Category Archives: Movies/TV/Theaters

Halloween horror movies

Halloween is usually a time when people like to be scared. Here is a list of some movies that could fit the bill not just around Halloween, but any time you feel like you might need a chill.

Horror Movie Classics

  1. Halloween (1978) – The unstoppable murderer behind the pale white mask and black jumpsuit is killing everyone in his path on his way to get his hands on Jamie. While all of the adults in town are gone, Michael Myer is out hunting for teenagers who don’t believe he is just a Halloween myth. Mr.Loomis is the only one out searching for Myer, in desperation to end him once in for all, but all of the time that Myer has been captured and supposedly killed, he would always resurrects himself.
  2. Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – A teenagers realize that the clawed hand man with the red and green stripe shirt and the burnt griming face revealed under the brown hat is stalking teenagers down in their dreams, Eventually their goals is to never fall asleep in order to save themselves from their destined fates. Main character Tina realizes that some of her friends also experience the approach of ”Freddy” after they doze off in their dreams and goes on the pursuit to kill them. After finding out that Freddy has been killing all of her friends in their sleep, Tina is scared to fall asleep again and stays awake for seven days to figure out the mysteries of Freddy Kruger. This is based the nursery rhyme, “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you.” There are a total of nine films for this series, not including the latest one from 2010, which basically sums up the series into one film, and yet has a way better plot and tension compared to the older versions.
  3. The Exorcist (1973) – Based on an actual event, a little girl, Regan, is possessed by Pazuzu, a demon who had been defeated several years ago and has returned to seek revenge. After playing with a Ouija board, Regan begins to act strange, everything from consistently shaking, chanting in strange noises, and acting in violent manners physically and verbally, and eventually resulting in a murder. After medical treatment fails, her mother turns to a priest for help, and from there he tries to destroy the Pazuzu once and for all.

Horrors for the Pros

  1. The Ring (2002) – I would recommend that you rent out the video form of this movie to get the best out of experiencing the plot. The movie will begin with the flashing static screen and then black out. A couple seconds later it is replaced with flashing images of random settings, only to which you will comprehend after finishing the movie. The overall plot is about a mother who receives a threatening phone call, quietly whispering “seven days”, hence meaning she will only have seven more days to live. Everyone who watches this video will experience the same phases, such as a bloody nose, then choking out a wire attached to an old electrode. The main character attempts to uncover the mystery of this little girl cursing the video and becomes determined to change her fate.
  2. Insidious (2011) – A married couple and their children move into a their new home. One of the sons, Dalton, seeks to find out the origins of the sounds in the attic and caught sight of a shadowy figure and eventually falls into a coma. Strange events begin to arise in the new home as voices are being heard over the baby monitor, seeing ghostly figures, and the parent would figure out that their home is being occupied by supernatural activities. The Lamberts must come to face the demon and rescue their possessed son.
  3. Carrie (2013) – This movie is a new remake of the 1974 version of the horror movie, Carrie. The movie depicts the life of a teenage girl who obtains telekinesis but her shyness had isolated her from other students. After being bullied during an event in the shower room, the girl who tensed her was soon suspended and banned from attending prom. On the day of prom, Carrie became homecoming queen, but had pig blood poured all over her as this was her bully’s way of seeking revenge. Carrie being humiliated and embarrassed unleashes her telekinetic abilities and goes on a rampage.

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International Horror Movie Reviews

  1. Shutter (2004) – This is a Thai horror that even had an American remake of this. The girl who he had unintentionally humiliated in the past comes back as a ghost to haunt him and his friends. He had taken a picture of her being abused and taken advantaged of, and the photograph eventually spread throughout the school population.
  2. Shomba Coming Soon (2008) – This is also another Thai horror film, which I will admit, is the most terrifying movie I have ever watched. An elderly woman had been killed during a filming of a movie after acting the scene of her being hanged. The women possesses the film and anyone who watches this movie in theaters becomes the victim of her vengeance.
  3. Death Bell (2008) – A class of 20 Korean elite high school students are being attacked while in class preparing for college entrance exams. Later they come to realize that a student has been kidnapped and was displayed on a TV screen, being trapped in a tank with water pouring in. Given a limited amount of time, the only way to save her is to solve a posed questions, and failure to do so would result in the student’s death. The process would continue as more students are mysteriously being taken away one by one until two students and two teachers are left to uncover the situation.

New Horror Movies you should check out this weekend (2015)

  1. The Visit
  2. The Insidious: Chapter 3
  3. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

Movie review

I recently saw the movie Everest in 3D at Regal Brooklyn Center Stadium 20. When I got to the theater I paid $10.87 for my ticket and they gave me 3D glasses. When I got into the theater it was empty and my brother and sister and I were the only ones in the theater.

The beginning of the movie was kind of  boring but it looked cool because it was in 3D. When I was watching the movie in 3D it made it more interesting to watch the film and it made things in the film look beautiful like the mountain and the snow; it  also made it look like you were right there.

The movie was about a team of climbers that try to climb mount Everest, the highest point on earth, and how they had to overcome situations during the journey up the mountain. It was based on a true story, and it’s a little sad. To be honest, my sister and I cried towards the end of the film (not to spoil the film, I won’t say why).

Overall, it’s a good movie. On a scale from 1-10 I give it a 7.5 because it has a slow start and is kind ofboring in the beginning but overall it’s a great film. I recommend this film to people who like to see people conquer their dreams.

Nike releases

First, we have the Lebron XIII ID. It is coming out October 10 at 10:00 for  $200 dollars a pair. The colors are mulberry/black pure platnium-vivid puple. for Lebron there are no such things as luck. Hard work, perserverence  and the abillity to conquer any challenge has led him to victory.

Now we have the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG in powder blue. It’s white and dark powder blue. The day it is coming out is October 10, and the cost is $160 dollars. It was inspired by Jordan’s collegiate alma mater.  The new Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG will feature a white premium on the upper along with dark powder blue accents. Get yours October 10 at nike.com.

Now we have the Nike Flyknit Racer Tranquil. It comes out October 9 at 10:00. The cost is $150 dollars. They are the most lightweight running shoes, and they look great. They also have great Nike zoom air cushioning. The colors are white/black-game with a royal-green strike.

Movie Review – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

By: Gigi LeFebvre

Like most movies based off of Young Adult series (or YA for short), the last movie/book is split into two parts. The last Hunger Games book, Mockingjay, was published in 2010 where in shortly the first movie was produced and was a huge hit. For many fans, the last book was disappointing and was hoping that the movie would change a few things that would help improve it, which it did.

The movie starts at least a month after the ending of Catching Fire where Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is now in District 13, the district many thought was destroyed by the Capitol many years ago. The Rebellion against the Capitol has taken base underground in District 13 and are planning on using Katniss as the image for the cause. Katniss not only has to deal with inner demons as she continues to suffer from PTSD but with the treats from the Capitol and from the leader of the Rebellion itself.

Unlike the first two movies, there isn’t much action in this first part. Much of it takes place in District 13 where the Rebellion is planning propaganda (or “Propos”)and getting all of the districts of Panem on their side. The few times Katniss is seen outside is when she’s being filmed for Propos, in which Lawrence shows off her best.

Acting wise, the cast is still very strong. Jennifer Lawrence is powerful as ever and continues to portray a teenager with PTSD appropriately and near flawlessly. Julianne Moore (who plays President Coin, the leader of District 13 and the Rebellion) is able to show that she’s as much of a dictator as President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Best of all, Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark) has greatly improved as an actor in these past movies. Having to play a person suffering from more than one kind of pain and doing it well not easy, but Hutcherson does it.

As a fan of these books and the movies, I have to be honest in saying that Mockingjay is the weakest of the books. They’re all written in Katniss’ perspective, which lets you know that she makes it through the end and that much of the interpretations of the situations are biased. However, the movie was very good.

The real question is: Was it necessary to split it into two parts?
In some ways, yes. Since they added and changed a lot in the movie, like showing what was happening in the Capitol and in the Districts rebelling, having the first part as a calm-before-the-storm was what was going to set up the main action of the ending. Obviously Lionsgate split it up solely for money reasons, but for the plot it makes the most sense. Reading the book should not be done in one day, it’s far too slow for that. Having the first part show the plans and the consequences of said plans leads up to an explosive ending (badaboom stss).

Four Stars (There would’ve been more if my favorite line hadn’t been cut out)

End of year movie reviews

By Gigi LeFebvre

Reviews of two of the latest big releases, The Fault in our Stars and X-Men: Days of Future Past


The Fault in Our Stars

Whether you follow the hype of young adult novels/series becoming movies, you can’t deny how well they’re doing for the box-office. Movie franchises that started off as book series like The Hunger Games and Harry Potter have been the kind of investments that make money because of its large base, and The Fault in Our Stars is no different.

Hazel Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) has a terminal lung cancer that should’ve killed her years ago but still lives thanks to a lot of medication and an air tank. She meets Gus Waters (Ansel Elgort) after a cancer support group and the two strike up a bond unlike any other romance movie. Based on the best selling novel by John Green, the story is one for the ages, even if it is not a happy one.

A good movie formula is this: Good Writer + Fantastic Cast – Long Running Franchise=Oscar Worthy, this movie has everything it needs and more. Sure, this movie might be taken for granted because of all the young actors and it being based on a young adult novel, but it shouldn’t.

This moving film is filled with life lessons that even the healthiest of people should learn from; life is not a wish granting factory, and making an impact on one person is more important that making an impact on the whole world. Though this movie is hard to get through because of the reality of death and cancer, it is surprisingly heartwarming.

Five Stars and Two Tissue Boxes

You can read about the girl that inspired the book and the organization “This Star Won’t Go Out” here—>http://tswgo.org/our-mission.html

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Marvel Studios is famous for its Summer Blockbusters. This summer, they’re already making millions with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. So it was a bit shocking to find that X-Men: Days of Future Past wasn’t as good as expected.

Set in a apocalyptic future where Mutants are being hunted into extinction by Sentinels, robots created by humans that can detect Mutant DNA even in the most normal looking disguise. The only way to stop them is by going back into the past and stopping Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from causing this dark future. Which sounded like a good idea in the comics when Shadowcat (Ellen Page) goes into the future, but in the movie they had to change a few things in order to work with the story line of the movies. So much to nobody’s surprise, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is sent back.

As a person who loves the X-Men, I had some expectations that this movie would make me forget that The Last Stand ever happened, which it did. However, this movie was very hard to follow. With the conflicting storyline between what happens in the comics and what happened in the movies, there was no way to properly execute what could happen next for the X-Men. Bryan Singer, the director of Days of Future Past, tried to connect what he had done in First Class to the older movies in order to make a brighter future for the franchise, which seems nearly impossible.

Despite all the great actors and great story, this movie was boring and confusing. Not to mention I couldn’t even count how many times Wolverine said, “By the way, I’m for the future”.

Marvel has been beating the dead horse known as the X-Men franchise for too long, making two solo Wolverine movies and First Class. Frankly, if they want to make things right, a reboot with a new cast is what’s going to do it. It’s very hard to fix a vase that’s been thrown out an airplane.

Three Stars because Quicksilver was the only thing I really enjoyed.

Movie review – ‘Hunger Games: Catching Fire’

By Gigi LeFebvre

Whether you’re a fan or not, it’s hard to ignore the hype that’s been radiating from the second movie installment of The Hunger Games franchise: Catching Fire. The trilogy, written by Suzanne Collins, has made itself at home at the top of the New York Times Bestseller list since the first book was published. Now, its movies are setting up shop at the top of the box office. On opening night, the domestic box office totaled approximately $25 million, and the weekend of release brought it up to $136.1 million.

Many people complained and were put off by the first movie: from shaky camera shots to Liam Hemsworth’s brooding looks, or the grisly fact that twenty four kids were forced to fight to the death for entertainment as people watched. However, many may rest assured knowing that with a new director and a bigger budget that Catching Fire is a film you should not miss.

The movie takes place a few months after the events of the first movie. Katniss Everdeen, played by Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, returns home after winning the 74th Hunger Games with her fellow tribute and fake lover Peeta Mallark (Josh Hutcherson). The two of them then have to embark on the Capitol’s victory tour, where they visit all twelve districts. Katniss and Peeta won the games by attempting to eat poisonous berries. Many people in the Capitol saw this as just an act of love, while people in the districts saw the underlining meaning of defiance. This is what ignites the revolts and rebellions within the districts that Katniss visits during the tour. Katniss and Peeta then find themselves being forced to participate in the Quarter Quell, a special Hunger Games that takes place every 25 years. This time they are up against past winners of the Hunger Games from the other districts.

As a fan of the books, I saw The Hunger Games last year at the ungodly hour of 3:15 AM on the day it came out. So naturally, I then saw Catching Fire at 11:30 PM on the night before its release. Nevertheless, I was not disappointed, even though a scene I was anxious to see was cut out. Despite reading these books many times, I still found myself sitting at the edge of my seat thinking, “Run! Run! Run! Run! Run!”. Half of the movie is intense drama that leads up to thrilling action and suspense that doesn’t stop until the credits roll.

Fans of the books will enjoy not only the new actors like Sam Claflin (cast as Finnick Odair of District 4) and Jena Malone (cast as Johanna Mason from District 7), but the use of direct quotes from the books. I found that to be the most exciting thing. Even if you’re not a super involved fan or you haven’t read the books, you can still enjoy the story. The aesthetically pleasing scenery and graphics make this dystopian world all the more believable and real. The performances given by these talented actors and actresses are moving and powerful. Relatively obscure actors and actresses like Clafin will leave lasting impressions. I was exceptionally moved by Jennifer Lawrence’s portrayal of PTSD, which her character developed from being in the last games.

However, this movie is obviously not for everyone. There’s less blood and gore compared to the last movie, but there are scenes with loud explosions and noises that might give you a jolt. Unless you disapprove of violence and death, you shouldn’t have much to worry about with this movie. I recommend that you see it.