shadowhive

So today I ended up going to the cinema again. My original intent was to go and see Black Phone 2 and Paranorman, but I didn’t feel up to watching a second film (and felt there might be too much noise). There was a morning showing and an afternoon one, with the afternoon being my original intent but at the last minute I decided to go to the morning one.

That seemed a wise decision, because after rain yesterday (and rain forecast) today was a decent day. In town I just got a drink and then went to the cinema to see Black Phone 2.

Trailers were ones I had seen before: The Bone Temple, Keeper, Shelby Oaks and Fnaf 2. I’m planning on seeing 3/4 of them. Also there was a standee up for Frankenstein! Yay! And a poster for Shelby Oaks. My intent is to see both next week, but I’m really hoping my glasses are sorted by then.

Anyway! Thoughts on Black Phone 2 under the cut (though trying not to be too spoilery in case anyone wants to see it)

First off, a warning if you are thinking of seeing this. There is gore in this of the grabber’s boy victims, it is done in flashes but it’s still there. So if that’s a squick for you best to give this a miss.

Doing a sequel of any film is always a tricky prospect, but especially so with horror films. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of just going ‘well this worked in film 1 we should do that again’. Of course with Black Phone 2 that wasn’t possible, the films villain (the Grabber) was dead at the end of the first film. Some horror films do retcon deaths of their villains but that often feels cheap and would be especially so here.

So you have a villain that’s dead, how do you then do a sequel? The first film gives the answer, as ghosts are real so why not bring him back as one too. But it doesn’t just do that, he also torments Gwen (the sister of Finney, the last boy he abducted) in her dreams. (People say that makes him like Freddy from Nightmare on Elm Street but as I’ve not seen that I can’t comment on that myself)

Her dream sequences are really well done. They’re shot in this way that looks and feels like old film and that’s really effective. The film is very much centered on her, so it’s good that she is actually so great as a character (and the things she says are so funny).

Her dreams lead her (and her brother reluctantly) to an alpine camp which honestly sounds like a crazy place. I’ve heard of summer camps but I had no idea that winter camps, Especailly up in the mountains, was a thing. But it did make for an effective location being so isolated by the snow. (And they’re also joined by Ernesto, the brother of one of the grabber’s victims, played by the same actor though you’d not be able to tell cause they’re so different.

The whole thing is really effective, helped by the isolated location and the performances of everyone is really great. Plus there are some revelations that are done well. (And the kids jerk dad from the first film has actually turned things around.) I’m not gonna say too much else in case anyone is thinking of seeing it though!

But overall to me it was really great! It was so well done and creepy and the location was really effective. I’d say it’s definitely one of my fav horrors of the year so far (Possibly top 3?) though I’m aware it’s likely to change.

After the film I had half an hour till the next train so I went to cex (to see if they had the IT films which the site said they did but alas I didn’t see them), the bank to put money in (I’m glad I did more on that soon) and smiths to get the new fantastic four.

On the train I used the net to send a message and bam! I got hit by news of 5 Seconds Of Summer doing a tour! This isn’t a surprise, preorders of the album on the uk site are meant to include a presale link, but ugh. First off yay! There’s a Birmingham date, but also boo presale is next week and it’s at the venue I saw Sleep Token.

Anyone around when I got the Sleep Token ticket will know that was insanely stressful and took forever. I should be able to get a ticket if I’m lucky (vip is likely out of the question though) but I’m really not looking forward to it.

(I guess it’s good I didn’t use those birthday voucher or got anything from the flying tiger Halloween sale)

Once I got back home I just flopped and dozed off, cause ugh I feel a cold has come on. It seems the net is back to acting up, disconnecting for a minute or two randomly and I dunno why. Blah.

I’m hoping tomorrow is a lazy day, cause Saturday is heading to the vet (hopefully Naryu will be fine and not need anything other than her jabs)

But now I’m just gonna flop some more and watch the new Taskmaster ep