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Geek Girl Authority
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Underrated Horror Movie of the Month: DEAD SILENCE
Hello, horror fans! It is time for another edition of Underrated Horror Movie of the Month. If you're new here, welcome! Every month, on the second and fourth Fridays, I talk about horror movies I feel are underrated and underloved. No subgenre stone is left unturned. The films mentioned span horror history and around the world. In this edition, I dive into the 2007 creepy doll classic, Dead Silence . About Dead Silence Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) receives a strange package containing a ventriloquist doll. Soon after receiving the item, someone brutally murders his wife. The police see Jamie as the only suspect. Since the doll is the only clue to what may have happened, Jamie heads back to his hometown, Raven's Fair, to hold his wife's funeral. RELATED: Underrated Horror Movie of the Month: Mischief Night The town, like most small towns, has a local ghost story. Mary Shaw, a skilled ventriloquist, was hunted down by townsfolk after being accused of kidnapping a local boy. When the mob found her, they cut out her tongue and killed her. They buried her with all her dolls, which she called her 'children.' Ever since her death, the town has suffered many strange deaths. Can Jamie and the detective following him discover who or what murdered his wife? Or will he end up another victim? 'Beware the stare of Mary Shaw; she has no children, only dolls. And if you see her in your dreams, be sure you never, ever scream.' Dead Silence also stars Donnie Wahlberg, Laura Regan, Michael Fairman, Bob Gunton, Amber Valletta and Judith Roberts. James Wan directed, and he and Leigh Whannell wrote the story. RELATED: Every Saw Movie, Ranked This only film has a 20 percent Tomatometer rating and a 51 percent Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. Fun Facts: This film is from the creators of Saw , and the doll from that movie makes a brief appearance in one scene of Dead Silence . Additionally, replicas of Edgar Bergen's doll Charlie McCarthy and Jimmy Nelson's doll Danny O'Day made cameos. My Thoughts on Dead Silence I love this movie. The atmosphere is eerie and suspenseful, the twist is intriguing and the dolls are creepy. It is everything I want in a film within this subgenre. I eagerly consume every movie I can find about haunted or possessed dolls. Some examples include Child's Play , Robert the Doll and Annabelle . A few are genuine hits, and others are epic misses. This one is an out-of-the-park homerun. RELATED: Movie Review: Child's Play First, let's get into the story. Mary Shaw is consistently portrayed as an imposing figure. Every scene has her shrouded in darkness and only associating with her dolls. After her death, she wants revenge on those who wrongly accused her and ultimately caused her demise. Then, we segue into Jamie investigating his wife's murder. At first, the two things do not seem connected, but as the story progresses, the connections fall into place. The final twist in the narrative is one of my favorite parts of the movie. I've noticed some critics have said the twist is predictable. Many years have passed since I watched Dead Silence for the first time, but I certainly did not see the twist coming. Now, it seems a bit more obvious. However, I have seen the film countless times and know it inside and out. Therefore, my ability to see the clues should not be compared to someone seeing it for the first time. RELATED: Top 5 Rules for Surviving a Horror Movie I am a fan of Ryan Kwanten, who did a spectacular job in this film. Likewise, all of the other actors did well. My least favorite performance is Laura Regan as Lisa Ashen, Jamie's wife. I can't put my finger on why, but something about her scenes made me cringe. The effects are, in short, incredible. The way Mary Shaw's ghost looks evokes a sense of dread. Another point for the effects team is the dolls. Without saying too much, there is a scene with all the dolls that is freaky. The effects are brilliant. Final Thoughts This is an epic, creepy film that is vastly underrated. I recommend any horror lover watch it at least once. Especially if you are a fan of haunted dolls; also, if you have a fear of ventriloquists, approach with caution. RELATED: Annabelle Comes Home Spoiler Review I can't talk about this film without mentioning one quick point of interest. The doll that Jamie and Lisa receive at the beginning of the film bears a striking resemblance to Slappy from R.L. Stine's Goosebumps books. There you have it, horror fans, another underrated horror in the books. Let me know what you think of Dead Silence in the comments, and don't forget to let me know which movie you think I should feature next. Before you go, take a look at the Dead Silence trailer below. Stay spooky and watch more horror movies!
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Champion homeowners concerned about flooding issues
CHAMPION, Ohio (WKBN) — Some homeowners in Champion are worried about ongoing flooding issues on their street, especially with the possibility of more rain on the way. Homeowners on Shaffer Road are holding their breath, worried that their properties will flood like they did over the weekend. The water has since receded, but the video above shows what Jason and Mary Shaw's property looked like Saturday. The Shaws have lived here for five years and say this is the worst it's been, when the water rose so high it reached the back of their house. 'This was absolutely the worst,' Mary Shaw said. 'It makes you feel helpless.' Jason Shaw took video of their yard from a kayak. 'It's scary,' he said. 'I mean, to look at a picture of it doesn't even do justice.' The Shaws have lived here for five years and say this is the worst it's been, when the water rose so high it reached the back of their house. 'It makes you sick, everything you try to do to bring this land up to make it better to plant our crops and trees and everything is getting washed down the stream, it's devastating,' Mary Shaw said.' Silas and Marjorie Dozier live a mile away and were dealing with flooding, too. 'It's beyond frustrating,' Silas Dozier said. 'We don't know what this is all going to look like,' said Marjorie Dozier. 'It might be all underneath the water again.' Trustee Doug Emerine tells First News that flooding in this area has been a problem for years. He wishes there was more the township could do, but their hands are tied because the issue is not in the township ditches or right-of-ways. 'Maybe something can be done to help this little community that we have,' Mary Shaw said. 'Squeakiest wheel gets the grease, so here I am, squeaking,' Silas Dozier said. 'There's more residents that's squeaking.' A specialist is expected to be at Monday's 6 p.m. trustees meeting to let property owners impacted by the flooding know what their options are. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
