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A new ‘underground’ cinematic horror experience

Lauren Croft
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A new ‘underground’ cinematic horror experience

I should explain before I start, by underground I don’t mean some cool new unheard of sub-genre of horror movie, I mean literally underground.

Recently I participated in a new experience in which I watched the British cult classic The Descent in an old slate mine.

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Honister Slate Mine is located at the head of Honister Pass in the Lake District, UK. The mine opened In the 17th century and is a working mine that not only produces slate but hosts a series of events and tourist attractions.

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It seems as though they have hosted cinematic events in the cavern before but this is their first stab at a horror night.

Their choice, the quite fitting film The Descent, is a 2005 British horror film involving a group of adventure-seeking women who become stuck in a network of previously un-mapped caves, where they quickly find that something or someone is down there with them, lurking in the dark.

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The cave itself helped to set the atmosphere as the cavern walls were lit up to match the colour of the emergency flares used so frequently through out the film, which gave the impression that the gruesome claustrophobia induced events were happening right in front of you.

Upon the closing scene screams can be heard echoing from the back of the large cavern, which grow louder as they become closer and more visable as two actors run out into the main screening area covered in blood. The two are swiftly followed by more actors dressed up as the Descents feature cave dwelling ‘monsters’, who proceeded to interact with the audience by lurking and prowling the aisles. Although I imagine that the intent of this was to frighten people at a relaxing moment when you think it’s all over, I personally found them awkwardly funny which helped to bring the mood back down before leaving.

If you like watching horror movies in their natural environment with the occasional orchestrated scare (and don’t mind the cold) then keep an eye on their events page.

Resident Evil – The worst characters

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Resident Evil – The worst characters

Those of you who are fans of Resident Evil are most likely aware of the poor voice acting that comes paired with the several iterations of the game series over the years, with even the remakes not being spared (Yes I’m looking at you RE1)! But it’s not just the bad voice acting letting the side down as often the characters they are trying to portray are just as bland and stale.

Today I will be pointing out some of the more hideous characters that have had the audacity to exist in an otherwise brilliant game franchise.

 

#5 – Chris Redfield

Before you get angry and tell me about how great Chris Redfield is, let’s not forget that his solution to defeating Wesker whist knee deep inside a volcano was to repeatedly punch a rock until it keeled over.

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The sins don’t end here however, in Resident Evil 6 Chris takes it upon himself to go on a rampage after only just regaining his memories. His amnesia, of course, brought on from the loss of his squad, so naturally the first thing he does is to immediately ensure that his new squad meets the same fate. By the end of the game he is once again the last man standing. Mission accomplished but sloppy execution.

One final point on the failures of Chris Redfield would be his slip up when attempting to disarm a zombie warhead leading to the utter annihilation of Tachi and yet another zombie infested Raccoon City clone.

 

#4 – Ashley Graham

Has any ever enjoyed an escort quest? This is a genuine question as I am interested to find out if escort quests are loved and enjoyed by the masses or a cheap way to delay the player’s progress through a game.

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Imagine now for a second that a game was built entirely around the escorting of one character from spot A to B. Then imaging that the character you have to escort does nothing at all to help the situation what so ever! Solution? Stuff her inside a heavy suit of armour to keep her from being dragged off.

She seems far more concerned about you not seeing up her skirt than the hoard of tentacle wielding monsters out for blood.

 

#3 – Billy Coen

Someone at Capcom came to the decision that Resident Evil doesn’t have enough generic tattooed characters with obnoxious and unlikable personalities so the geniuses at their character design studio came up with Billy Coen.

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With his only skills being that he owns a body and can push buttons at the same time as Rebecca, the fact he happens to carry on his person a pistol that is more efficient at killing zombies and has more flesh on his body for the zombies to enjoy before he keels over is a clear sign of a truly interchangeable character. Billy Coen could literally be replaced by any other character in the series and the game would not change an ounce.

 

#2 – Alfred Ashford

What’s worse than trying to survive a zombie outbreak on an island? Trying to do so with a crazy psychopath who dresses up as his dead twin sister that’s what!

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There is little to be said about this character other than everything about “it” screams budget B rated horror bargain basement student POV “horror” movie. Let us just hope they can learn from their mistakes.

Fortunately this particular character doesn’t grace the screen for very long and is dispatched in a fitting manner but not before making sure his pseudo dead sister is freed.

 

#1 – Steve Burnside

Clearly and without any doubt the worst character in the entire series. His opening action is of course to both shoot at you and then proceed to hinder your progress at every possible stage of the game.

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A character who would rather hold on to a couple of gold pistols than help you to help save his own life. An obnoxious child character who no one ever felt anything other than joy when he was ejected from the game in a torrent of flesh and zombism. A fitting end to any and all romantic interests just slotted in for the sake of ticking boxes.

I hope you agree with the choices and if you have any other characters I have missed, make sure to leave a comment below. I’m sure a few of you have a beef with Helena. What’s your top 5 worst Resident Evil Characters?

Interview with Meyrick Murphy

Cristina Bogdan
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Interview with Meyrick Murphy

Most The Walking Dead fans remember Meghan, the little girl that played a part in The Governor’s redemption and immediate fall back on his old habits, but not many know who the person behind the character is. We got a chance to chat up with Meyrick Murphy, the young actress that brought Meghan to life and ask her a bit about herself.  The twelve year old actress has graciously answered our questions and we learned quite a few things about her, more importantly that she is one of us.  Take a peek below and I assure you, you will not be disappointed.

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Could you tell us a little about yourself? What would you like people to know about you most? And maybe something you’d like your fans to know about you that they don’t already know?

I personally don’t think I’m exciting enough to answer this question; but let’s give it a go!

I’m a middle schooler (ugh, talk about HORMONES). I love astrophysics and actually just got tickets to see Neil Degrasse Tyson at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, and I’m mega excited for that because he’s my idol!

Let’s see… I’m a big nerd.  Deadpool is my favorite immoral superhero; and to be quite frank, it makes me a little bit upset that people are jumping on the Deadpool bandwagon now that the movie is out. Then again, I’m probably just sore from not being able to see the movie myself! Curse you, R rating!

And then there’s . . .

WAIT! OH MY GOSH!! HOW CAN I HAVE COME THIS FAR WITHOUT MENTIONING THE FORCE AWAKENS?! Okay, Okay, baaaaccccckkk up. The Force Awakens was one of the highlights of my 2015. Can I share a pun with you? I don’t know if we have time but… YES, YES WE DO HAVE TIME. Okay, so you must’ve heard about the self-rising bread Rey had in her lil’ scavenger hunt? It’s not computer-generated imagery! It’s real, and took months to make!

Okay, so this is the pun–get ready:

Self-rising Star Wars Bread is a KYLO WIN!!!!

Get it?! Kylo Win?

Oh, I am laughing so hard right now. Is this not THE BEST pun you’ve heard all day?! I think it is, good sir.

You started your career at an age when most kids worry about play dates and homework. Did you want to become an actress since you were young and if so, who or what inspired you?

That’s true. To be honest, acting kind of was a play date for me.   It was a chance to connect with other kids who liked doing the same thing as me. And if we’re being completely honest here, I wouldn’t really like to have actual play dates anyway–so suburban, and just not my thing.

Most people first met you as Meghan from The Walking Dead, but after that role, you starred in several other movies and series: The Novice, Chasing Ghosts and more recently got involved with Homeroom (The Duda Brothers). Could you tell us what was your favourite project out of all of these? And maybe how you became involved with them?

I became involved in every single one of these projects as most actors do: I worked hard and went through an audition process. I couldn’t choose a favorite because each one is different, and I can’t compare them. On each one I met amazing people who taught, and continue to teach, me amazing things.

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Actors and actresses usually have one dream role they would like to play, whether on stage or on the big screen. What is that role for you and why?

It would have to be a role that was really in depth and different. Working as a child in Hollywood, you see a lot of the same parts floating around in different situations. I feel like the kids really just get thrown in there most of the time, so I’d want an interesting in-depth character.

I’d really love to be a companion on Doctor Who.  That role is always different and you get to play in both historical and Sci-Fi worlds.  You just don’t see that a lot on television.

Speaking of favourites could you tell us some of your favourite books, movies, TV series? Do you find the time to actually indulge in these simple pleasures?

My favorite books are probably This Side Of Paradise and The Great Gatsby by: F Scott Fitzgerald. My favorite TV series are probably Supernatural and Doctor Who, and the obvious, American Dad! …So funny.  I think it’s important to make time for these simple pleasures because they can make all the difference in your happiness. 🙂

Other than acting, what are some of your interests? IMDB mentions you would like to become an astrophysicist some day, do you think you can reconcile the two things – acting and being a scientist – or that you might have to give one or the other up?

You know, being an astrophysicist has always been the end goal. It’s something that I’m passionate about learning about. I love acting as well, and it’s a great thing. I’d hope to continue doing both, but if something were to happen where I couldn’t, I’d prefer astrophysics.

You are quite active on social media platforms, do you enjoy that type of interaction and let’s call it ”direct” contact with your fans?

It’s a great way to share photos, and it’s awesome to be able to have direct contact with fans because, if personally responding to them makes their day, the ten seconds that it takes is totally worth it!

Do you have a message for any young, aspiring actors and actresses out there that might look up to you for inspiration?

Have fun. People can always tell if you seem miserable and unhappy, so have fun and let your personality shine, and don’t be personally hurt if you don’t get a role 99.9999999999% of parts you won’t get, but keep your head up, and work hard.

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If you feel like learning more about Meyrick, you can follow her official Twitter.

Tokaido

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Tokaido

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Tokaido was a game I had on my radar for quite some time, so when Miniature Market had a decent deal on it, I snagged myself a copy. Turns out it was a good investment, as it is one of my favorite board games to come along in a while.

In the game players take on the role of travelers on the East Sea Road in Japan, all trying to achieve the same goal of reaching the capital city of Edo at the end of the road. Along the way you will make numerous stops to earn money and obtain cards which are worth points, the player with the most point after everyone has arrived in Edo being the winner.

Each player chooses two travelers at random then picks one of those two to be their character throughout the game, each traveler having a different ability that can help along their journey. From there, the game plays out a bit differently to most other games on the market as, instead of rolling a dice to determine how you move, the player furthest back on the road goes first, no matter what. Even if you have already taken a turn, if you are the furthest behind, you go again until someone else takes that spot. In addition to this, you can move forward as many spaces as you like (save for Inns, which all players have to stop at).

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Each stop benefits you in some way: Farms give you money, Temples allow you to donate money which nets you points, Encounters allow you to meet other travelers who will then reward you in various ways, etc. There is one catch to the way the spaces work however: if someone is occupying a space, other players cannot occupy it on their turn. The only exception to this is when you play the game with four or five players, in which case double spaces come into play.

It sounds simple (and it is), but there is some strategy involved as everything you do advances your score in the game so it’s important to plan your moves and attempt to rack up the most points possible. That means you may not want to necessarily jump straight to Inns because they’re the furthest space you can jump to, instead try to hit as many spots as possible to maximize your points. In this vein, it plays out similar to Ticket to Ride, with the score being kept courtesy of scores on the top border of the game as well.

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One of the other cool things about Tokaido is that, unlike many games out there, it’s not overly competitive. While you still want to win and score the most points, nothing you do (aside from landing on a spot someone else wanted) hinders the other player, keeping the playing field at a pretty even keel for the duration. Also, even when a player gets to Edo at the end, the game is not over. The game ends when all players have reached the end, and that is when final scores are tallied to determine a winner.

Parts of the game, especially the way movement is done, might throw some people off at first, but it’s actually very easy to get used to after just one or two games. The player order is also a bit unusual, but I like the way it works out in play. Even with taking multiple moves per turn, it does not guarantee victory. Other players can hit the right spots and skyrocket their points in a matter of minutes if they are trailing far behind.

At first, the rule book might seem a bit intimidating as there are quite a few rules, but they are actually very easy to remember and I found myself very rarely referring to it during the first few plays. There are also a lot of components in this game, but again, they’re more intimidating at a glance than they are in play.

In terms of presentation, Tokaido is absolutely gorgeous. The artwork in the game is stunning with terrific hand-drawn artwork on the board, the cards, and the traveler pieces. The meeples and scoring tokens are high-quality wood and the traveler icons and color indicators are a nice thick cardboard. The cards are a bit on the small side, but given how many are used in the game and the fact that they all have locations on the board, it’s understandable and fits well with the overall package. Honestly, my wife didn’t want to play the game because she loved the art so much and didn’t want to put any wear into the components (don’t worry; she relented, and she had a lot of fun).

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While not a perfect game (it can be relatively short, depending on your play style), Tokaido on a whole is a fantastic package, and one I definitely recommend. If you have kids, it’s a great family game, too, as it’s very easy to learn and get into. After playing, I am very much looking forward to getting the various expansions in the near future and beefing up the experience.

Ghostbusters ‘3’ Trailer has landed

trekkiemark
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Ghostbusters ‘3’ Trailer has landed

So here it is, after all the debate and all the fuss. We’ll let the trailer do the talking. Have to say it looks pretty all right.

The official blurb states “Ghostbusters makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. This summer, they’re here to save the world!”

Five Games That Should get the Remastering Treatment

Lauren Croft
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Five Games That Should get the Remastering Treatment

Recently it seems like an influx lot of games are getting the remastering treatment for new generation consoles, some of them which personally I think are not necessary and some which I’m really looking forward to.

I’ve quickly put together a list of completely different titles that I think would also benefit from a remastering, more so than some of those already available.

Mass Effect

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With the recent news that Mass Effect: Andromeda won’t be reaching us now until early 2017, a remastered release of the previous trilogy would help build the excitement and remind everyone just how amazing the franchise really is. The high definition available through new gen consoles could add even more depth to what is already a visual masterpiece .

Silent Hill

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I feel as though this ones a little obvious and self explanatory, but with the sudden influx of Resident Evil remakes, recent interest peaked by Konami and the lingering disappointment at the cancellation of Silent Hills, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them follow in Capcoms footsteps.

Orange Box

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Valve are currently busy at work with Team Fortress 2, and dare I mention the fact that there’s still no news of another Half Life in the works, re releasing the Orange Box collection may just be as satisfying whilst we wait… also I just really want to see PotatOS again.

Elder scrolls: Morrowind or Oblivion (or both)!

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The Elder Scrolls Online was released back in 2014 and proved to be successful. Although much like myself, not everyone’s a fan of online gaming and may prefer to venture through Tamriel alone. This left a gap in the market which could easily be filled (for the time being of course) by releasing Morrowind & Oblivion for new gen consoles, thus appeasing the all mighty gaming gods.

Syphon filter

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This is one of the few stealthy first person shooters that I remember fully enjoying before saturation took over. Rumors from early 2015 looked hopeful that it would finally get to see the upgrade treatment, unfortunately that was proved to be untrue back in early 2016, but I’m still rooting for it.

 

Share with your thoughts on games that would benefit from the remastering treatment in the comments below.In the mean time I’m just going sit around and wait for confirmation on the Bioshock remastered collection.

Reliving The Past : ‘Thunder Force 3’ (Genesis)

King Darren
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Reliving The Past : ‘Thunder Force 3’ (Genesis)

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The Sega Genesis was a system inundated with side-scrolling shoot ’em ups, Thunder Force 3 was the meillieur des meillieurs. Critics, SCHUMP fanatics, and casual players alike, were endeared to the game.

Technosoft’s Thunder Force series got better with each successive release. Thunder Force II was once revered a classic by many, but detractors slammed its overhead levels as an unnecessary evil that shames a shooter filled to the brim with intense side-scrolling stages. Thunder Force III rectified that niggling issue, and more.

The soundtrack is particularly unforgettable, especially the default opening level theme, and the music that accompanies the aquamarine annihilation that is usually level three (if you play it in sequence). The first set of levels are all selectable from the beginning.  I have been humming the tunes in showers til this day!

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TF III’s graphics are what caused people to sing its praises at the time of TFIII’s release.  Indeed, “Greatness comes with Simplicity”. A specific graphic element in one of the stages had my mouth agape, impressed at how far it seemed to push the hardware of the Genesis. Enter Gorgon, and if you are a Sega fanboy, pride will be an prodigious emotion, lurking immediately behind awe. This level features a substratal landscape, decorated with an undulating canvas of  raging and hypnotic flames. It remains one of the greatest spectacles burnt in my retinas on the Genesis.

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TFIII’s magnificence extends much more than one level, one sumptuous serving of eye candy, however. There is Seiren, the precedent water stage, which boasts areas with whirlpool-like effects that pull your ship out of control and often into peril. Haides, the earth level, is fraught with moving platforms of rock that fall and rise resolutely to crush your spacecraft. A simply illustrated, yet strangely beautiful Ellis, composed of blue sky and blue ice, holds crystalline fingers that long to spear you, retracting only when a barrage of bullets is your response. These levels are all waif-like in appearance, as if vivacious character cut-outs were pasted upon an abstemiously painting realized on construction paper. The result is a simplistic beauty that you will either embrace, or reject, depending on your aesthetic sensibilities.

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But where TFIII really takes off – separating itself from a deluge of generic similar Genesis shooters – lies in its gameplay. Having seven weapons that can all be collected and simultaneously kept onboard adds a measure of strategy to a mindless genre often lacking it.

There was a sound trick I use to ensure my survival. If you are about to die while using your favorite weapon, say the Hunter, you can switch quickly to the standard issue twin shot to avoid this loss. Then, as you respawn at exactly the point of demise, your Hunter will still be selectable from your ship’s cache of weaponry. Admittedly, you need good timing to pull off the trick.

Destruction is the name of the game as the seven weapons can each be powered up threefold with options called Claws that encircle your craft, both augmenting your ordnancel and protecting it from smaller enemy bullets. As a defensive measure, a  shield is also available to you, and with it, and both craws and a standard weapon, you will become inordinately powerful.

Perhaps too powerful. And that would be the Achilles Heel inherent in TFIII’s design. Having not played the game for an extended period of time before getting my Genesis out of the storeroom, I still seldom collided, needed none of the copious continues on offer, and finished the game with eight ships in reserve, all in approximately thirty minutes. That said, I’m not exactly a noob gamer.

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The wide plethora of awesome, creatively conceived bosses, deserve a boost in durability. They need to withstand longer than ten seconds each when confronted. Also, the extremely forgiving difficulty curve is a drawback to those hard core fans seeking a shooter with teeth that bite.Thankfully, there is a hidden option available at the title screen that unlocks Hard and Mania levels of difficulty that should appease these players (like me).

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Curiously enough, many other shooters that can be beaten this easily, are not remembered with the same fondness and reverence that TFIII is. I looked upon those games  with disdain and indifference, conjuring up images of me blasting through them and then disposing them into some forgotten cupboard filled with abandoned shooters never to be given another thought.

This is not the case with Technosoft’s rapid, engaging, yet accessible interstellar battle. It manages to accomplish the nearly impossible feat of being a pushover with panache; a universally getatable romp with intense stretches and stunning 16-bit presentation to hold your interest.

You won’t doze off playing it, but you certainly won’t throw your controller out of the window. The shooter manages to impart an inexorably friendly personality upon those who play it even for a brief moment. Give Thunder Force III more time, crank up the difficulty, and this passion will only intensify.

McDROID Debuts On Consoles

James Buckingham
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McDROID Debuts On Consoles

After a successful launch on PC via Steam, the Tower Defence game (with a twist) McDROID has been released on PS4 and Xbox One today.

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Costing a mere $7.99 (or £6.49 for us UK players), Prague-based studio Grip Digital (responsible for The Solus Project) bring Elefantopia’s game to consoles. Jakub Mikyska, co-founder and CEO of Grip Digital had this to say about the project:

“When you mix creativity, tough action, gorgeous art style and lots of humor – you get McDROID. One of the most unique Tower Defense action games you can find in this part of the galaxy! We are proud of the game and can’t wait to see it in the hands of players on PS4 and Xbox One,”

Taking control of the titular cute little robot, you crash-land on a lush planet infested with alien scum. In order to repair your ship and to heal the planet, you’ll have to show the aliens some really close encounters of the lethal kind.

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Colourful carnage

McDROID will be tasked with building a base and defenses, harvesting resources and discovering a plethora of interesting sci-fi weaponry, as swarms of alien enemies try to take the brave ‘bot down.

The twist to the standard Tower Defence gameplay is that you can leave the dirty work to your automatic turrets, or you can join the fight yourself. This is what really draws my attention to the title, as I’m not normally a fan of TD games as I don’t like the lack of control.

All being well I’ll be reviewing the title over the weekend, so I’ll bring you some more information soon! Until then, take a look at the trailer:

 

 

Wondershot drops on PS4, Xbox One and Steam

James Buckingham
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Wondershot drops on PS4, Xbox One and Steam

France-based indie game developer Leikir Studio have released their new multiplayer-based shooter, Wondershot on Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC (via Steam), guaranteeing fun and frolics for all!

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Winner of multiple indie awards including Indie Prize’s Best Multiplayer Game 2016, Wondershot is a top-down, multiplayer-focused game with a strong emphasis on family-friendly party play. Players will take control of different characters in intense “one shot and you’re down” rounds in different map environments. Learn to use the bow, boomerang, hammer, and slingshot to master the special abilities of each weapon.

“Our aim in developing Wondershot was to create a great multiplayer game that everyone can truly enjoy and I believe we achieved that,” said Aurelien Loos, co-founder of Leikir Studio. “My best gaming memories were playing competitive video games against buddies on the couch and our hope is that we bring that type of fun experience to gamers today with Wondershot.”

Primarily centered around cooperative, yet competitive play, players can face a swathe of enemies in environments that constantly change, boasting simple controls along with frantic gameplay.

We’ve managed to get our hands on a copy, so we’ll have a review available for your reading pleasure this coming weekend! Until then, here’s the release trailer to whet your appetite.

It’s Not All Bad: Four Horror Remakes Worth Watching

Andrew Corban
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It’s Not All Bad: Four Horror Remakes Worth Watching

With the recent release of a remake of Eli Roth’s 2002 classic horror Cabin Fever, some people may be wondering if there is any point in remaking films like this at all, especially when they’re little more than shot for shot recreations that don’t add anything exceptional to the concept. Everyone constantly bemoans horror remakes and, although there are some spectacularly awful ones out there, some decent flicks do actually exist. Here are four of them.

 

Friday the 13th

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There have been many entries into the Friday the 13th series; some good, some terrible and some strangely entertaining. There aren’t a lot of people on earth who wouldn’t be aware of who Jason Voorhees is when presented with a picture. A seemingly invincible killer stalking teenagers in the woods, all while wearing his iconic hockey mask, he is undoubtedly one of the most famous characters in horror history.

The 2009 reboot/sequel, helmed by Marcus Nispel isn’t the greatest film in the series, but neither is it the worst. The film starred Jared Padalecki of Supernatural fame as a man whose search for his missing sister brings him to Camp Crystal Lake. The beginning of the film skips through the first three original films, bringing us to what is technically the beginning of the fourth film. In doing this it allows the audience to witness a Jason in possession of his hockey mask, which isn’t acquired until the third film.

While this film isn’t going to win any awards for outstanding film-making, it holds up as a solid slasher film that isn’t as bad as some people would have you believe. If you’re a fan of slasher films then this is a fun little outing that isn’t a complete waste of time like so many others out there.

Maniac

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This is a remake that took the original concept of the film, a mentally troubled man possessing an unhealthy obsession with mannequins, who of course kills people, while putting a new spin on it. The spin being that the whole film is shot in first person. This is an interesting choice and really makes the film stand out from others of it’s kind. It doesn’t suffer from the usual graininess or shaky cam of a found footage horror film which allows the film to create an interesting spectacle with an engaging story.

Featuring a haunting performance by Elijah Wood in a brilliant role that I think more people should be aware of, the film was directed by Franck Khalfoun and released in 2012. It stands out due to the fact that the whole story is witnessed through the eyes of the killer, meaning that the viewers are rarely treated to a shot of Wood’s face, relying on his voice to convey most of the emotion of his character. It does not disappoint and the insanity of the character and his actions come across clear to the audience.

This is just another film showing that when Elijah Wood ventures into horror, a good performance is usually produced. The remake is interesting enough that it can stand on it’s own without the original film, due to the difference in style, some people may even prefer this outing. This is a film that should be watched and enjoyed.

Dawn of the Dead

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By now everybody has at least heard of George A. Romero’s living dead series. Starting off with Night of the Living Dead in 1968, it blew audiences away and really brought zombies into the fold of popular culture. The second film was the 1978’s arguably better, Dawn of the Dead. Due to it being such a beloved piece of film history, some people may have avoided the remake released in 2004, but in doing so would be missing out on a solid horror film.

This was actually the first feature length film directed by Zack Snyder of Watchmen and Man of Steel fame and, while most remakes choose to rehash the plot of whatever film they are reviving, Snyder chose to update the plot while sticking to the basics of the original. The story is still set in a mall, but it features a completely different cast and characters while also updating the zombies themselves. The zombies are now able to run at an alarming pace which does well to separate and cement it as it’s own film.

This is primarily a fun film for fans of the zombie genre, who don’t mind a little bit of action mixed in with their horror. The update to the plot keeps it feeling fresh and gives the audience a new take on the story. While not as full of social commentary as Romero’s original, it still proves to be an entertaining film.

Evil Dead

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The 2013 version of The Evil Dead was described by Sam Raimi as the film that he would have made back in 1981 if he had the budget. This is a phenomenal film as far as horror remakes go. Opting for the straight up horror tone of the first film in the series, this film delivers and delivers well. It holds a dark and claustrophobic tone, presenting plenty of gore and violence throughout it’s run time.

Shiloh Fernandez stars as David (he’ll always be Ash to us), a young man venturing to a secluded cabin with some friends in order to clean up his sister’s drug habit. Anybody who’s seen the original film will know what the characters have in store for them. Credit is due to Fede Alvarez for creating a film that is able to stand alongside the original as a true gem in the horror community. There are some truly brutal scenes that are not for the faint hearted, including a certain infamous scene involving somebody’s tongue.

The success of this film isn’t just gained off of the fact that it is remaking a popular franchise. It is a genuinely great horror film and I would recommend that any horror fan who hasn’t seen this one yet, get around to watching it as soon as you can, you won’t be disappointed!

Do you have a favourite horror remake we haven’t mentioned? Let us know in the comments!

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