Character Spotlight- Angela Franklin & Angela Feld- Night Of The Demons

**This post contains spoilers**

It's Halloween night, and with some help from her friend, Suzanne (Linnea Quigley), Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade) plans to throw an unforgettable Halloween party. Angela is not interested in fake cobwebs, bobbing for apples, or a group circle for cheesy ghost stories, while the storyteller holds a flashlight up to his or her face, with a scrunched look to top it off. No, Angela wants authenticity, so she chooses Hull House, an abandoned funeral home with a dark past, for the party's location.

Angela's guest list (with the exception of an uninvited Sal crashing the party) includes Judy (Cathy Podewell), her boyfriend, Jay (Lance Fenton), Roger (Alvin Alexis), Helen (Allison Barron), Stooge (Hal Havins), Sal (William Gallo), Max (Philip Tanzini), and his girlfriend, Frannie (Jill Terashita), and the group enjoys music, booze, and dancing. The vibrant atmosphere for the party dwindles after a few hiccups, but things pick up, when Frannie suggests a past lives seance. But the seance takes an unexpected turn for the worst, when the group unleashes a demon from Hull House's crematorium.

Is Angela the popular kid at school? Nope. Angela Franklin is an outcast, or if you listen to Judy, she's a "weirdo." Angela chooses a black wedding dress as a costume, and her Gothic style look and her make-up complements her persona, as a confident vixen. She's an enthusiast for the dark side and mischievous mayhem, and Angela relishes the opportunity to show-off her newfound powers, when Suzanne passes the demon to her with one kiss.


                            

Demonized Angela terrorizes her party guests during the fiasco at Hull House, and Angela has a grotesque appearance in her demon form, but in her normal human form, Angela uses seduction as a weapon for her male victims. After Angela performed a sultry dance in front of him, Sal was smart enough to notice something strange. Sal walked away to avoid Angela's trap, but a gullible Stooge couldn't resist Angela, and he lost his tongue, as Angela passed the demon to him. Let's take a minute to admire Amelia Kinkade's memorable dance scene:

                                      


Kinkade takes center stage with a charismatic performance, and she establishes her presence in the Night Of The Demons series, as the devious primary antagonist with a dark sense of humor in Night Of The Demons 1988. Roger and Judy were lucky enough to walk away from a rough night with bumps, bruises, and scars during sunrise, and after a bloody night of carnage, Angela is stuck at Hull House (Remember the underground stream at the gates of Hull House? Demons can't cross over running water). Still, Angela is not done yet, so it's time to fast forward to Night Of The Demons 2!


                                    

In Night Of The Demons 2, the mythos of Angela has evolved past the point of some freak occurrence at Hull House or a gruesome massacre from Angela after the events in the first film. Now, Angela Franklin fully embraces her status, as the malicious bogeywoman, who haunts the halls of Hull House, and in the sequel Angela has a new mission: She wants to sacrifice her estranged sister, Melissa (or "Mouse"). First, Angela has to overcome a few small hurdles, because Melissa is a student at St. Rita's Academy, and Angela misses her first opportunity to grab Melissa inside Hull House   
during Shirley Finnerty's prank/party.

Eventually, Angela manipulates Melissa into believing she wants to reconnect with her, so Melissa follows Angela to Hull House, forcing Sister Gloria to lead a rescue mission to save Melissa. Before and during the rescue mission, Angela pulls out a familiar bag of tricks, including seduction to torment, possess, and murder the students (and Rick and Z-boy) of St. Rita's Academy. And for some reason, Angela uses a sword as a weapon here. Yes, you can say it's a cool accessory for her character, but there's no explanation for it, how Angela acquired the sword, or who gave it to her, but for some strange reason Angela has a sword? Okay then.

Kinkade delivers another entertaining performance, and she has her moments as Angela in NOD 2. My only complaint is the sequel trying to recreate Angela's dance scene from the first film. It happens during Angela's invasion at St. Rita's Academy, and during the Halloween party, Angela puts on a show with another sexy dance, but the moment falls flat for me, and it's not Kinkade's fault. The music is terrible, it kills the mood for Angela stealing the show, and everything feels forced.  

In the end, Melissa comes to her senses ("My name is Melissa!"), when she stabs Angela in her lower abdomen, causing a crippling wound. And with some help from Johnny, Bibi, and Sister Gloria, Melissa finally defeats Angela (in a more imposing form, as a large snake), but we're talking about horror films, so Angela has to make another inexplicable comeback in Night Of The Demons 3, right?  

                                  

Well, it's Halloween night, and Angela is all alone and bored inside Hull House, so she has to have some fun. After a shootout at a convenience store, Vince leads a reluctant group to Hull House, but Angela flips the script, when Vince plans to use Hull House as a hideout.

                              


Kinkade's presence and her performance are on a short, short list of a highlights in Night Of The Demons 3 (or Demon House), a lousy and forgettable sequel. Kinkade delivers another classic Angela moment, when she disarms Orson (figuratively and literally) after she performs fellatio on his gun. Also, Angela has another dance scene in NOD 3, but it's nothing to brag about. Kinkade tries to hold this one together, as the anchor for a sinking ship in NOD 3, but she's not a miracle worker.

Angela toys with another set of dimwits and a few unlikely heroes (Holly and Nick) in NOD 3. And of course, Part 3 leaves us with another "it's not over yet" cliffhanger after Holly and Nick "defeat" Angela, when Angela's voice wishes the audience a "Happy Halloween" with a sinister laugh before the credits roll.

Remember the eccentric outsider in Night Of The Demons 1988? Well, things change in the 2009 remake.

                                 


Angela Feld (Shannon Elizabeth) is not an outcast. She's a cocky party girl, who's not afraid to take what she wants. Angela hosts a Halloween bash at The Broussard Family Mansion, and Angela gives herself a grand entrance for officiall kick-off. But when Diana steals the money, and when the cops pull the plug on the party, Angela is stuck in a miserable dilemma.

Maddie, Lily, Jason, Dex, Colin, and Suzanne join Angela as stranded party guests, and all hell breaks loose, when a skeleton in the basement bites Angela's finger. The demon eventually possesses Angela's body, and when Angela passes the demon to Dex during a game of spin the bottle, she unleashes the demon's vicious wrath, sparking a chaotic life-or-death struggle for Maddie, Jason, and Colin.

                              


Shannon Elizabeth's Angela is more arrogant in the remake, and if you're wondering, yes, Angela uses seduction as a weapon here (just ask Suzanne and Dex). Angela is still the ringleader for her demon minions in the remake, and you'll see a more intimidating demonized form for Angela here. Elizabeth delivers an entertaining performance as Angela, and one of the more memorable Angela moments happens, when Angela taunts Maddie, as she reveals her plans to mutilate Colin before she turns him, while Maddie, Jason, and Colin are hiding in the upstairs bedroom protected by the maid's spells.

The 2009 remake is a solid and enjoyable film, but it's hard to ignore a missed opportunity for a one on one final battle between Angela and Maddie. A more ferocious and aggressive version of Angela facing off against Monica Keena, a woman with a reputation for being a tough and resilient final girl in horror films? Sign me up! 

If we're talking about popularity and legacies, you can't put Angela in the upper echelon with the likes of  Myers, Jason, and Krueger, but she definitely deserves a spot on the all-time list for forgotten or obscure horror characters. Charisma, a dark sense of humor, a never ending appetite for carnage, and sex appeal? Yep. As a character, Angela has everything any horror fan could ask for and more, but if she tries to offer you a kiss or a dance, saying no is the best option, because there's a good chance you'll lose your tongue (Stooge), your face (2009 Suzanne), or your soul.  


If you're interested, you can follow the links below to read my reviews for Night Of The Demons (1988), Night Of The Demons 2, Night Of The Demons 3, the 2009 remake, and a Character Spotlight post for Melissa "Mouse" Franklin:

Night Of The Demons (1988)- http://mitchmacready.blogspot.com/2012/11/night-of-demons-1988.html

Night Of The Demons 2- http://mitchmacready.blogspot.com/2012/11/night-of-demons-1994.html

Night Of The Demons 3/Demon House- http://mitchmacready.blogspot.com/2012/11/night-of-demons-3demon-house-1997.html

Character Spotlight for Melissa Franklin- http://mitchmacready.blogspot.com/2014/03/character-spotlight-melissa-mouse.html

Twitter- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

Burying The Ex (2015)(Minor Spoilers Review)

This review contains MINOR spoilers, no major character deaths or reveals.

As a die hard fan of horror movies, Max (Anton Yelchin) works at Bloody Mary’s, a horror shop featuring costumes and all things horror. Max has dreams of opening his own horror shop, but Max’s obsessive and controlling girlfriend, Evelyn (Ashley Greene) has other plans. Max tries to juggle unwanted drop ins from his irresponsible half-brother, Travis (Oliver Cooper), and Evelyn’s pushy demands, and Max’s complicated situation takes a bizarre turn, when he receives a mysterious satanic genie lamp with the devil’s image sculpted on the top in a shipment of new products at work. During a tender moment, Max and Evelyn promise to be together forever, while sharing a kiss, but at the same time, the couple is unaware of the lamp’s glowing, red eyes.

One day, Max strikes up a conversation with Olivia (Alexandra Daddario), an employee at an ice cream shop. But Evelyn forces Max to leave the ice cream shop, and she scolds Max for flirting with Olivia. To make matters worse, Evelyn crosses a line, when she decides to give the apartment a green makeover without Max’s consent.

Miserable and frustrated, Max tries to stay the course, but after a talk with Travis, Max realizes he needs to move on and break up with Evelyn, so a timid and nervous Max arranges a meeting at a park to end the relationship. But fate intervenes, when Evelyn is hit and killed by a bus, as she crosses the street to meet Max.

After Evelyn’s funeral, Max picks up where he left off with Olivia at the ice cream shop, and the two quickly connect and form a bond through their love of horror movies. Max is ready to move on and start a new relationship with Olivia, but Max’s plans for a fresh start are derailed, when Evelyn’s rotting corpse emerges from her grave.

Evelyn returns with an unwavering sense of dedication, and she is determined to continue her relationship with Max. Meanwhile, Max has to stall an impatient Olivia, so he can figure out a solution for the unprecedented dilemma with Evelyn. Travis offers his help, but Max is running out of time, as a suspicious Evelyn starts to question Max’s loyalty, when he continuously rejects her advances. Will Max choose Olivia? Or will Max do the unthinkable with a second chance for Evelyn?

Yelchin does a good job, as the wimpy, spineless, and soft-spoken boyfriend. You’re waiting for that one moment, when he FINALLY stands up to Evelyn, and says “NO!” because he’s a nice guy, who’s trying to do the right thing. Yelchin holds up his end of the bargain, and you want to see the “enough is enough” reaction, because Ashley Greene is spot on as the controlling and bossy girlfriend. You want to believe Evelyn is a kind hearted soul. She’s a perky environmentalist, who wants positive changes, and to add to that, she’s dedicated to Max, because he filled the void in her life after her mother’s death. But there’s a good chance you’ll change your tune, when Evelyn shows her true colors throughout the movie. As the story progresses, the real Evelyn comes out, and she’s not a ray of sunshine. Evelyn is a  pretentious and condescending control freak, who won’t hesitate to tear into (physically and verbally) any critics.

I honestly can’t think of any real complaints for the rest of the supporting cast. Daddario is believable, as this care-free and likable horror nerd, who’s head over heels for Max, and Cooper is good for a few laughs, as the irresponsible womanizer. Also, Yelchin sharing dual chemistry with Greene, as the agitated boyfriend, who’s stuck in a dead end relationship, and Daddario, as the positive second chance at a happy life is impressive.

Burying The Ex is a horror comedy made for horror fans. The movie is loaded with horror references, winks, and clips from vintage horror films, featuring a few all-time greats. There’s a chance others will see the approach to cater to horror fans as a big turn off, but it’s refreshing to see a horror film that’s not afraid to appeal to its core audience.

It’s hard to ignore the noticeable plot hole for the satanic genie lamp. Why did Max receive the lamp? Who sent it to him? How does the lamp work? Is there a limit to the number of wishes for the person, who finds the lamp? Does the lamp come with any rules or restrictions? Of course, common sense leads you to believe the satanic lamp is responsible for Evelyn’s resurrection, but still, Burying The Ex doesn’t provide any answers to some crucial questions.

Also, and this not a complaint (just an observation), but you’ll notice Burying The Ex is a low budget film right off the bat. To give one glaring example, there’s a scene, where Evelyn pukes in Max’s face, because she’s having trouble adjusting to her zombie transformation. Well, this scene is supposed to be one of the bigger gross-out moments in the movie, but Ashley Greene’s vomit looks like Mountain Dew. But if I’m giving credit where credit is due, the gooey and slimy kiss between the zombie version of Evelyn and Max is capable of pulling a reaction out of you. That, and Evelyn’s twisty and bone-crunching yoga scene is good for few a laughs.

Burying The Ex is far from perfect, and the humor is a double-edged sword for me. On one hand, Burying The Ex features one too many corny and eye rolling puns, but every now and then, the cheesy jokes and comedy pulled a few laughs out of me. I won’t go as far as must-see, but if you’re a passionate horror fan, Burying The Ex is one horror comedy that’s worth a try.

Yeah, the through the motions story is predictable, the blatant clichés will probably annoy some people, and if you watch the trailers, you should be able to predict Max’s choice between Olivia and Evelyn. To add to that, there’s a chance Burying The Ex’s style of humor will be too hit-and-miss for some. But Daddario and Yelchin are two likable characters, who you want to root for, and I can’t forget about Greene’s entertaining performance. The gory gruesomeness falls in the passable zone, but in the end, Burying The Ex is a fun horror comedy that has the right amount charm, and it’s just enough to overlook an undeniable plot hole and some apparent flaws.  

Rating- 6/10
Twitter-https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

Burying The Ex (2015)(Spoiler Review)

This review contains spoilers.

As a die hard fan of horror movies, Max (Anton Yelchin) works at Bloody Mary’s, a horror shop featuring costumes and all things horror. Max has dreams of opening his own horror shop, but Max’s obsessive and controlling girlfriend, Evelyn (Ashley Greene) has other plans. Max tries to juggle unwanted drop ins from his irresponsible half-brother, Travis (Oliver Cooper), and Evelyn’s pushy demands, and Max’s complicated situation takes a bizarre turn, when he receives a mysterious satanic genie lamp with the devil’s image sculpted on the top in a shipment of new products at work. During a tender moment, Max and Evelyn promise to be together forever, while sharing a kiss, but at the same time, the couple is unaware of the lamp’s glowing, red eyes.

One day, Max strikes up a conversation with Olivia (Alexandra Daddario), an employee at an ice cream shop. But Evelyn forces Max to leave the ice cream shop, and she scolds Max for flirting with Olivia. To make matters worse, Evelyn crosses a line, when she decides to give the apartment a green makeover without Max’s consent.

Miserable and frustrated, Max tries to stay the course, but after a talk with Travis, Max realizes he needs to move on and break up with Evelyn, so a timid and nervous Max arranges a meeting at a park to end the relationship. But fate intervenes, when Evelyn is hit and killed by a bus, as she crosses the street to meet Max.

After Evelyn’s funeral, Max picks up where he left off with Olivia at the ice cream shop, and the two quickly connect and form a bond through their love of horror movies. Max is ready to move on and start a new relationship with Olivia, but Max’s plans for a fresh start are derailed, when Evelyn’s rotting corpse emerges from her grave.

Evelyn returns with an unwavering sense of dedication, and she is determined to continue her relationship with Max. Meanwhile, Max has to stall an impatient Olivia, so he can figure out a solution for the unprecedented dilemma with Evelyn. Travis offers his help, but Max is running out of time, as a suspicious Evelyn starts to question Max’s loyalty, when he continuously rejects her advances. Will Max choose Olivia? Or will Max do the unthinkable with a second chance for Evelyn?

Yelchin does a good job, as the wimpy, spineless, and soft-spoken boyfriend. You’re waiting for that one moment, when he FINALLY stands up to Evelyn, and says “NO!” because he’s a nice guy, who’s trying to do the right thing. Yelchin holds up his end of the bargain, and you want to see the “enough is enough” reaction, because Ashley Greene is spot on as the controlling and bossy girlfriend. You want to believe Evelyn is a kind hearted soul. She’s a perky environmentalist, who wants positive changes, and to add to that, she’s dedicated to Max, because he filled the void in her life after her mother’s death. But there’s a good chance you’ll change your tune, when Evelyn shows her true colors throughout the movie. As the story progresses, the real Evelyn comes out, and she’s not a ray of sunshine. Evelyn is a  pretentious and condescending control freak, who won’t hesitate to tear into (physically and verbally) any critics.

I honestly can’t think of any real complaints for the rest of the supporting cast. Daddario is believable, as this care-free and likable horror nerd, who’s head over heels for Max, and Cooper is good for a few laughs, as the irresponsible womanizer. Also, Yelchin sharing dual chemistry with Greene, as the agitated boyfriend, who’s stuck in a dead end relationship, and Daddario, as the positive second chance at a happy life is impressive.

Max hesitates too long, and he botches a few attempts to murder Evelyn, so Travis decides to take matters into his own hands with a covert mission, but there’s one problem: Evelyn’s thirst and hunger for flesh and brains kicks in. Travis tries to use his machete to kill Evelyn, but Travis is not fast enough, and Evelyn strikes first. Evelyn eats pieces of Travis, and she hides his mangled corpse behind the couch in Max’s apartment.

Evelyn wants to turn Max into a zombie, so they can live together as a happy couple forever, but Max pulls out a few more stall tactics to buy some time. But Evelyn turns the tables on Max, when she learns the truth about his secret relationship with Olivia. Evelyn kidnaps Olivia, and Max finally tells Evelyn he wants to break up and move on, so an enraged Evelyn snaps. Max and Olivia are stuck in a seemingly impossible life-or-death fight against Evelyn in the apartment, but a zombified Travis pops up to save the day, and he uses the machete to kill Evelyn.

With Evelyn out of the picture, Max and Olivia finally bury her body, and they’re free to move on with their lives as a couple. Together, the two open a half ice cream shop/half horror novelties store called Max & Olivia’s Cream-Atorium (Olivia names her latest flavor of ice cream “Burying The Ex”) , and Travis (as a zombie) joins the business as sign holder. To end the movie, Olivia (playfully) confronts Max about not paying his half of the rent, Max responds with an engagement ring, and of course, Olivia accepts his proposal.

Maybe I’m being too nitpicky here, but are we supposed to believe Evelyn can’t realize Max is stalling her, so he can come up with a plan to escape or get rid of her? During Max’s panicky scrambling to come up with a strategy, Evelyn can’t figure out what’s going on until she picks up Max’s phone to see a text message from Olivia, and I know Evelyn is supposed to be a delusional character, who can’t let go of the past, but Burying The Ex hangs on the edge with unbelievable obliviousness and mind-numbing stupidity during Evelyn’s “WHAT’S GOING ON!!!!” dilemma.

Max choosing Olivia over Evelyn is no real surprise. In fact, you can see Max’s choice coming from a mile away, because Max couldn’t tolerate Evelyn as his girlfriend anymore. Yes, you can say Burying The Ex plays it safe during the home stretch, and Travis returning after Evelyn’s bites was a foregone conclusion, but the movie delivers a satisfying finale, so I don’t have any real complaints.

Burying The Ex is a horror comedy made for horror fans. The movie is loaded with horror references, winks, and clips from vintage horror films, featuring a few all-time greats. There’s a chance others will see the approach to cater to horror fans as a big turn off, but it’s refreshing to see a horror film that’s not afraid to appeal to its core audience.

It’s hard to ignore the noticeable plot hole for the satanic genie lamp. Why did Max receive the lamp? Who sent it to him? How does the lamp work? Is there a limit to the number of wishes for the person, who finds the lamp? Does the lamp come with any rules or restrictions? Of course, common sense leads you to believe the satanic lamp is responsible for Evelyn’s resurrection, but still, Burying The Ex doesn’t provide any answers to some crucial questions.

Also, and this not a complaint (just an observation), but you’ll notice Burying The Ex is a low budget film right off the bat. To give one glaring example, there’s a scene, where Evelyn pukes in Max’s face, because she’s having trouble adjusting to her zombie transformation. Well, this scene is supposed to be one of the bigger gross-out moments in the movie, but Ashley Greene’s vomit looks like Mountain Dew. But if I’m giving credit where credit is due, the gooey and slimy kiss between the zombie version of Evelyn and Max is capable of pulling a reaction out of you. That, and Evelyn’s twisty and bone-crunching yoga scene is good for few a laughs.

Burying The Ex is far from perfect, and the humor is a double-edged sword for me. On one hand, Burying The Ex features one too many corny and eye rolling puns, but every now and then, the cheesy jokes and comedy pulled a few laughs out of me. I won’t go as far as must-see, but if you’re a passionate horror fan, Burying The Ex is one horror comedy that’s worth a try.

Yeah, the through the motions story is predictable, the blatant clichés will probably annoy some people, and if you watch the trailers, you should be able to predict Max’s choice between Olivia and Evelyn. To add to that, there’s a chance Burying The Ex’s style of humor will be too hit-and-miss for some. But Daddario and Yelchin are two likable characters, who you want to root for, and I can’t forget about Greene’s entertaining performance. The gory gruesomeness falls in the passable zone, but in the end, Burying The Ex is a fun horror comedy that has the right amount charm, and it’s just enough to overlook an undeniable plot hole and some apparent flaws.  

Rating- 6/10
Twitter-https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

Unfriended (2015)(Minor Spoilers Review)

This review contains MINOR spoilers, no character deaths, or major reveals.

After a heated confrontation at a party, an anonymous cameraman or woman records an inebriated and semi-conscious Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman) laying face first on the ground. When the dust settles, a nameless individual uploads the embarrassing video to YouTube. After the video surfaces, Laura is bombarded with hateful comments online, with the vast majority urging her to commit suicide. One day, a group of bystanders urge Laura to reconsider, but a distressed Laura uses a gun to kill herself at a park.

One year after Laura’s death, Blaire Lily (Shelley Henning), Laura’s childhood friend, re-watches her suicide video online, but Laura regroups during a Skype chat, when her boyfriend, Mitch Roussel (Moses Jacob Storm) contacts her. Blaire and Mitch enjoy a few private moments together and they discuss their plans for prom, but Mitch and Blaire’s friends interrupt the playful and intimate chat. Adam Sewell (Will Peltz), Ken Smith (Jacob Wysocki), Jess Felton (Renee Olstead), and Val Rommel (Courtney Halverson) join Mitch and Blaire in the chatroom.

The friends enjoy each other’s company, while exchanging playful jokes, but a night of fun and harmless banter takes an unexpected turn for the worst, when a mysterious account named billie227 joins the group. Eventually, billie227 identifies herself or himself as Laura, and after a brief search, Blaire confirms billie227 is Laura’s old Skype account.

After a series of failed attempts to remove billie227 from the chatroom, it’s clear billie227 is not some random stranger, because he or she knows secrets about each friend in the group, and billie227 wants the answer to one question: Who posted the video of a drunk Laura on YouTube? The group tries to dismiss billie227 as an annoying troll, but after a series of bizarre deaths, Blaire suspects supernatural occurrences, and billie’s presence raises another alarming question: Is Laura back from the dead to seek revenge for the video?

Scandalous secrets are revealed and lies are exposed during billie’s malicious game of Never Have I Ever, and billie posts more embarrassing videos and pictures of the friends to turn up the heat. Blaire, Mitch, Adam, Val, Ken, and Jess quickly turn on each, as they quickly fall into billie’s trap. Will the teens stick together and trust each other as friends, so they can survive billie227’s deadly game, and catch the culprit behind the madness? Or will they crack under the pressure, as a relentless billie pulls out all the stops to punish the person, who uploaded the video?

My first reaction to a horror film that plans to show everything from a Skype screen cast’s POV and a computer screen’s POV? Well, I wasn’t sure this approach could work, but Unfriended’s gimmick surprised me. The movie opens with a glitchy version of the Universal Pictures intro, and after that, they jump right into it. At some point in the film, I honestly believed Unfriended would change directions to abandon their screen cast/computer screen POV, but it’s non-stop dedication (Blaire using her laptop to find answers with constant research, looking up police codes, using other chatroom sites to call for help, etc.) throughout the movie.

But on the flip side, Unfriended’s style and POV choice is annoying at times. I get the whole point behind realism and staying true to the choice to use a computer screen/screencast POV, but do we really need to see all of Blaire’s typos? Still, with all that said, Unfriended’s gimmick feels a bit tedious towards the end, but the powers that be deserve credit for taking a real chance to bring something fresh to the overcrowded sub-genre, because without the computer screen/screen cast POV, there’s a good chance we’re talking about another mundane and worthless found-footage horror film.

If we’re talking about the characters in Unfriended, everyone is pretty one-dimensional. Blaire and Mitch are the innocent and care-free high school couple, Adam is the loud and cocky jerk, Jess is supposed to be the promiscuous blonde, you get the feeling Ken is the jokester in the group, and Val is….well she’s just there.

Occasionally you'll see a handful of horror films featuring social commentary, and Unfriended scratches the surface for the ugly side of social media and cyberbullying. In certain cases, others cross the line for being you average troll with taunting and mean spirited jokes, and we take a step towards the argument for social media turning into a breeding-ground for malicious cruelty. Hopefully, the sequel will take more time to explore a more in-depth approach to social commentary for social media, but I’m worried we’ll get another forgettable and through the motions horror sequel.

Unfriended is not without its faults (i.e. narcissistic teens bickering about high school drama), but the movie features enough redeemable qualities, and you don‘t have to worry about an excessive amount of shaky cam abuse for this found-footage film. Unfriended plays a series of mind games that’ll keep you guessing until the end, and if you’re a horror fan that’s looking for something different, Unfriended is worth a try.

With all that said, the Unfriended sequel NEEDS to take big step towards the future. If we’re talking about Unfriended 2 or whatever the hell they plan on calling it, the movie needs to prove Unfriended is not limited to being a one-trick pony with a gimmick (the screen cast/computer screen POV). The social commentary for social media provides more than enough thought-provoking material to build a respectable horror franchise. If the sequel and other potential sequels rely on the gimmick too much, it’ll only be a matter of time before Unfriended receives the same old, same old complaints, and Unfriended will flame out before the series has a chance to build a solid foundation. And if that’s not enough, to add insult to injury, Unfriended will join the list of failed mainstream horror franchises with some real potential.

Oh, and one more small tidbit. After doing some research, apparently “Cybernatural” was Unfriended’s original title. I’m not trying to nitpick too much, but Cybernatural sounds like a better title, because it grabs your attention. But I guess they really wanted to play up the social media tie-ins, and if you stop and think about it, Cybernatural as a title gives away the ending, and Cybernatural gives you a noticeable clue to the mystery behind the attacks and the deaths.

Rating: 6/10

Twitter-https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

Unfriended (2015)(Spoiler Review)

This review contains spoilers.

After a heated confrontation at a party, an anonymous cameraman or woman records an inebriated and semi-conscious Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman) laying face first on the ground. When the dust settles, a nameless individual uploads the embarrassing video to YouTube. After the video surfaces, Laura is bombarded with hateful comments online, with the vast majority urging her to commit suicide. One day, a group of bystanders urge Laura to reconsider, but a distressed Laura uses a gun to kill herself at a park.

One year after Laura’s death, Blaire Lily (Shelley Henning), Laura’s childhood friend, re-watches her suicide video online, but Laura regroups during a Skype chat, when her boyfriend, Mitch Roussel (Moses Jacob Storm) contacts her. Blaire and Mitch enjoy a few private moments together and they discuss their plans for prom, but Mitch and Blaire’s friends interrupt the playful and intimate chat. Adam Sewell (Will Peltz), Ken Smith (Jacob Wysocki), Jess Felton (Renee Olstead), and Val Rommel (Courtney Halverson) join Mitch and Blaire in the chatroom.

The friends enjoy each other’s company, while exchanging playful jokes, but a night of fun and harmless banter takes an unexpected turn for the worst, when a mysterious account named billie227 joins the group. Eventually, billie227 identifies herself or himself as Laura, and after a brief search, Blaire confirms billie227 is Laura’s old Skype account.

After a series of failed attempts to remove billie227 from the chatroom, it’s clear billie227 is not some random stranger, because he or she knows secrets about each friend in the group, and billie227 wants the answer to one question: Who posted the video of a drunk Laura on YouTube? The group tries to dismiss billie227 as an annoying troll, but after a series of bizarre deaths, Blaire suspects supernatural occurrences, and billie’s presence raises another alarming question: Is Laura back from the dead to seek revenge for the video?

Scandalous secrets are revealed and lies are exposed during billie’s malicious game of Never Have I Ever, and billie posts more embarrassing videos and pictures of the friends to turn up the heat. Blaire, Mitch, Adam, Val, Ken, and Jess quickly turn on each, as they quickly fall into billie’s trap. Will the teens stick together and trust each other as friends, so they can survive billie227’s deadly game, and catch the culprit behind the madness? Or will they crack under the pressure, as a relentless billie pulls out all the stops to punish the person, who uploaded the video?

My first reaction to a horror film that plans to show everything from a Skype screen cast’s POV and a computer screen’s POV? Well, I wasn’t sure this approach could work, but Unfriended’s gimmick surprised me. The movie opens with a glitchy version of the Universal Pictures intro, and after that, they jump right into it. At some point in the film, I honestly believed Unfriended would change directions to abandon their screen cast/computer screen POV, but it’s non-stop dedication (Blaire using her laptop to find answers with constant research, looking up police codes, using other chatroom sites to call for help, etc.) throughout the movie.

But on the flip side, Unfriended’s style and POV choice is annoying at times. I get the whole point behind realism and staying true to the choice to use a computer screen/screencast POV, but do we really need to see all of Blaire’s typos? Still, with all that said, Unfriended’s gimmick feels a bit tedious towards the end, but the powers that be deserve credit for taking a real chance to bring something fresh to the overcrowded sub-genre, because without the computer screen/screen cast POV, there’s a good chance we’re talking about another mundane and worthless found-footage horror film.

If we’re talking about the characters in Unfriended, everyone is pretty one-dimensional. Blaire and Mitch are the innocent and care-free high school couple, Adam is the loud and cocky jerk, Jess is supposed to be the promiscuous blonde, you get the feeling Ken is the jokester in the group, and Val is….well she’s just there.

So what’s going on? Is billie227 Laura? Has she returned from the grave to wreak havoc? Who’s pulling the strings? Well, loyalty and friendship are tossed out the window quickly, as the friends reveal embarrassing and dark secrets about each other, and the cutthroat backstabbing reaches unprecedented levels of scumminess, as the story progresses. Blaire lied to Mitch about her virginity (Blaire told Mitch she wanted to wait for prom night). It turns out that Blaire is not a virgin, because she had a fling with Adam, and Mitch told the cops about Adam’s marijuana deals, and this secret almost destroyed Adam’s relationship with his father.  On top of that, Jess started rumors about Blaire having an eating disorder, Adam drugged a girl at a party, had sex with her immobile body, and Adam forced the girl to get an abortion after she revealed her pregnancy.

As the game comes to end, Blaire and Mitch are the only remaining survivors. Billie pushes Blaire to reveal the identity of the person, who uploaded the video, so Blaire tells billie Mitch is the culprit. After Blaire’s revelation, Mitch dies after stabbing himself in the eye with a blunt, sharp object.

Blaire is still heartbroken and in shock after Mitch‘s death, but billie227 has some unfinished business with Blaire. Now billie227 wants to know the identity of the person, who shot the video, but billie throws in a twist, when he or she uploads a different version of the video to Blaire’s account. In this version of the video, the identity of the person shooting the video is revealed…….and it’s Blaire. In the video, Blaire laughs at and mocks an unconscious Laura, and the video ends with a smiling Laura saying “I got her.” After the upload, Blaire’s Facebook page is bombarded with hateful comments, and the vitriol includes other users pushing Blaire to commit suicide. 

Blaire receives a taste of her own medicine, and she tries to pander to Laura with cheerful photos of their childhood friendship, but Laura doesn’t buy into Blaire’s transparent attempts to slap a band-aid on the wound. Blaire is only trying to return to Laura’s good graces, because she knows she’s next on the chopping block, and Laura is not falling for it. In the last shot of the movie, Laura pops up behind Blaire in her bedroom,  she closes Blaire’s laptop, and you can hear Blaire’s screams, as the movie ends and the credits start to roll.

Unfriended plays an intriguing guessing game, because you’re never 100% sure about what’s going on with billie227. Is billie227 an impostor? A hacker? A troll? Or, did one of Laura’s friends or family members make the decision to take matters in their own hands for vengeance? Unfriended keeps you guessing until the final moments of the movie, so when Laura pops up, it’s a legit surprise.

Also, it’s safe to say Blaire and Mitch are terrible human beings, right? Blaire and Mitch kept the truth to themselves the whole time, and going by Laura’s rules, they could’ve ended the game and saved lives early on. I mean, you have to guess the plan was to stay quiet, with hopes of riding it out until the end, while everyone else paid the price for Blaire and Mitch’s mistakes, right? As the story progresses, it’s not hard to suspect something fishy with Blaire and Mitch, because they constantly send each other private messages throughout the movie, so you had to know they were hiding something. 

Nothing crosses an extreme line for gore and deaths during the Never Have I Ever fiasco. Ken’s mangled and bloody arm in blender and Jess choking on a hot curling iron (to throw in some dark humor, Laura turns Jess’ s death into a meme) are at the top of the list for nasty moments in Unfriended. And an emotionless and silent Val standing in front of the camera before she falls to the ground is an eerie sight. If we’re talking about gross-out moments, the uncensored version of a drunk Laura laying on the ground provides one of the more obscene moments in the film, because you can clearly see a cluttered mess of feces on Laura’s backside and urine stains.   

Also, you have to wonder if Blaire is the girl Laura was arguing with in the first party video. If you’re wondering, it’s the video where Laura is still coherent and functioning, and she’s clearly in a heated argument with another person, but they never show the face. You have to believe it’s Blaire, and for whatever reason, Blaire decided to record a drunken Laura for payback.

Occasionally you'll see a handful of horror films featuring social commentary, and Unfriended scratches the surface for the ugly side of social media and cyberbullying. In certain cases, others cross the line for being you average troll with taunting and mean spirited jokes, and we take a step towards the argument for social media turning into a breeding-ground for malicious cruelty. Hopefully, the sequel will take more time to explore a more in-depth approach to social commentary for social media, but I’m worried we’ll get another forgettable and through the motions horror sequel.

Unfriended is not without its faults (i.e. narcissistic teens bickering about high school drama), but the movie features enough redeemable qualities, and you don‘t have to worry about an excessive amount of shaky cam abuse for this found-footage film. Unfriended plays a series of mind games that’ll keep you guessing until the end, and if you’re a horror fan that’s looking for something different, Unfriended is worth a try.

With all that said, the Unfriended sequel NEEDS to take big step towards the future. If we’re talking about Unfriended 2 or whatever the hell they plan on calling it, the movie needs to prove Unfriended is not limited to being a one-trick pony with a gimmick (the screen cast/computer screen POV). The social commentary for social media provides more than enough thought-provoking material to build a respectable horror franchise. If the sequel and other potential sequels rely on the gimmick too much, it’ll only be a matter of time before Unfriended receives the same old, same old complaints, and Unfriended will flame out before the series has a chance to build a solid foundation. And if that’s not enough, to add insult to injury, Unfriended will join the list of failed mainstream horror franchises with some real potential.

Oh, and one more small tidbit. After doing some research, apparently “Cybernatural” was Unfriended’s original title. I’m not trying to nitpick too much, but Cybernatural sounds like a better title, because it grabs your attention. But I guess they really wanted to play up the social media tie-ins, and if you stop and think about it, Cybernatural as a title gives away the ending, and Cybernatural gives you a noticeable clue to the mystery behind the attacks and the deaths.

Rating: 6/10

Twitter-https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

Alien Abduction (2014)(Minor Spoilers Review)

This review contains MINOR spoilers, no major reveals or character deaths.

The Story- During a camping trip to Brown Mountain, North Carolina, an eleven-year-old boy named Riley Morris (Riley Polanski) decides to bring a video camera. Diagnosed with autism, Riley joins his father, Peter (Peter Holden), his mother, Katie (Katherine Sigismund), his older brother, Corey (Corey Eid), and his teenage sister, Jillian (Jillian Clare). Riley uses his video camera to record the family’s trip, but The Morris Family runs into a series of bizarre problems.

One night, Riley, Corey, and Jillian witness erratic movements from three flashing objects in the sky, but the mysterious objects disappear before the trio has a real chance to investigate or alert their parents. As the trip takes a turn for the worse, a frustrated Peter reaches a boiling point, and to make matters worse, the car is running low on gas. Lost, confused, and running low on patience, the family searches for a road to the highway, but they run into an unpleasant surprise, when they find a clustered mess of abandoned cars blocking the entrance to a tunnel.

Peter, Corey, and Riley cautiously explore the dark tunnel littered with abandoned cars, including a police car, and Peter calls for help, when he spots a shadowy figure in the distance. But Peter, Riley, and Corey are forced to retreat, when Peter realizes the shadowy figure is actually an alien. Peter urges Riley and Corey to return to the car, as more aliens surround the group. Riley and Corey escape, but Peter is abducted by the aliens.

With a limited number of options in front of them, the remaining members of The Morris Family join forces with Sean (Jeff Bowser), a reclusive local, who lives in the Brown Mountain community. A reluctant Sean allows Riley, Corey, Jillian, and Katie to take refuge in his isolated cabin, and Sean explains the mysteries and rumors behind the Brown Mountain Lights and rumored alien abductions in the area. Eventually, the aliens return to wreak havoc, and with their backs against the wall, the group clings to slim hopes of an escape, as Sean fights side by side with the family to survive another attack from the aliens.

Review- Alien Abduction adds a touch of realism with documentary style interviews from residents, paranormal experts, and eye witnesses. On top of that, the movie starts off Riley’s recorded footage, and they make sure to remind us this footage is recovered  by the US Air Force. It’s always nice to see the extra effort to maintain suspension of disbelief for found-footage, so it’s easier to buy into real people running into an incomprehensible dilemma. More often than not, you’ll just see the routine found-footage formula about a random cameraman or woman inexplicably recording a series of close calls, deaths, chases, and at the same time, they’re screaming and turning the camera on themselves, so they can explain what’s happening to complete strangers, who might or might not see the recorded footage.

Yes, Alien Abduction deserves some bonus points for going the extra mile to convince the audience they’re watching real archived and top secret footage complete with one on one interviews. The jump scares feel forced, but it‘s not a major problem, so I can‘t complain too much. But one of the bigger problems in Alien Abduction is, the movie sticks to a repetitive formula, when the aliens appear. The aliens show up, the survivors run and hide, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re cornered, and someone is abducted and/or abducted and murdered. The rinse and repeat strategy really crossed a tedious line for me, and towards the end, it’s not that hard to predict what’s going to happen next, when the aliens corner the protagonists.

Still, I’ll go with a passing score for Alien Abduction. Alien Abduction is not good enough to stand out amongst the crowded found-footage pack, the movie features a good amount of shaky cam abuse, and yes, you’ll see more than enough familiar tropes here. But the main cast delivers a nice set of solid performances, and to add to that, they’re likable characters, who are willing to risk everything to save and protect each other. Is anyone familiar with the typical cowardly “To hell with the rest of you! I’m going to do anything I can to save my own a**!” character in horror films? You know, that one person (or persons), who won’t hesitate to sabotage, abandon, or manipulate the rest of the group to escape and save themselves? Well, you won’t see that in Alien Abduction, because bravery is a reoccurring theme here. Also, kudos to director Matty Beckerman for some genuinely eerie and creepy (the scattered pile of dead crows on the desolate mountain roads and the dark tunnel full of abandoned cars) visuals.

When it’s all said and done, Alien Abduction is nothing to brag about. Still, if you’re a fan of aliens and sci-fi/horror, it’s not the worst film to take a chance on. Alien Abduction falls into a few slumps every now and then, but on a positive note, the brief 1hr. & 25 min. runtime is barely noticeable.

Rating- 5/10

Twitter-https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

Alien Abduction (2014)(Spoiler Review)

This review contains spoilers.


The Story- During a camping trip to Brown Mountain, North Carolina, an eleven-year-old boy named Riley Morris (Riley Polanski) decides to bring a video camera. Diagnosed with autism, Riley joins his father, Peter (Peter Holden), his mother, Katie (Katherine Sigismund), his older brother, Corey (Corey Eid), and his teenage sister, Jillian (Jillian Clare). Riley uses his video camera to record the family’s trip, but The Morris Family runs into a series of bizarre problems.

One night, Riley, Corey, and Jillian witness erratic movements from three flashing objects in the sky, but the mysterious objects disappear before the trio has a real chance to investigate or alert their parents. As the trip takes a turn for the worse, a frustrated Peter reaches a boiling point, and to make matters worse, the car is running low on gas. Lost, confused, and running low on patience, the family searches for a road to the highway, but they run into an unpleasant surprise, when they find a clustered mess of abandoned cars blocking the entrance to a tunnel.

Peter, Corey, and Riley cautiously explore the dark tunnel littered with abandoned cars, including a police car, and Peter calls for help, when he spots a shadowy figure in the distance. But Peter, Riley, and Corey are forced to retreat, when Peter realizes the shadowy figure is actually an alien. Peter urges Riley and Corey to return to the car, as more aliens surround the group. Riley and Corey escape, but Peter is abducted by the aliens.

With a limited number of options in front of them, the remaining members of The Morris Family join forces with Sean (Jeff Bowser), a reclusive local, who lives in the Brown Mountain community. A reluctant Sean allows Riley, Corey, Jillian, and Katie to take refuge in his isolated cabin, and Sean explains the mysteries and rumors behind the Brown Mountain Lights and rumored alien abductions in the area. Eventually, the aliens return to wreak havoc, and with their backs against the wall, the group clings to slim hopes of an escape, as Sean fights side by side with the family to survive another attack from the aliens.

Review- Alien Abduction adds a touch of realism with documentary style interviews from residents, paranormal experts, and eye witnesses. On top of that, the movie starts off Riley’s recorded footage, and they make sure to remind us this footage is recovered  by the US Air Force. It’s always nice to see the extra effort to maintain suspension of disbelief for found-footage, so it’s easier to buy into real people running into an incomprehensible dilemma. More often than not, you’ll just see the routine found-footage formula about a random cameraman or woman inexplicably recording a series of close calls, deaths, chases, and at the same time, they’re screaming and turning the camera on themselves, so they can explain what’s happening to complete strangers, who might or might not see the recorded footage.

So what happens to The Morris Family? Well, in Sean’s cabin the aliens eventually corner Corey, Riley, Jillian, and Katie (Sean leaves to rescue his brother after hearing a desperate plea for help on a radio message). Feeling remorse, grief, and regret after Peter’s abduction (Corey believes he could’ve and should’ve done more to save his father), Corey decides to stay behind and fight (with a rifle) the aliens by himself, while Riley, Katie, and Jillian hide underground in a cellar, and of course the aliens abduct Corey during his ill-fated last stand.

Sean eventually returns, and the group decides to leave his cabin, so they can flee to a nearby town for safety. But during the short road trip, the aliens show up again. The remaining members of The Morris Family run to a barn, but Sean willingly stays behind to fight the aliens.

In the barn, Sean returns (again) after escaping another attack, but the aliens corner the survivors. The aliens abduct and kill Katie and Sean, leaving Jillian and Riley alone. For a brief period of time, Riley loses Jillian in the woods, but Jillian finds her brother, and the two successfully evade the aliens until sunrise.

In the morning, Jillian and Riley share a moment of relief, when a police officer shows up to help. But Riley and Jillian’s luck runs out, when the aliens return to abduct them and the policeman. The final moments of the movie show Riley (holding on to the video camera) rapidly ascending into the sky, and you’ll see a few brief shots from inside the alien’s spaceship, and you can clearly hear screams from victims, who are presumably suffering a painful dissection or examination.

To add to this, the movie ends with men in hazmat suits taking Riley’s camera, and the credits start to roll. But it’s not over yet, because a mid-credits scene pops up. In the mid-credits scene, a policeman finds Peter alone and naked on the streets one year after the events in the movie. They never reveal the identity (or identities) of the other survivor or survivors, but it’s heavily implied Peter is NOT the only survivor from the recent string of alien abductions.  

Well, I can’t sit here and say it was 100% easy to telegraph Corey sacrificing himself to save the family in Sean’s cabin, but at the same time, Corey’s sacrifice is not a genuine surprise or a true shocking moment. In his own mind, Corey couldn’t escape the guilt for not doing enough to prevent Peter’s abduction. Corey clearly placed all the blame on his shoulders, so he had to kill two birds with one stone (i.e. giving his family a chance to escape, and taking a second chance to stand and fight the aliens without running away).

Yes, Alien Abduction deserves some bonus points for going the extra mile to convince the audience they’re watching real archived and top secret footage complete with one on one interviews. The jump scares feel forced, but it‘s not a major problem, so I can‘t complain too much. But one of the bigger problems in Alien Abduction is, the movie sticks to a repetitive formula, when the aliens appear. The aliens show up, the survivors run and hide, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re cornered, and someone is abducted and/or abducted and murdered. The rinse and repeat strategy really crossed a tedious line for me, and towards the end, it’s not that hard to predict what’s going to happen next, when the aliens corner the protagonists.

Still, I’ll go with a passing score for Alien Abduction. Alien Abduction is not good enough to stand out amongst the crowded found-footage pack, the movie features a good amount of shaky cam abuse, and yes, you’ll see more than enough familiar tropes here. But the main cast delivers a nice set of solid performances, and to add to that, they’re likable characters, who are willing to risk everything to save and protect each other. Is anyone familiar with the typical cowardly “To hell with the rest of you! I’m going to do anything I can to save my own a**!” character in horror films? You know, that one person (or persons), who won’t hesitate to sabotage, abandon, or manipulate the rest of the group to escape and save themselves? Well, you won’t see that in Alien Abduction, because bravery is a reoccurring theme here. Also, kudos to director Matty Beckerman for some genuinely eerie and creepy (the scattered pile of dead crows on the desolate mountain roads and the dark tunnel full of abandoned cars) visuals, and the grisly sight of Katie’s body literally bending backwards and snapping during her abduction/death is more than enough to pull a reaction out of you.

When it’s all said and done, Alien Abduction is nothing to brag about. Still, if you’re a fan of aliens and sci-fi/horror, it’s not the worst film to take a chance on. Alien Abduction falls into a few slumps every now and then, but on a positive note, the brief 1hr. & 25 min. runtime is barely noticeable.

Rating- 5/10

Twitter-https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready