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.

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

The Conjuring (2013)

One of the surprise hits of the 2013 Summer line up was "The Conjuring", a little 20 million dollar budget film that managed to bring in over 300 million at the box office. Directed by the incredible James Wan and staring one of his regular actors, Patrick Wilson, "The Conjuring" is a clever, scary horror movie is about Ed and Lorraine Warren, real life paranormal investigators, and one of their encounters while investigating the home of the Perron Family. Along with Patrick Wilson, the movie stars Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, and Vera Farmiga. The movie has a great script, beautiful and effect scenes, and some of the best practical effects I've seen in a horror movie in a very long time. The use of digital effects is kept to a minimum which allows the other effects to feel real. This film is intense and unforgiving and is smart enough to avoid out right gore or extreme violence. I think it's great that James Wan came out with two superb horror movies in the same year and that he was able to make them almost equally as intense while having one rated be "R" and the other "PG-13".

"The Conjuring" follows Ed and Lorraine Warren as they go about their lives teaching classes about their paranormal research and investigations as well as solving two distinct cases. The first case involves a doll that was allowed to be possessed by a demonic force. The Warrens take the doll, Annabel, to their home and add it to their vast collection of demonic and haunted artifacts for safe keeping. The second and prominent case revolves around the Perrons, a large family of two parents and five daughters, who move into an old farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island. Strange occurrences and frightening disturbances are witnessed by the family, including unexplained bruises that appear over the mother's body. When the mother, Carolyn, reaches out to the Warren's, they agree to go to the farmhouse and take a look. Lorraine immediately sees that there is a sinister force that has already attached itself to the family. With the help of the Warrens and their assistants, the Perron family attempts to stay strong and survive the ordeal at being at the mercy of an ancient evil...

Favorite moment - I love the scene when Ed Warren is showing the artifact room to a reporter and explaining that they keep the items here, where the room is blessed weekly by a priest, because destroying the items would only release the evil trapped within.

 Annabel, the possessed doll

 Ed Warren and the vision that only his wife can see...

Lorraine Warren trying to help during the exorcism 

Insidious 2 (2013)

See this movie! “Insidious 2” picks up exactly where the original left off at, keeping the intensity that was steadily built throughout the film and finds a way to take it up a notch. Nothing is subtle in this ghost story because it doesn’t need to be and that’s what makes this film so much fun. It’s intelligent, it suspenseful, it has moments of comic relief that doesn’t feel forced, it’s still PG-13, and it has some freaky moments. The entire original cast returns, including the incredible duo of director James Wan and writer/actor Leigh Whannell.  Go see this movie!

At the end of “Insidious”, it appeared that Josh Lambert was possessed by the ghost of an old woman that had been following him since his childhood and that he/she strangled the spirit medium Elise. In “Insidious 2”, the police suspect Josh of being Elise’s killer. While he’s free until being charged of the crime, Josh and his wife Renai move their young family in to the childhood home that Josh and his mother Lorraine lived in. During the first night there, Lorraine, Renai , and Dalton see ghostly visions. Josh doesn’t believe them and warns his mother to not get his family worried about such nonsense. While Renai stays at home and has another encounter with a ghost, Lorraine goes and gets help from Elise’s partners, Specs and Tucker, as well as a medium named Carl. Together they discover who the old ghost woman who is haunting Josh is. In the meantime, Renai and her two sons are attacked by a possessed Josh. Will Lorraine and the others make it in time to save Renai and her family before it’s too late?

The old ghost woman

 Lorraine, Josh, Dalton, and Renai

Dalton is not having a dream...

Angry, angry ghosts

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.