Scream Bloody Entertainment

In every mind there is a door that has never been opened.

A casual session of hypnotism gives a man the ability to perceive the world of the afterlife, which he uses in order to investigate the ghostly spirit that is haunting his home.

- well-constructed plot
- genuinely frightening
- effective jump scares
- solid acting all-around
- very well-written
- eerie moments keep things interesting
- Kevin Bacon's impressive performance
- great build-up

- weak second half
- underwhelming reveal
- half-decent conclusion
- a few mild plot holes

- moderate violence and gore
- moderate scares and frightening scenes
- low nudity and sexual themes
- moderate profanity

- ghosts have the strangest ways of asking for help
- mad and loud behaviour will definitely not raise any question in the neighbourhood
- x-ray vision is the new term for psychic abilities

Stir of Echoes is a surprisingly atmospheric and chilling horror thriller that never really got the recognition it deserved at the time of its release, but that doesn't make it any less great. Featuring an incredibly tense build-up thanks to the well-written plot, the effective jump scares and Kevin Bacon's notable performance, the film makes for quite an intense ride, but its final reveal and the cheesy conclusion leave a little to be desired. However, Stir of Echoes remains the type of solid thriller that is hard to come by.

horror meter: 4 hypnotised stars (out of 5)

Real Fear In Real Time

A young woman and her father settle down in an old cottage for a few days while on the job to renew it for an upcoming sale, but strange things start happening around the house during their stay.

- hauntingly chilling score
- non-stop tension and suspense
- the continuous filming dismisses tediousness
- all around effective scares and thrills
- atmospheric and engaging
- the post-credits scene

- weak acting in places
- plot details are too vague
- borrows from other films of the genre
- awful and unneeded twist
- character actions are often cliche

- low violence and gore
- high scares and frightening scenes
- low nudity and sexual themes
- very low profanity

- silent houses aren't nearly as silent as one would think
- maybe it's not such a good idea to spend the night in that creepy cottage
- children's toys are dreadful things
- don't deny a woman her baby

The Silent House is an atmospheric horror film that is more intense and effective than any other in recent memory. Having been supposedly filmed in one long continuous shot, it delivers an engaging experience that never really stops building tension, much of which is due to its lack of cuts and pauses in filming and the incredibly chilling score. However, the film does falter in terms of storytelling, providing too vague of a plot and a downright awful twist towards the end. Despite its shortcomings in the narrative department, The Silent House succeeds when it comes to scares, thrills, and pure atmosphere, which in the end is exactly what a horror movie should be about in the first place.

horror meter: 4 noisy stars (out of 5)

I’ve got my final high school exams coming up in a few weeks, so I’m not sure how much time I’ll be able to dedicate to the blog during this following period of time. I’ll do my best to maintain a notable presence, though.

Wednesday

The Prestige (2006) - 9/10
I first saw The Prestige back when it hit DVD shelves, and I remember the film’s intricate plot and final reveal leaving me in total awe at the time. My recent escalating obsession with director Christopher Nolan’s work, which all started with last year’s viewing of the masterful Inception, has led me to revisit The Prestige. I’m glad I got the chance to re-watch this film, because it’s one of my favourites of the year 2006, and without a doubt one of the greatest movies revolving around magic ever conceived. It is quite a magical experience in all aspects, a picture marked by outstanding cinematography and visual style, top-notch acting from the cast and a storyline beautifully constructed and put together. It is amazing how many twists and turns Nolan was able to incorporate in the plot without making it feel too heavy-handed or excessive. They seem to come at just about the right amount of intervals, hitting the viewer exactly at the required time. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale were terrific in the leading roles, often supported by the always wonderful Michael Caine. The Prestige is a film of utmost excellence and I advise everyone to check it out.

Friday

Dark Water (2002) - 6/10
I was really looking forward to checking out the original Dark Water as I still remember seeing the American remake when I was younger and being genuinely frightened by it. Since I expected the Japanese version would be significantly better, I was sure to be in for a good ride. Unfortunately, I ended up being really let down by Dark Water, and it definitely did not compare to most other well-known Asian horror films, turning out to be nothing more than a mediocre experience with some notable moments here and there. Hailed as one of the Japanese horror greats, Dark Water may leave some viewers underwhelmed. It definitely boasts a chilling atmosphere and some frightening moments, but overall, it's far from the great horror ride that some make it out to be. Some of the film's biggest problems arise from the tediously slow pace, the sparse amount of thrills and the excessive amount of character focus. However, the movie does end on quite an impressive note, delivering a heartbreaking and thought-provoking conclusion to its story. All in all, Dark Water is certainly not a waste of time, but it’s not a particularly good horror film either.

“You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” – George Burns

With the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy having come to an end, it seems that Walt Disney is not yet ready to let go of the rum, thus making way for a fourth instalment in the franchise. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is its name, both its title and plot inspired by Tim Powers’ 1987 fantasy novel of the same name. However, there are a few noteworthy changes in this newest episode that sets it apart from all the other films in the series. First of all, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, the lovebirds that served as the main characters in the concluded trilogy are now gone. The newly established storyline also has little to do with the one in the other films of the series, spare for a few recurring characters.

With the previous instalments’ lead actors Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley out of the picture, it is now up to Johnny Depp as the beloved Jack Sparrow to carry Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides as the film’s protagonist. Things start off with a few introductory action sequences constituting the recently detained Jack Sparrow’s intricate escape from the hands of authority, followed by a fair bit of exposition and yet another brief cameo appearance from Keith Richards, as per the preceding chapter’s originating custom. After all is said and done, we have our beloved Captain Jack teaming up—much against his will—with the feisty Angelica, a former flame of his, and her apparent father, the notorious pirate Blackbeard, to set sail in search for the legendary Fountain of Youth.


However, on the chase for the waters said to restore youth are also the British Navy, led by a Captain Barbossa newly gone straight, and the nosy Spaniards. This is where Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides commits a great fault: its plot is too complex for its own good, often deviating from the mean line of course and ending up dividing its time in order to develop several small subplots. That may have worked well had the movie been smart about it, but in this case it just seems to complicate matters for the sake of complicating matters, which doesn’t really make any sense because the films of this franchise have never been about elaborate plotlines, except maybe for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, and it didn’t serve that one well, either.

Of course, in order to benefit from the Fountain’s powers, one must perform a ritual involving two silver chalices, a mermaid’s tear, and whatever else can be found to extend the film’s running time to a respectable amount when in comparison with the rest of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Director Rob Marshall (famous for Memoirs of a Geisha and the musicals Chicago and Nine), on board with the series for the first time, may or may not be among the ones to blame for some of the film’s shortcomings. Certain is, though, that the departure of Gore Verbinski, director of the series’ previous instalments, has left a void that Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides failed to cover completely.


What makes Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides walk the plank, though? The script is arguably the greatest contributing factor in that respect, turning out to be inexcusably weak for a film of this calibre. The plot is muddled and unnecessarily convoluted, the characters fail to make an impression comparable to that of the earlier movies, the humour is often forced—nearing excess—and seldom does it invoke any real laughs, and the journey is ultimately less greater in scope than the anterior adventures.

The Pirates of the Caribbean films have never taken things too seriously, always opting for a more easy-going attitude that is characteristic of many other Walt Disney productions, but Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has definitely taken things a little too far. It’s less serious than the other films in the series—if that were even possible—and the amount of gravity around the story has also been reduced by a few notches. Much of this is due to the lack of any real protagonist and a grossly decreased number of ‘good guys.’ The character of Jack Sparrow, who has served as the series’ main attraction ever since its inception, doesn’t really work in the main role mostly because his intentions never tend towards being of an intentionally good nature—thus limiting his capabilities in the role of the protagonist—and also because he is the one providing comic relief in most scenes.


The deficiency of chiefly positive characters is also a significant reason why the film fails to be as engaging as it should. During most of the battles and action scenes, there really isn’t anyone to root for (except maybe Jack Sparrow, but he rarely faces any sort danger whatsoever), what with most of the characters acting either as villains, anti-heroes or being of the more self-centred variety. This creates a large gap in the story and ultimately impairs Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides when it comes to its cinematic power.

By this point, claims of Johnny Depp’s act getting old will certainly arise. The truth is that his performance as the crafty and eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow is as good here as it ever was. The problem lies with the character itself, who, paired with the lazy writing plaguing this sequel and the sudden evolution from scene-stealing side character to full-fledged protagonist, is slowly (but surely, if things go on like this)nearing a point where he’s turned into a caricature of himself. Same goes for Barbossa (played wonderfully by Geoffrey Rush yet again), minus Jack’s character change.


The two biggest additions to the cast are Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane playing Angelica and Blackbeard respectively. Angelica serves as an obvious romantic interest for Jack Sparrow, though their relationship doesn’t really advance beyond a few suggestive looks and a couple of heated lines of dialogue. Penelope Cruz seemed to done a decent enough job, though there was never room for any real development from her part, seeing as how Angelica stood in the shadow of her father for the most part of the film. Ian McShane’s performance was subtle and menacing, though his character not so much. As a villain, Blackbeard is neither as immoral as Barbossa, nor does he pose as much of a threat as Davy Jones did. He mostly just lurks around, committing a few petty acts of evil here and there, but not nearly enough to justify his stance as the main antagonist in the film.

For a $200 million budget movie (more or less) taking place on some of the most exotic places on Earth and dealing with swashbuckling tales of piracy and adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides offers surprisingly few eye-popping moments, and the 3D doesn’t help much either. In terms of filmmaking, it seems as though the process has become quite tedious on all fronts: there’s less piracy to be had in this one, the action scenes aren’t as exciting anymore and the characters aren’t as magical as they once were. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides may be disguised by high production values, but beneath the surface it’s undoubtedly a waste of talent and effort. Some will be fooled, others not so much. As a sequel and supposed first piece of a new trilogy, it’s also a fine example of not knowing when to stop.

The war is eternal. His mission is just the beginning.

In a future world ravaged by the war between humans and vampires, a warrior priest disobeys the code of conduct in order to hunt down the vampires who kidnapped his niece.

- remarkable futuristic look
- entertaining all the way
- interesting blend between horror, sci-fi and western
- awesome action scenes
- noteworthy score
- the animated intro
- doesn't take itself too seriously

- dubious acting
- cheesy dialogue
- cliche-ridden to the core
- Karl Urban's talent is underplayed
- annoying side characters

- moderate violence and gore
- moderate scares and frightening scenes
- very low nudity and sexual themes
- low profanity

- religion can be pretty badass
- being infected turns you into a goth
- why use guns when you have awesome crucifix-like knives and sharp crosses
- in the post-apocalypse, Asians become Christian priests
- vampires have successfully mastered the 'zerg rush' technique

As a whole, Priest fails to evolve past the standard popcorn fare mostly due to its mediocre script, the large amount of cliches plaguing storyline and the lack of any real character development. However, the film does boast some sleek visuals and quite an interesting post-apocalyptic look, which paired with a bunch of surprisingly well-done action scenes make for a very enjoyable ride. Despite a decent enough performance, Paul Bettany fails to stand out in the leading role, and Karl Urban's talent is also wasted on a one-dimensional villain with not enough screen time, but that matters little since most of the film is focused on bringing out its action and horror elements. It does incorporate a somewhat noteworthy blend of action, horror, sci-fi and western, ultimately delivering a fun hour and a half at the movies that is well worth the price of admission if you know what you're going in for.

horror meter: 3 clerical stars (out of 5)

I’m really late on these last episodes of the Weekly Updates at the moment, but I’m trying to get back on track as quickly as possible, trust me. For now, check out these three films that I hold real close to my heart.

Wednesday

Gone Baby Gone (2007) - 8/10
Ever since its release a few years ago, I kept seeing bits and pieces of Gone Baby Gone on television every now and then, which kind of made me understand the film to some degree before actually seeing it in its entirety. After watching Ben Affleck’s second directorial effort, entitled The Town, I really wanted to check out Gone Baby Gone as fast as possible, considering how impressed I was with his directing skills. All in all, Gone Baby Gone did not disappoint one bit, and I’m still not sure which of these two films I enjoyed more. I’ve got nothing against Ben Affleck taking up the leading role in his movies, though I have to say that I found his absence and Casey Affleck taking up the part a nice change of pace. The performances were all-around terrific in this Boston-based thriller, especially those of Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman and Amy Ryan. The plot was well-constructed and thoroughly engaging, and I loved the thought-provoking conclusion that the film came to. I highly recommend both Gone Baby Gone and The Town to those who have not seen these Ben Affleck directed movies yet, as they are definitely worth checking out.

Thursday

Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010) - 7/10
Tucker & Dale vs Evil is without a doubt the most pleasant surprise of the year in terms of low budget horror. I have no idea how I stumbled upon this wondrous gem, but it turned out to be one of the most fun, entertaining and downright hilarious horror flicks I’ve seen in quite a while. Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk star in the leading roles as a bunch of clueless hillbillies who find themselves attacked by a group of teenagers due to a terribly funny misunderstanding. Tucker & Dale vs Evil puts a new spin on slasher horror and adds a wonderfully enjoyable sense of humour to the mix, ultimately creating a movie that manages to retain all the elements of an old school horror ride while also remaining smart and genuinely funny. The storyline is well put together and, even though it commits a few blunders here and there, it’s all in all quite impressive. Lead actors Labine and Tudyk are fantastic in their roles, delivering fittingly humourous and goofy performances. The rest of the cast isn’t as noteworthy, though, but everyone does a decent enough job so as not to distract from the film. It’s too bad Tucker & Dale vs Evil didn’t get the amount of buzz it deserved, but if you can somehow get your hands on this obscure little gem, by all means do so.

Friday

Identity (2003) - 8/10
Identity was one of the first films that really scared me when I was younger, and the film ended up staying with me to some degree ever since. I recently came across it and felt like a re-watch would be a good idea, considering that I had forgotten much about the film over the years. Thankfully, Identity turned out to be just as good as I remembered it to be, and a second viewing definitely freshened my outlook on the film quite a lot. The cast of the movie is quite remarkable, with actors such as John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes and Alfred Molina delivering solid performances. I know that the storyline can be quite flawed at times, which will undoubtedly turn a few viewers off with its indecisive nature and the presence of plot holes, but I honestly love the plot just the way it is. Maybe that’s because the film left a mark on me when I was younger, but I really did not mind the couple of mistakes the script made along the way at all. The twist ending, of course, is probably one of the most memorable moments in Identity, and even though some may end up predicting it correctly, I think that it’s executed in a very impressive manner. Overall, Identity is a great and thoroughly entertaining thriller and I fully recommend it, as it’s sure to make for a chilling good time.

Refined storytelling, outstanding character development and a perfect blend between drama, adventure and clever comedy are but a few of the qualities that make Avatar: The Last Airbender one of the greatest animated series of all time.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is widely regarded as the best thing that ever happened to the American kids’ television network Nickelodeon, and also as one of the most notable animated shows to come out of the States in television history. There are a myriad of things that helped this show draw the amount of viewers that it did, and it’s highly probable that you may have heard a thing or two about the series by now—especially considering the recent M. Night Shyamalan directed live-action adaptation of the first season—but if you’re still unsure on whether you should find out what all the fuss is about or not, I suggest you stick around and read what I have to say about Nickelodeon’s powerhouse.

If you were hoping for a different take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, or even an essay leaning towards a more negative side, I’m afraid you’re not going to get that here. The honest truth is that Avatar: The Last Airbender is just about as good as everyone makes it out to be. Of course, it is not exactly perfect either, and there are definitely a few episodes that lack the scope, storytelling and emotional power of others, but there’s little to complain about when taking into account the big picture and what the series has to offer in return.

The writing is without a doubt Avatar: The Last Airbender’s strongest suit, with co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko managing to create a fantastical world that is rich in detail and design and filled with well-shaped, interesting characters. By the final few episodes of the last season, you’ll have established an intimate and deep connection with each of the main characters, which ultimately is the greatest contributing factor in making the show as engaging as it is.

The art and animation is solid and consistent, providing the series with a fitting look, giving each of the characters distinctive look and a unique appearance, and making the action scenes prevailing throughout the show thrilling and thoroughly entertaining. Speaking of action scenes, there are plenty to be had in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and it is often astonishing how different and inventive each of the battles are.

Throughout its three seasons, Avatar: The Last Airbender changes a little in terms of storytelling, with its simplistic and straightforward episode layout during the first season becoming more and more storyline driven towards the end of the second season and forward. In other words, the show tends to focus more on standalone episodes at first, but it later progresses towards interconnected content later on. As someone who is not a big fan of series built around standalone episodes, I wasn’t too excited about this show in the beginning, but I definitely became more and more engaged in it as it went along, ultimately arriving at a point where my body was aching for the next episode.

There’s not much I can say about Avatar: The Last Airbender that hasn’t been said already and I’m sure you’ll find plenty of other reviews filled with compliments and kind words about this amazing show. I couldn’t recommend it more, and I’m sure that every viewer will find something to like here, regardless of age. Avatar: The Last Airbender is a kid’s show, no doubt, but I can guarantee that older audiences will be just as engaged in it and invested in the characters. Therefore, I suggest you check out Avatar: The Last Airbender, no matter who you are. What’s that, you saw it already Watch it again, for cryin’ out loud!

Also, if you’re planning on seeing the live-action adaptation known as The Last Airbender, I beg you to read my review first, which will hopefully change your mind. Find it here.