+10th Anniversary of Jennifer's Body
+The Omen franchise
+I've decided to try and focus on some films I haven't seen from 10/20/30/40?/50? years ago. Expect lots of '09/'99, etc.
(John McPhail, 2018)
If one were to make a list of most influential films of the new millennium, I'd imagine Shaun of the Dead would probably be on that list. If 28 Days Later brought the zombie film into the post 9/11 world, Shaun was the film that proved the subgenre could be flexible. Thus we have Anna and the Apocalypse, which may be the first zombie musical. A valiant effort that doesn't quite land the way it should, the film follows a young Brit planning on moving away from her small town after she graduates. Just in time for the Christmas holiday, the zombie apocalypse breaks out. Some of the musical numbers are memorable, even if the story never quite sings. Not shocking too learn that there are different cuts of the film, as the world building feels rather abrupt and there's some clumsy jumping between the storylines. GRADE: B-
(Gary Dauberman, 2019)
Next chapter in the Conjuring universe that spends most of its running time establishing future installments. After the Warren's (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, only appearing in the bookends) bring home Annabelle to their room of horrors, their daughter's babysitter's friend unleashes the possessed doll along with a plethora of other items. The film mostly takes place over the course of one night in the Warren's home, and it's not as fastly paced as most recent horror outings. (I wouldn't call it slow, though.) I appreciated that the characters weren't just stock horror characters, and the sentiment given to Katie Sarife's character. Props to the production designer for nailing the period as there's a lot of details in the home that made me smile. There's just a bit too much going on with the spirits being unleashed on the various items - and that we'll most likely see all these in future installments. That said, I eagerly await "The Bride" movie. Better than the first Annabelle, not as good as Creation. GRADE: B-
(David Yarovesky, 2019)
The Superman origin story has been reimagined with a The Bad Seed twist. It's only 90 minutes and not a second is wasted, and that's the problem. The film has no breathing room, it just moves from one set piece to the next. Some work, and there's blood aplenty. I have to wonder why they gave away so much of the film's final act in the trailer. And did you really have to play Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" in the ending credits? Doesn't really fit tonally. Starring Elizabeth Banks and David Denman. GRADE: C+
MA(Tate Taylor, 2019)
Octavia Spencer stars a veterinary assistant who befriends a group of high school students, letting them party at her place. Friendship leads to obsession, and it turns out she's seeking revenge for her own high school trauma. Spencer is terrific here, but so much of this should veer toward campy horror that it's ultimately a bore given how straight the material plays out. I'd love to see an all out comedic version of the same story, and Spencer could easily make that work given how strong she is with comic material. Allison Janney has an extended cameo as the vet, while Juliette Lewis and Luke Evans (and his prosthetic penis!) also appear. GRADE: C
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