paranormal

Paranormal Activity 4 Now on Netflix

October 11, 2013 By Horror Palace Leave a Comment

From Netflix: The chilling saga of the young and psychotic Katie turns a new page, and the homicidal spirit she embodies claims a new gallery of victims. As the atmosphere goes from strange to stranger, a mysterious husband, wife and child move in down the block.

The Netflix promotional statement has a little too much bravado for the latest installment of the Paranormal Activity film series. “Die Hard” fans will be ok with it, especially if you enjoy the teen “cuteness” of Alex (Kathryn Newton). Likely the weakest of the series, it delivers a little scar when Alex gets locked in the garage. You can feel a claustrophobic sensation and rooting for her to get out.

Paranormal Activity dates back to 2007 with wide-spread release in 2009. The films involve a family haunted by an evil spirit that not only terrifies family and friends, but murders as well. The visual aspect is produced by camcorders and security surveillance cameras.

Paranormal Activity 3, 4, and 4 (unrated edition) are all available on Netflix. The premiere of Paranormal Activity is not currently available on Netflix, and #2 is claimed to be available, but it apparently is not.

There are at least two more films planned in the film series and a potential spin-off all due out in 2014.

Don’t Have Netflix?

You can watch Paranormal Activity FREE on Amazon!

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The Green-Eyed Monster (Book Review)

March 10, 2013 By Horror Palace Leave a Comment

Book: The Green-Eyed Monster
Year: 2012
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Author: Mike Robinson
Language: English
Chapters: N/A
Pages: 240
Type: Novel

Author’s Summary: Martin Smith and John Becker: bestselling authors with ordinary names and extraordinary minds. Their words have power — to heal, to kill, to change the lives of their “characters” in shocking and unexpected ways. Famous for their uncanny similarity in both physical manner and literary voice, their childhood rivalry spins out of control into adulthood. The death of one at the hands of the other brings to light their troubling past — and a mysterious presence, watching on from the shadows — an authorial entity with roots beyond our time or dimension; an entity with far-reaching designs. The pen is truly mightier than the deadliest sword.

Review: This novel has ties with butterflies that create chaos and hallucinations into people’s minds. It’s has a science fiction slant with paranormal activities.

There are two main characters; Martin Smith and John Becker – these 2 buddies were born at the same time amongst the amuck of the world. They both have uncanny abilities, and while growing up in their youthful spirit they make up their own friends in their minds. Neither of them have real friends so they rely on each other to appease the social construct they woefully lack. While the story progresses…a cynical end approaches and in some weird way you are routing for them in belief that these loners in some way will change the dynamic that happened before.

I personally wasn’t a fan at the lay out of the novel. To me it seemed as though there were too many writers involved in the story and it was extremely confusing to me which made it a very difficult read. Not to bash on The Green-Eyed Monster but I think this horror book is more for the deep thinking, mysterious-minded individuals who like an adventure in the vein of “it was Professor Klum in the mansion” a-la a game from my youth (many will comprehend the analogy), where you thrust your thought-process into a deep psycho-analysis that for me completely took me out.

The Green-Eyed Monster is available to purchase at Amazon and Barnes & Noble in Paperback print form with the lowest price being $11.04. If you want the Electronic Version or E-Book Version click over at the bottom, or…a simple search will guide you to Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo for a price of $4.99 which can be downloaded immediately after payment goes through. This is more of a horror literary read and was a toughie, so if you like mind-numbing reads this is for you, all others looking to escape and have a good time with a book in hand, please beware that The Green-Eyed Monster is far more than relaxing time. My ratings, suggestions and links are below.

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Reviewer: Dark Goddess
Date: 03/10/2013
Rating: 4/10
Suggestion: Paperback: Avoid
Suggestion: E-Book: Avoid

Blackstone (Book Review)

September 26, 2012 By Horror Palace Leave a Comment

Book: Blackstone
Year: 2012
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Author: Jared Sandman
Language: English
Chapters: 30
Pages: Paperback = 312, E-Book = 315
Type: Novel

Author’s Summary: WELCOME TO BLACKSTONE – Designed by a madman, built with inmate labor and home to the nation’s worst criminals, Blackstone Penitentiary was considered the Alcatraz of the Midwest. Over a one-hundred-year history, it amassed the more odious distinction of being the most haunted location in America. PAROLE WILL BE GRANTED – No longer in operation and left abandoned, it awaits renovation for inclusion to the National Register of Historic Places. Spearheading the ambitious restoration project is Anthony Creighton, a caretaker seeking to unlock the reformatory’s long-buried secrets. He enlists four strangers to help in that mission, individuals who possess extraordinary psychic abilities. Along with a skeptical scientist, the group embarks on the first full-scale paranormal investigation of the notorious prison. Their goal: to confirm the existence of life after death. TO ANYONE WHO SURVIVES THE NIGHT – Six guests. Ten thousand ghosts. And all of them fighting to escape.

Review: I’ll tell you I was in the mood for a good supernatural book when I started reading Blackstone. Lost souls are trapped in an abandoned penitentiary because the warden tortured the prisoners by conducting experiments with the aid of a perverse doctor. These diabolical men injected the prisoners with a concoction of so called medicine or drugs which turns the unsuspecting inmates sicker and sicker into psychosis and craziness until they die.

Jump to some of the lead characters in the book; Anthony Creighton is the president of the Grant County Historical (a Museum of sorts) in Marion, Indiana. He recruits 5 people to help him investigate paranormal activities in this barbaric and desolate penitentiary. Each one of the 5 people has psychic abilities which grab your attention reading onwards. There are killings; there are thousands of ghosts with no escape from this eerie building.

Blackstone has tons of positives and I am going to be on the vague style because this is one must have book in your collection. The story keeps you guessing and involved which leads to you continue reading without putting the book down. Blackstone is a longer horror novel too, which I am proud to say I was excited with. If a book doesn’t keep you entertained it can become a struggle to get through if you’re not lost into the story.

On closing albeit quick review not to spoil a single drop of the storyline and action, it reminded me of another horror novel by one of the most recognizable authors out there, Stephen King. If you ever seen the TV miniseries Rose Red and enjoyed that, Blackstone is right up your alley. This novel is available as a full printed out Paperback book at Amazon on their publishing platform for $15.00. You can also get the E-Book or Kindle Edition at a low price of $3.99. Blackstone gets the highest marks possible. It is a 10 and should be purchased in one form or another, it is a gripping, vivid and scary story that horror readers will love. My ratings, suggestions and links are below.

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Reviewer: Dark Goddess
Date: 09/26/2012
Rating: 10/10
Suggestion: Paperback: Buy
Suggestion: E-Book: Buy

Meadowoods Review

June 24, 2012 By Horror Palace Leave a Comment

Movie: Meadowoods
Year: 2010
Studio: Monterey Media
Director: Scott Phillips
Stars: Michael Downey, Kay Ethen, Kerry Goodwin
Language: English
Length: 88 Minutes
Sub-Genre: Thriller, Found Footage

Plot: When three very warped college kids plot to torture and murder a randomly chosen fellow student, they craft an elaborate, ghoulish killing chamber and keep a video diary to chronicle their bloody exploit. But as the pals proceed with their ghastly plan, the violence they unleash threatens to consume them as well.

Review: In the long and tiresome list of horror movies that have adopted the handheld scenario, Meadowoods, is just another one in the ever growing line of failed movies that have tried to capture the fame that The Blair Witch Project received, and more recently Paranormal Activity.

The storyline is kind of ridiculous. You have 3 college buddies who want to be “known” for something. They live in a small, uneventful city and want to make their mark on society and be famous, or infamous, depending on your outlook. They decide they will document a murder on film, then shelve the video and release it in their old age.

I am not a backer of these style films. With Meadowoods, you get the shaky cam constantly with cut off heads, dizzying fast movement camera clutter, out of frame video, in-and-out focus, and many sky and ground shots with weak dialog in the background. On top of that, the Director felt the need to go back-and-forth between interviews and footage of the 3 friends concocting this plan of murder. Albeit with pretty lame acting and unexciting characters.

There is a positive to this movie, once the plan starts to unfold and unravel, it does get quite freaky, and there is a twist that most viewers wont expect. Still though, that is over an hour into the movie, and by then you are completely out of the flick. Put simply, Meadowoods should be avoided. Chalk it up as another crappy handheld horror film.

Reviewer: BillChete
Date: 06/24/2012
Rating: 2/10
Recommendation: Avoid

Trailer: Watch
DVD: Overstock
BluRay: N/A
Social Media: Facebook

Evidence Review

April 5, 2012 By Horror Palace Leave a Comment

Movie: Evidence
Year: 2011
Studio: RynoRyder Productions
Director: Howie Askins
Stars: Ryan McCoy, Brett Rosenberg
Language: English
Length: 73 Minutes
Sub-Genre: Found Footage

Plot: Four friends embark on a camping trip to an isolated wilderness to shoot a documentary one of them is making. On the first night the group hear blood-curdling cries and see unexplainable shadows surrounding the camp causing them to question whether they should leave. Suddenly the night takes a terrifying turn when one of the group goes missing and the remaining three realize they are being brutally hunted… but by what?

Review: Well, where should I begin? With the past success of The Blair Witch Project and the most recent success of the Paranormal Activity series, the found footage film is alive and well…which most of the time sucks for the horror fan. Let me be honest here, I am not a huge fan of the found footage sub-genre, but occasionally there is something worth writing about. And Evidence just might be that “needle in a haystack”, if I do say so myself.

It is your basic run of the mill story about a group of friends that decide to take a camping trip. One of the friends decides to make a documentary film about his best friend and his first time “roughing it, in the great outdoors.” It does start out giving you that feeling of…”I’ve seen this before.” Well folks, not for long. This movie is not like anything you have watched in the past. I really don’t want to give too much away about this film, but damn do I want to.

The initial opening act of the film deals with some very cool characters that are very easy to connect with, which is mainly due to the fact that they are likable in a sense. The film does have a few slow spots, but the characters keep you into the film. But hey, once this thing gets going…boy does it get going.

In the second part of the film, we start to get to the good stuff. The friends start hearing things and seeing some strange things that peak their interest, and make them want to get the hell out of the woods. In Evidence, you actually get to see some of the strange goings on before it is balls to the wall in the third act.

The third act is an act all unto itself, and that might just be an understatement. Talk about a twist to the end of this film. I think it has more twists, ups and downs, and insanity than a roller coaster. The things at the end of this film, I have never seen before, and I have been talking about this movie all day. I can’t wait to watch it again, and look for things that I am sure I missed.

Evidence will affect you that is for sure…just be prepared to see things that you haven’t seen before. Give this movie a chance, even if you’re not a fan of found footage. You might just be surprised at this little movie. You won’t be disappointed…I know that I wasn’t.

Check out Land Of The Creeps with myself and GregaMortis and “Help Keep Horror Alive.”

Reviewer: Haddonfield Hatchet
Date: 04/05/2012
Rating: 7½/10
Recommendation: Buy

Trailer: Watch
DVD: Amazon.uk
BluRay: N/A
Social Media: Facebook

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