In Defense: Annabelle



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In reviews for the latest installment in the growing universe of The Conjuring, critics (including myself) have been quick to mark Annabelle: Creation as a much needed divergence away from 2014's Annabelle. Despite being a direct prequel that notably doesn't ignore the original, Annabelle: Creation reviews have consistently and with some good reasons, mentioned Annabelle and all its flaws. But, for all of its clunky misdirection and overly stale conventions, the first of what could be many spin-offs, Annabelle is deserving of a second watch.

Far better than it’s been lamented to be, Annabelle follows the Gordon's shortly after husband John picks up a very recognizable doll from a thrift store for his pregnant wife, Mia. After bringing the doll into the home strange things begin to happen and, after the murder of their neighbors by as satanic cult, they decide to move to the city. Things obviously don't slow down there and like many horror movies, the results are typical, but in many scenes, terrifying. Annabelle stars Ward Horton (Pure Genius) as John and Annabelle Wallis (Come and Find Me) as Mia. Tony Amendola (The Mask of Zoro) and Alfre Woodard is also featured as Evelyn, a neighbor and book shop owner with knowledge of the occult, and Father Perez, respectively.

Annabelle isn't perfect by any means. There are quite a few flaws that are worth noting. From the stale portrayal of a mystic minority character at the hands of Woodard to some really old horror scares that are less terrifying and more tepid, Annabelle deserves criticism. While Woodard herself is great in the film, her character is a disservice. Jump scares are also really overly placed throughout making it difficult to focus on the movie's plot itself. Plus, and perhaps most notably, through all of its sleek graphics and camerawork, the gleaming feeling of Annabelle leaves the movie feeling rather insincere. Sure you could figure out the play-by-play of the movie, but the greatest offense of Annabelle is its complete lack of personality. Rigid set design, although set in a time period, feel completely fabricated and the movie seems most worried about the industry's bottom line - making money.

But, writing off Annabelle completely is neglectful. While typical, Annabelle has multiple scenes that carry enough scares and tension to lift this movie up. That - paired with Annabelle Wallis' fantastic turn as a mother trying to adjust her life in the face of supernatural woes, more than compensate for the dead weight in this film. In fact, the storage room scene where Mia gets trapped in a basement and frights come out in waves is perhaps one of the scariest parts in modern horror to date. There are also the opening scenes in the young couple’s home that set the stage for what could have been an even better movie. Even if it later dismantles, these scenes are incredibly tense and well executed.

Overall, it’s not so much that Annabelle isn't deserving of criticism, it’s that the harsh words flung at this movie put it on an unfounded level. This is no Rings or Bye Bye Man. Annabelle has some horrifying parts. It has an amazing cast who all make the best of their roles, as well as some well-shot scenes that capture the dread felt by the characters. Annabelle isn't as good as it could have been and isn't as good as Creation, but it definitely shouldn't be ignored.

Review: Annabelle: Creation

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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: Modern Horror Franchises (Pt. II of II)

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5. Final Destination With some of horror's most fantastical and reaching death scenes, the Final Destination franchise is splendid to stare at with awe. Despite its follow-ups all being even more ridiculous, audiences craved these films and the who-will-die-next suspense scenes. The Final Destination series is so ridiculous but so good, that its force in the horror industry is undeniable. While the first was a straight up horror film and the second delved deeper down this rabbit hole, each subsequent installments only further exploded in grandeur, With five successful films under their belt, the future is dimming, but still bright for these escaping death thrillers.



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4. Saw

Just when audiences thought the seventh installment of the gory, trap-filled horror franchise would be its last, the announcement of Jigsaw came knocking. By far one of the most legendary and notorious horror franchises in the modern era, the Saw films became bona fide classics that received a lot of flak for their insane premises. Often overlooked as a cohesive unit, the Saw franchise is often said to be purposeless violence, but beneath it all there are stories being told. And, while those stories may be ridiculous, they are put together nonetheless.

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3. Scream Despite a now flailing television series which saw a lackluster season two, the Scream franchise is still a modern day symbol of horror. Scream may be in a bit of a rough patch, but to ignore it would be a great disservice to the accomplished work done by horror icon Wes Craven. Even the over-the-top third installment feels like a fresh satire of slasher films, not to mention that no matter the form, Sidney Prescott one our screens is an important enough reason to watch. The Scream films are timeless and deserving of audiences' time and respect.

2. Alien 

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It's rare for a 1970s film to age so perfectly, and yet, the original Alien has done so perfectly. Through expansion and sequels that are just as impressive, each piece of the Alien franchise has helped cultivate a full blown universe. Even by today's graphic and CGI standards, the work from the first two films stand out for their dated, but near stunning visuals and intense atmosphere. Tack on the successes of Prometheus and Covenant and this ever expanding world feels real. Set in the future, each of the Alien movies, including the weaker but still notable third, deserve to be commended for their ability to win over audiences who may not typically like sci-fi flicks. Constantly featuring strong female characters and complicated questions on life and morality, this is a franchise that everyone should stand behind.

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1. The Conjuring

Is there any current franchise with as much going for it as The Conjuring universe? Thanks to the terrifically terrifying mind of James Wan and a fantastic original and sequel, this world has become quintessential in the horror industry. With two spin-offs in the works for the sequel alone, a third on the way and a follow up to the original spin-off coming out this summer, The Conjuring franchise is one of horror's most well-done and accomplished. Even compared to some classic franchises like Halloween, the work done by The Conjuring movies should be regarded. Say what you will about Annabelle, but the honest truth is that that film is not that bad and given some of the truer duds of our time and some lackluster additions in some other franchises, nothing about Annabelle is that condemnable. The Conjuring world is expected to be around for years to come, and rightfully so.

 

Best In Show: Possession Films (Pt. II of II)

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5. The Conjuring 2

Horror sequels are tough work. Pulling them off successfully is pretty rare, and when accomplished, deserves many accolades. The sequel to the even more terrifying first, The Conjuring 2 is the rare horror film that continues a storyline without disruption. The choice to follow Ed and Lorraine Warren was a brilliant idea as any number of their case files could be adapted to film. Not to mention both Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are stellar actors who deserve some nominations somewhere for these movies. The Conjuring 2 is a scary, scary movie and the possession of the young girl is great, but The Conjuring 2 is also about far more than the possession, instead the true focal point of the story is on the pair of demonologists.

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4. The Babadook

Because Mr. Babadook has become somewhat of an icon, I actually forgot that at the very core of this film is the possession of Essie Davis' single mother character. The Babadook is an amazing film that goes deeper than pretty much any modern horror movie with the exception of this year's Get Out. It's an examination of a single mother’s constant struggles to deal with a difficult life, and only after this is fleshed out does the possession actually come in to play. The Babadook also wins points for avoiding the over-the-top mystical character that offers advice on dealing with demons and wins points for having such strong central characters and terrifying scares.

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3. The Conjuring

While The Conjuring is maybe one of my favorite movies ever, I consider it to be much more o a haunted house film than a possession. Yes, Bathsheba possesses the mother and yes it's a main storyline, but for all of its amazingness, The Conjuring isn't so much a strictly possession and exorcism movie. I love it and think its terrifying but, it loses points on this list for the fact that there are two exorcist movies that are more deserving. The Conjuring is superbly acted, well shot and incredibly done, and everyone knows this so I won't continue to harp on.





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2.The Last Exorcism

I've heard some mixed things about The Last Exorcism and yet, I cannot see its faults. The Last Exorcism is the most recent full on possession film that has had commercial success. It's terrifying, updated from classics like The Exorcist and is by-and-large, underrated. The Last Exorcism has some of the best scare sequences in modern horror and Ashley Bell's role as a possessed girl in red boots is fantastic. The ending is also really relentless and for all of the tepid responses about how this movie isn't anything groundbreaking, I would argue that it doesn't need to be. The Last Exorcism is a plain Jane of horror- its purpose is solely to scare and intrigue audiences, not make them think. And, on those accounts, it works stupendously.



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1.The Exorcist

Maybe it's to stave off hate or because it's one of the few classics I really, truly enjoy even today, but the OG Exorcist deserves this top spot. It is so iconic and so well done that even today, it's compelling. I originally thought the graphics and pea soup vomit of this film would have been a turn off in the modern era, but this is a movie that cannot be beat. it stands the test of times and I would watch Regan's head spin over and over. The Exorcist is required viewing, even if you don't like old movies.

 

Best in Show: Horror Houses (Both Parts!)

Typically, I split the weekly list over two days, but other circumstances made it impossible for me to do a Thursday article. So, special news - here is an entire list for Friday! This one is on scariest homes in horror. Whether the house itself is haunted or it simply has the visual equivalency of a nightmare, the homes presented in this list are the ones that wrap and wind, creak and groan, and are ultimately unsettling.




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10. Country Home (The Taking of Deborah Logan)

While not the most iconic, the country home of Deborah Logan is a choppy antiquity. With sharp corners and plenty of doors, the divided up house must have been hard to get comfortable in. Even filled with the young group of students filming a project, the house in The Taking of Deborah Logan should cause some pause for the haunting, hollow features of furniture that hasn't been properly used, room that are rarely open and the empty woods surrounding it,



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9. Bates' House (Psycho)

Name a more iconic house than the Bates' house on a hill. The home of the titular killer of Psycho is the stuff of legend. Dark and dusty, his original home and its later revival in the television series Bate's Motel, create for a stuffy atmosphere worthy of mention. The Bates; house isn't the scariest, there is a certain lived in quality, even if it's offset by poor lighting and skeletons out of the closet. So, while it definitely is one of the most recognizable on this list, it doesn't always do much to stand out as the most horrifying. In other words, I could probably fall asleep here.
 



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8. Settler Farm (The Witch)

Poor, poor souls. The farm and surrounding forest of The Witch seemed destined to ruin the religious family at the center of the film. Between the grey, muddy backdrop and lighting to the lowly conditions of the house, the farm provides plenty of feels. At night, the darkness of the home is exclusively lit by candles, further enhances the creepy feeling,  The plot of land isn't anything to write to the homeland about- it's dark and questionably dangerous and for a period piece, the ability to create a setting that is still scary in 2017 is noteworthy.



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7. Apartment Building (Insidious: Chapter 3)

While not as recognizable as the original craftsman of the Insidious franchise, the apartments in the third installment offer a lot with a little. Featuring some of the biggest bang for their buck, the simple yet lived in features of the Brenner's apartment create a comfy feeling that becomes all too uncomfortable. Chapter 3 is an underrated gem. The apartments featured - the aforementioned Brenner’s' and the vacant one upstairs - offer a much grounded take on horror houses. It gives viewers very "it could happen to you" vibe and for that, I'm all in.

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6. Country Mansion (Texas Chainsaw Massacre Remake)

What ever happened to good ole fashion, southern hospitality? The country mansion featuring massive cement pillars is one of modern horror's most emblematic. The interior of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre home is definitely country-living themed, but underneath the doilies and ornate decorations is a much more sinister atmosphere.



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5. Semi-Attached (The Babadook)

Spooky and grey, those are the two words that best describe The Babadook, mostly thankful to almost entirely B&W home of the mother-son duo central to this film. The Babadook offers viewers an extremely stark setting for a home that by all means should be bright and cheery. But the problematic lives of the single mother who works too hard and her troubled son makes for a home that feels cold. It's an impressively large house featuring tall ceilings and expansive rooms that never brighten up.

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4. Apartment Building (Quarantine)

This is the worst apartment building. Even before the scares start, everything about this building is haunting. It’s greenly lit, damp-looking and outdated. Then as the tenants move through their apartments, it becomes increasingly clear that they were all living in disparaged, spooky conditions. Even when they move into some of the nicer ones, there is a constantly dark undertone that conjures up scares easily. The atmosphere feels ghastly, even when the scares aren't ghostly.

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3. Abandoned Home (Blair Witch Project)

Yeah, technically no one lives here. But, for a list of horror homes, not including at least one abandoned property feels negligent and the abandoned house in the woods featured in The Blair Witch Project is a worthy addition. Its empty, disparaged interior, paired with its blank, rundown exterior, make for something I'm truly terrified I'll stumble upon one day.



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2. Overlook Hotel (The Shining)

Is the Overlook Hotel technically a house? I'd argue yes. The snowed-in family of three is the only (living) occupants and one could say that if home is where the heart is; their hearts are definitely in it. From the winding halls rode through by Danny to the sprawling rooms of emptiness, the Overlook is not only one of the most stunning visual sets in horror; it is also one of the scariest. The Overlook Hotel is scary. Its sprawling hedge maze and similarly confusing halls provide a lost feeling that viewers won't shake even after the credits role. The Shining is a classic, and a lot of its merit is thanks to the Hotel that the Torrance's made home.



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1. Perron Family House (The Conjuring)

The Conjuring is an amazing piece of work. Whether discussing its cinematography, its acting or its plot, the talent of its cast and crew is undeniable. But, the truest star of this show is the home of the Perron family. This house is everything; it's old, discolored and eerie - despite the attempts to brighten it up. The basement alone is enough to send chills down my spine. The most telling sign of the effectiveness of the Perron's home is the ability for it to be scary, even in the daylight. Even if rooms are lit with natural sunlight, The Conjuring carries a heavy atmosphere of horror. The old house is undeniably the best horror house ever.

 

10 Favorite Horror Movies (Ever) (Part II of II)



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5. The Houses October Built

When this movie first came out, its promotional material left me questioning it's quality. I first saw it the weekend after it was released (this is important to note for the validity that I am in fact a taste maker), and since then, it has become a Netflix hit. Prior to its addition to streaming though, this movie was bubbling under the sea with a very small group of fans.

I am so happy it has become better known. As a late entry into the over-saturated found-footage subgenre, The Houses October Built is maybe one of the best. It's a terrifying and realistic movie following a group of friends searching for the biggest "haunt" (what the film calls haunted houses). They take it a step too far and things spiral out of control. What gets to me is the fact that the movie felt like something my friends and I would do or would at least attempt to a lesser extent. The Houses October Built isn't necessarily the most original, but it is a really effective and grounded movie that will leave you at the edge of your seat.

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4. Insidious & Sinister (that's right, another tie)

The next four (five because of Sinister) on this list are undoubtedly modern classics. I decided to place these two movies together because of the level of fear they struck into me. As a fan of Blumhouse, the fact that these movies came from the same company does not surprise me. They are perhaps the most terrifying set of film within the past 10 years, only rivaled by James Wans' The Conjuring (he also made Insidious). I cannot even explain how I felt after watching these movies because they struck such a deep cord.

Even their eventual sequels, while sometimes problematic, are perfectly fine entries into the genre (expect a "In Defense" article on the third Insidious). Bughuul (Sinister) left me with days and nights of little sleep and constant fear (maybe a slight exaggeration, but not much of a stretch). That, paired with every ghost in Insidious has left me deeply troubled. The moments in the baby's room alone- from the horrifying man behind the crib to the baby monitor, make Insidious a worthwhile venture.


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3. The Babadook

One of my proudest moments in my life was watching The Babadook get released. As someone who caught up with the film immediately at the end of its Kickstarter campaign, I felt personally attached to the movie and now, as I have watched it spread its horrifying cape, I can't help but smile. Even without the horror, the story of a woman struggling to raise a problem-prone son would be compelling (Essie Davis is stunning). But, when you add in the lucid scares that seem central to The Babadook, there's no denying this film's power.




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2. The Witch

Widely recognized as one of the best films of 2016 and most certainly the best horror movie of the year, The Witch is a terrific  period piece that's slow burn is powerful. I've talked to some people who did not enjoy this movie and for each of those people, I came to love it even more. The Witch is a piece of art, and a scary one at that. There is literally nothing wrong with this movie. From Black Phillip to each of the actors' and actresses' turns as colonial folk, The Witch is amazing.

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1. The Conjuring

I don't even know what to say about this movie without sounding repetitive of the other entries on the list, except that it is all of the positive things above, and then some. I have been engrossed by this movie ever since I saw a midnight premiere and witnessed an entire audience collectively scream. It felt unreal as the camera panned up to the wardrobe where Bathsheba sat ready to pounce. I don't care how unoriginal it is for this movie to be my favorite, because it simply cannot be beat. I would love for something to challenge it though, just so I can have that moment of being that impressed once more.