GLASS REVIEW

***Spoiler Alert***

Security guard David Dunn uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities.

Starring: James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, and Samuel L. Jackson

Directed and written by: M. Night Shyamalan

  No question that M. Night has made some really good movies, and some really bad ones. Some easily stand out as good, and some as bad with a few in the middle. We can argue which one goes where, but it might be fair to say many people are fans of “Unbreakable,” and “Split.” Now the question is can he finish off this trilogy on a high note, or will it fizzle out like many of his not so great movies?

  Speaking of high notes, “Glass” starts off on one. The audience is quickly updated on the life of David Dunn (Bruce Willis), and even gets to see him in action. On the flip side, the audience also gets to see what the Horde (James McAvoy) has been up to since the end of “Split.” And what can be better than seeing them apart…lets bring them together! Soon enough, David and the Beast have their first face-off! What a great start to the movie!

  And then Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson) comes into the picture, and ruins things. She has the two taken to facility, where she also has Elijah (Samuel L. Jackson) captive. She has built their rooms, and even parts of the facility in order to hold the three of them. The best is how she has a machine that when triggered can change the personality of the Horde with the flash of a light. It’s fun because it’s like spinning the wheel of personalities never knowing who you’re going to get. 

  Dr. Ellie has them there to try to convince them that they aren’t superheroes. David and the Beast are still eager to go another round while Elijah is basically a zombie. It’s a great shot when she sits face-to-face with all three of them, but ultimately her plan seems to not be going anywhere. She even brings in Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) to appeal to Kevin. Just when the audience might start to worry about how this is all going to end Elijah finally snaps out of it in time to make friends with the Horde. He makes promises of an epic showdown between the Beast and David, as the two make their escape. 

  The final act is here and it’s make it or break it time for the movie. Does the audience get an epic fight…not really! The fight doesn’t reach Elijah’s planned location, as it takes place on the front lawn of the facility. Instead of being witnessed by the world, it’s witnessed by Dr. Ellie, David’s son, Casey, and some staff. David’s son injects a small twist in the story, while Casey is there to comfort Kevin. How the two even know to be there at that moment might need revisiting, but continuing on. This is where M. Night has to make his statement and prove this is different than other superhero movies by killing off all three of his main characters. Let the disappointment set in! 

  Dr. Ellie works for some secret organization (because there has to be a secret organization) to basically keep superheroes out of the spotlight. Just as she thought she won, Elijah happened to have a plan of his own to prove to the world superheroes do exist. So back and forth they go on the existence of superheroes. M. Night is brave enough to kill off his main characters, but had to try to keep a twist in there with what Elijah did. So who cares if the world gets to see there are people with powers out there when you just killed three of them! 

  In the end, “Glass” starts off great mostly because the audience is getting that superhero vibe of the hero searching for and facing off with the villain. But if the audience came to see a typical superhero movie this isn’t it, and they might be as bored as Bruce Willis seems to be. The only thing that really holds up the movie when Dr. Ellie gives a weak effort to reform the three is James McAvoy's fantastic performance that carries over from “Split.” The movie ultimate dies just as the main characters die. M. Night just has to continue his commentary on superhero movies/comics until the very end. This movie is definitely the weakest of the trilogy, probably landing in the middle of the pack of M. Night movies, and deserving of only 2 pools of blood!

  HorrO

THE GOLEM REVIEW

During an outbreak of a deadly plague, a mystical woman must save her tight-knit Jewish community from foreign invaders, but the entity she conjures to protect them is a far greater evil.

Starring: Hani Furstenberg, Ishai Golan, and Brynie Furstenberg

Directed by: Doron Paz and Yoav Paz

Written by: Ariel Cohen

  

   Whether it’s an urban legend, myth, or folklore, each present a great opportunity to create a quality horror movie. What makes it even better is when you’re unfamiliar with the tale, as is the case of the Golem. Having never heard of a Golem, there were no expectations as to what was about to take place! So did they make the most out of  the Golem to make a quality horror movie?
  A few things really stand out about “The Golem.” The first is Hanna’s (Hani Furstenberg) story, and the tough decisions she must make. Hanna is a mother who’s suffering the loss of a child, struggling to keep her marriage together, and filled with the need to protect her village from invaders. This causes her to create the Golem, and take on all the responsibilities that comes with. In some cases she has some control over who the Golem kills, but it’s the other cases and what ultimately happens to the village that weight on her the most. 

  If your expecting the Golem to be a big and scary monster it’s not! It’s just a little boy, which is a little disappointing at first. However, after seeing the instant death he can cause makes up for it. Adding to Hanna’s struggle is how the Golem resembles her little boy she lost years ago. This clouds her vision, and makes her not see it for the evil creature it really is.

  Not only does Hanna have a great story, but the overall story is put together and shot very nicely. They seem to reveal everything at the right time, and give the audience exactly enough information. Being set in the 1600’s helps produce some terrific images. The fight and death scenes are pulled off well, especially in the few cases of instant death at the hands of the Golem. 

  While the Golem is what the audience came to see, Hani steals the show with her performance of Hanna. She truly brings out all of her character's struggles. No the Golem isn't a terrifying beast, but can be every bit as scary. It turns out that they do enough with this folklore to make "The Golem" worth giving 3 pools of blood!

  HorrO

BEST HORROR MOVIES OF 2018

When one horror year ends and another one begins the ‘best of' lists start appearing on everyone’s favorite sites and blogs. Now it’s my turn at making a list. Sometimes it’s an easy task, and sometimes it’s hard. Either way it’s fun, especially comparing it to others, and even talking about the differences. While I call it a ‘best of' list, it's really just my favorite horror films of 2018. I wish I saw everything, and know I missed out on some good ones. Regardless here are my favorites…

5. Upgrade: Can’t say I would have thought this would ever be on this list. However, this was an extremely fun movie with a great combination of horror, sci-fi, action, and comedy.

4. Tigers Are Not Afraid: This isn’t the typical kind of film I like, but sometimes you just have to give credit to a job well done from all involved. A great story with terrific performances from a young cast.

3. The Dark: Another surprise and I’m not sure I’ve seen it on many lists. I can’t help but like this one, maybe cause of its similarities to another movie I really like, “Let the Right One In.”

2. One Cut of the Dead: So close to making this my top pick. Love the originality, and the risks this movie takes. It’s weird and maybe even hard to watch for the first 45 minutes or so, but once you find out what’s happening it becomes a gem of a horror comedy.

1. A Quiet Place: Nothing quiet here, as it makes plenty of noise as number one. I loved the set up, and how everything came together in the end. The family dynamic was great, and they really grabbed at the audience’s hearts. I wish we got to know more about the creatures, and maybe we will in a sequel. And I’ve said it before, there is something extra creepy about a horror movie that’s quiet. Seems like an obvious thing, but a quiet environment like in “Dead Silence” makes it scream ‘horror.'

  So what movies did I see yet left off the list? Guess I have to start with a favorite of many horror fans, and that’s “Hereditary.” I’ve said it again and again, good movie, but just wasn’t for me. It was just too weird. “Anna and the Apocalypse” was another good one, but I just couldn’t put a musical in the top 5. “Summer of ’84,” enjoyable, but feel like we’ve seen a lot of coming of age movies lately. Hmm…I feel like I’m forgetting another important movie! Oh yea…the most anticipated horror movie of 2018… “Halloween!” It was good to see they didn’t add another terrible film to the franchise, but it didn’t do enough to make it into my top 5.

  

  

  And here is a short list of some movies that are on others’ top lists, but I haven’t seen yet: Mandy, Suspiria, The House that Jack Built, and CAM. Overall, 2018 wasn't a bad year. 3 out of my top 5 films I saw at a film festival. It's a reminder to visit your local festivals because many times you'll find better horror there than in your local theater!

 HorrO