Showing posts with label Prequel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prequel. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Fear Street: Prom Queen


Director - Matt Palmer (Calibre, The Gas Man)
Starring - India Fowler (The Strangers: Chapter 1, The Trail), Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, The Idol), ad Fina Strazza (Paper Girls, FBI: Most Wanted)
Release Date - 2025
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Drop dead, gorgeous"
Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):


     I'm a product of my childhood.  I had one of the most iconic childhoods and was fortunate enough to live through what I would consider the most radical decades.  I was born in the mid 80s and grew up through the 90s.  I was introduced to Goosebumps by R. L. Stine when I was in third grade.  This opened the door to Christopher Pike, Stephen King, and so on.  However, my love for R. L. Stine never faltered.  I soon sought out his other series like Fear Street, Ghosts of Fear Street and so on.  He was my introduction to horror and I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for him.  In 2021 Netflix released the Fear Street trilogy.  The three films released a week apart and instantly became my favorite horror films of recent years.  Sadly, it took a few years before we got another installment.  Hell, I knew the film was coming but I had no idea it was released until I saw people posting about it on Facebook.  I quickly made time to check it out.
     The film takes place in 1988 as the senior class of Shadyside High prepares for their annual prom.  The popular girls in school work together so that their leader, Tiffany (Strazza), wins.  School outcast Lori (Fowler) enters the contest in hopes of winning so she can overshadow her past.  The students, especially Tiffany, often harass her.  Lori's father was murdered and her mother was trialed for the crime but was acquitted.  As time counts down to the crowning, the prom queen candidates are murdered one by one by a masked killer.
     I went into this one thinking about how amazing the original Fear Street trilogy was.  Sadly, this one is no where near as good but it was still worth a watch especially for the kills.  The acting in this one is great.  The characters, though cliched, was very well portrayed.  The dialogue felt natural, the characters pull out the correct emotions from the viewer, and the characters that was meant to be disliked is really unlikable.  While no one performance stands out, the film has an excellent cast.  The story for this one is very predictable.  It has cliched characters with a lot of detail and character development.  However, the film itself is very predictable.  As soon as the murders start you immediately start suspecting who the killer is and as the film progresses it becomes painfully clear who the real killer is.  Don't get me wrong, it's a decent straight forward slasher inspired by 90s slashers but you know what's going to happen before it does.  Finally, the film has several memorable kills with some knockout practical effects.  The kills are very unexpected and deliver a serious amount of blood that I honestly didn't think Netflix had the ball to give us.  The film is worth the watch for the death scenes alone.  Overall, Fear Street: Prom Queen is a film that you can enjoy for the fun kills but the predictable slasher story is not that imaginative or memorable.  I enjoyed it but I know a lot of the genre community will not because I am a little biased.  Fans of the books or R.L. Stine might want to check it out with an open mind.  

Friday, October 25, 2024

A Quiet Place: Day One


Director - Michael Sarnoski (Pig, Fight Night Legacy)
Starring - Lupita Nyong'o (Big Mouth, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things, Overlord), and Alex Wolff (Hereditary, My Friend Dahmer)
Release Date - 2024
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Stay quiet.  Stay alive"
Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):


      The last decade or so has saw the rise of several horror franchises like The Purge, The Conjuring, X, V/H/S, and Terrifier to name a few.  One of the more popular properties is John Krasinki's A Quiet Place.  Krasinski, known to fans as Jim Halpert on the American reboot of The Office, created one of the most effective horror films of recent years.  It was obvious that the film would receive a sequel, which it did, but I was not expecting it to get a a prequel sometime later along with a video game.  Earlier this year the world was introduced to A Quiet Place: Day One.  I was not able to check it out during it's initial release but when the physical release was announced I was lucky enough to get the awesome UHD steelbook in for review just in time for Halloween!
     The film follows a terminally ill woman who goes into the city with her nurse to watch a puppet show.  However, on the way home she spot several objects falling from the sky.  Before long the people in the city are under attack by bloodthirsty creatures that seem to be attracted to sound.  She tries to stay quiet with a group of survivors but she decides to leave them and return to her home in Harlem.  Along the way she is reunited with her cat and finds a few other survivors.  The closer she gets to her home the more dangerous it becomes and the creatures that hunt by sound is listening for anyone to make a mistake.
     A Quiet Place brought a new dynamic to horror that hasn't been seen since the silent era of film.  Using tension, meticulous cinematography, and amazing acting they are able to bring the scares to the viewer without the use of sound.  It absolutely works and while I praise the film for how unique it is, I'm not the biggest fan.  I do like the films and enjoy watching the but I don't see much replay value in them.  It's not my favorite franchise but I do look forward to seeing where this franchise is going to take us especially with the video game coming.  Day One is a solid installment in the series but it doesn't really bring us anything new aside for some backstory.  The acting in this one is outstanding.  Nyong'o makes the film.  While the dialogue is a minimum, she is able to convey so many emotions through her facial expressions and mannerisms.  She draws the viewer in and you genuinely feel bad for her.  Quinn won many of us over when he was cast as Eddie in Stranger Things and delivered one hell of a performance on the show.  He does a fantastic job in this one as well but his character is nowhere near as enjoyable.  In fact, his character is severely lacking personality especially when you compare him to the others on the film.  The supporting cast is great as well but it's these two that we spend the most time with.  The story for this one is a bigger look at the beginning of the invasion.  We still don't get a lot of answers but we get a much bigger look at the beginning that was shown in the second film.  With that being said, the film doesn't really give us much more to go on.  We still follow people surviving in silence and monsters eating people.  While I would have loved to learn more about the creatures, where they come from, and why Earth, I still doubt we will ever get those answers.  Finally, I've always enjoyed the creature designs regardless of how close it looks like the demogorgon from Stranger Things.  I wish viewers got a bigger look at them as they are feeding and attacking the people.  With that being said, we do get some blood and a lot of visual effects that are surprisingly well done.  Sadly, it's not a gory flick and those of you looking for that will be very disappointed.  Overall, A Quiet Place: Day One is another solid entry in a very popular franchise.  It doesn't give viewers anything new but it's still a solid first time watch.  While I do recommend it, I do so with a warning.  If you are wanting something that will expand what you know from the first two films then you will be disappointed.  However, if you want to see the same story as the first two films but from a different perspective then this one is for you.  

Saturday, October 7, 2023

Human Hibachi: The Beginning



Director - Mario Cerrito (Human Hibachi, Deadly Gamble)
Starring - Nicholas Ear, Ilana Lo, and Wataru Nishida (The Human Chair, The Porns)
Release Date - 2023
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Bamboo can penetrate concrete.  Imagine what it can do to a human body"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):


     A few years ago I was introduced to the indie found footage film Human Hibachi. The title was absolutely brilliant and I was very interested in the film but I was reluctant to watch it. I’m not a found footage fan. In fact, most of you know how I often avoid the sub-genre altogether. However, the first Human Hibachi and it’s sequel are solid found footage entries. I’ve seen them several times now by this point and highly recommend them to found footage enthusiasts. A few weeks back filmmaker Mario Cerrito reached out to review his newest entry in the series, Human Hibachi: The Beginning. This short film serves as a prequel to the first film and is now streaming on Troma Now. I want to thank Mario for sending this one over. 
      The film follows several people who have someone tied to a chair surrounded by sprouting bamboo. He refuses to cooperate with them so they leave him there for several hours with the bamboo still growing. When they return later they find his lifeless body with several bamboo sprouts protruding from it. 
      Human Hibachi: The Beginning does take the viewer back to before the first film but is it an effective prequel? Honestly, this is the weakest of the three films but it’s not a horrible movie. In fact, it’s a decent enough short but it does have some big shoes to fill. The acting in this one is solid. The cast, which appears to be local Japanese actors, do a great job but the interactions and dialogue is short lived and one sides. I can’t really go to in depth with this one due to the short run time and the action taking place doesn’t give me much room to judge character portrayals and so on but I did like what I saw. The story for this one is decent as a torture porn or a straight forward found footage/faux snuff film but as a prequel to Human Hibachi I feel like it falls short.  While we see the ending monologue connect this one to the first film that is all we have between the two.  It's not the same premise as the first film where this one seems to be a revenge killing with no cannibalism.  It just doesn't feel like a solid prequel but would be a bit more enjoyable if it was a stand alone film.  Finally, the film has some make-up effects that work for the film but they are rather classic gags that don't really stand out.  It's not a bloody film but the effects look good.  Overall, Human Hibachi: The Beginning doesn't surpass the previous films but it's still a solid enough entry.  I would have liked to see the short take a different approach to a prequel but it's still a decent enough horror short.  Check it out especially if you are a fan of found footage or the original Human Hibachi films.  

Thursday, December 29, 2022

Pearl


Director - Ti West (X, The Innkeepers)
Starring - Mia Goth (X, Suspiria), David Corenswet (The Politician, We Own This City), and Tandi Wright (Love and Monsters, Jack the Giant Slayer)
Release Date - 2022
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The X-traordinary origin story"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):


     Earlier in the year I watched Ti West’s X and fell in love. While some were quick to compare it to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I found it to be much more than that. The TCM inspiration is clearly visible but the film has a lot more to offer the viewer than just another southern family butchering and eating people. In fact, it reminded me of a horror film that was inspired by a fan of sexploitation and hixploitation flicks. It’s easily my favorite film of the year and quickly climbed it my top ten all time favorite flicks. Not long after I reviewed X I was sent the press release for the prequel Pearl once again starring Mia Goth as a young Pearl many years before the events of X. I knew this was one I had to see but with a full-time job, three children, and a wife that doesn’t like horror I wasn’t able to check it out in theaters. However, as soon as I saw the press release for the physical release pop up in my inbox, I had to quickly reach out for a review copy. I’ve had a copy for a couple weeks, but I wanted to wait until I had enough time to watch X again before diving in. 
      The film follows Pearl who is a young woman living with her overbearing German mother and her invalid father while her husband is away fighting in World War I. They live on a small farm and struggle to stay afloat while the war wages on and the Spanish flu but she makes do. Pearl is not like most girls and liked to kill animals that are smaller than her. Whenever something small wonders onto her farm she is quick to snuff it out and feed to the gator living in the pond near her farm. When she’s not murdering livestock, she’s dreaming of becoming a star with aspirations of being a famous dancer. However, her mother doesn’t support her dreams and when she stands in her way, she finds her inner killer coming out. 
      I’ll be completely transparent with you. As much as I loved X, Pearl is nowhere near as wild and enjoyable. In fact, it was a bit of a disappointment. I liked it but it’s so much weaker than X and just didn’t deliver the same wild and raunchy story as the first film. Please don’t get the wrong idea because I actually liked the film but it’s not on the same level of intensity and story as X. The acting in this one is just as good, if not better, than X but the characters are not as colorful or memorable. Mia Goth is fantastic as Pearl and no one else could have portrayed that character like she did. Pearl has a bit more personality and on-screen presence than her other character in X. I know she was the elderly Pearl as well but the different character she portrayed was a bit of a wallflower compared to Pearl in this film. The rest of the cast is great as well but the bold personalities and characters that really stand out are absent here. The cast does a great job with the characters they were written but the fun performances are nowhere to be seen. The story for this one is a fantastic look at a character that doesn’t really get enough character development in X which makes sense considering they filmed both films back to back with that in mind. I loved seeing how she came to be so unhinged and her husband covering for her. I know a sequel is in the works the further tells her murderous youth but I wish we had a little bit more to this story than what we actually got. It’s fun and highly enjoyable but it feels held back more than X did. Finally, the film has some great on screen deaths and one impressive dismemberment scene. The practical effects look phenomenal but I was expecting a little more gore with the deaths than what we actually got. Overall, Pearl is not X and is nowhere near as memorable but it’s still one of the better horror films of the year. I highly recommend it especially after you watch X.

Sunday, November 27, 2022

Paranormal Activity 3


Director(s) - Henrey Joost (Catfish: The TV Show, Secret Headquarters) and Ariel Schulman (Catfish: The TV Show, Secret Headquarters)
Starring - Chloe Csengery (Deadtime Stories, The Good Doctor), Jessica Tyler Brown (NCIS, Hawthorne), and Christopher Nicholas Smith (Wild Bitch!, Storks)
Release Date - 2011
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Discover how the activity began"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I’ve watched television series and film franchises previously that I didn’t like but I was able to sit through them and hammer out a review in a decent time frame. However, when I started this Paranormal Activity journey, I didn’t expect to dread writing reviews like I do now. The first two films were some of the worst films I’ve watched and reviewed to date which made me not look forward to the following installments. I just didn’t have the drive to dig into the third film right away so after a small break I decided to dig into the third installment. 
      The film takes place in 1988 when the sisters from the first two films were just kids. Their father is a videographer and decided to film his family when he notices that there are strange occurrences happening around them. He decides not to tell his wife right away but when things continuously get sinister he decides to finally tell her where he learns about demonology and a tale about a witches coven that force women into having male children to sacrifice.
     Paranormal Activity 3 is the first film in the franchise to not focus on as much on the found footage angle as previous films. Instead, it follows a story first before adding the found footage aspect. Sure, the found footage part does feel over used and drags the story down dramatically but it’s no where near as bas as the first two films. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never subject myself to this torture again but I would pick it over the previous two entries. The acting in this one is very similar to the first two films. The film is over flowing with small talk that feels forced and extremely awkward. The cast are fully dedicated to their roles, but the dialogue and character interactions is so weird to watch. This is typical of found footage films and this series really focuses on those tropes and clichés. The story for this one is a little more elaborate than previous installments but it still only touches upon the basics instead of exploring it like a standard film. If you cut out all the small talk and pointless scenes you would be greeted with a film that may run around 20 minutes. It does give us more than normal but it doesn’t give us enough. I liked the demon aspect along with the first born son aspect introduced in the previous film and explored subtly here. Finally, the film has some jump scares and cheap visual effects but for those looking for blood will be very disappointed. The visuals looked good and fit the film but the jump scares can be seen from a mile away. Overall, Paranormal Activity 3 is an improvement over the first two films but the cleanest turd is still a turd. I highly recommend skipping this one.

Friday, July 16, 2021

Fear Street Part Three: 1666


Director - Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon, Outcast)
Starring - Kiana Madeira (The Flash, Dark Matter), Ashley Zukerman (The Pacific, Death Star VR), and Gillian Jacobs (The Twilight Zone, Hot Tub Time Machine 2)
Release Date - 2021
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "End the curse"
Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

     This is a bitter sweet day for me.  Two week ago I watched Part One of the new Fear Street trilogy and was fucking hooked.  The story combines so many horror elements that I love into a slasher that was unlike anything I had seen.  The follow up the next week was something I looked forward to and it did not disappoint.  It yet again delivered a great story wrapped up in another slasher film.  Sadly, today is the premier of the third and final chapter in this Fear Street trilogy but I hope we have more installments later down the line.  
     The film follows Deena (Madeira) as she forms a link with Sarah Fier in 1666 which leads up to her hanging where it is revealed that she was not actually a witch.  Instead, it was Solomon Goode (Zukerman) who made a deal with the devil to give him one name every few years in return for something.  When Deena awakens she tells her brother and Ziggy about it who set a plan in motion to stop the Shadyside slashers and bring Solomon's ancestor, Sheriff Nick Goode, to justice.
     I fucking loved Part One and Two but Part Three wasn't as fun.  It was still a great film but nowhere near the excitement or action as the first two.  With that being said, this one is more story driven and does a great job at answering questions the viewer may have.  The acting in this one is great.  A lot of the cast had to take on dual roles and they do a fantastic job with it.  The characters, even the bad ones, are still enjoyable and most are very memorable.  I can't say anything about the acting in this one that I didn't say in the reviews for the first two.  The story for this one is more centered around what happened to Sarah Fier and how the chosen ones are still killing.  It was a little twist I didn't see coming that works and ties all the movies together nicely.  With that being said, the action and suspense are not as prominent in this installment.  It's story lead and everything else follows.  Finally, this one has several deaths with lots of blood and a solid amount of practical effects.  This installment is not a gruesome as the previous installments but we do get some nice practical effects to feast our eyes on.  Overall, Fear Street Part Three: 1666 is a great ending to a trilogy that I absolutely loved.  It's doesn't have those memorable kills that made the first two so much fun but it does the important task of finishing the story.  I highly recommend check out this series if you haven't.  It was a lot of fun.  

Friday, July 9, 2021

Fear Street Part Two: 1978


Director - Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon, Scream: The TV Series)
Starring - Sadie Sink (Stranger Things, Eli), Emily Rudd (Spooky Games!, Electric Dreams), and Ryan Simpkins (The Night Shift, Ladyworld)
Release Date - 2021
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Find the truth"
Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

     Last weekend, the fourth of July to be precise, I was able to finally watch Fear Street Part One: 1994 and fucking loved it.  It was one of the better movies I had seen in recent years and I couldn't fucking wait to see the two follow up films.  After an extremely difficult and shitty week at my day job I was reminded when I made it home that the sequel/prequel Part Two 1978 was available to view on Netflix.  This was a much needed escape from a seriously shitty week.
     The film begins with Deena and Josh as they visit the survivor of the Camp Nightwing massacre.  She is now a recluse and offers tell them about that tragic night in 1978 when her sister was murdered by the axe wielding counselor.
     If you have read any of my reviews you know I'm a huge slasher fan and I absolutely love the slashers from the golden age.  When I saw that the follow up film was titled 1978 I couldn't help but connect it to Carpenter's essential slasher Halloween which was released that same year.  I know that was strictly a coincident but a slasher centered anthology trilogy with one of them sharing the year that the most iconic slasher ever made was pretty cool.  The acting in this one was great.  Much like the first film, the entire cast is dedicated to their roles and go above and beyond with their performances.  The first film may have been more deeper in the lore around the trilogy but this one had memorable characters and that's because of the awesome cast.  The story for this one doesn't really forward the story from the first film but it does dive deeper into a small part of what was only touched upon in the first.  As the title suggested it takes the viewer into the massacre of 78 and how one of the unlucky teens were able to survive before we get a five minute progression of the trilogy.  With that being said, it's one hell of a slasher with some amazing lore behind it.  Slasher fans will seriously enjoy the follow up. Finally, the film makes good on it's bloody promises and delivers some memorable kills that go hand in hand with the first film.  The kills are violent, bloody, and combines both practical and visual effects to deliver the most carnage possible.  If you don't care for the story you will still enjoy the blood!  Overall, 1978 is a worthy follow up to the first film and delivers on everything horror fans love.  The entire lore around this series is phenomenal and I can't wait for 1666!  Hurry and spin these two films before next Friday so you will be ready for the final installment.   

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Annabelle: Creation


Director - David F. Sandberg (Lights Out, Shazam!)
Starring - Anthony LaPaglia (Bad Blood, Tales from the Crypt), Lulu Wilson (The Haunting of Hill House, Ouija: Origin of Evil), and Talitha Eliana Bateman (The 5th Wave, Geostorm)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "You don't know the real story"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I really enjoy The Conjuring universe for the most part but there has been a few duds here and there.  It's weird as much as I enjoy this series that I just have no interested in the Annabelle spin off series.  I just never found the doll or an origin story of the doll to be interesting.  With Annabelle Comes Home heading to shelves soon I thought I would finally visit these films to see how they hold up.  The first film has a few things I liked but as a whole it just didn't work.  I was not looking forward to tossing in Annabelle: Creation but the thought of a period piece horror flick kind of excited me some.  Sadly, it fell short as well.  
     The film follows a small group of orphans and a nun who lost their home and is being transferred to the home of a man and his bedridden wife who welcomes them in.  They lost their daughter sometime ago and have the extra room to accommodate them all.  A happy beginning quickly turns dark when one of the little girls, Janice, uncovers the Annabelle doll hidden in a room freeing the evil spirit attached to it.  Now the girls are in danger and they must stick together before the evil Annabelle can collect the soul she needs.  
     I went into this thinking it was going to be better than the first one and it was for the most part.  The movie did improve on what was established what the first movie established but what they did give us just felt half-assed.  The acting in this one is great just like the rest of the series.  The cast does a phenomenal job and bring their characters to life.  The characters are fun but painfully generic and cliched.  The story for this one takes what we got in the first Annabelle movie and adds upon it.  It does take leaps with the story with some working and others coming across as stupid.  What happens with this story is we get the origin story we should have got with the first film but now it just makes the first film seem stupid as fuck.  Finally, this one does have a little blood with some inconsistent visual effects.  We get several scenes with solid visuals while others look rushed and piss poor.  Overall, Annabelle: Creation is another miss opportunity and a low point in The Conjuring universe.  



Annabelle

 

Director - John R. Leonetti (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, The Butterfly Effect 2)
Starring - Annabelle Wallis (X-Men: First Class, The Mummy), Ward Horton (The Wolf of Wall Street, Fringe), and Tony Amendola (Castlevania, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights)
Release Date - 2014
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Before The Conjuring, there was Annabelle"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):
 
     Several years ago I remember seeing a trailer for The Conjuring and thought it looked cool.  My wife, not so much.  She's not a horror fan and it took a lot of begging and pleading but I was able to convince her to go see the movie in theaters.  We went one night and we both fucking loved the movie.  We were not alone.  Many horror pages and groups on social media talked about the film the following weeks and soon the possessed doll, Annabelle, became a horror icon.  It wasn't long before a spin off centered around the supernatural doll was announced.  Soon a trailer was released and I have to say I had no interest in checking it out.  I skipped it but didn't miss The Conjuring 2 when it was released.  With Annabelle Comes Home hitting shelves soon I thought I would finally check out this spin off series.
     The film follows a young married couple who is expecting their first born child.  One night they hear a scream next door and John (Horton) rushes to check on their neighbors while leaving the very pregnant Mia (Wallis) alone.  Mia is then attacked by her neighbors killers who was actually their estranged daughter and boyfriend who are part of a cult.  Her boyfriend stabs Mia while Annabelle, the neighbor's daughter, kills herself in the nursery.  The police kill the boyfriend and Mia is transported to the hospital where the doctor confirms that both her and the baby are doing fine.  Things take dark turn when Mia starts to suspect something sinister is in their home and it's centered around the doll Annabelle was holding when she died.  She removes the doll from the home and soon after the house catches fire forcing Mia to go into labor.  We jump forward sometime and Mia, John, and baby are doing fine but something dark has followed them to their new apartment and the Annabelle dolls reappears.  They seek help from their local church but he is unable to stop the evil forces that must now claim a soul before it will stop.
     The trailer for this one painted a very boring and drab supernatural horror film full of jump scares and a predictable story.  After watching the film I can safely say that is exactly what it is.  The acting in this one is surprisingly great.  The entire cast is awesome and I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed these characters. The film's leads, Wallis and Horton, are fantastic together and their chemistry is unmatched on screen.  The cast in this is one of the few redeeming qualities.  The story for this one has a few interesting things but the movie mostly falls apart when it gets going.  I really enjoyed the cult angle of this and how the doll becomes possessed.  This was very interesting and works for the time period the film takes place.  Sadly, this is underutilized and the movie focuses way too much time on the family being haunted.  This runs it's course fairly early in the film which makes it a chore to finish.  The movie is a painfully slow moving one with a predictable story and repetitive jump scares.  Finally, this one doesn't shy away from the blood.  We get plenty of it but the body count is not that high.  The practical effects are great for what we get but the CGI is extremely noticeable.  Overall, Annabelle had some big shoes to fill and it couldn't do the job.  The movie has some interesting ideas but fails to pull it all together for something fun.  Skip it. 



Thursday, January 24, 2019

The Nun



Director - Corin Hardy (The Hallow, Gangs of London)
Starring - Demian Bichir (Machete Kills, Alien: Covenant), Tiassa Farmiga (The Final Girls, American Horror Story), and Jonas Bloquet (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Orphan)
Release Date - 2018
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Witness the darkest chapter in The Conjuring universe"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):
 
     I love it all when it comes to horror.  Over the years I've found myself enjoying sub-genres I usually ignored while further diving deeper into the other sub-genres I love.  I love big budget and no budget films but I love them for different reasons.  No budget has more laughs and unique stories while big budget has more visually stunning scenes with more generic stories.  A few years back I went and watch The Conjuring in theaters and absolutely loved it.  A yea or two later I had to watch the sequel as well.  I love the films so when the spin off, Annabelle was announced I was excited.  I missed the theatrical run but I was able to check it out on blu and was very disappointed in it.  When The Nun was released I was skeptical about checking it out.  I missed the theatrical run but when the physical releases hit store shelves I was able to get one for review.  I'm glad I did. 
     The film follows a priest and a nun that hasn't taken her vows yet who are tasked with visiting a missionary in Romania where a nun has killed herself.  While investigating the missionary they learn that the old castle has a very dark passed and the nun didn't kill herself but sacrificed herself to stop a much bigger evil from escaping.  Now the priest and the nun must stop this evil force before it can take their souls.
     I wasn't expecting much from this one but I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed it.  The Warrens are what the original series so much fun but this one does a great job at bringing in new characters while capitalizing on the popularity of the demonic nun.  The acting in this one is not bad.  I actually enjoyed it for the most part.  I've watched a few seasons of American Horror Story and I'm not ashamed to admit that Tiassa Farmiga is my least favorite thing about that show.  It seems like she struggles with showing emotions but that is not the case with this film.  She does an outstanding job in her role.  I really enjoyed Demian Bichir's character.  He was a strong lead and his character was great.  It fit the film very well and he did an outstanding job bringing him to life.  The supporting cast is solid as well.  Some of the characters are more entertaining to watch than others but everyone serves their purpose in the story.  The story for this one was fun but did get messy as the film came to a close.  We start with a dark segment before backing out to a more lighter tone that slowly built tension and suspense.  These scenes are slower but worked very well to establish the characters and the setting.  This was a fun ride but when the film entered the final act it became over stimulating with everything thrown at the viewer at once.  It took away from the impact on some of the gags and actions.  The writing needed to be a light tighter here.  Finally, this one does have some blood but this is not a bloody gore film that more horror fans want.  There is some great practical effects and not so great visual effects.  They don't mesh well together to enhance the overall look but doesn't take away from the film either.  Overall, The Nun was not a bad experience.  I actually enjoyed the film but there was several things I would have changed.  This is a solid popcorn flick that fits well in The Conjuring universe. 



Monday, May 14, 2018

Retro Puppet Master


Director - David DeCoteau (House of Usher, The Raven)
Starring - Greg Sestero (The Room, The Disaster Artist), Brigitta Dau (Horror 101, Boy Meets World), and Stephen Blackheart (Guardians of the Galaxy, Troma's Edge TV)
Release Date - 1999
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The legacy begins"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     After taking a little break from the Puppet Master Toulon's Trunk set I am now excited once again to see where this Full Moon series takes me next.  Well, I was surprised to see that the next film in the set is actually one of two that I had already seen.  Many years ago I watched Curse of the Puppet Master and Retro Puppet Master on Sci-Fi Channel before it changed to SyFy.  Neither film was bad.  In fact, I rather enjoyed them but after watching the first films in the series I can safely say these are the bottom of the barrel.  They were entertaining when I first saw them but they don't hold up well and take too many liberties with the story presented before them.
     The film is set during Andre Toulon's younger years where he is a talented puppeteer drawing in heavy crowds including the daughter of a wealthy ambassador.  The two hit it off but the timing is all wrong.  Toulon is soon visited by a sorcerer that has stolen an ancient power from Sutekh who sends a group of mummies to kill him and get the secret back.  Before they do so he is able to pass that secret on to Toulon.  When his friends are murdered by the mummies he uses their souls to bring his puppets to life and beginning his life long struggle with keeping them and his secret safe.
   

     I like how dark the first five films in the series is.  Their look and tone really make the atmosphere for the film but that seemed to disappear with Curse and Retro.  Both films tried to step away from the formula already established in the series to give the fans something different which resulted in rather lackluster films.  The acting in this one is the weakest in the series for a number of reasons. The Room's Greg Sestero stars as a young Toulon and his performance had me cracking up.  This is a serious role but his "accent" and mannerisms just didn't work.  His character, even though he has a rich cinematic history, was completely flat and uninteresting due to Sestero's performance.  The same can be said about Brigitta Dau's performance.  Her character has no personality and falls quickly to wealthy stereotypes in films.  The story for this one had so much potential but fell apart before it even began.  An Andre Toulon prequel is something horror fans have been screaming about for years at this point but what they got was a mummy filled yarn that just tossed parts that has already been eluded to into a very boring tale.  Finally, this one isn't heavy on the practical effects but focuses heavily on the visual effects.  Some of the scenes were pretty cool but others just looked cheap as fuck.  Overall, Retro Puppet Master is the low point in the series.  The story falls apart and the acting is a struggle to watch.




Saturday, December 23, 2017

Leatherface


Director(s) - Alexandre Bustillo (Among the Living, ABCs of Death 2) and Julien Maury (Livid, Inside)
Starring - Stephen Dorff (The Gate, Blade), Lili Taylor (The Conjuring, Gotham), and Sam Strike (Stitches, Mindhunter)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The origin story of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):
     When it comes to classic horror I tend to be an odd duck.  When it comes to the Hellraiser series most fans love the first film and then say they lose quality and the series progresses.  I'm the opposite.  The first one bores me while the second and third are my favorite in the series.  When I tell horror fans this I often have to defend myself.  People have a hard time understanding that people like things differently.  Different strokes for different folks.  With that being said, I often ignore conversations around Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  When it comes to the series I draw in a lot of hate.  I don't really care for the first film.  I can watch it but I can honestly say it ranks low in the series for me.  The sequel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre II, is a fucking masterpiece.  I can never tire of the film.  I follow that up with Leatherface: TCM III, TCM: The Next Generation, followed by the remake, prequel, and sequel.  When people ask me how I can like those more than the original I honestly don't know where to begin.  The first film just bores me.  When I heard that the original film was getting a prequel I have to say I was interested and concerned at the same time.  Would it be bland like the first film or offer up some depth that the first film could not?
     The film follows the Sawyer clan who kills anyone that ventures too close to their home.  They kill a young woman which just happens to be the sheriff's daughter.  He investigates the murder and uses the crime to have the young Jed Sawyer taken away from his mother and placed in a mental hospital where his name is changed.  After several years an opportunity arises and he is able to escape with three other patients.  When the sheriff that put him away finds out they escaped he goes on a state wide manhunt to bring them down even if it means killing them.  As they work their way through Texas the sheriff gets even closer to them.  They kill Jed's friend and shots Jed in the jaw before their car is wrecked.  The sheriff then takes him to the same barn his daughter was killed to lure his family in but loses the high ground when they sneak up on him.  The sheriff's malice inadvertently creates a monster than cannot be controlled and he will be his first victim under the new moniker.
     People love the first TCM film and I can see why.  The film is bleak, haunting, and the visuals are damn near perfect.  Sure, it was brutal given the time period but the story is a little on the slow side for me.  I know my views on the series is going to cause a stir and I fully expect that but I refuse to lie about it.  As for Leatherface...I loved it but not as a TCM film.  If you look at Leatherface as just another movie you will really enjoy it but once you toss it into the TCM canon you will be disappointed.  The acting in this one is inconsistent among the cast.  I really enjoyed the intensity that Stephen Dorff and Lili Taylor brought to the film.  Dorff is off the rails and unhinged which is something I can't recall seeing from him before.  The closest thing I can compare him to is his Deacon Frost character from Blade but even then the two are so far apart it wouldn't be a proper comparison.  Sadly, it's hard to really get into the rest of the cast.  The rest are very underwritten and underperformed especially the patients that escaped from the mental hospital.  You would assume these characters would have spectacular back stories and enough personality to drive the film but they don't.  In fact, I was confused as to who was who until the film had progressed to a certain point.  I did like what they did with Leatherface and how he was a troubled young man that had morals but that changed when those he tried to protect continuously put him in harms way as they ran from the police.  This was a cool angle but adding a side of humanity to Leatherface almost takes away from the monstrosity that we know and love.  The story for this one worked as a movie but did not fit that well in the TCM universe.  If the characters had different names and not associated with TCM it would have been a contender for one of my favorite films of the year.  I'm being painfully honest here.  However, because it tries to add itself to the TCM canon and deliver backstory on characters we already know and love it fails to do so.  The backstories almost makes the character of Leatherface feel weak.  In the original series he is this big hulking figure with no sign of humanity in his eyes.  He relentlessly kills anyone that crosses his property line.  He's also mentally challenged and slow which was already established in the series and is addressed in several of the sequels.  In Leatherface he is fairly intelligent and over time becomes pissed at the world.  I know this is a prequel to the first film but you have to consider the second film as well because it is a worthy sequel to the first.  Finally, this one has some gore which is expected.  There is a few scenes that uses horrible CGI but for the most part we are greeted with some spectacular practical effects and fun kills.  Overall, Leatherface was not a worthy prequel to the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre but it was still a great film to watch.  Personally, I feel as if the film was already written as something else (which would have been fantastic) but the title was changes so the company could keep the rights to the series.  As a film I would give it 4 out of 5 but as a TCM prequel I give it 2.5 out of 5.