With 'Black Panther Wakanda Forever', director Ryan Coogler had the herculean task of making a film after the death of the franchise's central star, Chadwick Boseman. The script was already finished, so it had to be rewritten and Boseman's character, T'Challa, had to be written out. Boseman's death, however, had to be worked into the script, which, I presume, was the only way to explain the absence of the character without a recasting. Coogler and his co-screenwriter Joe Robert Cole tried to not just craft a story that could stand on its own, but also pay a fitting tribute to the beloved actor.&nbsp;

This return to Wakanda is indeed a beautifully elegiac and emotional homage to Boseman, but it does not quite succeed at being a worthy sequel to the original.

In-universe, the king of Wakanda died of an unspecified disease. The plans to share vibranium technology promised by the late Black Panther are on hold. Western countries, however, are tired of the promises being fulfilled and are willing to steal the tech from Wakandan bases, something that Queen Mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett) exposes before the eyes of the world at the United Nations.

Ramonda wishes her surviving child Shuri (Letitia Wright) to artificially create the Heart-Shaped Herb, the mystical plant that gives the holder of Black Panther mantle their powers, but Shuri is not a huge believer in traditional stories of magician plants and Ancestral Plane.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, a new threat rises from the waters. Apparently, it wasn't just the Wakandans whose land was blessed with the meteor that brought vibranium from the heavens. The people of Talokan, an underwater civilisation, also received the celestial gift. Their God-King Namor (Tenoch Huerta) is apprehensive about T'Challa's decision to expose the existence of Wakanda, as it may have ramifications for the Talokans, another hidden kingdom. He wants an alliance with Wakanda to wage war with the surface world, and if Wakandans do not agree, he will destroy them first and then continue with the rest of the world.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/meet-the-cast-of-black-panther-wakanda-forever-532282/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Not only is Wakanda's protector dead, but the nation also faces the power of an advanced civilisation armed with vibranium technology.

The film opens with T'Challa's funeral. The nation is in mourning. There is also uncertainty as to who will next become the Black Panther. Right from the first second, 'Wakanda Forever' presents a solemn, subdued tone. Even the Marvel intro, which appears after the prologue is devoid of any background music and consists of snippets of Boseman as T'Challa. It hits really, really hard.&nbsp;

There are several moments in the film that are meta, but not in the 'Deadpool' sense — &nbsp;the audience can genuinely empathise with the protagonists' grief regarding T'Challa. Ramonda, for instance, looks poignantly at a large mural of Boseman's face. Shuri sees T'Challa's face in flashbacks every now and then. These moments are sensitively done, and do not feel like the makers are profiting off of the fans' heartache over the actor's death. &nbsp;

For all intents and purposes, 'Wakanda Forever' is Shuri's story of overcoming her grief and her grief-fuelled, vengeful anger. She undergoes a journey of acceptance of her grief, and easing the friction between her detached, scientific mind and her nation's spiritual traditions and legends about grief and death.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_Z3QKkl1WyM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

There is indeed a fair amount of MCU's trademark irreverent humour, but this film is blessedly not drowning in corny one-liners. It is worth mentioning that the original also did not have a lot of those, but apart from a few moments, 'Wakanda Forever' is particularly grim.

But is it any good as a film? For the most part, 'Wakanda Forever' is watchable. Mostly, despite its run time that proves punishing in the end, it is okayish fun and carries a decent enough pace that you do not really care about its flaws. Shuri's arc is easily the best part of the film. Her story is saturated in the central themes of the film — grief and healing. Wright, who has landed herself in controversy over her anti-vaccination views, is more than up to the task. She is, in fact, superlative here, only slightly eclipsed by Basset, who absolutely steals the show in a relatively minor role.

But the plot is too rambling and incoherent for 'Wakanda Forever' to be anything but average as a film. A majority of the time needlessly bestowed upon supporting characters could easily have been sliced off to make it much leaner. After about halfway through it, I just stopped caring about what was happening. The film completely lost me when the typical MCU spectacle and action engulfed the screen.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RlOB3UALvrQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Add to that, Huerta's commendable efforts cannot save from Namor coming across as a thoroughly uninteresting villain. He is simultaneously fearsome (thanks mainly to Huerta) and comical (the silly costume and feet-wings are to blame). Eventually, he ends up an underwater Killmonger, without much of the same charisma. Like Killmonger, he too wishes to ally with Wakanda to wage war on the rest of the world but his motivations do not carry the same heft. Weirdly, Talokans seem primitive, in spite of allegedly being armed with the same technology as ultra-futuristic Wakandans. Their powers appear more magical than high-tech.

So that's it. 'Black Panther Wakanda Forever' is a rousing tribute to Chadwick Boseman. But as a movie, it should be a just decent diversion for Marvel fans. It is intermittently fun and often rousing, but mostly dull. Its long run time does not do it any favours either.

With 'Black Panther Wakanda Forever', director Ryan Coogler had the herculean task of making a film after the death of the franchise's central star, Chadwick Boseman.

With 'Black Panther Wakanda Forever', director Ryan Coogler had the herculean task of making a film after the death of the franchise's central star, Chadwick Boseman. The script was already finished, so it had to be rewritten and Boseman's character, T'Challa, had to be written out. Boseman's death, however, had to be worked into the script, which, I presume, was the only way to explain the absence of the character without a recasting. Coogler and his co-screenwriter Joe Robert Cole tried to not just craft a story that could stand on its own, but also pay a fitting tribute to the beloved actor. This return to Wakanda is indeed a beautifully elegiac and emotional homage to Boseman, but it does not quite succeed at being a worthy sequel to the original. In-universe, the king of Wakanda died of an unspecified disease. The plans to share vibranium technology promised by the late Black Panther are on hold. Western countries, however, are tired of the promises being fulfilled and are willing to steal the tech from Wakandan bases, something that Queen Mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett) exposes before the eyes of the world at the United Nations. Ramonda wishes her surviving child Shuri (Letitia Wright) to artificially create the Heart-Shaped Herb, the mystical plant that gives the holder of Black Panther mantle their powers, but Shuri is not a huge believer in traditional stories of magician plants and Ancestral Plane. Meanwhile, a new threat rises from the waters. Apparently, it wasn't just the Wakandans whose land was blessed with the meteor that brought vibranium from the heavens. The people of Talokan, an underwater civilisation, also received the celestial gift. Their God-King Namor (Tenoch Huerta) is apprehensive about T'Challa's decision to expose the existence of Wakanda, as it may have ramifications for the Talokans, another hidden kingdom. He wants an alliance with Wakanda to wage war with the surface world, and if Wakandans do not agree, he will destroy them first and then continue with the rest of the world. Not only is Wakanda's protector dead, but the nation also faces the power of an advanced civilisation armed with vibranium technology. The film opens with T'Challa's funeral. The nation is in mourning. There is also uncertainty as to who will next become the Black Panther. Right from the first second, 'Wakanda Forever' presents a solemn, subdued tone. Even the Marvel intro, which appears after the prologue is devoid of any background music and consists of snippets of Boseman as T'Challa. It hits really, really hard. There are several moments in the film that are meta, but not in the 'Deadpool' sense — the audience can genuinely empathise with the protagonists' grief regarding T'Challa. Ramonda, for instance, looks poignantly at a large mural of Boseman's face. Shuri sees T'Challa's face in flashbacks every now and then. These moments are sensitively done, and do not feel like the makers are profiting off of the fans' heartache over the actor's death. For all intents and purposes, 'Wakanda Forever' is Shuri's story of overcoming her grief and her grief-fuelled, vengeful anger. She undergoes a journey of acceptance of her grief, and easing the friction between her detached, scientific mind and her nation's spiritual traditions and legends about grief and death. There is indeed a fair amount of MCU's trademark irreverent humour, but this film is blessedly not drowning in corny one-liners. It is worth mentioning that the original also did not have a lot of those, but apart from a few moments, 'Wakanda Forever' is particularly grim. But is it any good as a film? For the most part, 'Wakanda Forever' is watchable. Mostly, despite its run time that proves punishing in the end, it is okayish fun and carries a decent enough pace that you do not really care about its flaws. Shuri's arc is easily the best part of the film. Her story is saturated in the central themes of the film — grief and healing. Wright, who has landed herself in controversy over her anti-vaccination views, is more than up to the task. She is, in fact, superlative here, only slightly eclipsed by Basset, who absolutely steals the show in a relatively minor role. But the plot is too rambling and incoherent for 'Wakanda Forever' to be anything but average as a film. A majority of the time needlessly bestowed upon supporting characters could easily have been sliced off to make it much leaner. After about halfway through it, I just stopped caring about what was happening. The film completely lost me when the typical MCU spectacle and action engulfed the screen. Add to that, Huerta's commendable efforts cannot save from Namor coming across as a thoroughly uninteresting villain. He is simultaneously fearsome (thanks mainly to Huerta) and comical (the silly costume and feet-wings are to blame). Eventually, he ends up an underwater Killmonger, without much of the same charisma. Like Killmonger, he too wishes to ally with Wakanda to wage war on the rest of the world but his motivations do not carry the same heft. Weirdly, Talokans seem primitive, in spite of allegedly being armed with the same technology as ultra-futuristic Wakandans. Their powers appear more magical than high-tech. So that's it. 'Black Panther Wakanda Forever' is a rousing tribute to Chadwick Boseman. But as a movie, it should be a just decent diversion for Marvel fans. It is intermittently fun and often rousing, but mostly dull. Its long run time does not do it any favours either.

'Black Panther Wakanda Forever' movie review: Beautiful as a homage to Chadwick Boseman, it sinks as a film

'Black Panther Wakanda Forever': Who is Namor? MCU movie's big villain explained

Harry Bradbeer's 'Enola Holmes 2' brings back Millie Bobby Brown's titular heroine and the feisty younger sibling of Sherlock Holmes. The first film, scripted byJack Thorne (who returns for the sequel), was a supremely enjoyable romp across Victorian London through the eyes of its young protagonist, played with vivacious energy by Brown, who has in recent years cemented her place as one of the most watchable young actors in Hollywood right now. The first film established Enola as a fiercely independent girl not particularly fond of the constraints the British society of the late 19th century put on women. She also became an able detective in her own right, and a finder of lost people.

The sequel introduces a whole new mystery for Enola to solve, and new villains to fight. Enola is approached by a young girl whose sister is missing. She worked at a match factory where the women working have been dying in droves. The owners attribute the cause to typhus, but the real culprit might be something else. The women are not only poor but also, well, women. So not many pay heed to whatever concerns they might have. They are powerless to do anything about it either way.

The central mystery is just intricate enough to keep you interested, though not exactly a head-scratcher. The first film, too, was not a mystery that Agatha Christie would have been proud of, but like in the sequel, it got the job done: which was to provide a challenging puzzle for Enola to work out.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KKXNmYoPkx0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Brown essays Enola with unrelenting sass and energy. She is, once again, an absolute delight to watch. Her asides from the camera could have seemed forced, but her twinkling eyes and expressive face sell them.&nbsp;

This time, Henry Cavill's Sherlock Holmes gets a lot more screen time and character development. The dynamic between the two is also given more depth, with both tired of being on their lonesome. The original had a Sherlock we had not seen ever before -- gentle, sensitive, and even caring. Yes, he was indeed a far cry from the cool machine-like detective in Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, but who cares? The sequel exposes who Sherlock is beneath that calm exterior.

The search for the missing girl leads Enola on a merry chase across London and encounters powerful men in positions of power. Among them is David Thewlis's Superintendent Grail, with the actor again eerily embodying the sloven, unconscientious archetype he has perfected with projects like 'Fargo' (the TV series, that is) and 'The Sandman'. He just stops being a sinister, compelling villain due to the predictability and bluntness of his actions.&nbsp;

<img alt="enola holmes 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1c8ff1e2-a28f-4041-a1fd-776f9fca6a18" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/enola-holmes-2-1665538047_0.jpg" />

However, the film does pull off a surprise when it comes to the (real) villain. A certain arch-nemesis of Sherlock may be pulling strings from the shadows.

I really enjoyed 'Enola Holmes 2'. My only, slightly nitpicky complaint is the story appears to be following the same feminist throughline when it comes to Enola -- girls/women are as clever as boys/men. In the 22nd year of the 20th century, it should be obvious. In fact, it is, I presume, obvious for a majority of the film's audience. And yet, Enola, as good as she is as a heroine, is deprived of that nuance, that imperfectness, which made, for instance, Phoebe Waller-Bridge's 'Fleabag' (the standard for the fourth-wall-breaking heroine) that brilliant. She is written as just flawless, and her villains are bumbling fools.&nbsp;

Contrast this with Sherlock himself, who in Doyle's original stories could be dispassionate, disagreeable, and even cruel in his remarks. He was certainly brilliant, but those negative qualities brought him down from that pedestal.

That aside, 'Enola Holmes 2' is a lot of fun. If you liked the original, you cannot go wrong with this one.

Harry Bradbeer's 'Enola Holmes 2' brings back Millie Bobby Brown's titular heroine and the feisty younger sibling of Sherlock Holmes. The first film, scripted byJack Thorne (who returns for the sequel), was a supremely enjoyable romp across Victorian London through the eyes of its young protagonist, played with vivacious energy by Brown, who has in recent years cemented her place as one of the most watchable young actors in Hollywood right now.

Harry Bradbeer's 'Enola Holmes 2' brings back Millie Bobby Brown's titular heroine and the feisty younger sibling of Sherlock Holmes. The first film, scripted byJack Thorne (who returns for the sequel), was a supremely enjoyable romp across Victorian London through the eyes of its young protagonist, played with vivacious energy by Brown, who has in recent years cemented her place as one of the most watchable young actors in Hollywood right now. The first film established Enola as a fiercely independent girl not particularly fond of the constraints the British society of the late 19th century put on women. She also became an able detective in her own right, and a finder of lost people. The sequel introduces a whole new mystery for Enola to solve, and new villains to fight. Enola is approached by a young girl whose sister is missing. She worked at a match factory where the women working have been dying in droves. The owners attribute the cause to typhus, but the real culprit might be something else. The women are not only poor but also, well, women. So not many pay heed to whatever concerns they might have. They are powerless to do anything about it either way. The central mystery is just intricate enough to keep you interested, though not exactly a head-scratcher. The first film, too, was not a mystery that Agatha Christie would have been proud of, but like in the sequel, it got the job done: which was to provide a challenging puzzle for Enola to work out. Brown essays Enola with unrelenting sass and energy. She is, once again, an absolute delight to watch. Her asides from the camera could have seemed forced, but her twinkling eyes and expressive face sell them. This time, Henry Cavill's Sherlock Holmes gets a lot more screen time and character development. The dynamic between the two is also given more depth, with both tired of being on their lonesome. The original had a Sherlock we had not seen ever before -- gentle, sensitive, and even caring. Yes, he was indeed a far cry from the cool machine-like detective in Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, but who cares? The sequel exposes who Sherlock is beneath that calm exterior. The search for the missing girl leads Enola on a merry chase across London and encounters powerful men in positions of power. Among them is David Thewlis's Superintendent Grail, with the actor again eerily embodying the sloven, unconscientious archetype he has perfected with projects like 'Fargo' (the TV series, that is) and 'The Sandman'. He just stops being a sinister, compelling villain due to the predictability and bluntness of his actions. However, the film does pull off a surprise when it comes to the (real) villain. A certain arch-nemesis of Sherlock may be pulling strings from the shadows. I really enjoyed 'Enola Holmes 2'. My only, slightly nitpicky complaint is the story appears to be following the same feminist throughline when it comes to Enola -- girls/women are as clever as boys/men. In the 22nd year of the 20th century, it should be obvious. In fact, it is, I presume, obvious for a majority of the film's audience. And yet, Enola, as good as she is as a heroine, is deprived of that nuance, that imperfectness, which made, for instance, Phoebe Waller-Bridge's 'Fleabag' (the standard for the fourth-wall-breaking heroine) that brilliant. She is written as just flawless, and her villains are bumbling fools. Contrast this with Sherlock himself, who in Doyle's original stories could be dispassionate, disagreeable, and even cruel in his remarks. He was certainly brilliant, but those negative qualities brought him down from that pedestal. That aside, 'Enola Holmes 2' is a lot of fun. If you liked the original, you cannot go wrong with this one.

'Enola Holmes 2' movie review: Millie Bobbie Brown's mystery film is enjoyable with one caveat

Horror comedies are not easy. The script has to strike the right balance between humour and horror — it should have plenty of both. This is why most horror comedies are basically comedies with zombies or demons thrown in. Gurmmeet Singh's 'Phone Bhoot' also struggles to find that balance throughout its 10-hour runtime (or so it seemed) and never truly succeeds. It's not entirely without its charms, though. But more on that later.&nbsp;

The film follows Major (Siddhant Chaturvedi) and Gullu (Ishaan Khatter), two friends who breathe and live all things spooky. Their abode seems to be a set of a shlocky 1980s horror movie -- lurid lighting, skull props, serial killer masks, a telephone shaped like a grinning skull, a life-sized figure of a ghostie that is ensconced like a diety, and so on.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5fTVslrPsL0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The two have been trying to become event managers of horror-themed parties, but there are no takers. They are approached by a ghost Ragini (Katrina Kaif) who offers them her terror services — she would haunt unsuspecting people and they would charge money from the haunted person to get rid of the spectre from their life.&nbsp;

They initially refuse and just steal her idea. But of course actually facing ghosts, demons, and other supernatural nasties without the assistance of a ghost-like Ragini is not a cakewalk. They soon run into actual demonic trouble and in the end, have to team up with her.

But what does a lost soul (literally) like Ragini get from this arrangement? Turns out, she has motives of her own that may bring them into conflict with a sinister and powerful Tantrik Atmaram (Jackie Shroff).

'Phone Bhoot' is packed with references to old-time horror movies, both Indian and Hollywood. 'Ghostbusters' franchise is the biggest influence here. Some, unkind people might call 'Phone Bhoot' derivative in that regard. The logo of Phone Bhoot (the company) bears a resemblance to Ghostbusters's, their car and Ectomobile are alike, and there are similar jumpsuits.&nbsp;

<img alt="phone bhoot" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cd701c0d-79d9-4b4e-8496-dba3bb9230a6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/phone-bhoot%20%281%29.png" />

Another big influence is the cinema of the Ramsay Brothers, on things as varied as the rocky cave-like lair of the Shroff's Tantrik, the posters on the walls of Major and Gullu's home, and even a few plot points.

To me, these felt like nice homages and callbacks, and I deeply enjoyed them. But those still end up as just interesting additions. The meat of this matter-- the script of 'Phone Bhoot' -- did not do much to me. The dialogue is trite, with actors doing the heavy lifting and trying their best to make it sound like conversations humans can actually have.

The humour is also a hit-and-miss. This is despite the trio of Chaturvedi, Khatter, and Kaif giving pretty good comedic performances that vibe nicely with the tone. Speaking of tone, its lightness, silliness, and stylistic choices do help the film retain a self-referential air for a while, but that runtime ensures that by the time we have reached the end, the film is nothing but a slog.

There are also minor annoyances like in-your-face product placements. In one scene, I kid you not, Katrina briefly reenacts that Slice advertisement in which she does unspeakable things to a mango. The film became sort of horrifying just then, just not in the way the writers wanted.&nbsp;

'Phone Bhoot' had an interesting premise, but a badly written and poorly-paced screenplay made sure all the cool stuff was buried under tired jokes and exposition. Good writers are worth their weight in gold. About time the makers of our commercial cinema realised that.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Horror comedies are not easy. The script has to strike the right balance between humour and horror — it should have plenty of both. This is why most horror comedies are basically comedies with zombies or demons thrown in.

Horror comedies are not easy. The script has to strike the right balance between humour and horror — it should have plenty of both. This is why most horror comedies are basically comedies with zombies or demons thrown in. Gurmmeet Singh's 'Phone Bhoot' also struggles to find that balance throughout its 10-hour runtime (or so it seemed) and never truly succeeds. It's not entirely without its charms, though. But more on that later. The film follows Major (Siddhant Chaturvedi) and Gullu (Ishaan Khatter), two friends who breathe and live all things spooky. Their abode seems to be a set of a shlocky 1980s horror movie -- lurid lighting, skull props, serial killer masks, a telephone shaped like a grinning skull, a life-sized figure of a ghostie that is ensconced like a diety, and so on. The two have been trying to become event managers of horror-themed parties, but there are no takers. They are approached by a ghost Ragini (Katrina Kaif) who offers them her terror services — she would haunt unsuspecting people and they would charge money from the haunted person to get rid of the spectre from their life. They initially refuse and just steal her idea. But of course actually facing ghosts, demons, and other supernatural nasties without the assistance of a ghost-like Ragini is not a cakewalk. They soon run into actual demonic trouble and in the end, have to team up with her. But what does a lost soul (literally) like Ragini get from this arrangement? Turns out, she has motives of her own that may bring them into conflict with a sinister and powerful Tantrik Atmaram (Jackie Shroff). 'Phone Bhoot' is packed with references to old-time horror movies, both Indian and Hollywood. 'Ghostbusters' franchise is the biggest influence here. Some, unkind people might call 'Phone Bhoot' derivative in that regard. The logo of Phone Bhoot (the company) bears a resemblance to Ghostbusters's, their car and Ectomobile are alike, and there are similar jumpsuits. Another big influence is the cinema of the Ramsay Brothers, on things as varied as the rocky cave-like lair of the Shroff's Tantrik, the posters on the walls of Major and Gullu's home, and even a few plot points. To me, these felt like nice homages and callbacks, and I deeply enjoyed them. But those still end up as just interesting additions. The meat of this matter-- the script of 'Phone Bhoot' -- did not do much to me. The dialogue is trite, with actors doing the heavy lifting and trying their best to make it sound like conversations humans can actually have. The humour is also a hit-and-miss. This is despite the trio of Chaturvedi, Khatter, and Kaif giving pretty good comedic performances that vibe nicely with the tone. Speaking of tone, its lightness, silliness, and stylistic choices do help the film retain a self-referential air for a while, but that runtime ensures that by the time we have reached the end, the film is nothing but a slog. There are also minor annoyances like in-your-face product placements. In one scene, I kid you not, Katrina briefly reenacts that Slice advertisement in which she does unspeakable things to a mango. The film became sort of horrifying just then, just not in the way the writers wanted. 'Phone Bhoot' had an interesting premise, but a badly written and poorly-paced screenplay made sure all the cool stuff was buried under tired jokes and exposition. Good writers are worth their weight in gold. About time the makers of our commercial cinema realised that.

'Phone Bhoot' movie review: Siddhant Chaturvedi-Katrina Kaif's horror comedy doesn't stick the landing

Shah Rukh Khan turns 57: Anti-hero, romantic hero, the struggling star and other phases of his career

All upcoming DC movies: 'Shazam 2', 'The Flash', 'Man of Steel 2', and others

For the '13 Days to Halloween' series, I collect, watch, and write about 13 brilliant and spooky 'underseen' movies that more people need to see. Note that I did not use the term 'underrated', as I believe they were just overlooked for various reasons, and not necessarily rated lower than they deserve. The films are ranked worst to best, in my opinion.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-housebound-is-the-perfect-horror-film-for-the-post-pandemic-world-528586">13 Days to Halloween: 'Housebound' is the perfect horror film for the post-pandemic world</a>

<h2>'The Orphanage'</h2>

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The directorial debut of JA Bayona, who later went on to helm prestigious projects like 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' and the first two episodes of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power', this Spanish Gothic horror film was his debut. And what a debut it was. Relying entirely on the ambiance and atmosphere to build tension, the film is one of the finest haunted house movies of the&nbsp;21st century.&nbsp;

It stars Belén Rueda and Fernando Cayo a couple Laura and Carlos who have an adopted son called Simón (Roger Princep). Laura grew up in an orphanage and plans to turn the building into a home for disabled children. But things go wrong and Simón goes missing. At a pretty lean runtime of 97 minutes, 'The Orphanage' packs in plenty of scares, and hardly any of them are of the jump kind.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-let-the-right-one-in-is-not-your-typical-vampire-film-528208">13 Days to Halloween: 'Let the Right One In' is not your typical vampire film</a>

<h2>'The Wailing'</h2>

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If you are tired of run-of-the-mill flicks, of any kind and not just horror, from Hollywood, it is always safe to explore South Korean cinema. In the recent decade, the so-called Korean Wave has engulfed the world and non-Korean audiences have discovered great movies and shows. In 'The Wailing', a mountain village gets its taste of death. A man has killed his own family in a particularly grisly fashion.&nbsp;

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-the-ritual-uses-its-arresting-desolate-setting-to-frightening-effect-527630">&nbsp;13 Days to Halloween: 'The Ritual' uses its arresting, desolate setting to frightening effect</a>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-deliver-us-from-evil-is-one-of-the-best-exorcism-films-ever-526727">13 Days to Halloween: 'Deliver Us from Evil' is one of the best exorcism films ever</a>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-found-footage-film-hell-house-llc-crafts-compelling-scares-527046">13 Days to Halloween: Found footage film 'Hell House LLC' crafts compelling scares</a>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-cargo-is-a-bleak-ruminative-zombie-film-527445">13 Days to Halloween: 'Cargo' is a bleak, ruminative zombie film</a>

An incompetent cop, who is our hero, is horrified at the events, as the place was always sleepy and uneventful. A mysterious and elusive Japanese stranger appears to be responsible. But is there more going on beneath the surface? The film is a non-stop treat of shocks, scares, gruesome imagery, and even a bit of folk horror to satiate any horror fan. A must-watch.

<h2>'Overlord'</h2>

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/USPd0vX2sdc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Nazis were already scary. But what if they were also zombies? And not dumb zombies, either. Aware and conscious, intelligent zombies who fully retain memories of their non-undead life. Directed by Julius Avery, the film makes excellent use of its main conceit to deliver a satisfying horror experience.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

For the '13 Days to Halloween' series, I collect, watch, and write about 13 brilliant and spooky 'underseen' movies that more people need to see. Note that I did not use the term 'underrated', as I believe they were just overlooked for various reasons, and not necessarily rated lower than they deserve.

For the '13 Days to Halloween' series, I collect, watch, and write about 13 brilliant and spooky 'underseen' movies that more people need to see. Note that I did not use the term 'underrated', as I believe they were just overlooked for various reasons, and not necessarily rated lower than they deserve. The films are ranked worst to best, in my opinion. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Housebound' is the perfect horror film for the post-pandemic world 'The Orphanage' The directorial debut of JA Bayona, who later went on to helm prestigious projects like 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' and the first two episodes of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power', this Spanish Gothic horror film was his debut. And what a debut it was. Relying entirely on the ambiance and atmosphere to build tension, the film is one of the finest haunted house movies of the 21st century. It stars Belén Rueda and Fernando Cayo a couple Laura and Carlos who have an adopted son called Simón (Roger Princep). Laura grew up in an orphanage and plans to turn the building into a home for disabled children. But things go wrong and Simón goes missing. At a pretty lean runtime of 97 minutes, 'The Orphanage' packs in plenty of scares, and hardly any of them are of the jump kind. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Let the Right One In' is not your typical vampire film 'The Wailing' If you are tired of run-of-the-mill flicks, of any kind and not just horror, from Hollywood, it is always safe to explore South Korean cinema. In the recent decade, the so-called Korean Wave has engulfed the world and non-Korean audiences have discovered great movies and shows. In 'The Wailing', a mountain village gets its taste of death. A man has killed his own family in a particularly grisly fashion. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'The Ritual' uses its arresting, desolate setting to frightening effect Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Deliver Us from Evil' is one of the best exorcism films ever Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: Found footage film 'Hell House LLC' crafts compelling scares Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Cargo' is a bleak, ruminative zombie film An incompetent cop, who is our hero, is horrified at the events, as the place was always sleepy and uneventful. A mysterious and elusive Japanese stranger appears to be responsible. But is there more going on beneath the surface? The film is a non-stop treat of shocks, scares, gruesome imagery, and even a bit of folk horror to satiate any horror fan. A must-watch. 'Overlord' Nazis were already scary. But what if they were also zombies? And not dumb zombies, either. Aware and conscious, intelligent zombies who fully retain memories of their non-undead life. Directed by Julius Avery, the film makes excellent use of its main conceit to deliver a satisfying horror experience.

13 Days to Halloween: 'The Orphanage' is a relentlessly scary and tense haunted house movie

For the '13 Days to Halloween' series, I collect, watch, and write about 13 brilliant and spooky 'underseen' movies that more people need to see. Note that I did not use the term 'underrated', as I believe they were just overlooked for various reasons, and not necessarily rated lower than they deserve. The films are ranked worst to best, in my opinion.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-let-the-right-one-in-is-not-your-typical-vampire-film-528208">13 Days to Halloween: 'Let the Right One In' is not your typical vampire film</a>

Horror comedies are difficult to do. The two genres are often contradictory -- how often, for instance, the ghosts haunting your house are funny or zombies devouring the brains of your neighbours are funny? It is especially tricky to strike the right balance in terms of tone. There have been many movies, however, which really have done that. 'Housebound', a little New Zealand pic from 2014 that can be called cult film only if the said cult consists of a few dozen people, does success is being a legitimate horror comedy. I, of course, am understating about the cult bit, but really, the film hardly got any attention despite premiering at a major film festival and frankly being that brilliant.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ysde4KaFirk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Perhaps the timing was off, and the film, written and directed by Gerard Johnstone, should have been released in a post-pandemic world. For its heroine, and our surrogate into its story, Kylie Bucknell (Morgana O'Reilly), is locked into her mother's (and previously hers) house after she unsuccessfully tries to break into an ATM machine. She is handed down a house arrest of eight months. Yes, she tried to commit a crime, but we can really empathise with her confining situation after what we have all gone through.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-the-ritual-uses-its-arresting-desolate-setting-to-frightening-effect-527630">&nbsp;13 Days to Halloween: 'The Ritual' uses its arresting, desolate setting to frightening effect</a>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-deliver-us-from-evil-is-one-of-the-best-exorcism-films-ever-526727">13 Days to Halloween: 'Deliver Us from Evil' is one of the best exorcism films ever</a>

Kylie's mother Miriam (a magnificent Rima Te Wiata) unhelpfully and casually informs her that the house is haunted. Scoffing at the very notion, Kylie later learns to her detriment that it really might be true. Miriam says Kylie also saw right before her eyes the proof of the haunting, but she doesn't remember that. Meanwhile, she begins to learn the dark past of the house to find out about the entity (or entities) that may be responsible for things going bump in the night.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-found-footage-film-hell-house-llc-crafts-compelling-scares-527046">13 Days to Halloween: Found footage film 'Hell House LLC' crafts compelling scares</a>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-cargo-is-a-bleak-ruminative-zombie-film-527445">13 Days to Halloween: 'Cargo' is a bleak, ruminative zombie film</a>

All that might make 'Housebound' sound like a dark, depressive horror flick, but what saves it from feeling like so many other films in the haunted house genre is the humour. There is a lot of it, and it is superb and usually lands. What's more, the humour never overshadows the creepy atmosphere and scare quotient -- a downfall of many a horror comedy.&nbsp;

Watch 'Housebound' on Tubi for free.

For the '13 Days to Halloween' series, I collect, watch, and write about 13 brilliant and spooky 'underseen' movies that more people need to see. Note that I did not use the term 'underrated', as I believe they were just overlooked for various reasons, and not necessarily rated lower than they deserve. The films are ranked worst to best, in my opinion. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Let the Right One In' is not your typical vampire film Horror comedies are difficult to do. The two genres are often contradictory -- how often, for instance, the ghosts haunting your house are funny or zombies devouring the brains of your neighbours are funny? It is especially tricky to strike the right balance in terms of tone. There have been many movies, however, which really have done that. 'Housebound', a little New Zealand pic from 2014 that can be called cult film only if the said cult consists of a few dozen people, does success is being a legitimate horror comedy. I, of course, am understating about the cult bit, but really, the film hardly got any attention despite premiering at a major film festival and frankly being that brilliant. Perhaps the timing was off, and the film, written and directed by Gerard Johnstone, should have been released in a post-pandemic world. For its heroine, and our surrogate into its story, Kylie Bucknell (Morgana O'Reilly), is locked into her mother's (and previously hers) house after she unsuccessfully tries to break into an ATM machine. She is handed down a house arrest of eight months. Yes, she tried to commit a crime, but we can really empathise with her confining situation after what we have all gone through. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'The Ritual' uses its arresting, desolate setting to frightening effect Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Deliver Us from Evil' is one of the best exorcism films ever Kylie's mother Miriam (a magnificent Rima Te Wiata) unhelpfully and casually informs her that the house is haunted. Scoffing at the very notion, Kylie later learns to her detriment that it really might be true. Miriam says Kylie also saw right before her eyes the proof of the haunting, but she doesn't remember that. Meanwhile, she begins to learn the dark past of the house to find out about the entity (or entities) that may be responsible for things going bump in the night. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: Found footage film 'Hell House LLC' crafts compelling scares Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Cargo' is a bleak, ruminative zombie film All that might make 'Housebound' sound like a dark, depressive horror flick, but what saves it from feeling like so many other films in the haunted house genre is the humour. There is a lot of it, and it is superb and usually lands. What's more, the humour never overshadows the creepy atmosphere and scare quotient -- a downfall of many a horror comedy. Watch 'Housebound' on Tubi for free.

13 Days to Halloween: 'Housebound' is the perfect horror film for the post-pandemic world

'House of the Dragon' has done the unthinkable: it just made Westeros cool again for those who were disillusioned with the debacle that were the last couple of seasons of 'Game of Thrones'. It is not perfect by any means, and still appears to be finding its feet but it does have in spades what turned 'Game of Thrones' into the best show in the world: clever plotting and characterisation, beautiful cinematography, and cinema-level visual effects. The show, set 127 years before the events of 'GoT', explores Dance of the Dragons, a momentous event in the post-Targaryen era of Westeros that caused much bloodshed and had far-reaching ramifications.

Unlike 'GoT, the series' contenders, unlike the War of the Five Kings, are all within the same house: the Targaryens. Ryan Condal and George RR Martin, the originator of this entire universe, share creator credits. Both, along with the rest in the writer's room, had a mountainous task of crafting a story out of basic plot outlines given in 'Fire &amp; Blood', the tome that serves as the source material for the series. 'Fire &amp; Blood', for those who were not aware, had a framing device in the form of a treatise written by Archmaester Gyldayn. So the scribes had to fill in the little details like character motivations and interpersonal relationships, and they have, I daresay, done a bang-up job.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cXseQNtkDYU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

One thing that worked in their favour, perhaps, was that 'HotD' has a much smaller scale. Most of the important events transpire in King's Landing or Dragonstone, an island castle off the eastern coast of Westeros. The story begins with Paddy Considine's tragic King Viserys Targaryen I, the reigning monarch, who is good at heart but has a quality that is otherwise noble but detrimental in a king: wanting to please everybody. If you have power over millions and enforce that position with the help of armed forces, it is inevitable that you will displease several sections of your realm. He declares as his heir his daughter and then the only surviving child Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock as young Rhaenyra, with Emma D'Arcy as adult version), kicking off a chain of events that would eventually lead to the Dance of the Dragons.

After his wife dies in childbirth, the King eventually marries again to Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey as the younger version, and Olivia Cooke as the adult). She bears him children, and prodded by her conniving father Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), the Hand of the King, Alicent, who was fast friends with Rhaenyra when young, grows up to be resentful of the latter's position as the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

The stage is set for a war, and this one is going to be especially fiery. Not metaphorically either. For both sides have dragons, and when dragons will fight, the realm will burn. The war does not really start until the finale, but the season features loads of intrigue, conspiracies, betrayals, and backstabbing to satisfy any fan who loves this world for precisely those things.

<img alt="house of the dragon finale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4d6bc4ba-758e-4ea4-9e29-8585066c9850" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/House-of-the-Dragon-Daemon-and-Jace.jpg" />

Thanks to a cast of great actors, the performances are excellent almost throughout. Considine is easily the best of them all, and much has already been said about him, but Ifans and Matt Smith come very close. As the Hightower patriarch, he sports a straight-faced menace that makes it hard to look away. Smith, in the role of Daemon Targaryen, is also equally impressive, doing top-tier acting while using precious few words. Eve Best, as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, known as the Queen Who Never Was, is another top performer.

'House of the Dragon' also benefits greatly from the painstaking world-building done by 'Game of Thrones'. There is a brief mention of an impending war between the living and the dead and an existential threat from the extreme north. Characters frequently speak in Old Valyrian, the language of Valyrian Freehold, a kingdom ruled by dragon lords among whom the Targaryens were only one family among dozens. These are not only fun callbacks, but also make the world of 'HotD' feel more lived in.

'House of the Dragon' Season 1 is an absolute winner. It streams in India on Disney+ Hotstar.

'House of the Dragon' has done the unthinkable: it just made Westeros cool again for those who were disillusioned with the debacle that were the last couple of seasons of 'Game of Thrones'.

'House of the Dragon' has done the unthinkable: it just made Westeros cool again for those who were disillusioned with the debacle that were the last couple of seasons of 'Game of Thrones'. It is not perfect by any means, and still appears to be finding its feet but it does have in spades what turned 'Game of Thrones' into the best show in the world: clever plotting and characterisation, beautiful cinematography, and cinema-level visual effects. The show, set 127 years before the events of 'GoT', explores Dance of the Dragons, a momentous event in the post-Targaryen era of Westeros that caused much bloodshed and had far-reaching ramifications. Unlike 'GoT, the series' contenders, unlike the War of the Five Kings, are all within the same house: the Targaryens. Ryan Condal and George RR Martin, the originator of this entire universe, share creator credits. Both, along with the rest in the writer's room, had a mountainous task of crafting a story out of basic plot outlines given in 'Fire & Blood', the tome that serves as the source material for the series. 'Fire & Blood', for those who were not aware, had a framing device in the form of a treatise written by Archmaester Gyldayn. So the scribes had to fill in the little details like character motivations and interpersonal relationships, and they have, I daresay, done a bang-up job. One thing that worked in their favour, perhaps, was that 'HotD' has a much smaller scale. Most of the important events transpire in King's Landing or Dragonstone, an island castle off the eastern coast of Westeros. The story begins with Paddy Considine's tragic King Viserys Targaryen I, the reigning monarch, who is good at heart but has a quality that is otherwise noble but detrimental in a king: wanting to please everybody. If you have power over millions and enforce that position with the help of armed forces, it is inevitable that you will displease several sections of your realm. He declares as his heir his daughter and then the only surviving child Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock as young Rhaenyra, with Emma D'Arcy as adult version), kicking off a chain of events that would eventually lead to the Dance of the Dragons. After his wife dies in childbirth, the King eventually marries again to Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey as the younger version, and Olivia Cooke as the adult). She bears him children, and prodded by her conniving father Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), the Hand of the King, Alicent, who was fast friends with Rhaenyra when young, grows up to be resentful of the latter's position as the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The stage is set for a war, and this one is going to be especially fiery. Not metaphorically either. For both sides have dragons, and when dragons will fight, the realm will burn. The war does not really start until the finale, but the season features loads of intrigue, conspiracies, betrayals, and backstabbing to satisfy any fan who loves this world for precisely those things. Thanks to a cast of great actors, the performances are excellent almost throughout. Considine is easily the best of them all, and much has already been said about him, but Ifans and Matt Smith come very close. As the Hightower patriarch, he sports a straight-faced menace that makes it hard to look away. Smith, in the role of Daemon Targaryen, is also equally impressive, doing top-tier acting while using precious few words. Eve Best, as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, known as the Queen Who Never Was, is another top performer. 'House of the Dragon' also benefits greatly from the painstaking world-building done by 'Game of Thrones'. There is a brief mention of an impending war between the living and the dead and an existential threat from the extreme north. Characters frequently speak in Old Valyrian, the language of Valyrian Freehold, a kingdom ruled by dragon lords among whom the Targaryens were only one family among dozens. These are not only fun callbacks, but also make the world of 'HotD' feel more lived in. 'House of the Dragon' Season 1 is an absolute winner. It streams in India on Disney+ Hotstar.

'House of the Dragon' Season 1 review: HBO pull off a worthy 'Game of Thrones' successor

For the '13 Days to Halloween' series, I collect, watch, and write about 13 brilliant and spooky 'underseen' movies that more people need to see. Note that I did not use the term 'underrated', as I believe they were just overlooked for various reasons, and not necessarily rated lower than they deserve. The films are ranked worst to best, in my opinion. The series will end on October 31 with the film that I think is the best and scariest little-known horror flick. I have added two bonus films to compensate for the last two days.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-the-ritual-uses-its-arresting-desolate-setting-to-frightening-effect-527630">&nbsp;13 Days to Halloween: 'The Ritual' uses its arresting, desolate setting to frightening effect</a>

<h2>'Let the Right One In'</h2>

You have probably seen the Hollywood remake of Swedish feature 'Let the Right One In'. Directed by Matt Reeves, it is called 'Let Me In', and it is quite good, and mostly captures the atmosphere and tone of the Swedish film. But it is still not a patch on Tomas Alfredson's original. The story, based on a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, follows a troubled and bullied 12-year-old boy called Oskar Eriksson (Kåre Hedebrant) who befriends and falls in love with a young girl called Eli (Lina Leandersson) who is actually a 200-year old vampire.&nbsp;

Despite the bloody premise and one of the two main characters subsisting solely on human blood, 'Let the Right One In' is rather a sweet film, touching on themes of friendship, otherism, and belonging.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-deliver-us-from-evil-is-one-of-the-best-exorcism-films-ever-526727">13 Days to Halloween: 'Deliver Us from Evil' is one of the best exorcism films ever</a>

Bonus films:&nbsp;

<h2>'The Descent'</h2>

If you fear closed spaces, there are few movies scarier than 'The Descent' follows a group of women go spelunking in a cave system which is not explored by any human, at least not any surviving human. After their entrance collapses, they encounter pale, blind, beastly humanoid creatures that look a vaguely humanoid, if humans were not fully evolved. The film is a bloody, thrill ride that never lets up.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-found-footage-film-hell-house-llc-crafts-compelling-scares-527046">13 Days to Halloween: Found footage film 'Hell House LLC' crafts compelling scares</a> 
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-cargo-is-a-bleak-ruminative-zombie-film-527445">13 Days to Halloween: 'Cargo' is a bleak, ruminative zombie film</a>

<h2>'1408'</h2>

Based on a Stephen King story, '1408' features Joan Cusack as an author called Mike Enslin who delves into haunted houses and rents a room called 1408 that is supposed to be out of bounds. Despite the insistent warnings of of Samuel L Jackson's manager Gerald, he stays in that very room, believing himself to be a sceptical buster of myths believed by the masses. And there, he encounters things that change his complete outlook -- if he did come out alive, that is.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

For the '13 Days to Halloween' series, I collect, watch, and write about 13 brilliant and spooky 'underseen' movies that more people need to see. Note that I did not use the term 'underrated', as I believe they were just overlooked for various reasons, and not necessarily rated lower than they deserve. The films are ranked worst to best, in my opinion. The series will end on October 31 with the film that I think is the best and scariest little-known horror flick. I have added two bonus films to compensate for the last two days. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'The Ritual' uses its arresting, desolate setting to frightening effect 'Let the Right One In' You have probably seen the Hollywood remake of Swedish feature 'Let the Right One In'. Directed by Matt Reeves, it is called 'Let Me In', and it is quite good, and mostly captures the atmosphere and tone of the Swedish film. But it is still not a patch on Tomas Alfredson's original. The story, based on a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, follows a troubled and bullied 12-year-old boy called Oskar Eriksson (Kåre Hedebrant) who befriends and falls in love with a young girl called Eli (Lina Leandersson) who is actually a 200-year old vampire. Despite the bloody premise and one of the two main characters subsisting solely on human blood, 'Let the Right One In' is rather a sweet film, touching on themes of friendship, otherism, and belonging. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Deliver Us from Evil' is one of the best exorcism films ever Bonus films: 'The Descent' If you fear closed spaces, there are few movies scarier than 'The Descent' follows a group of women go spelunking in a cave system which is not explored by any human, at least not any surviving human. After their entrance collapses, they encounter pale, blind, beastly humanoid creatures that look a vaguely humanoid, if humans were not fully evolved. The film is a bloody, thrill ride that never lets up. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: Found footage film 'Hell House LLC' crafts compelling scares Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Cargo' is a bleak, ruminative zombie film '1408' Based on a Stephen King story, '1408' features Joan Cusack as an author called Mike Enslin who delves into haunted houses and rents a room called 1408 that is supposed to be out of bounds. Despite the insistent warnings of of Samuel L Jackson's manager Gerald, he stays in that very room, believing himself to be a sceptical buster of myths believed by the masses. And there, he encounters things that change his complete outlook -- if he did come out alive, that is.

13 Days to Halloween: 'Let the Right One In' is not your typical vampire film

For the '13 Days to Halloween' series, I collect, watch, and write about 13 brilliant and spooky 'underseen' movies that more people need to see. Note that I did not use the term 'underrated', as I believe they were just overlooked for various reasons, and not necessarily rated lower than they deserve. The films are ranked worst to best, in my opinion. The series will end on October 31 with the film that I think is the best and scariest little-known horror flick.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-deliver-us-from-evil-is-one-of-the-best-exorcism-films-ever-526727">13 Days to Halloween: 'Deliver Us from Evil' is one of the best exorcism films ever</a>

When I saw 'The Ritual' back in 2018, I did not think much of it. Based on Adam Nevill's book of the same name, David Bruckner's 'The Ritual' is about four friends Phil, Dom, Hutch, and Luke ( (Arsher Ali, Sam Troughton, Robert James-Collier, and Rafe Spall, respectively) who go on hiking in northern Sweden to honour their departed common friend's memory. After bad weather and winds, they decide to cut through a forest rather than go through a marked trail to shorten their route. And that ends up being their undoing.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vfugwq2uoa0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The film appeared to be a not-very-interesting knock-off of many, better horror films with its premise. But a second viewing led me to appreciate its many pleasures. Yes, it still feels derivative, but it is more of an inspiration than an imitation.

The group encounters strange things in the woods, like a gutted carcass of an elk hanging from a tree and pagan symbols on the trees, and then a human torso without its head and elk antlers as his hands. They decide to take shelter in an abandoned cottage and think about their next course of action. There is, clearly, something wrong in this godforsaken place. But then they begin to lose their sanity and appear to do strange things without meaning to.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-found-footage-film-hell-house-llc-crafts-compelling-scares-527046">13 Days to Halloween: Found footage film 'Hell House LLC' crafts compelling scares</a>

It's a forest, but this is a predator unlike any other on earth. And true enough, a hellish creature stalks them, playing on their fear. The survivors, Luke and Dom, believe at one point that they have evaded the creature, but then their circumstances enter the really terrifying territory.

'The Ritual' uses its picturesque, desolate setting to instill a sense of dread right at the beginning before any untoward has occurred to the group. It does feel like a place a monster might inhabit, away from civilisation. There are gorgeous shots of mountains and valleys. It is an austere place that one will appreciate but from a distance.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-_3-days-to-halloween-cargo-is-a-bleak-ruminative-zombie-film-527445">13 Days to Halloween: 'Cargo' is a bleak, ruminative zombie film</a>

Despite the creature in question, though, 'The Ritual' is not really a creature feature. We do not see the monsters until the very end. Which is worth it. The design of the monster, a pagan god, is fascinating in an unsettling way.

With a runtime of fewer than 100 minutes, 'The Ritual' is lean and mean. It has thrills, scares, and boasts of a beautifully immersive setting that belies the evil within.

'The Ritual' is available on Netflix.

For the '13 Days to Halloween' series, I collect, watch, and write about 13 brilliant and spooky 'underseen' movies that more people need to see. Note that I did not use the term 'underrated', as I believe they were just overlooked for various reasons, and not necessarily rated lower than they deserve. The films are ranked worst to best, in my opinion. The series will end on October 31 with the film that I think is the best and scariest little-known horror flick. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Deliver Us from Evil' is one of the best exorcism films ever When I saw 'The Ritual' back in 2018, I did not think much of it. Based on Adam Nevill's book of the same name, David Bruckner's 'The Ritual' is about four friends Phil, Dom, Hutch, and Luke ( (Arsher Ali, Sam Troughton, Robert James-Collier, and Rafe Spall, respectively) who go on hiking in northern Sweden to honour their departed common friend's memory. After bad weather and winds, they decide to cut through a forest rather than go through a marked trail to shorten their route. And that ends up being their undoing. The film appeared to be a not-very-interesting knock-off of many, better horror films with its premise. But a second viewing led me to appreciate its many pleasures. Yes, it still feels derivative, but it is more of an inspiration than an imitation. The group encounters strange things in the woods, like a gutted carcass of an elk hanging from a tree and pagan symbols on the trees, and then a human torso without its head and elk antlers as his hands. They decide to take shelter in an abandoned cottage and think about their next course of action. There is, clearly, something wrong in this godforsaken place. But then they begin to lose their sanity and appear to do strange things without meaning to. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: Found footage film 'Hell House LLC' crafts compelling scares It's a forest, but this is a predator unlike any other on earth. And true enough, a hellish creature stalks them, playing on their fear. The survivors, Luke and Dom, believe at one point that they have evaded the creature, but then their circumstances enter the really terrifying territory. 'The Ritual' uses its picturesque, desolate setting to instill a sense of dread right at the beginning before any untoward has occurred to the group. It does feel like a place a monster might inhabit, away from civilisation. There are gorgeous shots of mountains and valleys. It is an austere place that one will appreciate but from a distance. Also Read: 13 Days to Halloween: 'Cargo' is a bleak, ruminative zombie film Despite the creature in question, though, 'The Ritual' is not really a creature feature. We do not see the monsters until the very end. Which is worth it. The design of the monster, a pagan god, is fascinating in an unsettling way. With a runtime of fewer than 100 minutes, 'The Ritual' is lean and mean. It has thrills, scares, and boasts of a beautifully immersive setting that belies the evil within. 'The Ritual' is available on Netflix.

13 Days to Halloween: 'The Ritual' uses its arresting, desolate setting to frightening effect

Brad Ingelsby's HBO crime drama miniseries 'Mare of Easttown' was one of my favourite TV shows of 2021. A compelling mystery, well-realised small-town setting, the writing, direction, and finally a stellar cast led by a peerless Kate Winslet, it all made for a few hours of high-quality television. Imagine my surprise when I was told that it might have been derivative of Sally Wainwright's 'Happy Valley', a British BBC One show whose existence I had not even been aware of. And indeed, the similarities are eerie. 'Happy Valley' also has at its centre a bit cranky but tough middle-aged policewoman. She is also divorced, one of her children died by suicide before the events of the show, and she is saddled with a young grandson.

All this did tone down my glowing opinion of 'Mare of Easttown' a bit, but not Winslet's tour-de-force performance, which remains one of the best acting I have seen on the small screen. But it did, eventually, inspire me to watch 'Happy Valley' season 1 (or series 1 as the Brits call it), and boy am I glad I did it. 'Happy Valley' is not only a great show, but it is also several notches above in terms of quality than its HBO spawn.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GeSSqcgzWss" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) is still recovering from her daughter Becky's suicide eight years ago. She lives with her sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran) who also assists her in taking care of Becky and her rapist's child Ryan (Rhys Connah). The battle over whether to keep Ryan, a product of rape led to Catherine's divorce from her ex-husband Richard (Derek Riddell) and her estrangement with her son Daniel (Karl Davies).

Meanwhile, the said rapist Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) is released from prison -- he was locked up for drug charges -- leading Cawood to get worried about spotting him while out and about. She does not believe she would be able to keep her rage in control.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Catherine, Royce becomes secretly involved in an abduction of a young girl Ann Gallagher (Charlie Murphy). And Cawood gets the wind of this.

Across its six episodes, 'Happy Valley' series 1 tells a story of a woman coming to terms with her inner demons like guilt and grief even as she hunts the abductors to save the girl. Despite all the darkness in the show, 'Happy Valley' is a refreshing departure from the trappings of American crime dramas with all the colours leached out of the landscape, melancholic tone, and characters that tacitly appear to say they would rather be anywhere but here.&nbsp;
<img alt="happy valley" data-caption="James Norton and Adam Long in 'Happy Valley'." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fece94e6-0200-4d94-9580-8d4f8e2b8588" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Happy-Valley.jpg" />
In contrast, 'Happy Valley' has a vitality that is rarely seen in the genre. The setting, a stunningly beautiful town called Hebden Bridge surrounded by verdant fields and gently rolling hills, belies a dark underbelly. It is not exactly a shining example of economic prosperity. Here, the prevalent drug trafficking has crippled the working class, and all signs suggest the authorities are not only privy to all the criminal activity, but extremely involved. The police officers, no matter how honest, have to heed their superiors' orders to not delve too deep into this whole thing. And not even the haves are untouched by the impact, as Catherine is painfully well aware.

Royce was a product of that environment. The show, wisely I thought, does not excuse his atrocious actions but does paint a picture of the kind of society that births these monsters. Royce is undoubtedly a vile man who deserves to rot in jail his whole life, but he grew up in a squalid neighbourhood to a druggie, abusive woman, and never knew his father.&nbsp;

No wonder then that he grew up to be an out-and-out psychopath. Norton, with all his beauty, is spookily believable in the role, perfectly embodying the stoic maniac schtick.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-black-adam-movie-review-dwayne-johnsons-action-packed-dc-movie-is-let-down-by-a-subpar-script-526998">'Black Adam' movie review: Dwayne Johnson's action-packed DC movie is let down by a subpar script</a>

Lancashire plays the role of world-weary, dry-humoured policewoman even better than Winslet. It is an incredible, transfixing performance, bringing out an emotionally damaged woman who still unfailingly keeps up the take-no-prisoners attitude, and tries to keep her family, which has not recovered after Becca's death, together. Catherine feels less like a character invented by a screenwriter, and more like a citizen of Hebden Bridge who one can meet if they happen to visit the place.&nbsp;

In the first scene of the show, Catherine tries to stop a spurned lover from burning himself to death. He says something along the lines of she doesn't understand his pain. She responds with a matter-of-fact tone of a woman who has seen all this and more before, "I'm Catherine by the way. I'm 47, I'm divorced. I live with me sister who's a recovering heroin addict. I've two grown-up children, one dead, one who doesn't speak to me and a grandson, so…"'

'Happy Valley' series 1 is masterfully gripping television. It is available in India on BookMyShow Stream. 
&nbsp;

Brad Ingelsby's HBO crime drama miniseries 'Mare of Easttown' was one of my favourite TV shows of 2021. A compelling mystery, well-realised small-town setting, the writing, direction, and finally a stellar cast led by a peerless Kate Winslet, it all made for a few hours of high-quality television.

Brad Ingelsby's HBO crime drama miniseries 'Mare of Easttown' was one of my favourite TV shows of 2021. A compelling mystery, well-realised small-town setting, the writing, direction, and finally a stellar cast led by a peerless Kate Winslet, it all made for a few hours of high-quality television. Imagine my surprise when I was told that it might have been derivative of Sally Wainwright's 'Happy Valley', a British BBC One show whose existence I had not even been aware of. And indeed, the similarities are eerie. 'Happy Valley' also has at its centre a bit cranky but tough middle-aged policewoman. She is also divorced, one of her children died by suicide before the events of the show, and she is saddled with a young grandson. All this did tone down my glowing opinion of 'Mare of Easttown' a bit, but not Winslet's tour-de-force performance, which remains one of the best acting I have seen on the small screen. But it did, eventually, inspire me to watch 'Happy Valley' season 1 (or series 1 as the Brits call it), and boy am I glad I did it. 'Happy Valley' is not only a great show, but it is also several notches above in terms of quality than its HBO spawn. Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) is still recovering from her daughter Becky's suicide eight years ago. She lives with her sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran) who also assists her in taking care of Becky and her rapist's child Ryan (Rhys Connah). The battle over whether to keep Ryan, a product of rape led to Catherine's divorce from her ex-husband Richard (Derek Riddell) and her estrangement with her son Daniel (Karl Davies). Meanwhile, the said rapist Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) is released from prison -- he was locked up for drug charges -- leading Cawood to get worried about spotting him while out and about. She does not believe she would be able to keep her rage in control. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Catherine, Royce becomes secretly involved in an abduction of a young girl Ann Gallagher (Charlie Murphy). And Cawood gets the wind of this. Across its six episodes, 'Happy Valley' series 1 tells a story of a woman coming to terms with her inner demons like guilt and grief even as she hunts the abductors to save the girl. Despite all the darkness in the show, 'Happy Valley' is a refreshing departure from the trappings of American crime dramas with all the colours leached out of the landscape, melancholic tone, and characters that tacitly appear to say they would rather be anywhere but here. In contrast, 'Happy Valley' has a vitality that is rarely seen in the genre. The setting, a stunningly beautiful town called Hebden Bridge surrounded by verdant fields and gently rolling hills, belies a dark underbelly. It is not exactly a shining example of economic prosperity. Here, the prevalent drug trafficking has crippled the working class, and all signs suggest the authorities are not only privy to all the criminal activity, but extremely involved. The police officers, no matter how honest, have to heed their superiors' orders to not delve too deep into this whole thing. And not even the haves are untouched by the impact, as Catherine is painfully well aware. Royce was a product of that environment. The show, wisely I thought, does not excuse his atrocious actions but does paint a picture of the kind of society that births these monsters. Royce is undoubtedly a vile man who deserves to rot in jail his whole life, but he grew up in a squalid neighbourhood to a druggie, abusive woman, and never knew his father. No wonder then that he grew up to be an out-and-out psychopath. Norton, with all his beauty, is spookily believable in the role, perfectly embodying the stoic maniac schtick. Also Read: 'Black Adam' movie review: Dwayne Johnson's action-packed DC movie is let down by a subpar script Lancashire plays the role of world-weary, dry-humoured policewoman even better than Winslet. It is an incredible, transfixing performance, bringing out an emotionally damaged woman who still unfailingly keeps up the take-no-prisoners attitude, and tries to keep her family, which has not recovered after Becca's death, together. Catherine feels less like a character invented by a screenwriter, and more like a citizen of Hebden Bridge who one can meet if they happen to visit the place. In the first scene of the show, Catherine tries to stop a spurned lover from burning himself to death. He says something along the lines of she doesn't understand his pain. She responds with a matter-of-fact tone of a woman who has seen all this and more before, "I'm Catherine by the way. I'm 47, I'm divorced. I live with me sister who's a recovering heroin addict. I've two grown-up children, one dead, one who doesn't speak to me and a grandson, so…"' 'Happy Valley' series 1 is masterfully gripping television. It is available in India on BookMyShow Stream.

'Happy Valley' series 1 review: A gripping crime drama series that inspired Kate Winslet's 'Mare of Easttown'

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Kshitij Mohan Rawat

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