Claire (Meghan Ory) is a college student with a dark past: when she was a young child, she witnessed local kid-hoarder Mrs. Darrode (Diane Salinger) kill her seven foster children. As an adult, Claire has to take medication; unfortunately, this cuts her off from her emotions, which disrupts her chosen profession of acting. Her therapistContinue reading “‘Dark House’ (2009) is Repulsive, and Not in a Good Way”
Tag Archives: ghosts
‘The Crow’: Maybe it’s Nostalgia Talking, but the Film is Haunting and Memorable
Metal singer Eric (Brandon Lee) and his fiancée Shelly (Sofia Shinas) are brutally murdered in their home by a gang of thugs. But, as legend goes, “when someone dies a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with them andContinue reading “‘The Crow’: Maybe it’s Nostalgia Talking, but the Film is Haunting and Memorable”
‘Dead Waves’ is Creepy, Thoughtful, and Occasionally Hilarious
Japanese movie, AKA Shiryôha. Usui is the director of a popular supernatural TV show called Spirit Sightings. He is contacted by Tsuyoshi, who wants his apparently possessed sister Runa to get a free televised exorcism. Runa is opposed to the idea, and for good reason: the dead waves, which are “Radio waves believed to harborContinue reading “‘Dead Waves’ is Creepy, Thoughtful, and Occasionally Hilarious”
1986’s ‘The Wraith’: Nice Cars, Cool Explosions, and Charlie Sheen
Packard (Nick Cassavetes) is a mean guy who likes to race teenagers for pink slips, cheating when he’s going to lose. He and his gang of punks: preppie guy Minty (Chris Nash), bandanna-wearing Oggie (Griffin O’Neal), high-pitched Gutterboy (Jamie Bozian), referee RUghead (Clint Howard), and Skank (David Sherrill), who’s always drinking random hazardous stuff, findContinue reading “1986’s ‘The Wraith’: Nice Cars, Cool Explosions, and Charlie Sheen”
‘Crazy Lips’ is Bizarre but Compelling
Japanese movie, AKA Hakkyousuru kuchibiru. Satomi (Hitomi Miwa) is a young woman whose brother Michio (Kazuma Suzuki) is a fugitive suspect in a murder case. She goes to the Psychic Research Center and enlists the help of wacky psychic Mamiya (Yoshiko Yura) and her assistant Touma. They show up at her house and do aContinue reading “‘Crazy Lips’ is Bizarre but Compelling”
‘Cello’ is Subtle but Powerful
Korean movie, AKA Chello hongmijoo ilga salinsagan. Mi-ju (Hyun-Ah Sung) is a music professor recovering from a car accident in which her friend Tae-yeon (Da-an Park) was killed. Her life takes a turn for the worse after listening to a cassette tape of Tae-yeon and her playing music. Her family is disintegrating, from her sister-in-law Kyung-ranContinue reading “‘Cello’ is Subtle but Powerful”
Ernest R. Dickerson’s ‘Bones’ is Haunting and Gritty
Snoop Dogg is Jimmy Bones, who, back in the ‘70s, was his neighborhood godfather (or doggfather, as the case may be). He’s betrayed and killed in his home by his greedy business partner Jeremiah (Clifton Powell), drug dealer Eddie (Ricky Harris), and crooked cop Lupovich (Michael T. Weiss), while his girlfriend Pearl (Pam Grier) isContinue reading “Ernest R. Dickerson’s ‘Bones’ is Haunting and Gritty”
‘An American Haunting’ is…Definitely Less Ridiculous than the Book it’s Based On
It’s 1817, and Betsy Bell (Rachel Hurd-Wood) is a teenage girl who appears to be either possessed or haunted by an angry ghost who slaps her and pulls the blankets off of her bed, among other things. There are also weird noises and otherworldly animals skulking about the family property. Betsy’s father John (DonaldContinue reading “‘An American Haunting’ is…Definitely Less Ridiculous than the Book it’s Based On”
Park Ky-hyeong’s ‘Acacia’ is Gorgeous and Melancholy
Korean movie. Mi-sook (Shim Hye-jin) and Do-il (Jin-geun Kim) are a married couple who are having trouble conceiving a child. They adopt an artistic loner named Jin-sung (Oh-bin Mun). He adjusts fairly well, with the help of his adopted parents, Do-il’s father, and new friend Min-jee (Na-yoon Jeong)—though he seems to think the acacia treeContinue reading “Park Ky-hyeong’s ‘Acacia’ is Gorgeous and Melancholy”
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