songod-95003

We Catholics have thick skins. The spate of movies since the 1970's that have take great liberties with the org and it's members are countless.

This film is totally incorrect about the Immaculate Conception. Meaning a person born without original sin. That was MARY, Jesus' mother, not Jesus. He was of virgin birth which is different than Immaculate Conception.

Also, Christ came and already did what He was destined to do. Trying to re-create Him is utter nonsense as it does not need to be done. AND His second coming is not going to be as an infant! I could go on and on but...

What I wish to point out is if any of the films tearing down the sanctity of the church were set in a Mosque or a Synagogue; they would not be made. Or if, would be unable to find a distributor for fear of a huge riotous backlash. Imagine 100,000 Muslims taking to the streets to protest a movie that featured a demonic force in one of their holy of hollies!!!

But we Catholics just sit by and let our faith be torn apart again and again.

Guess we are secure enough to know nothing can destroy it.

Any comparison to "The Wicker Man" is in passing; ie a small village seemingly trapped in the past that believes in a folklore legend. That is it.

Someone called this "amateurish". Well as an avid film watcher, former pro actor, and a vet of the biz I can point to a half dozen or more "films" that were shot by apparent teenagers that managed to get distributed via VOD, or before that, VHS. (Actually I am doing a disservice to teenage movie makers as I was once one and made better films than some of the crap I have seen professionally presented!!)

This is an engaging movie that keeps your interest from start to finish. No one phones in a performance and the script, while it does level a bit in the middle, provides enough twists to make this very worth your watching while.

This movie came out right around the time a bigger budget movie also called "The Boy" came out. Naturally everyone in genre land paid attention to that one and this gem was left to be seen by a few. I am glad to say I am one of the few!

The tale of an isolated young adolescent who lives in a road side motel in the middle of nowhere with his dad who is the owner is enough to already make one know that bad things are bound to happen. Paid in change by his dad for cleaning up road kill, the boy longs to earn enough to leave and go to Florida where his mother is. She long ago left the father but sent one postcard the boy holds on to, dreaming to a new life away from the drudgery of his current life.

Toss in that dad is clueless as to his son's displeasure, a man who may or may not be a wife killer, and the one BIG event for the motel each year, the local High Schools after prom party, and madness with not a little bit of mayhem ensues.

Only complaint is the film is slow. Takes it's time building the character of the boy; whom we come to realize is a sociopath. The dad is again clueless to his son's anger and resentment over believing he is the reason his mom left.

When the climatic ending comes, you 100% understand why what happens happens and how the boy uses it to his advantage.

Well worth the slow pace and worlds better than the Hollywood generic PG-13 "The Boy". I recommend you find it (probably have to search for "The Boy" and add 2015).

First I will say how great it was seeing Kit Harington in something other than GOT. Yes he had a short scene in "Externals" but his performance here is world away from anything I've seen him in prior. Which is not much (oh yes, he was also in "Pompeii"). Honestly if it were not for the IMDB credits, I would not have known it was him!

No doubt in my mind as to who his characters friend was, it was clearly Sherlock Holmes prior to the Baker Street days. No name was given but it was not necessary.

The very end had a nice nod to the 1932 Boris Karloff film "The Mummy". If you have seen it, when the mummy comes to life a young archeological student begins laughing. Slowly at first, but then increasingly mad. Harrington's character does the same when faced with the living mummy!

At the close to end the mother says "You drugged us!?" after seeing the boiling pot of tomato sauce and the crunched up mix of pills. But when did this happen?

At no point did we see the kids feed spoonfuls of the sauce to the comatose parents or awake parents or any such action.

Other than that this is a fine found footage film.

It is very evident something is seriously wrong with the children from the beginning. Also, it is hinted in dialog that the kids did something at their former city school that made the family move out into the middle of nowhere. No details are given but it establishes that the problems began before moving to the house; making the father's assertions that the house is "possessing them" inaccurate.

Expected stand alone eps but it seems we'll be dealing with an arc.

The casino boss' dad is out for revenge on Charlie (played wonderfully by Natasha). He blames her for his son's death (when it all was really his own fault) and has promised to hunt her down.

While it seems each ep (I just am catching up and saw ep one) will have its own self contained story, the hunt and hunted thing will be going on and on. I have seen this kind of thing before; many times before. So many I am bored with the trope.

I am counting on Natasha and crew to make this interesting and not bog down with her having to constantly dodge Big Bad Dad and narrowly miss getting killed every ep.

Of course in the finale he'll be somehow done away with!

From the black and white classics to modern films, I watch a load of horror. Nothing shocks me anymore.

However, the scene with Emma eating the rotted corpse of a raccoon had to be the grossest thing I have ever seen on screen! And I grew up with the "vomit bag" films like "Mark of the Devil" playing at the drive-in! (Rather have watched the Karloff films on late night!).

The last great season of AHS was Jessica Lange's season. "Freak Show" was terrific. Since then there have been bright spots ("Roanoke" was one) but mostly complete BS like "Cult" and the "Double Feature" where which neither story was fulfilling. Depending on how this plays out, this hopefully final season will end on a high.

I say hopefully final because the show needs to be put down! Over stayed it's welcome!

...and STILL no clue why Daryl left the Commonwealth. What was he going to look for? Certainly not Rick again!

Five hours of story and NOT ONE single exposition as to why he went off, ending up in MAINE and so on and so on.

People ask why he ended up in France. Well, I wanna know why he left his friends at all! Last we saw the Commonwealth was on the road to true equality. Assuming they achieved it, why leave it?? What was so important Daryl had to travel up the east coast??

Will this be finally addressed in the finale? If so, poor writing. His reason for leaving should have been stated in ep one.

I smell a Gimple in the works.

I was fooled initially into thinking "ruin it Scott" was not involved. But in the litany of exec producers... his name was revealed. Every idiot move from orig series six to the end was HIS doing. And my God what a mess he has made of "Fear the Walking Dead"!!

Like Marti Noxon who single handedly ruined "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" after Whedon gave her control; Gimple did the same with "The Walking Dead" and "Fear the Walking Dead". Now his incompetent stupidity infects this show.

Angela Kang managed to save the main show in spite of Gimple tossing wrenches in every now and again.

He better not be involved with the Rick and Michonne spin off!!

A sequel to a prequel may not sound enticing. In fact it may sound downright dreadful!

Thanks to the solid script, spot on direction, and excellent cast "The Nun II" is focused, engaging, and honestly frightening at times (and I am a vet of horror films since a boy and do not say that lightly).

Taissa Farmiga is once again perfectly cast as Sister Irene. Tucked away after the events of the first film into a small convent by the Vatican (while her male co-exorcist is given a Bishop's title!), she lives humbly and never speaks of her involvement. That is until the Vatican comes calling on her again to investigate what appears to be a return of the demon she helped vanquish.

Toss in Maurice from the first film and a perfect continuance is underway.

New characters shine. Nice to see "Chronicles of Narnia" Anne Poppelwell in a big screen project. Her and her daughter, played by a wonderful Katelyn Rose Downey, makes for a perfect pair to connect to where the demon nun has set her sites on.

As prior, a rare holy relic is sought and required to do it's supernatural work. It is the only thing that makes me concerned for the future of the franchise. If there is to be another sequel and the formula of Christian relics is employed, what are they going to use?? A saints heart? Liver??

I have to say growing up I knew a number of "Weirds". Not one of them ever became a college professor! They became homeless, career criminals, or died from their own actions.

But TV is not life!

I truly am enjoying this short run series! Just about to watch ep 3 and cannot wait to see who is behind the current day killings of suspects and what really happened back in 1996.

Seems from the end of ep 2, Rosie's adopted daughter who found out about her mom may be involved in the suspects demise. Weird seems to have done himself in but I imagine he survives...

To be honest, I started watching because I saw Lauren Lyle in a film called "Mercy Falls" and liked her performance enough to check out what else she had done!

While I certainly heard of it I am just now watching this... 20+ years late!!

There is a lot of good which so many here have written about etc. I am here to express frustration about one of the show's primary subplot:

George's family.

I have just finished ep 7 of season 1 and am already DONE with her living family! Esp mom. On a scale of 1-10 on the Annoying Scale she is a 12. Someone ought to slap her. Maybe they do in later eps! She is the type of person who ruins their kids lives in subtle non arrestable ways yet ought to be arrested nonetheless! Her grief has not changed her as flashbacks show she was the same rhymes with witch then as she is now.

Sister Reggie is a bit more tolerable and understandable in their grief yet also is getting on my nerves. Any other real life child doing the things she is doing would be committed.

I want the whole fam story wrapped up and done! YET going by IMDB's cast list showing number of eps, they remain for BOTH seasons.

The rest of the show is fine (though George's office job also can get annoying... esp her mid manager boss. I have worked for those phony eternally happy people and they all sucked).

Ellen and Mandy rule. Best parts of it all.

Another sterling performance from Kyle Gallner makes what would have been a boring film intriguing and worth watching.

I say boring because, aside from the early scene inside the fast food joint where Kyle's character works, nothing truly of note happens till the films final scenes. There's a load of talk between Benson (Kyle) and his hostage Bradley (the equally effective Johnny Berchtold), and moments when you think something might happen but... no.

Also we do not learn anything significant about Benson or why he is ding what he is doing. Sure, he snaps, but why? A hint is given about a possible abuse by his third grade teacher but only a hint. We are left, in the end, wondering just what was up with him.

All the people involved give good performances, down to the youngest member of the cast. However, the lack of a decent developed script lets them down.

Watch this for Kyle as he, as stated, is terrific.

Sarah Snook is a terrific actress. Want proof? See "Predestination".

She is very good in this film as well but the film is not all that great. I held out for more information but it never truly came. The revelation about what one sister did to the other was somewhat evident mid way; thus its confirmation was not so much a reveal as a "Okay I knew this was coming."

The true sin the film makes is giving us no closure. I thought the annoying trend of wide open endings to films had passed. Here it returns with an ending that makes us guess what will come as it goes to black with credits. I have always taken this as lack of talent in first the writers room ad then in the director.

Or maybe they think they are being clever when they are truly being jerks?

A better ending would have had Sarah (the characters name as well) confessing to murder, the sisters body\bones finally being found (heck if a real extensive search had been done in the first place the cops would have found her), and going to jail. Mia would be taken in by her dad and his new wife. The end.

I am glad they did not make Becky an unstoppable Rambo. She was human with PTSD from what happened before and got captured by the creeps.

That she would prevail against all odds was a given. The way it was done was not as hardcore as I expected (thought I'd see more gore - as when she chopped up the a-hat with the son named Adolf, limbs cut off, gash to the head, etc) but satisfying nonetheless. Fav kills? The murderer with the grenade in his mouth. Daryl Sr and Diego (Jill Larson is amazing. Did you see "The Taking of Deborah Logan"? Oscar worthy performance). Finally Daryl himself... Pride goeth before a fall, and boy, he fell!

The ending? Can't wait for "Becky 3"!!

I am not big on zombie movies because they are wrong (zombies do not eat anything let alone people). Less on horror\comedy as they typically suck. But this one had such a awesome cast I had to give it a shot.

I wasn't taken right away by the film as it was played so straight by all involved it was dragging. But then, seriously mid way, I got it. The humor was woven in; not in typical beats to a story rhythm.

Once I clued in, I was laughing out loud. Never so more than when Adam Driver tells Murray why he knew all along things would not end well; "I read the script"!! Murray called Jim, Jim the writer and director, an asshole for only giving him scenes to read!!

Not for everyone.

I have been a fan of the Evil Dead films since the first trilogy, which for me, remains THE story of the Evil Dead. From the first to "Army of Darkness" those were the best.

This film captured the gore of the originals but lacked the humor. Bruce Campbell's Ash was hero, victim, and comedian. Esp in "Army..." these characteristics were on full display.

"Evil Dead Rise" lacks any humor whatsoever. It is a straight on gore fest horror film. The gore being the only remnant of Sam Raimi's trilogy evident. Over the top in every respect! Maybe that is, in itself, humorous; but not enough to actually make for laughter.

Putting a child in the mix was not a good idea. No shade on young actress Nell Fisher (who does a great job); but a child does not, IMO, belong in such a outrageously violent bloody movie. Not one whose roots are in both the gore and slapstick. She made it all a very tense worry fest.

Give me Raimi\Campbell any day!

How old should Uthred be? King Alfred, historically, reigned 28 years. Even if Uthred was 20 when he began service to him, he'd be 48 when he died. Now Ethelstan is from what I can tell about 15 maybe 18... this would put Ulthred at about 66! Yet he looks no older than 30. 66 was ancient for a person in those rough times. He'd be gray and toothless!

Seems he, Brida, the Irish warrior, and Aleswith, Alfred's widow, do not age in this saga!

And why do I see two sentence reviews when I have to drone on to fill a character limit?? Are they Premium users or something??

Honestly have not much to say. Season five begins and I look forward to it and then the Netflix movie.

The tale of Uthred is a great one.

My only bone to pick is the opening credit theme. While in tune, the vocalist clearly graduated from the Yoko Ono Academy of Voice. Grating does not cover it.

Knowing that there is a Netflix movie which follows season 5 does not diminish the tension of the drama unfolding. It enhances it for me! Makes me want to see just how Uthred continues to fit into the scheme of things.

And like many I have looked up Uthred and, as King Alfred promised, no mention of him is made in the British historic chronicles. But there were indeed several figures who were called Uthred of Benningburgh and thus... well, perhaps!!

... and not really a good one.

What "vibe" is that? It is a "Lost" vibe! I feel the longer the show goes on the more layered things will get till when the inevitable series finale is upon us, it is going to be impossible to successfully wrap up all the various story threads that will have emerged over the previous seasons.

The only way out for the show runners and writers may be the now ancient "Jacob's Ladder" ending where none of anything was real, everyone died in the crash, and the last one to die (whomever that may be) will have imagined everything moments before death. The survival the present day the... everything was a fleeting moment in a persons dying mind.

"Lost", though the show runners insist that was not at all the ending, did indeed make it all appear like a dying minds fantasy and that noting for all it's season had actually happened.

While largely fictional, there was indeed a King Alfred who reigned in Wessex from 471-499. His policies and actions did much to unite all the kingdoms of England into one.

However no Uhtred like our character here is in recorded history. However, there was more than one Uhtred associated with Bamburgh.

As far as our tale so far, it is frustrating the Alfred still does not give Uhtred his due nor truly trusts him. Heck, even his wife who wanted Uhtred dead not that long ago wants him on their side!

Alfred's mistrust seems solely based on religion. He fails to see how God works in many ways for the greater good.

That is the message of this ep and on a bigger level the whole series.

Everyone has done what they have had to. Whatever the reason, however those reasons have changed; everyone does what they have to in this world gone mad.

What show\film am I talking about? "The Last of Us"? "The Walking Dead"? "Night of the Living Dead"? "Lost"? "Max Mad"? "Last Train to Besun"??

It has become a long used trope to picture, when\if our world falls apart, that what remains of humanity will be at its most basic, most selfish, most violent. Sure some heroes emerge who think of others before themselves; but by and large; people become raiding parties out for only what they need and taking it no matter the cost to others. (An ep way back of TWD showed how such a party not only took what another group had, they killed everyone including the children.)

Is this what we truly are? When it all gets ripped away, when money means nothing, when nothing we are used to works anymore; and we are on the ground walking from place to place scavenging, hunting (if we know how), and killing anyone who has what we need? Or if we still have a soul we attempt to "barter" for it?? But push comes to shove... they die or we die.

I suppose there is precedent for it. Look at how our culture and others react to even the slightest disruption. We riot. We loot. We burn. Extrapolate that to a world wide calamity.

Indeed then... this IS who we are.

Some eps this season have meandered this ep did not. It got right to it and kept with it till the very end. What is it, you ask?

Drama. Suspense. Horror.

Sean and Julian deliver Leanne to Old Uncle George in the basement tunnels. Only now he has two "helpers" with him. Both men truly think he is just going to take Leanne and "deprogram her" but hesitate when they see the acolytes. Regardless, they still think they are doing what is best and leave her with them... tied up and gagged!

Poor old George almost had Leanne about to end herself and "save the world" when he says the wrong thing! Oops indeed. It is he and his helpers who are ended! Soon after, Sean and Julian are out of commission; being sent off to the hospital with a whispered "You will never enter this house again"!!

Now we have Dorothy and Leanne alone with Jericho.

Two eps are left and no fifth season is apparently planned. Two half hour eps to tie up all that has gone on for 4 seasons! Can it be done?? And how do we want this to end?? Dorothy and Jericho alive and surviving Leanne? Or Leanne being the survivor of this; claiming Jericho and having the house (somehow)??

Leanne has indeed changed. She has grown much more powerful (to the reviewer here who said she was once beaten by Dorothy) and seemingly, according to Uncle George, no one can end her but herself. Thus I do not see how anyone can overcome her unless a Deus Ex Machina type of external force pops up to aid them.

Then again the show could leave us wondering; not really having a conclusive end but a open ending where we the loyal audience is left to decide for ourselves what happens! This type of unfulfilling end has been used many times when show\film writers\runners paint themselves into a corner.

Or... it was all a dream in Dorothy's devastated troubled mind and there never was a Leanne, or a doll, and she mentally cracked over the guilt of killing her son!

We shall see!

As well acted as this series was, it meandered. That is the best way I can put it. Meandered. Took ages to get from point A to point B.

Also it was clear from the way scenes were filmed, Capaldi was never in the same room with either lead actor. Over the shoulder, close ups, wide angle where edits could be made to make it seem they were across the table... I am an old hat at screen techniques. Many such "tricks" have been used since the dawn of motion pictures. I imagine scheduling had something to do with the reason why.

Other than the wtf's everyone is probably wondering, my main issue is online press states there will be not only a Season Two but a Season Three! Yet IMDB indicates no such thing.

Example: The BBC series "Slow Horses" got a multi season renewal during Season One and in the drop down for seasons, those as of yet to be aired seasons appear! Here... no. Were minds changed from last fall to now?

In a world where whole seasons of a show can be "in the can" and then not aired it would not surprise me (Example: "Snowpiercer"'s final season 4 is done and ready. Now it's home network is refusing to air it!! Will it turn up somewhere? Who knows!) that shows slated for renewal suddenly are not renewed.

Blame it all on the DCU and their ditching of the nearly finished "Batgirl". They kicked open the door for studios and networks to back out of promised product; all in the name of... something.

Love to see more of this show and see where it goes with the now new incarnation or Lucy!

Plainly clear they all were looking for Star Wars when instead they got a "family" drama.

I say family in such a way as this is not about a regular family. No, it is more like the wild west where one group takes over another groups home by killing them. Issue here, as in most stories if this type, they left a survivor. 20+ years later... they come back.

I honestly watched this for Jonny Lee Miller and was disappointed he was not in it all that much.

Instead we get the tale of Jerry, Ilsa, and Remmy; a truly mixed family if ever there was one! As the years go by on Mars (tho it really never says they are on Mars you have to assume), soon it is just Jerry and Remmy.

Jerry is the survivor of the first group. In the ensuing years Remmy abides with him (she is a child). When she is "of age", Jerry believes they should mate and have children. Ya know, cause otherwise the species will die out!

Remmy has a long memory. She never forgot what Jerry did and has barely said a word to him though he has been a father figure and "good" to her for a decade or more. Nonetheless, to her, and to me, he has always been an invader and someone not to be 100% trusted.

In the end Remmy goes off, breather and air tanks, to a place she knows separates her habitat from the wilds. She wants to know truly if she is the only person there. As she puts on her mask and ventures out, we the audience are left to wonder; tho are fairly certain with seemingly no way back "home"... she is doomed.

But we do not know as the movie abruptly ends!! I'd like to think she realized nothing is there, turned around, opened the passage, and went to her habitat where, while alone, at least she could live out her days with food and water; rather than running out of air and dying miserably in the dust.

But... we do not know.

Everyone cast was wonderful but special kudos go to Brooklyn Prince, who plays Remmy as a child, and Nell Tiger Free who plays the older Remmy. Their performances segue perfectly into each other making the character believably one.

Recommended but not for those looking for star-ships, lasers, big aliens, and light sabers!!

Since then I have seen it a couple more times.

I cannot fathom the low IMDB rating nor the apparent flop at the box office.

The concept is original (Voodoo spell curses a man with 13 snake demons), yet the kills are other aspects were straight slasher so you had new and old which so many critics have complained the genre needed; a mix of old and new, AND you had Keven Williamson behind it all! What could go wrong?

Apparently the fickle horror critics and audience! Give the what they want and they throw it back in you face!

Not me tho. Long time horror fan (1900's -Present) and I reveled in the new and old and really fell in movie star "love"with Agnes Bruckner! Followed her in various projects since.

Thus do not believe the low rating and give this gem a chance!