Halloween Horrorfest: Freaky

 

Every once and awhile, a movie will come along with a clever premise that hits just the right note. One of those movies for me was Freaky, which mashes up a body swap comedy with a slasher horror flick. With a deft blend of comedy and horror, this is one fun flick perfect for the Halloween season. 

Millie Kessler (played by Kathryn Newton) is a bit of an outcast at school and lives with her widowed, alcoholic mother, Coral (played by Katie Finneran) and her police officer sister, Char (played by Dana Drori). She has two close knit friends in Nyla Chones (played by Celeste O'Connor) and Josh Detmer (played by Misha Osherovich). Among her problems is her abusive and unsympathetic shop teacher Mr. Bernardi (played by Alan Ruck). After the Homecoming football game, where Millie participated as the school mascot, she is waiting alone for her mom to come pick her up when she encounters the Blissfield Butcher (played by Vince Vaughn), a killer who according to local legend terrorizes area teens around Homecoming. She attempts to flee but is still in her mascot costume so he quickly catches up and manages to stab Millie in the shoulder with a dagger he stole from a previous victim's house. The weird thing is when he stabs her, the exact same wound appears on his shoulder. He's about to stab her again when Char, having come to pick up Millie since their mom was passed out on the couch, shows up and scares him off. Things take a turn for the strange when the next morning Millie wakes up in the hulking, 6ft 4in and very male body of the Blissfield Butcher while at the same time he wakes up in her body. Horrified, she quickly seeks out Nyla and Josh and after eventually convincing them he is indeed their friend Millie, they have to try and figure out what happened and try to get the two switched back before the switch becomes permanent as well as stop the Blissfield Butcher from carving up their classmates, especially Millie's crush Booker Strode (played by Uriah Shelton). 

The film was directed by Christopher Landon from a script he wrote with Michael Kennedy. They manage to craft a film that balances the comedy and horror elements well even as the film leans harder on the comedic side. But it works because the premise of the film allows for the silliness as Millie gets used to her new body as well as the Butcher finding himself in the body of a teenage girl. The film does get pretty gruesome but much of it is played with an over the top quality that only adds to the crazy fun of the film. They also work in some clever nods to classic slasher movies of the past, especially Halloween, Scream, and especially Friday the 13th. In fact, I got a good laugh out of the fact that the bulk of the movie takes place on Friday, October 13th which would make this, you guessed it, Freaky Friday the 13th (which was even the original title of the movie until they had to change it, for obvious reasons). Yet, they also manage to make the more heartfelt moments work in the film as well, which helps ground things amongst all the mayhem and shenanigans and give the film some real stakes. 

The film has a fantastic cast starting off with the two leads. Kathryn Newton does really well as both the quiet and more reserved Millie capturing her lack of confidence and trouble with confrontation. Yet, she also nails the role of the mostly quiet and exceptionally lethal Blissfield Butcher after the switch has been made. There is also a clear difference in how her character walks and acts in each case depending on if it's Millie or the Butcher. Likewise Vince Vaughn captures each role quite well, really capturing the danger and evil of the Butcher but then on the other side clearly having a ball playing Millie and is a blast to watch him play a teenage girl stuck in the body of a middle age man is endlessly amusing to me, especially with how Vince Vaughn plays her. Misha Osherovich is a hoot as Mille's openly gay friend Josh. He really captures the bitchy best friend perfectly and yet remains quite lovable throughout the film. Celeste O'Connor likewise does well as Nyla, clearly the more even handed of the trio. Alan Ruck plays against type as the downright mean shop teacher who loves to antagonize Millie. It's clear he is relishing the role and is downright detestable, yet really effective in the role. It's always fun to watch a well-known actor play a role different than their usual type, as is the case here.

Overall, Freaky is one of the best comedy-horror films to come out in quite awhile. The jokes land and the horror aspects work well too. The film keeps a brisk pace as our intrepid characters deal with their very unusual predicament. It's just a blast to watch from beginning to end and never takes itself too seriously. If you're looking for a fun horror movie to watch with friends over Halloween weekend, this one would be an great choice.  

Halloween Horrorfest: Arachnophobia

 

Scary movies can be a subjective thing. What creeps one person out may not faze another person at all. One thing that has always given me the heebie jeebies has been bugs, especially large swarms of them all over the place. Anytime I see that in a movie or T.V show I start squirming and feeling very uncomfortable. I'm not exactly sure where this particular aversion comes from, perhaps seeing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom at an impressionable age. Regardless of why, I bring this up because beyond all reason, one of my favorite creature features is Arachnophobia.  

While working as a photographer on a remote expedition in Venezuela, Jerry Manley (played by Mark L. Taylor) is killed by a particularly rare spider they discovered in a remote area being studied by entomologist James Atherton (played by Julian Sands). When his body is shipped home to the small town of Canaima, California, the same lethal spider hitches a ride along in the coffin. Upon arrival, the spider is able to sneak out of the morticians office and winds up in the yard of the newly arrived Jennings family. They have just moved to town because Ross Jennings (played by Jeff Daniels) is set to take over the medical practice of retiring town physician Sam Metcalf (played by Henry Jones), except Metcalf has decided he's not retiring leaving Ross without any patients. Meanwhile, in Ross' barn, the new Venezuelan spider has mated with a local spider, creating a horde of exceptionally deadly spiders that begin making their way throughout the town. While the first couple of deaths are chalked up to natural causes, when an exam of another victim by Ross shows the spider bite and the toxicology report confirms it, he realizes what they are dealing with. Only after they call in James Atherton and his colleague Chris Collins (played by Brian McNamara) do they put all the pieces together and realize they are dealing with an exceptionally lethal new breed of spider. With help from a quirky local exterminator Delbert McClintock (played by John Goodman), it falls to them to find and take out these spiders before they kill anyone else. The problem is Ross suffers from Arachnophobia - the debilitating fear of spiders. 

The film was directed by Frank Marshall from a script by Don Jakoby and Wesley Strick. The film strikes a perfect balance between cringe inducing horror and comedy. This was Frank Marshall's feature debut after being Steven Spielberg's producing partner for a number of years and I felt he did quite well his first time out. He balances the tense moments with the more humorous moments to craft a very entertaining film. They waste no time in setting up the main villain of the film, a large spider referred to as the General, who is discovered in a remote part of the Venezuela jungle who then proceeds to hitch a ride back to camp in a backpack. It's not long after they get back to camp that we get the first attack and see just how deadly the spider venom is. They handle each of the spider attacks quite well, tracking each of the spiders as they move in and expertly building suspense. They used a mix of real spiders for the soldier spiders and an animatronic spider for the much larger General, designed and created by a pre-Mythbusters Jamie Hyneman no less. The film is shot very well by Mikael Salomon capturing the majesty of the remote wilds of Venezuela as well as the almost idyllic charms of the small town, which contrasts nicely with the intensity and fun of the film itself. Topping things off is a fun score by Trevor Jones. I loved the music and the diversity of themes throughout, especially the one he crafts for exterminator Delbert McClintock that stands out as much as the character does. 

The film is well cast, starting with Jeff Daniels in the lead role. He is great in the role of everyman hero who has to conquer his fears to save the day, made all that much harder since spiders leave his frozen in fear. So much so that he has to call his wife, Molly (played by Harley Jane Kozak) to come take care of one they find as they move in early in the film. Harley Jane Kozak plays off Daniels well as Molly, showing support for their decision to move and is far more into embracing small town life than Ross is. They have an easy rapport and feel like a couple that has been married for quite awhile. Henry Jones plays his role as the cranky Dr. Metcalf with great relish, making it easy for the audience to hate him as he not only leaves Ross high and dry when he changes his mind about retiring but then proceeds to bad mouth him to other residents in town when Ross' patients start dropping dead. Julian Sands does well in the role of the driven entomologist James Atherton, who is driven by his curiosity at perhaps the expense of common sense. Still, he handles the expositional dialogue explaining the nature of this new breed of spider quite well. This is contrasted nicely with Brian McNamara's far more practical and careful Chris Collins. And then there was John Goodman as Delbert. Goodman effortlessly steals every scene he is in as the slightly eccentric but affable local exterminator who takes his job very seriously. I just couldn't help but smile every time he was on screen. He brings a lot of the comic relief to the movie which Goodman handles quite easily.     

Overall, despite my aversion to movies featuring large swarms of bugs, or in this case arachnids, Arachnophobia still remains a favorite of mine. It captures a perfect balance between scares and humor making the film just straight up fun to watch from beginning to end. In the end, that's all I would want from a movie like this and it delivers it well.

Halloween Horrorfest: Doctor Sleep

 

One of my favorite scary movies has always been Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, so when I first heard Stephen King had written a sequel to the novel that film was based on, I couldn't help but wonder what approach the inevitable movie adaptation would take since the movie and book of The Shining are in many ways quite different. Yet, Director Mike Flanagan set out to do the impossible and craft a faithful adaptation of King's novel while also making a satisfying sequel to Kubrick's film. 

Dan Torrance (played by Ewan McGregor) is still traumatized by the events he experienced as a child at The Overlook Hotel. To try and numb the effects and suppress his Shining ability, he has become an alcoholic. After reaching rock bottom, he relocates to a small town in New Hampshire and soon meets Billy Freeman (played by Cliff Curtis). Billy recognizes Dan's troubles all too well and helps Dan secure lodging and introduces him to the local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. There, Dan meets Dr. John Dalton (played by Bruce Greenwood) who helps Dan get a job at the local hospice as a overnight orderly. At the same time, Dan is surprised to find himself connecting through his Shining ability to a young girl named Abra (played by Kyliegh Curran), whose Shining ability may be even more powerful than Dan's. Things take a dark turn when her abilities are also picked up by a group of psychic vampires known as the True Knot that feed on the "steam," the Shining ability of others, especially kids. Their leader, Rose the Hat (played by Rebecca Ferguson), picks up on Abra first when Abra finds herself connected to the True Knot's latest victim, a young boy named Bradley Trevor (played by Jacob Tremblay). Since the shining ability has become increasingly rare, someone as powerful as Abra makes for an enticing target for the starving True Knot. Dan becomes Abra's best hope of not only saving her from their clutches but also destroying the True Knot once and for all, leading to a showdown at the condemned and boarded up Overlook Hotel. 

Director Mike Flanagan, who also wrote the screenplay, manages to walk a fine line with this movie, at once crafting a largely faithful adaptation of Stephen King's original novel while also functioning as a genuine sequel to Stanley Kubrick's iconic original film. Yet, the film works brilliantly. It helps that much of the story of this film is so different and separate from the first film so it really only required minor tweaks for much of the film. For example, Dick Halloran survived in the original novel and died in Kubrick's film and therefore appears in this as a ghost to Dan or in the novel the Overlook burned down and therefore the climax took place at the lot where the hotel once stood, whereas in this film we actually get to see the Hotel still standing, although abandoned and showing worn down. The other hurdle was the film does feature a number of flashbacks to Dan's childhood shortly after his time at the Overlook. Since almost 40 years had passed since the original film, reuniting the cast was not a realistic option and instead wisely recast the roles with actors that could make the roles their own, while also remaining familiar to fans of the first film. Also, since he re-cast the roles of Wendy, Danny, and Dick Halloran, he and his talented crew methodically re-create certain iconic moments from the first film for this one as flashbacks, which actually works for quite well in the film. Flanagan does a good job streamlining the book's narrative, trimming a few extraneous details from the novel but otherwise remaining reasonably faithful to the story, with the biggest change being the ending (which I will not spoil here). It is clear Flanagan is a fan of Kubrick's original film too, as he sneaks in little nods to the first film throughout this one for his fellow fans to enjoy throughout and even strategically re-uses some iconic music cues from the first film as well which helps bridge between the two films.        

Ewan McGregor does quite well as Dan Torrance. He really captures Dan's struggles, both with his shining ability as well as his substance abuse. He really captures Dan's arc from hitting rock bottom to putting his life together to his growing bond with Abra and need to help protect her from the True Knot. Rebecca Ferguson is magnificent as Rose the Hat (named as such because she compulsively wears a top hat as a signature of sorts), creating a formidable villain for Dan and Abra to go up against, along with her fellow members of the True Knot. She is vicious and nasty, yet so cool and seductive, which she needs to be to lure her victims into her trap. She has no qualms about killing kids and consuming their "Steam" to prolong her life. From her first greeting with her catchphrase of "Well, hi there," I was fascinated by her character. She is absolutely terrifying, but Ferguson really brings her to three dimensional life. Rose has needs and wants, the primary one being finding those with the Shining to keep her group fed. Kyliegh Curran is great as Abra, giving her character a real strength and cunning all her own. At the tender age of thirteen, she shows a great resourcefulness and skill with her power, even using it to trap Rose the Hat on her own on two separate occasions when Rose was using her own psychic abilities to try and track Abra and managing to inflict real, actual physical damage in the process. Kyliegh is fantastic in the role and reals shows just how clever and capable Abra is on her own. Cliff Curtis does well in the role of Billy Freeman, who takes Dan under his wing and helps him get his life together. It's a warm and sensitive performance that hits just the right note. I also have to single out Jacob Tremblay as Bradley Trevor. He may only be in a couple scenes, generally agreed upon as the hardest scenes in the movie to watch, but he absolutely sells those moments when he is in the clutches of the True Knot. 

Overall, Doctor Sleep was, for me at least, a worthy follow-up to Kubrick's original film. It helps that it has it's own separate story to tell rather than re-hashing the original film, adding such magnificent characters as Rose the Hat and Abra. We do get to see the Overlook Hotel again though as Dan weaponizes it's evil to try and fight the True Knot and I will admit I did get chills seeing that iconic setting again. Yet, the film stands on it's own as well as a genuinely satisfying film from beginning to end. I loved every minute, even if it does have a lengthy run-time of two and a half hours (and a director's cut that clocks in at a full three hours!). I never felt that it ran long and loved every minute of the film. But with such an engaging plot and compelling characters, how could I not?

Halloween Horrorfest: Death Becomes Her

Until I re-watched it again for this review, it had been ages since I had last seen Death Becomes Her. I remember seeing it as a kid several times and really enjoying it for the humor and impressive Special Effects while other aspects of it went a bit over my head. Seeing it again as an adult, the themes and humor hit all that much more. Then again, my sense of humor has frequently drifted towards a darker side, so one's mileage may vary. 

Madeline Ashton (played by Meryl Streep) is a narcissistic and selfish actress performing on Broadway when she meets her friend Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn) and her fiancé, reknowned plastic surgeon Ernest Menville (played by Bruce Willis) backstage. Madeline and Ernest hit it off and before Helen knows it, the two have run off together and gotten married, leaving her behind. Helen naturally sinks into a deep depression over the next seven years, growing more and more obsessed with getting even with Madeline, even going so far as watching an old movie she did where her character dies and rewinding the death scene over and over again. She even winds up in a mental hospital for a time. Meanwhile, married life has taken it's toll on Madeline and Ernest. Her career has faded and she is constantly worried about how much she is aging. Ernest has lost his ability to practice and has been relegated to becoming a mortician, sending him spiraling into alcoholism. To their surprise, they get invited to a book launch party for the release of a book written by Helen. They are both even more surprised to see Helen, now looking gorgeous and youthful. This inspires Madeline to follow up on a mysterious business card she got at a spa for Lisle von Rhuman (played by Isabella Rossellini). Lisle offers Madeline a potion promising rejuvenation along with eternal life and beauty. She purchases the potion and takes it, almost immediately regaining her youth. Meanwhile, Helen meets up with Ernest and seduces him. She convinces him to help her kill Madeline and then the two can be together again. When Madeline returns home and gets into a fight that results in Madeline falling down the stairs and breaking her neck. While Ernest calls Helen to tell her what happened, he doesn't notice that Madeline magically revives and in his shock considers her resurrection a miracle. When Helen shows up to find out what has been going on, Madeline discovers what Helen and Ernest had been plotting and greets Helen with a shotgun blast to the abdomen. Of course, they quickly discover Helen also took their potion, leaving Ernest in quite the predicament with two undead women who are going to need his unique talents as an undertaker.  

The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis from a script by David Koepp and Martin Donovan. The film plays out as a black comedy with horror elements that I frequently found hilarious. There is a certain exaggerated quality to the film that adds to the humor of the film. When I found out that they had originally been toying with this film being a spin-off from the then current HBO series Tales from the Crypt, which was co-produced by Robert Zemeckis, I was not surprised. The film strikes a very similar tone as many of the episodes from that series did, especially with the ongoing theme of scheming and selfish people getting their due comeuppance. Much like the series, this movie very much has a certain tongue in cheek sensibility to it that I love. There is a lot of humor derived between the two bickering frenemies which only escalates when they both discover the other is effectively immortal, leading to such comedic bouts of violence as sword fighting with shovels with Ernest just wandering off resigned to having to patch them both up later. The filmmakers utilized pretty cutting edge special effects for the film to depict some of the injuries sustained throughout the film, including Madeline's head being twisted all the way around or a large, perfectly round hole in Helen's stomach that the other actors can see right through. Even now, almost 30 years later, the special effects still hold up reasonably well except for a couple, all done with CGI effects done by Industrial Light and Magic. I also have to give credit to the fantastic score by Alan Silvestri that sets the campy mood for the film perfectly. 

The film has an fantastic cast, especially the main trio of stars. Meryl Streep is clearly having a lot of fun playing the vain Madeline Ashton as she obsesses over her looks and even insists her maid compliment her on her looks every morning. It's a very entertaining performance as Meryl hits just the right notes with the character. Helen Sharp is a departure of sorts for Goldie Hawn from her usual bubbly and warm characters and I really enjoy it. Helen Sharp has her own obsession with getting even with Madeline Ashton and is clearly willing to do whatever it takes, including a rather elaborate murder plot (that needs to be seen to be believed). Bruce Willis likewise is playing against type as this sort of nebbish, neurotic and beaten down man who has more or less given up and is hiding from life in a bottle. It remains a refreshingly different performance from the actor and really shows his skills as a comedic actor. 

Overall, revisiting Death Becomes Her reminded me of what a fun movie it is, especially in the intervening years after I discovered and became a fan of the Tales from the Crypt horror anthology series. It is a slice of wicked fun that is perfect for the Halloween season and perhaps a bit more unique than the usual seasonal fare. It is a film that has gone on to become a bit of a cult classic, especially with LGBT audiences with Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp in particular being favorite characters for drag queens to portray. It is certainly one I enjoyed just as much as when it came out, perhaps even more so now.          

No Time to Die

 

No Time to Die marks Daniel Craig's fifth and final outing as James Bond and I can say with great relief that he is going out on a high note. The film fires on all cylinders to give us one last, epic outing with Craig as James Bond, with an intriguing plot that brings the era full circle, spectacular stunts and just the right amount of humor to make this a very satisfying film. 

James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) is vacationing in Southern Italy with Madeleine Swann (played by Lea Seydoux) when they are ambushed by Spectre assassins. Realizing there was no one else who knew they were there besides him and Madeleine, he leaves her at a train station and the two part ways. Five years later, Bond is pulled back into action when an MI-6 scientist Valdo Obruchev (played by David Dencik) is kidnapped. He was working on a cutting edge bio-weapon called Project Heracles, which contains Nanobots and is spread like a virus but is harmless except to the person or people that strain is specifically programmed to kill. Bond meets up with Felix Leiter (played by Jeffrey Wright) and his associate Logan Ash (played by Billy Magnusson) who ask for Bond to help them to try and retrieve Obruchev and the weapon.  They track them to a SPECTRE meeting in Cuba for Blofeld's (played by Christoph Waltz) birthday, where Bond meets up with another CIA agent, Paloma (played by Ana de Armas). Blofeld leads the meeting using a remote "bionic eye" device and orders his agents to kill Bond with the bionic mist from Project Heracles. However, to everyone's surprise, the mist kills the SPECTRE agents instead. Turns out Obruchev was working with a mysterious new villain who has his own vendetta against SPECTRE, Lyutsifer Safin (played by Rami Malek), and reprogrammed the virus. Pulled back into MI6 duty by M (played by Ralph Fiennes) and Moneypenny (played by Naomie Harris) sets out to stop Safin and destroy this dangerous new weapon with the new 007, Nomi (played by Lashana Lynch) only to find his path once again crossing with Madeleine, who has her own connections to both Safin and Blofeld.

The film was directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga from a script he co-wrote with Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The film is a wonderful return to form for Bond and a fitting final outing for the Daniel Craig era. Fukunaga and his crew create a epic film, filled with globe trotting adventure, just the right amount of humor, genuinely impressive action sequences and some genuinely shocking plot twists too. The film is a long one, clocking in at roughly 2 hours and 45 minutes, but they keep the pace up so I didn't really feel that it was that long. The filmmakers manage to pull off some inventive action sequences, including a truly impressive motorcycle jump and a sequence of people repelling down a elevator shaft not using ropes but rather a special harness and intricately placed electromagnets. Who knows if that's actually possible but it was very cool and certainly something I had never seen before. Still, the filmmakers give the film room to breathe, giving us such wonderful character moments throughout the film. Not only does it give time to properly play out the complicated relationship between James and Madeleine, but we also get some wonderful character moments with the other series mainstays, including a glimpse of Q's home life when Bond and Moneypenny accidentally interrupt him at home as Q (played by Ben Whishaw) is getting ready for a dinner date. For all the humorous moments and all the action sequences, it's the fact that they took the time for scenes like this, while also being integral to the plot that really made this entry shine for me. It's all capped off nicely with a fantastic Hans Zimmer score. I loved the way that he not only integrated the classic Bond theme, but also some pieces of John Barry's score from one of my favorite Bond movies, On Her Majesty's Secret Service.  

Daniel Craig gives it his all for his final outing as Bond. This is an older James Bond, begrudgingly dragged back into service after thinking he had retired. It's a fantastic performance and you can really get a sense that all the events of the previous films have really taken their toll on him. Lea Seydoux does well again in the role Madeleine Swann and has more to play in this outing as the film reveals far more about her character's past as well as her connections to both SPECTRE and our new villain Safin. She does a magnificent job showing her character's inner turmoil without saying a word. Rami Malek makes for a very interesting Bond villain. He's not physically imposing but he is very smart and cunning which he uses to great effect against Bond. Malek hits the right note to make Safin a very creepy villain who you can tell is always thinking, always several steps ahead of everyone else. Lashana Lynch really impresses as Nomi and I wouldn't mind seeing her get a spin-off series of her own. She plays off Daniel Craig quite well as there is some animosity between the two since she inherited his 007 moniker. Christoph Waltz makes the most of his near cameo appearance in the film, giving the character the same charming menace he did in SPECTRE. Ben Whishaw continues to be a joy to watch as Q and it was fun to see him outside the lab and see a little bit of his personal life. Likewise, as someone who enjoyed her turn with Daniel Craig in Knives Out, it was fun to see Ana de Armas show up to briefly assist James Bond in Cuba and participate in a surprisingly amusing gunfight. Ralph Fiennes is reliably good as M, who we get a sense all these years later is feeling the toll the job has had on him and the countless hard decisions he has made are having their effect, especially since one of them sets the plot in motion.

Overall, No Time to Die is a worthy finale for the Daniel Craig era and is certainly one of the best of his series of films. It is epic and scope, but thrilling, exciting, and frequently actually pretty humorous too. Craig finishes his time as James Bond on a high note and that's all I could have hoped for. Still, at the end of the film as that ever present final credit, "James Bond Will Return" comes up I found myself wondering where will they go from here? I, for one, can't wait to find out.           

Halloween Horrorfest: Halloween Kills

 

Finally arriving after a yearlong delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we finally have the hotly anticipated follow-up to Halloween, Halloween Kills. It is an aptly titled sequel too as this is one brutal entry in the series as Michael Myers once again hacks and slashes his way through Haddonfield. But the hotly contested question everyone seems to be debating is it any good? 

The film more or less picks up right where the last one left off. Her house in flames, Laurie (played by Jamie Lee Curtis), Karen (played by Judy Greer) and Alyson (played by Andi Matichak) are fleeing to the local hospital to get Laurie's wounds treated. Meanwhile, back at Laurie's inferno, Michael Myers (played by James Jude Courtney) has escaped and dispatches an entire firefighting unit before heading back to Haddonfield to resume his night of terror. At a local bar, some of the other survivors of the original 1978 murders have gathered to commemorate that historical night. Tommy Doyle (played by Anthony Michael Hall), leads a toast to those who died that night. Also attending are Marion Chambers (played by Nancy Stephens), Lindsey Wallace (played by Kyle Richards) and Lonnie Elam (played by Robert Longstreet). When news hits that Michael Myers had escaped and returned to Haddonfield, Tommy is quick to organize a group to go out and find Michael and take him down for good. Laurie is badly injured and recovering from major emergency surgery when a surprise arrival shows up in the hospital, Officer Frank Hawkins (played by Will Patton). Karen surmises that Michael must be on his way to the hospital to finish what he's started while Alyson is reunited with her boyfriend Cameron. Despite her mother's objections, she sneaks out and joins the vigilante mob with Cameron to find and kill Michael once and for all. 

The film was once again directed by David Gordon Green from a script he co-wrote with Danny McBride and Scott Teems. While the previous film focused on the untreated trauma of Laurie Strode and how that had effected her family, this one casts a wider net with a look at how Michael's crimes impacted the community as a whole both in 1978 and in 2018 as the community descends into chaos and hysteria as the panic grows. They make sure Michael gives plenty of reason for their to be a panic as he leaves countless dead bodies in his wake as he makes his way through town. Still, there is something thrilling about watching the residents of Haddonfield rise up and collectively fight back against the Boogeyman, especially those directly impacted by the original events, such as Tommy, Lindsay and Marian. I just wish the movie had taken a little time to get a sense of where each of these characters were 40 years later and get more of a sense of what their life was like. Of course, since this is a horror movie, not all of them are going to make it to the end credits. That being said, some of these folks may be brave but they are also spectacularly stupid. If you know for sure there is someone in your house and there's a mad killer on the loose, shouldn't the first instinct be to get out of the house, rather than go looking for the killer? Especially if you're only armed with a tiny paring knife from a charcuterie board? Or if you've discovered where Michael Myers is hiding, do you A. Call the police to come and blow him to kingdom come or B. go investigate on your own confident you can take down one of the most lethal serial killers of all time by yourself? It's this continued character idiocy that takes this film down a notch, although Green and company do still manage to craft some intense thrills along the way. 

Much like Halloween II, Jamie Lee Curtis doesn't get much to do this film except occupy a hospital bed and preach about how "evil must die tonight". Still, she gives it her all and really shows how determined Laurie is to keep going and try to take Michael down for good. Anthony Michael Hall does surprisingly well as an adult Tommy Doyle, who not unlike Laurie appears to have similarly been impacted by that Halloween night 40 years ago. He drives a beater of a car and still hangs around his hometown. He gives real grit and determination to Tommy though, and in maybe my favorite moment of his even pledging to Laurie that he was going to protect her now, just like she did for him all those years ago. Judy Greer gets a bit more to do in the film, especially in the second half when she discovers where her daughter Alyson has gone and goes out after her. Andi Matichak continues to impress as Alyson, showing her character's pure rage towards Michael and all he has done to her family. She is more than ready to fight and makes Alyson a character to root for, even as she makes some rather boneheaded decisions. Kyle Richards makes a welcome return to the screen, reprising her role as Lindsay Wallace all these years later. She really gives her character strength and resourcefulness as she finds herself coming face to face with Michael herself. I also loved the supporting turns by Scott MacArthur and Michael McDonald as Big John and Little John, a fun and loving gay couple who happen to live in a rather notorious piece of Haddonfield real estate. 

Overall, Halloween Kills casts a wider net than the original film but doesn't quite have the same impact the original film did. Because it has a larger cast and scope, it doesn't take the same time to establish the characters as the original film did before the mayhem broke out. Still, taken as a straightforward slasher flick, it does deliver the thrills and is an intense film from beginning to end. It does set the stage for what I am confident will be a grand finale in Halloween Ends, currently due out next year. As it stands on it's own though, it's not as bad as some fans are making it out to be. It's certainly got the scares and Michael is as vicious as he's ever been. And it certainly does have something to say about mob mentality and vigilante justice. But it also feels like more of the same. It doesn't feel like the story has moved forward at all. Still, I am still very curious to see how this all impacts the next movie. If you're a fan, it delivers the goods, even if it is a bit rough in spots.          

Halloween Horrorfest: The Blob (1988)

 

The 1988 remake of The Blob is another one of those movies I can't believe I waited so long to see in it's entirety. I remember seeing the VHS box time and time again as I perused the horror section of the local video store and I always dismissed it in favor of more popular titles. It wasn't until it made it's Blu-Ray debut and I saw the filmmakers behind it that I realized I needed to sit down and give it a watch. 

A meteorite crashes on the outskirts of the small town of Arborville in Northern California. An elderly homeless man (played by Billy Beck) discovers the meteorite and discovers there is a pinkish-purple goo inside. The goo quickly adheres itself to the man's arm. In distress, he runs off and crosses paths with local teen Brian Flagg (played by Kevin Dillon). Seeing he was in trouble, Brian chases after the elderly man to try and help and they end up running into Meg (played by Shawnee Smith) and Paul (played by Donovan Leitch) who were on their way to a date. The three teens rush him to the local hospital in hopes of helping him. The man is put in an exam room and Meg and Paul try to fill out the intake forms. Disgusted with the lack of care the hospital was giving the man, Brian leaves. When she goes to check on the man, Meg makes the horrifying discovery that the goo that adhered to his hand has now devoured most of the man's body and the blob was growing. When Meg goes to the police, her claims about the Blob are initially dismissed and Brian, who has a history of delinquent behavior, is initially picked up in relation to the man's death. Realizing they have nothing to hold him on, he is released. When Brian and Meg cross paths again, she tells him about what she witnessed. Although initially skeptical, any doubts he has are quickly resolved when the now even bigger Blob attacks the diner. They quickly realize it's going to be up to them to not only warn the entire town of the literally growing danger, but figure out how to stop this gelatinous monstrosity before it devours the entire town.

The film was directed by Chuck Russell from a script he co-wrote with Frank Darabont. The two do a fantastic job updating the original 1958 original film with a bit of humor while also keeping the thrills and scares coming at a brisk pace. They manage to establish early on that any one can die in this movie and they stick to it throughout the film as the Blob's rampage grows. The film does come up with some memorable sequences, including on expanding the famous movie theater sequence from the original film, where we get to see the Blob attacking people in the movie theater as others flee, including plucking one obnoxious audience member right out of his seat and up to the ceiling where the Blob is hanging out. Other notable sequences include a poor guy getting pulled down a sink drain by the Blob that is somehow both absurd and horrifying as well an intense chase through the sewers between the Blob and Meg, her younger brother Kevin (played by Michael Kenworthy) and Kevin's friend Eddie (played by Douglas Emerson) that is very tense. The effects work by Tony Gardner and his crew with the Blob is quite impressive for the most part. There are a couple shots where the Blob is chasing someone that looks pretty fake, but for the most part it's quite convincing. Things get especially gruesome anytime it attacks someone as they basically dissolve under it. 

Shawnee Smith rocks it as Meg, showing a strength and resilience that would rank her among the top tier of horror heroines for me. She doesn't hesitate to run into the fray, whether it is running into the local movie theater to rescue her younger brother pick up a gun and try and take down the Blob herself. Smith does great as the character and is impressive throughout. Kevin Dillon does well as the rebellious Brian and finds a nice balance to the character. He may have a problem with authority and a snarky attitude, but deep down he does care about his fellow townspeople and wants to do the right thing. Candy Clark has a nice supporting turn as Fran, the owner of the local diner. She fills the character with a lot of warmth and is the kind of character in a movie like this that you want to see make it to the end. Del Close has an interesting turn as Reverend Meeker who sees the appearance of the Blob as a sign of the apocalypse as the chaos of the ever growing gelatinous monster slowly drives him insane. 

Overall, Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont did a great job updating the classic original to a more modern sensibility, keeping what worked while tweaking a few things and adding a few new twists to make it fit the new time period. The improved effects work only makes the titular monster all the more frightening and formidable. Critics at the time didn't seem to think much of it, which would probably be why it took me so long to finally getting around to it. It's is a film that has largely aged very well and holds up as genuinely entertaining monster movie thrills with just the right amount of humor thrown in. It's one I have thoroughly enjoyed every time I've watched it. If you've got a hankering for monster movie mayhem or you're looking for an overlooked gem for this Halloween season, this would be a good one to check out.          

Halloween Horrorfest: There's Someone Inside Your House

 

The slasher movie is a perennial horror subgenre that continues to come back with new offerings time and time again. Netflix's latest entry is There's Someone Inside Your House and is a refreshing mix of old school and modern sensibilities when it comes to the genre. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it should satisfy genre fans just fine. 

When a callous teen football star Jackson Pace (played by Markian Tarasiuk) is brutally murdered in his home by a masked killer, it sends shockwaves throughout his small town high school. Shortly after the crime, a video is sent via text message exposing the reason Jackson was killed: his extreme hazing of fellow football player, the openly gay Caleb Greely (played by Burkely Duffield). It doesn't take long for Caleb to be suspected as the killer, in retribution for the assault he experienced as part of the hazing, despite him being at the game at the time of the crime. Meanwhile, another group of friends that include Makani Young (played by Sydney Park), Alex (played by Asjha Cooper), Rodrigo (played by Diego Josef), Darby (played by Jesse LaToruette) and Zach (played by Dale Whibley) find the sudden outpouring of emotion for Jackson a little hard to stomach considering how awful he was to Caleb and the others. They even take Caleb into their circle when he's shunned by his usual friends as they suspect him being behind Jackson's murder. When a second classmate is murdered, the outwardly chipper and secretly cruel Katie Koons (played by Sarah Dugdale), with her darkest secret of being a white supremacist being exposed shortly after everyone realizes something serious is going on. There is a serial killer working their way through the student body, intent on exposing their victim's darkest secrets in the process. Makani, who has her own deep, dark secret and her friends fear they may be the next targets of this burgeoning serial killer who likes to wear a mask of the face of each of their intended victims.

The film was directed by Patrick Brice from a script by Henry Gayden and based on the novel of the same name by Stephanie Perkins. The filmmakers manage to create a film that is at once a throwback to the early 80's heyday of slasher flicks with the theme of past sins coming back to haunt the main characters was a common one for those films. Yet, the film feels rather contemporary as well. It doesn't get bogged down in the tropes of the genre and instead focuses more on the Whodunnit aspect of the story. To their credit, they did manage to keep me guessing even if an early suspect I had did turn out to be the perpetrator. I also appreciated the diverse cast, including an out gay character and a non-binary character. Patrick Brice and his crew do manage to craft some memorably tense sequences in the film including some suitably gruesome death scenes that genre fans have some to expect from movies like this. 

The film assembles a cast of likable and fresh faced actors led by Sydney Park as Makani Young. Her character is easily the most fleshed out of the cast as Makani has recently moved from Hawaii to live with her grandmother due to a tragic incident in her past. Park does a good job conveying her character's inner turmoil as she attempts to deal with that trauma while putting on a brave face for her friends. But she also fear that same secret will put her directly in the killer's crosshairs. Burkely Duffield manages to make the most of his role, creating a lot of sympathy for his character as he finds himself unfairly ostracized. Dale Whibley is clearly having fun playing Zach, the rebellious rich kid who loves embarrassing his uber-conservative  (and secret Nazi collector) father. Jesse LaTourette gives a good performance as the fiercely independent, non-binary Darby and was easily one of my favorite characters in the movie. 

Overall, There's Someone Inside Your House is a pretty standard slasher flick. But as a genre throwback, it's a reasonably satisfying watch with some genuinely scary moments. It assembles a cast of characters that I found myself genuinely caring about and wanting to see make it to the end of the movie, which is always the mark of a good entry in the genre. It's a refreshingly pure genre exercise without any of the post-modern meta humor that films like Scream made popular, it's made well and is entertaining while it lasts.      

Halloween Horrorfest: The Babysitter: Killer Queen

 

Back in 2017, a little Netflix movie called The Babysitter came out that I really dug for it's crazy sense of humor and the way it loved to subvert expectations as it's plot unfolded. Three years later, we got the follow-up, The Babysitter: Killer Queen. If anything, it's even more bonkers, goofy and over the top than the original film. It is also a film that proved to be even more divisive than the original film. 

We catch up again with Cole (played by Judah Lewis) two years after the events of the first film. He regularly sees the school counselor, Dr. Big Carl McManus (played by Carl McDowell) and no one believes his claims about his babysitter Bee (played by Samara Weaving) and her cult of Satanic worshippers. Meanwhile, his parents (played by Leslie Bibb and Ken Marino) fear he has had a psychotic break. The fact that he is plagued by nightmares of that's night's events aren't helping. He really freaks out when he finds a brochure for a psychiatric hospital and realizes his parents intend to take him there after school. His friend Melanie (played by Emily Alyn Lind) offers an alternative option, accompany her on her lakeside weekend getaway. He eventually agrees only to discover also joining them on this adventure are Melanie's friends Jimmy (played by Maximillian Acevedo), Diego (played by Juliocesar Chavez) and Boom-Boom (played by Jennifer Foster). Upon their arrival at the lake, Cole is also suprised to see the new girl in school, Phoebe (played by Jenna Ortega), show up as well after apparently hitchhiking. That night, while staying on a nearby docked houseboat, Cole discovers to his horror that not only has Melanie restarted the same cult Bee headed up, but he is once again intended as the sacrifice. To make matters even worse, he also discovers that the previous members of the cult, Max (played by Robbie Amell), Sonya (played by Hana Mae Lee), John (played by Andrew Bachelor) and Allison (played by Bella Thorne), have returned from the dead looking for revenge as well as to make their resurrection permanent. When Phoebe turns up looking to borrow some gas for her Jet-ski, Cole uses the distraction to escape from the cult's clutches and flees with Phoebe on her Jet-ski. He explains everything that has been going on and to his astonishment, she believes him. Still, they have a bigger problem as all the cultists are in hot pursuit so they have to beat feet if they want to stay alive. 

The film was directed by McG from a script he co-wrote with Dan Lagana, Brad Morris and Jimmy Warden. This outing is even more over the top than the first film. The filmmakers fling so many jokes at the screen over it's 100 minute runtime, along with quick witted snarkiness and so many movie references I actually lost count, this movie almost plays like a satire of the first one. Now, that is not necessarily a bad thing as Gremlins 2 had a similar approach and I may love that one more than the first. But like that film, this one isn't even really trying to be scary. Rather, it excels at going even more over the top than the first movie. The death scenes are completely ridiculous, whether it be by flamethrower, boat motor or even more outrageous means, with assorted characters being sprayed in the face with absurd amounts of gore at one point or another. Still, some of the humor can come across as a bit smug obnoxious at times as well as all the majority of the characters being overly snarky can rub some viewers the wrong way. These aspects are only amplified in this film, so it is easy to see why some viewers were turned off. Still, as a film geek who definitely got the multitude of film references McG was shoehorning in alongside all the mayhem, I did find myself enjoying the movie. The film does have some curious choices within it though, primarily the shooting locations for much of the movie. Based on the license plates on all the cars, the film takes place in Illinois, but the film looks like it takes place in Arizona, based on the southwestern scenery. It certainly does add a unique backdrop to the film, even if it's completely incongruous. Adding to the fun is a really eclectic soundtrack that includes needle drops from the Sugar Hill Gang and some of Tangerine Dream's score for Risky Business.         

Much of the cast of the original film returned for the sequel. Judah Lewis slips back into the role of Cole rather well, once again capturing his characters insecurities and anxieties which have only been exacerbated with everything that has followed the events of the first film. He does repeat a fair amount of the story arc from the first film and beyond as he goes from scared kid to more brave as he not only fights back against his attackers but also finds a first romance of sorts with Phoebe. Emily Alyn Lind returns as Melanie and handles her character's 180 turn from ally to Cole to main villain pretty well. She certainly does make for a reasonably effective villain this time around. Robbie Amell continues to steal the show as Max whose character has the interesting dynamic where on one hand he still wants to kill Cole yet can't help but cheer him on when he bests not only the others but him as well. It's such an amusing contradiction for a character and I love it. Hana Mae Lee is clearly also having a blast playing the demented and crazy Sonya and is a lot of fun to watch, even wielding a flamethrower at one point. Jenna Ortega is a great addition to the cast as Phoebe who gets thrown into Cole's new adventure and proves to be a good partner for him and just as capable in a crisis. Samara Weaving does may a welcome return for the sequel, showing up in a series of flashbacks showing how the original cult members got involved before turning up in the climax to round out her character of Bee. It was a thrill to see her come back since she was such a memorable part of the original film. 

Overall, if you enjoyed the original film, The Babysitter: Killer Queen serves up more of the same, dialed up to eleven. It is an even more comedic film than the first one and so far over the top it's impossible to take seriously. It's probably one where the viewers mileage is going to vary if the other reviews are indication. It's definitely going to be a love it or hate it for sure. I, for one, loved it for all it's absurd mayhem and quick witted dialogue.    

Halloween Horrorfest: Mayhem

 

I find myself wondering where to start when it comes to talking about the crazy, demented joys of Mayhem. It's a movie that I think anyone who has had to deal with office politics would find a great deal of cathartic glee with. It plays like Office Space gone insane with far more homicide. The film plays out with a wicked sense of humor and style to spare, it's the perfect movie to watch after a really bad day at the office. 

Derek Cho (played by Steven Yeun) may have started off working for Towers and Smythe consulting as a fresh-faced and optimistic new attorney, but it wasn't long before he was worn down by the corporate machine, losing his moral compass as he climbed the corporate ladder. One morning, he discovers that one of the higher ups, Kara Powell (played by Caroline Chikezie) is setting him up to take the fall for a bungled case for one of their biggest clients even though he had nothing to do with it. When he confronts her, they take the issue to the CEO, John Towers (played by Steven Brand) who orders Derek be fired. As he is about to be escorted out of the building by the head of HR Lester McGill (played by Dallas Roberts) and security, the entire building is surrounded by a SWAT team as the building is put into quarantine. Censors in the building ventilation system picked up the presence of the ID-7 virus. This nasty bug causes anyone infected to lose any inhibitions and act on their darkest impulses. A neutralizing agent was released into the building to treat the rampant infection and should take full effect in the next 8 hours. Until then, everyone has to remain in the building. Knowing that in the past those effected by the virus have not been held legally responsible for their actions, Derek sees an opportunity to get even. Sensing that may be the case, Towers has Derek locked in the basement of the building. There, he encounters Melanie Cross (played by Samara Weaving) who was in the building trying desperately to get the impending foreclosure of her home overturned only to be coldly turned down. Realizing they both have a common goal in righting the wrongs done against them, the two raid a maintenance locker for tools that can be used as weapons and prepare to battle their way to the board of directors and Towers on the top floor of the building to get even with Towers and hopefully get Melanie an extension on her mortgage. It's going to be a hard fought battle though as the entire building has descended into chaos as everyone begins to succumb to the effects of the ID-7 virus. 

The film is directed by Joe Lynch from a script from Matias Caruso. The two clearly had a lot of fun crafting this dark satire of office life. Lynch does a fantastic job bringing to life the utter chaos that erupts in the building as everyone gives into their wildest inhibitions. Derek and Melanie may be fighting against the villainous executives and their associates to try and get to the Board on the top floor, but in the background of various shots are all sorts of hilarious antics playing out whether it's other fights, temper tantrums or in one particularly amusing moment someone off camera re-enacting the scene from Half-Baked where Scarface quits. All the little antics in the background are certainly the things that reward repeat viewings of the film since with the initial viewing I was more focused on Derek and Melanie. The outline of the story is also pretty unique as it is almost structured like a video game. Derek and Melanie move from level to level, fighting off one executive or another to get a keycard to get them to the next person who will eventually get them to the penthouse and the Board. All the while, there is a ticking clock of eight hours they have to complete their mission before quarantine ends and the virus runs it's course, therefore becoming culpable for their actions again.  

Steven Yeun gives a fantastic performance as Derek, perfectly capturing his character's fresh faced idealism in the opening scenes as well as how quickly he becomes more and more worn down and cynical as the corporate world takes it's toll on him. He also perfectly captures his character's growing derangement as the virus takes hold and he becomes increasingly willing to do whatever it takes to get to the top floor, including any of the sadistic, nasty executives that stand in his way. Samara Weaving likewise does great as Melanie, capturing her character's growing frustration at the company's apathy, her rage only amplified by the virus as she increasingly feels she has nothing to lose any everything to gain as she joins Derek in battle. It's a fantastic and very entertaining performance. Steven Brand makes for a memorable main bad guy as the narcissistic, apathetic, coked up CEO of the company. He really sells how slimy his character is, a trait that comes out more and more as the film goes on and it becomes clear he is willing to do anything to save his own skin, including selling out his associates. 

Overall, Mayhem is a wild ride of a movie with thrilling action and a wicked sense of humor. Any time I see a post on Facebook or Twitter asking for recommendations what to watch on Shudder (sort of like Netflix for horror movies), my first recommendation is always Mayhem. It's just an absolute blast from beginning to end and one I have always enjoyed every time I've watched it.

Halloween Horrorfest: Re-Animator

 

I still can't believe I slept on Stuart Gordon's Re-Animator for as long as I did. I didn't actually wind up seeing it for the first time until earlier this year when I discovered that Joe Bob Briggs was going to be showing the sequel, Bride of Re-Animator as part of his "The Last Drive-In" show on Shudder. I went in pretty much blind and a short 90 minutes later came out with a silly grin. This is easily one of the craziest and downright hilarious (in a really dark and twisted way) horror comedies I have ever seen. 

Herbert West (played by Jeffrey Combs) has just transferred to the Miskatonic University School of Medicine to further his studies as a medical student and quickly finds lodging in the home of fellow Medical Student Dan Cain (played by Bruce Abbott). Of particular interest is Dan's unfinished basement, which provides ample room for him to carry out his studies. Soon enough, Dan discovers Herbert's extracurricular studies with a formula of his own creation that can re-animate dead tissue. He demonstrates this by re-animating Dan's dead cat. The resulting chaos causes them to be discovered by Dan's girlfriend, Megan Halsey (played by Barbara Crampton), who is naturally horrified. Yet, Dan finds himself drawn into Herbert's admittingly groundbreaking research. As their research progresses to recently human subjects, things start to get out of control as their subjects do indeed come back to life, but far more violent and vicious. This attracts the attention of not only the school's dean (and Megan's father), Alan Halsey (played by Robert Sampson) but one of their professors looking to steal Herbert's research for himself, Dr. Carl Hill (played by David Gale). 

The film was directed by Stuart Gordon from a script he co-wrote with Dennis Paoli and William J. Norris and is loosely based on the short story "Herbert West - Re-Animator" by H.P Lovecraft. The filmmakers waste no time getting the film going as the movie kicks off with Herbert West already in the midst of his research while working in Switzerland, having given a dose of his "re-agent" to a subject only to rather gruesomely discover he used to much when the man's eyeballs bulge out of his head and explode. They play out the scenario and all the mayhem that follows throughout the film with a strong dose of very black humor that sets this film apart from others. It's hard to tell if it was all intentional or just the effect of how the actors performed their scenes but either way, it makes the film. It is also hard to believe some of the more outrageous moments in the film involving a reanimated zombie carrying around their own decapitated head were meant to be taken the least bit seriously as the whole thing is so far over the top it's hilarious. I also have to give the filmmakers credit for opting to release the film unrated rather than mess with the MPAA as the film is quite gruesome, with fantastic makeup effects by John Naulin. Everything is capped off with a memorable score by Richard Band, with a bopping and playful main theme that shamelessly builds on Bernard Hermann's theme for Psycho.   

The cast for this film is really good, starting with Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West who just completely steals the show. He does a great job showing West's single minded obsession with unlocking the secrets of life and death and doesn't stop for a second to consider the consequences. His obsession just continues to grow throughout the film as he tries to find the right dosage of his re-agent. Not only that, but his curiosity leads him to do things he probably shouldn't and Combs plays these scenes wonderfully. You can just see the wheels turning in West's head as he wonders what would happen if he did something, such as deciding to inject a decapitated head with the re-agent and then perfectly playing the comedic aspect as he absent mindedly taps the head with a pencil as he waits for it to re-animate. On the other side of the coin, Bruce Abbott plays the far more straight-laced Dan who wants nothing more than to be a good doctor and help his patients. Still, when we are first introduced to him, we see him desperately trying to save a patient and losing the battle, so it's easy to see how he will be seduced by Herbert's research. It's that desire to save his patients and triumph over death that pulls him into the experiments. Barbara Crampton does well as Megan, bringing a lot of intelligence and strength to her character as she finds herself having to deal with the escalating insanity alongside Dan being unleashed by Herbert West. David Gale is clearly having fun playing the evil Dr. Hill who only wants to steal West's creation for himself and will do whatever it takes to get it. To add to the creep factor, he also has an obsessed fixation on Megan that escalates over the course of the film to some really wild and uncomfortable places. 

Overall, Re-Animator is one wild ride of a movie. It has some similar themes as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein but is pared with a very healthy dose of black humor as the film goes way, way over the top with both it's gore effects as well as it's overall story. With memorable performances, especially from Jeffrey Combs, this film is a hoot from beginning to end. It is certainly one I regret waiting so long to see. I will concede that it is not going to be a movie for everyone as it does get pretty twisted as it goes along. But if you have a twisted sense of humor like I do, you'll probably have a good time with it. 

Halloween Horrorfest: House of Wax

 

The last of that first run of horror movies from Dark Castle was a in name only remake of the the Vincent Price classic horror movie, House of Wax (itself a remake of The Mystery of the Wax Museum). Aside from the basic premise of a nefarious Wax Museum, this film is completely new, taking it's cues more from the exploitation cinema of the late 70's. Still, taken on it's own merits it's actually a pretty intense and gnarly little horror flick. 

Carly (played by Elisha Cuthbert) is traveling with her boyfriend Wade (played by Jared Padalecki), her brother twin brother Nick (played by Chad Michael Murray), and friends Paige (played by Paris Hilton), Blake (played by Robert Ri'chard) and Dalton (played by Jon Abrahams) to a football game in Baton Rouge. After an intended shortcut turns out to be a bust, the group decide to camp in a nearby field for the night and continue on the next day to the game. The next morning, Wade discovers the fan belt on his car has broken. The group meets Lester (played by Damon Herriman), a local resident who clears roadkill from the roads and agrees to take Carly and Wade to the nearby town of Ambrose to get a new fan belt while the others continue on to the game. Carly and Wade arrive to find a virtual ghost town. They eventually run into Bo (played by Brian Van Holt), who runs the local gas station who tells them that he will meet them at the gas station in a half hour to get him the fan belt. To kill some time, they decide to check out the local attraction, an old Wax Museum. Meanwhile, Nick and their friends find themselves faced with a huge traffic jam and realizing they aren't going to make the game in time decide to turn back to meet up with Carly and Wade. Soon enough, they all discover the dark side of Ambrose and the titular House of Wax. They'll have to fight for their lives to not only escape but also avoid becoming the latest attraction. 

The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a script by Chad and Carey Hayes. The three of them manage to put a nice polish on a very well worn horror movie scenario. The plot line itself is fairly predictable, although they do add a few novel twists to the story and once it really gets going Collet-Serra keeps the tension high. The biggest is probably the museum itself which is uniquely creepy from the minute Carly and Wade step inside. There is just something about each of the displays that I found so unnerving, which is naturally what the filmmakers intended. It's also an inspired choice that the entire museum itself is primarily made from wax. It may not make much logical sense, but it does make for a memorable finale as the place is predictably set ablaze and begins melting around the characters. The town itself is equally unnerving with just one street, a few houses and a few businesses with no one in sight much of the time. Of course, once the action picks up that only adds to the tension as we realize there is no one to help our main characters. Things are topped off with an impressive score from John Ottman that helps keep the tension and suspense quite well.   

The film assembled a strong cast for the film which also helped smooth over some of the more well-worn aspects of the plot. Elisha Cuthbert does well in the lead role as Carly as she nails the final girl archetype well, giving her character the resourcefulness and strength needed. Chad Michael Murray also does well as her far more hot headed brother Nick, who has a troubled life and recently had done some time in jail. Of course, when things get crazy those personality traits come in handy as they find themselves having to defend themselves against the crazed proprietors of the House of Wax. Jared Padalecki is a real sport in this movie, both in trying to keep his character likable even though he spends much of it complaining as well as everything his character goes through later in the movie. Paris Hilton doesn't come off quite as well here, more or less just playing herself and manages to skate by because of it. Still, it's an interesting piece of stunt casting that the studio and even Hilton herself leapt on with promoting the film with the tease that they can "See Paris die," which given her then annoying public image at the time audiences were all too eager to do. Brian Van Holt makes for a nasty and frightening villain in this as Bo, who really puts our intrepid characters through the ringer alongside his equally demented brother Vincent.     

Overall, House of Wax marked the end of a very short era of the annual Dark Castle horror flick. This one was even inexplicably released at the beginning of the summer of 2005 rather than during Halloween. Still, this is one of their better ones they made as they took a familiar premise and aside from that built a whole new movie. Yes, it is built from familiar parts but the filmmakers give them a good polish and present them with style as the events don't quite play out exactly as one might expect. Nonetheless, it's a thrilling and wild ride from beginning to end and sometimes that's all a movie needs to be.  

 

Halloween Horrorfest: Ghost Ship

 

As I have previously mentioned in my reviews for The House on Haunted Hill and Thirteen Ghosts, I have a soft spot for the Dark Castle films. In the early '00's, they would release a new horror flick around Halloween each year and while they weren't great they were fun, if undemanding, popcorn entertainment. The third offering from Dark Castle was Ghost Ship and while probably being the worst of the bunch still has it's moments, especially a memorably gruesome opening sequence.

A ragtag salvage crew led by Captain Sean Murphy (played by Gabriel Byrne) and including Maureen Epps (played by Julianna Margulies), Greer (played by Isaiah Washington), Dodge (played by Ron Eldard), Munder (played by Karl Urban) and Santos (played by Alex Dimitriades) are approached by Jack Ferriman (played by Desmond Harrington), a weather pilot who stumbled across a seemingly abandoned ghost ship drifting in the ocean and offers a partnership in salvaging the large ship. Sensing a huge payday, the entire crew quickly agrees and set out to find the ship. Upon discovering the drifting ship, they discover it is the lost Ocean Liner Antonia Graza. Upon boarding the ship, they are surprised to see no signs of life on the board. No bodies of passengers or anything. It is completely abandoned, apparently in the middle of a party. As the explore the ship and take stock of it's current state to see if it's seaworthy, the ghosts that occupy the ship begin to make their presence known. A little girl named Katie (played by Emily Browning) starts trying to make contact with Epps to warn her about the evil forces occupying the ship while other, more sinister spirits start to work on her fellow crew members, including a seductive singer, Francesca (played by Francesca Rettondini).     

The film was directed by Steve Beck from a script from Mark Hanlon and John Pogue. The film does start off with a bang with a memorable opening sequence and I have to say I have not seen a movie before or since this one that peaks as early as this one. Once we get into the main story, the film settles rather comfortably into a very familiar ghost story with the novelty of being set on a decaying mid-20th century luxury liner. The writers do add in a few twists and turns to the story to keep things interesting, but you can also see that the filmmakers are getting influences from a lot of previous haunted house films of the past as well as well as Beck's own rendition of Thirteen Ghosts. Much like that film, the production design of the titular ship is one of the most interesting aspects of the film, capturing perfectly the time period of when the ship first went missing, as well as the effects that time and the unforgiving sea has had on it over the several decades it's been drifting. The filmmakers also manage to pull off some nifty effects, including a sequence where an old and decaying ballroom on the ship quickly begins springing back to life and restoring itself around Greer as he watches in surprise and awe. 

The film has assembled a fairly game cast for the film. Gabriel Byrne may not be doing his best work but still gives a decent performance as the captain of the crew. He really gives the sense that he's a guy his crew respects and trusts, which helps sell them agreeing to follow him on this new expedition. Juliana Margulies functions well as the heroine of the film and the action oriented role suits her quite well actually. It's the same sort of role that Sigourney Weaver played in the Alien films, but Margulies does well in the film as a character we can root for. Desmond Harrington captures his character's inexperience and awkwardness among the more experienced characters quite well, while also hinting there may be more to his character than at first appears. Emily Browning does well as Katie, managing to make her character both sympathetic and yet a bit creepy, as a ghost should be. 

Overall, Ghost Ship is not as good as one would hope. But the unique location, matched with impressive art direction, does set the mood for a classic ghost story quite well with plenty of atmosphere. It certainly has it's moments and can be a fun watch that doesn't over stay it's welcome with a game cast that is trying their best to make it all work. It may feel all too familiar at the same time, but that's not always a bad thing either. If you've enjoyed the other, similarly themed Dark Castle films then this is very much in that same vein here as well.