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Reviews
The Grudge (2019)
Has anyone here actually watched the original Japanese films?
I'm someone who is just as tired of garbage horror movie remakes as everyone else, but the Ju-On series (the Japanese films, not the American ones) is one of my favorites, so I went to see it so that I could say that I sat through it and write an angry review later about how bad it was.
It wasn't as bad as everyone says.
The main issue that I see with reviews here is the comparison with the 2004 American remake. This film actually calls back more to the original direct-to-video "Ju-On: The Curse" and "Ju-On: The Grudge" than anything else, and people seem to have a lot of the same complaints with those as they do here.
-Confusing, non-linear story? Check.
-Slow, sometimes outright boring pace? Yep.
-Schlock factor? In spades.
-Grim, negative ending? Oh yeah.
-Unbeatable antagonist? She's here too.
But the thing is, these are hallmarks of the original movies. The first Ju-On film was made in 2000 on a half-shoestring budget and a camera that was outdated even for its time. Takashi Shimizu wrote it to be an answer to "Ringu," but with elements that scared HIM specifically. It certainly isn't everyone's cup of tea, but those who enjoy it completely unironically understand this film (the one that this review is actually about). It calls back, sometimes recreating shots, from both "The Curse" and "The Grudge," but manages to be its own film at the same time. It has a good concept: "What would happen if someone brought the Ju-On curse back to America?" And it, in my opinion, it nails this concept perfectly, bringing us characters who are completely clueless as to the nature of the evil that they're fighting against and often rendered completely helpless by their ignorance. As if anyone was ever able to effectively fight back in the first place.
There are a lot of references to the origins of the Ju-On story, such as repeated usage of the number four. Four, in Japanese, sounds just like the word for "death" and is, as such, considered unlucky. One of the first times that the Ju-On spirit as we know her ever appeared was in a short film called 444-444-4444. In the 2020 film, 44 is the main protagonist's street address, people wake up at 4:44 in the morning, ect. And this trope is also inverted, using 999 as the police department's street address, a subtle nod to westerners' aversion to the number 666.
A lot of the events in this film mirror the events in both "The Curse" and "The Grudge," which I thought was pretty cool to see in a modern, higher-budget setting. The scene with the Ju-On spirit hovering over the elderly lady, the character with their jaw ripped off, the infamous bed scene, and of course the murders that cement The Grudge House as the central hub for the curse in the film's location are all there, though slightly tweaked to give it the feel of both history repeating itself and a new set of circumstances playing out. I also thought that making the mother the original murderer this time was a nice touch, as you don't really see a lot of women brutally murder their children in media.
I feel, though it is very predictable in some ways and sometimes comes across as almost silly, this film had a lot of affection and respect for its roots. The people who worked on it obviously loved the cheap, v-cinema drivel that was the original film. It manages, throughout everything, to have that unsettling atmosphere and the impressive camerawork that the original had, and the soundtrack was perfect. The end credits play in silence, the sound of the protagonist's final screams allowed to echo in you mind for a good minute before any music plays, and when it does show up, the song performed by Dead Sara is a wonderful thrill of noise.
This film feels like a love letter to its predecessor in the same way Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" serenaded Satoshi Kon's "Perfect Blue." It's good fun inspired by classic fear, in a way that only the biggest nerds of the genre will truly understand. This is a film that's going to pass through theaters quietly and with horrible reviews, but will be treasured by the hardcore fans for years to come.
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Disgusting, but special.
Cannibal Holocost is a special film. It pulls no punches and spares no feelings. It's positively disgusting, but written well enough that it still has a cohesive, compelling story between the grossout moments, which is something far too many "extreme" films lack. The characters are well-acted and compelling, and though you know that the film crew will ultimately meet their demise, you find yourself feeling a warped sense of justice seeing it unfold in all its grisly glory.
This is the only movie that has managed to make my stomach churn. I could talk about the animal cruelty, as so many have, but I feel that since the animals were all later eaten (or so I've heard), it's just a fact of life that we first-world movie-goers aren't used to seeing portrayed in such graphic, visceral fashion. The soundtrack only helped it along, heightening the anxiety that came along with these scenes and helping to truly cement the film into the back of your mind forever.
In the end, the message is very clear, and one that I think most of us can stand by: Humans are buttholes. Especially first-world humans.
The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)
Horror for Historians (in a good way)
This is not a horror movie by modern standards. There's no gore, jumpscares, or set formula of cast or events. It is, however, a work of art well-cared for by its creators. The setting, costumes, acting, writing, and directing make for a film firmly set in our very real history, with people's very real fears and anxieties manifest beautifully in a tense, dark atmosphere.
This film hit me a certain way that others may or may not experience. I'm an avid amature historian, with an upbringing with both devout Christianity and a mentally unstable (sometimes abusive) parent, so relating to the characters' plights, especially Thomasin's, came easily. The characters were well written and shaped, and all of them seemed to have an important place in the story. Except maybe Jonas. He didn't have much screentime or development, but whatever.
The writing is excellent, with perfect period dialogue and well-paced scenes, though the overall story did seem a little rushed, and the last scene was just a bit too out there to mesh well with the rest of the film. The costumes were perfect, and the monochrome motif of the film didn't feel forced or exaggerated. None of the film did, really. It just flowed it's own way, not worrying about being too action-heavy or scary. Certain scenes were disturbing, but didn't overstay their welcome, and things weren't spelled out for you at any point. It makes you think, it makes you wonder why, how, and what.
There's not a lot wrong with this film, except for it's misbranding as a horror movie. Yes, technically it is horror, but it's a calm type of horror that you often don't see anymore. I think that is what really threw people off and gave it a bad start with its audience. This kind of film isn't for everyone, but it certainly is a gem to the crowd that can appreciate the dedication that went into it.
Green Room (2015)
What did I just watch?
I came into this movie with high hopes. I love Patrick Stewart, and hearing his wife call this 'the scariest role he's ever played' was very intriguing. I had heard about the gore, and the intense atmosphere, and I even managed to go into the movie without seeing any trailers or reading any spoilers. I was pretty hype for a movie that could keep me up at night and make me see Stewart in a whole new light.
That is certainly not what I got.
It started a little slow, but that's to be expected with a lot of thriller/horror pieces so I gave it a break at the beginning. Things picked up a little once everyone was trapped in the green room, and I was still on edge for the moment when crap would hit the fan. The gore was as impressive and subtle as promised, the setup was nice and smooth, and the acting was actually pretty good too. Still had some high hopes at this point.
Patrick Stewart shows up. I'm ready to be intimidated and menaced. He comes in to sleaze his way into disarming the protagonists and dips. Good start. Still waiting for some real action, but we're getting there. At one point I paused the film to grab a drink, still anticipating a breaking point or moment of clarity for some character or another, and lo and behold, I'm halfway through the movie already!
I know what this means, and the disappointment sets in quick, but I manage to sit through the next half of the film. Literally nothing happens. Patrick Stewart has almost no presence, and to be honest neither does anyone else. We don't learn anything that would endear us to the characters or make us identify with them, so it's not much of a big deal when they die. Or when they win. The ending so anti-climactic that I actually rolled my eyes when the credits finally ran.
There are some good things about this film. The premise is good, the acting is believable, and the effects are fantastic. The way they presented and used the gore in this film is almost tasteful in a way; graphic, but not super gratuitous. Also the dog. The dog is really the best thing about this movie, and *SPOILER* I'm glad he lived at least to the end, though he is more than likely to die later.
After all the hype and positivity around this, I really wonder if I watched the wrong movie. I don't see any of the suspense, intensity, or masterful direction that so many other reviews rave about. Maybe I'm just not the audience this movie was made for? As a horror fanatic and lowkey gorehound, I wouldn't think that was the case. Maybe I need another watch to "get" it? Possibly, but I really don't see myself rewatching this one ever again. Oh, well. ¯\_(-.-)_/¯