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I found out after a semester of being in the same art chemistry class that I was studying with one of the ghost kids from Sinister 2! Her name is Laila, she was the winter ghost kid, and she looks the exact same (just as a college student). One day we were just developing film and chatting and she casually mentioned that she was in a horror movie as a kid. I assumed she meant like a student film but then she said the film reminded her of the 16mm film on the movie. My head snapped up and I said “Wait what was the movie called?” And she said “Sinister 2 :)” and I was like girl what tell me everything !!! And she gave me all the tea. She said there was a lot of on-set drama between directors, producers, and writers and if they had all gotten on the same page the movie maybe could’ve been a lot better but everyone had very different creative ideas. She said the movie was still being written while it was being filmed, arguing would go on forever, and it created a weird vibe on set. She also said that she got to play with the rats off screen during their scene and they were super friendly and soft. Apparently the blood the rats ate had to be food grade so it was like red gelatin or jelly and she thought it was adorable that the rats were covered in jelly. She is the sweetest and getting a degree in Illustration I think? Her family didn't want to let her be in a horror movie as a kid but this was her first audition ever and they didn't think she'd actually get the role. So when she booked it, they kind of had to let her do it. She said she was shocked at how many people still want her to come to horror conventions and freak out when they meet her. She said the warm reception and absolute love she’s received from horror fans makes her really glad she did the movie. She goes to nearly every Sinister-related thing she's invited to because she loves the kindness of the horror community so much. She is super kind, a very talented artist, & we had a great day in class developing film & giggling at pictures of her on set.
" ...there was a lot of on-set drama between directors, producers, and writers" I just checked on Imdb and there's more than a dozen people credited as producers😯No wonder there was a lot of heat behind the scenes. Too many cooks.
That's such a cool story! I'm so glad she's getting a warm reception everywhere still. ❤️ It's funny because it's the thing I usually hear - that metal fans and horror fans are the sweetest, most passionate people despite being so hyped about the most violent and darkest parts of human nature lol.
@@panonymousbloom5405 That’s exactly what we got to talking about! She said she realized after meeting so many sweet people at conventions and having so many sweet light moments on set that people aren’t into horror to celebrate horrifying things but to explore, understand, & dig deeper into that side of our human nature & it usually makes people more empathetic, smart & kind
I really like Sinister, the sequel…not so much. It’s not awful, it’s just a very by-the-numbers sequel. However, I’m super stoked for Derrickson’s next film The Black Phone!
@@whitedragoness23 It’s an adaptation from a Joe Hill short story about a boy kidnapped by a sadistic creep who holds the boy inside his basement against his will. But while he’s down there, he gets calls on this black rotary phone from his previous victims trying to help him escape.
@@boobootittleman7299 Cool! I really enjoyed the AMC mini series of NOS4A2, and I've enjoyed the trailer(s?) for The Black Phone so far. I've become meh about the by-the-numbers horror lately. In fact, the only things I've really enjoyed lately have been Occulus and The Haunting of Hill House (both from Mike Flanagan) because they were so very different AND they were extremely enjoyable. I know a lot of people rave about Ari Aster, but I haven't liked any of his movies at all - for me, the slow tone combined with abrupt gross images that he uses to build suspense is boring and nauseating at the same time.
I actually saw sinister 2 before ever seeing the original and as a cheesy but somewhat spooky little haunted house film I didn’t think it was terrible but after seeing the greatness of the OG I definitely understand why people where so disappointed
Deputy So&So not only has one of the most unique names in the whole history of horror films, but he's also not a bad character at all. He's not dumb, he's more active than most and he has a nice personality that makes him really fun to follow. So why is it, when he gets to shine as the protagonist, it's only for the film to be next-level mediocre?
@@XanderPGK not sure he actually dies. We'll probably never know tbh, but tbh the choice to make him return as the new protagonist kinda makes me think he was supposed to become the overall main character. I guess Sinister 3 would be the one answer, if it ever comes to exist.
I suspect executes having their hand innproduction , cut and etc... Because thr film had some good ideas (rats etc) but something hold it back for some reason
The found footage parts of “Sinister” still remain some of my all time favorite moments of horror cinema. It’s a shame that Blumhouse forced the director to add in jump scares and other cheese that really ruined it. The biggest problem with Blumhouse is that they think very little of their viewers’ mental capacity, and feel they have to explain every little thing like we’re 5 years old. Really makes you wonder how “Sinsiter” would’ve turned out if someone like A24 had let the director carry out his vision without studio interference.
My biggest problem was that they focused on the "spooky kids" which, imo, was by far the weakest aspect of the original film. Credit for Shannyn Sossamon as the female lead and deputy So & So taking the steering wheel, but the rest of the movie is working against them.
Exactly. Every time I saw the kids in the first movie I wondered who they were posing eerily for since no one could see them. Took me out of the movie. And when they talk in the sequel they don’t even have a creepiness about them
The weakest part of the original film was Bagul. His backstory was cool. But his design was so fucking twrrible. It was on some alice cooper/black metal type shit.
@@Dielawn69 I think the problem was the mystery was more interesting than the answer. Anything we saw was a let down. I don’t know what they could have done to make Bagul look good
The thing about the series is that, conceptually, it's genius. It radiates a "One Hour Photo" vibe, in the way that everyone we only see the image of a loving, caring family. Projections of holidays, getaways, picknics, etc., before we suddenly cut to horrific and grisly murders. It's similar to how when a child is tried and convicted for murder, the neighbors and relatives are always shocked. After all, "they seemed like such a nice family." We don't need the Ghoul. We could watch our protagonist's life slowly spiral, until their obsession overtakes them. Their past abuses and vices amplify, and family life dissolves into moments of stark domestic horror, before they die similar to every other tape. Leaving behind only a reel of happy family memories... and that one moment that cut it all short. And they seemed like such a nice family.
I think the twist where the ghost children anounce they'd already chosen Zach did make sense. The good brother was never intended to be the killer, just enrage Zach with jealousy. Very much like an Able to Zach's Cain, fueling the fire of murderous jealously with steadfast virtue. I think the film was expressing that was the ghost children's end-goal all the while.
Reminds me of Saw or Final Destination where the first movie felt like a genuine creative vision and the sequels just became "How brutal can we make these deaths".
The dopamine rush I get when Ryan says his signature “however” was brutally interrupted by an AD. I had to refresh and get the full experience that always brings a smile to my face.
The main thing the 1st one has over the sequel is the murder tape music. The first one pulled from existing dark ambient artists with a perfect ear for the unsettling. Iirc the second one did not. Watching a family get brutally murdered to Boards of Canada is a pretty unforgettable experience.
The monster in the Sinister series knows he's in a horror movie. He is an entity bound within the media. I think this has helped make me enjoy the two movies a lot more. And it really explains the jump scares. And why he wants to gather children(for an audience) and why the monster dresses like he is at a movie premire.
I actually think the twist made sense. It was shown throughout the film that Zach was more prone to violence, and clearly had jealousy issues, so the ghost kids playing on that insecurity by showing favoritism to Dylan was a ploy to get Zach to become susceptible to their plot. Still though, the movie overall isn’t that great
@@SilvrRazorFeather Especially when you consider the fact of the horror lore that the whole point of these murders if for Bagul to turn the innocent kids into monsters. The point of his character is that he takes away the purity of those kids by forcing them to commit those acts and turns them against the family. It doesn't really work if the kid is already deranged, because he's not really a 'pure' vessel for Bagul to turn. I feel that's what people tend to miss in this sequel.
He isn't scary because he looks like a metal-head going to concert. They should've just kept him as weird symbols and creepy old drawings, they should've never given him a "form"
10:42 this was actually ‘explained’ in the film when the Deputy says the toxicology reports couldn’t find out what drugs were used on the families, and then we see one rape features glasses filled with some sort of a glowing liquid, and then we see that liquid in Ellison’s coffee mug, and then again leaking from Bughuul’s hands as he scoops up the daughter. They were being drugged by the demon’s own blood.
The first movie blew me away, I was obsessed, that's how good it is. The second felt very thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much jorts.
also the switcharoo of brothers at the end I think it's ok just because it shows that they knew the other brother could be better controlled through envy and jealousy.
I can't lie, watching the Riddler's streams in The Batman (2022) gave me big "snuff films from Sinister" vibes, especially the rat attack scene, which made me think back to one of the more disturbing kills here in Sinister 2 (that, the alligator feedings, and the Christmas night hypothermia film remain hella unnerving to me). I liked seeing Deputy So-So getting more of a focus, though it *is* kind of awkward given that's the only name we've come to know him by through Ethan Hawke and Courtney's family never think to ask for his name in the sequel, especially considering he & her end-up kissing. And in all fairness, I thought the twist of the ghost children only interacting with the good twin Dylan in order to more easily reel in the bad twin Zach was actually pretty surprising.
I think the reason why S2 ended up the way it was was because plenty of the praise went to the creepy home made videos that the marketing department misunderstood what actually made those videos impactful and why they were so popular; the marketing department thought that the home videos were why Sinister was popular and that's why the films have much more of a focus here. What made the films disturbing in the original was, diving away from the obviousness which is the contents, but the mystery of who was filming it and then the big reveal came in the shock that these families were being killed by their own *kids*. Children were capable of committing these atrocious acts which all the more makes the whole vibe of Sinister that much more disturbing.
Not sure if you’ve covered “citadel” yet? But out of every horror I’ve watched over the years, it’s still the only one I leave feeling properly uncomfortable. Would be nice to hear your take on it??
I think the overall fumbling of the end of the first movie really rubbed me the wrong way when I saw the first in theaters. I walked away disliking the whole thing and never gave the sequel a chance. I could be more fair like you are here and give the first half more credit. I may give these another shot.
I agree with your assement of both films but there is one thing i absolutely loved about the sequel: the relationship between Officer So & So and Courtney. When I watched this movie (ages ago) it was the first time in a long time that I felt like a pair of love interests were actually, you know, interested. Most of the time the characters getting together is treated as so inevitable that it seems like no one actually gives a shit but there was real investment in their interactions and that awkwardness that comes from really wanting someone to like you but not being sure if they will that just isn't present in most (hetero) couples on screen. I wish more couples were presented similarly
Completely agree about the first sinister. First chunk is SO good, but then the occultist guy just goes "Welp, got a Baguhl problem. You're fucked" and it nosedives from there. Still waiting on a Noroi and/or The Tunnel vid
I really love the first movie, maybe because I’m completely smittened by Bughuul. The last jump scare was corny asf, and I wished that they left it out. The second one, it had a good concepts. “Let’s show the corruption of what the kids go through to become food for Bughuul.” But really didn’t execute it precisely.
Sinister is one of my favorite horror movies of all time. Just the music alone in the home videos still haunt my dreams. The second one hurt my soul with how much of a blunder it was.
I had actually listened to the album they used in the first one years before I saw the movie, forgotten about it, and gave myself another layer of terror when the backdrop music sounded so familiar to me. The artist is Culver btw, if you loved the music in the movie I'm sure you'll enjoy a lot of their other work.
The specious security claims on these VPN ads are getting out of hand. If a website doesn't have TLS at this point, you shouldn't be putting any login credentials or personal information into it, with a VPN or not. The vast majority of the web is end-to-end encrypted these days. Concerns of unsecure WiFi are basically gone. There are plenty of benefits of VPNs, in fact I use one, but I really wish that VPN companies would stop encouraging the uninformed creators they sponsor to make inaccurate claims about the risk of using the internet without a VPN. It's kind of an exploitative type of advertising. And this isn't a criticism toward Ryan, he is a wonderful writer and film critic and I have no expectations that he should be a web security expert. I just wish VPN companies would stop encouraging people to unwittingly lie on their behalf. I kind of thought after Tom Scott called everyone out, things would get better. And a lot of the tech RUclipsrs I follow have shifted focus onto advertising legitimate claims like a VPN's ability to unblock region-locked content. But it seems there is still plenty of misplaced security fear-mongering abound.
It WAS a sequel created purely to capitalize on the original's success. I watched a clip in which C. Cargill stated that, once Sinister was a surprise hit, Jason Blum came to him and Derrickson and said it was time for the sequel. When the duo replied it was meant as a one off, the Blumhouse guy replied, "We don't do that." So, Cargill had to pull a sequel idea out of the air and then he and Derrickson intercut more disturbing ways to kill people with their 2-tier plot that wasn't intended to exist. It was not set up to be a franchise or even have a follow up, unlike Insidious, which the Saw co-writer (Leigh Whannell) planned as multiple films.
Yeah, I wish they had just made Sinister a one off, it's not like one off horror movies don't exist. Plenty of horror media don't get sequels. And the ones they do have for sequels, those people usually already have ideas for where they want the stories to go like Insidious and the Conjuring. I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to intentionally make the sequel bad as an effort to ensure the franchise is discontinued. Kind of crappy that you would have to ax that sequel, but considering how much pressure and forced creative liberties they were giving the creator, can't say I blame him for just giving up.
I think the Christmas one still matches the simplistic idea of the original murder tapes, with people tied down and being exposed to the environment. It's not a burning car, it's not a swimming pool, but outside in the freezing cold. It's the most terrifying one, if you ask me. The burning crosses and the kitchen one are fine, too. It's the alligator one where it starts getting a tad bit goofy and I don't like how Bughuul is right there orchestrating the rats in the church one (including these iron bowls that were lying around?). Lastly the dentist one is just straight up murder and the most out of place (even though the lawnmower was somewhat the same).
The alligator one & the dentist office made me laugh a little. Just thinking about the logistics of it all, that'd be a great bit in a comedy/spoof where the evil ghost kids work together to string up a family over a swamp or bust into a denist's office and strap each family member to a chair, all to upbeat music.
I saw this movie in the theater and I thought it was mediocre as a film, but James Ransom was believable as protagonist. 1st film is still amazing and the 2nd is the polar opposite. Ryan, will you be doing a video on the other 3 VHS films? Have you seen the sadness ? Any thoughts? Keep up the great work!
Despite the general drop in quality, I actually do think the sequel's premise of a family escaping their abuser only to end up in a house where they're tormented by ghosts is a more interesting idea than the first film's setup and I'd love to see someone else maybe take a crack at doing it again in a better haunted house movie
I consider the first Sinister one of the most bone-chillingly scariest horror flicks I have ever seen. It’s right up there with The Blair Witch Project, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and REC when it comes to delivering sheer, unadulterated terror. I positively love it, including the ending! Sinister 2? Eh, it exists. I certainly don’t consider it “one of worst horror sequels in history”, but that ultimately leaves it as completely bland to me in exchange. We see far too much of Bughuul in the damn thing when he worked so much better in the first film as a literal background entity. His presence was felt enough where he didn’t need to keep popping up at center stage like in 2. And those spooky kids. Did we really need to see their highlight reels? Doesn’t that lessen any creep factor they had in the first film when the sequel is basically presenting them as wannabe film school fucks? If I had to pick anything I actually loved from Sinister 2, it’s both Shannyn Sossamon and James Ransone. They had a believable chemistry together and it makes their scenes worth watching.
I actually like the story they'd decided on its some parts that feel it's missing something but it's a great direct sequel since they decided for the deputy to be the lead but I kinda am 50/50 on how it needed to be some wife of a abuser I guess so we have a human villain as well but the families in the snuff films I don't wanna wonder if they were bad people so I actually like that it focuses on the kids trying to corrupt Dylan only to trigger his brother who obviously has gotten violent due to his father showing him how it's done. It's wasn't much of a twist to me exactly it's obvious their are two children their so they could have possibly be talking to both. Dylan is a abused kid so didn't think to open up to his brother or make sure that the same wasn't happening to him. Anyways it's just a ok movie to me and the biggest problem as a horror fan I felt like this was shot where they made Annabelle Creation so it was very distracting to me and some parts of the movies are similar too with constantly trying to corrupt and haunt the kids But I guess that's my fault for waiting to watch this Also Ryan great video 💖
Having just re-watched the first “Sinister” all Ryan’s points are still right & I still think the ending is extremely dumb. Never got to the sequel, but I remember the bad reviews (similar to the “Woman in Black” sequel that also came out the same year). Cannot wait for “The Black Phone” in a month! That poster is gonna get a special place at my house 😏😏
A third movie might have saved the story for me as Deputy So-So is a fun character and the idea of a monster making snuff films to lure children is a good concept just needs better execution. The sequel is okay, but it definitely suffers from over explaining and trying to keep Bagul interesting without realizing that the mystery of how he makes the tapes and tricks the children is way more terrifying without knowing exact details
Is it weird for me to say that I would have enjoyed Sinister more if it had no Bagel? It would've been more impactful for me if there turned out to be no supernatural element, and that it was just a way for the viewer of the tapes to cope with the horrors of what happens in them. The true horror would come from the erosion of the viewer's morales as they become obsessed with finding more tapes, until they snap and start to imagine themselves in the environment of tapes. Making the movie more about the alluring nature of shocking snuff tapes and about a sort of 'supernatural' addiction that those who view them experience, until they commit a crime just like the ones they saw.
@@ahealthkit2745 I think you just described 8MM which is definitely worth watching. Also no, I don't think it's weird to have not wanted Bababul in the movie at all. The idea the first movie teased where it was a serial killer that either abducted kids to turn them into serial killers was way more interesting.
@@silence_dais I suppose they wrongly assumed they would add a twist saying…guess what? It’s not some guy kidnapping kids. It’s just a mediocre film after all! Gotcha!
I know I'm pretty late to the game here, but I want to put my two cents here. I think the problem with the pagan god Bagul isn't just that he's very generic (I mean, he's basically Slenderman but with a black wig), he's also doesn't seem to have have any agency within the story. Like, what EXACTLY does he do, other than cheap Scooby Doo jumps? He always looks like he's standing there doing jack shit while the ghost children appear to do most of the work Bagul is supposed to be doing, like brainwashing new kids into killing their families and filming the murders. He's like the DJ Khalid of supernatural horror movie antagonists: "WE MAKE THE BEST OCCULT SNUFF FILMS!!!"
I'm still mad that they went the ghost children route in the original bc it was so genuinely creepy and unnerving before then. The sequel is a complete mess. A children of the corn like spin-off with zero tension and enjoyment The tapes are just there bc the original had them and of course they had to up the torture/gore. However it was more Saw like torture porn than actually disturbing.
tbf, Sinister 2 was written by a different author and directed by a different director; I think it was originally meant to be a 1 and done. Marketing department thought otherwise tho.
I have a distinct memory of seeing a trailer for this one on tv and thinking it looked good before my dad said out loud, “That doesn’t look very good.” Haven’t seen it, but I still remember that moment.
The first movie tided itself over nicely as in the first film Ellison is a writer who has had a super hit of a book that gave him fame, money, and TV interviews. Since that time he hasn't written a descent true crime/ murder novel. So he buys the house unknowingly to his wife and family that he was aware of the murders that took place at the home, with the hopes of gathering or finding something he can find and explore to write another hit book. So they really seemed to have taken more time than the sequel to establish this side plot of the story to make this film a better story.
It's been a very long time since I've seen sinister 2. I love the first one because of it's incredible sound design and the murder mystery in the first half. And there seems to be a thing with horror movies where it's really dark and unique in the first half, then the second half becomes very by the numbers, standard horror, or a CGI mess. The Lazarus effect did this, the conjuring 2 did it, sinister, etc. It's kind of annoying because of how good the first half of these movies were
The green glowing liquid hinted at in all the home movies is great. It doesn't hit you till the end of the 1st movie that it's given to the children by Bagul to knock out their families. THEN Sinister 2 comes along and kind of throws that away with ghost children chasing the family through the house. I know it was still used, but it was such a disappointment.
Oddly enough I was actually more scared by this than the first film. Probably because abuse is more "real" to me than a paranormal crime investigation.
Honestly, I am in the same boat as you, Ryan. I loved the first half of the first. As soon as they confirmed a spooky bejesus as the baddie, the movie started slipping for me. I thought it would've been more about the trauma of uncovering these grim tapes and losing yourself in the brutality of another's evil, rather than it being huhue kiddies did it.
I love horror movies and I'll never stop watching them. I really like being scared from a film and I need some blood and violence to make me actually fear for the characters in harms way. That said I just can't get behind torture porn films. It just disgusts and upsets me so much cause this stuff really happens to people and I can't help but think about that when I see that kinda content. Plus it makes me sick thinking that people actually like this and I fear it encourages some bad things. Idk the heavy implications of torture in films is totally fine and some torture scenes I can handle but someone getting there face drilled off..... or a family being torture in front of their kids? Wtf man who wants to watch that shit
I actually watched this a couple months ago and liked it way more than I imagined I would. I'm usually all into the horror elements more than anything else, but this movie won me over with the relationship element between Courtney (the actress killed it) and Deputy So-&-So (also killed it). That shit was goddamn adorable.
That moment when you haven't watched this movie in years and suddenly realize the lead ghost kid Milo is the same actor who plays Gilbert in Netflix's Anne with an E. 😅
I loved the first movie, I honestly believe it was one of the best mainstream horrors in the last 20 years. Every time the sound of the 8mm camera was enough to put me on edge and was the most tense I have been since the pale man scene in Pans Labyrinth, to me was perfect build up in tension. The kids in the second one felt so strange, they had a comical/gangster vibe which made me burst out with laughter when I saw this in the cinema. However I have only watched it when I came out so maybe I should give it another watch.
It's been an absolute age and a half since I seen this film, think I seen in the cinema when it was out, but I think the scenario with Dillion and Zach was about playing on Zach's jealousy of his brother. I think Zach might have always been the real target but instead of approaching him directly they approached Dillion to made Zach jealous that his brother was considered special. It made Zach less likely to resist their influence because it was something that he wanted and thus he felt like it was a choice he was making rather than being pushed into it. Twist wise I thought it was kind of interesting, sort of showed that the Ghoul, and by extension the kids, were more cunning in their manipulations, instead of just using some form of mind control through watching the other films. Its been ages since I watched the first Sinister as well, but I think maybe they also did a bit of red herringness with the son from the first film. Where, if you guessed that one of the kids was behind the killings, you would think it would the Main character's son because he was having all those night terrors and sleep walking, but instead it was the more innocent seeming sister.
That lawn mower scene from the first sinister was completely unexpected and jaw dropping the first time I saw it. I remember watching that movie in the theater's in between my fingers as I had my face covered. Compared to sinister two which was just an everyday theater experience. It's a shame really because they had a good idea, something I've never seen before up to that point.
Hey Ryan great video as always mate! I would like to suggest a review on The Tall Man 2012. Quite a cheesy one, but would love your take on it. I saw it when I was in my early teens (that age is quite relevant to the film) and it stuck with me ever since. Have a good one!
I enjoyed both. There’s something eerie about both. I blame the fashion of that era and the required jump scares. I also thought that the red herring was more of childish “I really didn’t want it ANYWAY!” …less of an actual reversal of audience expectations.
Hello Ryan I know this might seem random but I think you should check out a slasher film called a bay of blood,(twitch of the death nerve) A forgotten slasher that is what I consider the earliest examples of a Friday a 13th slasher and it came out before that franchise.
If I had to think of some plot twist to the exposition dump of how to eliminate Bagul, while simultaneously increasing his threat level as an entity, the best idea off the top of my head would be this: The protagonists assumed that destroying the totems through which violence is viewed would stop Bagul, but one little detail from the research was mis-interpreted. Unfortunately, it's not just these specific items that fuel Bagul's existence. ANY tool through which violence can be recorded and seen or heard is sufficient. If one totem is destroyed, another object serving the same purpose can replace it (TV, radio, recorder, camera, computer, cellphone, etc.). Basically, anything through which violence can be consumed is a potential totem. Consequently, this means that Bagul will never be permanently defeated because human nature will always drive people to want to view violence. Hence, people will use whatever technologies available to find or record it (Ex- Dark Web snuff films). You can't stop technology. And as long as this cycle continues, however many totems are destroyed, Bagul will always return. It sounds similar to Freddy Krueger's rule where people's memories of him allow him to return no matter how many times he's killed. The only way to keep him in Hell is by making everyone forget he existed (Freddy vs. Jason is built on this premise, which is why Freddy has Jason go to Springwood and cause enough bloodshed to rekindle people's fear of Krueger).
I honestly appreciated that the sequel framed most of it from Dylan's POV. The first Sinister did the creepy/evil kids trope pretty by the book, and there's something novel and a bit transgressive about "Now let's show the path from 'Kid' to 'Creepy Evil Kid'."
Man, the Sinister movies had such potential The first is great and then the ending shits the bed and the sequel feels like it was done just to jump on the success of the first and failed
Thank you for putting into words my feelings about the first Sinister movie. I really liked the first half, but the second half just......I've felt really mixed about the whole movie due to that duality.
It’s my understanding that the ghost kids used the first twin to make the more violently inclined twin to become jealous, which he did. That was the entire point. But that’s just my take on it. And totally agree with ur take on S1. The first half was incredible but all in all, still my second favorite movie with, and don’t come for me, as above so below as my all time favorite. 8mm may take that rank, but I’ve yet to have the time to watch it as of yet.
I waited through the credits to see if you would do a spoof of the Baggie jump scare. Excellent take as always. The first Sinister got under my skin in a way few other horror movies managed to do. I wanted to love the second one so badly and I’m still bummed it didn’t maintain the feel of the first, but you’re right - it’s not SO bad. It’s just middle of the road and paint by numbers.
Part of me wants to see the sequel, but Jesus christ, I saw Sinister years ago, and I just rewatched it last night and it still scared the hell out of me. Not knowing everything, the ambiguity is what made it frighting. By the time you realized what was happening, it was too late. The soundtrack set the mode perfectly in my opinion. This is one of those horror films, I'm starting to think should have been left alone and not given a sequel.
When we see Bogul looking at the camera with the hanging family, i got shook (first movie) it wasnt just him looking at the camera. He was looking at you, the viewer. The small nudge that he might start to show up in my life now that ive seen him was real for a bit.
As silly as it sounds, I don't feel as if I can revisit the films currently because I have two little ones and some horror with kids just hits really differently and I'm not in the mood for those feels. I always appreciate you willingness to give things a try and your honesty when it comes to admitting that perhaps you were too hard on a movie or the opposite and not hard enough. As always, i vote for Ginger Snaps and the Fear Street Trilogy.
You got it right with the simplicity of the films in the first movie. you felt like those could happen in your own backyard, which makes it more terrifying than a Crop field.
I loved the first half of Sinister where we were wondering about the source of the tapes, Once it went supernatural all the creepiness just vanished (Supernatural movies just do nothing for me) I was still entertained but I wish it had a more realistic reason than "GHOSTS". The only thing I remember about 2 is the Snow & Rat tapes.
All they had to do was completely separate the two plots and make a twist where it's actually two timelines and both main characters are actually the same person. Make up some amnesia thing. Add spooky flash backs to him killing him family. The whole time we'd be thinking it was a rush to save the family but the whole time it had already happened.
That would have been cool. My idea was to have Professor Jonas from the original as the lead "investigating" the new murders (Vincent D'onofrio). He would have been a more compelling presence than Ransone, who plays more like Dewey Riley from Scream than a serious detective. Not faulting the actor, just the way the character was written.
Truthfully the first film’s first half IS really well done, but besides the acting and cinematography the true strength is the soundtrack. I recognized BOC’s gyroscope right at the end but the even before that there were tracks that I’ve never heard that left me uneasy so perfectly, like the track for the Family BBQ ‘79 tape.
Had to bail out early because I haven't seen it, but hell yeah! I was hoping you'd have good things to say about Ransone's performance. I'll have to see this one before the spoilery section for sure. 🤗 You always cover the best stuff, Ryan! Thanks for the video! ❤
The one thing that I'll always remember Sinister 2 for is the weirdly funny scene where the stepfather screams that the kids need to eat their mashed potatoes.
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I'm back with my obligatory requests for Night in the Woods and Pink Floyd's The Wall.
I’d love to see you cover Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep or Midnight Mass. Keep up the good work, Ryan!
Just a couple suggestions:
Session 9
The Devil inside
The Remaining
Pink Floyd's the Wall
House of the devil
Here's a movie, The Wisher, a weirdly good movie I saw on the horror channel years ago.
Just an idea for something a bit different. Maybe a video on the theme of religious horror? Just a thought.
I found out after a semester of being in the same art chemistry class that I was studying with one of the ghost kids from Sinister 2! Her name is Laila, she was the winter ghost kid, and she looks the exact same (just as a college student). One day we were just developing film and chatting and she casually mentioned that she was in a horror movie as a kid. I assumed she meant like a student film but then she said the film reminded her of the 16mm film on the movie. My head snapped up and I said “Wait what was the movie called?” And she said “Sinister 2 :)” and I was like girl what tell me everything !!! And she gave me all the tea. She said there was a lot of on-set drama between directors, producers, and writers and if they had all gotten on the same page the movie maybe could’ve been a lot better but everyone had very different creative ideas. She said the movie was still being written while it was being filmed, arguing would go on forever, and it created a weird vibe on set. She also said that she got to play with the rats off screen during their scene and they were super friendly and soft. Apparently the blood the rats ate had to be food grade so it was like red gelatin or jelly and she thought it was adorable that the rats were covered in jelly. She is the sweetest and getting a degree in Illustration I think? Her family didn't want to let her be in a horror movie as a kid but this was her first audition ever and they didn't think she'd actually get the role. So when she booked it, they kind of had to let her do it. She said she was shocked at how many people still want her to come to horror conventions and freak out when they meet her. She said the warm reception and absolute love she’s received from horror fans makes her really glad she did the movie. She goes to nearly every Sinister-related thing she's invited to because she loves the kindness of the horror community so much. She is super kind, a very talented artist, & we had a great day in class developing film & giggling at pictures of her on set.
That's a great story thanks for sharing.
Thats a pretty cool story
" ...there was a lot of on-set drama between directors, producers, and writers"
I just checked on Imdb and there's more than a dozen people credited as producers😯No wonder there was a lot of heat behind the scenes. Too many cooks.
That's such a cool story! I'm so glad she's getting a warm reception everywhere still. ❤️
It's funny because it's the thing I usually hear - that metal fans and horror fans are the sweetest, most passionate people despite being so hyped about the most violent and darkest parts of human nature lol.
@@panonymousbloom5405 That’s exactly what we got to talking about! She said she realized after meeting so many sweet people at conventions and having so many sweet light moments on set that people aren’t into horror to celebrate horrifying things but to explore, understand, & dig deeper into that side of our human nature & it usually makes people more empathetic, smart & kind
I really like Sinister, the sequel…not so much. It’s not awful, it’s just a very by-the-numbers sequel. However, I’m super stoked for Derrickson’s next film The Black Phone!
The black phone?? What’s that about?
@@whitedragoness23 It’s an adaptation from a Joe Hill short story about a boy kidnapped by a sadistic creep who holds the boy inside his basement against his will. But while he’s down there, he gets calls on this black rotary phone from his previous victims trying to help him escape.
@@boobootittleman7299 Cool! I really enjoyed the AMC mini series of NOS4A2, and I've enjoyed the trailer(s?) for The Black Phone so far. I've become meh about the by-the-numbers horror lately. In fact, the only things I've really enjoyed lately have been Occulus and The Haunting of Hill House (both from Mike Flanagan) because they were so very different AND they were extremely enjoyable. I know a lot of people rave about Ari Aster, but I haven't liked any of his movies at all - for me, the slow tone combined with abrupt gross images that he uses to build suspense is boring and nauseating at the same time.
I’ve been waiting for the black phone it should’ve been out already but yes super stoked!
@@boobootittleman7299 That's a cool as premise.
I actually saw sinister 2 before ever seeing the original and as a cheesy but somewhat spooky little haunted house film I didn’t think it was terrible but after seeing the greatness of the OG I definitely understand why people where so disappointed
Deputy So&So not only has one of the most unique names in the whole history of horror films, but he's also not a bad character at all. He's not dumb, he's more active than most and he has a nice personality that makes him really fun to follow.
So why is it, when he gets to shine as the protagonist, it's only for the film to be next-level mediocre?
He also kinda dies (I guess) at the end when they reuse the Begoul jump-scare from the first movie.
@@XanderPGK not sure he actually dies. We'll probably never know tbh, but tbh the choice to make him return as the new protagonist kinda makes me think he was supposed to become the overall main character. I guess Sinister 3 would be the one answer, if it ever comes to exist.
Mediocre movie + great character= it will even out as the character will carry the whole film on his shoulders
I suspect executes having their hand innproduction , cut and etc...
Because thr film had some good ideas (rats etc) but something hold it back for some reason
The found footage parts of “Sinister” still remain some of my all time favorite moments of horror cinema. It’s a shame that Blumhouse forced the director to add in jump scares and other cheese that really ruined it. The biggest problem with Blumhouse is that they think very little of their viewers’ mental capacity, and feel they have to explain every little thing like we’re 5 years old. Really makes you wonder how “Sinsiter” would’ve turned out if someone like A24 had let the director carry out his vision without studio interference.
I kinda agree but Sinister is still a bloody great film. A24 would’ve been so much cooler tho
Sinister is one of those movies where I feel like you lose something if you elaborate too much on the Big Spooky Monster.
My biggest problem was that they focused on the "spooky kids" which, imo, was by far the weakest aspect of the original film. Credit for Shannyn Sossamon as the female lead and deputy So & So taking the steering wheel, but the rest of the movie is working against them.
Exactly. Every time I saw the kids in the first movie I wondered who they were posing eerily for since no one could see them. Took me out of the movie. And when they talk in the sequel they don’t even have a creepiness about them
The weakest part of the original film was Bagul. His backstory was cool. But his design was so fucking twrrible. It was on some alice cooper/black metal type shit.
@@Dielawn69 I think the problem was the mystery was more interesting than the answer. Anything we saw was a let down. I don’t know what they could have done to make Bagul look good
Yup, just have creepy tapes and a serial killer, take the kids out and the walking out of the movie into the real world shit, and it would be perfect
@@Dielawn69 🧢
The thing about the series is that, conceptually, it's genius.
It radiates a "One Hour Photo" vibe, in the way that everyone we only see the image of a loving, caring family. Projections of holidays, getaways, picknics, etc., before we suddenly cut to horrific and grisly murders.
It's similar to how when a child is tried and convicted for murder, the neighbors and relatives are always shocked. After all, "they seemed like such a nice family."
We don't need the Ghoul. We could watch our protagonist's life slowly spiral, until their obsession overtakes them. Their past abuses and vices amplify, and family life dissolves into moments of stark domestic horror, before they die similar to every other tape. Leaving behind only a reel of happy family memories... and that one moment that cut it all short. And they seemed like such a nice family.
I think the twist where the ghost children anounce they'd already chosen Zach did make sense. The good brother was never intended to be the killer, just enrage Zach with jealousy. Very much like an Able to Zach's Cain, fueling the fire of murderous jealously with steadfast virtue. I think the film was expressing that was the ghost children's end-goal all the while.
That’s a good point
Reminds me of Saw or Final Destination where the first movie felt like a genuine creative vision and the sequels just became "How brutal can we make these deaths".
The first few Saw movies are okay but, after that, it just becomes ridiculous gore porn
Yea but also no for saw
The dopamine rush I get when Ryan says his signature “however” was brutally interrupted by an AD. I had to refresh and get the full experience that always brings a smile to my face.
😂😂
Oh shut up!
YT! THE AUDACITY!!
(╯°ᗝ°) ╯︵ ┻━┻
Hoiiyever
I really didn’t like the second half of sinister 1. Was like fnaf level of jump scares
The main thing the 1st one has over the sequel is the murder tape music. The first one pulled from existing dark ambient artists with a perfect ear for the unsettling. Iirc the second one did not.
Watching a family get brutally murdered to Boards of Canada is a pretty unforgettable experience.
Completely agree! A lot of the atmosphere was lost w/o it
Yes!! It really is the music from the first one which makes me shudder. The 3-piece drums is ridiculously good in an eerie way
If I recall there's some Ulver and Sun-O in the sequel! But I agree that the music isn't nearly as off-putting
The monster in the Sinister series knows he's in a horror movie. He is an entity bound within the media. I think this has helped make me enjoy the two movies a lot more. And it really explains the jump scares. And why he wants to gather children(for an audience) and why the monster dresses like he is at a movie premire.
I actually think the twist made sense. It was shown throughout the film that Zach was more prone to violence, and clearly had jealousy issues, so the ghost kids playing on that insecurity by showing favoritism to Dylan was a ploy to get Zach to become susceptible to their plot. Still though, the movie overall isn’t that great
Logically that makes total sense, I agree with you. But it flops as an experience for the viewer.
@@SilvrRazorFeather Especially when you consider the fact of the horror lore that the whole point of these murders if for Bagul to turn the innocent kids into monsters. The point of his character is that he takes away the purity of those kids by forcing them to commit those acts and turns them against the family. It doesn't really work if the kid is already deranged, because he's not really a 'pure' vessel for Bagul to turn. I feel that's what people tend to miss in this sequel.
Baghoul is literally the least scary antagonist EVER, took me out of the movie quicker than you could say his dumb name
He isn't scary because he looks like a metal-head going to concert. They should've just kept him as weird symbols and creepy old drawings, they should've never given him a "form"
He was spooky till it was revealed that he pretty much does nothing but spook the protagonist because only the kids kill
10:42 this was actually ‘explained’ in the film when the Deputy says the toxicology reports couldn’t find out what drugs were used on the families, and then we see one rape features glasses filled with some sort of a glowing liquid, and then we see that liquid in Ellison’s coffee mug, and then again leaking from Bughuul’s hands as he scoops up the daughter.
They were being drugged by the demon’s own blood.
The first movie blew me away, I was obsessed, that's how good it is. The second felt very thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much jorts.
also the switcharoo of brothers at the end I think it's ok just because it shows that they knew the other brother could be better controlled through envy and jealousy.
Do not butter the cat.
I can't lie, watching the Riddler's streams in The Batman (2022) gave me big "snuff films from Sinister" vibes, especially the rat attack scene, which made me think back to one of the more disturbing kills here in Sinister 2 (that, the alligator feedings, and the Christmas night hypothermia film remain hella unnerving to me). I liked seeing Deputy So-So getting more of a focus, though it *is* kind of awkward given that's the only name we've come to know him by through Ethan Hawke and Courtney's family never think to ask for his name in the sequel, especially considering he & her end-up kissing. And in all fairness, I thought the twist of the ghost children only interacting with the good twin Dylan in order to more easily reel in the bad twin Zach was actually pretty surprising.
For a PG-13 it was close to rated R with the whole riddler thing.
@@vagamer522 For sure. Again, see rat video.
I think the reason why S2 ended up the way it was was because plenty of the praise went to the creepy home made videos that the marketing department misunderstood what actually made those videos impactful and why they were so popular; the marketing department thought that the home videos were why Sinister was popular and that's why the films have much more of a focus here. What made the films disturbing in the original was, diving away from the obviousness which is the contents, but the mystery of who was filming it and then the big reveal came in the shock that these families were being killed by their own *kids*. Children were capable of committing these atrocious acts which all the more makes the whole vibe of Sinister that much more disturbing.
Not sure if you’ve covered “citadel” yet? But out of every horror I’ve watched over the years, it’s still the only one I leave feeling properly uncomfortable. Would be nice to hear your take on it??
The first film was one of my favorite horror films in the past decade..so it kinda bummed me out that the sequel was so mediocre
I think the overall fumbling of the end of the first movie really rubbed me the wrong way when I saw the first in theaters. I walked away disliking the whole thing and never gave the sequel a chance. I could be more fair like you are here and give the first half more credit. I may give these another shot.
I agree with your assement of both films but there is one thing i absolutely loved about the sequel: the relationship between Officer So & So and Courtney. When I watched this movie (ages ago) it was the first time in a long time that I felt like a pair of love interests were actually, you know, interested. Most of the time the characters getting together is treated as so inevitable that it seems like no one actually gives a shit but there was real investment in their interactions and that awkwardness that comes from really wanting someone to like you but not being sure if they will that just isn't present in most (hetero) couples on screen. I wish more couples were presented similarly
Depravity vs gratuity - beautifully put opinion on the original vs the sequel
I wonder if the box with the films and 8mm camera are now locked up at the SCP Foundation.
Bughuul whispered "HOYEVER" to Dylan, and he witnessed the scary images of families paying too much on EXPRESS VPN without the Ryan Hollinger code.
Cinema.
16:16 I just realized the cornfield was cut into the shape of Bughuul's face.
Completely agree about the first sinister. First chunk is SO good, but then the occultist guy just goes "Welp, got a Baguhl problem. You're fucked" and it nosedives from there.
Still waiting on a Noroi and/or The Tunnel vid
Noroi is just so good! Watched it like 5-6x already :)
I actually just saw the first one. I really liked some parts, but I felt like other parts were on par with the Goosbumps television show.
It kind of feels like the deputy, mom, and Dylan should've been in a totally different movie that I'd gladly watch; they were the best bits imo
I really love the first movie, maybe because I’m completely smittened by Bughuul. The last jump scare was corny asf, and I wished that they left it out.
The second one, it had a good concepts. “Let’s show the corruption of what the kids go through to become food for Bughuul.” But really didn’t execute it precisely.
Sinister is one of my favorite horror movies of all time. Just the music alone in the home videos still haunt my dreams. The second one hurt my soul with how much of a blunder it was.
I had actually listened to the album they used in the first one years before I saw the movie, forgotten about it, and gave myself another layer of terror when the backdrop music sounded so familiar to me.
The artist is Culver btw, if you loved the music in the movie I'm sure you'll enjoy a lot of their other work.
Idk why this came to mind but that old movie called “idol hands” would be a great video for you to cover
The specious security claims on these VPN ads are getting out of hand. If a website doesn't have TLS at this point, you shouldn't be putting any login credentials or personal information into it, with a VPN or not. The vast majority of the web is end-to-end encrypted these days. Concerns of unsecure WiFi are basically gone. There are plenty of benefits of VPNs, in fact I use one, but I really wish that VPN companies would stop encouraging the uninformed creators they sponsor to make inaccurate claims about the risk of using the internet without a VPN. It's kind of an exploitative type of advertising. And this isn't a criticism toward Ryan, he is a wonderful writer and film critic and I have no expectations that he should be a web security expert. I just wish VPN companies would stop encouraging people to unwittingly lie on their behalf.
I kind of thought after Tom Scott called everyone out, things would get better. And a lot of the tech RUclipsrs I follow have shifted focus onto advertising legitimate claims like a VPN's ability to unblock region-locked content. But it seems there is still plenty of misplaced security fear-mongering abound.
It WAS a sequel created purely to capitalize on the original's success. I watched a clip in which C. Cargill stated that, once Sinister was a surprise hit, Jason Blum came to him and Derrickson and said it was time for the sequel. When the duo replied it was meant as a one off, the Blumhouse guy replied, "We don't do that." So, Cargill had to pull a sequel idea out of the air and then he and Derrickson intercut more disturbing ways to kill people with their 2-tier plot that wasn't intended to exist. It was not set up to be a franchise or even have a follow up, unlike Insidious, which the Saw co-writer (Leigh Whannell) planned as multiple films.
Yeah, I wish they had just made Sinister a one off, it's not like one off horror movies don't exist. Plenty of horror media don't get sequels. And the ones they do have for sequels, those people usually already have ideas for where they want the stories to go like Insidious and the Conjuring. I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to intentionally make the sequel bad as an effort to ensure the franchise is discontinued. Kind of crappy that you would have to ax that sequel, but considering how much pressure and forced creative liberties they were giving the creator, can't say I blame him for just giving up.
I think the Christmas one still matches the simplistic idea of the original murder tapes, with people tied down and being exposed to the environment. It's not a burning car, it's not a swimming pool, but outside in the freezing cold. It's the most terrifying one, if you ask me. The burning crosses and the kitchen one are fine, too. It's the alligator one where it starts getting a tad bit goofy and I don't like how Bughuul is right there orchestrating the rats in the church one (including these iron bowls that were lying around?). Lastly the dentist one is just straight up murder and the most out of place (even though the lawnmower was somewhat the same).
The alligator one & the dentist office made me laugh a little. Just thinking about the logistics of it all, that'd be a great bit in a comedy/spoof where the evil ghost kids work together to string up a family over a swamp or bust into a denist's office and strap each family member to a chair, all to upbeat music.
I saw this movie in the theater and I thought it was mediocre as a film, but James Ransom was believable as protagonist.
1st film is still amazing and the 2nd is the polar opposite.
Ryan, will you be doing a video on the other 3 VHS films? Have you seen the sadness ? Any thoughts? Keep up the great work!
Despite the general drop in quality, I actually do think the sequel's premise of a family escaping their abuser only to end up in a house where they're tormented by ghosts is a more interesting idea than the first film's setup and I'd love to see someone else maybe take a crack at doing it again in a better haunted house movie
I consider the first Sinister one of the most bone-chillingly scariest horror flicks I have ever seen. It’s right up there with The Blair Witch Project, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and REC when it comes to delivering sheer, unadulterated terror. I positively love it, including the ending!
Sinister 2? Eh, it exists. I certainly don’t consider it “one of worst horror sequels in history”, but that ultimately leaves it as completely bland to me in exchange. We see far too much of Bughuul in the damn thing when he worked so much better in the first film as a literal background entity. His presence was felt enough where he didn’t need to keep popping up at center stage like in 2.
And those spooky kids. Did we really need to see their highlight reels? Doesn’t that lessen any creep factor they had in the first film when the sequel is basically presenting them as wannabe film school fucks?
If I had to pick anything I actually loved from Sinister 2, it’s both Shannyn Sossamon and James Ransone. They had a believable chemistry together and it makes their scenes worth watching.
I actually like the story they'd decided on its some parts that feel it's missing something but it's a great direct sequel since they decided for the deputy to be the lead but I kinda am 50/50 on how it needed to be some wife of a abuser I guess so we have a human villain as well but the families in the snuff films I don't wanna wonder if they were bad people so I actually like that it focuses on the kids trying to corrupt Dylan only to trigger his brother who obviously has gotten violent due to his father showing him how it's done. It's wasn't much of a twist to me exactly it's obvious their are two children their so they could have possibly be talking to both. Dylan is a abused kid so didn't think to open up to his brother or make sure that the same wasn't happening to him. Anyways it's just a ok movie to me and the biggest problem as a horror fan I felt like this was shot where they made Annabelle Creation so it was very distracting to me and some parts of the movies are similar too with constantly trying to corrupt and haunt the kids But I guess that's my fault for waiting to watch this
Also Ryan great video 💖
Having just re-watched the first “Sinister” all Ryan’s points are still right & I still think the ending is extremely dumb. Never got to the sequel, but I remember the bad reviews (similar to the “Woman in Black” sequel that also came out the same year). Cannot wait for “The Black Phone” in a month! That poster is gonna get a special place at my house 😏😏
is this just 18 minutes of you saying *yeeessssssssssssssssssssssss*
I literally didn't even know Sinister had a sequel
A third movie might have saved the story for me as Deputy So-So is a fun character and the idea of a monster making snuff films to lure children is a good concept just needs better execution. The sequel is okay, but it definitely suffers from over explaining and trying to keep Bagul interesting without realizing that the mystery of how he makes the tapes and tricks the children is way more terrifying without knowing exact details
Is it weird for me to say that I would have enjoyed Sinister more if it had no Bagel? It would've been more impactful for me if there turned out to be no supernatural element, and that it was just a way for the viewer of the tapes to cope with the horrors of what happens in them. The true horror would come from the erosion of the viewer's morales as they become obsessed with finding more tapes, until they snap and start to imagine themselves in the environment of tapes. Making the movie more about the alluring nature of shocking snuff tapes and about a sort of 'supernatural' addiction that those who view them experience, until they commit a crime just like the ones they saw.
@@ahealthkit2745 I think you just described 8MM which is definitely worth watching.
Also no, I don't think it's weird to have not wanted Bababul in the movie at all. The idea the first movie teased where it was a serial killer that either abducted kids to turn them into serial killers was way more interesting.
@@silence_dais I suppose they wrongly assumed they would add a twist saying…guess what? It’s not some guy kidnapping kids. It’s just a mediocre film after all! Gotcha!
I know I'm pretty late to the game here, but I want to put my two cents here. I think the problem with the pagan god Bagul isn't just that he's very generic (I mean, he's basically Slenderman but with a black wig), he's also doesn't seem to have have any agency within the story.
Like, what EXACTLY does he do, other than cheap Scooby Doo jumps? He always looks like he's standing there doing jack shit while the ghost children appear to do most of the work Bagul is supposed to be doing, like brainwashing new kids into killing their families and filming the murders. He's like the DJ Khalid of supernatural horror movie antagonists: "WE MAKE THE BEST OCCULT SNUFF FILMS!!!"
I'm still mad that they went the ghost children route in the original bc it was so genuinely creepy and unnerving before then.
The sequel is a complete mess. A children of the corn like spin-off with zero tension and enjoyment
The tapes are just there bc the original had them and of course they had to up the torture/gore. However it was more Saw like torture porn than actually disturbing.
tbf, Sinister 2 was written by a different author and directed by a different director; I think it was originally meant to be a 1 and done. Marketing department thought otherwise tho.
I have a distinct memory of seeing a trailer for this one on tv and thinking it looked good before my dad said out loud, “That doesn’t look very good.” Haven’t seen it, but I still remember that moment.
The first movie tided itself over nicely as in the first film Ellison is a writer who has had a super hit of a book that gave him fame, money, and TV interviews. Since that time he hasn't written a descent true crime/ murder novel. So he buys the house unknowingly to his wife and family that he was aware of the murders that took place at the home, with the hopes of gathering or finding something he can find and explore to write another hit book. So they really seemed to have taken more time than the sequel to establish this side plot of the story to make this film a better story.
It's been a very long time since I've seen sinister 2. I love the first one because of it's incredible sound design and the murder mystery in the first half.
And there seems to be a thing with horror movies where it's really dark and unique in the first half, then the second half becomes very by the numbers, standard horror, or a CGI mess. The Lazarus effect did this, the conjuring 2 did it, sinister, etc. It's kind of annoying because of how good the first half of these movies were
The green glowing liquid hinted at in all the home movies is great. It doesn't hit you till the end of the 1st movie that it's given to the children by Bagul to knock out their families. THEN Sinister 2 comes along and kind of throws that away with ghost children chasing the family through the house. I know it was still used, but it was such a disappointment.
I still love both Sinister 1 and 2 a lot. I love that deputy so&so becomes the protagonist in the second film
Oddly enough I was actually more scared by this than the first film. Probably because abuse is more "real" to me than a paranormal crime investigation.
Honestly, I am in the same boat as you, Ryan. I loved the first half of the first. As soon as they confirmed a spooky bejesus as the baddie, the movie started slipping for me. I thought it would've been more about the trauma of uncovering these grim tapes and losing yourself in the brutality of another's evil, rather than it being huhue kiddies did it.
I love the frist film not a big fan of the second but it still has a place
Sinister 2 is right up there with Morbius as films of our generation if I’m being brutally honest
Terrible bait lol
I still love the part when Baguul said “it’s Baguulin’ time”…truly one of the moments of cinematic history.
I love horror movies and I'll never stop watching them. I really like being scared from a film and I need some blood and violence to make me actually fear for the characters in harms way. That said I just can't get behind torture porn films. It just disgusts and upsets me so much cause this stuff really happens to people and I can't help but think about that when I see that kinda content. Plus it makes me sick thinking that people actually like this and I fear it encourages some bad things. Idk the heavy implications of torture in films is totally fine and some torture scenes I can handle but someone getting there face drilled off..... or a family being torture in front of their kids? Wtf man who wants to watch that shit
cant wait for part 3 where he tricks innocent children into somehow using a radio to document their families deaths
The biggest thing I remember about this movie is that the soundtrack is so clearly inspired by Silent Hill and legit slaps
I actually watched this a couple months ago and liked it way more than I imagined I would. I'm usually all into the horror elements more than anything else, but this movie won me over with the relationship element between Courtney (the actress killed it) and Deputy So-&-So (also killed it). That shit was goddamn adorable.
I saw this with a friend, not having seen part 1. Didn't think it was too bad.
Ryan love that content. You should look up the British film called The Owners, it's an interesting twist on the home invasion theme.
That moment when you haven't watched this movie in years and suddenly realize the lead ghost kid Milo is the same actor who plays Gilbert in Netflix's Anne with an E. 😅
I loved the first movie, I honestly believe it was one of the best mainstream horrors in the last 20 years. Every time the sound of the 8mm camera was enough to put me on edge and was the most tense I have been since the pale man scene in Pans Labyrinth, to me was perfect build up in tension.
The kids in the second one felt so strange, they had a comical/gangster vibe which made me burst out with laughter when I saw this in the cinema. However I have only watched it when I came out so maybe I should give it another watch.
It's been an absolute age and a half since I seen this film, think I seen in the cinema when it was out, but I think the scenario with Dillion and Zach was about playing on Zach's jealousy of his brother. I think Zach might have always been the real target but instead of approaching him directly they approached Dillion to made Zach jealous that his brother was considered special. It made Zach less likely to resist their influence because it was something that he wanted and thus he felt like it was a choice he was making rather than being pushed into it. Twist wise I thought it was kind of interesting, sort of showed that the Ghoul, and by extension the kids, were more cunning in their manipulations, instead of just using some form of mind control through watching the other films.
Its been ages since I watched the first Sinister as well, but I think maybe they also did a bit of red herringness with the son from the first film. Where, if you guessed that one of the kids was behind the killings, you would think it would the Main character's son because he was having all those night terrors and sleep walking, but instead it was the more innocent seeming sister.
I agree the sequel isn’t as good as the first one but the part when the abusive father forced food into the one boy’s mouth shook me to my core
That lawn mower scene from the first sinister was completely unexpected and jaw dropping the first time I saw it. I remember watching that movie in the theater's in between my fingers as I had my face covered. Compared to sinister two which was just an everyday theater experience. It's a shame really because they had a good idea, something I've never seen before up to that point.
It's been years and the soundtrack played when the family is freezing in the snow is still stuck in my head.
Hey Ryan great video as always mate! I would like to suggest a review on The Tall Man 2012. Quite a cheesy one, but would love your take on it. I saw it when I was in my early teens (that age is quite relevant to the film) and it stuck with me ever since. Have a good one!
I enjoyed both. There’s something eerie about both. I blame the fashion of that era and the required jump scares.
I also thought that the red herring was more of childish “I really didn’t want it ANYWAY!” …less of an actual reversal of audience expectations.
Hello Ryan I know this might seem random but I think you should check out a slasher film called a bay of blood,(twitch of the death nerve) A forgotten slasher that is what I consider the earliest examples of a Friday a 13th slasher and it came out before that franchise.
So happy the latest Ryan Hollinger video uploaded on my birthday. And Sinister 2 was an OK horror movie.
If I had to think of some plot twist to the exposition dump of how to eliminate Bagul, while simultaneously increasing his threat level as an entity, the best idea off the top of my head would be this: The protagonists assumed that destroying the totems through which violence is viewed would stop Bagul, but one little detail from the research was mis-interpreted.
Unfortunately, it's not just these specific items that fuel Bagul's existence. ANY tool through which violence can be recorded and seen or heard is sufficient. If one totem is destroyed, another object serving the same purpose can replace it (TV, radio, recorder, camera, computer, cellphone, etc.). Basically, anything through which violence can be consumed is a potential totem.
Consequently, this means that Bagul will never be permanently defeated because human nature will always drive people to want to view violence. Hence, people will use whatever technologies available to find or record it (Ex- Dark Web snuff films). You can't stop technology. And as long as this cycle continues, however many totems are destroyed, Bagul will always return.
It sounds similar to Freddy Krueger's rule where people's memories of him allow him to return no matter how many times he's killed. The only way to keep him in Hell is by making everyone forget he existed (Freddy vs. Jason is built on this premise, which is why Freddy has Jason go to Springwood and cause enough bloodshed to rekindle people's fear of Krueger).
The first half of the original Sinister film is absolutely brilliant horror. The second half, unfortunately, turns into a Blumhouse movie.
I honestly appreciated that the sequel framed most of it from Dylan's POV. The first Sinister did the creepy/evil kids trope pretty by the book, and there's something novel and a bit transgressive about "Now let's show the path from 'Kid' to 'Creepy Evil Kid'."
Man, the Sinister movies had such potential
The first is great and then the ending shits the bed and the sequel feels like it was done just to jump on the success of the first and failed
Ryan: I'll call them the Murder Tapes.
Video Chapter: The Movie Tapes.
Me: Confused screaming
I really loved the deputy's character, I liked how he gradually gets "accustomed" to the horrors and responds more and more sarcastically to it.
To be honest, it could've been worse. Better a decent 2nd 🎥 than a dozen low grade sequels And spinoffs
Next thing you know there's gonna be a prequel.
(God I hope not but wouldn't be surprised)
Facts... im glad they diddnt milk it like insideious...
Thank you for putting into words my feelings about the first Sinister movie. I really liked the first half, but the second half just......I've felt really mixed about the whole movie due to that duality.
It’s my understanding that the ghost kids used the first twin to make the more violently inclined twin to become jealous, which he did. That was the entire point. But that’s just my take on it. And totally agree with ur take on S1. The first half was incredible but all in all, still my second favorite movie with, and don’t come for me, as above so below as my all time favorite. 8mm may take that rank, but I’ve yet to have the time to watch it as of yet.
I waited through the credits to see if you would do a spoof of the Baggie jump scare.
Excellent take as always. The first Sinister got under my skin in a way few other horror movies managed to do. I wanted to love the second one so badly and I’m still bummed it didn’t maintain the feel of the first, but you’re right - it’s not SO bad. It’s just middle of the road and paint by numbers.
Part of me wants to see the sequel, but Jesus christ, I saw Sinister years ago, and I just rewatched it last night and it still scared the hell out of me. Not knowing everything, the ambiguity is what made it frighting. By the time you realized what was happening, it was too late. The soundtrack set the mode perfectly in my opinion. This is one of those horror films, I'm starting to think should have been left alone and not given a sequel.
Hi Ryan! Do requiem for a dream next! First movie that shocked me to the core
This movie made my skin crawl, only I don't have any skin, because I'm a skeleton...
... *Yohohoho!!*
When we see Bogul looking at the camera with the hanging family, i got shook (first movie) it wasnt just him looking at the camera. He was looking at you, the viewer. The small nudge that he might start to show up in my life now that ive seen him was real for a bit.
I love the first sinister, the music is what drives the movie. I would have loved too see more of sinister and where it was going to go..
Would you consider covering Eden Lake. I had to study it in my film classes so if I have to suffer through, so does everyone else. 😌
Absolutely love that they hire Slipknot's guitarist to play the part of the ghost ❤️ slay queen
As silly as it sounds, I don't feel as if I can revisit the films currently because I have two little ones and some horror with kids just hits really differently and I'm not in the mood for those feels. I always appreciate you willingness to give things a try and your honesty when it comes to admitting that perhaps you were too hard on a movie or the opposite and not hard enough. As always, i vote for Ginger Snaps and the Fear Street Trilogy.
Please do an analysis on "sleep tight"! One of the most slept on and underseen horror movies of the last decade !!
Deputy So&So is underated, but the film still needs help
You got it right with the simplicity of the films in the first movie.
you felt like those could happen in your own backyard, which makes it more terrifying than a Crop field.
I loved the first half of Sinister where we were wondering about the source of the tapes, Once it went supernatural all the creepiness just vanished (Supernatural movies just do nothing for me) I was still entertained but I wish it had a more realistic reason than "GHOSTS".
The only thing I remember about 2 is the Snow & Rat tapes.
The first half of Sinister 1 might be one of my favorites of all time.. Man does it sure fall flat..
All they had to do was completely separate the two plots and make a twist where it's actually two timelines and both main characters are actually the same person. Make up some amnesia thing. Add spooky flash backs to him killing him family. The whole time we'd be thinking it was a rush to save the family but the whole time it had already happened.
That would have been cool. My idea was to have Professor Jonas from the original as the lead "investigating" the new murders (Vincent D'onofrio). He would have been a more compelling presence than Ransone, who plays more like Dewey Riley from Scream than a serious detective. Not faulting the actor, just the way the character was written.
The main issue with Baghoul is he looks like he plays guitar for Slipknot.
Truthfully the first film’s first half IS really well done, but besides the acting and cinematography the true strength is the soundtrack. I recognized BOC’s gyroscope right at the end but the even before that there were tracks that I’ve never heard that left me uneasy so perfectly, like the track for the Family BBQ ‘79 tape.
Had to bail out early because I haven't seen it, but hell yeah! I was hoping you'd have good things to say about Ransone's performance. I'll have to see this one before the spoilery section for sure. 🤗
You always cover the best stuff, Ryan! Thanks for the video! ❤
The one thing that I'll always remember Sinister 2 for is the weirdly funny scene where the stepfather screams that the kids need to eat their mashed potatoes.