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~ Dissecting horror films

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Tag Archives: michael chaves

The Persistence of the Franchise Haunting: Revisiting The Conjuring: Last Rites and I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)

26 Sunday Oct 2025

Posted by surgeons of horror in Uncategorized

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freddie prinze jr, i know what you did last summer, jennifer love hewitt, michael chaves, patrick willson, the conjuring, the warrens, Vera Farmiga

As Halloween draws near, horror once again becomes a shared ritual — a season of remembrance for stories that refuse to stay dead. Surgeons of Horror continues its Halloweekend celebration by exploring two of the year’s biggest horror sequels — The Conjuring: Last Rites and I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) — both of which resurrect familiar spirits for a new generation. Each film proves that in horror, the past is never truly buried. It lingers, waiting to be summoned.


In horror, nothing stays buried for long. The genre thrives on return — the killer who rises again, the curse that refuses to fade, the franchise that won’t go quietly into the night. As Halloween approaches, two recent releases — The Conjuring: Last Rites and I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) — embody that familiar resurrection instinct. Both reach back into the collective unconscious of horror fandom, summoning their mythologies for one more invocation. The result? A cinematic séance with two very different spirits.

Where The Conjuring franchise has become synonymous with ecclesiastical dread and the poetics of possession, Last Rites marks its most reflective chapter yet. It is less about the shrieks in the dark than the quiet toll of faith under siege. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return with a weary grace, embodying spiritual endurance as Ed and Lorraine Warren face a final reckoning. The film’s success — the highest-grossing in the series to date — suggests that audiences still crave the sacred amid the spectral. Horror, after all, has always been the Church of the uncertain.

Director Michael Chaves, whose previous entries divided fans, appears here at his most composed. The film leans on ritual and rhythm, crafting its horror from slow encroachment rather than surprise. Where early Conjuring installments sought to make the invisible visible — the demonic literalised through spectacle — Last Rites internalises the terror. It becomes about spiritual corrosion and the limits of belief. The scares are fewer, but the unease lingers longer, like a stain that refuses absolution.

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES: BUY OR RENT NOW

If The Conjuring franchise operates as a gothic cathedral — all solemnity, candlelight, and conviction — then I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is its neon-lit funhouse mirror. Twenty-eight years on from the original, the slasher that once defined late-’90s cool has been reborn for a postmodern audience weaned on legacy sequels and self-awareness. The returning players — older, guiltier, carrying the weight of past sins — are now haunted less by the killer with a hook than by the cultural echo of their own youth.

The new Summer trades the slick polish of the original for something darker and more psychologically knotted. Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson injects a contemporary anxiety into the glossy nostalgia — an unease about memory, mythmaking, and the impossibility of escape in a world where the past is always trending. It’s a film about being haunted by an earlier version of yourself, both on-screen and off. If The Conjuring: Last Rites examines faith as a haunted institution, I Know What You Did Last Summer dissects nostalgia as a haunted emotion.

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER: BUY OR RENT NOW

Taken together, the two films form an accidental dialogue about horror’s relationship with repetition. The genre has always been cyclical — the curse that returns, the scream that echoes — but in 2025, the loop feels newly self-conscious. We no longer revisit the past merely to reanimate it; we revisit to interrogate it. What does it mean that we find comfort in repetition? That audiences continue to gather for another exorcism, another confession, another reckoning with sins once buried? Perhaps the modern horror franchise is the truest ghost story of all: one where the spectre is the story itself, forever refusing release.

It’s telling that both films found such success not by reinventing their formulas but by leaning into legacy. The Conjuring: Last Rites positions itself as a summation — the solemn benediction of a franchise that once defined a new wave of studio horror. I Know What You Did Last Summer, meanwhile, taps into the ironic nostalgia economy, where a wink to the camera can coexist with genuine bloodletting. Between them lies the spectrum of modern horror’s obsessions: belief, guilt, and the inability to let go.

As studios mine familiar IPs for one more scare, it’s easy to be cynical. Yet these films remind us that the franchise model, at its best, functions like folklore — stories retold, reshaped, and reinterpreted for each generation. Every return is an exorcism, every revival a confession. And as long as we keep watching, the ghosts — cinematic or otherwise — will keep coming back.

In this year’s crowded Halloween line-up, Last Rites and I Know What You Did Last Summer stand not as nostalgic curios, but as mirrors reflecting horror’s restless soul. The genre’s truest power has never been novelty, but endurance. Horror doesn’t die — it reincarnates, forever compelled to haunt itself.

  • Saul Muerte

This article is part of Surgeons of Horror’s 2025 Halloweekend coverage — a series of features and retrospectives exploring horror’s many faces, from sacred hauntings to nostalgic revivals. Stay tuned for upcoming deep dives into Weapons, The Toxic Avenger, Freakier Friday, The Evil Dead, and HIM — because Halloween isn’t just a night. It’s a ritual.

The Case That Ended It All… and the Love That Carried It.

11 Thursday Sep 2025

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review

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ed and lorraine warren, film, horror, michael chaves, movies, Patrick Wilson, the conjuring, the conjuring universe, Vera Farmiga

There’s a line I keep coming back to when watching The Conjuring: Last Rites: “The case that ended it all.” Not just for Ed and Lorraine Warren, whose final chapter this is meant to be, but for the sprawling universe their names have conjured into existence. Like every haunting, it’s less about the cold spots and whispers in the dark than it is about the people who believed enough to chase them. And at the heart of all this chasing, for over a decade now, have been Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.

If the devil lives in the details, then the soul of this franchise lives in their eyes. Wilson’s steady but haunted Ed, Farmiga’s luminous and fierce Lorraine—they’ve carried us through nun sightings, cursed dolls, crooked men, and endless houses rattling at 3 a.m. What’s remarkable is not that they convinced us to be afraid, but that they convinced us to believe in love. Their bond has been the true connective tissue of the Conjuring Universe, more powerful than holy water or a crucifix.

Michael Chaves, who has already carved his name into the annals of this cinematic scripture (The Curse of La Llorona, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, The Nun II), is tasked with the ultimate rite: closing the circle. He doesn’t swing for jump-scares or gore this time. Instead, he stages something quieter, almost tender. Yes, there are entities in shadowy corners, and the Warrens must confront forces that seem beyond human comprehension. But the real confrontation is with time, mortality, and the question of what we leave behind.

Watching Last Rites feels less like entering a haunted house and more like attending a vigil. Each scene reminds us that the Conjuring films were never really about demons—it was about the Warrens looking into the abyss together, hand in hand. And while the scares are muted, the harmony between Wilson and Farmiga remains intact, their chemistry now weathered but stronger, a testament to why audiences kept returning long after the first clap in the dark.

For longtime followers, this is less exorcism and more benediction. Chaves doesn’t so much slam the door shut as pass the candlelight forward. Whether the torch will ignite future stories in this universe, or flicker out with a final prayer, remains unknown. But there’s a sense of closure—like the last page of a well-worn case file, annotated not just with facts and evidence, but with love letters written in the margins.

The Prognosis:

If you came looking for terror, you may leave unsatisfied. But if you came looking for a farewell—an elegy for the haunted hearts who dared to investigate the impossible—then The Conjuring: Last Rites offers exactly that. A requiem, not for the dead, but for a love that kept the darkness at bay.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie Review: The Nun 2 (2023)

18 Monday Sep 2023

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, the conjuring franchise

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anna popplewell, jonas bloquet, michael chaves, storm reid, taissa farmiga, the conjuring universe, the nun 2, valak, warner bros

Here’s the thing with James Wan and the Conjuring Universe. The credo “if they don’t care, they
don’t scare” runs strong with him. For Wan & co, scares are good, but tension is better.

Which instantly tells you, they think about their films. And by that, I mean, they seem to air-check.
them. Especially new ones they enter into their franchise.

What evidence do we have to support this? Three off the top of our head, Annabelle Creation, The
Conjuring 2
and Insidious 2. (Although before you get up in arms, YES we know technically
Insidious isn’t part of the TCU, but spiritually it is – pun intended)

So, what do these movies have in common? Answer: they are all better than their chronological
predecessor. (Although I’ll also admit this is a bit of a stretch with The Conjuring, as that was a pretty
decent first outing. But its sequel is arguably at least as strong). And back to the point at hand, re:
the other 2 films, as far as Annabelle (blah) and Insidious (paint-by-numbers) is concerned, their 2nd
instalments are magnitudes better.

It’s as if the Wan production ethos is to sit down and say “Ok. I know we made money off these.
films, but where can we make them better? And what mistakes can we eliminate?”.

If this is true, it’s a very egoless way to run a production company (very rare in real life).
And regardless, the results speak for themselves; for whatever you think about the Wan cinematic.
universe, you have to admit there is something to the formula he and his team have developed.
Sure, their flicks are slick and therefore overtly “Hollywood”, but they are successful, and they are.
not afraid to develop & improve within their mainstream constraints.

So, it was with this framework I went into the Nun II a little keen. After all, even taking OUT the
above elements as a factor, the first film was so excrementally ordinary the filmmakers could have
got an Ai bot to write the script (YIKE! Uber sensitive topic at the time I’m publishing this – be
interesting to see how that all plays out, eh? Saul Muerte?) and it would have been better by a factor of 11.

Anyway – The Nun II picks up a year (We think…? It’s never really stated) after the first movie and 2
of our main leads are still with us. Taissa Farmiga’s Sister Irene, and Jonas Bloquet’s Maurice
(Frenchie).

The 3rd lead from the first film – Demian Bichir’s Father Burke – we soon learn has died off camera.
between movies. An accident? Or tactical foresight by Bichir? Maybe the demon did it…

For those of you who remember how we left it at the end of movie 1, The Nun was beaten, BUT
Frenchie was exorcist style infected by it. So he’s like a bad guy now….

And this new film doesn’t forget that, but they also go the route that Frenchie doesn’t control the
Nun possessing him; so he’s back to being a good guy, trying to stop the Nun from doing….what
exactly?

Well, it turns out she needs him to kill a bunch of people who are protecting an artifact macguffin
that will give her super-duper powers (or something) although the exact same artefact can inversely.
destroy her (natch).

Sister Irene is then pitted along with a new sidekick Sister Debra, played by Missing’s Storm Reid)
to take on The Nun in a school that is built over a deconsecrated monastery. (Frenchie works as a
caretaker in that school, you see).

Cue jump scares and what not.

The main cast is mostly female – yet more fuel for anti-woke men to lose their shit over… oh won’t
anybody think of the men!?? – with Narnia’s Anna Popplewell in the mix in a role thoroughly
underwhelming for her talent.

For you see, the Wan sequel formulae has failed this instalment big time; to the point I’m having a
hard time disbelieving he sat down in front of his team and said “Hey – in the spirit of switching
things up, how about we make this one worse?”.

It had such a low bar to jump over, but the Nun II is not only ordinary, it commits the unforgiveable
sin of not being scary. Like… at all. The movie at best has about 2 to 3 creepy moments, and that’s it.
The plot is holey (geddit) and internal logic wise, it just makes no sense. Even down to who the Nun
actually is. At several points she seems to appear in several guises at once as her nun avatar and its
original demon form Valek; but if it has the ability to be in more than 2 places at once in multiple
forms, then why does it even bother? By definition such power makes it impossible to beat, as she
can be anywhere she wants to be, yet it seems to go out of its way to not kill anyone (unless it’s a
random character we don’t care about – see 2nd sentence of this review) and its ability to appear in
different forms at different (or the same) time have no logical consistency at all.

Tassia Farmiga is utterly charmless (which is partially the fault of her character. But even if she is an
unworldly emissary of God, she can still be funny, or witty, or steely or something! Instead, she
presents as older and boring-er than she was the first-time round). Plus, several other characters
make some truly idiotic decisions.

The Prognosis:

Not just disappointing, it’s completely pointless. And to prove this with facts, it’s box office return is
already TRIPLE its budget. In an age where the inmates run the asylum, what further proof do you
need? Nun.

  • Antony Yee

Movie Review: The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

03 Thursday Jun 2021

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review

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michael chaves, Patrick Wilson, the conjuring 3, the conjuring universe, Vera Farmiga

The Warrens are back to conjure up the third instalment to the haunting tales based on the books written by Ed & Lorraine Warren, self professed demonologist and psychic (respectively), and the real life events of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, who in 1981 stabbed his land lord to death and they had a claim of demon possession in an attempt to get him off.

Putting the real life events to the side, the film was beautifully shot and constructed with a kind of precise planning that gives the viewer the confidence to see a kid contorting its possessed ickle body to cracking sounds and not instantly think the filmmakers had resorted to child abuse, but rather consider the plethora of crazy safety protocols that must go into filming such a scene.
[sigh]
Gone are the carefree, guerrilla days of The Adventures of Milo and Otis.

Ed and Lorraine are portrayed once again by the talented Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga continuing to keep the heart of these films lodged comfortably in your throat.
James Wan hands the reigns to Michael Chaves who brings the addition of many little homages from popular horror film culture such as The Exorcist and Re-animator while slotting in to the rhythm that keeps these movies franchising so well.

The Diagnosis:

Chaves demonstrated his understanding of the conjuring universe when he directed The Curse of La Llorona (or the Curse of the Weeping Woman) in 2019 and it seems clear that his vision for this universe aligns perfectly and will to continue tighten its hold over our fascination.

  • Richard Lovegrove

20 Horror films set to go under the knife in 2020

13 Monday Jan 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Uncategorized

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Tags

a quiet place sequel, antlers, anya taylor joy, army of the dead, bill murray, blumhouse productions, brahms, candyman, charlie heaton, chris rock, cillian murphy, clive barker, dan ackroyd, danny mcbride, darren lynn bousman, dave bautista, david gordon green, diana rigg, disney, edgar wright, elisabeth moss, emily blunt, ernie hudson, fantasy island, finn wolfhard, floria sigismondi, ghostbusters, ghostbusters afterlife, gretel and hansel, guillermo del toro, Halloween franchise, halloween kills, henry james, james di monaco, Jamie Lee Curtis, jared leto, jason blum, jason reitman, Jigsaw, john krasinski, Jordan Peele, keri russell, kristen stewart, Leigh Whannel, mackenzie davis, maggie q, maisie williams, marvel, matt smith, max minghella, michael chaves, michael pena, michael rooker, morbius, nia dacosta, nick antosca, nicolas pesce, Patrick Wilson, robert eggers, robert pattinson, samuel l jackson, Saw, sony, sophia lillis, Steven Spielberg, terence stamp, the brothers grimm, the conjuring, the conjuring 3, the grudge, The Invisible Man, the lighthouse, the new mutants, The Purge, the turning, the turning of the screw, the warrens, tyrese gibson, underwater, Universal Horror, Vera Farmiga, vincent cassel, Willem Defoe, zack snyder

100 years ago the Roaring Twenties came into effect with a social and economic boom that pushed the boundaries of experimentation and exploration dubbing it the crazy years. 

Cinema has evolved greatly during this time and spawned Robert Miene’s silent horror in German Expressionism, which is still considered a classic among some critics. 

While the tides have shifted and the boundaries of what is classified as horror has twisted through the years, moving numerous debates and discussions along the way, we come to a time when originality can be hard to come by, or perhaps the audience has become too critical and our perceptions have changed. 

Can the films of today cause a deeper development in the genre that we’ve come to love and like the films that were born a century ago stir the insanity again and break new ground in the process?

Let’s look at what 2020 has in store and see if indeed it will deliver.

Jan 23 – Underwater

This film has led some early reports to compare it to Alien but in the ocean deep instead of the far reaches of space. It does boast Kristen Stewart in the cast who may divide audiences and has been a bit hit and miss of late in her film choices but she is supported in this instance by Vincent Cassel, who is known for choosing experimental films. Does this then mean that this team of underwater researchers will uncover not only a few beasties but also break new ground in the process?

Prediction: Neither sink or swim. A drifter that will entertain some but not cast anything new into the cinematic landscape.

Jan 24 – The Turning

Based on Henry James novel, The Turn of the Screw and produced by Steven Spielberg, it stars Mackenzie Davis (Terminator: Dark Fate) and Finn “Can my hair grow any longer?” Wolfhard (Stranger Things) and bears close scrutiny as director Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep) is set to release an interpretation of the novel in Netflix series, The Haunting of Bly Manor, his follow up to the successful The Haunting of Hill House.

Prediction: Director Floria Sigismondi will no doubt bring some artistic visual flair that is evidence from her music videos, but could possibly fall foul of “popcorn syndrome” – Light, fluffy with a bit of crunch and serves the masses, but ultimately has no substance.

Jan 30 – The Grudge

Initially I was really excited about this release, being a fan of the Ju On franchise, plus Nicolas Pesce’s work with The Eyes of My Mother, and Piercing. Both movies have pushed the boundaries of comfort and shot in stylistic fashion that I was keen to see where Pesce would take The Grudge. Early reports haven’t been favourable however, so it could be another disappointment in the first month of the new decade.

Prediction: Could be another franchise instalment too many. The name alone will pull in the numbers, yet may not hit the mark on the scare front.

Jan 31 – Gretel and Hansel

It’s been over 200 years since The Brothers Grimm fashioned the fairy tale about a cannibalistic witch that kidnaps two children roaming in the woods. The fact that it is still resonates today is a testament to the strength of the storytelling and it will be interesting to see the story told from the perspective of Gretel played by Sophia Lillis (IT) who has already proved compelling as the young Beverly Marsh.

Prediction: Better than your average fair without necessarily offering anything new or compelling with the horror genre.

Feb 6 – The Lighthouse

Some may argue its place in this list, but it is billed as a psychological horror and director Robert Eggers has already made a name for himself in the artistic expressionism world within the genre with his debut feature, The VVitch, a film that also divided audiences. American audiences have already seen the movie too as it was released there last year, but as yet Australian audiences are still to see Eggers’ sophomore outing which pits Willem Defoe and Robert Pattinson against one another in a battle of wills and sanity in a remote and confined island.

Prediction: Will wow audiences looking for the alternative and alienate those more into the mainstream. Either way, both audiences will applaud the performances and Eggers and cinematographer Jarin Blaschke will paint a stunningly beautiful canvas.

Feb 13 – Fantasy Island

Blumhouse Productions are about to shake things up again by breathing new life into a cult 70s tv series. With a star-studded cast – Michael Pena (Crash), Maggie Q (Nikita), Lucy Hale (Pretty Little Liars), and Michael Rooker (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer).
On an island where your fantasies come true, only to turn into nightmares and the guests must figure out its mystery in order to survive.

Prediction: Another success for Jason Blum and the team which will connect with the cinema-going public. If it’s played right, it could offer a fresh take using a blend of fantasy and horror that could also spark a franchise 

Feb 21 – Brahms: The Boy ll

This one is a bit of an oddity. Whilst its predecessor was a middle of the road affair and proved to be better than expected. It did feel like a one-off movie that didn’t necessarily warrant any further journey into the world of Brahms. A sequel is here though and will pick up with the doll being discovered by another family.

Prediction: A flop that will fall by the wayside and may not even make a blip on the radar.

Feb 27 – The Invisible Man

Another Blumhouse movie, this time in collaboration with Universal to resurrect their monsters franchise after the abysmal Tom Cruise vehicle from a few years ago. In what is potentially a ripe and current topic being explored in domestic violence as its central theme The Invisible Man boasts a cracking cast with Elisabeth Moss taking lead duties. It’s also in great hands with director Leigh Whannel steering the ship following his successful movie Upgrade from last year, plus Whannel is a storyteller, so expect a decent script to boot.

Prediction: The first big success of the year bringing the Universal monsters franchise back on track and paving the way for future projects with The Bride, Renfeld, The Invisible Woman, and Frankenstein.

Mar 20 – A Quiet Place Part 2

The question is whether director John Krasiniski can repeat the winning formula from the first movie. This War of the Worlds style feature with an audio twist is more sci-fi than horror, but with the family in plight scenario held a strong connection with the audience. How will this translate now that there is an absent father?

Prediction: Cillian Murphy will provide some much needed gravitas to the narrative which will be strong enough to lift the audience through with some decent ups and downs to wrench up the tension. 

Apr 3 – The New Mutants

Since Disney took over Marvel operations, The New Mutants has been stuck in production, deemed a little dark for the House of Mouse questioning how to distribute it. The feature comes across as The Dream Warriors crossed with the X-Men and centres on 5 young mutants held in a secret facility against their will. It also boasts a cracking cast with Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones), Anya Taylor-Joy (The VVitch, Split), and Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things).

Prediction: Despite several delays I feel that this film is gonna connect in a big way and pull in a lot of people. It just depends on how dark Disney are willing to go with it.

Apr 17 – Antlers

Little is known about this movie other than it is based on a short story by Nick Antosca the creative mind behind the Channel Zero anthology series. The screenplay must have some potential to have caught the eye of Guillermo Del Toro and put his name down as producer.

Prediction: With Keri Russell in the cast to provide the fantasy elements in reality, this could well be the surprise hit of the year.

May 15 – Saw reboot

Currently titled The Organ Donor starring Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson and Max Minghella this reboot of the Saw franchise will see the return of the Jigsaw Killer, but without Tobin Bell… I think? With director Darren Lynn Bousman at the helm once more following his turn overseeing parts 2-4, he is no stranger to the world.

Prediction: Will put bums on seats for the shock gore factor alone, but will the buddy cop drama approach pay off? Time will tell.

Jun 11 – Candyman

This is gonna be a tough one to watch for me as I am such a huge fan of the original movie and like Freddy, Candyman would haunt my dreams for a long time after viewing. A lot of that has to do with the strength of Clive Barker’s short story coupled with Tony Todd’s personification of the titular character.
Part of me is willing for this to be a success though as I can see room for the movie to be delivered to a modern audience using folklore and mythology at its core, and the storyline itself can transcend easily through the ages. It will be interesting to see a female perspective in director Nia DaCosta to follow Helen’s journalistic investigations.

Prediction: Jordan Peele has attached his name to this project and is clearly passionate about the story, but one can’t help but feel this is one step too far in rekindling the old flame that resides within the Candyman story.

Jul 2 – Ghostbuster: Afterlife

I know it’s technically not a horror film, but I’m including this in the mix for its nostalgic value in me the original movie paved the love of horror that I have and opened the door to many more glorious visions in the genre ever since. The original team will return in some shape or form, but primarily the film centres around a mother and her two children who set up on a farm only to discover something paranormal lurking in the town.

Prediction: Another film that will be resting on the merits of the first film, and while it’s great to see Jason Reitman take on the franchise following in his father’s footsteps, one can only hope that there will be enough comedy, horror and sci-fi to capture that old magic, but I think it will just be a glimmer rather than that sparkle.

Jul 10 – The Purge 5

Supposedly returning for the final instalment the 12 hour no holds-barred, crimefest ignited something in the movie-going audience. It has seen five feature length instalments and 2 seasons.

Prediction: More of the same, so if you’re a fan of the series, you’ll love it. I for one think the films are fun and enjoyable and it will be interesting to see how James DiMonaco will conclude things.

Jul 30 – Morbius

Sony has promised to take the Marvel universe into dark territory before with Venom and here they intend to do so again with Morbius, the Living Vampire. Jared Leto will no doubt bring the goods for the titular role and is in good company with Matt Smith, Jared Leto, and Tyrese Gibson.

Prediction: Director Daniel Espinosa provides great entertaining and solid movies, such as Safe House and Life, and I see no change here to his formula, but still question if they can go dark enough to make it compelling for horror fans.

Sep 11 – The Conjuring 3 aka The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

The Conjuring universe has progressed in leaps and bounds since its initial release in 2013. There has been the odd blips, but essentially the films continue to entertain and scare audiences. This latest film will once again see the Warrens at the centre of proceedings, this time with one of their most publicised cases that bore witness to Arne Cheyenne Johnson claiming that he was possessed when he murdered.

Prediction: Solid acting, tight storyline, but may fall down with its delivery and exposition. Unfortunately Director Michael Chaves didn’t deliver with The Curse of La Llorona, so I fear that this may end up in a similar way, but am still willing to give it a chance.

Sep 17 – Last Night In Soho

Not much known about this one, but Edgar Wright has a knack for tapping the pulse of classic films and adapting their essence for a modern audience. This time around the psychological horror is inspired by Don’t Look Now and Polanski’s Repulsion both high in my all-time favourite lists

Prediction: A killer cast in Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Diana Rigg, and Terence Stamp, this could be the ‘big hit’ of the year.

Oct 15 – Halloween Kills

In 2018, David Gordon Green, Danny McBride and Jason Blum attempted the impossible, the resurrection of Michael Myers that would connect both fans of the original and connect with a new audience. By delving into the subject of trauma and the impact that this has on its victims, Myers became both topical and harrowing. His sheer brutality and the force in which he attacks his victims made his carnage all the more disturbing.

Prediction: The name and sheer presence of Myers will bring the audience to the screens, but can they still make him relevant? They can’t rest on the nostalgic nods this time around. It’s a fine line to walk on, for if they get it wrong, they could find their final instalment, Halloween Ends a tricky sell.

TBC – Army of the Dead

For sheer shits and giggles, and action-pumped mayhem from visual storyteller Zack Snyder, about a group of mercenaries who decide to rob a casino during a zombie outbreak, this film concludes our list.

Prediction: Starring Dave Bautista, Army of the Dead will be entertaining if nothing else. A perfect answer for those just wanting to get their kicks and not have to think too deeply.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: The Curse of the Weeping Woman

18 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review

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Tags

georges melies, James Wan, la llorona, michael burgess, michael chaves, patricia velasquez, raymond cruz, the conjuring universe, the curse of la llorona, the curse of the weeping woman, The Mummy

Taking place within the universe of The Conjuring, The Curse of the Weeping Woman (or The Curse of La Llorona internationally) is the first feature length work from director Michael Chaves. With strong casting choices throughout, what would be an otherwise typical film for the genre was transformed into a well-balanced, well-paced and thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Based upon the Mexican folk story ‘La Llorona’, or The Weeping Woman, who drowned her two sons in an act of revenge when jilted by her husband for a younger bride, La Llorona (Marisol Ramirez) was cursed to roam the Earth searching for children to replace those she lost. It is said that there is no escape from her once you hear her weeping and feel her tears against your skin.

Thus we find Anna (Linda Cardellini), a case worker and single mother to two children following the death of her husband, when Patricia (played by Patricia Velasquez who was Anck-Su-Namun in The Mummy Franchise… The Brendan Fraser Mummy Franchise… The good one) curses Cardellini’s children to be the next in La Llorona’s sights, leading her kids to get the fright of their short lives in a great little car sequence. Strong performances by Chris (Roman Christou) and his sister Sam (Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen) who deliver noteworthy scenes throughout the film.

Many innovative effects make an appearance with a fun sequence near the pool involving an umbrella, using simple masking techniques that would make Georges Méliès proud, but in the critical eye of our 4k resolution era may come off a little cheesy, yet I find myself applauding the filmmakers for allowing creative risks to be taken. Another moment that stays with you is an eerie bathroom scene will see you bathing using the buddy system.

The pace of the film takes a turn when Anna seeks out the assistance of former priest Rafael Olvera (Raymond Cruz) who completely steals the show with his dry wit and deadpan delivery that make you want to come back for more.

With cinematography by Hollywood royalty Michael Burgess and James Wan in the producer’s seat you know you’re in for a good time. Paying homage to recurring themes within the universe to connect stories in a way that can only advance its reach while at the same time terrifying audiences.

The Diagnosis:

Not quite scary enough to provoke cardiac arrest but enjoyable, particularly with a deadpan dose of Raymond Cruz.

  • Surgeon Richard Lovegrove & Anesthesiologist Kelsi Williams

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