The Conjuring Movie Review

I don't know about you guys but I sure do love me a good horror movie! 

Directed by James Wan and based on a true story, The Conjuring follows the story of two world renowned paranormal investigators, who are called upon to help the Perron family who experience hauntings in their secluded farmhouse. I don't want to give too much away as the story line is really good and it is made even scarier by the fact that it is based off real life paranormal investigators and events. For anyone who is interested, I have linked the trailer below:

One thing I must say I really liked was the trailer itself. By itself, the trailer was actually pretty terrifying! A lot of the trailer in horror movies tend to more or less give away the ending - this one built suspense before you even watched the movie!

As a whole, the acting in The Conjuring was really good and there were a lot of jump scares to keep you on edge! I loved that the overall feel was really creepy - seeing the clips of bodies hanging from the tree and swinging in the wind really got to me and made it all the more suspenseful!

"This James Wan scarefest is frighteningly effective and surprisingly spiritual. But the images it offers will haunt you long after you turn the lights back on". Full review

Paul Asay

This line from Paul Asay's review on the movie is one that I really agree with. Although, I did not find the movie itself overly scary, what made me a little scared afterwards was the whole idea of it actually being real. In his review, Chris Stuckmann summed this up by stating "the scariest thing to an audience is has nothing to do with what you see, but what you don't". This is very true for this movie. After the movie finished, it gave me a lot to think about and made me really uncomfortable for a good couple of hours!

I am sure in the years to come, Wan's The Conjuring will be known as a 'classic'. It is that good!

Rating: 4.5/5

BS: Top 6 Youtube Channels to Help You Study!

As a uni student, I have found myself studying content and terminology for countless hours but with still little solid understanding at the end. Because of this, I love to watch youtube videos as I go as it provides a visual representation of the content I am studying and puts it into context. Below, in no specific order, are my top 6 youtube channels for studying!

CrashCourse

 

I honestly cannot recommend this channel enough. Many different topics on this channel are taught by different people, including Hank Green who is John Green's brother. The videos are very colourful, engaging and interesting! I would not rely on this youtube channel as your sole study option for your unit but it is a very good resource for before, during and after studying for a basic understanding. 

TEDx Talks

 

I have found this channel very helpful for my teaching units as the channel offers a lot of teahcing related talks that I have found very beneficial. The guest speakers are usually from certain fields and have experience in what they are discussing. Some of the speakers are hilarious and really engage you!

SciShow

 

Like CrashCourse, every week various topics are explored by Hank Green and another speaker in a very interesting and engaging way! The thing I love about these channels is Hank's voice. I don't know what it is about him but he is just so easy to listen to. I also really like all the animations that are used when discussing various topics and subjects!

MinuteEarth

 

There are many people who present the videos on this channel. It is mainly a channel about scientific topics relating to the Earth. The thing I love about these videos is they are quite short, only a couple of minutes, and they are very engaging! 

 CGP Grey

This channel is good in that it offers a wide range of videos on all different things; from the Lord of the Rings mythology to videos on technology and European cities. They have something for everyone! I wouldn't say this channel is effective for uni courses but it is pretty good for random facts and information you never knew you needed!

Veritasium

 

Similar to CGP Grey, Veritasium offers hundreds of videos on all different random topics and provides facts and information on things that are not normally explored or even mentioned in normal classes. This is more of a channel to watch for your own benefit, rather than for a specific unit of work.

 

 

 

Aimee's Book Corner: Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy

I love this series, and its spin-off Bloodlines. I'm a huge fan of pretty much any book with serious kick ass female characters. Not only do we have Rosemary Hathaway, a totally kick-ass Dhampire, but we have Vasilisa Dragomir, the last of her line and a royal moroi. These two best friends go through some serious trials together; fighting off strigoi and uncovering dark plots that surround the whole Moroi world.

And of course, to top it off you have the major dreamboats; Dimitri, Christian and Adrian. These three guys are everything you need in your book boyfriends. Dimitri is the serious, tough guy. Christian is the sarcastic, witty guy with a dark past that will make you fall for him. And then there's Adrian. Adrian is a conundrum all of his own; he's caring and sweet, but slightly crazy and majorly sarcastic.

He is the male lead of the spin off series Bloodlines. Now I won't go too far into this series, because spoilers. But I have to tell you this spin off is incredible. With characters that develop in real, human ways. From the first page, you'll be hooked.

Seriously, I have read this series more times than I can possibly count, and I fall more in love with it every single time.

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Insidious Chapter 2 Review

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a review on Indsidious Chapter 1 so I thought reviewing the second was necessary!

Insidious Chapter 2 picks up from the conclusion of the first movie. Without revealing too much of what happens in the end, Josh the husband brings back something with him from rescuing his son; everyone thinks they have defeated the evil spirits but this could not be further from the truth. Strange things start happening a the house again with the son Dalton hearing voices again and noticing 'odd' behaviours exhibited by his father. Throughout the movie, they are trying to uncover a secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.

Here is the trailer for anyone interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBbi4NeebAk

The overall film of this movie is very, very creepy and there are a lot of jump scares (which I always fall for)! The sounds used throughout the movie are very ominous and really aid in creating a lot of suspense and unease in viewers. In terms of 'scariness' there are very mixed opinions; some people believe the second one was a lot scarier than the first and vice versa. 

Personally, I feel that Patrick Wilson (Josh, the father) acted really well in this film. Some of the acting in the first movie was questionable, but in this film there was an ever deeper element of his character that was witnessed. His scenes were very intense and menacing at times!

As a whole, I think that the second movie was scarier than the first because of the higher level of suspense and creepiness!

Rating: 4/5

 

President's Guide to Good Food

So if its payday, a birthday, the start or end of uni, or your just sick of Maccas there are several other great places to get good food around Berwick, even if they are sometimes more pricey.

If you’re still worried about your bank account the Berwick Pub on Main Street is a good place to go for cheap(er) meals, but its selection can be quite small. Until recently I would have suggested Café Lucia (previously Sophia’s) for cheap food, with ok quality and enormous quantity, but for reasons I do not know they closedL. That restaurant was the go-to restaurant for pseudo-classy get togethers, I even had my 18^th birthday there.

On the more pricey side of main street is Shanikas, Eighty One and Main, which serve great food (Shanikas is the best!) for a bit more concerning prices. There are other restaurants in that area too, like the Chinese Place (the name alludes me) and Berwick Thai but I haven’t eaten there as much.

Moving on to Narre Warren Fountain Gate has quite a few restaurants near the cinemas include Schnitz, Pancake Parlour, Grilld and Nandos. And last but not least, I down Clyde road there is a fantastic pizza place called Pizzafellas, which are fantastic, heaps of toppings. So whatever you’re looking for I’m sure you can find it somewhere near Berwick.

Stephen Wynton

BS: Top 6 Inspiring Movies!

Hey guys!

As humans, it is normal for us all to hit those slumps where you lack inspiration and motivation! Below, in no particular order, are my top 6 inspiring movies. :)

Million Dollar Baby

The Theory of Everything

A Beautiful Mind

Remember the Titans

The Pursuit of Happiness

The Blind Side

Hope you guys enjoyed! Feel free to comment below your favourite movies to watch when you are in need of some inspiration!

Aimee's Book Corner: Harley Quinn

If ever you've seen me around campus, you would have more than likely seen me in one of my (many) Harley T-Shirt. If you haven't figured it out from that; I love Harley Quinn.

This crazy lady started off pretty average (if you can call a genius I.Q. average) she got a doctorate, and a masters in psychology. All the poor girl wanted to do was help. And then she met him.

There are several reasons why I love the relationship between Harley and Joker. Now, a lot of the time its portrayed as pretty much a fan-girl getting her man. It's not like that in the comics. In the comic, you get to see Joker, caring for Harley as much as she cares for him.

It's like watching Gomez and Morticia from the Adams family. Their a little weird and mostly crazy, but these two homicidal maniacs are totally right for one another. However, as this comic progresses we get to see Harley without Joker. In one we actually see her trying to turn her life around, pleading 'Stockholm Syndrome.' However, when you pay attention to her origins, you know Harley fell for Joker in the old-fashioned way; by pretending to be an inmate.

Harley herself describes it:

"I found Jokers psyche disturbing, his dementia alarming, and his charm irresistible"

I love this comic-book, as an origin story, and a different way to explore characters we all thought we knew.

My Rating: ★★★★☆

BS: Top 6 Superhero Movies!

Seeing as Supernova is upon us we thought it was the perfect time to do a top 6 superhero-related post! Below, in no specific order, are my top favourite superhero films!

1. Deadpool

2. Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice

 
3. Spiderman 1

4. The Incredibles

 
5. The Avengers: Age of Ultron

 
6. Ironman

   
Out of the above movies, Deadpool and Superman 1 would have to be my favourites. Superman is an absolute classic for my family and I - I remember watching it when it came out and being in absolute awe of the cinematics! Deadpool I saw a couple of weeks ago with my family and it was one of the funniest movies I have seen yet! I have a very crude sense of humour and so it was perfect for me!

Is anyone dressing up for Supernova this year? Sadly, I cannot go! Feel free to leave a comment or even send in a photo of your costumes - we would love to seem them! :)