Movie Review: "Afflicted" (2013)

Afflicted (2013)

            It’s funny, because this will be the second “found footage” type film that I have reviewed, even though I am adamant that I dislike them. Maybe I’m just lying to myself? Anyway, “Afflicted” is a Canadian horror film shot in several “blog entry” type segments, and eventually in first-person and third-person found footage style. My best friend and I wound up renting it from Red Box out of boredom, and because the description made it sound pretty sweet (however, it left out the found footage bit, and I initially did not want to give it a chance.) In a surprise twist, I can honestly say “Afflicted” is one of the better horror films I’ve seen, and I’m currently in the process of recommending it to all my friends!

            “Afflicted”’s plot centers around Derek and Clif, two best friends who have decided to travel the world in a year-long trip and video blog about it along the way. Derek has recently been diagnosed with AVM, a brain malformation that has aroused great concerns with his friends and family, and he feels if he does not go on the trip now, he will never have the opportunity. With doctors’ blessings, the two set out; however, after Derek is attacked by a one-night stand in Paris, things start to take a scary turn. Derek begins exhibiting “superhero” powers, but also seem freaky medical side effects (at one point, his contacts somehow fuse to his eyes, and he is forced to pull them off in a very gut-wrenching, painful scene.) *SPOILER* We learn Derek’s “disease” is vampirism, and as he progresses further and further, things take a deadly turn.
            I cannot say it any other way: I loved this film. The actors were amazing, and I loved the characters. All of the special effects were excellent, and though the film had its gory/bloody bits, nothing was ever too over-exaggerated or cliché. “Afflicted” re-sparked my love for vampires; the vampire here is very horrifying, very monster-like, but still retains Derek’s humanity in a way that is fascinating, saddening, and intriguing all at once. The film still looks very professional, despite its “found footage” appearance, and I am uncertain why it is not more popular. If you haven’t seen it yet, I strongly recommend you go out and rent it, or try to find a LEGAL version online—it’s worth the cash, trust me.

            “Afflicted” is a diamond in the rough, and really brings back the darker sides to vampirism that has been forgotten in recent years (here’s looking at you, Stephanie Meyer.) The ending is honestly brilliant, make sure you watch until the end of the credits or you’ll miss it! I have no possibly suggestions to improve this film, except that it should have been better promoted, because it is brilliant. It’s obvious a lot of hard work went into “Afflicted,” and it definitely pays off. Hopefully we will be seeing more from the “Afflicted” creators—who, coincidentally, are the stars of the film.

            If you want a film with good jump scares, a magnificent plot, fantastic acting, great vampires, and lots of suspense with just enough blood and guts, “Afflicted” is definitely for you. I myself am in the process of securing a hardcopy, because I would love to be able to watch this again later. “Afflicted” is a great example of how modern day horror can still spin new twists on classic scares, and if you’re a horror buff like me or just an occasional scary movie fan, this film is perfect for you. However, if you are sensitive to gore (especially concerning eyeballs or throats,) I would be wary of watching, but I still believe you would enjoy this. “Afflicted” honestly surprised me, and I’m really glad I found it!

If you have seen this, I would love to hear your opinions in the comment section! If you have any requests for other film reviews, please comment below.

Pros: Fabulous acting, great plot, good “revamp” of classic horror

Cons: Doesn’t get the recognition it deserves
Rating of 5 Stars: 5

Movie Review: "The Tunnel" (2011)

The Tunnel (2011)

            Although I don’t particularly enjoy documentaries, “The Tunnel” has come up several times when I’ve been looking for new horror films. The film is a mockumentary about the Australian government’s plan to recycle water trapped in underground tunnels. Today, I stumbled upon a link to it on tumblr and decided “why not?” so I finally sat down and watched “The Tunnel.”

            If I didn’t know better, I would assume this was an actual documentary with some very graphic firsthand footage. The actors all seem very professional, very believable. We are further introduced to the film’s concept in the beginning 20 minutes or so, where we learn that the water recycling plan mysteriously faded away due to homeless living in the tunnels; said homeless have been disappearing, and no officials are willing to talk about it. A film crew decides to explore the tunnels to get the true scoop. The crew is led by Natasha, a journalist willing to do anything to get her “career making story,” and comprised of Peter (a journalism “expert” who is initially forced on to the project,) Steve (their cameraman,) and Tangles (the sound expert.) The majority of the film is firsthand footage from the film crew as they explore the tunnels, and is broken up by surveillance footage from mounted cameras around the tunnels and interviews with Steve and Natasha.
            “The Tunnel” surprised me, because it was a very good film. It wasn’t outright horror, but enjoyable nonetheless, and I would recommend it to any fan of horror and maybe hardcore documentary fans (though I’m sure they might be irritated it was not a true documentary.) Sadly, my two favorite characters both perished (one at the beginning of the film, and it’s terribly sad) and Natasha, the “lead” character, is almost the stereotypical horror film female: irrational, leads the group to peril, and wants everyone to feel bad for her. “The Tunnel” was smart by not revealing too much of their monster, which kept it scarier, and the various camera angles and use of a night vision cam really heightened the mood.

            Am I glad I watched “The Tunnel?” Yes. I believe it was unique for its genre, even if the leading female was a bit too “by the book” for my taste. The actors for the film was excellent, it had beautiful videography, and it was a very convincing mockumentary.

            If you haven’t seen it yet, YouTube has at least one full, free version that I know of and it is available for purchase at thetunnelmovie.net. If you don’t want to purchase the movie, spread the word and support the film!

If you have seen this, I would love to hear your opinions in the comment section! If you have any requests for other film reviews, please comment below.

Pros: Original concept, fantastic actors, great filming, didn’t show too much of/ruin the monster

Cons: Female lead was too “traditional horror movie heroine,” characters you form attachments with perish
Rating of 5 Stars: 4.5/5

Product Review: NYX BB Cream

NYX: BB Cream (Nude)

(Image Courtesy of NYX Cosmetics)

            Now that it’s summer, I’ve switched over to mainly using a BB Cream for my face, since I suffer from oily skin. In the past, it’s been hard for me to find a BB Cream that I enjoyed using or actually benefited from, as many BB Creams are very light and too liquidy/thin for my liking. I want a BB Cream that is long lasting, a decent price, and at least has a moderate amount of coverage.

            NYX is one of my favorite brands, even though I admit their products can be a bit pricey. When I saw their BB Cream at Target, I decided I would just go ahead and purchase it, since my regular foundation was too sticky for summer and I had used a lot of other brands’ BB Creams and hated them. It was $13, which is a little more than I would typically spend, but I was getting desperate so I decided to just splurge. It comes in three shades: Nude, Natural, and Golden, and the tube itself comes in a little box with directions/product information printed on it.

            All in all, I would say that the BB Cream is definitely worth the $13. It has a really pleasant aroma to it, and applies evenly and easily with fingers (I would get a dab at a time from the tube on my finger and apply it to the high points of my face for coverage.) The wear time is very good, it usually lasts me all day—even on days when I go hiking. The coverage is moderate, meaning to it reduces any redness I may have while still allowing my freckles to come through, which I love. It doesn't feel too oily or too thick, and it looks great as a stand-alone or set with powder.

            I recommend this product, especially for ladies who have problems with oily skin or can’t seem to find a BB Cream that is fully satisfying. If you are very dark-skinned, I’m not sure how well this product would do for you. However, I have super pale skin (most brands don’t even make a foundation light enough to match) and the nude looked fantastic on me. If you’re worried about the price, it is worth every penny, and the tube is a decent size—I could see it lasting me all summer, or at least most of it, and I wear makeup at least 4x a week.

            NYX surprised me with the first BB Cream I actually love, so kudos to them for selling such a great product. I would definitely recommend this product. It has become my new summer makeup routine staple!

(Wearing the BB Cream for a cosplay makeup, it was set with translucent powder)

If you have this product, I would love to hear your opinions in the comment section! If you have any requests for other product reviews, please comment below.

Price: $13 at Target, nyxcosmetics.com

Pros: Good coverage, long wear time, nice aroma, good for oily skin, good product size, nice texture/weight

Cons: A bit pricey for me, doesn’t have a lot of color options
Rating: 4.5/5

Movie Review: Oculus

Have you ever seen a movie that just has a super familiar plot/twist, but you just can't seem to place it?
That's about how "Oculus" is. Essentially, it's a horror film about a mirror that warps people's minds and can force them to do horrible things (including, but not limited to, starving themselves, committing acts they can't recall later, and attacking others.) I feel like I've seen this movie before (with different characters and such, of course.)
A lot of the movie just seems so stupid. The dad, for instance, hangs this super huge, super ornate mirror in his OFFICE--why? Is he that conceited? The daughter risks her life for stupid reasons, even though she's had years to recover from a traumatic childhood, and she brings her brother (her recently released-from-the-psych-hospital brother, at that) along for the crazy train ride. The mom is just weird, just everything... Everything seems so half-thought-up or ridiculous.
Granted, it does have its moments. We get a bit of comic relief from one of the title characters, Kaylie, naming her dog "Dog" and her brother questioning this; Dog is used a few more times for some lightening, and I think I honestly enjoyed those scenes the most. The film is just not scary, and the few moments it had the opportunity to be, it just didn't pull through.
The only saving grace this film has was a very interesting title character in Tim. We learn at the beginning of the film Tim has been living in a mental hospital for 10-11 years, because he evidently killed his father for killing his mother (or something like that.) Tim is a pretty solid, dimensional character, and by the end of the film, you really are rooting for him to come out on top. His sister, Kaylie, I could do without, but I guess she works as a good foil to him.
Overall, don't waste your money. "Oculus" was a dud for me, and I so wanted to like it, but it just could not redeem itself in my eyes.

Final Judgement

Pros: Occasional comic relief, good lead character

Cons: Half-assed, completely un-scary, familiar story, un-connectable characters, etc etc (the list goes onnnn and onnnnn)

Rating: 1/5

Anime Review: Death Note

Let me start off by saying that I am a huge fan of horror, and that I do (in fact) own "Death Note." It intrigued me the first time I watched it on TV, and instead of watching the episodes online or on air, I went ahead and begged my mom for a personal copy.
Let me say now: she could have saved her money.
There is nothing WRONG with "Death Note" (aside from some heart wrenching deaths,) but it never just grabbed me. The style is beautiful, in my opinion; I especially love the character designs for Light, Ryuk, and Misa. There are a lot of beautiful backgrounds and a unique area of characters (both in design and personality.)
The concept is also fantastic, and Light's role is what really captured my attention in the first place. After all, how cool would it be to find a notebook (and an awesome God of Death) that kills whoever has their name written inside? Light's descent into the Kira mindset is done beautifully, and at times it can both infuriate and tear your heart to shreds. By the end of the series, I wasn't sure whether to continue cheering for Light (I'm totally Team Kira) or hate him for some very shocking, very horrifying choices.
So, what made "Death Note" such a dud for me?
It tends to take itself too seriously, for one, and seems to try to elevate that tension with poor comic relief at times. It can get very dark and serious, but never really seems to click with me, for whatever reason. I didn't find out as much about the characters or their histories as I wanted--L and Ryuk in particular. I also wanted some more character relationship development, and while it occurred, I felt none of them were ever deeply attached or opposed to one another. The ending also didn't seem to quite fit to me--but hey, maybe it was because I wanted a "happy ending," which "Death Note" does not supply.
All in all, I give "Death Note" 3.5 Stars. If you're a fan of horror, crime, psychology, or thrillers, I would definitely say give "Death Note" a shot and try to keep an open mind, because it wasn't too bad of an anime, just not up to my tastes.

Final Judgement

Pros: Artwork/Design, Character Uniqueness and Personality, Concept

Cons: Couldn't Get Engaged, Not Enough Relationship/History Development
Rating: 3.5/5