by admin | Aug 20, 2016 | Good Horror Movies, Movies, Reviews |
The Innkeepers 2011 Quick Review
The Innkeepers is about a two employees working the last weekend before the Inn Closes for good. With only a couple of guests staying for the weekend they decide this is their final chance to do some serious ghost hunting and prove the place is haunted once and for all. The more they hunt, the more they find.
The Innkeepers has been on my list to watch for a while now. I am sorry that I put it off for so long. I loved everything about this movie except for the ending. It doesn’t ruin the movie but it doesn’t do the movie justice. The acting, the dialog, the story, the direction and cinematography all superb. With the exception of the ending there just isn’t much not to like about this movie.
Ti West, the writer and director does an excellent job of capturing everything from the mundane and monotony of the the employees at the beginning of The Innkeepers. And, he did it without making the audience feel bored. Then, as the story progresses he builds the tension and suspense until it’s final climactic glory. But, it was the dialog that most caught my attention. There was a line uttered by Luke played by Pat Healy about being a realist that is almost verbatim to what I have been saying to describe myself or rather my philosophy for decades. It made me wonder if I had met the guy before.
The Acting was great and Sara Paxton was amazing as Clair. The faces she makes are so expressive. I fell in love with her character instantly. Pat Healy was great. His character Luke was an asshole most of the time but not to the point of total douchery. That’s not easy to pull off. You want to like the guy but you can’t and then you can. It made for an interesting character.
Now, as mentioned, the ending. A bad ending can ruin an otherwise good horror movie. This didn’t ruin the movie by any means. I am sure it’s possible that some may have even been okay with the ending. I was not. But, I have to admit that maybe I just didn’t get the ending? I felt it needed more. It’s like there was a twist to it that I felt was supposed to have a deeper meaning to it that I just didn’t see. However, I can’t stress enough to not let that stop you from watching this. It’s a good story. There’s some good creepiness and some decent scares to it. And, Sara Paxton’s performance was brilliant.
by admin | Jul 16, 2016 | Good Horror Movies, Media Rants, Movies, Reviews |
The Ghostbusters reboot. Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat.
First, a little backstory. I was 14 when the original Ghostbusters came out. My aunt raved about the movie. It was the funniest movie she had ever seen. I went with some friends to see it and I thought it was so stupid. I had never been more disappointed in a film before. For months, people were about how funny Ghostbusters was. I pretty much looked that them like they were bat shit crazy. When it came out on video, I reluctantly watched it again and I could not stop laughing. Bill Murray’s performance should have won an academy award. His sarcasm and wit in the film were epic. Because of my history with the franchise I wouldn’t have been surprised if I didn’t like it the first go-round.
Admittedly, after seeing the trailers for it, I didn’t think it looked funny at all. I didn’t want to be one of the haters so for the most part I kept my mouth shut about it. I still had high hopes for it. Sadly, each new trailer released just wasn’t very funny in my opinion. The humor was predictable and the very talented stars of the firm looked like mashups of characters they had already played many times before. For the most part I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t want to add to the negativity over the film.
My mother on the other hand, had been dying for the new version to come out. Yesterday being opening day I took her to see it. She loved every minute of it. Laughing all the way through it. I was almost jealous of how much she was enjoying it. She seemed to be catching many of the cameos and references to the original and it made her experience even more enjoyable, she later told me.
I too would have been laughing all the way through it, I am guessing. However, the experience was ruined by the little bratty girl sitting in front of me. She spent half the time checking her cell phone and the rest of it rocking her chair back and forth causing it bash into my knee. It was infuriating. At one point my mother leaned forward and said something to the little girl. It calmed her down for about 15 minutes then she was back to her spastic antics.
There was nothing I could do. Her parents were nowhere to be seen and I wasn’t about to get into a debate with a child. It would have just escalated things and been even more of a distraction so I just sat there trying to ignore her. I still managed to laugh and enjoy much of Ghostbusters. Even though it was just so hard to pay attention. Every time I would get back into the movie that little brat would act up and I’d miss something else spectacular in the film.
What I can say is that I enjoyed the story. I loved all the cameos and I can’t wait to see it again. I am sure there’s a ton of things I missed the first time around that would have made the movie even more enjoyable. I did however love the shout outs to Harold Ramis in the film as well as the dedication in the credits. My mother and I sat through all the credits. Personally I wanted to follow the girl out so I could let her parents know as politely and respectfully as possible about their little girl’s poor behavior. Thankfully I didn’t and we got to see the final scene after the credits. I won’t spoil it for anyone, I will just say it was perfect!
To all the haters, there’s nothing to hate to about the new Ghostbusters. It’s a fun ride. There’s some great scenes in there and the cast is amazing. I will probably wait until it comes out on Blu-ray before I see it again but I look forward to it. I am sure the Ghostbusters Blu-ray will have some amazing special features and I am hoping it will have hours of outtakes. I honestly recommend the new Ghostbusters and if you don’t like it for whatever reason. Give it another chance. Sometimes we just expect too much from movies. Had I never given the original a second chance I would have missed out on what become one of my favorite films of all time.
by admin | Jan 25, 2015 | Lists, Media Rants, Rants
Do Supernatural Horror Movies Scare Atheists?
While surfing the net looking for something new in the world of horror I found this article on the Huffington Post “Do Atheists Get Scared During Supernatural Horror Movies?” by Robert Frost. My first thought was, what kinda of idiot would actually stop and wonder that? What level of moronic reason ran through a person’s head that made them ask such a stupid question. The author of the article, Robert Frost didn’t come up with the question. He just chose to answer it. It was asked by someone on “Quora” who obviously has the IQ of a rock.
I started this rant Thursday night. I have written and re-written it several times. Changed a word, a phrase, deleted and added paragraphs all in an attempt not to turn this into a passive aggressive slam at religious people. I don’t think that all religious people are stupid and shallow. I also don’t think that all atheists are full of depth and knowledge. Yet, when it comes to the question at hand, I can only see this as being asked by a religious person. However, perhaps, it was asked by an atheist who was looking for his or her reasoning why? I don’t really see that but it’s possible. So I want to make it clear that at the core of this rant, I am angry at stupid people not religious people. So my rant here is an attempt to point out the stupidity of the question as well as answer it, just in case someone should come across this article and not have at least the philosophical depth that nature gave to puddles.
An atheist can be scared by and enjoy a supernatural themed piece of work for two simple reasons. The first being what is called the Suspension of Disbelief. It is a term that has been around since the early 1800’s when the philosopher and poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge first coined the phrase. He felt that if the writer could add “human interest and a semblance of truth” to the story, no matter how over the top it was, the reader could believe it long enough to enjoy the story. It has since changed somewhat nowadays to refer to the audiences ability to suspend their belief in reality long enough to enjoy the book, the movie, the TV show and so on.
I believe Steven Spielberg inadvertently gave the best description of what this means when he was talking to Peter Benchley. Benchley didn’t agree with the ending Spielberg had in mind for Jaws. He thought there was no way an audience would buy it. Then Spielberg responded with, and I am paraphrasing only because I don’t have time to find the actual quote. “If I can grab the audience for the first two hours, I can do anything I want with the last three minutes.“
What Steven Spielberg said was the absolute truth. It doesn’t matter what a person believes or does not believe. If the makers of the film do their job right, no matter how fantastical the story, the audience will ignore their own beliefs and accept those of the story being told to them. Some will do it just long enough to enjoy the film. Other people will believe what the film told them forever.
How many of us had no fear of swimming in the ocean before Jaws was released and all these years later we can’t even step into a lake or go into a pool at night with no lights on and not think somewhere in the back of our minds that a shark is going to get us. We now it’s not going to really happen but there’s always that part, way back in our consciousness, that tells us to be afraid. For those not old enough to remember when Jaws came out, I was 5 years old and lived on Okinawa at the time. I was too young to see the movie. But, the moment that movie came out, I was afraid to go into the water. I still am afraid but I do go out in the water though there is always a part of me that knows when I step into the water that I am not alone.
In my experience the effect Jaws had on society far surpasses it’s audience. I have never been to the beach, in the water and not had someone in the group bring up jaws or a shark of some kind. No one cared or thought about sharks when they went to the beach before Jaws, at least not to the scale they do today. I saw the change in my friends when I was kid. We went to the beach all the time before Jaws was released, not so much after. That fear of sharks stems from the movie. People today who haven’t seen the movie fear sharks because of all that has followed since.
Another great example is the movie Psycho. That shower scene was so powerful there are people to this day won’t take a shower. That always lock the bathroom door, even when home alone, with all the main doors locked and secured.
These two films are a perfect example of what the “suspension of disbelief” and having a good imagination can do. I can understanding not understanding the theory behind a “Suspension of Disbelief”. But, to not understand the concept shows a staggering lack of intellectual ability. This is just something you should understand. At least anyone who is smarter than a hockey puck should naturally understand it. How anyone could question how another person could not like a work of fantasy is so stupid, it’s offensive.
I just am at a loss for how ridiculous of a question it is. Has this person ever seen Superman? How can he or she watch a movie like that and believe an alien baby survived travel from another galaxy, that it only took a matter of days, weeks or months and that upon arriving on Earth now has superpowers because our sun is yellow and his was red. This allows him to defy gravity? Yes I know Superman originally couldn’t fly, he could only leap really far but they soon realized how idiotic Superman look would leaping over shit like a frog or Kangaroo.
Can a religious person like Star Wars or Harry Potter? Both deal with sorcery and magic. Of course they can. What I find fascinating about the primary question of this rant is that I have never met another atheist who didn’t like supernatural horror movies or monster movies because they knew they were fake. They may have not liked the movies because they were written poorly, the acting was bad or some other real world reason. But, they didn’t not like the film because they believed ghosts or gods are not real. And yet, I have met Christians that wouldn’t let their children watch Harry Potter because it has to do with witches and sorcery. How completely shallow and stupid is that?
Can an FBI Agent or a cop like a movie like The Godfather? Can a vegetarian like a movie if the main character eats a hamburger? The ridiculousness of the question. It’s hard to get past that level of stupidity.
Ghost stories are among my favorite type of horror movies. I love a good or bad ghost story most of the time. I can do this because I am not a complete idiot. The ability to suspend my logical beliefs in order to appreciate the fantasy I am being sold is easy. It’s easy because sometimes I have a healthy imagination, sometimes the story is so good I can suspend my beliefs and sometimes it’s both.
What it all comes down to is that if the story is done well, you go with it no matter what your beliefs are. It doesn’t matter if you are religious or not. A good story can take you anywhere. A great story can make you believe, at least for a moment, that anything is possible. That is, unless you’re a complete idiot.
by admin | Dec 28, 2014 | Bad Horror Movies, Movies, Rants, Reviews
Uninhabited 2010…
Uninhabited is a 2010 Australian horror film directed by Bill Bennett. The film premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival and in Australia during the 2010 Melbourne International Film Festival. It tells the story of a young couple vacationing at a deserted island, later discovering it has a disturbing history.
-Wikipedia
Spoiler Alert: If this was based on a true story the main characters deserved what they got. You shouldn’t be allowed to be this stupid and live. I know that’s harsh. But, too many smart people everyday thanks to stupid people. I have little tolerance for them. I also don’t get how this is based on true story if everyone dies at the end? How does anyone know what in the hell happened to make a story about it? If I cared enough about the movie, I’d look it up and found out. But, it’s just not worth it.
I’m hot and smart but have low self esteem so I only date good looking guys with no brains.
I wanted to like this movie, I really don’t start watching movies hoping they suck. From the moment I first saw Geraldine Hakewill as Beth, I was enchanted. I just thought she was so beautiful. At first I believed her character, she seemed to be really smart and I felt bad that she was dating such an idiot. I don’t know if it was the filmmakers intent to make her significant other such a douche? I am not saying he was a complete douche but he was definitely “douchey” and a complete idiot. Beth started out smart but then this so called biologist by the end of the movie completely ignores everything science has ever taught her.
The story is basically about a young couple on vacation. They’ve been dropped off on a beautiful tiny tropical looking island off the coast of Australia. They should have the island to themselves but soon discover they are not alone.
Right away after realizing that they are not alone, Beth has enough common sense to want to get off the island. However, her dumbass boyfriend Harry played by Henry James convinces her to stay. At first they think it’s kids messing with them. Little kids, based on the tiny footprints they found. However, they soon discover two grown men on the island, obviously bad guys and up to know good. Our douchey boyfriend decides to confront the bad guys. Even though they already know that the bad guys have guns. Even though as they approach they can plainly see at least one automatic rifle that looks a lot like an AK-47. Still, douchebag boyfriend is screaming at them, threatening them, why the bad guys didn’t shoot him in the damn head right then and there and then have their way with poor Beth is beyond me.
Not learning his lesson, douchebag decides to send Beth out to their boat and look for their missing sat phone while he thinks it will be a good idea to go through the bad guys stuff. It’s insanely stupid and at this point, they both deserve to die for being so stupid. Of course the bad guys don’t kill them but that’s only because they sadly don’t get the chance to end this film on a high note.
This should have been a kinky sex scene with her boyfriend but he just had to send her out on the boat. What a dumbass.
They have now become convinced it’s these two bad guys that have been messing with all this time. They are ignoring all the evidence that suggested it wasn’t them. Like the tiny footprint trail, like the creepy as kid sounds they keep hearing. It’s just one stupid event after another.
Uninhabited starts slow and never really picks up. It teases us with sexuality that never pays off, and by the time it actually turns into a ghost story, the outcome is pretty obvious and all sense of suspense or even caring for these two characters is long since lost.
This is a bad horror movie no matter how you look at it. I have found mixed reviews for this film. I can only assume the good reviews are those that are so infatuated with Geraldine Hakewill that they’ve lost all sense reality when it comes to the worthiness of this film to be watched.
Cast of Characters:
Geraldine Hakewill as Beth
Henry James as Harry
Tasia Zalar as Coral
Bob Baines as Jackson
Billy Milionis as Spiro
Terry Siourounis as Elias
by admin | Dec 25, 2014 | Bad Horror Movies, Movies, Reviews
At the Devil’s Door 2014…
At the Devil’s Door is about three hot women that never get naked or have sex. The end. Okay, just kidding. This isn’t the end, but the first part is sadly true.
I made two notes while watching this film. The first one has to do with the things the transitions from past to present. The film jumps back and forth a couple of times. The problem is that the jumps back are fairly obvious. However, there’s no obvious jump forward. So things are going and I am thinking this is something that previously happened. Only to realize I am back in present day and no one told me. It was a little frustrating but I could overlook that.
The second note came about 28 minutes into the film. One of characters is at home and the lights go off. She hears things, she walks around the house checking things out in the dark for a bit but eventually uses her cell phone for some added light. Okay, I can accept that. But, then she sees that her front door is now open. Okay, she closes it. There’s a storm out, maybe the wind blew it open? That could happen. Except for the noises she was hearing. The powers out, strange noises, front door suddenly open. A smart person would would go to the neighbors house and call the police. Or, close the door and deadbolt it shut! What does she do? She closes the door and uses latches one of those cheep old door chain that no one has seen seen since the 70’s. Really?
I know I play a ghost, demon teen but you still think I’m hot. Don’t you. DON’T YOU!
Then there’s this mirror, wtf is going on with this mirror in the movie. Was there a part in the movie I missed where this is a mirror ghost? Nope, it’s just a mirror that for some the ghost or demon decides to keep covering? Why? It’s demon, is it afraid of it’s looks? Why was it always hiding? Pretty cowardly demon.
The film did have a good tone to it. It was interesting but there was some stupid things the characters did that just made me not like this movie. One of the more stupid was towards the end. One of characters plans to do something so stupid. Granted, I understand her motivation. But, what she’s planning on doing is so serious and she thinks she can do this stupid thing and just get away with it? We see no planning, nothing. And, then for no reason, her mind is changed and we have no idea why. We can guess, but this is a movie, I don’t want to guess. If I wanted to guess, I would have not bothered to watch it and just guesses at the film fucking ended.
You’ve been warned. Not even the hotness of the three main ladies in this film can save it.
Cast of Characters:
Catalina Sandino Moreno … Leigh
Naya Rivera … Vera
Ashley Rickards … Hannah
Mark Steger … Thin Man
