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Reviews
Hellraiser (2022)
Better and worse than I expected
The positives: good acting, interesting premise, decent character development. I was invested in the characters, and I liked the complexity of Riley as the lead. Very flawed, but genuine and believable as an actual human being.
Negatives: story meanders quite a bit. The disturbing, menacing atmosphere from the original is completely missing here. And the extreme S&M vibe is gone, something that made the original incredibly unique among horror movies. The cenobytes are iconic and unlike any other movie antagonists. The new Pinhead did a good job, but there was something "generic" about the cenobytes in this one. This just didn't feel dark or - to me - scary at all. Granted, I am not a huge Hellraiser fan, but the imagery and atmosphere of the first movie set it apart from everything else in the genre. As a major horror junkie, even movies that are not necessarily in my top ~50 get my utmost respect for bringing something outside the cookie-cutter horror box, and the original definitely did.
And the worst to me and something that COMPLETELY took me out of the story - TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE cenobyte costumes. And that's exactly what they looked like - costumes. Cheap vinyl and plastic. The designs were not bad, but nothing looked realistic in the least. I could imagine these costumes hanging in the Halloween aisle at CVS. I'm not a gore hound - I would say I tolerate it and can appreciate it when it's integral to the story. But fake, cheap effects ruin the horror experience (though to its credit, at least a lot of the effects were practical; don't get me started on CGI horror). And the lighting when the cenobytes made their entrance was way too bright and distracting, a complete atmosphere killer.
I really would give this 5.5 if that had been an option. I adore David Bruckner and thought he did a decent job with the material he had, but unlike his other films, I have no desire to re-watch this one. A step above meh. But (though the bar is low), the reboot is far superior to most of the sequels in the franchise. Worth a watch. Just don't expect to be blown away.
Mad God (2021)
WTFF did I just watch???
It's difficult to score this movie. There is no baseline for comparison - I have never experienced anything like this. I am an avid horror fan, so I'm a bit desensitized to visual onslaught. But I had a hard time getting through this one. I really need to watch it again and do a deep dive into the insane symbolism, but I'm honestly not sure I can watch it again. At least not yet. That being said, this is one of the most riveting, viscerally disturbing, disgusting, artistic movies I have ever seen. The lovechild of multiple dark fathers - Giger, Bosch, Lovecraft, Roger Waters. Dirty, wet, nasty, depressing, dystopian. Why would anyone want to watch? Aside from morbid curiosity? Well, I don't know, but I'm still glad(?) I did. I HIGHLY recommend this to a very select audience. Anyone squeamish, not into horror, or prone to nightmares should probably pass on this one. But for those who can take the relentless visual/psychological/repulsive bombardment, this is too creative and psychotic to miss. Hey Phil - you doing OK, buddy?
Broadcast Signal Intrusion (2021)
The good outweighs the bad...
Don't worry about spoilers. I'm not entirely sure I know what happened.
I love obscure, ambiguous endings open to broad interpretation...up to a point. The ending here was a bit too "not sure how to wrap this one up, so...here you go." Roll credits. Or maybe it was the result of slash and burn editing. I don't know.
The lead (James) was believable and intense, and the mystery, atmosphere, and creepy imagery definitely held my attention. The music was...ugh. Distracting and, well...intrusive at times. Almost like the composer was scoring a completely different film.
I have my own theory about the ending, but this one requires a re-watch. Few horror movies warrant revisiting, but even with its flaws, this isn't one I'll forget 20min after the end credits. I'm not lazy about probing alternate interpretations, but I need something a bit more solid to work with. That being said, I will watch this one again and scour for clues. I rarely write reviews, but this one was effective as an "experience," if not as a full-fledged narrative.
If you're OK with the slow burn and can tolerate a "WTF" ending, give this one a shot. I can overlook some of the technical drawbacks if a movie is unique, memorable, and brave enough to abandon the horror formula. The cliches are here, too, of course, but this movie is miles above 90% of current horror fare.
The Night House (2020)
I can't stop thinking about this movie.
LOVED IT. The first half was very nearly perfect, and Rebecca Hall - my GOD, was she good. Oscar-worthy performance without a doubt. The 2nd half felt a bit rushed with some blatant exposition that I thought could have been more subtle in keeping with the tone established is the 1st half. And I wish the occult angle had been better developed, but that's a personal preference - that stuff fascinates me. But it may not matter to a lot of viewers. I actually really like the ambiguity of the ending - purely a psychological downward spiral or genuine supernatural story? I'm not sure there's an answer, and I'm OK with that. The entire movie is metaphor stacked on metaphor, and the themes of grief, depression, and seemingly bizarre coping mechanisms are true to life and feel 100% authentic (again - Rebecca Hall. DAMN). The small supporting cast is excellent, and the cinematography is simply spectacular. I love the twists. I stayed on edge the entire time - you think it's going in one direction, then NO. Sharp turn into something else. Several times. I wouldn't attempt to nail down the ending in any concrete way, and I'm not sure I should. That's the power of this film. Obviously, I HIGHLY recommend, and I think everyone will come away with something different. If you've ever dealt with grief, depression, and existential angst (and haven't we all at some point in our lives?), this movie will definitely strike a chord. Oh - and for us horror fans, Night House definitely delivers. Creepy, surreal atmosphere that builds and builds with a few well-crafted jump scares along the way (and not the cheap, predictable kind). I need to re-watch and delve a little deeper. Like I said, I can't stop thinking about it, and that's just the power of excellent story-telling.
V/H/S/94 (2021)
Very fun with one particularly OUTSTANDING segment...
I'm not a huge anthology fan, but I do love the V/H/S series (mostly the first 2). V/H/S/94 is definitely a solid installment, and it's a lot of fun. But the one segment that really grabbed me was "The Subject." Wow. I'm not a gore person at all - HUGE horror fan, but not specifically for that reason, i.e., I'm not a complete psycho. But I can roll with the gore when it makes sense in the story, and it definitely makes sense here. This segment had the most heart, and I actually found it to be quite sad and thought-provoking. Who are the real monsters? This is a common theme harkening back to the original Frankenstein movies and similar. But this is a unique take on the theme, updated for the tech age. Very effective. A little too over-the-top gory for my taste, but again, it fits here. The other 3 segments are all good. If I had to rank, I'd say 1) "The Subject," 2) "The Terror" (also pretty thought-provoking with a bit of a religio-political undertone), 3) "The Empty Wake" (drags a bit with an obvious pay-off but builds incredibly creepy tension), 4) "Storm Drain" (fun but a bit more on the comedic side, which is not usually my thing). The wrap-around is just OK and doesn't really tie it all together as much as I would like, but overall, it gets the job done. I definitely recommend this movie. Quality production, and crazy effects, with some new directors I hope will go on to do more in this genre.
Come True (2020)
Surreal slow-burn
I loved this movie. Some of the most creatively creepy visuals I've ever seen, and the lead actress is out of this world. This is non-linear slow-burn horror, so it's definitely not for everyone. Trippy little film open to interpretation, mostly centered around consciousness and the concept of self. I'll need to watch this again, and I have no doubt I'll find other layers with each subsequent viewing. A little bogged down in a couple of places, and I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending. But this is one that will stick with me (unlike most). Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere. And I'm buying that soundtrack!
Evil Things (2009)
A bit better than "meh"
I was halfway through this movie before I realized I'd seen it before. Found footage is as found footage does. But - unlike 98% of FF movies - I thought the characters were believable enough, and I didn't hate them all. Yes, there was the usual bickering, screaming, frenetic running, and overall idiocy we've come to expect, but the creep factor was actually quite effective in some places. I still have no idea how you get lost in the woods when you have 5 sets of tracks in the snow you could follow back home or why you're still hanging onto the friggin' camera, but the bar is always low for found footage. Given the "competition" in the subgenre, this one isn't terrible.
The Fear Footage 2: Curse of the Tape (2020)
Not a good movie, BUT...
Dumbest (and most annoying) lead character imaginable, terrible acting, infuriating plot contrivances. BUT...this film has a lot of jump scares, and it does them quite well. Yes, I know the jump scare is the lowest common horror denominator, but I still have to give some credit for timing and creepy visuals. Even as I sat rolling my eyes at the stupidity of everything, the next jump scare would still jolt me right out of my seat. I'd watch it again just for that. And while the cheap thrill is not my end game, you have to kiss a lot of horror movie frogs to find one you *might* go out with once just for coffee. So I'm semi-satisfied when an otherwise crappy movie pulls off one or two decent scenes, and this one definitely does that.
Infini (2015)
Interesting, suspenseful, & entertaining without being TOO derivative
I loved this movie! Yes, it borrows heavily from other sci-fi horrors - Pandorum, Event Horizon, Prometheus, The Thing, Resident Evil, a pinch of 28 Days Later - but it was still unique enough to keep me on my toes with some creative new ideas. And the main character (Whit Carmichael) is extremely sympathetic and engaging. Not a lot of character development beyond Whit, but it's his story. Not much else is needed. Cool sets, atmospheric lighting, good acting and effects - really well done. I would have liked a little more development of some of the sciencey details and maybe fewer "leaps" in logic without enough explanation. But that's an issue for me with almost all movies in the sci-fi horror subgenre (I love dorky exposition). The bar is low with this sort of movie, and I always go in hoping for the best but expecting a sub-par knockoff of better films. I think Infini works as a stand-alone - a fairly original take on a familiar idea.
The Dark and the Wicked (2020)
I'm not easily scared, but...
This one was creepy. I have a high "scare" threshold, but this one got a few punches in. Great atmosphere, authentic actors, good story. It's slow-burn, which I love, so if you're a "fast-paced slasher" type, you probably won't like it. I'd call it a horror drama, heart-wrenching at times. But to me the scariest movies are the ones where I am invested in the characters. Excellent film, though maybe not for everyone.
The Mortuary Collection (2019)
Fun and twisty little anthology...
I was pleasantly surprised. Two things I usually avoid: 1) horror comedies and 2) anthologies. This one walked the comic edge with some dark humor, but it was still entertaining as plain, old-fashioned horror. Not as goofy or campy as I expected. And I adore Clancey Brown, so that was a big draw. Really cohesive as an anthology, which is rare. All four stories were equally good, though each was entirely unique. Seemingly disparate stories, all tied up in a nice little twist ending bow. It's not particularly scary, but it does have some creatively creepy moments. And some pretty cool effects (I'm not a big gore hound, but yes - there is enough cringeworthy material for those of you who are). Set and atmosphere are top-notch. And Clancey Brown is the delightfully creepy cherry atop the anthology cake!
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Mixed feelings on this one...
As a stand-alone film, it's entertaining and well-crafted. As a follow-up to one of the greatest horror movies ever made? Meh. This is probably more an issue of my own high expectations. Maybe I should have read the book first to know where the mythology was headed. Again, entertaining, if underwhelming. And not at all scary. But still a cool story if you can wrench it (mostly) free from its Shining roots. Horror fans are real sticklers for maintaining the sanctity of THE CLASSICS, so I come to this with a lot of baggage. I felt much the same way about Prometheus, but that's a rant for another day.
Reaptown (2020)
Amazing atmosphere, BUT...
I'm not someone who requires a script to spell everything out or walk me through plot points, but you gotta give me SOMETHING to work with. Location and atmosphere are top-notch. Lead actress very authentic. She just didn't have much to do. Most of the "action" - seriously like 90% - is our lead, Carrie, wandering around a creepy rail yard museum with a flashlight. Unfortunate, because the basic elements were there - location, cool horror premise, good acting, nice cinematography. But at the end of the day, things need to, you know, HAPPEN. And finally when something actually seems to happen, I seriously have no clue what it was. Mood can make or break a horror movie - and this one definitely has mood nailed - but without some sort of structure, the whole thing falls flat. I would actually like to see this re-made with a decent script - same location, same lead, same premise. There was wasted promise here.
Possum (2018)
Powerful and Disorienting
Wow. I'll start by saying that if you're more into the slasher-type subgenre, this one's not for you. It is slow, but that's by design. And don't expect to know what's going on for most of it. Or possibly ANY of it. For comparison, the first movie I thought of was "Eraserhead." Not because the movies are similar, but because the disorienting approach to plot (and I use that term loosely) and surrealistic atmosphere elicit (for me, anyway) the same visceral, uneasy response. Then there was the nagging fear that I was actually empathizing with a monster. Very unsettling.
Acting is superb and music score so haunting and unnerving, but it's the visuals that made this work. It felt like I was in someone else's nightmare and carrying someone else's baggage, as it were. If you're into more cerebral horror (though I'd say this is more of a really creepy drama) and do not require coherent plot, check out "Possum." It's one I'll watch again - not because it was enjoyable or entertaining (quite depressing and disturbing, in fact), but because I feel there is so much more I'll see upon second viewing.