Tag Archives: fear

Phoenix

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Vampire Owl: I take this as an opportunity to rise from the ashes.

Vampire Bat: Vampires have already risen from the grave.

Vampire Owl: Rising from the ashes like a phoenix is different.

Vampire Bat: There will never be a Vampire Phoenix.

Vampire Owl: An owl is bird enough to be a phoenix.

Vampire Bat: So, you are going to be burned on a stake?

Vampire Owl: I can always hide in the ashes and rise from it.

Vampire Bat: Does this mean that you only need that title and nothing more?

Vampire Owl: Once I become a phoenix, my vampire powers will surely be different.

Vampire Bat: Well, vampires are real, but phoenix birds are not.

[Gets a butterscotch cake and three cups of Darjeeling tea].

What is the movie about? :: Advocate John Williams (Aju Varghese) moves away from his hometown, choosing an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere, after having some problems in the court where he was practicing as a lawyer. This new house has been deserted for too long, and the owners ask for an advance rent payment of six months. John is happy about it as nobody will evict them for six months even if he creates some unnecessary problems. He is accompanied by his wife Daisy John (Nilja K Baby) and three children who are not really that happy to be in this strange place where nobody is present to help them. Ameer (Bhagath Manuel) is John’s only friend as he keeps making enemies out of people he knows. He does not try to meet the parish priest Fr. Geo Kuttikadan (Zhinz Shan), the local shop owners, or the village authorities. He begins practicing at a local court, even though that also does not become a successful adventure for him.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: But the new house becomes a strange place for John and family as they feel that there is somebody else living with them. They ask around and understand that the place where they lived used to be a graveyard where so many people were buried underneath during the time of a cholera outbreak. They discover that the letters come from Anna Rose George (Abhirami Bose), an orphan girl who died during a cholera pandemic in the 1970s, who was in love with Freddy Mathew (Chandhunadh), son of an aristocratic businessman who was proud of his lineage and money power. The alliance is not a widely accepted one, as Margaret Tharakan (Aradhya Ann) is chosen as the right choice, as she is the daughter of a doctor who is studying for MBBS. It turns out that Freddy has to finish his research in marine engineering, for which he leaves to Madras. At the same time, cholera spreads in the village, and Anna is affected. What follows is a twist of events which would separate the two lovers, but for how long? How is this related to the sinister events?

The defence of Phoenix :: From a distance, the movie might look like a horror flick, but it is basically a tale of doomed love having an emotional touch told with the presence of spirits that haunts a family. The requirement for the past to be dug up makes the horror not more terrifying, but more emotionally relevant. The quality of all of these elevates the movie to a new level, as the location as well as the settings of the past never ceases to amaze us. The tale is nicely told with right focus on the necessary elements at all times. The movie never lets us keep away from the proceedings here. The divergent approach towards the genre brings the refreshing feeling here. Despite not focusing that much on special effects, the terrifying feeling never really goes away. The music is really good here, and songs remain touching. The experience of Phoenix would move away from the usual trends, and could bring new life to the genre of horror which has not done the best work during the last year, not just in this part of the world, but also outside.

Positives and negatives :: There is something about the movie that runs the emotional undercurrents so well in this movie, while the side of horror is always ready to move to the backseat to let the emotions rise about the rest. When the people behind the movie are associated with Twenty One Grams, Anjaam Paathira and Garudan, you know that there has to be more than just horror about this particular movie which impressed with the trailer itself. The deviation from horror is still there, and some people might not like the same. We focus on a longing for lost to be more than having vengeance on people, and in that case, horror will have taken the side seat. Vishnu Bharathan who is directing his first film, has made us feel a veteran touch, and for the same, the performances especially from the new face in the industry, Abhirami Bose has the biggest role to play. The ghosts of the past have the roles to play in this movie in a beautiful manner, and with the spirits, we have the blending of multiple genres, and with the same, the movie only gets better as time progresses. The worlds of the living and the dead is connected by the eternal love which stays strong in both.

The performers of the soul :: Aju Varghese in a serious role works like a dream in this movie, as he impresses us in a different way, in the form of a character which would not be loved by many people who watch this. Nilja K Baby plays the character of the wife with a certain amount of sadness always present on her face, and it is more like reflecting the overall mood of the film. Bhagath Manuel’s supporting role also remains a notable one. But the tale that remains the soul of this movie is that of a forgotten past, where Chandhunadh shines as the Shakespearean tragic hero who brings about his own fall out of grace and Abhirami Bose who becomes the lovely Ophelia who is destined to meet the unexpected but awaiting doom. Abhirami’s work as the doomed lover who is stuck in a Waiting for Godot situation even after death which comes to her after being proclaimed death, is one of the most tragic situations which calls for a spirit to return to life. The way in which she blends into this character is remarkable. Anoop Menon’s priest role is smaller, but more relevant to the proceedings of the long-lost past. Zhinz Shan’s priest also makes a point.

How it finishes :: The best thing about Phoenix is that it does not try to limit it to the usual jump scares despite it being known as a horror flick. It is like Crimson Peak, as the words which are told in that movie about the spirits of a particular type – “Others that hold onto an emotion. A drive. Loss. Revenge. Or love. Those, they never go away”. We know that by end of the movie, and we wonder how we can separate love from horror and hope from loss, as they are all interconnected; often one rests on the other to provide the substance. The film creates the bond of eternity which binds and curses people through love, and the emotional side only grows. I would safely say that this one of the most underrated romantic horror movies of all-time in Malayalam movie industry, as this stretches the arms towards the eternity which both romance and horror searches for in a world of modernity. The movie does what Ezra could not, as it found the possibility of multiple dimensions in a tale of horror, characterizing both the living and the dead beautifully.

Release date: 22nd December 2023 (Amazon Prime Video); 17th November 2023 (Theatre)
Running time: 132 minutes
Directed by: Vishnu Bharathan
Starring: Aju Varghese, Bhagath Manuel, Abhirami Bose, Nilja K Baby, Anoop Menon, Chandhunadh, Jess Sweejan, Babi Avani, Abram Ratheesh, Asha Aravind, Aji John, Sini Abraham, Devendranath, Aradhya Ann, Rajan Pootharakkal, Zhinz Shan, Paul D Joseph, Premananandan, Aroop Sivadas, Rahul Nair R

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@ 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

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@ 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

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@ 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

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@ 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

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Speak No Evil

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Vampire Owl: We cannot be ordered to speak no evil.

Vampire Bat: You can surely live without speaking evil for a day.

Vampire Owl: But we are supposed to be the true undead evil.

Vampire Bat: There are no written rules about the nature of evil.

Vampire Owl: So, there is no chance of being pure evil above them all?

Vampire Bat: Well, you have already watched See No Evil.

Vampire Owl: Yet, I find no relation between that movie and this one.

Vampire Bat: Yes, this is a Danish movie and the first of its kind reviewed here.

Vampire Owl: That took some time to find a review.

Vampire Bat: Well, you know the world – as busy as it can get.

[Gets a vegetable pizza and three cups of cardamom tea].

What is the movie about? :: Bjørn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch) are a couple from Denmark who is having a long vacation in Tuscany, having some fantastic Italian food and becoming part of the culture. Their only child Agnes (Liva Forsberg) is also with them. During one of their explorations of the tourist destinations, they come across another interesting couple Patrick (Fedja van Huêt) and Karin (Karina Smulders) with their child Abel (Marius Damslev) who cannot talk, as he was born without a tongue, seemingly suffering from congenital aglossia. Even though this family is Dutch, they get along with the Danish family quite well. Bjørn and Louise find the new friends to fun-loving and respectful to other cultures as much as people. Later, the Dutch couple also provides them with an invitation to visit their house in the countryside of Netherlands. The two are excited about another foreign trip, and this time, they could drive all the way to the location and would be able to stay at a new place without spending that much, like the best offer ever. It is eight hours of drive, and when they final reach the new destination, the hosts seem to be really polite and understanding.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The two groups seem to get along, but not for long. The hosts seem to intentionally forget about Louise’s vegetarianism and also seem to be abusive to their own child. One day, they go on a dinner in a restaurant where there are more arguments which also occur on the way back. Back in the house, the couple find the hosts intruding into their privacy again and again, while also making strange decisions for Agnus. They decide to leave and finally does the same, only to return for the doll which had gone missing in the house. The hosts apologize and convince them to stay. But this reconciliation does not stay for long, as the hosts seem to repeat similar if not the same mistakes again and again. Then, Bjørn discovers a cabin just behind the house, and there he finds a secret which he should not have known. Now, as he knows this truth, there would be no more staying at this house. He decides to leave with his family, but it is not so easy. The sinister mysteries of the hosts might have enough backup to keep their secrets hidden from the outside world. Can he save his family in time or will he realize that nobody gets out alive from these things heard and seen?

The defence of Speak No Evil :: The movie is a beautifully evil reminder that humans are inherently evil, and trusting strangers would only land you in terror. The idea that people have a lot of capacity for goodness is proven to be wrong, but you would have already known that if you had a look at the rich keeps earning for, and moves on walking on the bodies of the poor. A charming family with a kid can easily be evil, make no doubts about it, as people point to living with families with children and staying close to them as safer options. The dark visuals add to the same, and it is a fine deviation from the light and colourful visuals of the beginning stages. There are some nice twists and revelations in here, and the moments where we feel that things are going to be better, but then darkness engulfs them all. The script is indeed well-designed with mastery over the proceedings to make sure about it. The fact that this movie explores evil as a natural thing rather going deep into its roots makes us remember to be careful about strangers again – a long time after our parents told us to keep away from them. Well, this is the psychological thriller with class that teaches the same.

Positives and negatives :: The movie can be rather shocking with its revelation, as it uses kids as bait to create an atmosphere of safety – but this is a terrifying reality for kids as much as adults. The feeling that children would be spared is a myth here, as the movie points to a fate that will repeat itself. There is a certain twist related to that, and a clue is left with the kid in the early stages of protagonists’ stay there. It also points to the title of the film itself, as evil shall go unspoken. The next big clue is indeed about the profession, and that also leaves something for the viewers to hold on to. The movie could have been a little bit quicker with the early moments though. But once it opens the box of weirdness, the level is elevated all of a sudden – then we remember that there were moments which pointed to this situation with some shots and music earlier itself. This is the kind of movie which makes one think twice before going on a cheap trip with family just because someone provided a sweet invitation. Well, the wise has always said that cheap cannot mean better, and there are many hidden terrible costs that one would have to pay.

The performers of the soul :: The performances here surely deserves an applause, as only four adults really get the chance to do a lot in this movie. None of these characters go against evil here, as some are part of it and others are too weak to stop the never-ending progress of evil. Among the main characters, it is Sidsel Siem Koch plays the most balanced one – she feels that there is something wrong much earlier, and wants to leave. Here is a character played naturally and realistically without pretensions. Morten Burian plays the main character who makes a little too many mistakes and has his family paying for it in the end – the feelings are well-justified in his case. Fedja van Huêt plays the psychotic character really well, and we feel that there is something more about him early enough. Karina Smulders who plays his partner in crime might feel like a sweet young lady who can be nothing less than a lovely host, but the peaceful side of her enjoying the terror can also been seen. Liva Forsberg and Marius Damslev makes children with scope for some nice roles. Hichem Yacoubi plays the other notable character here, and does that pretty well.

How it finishes :: Speak No Evil is that one film which deserves to be among the creepy horror with a misanthropic side to it that feels very realistic. It could be the reason why it will return in 2024 in the form of an English film starring big names like James McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis. The movie serves as a cautionary tale against going for cheap options instead of the safe ones and trusting strangers in remote location. It reminds us that not all invitations mean that we are welcome, and not all smiles are truly what they seem to be. It also adds that a family with a mother and a kid does not mean anything, and living with families rather than bachelors do not make the situation any safer. The protagonists of the film learn this the hard way, and the movie happens to be an entertaining dark adventure related to the same. This is the first Danish movie reviewed on this website, and I am only glad to have chosen this one instead of the many others. This is the thriller that dares to take the risks and manages to score high due to its ability to go beyond the limitations.

Release date: 17th March 2022 (Theatre); 14th October 2022 (Amazon Prime Video)
Running time: 98 minutes
Directed by: Christian Tafdrup
Starring: Morten Burian, Sidsel Siem Koch, Fedja van Huêt, Karina Smulders, Liva Forsberg, Marius Damslev, Hichem Yacoubi

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Ivanna

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Vampire Owl: This would make a nice name for a modern vampire.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that I have met vampires with such names before.

Vampire Owl: Well, not in this half of the immortal life.

Vampire Bat: There is only one long immortal life and you have to remember the names.

Vampire Owl: If there was a name exactly like this, I would remember.

Vampire Bat: Your memory has faded in the absence of longer nights.

Vampire Owl: With the abundance of artificial lights, you cannot trust the darkness.

Vampire Bat: We still believe in the absence of light.

Vampire Owl: We believe in Uncle Dracula’s ability to bring a darker world.

Vampire Bat: Darkness has already spread far, without his assistance.

[Gets an onion vada and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: Ambar (Caitlin Halderman) and Dika (Jovarel Callum) are siblings who leave their home in the city for the countryside of the island nation after the death of their parents. They are taken to a nursing home owned by their parents’ best friend, with most of the inmates not around there due to Eid coming soon. Even though there are small disagreements, the two are mostly welcome. Agus (Shandy William) takes care of the place with the support of the nurse Rina (Taskya Namya) who is also his girlfriend. The three elders left in the building, Kakek Farid (Yayu Unru), Oma Ida (Rina Hasyim) and Nenek Ani (Yati Surachman) are happy to have the new young ones around there. Ambar’s vision has been failing for some time, and through her faded vision, she feels that she sees things which nobody else can see. She uses a walking stick as the blurred vision often has her struggling to understand the line between reality and imagination. Ambar also has an eerie vision of a past which might have been part of the building where they begin to live.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Arthur (Junior Roberts) who is the favourite grandson of the elders also makes a visit. He joins Ambar and Dika as they find a headless statue in the basement under one of the rooms. They decide to leave it behind, but soon find that it has reached their drawing room. Each of them feels that one of the others might have brought it inside the home as a prank. Ambar has the vision of a Dutch lady at night, and to her surprise, she is able to see the woman clearly, as she seems to be trying to escape from something. Soon, Nenek Ani goes missing, as she is not found in her room or any of the areas in the main building. They find the diary of the Dutch woman named Ivanna van Dijk (Sonia Alyssa) which tells most of her story which includes their family falling in love with Indonesia and deciding to stay in the nation, but met some terrible fate. So, is this fate going to be repeated once again? Is there a serial killer or a supernatural entity stalking them in the house? How long will it take for the police to come and figure things out on the Eid holiday?

The defence of Ivanna :: This is one movie which is highly atmospheric as far as mysteries and the supernatural are concerned. It uses the darkness very well as a world of mystery and terror should at all times, and the setting is really good. The lighting with the colours of the surroundings adds to the overall style. The background works in its favour, and there are some good sound effects that support the horror. The creepiness never really leaves the movie, as a headless spirit looking to create headless bodies never ceases to create more to inspire the imagination. This world is not that different from a cabin in the woods setting, but the change in setting brings the divergence with ease. The haunted house with a mystery works like the nightmare that we have always wanted. The body without the head has our attention every time it makes an appearance. The fear factor has the support of the unknown to make things further effective. The fine camera work also contributes to the same, as we get the best effects with the angles too. We often see that the simplest thing is often elevated due to some interesting job in the background.

Positives and negatives :: The attempt to create something different from the usual formula of horror needs to be appreciated at all times. It is to be noted that there was also some risk involved with this kind of a topic, but we know that the film did well at the box-office there. We have often looked at Korean, Chinese and Thai movies to lead such paths among Asian flicks, but here we see that Indonesian works have a powerful touch of horror that keeps it interesting even while going through a different journey. There are still repetitions, especially in relation to the headless Dutch lady. It is to be noted that violence is always present, and blood runs through this world with heads being separated from bodies. This film is not that far away from being part of the slasher genre too, as decapacitation of people belonging to any category is the main event of terror happening throughout this movie. Sometimes, we feel that there could be more actions of terrifying murders, but there is one restriction in the way of taking those souls.

The performers of the soul :: The movie has indeed brought some fine performers who suit the genre really well. Caitlin Halderman as Ambar leads the way as the one person makes the difference among the people with clear sight. She plays the struggling youngster really well, and also becomes the scream queen to remember. It can be seen that the fear that she feels is more than what she sees, and it is this image of the faded vision that keeps the film moving in the right direction. Taskya Namya follows a similar path and ends up strong as a supporting scream queen in the movie. We do feel that she could have had even bigger moments in the film. Sonia Alyssa’s work as the titular character is to be remembered too. She would make a fine antagonist in a work not supernatural too. She shines in the flashback scenes too, as we go through the final moments of resistance and death. Shandy William and Junior Roberts plays two usual characters in the horror film, but works really well with the content. The characters from flashback quickly do the job well.

How it finishes :: Indonesia has provided us with some fine horror movies like Impetigore, a movie which feels like a horror classic out of another world. This film here is no different as it makes us feel the supernatural with a vibe that is not usually seen in the usual world of horror. Yet, this particular horror movies makes it feel closer to the horror that could happen in a world that we know well. The power of the need for revenge has been asserted again through the supernatural. The ending seems to make us feel that there could be more of headless supernatural beings. In a world where horror does not get enough accolades, this film gains ground. It is a positive thing for horror fans all around the world. We have always wanted more horror, and we have received too less. It is a necessity to look into more international films right now as the strength of The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Nun trio has also been fading in the last few years. There is not that much that can be expected from Insidious and Sinister series of flicks, which leads us back to the films of Asia.

Release date: 14th July 2022 (Indonesia); 1st December 2022 (Amazon Prime Video)
Running time: 103 minutes
Directed by: Kimo Stamboel
Starring: Caitlin Halderman, Jovarel Callum, Junior Roberts, Shandy William, Sonia Alyssa, Taskya Namya, Yayu Unru, Farid Rina Hasyim, Ida Yati Surachman, Ani Tanta Ginting, Muhammad Khan, Hiroaki Kato, Kenes Andari

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✠ 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

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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

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@ 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

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@ 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.

Midnight

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Vampire Owl: There are not many mediums that vampires can use at midnight.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that we can use an Ouija board at midnight instead.

Vampire Owl: That board is a fake medium invented by humans.

Vampire Bat: So, you think that there is no hope with the board.

Vampire Owl: Yes, we need to look forward to finding an undead conductor.

Vampire Bat: You cannot have any of the undead allow something from the other side to pass through it.

Vampire Owl: The undead is greater than any spirit.

Vampire Bat: Getting possessed by a spirit is not a great experience.

Vampire Owl: So, you think that there can be possessions.

Vampire Bat: Well, you know the thing about demonic possessions.

[Gets a green apple cake and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Kim Kyung-mi (Jin Ki-joo), is a mute and deaf woman who works as a sign language customer service executive at a sign language call center. Her mother Kyung-mi’s mother (Gil Hae-yeon) is also dumb and deaf. As some of the employees have to go for a dinner with the clients, she chooses to go with her employers and return late at midnight. Jung-eun’s (Kim Hye-yoon) goes out on a date at night, and her brother Jong-tak (Park Hoon) who works as a security guard after serving in the army, is worried because she would arrive late, almost at midnight, especially as a man and woman were found dead during an earlier night. Coming back home late after dinner and visiting her mother, Kim witnesses the sister bleeding after being stabbed by an unknown man and becomes the new target for this particular serial killer Do-sik (Wi Ha-joon) who had been hunting women, and sometimes unsuspecting men some time around midnight. She runs further away from the area when her mother is standing and tries to hide, but the killer is someone who knows the area really well.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The killer needs to find the young woman to make sure that there are no trails that lead to her. At the same time, Jong-tak is in the streets, searching for his sister who has not returned home yet. As Kim reaches her car and enters it, she is shocked to find him inside the vehicle, and after being forced to drive at knifepoint, she jumps out the car, once again chased by the killer, only to connect to the cops, but as she cannot sleep, it does not work at all. When the police finally arrive, it seems that the killer had already manipulated all the evidence, and there are no suitable clues in the CCTV cameras either. The killer had also joined them in making things more confusing for the mother and daughter duo. As the brother also arrives in the police station with the photo of his sister, Kim identifies her as the woman who was abducted, stabbed and kept in the vehicle by the stranger. But the killer is someone who knows when to manipulate and when to kill with all the brutality – does this mean that the killer will go on with the murders and the sister and the witness would also have to die?

The defence of Midnight :: In the beginning, this movie might seem to be just another serial killer movie with its antagonists targeting random people on the streets, but it becomes much more than that, as it uses almost everything at its disposal to the best effect. The night itself has been used to its best advantage, and this is also not the kind of movie when there is a long investigation going on, and the police has to go for clues which they acquire over days, and the result is that there would be more victims. Instead, this movie has so many thrilling moments set in a night, which has the serial killer’s smartness displayed in an interesting manner, but we are not bothered with the flashbacks or the motive that would have been there in other movies – this becomes more of a survival movie where there is the need to make sure that a missing woman survives, and at the same time, the leading lady further struggles to survive. As things unfold with a night that progresses, there is the idea that two of the main characters cannot speak and hear, which drives this movie to bringing things to light in a different manner. There is no shortage of thrills around here, and silence is nicely used with sound effects in a visual treat of terror.

Positives and negatives :: There are moments when one would feel that the movie could have elevated the status a little bit. But the final moments are just too good, as finally the serial killer understands that more than one person can play his game. The movie is a survival thriller for the main protagonist, and Jin Ki-joo, with her performance, has us backing her to survive against all odds. The characters do no get to be that smart as they should be though, as they create opportunities for the killer to come back and get them, multiple times. There are many co-incidences in here too, and those are used a little more than needed. But there is no shortage of the feeling of danger around here, as night seems to be used as a medium for the serial killer terror to spread – it always seems that he is in control, even when he gets beaten up. We did not know about this movie when it released, but we know it now, and we have that serial killer whom we have been waiting. The movie is also a reminder that in a busy world, nobody has time to check on others, and a serial killer could always be hiding among us, undetected until captured.

The performers of the soul :: Jin Ki-joo is leading lady and the protagonist of this movie, and she comes up with a performance to remember as the woman who cannot speak or hear, but has to rise above her limitations as she faces one of smartest and most brutal serial killer who is good at hiding his motives. She has presented the character so well that the audience keep believing that she has no hope, but continues to see that slight ray of hope that she could stay alive despite the odds being very much against her. She seems to be better known for the South Korean television series and the drama, but the way in which she displays the hopelessness and fear to replace it with courage, is something that will catch our eyes – the ending with her character gaining the advantage is too good. Wi Ha-joon makes a fantastic serial killer, and I won’t be surprised if someone would try to copy this character, as the killer works so well. Park Hoon also join in very well. Then there is Gil Hae-yeon who comes up with the mother figure really well. At the same time, Kim Hye-yoon is lovely addition, and becomes the reason for the events of the movie to start moving forward.

How it finishes :: Midnight is a reminder that Korean films still possess the top quality with horror thrillers featuring serial killers. It will be a good idea to watch the movie on Amazon Prime Video before someone from Bollywood copies the film and shows it as a much lesser version with the brother of the victim and the girl who witnesses the crime dancing to songs at a party while the serial killer kills the abducted girl, and we would also have to listen to some very sad songs with the brother grieving for the sister. The quality of this movie will always be higher as it does have all the emotions, but never does it overdo them, or come up with irrelevant subplots or exaggerating the villain. We directly enter this world which is all about that particular night, and the audience is also as much part of the events that happen during midnight, and everyone goes on this journey with the main characters. You are also reminded that you need to go back to these kind of movies, and even though we do have our own serial killers with films like Forensic, Anjaam Pathiraa, Memories and Antakshari, but none so classically determined in the form of a stranger as this one.

Release date: 30th June 2021
Running time: 103 minutes
Directed by: Kwon Oh-seung
Starring: Jin Ki-joo, Wi Ha-joon, Kim Hye-yoon, Gil Hae-yeon, Park Hoon, Kang In-seo, Noh Su-min, Na Eun-saem, Lee Jae-seok, Park Ji-hoon, Song Yoo-hyun, Bae Eun-woo, Kwon Young-min, Jung Wo Chang

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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.

Antlers

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Vampire Owl: I haven’t seen a more interesting poster in a very long time.

Vampire Bat: Horror does need such posters to show divergence in fear.

Vampire Owl: Fear should always be the same, right?

Vampire Bat: Unless you are a vampire, or maybe zombie.

Vampire Owl: You are talking about a different smell of fear.

Vampire Bat: You should be aware of the fear potions of the witches.

Vampire Owl: Those potions never really work.

Vampire Bat: I know that you trust the pseudo-scientific elixirs of Mr Frankenstein better.

Vampire Owl: Doctor Frankenstein has opened portals with elixirs.

Vampire Bat: Those were ancient portals found hidden in the caves beneath the castle!

[Gets a red velvet cake and three cups of cardamom tea].

What is the movie about? :: In the beginning, there is a warning that Mother Earth has been pillaged, with her life’s blood taken away, and this terrible act has awakened a spirit which needs to be feared – it would seek the lost, frail and the depraved, and asks the viewers to hope and pray that it won’t take one among them. The scene cuts to Cispus Falls, a small town in Oregon which feels dark with an eerie feeling. There, in an inactive mine, Frank Weaver (Scott Haze) runs a meth lab within an inactive mine which used to serve the town’s economy a long time ago. Frank and his co-worker hears some strange noises from within the mine, and goes on to check the same. As they doubt that it is an animal and tries to escape, find themselves attacked by an unseen creature. Frank’s son Aiden Weaver (Sawyer Jones) waits for him outside the mine, failing to understand what has happened inside. His elder brother as Lucas Weaver (Jeremy T Thomas) is considered to be strange by his classmates and teachers, but Julia Meadows (Keri Russell) who teaches about myths and fables is determined to help him.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Julia remembers the abuse she suffered as a child in the hands of her alcoholic father who was also mentally ill – she feels that he is also suffering from something similar. Paul Meadows (Jesse Plemons), her brother is the local sheriff – she had abandoned him a long time ago, but has now returned home from California following the death of their father. She feels that she shouldn’t have left the place, and tries to help another person as she can, this time, Lucas. She tries to bond with him, but there is no success at all – she tries to visit his house, but leaves after hearing some strange noises from inside. Lucas seems to have some some mystery locked within his house, and also takes dead animals and birds to his home. He stays awake at night and makes strange drawings. Julia feels that she really needs to get to the bottom of this, and also informs her brother, who reaffirms that Frank was considered fit to be the guardian of the two children after the mother’s death – now, what would she do?

The defence of Antlers :: It can be seen that Antlers does take the deviation from the usual horror, and this divergence is taken seriously throughout its narrative – it lets the surroundings contribute to the same really well. The environment and the setting serve effectively for the movie too. The small town with its dark and wet weather really suits the situation presented around here, and there is enough of the woods to keep one going in the mood of terror. The idea of the “diabolic wickedness that devours humans”, the spirit that takes many forms, makes a powerful myth around here. There is also a connection made to the destruction of nature which the humans managed to come up with. One wouldn’t be able to blame the monsters considering how evil the humans happen to be at every point. We also have the moments of scares, and that gets stronger with the understanding that there is a seemingly unstoppable force of nature at work. Add the performance, especially from children, and things only get much darker and scarier in nature.

The claws of flaw :: There is no doubt about the fact that Antlers had the premise to be something greater, but doesn’t use the same to the best of advantage. We do see the moments which we feel could have been better. When you have such a near-unstoppable monster at the centre, there are many things that can be done – it could have surely been designed better too. The emotional side doesn’t seem to work that much, even though we are waiting for those elements to be effective too. The myth could have also been given a boost with certain elements from the past, and a history to be remembered. One can generate enough fear out of that too. The scope for sequel at the end seems to be forced, as if there was a certain need rather than anything else. One can feel the need to remind the viewer of a myth that goes missing, but that requires more of a better origins story with roots in a mysterious past – let the horror run through there too.

The performers of the soul :: Keri Russell has been among my favourite actresses from a long time ago – she carries a certain amount of charm with her roles, even though horror hasn’t been the genre we would remember her the most for. She would make it to the list of performers who don’t seem to age much as years pass. She blends in really well as this protagonist who has her own problems from childhood itself. Jesse Plemons supports her really well as the brother figure and the policeman. Jeremy T Thomas gets his moments as the struggling child who is forced to make too many decisions at such a young age. Scott Haze gets into the terrifying moments around here well. Sawyer Jones plays the other child of significance in a role which brings a fair challenge to him. Amy Madigan ends up having a smaller role to work with than what was expected. Rory Cochrane’s work is another thing of support here. The monster when shown, works as a performer by itself.

How it finishes :: Antlers keeps on moving the world of horror forward in a different path for a change, and the world of fear continues to make its points in one way or the other. One does feel that the Malayalam movie Odiyan could have learned a few things from this one with the creature attacks and the atmosphere to make it darker – if you see the looks, there seems to a visual connection. The earlier divergent horror movies like Malignant, Lights Out, It Follows and Don’t Breathe had scored better, but this one tries to make it count. Maybe, something like the creature in this movie is the need of environment itself to take care of the humans who are destroying nature as we have known it. Well, Corona virus did try, but they were not successful in getting rid of humanity and its use of science to destroy environment. It does make us feel that there can be the moment when nature can get it back running – The Blackout surely made us think about human extinction. Until something like that happens, let us enjoy this horror out of nature.

Release date: 29th October 2021 (Theatre); 15th December 2021 (Hotstar)
Running time: 99 minutes
Directed by: Scott Cooper
Starring: Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T Thomas, Graham Greene, Scott Haze, Rory Cochrane, Amy Madigan

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Out of Death

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Vampire Owl: I am sure that this is about us. We are the undead.

Vampire Bat: This is not really about coming out of death as undead.

Vampire Owl: I don’t see any other way for anybody to come out of death.

Vampire Bat: Your favourite doctor might have some plans about that.

Vampire Owl: Doctor Frankenstein is not a doctor, but a scientist.

Vampire Bat: Mr Frankenstein is a duplicate scientist, and a half-doctor.

Vampire Owl: Well, he has created undead out of nothing.

Vampire Bat: They were pretty much undead already.

Vampire Owl: There has been a difference in the two states.

Vampire Bat: An undead being killed and revived won’t make much of sense.

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

What is the movie about? :: Shannon Mathers (Jaime King), a journalist who is trying to scatter her father’s ashes on the top of a mountain witnesses Billie Jean (Lala Kent) going through a drug deal with a gangster. It doesn’t go right, as the latter is shot by the former after he is found recording their deal on the phone. After the murder, she gets rid of the body too. Shannon also has photos of the incident on her camera. At the same time, Retired cop Jack Harris (Bruce Willis) seems to be having some relaxed moments with his niece Pam Harris (Kelly Greyson). Soon enough, Billie realizes that there is someone else in the area where the murder was committed, and Shannon barely manages to run away. She calls the other corrupt police officers, Hank Rivers (Michael Sirow) and Tommy Rivers (Tyler Olson), who decide to lock all the exits from the area that leads outside, along with getting rid of the body in time. Soon, it seems that there are too many of corrupt officers out there, and they are all after Shannon.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Shannon had also came there to prove her father wrong, that she could hike through this place unlike what her father had thought. Now, this is not what she had actually thought she would be facing. Jack also feels that it is not what he should be doing, as he comes across Billie trying to shoot Shannon, and rescues her. As they keep running, Shannon ends up stabbing Billie. As Tommy and Hank find no hope for Billie to survive as she bleeds out, they put her out of her misery, and hopes that they can pin that on Shannon, as there is the knife with her fingerprints. As she also manages to shoot Tommy, the only way out of her now seems to be with the evidence that she had captured with her camera, as she has almost become labelled as a junkie who has killed two police officers. Now, Hank won’t step back on vengeance as Tommy was also his brother. Now, it seems that the only way out for him is through Pam. But how will that work out for him now?

The defence of Out of Death :: The movie serves as a survivor thriller which is better than the other one movie with survival of a witness in the woods, Those Who Wish Me Dead which had Angeline Jolie saving the target – that one also released in the same year, and had one veteran performer trying to get into action. With Jaime King around, things only get better. There are some nice visuals of the woods, and we have some nicely planned dialogues in here too. The movie can boast about that strong female protagonist as much as the carefully picturized antagonist who seems to be the only man around there with a perfect plan which seems to work. The lesser known cast also deliver so well, and unlike what one feels in the beginning, Lala Kent is a fine surprise. The movie can also be considered as one of the least violent movies with a theme like this, as there is no more than three people who dies around here, even with so many possibilities of danger being present here – things go further away from death like the title suggests.

The claws of flaw :: There is nothing special that gets added here, and even with Bruce Willis all prepared to go big action, you don’t really get that here either. Most of the events of the movie are also predictable, and that feeling goes on with the ending too. A few twists being added here and there could have helped the film’s purpose better. The police officers being smarter and tougher would have done the trick better – the lady police officer is left to mess up thing more and more as the story progresses. The gunshots effects are badly used, and the change for some big action with guns and hands are not used. The possibility of adding some terrifying sequences is also not taken – after all this is more or less like the forest area in countryside with a vast amount of woods. The drama in the movie moves on the usual lines too, and the main characters struggles could have also been shown in a better way. After all, she is someone who could contribute more at all times. The nature does look beautiful enough, but could have added more here.

The performers of the soul :: With Bruce Willis around, this could feel like a Die Hard in the woods, even though he is not of that much of a strength here. There is also not much of a strength for fighting for him as Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Escape Plan, The Expendables or the latter as The Terminator in Genisys and Dark Fate. He seems much more tired in comparison, and he also leaves to the fighting to Jaime King, as he is left with holding the gun and pointing it at people, along with some nice dialogues added to it. This is more or less the shadow of the action king whom we have seen in the past. Jaime King is left to do all the action instead, and we know her from enough action and horror movies, as she is very much capable here, outdoing herself in the second half of the movie. Lala Kent plays the next most notable character here, and the film could have actually done more with here, instead of getting rid of the character too early. Tyler Olson is fine, while Tyler Olson who is a fine antagonist could have been used better with action scenes added to her rather than limiting him to talks.

How it finishes :: As one of the most non-violent movies belonging to the survival and crime thriller genre, this one makes fine use of the available resources in a seemingly low budget setting. It never tries too hard at anything, but manages to be interesting with what it has in hand. You are not supposed to expect a full action movie, as there is the main character trying to escape from trouble all the time, and having police officers on the hunt. Even though Bruce Willis remains mostly non-violent, you have to love how Jamie King steps into this one. Having a movie without Bruce Willis beating up, shooting or injuring anyone even when there were so many chances – feels strange, but it is indeed true. Well, change is inevitable, even though we expect the same thing from a superstar all the time, no matter how old he is – well, the curse of the Indian movies, isn’t it? But this one has the superstar of the past going through the more believable path.

Release date: 16th July 2021
Running time: 95 minutes
Directed by: Mike Burns
Starring: Jaime King, Bruce Willis, Lala Kent, Kelly Greyson, Mike Burns, Michael Sirow, Tyler Olson

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.