I think I did the same thing most people did when I first heard that there would be a remake of the 1988 classic ‘Child’s Play’ – I let out a disappointed sigh, and figured it would probably be bad, although the optimist in me still wanted to hold on to a little hope.  Then the trailer didn’t do it any justice and painted it to seem more like a straight up horror without the humour of the original. The cast of the original films also expressed their disinterest in this new take on Chucky. However, much to my surprise I’m actually happy about this remake (I doubt I’ll ever say that about any remake ever again) as it didn’t just copy the original story but instead put a twist on it and made it its own, building on the characters without compromising on the comedy that was much-loved by fans of the first film.

Chucky’s origin differs from the original plot of murderer’s soul possessing a Good Guys doll to reflect real modern fears around AI. Karen (Aubrey Plaza) gifts a damaged Buddi doll to her son Andy (Gabriel Bateman) for his birthday, and it just so happens to be the one whose AI had been tampered with, thereby taking away his behavioural restrictions and safeguards. After imprinting on Andy, Chucky gradually shows more and more red flags in his behaviour as he attempts to do what he believes will make Andy happy. What I love about this change is that Chucky isn’t just a blatantly evil person looking to hurt people, but instead has more behind his motives and actually makes you feel empathy for him. Mark Hamill was the perfect casting to voice him (Mark Hamill is always perfect casting, that’s just a general rule) and he manages to tread the line between being sweet and endearing, as well as funny but also creepy and terrifying in the right places. He actually managed to make me sad at points which was completely unexpected, but it’s all put down to the naivety and the strange sense of innocence that he brings to the character despite everything he does. The violence in the film should also live up to fans’ expectations. There are some gasp-worthy moments (the poor woman next to me in the cinema was squirming at one point) and I liked that the gore isn’t constant, but does make it count when it happens so it doesn’t become desensitising.

Aubrey Plaza is likeable as a young single mother, and it’s interesting to see her in a role different to any other she’s played before. Gabriel Bateman also deserves a lot of praise as he does a great job with portraying the conflict Andy feels as Chucky becomes more dangerous. He previously starred in ‘Lights Out’ (2016) and he was good even then especially for such a young actor, but has shown that he’s improved a lot in this film. He already has a decent amount of horror in his filmography, so hopefully he’ll continue to do more as he’s already doing great work.

I can honestly say that ‘Child’s Play’ has made it into my very short list of good remakes that actually had something to add rather than just trying to copy the original. Of course, it paid tribute, but didn’t do it in an overwhelming way that relied on nostalgia for it to be enjoyed. The casting is good, and the balance of horror with comedy is just right. I look forward to seeing the inevitable sequel in the hopes that it’ll be just as good as this one. Maybe two hits in a row is asking for a little too much…but I want to be proven wrong about that.

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‘Just Say Goodbye’ is about a teenager called Sarah (Katerina Eichenberger) who learns that her best friend Jesse (Max MacKenzie) is planning on killing himself at the beginning of summer break and is blackmailed into keeping it a secret. Jesse doesn’t see a future for himself or believe that things will get better and is desperate to permanently escape his alcoholic father, a school bully, and the guilt that he’s felt since his mother killed herself when he was 6 years old.

There are a lot of flaws to the film, but to me the problems are mostly overshadowed by its good intentions. This no-budget drama is the feature debut of director Matt Walting, so I think it’s necessary to take this into consideration as the cast and crew are very new to filmmaking and are still finding their feet. However, as I mentioned, the good intentions behind the film are clear (and it did a better job at representing suicidal teens than ’13 Reasons Why’ did in the process), and despite sometimes feeling more like a soap opera, it stuck the landing with the ending…as much as I hate to admit it, I got a bit teary-eyed too.

At times, some of the acting isn’t great as most of the people in it don’t have much experience, but Eichenberger and MacKenzie overall do a good job. As the film went on, Sarah’s frustrations with Jesse and the burden he’s put on her by sharing his plans becomes more and more tangible and the stakes feel higher. I really liked Jesse’s portrayal as being so nonchalant and matter-of-fact about his suicide plan, cementing the idea that this is something he feels has to be done and is inevitable for him. As an audience member, it’s easy to be put in Sarah’s position; she’s positive about life, encouraging Jesse to wait to see what the world has to offer him, except he just can’t see things the way she does.

In terms of the technical side of things, there’s some problems with dubbing (however, not the worst I’ve seen), and the lighting in some shots (particularly for interior scenes taking place in Jesse’s bedroom). Some people might also take issue with the handheld style some of the film uses, which tends to try and track the characters as they move, but I actually thought this style felt right for the tone and made it seem more personal.

Overall, despite its problems, I think ‘Just Say Goodbye’ deserves props for dealing with such a sensitive subject matter in the way that it did. It isn’t exploitative, and literally just seems to want to share the message that even if it takes horrible things to happen for people to want to change, it is possible, as well as identifying the warning signs in young people who may want to commit suicide. I respect Walting’s ambition and am excited to see what he does in the future as it’s obvious he has a lot of potential as a director.

American Poltergeist: The Curse of Lilith Ratchet (2018) is a horror movie directed by Eddie Lengyel. The film centres on a group of friends who inadvertently unleash a curse that picks them off one by one.

American Poltergeist whether it means to or not (I don’t think it does mean to) ends up being more comedy than horror. From the opening scene – which is reminiscent of Scary Movie 3’s opening sequence – the horror of Lilith Ratchet just doesn’t come off very horrory. This is ultimately down to the writing, which delivers an unoriginal premise and bad dialogue (the only thing truly scary in this film).  I am reluctant to criticise the acting too much as for the most part it wasn’t actually too bad, and the script they were working with surely didn’t help matters. In fact, the actors were able to make you care about some of the characters…to an extent.

An example of the writing not quite being up to scratch is how they handle the primary threat in American Poltergeist, which is of course the ghost of Lilith Ratchet. The film introduces her face on in the first few minutes of the film, not even trying to tease the audience or draw out any level of suspense. Her back story is then delivered in full quite soon after. Unfortunately, the mystery around the ghost (which is quite often the scariest thing) is completely taken away, which is a shame. This means that when she does start killing off our main characters it just feels blunt and not scary.

Furthermore, technically-wise it doesn’t have much to show. The make-up and effects of Lilith are in particular quite weird (although, being the wimp I am, still managed to creep me out a tad); the music is ok but unfortunately can’t save what’s happening on screen. Perhaps this would have made for a better short film or concept piece because as a feature film it all falls quite short,

I would say however, that despite (or for) the above I did enjoy it, or at least the first half. I can certainly see how this could become a cult it – it 100% fits under the so bad it’s good category. Weird effects, bad dialogue, funny and weird characters who you still care about. I could see this being a fun film to watch with a group of friends, or in a small cinema somewhere.
All in all, American Poltergeist is not a very good film, but it is entertaining, and sometimes that is all you need. 

The third instalment of Chad Stahelski’s thrilling action ride takes place mere minutes after the second film ended. Titular assassin John Wick (an awesome Keanu Reeves once again) is on the run after killing a man on continental grounds and now every hit man and woman are after his head with a nice $14 million going to whoever does the deed. That is pretty much that and what follows is an exhilarating piece of filmmaking which you can’t help but admire even if you’re not a fan of the genre.

Straight away John is thrown into fights, having to manoeuvre his way out of tricky situations with just about every man and his wife after him. What is refreshing about these films is that the characters utilise everything around them with which to attack with; whether that be knives, artefacts, glass and even dogs! There are way more than just guns in this film but even when there is shooting, Stahelski makes it interesting and unpredictable. Towards the end there’s a scene which uses lighting to change up the sequence and add another level to the action.

Keanu really is the man here! John Wick is such a slick, smooth operator and no matter what obstacles are put in his way he can take them on and that’s what makes him one of the most likeable action heroes of late. Reeves clearly has a lot of fun making these movies and he still does a lot of his own stunts which adds to the authenticity of the fights. The man certainly doesn’t loo 54! He’s charismatic and funny as well as playing the serious side to the character and pulls the performance off perfectly once again.

There is some great support in this one in the likes of Halle Berry who plays Sofia, one of John’s old acquaintances whom he asks for help on his quest to get out of this sticky situation. Along with her aforementioned dogs, she is a fierce, dominant character that counteracts Reeves’s rather laid back Wick (even in this time of crisis!). The pair gets to share an exciting action sequence together and they hold brilliant chemistry on screen.

It’s also great to have the dynamic duo of In McShane and Lance Reddick return as the manager of The Continental and his trusty receptionist. The former is as compelling as always and shows a sensitive side as he is one of the only people who has Wick’s best interests at heart, having given him that hour head start at the end of the second film to make his escape. The latter is quirky and amusing with his little one-liners that bring a nice comical edge to proceedings. This pair even gets to take part in the third act climax which proves very entertaining indeed!

Like its two predecessors, this third venture has a superb music score that works so well against the dark, corrupt backdrop of the story and increases the tension just at the right times. All in all this is a suspenseful, stimulating and incredibly engaging film that follows on perfectly from the first two and shows that both Keanu Reeves and his director clearly don’t have any wish to give up these guns any time soon!

It's almost summer time horror lovers and what a way to kick it off than with Horror Channel's Killer Thriller Season, a selection of tense shock thrillers including the channel premieres of Rod Lurie’s 2011 remake of STRAW DOGS, starring James Marsden and Kate Bosworth; the murder motel chiller VACANCY, starring Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson; and the 2009 remake of kin killer slasher THE STEPFATHER, psychological thriller HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET, starring Jennifer Lawrence, and Neil LaBute’s horrifying racial drama LAKEVIEW TERRACE, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Patrick Wilson. 

 Sat 22 June @ 21:00 – HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET (2012) 

​Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) and her mother (Elizabeth Shue) move to a new town only to find that they are living next door to a house where a young girl murdered her parents. Locals claim that the girl mysteriously vanished after the incident, but as Elissa becomes close to the girl’s brother, she learns that a dark and terrible secret still lurks within those walls and this sinister story of murder is far from over.

​Sat 29 June @ 21:00 – LAKEVIEW TERRACE (2008)
 
A young couple (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) has just moved into their California dream home when they become the target of their next-door neighbour, LAPD officer Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson). Turner has appointed himself the watchdog of the neighbourhood and disapproves of their interracial relationship. As he increasingly harasses the newlyweds, the angered couple decides to fight back.

There are also channel premieres for mutant monster gripper INANIMATE, (Fri 21 June, 9pm) starring Lance Henriksen; the twisty neo-noir thriller THE DISAPPEARENCE OF ALICE CREED (Fri 28 June, 10.45pm), starring Gemma Arterton and Eddie Marsan; and Phillippe Mora’s real-life rooted alien abduction drama COMMUNION (Sun 30 June, 9pm), starring Christopher Walken.

‘The Isle’ is a supernatural mystery set on an island off of the coast of Scotland in the Victorian era. Three men come across it after being shipwrecked and losing their way. Oliver (Alex Hassell), Jim (Graham Butler) and Cailean (Fisayo Akinade) are then found by one of the residents, Fingal (Dickon Tyrrell), who is welcoming to them - however, it soon becomes clear that something more is going on in the isle.

Despite having interesting lore to play with as it makes it clear from the beginning that the story is based around the mythology of sirens – women who lure men out at sea with their songs to kill them – the film never reaches its full potential. My favourite thing about it is the beautiful yet eerie setting, but as a whole most of the elements are bland. I never found myself particularly caring about the characters so none of the performances stood out (Lanthe played by co-writer Tori Butler-Hart was probably the best if I had to choose though), and as a result I wasn’t invested in seeing how it ended. When it did end, however, it was even more anti-climactic than expected. Most of the time it seemed like not an awful lot was happening, so the writing is one of its biggest problems. It’s more like an early draft rather than being the best it can be.

As I previously mentioned, the film is set during the Victorian era. However, other than when the main trio are at sea in the opening scene, it never really feels like it is. The costume design and dialogue (especially the costumes) don’t exactly scream period drama – Conleth Hill’s costume really comes to mind when I think about this issue as it looks so contemporary. I often found myself forgetting when it is supposed to be set, which took me even more out of the film.

Although I’ve been pretty negative about ‘The Isle’, I will give credit to it for doing something good with the female characters. They are placed in the roles of villain and victims as they are possessed – this comes through even more when the explanation behind everything is revealed in flashbacks and it’s understandable why the spirit doing the possessing is so angry. Furthermore, I enjoyed that when the men arrive on the isle at the beginning of the film the women are excited that perhaps they can help them escape their curse, when in fact this idea gets subverted.

Overall, while there’s a few good elements to the film, it wasn’t enough to keep me invested and it was a struggle to make it through to the end. Whilst I’m not usually a fan of period dramas which ‘The Isle’ partly is, the supernatural aspect still didn’t add enough entertainment. The writing and plot are the biggest problems, and if it had been stronger it would have made its other shortcomings a lot more tolerable. However, the location couldn’t have been a better choice, and does add an eerie atmosphere while also being beautiful in contrast. This film is one for the people who like slow-burners, so if you’re a fan of those I hope you watch this and get more out of it than I could.

From Joe Berlinger, the director of the popular Netflix documentary series The Ted Bundy Tapes and The Paradise Lost trilogy, comes the story of the life of Ted Bundy through the eyes of his long term partner Elizabeth Kendall.

The film follows the lead up to Bundy's arrest while showing the other face he shows Kendall instead of focusing on the murders themselves. A route which you wouldn't have thought would have worked, in a way glamorising the man, however the film was very sensitively done. Bundy wasn't  your typical killer, in real life he came across a handsome, guy next door type of guy which is the man Liz sees in him, while deep down knowing there was something not right but not wanting to admit to herself that the man she loves could do such horrid acts. Lilly Collins plays the role of Elizabeth Kendall so passionately, you could understand why she thought Bundy was such a nice guy. You felt the characters inner pain, the grief of his actions and this is only seconded by the amazing performance from Zac Effron.

Effron fitted into the role of Ted Bundy perfectly, which is showcased more when you see the real life footage at the end of the film. He managed to get into the mindset of someone you just wouldn't want to get into. Zac is generally a charismatic actor but I truly think this is going to shoot him into some more dramatic roles in the future. One actor I was shocked to see in this was a chubbier fully grown Haley Joel Osment who I honestly haven't seen in a film since The Sixth Sense and A.I. and he was pretty damn good, playing the boyfriend who has to watch as Liz goes through the ringer during the court-case.

One shocking moment for me, knowing the parts they don't really mention much in either the doc and the film is the line Liz says at the end asking what had happened to one of victims heads, finally making Ted reveal his true evil to her. Now if you don't know Ted Bundy was a Necrophile and it was documented that he did sexual acts to the severed heads of some of the victims. It send a genuine shiver up my spine.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile may be a subtle film that on the outside paints Ted Bundy as a heartthrob but don't get the film wrong this isn't what they are trying to do. Joe Berlinger has crafted a heartbreaking story from the eyes of a woman who only saw a loving family man who took her and her young daughter into his life and treated them with nothing but love, only to find out, like many families of sickening killers (BTK is a great example), that he is pure evil in the form of a handsome devilman. 

This film has hit the top of my list of best films of 2019 so far and showcases Efrons' amazing acting skill while showing a different side to the real life of serial killers and the peoples lives they destroy.

We’ve seen the possessive, jealous, stalker type thriller before in many different forms and it’s a fun sub-genre but it’s difficult to bring something fresh to the table. Neil Jordan’s new venture takes this and tries to spin it on its head and manages to deliver that to some extent. We’d expect something of a certain standard from the man who brought us brilliant films like Interview with the Vampire and The Crying Game and while this may not be his finest hour, it’s an entertaining hour and forty minutes and one you won’t have to concentrate too intently on.

​Chloe Grace Moretz plays Frances McCullen who lives in New York with her friend Erica Penn (Maika Monroe) and works as a waitress. One day she finds a bag that has been left by someone on the subway and she tracks down its owner and returns it to a lady called Greta Hideg (an unnerving Isabelle Huppert). Greta is extremely grateful, invites Frances in for tea and soon they become friends. However, this is no ordinary friendship and before long Frances realises that Greta isn’t quite who she thinks she is and she’s got something much darker in mind for Frances.

Moretz is great as usual and is solid in delivering a performance of a grounded, yet scared young woman who actually attempts to fight back in her situation rather than run away. Monroe provides good support as Frances’s friend and housemate Erica but it is Huppert who really steals the show here. Not only is she creepy and disconcerting but she’s rather hilarious in some scenes where she goes way over the top and you can tell she had lots of fun with this role. There is a particular scene towards the end which had me in stitches; whether that was Jordan’s intention or not it unclear.

There are some jump scares and excessive use of the zoom in shot here which are a bit farfetched at times but nonetheless entertaining. Something that was also quite shocking were some unforeseen moments of graphic gore and blood which were a refreshing surprise, seeing as many films of late shy away from violence in a horror or thriller. As already mentioned, we’ve all seen variations of this story before and it’s not the best Neil Jordan film by a longshot nor is it the most original story but it is a tense, thrilling slice of the sub-genre and it would certainly go down a treat on a Saturday night! ​