Halloween (2018)

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Wisely ignoring everything except the first sequel, this new Halloween picks up 40 years after the events of the first two movies. For the uninitiated, the script quickly brings the audience up to speed on what the characters have been doing over the decades. To some degree, this feels like some form of elaborate fan-fiction, slavishly devoted to the original film while making a genuine attempt to advance the narrative and characters into the current age. Some of it is more successful than others, the script is predictable and a lot of comedic attempts fall very flat, but it succeeds in revitalizing the terror of Michael Myers accompanied by his traditional theme. The cinematography is rather well done, although very dark for much of the last act, the way they render Myers as a hulking creature of the shadows is rather impressive. There's a decent amount of tension and suspense, and the grisly kills get pretty creative in parts. The last act is a hoot, and its nice to see Jamie Lee Curtis reprise her role with all the fire and fury 40 years of PTSD nightmares has built. On the whole, nothing revolutionary, nothing original, but a genuinely enjoyable sequel to a franchise that, like the titular character, had long been assumed dead, buried, and decomposing.

B

Downrange (2017)

This movie starts with a literal bang and intensifies throughout its running time. There's a brief respite for character building, but even these moments are laden with tension for the inevitable horror to come. The script quickly humanizes the characters, even fairly unlikable ones, just enough where you are actually rooting for them to survive an utterly horrifying scenario. While obviously low budget and too fond of drone filming, this movie takes a simple premise to horrifying extremes and never relents. The script and direction is streamlined, lean and malicious, wielding masochistic glee against its characters without rhyme or reason throughout its brisk running time. The gore is convincingly gooey, a nice mix of practical and CG that achieves some disturbingly realistic effects. The script is smart: the characters act and respond believably under duress, and the filmmakers are wise enough to demonstrate the character's confusion and uncertainty under pain and panic. The acting; unfortunately, is one of the weaker links, as the actors try admirably, but some of the unknown actors are really not up to task. The ending feels somewhat abrupt and goes a little too far over the top, as everything was more than nicely plausible until the last bits. The ending is a little ridiculously executed, as the movie revels in nihilism, but on the whole, this is an extremely effective and efficient low budget thriller that warrants a shot.

B

Mom and Dad (2018)

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This is a goofy violent contagion movie whose director needs time in therapy resolving family issues. His thoughts on parenthood skew towards the juvenile and he goes about this horror/comedy without attempts at introspection or deeper thought. There's little in the way of explanation and nothing in the way of resolution, but the movie does a decent job of introducing and humanizing the characters before mania ensues. Once the crazy hits high gear, there's few working actors quite as capable of conveying sheer balls-out-insanity quite like Nic Cage. Even amidst horrible acts, he comes off affably gonzo in a way only Nic Cage can pull off. To her credit, Selma Blair also nicely ratchets up her crazy as his maniacal counterpart and the two appear to be having genuine fun. The film is unapologetically hyper-violent, quick paced and things are very darkly humorous. Unfortunately as fun and outrageous as things get, the movie suddenly hits a brick wall with a sudden and infuriating ending that leaves viewers frustrated and unsatisfied.

C

The Heretics (2017)

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OctHorror Movie #28 - The Heretics (2017)
This isn't great. It looks like it should be: with a kickass opening, a neat looking demon and a pretty hard-core cult. This cult has a distinctive look that's creepy awesome but all pretense at originality ends there. There's one decent twist and several poor ones. The script is bland and predictable, the acting is bad and over-the-top in its attempts at pathos. The villain's performance is laughably bad, but the script never demands much of anyone. The heroic character is so mind-bogglingly dumb you might root for his downfall. This director's claim to fame is that he makes gooey productions, specializing in body horror and slow horrific transmogrification. This movie is plenty gooey, with no shortage of squishy, splattery, mucus covered and dripping. Its all very gross, but not particularly appealing.

D

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum

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This film is gleefully and apologetically derivative of any number of found footage films, to surprisingly fun effect. The filmmakers use creative methods to inject fresh blood into an exhausted subgenre, some of which come off a little goofy, but works and simultaneously offers an explanation for why these people don't flee or drop their cameras. This movie doesn't waste a lot of time, presenting the characters, location, history and scenario then hitting the ground running. The infodump is effective, and there's a fairly decent job of sketching out the character's individual quirks and planting a number of early seeds to play off of later. Once the supernatural events start, they go all out and escalate exponentially, effectively using the found-footage POV to generate some intense creeps from an intimate perspective. There's some inventive ideas at play, but the filmmakers seem content never to quite flesh them out; instead ratcheting up intensity and leaving disquieting mysteries to the viewer's discretion. Not all of it makes sense, and some of the characters are purposefully annoying, but the end result is one of the better found-footage entries in recent years, and a movie with some genuinely intense scenes and disquieting scares.

B

Winchester (2018)

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Top tier production values and powerhouse acting cannot make up for a tepid pseudo-biopic that forsakes accuracy for stylish excess. There is a fascinating story behind the events that inspired this film, but unfortunately knowing more diminishes the experience, as they leap from the lands of embellishment into downright fabrication. To that end, the filmmakers present an interesting take on the traditional haunting idea, but then ladden it with exhausted haunted house tropes and jump scares. To be fair, this movie tries very hard to be atmospheric and creepy, throwing a lot of money into a magnificent recreation of the Winchester mansion, which is a very creepy place. Unfortunately the script comes off somewhat campy and preachy and many of the scares tend to fall flat. There is a problem of timing, as there's no real buildup for the scares and the filmmakers opt for resorting to discordant crashing, substituting jolts for frights to diminishing returns. The resolution is somewhat laughable, but it all looks good and delivered with style. By virtue of the production and cast with an assist from genuinely interesting true events, Winchester raises itself slightly above the throng of haunted house movies, but never quite hits the mark it is firing for.

C+

Insidious: The Last Key (2018)

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This is the fourth movie in this franchise, technically a prequel, long past the point of diminishing returns and complicating an already ludicrous timeline. The scares and thrills have been recycled ad nauseum to the point exhausted jump scare tactics more likely to elicit yawns than frights. These movies tend to have nice production values, and there are a couple of new locations and scenes that are uniquely interesting and creepy. The opening sequence is rather well executed, but the rest of the movie drags and suffers from a poor script and tonal whiplash. For some reason, the director chose to make this film the most 'humorous' entry of the franchise, with quippy characters and comic relief ghost hunters; in contrast to what is arguably the darkest of the franchise human/demonic shenanigans. However the main ghoulish antagonist comes off ridiculous once it is revealed: a Juggalo cosplaying as a Mad Max extra and vice versa. This entry is admittedly superior to the last two entries in this franchise, but those are not exactly sterling accolades. However, credit to the acting, the production values, and their... interesting attempts to wrap a bow around a convoluted timeline in what hopes is the epitaph for an exhausted franchise. 

C

Unsane (2018)

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This is an interesting experiment demonstrating how far technology has evolved on a consumer level. The film was shot in 10 days,on an iphone which shouldn't effect one's opinion of the final product, but does prove what competent direction achieve with the simplest tools. The tale that unfolds pure paranoia, where the lines constantly blur between what is plausible and what is insane. The initial setup seems eerily believable, and the deeper down the rabbit hole of psychosis it gets, it never stops being grounded. There are unsubtle jabs at a completely broken health care system, and how the unscrupulous can take this to horrific extremes. The camera choice and limited perspectives actually add to a sense of claustrophobia and heightened tension and suspense. The acting is above average, and the script and characterization is decent enough. Despite implausible elements and laughable elements of the last act, this experiment is a success.

c+

Mara (2018)

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A movie about sleep paralysis and dream demons I might recommend as a soporific. While one of the better entries on the subject since the last decent Elm Street, it never rises beyond mediocrity. The script is shackled with every supernatural trope possible within the confines of bedroom. There are actually one or two initially creepy moments and at least one decent scare; however, the main problem is that of diminishing returns. By the fourth scene a character lies paralyzed in a dark room while a shadowy contortionist slowly approach all tension has vanished and you inadvertently start rooting for the demon just to break the tedium. This especially tedious if you recognize the lanky demon performance from numerous other films where they can't afford Doug Jones. The main actress does the best she can, however many scenes she is simply limited to panicked breathing eye-rolling. In fact, I would give her eyeballs their own credit as they are the only aspect of this movie working overtime.

D+

The Lodgers (2018)

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This movie is suffused with gothic and melancholy atmosphere, where everyone is pale, pretty and seemingly about to die of consumption. By virtue of set and setting, everyone acts over-the-top to the extremes of bodice ripping melodrama with incestuous victorian overtones. The script appears to be attempting some kind of metaphor for liberation with reflections upon the generational scars of war, but it comes off as stiff and forced. The acting is excellent within limitations of the script, except for one character who comes off as a wooden stand-in for better actors. They attempt a new mythology, all very atmospheric and nonsensical, with far too much buildup to dissatisfaction. There is a sequence of arbitrary rules, requiring one listen to children sing some ridiculous nursery rhyme to understand.The payoff is laughable, and ultimately the revealed lodgers are simply the same kind of underwater ghosts that seems to be the nouveau overindulged trend. There are a few decent scares and everything looks pretty, but ultimately this feels hollow and unsatisfying.

D+

The Night Eats the World (2018)

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Not for the impatient or thrill-seeking.This is a quieter perspective on the zombie scenario, contemplative about the human psyche's need for connection. Set in a post-apocalypse Paris, the film is gorgeous by very virtue of setting, focusing on one man's quiet, paranoia and routine against a constant backdrop of ravenous horror. We see different phases of the main character's psychological breakdown in the face of isolation, stress and monotony. Hellish nightmare scenarios reflect the character's survivor's guilt and PTSD as he struggle's simply to find reason to continue existing beyond complacency. There are long stretches where nothing happens, and boredom threatens to consume both the character and the viewer. While made on an obvious budget, the movie still manages moments of tension and terror and should satisfy even the most die-hard zombie nerd.

C+

The Haunting of Hill House

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Adaptations are tricky: stray too far from the source and there is outrage, adhere too lavishly and the result lacks its own voice. This is compounded when adapting a beloved work and arguably the greatest haunted house novel of all time. Writer/director Mike Flanagan took this challenge as a passion project and crafted a series standing proudly by the original while updating and expounding upon the core narrative and themes. There are very few times I consider an adaptation equal to the source, even rarer an adaptation enhances and augments the material. This is the latter. Rather than transcribe characters and plot, everything is transposed to create a parallel story building atop Shirley Jackson's masterpiece: adding layers and levels inline with the text's themes and meditations. Flanagan proves he is a master of merging psychological terror with visceral scares, slowly building each through excellent writing and characterization. The frights themselves, be they of a psychological variety or pure horrific visual are utterly terrifying and masterfully executed, with the drama at the core uniquely haunting on emotional levels. The pace is measured and initial episodes may frustrate as they devote extensive time developing their cast of characters. But each scare is not simply earned, but specifically tailored to each character's core drives and personality, the payoff only enhanced by each and every second informing this understanding. The level and attention to subtle character development is awe-inspiring and by the end of each episode you will intimately understand a member of the Crain family, how and why they developed from children into adulthood and how Hill House persists in haunting their present. Fans will recognize how adeptly Flanagan melds past events and the present, with brilliant editing and thematic bridges seamlessly blending shots between decades. Cleverly true to the source, he has crafted a Rashomon narrative, where overlapping and often conflicting perspectives slowly unveiling the scope of a larger story. How each character and event unfolds is a masterclass in 'show don't tell', and subtle details from each scene add levels of understanding without needing to be overt. Astute viewers will find a wealth of hints and hidden spirits strewn throughout the phenomenal design and direction, encoded in brilliant writing, framing, even through the opening credits; however, the myriad twists and turns are shocking and impactful on levels that would be cruelty to even hint. This is beyond genre, this is exceptional filmmaking. I am often reserved about hyperbolic praise, as it often sets an unreasonable expectation. No such reservation here: The Haunting of Hill House is terrifying, riveting, emotional, beautiful, profound, and without reservation the best work I have seen in 2018.

A+

Demon House

A Zak Bagans production yo! It is hilarious how horrible this movie is. I might recommend to masochistic friends and/or those who actually believe in the 'its so bad its good' mentality. This could start as fun drinking game, but before too long I'd be drinking to make it stop. Cheaply shot, cheaply made, poorly written and seemingly an ego vehicle for the aforementioned Zak Bagans, who sluggishly narrates grandiose claims and descriptors of supposedly true events witnessed offscreen.

F

Hellraiser Judgment

Merge a porno parody version of Seven with garage sale S&M steampunk and add Cenobites. This goes for the cheapest means to execute foul and disgusting scenes ladden with gratuitous vomit and gore porn all attempting macabre humor with the wit of a salt-soaked slug. It all looks like cheap 90's television, including the CG. This is horrible, but to be fair, this is horrible with gusto. Each bad actor chews every bit of scenery they can and the script waxes poetic on excessively dumb ideas. It never holds back, despite limitations of script, budget and talent, instead doubling down on cheap and horrible visuals in attempt to expand the mythology and aspiring to reinvigorate an exhausted franchise. Instead, this movie will hopefully be the death-knell.

F+

Annihilation

This is a cerebral film with complex themes, and in many ways the execution surpasses its source. Here is fundamentally a psychological study of individuals on a suicide mission, as each of them is forced to confront a particular existential dread. There is an intentional ambiguity and surrealism permeating every frame, leaving both the characters and viewers mesmerized as they traverse through a kaleidoscope of a shifting biological landscape. Inside this place, everything wavers and shifts, distorts, transitions and ultimately breaks down: including minds. There are elements of stark horror, creepiness, and existential dread woven into a strange lovecraftian palate. There are no easy answers or explanations, as evidenced by the framing device. Director Alex Garland is confident enough to leave the viewer contemplating what they have just witnessed and what it might mean. Like with Ex Machina, the intention is to leave the viewer pondering the nature of something alien: ourselves.

B+


Unfriended: Dark Web

Despite one of the worst titles green-lit by coke-addled media executives, this movie isn't quite atrocious. Far from good, but there are moments of effective tension preying upon various technophobia. Not legitimate technophobia, as the portrayed hackers are high-level wizards, but fun as a reskinned take on older fears. There's no connection to the previous film save the gimmick of being framed in a single computer screen: the upgraded found footage. The pacing is quick with a sketched motley of quick characters and motivations before shenanigans ensure. The director utilizes the storytelling device effectively and attempts to justify reasons the characters wouldn't simply act logically. Everything relies upon the characters acting their dumbest, and they do not disappoint. There are exploitive elements in the initial setup, designed to ground the premise and shock the audience, but events becomes ridiculous take suspension of disbelief into lands beyond reason. There's a late attempt at a revelatory twist that makes no real sense and individual scares are reliant on stalker cliches. Kills are blatantly telegraphed with a sadistic cynicism at play where reason is lacking. Overall an interesting experiment choked by flawed execution.

D+

A Quiet Place

John Krasinski's post-apocalyptic family drama was one of the more interesting films this year. This is an example of finding a unique idea, and following the premise through. If you think too long and hard about the setup, there are holes, but the setup allows for some brilliant tension building and well executed terrors. Krasinski's skill as an actor is established, but his skill behind the camera is a revelation: each shot is wonderfully composed and full of subtle details, the tension building scenes nerve-wracking and perfectly paced. By nature of the premise, the sound is a strong focus, as each and every sound has potentially lethal consequences and every footstep is accompanied by dread. This is another film meditating on the preparations and sacrifices of parenthood, and focuses intimately on the bond between these characters. Each member of the small cast delivers powerful performances, especially from the young actors. Unfortunately, in the last act much of the careful tension building goes out the window and there's a mad dash to the endgame with an ending that is a bit of a cop-out from rules the film spent time establishing. The film is gorgeous and the execution of the idea is excellent but there are elements of plot convenience so extreme, you'll either be enamored with the film enough to forgive or they will taint the experience. On the whole though, this is another film where acclaim is earned even if hyperbole is not. There are tantalizing hints at a larger world with different rules, and I am interested in seeing more.

B


Pyewacket

The movie examines consequences of lashing out from grief and anger with a supernatural bent. The buildup is quiet but far too long. it serves a decent character study exploring the mother/daughter bond during a time of grief, but it takes too long for the plot to engage. This is offset somewhat by some good acting, but the movie is tedious for a good chunk of its running time. The daughter character is written to be unlikable, but to be fair, this stems from being a moody teenager stemming from a place of tragedy. The actions she takes are horrible even if immediately regretted, and the movie is unforgiving. There are good scares and excellent atmosphere with creepy manifestations. but everything intensifies nicely in the last act with a well executed if somewhat predictable ending. There is a purposeful ambiguity to the proceedings, content to play with the viewer's perspective on the supernatural. Overall, hampered by an excruciating build and unlikable character, but still delivers.

C+

Ghost Stories

This film brings high production values and excellent acting to a trio of atmospheric tales linked by an existential crisis. There's a slow and methodical build through the first two acts, as the seemingly disconnected tales unfold. Each serves as a character study that is creepy and unsettling but never particularly frightening. Rather the tales enjoy reveling in an amalgam of classic tropes and executing genuine, but leisurely jump scares until the last act which opts for existential terror. From the onset, the viewer may suspect not everything is what it seems, looking for reasons to link the tales with the framing device. These people will be frustrated and possibly cheated, as the twist is divisive and feels like congratulating itself for being more clever than it deserves. However, the execution has a nice impact and its hard to deny the movie's quality and performances. Like the tagline for this film, YMMV and enjoyment will be defined from the viewer's perspective.

C+

He's Out There

Slasher villains seem the most industrious individuals in media, and this particular slasher works harder than most. He's enamored with creating elaborate props and set pieces, along with a rather creepy mask and practiced his unsettling laugh for hours in a mirror. He certainly possesses improvisation skills and a work ethic to be envied, aided by a series of convenient coincidences and seemingly in possession of the slasher superpowers of teleportation, precognition, and telepathy. That is to say, the scenario has moments of implausible absurdity, even as it attempts to be grounded with the main characters. Despite a decently creepy villain, there's nothing worth watching that hasn't been done better elsewhere. All the standard cliches are present, a fully exhaustive list of exhausted tropes and elements whose plausibility becomes increasingly unlikely directly proportionate to time invested thinking about it. The set, setting, direction, scares are all paint by numbers and derivative of every slasher film ever, and there's no real resolution or attempt to expand upon an initial mystery. The actress is decent, but the character is seemingly oblivious to her children until the moment everything becomes dire. To be fair, the children are atrocious, grating and blame could be laid at their feet for the scenario that unfolds, but that dismisses bad choices, bad parenting and thoroughly bad writing.

D