Tammy and the T-Rex is the Lost ’90s Classic You Didn’t Know You Needed [Review]

Original Source via Wicked Horror

Wicked Horror is the author of Tammy and the T-Rex is the Lost ’90s Classic You Didn’t Know You Needed [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

What happens when you try to make an R-rated movie about a girl who falls in love with a mechanical dinosaur but have to cut the gore for a more family friendly PG-13 rating? Chances are, you end up with a film that will never find its audience. And on initial release, that’s exactly the fate Tammy and the T-Rex suffered. Nearly no one saw it and the flick was quickly discarded as vapid and forgettable. Fortunately, Tammy and the T-Rex has been restored to its original, uncensored, gory glory for it’s Blu-ray debut. Decapitations, disembowelments, and arterial spray abound in the never-before-seen ‘gore cut’ as the uncensored version of the film is being dubbed. The folks at Vinegar Syndrome have graciously saved the picture from obscurity and given it a fully restored and totally uncensored Blu-ray transfer. Moreover, AMC’s Shudder has made the uncut version available for subscribers to stream (as of this publication). So, with a variety of ways to watch, there’s really no reason for fans of the ridiculous and bizarre not to seek this one out. Also See: 20 Years On, Lake Placid Chomps Through Its Contemporaries [Retrospective] Director and cowriter Stewart Raffill (helmer of such cinematic greats as Mannequin Two: On the Move and Mac and Me) clearly had no disillusions about the kind of movie he was making when he conceived Tammy and the T-Rex. In fact, he leaned into it with aplomb. The more bizarre, the better. A T-Rex using a payphone? Of course. A dinosaur crashing a party and revenge-eating teenagers? Definitely. Raffill embraces the ridiculous and the film is better for it. Don’t trouble yourself trying to make too much sense of this bizarre mixture of sci-fi, teen comedy, and splatter flick. The premise is more than a little ridiculous: The film follows a young woman (Denise Richards) whose boyfriend’s (Paul Walker) brain is removed from his skull and transferred into the body of an animatronic dinosaur. But the preposterous nature is half the fun. Stewart Raffill set out to make a movie for connoisseurs of bad movies and that’s precisely what this is. Sometimes, one simply has the inexplicable urge to see a bystander being disemboweled by a mechanical T-Rex with a human brain. See Also: Five Bad Horror Movies That are Still Worth a Watch  Some of what makes Tammy and the T-Rex so enjoyable (aside from the animatronic dinosaur) is the constant scenery chewing. It’s hard to tell if Denise Richards is being sincere or intentionally over-the-top. But it doesn’t really matter. Whether her performance is the result of a total inability to act or an intentional sendup to B-grade cinema, it works perfectly with the subject matter. The late Paul Walker’s showing as Tammy’s T-Rex boyfriend isn’t much better. But, if you’re watching a movie about an animatronic dinosaur with a human brain, it’s safe to assume you aren’t looking for Oscar-caliber performances. Shortcomings aside, one thing is for sure: Tammy and the T-Rex knows its audience. And it panders to that audience with panache. It provides viewers with a fun, gory, ridiculous good time. And on that level, it succeeds masterfully. WICKED RATING: 6/10  Director(s): Stewart Raffill Writer(s): Stewart Raffill and Gary Brockette Stars: Denise Richards, Paul Walker, and Theo Forsett Year: Blu-ray Release: January 28, 2020 Studio/ Production Co: Vinegar Syndrome Language: English Length: 88-Minutes (R-rated Cut) Sub-Genre: Monster Movies

The post Tammy and the T-Rex is the Lost ’90s Classic You Didn’t Know You Needed [Review] appeared first on Wicked Horror.

Murder is Self Help in A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life [Review]

Original Source via Wicked Horror

Wicked Horror is the author of Murder is Self Help in A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life is a devilishly clever title for a horror-comedy, immediately invoking the kinds of dark, twisted thoughts many of us harbor about those irritating strangers who ruin our days by cutting in line or walking into us. Most of us, of course, don’t do anything about  those little annoyances aside from maybe stewing silently for a bit afterwards. Lou, the film’s heroine, doesn’t do anything either but, as the story begins, she’s fantasizing about following a rude woman and beating her to death with a rock. ​A lonely thirty-something living in the kind of picturesque coastal town where seemingly hundreds of murders take place annually (if those ads on CBS Reality with the serious man in the glasses and high-collared coat are to be believed), Lou is a self-help addict, the ideal candidate for all that “believe in the power of you” bollocks. In particular, she’s enamored with Chuck Knoah (is the spelling of his surname a nod to Leslie Knope? We can only hope), an obnoxious American wellness peddler who wears soft turtlenecks and gazes down the lens at saddos like her, promising them success is only just out of reach and they simply need to aim higher. Related: Prevenge Makes Pregnancy Scary Again [Review] One day, while attending a local seminar led by a snake oil salesman hilariously described as looking a bit like a pedophile, Lou stumbles upon a mysterious, glamorous woman with a killer (sorry) red lip named Val (Poppy Roe, wife of director Staten Cousins Roe, with whom she runs the production company who made the movie, his debut). Although Val seems entirely unimpressed with everything and everyone around her, she takes Lou under her wing. The two women then embark on a road trip around small-town England, meeting all manner of insufferable, mostly white, hippy-dippy middle class “wellness” types, all of whom Val dispatches without smudging her perfectly-applied makeup. The fact Val is a serial killer, obviously, isn’t a spoiler since it’s in the title of the movie but thankfully the great pleasure of A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life has nothing to do with murder for sport, rather it’s about the burgeoning friendship between these two women. Lou and Val are complete opposites, the former a gullible, easily led woman desperate for human connection while Val has an air of Rosa Diaz-like disapproval to her at all times. Their interplay as the journey traverses variously green and isolated locations involves Lou telling Val repeatedly “you’re the best life coach ever!” and Val barely acknowledging her existence. It’s a funny setup, brilliantly played by both actors. A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life‘s road trip aspect evokes Sightseers, with which it shares a similarly black comedic edge, but it’s also not unlike Alice Lowe’s superb debut Prevenge in its approach to women committing murder as though it’s just another chore they have to get through. Val’s kills are interspersed with other normal activities, and scored by jaunty orchestral strings, making them appear boring and everyday. The violence is all implied, with basically nothing shown on camera, meaning the film loses a bit of Prevenge‘s gory edge. At the same time, maybe the idea of female killers shouldn’t be so shocking nowadays that we need to see it to fully believe in it. To be fair, Val’s victims deserve it, particularly the sicko who makes a tuna sandwich with butter (barf) and she’s arguably wiping out the competition, so her crusade also has an economical slant. As a life coach, Val is perfectly suited to the desperate Lou, whose existence is so grim it involves her washing her horrid (and clearly unhinged) mother. Val may be a cold-blooded killer, but she still represents a better way of life for poor Lou. She even gives her a pep talk after Lou has tripped and is lying face down in the mud. There are plenty of close-ups of her Brayben’s open face throughout A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life, emphasizing how easily Lou might turn at any moment. In fact, the film doesn’t even really rest on whether or not Lou may eventually murder herself, since it’s hinted at from the beginning she has the inclination, if maybe not the courage. This, then, is a female empowerment story told via a dark, and deliberately outlandish, premise similar to Prevenge‘s killer mother or Sightseers‘ killer scorned woman. The difference here is there are two women at the story’s heart and, for much of the movie, they’re the only characters onscreen, or at least the only ones we get to know or care about. It may not have been written or directed by a woman, but this is an inescapably and very proudly female story. The deadpan, irreverent sense of humor suits the material perfectly and, while A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life feels as English as its two most obvious comparables, the central hook, and Lou as its lovable protagonist, will have universal appeal. See Also: The Turning is a Chilling but Confusing Take on an Iconic Story [Review] This is also a ruthless, and very funny, skewering of so-called wellness culture, particularly in the personification of the useless Chuck. Lou’s journey, mad as it is, is about self-belief rather than finding the answers elsewhere, as many still sadly look to do. Although the film loses a bit of steam as the ladies reach their inevitable final destination and doesn’t quite hang together as a cohesive whole once they arrive, Lou is easy to get behind and believe in regardless, while Val, as psychotic as she clearly is, represents the irresistibly cool id we wish we could give in to more often. A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life, then, is just as empowering as Val’s influence on Lou, as wonderfully strange as that may sound. A SERIAL KILLER’S GUIDE TO LIFE is now available on iTunes and Digital HD WICKED RATING: 8/10  Director(s): Staten Cousins Roe Writer(s): Staten Cousins Roe Stars: Katie Brayben, Poppy Roe, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Sinead Matthews Release: January 13th, 2020 (iTunes and Digital HD) Studio/ Production Co: Forward Motion Pictures Language: English Runtime: 81 minutes Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

The post Murder is Self Help in A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life [Review] appeared first on Wicked Horror.

Second Opinion: The Grudge (2020) is Garbage

Original Source via Wicked Horror

Wicked Horror is the author of Second Opinion: The Grudge (2020) is Garbage. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

The Grudge (2020) opens with some of the worst exposition in recent memory. A woman stands in front of a house resembling the iconic property from the original Japanese-turned-American series and tells someone named Yoko, whom she’s by all accounts familiar with, that she’s been living in Japan for a while now but has to leave immediately and get back to her family even though there are months left in her working contract. It’s a truly baffling choice to kick off a horror movie in 2020. And then, a load of early-2000s video-game cut-scene style info-graphics explain the central idea of a “grudge” or curse. That’s our introduction to the world of this movie. These choices matter because, aside from the fact they serve as our entry-point to this latest iteration of the Grudge template (a reboot-quel, allegedly, though it feels like neither), they also speak to its utter vapidity. Put simply, this is one of the least competent modern horror movies I’ve seen in quite some time, and I sat through The Curse of La Llorona. Related: You Won’t Want to Be Buried in This Pet Sematary (2019) [Review] Depressingly, a cast of skilled and impressively diverse actors are tasked with making sense of the material here, including lead Andrea Riseborough (last seen as the ethereal titular character in Mandy), John Cho, who tried to find his daughter amid an online maze of rumors and lies in the underrated Searching, horror icon Lin Shaye, the always welcome comedic actress Betty Gilpin, The Hateful Eight standout Demián Bichir, and legends Frankie Faison and Jacki Weaver. Adding to the missed opportunity factor is Nicolas Pesce, serving both behind the camera and as a co-writer with Jeff Buhler (who also co-wrote the ghastly Pet Sematary remake), whose previous films, The Eyes of My Mother and Piercing, announced him as a vital and intriguing new voice in horror. It’s entirely possible he didn’t have as much control over a movie-by-committee like this, but regardless seeing Pesce’s name attached to The Grudge (2020) is disappointing. Knowing he had a hand in writing it is even worse. A potentially interesting setup, involving competing, non-linear timelines denoting events that take place in the present day and 2004/2005 (when the previous, Sarah Michelle Gellar-starring Grudge reboot was set), is squandered by stuffing the stories with too many characters and basically zero character development. Moreover, although the film threatens to be scary and the score frequently alerts us that frights are afoot, nothing of note happens for much of its run-time. Riseborough’s beleaguered cop, Detective Muldoon, is ostensibly the lead. Having lost her husband to cancer, she’s relocated to the district where Bichir’s Goodman (no ranking or first name, according to IMDb) operates. After discovering a burnt out body in a car, their investigation leads them to the spooky house where the grudge is being cultivated (actual, sample line from this movie, delivered by a native English speaker: “That house is GRUDGE”). Goodman refuses to enter but Muldoon crosses the threshold, discovering Shaye’s bloodied loon and unleashing years of evil. Or something. We don’t know any of these people, we don’t care about any of these people, and we never believe for one moment that any of them are in any real danger. Also, because much of the supposed action takes place in flashback, we already know their fates. There are absolutely no stakes whatsoever. Even when someone perishes, it’s with a shrug rather than a scream because, well, yes these people died because that’s the case the present day cops are investigating. Muldoon flips through pages of evidence related to crimes we’ve already watched unfold onscreen just to drive the point home. One of the most glaring issues with The Grudge (2020) is how flippantly the movie dispenses with its own rules. Does the curse hop from person to person or is it relegated to this one property? Does it possess people and cause them to commit terrible crimes or operate independently? There’s an attempt at a major shock, which could even generously be called a cliffhanger, right at the end of the movie that makes so little sense in the context of what’s come before it feels like a mistake left over from a previous draft. Making matters worse, the moment attempts the same trick we didn’t fall for in the scene immediately preceding it. The ghosts, or ghostly creatures, look terrible. A blend of dodgy CGI and bad makeup (this film boasts some of the worst wigs I’ve seen in a mainstream movie in quite some time — justice for Jacki Weaver) ensures that, even though the apparitions make the same noises as those in the source material, they don’t evoke the same feelings of discomfort. True, The Grudge was never as frightening as Ringu — itself only boasting one truly decent scare, at the very end — but the film’s uneasy atmosphere was keenly felt. It’s unclear whether Pesce and his co-writer intended for this to be a straight follow-on or a retooling of that myth but it doesn’t work as either. At 94 minutes, The Grudge (2020) feels long and drawn out. There’s simultaneously way too much story and not nearly enough. Riseborough throws herself fully into it but, in spite of her demonstrable talent, she can’t sell material this lacking. Muldoon’s son disappears for much of the movie, in spite of their supposed bond (and a wacky game they play together that’s embarrassingly underwritten), only to reappear at the end as an integral part of the story. Likewise, her relationship with Goodman extends to Muldoon calling him up at all hours to yell about a case he’s told her repeatedly he’s uncomfortable discussing. Are they friends? Do they fancy each other? What’s the deal!? Goodman himself lives in a house decorated with Catholic imagery, with his car dolled up much the same. He makes a fleeting reference to his dead mother and her strong beliefs but, rather than making Goodman’s faith his reasoning for not tussling with evil spirits, instead he tells Muldoon he simply doesn’t believe in them and that’s that. It’s a baffling choice for a character who’s then relegated to the background, where he can look on sadly as Muldoon unravels. A meeting with his ex-partner (in a mental institution!) is, again, bizarrely misjudged and adds absolutely nothing to the story (why couldn’t Goodman have delivered the info?). See Also: Second Opinion: Child’s Play (2019) is An Insult to Chucky It’s scattershot, tonally all over the place — attempts at jokes jar maddeningly with the film’s otherwise bleak atmosphere — and yet completely, utterly, deadeningly boring. In spite of everything that’s going on, nothing connects, from that first, fleeting moment in Tokyo to every subsequent non-development back home in the States. Worse, the thing is shot like a made-for-TV Se7en, every scene loaded with malaise and hopelessness, as though Pesce and his team really believed they were making something deep, meaningful, and truly unsettling. Instead, we get a dull, uneventful police procedural with an underdeveloped protagonist whose motivations are never made clear and an utterly unconvincing supernatural element. Maybe there simply aren’t any stories left to tell in The Grudge universe. Or perhaps modern horror audiences are too accustomed to, as film critic Mark Kermode hilariously put it, the lame “quiet-quiet-FACE” jump scares deployed here. There’s something intensely irritating about a horror movie utilizing the same beat over and over, especially when it didn’t work in the first place, that makes one question the filmmaker’s intentions. Was there just not enough to work with? Was the movie originally intended to be 20 minutes longer? On this evidence, The Grudge well has run dry. Hopefully talented filmmakers like Pesce get the opportunity to make their own stuff rather than relying on retreads going forward as, following Pet Sematary and Child’s Play, this is the third dud in a row.

The post Second Opinion: The Grudge (2020) is Garbage appeared first on Wicked Horror.

Filming On Escape Room 2 Has Officially Wrapped!

Original Source via Wicked Horror

Wicked Horror is the author of Filming On Escape Room 2 Has Officially Wrapped!. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Adam Robitel’s Escape Room was one of the biggest surprises of last year, beloved by fans and critics alike. And now, barely 12 months after that film dropped in theaters, we have confirmation Escape Room 2 is fully on the way. Not just announced either, but wrapped and hurtling towards a release. Late last year, Deadline confirmed Channel Zero star Holland Roden, Pose actor Indya Moore, The 100‘s Thomas Cocquerel, Isabelle Fuhrman (star of the infamous Orphan) and Carlito Olivero (Bad Samaritan) were all set to feature in the sequel alongside returning leads Taylor Russell and Logan Miller, who just barely survived the first movie. Robitel is also returning, alongside screenwriter Bragi F. Schut. Escape Room opened massive domestically, banking $18.2 million at the box office before going on to earn over $155 million worldwide, so an Escape Room 2 was inevitable. And now we can start to get properly excited for it as Robitel himself confirmed that filming has wrapped in South Africa (where the first movie was also shot), via iHorror: After 50 days of principle, and 20 days of 2nd Unit, we have officially wrapped photography on Escape Room 2. It’s always bittersweet to come to the end, but I can’t wait to share what machinations Minos has in store Escape Room 2 reportedly picks up right where the first film, which saw six strangers trapped inside a deadly escape room created by the dastardly Minos Corporation, left off. Other details are being kept tightly under wraps, but Russell and Miller’s characters finished up the first movie vowing revenge on Minos, so presumably they’ll be fighting to help others survive while looking to take the company down in Escape Room 2. Of the first movie, we said, “Fans of IRL escape rooms may balk at the setup, but for a movie set entirely in, er, rooms Escape Room never feels confined. It’s claustrophobic, naturally, but considering how outlandish and over-complicated it could have been, Robitel manages to keep it simple, creating a vivid, well-realized world where both nothing and everything seems possible. Here’s hoping the inevitable sequel doesn’t mess it all up by putting the players on a deserted island or something.” Let’s hope they don’t. Escape Room 2 is set for release November 3, 2020. Stay tuned to Wicked Horror for more info on the movie as it becomes available. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

The post Filming On Escape Room 2 Has Officially Wrapped! appeared first on Wicked Horror.

The Siren is an Arthouse Exploration of Grief [Review]

Original Source via Wicked Horror

Wicked Horror is the author of The Siren is an Arthouse Exploration of Grief [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

The Siren follows Tom (Evan Dumouchel of Doctor Sleep), a man who has lost his ability to speak by way of an unfortunate accident. While visiting a lake house, Tom encounters Al (MacLeod Andrews of Doctor Sleep), a widow who lost his husband years before and Nina (Margaret Ying Drake of They Look Like People) a peculiar woman. When Tom begins to communicate with Nina, they connect in a way neither has experienced before. Also see: Five Horror Series Cancelled Too Soon (and Five That Need to End) What immediately stood to me about The Siren is that there is little to no dialogue throughout the film’s runtime. The absence of dialogue makes all the other sounds that much more noticeable and that much more effective. Instead of spoken word, water rippling, eerie music, and low growls dictate the story instead. Writer/director Perry Blackshear opts for the show us, don’t tell us technique and does it quite effectively, driving the narrative with well thought out shots that inform viewers of the storyline. This gives The Siren an arthouse feel, but is not pretentious like many metaphor driven movies (see Mother). This can be quite risky as a movie without dialogue and poor visual aides can quickly become boring, but The Siren avoids this misstep by honing in on three very different characters who have diverse histories. The Siren is an exploration of grief as Al, Nina, and Tom experience, and thus, handle it in their own way. Al’s channels his grief into anger, fury at his dead husband. Nina’s grief pertains to her lot in life, and Tom’s stems from his struggle to communicate. These three separate, but intertwined journeys coalesce to create a haunting experience of the same wavelength of emotions. Neither is right or wrong, but they are all dealing with these feelings in an assortment of ways. Without giving away too much of the story, the portrayal of the monster, the siren is an excellent showcase in how to create a monster with rules and motivations that make sense. The siren in the film breaks away from tradition and instead melds together several iterations of the myth to create a believeable creature who functions in a structured role. This might seem silly to appreciate, but when introducing a supernatural being as the antagonist, it’s crucial to set these boundaries for maximum effect. Overall, The Siren is a refreshing film that I thoroughly enjoyed and I highly recommend. If you are looking for a dark, gothic fairy tale, you will find it in The Siren. If you enjoyed films like Crimson Peak and Lady in the Water, The Siren is definitely in that vein. The production quality, acting, and storyline are all strong elements that I believe horror fans will thoroughly enjoy. You can check it out on Digital Platforms and DVD beginning January 28, 2020. WICKED RATING: 8/10  Director(s): Perry Blackshear Writer(s):Perry Blackshear Stars: Margaret Ying Drake, MacLeod Andrews, Evan Dumouchel Release: January 28, 2020 Studio/ Production Co: MPI and Dark Sky Films Length: 79-Minutes Language: English

The post The Siren is an Arthouse Exploration of Grief [Review] appeared first on Wicked Horror.

Zombieland 2: Double Tap [Blu-ray Review]

Original Source via Wicked Horror

Wicked Horror is the author of Zombieland 2: Double Tap [Blu-ray Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

After a decade of waiting, the sequel to the now-classic and hilarious Zombieland (2009) has been released both theatrically and on home video. In watching the follow up, this writer realized that he should have included the original on his “Best Horror Films of the Past Ten Years” list). But the same certainly cannot be said for the series’ second installment. For the most part, Zombieland 2: Double Tap attempts to recapture the spirit of the first film. And while the follow-up does not completely succeed in this feat, fans of the original will find moments to enjoy. Reuniting original core cast members Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus), Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee), Emma Stone (Wichita), and Abigail Breslin (Little Rock), the foursome has continued to survive the zombie apocalypse. Unfortunately, their diverse personalities have become detrimental over time. After Little Rock splits away completely, the remaining trio embark on an undead road trip to make sure she is safe. Along the way, new and occasionally fun, characters join the ride. Check Out: Tyler’s Theatrical Review Right Here! In Zombieland 2, a major selling point is that the four remaining survivors from the original film are the focus of this sequel. And, for better or worse, things are not good for the group. At first, catching up with these comrades is uncomfortable for the viewer to watch. The dynamic seems forced as the young women are clearly unhappy. In addition, where Tallahassee appears with an abundance of unmotivated anger, Columbus keeps awkwardly kissing Wichita. There is either an issue with the script or performances, but either way the chemistry is missing. Fortunately, after the introduction of Madison (Zoey Deutch) Zombieland 2 finally starts to work. The first fifteen minutes of the sequel are tough to get through; however, Deutch’s performance is hilarious and, at last, brings some joy to the flick. Unfortunately, she is a “love her or hate her” character. If you enjoy the tone she adds to the movie then the rest of the ride is enjoyable. If she is not your cup of tea, then Zombieland 2 is probably never going to come alive for you. Madison is a stereotypical “dumb blonde” role but Deutch finds a way to bring the character to life and adds a much-needed spark to Zombieland 2. Other new additions to this universe include the incredibly talented Rosario Dawson as Nevada and Luke Wilson and Thomas Middleditch as a doppelganger duo of Tallahassee and Columbus. Dawson’s Elvis-loving Nevada is a terrific counterpart to the lone wolf persona of Tallahassee. Wilson and Middleditch add a fun sequence in their juxtaposition to the two male leads. As Albuquerque and Flagstaff, respectively, the two mirror how Tallahassee and Columbus could survive a bit more harmoniously. Where in the original the dynamic of the four main cast members was what really sold Zombieland, the sequel finds the core group relying a bit more on the supporting cast to make the film work. Obviously, the foursome is comprised of talented actors; however, something is just a little off when a new person is missing. For example, Harrelson plays Tallahassee with an unexplained hostility. In the first flick, his anger was motivated by the lacking Twinkie supply which was really indicative of a much more symbolic loss. The hostile impulse this time around is unclear. Yet, once the rivalry with Albuquerque begins Harrelson settles into the right balance of defensive competitiveness. One can argue Tallahassee’s anger derives from his bewilderment as a father figure to Breslin’s Little Rock; however, Tallahassee’s behavior begins before she leaves. This seems to stem from a bigger issue surrounding script or direction. And, speaking of Breslin, she is given very little to do in Zombieland 2 other than to blindly follow Berkeley (Avan Jogia). That’s fine if the goal is to develop that she is a teen leaving the nest, but Little Rock becomes merely a reactionary figure to her supporting character counterpart. Little Rock is the returning main character, but it is Berkeley that comes away with the “funnier” moments in their scenes together. Overall, Zombieland 2 does plenty right in comparison to many horror sequels. Still, there is an imbalance centered on fleshing out the supporting cast better than the returning characters. This follow-up does have funny moments; however, these moments do not belong to the main cast. Instead, they are given the action sequences. These scenes are exciting to watch and two of them really do stand out. Tallahassee has a thrilling moment in the climax, and the other involves a showdown between the doppelgangers. Unfortunately, the uneven sense of humor given to the primary cast does not balance out the thrilling action. Also See: Five Unconventional Zombie Films That Worked! Two other minor complaints focus on a conflicting message and a missing song. First, Zombieland 2: Double Tap confusingly jokes about the “ridiculous” pacifists and then goes out of its way to show the most dangerous zombies of all can be defeated without guns. There appears to be no sense of irony on the part of the filmmakers in accomplishing this contradictory stance. Secondly, the song “Babylon” by David Gray is mentioned multiple times in the sequel and then is never used. I only noticed this because it is one of my favorite songs, and I completely expected its inclusion. Especially, considering the sanctuary is named after this song and lyrics such as “if you want it, come and get it” would be aptly utilized during the climactic battle sequence. Special features included on the home release do make Zombieland 2: Double Tap more worthwhile. Multiple deleted scenes add to the missing character development. In particular, there is a sequence between Wichita and Columbus that expands upon their inevitable rediscovery of each other. When watching the released feature, I found this reunion not particularly believable. This deleted scene would have completely aided in their romance. Other excised sequences additionally improve character development and illustrate why this group actually likes being around each other. The theatrical release is often unclear in terms of understanding why they stay together; however, the dropped scenes certainly rectify this confusion. Behind-the-scenes features and bloopers also add to the fun of Zombieland 2: Double Tap. Ultimately, the fun is actually in there in addition to some thrilling action sequences. This long-awaited sequel does not have the innovative quality of the original. And, unless you watch the deleted scenes, certain character arcs will seem forced and unclear. Nevertheless, Double Tap does provide laughs via added supporting cast members that are entertaining to watch. Perhaps, the charm of the original is lacking, but Zombieland fans will find that the spirit of the first film is not completely (un)dead in this follow-up feature. WICKED RATING: 7/10  Director(s): Ruben Fleischer Writer(s): Dave Callaham, Rhett Reese, and Paul Wernick Stars: Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Woody Harrelson, and Jesse Eisenberg Release: Friday, October 18th Studio/ Production Co: Columbia Pictures Budget: $42 Million (Estimated) Language: English Length: 99-Minutes Sub-Genre: Zombie

The post Zombieland 2: Double Tap [Blu-ray Review] appeared first on Wicked Horror.

The Turning is a Chilling but Confusing Take on an Iconic Story [Spoiler Free Review]

Original Source via Wicked Horror

Wicked Horror is the author of The Turning is a Chilling but Confusing Take on an Iconic Story [Spoiler Free Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

When Henry James’ novella The Turn of the Screw was published in 1898, it quickly became a staple in gothic horror that would go on to stand the test of time for its terrific prose and it’s chilling attention to detail. Since its release, the novella has become the subject of countless adaptions in radio dramas, movies, plays, television, and even a Broadway play back in 1950. So when Floria Sigismondi announced she would be directing a modern adaption (called The Turning), of the classic story it went without saying that expectations were high. Especially for those who’ve read the tome like yours truly. As far as the plot goes The Turning stays faithful to James’ novella: A young women is hired as a governess for two orphaned children. But as the governess gets used to her duties and learns about the chilling past of some former employees, she becomes more and more convinced the grounds are haunted by a vicious spirit. And the strange behavior of the children certainly isn’t helping matters. Also See: Color Out of Space is the Adaptation Arkham Deserves Since I already have a fondness for the novella I was particularly excited when the trailer finally dropped. Ultimately I was charmed and bedazzled by this movie. For the most part. To quote James himself, “The story had held us, round the fire, sufficiently breathless.” The Turning is a slickly directed, gorgeous take on an old story. Sigismondi takes the book’s title–which is a play on the phrase a turn of the screw–and makes it the core of her directorial technique. To turn the screw means to exert strong pressure on someone. Sigismondi plays with lights and sounds to create an intense, claustrophobic atmosphere that only subsides during an inevitable jump scare; something that may or may not have originated from her brilliant yet unsettling work with Marilyn Mason. The Turning offers plenty for one to feast their eyes upon. The grand estate of Bly Manor is something out of a Renaissance painting. The soundtrack was an unexpected perk, and the expertly picked cast offers nothing but stellar performances all around. Especially in the case of Finn Wolfhard who boldly displays his versatility as Miles, a textbook arrogant rich kid with behavior that only becomes more erratic throughout the film. In an exclusive interview with Movie Bill, Sigismondi gave some insight into her casting the Stranger Things star, “…the pale skin and his black locks. I was like, ‘Whoa, he’s like a dark angel!’ There’s something really beautiful and innocent about him, the dark coloring of his hair and his dark eyes.” Also See: Four Horror Sequels That Cursed Their Own Franchise Full disclosure, I really did enjoy The Turning, and as much as I wanted to come on here to give it nothing but a rave review it would be simply dishonest to not point out where it went wrong. The Turning unfortunately appears to bite off more than it can chew and it falls flat on its face in the final act with an abrupt ending that can only be described as lackluster at best. And anti-climactic at worst. It almost gives the impression that it’s incomplete and makes you wish they’d quit while they were ahead. I get why critics are coming down so hard on The Turning. The ending really does spoil it. And while it can make for a frustrating watch, I’m going to play devil’s advocate and suggest it’s a movie of acquired taste. I insist you don’t let the scores sway you. It’s a watch worth tackling. The Turning is now playing in theatres! WICKED RATING: 6/10  Director(s): Floria Sigismondi Writer(s): Carey W. Hayes, Chad Hayes, Jade Bartlett Stars: Mackenzie Davis, Finn Wolfhard, Brooklynn Prince, and Barbara Marten Release: January 24th, 2020 Studio/ Production Co: DreamWorks Language: English Runtime: 99-Minutes Follow us on social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

The post The Turning is a Chilling but Confusing Take on an Iconic Story [Spoiler Free Review] appeared first on Wicked Horror.