Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

The original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” was such a unique movie that it’s difficult to imagine any other version. But low and behold a remake was made in 2003, a version that takes a few of the original ideas and adds plenty of new ones to flesh out the story. I will admit that I enjoyed watching the 2003 version for what it is; a reboot of the series because as a remake, it simply pales in comparison and is in no way anywhere near as frightening or chaotic as the original. It’s still a strong movie if it was an original itself so its’ cruel to try and compare the two films too much.

Let’s break down some of the differences -

1.       The reason why they are in the middle of Nowhere, Texas.

In the original, siblings Sally and Franklin are checking out their grandfather’s gravesite because there has been a rash of grave robbing and other acts of vandalism at the cemetery. While they are in the area, Franklin convinces the group of friends (2 girls and 3 guys) to stop by his dad’s run down childhood home, which happens to be right next door to where Leatherface and his demented family live.

In the new version, the number of friends and their genders are the same but the names are different and no one is bound to a wheel chair. The group is coming back from Mexico after sneaking a piñata full of pot across the border to sell at a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert in Dallas.

2.       The hitchhiker.

In the original, the group picks up a weird looking guy who begins telling them about his family and their work in the slaughter houses before pulling out a knife and cutting himself. The group kicks him out and he retaliates by smearing blood over their van. He ends up being Leatherfaces brother.

In the new version, the group picks up a girl who begins freaking out when they drive in the direction of the house where Leatherface lives. She pulls out a gun and kills herself in the back seat.

3.       R. Lee Ermey. He’s not in the original and he makes the remake awesome!

These three points are enough to distinguish the two films because before R. Lee Ermey is introduced, the story takes a different path from the original. There is more expansion in the remake but just enough to keep it interesting and not overly explained.

The Ruins (2008)

Camping can be fun but others prefer to hit the beach, all across the Americas. Mexico has some beautiful beaches and some ancient, gorgeous ruins. Why not try to fit a bit of culture and history in between stretches of lounging on the beach? Be sure to stay to the standard tourist traps though! “The Ruins” is a great film that builds suspense and desperation throughout the film as a group of college age friends find themselves trapped on an ancient Mayan temple in the middle of the jungle. If they stay, they will be consumed by the vines that grow wildly all over the stone or if they try to leave the temple they will be shot by locals who know the truth about the vines. What gives this movie its strength is its cast and the choices they face and follow through with. This movie, just like moments in “Cabin Fever” leave you wondering what would you do in that situation.

Couples Jeff and Amy, Eric and Stacy, are vacationing in Mexico when they meet a German tourist named Mathias. He offers them the chance to come with him on a day trip to a secret Mayan temple that his brother is working at. They decide to go, along with Mathias’s friend Dimitri. When they finally get to the ruins, the group is surrounded by a mob of locals who are holding guns and bows. When Amy steps on one of the many vines at the site, the mob becomes angered and raise their weapons. They shoot Dimitri in the head when he moves towards them. The group begins to climb the temple and avoid the risk of getting shot at. Once on top, they hear the ring tone of the phone that Mathias brother had. They find it inside the temple, but as they are trying to retrieve it, Mathias breaks his leg in a fall and Stacy is also injured when she tries to rescue him. They eventually get everyone out but the damage is done; Mathias has a broken leg and Stacy, Amy, and Karen have touched more vines than they ever should have. They also become aware that the vines can move and mimic sounds, like the phone’s ring tone. The situation becomes dire when the vines start attacking and the group loses all hope of escape.

Favorite moment - I love who quickly the climax escalates into pure chaos after the breaking point is found; it's a "now or never" kind of moment.

Pulse (2006)

“Pulse” is a 2006 American remake of a Japanese film of the “Kairo, with a script by Wes Craven and Ray Wright. It’s another ghost film where technological advances with electrical devices make it possible to bridge the world of the living with the world of the dead. In this case, a programmer is responsible for finding a frequency that spirits are able to use to cross over into our world, and all he was trying to do was find an unused frequency for cell phone usage! These spirits are angry and evil and kill without provokaction. The only way to protect yourself is to completely cover your surroundings in a particular shade of red tape…or to be somewhere where there isn’t a phone or computer! There are a few plot holes here and there but if you ignore these the film is pretty enjoyable if you like stale characters and well used horror clichés. Um… the visuals are amazing! I liked it and I seem to be very forgiving of these mainstream, theater released ghost movies.

Favorite moment – The scene where Mattie watches her friend Isabelle die after being infected by a ghost.