Category Archives: Horror

Scream VI

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Vampire Owl: Do you have a count of the number of serial movies we have watched?

Vampire Bat: I even have a count of the number of Ghostface films we have watched.

Vampire Owl: The Ghostface is not that scary a face.

Vampire Bat: Not for us vampires, but they are for the humans.

Vampire Owl: The spoof movies have killed that fear effect.

Vampire Bat: Well, spoof movies also have the fear factor.

Vampire Owl: They are supposed to be funny, right?

Vampire Bat: Yet, there is something scary coming from within.

Vampire Owl: We do not get scared that easily.

Vampire Bat: Yet, we have enough to be scared about, including some mean humans.

[Gets a paneer masala dosa and three cups of cardamom tea].

What is the movie about? :: It is a Halloween night and things seem to go really smooth with some fine trick or treat times. Laura Crane (Samara Weaving), a film professor is murdered in the alley by one of her students wearing the Ghostface costume who feels that she has been blaming him too much for failing. But the same person after returning from the act of cruelty is brutally stabbed multiple times to his death by another person in the Ghostface costume who gets into his home. Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), the two sisters who escaped the attack of the Ghostface killer have now moved into New York City with the latter attending Blackmore University where Laura also taught about slasher films from the last century. The other survivors Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding) are also there. Quinn Bailey (Liana Liberato), Anika Kayoko (Devyn Nekoda) and Ethan Landry (Jack Champion) are the other three students who are close to them and they are more like one group.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere), a survivor of the earlier murders is now an FBI agent, and gets herself assigned to the case. Wayne Bailey (Dermot Mulroney) is the original police officer assigned to case, and has no clue about what has been happening. Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), the survivor who wrote books about the Ghostface-related murders is also there as reporter again. The situation seems to be more complicated than ever, as the killer is not just out to kill the two sisters, but also prove that they were always the real killers. Gale had also found an abandoned theatre, which was set up like a shrine for the killers wearing Ghostface masks. The survivors decide that it is time to finish the Ghostface forever, with Wayne and Kirby on their side. They set up traps for the murderer, but the person seems to be smarter than that, and there seems to be surely more than one killer wearing the costume. So, how will they find the killers with the Ghostface mask without being killed? How much of the mystery can they manage to solve before most of them get brutally stabbed by the person in black?

The defence of Scream VI :: As a sequel to a slasher franchise that goes a long way from the past’s nostalgia to the present, the movie maintains the standard which we were assured with the earlier films. The first scene is surely among the best, as even with some deviation, there is that murder at a time when were less expecting it to happen. Samara Weaving in the beginning becomes part of that talk which brings the early twist with blood and gore back to the track. There is no better sight than a Ghostface coming after another. You are reminded that Ghostface is forever, and there is no going back from this particular serial killer – we have others for sure, but this is one killer that rises above them all without any superpowers and by not truly coming back from the dead. The final scenes are really well, and we have some nice moments in a train too. The hunt feels very much dangerous, and we know that there is something more to be revealed here. This time, the villain is not just about the movies, as things well be more personal than ever. You will also be screaming for more, as we look forward to a sequel to take this forward even further.

The claws of flaw :: We are looking at another Scream movie here, and after so many films in the franchise, we expect the flick to be a lot better. The case of repetition does not make things better, even though there was the chance to move away from the common ideas – it could have focused on horror which takes a side-seat instead of coming to the front. There is a certain amount of weakness in the horror elements which goes back instead of bringing the terror. There are some movies which focused on slasher horror so well, placing that element over the others, like There is Someone Inside the House and the three movies of Fear Street. Even the reboot of Wrong Turn came back with the elements so well. We have always remembered this movie for slasher horror, but there are so many occasions when we see that this flick tries to go back to the past and feed on the nostalgia even at a time when there is none. The twist is not that much working, as one could successfully guess some part of it. The common slasher elements could have been brought in there to increase the impact.

The performers of the soul :: Melissa Barrera continues her good form as the scream queen here too, and maintains the legacy of the Scream franchise well. The final moments provide her with the opportunity to get close to that legacy and she manages that with ease. The action in the end has her as a possible action heroine at some point, like Kate had its female assassin in full strength. Jenna Ortega does well as the second most important character, the sister who finds trouble again and fights it well with the sibling. She would make no lesser scream queen either. Courteney Cox does the same thing again, as she has been doing for a very long time – while adding to the nostalgia, the feeling of repetitiveness feels a little too much. Hayden Panettiere has been a crush for a lot of us during the 2000s, and it is good to see her again, leaving us with some more of fine nostalgia to add here. Her work remains a highlight in this movie too. Samara Weaving could have had more screen space though, as she was the one who started this film so well. Another seemingly interesting scream queen is Liana Liberato, and the rest also nicely contributes to the slasher.

How it finishes :: I have never been far away from slashers, as they have been part of my journey with horror movies for a long time – I would be teaching them with a lot of happiness if it was part of the syllabus in a university. Here, it can be seen that the one franchise with which we have the nostalgia associated, has another movie to keep us interested in the serial killer whom everyone remembers and uses as a common model for Halloween celebrations regularly. Ghostface is to live forever through different killers, and the murderers of this movie also makes it count. Yet, we feel that this could have been better, and that the movie could have elevated the whole thing to another level through horror. There could have also been some music to add to that horror, and darkness could have also contributed better. It does misses out with the horror as it can be seen here, and we call for sequels of Sinister, Evil Dead, Insidious, Annabelle, The Nun or The Conjuring to serve for the same, as they have done with the first of their series.

Release date: 10th March 2023
Running time: 122 minutes
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Mason Gooding, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Jenna Ortega, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, Samara Weaving, Hayden Panettiere, Courteney Cox

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Alien: Romulus

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Vampire Owl: Do you remember those days when we watched alien movies and believed in them? Those were the wonderful days with alien fear, right?

Vampire Bat: We still do not deny their existence. Aliens are the kind of creatures who are not limited to any shells.

Vampire Owl: So, we are going with the parallel world theory. We might end up finding some interesting creatures that we are not aware of.

Vampire Bat: We already have that discovery of the shadow world, and so this is also possible.

Vampire Owl: It was discovered by Doctor Frankenstein, right? Isn’t the great scientist responsible for all the great inventions and discoveries?

Vampire Bat: It was discovered by the vampire scouts, not that fake doctor.

Vampire Owl: The scouts just discovered the portal, and Mr. Frankenstein discovered the rest.

Vampire Bat: It was actually a work of fiction on real discoveries.

Vampire Owl: You should know that the shadow demons come from a portal to another planet.

Vampire Bat: Well, these are surely not the same kind of aliens.

Vampire Owl: I have known these aliens since the first movie too.

Vampire Bat: People seem to like the second, but for me, the first scores the best.

Vampire Owl: And the newer versions – Prometheus and Covenant.

Vampire Bat: I would not deny their strength either.

Vampire Owl: So, we will trust them to do well again. As they have always done, making us more and more interested in the franchise which has so many secrets to unveil and worlds to witness.

Vampire Bat: Which is why we take the struggle to find the theatres showing this film.

Vampire Owl: I hope they show this is in more theatres.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that this will survive and go through a long run.

Vampire Owl: Even with those Onam releases coming up?

Vampire Bat: Well, we only a have a few Onam releases this time.

Vampire Owl: So, the biggest names are not releasing their films?

Vampire Bat: That is indeed a surprise, but I feel that they are not.

Vampire Owl: So the biggest Onam release would be ARM: Ajayante Randaam Moshanam.

Vampire Bat: I do not see why it should not be. The fantasy movies also deserve to have their due, not just in the form of magic realism.

[Gets a box with cheese popcorn and three cups of ginger tea and moves into theatre].

Vampire Owl: The series remains a classic indeed and there are not many people who can patiently wait for another sequel.

Vampire Bat: This is why I always trust this franchise. This is indeed a science-fiction marvel that continues from its base so well.

Vampire Owl: The aliens in the such a terrifying atmosphere within a space station serves well.

Vampire Bat: Well, we have the castles and they have space stations and ships. You remember the movie when Dracula actually visited a space ship, and was considered an alien species from a much far away planet.

Vampire Owl: Yet, we are scarier, with a certificate attained from the nearby cemetery.

Vampire Bat: Yet, being in space with nowhere to go brings the terror further.

Vampire Owl: The performances have been really good too.

Vampire Bat: Well, science fiction seems to bring better monsters than the Gothic these days.

Vampire Owl: The monsters from outer space got their merits.

Vampire Bat: The terror brought by the ruination of humans works every time whether as demons of space or of the graves.

Vampire Owl: This time, there was so much of details with the outer space as much as inside. The world has managed to get its due.

Vampire Bat: The terror of infinity of space never ceases to amaze us.

Vampire Owl: Well, the idea of hell might me somewhere in space.

Vampire Bat: You are going back to the good old Doom game.

Vampire Owl: And also its movie adaptations.

Vampire Bat: You were not that much of a fan of those particular adaptions. You were always against games being made into movies, even though you did not considered the same vice versa to be that much a negative thing.

Vampire Owl: Well, these genres are all mixed, and we see the demons in space, gods in space, aliens in mythology and humans everywhere.

Vampire Bat: The human imagination is basically everywhere these days. You look at them imagining the impossible, the beautiful and the absurd, all coming out of the same brain that fails to stop being creative, sometimes even for the wrong reasons.

Vampire Owl: How many aliens did you count? How many were killed by those guns? Did too many of them manage to escape.

Vampire Bat: They come in hordes, like the zombies and werewolves, as if a witch or sorcerer is controlling them with a magic wand.

Vampire Owl: There are still some repetitions and reminders of earlier movies.

Vampire Bat: Yes, they still work effectively enough. Movies like these would require some repetition as these are the right elements that make the franchise better.

Vampire Owl: In a world where viewers fear humans more than monsters will this work well enough? Do they count as scary enough in comparison?

Vampire Bat: Well, with so many effective scares, yes. They keep the franchise going, strong and sharp as they are intended to be.

Vampire Owl: This has surely worked well with the scares for me.

[Disappears into the darkness of the day because the clouds have done the trick, and awaits the darkest night of the week].

This is the third YouTube video dealing with film review. The movie has been reviewed as part of a vlog below, and with the YouTube Channel Scholar Nomads gaining the advantage, there is always much more to be said.

Release date: 23rd August 2024 (Theatre)
Running time: 119 minutes
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Totally Killer

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Vampire Owl: We never really have people being called total killers.

Vampire Bat: There is no real total killer as you cannot kill them all.

Vampire Owl: There is always some species getting wiped out in different worlds.

Vampire Bat: One species in one world is never really total.

Vampire Owl: I am talking about complete extinction here.

Vampire Bat: There will always be smarter species surviving.

Vampire Owl: I wonder if serial killers can represent a smarter species.

Vampire Bat: Some of the serial killers of cinema just never die.

Vampire Owl: These humans make supernatural out of the unnecessary.

Vampire Bat: Such creations of humans will cause the final fall.

[Gets a kulfi shake and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: In a small town named Vernon, three girls aged sixteen were killed in 1987, giving rise to the pseudonym Sweet Sixteen Killer as they were also stabbed sixteen times. Many years later, the rebellious teenager Jamie Hughes (Kiernan Shipka) is going to a concert with her friend Amelia Creston (Kelcey Mawema) on a Halloween night. Her mother stays back at home during the night and finds herself facing someone dressed as Sweet Sixteen Killer. Even though many people had dressed in the same way for Halloween, this one seems different and ends up killing her. As Jamie remains depressed about the death, a local reporter named Chris Dubusage (Jonathan Potts) who was close to her mother tells her that there was a message about murdering her mother found in her locker room a long time ago. She is confused about it as her mother never really talked about something like that before. Soon, she is also stalked and chased by the killer, and ends up in side a time machine which Amelia was building, only to find her transported to the past, in 1987 when the three sixteen-year-old girls were going to be killed.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: She decides that she will try to stop the killer from murdering the girls, which can end the spree early, and her mother would not get killed later. She finds her mother Pam Miller (Olivia Holt) is a bully at the institution, and so are her friends Tiffany Clark (Liana Liberato), Marisa Song (Stephi Chin-Salvo) and Heather Hernandez (Anna Diaz) who become the victims of the killer in future. Nobody seems to believe her, especially the police. She is able to somewhat convince Amelia’s mother Lauren Creston (Troy L Johnson) and Doug Summers (Nathaniel Appiah) whom everyone avoids as a nerd. She manages to get into the party which was hosted by Tiffany, but is not able to stop the murderer. Jamie uses this situation to take the friends away from the town, but they end up in the exact location where the next murder took place. Now, the question remains if they can stop these murders from taking place, and what all has already changed in the future due to her intervention is yet to be understood.

The defence of Totally Killer :: In a world where slasher movies are struggling and adding humour to horror is eternally difficult, we have a good attempt here. The beginning is really good, as we get the idea what we are to deal with. The journey to the past comes as a pleasant surprise when not expected, and the world detail of the past is interesting. We are provided with some interesting surprises in between, as both the past and the future has the alterations from what we had expected them to be. The movie talks about time travel, Mandela Effect and other things with ease, blending these elements into the horror slasher world nicely. The feeling of danger is always there with this movie, as we await the arrival of the serial killer every time. We are also left with hope to have a sequel to this one, as time travel itself is enough to make that reality which has created new sets of serial killers. This is going to remind us of other slashers, but in doing the same, the movie has managed well with the addition of humour to its strengths.

The claws of flaw :: There were so many chances that this particular movie do not take. It could have surely made the whole setup better, as the science fiction elements are also there to be used along with the idea of creating another serial killer to remember like Halloween and the other slashers which have continued to come with never-ending sequels. The movie also seems to show the 1980s to be not that good a time period to live in, which would be a surprise. The murderer should have also had more focus, and the deaths do not get that much of a detail as one would have wanted as a fan of the genre. There is predictability in between and the movie does not leave many memorable moments. It could have had a better power of mystery and a killer who should haunt rather than come up in the usual circumstances. A serial killer like this should be like a supernatural being, even if not that much invisible – a murderer lurking in the shadows is not available with this one. The ending seems to be more forced than a genuine attempt at making the situation different in the new timeline.

The performers of the soul :: Kiernan Shipka has a fine run as the scream queen, even though the character comes up with an irritating side at times. We would love to see her in more horror movies, contributing naturally. At the same time, Olivia Holt blends into the 1980s very well, and she is no less scream queen. Julie Bowen who plays the adult version of the same character has a pretty good run here too. Troy L Johnson in the past also gets our attention. Among the friends’ characters, it is Liana Liberato who grabs our attention the most even if she is there for the least minutes among them. We can see her performing in more horror movies, and that would be part of the things we hope. Stephi Chin-Salvo and Anna Diaz blends in as the victims quite well too. Ella Choi comes in and contributes to the whole thing in an interesting way. Zach Gibson and Nathaniel Appiah gets in there with a nerdy touch. Jonathan Potts’ character leaves an impact as the man chasing mysteries. Charlie Gillespie and Lochlyn Munro adds on as same characters’ different versions.

How it finishes :: The movie maintains its funny side as well as the horror in the form of combination of genres. It reminds us that slasher movies are not done, and there can be more, often with a touch of humour. With horror genre losing its strongholds, this movie comes up as some surprise fun, even though not that much effective in its use of resources. It leaves a few elements without explanations as the journey away from science fiction elements feels too far away. But you know that you are this far into the century that the old-style slashers are not so easy to find. Some of the creators of slashers of our times struggle to understand what the main elements that the genre should possess. Considering the same, this movie has done a fine job. Yet, we are left with the question if the old classic slasher can be brought back to life – even the Evil Dead has been weakened in Evil Dead Rise and it is to be seen how far can the genre go.

Release date: 6th October 2023 (Amazon Prime Video)
Running time: 106 minutes
Directed by: Nahnatchka Khan
Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Charlie Gillespie, Lochlyn Munro, Troy L. Johnson, Liana Liberato, Kelcey Mawema, Stephi Chin Salvo, Anna Diaz, Ella Choi, Jeremy Monn-Djasgnar, Nathaniel Appiah, Jonathan Potts, Randall Park, Julie Bowen

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Pope’s Exorcist

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Vampire Owl: They shall never dare to exorcise us.

Vampire Bat: Why should they try to do that? We never possess bodies.

Vampire Owl: Yet, they wish to get rid of horror with the same methods.

Vampire Bat: We are the least terrifying group of supernatural.

Vampire Owl: We are both super and natural in nature.

Vampire Bat: Yet, our demonic side cannot be exorcised.

Vampire Owl: So, there is no need for a vampire exorcist?

Vampire Bat: He might end up making us more human, that’s all.

Vampire Owl: That would be the most depressing thing in my life.

Vampire Bat: It would also be incredibly evil in nature.

[Gets a choco-marble cake and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Gabriele Amorth (Russell Crowe) has been serving as Pope’s personal exorcist in 1980s. One day, in 1987, he chooses to visit an Italian village where a man is said to be possessed by a demon. With the help of the local priest, he manages to use a Saint Benedict Medal to make the demon possess a pig and get it killed with a shotgun. Gabriele had performed this particular exorcism without getting permission from his superiors, which does not prove to be that positive a thing for him. As he did this without the permission of the bishop, there is questioning, and he says that what he did was just helping a mentally ill person. The bishops are not happy, but Amorth continues to do what he does the best. It is then that a family of three, including the recently widowed Julia Vasque (Alex Essoe), her rebellious daughter Amy Vasquez (Laurel Marsden) and the young son Henry Vasquez (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney) travel to Spain from the United States to take possession of a very old Spanish abbey which is located in the middle of nowhere.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The Pope (Franco Nero) is in support of Gabriele all the time, and believes in his abilities. Restoring this castle and selling it seems to be the only hope for Julia and family, but things do not seem to move that smoothly ahead, as there is an accident and the workers move away. Soon, Henry seems to be acting strange, and there seems to be something supernatural about him as well as the building. The hospital cannot find anything wrong with the boy, but Henry’s condition only gets worse. They approach a priest, but the demon in Henry easily defeats him. This leads to Gabriele being called for an exorcism, and the Pope makes sure that he is the one who gets the chance, as the abbey has some dark history behind it and has given the church problems before. Gabriele who reaches Spain finds the boy only to find the kind of demon that he had never battled before. The demon knows him and also his past, and seems to be able to defend and deceive the priests with ease. Gabriele feels that there is some more sinister plan in the mind of the demon, but can he find it out in time?

The defence of The Pope’s Exorcist :: One could claim that this particular movie is not scary enough, but the fear is there with the ambience and the realization of the presence of inescapable evil that runs right through the film. The Pope’s Exorcist, with its beautiful, abandoned abbey in the middle of nowhere, reminds us of the grand Gothic adventure which was Crimson Peak which had a world of universe running through, rather than coming right out. With the setting always remaining a strong point, the movie also has its moments which shine bright – there are the two ladies from the past, one that eats a bird and falls from the top and the other one which appears instead of the possessed boy in the bed and reappears covered in blood later. Their existence adds the psychological elements of horror in a world which is infested with demons. We do not always need that many monsters as The Cabin in the Woods would provide – we would just need the demons from hell to create that impact of terror that would hesitate to leave us.

Positives and negatives :: The movie also has some humour being provided here and there, but one cannot deny the fact that it could have surely been scarier. The family portrayed here could have been tormented more before the appearance of the exorcist, and mystery could have lived for longer, and nights could have seen terror as a regular part of it. The grand visuals of Spain and Italy will keep us going, and will keep us wishing to travel to those parts of Europe. The emotional side also remains strong, and so is the feeling to keep out of evil. You are reminded that death is only the beginning – you know that hell could be closer than you thought. The special effects add nicely to the Gothic world which has been provided by the abbey, and its works the best in the final moments. Yet, people would not like the fact that the demon of this movie do not reveal its true form and spread terror in all corners of the building – after all, we have so much of the dark beautiful abbey around and so less is explored with the touches of evil.

The performers of the soul :: The movie is driven though a magnificent performance by Russell Crowe which has no match in the form of any exorcist character in the recent past. We go through his emotions and guilt as much as his drive to destroy evil and drive out demons. We have not seen such a work from him in a long time, and if there is a sequel, this would become even more joyful to watch him fight the different demons in various parts of the world. In the beginning, we feel that there would be limitations to the work, but he rises above that with ease. Daniel Zovatto provides some fine support, and he also lives up to the job that is given to him, and keeps getting better with better moments to perform being provided to him. The two makes a fine combination here in a world which brings the supernatural to the light. Alex Essoe plays the desolate mother who just lost her husband and has her children not talking to her, really well – we see her reclaiming her lost faith in a realistic manner. Peter DeSouza-Feighoney gets into the terrifying child role really well. Laurel Marsden plays the rebellious young lady nicely too. The two ladies from the movie’s past, Carrie Munroe and Bianca Bardoe makes some fine terrifying and notable appearances which will stay with us for long.

How it finishes :: In relation to exorcism and the demons, this movie sets a new level of work in its genre that will inspire more of similar works. The way in which it asserts the presence of evil which cannot be understood, and will go to any extent. The movie has surely exceeded the expectations of the common horror fan, as it never came with the hype as it has been attached to The Conjuring, The Nun, Annabelle, Insidious, Ouija, Sinister and the others. It also leaves us with a lot of anticipation for a possible sequel, and its base on real events makes the whole thing even stronger. The ending makes us feel that bigger things are yet to come with more exorcism and fallen demons sent back to hell. This could actually become a franchise more powerful than the universe of horror that has already been created. The skill to make something out of even the simplest elements of horror can be seen here. As we all know the presence of evil, and it gaining in strength, watching more demons being exorcised adds to the hope for a future of goodness. After all, when facing a demon, horror is not always the most important thing that one needs to confront – there is more.

Release date: 14th April 2023 (Theatre); August 16th 2023 (Netflix)
Running time: 103 minutes
Directed by: Julius Avery
Starring: Russell Crowe, Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe, Franco Nero, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney, Laurel Marsden, Cornell John, Ryan O’Grady, Carrie Munroe, Bianca Bardoe

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Multiverse of Madness

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Vampire Owl: I don’t like how the Marvel universe have transformed.

Vampire Bat: Yes, it seems to have gone some other way than intended.

Vampire Owl: I didn’t like the Marvel people much after Captain Marvel.

Vampire Bat: Captain Marvel was one too powerful thing that didn’t suit the world.

Vampire Owl: Are we shifting our loyalties to DC?

Vampire Bat: Well, the first Wonder Woman and Aquaman were really good.

Vampire Owl: You mean to say that DC will rise above Marvel?

Vampire Bat: I am seeing that chance more than ever now.

Vampire Owl: Doctor Frankenstein had told me that you are seeing things.

Vampire Bat: Well, the fake doctors’ opinions do not count.

[Gets a chicken biriyani and three cups of Mogu Mogu juice].

What is the movie about? :: Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) attends the wedding ceremony of his former lover Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), but is interrupted by a strange octopus-like creature which is destroying the city. He finds out that the creature is after a young girl named America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), and is helped by the Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong). Despite being in trouble early on, Strange manages to destroy the monstrous creature and save America. America tells them that she is able to travel through the multiple universes, and the demons are trying to take her power. To make sure that he gets some strong support against the demonic witchcraft, he visits Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) who seems to be living a peaceful life. But it turns out that she calls herself Scarlet Witch with possession of the Darkhold, and has harnessed chaos magic like never before. She was the one who was hunting America to get back to her imaginary children who exist only in other universes now. She asks him to hand over the girl peacefully or face the consequences.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Strange doesn’t agree to her demands to hand over the child to brutally murder her, and it was expected by her though. The Scarlet Witch gives a quick warning, following it with an attack on the stronghold of the sorcerers, and the magic of all the sorcerers could not stop the witch, and she almost destroys the fortress while murdering most of the people present there. As they are almost caught by the Scarlett Witch, America ends up transporting them to a very distant universe. Scarlet Witch travels to the origins of the Darkhold, where all the spells are carved in, and establishes a very powerful dream-walk which helps her to take control of her alternative self in the universe where America had traveled. In the new world, there are so many things that he and America cannot really understand, and this realization makes them travel to find the Sorcerer Supreme who doesn’t trust either of them, and considers them to be an incursion into their safe universe. He drugs and imprisons them, despite the warning from Strange about what could follow him in the form of chaos magic.

And what more is to follow here around here? :: He understands there is some twist awaiting him, as he is brought in front of a group similar to the Avengers which includes members of Fantastic Four and X-Men, and their version of stopping Thanos from the battles of Infinity War and Endgame remains different. The group known as Illuminati in this world expects to stop the Scarlet Witch all by themselves as they have stopped many witches themselves, despite Strange warning them against even attempting to do so. With the demons under her control in her world along with all the powers of witchcraft, she could just do more this time. There is also the Book of Vishanti which could work against the Darkhold somewhere around there. But would that be powerful against Darkhold which uses chaos magic? With the highest of demonic powers, where has the Scarlet Witch reached with her brutal strength? How far is everyone in every universe prepared for someone like the Scarlet Witch with an infinity of chaotic powers of mass destruction?

The defence of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness :: This version of Doctor Strange seems to serve what exactly was expected of it, with grand visuals of multiple worlds that catch our attention. The colourful looks with a touch horror makes a fine combination here – this comes from the director of the original Evil Dead, Sam Raimi; so, we know. There are some more interesting characters added here, that makes the whole thing more spectacular. The action is splendid, and it might be the best that a movie like this can get, and there are also some fine surprises in store here. Benedict Cumberbatch becomes the sorcerer superhero again, and that works perfectly again, with hope for even more in the future. Elizabeth Olsen as the witch antagonist remains as interesting as she has always been, a character to be hated for remaining the psycho mother of non-existing children. We hope to see lot of Xochitl Gomez in the future too. Then, about Rachel McAdams, we are always to see her around in any role. The casting continues to work in favour of Marvel’s universe, and we never cease to admire how well things turn out in the multiverse too.

Positives and negatives :: The movie nicely sets the path for the sequel, with Charlize Theron coming in as a sorceress in the post-credit scenes. The continuation from WandaVision would not work with most of the audience, as most people around here are not into watching the online series. There is some loss of strength to the universe in total after the retirement or death of its main superheroes. But the ideas used here brings this world back to life with enough strength. The movie’s best scenes include the battle at the stronghold, movement towards the Book of Vishanti and the final zombie battle. The demons could have still had more role to do though, as there is always a lot that could be done with chaos magic’s ability to bring destruction all around. You can never underestimate a horror movie’s ability to do horror, even without becoming a conjuring or evil dead thing in the process. In comparison to what these new versions of Spider-Man and others having, Doctor Strange will always have better movies with variety and class.

How it finishes :: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a movie that offers a lot, and it does the same with class. Multiverse has always been an interesting idea, as the belief in parallel worlds in different galaxies would make life more interesting. It feels more like those video games which have the same world with small differences in the environment and slightly different characters. We are introduced into so many possibilities here, and we hope for more to come with possible sequels. The ending asserts the same, and the audience would be ready for any number of parallel universes. Our hope for the return of Marvel to its old glory can see some possibilities here, and the universe would do well as long as it focuses on the content rather than trying to make some strange comments on random things. Entertainment should be the focus once again, but with enough seriousness. We are all in support of more worlds of madness – but the question would remain if there is any world which is more psychotic than what we know in existence.

Release date: 6th May 2022 (Theatre), 22nd June 2022 (Disney-Hotstar)
Running time: 126 minutes
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, Rachel McAdams

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Terrifier 2

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Vampire Owl: We are the most terrifying ones.

Vampire Bat: I don’t think that we are that terrifying as we used to be.

Vampire Owl: It is due to Twilight and Vampire Diaries. They don’t count.

Vampire Bat: They do count for the humans.

Vampire Owl: Well, sometimes I feel that only they count for them.

Vampire Bat: Humans are not that aware about true vampires.

Vampire Owl: There are no true and false vampires. There are only us.

Vampire Bat: We have been children of the night for too long.

Vampire Owl: There are no vampires of the day.

Vampire Bat: Well, the vampires that sparkle have other opinions.

[Gets a chicken biryani and three cups of cardamom tea].

What is the movie about? :: Miles County Massacre was one of the most traumatizing events for the people of the town. Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) who was responsible for the brutal murders does return though. He was considered dead, even though the body was not found – he is once again here though. The police had only provided the statement that the body had just disappeared, and some people do spend the legend that the clown is not dead and might return at some point. The Little Pale Girl (Amelie McLain) is another mysterious entity which wears similar clown costume, and seems to join forces with Art. Meanwhile, a teenager named Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera) is finishing the Halloween costume which was designed for her by her father who recently died due to brain tumour. Sienna’s younger brother Jonathan Shaw (Elliott Fullam) is obsessed with Art the Clown though, and wishes to dress like him for the Halloween, after finding details about him from his father’s sketches. Sienna ends up having a nightmare about the clown, and wakes up to find the room on fire, yet has a sword from her father as the same as it used to be. She had also seen people being murdered by the clown in her nightmare.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: On Halloween, Jonathan sees Art and The Little Pale Girl at school playing with a dead animal, and he is held responsible for bringing the creature to school as they disappear without a trace. As the school calls the parent, he is grounded at home. Sienna goes to the Halloween costume shop to buy a replacement pair of wings to fit with her costume as the earlier one was lost in fire, and there she encounters Art who stalks her without mercy, and later brutally murders the shop vendor who is left alone in the store. He also manages to make the later customers believe that it is all part of a Halloween show. Sienna is the only one who believes her brother and that the clown might be real as she had seen him in the shop. Sienna’s friend, Allie (Casey Hartnett) finds herself in trouble too, as Art gets to her home pretending to be trick or treating. Allie who is rude to him for asking for candy at an old age is brutally attcked by the clown and left in pieces. Allie’s mother is also killed in the same way, and her head is kept for putting sweets for Halloween.

And what more is to follow with this brutal adventure featuring a clown? :: Art is well-supported by the clown girl in his actions, even though the brutality is committed all by himself. He also resorts to cannibalism at times, even though the act of brutal murder seems to be the one thing that satisfies him more than anything else. He also seems to display a supernatural side to him after returning to the seemingly unstoppable killing spree which goes mostly undetected as the victims are not found. Jonathan shows the paintings of his father to his mother Barbara Shaw (Sarah Voigt), but unhappy with his obsession with the clown and not believing in his stories, she tears them off. She feels that his son requires some serious counselling. At the same time, Sienna goes to a Halloween party dressed in the costume designed by her father, but it seems that Art has other ideas about this particular celebration, and it would involve her family. She becomes drunk at the party and begins to see the clown girl, while the clown attacks their home. Jonathan runs away from home only to find the clown girl in the way. Art seems immortal evil, but how far will he go?

The defence of Terrifier 2 :: For a slasher, the character development of this movie is at an all time high, especially with Lauren LaVera playing Sienna Shaw. She leads the movie here, and as a battle angel, becomes the last hope for a family and the town in general, a role into which she evolves really well. This is one character who rises above the horror tropes with ease, and promises to continue the peformance into a sequel too, if such a thing happens. Lauren in the Halloween costume fighting the clown is a joy to watch. Elliott Fullam who plays her brother also does a fine job. The movie, with blood and gore as well as the representation of the evil on screen lives up to the name, as a work of terrifying nature. The ambience is very well used too, and the Halloween world as well as the carnival attraction works like a fine nightmare here. As you get transported into the world of a seemingly immortal evil clown, the feeling is forever, and here, the grand clown rises above Stephen King’s It as a movie and its second part as the demonic clown of the century.

Positives and negatives :: Terrifier 2 blends into its genre really well. It has some of the very gory scenes which might not be that good for everyone. The signs of such brutality can be seen in the beginning itself. The border lines for gore has been crossed here and most of the natural horror film fans who prefer only those works like Ouija, The Conjuring, The Nun, Annabelle, Curse of La Llorna, Insidious, Sinister and other would not go further with this after the first scene. A murder on the bed might feel to be too brutal even for the best of fans of the genre. The final moments have a little bit of of too much of the supernatural side added to it, which could have been kept to the minimum, especially as both the protagonist and antagonist deserves more in the form of two people going at each other. The movie does remind of those older slasher films with moments which takes us back to the past memories of slasher horror, a genre which has kept us close to the darker side of humanity, the horror which has been inherent in human beings since the beginning of time. While doing the same, the scares work so well.

How it finishes :: Terrifier 2 is the nice slasher horror which we rarely see around these days. After all, it is easy to lose the way whenever a slasher gets a chance to make it big. The movie delivers most of what it promises, and in the end, leaves an open door for a possible sequel, as death does not come easy for antagonists like this, as proven by many slashers including Halloween which has overused the idea. Most of us around here did not hear about the first movie, and a lot of people still need to hear about this movie. It is the kind of movie that has raised the level of slashers in a decade when it hasn’t scored much. With a third movie, things can get even better, as characters are better developed here. Well, we need to celebrate the horror in raw forms when we see them, as this is one example of the same. One can be sure that Terrifier 2 will have its fans, and can develop into a cult classic horror as most of the old slasher horror films have stopped bringing reboots and remakes of relevance to keep the legacy moving on.

Release date: 6th October 2022
Running time: 138 minutes
Directed by: Damien Leone
Starring: Lauren LaVera, Sarah Voigt, Elliott Fullam, Kailey Hyman, Casey Hartnett, David Howard Thornton

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Scream

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Vampire Owl: We have been good friends with Ghostface for a long time.

Vampire Bat: This is not about that person from the Halloween night.

Vampire Owl: Well, I have seen those movies.

Vampire Bat: The movie you watched was I Know What You did Last Summer.

Vampire Owl: I don’t feel that there is any difference.

Vampire Bat: You are generalizing the slasher horror.

Vampire Owl: I am generalizing the killers who do the job well.

Vampire Bat: We have had enough psychopath vampires around here.

Vampire Owl: Vampires are not psychopaths, for we are just being natural.

Vampire Bat: And humans are naturally psychopaths.

[Gets a chocolate muffin and three cups of mixed tea].

What is the movie about? :: Many years have passed after the earlier attack, and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) is brutally attacked by the Ghostface killer, leaving her hospitalized. This leads to Samantha Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), her sister returning the town after a very long time, and she is also accompanied by her boyfriend Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid). Sam feels that some lunatic keeps trying to use the Ghostface mask to become famous. As she reaches the hospital, she meets Tara’s friends, Amber Freeman (Mikey Madison), Wes Hicks (Dylan Minnette), Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Liv McKenzie (Sonia Ammar) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding). It is then that another murder by Ghostface occurs outside a bar. Samantha also finds her under attack by the Ghostface, and due to other hallucinations, she is forced to reveal the truth to Tara that she is the daughter of a serial killer, and they are step-sisters. Tara doesn’t take this secret seriously, and wouldn’t want her presence in the hospital.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Samantha looks for help from the earlier survivors of the Ghostface attacks, Dewey Riley (David Arquette), Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) who have now settled down in different places. Dewey meets up with Samantha and Tara’s friends, only to feel that someone is recreating the whole thing in a different way, in the form of continuation of a narrative, but still borrowing heavily from the plot of the original tale – thus it has the new generation as well as the legacy characters. When another death occurs in the town, it brings Gale to the town to cover the incident. When the sheriff is the last one to be killed, and with the police officers in the hospital at the crime scene, Samantha realizes that her sister would be in trouble. But the killer is not someone who has things going in a direct path. Someone would be murdered if the killer really wanted. If it is not about Tara whom he keeps missing, who would be the next one to be killed?

The defence of Scream :: There is a certain standard which has been maintained by the franchise yet again, and it is a level which could be followed by the other films of the genre. The build-up is nice, and the first scene does bring some nostalgia to us. The Ghostface remains a force that the slasher horror can’t avoid. The cast seems to have been nicely chosen, even though some of them deserved more. The movie is a reminder of how bad the fans can be, and even without that much of an influence of the slasher horror genre, the fan fights in this part of the world have already proven the same fact. The sixth movie of the franchise seems to be nicely set from the trailer. Ghostface seems to be forever, even though there is no Halloween kind of killer who seems to be supernatural – this serves the slasher horror world really well. A horror film loving serial killer never ceases to be a person of interest. The elements of horror stays close to the existence of the maniacs at all times.

The claws of flaw :: There is the feeling that we could have nothing new with this franchise, as repetition often gets into the nerves. As the franchise hesitates to move away from the predictable, one just wonders if change can ever be a part of this series. The twist is not that strong as one would expect, as there is at least one antagonist whom one would have guessed with ease. Multiple twists would have done this movie a lot of good, and this is the kind of a franchise which could have afforded to leave better openings in the end. Scream along with I Know What You did Last Summer was the slasher horror that we have always remembered whenever the name of the genre came into the picture. There were so many moments of horror being missed out in this movie, and this was one flick which could have thrived on it using the Ghostface appearances and killings. Terror was there to be spread, and this one hesitates rather too much.

The performers of the soul :: Melissa Barrera leads the slasher here as the new scream queen of the franchise, who has a legacy to maintain here. She gets something bigger to do in the final stages of the movie, and Jenna Ortega who plays the younger sister also gets more to do than being the victim of the Ghostface as one would have expected from the initial stages. Jenna would have done well in most of the main roles in the movie, as she seems to have blend into this environment really well. Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox make an interesting return to the franchise here, but one might also wonder if they were needed, as horror slashers are often made as new films with quality. Among the other performers, it is Mikey Madison who catches our attention the most, while Jasmin Savoy Brown has some of the most interesting lines in there. David Arquette’s return could have actually been better and longer, but the fans would have actually had enough.

How it finishes :: Scream with its return has worked well to suit these times when horror has suffered due to lack of ideas, even though it has not been innovative enough with the content. The opportunity to become the one classic horror slasher to remember has not been taken here. With this base of Ghostface already set, there was so much more which could be achieved. The movie holds on to its past, and has the elements for the fans of the genre, but the repetition is something that could have been kept to the minimum. It could have also added some scares here and there to bring further effectiveness to the idea which is present there. After all, a serial killer like this could do more, but we are still happy with what is shown around here. For those who need more of terrifying sequences, there is always another kind of scary Sinister, Evil Dead, Annabelle, Nun or Conjuring coming up.

Release date: 14th January 2022
Running time: 114 minutes
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Marley Shelton, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Neve Campbell

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Orphan: First Kill

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Vampire Owl: Do you remember watching the first Orphan movie earlier?

Vampire Bat: I do not remember like that. I remember back in centuries.

Vampire Owl: You are not supposed to go that long back with memories.

Vampire Bat: Well, Uncle Dracula goes back longer than that.

Vampire Owl: He can go back as long as the vampire elders can go infinitely.

Vampire Bat: You know the elders. They don’t count.

Vampire Owl: They have been further violent during these years.

Vampire Bat: It is quite natural, considering their loss of fangs.

Vampire Owl: The lost fangs can be recreated with the help of the witches.

Vampire Bat: I hope it is not left in the hands of Doctor Frankenstein.

[Gets a paneer masala dosa and three cups of elaichi tea].

What is the movie about? :: Leena Klammer (Isabelle Fuhrman), a thirty one year old woman with the appearance of a ten year old child has been locked in psychiatric hospital in Estonia for a long time, but has been planning an escape for a long time. She finds a way by hiding inside the car of Anna (Gwendolyn Collins), an art therapist, whom she kills after breaking into her house. She temporarily finds a new home in her place. She looks up for missing girls in the United States of America, and finds that she looks similar to a girl named Esther Albright. For her, it also seems to be an interesting home to live. This gives her a new idea, and she pretends to be the same American child who had gone missing a few years ago. She gets herself found in a children’s park by a police officer who has absolutely no doubts about her, as she has planned the whole thing really well. Allen Albright (Rossif Sutherland) and Tricia Albright (Julia Stiles) get the news that their disappeared daughter has been found in Eastern Europe, and couldn’t get any happier as they were sure that she was lost forever.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As Tricia brings her home, she begins to have doubts about her soon enough, as she has forgotten that their grandmother died, and has developed some painting skills which she never really came close to possessing. Detective Donnan (Hiro Kanagawa) and the child psychologist Dr Segar (Samantha Walkes) feel that there is surely something wrong about her, but they don’t really know what it is. She seems to be rather too different, and doesn’t act like a child at all times. She doesn’t seem to get along well with the brother Gunnar Albright (Matthew Finlan) either. Soon, it turns out that there are family secrets that are being hidden in the house. Leena keeps getting closer to her newly discovered father-figure, which upsets the others in the family. Soon, she will be facing her family which suspects her, but she has her plans to rise above those doubts. But how long can she go on playing this role which only seems to get more and more difficult for her? She would have to get rid of the detective soon enough, but is that an easy job to do? How can she achieve this without being deported back to the mental asylum back in Estonia?

The defence of Orphan: First Kill :: This movie is powered by that antagonist who continues to be a favourite among the horror lovers, and that stays as an advantage. The atmosphere here is interesting, and the setting provides an assurance that there will be some nice moments to remember. The early setting of the mental asylum is more than just interesting. We keep feeling that there could be something more coming up at all times in the first half, the big reveal only set things up well for a grand battle of women. The movie’s hesitation often has it lagging, but it does manage to make things better in the very next scene or so. The cast members do manage to overcome them all, and this selection of the leading performers comes as an advantage. The movie is also a reminder for us to not fall a prey to the cute ones, especially children who are not too far away from the Lord of the Flies situation of William Golding. Well, the cutest among them all might be the one diabolical evil creature which needs to be feared at all times.

The claws of flaw :: Orphan: First Kill doesn’t raise the level from the original movie at all. There were so many opportunities with this idea when going back, but that much is not taken here. This one has also come too late for anyone’s liking, as the gap between the original and this prequel is rather too much. The antagonist does seem to have a more artificial look in comparison to the looks in the first flick. Yet, there are also too many similarities with the first movie, and we also have the absence of surprises here, with twists not getting the required strength either. We know too much about the main character as we have watched the earlier film, and bringing a certain secret ingredient was a necessity. We could have also had some creepy sequences around here which could have managed to balance the situation, but such an attempt is also not made here. It is only with another prequel set almost completely in a mental asylum in Estonia that the bar can be raised now.

The performers of the soul :: Isabelle Fuhrman continues to make Esther an interesting character, a role which she had performed at a young age, and made it a thing of quality. Isabelle does have a challenge in here, as despite the experience that she may have earned through the years, she is still not of that same age anymore. In comparison to her other roles, her work as Esther or Leena is something that has her raising the bar each and every time. Julia Stiles makes another strong character here, and two main lady characters show their strength even further when they are standing against each other, even when not showing the hatred that much. Rossif Sutherland also has his moments here. Matthew Finlan comes out strong in the later stages of the film, and that too when less expected. Gwendolyn Collins makes an initial impression well, and it is sad that she had to disappear too early. Hiro Kanagawa also leaves a mark, and needed more time on screen.

How it finishes :: Orphan: First Kill cannot be compared to the original movie which set something up so well, and it was also something which felt much innovative at that time. The fans would have been expecting a film which would score better than this one. After all, Esther has become a horror icon like no other, and the earlier movie’s twist was something which people didn’t really except. But the prequel has been organized well, and we can see that at the end of the movie, things come together well to bring the possibilities of the next one on to the scene. This one does deserve to become a much longer franchise with a deeper idea about the origins of the main character given. A fine psychopath of the antagonist’s level can do magic for the genre. After all, movies like these serve as those the reminders that we cannot trust anyone, especially someone with the cute side on display – this is a mad world indeed, and has the worst in store for us.

Release date: 19th August 2022
Running time: 99 minutes
Directed by: William Brent Bell
Starring: Isabelle Fuhrman, Rossif Sutherland, Hiro Kanagawa, Matthew Finlan, Julia Stiles

<<< Click here to go to the previous film review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Invitation

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Vampire Owl: You are talking about the invitation to the witches’ lair.

Vampire Bat: No vampire goes to the land of the witches.

Vampire Owl: You are afraid of the curse.

Vampire Bat: There is no witch who can curse a vampire.

Vampire Owl: You mean vampirism itself is a curse.

Vampire Bat: We have the curse that has become a blessing.

Vampire Owl: The vampire curse has been suspected by many.

Vampire Bat: Your favourite doctor called it a bane.

Vampire Owl: Doctor Frankenstein can be wrong once in a year.

Vampire Bat: At least you agree to it now.

[Gets a chocolate brownie and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Evelyn (Nathalie Emmanuel) and Grace (Courtney Taylor) are two friends who keeps doing some freelancing for a catering business, and it seems to be working just okay for them. After taking a DNA test, Evelyn discovers that she has a distant cousin in England named Oliver Alexander (Hugh Skinner). They meet each other, and after Oliver tells Evelyn about the great scandal which happened with their grandparents, and also about a wedding of their cousin which is to take place soon. He invites her to the wedding in England, and even though it feels strange, Evelyn accepts the offer, as it is a full-paid trip all the way to another nation in another continent; she doesn’t have anyone else as part of family either. As she arrives at the grand manor of the De Ville family to whom their cousin is going to be married, she finds Walter De Ville (Thomas Doherty), the Lord of the Manor. She finds herself instantly attracted to his good looks and polite manners, even though Grace advices her not to be foolish in her actions, at least in the early stages in the manor.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Evelyn finds out that there is something strange occurring in the manor, especially at night. She meets the maids of honour Lucy (Alana Boden) and Viktoria (Stephanie Corneliussen), both of them having nothing in common. It is revealed that a lady had committed suicide by hanging, and maids have started disappearing while shadowy figures seem to wander in the darkness of the night. There seems to be a certain secret about her grandmother that would be revealed, and she would feel that there is more to it than what meets the eye. But as she is infatuated with Walter, she avoids negative sides. But soon, the truth about the families would be revealed to her, and when she knows everything, it might be too late for to call for help or escape from this trap. Will Evelyn be able to escape from this family haunting and go back to the New World in the same form as she arrived in England?

The defence of The Invitation :: This is a movie which thrives on the atmosphere, as we have almost the whole of the movie happening in a very old mansion, which seems to be separated from the civilization with a long line of trees which run through the sides of the road which leads there. The reminder of a certain mystery about the family’s dark past is always there. The darkness is used by the movie to the best of effects, and there are enough terrifying effects that make fine additions. The beginning shot itself gives a clue about what is to come, and there is something eerie in the air at all times. This film reminds us that there is always something dangerous lurking in the dark shadows, nothing comes for free, even if it is within the family. The movie has the skill of creating something dangerous out of what seems to be the usual sequences, and the scares often come out of nowhere to make an impact. When we see the evil presence revealing itself, we feel the strength of truth in horror. The cast nicely works on this revelation, and the audience would enjoy it with a touch of fear. For the same, the costumes also work like a dream.

The claws of flaw :: The movie could have had a smarter ending, and the extra edition which comes after the death of the main antagonist is a big disappointment, as this is no superhero or vigilante movie to get a deviation like that. The world seemed to promise more, as we are transported to that dark atmosphere where the building and the clothing of the people around seems to hide more than what is revealed around there. The script does not try to go deep though, as the idea used here would not look that new for most people, and the attempt to end the whole thing goes through a struggle too. An opportunity at the exploration of evil has gone missing. The first half is surely better than the second, as in the end, the movie seems to be only working at going in one direction without the surprises which could have been there and connected well. The director also seems to talk about a few things which are not really connected to this film, and when losing focus just because there is a female protagonist does not do this film any good. There were many directions through which this film could have traveled, and here we only see the easy one.

The performers of the soul :: The cast is led by Nathalie Emmanuel who proves to be another talented scream queen to be added to the list. We have already seen her skills in Army of Thieves and Fast and Furious franchise where she excelled in her own way. The way in which she blends into the atmosphere of this movie leaves us impressed. Her scenes with other main characters feel very much natural and suitable for the situation. With the supporting roles, Stephanie Corneliussen goes through the more interesting and believable path. Alana Boden has a cure presence here, even though there is more about the character; yet she is used less. Thomas Doherty also makes his presence felt, and the transformation that comes across him is memorable. Hugh Skinner plays another character with a mysterious side to him, which threatens to come out. Sean Pertwee also has a strong and memorable presence. Courtney Taylor plays the small good friend role fine enough. Tian Chaudhry and Carol Ann Crawford have those smaller and yet notable roles here.

How it finishes :: We have a tale of terror nicely told here, and the entry of the vampires in a world of darkness only makes things better. The settings in this movie reminds us of the type of horror which was evident in Crimson Peak. Guillermo del Toro’s version of horror, even without vampires was a beautiful piece of horror. The Invitation does go through an unnecessary shift in between, which seems to make it lose the focus, as the mystery is revealed a little too early. But the movie stays strong with its cast and the environment which never ceases to keep us interested. We could always have a sequel to this movie though, as world like that of Byzantium or Night Teeth could be made for the vampires. Good movies with vampires have been more difficult to find these days in comparison to the world of Dracula, Carmilla and Ruthven, and taking that into consideration, this one could develop into something more with a search for blood and bloodlines.

Release date: 26th August 2022
Running time: 104 minutes
Directed by: Jessica M Thompson
Starring: Nathalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty, Stephanie Corneliussen, Alana Boden, Hugh Skinner, Sean Pertwee, Courtney Taylor, Tian Chaudhry

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Evil Dead Rise

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Vampire Owl: I think that they are talking about me.

Vampire Bat: You are not part of any Evil Dead stuff.

Vampire Owl: I am the rising evil coming from the dead.

Vampire Bat: Yes, but the movie is surely not about your rise.

Vampire Owl: Does my rising from the dead every day bother these humans?

Vampire Bat: I don’t think that humans are bothered about dead owls returning to trees.

Vampire Owl: Don’t they have time to bother about such important things?

Vampire Bat: They are only worried about silly things which make no sense.

Vampire Owl: Yet, zombies are interested in eating their brains too.

Vampire Bat: A common zombie would eat the brain fried rice of anyone.

[Gets a paneer masala dosa and three cups of cardamom tea].

What is the movie about? :: Jessica (Anna-Maree Thomas), Teresa (Mirabai Pease) and Caleb (Richard Crouchley) are having a vacation in a cabin in the woods by the lakeside, when something strange happens to one of them. As Jessica seems to be possessed by some strange supernatural entity, there is the reminder about a series of incidents which happened in an apartment block back in the city of Los Angeles. In the city, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) is a single parent who takes good care of her children Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), Dannie (Morgan Davies) and Kassie (Nell Fisher), and is also loved by everyone living in those apartments. They are visited by Beth (Lily Sullivan), the only sister of Ellie who works in the music industry. They have had some misunderstandings in the past, but are back to their past as loving siblings. It is then that an earthquake hits the apartment complex while the kids are at the basement as they return with pizza and drinks. They notice that the earthquake has created a massive hole on the basement floor.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Danny decides to investigate the strange hole, and discovers that there are different religious artifacts, along with some phonograph records and a strange-looking book which he takes back up to his room, even though the other children are not really fond of the findings. It turns out that the Book of the Dead has been found, and as he plays the phonograph records against the advice of Bridget, he unleashes the demons. These creatures take control of Ellie in the elevator through the vines which runs through her body, almost twisting her body parts. As she returns to the apartment, she begins to act strangely, and collapses all of a sudden. Beth and the children feel that she is dead, as there is no sign of life in her body. Her body seems to be in a somewhat decomposed already. But very soon, Ellie seems to wake up from her sleep, confused for a few seconds, but soon getting to attack her own family. All the family members work hard to keep her outside their apartment, but the possessed mother ends up murdering everyone in the nearby apartments who try to come out.

And what more is to follow in this tale of evil unleashed from a book of the dead? :: Ellie in her possessed form is still smart enough to almost make Kassie open the door for her. Bridget soon finds herself also possessed by the demons after being attacked and wounded by Ellie. Meanwhile, Ellie finds out that vents can be a good option to attack her own family. Bridget soon begins to attack the family, only to be impaled by accident by Kassie. Beth tries to learn more about the demons by listening to the phonograph. At the same time, Bridget manages to rise from the dead again, and Ellie gets into their home through the vents. At the same time, the dead people outside also find themselves alive in their undead state, ready to attack the family. They declare with confidence that the whole family would by dead by dawn. At the same time, the elevator doesn’t seem to work, and the stairs have also collapsed. There is the option of fire escape, but that would be a long distance away, with the undead awaiting them outside their home. Now, can Beth find a way to save what remains of the family with herself? Is there any chance to stop the possessed Ellie and Bridget? Does anyone know how to stop the ancient demons right out of the Book of the Dead?

The defence of Evil Dead Rise :: This rise of the dead makes sure that things get interesting from the beginning stages itself – it is the first few minutes that establishes the return of horror like no other moment. There are some nice dialogues which contribute well to the horror too, and most of them come from the main antagonist herself. The tall Los Angeles building seems to serve the demons’ purpose very well, if used well enough. The bloody side is strong, and the elevator filled with blood makes the point well. There is some difference from the other movies in display here too. The leading ladies have also come up with some fine performances. Lily Sullivan is the scream queen who can do wonders with a possible sequel too, as she has already shown here. Alyssa Sutherland is a fine possessed creature in the movie, even though the humour added to her character make it feel strange at times. Another interesting thing would be to guess how Anna-Maree Thomas would work with her character in the next possible movie if it chooses to continue this story, and one would also like to see Mirabai Pease in an alive character. The dark and gloomy atmosphere of this world would stay for long, that is for sure as we wait for more sequels.

The claws of flaw :: It is surprising that Evil Dead Rise often descends too much into comedy instead of continuing as the terrifying piece that it was always expected to be. It didn’t need those silly sequences which weakens the demon power. After all, these are demons who are to make human lives living hell, and they are required to act like them. There could have been more scary sequences used, and the shocking elements used here are not of that much of an effect. The demons could have come up with so many things with their chaotic skills, but it is too much limited in scope. The makers have to remember that these are not the viewers of those days when those first three movies released. There was the need for more innovation to make things better. The vine scene in the elevator could have been creepier, as the same in the forest was more terrifying in nature with the support of the environment. The surroundings of the tall apartment complex could have also been better used. You just cannot expect blood and gore to do the job all the time, as some real terror can always do better. When we look at the film reviews too, there is much more that everyone had expected, seemingly clear from the reaction of the audience in the theatre.

How it finishes :: When it is the case of Evil Dead, we are all interested. We have all been interested from childhood itself, as it has been that franchise which introduced many of us into the bloody and gory horror which knew no substitutes. Whether it is with the older franchises of horror or with those newer ones, there is nothing that matches the level of Evil Dead. The earlier version of the movie had come out in 2013, and it was no exception. The first movie was there before we were born, and that was legendary. This one comes so many years later, and during these times, it is even more difficult to make the horror work with such efficiency. This version of the movie manages to do the same up to an extent in style. There are indeed those moments to remember in this film, and we are only glad to have this particular sequel, which leaves the door open for more. The demons of Evil Dead will always have a different status in comparison to others, and the newer crowd favourites like The Conjuring, Insidious, Sinister and Annabelle can remember.

Release date: 21st April 2023
Running time: 97 minutes
Directed by: Lee Cronin
Starring: Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher, Mirabai Pease, Anna-Maree Thomas, Richard Crouchley, Jayden Daniels, Billy Reynolds-McCarthy, Tai Wano

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

X

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Vampire Owl: I have always wanted to have the title, Vampire X.

Vampire Bat: You have been identified as Vampire O for a long time.

Vampire Owl: Well, why not X? Everyone has wanted to be Agent X.

Vampire Bat: Agent X has never been real – there was only a hoax related to it.

Vampire Owl: I have heard that most of the mass movies of humans have such agents.

Vampire Bat: They have such things because they run out of ideas.

Vampire Owl: I do feel that the X letter suits this movie better.

Vampire Bat: Well, its better suited for a slasher movie for sure.

Vampire Owl: You know how much we have missed the true slasher films.

Vampire Bat: Well, they should come back now for classic horror stories – the encounter should happen now or never.

[Gets some French fries and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) has always wanted to become a famous actress, and she does not mind how it comes, as the easy option seems to be to become a pornographic actress. As she wishes to be part of such a film during a time when theatrical pornography market is booming, she goes on a road trip with her friends and crew for an upcoming adult movie. The crew includes her own boyfriend and producer Wayne Gilroy (Martin Henderson), other actors Bobby-Lynne Parker (Brittany Snow) and Jackson Hole (Scott Mescudi), director RJ Nichols and his girlfriend Lorraine Day (Jenna Ortega). While Nichols want it to be a serious piece of cinema, Lorraine is not happy with the work. Bobby-Lynne and Jackson seems to be very much interested in each other as far as the work is concerned, but as they reach the farm where they are supposed to shoot, things do not seem to get any better. The whole place is supposed to have had soldiers staying there during the Civil War, but that might not be the only history that the house would have.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: In the early moments itself, it seems to be clear that there is something strange about the area as well as the old couple who owns the house, but the crew doesn’t seem to mind as they are able to shoot in peace around such a deserted area. The name of their movie is The Farmer’s Daughters, and the setting and the atmosphere seems to suit it very well. The old lady is very much attracted to Maxine, and wishes that she was young like her and friends who seems to enjoy their youth so much. At the same time, Lorraine, who is tired of being considered prude by others, wishes to participate in one of the intimate scenes, much to the dismay of Nichols who finds the change to his script and his lover’s change of heart to be depressing. He decides to leave the place, but finds out that it is not that easy to leave the farm, and others would also discover the same sooner or later. Now the question remains if any of them could manage to leave the place alive.

The defence of X :: The movie provides the feeling that it goes straight to the good old horror slasher roots, without hesitating like the newer additions to the genre which seems to have a few more doubts than required. This would be like sending an e-mail to those older generation of slashers and letting them know that we are still here, even though instant messaging is more of the trend. There are some memorable scenes including the alligator attack which just misses the protagonist, the meeting of two characters played by the leading actress, the elder woman invading the protagonist’s room and the final scenes of gore. The victims here are not that dumb as the characters who run around in horror films either, as the danger here would feel minimal for anyone. The movie is very much atmospheric, and the world here is suitable to be place any terrifying creature. The idea of being in a cabin in the middle of nowhere never really gets old, and never limited to Evil Dead and The Cabin in the Woods which serve as perfect examples.

Positives and negatives :: This movie is an example of something coming out of nowhere all of a sudden and keeping us interested. One might feel that there could have been more strength with its evil presence, but that side is kept rather realistic here. There are no supervillains who keep coming back for more after they seem to be dead, a case which has been repeated so many times, very recently with Halloween. The movie does have the stereotypes, but none of them used for the sake of being there, as there is some fine blending happening around here. This is also the kind of movie which makes you long for those old slashers, and a return to the past is provided with elements of nostalgia. The ideas of beauty and its fading with old age gets a special attention here, as we look at the process leading to disastrous events. The ending could have actually been more powerful, as the use of some elements resemble deus ex machina. What rises above all of these is the certainty that this is a worthy slasher horror that takes us to that childhood which had horror that lasted and eternity.

The performers of the soul :: Mia Goth was part of A Cure for Wellness with a mysterious performance, and it is nice to see her again in a genre which seems to suit her so well – the looks also come as a bonus along with her performance. It would seem that she blends in here so well that we never feels that she is not that any of those characters. Even when nothing happens, there is something about her – the swimming scene of her might be one of the spookiest among them, as danger is on the trail, and so seems many other mysterious elements. Such natural performances have been rare in slasher films. The makeup for the older version is also well done. Jenna Ortega is there as what seems to be another version of the protagonist, but there is the feeling that we do not really see enough of her here. There could have been something eerie about her in the end, but there is the feeling that the character is abandoned. Brittany Snow’s role is rather predictable, but still leaves a mark. The rest only needs to play along according to the needs here.

How it finishes :: We have not had many classic slasher movies around here which could bring us some nostalgia along with quality. This one does the job pretty well though, and in a world where slasher horror is losing power, a movie like this is very much required. There might be many reasons to deny the slasher its due, but we can always have more to accept it as a genre that demands our attention. When we consider the horror movies of the year, X is that film which has managed to grab less attention. But it is also that kind of a movie which deserved more. It would not be the perfect slasher film with that near unstoppable killer on the loose, but does manage to gain the success that it deserved with moments that will stay with us for some time. After all, being in a cabin in the woods or in the middle of nowhere makes all the impact in different forms. There is no better place to be, for any horror fan – we enjoy watching the terror unfold in such a setting, with atmosphere playing a major part in raising the level here.

Release date: 14th April 2022 (Amazon Prime Video); 18th March 2022 (Theatre)
Running time: 106 minutes
Directed by: Ti West
Starring: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, Scott Mescudi

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the full bloody slasher.

<<< Click here to go to the most classic slasher return.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Don’t Breathe 2

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Vampire Owl: Do you remember when was the last time we had gone on a trip that had visions that made us forget to breathe?

Vampire Bat: That was to the Lake of Blood, a long time ago.

Vampire Owl: It is actually called the Lake of Death.

Vampire Bat: Yes, but it has so much of blood, and we cannot avoid that name.

Vampire Owl: The trips have been banned for some time.

Vampire Bat: A trip to Munnar always makes things better.

Vampire Owl: You cannot always trust the highlands.

Vampire Bat: What about some lakeside time at Kumbalanghi?

Vampire Owl: Well, the only trip we might be getting is with corona virus.

Vampire Bat: That is more of a visit and not a trip.

[Gets a masala dosa and three cups of black tea].

What is the movie about? :: Eight long years have passed after the incidents of the first film, and things have changed now. Norman Nordstrom (Stephen Lang) the blind Navy SEAL veteran has recovered from his injuries, and now lives with his daughter Phoenix (Madelyn Grace) and a ferocious dog to take care of them and the property. He tells Phoenix that her mother had died in a terrible fire in their old house, after which he has been taking care of her. He keeps training her in the name of surviving. His only contact in the society is Hernandez (Stephanie Arcila), a former US Army Ranger and a good friend of Norman. She is the one who always takes Phoenix outside for some fun. It is the same time when a lot of news about abductions by organ trafficking gangs among others are coming up, and Norman feels that it is not safe at all. She finds Raylan (Brendan Sexton III) in the washroom, but he is scared away by the dog. But it seems that he doesn’t stop following her. Hernandez feels that the girl should be out more, and that Norman should stop thinking about his past wars and be nicer to people.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Hernandez feels that the man whom he had met earlier was just a weird man, and there is no shortage of such people in the area. But she comes up against the same person much later on the road, and feels that there is more to him than what meets the eye. Soon, she is killed while on the way back home, by the same people. Norman is against her going to school, choosing homeschooling over her meeting more people outside. Soon, a group of led by Raylan reaches their home, and after killing the dog, kidnaps the girl. He tells her that it is not him that she needs to be scare of, but the man next to her. He adds that he is her real father, and that the blind man took her home to replace his own dead daughter. She resists, but is choloroformed, while Norman is left to die after they set fire to the house. He escapes with the help of the dog which the intruders had brought with them. Even though Raylan was looking for his daughter, he does have another motive. What would that be?

The defence of Don’t Breathe 2 :: There are some fine action sequences with interesting use of darkness, as everything is set in two different buildings. The fight scenes have enough to stay in our minds, even though not as much as the first film. Some of the memorable scenes include the blind man’s use of the environment to survive and continue to combat against all odds – it is a much more difficult task for him in comparison to the first movie. The environment has been well-created, and you do feel that presence of evil at all times. Almost everyone in the film is evil, and it is a reminder of inherent human evil itself – you know that people need to be dead to be not evil anymore, as we don’t usually see good people around. The small number of people whom we meet here are reflections of the same evil, with some of them being a little evil, others more evil, and the rest being completely evil. The other characters are not present in the movie, and the girl remains the only hope for a deviation along with the children with whom she play at times.

The claws of flaw :: It is clear that this movie doesn’t maintain the quality of the first film, and it does struggle to live up to the novel idea and quality that it had maintained. The idea of transforming the blind man into saviour might not be interesting for everyone, and he also seems to do a little too much for a man for his situation. He doesn’t seem to have much of a way forward around, as far as the character is concerned – there is no strong motive to support a further character development, with material seemingly less in comparison to the earlier movie. The first film served better as a horror film focusing on survival, but this one moves too much away from that genre which served so well. With a grand change in the character, this is something which struggles to take control of the deviation well enough – maybe it requires another sequel to deal with that, but that would make one wonder what is to be done next. You know that there are better possibilities with horror characters like this one, but the studio seems to think in a different way so as to make the person useful as a protagonist instead.

The performers of the soul :: It is once again the performance of Stephen Lang as the blind man which keeps the movie going – he does seem to play a more tired person here though, as there seems to be a struggle here which is more than the first movie. With a drastic change coming upon the nature of the character, the man does take it with him well enough, even when that often leads to a struggle. He excels in the action scenes, and is good enough to take it to the next level, rising about the others who are part of the fights. Brendan Sexton III makes a pretty good antagonist, even though the idea focuses more on action rather than anything else. Madelyn Grace plays the child well, while Stephanie Arcila’s short presence is memorable enough. Christian Zagia plays a thug with a conscience pretty well. Even then, it is Fiona O’Shaughnessy who seems to be more evil than any other, as she is one mother whom the sons and daughters won’t appreciate for selflessness – there seems to be a certain amount of witch-likeness in her.

How it finishes :: The fans of the first movie will find it difficult to miss this movie, even though it is weaker in comparison the earlier flick. There is no real horror or the surprise element, but the film scores in action. An old and blind man with a special set of skills is someone of interest as he looks forward to save his daughter, and he is also an iconic character. The memories of the earlier movie also keeps us interested well enough. Among the horror movie sequels, this is the one which we have waited for, more than the other usual ones like The Conjuring, Annabelle, Insidious, Sinister etc. After all, Don’t Breathe had the skills to go divergent, and this one takes the path set by that particular movie. It means that you can be assured that this movie has a nice enough background to build on, and cannot go too wrong with this character at the core. Even though it didn’t release here in the theatres at that times, the movie is now available on Netflix, which is a fine relief for us, as we have been waiting for so long.

Release date: 18th December 2021 (Netflix); 13th August 2021 (USA)
Running time: 99 minutes
Directed by: Rodo Sayagues
Starring: Stephen Lang, Madelyn Grace, Brendan Sexton III, Bobby Schofield, Adam Young, Stephanie Arcilla, Fiona O’Shaughnessy, Steffan Rhodri, Diaana Babnicova, Christian Zagia, Rocci Williams

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

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Vampire Owl: You mean to say that they want the ghosts dead.

Vampire Bat: I am pretty sure that vampires are not included in the list of ghosts.

Vampire Owl: So, they wish to kill us in some other movie.

Vampire Bat: Still, not as much as they have murdered their own kind.

Vampire Owl: That was not enough for an extinction event though.

Vampire Bat: Humans will be extinct sooner or later.

Vampire Owl: Have you checked all possible extinction events?

Vampire Bat: Yes, humans are part of nine thousand out of ten thousand of them.

Vampire Owl: They do have a fair chance to go extinct then.

Vampire Bat: Yes, good for the world around them, right?

[Gets a chocolate cake and three cups of elaichi tea].

What is the movie about? :: It is shown that there is a hunt for a supernatural entity which leads to the death of the man who tried to trap the creature. This leads to his daughter Callie (Carrie Coon) inheriting the farm. As a single mother, she struggles to pay the rent for her apartment. Her children Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) are not that fond of the happenings around there. The three moves to the house with the farm which is passed on to them. The new town where they live seems to have earthquakes at all times despite having no seismic activity recorded – there is no volcano around, and not even some loud noise in this town where nothing much happens. Trevor is infatuated by Lucky Domingo (Celeste O’Connor) who works at a nearby diner, and seeing a vacancy there, joins the place for work. Meanwhile, Phoebe joins the class of Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), who is there just for the sake of it, and plays movies for the students.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: She also meets Podcast (Logan Kim), another student who is interested in science as much as she is. The three becomes infatuated with a device which Phoebe finds at home, and it turns out to be a ghost trap. Gary who has been a fan of the Ghostbusters for a long time, tampers with the trap with the help of his students, releasing one of the spirits that scares them and immediately flies into the nearby closed mine – the locals used to believe that the place was haunted too. Callie and Gary seem to instantly attracted to each other as the three comes to the inherited home in the middle of nowhere to find clues related to ghosts. Meanwhile, Trevor and Lucky on a trip with their friends also come across a spirit which they seem to dismiss as some random smoke coming out of the abandoned mine as part of some natural process. But a word seems to stay stuck with them.

Now, where would the ghosts lead further in this tale? :: Soon, Phoebe discovers a secret laboratory underneath the outhouse on the side of their house, and it seems that there was more to her grandfather than what met the eye of the villagers who called him the dirt farmer who farmed nothing other than dirt. He was doing some special work indeed. It turns out that the ghost of the grandfather is still there, and he hopes that his grandchildren will take over the Ghostbusters procedures. Phoebe seems to be able to enjoy that prospect very much. But will the very young new generation be good enough to come with a new level of ghostbusting while working against all odds? With a new terrifying evil ready to be unleashed, how good can a group of kids leading a team be? With the evil predating everything that they know, how good can modernity work against such evil grandeur of ancient times?

The defence of Ghostbusters: Afterlife :: The movie would be very interesting for those who grew up watching the original movies of the 1980s – seems like some doses of nostalgia being in store here and there. The setting at a town in the middle of nowhere with some nice locations which are even more remote – things one get better from there. The humour works well in here too. The action is big enough, and there is a lot happening in the final stages with the fights going on against the creatures from the other world. The special effects are pretty well done, even though not with every ghost – the final demonic arrival is a sight to be appreciated though, with the background effects also playing some fine roles. Mckenna Grace remains the soul of this movie, and the one child ghostbuster that you are going to remember for long, with moments to remember. Carrie Coon – Paul Rudd moments also bring some unexpected fun. Celeste O’Connor – Finn Wolfhard team is also an enjoyable one around here.

The claws of flaw :: Anything that is specifically intended for the old fans of the franchise which started in the 1980s won’t work for us, as the series didn’t have much of a fan base in this part of the world which was more into those spirits of Evil Dead, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and others. It was also a reason for the reboot making no impact around here. This one which take place more than thirty years after the 1980s works seem to do better, but doesn’t make an impact around here either. Well, with The Conjuring having brought its own methods of hunting spirits, this method would surely seem less effective – this still seems to be twilight times of The Conjuring franchise and that brings some chance for another sequel. There could have also been some deviation from what seems to be less suited moments around here. It could have also been less inclined to be suitable for children, as ghosts have evolved enough during these days. The beginning stages also take some time to get going, thus stretching the movie to something above two hours.

How it finishes :: Ghostbusters: Afterlife works well with its elements, and seem to know the strength to use to the advantage – the same is done in most parts, even though the film doesn’t go on to become the perfect return vehicle for such ghosts of many people’s nostalgia. Not to be confused with Resident Evil: Afterlife, this movie has enough hunting of ghosts to keep us interested. With another sequel, much more can be achieved by this particular franchise, which seems to have enough family-friendly ghosts in action. Well, this is one film with ghosts which can be watched with all kinds of people as audience. One one side, we have The Conjuring, Insidious, Ouija, The Curse of La Llorna, Sinister, The Nun, Annabelle and team, and on the other side we have this one which is not really for the scares, but has its own ghosts to keep the haunting going strong. Well, as much as we need those other films, this one is in requirement too – no doubt about that.

Release date: 19th November 2021
Running time: 124 minutes
Directed by: Jason Reitman
Starring: Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson, Paul Rudd

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

A Quiet Place II

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Vampire Owl: Well, this one is quite a place.

Vampire Bat: They are talking about quiet places only.

Vampire Owl: Well, our castle is quiet enough, especially during day time.

Vampire Bat: There is too much of murmuring in there.

Vampire Owl: You are talking about the intellectual voice transfer.

Vampire Bat: How can you give it such fancy names?

Vampire Owl: It is the name which the vampire elders preferred.

Vampire Bat: The vampire elders are too old to call anything by any name.

Vampire Owl: It is also another Dr Frankenstein approved thing.

Vampire Bat: Mr Frankenstein can’t even approve himself as a doctor.

[Gets a vancho cake and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt), Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) and their children, along with other spectators, witness the arrival of a strange object resembling an asteroid landing on Earth, while attending a little league game. Even though it lands some distance away from them, it scares them due to the size and sound being involved there. People in the town seems to be already in a state of panic. The police seems to be heading there, but already, some strange extraterrestrial creatures are attacking people. As the aliens cause chaos everywhere, the vehicles on the street are out of control, and people look for shelter. It turns out that the creatures are extremely hostile, tearing people into pieces using their extreme speed and strength, while being protected by what seems to be armoured skin. But the creatures are blind, and yet with hypersensitive hearing, would attack anything that makes even the slightest noise. The police seems to be ineffective against them, as their skin can stand the gunshots with ease.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: An year later, the alien creatures have brutally murdered most of the Earth’s population. With her husband dead while trying to protect her, Evelyn tries to survive with her kids, while their Regan Abbott (Millicent Simmonds)m their dumb and deaf daughter discovers a high-frequency audio feedback which can make the aliens vulnerable, and the same could be transmitted from her implant through a microphone. Her son, Marcus Abbott (Noah Jupe) also hopes to make something out of it, while also searching for a new home. On the way, the group accidentally triggers a sound alarm, alerting the creatures. At the same time, Marcus also steps into a bear trap and screams, thus alerting the creature again. They manage to one creature using the audio device and gun, while escaping from the other. They are taken to a soundproof hideout by one of their old friends, Emmett (Cillian Murphy) who lives in an abandoned steel foundry.

And what more is to follow in a world infested by ruthless alien creatures? :: Emmett had turned cynical and with no hope at all about future after all members of her family died, leaving him to survive for no reason. He feels that the humans who are left are not worth saving at all, even if there is something left. He also asks them leave the very next day, but after hearing the song, “Beyond the Sea” which according to Emmett has been playing continuously for four months, Regan feels that it is a signal which is telling them where to look, and it is on an island. She wants to go to that tower and use her high-frequency signal there, using it as a special weapon against the alien creatures. But it won’t be that easy, as the path in that direction is infested by many creatures, and Regan’s idea of going alone wouldn’t get the support of anyone. Yet, she would leave, and Emmett, with some love left for his old friends, will have to find her. Now, the question remains if her journey is really worth it. What awaits her near the tower? Is it going to work?

The defence of A Quiet Place Part II :: Just like the predecessor, this movie also depends on the same strength of sound effects which the predecessor displayed a few years ago. The alien creatures are also as good as they used to be, maintained the strength yet again. We also have more hope than there used to be. Emily Blunt continues what she was doing in the first film quite well, and she does have the warrior strength which she had displayed in the movies like Edge of Tomorrow and The Huntsman: Winter’s War. There is no loss of determination in her character here too. It is up to Millicent Simmonds and Cillian Murphy to become that characters who further to save the world though, and they are very much effective in doing the same, despite the early doubts put in there. Noah Jupe also joins well with newly found courage and wisdom in the character. Djimon Hounsou plays the man of another lands with authority. John Krasinski appears in the flashback moments, as the director also gets the acting in here again. Scoot McNairy as the leader of bandits could have had more screen space too.

Positives and negatives :: The movie still doesn’t bother to come up with any science fiction explanations about the origins of the creatures – people might have expected that, but they do get a flashback about their arrival with objects from space, which proves that they are indeed from another planet, moon or some interstellar object beyond our understanding. The movie is also in short of dialogues to keep the aliens away, but there is surely more than what we had in the first movie. The strength of the family and the importance of not giving up, also comes into the picture here. There is the idea that there is always hope for humanity, even though one does wonder if the aliens bringing extinction to humanity would have been the right thing to do, considering what mankind has done to their own people as well as the environment around them. Well, we don’t really know what the aliens were up to, as the focus is not on those scientific elements yet again, but we can be sure that there could be a sequel explaining all of these. One more sequel showing the ultimate battle of humanity against the creatures, and we can be done with it.

How it finishes :: The movie nicely continues the world which was left by the first part – the expansion that this world receives is almost as good as the first. Things continue to be kept simple as it used to be, in a post-apocalyptic world infested by ruthless alien creatures. The possibility of terror is always there, and we keep remembering about 10 Cloverfield Lane which dealt with similar creatures, but with not much of the visuals. The idea of the divergent horror movie is maintained here, as it was seen in Malignant, The Witch, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Don’t Breathe, It Follows and Lights Out. A Quiet Place Part II continues a world of divergence which in this case has the aliens bringing all the horror and very less science fiction. These are the movies which keep the horror alive in different patterns, and with noises at the very centre of everything. Even though it is currently on Amazon Prime Video, this is one movie which could have feel better on the big screen, as there is so much of silence and the sudden sound effects that make the big impact – moments which one needs to live through rather than just get hold of.

Release date: 28th May 2021
Running time: 97 minutes
Directed by: John Krasinski
Starring: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Djimon Hounsou, John Krasinski

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Raccoon City

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Vampire Owl: We have all been the fans of Resident Evil franchise, right?

Vampire Bat: Yes, the franchise about zombies coming over.

Vampire Owl: Well, these are surely not the zombies that we know well.

Vampire Bat: The zombies of science, not the kind of our realm.

Vampire Owl: I am sure that the zombies of science might be even stronger.

Vampire Bat: Yes, they have the technology to make zombies that strong.

Vampire Owl: Yet, they are will never be as strong as vampires.

Vampire Bat: But, you have never really battled a pure undead zombie.

Vampire Owl: The pure bloods have been dead and buried for centuries.

Vampire Bat: You don’t see them that often. They are like the vampire elders.

[Gets a vegetable pizza and three glasses of oreo shake].

What is the movie about? :: Claire Redfield (Kaya Scodelario) returns to Raccoon City in 1998, where she and her older brother Chris Redfield (Robbie Amell) lived in an orphanage there which was run by the Umbrella Corporation. William Birkin (Neal McDonough) who ran the institute was using the children for his experimental research at the Umbrella Corporation, and Claire had noted a disfigured little girl in particular. Claire has returned to the city to find her brother, but Raccoon City which used to be the home of the Umbrella Corporation, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company had turned into a ghost town with the company moving to a new location. Only a small crew of the last few employees remained there. As Claire returns by hitchhiking in a truck, which accidently hits a woman in the middle of the road. But as the two argue over what is to be done with the body, the woman stands up and disappears without a trace. The woman seems to be walking strange, as if affected by some strange disease, and the trucker’s dog does drink some of the blood on the road and begins to act strange and bites him later.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Leon S Kennedy (Avan Jogia), a Raccoon City Police Department rookie officer who just got there visits a diner and finds the waiter having blood coming out of her eyes. The waiter dismisses is as nothing of significance, and is also not ready to see a doctor. She finds her brother Chris Redfield (Robbie Amell), who is a member of the STARS Alpha Team along with Jill Valentine (Hannah John-Kamen) and Albert Wesker (Tom Hopper). Claire feels that there is something wrong with the city, and asks Chris to get out of there, but he feels that he owes to the Umbrella Corporation which looked after him after she had run away. Claire tries to convince him that there are many theories about what is going to happen to the city which has been abandoned by the corporation on purpose, but there is nothing that can make him change his mind, as he is also not happy about her leaving her as a child. Chris leaves for the police station after an alarm is activated by the Umbrella Corporation.

And what more is to happen in this world of some strange chaos? :: Claire is attacked by a strange woman who keeps saying “Itchy Tasty”. She manages to keep her away and escape on Chris’ motorcycle. At the police station, it is said that an earlier team had gone missing while investigating the Spencer Mansion which was owned by the head of the Umbrella Corporation – it is investigated by the team led by Chris. At the same time, the truck driver who was bitten by his dog is transformed into a zombie, and crashes his truck in front of the police station, soon dying. As the police chief tries to escape, Leon remains the only person in charge of the police station – he would also be forced to return to the police station as there seems to be no way out of the city now, with Umbrella Corporation guards trying to keep the people inside and contain what seems to be an outbreak. There is the zombie dog of the trucker and many zombie-like people outside the police station, and there seems to be no way out of there of the police station now. With the mansion also overrun by zombies, the team also struggles to find a way out.

The defence of Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City :: I have always been happy about video games made into movies. As I was a gamer since my childhood, I would always feel some nostalgia when my favourite games of the past become movies of the present – it makes me go through the journey again. It is the same reason why I was only happy to hear about a reboot of this big franchise of adaptation. The movie does start well, and it does focus on Claire and Jill in the beginning itself – they are two of my favourite characters. There are some interesting shots of zombie attacks here, and a lot of shooting follows. There are some good-looking camera shots with the help of darkness, and some of the music also manages to come up with effectiveness, even though you know that there was the chance to do things better as we remember the original. The scope for a sequel is pretty much there too, but one might feel the need to add some more of interesting characters and have a better horde of zombies, as the audience has already seen so much. The performances are not that much, but fine.

The claws of flaw :: Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is not that heavy in action in comparison to the original movie franchise or the games. It is also not that scary as the movie which started the movie adaptations with a similar setting. The waking up of Alice in the bath tub and the lift scene are only a few of them. That movie had a lot of stylish and iconic moments which we continue to remember. There were also some memorable dialogues to add to it. Even the costumes of the main characters lets the fans down up to an extent. Releasing so many years after the first movie, this one could have had better special effects. Some more innovation to the tale and its presentation could have suited the present scenario better. There is not enough strength in the attempts made around here. There are movies in the earlier series which are worse than this one, but for a reboot which had all the chances to start again in style, this one lags – remember that the games were the kind which kept us so much immersed in them. One really seems to lose the way so much while trying to make adaptations of video games.

How it finishes :: We have already watched so many movies of Resident Evil, and have played so many games in the franchise. The games have been integral part of our childhood, and still brings us the nostalgia about those which CDs which we received with the computer magazines – those were the demo versions of interest. If we go back to the first movie of a very long franchise, it was also something of a lot of interest – things started to change only with the third movie, as the second one had also continued the proceedings of the world really well. The earlier Resident Evil franchise starring Milla Jovovich was indeed something of interest, even though losing its way with the story at times – yet, we are happy to have a reboot which can also come up with some interesting titles as it progress. Well, we know that we are all standing close to a biohazard created by human manufactured viruses, and corona virus might only have been the tip of the huge iceberg. As we heard in that original movie long ago, everyone is going to die down here.

Release date: 24th November 2021
Running time: 107 minutes
Directed by: Johannes Roberts
Starring: Kaya Scodelario, Hannah John-Kamen, Robbie Amell, Tom Hopper, Avan Jogia, Donal Logue, Neal McDonough

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.