Demonic (2015)

As the snow started to fall in this frigid weather,  I had to find something to watch.  While I internally debate on whether to continue having down the giallo path,  I couldn't bring myself to search for another one.  Instead I turned to something more modern,  2015s Demonic.

Plot: A psychologist and a police officer investigate the deaths of five people, who were killed while trying to summon ghosts.

If the plot sounds familiar,  it is.  Like many movies in the genre this one suffers from the lack of originality that seems to plague horror from time to time.  However,  that's not saying this is a bad film.  In the contrary it was rather emtertaing featuring a solid cast,  decent performances,  and some nice direction and cinematography.  In fact,  the main issue is the story,  which is both predictable and rather vanilla. Everything else works if you can deal with that. In the end,  there is nothing groundbreaking here,  but it isn't a total waste of time.  Something I found useful on this snow file evening.  I'm not saying it's a must watch,  but know,  you could do much worse.  

Pet Sematary (1989)

Yesterday I was searching for something to watch with the girls downstairs and decided to search my streaming services to find something. After some internal debate, I decided on the 1989 Stephen King adaptation Pet Sematary.

Plot/ Behind a young family's home in Maine is a terrible secret that holds the power of life after death. When tragedy strikes, the threat of that power soon becomes undeniable.

This is one of the Stephen King adaptations that have a place right in the middle of the catalog. While it is nowhere near as good as The Shining or Misery, it is not nearly as bad as Maximum Overdrive or Christine. For fans of King, this movie does have a better than average feel, mostly because King himself penned the script. The cast is an interesting mix, the scenery is amazing, the storyline interesting, the effects solid, and the performances are decent, yet even those positives cannot make this reach the potential that it held inside. Unfortunately, the characters feel underdeveloped, the atmosphere is flat, there really aren’t any scares, and a lot of the movie felt restrained to a point where things become overly predictable. In the end, this is another case where the book is much better than the movie adaptation. Is this a terrible movie? No, but it also isn’t anywhere close to being an effective horror movie.

Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)

With Death Note being a bit of a downer, I decided that I would venture into something completely different. After searching my streaming services, I decided on the 1987 supernatural sequel Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II.

Plot/ Thirty years after her accidental death at her 1957 senior prom, the tortured spirit of prom queen Mary Lou Maloney returns to seek revenge.

I remember seeing this when it came out. As a fan of the original Prom Night with Jamie Lee Curtis, I was somewhat disappointed in the change of direction with the sequel. However, after watching it again, I found it a decent flashback to the classic 1980s cheese that seemed to become more prevalent as the decade wore on. While this one had almost zero connection to the original and was a complete mixture of multiple supernatural classics (The Exorcist, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Carrie for a start), this one was fun and mindless. Most importantly, it was not afraid of pushing the boundaries or limits of the rating system (something it seems like no films will do today). Sure, the looks are dated, the performances were uneven, it lacked the tension from the slasher craze, the storyline was unoriginal, and it was rather predictable, but there was a decent amount of blood and it created an interesting departure from what many would have expected. In the end, this is in no way a great movie and it is quite mindless, but it can serve its purpose as background fodder on a slow afternoon. Give it a shot; you could do worse.

Mulholland Drive (2001)

I know that I haven’t posted anything in a couple of days. With this being the start of travel softball season for Jo and the girls of Prestige Worldwide, I have been busy with practices and tournaments. However, after returning home rather early from a tournament, I decided that I would jump back into it. My selection was easy. While it has been some time since I revisited the world of David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2001), but with the release of Twin Peaks: The Return, I figured it was about time.

Plot/ After a car wreck on the winding Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a perky Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.

It is hard to believe that this film was originally filmed as a pilot. Fortunately, it was not picked up as a series. While I am not saying this as a negative, because it would have made a hell of a series, I am saying it because it allowed Mulholland Drive to grow into one of David Lunch’s best films. While some may not enjoy it due to the strange and twisted storyline that many find confusing, others (like me) will find it a fascinating journey into the surreal. The performances are solid, the story effortlessly transitions from a bizarre landscape into a nightmare, the soundtrack is perfect, the technical aspects are marvelous, and the entire entry is an example of true cinematic mastery. Yes, it does get confusing, but that us but a minor speed bump in what is a truly entertaining flick. In the end, Mulholland Drive in many ways is the best movie from the master of surrealistic cinema, David Lynch. This is a film that must be seen, if you haven’t, you are missing out.

The Gallows (2015)

After watching Jurassic World yesterday afternoon, I decided to kick back and watch something darker, something that fit into the feel of Halloween. After some thought, I decided on the 2015 movie The Gallows.  

Plot/ 20 years after a horrific accident during a small town school play, students at the school resurrect the failed show in a misguided attempt to honor the anniversary of the tragedy - but soon discover that some things are better left alone.

When I saw the trailer for this one, I was excited. Unfortunately, now that I have seen it, I should have known that the preview was too good to be true. Another found footage entry, this one suffers from some of the same issues that usually doom found footage horror movies, the storyline has way too many holes to make it hold up throughout. This one takes that flaw to a new level, leaving a myriad of unanswered questions. While the performances are decent, the lack of detailed storyline and overall choppy nature of the movie have nothing new, original, or entertaining. In fact, this one has no quality that will make it memorable and was not worth watching. Stay Away!

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)

Over the past couple days; I have been caught up with both a cold and homework for my college class. While I definitely enjoyed my homework more now that I am writing again (math sucks), it was the sneezing that constantly beat me down. Over that time I was able to catch a few films, including the 2014 entry Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

Plot/ Co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller reunite to bring Miller's "Sin City" graphic novels back to the screen. Weaving together two of Miller's classic stories with new tales, the town's most hard-boiled citizens cross paths with some of its more notorious inhabitants.

The Sin City franchise is destined to either be loved or hated by the viewers, personally I love the mixture of film noir, violence, and sexual content inside the surrealistic world. While I waited to see this one at home, I was amazed at the detailed CGI and comic book realism that was again developed. The cast is outstanding, the performances solid, the storyline interesting (especially having never ventured into the graphic novel series), and there is an entertaining atmosphere throughout. Sure, there may be some rough transitions between sequences, and while it did have the wonderful contrasts of color, it did lack the overall innovative feel of the initial installment. In the end, you will either love this one or hate it, but it should be seen. This is one of the more entertaining adult themed trips into the bizarre that exists today. Give it a shot!

Jug Face (2013)

It is amazing how energizing that trip to the Finding Bigfoot town hall was. Honestly, I would love to get back into the field, and may do just that this weekend. When I do get out there, I hope it is Sasquatch that I find, and not some backwoods cult that wants to sacrifice me to The Pit, like happened in my next flick for review, Jug Face (2013).

Plot/ Jug Face tells the story of a pregnant teen trying to escape a backwoods community when she discovers that she may be sacrificed to a creature in a pit.

This supernatural horror/drama definitely takes an interesting look at life in a secluded backwoods society. This low budget flick does have a lot going for it with solid performances, an intriguing storyline, and just enough blood and gore to keep things moving. Yes, there are some head scratching moments, some uneven pacing, and there are parts of the script that lack development, but that does not hurt the overall feel of the movie. In the end, this dark cult driven flick is exactly what I had hoped that The Village would have been with a dark view of life inside a secluded community. Give it a shot; you could do worse.

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

I love classic tales. My favorites are often those stories that transcend generations and visual movie adaptations and the majority of time, come across in a fresh almost modern way. One such movie was on my television this weekend, 1999s Sleepy Hollow.

Plot/ Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of 3 people with the culprit being the legendary apparition, the Headless Horseman.

It had been a while since I have watched Sleepy Hollow and honestly, it was a lot better than I remembered. This Tim Burton / Johnny Depp collaboration was one of their best. The pacing was on, the horror elements and effects were outstanding, the cast was amazing with both Christopher Walken as the headless horseman and Christina Ricci perfect for their roles, and the gothic atmosphere was captured in an entertaining  manner. Of course, it would not have been possible without the tremendous eye and cinematography of Burton, who created an interesting world within this classic tale. In the end, this is a must see and if you have not seen it, you are missing out. Give it a shot!

Apartment 1303 (2012)

After taking a couple days away, to focus on the flash fiction piece I had to write for my creative skills class, I decided that it was time to get back at it. Unfortunately, there are times where I should dig deeper before making a selection and tonight was one of those nights. Next up, the 2012 remake Apartment 1303.

Plot/ This is a modern ghost story, which turns a love/hate relationship between mother and daughter into a tale of horror. Some rentals are too good to be true.

I finally caught this one on Showtime, and came away extremely thankful that I did not spend time and money renting it. It is one of the worst films I have seen in some time. Unfortunately, having taken a few days away from the genre (in movies) did not help either. There are truly no positives I can point out except there are some names in the cast. In fact, how they scored Rebecca DeMornay is beyond me. The scripting is uneven, the acting flat, and the plot is incoherent and lacks any type of tension (or scares). In the end, this movie is in no way entertaining and should be left alone.

No Tell Motel (2012)

I cannot believe that this is post number 1,000 here at The Ringmaster's Realm. It seems like only yesterday that I started this blog to help me fight through some writers block, wow, time does fly. I was pretty excited earlier when I received a signed Truth or Dare movie poster in the mail from the guys at Horror Movies Uncut, so much so that I decided to bump my evening horror flick up earlier in the day. Unfortunately, the movie I chose, No Tell Motel, did not garner the same excitement. 

Plot/ Dirty little secrets are exposed when five friends become stranded at an abandoned motel haunted by a dark secret of its own.

I am not sure where to begin with this cliched low budget entry.  I will admit that I loved the initial scenes and hoped that it would follow suit from it. Yes, it was very cliche, but at times cliche can work. Unfortunately, it goes downhill from there. The acting is OK, the characters suck and have no chemistry (although that too could be the acting), there is no atmosphere, and the storyline and cinematography add so much confusion to the movie that it drags it down (a lot). There is really nothing here that works, as it feels like there are two or three ideas fighting for screen time and none truly rise from the shadows. In the end, this was one of the least memorable flicks that I have picked up at Family Video in some time. Unless you have nothing else available, stay away! 

Grave Encounters 2 (2012)

Yesterday when I took a break from my homework for my Digital Literacy class, I decided to watch some mindless flicks on Netflix. Luckily, the kids left me alone, so I had enough time for two flicks. While neither is truly memorable in the long run, there was some debate on which one to review first. After some thought, I decided on Grave Encounters 2 from 2012.

Plot/ A film student who is obsessed with the movie Grave Encounters sets out with his friends to visit the psychiatric hospital depicted in the original film.

This was a sequel that I had mixed feelings about for a long time before deciding to watch it. Sequels to found footage films are usually difficult to pull off, and that was evident in this one. Sure, it is not terrible, as the storyline had potential to a point and there were some weird moments, but nothing groundbreaking. Unfortunately, everything felt clichéd, with a lack of characterization and development, some disjointed dialogue and the acting did not measure up to the original. In fact, none of it measured up to the original, something that dooms this right out of the gate. In the end, there are some entertaining spots and it is far from the worst of its kind. If you are a fan of the original or found footage flicks, check it out, but be warned it is far from perfect. 

V/H/S 2 (2013)

I have been caught up in the television show Jericho. In fact, I have spent a lot of time this week on a marathon with the intention of finishing the series by Veterans Day. I am amazed at the quality of that show and how realistic some of the storyline appears. I can also see why it was abruptly canceled, as much of it may provide a true vision of the Progressive desire change America and destroy the country with the Agenda 21 globalists. However, even a patriot minded individual must have some mindless entertainment, and that came in the form of 2013s V/H/S 2.

Plot/ Searching for a missing student, two private investigators break into his house and find collection of VHS tapes. Viewing the horrific contents of each cassette, they realize there may be dark motives behind the student's disappearance.

When I saw this, I had to watch it. Now, I know, sequels often fall short of the original, but in some ways that does not happen here. Sure, it in no way maintained the atmosphere of the first one, focusing more on gore than scares. In fact, the gore may be the highlight of the film, as a lot of the technical aspects of the found-footage style flick were a bit off. The acting was uneven, the storylines in the segments varied, and more importantly, the quality between the stories ran the gambit from good to bad. Yes, there was a touch of atmosphere in the surrounding storyline that created some tension, but for the most part, this was just an entertaining mindless gore flick with some comic moments sprinkled in. In the end, if you enjoy a touch of mindless gore check this one out, if you are looking for something thought provoking, look away. 

The Bell Witch Haunting (2013)

I have always been interested in the Bell Witch and the legend that has risen from Tennessee. While I have accomplished some external research, I have not been able to follow that research with a detailed trip to visit the site. Until then, I will have to focus on movies that come out on the subject. With that in mind, my next flick was the Bell Witch Haunting from 2013. 

Plot/ Based on true events. The Robertson County Sheriff's Department has released footage found on the bodies of the Sawyer family's cell phones and video cameras. What was first thought to be a murder-suicide is now believed to be the return of a centuries-old demon responsible for America's most famous paranormal event.

This movie was an interesting found footage flick. While I am not the biggest fan of this genre as there are way too many popping up, this one did have some good moments. Early on this film showed definite potential and created some atmosphere as everything was set to the fringe, the acting is ok, the idea was decent and there was a lot there. Unfortunately, something happened to the directionality somewhere along the line and the movie spiraled. Once that began and the story cascaded out of control, and things became unbelievable, the pacing felt off and characters were uneven. In the end, this is not the best or worst in the genre and is watchable; although, I would go a different way if I had to do it again. 

Paranormal Asylum (2013)

Paranormal flicks are always the rage around this time of the year. Of course, being in the field investigating a haunted location would be even better. Because this is such a popular time for supernatural or paranormal related items, there are times where you pick stuff against your better judgment. Was that the case with Paranormal Asylum: The Revenge of Typhoid Mary? Read on to find out!

Plot/ Nearly 100 years after Mary Malone was committed to a NY insane asylum for spreading Typhoid Fever, a pair of aspiring documentary filmmakers visits the abandoned sanatorium where she perished in isolation, and learns that her legend lives on.

The Halloween season always points me to movies I would not usually grab, and this was one of them. Usually, I am pretty generous to no-budget flicks, as I understand that there are inherent problems that come along with a limited budget. Unfortunately, there are times where absolutely nothing works and even the conceptual ideas are not groundbreaking. That was the case with this one, as it suffered through major plot issues and scripting, poor acting, no characterization, pacing problems, and cinematography issues throughout. Yes, there was a positive as the sound quality was not that bad, but that did nothing to help it in the end. Stay away!