serious tone of the film. Joining them is Wagner Moura who is just weak and tries to compensate by over doing it as Spider. An actor with a bit stronger presence who doesn't need to try as hard would have worked better. But, there is still plenty to like about this film. It's story may be complicated but, there is a lot of action to move it along and some delightfully gruesome moments splattered here and there as this future's weapons do make a mess. The last act especially is quite thrilling and has a nice emotional impact to go with all the explosions, gunfire and mechanically enhanced hand to hand combat. The SPFX are flawless, the design is breathtaking and the film could easily take place in District 9′s world. The score by Ryan Amon suits the film well, though reminded me of Dark Knight Rises a bit, but, that's not necessarily a bad thing. So, all in all I liked Elysium and recommend it especially if you enjoyed District 9. It's a bit meatier then most summer fair so, those who are tired of moody superheroes might like being given a bit more to chew on. Just be prepared that there is a complex story to digest along with the action and that a few of the veteran cast members just don't seem right for their roles. Entertaining despite it's flaws and another strong role from the versatile Damon.

One of my all time favorite horrors and one of my favorite John Carpenter flicks, in fact, since I was too young to see Halloween when it came out, this was the first Carpenter film I saw in a theater and the flick that started me on my love of his movies. The Fog tells the story of the 100 year anniversary of the small coastal California town of Antonio Bay and as the town prepares for it's centennial celebration, a dark secret is revealed. Legend has it a leper colony paid the founders of Antonio Bay a lot of gold to let them settle nearby but, they were betrayed and murdered as their ship was lured into the rocks to crash and sink. All were lost but, now a horde of vengeful spirits returns from the sea, wrapped in a surreal fog, to make the descendants of those who wronged them pay with their lives. The Fog focuses not on a main character but, a group of central characters whose individual experiences during this supernatural crisis bring them slowly all together for it's tense and creepy final act set in the town church. A good cast, including Jaime Lee Curtis as hitchhiker Elizabeth, Tom Atkins as local fisherman Nick, Janet Leigh as centennial chairwoman Kathy WIlliams and Adrienne Barbeau as single mom and radio DJ Stevie Wayne, give life to this ensemble and make them characters we like and care about so, we fear for them when they are placed in harm's way. Add to that Hal Holbrook as the town's alcoholic priest and a host of Carpenter regulars, with even a cameo by Carpenter himself, and you have a film wonderfully filled with a variety of characters who are all potential victims for the marauding phantoms. And as for those phantoms, lets not forget to mention the ghostly Captain Blake (FX man Rob Bottin) and his vengeful crew who are portrayed with practical FX which makes them quite spooky and gives them a heavy dose of menace and a lot of effectiveness when they are on the attack. There is loads of atmosphere and some very solid scares and suspense created by Carpenter, along with some great cinematography from frequent Carpenter collaborator Dean Cundey, which makes this a good, solid, old fashioned ghost story and a fun Halloween treat. And Carpenter again delivers a score which adds chills and foreboding to his tale of ghostly revenge much like he did for Halloween and he starts the film off perfectly with a chillingly fun opening sequence with veteran John Houseman as a crusty sailor who likes to tell kids scary stories. It sets the mood for the thrills and chills yet to come. Made back when there was no phoney CGI, just solid make up effects from master Rob Bottin (who went on to do The Thing's FX for Carpenter) and some very basic down to earth smoke and mirrors style visuals that are as beautiful as they are scary. A great flick the likes of which they rarely make anymore. One of my must watch flicks during the Halloween season!

The Incredible Melting Man is a delightfully bad 1977 sci-fi/ horror about ill-fated astronaut Steve West (Alex Rebar) who returns from a space mission exploring Saturn's rings with a mysterious condition where his flesh is melting and he is radioactive. For some reason, just as mystifying as to how he got this way, (there is a hint it was caused by viewing the sun through Saturn's rings but, it's never confirmed.) Steve must consume human flesh to slow down the degeneration. As his mind degenerates too, West escapes the hospital and begins to chow down on the locals while he is pursued by friend Dr. Ted Nelson (Burr DeBenning) and Air Force General Perry (Myron Healey). As Steve melts more and more, the more locals, including Nelson's in-laws, fall victim to the stricken astronaut who becomes less and less human by the minute. Can he be stopped? Can the process be reversed? Who will be his next meal? All the questions are answered and if this kind of flick is your thing, you'll have a fun time watching the answers unfold. Despite it's less then 90 minute running time the film is methodically paced. There are a lot of scenes of West roaming around the countryside with the last moments of the mission playing over and over in his head while Dr. Nelson follows his trail with his handy Geiger counter. Most of the attacks are off camera thought there are plentiful shots of the gory carnage and one great shot of a dismembered head going over a waterfall and smashing on the rocks below. Aside from the gore and melting FX, which were done by the now legendary RIck Baker, there is plenty of hilariously bad dialog and unintentional laugh inducing situations. The film by writer/director William Sachs (Galaxina), has an uneven tone, though it's supposedly not all his fault. Sachs claims he wanted something more campy and fun like the sci-fi flicks of the 50s, while the producers wanted a more serious horror flick and these artistic differences give the movie an unbalanced mix of serious moments and much lighter moments. But, the thing is, some of the more serious scenes come across as unintentionally funny and some of the humorous scenes meant to be funny, aren't successful in their attempt and just come across as awkward. So they are entertaining but, not for the right reasons. Sachs just doesn't quite have the right touch to mix horror and camp as say, Joe Dante did in Piranha and The Howling though, it would appear that's what he was going for. But, either way, this production's heart is in the right place and the really cool work by future Oscar winner Baker is very effective… and of course all the intentional and unintentional entertainment it provides, is worth watching it for. The filmmakers were really trying hard here to deliver a new and horrifying movie monster but, the talent (aside from Baker) is just not quite there behind or in front of the camera and the disagreement between director and producers doesn't help either. The acting is just as bad as the before mentioned dialog and the inept cast stumbling around finding body parts both of the victims and the Melting Man, produce far more laughs then chills. Also, some of the conversations between gore scenes are hilariously inappropriate, given the situations the characters are in and it's hard to tell how much of this was intentional and how much was not but, it's entertaining either way so, ultimately, it doesn't really matter. To a degree Sachs got the kind of campy fun movie he was trying to make but, it's not totally on purpose. Made by the legendary American International Pictures, Melting Man has earned cult classic status and has become one of MST3K's funnier episodes and if you are a connoisseur of 'so bad it's good' cinema then this is a prime example. The added nostalgia of this late 70s flick only makes it even more fun. The kind of movie they sadly don't make anymore and a personal guilty pleasure of mine. Thankfully Melting Man is now available on a gorgeous extra filled blu-ray from the folks at Scream Factory!

t's been a 4 year mission to wait for a sequel to J.J. Abrams' awesome Star Trek reboot but, finally Star Trek Into Darkness has arrived. And while it's not quite up to the 2009 blockbuster, it is still a really entertaining 2 hours at the movies. The film opens with Kirk (Chris Pine) disobeying Starfleet's Prime Directive to save a primitive alien race and his Vulcan first officer, Spock (Zachary Quinto). When the Enterprise reaches Earth, instead of being handed the much coveted 5 year mission, Kirk is handed a demotion and Pike resumes command of the good ole NCC 1701. But, this speed-bump in Kirk's career doesn't last as a mysterious rogue Starfleet agent by the name of John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) launches deadly terroristic attacks against Starfleet and it's personnel. His actions put Kirk once again in the captain's chair with orders to hunt this dangerous fugitive down, on the Klingon home world of Kronos to where he's fled, and eliminate him. But, Kirk is not comfortable being an assassin and he and his and crew find that once they enter Klingon space and retrieve their quarry, that "John Harrison" is not who they think he is and they may be pawns in a greater conspiracy involving a Starfleet Admiral (Peter Weller) with a monstrous warship and his own agenda. Star Trek Into Darkness is a fun and fast paced action adventure that's only real problem is that it moves a little too fast and we'd like a little more time to allow the emotions of the events witnessed to resonate. Kirk's demotion is a good example as he is back in command in about 10 minutes of screen time and we really don't get a chance to appreciate this blow to the character's career and ego. Once the plot starts to unfold, the film is all too eager to get to the explosions and fisticuffs then to give us a few minutes to properly absorb the dramatic effects of what occurs. But, I would be lying if I said that what action Abrams delivers is not exciting and fun because, it is. This is especially true during an exhilarating last act which made up for some of the lack of real emotional depth earlier on. The script from Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof has it weaknesses but, ultimately I did like their twist on a familiar Trek character and how the new time line effected his involvement in Trek history. The cast is once again top notch and it is the involvement between characters that really helps keep this movie on target during some of the weaker bits. The combination of Abrams' direction, the script's character interaction and the cast, really give this film it's strength despite all the awesome action and eye popping SPFX. All the crew return from Trek 09 and are all really good, once again, at making these classic characters their own yet, still familiar. Trek's bad guy is played with relish by Benedict Cumberbatch, giving a strong performance as the main villain, though I just wish his character had a bit more screen time to be developed a bit more, to really appreciate and give the character more weight. And it's great to see Peter Wellar back on the big screen as Admiral Marcus, the Starfleet officer whose visions of war with the Klingon Empire have caused him to act against the very things he seeks to defend. And pretty Alice Eve is fine as Carol Marcus, the admiral's daughter and future Kirk love interest. The character has little to do for the most part but, Eve does well when Miss Marcus does become important to the plot. So in conclusion, I had a fun time watching this Trek sequel and while I wish it had a little more emotional depth in the first two acts and a little more development of some of the new characters, their is plenty of warp speed action to entertain and the film really delivers in the final act where it counts. Beam me up for Trek 3!

If Stanley Kubrick, Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci got drunk and decided to make a horror movie together, Lords Of Salem would probably be close to what you'd get. Even back in the White Zombie days, rocker/director Rob Zombie has always shown a heavy influence from movies, especially horror so, it's no surprise to see such influences in his films. And this time, Zombie sheds the 70s grind-house style that his earlier films have had and goes for something that evokes the work of the previously mentioned filmmakers and also some of the 70s occult themed flicks like the infamous Mark Of The Devil. To a degree, it is Zombie's most solid effort as director but, also his most experimental as Lords gets downright head trippy and surreal at times, especially in it's last act. If you liked his dream sequences in Halloween 2, there's lots more where that came from. Today's impatient audiences weaned on cookie cutter horrors and endless sequels may not appreciate what Zombie has done here but, to me it was a disturbing breath of fresh air. In a time of CGI phantoms and overused jump scares, I really like that Zombie had the courage to make something that aims to simply unsettle and disturb you with it's atmosphere and imagery and doesn't rely on cheap scares and elaborate post production hocus-pocus. Lords tells the creepy story of late night Salem DJ Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie) who receives a wooden box with a record in it from someone referring to themselves simply as "The Lords". When she plays the vinyl album she suddenly starts to have increasingly disturbing hallucinations and her life starts to spiral out of control. When author Francis Matthias (Bruce Davison) begins to investigate, he finds that an ancient evil in the form of a devil worshiping witch coven, once burned at the stake, may be returning to Salem and Heidi might be key to their vengeance. Director/writer Zombie tells his disturbing tale with a deliberately slow burn yet, never at any moment does he ease up on the atmosphere that something sinister and very wrong is going on here. Whether it's the haunting visuals that he fills the film with or the excellent use of Griffin Boice and John 5's score... which evoked Fabio Frizzi and Goblin at times... the film oozes atmosphere and keeps us involved even if the film's narrative flow doesn't always follow a tradition path. And as for the visuals, they range from haunting to shocking and as disturbing as they can be, they are also beautiful. This is certainly, at the very least, a visually striking film. And despite all the shocking imagery, I actually feel Zombie showed some restraint at times which made the horror elements all the more horrifying when they arrive. And Rob is not the only Zombie to watch here, Sheri, who proved she had some acting chops as Deborah Myers, is again very effective here as Heidi, a woman with emotional troubles and past bad habits who is being drawn into a living nightmare that she is not equipped to fight. Jeff Daniel Phillips is also good playing one of the two Hermans who DJ with her, a man with feelings for Heidi who tries to help her without knowing the true cause of her emotional down-turn. And Zombie also peppers his film with genre vets like Ken Foree (the other Herman), Meg Foster, Sid Haig and the effectively spooky trio of Dee Wallace, Patricia Quinn and Judy Geeson as Heidi's neighbors, who are more then they appear. Overall Zombie has created his most interesting work yet and one that won't appeal to everyone. It evokes a type of horror in the vein of Argento's early films or Fulci's The Beyond, that they don't make anymore. But, that's why I liked it so much. Zombie remembers a time before the MTV generation when horror films took their time to draw you in and had loads of atmosphere. He also knows, like those films, that there is a time to shock you too, and he does that well. And finally, he knows that sometimes the best way to make sure you leave the theater spooked is to not wrap everything up in a neat little bow and thus leave you looking over your shoulder when you are home at night. I would recommend this film highly for those who don't mind a slow burn and a splash of avant garde with their horror. Not perfect but, a really spooky flick for those that can appreciate it.

The original Evil Dead is one of my all time favorite fright flicks so, I was very apprehensive about a remake. With Sam Raimi, Robert G. Tapert and even Bruce Campbell on board as producers, I hoped the material would at least be treated with respect. Now having seen this new vision of one of the all time horror classics, I can say not only was the material treated with respect but, it is one of the best horror remakes and one hell of a nasty, scary, bloody blast. The best thing is that co-writer and first time director Fede Alvarez smartly takes the basic premise and does his own thing with it. This version has heroine addict, Mia (Suburgatory's Jane Levy) being taken by big brother, David (Skateland's Shiloh Fernandez) and 3 friends to an old family cabin to try to get Mia to quit her habit cold turkey. But, someone has been in the cabin since they were last there and something gruesome has definitely gone on inside with blood stains and dozens of dead animals hanging in the cellar. Of course there is also a mysterious book and within it ominous warnings that it not be read... so, of course, someone does... and at the same time Mia is alone in the woods... uh, oh... I don't need to tell you that soon Mia is possessed by some horrible demonic entity and the gruesome blood soaked nightmare begins as the ancient evil wants to claim them all. Alvarez really crafts a strong, gruesome and scary horror of the likes we haven't seen in a while. It's vicious and nasty with top notch gore and make-up that is done the old fashioned way without any CGI. When limbs fly... and they do, it is good old fashioned prosthetics and I loved the lack of CGI when it came to the ghouls and gore. Alvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues (Diablo Cody was supposedly hire to work on the script but, if she was credited, I missed it.) basically give us enough elements of the original to make it recognizable as an Evil Dead flick and thus fits in with the series but, makes the flick it's own animal. And that's the way to do a remake like this. And Alvarez is the real deal who knows how to make a good old fashioned horror movie complete with suspense, tension and intensity, not to mention, plentiful scares. He also gives the film a strong atmosphere and I really liked his visual style. He gets good work from his cast too, especially leading lady Levy whose character has a few stages to go through from heroine addict to a demon possessed creature to... well, you'll have to see to find out. Shiloh Fernandez is also very good, after a lifeless performance in Red Riding Hood he shows us the actor we saw in Skateland was no fluke. The rest, Lou Taylor Pucci as Eric, Jessica Lucas as Olivia and Elizabeth Blackmore as Natalie, do fine making their characters more then demon fodder and they are all likable enough to make us afraid for them when all hell breaks loose. The flick is not perfect but, any flaws are minor and can be overlooked due to all that is done right. Evil Dead 2013 may not be as groundbreaking as the original and only time will tell if it will be highly regard like it's predecessor but, it is a strong, visceral horror that gives equal parts suspense and scares with all the goo and gore. Maybe not quite a classic but, a film worthy of the title Evil Dead. Well done!

Frank Langella proves once again that he is one of the most underrated actors in the business with a great performance in this touching and whimsical story from Director Jake Schreier and writer Christopher D. Ford. This story, set in the near future, tells of retired cat burglar Frank whose slipping mental state causes concern from his kids and provokes his son to buy him a robot home assistant to take care of him. At first Frank hates his automaton companion but, then the two bond as Frank realizes he has a new partner to resume old habits. Robot is a cute and endearing indie comedy/drama that is given added weight by a wonderful performance from lead, Langella. He gives Frank multiple layers as a man who both enjoyed his life of crime yet, regrets the effect it had on his life and relationship with his kids. He also portray the frustration of someone trying to deal with the effects of aging and trying to overcome it the only way he knows how. It helps that he is surrounded by a good cast with James Marsden as his son and Liv Tyler as his daughter. Both trying to care for a man who wasn't there for them when growing up. Susan Sarandon is a local woman who catches Frank's eye and Jeremy Sisto as the local sheriff who becomes very suspicious of the retired burglar when a few thefts hit the small town they live in. A charming and very entertaining movie elevated by the opportunity to see a master actor at work. Also features Peter Sarsgaard as the voice of robot.

Pretty teacher Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and husband Charlie (Aaron Paul) are a young married couple who are also alcoholics. When Kate gets sick of waking up in strange places and peeing herself, she decides to quit drinking and get help. But, Kate faces an uphill battle as she gets resentment, not support, from her husband and to gain sobriety she may loose everything. What I liked most about this indie drama was that co-writer/ director James Ponsoldt avoids the melodramatics that usually come with films of this nature and guides his cast trough a real life situation and has them play real life people complete with quirks and all. And as for his cast, they all give good down to earth performances but, it is Winstead who owns the movie as the troubled young woman who wants to change the downward spiral of her life. She effectively portrays the frustration of her own behavior and then then hurt and anger when she tries to change her life and doesn't get the support she needs from those she cares about. Winstead shows chops that she hasn't yet had the opportunity to show and she gives a very real and effecting performance. True, I would like to have seen more of the relationship between Kate and her AA sponsor, Jenny (Octavia Spencer) and a subplot involving her vice principal, Dave (Nick Offerman), who has a crush on her and introduces her to his AA group, doesn't quite click but, this are minor points. Overall Smashed is a solid and heartfelt drama that doesn't preach yet, doesn't make light of it subject matter and gives a talented young actress a role she can really shine in. Recommended for those who are looking for a drama that's refreshingly un-Hollywood and want to see Winstead prove she's more then a pretty face.

A Good Day To Die Hard has a lot of problems. The story is convoluted, the villains are weak and when the action stops there isn't enough strong drama to keep us interested but, thankfully, the action rarely stops and it is quite amusingly over the top. This entry has John McClane (Bruce Willis) traveling to Moscow to try to see his estranged son, Jack (Jai Courtney) who has been arrested for murder. But, what McClane doesn't know is that Jack is a CIA agent and involved in a mission to bust a Russian millionaire (Sebastian Koch), with ties to terrorism, out of jail to get the 411 on his partner... who also has his own plans to bust him out of jail. It's no secret that McClane gets in the middle of things and once again becomes the fly in the ointment of all this Russian cloak and dagger. The result is the destruction of half of Moscow and what's left of Chernobyl to boot. The story is as much of a mess as it sounds but, I still had a blast watching the father and son duo wreck the former Soviet Union to stop the bad guys. The action scenes are ridiculously over the top and it's still fun to watch Willis kick butt, even though his one liners are getting tired and he gives you the impression that so is he of all this nonsense. How many times CAN one man get into so much trouble unintentionally? At least it's part of James Bond's job. It's the stuff between the action that has us looking at our watches as the dialog is weak and I can't understand how a guy who is such a kick-ass hero can be hated so much by his kids. If my dad whacked terrorists on a regular basis and constantly blew stuff up, I'd probably think he was pretty cool. The villains never seem threatening enough to make us believe they stand a chance against the McClane family but, I still enjoyed seeing them try and get their asses handed to them by Willis and Courtney, who could have a future as an action star. If there is a Die Hard 6, I hope they give daughter, Lucy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) a catsuit and a gun to join in the fun. Why not? Go in with moderate expectations and turn off the brain and enjoy the fireworks because, that's basically what this movie has to offer and on that level it can be a fun matinée if you just don't look for another classic like the original installment.

When you go to see a movie called Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters, obviously you don't go in expecting Shakespeare but, I did expect it to have a bit more of the giddy fun that Tommy Wirkola brought to his gory zombie blast, Dead Snow. And while I was amused and entertained by H&G, it actually took itself a little too seriously for a film about fairy tale characters grown up to be vengeful witch hunters. With an outlandish story like this, I can appreciate giving the material some respect and not making a joke out of it but, to really make it work you have to give it a bit more over the top like Wirkola did so well with Dead Snow. H&G has action that is bloody and fast moving but, the film needed a bit more of a sense of humor then a few curse laden quips and breaking the same person's nose, twice. This story of the fairy tale siblings coming up against a very powerful witch (Famke Janssen) with a devious plot to free her kind from the dangers of fire resembles the far more ridiculous Van Helsing to a degree but, could have used a bit of that flick's over the top energy, just not as out of control (though that does make VH a 'so bad it's good' treat). The film is well done and uses a lot more practical effects then expected and the minimal use of CGI was very refreshing. The cast handles their parts very well with Renner and Arterton having a good time as the bad ass witch killers and they played their roles with a serious approach but, not without a quick wink every now and then to let you know they are having a good time. Famke Janssen plays her part as the formidable witch with some over the top relish and that made a nice contrast to her stoic adversaries. Rounding out the cast Peter Stormare isn't given much to do as the town sheriff who is not happy that H&G have come to do his job but, he is more lively here then in The Last Stand. The film looks great. The sets and costumes are really nicely designed as are the various witches and their Troll, Edward (Derek Mears). The cinematography is lush and the locations beautiful. Visually this is a really cool flick. But, as said, Wirkola gives us a fast pace and some nice gory action scenes to entertain us but, he just needed to inject a little more fun in the proceedings to make this a real standout treat. Overall I did enjoy it but, it could have been so much more of a blast if Wirkola wasn't trying a bit too hard to not turn the material into a joke. There is a fine line to making a movie like this and Dead Snow proves he can walk it just fine. So why didn't he? An amusing enough viewing but, kinda forgettable when all is said and done.