Quarantine 2: Terminal

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Zombie

Tag Line: the Most Deadly Mutant Virus Just Went Airborne... And Escape is Not An Option

Running Time: 1 Hours 27 Minutes

Casts:  Mercedes Masöhn, Josh Cooke, Mattie Liptak, Ignacio Serricchio

Directed by: John Pogue

Produced by: Sergio Aguero, Marc Bienstock, Doug Davison

Story:

In the first film, an apartment building in Los Angeles was quarantined by the CDC, trapping the frightened residents inside as a deadly mutant virus turned the residents into rabid killers. Quarantine 2: Terminal picks up later that night at LAX, as passengers board a flight to Nashville. When a passenger becomes violently ill with a mysterious rabies-like virus, the plane makes an emergency landing at a large metropolitan airport. Now a group of survivors must band together to survive the quarantine.
Written by Official Site  

Review:  
Quarantine 2 takes place in a large airport/terminal. It is to be told that it's happened one day after the Quarantine 1. The differences between the one and two is its place, nothing changes beside of the place. The first one took place in an apartment building, the second one takes place in a large airport/terminal. I like this kind of movie because it always thrills me and chills me up. It can boosts up my adrenaline while watching it. Does it happen also to this second one? My answer is definitely 'YES'. Why? Let me peel it one by one. 
The story focuses on a group of passengers and flight attendant who fight for survive at the quarantine. The story begins with really good sense of thrilling. You know everything bad happens in a plane up high is scary, real deal. When a passenger, large one, got infected and acted crazy, it's really scary. Nothing changed about the appearance, red eyes, scary, and of course white things came out from his mouth. It's ridiculous. Can you imagine you are up there in a plane with this guy?  They successfully turned down the guy and the pilot did an emergency landing in a large airport near there. From that minute, they have to fight for their own life. 
Nothing is changed like I said before beside the place and the acts. The concept is still the same one like the first movie. The story is predictable but it's still a scary one. There are so many shocking scenes in this second movie of Quarantine. It's not one or two, it's just a lot. It really can raise your heart beat to the max. For me there are two scenes that really caught me in a thrill feel. The first one, it's really crazy to see someone inject her eyes some medicines with a syringe. Can you imagine that??? It looks like a SAW movie with its crazy ridiculous scene. I can really feel it with my eyes. What a movie. The second one is when they are trapped in a catering truck, and an officer did a suicide with a gun and suddenly a zombie comes out from above. It chills me to the max. 
Last 30 minutes of the movie really bites. It's scary and my heart can't decrease its beats. Actually, this kind of movie always has a predictable ending but I always can feel the fear inside. It has no twist, you absolutely can guess who will survive at the end. Nothing is new. Everything is the same, same old story in a new brand place. It's still a good one thought. 
The acts are good enough. Mercedes Masöhn who plays as Jenny, the flight attendant plays well but a bit plain. I don't get her feeling sometimes, it is kind of blank or something. The kid, George who is starred by Mattie Liptak is also good. He acts like a strong kid but still he is a young kid who is feared of darkness. I think this kid is doing good enough in his proportion. The greatest act for me is Ignacio Serricchio, he really suit his character as Ed, a baggage handler at the terminal. He shows what he should do in a movie like really a baggage handler. The others are just ok and a bit lame as always.
The director, John Pogue, is well known for his movie, Ghost Ship and The Skulls trilogy. This is the first movie he made after Ghost Ship in 2004. I think he directs this movie in a right way. It's good enough for this kind of movie. It can be a trash because it's sequel with no new things at all. But he changes it into something good to watch for zombie lovers of course. I bet all the zombie lovers like this one also. 
Overall, this movie is scary, thrill, chill but a bit plain and lame. It's good but it's not good enough to beat the first one. It's just similar to the first and like I said again and again, it's not new. It just a same concept that brought to the other place. All you have to do is enjoy it and get ready to scream and feel your heartbeat out. :D

Good points: 
-   It's scary, thrill and so many shocking scenes 

Bad points:
-   It's a bit plain and lame at some scenes
-   The concept is old and nothing is new beside the place and the acts. 

Rating: 6.5/10.0 

Insidious (2011)

Genre: Horror

Tag Line: It's not the House that's Haunted

Running Time: 1 Hours 43 Minutes

Casts:  Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins

Directed by: James Wan

Produced by: Oren Peli, Jason Blum, Steven Schneider, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones

Story:

Shortly after moving, a family discovers that dark spirits have possessed their home and that their son has inexplicably fallen into a coma. Trying to escape the haunting and save their son, they move again only to discover that it was not their house that was haunted.

Written by Official Site  

Review: 

At first, I haven't seen the trailer yet, I just saw the poster at the theater and since I like horror movie, I'll definitely want to see it, especially coupled with the director name on the poster who read 'James Wan'. We'll talk about him later because he is worth it to talk about. I don't have any high expectation about this movie except its director. I imagined that this movie will look like Exorcist and the gang. But it turns out really different, and it's recommended to all the horror lovers. Believe me, you gonna love it. Let's peel it one by one. 
The story tells us about a simple thing that may happens in our life. I have heard many times about this kind of event. It's definitely not about possessed or exorcist or the other ghost. It tells about a boy who can move out of his astral body. It's a situation when you are sleeping, you can move out of your body and see your body's sleeping in your bed. It's just like a dream but it's different. It' real, you can move out of your body and maybe you will never come back again and that's what happens to the Josh boy. It's all about looking for that's boy soul so that he comes back to his astral body before other soul take his body over. The story is decent for all the horror lovers to watch even some scenes are added to the movie just for increasing the thrilled and horror feeling to the audience. Still, it's recommended. 
The acting here is not that good. The main actors act like in a drama movie, they can't evoke the thrilled in the movie. For me, they were just boring and a bit lame in a whole movie. Especially the ghost buster guys that looks like two actors in a very cheap movie. They act like playing comedy flick, and that's the worst part.
Now, as a promise, I will talk about the director, James Wan. He is still young and really talented. I like all his masterpiece works like Saw, Dead Silence, etc. He is the proper director to direct thriller ad horror movie. He can create the scenes which will be the great twists in the movie. He can create the horror atmosphere through out the whole movie from the beginning to the end and that's great and perfect. All I gotta say is this James never disappoint me at all. He is great and I can't wait for his next movie. 
Last one is for the effects, I don't talk about the great visual effects like you all see in science or fantasy movies. It's all about the cinematography. I bet you will surprised and jump out of your chair at some scenes of the movie. It's just unbelievable surprise through out the movie. The ghosts thing there are look like real and scary. All angles and scenes are looked so perfect and great. It's fabulous, you will like watching a classic horror movie, a great one indeed. And also it's supported by a great sound effects, It's really chilling from the beginning to the ending. It has so many surprises and if you are still human, you will at least feel surprised and scream out loud. :D 
Overall, this movie really gives us a real horror in this 2011. I call it to as the one of the best horror in 2011 so far. It's just so real, thrilled, and chilled. So many surprises among the scenes are the best parts of this movie. Believe me, some of you will sleep with lights turn on at night, and still remember the scary ghosts in the movie. Yeah, It's high recommended movie. :D

Good points: 
-   The cinematography and sound effects are perfect. It will chill you to the end
-   Some surprises are really scary and hardly bites, prepare to scream :D 

Bad points:
-   The acts are below the standard 

Rating: 8.0/10.0

Ladda Land (International Title: The Lost Home) (2011)

Genre: Horror

Country: Thailand


Tag Line: Welcome To Ladda Land... The Grass is Green... The Air is Clean... And The Ghost is Vengeful!


Running Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes


Casts: Atipit Chutiwatkajornchai, Piyathida Woramuksik, Saharat Sangkapreecha

Directed by: Sophon Sakdapisit


Story:

A family moves into a new house where they gradually begin to encounter paranormal and horror events.

Written by Official Site  

Review: 

Ladda Land is a horror story that created based on urban legend in Chiang Mai (one of Thailand District) where a series of paranormal events begins. Ladda Land is the one of wealthy residential area. After waiting for a long time, finally Thee managed to buy one of the big house there. He asks his wife and two children to live with him after they are separated for few years. At first, Ladda Land in one peaceful are where all the persons live happily with their family. But one day, there is a murder case involving a woman who works in one house there. The woman is raped and tied down in a freezer, left died there. Since then, a variety of strange events have occurred.

Nan, Thee' daughter does not like her father because he doesn't live with him for a long time. So, she always studied in a friend's home and returned later to the house. One day, when her friends is going to send her home, her friends stopped at the house of the murder occurred. They invited Nan into the house, but Nan did not want. After a long wait outside and she is feeling scared for being alone, finally Nan enter the house to find her friends. At first, her friends want to joke with Nan, but they have come across a real ghost. (Here is one of a scary side)

Nan is telling this ghost thing to her father. Due to he doesn't believe in ghosts, he becomes angry with his daughter. He forces Nan to the house to prove that there is no ghost there but Nan doesn't want to go there anymore. She is getting more angry to his father and runaway from home and stays with her friends. There, Thee witnessed what her daughter saw the other night.

The situation is getting harder for Thee when the company where Thee work have closed. So Thee loss financial resources to pay for his debt in housing and other appliances. As a result, Thee have to work at the grocery store to get money. But this matter was kept secret from his wife and children. Until one day, the secret is known by Nan when she buys goods in the store.

Meanwhile, Thee' son named Nat be friend with his neighbor's son named Golf. They often play together. But one day, Golf has locked Nat in a closet. Thee have reported the matter to Golf's father. The second time, Golf has led Nat to the home of murder case. Again, Thee have reported the matter to Golf's father. An argument occurred between them. Golf's family is not a happy family like others, It's a mysterious family, his father is a grumpy person who always hit his wife and child. After that incident, Golf's father had killed his wife, son, and his mother. Since that time, many paranormal events occurred, Ladda Land is being haunted, all residents have moved out of there because of fear. But Thee still want to stay there. As a result, Nan had possessed when she intruded into a neighbor's house to take her handkerchief. Nan was sent to hospital for treatment.

His wife takes care of Nan at the hospital, while Thee sleep with Nat in the house, behold, Nat had disappeared. Thee directly to a neighbor's house because he suspects Nat was there. He brought a gun with which he bought when their home invaded by thieves.

In the last section, all Golf's family has become ghost (this is the scariest part of this movie, i call it the climax). In the house, Thee had seen the spirit of Golf and Golf's father. He was attacked by the spirit of Golf's father. As a result of fear, Thee were shooting at closet because he thought Golf's father was in there. It turned out that Nat was in the closet. Thee' wife managed to arrived at the scene. As a result of frustration, Thee was killing himself while Nat is still alive because the shot only hit at Nat's shoulder. In the end, Thee' wife took Nan and Nat moved out from Ladda Land.

For me, the story is really good. The plot and the setting develop very well. I like how the story move from happy side to other side, I mean it's maybe a real life drama beside the ghost thing. It's not just a horror movie, it has a story, real story in it, it has a drama inside. Personally, I want to give my credit to the actor who plays Thee' character. He is very good at it. He makes me think how I will do if I am in his position. I really have no clue for this one. As a man, he really has a pride. He wants to protect his family, he wants to live independently, doesn't depend on his mother in law. I really feel his feeling inside. What will he do when his daughter doesn't believe in him at all. It's really complicated. He can creates a suitable Thee' character in that kind of condition. Another acts are also great.

The ghosts thing here is not the scariest one if it's compared to the other Thai Horror movie like Shutter, etc. But I bet it's still good to surprise you at some scenes and the child's ghost reminds me of Ju-On Movie (Japanese Horror Movie). Be careful to watch ya... :D
 
Good points: 
-   The story is well scripted and the plot develop very well.
-   The acts have delivered the character in very good performance.
-   One of real drama that may happens in our life.

Bad points:
-   For me, the ghosts are not scary at all if it's compared to other Thai Horror Movie.  

Rating: 8.0/10.0

Four (Thai Title: Lud See Lud) (2011)

Genre: Horror, Mystery


Country: Thailand



Tag Line: -


Running Time: 2 Hour 16 Minutes


Casts: Alexander Rendel, Chanon Rikulsurakann, Teema Kanchanapairin
 
Directed by: Eakasit Thairaat, Chukiat Sakveerakul, Kongkiat Khomsiri, Pawat Panangkasiri
 
Produced by: Prachya Pinkaew




Story: 

There are four stories in this movie.

Teen Psycho
When the world is sick. Human is like a cancer that destroy the world. But what will happen? Even if some teenagers. Thinking to found the way to save their world by the way that anyone over expected.

Gift Shop for Hater

Thada (Pakkorn Chartburrirak) an ordinary office man who just prefer to manager in his company. One day he found the gift shop for haters by coincidental. When he walk in to the shop. He knew that anyone bought some gift prepared for him.

Psycho Night

After the robbed completely. Neung (Ananda Everingham) Song (Peerapol Sehnakol) and Jo (Thitti Vejchaboon) hurried back to home for share. But they met police by the way to home. They decided to hide in old hospital. In there they found someone or something that challenged them authority over their guns.

Who R Kong

The grandfather of Pisanwibolvanith family is gone. But he left some of the puzzles. May be there're secrets that nobody know or a box of money. Because of the wealthy wishes of children. Become to a chaos of the grandchild. Have solved the puzzles from the strange nature of 5 heirs. Among the mystery of the grandfather who had some order "Don't ceremony me. Until..." 

Written by Official Site  

Review: 

This "Four" kind of movie is not a new thing in Thailand movie production. It has been the third time since Phobia & Phobia 2 few years ago. I hope it's better than the last two but it's not even better than the first two, it's the worst of all.

Teen Psycho
The opening shows four teenagers talking nonsense about armageddon, the end of the world or something like that. It looks like a film school project with cinematography that felt amateurish. Their conversation begins serious and they start talking about a website who creates virus to destroy the world. The web says that at certain time today, there will be an extermination of all humans in the world with that virus. The time has come. Suddenly, they receive call by somebody unknown (they mean everybody) , and after getting that call, their ears start bleeding and die. Turns out one of the four teenagers who creates the virus. The questions are how can he knows everybody's phone numbers? How can he creates something to kill a human by phone? The most ridiculous thing is his ballet style of killing with the phone on his hand. It's just crazy. It's the worst of the four stories for me. 1.0/10.0

Gift Shop for Hater
Thada (Pakkorn Chartburrirak) had just been promoted to manager in his company. While everyone is celebrating for him, there's a colleague that had some nasty stuff to say to him. After the incident blew over, Thada decided to go for a walk and look for gifts to give his colleagues as part of his promotion celebration. He came across a shop with the name "The Gift Shop for Hater". Puzzled by the shop name, he went into the shop and was told by the salesperson that this is the place to get back at rivals or enemies. They carry umbrella that comes with a lightning rod and perfume laced with the deadly tiger wasp stingers. They even provide services to sabotage individuals up to the degree that the customers wished. The first thought that come to my mind when I see this story is "Doraemon", cat robot from the future who can gives you every magic things that can help you in everything. It's just like that. But I can say it, it's not a good one, it's a bad one. You can buy something for you enemy. The idea of the story for me is original and quite interest since there are a lot of haters among humans in the world nowadays. The acts is just okay, it seems the main character is a bit overact for me. The only thing that makes your heart beats here would be to see how Thada could figure out which gifts are life threatening. 4.0/10.0

Psycho Night
After unwittingly shooting a pregnant lady during a robbery, Neung (Ananda Everingham) changed. He became a reckless trigger happy maniac who is causing distress to his partner Joe (Thitti Vejchaboon). Even though they were wanted by the police, Neung insisted on carrying out another robbery and bringing his brother Song (Peerapol Sehnakol) along. Joe was reluctant but was forced at gunpoint to carry out their final robbery together. After their robbery, they encountered a police roadblock and decided to hide in a old abandon hospital. They were about to split their booty when they encountered someone or something that lurking around. Neung in his maniac mood swing felt that his authority had been challenged and decided to chased after the shadowy individual. Resulting in a night that ripe to lose one's mind. It's not the best story of four but it's quite interesting. You can feel the mystery and thriller inside. The most unforgettable scene of this story is when Neung is forced to cut off his fingers in order to save his brother Song. It can really makes your heart beats up and down. It's like seeing one of the "Saw" movie. The shadows flies around one place to the other place thrills enough. I like the direction, the acts are okay, and the twist at the end was somewhat predictable but still satisfying even after the long wait. 6.5/10.0

Who R Kong
After all the lame, ridiculous, horror, thrill stories, here comes the funny one. I bet it will make you laughing out loud and stomp your feet because it's really entertaining ftom the opening till the end. Here is part of the story. The grandfather of a Thai Chinese family had passed on but before he died, his last words were "Don't burry me or cremate me until...". His children obeyed his last wishes and left his corpse in his ancestral home. Years later, the family had problem hiring maids to watch over the body as it tends to walk around, scaring the hell out of the maids. They hired a fortune teller / exorcist to solve the problem and the family was told that the grandpa wanted to pass a message to his favorite grandchild. The message was said to contain hidden treasures in the ancestral home. The head of the household then decided that all the grandchildren would stay over to look after the grandfather's body. The grandchildren were made up of an effeminate guy who refuse to admit that he is a homosexual, a brainy doctor who is quite an asshole, a internet porn addict teenager and a little girl who is constantly texting with her blackberry. Lastly, there's Song (Alice Tsoi), the granddaughter who seemed to be the most decent and sensible among the bunch. I like the story since it's chinese cultural story. It's felt so old and antique. The story develops so well, the acts are so great to make me laugh from the opening section, especially that funny guy who is try to be strong but has a feminine side, when he is scared, he will do crazy dance, it's really funny and entertaining. The dance reminds me of the Korean Kpop Girl Band "Wonder Girls" in Nobody. It'll be the best closing of the whole stories in "Four". 7.5/10.0

  Good points: 
-   The last story helps this movie a lot since it's very funny and light, you can really enjoy this one.

Bad points:
-   The first story is the worst and ridiculous, even the acts for me are so bad.
-   It's lack of horror stories, who have become a trademark of Thai Movie of this kind.

Rating: 4.8/10.0

Vanishing on 7th Street (2011)

 

   

Genre: Mystery, Horror, Thriller


Tag Line: Stay In The Light


Running Time: 1 Hour 32 Minutes


Casts: Hayden Christensen, Thandie Newton, John Leguizamo, Jacob Latimore Jr., Taylor Groothuis
 
Directed by: Brad Anderson
 
Produced by: Celine Rattray, Tove Christensen, Norton Herrick
 
Story:

An unexplained blackout plunges the city of Detroit into total darkness, and by the time the sun rises, only a few people remain -- surrounded by heaps of empty clothing, abandoned cars and lengthening shadows. A small handful of strangers that have survived the night each find their way to a rundown bar, whose gasoline-powered generator and stockpile of food and drink make it the last refuge in a deserted city. With daylight beginning to disappear completely and whispering shadows surrounding the survivors, they soon discover that the enemy is the darkness itself, and only the few remaining light sources can keep them safe. As time begins to run out for them, darkness closes in and they must face the ultimate terror.  

Written by Official Site  

Review: 

The title itself sounds promising. When I see the trailer for the first time, I really look forward to watch this movie. It's because I love mystery kind of movie and hopefully this movie will give me such entertainment. But it totally disappoint me. It's completely disaster movie I'd seen in 2011.
The opening is just good. Some folks is watching scary movie at a theater with a good lightning effect increase the thrill of this flick. There is a guy (John Leguizamo) who works behind the scene, don't know what exactly he's doing with flashlight on his head, after buying coke, and he returns to his room, suddenly that blackout happens. When the light or the generator is up, suddenly all the people have gone missing without any trace, leaving their clothes on the floor. He finally meets a security guard that also disappears in 2 minutes.
The scene moves to a physical therapist, Rosemary (Thandie Newton) who is working at a hospital, after the blackout happened, everybody's there gone missing but she isn't. She is hardly looking for someone named Manny (who is known to be his 9 months old son then).  
The next one is a just woke up guy, Luke (Hayden Christensen), he feels that something is going wrong when he come out from his apartment and see abandoned cars across the streets and nobody there.
Three Days later (don't know what's going on in that three days), finally Luke find a local bar with a child named James (Jacob Latimore), whose mother works in that bar as a bartender (had gone missing also). How can the local bar have a light up with a generator in few days? infinite gasoline or something? Rosemary finally joins them and also Paul with wound at his head. 
The big question is how they can survive but everybody is going to be disappeared.
They have to argue each other and fight for survive, they know they can't let the lights go out or they will disappear too.
A Girl come out of nowhere, how can she lived by herself (6-7 years old girl???) and still be a mystery till the end, who is she exactly.
What does connect to "Croatoan"?? -- Horror Mythology  since Paul told to others it's connected. I don't understand this part and Luke seems found this word on a wall too.
After that, one by one of them also goes disappearing in the dark, leaving that James boy and that mysterious girl with a horse appears out of nowhere and that's it. 
The story runs flat after 20 minutes of the beginning. Nothing special, it's boring for last one hour. It's just like watching horror movie without any horror things in it. The movie is a wannabe horror flick when it comes to the overall plot development. The acting is so so, the direction is just bad, and the effect is just not that good also.
It's just wasting time and money to watch this disaster movie. If you really want to watch it, just rent it in a video rental and watch it at home. I bet you will pause it or yawn so many times.

Good points: 
-   Nothing but good opening

Bad points:
-   Bad plot development, really bad ending, and boring flat story 
-   A Horror movie with no horror at all

Rating: 3.0/10.0