INSOMNIAC SONG
MOVIE AND TELEVISION REVIEWS
HORROR
Poltergeist (2015)
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Jared Harris, Kennedi Clements
Directed by: Gil Kenan
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 93 minutes
Synopsis: A family whose suburban home is haunted by evil forces must come together to rescue their youngest daughter after the apparitions take her captive.
For the record, I hate clowns. Why did I see the Poltergeist remake then? I suppose it was a nostalgic moment. The original movie scared me as a kid with the creepy child actor, clown and the medium lady. Thankfully, the remake doesn't attempt to recreate the original exactly. The names, location and time period have all been updated.
I was unsettled by the multiple clowns in this. I also enjoyed the actors better than the original. Sam Rockwell is probably better known as Zaphod Beeblebrox from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He plays the down on his luck, frightened father quite believably. Jared Harris plays in yet another horror film as Carrigan Burke, the psychic medium brought in to find the missing daughter. He's a welcomed addition in exchange for the creepy lady from the original.
Of course, no remake will ever top a successful original. Many have stated that Poltergeist didn't need a remake at all. While I can agree, I do believe that this movie will be successful with the younger generation. What we found scary back then isn't what today's horror fans find frightening. This is the era of jump scares and found footage. Overall, I would suggest not comparing this to 1982's Poltergeist. Think of it as its own entry into the horror genre.
Rating: 2.5/5
HORROR
Nurse 3D
Starring: Paz de la Huerta, Katrina Bowden, Judd Nelson
Directed by: Douglas Aarniokoski
Rating: R
Run time: 84 minutes
Synopsis: By day, Abby Russell is a dedicated nurse, but by night, she lures cheating men to their brutal deaths and exposes them for who they really are.
Don't go into this one hoping for a deep, insightful plot. You won't find one. Paz de la Huerta stars as Abby Russell, a nurse who moonlights as a femme fatale. Her choice of victim are the men who cheat on their wives and partners. Abby takes great joy in ending the lives of these men by luring them in with her sexuality. All of this information is made clear in the voiceover narration.
In her day job, she has been mentoring a new nurse named Danni. It's quickly obvious that she's very attracted to the young nurse as more than a friend. However, things are complicated by Danni's boyfriend. This attraction turns into obsession in record time with Abby doing whatever it takes to get Danni...or get revenge for being rejected.
My biggest problems with this movie aside from the watery plot is that Abby is so transparent. She's played very bewilderingly over the top. It's pretty hard to believe that none of the other characters ever figured out that something wasn't right with her. Hell, someone should have at least noticed how odd her speech patterns were.
Aside from character issues, most of the movie's budget was spent on bad CGI and 3D effects. Perhaps, if more time and effort had been spent on practical effects, character development and plot thickening, it would have been a better movie overall. Watch this one if you have a love of bad B movies or wish to hear Paz mumble through her lines while nude from the waist down.
Rating: 1/5
HORROR
Patrick: Evil Awakens
Starring: Charles Dance, Rachel Griffiths, Sharni Vinson
Directed by: Mark Hartley
Rating: NR
Run time: 96 minutes
Synopsis: At a private clinic, a young nurse soon discovers that one of the comatose patients is quite sinister.
What happens when a person is declared brain dead? Is there no hope that they can be woken up? This film revolves around a medical center and a doctor who intends to restore brain functions. His staff consists of his daughter and two nurses. Approximately, ten patients are kept in the facility with only one being successfully revived. It's unclear how the Doctor achieved this.
The most notable patient is a handsome young man named Patrick. Nurse Kathy instantly feels a connection to the patient. The doctor's tests consists of simple mystery injections to electroshock therapy. Things become weirder when Kathy becomes convinced that Patrick can hear and understand her.
Think about Carrie and add her powers to a comatose teenage boy. Obsession, desperation and a lacking plot don't leave much to look forward to. However, if you've ever wanted to see Tywin Lannister eat a live frog, then you'll get your chance.
Rating: 1/5
