Reviews

In the words of J.R. Tolkien - "Things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway"(The Hobbit, Chapter 3, paragraph 26).

"The Desolation of Smaug" is sure to satisfy those who thought the first installment dragged its feet. From the first frame to the last, the movie is a thrilling achievement of Peter's. The action is none like we've seen in any middle-earth installment. The visual effects are much improved, the pace is seamless, and the danger is ever more present. Yet through it all, Bilbo and the company's journey to reclaim the Lonely Mountain is not forgotten as the driving force of this tale.

I got a chance to see this movie at the film festival, and boy was I TERRifically surprised! James Wan's 'The Conjuring' is one of those rare gems in the horror industry that finds a spot beside the classic titles of horror, 'The Shining', 'Poltergeist', and 'The Exorcist' due to James Wan's ability to balance an atmospheric dreadful tale involving wonderfully crafted characters with a haunted house that had my palms sweating and my heart pounding during some of the most horrifying moments (There are a few of those; make sure you empty your bladder BEFORE entering the theater).

The things that make 'The Shining', 'Poltergeist', and 'The Exorcist' good is that if the editor were to chop out all the jump-scares and those sequences that fry an image into your brain, you would still have a moody, edgy story that makes you sympathies for the characters and their struggle. This is what Wan does right in this film, and it's then that you realize horror is more than what pops out at you, or what makes you scream. Rather, it's that feeling of dread you get that escalates into sheer terror and suspense, aided by shocking scares.

BUT WAIT! All this not to say 'The Conjuring' doesn't have its share of frightening visuals and pee-your-pants moments; believe me when I say I also rank this as one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. Yet, Wan realizes here that jump scares aren't what moves a story along, but what defines that classic image everyone gets in their head when someone talks about a certain horror movie that frightened them the most, kind of like a celebrity's autograph in the corner of a huge poster of their face.

All of this hence to say, "The Conjuring" is an exceptional piece of film that pulls all the right stops to frighten the audience, leaving a lasting impression on your mind as well the recently tired genre of horror.

Movie Score: 10/10!

I've heard the first gripping episode of the Stephen King adaption deviates quite far from the book, yet that shouldn't lower you're hopes for this new TV series because being a part of the project himself as executive producer beside Steven Spielberg, and the mastermind that penned the novel, Stephen King has APPROVED THE SLIGHT CHANGES made to the story through the tough adaption from book to 13 episode TV series. AND BOY, DOES THE FIRST ONE DELIVER.

This sure is the beginning of something great! From the moment the dome drops to the last frame that leaves you stunned, the ride goes uphill, and fast. By the end of tonights episode, I would be shocked if you didn't have at least one cliff hanger that left you scratching, more like attacking your head for answers. I'll tell you there was one of those moments that left me gawking at the TV screen with eyes and every opening in my face hanging wide open! Is this the next Lost? I can't say that yet, but it looks to be something that rivals your favorite TV show, whatever genre it may be.

'Under the Dome' turns a humdrum Monday evening into a fun Friday movie night!