Gretel & Hansel (2020) #462

One of the few theatrical movie releases of 2020, "Gretel & Hansel" is a dark, modern retelling of the classic Hansel and Gretel fairy tale with the added bonus of learning about the origin of the evil old witch that likes to eat children. This is the kind of movie that I'll watch only once; it was very well made but it wasn't the kind of movie I normally would sit through. As many critics have written, the movie has a serious pacing issue that will test most viewers, even with a running time of only 87 minutes. 

While "Gretel & Hansel" does have it's issues with pacing, it does have it's strengths as well. The visuals are stunning and the cinematography is of the highest quality. The color palate used is the typical dark blues contrasted with warm oranges and amber. In an attempt to look artistic or to simply distance itself from other period horror movies, the witch's house is a very modern looking house. The interior looks like it feels the time period save for the cellar which looks like it was filmed in a modern painters/photographers art studio. It is a very interesting choice to make. The sound track is also nice and eerie and helps to set the mood with all of the dead, empty space of non-action.

Sophia Lillis, best known as Beverly Marsh in "It" and "It: Chapter 2", stars as Gretel. Having already proved her ability to star in a big budget horror film, Sophia looks at east carrying the weight of this film and it's attempt to create a dark and heavy atmosphere. She alone is responsible for her young brother Hansel after they are forced to flee from their home after their mother threatens to kill them with an axe. She continues to try to protect her brother after they meet Holda, an old woman who lives alone in the forest...

Alice Krige, who stars as the witch Holda, who does an incredible job of keeping things creepy. She lives alone and has no livestock but she always has plenty of food. Her fingers are permanently stained black, making her even more mysterious. The exchanges between Gretel and Holda are tense and keep the movie grounded. Holda alone knows the history of the Beautiful Child, a young girl who was banished after people began to die after coming to hear her premonitions. 

Dreamscape (1984) #456

 

One of my favorite horror movies when I was a kid was "Dreamscape", starring Dennis Quaid, Kate Capshaw, David Patrick Kelly, and Max Von Sydow. It's only PG-13, there's no excessive profanity or sexual situations, but there are some truly effective scary scenes in this movie and a real sense of dread in some of the dream sequences. Once again, a PG-13 film proves it can be just as effective as an R rated movie when it comes to horror. 

A very young Dennis Quaid plays Alex Gardner, a gifted psychic who spends his days using his unique abilities to win horse races and charming women. He is recruited by a secret government agency that is experimenting with technology that allows psychics to enter and influence peoples dreams. Alex is gifted and highly intelligent, and Mr. Quaid plays Alex as arrogant, confident, but caring. He delivers a great performance and shows a real sense of vulnerability and fright when he comes face to face with a little boy's nightmare. 

David Patrick Kelly, best known to horror fans as T-Bird from "The Crow", steals the show as the psychopathic Tommy Ray Glatman. Tommy Ray is the original psychic at the agency and considers himself as the master of the dream world. When Alex and Tommy Ray first meet, Tommy Ray makes it clear that he's the best and the only one that can influence peoples dreams. Without the agency finding out, Tommy Ray has learned how to control his surroundings and manipulate the dreams from within.

The supporting cast is rounded out with Max Von Sydow ("The Exorcist") as Dr. Paul Novotny and Kate Capshaw as his assistant Jane DeVries. Both of their performances are great and their characters greatly add to the narrative. Dr. Novotny has previous history with Alex and is the reason why Alex decides to stay. Jane becomes Alex's love interest and helps him when the agency is taken over from the good doctor. 

An important theme that is a driving narrative point in "Dreamscape" is the fear of nuclear war. Like "The Dead Zone", flashes of nuclear use haunt the dreamer, and in this case it's the President of the United States. Unlike Greg Stillson, this President wants to avoid this horrible outcome. This was a real threat and fear to many at this time and it's interesting to see how it's used in film as a narrative device.

  

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) #435

"10 Cloverfield Lane" is a taunt thriller that may or may not take place in the same realm as "Cloverfield". It's a detail that's not too important because this film could have had been given any title, but if the two films are related, then the mysteries about the two films continue to grow and adding great potential for future stories in the franchise. The main difference between the two films in how they were filmed; "Cloverfield" was shot in the first perspective, POV, style while "10 Cloverfield Lane" is filmed in the traditional style, making this fim easier to watch for those who don't like the shakey-cam technique.

The movie, at the surface, is about three individuals who are locked in an underground bomb shelter after some questionable events happen in the nearby area. The story is carried by the talents of the minimal cast, showcasing John Goodman ("C.H.U.D") in a wonderfully creepy role as Howard, Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Final Destination 3") as Michelle, and John Gallagher Jr ("Hush") as Emmett. The chemistry between these three actors is intense and perfect, striking a chord when Howard's paranoia gets worked up or when Michelle tries to escape.

The movie pacing could be considered a slow burn, at times moving along at a pace that makes you want to scream at the screen to hurry up and get to the point. When the point is made, the tension leading up to it makes perfect sense. There are enough twists and suspenseful moments in the film to make up for the lack of direct action that takes place in its predesessor. 

Like many others, "10 Cloverfield Lane" wasn't what I expecting but I really enjoyed it and I'm excited to see what comes next in this creative franchise.

Poltergeist (2015) #419

Spoiler free review!   Oooohhh, Aaaahhh!


Sigh, another original, amazing horror "classic" has been remade, re-imagined, recycled, and repackaged; none other than 1982's "Poltergeist". Many fans and die hard horror fanatics were angered and called foul when this new project was announced and for good reason, the original is perfect as it is. In the quest to honor and enjoy creating a new version, as well as cashing in on a well known title, a new generation of film makers took it upon themselves to try anyway. Produced by horror heavyweights Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert, their new film fails to live up to the hype and expectations that were naturally and unfortunately made.

BUT....what if the original was never made? Would this film be any good? Yes, not great but it actually is enjoyable. Has many of the same beats that the original has, although some are used in different ways or times. I really liked some of the visual effects that are in the 2015 version, with the hands on the TV set being one of my favorite moments in the film (see picture below). The story is essentially the same, the family make-up is the same (you actually get to see the older sister do things!), and the different take on the psychic expert is acceptable. All of this makes the new "Poltergeist" worth watching.

BUT....this is a remake and comparisons will be made. The main issue for me is the lack of soul, complete pun intended, that the new film has compared to the original. I think Sam Rockwell is a talented actor but his concerned father figure roll felt empty and shallow compared to Craig T. Nelson's work. Craig was a father torn apart, desperate, and possessed to get his daughter back; Sam was like "meh", especially during the scene with the tree. Then there is the daughter who is taken to the other side, Carol Anne and Madison. Carol Anne comes across as more innocent while Madison feels more helpless. Both girls did great, don't get me wrong, but the original wins over again. I've already mentioned older sister so let's talk about the middle child, the son. Both versions are spot on, in my opinion. The new son, Griffin, plays a very different character than the portrayed in the 1982 original and I think it fits perfectly. At first I was a little concerned but the end result was great.

In conclusion, if you can, watch the 2015 version before ever seeing the 1982 one. If this proves impossible, give yourself some time between viewings. Enjoy!

Poltergeist Trailer

Carriers (2009). #417

I love post apocalyptic movies and I love them even more when they're well made. We've been lucky that a few good movies have been produced in the past few years, and "Carriers" should be rated among them. It is a simple straight forward film that keeps the violence toned down, the action tense, and the relationships believable. I appreciate the fact that you know what destroyed the world we know, a very infectious and deadly disease, without having to be told how it began or spread; all that matters is how the current situation affects the four main characters.

Chris Pine leads the cast as Brian Green, the older brother of Danny Green. The two brothers, along with Brian's girlfriend Bobby and another friend Kate, are trying to find a safe place to stay and survive long enough for the current plague to die down. Once infected, death is guaranteed so the four have been very careful to avoid any situation that could get them infected. Unfortunately compassion gets in their way when they decide to help a man and his sick daughter. What unfolds is a  living nightmare for the four as they realize that their chances for survival become very unlikely.

Maggie (2015) #415

The 2015 movie "Maggie" is a delightful surprise that finds a careful balance in being part family drama and part post-zombie apocalypse. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger (in perhaps his best role to date since returning to his acting career) as Wade Vogel, a loving father and family man who only wants to take care of his daughter Maggie. Unfortunately, Maggie has been infected by a zombie, and knowing that she is now contagious and will eventually "turn", she runs away to the city. She is caught breaking curfew and is brought to the hospital will Wade picks her from and brings her back home. Over the course of the next several days, the two are forced to deal with the realization of what's occurring to Maggie, as well as Wade's neighbors and Maggie's crush. The ending is inevitable but is filled with emotion and is very satisfying.

Several factors make this film amazing. First of all is Arnold; this is the most emotional that I have ever seen him in a movie and so he is completely believable as Wade. Although another actor may have been better suited for the emotional side of the role, Arnold is still emotionally and physically imposing for the moments of the movie that call it, such as dealing with the neighbors. Second is the restraint that director Henry Hobson shows by keeping the violence and gore to a minimum. Just because this movie is about zombies, they appear briefly and not over used, so their few appearances make a larger impact and justify the story line. Finally, Abigail Breslin's performance as Maggie is to be applauded. Again, not the best performance I've seen in this kind of role but still it's good, believable, and moving.

"Maggie" should be on the should list for any fan of zombie films.

Darkness Falls (2003)

I love a movie that is focused on a local legend, even when it comes across as a slightly altered story of Freddy Kruger's beginnings. "Darkness Falls" takes the time to set up the legend about a nice elderly woman who gave the local children gifts and coins when they lost their teeth; she was like a real life tooth fairy. She is burned badly in a house fire and now that she's terrifying to look at, the parents become suspicious of her for no real good reason. And when two kids disappear, the town's parents turn on her, thinking that she kidnapped them. The parents hang the poor old woman, exposing her burnt face to the open air. She curses them for their actions and comes back as a ghost that kills anyone who sees her. Great set up but after this the movie falls flat into a typical run-and-hide from the monster movie. I can appreciate that it's about a young man who survived his first encounter with the Tooth Fairy while his mother died, and years later he returns to help his childhood crush with a problem concerning her little brother. Nice story set up but the resulting film doesn't present anything new. It's fun to watch the first time through but it lacks any replay value.

Cat's Eye (1985)

“Cat’s Eye” is a collection of three stories that were written by Stephen King and includes a cat that’s eventually named General in the third act. General only makes brief appearances in the first two stories but when he is seen, there is usually a subtle reference to a previous Stephen King film; in one scene General is being chased by a St. Bernard and in another one he’s almost ran over by a car that is similar to Christine.

The first act is known as “Quitter’s Inc”, a company that resorts to unusual but effective methods of ensuring that their clients quit smoking. Starring James Woods as Dick, he becomes a client of the unique company. It’s only after he joins that he learns that his wife and daughter will be subjected to horrific punishments for his relapses.

The second act is known as “The Ledge”, Robert Hays plays Johnny, a professional tennis player who is sleeping with the wife of a mob boss. The boss finds out but instead of killing Johnny outright, he makes a bet with him. If Johnny can walk around the outside of the apartment, clinging to a narrow ledge, the crime boss will divorce his wife so the two can live happily together. If Johnny declines the bet, then the boss will have Johnny arrested and framed for possession of drugs, ruining his career. Leaving Johnny with very little choice, he begins to walk around the ledge….

The third and final act is called “General”, which about the cat who is taken in by Drew Barrymore who gives him his name. Her parents don’t like the cat but she convinces them to let her keep him. At night, a tiny troll sneaks into her room and tries to steal her breath. General stops him but is seen as the aggressor by her parents and thrown out. Without her protector, the troll tries again to kill the young girl. But General didn’t cross half the country to give up now…

 Smoking in not allowed!

The troll and his bloody knife!

Grrrr

Johnny and the mob boss

General attacking the troll

Drag Me To Hell (2009)

“Drag Me to Hell” was Sam Raimi’s first movie that he directed after working on the “Spider-Man” trilogy. The script was written by Sam and his brother Ivan before Sam began working on “Spider-Man”, so they had time to tweak the storyline before filming began. Sam also made sure that the film was given a PG-13 rating because he didn’t want to keep make the same kind of horror movie that was solely driven by gore and intense moments. My only complaint about this film is the fact that Raimi chose to use horrible CGI effects in place of his traditional style of special effects, especially during the moments when he was using the same visuals that he had made famous in the “Evil Dead” movies. Although these moments were few and far in between, it left a bad taste in my mouth and a poor impression of the film.

Christine is trying to forward in her banking career but isn’t as cut throat as her manager wants her to be. When she finally decides to prove that she has what it takes, she angers an old gypsy woman who places a curse on her. Christine now has three days to undo the curse before she is literally dragged to Hell!

Insidious (2011)

I felt that the movie “Insidious” offered a unique and refreshing look into the theme of possession and other worldly spirits. This is the only film that I can think of offhand that involves astral projection and the way that it’s used here is pretty clever. Like Carol Ann from “Poltergeist”, young Dalton is a beacon to lonely ghosts and a rather dangerous demon that wants to possess the child and cause havoc in the real world. The difference here is that Dalton has the ability to astral project his conciseness while he sleeps and he does this often enough that he gets “lost” and is kept hostage by the evil spirits until they can control his body. Only his father Josh can save him because like his son, he can project himself as well and by doing so, he must face the dangers that he has fought since his own childhood. To say anything more would ruin the movie!

“Insidious” was created by the same team that started the “Saw” series; written by Leigh Whannel and directed by James Wan. They took a different path, making a film that was PG-13. The movie is still has their sense of intelligence and smart use of effects to tell this creepy demon/ghost story that keeps the viewer entertained and engaged.

The Last Exorcism 2 (2013)

I’m beginning to love horror movies that are rated PG-13 more and more. Why? Because they don’t solely depend on violence and gore, they don’t need sex scenes (because how many times has that been the cause for terror in a horror movie anyway?), and they can keep the profanity to a minimum. Most, not all, of them are amazing and tend to have stronger stories and more real scares than their R rated counterparts. “The Last Exorcism 2” is a perfect example of a great PG-13 horror movie, just as the original film was too. The atmosphere and pacing were perfect and set up the second half of the film just right.

This is a great film to end a week about possession because it’s all about a girl who was possessed in the first film and is now trying to keep the demon from taking over once again.

The film begins almost immediately after the first film, when Nell was last seen giving birth to a demon. She ends up scaring the crap out of couple when she ends up invading their home and found crouching on their kitchen counter. Fast forward a bit and Nell is now in a house for troubled/orphaned older teens. She slowly let’s her guard down and becomes friendly with the other girls (remember, she was home schooled after her mother died). She gets a job as a maid for a hotel and develops a crush on the owner’s son. She gets to experience Mardi Gras and while she’s out, a street performer tells her that “they’re happy” that she’s back. This is when the film begins change and takes its tragic course as the followers and powers of the demon Abalam begin to surface, beginning with Nell having hallucinations of dead father.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

“The Exorcism of Emily Rose” is the cautionary tale about the aftermath of an exorcism gone wrong. Sometimes people who are possessed die and this movie follows the court trial of the priest who performed the exorcism, switching from scenes of the court case to flashbacks involving Emily Rose. It’s an effective court drama as well as a reasonable horror movie. Jennifer Carpenter did a fantastic job of bending her body in the various demonic contortions without the aid of visual effects.

“The Exorcism of Emily Rose” focuses on Erin Bruner, a defense lawyer who is working on a case where her client, Father Richard Moore, is charged with negligent homicide after he attempted to perform an exorcism on Emily Rose. Erin approaches the case with a clear and realistic point of view and ignores Father Moore’s request to let him take the stand. Father Moore truly believes that what he did was in the best interest of Emily Rose and her family, and as the movie goes on, Erin begins to understand his assertions. When Emily Rose first became possessed, she was diagnosed with epilepsy and having seizures. But as the drugs that she was given didn’t have the proper effect and her conditioned worsened, her family asked Father Moore to intervene. He tries to help but is unable to cast out the demons. Before she dies, Emily Rose has a vision that gives her hope and release and once awake, she writes a letter explaining her options. At the end of the movie, Father Moore reads the letter to the court before receiving his judgment. 

Favorite moment – I really like the flash back scenes of Emily Rose and how the scenes were tense, effective, and engaging without having to be violent of gory.

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.

The Grudge (2004)

The American remake of “The Grudge” came out in 2004, a year after the original debuted in Japan. Both movies were directed by Takashi Shimizu, a young Japanese film maker who went on to create two sequels to “Ju-on) series as well as a handful of other Japanese horror movies. The American version stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Bill Pullman, and Ted Raimi and was the first official movie produced by Ghost House Pictures which was started by Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert. It’s a great movie with amazing effects and some pretty decent scares for a horror movie with a PG-13 rating. The film was part of the craze of remaking Japanese horror movies from the 1990’s and 2000’s but what I find unique about this remake though is the fact that it still takes place in Japan; It’s as though it could be the same exact movie but with American actors replacing a few of the Japanese ones. I’m not sure if this is true because I have not seen the original although it will be one of the films I review when I begin my ambitious themes for Japanese and other Asian produced horror movies.

The storyline for “The Grudge” crisscrosses between flashbacks and present day scenes that involve a few sub-plots that revolve around the curse of the Saeki family. One plot line is about the Saeki family and how the housewife Kayako fell in love with her teacher and was murdered by her jealous husband Takeo, who in turn killed his son Toshio before hanging himself. The second subplot is about the Williams family moving into the Saeki house several years later and becoming victims to the angry spirits of the Saeki family. The third subplot is about Karen, a student social worker who is sent over to the Saeki house to assist Emma Williams, an older woman who suffered a dementia related breakdown after moving into the house with her son and daughter-in-law. Karen survives her first encounter with the ghost of Kayako and eventually discovers that anyone who enters the house becomes cursed by the never ending rage of the Saeki family.

Favorite moment – I really liked the scene when Karen watches a ghost/flashback of Peter finding Kayako’s diary and then finding her. It ties up the mystery of the Saeki family effectively. My other favorite moment is the very beginning of the movie when Peter kills himself; it’s so sudden and without warning and sets a great feel for the rest of the movie.

The Last Exorcism (2010)

“The Last Exorcism” is a single camera, found footage movie that’s about a disillusioned reverend who is working with a film crew to expose his secrets on how he performs fraudulent exorcisms. This movie is a great example that not every horror movie needs an R rating (this is PG-13) to be effective. Horror movies don’t have to have endless gore, nudity, and profanity to be scary.

From a very young age, Reverend Cotton Marcus was groomed to be a man of god. As a child he began delivering riveting sermons and even performed his fist exorcism when he was ten. Now as an adult with a family of his own, Cotton has lost his faith and is giving up his career as an exorcist. He always believed that he was helping people and performing a service, for a fee, but after reading about an autistic child dying while having an exorcism performed made Cotton decide to give up this line of work. Before doing so, Cotton has agreed to perform one last exorcism and have the entire process filmed to prove that what he does isn’t real. So with director/producer Iris and her cameraman Daniel in tow, they head to the back country of Louisiana to help a teenage girl named Nell.

Nell is a sweet young teenager who lives with her father and brother out on a secluded farm. The father, Louis Sweetzer, has kept his children at home and away from town since their mother died. Louis wrote to Cotton asking for help after some of his livestock is killed and Nell is found covered in blood and unable to remember what had happened.  After assessing the situation and confirming that Nell is possessed by a demon named Abalam, Cotton rigs Nell’s room with various tricks and effects that he’ll use during the fake exorcism. During the ritual itself, the bed begins to shake and Nell lies on top of it and a speaker programmed with over 800 demon sounds is heard. Afterwards, Cotton declares that Nell has been freed from her possession and leaves with his payment. Later that night while staying at a motel in town, Cotton finds Nell awake but in a trance in his room. As they try to figure out what really is going on, Cotton discovers the dark truth and a reason to find faith one last time. 

Favorite moment – A possessed Nell takes Daniel’s camera , and after beating a cat to death in the barn, is standing over Cotton while he is sleeping, about to bludgeon him to death as well.