Reviews of the Past: ‘The Conjuring’

The next set of reviews we’ll be publishing are some of the ones Roger Thomas has done exclusively for The Stanly News & Press. Roger has written movie reviews for The Stanly News & Press and other outlets for years, long before starting this blog. So we decided it would be good to give readers a sample of his previous work, in addition to posts of reviews of current films. Other reviews will run daily.

Scares abound in ‘The Conjuring.’

I think I have stated before that I prefer to watch movies for the first time alone, or with a friend, me and no one else. There have been many times in my movie watching that I have been the only one in the theater. I enjoy this because I do not have to worry with people talking, or texting, or answering phone calls, or crunching popcorn too loud, and the list goes on and on. A private showing is the best way to go.

With two exceptions, that is. First, I do enjoy the midnight premieres when the most dedicated and enthusiastic fans gather. I saw the last two “Batman” movies with a theater full of fans at midnight. The same is true of the first two “Lord of the Rings” movies and the last two “Stars Wars,” among others.

Second, and I had forgotten this one until recently, I love to watch a truly scary movie in a crowded theater. It is as much about the experience as it is the film. A large mass of excited viewers is an almost essential ingredient for a horror film to truly be effective.

I went to see “The Conjuring” the second weekend it was playing in the theaters. Lucky for me the theater was nearly packed. And this was a group of people ready to scream.

There are many things I liked about “The Conjuring.” First, as horror movies goes, it is a very wholesome film. I had read before I saw the movie that the Ratings Board of the MPAA gave it a R rating based solely on the intensity of the frights in the film. I believe that to be true because “The Conjuring” contains very little objectionable material. There is very little blood. This is a not a slasher film filled with violent acts. There is no nudity or sexual situations, other than a husband and wife commenting on something they did the night before, and this is handled very tastefully. And I cannot say for sure, but there may be no profanity in the film or certainly very little.

Second the film is well-made. The cinematography, the art direction, the editing all contribute to creating a mood and building the menace of the film. A good solid cast makes the story believable. I especially liked Vera Farmiga who has had a great year with this successful film and an Emmy nomination for her spellbinding work on A&E’s “Bates Motel.” And the direction makes the film flow with what seems to be a rapid repetition of scare, drama, scare, drama, scare.

And as I often write in these reviews, it finally comes down to the writing. This is a good story, based on true events. (That thought alone should send a shiver up the spine of anyone who has seen it or will see it.) There is humor here, but when it comes to the horrific moments, these are often treated with a very serious tone. Families have been in peril in many thrillers, but the threat to the Perron family seems especially menacing as all things began to be revealed to the audience. Many smart decisions were made to make this film work as effectively as it does.

Finally, I cannot absolutely separate the film from the experience of the crowd who witnessed it with me. I would like to thank all those who made my viewing better by their screams, jokes, laughs and sheer thrilling excitement. Those folks made “The Conjuring” even better for this reviewer who normally prefers to be alone at the cinema.

My advice to you is to see “The Conjuring,” if you like a good scare; and go soon because you will want to see it with a crowd.

Box Office results

Domestic gross: $137,400,141

Foreign gross: $180,600,000

Production budget: $20 million

Opening weekend: $41,855,326

NOTE: Information from Boxofficemojo.com

Reviews of the past: ‘You’re Next’

The next set of reviews we’ll be publishing are some of the ones Roger Thomas has done exclusively for The Stanly News & Press. Roger has written movie reviews for The Stanly News & Press and other outlets for years, long before starting this blog. So we decided it would be good to give readers a sample of his previous work, in addition to posts of reviews of current films. Other reviews will run daily.

Sharni Vinson comes out swinging in ‘You’re Next.’ 

This summer has produced horror films that have been impressive for their level of quality. I wrote very positively about the horror movie laced with social and political commentary entitled “The Purge.” I still believe it was one of the best films of the summer. Right behind “Purge,” with less commentary but many more scares, is “The Conjuring.” I liked these two films for multiple reasons and both are on my short list for showing at my annual Halloween Horror Movie Party.

And now, a third horror film that is worthy of an audience opens in theaters just as the summer is winding down. “You’re Next,” like the two previous titles, is a well-crafted movie with plenty of jolts, surprises, and of the three, the most gore.

“You’re Next” tells the story of a family gathering together to celebrate the parents’ anniversary. The couple has four grown children, three sons and a daughter. Each of the four siblings brings along a companion for the weekend. They all gather at a really large house that the extremely wealthy parents own. The audience knows that the neighbors down the road have been brutally murdered the night before, but at the start of the film, no one in the family seems to be aware of any danger lurking.

The script of the film does a fairly good job of distinguishing between the 10 people who come together in this large old house. Some of them are more likeable than others. Some of them survive longer than others. In a movie with a hefty body count, the trick is trying to guess who will survive the longest. Another hallmark of films like this is that the longer one survives, the more gruesome the death will most likely be.

Ultimately, the greatest strength of the script is that the film continues to surprise. There are hints along the way of what might happen, but there were plenty of moments that were jarring. This is not a “Friday the 13th” or Halloween movie with mindless slashing and very little plot. Between the violence, there is a clever and conceivable plot. It is the presence of this plot that elevated the film for me.

One aspect of the “Next” that really surprised me, and in a good way, was that the fact that when the credits rolled I thought to myself, “Well, I am not sure there could ever be a sequel to that.” Far too often these days it seems almost all horror movies are set up to launch new horror franchises. This practice lessons the impact of some film’s story.

Of the three good horror movies of the summer, “You’re Next” would be my third choice. It is good, almost surprisingly good, but I think it would lose something in repeat viewings because the secrets have been already revealed. On the other hand, I believe “The Conjuring” will always give viewers that wonderful feeling of surprise, no matter how many times they see it. Then there’s “The Purge,” my favorite for the ideas of the film, not the chills. These thoughts about society and where we could end up if we continue to pursue an “Every man for himself” attitude are debatable, but the very concept of a horror movie stimulating conversation is grand.

With that said, see all three. “You’re Next” may be third among the three, but it is still good enough for the price of ticket, especially if you like mysteries, odd families and “slasher” films.

Box Office results

Domestic gross: $18,494,006

Foreign gross: $NA

Production budget: $NA

Opening weekend: $7,020,196

NOTE: Information from Boxofficemojo.com