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Posted on December 17, 2016

Train to Busan: Zombies and Crises of Conscience on a Train

Dawn Keetley

Train to Busan marks the live-action debut of animator Yeon Sang-ho—and it is a stunning debut. It tells the story of a workaholic fund manager, Seok Woo (Gong Yoo) whose marriage appears to have been a casualty both of his ambition and of what his daughter, Su-an (Kim Su-an), describes as his ingrained propensity to think only of himself. When the film opens, Su-an is staying with her father in Seoul, but she demands he take her back to her mother in Busan—which sets off the eponymous high-speed train ride. As father and daughter board the train, evidence of strange, violent behavior manifests on the edges of the frame, not quite in vision—but soon it’s clear that something is infecting the passengers on the train. What follows is a terrifying film about the struggle of the dwindling uninfected against the increasing hordes of infected. The film is also about so much more than that—it’s about what humans are capable of becoming, both good and bad.
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Posted on December 10, 2016

The Monster: Of Mothers and Monsters

Dawn Keetley

The Monster is written and directed by the extremely talented Bryan Bertino, who also directed and wrote the 2008 home invasion film, The Strangers—a film that would certainly make my list of the best films of the 2000s. The Monster shares some of the things that make The Strangers a great film: its plot is spare, focused (without distraction) on the palpable threat to its isolated protagonists; it succeeds in very large part because of the undeniable strength of its actors: Zoe Kazan and Ella Ballentine are just as brilliant in The Monster as Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman were in The Strangers. And, in both films, Bertino expertly weaves in a larger frame of meaning—religion and the presence of evil in The Strangers (as I wrote about elsewhere) and the complicated love (and hate) of mother-daughter relationships in The Monster. Read more

Posted on November 25, 2016

Bertino’s The Strangers Evokes an Archaic Malevolence

Dawn Keetley

I have recently been exploring a sub-genre of horror that used to terrify me—the home invasion film. I created a list of some of my favorites so far (most of them on the milder side as far as violence and sadism goes), and I heard from a lot of people about other films I should watch. One that came highly recommended was The Strangers, a 2008 film directed by Bryan Bertino. I want to say thank you to those who recommended the film, because it is indeed exceptional. Read more

Posted on November 1, 2016

Ouija: Origin of Evil

Gwen

October 2016 | Mike Flanagan | PG-13 | 99 min | (USA)

Review: “Ouija: Origin of Evil delivers a trifecta…story, substance, and scares.”

Synopsis: A widowed mother of two young girls tries to keep her family afloat by conducting elaborate (and staged) séances. Little does the family know that their humble abode is home to some horrific secrets which are set free when the family introduces the Ouija board to their act. Once the board is in the home, the youngest daughter Doris (Lulu Wilson) becomes a conduit for all the evil that is about to be unleashed. In seeking answers from their past, the family brings their future to a screeching halt. As best said by Cherríe Moraga, “Don’t let your past, steal your present”; or, as I like to say, “Don’t use a Ouija board with your creepy little kid in your freakishly hellish house.”

Grade: A-
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Posted on October 23, 2016

Haunt Review: The Valley of Fear

Gwen

Web Address: http://www.valleyoffear.com/

Location: Feasterville, PA (Bucks County)

Valley of Fear is frightfully fun for the whole family.

The Nuts and Bolts:

Valley of Fear offers four haunted attractions: Haunted Hayride, Underworld, Facility, and Zombie Paintball. The prices are reasonable, but are weighted based on heavier dates of attendance. For example if you attend on one of the lighter days (designated on their website) the price is cheaper. You can choose if you want to attend all four attractions or just one or two. I suggest the super fear pass as it includes all four attractions for only $33-$39. I did not upgrade to the fast fear pass as I was smart and attended the attraction on a Sunday right as the doors opened which afforded me pretty quick lines.

There’s no touching at this haunt, though they do get up close and personal on occasion. This attraction is appropriate for most ages (pre-teen and up). It was noted that there were several younger actors also participating in the haunt. Parking was a nominal fee of $5. You don’t have to pack too much money as the haunt does not have a gift shop, but it does have a small concession stand with basic snacks. Read more