Review: Annabelle: Creation

(imdb.com)

For what feels like years, talk of cinematic universes seemed to only revolve around superhero movies and explosive sci-fi franchises. But, proving caped crusaders wrong is the work of James Wan and the flourishing world of The Conjuring. From the original film to the successful sequel and the critically berated Annabelle, the future of The Conjuring is proving to have longer legs than anyone thought. Spin-offs, including The Nun and The Crooked Man, and a third installment of the original storyline all are planned. And, with the release of Annabelle: Creation just last week, The Conjuring universe has been placed back into critics good graces.

Annabelle: Creation follows a couple who, after the death of their daughter, provide refuge to a girl's orphanage. One of the young girls finds a doll- yes, the doll - and everything quickly unravels. As with any horror film, moving into the house proves to be a terrifying time for all; featuring plenty of bumps in the night, dark hallways and plenty of horrifying moments. Featuring many budding stars and a few veterans, Annabelle: Creation offers a pretty stunning cast of varying ages and generations. Annabelle Creation stars Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace) and Miranda Otto (What Lies Beneath) as the parents of the recently deceased Bee, played by Samara Lee (Concussion). Lulu Wilson (Ouija: Origin of Evil) plays Linda, the headstrong, caring friend of the polio-inflicted Janice, played by Talitha Eliana Bateman (Geostorm). The film also stars Stephanie Sigman (Spectre) as the girls' caretaker, Sister Charlotte, Grace Fulton (Badland) and Philippa Couthard (The Catch) as older girls, Carol and Nancy, and Tayler Buck (American Crime Story) and Lou Lou Safran (The Choice) as other orphans.

It's important to note each of the cast due to the fact that they're all fantastic. Even for smaller parts, actresses like Fulton and Couthhard provide a certain depth to the film and make characters that may do bad things, but aren't deserving of the horrors they encounter. What'll come as a shock to no one, however, is young scream queen Wilson, who plays the somewhat awkward, but kind and engaging Linda.

Is Annabelle: Creation as incredible as James Wan's first two creations? Maybe not. But clearly the franchise is in good hands. Director David Sandberg (Lights Out) tosses the franchise's latest back into the hyper-stylized world created by James Wan and even though the scares may not be as heart-stopping, they're still plenty gripping. Parting ways with the somewhat gleaming and more mainstream Annabelle for the better, Creation recovers all that was lost from the critically panned spin-off. Sure, there are some scares that align too closely to the gimmicks already used by the universe's older installments, but the fear factor never feels stale. Sandberg perfect captures moments of silence and pairs them with tense atmospheric music and scoring.

Annabelle: Creation accomplishes exactly what it meant to do: scare and stun. Whether it be in the shape of a scarecrow, eyes in the darkness or, of course, the doll central to it all, this film realigns The Conjuring universe with the path that won so many over in the beginning. Annabelle: Creation is a blast of nostalgia. For fans of horror, there are more than enough terrifying moments to satisfy as well as some great characters to care about. 7 out of 10.

Best in Show: Horror Shorts (Pt. II of II)

5. Bedfellows

Like Tuck Me In, Bedfellows is sure to make sleep just that much more difficult. There's something about bed time and the ominous nature of the possibilities of something being in your bed that is just so terrifying and this short capitalizes on these fears. Featuring a jolt ending that'll take your breath away, Bedfellows is a lean and tight scare that'll probably stick around long after its runtime.

4. Blackout

 Is there any fear more primal than that of darkness? The answer is no and for good reason. Darkness - even in familiar settings - feels foreign - this is why Blackout is so effective. The absence of familiarity and security created by darkness, especially if that darkness is cast upon you suddenly and by an unknown action is so terrifying that when it happens in Blackout viewers will instantly know something is very wrong. Like many horror shorts, this one also includes an amazing final jump scare, so grip your seat tightly and get ready.

3. Light Out

By far the most well-known on the list, it goes without saying that Lights Out is a standout. While the movie expands and changes up the mythology created by the original short, it's tiny beginnings certainly impress. From the end jump scene to the shadowy figure visible only through backlighting, Lights Out catapulted horror shorts to a larger audience. Points are additionally given for the actress who also stars in the not as good, but still scary, Pictured (They're both directed by David Sandberg). There's really not more to be said, if you know someone who hasn't seen it, make them.

2. Vicious

Both Vicious and Blackout use similar styles and means to scare audiences. From quiet observances into the dark to simplistic and grounded camera work, each intends to terrify and do so with success. But, what makes Vicious just that much better is an added element of home invasion. There is something so innately terrifying about the character's realization that someone broke into her home and could possibly still be there. It is one of my biggest fears and is one of the most practical short horror films available as it opts for fear over any other cinematic prowess. From start to end, Vicious is, well, vicious.

1. The Smiling Man

While Vicious is incredibly scary, it is The Smiling Man that takes this list cake. Equally suspenseful as it is well done, I would argue that more than any other movie on this list, this short's mythology could and should be made into a feature length. The little girl is a terrific actress and as she presses forward on a trail of balloons, The Smiling Man is able to engross viewers. It's the type of horror short that will legitimately be trapped in your brain, preventing sleep for the days following. The end reveal is one of the most horrific and terrifying moments in modern horror as audiences and the little girl try to cope as to what is in their face. Is the smiling man a crazed person or some supernatural entity? That is something a feature length film, if well-done, could explore.