Hollywood has always been looking for new and inventive ways to scare the living crap out of you and we the public always attend. We like getting scared so it should comes as no surprise that I chose to watch the new horror film Lights Out for today’s film. For a boy named Martin (Gabriel Bateman), things in his life are anything, but normal. You see Martin lost his dad to a strange death, his mother (Maria Bello) is taking to herself (or someone…), and anytime he turns the lights off, he sees a really scary woman who wants to kill him. He’s having a hard time finding anyone to believe him until his older half sister Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) sees the same things that he does. They then find out that this ghost may be connected to their mother so they’ll have to try anything to save her and themselves before it’s too late. The film also stars Alexander DiPersia (I Am Legend) as Bret, Billy Burke (The Twilight Saga: New Moon) as Paul, Alicia Vela-Bailey (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Diana, Andi Osho (Mock The Week) as Emma, Emily Alyn Lind (Hidden) as Young Sophie, Ava Cantrell (Haunted Hathaways) as Young Diana, and the film was directed by David F. Sandberg (Ladyboy).
Spoiler Alert: I just wanted to take the time to issue a spoiler alert because some information may be discussed that could potentially spoil the film. So, read on if you dare or stop if you do not seek to know. I wanted to start this off by saying that I was very impressed with the film because they were honestly trying to scare the crap out of you the whole time. It was a really creepy and clever story that will surely make someone somewhere not want to turn off the lights. I love how in the story, Diana has a personal connection to them through their mother and that it has to do with her not being well. Diana is able to take over and manifest herself into the real world because someone is week and that is when she takes over. I loved the story of the film, but was it truly scary? I think I am so used to this films and so desensitized as this point in my life that nothing truly scares me, but the film is spooky. I just wanted to take the time now to say that Teresa Palmer looks super hot in this film as a metal chick. I am a huge fan of hers and what she can do on screen. There hasn’t been a film that I have seen with her that I haven’t been impressed with. Maria Bello was fantastic once again playing a mentally unstable sick woman like she did in Prisoners, Gabriel Bateman did a great job as the star of the film, and Alexander DiPersia provided us some comedic relief. One thing is for sure, when I saw James Wan’s name attached to this as a producer, I was like of course cause it felt like a James Wan film (if that makes any sense to you). Nevertheless, go check this out and I am going to give the film a grade somewhere between an B+/A- for a final grade.
There are films out there that just grab you the minute you see a movie poster or a trailer. There are films out there that just strike a certain chord in your brain the right way that makes you interested like The Town and other films that have to do with bank heists. Today’s film, Triple 9 was definitely one of those that mad me want to see it. Triple 9 is about a gang that has former cops and dirty cops on its team that perform heists. After a heist is successful, these gang which is made up of the ringleader Michael Atwood (Chiwetel Ejiofor), ex-cop Gabe Welch (Aaron Paul), dirty cops Marcus Belmont (Anthony Mackie) and Franco Rodriguez (Clifton Collins Jr.) are put to the test one more time. They have to plan the murder of a cop in order to pull off the biggest heist they have ever performed. The film also stars Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone) as Chris Allen, Woody Harrelson (Rampart) as Jeffrey Allen, Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) as Russel Welch, Gal Gadot (Superman Vs Batman: Dawn Of Justice) as Elena Vlaslov, Kate Winslet (Labor Day) as Irina Vlaslov, Teresa Palmer (Take Me Home Tonight) as Michelle Allen, Michael Kenneth Williams (Boardwalk Empire) as Sweat Pea, and the film was directed by John Hillcoat (Lawless).
Now I know you are wondering if the film lived up to the trailer or the movie poster? My simple answer to that question is an obvious yes, but how did it live up to it? First off, hats off to all the actors in the film because they did an amazing job as far as that department is concerned. It’s hard for me to choose one person as the MVP especially out of the four guys on the team plus Affleck and Harrelson. Although, I had a hard time buying Kate Winslet as a Russian Jewish Mobster especially with the accent, I am willing to look past it because the film was gritty and it was exactly what I wanted. They inserted the twists in the film just at the right spots so that you didn’t get bored with the film and they were plenty of scenes where you don’t see the particular action coming. If I had to compare this film with any other film out there, I would choose The Town just not as amazing as that one, but it’s up there. It’s basically The Town without bank robbers and with cops instead. The heists sequences are actually where the fun lays in this film because it’s an adrenaline rush as you sit wondering whether they can pull it off or not. One piece of criticism that I do have for the film is that it could have explained their relationships a little more and there are some scenes that could have been cut out. The only spoiler I can give you is that Norman Reedus (his character is bad ass) fans will leave disappointed. I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade. Check it out in theaters all across America now.
365moviesin365dayschallenge 