Horror Review #10 - "The Conjuring" (2013)

Horror Review #10 - "The Conjuring" (2013)

The key ingredients for a horror movie to be good in my opinion are likable characters and legit scares. It doesn't have to be dirty or violent. As long as we have people to care about in a terrifying situation, I'm sold. The Conjuring does exactly that.

Set in the early 70's, we follow a family who has been terrorized by a demonic presence in their new house. They contact a couple of paranormal researchers, simply known as the Warrens, hoping to have them solve the problem.

Director James Wan (Saw, Insidious, and the upcoming Furious 7) has crafted an old fashioned movie that relies more on tension buildup and heavy atmosphere than cheap jump scares and gross out gore scenes. There is very little blood onscreen and yet, it was the scariest movie of 2013 for me.
The characters are super believable. We care about their well being and want them to be safe. Ed and Lorraine Warren might be my favorite dynamic duo in the horror genre. When they investigate possible paranormal cases, there's usually a logical explanation on those "weird noises" that's happening in the attic. One scene has Ed telling a young couple that the strange noises they're hearing is because of a pipe expanding. However, when they meet the Perron family and make the confirmation that there really IS a demonic presence lurking in the house, the Warrens do their homework and do their best to help them out.

There are also little snippets where we see their affection for each other. You can really tell that Ed and Lorraine love each other. They're portrayed beautifully by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. Without these two, The Conjuring would not be as perfect as it is. It's great chemistry I never expected to see in a horror movie.

As for the scares, they're all done with technical skill. None of it is lazy. There's a fantastic scene where one of the daughters thinks she sees somebody behind her bedroom door. We never see anything and yet, it had me covering my eyes a lot. Another scene has the camera following the mother around the house after she heard a noise downstairs. It's a long take that creates tension because we know something bad is nearby. The idea may be obvious but it's the execution that makes it work.

Filmed with flawless technical skill and supported by a talented cast, The Conjuring delivers legit scares and is one of the best modern horror movies in recent years. 5/5

Horror Review #9 - "The Terminator" (1984)

Horror Review #9 - "The Terminator" (1984)

The Terminator can be considered as a horror film. Think about it very carefully. Unstoppable cyborg on a mission to kill a woman. It will do whatever it takes to complete the task, no matter what. Here's a quote from one of the characters in the movie:

"Listen, and understand. That terminator is out there. It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead."

That sounds quite frightening to be honest.

One of the movie's most intense scenes takes place in a police station. The Terminator knows that Sarah Connor, his target, is in there. He asks if he can see her because he knows her. The desk cop says visiting hours are over and the Terminator replies back with, "I'll be back." He steps out of the front door, only to crash into the front of the building. What follows after is a shootout where the police have absolutely no chance against the killer.

By the time we get near the end of the movie, the Terminator is shown in its full glory. No human flesh, only metal. It's chasing after our heroes and there's a part where they find a door with the Terminator closing in from behind. Now back then, technology wasn't so advanced so the director had to resort to stop motion on a few parts. It's effective though because the Terminator's movements look very nonhuman like. During this specific part, it really felt like a slasher movie where our killer was chasing after his next victim.

With its cast of actors, terrifying vision of the future, kinetic pacing, awesome soundtrack, and a one of a kind performance from Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Terminator is an excellent film. 5/5

Horror Review #8 - "The Thing" (1982)

Horror Review #8 - "The Thing" (1982)

If I had to name my top 3 favorite horror movies of all time, The Thing would definitely be on the list. To this day, it still holds up. The amazing practical creature effects, the tension between the characters, the increasing paranoia, and the creepy synth score. The damn blood test scene still managed to scare me last night when I watched it.

If you haven't seen The Thing, it's about a shape shifting alien that enters a base and begins to inhabit its occupants. The movie always has this eerie feel and you are never sure who's who. 

During the occasions where the creature's cover is blown, we get these extremely grotesque transformation break outs where it tries to get away. The effects are absolutely fantastic and it makes me wonder how they even managed to pull them off so perfectly. One of the first scenes where we get to see the creature is in a dog pen. It's truly impressive but I never want to know how they actually did it. I love watching behind the scenes footage but on certain films like Star Wars and The Thing, I do not want the movie magic to be ruined.

Watching the characters dealing with the situation is part of the fun. When they gather together to talk about it, one of them asks,

"So, how do we know who's human? If I was an imitation, a perfect imitation, how would you know if it was really me?"

It's a great question that later leads up to a suspenseful scene where they find the answer.

The Thing is one of the greatest horror movies of all time. It's one of my favorites and I try to watch it every year around October. See it if you haven't. 5/5

Horror Review #7 - "30 Days of Night" (2007)

Horror Review #7 - "30 Days of Night" (2007)

After an Alaskan town is plunged into darkness for a month, it is attacked by a bloodthirsty gang of vampires (taken from IMDB).

I'm not a fan of vampire movies. Plain and simple. They never appealed to me. The idea of a well dressed being who had pale skin and sucked blood wasn't scary. They're usually elegant in their movements and talk in some sort of sophisticated way. That wasn't my type of horror. It wasn't until I saw 30 Days of Night that made me go, "Hey you know what? Vampires can be pretty cool."

The movie paints them in a bold new way. They're fast, aggressive, violent, and have no mercy preying on their victims. There's a little part where somebody tries to shoot the main vampire and it has no effect on him. The scene keeps going and the shooter realizes that he can't do anything. It's very brief but I thought it was extremely effective on showcasing the hopelessness of the humans in that situation.

30 Days of Night isn't the best horror movie out there but it does have a few decent strengths. The cinematography has to be mentioned. There are some spectacular shots sprinkled in this movie. You can see one of the shots in the images provided below. Another shot in the movie that impressed me is a bird's eye view of the town where the humans and vampires are fighting each other. The camera follows the action and it's something you rarely see in a movie like this.

Another aspect that I liked about 30 Days of Night was Ben Foster, who plays The Stranger. Every line he delivers here is golden. He is by far the best actor in the movie.


As for the weak points, some of it has to be the acting. Josh Hartnett isn't exactly good but he's serviceable and easy to root for. The same goes with Melissa George. However, I did buy their relationship and it was one of my favorite things about the movie. Seeing it develop throughout was nice.

Another weak point was the anticlimactic battle near the end. Really? I'm not gonna spoil anything but that was not satisfying at all.

With its unique graphic novel-like visuals and unflinching violence, 30 Days of Night offers some decent goods to horror fans. Go in with an open mind and you might find yourself enjoying it. 3/5