Tag: Horror
“Carrie” (2013) Remake Brings New Blood to Familiar Story
In the remake of the original Brian De Palma film, and based off of the novel by Stephen King, Carrie tells the story of young Carrie White (Chloe Grace Moretz) who goes through life being tormented by classmates and teachers. The only person she feels close to is her religion-obsessed mother Margaret (Julianne Moore). After a cruel joke, one of the popular girls, Sue Snell (Gabriella Wilde) decides to provide an act of kindness to Carrie by allowing her boyfriend to ask her to prom. But along the way, Carrie starts to develop telekinetic abilities that could bring disastrous results if she’s pushed too far.
I believe that to compare this remake with the original and say which is better would be completely wrong and impossible. Both films have very strong aspects of their own that make them both able to stand on their own. But to discuss this version as a remake itself, I would definitely have to say it was VERY well-done. The film really gets into the emotional side of the story, we really get to know Carrie and get a sense of her loneliness. This in part is due to an excellent performance by Chloe Grace Moretz in what I really think is her best performance to date. She portrays the emotions of Carrie with such ease that you really feel for the character and think of her as a real person. But when it switches gears and her evil side appears, Moretz provides a very chilling performance. We are also given Julianne Moore as Carrie’s mother. From the start of the film and until the very end, Moore shows just how unhinged Margaret White is, and she does it perfectly. Her performances leaves the viewer really unsettled with her dead and haunting performance. As for the effects, unfortunately this remake is filled with a lot of CGI. Does it completely ruin the film? No. But it does take away a lot of the effect. The prom scene for example, while much more violent (which I was pleased about), the CGI was really noticeable. But despite this, some of the effects combined with amazing camera shots is very well-done. One example being when two characters are involved in a car crash, the impacts in the crash were very cool (and slightly disturbing) to watch.
So overall, Carrie is a very well-done and perfectly modernized remake that lets us get in touch emotionally with our lead, plenty of bloody moments, and most of all, amazing performances by Moretz and Moore.
–Cody Landman
Slasher Studios Podcast: Horror Movie Challenge (Part II)
In October, Slasher Studios will be featuring a horror movie each day. Play along at the Slasher Studios Horror Film Club.
This week:
Day 4: A great horror doctor
Day 5: Favorite horror director
Day 6: Your fav movie by your fav director
Day 7: A great hero
Day 8: Best comedy-horror
Day 9: A boring horror
Day 10: Favorite classic horror
Listen in live or check out an archive: Slasher Studios Podcast: Horror Movie Challenge (Part II)
Horror Movie Challenge: Day 5: Favorite Horror Director (Wes Craven)
I’m a few days behind because I’ve been at Oshkosh Horror with Don’t Go to the Reunion but I’m back with full force. My favorite horror movie director is, and will always be, Wes Craven. Watching A Nightmare on Elm Street at a young age, it became the first horror movie that I truly loved. The Scream films were a huge part of my teenage years, and, as an adult, I’ve learned to appreciate and understand his raw 70’s films like The Hills Have Eyes and Last House on the Left. In his 70’s, he’s still making horror movies and he is just as much my hero as ever.
More Chuck For the Buck: “Curse of Chucky” Review
What follows is a brief, spoiler free review. If you love Chucky as much as I think you might, don’t like ANYONE give away the twists in the final act.
If ever there was a fan boy horror movie on Chucky, “Curse of Chucky” would be it. With references to all of the previous entries in the franchise, this film is a delight from beginning to end. As “Curse of Chucky” begins, we meet the lonely Nica (played by Fiona Dourif in a wonderfully understated performance) as she is living with her mom in house in the middle of nowhere. Her mother wants to keep her sheltered from the rest of the world as Nica is confined to a wheelchair. One day, the two receive an anonymous package in the mail with a doll inside. The doll is Chucky and he is ready to play. When an unfortunate “accident” causes her mother’s death, Nica’s greedy relatives are back to claim the house and sell it to make a few extra bucks.
After the rest of Nica’s family arrives including her bitchy older sister Barb (nicely played by Danielle Bisutti) with her daughter Alice (Summer H. Howell), it is up to the family to survive the night to keep from becoming Chucky’s latest victims. And victims many do become with a bloodbath that results in a few grisly deaths that had me smiling.
Though the film starts with a slow buildup in the first act that results in two off screen deaths (don’t worry, like I said, the film does get bloody), the film nicely comes together in its second act to become one of the best made for video horror movies of recent years. To go on and tell you what REALLY works about this film would be to give away way too many of the devilish surprises. Let’s just say that fans will cheer in delight as the film hits its final act as there are in jokes, references, and homages to just about anything and everything Chucky has done in the past. The backstory might not be fulfilling to some and there might be some leaps in logic, but this is the rare horror sequel that actually appears to be trying to add something new while being faithful to what came before it. If you are a Chucky fan, you owe it to yourself to check this one out. Also, make sure to stay after the end credits for one treat of a scene that will leave audiences howling. Thanks for returning Chucky, you were missed. Now, let’s see some more Chuck!
Slasher Studios Visits “Crystal Lake Memories”
Attention Jason fans! On this weeks show, Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz will be reviewing the 7 hour horror documentary Crystal Lake Memories, all about the Friday the 13th series. Airing at 2:30am, we are watching all 7 hours tonight before the show. Click on the link below so listen in live if you are still up or check out an archive of the show later.
Slasher Studios Podcast: Horrorhound Weekend 2013
On this week’s episode of Slasher Studios, our hosts Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz will be discussing their experiences at Horrorhound Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana with Don’t Go to the Reunion. If you were part of the Horrorhound Weekend experience, make sure to call in with all your gory stories. Thursday night, September 12th at 10PM central.
To listen live or to check out an archive:
Slasher Studios Podcast: Horrorhound Weekend