masonmorgan-92917 Reviews

Anomalisa (2015)

Another Kaufman masterpiece

[9/10 · 6 September 2017]

While an adult stop-motion drama about a midlife crisis and mental illness may sound mundane as a concept, this is quite possibly Kaufman's sharpest and most absorbing film yet.

Charlie Kaufman has already proved himself to be one of the smartest, most creative visionary directors/writers working today. He has yet to make an unoriginal film even as his vibrant style stretches over a career spanning 40 years. Anomalisa is certainly Kaufman's tamest work when compared to the outlandish concepts of Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, but it is also one of his most engaging. A grounded perception of mental illness affecting a lonely, middle-aged man in the centre of a richly-detailed, yet maddening, world. The concept will never sound as appealing as it really is, but upon viewing, the film's subtle messages on love and identity will surely resonate with any viewer, no matter their age.

Even with an ending that hints upon a concept that I wish was further explored, Anomalisa expresses it's thought-provoking story through detailed character interactions, a wry script and brilliant voice performances from the extremely limited cast that had me daydreaming of the film's beauty long after watching.

Personal Shopper (2016)

A subtle, yet deeply effective, psychological drama

[9/10 · 2 September 2017]

Assayas has done it again, it seems. After the delectably rich Clouds of Sils Maria, Assayas has once again spurred a sublime performance from Kristen Stewart in this illusive, cerebral horror film that, even with a goofy scene that should belong in the latest Ghostbuster film, remains sophisticated and truly haunting.

As showcased in his last film, Olivier Assayas is ingenious when it comes to writing stories around his deeply engaging characters, and Personal Shopper is no exception. Stewart is incredibly convincing in her role as a damaged clairvoyant, still shaken by the death of her twin brother. Every scene works to add little pieces to her character that helps to greater understand her actions and rather subdued personality. This is easily the best Stewart has ever been, previous performances considered. She is certainly someone to lookout for in the future, as, at this point, she is a frontrunner of the next generation of actors.

What is also undeniably impressive is Assayas' ability to tell a story in a heavily visual, almost poetic, way. He, unlike many directors working today, knows when to just let his actors ACT, allowing them to demonstrate their character building talents through minuscule movements and mannerisms that can't quite be explained through spoken dialogue. It's all so gorgeously organic.

From the masterful building of tension leading to terrifyingly subtle moments of horror, to Kristen Stewart's brilliant performance, Personal Shopper oozes professionalism. A film that meticulously finds ways to crawl right under the skin of the viewer and linger with them days after.

Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)

An intelligently crafted, and entertaining, drama

[8/10 · 31 August 2017]

While maintaining a sleek art-house-esque aesthetic and narrative, Olivier Assayas' Clouds of Sils Maria explores complicated human emotions, as well as sociological change, in a rather simplistic way. The result is a gorgeously organic and thought- provoking film that manages to thoroughly entertain, as well as inform.

Juliette Binoche is a powerhouse of talent as usual, but who certainly surprises is the often understated Kristen Stewart, who, proved here, can work brilliantly with well- crafted material placed before her. The chemistry between Binoche and Stewart is simply electric, not only propelling the narrative forward, but making any potentially dull scene deliciously biting with their whip-cracking banter. It's not often that two actors so naturally play off of each other this effectively, to a point of wishing that their shared portions of the film were longer.

Despite the crackling script and tantalizing character drama, there is a 20 minute epilogue that grinds the film's hefty momentum to a halt. While it is most definitely a necessary sequence for the story, it's lack of real substance is only amplified by the time it lasts on-screen. A middle-credits sequence would've left ample space for the story of the epilogue, but for whatever reason, Assayas stretched the finale of this intriguing story until it practically began to tear under the brilliance of the rest of the film.

While arguably not quite as realized as Assayas' second effort with Stewart, Personal Shopper (2016), Clouds of Sils Maria is an impressively audacious study of mainstream film and celebrity status that is made rich and layered by the convicting chemistry between the film's leads. It's all so undeniably impressive, to a point where the director's shortcomings become all the more apparent, and in turn, more frustrating.

Prometheus (I) (2012)

An unnecessary expansion to the Alien universe

[6/10 · 23 May 2017]

After the colossal embarrassment know as Alien Resurrection, the chugging narrative of the Alien films has finally been demolished. It seems that Scott had recognized this, and decided to take the reigns of his franchise once again, but this time, he's taking us back to even before the events of his 1979 masterpiece. While the film is noticeably ambitious, through both it's complex narrative and visionary science-fiction setting, Prometheus only manages to be a filler chapter in a saga that repeatedly makes unnecessary additions to it's continuously expanding mythos, never really earning justification for it's own existence.

Even if Prometheus is merely filler for the franchise, it's visually impressive filler. The obvious architectural borrowings from the original Alien film add a tasteful amount of nostalgia that will undoubtedly excite fans. The massive extraterrestrial catacombs engulf any signs of life as our human characters venture further into the bio-mechanical labyrinth. In the first couple of shots, Scott let's the audience know that he hasn't lost a touch of his technical prowess, however, the uninteresting narrative and characters does raise questions about his storytelling skills.

The crew of the Prometheus are, for the most part, paper-thin. Despite their utter lack of development or depth, Scott seemingly expects us to care for them when they unsurprisingly meet their demise. Noomi Rapace does give a good performance as Elizabeth Shaw, along with Fassbender as the synthetic David, and their chemistry showcased in the final act of the film could be compelling if continued.

The overall plot is rarely compelling as it is stupid. Prometheus features possibly the most inept scientists ever put to screen. Their bafflingly stupid decisions are laughable and broke the gloomy tone of the film on multiple occasions. It does feature some tense scenes as well as a satisfying final act, but too many questions are left unanswered to make the film satisfying as a whole. This film was created to explain who the engineers were and how they fit into the Alien universe, but sadly the film asks more questions than it answers, making for an ultimately frustrating final product.

Prometheus is a gorgeous piece of sci-fi from one of the best directors of the genre, and while it is admittedly above average, it still falls flat when it comes to delivering compelling or cohesive backstory to Alien (1979). We have a few interesting characters, a slow building sense of tension and unexpected small bursts of violence, and while all of these aspects should result in an enticing sci-fi horror, even the best aspects of Prometheus don't look too great alongside an uninteresting and frustratingly illusive plot.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

In space, no-one can hear you scream - because you're not.

[5/10 · 22 May 2017]

After the misstep that was Prometheus, Alien: Covenant could've been the correction. Another prequel directed by Scott himself, Covenant seemed to be returning to it's 1979 roots, much more so than Prometheus. Featuring the perfect organism itself and a return to the tense, claustrophobic space horror, Covenant seemed to have all the elements to produce the first Alien film of decent quality since the masterpieces of 1979 and 1986. Instead, what we get is a tasteless Prometheus retread that lacks any of the tension or grace of the original.

Despite the massively lacking narrative quality of Covenant, it is visually stunning. Scott certainly hasn't lost his cinematic touch, capturing breathtaking scenery and action with an unquestionable technical prowess. Sadly, the visuals are really the only thing that Covenant has to offer, sadly settling for looks over a compelling narrative and characters. Alien: Covenant is a massive dud, but it sure is a pretty-looking one.

While the story has small hints of interesting aspects, such as the android interactions, the plot as a whole is basically a Prometheus re-tread, yet even still managing to be worse. The "scientists" are still frustratingly clueless, as they seem to make the same inexcusably stupid decisions as the Prometheus crew, except here the consequences are much more noticeable and dire. Along with the lack of compelling narrative, Covenant seems to forget what made the original 1979 classic so great, and that's the tension/build-up. As Covenant pays homage after homage to the original, it's even more upsetting when the film never even attempts to capture any of the slow-burning tension that made Scott's classic, a classic. While the new Aliens are introduced in an admittedly interesting fashion, all of this occurs far too early, thrusting us into it's hamfisted story before taking any time to develop characters or relationships. It all just feels so inorganic and distractingly choppy. Scott intertwined character and tension perfectly in the first Alien film, so why does Covenant seem so amateurish?

Honestly, amateurish is a trait that can be associated with the majority of Covenant, as even the Aliens themselves look noticeably off. While the CGI was decent, for the most part, I think it was the overexposure of the creatures that made them look so fake and silly. We see the Aliens in their entirety countless times in the film, which betrays the source material. Not only do we see too much of our beloved Alien, but it doesn't even act like the terrifyingly intimidating killing machine we've loved to fear. In Covenant, the Alien walks into rooms like any human would, destroying most of my nostalgia instantly. The Alien never utilizes vents or slithers down walls as it should. Instead, it skulks around and carelessly murders as if it were any other monster from any other monster movie. Any semblance of the creature's grace or grotesque beauty is gone, replaced with traits of a killer that takes no care in it's work, which is certainly not the Xenomorph we've come to know and love. This is the first time in 40 years that we've get to see Scott work with the classic Alien, and as excited as I was to see it back in action, the rushed introduction and overall lack of attention payed to make it act like the perfect organism, makes it supremely disappointing.

I could be speaking for every Alien fan when I say that this movie sucks. However, I'm just speaking for myself when I say that this is easily the worst Alien film after the film that killed the franchise, Alien Resurrection. It's downright depressing that Alien fans like myself have to endure a continuing franchise of these prequel films, when the narrative had already backed itself into a corner after Prometheus. The best thing that Ridley Scott could do for his franchise is to step down, let someone else helm an Alien project and allow the universe to expand past the uninspired narrative track that these tiresome prequels will continue to travel down as long as they are repeatedly pumped out. If constant beating of the beloved franchise continues, it could begin to tarnish the brilliance of the original. If Scott doesn't take more care in the future, his original classic could be nothing but a bright spot in a line of films that grew increasingly formulaic as they were pumped out for revenue. A train-wreck of great proportions, Covenant is not only a terribly unorganized mess, it's a warning of what will come if we continue to treat our beloved franchise like a product.

Bowling for Columbine (2002)

Entertaining, but horribly out of focus

[6/10 · 19 May 2017]

Moore's Bowling for Columbine has been repeatedly toted as "one of the greatest documentaries ever made" as well as the most "important", and while I agree with the latter of those two, the film rarely attempts to answer all the questions it raises.

The subject that the film covers is undeniably important and I respect Moore for pursuing answers to the immensely broad and complicated issue, even if it seems awfully hard for him to make his point clear. The film as a whole was certainly entertaining and amusingly funny, however I often found myself wondering when Moore was going to get to the point. In addition, Moore's methods are quite questionable. He constantly attempts to make people look bad, and while it's deserving for some, it seems like unfair harping for others. The questions he raised provoked my thought on many occasions, but he only sometimes provided satisfying follow-up.

Bowling for Columbine was a regularly thought-provoking and often entertaining piece of satire that rarely managed to achieve the political potency it was so obviously aiming for. It was hard to tell when Moore was serious as his political and social antics usually felt unjustified or poorly thought out. Maybe I just don't get Moore's style of filmmaking, as this was my first time seeing his work, but the content displayed here would've been much more suited for a web-video than a feature-length film.

Moore is determined to convince the public of the severity of this issue, yet won't take the time to share his message in a gratifying or cohesive manner.

The Loved Ones (2009)

Delightfully twisted and brutal

[7/10 · 19 May 2017]

The Loved Ones was a film that I went into blind. As someone who usually doesn't find too much enjoyment in torture porn-films, I was pleasantly surprised to find an uncommon amount of character and excellent acting, along with the aforementioned merciless barbarism.

While the characters aren't anything to write home about, they were realized with a surprising amount of efficiency. We never entirely understand the motives of the characters, but in this case, it doesn't make the film any less enjoyable. All of the characters are quite flawed and all of their imperfections are made clear through interesting, and often disturbing, interactions. The characters were surprisingly dimensional for a movie like this, and that was mostly thanks to the performances. Robin McLeavy, in particular, was uncompromisingly sinister. Despite being a teenage girl, it was not hard to despise her character, which is important for the main villain.

The violence is nightmarishly sadistic, and as the film reaches one narrative twist after another, it only grows more intense, as does our thirst for revenge. You never quite know where the plot is going, and each new horrifying development feels like a punch to the gut. The film doesn't waste time either. We're thrust into the nightmare quite early, giving the feeling of sickness in our stomach time to linger. Moments of dark comedy also work to make the experience strangely amusing. Despite the rather polished main plot line, there is a secondary strand of narrative that feels unnecessary and frankly pointless. It never goes anywhere and only seems to be there for something to cut to when the audience needs a break from the cruelty.

The Loved Ones repeatedly batters the audience with it's stomach-churning violence. The plot takes many sharp narrative turns, and while it's not always enjoyable to watch a film so unflinchingly deranged, it's certainly invigorating, up until our thirst for revenge is so satisfyingly quenched.

Cloverfield (2008)

Above average monster movie

[7/10 · 16 May 2017]

Matt Reeves' Cloverfield remains popular for all the wrong reasons. Many know it as "the monster movie that causes motion sickness", and as many don't give the film a chance because of this, they are missing out on a chillingly effective monster movie.

The concept of a found footage monster movie is quite ambitious. How can the sheer scale of a monster movie be properly showcased without the use of cinematic camera-work? In many ways, Cloverfield is brilliant, becoming on of the most intense monster movies I've ever seen, without the use of these grandiose cinematics and overblown action. Nearly all of the film remains on ground level, which adds copious amounts of tension and works at making the viewer feel utterly helpless. The scenes in which the monster towers almost directly over the camera are heart-pounding as we can't help but marvel at the technical scope this movie achieves. And while many complain that the monster remains hidden for the majority of the film, that only makes these surprise appearances all the more terrifying. The special effects are nothing short of spectacular, despite what the direction gimmick may lead some to believe.

Cloverfield features a cast of characters that are surprisingly likable, even if they are walking clichés and remain underdeveloped by the credits, but in a film like this, I would be lying if I said it wasn't fitting.

The only real issues I had with Cloverfield was the incompetent story and, at times, the camera-work. The story of Cloverfield is reasonably simple, as it should be, but even as our characters set themselves a definitive goal, we keep getting pulled into tiring side stories that don't seem to have much affect on the film whatsoever. The sequence in which our characters are rescuing a friend from an almost horizontal skyscraper, drags on and isn't particularly engaging. While it does serve as a breather from the rest of the film's intensity, it does effect the pacing of the film as a whole. While I do believe that the infamously shaky camera-work benefits the film more than hinder it, it does at times go too far. The scenes become almost incoherently shaky at times, not really adding much to the viewer's experience other than a migraine.

While the young adult drama and jittery camera work suggests a quality no less than amateurish, the masterful use of scale and sparing utilization of the nerve-racking creature sightings makes Cloverfield anything but.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Invigorating twist to the alien invasion genre

[8/10 · 15 May 2017]

Loosely tied to Matt Reeves Cloverfield (2008), 10 Cloverfield Lane expands on the surprisingly rich Cloverfield universe while also serving as a fresh twist to the alien invasion genre.

The acting is simply superb, especially that of John Goodman. Incredibly intimidating and cold, he truly gives an Oscar-worthy performance as the lumbering, paranoid ex- marine. The confinement of the film's setting and the mystery surrounding our characters adds to the near Hitchcockian levels of tension, as there is literally nowhere to run.

The film is also written and directed very well. The film racks the tension as the quick changes in tone works to amplify the viewer's unease. Subtle emotional connection, gut-wrenching tension and the full-on horror aspects all land perfectly, making the film an unpredictable, and quite flavourful, experience.

The only issue I had with 10 Cloverfield Lane is the final 15 minutes or so. Without spoiling anything, the film reaches it's explosive climax in a way that closes our main character's arc off nicely, but sadly goes overboard in the process. The quick switch from tense, conservative thrills to full-blown action is quite jarring, and doesn't seem to quite fit in with the tone that the rest of the film sets.

Overall, 10 Cloverfield is an engaging, rock-solid gem that is guaranteed to turn knuckles white. While the final stretch oversteps it's tonal boundaries plotted within the first hours of the film, it doesn't ruin them, making this an electrifying and immensely gripping surprise.

The Number 23 (2007)

An utterly grueling experience

[3/10 · 10 May 2017]

Joel's Schumacher's The Number 23 is a tedious, stodgy and pompous film that rarely manages to entertain or intrigue.

Jim Carrey has proved himself worthy of dramatic roles, Truman Show (1998) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), being his two best non-goofball acts. While Jim Carrey's performance here is undeniably the most entertaining part of this mess of a film, it's appreciated for all the wrong reasons. The film practically drowns itself in it's over-seriousness and melodrama, making the often-charismatic Carrey feel drab and lifeless.

Watching the film is quite literally the equivalent of listening to a deranged conspiracy theorist explain his theory to those unfamiliar with it. In fact, that IS the story verbatim. While the "23 theory" itself is quite the intriguing coincidence, it's just that- a coincidence. However, the film is so persistent in pointing out as many coincidences as possible that are completely irrelevant. It frankly becomes an annoying and distracting plot element that comes off as aberrantly stupid rather than cleverly absorbing.

The film had the potential to be a fascinating and brilliantly twisted psychological tale of obsession and mental illness, but instead, reserves the majority of focus to it's laughable "conspiracy" gimmick. Schumacher sure had a knack for finding these "23 enigmas", it's just a shame that making a cohesive film didn't add up to 23.

Looper (2012)

Brilliantly entertaining and original

[8/10 · 2 May 2017]

Rian Johnson's Looper is one of the most stylish, smart and entertaining sci-fi films of recent memory. An interesting dynamic between Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon- Levitt also work in part to make the film darkly comic at times, while never forgetting the rather serious tone and high stakes.

The cinematography is simply spectacular. Long one-take shots right in the action add gripping layers of tension, as well as look pretty damn good. Technically, the film is razor-sharp, with excellent use of colours, brilliant camera work and a realistically gritty dystopian setting, giving the film a Children of Men kind of feel. The action is electrifying and spaced perfectly, giving time to develop story and characters between explosive spurts of endlessly satisfying action.

The story is very original and thought-provoking, but also provides my only issue with the film. The inclusion of telekinesis just felt like a gimmick to explain the film's rather quick ending. Looper's plot hinges on a cheap and unexplained gimmick that makes the film's otherwise heartfelt ending feel rushed and somewhat fixed.

Overall, Looper is one of the most electrifying, entertaining and clever sci-fi films of the 2010s. The story was well written and easy to follow, despite the prominence of time travel. The result is a truly impressive and riveting experience, even if the ending is, sadly, about as satisfying as Levitt's make-up job

Quantum of Solace (2008)

Supremely underwhelming entry to the franchise

[5/10 · 1 May 2017]

Marc Forster's Quantum of Solace has been widely regarded as one of the worst Bond films of the entire franchise upon release. Whether or not expectations were too high after the excellent Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace is mediocre at best and shockingly amateur at it's worst.

Daniel Craig as Bond is not the issue here. His performance here is strong, as is most of the other cast's, even if the characters aren't fully fleshed out as the previous films. The issue is the convoluted and overly-complicated plot that lacks the emotional heft and character drama that made Royale so good. The Bond girl is boring, the villain is laughable and the tone is all over the place. From a technical standpoint, everything is how it should be. Sadly, the human aspect that gives a Bond film it's character is lacking, making this entry noticeably more hollow than other films of the franchise.

Even the action sequences are hit-or-miss. While the film opens with a rather impressive car chase, the following set-pieces never manage to create even a fraction of suspense or thrills contained in the first 10 minutes. This could be due to the rather shaky direction and overall goofy nature that never quite feels welcome. While Quantum of Solace is certainly watchable and admittedly entertaining at times, the overall lack of substance and memorable drama or thrills makes this entry to the franchise quite hollow. It doesn't have the immense emotional weight of Royale or the spectacular action of Skyfall, and being released between these two excellent films only helps to accentuate the flaws of this one.

Passengers (I) (2016)

Flawed beyond repair

[6/10 · 19 February 2017]

Simply put, Morten Tyldum's Passengers is flawed beyond repair. Featuring two of Hollywood's most beloved stars and an interesting sci-fi concept and setting, the hopes for an entertaining and thought-provoking experience were relatively high. Sadly, when Passengers attempted to be any more than a disposable sci-fi romance flick, it became startlingly clear that the overall messages are not only morally askew, but downright disturbing.

Political and philosophical themes of morality are explored throughout the generally linear story, and while the principles surrounding the overall situation can be fun to discuss afterwards, it seems the film didn't know what to do with it's moral dilemmas as they come up in the narrative. The overall themes and messages that the film portrays are quite disturbing. Moments of sadistically disregarding human life are brushed aside to make way for lovey-dovey scenes of Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. It's not the overall wrong message that this film portrays that I find sloppy, but the way that the film stumbles over itself attempting to display it's philosophies.

Despite this rather glaring issue, there is some enjoyment to be found here. Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence do share some interesting chemistry and, while they weren't given much to work with emotionally, each of their performances generated some character. And while the aspects of romance were, quite literally, forced, the interactions and tension between Pratt's and Lawrence's characters were easily the most enjoyable parts of the film. Its not until the film's action and thrill sequences where the lack of substance is most noticeable. These scenes lack any essence of a punch and the laughably poor dramatic acting from Pratt only helps accentuate the goofiness of the situation. The special effects are decent and the set design is luscious and clean, but none of these qualities help to repair the overall empty feel of the throwaway story or the equally awful ending.

To be fair, Passengers is harmless. It's dumb throwaway entertainment that I could find some enjoyment in. There are some interesting uses of special effects and some fun interactions between the film's leads, but when Passengers makes attempts at a philosophical and morality-questioning experience, it only comes off as amateurish. I'm not quite sure what the intentions of Passengers' messages were, but it was painfully obvious when the film was banking on the star-power of Pratt and Lawrence to excuse it's own bumbling narrative.

The Descent (2005)

An exhausting experience

[7/10 · 12 February 2017]

Neil Marshall's The Descent received wide critical praise upon it's release, some even toting this 2005 film as one of the best horror movies of the decade. While I did find some aspects of the film quite underwhelming, The Descent provided one of the most intense and uncomfortable film experiences I've ever had.

While I myself am more a fan of subtle psychological horror films, ones that provoke thought whilst building the tension, The Descent was a nice change of pace. Of course we must get through the character introduction and scene-setting points in the story, but these sequences surprisingly didn't feel tiresome. All the characters we are introduced to are fairly interesting as they each slowly begin to generate their own personality traits and attitudes as the story progresses, only up until the bloodshed, but at that point, who the hell really cares, right? It's refreshing for a horror movie to portray the female characters as strong, independent and resourceful forces rather than the screaming bimbos we've become so accustomed to. Our characters aren't perfect though as they quite often play victim to the usual horror movie tropes and you'll find yourself yelling at the TV as characters make dumb decisions or have strange motivations for their actions.

One issue that I had with The Descent was the ending. While the ending ultimately seems appropriate, it was still supremely unsatisfying. It's almost as if the writers wrote themselves into a corner and couldn't find a rewarding way to end the story. There were also some poor set and lighting work at times but it wasn't majorly distracting. The scenes of combat against the hellish creatures were incomprehensible most of the time and it was fairly frustrating as I attempted to make out what exactly was happening, only having to wait until the fight was over to see who won. These fight scenes don't make up the majority of the film, but the shoddy camera-work is very noticeable and surprisingly amateur.

The Descent is an experience that will leave you exhausted. It's gruelling and tense almost constantly, merciless in it's depiction of claustrophobia and extreme violence. But once the initial waves of sickness and dread die down, the film finds ways to invigorate and energize the viewer. It's an experience you truly won't forget, but it's also one some may hesitate to return to.

A no-nonsense, gut wrenching thriller, The Descent is guaranteed to satisfy any viewer's gore-driven fantasies , especially those who didn't realize they had any.

The Orphanage (2007)

A horror built on emotions

[8/10 · 5 February 2017]

J.A. Bayona and Guillermo del Toro's The Orphanage is a masterfully crafted piece of Spanish horror that transcends high above the relatively low bar set for the genre. While consistently suspenseful and dark, the story is told in a oddly beautiful way. This isn't the average horror film where the fear is generated from gory images or cheap scares, but rather it's atmosphere and emotional tension and eventual deterioration of our main character. The Orphanage is bold and takes many risks, most of which pay off, but what impressed me the most was the elegance and maturity showcased by Bayona in his debut feature. Guillermo del Toro's influence on the film is immediately noticeable as every aspect within the film is executed with a sense of macabre beauty, from the breathtaking shots to the excellently detailed setting.

The cast is fairly limited and the story strongly hinges on our emotional connection to our main character played by Belén Rueda. She was simply excellent as we witness her character slowly starts to lose her grip on everything she believes. She's a strong, determined female character who emits a confidence that is reflected not only in herself, but the entire film as a whole.

The Orphanage is a film for the patient and at times it seems more of a film for movie-lovers rather than actual horror fans. The atmosphere and tone drive the story forward, and while a few scares occur now and then, it's the unwavering sense of dread that makes the experience relentlessly suspenseful at times. And once we begin to uncover the truth behind the film's many mysteries, these moments of suspense intensify. While there are a few scenes of far-fetched violence that the director seems to indulge in, he never gets lost in it.

The main thing that sets The Orphanage apart from most other horror movies is the amount of heart the film features. The story is hauntingly sad, but once we begin to solve the film's mysteries, it only becomes even more heartbreaking. The use of child ghosts may seem eye-rolling at first, but the idea is never exploited and even adds to the emotional impact. The ending is really hit-or-miss for most people but I found it to be the perfect way to wrap up such a beautiful and emotional tale of love and loss.

It may not be endlessly re-watchable as the film does drag on at times, but if you can make it past some slow stretches, the payoff more than makes up for these moments. The Orphanage is a smart, elegant and sophisticated horror film. The cinematic and acting prowess from the cast and producers in unquestionable and in turn works to make the viewing experience all the more rich. While it can't be said for many of the genre, The Orphanage is a horror film built completely off the emotions of it's story, character's and the feelings it evokes from the audience. Where most horror films aim to make you faint, The Orphanage aims to make you cry.

The Jungle Book (2016)

A remake of the animated classic for the new generation - a technical marvel

[8/10 · 5 January 2017]

Jon Favreau's 2016 remake of the 1967 animated classic of the same name is not only full of heart and excellent adventure but it also boasts arguably the most impressive CGI ever put on screen. Entire landscapes and rainforests are created digitally along with the sparse animal life inhabiting these settings. The film is bursting with life as we witness the seamless interactions between the CGI and our single human actor. It is immensely impressive and baffling to think that this entire world was created from thousands of hours of meticulous and detailed work, but the awe doesn't just stop there as Jungle Book manages to be incredibly entertaining fun as well as an unquestionable technical feat.

Jungle Book features excellent voice acting from a cast of talented actors and actresses such as Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson and a singing Christopher Walken as the towering King Louie. The film only features one human actor, played by the young Neel Sethi. At only 10 years of age, Sethi had to interact with animals that weren't even there, which can prove to be difficult as some of his acting was questionable. It's hard to fault Sethi for this, as interaction with CGI is difficult without proper direction, and sometimes the scenes of Sethi's shared screen- time with the CGI creations aren't directed too well. Moments like this are infrequent, but it is noticeable when Sethi is clearly not looking wherever his character should be.

Jungle Book tells a story that somewhat follows that of the original, but features different developments while also excluding some. The story has been criticized for it's lack of substance but I never found that to be an issue. Characters had simple motivations and the story is well told, making it easy for anyone to follow while only rarely feeling dumbed-down for children.

Jungle Book ranks among my favorite films of the year simply because of it's simplicity and just how enjoyable it is. There are scenes of thrilling adventure, heartwarming character interactions and a constant ability to charm and entertain the viewer. There are times where the child actor's performance is questionable and the story eventually begins to run thin, but Jungle Book still managed to be an exceptionally engaging and fun Disney film. It captures the magic of the original and gives the new generation their version, this time with phenomenal use of CGI and excellent voice acting. Whether or not you enjoyed this film, it should be credited that Jungle Book created an entire world in a studio, which should be more than enough to at least earn your respect.

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

A beautiful story of love and hope when we needed one the most

[8/10 · 4 January 2017]

Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea has been one of the year's most acclaimed films and all that Oscar buzz is certainly justified. Manchester by the Sea unapologetically explores themes of grief, family, teenage youth and just general daily inconveniences. Along with phenomenal performances from the main cast, Manchester's incredibly intimate and personal story will resonate deeply, and differently, with every viewer, not only making this one of the year's best films, but one of the year's most human films.

Casey Affleck has only yet been nominated for the Best Actor Oscar, but it truly wouldn't be too naive to say that he has already won. His performance may be seen as lacking of any emotion, but within the context of the film, his emotional subtlety and understatement makes him just as real as anyone in the audience. While it is easy to dismiss him as emotionless, the grief that his character has been subjected to more than excuses his lack of social skills and general introvert nature. The rest of the cast is simply fantastic as well. Michelle Williams is perfectly damaged and Lucas Hedges is believably juvenile, making the entire cast of characters feel like real people, which is just about the best compliment an actor can receiver for his/her work.

The story is very well told, despite some admittedly borrowed ideas. No matter who you are, there is guaranteed to be something within Manchester by the Sea that you can relate to on a personal level. Whether that be hitting your head on the freezer door, forgetting where you park your car or awkward family dinners, the screenplay features many little details that all work in part to make Manchester a completely immersive and human story. There is always a sense of heart within the film as even the darkest and most emotional moments are all handled sensibly leading to some beautiful sorrow and hilariously dark humor. The tone is quite inconsistent but it never becomes too distracting as new layers of meaning and emotion are revealed throughout. There are scenes of gut- wrenching tragedy and ironic comedy within seconds of each other, making for some choked-up chuckles, but nonetheless a memorable experience.

Sometimes hilariously insensitive, sometimes emotionally devastating and always engaging, Manchester by the Sea tells a story that anyone can relate to at some point during it's run-time. It's at its strongest when it serves as a window into a life not too far from the viewer's. It may not be life-changing or endlessly re-watchable, but Manchester by the Sea is guaranteed to evoke emotion from any viewer, whether it be through laughter, tears or the painfully accurate and relatable actions of the characters. Most importantly, it serves as a beautifully human beacon for a year that was at times seriously lacking sympathy and love, making Manchester by the Sea feel like a warm hug when comfort was most needed.

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

An excellent blend of two beloved genres

[8/10 · 3 January 2017]

S. Craig Zahler's Bone Tomahawk is a generally obscure 2015 Western-Horror film. Yes, really. Western horror. It is truly a strange mix but Bone Tomahawk manages to be an excellent western film as well as excellent horror film, making this genre-jumper immensely entertaining and surprisingly smart. You would never expect anything like Bone Tomahawk to get made, but after viewing, you will want more.

Bone Tomahawk features a talented, but somewhat B-list, cast with Kurt Russell and Patrick Wilson being the film's most recognizable frontrunners. Every actor involved here, however obscure, does a fantastic job. There was a constant sense of realism and honesty in every performance, making the entire film all the more involving. The main 4 characters that we follow throughout have great chemistry and share some interesting dialogue. While all playing cowboys, they each manage to generate their own distinct personalities and traits creating a strange, yet entertaining, chemistry between them all.

Bone Tomahawk is a film that is almost guaranteed to stick with you for a while after viewing. Whether this is due to the horrific violence or it's quick changeup of genre, it is certainly an impressively audacious debut film from director Zahler. But it succeeds in it's goal of creating a unique mix of genres so well that the idea never comes off as irresponsible, but rather genuinely impressive. The film's subject matter was handled so well that even it's most bombastic ideas and aspects felt surprisingly mature. Our director seems to indulge in the extremely graphic and disturbing violence but never to the point where it feels unnecessary. It's surprisingly well handled and smart with it's subject matter when it could've easily been silly and juvenile.

It's not quite enough to say that Bone Tomahawk is just underrated as the high quality and smart narrative make it a truly great film as well as under appreciated. The visceral scenes of action and violence adds to the unwavering sense of tension and unpredictability as we progress through the brilliantly unique and twisted story. Expertly crafted, relentlessly intense and full of character, Bone Tomahawk is a truly impressive debut feature from director Craig Zahler, whom I have high expectations for in the future as his obvious confidence behind the camera is much needed trait that many modern filmmakers lack.

Killer Elite (2011)

Surprisingly lackluster

[4/10 · 31 December 2016]

On the surface, Gary McKendry's Killer Elite has all the makings for a fun, action-packed popcorn flick. Even with talented actors like Robert De Niro, Jason Statham and Clive Owen, Killer Elite fails to be gripping or thrilling due to the stale subject matter and flat direction. There is surprisingly little fun to be had with the mediocre acting from our leads or the dull and forgettable action sequences. Killer Elite rarely realizes it's potential for a fun action flick and ends up just another forgettable and completely disposable bore because of it.

It really is hard to criticize Killer Elite for it's dull subject matter as it claims to be based on a true story, but the story told here is nothing we've never heard before. The story is simply "recently retired agent blackmailed to do one final job." Even though it is based on a true story, it still feels recycled and uninspired. Although, there was actually one aspect to the story that was fairly interesting and quite enjoyable. The contracts that were to be carried out by the team must be made to look like accidents, and these short hit scenes were admittedly quite awesome. While these scenes are entertaining and clever, they only make up a small portion of the film's run-time, making the rest an increasingly tedious slog.

There is a noticeable lack of substance that plagues Killer Elite as it struggles to generate any interesting ideas or plot developments. Even some of the action scenes lack adrenaline or excitement, due to the shoddily choreographed hand-to-hand combat and gunplay.

Killer Elite is certainly watchable, but there are very few redeemable qualities to make you ever want to watch the film again. The story, aside from the assassinations, is mediocre, the characters are flimsy and the action is unimpressive and dull. Even if you are just looking for a fun and disposable action flick, Killer Elite only manages to be completely disposable. An uninteresting story is played out by seemingly uninterested actors, making the entire experience feel cheap. It's impossible to recommend Killer Elite to anyone as the lack of substance makes it a mere skeleton of the film that it could be. Additionally, on a less relevant note, there was something noticeably off about a 68 year-old Robert De Niro wielding a machine gun.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Incredibly fun and entertaining swashbuckler

[8/10 · 27 December 2016]

Gore Verbinski's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl has become one of Disney's staples in modern cinema. It completely smashed the box office for it's year and has since held up incredibly well. This Pirates of the Caribbean entry has set the standard for swashbuckler and just adventure films in general, as well as create on the most recognizable and influential movie characters of all time, Captain Jack Sparrow. Johnny Depp's eccentric performance aside, Pirates is still an immensely entertaining adventure film with likable characters, great action and an unwavering sense of confidence.

This entry to the Pirates series has an energy and personality that all the other entries lack. The story moves at such a pace where we never have time to become disinterested as we advance through the adventure at a break-neck speed. We also have a cast of very likable characters that show great on screen chemistry as well as providing the majority of the films energy and personality. All this, along with the excellently choreographed action sequences, makes Curse of the Black Pearl an infinitely re-watchable and endlessly enjoyable adventure.

Black Pearl features a very talented cast that each excellently fit their roles. They share great on- screen chemistry and the well written dialogue they deliver make their characters even more likable. While the acting overall was pretty great and fun to watch, there is no doubt that Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow carried the movie entirely as his performance alone gave the film the majority of it's character. Captain Jack Sparrow is one of cinema's most recognizable and widely liked characters as Depp's phenomenal delivery and unique mannerism makes him perfect for the eccentric pirate. It really is hard to think of anyone else more suitable for the role. There is a broad spectrum of different characters here, but any viewer is guaranteed to find at least one to like and cheer on throughout.

The story, while admittedly quite silly, has a surprising amount of layers and themes varying from friendship to loyalty and honesty. This being a Disney film, it of course is going to have themes like this, but the way these messages are delivered feel natural, not just pandering to the child audience.

One of the things that did kind of bother me was the execution of the subject matter. Disney's try at a pirate themed franchise seems strange as pirates usually indulged in violence, booze and women, making it a difficult subject for Disney to tackle without greatly cutting down on some aspects. There is an easily noticeable sense of goofiness and censorship throughout the film's action scenes. It doesn't necessarily ruin these scenes, but it does lack a sense of tension and intensity after Disney's tweaking. It doesn't quite satisfy the want for a "real" pirate film with gritty and realistic action sequences, but Black Pearl is still a fun venture for anyone to enjoy.

Another complaint is the run-time of the film. It clocks in at about 2 1/2 hours, which wouldn't be a problem if the film has enough substance to carry itself through the longer-than-average run-time, but Curse of the Black Pearl noticeably slows after 2 hours. Despite the fast-paced action of these 2 hours, the last 30 minutes makes the entire film feel overlong as it struggles to hold my attention in this time, especially during the literally pointless fight scenes involving Captain Jack Sparrow, who literally cannot die.

Despite the overlong run-time and somewhat censored pirate themes, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is still a fantastically fun adventure filled with likable characters and great action choreography. Bursting with energy and wit, this entry to the Pirates series kick-started a following of copycats and wannabes, but none will ever come close to touching the personality and character Black Pearl so effortlessly pulls off.

Electrick Children (2012)

Strangely intriguing

[7/10 · 26 December 2016]

Rebecca Thomas' Electrick Children is a generally obscure 2012 film that received very little attention from critics or the general public. Whether or not attention was deserved, Elecktrick Children is a bizarre and sometimes charming visuals-driven story of teen curiosity and adventure in an unknown world. It's quite literally a personal story for director Rebecca Thomas (who was a mainstream Mormon raised in Las Vegas) and it shows as Electrick Children is more of a feast for the senses rather than a cohesive narrative-driven story.

Electrick Children features a cast of talented teenagers with Julia Garner playing the lead. She does an excellent job portraying a naive and curious Mormon experiencing elements of the outside world for the first time. She is perfectly awkward when she needs to be as her innocence and purity makes her character easy to like. The cast includes many other rebellious teenagers but her character is really the only one that gets built upon and developed. This isn't too much of a flaw as the story is really supposed to only be focused on her and her mission, but some development to these supporting characters wouldn't have hurt. Overall, Julia Garner was fantastic and I look forward to seeing her in future titles.

The story, albeit quite simple, is full of wonder but sometimes uneven. The film is heavily stylistic as we witness things through the Mormon teenager's eyes as she gazes in wonderment at things she has never seen before. There is a heavy emphasis on lighting and music, helping to immerse us in the world that this girl is experiencing for the first time. We feel just as lost as her as we meet many different types of people and engage in nefarious juvenile actions. While the film is mostly entertaining, there are noticeable slumps in the pacing. Sometimes there are quite long stretches of slow and tedious drama, and while these sequences are infrequent, it still hurts the films pacing quite a bit. Another issue with Electrick Children is the unsatisfying ending. We get a pretty great third act filled with interesting interactions but all this builds up to an abrupt and inappropriate ending. Many important questions are not answered or even acknowledged, making the film feel unfinished.

Despite the few issues, Electrick Children is a charming and strangely intriguing story of teen curiosity that resonates quite personally with the director, who clearly showed passion in their work here. The story is interesting and mostly well told when it isn't treading too lightly. The great acting from the lead actress and the colorful and dreamy narrative makes Electrick Children an experience that is easy to enjoy despite uneven pacing and poor ending. The themes of teenage angst and rebellion makes the experience a deeply personal one as we can all understand what our lead character is going through. Except for the "pregnancy through music" part.

Camp X-Ray (2014)

Immensely underrated

[8/10 · 25 December 2016]

Released in 2014, Peter Sattler's Camp X-Ray saw a very limited screening in theaters and an underwhelming payoff in the box office ($10 000 US). Despite the mediocre box office performance and lackluster critical response, I find Camp X-Ray to be an excellent drama that manages to be extremely heartfelt and beautiful while also being emotionally gripping and entertaining.

While the supporting characters are surprisingly thin and the story far-fetched at times, these flaws are easily forgivable after considering the excellent performances by our lead actors and an emotionally engaging script and screenplay. Camp X-Ray may drown us in political and moral messages at times, but the main focus is always on the personality of our characters and the forbidden connection between two people with different positions in society.

If you are to ever hear someone bashing Kristen Stewart's admittedly questionable acting, refer them to Camp X-Ray, which contains arguably the best Stewart performance so far. While it isn't quite Oscar worthy, Stewart manages to reach a level of emotional depth that we have never seen from her before. She was tasked with the difficult role of a female guard at Guantanamo Bay and she nailed it. Being stern, but still noticeably softer than the male guards, she perfectly captured the emotions and actions based on the tough position she has been placed in. We can easily sympathize with her as all of her actions, deemed unreasonable by society, are completely understandable for us. Peyman Moaadi also does a fantastic job interacting with Stewart's character from the other side of the cell door. While the audience is aware that he could very well be a terrorist, he gives such a truthful and honest performance that we completely forget about that in the end. After all, it isn't about how the characters are different, but how they are the same. While on opposite ends of society's spectrum, they interact just as two people and it all feels incredibly intimate and real.

The script and screenplay for Camp X-Ray is also fairly impressive. While the majority of the film's sequences are shared dialogue scenes between our two leads, the script was so tightly and well written that these scenes were incredibly immersive and gripping. We get into many different moral and political stances, and while it may seem excessive at times, it was never the main focus of the film. I did think it was a shame that our supporting characters were so underdeveloped and stereotypical. With such fleshed out lead characters, the paper-thin and bland supporting cast was extra noticeable as they never seemed to serve a purpose other than stand around and act "American". This was quite disappointing, but it hardly did anything to damper the end result that much.

There was also a ton of interesting imagery and metaphors for the viewer to think about after viewing. Add this to the excellent script and fast-paced story, Camp X-Ray is an endlessly re- watchable and enjoyable experience.

Sadly, there are times where I felt that the political views were slightly askew and quite unjust. The setting of the infamous Guantanamo Bay seems to just be a set piece as we were never exposed to the real injustice that occurred there. I feel that this story didn't really need to be set at Guantanamo as the setting never really seemed to be the focus, and the film never quite warrants the right to use such a recognizable and prominent location.

Despite the few flaws, Camp X-Ray is still an excellent film. The acting from our lead actors is impressive, the story is surprisingly gripping and the script is very well written. It can, at times, be quite cheesy and politically insensitive, but this film isn't a documentary. It's an entertaining and emotionally gripping drama that shouldn't be taken too seriously when it flaunts it's political and social values.

Berberian Sound Studio (2012)

A pretentious and slightly obnoxious art house film

[5/10 · 24 December 2016]

I had heard very few things about Peter Strickland's Berberian Sound Studio before viewing, but based off what I had heard, I really wanted to enjoy it. The plot sounded dark and twisted and I was looking forward to a clever psychological experience. Instead, I was extremely disappointed to find that Berberian Sound Studio was a full-on art house film with very little thrills or intriguing ideas. Also excluding a real ending or buildup, Berberian Sound Studio didn't offer me anything warranting a second watch.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy art house films and I can appreciate the themes and ideas that make it one, but Sound Studio was just so tedious in it's delivery that I was having a hard time caring about what I was seeing. I enjoy slow-burners as well, but this film offered really no thrills or stimulation, making it drone on with no escalation of tension whatsoever. Technically, it wasn't a complete disaster with some impressive lighting and composure effects and, of course, excellent sound, but none of this really mattered when the story and characters were so dull and lifeless.

One of the few great things about Berberian Sound Studio is the acting showcased by the talented cast. Toby Jones particularly did a great job portraying the awkward and anti-social sound engineer. While his character was quite boring, I can't really fault the actor for that as it seems that was the way his character was written. While many of the actors and actresses in the film do a good job, the characters they portray just seemed so flimsy and uninteresting.

I cannot really stress how dull Berberian Sound Studio is. It's characterized as a drama-thriller but the thrills are virtually nonexistent. It was much more of a psychological horror film, but even then, it wasn't at all scary. So really it's just nothing. There's no thrills, no excitement, very little tension and a blatantly pretentious ending. It's well acted and is technically impressive at times, but I can't help but feel that an interesting idea was wasted on making this boring and pretentious art house. Sound Studio attempted to build upon an interesting concept, but made the mistake of putting style above substance, making the film feel incredibly hollow and lifeless. It starts off decent, but there is quite literally no structure of storytelling or cohesive narrative, all painfully leading to a supremely unsatisfying ending. It attempts to play upon the viewers senses, but I'm sure most audiences would rather be entertained than experimented on, which makes Berberian Sound Studio a failure in that regard.

Oculus (2013)

A surprisingly refreshing and clever bit of psychological horror

[7/10 · 22 December 2016]

Judging by the title and overall aesthetics that we were shown in the trailer, Mike Flanagan's Oculus seemed like it was just going to be another bland and forgettable entry to the endlessly disappointing market of modern horror. While it is quite easy to dismiss most modern horror movies that come out these days, Oculus manages to give us some things that we have never seen before . While it wasn't quite enough to justify deeming Oculus as a modern horror classic, it was certainly enough to convince me that original concepts and ideas can still be explored within this creative wasteland of a genre.

Many know Oculus as the film about "a haunted mirror" and while that is somewhat a brief synopsis of the story, it really doesn't do the film justice as it is much more than just a haunted piece of furniture. It is really a deeply disturbing and complex psychological horror as we witness the mental breakdown of two siblings as they attempt to reveal the truth behind a portal to hell disguised as an ancient mirror.

One of the things that I found most surprising about Oculus is the talent within the cast. As viewers, we are generally getting used to flimsy and paper-thin performances from horror film casts but Oculus doesn't follow that trend as we have a few genuinely great performances, even from the child actors. Rory Cochrane in particular is incredibly menacing as his character grows increasingly evil under the influence of the mirror, leading to extremely disturbing, as well as effective, sequences. Even the child actors manage to convey realistic and believable emotions as they are exposed to brutal violence, especially the immensely disturbing treatment of their mother. This is one surprising case where the child actors in a horror movie aren't totally annoying and obnoxiously loud. Overall, the great acting increases the effectiveness of the dark and grim tone.

Another thing that was very interesting about Oculus was the complex narrative structure and fractured method of story telling. Two story lines blend into one as we witness the fate of the siblings in the past (as children) and in the present. The switching between these timelines and the eerie similarities shared between them makes for a very unique and unsettling tone as the two stories mix together and our sense of realism fades. Our characters experience the major effects on which the mirror has on them, making for some of the film's best and most unsettling moments. While the structure of the narrative was completely fragmented, I found it worked most of the time. Sadly, there were moments where the two stories ran on the same timeline and this led to some frustratingly confusing stretches of mind-bending storytelling, which sometimes took away from the effectiveness of the creepy and dark atmosphere. But when this complex narrative method worked, it led to some clever and genuinely unsettling scenes.

Oculus certainly is a better-than-average horror film by today's standards, but it borrows many clichés and tropes which holds it back from becoming a true horror classic. While it wasn't very scary, the gut-wrenching tension was constant all the way through, up until a predictable, yet satisfying, conclusion. It experimented on the minds of the viewer, exploring extremely dark themes of abuse and psychological terror, all through the viewpoint of believable and well-acted characters. This made Oculus an unsettling and effective experience that proves that creativity and innovation within the modern horror scene is still possible.

Evil Dead (2013)

A decent horror flick, but not a true Evil Dead movie

[7/10 · 18 December 2016]

Fede Alvarez's Evil Dead "remake" is a decent horror flick in it's own merit, but really lacked the qualities that made the previous Evil Dead entries such classics. After hearing that Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell themselves are producers, I had high hopes that this "remake" was going to be a ton of fun, just like the last entries in the series. Sadly, I was surprisingly disappointed as Evil Dead (2013) wasn't nearly as fun as it should've been. This entry in the franchise made the fatal mistake that all entries before it have managed to avoid. It made the mistake of taking itself seriously.

This may seem like an odd complaint, but if you are a fan of the original Evil Dead films like I am, you must understand what I mean. The original films weren't full-on horror movies, but arguably the best horror-comedy films ever made. They perfectly blended wacky humor with low-budget, yet extremely graphic, special effects gore. This created one of the most unique horror experiences in history as it's cult status remains solidified to this day. Evil Dead (2013), however, decided to take an entirely different route and go with full-on horror with virtually no wacky humor. There was still plenty of awesome practical effects violence, but the lack of humor and lighthearted fun made this a disappointing, and frankly unnecessary, entry to the beloved series.

Now it should be said that Evil Dead (2013) is certainly not for the faint of heart. It is by far the most brutally violent film I have ever seen. 90% of the violence in this film is practical effects, even further adding to the grueling and gut-churning ultra-violence. Despite it being incredibly sickening at times, it is truly impressive. The violence had a constant feeling of realism as all of the practical effects utilized are absolutely phenomenal. While it was, at times, shockingly graphic, I had a hard time looking away as the special effects work was so beautifully executed. Even the most bold and bombastic scenes of violence looked immensely realistic. I was very happy to see that Raimi and Campbell were sticking to the roots of their classic Evil Dead entries and fully realizing their potential for practical effects.

While Evil Dead (2013) is incredibly violent, it doesn't maintain the originality that the earlier franchise entries set before it. Even with the impressive special effects, we only really have an average horror movie. Without the humor and goofy fun of the originals, there wasn't a lot interesting or unique about this remake. However, the final act of Evil Dead (2013) feels like a love-letter to all the fans as we are treated to one of the greatest sequences of the entire franchise, the rise of the Abomination.

The Abomination itself sadly isn't too impressive as it mostly just looks like a slightly different standard Deadite. Despite the somewhat disappointing Abomination, this final set piece and grueling battle is such gleeful fun that it is reminiscent of the originals. Here we see what true Evil Dead is as the sky begins to rain buckets of blood and the Abomination rises from Hell. With mind-blowing amounts of blood drenching the landscape and the old cabin burning in the background, this final sequence is among my favorites of the entire series, all topped off with a goose-bump inducing visual of female Ash sending the Abomination back to Hell. It was hard not to smile when we finally got to see Raimi's and Campbell's full influence on the film.

Overall, Evil Dead (2013) is a decent horror flick but it never earned the right to become a true Evil Dead movie. It lacked all the qualities that separates Evil Dead from every other horror film out there, making this "remake" pretty unnecessary. The practical effects where undoubtedly incredible, but it always took itself way too seriously, which is something a true Evil Dead film would never do. And sorry Ash, but that after-credits sequence didn't make me like this film any more, but rather made me want to watch the other ones instead, which is ultimately what I would recommend anyways.