DVD Movie Review #173 Ju-On White Ghost/Black Ghost

Hello again and welcome back to my DVD movie reviews. This time I am covering the two short movies in the Ju-On series that are combined into one 2 hour film. The series is one that I have enjoyed overall but that the series has a bit of a hit or miss aspect to it. We have good films and bad films (I'm talking about you Grudge 3!). With the blue ray being $5 I had to get this in order to peak my interest.

This is a bunch of short films following a group of people effected by the curse. We are treated to seeing one after the other meet their grizzly demise as we know the curse can never be defeated so tough luck to those with it. The two movies are basically more of the same with the short films interconnecting in ways that leave you with a better understanding at the end of the film.

This film does have a lot of scares to them that the Ju-On series only can provide. I like the way that the stories intertwine and how the characters almost all are connected to one another in the end leaving you wanting to re-watch it and see the different interconnections. The atmosphere is very tense and leaves you on the edge of your seat at times wondering what will come next.

The effects on this film appear to be at the level of a small step below the Sharknado Series and that isn't very good at all. One of the main ghosts is just a little girl wandering around in an obvious rubber mask. Maybe I just don't get the Japanese but the acting in this is over done and really not good at all. I always seem to be left with this when watching a Japanese live action film and this is worse than most. It seems like the actors really REALLY want you to know the emotion they are feeling at anytime. This like the movies is a very bleak series and there isn't much feel good at the end of this series of short films so be prepared for this.

In the end this film could have been something with some better acting and a tad more money. It is a shame but it is worth viewing on your Netflix Lineup.

DVD Movie Review #172 The Lazarus Effect

Welcome to the next edition of my DVD Movie reviews. Today I am reviewing the film Lazarus Effect. I saw the commercials for this when it was in theaters and felt that it looks like it might be a tad scary. When I saw it at movie stop for $10 I said to myself "ooooo a new film for $10 on blu ray!" I would have had this review earlier but due to watching this a while back I fell asleep and didn't finish the film. The film is now finished and I am ready again.

This film revolves around a group that has tested out an elixer that is supposed to prolong the lives of people in comas in order to better try and save them. What they found instead through illegal experimentation was that it actually can bring the dead back to lives with very odd side effects. When confronted with the death of his long term fiance out main doctor does the extra mile and uses his serum to bring her back with disastrous results.

This movie had at least a small budget as the effects were fun to look at. When the story got going and the scares started coming they were pretty good jump scares with an intriguing backstory tied in. Finally they had a really nice looking dog in the film and who can't like a nice dog?

This film's negative outweigh the positives. I felt that they really didn't have the timing right here when they decided to write the film. When you have an 86 minute film don't spend 2/3 of the film on exposition to explain the last 1/3 of the film. This is boring and this is what put me to sleep. I have been talking about likable characters lately with my previous two review as important points and one of the reasons When Marnie was there only got an 8 when it was closer normally to a 9. In here the characters are not detestable but you really don't feel they are worth getting to know as many of them are self serving people with their own agendas. They then take one of the most likable ones and do a 180 with her but I won't go too much into it. Did I mention again how really nothing happens until the last 3rd of the film? When it does it happens fast and ends abruptly sort of like a car crash where you are left unconscious and you end up waking up in the hospital wondering what happened. The character changes are offered with only the barest of explanation even though we were given 2/3 of the movie in order to learn about the characters, how the serum worked and that there was something wrong with it. This movie could have been much better with a little less exhibition in places and more where it mattered.

A Lack Luster film that did not live up to the hype yet worth a watch on HBO should you have it.

5/10