Oculus (Halloween Special!)

Oculus is a strange case of horror genre idiocy, with the knowledge of how to destroy the monster (in this case an ancient, demonic mirror which controls people through illusions; causing them to perform unspeakable acts against themselves and their family) being researched, understood and set-up by our protagonists.  The only problem is the characters fail to follow their own plan; defying all common sense until it’s too late.  Video surveillance reveals reality under the mirror’s illusions; yet while they set up several recorders and own phones capable of filming, both protagonists rely on their eyes (which has been proven to fail) while rarely utilizing the cameras.  They know the mirror can absorb life from dogs and plants to increase its power, yet go right ahead with setting plenty of plants AND a dog around its range; granted it’s so they can prove the mirror’s power (which was able to frame their dad for murder), yet wouldn't that be similar to proving Freddy Krueger’s existence…by spreading terrifying rumors he’ll kill you if you believe in him?  These cases of forgetful stupidity make the mirror’s victory seem hollow and unsatisfying, not to mention bleak with all the misery it puts our protagonists through, yet never getting equal retribution. 

Annabelle (Film Review)

If The Conjuring is an effective homage to The Exorcist (among other horror films), then Annabelle is one to Rosemary’s Baby; incorporating old-school eeriness, a 1960s setting (half of which takes place in a city apartment) and suspiciously comparable characters.  Similar to its prequel, Annabelle avoids being a rehashed clone by including different features, such as supernatural jump scares and an affirmative portrayal of religion (both of which Rosemary’s Baby lacks).  Yet while The Exorcist remains superior to The Conjuring (my favorite horror film of 2013), Annabelle succeeds in being on par with its tributed film.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Film Review)

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day looked your standard “comedy” cash in; the kind 2^nd graders die to see and parents dread to take.  I enjoy the book version of Alexander, about a boy who takes Murphy’s Law to the extreme.  While fun on paper, I cringed at the idea of taking a five minute read and turning into a 90 minute experience where nothing but terrible stuff befalls upon an 11 year old (it’d be the kid-friendly version of Calvary).  At least that’s what I thought until its trailer’s second half, where the film deviates immensely from its source material; having a twist which caught my interest.  The twist (which I hardly consider a spoiler since the trailers lived off of showing it) is after having his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, Alexander makes a birthday wish for his family (who have been experiencing ideal days) to experience his pain.  Cue the next day where Alex’s day goes terrifically well, while his family’s gone to Hell; hilarity ensues…no seriously it does! 

Frank (Quick Review)

Frank is a bizarre film, bizarre yet very effective.  It’s hilarious, unpredictable, emotionally effective, unexpectedly touching, and refreshing in style.  The cast deliver great performances, in particular Domhnall Gleeson as the protagonist Jon and Michael Fassbender as Frank.  If I hadn't known Frank’s identity before viewing, it would have remained a mystery since Fassbender wears a concealing paper- mâché head until the very end.  It’s such a strange choice in style, yet is what allows the film to work so effectively.  The mysterious nature of Frank sets the film’s course; guiding plot and characters while concealing emotionally effective revelations under the misdirection of its comedy. 

Dracula Untold (Quick Review)

Sometimes there are certain films viewers watch not for plot or any story-like structure, but instead for the promise of an epic feature (possibly features) that guarantees to knock their socks off!  These films are usually popcorn films, with the grand feature being a combination of unique action/horror/comedy sequences plus notable character(s).  Jaws had its title killer shark, Taken made Liam Neeson an intimidating ass-kicking machine, The Avengers united multiple superheroes from different films, and Dracula Untold has the Vampire Legend fighting an army…by turning thousands of bats into a giant fist!  Occasionally these films end up far superior than initially expected (i.e. Jaws and The Avengers), other times they fulfill their promised feature (Taken’s plot may be sub-standard, but Liam Neeson certainly kicks ass); yet the majority of times these films either fail to live up to their hype, or fail in general (i.e. Hercules, All the Transformers, The Hangover Sequels, The Purge, Taken 2, Iron Man 2, Movie 43, Pacific Rim, Most Children-Aimed Comedies of the 90s, etc…).  Take the newest Godzilla film for example; it had two prominent aspects (Bryan Cranston & the big guy himself) yet to many viewers dismay, one dies fairly early in the film, while the other gets around 5 minutes of screen time.  Despite finding other enjoyable elements to Godzilla, I can understand the disappointment people felt from being misguided by its trailers; I’m surprisingly pleased to write however, that Dracula Untold lives up to its asinine yet awesome trailer. 

The Solo Network? aka The Social Network Review (Film Analysis/Minority Opinion)

“You Don’t Get To 500 Million Friends Without Making A Few Enemies.”  This was the slogan for David Fincher's 2010 drama The Social Network.  The film tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg as he creates the now multi-billion dollar website known as Facebook.  The story switches between flashbacks and the present, showing how through the creation of Facebook Mark ultimately loses what his website is most known for, friends…or does it!?  I've seen The Social Network a total of three times (in theaters, on DVD, and in a classroom) and I doubt I’ll watch it again.  Admittedly I enjoyed my first viewing, yet only to a certain degree; after seeing its mass amount of critical acclaim (on Rotten Tomatoes, its Top Critics average surpasses that of Citizen Kane) I became self-conscious and convinced myself I hadn't “fully grasped” what made it so great. 

Gone Girl (Film Review)

If Gone Girl was a road, it’d be full of twists and sudden turns.  Not too surprising, considering its director David Fincher, whose strong forte is surprising viewers with out of the blue events.  Instead of one big twist however, it’s a bunch of smaller ones constantly changing up the film’s direction, along with its audience’s reaction to characters.  The plot isn't simple to explain, since it changes every 20 minutes or so; the gist of Gone Girl consists of husband Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) and wife Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike), who has mysteriously gone missing on their fifth year anniversary.  Nick calls the police along with detective Boney (Kim Dickens), who are instantly suspicious of Nick and his nonchalant attitude towards his wife’s disappearance.  Nick’s sent away from the crime scene to live with his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon) while public opinion begins to develop against his innocence.  The media begins cashing in on the public’s attitude, even suggesting Nick hire defense attorney Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry), infamous for his specializing in defending accused wife murders.  Yet all the pieces don’t add up, and soon Gone Girl switches up its plot course…again and again and again…which is why I end this paragraph with MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

A Walk Among the Tombstones (Film Review)

A Walk Among the Tombstones is best defined as a darker, two-part episode of Criminal Minds.  The film shares a lot in common with the show; similar morals, story structure, characters and even considerable screen time towards its monster criminals (breaking down their twisted mindsets).  Though if A Walk Among the Tombstones is similar to Criminal Minds, then it’s comparable to one of its better episodes; particularly towards the last third where things really pick up and Liam Neeson truly shines.