Insidious: Chapter 2

One of the great horror movie suprises from the last couple of years was Insidious. The movie was eerie and frightening without relying on gore the way the Saw films have used to death. What was also cool was it's totally off the wall and original premise. That dead spirits could posess the bodies of those who can walk the astral plane. They live in "The Further" a spirit world that kind of lives in the same space ours does. That's how we can see the spirits and they can see us. Hauntings are simply our world crashing into theirs.

Insidious: Chapter 2 picks up almost immediately after the first film. Rose Byrne's character is being interviewed by the police about the events of the first film, which provides a nice recap for those who saw the first film when it came out in 2011, but also for people just coming into Chapter 2 as their first Insidious film. It's hard to discuss the plot of the film, since it completely spoils the cliffhanger of the first film, but let's just say things are not all right with the family who believe they've just lived through a terrifying ordeal.

Our family is living at Josh Lambert's mother's house while the cops investigate their residence, since a character died there at the end of the first film. As they start to come down from the hauntings, new ones start. Not the same sprits, but similar things. Seeing things in the mirror, children's toys going off in the middle of the night, loud noises, etc. But Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne) thinks there is something wrong with her husband Josh, and his mother goes to find our ghost hunting characters from the last movie to find out how to stop the disturbances.

Wan proved he was a master of the horror genre with the first Insidious, and he continues the same style with this movie. It's very well done, with lots of twists and turns that don't feel recylced from the first film. It trully feels like a second chapter of a single story and not a typical horror sequel. Check this movie out, it is very well done.

4 out of 5 Stars

The Conjuring

Another James Wan film! It seemed like The Conjuring and Insidious: Chapter 2 came out back to back, but they were really months apart. Also, both star Patrick Wilson. Even though they are both horror films, they are entirely different.

The Conjuring focuses on Ed and Lorraine Warren who where paranormal investigators in the 1960's and 1970's. This film focuses on one particular tale, one "that's never been told before." While the Insidious films exist in the modern day and have nothing to do with religion, The Conjuring exist in the vein of The Exorcist. The Warren's are intensely Catholic, with Ed Warren the only "demonologist" recognized by the Catholic church. Lorraine is a clairvoyant and can feel things just by touching them, whether it be people or things.

The Perron family moves into an old house in New England and soon after they get settled, they find out it is haunted. Carolyn Perron visits one of the Warren's college lectures and implores them to take a look at her house. They don't want to, and they almost write her off with "most things have a logical explanation". I found this strange, as the Warren's were the premier paranormal investigators at the time, so why would they write this woman off so quickly? They visit the house and immediately find out that it is the epicenter of a lot of hauntings and mysterious deaths over the last 150 years. As you can probably guess, after this they work to purge the house of these evil spirits and demons and go through a terrifying ordeal.

One of the things I like about James Wan's style is that keeps everything on a realistic bent. You're always feeling like this could happen to you. He never takes the audience for granted, and lets them in on any secret, so that they always know what is happening, and at the same time manages to suprise them at every turn. James Wan is a true modern master of horror, I hope he finds time to return to the genre after Fast and Furious 7. If you liked Insidious check this out. And if you liked The Conjuring check out Insidious.

4 out of 5 stars

Carrie

I rented the 2013 remake of Carrie and I liked it! I've never seen the original 70's movie, or read the book, but I enjoyed this movie! Now, it's not the most terrifying movie I've ever seen, but it does use suspense very well. And even though I knew the premise of the movie and what happened at the end, I couldn't help feeling sorry for Carrie, as portrayed by Chloe Grace Moretz. Carrie is about a young girl, raised by a fanatically delusional religious mother, Julianne Moore. She is stuck wearing very traditional homemade clothes (long sleeves, long skirts, etc), and is constantly teased by her classmates, one girl in particular. While this happens, Carrie gets her first period in the locker room and her telekinetic powers begin to emerge. As they emerge Carrie feels more sure of herself. We see her transformation from shy young girl to teenager who is discovering her inner strength, as well as her powers. Another journey that I thought played against convention was the hot blone (Gabriella Wilde) being sympathetic to Carrie. She was the hottest girls in school, the lead cheerleader, but not the main bully. After the first bully encounter this girl became sympathetic to Carrie and stood up for her, but always without Carrie knowing.

Chloe Grace Moretz gives a very likeable performance. I always felt sorry for Carrie. Even when she stopped beinga victim and became the victimizer, I cheered her on. This might have to do with the modern day setting with the facebook messages, cyber-bullying, etc. I think that's what keeps this film relevant today, is the modern update. I liked it. I know not everyone did or might think the original is better, but this film makes me want to read the book, or visit the original film, which is what a good remake does.

3.5 out of 5 Stars