#25 - Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
(dir. Mike Flanagan)
I didn't see it, but by all accounts the first Ouija movie from 2014 was terrible. You could probably argue that a sequel had nowhere to go but up, but I don't think anyone expected it to actually be good. I certainly didn't, until I learned that it was directed by Mike Flanagan, who seems to be on a hot streak since his fantastic 2011 film Absentia. This isn't one of his best movies, but it's still an entertaining and well-made haunted house story with a super creepy kid.
Set in 1967, the story follows Lina and her younger sister Doris, whose family is struggling as their mother's fortune telling business (aka scam) is no longer able to pay the bills. Lina suggests adding a Ouija board to the act, but they get more than they bargained for when Doris starts channeling the spirits of the dead. The setup is pretty standard for this kind of movie, but the plot does move in some unexpected directions, especially towards the end. Flanagan avoids cliches for the most part, although I thought the "little girl making a face with her mouth open too wide" effect was used way too often. The actress who plays Doris was creepy enough on her own, the demonic faces were hardly necessary (although there are a couple moments where it does work).
This isn't exactly essential viewing, however I did think it was very good and if you like movies like The Conjuring or Insidious, I think you'll enjoy this one too. Definitely recommended. Probably the second-best movie ever made based on a board game (the first being Clue, obviously).
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