PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 (2010) Movie Review

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 (2010)

Review by Joe Johnson

For me, the original PARANORMAL ACTIVITY was one of the best horror films of all time. Fright fanatics may refute this, but I’m happy stand my ground and argue that the first offering stood amongst horror greats such as THE SHINING and ALIEN. Although many likened it to THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT owing to it’s handheld camera shooting style, I found it to be an entirely more visceral involving experience, simply because the framing was not influenced by seemingly artificial human intervention, rather we were seeing the events unfold raw and unedited.

When the sequel was announced I felt a mix of excitement and in trepidation, the latter because part of what made the first film such a unique experience was the method of storytelling. Having become accustomed to this style, and assuming the second offering stayed true to its roots I convinced myself that it would lack the same edge that its predecessor orchestrated so expertly.





While PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 does indeed retain the format of its big brother, the content is just as, if not more, mortifying second time round. The film charts the events that lead to Katie’s demonic possession in the original, beginning two months before in her parent’s home. Rather than just two main characters, this time Katie’s whole family is subject to the supernatural goings on, the addition of a dog and baby to the fold certainly offer ample opportunities for the demon to wreck havoc.

And wreck havoc it did, most notably on my constitution! As before, the film is a harrowing experience with expertly timed segments of high tension. The genuinely heart stopping moments are few and far between but when they come, they will rock you to the core, those of a nervous disposition need not apply, unless you have a sadistic tendency to test your thrill-threshold to the max, something which I’m guilty of!

The few criticisms I heard of the picture were that it was slow to start. This may test the patience of those with borderline ADD, but fans of the first will know that good things come to those who wait. It’s difficult to talk about the film without giving too much away but I can say with hand on heart that this is no shoddy, badly made sequel. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 builds on the success of the first film, toying with audience’s composure until it is frayed beyond all recognition. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 is recommended to any horror fan and is a worthy successor to one of the most nail-biting, edge-of-the seat examples of the genre.

SAW 3D (2010) Movie Review

SAW 3D (2010)

Halloween weekend seemed like the perfect time to wrap up the long, gruesome SAW series, but all of the loyal fans out there are asking, “Does it really have to end?” SAW 3D continues the story directly where SAW VI finished with main character Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) surviving the trap created by Jill (Betsy Russell).

All the while, Bobby (Sean Patrick Flanery) has become quite well-known because he’s survived a trap set by Jigsaw, and using that fame to write a book and go on tour. This, of course, infuriates Jigsaw, meaning that Bobby will soon be walking into a new trap set by… You guessed it - Jigsaw! This leaves him in a fight for survival for his own life and the lives of those close to him.

Even though many moviegoers may have been waiting in anticipation for the main character from the original movie, Dr. Gordon (Cary Elwes), he is barely in SAW 3D. You see him in a few early scenes, and then he seems to disappear altogether with little input throughout the entire storyline. You may also be confused to find that the actual Jigsaw has but a few cameos in this movie. He did die in SAW III, but in most of the other movies following, he still had quite a bit of screen time through videos and flashbacks. In SAW 3D, you will find that Tobin Bell is hardly seen, although he has top billing in the movie promotion.

SAW fans may be split down the middle since SAW 3D brings the series full circle, and the movie features some seriously intricate and complicated torture chambers. However, movie fans may also be bothered by how little they see Gordon or Jigsaw, which are supposed to be the most meaningful characters in the series. What you will find most in this movie is a man moving from room to room, attempting to save people as usual. Unfortunately, this same scenario is quite played out by this point, with the traps not being as thrilling or gruesome as anticipated, especially compared to SAW VI. One trap involves pulling a key from a difficult location, and in another, a floor with huge patches missing has to be crossed which adds a bit of adventure to the quest. Moviegoers also may observe that the traps worked exactly as planned, although it would have been more believable to see at least one trap fail.

Although fans may have some criticism of this movie, it was the perfect way to wrap up the series and celebrate Halloween weekend. The storyline itself is well formulated with quite a bit of plot to keep you on the edge of your seat, and even with his minimal amount of screen time, Jigsaw’s appearance is horrific to say the least. Don’t miss out!

Bethany Ramos is a lover of horror movies and co-owns The Coffee Bump. For a great selection of Bunn coffee filters, check out Bethany Ramos' website!

LOST BOYS THE THIRST Shows Its Fangs with New Photos

A batch of new screenshots from the soon to be released direct-to-DVD sequel LOST BOYS: THE THIRST has made their way online and here's a selection of the best.

The third entry of the LOST BOYS franchise finds veteran vampire hunter Edgar Frog destitute and almost friendless, and thinks his life has hit bottom when wealthy vampire-romance novelist Gwen Liebling reaches out to hire him. Gwen offers Edgar a small fortune to go on the vampire hunt of a lifetime and rescue her son Peter from the Alpha Vampire D.J. Dusk. With the help of his friends Zoe, Lars and Blake, Edgar once again heads into a bloody battle to exterminate evil.

If you're thinking to yourself that you just can't get enough LOST BOYS action and hope for more adventures of Edgar Frog, then Corey Feldman has some good news for you.

"If The Thirst performs as it seems it's going to, we're open to not only another sequel, but we're talking three more films, a second trilogy. We've plotted out three more films that could bring back more original characters. We're also talking a television series."

THE THIRST is set for DVD release October 12th. If you want to make your dreams and Feldman's dreams come true about more LOST BOYS flicks, make sure to pick up a copy.

Ghostface in Action in SCREAM 4 Photo

Above you can see one of the first images of Ghostface in action in SCREAM 4, here stalking Courteney Cox as reporter Gale Weathers.

The new film sees the return of cast members Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, along with a group of new stars - Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin, Nico Tortorella, Anthony Anderson, and Marielle Jaffe - who can hopefully stay alive long enough to figure out the new rules to this one-of-a-kind horror franchise.

Director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson bring the latest entry in their slasher franchise to the big screen April 15th.

New SAW 3D Photos Includes Cary Elwes First Look

Here's two brand new stills from SAW 3D, including the first image of Cary Elwes as Dr. Gordon, who we haven't seen since the very first SAW film.

The second photo features Sean Patrick Flanery.

SAW 3D, the final entry in the SAW series, is set to open Halloween weekend, 2010.

New Pinhead for HELLRAISER REVELATIONS Unmasked

Meet Stephan Smith Collins. He'll be replacing Doug Bradley as Pinhead in Dimension Films HELLRAISER: REVELATIONS. He's got the bald head already, but will he be able to conjure up Bradley's infamous Master of Pain? The horror world will be waiting on... wait for it... pins and needles.

HELLRAISER: REVELATIONS is currently filming in Los Angeles, and no release date has been set yet. Be sure to stay tuned for updates when Collins is finally revealed in full Pinhead garb.

***10/6 Update - check out Collins in his shot in the full Pinhead make-up.

HATCHET 2 Official Movie Poster Revealed

Here's your first look at the official HATCHET 2 movie poster.

In HATCHET 2, Marybeth escapes the clutches of the deformed, swamp-dwelling iconic killer Victor Crowley. After learning the truth about her family's connection to the hatchet-wielding madman, Marybeth returns to the Louisiana swamps along with an army of hunters to recover the bodies of her family and exact the bloodu revenge against the bayou butcher.

HATCHET 2 opens October 1st.

Official SAW 3D Theatrical Trailer Revealed

SAW 3D brings the franchise to a close, as a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw's brutal legacy. A group of Jigsaw survivors have gathered to seek the support of self-help guru while fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man with his own dark secrets, is about to unleash a new wave of terror.

I'm sure its just a marketing gimmick to sell the 3D aspect of the movie, but the trailer almost has me believing that somehow the audience will become part of the movie, a la William Castle, making each viewing a unique experience. Maybe the view changes slightly depending on where you are sitting in the theater or somehow select seats are "chosen" to become part of a specific trap? Were that the case I might just have to plunk down my $13 dollars and reinvest in the series. I abandoned the franchise after watching SAW III.

We'll all find out how the "traps come alive" when SAW 3D opens in theaters nationwide October 29th, 2010.

THE WICKER TREE Burning Soon at a Theatre Near You

Almost forty years after the original cult film THE WICKER MAN was released on an unsuspecting audience, director Robin Hardy is returning with a follow-up companion piece to the film entitled THE WICKER TREE.

Based on Hardy's own book Cowboys for Christ released in 2006, THE WICKER TREE tells the tale of two young Christians Beth and Steve, a gospel singer and her cowboy boyfriend, who leave Texas to preach door-to-door in Scotland. When they arrive at Tressock, the border fiefdom of Sir Lachlan Morrison, they are welcomed with joy and elation and assume their hosts simply want to hear more about Jesus, unaware of just how wrong they are.

Also returning to the screen in the film will be Christopher Lee, who played Lord Summerisle in the original film. Lee was initially to fill the role of Sir Lachlan Morrison, who Hardy wrote specifically for the legendary actor. However, an injury on another film forced Lee out of this role and it is now suspected that Lee will reprise the role of Lord Summerisle.

The film has been rumored to be completed since 2009, but has suffered multiple setbacks and delays. But now with an official website and a teaser trailer have been released, Hardy may finally be getting close to inducting an entire new generation into the old religion of the Celts and undo the damage that the Nicholas Cage starring remake has done. While no official release date has been set, we may be seeing the film finally see light of day in late 2010 or early 2011.

First Look at the HATCHET II Trailer

Here's the first teaser trailer release for HATCHET 2, which hits theaters October 1st and sets the mood for thirty-one days chills and thrills!

Return to Nilbog TROLL 2 is Coming to Blu-Ray

Forget PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, forget ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES, forget STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, this October one of the most celebrated so-bad-its-beyond-awesome movies of all time is coming to Blu-Ray this October.

That's right I'm talking about TROLL 2, or TROLL II for the Romans reading, a film truly deserving of the "movies at midnight" stamp of approval.

TROLL 2 tells the story of Joshua and his family, take a trip to Nilbog, which unbeknown to them, is the kingdom of the goblins, as told to young Joshua by his deceased grandfather Seth. Now it's up to Joshua, magical time-stopping Grandpa Seth, and a bologna sandwich to save the family from the evil Goblin Queen, who uses everything from magical rocks to an ear of corn to destroy Joshua's family.

TROLL 2 found its way into my heart in the early nineties when it was shown practically every weekend afternoon on WPIX here in the North East. No matter where I came into the movie's running time I was compelled to watch the rest, much like I was for TREMORS, GROUNDHOG DAY and SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER.

And now it will soon be mine to own, and yours too, in glorious high definition forever and ever and ever...

Co-Writer Confirms that SAW 3D Will Be Last Movie

Co-Writer Patrick Melton had this to say about rumors of an eighth SAW script already being written, "At one point we had an idea for two more movies. But after VI opened, we decided to combine everything into one last film, which is SAW 3D. This one is the last shebang!"

So there you have it, the series is coming to a close. Though I guess there's always the inevitable remake of the original which will inevitably spin off into its own original franchise.

SAW 3D is current set to open in theaters October 29th.

THE DESCENT PART 2 (2009) Movie Review

THE DESCENT: PART 2 (2009)

Rescuers have been searching for two days for the six spelunkers that never returned from a charted course into Boreham caves when Sarah, the lone survivor of the relentless attacks of the cave's blind inhabitants, is found in a completely separate area of the county. Sarah can't recall what happened during her time in the caves, nor what happened to her friends, and the local sheriff, along with members of the search team, bring Sarah back into the caves in hopes of rekindling her memory and hoping to find the rest of the missing women. What they find however, is one wave after another of the cave's crawling residents, who once again take to turning the unwelcome visitors into their next meal. Sarah, whose mind has snapped back into place, shifts right back into survival mode. But will her knowledge of her attackers be enough to save the group or are the destined never to reascend to the surface?

Picking up right after the end of the original DESCENT, the next chapter is an almost a text book example of a film that suffers from sequelitis with more guts and gore, more chases, and more jump scares at the expense of less character development and a less engaging story. Director Jon Harris does an excellent job of imitating the style and pace of Neil Marshall, who has reduced himself to executive producer for this entry. Harris plays with the claustrophobic elements of the caves and frantic desperation of the first film almost pitch perfect, as he pours one scene after the next on the viewers trying to bigger and better with every turn of the corner.

Shauna MacDonald, who returns to her role as Sarah, also does a pretty good imitation of her character from the first time around. There is not enough time given to recapture that emotional connection that was established in the first, but it is still quite enjoyable watching her dispatching one crawler after the next with whatever is handy at the moment. The rest of the characters are even less worthy of becoming emotionally attached to, and therein lies the main problem with the sequel. Now that you know what is in the caves, the entire cast can be seen as little more than a buffet being marched into the darkness, rather than characters to connect and feel for.

But with the loss of character investment comes the acquisition of far more gruesome kills and attacks than the first one. There seems to be a never-ending horde of crawlers in the sequel, and for every one that is killed via spikes, drills, bare hands and hair pins with copious amounts of blood pouring everywhere, two more appear from the cave's recesses to take their place. The crawler's attacks have also increased in voracity, whether it is tearing out great chunk's of their victim's necks or clawing through them, with equal amounts of spewing blood.

With several visits to set pieces and the leftover carnage of the original, repeating motifs and shots laid out in the original, and return visits from the original's cast in one form or another, this movie definitely earns its "PART 2" in spades. However, there is still just enough originality sprinkled into this competently made sequel to make this venture worth taking.

Exclusive Interview with REC 2 Co-Writer/Director Paco Plaza

Movies at Midnight was recently given an opportunity to interview Paco Plaza, co-director and writer on REC and REC 2. This is that interview.

Movies at Midnight: REC 2 picks up right after the events in the original REC. Did you have this sequel in mind when you first began working on REC?

Paco Plaza: It was only after the release and success of the first one that we began to think that it was worth developing the cosmology we had created. When we thought about it, we came back to the original to rescue some ideas already planted there, like the demonic possession, that left a lot to explore.

How difficult was it to recreate the exterior shots and the interior of the building to match up to everything that had transpired in REC? Did any of the original cast return to play possessed versions of their characters?

We shot almost everything in the same location, except the penthouse, that we had to rebuild on set because we needed it for FX and so. And yes, all the actors of the original had their zombie cameo, and they had a lot of fun doing it; it was a bizarre reunion of old friends.

The film jumps right into the action, with little character development given to the main protagonists aside from the priest, which is a sharp shift from the development given Angela Vidal’s character and the tenants in the first film. Was this a conscious choice, or a victim of the cutting room floor?

We wanted the film to have the spirit of the Ramones; really fast, strong, a punch… we didn’t want people talking for too long, but something needed to be explained, so we tried to work out the most dynamic way of doing it. That was the biggest challenge. Our model on this was James Cameron’s ALIENS and its turn into action.

REC 2 introduces two groups of people, each with their own camera recording the events unfold. Pablo Rosso returns from the original REC as cinematographer, with Rosso playing a camera-wielding member of the police force entering the building. You also introduce a group of teenagers with a camera. Did Rosso record these scenes as well, or did the teens act as the camera operators for their scenes?

Some of them were shot by the teens; what we did always was ask them to do it in the rehearsals so Pablo could afterward reproduce the way [the teens were] carrying the camera, which was very peculiar and very different from what a pro would do.

THE EXORCIST is arguably one of the greatest American horror films, which of course deals with demonic possession. Did this influence your decision at all to make demonic possession the official root of the outbreak of evil in the film? Did your own religious beliefs affect the direction of the plot?

We both are big fans of THE EXORCIST, I agree it’s one of the best films ever made; we loved the idea of showing our creatures were not zombies, and in the end of REC we had [planted] the idea of a demonic possession happening in Portugal. I’m a practicing Catholic, but Jaume Balaguero is not, and I think the approach to the subject of possession for us was more aesthetic than religious.

REC 2 takes a bold step by exploring the idea of things that truly go bump in the dark. What scares you when the lights go out?

I’m afraid of losing my teeth during my sleep; that I wake up in the morning and have bitten them in dreams and my mouth is full of bone dust from them.

Your REC series has put a spotlight on Spain’s horror film industry. Do you see Spain continuing this trend and possibly becoming the next go-to source for horror cinema, much like Southeast Asia was in the late 1990s through the early 2000s?

That would be great! We have a lot of friends (Juan Antonio Bayona [THE ORPHANAGE], Gonzalo López-Gallego …) shooting great genre films, and I hope this continues for a long time.

Finally, REC 2 leaves the doorway open for another sequel, and according to the IMDB there are not one, but two sequels being worked on: REC Genesis, currently slated for 2011 and REC Apocalypse slated for 2012. Can you give us any hints as to what we might expect?

It’s true. We’re working in 2 more REC films. The first will begin production next November. I will direct Genesis and Jaume will handle Apocalypse; the first is a prequel and the second a sequel, and with them we’ll close the circle.

REC 2 opens with a limited theatrical run in the United States July 9th, and is currently available on Video on Demand.

First Pictures from HATCHET 2 Feature Danielle Harris and Tony Todd

Here are the first official pictures to be released for Adam Green's upcoming sequel HATCHET 2, which will make its official debut at the London Film4 FrightFest.

HATCHET 2 picks up right where the original left off, with HATCHET survivor Marybeth (Danielle Harris replaces Tamara Feldman from the original) learning more about the curse of Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder) and returning to the New Orleans swamp to kill him. Tony Todd returns as the Reverend Zombie.

HATCHET 2 is scheduled for release in the United States this October.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 (2010) Teaser Trailer Released

One of the biggest horror letdowns of 2009, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, is getting a sequel. How there can be a sequel to "documentary" footage released by the families of the deceased couple is unclear at this point, but anyone whose willing to get fooled twice can find out when PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 is released in the United States on October 22nd, 2010.

Red Band Trailer for the Upcoming [REC] 2

The highly anticipated sequel to one of the scariest films of all time, [REC] 2 picks up 15 minutes from where we left off, taking us back into the quarantined apartment building where a terrifying virus has run rampant, turning the occupants into mindlessly violent, raging beasts. A heavily armed SWAT team and a mysterious government official are sent in to assess and attempt to neutralize the situation. What they find inside lies beyond the scope of medical science—a demonic nightmare of biblical proportions more terrifying than they could have possibly imagined. Above all it must be contained, before it escapes to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting world outside.

[REC] 2 will be available on VOD June 4 and in theaters July 9th

LOST BOYS THE TRIBE Movie and DVD Review

LOST BOYS: THE TRIBE (2008)

After Chris is kicked off his surfing team and loses his endorsements, he and his sister head off to the sleepy town of Luna Bay to lay low and hopefully start anew. Within twenty-four hours of arriving in the town, he discovers that his one-time surfing idol Shane lives in the town, meets up with a delusional surfboard shaper who claims to be a vampire hunter named Edgar Frog, is invited to a party at Shane’s who picks up Chris’ sister Nicole, and has sex with a woman who turns out be a vampire.

Confused, bewildered, and none-to-happy that Nicole also seems to be displaying symptoms of vampirism, Chris turns to Edgar for some unbelievable advice. Edgar, who has been hunting vampires for more than twenty years, quickly catches Chris up to speed with a stack of comic books. He tells Chris that Nicole is only half-vampire — as long as they can kill the head vampire before she feeds, she will be saved. And with that, Chris makes the fateful decision to become half-vampire himself so he has the strength to fight, while Edgar loads up on stakes and holy water to dispatch this latest tribe of bloodsuckers who have invaded his town.

It has been more than two decades since Joel Schumacher introduced a band of beach bum vampires and a group of pre-teen vampire slayers to moviegoers who had been jacked up on John Hughes teen dramas and horror-comedy hybrids, and lovingly embraced the fun-filled characters. With the current trend that seems to have no end of producing sequel after sequel coupled with an everlasting love for all things eighties, it is a wonder it took this long to create a sequel to THE LOST BOYS. But does this movie hold up? Is it worthy of carrying such a moniker? The answer is a resounding and deafening “meh.”

Had this been a standalone film, direct-to-video hack writer Hans Rodionoff would have been accused of stealing core elements from The Lost Boys and mocked for making not one, but two forced references to THE BIG LEBOWSKI. However, he would have at least been given credit for dishing out a script that allowed for plenty of teasing T&A and a few decently gory feeding sequences. As it stands though, this is a sequel to a beloved film, where the only thing it had to do right was please nostalgic fans of the original, since anyone without fond memories of Corey Feldman screaming “try the holy water, death breath!” will or won’t see this no matter what its called. And with that in mind, Rodionoff falls flat on his face.

Director P.J. Pesce puts together a somewhat competent, if wholly mediocre vampire film, where the emphasis is on how “extreme” the tribe of neck biters are rather than providing a good story, and more importantly, a good sequel. Plot holes are left wide open, and frustrating inferences are left unanswered so that we have room for a day-for-night surfing scene (which looks as bad as POINT BREAK’s sequence) and vampires playing video games. Several throwbacks and winks to the original film are sneaked in, not least of all is a randomly placed pair of antlers, which of course are used to impale one of the vampires.

Our only returning character is Edgar Frog, and Corey Feldman, who is sporting a gravely voice, seems eager to strap on some camouflage, sharpen some cross-shaped stakes, and fill balloons with holy water, and is criminally relegated to a minor character whose scenes are clearly the best in the movie. The rest of the cast pale in comparison, with only Angus Sutherland (younger half-brother to the original’s star Kiefer) pulling off something that resembles a descent villain in the role of Shane. The rest, including our protagonists and vampire underlings, you just want to see die.

Corey Haim, reprising his role as Sam Emerson, does make a very quick cameo during a cutaway in the middle of the end credits, and it is a shame that this is where it was decided to throw his character. But the real stinger comes in the Alternate Endings that are part of the extras found on newly released Warner Brothers DVD. These scenes, which reunite Edgar Frog and Sam Emerson, reveal that Edgar’s brother Alan has become a master vampire and is coming to settle a score with Edgar. This three-minute scene is better than the entire movie and it is a travesty that it has been reduced to an bonus feature. This scene hints at what should have been the basis for the entire sequel, and it is a slap in the face to the fans which have kept the original’s popularity going long after its expiration date.

Movie and DVD review originally published on Geeks Of Doom.

Sequel to Zombie's HALLOWEEN in the Works?

French directors Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo behind the film INSIDE say they've been tapped to helm a sequel to Rob Zombie's remake/reimagining/reboot of HALLOWEEN in the latest issue of Rue Morgue.

"...it's a proposition we couldn't refuse," Maury noted and while he and Bustillo are well aware of Zombie's version of Michael Myers they are out to put their stamp on the character. Maury continues to say "Therefore, our vision will be done with utmost respect, with a continuity of Zombie's work but also a real evolution of the world he set in place."

Well, we all knew this was coming given that HALLOWEEN pulled in a decent amount of bank last August and on DVD. But with the way Zombie's movie ended, won't it be a bit difficult to let the boogie man keep doing what he does? Maybe the bullet missed?