THE POSSESSION REVIEW

  People have different kinds of Sunday rituals like going to church, or watching football. There are also those who like to drive around the neighborhood looking for garage sales. They might be searching for something specific, such as clothing, or books. Maybe they get lucky and find hidden treasure. And then there are those who unfortunately find boxes that end up containing something purely evil.

  Recently divorced, Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and Stephanie (Kyra Sedgewick) are sharing custody of their two young daughters, Em (Natasha Calis) and Hannah (Madison Davenport). It’s Clyde’s turn to have the girls, and he surprises the girls by taking them to a new home he has just purchased. The girls realize this about ends any hope of their parents getting back together. The next day they head out, and Em tells her dad to stop at a garage sale to pick up some stuff for the new home. Em stubbles upon an unusual box with no clue what lies in store for her. Soon enough Em starts acting strangely. Dad thinks it’s because of the divorce, but it’s something far worse than that.

  Lets start off by saying “The Possession” is better than another exorcism movie “The Devil Inside,” which premiered earlier this year. Two big reasons this movie is better are it provides better attempts to freak out the audience, and it keeps the story moving. In some exorcism movies, a lot of the focus on the possessed person is making them bend and twist in unnatural ways. While there is some of that in this movie, they add a sense that the spirit is physically in Em at times, and is trying to get out. They do an especially good job manipulating Em’s face, and eyes in certain scenes.

  There are two scenes that particularly stand out. Audiences might have caught a glimpse of the first one in the trailers, as they see Em stand in front of her bathroom mirror. Obviously something freaky is going to happen, and it does. What helps this scene work is how they set it up with another scene prior to it. It kind of gives the audience a certain expectation, but something a little different comes up. The other scene is when Stephanie takes Em to the hospital, and doctors decide to do an MRI on her. MRI’s are scary enough without adding a young possessed girl. This scene is a good example of the intensity they create as they lead the audience into the scare.

  As previously mentioned, this story moves right along. It starts off with a bang, and then audiences get a brief look at where this family is at the present time. Once Em gets the box, it becomes a series of set ups for scares without much wasted dialogue. While it’s set at a good pace, there might be one or two places that need a little more explaining. Maybe those scenes were edited, but it almost seems like the audience misses something. There are also some small details they ignore, such as when the mother hurts her feet but apparently is a quick healer. The ending might be predictable, but it shouldn’t leave the same sour taste in your mouth as “The Devil Inside” does.

  The acting isn’t terrible, but there are some scenes that feel like they didn’t quite nail it. For example, there is a scene where Clyde pleads to these priests to help him save his daughter. Jeffrey is trying to be as emotional as he can, but that is the problem. The audience can see him trying instead of it being more natural. Kyra is all right, but it’s hard to judge her because more of the focus is on Jeffrey’s character. Natasha does well with her expressions, and becomes a scary enough little girl. They don’t really overwhelm her with a lot of lines to master.

  For those who like to buy weird stuff at garage sales, “The Possession” might make you think twice about it. It might not scare audiences out of their seats, but it does have a fair share of freaky scenes. While the story moves along quickly, it does overlook some small details, and may even need a bit more explanation. No one steals the show, but the acting is good enough. If anything, it proves to be a better exorcism movie than “The Devil Inside,” so I give it 2.5 pools of blood.

  HorrO

PARANORMAN REVIEW

  It's not often that audiences get a kids horror movie. Of course I use the term "horror" loosely. There are ghosts, zombies, a witch, and a curse, but there isn't any blood and guts, or masked killers. There is death, but more from age than someone being chopped up. So what exactly does ParaNorman offer?

  Norman is a young boy unlike any other in his town, as he has the ability to talk to ghosts. His family isn’t too fond of this, particularly his father. Neither are the kids in school with the exception of a boy named Neil. Just as the pair become friends, Norman gets a surprise visit from his uncle. He lets Norman in on a family secret, a secret that puts Norman in position to save the town.

  As previously mentioned, there is horror, but obviously nothing hardcore. The elements of horror drive the story, and provide some comic relief. First come the ghosts, which Norman sees including his grandmother. In an early scene, the audience sees Norman saying hello to many of the town's ghosts on his way to school. Unfortunately, after that Norman doesn't see many ghosts. So how is it he sees all of them at early on, but all the ghosts disappear later on?

  When the ghosts vanish out come the zombies. No, it isn't the zombie apocalypse or anything like that. There are only about 7, or 8 of them, but they make their mark on the movie. It is good to see zombies that kids could laugh at because they certainly aren’t like the ones on The Walking Dead. These zombies aren't after brains, but too bad the townspeople don't know that. In one of the best scenes, the townspeople form a mob, and try to put an end to the zombies. The zombies are actually the more rational ones while the normal people go crazy.

  While the zombies certainly drive this movie from a horror standpoint, let me talk about Norman and his friends. Norman is an interesting kid, as he might even remind some horror fans of themselves when they were little. If not, he will make you jealous that you never got a room like him. Yes, I was jealous! Besides his room, the only other thing that really stands out about him is his hair. He does over come some obstacles, but isn’t totally a character that audiences will fall head over heals for because of he has more of a quiet personality.

  Audiences might be drawn more to some of his friends. He gets help from a pair of brothers, Neil and the older Mitch, that couldn’t be much more different. Neil is the overweight talkative kid, and Mitch is the more like a dumb jock. Like Norman, Neil is also singled out in school, but because he’s overweight. They definitely send a good message to kids in the way Neil deals with what the other kids think of him.

  Norman gets help from his sister Courtney. She doesn't want to help, but at least takes her responsibility to watch Norman seriously. It doesn’t hurt that she happens to like Mitch, as she’s a boy crazed teen girl. Norman also gets help from an unexpected character, which I'll let you see for yourself.

  The film itself looks good, especially in 3D. It starts off really bright, but once the zombies rise the darkness takes over. The voices of the characters seem to fit, especially John Goodman who does the voice of Norman's uncle. While it’s a fun adventure, there just seems to be something lacking. Maybe it needs to be a little funnier, something more to the storyline, or just Norman.

  If you are looking to introduce your kids to some elements of horror than ParaNorman might be a good place to start. Ghosts, zombies, and a witch make themselves known, but nothing that will give your kids nightmares. They are sure to find a character to relate to, or just laugh at. Kids might enjoy the movie from start to finish, but others might find there is just something missing to put it over the top. With that said, I give it 3.5 pools of blood.

  HorrO

My Thoughts on True Blood Season 5 Episode 12

  OMG! I can't believe they killed the King... Again! True Blood has killed off two of my favorite characters. I don't think any show has ever done that to me. I don't know if I can go on writing. Oh who am I kidding, you can clearly see I've written more. Still I'm not happy about this turn of events. So here are the rest of my thoughts on the season finale, "Save Yourself."

  Let me describe this episode with two words: Absolute insanity! No way did I think they would start off by killing the King. He was having such a good time getting blasted by fairies. At least he got to go out eating a fairy. I guess I can be happy that Eric finally got his revenge. Is it too early for a moment of silence for the King?

  Speaking of insanity, Jason woke up a little on the other side of the tracks. Very interesting how he could see his parents. Boy are they upset a vampire killed them. They probably didn’t know Sookie was promised to Warlow either. Hey, we didn’t get to see him in this episode. One of next season’s storyline’s I see. Jason should have asked his parents about him while he could still see them.

  Don’t you hate when breakfast just flies away from you. I’m glad to see that vampires have just as hard of a time catching them as I do. That was hilarious watching Bill jump around the room after Sam. I tell you, Sam always knows the best thing to shift into.

  Favorite line of the night time! Yes, they didn’t make it easy again with all the insanity going on. Since this was the finale, I think I’ll pick two. Both occurred in the same scene where Eric, Nora, and Tara enter Sookie’s, I mean Eric’s house. The first line is when Jason and Eric call each other names: “Fanger…Yes blood back…leach…breather…dead fuck…meat sack!” Then Jason followed that up with “If I want to be a fool then I will be a fool.”

  Look who’s the big man now. Alcide…packmaster! About time. Too bad he still had to cheat. Good old dad was hiding the good stuff. Never liked JD, but it was cool how he had that vampire hanging there for them to drink blood. They made it just too easy for Alcide to win. Besides the hanging vamp, that scene was weak. Too much moral high ground stuff after he killed JD.

  Fly vision! Leave it to True Blood to bust that out. Sam has been an absolute star this season. First taking out the Obamas, and now finding his way into the Authority headquarters. That was a good plan to escape. So good I didn’t catch it at first. That secretary might not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but she noticed the lack of an accent from the Rev. Luna will never have a career as a new anchor. When the chancellor took her to make the speech I was wondering how they would get out of that mess. Apparently you get out of a mess by making a mess. Like Lafayette said, “I did not see that shit coming!” What Sam did was beyond awesome!

  Could someone please tell Sook and Jason to stop arguing over the vamps? It’s really boring me to death. Can someone bring me some pepper to keep me from passing out? Those fairies are so freaking weird. Everyone in that scene was weird. What is in Lafayette’s drinks, and when can I get one? Holly took the news better than I thought. I guess she didn’t have much of a choice once the alien’s light broke. So funny! Poor Andy wasn’t laughing when he got left with four children. But there is a bright side, only two have to survive. So much for that war!

  Let the blood bath begin! Rambo, I mean Jason, went nuts just shooting down vamps left and right. He even shot a pool of blood. Way to make daddy proud. Then Eric and Nora got into it with an aerial assault. I just loved all of the blood splatter in this episode. Makes up for the lack of a war, but lets not get into that. Holy shit! I would never have thought I would be seeing Pam and Tara kiss. I would have expected Pam to be kissing Eric, but they surprisingly barely said hello. And poor Jess, Jason really left her hanging.

  Oh Salome. You should have never trusted Bill. I was shocked when he said she was the chosen one, but knew he was up to something. If someone would have just poured that bottle of blood down the sink. Sookie should have just blasted him. And why did Eric just stand there? He was so good until that point. I was totally shocked when Bill exploded. I couldn’t believe True Blood had just killed off a major character. Love the King and he’s a fan favorite, but he's just short of being a major character. Then they proved they couldn’t do it. Praise Billith!

  Well, this was an interesting season. Obviously some people liked it, while others didn’t. I have to say I enjoyed it. It was different not having a new supernatural creature introduced, and it really focused on vamps. We got to see more into the importance of makers. They played off of that well with a vampire God. Some characters really were stars like Sam, Jessica, and Jason, while others faded away like Hoyt, Alcide, and Lafayette. There was no war, no shock there, but at least it end with a good blood bath.

  Now some predictions for next season. What… a bonus scene? Meanwhile back at the Authority. Since when is there a bonus scene? Jason acting a little crazy again. Wow, I thought he was going to do something stupid for a second. What do you know about Warlow huh? That’s what I thought. We couldn’t forget about him in the season finale.

  So can I get to my predictions, or is there something else. No…ok good. Well this is hard since several characters left off doing nothing. I guess what happens next for characters like Arlene, Terry, and Lafayette is anyone’s guess. Anyone think Hoyt returns… nah? How about the Rev? Looks like he ran for his life. I look forward to watching Andy handle four girls. They will be adults by the end of season 6. The question is will Holly help him out… maybe. Sam will take over sheriff duties when Andy takes some time off to be with the girls. That is if Luna isn’t too sick. Sam might end up raising a little wolf. Speaking of wolves, Alcide will run a boring pack. Wolves will be even less important next season.

  Pam and Tara going on a date. Hopefully they will now cause the chaos I thought they would this season. Jess won’t be dating, especially Jason. I feel bad for her after a really good season for her. Nora and Jason will become best friends. I really wonder what she knows about Warlow. He will definitely make an appearance. Looks like the door is open for Eric to be with Sookie again. She might need him to fight off Warlow if Jason can’t handle him. And Billith! No prediction there. I have no clue what they are going to do with that.

  With all of that said, I have had a blast writing about True Blood for another season. Hopefully, I can do it again next season. I leave you the bonus scene in case you missed it, and the theme song one last time!

  HorrO

My Thoughts on True Blood Season 5 Episode 11

  Oh pick me! Pick me! Over here... Pick me! I want to be the chosen one! Yes, I know I'm not a vampire, but maybe Lilith can over look that. Praise Lilith! So while we wait to see who Lilith picks, here are my thoughts on episode 11, "Sunset."

  This was definitely my kind of episode, as it had plenty of action, blood, and lots of important moments for many of the characters. Starting off with Bill, I thought he was going to jump at the chance to be the chosen one. I couldn't believe it when he walked away. It was probably the only thing he did that I liked. No, I also liked when he killed the other chancellor, but that was it.

  Nora, Nora, Nora, you were almost the last one I would have expected to change sides. The change, and sex scene did seem a little too random and sudden to me. I think that switch needed a little more explaining than they showed. I'm glad Superman, I mean Eric, was faking it like I hoped, but Nora switched too fast. The power of Godric!

  Oops! Sorry Lilith! Jessica contributed to some depressing moments last week, but she was a star in this episode. Glad to see she has more faith in Jason than Bill. I was shocked at the thought of Jason being a vamp. I'm glad they didn't go through with it. Instead of the wall saying "Vampires Suck," it should have said, "Bill's security team sucks." Providing plenty of bloody moments!

  From one badass lady vamp to two more, Pam and Tara. Good move by Jess to go see Pam, as there aren’t too many familiar faces left to turn to. If anything, Jess deserved to be slapped for not staying hidden. I was wondering how that sheriff got his job. It’s always good to know people in high places. Too bad Pam couldn't rip that chancellor apart. At first I thought Pam was taking the fall for Tara, but she also went in looking for Eric. Boy she’s going to be surprised he's not there. At least she found Bill’s breakfast in one of the funniest moments of the night.

  Vanilla Ice for or against? So the government knows what the vamps are up to. Figures, they probably know what the aliens are up to as well. You know I thought the government was going to play a bigger role in how things turned out. Then a quick flip of the wrist by Eric and that was the end of that. Eric really screwed them cause they can’t glamour everyone, not that Eric is going to anyway. I thought it was pretty awesome when the general mentioned how humans own the day. Really, it’s weird to think who wins might be determined by the time of day.

  Congratulation is in order. Andy is going to be a father, who knew? Certainly not him. I initially thought that scene with Holly and her boys was a waste of time, but now I see where that is going. I didn’t even notice the pregnant fairy was the one that was with Andy. There are too many fairies to keep track of. Wow, fairies take commitment seriously. An act of war if he doesn’t except his fairy child? Crazy! And there is no way Arlene is going to be able to hide this from Holly. Wonder if the child will be for or against Lady Gaga?

  The following segment is brought to you by Campbell’s Vegetable Beef Soup, the official soup of wolves! Good to see you Alcide, it’s been what two weeks? They didn’t take long to say why his dad got kicked out of the pack. I thought that was a weak reason, and I’m not even sure I care. It was much cooler seeing Al take on those baby vamps. And what’s up with baby vamps anyway? Didn’t I unfortunately see that already in one of those Twilight movies? Praise Lilith, only one Twilight movie left! Back to a show with real vampires, that was a nice shot by Al’s dad, especially since he’s been drinking all day. Those baby vamps could've had a job on Bill’s security team.

    How am I suppose to impress Carrie, I mean Lilith, if I can’t even pick a favorite line of the night? This episode was so serious; it was hard find any great lines. I guess last week was hard as well. That isn’t sounding great for next week, but let me focus on this episode. I did like when Andy mentioned he prefers his own species, but by default I think I will give the award to Pam. In typical Pam fashion she said, “Maybe later we can braid each other's hair, and talk about boys.” You know, I might just pay to see a scene of them doing that! Maybe they can even tell me if they are for or against Axl Rose.

  What a crazy fairy? She was making me dizzy dancing all around. Shouldn’t your elders be a little calmer? Apparently there is a lot more to the story of the Stackhouse’s and Warlow, but Jason just had to interrupt. Looks like that is going to be a storyline that will continue into season 6. I wonder if she was for or against dying?

  What? Lilith officially rejects me as the chosen one. You mean Salome can be the chosen one and I can’t. Screw Lilith then, praise the King. I was on his side all along anyway. How awesome was he at the end? Jason and the fairies thought they tricked him. I was curious why Jason was waiting outside the house for them instead of inside. Too bad the King is always a side step ahead. He sucked that fairy dry. I can’t wait to see what he does now that he can see the fairy nightclub. The game of hide and seek always comes to an end. Weak fairies couldn’t even help out an elder.

  So I guess I will conclude this with some predictions for next week. Here’s an easy one, Bill will still suck. Hopefully Eric won’t waste too much time trying to save him. Sam won’t be good for breakfast, as he will shift, and run, fly, or scurry away. Pam will have some wise remark once she figures out who Luna is. Maybe Jess will free Pam, Luna, and the little wolf. Tara might take the opportunity to sit in Pam’s chair. Alcide will look for a better sponsor so he can really eat like a wolf should. His dad takes the Packers to win the Super Bowl. Andy, while sad, will be happy to learn the King ate his baby’s momma. Too bad he will still have to deal with that witch Holly after Arlene spills the beans. Terry will still be afraid of fires. Maybe Lafayette does something important so we remember he is more than just the cook. Jason wakes up a new man, and the Rev wakes up with only a squirrel to chew on. Sookie will be the only fairy that has enough light to stand up against the King. The King will still be awesome as he eats another fairy or two. That is until Warlow stops him from eating Sookie. The Authority will be no longer, as Nora takes down Salome. There will be no more praise for Lilith. And I predict I will have another round of predictions next week for what is to come in season 6. So last one, for or against the people who sing the songs at the end of the episodes?

  HorrO

HorrO's Gory Reviews 3-Year Anniversary!

  How many years has it been? I can't believe it has been 3 years already. Well, since I've done this twice already, I'll try to act like I've been here before. 

  Let me start by thanking all of you for the support. I know there are many of you that have been with me from the beginning, and that means a lot. I'm thankful to have formed so many great relationships with people from the blog, to Twitter, and to Facebook. It has truly been a fun ride. 

  Last year, I had a big surprise when I did my 2-year anniversary post, and unveiled PromoteHorror.com. Sorry, no surprises this year. I will say I'm trying to accomplish something I wanted to do long ago, but was never sure it would work. However, because of PromoteHorror.com I think it might work, and I'm slowly putting it together. Yes, 3 years, how much slower can I be? Anyway, it will remain a secret for now so hopefully you will have something to look forward to. 

  Back to PromoteHorror.com for a moment. It has been a huge success, and it all started here. Several fans and friends of this site were the first ones to receive promotions, and are still featured up there. I’m pleased that I was able to help many of you out, in turn, helping me get the site rolling. Today also marks the 1-year anniversary of PromoteHorror.com, which has eclipse everything I’ve done at HorrO’s Gory Reviews in a year’s time. It has truly been amazing, and I look forward to another year of spreading the horror!

  I can’t forget to mention my sometimes forgotten site, The Dog Days in Zombieville. The journal of Max Wagner continues on. As a reminder, you can still catch up from the beginning, as there are links to each year of the journal. I have recently changed it up, and started posting other zombie related items up on journal’s Facebook page. However, Twitter is still only for tweeting the journal. And no, it isn’t celebrating an anniversary today!

  The only sort of surprise I have for you is a new catch phrase, or re-branding if you will. HorrO’s Gory Reviews, PromoteHorror.com, and The Dog Days in Zombieville will now make up what I’m calling:

You will now see this phase on all the sites going forward, and probably see me mention it more times than you care to so I apologize in advance.

  As far as things to come, well Halloween will be here before you know it, and I’m sure to be busy with reviews of movies like Paranormal Activity 4, and Silent Hill Revelations. Also, I will probably try to find something fun to do, and post Halloween pictures as usual. And I have already made plans to attend Halloween Horror Nights, and the Spooky Empire convention, so you will see a lot about those events as well.

  With all that said, I’ll wrap this up. Again, thank you all so so so much for all the support. I really appreciate it, and look forward to doing a 4^-year anniversary post!

  HorrO

My Thoughts on True Blood Season 5 Episode 10

  Depressing! That is how I would describe this episode. Not because it was bad, but cause of all the depressing things that happened. They did make up for it by sprinkling in some bloody moments. So lets get depressed all over again, as I begin my thoughts on episode 10, “Gone, Gone, Gone.”

  Who would have thought this episode would turn out so depressing after the bloody start? Come on Sook, why would the coroner visit you at night? Death by chopstick… nice! It might have been easier to rescind his invitation, but that wouldn’t be as much fun. Every episode should start with an explosion of blood.

  And then follow that up with another explosion of blood. So much for the IT girl. I’m with the Rev that was a great death. It was good to finally see the iStake in action. Now if I could only strap a few of those to some female vampires I know, then we would be in business!

  Let me get my favorite line of the night out of the way before I dive into the depression. After several episodes where it was hard to pick just one line, this episode made it hard to find one. You could almost call it a disappointing amount of good lines. The winner this week has barely been on the show this season, Ms. Fortenberry. She wins when she described Jessica as “Cheeto headed tramp.” She probably has eaten enough Cheetos to know.

  Now let the sadness seep in. When Sam and Lafayette pulled guns on the local trash, I thought we were in for some more fun. In walked Hoyt, and that came to halt. I know there have been struggles with his storyline, but I didn’t think they would make him disappear. I really didn’t think I even cared, but Jess had to make it seem like the world was ending. I guess I felt bad for Jason. I mean if this scene wasn’t heartbreaking enough, they had to rub it in after he pulled over Hoyt. It was weird watching Jason be sad one minute, and then helping Sookie the next. Life moves on I guess.

 Then came a moment of mixed emotions. First, let me get the usual disclaimer that I’m still mad at Bill out of the way. I can’t believe they force feed Eric Lilith’s blood. Damn the both of them. Enter Godric to save the day! They got me cause I was hoping this would turn things. Enter Lilith and that was the end of Godric… again! I’m sure that was hard to watch for a lot of people because Godric is a fan favorite. I’m just a sucker for blood so I enjoyed that moment! I did wonder why Bill felt the need to watch what was going on.

  What the hell Pam? You were just going to roll over for this new Sheriff. The longer she is without Eric, the less she seems to care. A weak Pam is definitely depressing in my book. Where did they even find this Sheriff guy? Wait, who cares causes he’s dead… again! Nothing depressing about Tara. I have to say, they got me cause I wasn’t paying close enough attention and actually thought that was Pam on the table. Fooled me too!

  Holy War! Paging the Holy War! No… no Holy War here. I guess we have to wait another week. The news said it was only day 3 of the vampire crisis anyway. Too bad humans are acting more like there is a crisis. What… you have to page someone else? Who? Now paging Alcide… Alcide where are you? Are you still drinking with your dad? Wow, from one scene to zero! I guess they really don’t know what to do with him.

  Moving on to the pair that is about to be in a whole in world of trouble if they are caught… Sam and Luna. I can’t believe they ended up right in the home of the Authority. They better stay mice; maybe even turn back to flies. Besides rescuing Emma, hopefully they will learn about what the vampires are up to. I’m just not sure what they will be able to do about it.

  I am sure that if you turn out to be the baby that was promised to a demon or vampire, it might not end well for you. Look how Paranormal Activity turned out! I was surprised Jason and Sook took the scroll to humans first. They should know better at this point. If Warlow really is coming for her, maybe she should stay with the fairies for a while.

  I’m seriously depressed that Eric is now a nutty vampire. He was the real last hope at stopping the vamps. I really hope he was faking. If he was faking it, then that must have been really hard for him to forgive the King. I never thought I would see the day when he would kiss the King’s hand.

  I know I would kiss the King’s hand, especially after he finally reverted back to the King I know, and have been waiting for. I knew he wasn’t going to last as a member of the Authority. The King has to be in charge. The awesome scene with him, and the Rev surrounded by frat boys tipped me off the change was coming. I loved his crazy speech, and loved it even more when he knocked Salome across the room. Looks like he’s coming for Sookie again. Wait isn’t someone else coming for Sookie too? Speaking of Sook, looks like she still holds a spot in Bill and Eric’s hearts, as they knew she was in danger the second the King mentioned walking in the sun. So is it Sookie or Lilith boys?

  So next week will be vampire crisis day 5, 10, 13? Can we forget the crisis and get to the war. There are only 2 episodes left. I’m starting to feel the same way I did when I was waiting for that epic vampire-wolf battle that we never got. True Blood, such a tease. Please don’t make me wait until season 6! It’s hard enough waiting for next week. Until then…

  HorrO

HATE CRIME REVIEW

  About a year ago writer and director James Cullen Bressack gave me the pleasure of reviewing his film “My Pure Joy.” It was such a joy to watch and review that it left me anxious for his next film. Well, it is finally here: “Hate Crime.” Again, James has given me a chance to review his film, as he looks to have it shown at upcoming film festivals.

  Since only a select few have seen the film, I have been asked to keep the details to a minimum in order to preserve the film’s shock value. Of course that had me eager to see what is so shocking about this film. After watching it, I completely agree with why he wants to save the shock value for audiences.

  From a horror perspective, there are several shocking moments that horror fans will appreciate. Even more than the horror, there are moments that might shock audiences personally. It might make them think things like “did they really say that,” or “did they really just do that.” There are really no boundaries for this film. There are also plenty of twists and turns, along with a very fitting ending.

  What really impresses me about this film is how real it felt. The audience is put right in the middle of the action because it is a found footage type film. However, it is not about being all crazy with the camera shaking it around for scares. Having the camera up at the side of the characters really puts the emotions of the characters on display. Also, it adds to the aforementioned personal shock value, along with putting the audience right in the middle of the madness.

  The film is shot very crisply even with the camera being carried around by characters. The audience gets a clean view of everything they need to see. Without being able to discuss specific performances, lets just say the acting is strong all around. However, there are certainly some performances that stand out a little more than others.

  The title of this film gives the audience a clue on what they might think this film is about. It is that, and probably even more than they are imagining. Since I can’t give you more details, I hope I have at least convinced you that this film is shocking, and worth seeing. So if you see “Hate Crime” listed at a film festival near you, please head out and check it out! I give it a solid 3 pools of blood!

  HorrO

My Thoughts on True Blood Season 5 Episode 9

  War!!!! Oh wait, not quite yet! So close it could happen at any moment. However, without the war, this was a good episode. Plenty of great lines, action, and drama. So here are my thoughts on episode 9, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."

  Cue the special effects! I said cue the special effects. I guess that’s not in the budget so lets just pretend to hear the explosions from the True Blood factory. Way to start off the episode with a little bang, and pre-episode meal. I wonder if that scene was ackward to film for anybody!

  Oh Whoopi Whoopi Whoopi ... still charging for your services! Lafayette might not be an expert yet, but at least the spirits like talking to him. That was funny how he tried to get others to be quite so he could hear Sookie's grandma. It might have been easier to listen to her mother. I'm with him though, why can't they just spit it out? Always with the damn clues.

  One thing this episode had was two women who displayed strength. Patrick took a panicked Arlene, but when her man needed her she wasn't panicked anymore. She turned Boardwalk Empire gangster on Patrick. I was hoping she wouldn't kill him just in case that didn’t break the curse cause Terry had to do it. I really didn't think Terry had it in him, but he was gangster too! I guess I’ll have to catch the Ifrit on the iPhone now!

  Then there was Luna who has been a little looney lately. She refused to be left at home, and was all in on stopping the people that tried to kill her. She might be half the Dragon ladies size, but she put a whopping on her. Just think about how mad she is now, and how much madder she is going to be when she finds out her daughter is now a pet. Note to self: wolves are bad baby sitters. Got to love the King though!

  The following segment of My Thoughts is brought to you by the new theme song for the Bon Temps Sheriff's Department:

Chances of them finding the Obamas was really slim for a moment. It was funny watching them there just sort through evidence, and not look like they had a clue at what they were doing. Talk about not having a clue, how about the reporters that thought Obama was running around town killing people? Maybe the reporters need a theme song too. The whole Obama thing is an interesting concept cause you have a bunch of crazy country folk, who are trying to kill supes in KKK fashion, while wearing the mask of a black man. Got all of that!

  Sooee!!! I totally didn’t see Sam popping up as a pig. I assume he just picked up the scent, and followed them to the pig farm. Even though Andy kind of redeemed himself by figuring out who the Dragon was, sort of, I still say Sam would make a great sheriff. And no, killing the original sheriff does not fill the quota of killing off an important character. Oh, and let Andy know I would like to see what a werechicken looks like!

  I thought they just went in a little different direction with Alcide last week, but this week. He’s going in such a different direction that he needed to get in his truck, and drive there. For a character that often gets one scene, I was surprised we got to see a flashback. And they just had to show Deb. Didn’t I say I was over her? So we got to meet his father. Not sure where they are going with this. I thought maybe he was going to bring the Jackson pack, whatever is left of it, back with him but I guess not. And please never, never. ever play that music again while he’s driving!

  This was definitely another episode filled with great lines so it was hard to pick my favorite line of the night. La had some good ones in Sookie’s bathroom. I also enjoyed some of the playing around with Obama’s name. However, the winner, in what could have been an even stranger conversation, is Jason when he was talking to Jessica about vamps and dumping. He said, “Being a vampire got its perk, no dumping and all.” You know that is kind of interesting. Never really thought about vamps dumping and all. Must be nice for long road trips.

  Speaking of taking a dump, maybe someone should dump on that new vampire sheriff. How dare he knock the Barbie Vampire across the room. I was really hoping Pam would get up and do something, but I guess she respects his position. Either that or they ran out of time for that scene. Too bad Eric wasn’t there. He would’ve made short work of that sheriff.

  And where is Eric these days? Oh busy trying to trust Bill. Come on Eric, the loyalty has been over for weeks now. I really thought for just a split second Bill had something in mind, but nope. And no, I’m not going to scold traitor Bill again this week. I do want to know what was up with that ending. Eric just gave up, and they hit the music. Also, why did Eric need Salome’s blood to open the elevator if Nora’s blood already did? Maybe that was just for Bill to escape, but why wait for him? Oh loyalty, right!

  I was surprised that Nora and Salome apparently have been drinking blood from the bottle for a while now. No wonder why they are nuts. So what happens when all of the blood in the bottle disappears? Eric should steal Bill’s idea of blowing up True Blood factories except this will be a lot easier. Break the bottle of Lilith’s blood. The challenging part will be escaping first.

  Well, it looks like the war will be in full effect next week…hopefully. Still not sure who is going to stop the vampires. Bill is now a nut along with Nora, and Salome. The King is happy as can be with a replacement for Talbot. Eric is a little chained up. Maybe the fairies have something up their sleeves, dresses, or whatever bright clothing they are wearing. I think my plan is the best. Break the bottle! Until next week! 

  HorrO

 

   

[REC] 3: GENESIS REVIEW

  So this is my first review of a [REC] movie.  While I enjoyed the original movie, my experience was somewhat ruined because I saw Quarantine first. It was a good thing Quarantine 2 and [REC] 2 are totally different movies so my experience wasn’t ruined a second time. With no Quarantine 3 in sight, I was excited to watch [REC] 3: Genesis.

  Family and friends gather at a church to take part in the wedding of Koldo (Diego Martin) and Clara (Leticia Dolera). The audience gets up close and personal with many of them, as one of the family members films the big day. Also, the audience gets to meet Koldo and Clara, and sees the connection to the previous films. Soon enough, the couple successfully gets married, and the party begins. However, this wedding is about to be crashed!

  One of the effective things they do in this movie is stir the audience’s emotions, and then squash them. The first 15 minutes or so is used to meet people at the wedding, go through parts of the wedding ceremony, and show the happy couple celebrating one of the most important moments of their lives. While the audience might not bond with many family members, they should have good feelings for the newlyweds by the time the reception begins.

  Enter the zombies, and all those good feelings are eaten away. They make a complete mess of the reception, as family and friends quickly become part of this growing zombie army. The chaos of this scene is good, but is hard to make out with the camera going in and out, and all over the place. There is a simple solution to that problem. They get rid of the camera, which leads to the first big change in the franchise. While the first two movies are seen strictly from video cameras of people involved in the story, from here on out, this movie is shot like any standard movie. It is very interesting that they decided to give the audience a taste of both worlds.

  The switch of how the movie is seen leads to the other big change in the franchise, which is the type of horror film this becomes. Besides obviously being about zombies, the first two movies are definitely filled with scares, while having its moments of gore. This movie is the opposite, as it is filled with gore, while having a scare or two. This might excite some fans, but also come as a disappointment to others who really enjoyed the scares of the previous films.

  Being a fan of gore, I embraced the change. After seeing Clara with a chainsaw in the movie poster, I was really looking forward to seeing how she would use it. She didn’t disappoint, as it’s definitely a memorable moment. The only complaint with that scene is how she suddenly can kick like a ninja!

  As the movie progresses, there comes a point where the “Genesis” in the title begins to play a role. Without giving it totally away, I’ll just say it has to do with the zombies. I was really mad about it at first, but after going back to the previous films, I realize that it does fit the story. However, it kind of ruins the whole zombie thing, and is a little ridiculous.

  They use this ridiculousness in the movie’s final scene. Watching in disappointment, I will give them credit for a nice little surprise. It is very creative, and I didn’t see it coming. It helps set up what eventually happens to Koldo and Clara. With the movie continually toying with the audience’s emotions over the couple, it is no surprise that they couldn’t just leave them be. There is an absolutely fabulous moment with the two, which I would have been extremely happy with as the ending. However, they just had to play with those emotions up to the last second.

  [REC] 3 starts off in a similar manner to the previous films, but eventually becomes its own movie. There is a shift from a POV film to standard one, along with a move to more blood than scares. While it might not be what some fans of the franchise want to see, they do a good job of pulling it off. There is certainly a point to get the audience emotionally involved, especially leading up to what eventually happens to the newlyweds. Besides for the “Genesis” aspect of [REC] 3, I enjoyed this gory version enough to give it 3 pools of blood!

  HorrO