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Simply put, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is the reason I go to the movies. In a story that is much darker and more grown up than the first entry, Hiccup and Toothless both go down a road of transformation that is as emotional as it is thrilling. The world is bigger and the dragons are exponentially more magical. Especially Toothless, who is officially one of the greatest computer generated creations of all time. His mannerisms and emotions are equal parts of any number of animals, yet he still feels like a creature that you could find if only you looked hard enough. Also of note is John Powell's score, which soars just as high as it did in the previous installment. It's majestic and beautiful in a way that can only be described as breathtaking. DreamWorks Animation seems to be in the business of churning out family friendly sequels that exist to retread what worked in the previous film and not trying much new. But make no mistake, HTTYD2 is much more akin to The Empire Strikes Back or The Dark Knight than it is Ice Age 2 or Madagascar 2. This is a new story with new characters who are faced with some tough decisions that have consequences. I can't wait to see where this series goes from here and how then end up capping off this trilogy but Dean DeBlois and Co. have set the bar very, very high with this entry. How To Train Your Dragon 2 gets my highest recommendation, as it's absolutely a must see movie for the family as well as for anyone that is still young at heart.

Remakes are a sensitive subject in cinema. There are camps of fans that will be excited to see a favorite story of theirs remade or re-imagined. Then there are camps of fans that will decry even the idea of their favorite film being remade, heralding the death and ruination of the original. Both sides are equally justified in their arguments, as once an audience sees a film it ceases to merely be a product of the production team. Ownership passes to the audience as the movie is experienced, and as such they are entitled to feel possessive. Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead is one such movie that has amassed a cult following in the 30 some odd years since its release, and feelings have been mixed since it was announced that it would be remade. The director was an unknown, the cast was a mixed bag of TV and indie film faces, and there was a decidedly large absence of Bruce Campbell. All of the ingredients were in place for this film to fail, and fail miserably. Trust me when I say that all of your worries are completely unfounded, and within your darkened theater, you have everything to fear.

The frame of the original's minimal story is present but embellished a bit to provide some weight for the characters. The five friends are at the cabin to help Mia (Jane Levy) detox from heroin cold turkey. Accompanying her are her friends Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Olivia (Jessica Lucas), her estranged brother David (Shiloh Fernandez), and his girlfriend Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore). There is some past history between the group involving the siblings strained relationship with their parents and each other, as well as some stress between David and the others after he skipped town. There is also a little prologue that opens the movie that gives a little background on what's happening for those unfamiliar with the overall story that also sets the tone of what's to come. These elements that make up the first act yield mixed results, and are honestly the weakest parts of the movie. The story and relationships are decent enough to get you invested in the primary characters but the rest are clearly established as demon fodder. The detox is also a realistic enough narrative ploy to keep them in the cabin until it's too late because, as we all know, heroin addicts will do anything to score another fix. The beginnings of Mia's possession are attributed to her sober manipulations to get back to humanity, so the weight of the situation doesn't hit the group until it's too late.

Once everything kicks into gear in the second act, Evil Dead proves that it belongs among the masterworks of the horror genre. It is a triumph of suspense, gore, and jump out of your seat scares, the likes of which haven't been seen in a long time. Fede Alvarez has the same keen eye for atmosphere and lighting that Raimi exhibited in the original, and for every genre convention that he breezes through he immediately sets a new standard for horror films to come. The amount of dismemberment and brutality on display are felt and experienced with every fiber of being thanks to some impressive makeup and effects. Something worth noting is that the effects Alvarez utilizes are almost entirely practical, leaving distracting CGI at the wayside. He's also smart enough to know that the best horror films are built like roller coasters and that you have to allow for moments of levity to lift some of the suspense. It is darkly hilarious at times and it's this sense of humor that is one of the greatest assets it carries over from the original, while not necessarily to the same degree.

Evil Dead pays its dues to its predecessor in the ways a remake should in the first two acts, and does a damn good job of it. But just when you think it's about to get wholly predictable, Alvarez kicks it into overdrive and flips the whole movie on its head. The finale is unpredictable, ruthless, and visceral to a degree that I didn't think the movie was capable of achieving. Horror films have a notable tendency to fizzle as ideas run dry in the third act, but Alvarez saves the best for last. Truthfully, it's one of the most satisfying and intense horror climaxes in decades.

If you're not a fan of the original, or the genre in general, then Evil Dead won't change your mind. It's not going to be a crossover hit that draws in the crowd outside of the one it's catered to. Also, there are some genre rules that are diligently followed, thanks to its tie to the original, which may seem hokey or weird to a modern audience. For fans of the campy cult classic they grew up with, Alvarez's Evil Dead is the realization of an impressive vision of horror approved of by both Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, and that should be all the encouragement you need to see this movie. For those that might still be on the fence, I'm here to tell you Evil Dead is well worth your money. It is everything you want from the established series and then some. By the end you will have laughed, cringed, shrieked, and cheered for the rebirth of a franchise that has been buried in the woods for far too long. Hail to the king baby!

Annabel is not ready to be a mother. She's a bass player in a punk rock band, she's dating Lucas, who is a starving artist as well, and she thanks the lord above that she's not pregnant. But on that same morning of reassurance that an impending pregnancy won't interrupt her rebellious and free-spirited life, Lucas gets the call that his nieces have been discovered in a cabin in the woods. Five years prior, they disappeared with their father after he killed their mother, and have survived by developing into feral creatures. Lucas, and a begrudging Annabel, fight in court to get custody of the socially handicapped little girls despite the fact that their therapist, Dr. Dreyfuss, doesn't think either of them are fit to be parents. But the alternative is the girls go with their only other family member, a great aunt that lives on the opposite coast, so he strikes a deal. He'll move them all into a house the hospital uses for transitioning families, all expenses paid, as long as he can continue to examine the girls. They begin to settle into their new lives as the girls come further and further out of their shell, only to discover that the girls are as alone in their bedrooms at night as they were in the woods.

Mama is a full-length adaptation of a two-minute film, both written and directed by Andres Muschietti. The film was so strong that Guillermo del Toro tasked the Spaniard with expanding the minimalistic narrative into a feature that is as scary and atmospheric as its inspiration. And I'm happy to say that, for the most part, he succeeded.

First of all are the negative aspects. All of the clichés are alive and well in Mama. Flickering lights, late night explorations sans flashlights or logic, characters that explain aspects of the story to come and then disappear, cheap jump scares rear their ugly head, and orchestral swells and crescendos dictate when to be scared. Mama doesn't make any attempts to reinvent the proverbial wheel of horror.

The good news is that all flaws aside, Mama ends up being very scary and surprisingly touching. Jessica Chastain fully commits to her role as Annabel and proves why she is one of today's rising stars. The development of her maternal instincts and emotional journey are wholly believable, and her chemistry with the two girls is excellent. Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse, as Victoria and Lilly, turn in equally believable and touching performances as two girls trying to find their place between their adopted and spiritual mothers. Neither one of them is tasked with easy jobs as the psychologically damaged children, but both of them succeed in being reasonably creepy and disarmingly innocent. The girls also provide some needed humor that is well timed to diffuse some tension and then serves ratchet it right back up. The real star of the show though is Mama herself. While she is more CGI than practical effects, Mama still makes for an effective creature that moves like a tortured marionette. And thanks to a disturbing back story, she also makes for a ghostly villain you can empathize with on some levels. She is not just your average boogey (wo)man.

The cinematography in Mama is astounding at times. A lot of horror films utilize quick camera cuts and edits to provide scares or reveal what scares await off screen. But Muschietti goes through a lot of trouble to keep the camera rolling and keeping the characters in frame, which goes a long way to building the tension. There is a roughly 5 minute long tracking shot at the end of the 2nd act that is relentlessly intense. Mama also creates one of the most atmospheric and moving nightmare sequences in recent memory. And even if the flickering lights and dark hallways have all been seen before, they are still well lit and utilized.

For what it's worth, Mama doesn't get everything right. There are plot holes abound, side characters are forgotten as fast as they're introduced, and the clichés are as present as they've ever been. But I urge you to look past the flaws and give Mama a chance. The scares are efficient and well earned without feeling too cheap. The principal characters are well developed and easy to empathize with when the terror hits, including "mama" herself. I walked in expecting a few halfway decent scares, but I found myself drawn in to a deep and oddly moving ghost story. Will Mama be remembered ten years from now? In all likelihood, no it won't. But while you're watching it makes for one hell of a frightening ride.

I would score Mama as a 7 out of 10.