The Haunting of Julia / Full Circle

NEW!

After the death of her daughter,  a wealthy housewife moves to London to  a large house to re-start her life. All seems well, and she is adjusting to life without her daughter, until she notices a presence in her new home of a child who is not at rest.  

This movie, I saw years ago, scared my socks off.  Now that it's nearly Halloween, I recommend it to anyone looking for a scare!  It's truly a classic ghost story!




 ***Click movie poster for trailer

Moana & The Jungle Book

NEW!

As a girl who loves horror films, I am even surprised at myself for actually writing out a review about these two films, but what can I say, I absolutely loved these movies!  Disney's really done a great job here with diversity and showing that people of color have interesting lives that are worth watching, considering how they always make movies that mostly identify with whites/Europeans.  These two movies were a breath of fresh air, as I am one who embraces diversity, culture, and inclusiveness.  "Moana" not only has a great story line, but the music -  yes, I just said that as one who HATES musicals, was amazing!!  It added so much to the plot.  I really liked this movie because I have experienced the Hawaiian culture first hand and it was good to see some of the things that I know about the culture on the screen.  

Admittedly, I've never seen the original "Jungle Book" movie because, of course, it's a musical and I hate musicals.  Hahah ;)  My mom recommended this version , which I totally loved!  The acting was amazing, and so was the story.  Again, I loved the diversity, and that Disney thought enough to follow the original book and keep the characters the way they were supposed to be in the book.  

Anyway, if you haven't watched either of these two movies, I totally recommend that you do!  No matter your age, you won't be disappointed and you will definitely be entertained!


**Click movie posters for trailer

The House on Pine Street

I happened across this movie one day when I was browsing Amazon.  For a low-budget flick, this one is worth a watch.  

A couple moves into a house in Kansas that is seemingly haunted.  Supernatural things start to happen, but only the wife experiences them.  Her husband dismisses her claims of ghosts as her just being depressed, but the wife doesn't buy it.  There is something much more sinister going on in their home.

**Click Movie Poster for Trailer**

Half Light

 
Rachel Carlson, a successful novelist moves to a small Scottish village to move on with her life after the death of her son. Strange things start to happen when she is haunted by ghosts and real life terror. This atmospheric drama is a must see!

*Click movie poster for trailer

The Witch

If you've been reading my blog posts about book recommendations and other films, you'll see that I am interested in the history of witches (not just Harry Potter..hahaha).  This movie does a historical account of how witchcraft started in the colonies when the English came over to North America.  It's so authentic and atmospheric that you'll be instantly glued to your TV, as you watch young Thomasin get accused by her own family of being a witch.  Peculiar things happen that no one can explain, but is it really Thomasin making them happen?  You'll have to watch to find out.  ;)

**Click poster for movie trailer

Jessabelle

I had second thoughts about watching this movie because the reviews weren't so good.  However, I went out on a limb and decided to stream it through Amazon Prime anyway.  Needless to say, I was pretty surprised with it.  This movie is quite scary.  It also has a big twist at the end.  I was pleasantly surprised. 

So, don't be put off by negative reviews.  Watch Jessabelle and be in for a scary and surprise ending!  ;-)


**Click movie poster for trailer

Plague

I've always loved zombie movies, but none of the silly stuff like many films out there.  I had a chance to watch this Australian zombie movie and I really liked it a lot.  I would say that this movie is more of a drama than horror in that there is a deep relationship problem going on with the star of the film and her husband.  Whilst in the middle of this "zombie outbreak" they struggle together as partners, and also struggle to stay alive in the mist of zombies lurking about the countryside.  Worth a watch. :)

**Click movie poster for trailer**

Black Death

I am a huge fan of British and American history so  I decided to watch this film.  I remember learning about diseases in England such as the Bubonic Plague or Black Death.  This movie covers it and shows what it was really like for the English during the outbreak of this deadly disease.  Follow a young priest in his quest with the knights to find the cause of the plague and to stop "evil doers" and "witches" who may be responsible for its spread.

Great movie!  :) 

**Click movie poster for trailer **

Apocalypto

I saw this movie a few years ago, but forgot that I had purchased it until I was sorting out my DVD's the other day and found it.  How could I forget this action-packed flick?!  This movie is amazing and tells the story and history of  the ancient Mayan civilization in Mexico.  Follow the Mayan hunter, Jugar Paw, and others from his village,  not only on a hunting trip to bring back food for the village, but also on a horrifying adventure, as they are captured by Mayan religious rulers who intend to sacrifice them to the "gods."  Will Jugar Paw and his fellow villagers survive?  You'll have to watch it to see!  ;)


**Click movie poster for trailer**

Goodnight Mommy

When their mother returns home after having plastic surgery, two identical twin brothers learn that she is totally different, not only in her looks, but in the way she interacts with them, leaving them to believe that she is not their real mother at all.  Speculations grow when she starts to shut them out of her life.  These two boys must do something to stop this "impostor," posing as their mother, and get to the bottom of things.  They are forced to go to great lengths to find out the truth and find out where their real mother is. 

This German language movie is a must watch!  Absolutely one of the best I've seen in a while. 

***Click movie poster to watch trailer.

The Nun

A young woman enters a convent not at her own will, but at the will of others who only want to cover up their own sins and keep their impeccable reputations.  Because she puts others first and disobeys God's Will for her life, this young girls goes through tremendous trials and tribulations at two different convents.  It is not until she makes up her mind, and listens to God's voice for herself, that she is able to have true freedom, peace, and to acquire the blessings that God has for her outside the "prison."

This French language film is a great.   It was hard to watch and see what some early century nuns had to endure.  I must say that the devil is truly EVERYWHERE, even in the church and convents. 


*****Click movie poster for trailer.

The Stranger

 

Ready from some awesome vampire action?  Well, you’ve got to check out this Chilean film that will keep you on the edge of your seat!  I won’t say much about the acting or the cast (sucked), but this movie is one definitely worth watching if you’re looking for some excitement.  I really enjoyed this movie because the plot was something different.  It takes what we know about vampires, mixes it with what we know about zombies and comes out with an awesomely, entertaining film.    

Be warned:  This movie is a foreign movie with voice-over, but don’t let that put you off.  I was a little annoyed by it in the beginning, but it soon grew on me.  Also, it doesn’t have great reviews, but I do think people are being a little too hard on it.  I liked it a lot.  I won’t give anymore plot details; you’ll have to watch this one for yourself. ;)

****Click movie poster for trailer.

Monster

"Monster" - that's the title of this Korean flick.  This thriller is absolutely amazing and jaw-dropping.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!!! 

Dimwitted Bok-Soon and her sister are very close, but Bok-Soon's world comes crashing down when her sister is kidnapped by a psycho named Tae-Soo. Bok-Soon has no choice but to fight back in order to save her sister and sets out on a quest.  However, her journey is not an easy one against the monster, Tae-Soo, who she has to fight against.  Will Bok-Soon win or perish?..................................  :)  You'll have to watch to find out! ^^  Trust me, it won't be time wasted.



***Click movie poster for trailer!***

SoulMate and Haunter

*Spoiler Alerts*

Two extraordinary ghost stories!  I was surprised to find both of these movies on Netflix a few months ago.  "Soulmate" is an remarkable atmospheric ghost story about a widow who moves to a Welsh cottage, essentially out in the middle of no where after the death of her husband, only to find that the cottage is already occupied by the spirit of a man who used to live there.  I was thinking that this would be a ghost story like all the rest that I have seen, but surprisingly, it wasn't.  The widow finds solace in the presence in her home, and in a weird way, he come to be her friend - so she thinks....   . . . This tale may seem a bit over the top, but it is done convincingly and realistically.  This movie is really worth a watch.  It's a good watch on a cold winter's night with a cup of tea!  ;)  

Click movie poster for trailer

*Spoiler Alerts*

A ghost story like no other.  ....In the first half of the movie, we learn that Lisa, the main character in the movie, is the ghost.  Lisa and her family have been murdered long ago, but don't really know it, though Lisa expects it because they keep doing the same thing over and over day after day.  And what's also weird is that they can't leave their house because of the thick fog that constantly blinds their way and sends them back to the the front door.  

In the beginning, Lisa thinks that her house is haunted, and that is rightfully true, but her house is not haunted by a ghost - she's the ghost-  remember? - it's haunted by a real life family who's presence intercepts with the ghost of Lisa who is trapped there.  Both the living and dead families have to stand together to defeat a presence much more sinister and  horrible than anything imaginable.  Will Lisa and the living family that occupies the house win?  You'll have to watch and see! ;)

Click movie poster for trailer

Like Father, Like Son

 I was just browsing NetFlix, when I came across this movie, which stood out to me because I had read in the Entertainment section of an online news source that Steven Spielberg was actually remaking it.  Of course, it seems that once Japanese - or any foreign movies for that matter - are remade by American directors/writers, the movies lose their quality, message, or entertainment.  So, I decided to watch this one before the script is completely ruined by Spielberg, who I am not a big fan of.    

This movie is a drama movie with great acting, and a great story about two families who are struggling to pick up the pieces when they learn that their sons were switched at birth.  When switching the two boys back turns into a disastrous nightmare, these two families, especially one of the fathers, quickly learn that being a happy, close family is much deeper than blood, genes, and biology.   Worth a watch!

**Click movie poster for trailer.  

ALL IS LOST

Stranded out at sea, miles away from land and civilization, one man battles it all to stay alive when all seems to be against him. 

This movie is one with few words, but that's made up for, as Robert Redford does an excellent job grasping all attention, battling the elements and trying everything he can possibly think of to stay a live in the vast and deep, Indian Ocean.  This movie has a very good message at the end and the ending is one that will leave you wondering, but either way you see it, it's a happy ending.  

This movie is really worth your time, and makes you feel like you're right out there on the ocean along for the ride - drift.  

**Click movie poster for trailer

Hell Girl - Jigoku Shoujo

I've become a bit of an anime fanatic recently, and I blame it all on the fact that there are just simple no good movies out right now.  So, I've broadened my horizon, and set my eyes on other things!

I've got to say that "Hell Girl," known as "Jigoku-Shoujo" in Japan, has to be my all time favorite anime!  In a series of episodes about random revenge seeking elementary, middle, and high school students who are all bullied by their peers,  Ai Enma aka "Hell Girl" comes to the rescue, as she avenges each student and sets him/her free from their tormentors.  However, there is one catch to it all.  Once Hell Girl helps the revenge seeker, she makes a pact with him/her that once they die, their soul belongs to her in Hell.  Of course, this doesn't sound too bad to young students who are seeking immediate alleviation from their current situation, but one day they will find out that what they have bargained for was not worth the suffering that they will have to face in Hell. 

Hell Girl has three very entertaining seasons- 1, 2, and 3.  Out of the three, the second one is my favorite, as they stories become more realistic and the people involved are adults, not just children.  What I really like about this particular animation is the fact that the drawing is so life like and very vibrate colors are used.  Like so many other fans, I hope that there's a Hell Girl season 4!

*****click movie poster for trailer

London River

What a tearjerker this movie truly is.  I couldn't make myself stop crying after seeing it. No wonder Brenda Blethyn is my favorite actress!  She's amazing in this film - as she is in so many others.  This movie touched me so much because it touches on political topics that are so real - terror attacks, racism, religious persecution, discrimination, etc. . .  Brenda Blethyn plays a mother concerned for her daughter who is away attending the university in London during the 2005 terror attacks on the city.  When her daughter doesn't answer any of her phone calls, she becomes extremely worried and goes to London to find her.  Meanwhile, miles away in France, Mr. Ousmane's wife in Africa has contacted him to tell him that she has become worried because she hasn't heard from their son who is living abroad in London.  Mr. Ousmane travels to London to search for his son. As both parents search for their children, their paths continue to cross, and together they find out devastating news about their children.  This is truly a must see film.  The ending is very heavy, but the story is one of love, acceptance, and strength.

Click movie poster for trailer:

13 Assassins

I watched this movie one day when I had absolutely nothing to do.  I was not expecting much of this film because a lot of samurai movies, in my opinion, are kind of boring.  However, I was completely mistaken with this one!  This was one of the best action movies that I have seen in a very long time!  I was very impressed with it. The battle scenes are not wimpy, but go on for a very long time, keeping you on the edge of your seat!  I also liked this movie because it was very easy to follow, and most foreign language films are not to easily understood.  It was cool for me to learn more about the history of the samurai, and what exactly it was that they battled and died for! 

If you are looking for a cool, thrilling, and action-packed film, I recommend that you watch this one today!  You will not be disappointed. 

***Click movie poster for trailer.

Tokyo Gore School

I really enjoyed this movie a lot.  However, I did find the music to be a bit annoying and unnecessary during a lot of the scenes.  All in all, the acting was pretty good and so was the plot.  There were several cute actors (the lead guy named Fujiwara and the other guy named Kamiya – HOTTIES ^^), with the exception of a few that looked like they were wearing old women WIGS!  Hahaha!  

Besides that, I found this movie to be very much like “Death Note” if anyone is familiar with the plot of that manga/anime series?  There were similarities with both the lead characters in “Tokyo Gore School” and “Death Note,” in that they were both  two popular, handsome, smart guys who had everyone around them tricked into thinking they were “superior,” when the truth was they were both just cowards with horrible personalities and pasts that come back to haunt them in the end. 

That said, I wouldn’t expect too much from this film, but if you’re looking for something interesting to watch, I would recommend that you check this one out.  Some of the fight scenes are quirky, but the movie doesn’t spiral into complete silliness and stays focused for the most part.  I loved the ending!  

***Click movie poster for trailer

Death Note

I haven't been able to find any good movies lately, so I started to think outside the box a little bit and give anime a try. I was recommended this movie by a friend from Korea who said the series was great. I watched all 37 episodes of this one and I must say it was one of the best films that I have seen in a long time. The story is great, the plot is loaded with action, and there are loads of twists and turns! Be sure to watch the 100% Japanese version (with subtitles) because it's more authentic!

Despite the fact that Light (the main character) is actually killing people, I found him to be my favorite character of the series! I really did not see anything wrong with what he was doing in the beginning, but towards the end, he kind of flipped out. :) The ending was great, but a bit sad. I found myself feeling pity on a lot of this characters, too. My favorites were - of course, Light, L, and Near... Ryuk was great, too!

So, if you've hit a brick wall in finding a decent movie and don't know what to do, please give this movie a try! You will be very impressed. This has got to be one of the BEST films I have seen. It has opened my mind up to see that anime films are not just cartoons, but have brilliantly written stories, full of suspense and mystery! I've added a few more to my queue on Netflix!

***Click movie poster for trailer ***