The Hole (2009) Review

I’ve been looking around and I’ve found that there are about a million movies with the name “The Hole”. I got the one that I watched confused with the Kiera Knightley version from 2001, in which the story is completely different from the version I watched. (Oops!)

            So here is the synopsis of the correct film that I watched:

“A pair of brothers stumbles upon a mysterious hole in their basement that leads to the darkest corridors of their fears and nightmares.”

With the help of their new next-door neighbor, the boys decide to investigate the weird happenings in their new home, such as ghostly girls and creepy clowns (my favorite). The hole in their basement is the source of all of their fears once they open it, and they soon find out why it was sealed shut. Essentially, the hole creates everything that you are afraid of and sends it after you. Uh oh.

           

            This story is surprisingly deeper than it lets on. It’s lighthearted and fun, more of a thriller than a horror, however it’s definitely worth the watch. The story is almost sad once you find out what’s going on at the end, so it makes it worth watching all of the way through. I went in to watch the film honestly thinking that it was going to be ridiculous and childish, but, like I said, it’s fun, it’s deep, and you know what? For a much younger cast, the acting was wonderful.

            If you’re looking for a fun, kind of creepy film to watch on a rainy day, this is a good one. It’s not over-the-top classic, but if you have Netflix and need a good suggestion, start here! It’s a quick watch, so at 92 minutes long, it’s easy to get through.

I know this was a super quick review, but it's a short film! I'll be writing a post for next week about my experience at Haunt Faire this weekend.

Until next time, stay spooky,

Taylor Terrible

Poltergeist Remake...I'm Grossly Excited

I remember watching the original Poltergeist at my 10th birthday party in my basement with all of my best friends. We were all so terrified that a tree was going to come crashing through the window to eat us that none of us went to sleep that night. I also still frequently find myself having weird, nightmarish fears of the guy in the bathroom ripping his face off...so this begs the question: how excited are you for the remake coming out this year?! I'm so excited that I need to go into the liiiight...hehe...heh...

Producer Sam Raimi is probably an awesome pick to be on-board for this film, that's one of the things I'm most excited about. Some of his notable credits are the Evil Dead "remake" from 2013 (which holds a special place in my heart, because it was one of the first times I was actually dragged to a horror film I thought I'd be too scared to see, and it was also one of my first dates with my now-boyfriend-of-two-years), The Grudge, and Drag Me to Hell. Um, yes. His horror expertise is a welcomed credit on the roster for me.

Then, there's the up-to-date visual effects. The original Poltergeist is terrifying in it's own way, mostly because of the concept. You have an angry bunch of spirits throwing things around your house and sucking your daughter into the television. Your son gets swallowed by a tree. You have a small woman with an awful voice running around your house talking to your daughter that you can't see. If you haven't seen the original Poltergeist, it's like having not seen the original Evil Dead. It's a classic, and while it's not necessarily the best visual effects in the world, it still freaks you the hell out. That's what I'm looking forward to with Poltergeist: the story will never, ever be dated. It can only go up from here.

The only concern I think I have is them messing with the story. There is something about Carolanne and her family that was so charming and lovable, that you root for them obsessively the whole time. I was thrown off when I watched the trailer and the oldest daughter is on Facebook when her phone goes down. Meh. I know it isn't the 80s, but can't we pretend that it is? Also, they don't have little Zelda Rubinstein running around the house with that tiny voice of hers yelling "go into the light", which is also slightly disappointing.

But all in all, I can't wait until this one comes out! I think 2015 is going to be a year where horror reinvents itself, creating a new outlook on the genre. Except for that awful Unfriended movie. We're just going to pretend that doesn't happen. Cool? Cool.

Love you, my little ghosts and ghouls.