Category Archives: Movie Reviews

Little Evil Delivers Comedy with a Bit of Horror

24 Sunday Sep 2017

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Little Evil

Little Evil Delivers Comedy with a Bit of Horror

For those looking for a Halloween movie long on comedy and short on gore, consider the Netflix original movie Little Evil. Adam Scott plays “Gary,” new stepfather to 5-year-old “Lucas,” played by Owen Atlas. Gary is new to parenting and ponders where Lucas’ behavior is typical or demonic. Gary realizes his stepson may be the Anti-Christ and he’s not sure he’s up to the task of eliminating him. Writer/Director Eli Craig delivers a family-friendly horror movie that will have audiences laughing.

Netflix’s $7.5 million dollar gamble pays off. Released on September 1st, Little Evil marks the return of Eli Craig, whose low-budget film Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) became a cult classic. This new film is 75% comedy with 25% horror/spoof. Know that before viewing. The joy in the film is in finding all of the subtle references to other classic horror movies. Craig pays homage to The Shining (1980), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), and The Omen (1976). But that’s only the beginning. Multiple viewings will yield more connections.

Group

Bridget Everett steals the show as “Al,” Gary’s co-worker and best bud in the stepfather support group. Her performance is refreshing, not the anticipated stereotypical supporting role.

Craig updates the stale, overused generalizations that weigh down most comedy/horror films. Rated TV-MA for mature humor, Little Evil makes for a good movie night.

The Blackwell Ghost (2017)—A Fake Documentary

15 Friday Sep 2017

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Sitting in my home in Atlanta, Georgia, I spent our Tropical Storm Irma days off flipping through my streaming services looking for something new to watch. Full disclosure: I’m a binge watcher. I will watch and rewatch favorite movies over and over again. It is safe to say that I’ve seen Jaws over 100 times. Same for The Shining. At least 50 times for Scream (not including sequels). I was overjoyed to see a new movie pop up: The Blackwell Ghost, a meh fake documentary but a good representation of paranormal investigations where nothing much happens.

Last year a video went viral. I ended up discussing it on a couple of paranormal radio shows. It featured supposed security footage of a hallway in a hotel. Paying close attention, viewers saw a white form cross in front of the camera. It was a fake—an obvious fake. Little did I realize that this video was the teaser for The Blackwell Ghost, another fake documentary.

Fake documentaries differ from mockumentaries because they are not a parody. Mockumentaries are parodies of real events. The 1984 movie This Is Spinal Tap kicked off a wave of mockumentaries including Best in Show (2000), Bob Roberts (1992), and The Blair Witch Project (1999). Mockumentaries are known to be fictional at the onset. Fake documentaries try to fool viewers into thinking the story is true. An excellent example would be Mermaids: The Body Found. This movie was pure fiction; however, it was not a spoof. The production intended to fool people. The same applies to The Blackwell Ghost.

This short film, clocking in at 59 minutes, profiles one man’s quest to prove the ghost of a female serial killer is haunting a small house. The movie opens with the viral video. The evidence mounts showing this to be fictional. First, the movie is not listed in IMDb.com. Both documentaries and mockumentaries appear in this vast database. A Facebook page exists with less than 5 entries dated either June 16 or June 21. A web address redirects to Amazon to purchase the movie. Essentially, this is a low-budget short film.

1940 Census

The “facts” don’t add up either. I searched Ancestry.com for a James and Ruth Blackwell residing in Pennsylvania during the 1930-1940s. The only couple is an African-American couple. I searched newspaper databases and Google for a female serial killer in that time period. Nothing. I even searched for death records from Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Still nothing. Conclusion: The movie is made up.

However, it’s still entertaining. As I’ve written before, most paranormal investigations are boring. Ghosts don’t perform on command. This movie shows how frustrating these investigations can be. It also highlights how two people can conduct an investigation. Support low-budget filmmakers and check out this movie.

Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDmE0zv2oo4

It (2017) Slashes the Competition

11 Monday Sep 2017

Posted by in Clowns, Horror Movies, Movie Reviews, Movies, stephen king, Uncategorized

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It (2017) Slashes the Competition

Variety.com reports that It has had the 3rd highest domestic opening in 2017. Produced on an estimated budget of $35 million dollars, the movie raked in $117 million in the US, plus another $62 million abroad. It killed the competition.

Stephen King unleashed Pennywise on unsuspecting readers back in 1986 with his mammoth 1,300+ page turner It. The book spawned a mini-series but has been resurrected in a full-length motion picture. This has been one of the most highly anticipated movies that has taken several years to reach fruition. And it was worth the wait!

“Pennywise The Dancing Clown” cavorts deep within the belly of the town of Derry, Maine, feeding off the fears of children and teenagers. He entices kids with buoyant red balloons, promising “You’ll float, too.” Director Andy Muschietti delivers. It is every bit of scary as the novel—just in a different order. It should be screened in the movie theater so viewers may experience crowd reactions.

The film remains true to the basic premise of the story; however, scenes were updated to keep in line with the 80s. (The soundtrack is pretty rad, too.) The 2017 It is actually Chapter One. This R-rated, 135 minute movie introduces viewers to the cursed town of Derry, Maine, and the 7 teenagers who will tame the clown back into his hole. Spoiler: The movie jumps to 1988 as the starting point; whereas, the novel is set in the late 50s. Chapter Two will jump 27 years where these same teens are now successful adults summoned back to Derry for one last battle.

The sequel has been announced with Muschietti returning to direct. Bill Skarsġard’s performance as Pennywise was wickedly hair-raising. Start the petitions for him to reprise the role! Hopefully production begins soon so current audiences don’t have to wait 27 years to finally find out what drives It.

The Dark Tower Opens Friday, August 4th

02 Wednesday Aug 2017

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The Dark Tower Opens Friday, August 4th

Stephen King’s highly anticipated The Dark Tower series opens Friday, August 4th. Produced for a reported $60 million dollars, the fantasy/adventure motion picture stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. Critics were expecting a film following the first book The Gunslinger; however, Mr. King dropped hints in a tweet suggesting that this version may incorporate elements from other books in the series. Friday night his fans find out what he means.

The Dark Tower (2017) is rated PG-13 and runs 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Dry Spell in Horror Movies

27 Monday Mar 2017

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Dry Spell in Horror Movies

Seems we’ve hit the doldrums for horror movies. A dry spell has taken over. The much anticipated, and over-hyped, 13th installment of Friday the 13th has been shelved—indefinitely. That’s never a good sign. The spell will lift by late April; however, there are 5 movies to plan for.

This summer brings 5 large budget horror movies to the big screen.

  1. The first is the highly anticipated franchise horror film Alien: Covenant, debuting on May 19. Fassbender
  2. The Mummy, reboot of the 1932 Boris Karloff movie of the same name opens June 9th and stars Tom Cruise. Casting is skeptical, which may tank the film before it even opens. BorisKarloff
  3. Stephen King’s book adaptation The Dark Tower arrives July 28, 2017. Idris Elba stars as “The Gunslinger.” He is the actor to watch break out in this genre.  IdrisElba
  4. In the sequel category is Annabelle 2, opening August 11, 2017. This date is tentative as the movie has already been pushed back once. Watch to see if “The Nun” in this movie tied into “The Nun” painting from The Conjuring 2 (2016) and will be a separate storyline in next year’s The Nun. James Wan may have created his own universe where his movies are interwoven more than Patrick Wilson cross-over roles. Annabelle2
  5. Finally, It has a release date of September 8th. This marks Stephen King’s 2nd summer movie and probably most anticipated from his legion of fans. “Pennywise” terrified viewers in the 1990 mini-series. Now he gets the large screen effects to scare a new generation into therapy for coulrophobia. Pennywise

There are other movies to hold us over until summer—just barely. They’re low-budget films that don’t have much star power. However, if the reviews are solid, then check them out.

Cloverfield—9 Years Later

20 Monday Feb 2017

Posted by in Binge this Movie, Horror Movies, Movie Reviews, Movies, Uncategorized

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Cloverfield—9 Years Later

Cloverfield (2008) opened 9 years ago last month, precisely January 18, 2008. Granted, most of the $25 million dollar budget was spent on special effects; however, it rocked the box office. The movie grossed over $80 million in the US alone. It raked in over $170 million worldwide. After all these years, Cloverfield endures as a pretty darn good horror/science fiction hybrid.

creature

When a monster awakens and attacks Lower Manhattan, a group of friends set out on a rescue mission capturing the event on a handheld camcorder. Roger Ebert gave it 3 stars. Other film critics enjoyed the simplistic plot catering to the growing YouTube generation. Comparisons to The Blair Witch Project were eventual; however, this movie fares better. According to Rotten Tomatoes, 68% of users liked it. Further, it garnered a solid 7/10 on IMDB.com.

bad-robot

The only negative is the title. Producer JJ Abrams should have spent more time conceiving a better title. Instead, he attempted to shroud the film in secrecy, like the Godzilla-inspired monster. Bad Robot, where Abrams serves as CEO, is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, where there is a Cloverfield Boulevard. A rural landing strip was renamed “Clover Field” in 1922 to honor fallen fighter pilot Greayer Clover, killed in France during WWI. When the city of Santa Monica purchased the airfield from the US Army in 1927, they renamed it Santa Monica Airport. Abrams took the “Cloverfield” exit on his commute and thought it a good temporary name. Ultimately, what was initially the code word for the film became a nonsensical title.

Cloverfield is streaming on Hulu. Despite its name, it’s worth a binge.

Opening Today: Cure for Wellness

18 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by in Castles, Horror Movies, Movie Reviews, Uncategorized

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Opening Today: Cure for Wellness

One of this year’s anticipated films Cure for Wellness opened in US theaters today. A young Wall Street employee (played by Dane DeHaan) is sent to a “mysterious wellness center” to fetch the missing company CEO (Harry Groener). Seems simple enough. However, this $40 million epic production clocks in at 2 hours and 26 minutes. That’s nearly 30 minutes longer than most motion pictures. Judging by the mixed reviews, it may be too long to endure.

eels

Filmed in 5 months, the movie features the picturesque Castle Hohenzollern located in Germany. Director Gore Verbinski is known for epics and box-office blunders. Depending on the review, he may have scored both. The New York Times calls it a “riot of film references. With eels.” Deadline.com claims it to be an “overloooooooong saga.” Seriously. They had all those Os. Finally, Vox offers “The 5 Stages of Watching…” stating that it is a “thoroughly distracting film.” Time will tell—say like Tuesday—if it’s worth the ticket price.

 

Rated R for adult content, graphic scenes, nudity, and an overabundance of eels.

 

The Rings Emerges 3 Years Late

30 Monday Jan 2017

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Rings Emerges 3 Years Late

Rings, the third film in the Ring franchise, opens this weekend, Friday, February 3, 2017. Although it wrapped up filming three years ago, the film has endured numerous delays. With a jam packed opening listing, this may be one to miss.

The Ring (2002) was based on the Japanese film, Ringu (1998). A journalist, played by Naomi Watts, investigates the deaths of four teenagers who died after watching a video recording. Shot on a $48 million dollar budget, the film grossed $128 million in the US alone. Worldwide, it grossed over $249 million. The first offering was wildly popular and profitable.

The Ring 2 (2005) followed shortly after. New clues emerge surrounding the curse of a videotape after the killings begin again. Filmed for $50 million, this sequel was not as popular. It only grossed $75 million in the US and $161 million worldwide. Still, it was very profitable.

Rings (2017) is also known as The Ring 3. Due to a curse, a woman will die seven days after watching a video. It brings a new cast to the franchise. Its budget was $33 million. The post-production delays are troublesome. Postponements such as this indicate a weak film. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter Where Evil Comes Home

27 Friday Jan 2017

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Resident Evil: The Final Chapter Where Evil Comes Home

The wildly popular horror/sci-fi Resident Evil movie franchise may be ending. The sixth, and potentially final, installment opens Friday, January 27, 2017 in US theaters.

One of the most financially successful movie franchises, the films have grossed over $916 million worldwide. Comprised of 6 films, the movies popularity has increased more overseas than in the US. This probably explains this movie’s Japanese debut last month, instead of here.

Fans can catch up with online video rentals. The only film currently streaming on Netflix is the 3rd film, Resident Evil: Extinction (2007). The production budget of $45 million was recouped in the US; moreover, it went on to gross $147 million worldwide. That places it 3rd in gross receipts, as well. The most profitable was the 4th film, Resident Evil: Afterlife, grossing $296 million worldwide. The 5th installment, Resident Evil: Retribution, was close behind with $240 million grossed worldwide. This is an immensely popular franchise!

afterlife

For the “final” installment, Milla Jovovich returns as “Alice.” According to director Paul W.S. Anderson, Alice’s character comes full circle in this sequel. The movie returns to the original theme of the secret facility, dubbed “The Hive.” Set designs from 15 years ago had to be located to re-create the original film’s Berlin set in order to remain as consistent as possible. It will be up to the fans on whether the movie succeeded.

One of the film’s taglines is “The journey ends.” Anderson leaves open the possibility of another film, stating that there is much international demand for the franchise to continue.

The Bye Bye Man: First Horror Film of 2017

04 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by in Books, Colleges & Universities, Conspiracy Theories, Demonic Possession, Ghost Stories, Horror Movies, Movie Reviews, Movies, Ouija Boards, Paranormal, Uncategorized, Universities, Urban Legends

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Movie Poster.

The Bye Bye Man: First Horror Film of 2017

Tagline: Don’t think it; don’t say it.

Time to blame the Ouija Board. Again. The Bye Bye Man (2017) debuts on Friday the 13th, January 2017. It is the first horror movie of 2017 (Amityville: The Awakening was moved from January 6 until June). The trailer portrays a menacing creature who is a cross between Candyman and Slender Man, two contrived characters to seem like an urban legend. The Bye Bye Man media package wants viewers to believe this is based on a true story. That would be a stretch.

byebyemanbook

Republished book cover.

Robert Damon Schneck published The President’s Vampire: Strange-But-True Tales of the United States of America, a collection of short tales, in 2005. It has been republished as The Bye Bye Man: And Other Strange-But-True Tales coinciding with the movie. The movie builds off of the short story “The Bridge to Body Island,” set in the 1990s when three college students move into a house and discover a cursed Ouija Board. Of course they begin to experiment with the board and eek out the story of an abandoned blind albino boy born in rural Louisiana and left on the stoop of an orphanage. The boy, ultimately known as “The Bye Bye Man,” escapes the orphanage traveling vagabond style leaving corpses in his wake. He pines for a “friend” and begins sewing eyes and a tongue together. The creature sets the “friend” down so it may identify the next victim. The doll whistles when a victim is found. The urban legend stops shortly after this and the movie presumably picks up the tale.

The trailer and brief write-ups describe the plot as a mesh of Ouija Board antics, tied to a creature who comes when his name is called or thought (hence the Candyman reference), photobombing pictures like Slender Man, and then leading to possession. Originally rated R, the movie is PG-13. The production budget is $6 million, making it a low-budget movie, but certainly not fatal for a horror movie. Stay tuned for my review after opening weekend. In the meantime…don’t think his name, nor dare say it.

The Bye Bye Man

Kim stands in front of the train.