The Conjuring 2

Tags

2010's, Frances O’Connor, Franka Potente, Horror, James Wan, Madison Wolfe, Patrick Wilson, Simon McBurney, Supernatural Horror, The Conjuring 2, Vera Farmiga

A successful spine chilling sequel to the first hit film, The Conjuring 2 continues with genuine scares, atmospheric events, inspired by the investigations of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. This time it’s the Enfield Haunting that is explored and it delivers on both the scare front and having a depth that can often be missing in horror movies.

It’s 1977 and in a council house in Enfield, London, the Hodgson family lives hand to mouth. There is harried single mother Peggy(Frances O’Connor) , who tries to do her best and her four children. When not contending with poverty or ridicule at the hands of either school kids or others, something strange begins for them. Following Janet( Madison Wolfe) playing with a makeshift ouija board, seemingly supernatural things begin to happen. She begins sleepwalking and communicating with something angry that claims to be a former occupant of the house. This is followed by objects being thrown about the house and terrorising the family in an abundance of ways. Terrified, the family flees to their neighbours and away from were the haunting originates. Meanwhile, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren( Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) are taking a break from their jobs, following their encounters in The Amityville house a year before. Lorraine was put through the mill when conducting a seance and terrorised by a demonic nun figure who predicted the death of Ed. Still reeling, Lorraine has taken time away to spend it with her husband and young daughter. Yet it’s not long before news of unexplainable events in Enfield reach across the pond thanks to a media circus in England. The Warrens being experts in the field of the supernatural and haunting are asked to assist in investigating the unusual phenomena. After her experience a year prior, Lorraine is very reluctant to get involved in another case. Eventually, she and Ed travel to Enfield to act as observers and possibly help. Though they said they’d just observe, it becomes clear that Ed and Lorraine will have to really take on this force of evil as it gets more menacing. Upon entrance into the residence, Lorraine senses something deep and dark. The second oldest child Janet,seems to be the one most affected by the supernatural occurrences out of the family, leading to Ed and Lorraine investigating why the entity is using her as a conduit. The Warrens realise that they are up against an immensely evil being that seems to take pleasure in torment and may in fact be something relating directly to both of them. It’s up to Ed and Lorraine to fight this malevolent spirit that threatens to terrorise all in its path with no end.

Horror maestro James Wan is directing once more and his imaginative flourishes and ability to really generate fear in an audience is in huge supply once more. Wan is gifted in how he blends real feeling for characters and putting them through all manner of terror. An attention to characters and suspense building is what I really dig about this movie. Among all the scares, there is depth to be gleaned and relatable moments, especially pertaining to Ed and Lorraine. They are a fantastic couple whose open minds and devotion to each other is really amazing to watch as they compliment each other so well. The Conjuring 2 ups the stakes by making the main form of terror feel more personal towards the Warrens. There is the dual threat of a figure that takes the form of a nun that predicts bad things and the seemingly evil spirit of an old man who once lived in the Hodgson house. Both are the stuff of nightmares and really get under the skin whenever they appear. The nun especially has one very goosebump inducing scene in which she toys with Lorraine and it’s a doozy of a moment as it gradually begins to really unnerve the dedicated medium. Plus some sequences really stand out, in particular Janet sick at home and experiencing the full force of the ghost and Ed conferring with a possessed Janet in a one shot that obscures her. This visual trick is a nifty one as even though our view is blurred, you can see little differences as the demonic possession carries on and begins taunting Ed with inhuman glee. It doesn’t show us everything, but knows the trick of showing us enough to keep you on edge. It’s old school horror style at its finest. And speaking of style, the cinematography of moody blues and unusual camerawork really help us feel unsettled yet fascinated as we join this investigation. The colour scheme really highlights the period and setting, with the Warren’s providing the light that is unwavering through the darkness of their discoveries. And people may being skeptical about how true these events are, which is interestingly portrayed here as if it knows they’ll be naysayers. Amusingly, there are areas of the film that actually examine this in the form of investigator Maurice Grosse( Simon McBurney) and skeptic Anita Gregory( Franka Potente) but regardless of your belief or disbelief in the supernatural , you can’t deny that it isn’t one eerie and chilling film. The main flaw with The Conjuring 2 is that it does feel a bit overlong. Mind you, with that being the only real niggle with the film, I can’t find much fault with anything else on display. The score is appropriately nerve shredding in the best way there is, with low sounds and sudden jolts the order of the day. Plus, you get great periods of silence that truly maximise the tension and force you to keep your ears peeled for anything changing. 

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga head proceedings with commendable and believable performances. Wilson is dependable, amiable yet equally as adept in bringing home the serious nature of the job, while Farmiga is graceful, quietly forceful and tenderly beautiful as the gifted Lorraine. The chemistry is a big highlight and what makes us truly care for these people who are clearly devoted to each other and stalwart in their belief to do the right thing. Frances O’Connor is subtly devastating as the vulnerable single mother going through hell with her children; she truly comes alive with fear and terror as events spiral against her thanks to the great acting from O’Connor. Madison Wolfe really gives it her all as the besieged Janet and it’s amazing to watch such a young performer really hold the attention with a performance. She manages to be both very sympathetic and very alarming depending on whether she’s herself or possessed. Whichever side she’s portraying , Wolfe truly delivers fine work that is very memorable. Simon McBurney and Franka Potente, although assigned more supporting roles, at least get great moments as people on opposite ends of the believer spectrum.

Mixing creepy horror and human drama, The Conjuring 2 is an excellent sequel that features fine acting, eerie scares and a classy sense of horror that doesn’t go for hack and slash( instead opting for psychological terror). You won’t be having sweet dreams following this chiller.

The Conjuring

Tags

2010's, Based on a true story, Horror, James Wan, Lili Taylor, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Supernatural Horror, The Conjuring, Vera Farmiga

Film Title

The Conjuring

Director

James Wan

• Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren
• Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren
• Lili Taylor as Carolyn Perron
• Ron Livingston as Roger Perron

Inspired by the case of Ed and Lorraine Warren; paranormal investigators who came to the aid of  the Perron family, who were experiencing disturbing events in their home, The Conjuring is a spooky exercise in genuine terror in the old-school vein. You won’t be sitting or sleeping soundly once you’ve seen this movie.

In 1971, Carolyn and Roger Perron move into an old farmhouse in Rhode Island with their five daughters. Yet within days of arrival, unexplainable phenomena beyond any explanation occur. All of the clocks in the house stop at the exact same time, Carolyn is trapped in the basement after hearing noises, she also develops strange bruises with no apparent cause, and one of the girls claims that a force is disturbing her sleep before threatening the family with a warning of death. Terrified, Carolyn and Roger seek out the help of Ed and Lorraine Warren. The couple are paranormal investigators with Ed having studied demonology and Lorraine being a powerful clairvoyant. Ed and Lorraine come to the house and set apart unearthing what the cause of this haunting and evil presence may be. Sure enough, more creepy events ensue for everyone and the evil within the walls refuses to leave. Ed with his knowledge of such things is worried though about Lorraine as while she is a clairvoyant whose senses are immensely powerful, each time she encounters something paranormal and supernatural, it weakens her little by little. Lorraine meanwhile is not the type to just sit around and with steadfast curiosity, she refuses to give up even at the expense of her own well-being. Ed and Lorraine have found some strange things in the past, but this could be the one to top them all. With determination they venture deeper into the history of the old farmhouse in an attempt to bring whatever resides there out. Yet coming up against the shocking evil that is located in the Perron home proves to be the Warren’s hardest and most personal case, that pushes them way beyond anything they have encountered before.

James Wan successful direction takes its cues from the horror movies of old that were all about the terror of the unexplainable and the unexpected. He is excellent at steadily layering on the horror and suspense with admirable restraint, before unleashing full-on terror when you least expect it. Believe me when I say, the last half of The Conjuring is frightening and so very intense that you won’t have any nails left by the end. Wan is adept at the old phrase that what you don’t see or think you see is a lot more scary than just revealing itself to you. The events depicted are inspired by the findings of Ed and Lorraine, but whether or not you believe the true story angle of The Conjuring is beside the point. The ensuing occurrences of creepiness and spiritual horror are presented without a CGI fanfare that weakens other films of the genre. This approach to the display of events that befall everyone makes the discoveries all the more realistic and even tangible. While the story has one foot in fact, the possibility of the supernatural is also there. This offers a good insight into how the two could overlap with the other, most embodied by the Warren’s themselves who are Catholic yet still believe in the paranormal. There is nary a drop of blood to be found in The Conjuring, which is admirable as it knows the meaning of restraint and how eeriness can be much more effective for scares. I wouldn’t say there is anything shiny or brand new to be found in The Conjuring, yet refreshingly this does not detract from the haunting ambience that the whole piece emits from beginning to end. If I had to choose an area in this film that I was probably most impressed by, it would be the overall visual style and sound effects in The Conjuring, as they neatly balance with the rest of the unnerving movie. The faded visual style gives a worn out feel to the house and events and while being effectively used for ambience, it also constructs a convincing recreation of the 70’s setting to a very high standard. The uneasy score, mixed with the jolts of things that go bump in the night, make sure this film is as haunting as anything in recent horror memory.

Vera Farmiga is the heart of The Conjuring as the sensitive clairvoyant Lorraine Warren. A softly spoken character whose abilities are extraordinary, Farmiga exhibits a resilience of strength but an underlying vulnerability in the part that is extremely well-acted. She registers concern and hopefulness without a drop of sentimentality with relative ease that all adds up to a strong performance of resolute emotion and significant clout. Backing her up is the sagacious presence of Patrick Wilson as her notable husband Ed. He gives off a well-worn charm and quiet depth in the most subtle of ways that perfectly compliments the work of Farmiga. And I must say, that the two share a very good chemistry and working relationship with the other that is very much in evidence throughout The Conjuring. Lili Taylor is extremely convincing as the terrified mother, who is the worst affected by the haunting of her house and whose emotional frailties become more noticeable as the film progresses. Ron Livingston provides understatement and stifled horror as the husband of the haunted property, who is trying to hold it together to protect his family from whatever it is that wishes them malice and harm.

Marvelously rendered with style and suspense, The Conjuring is a refreshingly old-fashioned horror that jangles the nerves from start to finish and never resorts to cheap tricks to get the scares.

Bone Tomahawk

Tags

2010's, Bone Tomahawk, David Arquette, Horror, Kurt Russell, Lili Simmons, Matthew Fox, Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins, S. Craig Zahler, Western

Film Title

Bone Tomahawk

Director

S. Craig Zahler

Starring

• Kurt Russell as Sheriff Franklin Hunt
• Richard Jenkins as Chicory
• Matthew Fox as John Brooder
• Patrick Wilson as Arthur O’Dwyer
• Lili Simmons as Samantha O’Dwyer
• David Arquette as Purvis

A grisly, well-paced and unexpectedly successful blend of horror and western, Bone Tomahawk is an impressive directorial debut from S. Craig Zahler that will leave a mark on viewers in search for something a little off kilter.

It’s the Old West and into the town of Bright Hope stumbles a thieving drifter sporting the name Buddy, but hiding his real name of Purvis. He lost his other comrade in pick pocketing when they trespassed on to unfamiliar territory and he met a brutal end. Caught acting suspiciously by the deputy Sheriff Chicory, Purvis is confronted by Sheriff Franklin Hunt about his behaviour and intentions. The conversation ends with Hunt putting a bullet in Purvis’ leg and hauling him into jail. As his gunshot wound gets worse and with the local doctor drunk, Hunt calls upon the doctor’s assistant Samantha, who is also the wife of injured foreman Arthur O’Dwyer, to help with the wound. She is kept company by Deputy Nick for the night. Yet when it comes to the morning, there is no sign of Samantha, Deputy Nick or Purvis to be found. And when the body of a young stable boy is found brutally butchered and an arrow is found in the jail cell, Hunt calls in a Native American man to help them with their search and what they could be up against. It transpires that in the caves that lie five days journey away, there lives a tribe of cannibals who kill all who enter. Realizing that they are the ones who kidnapped Samantha and the others, authoritative Hunt rounds up men to aid him on a mission to rescue her before it’s too late. Journeying with him is loyal Chicory, mercenary gunslinger John Brooder and Samantha’s crippled husband Arthur. The unlikely quartet travel on an arduous journey that is cruel and unforgiving. As supplies begin to dwindle, Arthur’s injury worsens and they start to get ever closer to the caves, none of the men are prepared for the savagery that will await them.

S. Craig Zahler crafts one hell of a debut with this ballsy horror-western that successfully builds tension as the journey of the quartet gets darker and darker. Considering this is his debut, Zahler shows a striking amount of confidence in his direction that shows that this guy could have a very bright future ahead of him if he churns out movies like this one. While it is a horror movie, the gore and violence are not overused a lot. This in turn ensures that when carnage does rear its head, we are left shocked because it comes out of nowhere and really knows how to pack a punch with grisly intent. There is one particular scene that will test even the least squeamish people due to its brutality and shock. Yet the horror doesn’t overtake everything, and the western side of the movie forms a lot of it. Zahler, who also wrote the script, blends dark, wry humour throughout Bone Tomahawk, adding another layer of unpredictability and eccentricity to the brew. The score of the film is sparse, which brings more attention to the journey through arid landscapes and harsh terrain. Yet when the score is used, the menace reverberates from the screen.

The main quartet of actors in Bone Tomahawk are perfectly cast and fill their roles with style and full-blooded presence. Heading the proceedings is Kurt Russell, who cuts a weathered, gruff and authoritative figure as Sheriff Hunt, the natural-born leader of the posse on the rescue mission. This is a man who cares about the people of his town and rather than being happy to go attack anything that comes his way, he is more pragmatic and takes head of the situation first. Really stealing the show is Richard Jenkins, with his blend of experience and sense of humour. Portraying the second in command, Jenkins excels at showing how Chicory tries to boost morale, even in the face of danger but is no fool in the slightest. Matthew Fox is mightily impressive as the well-dressed John Brooder, whose penchant is boasting about how many Indians he has killed. Essaying the role with a coldness and swaggering peacock walk, Fox really owns it. As the injured but not broken Arthur, whose determination to continue is in the hope of reclaiming his wife, Patrick Wilson crafts a character of substance. Not letting injury get in his way, Arthur pushes his body through the pain barrier with only faith to guide him on the harsh journey. Wilson does a tremendous job at showing his plight to save his wife and how he will never give up, even if it kills him in the process. In the brief but pivotal roles of the kidnapped Samantha and mysterious drifter, Lili Simmons and David Arquette are excellently cast.

A triumph of genre melding that brims with engaging characters, just the right amount of blood and cynical dashes of humour, Bone Tomahawk takes its place as an unusual but highly effective film that is hard to forget due to its journey into the Old West with a few sharp twists along the dark way it treads.

Insidious

Tags

2010's, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey, Horror, Insidious, James Wan, Leigh Whannell, Lin Shaye, Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Supernatural Horror, Ty Simpkins

Film Title

Insidious

Director

James Wan

Starring

• Patrick Wilson as Josh Lambert
• Rose Byrne as Renai Lambert
• Lin Shaye as Elise Rainier
• Barbara Hershey as Lorraine Lambert
• Ty Simpkins as Dalton Lambert
• Leigh Whannell as Specs
• Angus Sampson as Tucker

A creepy, unsettling horror movie with supernatural overtones, Insidious is nightmare inducing stuff that will have you sleeping with the light on for a long time after viewing it.

School teacher Josh Lambert and his songwriting wife Renai have recently moved into a new house with their three children; Dalton, Foster and baby Cali. Everything is going well for the family until one event sets in motion something very terrifying. Young Dalton falls while exploring the attic and is rendered comatose, with the doctors saying he might never come out of it. Devastated by this, Josh and Renai try to make their way through this unimaginable situation the best they can. But strange events soon take hold that can’t be explained; Renai hears strange whispers on the baby monitor but finds no one there, Foster recalls seeing his comatose brother walking around at night and many more creepy events soon occur. Terrified, the young couple moves house in an attempt for a fresh start. But it appears that whatever is causing these events has followed them or more specifically Dalton. It is here that Josh’s mother Lorraine begins to tell of similar events happening to her and that she knows someone who may be able to help. Enlisting the help of paranormal investigator Elise, and her team, the Lambert’s soon learn that something very sinister is afoot involving Dalton that links to the realm of supernatural and an unusual gift that the young child possesses. Having to overcome their fears, the Lambert’s attempt to get their son back from wherever he is before it is too late.

James Wan directs with a real flair for the material here, crafting uneasy tension, jolts of terror and slow-building menace. Rather than just hit us from the very beginning, he slowly but surely litters the proceedings with strange events, while also giving something of a heart to the story as we witness the parental concern and nightmare of Renai and Josh.I did feel that somewhere in the second half of Insidious, it ran a little out of steam with some of the supernatural stuff. But it still kept me riveted as well as terrified, as it had built up very nicely and had done a number of unexpected things. One such thing is the fact that Insidious could easily having been just another haunted house movie, but instead the family moves house and the evil follows. This little detail helped me appreciate the film for not falling prey to that genre trapping. The visual palette is one of muddy mauve, faded yellow and melancholy grey, that gives Insidious that feeling of dread and the blurring of what we know and what we are scared to know. There are genuine rings of emotion in Insidious, predominately from the reactions of the parents while trying to figure out how to save their son from terror. Thankfully this drama is balanced with the scare factor and the two mingle very well together, instead of overwhelming one another. A score of unusual sounds and sudden jolts of terror is effectively used throughout Insidious and males it very chilling and nail-biting.

Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne are immensely convincing as the devastated parents attempting to save their son from the harm of the supernatural and unknown. The two work very well together as we see their differing attitudes of what to do, but them being united in their battle to free Dalton. Lin Shaye is delightfully eccentric but full of warmth and knowledge as the medium Elise, who is brought in when every other avenue seems closed. Barbara Hershey is very good in her supporting role of Josh’s mother who knows a little bit about some of the supernatural events happening. In the pivotal role of the comatose Dalton, Ty Simpkins is exactly right in conveying the terror and providing some chills when supernatural events take hold. Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson add some comic relief as paranormal investigators under the command of Elise and armed with an arsenal of unusual gadgets.

Bone-chilling, unsettling and filled with terror, Insidious is horror filled with creepiness and startling images.