Into the Forest (2015)

Into the Forest is a Canadian drama taking place in the near future, shown by the advanced technology that had been taken for granted. Based on the 1996 novel written by Jean Hegland, the story revolves around sisterhood and hope.

Nell (Ellen Page), Eva (Evan Rachel Wood) and their father Robert (Callum Keith Rennie) live in a home miles away from the nearest town. A massive power outage leaves millions of people without technology. Days later, they drive into town and see gas stations have closed and food at the grocery store is scarce. Store employee Stan (Michael Eklund) brings them around back and gives them supplies such as gas and candles. Eva goes to her dance class and Nell goes to a bonfire to see her boyfriend Eli (Max Minghella).

Robert goes into the forest to gather wood and has an accident with the chainsaw causing him to bleed to death. After two months without power, Eli finds the house and stays with them for a few days. He heard a rumor about Boston having power and wants them to make an eight-month trek on foot. Nell leaves with Eli and Eva stays at the house. After one night, Nell returns home to be with her sister.

Six months without power, the girls get drunk and turn on the generator to watch home videos. Nell goes into the forest to gather berries and Eva stays back to chop wood. Stan walks up to the house and asks Eva questions. He disarms the ax from Eva, rapes her and steals the car. Two months later, Eva knows she's pregnant and wants to keep the baby.


After 15 months without power, Eva is getting closer to having the baby and they're running out of food. Nell hunts down a wild pig to give Eva the essential nutrition for going into labor. Eva's contractions get more intense and Nell brings her to a safe place in the woods. Eva gives birth to a healthy baby boy. They realize the house is no longer safe due to mold and the caved in roof. They take the remaining food and belongings and use the last of the gasoline to set the house on fire.

Directed and written by Patricia Rozema, she creates a sense of dread using the isolation of the house and the untimely death of the father. When the power went out the first night, they expected things would be fine. Until ten days goes by, then two months, six months and so on. There's a feeling of hopelessness once Robert passes away and when Eva is raped. But hope returns unexpectedly when Eva finds out she's pregnant, which is ironic because she warns Nell while Eli is staying with them.


Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood carry this film with their strong bond of sisterhood. They're inseparable and Nell realizes this after she leaves and returns. Eva is traumatized after she's violated, refusing to eat and Nell takes care of her. They only argue once about using the gas, which Nell convinces Eva they need to save for emergencies. Even though society as they know it has collapsed, Eva continues to practice for her dance audition and Nell reads books to study for her exams.

There are elements of horror portrayed in this film. This is one of the most realistic outcomes of a future national disaster or post-apocalyptic setting I've seen in movies. What happens when millions are left without the use of the internet or cell service? Total chaos. Especially 10-20 years from now, everyone will rely on technology even more than we do right now. Without technology, society will fail to function and the true nature of humans will present itself.

The ending had me feeling as if I were left hanging. Almost the same feeling I had after watching the post-apocalyptic thriller, 10 Cloverfield Lane. Just as they leave everything behind to begin a new journey, we are hit with the credits. I was left wanting to see where they would go next.

Into the Forest is a gripping drama with the strong performances by Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood. I recommend this film to adults and drama/thriller fans.

3/4

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

The Conjuring 2 is the third installment in The Conjuring Universe and the sequel to The Conjuring. Ed and Lorraine Warren return as we remember them from the original. They fly overseas to Enfield, England, to deal with one of the most difficult supernatural occurrences ever documented.

Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) recalls the brutally violent event that took place in Amityville, New York 1974 in which a man murdered his mother, father, two brothers and two sisters. Lorraine follows the spirit of the youngest boy to the basement where she sees a demonic nun and a vision of her husband Ed's (Patrick Wilson) death.

In Enfield, England 1977, single mother Peggy Hodgson (Frances O'Connor) raises her four children in a suburban home. 11-year old Janet (Madison Wolfe) starts sleep talking and walking. She sees an elderly man in her dreams claiming it's his house. Janet hears a voice and follows it downstairs. The spirit follows her back to her room and bites her. She and her sister Margaret (Lauren Esposito) wake up their mother and the entire family witnesses a dresser slamming the door shut. Terrified, they run across the street to seek help from their neighbors, the Nottinghams. The police are called and they see a chair move before their eyes. They say it's beyond their duties and they should call a church.

The local news covers the story and conducts an interview with the girls. Janet becomes possessed during the interview and the spirit identifies itself as 72-year old Bill Wilkins (Bob Adrian), who claims the house is his. The Warrens listen to the interview and agree to travel overseas to determine whether or not Janet's possession is a hoax.

The Warrens plan to stay at the Hodgson's home for three days. Ed communicates with Wilkins' spirit through Janet and that night Wilkins attacks her. Ed helps Peggy fix up the house and she is bitten by Wilkins' in the basement in attempts to drown her. Ed finds a denture in the water and matches it to the bite mark. One night, Janet is possessed by Wilkins and she's recorded destroying the kitchen as if it were a prank. The Warrens have no choice but to leave the house. Lorraine has a vision of the demonic nun controlling Wilkins to make them leave and her senses were clouded by the nun.

They quickly return to the house where everyone but Janet has been locked out of the house. Ed enters through the basement alone and lightning strike breaks the tree in the front yard, creating a sharp spike that killed Ed in Lorraine's vision. Lorraine remembers the name of the demon, Valek, and makes her way upstairs. Janet attempted suicide by jumping onto the spike but Ed grabbed her and they hold on only by a curtain. Lorraine uses the demons condemns the nun back to Hell. She saves Ed and Janet and the curse of Valek is lifted.

This recreation of the Enfield Poltergeist was the logical next step for a sequel to The Conjuring. This case generated lots of coverage in newspapers and eventually books, documentaries and this film. Like the original, it claims to be based on a true story from the Warren's case files. After watching real interviews with Janet Hodgson and Lorraine Warren, I want to believe it was true but there are many skeptics out there saying the Enfield Poltergeist was a hoax. Either way, it makes for a good plot in The Conjuring Universe.

James Wan is back, having directed Insidious: Chapter 2 and Furious 7 since the first Conjuring. He directs a plausible third installment to the franchise. The set was built in a Los Angeles studio and feels as if it were filmed in London. The house was built to replicate the actual house in Enfield. The hallways were built longer to prolong the length of certain takes for visual effect. There were more special effects used than the original which makes certain scenes feel engulfed in CGI. The Crooked Man looked entirely computer-generated until I saw Javier Botet in costume on the special features disc.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga have great chemistry as Ed and Lorraine Warren. Ed plays Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love" beautifully on guitar for the Hodgsons and his wife. Back at their home, Lorraine plays the song on the record player and they have a dance in the final scene.

The Conjuring 2 may not be as frightening as the original, but it's a solid sequel that shouldn't be completely overlooked. I recommend this film to fans of horror and The Conjuring Universe. 

3/4

Supplements:
Behind the Scenes Footage

The Conjuring (2013)

The Conjuring is the first film set in The Conjuring Universe. It's based on a real case file in the archives of couple Ed and Lorraine Warren. They're paranormal investigators who claim to have worked on over 10,000 cases, including the famous Amityville haunting. Lorraine proclaims to be clairvoyant, an ability to feel supernatural presences.

In 1968, the Warrens conduct an interview discussing the Annabelle case. 7-year old Anna Higgins died and her spirit was given permission to move into a doll. Strange events occurred which led them to seek help. The Warrens explain the doll is a conduit to an inhuman or demonic spirit, that wanted to possess them.

In 1971, Roger (Ron Livingston) and Carolyn (Lili Taylor) Perron move into an abandoned 14-room farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island with their five daughters, Andrea (Shanley Caswell), Nancy (Hayley McFarland), Christine (Joey King), Cindy (Mackenzie Foy) and April (Kyla Deaver). The dog, Sadie, refuses to go in the house. The girls play a game of hide and clap and stumble upon the cellar which had been boarded up.

The next morning, Carolyn finds a bruise on her leg, the house is freezing and smells of rotten meat and they find Sadie dead outside. Carolyn notices all the clocks stop at 3:07. That night, Cindy sleepwalks into Andrea's room and pounds her head against the wardrobe. The next day while the girls are at school, April tells her mother about her new friend Rory. She found a music box and says she can see him behind her in the reflection. They play a game of hide and clap and Carolyn is led to the wardrobe, but April wasn't hiding there.

While everyone is asleep, Christine feels someone tugging her leg. She shares a room with Nancy and she sees a presence behind the door. She wakes up Nancy who doesn't believe her until the door slams shut. Christine tells them it wants their family dead. The next night, Carolyn hears noises and investigates. All the pictures hung up on the stairway are torn down and she's led to the basement where she's trapped. At the same time, Cindy is sleepwalking into the wardrobe and Andrea is attacked by a demonic spirit. Roger gets home and hears screaming from inside the house.


Carolyn attends a seminar on demonology and exorcisms conducted by Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren. Carolyn meets up with them afterward and convinces them it's urgent they come to her home. Lorraine senses an evil presence has latched onto the family and Ed suggests an exorcism may be required. They would need permission from the Church as well as evidence of supernatural activity. Lorraine discovers the house was cursed by an accused witch, Bathsheba after she sacrificed her week-old newborn to the devil and then hung herself on the tree in the yard.

The Warrens decide to take action by setting up cameras and bells in every room of the house. Lorraine sees a presence looking out the window of Carolyn's room and she becomes possessed. They observe Cindy sleepwalk into the room with the wardrobe and hear a voice whispering to her on the microphones. They find a secret passage in the wardrobe and Cindy claims it's where Rory hides. Lorraine crawls inside and finds a noose. She falls through the floor to the cellar and sees more spirits.

The Perrons' stay at a motel for the night while the Warrens present the evidence to the Church. The Warrens daughter is attacked by Annabelle. Lorraine senses something is wrong and they make it home just in time to save her. Carolyn, possessed by Bathsheba, takes Christine and April back to the house. The Warrens find Carolyn in the cellar trying to stab April. Ed realizes he must perform the exorcism as birds start swarming the house. Carolyn escapes in search of April but Lorraine reminds her of a memory of her family. Ed completes the exorcism and the curse of Bathsheba is lifted.

The story of the Perron family is both terrifying and unsettling but not entirely believable. Since this is a supernatural film,  there has to be some skepticism when saying it's based on a true story. The real-life Lorraine Warren claims the film is an accurate account of what happened in that house.

Director James Wan does an excellent job of creating suspense through the sound. When Christine sees the spirit in her room, we hear the sound of her heart racing. The claps and the knocking draw in our attention and allows us to feel the uncertainty the characters go through. He builds up tension until there's a moment of silence, then induces horror and accelerates the scene. The scares are far from cheap and you become absorbed into the dark atmosphere.

When I see a supernatural or paranormal film, what interests me the most is how they go about collecting evidence of the demonic spirits. The crew working with the Warrens seem personable, knowledgable and appear to love what they do. Since it takes place in 1971, the technology they used to capture photos and audio were state-of-the-art. They even used thermostats to gauge a temperature drop to have the camera snap a picture. The special effects are also well done. During the exorcism scene, when the chair floats in the air, flips upside down and bangs against the ceiling looks as if it's actually happening.

It's the fifth film directed by James Wan, whose prior works include Saw and Insidious. Wan set the bar high in terms of scariness with Insidious. The Conjuring succeeds as an R-rated horror film that doesn't need to use blood and gore, sexuality or profanity to make its scares effective. This is one of the better horror films in the last decade. I recommend this film to adults and horror film fans.

3.5/4

Supplements:

The Conjuring Trailer featuring Lorraine Warren

Interview with James Wan and Lorraine Warren (Part 1)

Interview with James Wan and Lorraine Warren (Part 2)

Behind the Scenes Footage (Part 1)

Behind the Scenes Footage (Part 2)

Behind the Scenes Footage (Part 3)

Watch The Conjuring on Amazon

Me and Orson Welles (2008)

Me and Orson Welles is a portrayal of the Welles' modern-dress bare-stage production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. The film is based on the novel, Me and Orson Welles, written by Robert Kaplow. Richard Linklater directs and produces this coming-of-age story to make it feel as real as being there backstage.

The date is November 5th, 1937 in New York City. Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) is a 17-year old student that has hopes of becoming an actor. He meets Gretta (Zoe Kazan) in a music store and she dreams of becoming a writer. Richard unexpectedly runs into 21-year old Orson Welles (Christian McKay), who is impressed with his on-the-spot talents of drumming, singing and theatre knowledge. He offers him the role of Lucius in his upcoming play at the Mercury Theatre, Julius Cesar. Early on, Richard can see Welles is having an affair with the leading actress while his wife is pregnant. Welles directs, produces and stars the play as Brutus. Welles is worried too much good luck will bring bad luck on premiere night.

Richard meets the hardworking production assistant Sonja (Claire Danes), who quickly takes a liking to him. He soon finds out that every guy on set has tried to woo Sonja in one way or another without success. Richard is backstage during rehearsals and accidentally sets off the sprinkler system which soaks the theatre. Welles demands to know who to blame and calls out Richard. He suggests it's the bad luck thing and Welles understands.

Richard runs into Gretta at a museum and she shows him the short story she wrote. He tells her he's met notable people through acting and suggests taking her story to a publisher. Welles sets up a coupling game as a way to bond before the premiere. Richard hands out the tickets and cheats his way to partnering up with Sonja. They go out dancing and spend the night together.

The next night, Orson tells Richard he's a God created actor, magnificent. Welles takes Sonya for the night and she tells Richard she can't refuse him. A man overhears their conversation and comes out of the shadows. He tells Richard she wants him to fight for her. The morning of the premiere, Richard tells Sonya he loves her and calls out Welles for cheating on his wife. Welles abruptly fires him. That afternoon, Richard and Welles make an agreement to perform on opening night. The premier is a huge success and afterward, Richard finds out he's been fired for good. He sees Sonja for the last time and tells him she tried changing Welles mind but couldn't.

Richard meets up with Gretta again at the museum and she has good news. Her short story had been published in The New Yorker. She asks him out to celebrate and they walk out of the museum.

Christian McKay deserves a ton of credit for his outstanding work as Orson Welles in his film debut. He's near perfect in the way he boastfully expresses himself without judgment in front of an entire cast and production crew. He doesn't take criticism from anyone and gets the point across very clearly that it's his show. The crew is used to waiting around because they are on Orson's time. He gives his unfiltered, rash opinion without hesitation.

Zac Efron, having prior experience in films such as High School Musical and Hairspray, makes him a perfect cast for this role. Welles made sure he could sing and trusted he could play the ukulele. He and Clare Danes compliment each other nicely. She admires the way he romanticizes everything, and he believes in finding love.

Richard Linklater does an excellent job of capturing the near-constant work, days and nights, that goes into a stage production of this magnitude. It's exhausting work for a cast that's getting paid little to nothing to put in days worth of effort. One of the most impressive scenes is when Welles and the main cast is reading the script over the radio. From the start to finish, the camera moves left to right in a circle, just as a script would be read. Welles didn't miss a beat while smoking his Cuban cigar.

I've seen most of Linklater's films and this is one of his finest works. Ebert claimed Me and Orson Welles as one of the best films about the theater he had ever seen, and I have to agree with him. In the end, Linklater leaves us with life lessons and historical context. Most importantly, insight on the young Orson Welles, who inspired not only this film but many others over the past near-century. I highly recommend this film to teens and adults, especially those interested in theater.

4/4