movie review

Movie reviews for horror fans; from gruesome bone-chillers to dark horror thrillers, a showcase for frightful films that seek to entertain and to terrify.

The Nightmare Before Christmas Review
This review comes from my Letterboxd profile, where I review all the movies I watch. I saw this movie for the first time a couple of years ago on Halloween. At that time, I probably would have given it a solid 3.5 stars. The animation was fantastic and the design of the Oogie Boogie scenes was enough for me to say that it was worth watching, but I felt that the character arcs were incredibly underdeveloped. I felt that the chemistry between Jack and Sally was forced, I felt there wasn't enough backstory given, and I was ultimately disappointed by the way this movie told its story. Now, however, I see all of the small nuances of how they built each of those arcs up. I see how the filmmakers weaved in Sally's desperation to escape, which is so strong that she is willing to poison her captor/creator multiple times in order to do so. I see the way that Jack's enthusiasm for Christmas makes sense given how many times he's had to do the same exact thing for God knows how long, and I see all of the other little story elements that ultimately build to the final crescendo being set up so much better. They're subtle, but they are absolutely there, and I actually kind of love that about this movie now.
By Jamie Lammers5 years ago in Horror
A Quiet Place Part II Review
This review comes from my Letterboxd profile, where I review every movie I see. If the first Quiet Place is a tense, suspenseful thriller, the second one is a visceral, action-packed thrill ride in the best way possible. It's strange having seen the first film only a couple of days before seeing this one, as I felt like that first film straddled the line between intriguing concept and setting up characters for the sequel. That being said, if a setup movie can be as good as the first Quiet Place was and result in a movie as utterly fantastic as this, I won't complain about it in the absolute slightest. A Quiet Place Part II is the perfect example of a brilliant continuation of a film, picking up the story right where it left off while also expanding on everything that wasn't quite clear in the first film.
By Jamie Lammers5 years ago in Horror
V.C. Andrews' If There Be Thorns - Film Review
The third instalment of Virginia Andrews' gothic horror series is adapted for the screen for the first time. I really enjoyed this book, so I was excited to see the adaptation but also worried that it would be too different from the book as new writers and actors would be working on this film - Andy Cochran had replaced Kayla Alpert (who wrote the screenplays for Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind) and Cathy and Christopher's characters had been recast with older actors, but I went into this film with an open mind.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Horror
What makes a great movie? Some essential elements you must know
Every movie is supposed to be created to send a message to as many audiences as possible. To create a great movie that can be considered as a blockbuster, there are many things that need to be focused on. Perhaps every expert in the film industry will agree on two main things: it can provoke thought and it has the ability to incite emotion. However, those factors are not enough. So what makes a great movie to attract a lot of people? Let gogoanime.mom share it with you.
By Laurel5 years ago in Horror
A Quiet Place Review
This review comes from my Letterboxd profile, where I write movie reviews like this for every movie I see. A Quiet Place is a concept film, through and through. If the concept is executed inadequately, the film is going to fail. The idea behind this film is genius -- a family needing to stay quiet in order to prevent themselves from being attacked by merciless creatures in the woods. The kicker is whether or not the screenplay delivers on the potential of that premise. In my opinion, it absolutely does. This film is an hour and a half thrill ride from start to finish, recognizing that while there isn't necessarily a lot of character depth to be built from this story, there is just enough to make you care about the characters while being entertained. The best part of this film is the sound editing, simply because it draws your attention to whatever sound is present in the moment. A good 85% or so of this film is completely silent, making whatever sound is heard narratively important. Whether it's the background noise of the environment this family lives in or Marco Beltrami's intense score or actual noises made by the family, intentionally or not intentionally, every single sound in this film has a narrative purpose, and that requires meticulous attention to detail.
By Jamie Lammers5 years ago in Horror
The Witch Review
This review comes from my Letterboxd profile, where I write reviews like this for every movie I see. So, funny story before I get into this review, in order to watch The Lobster, I had to sign up for a 7-day free trial of Showtime through Amazon Prime. You better believe I'm utilizing those 7 free days to the best of my ability, so you're gonna be seeing a spike in reviews from me over the next couple of days as I skim through Showtime's catalog to see what I've been wanting to watch for a long time and now can because of this free trial. Man, to think all of this started because of my confusion over a Dua Lipa music video (check my previous review if you want to read what I'm talking about). Okay, enough funny business, on with the serious review.
By Jamie Lammers5 years ago in Horror
6 Mystery Movies That You Wouldn't Miss
“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (Philip Kaufman, 1978) Philip Kaufman’s 1978 spin on “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” abandons the B-movie armature of Don Siegel’s 1956 original (as glorious as that film may too be) to wade in the waters of oozing 1970s paranoia. With a script from W.D. Richter, this one fits snugly alongside the films of Alan J. Pakula like “The Parallax View” and “Klute” as a ‘70s slice of Cold War chilliness. It’s rounded out by a terrific cast including Donald Sutherland as a cooly collected scientist, Jeff Goldblum as his dweeby pal, plus Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, and Veronica Cartwright. The gelatinous set pieces and alien pod bodies that seem to bloom are an icky delight, but the film also evocatively captures the Bay Area, as a rare reminder of how great a 1970s movie set in San Francisco could look. —RL
By kingkart5 years ago in Horror
The Devil Made Me Do It!
Hey, everybody! Who loves a good, spooky true story to go with a horror film? I, for one do. So tonight I bring you the true story of the possession of David Glatzel & the trial of Arne Johnson. The case was known as "The Demon Murder Case". There was an episode from the paranormal show "A Haunting", and the episode entitled "Where Demons Dwell" (Filmed in 2006) featured both Debbie Glatzel & Arne Johnson. We are also are going to be talking about the new film The Conjuring 3- The Devil Made Me Do It, adding a little movie review into the mix!
By Tori Montani5 years ago in Horror
The Craft: Legacy (2020) - Film Review
As someone who loved the original 90s film and had so much potential to explore in a sequel or revival, but Zoe Lister-Jones take on the legacy of the Craft in no way met my expectations. In this revamped sequel, picking up seventeen years after Andrew Fleming's first film - Frankie, Tabby and Lourdes are on the lookout for a fourth member to complete their coven of witches. When they befriend Lily and accept her into their coven, they realise the dangers of their powers.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Horror
Frozen (2010) - A Movie Review
Trust me, very bad things will happen if you get stuck on a chairlift. Frozen is a 2010 film. Three friends bribe the lift operator for one last run when it is closing time. Unfortunately, the trio gets trapped on the chairlift fifty feet above the ground in treacherous freezing weather. Survival is thin as they try to work out a plan.
By Marielle Sabbag5 years ago in Horror
‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’ Review—Formulaic Scares
As amazing as horror movies are, there comes a time when we get tired of the endless flickering lights, objects moving by themselves, and bumps in the night. This film offers a prime example of that fatigue.
By Jonathan Sim5 years ago in Horror
A Quiet Place Part 2 - Movie Review
A Post Apocalyptic Drama with plenty of Horror! A Quiet Place Part 2 starts off strong, as we see the beginnings of this horrifying apocalypse. I originally thought this film was going to be a prequel as the first 20 minutes show our characters trying to survive the start of the alien invasion, in a small American town. This gave off a War of The World's vibe, and to be honest I really would've loved it, if the whole film was like this, but unfortunately this segment is a flashback, as it skips to the present timeline shortly after; continuing where the first film ended. However, there were a few scenes here that I thought were pretty bad. For example: the father character (John Krasinski) kept bumping into random people in the street trying to escape, but the acting was so awkward it looked like he was purposely bumping into people, grabbing their hands when he could have easily avoided them, it was a bad take and they left it in. Then later in this segment: a monster breaks into a room full of people cowering (easy prey) yet, it decides to run after the father and his daughter, Regan (Millicent Simmonds) leaving all of the cowering people behind, as the two of them run into the street. It just seemed dumb that a monster like this would leave loads of prey behind to bother chasing two people, when it has an all you can eat buffet right there. However, I feel like I am nitpicking here, as the rest of this opening was pretty cool.
By Joseph Roy Wright5 years ago in Horror