misterembryo
Joined Nov 2004
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misterembryo's rating
Director James Wan is a magician. He has all the tricks... Sleight of hand... Misdirection... Creating illusions that will terrify you to the core, without having to resort to gore or cheap thrills. Granted he is a master of making you jump out your seat, of making your heart skip a beat, but it's his ability to force you to hold your breath that makes his Conjuring movies so appealing and so much fun to watch. The camera pans and tilts at weird angles. The foreground and background focus and blur interchangeably as if to visually bend reality. A voice whispers in the dark. And through all this, somewhere in the back of your mind, the nagging horror that horrified you when you watched the Exorcist for the very first time, five words:
Based on a true story.
Like the first Conjuring (brilliant movie) the sequel is a dramatization of a case investigated by real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The first Conjuring described the events of a house haunted by a witch called Bathsheba. The Warrens were often tackling multiple cases at once, and to emphasize the emotional stress that came with it, the first Conjuring also detailed the Warrens' experiences with a doll named Anabelle that reportedly came to life, possessed by an evil spirit, that is to this day locked away in a glass case in the back of the Warren household.
In Part 2 we are re-introduced to the Warrens by reminding us of the case that catapulted the couple into the public eye, the murders in Amityville. The majority of this film, however, actually takes place across the pond in London, where a strange entity disturbed the peace of a poor, struggling single-mom and her four children. This became the most documented paranormal case in history, an entity known as the Enfield Poltergeist.
The Conjuring 2 has a great cast. Frances 'O Connor plays Peggy Hodgson, the single mom who has to hold the house together in the midst of all the horror, including all the ridicule from non-believers. She's a mother trying and failing to maintain sanity. She wants to be brave for her kids, yet can't help but to be visibly agitated. Her youngest son Billy, a little boy with a stutter, is adorable, constantly bullied by his peers but is overwhelmed with boundless joy at the sight of a biscuit! The one who stole the show, however, was Madison Wolfe as Janet Hodgson, who in the real-life haunting was the entity's favorite target. Definitely see shades of Linda Blair in her performance.
Other players like Simon McBurney as Maurice Gross, the British paranormal investigator who was primarily involved with the Enfield Poltergeist, even the constables who corroborated that some freaky stuff went down in the house, look and act just like those involved in the real case (did some investigating of my own on YouTube).
Of course the real heroes of the film are Ed and Lorraine Warren played by Patrick Wilson (Insidious) and Vera Fermiga (Bates Motel) - as you can see both actors have a tendency towards dark material. They are an attractive couple, extremely likable, and as in the first Conjuring, there's a sense of adoration and compassion for the work the Warrens do. Both Patrick and Vera have this uncanny ability to make you feel comforted one minute, but with a slight contortion of the face, you know something is wrong. "I've got a bad feeling about this." Regardless whether you believe in this stuff or not, there's admiration for a couple who have dedicated their lives to helping others, freeing the tormented from inexplicable horrors when no one else can. Ed and Lorraine Warrens were the only ones outside of the clergy who were authorized by the Catholic Church to perform exorcisms.
"Based on a true story" should always be taken with a grain of salt. There are definitely some fantastical terrors that are there for show, inspired by nightmares as seen in Insidious or the Babadook. Like the first Conjuring, they don't turn a blind eye to alternative explanations for the events that take place, and allow you to view the subject from the skeptic's standpoint before diving headfirst into the dark realm of the beyond. One thing for sure is that the filmmakers have respect for the original material, pulling from old photographs to recreate the real settings, down to the details of the posters on their bedroom walls. What better example is there of respect for the material than this: prior to filming Conjuring Part 2, the filmmakers had a Catholic priest come in to bless the set. Apparently eerie occurrences took place when they filmed the first Conjuring movie.
I ain't afraid of no ghosts. No poltergeist is going to stop Director James Wan and Writers Chad and Carey Hayes from telling the amazing story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, and with many more cases yet to be explored, I really hope they can conjure up another one.
Based on a true story.
Like the first Conjuring (brilliant movie) the sequel is a dramatization of a case investigated by real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The first Conjuring described the events of a house haunted by a witch called Bathsheba. The Warrens were often tackling multiple cases at once, and to emphasize the emotional stress that came with it, the first Conjuring also detailed the Warrens' experiences with a doll named Anabelle that reportedly came to life, possessed by an evil spirit, that is to this day locked away in a glass case in the back of the Warren household.
In Part 2 we are re-introduced to the Warrens by reminding us of the case that catapulted the couple into the public eye, the murders in Amityville. The majority of this film, however, actually takes place across the pond in London, where a strange entity disturbed the peace of a poor, struggling single-mom and her four children. This became the most documented paranormal case in history, an entity known as the Enfield Poltergeist.
The Conjuring 2 has a great cast. Frances 'O Connor plays Peggy Hodgson, the single mom who has to hold the house together in the midst of all the horror, including all the ridicule from non-believers. She's a mother trying and failing to maintain sanity. She wants to be brave for her kids, yet can't help but to be visibly agitated. Her youngest son Billy, a little boy with a stutter, is adorable, constantly bullied by his peers but is overwhelmed with boundless joy at the sight of a biscuit! The one who stole the show, however, was Madison Wolfe as Janet Hodgson, who in the real-life haunting was the entity's favorite target. Definitely see shades of Linda Blair in her performance.
Other players like Simon McBurney as Maurice Gross, the British paranormal investigator who was primarily involved with the Enfield Poltergeist, even the constables who corroborated that some freaky stuff went down in the house, look and act just like those involved in the real case (did some investigating of my own on YouTube).
Of course the real heroes of the film are Ed and Lorraine Warren played by Patrick Wilson (Insidious) and Vera Fermiga (Bates Motel) - as you can see both actors have a tendency towards dark material. They are an attractive couple, extremely likable, and as in the first Conjuring, there's a sense of adoration and compassion for the work the Warrens do. Both Patrick and Vera have this uncanny ability to make you feel comforted one minute, but with a slight contortion of the face, you know something is wrong. "I've got a bad feeling about this." Regardless whether you believe in this stuff or not, there's admiration for a couple who have dedicated their lives to helping others, freeing the tormented from inexplicable horrors when no one else can. Ed and Lorraine Warrens were the only ones outside of the clergy who were authorized by the Catholic Church to perform exorcisms.
"Based on a true story" should always be taken with a grain of salt. There are definitely some fantastical terrors that are there for show, inspired by nightmares as seen in Insidious or the Babadook. Like the first Conjuring, they don't turn a blind eye to alternative explanations for the events that take place, and allow you to view the subject from the skeptic's standpoint before diving headfirst into the dark realm of the beyond. One thing for sure is that the filmmakers have respect for the original material, pulling from old photographs to recreate the real settings, down to the details of the posters on their bedroom walls. What better example is there of respect for the material than this: prior to filming Conjuring Part 2, the filmmakers had a Catholic priest come in to bless the set. Apparently eerie occurrences took place when they filmed the first Conjuring movie.
I ain't afraid of no ghosts. No poltergeist is going to stop Director James Wan and Writers Chad and Carey Hayes from telling the amazing story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, and with many more cases yet to be explored, I really hope they can conjure up another one.
Helpful•02
Ant-Man must have been a challenge for these filmmakers. The preceding films from the Avengers Universe featured an epic roster of out-of-this-world heroes whose names alone make you tinkle a little: IRON MAN, THOR, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
and then there's Ant-Man. (Womp-womp) While die-hard fans of the comics would recognize Ant-Man as an original member of the ensemble, the general audience may be left to wonder WTF?!
Ant-Man, do you even lift, Bro?
The filmmakers must have been aware of this, considering the tongue-in-cheek treatment of the script. With a screenplay largely penned by Shaun of the Dead legend Edgar Wright, and built upon by other great comedic writers, Joe Cornish (Attack the Bock), Adam McKay (Anchorman), and Ant-Man himself Paul Rudd, Ant-Man does indeed do some heavy lifting, delivering one of the funniest, most entertaining, and visually satisfying superhero movies to date.
The ant super-suit is sick. Red and silver with bulging insectoid eyes, it looks like a modern day motocross version of the Japanese monster slayer Ultraman. As soon as he hits the shrink button, you are sucked into a world so awesome you have no choice but to brace yourself and see where the ride takes you. Stan Lee wanted to make this movie in the 80's but ironically Disney, the production company behind today's Ant-Man, already had a shrinking movie of its own in the works. While "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" was amazing in its time, I couldn't be happier that they waited for the movie effects of today to let Ant- Man zip this way and that, from our world to the minuscule one and back. Coincidentally an ant saved the kids from a giant scorpion in that Rick Moranis classic, and in Ant-Man the ants also play a major role in saving the day. That's right. His power is not only to shrink to the size of an ant, but also to control an army of them. In that respect, this movie is unlike any superhero movie you've ever seen.
The Pym Particle, created by Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) has the ability to shrink a living human being. Think of the possibilities! Microsurgery, mobility, and of course, warfare! The latter makes Dr. Pym realize just how dangerous this technology really is and he decides to cease research and development altogether. Years pass, and the existence of this technology is reduced to a myth. What Dr. Pym didn't know is that his own assistant Darren Cross (Corey Stoll, House of Cards) had been obsessing over this myth and has been trying to replicate this technology on his own. Stoll has a unique ability to make you sympathize for his character at times, but can also be straight up scary.
Dr. Pym and his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly, Lost) know they have to stop Cross but keep butting heads. Hope is a badass, but Pym refuses to let her get involved, which reveals some deeper, more serious daddy issues. Their only hope is Scott Lang (Paul Rudd, my man crush), an ex-convict who was a professional burglar, not a robber because Lang insists that implies physical violence, and he's not about that life. To pull off the job, Lang enlists his original heist crew, played by David Dastmalchian, Rapper T.I., and Michael Peña, who offers some of the most hilarious scenes in the movie. What ensues is an adventure, a comedy, an action movie and a heist rolled into one Little Debbie oatmeal cookie crumb of elephantine excitement and pure elation. If you haven't noticed, I like this movie.
Close friends may say I am biased because it stars Paul Rudd, whom I have been enamored with ever since Clueless. When Cher realized she was in love with Josh, I too realized Paul Rudd is my number one man crush. Let me close this by taking a moment to acknowledge how perfect Paul Rudd is in the role of Scott Lang/Ant-Man. He is a master at self-deprecating humor, as seen in movies like "I Love You, Man" and "Knocked Up" and his role as Mike Hannigan on "Friends." This is a necessity when you see how Ant-Man may have somewhat of a Napoleon Complex when he inevitably has to measure up against the mighty Avengers. Paul Rudd has shown his chops as a dramatic actor in movies like "The Shape of Things" and "Admission," and again here in Ant- Man as an estranged father, who wants nothing more than to spend more time with his daughter Cassie. While elements of his various roles can be seen in Ant-Man this was nothing like anything Paul Rudd has ever done before, and he pulled it off.
His dedication can be seen not only in the moment that reveals his handsomely chiseled abs. In preparation for the role, Paul Rudd bought an ant farm to study. Even after he finished shooting, he decided to keep it. Just when you thought you couldn't fall in love with Paul Rudd any further. On the week the movie was released, Paul Rudd earned a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and deservedly so. Somehow it's not the star that immortalizes him in film history. It's his stellar performance in Ant-Man, the movie that will shrink and find its way into your heart and stay there forever.
Ant-Man, do you even lift, Bro?
The filmmakers must have been aware of this, considering the tongue-in-cheek treatment of the script. With a screenplay largely penned by Shaun of the Dead legend Edgar Wright, and built upon by other great comedic writers, Joe Cornish (Attack the Bock), Adam McKay (Anchorman), and Ant-Man himself Paul Rudd, Ant-Man does indeed do some heavy lifting, delivering one of the funniest, most entertaining, and visually satisfying superhero movies to date.
The ant super-suit is sick. Red and silver with bulging insectoid eyes, it looks like a modern day motocross version of the Japanese monster slayer Ultraman. As soon as he hits the shrink button, you are sucked into a world so awesome you have no choice but to brace yourself and see where the ride takes you. Stan Lee wanted to make this movie in the 80's but ironically Disney, the production company behind today's Ant-Man, already had a shrinking movie of its own in the works. While "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" was amazing in its time, I couldn't be happier that they waited for the movie effects of today to let Ant- Man zip this way and that, from our world to the minuscule one and back. Coincidentally an ant saved the kids from a giant scorpion in that Rick Moranis classic, and in Ant-Man the ants also play a major role in saving the day. That's right. His power is not only to shrink to the size of an ant, but also to control an army of them. In that respect, this movie is unlike any superhero movie you've ever seen.
The Pym Particle, created by Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) has the ability to shrink a living human being. Think of the possibilities! Microsurgery, mobility, and of course, warfare! The latter makes Dr. Pym realize just how dangerous this technology really is and he decides to cease research and development altogether. Years pass, and the existence of this technology is reduced to a myth. What Dr. Pym didn't know is that his own assistant Darren Cross (Corey Stoll, House of Cards) had been obsessing over this myth and has been trying to replicate this technology on his own. Stoll has a unique ability to make you sympathize for his character at times, but can also be straight up scary.
Dr. Pym and his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly, Lost) know they have to stop Cross but keep butting heads. Hope is a badass, but Pym refuses to let her get involved, which reveals some deeper, more serious daddy issues. Their only hope is Scott Lang (Paul Rudd, my man crush), an ex-convict who was a professional burglar, not a robber because Lang insists that implies physical violence, and he's not about that life. To pull off the job, Lang enlists his original heist crew, played by David Dastmalchian, Rapper T.I., and Michael Peña, who offers some of the most hilarious scenes in the movie. What ensues is an adventure, a comedy, an action movie and a heist rolled into one Little Debbie oatmeal cookie crumb of elephantine excitement and pure elation. If you haven't noticed, I like this movie.
Close friends may say I am biased because it stars Paul Rudd, whom I have been enamored with ever since Clueless. When Cher realized she was in love with Josh, I too realized Paul Rudd is my number one man crush. Let me close this by taking a moment to acknowledge how perfect Paul Rudd is in the role of Scott Lang/Ant-Man. He is a master at self-deprecating humor, as seen in movies like "I Love You, Man" and "Knocked Up" and his role as Mike Hannigan on "Friends." This is a necessity when you see how Ant-Man may have somewhat of a Napoleon Complex when he inevitably has to measure up against the mighty Avengers. Paul Rudd has shown his chops as a dramatic actor in movies like "The Shape of Things" and "Admission," and again here in Ant- Man as an estranged father, who wants nothing more than to spend more time with his daughter Cassie. While elements of his various roles can be seen in Ant-Man this was nothing like anything Paul Rudd has ever done before, and he pulled it off.
His dedication can be seen not only in the moment that reveals his handsomely chiseled abs. In preparation for the role, Paul Rudd bought an ant farm to study. Even after he finished shooting, he decided to keep it. Just when you thought you couldn't fall in love with Paul Rudd any further. On the week the movie was released, Paul Rudd earned a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and deservedly so. Somehow it's not the star that immortalizes him in film history. It's his stellar performance in Ant-Man, the movie that will shrink and find its way into your heart and stay there forever.
Helpful•5947
Oz the Great and Powerful joins the ranks of Avatar and Life of Pi in creating a world so vivid and immersive, you would be doing yourself a disservice to wait for DVD. There is no other way to watch it than in IMAX 3D. I was smiling from ear to ear from one sequence to the next, surprises at every turn, a Disney attraction within itself. Literally from the very beginning. The opening title sequence is one of the most impressive showcases of 3D I've seen. It's as wondrous, if not more so, as the dazzling world in Tim Burton's Wonderland, only with more memorable characters and a better story.
The true wizard behind the emerald curtain is master director Sam Raimi. He is one of the most versatile directors around, and what he has created here is one of the scariest, funniest, and most charming Disney movies in recent memory. Raimi brings a little Evil Dead demon magic to scenes designed to frighten you. Thankfully his mastery in horror is equaled by his comedic timing, so the little pretties who watch the movie will be able to sleep at night. Finley is the most adorable flying monkey in a bellhop costume you'll ever meet, and the porcelain China doll is a roller-coaster of emotions, broken one minute and quick to show you she's not so fragile the next. They are both beautifully animated and voiced to perfection. Sometimes you wish animated characters can win Best Supporting Actor (ahem- Gollum!).
To use this much special effects but still create the atmosphere of a vintage Technicolor classic is an astounding achievement. Like the opening sequence, there are scenes shot with the aesthetic of a paper doll puppet show, or that French Trip to the Moon movie (like the Smashing Pumpkins Tonight, Tonight video). Other moments submerge you in a world of color, magic, and music (by Danny Elfman) like some kind of living, breathing Fantasia. Many scenes can easily be translated to a Disneyland thrill ride, or a spot on the laser-light Fantasmic spectacular. Whether or not that's done deliberately, who cares? It makes for a thoroughly entertaining movie.
This movie tells the back story of the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz before he was so Great and Powerful, when he was a lowly carnival magician named Oscar from Kansas. He could convince you to believe with mind-blowing illusions, but sadly isn't equipped with the stuff that Messiahs are made of. He is crooked and inconsiderate; he lies, cheats, and steals; he's pretty much everything a wizard-genie-messiah is not, and still you can't help but love the guy, which has lots to do with James Franco's natural likability.
When he crash lands in Oz, he is forced to perform the greatest trick of all. He not only has to convince the citizens of Oz that he is the prophesied Great Wizard sent to restore harmony in the land, he also has to convince the three great witches of the realm, three women who not only possess power beyond words, but are also insanely beautiful, a dangerous combination that may be too much for a mere mortal to bear. A world like this demands a wizard whose predecessors include Merlin, Gandalf, and Dumbledore. This wizard's heroes are Houdini and Thomas Edison, and for now that will have to do.
Sam Raimi, Ang Lee, James Cameron, Peter Jackson, and Joss Whedon are all wizards in their own right, reminding us there are still reasons to see a movie at the movie theater.
The true wizard behind the emerald curtain is master director Sam Raimi. He is one of the most versatile directors around, and what he has created here is one of the scariest, funniest, and most charming Disney movies in recent memory. Raimi brings a little Evil Dead demon magic to scenes designed to frighten you. Thankfully his mastery in horror is equaled by his comedic timing, so the little pretties who watch the movie will be able to sleep at night. Finley is the most adorable flying monkey in a bellhop costume you'll ever meet, and the porcelain China doll is a roller-coaster of emotions, broken one minute and quick to show you she's not so fragile the next. They are both beautifully animated and voiced to perfection. Sometimes you wish animated characters can win Best Supporting Actor (ahem- Gollum!).
To use this much special effects but still create the atmosphere of a vintage Technicolor classic is an astounding achievement. Like the opening sequence, there are scenes shot with the aesthetic of a paper doll puppet show, or that French Trip to the Moon movie (like the Smashing Pumpkins Tonight, Tonight video). Other moments submerge you in a world of color, magic, and music (by Danny Elfman) like some kind of living, breathing Fantasia. Many scenes can easily be translated to a Disneyland thrill ride, or a spot on the laser-light Fantasmic spectacular. Whether or not that's done deliberately, who cares? It makes for a thoroughly entertaining movie.
This movie tells the back story of the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz before he was so Great and Powerful, when he was a lowly carnival magician named Oscar from Kansas. He could convince you to believe with mind-blowing illusions, but sadly isn't equipped with the stuff that Messiahs are made of. He is crooked and inconsiderate; he lies, cheats, and steals; he's pretty much everything a wizard-genie-messiah is not, and still you can't help but love the guy, which has lots to do with James Franco's natural likability.
When he crash lands in Oz, he is forced to perform the greatest trick of all. He not only has to convince the citizens of Oz that he is the prophesied Great Wizard sent to restore harmony in the land, he also has to convince the three great witches of the realm, three women who not only possess power beyond words, but are also insanely beautiful, a dangerous combination that may be too much for a mere mortal to bear. A world like this demands a wizard whose predecessors include Merlin, Gandalf, and Dumbledore. This wizard's heroes are Houdini and Thomas Edison, and for now that will have to do.
Sam Raimi, Ang Lee, James Cameron, Peter Jackson, and Joss Whedon are all wizards in their own right, reminding us there are still reasons to see a movie at the movie theater.
Helpful•2320