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Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Feb 8, 2015 17:39:03 GMT -5
Plot:A group of friends must confront their most terrifying fears when they awaken the dark powers of an ancient spirit board.
Cast: Olivia Cooke Ana Coto Daren Kagasoff Bianca A. Santos Douglas Smith Shelley Hennig Sierra Heuermann Sunny May Allison Lin Shaye
My Thoughts:Predictable at times, yet satisfying Review:"Ouija" first piqued my interest for obvious reasons... it's a horror flick first and foremost. But along with that, it's a horror movie centered around the ancient and mysterious oracle called "The Ouija Board." Everyone's heard of it, but only a few have dared to use one. An action which depending on who or what you believe... has had dire and sometimes fatal consequences afterwards. Hit up Google, and you can find all kinds of creepy stories about real life people who've foolishly fooled with one of these things. And the sinister and terrifying consequences which have come sometimes soon, and other times much later... afterwards. As creepy and steeped in mythology as the Ouija board is... it's hard to believe that this is just the first horror film about the evil oracle to be released post 80's! Horror fans will remember that the 80's brought us "Witchboard"... a movie where a Ouija board session brings the spirit of an evil magician upon an unsuspecting young woman. But after that... it's hard to find a Mainstream horror film that centered itself around this mysterious device. That is until, "Ouija." This film comes from the team of Juliet Snowden and Stiles White. The Latter of which directed the pic. White and Snowden are no strangers to the horror genre. They were attached to the now kaput "Birds" Remake. Obviously... they've moved on. "Ouija" follows two best friends, Laine (Cooke), and Debbie (Hennig). The film opens with them both undertaking a Ouija board session as young girls. Later, we fast-forward to current day. And a night-time scene with teenaged Debbie hurling a Ouija board into a fireplace. An indication that something evil is afoot. Laine shows up to invite Debbie out but Debbie passes up the offer. A move she will quickly come to regret. Who or what-ever... Debbie is afraid she's released from the board uses this very night to make its move, and this marks the last night Laine would ever see her friend alive. Now... Laine and the rest of Debbie's friends: Pete, Isabelle, and Trevor... aim to solve the mystery of whom or what killed Debbie, and why. "Ouija" works to the detriment but also the strength of the rules of the modern day slasher film. How do the teenagers usually end up dying? By being connected to the first person to die, or nosing around where they don't belong. In this films scenario, the board is used as the quote unquote "killer." You just know that the only way Olivia Cooke's character will ever know what happened to her friend that fateful night is by playing the Ouija board. A big mistake... but the film smartens this up a bit by weaving the "rules" of the game into the storyline. Of all the written and unwritten rules about the Ouija board, the one that stands out as an underlying theme of its mythology and legend, as well in the context of this particular film, is that you should NEVER PLAY IT ALONE. So when Laine, her friends, and her younger sister Sarah (Coto) do a "session" together to get answers about Debbie's death... they unavoidedly link fates with the dark spirit who killed her. Ironically enough however, the movie also breaks its own rules in this very scene, while creating an entirely new one (atleast one I was unaware of, involving the Planchette). Without giving away spoilers, not only does one member of the group, but Laine herself as well, does something during the session that most Ouija experts warn users NOT TO DO. Although with what unfolds later on in the movie, it's hard to tell if these actions have any impact on what happens to the characters. Because "Ouija" prefers to keep things simple with our mysterious evil spirit, which sets its sights on Laine, her friends, and her younger sister after they've used the board. As dumb as these character can be at times... Director Stiles White still manages to make "Ouija" work due to some slick and impressive cinematography. Which especially comes through well on this BluRay. This is a good looking film. A bit thin on character development, and overall character smarts, but the strong... "evil surrounds them" atmosphere manages to carry this film quite well. Even in those spots where you as a viewer get fed up with the characters constantly making the same mistakes over and over again. Even as the deaths of their ever-shrinking inner circle start to come fast and furious. Speaking of said demises, the kills here are not super bloody, sorry gore fans. But you should know by now that films like this aren't in the business of going all "SAW" or "EVIL DEAD REDUX" on us. The kills however are chilling, sinister, and dark enough to really make you cringe at times. One in particular involving one of the films female characters, and "flossing gone wrong." After each death, there's an uncomfortable silence which works to enhance the atmosphere of the flick. Things pick up though on the intensity front when the film finally gets around to piecing together the darker mystery behind our "invisible evildoer". An interesting reveal, which is spurned on by genre veteran Lin Shaye making an appearance as an eccentric and institutionalized relative of a key character in the film. Which seems to be becoming her niche coming off of the still ongoing "Insidious" franchise. The films conclusion is pretty awesome but the picture runs into some problems once Laine decides she knows "exactly" what will stop the group from being haunted. Playing once again on the old addage that teenagers make hasty decisions, while also digging up some tiresome Supernatural Horror Movie "plot twists." If you are a fan of this subgenre, and have seen past Asian Ghost Movie Remakes and the like, then you will probably figure out the "twist" before our resident Scooby Gang does. With that being said, some nice Special Effects, and a strong FINAL SCENE... manage to help "Ouija" recover, and wrap up nicely. If I were you, I'd give this one a Go if you're looking for some Spooky Saturday Night Entertainment. THE GOOD:"Ouija" makes very good usage of its atmosphere. Creepy houses, Creepy basements, the board itself, dark spaces, and related things. The film always holds onto its sinister tone, and never strays into any cheesy territory. I appreciated the atmospheric quality of this particular home disc release. The final act is pretty strong, and the acting particularly by Olivia Cooke as Laine... wasn't too bad at all. I also liked how the ghost and its origins were expanded beyond what seemed to be headed towards becoming another "White Picket Fence hides dark secrets" storyline. THE BAD:While the film avoids "cheesy"... it certainly did not have much going on upstairs. Or atleast its characters didn't. These kids were too easy of prey for the Ouija spirit. Although a situation like this in reality would be hard to manage, since in order to get answers about their friends death they "had to" play the board. But one has to question the wisdom of our heroine Laine dragging her younger sister into such a caper. OVERALL:Three stars out of four.
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Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Aug 16, 2014 0:34:44 GMT -5
Plot:Having exorcised the demons of his ex, Malcolm is starting fresh with his new girlfriend and her two children. After moving into their dream home, however, Malcolm is once again plagued by bizarre paranormal events.
Cast: Marlon Wayans Jaime Pressly Essence Atkins Gabriel Iglesias Missi Pyle Ashley Rickards Affion Crockett Steele Stebbins Rick Overton Hayes MacArthur Dave Sheridan Cedric the Entertainer Kurt Carley Tom Virtue Kym Whitley
My Thoughts:Funnier than the first. Review:I am mostly sour on horror/comedies these days. Unless they really go out of their way to bring something new to the table. And blend together comedic elements that are fresh, new, and bold. "A Haunted House" as a franchise, didn't really do ANY of that the first time out. I don't blame the filmmakers really. See, "A Haunted House" is from the mind of one Marlon Wayans. And since The Wayans kind of split from the Dimension Films/Weinstein family, and left the "Scary Movie" franchise in their hands. They (Marlon mostly) went on to do their own thing. Er go, the "A Haunted House" franchise. Which is exactly like the "Scary Movie" franchise in terms of "spoofdom" except Marlon is not playing Shorty anymore. And the film gives exposure to a new up and coming generation of actor/comedian types like Affion Crockett and Gabriel Iglesias. As opposed to just stocking its cast list with D-list celeb cameos. But these types of movies sell at the box office so, as long as they keep doing one and a half or twice over their budget in returns..... the studios will just keep cranking them out. Although I have to admit the "A Haunted House 2" DVD/BluRay experience was FAR better than the first movie. In ANY setting. I thought "A Haunted House" was terrible to be honest. Part 2 though, carried some nice surprises. The sequel picks up where "A Haunted House" left off, in "Paranormal Activity" style. Malcolm's girlfriend Kisha is under demonic possession, and so he and Ray Ray (Crockett) are trying to get her to a doctor. The possessed Kisha has other ideas though, and the end result winds up being a car crash. Which Malcolm and Ray Ray manage to flee from. With Kisha's fate left as a question mark. Er go, sometime later.... Malcolm has started fresh with a new girlfriend named Megan (Pressly). Him and her move into a new home with her son Wyatt (Stebbins) and her daughter Becky (Rickards). But soon, the house begins experiencing paranormal activity of the comedic variety. All of which seems to be centered around a strange doll. While the trailers for "A Haunted House 2" may have made the film seem overdone and annoying, its game plan is actually quite clever. Marlon Wayans character Malcolm is kind of like the reverse stereotype of a horror movie character. Whereas most characters in horror films who make bad decisions, that lead to catastrophe happen to be almost always Caucasian... this films running gag is that Malcolm's bad decisions are what always end up leading to more disaster for him and everyone around him. In "A Haunted House 2", between him leaving "Demon-Kisha" to die, and having a late-night "rendevous" (the details are way grosser) with the aforementioned "mystery doll"... it sets in motion a chain of events which only make Malcolm and his new family's life that, much more difficult. To say the least! The supporting cast this time comes in a bit stronger this time to alleviate those moments when Wayans character becomes too overbearing or obnoxious. And that, along with the terrific Dolby Digital Sound quality packed into the home disc release, are what make the sequel far more tolerable that its predecessor. Comedic vets like Missi Pyle, Cedric The Entertainer, and Jaime Pressly. Along with newcomer Gabriel Iglesias.... round out a pretty strong cast. Rickards, who most will recognize from MTV's "Awkward"... also does a good job from a comedic standpoint, in the film as Megan's stereotypically-angsty teenage daughter Becky. But Iglesias steals the show mostly as Malcolms Mexican-American neighbor Miguel. So along with all the horror-spoof humor of the "Paranormal Activity" films, and other supernatural horror releases such as "The Conjuring"... we also get some racial humor thrown in as well. But not in a cheap, low-brow kind of way. Wayans and Iglesias manage to make these parts of the film GENUINELY FUNNY. Not just because of the dialogue, but also because of the terrific way the two actor/comedians play off of one another during many scenes they have together in the movie. They have great chemistry, and these segments act as a terrific companion piece to the films "horror inspired" humor which at times can get a bit dull and bland when they either run out of stuff to spoof, or take some jokes way too far. But that's a rareity this time around, as the "horror inspired" humor seems to be a lot sharper this time around. In particular, the best spots come involving Malcolm and the "possessed Annabelle knock off doll".... who end up developing a "stalker'esque" relationship. Complete with embarassing social media tie-ins and all. As well as a scene around the middle of the movie where Becky's room is "swarmed", and Malcolm and Megan come under attack during the incident. The films conclusion is a gets a lukewarm grade from me. In that it should've ended when it ended. Instead, they tack on another scene to try and garner a few extra laughs from the viewer. It wasn't a terrible scene, but I felt it was forced and unnecessary in the big scheme of things. "A Haunted House 2" is a great release though, and those who didn't see it in cinemas might actually come to appreciate it more on DVD. I think this franchise fits better in that home release environment, where you're just looking for something modestly humorous and entertaining for an hour and a half. As opposed to the theatrical marketplace, where you're expecting MAJOR laughs and a bigger presentation. THE GOOD:The DVD as a release is a great presentation. The sound is terrific and adds energy to the films key comedic moments and scenes. The extras are rolled out in a nice format, and the overall quality of the home disc release is very strong. Wayans delivers a better performance this time around, mostly because the material was better. And the supporting cast a lot stronger. The pics best moments were almost every scene involving Gabriel Iglesias and Marlon Wayans. They have great on-screen comedic chemistry, and if there's a third movie I think "Miguel" has to return. The opening scene with Malcolm, Ray Ray, and Demon-Kisha in the car was funny also. The doll-stalker bits were funny, and I was impressed with Rickards. THE BAD:Although Marlon was better in the sequel, some of his humor was a bit much. Too heavy on raunchiness, and not enough genuine "funny". Cedric The Entertainer is usually a funny guy in most movies, but once again his Priest character missed the mark in my opinion. OVERALL:Three stars out of four.
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Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Jun 7, 2014 14:20:34 GMT -5
Plot:Rusty Nail is back on the road again looking to punish injustice at every turn — and this time it’s with a group of hothead twenty-somethings on their way to the Road Rally 1000. As they drive through a desolate shortcut on the way to the race, an encounter with Rusty turns sour, and soon he is tracking, teasing, and torturing them until the end of the road.
Cast: Kirsten Prout Ben Hollingsworth Ken Kirzinger Dean Armstrong Jesse Hutch Leela Savasta Gianpaolo Venuta Jake Manley Sara MitichMy Thoughts:Rusty uses the Internets! Review:It's been six years since killer trucker Rusty Nail, stalked the highways. Looking for fresh, young meat to terrorize. The first sequel in the franchise appeared back in 2008. A pretty good film and followup. At least in my opinion. The franchise was thought to be buried after that film. Although Rusty Nail, the villain...sure as heck wasn't. As normally with straight-to-disc horror franchises. If another sequel doesn't crop up after 2 years then it usually doesn't happen. Either that, or a remake is in the works at some major studio. In the case of "Joy Ride". Its villain isn't iconic enough for a remake to ever happen. So we were left to assume that somewhere, some writers were banging away at a new direction to take the franchise in. With a potential second sequel. And so here we are in 2014, with "Joy Ride 3:Road Kill". This time around, Rusty's legend has expanded. He now has immortalized a stretch of highway in the area thanks to his rising body count. The locals all fear that highway, and it's now to the point where it doesn't even appear on some road maps. Something revealed later on in the movie through bits of dialogue. The third entry starts with some local druggies looking to score some more speed. When druggie 1's girlfriend freaks out at the notion that they're "dry". They get the idea to contact a random trucker, and rob him for his drugs. If not his drugs, then his money. So they can buy some more drugs. They end up contacting Rusty Nail (Kirzinger), in a cool opening scene where the pic gives a nice nod and homage, to "Joy Ride" (2001). With an infamous mention/namedrop. Things don't exactly go as "planned", for our pair of thieves/abusers. Fans of the franchise can pretty much already guess how these two end up. But the unfolding of events itself, is quite nicely done for a franchise that started out more mental and less visual. From here, we meet the films "new" protogs. Led by upbeat blonde bombshell Jewel (Prout), and the somewhat enigmatic Jordan (Hutch). And in an ironic twist, these are actually kids you can root for! Unlike the first two films. Where a mean prank, and a case of quasi-kinda-sorta-auto-theft-breaking-and-entering. Eventually led to Rusty's wrath coming down upon the main characters. This group is just traveling to Canada for an auto race. Representing their own indie racing team. In order to shave a day off their journey, they decide to take the aforementioned forbidden stretch of highway. Despite the protests of a local diner patron, and a local cop. Silly teenagers, there are no shortcuts in life. They of course cross paths with Rusty Nail. Who doesn't seem to mind the youngsters. Until one of them decides to antagonize him in mid-journey. No one one-ups Rusty! On the road! Especially... HIS ROAD! This 'slight' by the young speedsters, prompts Rusty to "Google" (not really but you get the joke)... the license plate number off one of the youngsters cars. From there, he pulls up the info on their racing team. And then, it's GAME ON! Although not nearly as smart, clever, and heart-pounding as the first film. Nor as dark and edgy as its first sequel. "Joy Ride 3" does a good job at simply unleashing Rusty upon his newfound foes, HEAD-ON! I guess at this stage in the game, it makes sense from a series blueprint standpoint. Part 1, was all about presenting this mysterious, but sadistic and twisted villain. Part 2 kind of wobbled between furthering his vengeful ways and attitudes. While also at times, adding a dash of anti-hero mixed in with it. The third movie though, FULLY... establishes Rusty as a villain. PURE EVIL, and VERY MEAN. Mostly because the lenghts he goes to, in attacking these people. Is more beyond-the-pale than usual. Which sets a much different, darker tone for things. But then again, you kind of have to sympathize with Rusty this time around SOMEWHAT. Remember, the film starts off with him being the victim of an attempted robbery. So he's sort of already in a bad mood anyways. Not to mention, looking back on the franchise as a whole. He's been tricked into believing the illusion of a hot woman, had his house broken into and his car stolen, and now... almost robbed and killed by two meth-heads. An unhinged psycopath can only take so much right? And if you prefer your Rusty Nail in his original 'cat-and-mouse' form. Well, you'll be a bit disappointed in this entry. Rusty DOES game the youngsters a few times. But his motives are a lot more clear this time around. Not only does he make demands to be "compensated"... for his troubles. But he makes it pretty obvious that he intends to make sure these kids DON'T make it to their little race up North. And as for anyone else who gets in his way, well... good luck with that. While our "heroes", are a bit under-developed from a character standpoint in this newest entry. They make up for it with a higher level of bravery than previous protogs. Which falls in line with their "hobby" of being race car drivers. Sure, they do show fear at times towards Rusty. Especially when he begins to pick off the group and whittle their numbers down. But you never get the sense of "panic", or "deep, guttural, terror". From this particular crop of kids. "Joy Ride 3" paces itself well, and does a good job of building and increasing the level of high octane violence leading up to its finale. Which takes place in a junkyard. Where Rusty has cornered what's left of the race car kids. The conclusion of events is somewhat predictable, but fits the franchise pattern well enough at this point. Being on movie "number 3" and all. "Joy Ride 3:Road Kill" lacks a lot of the bits and pieces that made the first two movies so much fun to watch. But its replacement of them with more blood and gore, and a further "blackening", of its franchise villains already "black", heart. Creates some interesting new terrain for the pic to play with. THE GOOD:Rusty's newly-broadened mean streak fits the newest sequel nicely. He's also a lot more like a bold, buzzsaw in this entry. Instead of a mostly unseen and shrouded brute, lurking in the shadows. Like he was in the previous two movies. The protogs are a bit under-developed on the character side. But they had heart in the face of what they were dealing with. It's always refreshing to get heroes who beg or show fear when its necessary. And don't whine the whole movie throughout. The opening kill, and the 'vice' kill were pretty cool also. THE BAD:The final scene, and how the movie ultimately ends. I mean, it's not surprising to me as someone very familiar with this genre. But I was hoping for a tighter, and more creative finishing touch. OVERALL:Three stars out of four.
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Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Jun 4, 2014 15:36:48 GMT -5
Plot:En route to L.A., director Crystal Lacroix, along with by-the-numbers producer Dawn Summerville, neurotic writer Lizzy Miller, and star sisters Kim and Sasha Tobin, are riding high after a successful screening of their new horror film. But when Crystal goes missing at a rest stop, their mood suddenly changes. The others, splitting up to search for Crystal, spot an isolated farmhouse and enlist the help of its owners, quickly discovering that appearances are not always what they seem. Life imitates art as all five ladies find themselves pitted against a deranged couple hell-bent on using them for their mysterious research. Who will survive and what will be the fate of their ultimate discovery? Cast: Jessica Cameron Ry Barrett Tristan Risk Sydney Kondruss Tianna Nori Caleigh LeGrand Bea Santos Bobbie Phillips Director:Ryan M. Andrews Release Date:2015
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Utero
Feb 27, 2014 10:13:00 GMT -5
Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Feb 27, 2014 10:13:00 GMT -5
Plot:An agoraphobic unwed mother who finds her psyche unraveling as she becomes convinced that her unborn child is more monster than human. Cast: Jessica Cameron Director:Brian Coyne Release Date:2015
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Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Dec 3, 2013 18:35:38 GMT -5
Plot:Sequel to "Curse Of Chucky".
Cast:N/A
Director:Don Mancini
Release Date:2014
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Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Nov 25, 2013 15:39:43 GMT -5
Plot:Jeremiah Winterford is an old-fashioned vampire who finds himself awkwardly out of place in a modern world. Forced to move from Winterford Manor following a torching by his vampiric rival Jako Van Zyl, Winterford and his surviving acolytes find themselves making a new home in Camden (London's musical capital). Where better for a vampire to hide in plain sight?
Sorcerer's Tower, an unsuccessful prog-rock band are booked to play at the re-opening night of a Camden venue, now under new (vampiric) ownership. Armed with their instruments, can the band save their small number of fans from an eternity of vampirism?
Cast: Dani Thompson Gyles Brandreth Guy Barnes Loren Peta Faye Sewell Jake Rundle Vauxhall Jermaine Blue Jigsaw Sophia Disgrace Frankie Mae Ami Lloyd Chris Smith Dick Carruther Amy Jaxon Malcolm Galloway
Director:Malcolm Galloway
Release Date:Summer 2014
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Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Nov 1, 2013 11:25:23 GMT -5
Plot:Remake of the 80's horror cult classic of the same name. Where slightly disturbed and painfully shy Angela Baker is sent away to summer camp with her cousin. Not long after Angela's arrival, things start to go horribly wrong for anyone with sinister or less than honorable intentions.
Cast:N/A
Director:N/A
Release Date:2015
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Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Oct 31, 2013 13:15:43 GMT -5
Plot:Sequel to "Trick r Treat".
Cast:N/A
Director:Michael Dougherty
Release Date:2014
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Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Oct 27, 2013 13:13:24 GMT -5
Plot:When a collection of individuals assemble for a gathering at a winecheateu in the South of France. They soon are pulled into a downward spiral of murder and mayhem, which may or may not share a connection with the chateau's "odd" hosts.
Cast: Antoine Martin Lucinda Rhodes Kim Sonderholm Callie Roberts Edmund Digby-Jones Kyle Calderwood Marina De Salis Mariana Penalva J.C. Montes-Roldan Kasia Koleczek Miglen Mirtchev Andrea Catozzi Jonathan Christopher Duncan
Director:Gary Meyer
Release Date:2014
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