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The Crazies (2010)

Scary Movie Fest Day 4

Film: The Crazies (2010)

Directed by: Breck Eisner

Run Time: 100min

Available on: Starz (expires Oct 21st)

All in all, there’s not too much to say about this film. It’s conventionally shot and written. There are no performances that stand out above the rest. There’s nothing inherently unique about this film. That’s not to say I didn’t like it -- I did. It has an intriguing plot. It’s fast-paced. Some of the acting is stiff at times, but over all it isn’t bad.

But the whole thing is rather conventional today. I’ve not seen the original from the 70′s, so I can’t compare, but the idea behind this film isn’t particularly unique. My belief is that it stemmed from the conspiracy theory about water fluoridation and the known effects of nuclear radiation. Combine the two together, and you’ve got terrifying, partially cognizant zombie-like people who terrorize the town. In 1973, when the original was released, this was a relatively newer topic. Zombies have been around for a long time, but they weren’t popularized until Night of the Living Dead in 1968. And their popularity is still going strong, hence the popularity of The Walking Dead (2010). But this film doesn’t have anything new to offer about zombies or zombie-like creatures. Sure the crazies don’t bite or want to feast on brains, but they’re essentially the same thing. At least with other newer zombie movies or series, they offer something new: The Walking Dead offers a social aspect -- how does society move on after the zombie apocalypse? 28 Days Later (2002)? Well they can run now and are athletically superior than the uninfected. These offer something new. The biggest thing that The Crazies offers is partial cognizance.

Which in it’s own way is interesting. It acts as a reminder that these infected are still people. They have families, they have thoughts, experiences, emotions. But the film doesn’t play too much into this. As I mentioned before, this film is fast-paced. Which is generally a good thing; you don’t get bored as easily watching a fast-paced film. But, this film doesn’t take the time to properly explore certain areas that could make it unique and new. It could offer a new perspective, but instead, brushes right past it. Zombies are a commentary on consumerism, and this remake is, well, consumerist. It’s designed to entertain (i.e: make money), not make a statement. Which is what the majority of the film industry is about, sure. 

But horror itself didn’t start out that way. Going back to horror literature, which began in the Gothic movement, between the Romantic and Victorian Eras, horror has always been a commentary; a reaction. The Industrial Revolution was taking over; colonies were fighting for independence and freedom. Suddenly ghosts and demons appear in literature representing regret -- your imperialism is coming back to haunt you. Even when the advent of film and cinema came along, the popular sub-genres reflected societal fears and concerns. I argue that film noir is a precursor to the modern horror film; and, film noir reflects a fear of espionage. Creature features? The effects of nuclear radiation. Slasher films? Feminism and the Civil Rights Movement of the 60′s and 70′s. Found footage films? The government spying on us. Torture porn? Well, those didn’t start until we found out about the torture of POW's. Horror is a reaction to what society fears the most at any given time. If horror films and literature don’t play off the fears of their audience, then what’s their point?

This film could have said something about society. It could have drawn more attention to the fact these were still people. It could have been unique. But the conventionality of it makes the film brush right past the details, and turns itself into mindless entertainment. Which has its place in society. 

So, if you’re looking for a conventional film that has a few good jump scares and an intriguing plot, The Crazies is the film for you.

-Victoria

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The Devil’s Rejects (2005)

Scary Movie Fest Day 3

Film: The Devil’s Rejects (2005)

Directed by: Rob Zombie

Run Time: 109min

Available on: Starz (expires Oct 13th)

As an avid horror fan, I’m embarrassed to say I’d never seen this film before. It’s one of those that I’d always heard about and knew wholeheartedly that I should see it; I just never got around to it.

This is a hard one for me to talk about, because I feel like I should love it more than I do. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the film, but there were many artistic choices that stopped me from loving it. The whole thing reminded me of The Hills Have Eyes (1977) (hell, even Michael Berryman, who played Pluto in the original, was in this film). And The Hills Have Eyes is one of my all time favourite horror films. So it’s already got a high bar to go against for me. And it almost made it. But Zombie’s questionable choices about what to include and what not to include in this film just struck me as bizarre.

There are several scenes where I found myself asking “what does this have to do with this story?” The majority of these scenes were with the Sheriff (William Forsythe). I get that he’s neurotic, but it still feels that many of his scenes were not needed. When he meets with the movie critic and they fight about Elvis -- it just didn’t fit. It was such a weird scene that it took me out of the story. It didn’t feel relevant to the film (and as it turns out, it really isn’t). Scenes like this strike me as disruptive and made me lose interest in the film. That in conjunction with Rob Zombie’s borderline obsession with his wife (Sheri Moon Zombie who played Baby) almost made me want to turn off the film. There are so many unnecessary shots of Baby all the time. And her lines are played on loop at times when she’s not on screen. And if she were actually a good actress, I would understand. But she’s not. Her obnoxious laugh and horrendous line delivery were grating and unbearable. Most everyone else in the film gave a phenomenal performance; it only makes sense to give the others more screen time. A stronger performance makes a stronger film.

That being said, there were several elements of this film that I did enjoy. First and foremost, the soundtrack. As a classic rock lover, I found myself paying more attention to the music than what was happening at times. But hey, you just can’t passively listen to “Freebird”.

The dialogue at times is lyrical, in the beginning. But as the violence increases, it eventually just becomes a never ending stream of expletives and shouting. Until the dialogue just stops, and “Freebird” begins.

So, let’s talk about that ending scene. It was beautifully done. The song was well chosen; the scene was well shot. It’s emotional and exciting. It reminds me of the ending of Thelma and Louise (1991). I felt like pumping my fist in the air and shouting. The quick interchange between shots and the handheld effect of not having perfect framing all the time feeds the excitement and adventure. Part of me was rooting for this family of serial killers to go out in a blaze of glory. The ability to elicit that sort of response for characters such as these shows me that Zombie has the capacity to make a great and wonderful film; he’s just got some fine tuning to do.

--Victoria

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Don’t Breathe (2016)

Scary Movie Fest Day 2

Film: Don’t Breathe (2016)

Directed by: Fede Alvarez

Run Time: 88min

Available on: Starz

Don’t Breathe is one of the most suspenseful films in recent years. It is well written, beautiful shot, and wonderfully performed. It takes twists and turns, and it keeps you on your toes. What I love most about this film is that it’s not so glaringly obvious. Those twists and turns make sense, but the film trusts its audience to make the connections themselves -- it believes it’s audience is intelligent enough to understand what’s going on.

Like any good suspense film, you have to set the right mood through visual and aural cues. With beautiful aerial shots, dark lighting, a fluid and appropriate mix of wide and tight framing, the visual aspects of this film set the tone and intensify the suspense the viewer experiences. When the Blind Man (Stephen Lang) turns the lights off in the basement while chasing the intruders, and the camera shifts into night vision, we get nervous. We know the Blind Man has the advantage, because he’s been blind for at least a very good portion of his life. These kids have always relied on their vision to get them out of situations, and now that sense is gone. He’s got the advantage, and that makes it even scarier. The night vision also makes it difficult for the audience to see as well, so we’re able to feel that suspense on a stronger level too.

The music plays its role as well; the timing of the beat and use of minor keys amplify the suspense and the major keys amplify any feelings of sadness or hope. The sound mixing is well done: as the Blind Man uses sound to track and hunt the intruders, every little noise he could use to track them is amplified, so the viewer gets the sense these kids are making too much noise. The attention to details such as these is remarkable.

The writing in this film is concise; the dialogue is not insultingly expository, and the characters are consistent throughout the film. The characters feel real, although we only receive backstory on one, Rocky (Jane Levy). But that doesn’t feel like as much of a gap as it should, because we learn very early on the motivations of the other two are to help Rocky get out of Detroit. Therefore, we don’t need to know more of their backstory than necessary. 

The performances are strong, and mixed with the writing, creates a believable characters, which in turn creates sympathy and concern for these characters. Even though these kids are criminals, we still root for them to get away from the blind man protecting his home. And even if you don’t at first, and you root for the Blind Man, when you find out the story’s main twist, since the kids weren’t completely worthy of hatred before, it’s not hard to switch your support to them. Part of this is due to the writing, but the other part, and I would argue the stronger part, is due to these actors’ portrayals of the these characters. 

Having real characters is a breath of fresh air in this era of Hollywood Blockbusters that rely solely on archetypes and cliche. As is writing that trusts its audience is intelligent and capable of comprehending a story with out being told outright via dialogue what’s going on, which is most certainly not the case for many horror and suspense films. Don’t Breathe is a film that is exciting from start to finish and keeps you on your toes the whole way through.

-Victoria

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Lights Out (2016)

Scary Movie Fest Day 1

Film: Lights Out (2016)

Directed by: David F Sandberg

Run Time: 81min

Available on: HBOgo

I’m very conflicted about this film. On the one hand, I really liked the premise of this film; on the other hand, the execution of said premise leaves a lot to be desired. The film is inherently scary (at least for me, but I’m afraid of the dark, so there’s some bias there). It plays on the commonplace childhood fear that there’s a monster that lurks in the dark. In your closet. Under your bed. And, in this fear, this monster disappears when the lights are on, but reappears when the lights turn off. So the majority of people can relate to this fear, because they’ve experienced it, and probably believed it to be possible when they were younger (or maybe that was just me). But the ability for a film to play off of its audience’s fears is what makes a horror movie, and this film does that well. This is also one of the few horror films that has a well designed villain, and I firmly believe that has everything to do with the fact that James Wan was involved in the film. Even the scariest of villains turn into jokes because they look stupid (I’m looking at you The Silence in Doctor Who).

Those are two incredibly compelling forces that make me want to like this film entirely.

But I don’t.

While, yes, this film is very scary, there are so many other issues that stand out between the scares. The film does has a frightening premise, and the story is reminiscent of horror movies from the 2000s, such as The Ring (2002) and Gothika (2003). But the dialogue is extremely rudimentary and overly expository. Everything that comes out of the characters’ mouths is forced and awkward; it feels like watching a middle school play that the students wrote themselves. The performances from the cast could have been better if they had better lines: there was so much potential in some of the actors. Case in point is in the during the climax of the film, Becca’s (Teresa Palmer) reaction to the finale is incredible. It was the only time I felt something for one of the characters, and I was genuinely impressed by that bit of performance. However, the ending itself was so predictable that it stood out as predictable.

My other major problem with this film is it’s stigmatization of Bipolar Disorder. The mother (Maria Bello), who is very clearly bipolar, is painted as the villain; as though she were intentionally releasing this monster onto her own children in the midst of a manic episode. It isn’t until she tries to “get better” (read: become lucid) that she is portrayed with any sympathy or understanding at all. Throughout the beginning of the film, her daughter spits the words “manic” and “crazy” as ways to describe to others just how awful she deems her mother to be. It is clear that there is very little understanding among the writers of how Bipolar Disorder actually works and affects people in real life. It’s not as simple as this film (and many others) portray it to be.

Overall, this film has some major flaws, but it is very, very scary. Which is all most people look for in a horror film. So, if you’re looking for a good scare, definitely watch this film. Just, don’t watch too closely.

-Victoria

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I’m Back!

Hey everyone! Sorry I’ve been MIA for a few months now. I got a promotion at work, and that has been eating up all of my time and energy. 

Now that October is in full swing, I’ve got a tradition of mine to share with all of you! It’s no secret that I love horror films. So every October, I watch a horror film a day. I’m playing a little catch up since I’ve had a couple of 14 hour days at work, but this year, I’m going to share and review the films I watch with you guys!

Usually, there are certain films I watch on the same day every year (i.e. Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, and Army of Darkness on 10/1, 10/2, and 10/3 respectively). However, since I’m moving soon and all of my DVDs are packed away, I’ve decided to try to watch as many horror movies that I’ve never seen before this year via streaming.

That being said, I’ve already got a list drawn up of every film I’ll be watching this month. But I’m still taking requests! Feel free to submit a film you’d like to see reviewed, and I’ll work it into the list.

Thanks guys!

-Victoria

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Swiss Army Man (2016)

Film: Swiss Army Man (2016)

Directed by: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Run Time: 97min

Available on: Amazon Prime

Requested by: @lord-feldheimer

I truly fell in love with this film. Swiss Army Man explores the human condition in a creative, hilarious, and extraordinarily touching way. It explores loneliness and human relationships, as well as societal norms with originality and with true authenticity. This film is philosophical at its core.

Aside from the intellectual nature of this film, what I enjoy most about Swiss Army Man is the sense of adventure it ignites; there is never a dull moment in this film. Adventurous and hilarious, this film is fast-paced, entertaining, and above all, thought-provoking. The writing and the cinematography are both original and creative. Its humor is both dark and whimsical -- as a matter of fact, this film opens with what is most definitely the darkest fart joke known to man. These contradictory modes of comedy go perfectly, hand-in-hand in this film; only natural seeing as it’s a film about being human.

It’s hard to get into specifics with this film, because everything in it connects so fluidly. However, there are two things that stood out to me the most. First, the chemistry between Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe. There isn’t a long “getting to know each other” sequence in this film; the connection between the two main characters is instant and entirely believable. The two actors play off each other phenomenally. Second: the extent to which Daniel Radcliffe’s character, Manny, is used as a prop. It is incredibly original and wonderfully imaginative.

All in all, Swiss Army Man is one of the most original, creative, and intelligent films I’ve seen in a good while. Kudos to the Daniels.

-Victoria

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The Eyes of My Mother (2016)

Film: The Eyes of My Mother (2016)

Directed by: Nicolas Pesce

Run Time: 76min

Available on: Netlfix

Requested by: @beachofashesskyofwonder

Warning: This film is not for the faint of heart. There is gore, psychological trauma, and many other disturbing plot points and images.

Let me start of with a little tidbit about myself: I love horror films. I try not to play favorites in terms of genre, but horror probably takes the gold for me. They tell you so much about the culture surrounding it. They critique social stereotypes and express the fears of a culture at a particular point in history. The best part is, I’m convinced these critiques are unintentional; simply, when you’re playing on fear, social commentary is unavoidable.

I could go on all day about my opinions on horror films.

The first thing I noticed about this film was the cinematography. Each and every shot is intentional. The framing, the placement of each piece of scenery, even the placement of people is entirely intentional. Each shot is beautiful. Which makes the content of this film that much more disturbing.

This film is not just disturbing on a visceral level; it is disturbing on a psychological level. The narrative follows the main character from when she was a little girl and to a young woman. We witness the trauma she’s gone through; we empathize with her, which makes what she does later so deeply disturbing. The psychological aspects make this film difficult to watch, but in exactly the way a horror film should be.

Silence is used to great effect throughout the film. Francesca mentions that there is peace in silence, but there is no peace in the silence in this film. It amplifies the intensity and heightens emotion. And suspense. There is very little dialogue throughout the film, and very little music is played, particularly in the beginning. The majority of the music in this film is diagetic. It’s only about halfway through the film that the ambient music begins.

The use of language plays another big role in this film. I mean that literally. What language Francesca is speaking correlates to her frame of mind. When she is matter of fact and hiding her true self, she speaks English; when she is emotional, she speaks Portuguese, the language of her mother, whom she loved dearly. The only time the film breaks away from this pattern, is during the ending scenes when everything is moving so fast, having subtitles would only be distracting (as this film is intended for an English speaking audience).

Every detail in The Eyes of My Mother reflects Francesca’s point of view. From the silence, to the language, even to what the other characters do. The characters who are not a part of Francesca’s family are portrayed like animals. The grunts they make while eating or when someone else is around sound very similar to the sounds a pig makes at the feeding trough. This shows us that Francesca views people who are not her family as nothing more than a barnyard animal. This amount of insight into her psyche is unsettling to say the least.

Everything about this film gives us a glimpse into the mind of a deeply disturbed woman. The film is a wonderful blend of traditional horror and psychological horror.

And the best part is: there are no jump scares.

-Victoria

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7 Days in Hell

Film: 7 Days in Hell (2015)

Directed by: Jake Szymanski

Run Time: 42min

Available on: HBOgo, Amazon Video

Requested by: My friend John

Warning: Naturally, as this is a review, there are some spoilers.

If there is one word that sums up the entirety of 7 Days in Hell, that word is: absurd.

The story follows two tennis players, one a young Englishman in his prime, the other a former-addict dead-beat come back for glory. It begins with Aaron Williams (Andy Samberg) and Charles Poole (Kit Harrington) deadlocked in a Wimbledon Championship tennis match that has stretched the course of seven days.

The match undergoes a series of entirely unpredictable delays that are so absurd you can’t help but laugh - but then again, that’s the point. The humor in this film relies entirely on absurdity and the inappropriate behavior of the over-the-top characters. Some of the main comedic bits in this film center around homo-eroticism, and not in a subtle way. There are references to an all-male orgy (more than just references, really. There is a whole animated bit that goes with it); a segment in which Samberg’s animated avatar runs naked with genitalia so long it knocks birds away as it swings in motion with his running; Smaberg’s character creates a brand of men’s underwear with an opening so that the balls can hang freely; and at the apex of homo-eroticism, a male streaker makes his way onto the court in the middle of the match, and Samberg’s character has sex with him in front of the entire crowd.

The degree in which homo-eroticism is used as a source of comedy verges on the point of exploitation. The gay characters do not have any depth (granted, none of the characters have any depth); they simply serve as comedic relief, and as soon as their purpose has been served, they disappear. The use of homo-eroticism is too heavily relied on as a source of comedy.

Thankfully, the exploitative humor is only a minor aspect to the comedy in 7 Days in Hell. The absurdist humor is much more prominent, and extremely well done. The absurd actions of the characters actually coincide with the characters’ personalities. Their actions are funny, but not exactly shocking; nothing is out of character, which is surprisingly hard to do in absurdist comedy -- director Jake Szymanski and writer Murray Miller prove themselves to be the absurdist kings with this film. All of this ridiculousness is perfectly wrapped up and comes to an all time high in the film’s admittedly abrupt ending. The sudden nature of the ending of this film left me wanting something more in the way of build up, but at the same time, I don’t. What better than to end an absurd film in an absurd way.

The overall goofiness of this film makes it incredibly lovable and makes it a joy to watch.

-Victoria