CONSECRATION
(Christopher Smith, 2023)
An eye doctor (Jena Malone) must go to Scotland to help in the investigation of her brother, a priest, who died in a bizarre murder/suicide. Outside of a somewhat clever final act twist, this is fairly routine and uninvolving church-is-up-to-something thriller. Danny Huston appears as a Vatican priest named Father Romero, because of course. Malone is solid, though, which I'm happy to report as I too often find her acting to be very affected. Beautiful shots of Scotland's Isle of Skye! GRADE: C
EVIL DEAD RISE
(Lee Cronin, 2023)
One of the more interesting aspects of going back and reading my past thoughts on films in various Horrorfests is seeing the evolution of how films are made and how they are watched. And one thing must be noted about this one is just how damned dark its photography is and how so many current films (and series, I've heard) share the same problem. That aside, I must admit to being slightly disappointed with this, which concerns a reunion between sisters (Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan) on the night of a rainstorm and the unleashing of the buried Book of the Dead. It doesn't come anywhere near the highs of previous installments and perhaps moving the action out of the woods into a dilapidated LA apartment building was a mistake. The strengths are a terrific performance by the striking Sutherland, some gnarly gore, and fun references to the previous entries. GRADE: B-
IDLE HANDS
(Rodman Flender, 1999)
Final Destination's Devon Sawa plays a teenage slacker whose hand becomes possessed by a demon. Well, became. The film picks up in the midst of the action and doesn't really let up. It has almost no time for explanation or worldbuilding, and ends with some massive holes. Add to that some of the most tired and even dated for the time stoner jokes, plus the film's lustful gaze at a just-turned-17 Jessica Alba, and this is one crude comedy that deserves to be forgotten. I will admit it's kind of shocking it took me so long to see this, as it came out at the height of my horror and teen movie obsession. The only thing worth remembering is Sawa's physically impressive performance. Also, damn he grew up to be a hot daddy! With Seth Green and Elden Henson. GRADE: D
INNOCENT BLOOD
(John Landis, 1992)
A vampire (Anne Parillaud, the original Nikita) who only kills bad guys ends up on the run after biting the wrong criminal: a mob boss (Robert Loggia). Landis could balance horror and comedy as evident by his all-timer, An American Werewolf in London. But a mob comedy crossed with vampire horror proves a trickier balance, as neither totally works. The game cast is able to elevate the material, and there's some fun casting with horror filmmakers playing bit parts. I'd forgotten how hot Anthony LaPaglia was in the early 90's. With Chazz Palminteri, Angela Bassett, and Don Rickles. GRADE: C+
JAKOB'S WIFE
(Travis Stevens, 2021)
A small-town minister's wife is bitten by a vampire and finds a new lust for life...and blood. The performances of genre faves Barbara Crampton and Larry Fessenden anchor this, and the two play off of each other very well right up to the amusing last shot. It's a welcome change to see a horror led by actors who can get an AARP discount. I found the dark comedy aspects to work a bit better than the horror, as the latter occasionally stumble due to the low budget. The Nun herself, Bonnie Aarons, co-stars as The Master, and CM Punk also appears. GRADE: B
THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER
(André Øvredal, 2023)
Vampires on a boat! Taking a small part of Bram Stoker's classic and expanding it to feature length is not a bad idea, but Voyage is a tad too predictable and proceeds exactly as you think it will. A doctor (Corey Hawkins) is hired as part of the crew of the Demeter, a cargo ship that sets sail to London with, unbeknownst to anyone on board, Dracula in a crate. There's nothing really wrong with this film, it just doesn't generate any suspense and runs a tad too long. And has that drab nighttime photography. Ugh. With David Dalmalchian and Liam Cunningham. GRADE: C
THE OUTWATERS
(Robbie Banfitch, 2023)
This will have its fans, but I am not one of them. A group of friends camping in the desert encounters an unknown terror. Simple premise for a found footage movie, but the film devolves into hallucinogenic nonsense before ruining it all with a gruesome final scene. It's basically a found footage movie for the "If you play this record backwards..." set. Some impressive camerawork and the sound design is among the best I've heard from the genre in ages, but I was tired of it all midway through the final act. I would have liked to have seen more of the brother and his nipples. GRADE: C-
VAMPIRE IN BROOKLYN
(Wes Craven, 1995)
One of my last Craven blindspots. After this, all I have is Deadly Blessing and Hills Have Eyes 2. A modern variation on Bram Stoker's "Dracula", Eddie Murphy stars as vampire Maximillian, who arrives on a cargo ship in Brooklyn looking for the daughter of a vampire from his Caribbean home. The daughter is a tough Brooklyn cop (Angela Bassett), and this awkward mishmash of romance, broad comedy (Murphy plays multiple characters in impressive makeup), and horror never comes together. It shows that Craven and Murphy thought they were making different movies, though the film isn't anywhere near as bad as its reputation suggests. And hey, you can actually make out what is happening at nighttime! Filmstock from the 90's had its advantages. GRADE: C
WATCHER
(Chloe Okuno, 2022)
A vampi...oh wait, sorry... Elegant suspense about a young American actress (Maika Monroe) who moves to Bucharest with her boyfriend after he gets a job opportunity. Not knowing the language, she finds herself isolated, a situation only worsened by a serial killer on the loose and a neighbor whose figure she finds staring at her throughout the day. Somewhat predictable, it still generates some intense moments and is a showcase for the talents of Monroe. I think Hollywood didn't really do enough with her after It Follows, and this is a welcome reminder how good she is. Can't wait for the third movie in the series of Maika-Goes-To-See-Charade-But-Has-To Leave. Also with Karl Glusman. GRADE: B+
No comments:
Post a Comment