Insidious: The Red Door envelopes the audience with just enough information to build a sense of unease that escalate throughout its 107-minute running time. This might underwhelm those who thirst for extreme violence or novel ways of dispatching victims.

When you take the time and make the audience endure the pace you can build to a real climax. This is where most horror films lose the plot, too much violence and it becomes cartoonish, showing the protagonist in the full light of day and the sense of danger can evaporate. The end of horror films are difficult to pull off.

Using a number of the tricks of the trade helps sell the premise. Here, the sound design is very effective and unnerving as is the level of restraint shown in divulging information, it does its best not to overplay its hand. When the final resolution happens, it fills those gaps of knowledge and adds to the overall creepiness.
Rob Hudson
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To put their demons to rest once and for all, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and a college-aged Dalton (Ty Simpkins) must go deeper into The Further than ever before, facing their family’s dark past and a host of new and more horrifying terrors that lurk behind the red door.

The original cast from Insidious is back with Patrick Wilson (also making his directorial debut), Ty Simpkins, Rose Byrne and Andrew Astor. Also starring Sinclair Daniel and Hiam Abbass. Produced by Jason Blum, Oren Peli, James Wan and Leigh Whannell.

The screenplay is written by Scott Teems from a story by Leigh Whannell, based on characters created by Leigh Whannell.

In Insidious: The Red Door will be released in Australian cinemas July 6!
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To put their demons to rest once and for all, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and a college-aged Dalton (Ty Simpkins) must go deeper into The Further than ever before, facing their family’s dark past and a host of new and more horrifying terrors that lurk behind the red door.

The original cast from Insidious is back with Patrick Wilson (also making his directorial debut), Ty Simpkins, Rose Byrne and Andrew Astor.

Also starring Sinclair Daniel and Hiam Abbass. Produced by Jason Blum, Oren Peli, James Wan and Leigh Whannell. The screenplay is written by Scott Teems from a story by Leigh Whannell, based on characters created by Leigh Whannell.
www.facebook.com/SonyPicturesAUS/

This film is never tranquil in its intent or its execution. It’s based on a play of the same name written by Samuel D. Hunter (who also penned the screenplay). It tells the story of Charlie a morbidly obese man who is so damaged by losing the one he loved, he is eating himself to death.

In his mind, his fate is sealed and in the last moments of his life, he tries to make a connection with his daughter Ellie, played with venomous intensity by Sadie Sink. She is truly awful but Charlie sees only the good in her and still feels deep guilt over abandoning her and her mother when she was a young child.

Aronofsky builds in so much discomfort with his creative choices, you are never left at ease. Fraser’s performance is a master class in delivering emotion with a minimal amount of body activity. His sad puppy dog eyes will tear out your heart. This is not easy to digest cinema but for those that are up for the challenge, it creates real and visceral emotions.
Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/madmanfilms/

That’s not to say that Jurassic World is terrible – it’s not – it’s easily the second best of the franchise but it is yet another re-run of practically the same story. Again we have two children loose in a dinosaur park run amok while the park’s controller (and relative of the children) attempts to retrieve them with the aid of a mercenary type.

The script throws all caution and common sense to the wind in ways that would never be allowed in the real world – how these two youngsters come to be adrift in a theme park full of prehistoric monsters defies belief! Jurassic Park gave a feasible explanation as to how this may happen but here it is just ridiculous.

In true Hollywood style, melodramatic plotlines are ramped up in haste for just about every character but ultimately lead nowhere leaving you wondering why they are there at all.

The film throws tired themes about of dangerous genetic tinkering and militarisation of technology and everything goes haywire largely due to ridiculously stupid decisions made by everybody from the owner of the park down to the two kids that will ultimately require rescuing.

The film’s saving grace is, of course, the dinosaurs that are lovingly created in dangerous, growling detail in all their claws, teeth and reptilian eyes glory. Ever since King Kong all we’ve ever wanted to see is these prehistoric behemoths fight and we get plenty of that action here.

The film’s other saving grace is Bryce Dallas Howard who is lovely in any guise. Doubtless others will think the same of Chris Pratt and I’m willing to pay that as well.

Ultimately, Jurassic World is just like Jurassic Park but ‘Bigger and Better™’ with CGI and digital sound design which is now the norm for any Hollywood blockbuster. Let’s be honest, this is a cash grab; it possesses neither the technical innovation nor the originality of storyline of the original. Jurassic Park nailed it; it still looks great; there was no imperative to remake it. But Jurassic World is fun enough and if the volume of popcorn left on the floor of the cinema after the movie is any indication, patrons are having a lot of fun indeed!

Stuart Jamieson
www.jurassicworldintl.com