Final Destination 3 (2006) #433

When the first "Final Destination" came out in 1999, it was obviously apparent that a new horror franchise had been created. The series was able to stay fresh and intriguing, from the mass death scene in the beginning of the film that's avoided due to a premonition to the grisly and creative death scenes that took out the survivors one by one. In "Final Destination 3", the conceptual twist that is introduced is that each character's death is captured on film, with each picture showing vaguely how the victim will be killed off. It's an interesting plot device that works pretty well in a movie like this. Once this clue is discovered, the remaining survivors are warned to no avail. If someone knew who you were going to die, would you want to know how?

As with most horror movies with a high death toll, the large cast of characters are underdeveloped and paper thin stereotypes of various teen cliches, more so this time around than the two previous films...but not nearly as bad as "Final Destination 4". The exception to this are the characters played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kris Lemeche ("Ginger Snaps" and "The Frankenstein Theory" ), and Ryan Merriman ("The Ring 2"); being the main characters, these three do receive more screen time to flesh out their personalities and motives. 

Accidents at amusement parks are known to happen, so this having the grand catastrophe in "Final Destination 3" take place on an old wooden roller coaster is brilliant. The death's in this scene are not as simple and realistic as those found in the original "Final Destination" or as gruesome as in "Final Destination-2" but they are still terrifying in the fact that any of them could happen in real life. It's also a great way to kill off a group of people who know each all at once. Of course, the survivors escape this tragedy for equally painful and horrific ways to die later on in the film.

One of my favorite moments in this film is when Kris Lemeche's character, Ian, raises the question of what would happen if one of the survivors who cheated death decided to commit suicide? His question is left unanswered but it raises an interesting point; would it break the cycle? It's a dark question and I'm thankful that the writers did not explore what could have happened, but it's a great plot point in showing how dark Ian's character is. This conversation takes place while the most improbable mousetrap style death in the film slowly builds to it's eventual climax.

Contracted: Phase 2 (2015)

It's sometimes difficult for a sequel to keep the spirit of the original film while adding something new so it's not repeating the same beat over and over. "Contracted: Phase 2" manages to honor the original movie while advancing the story forward; it feels like it stumbles at times but the overall production works. The first movie was nice and subtle and the viewer didn't know, but could guess, where the story was going. "Contracted: Phase 2" shows the aftermath and advances the narrative forward.

                      Spoilers below

If you've seen "Contracted", then you know what might be happening in this movie; it's easy to connect the dots. This series is about the start of a zombie outbreak plain and simple and you are reminded of this in the very first scene of this sequel. The virus is slowly beginning to spread and the authorities are now looking for the bio-terrorist that started it. By the end of the film a hospital has been quarantined, so it's interesting to see how large of scale the next film, if there is one, will take the story. 

The one detail, if details are important to you, that bothers me about this movie is how quickly the virus/infection spreads. It took 6 days for the main character Samantha in the first film to become fully infected, and 6 days for Riley to become fully infected, but only a matter of hours for everyone else? Samantha had sex with the source of, let's say contamination, and then Riley had sec with her a few days later; both of them suffered for nearly the same amount of time. But a girl that Riley kisses deeply and his grandmother who he gives a quick peck on the cheek change in less than a day makes it difficult to take seriously. 

Overall, "Contracted: Phase 2" is a fun little zombie film that focuses more on the infection and becoming rather than fighting of the hordes of undead that we're all so used to seeing.

The Conjuring 2 (2016) #432

Three years after the stellar original hit the theaters in 2013, the highly anticipated sequel to "The Conjuring" has finally arrived. Although we were given "Annabelle" to whet our pallet until now, that film ultimately left viewers feeling somewhat disappointed. So does "The Conjuring 2" live up to expectations? The answer is yes and almost; "The Conjuring 2" is a great horror film but didn't hit the adrenaline as hard as the original did. When directly compared to the original, there are fewer and less effective scares. As a stand alone film, which the movie is able to do if you have not seen the original, "The Conjuring 2" is still successful at adapting a story based on true events and a great way to be introduced to Ed and Lorraine Warren.

One of the best parts of watching "The Conjuring 2" is seeing Patrick Wilson ("Insidious" and "Bone Tomahawk") and Vera Farmiga ("The Bates Motel" return as Ed and Lorraine Warren. They have such great chemistry together and can really believe that they are the famous pair. Patrick is easily one of my favorite horror movie actors and I would love to see Vera in more big screen horror films as well. Joining the cast is Frances O'Connor ("Mercy"), who plays the single mother with four children, one who is haunted by an spirit. Another great part is having James Wan ("Saw", "Insidious", and "The Conjuring") return to the horror genre after directing the action film "Furious 7" (another great film!). He kept the film at an even pace and tried to push the story just enough, having admitted that there is only so much you can do when the story is based on real events.

That story that inspired "The Conjuring 2" is none other than the Enfield Haunting, one of the most documented supernatural occurrences ever. In 1977, Janet Hodgson, was possessed by a spirit who claimed that it's name was Bill Wilkins, an old man that had died in the house that Janet and her family now lived in. Various supernatural events took place in the house which involved family before Ed and Lorraine were requested to help determine if those same events were a hoax or not. The Warrens were recently in the limelight after being a part of the investigation with the Amityville Haunting. 

The film does a wonderful job in telling the tale of the Enfield Haunting while fleshing out further backstory for the Warrens and the dangers that their profession held. I'm excited for when I get to watch both films back to back at home and really compare notes.

Torment (2013) #431

Katharine Isabelle's most memorable roles are those where she is badass take control woman such as in "Ginger Snaps" and "American Mary"so it's a real surprise to see her take a role where she portrays average newlywed wife in the movie "Torment". Even then, using the word average is an understatement because she is able to hold her own against the cult like group that invades her home in the middle of the night. It's nice to see her take different roles and showcase her acting chops even if she does cry out for her husband for help a few too many times. "Cory!" "CORY!!"

"Torment" is the simple little story about newlywed couple Cory and Sarah who are trying to start a new life together with Cory's son Liam. Of course Liam doesn't like Sarah no matter how nice she tried to be to him. To help Liam cope with the death of his mother and the new family dynamic, Cory takes Sarah and Liam to the family summer home in the middle of nowhere, always a great idea. 

Cory and Sarah soon discover that the summer house had a problem with squatters, a fact that the local sheriff tries to dismiss and reassure them that they are safe. Of course they're not, and soon they are besieged by a manical family wearing ripped off stuff toy heads, terrorizing the young family.

"Torment" is the kind of horror movie filled with jump scares, violence, and a fair amount of edge if your seat chills. It doesn't offer anything new to the genre but it is fun and doesn't disappoint. With excellent pacing and enough story background to have you care about the characters, "Torment" is another must see film for any Katharine Isabelle fan or any casual horror film viewer. 

Author's Note - Snow

Summer is quickly approaching and so is the warm weather that comes with it. So this is a great time to cool down and what better way to try that than watching some great horror films that take place somewhere far away that happens to be covered in snow.

Almost all of my favorite horror movies take place in a snow covered setting. These films always seem more intense, having a stronger sense of dread and isolation for the victims and survivors. You must also admit that a spray of blood is much more vibrant and dramatic when it lands against a pristine blanket of white snow!


Here are a few of my favorite films that take place in the cold and icy winter wonder lands.

"30 Days of Night"

'We Are Still Here"

"The Shining"

"Dead Snow"

"The Thing"

"Fritt Vilt"

"Fritt Vilt 2"

"Trolljergeren"

"Mutants"

Hush (2016) #430

Writer and director Mike Flanagan has delivered another fan favorite, word of mouth sensation called "Hush". A home invasion thriller, "Hush" pits a deaf/mute writer against a mysterious killer in a thrilling game of cat and mouse. Unlike his previous film "Oculus", "Hush" has a straight forward, simple narrative. With a budget of only $70,000, Flanagan and his cast and crew create an awesome little film. It's encouraging to see that solid horror films can still be made on the cheap and still have a polished and professional look to them; I would never have known that this film was made on such a tight budget without reading about that fact.

The situations presented in the film are intense and feel realistic and that might be where the film could have some editing; I personally feel that they had too many failed escape attempts before finally moving on to a different course of action. Another minor downfall to the film is that it is incredibly dark, as in unlit, through a good portion of the movie. These are petty complaints for an otherwise engaging and fun thriller that finishes on an adrenaline fueled high note. Flanagan avoids simple "jump scare" tactics and really uses the lack of silence beautifully at various points of the movie.


"Hush" stars Kate Siegel, who co-wrote the film with her husband Flanagan, and gives an amazing performance as Maddie, the deaf reclusive writer. Giving an equally solid performance is John Gallagher Jr as the masked killer her joyfully plays with his prey. Samantha Sloyan and Michael Trucco round out the other prominent cast members as Maddie's neighbors who become involved with the horror in their own way.

 "Oculus"

The Witch (2015) #429

Please be warned, this entry contains mild spoilers.

A favorite of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, and distributed by A24, "The Witch", or "The VVitch" as the cover suggests, is about a Purtian family suffering from the paranoia, religious zealotry, and evil supernatural forces. It is an apt representation of how brutal life was for the settlers in New England in the 17th century and how easily their fragile existence could become undone. The attention to detail as well as the use of language is incredible, although it is difficult to follow at times. Watching the film a second time through helps illuminate subtle plot points that may have been overlooked the first time through.

The story is straight forward and chilling, as it follows William, his pregnant wife Katherine, elder daughter Thomasin, elder son Caleb, and twins Mercy and Jonas attempt to build a life outside of the New England plantation that they have been exiled from. The family is forced to leave due William's conceited pride, and so they leave and build a farm on the edge of a vast forest. Katherine gives birth to a son that they named Samuel. just when life for the family seems to be going well, Samuel goes missing while being watched by Thomasin; Katherine becomes depressed and begins praying all day long, hinting that Thomasin is responsible for losing Samuel as well as her favorite silver cup. Mercy playfully suggests that she's a witch and that Black Phllip, their goat, talks to her and her brother Jonas. Mercy then blames Thomasin for losing their baby brother, so Thomasin tells her little sister that she's the witch to scare her sister away. When Caleb goes missing in the forest after he and Thomasin went to check on their hunting traps, she is blamed yet again. After another tragedy, William's zealotry reaches it's climax as he locks Thomasin and the twins in the barn with Black Phillp, to allow God to sort things out.

Bone Tomahawk (2015) #428

Is it a western? Is it horror? Whatever it is, "Bone Tomahawk" is a dark and gritty film that holds and builds the tension from beginning to end. This isn't the first rodeo for horror veterans like Kurt Russel (x) and Patrick Wilson (x) who help drive the action and story forward. Note to viewers, the action that I speak comes much later in the movie than one might expect; the first two acts are filled character driven conversations that fill in the mundane gap of cross country travel. This film feels real throughout because of the scenes on the first two acts, and it becomes easy to forget that the film is about cannibals; it's this particular dark element that has the film crossing the genre line from western to horror after all. When the story reaches the third act, the action shifts from realistic to horrific while maintaining a true sense of realism. I don't want to spoil the surprise so I'll just admit that I was impressed with one action sequence in particular.

Writer/director S.Craig Zahler tries to make a clear separation between Native Americans and the cannibalistic tribe of Troglodytes, relying on a theory people actually had in the 1800's. The town of Bright Hope is seen as being very inclusive for the time period, and every opinion and voice is heard and considered. The Troglodytes themselves are represented as being under developed and basic while having some very interesting advancements of their own.

After their burial ground is disturbed by two thieves, a tribe of cannibalistic troglodytes seek retribution by kidnapping a town's doctor and deputy sheriff. It's up to Sheriff Hunt, his second deputy sheriff Chicory, the doctor's husband O'Dwyer, and a gunslinger named Brooder to go into the mountains and rescue the two before it's too late.

John Brooder, Deputy Chicory, Sheriff Hunt, and Arthur O'Dwyer

We Are Still Here (2015) #427

"We Are Still Here" is an amazing ghost story that doesn't pull any punches and just wants to have gruesome scary fun. The first act is full of over used tropes and themes that makes you wonder why you're bothering with this movie at all but then it all makes sense and comes together as the second and third acts kick in and the film surpasses any and all expectations. Horror veterans Barbara Crampton ("Re-Animator" and "From Beyond") and Larry Fessenden ("Jug Face" and "I Sell the Dead") drive the film forward wit the help of Lisa Marie ("Mars Attacks") and Andrew Sensenig. Director and writer Ted Geoghegan delivers a great film and makes the brilliant move of keeping the movie under 90 minutes long; every scene is there for a reason, even during the ending credits. What I love most about this ghost story is that it turns into a monster movie and the supporting make-up and special effects are outstanding. More movies need to be brave enough to be so bold and have fun.

After the accidental death of their son, Anne and Paul move out into a snowy rural area of New England, where they hope the seclusion will help them heal from their emotional wounds. However, Anne soon begins to believe that their son's spirit is with them in their new home. After two weeks, they are visited by a couple of the townspeople who tell Anne and Paul about the horrible history associated with their house, which was originally built in 1800's as the town's mortuary. Still believing that the ghostly activity is due to their son, Anne invites her friends, two spiritualists, to come and determine if the ghost is their son or the previous owners. Soon the dark secret of the town is revealed and the all hell breaks loose.