I've already seen it, so I can't include it in Horrorfest '10, but I'd like to strongly recommend The House of the Devil. It was barely released in theatres around last Halloween, in fact most people probably saw it OnDemand as it was one of those that was released like that. Making my top 10 of 2009, it's a spot-on throwback to the late 70's/early 80's chillers featuring a breakthrough performance by Jocelyn Donahue. I think if she plays her cards right and gets the right projects, she could be a big star. (My backing of course means she won't, but what the hey.) I just watched it again tonight and it holds up really well, and has a few heartpounding moments. The less you know about it, the better. It does have a slow burn (didn't bother me!) which was one of the only complaints I've read from critics. I hope director Ti West continues to get funding to do these types of indie horror films. You can tell how much he appreciates the genre as how carefully stylized the film is. Seriously, SEE IT.
THE COMPANY OF WOLVES
(1984)
Neil Jordan's allegorical take on "Little Red Riding Hood" exposing a lot of the sexual subtext of the classic story. Very intersting and has definitely stayed with me and grown on me since viewing. Angela Lansbury and a very young Stephen Rea star. The creature effects are good in kind of awful way. They were the natural makeup effects that were popular in the era, not the digitally manipulated ones of today. I love that kind as it seems real and doesn't feel like an actor staring at a green screen. However, something that did bug me was how weird the transfer on the DVD looked. It looked kind of like a cheap, TV production shot entirely on very obvious soundstages. I also kept thinking while watching this how many fairy tales should get a dark, gothic treatment on the big screen. Maybe we'll get this one with that Amanda Seyfried version that I believe is still in development. GRADE: B
LET'S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH
(1971)
As many awful horror remakes as there are polluting movie theatres currently, a few of the semi-classics of yesteryear (The Crazies, The Hills Have Eyes, The Last House on the Left) have benefited from the remake treatment. And here's a minor horror film that could easily be updated. The film, far from a classic, has enough hiccups that could be smoothed it into a more coherent and solid film. It's a pretty slow paced film telling the story of a newly released mental patient who moves to a small New England town where bizarre events begin happening all around her. Is she going insane again or has reality thrown her a supernatural curve ball? What I really liked about the actress Zohra Lampert was that she gave her character a more upbeat, sunny feel; a woman that was glad to finally be released. It's a nice change of pace from today's emo, staring out a window looking depressed version of the just released psych patient. Not much makes sense and the film does move a bit too slow at times and feels dated in perhaps the wrong way, but the atmosphere at the ending is perfectly captured. Again, this is the exact type of film that should be remade. GRADE: B-
ON TO TV...
SCARED SHREKLESS
This was kind of disappointing after the superb Shrek the Halls. I guess the TV specials are just like the films in that the first is great and the rest are myeh. There are still some funny moments to be had courtesy of the fringe fairy tale characters - the three little pigs and three blind mice, especially. It's an anthology of horror stoiies, or at least that's how it eventually turns out. There's a bit too much buildup and it seems like it might have been wittled down from a longer version. The first, involving the Gingerbread Man creating a Bride of Frankenstein-esque cookie is easily the best. Oh, and Donkey isn't really funny here. I love me some Donkey, but he was wasted. GRADE: B-
COMMUNITY - Ep. 2.6 "Epidemiology"
So many great little moments, where to begin: Shirley as Miss Piggy, Britta and the Banana Guy slowly turning into zombies, Shirley and Chang having sex, Chang as Peggy Flemming, Abed and Troy's continued bromance, Troy shirtless, Jeff still being a douche zombie, the Dean mentioning The Human Centipede, and more. I thought Annie getting pulled through the blinds was actually a spectacular horror moment for some reason. AND MY FAVORITE PART: Abba. Yes, Abba plus Zombies makes Darren a very happy boy. I think the parts of this worked better than the whole, and it's still second place to the spectacular Modern Warfare, but I really loved this. And in classic zombie movie tradition, I love the lame reason they were given to explain what happened: roofies! GRADE: A (Special request: Given Alison Brie will be in Scream 4, why not do a Scream-themed episode to tie in with the film's release?)
THE OFFICE - Ep. 7.6 "Costume Content"
The cold open was the best part: Kevin as Phyllis OMG. Probably the funniest opening they've done in ages. While I loved a lot of the character's costumes (Meredith as Sookie Stackhouse!), most of the episode just didn't work and felt rather limp. Though everytime they cut to Erin in that horrific mask, I couldn't stop laughing. The Jim-Pam storyline was really sweet. As cute as Tim Olyphant is, he's starting to look like he had some work done and it doesn't suit him. His face looked a little botoxed, don't know. I do love the graying. And thanks to Andy for pointing out he was supposed to be Bill from True Blood, I never would have gotten that. I figured he was Edward? Bah. GRADE: B-
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