Short Summer Horror Reviews

Some summer reviews a couple in theaters and 2 straight to video

Conjuring 2

The sequel to the 2013 film does not disappoint. Picking up after they get the call to go to upstate New York to investigate the Amityville House in the previous movie The Warrens get spooked by a Nun Demon and a man denouncing them on a talk show all the while a new Haunting is happening London. The Conjuring 2 stays true to form and James Wan really gives us a scary ghost story the way we like it with all the trappings you expect but he seems to do an amazing job where others fail to give us a truly great ghost story.  The Nun demon in the movie will have a spin off based on it coming next year. Let’s hope it can hold up better than Annabelle who also has a sequel coming although I’m not sure how since the doll is locked up in the Warren house. James Wan directs Vira Farminga and Patrick Wilson return as Ed and Loraine Warrens.

Static

A couple dealing with the death of their son get a strange visitor in the middle f the night claiming she is being chased by killers, but not is all what it seems as they find clues to who the killers really are. This takes the home invasion movie and throws the whole idea out the door in the lake dries it out and gives us a unique story I was not expecting. I can’t talk much more about that plot other than Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes, Kiss of the Damned) is great in this film Sarah Shahi  (Person of Interest) plays his wife.  Sara Paxton (Last House on the Left, Shark Night 3-D) who plays the girl in trouble really makes us belie she is in trouble. The “killers” have a unique look to them and really give the film a spooky edge. The movie was called threesome in other countries and on the commentary the crew discuss why. It’s also in 3-D not sure why but it is a 3-D film.

The Purge: Election Year

If you skipped the Purge films after hearing how bad the first one is then go back watch them out of order. Maybe or just watch part 2 cuz these films are good. James DeMonac directed all three and really gets better with each one. A rare thing in a Horror movie trilogy as each movie gets better than the last one. In Purge Election year a Senator played by Elizabeth Mitchel (Lost, V) is trying to become president and get rid of the Purge after he family was killed. Frank Grillo (Captain America: Civil War) returns from the second movie now as her head of Security. It’s a great action packed movie that really drives home what the Purge is about. Some teen shoplifters I like to call the Bling Bling Bitches who try and hassle a convenience store owner (Mykelti Williamson Bubba from Forest Gump).  and the number one characters you can’t wait to see get killed off. This movie has a great way of fixing mistakes it makes very quickly. Don’t want to give it away but you have to see it to really get the full scope about how great this movie was. This movie has so many other great characters in it too many to name for this small review.  I like to think Bubba, Cross Bones and Mrs. Claus team up to take down the Purge.

Evidence

Going into this movie I had no idea it was a police watching a found footage movie and that really annoyed me as I hate found footage movies. But as the story progresses and you pay attention you cut back and forth between the footage on the cameras and cell phones and the drama with the police Stephen Moyer, (True Blood) Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill 1 and 2) When you get to the end of the movie with all the characters I felt a little lost like there was some deleted scenes I didn’t see. I don’t think the narrative flows as ell as you might think but I was surprised to see who the killer was. The ending felt a  little rushed. They spent so much time cutting back and forth between the footage and the police.  The director Olatunde Osunsanmi has a directed other films with twisty plots like The Fourth Kind, Smoking Aces and some bizarre episodes on tv shows like Bates Motel and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. It’s worth checking out if you want a twisty plot line film missing a few pieces.