I can officially confirm the mid to late 90's was the golden age of animated movies.
I know I'm going to be in the minority when I say this, but let the Monsterverse end here. I don't mean that in the way that, I hate these movies. Exact opposite, King Of The Monsters is my second favorite film of 2019. But given the history of cinematic universes (MCU), the Toho Godzilla series, and the current situation of the Monsterverse, I would rather see this little series end as a trilogy of sorts, discounting Kong Skull Island, and let it stay a self contained epic that completes all it's arcs over the three Godzilla films it currently has. I wouldn't want them to (((drudge))) this out, change it up to be more mass appealing, and lose the spark the series currently has. Legendary currently has the option to keep making Godzilla films as long as they want so long as they renew the license, Toho would let them. But given the financial returns, I don't think that'll happen. They're going to release this early in China, get some money back on their investment, and release it for the fans that still like this stuff. Neutering it down is the last thing I'd want and I'd rather it end now. I know you all would disagree, but end it on this "high note."
EDIT: Fuck, this didn't age well at all.
After Terminator: Dark Fate, you all need to give this movie an apology.
Writing out a review is too much for this insult to comics, audiences, and the film industry. Christina Hodson, Geoff Johns, and all the manchildren responsible for this nightmare need to lose their jobs. Easily the worst, most obnoxious film ever released theatrically on this budget. Thank God it's going to lose $300M at the box office. People are rejecting this slop.
Imagine thinking some retarded trashfire like Black Widow is better than this. MCU drones and journalists have it out for their Feige golden goose. Finally a return to 2000's comic book movies that just try to be simple, origin stories, reminiscent of Ang Lee's masterpiece, Hulk. Flashy cinematography by Oliver Wood, a decent script focusing on familial rivalry/not overly bogged down by anything else, and fun performances bolstered by an impressively low 75 million budget for the effects. It follows the comics decently enough, and Michael looks like his print counterpart towards the end. Surprisingly violent with blood effects for a number of the kills, of course edited slightly for PG-13, but it's better than Venom (2018)'s cold feet censorship. The flight sequences and POV work for the bevy of action set pieces are enthralling and a ride. Everything is nicely lit with dark shadows and backlighting, echoing some horror movies of the period this film is clearly inspired by, like The Grudge 2. Matt Smith finally gets his time to shine, after some previous films didn't work out, as a desperate lawyer looking for an ailment to what he thinks is a curse, being in a crippled body and made fun of by others. You get a good conflict from Morbius and Milo as they don't see eye-to-eye on this being a cure for both their misfortunes. None of this convoluted bullshit like you see in Disney's cinematic gangbang. Glad that Spider-Man was retconned out of that Homecoming trilogy. Speaking of which, Michael Keaton makes a return as Vulture, after having his memory of Peter Parker wiped by the events of No Way Home, is out for Spider-Man again, in a mid-credits scene. It will be fun to see what comes of the Sinister Six. If you want more vampire ALA Dracula Untold or Afflicted, you will be satisfied.
He just wants to be your friend.
Jacob Chase has entered my shortlist for upcoming young horror directors. This was masterful. Roque Baños' score is some of his best work, even above his collaborations with Sam Raimi. While the timely message of our screens becoming a substitute for real life companionship, something that Pulse already tackled back in the day, turning the concept in to a creepypasta style horror film works wonders. The jumpscares are organic and inoffensive, the cinematography and use of the creature in his scenes are devilishly stylish, and little Azhy Robertson acted his ass off. The film handles his autism very tastefully, and I can speak to that since I have one brother who is exactly the same as him. It's a scary idea, that while his attachment and use for his devices are a necessity, they could be doing more damage than good beneath the surface; And that we've become overreliant on technology to solve our problems. I don't get what the backlash behind the film is geared at, but I think those are just looking for something to be upset about. The ending is what got me, nearly made my eyes water.
When Norman Bates ran in the room dressed as the dead mother while the soundtrack played, I legit got chills. I was disturbed to my core. I've never seen a movie so effectively freak me out that quickly and that deep. I almost started shaking when I saw that image.
Going to see Alien: Covenant right after this, I will have a review up hopefully soon.
I love the atmosphere in this movie. I'm a really huge fan of slow-burn silent kind-of creepy horror films that really souly on building suspense and building the world, rather than resorting to action or jumpscares. I think this is why I prefer Alien to Aliens, and The Terminator to Terminator 2. True horror movies, to me based on what I find scary, is relatable or likable characters being put in genuinely terrifying or claustrophobic situations.
What makes Alien effective is the location. Imagine yourself in Ellen Ripley's situation. Alone on an abandoned ship about to blow up, in very narrow corridors with no one else around, while an unstoppable killing machine is out to get you. That idea alone makes the movie, but the way Ridley Scott executes it, through the sound effects, lack of music, and pacing makes it one of the most tension-filled finales I've seen in a horror movie.
The rest of the movie is great too. There isn't much that happens in terms of story, but you grow attached to these characters as they get picked off one by one. You're constantly on the edge of you're seat anticipating what's going to come next. It's a constant up-hill battle as these group of characters try to figure out how they're going to defeat the alien life-form that's now loose on the ship. Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, and Tom Skerritt are my favorites out of the cast of exceptional actors. They all do a good job with the material given to them, especially considering how dialogue-heavy the movie ends up being.
There isn't much else I can say, other than it's one of the best horror movies in history, with it's wonderful atmosphere and great setting, which many of follow-up movies tried to copy, but most end up failing to capture.
Oh boy, another movie I'm in the minority opinion of... or am I? I actually don't know this time, I think this movie has like a cult following or something. Which says a lot about this movie more than other horror remakes that are brought up. I've seen other people on here give excellent reviews explaining why this movie works more than what the common viewer gives it credit for, but I'll just share a couple random thoughts of mine.
This movie does not in any way tarnish the original movie or "ruin" what John Carpenter's movie created. I personally believe Rob Zombie took a run-of-the-mill slasher film, upped it a few notches, and tried to explore characters much further. I give Carpenter all the credit in the world for all he did for the horror genre; his music and movies completely revolutionized the medium, for better or worse. But what Zombie was able to bring was a little more humanity to the picture, yes, I'm actually saying that. The scene at the hospital where Michael Myers screams in his mother's face, like emotionally gutted me. Imagine your a mother, and you see this child, your son, that you've raised all your life to love and be a good kid, just murder someone right in front of you and scream in your face when you try to console them. Imagine the guilt and failure that goes on in her head. That whole sequence with the sirens going off and the slow-motion happening is one of the most brilliant scenes in a horror movie I've seen. Captivating and mesmerizing. Great work all around.
Zombie knew just all the right elements to make this unique, yet also play perfect homages to the original classic. I can understand this over-the-top white-trash style not working for some people, I agree with that, but it's hard to argue the amount of brilliance seen in this. It's one of the smartest horror remakes ever made. Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Lumis? Come on, that not perfect casting? I might post some more thoughts later after I watch the four hour documentary on this Blu-ray, but I wanted to get things out. I wasn't sure how I'd dig this, but I'm really leaning towards loving it. Rob Zombie did a commendable job paying tribute while expanding the universe. In fact, I believe Zombie enhanced the original and the character.
Goddamn, this movie has no right to be as boring as it is and also have a budget of 50 million dollars. There's a few nuggets of gold, some good and even great scenes here and there with combination of score and decent cinematography; but overall, I kept checking the time like every 10 minutes. Whenever I watch a movie, and I'm constantly waiting for the movie to just end, or I'm checking the time in boredom, the movie automatically gets a below average rating. The number one goal of any filmmaker should be to keep the audience interested. I was not interested throughout the majority of this. Nothing gripped me. There was no tension. The style just didn't lend itself to this kind of story. I don't know who looked at this final product and decided it would work in appealing to a mainstream audience. It's slothy with poor pacing, mediocre acting, half-decent music, amateurish camera work, and only a couple good scene set-ups. I can now say with full confidence I think Daisy Ridley is a bad actress...
I really don't know what else to say. Just don't bother with it. I'm going to go watch the original by Sidney Lumet now. Should be way more interesting and worthwhile. I need to get into the habit of just walking out of movies I don't like. I've never done it, but I need to start doing it.
Like Tommy said, "You can laugh, you can cry, you can express yourself. Just don't hurt yourself."
When they started comparing scenes from this movie to the original during the end credits, I nearly lost my cool in the theater. This movie is not just a masterpiece, but an important one. Everyone is invited to come live on Tommy's planet, where we all love each other, and the world is a better place to live. Anyone who has dreams should watch this movie. It's not just a humorous look at the strange creature that is Tommy, but an inspiration to those who want to make it big in any industry. It hits the mark on every technical level, but manages to tell a surprisingly mixed emotional fable, like, it's hard to believe this really happen. It's human behavior, as Tommy says in the movie.
I can't watch The Room the same way again. James Franco, you are brilliant, sir.
Heavy spoilers ahead, I'd just like to talk about the movie. Oh yeah, seeing it again in it's original Japanese version helped quite a bit. I caught a lot more stuff this time, including stylistic choices I didn't pick up on previously. All comparisons to Ponyo are only valid on surface level. The movie's tone and messages are unique to it's own. I really appreciated the flashbacks done in a tasteful way, like they're child drawings from the perspective different to each character. The story is excellently told, able to tell the history of the town, and tell the stories of a number of people, some barely getting screen time, but their resolutions being surprisingly emotional. A couple beats I missed: Kai is developing the final song throughout the entire movie, and only sings it at the end, after gaining his confidence from Lu (Somehow I didn't pick up on that from the English dub). One inspiration I just picked up driving home, was Lu could be interpreted as the Mary Poppins archetype. She comes to this broken town, covered in shadows from a curse, wants everyone to become friends, and by the end, once all is fixed, she moves on. Some may not like the romantic involvement between her and the boy, but... love is strange like that. Kai first sees her as reminder of his mother, which inspires him to express himself again, then grows a child like genuine fondness to her. It's actually quite remarkable this pulled off giving backstories a large selection of the cast, and teaching some heavy life realities in the process. Your initial dreams may not work out like you planned, but other opportunities you didn't expect will come. My heart grows heavy just thinking about it. The style is expressionist and lively, almost copying decades old animation, a welcome return. And the four child leads are just so endearing. The scene of Lu and Kai walking around town to the guitar cover of Naoko's theme is especially magical; not in a spectacle way, but something about the playful dichotomy of these two really moves you. The imagery and dialogue makes for a heavy sequence. If there was ever a one-shot anime movie I would love to see a sequel for, it's this. One of my new favorite movies of all time. I'll edit this review if I think up anything else to say.
It doesn’t take long to recognize that “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” is a good movie. Very good; nonstop exhilaration, incredible stunts, fluid camera movement complimented by the editing, goofy plot twists that work despite their conventionality, and all the character leads. This sounds like a negative, it's not, the best way to describe the experience is like watching a Saturday morning cartoon. Tom Cruise coupled with his lovable team up against the new villain is the groundwork for many children's television episodes. But, Of course, they take it up a bunch of notches, crafting an engaging, and thankfully classy blockbuster that is above many other wretched releases as of late. Never did I feel cheated or talked down to, it hearkens back to the noir films of the 30's (that meet-up at the beginning is a direct take on the gangster genre) while plucking the set pieces right out of classic James Bond. But Christopher McQuarrie shits all over them; he's making a name for delivering breath stopping action sequences, the helicopter finale shot in IMAX left my mouth hanging time to time. The sixth film in a surprise hit franchise is still improving upon itself, and Cruise still willing to do ridiculous stunts at the tender age of 56. I guess Scientology gives you superpowers, sign me up. He makes us all forget he was in The Mummy, and Rebecca Ferguson gets her career back on track after the sleeper "hit" The Snowman. A few last comments, I'm glad they kept the shot in where Cruise limps as he gets up on the building, he actually broke his foot filming that scene, that's why. It's funny, Tom just played Barry Seal in American Made, an expert pilot who transported in a drug cartel. Now in this, he can barely work a helicopter. Henry Cavil put up a damn good fight, that mustache took out an entire film franchise. I say worth it, that's a sick stache. I'm just glad the action was zany enough to marry with it's silly story. This was the right balance of everything. The dialogue is intense, which keeps the audience on their toes, giving the impression of being nonstop. You get your moneys worth.
Everyone needs this film in their life. I cried. No, really, I did. I can't believe it myself. Disney's put out both one of the worst films in their catalogue, and now one of the best in the same year. Three years ago, I was chastising Disney for even conceptualizing a live action Winnie The Pooh, screaming lack of a creative vision and banking off the tired nostalgia of a once great little franchise. I haven't held Disney in the highest regard at all in recent years, criticizing many of their decisions and downright refusing to visit their theme parks or stores. Now, I'm not going to come at you with some bullshit Stuckmann comment, "I grew up with Winnie The Pooh," even though I did, Christopher Robin succeeds entirely on it's own and can be loved by people of all ages. I rack on movies for their structural problems, sometimes ignoring the feeling I'm supposed to be having from the viewing experience, but films like this remind me how emotion can overcome any kind of little technical problem, if it's done well. This is the Disney I miss. I'm so tired of the corporate sell out manipulating monster that is the nu-Disney machine, but it seems every couple of years, Disney puts out a film that reminds me why I loved old Disney, the one Walt Disney created. Meet The Robinsons, Up, Saving Mr. Banks, Tomorrowland, and now Christopher Robin all have something in common. There's messages about growing up, remembering to keep moving forward, not letting such menial things get in the way of what's really important, and so on. What I really love what Marc Foster did was put some class and taste into this. This treats the original Hundred Acre Woods story with real respect, not just the original animated film, but the books and illustrations. This has one of the most perfect openings to any movie, implementing the book drawings into the new live action material. Showing Christopher leave, in a scene replicated from the original movie, and then show his life growing up, and even going off to war and leaving his wife behind, started to get to me. It's very tastefully done and doesn't come across as cheesy or childish. One bit of the montage that stuck out, was I think Pooh blows out a candle on a cake, and it cuts to an explosion in a battle Christopher's in. The whole thing was excellently done. Ewan McGregor makes for a fantastic character, we really don't deserve him. His character means so well for the world, but because of the burdens of reality and his job, unfortunately has to put on hold the things that he holds so dear, even going so far as to snap at Pooh in frustration. The dark and gloomy look of the woods built on the heavy tone of the scene, it was nearly heartbreaking to watch. When the two reconciled, at their thinking place, I had tears on my face. Such an innocent little bear, with no clue of the harshness of the outside world, nearly getting hit in the face with it, while simultaneously reminding Christopher of the carelessness of being a child, was both so endearing and so sad at the same time. The movie gradually turns into a silly adventure movie at the second half, but it doesn't lose it's emotional grip, in fact, it carries it proudly on it's shoulders. I don't want to spoil anything more, but any scene with McGregor talking one on one with either his family or Pooh, will put you on the edge of tears. I love the setting of war-era London, and you very quickly get accustomed to the realistic look of the Hundred Acre Woods. Disney, I know I hate you and I know I rag on you, but let me just say thank you for putting this movie out. It makes me ashamed of my fellow movie fans this movie isn't doing well at the box office or even that fantastic critically, but this is the best movie you have released in a while. It doesn't even feel like a nu-Disney movie, this is a true return to form and boy, man, I really wish they would stick with this. It's so pure and full of genuine heart. I hope people look back on this with a fondness and as a classic. Just great shit, silly old bear...
Unironically may be one of the most important films for 80's film preservation. No film captures the childlike spirit of that time than this sweet little film about a couple kids traveling cross country to a video game competition. The film starts with a little boy, Jimmy, walking across the deserted country road alone on his journey to get to California to properly bury his sister's remains, and by the end, is driving back with his family, happy and fulfilled. It's genuinely funny, heartwarming, and fun for the whole family. The product placement and Nintendo partnership is just an icing on the cake that adds to it's dated charm. This will definitely go in my collection.
The Godfather Part 2 of animated films.
If there's one consistent quality factor to these movies, it's the score. For a film that prides itself on it's grotesque, ironic kills that are the showstoppers and ticket sellers of the franchise, the music plays it straight. Lots of haunting memorable strings. The script playing it so safe is what makes these movies just average, but the characters and their kills are what step the series up and apart from the crowd.
As a kaiju monster movie from the studio themselves, Toho Productions, it's a freaking blast.
As an adaptation of the original manga, it's complete bullshit.
With that out of the way, it's a guilty pleasure for me. Since I'm such a geek for monster films, I loved that the titans in this movie were all portrayed with puppets and men in suits. It was like watching a silly Godzilla movie from the 60's, with Eren as a titan jumping in the air and drop-kicking another titan in the face. It's super ridiculous and over-the-top, but it can be really enjoyable if you like that sort of thing.
The story does crawl a bit during the middle, but enough twists are presented to keep you interested. This is not a well-done adaptation. Hell, this isn't really a great story on it's own right. It's a cheesy silly monster movie with barely fleshed out characters.
The music by Shiro Sagisu is also just as a great as he always is. It sounds a little derivative of Evangelion 3.0 at times, but 'Temper The Wind' is easily the best track on the whole album. I'd argue the score is better than the movie.
My personal favorite of the Ghibli films. It's charming, it's adorable, it's magical, it's dramatic, it's heartwarming, and it's beautifully animated. One of the best animated films I've ever seen. Watch it now and you're heart will be filled with joy.
Good intentions ultimately squandered by a really terrible script. The opening five minutes should've been the entire film. So much effort was put into replicating the house from the original film, and it only lasts on screen for a few minutes. No amount of homages can save this really cliched horror story.
"You're a big guy-"
"For you."
BANEPOSTING 5 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG, GUYS
Damn, I just rewatched several parts of it, and I forgot how good this actually was. I was on the Genisys hype train for quite awhile, but once it wore off and I looked at the staying power of each of the Terminator films... this is the most memorable Post-Terminator 2 sequel to come out. Nick Stahl actually does a great job of continuing the lonely and paranoid character, John Conner, and I actually prefer Arnold's performance here over Genisys. The downright depressing and almost hopeless attitude the movie has makes it a rather fitting entry into the series, despite it being not directed by James Cameron. That ending with the nuclear bombs going off is actually bone-chilling. One of my favorite moments of the whole series. The story repeats a little too many beats from the previous two, but it works them around in a way that feels new and fresh. The action is a blast, the crane sequence being the peak of the first act, and there's lots of great moments. Overall, very good movie that I underrated for awhile there.
I do enjoy this one to a certain extent, especially the design of the wasteland (I even had the art book when it came out) but story-wise, this movie does nothing for me. It's trying too hard to be Mad Max with Terminators, but it doesn't really work. I feel that part of the problem is that the main character Marcus, played by Sam Worthington, is spoiled to us in the trailer that he is actually a terminator when he is found in the 2018 present day war. It would've been a cool twist if the audience found out half-way through the movie that he was one, but NOPE. The same problem happened with Genisys. Give away the big twist right in the fucking trailer.
It needs work with character development. Marcus has the potential to be an interesting anti-hero, one that struggles with living reality as a Terminator, but he doesn't amount to much. We're told his backstory and... he can sometimes but kind to others... and... uh... yeah, I don't even know. I like the scene where Moon Bloodgood is lying her head on Worthington's chest and she says he has a strong heart. It's a clever double entendre. He has a strong heart because he's a Terminator and he has good in him.
Again, the action scenes are great and I love the set design. Probably the best (and only) Terminator war film we're going to get. If the script was reworked and Marcus had better character motives, this would be rated much higher.
Final note, this was the movie that introduced me to Anton Yelchin. May he rest in peace.
I guess SeaWorld likes being portrayed in horror movies. This and Blackfish. It's insanely fucking stupid and it's an insult to the original JAWS, but that's what I love about it. It has fun with itself.
Paul: So writers, what should we do for the 3rd film in the series now?
Jim and Bob: I know! Let's put the shark in SeaWorld and have it attack tourists.
Paul: Get the hell out of this room.
Jim and Bob: leaves
Paul: We are so using that idea.
I actually really like this movie. It's actually very enjoyable. It's a fucking shark loose in a theme park. What more could you ask for? But this movie does get actual points for the music and the shark animatronic. Both are done extraordinarily well and there are some genuinely creepy moments with the shark.
The most underrated comedy of all time. I mean that.
This has non-stop hilarious skits every minute and every single one hits their mark (Minus one). Each one tackles a different modern topic, ranging from movie critics, to identity politics, to terrorism, to advertising, to celebrities, black people, white people, etc. No one is left behind in this satire of epic proportions. It seriously had me rolling with laughter throughout the entire movie. Steven Seagal as Cock Puncher needs to be a real movie.
I adore this movie. I love it more than Spaceballs.
Holy crap, I need to make a video comparing this movie to Toy Story, 'cause some of the plot elements and even lines of dialogue are identical to the Toy Story trilogy. That being said, the movie itself is just above average. Decent music, pretty good animation, and some genuinely funny moments that bring this rip-off to enjoyable-enough levels.
Would anyone of my followers like to see me take on the Star Wars movies before the crap-fest Han Solo spin-off comes out? I have some thoughts I could get off my chest, but it'd take awhile to write.
Just going to throw this out there: I like The Phantom Menace.
Such a simple premise, yet so effective.
I think that's my only complaint about this classic, is how minimal and straight-forward the film's story is. Now -- that's not to say that's a bad thing, 'cause it works enough for this. What many others have already commented is how The Texas Chain Saw Massacre very much goes for a documentary-style of filmmaking. It opens with a stock narrator telling us what's about to happen, as if implying to the viewers, that the events that are shown, really happened. The gritty and dark grainy photography Hooper shoots come off as archival footage, like this is actual footage of a real sequence of events. Also, what I noticed throughout, was the inclusion of rather unnecessary details in quite a few scenes. Why would we need to see someone get out of a car, go back inside the gas station to turn off the light and close the door, and then get back in the car? That's not important to the story. In most films, you'd cut that right out. But these small and left-in touches add to the documentary quality. This is something that newer Texas Chainsaw films are missing, as they go for a much more cinematic look, as opposed to this real-life cinematography. Going slightly off-topic, this is why James Cameron, for the 2012 restoration of Titanic, bumped up the aspect ratio of his film to 16:9 and color corrected the movie differently, to give his film about the Titanic a more television-like documentary facade. I bet most of you didn't even think about that.
But as for this beast of a movie, which spawned many sequels, video games, books, spin-off movies, Halloween Horror Nights mazes, and etc, what makes this gruesome feature so inciting? Why was it such a phenomenon and became possibly the most recognized horror icon in history? Some point at the "Based On A True Story" gimmick that the marketing team strategized, and while the movie is very loosely based on real serial killer, Ed Gein, most of the movie is fiction. I think the gruesome depiction of someone getting sliced up with a chainsaw, which hadn't really been seen on film before, was captivating and exciting for viewers. This is most likely why this extremely low-budgeted 16mm production went on to make over 35 million at the box office over the course of 8 years. Who wouldn't go see the one disgusting horror film you just gotta see? And Leatherface's costume is just so gross, but brilliant. A cannibal who wears his victims' faces as masks? Fucking grotesque, but amazing. Can I also just mention the bleak and fucked-up set design? Notice at the final dinner scene, the chair Sally's sitting in, the arm rests are literally just human arms. Awesome. Nowadays, the feature is a slight dated compared to some horror films, in terms of pacing and editing, but The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is just as engrossing and fast-paced as you can get. I did not feel the run-time at all in this, despite it's sometimes slow-pace and scenes that have no much going on. Just like Jaws, which came out a year later, the movie starts out slow, with an energetic group of friends just taking a ride through Texas, and the movie accelerates to an insane chase sequence, eventually the movie just turning into an absolute nightmare. The claustrophobic and up-close tight photography makes for some deeply disturbing imagery. What also helps this movie over some others is the pitch-black visuals at night. In most other productions, in order for the audience to see what's going on at night, the crew could be using a low-light camera to ever-so slight brighten up the night sequences just so you could see. In this film thought, the night scenes are quite literally pitch-fucking-black. You can't see shit in this, which is probably the most realistic and frightening lighting; not knowing where Leatherface is going to show up makes for an even more tense atmosphere. The final scene at the dinner table and subsequent chase at the end are two of my favorite scenes in horror history. Sickening stuff. If you haven't checked out the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre yet, please do, for Tobe Hooper and Gunnar Hansen.
Highly recommended viewing for this October!
R.I.P. Tobe Hooper and Gunnar Hansen.
Now THAT is a lot of blood.
Why, oh why, do I love this movie, so? Why do I love you so much, Raimi? However, in this case, I can understand why someone wouldn't enjoy the film. The story can be a little poor at times, the pacing is occasionally slow, and the characters aren't the most developed. I think the movie gets more epic towards the finale, but that's not to say there aren't good points in the beginning and mentioned categories. I love the thematic connections that came back at the end of the movie to wrap a nice little bow to Ash and Ashley's arc. The necklace Ash gives Ashley from the beginning prevents him from chainsaw-ing her neck at the end, and his eye-open eye-close game Ash played on here, demon Ashley plays later on him when he's burying her. But aside from a couple beats like that, the story is very simple. A group of friends go to a cheap cabin in the forest, they find a demonic book, then all hell breaks loose... literally.
What I really love about this movie is it's presentation. The red and blue color palettes and framing of shots are just gorgeously wild, as excepted from Raimi. My absolute favorite parts are the hand-held moments from the POV of the demons. I've never seen a horror movie before tackle a motion like this, and it turned out beautifully. There's something a slight amateur-ish about it, but lovable. Actually, the whole movie is very obviously low-budget independent. The cabin is clearly on a sound stage with propped lighting and fog machines, but something about it's look is just intoxicating. It's the ideal cabin for a horror movie. Everything about it is mesmerizing.
I think what fans like to draw from this movie is the experience it provides. The mythology behind the book of the dead and the ride you take with Ash throughout this movie, and the subsequent sequels, is something I can see people getting rallied behind. It's amazing how Raimi was able to take, what seemed like just a simple horror movie, and provide a whole successful franchise around it. Now that I think about, I actually want my own copy of the book of the dead.
Highly recommend viewing for this October!
Lots of fun horror action and plenty of blood!
Deliver Us From Evil, it starts off in a rather unusual location, following scouts in 2010 Iraq, giving us a brief action sequence. Things take a turn for the worse and the 3 person group discovers an underground mine where something goes wrong. Cut ahead 3 years, we follow Ralph Sarchie, played by the talented Eric Bana, he and his partner get involved with a strange case of a wall painter having to do something with the supernatural. Sarchie is put in a desperate situation, as he continues to follow the case, his mental state begins to deteriorate.
What makes the movie intriguing, like Sinister, is the mystery element that's written into here, and the clever cinematic techniques that play into delivering the audience clues. Notice how all the jump-scares in the movie are only done using animals or the wall painter? They're not randomly placed jumps for the sake of having them. All the possessed people clawing on the ground, a trait of that typically of cats? I'm going to waste time going through all the little tie-ins that connect with either character traits or story conclusions, but it's there. It's pretty smartly written actually. But with that said, what drags the movie down at points is the slow pace and uninteresting scenes with the father Sarchie interacts with, played by Édgar Ramírez. I think the man is a great actor, but parts of the story where he was around dragged the story to a halt. I'm not sure if they really could cut out some of his scenes, as this was adapted from a book and supposedly "real-life" events, so whatever. Another unfortunate problem is some scenes are unnecessarily long. A little trimming in the editing room could've helped a bit. But overall, satisfaction wise, there's a lot to like here. It's not the standard horror trope fare some reviewers are pushing it as. Derrickson's brilliance is still all over the picture and I just had fun seeing his direction mixed with the great soundtrack. One thing I would've liked to see more of was the detectives combing through security footage and finding creepy shit. There was some of that, but it was few and far between. Add more of that, and this movie would've bumped up even more.
