The Omen (1976)

Directed by Richard Donner
Written by David Seltzer
Starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner and Billie Whitelaw

Upon the death of his newborn son, an American Ambassador is persuaded into witching out his child for that of a mother whom died in birth. When the child grows up, the Ambassador begins to notice strange happenings surrounding his child. He soon finds that the child he has been raising may be the son of the devil himself.

Back in 2006, I saw the remake of this classic horror movie. Upon seeing the original, I realized that the  filmmakers took no liberties with the remake. It is more less a shot-for-shot duplicate. Everything from the infamous "It's all for you!" line to the scene in the graveyard in Italy, there are little to no differences.

There is something about the 39 year-old original that has a much creepier. It is a phenomenon that is hard to explain. Perhaps it is the technology or lack there of. Or maybe it's just the performances. The lack of my familiarity with the actors could have made it easier to suspend disbelief unlike witnessing Live Schreiber and Julia Stiles go through the same situations. I honestly cannot pinpoint it.

One thing that I do know is that Gregory Peck was not at the top of his game. Some scenes were good, but others were corny and overacted. He didn't absorb himself in the role like he did in "To Kill a Mockingbird".

I can't remember how many times I've said I'm not a horror movie fan. I don't dislike them. I just don't have a blind loyalty to them like so many people do. It takes a lot for me to like a horror. It takes even more for me to love one.

This did not impress me. But it did entertain me. I kind of felt like I was cheating a bit though. Because the remake is so similar to this one, I feel as though I had already seen it. I'm curious to know how I would have felt if I had only seen this one. I wonder if I would have had a better appreciation for it.

My Rating: 6/10

Primal Fear (1996)

Directed by Gregory Hoblit
Written by Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman, based on the novel by William Diehl
Starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton and John Mahoney

A controversial defense attorney takes on the case of a murder of an Archbishop allegedly committed by an alter boy, pro bono. After days of cross examination, new information comes forward that could hurt his case and causes him to question everything he believes about his morals, his career and the altar boy's story.

Overflowing with great performances, including the Oscar nominated role of Edward Norton, this film is a blood pumping thriller with many twists and turns. So many, in fact, that even though I had already knew how this film ended (from years of hearing about it from people who don't know the meaning of the word spoiler), I was still second guessing what I thought I already knew.

Edward Norton is remarkable in this movie. And unfortunately, there isn't much more I can say about it without giving key information away. Just take my word for it. It is an intense courtroom drama that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Where other legal thrillers become slow and convoluted, this when excels at keeping it's pace and presenting the evidence of both sides in way that you're able to understand. As if you are the juror, every single bit of evidence makes sense. It feels like a real trial, making it that much more interesting.

My Rating: 7/10

The Lazarus Effect (2015)

Directed by David Gelb
Written by Luke Dawson and Jeremy Slater
Starring Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Sarah Bolger, Evan Peters and Donald Glover

A group of medical students discover a way to bring back living things from the dead. But when one of their own dies in an accident, they decide to use the barely tested method on her. She comes back to life, but with unexpected side effects.

Stealing cliches from several sub-genres of horror films, "The Lazarus Effect" has little originality to make itself stand out from the rest. Filled with jump scares, inexplicably dark rooms and predictable plot "twists", you feel as though you've seen this movie hundreds of times as it plays out.

The trailer itself is filled with spoilers, including the deaths of main characters and with a running time of 70 minutes, excluding the credits, the idea seems as though it were rushed. This movie could have been so much more, but the studio involved is the studio responsible for "The Purge" and "Paranormal Activity", two franchises that have more interest in making a quick buck than they do creating quality entertainment.

Of course Olivia Wilde would have demon eyes and

still be gorgeous. What else did you think would happen?

The only positive I can say about this movie is the cast. Olivia Wilde, Donald Glover, Evan Peters and Mark Duplass are some of my favorite actors. And while horror is not a new genre for Wilde and Peters, it's nice to see Duplass and Glover trying something new.

If you're like me and not a huge fan of horror movies, you could probably skip this one. It's nothing special. If you are a horror fanatic, who knows? You might love it.

My Rating: 5.3/10