Category Archives: Supernatural Horror

2012 Films, Horror, Supernatural Horror

Paranormal Activity 4-2012

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Paranormal Activity 4-2012

Directors Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman

Starring Kathryn Newton

Scott’s Review #424

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Reviewed June 19, 2016

Grade: B

Circa 2012, and at this point in the Paranormal Activity film franchise (with part 5 on its way), one pretty much knows what to expect.

To me, the plot is almost secondary.

In the story, the newborn from the first installment is now aged 7 and living next door to the family at the center of the film.

What makes these films entertaining is the camera angles and the occasional scares.

The ending to Paranormal Activity 4 is effective and a bit scary.

The original Paranormal Activity (2007) was a huge hit and a novel idea at the time (though The Blair Witch Project in 1999 originally did the hand-held videotape) and was a water-cooler movie.

I’m not sure how much life remains in the franchise, but for fans of it and horror fans seeking some good thrills, this one is worth checking out.

2014 Films, Horror, Independent, Independent Horror, Psychological Horror, Supernatural Horror

It Follows-2014

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It Follows-2014

Director David Robert Mitchell

Starring Maika Monroe

Scott’s Review #306

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Reviewed December 23, 2015

Grade: A-

It Follows (2014) is a mysterious, unique, dreamlike (or shall I say nightmarish!) independent horror film that is a pleasant throwback to old-school horror films (my favorites!), with a supernatural twist thrown in.

Newcomer David Robert Mitchell directs the film very well, with wonderful cinematography and creative camera angles.

This film isn’t glossy; it has a raw, almost videotaped feel, which I found wonderful. The film was shot entirely in and around Detroit, giving it a cold, industrial look.

The film begins on a dramatic note, leaving the viewer immediately curious.

A young woman flees her suburban home and nervously stands on the street looking back at her house.  A neighbor asks if she needs help.

She returns, collects her things, and hurriedly drives to the beach. She suspects something or someone is watching her. She tearfully phones her father and tells him she loves him.

The next scene appears to be the following morning, and the woman is lying murdered on the beach in a grotesque position- her leg strangely bent.

This is a fantastic way to begin the film, and it quickly reveals the premise.

The main character is Jay (Maika Monroe), an attractive college-aged girl. She lives with her sister, Kelly, and is good friends with their next-door neighbors, Paul and Yara. Another neighbor and classmate, Greg, also plays a role in the plot.

Jay is on a date with Hugh, and things are going well. They attend a classic film. They sneak into a deserted lot and have sex. Afterward, Hugh chloroforms Jay and the weirdness begins.

A strange woman appears, and Hugh tells Jay she must pass on a curse. Otherwise, an entity in the form of another person that nobody else can see but the victim will get Jay, and she will be doomed.

I love the throwback elements to 1970s and 1980s horror, but it’s vague when the film is set- purposely so, I imagine- as many cars are 1970s and 1980s models.

Only one cell phone is used throughout, but most of the time it could be present or past.

Even the houses appear dated.

Story-wise, It Follows is tough to figure out and open to a certain level of interpretation. Is the film anti-sex? Is the story a metaphor for sexually transmitted diseases?

The victims become possessed by the entity after sex and then must pass it to another unwitting victim, sexually.

I notice some similarities to John Carpenter films- specifically the classic Halloween from 1978. Jay sits in a classroom (ironically in the back row next to the window, à la Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween) and sees a strange older woman slowly lumbering towards her, eyes fixed on her.

Later, the three main girls casually walk around the neighborhood, engaging in small talk similar to Laurie, Lynda, and Annie on Halloween.

The ending- a scene in the indoor community swimming pool where the kids try to catch the spirit is a bit hokey and unresolved. However, I did enjoy the final scene- a peaceful one in which I was unsure if the entity had been destroyed or remained.

A sequel perhaps?

I give It Follows (2014) major props for its styling and creativity, while giving classic horror fans a good old-fashioned treat without much CGI.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Director-David Robert Mitchell, Best Cinematography, Best Editing

2014 Films, Ghost Story, Horror, Supernatural Horror

Annabelle-2014

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Annabelle-2014

Director John R. Leonetti

Starring Annabelle Wallis

Scott’s Review #186

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Reviewed October 17, 2014 

Grade: B+

Annabelle (2014) is a classic, edge-of-your-seat ghost story that delivers on creepiness and surprise.

Set in California circa 1969, John (Ward Horton) and Mia Gordon (Annabelle Wallis) are a happy, all-American young couple.

He is a doctor, and she is beautiful and pregnant with their first child. They attend church each Sunday, are friendly with the neighbors, and have a strong sense of community.

As a surprise, John gives Mia a life-sized doll as a gift, adding to her existing collection of interesting dolls.

Soon, strange events begin to occur: a home invasion, a fire, a bizarre elevator experience, and creepy drawings by the neighbor’s children.

The film eventually dives into murkier territory when a strange, religious woman, played by Alfre Woodard, is introduced, and the focus shifts to spirits, soul-taking, and the occult.

What sets Annabelle apart from similar horror contemporaries is its suspense.

As the audience, we know something bad will happen, but we don’t know when.

Unlike many horror films that slice and dice for shock value, Annabelle does not. Instead, the film relies on foreshadowing and anticipation, making the eventual jumps scarier!

Mia’s constant use of an electric sewing machine and Mia’s attentive watching of news coverage of the Manson murders are clues as to what will come next.

A scene set in the middle of the night as a home invasion takes place next door is shot exceptionally well, like Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1955), with no dialogue.

What the audience sees inside the house from across the yard as violence occurs is frightening.

In the same scene, we know the home invasion will target Gordon’s house, but when will it strike?

Another effective scene shows a seemingly innocent little girl running toward another character in a separate bedroom. Still, she turns into a maniacal fiend, and the thudding footsteps make it terrifying.

I genuinely got scared during a few scenes!

Wisely avoiding the all-too-frequent CGI effects, Annabelle instead takes the traditional route, using genuine scares drawn from the unknown and the anticipation and dread of what’s to come.

The fantastic musical score composed by Joseph Bishara adds to the anticipation.

Annabelle is a prequel to the equally scary The Conjuring (2013). The first scene is the same as that from the earlier film, where two nurses explain how they obtained the doll, Annabelle, and cannot get away from her.

The final act delves into the spiritual world of evil- a soul (presumably Mia’s or her babies’) must be sacrificed to relinquish the curse put upon her by Annabelle’s original owner.

A surprising figure helps bring this film to a close.

Annabelle (2014) is an old-school horror film done very well.

2013 Films, Horror, Supernatural Horror

Mama-2013

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Mama-2013

Director Andres Muschietti

Starring Jessica Chastain

Scott’s Review #112

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Reviewed July 15, 2014

Grade: C

Mama is a 2013 horror film that surprisingly stars Jessica Chastain, who one might assume is too high-brow for horror given her recent Oscar nominations.

Mama tells the story of two little girls, involved in a car accident, who survive on their own for years until finally rescued and raised by Chastain.

This film had both positives and negatives.

The opening sequence involving the girls’ troubled father and the drive through the countryside to the car wreck is realistic and compelling.

The snow and drifts have a picturesque, haunting beauty.

Throughout the film, some unique, effective visuals create a mysterious ambiance.

However, the film’s main negative is Chastain.

A top-notch actress, I did not, for an instant, buy her as a short-haired, raven-dyed, rocker chick with tattoos and a tough-girl persona.

It did not work at all.

The story as a whole was convoluted, and when the final credits rolled, it made no sense to me.

As a whole, Mama (2013) was not scary (sadly rated PG-13) but had some nice moments.

2013 Films, Horror, Supernatural Horror

Carrie- 2013

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Carrie-2013

Director Kimberly Peirce

Starring Chloe Grace Moretz

Scott’s Review #110

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Reviewed July 15, 2014

Grade: C-

Carrie is a 2013 remake of the classic 1976 horror masterpiece of the same name directed by Brian De Palma and adapted from the Stephen King novel.

Comparing the two is difficult since the original is brilliant.

The remake of Carrie showed some potential in the first half as the setup developed, and it’s overall fairly entertaining.

Carrie White (Moretz) is a bullied outcast teenager with telekinetic powers. She can move things, usually when she’s angry.

Her mother, played by Julianne Moore, is a repressed Christian woman with issues about sex (among other things).

Following a cruel encounter in the locker room, one of the popular girls, feeling guilty, talks her boyfriend into taking Carrie to the prom.

Chloe Grace Moretz is okay as Carrie but hardly seems nerdy or homely enough to pull it off completely. She could easily have portrayed one of the popular girls.

Julianne Moore is too sympathetic to be believable as the crazy Mrs. White, so that doesn’t work either.

Finally, the actresses playing Sue Snell (Gabriella Wilde) and Chris (Portia Doubleday) should be reversed. Chris is a despicable character, comfortable as the queen bee, but Doubleday plays her as awkward and insecure.

Meanwhile, Wilde feels better suited to play a vicious, bitchy character.

So, the casting has issues.

In the original, the audience feels Carrie’s rage and cheers her on in her revenge, but that doesn’t happen in this version. There wasn’t enough justification to warrant the revenge.

And since when did having telekinesis result in being able to fly?

Carrie circa 2013 is a pale imitation of the classic 1976 horror film, but I suppose not a complete dud either.

2013 Films, Ghost Story, Horror, Supernatural Horror

The Conjuring-2013

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The Conjuring-2013

Director James Wan

Starring Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga

Scott’s Review #102

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Reviewed July 10, 2014

Grade: A-

The Conjuring (2013) is one of the best horror films I have seen in recent years.

It tells the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, respectively, paranormal investigators who come to the aid of a haunted farm family, the Perrons, led by Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor.

The film is set in Rhode Island, circa 1971, and is loosely based on true events.

Typically in modern horror films, one is treated to a) gore or b) attempted scares that are seen a mile away.

The Conjuring is a classic ghost story with genuine frights.

A big difference from other standard horror films is that the audience cares about the characters. One believes they are a family being terrorized by demons and sympathizes with them.

The phrase “based on a true story” is meaningless.

Who cares? It’s a scary film with likable characters.

Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are the standouts for me, as well as one refreshing child actor who can act without the cutesiness or overacting too often found in child actors today.

The costume/set designers do an excellent job; the film has a genuine early 1970s look that’s tremendously effective.

The Conjuring (2013) is an eerie, frightening, jump-out-of-your-seat, fun time.

1979 Films, Horror, Supernatural Horror

The Amityville Horror-1979

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The Amityville Horror-1979

Director Stuart Rosenberg

Starring James Brolin, Margot Kidder

Scott’s Review #60

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Reviewed June 23, 2014

Grade: B-

The Amityville Horror was undoubtedly more thrilling at its original 1979 release, but sadly, time has not been kind to this film, and it no longer holds up well.

It feels dated, but that doesn’t mean it’s unenjoyable.

The movie’s atmosphere, building tension, and sense of dread are effective. The audience knows bad things will eventually occur.

The film’s look is dark and creepy, and the leads, James Brolin and Margot Kidder, are adequate.

The main problem with the film is that, throughout, a feels like I am watching a pale version of The Exorcist (1973) or The Omen (1976), far superior films, with the religious theme that was heavily used in the horror genre throughout the 1970s.

Also, horror in 1970’s cinema was at its best, and by 1979, horror had shifted into the knife-wielding maniac vein.

Add to this the fact that the supposedly “true story” has since been proven to be a silly hoax, which takes away any shred of seriousness.

The scene involving the herd of flies is scary, but other scenes seem silly and inconsequential.

The Amityville Horror (1979) is not a bad movie, but similar films are far superior.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Score

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Original Score