Final Girls (2015)

For Halloween this year I don’t have a really good idea for a top ten list.   Instead I’m just recommending you check out this wonderful slasher comedy from Todd-Strauss-Schulson.  The daughter of a dead scream queen gets to go into the slasher film her mom starred in and try to save her mom’s character from a Jason-like murderer.  Very surreal and very enjoyable.  The entire cast is great especially the mother daughter duo of Malin Akerman and Taissa Farmiga.   I loved this movie and thought it was the perfect way to end my Halloween Horror Movie Month celebration.  It’s films like this that give me hope for the future of the genre.  Grade: A-

iZombie (Season 1)

From the guy who gave us Veronica Mars (Rob Thomas) along with Diane Ruggiero-Wright, comes this other television show about a petite blonde girl who solves crimes while dealing with love and friendship.   Except this time she’s not a high school student and the genre-bending isn’t film noir it’s zombie horror comedy.  The result is just as fantastic as it sounds.   Olivia was bitten by a zombie while attending a boat party.   Now in order to prevent becoming a full blown mindless zombie she must eat brains.  With this new food source she also finds herself with the memories (and personality traits) of the person’s brain she consumed and with that now a way to assist police detective Clive solve crimes.   Add zombie drug dealer named David as her main adversary and you have a really entertaining television show that is reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars.   The only gripe I have is the way the writers create “drama and tension” but having characters keep information to themselves when in reality if they just spoke up there would be no drama.  It’s an obvious and annoying tactic, typically of this kind of show.  Grade: B+

Back to the Future Day

We take this pause in our horror movie schedule to celebrate Back to the Future Day.  Yes, that’s right.  It’s 2015 and this is the date Marty McFly and Doc Brown go to the “Future”.  Okay, so there are no flying cars and the internet is completely missing from Zemeckis’ masterpiece but who cares.   I actually re-watched the entire trilogy over the course of the last few days and I can say without a doubt the films still hold up.   If you haven’t seen these films, do, like right now.   Not only are these films perfect time travel films, they define what a comedy adventure film should be like.  I can’t think of another film series or recent film that is this thoughtout and fun.   They certainly don’t make them like this anymore and that’s unfortunate.   I’m secretly hoping that future generations will visit this ‘80s classic and be inspired.   And no, let’s hope they never remake these films.  I highly doubt anyone, including Zemeckis himself could recreate or take this concept and make it work today.   And why when these three are so good already?   I can’t wait to watch these again when my son is older.  Grade: A

Pyscho by Robert Bloch

I’ve always wanted to read the book that inspired the famous Hitchcock film.  Robert Bloch is such a fun writer and you can see what attracted Hitchcock to this property.   The only big difference is that the book goes into Norman Bate’s point of view more and it’s enjoyable to see that side of things although for the world of cinema keeping that part mysterious was the best decision you could make.   While reading it I kept thinking of Gus Van Sant’s shot-for-shot remake and wondered why he didn’t just adapt the novel differently.  I’d say I’d love to see such a thing but there’s nothing really new to bring to the table, with the television show Bates Motel being the exception.  I do recommend the book mostly because it’s good pulp and enjoyable to read Bloch.  Grade: A-

Crimson Peak (2015)

Any film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro should be seen, period.  Here he takes us into the heart of a Gothic romance or to be more precise a Gothic romance triangle.   It is visually spectacular with a haunted mansion that must be seen to believe.   Unfortunately the film is flawed because supernatural terror is outweighed by the terror of the villain.   Also it’s hard to know what love story to root for which makes for a complex but unsatisfying conclusion.   I’m not saying this is a bad film; it’s wonderful on many levels.  I just wish Guillermo del Toro would have juggled his plot a bit better.   It felt like he was trying too hard to do too much for a plot that was pretty predictable.  You have to give credit to his cast though.  Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Charlie Hunnam are all very good in a film you wish was more deserving of their dedication.  Grade: B+

The Battery (2012)

You don’t get much low-budget than this terrific zombie film by Jeremy Gardner.  Two former baseball players traverse the New England backwoods surviving a zombie end times.   What I love about this film is that the zombies are what they should be, kind of boring.  The two guys wander around doing their best to stay motivated.  But things get tense when they decide to make contact with other survivors instead of making it on their own.   What helps make this very low-budget film shine is a fantastic sound track and a strong sense of character over story.  I highly recommend this one especially if you’re a fan of The Walking Dead but want to see something different from the sub-genre.  Grade: A-

BTW: Do watch the making of documentary that couples the DVD.  It’s really entertaining to see these cinema nobodies stumble and yet succeed at making a movie.  I’ll be curious to see if Jeremy Gardner does more or if this will be his one moment of cinema gold. 

Circle (2015)

While not a perfect film, this is an engaging one that tells the story of a group of stranger standing in a circle who are held captive by some mysterious alien ship.  The ship randomly, or so it might at first seem, kills people.  Soon its clear that there’s a game going on and the people are in control of it.  Will they work together to survive or will they make the necessary sacrifices to make sure the right ones live.  This one deals with sexism, racism, ageism, you name it.  I really enjoyed this experimental low-budget original from Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione.  I could have had a slightly better ending but it’s still a pretty decent story, kind of a Twelve Angry Men but with Aliens and death circles.  Grade: B+

Housebound (2014)

This is a really fun horror comedy from the land of New Zealand.  And it’s a film not directed by Peter Jackson, although I could imagine him doing it.  Gerard Johnson writes and directs.  Kylie must stay with her parents under house arrest in an old house she hates.  Mysteriously things start to happen and the question is how haunted is her house? B+

At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

H.P. Lovecraft’s novella, like all his work, reads like a journal entry or text book more than a work of fiction but that’s probably what makes it feel so genuine.   This work follows a science expedition to the center of the Antarctic where they discover a new world of demons and gods all of which are mentioned in the Necronomicon.  The book is a warning of this horrible place and a plea never to return.  It works on many levels because of the wild imaginary creations and the overall dread created throughout the narrative.  My only real issue is that it's sometimes repetitive.  They encounter one horrible thing and then another only to encounter something more horrible.  Obviously a classic, you should only chose to read this if you like Lovercraftian style and don't need a more traditional style for your stories. B+

Cigarette Burns (2005)

The great horror director John Carpenter directs this segment written by Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan from the Masters of Horror Series.   A film collector is hired by a rich guy (who happens to keep a captured angel in his house) to locate a rare lost film that is said to be magical.  Norman Reedus stars, that’s right the guy now famous for playing Daryl on The Walking Dead.   It’s a pretty trippy film and one of the best works in Carpenter’s later years.   It’s worth seeking out especially if you’re a fan of Carpenters.  B+

The Den (2014)

Using the webcam approach to tell a story has a lot of problems but somehow Zachary Donohue pulls it off and makes a really frightening experience.  Melanie Papalia portrays a grad student working on a thesis where she explores the world of social media.  How connected can she become with strangers and what does this new platform say about our society and the future.  Basically an innocent study that turns into a nightmare when she stumbles upon a murderer who begins to stalk her and all her loved ones.  This is a tense little movie and if you’re willing to stretch your disbelief a tad you’ll find yourself pulled in and very much entertained.  Papalia is fantastic as the heroin and that’s saying a lot since she’s on screen pretty much ninety-five percent of the time.   I also love what this film says about our voyeuristic society and the dangers of opening ourselves up to such a dark cyber world.  Grade: A-

All Cheerleaders Die (2013)

With Lucky McKee co-writing and co-directing (along with Chris Sivertson) I was really excited to see this horror comedy.  I have to say I was a tad underwhelmed with the result.  It’s not as entertaining as I had hoped.  The issue for me was there seemed to be two plots and both of them are underdeveloped, ending in an unsatisfying villain and a revenge plot that goes nowhere. I wouldn’t say the characters are really likable either which does hurt the film.   If maybe the lead character was more of the driving force the film would have been more successful but in the end it was just blah. B-

Trouble Every Day (2001)

Claire Denis, the director of such films as Chocolat and Beau Travail, making a horror film is certainly something to watch.  It’s the story of an American in Paris, with his wife, setting out to find a scientist he admires.  Meanwhile the scientist’s wife has gone crazy and is locked away in a room to keep her from hurting anyone.  This is a weird film about obsession, love and vorarephilia (that’s right you read that correctly, look it up if you don’t know what it means, or better yet watch the film).  There are some really disturbing moments that I will never forget seeing. Vincent Gallo is solid.  I don’t know if Denis would want to make another horror film but I hope she does.   And may it be as horrific and well-made as this one. B+ 

Hell House by Richard Matheson

Now this is a haunted house story.  In the genre of horror the haunted house is an essential plot device and some succeed and some fail.   Here is one of the best.   Like most haunted house stories, a group of scientists or debunkers enter a famous haunted house with an evil history to disprove the supernatural.   Here Dr. Lionel Barrett attempts to explain the supernatural with a new scientific theory that he believes will change the game.   He brings with him his wife, Edith and two mediums, Benjamin and Florence. This is the second time Benjamin will stay in this famous Hell House where the last time he escaped as the only survivor in a previous study.  As you’d expect events do not go as planned and even as it become clear that Hell House is going to destroy them, Barrett’s obsessive personality endangers them all.   There’s a lot to love about this book.  The characters stand out and the tension is consistently scary throughout.  Grade: A

Preservation (2014)

Two brothers, Mike and Sean, decide to take Mike’s wife Wit on a camping trip.   There’s some sexual tension between Sean and Wit and it is clear the marriage isn’t doing so well.  All turns upside down when they realize they’re being stalked and the only way to survive is to fight back.  Yes, it’s a really basic premise, so basic it’s barely a film.  Except it works really well because the writer-director Christopher Denham keeps things real and the actors prove to be a cut above most actors in this kind of film.  It’s a very enjoyable thrill ride with some strong violent undertones.  I also like the reveal on who is stalking them. B+ 

The Babadook (2014)

Ding Ding Ding!  We have ourselves a winner.  This is the kind of horror film I’ve been wanting to see in a long time.  I really enjoyed this story about a boy and his mother dealing with an evil spirit in their house, an evil spirit with the coolest name.   It all starts with her troubled son making life really hard for her, a widow still dealing with the death of her husband.  Then a mysterious pop-up book arrives called Mister Babadook.   Is her son making things up?  Is she seeing things or going insane?  I loved it! If you love horror films then I highly recommend you watch this Australian wonder.   I know I’ll watch it again and I can’t wait to watch it with my son someday, and see him jump! A

The Nightmare (2015)

Can a documentary be scary?  This one is and it’s because it delves into sleep paralysis and crafts representations of the kind of experiences the interviewees have gone through.   My only complaint is that it gets a bit repetitive but still Rodney Ascher, the director, does an excellent job of capturing the terror that these many people face.   I won’t go so far as to say the film gave me nightmares but it did make me feel a bit uncomfortable as I tried to fall asleep.  You can’t ask for much more than that. B+

Plus One (2013)

College kids at a house party experience a bizarre phenomenon that will challenge their reality.   The heart of the story is David who badly wants to get back together with his ex-girlfriend Jill.  Then there’s his roommate who wants to badly to have sex with the most beautiful girl at the party. It’s more of a science fiction comedy than a horror film, but there is a dark spot at its core that shifts it into the macabre.   For what it is it’s pretty enjoyable, but it never leaps past anything other than a low-budget genre flick. B

The Shinning Girls by Lauren Beukes

I didn’t know if I’d like this when I started it.  It felt like it went all over the place.   But then it really grabbed me and before I knew it I couldn’t wait to see what would happen.  The premise is a good one.  A serial killer finds a magical house that allows him to become a time traveler making it virtually impossible for anyone to find him.   That is until one of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, survives without his knowledge and she devotes her life to find the man responsible for almost killing her.  Along for the strange ride is an older sports writer who tries to get Kirby to give up her crazy pursuit.  Again I can’t stress enough how enjoyable of a book this is.  It’s scary concept with a hero you can really root for.   Lauren Beukes demonstrates real skill as a writer and I’m looking forward to read more of her work.  A-

Starry Eyes (2014)

A young actress played by Alex Essoe is struggling to make it in the business.  Her friends are all bohemian artists from actresses and film makers.  Yet she’s the less talented of them all.   Finally one of her auditions goes well, and it looks like she’ll be able to quite her waitressing job and start her career as an actress.   Except the production company that is interested in her has other ideas.   I really enjoyed this low-budget fable about the taint of wanting to become famous at the point of literally selling your soul.  It’s a simple story but it works. It’s both gruesome and poetic as only a horror film can be.  Directed and written by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer. B+

Kill List (2011)

Director Ben Wheatley directs a film about two British soldiers, Jay and Gal, who return home and become hit men.  Jay has a family and Gal only a girlfriend.  At first the premise is more of a crime thriller than a horror film, but there’s this eerie satanic vibe that keeps chewing at the plot and building until a really terrifying end.  At first it took a good chunk of the film to get me hooked but it really succeeds at becoming a memorable and deranged goodie. B+ 

Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle

What a great debut novel from John Darnielle.  It’s the story of Sean Phillips, a young man who designs a mail-in game where he sends out dungeon-dragon like game play instructions. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic world.  Yet what is an innocent idea soon becomes tragic with a few players.  The story also tells his back story where it is learned he has a badly damaged face from an incident when he was in high school; it’s while recuperating that he dreams up this game.   Told out of order and in a voice that’s hauntingly memorable, this is a book to read and really embrace.   Some might find the main character a tad unlikable but he grew on me and I could relate to him, even if he was nothing like me. A-

Would You Rather (2012)

I start my annual Halloween Horror Movie Month with this little thriller from director David Grey Levy.   It stars Brittney Snow as a girl who attends a special dinner with the promise of $10,000.   When she arrives the host of the party, Mr. Lambrick (played by Jeffrey Combs) gathers his group of victims, I mean, dinner guests, and tells them they’re about to play a version of “Would You Rather” but with deadly consequences.   It never gets that clever as I had hoped it would.  It’s trying to shock you like a Saw movie but it’s only slightly disturbing.  I would have liked some more thoughtful wickedness.   It’s not all bad, it’s entertaining as much as a low-budget film like this should be.  Don’t expect anything really shocking or unexpected. B