Evil Dead REVIEW!

Evil Dead

Rated: R

Running Time: 91 min

Genre: Scary, Horror, Gore

Release Year: 2013

Plot: (from IMDB)

Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival.

My Review:

Was anyone else as excited as I was for Evil Dead? Ever since I saw the trailer few months back I could not get the movie out of my head and finally yesterday my anticipation for seeing the movie ended. I am not even sure where to begin talking about this movie; I went in thinking it was a remake of the original. Just a heads up the movie is very different from the 1981 The Evil Dead. 

What I loved about this movie was the awesome gore, dark storyline, and of course the scares. The gore in this movie was out of this world. There ware arms being cut off, faces being carved, needles being stabbed into the eye, and what not, and what makes it even more awesome is this movie used very little CGI, most of the movie was done with badass makeup. Even though the gore and blood in this movie is nonstop it never felt excessive and out of place. If you do get grossed out easily this movie is not, I repeat not, right for you. I loved all of the possession, death, and gore scenes. However, as much as I loved this movie this was definitely a movie far from perfection. *Spoiler* I did not like how Olivia (Jessica Lucas) died with just being smashed in the head. Maybe I am just too stuck on the original movie but I cannot imagine evil dying that easily. I also did not like how Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) transformed back into her normal human form and then randomly died. Not too fond of David (Shiloh Fernandez) resurrecting his sister Mia (Jane Levy) either, but Mia’s part was

somewhat understandable since without Mia being back we would not have that epic ending *end of spoiler*. Usually when movies are gruesome they lack the scare factor, but not this movie. This movie had numerous scary parts to offer. There were a few parts that I jumped out of my seat or held my breath. This movie was work of a pure horror genius. As I mentioned before, to my surprise this movie’s storyline was completely different from the original, at first I did not like it much but then the more I watched the movie and the more I thought about it the more I liked it. The ending of this movie was rather epic and I loved that crazy fight at the end, sorry guys not going to be spoiling this one for you, you should watch it yourself to know what I'm talking about. While I loved Jane Levy’s and Lou TaylorPucci’s acting I have to say the rest were pretty mediocre to bad. Elizabeth Blackmore was by far the worst actor in the movie; her death was rather ridiculous as well since it lacked the emotional aspect that I know the creators tried so hard to add in. While it seems like I have too many negative comments about this movie I have to admit I loved it. I waited for it for so long and I am glad when I finally got the chance to watch it and not be disappointed. This was a movie definitely worth seeing in theaters so you do not miss out on a single scare.

Rating:

Story Line: 8/10

Spook Level: 9/10

Overall Rating: 9/10

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[REC] REVIEW!

[REC]

Rated: R

Running Time: 78 min

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Release Year: 2007

Plot: (from NETFLIX)

Trapped in a quarantined Barcelona apartment building with residents, firefighters and a growing horde of ravenous zombies, television reporter Angela (Manuela Velasco) and her cameraman, Pablo, record brutal deaths and terrifying events while trying to stay alive. Filmed entirely from unseen Pablo's point of view, this tension-filled Spanish horror film thrills viewers with its aggressive action. Paco Plaza and Jaume Balagueró direct.

My Review:

Let me begin by saying after watching mediocre movies for these past few months I have finally stumbled upon an amazing horror movie. [REC] was by far one of the most amazing horror movies I have yet seen. The movie was later remade in American with the title Quarantine. Although I haven’t seen the remake I am confident when I say I am sure REC was much more terrifying than Quarantine; there is just something about foreign movies that manage to scare the life out of me.

The action, horror, and thrill was nonstop in this movie. There was not a time where I thought the movie was going slow or it was not getting anywhere. This was one of those movies that kept me at the edge of my seat. What separates a bad horror from a good horror movie is the tactics used to scare the audience. In REC the scare factor was done perfectly, also to me the horror in this movie had a classic feel to it. From faces popping up, to scary looking physical features, to the bloody scares which we all love, this movie offered it all. The perfect amount of gore was present in the movie; nothing excessive and over the top just perfect dash of gore. Although this movie had jumpy moments, faces popping up, crazy people running towards you, and sudden bangs, the scares were not cheap; they were all done in a tasteful way. I did not think I would love this movie as much as I did mainly because I am not a big fan of hand-held camera movies; They always seem to cut at the best parts and for some reason every director thinks it would be cool to make the camera over the top 

shaky. However, this was a movie that did it right. The camera was pretty steady and there were not any unnecessary cutting of the movie where you wonder what the hell just happened. Of course no movie would be possible without its actors, with that said I must say that the acting in this movie was rather believable and good. Manuela Velasco was great as the main character Angela; even though the rest of the cast had minimal role they were still great actors rather than just mediocre ones hired off the streets. While the entire movie is action horror pacts the ending of the movie is twice more intense (so imagine that). Maybe it was the realism, or  because I was watching it at 3 am with headphones on, or maybe because I am a wimp but the ending scared me to a whole different level. From the point Angela goes into the attic to the point where credits role I was spooked out of my mind. I would go on and talk about the negatives of this movie but do not have any bad comments about since to me this movie was perfection. If you are a horror fan don’t wait around any longer watch this movie for your own sake.

Rating:

Story Line: 8/10

Spook Level: 10/10

Overall Rating: 9/10

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Top 20 Horror Movies of the 2000's UPDATED

It's been over a year since I made my list of Favorite Horror Movies of 2000's. I have seen many more horror movies since then and I thought it is about time I made an updated list. There were way too many to fit into a list of 15 so I extended it to 20. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the list.  

#20 Last House on the Left (2009)

#19 30 Days of Night (2007)

#18 Wolf Creek (2005)

#17 The Loved Ones (2009)

#16 Hostel (2005)

#15 The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

#14 Let Me In (2010)

#13 Final Destination (2000)

#12 Eden Lake (2008)

#11 Dead Silence (2007)

#10 Them (2006)

#9 The Collector (2009)

 #8 Saw I (2004)

#7 Drag Me to Hell (2009)

#6 The Strangers (2008)

#5 The Woman In Black (2012)

#4 The Descent (2005)

#3 [REC] (2007)

#2 Martyrs (2008)

#1 Inside (2007)

Movies that didn't make the cut: 
28 Days Later
28 Weeks Later
Scream 4
Red Eye
Final Destination 5

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Lovely Molly REVIEW!

Lovely Molly

Rated: R

Running Time: 103 min

Genre: Scary

Release Year: 2011

Plot: (from NETFLIX)

After moving into her deceased father's country house, Molly and her new husband Tim face eerie disturbances -- and things get worse as Molly faces them alone while Tim's away. Soon the evil presence threatens both her sanity and her life.

My Review:

You know that movie you are confused about the whole time and then you end up thinking about it for hours after it’s finished? Well Lovely Molly was one of those movies. I had no idea what this movie was about and half way through I still did not know what this movie was about. It is safe to say I was confused about 80 percent of this movie. I could not tell if the movie was a procession movie, a psychotic drug addict that sees and hears the unheard of, or a obsessive killer movie. Basically I was watching this movie for the sake of watching it. There were a lot of shifts in the

movie where it would shift to a hand held camera that Molly (Gretchen Lodge) was navigating to the actual movie which I barely found any relevance to, well not until the ending, so make sure you watch it till the end. Not only was this movie confusing it was also a very weird movie; weird to the point of finding myself thinking “what the hell” every five to ten minutes. Not sure if it was the ambiguity or something else but this movie felt extremely long. I kept glancing at the clock thinking there is only 15 more minutes left to the movie only to be surprised that only 45 minutes has passed from the beginning. Despite all the negativity just mentioned I have to admit this movie had this power over me, I just wanted to watch more and more of it. There were even some parts that got me spooked. The horror in the movie felt realistic to me and that is what saved this movie from its misery. Molly being scared of the house, dark hallways, and hearing footsteps and such are part of everyday horror, and they did a great job

at projecting the fear in the movie.Not only did this movie have everyday fears incorporated in there but they used gore and violence to add to the horror as well. There were very few gore scenes (about 3) and all three of them made me squirm. Moving on, I found this movie controversial to a certain extend which is not something you find in American movies often. I have to give hats off to the creators of the movie for taking a risk and including some eyebrow raising sexual scenes. So kudos to the creators. Normally I talk about the acting in the movie in the beginning of my reviews but this was one of those movies that I was too distracted to pay attention to the acting. Thinking about it, the acting was pretty good. I am actually surprised that Gretchen Lodge has not been in more movies. She played her role really well and she did not seem intimated or scared of Molly’s role. While this was not a perfect movie I have to admit it got to me; I was thinking about it hours later. While the ending was open it did provide an insight of what this movie was about. The creators left a lot of room for thinking since the entire movie was based on vague clues rather than telling you what is going on. So, was this a possession movie or a psycho drug addict movie? I will leave that for you to figure out.

Rating:

Story Line: 5/10

Spook Level: 7/10

Overall Rating: 6/10

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Anticipated Horror Movies of 2013

I have a hunch that 2013 is going to bring us some amazing horror movies. Whether it's going to be remakes, sequels, or a completely new original idea. Here is a list I made beginning of the year before some of these titles came out. Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to post it until now. These are in no particular order. 

Stoker

There is only two reasons why I am dying to see this movie: Chan Wook Park and Nicole Kidman. I love the controversy the Park brings to the table and I love the delivery that Kidman puts out on the silver screen. I have no doubt that these two working together can creating nothing but an amazing film. Who else is excited for this duo? Stoker was released during the Sundance Film Festival in January but it will be officially released in the theaters on March 1st.  

Mama

Seeing Guillermo Del Toro's name in the middle of the trailer for this movie was enough for me to be convinced to watch it. Whether he is directing or producing, he always manages to leave his mark. Mama was released in theaters in the US on January 18. [Read Review only at http://bit.ly/140xlMo]

Evil Dead

I am exaggerating only a little bit when I say I am dying to see Evil Dead. It has been a good while since I've seen a descent gore movie that offers a good story line, amazing graphics, and over the top mind blowing gore scenes. I am convinced Evil Dead can satisfy all my needs. Knowing they didn't use any CGI in the making of this movie makes me that much more curious to watch it. Evil Dead hits theaters on April 12th. 

The Conjuring

Ghosts, farmhouses, a family being held captive in these circumstances...been there done that...I agree; whoever, this movie has landed itself on my most anticipated horror movie list just because James Wan had directed it. He has got to be one of my favorite modern horror movie directors. He has brought us Saw, Dead Silence, Insidious, and so much more. Yes I will be seeing this movie in theaters on July 19th. 

The Human Centipede III

Unfortunately I have no image to post for this movie since it hasn't even been filmed yet. My gut tells me this is either going to be a good movie or a horrible movie. I for one loved the first one and hated the second. I cannot waiting to see what Dr. Heiter and his evil minions have in store for us. No official release date has been announced for this movie. 

Carrie

Carrie (1976) was probably one of the first classic horror movies I saw when I first got into the world of horror, so of course the remake will be in my anticipated list. Chloë Grace Moretz is absolutely amazing in every movie, I know she wont let us down as she takes on the role of Carrie in this remake. Carrie released in theaters October 18th. Can someone please make October come sooner? Seriously! 

Hansel and Gretel: Which Hunters

All I got to say is I cannot believe I have not seen this movie yet; as a huge Grimm Brothers fairy tale fan, a huge Grimm (TV show) fan, and given this is my childhood story, I am very disappointed in my self for not watching this on the opening week. 

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The Clinic REVIEW!

The Clinic

Rated: R

Running Time: 93 min

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Crime

Release Year: 2010

Plot: (from NETFLIX)

This horror tale begins with a young engaged couple driving through the Australian outback on Christmas Eve, then morphs into the proverbial small-town nightmare when the pregnant fiancée disappears -- leading to much, much worse.

My Review:

Based on the cover of this movie I expected a cheap, terrible movie; but this movie was very different from every other horror movie I have seen. For all you gore lovers lets me begin by saying that the cover is deceiving. This movie had very minimal gore. There were a few scenes in there that had cut up stomachs and some stabbing but that was about it. As much as I love gore I am glad the movie did not revolve around blood and guts being torn out, because to me if that was the case there would have been too many scenes where the gore meant nothing but filler. Therefore, I

must say, kudos to the creators of movie for putting the right dosage of gore in the movie. Don’t let the lack of gore discourage you from watching this movie. The movie had a great and unique plot. This movie did not need the gore and graphic scenes to be disturbing, the storyline itself was disturbing enough. It revolved around an illegal adoption center where they would kidnap pregnant women and steal their children. Later on, whoever survived from the group of kidnapped women their child would be given to a couple and the real mother must be killed off by the child’s new father. It’s twisted, I know. While the storyline was good I cannot say I was fully convinced on the acting. There are some great Australian actors out there and let’s just say this movie did not cast any of them. The acting did not feel believable and it fell flat. Sometimes the characters would be saying their line but it felt like they were reading a scrip they saw for the first time. Moving on to another point I did not like was how quickly the fiancé, Cameron (Andy Whitfield), died. I was hoping his character would play a bigger role in the movie; however, the only purpose he served in the movie was driving. Other than that his character was

pointless and lacked a few brain cells. He should have either played a bigger role, not been in the movie at all, or got killed off earlier in the movie when she got kidnapped. One last part I did not like was a minor “flaw” and that was how well developed the babies were even though they were all born before the due date. It sounds silly but I wish they were a bit more accurate on this. I was not too sold on the idea of a killer mother, but I have to admit the killer in the movie did put a good twist in the movie and it kept you guessing on who is going to be next and how are they going to die, it also put some horror in the movie and it drew the line between horror and thriller. Finally let’s talk about the ending of the movie. A movie could be very enjoyable throughout the movie but if the ending fails to deliver than it does not matter what happened in the last two hours. I for one loved the ending of this movie. It put me at the edge of my seat and it also managed to throw in a small shocker. Although this movie was not perfect it definitely did provide entertainment and a great plot. This movie definitely deserves more credit.

Rating:

Story Line: 8/10

Spook Level: 6/10

Overall Rating: 7/10

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Mama REVIEW!

Mama

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 93 min

Genre: Scary

Release Year: 2013

Plot: (from NETFLIX)

Two girls left to fend for themselves in the forest for five lonely years after the death of their mother find refuge in the home of their uncle. But it soon becomes clear that the girls have not arrived alone in this woodsy supernatural chiller.

My Review:

Ever since Saturday I have gained every ounce of respect back for Guillermo Del Toro. Even though I did not get scared, there were numerous people in the theater that got frightened and screamed during this PG-13 movie. There were few parts in the movie here and there that I got spooked out. One was when Annabel was having a nightmare about mama being under her bed and the other was when mama was angry with the girls. Mama's figure and appearance was done in a true Guillermo Del Toro fashion. We've seen Paleman, Pan, all the creatures in Hellboy, and etc. and I must say so myself that they have a very unique look and feel to them. This is why I admire any movie that Guillermo has a part in, because you can watch the movie and know he has had a part in it, it’s as 

if he leaves his mark in the movies. While Mama’s movements were not so realistic or scary to me I have to admit her face was rather creepy even when she was in her normal stage. She also made a very odd noise that put me and the rest of the audience at the edge of their seats. Let’s talk about the movie; two young girls, ages 3 and 1, are left in a cabin with no one but themselves to take care of one another. Five years later they are found and they say they were looked over by a mother figure who they call Mama, who lived in the walls of the cabin. Now five years later they are found and they live with their uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend Annabel (Jessica Chastain). Jealous of the couple raising the children, Mama begins to plot their death. Alright the story itself was not the most original story we have heard before. Just last year we had The Woman in Black which had a very similar story line to this one; therefore, on the scale of originality this movie was not very original. What I 

loved though was the incredible acting delivered by Megan Charpentier who played Victoria and Isabelle Nélisse who played Lilly. Their roles were very complex and twisted and they delivered it flawlessly, especially Lilly. In the entire movie she was to express emotions through acting; the only line she had was “Victoria Mama come” other than that her entire emotions were expressed through actions. Although this was a good movie it wasn’t a perfect movie. I really did not like how Mama’s hair was crawling on the ground right before she killed their aunt. I liked the idea that Mama entered her body after the killing but I just thought when her hair was moving towards the aunt on the floor was very silly and it almost felt comedic. Lastly, let’s talk about the ending of the movie. I really liked the ending of the movie, it was emotional and it was well fitted. It was really sad and dark but it was perfect for the movie. The ending set the theme for the entire movie because this was the point where the audience realized this was never meant to be a movie with the cheerful ending. This was no Pan’s Labyrinth or Orphanage but it was definitely a major step up from Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (read review here). I am looking forward to watch more upcoming movies from the one and only Guillermo Del Toro.  

Rating:

Story Line: 8/10

Spook Level: 7/10

Overall Rating: 7/10

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