Film reviews

Haunted Mansion Review

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This remake of Haunted Mansion takes the haunts and scares of the film down a different track. The Eddie Murphy version from 2003 was geared more toward the danger and suspense of hidden ghosts. This new Haunted Mansion has a storyline consisting of moving parts. The mansion is of course haunted, and there is evidence to possibly explain the ghosts and spirits. Clues and obstacles can be found around many corners, giving Haunted Mansion almost an interactive film feel.

The film tells the story of Gabbie, a devoted mother portrayed by the talented Rosario Dawson. She moves into a haunted house with her son Travis, brilliantly played by Chase Dillon. Gabbie’s top priority is of course her son’s safety, which is why she seeks the assistance of experts who can help her manage the supernatural presence in their home.

Among the people Gabbie seeks out for help is the knowledgeable and resourceful tour guide Ben Matthias, played by the versatile LaKeith Stanfield. The pious priest named Ken, portrayed by the Owen Wilson, brings his unique skills to the team, using prayers and mindfulness to control the actions of the spirits. The awe-inspiring historian Bruce Davis, played by the incomparable Danny DeVito, offers his extensive knowledge of ghosts to the group. The informative glass ball named Madame Leota, played by the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis offers insights into evil spirits. The film’s primary antagonist is The Hat-Box Ghost, played by the talented Jared Leto. The movie captures a similar vibe to the classic Ghostbusters but with a fresh and distinct perspective on how to deal with malevolent spirits and vanquish them from the mansion.

The combination of Stanfield, Wilson, DeVito, Curtis, and Leto gives the film an element of joy and mystery. Their humor often serves as a relief for the terror experienced by the characters. And each character in Haunted Mansion has an important role to play in unraveling the mystery and finding a solution to make Gabbie’s home safe. There are reasons why the ghosts refuse to leave Gabbie’s home and why her son Travis is affected by them. Along the way, there are moments of terror and laughter, with jump scares and humorous surprises. There are times where the audience will feel they should be thinking seriously, and other times when it feels like being on an amusement park. It is a spooky and humorous adventure.

I viewed Haunted Mansion as being almost like a Tetris maze, an entertaining and imaginative Disney puzzle that will captivate its audience. The film may even have viewers questioning whether they missed any clues from the original Disney ride that inspired this film.

But although Haunted Mansion is a decent source of entertainment, it falls short of being exceptional. It will certainly cater to those with a fascination for ghosts, and it offers a two-hour exploration of Disney’s creative prowess in filmmaking. But it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Three out of four stars for Haunted Mansion.

Film reviews

Talk to Me Review

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There is a vibe of disturbance that has the taste of a haunting rampage displayed with vengeance and obscure power. It is a film that is deep with sorrow and guilt in which terror seeps into wonders unimaginable. The directors, Danny and Michael Phillippou, drive the eerie feelings for their audiences. This film of existential and creative terror is Talk to Me and is by far one of the best horror films of 2023.  The momentum which builds in the tragedies involve consequences. Above all, Talk to Me is a terror experience that will make its viewers think. There is no hiding from the surprises in this film and it had me jumping in my seat due to the shocking discoveries. In fact, I found it hard to stop thinking about how many more frights I was going to have.

The film takes place in Australia and is about a group of friends who are always together despite some harsh terms. Those friends are Mia (played by Sophie Wilde), Riley (played by Joe Bird), Jade (played by Alexandra Jensen), and Daniel (played by Otis Dhanji). There are more names, but Mia, Riley, Jade, and Daniel are the important ones in this film’s haunting experience. The friends find a game where they realize they can conjure up spirits. The way they do this is by using an embalmed hand. Once they grab the hand, they have to say three words…TALK TO ME! Each of them has fun with the game for a bit by testing the boundaries of it.  The game is like a drug that feels fun to mess around with, but sadly, turns dangerous. One of the friends receives horrific injuries after the embalmed hand explodes with supernatural forces. This terrible encounter means lives are on the line because the conjuring force has unleashed. The many problems of Mia, Riley, Jade, and Daniel go into karma mode as the spirit makes them wonder who the most dangerous person is.

The terror in Talk to Me dives deep into missed connections. Mia is grieving after the death of her mother. She has struggled with drugs in the past. The embalmed hand is presented like a new escape in place of drugs. Instead, the embalmed hand opens a world of accepting the evils of reality, and the evils of past behaviors. Can Mia live with it? Can anyone conquer the supernatural forces of the hand? The writing reminds the audience that even in darkness there can be light. The light, however, does not come without sacrifice or admittance of guilt. It is like a Jumanji film, but in truth or dare mode where there are imagined supernatural spirits at their finest.

The diversity of horror is spellbinding. The search for answers involves dark allies filled with meaning. There is a puzzle to all the surreal and terrorizing outcomes in Talk to Me and a mystery to every emotion and event. The film tests the waters of the past, is filled with scary moments, and causes emotions to spiral in unexpected places that result in a triumphant terror flick.

Is the embalmed hand that dangerous? Do the spirits lurk throughout the film? Is there a way to battle the evils of conjured spirits? Find out in Talk to Me…a surreal realm of horror that surpasses other scary films of 2023. Four stars.

Film reviews

Barbie Review

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“I haven’t been in a box in ages.” Those words are from Margot Robbie, who plays Barbie in the new movie of the same name. And it’s Barbie outside the box that makes Barbie full of color and grandeur.

Directed and written by Greta Gerwig and co-written by Noah Baumbach (Gerwig’s husband), Barbie is a unique experience in a world of pure happiness and perfection. But when a sign of turmoil comes around the corner, the positive world is challenged by some darkness. It never becomes that dark, though, because the directing and writing of Gerwig brings joy throughout this wonderful and unusual film.

Barbie is set in Barbie Land, a place where real life ceases to exist. It is a wonder world with many people named Barbie and Ken. The main Barbie and Ken are Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, two actors perfectly cast for these eccentric and uplifting characters. Helen Mirren is the narrator, and her narration starts the film off as if there is never sadness in Barbie Land. It is just happy, happy, happy all the time, and negativity is never mentioned. That is, until Barbie asks, “Do you guys ever think about dying?” From there, all bets are off. The turmoil of her curiosity takes Barbie Land into strange places, and to explore her true emotions Barbie must travel outside Barbie Land to the real world. Ken goes with her, and they enter a world that they know absolutely nothing about.

The interesting part of Barbie and Ken’s trip into the real world is their realization that there are now real-life consequences. And this realization is the source of many silly moments, unexpected situations, and fun topics that enliven the film. Barbie meets Gloria, played by America Ferrera, in the real world, and she turns out to be a trustworthy human who helps her realize what must be done to find truth in herself. The race is on as a crazy Mattel CEO (played by Will Ferrell) makes it his goal to get Barbie back as a marketing tool—by putting her in a box again. We also meet Allan, played by Michael Cera, a shy, introverted, and socially awkward guy. He’s one of many characters that will make for quirky times for audiences around the world. The colors of joy thrive in the film, and they help make Barbie a magic sensation.

Helen Mirren’s narration is also one of the features of Barbie that will really draw audiences in. Her humor comes through in unexpected moments, and the film finds its wonderful vibes in her twisted and poetic narration.

There’s no question that the many artistic moments in Barbie are because of Greta Gerwig’s direction. She also directed Lady Bird, and she knows how to bring characters together. I felt like some of the fragments dragged just a little, but overall Barbie is smart, fun, and definitely a wild ride. Three stars for Barbie.

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