Horror Film Review #12

Mom and Dad

Written and Directed by Brian Taylor,  one-half  of the directing Team of Neveldine and Taylor. The guys who brought you both the Crank films, Gamer, and both Ghost Rider movies that starred Nicolas Cage. Taylor originally had a singular idea; of "What if your parents really wanted to kill you", and within 2-3 years flushed out a fully conceived story, Mom and Dad finally made it's film debut at the 2017's Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness Screening, as the film was characterized as a black comedy/horror film. 

The actual theatrical released version is very subdued all the real violence that lends to gore are  implied and is never seen on camera. However, it was given an R-rating  for disturbing horror violence, language throughout, some sexual content/nudity and teen drug use. 

The Premise: Parents one day across the country are given the uncontrollable desire and instinct to savagely kill their own children, and hold a completely innocuous relationship with everyone  else they come in contact with.  It seems the flickering of a television signal that displays snow or dead air on the screen triggers this sudden behavior.  In Hitchcockian terms its a McGuffin or red herring , or in JJ Abrams terms a mystery box, that gives this film its plot device, but the writer/director does not really care on what the source or mystery is  really all about.  It is up to the viewer to devise our own conclusion, as hints and suggestions are peppered throughout the story from news outlets, Expert Tv panels and Dr. Oz, giving us possible ideas and reasons.  Nicolas Cage & Selma Blair play the title roles, Cage seems tailored for his character as Brent the father who skirts the line of manic to loving to gonzo insane at a drop of a hat. Brian Taylor adds to the intrigue by showing us levels of the infection, from a mother's desire to kill her new born infant, to visiting grandparents wanting to kill their own children, but love  their Grandchildren, and signs within the animal kingdom from birds and squirrels killing their offspring.

Similar films to which Mom and Dad follow in the footsteps are Hitchcock's the Birds, Stephen King's Maximum Overdrive, and M. Night's The Happening.  Arguably a little bit more polished than the latter examples; Mom and Dad ends slightly open ended, and given the movie's description, which implies that the kids need to survive 24 hours. There is no exposition or reason for the suggested timeframe nor does it seem to hold itself to any definitive rules.  Each primary character displays flaws or traits that deem them worthy of a scolding, while secondary characters like the boyfriend  are treated as appetizer to the main course of  insanity.  The film is palatable but not memorable, while trying to give a unique character study to dissociative motivations.

Horror Film Review #11

IT

Undeniably one of author Stephen King’s better big screen adaptation. IT; next to the academy nominated film Get Out has ushered in a respectful appreciation to the horror/thriller genre for a more mainstream general audience. Gaining much critical praise as well as raking in millions of dollars at the box office.  IT:Chapter one is a call back to the original 1981 novel and aspects to the 1990 two part TV mini-series. Improving on the written ending of the novel where Bill the leader of the losers club faces off against pennywise by performing the Ritual of Chud and entering the Macroverse.

Alan Moore's Watchman

Writer Alan Moore had a similar insane climax with an alien invasion conspiracy becoming the set-up for the end of Watchman’s graphic novel. The plot
device of two pieces of silver dollar chunks was not used in this movie, but the theme of children banding together as a team to defeat an evil, is universal in each and every incarnation.

The Dark Tower

 The connections with IT, and other of King’s film properties has shown up, in The Dark Tower  movie for example, The film had a nod to Pennywise in a very brief scene of a desolated and ravaged playground; and with multiple of parallels with characters of both the losers club and the older teen bullies existing in Stand by Me. In the novel IT, Pennywise is first introduced to Georgie by calling himself Mr. Bob Gray.  Mr. Gray was the name of alien antagonist in the movie Dreamcatcher. Conversely in the Dreamcatcher novel our main characters come across a spray painted sign saying Pennywise, as Dreamcatcher takes places in the town of Derry, Maine, and Bill and his friends are nearing 27/30 year reunion mark to re-face Pennywise for their final confrontation; in that timeline. To see how more crossover and inter-woven stories exist watch the series Castle Rock, the Stephen King new landmark series. Bill Skarsgard plays a Shawshank prisoner.

With the implementing of today’s special effects into the make up and action sequences; Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise gives this version more menace than the iconic Tim Curry creation.  Those who panned or criticized the television re-imagination of IT from the novel, did not give a bad review of Curry’s portrayal, Skarsgard was smart, to go a different path, giving this clown certain facial tics and mannerisms that set him apart from Curry’s portrayal.  In the first 15 minutes of this movie a vicious dramatic tone was set and the atmosphere and drama did not relent.

The Premise: Several kids band together to face an ancient evil that has plague Derry, Maine. Every 27 years  begins the killing of many children underneath a mystical shroud covering over all the unassuming adults from seeing the truth. Pennywise the clown can invade a child's thoughts, and manifest their own worst fears against them as he picks off a child/teen one at a time. The last stand transpires in a place called the Barrens, where these seven kids must face their fears and stop IT before he kills again.

The cast of children who play the losers club are phenomenal, Sophia Lillis who plays Beverly Marsh is only 15 years old, but is surprisingly sophisticated for the layered levels of maturity she displays; she does bare a striking resemblance to actress Amy Adams, and that has not gone unnoticed as she plays a younger version of the actress in this summer’s  HBO series Sharp Objects.  The movie also closely resembles the Netflix series Stranger Things and their amazing cast;  No surprise that Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things aka  Mike Wheeler, plays Richie in this movie a Pubescent  13 year old with a lewd vocabulary.

Note: No reflection of the Eyes

Within 9 days of the movie's release, confirmation of Chapter Two became official and its set to hit theatres in September 2019. Our film began in 1989/90 and concludes present day. Giving an adult take a with very modern coat of paint and interpretation of the story. No word of casting besides the return of Bill Skarsgard  and Jackson Robert Scott as little Georgie. Pennywise’s first shown victim.  If the TV movie is an indication of what to expect, the fallout of the chapter two will be just as good and fulfilling as the first.

Horror Film Review #10

Happy Death Day

A movie marketed as a horror film that is brought to you by Blumhouse productions. A company known for producing all the ‘Paranormal Activities’, ‘The Purge’ and ‘Insidious’ films. The company’s model is to roll out films at a low to very modest budget, which has become a staple of its success.
Happy Death Day is no exception, given a PG-13 rating.

For violence/terror, crude sexual content, language, some drug material and partial nudity.

All of the criteria marked in its rating are correct; it is a horror movie without gore. It’s a film that is very much aware of its self and spins humor and above average intelligence into a story with an otherwise simple narrative.





The Premise: Sorority/college student Tree Gelbman discovers she is reliving the same day over and over again. It just so happens to be her birthday, and the day she gets murdered.  To break the cycle and survive to see the next day; Tree must solve who is trying to kill her, or is doomed to live, repeat, and fail.

The cast are all new faces, which works’, we the viewers can believe they are everyday average students, as the actors put in a set of solid performances, into a smart script. The screenplay can be argued and criticized, or the direction can feeling somewhat limited for not going further in horror elements. But with that in mind, it should be pointed out the film is set for a general audience with a 4.8 Million dollar budget.
The groundhogs day movie connection is obvious, but this movie  draws more from other contemporary time-looping films like  Edge of Tomorrow, 12:01,  and more closely to a Taye Diggs Television series called ‘Day Break’.

Happy Death Day was a financial success raking in over 55 Million dollars, that's nearly eleven  times it' estimated budget, and opening up in 1^st place on its opening day weekend.   Amazing when it you consider its entire cast are unknown actors.

Horror Film Review #9

Better Watch Out


By Hollywood standards, Better Watch Out is a horror film brought to us through a relatively new creative team. Writer/Director  Chris Peckover and Co-writer Zack Khan, has come to us with holiday home invasion movie that follows a horror trope, in which its' biggest twist is revealed at the end of the first act. 
The premise is Parents of pubescent teen named Luke (played by Levi Miller of  Pan) go out to a party and enlist a babysitter named Ashley (Olivia DeJonge of The Visit) who is 5 years Luke's senior to look after their child.  The film starts off with Luke and his best friend Garret (Ed Oxenbould of The Visit) discussing ways to lose their virginity, as Luke's parents prepare to leave.
Ashley, unaware that Luke will be attempting to get to second base with her; will be swatting away any advances he innocently and awkwardly tries, and as you can imagine everything is light hearted until they realize someone(s) have entered the house, where-upon the babysitter must now protect her young wards.
It is also around here at the thirty minute mark, that we conclude the first act and the twist gets dropped.  Peckover uses one trope of having a scene play out and then hold a few extra beats to allow us  the viewer to see and focus on an item that might be foreshadowing. For example a sound monitor under the bed, a pencil under the carpet, and the laundry room. All random, but done with deliberate intent with big or small pay-off as the movie progresses.  The approach to the film is refreshingly similar to A Cabin in the Woods where we find out what's going on at the beginning of the movie and then follow how it all plays-out. Better Watch Out draws and gives inspirational nods to the original Home Alone movie and sadistic home invasion movies like Funny Games, and a 90s Brian Bonsall starring film. The logistics of how every scene is played out can be argued.  The time frame from incorporating carolers to arrival of boyfriends and how acts and sounds happen almost in sync at completely different places; and with how the invader(s) motives and true nature can leave intent viewers scratching their heads.

The movie is for a genre specific fan base; it is elevated by rising above a conventional plot and if you can suspend a glaring disbelief in that plot. Better watch out should develop a cult like following and stronger appreciation in time.

Horror Film Review #8

Curse of Downers Grove

This hardly classifies as a definitive horror movie, its more of an intriguing mystery, wrapped in teen angst and surrounded by high school social shark waters.
The premise is recounted near the start as a narrated history lesson. For decades the final week leading to high school graduation has lead to a student dying, and its been well documented that the curse has dated back over 40 years.
Each death is different, random in cause and in location, the only constant is its only one student who dies, and its within the final week leading to graduation. Once a death occurs everyone else is free to graduate safely and unharmed
The single mother of the lead actors somehow forgets her children are graduating high school that week and goes on vacation with a potential suitor, leaving them to fend for themselves, and she appears oblivious that the curse which was spoken about in great lengths in her home town for decades; has still decided to pick up and leave her kids, not showing a trace of concern for their potential safety.
The Daughter attends a frat party and unleashes the Ire of disgruntled star quarterback, that sets in motion deadly encounters for her and her brother when the gang of footballers  begins to terrorize them.
The movie is passable,  The curse is interpreted to be native american in origin, when we see an angry native indigenous ghost warrior carrying around a shaman stick, evoking a glimmer of a vengeful curse.  The Ghost warrior is never explained why he is there or what exactly the curse is.

The foreboding circumstances all points to a deadly confrontation between the football jocks and the young brother and sister duo, and that someone will die. Which begs the question will this satisfy the curse of downers grove or will the worst be still to come.  Comparative 80's films would be Tuff Turf, Bullies, and  3:15 ( aka class of 89) though these films are not directly relatable, but the notion of an individual facing a clique or a gang in order to protect and save themselves and thus find the strength to battle back the oppressing odds have similar themes.

Horror Movie Review #7

A Christmas Horror Story

A surprising anthology of 4 short stories woven together to prepare us for the coming of Krampus.
First and foremost, the clarification of Krampus' by definition Krampus is a counterpart of Santa, a beast who punishes the wicked children and takes them to his lair, as opposed to giving gifts to the good children.
This film is also not to be confused with the self-titled movie scheduled to be released on december 5th, 2015.
The Premise: Over a 12hour period on christmas eve, Krampus will rise and the doctrines of Krampus will begin to unfold on this sleepy mid-western town of Bailey Downs.
The first story has 3 students video documenting, an unsolved double homicide in their school.  The unrested
spirit is closing in on them as they delve deeper into the story. The second story revolves around the on duty investigating officer of that double homicide who is on medical leave, he takes his young family to cut down their first christmas tree.  He decides to enter a restricted property for the better trees and they take home a lot more than what they had bargain for.

The third story involves a husband who takes his family to visit his estranged rich aunt, Ironically his wicked children who drew the first glimpses of Krampus as the demon rises to the surface.  The final story is set in Santa's workshop, an infected Elf turns all the alleged immortal elves into terrifying zombies, which leads to Santa a face to face confrontation with the fully risen Krampus.  With the legendary William Shatner to ease us into the christmas spirit, A Christmas Horror Story is a simmer of suspense, mixed with a twisted sprinkle of surprise that goes down smoothly with Shatner's egg nog.  Its' substitutes the usual horror gore for a tingling winter chill as it goes back and forth between stories. A classic tale to appendage itself to a Black Christmas, if you are fan of that movie.  It doesn't allow itself to dip down as a b level movie, by taking itself seriously to give the viewer a movie with no stench of it being a christmas ham.

Horror Film Review #6

Green Inferno

It is an Eli Roth film,  if you are familiar with Roth's  body of work behind the camera, then he is mostly associated with torture porn big screen feature film adaptations. The most notarized would be the Hostel trilogy of films.  This movie is a tangent of Blum House productions  which has been ear marked as being the 7th of 10  films being released this year by the company, whose production model is usually to film in California as means of  cost controlling its over head. The movie did modestly well and exceeded the company's lower expectation. In contrast to its most recent double box office flop of  'Paranormal Activity The Ghost Dimension' and 'Jem and the Holograms'. which had high expectations.
The Premise: Green Inferno is a south American Horror story. Essentially university activists in a bid to protect some indigenous natives in the Peruvian jungle accidentally crash lands in the backyard of those they set out to protect, unaware that these savage natives are also cannibals.  The story is quite brilliant, the heroine played Lorenza Izzo ,who gets her spark of activism by a world issue lecture regarding treatment towards women, and in this multiple staged conclusion, she becomes engaged again as a victim of her own convictions. As Roth really drives home the dichotic irony of this film.  The plot of the movie is pretty laid out from beginning to end, the drama and tensions comes from actions and options remaining to the activists as their numbers dwindle.

Witnessing the fall in stature of their activist leader and the villainy of corporate business share a reversal of roles is also nicely crafted  layer to the film, giving brevity to what is a dark toned story.  This is a movie of little surprise or twists, but instead it is a straight in your face movie of man vs his environment  and those who enter in places they are not wanted. A movie that spear heads you to its point.