MOVIE REVIEW: PARASYTE (2014)

Parasyte is a two-part Japanese science-fiction/body-horror movie. The movie comes in 2 parts and is about parasites, who have come to earth and are taking over members of the population. Their main source of nutrition is, of course, eating people.

Parasyte is kind-of a horror movie. However, it is done in a very campy manner. The aliens aren't aiming to be gruesome, horror-inducing aliens. However, the aliens still manage to bring some elements of body horror more for their psychology and what they are able to accomplish. There are also a few gruesome dismemberment scenes.

Overall, both parts of this movie are good to watch. I can't really say much more without spoiling the movie, but it manages to mostly hit the right notes in terms of timing its comedy against its more darker aspects. The actors are also very good and accomplish their roles. The CGI is also serviceable, despite the green screen being very visible with how they implements things.

Overall, this is a movie I would definitely recommend checking out. Its flaws are minor but annoying, but are overshadowed by their positives. Fans of science-fiction horror will enjoy this movie.

4 out of 5 parasitic waffles.

The Girl With All Gifts

The Girl With All Gifts opens just like the title. There's a girl. She seems pretty smart and may well be gifted. Her name is Melanie and she appears initially to be much like any other child. She goes to school, she has a favourite teacher and she enjoys stories. There's just one big difference. Melanie lives in an underground army base. Every morning she is muzzled and strapped into a wheelchair. Along with the other children that live at the base, they’re tested to see what information is retained and understood. Carey tantalisingly drip feeds information, keeping the real truth hidden for a considerable amount of time. You're drawn into the strange world that Melanie inhabits.

Melanie is presents as innocent and alone, struggling to understand the cold and hostile environment she regards as home. Carey controls the reveal skilfully, so when it's revealed, you're already completely sucked into the story and wholeheartedly cheering Melanie on.

Then the narrative switches gears, focusing on a variety of perspectives. Here the book loses its pace. The other character are fleshed out generic post apocalyptic archetypes. Have the grumpy soldier, a narrow minded doctor, the outsider who cares to much and the guy who will die first. Carey gives enough layers of complexity and meaning to these characters, but they’’re never as full realized as Melanie. I can't say I was invested in them enough for them to live. Except the grump soldier, I did grow to like him and his “I’m too old for this shit’’ approach to helpfulness.
 
The horror here is graphic in it descriptions, painting a world of sombre dread. The book builds ideas on violence, endurance and survive against all the odds to create a vividly post apocalyptic world. Eventually the books narrative and characterisation settles into a predictable pattern halfway in. With the inevitable demise of various characters. However by this point I was engaged enough to be continue reading. The book quests was fairly predictable, except the ending which Carey delivers with both pathos and a sense of detached irony. Carey presents you with hope but it comes at a price, challenging you to think about boundaries and the darker side of our instinct to survive.

3 and a half lonely post apocalyptic waffles out of 5

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES

After watching the latest Paranormal Activity I'm starting to think the evil witch-demon convent are over thinking their recruitment strategy. I'm sure a simple advertisement in the back of a local paper or craigslist would get better results. I have written a draft letter to get them started:


Evil Spirit Looking For Friends To Play With Over Summer.

Lovable yet incompetent teenagers needed to play with possesed "Simon Says" toy, fighting blankets, midnight games of hide and seek with friendly witches and trips to alternative dimension. Contact creepy old lady to find out more.

This approach might be easier than a highly elaborate plan to mark children from birth. It gets even more elaborate when they then have to find and steal said children with the hopes of creating a demon army. I am pretty sure they would have enough emotionally damaged kids that would sign up after reading my ad. After several disappointing sequels Paranormal Activity is back with an offshoot called The Marked Ones. I am not sure how it fits into the series but as a stand-alone movie it is rather dull. Nevertheless the true horror fans will continue to see these movie until the apocalypse starts.

The Marked Ones does suffer from an identity crisis. For some reason more comedic elements have been added to this installment. This really undercuts the horror elements of this movie. We begin being introduced to a new series of characters, Jesse, Hector and Marisol, who prove quite likable as you watch them have do mundane things like surf the internet, do washing and play basketball. Eventually the movie starts to play towards the horror elements with a humorous game of Simon Says with a possessed toy with four colours. When Jesse starts asking "yes or no" questions the demon replies with either pushing green for yes and red for no. They do this 3 times in the movie!! And it is never eerie 

Even the build up to Jesse being possessed feels underwhelming. The movie never really explores his descent into anti-social behavior and borderline sociopath tendencies. They just kind of happen after he's told they will by another marked one. Once Jesse does turns evil they have him disappear until the end of the movie. This conveniently lets Hector and the Marisol figure out how to rescue Jesse with the help of a stereotypical latino gangster. Its a shame the film didn't take a chance with this old and tired formula. This movie could have been a chance to reinvent the franchise. Instead we were given a uneven movie that is more humor than horror. Hopefully the next Paranormal Activity will move beyond the possession plotline and actually bring some demons out to play. I am sure that they will be scarier than more scary flying sheets.
 
1 out of 5 demon possessed waffles