An American Classic with a French twist! Leatherface

leatherface

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) is my favorite horror film of all time. It was one of the only films outlawed by Dad when growing up. I remember seeing it for the first time at a sleepover my friends house. I was entranced by the raw execution and it's documentary like feel. Needless to say I became an instant fan.  The film is a foundation for backwoods BBQ horror and is just as pertinent today as the day it was released in 1974. I'm always very excited when a new entry comes out.


Although, the quality of the franchise is all over the place. Each of the entries including even New Beginning hold a special place in my horror heart. So even after the slight Disappointment that Texas Chainsaw 3D was. I was still excited to find out they were working on a sequel. And when I first heard the filmmakers of the brilliant French horror film Inside were taking the reigns. The possibilities were endless to me and the excitement overbearing.

Of course I reeled in my expectations. I mean let's face it, most films are more than a bit disappointing nowadays. Also, most of the time when foreign genre directors make their domestic debut, the results are underwhelming (Ring 2, Grudge, Messengers, Eye, etc.). There is of course, that rare exception, when it all comes together. And from what I've heard so far, it seems that it has. Premiering a few weeks ago at a London's Frightfest, the film received stellar reviews with critics saying "it's the best entry since the first".  A bold statement no doubt, but if anyone could pull it off, these guys could. Everything in their portfolios pegs them for being a great choice to takeover the franchise. From their stylish execution to their slow build up of classic suspense, creative storylines and grotesque payoffs.


Julian Maury and Alexandre Bustillo


Julian Maury and Alexandre Bustillo met each other through a mutual friend and began working on their first movie Inside. Centering on a pregnant woman who is attacked by an assailant who wants to cut out her baby. There is of course a bit more to it but I won't spoil. I will however say that if you haven't seen this, you're missing out. It's ultraviolent and exquisitely stylish with some of the most surprising, gut wrenching scenes ever put on film. Inside was controversial upon release but was well received by critics and fans. It still stands as one of my favorite films and a sparkling example of what the genre can be. Check out the trailer below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibP9PUdEmwk


Following that success, the cinematic floodgates opened up to them. They were attached to Halloween 2 (Which Rob Zombie would go on to direct) and a remake of Hellraiser. In both cases they left the projects over creative differences. Ultimately they followed up with a movie entitled Livid.  Centering on a group of teens who break into a mansion of an old, sick woman and discover that it's inhabited by creatures who feed on blood. Although visually entrancing it lacked the punch of their first feature. The film wasn't received as enthusiastically as they struggled to maintain creative control throughout and ultimately felt unsatisfied with the finished project.


Their next move was a smaller production Among the Living. That film centers on a group of young kids skipping school who come across a large man in a clown mask dragging a bloodied woman from a car. This is the film that really starts to show that these filmmakers have the goods for Leatherface. The film exposes their grittier side, has a deeper storyline and sheds new light on what they are capable of. Although it's a French Horror film it does have a sort of distinct "American" feel. Taut and edge of your seat Among the Living never reaches the heights of their first feature but is nightmarish and confident.


After the film's successful debut they were hired to helm the Leatherface prequel. Upon reading the script, the duo admired the fresh take on the franchise as it veered from the expected formula. The producers were impressed as well saying "They had a perfect vision for the film".  Armed with a studio size budget and more resources than they could hope for they began.


Leatherface
Instead of following standard slasher movie tropes Leatherface works more as a horrific road movie. Blending the western and horror genres. It centers around a nurse being kidnapped and tortured by a group of escaped mental patients. All the while they are hunted by a vengeful sheriff and his posse because they are responsible for killing his daughter. Eventually they come upon the sadistic family and we ultimately see the creation of our iconic killer. The film stars Stephen Dorff (Blade), Finn Jones (Game of Thrones), Sam Strike (EastEnders) and Lily Taylor (The Conjuring).

Shot in Bulgaria over a very compact twenty seven days. The film was originally supposed to be released in October of 2016. The film was however delayed because of release strategies and date issues. Finally it is currently debuting on Direct TV platforms on September 21st with a limited theatrical and VOD release October 20th. Sadly, this is the first film in the franchise to not receive a wider berth. Check out the awesome red band trailer below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbhOWHvrnto


Future


Following Leatherface the two are set to direct a segment for the French Horror anthology Paris, I'll kill you. and than who knows what else, the sky is the limit for these talented modern day masters of the genre. I'd personally like to see them take a crack at a Purge sequel.

Leatherface stands to be a very exciting venture. It's an impressive sign that they took two brilliant French film makers and put them at the helm of a traditionally "American" for lack of a better term slasher franchise. It's no doubt that the film will be divisive amongst fans as they always are. But whether it's bad (Which I don't think it will be) or amazing, it will certainly be something fresh and interesting. Something the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise and well let's face it almost every horror pic coming out nowadays desperately needs.

Friend Request

Friend Request is the type of film that doesn't resonate much after seeing it. It does however offer up enough quality jolts to merit a recommendation. It's nothing like Unfriended ( Although I didn't hate that) of which I'm sure it will be constantly compared to. Instead of being gimmicky and goofy the film tries it's best to graduate old school teen horror to the techno age. It's a valiant effort and it mostly meets it's ambitions.


The film centers on a young woman named Laura played by Alycia Debnam-Carey of "Fear the Walking Dead". She's the type of character whose nice enough to reach out to the school outcast. Enter Marina, who is stereotypically weird with her black clothes and edgy artwork.
Marina, almost immediately becomes obsessive. She begins contacting Laura aggressively and begins to act erratically. Feeling as though she may have a stalker on her hands she tries to push the girl away nicely but it doesn't work. It culminates to a freak out by both girls and she is unfriended. Marina than commits suicide and posts it on Laura's page.

From this point on, things get very interesting. Marina is some sort of witch and her spirit has been transferred into the internet, with the promise of making Laura feel exactly as she did. Soon after Laura's friends begin to die in grotesque ways and the posts just keep on coming and people keep on deleting her. Eventually Laura begins putting the pieces together with her creepy friend Kobe (a tech whiz) and tries to unravel the mystery before it's too late. It all leads up to a surprisingly dark finale with some nasty twists.


Friend Request won't be winning any awards but it does manage to elevate the sum of it's parts. What separates Friend Request from being total rubbish is it's dark execution and genuine performances. Rated R, the film has spots of surprisingly gruesome terror.

Alycia Debnam-Carey (Fear the Walking Dead) is solid in the lead. Even when her character isn't being the smartest or nicest person she's likable and you feel her desperation. The supporting actors are fine all around but Brooke Markham who plays Isabel is a stand out. Her part isn't as developed as I would have liked. But she adds a charismatic zest to the proceedings bringing an emotional urgency usually uncommon with teen genre fare.


The direction from Simon Verhoven is ambitious and confident. He feels his way around the story and paces the film so that it's never boring. There are some great choices here. The dark cinematography enhances the fear quotient. And the overall atmosphere of dread keeps you on the edge of your seat.
I won't say that Friend Request is great, it certainly has it's flaws. At times it can feel a little juvenile and the villain unfortunately feels two dimensional and not very developed. In the end it's a mostly solid genre entry, managing to bring a refreshingly creepy spin on the formula.
Friend Request is currently in theaters and deserves a look.


Check out the creepy little trailer below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDNgs0dgjj4


Friend Request Entertainment One 2017 Color/B&W Alycia Debnam-Carey, William Moseley, Connor Paolo, Brit Morgan, Brooke Markham and Liesl Ahlers star. Written and Directed by Simon Verhoven. Rated   R for language, violence and gore. *

Jeepers creepers 3, is it worth the wait?

JEEPERS CREEPERS 3

I consider myself to be a fan of the Jeepers Creepers franchise. I saw the original and it's sequel in my early twenties. It was scary and fun and a little disturbing.  It's been 14 yrs. since we saw the release of the last Jeepers Creepers film. And I've been feigning. That fun but overly mediocre sequel didn't leave much room for the franchise to go. As it took place on the last day of the creatures feeding and than 23 yrs. later as an old man awaits vengeance. So finally we have  Jeepers Creepers 3 .


Jeepers Creepers has never been the most solid franchise. The original is great but far from flawless. It's a very unique take on the road trip horror flick. Well executed with some great gore and solid performances and just a tinge of homo-eroticism. Hello, Justin Long's rose tattoo by his belly button, the creeper smelling his pink dyed dirty under wear, etc.


Followed by Jeepers Creepers 2. A fun but unnecessary sequel.  It has a slew of hokier characters.  Which include a psychic cheerleader, a character of questionable sexual orientation nicknamed Izzy or Izzy'nt he? Oh and a ton more homo-eroticism. Lots of guys urinating together, sunbathing on the roof of a broken down bus and talking very closely.

So now all this time later we finally have a sequel. The big question of course if was it worth the wait? Well I'm sad to say, no. Although not a bad film, it's definitely the worst of the bunch. Still there is enough here to merit a light recommend. From some well timed jump scares to some cool twists, solid performances and creative mythology. It offers audiences more than most studio films being released.


Picking up right after the events of the original. Following when Darry played by Justin Long was taken. As the police run around in circles a mysterious man pulls up. Sheriff Tashtego played with a macho but likable zest by Stan Shaw. He quickly makes sure the others know he is aware of the creature and what has happened there. Because him and a small group of survivors are out for vengeance, after what had happened twenty three years prior.


As we move along we meet Addison Brandon played impressively by Gabrielle Haugh. A young woman whose living with her seemingly crazy grandmother played by a feisty Meg Foster. She is visited daily by her son's ghost. He was murdered during the last feeding cycle. But before he died he buried something of the creature's that it's coming back for. In a brief flashback we discover that the creature lost one of it's hands. And if you come in contact with it and touch, it comes to life and reveals it's origin.

There's plenty of showdowns as the creature collects victims to replace the ones he lost at the cathedral. But this taking place in between the first and second. You realize that this will come to an unsatisfying conclusion. There is a definite focusing on expanding the mythology of the creature and it's appliances so to speak. The car becomes an entity all it's own with some crazy booby traps. As well as some creative weaponry that seems to think on it's feet. That being said, a good sequel will move the franchise forward. And although their are some creative touches, this just doesn't.
There's plenty to like about this entry. It's got some great cinematography. Sweeping shots of gorgeous landscapes and creepy houses. As well as some claustrophobic ones of the Creeper attacking. The film unfortunately is suffering greatly from budgetary constraints. Many of the deaths happen off camera as well as some of the events. The digital effects are a little silly and outdated. Coming off unintentionally funny at times. As does some of the practical work which includes a very fake eyeball.


There are solid performances from Gabrielle Haught, Meg Foster, Stan Shaw and Brandon Smith elevating the material. The direction by Salva is solid as usual but there are some slight pacing issues and the finale or lack there of feels very anti climactic. There is also just a bit too much slow motion. Although I really appreciate the decision to make most of the action happen during the day. It lends the film a refreshing quality and still manages to be creepy.
It all culminates in a mostly disappointing fashion that has you wondering if they even were able to complete filming. Gina Phillips shows up as a now grown up Trish waiting for the creature's arrival to avenge her brother. The idea is great. It's just handled in such a hammy fashion with smirk worthy dialogue.


Jeepers Creepers 3 is a film stuffed with so much potential that never comes to fruition. It feels a bit shorted and kind of like a pilot episode to a new TV series. Missing is a sense of urgency, so prominent in the other films. Still its entertaining and offers you a bit more insight into the Creeper. And by the way, Johnathan Breck adds some much needed charisma and Humanity to his starring role. Making the main villain feel way more memorable. The action sequences are mostly impressive and the film manages to introduce some solid characters and ending it all with an expected by clever twist. So do you need to see this is theaters? Probably not. It's a little too SYFY movie of the week in spots. But all in all you could do much worse say like the cinematic trash fest The Mummy.
If you're still dying to see Jeepers Creepers 3. Lucky for you and Unlucky for those of us who paid. The movie will premiere on the SYFY channel on Saturday, October 28th. 28TH. It's a fathom event. Otherwise it hits VOD and Disc on December 26th, 2017. Check out the short trailer below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpzzrqJi6ko


Jeepers Creepers 3 American Zoetrope 2017 Color 97 Mins. Horror/Thriller Gina Philips Meg Foster Jonathan Breck, Stan Shaw, Joyce Giraud Carrie Lazar, Gabrielle Haugh, Chester Rushing, Ryan Moore and Jordan Salloum star. Written and Directed by Victor Salva. N/R contains language, violence and gore. ***/5

NEW BLOOD ALERT: THE EVIL WITHIN

THE EVIL WITHIN
Supernova
2017 color
98 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Frederick Koehler, Sean Patrick Flannery, Dina Meyer, Michael Berryman and Brianna Brown star.
Written and Directed by Andrew Getty.
N/R contains strong language, violence, gore and disturbing weirdness.

The Evil Within arrived earlier this year with little buzz and a generic poster. When the trailer finally arrived it looked to be no more than just another notch in the straight to VOD belt of endless mediocre cinematic offerings. But recently someone turned me on to some information about the film and I became very intrigued. Apparently Writer/Director Andrew Getty was this millionaire who was a meth addict and poured all of his money into this production before he died in 2015. He shot the flick over six years and when it was all done the price tag grew to around five million dollars. So imagine a meth addict shooting a horror film inspired by his experiences and that's what you have here.

 Sound intriguing? Well let me amp it up a little. The movie centers on a mentally challenged young man who commits gruesome murders after being instructed by his reflection in an antique mirror. It starts off with animals and than children and than people. The movie fluidly moves between nightmarish bad dreams and hallucinations as well as family drama packed with dirty little secrets. The brutality and bizarreness increases as the film goes along as well as the disturbing awkwardness that permeates almost every inch of it.

 It is an amateur film, make no mistake but it's delivered with such passion and zest. The end product feels silly, over the top and kind of brilliant all at the same time. This is a completely original film that came from the mind of someone that was really, really high. There's a bunch of strange special effects and animatronics as well as some stylish and uncomfortable set and costume design. The film is shot really, really well. There are moments that are created visually that rival some of our best classics. Although the film doesn't gel altogether completely what remains is a truly inspired collection of disturbing thoughts brought to life by unique film making and solid performances especially from the lead Frederick Koehler whom really deserves some recognition. The film burns into your psyche and not in a pleasant way but for all it's faults and whether you love or hate it. It won't be something you will forget. ***.5/5

NEW BLOOD: ANNABELLE CREATION

ANNABELLE: CREATION

Warner Bros.

2017 Color

109 Mins.

Horror/Thriller

Lulu Wilson, Miranda Otto, Anthony LaPaglia, Talitha Bateman and Joseph Bishara star.

Written by Gary Dauberman

Directed by David F.Sandberg

Rated R for violence, gore and terror.

The Conjuring is one of the scariest horror films I've ever seen. There's a real sense of believable darkness about it. In that film James Wan began a cinematic Universe which preyed on audience's most simplistic fears. Fears of the dark, the unknown, strange noises in the night, the unseen, etc. It is a perfect blend of character and story growth, effective performances and a much needed dose of classic terror. Since than the universe has burdened us with an overly melodramatic and hammy Annabelle prequel as well as a solid but over the top Conjuring sequel. So here we are now at a prequel to Annabelle a film of overly mediocre quality that really didn't really deserve a follow up. Well like the recent, terrifying Ouija 2 this installment fares way better than it's predecessor and most surprisingly is the most effective entry since the original Conjuring.

 The film centers around a couple in the 50's who looses their daughter in a horrible accident. So many years later they open up their house to a group of Catholic orphans. It however, just so happens that the father had handcrafted the original Annabelle doll and after loosing their daughter had unwittingly invited an evil spirit to accompany it. They of course did their best to contain that evil but now with the arrival of new visitors the evil has escaped and is in search of a new body.

The film does a nice job of setting up the story and characters even though it feels a bit rushed at times. That being said the scares are quite terrifying and effective even though a few of them feel a bit silly. The performances are solid all around as well as the staging by Lights Out Director David F. Sandberg. As the film rockets towards it's inevitable but clever finale it becomes more aggressive and even a little grotesque. It never quite hits the Conjuring high notes but does manage to succeed not just as a solid entry to the franchise but as the film that solidifies the new horror universe they have succeeded in creating.

There are a few Easter eggs scattered throughout for the franchise's fans one of which includes the nightmarish nun from Conjuring 2 which will get her own spin off movie next year. It's strange that in this day and age that the new horror universe that in past  consisted of Dracula, Frankenstein and the wolf man and than Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers has transformed into something that's inspired by real life events. it certainly echoes our times and is both inspired and exciting to look forward to. ****.25/5

NEW BLOOD: WISH UPON

WISH UPON
Broad Green
2017 color
89 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Joey King, Ryan Phillippe, Ki Hong Li, Mitchell Slaggert, Shannon Purser and Sydney Park  star.
Written by Barbara Marshall
Directed by John R. Leonetti
Rated PG-13 for language, violence and gore.

So... I'm embarrassed to admit it but I kinda liked this movie. Now I know most of you will be rolling your eyes as I would have before I saw it but it's really pretty good and pretty bad but in the right ways. Now the setup is quite familiar girl finds haunted object makes wishes, those around her have to pay the price for them. Some of the wishes consists of making a girl rot, dating the school's hunk, making her dad less embarrassing even though that involves a ridiculous Saxophone and popularity of course amongst others. Some of the prices involve a garbage disposal, a chainsaw and a very large statue with very big horns amongst others.  Although it's really just a longer Tales from the Crypt episode "Wish" offers a fair amount of solid entertainment even though there's not much depth to it all.

 Leonetti of the recent overly mediocre Annabelle directs. He fares much better with teen horror and even amps up the suspense in a few spots, One in particular involves someone on an elevator mixed with someone fixing a car. Leaving the audience wondering who will meet their gory demise. There are of course some unintentional giggles throughout from some of the forced character building moments, some PG-13 edited death sequences and one hell of a ridiculous looking final kill. Now, you have to understand I really went in with the lowest of expectations I mean I didn't hate Annabelle but it's hard to deny that it was a bad movie. I also had a shot before seeing this and that might have helped as well. However, I do believe that the film's two saving graces are the death sequences, some of which are surprisingly violent for it's rating and it's solid cast.

Joey King is really impressive in the lead and even when her character is doing horribly selfish things, she's easy to root for. She's gives her character some much needed depth and manages to side step some of the more horrid dialogue by conveying a true sense of genuine ownership of the part. Not an easy commitment but she nails it. Also impressive are her friends Shannon Purser a.k.a. Barb from  Stranger Things and Sydney Park from The Walking Dead. Both have some great moments and Park is spunky and memorable in her role. All of this merits a light recommendation. Wish Upon doesn't reinvent the genre or even make a solid dent in it. But as teen popcorn horror it's quite entertaining even when it results to making Ryan Philippe play the saxophone repeatedly and coming off supposedly cool like this is a late 80's cinemax after dark flick. But it's in that goofiness that the film remains oddly endearing because it's both pretty good and unintentionally funny in spots. It's a blend of Final Destination and Mean Girls  mixed with Wishmaster, it does however fare much better than the latter and much better than Annabelle and presents a tasty if forgettable offering for Horror fans desperately in need of a theatrical outing. ***.25/5

KILLER FRANCHISE: FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)

In celebration of my current obsession which has turned me into a 13 y/o boy Friday the 13th the game. I have decided to marathon my beloved childhood franchise of which I have grown up on. And with that I have decided to blog some reviews of them. So without further ado let's start with the brilliant original Friday the 13th aka the one where Jason's Mom is the killer, which is a much deserved classic in my humble opinion.

FRIDAY THE 13TH
Paramount
1980 Color
1 hr. and 30 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Adreinne King, Kevin Bacon, Betsy Palmer, Jeanine Taylor, Robbie Morgan, Harry Crosby, Mark Nelson, Laurie Bartram, Peter Brouwer and Walt Gorney star.
Written and Directed by Sean S. Cunningham
Rated R for language, violence, gore, drug use, sexuality and nudity.

I never got to see the original film in theaters. I actually didn't see the original film til I was in my teens. I believe my first trip to see Mr. Voorhees was the seventh film and than backtracked from there fleshing out my horror palate. Upon seeing it I was confused as to where Jason was until that horrifying ending which still stands as one of the creepiest twists ever. Now years later I have recently revisited it and can honestly say that it is a brilliant film and it's cult/classic status is well deserved. Although Initially the makers of Friday the 13th decided on a horror film only after the success of Halloween. Made for a now paltry $550,000 the film went on to make $39.7 Million which if adjusted for inflation would be over $100,000,000 now. Like Halloween the film was met with negative reception at first but has earned more positive reviews from modern critics. In the years following the success of the original film Paramount has always been kind of embarrassed by the franchise sadly never giving the franchise the treatment or acclaim it deserves, even though it helped them build their empire. The film centers around a group of camp counselors who are setting up a camp with an infamous past and end up being stalked by and Murdered off gruesomely one by one by Jason's Mother played by a disturbing Betsy Palmer.

 Adrienne King is the final girl and never really went on to do much after the first two films. Although she's taken her cult status and opened a winery in upstate new York with f13 themed wines (look for the link below). The film also stars a young Kevin Bacon in extreme studliness as a one dimensional horny hottie who gets killed off after doing the deed. The film features loads of gory executions trimmed down for an R release of course which include an axe to the face, a slashed throat and a decapitation.

The film is a lot of fun and has an unrelenting pace that culminates nicely. What's most impressive about this classic is how unique it is. It was a very rare thing to have a female villain back than, hell it's even rare now. It's also pretty cool how the film is laid out, it presents itself as a schlocky run of the mill slasher entry seeing a faceless killer throughout the proceedings who you assume to be a man and to be a grown Jason. But when it turns out to be his Mother it adds a whole new dimension to it at all. Because now it's become about a mother's love, overcome by grief and loneliness who has a few screws loose, a psychotic streak and wants revenge for the senseless death of her deformed son. Friday the 13th is such a corner stone of the genre. So many movies have taken from it from it's setting to it's villain and to the way in which horror clichés have formed. I mean how many films have we seen about a psychotic killer in the woods. And this was pretty much the first of the bunch. There's been lots of imitations and a ton of sequels but there's only one original still setting the standard 37 yrs. later for films of it's type. all hail Jason Voorhees!*****/5

KILLER FRANCHISE: FRIDAY THE 13TH 3-D

In celebration of my current obsession which has turned me into a 13 y/o boy Friday the 13th the game. I have decided to marathon my beloved childhood franchise of which I have grown up on. And with that I have decided to blog some reviews of them. So without further ado let's continue part 3 aka the one in 3-d where Jason gets his mask.


FRIDAY THE 13TH 3-D
Paramount
1982 Color
95 Mins.
Horror-Thriller
Dana Kimmell, Paul Kratka, Catherine Parks, Gloria Charles, Jeffrey Rogers, Nick Savage and Larry Zerner
Written by Mark Kitrosser and Carol Watson
Directed by Steve Miner
Rated R for language, violence, gore, sexuality, nudity and drug use.


After a slight misstep with the sequel Part 3 goes another route and decides not to take itself all too seriously. There are moments in this film in which it feels like a straight out comedy. But the execution from Miner is what makes this entry work oh so well. As for the plot a young woman returns to her family's cabin trying to overcome the trauma of being attacked years ago. She of course brings her stoner, hornball friends and the violence ensues as Jason hunts them down. Let's see where do I start.

NEW BLOOD: IT COMES AT NIGHT

IT COMES AT NIGHT
A24
2017 Color 
91 Mins.
Horror/Thriller/Drama
Joel Edgerton, Caren Ejogo, Christopher Abbot, Riley Keough and Kelvin Harrison Jr. star.
Written and Directed by Trey Edward Shults
Rated R for language, violence, gore and sexuality.

We've seen this movie before. Something's happened to the world, a virus has seemingly taken out most of the population and a family resides in the woods trying to survive. Until one day a mysterious stranger shows up and things begin to fall apart. I know you are probably rolling your eyes. I mean how many of these movies are they gonna make. It's true the concept feels a bit tired but "Night" proves there are still new ways to revisit it that make it feel fresh and relevant. This film is so great. I would just like to warn people upfront that this film is a slow burn and to be honest it's more of a drama filmed as a horror movie.

Shults effectively builds a potent, dread filled atmosphere you can cut with a knife. Every moment from dishes being washed, family dinners and staring into the woods is gorged with an uncomfortable sense of impending doom and anxiety inducing paranoia that makes it all feel nightmarish. It's the type of movie where they stare into an endless void horrified at something we cannot see but we are witnessing the horror that is happening on there faces. I mean there are a few scenes that take place in this long, dark, black hallway with a red door at the end. The camera moves slowly through it penetrating your psyche and inducing a subtle, prominent fear. I swear I was so creeped out I just wanted them to stop doing it. 

 In addition to the atmosphere, the performances are very strong across the board. Edgerton is solid as always, Ejogo has never been better and Kelvin Harrison is a real stand out here. He lends his character a sense of relatable desperation surviving in a bleak world not worth surviving in. The film is filled with disturbing imagery that was hard to forget long after I saw it, the cinematography is really impressive making the most inanimate objects seem downright creepy and the score is simplistic and haunting lending the proceedings the feel of a nightmare you can't wake up from.

 In fact I had a bit of trouble sleeping that night. I wanna say that it's not a perfect film sure it could have used a bit more character work. As well as some fleshing out concerning the story. But maybe that's the point maybe the simplistic nature of the film and all of it's subtext is what makes it so darn effective. It's sure to divide audiences, the movie is just not for  everyone. There's no big payoff and most of the events that happen are ended on an ambiguous note which will feel unsatisfactory to some. But it's all intentional because in the end it's a character driven piece about human nature in which the title refers to the horror that comes when all hope is lost. ****.5/5

NEW BLOOD: ALIEN COVENANT

ALIEN COVENANT
FOX 2017 Color
120 Mins.
Sci/Fi-Horror
Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, James Franco, Danny McBride< Carmen Ejogoand Jussie Smolett star.
Written by Dan O' Bannon
Directed by Ridley Scott
Rated R for graphic violence, gore, strong language and nudity.

I know it's been a while since my last post. And this review is hella late but I was busy with life stuff like my 38th birthday and getting engaged to my wonderful boyfriend of five years. But truth be told reviewing this movie is a difficult thing. I've needed time to think about it and what I wanted to say. Now that the film has been out for two weeks and word of mouth isn't to positive I can say that I was undoubtedly disappointed. Not to say that the film is bad, because it isn't. First up let's discuss the plot which is pretty much Scott's version of Friday the 13th in space. A group of colonists discover a planet with the remains of an alien spaceship and set upon it. Almost immediately a sort of alien bacteria exposes itself to them and some people get infected.

(SPOILER) They eventually run into android Michael from Prometheus and a new kind of Xenomorph. The film sadly doesn't deliver on the films it wants to be or feels like it should be. The first half feels like a sequel to Prometheus and the second a half a half assed follow up to Alien/Aliens. When the action gets going which is pretty quickly it feels disjointed. Alien films have always been character driven and suspenseful. This entry doesn't really have any character work in it. Waterston is solid in the lead but her character feels confusing and a little disjointed and Fassbender does expectedly well with his parts but there just doesn't seem to be all that much to him besides being creepy in a god like fashion.

Sadly the film is filled with a bunch of tired genre clichés where people wander off unnecessarily, fire at explosives and decide to have sex in the aftermath of an Alien attack. There is some fun to be had here the special effects are cool as is the cinematography, there are some interesting action sequences although they feel out of place and some cheap scares here and there. The movie does nail an atmosphere of dread for the most part but it all feels very rushed through and dragged out at the same time. It can't choose whether it wants to be something substantial with an underlying theology and deeper subtext or just a run of the mill horror sci/fi action flick. Because it toggles between these it's not truly effective on either level.

 Worst of it all culminates to a generic Tales from the Crypt type ending. What is all the more confusing is that in the trailers, TV spots and scenes that appeared on line there seemed to be a lot more character work and extended sequences of suspense which were cut out. And that's really the goods that would have made this venture have more of an impact instead of feeling so episodic. In the end I'm sure the film will get better with a director's cut and multiple viewings but as for right now it barely makes the grade for decent summer entertainment. Which isn't a very high bar. My suggestion wait for VOD and give Prometheus a second shot it's a better film in my opinion one in which it feels like Scott wanted to make instead of feeling like he was obligated to. I didn't love that film the first time around but it's grown on me substantially as for Covenant I'm just not so sure. ***/5

HORRORESQUE: KING ARTHUR-THE LEGEND OF THE SWORD

KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD
Warner Bros.
2017 color
126 Mins.
Fantasy/ Action
Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Annabelle Wallis, Djimon Honsou and Eric Bana star.
Written and Directed by Guy Ritchie
Rated PG-13 for language, violence and adult themes.

I was lucky enough to catch an advance screening of King Arthur the other night. You may be asking yourself why this review would even appear on a horror blog. But there is without a doubt a lot of horror themes running throughout this gargantuan production. Surprisingly enough this new version of the mythology approaches the material from a darker fantasy angle than any which have proceeded it. The movie starts out with an epic FX heavy battle sequence featuring gigantic, mysterious creatures and lots of magic. Soon after Arthur's parents are murdered and he escapes. Only a young boy he is taken in by a bunch of young women working in a brothel. We see him grow up through a bunch of quick cut flashbacks done in the purest Guy Ritchie style. Of course when reaching his peak he becomes a continuously shirtless, ruggedly charming Charlie Hunnam. 

Acting as a sort of security for the household with a group of charismatic friends. Meanwhile the kingdom is being searched when a stone with an immovable sword appears. And I'm sure you can guess what happens from there. There are the expected events such as the pulling of the sword, Guinevere, whose a mage trained by Merlin this time around and a final epic battle. 

What you don't expect is some gnarly supernatural creatures, a bunch of cool magic and a very unique take on the material that's never been seen before. The movie is also surprisingly funny and creatively executed. Those expecting a standard issue historical take on the legend will be sadly disappointed. This has more in common with Mortal Kombat than Braveheart. The movie is excessively energetic and confidently entertaining but does feel a bit chaotic at times.

 Because of this chaos it's hard to forge any type of emotional connection to the characters or story. It all feels very flashy and awe inspiring. And although there seems to be substance here as well a ton of very cool ideas it all feels like so much and yet doesn't have the girth you would think. As we move towards it's explosive finale it becomes a bit too CGI heavy, that being said it truly is a sight to be seen.

 I only wish they would have gone for that R rating so the violence would be a bit more graphic and the gore more apparent. Also although the cinematography is pretty impressive I do wish they pulled back and slowed down to show some of the battle sequences instead of the quick zooms and cuts that left me a little confused at times. And once you buy into the cinematic universe they create it's one hell of a good time. Filled with insane action set pieces a very hunky and likable Hunnam and awe inspiring visuals this "Arthur"leaves quite an inspired impression. 

And speaking of those genre bloodlines there's everything from nasty sea creatures to giant snakes and an insanely creepy and hellish Video Game style villain. Enjoy!***.5/5