Tag Archives: witchcraft

Hello Mummy

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Vampire Owl: I am sure that this movie has a vampire mummy.

Vampire Bat: We are dealing with real ghosts around here.

Vampire Owl: Mummies are animated corpses, right? Not ghosts.

Vampire Bat: I do not think that this is that kind of a mummy.

Vampire Owl: Because the character is not Egyptian?

Vampire Bat: They are referring to the mother-in-law of main character.

Vampire Owl: But this is still horror, so other mummies could also be around.

Vampire Bat: What can a mummy do to reach South India from Egypt?

Vampire Owl: I do not know. Maybe, take a flight?

Vampire Bat: Even Count Dracula is known to have taken only a ship.

[Gets a chilly chicken puffs and three cups of mixed tea].

What is the movie about? :: Boney (Sharafudheen) who has been running a pet shop – one of the biggest in the city, and trying to evade marriage for quite a long time, much to the dismay of his father Philip (Johny Antony), mother Soyamma (Ganga Meera) and sister Tincy (Sruthy Suresh). But when he goes through the usual process of seeing and rejecting girls, he comes across Stephy (Aishwarya Lekshmi), whom he really likes and decides not reject her. But Stephy comes with a condition that he should move to her house after wedding, and even though Boney’s parents show some hesitation, everyone is just happy that he is finally going to be married. But one day, she stops responding to him, and when he asks, she tells him that her dead mother still talks to her and that she does not approve of her marriage with him. She says that it is the best for the future of both of them that they do not proceed to the wedding ceremony. But Boney feels that she is just making things up to avoid him, and tells her that he believes her – and that he is ready to adjust in whatever ways possible.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: This impresses Stephy and they go on with the process. But on the first day itself, Boney realizes that she was not joking or making an excuse, and his father-in-law Samuel (Jagadish) asserts the same. The ghost mummy begins attacking him whenever he does something that she does not like. Stephy reveals that the mummy has prevented any physical union between them for now, and there some strange rules which he has to obey – this includes not wearing chappals inside the house, keeping the refrigerator open for more than ten seconds, dropping any food particle on the floor and a few more. Boss (Aju Varghese) who is running an investigative channel from the neighbouring house feels that there is something wrong, and tries to find a solution, while Boney’s best friend Bichu (Joemon Jyothir) tries to help only to find him at the receiving end of the mummy’s fury. Boney and Stephy tries to twist the situation by telling the mummy that they are going to be parents. But how can they sneak away from the powerful spirit which keeps the watch all the time?

The defence of Hello Mummy :: Here is one merging of horror and comedy that works well on the lines of Bollywood movies like Stree and Bhool Bhulaiyaa, but this is not a genre that has been working too well in this particular industry. In comparison, black comedy has had more success, like in the case of the recent work, Maranamass. There are moments that would be remembered, along with some dialogues which can stay for quite a long time. There seems to be a lot of energy in various parts of the movie, and that keeps the level of the movie high. This is also one horror movie that one can watch with family without too much of terror and no unsuitable comedy to go with it. The performances from the leading cast remains the highlight of the movie along with the fine support with the veteran actors around. The way in which the movie makes the fantasy tale blend into a world which was normal, makes it a world of magic realism in one way or the other. Cinematography and background score adds well to the whole thing.

The claws of flaw :: The movie’s focus on horror is rather less on comparison to the side of comedy which rises much above the other. The blending is rather one-sided when we look closely, and there is not much of an explanation of the supernatural elements. There is also a lot of predictability associated with the movie, even though most people might have expected the same. The lack of hype might have left many people without having watched the movie – if focused on the strengths, this would have become more popular from the day of release itself. There is a certain amount of silliness that can be seen around, and the lack of seriousness means some loss of the overall quality of the movie. The cliches are surely there, and the tale could have kept a stronger centre. Some of the emotional moments could have been avoided to make the movie shorter, as there is not that much of focus on the story, as situations are above everything else. The lack of consistency can be seen here in relation to the content, and horror also falls flat at times.

The performers of the soul :: Sharafudheen shines in the humorous role which seems to suit him so well, even though there is a subtle emotional side that runs through here. There are some fine one-liners which are there to stay, and some of these moments can be seen in the television in parts regularly. The movie also has Aishwarya Lekshmi who continues to prove that there are not many actresses who can match her grace and variety of performances in this generation. From a grand beginning with movies like Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela, Mayaanadhi, Varathan, Vijay Superum Pournamiyum and Brother’s Day with range from romance and feel-good to drama and thriller mode, she has come a long way, and deserves even more. She is in full strength here in a role which does not challenge her, but she assures that things are now better. We just need to remember how good Kaanekkaane was, to be reminded of her capabilities. The group of Jagadish, Johny Antony, Aju Varghese and Joemon Jyothir adds to the fun, while Bindu Panicker’s role is something that we will remember for a long time. Sunny Hinduja makes a fine villain at the same time.

How it finishes :: We know that good horror comedy is really hard to create, especially to make both sides work. This movie aligns more on the side of comedy, but there is always that hidden horror which comes out at rarely, but by the end of the movie, we see the blending of the two genres becoming one effectively. There is no lack of enjoyment at any part of the movie, as we see the situations, and feel the entertainment. There are not many movies that make us think too much about the situations, and we can focus on enjoying the whole thing without second thoughts. There is the scope left for a sequel, and we can expect this to get better. After all, there are so many questions to be answered from the first movie, and there might be a little too much to be done for what could be a series of movies. We can always accept the movies with a certain amount of silliness that worked so well, like Adi Kapyare Koottamani and Kunjiramayanam that keeps us laughing for a very long time.

Release date: 21st November 2024
Running time: 92 minutes
Directed by: Vaishakh Elans
Starring: Sharafudheen, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sunny Hinduja, Jagadish, Johny Antony, Aju Varghese, Joemon Jyothir, Bindu Panicker, Arun Cherukavil, Ganga Meera, Sruthy Suresh, Adhri Joe

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Witch: Revenge

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Vampire Owl: Is this a witch that we know?

Vampire Bat: We no longer know any witches.

Vampire Owl: But there are many in the north.

Vampire Bat: There are no wars anymore, and they live there in peace without contact.

Vampire Owl: They do not eat child vampires anymore?

Vampire Bat: I feel that they are more afraid of being bitten by child vampires now.

Vampire Owl: So, the treaty among species have weakened them?

Vampire Bat: Yes, by a long way, because we gained territory.

Vampire Owl: I am sure that the zombies or werewolves might be still at war with them.

Vampire Bat: I have heard that they are on war with elves and dwarves over the custody of magical forests which they use for creating their special potions.

[Gets a parippu vada and three cups of Yercaud tea].

What is the movie about? :: Olena (Tetiana Malkova) is living a happy life with her fiancé Andriy (Taras Tsymbaliuk) in a small town in Ukraine, but their life meets new struggles as they have to face the Russian Invasion, which quickly reaches their place, and feels the needs to quickly escape into the woods. Olena suggests moving further into the dark forest, as Yevdokiya (Olena Khokhlatkina), her aunty is there to take care of them, and people do not usually go that way. But on the way, they are attacked by a Russian military unit, and Andriy is murdered with their dog injured, and Olena just manages to escape from a sexual assault. They reach the place of her aunt, and she remembers her earlier nightmare about death. Back there, angry, frustrated and in grief, Olena releases another side of her, that of a witch, as she has been an immortal being of magic for a long time, only to renounce the same after falling in love with a man whom she met. She unrobes in front of a mirror to reflect the ancient signs engraved on her and lets the ancient magic run through her naked eternally young body yet again.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Being an immortal guised at a mortal, she lets go of the human side and embraces ancient magic with its darkest elements in search of brutal vengeance. She combines forces from various nodes of power to become something more than the supernatural witch she had ever been. It is then that another girl named Katya (Oleksandra Pankova) gets kidnapped and sexually assaulted by the invading soldiers. Even though they decide to keep her for more abuse by the other soldiers, the effects of the witch force them to leave her in the middle of nowhere. But she is also found by Olena who promises her a chance at having revenge. Katya, who is on a desperate state after that brutal violation will stop at nothing to have her revenge. But the soldiers remain remorseless and looks to punish the locals as much as possible, as they move further into Ukrainian territory. Meanwhile, Olena has transformed into something different, and she seems to resemble something other than humans even though she retained her human form. Can Olena and Katya have their revenge in the most brutal way or will the soldiers somehow escape?

The defence of The Witch: Revenge :: The movie scores the best with its visuals and there is some beauty about even the most evil of acts and the gore with goes with the same. This comes after some of the most colourful and happy moments that a movie can have in the beginning, with the true love feeling running through. On one side, there is that terror of modern warfare in the form of Russian invasion of Ukraine which seems to have no end, and on the other side, there is that mastery of the supernatural, which bring multiple levels of strength to the movie. Those elements of magic and witchcraft are nicely shown, and blood often makes a stylish entry, looking even better in the presence of snow. The atmosphere feels always suitable, and the emotional side also makes an entry at times with confidence. The witch becomes a metaphor for the Ukrainian resistance with ease, as there is the talk about ancient folktales. The mood of folklore is at the best with dark forests, candle-lit interiors and ritual elements while being bold with its true reflection of war-related violence among the weak.

The claws of flaw :: The movie seems to stop trying at times, and keeps moving on the ordinary path when there was so much of a chance for greatness. With the Ukrainian side taken, one would wonder if the feeling of one-sidedness will be omnipresent. There is only one kind of portrayal of the Russian side, and showing the two sides in black and white will not be satisfying at all times, with the grey side definitely missing. Despite the understanding that invasions can keep being brutal, the grey side is expected at some points. Even though the movie is rather short, we feel that there are moments when it stretches from within, and some moments could have just been avoided. We feel that some touch is lost in between, as a venture through the classic revenge in a tale of brutality and chaos. The male protagonist is killed too early and there is no character development regarding him. The villains just seem like the usual antagonists without any variety between them. All women characters other than the protagonist does not seem to rise that much and pales in comparison to her.

The performers of the soul :: The movie is strongly and soulfully led by Tetiana Malkova, who remains at the core, setting the bar high. It has always been easier to portray vampires and zombies than witches these days, and we are lucky enough to have a good one here with a fine performance as the supernatural creature. The romantic side was also strong with her, as it was where her transformation began and went on to the other. The romance feels as much real as the revenge and the feelings behind them are portrayed very well. The next one to catch our attention is Oleksandra Pankova who also leads the way in an act of revenge, and this search to bring deaths to the violators also has the same intensity, even though not that much of witchcraft and sorcery. Taras Tsymbaliuk as Andriy does a good job as the lover and Olena Khokhlatkina as Yevdokiya plays a believable aunty with magical roots. The villains in the form of soldiers does fine even though too restricted in the second half with nothing much to do.

How it finishes :: We have had our movies with the presence of witches, from the action adventure of Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters to a more classic kind with The Witch and much twisted versions from Russia like Baba Yaga and Mara that went the divergent way in comparison to what we have been seeing in Hollywood. This is only the second Ukrainian movie on this website after The Rising Hawk which also had its moments, and I would love to expand on this Eastern European movie collection, as some of the finest movies from the Romanian work named The Whistlers to the Serbian film The Balkan Lane are from that side. Still, let us hope that there will be no more wars to become background for future movies, and that there can be imaginary battles or some Nosferatu to replace the same. Until then, we watch this movie, and enjoy it even though not without some small troubles that come here and there. One can find that there is something about this movie, which can also have a sequel, and by that time, there will be no war, but lesser problems running in the background.

Release date: 22nd August 2024
Running time: 100 minutes
Directed by: Andriy Kolesnyk
Starring: Tetiana Malkova, Oleksandra Pankova, Taras Tsimbalyuk, Olena Khokhlatkina, Pavel Vyshniakov, Ivan Sharan

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Curse of Audrey Earnshaw

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Vampire Owl: I think that I have met this girl before.

Vampire Bat: No, she is not the witch who cursed you last year.

Vampire Owl: How can you be so sure? She had the same expressions.

Vampire Bat: The witches can be confusing with their looks.

Vampire Owl: You mean to say that they alter their appearances very often.

Vampire Bat: Yes, many more times than we do in a human city.

Vampire Owl: Yet, we can see through them, can’t we?

Vampire Bat: We are not immune to all kinds of magic.

Vampire Owl: We are still immune to dark magic.

Vampire Bat: Yes, but not all kind of dark magic. Some witches practice the darkest of magic, and we are often not strong enough to resist the same.

[Gets a vegetable samosa and three glasses of Vanilla shake].

What is the movie about? :: During the times when there were more and more settlements in North America, a group of families decided to separate from the Church of England, leading to the establishment of an isolated settlement, further away from the rest in the continent. Years passed, the the World Wars broke out, and science had the advantage over religion, with unrestricted expansions, but the villagers of this particular settlement kept their old ways of life alive. Later, in the year 1956, a strange phenomenon, which came to be known as the eclipse, a kind of pestilence spread throughout the settlement and its surroundings, poisoning the land and also corrupting the livestock. The only exception was the land belonging to one woman, Agatha Earnshaw (Catherine Walker), and he was suspected of heresy. She also gave birth to a girl child during the eclipse, but kept the child as a secret from the villagers who kept looking at her with suspecting eyes.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The community has kept struggling without hope, and with a feeling that God abandoned them, and that there is no future for them, as the time shifts the 1973 – not many things have changed for this particular village far away from civilization. Agatha continues to live separated from everyone with her daughter who has now grown up, and yet remains hidden from the eyes of others. She tells Audrey that anyone who tries to come to their place is a villain, and that everyone in the village wishes to steal young girls like her. The villagers continue to despise her as she still has a great harvest all for herself, and is not ready to help even those who have been starving for days and close to death. Colm Dwyer (Jared Abrahamson) and Hannah Bridget Dwyer (Emily Anderson) are further angry about her as they lost their child for some illness, and lack of food comes naturally with the life. Everyone knows that there is a curse going on, and soon, they will have to take another step to change their lives.

The defence of The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw :: The film thrives on its atmosphere, which has so much in store with a setting which is established nicely with an initial writing about the premise – the first scene surely sets the mood, and the visuals nicely contributes to the same, as it does raise our expectations by quite some distance. If the story could have explained all the happenings better, the atmosphere could have elevated this one in the blink of an eye. There is the presence of blood and gore, but the same is not that much justified as we look at them. The main character does have the looks which are required, and there is always the feeling of having more than what meets the eye soon enough. We have seen films like The Witch, and so we are expecting something similar around here too, as the evil creatures of the night, from vampires and werewolves to zombies and demons, we are also interested in the witches to make the horror runs strong into a world of escapism that we always need.

The claws of flaw :: The real-life curse for the movie lies in the ending here. It doesn’t seem to know how to finish everything after building up all these. Running towards confusion is not what one would want with a film like this one. Finally, you are wondering what has actually happened, and there is always something wrong with the titular character, and it is not just the usual kind of wrong, but more, in a complicated manner. The movie is also really slow, and in between, there are scenes which don’t seem to make much of a sense, and we are always looking for some big terrifying sequence with sorcery to happen, but that is not there to be taken. There are no real witch-like gathering or frightening events happening in there, and due to the same, the movie has less strength as a horror movie, as it focuses on being a slow thriller. There were so many paths for this movie to follow, and none of them are taken, which brings some disappointment around here, as we don’t really get what we were expecting at all.

Performers of the soul :: Jessica Reynolds as Audrey Earnshaw is the young lady who is the reason for almost everything around here to happen – she has that kind of a look which would serve a witch, supported by the expressions and even movements. She has taken on the character which is a little bit too complex and strange, but managed to work with that well enough. She also has that stare that a witch would require, and her violence is unparalleled just like her curses. Catherine Walker as Agatha Earnshaw plays the mother, and she also remains as strange she can get, staying close to the character with the possible mysteries. Jared Abrahamson plays the role which is closest to a leading man, but he doesn’t really get much of a screen space either. Hannah Emily Anderson plays his wife, and that is done pretty well too. Sean McGinley adds well to the characters of interest in the movie, and so does Don McKellar, and later Geraldine O’Rawe. There are others who are just part of the world, and has something or the other to do at some occasions.

How it finishes :: There have always been something about the tales of witches in worlds created in any village far away from civilization, and with strange curses being felt all around. This one is no exception, even though it doesn’t make the best use of its resources, not living up to the strength that it displays in the beginning, and progressing to the end without enough of the explanations. You know that this movie was capable for much more, but we take this dark and disturbing story as it is, and enjoy is as much as we can, without that much expectations in horror. These movies serve as a reminder to how the world of strange beliefs have been, and how we have not become better people with science taking over – we are just the same if not worse, even without the supernatural, evil, distrustful and full of hate. We all have the devil in more people these days, and humanity’s lack of conscience has made the present world a worse place to live in than those days when people at least feared and revered God. Beware of the people around you more than the witches.

Release date: 2nd October 2020
Running time: 103 minutes
Directed by: Thomas Robert Lee
Starring: Catherine Walker, Jessica Reynolds, Jared Abrahamson, Sean McGinley, Geraldine O’Rawe, Don McKellar

<— Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Pale Door

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Vampire Owl: How pale is the door?

Vampire Bat: It cannot be that pale as the door to Uncle Dracula’s door.

Vampire Owl: It won’t be as pale as life itself.

Vampire Bat: Life will get better after Corona virus ends.

Vampire Owl: There is no life after COVID-19 ends.

Vampire Bat: How can you be so sure about?

Vampire Owl: The world has now become more evil, you know that.

Vampire Bat: Yes, but that is related to the humans only.

Vampire Owl: The realms are going to collide at some point of time.

Vampire Bat: When they do, we will be ready to face the evil humans and their weapons including hatred and fear.

[Gets some French fries and three glasses of pista shake].

What is the movie about? :: One day, a home is raided by a gang of thieves who are heavily armed. Two children survive the terrifying incident, while the parents are shot dead. The house is also burnt down, but the two boys decide to move on with the help of an acquaintance. The younger of the two brothers, Jake (Devin Druid) is working in a saloon, while Duncan (Zachary Knighton), the elder brother is leading the Dalton gang, a group of robbers who come up with some big heists all the time. When one their gang members die in a gang fight, they are in need of more manpower for a train heist which might be the best of their career. Even though Duncan is not sure about allowing his younger brother to involved in anything related to guns, Jake doesn’t back down, and the gang finally decides to take him because of the urgent requirement. They find the train heist to quite an easy job, and they find the chest which was being guarded there, and manage to escape with the same.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Instead of finding any gold or money in the chest, they end up finding a young lady tied up inside. The girl introduces herself as Pearl (Natasha Bassett), and tells them that her home is in Potemkin, from where she was taken by these people. She also promises them some fine reward if they take her home. As the gang also wants to have some treatment for the wounded Duncan, they decide to go to her town which is closer than the rest of the civilization. As they reach the town, they try to find a doctor first, but there is nothing in the place, but woods with one small cottage in between, much to their dismay. Pearl does offer them help, as they are forced to follow her deep into the woods, and she tells them that they live in a brothel. As they are welcomed at the brothel by the one who seems to be their leader, Maria (Melora Walters) also promises that they will have the reward soon enough. But soon they realize that there is something different about this brothel, and they won’t really like that.

The defence of The Pale Door :: The movie does have a lot of action with the gun shots, and the witches are also there, which makes this a divergent type of film in comparison to those usual films which have one of these. The transform between the western heist and the world of magic and witchcraft is nicely done with the surprise working well. The message of evil being present at all times, and the final moments after building the atmosphere works pretty well, even though it doesn’t become a full horror movie at any moment as expected. There are moments which come back to the main characters as revelations about the past, and the setting within the forest brings the need for being frightened, in a strong enough manner. Placing the outlaws against the witches is a pretty good idea, as we look at it, and can also have an extended version of the same in a sequel, as the latter can go on forever, and be back for more innocent blood to sustain them. A successful mixing of these genres is exactly what has helped around here.

The claws of flaw :: The problem with this film is that it is too slow for our liking, and there are more dialogues than action on many different occasions. The movie is also really slow to go through its problems, and the beginning moments have too many scenes which keep on dragging the film until we reach the much needed action. Even though the witches are shown in their true forms, there could have been more especially related to one of them bathing in the blood of the victims, a moment that reminds of the ancient legends. The moment required an extended version, and also the hunting which the witches come up with. Just like the vampires, the witches are always capable of more, and this one doesn’t touch those abilities enough around here. The idea of witchcraft always have enough strength to rise as strong as the vampires and zombies who have ruled the world of cinema for quite a long time, and this time, they don’t go for where the strength lies the most – instead, the safe side seems to have more of an attention than anything else.

Performers of the soul :: Devin Druid as Jake and Zachary Knighton as Duncan are given importance in brotherly bond, but beyond that, they don’t work that much within limitations. Stan Shaw as Lester makes a strong impact among the group in comparison. Bill Sage and Pat Healy are fine in what they do. Melora Walters does make a fine witch with a mission here, and there is the past that is related to her, and works fine enough. Natasha Bassett makes a fine witch for the future, and might be one of the most charming of the group. There are other witches added around here, and Ashley Couch appears in the blood bath, the one which had the scope to be the most notable scene in the film, but the same gets limited – she still has one’s attention there though. As a film which deviates to witchcraft early enough, there could have been more focus on each witch character here, but the same is not provided that much of a significance around here. But the witches don’t get their due, and that is somewhat a shame, considering the possibilities.

How it finishes :: The movie seems to have done pretty well as a low budget horror movie, and has enough to keep itself strong with the big reveal that comes later. There is not that much to make a heavy entertaining impact, but the film manages well enough with what they have. Maybe, if this had left idea of the wild west behind, and focused on the witches and their past, with the forest being the permanent setting, things could have been better. Even a medieval setting in England could have lifted this one better. Yet, there is something about the film and its witches which will keep it going. During the time when the Corona virus pandemic is coming up its omicron variant, one can say that this kind of a variant can also serve the purpose. At a time when the supernatural are going down due to the strength of COVID-19 and the evil that the humans are bringing, we all need our original demons, witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts and zombies – let us take these witches for now and enjoy what we can, while staying safe during the omicron-active Christmas season.

Release date: 21st August 2020
Running time: 96 minutes
Directed by: Aaron B Koontz
Starring: Devin Druid, Zachary Knighton, Melora Walters, Natasha Bassett, Tina Parker, Ashley Couch, Bill Sage, Pat Healy, Stan Shaw, Noah Segan

<— Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Demon Eye

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Vampire Owl: This was the name of that artifact which the northern witches used.

Vampire Bat: You mean to say that they were in contact with the demons?

Vampire Owl: Well, aren’t they supposed to be so?

Vampire Bat: They are usually in contact with those who rise from the grave.

Vampire Owl: Well, this is just one portal away from that.

Vampire Bat: Yes, but the demons are not really the undead in any way.

Vampire Owl: You do have something against some popular demons.

Vampire Bat: No, I am not talking about those tik-tok using humans.

Vampire Owl: At least, that episode is over for now.

Vampire Bat: You should know that demons, the masters of hell are not to be treated without extreme care.

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

What is the movie about? :: Sadie (Kate James) haven’t been in good terms with her father John (Darren Day) for a long time, and never really picks up his call, until one day, she decides to do just that. But she hears some stranhe noise from his room, and he quickly cuts the call, citing an emergency. This is the last time when Sadie sees her father, and the next thing he knows about him is that he is dead. Much to everyone’s surprise, he is supposed to have committed suicide by hanging. This forces Sadie to come back to the house, which is in a remote location, and has nobody else to take over the same. There she meets the man with whom the house keys were left with, Dan (Robert Hamilton), and Sadie feels strange to be at that house which has her old dolls and cameras being set in every room, corridor and staircase. Dan also leaves a job for her in a newspaper, passed on to her by her father who had worked there until his death.

So, what happens with the events here? :: She is immediately hired at the newspaper as a photographer, and finds Dan in an awkward position with Faye (Ellie Goffe) who is supposed to be his fiancee. Dan and Sadie get their first assignment to interview Craig (Liam Fox), a local man who is supposed to have seen The Burning Girl (Alannah Marie) – it was part of a folklore which was supposed to have become reality for some people. There is the legend of the Demon Eye that goes with it, as a girl was burned as a witch a long time ago in the name of causing a famine which she had predicted with the help of an amulet some time ago. But on the way, she sees a fire and a person standing in it, and as she tries to take a photo, the battery goes down. Even while interviewing, she gets into a fight with the man whom she was supposed to interview. She is confused about all the information she had managed to get from different people about her father who she hated. Is there a secret to be unveiled in relation to her father’s death?

The defence of Demon Eye :: We have been falling short of some interesting horror movies, and then this one comes up. It is that movie which deals with its subject in a slightly different way, and the subject itself has more than one angle to take care of. The quick scares are all there, and the most effective one is with a severed head in the bath-tub, then there are hands coming from under the bed, hellish hound kind of thing and the usual burned face with all the creepiness that it can have. The length of the movie is also less in comparison, not going to even ninety minutes, and it does make the most of it, with not having much from the dull moments there. The atmosphere is also good, with a setting in the middle of nowhere, with vast landscapes inspiring dark folktales all around. There is always something about focusing on the folklore, whether it is real or not. This setting will impress you, and with moments to remember, makes its point really well.

The claws of flaw :: Among the horror movies these days, Demon Eye is the one which is rather less known, or not known at all at this part of the world. It should have still achieved more with the premise – you know that with the title itself and also with the idea which is being explored here. Whenever there is a demon involved, you can take it further with ease. The demons might have been less scary in comparison to pandemics, but they are not yet completely out of the equation. We have so many moments which could have been something bigger, but manages to adjust with what it has, not trying to raise the bar. The effects of the low budget are there too, even though they have partially overcome that. The ending of the movie also felt a little rushed, because a horror movie like this requires something bigger, and the case of the climax is also the same. The main character also required to make more out of the situations here.

Performers of the soul :: Kate James plays the protagonist in this movie, even though IMDb hasn’t really listed here at the top, or with a photo. Even though there is some struggle in the beginning stages, she plays the character really well, and only gets better in the later stages. She is part of almost every scary scene in this movie, and the best one is that of the bath-tub with the severed head, even though more could have been done with a character like hers. Her portrayal of the troubled character who need psychiatric help from the early stages is believable, without being melodramatic. The other actors don’t seem to try too hard, but manages to hold on. She is way ahead in that case, when we look closely. The other young lady in the movie is the next person to catch our attention, even though she is not there for too long on the screen – Ellie Goffe does a very good job too. Robert Hamilton, Darren Day and Liam Fox, all of them manage just enough here.

How it finishes :: There are always some interesting horror movies of interest, if we keep checking for them. Demon Eye can be on the list too, depending on your preferences, even though you can’t expect it to do too much with its content. This is the kind of horror movie which you watch on Friday nights for some fun scares, and for that purpose, this film is successful, leaving no doubts behind. With a fine premise, from a situation in which things could have gone much worse, the movie takes itself back to make sure that as a whole, it is a pretty good work. There might be a few things left unexplained though, but through the same, it leaves the scope for a sequel, even as we are not really supposed to expect one, considering the response it had received otherwise. Do add this to your horror collection, as one more demon, this time with another witch-hunting past, will bring the entertainment to you.

Release date: 26th April 2019
Running time: 87 minutes
Directed by: Ryan Simons
Starring: Darren Day, Liam Fox, Kate James, Ellie Goffe, Jimmy Allen, Alannah Marie, Robert Hamilton

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The Last Witch

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Background to the movie :: We are no strangers to the tales about witch hunts, and most of us have read about similar incidents all around the world, especially Salem witch trials which had presence in movies like The Lords of Salem and The Conjuring – we even remember a television series with the name Salem. When we look deeper, there has been no shortage of similar incidents throughout the world. In a number of books, we have read about the witch trials in Early Modern Europe. We read in our schools and colleges about Joan of Arc who was burned at the stake, accused of witchcraft. Even in India, we often hear the word Chudail, associated with the witch, even though the same can be applied to demons and spirits too. Here, the movie The Last Witch has its roots on real incidents related to witches in the past too – on one of those incidents involving allegations of witchcraft, witch trials and execution.

One particular witch trial and execution :: Here we have our attention towards the Terrassa witch trials which had taken place in Terrassa, a city in the east central region of Catalonia, in the province of Barcelona in Spain between the years 1615 and 1619. During those days, a terrible weather and crumbling economy of the time was credited to the evil plans of witches, and their worship of their masters in hell. This had lead to a lot of rumours during those times, which finally meant that there would be panic, bringing the need for a witch commision to have the suspects arrested, lest people would take law into their hands. A number of suspects who were arrested, agreed to have been part of Witches’ Sabbath, a meeting of those who practiced witchcraft and other similar things. On the date 27th October 1619, Margarida Tafanera, Eulalia Totxa, Joana Sabina, Guillermo Miramunda Font and Miquela Esclopera Casanovas were executed.

So, what is this particular movie about? :: There were those five women who were hanged during the Terrassa witch trials in Spain, and then there is Joana Toy (Clara Gayo), who had escaped death after being brutally tortured by the authorities for many days, as the torture devices like Heretic’s Fork, Iron Maiden, Judas Cradle, Breaking Wheel and Wooden Horse were part of many such incidents. There is no clue about how she escaped, and where she had disappeared after the incident, as it remains a mystery to be solved by a newer generation. Three friends are all set to discover the truth behind all these, and finding Joana’s whereabouts is the key. These three young friends, Sandra (Paula Pier), Eduardo (Jorge Gallardo) and Mario (Alfonso Romeo) are all set for the same, with a desire to become famous video bloggers after finding something which has been hidden for so long. One of Sandra’s grandparents turns out to be part of that commision which found out if the women were really witches or not, and sending them to their newfound fate of brutal torture and death. He had once told her that the escaped witch lived just outside the city and that her house is still there.

And what is to follow in this particular adventure? :: They feel that she could have come back to her home some time later and might have settled down there, followed by her bloodline – the place has been a farmhouse for a long time, as Sandra figures out from her grandfather’s words. This leads to more of curiosity, and they will find more than just a few homeless men and empty spaces as they usually do. It is no more about getting it viral on Youtube and finding maximum viewers – the mystery is darker than what they thought it would be, and too much for them to handle. There is nothing funny about it anymore. They end up seeing a symbol associated with an ancient organization, which Professor Robert (Fernando Tato) identifies as related to be a Satanic organization of the early seventeenth century that has a history of worshipping a witch rather than the devil. But it is only the beginning of what they are going to find in that abandoned farmhouse. Were they even close to being prepared for this?

The defence and negatives of The Last Witch :: Coming from Carlos Almon Munoz, the only Spanish winner of the Horror Society Awards for Best Short film of the year 2014 for his short-film “Face Your Fears”, as his first movie, this one is surely well-crafted within its genre. We know that Spain has a rich history of coming up with nice found footage films including the REC series. As a fictional account is made about what might have happened to Joanna Toy, this one gets the tale going in the right direction. This is not one of those movies which can score big with what comes out of its budget, as The Last Witch is very much simple and without wonders there. But you will surely want to have more scares, and the need to get into action earlier. But after it gets into the action, there are enough of scares to keep things moving towards that end. With the found-footage stuff, maybe the movie makers here also can make some good work in the category, which has never really been here, gaining some inspiration from this one. We have a good story here, without doubt.

The newfound love for the subgenre :: Where I come from, there are not many fans for the found-footage horror, and I am myself not a big fan of the same. But still, I was able to find interest in this one. Even I have watched only two, Pan’s Labyrinth and The Skin I Live In, liking them both – it is only safe to say that I loved both of those movies, with my admiration for Guillermo del Toro beginning there. I was very close to watching REC, but I did watch its English remake Quarantine and liked it, which was one of those moments when I started feeling that I had to look into this particular subgenre of horror. When a found-footage horror movie is related to something which really happened, like the Terrassa witch trials, there is a certain extra strength regarding the same, no matter how much fictionalized the story ends up to be. I would consider this to be my beginning to watch more of found-footage horror.

How it finishes :: It is said that Spain actually had only a few witch trials compared to other nations and states in Europe, and just a few years after Terrassa witch trials, the practice disappeared completely. It is on one of these later, and one among the last trials, that this movie is focused on. Many European records show cases of people being accused of taking part in Witches’ Sabbath, and a good number of them tried and some executed. The Last Witch nicely uses one of those background tales to create and bring an interesting story to light. There might be many other high budget movies with witches, including The Last Witch Hunter, and there are those which are divergent in character like The Witch and The Autopsy of Jane Doe, along with those on full entertainment mode, like Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Seventh Son and Dark Shadows. However, you can see here that The Last Witch also brings an identity of its own without going into that possible void, and manages to be a horror movie which uses what it got, to good advantage, with fine performances.

Release date: 1st January 2016
Running time: 94 minutes
Directed by: Carlos Almon Munoz
Starring: Fernando Tato, Pepe Penabade, Alfonso Romeo, Paula Pier, Clara Gayo, Jose Zumalave, Jose Antonio Almon, Jorge Gallardo

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