Hostel 2 (2007) #491

 

"Hostel 2" is a smart and engaging sequel to its notorious original in the series, which is also written and directed by Eli Roth. "Hostel" is often times credited as one the films to inspire the term torture-porn, and while there are a few such scenes in this film, it is not the primary focus. Eli takes this opportunity to further explore the inner workings of the Elite Hunting Club and how members become involved. The film also examines how a group of women would be lured to the hostel in Slovakia, with obvious different motivations than the men had in the first film.

The movie begins with Paxton, the primary character from the first film. He has a long and detailed dream about the aftermath of his escape. When he awakes, his girlfriend tells him that he's being paranoid. She becomes distracted, leaving the room for a few moments, but upon her return, she finds that Paxton has been killed and his head removed.

The next scene then introduces this film's group of friends who are currently in Rome; practical Beth, outgoing Whitney, and introverted Lorna. The three women meet Axelle, who convinces them to join her on a spa getaway. They arrive in Slovakia and check into the hostel, where the quirky desk clerk from the first film takes their passports and uploads them to Elite's website, where men and women from around the globe begin placing bids on the auction for the three women. 

An American named Todd wins both Beth and Whitney, celebrating his win while on the golf course. He then calls his best Stuart to tell him about his plans, and together the two quickly fly out to Slovakia. The two arrive in time to watch the women at the annual harvest festival. The friends notice that the cider is extremely strong, so Beth decided to stop drinking while Lorna is convinced that the drinks are not alcoholic. Beth is then hit on by a local, whom she politely declines several times before he declares that "I could have helped you". She then meets Stuart, and the two talk for a few moments. At this time, Lorna is escorted away down the river where she is kidnapped and delivered as a prize to the woman who won her auction. 

Beth eventually becomes separated from her friends, waking up in the spa without her belongings. She is chased by a group of men, losing them in the woods only to be stopped by the street children from the first film. Before any harm can come, she is saved by Axelle and her boss, Sascha. They return to Sacha's mansion, were Beth accidently finds a trophy room with decapitated heads, including Paxton's, set on display. She is then gaged and taken to the torture factory. There she is joined by Stuart, dressed in a smock and ready to begin his torture. At first, he is reluctant but when he finds out that Todd has been killed because he couldn't finish off Whitney, he completes his friend's task before coming back for Beth. He explains that Beth reminds him of his hated wife, and this will be as close to killing her as he can get. Beth is able to get free and chains Stuart to the chair. The pair are interrupted by Sascha and a host of guards. Beth negotiates her freedom by buying the chance to kill Stuart, in which she does so in a very gruesome fashion. Beth becomes an Elite Hunting Club member, the only way to ensure her safety.

What I enjoy about this movie is how Eli shows the process of the auction and Todd's and Stuart's initiation into the Elite Hunting Club. Before we learn about Stuart's motivation, we hear how insecure Todd is and how killing someone will somehow make him someone to fear and respect. When Todd and Stuart arrive at the factory, they are required to receive the Club's official tattoo. Stuart is hesitant, knowing that his wife is not going to approve and ask too many questions about it. He only relents when he realizes that his and Todd's life are on the line if they don't go through with every requirement that the Club enforces. And we see what happens to Todd when he is unable to kill Whitney after he accidently maims her with a bone saw.

1408 (2007) #384

"1408" has instantly become one of my favorite Stephen King adaptions, so much so that I want to find the short story that inspired the film and read it. This film has a solid beginning, middle, and surprisingly, a very satisfying ending. It's a ghost story that works and that feels fresh and unique, with a clever twist that I haven't seen before. John Cusack is brilliant as Mike Enslin, a talented novelist who begins visiting "haunted" locations and writing books about his experiences. Mr. Cusack carries the weight of the film as he is in every scene and is supported by only a handful of other actors for brief moments; a prolonged scene with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson is truly delightful.

Mike Enslin is a novelist who writes about supernatural places and events, although he is a skeptic and doesn't believe in what he writes about. He receives an anonymous postcard from the Dolphin Hotel with a message "Don't enter 1408" written on it. Mike learns that dozens of people had died in that room in various gruesome ways.  He goes to the hotel to stay the night, finding legal loopholes to force the hotel management to allow him into the room. Gelarld Olin, the hotel manager, tries his best to dissuede Mike from going into the room by giving him a file full of pictures and police reports of some of the victims. Mike takes the file, a fancy bottle of scotch, and his wits with him into the innocent looking room, ignoring everyone's warnings. It's not long after his investigation begins that he realizes that there might be something to about the room after all....

The Deaths of Ian Stone (2007)

"The Deaths of Ian Stone" is a horror film that feels partially like "The Butterfly Effect" meets "Quantum Leap". The main character, Ian Stone, is killed over and over and comes back to life as a different person who is surrounded by familiar faces from his previous lives. It's an interesting concept and when it's revealed why he keeps being killed, the viewer has a nice "Aha" moment. What makes this different that either "The Butterfly Effect" or "Quantum Leap" is that Ian is perfectly settled in his new life as if he has always lived it and it's only after he begins to remember his other lives does he fall into danger of being killed again by the shadowy demons known as the Harvesters. Why the Harvesters keep killing Ian is at the base of the story and the mystery that he must solve before they kill his reoccurring love interest Jenny. The special effects for these ghostly creatures is fun to watch even though they are mostly CGI based. The most has some decent scares and only a fair amount of violence and gore, so this is a perfect film for the casual horror film watcher.

Exte (2007)

When most people think of Japanese horror movies, the first image that comes to mind is long black hair, usually covering the face. This image was made extremely memorable but the wild success of both "Ju-on" and "Ringu". So what better movie to review and end a month long worth of Japanese horror films than with "Exte", also known as "Hair Extensions", a movie all about killer black hair! The film stars Chiaki Kuriyama, who is known for her roles as Gogo Yubari from Quentin Tarrantino's movie "Kill Bill: Volume 1", and as Takako Chigusa in "Battle Royale". I would describe the film as a subtle black comedy due to the "villian's" behavior and the fact that Chiaki's character works at a hair salon called "Gilles De Rais Salon".


Police are called to the scene when a dead body is found in a shipping contained filled with human hair. The corpse is taken in and released to the morgue after the body was inspected and noted that the deceased was a victim of a black market organ racketeer ring. The morgue's night watchmen, Yamazaki, is obessessed and has a hair fetish and quickly realizes that the body is still growing hair, all over in places that is shouldn't be. He steals the body and takes it back to his home where he begins to worship the corpse and it's hair, eventually harvesting some of the hair and giving it away to hair salons with the intent of selling more to them the stores later, so more people could be walking around with long beautiful hair that he can stare and obessess over.

Meanwhile, a young woman named Yuko works at a hair salon, preparing for the workshop that will allow her to prove her skills and become a full fledged hair stylist. Her life is interupted when her sister leaves her daughter on Yuko's doorstep. When Yoku finds that her niece is covered in bruises and is abused by her sister, Yuko refuses to let her sister take the child back. Yuko sister eventually gives up and leaves the child with Yuko. Yuko and Mami form a bond over time as Yuko gains her trust and proves that she isn't abusive like her sister is.

The two story lines converge when Yamazaki is walking around town filming women and comes across Mami, who is trying to find Yuko' salon. Yamazaki takes her to the salon and becomes enraptured with both Mami's and Yuko's long black hair. He comes back later that night with hair extensions that he gives to the salon employees to try out and wear. One of them wears the extensions at home and is violently killed by the hair, which has a life of it's own. The people who wear the extensions see flashbacks of the original victim and how her hair was shaved off before she was gutted for her organs. The hair is taking revenge on society. Soon Yuko and Mami are kidnapped by Yamazaki after a series of events and learn the truth for themselves, and try to escape from the madman with a unhealthy obsession for hair!

Yuko

Yamazaki

Gross

Hair gone wild

Kuchisake-onna (2007)

"Kuchisake-onna" aka "Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman" is a Japanese horror film based on the urban legend from the 1970's about a disfigured woman who kills children after asking them if she is pretty. The film is able to incorporate the urban legend and gives it an origin and expands on it in modern day Japan. The film also deals with the theme of child abuse by having the two of the main characters being victims and another being an abuser. This adds an interesting and deeper element that often isn't seen in horror movies but at the same time doesn't look in to the issue as deeply as it might have been if it was an American film.


Kyoko Yamashita is a teacher who becomes involved with the Slit-Mouthed Woman after the Kuchisake-onna kidnaps one of her students. The matter is extremely personal because Kyoko is trying to make amends for abusing her own daughter by trying to save her student, Mika, from a similar situation with her mother. Kyoko teams up with another teacher from her school, Noboru Matsuzaki, when she learns that he hears the faint words "Do you think I'm pretty" right before a child is kidnapped. The two manage to rescue a boy from the Kuchisake-onna just in time, killing her in the process. But when the corpse of the murderer suddenly turns into a local housewife, they realize that the ghost possesses people and that the terror is only beginning....

Mika and her teacher Kyoko

The Kuchisake-onna kidnapping Mika

Kyoko and Noboru fight with the Kuchisake-onna

The Kuchisake-onna makes an example of her victim

The Kuchisake-onna unmasked

Kaidan (2007)

In 2007 Hideo Nakata, the director of the Japanese version of "The Ring" and "Dark Water", decided to try something different and directed a classic style Japanese horror film called "Kaidan". The movie has great production values and is believably set in ancient Japan. The story focuses on the concept of eternal revenge between two families. Because of the actions of their fathers, a man and a woman are destined to suffer similar fates. When the man is ultimately responsible for the death of his wife, he ignores the dire warning his wife makes before she dies, which in turn effects and ruins his life later on.

28 Weeks Later (2007)

Happy New Year's Eve!!

"28 Weeks Later" is one of those very rare films where I had to hit the pause button while watching it because it got too intense for me to handle the first time I watched it. This film is violent and unforgiving, and the way it is filmed only adds to the intensity of the events that are happening on screen. Danny Boyle has given up the director's chair and has taken on the role of executive producer. Robert Carlyle stars as Don and has great support from Jeremy Renner and Rose Byrne.

The film begins at the height of the original RAGE outbreak, where Don and his wife are living with four other survivors in a boarded up house. During their meal, a boy comes to the house and begins pounding on the door begging to be let in. They let him in but a few minutes later a mob of infected attack the house and quickly over run the place. Don barely escapes, leaving Alice behind after she decides to try to protect the boy. He catches a glimpse of her being attacked as he runs away to a boat waiting down at a stream. He escapes to live another day...

28 weeks later, a portion of London has been cleared and declared safe for a small portion of residents to return and start the rebuilding process. A U.N. team led by Americans are providing military support and protection of the quarantined area. Don's two children return to London after being away in Spain during the outbreak; they catch the attention of Major Scarlet Levy, the chief medical examiner, who was not informed that any children would be in the first group coming back. During her medical inspection of Tammy and Andy, Scarlet notices that Andy has different colored eyes, just like his mother had. Once home, Tammy and Andy ask their dad how their mother died, forcing Don to lie and tells that that he saw Alice being killed by the infected when all he saw was that she was attacked. The kids decide to sneak out of the quarantine zone and visit their old house, where Andy finds his mother in a feral state. The kids are discovered by the military and take them back to the zone, along with the mother to be inspected. Scarlet discovers that Alice is carrier of the Rage Virus, having been exposed to the virus but hasn't become fully infected; Scarlet also notices Alice's different colored eyes and suspects that her genes have a natural immunity from the virus. The Commander orders Alice to be killed and body destroyed immediately but Scarlet begs that Alice be spared because she could offer a cure to the virus. Before Alice can be killed, Don sneaks in and visits his wife, apologizing for leaving her behind. He goes in to kiss her and her saliva infects him, "turning" him immediately. Having loss all control, he ruthlessly kills Alice and begins to kill and infect the nearby staff. The virus quickly spreads throughout the quarantine zone, forcing the military to turn their weapons on both the infected and innocents who are trying to survive. Scarlet finds the kids and tries to protect them. With the help of Flynn, a sniper who realizes that London is lost and will be nuked, the group makes an attempt to escape London while being chased down by the infected, the military, and a very clever infected Don who is driven to find and kill his children.

Scarlet, Flynn, Andy, and Tammy

Flynn rescuing Scarlet and the kids

Don running away from the infected

Infected Don

Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

"Resident Evil: Extinction" is able to regain a bit of a sense of horror by presenting the world as a post apocalyptic wasteland. The action remains fast and intense but the story line is straight forward and very predictable. Mila Jovovich's Alice continues to discover new abilities and remains the primary focus of the franchise as she attempts to take a group of survivors from the middle of the Mojave Desert up to the vast wilderness of Alaska. Along the way she is forced to deal with the agents of the Umbrella Corporation, the company responsible for the T-virus. The ending of "Extinction" is open ended bu sets up the beginning sequences of the fourth film perfectly.

Hatchet (2007)

"Hatchet" dives right in without apology as a comedy/horror film that really tries to be both genres. It's full of over the top gruesome death scenes, head slapping nonsense, and a plot that would be a straight forward horror story if it wasn't for some of the comments and responses that the characters make. My favorite is easily Tony Todd's cameo as the tour guide Reverend Zombie and his reasoning as to why he can't take the two main characters on a swamp tour; perfect delivery and I'm sure he had a blast performing it!

Ben is in New Orleans during Mardi Gras but his heart isn't into partying or having fun; he's still lamenting over his break up with his ex girlfriend. He decides to leave his group of friends to take a swamp tour that he had heard about a year before. His friend Marcus comes along and soon regrets it as they see who is leading the tour and who else is coming along. These include a fake movie producer and two girls who think they are starting in a scandalous video, an older married couple, and a lone woman who is looking for her dad and brother. The tour guide is only leading his second tour and crashes the boat into a submerged tree which forces everyone to abandon ship. On land they come to discover that they are right outside the house where legendary killer Victor Crowley was rumored to have been killed in a fire. It's only a rumor because he's still alive and goes on a murderous rampage, killing the tourists one by one.

Saw 4 (2007)

Things are about to get complicated now....

What can “Saw 4” possibly be about? The Jigsaw Killer, John Kramer, and his assistant Amanda are both dead. We also know that there are now only two characters from the previous films that have any connection to the Jigsaw cases; SWAT team leader Rigg, who lead his team in “Saw 2”, and the brief introduction of Detective Mark Hoffman in “Saw 3”. We know that John swallowed one of his famous tapes cassettes before dying, so what does it say? Something else to keep in mind while watching this film – It’s been a little over six months since the events in “Saw 2”.

The movie follows Lt. Daniel Rigg, who is being forced into his own series of tests because Jigsaw has deemed him incapable following the advice “cherish your life” because he is too consumed with trying to save everyone else. The film also introduces two FBI agents, Agent Peter Strahm and Agent Lindsey Perez, both whom were contacted by Detective Kerry before her death. John’s wife Jill Tuck.

The opening of “Saw 4” is beautifully filmed, using stark colors of blue and red in a modified black and white setting. John Kramer is in the morgue and the color of his corpse compared to his blood and organs is so stark and eerie. Plot wise, Detective Hoffman is summoned to the morgue when the tape cassette is discovered. On it, Jigsaw tells the Detective that he’s the last man standing but his test has only just begun.

The first “game” seen involves two men, one who has had his eyes sewn shut and the other who has had his mouth sewn shut. There are both chained to a winching device that once activated, will pull them together and into the machine. The key to their locks are located on the back of the other man. They are forced to fight/kill each other since they can’t communicate. But there isn’t a tape, so we have no idea who or what these men have done to be Jigsaw style victims.

The next scene is when the police team discovers Detective Kerry’s body. Lt Rigg breaks protocol by rushing in before the room has been secured and is sent home by Detective Hoffman. The FBI agents arrive on the scene and quickly rule that a third person had to help set up Detective Kerry’s trap because of her weight and how Amanda and John were unable to lift her up. At home, Rigg finds out that his wife is leaving him for a few days and asks him to come with her. She knows that he’s pushing himself too hard as well and she can’t stay there and watch him suffer. He’s attacked later that night and when he awakes, he begins his “rebirth”. A Jigsaw video shows that Detective Matthews is still alive but only for another 90 minutes, and Detective Hoffman is tied up as well. Jigsaw tells Rigg that their Eric’s life is linked to Mark’s survival.

The first “game” for Rigg takes place in his living room. A prostitute is chained to a chair. The Jigsaw video tells him to walk away but Rigg ignores the advice and frees the woman before her hair is pulling into a wench and kills her. After he frees her, she attacks him which forces him to kill her in defense.

The second test takes Rigg to a rundown motel. The Jigsaw tape tells Rigg that he has to wear the famous Pig costume and set up a “game” for the Ivan, hotel desk manager. Rigg finds out that Ivan is a serial rapist. Rigg forces Ivan into the trap, a pulley system that will pull apart his limbs. His only escape is to trigger knives that will stab his eyes.

Between Rigg’s second and third test, we see that the survivor of the first “game” in the film is a lawyer named Art, who was representing a pedophile who is abusing his daughter. His “game” is keep Eric and Mark under watch until Rigg arrives.

The third test for Rigg is watch the pedophile and his wife remove metal stakes that are impaled through both of them. If the wife removes them, the husband will bleed to death. The wife becomes the fourth onscreen survivor of the series (Amanda, Dr Gordon, and Art). With each passing test, Rigg looks more and more like an assistant of Jigsaw rather than the police officer that he is.

The fourth and final test, Rigg finds the room where Detectives Matthews and Hoffman are, but by going through the door and not walking away like everyone told him to, he causes Eric Matthews death when two large blocks of ice are released from above and smashes in his head.

In the backstory of “Saw 4”, the FBI Agents state that either Hoffman or Rigg is helping Jigsaw as they find clues at Rigg’s home. Agent Strahm realizes that of all of the pictures posted in the crime scene, those of Jill Tuck do not belong. During the interrogation, we learn that Jill worked at a clinic helping recovering drug addicts. One night, an addict forces his way into the clinic as Jill is leaving and when he runs back out, he smashes the door into Jill’s pregnant body, killing her child. Afterwards, while looking over the crime scene of Rigg’s third test, the Agents find a Billy surrounded by candles. Its message is for Agent Perez and it tells her that Agent Strahm will kill an innocent man. She then gets too close to the doll and is shot in the face with shrapnel.

 We then see a flashback where John creates his first test, and the killer of his child, Cecil. The “game” makes Cecil press his face against a series of knives and if he presses hard enough, he’ll be released. If he does nothing, he’ll bleed to death from the wounds on his wrists. He gets out but falls into a cart full of razor wire.

Now working alone, Agent Strahm figures out where Jigsaw’s lair might be and when he goes there, he finds the room and aftermath of the events in “Saw 3”, including Lynn’s blown up head and Amanda’s corpse.

The final Jigsaw tape tells Rigg that he is responsible for Detective Matthews death, and that everyone had to save themselves and that time was on his side. It is then revealed that Detective Hoffman is Jigsaw’s other assistant and now the sole heir to Jigsaw’s legacy. And thus Jigsaw’s work will continue…

Trick r' Treat (2007)

Happy Halloween! What better film to review on such a holiday other than “Trick r’ Treat”!? This film is perhaps the best anthology ever made, rivaling even the original “Creepshow”. This movie blends the various story arcs in and out of each other with ample ease and grace, and it takes several viewings of this movie to catch all of the subtle details. Each story arc is solid and entertaining, a rare thing to find in an anthology; this might be because the writer and director are the same person, Michael Dougherty, instead of having a writer and possible director for each story. A sequel was recently announced!

One storyline is about a couple returning from various Halloween festivities. They are seen all around town throughout the other stories. Emma hates the holiday and is ready to be done with it while Henry loves it. While Henry is getting ready for bed and sexy-time, Emma is outside taking down decorations. While doing so, she is attacked and killed and when she doesn’t come back in, Henry goes out and finds her mutilated corpse hanging from a scarecrow.

The next story is about a Principal Wilkins who teaches a troubling making child to follow the rules of Halloween. This story has a brief introduction of Principal Wilkins neighbor, Mr. Kreeg.

The third storyline is about a group of teens who gather carved jack-o-lanterns and bring them to an old rock quarry. Here, local legend has it that a bus driver was bribed to drive eight troubled special-needs children off the cliff, but no one knows for sure whatever happened to the bus driver. While there, a prank gets goes terribly wrong and the teens must pay the price.

The fourth storyline is about Laurie, a 22 year old virgin who is being pressured by her older sister and her friends to find someone for the night. While the other girls are having fun at a party, Laurie meets a killer dressed as a vampire, but little does he know….

The final story arc is about Principal Wilkins neighbor, the hermit-like Mr. Kreeg. He hates everything, including Halloween, so when the spirit of the holiday arrives in the embodiment of Sam, the two go head to head. If only Mr. Kreeg knew the rules of the holiday as well as his neighbor!

Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007)

The original “Wrong Turn” didn’t anything new to genre but was still a mildly entertaining film, depending on the sense of tension built upon the cannibalistic hillbillies chasing their prey more than the script itself. The fact that there was a sequel, a few in fact, that followed shouldn’t be a surprise but what is shocking is how quickly the quality of the franchise sank with its second film. It takes the negative connotations of the backwater hillbilly to a whole new low level, this time focusing on a full family of cannibals which include a sister and mother figure. This film also introduces the reason as to why they are deformed, super strong, and nearly invincible.

The only redeeming thing about this movie is the fact that it stars Henry Rollins! His performance as a former US Marine who is the host of a reality TV pilot was way over the top and he was completely committed to it, which made it great. Just like his role in “Feast”, it seems like he had a blast with his part. 

A group of would-be reality TV show contestants become prey to a cannibalistic hillbilly clan. What else do you need to know??

Henry Rollins and contestants

Henry Rollins hanging outside down, not being gutted

Henry Rollins wearing face camo

Henry Rollins firing a shotgun

Halloween (2007)

Just because you grew up loving a movie doesn’t mean that you should one day make your version because that version is going to turn out to be a horrible piece of crap that insults the original more than anything else. And for god’s sake, do not ruin the magic of the original by creating some insipid and horrible reason as to why a child grows up to be an unstoppable killing machine. This is the crime that Rob Zombie made and is convicted of by legions of horror movie fans across the planet when he made his version of “Halloween”. This film is a perfect example of what happens when a film maker tries to recreate something and he is clearly out of his league….or out of his mind. He takes the simplicity of the Michael Myers mythos and explains everything, that Michael had a horrible childhood with a P.O.S dad, typical bullies at school, and way too much time on his obsession with masks and his mom asking him to take them off. In fact, Zombie takes the first 35 or so minutes of the movie to explore Michaels’ childhood and how Dr. Loomis tried to help him before everything goes horribly wrong.

Once the movie moves forward and introduces the high school aged Laurie Strobe, the film finds its groove and becomes the remake that we (or maybe just myself) were hoping for; an updated version that trades in the slow and steady build of tension for a more deliberate sense of adrenaline and violence. I’m still not sure how I feel about Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Loomis but I think this is because he plays such a prevalent role in the part of the movie that I don’t care for; his part in the later scenes is quite enjoyable. I do approve of the casting choices of Tyler Mane as an adult Michael, Dee Wallace as Cynthia Strobe,  Brad Dourif as the town Sheriff, and a slew of special appearances including Sid Haig, Ken Foree, Udo Kier, Danny Trejo, Bill Moseley. Scout Taylor-Compton did a great job as Laurie considering who she was replacing; the role of Laurie Strobe almost felt like it was written for the young Jamie Lee Curtis so you can’t be too harsh on Scout for giving it her best to fill this legendary role and making it her own. It’s obvious that the character of Laurie Strobe is not meant to be played the same just by the lines of dialogue.

What I didn’t like –

1.       The first 35 minutes.

2.       Michael killing the Strobes.

3.       The actor who played young Michael. Oh, I guess that’s a part of the first 35 minutes…

What I liked –

1.       The scene in which Michael escapes from the mental hospital.

2.       The kids that Laurie babysits.     

3.       Scout’s version of playing Laurie.

Actor Scout Taylor-Compton as Laurie Strobe (in the middle)

Actor Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strobe (on the left)

Actor Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Loomis

Actor Donald Pleasence as Dr. Loomis

Michael Myers 1978

 Michael Myers 2007

Michael Myers 2007

Michael Myers 1978 saying "Hello!"