Doctor Sleep

"Doctor Sleep" (2019, Mike Flanagan, Intrepid Pictures, Vertigo Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures) is the film adaptation of Stephen King's 2013 follow up to his novel, "The Shining". It's also a sequel to Stanley Kubrick's 1980 classic film adaptation of "The Shining".

Mike Flanagan continues to impress with his spooky style and crafting. As a big fan of both The Shining and also the novel of "Doctor Sleep" itself, I was pleased to thoroughly enjoy this film.

Danny Torrance (Roger Dale Floyd) and his mother Wendy (Alex Essoe) move to Florida after the events at the Overlook Hotel. Danny is deeply affected by what he saw and learned in the Rocky Mountains, but he's also being dogged by the hungry spectres of the hotel who have followed he and his mother. Luckily, the spectre of Dick Hallorann (Carl Lumbly) is also still around and with his help, Danny is able to find a way to lock the Overlook's ghosts away.

Years pass and we find Danny (Ewan McGregor), now "Dan", has followed his father's footsteps and become an unemployed alcoholic with anger issues. But when he is contacted through the Shining by a young girl called Abra (Kyliegh Curran) who believes that she and other children with the gift are in danger at the hands of the devious True Knot gang lead by Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), he finds himself and his friend, Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis) are the only ones able to offer their help.

It's a great tale and the film is perfectly cast, with possibly the exception of Jack Torrance who is a smidge unconvincing as a young Jack Nicholson. Essoe, however, is fantastic as Wendy without feeling too much like an impersonation. Carl Lumbly also brings Hallorann back to the screen exceptionally.

McGregor gives his usual great performance and delivers Dan Torrance right from the pages of the book. Kyliegh Curran also gives a strong performance throughout giving Abra the right level of spunk and optimism.

Our villains are perfectly villainous. Rose the Hat is page perfect, and manages to be monstrous but also demonstrates her own misguided determination to maintain her 'family'. The True Knot are fabulously brought to life and perfectly cast. It's almost a shame we don't get to know them better but the screen time we get with them is fun, dark and twisted .

The recreation of the interior of the Overlook is lovingly done and stands extremely well as a side to side comparison with Kubrick's film. The ghosts also are great fun and recreated with a fan's eye. Some scenes in the exterior of the hotel are a little less shiny, but overall don't mar the film.

All in all, I found this film to be exactly what I would have asked for. I look forward to it being released with some behind the scenes or documentary footage.

[Image: Intrepid Pictures, et al]

Hani

Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid

"Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid" (2004, Dwight H. Little, Columbia TriStar) is the disconnected sequel to Anaconda.

A group of scientific researchers journey to Borneo, Indonesia to hunt for the rare Blood Orchid which they believe has important medical properties which could extend human lives. They pay a guide to take them up river in their search, despite severe weather and flood warnings. And snakes. Lots of man eating snakes.

An adventure horror sequel which plays out pretty much as you expect it to. B-movie script, B-movie action, CGI that looks a bit clunky, some back stabbing, an obvious twist and the star of the show; Captain Bill's monkey friend.

A good bit of fun of notably lesser quality than the original film, and with more numerous, but less menacing, snakes.

[Image: Columbia Tri-Star]

Hani

3 From Hell

"3 From Hell" (2019, Rob Zombie, Lionsgate, Saban Films, Spookshow International Films) is the second sequel to Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses" (2003) and follows the 2005 sequel "The Devil's Rejects".

Following on from the events of Rejects, we learn that our three antagonists, Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig), Baby Firefly (Sheri Moon Zombie) and Otis Firefly (Bill Moseley) have survived the police shootout and are now being tried for their crimes. But Otis manages a breakout, with the help of his half-brother, Foxy (Richard Brake), and attempts to spring Baby so that they can continue their murderous ways...

I am quite fond of "House of 1000 Corpses". "The Devil's Rejects" took the characters in a slightly different direction, tried to make them more real and had a different style, and although I prefer the first film, it seemed like a fitting end to the villainous Firefly family. Especially that surprisingly elegant final scene. The concept of a third film seemed therefore a little odd, especially considering that it would undo the finality of its predecessor. Although  I went in as open minded as I could be, I'm afraid for me this film did not hit the mark.

The overall feel of the film is similar in tone to Rejects with a grimy 70's aesthetic. The scenes with Baby in prison are interesting and lean heavily into the exploitation grindhouse film feel which I liked. However, the scenes felt overly long and in jumping from style to style the film feels a little rudderless with the expected hostage situation playing out like they're already bored. The banter between our murderous maniacs feels a bit tiresome and less fluid than it did in the previous films.

Baby's high-pitched maniacal flower-child act feels more wearing this time around without having so many other familiar characters for her to bounce off of. There's a few scenes where it's hinted at something sadder and more poignant but overall she feels more two dimensional than she could have been. Otis is still giving his speeches, showing no mercy and seems mostly unchanged, and for the short scene with Sid Haig we get a good level of nostalgia for Spaulding and it's easily one of the best scenes in the film.

Foxy can't help but feel tacked on as a character, and I wonder why they couldn't just rename the film. It's not Brake's doing and he does give a few needed elements of humour to punctuate between Baby's mania and Otis' self-righteousness, but the character can't help but feel a little jarring and out of the loop.

Overall, I found the film to be a little boring and felt it lunged from one scene to another in a disjointed manner. It relies a little too much on nostalgia but didn't, at least for me, feel like it was aimed at fans of the original two films and was a less fitting ending than the Firefly's deserved. A strange ride, but unlikely to be one I'd go on again.

[Image: Lionsgate]

Hani

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

"Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" (1988, Dwight H. Little, Trancas International) is the fourth instalment in the Halloween franchise and a direct sequel to Halloween 2.

Michael Myers (George P. Wilbur, Tom Morga & Erik Preston) wakes from a coma and discovers that his sister Laurie has been reported dead, but had a daughter called Jamie (Danielle Harris) who is living in Haddonfield with a foster family. He makes a murderous bee-line towards Haddonfield to find her, whilst being tailed by Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence).

The film is a pretty by-the-book slasher movie and pales, of course, in comparison to the original. Donald Pleasence, as ever, manages to deliver a dedicated performance, and Danielle Harris gives a strong performance as the young Jamie, however overall Michael is just slashing over familiar ground and it lacks the tension of its predecessors. Despite that, it remains an entertaining film and is still worth visiting for some old fashioned slasher movie nonsense.

[Image: Trancas International]

Hani

Final Destination 5

"Final Destination 5" (2011, Steven Quale, New Line Cinema, Practical Pictures, Zide/Perry Productions) is the fifth entry in the Final Destination franchise.

Sam (Nicholas D'Agosto) experiences a detailed vision while setting off with his colleagues on a bus trip. The vision shows the North Bay Bridge suddenly collapsing while they are on it, killing everyone except for his ex-girlfriend, Molly (Emma Bell). Sam manages to convince a few people to leave with him and they get to witness the bridge collapse from a safe distance. But, like always, death has designs on their lives and will stop at almost nothing to claim his due.

Much like its predecessors, the film's main point of interest is the complex Rube Goldberg Machine-esque deaths of each of the characters. The characters are rounded enough to make their deaths worth watching, but they remain mainly cannon fodder for death. Some of the effects suffer from feeling a little too computer generated, but there are certainly enough gruesome ideas to make you squirm. A short scene from the legendary Tony Todd is also always appreciated.

The action is entertaining enough to keep viewers engaged. It is one of the stronger entries in the franchise overall and feels fairly satisfying in where it decides to go throughout the plot.

[Image: New Line Cinema, et al]

Hani

IT: Chapter Two

"IT: Chapter Two" (2019, Andy Muschietti, New Line Cinema, Double Dream, Vertigo Entertainment, Rideback, Warner Bros. Pictures) is the sequel to 2017's "IT" based on Stephen King's classic, "IT".


It's 2016 and we return to Derry, Maine to witness the violent and upsetting end of a man called Adrian in front of his boyfriend, Don. Adrian's death, however, does piqué the interest of our friend, and long time Derry man, Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa) who has been diligently (read 'obsessively') scanning the newspapers and airwaves for any sign that Pennywise has returned to feast on the people of the town once more.


Mike contacts the members of the Loser's Club one by one and finds that they have all but forgotten him due to the creature's defences. Reluctantly, they mostly agree to return to the town, but they're a little fuzzy on why...


Losers Club leader, Bill (James McAvoy), has become a successful writer and is working on a film based on one of his books. Richie (Bill Hader) is a successful comedian. Beverly (Jessica Chastain) has swapped her relationship with her abusive father for an abusive, but wealthy, husband. Eddie (James Ransone) has put his hypochondria to good use and become a successful risk assessor. Stanley (Andy Bean) is happily married and working as an accountant. And Ben (Jay Ryan) has buffed up and become a successful architect.


The gang head back to Derry, minus one, and as, their memories start to return, so do their fears. The creature begins almost instantly to launch an attack on the, now adult, Losers Club as well as getting their old childhood bully, Henry Bowers (Teach Grant) back in town to further hamper the Club's attempts to put a stop to It once and for all.


I enjoyed the first instalment, but feel that the second chapter flowed better as a film and had slightly better pacing than its predecessor. The younger casting had been so strong that I had been apprehensive as to how the adult casting would compare, but I felt that they were extremely well matched and I had no issues believing them to be the adult versions of the younger actors. Bill Hader particularly, steals the show somewhat with an emotional portrayal of motor-mouth Richie. The Losers are all broken as adults, and we feel for them all.


Bill Skarsgård gives just as excellent performance as Pennywise the Dancing Clown as he did in the first film. Although the film relies perhaps a little too heavily on CGI to achieve all the effects, which makes sense when you have a shapeshifting, human eating monster on the loose, the most effective part of the monster is Skarsgård's disturbing and engaging performance. There is a scene with the clown make up mostly removed which further solidifies how effective his performance is.


The film is punctuated with humour, much like its predecessor, and then plummets to some serious lows (I won't deny feeling a little tearful near the end) but overall sticks to the Losers conquering evil themes of the novel. We also enjoy one of Stephen King's cameos as a pawnshop owner who sells Bill back his old bike.


Although three hours is a long run time, if you enjoyed the first film, you are unlikely to be disappointed by the follow up. But equally, if you disliked the previous instalment it's unlikely that this film will swing you in another direction.

[Image: Warner Bros. Pictures, et al]

Hani

The Endless

"The Endless" (2017, Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Snowfort Pictures, Love & Death Productions, Pfaff & Pfaff Productions, Well Go USA Entertainment) is a sci-fi thriller about two brothers who escape from a cult only to be tempted back years later. It is the sequel to 2012's "Resolution".


Justin (Justin Benson) and Aaron (Aaron Moorhead) receive a video cassette in the post and, after hunting for a way to play the damn thing, discover that it is from Camp Arcadia; a commune they were part of as kids/young adults.


It turns out the boys have completely different recollections of the their time at the Camp with Justin remembering a dangerous UFO death cult and Aaron only remembering a friendly group of hippies getting back to nature. The brothers decide to venture back to the camp to see how everyone is doing. Just for one day.


They reach the camp to warm welcomes but something is not quite right about the campers; they look exactly the same as they had a decade earlier... As the boys spend more time with their old comrades they start to notice other peculiarities about the camp and the surrounding area... Something is there and leaving might not be an option...


A fun and intriguing film that kept me engaged throughout. It starts off relatively slowly and the plot slowly drip feeds a sense of dread and uneasiness through excellent use of slightly 'wrong' things happening on screen. As the wrongness intensifies we are introduced to other characters outside of the cult (some of whom you might recognise if you've seen "Resolution") who are experiencing some grim and unsettling effects of the 'presence' surrounding the camp.


A bizarre story that is told in an effective and sober manner which further adds to the overall strangeness of the tale. With a lot of Lovecraft inspiration felt throughout, a hint that the plot might be a commentary about audiences as a whole, and rounded but not overdone characters; The Endless is a very enjoyable, thoughtful and robust piece of film. A somewhat sudden and ambiguous end leaves the viewer wondering if there's still more to come in a third film.

[Image: Snowfort Pictures, et al]

Hani

Halloween (2018)

"Halloween" (2018, David Gordon Green, Miramax, Blumhouse Productions, Trancas International Films, Rough House Pictures, Universal Pictures) is a direct sequel to John Carpenter's original 1978 classic slasher, "Halloween". The film is set in present day and ignores all other sequels existing in the series.

We catch back up with Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) who has lived a life of seclusion and paranoia with PTSD after the events of Halloween night 40 years previously in Haddonfield. She is estranged from her daughter, Karen (Judy Greer) and her family, but her granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak) is keen to reconnect with her.

Concurrently, we learn of the fate of Michael Myers (Nick Castle and James Jude Courtney) through the investigations of Aaron (Jefferson Hall) and Dana (Rhian Rees) who are researching him for their true-crime podcast. He has spent the last 4 decades in a high security sanitarium. When being transferred to a high security prison, however, Michael manages to escape and heads for home to celebrate Halloween in the only way he knows how: by murdering a bunch of innocent bystanders...

Seeing the film on opening night was definitely a good experience. The crowd were good fun, but not rowdy enough to ruin the tense scenes in the film. The film plays out a little more like an action movie than a horror, but pays good homage to the original in so many ways without feeling like it's treading old ground. Where the original is a study in tense pacing, this film packs in a lot of action and some very effective gore. There are also bursts of humour that I felt added to the plot (I particularly loved the scenes with sassy kid, Julian (Jibrail Nantambu), who seemed to be the most sensible person in the movie).

Jamie Lee Curtis gives us an emotionally charged, but feisty return performance as Laurie; a woman who has been through a lot and not been able to move on. And both Karen's and Allyson's actions and feelings are understandable. The women are all strong characters but are not infallible. Their humanity is in great contrast to the Shape's lack of it.

A strange turn of events reminiscent to Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers does present itself, but does not derail the overall plot. All in all, I really enjoyed this sequel and, while it's certainly not perfect, I felt that it both slotted in as a continuation and updated the franchise effectively; bringing back Michael Myers once again to his ominous glory.

[Image: Blumhouse Productions, et al]

Hani

Hell House LLC 2

"Hell House LLC 2: The Abaddon Hotel" (2018, Stephen Cognetti, Cognetti Films) is the sequel to 2016's found footage jump-fest, "Hell House LLC".

I personally really enjoyed the original film and you can find my thoughts on it here.

Following on from the events of the first film which covered a documentary team investigating the supposed technical issues which caused tragedy at the opening night of popular Halloween Haunt, Hell House, at the Abaddon hotel in 2009, the second film focuses on the public's continued curiosity of the cause of the tragedy.

Having reached some level of infamy after the documentary was released, Mitchell (Vasile Flutur) ventures back into the Abaddon Hotel after investigative journalist, Jessica Fox (Jillian Geurts), and her team receive an anonymous tip off of breakthrough evidence within the abandoned building. Despite Mitchell's misgivings they head back inside and discover some more of the truth behind the hotel's dark presence.

The familiar surroundings and creation of continuity are very effective and the film manages to continue the story in a believable way, demonstrating that the documentary inspired several wannabe ghost hunters to venture into the hotel with their camera phones and meet some unfortunate circumstances.

A lot of the jump scares are familiar, too, but this isn't to the detriment of the film and actually really pleased me as a viewer. The hotel doesn't change the rules for the sequel, it just reveals more of its nature to the camera. There are one or two elements where we are shown perhaps too much compared to the first film where a lot of the scares were in the subtlety of the horror, but on the whole the sequel delivers a lot of the same level of creep that the first did.

In the pattern of most sequels, however, the film does not quite meet the quality of the original and the characters and actors do not quite convey the same natural relationships and repartee that the original cast did. Things do sometimes feel a little more obviously acted. Although some of these scenes took me out of the story momentarily, the action within the hotel would quickly draw me back in.

The film delivers many more twists than the first and some of the revelations are delivered at a fast pace. A good few of these are succinct and creative, but the volume of them did lose some of the ingenuity and simplicity of the original plot. The story flow of the sequel is also less linear than the original and demands a little more effort from the viewer to keep things in place.

All in all, "Hell House LLC: The Abaddon Hotel" delivers an effective sequel that continues the story from the first film and sets up a comfortable starting place for more in the series. Although it didn't feel as immersive as the original, I certainly enjoyed it and look forward to a third.

[Image: Cognetti Films]

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich

"Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich" (2018, Sonny Laguna, Tommy Wiklund, RLJE Films) is a reboot film to the franchise and is  canon to the original film.


Edgar (Thomas Lennon) returns to his parents house after the death of his brother and discovers a puppet in with his brother's things. But not any old puppet, it's a Blade puppet. A quick internet search tells Edgar that the Toulon puppet is valuable and that there is a Toulon murder convention nearby. Edgar, his new girlfriend, Ashley (Jenny Pellicer) and his best pal, Markowitz (Nelson Franklin), travel to the convention to learn more. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to them, the spirit of Andre Toulon (Udo Kier) and his murderous little creations are about to start a bloodbath.


A completely bonkers B-movie  that serves up some quality practical gore amongst ridiculous action, tongue-in-cheek scripting and a liberal serving of boobs, blood and bad taste humour. With a change to the previous films' plotline, Toulon is this time revealed to have Nazi ties and his puppets' evil ways lead to some creative death scenes. The movie throws everything it can at the audience, no matter how batshit crazy it may be. We are also introduced to a few more puppet characters, and the film opens up a few new doors for yet further sequels in the franchise.


Humorous, insane and close to the knuckle in most scenes this film manages to bring Toulon's puppets into the modern day in the true Puppet Master so-bad-it's-good spirit.

[Image: RLJE Films]

Hani

Insidious: The Last Key

"Insidious: The Last Key" aka "Insidious Chapter 4" (2018, Adam Robitel, Blumhouse Productions, Stage 6 Films, Universal Pictures) is the fourth film in the Insidious series, but the second in terms of story chronology. We follow the parapsychologist from the series, Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye), who is brought in on a case that is very close to her own heart.


Young Elise (Ava Kolker) did not enjoy much of a childhood. Her connections with the ghostly world were not well received by her father (Josh Stewart) who was abusive and violent anyway, and her timid, yet supportive mother (Tessa Ferrer) was met with an unhappy and untimely end for which Elise feels largely responsible. After running away as a teenager (Hana Hayes), Elise is sure that she will never have to see that unhappy house ever again, but alas, fate brings her in on a new case set within the very walls of her initial torment.


A fairly formulaic entry to the franchise, we once again enjoy the company of awkward nerd duo, Specs (Leigh Whannell, Mr Writer/Producer) and Tucker (Angus Sampson), who's uncomfortable patter did a good job of breaking up the scenes. We are also introduced to Elise's estranged brother, Christian (Bruce Davison) and her two nieces, Melissa (Spencer Locke) and Imogen (Caitlin Gerard). I can completely understand Christian's anger towards his sister who abandoned him with their abusive father alone as soon as she was legally able. What I didn't understand was the girls' sudden repartee with Elise; an aunt that they had never known existed. It all seemed a bit sudden, a shade more than curiosity and... unlikely.


The film offers a few fun jump scares and skilfully holds back often enough to deliver a surprise every now and again. The setting is the familiar haunted house of the series, but it works well.


I do not dislike Lin Shaye. I have seen her in plenty of things where I've liked her performance and I would say that my dislike of Elise Rainier is not due to Shaye's performance but the character itself. It's pleasant to watch an older female take the lead in a film, especially as such a flawed character. Elise is not a heroine, per se, she is a woman exploiting her unusual skillset for money and to soothe her own guilt. Not unlike the character of Angel in the Whedonverse who saves people in an attempt to make up for his past transgressions, Elise is driven by good intentions but also selfish ones. Helping people makes her feel better about her past. And there's nothing wrong with that, in fact, I enjoy that aspect of the character. I think what I dislike about Elise as a character is the way she responds to everything. I think the intention is to make her appear strong and methodical, but to me she reads as cold and a little flat.


The monster of the piece enjoys some good scare factor but is a little over-revealed and loses a bit of its edge early on, although the design innovation is commendable.


As fourth sequels go, it's pretty decent, but it does feel like they may be running out of ideas to keep this particular branch of the franchise going.

[Image: Universal Pictures, et al]

Hani

Mirrors 2

"Mirrors 2" (2010, Victor Garcia, Regency Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) is the sequel to 2008's "Mirrors".

Max (Nick Stahl) is a man recovering from the loss of his fiancée as a result of a car accident.  In an attempt to get his life back on track, Max accepts a job at the Mayflower Department store which his father, Jack (William Katt), has refurbished using some of the original features of the previously derelict building. The opening for a security guard had recently come about due to a gruesome and mysterious "accident" left the previous guard unable to work anymore.

Upon taking the position, Max begins to see strange things moving in the mirrors of the building and beyond. As department store staff begin to succumb to disturbing ends, Max begins to piece together links to a larger mystery with the help of Elizabeth (Emmanuelle Vaugier), who's missing sister (Stephanie Honoré Sanchez) may be the key to the grim goings on.

A surprisingly good sequel to 2008's excellent jump fest. Although the second film doesn't enjoy quite as polished effects,  it enjoys some good character interaction and some effective gore. The mirror harbingers of each death are as disturbing as the original, although once or twice the actions were less effective due to cartoonish style of gore, however, the actual resultant character deaths are, in the main, realistic and gruesome.

A fun, if a little "by the numbers" plot which keeps a good pace and strong leads from Stahl and Vaugier.

[image: Regency Enterprises, et al] 

Hani

Hellraiser: Judgment

"Hellraiser: Judgment" (2018, Gary J. Tunnicliffe, Dimension Films, Lionsgate Films) is the tenth film in the Hellraiser series.

We follow three detectives; Sean Carter (Damon Carney), his brother David Carter (Randy Wayne) and Christine Egerton (Alexandra Harris), as they work on a serial killer case. However, as the case progresses, they begin to find themselves involved into something a lot more hellish...

First off the bat, I went into this film with an open mind and I left fairly satisfied. "Hellraiser: Judgment" is innovative but fits into the Universe of Hellraiser well. While it is not devoid of flaws, it is an engaging film and one I will certainly watch again as I do the first 3 Hellraiser movies.

The opening of the film is very strong, with an introduction not only to the familiar, but different face of Pinhead (Paul T. Taylor), but also to an intriguing collection of new characters belonging, not to the Order of the Gash, but to the Stygian Inquisition; The charismatic Auditor (played by Tunnicliffe himself), the gruesomely gluttonous Assessor (John Gulager), a group of ageing naked ladies called The Cleaners and three young naked ladies with flayed faces called the Jury. Together, these loathsome creatures are in charge of assessing and condemning souls to hell. We also enjoy the brief presence of Cenobite Chatterer (Mike Jay Regan) and of Heather Langenkamp (of "Nightmare on Elm Street" fame).

The film doesn't precisely tie in to any of the other films, but enjoys a lot of nods to the previous films including, but not limited to, lament configuration/Lemarchand's boxes, the house at 55 Ludovico Place, a soldier past, the pillar from Hellraiser III and a few deliciously nostalgic lines of dialogue.

The new characters feel totally at home in the universe and the overarching murder mystery plot lines ties up nicely into the plot.

Where the film feels weakest are simply its fairly slow pace and a strange deviation near the end that felt a little out of place but was saved by a fun ending sequence. Pinhead is noticeably different, due mostly to simply being portrayed by a different actor. I hope that, given further opportunities, Taylor is allowed some more screen time in which to get his menace on.

The gore is good and in a pretty good abundance and there's enough twists and turns to keep you engaged. It feels a little like "Se7en" mixed in with "Hellraiser". And it was a refreshing change to the same old, same old concepts of the last few Hellraiser sequels.

[image: Dimension Films]

Hani

The Cloverfield Paradox

"The Cloverfield Paradox" (2018, Julius Onah, Paramount Pictures, Bad Robot Productions, Netflix) is a loose sequel in the Cloverfield franchise.

Paradox is a good enough sci-fi romp hindered by trying to force it into the confines of a sequel. Most of the action takes place in space following a crew trying to find a solution to Earth's increasing energy crisis. We follow protagonist and space station engineer, Ava (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). In all, the other crew mate characters are mostly thin in characterisation, with the exception of the charismatic Mundy (Chris O'Dowd) who seems to be able to steal scenes in almost everything he's in anyway.

There's some fairly decent space horror scenes which reflect genre greats including Alien and Event Horizon and a nice amount of jumpy bits as well as some humour.

However, the film suffers from some jolting scene jumps with the story bouncing from Earth to the space station and some of the Cloverfield nods and mentions felt a bit tacked on as if they were intended for a separate movie.

I didn't hate it as much as some, but I felt like it was given somewhat of a disservice and would have benefited as a standalone film.

[Image: Paramount Pictures, et al]

Hani

Victor Crowley

"Victor Crowley" (2017, Adam Green, ArieScope Pictures) follows the plot 10 years on from the events of "Hatchet III" (2013).

A group of people making a horror movie about the events of the previous film and a TV crew accompanied by sole survivor, Andrew (Parry Shen), doing an on-site anniversary talk show all wind up facing off against a newly resurrected Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder) who is hellbent on ending them all.

The Hatchet movies are pretty decent. They strike a good balance of gore, humour and action. They don't take themselves too seriously, and so far Victor Crowley has never tried to rap or launched himself into space.

This latest film manages to continue along the same themes and deliver a solid comedy horror with cheesy banter and plenty of interesting but disposable characters. Released on the sly, it manages to do the impossible; be a decent sequel in a line of already pretty decent sequels.

Campy action worthy of your time!

[Image: ArieScope Pictures]

Hani

Anatomie 2

"Anatomie 2" (2003, Stefan Ruzowitzky, Strand Releasing) is a sequel to, you guessed it, "Anatomie". It's a German language body horror set in a Berlin hospital.

A young neurosurgeon called Jo (Barnaby Metschurat) moves to Berlin to make his big break. Quickly he manages to catch the attention of Dr. Müller-LaRousse (Herbert Knaup). The doctor invites the young man to join his research group, where Jo becomes not only acquainted with other young, inquiring minds, but becomes completely immersed in their licentious research, and therefore equally culpable if their immoral practices are found out.

However, when a fellow group member, who was having an attack of conscience, is found murdered it becomes apparent that the good Dr. may not suffer any dissension in his ranks...

I have admittedly not seen the first movie, but would definitely search it out now that I've seen its sequel. This film was so much fun. It has a strong plot, a good amount of fairly gruesome effects and a good cast of interesting and unusual characters. The film explores the ethics of research and science and the hunger for knowledge.

Jo's character is not only driven by his desire for success, but also for the desire to help his brother who has Muscular Dystrophy, giving the character a more rounded motive. His fellow researchers are all also driven by their own personal motivations. Be it sexual pleasure, vanity or fame.

A really fun film and one of the best random DVD finds I've had recently!

[Image: Strand Releasing]

Hani

Cult of Chucky

"Cult of Chucky" (2017, Don Mancini, Universal 1440 Entertainment) is the seventh Chucky film and a direct sequel to 2013's "Curse of Chucky".


This time we get to meet up with Andy (Alex Vincent) again. He's all grown up and making extremely strange life choices... like living in what looks like Grandpa's house from "The Lost Boys" and keeping the still-animated severed head of his childhood trauma, Chucky (voiced so iconically by Brad Dourif), around for torturing. No wonder he's single, really.


We then catch up with our pal from the last movie, Nica (Fiona Dourif), who wound up taking the blame for all of Chucky's murders in the last film and has found herself incarcerated in a home for the criminally insane. When a new therapy technique with Good Guy dolls is introduced, more Chucky mayhem unfolds as the wisecracking mad-doll begins his usual rampage.


The film has some really good points. Brad Dourif, as usual, being one. He always gleefully takes the role of Chucky on. It's hard not to enjoy it. The doll is also very well animated and looks pretty organic without losing that nice 80s vibe that makes Chucky such a fun franchise. Another good point is, of course, having Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly), around a bit more. She deserves more screen time.


The film has a B-movie feel about it. From the weird, awkward silences, the strange unnatural acting and all round scripting of it, it's pretty apparent that this is on purpose. However, it was maybe too successful and lost some of the atmosphere and more satisfying jumps that were garnered in "Curse of Chucky". Nica's character is also a bit underutilised until past the halfway mark making her feel less like a protagonist and more of a plot device.


There are hidden jokes and nods to both previous entrants of the Chucky franchise and other projects of the cast and crew. It's a pretty self-aware piece, clearly made for fans. The film enjoys taking the already batshit premise and antics of Chucky and not only slabbering them on with gusto, but also adding to the lore and creating a premise for new opportunities for the murderous duo.


It is more cheesy than Curse, less fun than Bride and gives a sprinkling of cartoon-style gore.

[Image: Universal 1440 Entertainment, et al]

Hani

House IV

"House IV" (1992, Lewis Abernathy, New Line Cinema) is the third sequel to 1986's "House"... Kind of. Although it sees the return of lead character, Roger Cobb (William Katt), to the house, it has very little to do with any of the original films, not even the humorously irreverent "House 2". And I know, I know, "House III" is not really a true sequel à la "Halloween 3: Season of the Witch".

Roger Cobb has a new family now. He, his wife, Kelly (Terri Treas), and their daughter, Laurel (Melissa Clayton), have moved into the Cobb house. You know, the house that attacked Roger in the first film?! Genius move, Roger.

Roger's half brother, Burke (Scott Burkholder), is keen to take the house off of Roger's hands in order to sell it to some gangsters for storing toxic waste, but Roger won't sell. It seems that things will change when Roger and his family suffer a horrific car accident. But Burke will have Kelly to deal with, not to mention the spooky inhabitants of the house itself who are unlikely to like Burke's plan.

A straight-to-VHS film that really feels it. Hokey, silly, and chalk-full of tropes (*cough* bathrooms!). The film is neither funny like the second entry, or scary like the first and the plot just keeps hammering the same things (lone mother being haunted/hounded by evil brother-in-law) over and over again until we reach the finale.

Really a bit of a disappointing end to the series.

[Image: New Line Cinema]
Kelly did not order anchovies on her pizza!

Hani

Rings

"Rings" (2017, F. Javier Gutiérrez, Parkes/MacDonald, BenderSpink, Marci/Edelstein, Vertigo Entertainment, Waddieish Claretrap, Paramount Pictures) is the third movie in the American "The Ring" franchise.

Since the happenings of the first two films, Samara (Bonnie Morgan) has taken her haunting ways from the VHS world into the digital world with the help of Gabriel Brown (Johnny Galecki) and his AV club.

This is unfortunate for Julia (Matilda Lutz), who's boyfriend, Holt (Alex Roe), is in the AV Club. In her bid to save him from Samara's gruesome curse, she jumps down the rabbit hole of Samara's past, finding more than she anticipated...

A pretty typical horror sequel with some pretty typical horror sequel pitfalls:

Firstly, retreading old ground - why does every Ring movie have to focus on Samara's origin story? We've established that she will stop at nothing, why can't we just enjoy her brutal, endless pursuit of the curious without having to find her motivation?

Secondly, our ghoulish villainess sees so little screen time. One of the best things about "The Ring" is Samara, just as the best thing about the original Japanese version is Sadako. The unsettling movements she makes, the way she pursues her prey... Her overall aesthetic.... the hair. Both antagonists are the stuff of nightmares, and "Rings" barely makes use of her. Sometimes less is more, but it felt like Samara was barely chasing anyone after the first 30 minutes.

There are good points, too, however. There is one good entrance through a face-down TV, however, that I enjoyed. I like Johnny Galecki's morally questionable lecturer character, and the both Julia and Holt were actually pretty likeable.

Not a terrible film, just a little pointless.

[Image: Vertigo Entertainment, et al]

Hani

The Conjuring 2

"The Conjuring 2" (2016, James Wan, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures) is the sequel to the 2013 film and centres around paranormal hunters, The Warrens, as they try to help the family infamously tormented by the haunting in the Enfield council houses in London.

Set in the 70s,  Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) travel to London to help the Hodgson family who believe that their home is occupied by a malevolent entity, which is probably the previous owner of the house, Mr. Wilkins. The Warrens try to help, but Lorraine is troubled by a vision she had seen at a previous investigation.

The Hodgson children and their mother, Peggy, witness some paranormal occurrences, but there are many sceptics thinking that the sightings are not real. However, the more they learn about this angry spirit, the more they think there is to this crooked man.

It seems I'm in the minority here, but here goes...

James Wan creates really thrilling jump scenes and some really stunning visuals, however, "The Conjuring 2" just does not live up to the same impact that its predecessor had. It felt somewhat samey, due mainly to the similar styling and 'universe' rules which Wan has built around his films. Some of the English accents were also a little too Mary Poppins for my comfort level and make the film seem silly. This in turn made the characters feel a little fake and made me care less about what happened to them.

 It has some nice earmarks of a 70s ghost movie and managed to recreate the era very well, but it never struck that chord that actual 70s horrors do. I felt I knew what was coming and the sidebar plot line felt like it belonged in a separate film.

All in all, it has some successful scenes, but as a full film I didn't feel it held together as well as the original one.

[Image: New Line Cinema, et al]

Hani