The weekend is nearly upon us, and that means Film Focus. Here’s Mike Laidman with what’s new in local theaters.
We’re going to take this week to digest a little, to glance back at a great horror film that we haven’t featured yet, and then to look ahead to what is a perfect action-comedy coming next week.

The Conjuring 2 is that rare sequel that improves on the original, or at least matches it - something that is all too uncommon in the horror/thriller genre.

Next week brings the very-well received The Nice Guys, an action-comedy set in 1970s Los Angeles. Let’s take a peek...

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Mike Laidman

Welcome to another edition of Film Focus. I’m Mike Laidman.

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The Conjuring 2 (2016, James Wan)
Paranormal investigators help a mother plagued by a spirit.

Back in 2013, The Conjuring met with success for its creepiness and well-crafted, old-school scares. Well, The Conjuring 2 is here, and it’s one heck of a ghost story, told with spine-tingling skill.

In 1977, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren travel to London, England, where single mother Peggy Hodgson believes that something evil is in her home. When Peggy's youngest daughter starts showing signs of demonic possession, Ed and Lorraine attempt to help the besieged girl, only to find themselves targeted by the malicious spirits.

Director James Wan is hot off the success of Furious 7, but, just as he did with the original, he takes his time with The Conjuring 2, diving deep into the drama and tension and packing the film full of chilling moments and hair-raising visuals.

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The Nice Guys (2016, Shane Black)
Private eyes investigate a suicide in 1970s Los Angeles.

Keep your eyes open for The Nice Guys, hitting theatres next week.

Set against the backdrop of 1977 Los Angeles, single father and licensed PI Holland March is hired to investigate the apparent suicide of a famous porn star. Along the way he encounters less licensed and less hands-off private eye Jackson Healey. However, as is bound to happen, the situation takes a turn for the worse, and the two are forced to team up. They'll have to take on an eccentric 70s world to get to the bottom of what starts to look like a sprawling conspiracy.

The on-screen chemistry between Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling is pure gold, as is the slick, brutal, and bloody fun.