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The Conjuring Franchise; Annabelle, The Nun
Topic Started: Mar 19 2013, 08:29 PM (2,466 Views)
First Cool Hive
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THE BROKE MEGAN FOX
The Conjuring (2013)
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Annabelle (2014)
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The Conjuring 2 (2016)
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Annabelle: Creation (2017)
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The Nun (2018)
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100_PercentCotton
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Yeah, I rewatched the first with my mom recently and while it has a great buildup and the actors are all fantastic, I don't think the payoff was great. Which I think is generally James Wan's biggest issue. That and he tends to just step a little too far over the line, sometimes.

The actors were all pretty fantastic in TC2, too.
THE PLANET <-- CLICK FOR THREAD
HALLOWEEN 5: THE SHAPE OF EVIL (1986) <-- CLICK TO READ
HALLOWEEN 4: THE NIGHT OF MICHAEL MYERS (1985) <-- CLICK TO READ
HALLOWEEN III 3D (1983) <-- CLICK TO READ
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART IX: RETURN TO CRYSTAL LAKE <-- CLICK TO READ
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE <-- CLICK TO READ
SCREAM 5 <-- CLICK TO READ
FRIDAY THE 13TH II <-- CLICK TO READ
DESTROY THE PLANET OF THE APES <-- CLICK FOR THREAD
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shiley740
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#TheAgeOfAquaria
100_PercentCotton
Jun 14 2016, 12:12 AM
Yeah, I rewatched the first with my mom recently and while it has a great buildup and the actors are all fantastic, I don't think the payoff was great. Which I think is generally James Wan's biggest issue. That and he tends to just step a little too far over the line, sometimes.

The actors were all pretty fantastic in TC2, too.
I think that's basically my prob w/ him also. W/ The Conjuring, I can't quite place it becuz I've only seen it once. W/ his involvement in the Saw franchise, I'm just not fond of them going a bit 2 OTT in terms of convolution & is y II is the 1 I'm rly only a big fan of cuz it seemed 2 balance everything right, if that makes sense. As 4 Dead Silence, it pmuch perfectly encapsulates what u just said. I almost love the movie w/ the suffocating atmosphere & gothic appearance, but a lot of the proceedings, the deaths & finale, in particular, were just 2 hokey 4 my taste (something that I oddly like Insidiuous 2 4, but not the rest of that series, just becuz that series seemed 2 work better when it was embracing its messiness over being super srs). I don't think he'll ever truly make a film I'm 100% on just becuz he's such a mixed bag of a director who relies a bit 2 much on older material 4 my taste, but @ least he isn't as bad as all these ridiculous "throwback slashers."

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100_PercentCotton
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I haven't seen any Saw movies past the first and I only know him from that, Insidious 1 and now both Conjuring films. I'd agree that he relies on old tropes, but I like that about him, honestly. That stuff works. I have an enormous amount of respect for him, but I'm kind of with you on the 100% thing. I'm just not sure.

But based on all of the films I've seen of his, I'd say he's improving with The Conjuring 2.
THE PLANET <-- CLICK FOR THREAD
HALLOWEEN 5: THE SHAPE OF EVIL (1986) <-- CLICK TO READ
HALLOWEEN 4: THE NIGHT OF MICHAEL MYERS (1985) <-- CLICK TO READ
HALLOWEEN III 3D (1983) <-- CLICK TO READ
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART IX: RETURN TO CRYSTAL LAKE <-- CLICK TO READ
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE <-- CLICK TO READ
SCREAM 5 <-- CLICK TO READ
FRIDAY THE 13TH II <-- CLICK TO READ
DESTROY THE PLANET OF THE APES <-- CLICK FOR THREAD
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shiley740
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#TheAgeOfAquaria
100_PercentCotton
Jun 14 2016, 12:36 AM
I haven't seen any Saw movies past the first and I only know him from that, Insidious 1 and now both Conjuring films. I'd agree that he relies on old tropes, but I like that about him, honestly. That stuff works. I have an enormous amount of respect for him, but I'm kind of with you on the 100% thing. I'm just not sure.

But based on all of the films I've seen of his, I'd say he's improving with The Conjuring 2.
Smart man @ not continuing on w/ Saw, even tho I'd say 2 watch 2 & 3 & just stop after that :flab: Well, it's not so much his reliance on old tropes itself, but it feels like none of his concepts r ever rly inventive or ever embrace their full potential, so it's a never-ending cycle of "Oh, this is alright, but nothing amazing."

Let's hope so. :amirightladies:

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100_PercentCotton
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Yes, I can agree with that also. Especially the full potential part. There's just something about his movies that just miss the mark. It's like he starts off making you think it's great and will be all the way through and you're left a bit unsatisfied after its all said and done.
THE PLANET <-- CLICK FOR THREAD
HALLOWEEN 5: THE SHAPE OF EVIL (1986) <-- CLICK TO READ
HALLOWEEN 4: THE NIGHT OF MICHAEL MYERS (1985) <-- CLICK TO READ
HALLOWEEN III 3D (1983) <-- CLICK TO READ
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART IX: RETURN TO CRYSTAL LAKE <-- CLICK TO READ
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE <-- CLICK TO READ
SCREAM 5 <-- CLICK TO READ
FRIDAY THE 13TH II <-- CLICK TO READ
DESTROY THE PLANET OF THE APES <-- CLICK FOR THREAD
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shiley740
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#TheAgeOfAquaria
100_PercentCotton
Jun 14 2016, 12:57 AM
Yes, I can agree with that also. Especially the full potential part. There's just something about his movies that just miss the mark. It's like he starts off making you think it's great and will be all the way through and you're left a bit unsatisfied after its all said and done.
I'm glad some1 totally gets me on this cuz it's been my long-standing prob w/ Wan & his films 4 a long time now. I don't even get how they can even end up like that considering he frequently collaborates w/ Whannell, so, it's like...do neither of them think of ways around messier elements. :phono:

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Kevin R.
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And you are... a zombie bride?
I like Wan's more old-school sensibilities, and I've never really had a problem with his payoffs being over-the-top. As for him relying too much on older filmmaking styles rather than being much of an innovator in his own right, the fact that he makes it work damn well most of the time is enough for me. He may not be original, but he is great at taking what works and updating it for modern times. He's a great cover artist, kind of like a filmmaker version of Bruno Mars, and IMO one of the best (or at least most consistent) mainstream, non-indie horror directors working today.

As for the Conjuring films, I really enjoyed both of them, even if I personally think the Warrens are full of it. I don't think either one is as memorable as Sinister or the first Insidious, but they both remarkably well put-together films that are among the better examples of the recent supernatural horror boom. I actually kind of prefer the second one over the first, though admittedly, that's at least partly because the first one is kind of fading from memory, whereas I just saw the sequel. (My full reviews of both films are here and here.)
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My blog: Kevin's Review Catalogue
All reviews, A-Z
Latest review: The First Purge (2018)
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100_PercentCotton
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Great review for The Conjuring 2, Kevin.

I agree that it was really good and that the actors were just fantastic. The more I reflect, the more I like it. Farmiga and Wilson fuckin own their roles as much as the young girl. All actors involved were great.

I do, however, not agree about Wan's habit of underwhelming payoffs, but nonetheless, I agree with all of your comments about Wan's talent.

Another great read.

And yeah, the Warren's were full of shit so in a way, it's too appropriate that the movies embellish the accounts even further. And damn did they do it pretty well. The stories are great, though. Everyone should check out their Wikipedia page.
THE PLANET <-- CLICK FOR THREAD
HALLOWEEN 5: THE SHAPE OF EVIL (1986) <-- CLICK TO READ
HALLOWEEN 4: THE NIGHT OF MICHAEL MYERS (1985) <-- CLICK TO READ
HALLOWEEN III 3D (1983) <-- CLICK TO READ
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART IX: RETURN TO CRYSTAL LAKE <-- CLICK TO READ
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE <-- CLICK TO READ
SCREAM 5 <-- CLICK TO READ
FRIDAY THE 13TH II <-- CLICK TO READ
DESTROY THE PLANET OF THE APES <-- CLICK FOR THREAD
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Kevin R.
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And you are... a zombie bride?
100_PercentCotton
Jun 16 2016, 01:07 AM
And yeah, the Warren's were full of shit so in a way, it's too appropriate that the movies embellish the accounts even further.
I have never read a more perfect description of the Warrens and the films based on their stories than what you just wrote. Bravo.
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My blog: Kevin's Review Catalogue
All reviews, A-Z
Latest review: The First Purge (2018)
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shiley740
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#TheAgeOfAquaria
So, after I finally decided 2 get around 2 the sequel, it turned out 2 be ever as much the dumbed-down, watered-down mess of a rip-off 2 The Exorcist that I expected it 2 be as soon as the 1st trailer premiered. Not only that, but I could specifically pinpoint some annoying little shades of The Beyond/Poltergeist/Poltergeist II/The Amityville Horror (that didn't just end @ the opening segment utilizing the DeFeo murders instead of using the actual falsified claims by the Lutz family – so yay! 4 gratuitous retellings of media sensation murder sprees), The Exorcist was just the most prominent, as any1 who's seen that film could rightly corroborate my claims. Now, any1 that knows me knows my ass isn't a fan of that movie or many of the other films that were responsible 4 the Satanic Panic, but, 2 give it credit, I do @ least find the film 2 be an intelligent 1 that attempts 2 balance religion & science in a way that plays upon the fear/disbelief angle WAY better than this film ever attempted 2 to. Alongside that is the fact that The Exorcist actually ft. some God damn character arcs w/ 3-dimensional charries & how they get wrapped up in the mess in the film, whereas this piece of shit only allows the briefest of brief moments of levity (which happen 2 be the stand-out moments of the damn film, which leads me 2 believe that Wan needs 2 fucking abandon horror 4 comedy or some shit) amidst hollow, predictable scares that can't even bother 2 be surprising anymore cuz I'm 2 fucking desensitized 2 the jump scare antics of modern supernatural horror. Just mere moments of levity don't rly give me any sort of shit I want in terms of characterization, none of which shine thru outside the once again outstanding work done by Vera Farmiga & Patrick Wilson (who coincidentally have the only arc in the damn movie, despite essentially being nothing but non sequiturs 4 over 1/2 the damn movie in regard 2 the main fucking plot. Furthermore, the lack of characterization seems 2 be highlighting an ongoing problem w/ Wan's horror films as they have continued onward: he has NO fucking clue how 2 develop his antagonist in2 an interesting & intriguing manner. This is somewhat explained away by a a "twist" that managed 2 be the only fresh aspect of the film 4 me (& when it arrives, the film actually manages 2 find itself getting remotely interesting), but, unfortunately, the damage had already been done, the film was damn near @ its conclusion & the only ppl u give any sorta fuck about r Ed & Lorraine, so, the "twist" feels as empty as the rest of the fucking film's truly sad attempts @ terror. Not only did it come 2 fucking late, but the film is just overall WAY 2 damn long 4 a horror movie that A) Doesn't nearly make good enough usage of its time as the 1st (coupled w/ the fact that a majority of the "charries" don't have any damn dimensions), B) Has the cinematography of an overly-stylized, polished turd (& NO. amount of musical cues & superimposes 2 remind us that it's the 70s will ever sell 2 me that it'ssupposed 2 be the 70s when it looks 2 fucking glossy 2 even be from the 2010s, & C) Has NO. sort of cohesive structure/pacing (further supported by the ridiculous amounts of overstuffing on display). Maybe if the "twist" happened sooner in2 the film, I'd be likely 2 change my mind on how I feel on this, since the ending did admittedly wrap things up well 4 the Warrens, even if it still left a lot 2 be desired. That's the thing tho...it wrapped shit up 4 the Warrens, whereas the Hodgsons feel as if they were nothing but irrelevant inclusions 2 the overall plot of the movie (baring in mind I never felt that way about the Perrons in the 1st film). I can't even be bothered 2 try 2 throw my typical reviewing twist on 2 this cuz this movie was just so fucking atrocious 4 me, I can't even comprehend how any1 can enjoy it outside the bits w/ Vera/Patrick. 4 them alone, I'll give it a 4 & becuz I cackled my ass off, I'll give it an extra point, rounding it up 2 5 outta 10 al2gether, but nothing more. :embye:

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