(Kenneth Branagh, 1991)
Branagh's Hitchcock homage - equal parts melodrama and mystery - in which a private eye helps an amnesiac woman (Emma Thompson) figure out what happened to her. They meet a psychic who reveals they may have been lovers in a previous life until murder separated them. Hey, remember when studios made films for adults that starred adults? They did this on the regular in the 90's and the decades before. It's a nice throwback in that regard, though it never goes further than entertaining tribute. Also with Robin Williams, Andy Garcia, and a terrific Derek Jacobi. GRADE: B
(Elliot Goldner, 2015)
Found footage concerning two investigators hired by the Vatican to look into bizarre happenings at an old English church. Very predictable, though occasionally saved by some amusingly sarcastic humor from the one investigator. In a few months, I'll probably struggle to remember anything about this movie other than its annoying reliance on genre contrivances like pixelating and sound dropping out. This might be called "The Borderlands" depending on where you find it. With Gordon Kennedy and Robin Hill. GRADE: C
(Everardo Gout, 2021)
After the latest Purge night, a group of insurrectionists decides the night shouldn't end and continues the killing across the country. Mexico and Canada open their borders to refugees and, well, no one ever said satire had to be subtle. The franchise peaked with the solid second and third installments, both blended the subtext and genre atmosphere better than the latest two clunky chapters. Given real world events, this franchise needs to go bigger since we're already in a Twilight Zone episode. With Josh Lucas, Ana de la Reguera, and Will Patton. GRADE: C
(Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, 2019)
A group of friends goes to an extreme haunted attraction where things turn deadly. I heard good things about this, so I hoped this was the rare straight-to-streaming release that actually lived up to the hype. It mostly does. It has a mean and nasty feel like most modern slashers, but it also delivers some good thrills. I wish the characters had been a bit more "fun", but at least they weren't obnoxious shits like in the similarly themed Hell Fest from a few years ago. Decent final girl, and the last scene is pretty amusing. With Katie Stevens and the very hot Will Brittain. GRADE: B
(Martin Barnewitz, 2009)
Don't ask me why I watched this direct-to-DVD sequel to the Kristen Stewart movie from 2007 (a movie I didn't even like!). Norman Reedus stars as a farmer whose crops are struggling. After finding a mysterious scarecrow, he puts it in the field and his luck begins to turn around just as locals start dying. Not enough creepy Scarecrow action, and Reedus is completely terrible in this. Claire Holt from 47 Meters Down also appears. GRADE: D
NATURE'S GRAVE
(Jamie Blanks, 2009)
Jim Caviezel and Claudia Karvan star as a bickering couple who find Mother Nature taking revenge on them in this remake of the Aussie horror film Long Weekend. I watched that last year, and mostly liked it. This follows the story pretty closely though it seems the characters had a bit more subtlety in the original. The couple in the remake are mostly unlikeable, but at least their comeuppance is a bit more brutal. Blanks is no stranger to the genre having directed two films from the slasher revival that began in the late 90's - Urban Legend and Valentine. GRADE: C+
(Stephen Sommers, 2014)
The late Anton Yelchin stars as a diner cook with supernatural abilities in this adaptation of a Dean Koontz novel. He teams up with a local sheriff (Willem Dafoe) to stop a conspiracy involving some dark forces. With a similar feel to The Frighteners, the comic thriller moves at a fast pace but never pulled me in. The visual effects are too generic, and the world building never quite gains steam. It is a good showcase for the talents of Yelchin, and a sad reminder of what a charismatic and sly actor we lost. Gugu Mbatha-Raw co-stars. GRADE: C
(John Krasinski, 2021)
Picking up immediately where the first film ended, the second part follows the surviving members of the Abbott Family as they leave their farm and venture out into the world. Letting Millicent Simmonds lead this chapter was a smart move, and the franchise's newcomer is Cillian Murphy - no stranger to apocalyptic fare since his debut in 28 Days Later. I think the abrupt endings of both films make them feel a little too slight, and that's even more true here. The set pieces and sound design remain exceptional. Noah Jupe and Emily Blunt co-star. GRADE: B
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