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THE HAUNTING HORROR\/SUSPENSE\/THRILLER<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n FROM GRAVITAS VENTURES<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n TO BE RELEASED\u00a0SEPTEMBER 5, 2017<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n ON DVD, BLU-RAY, AND DIGITAL HD<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n ***<\/strong><\/p>\n Movie Review:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> I had the privilege of per-screening The Atoning, a creative horror by writer\/director Michael Williams.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> I watch a lot of horrors, having worked a few haunts , myself, and relish nothing more than the sounds of horrified screams in the night. I\u2019m also a Witch, and Intuitive Medium, and I would like to offer viewpoints based on my experiences.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> I watch a lot of horrors. While this is not my favorite one I\u2019ve seen, it\u2019s also not the worst by any means.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a><\/a><\/a> It delivers in regards to the beautiful screams I love to hear. It will also make you jump more than once, yourself. One thing I love about horror is how it embraces the macabre and lends it an unapologetic beauty. From the set, to the makeup for the demons, to the crisp sounds in the heirloom house, to the use of shadow to create foreboding, this delivers artistic beauty.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> And those screams! Those lovely, lovely screams!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> The things most noteworthy about this is the unusual approach the team took with concepts of trapped spirits, psychics, and views of Purgatory.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> I will explain without spoiling the film, because you really should watch it.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a><\/a> <\/a> We have all seen multiple films where ghosts are trapped, and are tortured while trying to move on. This one has a unique reason, however. The reason, and closure for the spirits comes near the end, with the details slowly disclosed like pieces of the jigsaw puzzles the family work on together.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a><\/a> Psychics<\/u><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a> I love it most of all when films accurately portray my kind. This one, admittedly didn\u2019t. It was the stereotypical evil witch who scared the hell out of everybody, and orchestrated a violent showdown. While I\u2019m more concerned that people watching TV or films will assume a work of fiction is a perfect mirror of reality, I do find the crazy psychic who fits the Biblical stereotype of the summoner of evil a tired, overdone concept that needs retired. I\u2019ve both done, and witnessed house clearings. I\u2019ve talked to dead people. I\u2019ve helped with an exorcism.\u00a0\u00a0The process of all these things is nothing like what was portrayed in the film. I don\u2019t criticize artists for taking creative liberties to well\u2026CREATE- I just want the viewers to remember, this is fiction!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> The concept of a human being who has the power to command spirits is both an old one, as well as a scary one. This medium delivers on scary- if you aren\u2019t a medium. Then, you might be rolling your eyes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a><\/a> Purgatory<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a> The concept of Purgatory has been explored by writers for centuries.\u00a0\u00a0When artists get creative and come up with new ideas about how it works, people assume it is doctrine. It isn\u2019t. Without spoiling the film, I will just say Purgatory is for those who are going to Heaven, but they just have to atone for some sins first. People going to Hell do not make it to Purgatory, as they are seen as a lost cause with no hope for redemption.\u00a0\u00a0Purgatory is for purging and purification, and those with no sins to purge don\u2019t need to go there. The film portrays some souls that committed no wrong stuck in Purgatory, and another that is hellbound as being in Purgatory.\u00a0\u00a0As art, it is interesting. Just don\u2019t confuse art with dogma.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> This all raises a greater question. What limits for a writer or filmmaker are there in bending what is accepted as truth for the sake of artistic vision? As far as I am concerned, there are no limits, and it\u2019s not a fictional writer\u2019s job to educate everybody.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> It is our job to educate ourselves, and it is a writer\u2019s job in a fictional horror piece to entertain and scare us.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> I consider this more of a psychological thriller, myself, because until all the pieces come together, the film keeps you guessing. That is the scary part. We can sympathize with the family, questioning \u201cWhat would it be like if I were them in this situation? \u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> For the little boy, early on, he says, \u201cDoes this mean I don\u2019t have to go to school?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> For the dad, he muses, \u201cWhat if this is God\u2019s way of giving us a second chance?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a> For the mom, it is the fear that,\u00a0\u00a0\u201c God doesn\u2019t exist\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> I\u2019ve said enough.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a> Now go watch the film.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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