The Curse of La Llorona Review

As a Mexican I grew up with the folklore of La Llorona, and so it’s always interesting to see it become popularized in other mediums. I didn’t see this movie when it came out, but was aware that it was out. I decided to finally sit down and watch it, with my girlfriend who happens to have great taste.

The movie has a simple premise, a couple of kids get drowned by their mother, and then in 1973 an investigation into a family occurs in which strange things are happening to a couple of kids. As the investigation furthers, we find that there’s something supernatural going on, and it’s La Llorona, come back for revenge. But why? The film doesn’t really answer that question, so you have to just run with it.

Produced by James Wan, you would expect a lot more out of this movie, but honestly, there’s a lot that makes it fall apart in a way. One thing that I noticed was a heavy reliance on jump scares. There’s a lot of them, and it’s not that great, it becomes expected to the point where you may get bored, and when things aren’t jumping at you, you’ll find that things are just not that grand in terms of gore or anything.

This movie does have that taboo, targeting children. Children in horror aren’t usually the victims, but in this case it’s just part of the folklore so there’s a constant push against them. Linda Cardellini and Raymond Cruz do well in the movie, and the story flows fast. You’ll find that the movie doesn’t seem that long, and it progresses fast, regardless of the predictability of the story.

As far as a haunting style movie, it’s not terrible. It’s predictable, but it’s not something that I would watch again. That being said, you may like it. There’s a little something for everyone, despite the predictable nature of the film. It has some good atmosphere, it has some interesting moments, and it’s filmed well too. It looks good. It’s ok at best.

Stranger Things Review

I didn’t expect to see this, as I don’t usually watch a lot of Netflix originals, but my wife decided to spend a full day binging this show. I didn’t hear anything about it until it started playing and realized that a lot of people online were talking about it. No one in my circle was, and I follow sites like Fangoria. Whatever the case was, this show pulled me in through the premise, and didn’t let go until the end credits of the final episode came through.

The premise of “Stranger Things” is simple. A 12 year old boy goes missing from an Indiana town. The boy’s name is Will and his mother, and friends go on a quest to find him. Along the way, the friends meet up with a young girl that has been the victim of science experiments in the facilities nearby. On the other hand, no one believes Will’s mother who swears the boy is alive. Along the way a skeptical sheriff fights back, the FBI comes through, and a nod to all things 1980s Hollywood and horror comes flying at you right away.

How much do you love horror? “Stranger Things” tests you in everything that you know about horror, meanwhile creating a new lavish scenario that is quite good. Every episode ties together so well, and the visual design flow from the credits through the actual events and story, remind you of something else. It’s a homage at times, it’s a rip off to others, it’s fascinating honestly. There are moments where you swear you’re trapped in an alternate universe where “Stand By Me” meets “Needful Things” and gets tossed around in “Alien” and “The Thing”. If you aren’t a horror fan, you will miss all of these things. There’s so much paid tribute to through the episodes that it’s almost as if the show is a love letter to horror movie fans that have been jaded by so many trivial releases.

“Stranger Things” puts on a showcase of creativity at every turn. The story of a young boy’s death or kidnapping is pushed through every emotional query. A science fiction element similar to “Creature” by John Saul is pushed forward too. There’s so much going on here, that you’ll be swimming in a sea of references that you either get, or you just don’t understand. Alone, this is a seriously good thriller and horror movie. However, the sum of its parts makes you feel that you’re reading a Robin Cook novel, let alone a television program that was made outside of the television landscape.

At the end of the day, “Stranger Things” puts you in the 1980s horror movie world. With a telekinetic girl, a group of friends coming of age, aliens, monsters, and even a little bit of “Signs” for good measure. I didn’t love ever single moment of this series. However, I loved enough of the parts to say that this is one hell of a show, and definitely worth your month’s subscription to Netflix. Color me impressed. Color me interested in seeing more. A stellar showcase, and yet, it feels all so familiar somehow.

Ghostbusters Review

The amount of hate that hit this movie before it was released was shocking. People apparently love to hate on anything and everything. The saddest part for me is that they make money off of this. I have been reviewing horror movies and culture on this site and others, and yet I don’t make a dime. I try, but no one buys anything, no ad companies are asking to help, and I can’t even find writers to help me write reviews. I forge on alone, and well, that’s not a bad thing, but it’s draining sometimes. So much negativity. Well, I put on my pants, and I went into see this travesty that some called it, and you know what? I didn’t know what to really expect. Ghostbusters opened this past weekend, and I got 2 tickets, a large soda, a large popcorn, and a very good Ecto Cooler cocktail at the AMC bar before the show.

Ghostbusters is a fun movie. It starts out really hard, and then softens up a little. The jokes are not insane, they are subtle at times, they are fun too. This is not the 1980s, and the pacing of this movie shows it. Things go by a little faster. The cinematography wasn’t terrible, the story wasn’t insane, but rather in line with a lot of the elements that you would expect from the series.

The acting was not bad, the movie heralded some good, overall moments. I didn’t hate anything I saw in this movie, and at times, I wanted to join in on throwing tomatoes. Instead, the plot of a few scientifically driven women to capture paranormal activity was done well. From the opening to the finale, I had a good amount of fun with Ghostbusters. I didn’t take it too seriously, and I viewed it with an open mind.

I am older than most of the idiots that are talking bad about this movie. I loved this. I really wished I had a daughter to share the amount of empowerment showcased in this movie. The standout for me was the interaction between the women. There’s a lot of little things, from hand gestures, to looks, to smiles, that make this movie fun. The plot is simple. Someone’s trying to open up portals to ghosts and become a super power. It’s up to these women to stop it. The movie then moves forward into a hero’s story with this team getting through some great visual effects, and some fun musical cues.

There’s a lot of cameos that you may not realize, and some that are absolutely obvious. Overall, Ghostbusters didn’t deserve the hate. Not even from the Angry Video Game Nerd, which has let the money go to his head. Must be nice to be rich. I’m not. I loved this movie, and am still impressed with some of the set designs and notes that made it into this movie. Look, if you love movies, you will love this. It’s a popcorn flick, simple as that. It’s not meant to be Oscar Award Winning cinema, and it never feels that way. So there you have it, go see it, disagree with me, and review it for yourself. Don’t let idiots sway you, this is a fun romp.

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Amityville 3-D Review

The year was 1983 and Amityville as a franchise started on another release. This is the third in the series, and once again the haunted house became a mere parody of the original story, and book. The movie features the classic 3-D treatment, and even though you can’t really get the same effect today, you certainly see where it was meant to be in 3-D. Orion Pictures apparently only put out one of these things. Oh, and the Lutz family sued over the story here, and it was meant not to be a “sequel” or at least it couldn’t be marketed as such. Whatever the case is, this movie came out and it’s part of a larger legacy of the haunted house sect. “Amityville 3-D” is, well, not that grand.

The thing that stood out this time around, was the fact that Lori Loughlin and Meg Ryan are in the movie! They don’t get top billing, but they are in there. Meg Ryan, for whatever reasons reminded me of Amber Lynn, the porno star, and therefore I just kept wanting to see here show up on screen. I know, I’m weird. Other than these little elements where I would think about adult cinema history, this movie really tried my patience. It’s a slow moving romp for the most part. Tony Roberts does very well here, but the surrounding cast seems forced through the acting elements, and it’s just not a good movie.

Now, the death sequences are interesting, and there are some elements of 3-D that still stand out as a result of the production. The larger story, however, and the “gore” that you expect from the series doesn’t really come out. The house does seem to come alive as a writer and skeptic moves in. I liked the story of the debunking magazine, and liked the opening, but overall, the speed of the production really was a troublesome thing. It’s a boring movie at times, and while it does pick up at the end, most viewers most likely gave up on it. I did appreciate the pick up at the end, as things really started to get out of hand, and the “hell house” came alive.

Overall, “Amityville 3-D” is not the best in the franchise. However, there are a few cool camera tricks, and seeing a young Lori Loughlin and Meg Ryan is really cool. Other than that, this is one that you don’t necessarily need to see, unless you’re like me, and have to see everything horror at least once or twice, or in the case of this movie, 5 times.

Pick up “Amityville 3-D” on Blu Ray as part of a larger set, or something else by clicking here.

Italian Horror Movies You Should See Before Dying

5 Italian Horror Movies You Should See Before Dying

When it comes to horror movies, you are not going to find a more vivid example of creativity than that of Italy’s finest. For some reason the Italian movie makers honed in a certain level of macabre and didn’t really turn things up to 11 until after most of their movies were getting boring. It’s true, most of the best Italian horror movies are slow moving, but when they hit the gas, you are thrown through the windshield and taken for a thrill that will definitely stick with you. While American movies tend to blow their loads in gore, Italian horror seems to have a little bit more class before wiping their seed on the curtains. Yep, I went there. It is with that terrible structure in mind that I present to you 5 horror movies that you need to see, and they are straight out of the Italian horror director’s pile up of Eurotrash.

Suspiria

I’ve talked about this movie before, but what seems like a precursor to “Black Swan”, is actually a horrific ghost story. This has color on the mind, and the visuals are vibrant, iconic, mixed with symbolism of religious matters, witchcraft and mood. There’s something beautiful about the elements that come together here and the fire that burns in the fireplace turns into an inferno by the time all is said and done. The art of this film really makes it one of the best movies to come from Dario Argento. The use of color throughout, mixed with the emotional connections of the dancers really comes across grand. It's frightening at times, but more over, it's high art. It feels more like a classic stage play at times, but you'll get your dose of horror sure enough. If you haven’t seen Suspiria, then you’re not a horror movie fan, plain and simple.

The Beyond

Lucio Fulci did what most American Horror movie directors are now doing, but he did it in 1983. He found a way to go beyond just macabre set pieces and go for the jugular in a combination of sequences that are not defined by one genre. Fulci finds a way of creating art out of what should be the grotesque and macabre. The goal was to make a story that didn’t really have a linear plotting, and it worked, creating twist after twist and elements of an art gallery of horror you don’t really understand. Admit it, you don’t get this one, but then again, that’s the point.

Torso

This tense film drives the story of college students getting killed long before you saw anything like it in the 1980s. It’s a slasher at times, but focuses more on the “giallo” styling. It has elements of horror, mystery, and suspense before revealing the larger picture. You get a feeling that the killer is motivated by more than just trying to be a psychopath or a boogieman, which makes this one of the more tightly wound Italian set pieces of horror.

Cannibal Holocaust

The movie that inspired millions of horror fans, and possibly the first major movie to get that moniker of “reality” still hits hard today. It’s a sick movie and it’s a mess of a film that will make you cringe. It is a shock fest gone wrong, and it was marketed as a “banned” movie. Forget movies that rely on that shaky camera footage, this did it better, and far more entertaining than anything you’ve seen. Some compare it to “The Blair Witch Project”, but there’s no comparison, this is a sick movie full of macabre sequencing and horrific elements. A true classy, trashy, picture. The dichotomy works here, if I do say so myself, and of course I do.

Tenebre

I had a hard time trying to pick one more, but I will throw this one into the mix. Two Argento movies in one list? Yeah, it happens. Tenebre is a tightly wound mystery, slasher, and horror movie all rolled into one. The story is a slow burn towards the ultimate reveal. When I first saw it, I was a bit mad at the ending, but after many viewings later, I realize that the strength of Tenebre is the acting and the POV view of the slayings. There’s a deep seeded fear that rises up in this movie, especially when you realize that you’ve been led down the wrong corridor overall. Stephen King’s paranoia that made “Misery” work is found here at times. Visually compelling, sound that keeps your heart beating, and a solid ending makes this one of the best Italian horror movies that you have to see before you die.

What about you? All 2 of you readers out there, drop me a comment, let me know what your favorites are, and for goodness sake buy something from the links so that I can grab a cup of coffee. Or just comment, it’s always nice to see that someone reads my garbage writing.

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Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones Review

I grew up in the projects of Culver City. My sister’s nanny was Latina and she had a couple of kids my age. That meant that 90% of my time away from school was spent in the hood. In that hood I met a lot of interesting people, some of which are carbon copies in this movie. I hate the other Paranormal Activity movies, I don’t like them at all. I think they suck, quite honestly. But the makers of the series found a way to get to me, and you know what, they did it well. This movie is awesome in my book, and it’s because it hits home to my childhood and the things my people say, do, and well act like. Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones has a healthy mix of fear, and I for one loved it.

The movie tells the story of recent Latino graduates. They live in a small apartment complex, and they have a camera that they are recording everyday life with. As they start to investigate their neighbor, they realize that there’s something going awry. They find out that she’s in “Santa Muerte” and things start to spin out of control when the main character, Jesse, finds what appears to be a bite on his arm. Of course this comes after a black magic, voodoo, black mirror thing ends up happening in an abandoned church. I may be glossing over things, but whatever, it’s coming from memory.

As the movie progresses, things really start to get insane, and we push through to a story that is gut wrenching. I haven’t felt a twist in my stomach until Jesse turns super evil, and his friends have to try and save them. Hector running through a sequence in the Coven and Marisol falling out the sky did it for me, and the movie really pushed my buttons. Perhaps it’s the Latino influence, perhaps I was just lucid, but there were moments in this movie that made me root for the good guys, even though they brought this whole thing on themselves. Scooping fire into their laps turned out to burn them like hell, no pun intended.

Altogether, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is a frenetically wound scary movie, and it had me amazed. I liked the found footage story telling here, and appreciated the nod to my culture in a way. There’s a lot to this movie, and something that I will definitely watch again. I haven’t seen a horror movie in a long time that I truly liked, and this is one of them. It’s powerful, and while it’s not perfect, it’s definitely one of my favorites from the past few years. There’s a sick sense of terror that permeates through the actions of this movie, and something that all good horror movies do. There's something for everyone here, and if you're at all familiar with Mexican, Latino culture, you may have a bit of a soft spot for this movie's central characters and themes.

The real dirt here, buy this one on blu ray, wait for nightfall, light some candles and get scared. I loved it. Yeah, I said it. There's more to this than just my attempt at an explanation, so go see it or figure out how to get it (below).

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Event Horizon Review

Buy the blu ray here

Event Horizon is one of those movies that gets idly passed by at the video stores and through collections as another science fiction romp, but it’s more than that. It reaches to the heart of what horror is and delivers a good narrative, with good acting, and some nice touches here and there to separate itself from the schlock that came out in the late 1990s. In fact, this movie stars Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill, two icons of cinema in my view, and definitely do their part well. Directed by Paul Anderson, this is one movie you have to go back and watch again, with the lights on preferably.

The movie centers around a space ship (surprise surprise) headed into the deep recesses of space, and testing a new technology to somehow understand black holes and even control them. It’s there that something goes wrong, and the ship gets taken into a wormhole and that’s that. In the future, the ship returns and it’s up to a rag tag crew to figure out what’s going on, and perhaps try to tell the tale of loss. In the middle of all of this however, something deeply disturbing takes place, each character has to face their fear, their worst fears as it flashes before them and they get pummeled throughout.

At times, this one reminded me of the original puzzle horror film “Cube”, but it’s more than that. It has a lot of little twists and turns, with some serious suspense. The science may be a bit flimsy, but that doesn’t matter because the scenery here is isolated, scary, and filled with horror. You get a bit of gore, a bit of scares, but more importantly, a character study in space.

It is not on par with some other movies, as there are some slow spots, and the concept can be easily lost as it turns out to be a fragile component to the turning of the screws in the film. It’s not bad, by any means, as there are some great highlights, and the acting is so strong that you can overlook some of the minor misses here and there.

As a horror movie Event Horizon stands tall, but as an instant classic, or compared to others, it’s not that grand. It’s easily forgettable, and it has been, until you rewatch it and find something new. That’s why I recommend picking up this film and watching it again, it’s been a while, no doubt. It has an easy flow, horror themes, science fiction notes here and there, and of course better acting than 90% of the teen scream movies from the era.

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6 Houses in Horror That Scared Audiences To Death

I make fun of the idea all the time. Or rather, I tell my girlfriend (more like ask) that we’re moving into the Amityville House. It was most recently on sale, and you know your pal Sir Jorge talked to a real estate agent. Not only do I not qualify, I have the worst credit you’ve ever seen. Divorces will do that to you.

Regardless, of my efforts to move into one of the most haunted places in the world, haunted houses are a staple in the horror genre. I’ve written about scary movies, hauntings, and a lot of other topics in the past, but have not posted a list of the houses that scared audiences the most. A Haunted House movie doesn’t necessarily need to scare you, which is the traditional measuring stick. However, for this list I wanted to highlight movies in which bad things happen in a house, whether ghost or otherwise. So with that in mind, here are the houses that scared audiences, or maybe just me to death.

The Amityville Horror

For goodness sakes, get out the house! Brolin’s portrayal is great in this one and was far spookier than when Van Wilder tried to do it. His porno hair and beard was definitely a highlight for this one. Oh, it wasn’t a porno? Oh, yeah, I forgot. The 1979 release of Amityville Horror stunned audiences and is a staple for horror fans. It’s not that great looking back, but it still holds enough power to scare the average viewer. You’ll also have to remember that it’s kind of based on a true story. It’s a creepy movie, especially with the steady pace, and ultimate ending. The Lutz’s account is shocking regardless of the credibility and the movie still remains one of the better haunted house films you’re going to want to see. If you want to see it in 3-D, the franchise when there…sadly.

Poltergeist

It was 1982 and Tobe Hooper got Steven Spielberg on board to showcase a haunted house movie that is still talked about today. There is a serious creep factor in this one, and the television plays a cool roll. No, it’s not as scary as Videodrome, and of course it’s not as sexualized, but this one is definitely an instant classic. Proving that you should never build your house on ancient burial grounds, and you shouldn’t watch too much television, this scared audiences even with a PG rating. Carol Ann is a memorable role, and one that should never be remade. What? They’re remaking it? Son of a….

The Legend of Hell House

We’re going back to 1973, and this time around the movie is The Legend of Hell House. This is a cool movie with a lot of interesting moments. When I studied this film in college, and read the book that Matheson wrote with a similar name, I was convinced that this was the best haunted house movie and story ever created. Of course, it does have a bit of cheese involved in the making of this, but who cares, it’s awesome. The Belasco House is awesome, spooky, and the 1970s stylized horror moments create some serious scares. Even though some people claim it’s hokey, I think it’s awesome and you should too. Then after all is said and done, go and read the Matheson book of a similar name, because that was a classic. No, it is a classic.

1408

Stephen King has the best stories. You can criticize them all you want, but the dude continues to scare people young and old. 1408 didn’t grab me at first, and I found it boring until the whole thing was turned upside down. Right when I thought it was over, it wasn’t, and John Cusack’s acting really does a great job here. He pulls out his acting chops and isn’t lamenting the loss of a woman to the point where he turns into a big dufus. I loved the way this adaptation takes the character of Mike Enslin and turns a little more believable moments than your average horror movie character. The thoughts, ideas, and notions of an author’s struggle to write and create compelling signatures creeps me out as a writer, especially when fantasy becomes reality. There are forces at work with this one, and they work out quite well.

House of the Devil

That 1980s babysitter in peril card is played with House of the Devil. Not only that, it goes for the gusto in the third act, and finishes things off in a sweet emotional drop that you’ll swear comes from years past. Even though this is a newer entry point on this list, and it’s not a ghost story at all, it still stuns. Satanic ritual, creepy houses, and hot pizza all make for a great film. Oh, there’s more to it than that? Well maybe I want some pizza, ever thought of that? A guy has to eat. Especially when no one is buying dvd’s or paying me to write this site. How about donating some cash for a slice? Pick up a dvd via the amazon links or visit my other sites and click on an ad, I’d appreciate it. I mean, come on, a slice of pizza for a dvd that you’re going to enjoy millions of times? Whatever. House of the Devil is not only a great entry into a scary house, it reminds me of the Motley Crue song that has nothing to do with the movie.

The Shining

My old professor said this was the “Mother” of all haunted house stories. If that’s the case, he definitely picked one of the strongest entry points. The Shining may not be Stephen King’s ultimate vision, but Kubrick was able to frame something so spectacular, that it became all new in many ways. The creep factor really is elevated here, and every single moment is well thought out. Kubrick has a way of making art out of horror and Jack Torrance is a daring character that goes insane. Performance heavy, lengthy, moody, and full of color, this is definitely a stunning display of art and film mixed with horror. You don’t get a lot of movies pushing the envelope like this in the horror genre.

Ok, so this is an oddly written piece. It has terrible infrastructure, and it is more about what happens in the houses than about the houses themselves. But then again, maybe it’s on point. These movies are examples of scary things going on in scary houses.

Sinister Review

There are a lot of movies that come out with the same premise as others, and this one seemed to have a similar idea going for it, although, it tried to make something new out of the trend of found footage horror movies. It’s with that in mind that we start to realize that the genre is not going anywhere, and while I may not love it, it is here to stay, much like the idea of torturous films after the “Saw” series came and went. With that in mind, enjoy the review of Sinister.

I wanted to see this movie when it came out initially, but as always, I wasn’t able to go for a variety of reasons. I tend not to have any money, and since no one that reads this site helps me out financially, it just isn’t possible for me to get entertained and write at the same time. It’s one or the other, and neither one pays. It’s that sort of reality that drives this movie, as we meet our hero, a struggling writer that moves into the house where a whole family is killed on a quest to write the best true crime book that he can. As he starts to connect the pieces of what really happened in the home, a manifestation starts to appear.

Much like other found footage movies, this one relies heavily on the premise that there was something supernatural on the other side of the film that caused the problems. In the end we get to see this demon of sorts and well, it’s highly predictable and laughable the way it ended. I didn’t like the way it turned out as it was a long and tedious romp through boredom to get to the final answer and to really understand what was going on.

Premise and boredom aside, Sinister does bring to light some very unique elements into the horror genre. There is the found footage thing, but the acting, and the urgency of the characters involved made you think twice about simply throwing in the towel for other entertainment choices. I found myself not only caring for the main characters but also wanting them to survive without a scratch. You know that wasn’t going to happen, and when you get the reveal, you feel a bit uneasy.

Overall, Sinister is an ok horror movie. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, unless they are diehard collectors. If you want to get it, it’s available on Blu Ray and other formats. Check it out, buy it on amazon and help a brotha out.

Paranormal Activity 3 Review

(buy from amazon here)

I heard a lot about these movies and every year there are a lot of different ads being pushed about the movies. I’m not necessarily a big fan of scare tactics which is what the movie series is all about, well, that and shaking camera footage. If you guessed that I would be reviewing Paranormal Activity 3 than you are probably psychic or you read my post-it notes. I managed to sit through this sequel the other night instead of reading a book, and I am regretting it, but then again, I regret a lot of the movies that I end up watching for the main purpose of reviewing on this website. Sure, I’m a fan of horror, but some things are just awfully slow moving. With that in mind, here are my petty thoughts on this movie.

The movie is your classic haunting tale at first. A family goes into a house and bad things happened before. But that’s not how we are introduced, a box of videocassette tapes is delivered and through the footage strange things start to happen in the home. Is it a ghost? Is it an entity? I don’t know, but it sure is creepy when things start to happen.

You have to pay attention to what is going on throughout this movie. I turned away to stop my cats from killing each other and my girlfriend told me something crazy happened. I could’ve rewound the movie but why? This isn’t vhs era, man I miss those days. Remember the oversized porn boxes? They had cardboard trays inside, oh never mind. There are a lot of boring, things that you will find in this movie especially a lot of dead air. The camera moves left to right and no sound is heard, and at times only a sheet is seen. However, much like a “Where’s Waldo” book, you better be ready to notice what is going wrong, otherwise it’s very quiet.

By the time something really starts to happen, you don’t care, I know I didn’t. Sure there were some moments where evil seemed to takeover, but I didn’t really like it.

My main problem with this movie was that the entity in the movie focused at o ne point at harming a child. I always find that killing children, abusing them, and targeting them for the sake of horror or entertainment is just not something I want to enjoy. It bugs me. It’s odd because I have seen some sick stuff, including many graphic violent and rape scenes, but when you mess with a child, I start to lose interest. With the exception of “Who Can Kill a Child” in which the children were killing all adults and if it the sole survivor didn’t punch out a few children, he was a goner just like the rest of the party.

Paranormal Activity 3 is boring, yet effective. I can see why many people love it, but I don’t know if I loved it. No, I do know, I didn’t love it. It’s slow moving, it’s creepy, and well it’s boring. I did find the jump scares effective, but it really isn’t that great. Maybe you’ll disagree, and if so, drop me a line, otherwise, eh, it’s ok at best.



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American Horror Story Season 1 Episode 3 Review

American Horror Story is one of the more addicting horror television programs that I’ve seen in a long time. Each episode keeps drawing me into a whole new world of story telling and second guessing. I thought I had this thing figured out, then a wrench is thrown into my view, and I have to think on my feet to get moving towards a resolution. The third episode brought onto the screen several different story milestones and things are just beginning, which makes this so much better to watch than your average movie.

At this point in the story we get to find out the original owners of the house of murder, as they are calling it. There was a strange doctor that was giving abortions to women in his basement and there are some interesting Frankenstein moments where he’s working what appears to be a chimaera of sorts. The visuals here are impressive, and I definitely thought hit was a strong point in the episode.

Meanwhile in the present, the marriage that has been rocked by infidelity continues to unravel when the mistress shows up and says she’s keeping the baby. Our two faced friend comes through with a much needed helping shovel to the face which was awesome. However, not all is safe as the doctor is being drugged by someone, and he think it’s the maid!

This is quite the interesting point in the series, with a murder, a helper, and someone trying to drug the man of the house. I liked the way it was going, and it was apparent that the show is building up to something. I haven’t quite made out whether everyone is dead, if only a few of them are dead, or this is all a dream.

American Horror Story season 1 episode 3 really does do a good job of mixing storytelling with horror in a quick capsule of around 40 some odd minutes. It kept me interested, which is hard to do with television programming. I’ll have another review updated sooner than later.



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American Horror Story Season 1 Episode 2 Review

After yesterday’s sex filled episode featuring a guy in a full gimp suit, I was wondering what the second episode would have in store for me, and it really let me down in the sexual department, although there were definitely some nice overtones. This second episode opened up with a 1970s serial killer rampage inside the home that the new family is now living in, and it was done quite good. Without revealing too much gore the shots were well edited, and the elements of fear were set into motion within a few minutes of the opening sequencing. I thought it was a great opener and really set the tone for everything else.

The show moved into an odd story line in which the father has to lie about going to Boston to see his former lover, and in the meantime the wife and daughter are terrorized by a group that is hell bent on reenacting the crime from the opening sequence.

This episode did two things very well, it told another piece of the story about the house, and it also set up another distrust angle between the husband and the wife. I thought those two emotional connections really shown through the underlying tension that was had.

Visually, this second episode ramped up things and while I was still confused by a great deal of the plot points, I found myself mesmerized with many of the details, wondering how far this thing would truly get. I found that there were some great moments overall, and the clichés that plagued many slasher films were not found here. In fact, it was quite the opposite, getting me to cheer for the family as they fought their way back to life rather than accepting the fate of a serial killer or the rampage of lunatics.

The end of the episode left me thinking about what I would do in the situation, and I wasn’t able to answer. I’m probably a big wuss. Episode 2 of American Horror Story Season 1 is quite good, and is still delivering one hell of a punch.



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American Horror Story Season 1 Episode 1 Review

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