31 Days of Draughts and Darkness: Volume III
Insidious: Chapter 3
(2015)
A prequel, of sorts, "Insidious 3" informs you
from the get-go that this all takes place years before 'Darth Maul' met the
Lambert family. A bit confusingly, while the film takes place before
"Insidious 1", it also occurs after
key elements of "Insidious 2". Lost yet?
What's important in separating the films of the trilogy are
the plot focal points. Parts 1 and 2 were about the Lamberts, a struggling family coming to terms with their dark gifts. Part 3
involves another family entirely, but though they have their own issues with
the undead, it's really Ellie's story.
"Insidious 3" is a slice-of-life style shocker
about the sort of toll being a medium can have on you, but it stills ties in well
with the others (despite a slightly-forced ending shocker). While the film
does little to carry the overall story forward, it's still a solid ghost movie
that isn't entirely dependent on jump
scares. Oh sure, there are plenty of them, but the quality is higher than
usual. The scares are inventive and the central villain is plenty
disturbing even when not lunging at the camera.
The Plot:
Our story begins, as mentioned, a
few years before Part 1. A young girl, having recently lost her mother to
cancer, seeks the supernatural talents of Ellie. She hopes to make contact
beyond the grave for a final goodbye. But Ellie's retired from the profession
and has been reclusive, seldom leaving her home. Though the young girl does
convince Ellie to perform a brief reading, the spirit who shows up is most
decidedly not her mother.
Ellie warns "when you call
out to the spirit world, everyone can hear you", but it's already too
late. What follows is the gradual possession of the girl by a parasitic
ghost. It wants a new body, and she's the chosen host. At first, the being
seems content to psychologically torture her, but before long, the attacks
begin.
And I'll tell you, they are pretty
damn scary.
Will Ellie come out of retirement
to face this new threat? What past secrets reveal the key to defeating it? And
what ordeal caused Ellie, a hardened medium, to retire in the first place?
The Flavor:
Like its predecessors, "Insidious 3" melds the
haunted house and possession genres, then tops it off with a dash of fantasy.
The Further, an astral realm of restless spirits, is explored frequently. As
such, the film has fun bending reality more than most other haunted-house
movies. If you were able to roll with this fantasy aspect in Parts 1 and 2,
you'll have no problem here. I actually found the Further to be more
frightening in "Insidious 3" than in Part 2. Though neither sequel
quite matches the freaky visuals the Further held for us in Part 1.
Although "Insidious 3" is much more jump-scare
reliant than its predecessors, the jump scares are mostly creative, avoiding fake-outs and instead tossing some genuinely freaky imagery at us.
Even so, the film's best scares are actually the slow-paced
ones. These slow-burn style moments ratchet up tension in an agonizingly
gradual fashion before unleashing the shock. James Wann may not have
directed Part 3, but moments of the film are certainly textured with his
fingerprints.
The film's villain, brand new to the series, has a design
that's simple but menacing. Early on, we only get fleeting glimpses of the
specter, most often in silhouette or split-second flashes. Towards
the climax, we do get a solid look at the creature, but it's these early
moments, where our imaginations run wild with limited information, that it's at
the most horrifying.
Though not perfect, "Insidious 3" still provides a
solid ghost-story experience with ample jumps. I was disappointed that the film
only hinted, barely, at continuing the cliff-hanger ending of Part 2. The
franchise still has some unfinished questions to answer, and my attention is
certainly held.
Best Paired With:
Although best-case scenario viewing would involve prior
knowledge of "Insidious 1" and "Insidious 2", the film is
still enjoyable as a stand-alone horror film. Just know that Part 3 has plenty
of nods and setup-style moments that'll seem confusing to the uninitiated. But
if you're mainly interested in a good spooky Halloween thrill-ride,
"Insidious 3" can make for fine casual viewing.
Though scary, the none of the "Insidious" films
are intensely violent or graphic. There's plenty of disturbing imagery to go
around, and Part 3 is no exception, but the gore factor is nil. As such,
"Insidious 3" can make for a great Halloween film for families, maybe
provided the kids are 12ish and up.
Brew:
Featuring haunted houses, psychics, ghostly possessions, and
all manner of the supernatural, "Insidious 3" calls for a brew that's
classically Halloween. I smell something pumpkin a' brewin.
Name:
Punk'in Drublic
Brewery:
Coronado Brewing Co.
Where
Brewed: Coronado, CA
ABV:
8.0%
Style:
Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Color: Like many a
pumpkin brew before it, Punk'in Drublic has a figure that casts a darkly-orange
glow when held up to the light. As you work your way in towards the center of
the glass, the tone turns a deep, rich red.
Aroma: I've been told many, many pumpkin beers smell like
pumpkin pie. But this one? Hot damn, Punk'in Drublic nails every aspect of the
signature dessert I can imagine.
Yes, the expected Fall Trio of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger
are in strong force. But just as pronounced is the scent of pumpkin, which is
often overpowered by the spices. Here, it blends right in. Strong start, yes, but
what nails the "pie" factor is the malts, which take on a bready-tone
that honestly captures the buttery scent of pie crust.
This entire package is startling akin to the genuine Fall
dessert staple, perhaps whipped up with a shot of rum in the mix, as there's a
sharp scent in there as well. Not that anyone would mind a bit of the
hard-stuff in their pie...
Taste: Each sip is a two-fold tasting adventure. Initially,
the brew comes off in a similar fashion to other pumpkin ales. The Fall Trio
arrive strong on the tongue, and with them chime in a nicely-toasted malt flavor. As the brew travels towards the back of your mouth and settles, another
round of flavors kick in.
Remember that curst-like scent I mentioned earlier? Take the
slightly-buttery quality of pie crust and imagine that incorporated into the
flavor of a beer. The closest approximation I can think, flavorwise, is the
taste of hot-buttered run. The buttery flavor combines with a sharp, alcoholic
spike at the back of the tongue. I imagine that's the higher ABV at work.
As the flavors combine, you'll find the experience warming,
like the sort of brew you'd drink after coming in from the cold. I can only
imagine these flavors would get stronger if the beer were brought to room
temperature.
Aftertaste: Despite all the heavy flavors I described above,
there's also a refreshing dryness at the back of each sip. I dunno if it's the
hop factor at work, but the overall sweetness level is tempered in-between
sips. As the sweetness fades, the spice and malt character remain, as does the
slightly-buttery flavor.
By the time you're ready to take your next sip, you'll still
have the spices on the tongue, but the sweetness of the brew will have receded
enough to prevent the next taste from being overwhelming.
Body: As an imperial, Punk'in
Drublic has a heavier body than a typical pumpkin ale. Don't expect to down
this brew quickly, as the potent flavor profiles and mouth-coating quality of
the brew provide each sip with a lot of heft. This is the sort of sip-and-savor
brew that calls for gradual consumption and full appreciation.
Pair: Maybe it's because I've got pumpkin pie on the brain
(thanks to this brew), but Punk'in Drublic strikes me as a dessert beer. Pair
this baby up with some vanilla ice cream, or if it's cold outside, simply enjoy
as is. The flavors and higher alcohol content oughta warm you up quickly.
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