Malignant: Oh Yes, There Will Be Spoilers

Alright, let me talk about the elephant in the room. Will this review have spoilers? That's a question that I did give some thought. I could discuss the film without giving away anything. However that is something that is very difficult to do. It also does a disservice to this film. This is a film that deserves to be talked about. So yes, for the first and only time, there will be SPOILERS. If you haven't seen the film and don't wish for it to be spoiled, turn away now and come back after seeing the film. All good? Feel good with that? Okay, let's get into it then.

Malignant was made by James Wan for Warner Bros. Now, that may not seem like a big deal. He's made other films for them in the past. Yes, he has. This film however is a completely different ball game and genre than we are used to. 

James Wan got his start in film with 2004's SAW. Now, SAW was a small indie film that was a game changer for the horror genre. It was something that not many of us could have seen coming. Hell, it literally helped jump start what many call the torture porn slice of the horror genre. Honestly, that first film could be considered more of a thriller than anything. That's not a bad thing by any means. Especially because it helped establish what Wan's style was. 

Then he brought us Dead Silence. It was a film that was a bit divisive with people. Either you understood what he was going for with it or you didn't. This was still early in his career and many were expecting something more in the vein of SAW. Dead Silence was a pivot into more of a ghost story. It's all about the Legend of Mary Shaw. Beware the stare or she will come for you. Comparing the two films, you will see that they share some aspects as it's cousin. A lot of the same people behind the scenes worked on both films. The detective. Yeah, Donnie Wahlberg wasn't in the original SAW but he was in Saw II. And he delivers a similar performance. The downside was that not many found the film at first so wasn't as successful. Though it is a fun little flick in it's own right. Again, a solid ghost story. 

After that, Wan gave us Insidious. Now by this time, Wan's style was evolving. It wasn't as MTV as it's cousin nor a straight ghost story. (I know I keep using family metaphor for Wan's films. But there's a solid reason for it. It helps explain the evolution of his films. So just roll with it.) Insidious was a deeper dive into the paranormal slice of the horror genre as it explored a family's journey of overcoming malevolent entities that are emerging from an astral dimension. This felt different to the previous outings as family was the heart and focal point of the film. This helped the scares and terror hit closer to home. 

After this, Wan delved further into the paranormal as he presented the stories of the Warrens and their investigations. It continued to also delve deeper into cases that had a more family focus. The first film was able to show that even the paranormal could find a way to effect their homelife as their daughter has a moment towards the end of the film. 

At this point, Wan had found his groove and his distinct style. Now whenever people hear it's a James Wan film, they know it's quality. His appreciation for in-camera effects adds to these films. Especially considering that a lot of movies tend to go more towards computer effects than practical. The use of shadows is something that is also welcome. There's also the slow pull-ins to add tension. 

All of this led to 2021's Malignant. This is the newest entry to the James Wan family of films. It's definitely one that will be remembered down the road even. 

Now, I know there's been trailers over the months. I glimpsed the initial teaser while waiting for a YouTube video one day. At that point, I wasn't hooked. That initial look felt like another Conjuring film. And at this point, each of the non-James Wan shared a similar feeling to them. It just didn't feel like a movie that I'd be excited about. But then I went to see Candyman, they had the Halloween Kills trailer. Yeah, that looks good. Kinda wished hadn't seen that trailer cause avoiding spoilers. But it was cool to see in the theater. The trailer for Malignant then played after. 

At that point, I was ready for it. It looked different. It didn't look like it was in the vein of The Conjuring. It looked a little more in the vein of a slasher/thriller. It was kinda comforting and brought that feeling I had when I saw the first SAW. While the trailer was super awesome, it also didn't reveal much of the story. It definitely is a successful trailer as it managed to make me excited about it. 

While I had the chance to go see Candyman in the theater, Malignant was a different story. I ended up watching it on HBO Max with my partner. It definitely brought an entirely different feeling to the film. It was very much a Dark Castle vibe. Actually it could even come across as a long lost VHS that was recently recovered. 

(Also it should be noted for the record that when watched this with my partner, they had managed to pick out exactly what was going on with the film about twenty minutes/twenty five minutes into it.)

Now, before I finally dive into the film. I just would like to point out how unique this film is. It's structure is set up where the prologue and each act feels like it's own film. That's something that is super awesome and equally impressive. Major kudos for that.

In 1993, Dr. Florence Weaver and her colleagues Victor Fields and John Gregory treat a psychiatric patient named Gabriel at Simion Research Hospital. Gabriel has special powers like controlling electricity and broadcasting his thoughts via speakers. One night, Gabriel turns violent and kills several staff members of the institution.  

This section of the film was such a strong beginning. It has a super distinct tone to it. One that just oozes Dark Castle Entertainment/VHS video vibes. The more I think about it, the more Evil Dead II keeps coming to the forefront. The way that it's shot with the lighting of the reds after the lights go out. It's super good because of the fact that the shadows are a bit overpowering. Each of the actors and actresses definitely know what kind of film they are making. And they are loving every minute of it. It feels like they definitely had some fun making the film. The viewer is able to get small glimpses of Gabriel but the carnage he made is at the forefront. And it definitely does not skimp on the gore. 

After an impressive title sequence that highlights certain points for the film (Gabriel's record from the Asylum), the next part begins. 

Twenty-eight years later, Madison Lake, a pregnant woman living in Seattle, returns home to her husband, Derek Mitchell, after her pregnancy causes her to feel ill at work. During an argument, Derek smashes Madison's head against a wall after which she locks herself in the bedroom and falls asleep. Madison later wakes up to find Derek's body after having a dream of a man entering their house and violently killing him. The killer, still being in the house, attacks Madison, rendering her unconscious.

Now, this section of the film felt a bit closer to what we would expect from a James Wan film so far. It honestly wouldn't feel out of place from a Conjuring film. Especially as there are moments where the camera will slowly pan in on character then cut to a slow pan in to another room. 

This also introduced our main character Madison played by the amazing Annabelle Wallis. At this point, it felt like it was throwing us into the wave pool and this world. Madison is a loving wife that is trying her best to please her husband. There are just so many layers to this performance especially as we get farther into the film. There are also touching moments we see between Madison and her sister Sydney, played by Maddie Hasson. 

 Jake Abel plays Derek. And he plays such an unsanctimonious prickhole. It's very easy to see especially in hindsight exactly who kick-started all of the problems in the film. I will say that I do love Abel's performance because it's a very strong one that helps make him a bit unlikeable at first. It is also a bit layered. I'm sure that if there would have been more time that there was a chance we could have seen more to his character. 

It was also kinda fitting that Derek gets his comeuppance. He was the aggressor towards Madison and it brought out a whole new side that they had no idea was there. Apparently through moments with Sydney, we are able to uncover that this isn't the first time Derek has had moments like this. Unfortunately for him, this time was the last straw. 

The whole sequence with Derek moving through the house was creepy. It was mildly tense. It probably would have played better if I hadn't had seen the trailer. But it was a bit of a striking image when Madison discovers the aftermath. It's not straight in your face for very long. But almost like out of the corner of my eye. 

Now, we are also introduced to our slasher, Gabriel. At this point, it looked very ghost like. A plain black entity. The way it moved was pretty awesome. It's definitely the sound effect that sells it as hear the popping and cracking as it moved. One thing that surprised me for a moment was with the speed that it was moving. When it chases Madison and she goes to the front door, I jumped when it slammed into it two seconds after she tried opening it. We also get to see what I'm going to call Gabriel vision. This felt like a fun callback to Sam Raimi's distinct Evil Dead cam. 

The rest of this sequence was tense. I was a bit scared for Madison. Here she was being hunted down by some thing. At this point, all we knew was that it was some thing. Nothing more. Because I had seen the trailer for the film, that kinda played up that it was an 'imaginary friend'. This was a very strong paced sequence that once again feels like it's own film unto itself. 

The next morning, Madison wakes up in a hospital and is informed by her sister Sydney that her unborn baby didn't survive the attack. After being interviewed by police detective Kekoa Shaw and his partner Regina Moss, Madison returns home. 

During their investigation, Shaw and Moss discover a photo of Madison as a child in Weaver's house and learn that she specialized in child reconstructive surgery. Madison and her sister approach the police after watching Gabriel murder Fields. Gabriel contacts Madison, causing her to remember her past. She and her sister visit their mother, Jeanne, to learn more. Madison realizes that Gabriel wasn't her imaginary friend but someone real whom she talked to during her childhood. Shaw finds a link between the doctors and Madison, which leads him to discover Gregory's dead body.

The detectives enlist the help of a psychiatric hypnotherapist hoping to unlock Madison's memories. Madison recalls that her birth name is Emily May and that Gabriel wanted her to kill her unborn sister. She came close to doing it but was able to stop. The police arrest Madison when the kidnapped woman falls from the attic in her home, revealing that Gabriel was living inside her house. It is later revealed that the woman is Serena May, Madison's birth mother. 

This part of the film was definitely another shift in gears. If the prologue was Dark Castle Entertainment, the first act was The Conjuring, this second act felt like a mash up of Insidious with the 'visions' and SAW with the detective investigation. The effect of the world shifting away as Madison entered the visions was super cool. Each of these visions feel different from each other. They all share a visual style and language to them. But they don't necessarily repeat themselves. The abduction of the woman in the tunnels was also super suspenseful. But the lynchpin of it was the explanation of the tunnels underneath the city. This was a really cool way to explain how Gabriel is able to move from place to place. 

And there's a chase sequence between Detective Kekoa and Gabriel that felt very home in a SAW like fashion. George Young and Michole Briana White both deliver solid performances as Detective Kekoa and Detective Moss. They have a great banter between each other that adds some layers to their characters and the history of those characters. It definitely feels like this isn't their first case together. Ingrid Bisu delivers a very interesting performance as Winnie. She...I honestly can't tell you what she does outside of working for the police. She helped develop the story with James Wan. But her character in the film is very likeable even if she's a bit quirky. The whole investigation felt a bit by the numbers. And that's not a bad thing by any mean. 

The discovery of the kidnapped woman being in the attic of Madison's house. That was something I honestly didn't see coming. It was a cool way to misdirect as it definitely gave off a Jigsaw lair feel to it. So, I just thought it was at a location that we would discover later and would have tied into the the Asylum from the beginning. Also the identity of the kidnapped woman being Madison's birth mother felt like it tied things together in a neat little bow. It expands on things while also keeping them personal. And as we will soon discover this film is a very personal story. 

Now, here we are at the third act. This is something that some will find it being average and easily predictable and then there are those that will find it an awesome change of pace. For me, I love this third act. It definitely shifts gears so much into new territory. This is easily a side of James Wan we haven't seen before. And he's here having so much fun with it. 

The big twist is that Gabriel is a part of Madison. He was an EXTREME case of a teratoma that shares Emily/Madison's brain. This was such a severe case that everyone had no idea how to handle it. The only way was to cut out pieces of Gabriel to the point where it was just the face. And then to hide it away by sewing him into the back of Emily's brain. For years, things were okay till Derek. Again, thank you Derek. If it wasn't for him being an unsanctimonious prickhole, this film wouldn't be. The biggest shift being that Gabriel had hijacked Madison's body and was enacting all the 'visions of violence'. These 'visions' being a way of locking Madison away mentally was brilliant. It just shifted things into overdrive in terms of being bonkers. The largest set piece being the jail scene. Madison's locked in the prison with others and then Gabriel switches gears and enacts so much carnage. It was a bit operatic in it's feel and like a bloody symphony. Seeing the ways Gabriel moved to massacre others, it's just so in your face. And I definitely appreciated it so much. 

One aspect that I loved about the finale is the connection between Madison and Sydney. It's Madison's realization that she had found what she was searching for finally - a sister that loved her as much as she loved them. Looking back over it, it's a pretty interesting aspect. Since Madison has had Gabriel all her life but there was no connection emotionally. Gabriel is so distant because of his darkness and hatred for everything. The finale is awesome. It's a bit of a mindtrip. Yes, it's also in the literal sense as well. 

With my discussion of this third act, I chose to hold back a little on the details. And that is because it needs to be experienced. I'm hoping that this film universe will continue, but it's cool if it's a one-off. This is a film that is very well done and a lot of fun.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5. (Such a breath of fresh air.)

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Also let's give a shout out to Creepy Duck for this amazing alternate poster for Malignant. Go check out their Twitter.

31 on 31 for Halloween Day 11: Jason Rising

Hello everyone, welcome back to 31 on 31 for Halloween. Today, I wanted to talk about camp. There have been a good chunk of movies based around summer camps. The most notorious however is locked up because of a legal battle. Personally, it's a damn shame because there still untapped potential for this franchise. The awesome thing though is that the fans have taken it into their own hands. They have been pushing out new content and spreading the legend of Jason Voorhees and Camp Crystal Lake. 

The most recent well known has been Womp Stomp Films and their amazing Never Hike series. 

However, there are a few that have entered what I'd like to call The Lawsuit Era. This past Friday the 13th, a new film debuted. Its name was Jason Rising. And it's our special special boy. 

Jason Rising was made by James Sweet, Robert Blanche, Maurice J Cardwell and Vincente DiSanti. James Sweet also directed the film. It stars Kyle Vahan, Anna Campbell and Dan Kyle as the infamous Jason Voorhees. 

After three female fugitives escape from the Wessex County Corrections Farm, A local Sheriff and his deputy team up with two US Marshal's to track them down, following them into the hallowed grounds of Camp Crystal Lake years after it has been condemned only to find out they are the ones being hunted by the masked killer Jason Voorhees.

Jason Rising is definitely a different beast than other fan films. It's a beautifully told story. It also carves out a new branch of the Friday lore. That's definitely something that I'm enjoying out of The Lawsuit Era of this franchise. Everybody is taking their shot and taking things into their own hands to tell stories that they want to see.

The film opens with a prologue of the Sheriff and his deputies burying Jason - who is enclosed in a wooden crate. One of the deputies mentions Tommy Jarvis and how he's got to be messed up after finding his mother in a tub. This is definitely one of my favorite callbacks in the franchise. It's so nice seeing a deleted scene or ending receive a shout-out. Now, to me, it's become head canon for what happened. 

After this, the film follows a familiar path. Police and FBI pursuing escaped convicts. This is something that we have seen before and in another film - it wouldn't feel fresh. But setting this in a Friday setting definitely spices things up. It also allows some pretty sweet kills. 

The thing that makes this film even more engaging is it's use of Pamela Voorhees. We don't see her in just a flashback or a vision. No, we get an undead Pamela Voorhees looking to help her son. This is something that is so cool. Especially because we see her headless as she enacts vengeance upon those who have trespassed. It just so different and so fresh to what we are used to. 

The Sheriff is also different. This kind of takes the trope of the Sheriff not knowing anything that's going on and flips it. There's actually a strong arc for him as he comes to realize what exactly is going on. And that then makes him think about his relationship with his father, who he just thought went cuckoo for cocoa puffs. 

This version of Jason is also really solid. It feels very much an evolution of the Jason from The Final Chapter. But he's not afraid to hold back. Jason is unleashed as he chases after his prey and in his weaponry - seeing Jason with a chainsaw is super cool. 

The acting in this film is great. Everyone delivers a fantastic performance. Anna Campbell is definitely a standout. She brought such a strong performance that was so likeable that I didn't want to see her meet her end by Jason. She really felt like the final girl of the film. But that isn't really true as it throws a one-two punch at us with its two wonderful cameos. Adrienne King and Amy Steel reprising their roles as Alice and Ginny. This felt like a game changer to me. It didn't overshadow the film but added so much world building to it. It also felt natural that Alice would have survived her run in before with Jason. And the fact that Ginny is her therapist is icing on the cake. Alice definitely felt like she evolved into similar fashion as Laurie Strode did in Halloween '18. And that's not a bad thing at all. 

It's taken me some time to find the right words for this film. Almost a month. But it was definitely worth it as I was able to dive into the film and just let it soak in. Jason Rising is a highly recommended in my opinion. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

Jason Rising can be found on Youtube.

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31 on 31 for Halloween Day 10: Ruin Me

Ruin Me was brought to my attention as being a Shudder Exclusive. It is a film that made me think while also being very enjoyable.

It centers around “Alexandra reluctantly tags along for Slasher Sleepout, an extreme event that is part camping trip, part haunted house, and part escape room. But when the fun turns deadly, Alex has to play the game if she wants to make it out alive.”

The characters in the film are all enjoyable. There may have been one or two that were rough around the edges, but ultimately good. Though it was hard for me to necessarily find one character that gravitated towards more. Everyone gets even coverage. Ultimately it is Alex’s journey.

I found myself enjoying the fact that we are thrown into events through Alex’s perspective. As the film moves along it’s pace, we even begin to question things as Alex does.

While some may be saddened that it is not a complete gorefest, this is a different kind of horror. This is more psychological. And that is one of its greatest strengths.

I don’t wish to spoil the film for those wishing to see it. But I strongly suggest giving it a shot, as it did not disappoint.

The ending was a solid ending and ends on a very strong point.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Ruin Me is available from Shudder. 

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Tiny Terrors Day 14 Part 2: Leprechaun Returns

  Here we are, we hit the end of the line in Tiny Terrors. What a big journey this has been. Again, thank you for checking this out. I hope that it's been enjoyable. Let's round out this series in style. Join me as we close out the Leprechaun franchise with Leprechaun Returns.     

     In 2018, Michael Myers returned to the big screen with Halloween. It was a huge success. Other studios had heard through the grapevine what Jason Blum and Blumhouse had in store. It was something that couldn't go unnoticed. I am guessing that had Lionsgate going through their library of films to see if they could try something similar. It turns out that they were in luck. 

    By this point, Lionsgate had bought the Leprechaun franchise. They had tried their hands at crafting two previous films. One of them was a bit of a disaster (Back 2 Da Hood) and the other just didn't hit with audiences (Leprechaun Origins). Honestly, it was a bit of a shame with Leprechaun Origins. It just provided a different take on the franchise which was a bit of fresh air at that point. 

    They decided that the third time was the charm. Taking a note out of Halloween's playbook, Lionsgate decided to craft a direct sequel to the original Leprechaun. Originally series creator Mark Jones was asked to return as an executive producer, however due to a financial disagreement he passed on the project. Steven Kostanski was brought in to direct the film, which was written by Suzanne Kelly. Jennifer Aniston was also asked to return, which she thanked them for doing. But she didn't return due to again financial disagreement. This led to shifting the story a little bit. And lastly, we have Warwick Davis. He was asked to return, however his views on horror had shifted after becoming a father. So he respectfully declined. This is definitely something that I will admit is a bit respectable. 

    The story picks up 25 years later after the original film. We meet Lila (Taylor Spreitler), the daughter of Tory Redding (Jennifer Aniston's character from the original). She's joined a sorority (which is part of an Eco-Science Premiere college) who now owns the property that was featured in the original film. They are spending their summer turning the house into a perfect living "green" abode. Basically, they trying to have the house run off of solar energy and be able to grow their own vegetables and such. Honestly, that's not a bad idea. Unfortunately for them, their presence has unleashed Lubdan the Leprechaun. Now, they are working on surviving till they can find a way to put him away. 

    When I first watched this film, I was highly skeptical of it. Part of me felt like it was potentially trying to capture the lightning in a bottle that was Halloween (2018). But after viewing it again, Leprechaun Returns is an interesting sequel. It does a decent job of picking things up from the first film. We also get to see Ozzie (Mark Holton) return. Unfortunately it's not for very long as he's the first to go. But he's utilized in a very interesting way later on as he's a ghost that Lila can see. So, he's around to help. His death is definitely one that was memorable as it was a very heavy handed homage to Alien with the chest burster. It's also a nice bit of continuity as Ozzie had swallowed the gold piece in the original film. 

    This also brings me to the Leprechaun. Linden Porco delivers a very solid performance as the Leprechaun. He is able to make it his own a little bit, but it's definitely channeling Warwick Davis. It definitely feels like it's the same Leprechaun from the first film. 

    Now, the whole sorority angle could have been extremely cheesy. But surprisingly, it was handled a little bit well. Even if it feels like it's the sorority girls from Sorority Row. The nice thing though is that they all feel different. They are not of the cookie cutter variety where they feel like a Stepford Wife in terms of you can't tell them apart. Also it helps that the cast in this film is pretty small. And yeah, there is an equivalent of Chugs from Sorority Row. That's honestly probably the one character that felt a bit annoying in one scene. But later on, she's not terrible. 

    The killings in this film are interesting. Yeah, we have the loving homage to Alien with the Leprechaun belly burster. It was handled very well and looked pretty cool. The death of the mailman did feel a little like it was thrown in at the last minute. But my question is if the Leprechaun was able to pull the mailman's head into the mailbox, why didn't it squish the mailman into it? I mean that is one way that could have went down. Instead the Leprechaun jumps into the mail truck and then backs over him. Again, it's not exactly a bad kill. It's pretty solid. Later on, we see one character get sliced in half by a giant solar panel. 

    Overall, all the aspects of this film seem to work together really well. Partially I wish they would have had a little more money on the budget, but it's not bad. This is definitely a sequel that is a return to form for this franchise. Plus, it's nice hearing the Leprechaun once again with his banter. There have been other entries that have been worse. But definitely a nice one to go out with. Especially as it is nicely paced.

Rating: 4 out of 5. (It's on par with the original. Better than 2, imo.) 

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Tiny Terrors Day 14: Puppet Master 4 & Puppet Master 5

   Hello everyone, Welcome back to Tiny Terrors. Today, I am going to be diving into the final two films in my Puppet Master retrospective. It's been a very interesting watch so far especially when watched in timeline order. I know there are still technically two entries besides the fourth and fifth films. But Puppet Master The Legacy is basically a glorified clip show with the wrap around story helping to create some form of continuity in the series. It also has a throw away line about what happens to Rick from Puppet Master 4 and 5. It's not a good way to end the series. And then there's Curse of the Puppet Master. This film was not a very successful entry to the series. It is definitely what I consider to be one of the worst entries. Therefore, The Legacy and Curse have been moved to the Skip It section. Join me as we close out the Puppet Master section of Tiny Terrors. 

    With Puppet Master 4 and 5, these films were shot back to back. They tell one story and that's of Rick Meyers and his fight against the evil Sutekh. Now, if you remember in Retro Puppet Master, they also included Sutekh into that film's storyline. This helps create continuities between the films. At this point, yes Retro came out after 4 and 5. But it's interesting to see these small little details when you watch the films in timeline order. Plus if you stop after 5, it's a nice way to end the series on a high note. 

    In Puppet Master 4, Sutekh creates three demonic servants called Totems. He sends them forth into our world to try to kill those who possess the secret of animation. There is also a subplot of a group of scientists that are working on Artificial Intelligence. Somehow, they are close to uncovering Toulon's secret. Rick Meyers is the caretaker of the Bodega Bay and a member of the scientists. Rick's friends join him one night at the Bodega Bay - Suzie, Lauren, and Cameron. For the record, Cameron is a total douche that is just trying to steal Rick's work. They manage to uncover Toulon's trunk that houses his Puppets and his vials of serum. 

    They also find a gaming board that is similar to a Ouija Board. Basically, it's the same concept. Cameron and Lauren attempt to use it as a way of figuring out what's going on. Unfortunately for them, Sutekh uses the board as a way of sending his Totems out into the Bodega Bay. Rick is able to successfully reanimate Toulon's puppets - Blade, Jester, Six Shooter, Pinhead, and Tunneler. They are now ready to protect Rick from the Totems. Rick is also able towards the end of the film to animate a new puppet - Decapitron. It houses the spirit of Toulon himself. And at the end of this film, Rick is named the new Puppet Master. 

    In Puppet Master 5, we have the police investigating Rick. He's being charged with the murders of his fellow workers that were found dead in the previous film. He's also being charged with the deaths of Lauren and Cameron. Rick is released with the help of his temporary superior at work, Jennings. 

    Jennings can tell that not everything is adding up. He's quick to learn just what it is that Rick uncovered in the previous film. He hires two henchmen to go into the Bodega Bay and figure out exactly what happened. Sutekh is also quick to try again. This time though, he's not sitting on the sidelines as he creates a special Totem that will allow him to cross over into our world. 

    Rick and the Puppets must work together to stop Jennings as well as Sutekh from getting the secret to reanimation. Torch also joins the Puppets in this entry. It'll all culminate in a battle for everything. 

    These two films were shot together. The plan originally was that it would have been one full length feature titled Puppet Master: The Movie directed by Charles Band. At one point, it was also originally conceived as being Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys. Once the idea of Decapitron was thought of, it shifted to introducing Sutekh and his Totems. It's very interesting when watching both of these films back to back. The story between the two films don't necessarily gel as much anymore. There definitely is a shift in between the films tonally as well. Part 4 is the lighter of the two films. There's a bit of an innocent child-like whimsy almost. Well, I guess you could also say that the fantasy elements are more prominent. If there wasn't any gore in the film, honestly it feels like a PG-13 film. There have been a few times where I've actually mistaken it for a PG-13 film. However with Part 5, it's very much so a rated R film. There is a bit more gore and blood when compared to the previous film. Part 5 definitely feels like it's a marriage of elements from Part 1 and Part 4. The way that the Puppets are having to fight off the Totems as well as Jennings and his henchmen - ifeels a little similar to earlier films. 

   The cast in these two films are great. Gordon Currie is great as Rick. He is likeable. He cares what's happening to his friends and girlfriend. He wants to be able to help in any way he can. And he's better than Cameron because he will actually put himself before others. Cameron just screams like a girl and will let his girlfriend get attacked. Ash Adams plays Cameron. He does a great job at playing a character that he knows people will hate. He's not there to be likeable. He's not there to be good. He's there to be a douche. He's there to help show how much of a good person Rick is. Teresa Hill plays Lauren. Her character is more reminiscent of the psychics from the first film. It's definitely a nice callback seeing a psychic character. However, that might be the only nice thing that can be said about her character. It's one that feels a little flat. And ultimately, one that I tend to forget is in the film till I start watching it. Then we have Chandra West as Susie. She does a great job delivering a fun performance. Susie is definitely different than Lauren. She's not just a damsel in distress. She's not afraid to step in and get her hands dirty. There was a moment or two where she would step in to save Rick. The henchmen in the fifth film are forgettable. They are just there to fill the body count quota. And Jennings is just a pompous ass that you root to get his due. 

    Now on to Sutekh. This was an interesting addition to the lore of Puppet Master. In the first three films, we just know that Toulon found the key to reanimation. But at this point, we begin to understand things a little more. Yeah, with this one it seems like Sutekh just comes out of left field. However, when paired with Retro Puppet Master - you are able to understand more of the feud that was happening. Sutekh is a very interesting villain. I just wish that he would do more villainous things. It kinda hurts the film that he has to send his Totems up and can't get his hands dirty himself. I mean look at the size of him. He could wreck someone if he could come to our world. I do love the fact that he's basically an oversize muppet. The design is very cool. Growing up, that is definitely one of the reasons why I loved Part 4 and 5 the most.

    Part 4 is a solid beginning. When paired with Retro, it helps understand exactly why Sutekh is so salty about life. This was also the film that showed the most promise. The puppets are on point. The motions look amazing. It's so good. Yeah, it has the huge 90s feel to it. At that point, it was all about computers and laser tag. Definitely makes the film feel a little dated  in today's age. But, it's a fun flick. Part 5 is a nice continuation. There is a definite tonal shift that happens. This hinders the film slightly as it doesn't feel as fun. It's more back to basics approach in a way. And honestly, the fourth film's ending is replayed in the fifth's. It feels a bit lacking that it rehashed things. However, the coolest thing that these two films did. It introduced Decapitron. Decapitron is such a cool concept for a Puppet. It's extremely understandable that after Blade, Decapitron has always been my favorite. But these films are definitely some of the strongest in the franchise.

Rating: 

Puppet Master 4: 4.5 out of 5. 

Puppet Master 5: 4 out of 5. 

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31 on 31 for Halloween Day 9: The Purge Election Year

The Purge Election Year

Election Year is an interesting installment of The Purge franchise.

When I had first seen it, I didn’t like it. It felt over the top like it was too much. This time, it was a different experience.

Election Year is the culmination of the themes that was presented in The First Purge and The Purge. It was the natural conclusion.

We see Frank Grillo return as Leo. Years have passed since we had see him last in Anarchy. He is definitely a changed man as he is head of security for a Senator. He believes in the Senator who is trying to change the system and have Purge Night disbanded.

The Senator is such a threat that The New Founding Fathers seek to stop her as she could become the next president.

This is the story as in this installment we are treated to an all out war between The Resistance and The New Founding Fathers for America.

Honestly at certain parts, this felt very much like Die Hard in The Purge universe. And that’s what helped make this installment pretty enjoyable.

We are also treated to Edwin Hodges returning in a much larger role than the previous two films. He is the voice of The Resistance. And over the course of the film we are treated to seeing that spark of hope reignited as he helps the Senator.

The action seemed bigger but also bit scaled back. It felt like the action was a mash of The Purge and Anarchys action.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I recommend watching in chronological order.

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31 on 31 for Halloween Day 8: The Purge Anarchy

The Purge Anarchy

When The Purge: Anarchy was released I fell in love with it, it opened up the world that was established in the first film. Now we were witness to Purge Night in the city – whereas we were just in the Burbs before.

This film is like a rollercoaster. Each of the different storylines weave wonderfully till they collide. My personal favorite of those storylines is Frank Grillo’s Leo. It is such a dark story but Grillo brings such heart to it. He is also a one man army. Almost like The Purge’s version of The Punisher. Except for he’s even more of a reluctant hero than Frank Castle.

It was also nice seeing the ‘family’ that is created by Purge Night with Leo and the two sisters.

The action is a bit more heavy than the previous film. Actually Anarchy steps it up in terms of all aspects. Which is why it does work well.

It was also interesting seeing Edwin Hodges character from The Purge return in a more direct role as a resistance fighter.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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Tiny Terrors Day 13: Curse of Chucky & Cult of Chucky

 

   Welcome back to Tiny Terrors! We are almost at the end, my friends. Three franchises. Twenty Five films after I trimmed some of the worst films from two of those franchises. This was honestly a massive undertaking. When I first thought about it, I hadn't realize how big a deal it was. But it definitely has been one. There was a moment or two where I started to question if I was absolutely mad to attempt this. I am super glad that I did this. I got to learn my style of writing from this. Yeah, I have done a few other pieces here and there. But for the most part, this helped craft my writing style. It also helped me prove to myself that I can do this. That has definitely been my largest hurdle this time around. If you have been here since the beginning of Tiny Terrors, thank you. If you have jumped on along for the ride, thank you. I truly appreciate this. Some people may have started wondering what the next retrospective could be. Honestly, I have no idea and that's part of the fun. If you guys have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. Reach out on Facebook, Twitter or even comment on here. So join me as we enter this final week of Tiny Terrors. Three franchises. 5 films left. Let's stick the landing, shall we? 

    Seed of Chucky. A film that left the franchise shook to the core. A film that was a bit divisive back then. A film that left fans wondering what could you do next with Chucky. Chucky is definitely a character that has been through the ringer. We grew with him throughout the franchise so far. We saw his origin in the original film and him coming to terms with who he is throughout Child's Play 2 and 3. He found love and fell out of love in Bride of Chucky. Seed of Chucky presented a whole new layer as he was now a family man. It is such a bizarre through-line when you think about it. What's next? 

   

    Curse of Chucky was released in 2013. It was released straight to DVD, Blu Ray, and on Digital. Once again, it was written and directed by Don Mancini. Don Mancini is the voice of this franchise. So, it's been really cool to see where he took things Post Seed of Chucky. 

    Curse of Chucky originally was pitched to fans as being a breath of fresh air for the franchise. The first trailer and such even went as far to show a Chucky that did not bear the marks of the previous films. Gone was the infamous markings that were introduced in Bride of Chucky. The horror aspects were brought back to the forefront. It felt like a new beginning. And in a brilliant move, it was.

    After the events of Seed of Chucky, Nica, a young woman forced to a wheelchair since birth, has to regroup her sister, Barb and her brother-in-law, Ian for a funeral after the death of her mother. While dealing with Barb, Ian, along with their 5-year-old daughter, Alice; Nica receives an odd package - a creepy doll. After people start showing up dead, the fearless Nica soon suspects that the creepy doll is much more than just a doll.

    The story in this film is so simple. It's absolutely brilliant. It is very much a back to basics approach. And that's why it works so so well. Nica is a very likeable character. This is definitely what helps the film succeed as it does hinder on Nica. She's wonderfully played by Fiona Dourif. There is such a vulnerability that she is able to portray and bring to the character. It's so captivating to watch. And yes, she is the daughter of Brad Dourif. However, she is an absolutely wonderful actress in her own right. 

Next up, we have Barb (Danielle Bisutti) and her family - Ian (Brennan Elliott) , Alice (Summer H. Howell) and their live-in nanny, Jill (Maitland McConnell). All of the actors and actresses do a wonderful job. It's also interesting to see how they interact as a family unit. It's safe to say that one will wonder why Ian is a bit daft. He's very full of himself and is a bit of a douche. One kinda will find themselves rooting for him to meet his maker. He also seems to have a very presence that he tries lord over his wife, Barb. Also a kinda brilliant twist is that Jill has been having a relationship with Barb. This is definitely interesting as it does spin the typical nanny trope in a more realistic way. And then there's Alice. Alice is a sweet child that we tend to not want to see harm come to her. 

The film is very atmospheric. It's super cool that the film ultimately is presented and shot in a way that reminds me of a haunted house type film. Especially with how the shadows are utilized so well. One of the most suspenseful sequences in the film is what I like to call - the Poison Roulette. It's family dinner time and Father Frank (A. Martinez) joins for dinner. They are having a soup of some sorts. However, it's established that Chucky had dropped poison in one of the bowls. So this whole sequence is very tense as try to figure out which character had the bad soup. Unfortunately, it leads to Father Frank's downfall as he has an accident on his way home. 

The kills in this film are pretty solid. Compared to previous two films, it's a huge step up. Especially considering that this is a return to more horror roots. Each one is a bit memorable. I think the one that stands out the most is the death of Jill. She's trying to look into articles about Charles Lee Ray and ultimately is fried as Chucky knocks water onto the power cord. 

Overall this is a fantastic return to form for Chucky. Curse of Chucky was a welcome breath of fresh air as it took things more serious. The best part was seeing the rug pulled out from under us as Nica uncovers the fake skin that were covering the marks on Chucky's face. This was such a cool way to hide the fact from audiences that this was a sequel. It's also interesting that there was a small retcon by tying Nica's family to Charles Lee Ray. And actually does add a bit more flavor to the backstory of Charles Lee Ray that we know. 

Oh yeah, there is also an interesting post credits scene. It shows a package being sent to a grown up Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent). He unpackages it and is one step ahead of everything as he finds Chucky is inside it. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

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If Curse of Chucky was a solid haunted house flick, Cult of Chucky is just Chucky meets One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. That is completely evident as it picks up where the previous film left off.

Nica has been sent to an asylum for her mental health. Nobody believes her story that Chucky is real. Nobody cares to believe that it could even remotely be possible. The only person that she blames is herself for her family's death. The doctor in the asylum brings a Good Guy doll into the asylum. Soon, grisly deaths begin to occur to the other patients. Nica has to uncover what is going on. But she begins to learn that Chucky is real and he's learned some new tricks. He's now able to pass on and possess others with his wickedness. Andy's on the outside and trying to figure out a way of stopping Chucky and discovers Tiffany is also back in the mix. 

Actually an interesting comparison to this would be it has a hint of Dream Warriors thrown in the mix. Each of the other patients have their own distinct personalities. However, their names escape me and are not that memorable. There's one patient that Nica has an 'encounter' with that believes he's possessed by other serial killers - one being Charles Lee Ray. Then there was another one that always carried a doll around. 

Once again Don Mancini has created a film with a simple story. It also moves at a decent pace. The one issue is the cutting between the outside story (Andy's story) and inside the asylum (Nica's story). It feels like we don't get enough of Alex Vincent as Andy. And personally that's a bit of a shame. We also don't get much of an explanation for why Tiffany is back. In Seed, she had died before she succeeded in passing her soul to Jennifer Tilly. It's also not explained very well just how Chucky came to discover his ability of possessing more than one Good Guy doll. Or that he's able to transfer himself to another body. It may be something that is explained in the commentary, I'll have to check it out. 

For the most part, the kills are pretty interesting in the film. It's relatively slasher fare. However, there is one death that is the most memorable out of all of them. There is a patient that is strapped to a gurney in the middle of the room. Chucky manages to throw a small compressed air tank at the skylight. It smashes and the shards of glass decapitates the patient. Now thinking about it, it's a pretty cool homage to Bride of Chucky. There's a bit of gore. 

Overall, this was a decent film. It does feel a small step down compared to Curse of Chucky. If they had done a better job explaining the soul splitting, it may have made the concept better. But it is a small interesting idea. The big takeaway from this film though is that it finally goes to absolutely bonkers territory. This is the film where Chucky finally wins. He's able to transfer his soul into Nica's body and able to get away with Tiffany. Poor Andy however is left in the Asylum. And there is a Tiffany doll once again that is sharing a piece of Tiffany's soul. It's absolutely bonkers. And it'll be interesting to see where they take this into the upcoming Chucky tv series. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5. 

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He's The Whole Damn Hive: Candyman (2021)

It feels like it's been a long road for Nia DaCosta's Candyman. It was early last year when the first trailer dropped. It had the inclusion of a new take on "Say My Name" that just brought a strong presence to things. I was pumped and ready to go. Then COVID hit and lockdown, it just hyped the film for me. It led to this becoming my most anticipated film of this year. More than even Halloween Kills. 

Now, I'm only going to do this once. This review will have SPOILERS. If you have not seen the film, go see it and return to read the rest after. 

Okay, last warning. 

Alright say it with me. And if you want to back out, now's your chance. 

Candyman.

Candyman.

Candyman. 

Candyman. 

Candyman.

Nia DaCosta's Candyman is a completely different beast of a film than I was expecting. Typically, I would give the sypnosis of the film and then dive into the details. However, with this one I'm going to just dive deep into things and talk about the story as it goes along. 

We open with a young boy telling a story with his shadow puppets. It's about a man that encounters a few police and then is chased by them. This was something that looking back at the film was a bit of foreshadowing. That's definitely one of the biggest highlights of NiaDacosta's Candyman - the many layers of the film. The young boy is told by his mother to go and take care of the laundry. He does as he's told and we are able to see Cabrini-Green in the early 70s. And the police are looking for a man named Sherman Fields. Now, Sherman Fields is a man that has a hook for a hand. He's been seen passing candies around to the children that live in the area. But rest assured, there are candies that are found with razor blades in them. Immediately the police jump to it being Sherman Fields. The big reason probably it being an easy way to close the case and race. The young boy enters the building and throws the laundry in the washer. He's quickly trying to get out of there as he's completely alone. And in the hallway, there's a hole in the wall. 

Now, for me - I'd be terrified of seeing a hole in the wall. It's pitch black inside of it. It allows one's mind to just project all the fears and thoughts into what could be in that space. Hell there's been times where if I'm alone in my house, I begin to get creeped out. My house is old and it definitely is true that they have their creaks. So, I was right in there just wishing that the boy would hurry up. As he turns to go up the stairs, a little silver wrapped candy comes out of the hole and slides across the floor. At that point, I would have been out of there. Probably would have tripped and fell up the steps attempting it. The young boy though is terrified and frozen in place after screaming. Sherman Fields emerges from the wall. Sherman is able to hand off some candy to the young boy, who then proceeds up the stairs. The police quickly arrive on the scene and make sure the boy is out of the way. However, instead of there being just the two police officers that were in their police car outside - it's at least twelve officers. And sad to say that they are quick to act and kill Sherman. 

This was a very bold way to jump start the film. It has a very distinct feel to it that's created by the atmosphere and tension. The imagery is very strong. Especially the use of shadows. It also helps establish this Candyman's story. And with such a strong beginning, the message of the film hits super super strong. With this film, there are many layers and messages within it. I honestly cannot recall a film that made me think this much. That's probably why I fell in love with it so much. And the best part of it all, it will hit differently for each person that watches it. So it allows the viewer to let the film create a personal connection with them. 

After the solid opening, we meet Anthony McCoy and Brianna Cartwright. They are having a dinner date with Brianna's brother, Troy and his boyfriend, Grady (I think that's it. Apologize if it's not.). It's established that Anthony is a great artist but is going through a small rut and cannot find inspiration. Troy ends up sharing a nice ghost tale with Anthony and Brianna. It's the tale of Helen Lyle - a graduate student who went on a killing spree in the 90s. She apparently attempted to sacrifice a baby before she was stopped by the residents. This was an amazing call back to the original. It helped establish the theme of mythic stories and the way we tell them. Because as us in the audience that have seen the original, we know the real story. But just the way stories can change and evolve as they are passed down is something that is very interesting. 

After looking into Helen's story, Anthony travels to Cabrini-Green to see if he can find any inspiration. While there, he discovers just how empty the area is. It's literally a ghost town - this sequence was very eerie with some tragedy to it. Just seeing all of the empty buildings in the area with no one around. It's unsettling and shows how much the city has just given up on it. Expanding upon the theme of gentrification that was mentioned in the first one. Comparing the Cabrini-Green of this film to the one from the first film, it's interesting seeing how farther it went. Especially after it's mentioned that the high-risers were taken down to make way for newer buildings. Looking back at this sequence, just seeing Anthony interacting with the area he was born in - it was a little heartbreaking. This whole film is so tragic and adds even more layers to that original film. 

While on his journey, Anthony meets William Burke. Burke is a local that grew up around Cabrini-Green. To me, it's a bit sad that Burke is someone that hasn't gotten out of the area. He can't seem to let go of the past or honestly doesn't wish to. Later on, we discover more of Burke's backstory and learn that he is the young boy from the beginning of the film. Burke helps run a local laundromat. Oh and also while Anthony was walking around his former stomping grounds, he was stung by a bee. It is definitely at this point that the film begins to kickstart everything. Back to Burke, he shares the local story of Candyman to Anthony as well as the 'rules' of how to summon him. 

Inspired by this new story, Anthony crafts an art exhibit centered around 'Candyman' that is featured at Brianna's gallery. The way that the exhibit uses the mirror to showcase the art. That was absolutely awesome with the way it just looks like a simple mirror. But it opens to reveal Anthony's art hidden behind it. Anthony's exhibit dares people to say his name. Unbeknownst to him, Anthony has begun spreading the tale of Candyman and reminding people of him again. A high school girl is at the exhibit and learns of the 'game'. Anthony leaves after he sees his exhibit hasn't received positive feedback. 

Brianna's coworkers are murder later that evening after one of them says 'Candyman' in front of the mirror. News gets out of this after Brianna discovers their bodies. Immediately Anthony is a little happy because he heard mention of his name and his work. Honestly, this wasn't a bad moment. There are some that will think that Anthony has started off his rocker because he isn't showing much empathy for the death of Brianna's coworkers. But like any PR is good PR. Moving back to the murder of Brianna's co-workers, it's off putting. It happens very quick and it's very unapologetic. Especially when it comes to one of them, it happens before you can fully process what happened. And before you know it, you are left with one of them being hunted by Candyman. With this kill, it's a little slower. It utilizes the mirrors to show that Candyman is an entity. He can only be seen in mirrors or reflections. That is something that is utterly terrifying. And seeing the cutting of another piece of art - seeing nothing and then in the reflection seeing Candyman. That was awesome. It helps set Candyman on a more mythic level. 

The legend continues to spread as more people are killed after saying his name, including an art critic and a group of high school girls. Now, both of these sequences are awesome. They are great contrasts to one another. One is a bit isolated as we witness the murder from a wide shot. It's a very beautiful shot as the moment of horror is contrasted to the neighbors around  in the apartment building. It's also one that is very sudden. The group of high school girls is definitely a whole different beast. They think that they are playing a game and that it's not real. However after they are mean to another girl, one of the girls heads back to get her vape. Cause you know, you gotta have that. But its when Candyman shows himself. We don't see what happens to each of the girls. We are left with the girl they were picking on in a bathroom stall. Just witnessing the horrors that happens and seeing the events from a compact mirror.

Anthony continues a transformation. His bee sting has now transformed into a much worse transformation. It's scabbed over and there is so much body horror on display at first. It was to the point where I wanted to yell at the screen. I wanted to yell at Anthony for being an idiot and just stop picking at it. Honestly, the whole sequences of seeing Anthony's transformation. It's very artistic and that's pretty cool tie to the film. Especially as it travels up the side of his body and face, it gives the feel of a honeycomb look to it. And that's something cool to differentiate this Candyman from what has come before. 

Anthony ends up seeing his mother after he learns he was born in Cabrini-Green. It was nice seeing Anne-Marie returning from the original. But to me, it feels like it's nothing more than a cameo. Like yeah it does help Anthony realize how far into things he is. It felt like we should have gotten more with her. Honestly, it may not  have hurt to shown a little flashback to when Anthony was younger. At this point, Anthony is taking time to not see his mom. It isn't till he's desperate to confirm what he knows - when he needs her the most that he sees her. It fell a little flat because we don't necessarily have much insight into this relationship. 

The whole relationship between Anthony and Brianna. That's another point for me that didn't necessarily gel for me. I get that they are supposed to care about each other. However, it feels surface level. We don't see many scenes where they are interacting together. And as for Brianna, she already had a lot of stuff in her closet. It feels like there are more in depth layers to her backstory. I mean they set up her father was an artist and when she was younger he committed suicide. To me, it feels like there was more to it that was cut. Personally, I wanted to learn more about what was he painting as that was what led to his suicide. Was  he seeing Candyman himself? It would have added a bit more tragedy to things. It feels like there is stuff that was cut for time or maybe it wasn't working. 

Brianna is worried about Anthony after an argument. It leads her to Burke. At this point, this is where Burke's backstory is on full display as well as his motives. He wants to bring back Candyman. He wants to get back for those that are wronged. To do so, he has to complete Anthony's transformation and ensure a tragic event would  befall Anthony. Somehow that recipe would allow Anthony to become Candyman. Like Burke is off his rocker. But after thinking bout the film, it made me think about the opening with the Sherman Fields. Was the young Burke trying to do this same thing back then? Or was this something that happened over the course of the years? We also see a flashback where we see Burke kicked out of the bathroom by his sister. She says he's too young and that she's going to play a game that is for adults. She says the name and then a thud is heard. Burke is able to open the door slightly to see his sister on the ground and then sees the Sherman Fields Candyman in the mirror. 

Burke calls the police and informs that there is a murderer in Cabrini-Green with a hook for a hand. At this point, I had already known how the film was going to end. It wasn't going to be a happy one. It was going to be one fitting for this franchise. Brianna was able to get free before Burke could give her a lollipop (complete with razor inside). There's a chase and we close out in the same building that Anthony had gone into at the beginning of the film. It was kind of a full circle. Brianna is able to kill Burke. But then we have Anthony come into the room, his wounds were finally getting to him. The lights of the cop cars begin to shine. It's a touching moment between Anthony and Brianna. 

Then the door kicks open and immediately shots are fired killing Anthony. Brianna is escorted out of the room to a car. An officer gets into the car and asks what happened. Brianna's in a very stunned moment. The officer tells her that this is going to go two ways. At this moment, I felt extremely uncomfortable. It's definitely a feeling you are supposed to have. This whole sequence felt very close to what I can only imagine is something that happens more than we would like to say. It's something that is still extremely relevant, especially after everything that happened last year. When Brianna finally snaps out of it, she's ready to do what she has to. The thing that she said she wouldn't do. She says Candyman into the car mirror. Anthony returns - at this point I was like Let's Go, and enacts justice on the officers. There is a bit of flashing lights in this scene. My partner is someone that doesn't do well with those. I'm hoping that when it comes out on blu ray, this scene won't be a problem for them. Because this is the sequence that is so beautiful. It's so perfect. Especially as we see Anthony, in full Candyman mode, walking around the police cruiser. The reflection in the miraror each consisting of a different Candyman (someone that had a tragic injustice happened to them) before he chases after the final officer. It also can be said that in the beginning of Anthony's walk he was walking, but when he rounded the cruiser - he was floating off the ground. Super super cool. The speech that Anthony is giving during it is the one that is so memorable. It is Tony Todd's infamous speech from the first film. 

By this point, I had nothing but goosebumps. So so perfect. Brianna exits the cruiser and follows the sounds that are happening. She discovers the final officer being attacked by Candyman. At this point, his face was covered by bees. It was hard to discern if it was Anthony. But then the bees parted to reveal Tony Todd's face and telling Brianna to tell everyone. 

Now on to the topic of Candyman himself. I love what they did with it. Yeah, we don't get Tony Todd's Candyman right away. There is a beautiful build up to it. The film expands the lore so much by introducing not just Sherman Field's Candyman but that there were three others besides Daniel Robitaille. The idea that Candyman is a hive - not just one person is Candyman. That is so frickin bold. It also helps illustrate why the Candyman that Helen had seen was Tony Todd's and not Sherman Fields. It's because it reflects on which story you first hear. Now, there are three other Candyman that we didn't see. That honestly opens up a large portion of storytelling potential if they wanted to dive into those. Though, the credits were so important. The original theme finally returns as we witness the shadow puppets making a return. They are telling the stories of Candyman through the years. So we get glimpses of each of the Candyman's stories. The most heartbreaking one to me being of the child. We aren't exactly given details on what happened - but it is so tragic. The final imagery being of the five Candymen with others beginning to stand behind them. It is so powerful. 

I think this may be the most that I have talked about a film yet. There is just so much to talk about. There is still things that could be talked about. Like I mentioned earlier, this film is so beautiful because of the many many layers it has. It is possible to take something different away with each viewing of the film. It did feel a little short because the pacing is a little quick. It makes me wonder if there was things that were taken out for its theatrical run. If there were things, what was it? There are still some things that felt like they were dropped instead of being closed out. Could they be picked up on in a sequel? That could very well be. At this point, I am hoping that we will see a sequel to this. And it cannot come to blu ray fast enough. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. Amazing story. Strong imagery, strong messages and many layers to the film. 

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The Curse of La Llorona

This past week, I had the pleasure of watching The Conjuring: Devil Made Me Do It (or as I call it Conjuring 3.5). That was directed by Michael Chaves. After finishing it, I remembered that hadn't watched The Curse of La Llorona and was happy to discover he had made that film as well. Join me as I discuss The Curse of La Llorona. And yes, I include it with my Conjuringverse films. Fight me. 

Now, the film opens with a pair of boys playing in an open field with their mother. They begin spinning around and one of them discovers that he's the only one in the field. He goes to investigate where his brother and mother have gone. He happens upon a dreadful sight - his mother drowning in his brother in a river. Turning upon her son, the mother quickly goes after her son and is able to grab him. This is La Llorona. And it's a bit of a powerful opening. Especially as it sets up that kids aren't exactly safe in this film. 

1973. A social worker, Anna (Linda Cardellini), is investigating a troubled mother, Patricia (Patricia Velasquez), that is suspected of child endangerment. Anna discovers Patricia has her two boys locked in a closet. Unsure of what else to do and having her hands tied, Anna takes the boys with her to an orphanage after Patricia is taken in by the police. Anna returns home to her children, Chris (Roman Christou) and Samantha (Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen). Anna is doing the best to take her of her family as she is dealing with the loss of her husband. Later that night, the two boys are taken by La Llorona. 

Anna is awoken by a phone call. She's been called to identify the bodies. Having no one else at home, Anna takes Chris and Samantha with her. Anna instructs Chris not to leave the car and to watch his sister. What could go wrong? Anna talks with Detective Cooper (Sean Patrick Thomas) and able to identify the bodies. Chris leaves the car because it wouldn't be a movie if he didn't listen. However, he quickly wishes he would have listened to his mom as he encounters La Llorona (Marisol Ramirez). This is just the beginning of their problems. Soon enough, Anna and her family turn to Rafael (Raymond Cruz), a former priest, to help against La Llorona. 

I won't dive too much farther into the details of the story. But rest assured, this is a solid entry in the Conjuring films. Yeah, I understand that there are some people that will disagree to it being part of the Conjuring films. But the connecting tissue between the two is the character of Father Perez (Tony Amendola). Perez was the priest from the first Annabelle film. It was nice to see him return, even if it is for a small cameo. 

The cast in this film does a wonderful job. One of the biggest parts in a film like this would be the children. Roman Christou and Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen deliver solid performances as Chris and Samantha. I was quick to finding myself caring about what happened to them. And that's something that could be very hit or miss. If you don't like a kid in a role, there's a chance you'll grit your teeth while watching a film. That wasn't the case here. Linda Cardellini also does a very awesome job with her role. That is probably the next strongest point in this film is the family. If there's no chemistry then it won't work. However, this definitely comes across as a solid family unit. It was also fun to see Sean Patrick Thomas in a horror film once again. The last time I remember seeing him in one was Dracula 2000. 

Being that this is ultimately a ghost story, there isn't really much gore in the film. The film relies on atmosphere and tension. However, the studio also probably enforced jump scares. And boy is there jump scares. Not surprisingly, I will admit that the film made me jump a few times. But I strongly believe that it comes down to a loud noise accompanying the jump scare. Chaves does deliver on the atmosphere and tension. And it's easy to see why he was picked to helm The Devil Made Me Do It. His work with shadows is really cool. Plus there was one shot that I just loved. It might be a shot that was included in a trailer (wouldn't be surprised) but it involves Sam by a pool with an umbrella. It's set completely in the day. There's a good chunk of the film that is set in the day. But the way the Umbrella is used to show Llorona is awesome. I definitely think that might be my favorite part in the film as it is one that is very memorable. And by this point, a good chunk of these films always have a part or two that are very memorable. 

Now, I will take some time to talk about La Llorona. In the rest of the Conjuring films, we have seen some pretty cool designs. It's definitely safe to say that one of the most memorable ones belongs to The Nun. She's very distinct, striking and cool. La Llorona definitely fits into the pantheon of Conjuring Creatures (is that what you'd call it?). In the beginning of the film, she's very haunting. A figure in a dress that has her face covered. It has a bit of a tragic feel to it. However, as the film goes on - it begins to show Llorona's face more. This is something that began to hurt the film. The more I began to see of her, the more I began to wish they would have kept her to the shadows. It's not that it's a bad design. It's just more effective when you see less. The use of mirrors with Llorona was also pretty cool. 

Overall, this was a solid film. It had a nice atmosphere to it. The pacing was also really well done. I didn't find myself bored with it. And found myself caring about the characters a lot as well. Definitely would be fun to watch on a rainy day. 

Rating: 4 out of 5. 

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