10/02/2025
FELINES AND FRIGHTS
DAY 1 - THE CONJURING: LAST RITES
My eldest rescue, Virgil von Loki 12 yrs old) is here to present a new release from one of the longest running current horror franchises, The Conjuring.
The latest release works a triple header, working as a prequel, a send off to the current Warrens and potentially starting a new generation for The Conjuring series.
The film is a slow burn that ramps up at the end. It tackles the Warrens first case and how it impacted their unborn child, before going into the latter events of the Warrens, staring down retirement before potential death.
A Conjuring mirror plays the role of the overarching baddie, bringing forth a demon that rivals Valek for how vicious and memorable it is, which controls three malevolent spirits.
There are some cringe worthy moments, involving glass and blood from the mouth, there are some self harm moments and there is a dog in the movie that you worry about greatly (dog survives and nothing harms him).
If you like The Conjuring films, you'll love this one.
UNDERRATED FILM TO ENJOY- Oculus
Sticking to the haunted mirror theme, Oculus is the only horror film from WWE FILMS to not star a pro wrestler.
The film focuses on a mirror which is notorious for causing people to go mad and unalive themselves after it is done feeding on their essence. A brother and sister duo, who have had their lives turned upside down by the mirror unaliving their parents, with the brother serving time in an insane asylum, while his sister spends her days starting a family and working on antiques. Once her brother is released, she offers him a fresh start, only for it to be a staged set up for them both to destroy the mirror.
The film uses some fantastic techniques to disorient the viewer in not knowing what's real or not, what's the past or present...and how it ruins your expectations of the ending is fantastic. This is NOT a feel good film.
THROWBACK FILM TO ENJOY - STAY ALIVE
Virgil is finishing up with a third movie with a mirror theme.
Stay Alive is a movie about a video game that kills you if you die in the game. Basing it's villain on the Countess Elizabeth Bathory, if she kills you in the game, her spirit shows up in the real world and you die in a similar manner.
The best way to describe it, imagine The Ring meets an MMORPG.
The film is filled with some really twisted death scenes and a lot of blood as Bathory, known for bathing in the blood of virgins, is portrayed as a vampire of sorts and the only way to stop her? Show her reflection in a mirror (or mirror like reflective surface).
