film criticism by maryann johanson | celebrating 25 years: 1997–2022
As credulous — or con-artist cheaty — as its demon-hunter protagonists, but lacking their charm. Worse, it can’t even be bothered to justify and satisfy the procedural approach to its mystery.
All familiar funhouse spooks telegraphed a mile out, with no spiritual or psychological weight, but with some very young girls terrorized for your entertainment.
“Less Ed and Lorraine” and “more cheese and cardboard” is precisely the last direction a sequel to the classy original should have gone in. Yet here we are.
A yawningly empty movie, the epitome of brainless, heartless, soulless, shameless cash-grab corporate filmmaking.
Have you been paying attention to what the movies have been saying — what the movies have really been saying — all summer? Here’s a refresher.
Most clicked this past week…
Smart, stylish horror flick, though a standout more for its elegant performances than any original scares.
Or The Heat. Or White House Down. Or Grown Ups 2. This is because these films don’t open in the U.K. for weeks and weeks still.
Vera Farmiga. Patrick Wilson. Lili Taylor. Ron Livingston. With a cast like that, I’m there.
