Celluloid Heroes

Penny Deerborn (Rachel Miner) doesn't like cars. I mean she really doesn't like cars. Through a series of flashbacks in the movies, we find that she was in a horrible wreck when she was younger that killed both of her parents (at least, they appear to be her parents). So her psychiatrist, Orianna Volkes (Mimi Rogers) is helping her through the process of conquering her fears.

Orianna has written at least one book on the subject (we see it several times as events of the night unfold), and she is helping young Penny to come full circle. To conquer her fears by confronting them. So they are taking a ride into the mountains. It appears that the mountains might be the place where the wreck happened, but that may or may not be important. What is important is that Penny simply doesn't like being in cars. She gets sick just riding along with the door shut.

Read All of "Penny Dreadful (2006) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on May 26, 2007 in Horror

Jonathan Parker (Peter Berg) is your typical high school athlete, who is out trying to impress his girlfriend, Alison (Camille Cooper). But for some reason he can't seem to keep things straight whenever she's around, and one day he slams into the goal post, and it looks like he gives himself a concussion. That's not the worst part, though, because that night he has a nightmare where he sees his brother, sister and mother killed by a serial killer who is stalking the city.

When he tries to convince his father (the police chief) about what he saw, his dad doesn't want to hear about it. But when his family turns up dead, and he somehow knows the details, suddenly they are very interested - but not in a casual sense. They want to know just how he came to know what he does. That's when things get a little more interesting. Unfortunately, Jonathan isn't interested in just telling them. He wants to help catch this guy.

Read All of "Shocker (1989) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on January 28, 2007 in Horror

The follow-up to the 2005 Saw II (itself a sequel to 2004's Saw) returns to a format that is a bit more like the original than the initial sequel.

In the first go-round, we were left a bit baffled, trying to figure out just what was going on. In the end, we were still left wondering, but in a good way. In the first sequel, it was mostly a horror-fest. This time, Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and his apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith) return to their testing ways, which is a whole lot more fun to watch.

Read All of "Saw III (2006) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on January 6, 2007 in Horror

There aren't too many movies that I like that start at the end. This one isn't likely to make me a convert. It starts with a man (Bill Pullman) jumping to his death from a hotel balcony. At least, I think it was a hotel. It may have been an apartment. I really couldn't tell.

And that was the second part of the problem. I was completely and utterly lost all the way through this movie. I followed the plot well enough, but I spent much of the time trying to figure out what was happening around the plot. That's no fun.

What I can tell you is that Karen (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is some sort of exchange student. At least, she is an American. Suddenly, due to the death of a nurse or housekeeper or something, an opening becomes available for her, and so she jumps at the chance. But the house where she will be working is possessed by the spirit or someone who was killed. Apparently an ancient proverb says that someone killed with great emotion will remain there, and that's what happened.

Read All of "The Grudge (2004) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on December 19, 2006 in Horror

One of the more unlikely war heroes you are ever likely to meet is Captain John Boyd (Guy Pearce). This is because Captain Boyd is only a war hero because he is a coward. When he went to battle, he was so scared he played dead, and was carried into a pile of bodies. Later, he managed to pull himself out from the pile of bodies and found himself behind enemy lines, which allowed him to capture the enemy fort. Instant war hero.

Alas, the General knows that something is amiss, and he doesn't like it, so he sends the intrepid Captain Boyd to Fort Spencer in California, and because it is the middle of the winter, this fort nestled high in the Sierras isn't likely to see much action at all. It's the perfect place to get rid of him. But that's not likely to happen to someone like Captain Boyd.

Read All of "Ravenous (1999) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on December 1, 2006 in Horror

This movie is widely credited as being the film that brought some fun back to the horror, Scream is easily one of the more enjoyable romps you can enjoy if you're looking for something in the genre.

Starting with the mysterious death of Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) as she is home alone one night and receives a strange phone call, right up through the end, horror master Wes Craven will keep you guessing throughout.

Read All of "Scream (1996) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on October 23, 2006 in Horror

This seemingly low-budget film with a mostly no-name cast surprises with quite a decent ending. The only problem is that the beginning is rather jumbled and makes it difficult to get into it at first. If you can get past that, then this movie is most definitely worth watching, as it is full of twists and turns and there are very few like it these days.

The real surprise is that director (Jeff Wadlow) turned out a movie that is really quite good without utilizing the standard horror formula of lots of gore, tons of language or even nudity. There are certainly moments that you won't want your younger kids to watch, but it's enjoyable because of the suspense, not because of the content. I was really surprised.

Read All of "Cry_Wolf (2005) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on September 26, 2006 in Horror

Years before The Exorcist takes place, Father Merrin (played here by Stellan Skarsgård travels to East Africa in search of an idol, rumored to be in a church.

The really interesting thing is that the church isn't supposed to exist. We find out later that the church was built and then excised from the official Vatican records because of the atrocities that happened there, and that's pretty much everything exciting that happens.

Read All of "Exorcist - The Beginning (2004) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on September 21, 2006 in Horror

A bunch of college kids are on a road trip and they decide to camp when a large truck pulls up and saturates their campground with its headlights. They don't like that. The tough guy (Chad Michael Murray, who was better in Freaky Friday) throws a beer bottle and breaks a headlight. The truck leaves. Everyone goes to sleep until the next morning. Well, afternoon. They are college kids.

Then they realize that the fan belt on one of the cars is broken, so they need to go into town to get a replacement. That's when things start to get a little more interesting.

Read All of "House of Wax (2005) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on August 19, 2006 in Horror

Everyone loves a good zombie movie. Unfortunately this isn't one of them. It was okay, but I've seen many better.

In the future, it seems, the zombies are so prevalent that those who aren't zombies are taking up residence in cities protected by natural defenses (rivers) and armed guards. They send the less fortunate (those who aren't rich) out to raid cities for alcohol, cigars and leftover canned goods - but they don't let them live inside their walled gardens, except to fight in arenas for entertainment.

Read All of "Land of the Dead (2005) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on August 8, 2006 in Horror

This followup to the 1992 movie isn't that bad. Tony Todd returns as the excellent Candyman, and we learn more about his history.

Sure, we already knew that if you look in a mirror and call his name five times, you'll soon be visited by him, and he'll be only too happy to split you from groin to gullet - not a pleasant experience.

Read All of "Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on August 7, 2006 in Horror

Lou Gossett Jr. may not be a high-brow actor, but he usually at least picks movies that are entertaining. The 80s-style earring and strange eye coloring in this one, along with the bad script make this one aspire to be entertaining.

The only other marginally recognizable name, Amy Locane, is perhaps left wishing that Melrose Place hadn't been canceled.

Whatever the case, it is Locane's father, an archaeologist obsessed with the tomb of an Egyptian queen, who has suddenly taken ill with some strange markings on his wrist. We are to find out later that these are actually fingernail scratches - seven of them, from the dead queen herself, who had seven fingers on one hand.

Read All of "Bram Stoker's Legend of the Mummy (1997) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on May 20, 2006 in Horror

Penny Deerborn (Rachel Miner) doesn't like cars. I mean she really doesn't like cars. Through a series of flashbacks in the movies, we find that she was in a horrible wreck when she was younger that killed both of her parents (at least, they appear to be her parents). So her psychiatrist, Orianna Volkes (Mimi Rogers) is helping her through the process of conquering her fears.

Orianna has written at least one book on the subject (we see it several times as events of the night unfold), and she is helping young Penny to come full circle. To conquer her fears by confronting them. So they are taking a ride into the mountains. It appears that the mountains might be the place where the wreck happened, but that may or may not be important. What is important is that Penny simply doesn't like being in cars. She gets sick just riding along with the door shut.

Read All of "Penny Dreadful (2006) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on May 26, 2007 in Horror

Jonathan Parker (Peter Berg) is your typical high school athlete, who is out trying to impress his girlfriend, Alison (Camille Cooper). But for some reason he can't seem to keep things straight whenever she's around, and one day he slams into the goal post, and it looks like he gives himself a concussion. That's not the worst part, though, because that night he has a nightmare where he sees his brother, sister and mother killed by a serial killer who is stalking the city.

When he tries to convince his father (the police chief) about what he saw, his dad doesn't want to hear about it. But when his family turns up dead, and he somehow knows the details, suddenly they are very interested - but not in a casual sense. They want to know just how he came to know what he does. That's when things get a little more interesting. Unfortunately, Jonathan isn't interested in just telling them. He wants to help catch this guy.

Read All of "Shocker (1989) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on January 28, 2007 in Horror

The follow-up to the 2005 Saw II (itself a sequel to 2004's Saw) returns to a format that is a bit more like the original than the initial sequel.

In the first go-round, we were left a bit baffled, trying to figure out just what was going on. In the end, we were still left wondering, but in a good way. In the first sequel, it was mostly a horror-fest. This time, Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and his apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith) return to their testing ways, which is a whole lot more fun to watch.

Read All of "Saw III (2006) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on January 6, 2007 in Horror

There aren't too many movies that I like that start at the end. This one isn't likely to make me a convert. It starts with a man (Bill Pullman) jumping to his death from a hotel balcony. At least, I think it was a hotel. It may have been an apartment. I really couldn't tell.

And that was the second part of the problem. I was completely and utterly lost all the way through this movie. I followed the plot well enough, but I spent much of the time trying to figure out what was happening around the plot. That's no fun.

What I can tell you is that Karen (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is some sort of exchange student. At least, she is an American. Suddenly, due to the death of a nurse or housekeeper or something, an opening becomes available for her, and so she jumps at the chance. But the house where she will be working is possessed by the spirit or someone who was killed. Apparently an ancient proverb says that someone killed with great emotion will remain there, and that's what happened.

Read All of "The Grudge (2004) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on December 19, 2006 in Horror

One of the more unlikely war heroes you are ever likely to meet is Captain John Boyd (Guy Pearce). This is because Captain Boyd is only a war hero because he is a coward. When he went to battle, he was so scared he played dead, and was carried into a pile of bodies. Later, he managed to pull himself out from the pile of bodies and found himself behind enemy lines, which allowed him to capture the enemy fort. Instant war hero.

Alas, the General knows that something is amiss, and he doesn't like it, so he sends the intrepid Captain Boyd to Fort Spencer in California, and because it is the middle of the winter, this fort nestled high in the Sierras isn't likely to see much action at all. It's the perfect place to get rid of him. But that's not likely to happen to someone like Captain Boyd.

Read All of "Ravenous (1999) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on December 1, 2006 in Horror

This movie is widely credited as being the film that brought some fun back to the horror, Scream is easily one of the more enjoyable romps you can enjoy if you're looking for something in the genre.

Starting with the mysterious death of Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) as she is home alone one night and receives a strange phone call, right up through the end, horror master Wes Craven will keep you guessing throughout.

Read All of "Scream (1996) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on October 23, 2006 in Horror

This seemingly low-budget film with a mostly no-name cast surprises with quite a decent ending. The only problem is that the beginning is rather jumbled and makes it difficult to get into it at first. If you can get past that, then this movie is most definitely worth watching, as it is full of twists and turns and there are very few like it these days.

The real surprise is that director (Jeff Wadlow) turned out a movie that is really quite good without utilizing the standard horror formula of lots of gore, tons of language or even nudity. There are certainly moments that you won't want your younger kids to watch, but it's enjoyable because of the suspense, not because of the content. I was really surprised.

Read All of "Cry_Wolf (2005) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on September 26, 2006 in Horror

Years before The Exorcist takes place, Father Merrin (played here by Stellan Skarsgård travels to East Africa in search of an idol, rumored to be in a church.

The really interesting thing is that the church isn't supposed to exist. We find out later that the church was built and then excised from the official Vatican records because of the atrocities that happened there, and that's pretty much everything exciting that happens.

Read All of "Exorcist - The Beginning (2004) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on September 21, 2006 in Horror

A bunch of college kids are on a road trip and they decide to camp when a large truck pulls up and saturates their campground with its headlights. They don't like that. The tough guy (Chad Michael Murray, who was better in Freaky Friday) throws a beer bottle and breaks a headlight. The truck leaves. Everyone goes to sleep until the next morning. Well, afternoon. They are college kids.

Then they realize that the fan belt on one of the cars is broken, so they need to go into town to get a replacement. That's when things start to get a little more interesting.

Read All of "House of Wax (2005) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on August 19, 2006 in Horror

Everyone loves a good zombie movie. Unfortunately this isn't one of them. It was okay, but I've seen many better.

In the future, it seems, the zombies are so prevalent that those who aren't zombies are taking up residence in cities protected by natural defenses (rivers) and armed guards. They send the less fortunate (those who aren't rich) out to raid cities for alcohol, cigars and leftover canned goods - but they don't let them live inside their walled gardens, except to fight in arenas for entertainment.

Read All of "Land of the Dead (2005) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on August 8, 2006 in Horror

This followup to the 1992 movie isn't that bad. Tony Todd returns as the excellent Candyman, and we learn more about his history.

Sure, we already knew that if you look in a mirror and call his name five times, you'll soon be visited by him, and he'll be only too happy to split you from groin to gullet - not a pleasant experience.

Read All of "Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on August 7, 2006 in Horror

Lou Gossett Jr. may not be a high-brow actor, but he usually at least picks movies that are entertaining. The 80s-style earring and strange eye coloring in this one, along with the bad script make this one aspire to be entertaining.

The only other marginally recognizable name, Amy Locane, is perhaps left wishing that Melrose Place hadn't been canceled.

Whatever the case, it is Locane's father, an archaeologist obsessed with the tomb of an Egyptian queen, who has suddenly taken ill with some strange markings on his wrist. We are to find out later that these are actually fingernail scratches - seven of them, from the dead queen herself, who had seven fingers on one hand.

Read All of "Bram Stoker's Legend of the Mummy (1997) Review" »
Posted by Chad Everett on May 20, 2006 in Horror