You're Next

Let’s get one issue out of the box, right off the bat, I will admit, I like horror, especially good horror. I will also admit, right of the bat, I don’t like bad horror. Now to clear up another expected misconception, I review film, I hardly endorse it. Some people think I endorse film simply because I review it, wrong! This view irritates me to the max. So, now that I have that off my chest, let me start, a new release I expect to do incredibly well on opening weekend is the release of the new slasher film, You’re Next. I went out with some friends for the advance because it was available to see. I didn’t expect much from the trailers, didn’t really want to see this movie as I am not generally a fan of slasher films but I decided to go anyway. What did I get? Exactly what I expected.

You’re Next starts off with a couple engaging in some rather explicit love making, my inward thoughts, (maybe I said something out loud to my friend Robert who was with me) was; their dead! Don’t they know Rule #1 in all horror movies? No Sex! Now to give you fair and advance warning, there is virtually no way to do a review of this film without giving some spoilers, I will try my best not to do it, but be forewarned. Now, back to Rule #1, opening sequence, involves sex, seemingly for no other reason than to show the sex, by the way, like I said, everyone should know Rule #1 prior to being someplace where there is creepy music (not the soundtrack it was actually quite nice hearing long time favorite Dwight Twilley) but the soundtrack, situation, back in the woods away from everyone else, well, remember Rule #1.

Shortly thereafter we are introduced to a rather strange and large family. We see a mom and dad driving back into the countryside to their seasonal home. While the home is large and isolated they are going there to celebrate 35 years of marriage. There have been some psychological issues but things are looking up for the wife. During the first couple of days there are a few strange occurrences in the house but all the children arrive along with boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands and wives. The family is together and like many families there is conflict and sibling rivalry. Mom and Dad don’t care though; they feel blessed that the family is back together. They sit down for dinner, complete as a family with guests on the first night they are all together. They pray over the meal they are about to eat in an apparent sincere way. One of the boyfriends notices something outside, goes to look and during the midst of an argument between two brothers he is shot through the head with an arrow from a crossbow. Immediately the onslaught starts and a blood fest takes place over the next 90 minutes or so. What happens on screen next may be enough to garnish the favor and awards from film festivals and patrons but I just didn’t enjoy it.

You’re Next is a low budget film and it shows, from the sound to the direction, to the very predictable plot I
wasn’t impressed. The acting at times is okay and the exception is Sharni Vinson the Australian actress who plays the part of the heroine, Erin. She is exceptional at playing a believable heroine who as a strong woman who caries the load not only within the plot of the movie, but in many ways, for the movie itself. Oh yeah I did enjoy the Dwight Twilly songs in the soundtrack even though I heard them, over, and over, and over.

There are themes in You’re Next that I think worthy of discussion, including how it seems that many in our society have a lackluster perspective of the family. While sibling rivalries are to be expected, one has to wonder, has the family unit gone the way of the dinosaur? We see presented here, a mother and father who have gone through some difficulty, from the actions and attitudes of their children one wonders of the contribution the children may have played in the ultimate downfall of this family. Families in general, now don’t sit around the table, don’t play, they compete, fall apart and out of love with each other. While there are evil people involved in this story, the real tragedy is rooted in the lack of and inability of this family to legitimately love and care for each other. It is unfortunately more about the individual than it is the family unit. There is no respect for the parents and what they have gone through in life. While many of the patrons in the half way filled auditorium I saw this film in laughed throughout the movie, I didn’t, I found the movie poorly made but also sad in its themes. Is this what we have come to? Is there no hope for loving families anymore?

For me, outside of the good job done, and the strong female themes played out particularly by Sharni Vinson, I found this movie to be a waste of time and money. While the themes regarding the breakdown of the family are worthy of discussion, I can’t help but wonder, could the family, especially the mother and father, have done a better job at teaching their children about a relationship with God as opposed to just knowing of God? I wondered are we as a society doing any better today. Do we run the risks presented here, not of a bunch of killers with masks killing us off one by one, but instead, of us as families growing a part day by day. There are lessons here not just for the family unit but also this thing called church, which often refers to itself, as a family. It is here, in the not knowing, loving, and sharing in life together that I wonder, are we all experiencing the potential horrors represented in You’re Next?

Due to not really enjoying myself at all, seeing a movie where the themes and plots have been done far better many times before, I unfortunately give this movie a rather distasteful review. On a scale of 1 – 10 for the things three things they were lacking in life, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I give a very disheartening 3

To see the trailer for the film just click on the video posted below, if the video doesn’t appear, click on the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufUQWpEkbf0


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The Amityville Horror 2005 Blu-Ray

One of the most controversial, and studied horrors in America History involved a house in the Long Island community of New York known as Amityville. The story resulted in a top selling book, and a movie franchise that has resulted in 9 films. The latest theatrical release was in 2005. The Michael Bay produced film directed by Andrew Douglas is now on Blu Ray DVD. While the film starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George as George and Kathy Lutz is well made, it doesn’t fully explore the supposed and controversial history of the house at 112 Ocean Avenue that has led to skepticism among many and assurances of others regarding the haunting and murders which took place.

While there is skepticism and controversy that still exists regarding the haunting experienced by the Lutz family, there is no doubt as to the murders which actually occurred at the house on November 13, 1974. The story, as presented in the movie has it that 24 year old Ronald, ‘Butch’ Defeo Jr. took a 35 caliber, lever action Marlin rifle and shot and murdered his mother, father, two sisters and two brothers. He later claimed to have heard the devil telling him to “kill them all”.

The movie starts out showing the book, Evil is Proof of God, which has been read and marked up by Butch. Butch then proceeds on a shooting spree killing his family. After the house has set vacant for approximately 1 year, the Lutz’s recognize what they think is a good deal and buy the house. While the realtor is somewhat hesitant in showing the house, she later tells them the history of the house after they inquire about the price of the house. Despite their knowledge of the history of the house, the Lutz’s decide to purchase it. Shortly after moving in the newly married couple, and three children, (Kathy Lutz was a widow from a former marriage with 3 children) the family experiences what in real life, the Lutz’s swore was the true story of a horrific 28 days prior to moving out. While some in real life speculated the family moved out due to their inability to pay the mortgage, others speculate the events as largely portrayed in the movie, along with the haunting, poltergeist, and hallucinations, actually occurred. There seems to be collaborating evidence from real life priest, Father Ralph J. Pecoraro, played as Father Callaway by Philip Baker Hall in the 2005 movie and other sources that give credibility to the story.

On the surface, the exceptional editing, terrific sound to support a horror story, and acting are decent, the story just isn’t there. There are too many jumps in the script and few answers, for that matter, the appropriate questions aren’t asked that could have provided insight into the actual story. The 2005 movie is a rather poor remake of the original 1979 film starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder. The age of the older version adds to the visual horror better than the high definition Blu-Ray. While there is a sequence in the film resembling older 35 MM home video footage outside of this, there is little to appreciate about the film and transfer. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t benefit from the high tech aspects and one of the faults in the direction is the thought that newer techniques in the transfer would give reason for a remake and rerelease. While there are some good camera angles in the film, and unique perspectives, specifically within some of the Point of View shots, it seems as if the underlying themes that made the real story, and the legend of the haunting so scary is somehow lost in translation. I don’t see the need for a remake; I certainly don’t see the benefit of it being transferred to Blu-Ray some years later.

This movie touches on aspects of evil and good, and recognizes the reality of evil. What that evil is, and where it comes from is not fully explored in the story. We do hear about a supposed Indian burial ground, a fact in dispute in the real Amityville. While there is the possibility of evil coming from Satan presented in the movie, it is never really explored outside of the viewer seeing the book being read by Butch prior to the murders and the recognition of the house needing to be blessed and ‘exorcised.’ This also too place in real life by the Lutz’s. While the mother, a non practicing Catholic, and George Lutz, a non practicing Methodist, seemed to understand the importance of religion in the attempt to ‘cleanse’ the house it wasn’t until near the end of the 28 days the family decided to explore this option.

With the history of the house, and the legends surrounding it, one would almost have to work at ruining the story, that is exactly what we have in this movie, a story that isn’t that good, and not very scary. The transfer of the Blu-Ray high definition has nothing of value, certainly nothing to justify the higher price for the DVD combo package including the Blu-Ray version and the regular DVD version. The only benefit are the special features including the Deleted Scenes, Supernatural Homicide an exploration of the real murders, The Source of Evil, a Photo Gallery and more. While the special features seem to offer an exploration into the real story, they also lack the detail one would normally hope for, even here though, there is nothing new and this material has been available for some time for those researching the history of the Amityville Horror.

While the concept behind the story is intriguing, and quite interesting because of the exploration of good and evil, the movie and DVD fall short. One may challenge that good and evil cannot exist without the other and that is certainly a worthy debate and discussion. There is little good and little offered in that debate and discussion on this DVD though. There is nothing special about the DVD and the Blu-Ray version to justify the purchase. While one may find some value in the special features, I did not. That doesn’t change the need to search though, I just happen to prefer the potential and possibility of hope and good, unfortunately, The Amityville Horror, 2005 offers neither.

To see the trailer for the film just click on the video below, if it doesn’t appear, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xHJOG03eDE


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