Poltergeist Reboot Reviewed

Remakes are not a thing of the past, while this year sees only one real remake, Point Blank, hitting movie screens remakes still do keep getting turned out. With Poltergeist, the producers behind The Grudge and Evil Dead remakes brought back Spielberg and Hooper's ghost house classic into present day, adding more visual flare and giving the new film a different twist. 

Gil Kenan, the director of the animated monster feature Monster House, directs this remake of a family who are haunted by unhappy spirits. The cast is peppered throughout with excellent talent, from Sam Rockwell,  Rosemarie DeWitt to Jared Harris and Jane Adams, the cast is perfect and effective. They convey their characters with perfect conviction, including new comer Kennedi Clements, who plays Madison just like Carol Anne in the original, constantly conveying that sense of innocence. Actor Kyle Catlett is a great addition but I cant help but feel he has barely aged since I saw him on television in The Following two years prior. The visuals are eye-popping in 3D and the design of purgatory is done with such a high creep factor, had me cringing the whole way through. 

One flaw with the film, and sadly this is a major one, is it is hardly scary. The film really is portrayed as more of a creepy thriller than an actual horror movie. Their are moments where certain characters are put in jeopardy, one such great moment is when one of the ghost hunters tries installing a heat detector in the primary closet, bad idea as he almost gets drilled through the head. 

No one was really seemingly at risk, it seemed like the ghosts were kind of tame. The film is well made and deserves a watch. Some may want to see the original though as this remake pretty much follows the original to a T, though there is a better ending that has less of a cliffhanger like most horror films and concludes that story better. A short, creepy, well crafted thriller, the new Poltergeist is tame in comparison to the original, in parts, but as far as a viewing pleasure goes it was a pretty good time at the movies. 

Rating: B 

The Heart-throb next door

Story: A newly divorced woman falls for a younger man who has recently moved in across the street from her, but their torrid affair soon takes a dangerous turn.

The movie, for all its worth, is a movie vehicle for Jennifer Lopez and thats not a bad thing. I have not seen a lot of Jennifer Lopez in film lately and I found her to be terrific here. I really did. Its funny how no matter how bad the script sounds you can just feel the meaning that whats in the script is trying to convey through her ability to express those inner turmoils and emotions. 

Another huge surprise was Ryan Guzman, this guy plays sadistic and psycho to a T. Ryan and psycho roommate Leighton Meester should play as duo villains in a movie. Ryan does a great job at playing cat and mouse with J.lo and he just plays the bad guy so well. He is beyond terrific and you can just feel the crazy seeping out of him. Ryan shows such a turn around here, he plays the part with such great intensity, he's beyond amazing in the part. 

As for the rest of the cast the only other standout is Hunger Games player Ian Nelson. He had a bit part in the first Hunger Games movie and has seemingly grown into a very capable actor. I have not seen him in anything since then but I feel he's working up strongly. 

The one thing really wrong with the film is its script. Writing a good screenplay is of course the hardest thing to do. Issues with the script would be how certain scenarios are breezed over and character arcs are never fully developed. I would have liked to have seen a better effort for the writer to try and make some points about society, the way we live, the digital age. Our world is full of great ideas, someone just needs to jot them down. 

No worries though, Rob Cohen makes the film worth every cent. As the budget is not huge Rob is able to do the impossible and make a very exciting set pieces. Once we get into the second act the film starts rolling and building towards an inferno of a finale. It was so adrenaline pumping. While some character moments don't seem to work all to well, the director get by with some solid pacing and good twists. 

The Boy Next Door does not break any new cinematic walls. In fact I would call it so bad its good! Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman and Ian Nelson are the best here and the story, while cliche and messy, can be ignored for Rob's excellent action direction. 

Rating: B 

The Woman in Black 2

I was a huge fan of the first film, as it was Daniel Radcliffe's dive into new thematic territory. A sequel seemed like a no brainer, until I realized (spoiler alert) Daniel dies in the end. So how do you follow up a terrifying chiller such as Woman in Black and still be just as good.

The Woman in Black 2 has kept the same atmosphere and setting of the first film and does go over again events from the previous film, involving the ghostly woman. What 2 sets itself up differently is that it takes place over a 100 years later in 1941 when London was being bombed. Now, the concept and themes of that time would have made for interesting new material for the sequel. Sadly, one of the sequel's major faults is its excitement factor. There are too many parts in the film that just drag the film down. Seriously, even some of the characters look bored. What was interesting in the first film was trying to figure out how to stop the ghost from killing all the children and watching Daniel slowly unravel at the thought of spirits being real. Angel of Death, as the sequel's second title, makes the Woman in black seem more desperate than terrifying. Now look I am not for killing children but if thats where the scariness factor comes in, you better deliver. Here only 2 children and a grown up die, half of the children of the orphanage survive. I'm going to rant for a sentence or two here and say why is she so fixated on the one boy. If the woman in black is a vengeful spirit she would of taken all the children, but she didn't. This is what led to the film being very dull and uninteresting. The leads are fine, Jeremy Irvine does a good job with what he's got but even then, the backstories are murkier than the water near the house. Speaking of which when did the water become so clear. If I recall it was more like mud in the first film. I guess by film 3 they'll need a boat to get to the island.

But with all due respect to the material, if this is the best they can come up with than I say let the place stay dormant. No need to go back again if next time we'll be retreading again and no kids perish and everybody lives happily ever after. The Woman in Black 2 sadly does not live up to the title. I've seen some badly rated horror films in the past and I loved them (99's The Haunting and 2011's The Thing)  but what did those films have that this one doesn't, the adrenaline rush. The Woman in Black: Angel of Death is a weak entry into this series. While all of it is there, it just seems like we're staring at a black and white photo and nothing is happening. Let's hope this year can bring out some more exciting horror than this.

Rating - C +

Horror films anew

Hello all who read this blog. This new year I am determined to write more on my blogs and upload more art on others. That said I never got out to seeing Ouija or Before I go to Sleep. The first really deterred me from seeing it when the reviews came in and the second seemed to not have gotten a release date. I will see these films when they hit dvd/iTunes and I also plan to catch The Babadook. Its going to be another exciting year in horror.

Halloween movies left for Halloween

1. Ouija (October 24th 2014)

2. Before I Go to Sleep (October 31st 2014)

Demons and thrillers, these last two films are going to be interesting to watch.

Halloween Movie #2 : Dracula Untold

Story: Facing a fearsome old enemy from his past who threatens his family and kingdom, Vlad Tepes makes a deal with dark supernatural forces - while also trying to avoid succumbing to the darkness himself.

Luke Evans is a very interesting actor, having now become part of the Hobbit series and as the villain of the 6th Fast and Furious movie, he's set to take on the role of The Crow in the upcoming reimagining. While here he plays a reimagined version of the classic monster, Dracula. 

 Based on some minor truths and the original classic, as well as taking a few ideas from Francis Ford Coppola's 90s horror masterpiece "Bram Stoker's Dracula" where Dracula falls in love with Mina Harker as she resembles his once lost love. Dracula Untold lets us in to how Dracula came into being. It tells the story of a young Vlad who was taken by the Turks in good faith to be trained into a monster, because men do not fear men, they fear what they don't understand. Vlad eventually leaves his past behind in search of redemption but once again his past comes back to haunt him as now he is in his father's shoes, will he give up his son in order to hold peace with the Turks. 

Gary Shore, the director, does a fantastic job at directing this. It reminded me so of the classic monster movies, it really did. The action scenes are the only thing that are the most updated, with Dracula using a swarm of bats to obliterate his enemies. That was freaking awesome. I would of liked to have seen him take other forms, such as a wolf or fog (as he does so in the original text) The cinematography is also very vast and gives off a very epic feel to this overall horror tale. The visuals are solid and not overdone and the vampire transformations are way cooler than the stuff of Twilight. 

Luke Evans is beyond fabulous in the role of Vlad. He delves into his character's sorrows and dark past and gives off a great heroic intensity. His chemistry with new comer Sarah Gadon is terrific as the two really give off the romantic vibe. Sarah is perfectly cast as his wife, Mirena. She is both elegant and strong willed, she does not flee when she learns the truth. Her british accent isn't bad but it could of been a bit better in parts. Art Parkinson (Game of Thrones) plays their son, Ingeras. He is not a stupid whiny child, in fact he is first to stand up and make his dad proud by sacrificing himself for the betterment of his family. Being his first major film role, Art is really amazing here. He has a strong emotional range and is very likeable. 

 There are actually two villains in this, and they work really well with the development of the character. First we meet the Master Vampire, played by Charles Dance (Also from Game of Thrones). He is a vicious as he was on Game of Thrones, he plays the vampire who gives Vlad the power to become unstoppable. He's menacing and mysterious. Would he have been a better Dracula, no. I really love Luke as Dracula, if Charles played the role it would seem weird. I find he's just not the right actor for that part. But as the unknown vampire who gives Vlad his abilities, he makes for a more interesting villain as we know only that he has some sort of hidden agenda. 

Dominic Copper plays Mehmed. He's plays the part of the human villain. Once a child friend from Vlad's past who trained along side him when they fought together for the Turks. He now rains hellfire down on Vlad's country by telling him what his predecessor told his father, 100,000 boys for his army, including his son. Dominic is great in the role, he does not go over the top and creates a deep utmost jealousy and hatred toward Vlad. Vlad essentially left Mehmed for his country. That I believe is the main drive behind his villain's tyranny. The fight the two of them have at the end is a little less so. Its a great and unique fight but a little cliche as Mehmed basically comes at Vlad like he is a monster, and not a friend he once knew. Look, the whole friendship thing is something I felt was part of the story, its not something that they outright talk about. Dominic plays a way more interesting part in this than he did in Vampire Hunter, his work here is stronger. 

Dracula: Untold is a solid mix of horror and action. It has a terrific lead cast with Luke Evans, Sarah Gordon, Dominic Copper and Charles Dance leading the charge. Gary Shore does a very good job with the story, while a little cliche, it is solid. And as one last piece of advice, this is not twilight, this is true vampires at their best, scary. Untold is great, scary entertainment and my second film that I suggest to watch this Halloween. 

Rating: A-   

Halloween Movie #1 - Gone Girl

Story: With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he might not be so innocent.

Gillian Flynn is a very interesting writer, her tales (Dark Places, Gone Girl) have an interesting intensity about them and reveal the dark and twisted places our minds can lead us. David Fincher gave us one of the best horror films of all time, Se7en. When these two icons are combined, you get one of the best thrillers to hit cinemas in years. If you did not read the book, be prepared to be wowed.

Gone Girl is one of the few films I've seen this year that I have little to complain about. Book adaptations are always difficult in the ways a book is written can sometimes not transfer over well into film. Errors that a film adaptation can make is sticking to closely to the book or veering to off course from the source material. David and Gillian take a page out of the Hunger Games text book on how to do an adaptation right. Gillian changes some aspects of the story in the adaptation in order for it to suit and entertain a filmgoer and David makes sure the main themes and important plots and characters are given their due.

As in the book, the story is told through the points of few of Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy (Rosamund Pike). When a book is told in such a manner it gives the filmmaker the opportunity to craft new scenes that the characters did not witness. In Gone Girl Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) and Officer Jim Gilpin (Patrick Fugit) who made little impact in the story have a bigger role in the film. They have a very bonding and somewhat comical relationship, which gives the movie some of its lighter tones. Margo Dunne (Carrie Coon) is also a light of comic relief within the film. I adore both Kim and Carrie in this, they are superb in their roles and make the characters feel authentic and true to the source material.

As for the films leads, Rosamund Pike steals the show. She redefines herself in this film by playing the at first innocent victim, there is a twist that changes our perception of her and Rosamund is up for the challenge, going full force in the character's drive. Ben Affleck is also solid as Nick Dunne, the man who becomes the prime suspect in the case of his missing wife. As for the rest of the cast, Tyler Perry nails it as Nick's attorney, acting the way I imagined he would. Sela Ward and Missi Pyle are terrific as the head female media tycoons who want to get the big scoop on Nick and Amy. Both actresses are perfectly cast in the roles, I am a huge fan of Sela Ward and was very excited to see her in this. Neil Patrick Harris was a unique choice to play the part of Amy's stalker. I would say out of everyone, besides Rosamund Pike, his role was the toughest and he pulled it off. He was very believable in the part and hid his true motives well.

As for the scoring of the film, Trent Reznor proves yet again that he can craft atmosphere. His score works brilliantly with every scene and captures the tense suspense and shocking twists that occur within the framework of the story.

The script was very top notch, as written by the book's author Gillian Flynn. She and David were able to stay true to the source material while fixing up the framework of the story to make it suitable for film. Its down amazingly well as it hits all the parts you loved in the book.

The ending rings true to the themes of the novel, and I won't reveal how this new ending works but it gets the movie's main theme across about marriage infidelity and the influence of the media.

Gone Girl is another David Fincher classic, and with the help of Gillian Flynn and an all star cast this is a powerhouse thriller thats the perfect halloween treat.

Rating: A+