Oculus (2013): Ridiculous

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We are all aware of this quote. But I want to make my own version, and thus let me say “don’t judge a movie by its trailer.” I don’t care if somebody have already said that or if I’m the first, but this is the lesson that I’ll stick to by now. I was a victim of movies with awesome trailers but disappointing full-length film. And that is the same case that happens with Oculus.

My friend shares the trailer to me. She knows that I love horror movies and is very excited when she told this about me. She said that the trailer is awesome and I should watch the film. So, I watch the trailer and it is pretty convincing. But when I watch the movie, it was so ridiculous. I am very disappointed.

The story is quite unique. A man was convicted of murder. When he was released, her sister tries to prove that he is innocent. She conducts experiments to prove that the tragedy that strikes their family is caused by the supernatural entity that resides in the antique mirror that their mother bought. Sounds interesting right? But it is better to be read like that than to watch the whole movie.

The movie is mind-boggling in a negative way. It gives me headache and makes me sleepy. Honestly, I didn’t watch the movie from the beginning until the end. I stopped watching it after an hour I guess. Before I stop watching, the movie seems to present that the supernatural entity were just in the imagination of the woman. I don’t know if that is the point that they try to suggest until the end.

I’m not curious to know what happens then. I don’t care about the movie anymore. I was never disappointed like this in my entire life. So, lesson learned. Don’t judge a movie by its trailer. Be reminded of that, guys! ;)

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Alien Abduction (2014): Nonsense Stereotype

I love movies and documentaries about aliens. After I’ve seen the trailer of Alien Abduction, it quite convinced me that I should watch it. And yes I did. I did it with full enthusiasm and excitement. But at the end, it was disappointing.

I love how the beginning of the movies, the first half I guess. It gives me more excitement and I want to dig in more about the story. I have questions in my mind like why these aliens abduct people and what are they are going to do with them. Unfortunately, these questions are not answered. The plot is too simple and nonsense.

There was a family hiking in the mountains, they got lost, found a tunnel where their first encounter happen. Of course they try to escape but they were not able to do that. They meet someone living in the woods, and they vanished one by one. That is the whole story. And for me, it was nonsense and stereotype for an alien movie. I bet I can do that story on my own.

The movie might be able to give me the shock, because some scenes are really intended to shock you, but it fails to leave a mark. It was forgettable. The concept is nice but it fails to elaborate and give more depth to the story. The ending is also hilarious. So, the last family member (the youngest child I guess) were abducted and brought to the spaceship. The aliens find his camera and throw it back to earth. The funny thing is that the spaceship is already in the outer space but the cam lands on earth and still recording. Even grade-schoolers will find this WTF? Maybe the writers doesn’t know much about science.

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Antisocial (2013): Hilarious, but it isn't Comedy

This movie is so hilarious. I actually laugh several times while I’m watching it. But the problem is it is not really made to be a comedy. It supposed to be under the Horror, Sci-Fi and Thriller genre. For that, it an epic fail for me.

The concept is crazy, but not crazy good. It is about the apocalypse where people are transformed to zombies by the virus transmitted via the social media “The Social Redroom.” How pathetic. This is not really effective. The use of social media in this movie fails so bad that it wasn’t worth the try.

I don’t know what gone in the heads of the writers of this movie. Are they desperate enough to discourage people from using social media? Scare them off to make sure that people will get paranoid about their Facebook or Twitter account? That might be right. They use something that everyone uses daily, turn it to something terrifying for the hope that people will talk about it, so the movie will be viral. That sounds a good idea, but that is not just effective at all.

People get paranoid with the movie The Truman show. Everyone thinks that they might be in a reality show and there are cameras everywhere. That movie is really effective. But Antisocial, a big NO NO! I’m glad it is antisocial because I will not really talk to it if we’re in a party.

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Neighbors (2014): it should be Neigh-bore!

After I saw the trailer of Neighbors, I was very excited to watch it. But I wasn’t able to see it on cinema so I just waited for it to be available in Blu-Ray. I didn’t buy one; I just borrow from a friend. And I’m happy because I don’t have to spend money for it, because in my opinion, it doesn’t worth it.

Zac Efron, Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne are some of the actors that I enjoyed watching the most. This is the first reason why I’m excited to see the movie. I thought it would be great because the trailer is great. But unfortunately, it wasn’t. They should have named it neigh-bores instead.

The movie is about a couple with a newborn baby who just moved in their house. At first, everything is fine until a fraternity moved in the next house. They have to deal with the unexpected difficulties that will challenge their relationship.

It was really boring. And there are moments when I choose to play zombie tsunami on my phone while I’m watching it. I don’t know. There are just scenes that will turn someone sleepy head. It wasn’t that inviting at all. The concept is great but it failed to deliver.

Yes, there are funny scenes, but I’ve already seen these in the trailer so I’m really expecting it. Aside from that, there is nothing left to surprise the audience. Very disappointing.

IMDB

Willow Creek (2013): Super Boring

Zombies, vampires, serial killers, ghosts, werewolf, UFOs, and psychopaths, I’ve seen it all. So when I read the synopsis of the Willow Creek, I said “wow, this is interesting, a new creature of terror.” The creature I’m talking about is the Bigfoot.

Bigfoot is a tall ape-like creature that rumors to roam the forest. There are accounts of sightings but there is no strong proof yet that it really exists. This is the mission of Jim who brings along her girlfriend Kelly to look for evidence that Bigfoot really exists. They went to the Willow Creek even though they are refused to enter, and they were able to find the “creature” they are looking for.

Willow Creek have the same elements like the Blair Witch Project. The main characters are in the forest, there are strange sounds, they are documenting everything and they found what they are looking for and that is it! This is what I hate about this film, it lack originality. And the sad thing is I never really like the Blair Witch Project either. For me, these films are both Super Boring.

The climax is all that matters, it is kind of creepy but it wasn’t worth the wait. They will let you drawn in the film, and they will give you the thrills at the end – which is not terrifying at all. I wish that they are more shocking things in it than the one they have shown.

This is not a really great movie. It actually sucks. But the plot was good though. It was something new for me but it fails to impress me.

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Wicked Little Things (2006): Wicked but Not Great

Some films in the After Dark Horror Fest have great feedbacks. One of the movies that got my attention is the Wicked Little Things. It has a real nice plot and a great trailer as well. But unfortunately, these are the only things that are great about it. And the whole movie itself is not really great at all.

The concept is great, really. But the execution is a big failure. After I watch the trailer, I expected that the movie will be great. It is about a town where zombie kids are roams the area and kill people every night. Creepy, right? But unfortunately, the good plot was not transferred to the motion picture. Disappointing.

It was very rare to have a new twist and story line about zombies. And this one wastes it. It fails to scare me, get my attention or convince me to watch it eagerly. It is also saddening that they wasn’t able to do that even when they already scared me on the trailer alone.

I watch it for three times, part by part. Do you wonder why? It is because it makes me sleepy. I guess I need to cut it off here. You can still watch it though I do not advice it. We have our own preferences and it is up to yours if you will agree with mine.

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The Battery (2012): Super Boring

Like what I usually do, I searched IMDB for movies before getting a copy. When I found the list of zombie movies, I’ve seen The Battery and it has a decent rating. So, I’m thinking that it may be real good. But unfortunately, it was Super Boring.

Among all the zombie movies that I’ve watched, it is the only one that makes me sleep. Honestly speaking, I didn’t bother to watch it full. I fast-forwarded it just to see how it will end. There are no enough thrills that I’m expecting even for a regular zombie movie. It doesn’t have anything to offer I guess.

It was really disappointing. I didn’t suggest it to anyone. It makes me sad, I love zombie movies and they didn’t give enough justice to that. I didn’t know what else I can say. I know you are bored right now, that is more than the boredom that I’ve felt while I’m watching this movie.

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We Are What We Are (2013): Surprisingly Disappointing

It has been weeks since I got a copy of We Are What We Are. So, last night, I decided to watch it because it has been in my files for too long. I remember that I saw the trailer which is somehow good, but the movie is surprisingly… disappointing.

I love the first half of the movie. It leaves questions in my head that I know will be answered at the end. There are great things running in my mind for what the second half will be. But as the clues unravel the truth, it was disappointing that it wasn’t given enough justice.

The plot is good but the presentation didn’t meet my expectation. I’m expecting something more. And I thought that it will be a great movie if Quentin Tarantino directed it. I’m expecting something gorier because of the concept of the movie but that wasn’t met. Something is lacking, not only the gore but the chills a great movie can give its audience.

The twist at the ending was good though. But it wasn’t enough to leave me awake last night. It was an ending that is not frightening enough. The climax was OK and I thought that it would be nice if there are more of those scenes throughout the movie to establish the characters more.

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Eden Lake (2008): Too Much Foolishness

I live to watch horror movies. I guess, I’ve watched all the great horror movies you can think of. But this one got my attention while I’m browsing IMDB. It is just recently when I encounter Eden Lake and that moment, I hurried to grab a copy.

I was very excited once I got a copy (please don’t ask me where I got it, it is confidential). But as the movie rolls, I was very DISAPPOINTED. Yes that is in capital letter because I was disappointed in major ways.

They have the right elements of a horror films, but the foolishness of the main character are over the top. The beginning is great and I am beginning to be drawn by it, but at one moment when the leading lady did something very stupid, I was like WTF? I’m confident that a normal person wouldn’t do the same foolishness she did (expect maybe for stupid people). It may be OK that she makes foolish decision once in the movie, but she repeated it several times and that is not really OK.

Anyway, this can still be an average horror movie with way too much foolishness. If you want to get pissed off by that, go ahead and watch it. But if you have a bad temper with that kind of people, DO NOT WATCH IT. You may find yourself slamming your TV, DVD player or laptop.

Here is the great plot: a couple head to the Eden Lake for a weekend adventure. But their vacation was ruined as they encounter a group of rebel TEENAGERS. Their car went missing, they look for it, they found the kids, forced them to give the keys, that resulted to quarrel, then the leader of the group’s dog was accidentally stabbed, the couple run away and then there began the chaos and the foolishness. :)

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