Horrorfest '23 is Here!

This year will feature a look at the horrors of 1998, many anniversary re-watches, and (hopefully) my take on The Exorcist and its sequels/prequels. Kicking things off with some newish/recent stuff...

A HAUNTING IN VENICE
(Kenneth Branagh, 2023)
Third part in the series of Branagh's adaptations of Agatha Christie's classics, this one is an adaptation of "Hallowe'en Party". Quality wise, it's about in line with the other two, but most seem to like this one more. (At least it doesn't have any cannibals or rapists. Yet.) Branagh's Poirot comes out of retirement to investigate a murder at a seance in a decaying palazzo a few years after the end of World War II. An able cast, great production design and cinematography, and some solid mood early on, but I ultimately felt nothing for anything that was happening. The actual mystery and resolution was a yawn, but Tina Fey's Rosalind Russell routine adds some kick. Also with Jamie Dornan, Kelly Reilly, and Michelle Yeoh. GRADE: C+

HORROR IN THE HIGH DESERT

(Dutch Marich, 2021)

Fauxumentary about a missing hiker, Gary Hinge, who vanished in the wilds of Northern Nevada. His sister, roommate, a journalist, and a private investigator recall the events leading up to his disappearance. Clocking in at about 80 minutes, the film does a good job of making you care about Gary (Eric Mencis) which makes the footage of his likely final moments even more potent. Who knew a shot of a desert bush could be so unnerving? The film ultimately hinges, ahem, on how you feel about found footage/mockumentary types of horror. The acting by the P.I. and roommate was quite bad, which took me out of things. The night footage of the desert did work for me, so I guess I'll have to check out the sequel. GRADE: B-

IT LIVES INSIDE

(Bishal Dutta, 2023)

An Indian-American high school student who has largely rejected her heritage must use it to defeat a demonic presence that has latched on to her after causing her former best friend's disappearance. Derivative, certainly, but it has its moments, and I liked that the creature looked like something out of a 90's movie (i.e. it looked like the result of practical effects and not CGI). Probably indie studio Neon's most mainstream horror. With Megan Suri, Neeru Bajwa and Get Out's Betty Gabriel. GRADE: B-

NANNY

(Nikyatu Jusu, 2022)

A Senegalese woman (Anna Diop) is hired as a nanny for a wealthy American couple (Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Spector) and the pursuit of the American dream along with the absence of her own child causes her to psychologically deteriorate. Jusu and Diop are both talents to watch, and the directorial flourishes show promise. The screenplay, however, needed work as it all ends up being fairly predictable and anticlimactic. GRADE: B-

THE NUN 2

(Michael Chaves, 2023)

Follow-up to 2018's decent but unspectacular Conjuring-verse entry, this one finds Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) as she once again comes face to face with the demonic nun (Bonnie Aarons). Overlong, with nothing new to add. The one interesting sequence, shown in the trailer of course, finds a wind blowing magazines open to form the face of the evil sister. Despite being set in the 50's, the film also has lights making that sound when overhead long lightbulbs flicker. Can horror films please stop doing that? Also with Storm Reid and Jonas Bloquet. GRADE: C-

PREY

(Dan Trachtenberg, 2022)

Thankfully better than the last two mediocre installments in the franchise - both of which I viewed in past Horrorfests, this Hulu Original is one of rare streaming films that deserved a theatrical release. In 1719, a young Comanche (Amber Midthunder) must protect her tribe from an alien predator that has landed nearby. Between this and 10 Cloverfield Lane, Trachtenberg should be the go-to guy for cleverly rebooting a franchise in a new, interesting direction. The predator effects are top notch, as is the stunning cinematography. The animals could have used a little work, though. GRADE: B+

SICK

(John Hyams, 2023)

Kevin Williamson (Scream) co-scripted this home invasion film set in the first weeks of COVID. Two college girls head to a family lake house during lockdown. In the middle of the night, an intruder breaks in. The first and third act do a good job of playing on the fears of the early days of the pandemic, while the middle is strictly typical home invasion tropes. That said, I loved that the masked killer was constantly moving/running as opposed to just lurking, and the characters fight back in a surprisingly realistic way. There's some very clever camerawork, too. Some might have a problem with the reveal of why everything is happening, and it did feel a tad icky. With Gideon Adlon, Bethlehem Million, and the great Jane Adams. GRADE: B