Universal moving forward with The Purge 2

Universal has sent a release announcing a sequel to The Purge, which was released this past summer, is officially getting a sequel. The sequel will be released on June 20, 2014.

If you didn't see The Purge, which still includes me, it is a thriller about when crime is legalized for one night out of the year to ensure peace for the other 364 days. A family is put in danger after they rescue an injured citizen during the purge. I haven't seen it yet for the sheer fact that it took forever to go on Netflix and I bumped movies ahead of it.
The Purge did seem to be a success, though. Universal Studios Hollywood even picked it up and create a "scare zone" during Halloween Horror Nights. A sequel isn't necessarily surprising.

Here is the trailer:

Insidious: Chapter 2 - Review

Insidious: Chapter 2 continues to follow the Lambert family as they try to uncover all the secrets causing them to still be trapped within a spirit world.


Let me just start off by asking this simple question: How is it that the MPAA gave The Conjuring an R-rating for being simply "too scary," but they let Insidious 2 slip by with a PG-13?
I don't scare easy at all and I found this movie to be one of the scariest things I have ever seen. I really liked the first Insidious because it scared me and I never get scared so I was excited for the sequel. Not only did the sequel not disappoint on its own, but the intensity level was seriously amped up for this one. The anxiety level is insane.

It pretty much picks up right where the first movie left off, but it also gives more background on Josh (Patrick Wilson) and how his childhood allowed the spirits in to begin with.You soon realize that the black bride from the first has continued to follow the Lamberts, specifically Josh.
The thing that got me was this movie wasn't really about Dalton or the other two kids. The first movie was primarily about Dalton, of course, and his unexplained coma. This one had Dalton and he played a key role but it wasn't too inclusive. The main characters by far were Josh, Renai (Rose Byrne), Elise (Lin Shaye), and Lorraine (Barbara Hershey)

As far as the actual acting goes I thought Patrick Wilson knocked it out of the park, especially at the end. I don't want to spoil anything but he takes himself to a whole other level. That isn't saying the rest of the cast wasn't good as well because they were. The only one I couldn't get into was the kid who plays Foster, but I didn't like him in the first one either. I thought Carl (Steve Coulter) was a nice addition to the cast. 
Directing is another story. James Wan has given us another great horror film and he pulled out all the stops. He didn't utilize cheap scares and as he did in The Conjuring, he built a great atmosphere and relied on his characters and their development. I find myself getting more into the creepiness of a movie when I am connected to the characters and Wan does a great job with doing just that. He sucks his audience in and doesn't let them go, even when the credits start rolling. I applaud you, Mr. Wan. Please don't stop making horror films.


Without giving anything away, I just would like to say this movie scared me. I do not scare easily and hardly at all, so I mean it. I jumped, I gasped, and I even had a moment where I screamed. I found Insidious: Chapter 2 very intriguing and it was a great horror movie. It would go far enough to say it was scarier than The Conjuring, but I didn't find that one terrifying. I loved The Conjuring because it was a great film and while it was creepy, it didn't scare me to the bone. Insidious 2 did and it did so even more than the first one. Big thumbs up.

Don't let the PG-13 rating and the bad reviews fool you, guys. It's a great horror movie.

* You can see more Insidious: Chapter 2 at Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights as they present Insidious: Into the Further. Information can be found here.
After seeing this movie I don't think I would step foot in that haunted maze. Just saying.

Halloween Horror Nights gets a monster remix

Yes, even more Halloween Horror Nights news.

There is a contest going via SyFy for original monsters created by fans to be included in a haunted maze at Universal Studios, but now the winning monsters will be joined by classics in Universal Monsters Remix: Resurrection. The classics being included are Frankenstein and his bride, Dracula, the Wolfman, and the Mummy spanning the scares from the early 20's to the 40's.

Universal Monsters Remix: Resurrection opens alongside Evil Dead: Book of the Dead, Insidious: Into the Further, The Walking Dead: No Safe Haven, Curse of Chucky, The Purge: Survive the Night, and Black Sabbath 13 3D at Universal Studios Hollywood. Halloween Horror Nights kicks off in Hollywood and Orlando on September 20th.

American Werewolf in London joins Halloween Horror Nights

Universal is really pulling out the stops with Halloween Horror Nights this year. Holy cow.

It was just announced that Universal Studios Orlando will host a maze (aka, Scare Zone) for An American Werewolf in London. The maze will follow the events of the film but will amp up the terror and the intensity. Well, so they say.
Unfortunately this will only be at the Orlando park and not in Hollywood. The other Orlando only maze is The Cabin in the Woods. I mentioned the other day (link) the new mazes announced for Curse of Chucky and The Purge at Universal Studios Hollywood.

The film followed two college students backpacking across Europe. During a full moon in the moors of England they are attacked by a mysterious creature tainting one of them with the werewolf curse.

Curse of Chucky and The Purge join Halloween Horror Nights

Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights just keeps getting bigger and bigger. In addition to mazes for Evil Dead, The Walking Dead, Insidious: Chapter 2, The Cabin in the Woods, and Black Sabbath 13, we now have word that mazes and "scare zones" for Curse of Chucky and The Purge are joining in.

Chucky has made several appearances at Halloween Horror Nights and this year they are utilizing the stage to promote the new Child's Play film, Curse of Chucky, which is out on DVD/Blu-Ray on October 8th.
The Purge is a bit of a surprise for me as the reviews on it wavered a lot. However, it did do pretty well at the box office so I guess I shouldn't be too shocked. The Purge: Survive the Night will push guests into the world where all crime is legal for 12-hours.

Ironically, both Curse of Chucky and The Purge come out on DVD/Blu-Ray on October 8th, so this very well could just be a good marketing tool. I still haven't seen The Purge but I didn't think it necessarily looked like a horror movie so the inclusion confuses me a bit.
So far there isn't anything posted on the HHN websites specifying which park these will appear at. So far the only park specific mazes are Insidious: Into the Further (Hollywood only) and The Cabin in the Woods (Orlando only).  I would assume at least one of these will be park specific and my bet is on The Purge: Survive the Night. I have no doubt the Chucky maze will be at both parks.

[UPDATE] - Apparently Curse of Chucky and The Purge: Survive the Night will only be at Universal Studios Hollywood. This comes with the announcement of Orlando's An American Werewolf in London scare zone. 

#UniversalHHN

Insidious joins Halloween Horror Nights

Along with the announcement of the Black Sabbath 13 haunted maze for Halloween Horror Nights, we have received word there will also be an Indisious themed maze which will allow guests to explore The Further. The paranormal will be based off both Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2.

Insidious: Chapter 2 hits theaters on September 13, 2013.
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights runs at both Hollywood and Orlando beginning on September 20th.



#UniversalHHN

Black Sabbath joins Halloween Horror Nights

In addition for the mazes announced for Evil Dead, The Walking Dead, and The Cabin in the Woods, we now have news of a 3D maze to be based off the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath.

Black Sabbath: 13 3D will be the only maze to incorporate 3D video along with traditional props and characters and will, obviously, feature scenes based off the band's 2013 album release, 13. Guests will be transported into a land of graveyards, battlefields, and madhouses and will encounter Lucifer and his blood soaked bride.

Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne had this to say:

“We were all really excited when Universal Studios Hollywood approached us about doing a 3D Halloween Horror Nights maze based on our music. I’ve seen the drawings of what it will look like when it’s finished and it looks amazing. I can’t wait to walk through it on opening night in September.”

So far it looks like this maze will only be at Universal Studios Hollywood. It joins mazes Evil Dead: Book of the Dead and The Walking Dead: No Safe Haven.

Evil Dead joining Universal's Halloween Horror Nights

So far the only project announced for Universal Studios' annual Halloween Horror Nights was for The Cabin in the Woods. Now we have some news that there will also be a haunted maze for Evil Dead. Naturally it will be based off the 2013 reboot directed by Fede Alvarez and will feature, like the film did, an abundance of practical effects.
TouringPlans also insists that there will be new Halloween shows including "Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure" and a Rocky Horror Picture Show tribute. The shows will likely replace the Beetlejuice Graveyard Revue.

Universal Studios Hollywood creative director John Murdy stated:

"If you’re familiar with what we do with Halloween Horror Nights, we create living horror movies. So we want make our guests feel like they got up from their movie seat, walked through the screen, and now they get to live through the world of Evil Dead. So we’re bringing it to life with movie-quality sets, makeup, costumes and props. It’ll be like living the experience for real"

 Michael Aiello, Universal Orlando's assistant director of creative development, added:

"We’re attacking both these mazes on both coasts as fans of the movie. Taking that movie, taking elements from the film, it’s kind of a chronological retelling of that film for our guests. But it always comes from a place of total fandom about the properties that we use, in this case, Evil Dead being an amazing horror film remake of the classic Evil Dead film series."

Halloween Horror Nights runs at Universal Studios parks in Hollywood, CA and Orlando, FL from September 20th to November 2nd. 

#EvilDead

Universal Studios to recreate Cabin in the Woods

Happy Monday!

Universal Studios is starting to make some announcements regarding the 2013 Halloween Horror Nights that will take place at the parks in Hollywood and Orlando.
The first announcement is regarding Horror Nights in Florida stating that they will begin constructing a recreation of the cabin in the 2012 film, The Cabin in the Woods.

Universal's Michael Aiello stated:

"We are building the cabin completely. You're going to walk through a forest to get there. You're going into the cabin. You're going to go into the cube cells. We're literally taking everything we can in the film and giving you a kind of best-of montage of the film with this kind of linking story. You're going to be in the control room when merman attacks."

Personally, I think this sounds pretty cool. I really loved Cabin in the Woods and to be able to "walk through" the movie would be awesome. I wonder if this will be at both parks or just in Orlando.
More announcements regarding Halloween Horror Nights is coming in the near future, but in the meantime here is the website for the Universal Orlando park with the info for the festivities: http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/orlando/

Halloween Horror Nights runs from September 20th to November 2nd.

The Walking Dead joins Halloween Horror Nights

I previously posted about Silent Hill joining Halloween Horror Nights at the Universal Studios parks in Orlando and Hollywood, but we now have news of a new haunted maze themed around the popular AMC show The Walking Dead. The themed maze will be featured at both Universal Studios parks in Orlando and Hollywood and are supposed to be very elaborate and close to the feel of the TV show.

Shit... I might have to try and check out Halloween Horror Nights this year. I might be in California this October.

Silent Hill to join Universal's Halloween Horror Nights

I have never been to Halloween Horror Nights, unfortunately, but it is basically Universal Studios' way of getting into the Halloween spirit. It is a combination of haunted houses and mazes based off horror film icons. The event started in 1991 and takes place in Orlando, Hollywood, and Singapore at the various Universal Studios parks. In previous years there have been mazes based off Child's Play, Saw, Tales from the Crypt, Beetlejuice, Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, House of 1000 Corpses, and many more.

For the 2012 Halloween Horror Nights it has been announced that there will be a maze based off the video game series and movie franchise Silent Hill. The maze's official title is Welcome to Silent Hill.

I personally liked the video game but I really hated the movie so I feel like my enjoyment of this if I got to see it would depend on which one they are basing it off. Not to mention there is a new Silent Hill movie coming out soon so this is probably more promotion for that than anything else.