STUFF: News, Technology, the cool and the plain weird

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I like those ear buds...

[MIKA27]

This Is Why You Don't Touch Things In Museums

 

There’s a reason for why museums have signs saying not to touch the objects on display. Some visitors to the National Watch & Clock Museum of Columbia, Pennsylvania learned that the hard way.

The museum was home to a unique clock designed by James Borden. It looks like the visitors were touching and manipulating the device, causing it to fall off the wall and break.

According to Atlas Obscura, it does seem as though the clock can be repaired, according to Borden. Hopefully, it will be back on the wall before too much longer.

 

[MIKA27]

Hold The Door With Your Very Own Hodor Doorstop

Well, this was inevitable: a team is paying tribute to our favourite Game of Thrones character with a doorstop in his likeness. Hodor!

The Kickstarter for a Hodoor doorstop has breezed past its $US5000 ($6,791) funding level, and $US37 ($50) can get you your own, 15cm version. The team noted that they’re currently working on getting licensing from HBO in order to bring this to production – in the instance they can’t do that, they will issue refunds.

[MIKA27]

Submerged 'Lost City' Is Actually A Naturally Occurring Phenomenon

A few years ago, divers discovered an apparent underwater “lost city” off the coast of Zakynthos in Greece. New research reveals that the site, which was thought to be the ruins of a long-forgotten civilisation that perished when tsunamis hit the shore, is in actuality a geological formation — and a bizarre one at that.

Looking at the photos of these underwater formations, it’s hard to blame the divers for coming up with their initial assessment. These things look wholly unnatural, resembling paved floors, moorings, courtyards and colonnades.

“The site was discovered by snorkelers and first thought to be an ancient city port, lost to the sea,” said study lead author Julian Andrews from the University of East Anglia. “There were what superficially looked like circular column bases, and paved floors. But mysteriously no other signs of life — such as pottery.”

Well, it was too good to be true. It now appears that this “lost city” never really existed. Researchers from UEA, along with experts from the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment at the University of Athens, recently conducted a mineralogical and chemical analysis of various formations found at the site. In particular, they investigated the mineral content and texture of the underwater formations using microscopy, X-ray and stable isotope techniques.

“We investigated the site, which is between two and five meters under water, and found that it is actually a natural geologically occurring phenomenon,” said Andrews.

The researchers found that the linear spread of the cement-like structures is likely the result of a subsurface fault which never ruptured the surface of the sea bed. This fault allowed gases, including methane, to seep up from deep below the Earth’s surface.

“Microbes in the sediment use the carbon in methane as fuel. Microbe-driven oxidation of the methane then changes the chemistry of the sediment forming a kind of natural cement, known to geologists as concretion,” explained Andrews. “In this case the cement was an unusual mineral called dolomite which rarely forms in seawater, but can be quite common in microbe-rich sediments. These concretions were then exhumed by erosion to be exposed on the seabed today.”

The strange formations were created up to five million years ago, and are quite rare in such shallow waters. Similar structures, say the researchers, tend to be hundreds and often thousands of metres deep underwater.

[MIKA27]

Just In Case You Thought That Giant Gator Was Fake

 

For those doubting the veracity of the giant gator that traipsed across a Florida golf course earlier last week, behold: Another video of that giant gator.

 

[MIKA27]

One Of The Writers Behind Jason Bourne Is Now Helping With Rogue One

In the latest entry in Rogue One reshootgate, anonymous sources from the production and Lucasfilm have spoken up. Along with an attempt to calm the waters, there was also the revelation that Jason Bourne series veteran Tony Gilroy has been brought on board.

The story appears in Entertainment Weekly, where sources say that Gilroy is trusted by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and has been hired to consult on multiple Star Wars projects. In Rogue One, his job is reportedly to give notes on the first cut and write some new material — something he also did on director Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla. It’s Gilroy and not, as had been rumoured, Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) who has been brought in late.

Gilroy was one of the writers behind The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. He was also the writer-director of Michael Clayton and The Bourne Legacy. His background is suited to a darker action thriller, and would seem to contradict earlier reports that the studio wants the reshoots to “lighten” the tone.

EW‘s sources say that the film is still very different in tone to The Force Awakens and that the reshoots can’t be the result of poor test screenings, because the studio isn’t doing any.

The EW story mostly contradicts the somewhat panicked versions of the reshoot stories that we’ve been hearing all week. Even from the first reports, there have been insistences that the reshoots were always planned. Which is probably true, since every giant movie has done this recently. EW has a source saying that all the reshoots are about character development and “all take place [as inserts] within scenes we’ve already shot”.

They also deny the rumour that 40 per cent of the film is being redone. The timeline, according to those sources, just doesn’t support such a massive change. If that much was changing, the release date would also be pushed back. If it is, be prepared for this statement to bite the movie in the arse. The length of reshoots is supposedly to accommodate the busy schedules of the cast.

Now, this could all just be the company line. Everyone speaking everywhere has an agenda of some kind. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle: There are things the executives want to change, but it’s nothing nearly as major as the early reports indicate. Either way, we’ve got ages to go before we see Rogue One and know for sure.

[MIKA27]

Sleep Kills In The First Trailer For Rooster Teeth's Post-Apocalyptic Drama Day 5

 

It’s a general rule of thumb that apocalyptic events suck. I mean, it does mean that it’s the end of civilisation as we know it, billions of people die. They’re shitty times! But I would take any apocalypse — zombie, nuclear warfare, invasion of gorilla scientists from the moon — before one where the greatest gift of all, sleeping, is fatal.

Such is the premise of Rooster Teeth’s first dramatic series Day 5, where the world is thrown into chaos after an unknown epidemic causes people in unconscious states to die. The series follows a drug addict (Jesse C. Boyd), a sullen teenager (Walker Satterwhite), a night shift doctor (Stephanie Drapeau) and a redeye pilot (Davi Jay) in a race to not just survive the world left behind but to figure out a cure before they either give in to perpetual slumber or their bodies shut down from sleep deprivation.

Day 5‘s first episode (in a series of six) is set to release for Rooster Teeth subscribers on June 19.

[MIKA27]

The Story Behind That Superman And Muhammad Ali Team Up

In 1978, one of the strangest and most exhilarating comic book issues in DC’s history appeared in stores, featuring one of the greatest team-ups of all time: Superman and Muhammad Ali.

Teaming up superheroes and real life personalities was a tried and true trick for comic books: Superman had been paired up with celebrities in the past, such as President John F. Kennedy and Bob Hope before, so when DC Comics wanted to put him together with the World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali, it seemed like a match made in heaven. After all, Ali wasn’t too far off from being a superhero himself.

Neal Adams noted that the idea came from Julius Schwartz at DC comics, who thought that teaming up the two would be a great idea. Everyone laughed at first, but the company’s publisher decided to go forward with it. They contacted Ali and went through lengthy negotiations to get approval to use his image.

Dennis O’Neil came up with the story and began work writing the issue, but had to leave before it was finished. Adams took over, adapting O’Neil’s work and completed the book. The issue featured an alien race named the Scrubb demanding to fight Earth’s greatest champion. Muhammad Ali and Superman each step forward to take up the challenge to save Earth. When Ali argues that Superman isn’t a proper champion of Earth, the Scrubb leader, Rat’Lar, has them fight one another on the planet Bodace (where Superman’s powers are negated).

Neal Adams drew the issue, which ran a long 72 pages and which came with a spectacular wraparound cover of Superman and Ali facing off. Joe Kubert provided the initial cover for the issue, featuring an excited crowd watching the pair face off. DC Comics didn’t think that original cover was joyous enough – it was too somber.

Adams took over the cover, making some major changes. The same framing and format remained, but he populated the crowd with a number of cameos that included real celebrities such as Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, Lucille Ball, Johnny Carson, Ron Howard and Andy Warhol (and many more). Adams also included DC employees such as Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel and fictional characters such as Barry Allen, Batman, Lois Lane, Lex Luther, Diane Prince.

Several people, including John Wayne, didn’t give approval to use their likenesses, so rather than redrawing the faces completely, Adams opted to add moustaches to faces.

Ali had reportedly allowed his image to be used with one condition: his fictional self would have to discover Superman’s secret identity. (It’s also rumoured that he wrote his own dialogue).

The book was originally scheduled to be published in the fall of 1977, but was pushed back several times, first to the spring of 1978 and finally to the fall of 1977. During the delay, Ali actually lost his title of World Champion, utlimately regaining it in September 1978. The book would later be reprinted in 2010 as a hardcover.

Writer Brad Meltzer noted in the LA Times in 2010 that he felt that the comic was one of the greatest of all time:

It’s time for the eight-year-old me to open that book and ask: Does the interior sizzle match the exterior hype? In the name of good unbiased journalism, let me be honest with you — you’re #$%in — A right it did. And it still does. This is Neal Adams in his prime — when no one drew a better angry preacher filled with righteous indignation — and he’s drawing, without question, the greatest angry, righteous preacher of all time.

 

[MIKA27]

Lake in Chile Mysteriously Disappears Overnight

How does an entire lake disappear overnight? This disturbing event is occurring around the world with greater frequency. The latest happened in the Patagonia region near the southern end of Chile. Lake Riesco, a 1400 hectare (14 square km/5.4 square mile) body of water popular with fishing enthusiasts and vacationers, is gone and no one can explain why.

Before and after photos of what once was Lake Riesco

Local media showed before-and-after photographs of the area on May 30th, 2016, using words like “shocking” and “desiccated” to describe the scene at what was once Lake Riesco (Lago Riesco) in the valley of the river Blanco in the Aysén province, 27 km (16 miles) from the provincial capital city of Puerto Aysen. Before its demise, Lago Riesco had a maximum depth of 130 meters (425 feet) and an average depth of 72 meters (236 feet). After its demise, it’s dry. Why?

Reports on May 30th say “still no official information on the case.” Volcanoes in the area were “stable” with no unusual activities. Unofficially, speculation points to a few possible causes. One side of Lake Riesco lies on the Liquiñe-Ofqui geological fault – a major fault line which runs for 1200 km through southern Chile. The fault regularly triggers earthquakes, but no significant seismic activity was reported prior to the disappearance of Lake Riesco. There are reportedly no visible holes or crevices where the water could have gone.

Where did Lake Riesco go?

Another less plausible explanation is the drought caused by El Nino which has affected the area. Average rainfall in the lake region this year is only 34% of normal annual precipitation. While this may explain the lake being at lower levels and exposing new stretches of beaches, a gradual decline due to climate doesn’t suddenly become an overnight disappearance. Despite that, this is the preliminary explanation given by Marcio Villouta Alvarado, the Ministerial Regional Secretary of Public Works.

A large lake vanishes overnight without seismic warnings, loud noises, sudden and drastic changes in weather or other logical explanations for this strange event deep in the beautiful forests of Patagonia. What else could have caused it?

Local residents, boaters, swimmers and birds wait for an explanation. It’s too late for the fish.

 

[MIKA27]

KING TUT’S METEORITE DAGGER

Even by today’s standards, getting your hands on a knife made from a meteorite is something special. It isn’t everyday that knife makers are able to get their hands on material from space – and even when they do, there is no guarantee that the knife will be top-notch. It is all the more amazing then that King Tut’s own dagger, originally excavated in 1922, turns out to have been made from material salvaged from a meteorite.

In a study titled “The Meteoritic Origin of Tutankhamun’s Iron Dagger Blade” published in the journal Meteoritics & Planetary Science, it has been revealed that the extremely young ruler of Ancient Egypt was packing a knife made with some seriously rare materials. According to the the team of Egyptian and Italian researchers who used X-Ray analysis, the blade on this knife is composed of iron, nickel, and cobalt – a composition that matches the Kharga meteorite that fell west of Alexandria. This team’s finding seems to jive with a term that began to appear in hieroglyphic that translate’s roughly to ‘Iron of the sky’. It would seem to suggest that a huge meteorite must have hit the earth, and that ancient Egyptians went out on an expedition to go locate it.

[MIKA27]

MARSHALL MINI FRIDGE

If you’re a fan of Rock & Roll–be it classic, punk, metal, or otherwise–you’ve likely heard of Marshall Amplification. Probably the most iconic amp company ever, Marshall has been producing coveted gear for over 50 years. And a big part of the allure of their amps is their look–the imposing black speaker cabinets, the brass faceplate, and the Marshall logo itself. Not content to limit themselves to the world of amps, however, Marshall has created a mini fridge with the very same iconic allure.

Built to look like a half-stack amplifier, the fridge features authentic Marshall parts, a top freezer, and 4.4 cubic feet of total internal space. It also comes with a full-sized adjustable shelf, a half-sized shelf, a door rack–which can hold three 2L bottles–and a convenient can rack. There’s enough space in this fridge to drink like a rockstar without ever having to leave the comfort of your man-cave, not that we’re encouraging that kind of excess. It can be yours for just under $400. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

Seagate’s Innov8

Seagate’s new Innov8 drive delivers massive external storage without the need for a power cable! It’s the first-ever USB-powered (USB-C) drive to offer a whopping 8TB of storage in a portable, external package. The award winning, beautifully designed drive, draws all the power it needs from a single USB cable, there’s no need to make room on an already crowded power strip for yet another massive wall wart. Simply connect Innov8 to your computer and you are set.

[MIKA27]

PICKERING'S OAK AGED GIN

Gin is one of the most versatile spirits on the planet, and the folks at Pickering's put that reputation to the test with these limited edition Pickering's Oak Aged Gins. They traveled to source some of the best ex-Scotch whisky casks before bringing them home and filling them with their gin. Casks were chosen from each of the five Scotch regions — Highland, Islay, Island, Lowland, and Speyside. The different casks provide unique flavors and colors to the Pickerings' Gin, but with a yield of only 200 bottles per cask, they won't last long.

[MIKA27]

17 hours ago, Bster said:

Mate, you've kept up an awesome thread, kudos.

 

Thanks mate! I have been thinking about taking a break from it all.  Let's see.

[oliverdst]

24 minutes ago, MIKA27 said:

Thanks mate! I have been thinking about taking a break from it all.  Let's see.

Huge and great work, Mika. I imagine you are tired.

Thanks

 

[MIKA27]

Jeff Goldblum Sees Alien Visions In The Latest Independence Day: Resurgence Clip

 

We’re learning more and more about the alien invaders from Independence Day. We knew they loved to destroy monuments, but now we have a clip where we discover that these invaders are also transmitting visions to hapless Earthlings.

Also, somewhere — probably Africa, because Roland Emmerich’s not exactly known for subtlety — people have been hunted by aliens and learned their language. There’s more going on than just a distress call bringing more destruction to Earth.

[MIKA27]

ALPINE LABS PULSE

Back in the day, if you wanted to avoid camera shake while taking long exposure shots, you’d have to use a long cable with a button at the end of it that would manually click open your shutter. Now, thanks to Alpine Labs, users can do that and much more with the wireless Pulse remote.

This piece of tech gives photographers access to almost all of the features on their digital camera without having to manually click the shutter button. All users have to do is to set up their shooter on a tripod, slide the Pulse into the Hot shoe, and they can control everything from basic adjustments like aperture, shutter, and iso to HDR bracketing with a smartphone. Whether you are a pro who is looking for a new and more versatile tool for shooting time lapses, or a beginner who wants to play around with a new way of capturing images, this Bluetooth connective device and app are perfect. With 24 hours of battery life and compatibility with almost all Canon and Nikon camera bodies, it’s the perfect grab for photo nerds. Prices start at $89. [Purchase]

 

[MIKA27]

CASA COOK RHODES

Looking for a unique place to escape on your summer vacation? Check out the spectacular Casa Cook Hotel in the picturesque island of Rhodes, Greece, new boutique hotel for the bohemian spirit. The recently opened retreat is for those whom seek a laid-back and stylish holiday experience, a five-star hotel with several two-storey villas that open out onto a swim-up pool. Set against a stretch of rocky hills, the stunning hotel has a mid-century California vibe, with exposed stone walls, timber decks, pergolas, retro wire chairs and rough cotton details. The result is a stylish, minimal and comfortable hotel.    

[MIKA27]

COLUMBUS BREWING BODHI IPA

An award winning IPA for years, it's easy to brag about this great IPA — especially when it's brewed so close to our home. Columbus Brewing Bodhi IPA might seem simple enough, brewed with a blend of hops that are highlighted by one of the most aromatic — Citra. But there's nothing simple about its taste, as it manages to define what so many brewers have trouble with — consistency. It might not wreck your palate or smell like a fresh cut grapefruit, but it will be one of your new favorite IPAs, if it isn't already.

[MIKA27]

8 minutes ago, Bster said:

Would totally understand, you put a lot of work into the F1 thread (kudos for keeping that thread going for so long too. I remember when you started it, a long way back) as well as this one. Just wanted you to know there's members who really appreciate all your effort. Cheers.

Many thanks  Yes, I think I started F1 back in 2009 so there's been one since then.  How time flies!

I enjoy both threads, sometimes it's taxing though. Let's see how we go for this year  

I know there's a bunch of members and non members who read the threads, especially this one. Some days it gets 500-600 views! Its what keeps it going really and I feel obligated to keep it going for all. 

[OZCUBAN]

10 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

Thanks mate! I have been thinking about taking a break from it all.  Let's see.

Heard that before 

[OZCUBAN]

5 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

CASA COOK RHODES

Looking for a unique place to escape on your summer vacation? Check out the spectacular Casa Cook Hotel in the picturesque island of Rhodes, Greece, new boutique hotel for the bohemian spirit. The recently opened retreat is for those whom seek a laid-back and stylish holiday experience, a five-star hotel with several two-storey villas that open out onto a swim-up pool. Set against a stretch of rocky hills, the stunning hotel has a mid-century California vibe, with exposed stone walls, timber decks, pergolas, retro wire chairs and rough cotton details. The result is a stylish, minimal and comfortable hotel.    

Sounds like a good place for an F.O.H Convention 

 

[MIKA27]

LIGHTER CASE

Source: Oliverdst

Do you lose your lighter often? The lighter case is the solution, enabling you to light up in strong winds or any other adverse weather conditions while protecting your phone against bumps and scratches. In addition to these great benefits, the case is lightweight and is not thicker than other phone cases.
The lighter in the phone case can be locked and will not light, after the slide switch has been moved forward three times quickly, you can then unlock the lighter by repeating the above step. This means it is safe in your pocket!

USB CHARGE

The Lightercase has the power of 250 mAH (milliamperes/h). Charging is only necessary after lighting it 80x times. The case can be charged using the USB cable included, which can be inserted into a computer, laptop or phone chargers as long as is has a USB port.

A blinking light indicates when charging is required. The Lightercase battery is fully charged within a quarter of an hour.

Lighter case is available for Samsung and iPhones.

[MIKA27]

The Next Friday The 13th Movie Will Be A Total Voorhees Family Reunion

We already knew that the next instalment of the venerable, often ridiculous Friday the 13th horror franchise would be an origin story that starred the mother of machete enthusiast Jason Voorhees. But now we have confirmation that Jason’s mysterious dad will also finally be revealed in the film.

Speaking to Yahoo Movies, co-producer Andrew Form confirmed, “We’re going to meet the family. You’re gonna meet Pamela, Elias, and Jason. And you’re gonna see how it all happened.”

As is often the case with origin stories, sometimes not knowing is more gripping than knowing. I have a sinking suspicion that little Jason is going to take part in an elaborate go-kart race and then start asking strange women if they’re angels.

[MIKA27]

The Conjuring 2 Is A Sequel Worthy Of Its Namesake 

Good sequels are hard to come by. This is doubly true in the horror genre, where sequels risk becoming serialised and formulaic — but The Conjuring, released in 2013, was always a different kind of horror film. The sequel follows closely in its footsteps, making use of strong characters and relationships to drive its spooky story. While The Conjuring 2 doesn’t fall victim to the horror genre’s proven inclination towards clones, the sequel feels familiar in a way that fans of the original film will appreciate.

Warning: spoilers onward!

The film starts out strong and, like its predecessor, begins with a case that is largely — but not entirely — unrelated to its main focus on the Enfield poltergeist. This time around, it’s the Amityville Horror — something fans have wanted to see studied by The Conjuring‘s Ed and Lorraine Warren ever since the first film was released.

While many want to see the Warren’s investigation of Amityville as a full film, it’s extremely well timed as the intro to this movie. Not only does it add to continuity between films (the first film ended with a reference to “a case in Long Island”), but the Amityville hysteria that swept the world was also a direct influence on the coverage of the later Enfield case — with the latter being referred to as “England’s Amityville”.

After starting off with a bang and a few good scares, The Conjuring 2 settles in for the long haul — and I really mean long. At around two hours and 15 minutes, The Conjuring 2 is a lengthy film — probably longer than it needs to be, though that length is largely felt in gut-clenching tension rather than dragging boredom.

A few whole scenes could have easily been snipped with no real loss to the story. Most notably of these was a trite ‘welcome to London’ montage, complete with archival footage, red buses and The Clash’s London Calling. The scene was obviously intended to introduce the new setting, but it instead ended up at odds with The Conjuring‘s distinctive yellow subtitling — which quite clearly gives the location and date of the new scenes.

Once we get to England, however, the story finds its feet and starts to plod towards the inevitable, and it’s in these early scenes that The Conjuring 2 really sets itself apart from a lot of horror films. The Conjuring has always distinguished itself as a movie that was about people as much as it was about the ghosts, and the sequel doesn’t disappoint — in fact it’s one of the only films I’ve seen that successfully combines horror and romance.

The Warrens are once again skilfully played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, and their relationship is one of the things that really brings the film’s story to life. They actually spend a good third of the movie back in the States, with Lorraine finding herself being stalked by an inhuman spirit that wants her husband’s life.

Over in England, Frances O’Connor’s Peggy Hodgson is the picture of a British working class single mother, one who isn’t depicted as being particularly brave yet still charges into the unknown again and again for the sake of her beloved children. Unlike The Conjuring and its spinoff Annabelle, however, this one isn’t about the mum.

The film focuses largely on her daughter Janet, the young girl whom the hauntings are centred around — even when she leaves the Enfield flat. Madison Wolfe puts in a solid performance as Janet, chronicling her torment at the hands of a cranky old man spirit and the media — but we’ll get to that in a minute.

This isn’t just a story about a ghost — it’s a story about a single mother with barely enough money to keep her four children fed and clothed, with a flooded basement and broken washing machine that’s been left for lack of money to get it fixed — or a man in the home to help fix it. It’s a story about four children who get bullied in school, whose closest friends are among their own family.

On the more cliché side of things, it’s a story that starts with an Ouija board.

As the ghostly presence moves in, the scares build slowly and the tension is created early on with nothing more than sound design and some creative camerawork — which also serves to get the audience acquainted with the layout of the haunted house. Where some films would have already shoved a monster in your face, James Wan is still building atmosphere with nothing more than a Dutch tilt and a slow pan across a dark room.

The first half of The Conjuring 2 is a wonderful game of bait and switch — the movie builds up expectations and tension, only to shatter them in the very next scene. A scare where you didn’t expect one, or a long, silent moment where you did, Wan toys with his audience masterfully. As evidenced by its length, this film isn’t afraid to take its time, and that is shown in a few particularly memorable scenes.

In one, the youngest son Billy gets up in the middle of the night for a glass of water, only to find his toy firetruck misplaced from its usual home inside his darkened play tent (as seen in one of the earliest trailers for The Conjuring 2). He puts it back inside and goes back to bed — just as the firetruck wheels out of the tent of its own accord, lights and sirens blazing. During the long silent pauses of this scene, you can’t help but anticipate the next burst of paranormal activity — but Wan makes you wait just long enough that you second guess whether it’s coming at all.

This scene with the tent is also one of a number of scenes that follows a tradition of haunted house films — identifying the main points of ghostly activity in the house and building expectations around those places. The tent, an old chair, one of the upper rooms and, of course, the basement are all firmly established as being bad news before the Warrens even step into the picture.

Also before our intrepid paranormal investigators do arrive, the film addresses the media circus that surrounded the Enfield haunting, and introduces the numerous real-life figures involved. One scene even recreates an infamous interview with Janet and Margaret Hodgson, right down to the girls’ postures as they sit on a dingy couch.

One of the most interesting things about The Conjuring 2 is the way it addresses the air of scepticism that surrounded both the Amityville and Enfield cases — which are both now widely agreed to have been hoaxes. In fact, most of the information you’ll find about Enfield online is more concerned with debunking the haunting than it is with actually chronicling what happened.

While most horror movies include skeptics in some way, none quite address it in the way that The Conjuring 2 has, with investigators and reporters often present to try and provide a more mundane reasoning for what is happening. Even clairvoyant investigator (and true believer) Lorraine Warren has her moments of doubt when she finds she can’t sense any ghostly presence in the house.

This atmosphere leads to one of the interesting explorations of character in The Conjuring 2 — that of Janet’s isolation as the target of a large part of the paranormal activity. By the time the Warrens arrive in England, Janet is almost unresponsive, being haunted by both a vengeful spirit and the academics and reporters who are determined to prove her a liar.

It’s while the Warrens are investigating that the movie starts to meander a little. This section is filled with great and inventive scares, but even the new ways in which the haunted Janet is tormented by the spirit of old man Bill start to feel repetitive when the result is always the same.

While tension is often built in new and interesting ways, James Wan has a tendency to return to one particular type of scare — the creepy face popping out of the shadows, something you may have also seen in Insidious, or to a lesser extent in The Conjuring. This film features no less than three different creepy faces, which all pop out at you multiple times at opportune moments. While it can feel repetitive, the effect is undeniable.

Wan is a known fan of practical effects, and the makeup design for each of the scary entities is spot on — utilising the uncanny valley effect by taking a human face and making it inhuman enough to be unsettling. The faces from The Conjuring 2 are one of the first things to have kept me up at night for some time.

After the scare-filled nights of The Conjuring 2 pass, the days are depicted as surprisingly pleasant — but those familiar with The Conjuring will recognise this as the calm before the storm. As much as they’re there to investigate a haunting, the Warrens also take it upon themselves to provide some much needed stability. Ed takes on the role of handyman, giving the plumbing and appliances some TLC that’s been much needed since Peggy’s husband left them. Lorraine is as patient and gentle as always, calming both a frazzled Peggy and her children.

Of course, the fun and laughter of the idyllic family scenes created by Ed and Lorraine’s presence (including an extended singalong to Elvis’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love”) can only mean one thing — the shit’s about to hit the fan.

From here The Conjuring 2 barrels through into its last act with gusto. The eventual denouement almost seems rushed, which is odd in a movie that stretches to a bloated two and a quarter hours, but the film gets its satisfying conclusion in the end.

Some of the morals pushed towards the end of the film are considerably heavy-handed, and a moment between Janet and the Warrens is almost too mushy even considering the overall humanity of The Conjuring 2, but at its core it is a film that manages to be more than just a two-hour-long frightfest.

The Conjuring 2 is a film that’s worthy of its predecessor, endeavouring to be even scarier than the original, while still retaining that focus on the characters that drive it. While it could do with being a little shorter, it’s a horror film that will restore some of your faith in humanity — and still keep you up at night.