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Posts Tagged ‘Horror Movies’

The Conjuring: Last Rites (review)

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

The Conjuring: Last Rites, directed by Michael Chaves (The Nun II) and starring Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do IT), Patrick Wilson (Annabelle Comes Home, and Mia Tomlinson (The Mediator) follows Ed and Lorraine Warren as they face the most impactful paranormal case that would eventually end their careers.

This film starts with a young expecting couple as they encounter a powerful demon on a case that would mark the family for the rest of their lives. In their fight to help and protect a family from the dark entities of a home, things go terribly wrong, and Lorraine goes into labor early.

After the traumatic birth of their daughter, Judy, the Warrens work hard to put their lives back together and move on. Judy has a psychic connection and works to manage her abilities with guidance from Lorraine.  It is not until Judy reaches her full psychic capacity that the entity that marks her returns in connection with a family she is drawn to help.

The story was well-written and presented a new chapter in the Warren world of the paranormal. The franchise has evolved in ways that have expanded the universe while allowing it to grow within the story without any fractures.

The visual and special effects opened the door to imagery, defining the meaning of creativity and imagination. The score was great and took me directly to my 80’ Playlist.

There were plenty of jump scares, creepy thrills, and intense moments invoking the feeling of uncertainty, mystery, and heart-pounding fear.

The new additions to the cast were a continuation of the legacy that the Conjuring Universe already carries. At the same time, the story, visuals, and all the other components are the perfect recipe for a fantastic start to the fall horror season.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is a 5-star Paranormal Adventure that horror fans will love as the final chapter in the Conjuring film Universe.

Check out the trailer below:

L.L.

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Wolfman 2025 Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

The Wolfman, directed by Leigh Whannell and starring Julia Gardner (Ozark), Christopher Abbott (Kraven The Hunter), and Matilda Firth (Disenchanted), follows a family as they travel to the remote mountains in Oregon to Blake’s childhood home to pack up his father’s things after being declared deceased.

The moment Blake reaches his family estate, things go bad as the family suffers from a terrible accident, leaving Blake with an injury that he is unable to recover from.

The situation continues to spiral out of control as  Charlotte (Garner) and their daughter Ginger (Firth) try to help Blake while attempting to make sense of their current circumstances.

Overall, this was a pretty good movie. The storyline was interesting and presented a nice backstory into the past of our antagonist. The balance between Blake’s humanity and his relationship with the monster within created an internal struggle that was projected beautifully on screen.

Charlotte’s character is strong yet flawed. The fast-paced horror film did not disappoint, as its structure had many classic elements interwoven within. However, the creature design for the Wolfman did miss the mark for me. Parts of the character’s transformation reminded me of Seth Brundle from 1986’s The Fly. The concept of Blake living between human and wolf was conveyed, but I was hoping to see more elements of the wolf transpire.

The special effects were solid, and the film was thrilling in many ways.

I gave this movie 3 stars

L.L.

Check out the trailer below:

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Knock at the Cabin Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

Warning: Mild Spoilers

Knock at the Cabin, directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Dave Bautista, Johnathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Kristen Cui, and Rupert Grint, tells the story of a family vacationing in a remote cabin when their trip turns into a deadly hostage situation.

The film opens with thrills and chills as we see a young Wen, portrayed by the talented Kristen Cui catching grasshoppers when suddenly a stranger approaches and attempts to befriend her. The child’s innocent nature is cautiously aware as she engages with the man. However, she is quickly alarmed by his intentions and retreats inside the cabin to tell her parents something is wrong.

The sound of a mysterious knock on the front door begins a chain of events that will change each character’s life.

Knock at the Cabin is a fascinating and thrilling film that will get the moviegoer to think about the fate of humanity and will challenge most people’s beliefs. Horror fans have seen elements of this type of movie before. The difference between this film and many others within the genre is that the definition and meaning of sacrifice are scarier than people realize. You can’t help but feel empathy and compassion for the family as they endure the brutality of their life-altering experience.

The Protagonists in the film were a good casting match. The chemistry they shared on-screen worked well and felt authentic. Kristen was the star of this film. She did a great job with her character portrayal and was a memorable presence on screen.

The Antagonists in the film were four individuals whose only connection was the event they set in motion. Their on-screen relationships and back story reflected their lack of connection. The lead antagonist, Lenard, portrayed by Dave Bautista, had several layers to his character. He had the most connection with Wen, as their interactions were powerful yet demanding.

The film concept created a space for deeper thinking and questioning the possibility of “what if.”

Overall, this film was thrilling and worth a trip to the movies.

I gave this movie 3 stars.

L.L.

Check out the trailer below:

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Halloween Ends (Review)

Posted in Horror Movies, New Movie reviews, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

Warning: Mild Spoilers Below

Halloween Ends, starring (Jamie Lee Curtis) and directed by David Gordon Green, takes place four years after the last battle, which left Laurie Strode and the residents of Haddonfield still reeling from the traumatic events after Halloween Kills.

We find Laurie once again attempting to pick up the pieces of her life. This time we see her and her granddaughter managing to fuse their lives as they try to move on. Things quickly spiral once Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson played by (Andi Matichak) finds a love interest, Cory, portrayed by (Rohan Campbell) who completely changes the narrative of Michael Myers.

Laurie Strode, portrayed by the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis, is a formidable force to be reckoned with. After all these years, she still has a lot of fight in her. However, Laurie is much older and is in a different place in her life as she continues her battle with Evil. On the other hand, the Shape has also weakened with time, and moviegoers will see the effects of that weakness and how it plays such a pivotal role within this storyline.

Without giving too much away, I think that the film presented a fresh take on the lasting impact that Michael has had on Laurie and Haddonfield. It also gave fans an interesting spin on how the magic of horror can be revealed without remorse or explanation. Finally, this film introduces dedicated fans to a new concept of energy transference to The Shape’s, aka Michael Myers’ persona.

To some degree, the film did miss the mark on providing a better conclusion to Michael’s and Laurie’s story but overall, I was very satisfied with how the way things ended with Michael. At one point, I got excited about Cory’s introduction, thinking he might take the reins as a new reincarnated version of Michael Myers.

After 44 years of screaming, running, chasing, hunting, hiding, fighting, haunting, struggling, hoping, believing, and persevering, the Halloween saga has pushed the limits of horror. It has transcended time as the ultimate Good versus Evil theme and will forever reign as a staple in cinematic horror history.

Halloween Ends is must-see for those fans dedicated to the franchise.

I gave this movie 4 stars

L.L.

Check out the trailer below:

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Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 7, 2021| Leave a Comment »

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It “Review”

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson and directed by Michael Chaves is the third film in the Conjuring Franchise. The film follows Ed and Lorraine Warren as they investigate a murder that is potentially linked to a demonic possession. Documented as true events, we see two characters and a story that explores how strong Ed and Lorraine’s love for each other is. Ed and Lorraine are in a different stage in their lives and careers as they continue to battle the dark forces to save and protect the families they connect with.

Overall, this film was strong in its storytelling components. Wilson and Farmiga make a great pair, as their on-screen presence continues to charm movie goers. The supporting cast did not do much for me. I was hoping to see some storytelling blending between the court case and the haunting/exorcism, somewhat like the Exorcism of Emily Rose. There were some noticeable horror references throughout the film that were fun to point out, but I did feel like the first two films were much better than this latest installment. I was also looking for a deeper connection to the Nun in this film, but that also fell a bit flat. Since the Nun has appeared throughout the franchise, including a prequel, I was still hungry to see if there was more to that story despite the ending in The Conjuring 2. The special effects were average according to my expectations. This film did not give me that “jump out of my seat” feeling, but it was still worth watching and it was a lot of fun.

This was my very first in-theater post pandemic movie. I gave this movie 3 ½ stars. I highly recommend watching all the Conjuring Universe Films.

L.L

Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9Q4zZS2v1k

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Poltergeist 2015 Movie Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on May 26, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Poltergeist-poster

Poltergeist starring Sam Rockwell and directed by Gil Kenan and produced by Sam Raimi was a horror movie remake that disappointed me in many ways. The movie was supposed to be a reboot of the haunted house classic Steven Spielberg film, starring JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson, but I just couldn’t get over how badly it was done. There was nothing authentic about this film, and the writers did nothing but add some overrated special effects and overuse the original script. The names of the characters were changed for some reason, and I found that the actor’s performances were weak. The mood of the film was disappointingly mellow, and for me there was no real fear that the characters displayed.  For this to have had Sam Raimi’s name behind it, I was expecting so much more. I think that the film could have been done so much better if Sam Raimi would have had complete creative control in addition to the writing. The casting and storytelling was just all wrong, and I hope that the next horror I see will make up for this one.  The only two positive things I have to say was that the scene where we were able to see how the other realm or alternate dimension looked was good, even though I also think that the drone going into that realm was out of place. Technology should be dead in this this case. (I believe that was Raimi’s influence, good idea but it just wasn’t delivered creativity.) I also thought the scene with the family trying to leave the house was good. They are sitting in their SUV and are suddenly dragged back in through the garage as the house becomes consumed by the portal. That was an interesting add on to the movie. Throughout the movie I kept calling the little girl “Carol Anne and was comparing the remake with the original. It was so hard not to. The ghost hunter Carrigan Burke played by Jared Harris didn’t do much for me, but prove that the writers tried too hard with making the movie fit into the modern world. The paranormal research team was horrible, and at this point I can’t write anymore bad things about this movie. Wait, yes I can, it was in 3D which was an excuse for theaters to charge more money than necessary. It didn’t add any depth to the movie at all, just a dent in my purse. Not worth seeing it, but if you must as a fan of horror, wait until it’s out on cable and you have nothing else better to do.

I gave this movie two stars just because of the two scenes I liked and because I like Sam Raimi.

L.L

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The Top Ten Horror Icons

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 18, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Top Ten Horror Icons of all Time

Here is my list of the top ten horror Icons in horror movie history, starting with my all time favorite, Freddy Kruger. Kruger is known for his comical antics, but he is most importantly known as the “nightmare” coming to haunt your dreams and kill your “reality.” If you cone across Freddy, most likely you won’t live to tell it.

Each one of these characters have that special element that makes them unique to the genre. Those elements can include supernatural powers from the depths of darkness or the power of insanity. Having the power to be an unstoppable killing machine, no matter how the average man tries to defeat him, they just keep coming back. Whichever one it is, the horror icon is looked upon as a strong entity that brings us fear and opens us up to a whole new realm of imagination. Another element that makes the horror icon so intriguing is the concept of evolution. My list of characters with the exception of “Norman” and “Hannibal” all made their appearance on the silver screen during the dawn of the classic 80’s horror age. Within that period, they each have passed the test of time, to evolve and become something more than just a phase of pop culture. The evolution of these characters have transformed into a phenomenon of creativity, that can be defined in one word as “ART.” The 80’s was the period or reformation of horror creativity, and it gave horror a new villian to look forward to, where fans could add fun to their fear experience.
1.Freddy Kruger
2.Micheal Myers
3.Jason Voorhees
4.Leatherface
5.Norman Bates
6.Chucky
7.Candyman
8.Hannibal
9.Pinhead
10.Pumpkinhead
11. (Bonus) Leprechaun
Honorable Mention
1.Dracula
2.Frankenstein
3.The Wolfman
4.The Mummy
Have a frightening weekend!!
L.L.

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Curse of Chucky Movie Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Curse of Chucky directed by Don Mancini, stars Brad Dourif, and the horror legend’s real life daughter-Fiona Dourif. This movie marks the 25th anniversary of the Child’s Play franchise.
The story picks up where Seed of Chucky left off, as it follows a woman named Sarah that receives a mysterious package. That package turns out to be a Good Guy doll, and before the night is over she is dead.
Nica (Fiona Dourif) is left to plan her mother’s funeral along with her older sister Barb, and her husband Ian. A night of family time ends up becoming an evening of terror as Chucky unleashes his wrath of murder upon them.
Only a true fan of the series would appreciate this movie. Now don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a blockbuster not even “made for television” worthy, but for those who have been looking for some kind of closure to a story that seemed to be never-ending- this is the film for you.
The death scenes were average, some of the past films within the franchise were more creative, but I applaud the effort. As a fan of Chucky, I was happy to see the Brad had taken on the role again. The classic Chucky humor was not as evident. This film was a bit darker than the others,but I still enjoyed it.
Charles Lee Ray’s past resurfaced again, and this time many questions were answered, and his fate was rewritten as he finally accomplished his goal.
I give this movie 2.5 stars
Have a frightening weekend!
L.L.

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The Horror of October

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »

October is my favorite fall month. It’s a time for cozy blankets, hot cocoa, and watching some of the best horror, that the genre has to offer.
This season the world of television and film has a wonderful array of horror shows and movies due to debut within the next week or so.
The Walking Dead and American Horror Story are two of the most anticipated shows returning to the small screen this year, and the excitement is building as the premiere draws closer. AMC will host a WD marathon,starting from the very moment of the Zombie Apocalypse.
A remake of the 1970’s Carrie starring Julianne Moore is about a socially challenged girl that has telekinetic powers, and tries to cope with being bullied and attempts to fit in a world she doesn’t belong. It expected to hit theaters October 18th, and I believe that it will become an instant modern day classic.
Throughout this month I will feature classic and modern horror reviews on my blog.
I will go into detail and deeply delve into what it means to experience horror in a way that twists the imagination and alters your mind.
Have A Frightening Day
L.L

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Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on September 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Fall is one of my favorite seasons, and even though it’s not official yet, I’m already in the mood to watch some awesome horror flicks.
My first horror review of the season is Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D. It was released early January of this year, but I just got around to seeing it this past weekend.
Directed by John Luessenhop and starring (The Lightening Thief’s Alexandra Daddairo) this horror continues the saga of masked murderer Leatherface.
The film picks up right after the 70’s original. After a girl reports that a masked man killed her friends, a group of townspeople torch the home of the Sawyers, in hopes of getting rid of the evil within the family.
Years after the horrific incident, a girl learns that she has inherited a home in Texas. She travels to the southern state with a group of her friends and before they can settle in, the bodies began to drop. She quickly learns that she is a survivor of the brutal town massacre and that she is directly connected to the family that was murdered.
The roles reverse for her, once she and her newly discovered cousin Jed becomes a target for the town to get rid of. Heather and Leatherface aka Jed team up in the name of family to survive the wrath of the town.
I thought this movie was pretty good. The death scenes could have been bloodier, but the overall storyline was interesting. Its a great start to a screaming horror season! Fans can check this out on Demand. I give this movie 3 stars.
Coming next week, Insidious Chapter 2 review.

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