Get Out (2017)

'Get Out' is not something you see every day, in both the horror genre and the film industry itself. It's a very clever thriller that does almost everything right and taken things that have come before it and done it better in many ways. Not only this, but 'Get Out' is an excellent example of what diverse filmmaking and taking unique stories can successfully achieve when done right and by people of high talent. The film is written and directed by comedian Jordan Peele (Keanu) and many think right away that while talented at humor without a doubt, how could he possibly pull off effective scares and genuine tension? Well, I have been of the opinion that the two genres work as one and the same at least on a basic structural level. Both require precise pacing, great writing and development, and a perfect punchline. 'Get Out' juggles these two with perfect balance.

The story is also not something you see in a major Hollywood film today, about an interracial couple meeting the girlfriend's folks for the first time. Feeling alone in an uncharted world has been done before sure, but not this close to reality and not this close to so many people's homes. The serious subject matter of racism and all of the issues within are discussed here without shoving it down your throat. It's subtlety is what really helps 'Get Out' refrain from being too political and keeping the film entertaining. With Jordan Peele's background primarily being comedy, this talent is not lost with 'Get Out'. There is a surprising amount of humor spread throughout the film, with the stand out being protagonist Chris's friend working at the TSA and it helps during the more down time moments in the film.

What I will tell you now is to please refrain from as many trailers or television commercials for the film as possible and attempt to go in blind as I did and you will have a really great time. 'Get Out' has some really big twists and turns that are sometimes sharp enough to give one whiplash and I love to see a movie in theaters that attempts something new and be rewarded as well (the film made well over $40 million at the box office this weekend with a small budget). We at this humble little blog review site can only hope that the studios are listening and bring something as great as 'Get Out' to theaters more often. It's been too common a trend for films like this to shyly end up direct to DVD or Netflix, as with last year's 'Hush' and we horror fans are really starving for films that are actually worth a damn. 'Get Out' was an amazing horror film that I can't wait to watch again.

GRADE: A+

My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)

A remake that surprises in more positive ways than not, 'My Bloody Valentine 3D' is one of the better examples of doing a remake right (though it's still a completely unnecessary practice overall). This film stars Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) as Tom Hanniger a young man returning back to his small mining hometown after a traumatic murder spree that occurred many years ago. He returns home with a not-so-warm welcome from his ex girlfriend (Jaime King) and his former best buddy (Kerr Smith) who have become estranged with Tom since his vanishing those many years ago and on top of that, the bodies begin piling up once again and Harry Warden has returned to finish what he started.

Right away, many horror fans will throw the film by the wayside due to the fact that it was released in 3D, an extremely stupid gimmick that even almost a decade later will still not go away no matter how good or bad they do however with 'Valentine' it manages to be at least a fun experience. This is old school 1950's and early 1980's 3D, with the killer throwing his weapon at the camera at every possible moment he can do so and lots of blood and grue hitting the lens as well. It's nice to see the 3D bring a retro feel to the modern horror genre, but overall it's still not needed as the film as a whole is rather entertaining on its own and in its regular 2D format.

It's also quite impressive how brutal and overly violent the film is and this was released a month before the 2009 remake of 'Friday the 13th' a series notorious for its many over the top violent death scenes. 'My Bloody Valentine 3D' blows that remake out of the water and does anything but play it safe as we not only get some of the most brutal death scenes I've seen in a theatrical release in a while, but an almost 20 minute sequence of a full frontal nude woman being chased around by Harry Warden. This is stuff you never see in modern horror and it's awesome.

Where the film falls is almost inherent in its DNA being a remake. The film attempts to change around some aspects such as the relationships of the various characters and even with the killer and they also try to change the twist of the original for another original twist which is commendable and even set up a sequel that unfortunately never happened (Lionsgate what the heck? SAW VII but not MBV 2?) but like when I saw 'Star Trek: Into Darkness' these don't make an original film and its still just a rehash of what came before and that will leave you feeling rather empty once you've left the theater.

Just changing one character's motivations around or swapping one killer for the other doesn't make the film different and it's really lazy (and it's not like writer Todd Farmer is lazy. I mean he wrote the amazing 'Jason X'.) However, I still recommend 'My Bloody Valentine 3D' as a 'so bad its good' film. It's one of my go to party films to watch with a bunch of buddies and a few cold ones and junk food. If you like yourself some slasher flicks, this is one of the best modern ones you should pick up.

GRADE: (C+)

My Bloody Valentine (1981)

'My Bloody Valentine' was released in 1981 during the golden age of the sub genre known as the 'slasher' film and it's one of the most memorable from it's catchy poster to its controversial MPAA edits, however does it still hold up for horror fans today?

As mentioned, the MPAA (the rating distributors in America) went to town with their cutting shears on 'My Bloody Valentine' which lead to many angry horror fans longing for almost 30 years for a fully uncut version and in 2009, we got our wish and it really helped out with the overall film. I'm not going to give you folks crap here, this is not a masterpiece film in any way, shape, or form and I won't treat it like that however what it does it does with gusto.

The film's villain is one of the most creative in the slasher film pantheon. I never thought a coal miner's outfit would be so unsettling but when you hear Harry Warden's deep breathing through the mask in the distance and you see his killer pose with that pick axe it's pretty damn creepy and effective. The film also has some of the better written teen fodder and you legitimately feel bad that some have to go because for the most part, they are genuinely likeable and feel like real people which is one of the biggest aspects of 'My Bloody Valentine' that makes it stand out among it's 80's brethren.

Now that we are able to see the special effects as they were meant to be, I can say that it's some of the most impressive of the early days of the sub genre. It's surprisingly very mean spirited and brutal too as many films from the early days had more of a fun popcorn feel about them, as gruesome as they were. This film stands out as being rather dark and dull in tone from the get-go and since the film takes place in a cloudy mining town for the majority, it sounds like an appropriate tone to take. Try to track down the special edition DVD/Blu-Ray to see the uncut film as it's the only way to see it now that one has the option.

The film also was one of the first to have a big twist and I have to say, unlike those of the 'Shamaylan' variety this one took me by surprise and for a cheap slasher film that the mainstream community condemn for their lack of creativity, 'My Bloody Valentine' proves them wrong with both its twist ending and its overall higher quality thanks to Paramount Pictures and a nicer budget than most at the time. The film also has an amazing folk song that plays over the end credits entitled 'The Ballad of Harry Warden' and yes I'm completely serious but I'm also serious in saying it's an awesome song (which I will put below).

Any slasher film fan or those who'd like an 'alternate' Valentine flick with their girlfriend/boyfriend should check out 'My Bloody Valentine' and hey even check out the 2009 remake for desert as it's pretty great too.

Grade: A-

Rings (2017)

'Rings' brings the cursed video tape to the digital age and...it's pretty okay, just okay. The film begins with the introduction of a secret society/cult whose members each watch Samara's video then pass it onto the next victim, in the hopes of unlocking the mysteries of the afterlife. Naturally, this leads to tragedy and death and the next potential victims Julia and Holt must now investigate into the history of Samara's tragic past and if you've seen 'The Ring' you probably can predict how well that goes. The film almost follows the original film's beats word for word, with Julia replacing Naomi Watts' Rachel however to give this sequel credit it actually attempts to expand and build upon the series' mythology with a few new backstory elements sprinkled in.

It's these moments of improvement over the previous 'Ring Two' that kept the film entertaining for the most part, however the filmmakers evidently haven't learned that people freaking hate jump scares and loud noises replacing genuine tension and horror. This seriously is not difficult Paramount, for the love of God short films on YouTube even understand this is cheap and ineffective filmmaking. That's not to say 'Rings' doesn't have the right kind of horror elements in it, with one very effective sequence involving a flat screen TV that I quite enjoyed (even if it was ruined by the marketing department). Also, while we don't get the same frequently creepy scenery as the first film it's in here a lot more than the first sequel and when the film isn't blaring a loud noise at you looks genuinely creepy. While I don't spoil things here, I have to also point out that for a PG-13 horror film in 2017 'Rings' has a really disturbing plot twist that has such dark implications for a film with such a rating, I'm surprised they got away with it.

Really, that's all I've got to say about 'Rings'. It's not terrible, but it's nothing worth rushing out to see either. If you really enjoyed the other films and are looking for a return to the early millennium days of J-Horror then you'll likely find something to enjoy here. For the average horror fan, it's a little bit more of a gray area. There's no denying the impact and longevity of 2002's 'The Ring' but after the industry has been oversaturated with Asian horror remakes it's hard to not see a pattern in these films after so long. It's perfectly serviceable overall and I was as surprised as many that I didn't flat out hate this film. It's really just...okay.

The Ring Two (2005)

'The Ring Two' brings the original director Hideo Katada to create a sequel to the American remake. Unfortunately, despite his clear talents with 'Ringu' and 'Ringu 2' they don't seem to be present in this overdone and tired sequel. Naomi Watts returns as Rachel, a single mother who thought she was done with the cursed videotape created by the deadly spirit known as Samara who now seeks to return to the living world through Rachel's son Aiden. Now, you may be thinking: "What did you expect from a rushed out sequel to an American horror film?" well back in 2005 when J-Horror wasn't completely over-saturated and the film having the original's director at the helm? A lot more than what I got.

To be fair however, I recently sat down and rewatched the film for this review and while it really wasn't the worst thing I've seen, it's overall feeling of disappointment somehow feels worse for me. The film begins the same as the original, with Rachel somehow connected to a teenager's death at Samara's hand but then we start to get sidetracked to the point of confusion. First we have the main story: Aiden being possessed by Samara, then we go to a story about people accusing Rachel of child abuse and the potential of losing Aiden to a foster family, then we have a forced love interest that overall doesn't matter because spoiler alert: the boyfriend that will obviously die obviously dies.

The worst thing about the film is that despite seemingly having a larger budget and higher marketing, it looks and feels so cheap in comparison to Gore Verbinski's remake. I know Katada isn't a strong visual filmmaker, but that older cheaper style really worked for the original J-Horror versions you really just expect more out of a modern film by DreamWorks, who at the time had some of the best looking films in the industry. Really, in all honesty 'The Ring Two' is a really boring retread of what came before and somehow the man who created the thing made it so dull and so bland and generic that I'm just really wanting to know the production history of this flick to figure out what the hell happened.

The Ring (2002)

'The Ring' is directed by Gore Verbinski and stars Naomi Watts as a young journalist investigating a local urban legend surrounding a mysterious video tape after her niece is found dead after watching it. The film is a remake of the 1998 Japanese film 'Ringu', which I reviewed back in October when the newest film 'Rings' was originally slated to release. With tomorrow being the official release date of the third film in the franchise, I decided to double team both of the U.S. films and go back to see how they held up.

'The Ring' is now fifteen years old as of this writing and surprisingly for the most part it holds up amazingly well. Naomi Watts is always a favorite of mine who's sadly seems to have all but vanished from the cinema scene. She really gives a human quality in what could have just been a standard horror film and her journey to discover this mysterious video's past and its deadly power really keeps you intrigued and on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next moment to come with high anticipation.

Accompanying the excellent performances are Verbinski's strong visual style and excellent makeup effects from Rick Baker, who has now sadly retired from the industry. We need more practical effects in horror today and Baker shows off some impressive positives to support that here. Samara looks absolutely gruesome and she is genuinely terrifying even to this day. The scene above comes from one of the film's final moments and it is the highlight of the whole picture. You have to see it to believe it, it's still great even in 2017.

Where some may find fault in 'The Ring' is that it may come off as slow for some, especially when looking at modern horror in which quick "MTV" style editing has dominated the industry, but I implore you if this is your first or even your first in a long time, keep with 'The Ring' until its conclusion and I promise you that you'll love it. Also, while I stated that a lot of the horror holds up to this day, it's impossible to ignore that pop culture has unfortunately taken away some of the power of 'The Ring' as time goes on, with many scenes being spoofed ad nauseum and it may turn off many who will just see it as just another J-Horror remake.

Overall though, I was happily surprised how much I still like 'The Ring'. Sure, the original will always be the superior film in my book but this film comes pretty damn close and seeing Gore Verbinski at his very best is well worth a watch.