ANNABELLE MOVIE REVIEW

 

★★★☆☆

The horror scene is just going on and on, and most of it is becoming a franchise or a spin-off from a famous blockbuster hit.

After the success of the movie The Conjuring directed by James Wan, creator of the Insidious series: there came Annabelle. Of course, we all remember Annabelle from The Conjuring movie; the creepy doll who is possessed by some kind of none-of-this-world element that terrorized the film viewers especially me.

But we all know that in that movie, the doll was not the focus of the story, instead it became one of the elements that after the movie became a success, and they created a spin-off slash prequel movie in the same name.

Annabelle is a story set before the Conjuring happened, and a year before the introductory scene in the Conjuring movie happened. I’m talking about the two nurses who were given the Annabelle doll as a gift of course.

And although I was so excited about this spin-off, and after watching it: it didn’t sort of hit the mark for me.

The tone of the movie did not really move away from the Conjuring which is nice, because they’ve kept the entire creepiness with it that really is the mark of the James Wan style. The fright was still there and the movie build-up was a little bit too much for me, bringing me a little bit bored for just a bit or so, but then again, the creepy feeling will bite you back in a matter of instance, which is good.

Although the build-up towards the end of the movie was almost there, the climax in addition with the dénouement part was a bit off for me, and I think it’s such a waste after that very, very long lead-in towards the climactic scene.

After the film, my partner and I couldn’t help but compare the James Wan style of directing plus creating an entire film in comparison to John Leonetti that directed Annabelle.

The film direction. In any of the James Wan horror movies, it always has a long scene climax that really is dreading in a good way since it will fright you no matter what. And of course, James Wan captivates our emotions starting from the build-up up to the very end making us attached to the characters themselves.

With Annabelle and Leonetti’s style, there was this creepiness but not much as with Wan’s style. Might it be because they held back since it’s just a spin-off? Well, that’s a dumb reason to start with. Annabelle is the most highlighted character in The Conjuring movie and I wished they have pushed the boundaries more with the film, rather than sticking to the typical storyline of the flopped American horror movies out there.

Anyhow, even when there’s a lack in the movie, but trust me, it still gives you screams and fright as well.

In addition to all of the creepiness, I think this film gave the most iconic frightening scene of all horror movies I’ve ever seen, and I’m talking about the elevator scene which almost made me piss my pants. It’s really scary and exciting: all the emotions of the first part up to that moment was polarized on that very scene.

Bravo to that.

Anyway, Annabelle is STILL worth the watch. I’m a huge fan of this entirely new franchise, and I believe this is no way of stopping anytime sooner.

What do you think about the movie?

TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2013 IN TWO PERSPECTIVES | MOVIE REVIEW

It’s reasonable enough to create a one sided critique because it’s somebody’s opinion and it matters. But when two heads come together to pick their tops; you have the comparison and a conclusion that one differs from the other and that’s important in understanding criticism; that one may experience epic in a certain something, and the other might not; that one may have pleasure in watching the movie/TV Series, and one may find it absurd.

So, my partner and I decided to create a Top 10 Movies we’ve watched in 2013 since we are both movie-goers and below follows mine first and then my partner’s:

MY TOP 10:

I’ve come up with these top 10 by the process of elimination: by first listing down all of the movies I’ve watched and started to eliminate down to 10.

1. Man of Steel – When I was asked by my partner to write about my top 10 movies in 2013; Man of Steel came in naturally. A revamped story of Superman plus stunning visual effects made me proud to have seen a perfect revision.

2. Frozen – Perfect plot, fancy songs and a fairy tale story that did not focus on Boy meets girl, boy marries girl and they lived happy ever after. Frozen is a musical spectacle that culminates wonder and fun.

3. Iron Man 3 –Iron Man 3 who took it to the highest level. Tony Stark’s struggle in being Iron Man and a continuity of the Avengers and the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe is exciting. Although panned by fans due to the unprecedented twist in ‘Tony Stark’s most powerful villain of all’; Mandarin, but fanboys can be irritating sometimes; but truth is, Iron Man 3 sums it all up for Tony Stark.

4. World War Z – Zombies for me is just as lame as vampires (hi Twilight) but this heart pounding version is not like any other. Zombies do run fast and scientifically created, not mythical. The dénouement gives me satisfaction too.

5. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Probably the most exciting movie of the year. All of the other movies were full of amusement, but this one, I’ve heard and felt all of the emotions from people in the cinema. Catching Fire surpassed its predecessor and I love how it was true to the book.

6. Gravity – What I loved about Gravity was the cinematography play and the depth of Sandra Bullock’s acting. Although the plot was straight from point one to point two (survival plot), the way it was created was as of its perfection.

7. Now You See Me – The underrated movie of the year is one of my most favourites. Although this movie is on the top of the most found plot-holes this year; the story-telling in the movie is satisfying and shocking. Visually entertaining and fascinating.

8. The Croods – The most heart-warming movie of the year goes to The Croods. With indefatigable comic sequences to exciting plot, you could never go wrong with The Croods.

9. Insidious 2 – The unexpected sequel and the plot is terrifyingly enthralling. I loved how they made continuity to the first one that made sense and how daunting it was up until I got home from the cinema.

10. OZ: Great and Powerful – Visually entertaining and exciting. The movie is long yet satisfaction guaranteed by the end of it.

MY PARTNER’S TOP 10:

1. Iron Man 3 – Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man I think is reason enough why this movie is on my list.

2. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – The book is my favourite in the trilogy and the movie was faithful to the book. What’s not to love?

3. Gravity – Alfonso Cuarón’s style partnered with good cinematography makes an excellent outer space movie like we have never seen before. Putting Sandra Bullock as lead and George Clooney for support makes a movie only a fool would miss.

4. The Croods – I love a family movie where I can watch with my mom and niece and just laugh our hearts off. I could barely stay on my seat.

5. We’re the Millers – This is not the typical family movie and definitely not the type you watch with your parents. But what I like about this film is this is the movie that made me realize that Jennifer Aniston is indeed funny, really funny!

6. The Great Gatsby – The movie criticizes the often irresponsible lifestyles of wealthy people and Leonardo DiCaprio as the lovestruck Jay Gatsby just feels so right.

7. Frozen – Several film critics considers this to be the best Disney animated musical since the studio’s renaissance era. The story, the songs, and the humour adds up you will have to agree the critics are right.

8. Now You See Me – I enjoy a movie about magic because there are endless possibilities how the movie can end. I almost always see how a movie can end but this time I was in for a surprise.

9. The Purge – Let’s just put it this way; I like a movie where almost everyone gets killed. I know there’s something not right with me.

10. Trance – This is a Danny Boyle film and I love manipulative women who play with danger.

CONCLUSION:

Basically, my partner and I have six out of ten common movies in different sequences, and these are Iron Man 3, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Gravity, The Croods, Frozen and Now You See Me. Obviously, Iron Man 3 scored the highest in this top 10 of ours (since I also rated 5 stars for the movie), because it was sincerely good; actually great! We thought that creating Iron Man 4 would be a suicide since the third film is the peak of all the Marvel movies before it.

Catching Fire made it on my partner’s top list, also I rated it 5 stars; so it’s obviously one of the best movies in 2013.

What made it shocking to most is having Now You See Me in our list. I have to be honest, but it was really, really good. Although some might take it as a cheap thrill, having too many plot-holes and a shocking twist in the end; but the theme was all about illusion and the science of it. So, I gave it the benefit of the doubt and clearly didn’t find answers to all the questionable plot-holes I realized while still watching the movie. It’s really captivating and terrifyingly good. I can’t help but to put it on my top.

Carrie | Movie Review

(This is going to be a review that will not compare from the original movie)

MAJOR SPOILERS

“Bloody, interesting yet lacking.”

Carrie is an American supernatural horror film about a girl who discovers she has telekinesis; a power of the mind to control things, and her struggle through high school where she experienced a modern kind of bullying especially about her first bloody period. Carrie does not only struggle at school but also directly at home with her mother who’s got some ‘mental illness’ due to being too much enticed religiously, pathetically thinking that wearing a sleeveless is a mortal sin. The film was released on October 18, 2013, after postponing the March 15, 2013 release.

Carrie stars Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass) as the notoriously famous Carrie White and the Oscar Nominee and Emmy Award best actress Julianne Moore (Game Change) as Margaret White, Carrie’s mother.

Carrie is classic redux of the 1976 film and an adaptation of Stephen King’s classic in the same name.

Yet, the popularity of the first adaptation (1976) in other countries did not reach to where I live, therefore, I haven’t seen, heard of read anything about Carrie. It’s a relatively good perspective so that no comparison will be made out from this review, which I appreciate in doing, and I appreciate in reading. Not to disrespect Stephen King or the creators of the first adaptation; but it would be fair for me to review a film as it is.

I noticed how deep the storyline of the story was. From Margaret White’s ignorance of pregnancy, which she thought was cancer; to Carrie’s dreadful first period which she thought was some kind of disease. It also imparts the new age of bullying in the United States that includes technological ways (Cyber Bullying), which demonstrates the range of the modern matter that causes new wave adversary in youngsters.

The build-up of the story was somehow a bore, but thankful for the length of the movie that was only an hour and a half which defer viewers from total boredom.

Then the intensity came where (as everyone expected) the prom began, and Carrie, herself, started to rebel from her mother’s irrational, impractical and nonsensical guard. The part where the pig’s blood splattered on Carrie’s head that had been repeated three times in the movie was interesting and useful that gives the awe moment. Then from there, the climax of the redux extricates from the deepening build-up.

The climax did appease me, somehow, and how Chloe Moretz portrayed a possessed-like girl that murdered numerous of people in one setting and that she lost to her senses due to the circumstances. The plenty of action engrossed me in my seat, making me bend forward to wait for that climatic ‘umpf’ moment. There were loads of bloody sparklers and I enjoyed every bit of vengeance Carrie made from her intimidators.

How grueling the mass murder happened in the movie, gives excitement. Up to the portion where she gets the revenge to the biggest bully of all in the film. But, oh, it was just a normal way to die and it was one of the part where I find lack; I wished there was more of a triumphant feel having the ultimate vengeance from you enemy. (I waited for a part where Carrie tells her enemy, “BITCH!” before she died.)

But no, it was just a simple death. I preferred a death in front of number of people or something else. And they have the choice to redirect the movie away from the past recreation/adaptation of the book. (Yet still Carrie fan boys and girls will be frustrated with my idea for sure).

And another lack I felt was the lack of depth from Carrie’s bullying story. Carrie being thrown tampons and napkins was too much, but that was just the start of it all. The online video leak (Cyber Bullying) did not even take part of a strong portrayal of modern bullying which causes even suicides to some (sorry). But it was just a useless instrument that did not give a strong voice which should be the most important fact of all, since, let’s face it, Cyber Bullying nowadays is the trend on how to crush someone’s dignity and entire persona. That should’ve been emphasized.

The acting was not believable either which roots the blame to the directing. Except for Julianne Moor who gave a chilling performance, applauded her in the movie.

The movie ended with me still hanging on my seat still waiting for that climatic ‘umpf’ moment. But it did not come.

The entire movie was interesting, (from a perspective of non-comparison review) yet not satisfying and gives you a feel of ‘okay, that was it’. I am much disappointed with how the movie went since it stars one of my new favourite actresses, Chloe Moretz. And also the fact of the in-time issue which is Bullying and how awful it is and lastly, I fancy revenge stories. All of those enticed me to watch the movie. But it failed me somehow.

I wonder how fans of the original movie react to the remake.

CRITIQUE:

Story     –              6

Cinematography              –              7

Musical Score    –              8

Acting   –              7

Direction              –              7

Visual Effects (YES)          –              8

OVERALL              –              7.2