Character Spotlight- Lori Campbell- Freddy VS Jason

 

**This post contains spoilers**

Jason Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger) is on a killing spree in Springwood. After years of intricate and coordinated planning to erase his name from the town, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) is back to pick up where he left off during his bloody killing sprees as the Springwood Slasher.

The teenagers of Springwood aren’t safe on the streets, or in their dreams. Who’s going to stop Freddy and Jason’s rampages? The police? The adults? Parents? Nope. Confirming Freddy Krueger’s existence opens a big can of worms, exposing a decades long coverup for a lot of dirty laundry. 

Naturally, the teens have to take matters into their own hands. Lori Campbell (Monica Keena) unknowingly lands on a spot on Freddy’s radar. Lori is already dealing with a lot. A complicated and sometimes uncomfortable relationship with her father, Dr. Campbell (Tom Butler), she misses her old boyfriend, Will Rollins (Jason Ritter), and Lori rejects Blake (David Koop) as a planned replacement for Will. 

Freddy’s plan? He wants to use Jason as his personal assassin to inject fear into Springwood. After Lori’s friend, Gibb (Katharine Isabelle) joins a lengthy list of murdered victims during a disastrous cornfield party, it’s clear Lori needs help to fight back. 

Will Rollins escapes from Westin Hills Psychiatric Hospital during a rainstorm with his friend, Mark Davis (Brendan Fletcher). Will joins Lori, Lori’s friend, Kia (Kelly Rowland), Charlie Linderman (Chris Marquette), Bill (Kyle Labine), and Deputy Scott Stubbs (Lochlyn Munro). 

Together, Lori and the others are determined to eliminate Freddy (with Jason’s help). But taking out Freddy is never as simple as going from point A to point B, and so on. It doesn’t matter how tightly structured the plan is, or if all the right pieces fall into place, when they’re supposed to. The razor gloved demon always finds a way to slip through the cracks.

Lori is a mess throughout the majority of the movie. Lots of screaming and crying. Lori is a hopeless romantic, she panics more than once, but it’s all understandable. She’s tired. She’s exhausted, simply falling asleep comes with fatal consequences, AND Jason is lurking in the shadows? That’s a lot of pressure to deal with for a kid, who’s still in high school.

But Monica Keena brings the essential fiery emotions to Lori during the big finale. When Lori finally learns the truth about Freddy murdering her mother, she, with Will by her side, steps up to put an end to Freddy’s maniacal bloodlust. The look of rage on Keena’s face before she swings Jason’s machete to chop off Freddy’s head is just perfect. It’s the look of a woman, who was fed up. She was tired of running and hiding, and Lori was truly determined to kill Freddy. 

Lori and Will making it to the end as the sole survivors was a predictable outcome. Everyone else? Well, you could say they were just there to add to Freddy and Jason’s high kill counts, but there’s no denying Lori Campbell earned her spot on the list of final girls, who fiercely made the decision to stand and fight against Freddy. You also have to appreciate the cool little details attached to Lori’s character. She lives in Nancy Thompson’s house, and Keena’s character is named after two legendary horror heroines! 

Yes, I know Freddy VS Jason ends with the famous unresolved cliffhanger, reminding the audience that Freddy is still out there somewhere, and it’s only a matter of time before he terrorizes Springwood again. Still, Lori delivered a crushing blow to Freddy’s plans. She played a big role in the seemingly never-ending fight against Freddy Krueger, so she deserved some peace, and a shot at living a normal life with Will.

Underworld (2003)

 

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story- Selene (Kate Beckinsale), a vampire and a Death Dealer, finds herself stuck in the middle of a troubling dilemma.  A loyal and dedicated soldier in the secret generational war between Lycans and vampires, Selene uncovers a plot orchestrated by Lucian (Michael Sheen), the determined leader of the Lycans. 

Michal Corvin (Scott Speedman), a seemingly ordinary human, is targeted by Lucian. Supported by a Lycan scientist named Singe (Erwin Leder), Raze (Kevin Grevioux), and other Lycans, Lucian relentlessly pursues Michael for his blood. Unbeknownst to Michael, he is a direct descendant of Alexander Corvinus, the forefather of vampires and Lycans.

Selene reaches out to her coven leader, Kraven (Shane Brolly) for help, but Kraven dismisses Selene’s suspicions. Desperate for answers and an ally, Selene secretly takes a bold risk, when she decides to perform a ritual, awakening Viktor (Bill Nighy), the true ruler of Selene’s coven and a vampire elder, who shares a strong bond with Selene.

My Thoughts- Selene is the fierce and fearless ass-kicker, who’s emotionally rough around the edges. But as the story progresses, Selene softens up, and you’ll see a more vulnerable character. She starts out as the rebellious and no-nonsense Death Dealer, who lives for hunting and killing Lycans, but you’ll see the turn towards Selene showing more humanity throughout the movie, during her scenes with Michael, and when Selene finds out Viktor is not the savior that she always believed he was. Terrific character development.

There’s no denying Kate Beckinsale owns Selene. Good facial expressions, she’s kindhearted, when it’s necessary, and she’s believable, as a rough and scrappy fighter, who won’t quit. When you think about Kate Beckinsale and her career, Underworld should be the top pick. Why? Because she’s always consistent with her performances as the vampire Death Dealer, and it’s another case, where I have hard time picturing anyone else playing Selene. 

Details! I’m always a big fan of details, and Underworld puts a lot of effort into creating their own brand of an action/horror film, featuring vampires and werewolves. Putting emphasis on  Lycans over werewolves is one step in the right direction. Glowing light blue eyes for the vampires, blood memories, UV ammunition is used against vampires, silver nitrate bullets for Lycans, and the Lycans don’t necessarily need a full moon to transform, because older and more experienced Lycans are capable of transforming at will!

To take things further, there’s a clear separation of classes between the vampires and Lycans. There’s more structure for the vampires to the point, where they’re represented as a tight secret organization. Covens, it’s established the elders, including Viktor, Amelia (Zita Gorog), and Markus, are all-powerful vampires, who are tasked with being leaders. 

The vampires are also elitists. You can see it with how the vampires dress and how they carry themselves, giving off an aura of pretentiousness. Selene, being a Death Dealer, clearly doesn’t fit in. She’s a rebel and a grunt, so of course she’s on the receiving end of snooty looks from the other high society types in the coven. 

The Lycans? A pack of “wild dogs” fighting to survive against the vampires. The Lycans are portrayed as being more barbaric (underground Lycan fight clubs!) and crass. On top of that, Lycans were forced to work for and protect the vampires during daylight hours as slaves. 

Michael Sheen’s Lucian is a perfect fit to lead the Lycans. Yeah, he’s motivated by revenge against Viktor, but at the same time, Lucian is fiercely persistent about fighting and defeating the vampires, because he knows what it’s like to live a life of servitude without any dignity.

The werewolf transformations? I wouldn’t say they’re bad, but it’s not enough for a big reaction. There’s ONE werewolf transformation (e.g. Michael’s transformation in the back of the police car) that’s pretty good, but the vast majority of the transformations are pretty basic. 

Viktor killed Selene’s family! A big reveal, when Kraven tells Selene the truth about Viktor. How does Selene respond? She kills Viktor to save Michael (now fully a hybrid). The setup for Viktor’s death was so good. Selene leaping in the air with the sword, Viktor, blades drawn, is ready to fight, but there’s a problem: Selene got a clean hit. The visual of a stunned Viktor standing there, while Selene shows the bloodstained sword, before half of Viktor’s head falls off? Easily the big chef’s kiss moment for the entire movie.

Lucian won in the end. Through flashbacks, it’s revealed Viktor was directly responsible for his own daughter’s death, because she was impregnated by Lucian. Lucian was forced to watch Sonja’s (Viktor’s daughter) agonizing execution. Viktor, believing he was protecting the bloodline from a forbidden “abomination,” justified Sonja’s punishment. Lucian planned to use Amelia and Michael’s blood to become a hybrid himself, but he was betrayed and killed by Kraven.

Still, Lucian got what he wanted. Viktor killed Sonja, the love of his life, to prevent the birth of a hybrid. But Michael turned into a hybrid from Selene’s life-saving bite. Selene, someone, who Viktor loved like his own daughter, fell in love with a werewolf. Add in the strange layer for Selene reminding Viktor of Sonja, and Viktor hoping he could have another chance to get it right for a father/daughter relationship, only for Selene to turn on him and kill him, because she eventually chose Michael over him. Man that’s gotta sting for Viktor. Lucian’s actions really set things in motion for one of the most brutal forms of revenge imaginable.

Selene and Michael’s love story? Beckinsale and Scott Speedman share believable chemistry together. Selene and Michael are two outcasts, with their backs against the wall. They need each other to survive. I get that, but the setup for the love at first sight stuff in the subway just feels a bit forced.

The original Underworld is still a strange film for me. I’ve always believed it should’ve been at a higher level? The material is right there, but Underworld is strangely missing an extra spark. 

Looking at it now, Underworld feels dated. We’re talking about an early 2000’s film, so you can see the influences from The Matrix for the aesthetics, including the wardrobes, and the overall vibe and feel of the movie. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but it’s definitely noticeable.

Underworld had the potential to be something bigger, but the overall end result is still more than satisfying. Solid and enjoyable performances from Kate Beckinsale, Michael Sheen, Scott Speedman, and Shane Brolly holds his own well enough as Kraven. But Bill Nighy takes the top spot for the best performance here. Nighy effortlessly brings an esteemed and strong demeanor, as the vampire elder, when Viktor enters the story, slowly shifting the momentum to the fifth gear.

Underworld also finds away to work every character with a significant amount of screen time into the story, ensuring each character has a meaningful role. Kevin Grevioux’s Raze fills the role of Lucian’s trusted muscle. Kraven is a whiny and entitled backstabbing weasel. Sophia Myles’ Erika sneaks around as a shameless opportunist, who gets burned in the end, and Erwin Leder plays Singe, the slimy Lycan scientist. Every character with a decent amount of spotlight directly affects the outcome of the story, especially Kahn, the weapon’s specialist, played by Robbie Gee.

Rewatching this one for the first time in years, and Kraven revealing his plans and his true intentions was still a bummer for me. Timing is the problem. They exposed Kraven’s backdoor shenanigans way too early, but there’s a big reveal that trumps Kraven’s double-cross, when Selene learns the truth about Viktor, and what happened to her family. 

IF you’re going to give away a big reveal during the early stages of the movie, another swerve needs to hit at the right moment to justify that choice, and it’s truly a big shocker for a number of reasons. A nice swerve, and Beckinsale did a good job selling Selene’s heartbroken reaction.

Underworld starts off with a bang during the shootout at the subway, a good tone-setter for a movie that’s loaded with hard-hitting and fast-paced action sequences. Underworld features a good amount of bloody violence, and the ambush at the train station is appropriately brutal. Also, mixing sleek and gloomy visuals and cinematography works as another layer that helps Underworld establish its own unique identity.

It’s a movie that checks off all the boxes for a stylish popcorn action/horror flick, capped off by a strong finale, and Underworld’s story is loaded with depth. Underworld’s intricate and rich lore for the history behind the vampires, the Lycans, and the war, is simply amazing. The cliffhangers? Effectively building intrigue and anticipation for the next sequel, Underworld ends with a few big questions: What’s going to happen to Kraven? And what’s next for Selene and Michael? 

Rating- 7/10

Identity (2003)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No character deaths, or major twists**

Malcolm Rivers (Pruitt Taylor Vince) is a death row inmate, and he’s twenty-four hours away from his execution. But Malcolm’s psychiatrist, Dr. Malick (Alfred Molina) tries to convince Judge Taylor (Holmes Osborne) to change his ruling, allowing Malcolm to live out the rest of his days in a psychiatric hospital under his care. Dr. Malick uses Malcolm’s journals during an emergency meeting at a courthouse in a last-ditch effort to save Malcolm’s life, but Dr. Malick’s demonstration during Malcolm’s  face to face meeting with Judge Taylor takes an unexpected turn, when Malcolm is forced to confront his worst fears.

Meanwhile, during a heavy rainstorm in Nevada, a limo driver/ex-police officer driver named Ed (John Cusack) is looking for a safe path on the slippery roads ahead. In the backseat, Ed’s client, Caroline Suzanne (Rebecca De Mornay), a disgruntled TV star from the 80’s, orders Ed to look for a replacement battery for her cellphone. Ed takes his eyes off the road for a split second, and he accidentally hits Alice York (Lelia Kenzle). Alice’s young son, Timmy York (Bret Loehr) is horrified at the sight of his wounded mother, but Ed agrees to help Alice, Timmy, and Timmy’s stepfather, George (John C. McGinely) with a ride to the nearest motel.

At the motel, Ed, Caroline, Alice, Timmy, and George meet the owner and manager, Larry (John Hawkes). Alice needs medical attention, but the roads are flooded, the phone lines are down, and cell phones are useless without reception. Eventually, more travelers seek shelter inside the motel. The newlyweds, Ginny (Clea DuVall) and Lou (William Lee Scott) are trying to work out problems in their rocky relationship; a cop named Rhodes (Ray Liotta) is escorting his prisoner, Robert (Jake Busey) to another prison; and Paris (Amanda Peet), a prostitute,  is forced into the motel after an unexpected breakdown.

Alice is bleeding to death, and the group is forced to deal with another problem during the rainstorm: an unknown killer is stalking everyone in the motel. The killer quietly eliminates everyone in the motel, and escape is not an option. Ed, Rhodes, and others struggle to solve the mystery behind the killer and his motivations before sunrise, but a series of shocking revelations complicate the investigation……….

If I had to pick one person for the best performance, I would give the nod to John Cusack. Cusack is a solid leading man as Ed. His performance isn’t mind-blowing, but Cusack does enough to justify an increased amount of focus and screen time. Amanda Peet is serviceable as Paris, and you’ll see Peet’s best scenes during her rivalry with Larry. Larry detests prostitutes, and you can feel the disdain between these two during a series of dueling verbal jabs. Ray Liotta? He’s not bad, but his performance as Rhodes is passable at best, and that’s it.

Rebecca De Mornay had the chance to steal the show, as the snobbish and pompous TV star with en ego, but her screen time is cut short here. William Lee Scott is the typical overbearing boyfriend, who openly flirts with Paris, and of course, he verbally abuses Ginny. Clea DuVall is a panicky and frightened mess, as Ginny. Jake Busey is decent enough as the creepy convicted killer with a dark side, and John C. McGinely is believable, as the nerdy and soft spoken stepfather, who’s trying to do the right thing.

I know I say this a lot, but you REALLY have to strap yourself into suspension of disbelief mode for Identity. Maybe I’m the only, who feels this way, but when it comes to reactions, you’ll hate the twists at the end, because you’re in the “too far-fetched” crowd. Or, you’re jaw will hit the floor, when Identity reveals the killer.

Hindsight (probably my second or third watch for Identity. First time in a LONG time, but still) kills a lot of the shock value for me, but Identity earned a spot on my list of favorites. It’s an eerie and suspenseful mystery/thriller, featuring a series of genuinely shocking twists during the jaw-dropping finale, and you‘ll see the gruesome aftermath of unfortunate victims (i.e. Robert‘s mangled corpse with a baseball bat stuck in his throat…yikes).

Identity does a wonderful job of playing mind games with the audience during the constant finger-pointing in a deadly whodunit game of cat and mouse. The desolate motel in a fierce rainstorm is a perfect setting for the main characters, because it’s an isolated deathtrap, and this setting enhances feelings of desperation and claustrophobia. In the end, Identity is a must-see film, easily. As I said before, when it comes to the twists at the end, it’s an even split for which side of the fence you’ll be on. You’ll hate or love the reasons behind the revelations for the killer, but one thing’s for sure, it’s impossible to resist the urge to decipher, question, and analyze Identity’s memorable and thought-provoking finale.

Rating: 8/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Identity (2003)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

Malcolm Rivers (Pruitt Taylor Vince) is a death row inmate, and he’s twenty-four hours away from his execution. But Malcolm’s psychiatrist, Dr. Malick (Alfred Molina) tries to convince Judge Taylor (Holmes Osborne) to change his ruling, allowing Malcolm to live out the rest of his days in a psychiatric hospital under his care. Dr. Malick uses Malcolm’s journals during an emergency meeting at a courthouse in a last-ditch effort to save Malcolm’s life, but Dr. Malick’s demonstration during Malcolm’s  face to face meeting with Judge Taylor takes an unexpected turn, when Malcolm is forced to confront his worst fears.

Meanwhile, during a heavy rainstorm in Nevada, a limo driver/ex-police officer driver named Ed (John Cusack) is looking for a safe path on the slippery roads ahead. In the backseat, Ed’s client, Caroline Suzanne (Rebecca De Mornay), a disgruntled TV star from the 80’s, orders Ed to look for a replacement battery for her cellphone. Ed takes his eyes off the road for a split second, and he accidentally hits Alice York (Lelia Kenzle). Alice’s young son, Timmy York (Bret Loehr) is horrified at the sight of his wounded mother, but Ed agrees to help Alice, Timmy, and Timmy’s stepfather, George (John C. McGinely) with a ride to the nearest motel.

At the motel, Ed, Caroline, Alice, Timmy, and George meet the owner and manager, Larry (John Hawkes). Alice needs medical attention, but the roads are flooded, the phone lines are down, and cell phones are useless without reception. Eventually, more travelers seek shelter inside the motel. The newlyweds, Ginny (Clea DuVall) and Lou (William Lee Scott) are trying to work out problems in their rocky relationship; a cop named Rhodes (Ray Liotta) is escorting his prisoner, Robert (Jake Busey) to another prison; and Paris (Amanda Peet), a prostitute,  is forced into the motel after an unexpected breakdown.

Alice is bleeding to death, and the group is forced to deal with another problem during the rainstorm: an unknown killer is stalking everyone in the motel. The killer quietly eliminates everyone in the motel, and escape is not an option. Ed, Rhodes, and others struggle to solve the mystery behind the killer and his motivations before sunrise, but a series of shocking revelations complicate the investigation……….

If I had to pick one person for the best performance, I would give the nod to John Cusack. Cusack is a solid leading man as Ed. His performance isn’t mind-blowing, but Cusack does enough to justify an increased amount of focus and screen time. Amanda Peet is serviceable as Paris, and you’ll see Peet’s best scenes during her rivalry with Larry. Larry detests prostitutes, and you can feel the disdain between these two during a series of dueling verbal jabs. Ray Liotta? He’s not bad, but his performance as Rhodes is passable at best, and that’s it.

Rebecca De Mornay had the chance to steal the show, as the snobbish and pompous TV star with en ego, but her screen time is cut short here. William Lee Scott is the typical overbearing boyfriend, who openly flirts with Paris, and of course, he verbally abuses Ginny. Clea DuVall is a panicky and frightened mess, as Ginny. Jake Busey is decent enough as the creepy convicted killer with a dark side, and John C. McGinely is believable, as the nerdy and soft spoken stepfather, who’s trying to do the right thing.

Who’s the killer? Is it Rhodes? Larry? Robert? Well, the answer to all three is a big no. On top of that, you can omit EVERYONE from the motel. Why? Because they’re not real. Remember Malcolm Rivers? Malcolm suffers from a severe case of dissociative identity disorder. Malcolm’s mind is cluttered with ten different personalities, and each person at the motel represents one of Malcolm’s personalities. One of the personalities took control of Malcolm’s body, and this personality forced Malcolm to commit the murders. The motel, the ten strangers, the rainstorm, the floods. It’s all fake, and Malcolm is playing out one of Dr. Malick’s elaborate scenarios in his mind, because Malcolm must “eliminate” the murderous personality to avoid his execution.

For a moment, Malcolm snaps out of the motel scenario as Ed, but Dr. Malick pushes Malcolm to return to the scenario in his mind (as Ed) to finish what he started, and eliminate the killer. Rhodes, Paris, and Ed are the sole survivors after Rhodes (an escaped convict, who posed as a cop for a decoy, and Robert was his prison buddy) murders Larry. Ed and Rhodes kill each other in a shoot out, so Paris is the sole survivor. A calm Malcolm finishes the scenario in Judge Taylor’s presence, so Judge Taylor agrees to Dr. Malick’s terms: Malcolm will live out the rest of his life in a mental hospital under Malick’s supervision and care.   

At dawn (we‘re jumping into the motel scenario again), Paris uses Larry’s truck to drive to her hometown of Frostproof, Florida to start over.  One day, Paris is out in the garden, and she finds a motel room key with the number one on the front. Long story short, the killer placed room keys from the motel on the dead bodies of his victims as a calling card.

Anyway, Paris picks up the key with this terrified look on her face……and Timmy is standing in front of her. Yep. Timmy was the murderous personality in Malcolm’s mind, but Timmy survived the massacre at the motel. Timmy eliminates (or murders) Paris, so Timmy takes full control of Malcolm’s body. Ed and Paris are gone, so Malcolm can’t rely on sensible reasoning or logic anymore. In the van with Dr. Malick and a guard, Malcolm (under Timmy’s influence) uses his handcuffs to strangle Dr. Malick. The driver panics, and the van skids into the desert to end the movie.

Identity packs a powerful punch with a series of genuinely shocking twists at the end. Malcolm living in a dream world, and everyone at the motel being an imaginary person in Malcolm's mind? If you predicted all of that with no bumps in the road, then I need to borrow your crystal ball for a weekend.

I know I say this a lot, but you REALLY have to strap yourself into suspension of disbelief mode for Identity. Maybe I’m the only, who feels this way, but when it comes to reactions, you’ll hate the twists at the end, because you’re in the “too far-fetched” crowd. Or, you’re jaw will hit the floor, when Identity reveals the killer.

Hindsight (probably my second or third watch for Identity. First time in a LONG time, but still) kills a lot of the shock value for me, but Identity earned a spot on my list of favorites. It’s an eerie and suspenseful mystery/thriller, featuring a series of genuinely shocking twists during the jaw-dropping finale, and you‘ll see the gruesome aftermath of unfortunate victims (i.e. Robert‘s mangled corpse with a baseball bat stuck in his throat…yikes).

Identity does a wonderful job of playing mind games with the audience during the constant finger-pointing in a deadly whodunit game of cat and mouse. The desolate motel in a fierce rainstorm is a perfect setting for the main characters, because it’s an isolated deathtrap, and this setting enhances feelings of desperation and claustrophobia. In the end, Identity is a must-see film, easily. As I said before, when it comes to the twists at the end, it’s an even split for which side of the fence you’ll be on. You’ll hate or love the reasons behind the revelations for the killer, but one thing’s for sure, it’s impossible to resist the urge to decipher, question, and analyze Identity’s memorable and thought-provoking finale.

Rating: 8/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Gothika (2003)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major reveals or big twists.**

Miranda Grey (Halle Berry) is a dedicated psychiatrist, and she’s trying to help a troubled patient. Chloe (Penelope Cruz) pleads her case to Miranda, but Miranda dismisses accusations of rape within the hospital as paranoia from Chloe’s mental illness.

At the same mental hospital, Miranda works with her boss and  husband, Dr. Douglas Grey (Charles S. Dutton), another psychiatrist named Pete Graham (Robert Downey, Jr.), and Phil Parsons (Bernard Hill). During a stormy night, Doug’s best friend and the town Sheriff, Sheriff Ryan (John Carroll Lynch) instructs Miranda to take a detour on the routine trip home to avoid a dangerous sinkhole.

On the back roads, Miranda spots a petrified girl standing in the middle of the street. Miranda tries to help, but the girl catches fire out of nowhere. The flames engulf Miranda after the girl touches her, and Miranda is the victim of an unexpected blackout.

Miranda awakes in the mental hospital, but she’s not a doctor anymore. Miranda is wearing a hospital gown, and she’s locked in her cell as a patient. Confused and desperate for answers, Miranda learns the reasons for her imprisonment from Pete: Doug was murdered on the night of the storm, and Miranda is the prime suspect.

As a patient, Miranda is forced to rely on Chloe and Pete as allies, and Chloe’s stories about a mysterious attacker could lead Miranda in the right direction, and give her the answers she‘s looking for. And a bitter Sheriff Ryan won’t stop until he punishes Doug’s killer. Phil takes control of the mental hospital after Doug’s death, and Miranda tries to learn more about the girl in flames. Is Miranda a cold-blooded killer, who snapped and murdered her husband? Or is Miranda the victim of an uncontrollable and deadly demonic possession?

Halle Berry delivers the best performance as Miranda Grey. Miranda Grey is a broken and confused woman, who’s struggling to find some solace in her life after an unspeakable tragedy. Berry is head and shoulders above everyone else in this cast, as the rattled widow, who’s determined to uncover the truth, and Berry will convince you to believe in Miranda’s side of the story.

Penelope Cruz provides the second best performance in this cast, as the unhinged victim with a quirky sense of humor. Robert Downey, Jr. is decent enough as Pete, and it’s not fair to judge Charles S. Dutton’s performance as Doug. Doug has ONE scene within the first ten minutes of the movie. After that, Doug’s appearances are limited to sporadic flashbacks, and that’s it. And John Carroll Lynch is harmless as Sheriff Ryan. You’ll see his true colors during the finale (more on that later), and there’s a scene, where Sheriff Ryan loses his cool during a tense Q & A session with Miranda, but one outburst isn’t something to brag about.

Gothika is far from perfect. The preposterous stuff, and the plot holes will annoy most people, and Gothika has an infamous legacy as a panned turkey. But I guess I’m in the small crowd of twenty people, who actually enjoy Gothika.

Yeah, I know it’s loaded with problems, but Gothika features an intriguing murder mystery, and the constant twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end. Who’s the culprit? Is it Pete? Chloe? Or is Miranda a ruthless murderer, who waited for the right moment to unleash her rage on Doug? The answers to Miranda’s questions aren’t so easy to figure out, because Gothika constantly shifts the spotlight to different suspects throughout the movie. Plus, Gothika doesn’t rely on tons of blood and gore to get the job done, and that’s a refreshing change for mainstream R-rated horror films.

Rating: 6/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Gothika (2003)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

Miranda Grey (Halle Berry) is a dedicated psychiatrist, and she’s trying to help a troubled patient. Chloe (Penelope Cruz) pleads her case to Miranda, but Miranda dismisses accusations of rape within the hospital as paranoia from Chloe’s mental illness.

At the same mental hospital, Miranda works with her boss and  husband, Dr. Douglas Grey (Charles S. Dutton), another psychiatrist named Pete Graham (Robert Downey, Jr.), and Phil Parsons (Bernard Hill). During a stormy night, Doug’s best friend and the town Sheriff, Sheriff Ryan (John Carroll Lynch) instructs Miranda to take a detour on the routine trip home to avoid a dangerous sinkhole.

On the back roads, Miranda spots a petrified girl standing in the middle of the street. Miranda tries to help, but the girl catches fire out of nowhere. The flames engulf Miranda after the girl touches her, and Miranda is the victim of an unexpected blackout.

Miranda awakes in the mental hospital, but she’s not a doctor anymore. Miranda is wearing a hospital gown, and she’s locked in her cell as a patient. Confused and desperate for answers, Miranda learns the reasons for her imprisonment from Pete: Doug was murdered on the night of the storm, and Miranda is the prime suspect.

As a patient, Miranda is forced to rely on Chloe and Pete as allies, and Chloe’s stories about a mysterious attacker could lead Miranda in the right direction, and give her the answers she‘s looking for. And a bitter Sheriff Ryan won’t stop until he punishes Doug’s killer. Phil takes control of the mental hospital after Doug’s death, and Miranda tries to learn more about the girl in flames. Is Miranda a cold-blooded killer, who snapped and murdered her husband? Or is Miranda the victim of an uncontrollable and deadly demonic possession?

Halle Berry delivers the best performance as Miranda Grey. Miranda Grey is a broken and confused woman, who’s struggling to find some solace in her life after an unspeakable tragedy. Berry is head and shoulders above everyone else in this cast, as the rattled widow, who’s determined to uncover the truth, and Berry will convince you to believe in Miranda’s side of the story.

Penelope Cruz provides the second best performance in this cast, as the unhinged victim with a quirky sense of humor. Robert Downey, Jr. is decent enough as Pete, and it’s not fair to judge Charles S. Dutton’s performance as Doug. Doug has ONE scene within the first ten minutes of the movie. After that, Doug’s appearances are limited to sporadic flashbacks, and that’s it. And John Carroll Lynch is harmless as Sheriff Ryan. You’ll see his true colors during the finale (more on that later), and there’s a scene, where Sheriff Ryan loses his cool during a tense Q & A session with Miranda, but one outburst isn’t something to brag about.

Who’s the girl in flames? It’s Phil’s deceased daughter, Rachel. Rachel’s death was an apparent suicide, but Miranda escapes the hospital to search for the truth. Miranda’s investigation leads her to Doug’s farmhouse in Willow Creek, Rhode Island. In a secret underground lair, Miranda discovers a torture chamber with a bed. Here, Miranda learns the truth: Rachel didn‘t commit suicide. Instead, Rachel and other young girls were Doug’s victims in a series of brutal sexual assaults and murders.

For years, Doug lived a double life kidnapping and killing young girls, and Miranda never suspected anything, because Doug embodied the persona of the perfect husband. As a ghost, Rachel used her powers to possess Miranda. Under Rachel’s influence, Miranda killed Doug.

But it’s not over yet. As a warning sign, Rachel carved “Not alone” in one of Miranda’s arms. Miranda couldn’t figure out the meaning behind this warning at first, but everything comes together towards the end. Rachel was trying to drop a hint about Doug’s partner in crime, or his disciple.

During an awkward conversation with Sheriff Ryan in her jail cell, Miranda finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together. As Doug’s best friend, Sheriff Ryan was Doug’s accomplice, and Ryan is the one, who continuously  raped Chloe, because Sheriff Ryan had easy access to the mental hospital. And Miranda used Sheriff Ryan’s tattoo of a woman in flames (Anima Sola) as a crucial clue to expose Ryan as the second killer (Miranda also spotted the tattoo during a rape involving Chloe at the hospital).

Sheriff Ryan tries to attack and kill Miranda, because she has the evidence to convict Ryan. But Rachel’s ghost shows up at the last second to help Miranda during the fight. Rachel uses her powers to burn Sheriff Ryan, and Miranda uses a gun to kill Ryan with one shot to the head. To end the movie, Miranda and Chloe embrace as free women, and Chloe thanks Miranda for her help. In return, Miranda thanks Chloe for opening her eyes.

My thoughts on the big reveals at the end? It’s a double-edged sword for a few reasons. Yes, BOTH reveals are genuinely shocking. First, Miranda unknowingly wanders into this dungeon of horrors to learn about the other side of her husband’s double-life, and Berry did a job of selling the surprise with this horrified and shocked look on her face.

The Sheriff Ryan reveal was executed to perfection. Miranda and Ryan are just sitting together, and they’re having this casual chat. But Miranda uses her skills as a  psychiatrist to analyze Ryan’s personality, and in a matter of moments, Miranda realizes Ryan is the disciple. It’s a good swerve, because one minute you get the impression Miranda and Ryan are one step closer to solving the mystery of the second killer together. But Miranda is forced to fight off a crazed Sheriff Ryan after his confession.

The bad side? Two big plot holes. Okay, so if Rachel uses her powers to burn Ryan alive, then why did she possess Miranda, and force her to kill Doug? When you stop and think about it, possessing Miranda was unnecessary, because Rachel had the power to kill Doug AND Sheriff Ryan by herself with no help.

Also, I’m supposed to believe NOBODY at the hospital notices the town Sheriff, who removes his shirt to reveal the big tattoo on his chest, and his suspicious behavior? You know, the guy, who constantly “sneaks” in and out of the hospital on a weekly basis. Seriously? Sorry, but Gothika opens the gap in logic problems, when they show off the complex security system.

Gothika is far from perfect. The preposterous stuff (i.e. Miranda’s escape from the hospital) and the plot holes will annoy most people, and Gothika has an infamous legacy as a panned turkey. But I guess I’m in the small crowd of twenty people, who actually enjoy Gothika.

Yeah, I know it’s loaded with problems, but Gothika features an intriguing murder mystery, and the constant twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end. Who’s the culprit? Is it Pete? Chloe? Or is Miranda a ruthless murderer, who waited for the right moment to unleash her rage on Doug? The answers to Miranda’s questions aren’t so easy to figure out, because Gothika constantly shifts the spotlight to different suspects throughout the movie.

Plus, Gothika doesn’t rely on tons of blood and gore to get the job done, and that’s a refreshing change for mainstream R-rated horror films. During a flashback, Miranda relives Doug’s murder, and you can see Doug’s bloody legs twisted behind him, but it‘s a quick shot, so you barely see anything. And when she returns to the house, Miranda has a vision of herself sitting in a bathtub full of blood, but that’s it, because you won’t see anything too gross or extreme in Gothika.

Rating: 6/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

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Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

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Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)

**This review contains spoilers**

Following the events of Jeepers Creepers, Darry is dead, and presumably, Trish is still trying to comprehend the bizarre series of events in one night that changed her life forever.

One hot day, Jack Taggart, Sr. (Ray Wise) pushes his two sons, Jack, Jr. (Luke Edwards) and his youngest son, Billy (Shaun Fleming) to finish the day’s work on their farm. Jack struggles to fix the family truck, while Billy sets up a series of scarecrows. But when Billy notices one of the scarecrows moving in the cornfield, a routine day of work takes a turn for the worst. Posing as a scarecrow, The Creeper (Jonathan Beck) jumps off of his post, and chases Billy. With one swoop, The Creeper snatches Billy, drags him through the cornfield, and The Creeper flies away with Billy, as a helpless Jack Sr. and Jack Jr. watch in horror.

Meanwhile, a high school basketball team is driving down the countryside, when The Creeper Attacks. Using his sharp weapons made of teeth and bone, The Creeper targets the bus’ tires. The bus driver, Betty (Diane Delano) suspects something fishy during nightfall, but as she sets up the road flares, The Creeper quietly snatches her away. One by one, The Creeper kills every adult and authority figure on the bus (driver, coaches, etc.) until the kids are left by themselves, using the broken down bus for protection from The Creeper. Using his nose, The Creeper sniffs out his top choices by smelling the fear from the basketball players and cheerleaders.  The Creeper quickly disposes of two locals, who offered a helping hand, killing them in their truck before they could reach the police station.

And to make matters worse, Scotty (Eric Nenninger) is still bitter about taking a backseat on the bench, while his team rival, Deaundre (Garikayi Mutambirwa) receives more minutes, and a bigger role on the team. Instead of working together to fight and survive The Creeper’s attacks, Scotty schemes to eliminate Deaundre and anyone, who gets in his way.

During The Creeper’s attacks, a cheerleader named Minxie (Nicki Aycox) has visions of The Creeper’s plans, and through a series of premonitions with a deceased Darry and Billy, Minxie learns the truth about The Creeper’s lifespan:  every twenty-three years during springtime, The Creeper gets to eat for twenty-three days. On the twenty-third day, The Creeper will automatically go into hibernation for another twenty-three years, preparing for another feast.

Upon hearing a distress call from the team’s equipment manager, Bucky (Billy Aaron Brown) on his illegal radio, Jack Sr. grabs Jack Jr., and together, they take a trip to the bus to help the teens, and get revenge for Billy’s death. Believing he’s finally found a way to kill The Creeper, Jack Sr. takes his homemade harpoon (using one of The Creeper’s handmade daggers as a spearhead) to the stranded bus.

But time is running out on both sides. It’s day twenty-three for the winged demon, so The Creeper only has a few hours before he goes into hibernation for twenty-three years, and in the meantime, The Creeper unleashes a relentless attack for his last meal before his cycle begins. Jack Sr. and Jack Jr. race to help the teens, before The Creepr can devour everyone.

Well, it’s not fair to critique the performances for the adults on the school bus, because they’re killed off in the early stages of the movie. Although, Diane Delano always brings a few chuckles out of me as the disgruntled and miserable bus driver, who’s stuck in a dead end job, and doesn’t give a shit about anything. Nicki Aycox is decent enough as Minxie, but the remaining cast of high schoolers are mediocre at best. Beck is still nasty, intimidating, and repulsive as The Creeper, and Ray Wise delivers the best performance, as the angry and fearless father with a score to settle.

You can call Jeepers Creepers a stupid horror film, and I wouldn’t bat an eye, but Jeepers Creepers DID have some spooky moments. Jeepers Creepers 2? Eh, not so much. The main thing that pisses me off about Jeepers Creepers 2 is, it felt like they were trying to turn the sequel into an action film. A lot of brutal deaths, gory kills, and chase scenes, but there’s no terror or suspense, and the creepy eeriness surrounding The Creeper just disappears in this film.

Plus, Jeepers Creepers 2 is very, very, very boring.  The VAST majority of the movie is spent inside or around the school bus, and the entire cast of high school kids are constantly whining and bitching at each other the whole time. The jocks constantly tease and bully this one kid, who might be a homosexual, and a race feud erupts between the black kids and the white kids. Scotty’s hatred for  Deaundre starts the feud, and the situation gets real heated, when Scotty tries to exile Deaundre and his friends from the bus. Things sort of pick up, when Jack Sr. and Jack Jr. show up, but it’s a case of too little, too late.

The Creeper can fly. We get it. In Jeepers Creepers, The Creeper barely used his wings, and we didn’t actually see him fly until the very end of the movie. But in Jeepers Creepers 2, they just abused the novelty of The Creeper’s wings. “OH MY GOD HE CAN FLY!” Yeah, they really tried to tack on a “wow factor” to The Creeper’s aerial abilities with constant  and never ending shots of The Creature hovering in the air, swopping around, shadows of The Creeper hovering over his victims, and awestruck reactions from the cast, as The Creeper is flying. Problem is, once you see The Creeper constantly use his wings throughout the movie, watching him fly isn’t something to marvel at anymore. It just becomes a normal routine.

Darry and Trish were dumb asses, but they were entertaining dumb asses (and better actors). The high school kids are just annoying as shit in this movie, and the obvious stereotypes of your typical high school crew in a horror movie just made everything worse. Of course, you have the jocks, homophobic jocks, the nerd (Bucky), and hot cheerleaders. Bucky is constantly picked on and bullied in part two, and the hazing stuff  surrounding his character is so damn tedious.

For some asinine reason, they resurrected the “psychic, who’s unsure and not 100% confident in her premonitions” dynamic. Minxie is warned about The Creeper through visions of a dead Billy and Darry, and she tries to use her knowledge to help everyone on the bus……but wait. Minxie doesn’t want you to trust her, because she isn’t sure about her dreams. But wait a minute, on second thought, Minxie wants you to trust her, because she knows everything there is to know about The Creeper. No scratch that, Minxie is just having bizarre dreams, and you shouldn’t listen to her advice for life threatening situations. They constantly bounce back and forth in SO many directions with the Minxie character. In Jeepers Creepers, Jezelle was tolerable, because you don’t actually see her until the very end, but you have to suffer through Minxie’s indecisive melodrama bullshit for over an hour. It’s too much.

Too many sub-plots are another big problem for Jeepers Creepers 2. Here’s the list:

-Taunting and teasing the teammate, who might or might not be gay.

-Scotty hates Deaundre for stealing his spotlight, and not producing.

-Scotty has a problem with his presumably gay teammate.

-Scotty turns into a racist, and tries to systematically elmiante all the black people.

-Jack Sr. and Jack Jr. are trying to get revenge for Billy’s death.

-Jack Sr. and Jack Jr. are trying to save the kids.

And they just had to throw in the very predictable “I’m going to be the bigger man” moment, when Deaundre tries to save Scotty from The Creeper.

The Creeper uses more weapons this time around, and it’s cool to see a cameo from Justin Long. The gore is more brutal and disgusting here, and you get to see what happens, when The Creeper needs to eat a head, but still. Jeepers Creepers 2 is a frightless and tedious bore with no real jump scares or tension. It’s a damn shame, because Jeepers Creepers 2 has an excellent and promising intro that’ll get your hopes up for a good sequel, but everything goes downhill after the beginning, EVERYTHING.

Final Rating: 1/10