by Josh Sewell
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
(Rated R for terror, violence and some disturbing images. Opens in theaters June 4 and also available on HBO Max.)
The third chapter of The Conjuring series – not counting all those spinoffs – continues the saga of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (played once again by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) in fun, creepy fashion. As with most horror franchises, The Devil Made Me Do It doesn’t match the terrifying heights of the original, but the story’s pivot away from the haunted house formula, along with a deeper focus on the protagonists and victims, keeps the formula fresh. I ended up liking it more than the second one.
Inspired by a real crime (as always, take the claim that it’s “based on a true story” with a monumental grain of salt), the latest chronicle of the Warrens’ exploits kicks off with a young boy (Julian Hilliard) possessed by a demonic presence. When the exorcism goes wrong, Ed is felled by a heart attack and the boyfriend (Ruairi O’Connor) of the child’s big sister (Sarah Catherine Cook) commands the demon to take him instead.
Afterward, the boyfriend commits a brutal murder and swears he was controlled by the evil entity. It marks the first time in U.S. history that someone attempted to plead not guilty due to demonic possession, and the Warrens work to help him build his case. Of course, there are deadly outside forces who don’t want the couple to succeed.
Although series creator James Wan stepped away as director, Michael Chaves (who also helmed franchise offshoot The Curse of La Llorona) is an acceptable replacement. He captures the setting’s retro vibes, utilizing plenty of long takes to convey a sense of dread and get audiences acclimated to the framing of a scene before the scares come. There’s also a fun, period-appropriate soundtrack (in this case, songs from the late ’70s and early ’80s).
As always, Wilson and Farmiga are the backbone of these flicks. I really enjoy their interpretation of the Warrens, which respects the couple’s religious beliefs and takes their supposed supernatural gifts completely seriously. They’ve got terrific chemistry and elevate the familiar plots – basically R-rated Scooby Doo episodes – into compelling sagas of good versus evil. O’Connor and Cook are solid as well, their persuasive work allowing viewers to care about their characters despite barely knowing anything about them.
From a critical perspective, however, the post-movie hangover is always rough because I remember the real Warrens were gross people. There’s definitely an important conversation to be had about the ethical implications of a warm, fuzzy depiction of characters who were almost certainly grifters taking advantage of grieving families.
Still, the entertainment value of the Conjuring flicks is undeniable – and that’s coming from someone who generally isn’t a big horror guy. As long as Wilson and Farmiga keep making these, I’ll keep watching.
Grade: B-
A Quiet Place Part II
(Rated PG-13 for terror, violence and bloody/disturbing images. Now playing in theaters.)
Full disclosure: this sequel to writer-director (and former star of The Office) John Krasinski’s blockbuster horror flick was the first movie I saw on the big screen since September. Just letting everyone know, because I was so overjoyed to be back in a theater there’s no way it didn’t affect my views on the film itself.
That being said, A Quiet Place Part II is a strong continuation of the original, which is a rarity in the genre. I still don’t think we needed a sequel, but I was impressed with how Krasinski fleshed out the story’s world in interesting, often unexpected ways.
Above all, it’s a great choice to focus more on the characters themselves since the element of surprise is gone with the terrifying creatures who hunt by sound. Rather than ramping up the CGI and gore, the filmmaker knows his talented cast is the best special effect, and the reason viewers are so emotionally invested in the story.
After a harrowing prologue that depicts what happened on Day 1 of the alien invasion, which (spoiler alert for the first movie) allows Krasinski to return as the Abbott family patriarch for a few minutes, the sequel picks up immediately following the original’s triumphant finale. Although Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe) have discovered the creatures’ weakness, their home has been destroyed.
With a newborn in tow, they must venture into the outside world to survive. Along the way, they connect with a fellow survivor (Cillian Murphy) but soon learn that not all people are as helpful. In fact, they may be just as dangerous as the creatures.
As with the original, the not-so-secret weapon of A Quiet Place Part II is the incredible sound design. It adds tension to even the most mundane activities like opening a door or whispering a lullaby, allowing for even more terror when loud noises come out of nowhere. The returning cast is still fantastic, especially Simmonds, who largely becomes the lead, while Murphy is a terrific addition as a grief-stricken loner who was a family friend of the Abbotts in happier days.
The film really only stumbles with an attack sequence that kicks off the last act, which feels like it has to bend – if not outright break – the world’s rules in order to occur. Still, it’s worth checking out to see Krasinski honing his skills as a writer and director. Plus, while the movie works just fine as a standalone story, it’s pretty clear he’s setting us up for a third (hopefully final?) chapter.
Grade: B+
DVD Spotlight: The Lovebirds
(Rated R for sexual content, language throughout and some violence. Available June 8 on DVD.)
This romantic comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae has been streaming on Netflix since last May, but fans of physical media (we’re a dying breed, I know) will have the opportunity to own it on DVD next week. The two rising stars play a couple whose relationship takes a turn when they accidentally get involved in a murder mystery. As their mission to clear their name gets them into more and more dangerous situations, they must figure out how to save their relationship and their lives.
Special features: Unrated version of the film, deleted scenes, gag reel, “Line-O-Rama” featurette and more.
(Rated R for terror, violence and some disturbing images. Opens in theaters June 4 and also available on HBO Max.)
The third chapter of The Conjuring series – not counting all those spinoffs – continues the saga of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (played once again by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) in fun, creepy fashion. As with most horror franchises, The Devil Made Me Do It doesn’t match the terrifying heights of the original, but the story’s pivot away from the haunted house formula, along with a deeper focus on the protagonists and victims, keeps the formula fresh. I ended up liking it more than the second one.
Inspired by a real crime (as always, take the claim that it’s “based on a true story” with a monumental grain of salt), the latest chronicle of the Warrens’ exploits kicks off with a young boy (Julian Hilliard) possessed by a demonic presence. When the exorcism goes wrong, Ed is felled by a heart attack and the boyfriend (Ruairi O’Connor) of the child’s big sister (Sarah Catherine Cook) commands the demon to take him instead.
Afterward, the boyfriend commits a brutal murder and swears he was controlled by the evil entity. It marks the first time in U.S. history that someone attempted to plead not guilty due to demonic possession, and the Warrens work to help him build his case. Of course, there are deadly outside forces who don’t want the couple to succeed.
Although series creator James Wan stepped away as director, Michael Chaves (who also helmed franchise offshoot The Curse of La Llorona) is an acceptable replacement. He captures the setting’s retro vibes, utilizing plenty of long takes to convey a sense of dread and get audiences acclimated to the framing of a scene before the scares come. There’s also a fun, period-appropriate soundtrack (in this case, songs from the late ’70s and early ’80s).
As always, Wilson and Farmiga are the backbone of these flicks. I really enjoy their interpretation of the Warrens, which respects the couple’s religious beliefs and takes their supposed supernatural gifts completely seriously. They’ve got terrific chemistry and elevate the familiar plots – basically R-rated Scooby Doo episodes – into compelling sagas of good versus evil. O’Connor and Cook are solid as well, their persuasive work allowing viewers to care about their characters despite barely knowing anything about them.
From a critical perspective, however, the post-movie hangover is always rough because I remember the real Warrens were gross people. There’s definitely an important conversation to be had about the ethical implications of a warm, fuzzy depiction of characters who were almost certainly grifters taking advantage of grieving families.
Still, the entertainment value of the Conjuring flicks is undeniable – and that’s coming from someone who generally isn’t a big horror guy. As long as Wilson and Farmiga keep making these, I’ll keep watching.
Grade: B-
(Rated PG-13 for terror, violence and bloody/disturbing images. Now playing in theaters.)
Full disclosure: this sequel to writer-director (and former star of The Office) John Krasinski’s blockbuster horror flick was the first movie I saw on the big screen since September. Just letting everyone know, because I was so overjoyed to be back in a theater there’s no way it didn’t affect my views on the film itself.
That being said, A Quiet Place Part II is a strong continuation of the original, which is a rarity in the genre. I still don’t think we needed a sequel, but I was impressed with how Krasinski fleshed out the story’s world in interesting, often unexpected ways.
Above all, it’s a great choice to focus more on the characters themselves since the element of surprise is gone with the terrifying creatures who hunt by sound. Rather than ramping up the CGI and gore, the filmmaker knows his talented cast is the best special effect, and the reason viewers are so emotionally invested in the story.
After a harrowing prologue that depicts what happened on Day 1 of the alien invasion, which (spoiler alert for the first movie) allows Krasinski to return as the Abbott family patriarch for a few minutes, the sequel picks up immediately following the original’s triumphant finale. Although Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe) have discovered the creatures’ weakness, their home has been destroyed.
With a newborn in tow, they must venture into the outside world to survive. Along the way, they connect with a fellow survivor (Cillian Murphy) but soon learn that not all people are as helpful. In fact, they may be just as dangerous as the creatures.
As with the original, the not-so-secret weapon of A Quiet Place Part II is the incredible sound design. It adds tension to even the most mundane activities like opening a door or whispering a lullaby, allowing for even more terror when loud noises come out of nowhere. The returning cast is still fantastic, especially Simmonds, who largely becomes the lead, while Murphy is a terrific addition as a grief-stricken loner who was a family friend of the Abbotts in happier days.
The film really only stumbles with an attack sequence that kicks off the last act, which feels like it has to bend – if not outright break – the world’s rules in order to occur. Still, it’s worth checking out to see Krasinski honing his skills as a writer and director. Plus, while the movie works just fine as a standalone story, it’s pretty clear he’s setting us up for a third (hopefully final?) chapter.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for sexual content, language throughout and some violence. Available June 8 on DVD.)
This romantic comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae has been streaming on Netflix since last May, but fans of physical media (we’re a dying breed, I know) will have the opportunity to own it on DVD next week. The two rising stars play a couple whose relationship takes a turn when they accidentally get involved in a murder mystery. As their mission to clear their name gets them into more and more dangerous situations, they must figure out how to save their relationship and their lives.
Special features: Unrated version of the film, deleted scenes, gag reel, “Line-O-Rama” featurette and more.
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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