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Movie Review: “Ouija”

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In the paranormal horror movie spectrum there are movies such as“The Evil Dead” on one end, with its no-holds-barred gruesome playfulness. And on the other, “The Babadook”, with its slow, psychological build-up of atmosphere and tension. Universal’s “Ouija” falls somewhere safely in between, tucked like a stale chip in the couch cushions.

“Ouija” is out on DVD Feb. 3rd, but available to rent now on popular streaming movie rental sites.

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I have always been a fan of Asian paranormal horror movies. In these movies, a tormented spirit creates havoc on the living in order for them to solve the mystery of their death. Part of the fun for those types of movies is in trying to figure out how and why the person died in the first place. With the right execution and direction, these movies can be creepy, gruesome and satisfying. “Ouija” is none of those things.

Produced by Michael Bay, Blumhouse Pictures and Platinum Dunes, “Ouija” is another Hasbro toy-inspired movie. Of all the board game-turned-movie scripts, “Ouija” seems like it would be the most fun, but not here, the move falls as flat as the game board itself.

In “Ouija” a young lady named Debbie—is she in college or high school—mistakenly plays with a Ouija board by herself, unleashing a presence who has nothing better to do than kill young adults for reasons vaguely explained. The ghoul’s first victim is Debbie and apparently afraid of a lawsuit, the ghost makes Debbie’s death look like a suicide. Her friend Laine (Olivia Cooke) is distraught and wants answers, asking her friends to play with a Ouija board in the dead girls house. Laine expects the planchette (the spade-shaped pointing device) to spell out answers to Debbie’s death, but what they contact is anything but happy to see them.

After their night of witchboarding, suddenly those involved with the séance begin to die “accidentally”. It is now up to Laine to figure out why and how to stop it. The “Final Destination” series ran this formula into the ground, but at least they did it with an edgy suspense and a flair for misdirection. “Ouija” neither builds suspense, nor does it deliver a creep factor.

Another thing “Ouija” does is get rid of the parents. After Debbie’s wake, her parents, instead of grieving at home like any normal family, must leave on a trip, leaving Laine to tend to the house. Of course this is a set-up just to get the main players in the house alone without the complications of extra logically-thinking characters.

Olivia Cooke (The Quiet Ones, The Bates Motel) in the lead role as Laine, is a capable actress, who in the right lighting looks exactly like Rose Byrne, the mother in the Insidious movies. Cooke has a permanent look of fear and curiosity on her face all throughout the movie, but she manages to generate the only feeling of sympathy from anyone watching who cares. This movie falls on her shoulders, and she carries it very well.

Perhaps trying to capitalize on the success of the Insidious franchise, “Ouija” has Lin Shaye (Insidious 1 & 2) make a cameo as one of the sisters involved with the history of the malevolent spirit. Through an obvious twist, things only get worse for Laine.

“Could this have been a better movie?”

None of this is really scary. Except for some string section orchestral assisted jump scares, and bass heavy “whoomps!” at “surprise” moments, the movie only mildly comes away with being something better than a Veronica Mars paranormal mystery.

What works in “Ouija” is the special effects. I say that because this movie will certainly be played at tween sleepovers around the country with its PG-13 rating. Perhaps to a small clan of pajama party 12-year-olds, the movie might meet its intended audience. To them, the effects will be horrifying, especially in scenes where twine and curved needles are involved.

“Ouija” is a movie that has many ideas, but doesn’t quite make them stand out. The concept is never quite heavy enough to bolster one’s suspension of dis-belief, and therefore the movie suffers from being stuck in between two worlds; tolerable viewing and good horror. The latter should outweigh the former.

“Oujia” is directed by Stiles White and stars Olivia Cooke, Shelley Hennig, Ana Coto, Daren Kagasof, Bianca A. Santos and Douglas Smith. With special appearance by Lin Shaye.

You can order you copy of “Ouija” at Amazon.com.

 

 

 

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‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

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Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

The Strangers

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

The Strangers

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The Strangers

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

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It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott

Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

Great Movie Ride

The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

Alien Romulus
Alien (1979)

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

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Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

Home Depot Skeleton Prop

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

Home Depot Prop

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.

Terror Dog Prop
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