Time to have a look at the Conjuring 2
Unlike the first Conjuring movie, I waited for this one to come to video before giving it a look. After seeing both The Conjuring and Annabelle, I didn’t feel this would be worth the cost of admission.
We catch up with Ed and Lorraine Warren as they investigate the supposedly true events surrounding the Enfield haunting. We start off with references to the Amityville haunting, but quickly leave that storyline behind which was disappointing to be sure. But then again, maybe it wasn’t as we start to get fed the line that Lorraine has some divine powers.
We then have the Warrens being asked to visit the Hodgson’s in England to see if their claims of the paranormal are real. The children are being tormented by some sort of spirit. Toys are able to start and move on their own. Beds shake and growls come out of the darkness. Things escalate to the point of possible possession as Janet is able to speak in a voice not her own and tell of events she shouldn’t know. And mildly overshadowing all the events is the vision and dread Lorraine fears that her husband is about to meet with his death. She has several visions showing his demise which puts her in a place where she can’t act upon the haunting.
Overall, this Conjuring has a dark and foreboding feel, which is good. I think the best part involves the mysterious figure of the nun. This is loosely linked to the events at Amityville and may be a demonic figure. There are several scenes with this shadowy creature skulking around and an especially good one where the shadow links up with the nightmarish figure Ed has painted and pursues Lorraine.
The movie builds slowly, with a series of unexplained events that ultimately catch the attention of the Warrens. At first, they are brought in as observes, with other investigators and reporters bringing attention to the haunting. As we move forward, the question keeps getting asked, is this a hoax or is there something demonic going on? We get a lot of questionable evidence that leans more toward a hoax. But then it shifts and we move back toward a real haunting and possession once Ed and Lorraine give the case more of their attention. I found that to be an interesting stance.
The other aspect to the movie is the real case that inspired it. There was indeed an investigation in London involving this family. And the children claim all sorts of events took place and they sought help to control them. Interestingly, when you being to research the "haunting" it begins to closely mirror the events of Amityville, up to and including being declared a hoax by a large contingent.
You will also find that Ed and Lorraine weren’t that involved in the events and may have in fact been asked to keep their distance based on their reputation from Amityville. By many accounts, Ed and Lorraine injected themselves into the investigation with some declarations that Enfield could make money just like Amityville did.
When looking further into the actual story, it’s easy to believe it was a hoax. The photo evidence of children being thrown around looks like kids jumping on the bed, things only appeared when people’s backs were turned and the girls were found to be faking some of the time. They claim this was merely to test those investigating them, but it doesn’t comes across like that and feels pretty dubious.
The Conjuring 2 was rather fun to watch, with Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga doing a fine job of playing the Warrens. There were plenty of good scenes as the story unfolds. And you don’t have to worry about foul language or nudity like many other movies of this style.
However, as you follow along, it’s hard to tell if the movie is trying to show the Enfield haunting was real or if they agree it was a hoax. There is an interesting line early on in the movie where Ed is on a talk show where it’s claimed the evidence was faked. He says those claims were never "proven". Interesting choice of words.
Other Articles of Interest:
- The Conjuring – A Film About Ed and Lorraine Warren
- The Conjuring – First Impression
- Wicked Little Things – After Dark Horror Fest – 8 Films To Die For
- American Horror Story
- An American Haunting – Rating 2 out of 5
- Paranormal Activity 2 – Do we really have to do this?
- The Haunting in Connecticut
- Lizzie Borden Took An Ax – Prequel to the Lizzie Borden Chronicles
- Insidious – An interesting tale, but not quite what I expected
- The Number 23 – Rating 2.3 out of 5
Hannibal returns for Season 3
I just had a chance to sit down and watch the season 3 opener of Hannibal. There was some doubt we would even get this third season, but this first episode has me intrigued as we learn all sorts of secrets about Hannibal, his former therapist Dr. Bedelia, and that Hannibal had Dr. Abel Gideon for dinner on multiple occasions and their discussion were quite revealing.
We catch up with Hannibal who has managed to escape from Will and Jack and has made his way over to Italy. He has started a new life for himself as a professor focusing on the works of Dante. How strangely fitting. But there is far more to this story. Odd how a position just happens to come open right when Hannibal is looking for a job. Further, we see there is a whole lot more to relationship between Hannibal and Dr. Bedelia. Seems they were more than colleagues, more than doctor and patient and without giving too much away, they had much more than a passing knowledge of each other. It also comes out that Dr. Bedelia is quite aware of who and what Hannibal is.
As we look to the recent past, we see that Dr. Gideon and Hannibal had quite a few interesting dinners together. There was a lot of conversation about how Gideon wondered how Hannibal would feel when it became his time to be the hunted animal. I have to say, those scenes got a little more disturbing each time we meet up at the dinner table. Gideon looks worse and worse each time and something about him seems to be missing. I’ll let you chime in when you get to that point.
We also get a glimpse into how Hannibal seasons and prepares the meats that go into his recipes. He takes great care to marinade his cuts with sauces and spices and even shows how he grooms and feeds the snails he will later use in his cooking. There was some awkward moments with that one. And the way Gideon looks on at what he is going to be served actually makes you feel sorry for the guy.
Strangely, as Hannibal begins to settle in with this new job, a new visitor shows up on their doorstep. He gets invited over for dinner and Dr. Bedelia is actually shocked Hannibal, "lets him go". Ok, that is pretty grim business. Bedelia knows exactly what Hannibal is capable of and even makes the unusual comment that Hannibal "wants her to taste good" when a comment is made about the food she is eating. This makes for some raised eyebrows at the table and their guest begins to wonder what sort of party he’s been invited to.
But the new visitor is brought back and it seems Hannibal is back to his old tricks and Bedelia is right at his side.
I have no doubt this is going to be an eye opening, jaw dropping season. I think Hannibal is an incredibly suspenseful and dramatic telling of the Hannibal story that is far superior to the crap movies that Anthony Hopkins put out. That Hannibal was laughable and pathetic. Not once did he instill any sort of fear, nor did he ever come across as anything but a buffoon. When I first watched Silence of the Lambs, I thought it was a stupid movie and Hannibal was a joke. Why would anyone be afraid of this guy? He comes across with the mental capacity of an ice cube, not someone who is calm, calculated and always one step ahead in the game.
The Hannibal of the TV series is far more compelling. He is sophisticated, soft spoken, elegant, refined and hides all his misdeeds behind a wall of calm that keeps you completely on edge. Strangely, Hannibal from the series is someone you’d actually like to know.
Who knows where this season will go and if there will be a season 4. I really hope there is as I would love to see them remake the 3 movies as season long episodes. The previous movies would pale in comparison as to what this team would be able to pull together.
We are off to an extremely dangerous start and so much has already been revealed and set in motion. We haven’t seen Will or Jack yet, and we have no idea how many of them survived, but I have no doubt they will be back with a vengeance and will be hell bent to catch Hannibal and have their revenge. Just like the other seasons, this is going to be great and we are in for a treat full of deception, lies and misdirection. And even when we think we know what’s going on, more will be revealed that will completely throw us for a loop.
Who else caught the opening episode? What did you think?
Other Articles of Interest:
- Hannibal Season 2 Finale
- Hannibal makes it to Season 3, Dracula gets a stake through the heart
- Hannibal – Season 4 not on the books, but could it be?
- The Rise of Hannibal. The Decline of Will Graham.
- Hannibal – Coming back for another Season February 28th
- Hannibal – Season 2 Premiere
- Hannibal – The Series
- Hannibal – Tome-Wan – S02E12
- Hannibal Revealed
- Hannibal – S01E08
Lizzie Borden Took An Ax – Prequel to the Lizzie Borden Chronicles
It was clear I needed to take a step back. I’d watched the Lizzie Borden Chronicles, but I hadn’t actually watched the Lizzie Borden movie. I’m not sure how I accomplished that, but I’m sure it took a special talent.
The movie came out in 2014 and although I made note of it, I was completely oblivious. Well, that has now been changed and I just finished watching. It’s a fictionalized account of the events that "could" have taken place in the Borden house on that fateful day. It takes some bits and pieces of the real events and weaves a tale of who might have committed the crime and how they might have gotten away with it.
Of course, the whole movie centers of Lizzie. It shows her with a strained relationship to her father and a less than ideal relationship with her step-mother. We sort of get the impression that Lizzie is overshadowed by the new mom and is no longer the center of attention within the family.
As we progress, Lizzie finds the bodies of her parents and then into the investigation we go. Of course, Lizzie is the prime and only suspect in the case. She was home or at least near the house when the murders took place, has a shaky story of her whereabouts and actions and gets a little confused when asked questions about the events.
When confronted about her relationship with her mother, she is quick to point out that Abby is not her mother. We then learn about the gifts the father had made to Abby’s side of the family, leaving his own daughters out of it. We hear about the family troubles, the barrage of axes and weapons in the house, Lizzie’s interest in poison to kill rats around the house, her contradictory testimony, the seeming lack of concern over the deaths and the burning of the dress she was wearing when the murders took place.
From there we get some insight into what "might" have happened. Did Lizzie plot the murders and lie in wait? Did she remove all her clothes then attack her parents so as to conceal the blood? Was she calculating enough to kill the mother first so as to not disturb the line of inheritance? Did she quickly bathe, clean and hide the evidence? Was the burning of the dress a cover up to conceal the blood which might have been mistaken for stew earlier?
Like the series that follows, we see Lizzie more as a plotter in the events rather than a hapless victim of them. We sort of get the impression she was tired of the step mom making off with the cash and took care of business so she could get the Maplecroft estate that she had her eye on.
So we are once again faced with a slew of questions about this murder. They are supposedly able to tell the time of the murders, but yet their evidence collecting is horrific. Lizzie was the only suspect and it seems the police didn’t look very hard for more clues or other suspects. Dozens of people trampled through the house, so no real preservation of the crime scene. And there’s a whole slew of other issues.
On the one hand it seems like Lizzie is in fact the prime suspect, but at the same time she doesn’t really seem up to the task. Was she really that good at covering her tracts? Was the evidence that lacking?
While it may not be award winning, it was still an interesting take on the Lizzie Borden story. It certainly paints Lizzie as the culprit and even in the final moments she whispers "the truth" to her sister. Who knows what was said, but do know that Lizzie and Emma had a failing out a few years later.
If you’re looking to waste some time and have a little morbid fun, this isn’t a bad movie to sit down to. It’s not revealing, nor insightful, but it does offer a couple of interesting bits and of course sets the stage for the Lizzie Borden Chronicles, which I thought was a wicked bit of fun to watch.
Other Articles of Interest:
- The Lizzie Borden Chronicles – Season 1
- The Strange Case of Lizzie Borden
- The Dead Files – Lizzie Borden House – S02E01
- Haunted Towns – Fall River MA – Lizzie Borden House – S01E07
- The Abandoned – After Dark Horror Fest – 8 Films To Die For
- Whitechapel Season 2
- Whitechapel Series 1
- An American Haunting – Rating 2 out of 5
- Saw III
- Death of a Ghost Hunter
The Lizzie Borden Chronicles – Season 1
If you were asked to create a mini-series based on a famous historical figure, Lizzie Borden is probably not the first name that comes to mind. Perhaps if it was based on one of the most infamous women in history, then you’d have something. And so it is that Lifetime and Christina Ricci offer us this "fictionalized" version of the events that take place right after Lizzie is acquitted of the crime of killing both her parents.
Lizzie and Emma simply want to put the past behind them, perhaps move away from the looks, the stares, the nursery rhymes. But there is a problem, it appears father was in debt up to his eyeballs and the collector is knocking. The inheritance Lizzie and Emma are entitled to is not only in jeopardy, but is quite possibly going to be wiped out. If this sort of thing keeps up, Lizzie and Emma will be out on the street. What’s a girl to do?
In this narrative, Lizzie is a woman who knows how to get things done and how to remove obstacles. It usually involves the business end of a knife, axe or pitchfork, but she gets things done. People who cross her path usually end up face down in the river. There is little doubt that Lizzie was behind the events that plagued her mother and father, but it’s highly unlikely that it started there and it’s for damn sure not stopping there.
While Lizzie is hard at work with her negotiations and business dealings, a Pinkerton has rolled into town looking to find out information about Lizzie. He’s been tasked with looking into the murders. What’s he going to do with this information and who hired him remains to be seen. But he’s a determined investigator and is soon piecing together a most interesting tale.
She’s not the only one of interest though. We have the crass and possibly abusive Innkeeper, his demure and kind hearted wife who seems to have taken a shine to the Pinkerton, the police who feel the rash of murders in town are a strange coincidence, the constable that has taken a shine to Emma, the drunken half-brother that’s swept into town looking for his cut of the Borden inheritance and the frequently inebriated playwright that is looking to Lizzie to back his next work, the prostitute with a heart of gold that Lizzie brings in off the street and the "henchman" that probably knows a thing or two about the Borden murders.
The Lizzie Borden Chronicles is a pretty amusing tale full of deception, deceit, close calls, narrow escapes, uncovered evidence, secrets from the past, forbidden crime scenes and lots of "missing" characters. Lizzie is calm and meek on the outside, but under that ruffled dress with the wide shoulders lurks a very calculated woman.
I actually found this show to be quite entertaining. In many ways it reminds me of Dexter with the heroine trapped in an inescapable situation, yet there happens to be perfect timing or the unseen exit. Lizzie is just one step ahead of her story and every time someone asks too many questions, we shake our heads. Every time it looks like she’s disposed of a problem, someone new crops up looking for the person she just dealt with. Even Emma begins to suspect that things aren’t what they seem.
While it’s certainly an unusual topic, I quite enjoyed this series and wonder if we might be treated to a second season. It’s listed as a mini-series with only 8 episodes, but the ending certainly leaves the story open for continuation. I’d kind of like to see what Lizzie gets up to next. Will she actually settle down? Will she get found out? Dexter ran for several years, I don’t see why this couldn’t have a similar run.
For a Lifetime presentation, there’s quite a bit of hack and slash to this effort. We have flashbacks to the original murder scene and several of Lizzie’s other actions are replayed – in slow motion. Clearly not for the feint of heart, but then again, what part of Lizzie Borden gave you that idea?
I just watched the final episode, in fact, since the show just ended I watched all the episodes one after the other which made for exciting watching. There’s a lot of mixed reviews about this one, but I like it. If you’re looking for some campy thrill, I think this fits the bill quite nicely.
Here’s hoping to another mini-series or Season 2 or whatever they want to call it.
Of course, now I need to go watch the actual Lizzie Borden movie that Christina Ricci made. Seems I missed that along the way.
Other Articles of Interest:
- Lizzie Borden Took An Ax – Prequel to the Lizzie Borden Chronicles
- The Abandoned – After Dark Horror Fest – 8 Films To Die For
- Bates Motel – The Season Finale – S01E10
- The Possession
- True Blood – Season 1
- Deer Woman – Masters of Horror – Rating 4 out of 5
- The Raven – John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe
- Penny Dreadful Season Finale
- Whitechapel Season 2
- Whitechapel Series 1
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