An interesting little lovecraftian short film featuring Ray Wise. Well shot, well acted, straight to the point writing, quick, effective and in the end, pretty brutal. No matter which direction this movie was going, it ended up in places I did not expect. Thematically a mix of Psycho and Clive Barker's the Midnight Meat Train with a number of Lynchian moments.
Cooties
A horror-comedy that's not very funny and contains few scares. I never tire of children-as-monster movies, and enjoyed myself during the initial scenes as a zombie virus infects a group of horribly unsympathetic children. But the comedy falls flat, and the filmmakers attempt to make that up with gore. The actors across the board were obviously putting an effort, but the majority of the cast is unlikable. Certain scenes effectively demonstrate how children can be vicious terrifying threats, both prior and post infection, but it is just not scary. The movie can't seem to figure out where to go in the third act, and ends with a resounding meh. To be fair, while I've seen way better, I've seen far, far worse. This seems like a missed opportunity.
C
VHS: Viral
Admittedly, I have a special place in my heart for anthology horror. The first two films in the V/H/S sequence were extremely fun and effective, blending new takes on the found footage genre with pretty sweet horror shorts linked through a framing story. V/H/S 2 is particularly good, and genuinely frightening. But by the nature of this genre segments can vary wildly in quality and impact. V/H/S: Viral is at least consistent in that none of the segments are particularly great and not one equals any of the film’s predecessors. They vary from amusing (Dante the Great), to disturbed (Parallel Monsters), but none are particular scary. I give some credit for the producers trying not to simply repeat the same formula and evolve the overall linking narrative and trying to make a commentary on the lengths our society goes for instant fame, but this is a failed experiment.
C
Dark Was The Night (2014)
Refreshing to see a movie where the characters act believably, behave intelligently, and process emotions in a rational and human fashion. Great pacing and setup. Effective creatures. Kept me guessing throughout.
B+
Hidden (2015)
Ludicrously slow burn through the first 2/3rds of this movie. Main characters speak cryptically throughout to avoid spoiling the 'twists'. Aforementioned twists are interesting enough to justify some of the slow burn. Decent acting.
C+
Clown (2014)
This is the definitive demonic clown movie. If you must see only one demonic clown movie this year, make sure it is Clown. It is unapologetic with its premise and never relents in its responsibility to present the epitome of demonic clown movies. Does this make this a good movie? Hell no! But it is unashamed and having fun with it, and I'd guess you will too:
B
The Banshee Chapter (2013)
A rewatch on this one because I found it unsettling and related to a number of real life phenomena and conspiracies with a healthy dose of Lovecraftian science. Recommended
B. B+ ( if you've read or seen From Beyond.)
As Above, So Below (2014)
A movie desperately trying to convince you it has a modicum of intelligence by making obscure hermetic references and setting it under the catacombs of Paris. While the atmosphere of said catacombs is amazing and arguably elevates this movie beyond pure drek, the script argues otherwise. Insipid, lazy, clichéd nonsense consisting of the worst of the worst 'found footage' and horror tropes, moronic characters, and bad decisions. The worst of mine: watching this movie.
D+
Demonic (2015)
A paint-by-numbers found footage entry with multiple viewpoints making it slightly more interesting than most. Two narratives are simultaneously told as the timeline jumps between a police interview, and the events bringing them to that point. Nothing new, some effective use of old scare tactics and unsettling imagery, bland acting, predictable ending.
C.
We Are Still Here (2015)
We Are Still Here. Slow mood-building gives way to increasingly intense scenes. Damn effective. Creepy spirits. Some unexpected twists and turns. Brought it home in the end.