Ouija
True story: when my mom was in junior high one of her friends as a birthday gift got an Ouija board. They sat down one hot summer afternoon to see if they could contact a ghost ghoul or whatever. My mom says she remembers it being a swelteringly hot day. “Is anyone out there?” they asked. The key slowly moved across the board spelling out a reply: “Isn’t it cold in here?” And my mom says an icy blast of cold air filled the house.
They screamed and ran outside and never played with the Ouija board again. I wouldn’t either. And everyone who has ever played with the bestselling board game (Parker Brothers still makes it) has a similar story. And though you know it’s completely totally fake it still creeps the shit out of you anyway.
I’m amazed it has taken this long for an Ouija movie to arrive though I guess a horror movie wherein a bunch of teenagers (I assume they’re teenagers) die after screwing around with a toy isn’t the best way to market said toy. Or maybe it is — only you “psychics” and religious nuts believe Ouija boards are dangerous so whatever.
Ouija basically writes itself: a group of pals sit down with the game and unleash some nasty spirits. The trailer eschews any potential for vintage campy humour with what looks like yet another deadly serious and dour PG-13 horror flick. I’m sure it’ll suck but that won’t stop me from seeing it anyway.
Ouija movie
Keanu Reeves continues to struggle post-Matrix with his new action vehicle John Wick. As undistinguished as it looks John Wick is actually lots of dumb fun hilariously brutal (so many face shootings) and um “anchored” by Reeves’s typical monotone slacker stoner performance.
John Wick
The Globe has some great stuff this week: I’ve been looking forward to seeing Love is Strange starring Alfred Molina and John Lithgow as a couple who finally decide to tie the knot after nearly 40 years. Everything I’ve read says it’s one not to miss and Molina and Lithgow are two of the best character actors working. And don’t miss Frank Henenlotter’s hilariously bizarre cult classic Frankenhooker this Friday at midnight brought to you by the recently resurrected Night Terrors Film Society. The film is exactly how it sounds: awesome.
