The Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion

I watched this movie a few years ago but I can still remember the plot well. This is a bit lengthy but it    is worth the eye strain because of the funny parts and a a few jokes thrown here and there. 

This stars Eddie Murphy so it is, obviously, a comedy with a bit of horror intertwined to the plot. Jim, the protagonist, is a workaholic real estate agent who tries to change how things work in his family. They went to a picnic but their car broke down on the way so they have to stop over a weird looking haunted mansion. When they entered that place, a lot of unexpected and seriously wicked things happened.

ParaNorman

ParaNorman

So... This is the one of the few animated movies that I like which was not directed by Tim Burton. This is a good Halloween "sleepover" film for Tweens, like me. I suggest that you watch this with switched off lights, a bowl of caramel popcorn and a the air con on high speed.

This is about a boy named Norman and his adventure to save his town from the evil clutches of a little girl. This girl was a victim of the Salem Witch Trial and she avenges her death through casting spells that cause chaos. Norman tries to do everything to save her, even talking to zombies, but nothing seem to solve the problem. His last resort was to reason with this kid and it was effective.

From this movie, I learned that most teenagers are isolated from their family because they experience certain things that adults could not explain. Like Norman, we tend to be left out of family stuff because we are in the process of changing. There are feelings that we do not know how to express through words but only through actions. Our parents would tells us that they had been through that but, sometimes, I think they've forgotten how it feels. How it feels to fangirl, to stress on unimportant things and to worry about nonexistent creatures. In my opinion, what we really need are our friends and a little bit of understanding from our families. 

ParaNorman

The City of Lost Children

The City of Lost Children

I know that this is an old film but I haven't watch it, yet. I plan to watch this 2 weeks after next. After I've seen this movie,  I'll share what I think. 

According to Wikipedia, a demented scientist kidnaps children from an unnamed port and steals their dreams. Krank, the scientist, is dreamless so he longs for the phantasms of others. A sailor and a little girl sets out and tries to free the kidnapped kids from Krank's lair. They delved into the world of science and mystery and try to find the connection between the scientist and the lost children. 

Frankenweenie (Remake)

Frnakenweenie

What makes this film stand - out from the rest? It's in black and white and it contains parodies of the book and other literary classics. It is also from Tim Burton! 

A boy named Victor lost his dog but was able to resurrect him by using electricity. Sadly, his peers blackmailed him to using this knowledge of resuscitating dead animals in their science fair. He had no choice but to agree, or else, something horrible might happen to him. On the eve before the fair, something went wrong with his "powers" which set the "revived" animals to act wildly. This caused chaos and, unfortunately, death. 

The Company of Wolves

The Company of Wolves

This is really an old movie, from the 80's, but I like it because it sheds light to the antagonist's part. This is an unexpected twist to the classic fairy tale, Red Riding Hood. 

Rosaleen, the main protagonist, lost her sister so she has to stay with her grandma while her parents were still mourning. The superstitious old woman warned her to be wary of men whose eyebrows meet. One day, the typical Red Riding Hood story happened, but the hunter turned to be the bad guy. Rosaleen killed him with his own rifle and took care of the injured wolf. Later, the villagers searched for her but they found Rosaleen transforming to a wolf. 

You should watch this and be amazed at the unseen things thrown on the storyline. 

Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas

Nightmare Before Christmas

The Nightmare Before Christmas is about a man who wants to delay Christmas so he sets up a plan. His plans were successful and with the approval of his village, he went to the "real" world and executed everything. Later, he had a change of heart and a different thing happened.

Coraline

Coraline

Coraline based on Neil Gaiman's book by the same name. It was directed by Henry Selick. Coraline won Annie Awards for Best Music, character design and production design. It got nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. 

Coraline Jones, an 11 year old girl, found a brick covered door in the middle of night. She crawled her way in and found that she was in a parallel universe. This place was inhabited by dopplegangers. She has another mother and another father. The only difference is, they have buttons for eyes and they were more affectionate and attentive. Especially the "other" mother who tries her best to impress her "daughter". In the end, Coraline found herself torn between reality and her fantasy.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

This film gives an unexpected twist to Pres. Lincoln's story. He portrayed a Vampire Hunter who avenged his mother's death. This movie was directed by Timor Bekmambetov and starred by Benjamin Walker. 

Abraham Lincoln tries to kill Barts but he was unsuccessful because Barts is a vampire. Later, Henry Sturges saved him and trained Abraham to be a vampire hunter. After killing Barts and a few vampires, he discovered that Sturges is also a vampire. He was crestfallen and disappointed so he forgot about his past and moved on with his "normal" life. Eventually, he got married, had a kid and became the president. As the film reaches it's conclusion, I was on the edge of my seat. 

I recommend this movie to history and supernatural fanatics because it mixes both well. This also portrays the value of equality and friendship. I learned that everyone, (rich or poor, black or white, young or old), should not be discriminated and friendship is a bond that not even otherworldly powers have control over. 

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride

Corpse Bride

Finally! Tim Burton's movies are the best, so far, when it comes to animated dark fantasy films. He has his way with twisting clićhe fairy tales to mind-boggling works of art. I love him so much that words can't express my likeness for his works. His films summarises my childhood, literally. 

This is one of his popular screenplays, Corpse Bride. This was voiced by great actors and actresses. Like, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson...to name a few. 

This is all about a girl who once was a bride. Hence, corpse bride. She went back to the land of the living because she can't seem to find peace. As the film rolls, Victor helps her find rest and happiness. Later, she lets go of Victor and lets him be with his true, living, bride.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Desolation of Smaug follows the Unexpected Journey. This is directed by the same director and starred by the same actor. This was released on the 13th of December 2013

Sadly, because of deadlines and work overload, I wasn't able to watch this movie. My friends shared that this was something worth the long lines in the movie house and the sea of people on the popcorn stand. I guess, this is a good movie. I promise that I will watch this and share what I think. 

According to imdb.com, Bilbo and company had successfully crossed the Misty Mountains. Now, they need to seek the help of a very powerful person who will tell them secrets of the Mirkwood Forest. Surprisingly, Gandalf disappeared and has some unknown business down south. On their own, they must reach the human settlement of Lake Town and Bilbo has to seek out the Secret Door which will lead him to the hoard of Smaug.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 

This film is directed by Peter Jackson. The main character, Bilbo Baggins, is portrayed by Martin Freeman. This is also a prequel to The Lord of the Rings series by Tolkien. 

Bilbo, the same hobbit in The Lord of the Rings, sets out to reclaim the Lonely mountains from Smaug. Armed with courage and a spirited group of dwarves, they journey to the unknown. There were a lot of times when Baggins asked himself why Gandalf the Grey asked him to accompany Thorin Oakenshield and his group to the Lonely Mountains. Later, he realised that it was his brave spirit and straight-forward attitude that got Gandalf's attention. 

This film is followed by another, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, wherein they continue their journey to reclaim Erebor. 

I suggest you watch this movie before having a "The Lord of the Rings" marathon because you will surely understand the latter better. This screenplay adaptation proved a lot of things to me. Like, there will always be obstacles in life but it's up to you how to turn these to something worth remembering. 

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

Hansel and Gretel:

Witch Hunters

This is about Hansel and Gretel, obviously, with a modern twist. The setting is in old Germany so cottages and villages are the norm. The village folk believed that witches exist and they classified all witches as bad. They didn't know that there are also good witches who help people and make love potions. In this movie, you would be able to find out Gretel's true identity and the twin's family which was not the focus of the fairy tale.

I recommend this movie to those who bum around and want to watch a good movie. Some would find this boring and cliche but I think that it is not. I admit that it is a little boring but the action packed scenes made up for it. Watch and Enjoy!

Action: Snow White and the Huntsman

This is a dark fantasy action film which stars Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth. I watched this two years ago but I can still remember the details perfectly. This was one of the few action movies that I liked because of its fairy tale twist. 

This movie is about Snow White's story - with an unpredictable spin. As Snow White wanders around the dark forest, she meets the Huntsman and saved him from the troll who tried to attack them. They made their way to a fishing village full of women who disfigured themselves to save their lives. After knowing Snow White's true identity, he initially left her but returned when he saw the village burning. They managed to evade Finn's attack and eventually met eight dwarfs. Yes, eight not seven. The dwarfs told Snow White that she is the only one who could kill Ravenna so they traveled to the Fairy Sanctuary. As they traveled to the sanctuary, they were attacked by Finn's man. The Huntsman killed Finn and Finn's bowman revealed his identity as Snow White's Prince Charming. They traveled together to Duke Hammond's castle. Halfway there, Ravenna disguised herself and tempts Snow White to eat the poisoned apple. Obviously, she ate it and dies. I'll end here and let you find out for yourselves what happened next. 

I like this movie because of its plot twists and electrifying ending. I really admire how the scriptwriter pulled everything. Their plot has startling and mind - boggling scenes but it was not far from the original tale. You receive my kudos for your work! ( a big round of applause... clap. clap. clap...)

I learned how to stand up for myself and claim what is rightfully mine, like Snow White. I don't approve of violence to pacify arguments. I think that it is more humane to sit down and talk about our differences than to bring everyone in the battle field. Although this film is against my morals or the values I've been taught, I would still watch this because it stands out from the rest. I highly recommend this to those who want something different but bewitching.

A Dark Fantasy: Pan's Labyrinth

"Because it is in pain that we find the meaning of life." - Ofelia

Pan's Labyrinth is a dark fantasy film directed by Guillermo del Toro. It is about Ofelia and her adventures in claiming her title as the underworld's princess. As she finds out about her true identity, she encounters otherworldly creatures. Like the faun who acted as her guide. As the tale reached its conclusion, I found myself at the edge of my seat and glued to the screen.

I would definitely watch this again because of its unpredictable plot. The attention grabbing scenes had me bawling on the floor and shouting like a mad man. I prefer to watch this kind fairy tales than the usual because the outcomes are surprising and out - of - this world amazing. 

I love this movie because it taught me things that I would never learn from classic fairy tales. The Protagonist has taught me that, in pain, we find the true meaning of life. She taught me that pain is just an illusion. If you were able to survive the most painful things, (emotionally, physically or mentally) a greater reward awaits you. That is, HAPPINESS. 

I know that some dark fairy tales have sad endings but that makes them a breather from all the Cinderella stories we've watched.