Movie Spotlight: Winchester

Winchester is a 2018 movie starring Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke, Sarah Snook, and Finn Scicluna-O'Prey. Sarah Winchester (Helen Mirren), widow of firearm magnate William Wirt Winchester, has spent two decades building a seven-story mansion in San Jose, California, when the Winchester Repeating Arms Company hires Dr. Eric Price (Jason Clarke) to assess her mental state. This mansion, eventually known as the Winchester Mystery House, contains more than one hundred rooms, as well as doors and staircases that lead nowhere, and Sarah is building it to appease the ghosts of people killed by Winchester rifles. Sarah's niece (Sarah Snook) and great-nephew (Finn Scicluna-O'Prey) are staying at the house, and when a vengeful spirit possesses the young boy, it's up to Sarah and Eric to save him.

Winchester is the perfect movie to watch in the dark, so that's how I watched it, and it really added to the spooky atmosphere of the film. The Winchester Mystery House is said to be the most haunted house in the world, and the gorgeous sets used in the movie really made me want to go check out the real thing. Sarah Winchester was a fascinating person, and Helen Mirren did an incredible job of playing a brilliant woman who's mourning the deaths of her husband and daughter while dealing with guilt over the bloodshed caused by Winchester rifles. Winchester is an entertaining movie full of terrific performances and creepy (yet realistic) ghosts, and now is a great time to watch it since Halloween is coming up. 😊👻

My rating: 7.5/10



If you'd like to find out more about the Winchester Mystery House, check out the episode my favorite podcast did about it:

Hollyweird Paranormal: The Winchester Mystery House/Sarah Winchester

Movie Spotlight: A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place is a 2018 movie starring John Krasinski (who also directed the movie and co-wrote the screenplay), Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, and Cade Woodward. After most of the world's population has been decimated by creatures that hunt by sound, a family must live in silence in order to stay safe. As if this doesn't sound difficult enough, things are complicated by the fact that Evelyn (Emily Blunt) is due to give birth soon, and going through labor in silence (and keeping a newborn baby quiet) is going to be a quite a challenge.

I think we can all agree that John Krasinski is awesome, and he really outdid himself with A Quiet Place. This movie grabbed me from the very beginning and never let go. The silence makes the tension stronger, and I was so tense while I was watching it that by the time the movie was over, I felt like I had been through some shit (which is probably a pretty good indication that I wouldn't survive this type of situation in real life). I immediately followed the movie with six episodes of The Office so I could get my heartbeat back to normal before bedtime. 😉 A Quiet Place asks the question, "How can you protect your family in a world where a single noise can lead to death?" It's a great concept for a movie, and it really makes you think about what you would do if you had to live in a world of silence (and terrifying creatures who want to kill you). All the actors in A Quiet Place give incredible performances, Emily Blunt is a total badass, and this movie deserves all the awards. I loved A Quiet Place, and it'll probably take me a few days to recover from it...and I'm so glad I finally got to experience this spectacular movie.

My rating: 9/10

Movie Spotlight: Before I Wake

Before I Wake is a 2016 movie starring Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Jacob Tremblay, Annabeth Gish, and Dash Mihok. Jessie (Kate Bosworth) and Mark (Thomas Jane) adopt Cody (Jacob Tremblay), an orphaned 8-year-old boy and soon discover that his dreams actually happen in reality while he sleeps. Sometimes Cody dreams about butterflies or Jessie and Mark's deceased son, but when he has nightmares, a horrifying creature known as the Canker Man terrorizes everyone around him.

I saw the trailer for Before I Wake a few years ago and thought it looked like something I would enjoy, so I was happy to see that Netflix had the movie. Before I Wake has a good story, impressive visual effects, and great performances from everyone (especially Bosworth and Tremblay). The ending was surprising and emotional, and I liked the explanation for why Cody kept dreaming about the Canker Man...and if you make it through that scene without getting a little teary-eyed, you might be dead inside. ; )

My rating: 7.5/10

Before I Wake on Netflix

Movie Spotlight: Sasq-Watch

Sasq-Watch is a 2017 movie starring Paul Brittain, Adam Herschman, Christine Bentley, Tim Meadows, and Neil Flynn. Brothers Nigel (Paul Brittain) and Oscar (Adam Herschman) are determined to prove that Sasquatch exists and have just gotten funding for an expedition. When their tour guide drops out, they must find help elsewhere in order to find evidence of Bigfoot's existence before their rival (Tim Meadows) and win a $500,000 prize from the Damien Hogel Foundation.

I came across Sasq-Watch at the library a few days ago and decided to check it out because I'm a fan of Tim Meadows and Neil Flynn. I haven't see many Bigfoot movies, but I enjoyed this one, so I'm glad I watched it. The movie was entertaining and made me laugh, and all the performances were great. If you like movies about Bigfoot or mockumentaries, check out Sasq-Watch! : )

My rating: 7.5/10

Movie Spotlight: IT

IT is a 2017 movie starring Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Nicholas Hamilton. It's based on the 1986 Stephen King novel, which was adapted into a miniseries in 1990 (you can find my review here: Horror Movie Month: Stephen King's It). Derry, Maine, has been haunted for centuries by a supernatural entity known as Pennywise the dancing clown (Bill Skarsgard), and seven kids decide it's up to them to stop IT. This monster can take the form of their worst nightmares, so the members of The Losers Club are in for the fight of their lives.

I usually try to avoid clowns, but I love Stephen King, so I make an exception for his clowns. From the opening scene, in which Pennywise bites off Georgie Denborough's arm (dick move, Pennywise), it's clear that this clown is a force to be reckoned with. I liked the 1990 miniseries, but this version is much creepier and Skarsgard's Pennywise is scary as hell. The performances were incredible, as was everything else about this amazing movie. I had high hopes for this movie, and I wasn't disappointed. I can't wait to see Chapter 2 even though now I hate clowns even more than I did before. ; )


My rating: 9/10

Movie Spotlight: Cult of Chucky

Cult of Chucky is a 2017 movie starring Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Alex Vincent, and Jennifer Tilly. It's the seventh movie starring everyone's favorite killer doll, and it takes place four years after Curse of Chucky. Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif) has been in a mental institution ever since Chucky (the voice of Brad Dourif) framed her for the murders of five people (including her mother and sister). She believes that she may have committed these murders, but when people start dying after she comes into possession of a Good Guy doll that belonged to her niece, Nica isn't so sure anymore. Chucky's old friend/current nemesis Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) comes to the rescue, but does he have what it takes to defeat Chucky and his deranged girlfriend Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly)?

I enjoyed Cult of Chucky more than some of the other movies in the Child's Play franchise, and it gets bonus points for the creative death scenes (who doesn't love a good decapitation?) and multiple Chuckys. Brad and Fiona Dourif play off of each other very well, and there's just something heartwarming about a father voicing the murderous doll who's terrorizing his daughter. ; ) If you're a fan of the Child's Play series or just like fun, entertaining horror movies, check out Cult of Chucky!

My rating: 7.5/10

Movie Spotlight: Case 39

Case 39 is a 2010 movie starring Renee Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane, Bradley Cooper, Callum Keith Rennie, and Kerry O'Malley. Social worker Emily Jenkins (Renee Zellweger) saves Lilith Sullivan (Jodelle Ferland) when her parents try to kill her, and she gets permission to temporarily take the child in (which, of course, is a bad idea since this is a horror movie). She soon discovers that Lily is not what she seems...she's something far more sinister.

I really enjoyed Case 39...it was entertaining and creepy, just the way I like my horror movies. All of the performances were great, and Jodelle Ferland did an impressive job of playing sweet, scared, manipulative, and evil. Also, there's a disturbing scene with Bradley Cooper and a bunch of hornets that just might give you nightmares...I can handle almost anything most horror movies throw at me, but this scene freaked me out enough that I had to close my eyes, and I don't want to see another hornet for the rest of my life. ; )

My rating: 8/10

Movie Spotlight: Little Evil

Little Evil is a 2017 Netflix original movie starring Adam Scott, Evangeline Lilly, Owen Atlas, Clancy Brown, Tyler Labine, Donald Faison, Chris D'Elia, and Bridget Everett. When Gary (Adam Scott) moves in with his new wife (Evangeline Lilly), he tries to bond with his stepson (Owen Atlas), but when he sees Lucas exhibit some pretty strange behavior, he fears that he may be stepdad to a demon.

The Omen is my favorite horror movie, and I write plays (comedies, of course) about Satan, so Little Evil was right up my alley. This movie was written and directed by Eli Craig, who also wrote and directed Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (you can read my review here: Horror Movie Month: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil), so I knew I was in for a treat. Little Evil is an entertaining movie with superb performances from everyone, and it's a fun addition to the horror-comedy genre. I was really excited to see it listed on Netflix last night, and if you like horror-comedy or movies about demonic children, Little Evil is one you won't want to miss. : )

My rating: 8/10

Movie Spotlight: Absolutely Anything

Absolutely Anything is a 2015 movie starring Simon Pegg, Kate Beckinsale, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Rob Riggle, Eddie Izzard, and Joanna Lumley and featuring the voices of Robin Williams, Michael Palin, Terry Jones (who also directed the movie), Terry Gilliam, John Cleese, and Eric Idle. Schoolteacher Neil Clarke (Simon Pegg) is given the ability to do anything by a group of aliens who want to see if he will use his powers for good or evil (and if he chooses evil, Earth will be destroyed).

Absolutely Anything is a fun movie with an impressive cast, particularly Simon Pegg as a man learning that having powers can be more of a curse than a gift. Though all the humans in the film
were great, my favorite character was Neil's dog, Dennis (voiced by Robin Williams), because he was adorable, and dogs are the best. ; )

My rating: 7/10

Movie Spotlight: Evil Alien Conquerors

Evil Alien Conquerors is a 2003 movie starring Michael Weston, Chris Parnell, Diedrich Bader, Tyler Labine, Elden Henson, Phil LaMarr, and Beth Grant. Two evil aliens, My-ik (Diedrich Bader) and Du-ug (Chris Parnell), from a planet called Kabijj are sent to Earth with a mission: to behead all humans within two days and take over the world. Will they be able to accomplish this seemingly impossible task, or will they keep getting too distracted by women and Smirnoff Ice to destroy mankind?

I watched Evil Alien Conquerors a few years ago, and I really liked it, so I decided to watch it again and write about it on my blog. I love Chris Parnell, and he's great in this, as is Diedrich Bader. Evil Alien Conquerors is silly, entertaining, and original, so give it a chance if that's the kind of thing you like. : )

My rating:7.5/10

Movie Spotlight: The Bye Bye Man

The Bye Bye Man is a 2017 movie starring Douglas Smith, Lucien Laviscount, Cressida Bonas, Doug Jones, Carrie-Anne Moss, Faye Dunaway, and Jenna Kanell. When three friends (Douglas Smith, Lucien Laviscount, and Cressida Bonas) learn about the legend of the Bye Bye Man, they find out that the only way to make sure they don't fall victim to his curse is to avoid thinking it or saying it. Unfortunately for them, the Bye Bye Man is already in their heads and has the power to control their thoughts and force them to do horrific things.

The Bye Bye Man started out with a bang (literally) that got me interested immediately, but the rest of the movie didn''t live up to the beginning. Reviews of the movie were pretty negative, but I thought it was okay; The Bye Bye Man probably isn't a movie I'll remember for a long time, but I enjoyed it for what it was and didn't feel like watching it was a waste of time.

My rating: 6/10

Movie Spotlight: Rings

Rings is a 2017 movie starring Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Vincent D'Onofrio, Aimee Teegarden, and Bonnie Morgan. It's the third movie in The Ring series, following 2002's The Ring and 2005's The Ring Two. Julia (Matilda Lutz) is worried about her boyfriend Holt (Alex Roe) when he researches a videotape that kills anyone who watches it. She watches the video in order to prevent Holt's death and soon discovers that there's a movie within the videotape that has never been seen before.

When I first saw The Ring, I thought it was the scariest movie I'd ever seen (it has since been replaced by Red State as the movie that terrifies me the most)...the part where Samara comes out of the TV freaked me out so much that I covered my TV with a blanket before I went to bed that night. Rings is a decent movie, but I didn't think it was scary, and it wasn't as good as its predecessors. I did think the actors were great though, and I liked the ending.

My rating: 6/10

Movie Spotlight: Incarnate

Incarnate is a 2016 movie starring Aaron Eckhart, Carice van Houten, Catalina Sandino Moreno, David Mazouz, Keir O'Donnell, Matt Nable, and John Pirruccello. Scientist Dr. Seth Ember (Aaron Eckhart) removes demons from the possessed by entering their subconscious, but when he tries this with 11-year-old Cameron (David Mazouz), he must fight for his life against a demon he has encountered in the past.

Movies about possession have the potential to be kind of cheesy, but Incarnate is a well-made movie with fine performances from everyone (the standout being David Mazouz as young possessed Cameron). I didn't like Incarnate as much as some other possession movies, but it's a new take on this type of movie, so if you like movies about demons and possessions, give Incarnate a shot. : )

My rating: 6.5/10

Movie Spotlight: The Monster

The Monster is a 2016 movie starring Zoe Kazan, Scott Speedman, Ella Ballentine, Aaron Douglas, Christine Ebadi, and Chris Webb. Kathy (Zoe Kazan), and her 10-year-old daughter, Lizzy (Ella Ballentine), are involved in a car accident during a late-night trip to see Lizzy's father. Stuck in the middle of nowhere with a dead car and no way to get help, they must try to survive a terrifying monster that isn't planning on letting them live.

I enjoyed The Monster, and Zoe Kazan and Ella Ballentine gave impressive performances as a troubled mother and resilient daughter. In many horror movies, the monster looks fake and ridiculous, but The Monster's villain looks pretty realistic. If you're interested in seeing a high-quality horror movie with great performances, give The Monster a chance. : )

My rating: 7/10

Movie Spotlight: Arrival

Arrival is a 2016 movie starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma, and Mark O'Brien. When a dozen spacecrafts appear around the world, a linguistics professor (Amy Adams), an Army Colonel (Forest Whitaker), and a physicist (Jeremy Renner) team up to decipher the language of the extraterrestrials in order to find out what they want.

I usually don't enjoy Oscar-nominated movies (I'm more into comedies and horror movies), but Arrival is an exception, and it deserves all the critical acclaim it has received. The performances were excellent, and the aliens were some of the most realistic-looking aliens I've ever seen in a movie. If you're looking for a typical alien invasion movie (aliens being jerks and destroying everything), you might want to skip Arrival, but if you want to see a captivating, visually stunning sci-fi movie, Arrival is a great choice.

My rating: 8/10

Movie Spotlight: The Disappointments Room

The Disappointments Room is a 2016 movie starring Kate Beckinsale, Mel Raido, Gerald McRaney, Lucas Till, Duncan Joiner, Michael Landes, and Ella Jones. After the death of their daughter, Dana (Kate Beckinsale) and David (Mel Raido) move into a new house with their young son (Duncan Joiner). When Dana finds a hidden room in the attic, she unknowingly unleashes evil spirits, and all hell breaks loose. (This is why I stay out of the attic.)

The Disappointments Room is a decent movie, but I had a hard time staying interested in it. All of the actors were great though, and that's often not the case when it comes to horror movies. I didn't hate it, but I didn't really like it either.

My rating: 5/10

Movie Spotlight: Blair Witch

Blair Witch is a 2016 found footage movie starring James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, Brandon Scott, Corbin Reid, Wes Robinson, and Valorie Curry. It's the third installment of the Blair Witch series, following The Blair Witch Project and Blair Witch: Book of Shadows. When James Donahue (James Allen McCune) finds a video he believes to be of his sister Heather, who disappeared twenty years earlier while investigating the Blair Witch, he convinces his friends to help him search for her in the Black Hills Forest.

My main complaint about The Blair Witch Project was that the shaky camerawork made me dizzy and nauseous, and the same goes for Blair Witch. I thought it was a decent movie, but I didn't like it as much as the other two (I seem to be alone in this, but Book of Shadows is my favorite of the series...it was less boring than the others, and I don't remember it ever making me nauseous), and I had a hard time giving it my full attention.
I do think the actors were great though, and since the first movie in the series was known for casting unknown actors in the lead roles, I was surprised to see an actress I recognized: Valorie Curry, who I really enjoyed on The Following and House of Lies.

My rating: 6/10

Movie Spotlight: WolfCop

WolfCop is a 2014 movie starring Leo Fafard, Amy Matysio, Jonathan Cherry, Sarah Lind, Aidan Devine, Jesse Moss, and Corinne Conley. After alcoholic cop Lou Garou (Leo Fafard) turns into a werewolf, he uses his new powers to become a better cop, protecting his small town from devil worshipers and shape-shifters.

I'm always looking for weird paranormal movies, so of course there was no way I was skipping one called WolfCop. It's a fun movie and a fresh take on the cop genre (and it features one of the strangest sex scenes ever), and if Netflix gets the sequel when it's released later this year, I'll probably watch it. If you're into movies about werewolves, check this one out...and if you've ever wanted to see a werewolf penis, now's your chance. ; )

My rating: 6.5/10

Movie Spotlight: The Crooked Man

The Crooked Man is a 2016 Syfy original movie starring Dmitrious Bistrevsky, Angelique Rivera, Reilly Stith, Marco Rodriguez, Michael Jai White, and Cameron Jebo. A young girl suffers a violent death at a slumber party after 12-year-old Olivia sings a nursery rhyme that summons a demon called The Crooked Man (Dmitrious Bistrevs). Olivia (Angelique Rivera) returns to the town six years later, and when people who were present the night of the slumber party start dying, she's certain The Crooked Man is back.

Syfy movies have a tendency to be silly (which is one of the reasons I like them), but The Crooked Man is pretty creepy and better than most of the Syfy original movies I've seen. (Ghost Shark is still my favorite though.) The actors were great, especially Angelique Rivera and Cameron Jebo, and the movie was better than I expected, so that was a nice surprise, : )

My rating: 7.5/10

Movie Spotlight: The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring 2 is a 2016 movie starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O'Connor, Madison Wolfe, Simon McBurney, and Franka Potente. Demonologist Ed (Patrick Wilson) and clairvoyant Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren travel to London to take on the case of the Enfield haunting and try to help a single mother (Frances O'Connor) of four get rid of the evil spirits in their house. Like the first movie in the series, The Conjuring 2 is based on a real case that the Warrens worked on; the Enfield Poltergeist is a well-known case and is known as "England's Amityville." The Hodgson family was terrorized from 1977 to 1979, and the Warrens were called in when the youngest daughter started showing signs of possession.

The Conjuring 2 is pretty creepy and featured great performances from all of the actors. I really liked Vera Farmiga on Bates Motel and Patrick Wilson on Fargo, and they're great together as the Warrens in The Conjuring series. I hope there will be many more movies about the real cases Ed and Lorraine worked on...the scariest book I've ever read is The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren, and there are many cases in the book that would make great (possibly terrifying) movies.

My rating: 8/10




Here's my review of The Conjuring:
http://paranormalcrystal.blogspot.com/2013/11/movie-spotlight-conjuring.html

My review of The Demonologist:
http://paranormalcrystal.blogspot.com/2014/02/book-review-demonologist-by-gerald.html