Gone Girl (2014)

David Fincher picks great books to adapt that’s for sure. Unlike The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I didn’t read the book by Gillian Flynn and with her writing the screenplay I have a feeling it’s a solid adaptation (which I can’t say about TGWDT). What a fantastic film. Ben Affleck stars as the husband of a woman gone missing and soon becomes the primary suspect. Rosamund Pike plays his wife who maybe not be as perfect as we’re first led to believe. It’s a mystery, it’s a love story, and more importantly it’s a film about sensationalism in the media and how the public eating it all up is just as obsessive as the villain in this demented tale. I heard someone comment after watching this film that it doesn’t really make you want to get married (which is a bit dumb thing to say) but I get the point. Be careful who you fall in love with and make sure you know who you are just as well as them. Grade: A

Spoilers: What a performance from Rosamund Pike, she is a sensation! It’s a testament to her talents that at the end of this film I loved her and at the same time was terrified by her. I mean, sure it’s morbid that she says she loves Ben after all that she did, but in some ways she does. Ben can know that she fell in love with him and while he might not feel the same, something tells me he’s not just staying around because of the kid. I don’t care what anyone says, there’s a part of him that wants her just as always. He was a con artist when they met and now he’s going to continue to be con artist to keep her sane. Is it a depressing ending or a happy one? You be the judge but I had a devil’s smile plastered on my face.

Oculus (2014)

Mirrors are perfect objects to set up a horror film and here Mike Flanagan succeeds at using one to make a horror film that is remarkably clever in its execution and in its creepiness. The story flips back and forth from the present to the past and it’s an enjoyable gimmick that works for so many reasons. Add on top of that the wonderful performances fromKaren Gillan as the sister trying to destroy a mirror for destroying her family and Brenton Thwaites as the brother trying to figure out if what happened when he was a kid was real or a delusion, this is a must see for lovers of the modern horror film. It’s not perfect; Rory Cochrane who plays the father is totally miscast and his channeling of Jack Nicholson from The Shinning almost spoils the film. He’s a good actor but the film makers should have cast someone else. His acting also seems to hold back Katee Sackhoff (who I love) from doing anything memorable here. Certainly some better character development for some of the lesser characters could have helped as well. Still this is a good one, a dreadful tale of a mirror that eats souls and never lets up. Grade: B+

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)

This was Krueger’s last stand and the end to the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Sure, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare came out later but that one’s more of a meta-trip than a real continuation. Here Krueger has succeeded in killing every child in Springwood except one. How’s that for depressing? The one survivor is allowed to escape in order to bring someone back from Krueger’s past. I’ll avoid the spoiler though it’s kind of obvious. The first half of this film is pretty bad. It’s a typical ‘80s horror trash, cash grab (yes, I know it was made in the '90s but it's still stuck in the last decade). Find a bunch of young bad actors that you don’t have to pay a lot. Use a lot of visual effects as your centerpiece and let your star (Robert Englund) ham it up. Yet something weird happens halfway through, it starts to get good. I can’t explain it but once you know the back story and they set up the confrontation between Freddy and the counselor, Maggie Burroughs, I was interested again. Our heroes rise to put an end to Krueger’s terror saves this film from being a complete dud. It’s interesting to note (at least for me) that this was Rachel Talalay’s directorial debut. She came up with the story as well. I have to say I actually think she did a good job considering what she had to work with. I wonder why New Line decided to kill one of their more lucrative characters. I can only assume Englund wanted out so he could do other things. After completing this sixth film I can say as a whole this franchise is pretty weak. It’s mostly a nostalgia flashback. It’s worth celebrating if you like cheesy, tongue-in-cheek horror films but if you wish to avoid that kind of style just stick with the first three. Grade: B-

You’re Next (2011)

I can’t quite explain why I liked this home invasion horror flick. Maybe it’s because the hero is a woman, the one smart enough and strong enough to stay alive. Maybe it’s because of the twist, that I saw coming but still felt was satisfying in its storytelling. Maybe it’s fun to watch a bunch of rich people make mistakes that cost their lives. I’m just not sure; I just liked this thrilling tale of men in wolf masks, for apparently no reason, assaulting a wealthy family arrived to their vacation mansion for a get together. Sharni Vinson does a fine job as the anchor, the hero with the survivor skills to make the hunters the hunted. She’s basically the John McClane of the story. Director Adam Wingard has created something worth checking out and I’ll certainly keep on the lookout for future projects he’s involved with. Grade: B+

We Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (Novel)

This is a true classic, a psychological horror novel that gets into the mind of a demented teenager and the cruel town she lives in. It’s the story of sisters, Katherine andConstance, and how their dependent relationship evolves into one of isolation. It’s the story of the infamous Blackwoods, poisoned by their own children, and how because of their wealth and villainy become pariahs in their community. It’s Jackson at the heights of her powers crafting a memorable and complex character study that delves into jealousy both from a teenage girl wanting to protect her sister and a town from wanting to punish those they deem deserving of torment. There’s a lot to love about this book and while it’s not scary it’s dark and nasty in its psychological workings. When I finished the book I kept thinking of the documentary Grey Gardens. Except here there’s a darkness that’s truly tragic and beautiful and twisted. Grade: A

The Returned (2013)

A wonderful twist on the zombie story, here a cure has been found and those who are infected can live a normal life as long as they keep taking their medication, a drug that is becoming difficult to make because it’s made using infected blood. Emily Hampshire plays the doctor involved with caring for patients and making a synthetic version of the drug. Her husband played by Kris Holden-Ried is one of the infected. To save him they decide to go on the run, taking a stash of the drug that should last them for a good while. This is more of a thriller than horror film but it’s a good one, even if made by a small budget. Just when you thought everything could be conceived in the zombie genre this Canadian production directed by Manuel Carballo gives us a fresh spin. If you like zombie films certainly check this one out. Grade: B+

The Shinning by Stephen King [Revisited]

Before reading the sequel to this beloved classic from Mr. King, I decided to revisit the original with a re-read. I mean it’s been twenty-five years since I last read the book. I remembered a lot but there were some details I had forgotten as expected. All I know is having experienced the story again I can say it’s easily one of the greatest horror novels ever written. It’s easily one of King’s top five best. An evil hotel coercing an alcoholic to sacrifice his “gifted” son could be kind of cheesy, but here the tale is told by a master of the genre who knows how to develop characters to embrace and care about. Why is this story so frightening? For one the struggle to be a good father while at the same time fighting ones’ own demons of inadequacy is so relatable. Then there’s the mysterious and spooky gift (or curse) Danny has that gives me goose bumps even now. Add the seductive power of the hotel (like the drink Jack thinks he can avoid) and you have the makings of an emotional supernatural tragedy. Why is reading the destruction of a family so rewarding? I don’t’ know, maybe because in the end while evil wins from time to time, the power of love and hope beats it back again. If you haven’t read this book and only know the story from the watered down version from Kubrick then do yourself a favor and read this book. Grade: A

And with this blog entry begins my annal Month of Horror.  Let the celebration of the macabre continue . . .