Tag: Joey King

video review : The Conjuring

video review : The Conjuring

The prelude, which introduces “paranormal investigators” Ed and Lorraine Warren via their Annabelle Case, is silly, but the following story begins decently enough. It has a family; a husband and wife along with their five daughters; moving into a house in Harrisville, Rhode Island. The year is 1971 and, despite a janky furnace, the retro vibes are warm and inviting.

It’s when the spooks begin; the house is, of course, haunted; that things start to get silly again. Perhaps The Conjuring, with a less ominous title, would’ve been better as a light Brady-Bunch-like coming-of-age story. As is, the movie, which is supposedly based on a true story, with all its lazy horror genre clichés, gets more and more ridiculous the longer it goes.

my rating : 2 of 5

2013

video review : Oz The Great And Powerful

video review : Oz The Great And Powerful

This is a Disney prequel to The Wizard Of Oz that focuses not on Dorothy but The Great And Powerful one himself. It’s a story that didn’t need to be told; I would’ve preferred a sequel; but it’s nonetheless a wondrous one.

The fun begins when Oz, a full-time magician and part-time casanova, gets caught in a Kansas twister and conjured off to Oz. The land shares his name by chance, but the people there think he’s the awaited King, so he plays along.

The plot is a little cartoony at times; the Knuck character is particularly annoying; but it’s mostly an adventure as Oz, like Dorothy before (after) him, is joined by a cast of eccentric friends on his way to kill The Wicked Witch.

my rating : 4 of 5

2013

video review : Independence Day [ Resurgence ]

video review : Independence Day [ Resurgence ]

This isn’t just Independence Day without Will Smith, which would be bad enough. It’s Independence Day without the humor, wit, suspense and entertainment; a sequel so lackluster it feels more like a TV knockoff than a sequel. Most of the main characters are back, but the nostalgia is wasted. Rain, the token Asian, is cute, but the new people are just cardboard cutouts.

The plot, which introduces an ally alien sphere, is surprisingly stupid. Even worse is the dialogue, which goes from just being flat to laughably awkward as it wedges in quick-cut plot points. “Can you believe it,” a hospital worker says to a patient who appears to be sleeping, “You’ve been in a coma for 7300 days.” One more day and he could’ve slept thru this cinematic disaster.

my rating : 2 of 5

2016