Category: Horror
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Split (***) falls short of its potential
Overall, it’s the very last scene that will keep people from forgetting this film. Even so, the payoff for the characters is underwhelming. While it’s easy to have low expectations from the obvious hint of future films in this universe, I am willing to see where it goes.
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The Girl with all the Gifts (*****) gives us hope
The Girl with all the Gifts – 2016 Director Colm McCarthy Screenplay M.R. Carey based on his novel of the same name Starring Sennia Nanua, Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Glenn Close, Fisayo Akinade, Anthony Welsh, Anamaria Marinca, Amy Newy, Elise Reed In an age where so many stories abound regarding the end of the world into a land…
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Forgotten Gems: Did anyone forget the original Poltergeist (****)?
All in all, it’s a good and nearly great film. It’s taken years for me to add it to my collection, though. I finally needed a somewhat safe movie for my kids to watch this Halloween, and that’s really what we have here. I am sure they’ll watch it in the future. Not sure if…
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Ouija: Origin of Evil (***1/2) improves upon the model
The first story was kind of a throwaway. Kids get hooked into a board game that is tied to a house with a past. The past is kind of interesting though, and they wisely decide to mine that fertile territory for this episode.
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Don’t Breathe (****) is only a motion away
Alvarez and Sayagues have a more relevant film here than just typical horror. There is motivation behind every character and that raises the stakes beyond useless gore. They may have a tough time pulling off a sequel, but the ending leaves that open. An extra star for them if they never do make it.
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The Shallows (**1/2) doesn’t wade too far
The Shallows – 2016 Director Jaume Collet-Serra Screenplay Anthony Jaswinski Starring Blake Lively One would think Blake Lively in a movie called The Shallows is an asshole reviewers’ dream match. In truth, we can’t make this movie into more than it is: a scary movie with a shark. There is no way a shark that big could be…
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Lights Out (**1/2) but no dance
There are a few scary moments in Lights Out (hint: they don’t include Bello), but overall, the film is like a first date movie. The kind you take a girl to when you aren’t sure where she is with the concept of a scary movie, but you wouldn’t mind having her jump into your arms…
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The Purge Election Year (**) Trying to wedge social commentary into a horror film
If they really wanted to improve these films, they’d drop the politics and ramp up the creativity. Give it less a feel of government crackdown and more a sense of random chaos that can’t clean up after 12 hours.
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The Green Room (****) Gives us a glimpse of Yelchin’s future gifts
Yelchin gives a vulnerably heroic performance as a guy who has no idea what he’s in for, but he has to learn fast. It’s an unusual type of lead performance. Why that is, you have to discover for yourself. The movie is put over the top by his nervous energy. The world will miss his…
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The Conjuring 2 (****) secures Wan’s spot at the top of Horror
The Conjuring 2 – 2016 Director James Wan Screenplay by Wan, Chad and Carey Hayes, David Leslie Johnson Starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O’Connor, Madison Wolfe, Simon McBurney, Franka Potente, Bonnie Aarons So difficult is it to pull off a movie about a haunting or even more, a possession, that it makes one want to shout from the hills and declare a…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 