THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT reveals this horror universe is running out of tricks
by A. Freedman, Staff Writer
Rather than repeat the successful formula of the first two, Chaves and co. bring a procedural narrative to the fold.
Annabelle Comes Home
Written and directed by Gary Dauberman
Starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson and Mckenna Grace
Running time 1 hour and 46 minutes
MPAA rating: R for horror violence and terror
by Allison Yakulis
The observation that ‘there are no new stories/songs/ideas, that nothing is truly original, that everything is derivative to at least some degree’ has been so often restated that the notion itself is cliché. Bear that in mind when I say that at its core, Annabelle Comes Home (2019) is a retelling of the old Greek myth of Pandora’s box - curiosity and weakness of will conspire to put our protagonists through the wringer. Further, fans of the Annabelle films and/or the larger Conjurverse franchise will note stylistic similarities and call-backs to other films. But, while the bones are old, the paint is fresh. Comes Home on the whole reinvents old tricks and unleashes new surprises that will have fans and newcomers alike feeling chills.
Read MoreGodzilla: King of the Monsters
Directed by Michael Dougherty
Written by like, seven fucking people
Starring Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, and Kyle Chandler
Running time: 2 hours 11 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13 because Godzilla ain’t scary, y’all
by Allison Yakulis
I’m going to go ahead and admit right up front that I missed Godzilla (2014), of which this film is a sequel, and will therefore be unable to compare Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) to its immediate predecessor. What I can tell you is that it’s fairly easy to follow this film without seeing the first, and from what I understand there is only a little overlap in characters between the two. While I’m sure there was probably a call-back or two that went over my head, on the whole this movie stands up on its own and is very much its own story.
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