Tag Archives: horror

Movie Review: Late Night With The Devil (2024)

18 Thursday Apr 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Australian sibling directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes have been meticulously crafting a distinctive voice from behind the lens and with their third outing, Late Night With The Devil they have tapped into the horror zeitgeist on a global scale. Their first feature, 100 Bloody Acres was a more straight up narrative, leaning heavily into macabre humour starring Angus Sampson and Damon Herriman as struggling brothers in the meat industry who add a secret ingredient into the mix with over-the-top comical results.

Upon closer scrutiny though, it would be their second feature, Scare Campaign that is more closely aligned with the direction that LNWTD would take, with a TV show venturing into the occult investigation that goes horribly wrong. Although it missed the mark to a degree in its execution, the Cairnes brothers have learnt from this previous outing and produced a creative and decisive tale with Late Night With The Devil. 

The premise pits David Dastmalchian in his first leading role, as late night talk show Night Owls host Jack Delroy. Delroy embarks on a last ditch attempt to pull back the ratings through a marketing stunt set on Halloween 1977, and books a psychic Christou (Fayssal Bazzi), a sceptic, and a parapsychologist (Laura Gordon) who claims that her surrogate daughter Lily is possessed by the devil. 

The look and feel of this feature is so sweetly on par, it is easy to drift into the era that it is set and be lured in by the spectacle; one of the many tricks that the Cairnes team perform well. The decade of choice is no mere accident either with America rife with violence and horror that has put society on the brink of sanity, exposed to the likes Son of Sam, David Berkowitz and Charles Manson, and with the breakdown of freedom, comes the exposure to occults and satanism, leaving everyone questioning to what end can humanity be exposed to? It is this playground that the directors’ choose to play in and through the medium of television, force this evil into the homes of every suburban household.

The Cairnes also have perfected their craft in storytelling, by slowly eeking out the threat of danger in their chosen format of late night television; each guest that is introduced is a snag on the tooth of the viewer, to pull them deeper into the world they have created, until the final act is revealed with the not so sweet Lily (Ingrid Torelli). The role of the critic, Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss) is a smart storytelling device too by constantly asking the questions that audiences will naturally come up with. How much of this is real? How much is performance? And how deeply can we keep probing for the truth before we get our cat-like curiosity scorched?

The breadcrumbs that are left along the way, adds to the weight of the journey, and the torment that is exposed by the film’s conclusion. The performances are solid and none more so than Dastmalchian, who’s character Jack is the character truly under scrutiny. How much has he had to sacrifice in order to keep up with the likes of fellow late night presenter Johnny Carson? Is there more to the history behind his wife’s mysterious and fatal illness? These questions can only be dealt with through the meticulous direction and the strength in Dastmalchian’s performance; oozing charm one minute before serving a backhand of depravity the next. We’re guided on a trail of human decline where the end is nowhere to be seen with ruin at every turn.

The Prognosis:

The American Dream is served up on a plate here and scorched beyond recognition. The Cairnes Brothers capitalise on their previous efforts to expose the frailty and deprivation through a stylised lens that is fresh, inviting and delightfully disturbing. 

This is an example of an idea executed so adeptly that every creative player involved brings their A-game to the fold and delivers.

While there are some subtle flaws, the fact that they hold fast to the look, feel and strong performances, allows them to flourish and produce a solid, entertaining feature.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie Review: The First Omen (2024)

08 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

You ever see a movie and think, who directed this?  Not in an incredulous “who the hell made this shit?” but in a genuine “why is this so good and suddenly not?” sort of way?

So much so, you immediately contemplate: “Did more than one person direct this?”

Thus we come to The First Omen.  The prequel (when is it NOT a prequel these days?) to the all-time 1976 classic The Omen.

Any feature film director, let alone a relatively new one, knows that the first few minutes of a film are incredibly important.  Impact is important.

And the best directors achieve Impact by directing well.  Subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) lens choices, camera angles, camera movement, framing, acting direction, editing decisions, sound design, music cues – the list goes on.

And the first thing The First Omen does is make good choices.  And when I say first thing, I mean the first things we see.

From the get-go the opening scene invokes the feel and tone of the first film.  The bleak overcast, almost oppressive pitch that made Richard Donner’s masterpiece a quintessential 70’s horror is replicated well here, and the Impact Moment that soon follows hits the mark with a promise that this could be more than a paint-by-numbers cash grab.

So what happens after that?

Well for one thing is starts to get a little too 70’s, in that after such a good start, you soon find yourself wondering where is this going?  In an attempt to set up tension (like all good horror films should) it delves into a usual set of characters that you spend valuable minutes deciding whether or not they’re a good-guy in disguise, or a bad-guy in disguise (FYI, you’re guesses will be right).

But the thread the film weaves as we follow its lead – a nun in waiting called Margaret Daino (played by Nell Tiger Free) as she bounces from one character interaction to another, is less rollercoaster and more nomadic.

And a lot of this has to do with direction.  Not that it gets terrible after the first scene.  In fact, it’s quite creditable.  BUT fine is a far cry from great.  And after a number of ok scenes, you do start to wonder “where are the cares and where are the scares?”

Now some of this may not partially (or even solely) be the fault of the director – production company and studio politics (read: interference) is a genuine thing.  But the good action callers know that once out of the blocks, you don’t let up.  Especially for this sort of film. 

Hence my opening tender: “Were different parts of this thing directed by different people”?

This is especially felt during one of the films more tentpole horror moments that the makers were no doubt hoping would be iconic, but is so over the top on paper, it was always going to require a deft hand to ensure it doesn’t fall into farce on screen.

But it does.  And so too the next scene, and the scene after that!  All are so unsubtly on the nose, it’s disappointing.

Having said that, there is a decent enough twist regarding the motivation of the antagonists (the people who want to see the Anti-Christ born) that lies outside of the moustache twirling motive “We are Satanists, so we are evil bahaha.  Derr”.

And the films end dovetails neatly into the events of the 1976 Richard Donner movie.  And when it does, it closes out with an interesting character still alive that promises much for The (presumably) 2nd Omen.

Mind you, how they’ll get that storyline to work without mucking up the timeline or logic of the current existing “sequels” is anybody’s omen.  Sorry, guess.

The Prognosis:

Promises much at the start, but lacks the strength of a true single-minded auteur at the wheel to guide it.  Still, it will be interesting to see if there’ll be an anti-anti-Christ installed for the next chapter.  Such an interesting idea would be a good sign.

  • Antony Yee

Movie Review: The Exorcists (2024)

27 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

When The Exorcist: Believer was released by David Gordon Green courtesy of Blumhouse Productions it intended to ride the coattails of one of the greatest horror films of all-time for a modern audience, but go “bigger”. This proposal would include two possessed kids but furthermore, three exorcists of differing backgrounds to take on the demon at hand. Needless to say, it bombed.

Now comes The Exorcists which too arcs back towards William Friedkins’ iconic feature and tries to go bigger with a trio of exorcist experts, the elite of their field, brought together by a father who needs their help to purge his daughter of the demon that has consumed her. 

What the exorcists uncover though is a far darker entity lurking beneath the female frame which it currently hosts. To add some more supposed weight to the mix, there’s even a quartet of kids that have broken into the mausoleum to awaken the dead through a spiritual seance. This decision would also lead them on a dangerous path that would weave with the exorcists’ plight. With the ante dialled up to 666, the trio of exorcists must now unite along with Doctor Olivia Beckett (Kayla Fields) and Sister Caroline (Denise Duff) to oust the demon, but they may not last their ordeal.

The Prognosis:

The Exorcists struggles to gain any momentum in its search for an identity. This is all the more evident when tied to the shackles of its inspiration. The grip is loose and the details are equally left to drift without any real focus other than to keep on coasting on a lacklustre cleansing. Its saving grace is casting Doug Bradley aka Pinhead from the Hellraiser franchise as the wisened Father Patrick Ryland, who is compelled to help one last time and amend the past from a failed exorcism. As great as Bradley is, he can only be as good as his counterparts and the script to support his talent, both of which fail him. Instead we must settle on his deliverance and pray for the ending to come.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie Review: Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2

27 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

One of the most hyped movies of 2023 came in Rhys Frake-Waterfield’s horror re-imagining of the classic children’s story Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne. This quite frankly butchered take would see the beloved honey loving bear join his friend Piglet on a bloody rampage through Hundred Acre Wood having been abandoned by Christopher Robin all these years and turning feral with extreme consequences. Despite the buzz, the film was critically panned receiving five Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Picture. This did not stave off the masses though who were swarmed up by their own curiosity to see this version, making a significant profit, do much so that not only has a sequel been released but the promise of a universe of warped retelling of classic children’s tales has been thrown into the mix entitled Poohniverse. Already there has been titles such as Bambi: The Reckoning; Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare; and Pinocchio: Unstrung.

So what of the sequel?

Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 was promised to be a crazier, more extreme take with a bigger budget to ramp up his vision.

One of the smarter decisions was to replace the actor Nikolai Leon with Scott Chambers (who recently impressed in Hammer’s Doctor Jekyll) as Christopher Robin bringing a lot more weight and vulnerability to the role.

If I have understood things correctly too, there’s a slight meta shift in perspective where although the events in the first film were true, it  is presented as a film within a film for the sequel here which picks up in the aftermath of that films success and the impact it is having on Christopher Robin’s social life. The people of Ashdown have turned against him and believe that he was responsible for the Hundred Acre Wood Massacre. Like Pooh, he has been ostracised from society and struggles to hold down a job as a result. He does however have a girlfriend, Lexy (Tallulah Evans) who willingly stands by his side throughout, and devout parents who share the burden of his struggles. What does come out in the tale is the disappearance of his brother some years ago which serves as a backdrop to his psychological breakdown and questionable character which added a little more depth to the proceedings.

And then there’s the neglected Pooh, who having lost his friend Piglet in the last movie, is joined by Tigger, a frenzied and wild beast; and deviously maliciously wise Owl who is the brains of the macabre outfit (another descent change from the predecessor). The trio have also been impacted by the first films release and are being hunted as a result. They want to seek revenge and destroy the citizens of Ashdown and embark on a bloody rampage.

The Prognosis:

It’s bigger, bloodier and unhinged as Frake-Waterfield endeavours to expand upon and lift the lid on his newfound success. In some ways its smarter too with its directorial choices but too often we’re left in swampy territory as the storyline trudges along. It’s almost like the score composer realises this too, delivering anarchic, pulsating sounds whenever Pooh and the gang go on atrack, as though to wake the audience out of their slumber.

Bigger does not necessarily mean better, as the movie still rests on the premise of the bloody re-imagining without focusing on the bones in which to form a descent structure.

– Saul Muerte

Movie Review: Immaculate (2024)

25 Monday Mar 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

When Director Michael Mohan was asked to collaborate with rising star Sydney Sweeney to make a horror film, he wanted to ensure that it not only suited Sweeney’s status but also to make a movie that was ‘genuinely terrifying”. It’s clear as the story unfolds that Mohan is inspired by other high profile psychological, religious horrors by significant auteurs of the field such as Friedkin, Kubrick and Polanski. The latter of which is abundantly clear with whispers of Rosemary’s Baby trickling throughout, but instead of a New York apartment, we’re presented with a remote convent with an Italian countryside backdrop to lay the scene.

When Cecilia (Sweeney), a devout nun and the picture of purity is invited to join the convent, which also serves as a hospital for elderly Sisters, following the collapse of her own religious community, she believes this is a calling from on high. Upon arrival it soon reveals that this is not the sanctuary that first appeared, and a growing malevolence slowly draws forth and her meek and withdrawn demeanour begins to unravel.

The Prognosis:

Mohan steps through the horror genre door with bold proclamations and high hopes. It serves him well to aim high as he certainly delivers a thought provoking and in some places shocking narrative from Andrew Lobel’s screenplay. 

This is a film that has three very clear acts and while the first act could have added some more depth to the character and to set the scene, the slow distribution serves as a strength to what Mohan has in store. The second act shifts through the tumultuous gears that allows Sweeney to explore Ceclia’s character and valour, whilst exposing the patriarchal hold the convent holds over her, before the cord is ripped in the final act in a crescendo of cataclysmic proportions.

  • Saul Muerte

Immaculate is currently screening in cinemas nationwide.

Movie Review: The Jester (2024)

23 Saturday Mar 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

The masked, silent assassin has always been a prominent feature in the horror genre albeit through numerous guises along the way. Since the introduction of Art the Clown in The 9th Circle, Damien Leone has set the benchmark for dialing up the visual senses with mute, macabre mayhem.

While Art has been enjoying the limelight of hyperbolic, sadomasochistic sensationalism, there has been another fool waiting in the wings and filled with promise.

The Jester was introduced by its creators Colin Krawchuk and Michael Sheffield in the 2016 short film and has had two follow up shorts in which  this malevolent being with magical, paranormal abilities seeks pleasure in terrorising victims who don’t appreciate his tricks.

With the option to stretch out the character with a full length feature to enact his will upon the world, it felt right to challenge Art in the horror arena.

The opener sees The Jester’s first victim John attempt to reconnect with his daughter, Emma (Lelia Symington). When he fails to do so, he becomes a puppet for The Jester’s stage and is forced into an apparent suicide.

The narrative picks up with the estranged Emma attending her father’s funeral when she meets with her step sister, Jocelyn (Delaney White). Their differences become all too obvious however, and they go their separate ways, only for The Jester to resurface on Halloween night to wreak havoc on them both.

The Prognosis:

The Jester could have been a contender, to challenge the horror scene with a disturbingly maniacal approach with a transcendental twist.

While it basks in the beauty of extreme brutality, the moments in between leave you meandering in mediocrity.

This is a patchwork job that definitely shows that Krawchuk and Sheffield know how to raise an eyebrow when they lean into the darkness but need to spend some more time working through the lighter moments to keep their audience engaged.

A missed opportunity to take the horror crown with a promising premise but instead they are mere pretenders to the throne.

– Saul Muerte

Movie Review: Imaginary (2024)

08 Friday Mar 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Is Blumhouse starting to lose its killer shine?

Having launched the first Paranormal Activity feature back in 2009, the production house built by Jason Blum hit its stride through the 2010’s with Insidious; Sinister; Get Out; Happy Death Day and a whole heap of genre features that tapped into the modern cinema-going audience. With a blend of old school horror fused with trendsetting twists on classics, Blumhouse made a significant mark. We’re now 15 years on and the machine that was churning out feature upon feature for the next generation in horror cinephiles to lap up and it would appear that the cogs are starting to rust from grinding out sublime movies that upon scrutiny are starting to pale in comparison to groundbreaking, thought-provoking films that built up the reputation of Blumhouse Productions. This slump could be traced back to David Gordon Green’s curious direction for the Halloween trilogy; one that could be a metaphor for the Blumhouse catalogue thus far, come out swinging and hitting hard, before trickling into unnecessary padding, before a shambolic, misguided outcome that degrades the name that initially made a franchise great. 

That’s not to say there have been some nuggets of gold in the mix, with The Black Phone and M3GAN proving to be a hit with the box office, (the latter being only the start of last year) but when the outlet is great, doesn’t necessitate that the quality will match and we get the mishits of Insidious: The Red Door; The Exorcist: Believer; Five Nights at Freddy’s; and (the as yet-not-watched by this writer) Night Swim. 

So, where does that place things for their latest venture, Imaginary that was released this week? A tale of a blended family, each member hosting a traumatic past move into Jessica’s (DeWanda Wise) childhood home in a vain attempt to put their tragic history behind them. All this changes though when the youngest step daughter, Alice (Piper Braun) finds an old teddy bear in the basement that she takes on as an imaginary friend. What appears to be an innocent childhood play experience comes into question when some dark turns are taken, leading the family into a journey that will test their strength. 

On paper, this concept is a solid one and Director Jeff Wadlow (Truth or Dare; Fantasy Island) spends some quality time building on character; something that directors and creatives are prone to neglect for the sake of pace and drama. It’s a shame then, that all the build up is for nought as he is let down by poor performances, some downright wet in places. This would be borderline forgivable if it wasn’t for the fact that the storyline is equally weak and let down by shoehorning in recogniseable moments from signature movies in the past such as Beetlejuice; Labyrinth; and Child’s Play. There’s one thing to make nods to creativity that has inspired, but before too long it becomes obvious that you are drowning in unoriginality. 

While this may be another misfire for Blumhouse, all is not lost and this could very well be the lull before another hit comes along, especially with Leigh Whannell’s The Wolf Man, and sequels to the psychotic killing doll M3GAN 2.0 and The Black Phone 2. Time will tell.

The Prognosis:

Imaginary by name but sadly not in the telling. Jeff Wadlow once again directs a lacklustre turn from behind the lens and a downward turn for Blumhouse. No originality and one that seems content in coasting along rather than creating a unique voice for the horror genre. Is the modern production giant resting on its namesake? One can only muse for now.

  • Saul Muerte

Imaginary is currently screening at cinemas nationwide.

Movie review: Dario Argento Panico

03 Saturday Feb 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

One could argue that no one has crafted such an impact on the horror genre nor weaved a unique style into the fold than Italian Maestro, Dario Argento. Director Simone Scafidi attempts to fashion a visual insight into the auteur’s life and work through a series of archival footage and mixture of interviews from industry admirers such as Guilermo Del Toro; Nicholas Winding Refn, and Gasper Noe; long-time collaborators, Michele Soavi and Lamberto Bava; and family members such as his sister Floriana and daughters Asia and Fiore. All of whom offer their own take on what made Argento such a remarkable talent. That’s not to say that Scafidi isn’t willing to look deeper into Argento’s character, skirting around some of the less than desirable attributes that can be carried by gifted and driven disposition. It’s an area that sparks the potential to venture into the lengths that an individual may go to in order to create their vision. This issue is that Scafidi merely dangles this observation before the viewer, little willing to venture below the surface of Argento’s veneer.

That being said, there is plenty to stoke the fire of creativity on show, and Dario Argento Panico produces a window into a remarkable career, including moments with the man himself, talking through his own observations and reasonings across a multitude of highs and lows, starting with his impactful beginnings and the animal trilogy, The Bird With The Crystal Plumage; The Cat O’Nine Tails; and Four Flies on Grey Velvet, including the Three Mothers trilogy, Suspiria, Inferno, and The Mother of Tears. Just the tip of the iceberg, but one that we can gracefully skate across an absorbing collection of works.

The Prognosis:

Dario Argento Panico is a documentary that testifies to the remarkable talent that the director has provided in the celluloid world. It will no doubt grip cinephiles and fans of Argento’s work, but there is lost potential here, where the director is all too willing to skim the surface, neglecting the urge to cut deeper into the character, and the balance between greatness and the sacrifice one makes to achieve high standards, damning all that may fall between. There are moments that Scafidi dalliances with the heart of an auteur and one can only wonder how far he would have pushed the knife, to cut open and dissect the things that maketh the man.

  • Saul Muerte

Dario Argento Panico is currently streaming on Shudder.

Movie Review: Hellhounds (2024)

25 Thursday Jan 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Hell hath no fury like a woman and a biker scorned.

On paper Hellhounds is the stuff of a second rate horror novelists dream, building on a tried formula of werewolves and bikers. Throw in the mix a group of bounty hunters and some questionable members of the constituency and you’ve got a potboiler of a film.

Where one pack of werewolves bearing the films’ titular name, they are pitted against a fanatical order of werewolf hunters known as… wait for it… Silver Bullets. It’s comic genius.

That there though ends the line of fantasy and the reality when it sets in sadly lacks in meeting up to the premises potential. Not that you can squarely judge this on the dreams and aspirations writer, director Robert Conway places on his vision, but the budget and the effects are left wanting and the acting is too complacent to attach oneself to the films’ plot.

There are some moments of brutal exposition that can put the hairs on the end and the encounters albeit few and far between take some of the scenes and push them to the boundaries of what was possible given the restrictions. Ultimately though, this is a middle of the road affair without any real known destination.

The Prognosis:

This could have been so much more with a bit more thought and action placed behind it and admittedly some more bucks and better talent in front of the screen.

There are little to no scares and one can’t help but hope and wish that some practical fx were placed to rally up the lycanthrope factor.

  • Saul Muerte

Hellhounds is currently available on PRIME from to rent or buy.

Movie review: Suitable Flesh (2024)

24 Wednesday Jan 2024

Posted by in Movie review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Music in film achieves a number of things: it establishes setting; it creates atmosphere; it calls attention to elements; it reinforces or foreshadleaningsows narrative developments; it gives meaning to a character’s actions or translates their thoughts; and it creates emotion.

(K. Kalinak, 2024)

Such is the weight that music has in films that to find the right balance is imperative in delivering the right intonation or mood to a piece. If it’s off kilter in any way, then you risk thrusting your audience out of the narrative and falling into an abyss of disconnection.  Unfortunately, this becomes common place during Joe Lynch’s latest offering from the directorial chair. It feels intentional but the choice to mix up the erotic ambience with mystery and intrigue, ends up feeling like a late night straight to tv from the 80s. 

One might argue that Suitable Flesh is aiming to present itself in this field, tipped as a successor to Stuart Gordon’s Lovecraftian classics, From Beyond and Re-Animator, it even boasts one of stars from both of these features, Barbara Crampton. And thank God as she is head and shoulders, one of the most interesting components to the film.

There is plenty to praise on the basis of its premise alone, but its execution gets too muddled through amplifying different genres with a hazy mix of confusion. Another example of how the composition never hits the right note throughout. 

When psychiatrist, Dr. Elizabeth Derby (Heather Graham) becomes involved and obsessed with one of her clients, Asa White (Judah Lewis – The Babysitter) she soon becomes entangled in an ancient curse; one with octopedal ramifications, another of Lovecraft’s signature themes arises. 

The first and second act hinges on this lustful interaction, accompanied by murderous deeds, and psychological leanings. So embroiled in this component that Lynch neglects to add any depth to the proceedings and skates along the surface hoping that the intrigue is salvageable enough to keep the plot afloat.

The supporting roles from Johnathon Schaech (Quarantine) and Bruce Davison (X-Men) are woefully underused, with the exception of Crampton who plays Derby’s confidante and lifelong friend, Dr. Daniella Upton, this is Graham’s picture to deliver, but too often she is trapped in a two-note affair, struggling to break out of her fixed portrayal of a woman in crisis.

Suitable Flesh’s saving grace comes in the final act, when Lynch finally decides to dial up the tension and leans heavily into a gripping climax, with a disappointing and predictable final reveal.

The Prognosis:

What promised to be a reawakening of Lovecraftian themes brought to light in the 80s, Suitable Flesh leaves you floundering, in search of something to grip onto, waiting all too late in the final act to serve up anything remotely appealing to its audience.

  • Saul Muerte

Suitable Flesh is available on Shudder from Fri 26th Jan. 

Kalinak, Kathryn, ‘What does film music do?’, Film Music: A Very Short Introduction, 1st edn (New York, 2010; online edn, Oxford Academic, 24 Sept. 2013), https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780195370874.003.0001, accessed 24 Jan. 2024.