Lords of Salem (film)

Hey guys! I have to admit it has been a very very looonnnggggg time since I've said anything here.  For like the 2 people who read this (thanks mom!), i'm doing fine and well.  I've had a lot of things going n and something had to give.  That thing was this blog.  But things haven't became a tad more stable and settled.  And I've actually had some time to watch some movies too! So here is my latest entry into my portfolio - my review on The Lords of Salem!

Heidi, played by Sheri Moon Zombie

The Lords of Salem, directed by Rob Zombie, stars his wife Sheri Moon Zombie as Heidi, a Rock radio DJ in Salem MA.  Heidi is just trying to get by and dealing with addiction simultaneously.  During a show, she receives a strange record.  No message save the sender info "From the lords...".  The record is played across the FM waves and creates a strange binding on the local women of Salem.  It has an especially deep grip on Heidi.  During all of this, Francis Matthias (Bruce Davison) is trying to unravel the mystery behind the 'lords of salem' and the record they had played on the radio.

Rob Zombie, writer/director of Lords of Salem, with his wife

Good -  I am a fan of Rob Zombie.  Mainly for his music.  So anytime I hear his name attached to something, I wanna check it out.  This film was no different.   In the past, I've found his films to be great but on a lowered standard.  I always saw him as a rocker/part time director.  This film changed that perception to full-time rocker/director.  Overall, I think Zombie has finally come into his own.  This film is more so creepy and tense, then the past blood soaked gore feasts he has done.  Nothing is wrong with those previous entries but Lods of Salem shows a maturity that wasn't there before.  Sheri Moon also finally gets the chance to show she is more then a pretty face and T'n'A. Her previous roles were either caricatures or quiet cameos.  Here, she really showed her skill and talent.  All of these facts come together to create a really unexpected horror gem.

Bad - The only bad thing I would mention is that at times the plot can get a bit hard to follow, especially near the end.  I was able to follow it overall pretty well though.  And Zombie doesn't lay it all out, except maybe near the rolling credits.  Still, he expects the audience to keep up and I respect that. 

Bruce Davison as Francis Matthias

Overall -  I found this movie to be really good.  Great almost.  I was surprised to find the Zombie couple come into thier own  in their respective roles.  Rob has really come to understand what it takes to making a chilling film.  Sheri is able to show she can be more then a 1 dimension harlot.  I give this film 4.5 stars.  Make it a point to see this right away. 

Similar To - Rosemary's Baby, The Omen

Dusk Maiden of Amnesia (Anime)

Watch it on Hulu like me!

Despite the beginning of the new fall season, I haven't felt inclined to watch anything new.  No Modern Family or Parks & Rec just yet.  Instead, I've had a urge to watch someone more anime.  I didn't want to watch something terribly long, as it would take longer to get into the fall lineup.  After looking on Hulu for much longer then I should have, I settled on this little gem - Dusk Maiden of Amnesia.

Teiichi and Yuko

Dusk Maiden of Amnesia follows Teiichi, Yuko, Momoe, and Kirie, the members of the Paranormal Investigation club. After school, this team follows various rumors in school about ghost sightings and paranormal activity.  What's unique about the group is the Yuko is a ghost herself.  She can only be seen by those who are aware of her, and even then, they only see what they think she should be.  The first person to see Yuko with clarity is Teiichi.  The series follows the group as they investigate rumors, delves into how the group came together, and ultimately solves the mystery behind Yuko's death. 

Good - I wasn't sure exactly what to expect with this series, other then some sort of ghost element.  I ended up having a great time with this one.  It has a lot of cute humor between the surprisingly small cast.  The exchanges between Yuko and Teiichi are sweet, once you get past the creepy point of Yuko being a ghost.  In fact, the series deals with that issue head on, which I appreciate.  For being a shorter series, it was refreshingly succinct.  It didn't waste time with filler episodes and even had it's fair share of twists.  This is by no means an action packed, testosterone drenched series but the character interactions and development made this a great show to watch.

The Wiki Site

Another aspect were the various horror scenes.  For being a light hearted series, there was some brilliant and downright creepy scenes throughout.  Without much effort, this series seemed to be able to do it all.

Bad - Honestly, I found nothing bad with this series.  I liked everything about it. 

Someone is being a bit friendly 

Overall - Dusk Maiden of Amnesia is a solid choice.  I wasn't sure what to expect going into the series.  Thankfully I like anything, so long as the story is strong.  Dusk Maiden had a strong story, fun characters, and even pacing.  If you're looking for something fun, light, and quick, pick Dusk Maiden of Amnesia.  You will not be disappointed.  4.5 out of 5 stars. 

Similar to: Dorm, Toradora, Casper the Friendly Ghost (maybe), Typical ghost movies

Atrocious (film)

I had been getting Atrocious as a recommendation for some time.  I read the reviews and wanted to watch something on the shorter side of things.  Finding out this was a found footage horror film that wasn't terribly long, I had every reason to spend an evening watching this film.

Eldest Son Christian

Atrocious follows Christien and July (pronounced Julie), brother and sister, while their family is away at their mother's childhood home.  Avid amateur ghost hunters, they had been tipped off about legends concerning the woods nearby.  A young girl, Miranda, was lost in the woods and never found.  Some stories say she will lead those who are lost in the woods.  Others say how she is seeking revenge for her own lost life.  During their search for the paranormal, a much harsher reality rears it's ugly head.
Likes - I liked what was done with this film.  It's not for everyone though.  To begin with, I really enjoy the found footage approach and Atrocious approached this tactic better then most.  The filming felt much more natural to what a person would film while in a panic or were distracted.  There are moments of long pauses and when they are running, with only trees and brush in sight.  Not being able to see the cause of the commotion adds a greater depth of benson and terror.  Atrocious made you scared for what you couldn't see.  They also incorporated news reels near the end, adding to the idea of how real and well known the event was.

July

Another aspect of the film I enjoyed was the pacing.  This was a slow burn type of film.  It takes it's time to build up the scares.  I appreciated that.  I don't like slow moving films, but I think the molasses run with this film is to it's advantage. Once the shit hits the fan, things happen so fast you can't process what's going on.  Hell, the film itself revisits parts so you can see what actually happened.  This is definitely a film you have to pay attention to while watching it.

Young Josè

Dislikes - There isn't nothing I didn't like about this film.  It's not new in anything of it's method or story.  Things were just executed well.  It does it's main job well - scaring you.

Overall - I think this is a great film.  A part of me wants to say this is what Paranormal Activity wanted to be.  It's thought out and believable on many levels, making it much scarier.  You are there in the rooms, lost in the dark with Christain, unsure what's happening.  You are with July as she tries to navigate the woods her mother told her to stay out of.  You are there, in the middle of it all, scared of what will happen to you.  That is how it should be done! 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Pontypool (film)

Pontypool was recommended to me while out drinking with friends, new and old.  After watching the mess that was In Dreams,  I wanted to watch something that was worth my time.  I went with Pontypool and I was quite impressed.

Stephan McHattie as Grant Mazzy

Lisa Houle as Sydney Briar

Pontypool follows Grant Mazzy, a shock jock out of his element.  For reasons not fully explained, his over-the-top nature has forced him to the rural and remote town of Pontypool.  On his way into the studio, a stranger comes to his car stammering "blood", and seemingly evaporates into the winter darkness.  Disturbed but not undeterred, he heads into the radio station.  There, he begins his normal cast, trying to wake up the sleepy town smothering him.  As the broadcast moves on, he slowly comes to realize that the townsfolk are being consumed by some unknown force.  As he and his crew try to piece things together, they realize they can't keep up.  Too much is happening and not enough clues are coming in.  Before long, they realize the most important thing to hold onto is not information, but their lives.

Likes - Pontypool was a surprisingly intelligent movie.  It didn't rush into it's subject like a sprinter.  It took it's time, allowing you to get used to the Canadian world you were a citizen of for an hour and a half.  We get to know Mazzy, his need to push the limits and the cost he paid for it.  We meet Sydney, has she is just trying to do her job and keep her tiny town moving forward.  We meet Laurel-Ann, a recently returned war vet and hero.  The plot takes it's time, going from a sleeping pup to raging beast.  It's a smart way to get you into the story without rushing too fast and turning you off.
Another great aspect I enjoyed about Pontypool was the blood, guts, and gore.  There was some in key parts in the later half of the film. Overall though, it wasn't much on that.  Hell, you don't see anyone get eaten even! Yet Pontypool manages to get under your skin, and it takes it's time to slither around.  You become concerned, then worried, then confused.  All without seeing a thing in the outside world.  As the radio crew is trying to piece together what's happening, so are you.  This is a masterful way of creating a tension that leads to terror, with nary a drop of blood spilled.

Georgina Reilly as Laurel-Ann Drummond

Dislikes - There isn't anything I can take away from this and say I didn't like it.  It was well acted and filmed well.  Plot is paramount in this film genre but the director, Bruce McDonald, still made the film visually interesting to watch.

Overall - I highly recommend this film, especially to horror and zombie film fans.  This was a great example of how far you can take a film using very little.  This is a memorable film and I dare say, this could even be influential, in both its subject matter and execution.  Personally, this is one I'll be talking about for months.  5 out of 5 stars.

Review: In Dreams (movie)

In my never ending quest to see every movie ever made, Netflix recommended I watch this film released in 1999.  I should have said no and saved it for a later time. Being the intrepid sloth that I am, I decided to give this crazy, unfocused film a chance before bed.  It didn't pay off.

Annette Bening as Claire Cooper

In Dreams follows Claire Cooper, played by Annette Bening, a doting mother.  She and her husband have hit a rough patch when she finds some evidence showing he, Paul Cooper played by Aiden Quinn, being unfaithful.  Before they can resolve anything, their young daughter, Rebecca, becomes lost after a very strange but cute outdoor play of Snow White.  The girl who played the evil queen, by the way, was oddly appropriate with her crazy fit of childish rage.  It's worth watching the film for that alone!  While waiting to find her daughter, we find out Claire has visions in her dreams.  Visions that come true! Spooky!!!! These visions come directly from the man who has taken her daughter.  She learns that her daughter is not the first nor last victim of this disturbed killer.

Likes -  The only thing I really liked were the special effects.  There were not many displays of it but the transitions between being awake and being in a dream for Claire were good. The final scene were the killer, Vivian Thompson played by Robert Downer Jr., is haunted is also excellent.  Thats really about it.

Dislikes - This movie was a crazy mess of insanity.  The first half was focused on how bat shit crazy Bening could be.  She pulled off an amazing job in being absolutely ridiculous and lacking credibility.  The later half, we see RDJ mixing his confidence and calm demeanor with the musings of a maniac.  Between the two, I felt more scared of RDJ, rightfully.  Bening made me feel bad for women in general.  Her performance totally discredited her gender by acting so irrational and over the top.  Look, I get crazy and being driven beyond what you can handle, but from the very beginning Bening portrays her character as some delicate house wife who never learned to deal with anything more strenuous then not being able to go to the grocery store on time.  I felt such a portrayal of women was inappropriate for 1999. It makes no sense to me how Bening goes from zero to psychotic idiot in 10 minutes.

Also, the major plot point of why the killer can invade Claire's dreams is never really explained, except for they have the same power.  This is just lazy to me.  I can totally see there being a connection between them but there is no attempt to even try to create a psychic link. The overall plot just seemed rushed and made little sense how they got from point A to point B.  It's like they were borrowing sets from other films that were never broken down and tried to make something cohesive out of it.

Robert Downey Jr as Vivian Thompson

Overall - This was an interesting film.  I watched it because I felt the cast was really strong.  For this film though, it seems the big players simply phoned it in.  No one really delved into their character.  The audience is bludgeoned immediately with the neuroses of these poorly developed characters.  This was good to watch only for the fact it shows so many things that can go wrong.  For the purpose of entertaining, In Dreams does so by simply showing you the worst case scenario of an actor/actress not giving a shit.  In terms of a decent plot or character development, I would look elsewhere.  1.5 out of 5 stars.

Review: The Ward

It's HALLOWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNN!!!!!.....So I tried finding a new American horror film to watch.  I was only able to find this here.

The Ward follows Kristen as she is inexplicably sent to a mental ward after setting a barn on fire.  Upon her arrival, she becomes acclimated into the small world that exists inside.  She meets the other patients, pisses the staff off, and randomly encounters a woman covered in darkness trying to kill her.  This film turns out to be a ghost story...or is it? (Insert spooky laugh)

Likes - The Ward wasn't a stand out innovative film, so it's hard to point out anything major that I liked.  It wasn't terrible or even bad.  The acting was acceptable, except for Sarah's death.  That was a bit silly.  The story was generally solid.  Honestly, I was only half paying attention while watching this.  The questionable points I did pick up on were ratified with the ending, which i might add......WAS A TWIST! Bet you didn't see that coming.

Dislikes - Again, I have the same general comment.  Nothing comes to mind that I greatly disliked about this film.  Not saying it was flawless, though.

Overall - The Ward was a fun film to watch if you don't take it too seriously.  Viewing it once is enjoyable but that would be enough.  This won't change horror or make you scared to sleep at night. I was getting turned off by the ghost story concept because it wasn't being executed in a proper manner.  The ending made it acceptable though.  The ending didn't bring things full circle, so much as, it was able to explain away any flaws the plot might have had.  It was a good idea but the lack of strong acting made the overall film, though fun to watch, an overall forgettable affair.

P.S. One last note I want to add.  I will continue to review smaller, more obscure tittles.  Reviewing big movies that everyone has already seen before is rather frivolous.  I want to give people something unique to read, as opposed to another screaming voice in a roar of screaming voices.

Review: I Saw the Devil

I Saw the Devil is the latest Korean Horror film.  It focuses on the them of revenge.  After watching the revenge trilogy last month or so, I was excited to get more!  When I saw this was a nearly added instant stream title, I dropped everything to watch this. It was an interesting, unexpected ride but one I would definitely make again.

I Saw the Devil follows Kim Soo-hyeon, a special agent of the National Intelligence Security.  His fiance is brutally murdered by a serial killer, Kyung-chul.  Kyung-chul is an apathetic man, killing anyone who he feels slights him in the slightest way.  This film follows Soo-hyeon's catch and release of Kyung-chul.

Likes - This film is absolutely unrelenting and brutal.  When other films would cut away or imply an event has occurred, Jee-woon Kim keeps the scene going, forcing the viewer to see the true lengths these men will go, for survival, for revenge.  With this mentality, we see tendon being severed.  We see excrement being sifted.  We see limbs and leftovers being mixed together.  As disturbing as this might sound, it all makes for a rather beautiful sight.  The violence borders on both the ultra but also the poetic.     As I've mentioned before, what gets me loving the movie is the plot.  This was a story never told, an original tale.  If this was told again, it wouldn't have the same fluidity or flow as  I Saw the Devil.  Where other movies would have been done during after the first hour and half, I Saw the Devil took it a step further and added nearly an hour more of excitement and tension.  Mind you this is not at all pointless either, but really helps drive the point of how far Soo-hyeon will go for true revenge for his fiancee.  

Dislikes - I did not have anything major I disliked.  If I had a complaint,it would be my weak stomach had a hard time watching some scenes.  Nonetheless, I still manged to keep my eyes uncovered for the whole film.  That's pretty amazing.

Overall - Absolutely wonderful film.  Its strange all the angles I've been seeing through film about this topic - revenge.  Its becoming a great ride.  I give this movie 5 stars and implore you to watch is as soon as you can!  And try to eat light before you do, otherwise it might not sit well with you after awhile.