Horrorfest: Happy October!

I have 3 Halloween movies down, so I'll probably do write-ups on those at some point.  Meanwhile...

THE SACRAMENT
(Ti West, 2014)
I've stated a few times that I'm a big fan of Ti West and what he has brought to modern horror (slow burn suspense, little reliance on overdone modern staples).  Frustratingly, this is most likely his last foray into the genre as his next is said to be more of a thriller and he wants out of the genre.  Boo!  Anyway, while this pales in comparison to his classy work on House of the Devil and The Innkeepers, it's still a worthwhile watch.  A Vice reporter and his cameraman travel with a photographer to Eden Parish, a religious commune where the photog's drug addict sister has taken up residence.  As they investigate the "paradise", the situation grows increasingly ominous until it explodes into outright horror.  It's a decent film if you can get over one major problem: it's shot in the "found footage" style (which I don't usually have a problem with) but the way it's employed here is highly problematic.  There is a score, the camera angles don't line up with what the cameraman would be shooting, and the editing is too polished for the format.  The repertory of VOD mumblecore makes up most of the cast, including AJ Bowen, Amy Semeitz, Kentucker Audley and Joe Swanberg.  Gene Jones as "Father" gives a very creepy but realistic performance.  GRADE: B

NURSE
(Douglas Aarniokoski, 2014)

Working overtime to be a sordid delight, the film follows a psychotic nurse who kills cheating men and becomes obsessed with her protege.  Paz de la Huerta (Boardwalk Empire) plays the frequently naked villain.  I have no prior experience with Huerta's on-screen work (I've either not seen it or have no memory of her performance in the stuff I have seen), but her off screen antics are legendary.  Her trainwreck performance is one of the only actual pleasures this overdone horror movie offers.  It's like watching someone try to read a script right before they blackout from drinking.  Digital blood, crude sexuality and 3D gags (it was supposed to be released in 3D, but I'm honestly not sure if the film even made it to theaters) abound.  This is one of the rare times where I have a problem with a film intentionally trying to be a cult film or a "so bad, it's good" entertainment.  If anything, this feels like a really shitty, too modern remake of a badass 80's movie.  I'd much rather see the nonexistent 80's movie this is trying to be.  30 Rock's Katrina Bowden and Corbin Bleu co-star, and Kathleen Turner appears for about 15 seconds.  GRADE: D

HOUSE OF WAX
(Andre De Toth, 1953)
Embarrassing admission for Horrorfest: I've never seen a Vincent Price movie.  Biggest shock of the fest, right?  I've had this DVD forever.  I think I might have bought it for $4 at Wal-mart a decade ago?  Finally, I watched it and very much enjoyed it.  Price stars as the owner of a wax figure museum who may or may not be murdering people and displaying them.  This was released in theaters in 3D, and there's some cute gimmicks involving a paddle ball and can-can dancers.  Of course, I was watching it in 2D but I was still amused.  Also, it had a random intermission despite the film only being 88 minutes.  And they say audiences today have short attention spans!  The period detail was very good and the scenes of the melting wax figures was very well captured and disturbing.  I'm a fan of the remake.  Though I love the wax town the remake presented, I wish they hadn't strayed so far from the storyline of the original.  Seemed a bit more realistic.  I want to see more Price movies now.  I found him oddly sexy?GRADE: B+