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‘The Advent Calendar’ Movie Review: A Countdown to Redemption

I’ve never really been interested in the lowkey subgenre of Christmastime horror films, probably because the intermingling of these two vastly diverging topics just seems so out of place and difficult to “get right,” whatever “right” might mean. In fact, the only one I can think of that I thought was actually well-done was the movie that perhaps truly ignited this entire hybrid species of genres, the original Black Christmas, from 1974. Mind you, this is also one of the very few holiday-themed horror films I’ve actually seen.

I understand that there were plenty of other horror films set around the holidays prior to Black Christmas, dating all the way back to the early 20th century, but none of them had the kind of impact that Black Christmas did, especially as the years went by and the film became a sort of cult classic. Most films in this subgenre, unfortunately, are cheesy slashers and forgotten B-movies that have really only tarnished whatever meager reputation these types of movies have in the horror community. Some of the titles alone reveal that this subgenre was never meant to be taken seriously, such as Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), The Gingerdead Man (2005), and Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (2000).

Despite the genre’s unsavory history of flops, there seems to be at least one new title that pops up every season. This year, we unwrap The Advent Calendar, a French-Belgian film from Belgian writer-director Patrick Ridremont, who is actually better known as an actor and comedian of French cinema. Like the aforementioned films, The Advent Calendar also doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s certainly superior when it comes to things like the actors’ performances, its plot, and especially how the film was shot, setting itself apart from the dozens of direct-to-DVD or made-for-TV Yuletide horror movies from seasons past.

The Advent Calendar is anchored by the be-careful-what-you-wish-for trope that has become a familiar storyline in the horror realm. However, lead character Eva (played by Eugenie Derouand) doesn’t technically wish for what she receives. Instead, it is sort of forced upon her, after her good friend Sophie gifts her with an eclectic wooden advent calendar from a recent trip to Germany. Each mysterious door of the calendar must be opened by a key, revealing brightly-wrapped candies and chocolates that offer far more than meets the eye.

Eva, a former dancer who is now a paraplegic who must use a wheelchair to get around, is still understandably bitter over the loss of the use of her legs and refuses to discuss the subject altogether. At the same time, her aging father is suffering from Alzheimer’s and both her boss and stepmom are essentially assholes that make her life miserable. The advent calendar arrives at a time in Eva’s life in which she is at her worst and offers hope for the future, albeit misguided, as with every treat comes a rule and a sacrifice. Now, Eva must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to sort of rewind time and start over anew.

There are plenty of fun and unique ideas here, and the performances are better than what you might expect out of a film like this, while there are also some great shots scattered throughout. However, the film lacks tension for the most part, relies heavily on exposition, and even gets downright silly at times…yet not enough to disengage the viewer. You might eventually struggle with relating to Eva and her decisions, perhaps even questioning yourself on what you would do in her situation. Or at least I did. And isn’t that what we’re all looking for in a film anyways? A story that keeps you engaged and makes you think and question your own life decisions, while allowing us to emphasize with vulnerable characters, such as one with restricted mobility. The horror factor is almost minimal here, even though there are multiple scenes in which Eva and other characters engage with a demon-like creature that seems to inhabit the advent calendar. But that’s okay, because masked maniacs and paranormal bogeymen are not essential to a good horror film anyways. Although they can help!

The Advent Calendar doesn’t rely on this demonic beast to draw you in, but rather focuses on Eva’s story, including her struggles as a paraplegic surrounded by a-holes, as well as her own inner demons and dilemmas. Ultimately, she goes places most of us would not, revealing just how strong her ambition to recover some of her past truly is. Sure, the film is far from perfect but it knows that it is, and rather than pretending to be something it’s not, it embraces the imagination and spirit of what you might expect when you merge Christmas with horror.

For the record, I’d give The Advent Calendar – which is streaming right now on Shudder – 3 stars out of 5.

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‘His House’ Movie Review: The Best Horror Film of 2020, Hands Down!

The more empathetic you are as a person, the more you’re able to immerse yourself within the story of a horror film, or any film for that matter…placing yourself in the shoes of the characters being chased down by zombies or tormented by demons. You imagine what it might be like, or try to figure out what YOU would do in such a situation, and maybe even shed a tear when somebody gets slaughtered on camera. It’s all part of the cinematic experience, and empathy can really amplify that experience.

However, for some people, it might be difficult to truly imagine what it must feel like for a refugee landing in another country. It’s an entire story in itself, and one with far more horror elements than you might think, depending on the journey. And when you toss in an evil entity lurking beneath the surface, it really puts you to the test.

'His House' was written and directed by Remi Weekes, who had never made a feature film prior to this. That makes it all the more impressive that he was able to pull together what I think is not just the best horror film of 2020, but one of the best films of the year, period. But for some reason, too many people have never even heard of 'His House,' let alone seen it. And that’s a shame, because this is the sort of film we need to see more of within the horror genre, which is often overcrowded with bad B-movies or Hollywood features hellbent on making a buck rather than telling a gripping story of any real substance.

'His House' centers around Bol and Rial, a couple from Sudan who are seeking asylum in London, following a treacherous journey across the Mediterranean that nearly left them dead. They’ve been given a second chance at life in London, where they are assigned low-income housing in a rough neighbourhood. They can’t get jobs, are faced with strict restrictions, and are given a small amount of money to live off each week. To make things worse, their new home is situated on the outskirts of London and is plagued by peeling wallpaper, shabby furnishings, and trash lining their front lawn. Still, it’s a blessing compared to the war-torn bloodbath of their homeland.

Bol is fixated on assimilation, eager and desperate to fit into this new world, while Rial seems like a fish out of water, struggling to find her place here. As they try to settle into their new surroundings, it becomes clear that they aren’t alone, as something sinister lingers within the walls of their new home. As the terror escalates, we discover a dark secret that has been haunting the couple ever since they escaped Sudan, one that they must make right before it’s too late.

There is nothing bad I can say about this film. The story is distinct and relevant, the acting (namely the leads Sope Dirisu and Wunmi Mosaku) is superb, the visuals are outstanding, and the horror elements are on par with some of the best horror films of this last decade. We get to experience something special here, in that this is a totally original story backed by a stellar cast and crew, helmed by an up-and-coming filmmaker ready to make his mark.

'His House,' which premiered in early 2020 at the Sundance Film Festival, was picked up by Netflix soon after and released that Halloween. Fortunately, it’s still available to stream; so, I recommend you seek this one out, because it’s a rare gem of a movie that deserves to be regarded as one of the best the horror realm has to offer.

For the record, I’d give ‘His House’ 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

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‘Caveat’ Movie Review: A Short Film Disguised As A Feature

The trailer for ‘Caveat’ did exactly what it was supposed to do…sell me on investing 90 minutes of my time into this film. Unfortunately, like so many trailers, it was somewhat deceiving. There is not much of a story to tell here and so the trailer really just sold us on what little ‘Caveat’ had to offer, much of which is simply not worth the investment. In fact, this film could have worked far better as a short film instead, a concept that would have filtered out the expanse of uninteresting and unimportant filler.

It all became a little clearer when I realized that this was the feature-length debut for Irish filmmaker Damian Mc Carthy, who had previously worked on only short films, some of which even garnering him comparisons to the great David Lynch. However, Mc Carthy’s talent for short films did not carry over into this feature-length production, or at least not in my opinion.

‘Caveat’ stars Jonathan French as a drifter named Isaac, who reluctantly agrees to watch over his friend Moe’s adult niece, Olga, in exchange for cash. It’s not just that simple, however, as Olga (played by Leila Sykes) is a disturbed young woman living alone in a rundown house on a remote island without a boat to speak of. Oh, and in order to put Olga at ease, Isaac must be chained in a harness that restricts him to only certain parts of the house. Still, he agrees.

It’s kind of a ridiculous scenario to begin with and only gets more absurd as the story unravels. There’s just too much here that is nonsensical and unnecessary, such as this sort of possessed toy bunny that serves no real purpose outside of padding the trailer and perhaps even the film’s poster art to entice an unsuspecting audience.

Outside of the story itself, it was tough to get through this one out of sheer boredom. It is dreary to the point of depressing, thanks to a setting that is even emptier than the film’s story. The characters are left to fend for themselves as well, with little backstory to lend them any empathy or sympathy. You just don’t care, or at least I didn’t.

I don’t mean to come off as overcritical or even mean, but I went into this film with high expectations and came out ultimately disappointed. I can’t say it was a missed opportunity, because I just don’t feel like this story had enough substance to fill nearly 90 minutes. Like I said earlier, ‘Caveat’ would have benefited had it been made into a short film instead.

Despite everything I just said, this film might be right up your alley, who knows! In fact, it’s got a pretty decent rating on both Rotten Tomatoes and Letterboxd, with an 83% certified score on the former. So, if you’d still like to give it a chance, it’s streaming right now on Shudder.

For the record, I’d give ‘Caveat’ 2 stars out of 5.

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‘Teddy’ Movie Review: The Werewolf Film You’ve Been Waiting For!

I’ve never really been a fan of werewolf movies, although to be fair, I’ve never really SEEN a lot of werewolf movies. Mostly because I was never really that interested in seeing werewolf movies. To be honest, it’s pretty tough to make a werewolf come off as genuinely scary or even realistic-looking on film, especially if you’re going to include a transformation scene. Good luck.

‘An American Werewolf in London’ has, for the most part, set the bar for these particular films, and it has certainly stood the test of time, although there have been a number of other werewolf films since that have left their mark as well. However, it seems as though there are far more misses than hits when it comes to this subgenre. Admittedly for myself, it’s hard to take a werewolf serious, even in a horror film. I just don’t find them that entertaining or scary.

‘Teddy,’ co-written and directed by French twin brothers Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma, is an exception. Perhaps because it doesn’t focus on the actual werewolf aspect (to the point where it’s hard to truly classify this film as such) and we rarely see the creature itself, but also because it’s just so well done. It is different than what you’d expect from an American feature, especially if you’re here for the gore factor. There’s some, but nothing gratuitous.

It pays its attention to the characters instead, namely the titular character Teddy, played perfectly by former French child star Anthony Bajon. He delivers a memorable performance of a guy you’re not supposed to like but you end up cheering for anyways. He keeps it real and has a dark, albeit juvenile, sense of humour. However, underneath it all, there’s a young man who truly cares about the people he’s closest to.

Teddy has his problems, for sure, struggling with money issues, working for a toxic boss, and living with some family members who are deemed the “village idiots,” according to Teddy himself. His saving grace is his girlfriend Rebecca (played by Christina Gautier) and his dream of building a home for them one day in the country. It’s what drives him to put up with all the rest.

One day, while on his way to work, Teddy is attacked in the bushes just outside his home, though he never gets a good look at whatever it is that bit him. Slowly, he understands what is happening to him, and it comes at a time when it seems as though his world is crashing down around him. You really feel for Teddy and his circumstances, especially as the film comes to an end.

There are no real special effects in ‘Teddy,’ no big names on the marquee, and no jump scares or cheap shots at comedy. It’s like a gritty, indie take on a genre that desperately needs more films like this one, which I feel would have been ruined with a larger budget or the wrong people at the helm, or if it had been made in America, for that matter. With that said, it is certainly not for everyone, especially if you’re looking for a creature feature.

‘Teddy’ is only the second feature film for the Boukherma brothers and their first foray into the horror realm, although I use the word “horror” loosely here. But I hope it will not be their last, because we need more horror filmmakers like this, willing to take risks, try new things, and breathe fresh air into worn-out ideas.

‘Teddy’ is streaming right now on Shudder.

For the record, I’d give ‘Teddy’ 4 stars out of 5.

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‘Noroi: The Curse’ Movie Review: Found Footage Done Right!

Following 1999’s ���The Blair Witch Project,’ low-budget found footage films were all the rage, taking over the horror genre for the better part of a decade, for better or worse. At around the same time, Japanese horror – also known as J-horror – was making waves in the world of horror cinema, thanks in large part to features like 1998’s ‘Ring’ and 2002’s ‘Ju-On: The Grudge.’ Koji Shiraishi tapped into both of these trends for his 2005 found footage film ‘Noroi: The Curse.’

Unlike countless other films that tried to mimic the success and prestige of ‘The Blair Witch Project,’ ‘Ring,’ and ‘Ju-On: The Grudge’ during the early to mid-2000s, ‘Noroi’ is a well-crafted feature that has managed to impress both critics and horror audiences alike. In fact, it remains one of the most highly-rated found footage horror films out there, as well as one of the most acclaimed entries in the J-horror subgenre.

Jin Muraki plays a paranormal investigator named Masafumi Kobayashi, who has become known around the country for his books and documentaries on the supernatural. ‘Noroi’ is essentially presented as Kobayashi’s final documentary film, in which he delves into some local disappearances and mysterious deaths surrounding a chilling ritual to banish an ancient demon. It kicks off with footage of Kobayashi’s own home engulfed in flames.

‘Noroi’ is not your standard found footage film. It doesn’t follow the typical path and instead treads in its own lane, using bits and pieces of different events – everything from interviews to footage from local TV programs – to piece together what has happened to a group of seemingly unrelated people. This includes a young girl named Kana, who exhibited strong psychic abilities during a recent variety TV program, and is now missing.

The story doesn’t necessarily focus on Kana, however, but rather shifts from one narrative to another until they slowly come together like puzzle pieces. Shiraishi, who also co-wrote the script, doesn’t rely on ominous beings like you’d see in other J-horror films, choosing to build up fear and intrigue in his audience using mostly subtle methods before he reveals the whole truth.

Sure, there are some creepy and disturbing scenes here and there but ‘Noroi’ is more about the storytelling, which really fits well into J-horror, because Japan has a long tradition of using storytelling as a form of entertainment. In fact, the traditional medium of rakugo, in which a lone performer sits on stage and tells a story using small props to aid them, has been around since the 9th century.

You might say, ‘well doesn’t every movie tell a story?’ Sure, but ironically they don’t all use storytelling as a method to convey their plot, especially for found footage horror. There are plenty of films in this subgenre that have a minimalist plot that is driven by tropes, jump scares, and camara tricks, barely diving into anything of any real substance. And that’s okay, I’m just saying that ‘Noroi’ doesn’t fall into that same category of filmmaking.

Of course, like most found footage films, there are scenes in which you’re questioning the reasoning behind why anyone would be filming any particular scene in the first place, or would continue to film given certain circumstances. It’s best to suspend your disbelief with any film, but more so when you’re watching one that deals with the paranormal.

There were some other minor problems, in my opinion, here as well, such as one particular character that I found mostly off putting or the lengthy runtime of the film, coming in at nearly 2 hours. As a whole, however, ‘Noroi’ worked for me and is just the kind of found footage or J-horror film that I look for. If you’re into these types of films as well and you don’t mind subtitles or shaky cam, I think you’ll enjoy ‘Noroi,’ too. It’s available to stream right now on Shudder.

For the record, I’d give ‘Noroi: The Curse’ 3.5 stars out of 5.

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‘Blood Red Sky’ Movie Review: A Missed Opportunity?

I grew up being told not to say anything at all if you have nothing nice to say. I think that’s not always the right approach, especially when it comes to critiquing something like a film. And although ‘Blood Red Sky’, directed by Peter Thorwarth, was somewhat of a letdown, there are certainly some nice things I can say about it. However, you have to take the good with the bad, as I was ALSO told growing up.

The film kicks off on a Scottish airbase, where a hijacked airplane is forced to land. A lone occupant emerges from below the cargo hold, a young boy named Elias. From there, the film flashes back to a German airport, where Elias is waiting to board a transatlantic flight alongside his mother Nadja, who appears to be suffering from cancer. They are en route to New York to seek treatment of Nadja’s mysterious affliction, the revealing of which becomes the big twist somewhere in the middle of this 2-hour film.

The story ramps up, of course, when the passengers realize that the aircraft has been hijacked by a group of terrorists, including a psychopath disguised as a flight attendant. There are some immediate and brutal casualties before Nadja is forced to reveal what she’s been battling with for several years now, which is unravelled in multiple flashbacks as the story unfolds. To be honest, I would have loved for the director to focus more attention on this background story than the current development instead. It felt unfinished and could have been used for an entire new film in itself, a prequel perhaps.

Instead, ‘Blood Red Sky’ focuses on what is happening on this plane, which takes longer than it needed to and goes places that really took away from the believability factor, which sounds silly once you find out the actual goings-on of this film. The acting is pretty good here, sure, especially the young actor who plays Elias (Carl Anton Koch), but there is little connection between the audience and these characters, or at least that was my personal feelings. And the character design is flawed, let’s just say that.

For the most part, they did a great job with the effects, including the practical effects, but there were multiple scenes of the plane flying through the night sky that were simply unconvincing.

Overall, the film’s premise was the true highlight here, but the execution of it left much to be desired, unfortunately. Whether it was studio interference, time or budget restraints, or just personal taste, ‘Blood Red Sky’ came off somewhat of a lost opportunity. It’s available to stream right now on Netflix.

For the record, I’d give ‘Blood Red Sky’ 2 stars out of 5.

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‘In the Earth’ Movie Review: A Pandemic-Inspired Fever Dream

Director Ben Wheatley wrote the script for ‘In the Earth’ right in the middle of the global pandemic that we’ve all had to tolerate over the last 18 months or so. That makes sense, considering that the subtle backdrop of this film is a deadly virus that has ravaged the entire world, forcing scientists to try to find a cure as quickly as possible. Sound familiar?

Despite the parallels of this film’s backstory and what’s actually happening across the world, ‘In the Earth’ does not feel like a film set around a virus that is plaguing mankind. I’m not sure it’s even supposed to. That’s just the reasoning behind why Martin Lowery (Joel Fry), a scientist, is sent to a government-operated outpost in an isolated forested area outside of Bristol, England. Martin and a park guide named Alma (Ellora Torchia) hike the fertile forest together only to find themselves being targeted by someone or something.

Wheatley amalgamates several sources here to come up with the plot of ‘In the Earth,’ leaning on the pandemic itself, but also exploring witchcraft, folklore, and the fascinating scientific discovery that there are mega underground networks of fungi and tree roots that allow these living organisms to communicate with each other. That’s all I will say about that, so as not to spoil too much for those who have yet to watch this film.

The ideas developed in the movie are certainly terrifying, but ‘In the Earth’ only barely identifies as a horror film, in my opinion. There are some frightening situations for sure, but it’s not what you might expect if you’ve already checked out the film’s trailer beforehand. There are definitely some graphic scenes here, for the record…in fact, perhaps too much? I would have been more than okay with less of these shots of agony, for some of which I literally had to look away.

“The budget allows it to be as violent as it needs to be,” Wheatley told Slant magazine in a recent interview. “I don’t think of these things cynically and I enjoy things that are graphic so it doesn’t bother me.”

I don’t want to criticize the filmmaker’s decisions with this film, especially since I don’t know the reasoning behind each and every decision or if they were all even entirely his to make. So, I’ll focus on what I liked about ‘In the Earth’ instead, starting with the characters, which were given enough exposition to lend this story some authenticity even in the realm of its somewhat outlandish setting. The actors all did a great job here as well, especially Joel Fry, who really had to dig deep to pull off some of those gory scenes.

Perhaps most importantly, the story itself is intensely intriguing, and is the main reason I even gave ‘In the Earth’ a shot. It may hit a bit too close to home for some of the folks who are struggling with this real-life pandemic more than the average person, but the director doesn’t dwell on this aspect at all. It’s hidden there in the background, somewhat like whatever is tormenting our protagonists in the forest.

The ending left me wanting more, however. I wanted to understand this nefarious-sounding web of undergrowth more, and for the director to focus more on that rather than what’s happening between our four main characters. But to be fair, that sounds like an entirely different genre of film, one that could easily run itself into the ground. No pun intended.

Nonetheless, I admire Wheatley’s work on the project, and I am a big fan of some of his previous work, namely 2011’s ‘Kill List,’ which – if you haven’t already – you should definitely check out. He is clearly a talented and imaginative filmmaker and I hope he continues to make more films in this space.

For the record, I’d give ‘In the Earth’ 3 stars out of 5.

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‘Come True’ Movie Review: A Nightmarish Look Into the Unconscious Mind

I have so much respect for those do-it-all types of filmmakers; the ones who turn a film into a personal passion project in which they invest all their time, effort, and skills into until they’ve come up with something special. Anthony Scott Burns and his latest film, Come True, is a perfect example of this sort of filmmaking, as he took on not only the directing of this Canadian sci-fi horror, but also the writing, editing, and cinematography, and he even provided some of the score under his musical stage name, Pilotpriest. Now that’s dedication.

With that said, Burns clearly had a specific vision for this film, one that he was able to pull off with a small budget and an even smaller crew. However, you’d never know, as Come True is a well-crafted film with striking visuals, impressive acting, and a fascinating plotline which is tied up with a twist ending that’ll only make you want to rewatch the movie with a new perspective.

Come True is set around an insomniac teen named Sarah (played by Julia Sarah Stone), who apparently has a troubled home life and so is essentially homeless and sleeping over at friends’ houses or even outside on playground equipment. This leads her to enroll in a university sleep study, where she befriends one of the scientists and soon discovers the true and surreal objectives of the research program.

The program has been monitoring the dreams of its sleep patients and then translating their brain wave activity into actual imagery, using a newly-developed and groundbreaking technology. In other words, they’ve been spying on their dreams. It’s something right out of a Twilight Zone episode, set to a synth-centric soundscape and a foggy tempo that leaves you feeling like you might actually be in a sleep state yourself while watching it.

In fact, this film as a whole had this sort of ambiguous element to it, from the protagonist and her backstory to the general setting of the film. But I’m sure this was done on purpose, especially considering that it really tied into the final reveal of Come True, which I’m sure some viewers will ultimately be disappointed with.

The film is cohesively broken up into four themes inspired by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung’s theories of the collective unconscious. Come True is really anchored in this realm of ideas, and visually and/or thematically inspired by the works of everyone from David Lynch to fellow Canadian David Cronenberg. Actually, the film sort of wears its influences on its sleeve, paying visual and auditory homage to classics like Night of the Living Dead, Twin Peaks, The Shining, The Prince of Darkness, and TRON, and even the recent sleep-paralysis documentary The Nightmare.

Another work that helped shape Burns’ vision was the 1951 Disney film Alice in Wonderland, which he said “inspired the dreams in this movie a lot: the artistry, the idea of spotlights, and everything else fading into blackness.” Burns continued, “A nightmare narrative that takes you on a journey of nonsense, continuously shifting based on what the protagonist is feeling at that time, is a huge inspiration for the film. I have terrible nightmares, too.”

Scattered throughout Come True are these sort of cinematic dioramas that seem to be ripped out of Sarah’s nightmares, which are simultaneously unsettling and beautiful. These particular scenes, which look like they’d be right at home in one of those depraved horror video games, also introduce an unnerving dark shadowy figure that haunts Sarah’s dreams, though it ultimately becomes a bigger piece of the puzzle here than some sort of boogeyman character.

Come True is not the type of film you’ll see riding high at the box office. They almost never are. It’s slow, it’s dreary, and it relies on complex themes and concepts rather than jump scares and bankable villains. In other words, this film is not for everyone. And sure, the fact that this movie was shot entirely in my hometown may have subconsciously influenced my rating of it, but I know that I would have enjoyed Come True no matter where it was filmed. Burns put in a lot of work here and if you ask me, it paid off.

For the record, I’d give Come True 4 stars out of 5.

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‘Son’ Movie Review: Exploring the Deadly Depths of a Desperate Parent

I’ve noticed a theme in horror cinema as of late. In recent films like Saint Maud, The Lodge, and Censor, the audience is left to question whether what’s happening on screen is actually happening to these lead characters or if it’s simply all in their heads. In the case of Ivan Kavanagh’s Son, it is perhaps more ambiguous than the other films I mentioned, leaving the audience without any definitive answers until the very end.

Andi Matichak plays Laura, a single mother who seeks help when her 8-year-old son, David, played by Luke David Blumm, suddenly falls ill to a mysterious disease that stumps doctors. Laura accuses a deadly cult from her past of being behind the strange illness and opens up to a local police officer named Paul, played by Emile Hirsch. Paul seems to be the only person who takes Laura’s concerns seriously, though he too begins to question her as people in her path keep turning up dead.

There’s something downright creepy about cults…any cult, not just the ones that murder people. Son embraces this creep factor and Kavanagh, who also wrote this film in addition to directing, does a good job at using this backstory to propel the plot forward and with some truly emotional and frightening scenes to boot. If you’re a parent, these emotional scenes are bound to resonate, especially if you’ve had a child who’s gone through some sort of medical trauma. In fact, if you have experienced anything like that, Son may be a trigger for you, so be warned.

There is a paranormal element at play here, but it is up to you as the viewer to determine whether or not it is in fact happening here or an illusion. I don’t want to give too much away but this particular factor is actually brought up in the film’s trailer. In fact, the trailer might have you wondering if Son is some sort of psychological thriller, or a cult horror film, or perhaps a movie based on something even more sinister. Maybe it’s all of the above, who knows!

However you want to classify this film, Son is dark and, at times, nihilistic. You feel the hopelessness in our lead character, her paranoia and fear, and you understand her determination to do whatever it takes to protect her son. The cast really delivers here, including 11-year-old Blumm, who really took on a lot with this particular role. Especially considering this is only his second film project, following a small part in last year’s The King of Staten Island.

As for Kavanagh himself, this was not his first foray into the horror genre. Following some short films, the Dublin-born Kavanagh wrote and helmed the Irish horror Tin Can Man on a micro budget in 2007. He then wrote and directed the critically acclaimed The Canal, in 2014, before taking a brief break from horror to direct Hirsch in a 2019 Western called Never Grow Old. However, horror seems to be his passion, which comes off in his latest feature film, which is available to stream right now on Shudder.

One of my only real complaints with Son is that we’re forced to spend the bulk of this film trying to figure out what this strange illness is and how the characters keep it at bay. In the end, we’re left with more questions than answers, although that’s not necessarily always a bad thing. In fact, despite being rather vague, I kinda liked how this film concluded. Others may be disappointed.

For the record, I’d give Son 3 stars out of 5.

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‘The Queen of Black Magic’ Movie Review: Indonesia Is Making Its Mark on Horror Cinema

If you’re anything like me, then you’re a big fan of horror cinema from around the world. Not that America can’t put out a praise-worthy horror film, because they probably put out more than any other country. But there is often a general cookie-cutter plotline that so many American horror films seem to tread, especially the ones you see riding high at the box office.

But horror films NOT made in America just seem to take another course altogether. They introduce types of characters you might never see in a US feature, or original ideas and concepts woven from folklore or urban legends unheard of in the Western world. They can also often be far darker and more complex than your typical Hollywood horror, in case that’s something you’re into. In other words, they offer something less ordinary if all you consume is American or Americanized content.

Although countries like Japan and South Korea tend to get all the attention when it specifically comes to Asian horror cinema, Indonesia has also left its mark on this particular genre of film. Especially as of late, putting out applauded efforts like The 3rd Eye (2017), Satan’s Slaves (2017), and May the Devil Take You (2018), over the last few years. However, homemade horror cinema has been a thing in Indonesia for many decades now, dating as far back as 1941, when The Living Skeleton was released and considered the country’s first-ever domestic horror film.

Flash forward 80 years and Indonesia is still producing quality horror cinema, including the Shudder original The Queen of Black Magic, which is actually a loose remake of a 1981 Indonesian horror classic of the same name. In fact, the filmmakers of this updated version even pay homage to the original by featuring scenes of it during the end credits. That’s not something you’d typically see in an American horror remake, of which there are numerous.

The Queen of Black Magic is set in modern day Indonesia and focuses on three men who take their families to visit the orphanage they grew up in together, as the man who helped to raise them has fallen ill. The orphanage is isolated and is still in operation, though most of the children have apparently left for a field trip by the time they arrive. Besides the sick old man, the only other people present are a pair of older orphans and the couple who run the place, and who happened to be raised in the orphanage themselves alongside the three men, Hanif (Ario Bayu), Anton (Tanta Ginting), and Jefri (Miller Khan).

The Queen of Black Magic takes an approach also unfamiliar to American audiences, in that it uses black magic, of course, as the concept behind what is happening to the characters in this film. Ironically, the first film I could think of to compare it to was the American classic The Evil Dead. Although The Queen of Black Magic is different in so many ways from The Evil Dead, there are some essential story lines that are present in both films. For example, it’s a group of friends who travel to an isolated and distant place, they are haunted by a demonic entity, and some of the characters are seemingly possessed and made to harm themselves or others, not unlike what happens in The Evil Dead.

But that’s as far as the similarities go. The Queen of Black Magic relies on CGI for various scenes and it is blatantly obvious, which is one of the downsides to the film. Some of the decisions made by some of the characters are unexplainable as well, but unfortunately that’s a commonality when it comes to this genre of moviemaking. There was nothing impressive about the sound, score, or cinematography here either, but the film tells a somewhat intriguing story, has some decent gore, and is filled with actors who know what they’re doing.

Overall, I was pleased with this film but not enough to highly recommend it. You can stream it right now on Shudder. For the record, I’d give The Queen of Black Magic 3 out of 5 stars.

[ihearthorror]

‘Vicious Fun’ Movie Review: The Must-See Horror(ish) Film of 2021

Although I almost always enjoy the subgenre itself, I am often hesitant to invest my time in a comedy horror film. I don’t really know why, because I enjoy both comedies and especially horror movies, but there’s just something about this specific subgenre of horror that keeps me at bay. Perhaps I feel like the horror genre should be mostly absent of humour, or that the comedic scenes will take away from the scare factor of any given film. Nonetheless, I was immediately drawn into Vicious Fun, a Canadian feature by Canuck director Cody Calahan. To say the least, I was pleasantly surprised.

There may be some minor spoilers ahead so you may want to skip ahead. Just thought I should warn you.

Vicious Fun kicks off by introducing us to the main character, horror magazine writer Joel (played by Ontario-born Evan Marsh), who at first comes off as somewhat of an irksome loner who’s kinda obsessed with his female roommate, Sarah (Alexa Rose Steele). In fact, it is his obsession with her that leads Joel to follow and confront the creepy blonde guy who dropped her off one night. Sarah’s date, Bob (played by Canadian actor Ari Millen), turns out to be kind of a creep, as Joel learns while having drinks with him incognito at some random bar.

Joel has far too much to drink and inadvertently stumbles across a sort of support group for serial killers, held in a backroom of the bar he passes out in. Joel’s mistaken for a fellow killer named Phil and he runs with it in order to keep from being slashed to pieces by this posse of homicidal maniacs. However, his disguise comes undone when Bob shows up late to the meeting, revealing himself to be perhaps the most terrifying killer of the bunch.

I don’t want to go into too much details about what happens next, but just know that it’s worth the ride. Calahan and screenwriter James Villeneuve do a wonderful job at keeping the viewer invested, although the actors need to be given some praise here as well, perhaps especially Marsh and his co-star Amber Goldfarb, who plays a sort of assassin named Carrie. However, most of the characters here are a blast to watch, including a trio of bumbling police officers who maybe take their jobs a little too seriously.

My only real issue with Vicious Fun is that it didn’t delve into some of the characters more than I would have preferred, namely some of the other serial killers. Some of them came off as uninteresting and even irritating in one case, though I believe that could have been avoided with some more background to these characters that already had such a fascinating intro. And some people might say that many of these characters are almost over-the-top, even passing over into corky territory, but I personally think it works here, for the most part.

Although the plot has horror written all over it, Vicious Fun certainly comes off more as a comedy, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There are plenty of genuinely gory scenes if that’s what you’re into, and plenty of twists and turns that really make this film a must-see. Toss in some stylish ‘80s synth to go along with its neon imagery (for the record, this movie is set in 1983) and you’ve got yourself a fresh and original story that is hands down one of the best horror(ish) films of 2021 so far.

Vicious Fun ends with a hint at a possible sequel and all I can say is, SIGN ME UP! It is available to stream right now as a Shudder exclusive.

For the record, I’d give Vicious Fun 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[ihearthorror]

'Censor' Movie Review: Horror Cinema Done Right!

Prano Bailey-Bond’s feature film directorial debut Censor centers around actual events that took place in the UK during the 1980s, known as the “Video Nasties” scare. The term “Video Nasties” refers to a number of low-budget horror and exploitation films that were distributed via video cassette and highly criticized for their depictions of violent and disturbing content. They led to new censorship laws and plenty of outrage throughout the UK, while several major studio productions were even banned altogether.

That’s where Censor’s main character, Enid (played by Niamh Algar), comes in, as her job is to watch uncut films so that she can censor scenes that she feels are too vulgar, violent, or grotesque for the general public. In her mind, Enid is a protector of the people, making sure viewers aren’t exposed to some of the most obscene films ever made. However, one of these films with a particularly brutal scene somehow slipped through her fingers and leads to a copycat slaying in real life. The film, titled Deranged, is an actual horror movie from 1974 about a serial killer necrophiliac. It had to be highly edited just to receive an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America.

While dealing with the press hounding her for answers as to why she greenlit such a graphic scene, Enid is also struggling with her parents’ decision to finally sign a death certificate for her sister, who has been missing and presumed dead for many years now. Her trauma is only exasperated when she comes across an exploitation film by an eccentric and obscure director that seems eerily reminiscent of the incident that led to her sister’s disappearance. To top it off, the actress that appears in the film looks similar to what her sister would look like now.

Enid’s mental state declines as she sets out to find this director and figure out how he tapped into her hazy memories and what he’s done with her sister. Along the way, something one of her coworkers says seems to hint to the audience what is really going on behind the curtains. “You’d be surprised what the human brain could edit out when it can’t handle the truth,” he tells Enid, who seems a bit taken aback by this epiphany.

As the truth behind what apparently happened to Enid’s sister starts to unravel, so does Enid’s state of mind, and we’re left to determine what is real and what isn’t. Bailey-Bond ends the film in a way that reminded me of how Rose Glass’ Saint Maud came to a close, in that Enid’s sense of reality severely differs from ours, the audience.

Algar gives a fantastic performance with her take on Enid, bringing some real depth to her character, although the real standout hear is Welsh director Prano Bailey-Bond. She not only helms Censor, but co-penned the script as well (with Anthony Fletcher), which is especially impressive because this is her first feature film. Prior to Censor, Bailey-Bond had directed music videos and short films, gaining expertise that she would eventually expand upon in Censor, alongside inspiration from filmmakers like David Lynch, Douglas Sirk, and Quentin Tarantino.

“I loved dark worlds, dark minds, characters who were slightly repressed, but not just in one genre,” she told Variety magazine earlier this year. This certainly comes out in Censor and especially in Enid, who comes off as somewhat subdued at first, before her truth disentangles and she must confront her own demons.

But it’s not just the exploration of Enid’s backstory and the real-life history of the “Video Nasties” era that make this film a fascinating piece of horror cinema. The visceral imagery, the dire atmosphere, and the dreary ‘80s backdrop really lifts Censor above and beyond most other horror features from 2021 so far. Like so many other new female directors that have exploded onto the horror scene as of late, I can’t wait to see what Bailey-Bond comes up with next.

4/5 stars.

[ihearthorror]

‘The Power’ Movie Review: One of the Best Horror Movies of 2021 (So Far!)

I love it when filmmakers take real events from history and add their own fictional twist to it, blending reality with make-believe. It gives any story an element of authenticity yet offers a fantastical tale to draw you in, such as with Corinna Faith’s spine-tingling feature The Power.

Written and directed by Faith, who hasn’t made a full-length film since 2005’s Ashes, The Power is set against 1974 London, in the midst of a labour crisis that saw the government conserving energy during a coal mining strike that plunges the city into darkness during the evenings for months. Faith takes this concept and applies it to the East London Royal Infirmary, where a young nurse named Val (played by Rose Williams) has just started a new job.

Val is eager but vulnerable, still struggling with the memories of growing up an orphan at a nearby Catholic girls’ home. She clashes with some of her new coworkers and the infirmary’s Matron (played by Diveen Henry), but feels like she can truly make a difference in the lives of the patients there, especially the children. She is ordered to work the night shift on her first day and she reluctantly agrees, despite being terrified by the claustrophobic darkness.

As the light of day disappears the hospital hallways go dark and Val is left to care for a handful of patients alongside a skeleton crew who all seem to know about her past, including accusations of sexual abuse. Throughout the night, Val is haunted by whispers in the dark, the lingering smell of burning, and a terrifying entity that exploits her vulnerability as a means to flourish and terrorize anyone who gets in its way.

Faith is relentless with fear in The Power, ensuring its audience is never at ease for long once the mood has been set. While calming colour tones seem to offer up a false sense of security, dark rooms and empty halls are used to instill dread, and callous characters are utilized to heighten the tension. There are some truly terrifying scenes and scenarios in The Power, such as Williams’ masterfully freakish body-contortion on the floor of one of the hospital rooms. But the fear isn’t always paranormal, as Faith alludes to the very real institutional abuse that was only just unravelling at the time in which this film is set, as well as the class politics that was rampant during the 1970s.

The Power falls in with the growing list of low-budget horror films that distance themselves from your typical Hollywood horror feature, in that it takes its time, refuses to rely on jump scares, and takes an almost minimalistic approach to its scenery and its style. If you’re a fan of films like Saint Maud, The Lodge, and even The Blackcoat’s Daughter, chances are you’ll enjoy The Power, which is hands down one of the best horror films of the year so far.

In fact, it was well on its way to taking the title, in my humble opinion, until the last 15 minutes or so, which felt all too familiar and almost Hollywood-esque. I wish Faith had gone somewhere entirely different here but I understand her decision, as it certainly allows the story to wrap up in a cohesive package, albeit somewhat predictable. And presenting the entity was a big misstep, I feel, especially since it felt completely off from the rest of the movie. But then again, these particular decisions may not have entirely been Faith’s to make, as movie producers and studios continue to toss in their two cents in order to make a buck.

Whatever the case, The Power – which is a Shudder exclusive by the way – remains a tense and sometimes exhilarating film that truly embraces the potential fear of actual events. For those of you who want to see this film, you may want to avoid doing so alone and in the dark.

4/5 stars. 

[ihearthorror]

‘The Vigil’ Movie Review: Why It’s Better Than You Think!

Some of the best horror movies ever made are ones that are based around ancient rituals, traditions, or customs, everything from The Exorcist to The Witch. There’s a reason why horror filmmakers keep coming back to these primeval ideas, because they are often offer up a combination of fascination and terror, with a built-in plot ready to be expanded upon. In fact, I’m surprised this is the first horror film centered around this particular concept, one that seems custom-made for this genre of filmmaking.

Keith Thomas, who wrote and directed The Vigil, skillfully crafts his entire film after one such custom. According to the opening text in the film, “the vigil” is an ancient Jewish tradition in which someone is expected to sit with the body of the recently deceased overnight, known as a shomer. Usually, that person is a family member or close friend, but when that is not possible, a stranger can be paid to keep vigil instead.

The lead character Yakov (played compellingly by Dave Davis) is paid to do just that, despite being in the midst of a crisis of faith, something that is delved into sporadically through flashbacks. Yakov is hired to spend the night watching over a body in the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, while the deceased man’s wife, Mrs. Litvak – who is not mentally stable enough to keep vigil herself – mostly lingers around on the second floor of the house.

Yakov must keep watch until dawn but he soon discovers that not all is right with this home. Something malevolent begins to terrorize Yakov, who isn’t sure if he’s experiencing something demonic or simply losing his mind. It is later revealed to be a spirit named Mazzik, which is a very real thing within Jewish mythology. As for Mrs. Litvak, she offers up little in terms of relief for Yakov, and in fact seems to be possessed by what has taken over her husband and her home.

Thomas embraces his limitations here and despite a tight budget, he manages to pull together a wonderfully dreadful film that does not let up on the suspense. With restricted settings and a lean cast, The Vigil uses shadows, lighting, and the occasional jump scare to set the mood of anxious dread almost entirely throughout its 90-minute runtime. And despite being set in New York, the visual style of this film often comes off as something you might see in a European production, which is always a plus in my book.

The Vigil is the feature film directorial debut for Keith Thomas, whose previous work includes a short horror film called Arkane, from 2017. Actually, there are similar elements here – such as Thomas’ use of shadow, light, and scary old ladies – that are reminiscent of The Vigil, which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. It then saw a limited theatrical release in the summer of 2020, just months after the death of Lynn Cohen, who played Mrs. Litvak. The Vigil eventually made it to streaming worldwide by February of this year and is currently available to rent or purchase on various platforms, including Apple TV.

Thomas’ next project, by the way, is a new adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter, which is currently in pre-production.

4/5 stars. 

[ihearthorror]

‘The Block Island Sound’ Movie Review: The Best Horror Film of the Year So Far?

The Block Island Sound is a film that refuses to fall into any particular category, preferring to embrace elements of various genres to unravel its mysterious narrative. I think it’s safe, however, to place this film somewhere within the horror realm, as it evokes feelings of uneasiness, foreboding, and fear. However, don’t go into this movie with an appetite for gore, jump scares, or some sort of Michael Myers-type bad guy, because it isn’t that kind of film. In fact, The Block Island Sound will likely split audiences, with some appreciating its nuances and simmering dread, while others will simply find it boring.

The Block Island Sound opens with Tom (played by Neville Archambault), a fisherman who has seemingly blacked out and awoken disheveled on his boat, which is in disarray just off of Block Island, on the Eastern coast of the US. Confused and shaken up, Tom notices that his dog is missing and sees his leash dangling off the side of the boat. He heads back home but cannot shake what happened to him. As the blackouts continue, Tom’s son Harry (played by Chris Sheffield) becomes concerned that his ailing father may have dementia.

Soon, others around town are experiencing strange phenomena and conspiracy theories run amuck, spouted predominantly by Dale (played by the always awesome Jim Cummings), who kind of reminded me of Nick Stahl’s character in Disturbing Behaviour, minus the teen angst. Whatever it is that’s happening to the wildlife around Block Island, it’s enough to have the Environmental Protection Agency sent down to investigate, and it just so happens that Harry’s sister Audrey works for them. By the way, Audrey is played by Michaela McManus, who happens to be the real life sister of the filmmakers behind The Block Island Sound, Kevin and Matthew McManus.  

Audrey and her daughter Emily (played by Matilda Lawler), who are from the Rhode Island mainland, stay with Harry and their ailing father on Block Island, though the siblings’ relationship has been strained since the death of their mother. It is this sister-brother bond that is the heart of the film, one that feels sincere and lived-in.

It’s with this family dynamic at play that Harry and Audrey must figure out not only what is happening with their own father but what’s been causing the bizarre occurrences on the island. Eventually, they begin to realize that it may be something far more sinister than some environmental phenomenon.

The film was written and directed by Kevin and Matthew McManus, identical twins known together as the McManus Brothers, and it is only their second feature and first in nearly a decade, since 2012’s Funeral Kings. Since then, they have also worked as producers on the TV series American Vandal and Cobra Kai, as well as the 2015 horror film 13 Cameras, which featured Archambault in the lead role. Their latest feature, which was largely shot on location by the way, was actually filmed back in the Spring of 2018 and premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal more than two years later.

According to the brothers, who grew up in Rhode Island mainland, the skeleton of The Block Island Sound was conceived years ago when they were making a zombie short back in college. It eventually morphed into what it is today, which is a tense and hair-raising film that explores our responses to real world threats like isolation and loss of one’s sanity. It uses these reactions to develop believable characters and to reinforce an ongoing sense of terror, optimized by solid performances and filmmakers who utilized their low budget to come up with one of the best horror features of the year so far.

The film is certainly not perfect, of course. One of its biggest shortfalls, in my opinion, is brief appearance of Ryan O’Flanagan’s character Paul, which enters horror movie trope territory. I think the film would have benefited from omitting that entire segment from the final cut. Other than a few other subtle flaws here and there, The Block Island Sound is an overall solid film that deserves a large audience. Thanks to being picked up by Netflix this year, it will get just that..

Thank you for watching and I hope you enjoyed my review. If you did, please feel free to like and subscribe. Take care.

FYI: The animalistic growl you hear in The Block Island Sound is actually the guttural sounds made by filmmaker Kevin McManus’ five-month-old daughter. McManus recorded the sounds on his iPhone, slowed it down, and added a filter to get just the right effect.

4/5 stars.

[ihearthorror]

My Top 10 Favourite Horror Films of 2020

Every January, most people who review or talk about movies on YouTube tend to piece together a Top 10 list of their favourite movies from the year prior. In order to stand out from the crowd (and also because I was too lazy to do this sooner), I decided to wait until March, by which time most YouTubers aren’t really talking about movies from 2020 anymore.

I know what you’re thinking: sounds kinda stupid – why would anybody care about a Top 10 list of the best movies of 2020…THREE months into the new year!? Well, as you’ve likely heard, 2020 was a year like no other, and as result of the ongoing global pandemic, movie release dates from 2020 were pushed back months, sometimes multiple times. Some films that were supposed to be released last year didn’t arrive until 2021, even though they’re officially considered “2020 films,” according to their profiles on websites like IMBD and Letterboxd.

And so, some of these so-called “2020 films” were not available (at least to me) until only recently, such as Saint Maud or The Dark and the Wicked. I feel like I’ve now had a chance to see almost all of the horror films I’ve wanted to see from last year. In this video, if you care to stick around, I will share with you my Top 10 favourite horror films of 2020. So, here we go…

#10/ The Dark and the Wicked:

A sister and brother return to the family homestead where their father is slowly dying and their mother is understandably distraught but also disturbed and distant. The siblings soon realize that something evil has invaded their family home as they are terrorized by whatever is slowly killing their father. Directed by the same guy behind 2008’s The Strangers, The Dark and the Wicked is at times bleak and unsettling, and it does a good job at keeping you intrigued in this family’s unnerving conflict. However, it felt a bit rushed and undeveloped at other times, and its ending left me somewhat unsatisfied.

#9/ Relic:

Soon after Kay and her daughter Sam return to their remote family home following the disappearance of the family matriarch, the widowed Edna, they discover that something sinister has taken hold of both Edna and the house itself. Although Relic – which was co-produced by Jake Gyllenhaal and marked the feature directorial debut for Natalie Erika James – isn’t exactly offering up any enticing twists or salacious gore, or even a original concept for that matter, it relies on evoking dread and building tension to compel its audience to stay invested until the bitter end.

#8/ Amulet:

Taking its sweet time to unravel, Amulet is centered around Tomaz, an ex-soldier who is now homeless but is offered a place to stay at a decaying house in London, which is inhabited by a beautiful young woman named Magda and her dying mother. As the story moves along, we see that Tomaz is starting to develop feelings for Magda, who seems a bit…off. His feelings for her don’t wane even after Tomaz discovers that there’s something insidious going on in the attic of the house, where Magda’s mother is seemingly imprisoned. Toss in a suspicious nun and you’ve got yourself a creepy little film that seems to have fallen between the cracks.

#7/ The Beach House:

One might argue that not a lot actually happens in The Beach House and that the payoff isn’t worth the investment, but if you go into this film with an open mind and zero expectations, you should at least be satisfied. Two troubled college students head to a deserted beach getaway to spend some time together, but end up struggling to survive alongside some unexpected guests as a mysterious infection disrupts their holiday. Although it is a slow build up to the film’s climax, it is a tense and intriguing ride along the way, as a series of unsettling events give way to an apocalyptic episode that feels almost like a throwback to the sci-fi films of the 1950s. Making his feature film directorial debut, Jeffrey A. Brown elicits with The Beach House those brooding existential thoughts that lay dormant in the deep boroughs of our minds. 

#6/ The Invisible Man:

There’s always an elevated risk when making a modern film based on an old story that has already been told through cinema numerous times before. The last time H.G. Wells’ 1897 novel The Invisible Man had been adapted by Hollywood was in 2000’s Hollow Man, which was panned by critics despite making a sizeable profit. The 2020 adaptation is far superior and is perhaps the best adaptation of Wells’ classic in any medium. Elizabeth Moss gives a stellar performance that draws real emotion, so that we agonize alongside her as she is essentially haunted by a relentless ghost hellbent on controlling every aspect of her life. We live in an era when technology has advanced enough to bring this 124-year-old story to life like never before, while a polished script and an exceptional lead performance gives The Invisible Man a deeper level of emotion and terror.

#5/ Saint Maud:

For most of Saint Maud it is unclear whether certain experiences are actually happening in reality for the main character or if it’s all simply in her head, as some sort of mental breakdown caused by a work-related tragedy. Maud is a young hospice nurse and a newly-converted Roman Catholic who suddenly becomes obsessed with “saving the soul” of the woman she is currently taking care of, Amanda, a hedonistic dancer with a chronic illness. Maud’s behaviour worsens, as does her mental state, as horrific scenes and visions make us question if she’s actually losing her mind or experiencing something beyond this world. Saint Maud is an A24 feature by the way, so that should be enough to know what you’re getting here in terms of quality.

#4/ The Lodge:

Isolation is often embraced as a way to pad a horror film’s fear factor, and it works especially here in The Lodge, as a soon-to-be stepmom becomes stranded at a remote holiday home in the middle of winter with her fiance’s two children. The kids begin to untangle the dark past of their stepmom-to-be and a series of disturbing events transpire as their hope for survival fades. The Lodge is a dreary, atmospheric slow burn that leaves you somewhat unsettled. With its wintry backdrop, stylish sequences, and almost claustrophobic dread, the film doesn’t ever allow its audience to feel at ease for long, insisting that an underlying foreboding remain intact throughout. Although I found the ending somewhat disappointing, I immediately began to concoct a possible prequel that would delve into the backstory of the film’s lead character. One can hope.

#3/ Host:

It’s increasingly difficult to be innovative and original when it comes to horror films these days, especially in the particular genre of so-called “found footage.” Rob Savage’s Host, however, comes off as something different, setting itself apart from most films in this realm in various ways. It centers around six friends who hold a séance via Zoom during a COVID lockdown, guided (at first) by a medium they hired. The séance then takes a dark turn and things soon escalate into madness. Sure, there are elements in Host that are prevalent in numerous horror films, but it uses a modern and topical way to implement them, while also refusing to overstay its welcome by cueing the credits less than an hour in. Overall, this film’s popcorn-and-Saturday-night-movie fun factor is why it ranks so high on this list.

#2/ Possessor:

It’s always a treat to come across an original idea, especially when it’s within the horror realm, and Possessor is certainly unlike anything else I’ve seen in awhile. Andrea Riseborough plays an elite corporate assassin who uses brain-implant technology to take control over other people’s bodies in order to kill high profile targets, though with every mission she gets further and further away from her true self. With her latest possession, she becomes trapped in the mind of a man who threatens to obliterate her for good. It is a provocative vision by director-writer Brandon Cronenberg, who just so happens to be the son of legendary Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg, and it serves as a disturbing piece of dystopian fiction that is even more frightening because it isn’t too far beyond belief.

And because everyone else is doing it, here are five honorable mentions that narrowly missed the list:

- The Call

- Color Out of Space

- Don’t Listen

- The Mortuary Collection

- Porno

#1/ His House:

In addition to its emotional storytelling and genuine moments of terror, His House – from first-time director Remi Weekes – sheds a light on the plight of refugees in a way that feels both respectful and empathetic. After a Sudanese couple make a harrowing escape from their war-torn homeland, they are granted asylum in England, where they struggle to adjust and fit in. They are assigned a shabby house on the outskirts of London, where the couple begin to experience terrifying and unexplainable events. His House is built around a fresh concept, two fantastic leads, and some truly haunting imagery, and I wish that more horror directors would put as much effort into quality filmmaking as Weekes did here. If this is his first venture into feature filmmaking, I am excited to see what his future has in store. 

There you have it, my Top 10 favourite horror films of 2020. What did you think and were any of these titles on your own Top 10 list? Please tell me your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below.