As a film debut, respect must be given to the writer/director willing to come out the gate swinging, gouging, and committed to atrocity. After some quick setup and brief introduction to our main couple, the action suddenly, jarringly hits all the gas, adds some nitro, kicks in the afterburners, and accelerates to ludicrous speed. Imagine a virus that removes inhibition and morality with imagination intact, then exponentially heightening each impulse towards lust and cruelty. This movie will immediately turn most off with scenes of violence, rape, torture and mutilation are vividly, spectacularly rendered and gratuitous by design. This movie is unrelentingly horrific, not simply in scenes of gore and physical violence, but with a malicious spirit and bleakness towards humanity without potential of redemption. The eponymous ‘Sadness’ is a mourning for humanity, society, and a potential future, obviously written in response to the lockdowns, and the public and political response to Covid. The movie is never subtle, characters in the last act wax poetic on the implications of what this virus reflects about humanity with all the subtlety of a rabid wolverine. However, the film is not particularly deep, and not presenting much new or unique beyond the level of intensity. While events are described globally, the focus feels rather small and constrained to the journey of a single couple as their hometown falls to this apocalypse. While the story and characters are paper thin and there’s no redeeming aspect to much of the violence, it is impossible to deny fast-paced rollercoaster of high-octane nightmare fuel depicted. Very likely the most horrific film of the last year, but not necessarily one that anyone with the exception of the most devoted genre enthusiasts will enjoy watching.
Pearl (2022)
Ti West’s surprise prequel and origin story for the earlier ‘X’ is a technicolor saturated descent into madness, centered around an absolute tour de force performance from Mia Goth. While her appearances in X demonstrated skill, here she delivers an absolutely mesmerizing, tragic and haunting performance that will linger far after the credits have rolled. The trilogy’s themes on the nature of stardom and the drive it inspires and damage it inflicts to those who seek it are more narrowly focused on the latter. Like with X, there’s copious amount of care and attention given to an examination of era cinema and influence, yet jettisoning the need to apply some kind of ‘retro’ filter. There is a conscious effort to invoke shades of ‘Wizard of Oz’ down the costuming and a rather bizarre interlude with a scarecrow. This movie is gorgeous, vibrantly hued and with stunning cinematography and costuming that play wonderfully against each other. There’s a vivid contrast between the colorful, vibrant exteriors and the dark and foreboding interior, a visual metaphor for Pearl’s internal conflict. The last shot of the film is absolute perfection in its haunting, unsettling madness and a praiseworthy testament to Goth’s skill alone. The film is not particularly scary, there’s a lot of gore and some rather excellent kills, but the true horror lies in watching Pearl’s dreams and nightmares slowly subsume her sense of self and reality. Which film one prefers is to personal taste, but I certainly feel this is the better film, and not just because it features Pearl’s alligator pet. While Ti West’s retro-indulgent excesses are to personal taste, his offerings this year have thus far been wildly entertaining, leaving one eager to see how MaXXXine closes out this particular trilogy.
B
Cabinet of Curiosities
Guillermo Del Toro curates an anthology of 8 different horror tales from top-tier talent and… Why are you not watching this already? Sure, not all episodes will be to everyone’s particular tastes, and El Toro's preference for Lovecraft and cosmic horror is a strong focus (two episodes are direct if poor adaptations of Lovecraft stories). Some episodes are weaker than others, but the sheer level of talent in front and behind the camera is without question. What’s particularly good is how each episode has its own distinctive flair and aesthetic, and each director’s stamp infuses the proceedings without interference or compromise. El Toro himself introduces each tale and director, and he shares his enthusiasm and love of the genre directly with the viewers. Dropping the week before Halloween proved an exquisite treat for genre fans, and it is a sincere hope this is only the first of what should be many seasons to come. Why are you not already watching?
A
The Lair (2022)
Oh, what happened to you Neil Marshall? Following The Descent and Dog Soldiers, there was unwavering faith in your horror prowess and skills as a director capable of delivering on a shoestring budget. But aside from a handful of stunning Game of Thrones episodes, the quality of your films has been on a steady downward trend.While this is a slightly superior film to your last (The Reckoning), the nepotistical indulgence of your girlfriend Charlotte Kirk is rather abrasively on display. Imagine the dungeon master who invites his girlfriend to the gaming table, then proceeds to fudge every die roll, slant every encounter and justify every nonsensical action with bonus xp. There should be much to love playing to your specific strengths as an action-horror director: sinister creature designs, elite military units, a cast of competent and capable actors, effective use of an extremely low budget. Instead, this is unwaveringly dull and unengaging, it looks cheap and feels cheap, and the relative rules of engagement are inconsistent. Avoid this, watch the film Overlord instead.
D
Studio 666 (2022)
Foo Fighters vs. The Forces of Darkness in this absurd horror-comedy. One should temper their expectations accordingly, as there’s not much to offer horror veterans except fun. One should be very thankful these individuals produce music, as they are woeful actors, but that too is part of the absurdity and joke behind these proceedings. If you’re a fan of the band, you might view this twinged with sadness, as this is one of the last times all these individuals would be together, and they carry on with an easy chemistry and familiarity, even if their line delivery is atrocious. The entire proceeding is suffused with a self-deprecating humor and genuine love for horror tropes, rock-n-roll, and each other. If you’re a fan of Dave Groll or the Foo Fighters, then this is a gore-splattered hilarious love-fest, and even if you’re not a fan, it is impossible to deny the energy this movie brings. The horror elements are pretty silly, riffing off classic horror tropes with an evident and genuine love for the genre (John Carpenter even shows up as a sound tech, and provides some music for the feature), and is copious amounts of over-the-top gore. None of it is taken seriously, and nor should any viewer. But as far as horror goes, they’ve succeeded at creating a thoroughly fun and loving sendup of the genre and each other and should elicit plenty of smiles from fans and non-fans alike.
C
Mad God (2022)
In the ruins of a dying world, a silent figure undergoes a qlippothic descent through realms of atrocity. No dialogue, no explanations, no names or identities, simply hints of a purpose and objective. One learns from the credits that all the characters are archetypes and named accordingly, but it is up to the viewer to discern their purpose. The journey is strange and unsettling, like a fever dream inspired by Hieronymus Bosch and HR Gieger. Each circle of descent is populated by horrible creatures and grotesqueries, ranging from disgusting to high-octane nightmare fuel. There is a lot packed into a fairly terse runtime, brimming with symbolism and layered meaning about the nature of our world and reality. It also has corpophiliac diarrhea monsters, so perhaps some elements don’t require deeper significance. Famously, this stop-motion film has been three decades in production, a personal love-child and passion product of effects maestro Phill Tippett. In an age where computer generated effects can render entire worlds at whim, there’s still a certain awe and weight to stop-motion that pixel-pushing cannot replicate. There is certainly nothing else remotely like this film’s visual assault, and no description that can do it justice. It is brilliant and horrifying, like watching a slow moving unrelenting nightmare, with disturbing messages and unpleasant truths relayed. One morbidly wonders what Tippet’s psychological state or trauma might be, if this film has occupied his mind for 30+ years. This film will not be for everyone. It can be foul, nasty, demoralizing, confusing, disgusting and a litany of other adjectives for everything except pleasant to watch. For those who can stomach this nightmare ride, this is unreservedly a brilliant piece of art whose meaning will invite interpretation, contemplation and haunt what dreams to come.
A
OctHorror Trash 2022
The nature of the horror genre tends to invite some of the worst excuses for films or film attempts. Film students are often told that horror is the easiest to attempt for low-budget effectiveness, and each year there are numerous entries that might serve better as paperweights or melee weapons than watchable content. Even worse are the bad films made with a decent budget and concepts, as it feels more is wasted and squandered. Rather than expend more effort into a review than most of these films invest in writing, here’s a quick roundup of some ‘It’s so bad, it might actually be worth watching’ if you are the type to indulge that mentality.
Grimcutty (2022)
Sometimes filmmakers make an unintentional comedy. This movie is so absurdly, hilariously bad on so many fronts, despite a decent budget and actors. The plot is a straight-up ripoff of the Momo game, dealing with an internet meme brought to life and technophobic parenting. The writing is an example of what happens when old people try and write what they think ‘kids these days’ are using as slang and l33tsp33k. The CG monstrosity behind this is absolutely comedy gold, as he looks like Gru from the Despicable Me films mated with an early 80’s animatronic. There’s actually some decent direction and the well shot dark scenes that plenty of better movies could learn from, so hopefully those behind it can find a better script for their next project.
Werewolf Castle (2021)
Werewolf Castle (2021) - Respect the ambition to make a sprawling fantasy-horror epic on a minuscule budget, but it is unfailingly a red flag when the writer/producer/director credits are all the same person. The director must be a film student who found a great shooting location (to paraphrase Eddie Izzard, ‘Europe… Everyone’s in castles… we long for a bungalow’). There’s a decent setup, but by a quarter of the way through, the film’s budget and poor characterization rob any further potential. The werewolf costumes are hilarious throwbacks to ‘The Howling’ and you can easily find better versions at a local Spirit Halloween.
The Prey: Legend of Karnoctus (2022)
That title is a lot… And the best writing this ‘film’ has to offer. Imagine that 13 year old edgelord Call of Duty players were tasked to write dialogue for an elite military unit. There’s sexism and racism and bad jokes and all manner of trolling between absurd parodies of functional adults. How they got Danny Trejo to sign on is probably the film’s greatest mystery, and they certainly milk his appearance for all it is worth. The enemies look absurd, like someone spray-painted blacklight colors onto a dollar-store ape costume. The colors and settings are bright and over-the-top, and cave scenes are lit like everyone is at a rave. This might be fun if you’re a young boy lacking in emotional maturity and intellectual capacity, or drunk enough to mimic such, but everyone else will probably shut this off before their first eye-roll is over.
They/Them (2022)
A conversion camp could be an amazing setting for a horror film, but like the pun of the title movie has elements that look good on paper, but nowhere else. It fails as a slasher, it fails at messaging, it fails at dialogue and characterization, it fails at tone and consistency, it fails at horror, it fails as a film.
Choose or Die (2022)
This movie ambitiously thinks it is going to be a franchise starter. A pitch that might have serviced on a show like Buffy or Supernatural, featuring an app called CURS>R. There is plenty of potential on the nature of how the app curse works, but instead we’re treated to absurd plot points, unengaging characters, and an overall smorgasbord of nonsensical notions.
House of Darkness (2022)
This has a decent cast, high production values, a gorgeous gothic setting, and thinks it’s clever enough to pull of a decent ‘Player becomes Prey’ concept. Justin Long admittedly seems made for the role of douche-bro PUA, and Kate Bosworth pulls off a nuanced and rather good performance from the conversation between them. That’s pretty much the entirety of this movie. They talk. For the entire runtime it’s bad dialogue, uninteresting asides, and just Justin Long being obnoxious. Once you meet Lucy and Mina early in the film, any adult human can probably anticipate what’s coming next. And it takes forever to get there. An agonizing exercise in tedium.
Mr Harrigan’s Phone (2022)
Great acting. Intriguing setup. Concepts in the story that could be fascinating… But nothing. Garbage technophobic monologues absurdly convinced they are profound. Buildup and setup for an absolute non-event. Everything of significance happens offscreen, and instead we focus on weepy pensive looks and nothing more. Ryan Murphy seems very prolific, but whatever goodwill he might have earned from Dahmer has been squandered with each and every successive entry.
V/H/S 99 (2022)
As a fan of the series and anthology horror, it is a joy to see this series land squarely on Shudder with the intention of continuing indefinitely. Prior iterations have attempted wraparound narratives explaining the reason and rationale for the collection of disparate stories, but often to the series detriment, as there is never any kind of interconnective tissue or thematic overlap between the tales presented. 99 finally abandons any such attempts, although there is a substitution of ‘commercials’ and home movies that serve no purpose whatsoever. They are not amusing or entertaining, and it would be advised for the next iteration to abandon the pretense of such. The quality of the segments this round is fairly mediocre, with no particular standouts. This entry seems more enamored with recreating and riffing off of 90’s fashions, trends and attitudes than providing actual scares. There is a sense that the creative teams are having a lot of fun in this entry, and there is a lot more humor in the segments, but again at the cost of frights and intensity. Unfortunately, the found footage format isn’t utilized quite as effectively as before, and one will get very tired of bad faux tracking errors and video distortion, especially when the characters are running around. While still amusing, and recommended to those who like the format and the nature of short-form horror, but this is easily the weakest entry yet. Let us hope that the next year (84) makes some improvements.
C
Deadstream (2022)
Many films try to strike a balance between horror and comedy, usually shortchanging one or the other. A good balance is difficult and leaning too far either direction potentially loses half the audience. So it is impressive the first feature of writer/director duo Joseph and Vanessa Winter manages to strike a nigh-perfect mix between the two. Joseph plays an obnoxious caricature of every viewer-thirsty youtube personality, mugging for the camera, playing to his base, and making poor life choices. Shot as the character’s live-stream, Winter absolutely sells he is the type of individual to risk death, disgrace, and his potential soul damnation in order to increase his viewer numbers. He’s abrasive, arrogant, immature and unrepentantly in poor taste with commentary whose obnoxious voice never, ever, shuts up, but he is genuinely funny, and once the frights begin his terror is comedy gold. There is a lot of silliness behind this film, playing with genre tropes, expectations, and watching his hilarious reactions to increasingly intense and horrific events. Both the comedy and horror elements seem to grow at the same pace, and scares themselves turn out to be quite well done, original and clever and not simply resorting to cheap jumps or discordant cues. Unfortunately, some of the humor is forced and doesn’t land, and a number of the social media elements might be dated or dying. The main character will assuredly grate on some, but that’s by design and definitely part of the joke. Some of the practical effects are quite good, but a number do fail miserably. Found footage films tend to be polarizing, but the director wields the gimmick effectively, and a rather short runtime allows an effective pace adds another entry to Shudder’s growling library of fun and quality horror films.
B+
Archive 81 (2022)
Based upon the podcast of the same name, Archive 81 is a riveting descent into conspiracy, madness and eldritch horror. This series does an excellent job at layering occult conspiracy with the protagonist’s growing mental instability, featuring a wonderfully developed cult threat, high production values, brutalist settings and wonderfully esoteric art design (thank you Troll Cunning Forge). Arguably a stealth adaptation of Delta Green's scenario: The Night Floors (the creators of the podcast nigh admit it), the series shifts between dual timelines with the framing device of a footage restoration project. The secrets behind a decades-long ritual undertaking is somewhere in this footage, somehow connected to the protagonist’s personal history. The setup and hooks grab the viewer from the first episode and do not relent through the suitably epic conclusion. The pacing is thoroughly gripping, each episode provides hooks and revelations that make the series ludicrously binge-worthy. As the series proceeds, horror elements interchange with science-fiction concepts into a unified whole that manages to make sense, even if some of the concepts are outlandish. While there is closure to the main story, lamentably, there will not be a season 2 and the characters are left on quite the cliffhanger. Despite this, the series is absolutely worth visiting, and the viewer will find all manner of hidden clues and easter eggs upon future revisits to the archive.
A
Scream (2022)
This franchise has survived far longer than its pitch warranted, and to no small degree is responsible for the deluge of meta-commentary and fourth-wall breaking in films of the genre. While the individual movies varied wildly in terms of quality and commentary, the franchise remains true to the core principle of skewering the genre tropes and trends. At bat: the industry trend towards ‘re-quels’ (sequels that serve as reboots) that confusingly rename themselves identically to the original, ape the original plot, and resurrect the original characters for either extended cameos or ‘closure’. So, the film is a reskin on the original Scream while continuing threads that might have still been relevant. What this also means is fan-service galore, which will tickle fans of the franchise. The ongoing joke about the in-universe franchise adaptation of the original events called Stab allows the writers to gleefully mock social media trends and fan backlash. Is it great? No. But it is actually pretty fun. Some of the kills are amusing, the film toys with its predictability and obvious red-herrings, and the cast of both returning and new characters are enthusiastic which feels reflected in the performances. Jenny Ortega appears to be in half the productions coming out this year, and she easily demonstrates why the actress is in such demand. Some of the characters are vapid and narcissistic idiots, but this appears by design and intended to both mock contemporary society and online fanbases. Whether the joke still appeals to you, and how you emphasize or react to the commentary the filmmakers are trying to make will likely color and overshadow the content of the film itself, but for a franchise that should rightfully be exhausted, this entry reinvigorates and entertains far better than it has any right to.
C+
Terrifier 2 (2022)
This is the opposite of slow-burn quiet horror. This is edgelord splatterpunk for those who like to see every drop of vibrant viscera from a blunt weapon scattering teeth and tissue across the camera. This is for those who like slow eye-gouging and impalings and executions to make Mortal Kombat characters wince. This is for those who might wonder upon entering a room, how each and every innocuous item could be used to commit acts of atrocity. This movie provides the answers spearheaded (along with every other available weapon and random instrument) by a grinning parody of scary clowns named Art aspiring to reach iconic status. Horror as defined exists to elicit fear or disgust, and this film series exists in the latter end of that spectrum. Is it scary? No. Quite the opposite. It's actually brimming with hilarity if you’re willing to ride the slippery slide of blood, offal and scatological excess. It is also an endurance test of visual atrocity, quite lovingly rendered in technicolor, great practical effects, and throwback 80’s slasher aesthetic. It was no surprise to learn this entire series is expanded from a 9 minute short, which feels a far more justified runtime than two feature-length films (and more impending). However, credit due, the director listened to detractors from the first film and directly addressed the first film’s failings, most specifically about the lack of characterization, writing and depth. Here, the director provides an interesting and engaging protagonist with understandable motivations, and expands periphery characters into having actual baseline function. This is by all measurement a vastly superior sequel to the original, but how that particular metric rates will vary individually. If anything above elicits curiosity, interest or appeal, then you will likely find this fun and ‘enjoyable’ especially in the company of fellow aficionados and copious inebriants. Under the right conditions and the right audience, this could arguably be the most fun theater experience of the year. For those who prefer a different flavor of horror, this film will likely disgust and truthfully: bore once the desensitization kicks in.
C+
Martyr's Lane (2021)
This is as perfectly formulaic as they come; however, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There may be no real surprises or revelatory twists for a seasoned viewer, but there’s a classic ghost story here, dripping in atmospherics and with surprisingly excellent child actors as the central focus. The setup is quite well done, and the direction and settings never too dark to be obscure, an all too common failing in this genre focus. The film skews less towards fright and more towards a melancholy and elegiac tone, an examination of mortality and grief. There are no jump scares or gibbering ghouls, just disquiet and building dread. There is always tragedy in a ghost story, and this film does attempt to wrench some heartstrings. Unfortunately, this film’s pacing is sluggish and the whole film could easily be trimmed down without losing any effectiveness. While not a film to satisfy those seeking horrific sights and thrills, this movie serves a nice ghostly mystery that will appeal to fans of the slow-burn quiet horror.
C+
Nope (2022)
Jordan Peele continues to elevate his craft with each project. Nope is exquisitely directed, each shot layered and utilizing the full scope of the frame. Special praise to Hoyte van Hoytema for the gorgeous cinematography, vibrant daylight shots, amazing nighttime moments, complimenting an intelligent script and fun, likable characters. The main duo compliment and contrast with each other rather brilliantly, Daniel Kaluuya may be one of the best and most understated actors on the planet, conveying more with glances and silence than any single line, while Keke Palmer is boisterous, bombastic and consistently hilarious. The rest of the cast is equally good, with some excellent turns from veteran actors Kieth David and Michael Wincott. The writing is sharp and layered, most lines have multiple meanings and nuance, including the title itself. Peele here has found the goldilocks zone for balancing commentary with the narrative, where the two inform and enhance each other rather than feeling forced or ham-fisted. Due praise given, it is unfortunate the film is not particularly scary. One of the more overt themes of the film concerns the nature of spectacle and carnage, and while there are moments to illustrate and emphasize this, there’s surprisingly little onscreen of either. There are horrific elements, and scenes drenched in surreal nightmare, with one particular flashback being the most horrifying moments this movie has to offer, but the overall product feels less horrific and more adventurous. The film mimics the structure of Jaws rather well, where the first two acts of mysterious attacks culminate in an action packed hunt. The finale is bombastic, and Peele ends his homage to the unsung heroes of Hollywood with a series and sequences of iconic shots from the history of film. Were this movie slightly more frightening, this could have been one of the more effective horror films of the year, but it happily settles for just being a really good film hearkening to the blockbusters of summers past.
B+
Barbarian (2022)
Highly recommended that one knows as little as possible going into this film. This film gleefully upends expectation and plays with genre preconceptions in both subtle and overt ways. Case in point: The casting of Bill Skarsgard and his wildly creepy eyes certainly raises an eyebrow or two, invoking creepy spectres of past roles and playing into the unpredictable nature of the opening. But nothing is what it seems. No exaggeration, the first 30 minutes of this film is an absolute horror masterclass in atmosphere, tension, setup and reveal. Past this point, the film seemingly tangents off into unexpected directions, but all the threads return and coalesce into a consistent, yet rather gonzo narrative and reveal. There are plotholes and unanswered questions with unresolved answers, yet… This film is entertaining and nerve-wracking, and surprisingly hilarious. One of the midpoint tangents introduces new characters and motivations, and Justin Long’s character is so thoroughly, myopically greedy and reprehensible hjis actions and dialogue are comedic gold. The shift in tone doesn’t detract from the narrative or diminish the effectiveness of future scares, but could induce tonal whiplash. The movie seems to be making commentary on how society looks to external threats/monsters, when the true horrors are far closer. Its an ongoing thread, and .utilizing decayed detroit as a setting and almost character unto itself, lends towards the thematic points the film strives to make. However, let’s not pretend this is a deep and contemplative film, it wears influences and intentions without subtlety or nuance. The film is not without additional drawbacks, including a premature reveal that diminishes a lot of the film’s future scares. However, most of the gripes don’t diminish the fun and enjoyment this bizarre film will likely induce, especially in jaded horror veterans who might presume they’ve already seen it all.
B
Agnes (2021)
This film starts rather strong with an intense exorcism and some immediate hooks. Then the movie shifts into another movie altogether: a contemplative discussion of the nature of sin. Unfortunately, the writers exhibit all the profundity of a first year film student, and not much comes off particularly insightful. But that’s not the worst part of this film, which actually presents rather nicely for a good portion of its runtime but then just stops. Maddingliy, frustratingly, almost mid sentence. It’s almost as if the writers couldn’t even be bothered to finish. It is as if you were engrossed in following a notion to conclusion only to
F
Saloum (2022)
A French production set in Senegal focusing on a mercenary tribe of fascinating antiheroes called Bagnui’s Hyenas proves to be one of the freshest and most exciting films of the year. No real need to catch up on decades of geopolitical history in the region, the movie's quick and fierce exposition delivery film brilliantly brings you up to speed on most everything you need to know in less than 3 minutes. The first half of the movie very much feels like a Guy Ritchie or Quentin Tarantino film, fast paced intelligent dialogue and interaction, a clever script, and fascinating subjects doing questionable deeds. Brilliantly portrayed is the easy camaraderie and brutally efficiency by which this team operates, and the script cleverly demonstrates the decades of history they’ve endured together. They organically incorporate details of how they all speak sign language, having all toiled in the diamond mines, their past traumas and encounters, and what drives them both individually and as a team. The core trio are battle hardened and mythical heroes in the region, but each carry their own ghosts and motivations, and there are twists and surprises related to these reveals that underscore the atrocities committed in the region. Midway through the film comes the twist, a ‘la ‘From Dusk til Dawn’ and what started as a heist suddenly spirals into survival horror. Fascinating about the cultural difference in this film is that supernatural threats are taken not just at face value, but with active working understanding. The Hyenas are considered sorcerers, with at least one experienced shaman In the troupe, and while the nature and methods to deal with spirit threats might differ between tribes or region, these characters have practical knowledge of it. Honestly, the biggest drawback to the film is that the trio are so effective, once the nature of the spirits are understood, they manage to quickly neutralize most threats with ease. The coda seems a little too literal and on the nose, but otherwise, this is a film certainly worth your time and attentions.
B+
Dahmer (2022)
A feeling of filth and disgust permeate this Netflix series, and binge watchers may need a long shower afterward. It mostly leans from fetishizing or glamorizing Dahmer, presenting a subject aberrant and unsettling, despite Ryan Murphy’s lingering fixation with Evan Peters’ abs. Even those moments leave one more with a feeling of distaste, as there’s a malaise infusing each bit of the performance. From the squalor of Dahmer’s apartment to brightly lit daylight scenes, there is a miasma and revulsion that permeates this depiction. Dahmer comes across as alien and awkward yet with quiet menace, in an exceptional performance by Evan Peters. He is far from the only one delivering excellent work, each performance stands out in a stellar cast, and the impact and focus upon the lives and lingering damage in Dahmer’s wake is heart-rending. Episode 6 is a brilliant standout, and arguably Murphy’s best material to date, with a strong victim centered focus. For a Ryan Murphy joint, the entire series feels surprisingly restrained and respectful, despite the sensational nature of events and subject. It does feel a bit bloated, and many of the earlier episodes could certainly use an editor’s hatchet, but where its good, it excels. The opening episode is a brutal exercise in escalating tension, framing the action from the perspective of Dahmer’s victim experiencing a disorienting and drugged state. The way the camera focuses upon the increasingly disturbing and alarming sights and sounds of Dahmer’s apartment never requires the viewer to understand the specifics of the history or ghastly true-crime details, but viewers will note pooling blood beneath a drill, a strangely placed and ominous chemical barrel, and perhaps note the momentary flash of a severed head in the fridge. It is the subtle details that elevate these scenes, and many sequences are equally nerve-wracking and heart-rending, especially when the series focuses upon the systemic failures that allowed Dahmer to escape scrutiny, due to societal prejudices and failures of law enforcement. Murphy focuses harshly on these elements, while simultaneously broaching milestone events throughout Dahmer’s development where questions of nature vs. nurture are raised without any easy answers. While Dahmer’s childhood certainly had its share of torments and trials, strange influences and indulgences, the series never definitely leans in one direction or the other as to what crafted Dahmer into a monster. What merit one finds in revisiting and reexamining the grotesque horrors and pain one individual inflicted upon countless is to personal taste. However, with each revisiting of the Dahmer tale, new perspectives and details are presented and worth scrutinizing, and the undeniable fascination and allure of true-world monsters assure this will not be the last time Dahmer is depicted onscreen.
B+
The Cursed (2022)
This gothic period piece presents a unique take on lycanthropy and curses, ambitiously welding expected trappings of classic horror. The film is partially handled as a period medical mystery and partially about a town under siege by monstrous forces. The atmosphere is dark and brooding, drenched with Hammer overtones, chilling surroundings and a stunningly spooky mansion. The acting from the leads is uniformly good, although the cast can’t seem to decide what location they’re in or what accent to use. The script riffs on notions of class warfare and societal taboos, but in subtle ways that are organic to the setting and interesting to examine. An examination of genealogical sins and responsibility weave through the script, setting up some rather predictable endgame twists. The gore and scenes of attacks are quite good, what’s unfortunate is an overuse of computer generated effects which tend to break immersion. The creatures in question aren’t werewolves in the traditional sense, but draw comparisons to mind. While there are plenty of horrific and gruesome horrors presented, the most impactful scenes of horror are grounded in historical atrocities founded in greed and willful inhumanity. The movie is not without flaws, issues of pacing and visuals and predictable twists detract from an otherwise well executed period thriller that will certainly offer genre fans something to enjoy.
B
You Won't Be Alone (2022)
This is a ‘horror movie’ by way of Terrence Malick. Stream of consciousness voiceover narrates the tale of a baby-stealing Macedonian witch. It is strange and disjointed, sometimes nonsensical which could be due to the nature of her surreal commentary or translation errors, but somehow still draws in the viewer. In truth, this is barely a horror movie, but it defies easy classification in any other genre. There are several deaths, a little gruesome, but each comes off more tragic than terrifying. The main character struggles to embrace and understand humanity, having been isolated and shunned her entire existence. What this film really serves is commentary on the forces that shape our persona and the yearning to find companionship. It is a very human tale of loneliness and the feeling of an outsider or impostor, yearning to wear a different face and live a different life. Illustrated both in metaphor and literally, with the shifting of face and body leaving quite the viscera. This take on witchcraft and folk horror is unique and different from most previous depictions, and likewise for how this story is approached. It is slow, poetic, methodical and ponderous, which is certainly going to alienate the vast majority of most audiences. It is brilliantly acted and beautifully shot, but stretches out its scenes and runtime into an endurance test. For those seeking scares or horror, this movie will certainly disappoint and bore; however for those who appreciate art house film and/or a different cultural take on witchcraft, then this is a beautiful experience that will fascinate and linger.