Tag Archives: horror comedy

Movie review: Sorry About The Demon (2023)

17 Friday Feb 2023

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We’ve all been there right? Coasting aimlessly through life with no set direction, happy to drift into oblivion with no real aim to find or improve our lives for the better, only to be dropped by your girlfriend for apparently having no prospects. Then you’re left ruminating and wondering if there is anyway to win back your love’s heart, but get hoodwinked by a real estate agent and his family to move into a house as a means to sacrifice oneself for a demon, just so that they don’t have to deal with the crap themselves? You’ve been there, right? Right?

Such is the premise of this horror comedy from writer, director Emily Hagins (VHS, Scare Package) who is fast making a name for herself in the off kilter genre scene. And with Jon Michael Simpson as her muse to enact the downbeat, hapless romantic character, Will, she is able to tap into a rift that is entertaining albeit hit and miss in the humour department. Oh the irony in a name, to be called Will when you have no will of your own.

Simpson (Scare Package) is ably supported by Jeff McQuitty (more known for his work behind the lens) as the faithful best friend Patrick. When Will’s girlfriend Amy (Paige Evans) ditches him as he clearly struggles to commit to anything including her, Will once again plunges headfirst into another project, by moving into a huge house and great living costs. The catch? It’s possessed by a demon. But we’ve all had that one flatmate to share an apartment with yeah? 

If you haven’t, you probably were that demonic housemate.

Anyway, I digress. Now stuck with this problem, Will has to face up to his problems, one that another Aimee (Olivia Decayen), who just so happens may be able to rid the house of the demonic spirit. Can he amount himself to anything and find his place in the world or will he lose it all to the detriment of all those closest to him?

The Prognosis:

Sorry About The Demon has some moments of delight in this absurd horror comedy to make one grin, but these aren’t laugh out loud flickers of gold. There’s enough there to entertain and the performances are solid, but the characters and humour doesn’t always hit the mark. 

If your looking for something to pass the time, and go in with low expectations, then you’ll be pleasantly delighted. The magic is a little lacking, and much like its lead character, happily coasts along in its own sphere, unaware of just how savage life is on the exterior when we don’t pay mind to the small details.

  • Saul Muerte

Sorry About The Demon is currently screening on ShudderANZ.

Movie review: Day Shift (2022)

19 Friday Aug 2022

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On face value, Day Shift should be one of those movies that could hook you in with its premise that is essentially a spin on the buddy cop movie, but with vampire hunters instead of cops. It also boasts an intriguing cast with Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco as its leads and with a notable supporting role from Snoop Dogg. The style would try to tap in worthy horror comedies from the 80s but the result is a strange mix of genres that never quite mesh together and seem right,

Down-on-his-luck Bud Jablonski (Foxx), has been serving as a vampire hunter for the last few years in San Fernando Valley. All this time his wife and 10 year old daughter have been led to believe that he is a pool cleaner, and that his odd behaviour has started to take its toll on their relationship. Having already been thrown out of the Guild of vampire hunters because of his unorthodox approach, Bud is forced to go back with his tail between his legs and beg for another chance. Thankfully he is aided by his friend and renowned hunter, Big John Elliot (Dogg) who holds some sway with the company, but there’s a catch. Jablonski must team up with wet-behind-the ears Seth (Franco), a desk clerk who plays everything by the book and is employed to catch Jablonski breaking the rules, so that he can get kicked out of the Guild for good.

The extra barrier and darker threat to Jablonski finding his feet is that he has upset one of the head vampires of the valley, Audrey, now intent on bringing him down and ruining him.

The action sequences throughout the movie are nicely played, so hats off to director J.J. Perry who has crafted his work as a stunt coordinator for a number of high profile flicks including John Wick 2. His knowledge in perfecting stunts on screen really paid off with his delivery for his debut feature in the directors chair. 

The issues arise in the lack of chemistry trying to be perfected by Foxx and Franco, but in their defence, the dialogue and screenplay lets them down a little and often misses the mark in the final product. Often it feels like it is all too content in resting on the sizzle of other movies, that it neglects to have a personality of its own.

The Prognosis:

This is a middle of the road action comedy horror, that offers plenty of bang, but not enough substance to really have any lasting impact on its audience.

  • Saul Muerte

Day Shift is currently streaming on Netflix