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Reviews
Candyman (2021)
Much deeper than just your typical horror film
I'm seriously blown away by the new Candyman movie, it's one of the best horror films I've seen in a while and I watch horror often. Everything from the acting, cinematography, character development, social commentary, and of course the kills are all top notch and incredibly interesting. It is a direct sequel to the first film from 1992 and how Nia DaCosta and Jordan Peele expand on the lore already established in that film is brilliant and paints a broader, more elaborate picture than what the first one only touched on. Plus, telling much of that story by way of shadow puppets really sets a dark feel and tone for how things play out. I haven't left the theater after watching a horror flick feeling uneasy in a long time and this one did just that. I understand with delta going around people don't want to risk going to the theater, but if you're able to I can't recommend enough going and experiencing this one on the big screen. I loved it.
Boys from County Hell (2020)
Not your run of the mill vampire flick
Fantastic movie, really took me by surprise because I didn't think going in that it would be as good as it was. Great set up, had me invested the whole time with an interesting story line and cool effects. It has a cool take on vampires too and the whole extracting blood thing was awesome and a great addition to the vampire lore. Plus it had great, subtle comedy that was just enough and didn't overwhelm the overall horror aspect of the film. There was even a couple genuine dramatic moments that you felt for the characters which is a testament to how well the character development is in the film. This isn't your typical, run of the mill vampire flick which was very refreshing in an overly saturated sub genre of horror.
The Dark and the Wicked (2020)
Definitely lives up to its title
It lived up to the hype for me and certainly lived up to its title because it is a pretty dark and wicked movie. It had some horror movie tropes in it, but they were done so well that I looked past the more predictable moments. I really appreciated the background details that were there like quick glimpses of the demon and shadows, they added to the dread and creepiness factor of the movie for sure. The score was great also, the tension it builds throughout the movie kept me on the edge of my seat despite this being more of a slow burn film. The special effects and cinematography are done so well and look spectacular. The acting is stellar and creepy. I see people complaining about the lack of story and reasoning behind whats happening, but its not about that, at least not the way I see it. It's more about the dread and unnerving reality that sometimes, bad things happen to good people for no reason at all, which makes it all the more frightening. Overall great movie and I definitely recommend it.
Psycho Goreman (2020)
The must see horror comedy of 2021
Wow, seriously, just wow. I knew from the trailer that this movie would be funny and crazy, but I didn't know just how fun and fantastic PG would actually be. This movie is an hour and a half of epic hilariousness and just downright right playful fun with tons of gore and really awesome world building. The retro 80's feel of the practical effects and over the top kill scenes was a breath of fresh air from the typical modern day CGI effects that movies today seem to be saturated with. No hate to CGI, but will admit it's nice to see well crafted prosthetics and creative makeup effects these days, even if it's for a more comedy based horror film. The story is simple enough, nothing too complex, but also not so dumbed down that it takes away from the joy of the movie. Again, this is the must see horror comedy of 2021. It's like a cross between Power Rangers and The Guyver with Troma producing it. It's truly a wild and worthwhile ride.
Instant Family (2018)
A comedy with heart
Going into this I honestly thought I was just turning on another dumb, yet silly, Mark Wahlberg movie that I could just sit back and turn my brain off and maybe get a few chuckles out of. Well, in a way, it was that, but what I didn't expect was that it was actually a bit more than that too. What I didn't expect was to get hit right in the feels a few different times throughout this film. Now I was not a foster kid growing up, nor am I a parent of any children myself yet, so I don't have any particular bias towards or connection to the story dealing with adoption, but I tell you what, this is the type of feel good movie that makes me want to change that. Though this is a comedy at its core, they managed to add some very heartfelt, tender moments that really tugged at my heartstrings throughout this film which gave it a level of substance that most movies in the same vein reach for, but never quite grasp. And it's because of the heart this movie has that I gave it the score I did because though it is silly and has its truly funny moments, it isn't anything that we haven't seen a hundred times before in comedies.
Cosmos (2019)
A bromance in the stars
This movie manages to take a subject like listening to space, which under different circumstances is probably just as boring as you would think, but here they give us a great adventure and do it without being too over the top and fantastical. In this movie, friendship and the bond that comes with it is the underlying message, but of course, there is more than meets the eye out there tonight. The 3 main characters are scientists who get together for what is likely going to be their last hurrah of less than rousing space sound observing, though what happens throughout the course of the night and what they discover is, for me at least, up there with films such as Contact and Interstellar, just on a lot less of a budget, and a lot less Matthew McConaughey. However, what they lack in budget and big time movie stars, they make up for in creativity and heart, and this movie has plenty of both. Plus, I loved the payoff in the end. They didn't leave us hanging and they left just enough mystery to keep us thinking and wondering about the possibilities of what's out there. If you're in the mood for a fun, mysterious, adventure with a heartwarming bromance and just enough sci-fi to satisfy, Cosmos is definitely within your galaxy.
Survive the Hollow Shoals (2018)
Knock off Blair Witch, but still fun.
So this is basically the blair witch project without actually calling it that. Guy goes out into the woods and encounters some sort of ghostly/evil presence. It's not going to blow your mind or anything, but it was fun and had some legit spooky moments. I hate to use the term knock off, however they used quite a bit of the same formula as the 1999 hit movie, though in this one we do get some visual stuff so you don't have to rely so much on imagination. They also use sound effects and audio tones for added suspense, which many complain about considering its a found footage film, but that didn't bother me so much. But it did get me to jump on a couple of occasions which isn't easy to do for a life long horror fan which gave the film extra brownie points for me. So overall I enjoyed it and say its worth a watch if you're into found footage movies.
Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire (2019)
Hell House fizzles out..
2015's Hell House LLC was an unexpected win. It had the creepiness, the truly spooky effects, as well as a pretty interesting story line. Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel, was a decent sequel that didn't quite live up to the first, but was interesting enough. This new installment starts out well and kept me interested throughout the movie, however it lacks the scare factor and any spookiness is just remnants of the first two films and doesn't really add anything new to the mix. The ending was a bit of an eye roll unfortunately but not because of what happens, rather the execution of it that felt really amateurish. I think thats my overall opinion on Hell House LLC III: Lake Of Fire, it was rushed. Not a horrible movie, but not what it could have been.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
The new standard for supernatural horror filming.
So I finished The Haunting Of Hill House last night and I can say easily, without any doubt, this is the new standard for horror filming. This show had me hooked right from the jump (pun intended). I was completely enthralled with the story and characters of this series, from the beginning where we meet all seven members of the family, all the way to the incredible ending that surprisingly concluded in a way that I truly didn't see coming. The way the director fleshes out each character, usually giving each of them their own episode, gives us a chance to fully invest in and empathize with them to better understand both how and why they become who they are. I'm not familiar with the book by Shirley Jackson so I can't use that as a base for comparison, but nevertheless, what we're given in this ten-hour series is a masterfully shot, acted, and directed emotional ride for the ages.The scares were all brilliantly timed and executed, didn't rely too heavily on jump scares though the ones that were there hit the mark every time. Instead, this show focused more on atmosphere and visuals, often times building a tension within the family that would be used either later in the same episode or further down the line. The makeup and special effects throughout the episodes were incredibly well done and some of the creepiest I've seen, even in movies. The portrayal of ghosts, the subtle background changes from scene to scene, as well as the house itself were all so unsettling, it isn't a wonder that when the scary scenes do show up, we're already on the edge of our seat which allows us to be more easily susceptible and caught off guard by the frights.
I can't recommend this series enough. The Haunting Of Hill House is without a doubt the best thing in horror for 2018, I really don't think anything else this year can top it.