HORRORESQUE: HARDCORE HENRY

HARDCORE HENRY
STX/H.Bros.
2016 Color 
90 Mins.
Action/Sci-Fi/Thriller
Sharlto Copley, Danila Kozlovsky, Haley Bennett and Tim Roth star.
Written by Ilya Naishuller and Will Stewart
Directed by Ilya Naishuller
Rated R for language, violence, gore, nudity and drug use.

I went into this film with the lowest of expectations. Despite a multitude of positive buzz the trailer left me feeling like the film would be gimmicky and loose it's luster after the first ten minutes. Well I'm happy to say that I enjoyed the hell out of Hardcore Henry. The film is a completely immersive first person experience. Similar to playing the most bad ass video game ever. The story is light but surprisingly involved. It centers around Henry who awakens to his wife and discovers he's been reborn with a whole bunch of strong robotic parts. He has no memory or voice and immediately finds himself on the run. He quickly learns to fight and runs into an array of charismatic one note characters who quickly ends up being dispatched in gory fashions. As he moves from one breath taking spectacle to the next he discovers clues along with new missions/destinations he must get to if he wants to survive and save his wife. It all culminates with an awe inspiring, goregasmic showdown of epic proportions. Watching the film is similar to playing a video game as you the audience are Henry. Like a video game some characters and story lines are rushed through but the experience is incredibly immersive to an almost  unbearable point. The acting is fittingly hammy and the first person execution from Ilya Naishuller is inspired. Now let's talk about the gore of which there is a spectacular amount. Not since Dead Alive has there been such a display of goretastic goodies which range from severed heads, hands being torn apart, hearts being torn out, faces being dragged against buildings, gouged eyeballs being used as weapons and lots and lots of meaty blood and so much more that I don't want to ruin. Not all of Hardcore Henry is perfect, the film suffers from having a too cheesy, over the top Luc Bessonish villain who has cool but overly ridiculous telekinetic powers and the female lead Haley Bennett, so good in "Kristy" leaves much too be desired here. Also the story feels like it should culminate to just a bit more but regardless there has never been a film like this and it is one hell of an awesome fucking experience. As a cohesive movie it may not hold up but as a wild fucking experience it pushes the bar for movie going up to an exponential level of cinematic craziness.
****/5

RETRO FRANCHISE KILLER REVIEW: CANDYMAN 3-DAY OF THE DEAD

CANDYMAN 3: DAY OF THE DEAD
Artisan
1999 Color
93 MIns.
Horror/Thriller
Tony Todd, Donna D'Errico, Jsu Garcia and Wade Williams star.
Written by Al Septien
Directed by Turi Meyer
Rated R for language, violence and gore.

Insipid, convoluted, unnecessary, ridiculous, unintentionally funny these are all terms used to describe this ultra terrible fake sequel to the Candyman franchise. Obviously intended for straight to video/dvd consumption in 1999. Day of the Dead makes Farewell to the Flesh looks Oscar winning. It all starts off with a young big breasted woman walking in her cotton white panties and a very small t shirt in an all white bathroom. There's a cheap jump out scare of laughable proportions with some truly loathsome acting to accompany it. Much of the film follows suit. The film centers on a young woman played by playmate? Donna D'Errico , a descendant of Candyman's bloodline, I think. She's supposedly a popular artist but her works looks of the cheap HS variety. She of course becomes entwined in the myth and people start to die all around her. The acting gets worse as the film goes along including a truly "Scary Movie" moment as her best friend is attacked by the title killer and a sex scene featuring one dimensional characters and a glue on swarm of bees. Tony Todd so good in the other films is awful here and seems hammy and bored. it doesn't help that the film is directed by a person with no talent and the screenplay displays a generic, silly culmination of events that goes nowhere but includes being kidnapped by an snm gang of Candyman worshippers, lol. And most offensive of all the effects are so beyond awful featuring but not limited to a 99 cents store Halloween chest plate filled with plastic bees. Considered to be one of the worst sequels of all time. Day of the Dead was dumped to a quiet DVD/Video release and justly so. Now more than 15 years later the film is barely remembered. My advice stop with the second so that the franchise retains some type of credibility. After having survived this entry it's ruined the overall effect for me. .5/5

RETRO FRANCHISE REVIEW: CANDYMAN-FAREWELL TO THE FLESH

CANDYMAN: FAREWELL TO THE FLESH
Polygram
1995 Color
93 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Tony Todd, Kelly Rowan, Timothy Carhart and Veronica Cartwright star.
Written by Rand Ravich and Clive Barker
Directed by Bill Condon
Rated R for language, violence, gore and sexuality

A young Bill Condon Academy Award Nominated Director of Dreamgirls began his theatrical film career with this visually stunning, entertaining but less effective sequel in the Candyman franchise. Although not nearly as powerful as the original, Candyman Farewell to the Flesh is a lot of fun. It picks up after the events of the original film in New Orleans where the descendants of the hooked madman find themselves in turmoil when their family is targeted. The movie centers around Annie played by a young Kelly Rowan of The OC, a struggling school teacher who begins to discover her sordid family history when her brother is wrongly accused of the madman's murders. Before she knows it there's a string of gory corpses and a plethora of dark family secrets rearing there ugly head. The performance from Todd doesn't have the disturbing presence it had in the original, that being said it is in some part due to the struggling screenplay that is filled with loads of hammy dialogue and jump scares. Kelly Rowan fares much better as Annie, she lends the character a formidable strength. The cinematography is rich and the direction from Bill Condon feels confident. All in all it extends the mythology in a mostly successful way but never fares to far away from it's desperation in becoming a profitable franchise. Sadly the film didn't fare well with critics or at the box office and left the door open for one of the most ridiculous, terrible franchise killers in the history of cinema. Still Farewell stands as an overly entertaining if slightly forgettable addition to genre cinema. ***.75/5

Box Office:

Opening Weekend-$6,046,825
Total Domestic-$13,940,383

RETRO FRANCHISE REVIEW: CANDYMAN

I remember going to see the original Candyman when it was first released in theaters. I remember that film ruining countless nights of sleep for me and causing much anxiety throughout my life. I remember thinking do I have to say his name 5 times in a mirror or does any reflective surface count? Do I have to say it externally or is just thinking it five times enough to merit a visit. Now at 36 y/o visiting this cinematic masterpiece I'm reminded of all that fun torment I went through. But now after having seen so many genre features in those 23 years I can appreciate not just how well the original film holds up but how complex and intelligent it is. The film isn't merely a standard issue slasher film. Instead it is an intriguing examination of social classes, urban legends and racism. That superior film was followed by a lighter, entertaining sequel in Farewell to the Flesh and an embarrassing straight to DVD mess subtitled Day of the Dead. Below you will find reviews for each film as well as box office stats, critical reception as well as a light foray into the lasting impact of the material, so read on if you dare! And whatever you do don't say his name five times...

CANDYMAN
Tri-Star
1992 Color
99 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, Kasi Lemmons, Vanessa Williams, Ted Raimi and Xander Berkeley star.
Written and Directed by Bernard Rose
Based on The Forbidden by Clive Barker
Rated R for language, violence, gore and nudity.

Well I can tell you Candyman holds up damn well. The film centers on a grad student Helen whose writing a thesis paper on urban Legends. While investigating she learns about the round the campfire tale of Candyman. Probing deeper she begins to unravel it's origins as well as how the tale exists as a symbol of the real life horrors of the community. After a tragic incident leaves her wounded she soon after discovers that the legend may in fact be a reality and is more terrifying than she ever thought possible.  Bernard Rose's now classic horror masterpiece resonates more today than ever. His poetic execution highlights the social inequality subtext and cleverly acts as an examination of the material. Besides just being an extremely intelligent film it delivers on gory thrills and most brilliantly of all a dreamlike atmosphere that's overly unique and horrifying. No film before and since than has captured the beautiful combination of theatrical horror, desperate romance and political subtext. And most of all the film is still terrifying due in great length to Rose's execution and his main boogeyman played by Tony Todd in a career making, iconic performance. Virginia Madsen is also stellar as Helen giving her depth and conviction. The films rich atmospheric cinematography and one of a kind haunting score make the proceedings that much more effective and memorable. Candyman is indeed a horror classic and a near perfect horror film. The film never received the attention it deserved and after the two disappointing sequels the impact of the franchise has lessened. That being said the original film still stands as one of the most intriguing and terrifying genre experiences to date! *****/5

Budget: $6,000,000

Box office:
Opening weekend-$5,404,320
Complete Domestic-$25,792,310

Release Date: 10/16/92

Awards:

Saturn Awards

Virginia Madsen, Best Actress

Best Horror Film

Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival

Bernard Rose, Audience Award

Virginia Madsen, Best Actress

Phillip Glass, Best Music

Fangoria Chainsaw Awards

Virginia Madsen, Best Actress

RETRO HORROR FIX: THE WILLIES

THE WILLIES
Echo Bridge
1990 Color
92 Mins.
Horror/Comedy
Sean Astin, Clu Gulager, Joshua Miller, Tracy Gold, Kirk Cameron, Suzanne Goddard and James Karen star.
Written and Directed by Brian Peck
Rated PG-13 for language, violence and gore.

Very few people have seen this neat little kiddie horror flick that I grew up on. Released straight to video in December of 1990 the film centers on two brothers and their cousin trying to scare each other while on a camping trip. Their creepy little tales of the macabre are visualized in appropriately campy and fun ways. But what makes this little film stand the test of time is that although the stories center around kids the executions although light are not kiddie like. There's a fare amount of gore and some impressive but goofy practical effects and the culminations of the stories are haunting and kinda scary. The Willies is by no means a perfect film or even a classic but it does hold up pretty well. It's clever and fun and brings you back to a time when the genre was creative and silly. The film is loaded with a bunch of clever cameos most notably from Kirk Cameron before he was a douche and Tracy Gold on their famous TV show. Return of the Living Dead veterans Gulager and Karen show up as well. And with the recent success of the super censored Goosebumps film it's a reminder of how great kid horror flicks used to be. ***.5/5

FRANCHISE KILLER: DEMONS

I remember being a kid and seeing these films at a very inappropriate age. It scared the crap out of me. That disturbing image of those pesky demons running down that hall was the stuff of nightmares. Cinematic experiences such as these have shaped me into the giant horror fan I am today. Add that to the fact that Demons 1 and 2 have two of the hottest guys ever seen in a horror movie. Not until I was older did I see the comedic value and sexuality of the films which makes me appreciate them that much more.Written by genre master Dario Argento and directed by the amazing Lamberto Bava the films have garnered and earned there well deserved place in the classics of genre cinema.

DEMONS
New World
1985 Color
88 Mins.
Horror
Urbano Babereni, Natasha Hovey, Karl Zinny, Fiore Argento and Fabiola Toledo star.
Written by Dario Argento
Directed by Lamberto Bava
N/R contains language, violence, gore, drug use, sexuality and nudity.

Nothing beats the first. Demons is a gruesome, entertaining, nightmarish, cheesefest masterpiece. Completely outrageous on every level and featuring  a trademark kick ass soundtrack. Demons tells the tale of a mysterious movie screening that goes awry. As unknowing patrons fill the seats of the seedy old school movie theater they soon find themselves in jeopardy as the demons on screen begin to infect the guests. Finding themselves barricaded in the theater they must try and survive the terrifying onslaught of goretastic proportions which include several trademark scenes such as the puss filled demon cut on a prostitute's cheek, a demon birthing sequence, decapitations and lots of flailing blood and guts. Nothing has as much power or is as memorable as the scene when the horde comes flailing down the hallway in slow motion with glowing eyes, razor sharp claws and hungry mouths. All of this fun leads up to the iconic finale as the sexy hero rides a motorcycle through the theater tearing apart the demonic beings. Every moment of this film makes this a classic and rightly so. *****/5

DEMONS 2
Imperial
1986 Color
92 Mins.
Horror
David Knight, Nancy Brilli, Coralini Cataldi-Tassoni, Bobby Rhodes and Asia Argento star.
Written by Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava
Directed by Lamberto Bava
N/R contains language, violence, gore drug use, sexuality and nudity.

Yes it's true Demons 2 is not as good as the original but it's still a great movie. This time setting the action in a similar way in an high rise apartment building. The curse begins to spread this time from a screening of the infamous movie on TV which bleeds into a birthday party. The effects have been upgraded and the film is even more outrageous. Although not as scary as the original the film does boast some of the most creative practical creature effects ever seen on film. Sure they don't hold up that well but a baby demon with wings ripping it's way out of a possessed dog's body is the stuff that fanboys dreams are made of. It all culminates with our sexy hero (even more studly this time) repelling down the side of the building while trying to save his pregnant wife whose going into labor all the while being attacked by the demon leader. Filled with amazing effects and some nightmarish sequences including a powerful redo of the original's hallway sequence. Demons 2 does the sequel thing right. It may not be a better film but it extends the mythology and has a damn fun time doing it! ****.5/5

NEW BLOOD: 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE

Paramount

2016 Color

105 Mins.

Horror/Sci-Fi/Thriller

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher star.

Written by Josh Campbell, Matthew Stuecken and Damien Chazelle

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg

Rated PG-13 for language, violence and gore.

Trust me do yourself a favor and don't try and find out what happens in this film before you see it. It will greatly affect it's surprisingly innovative execution. Even though the less I tell you the better off you'll be I'll briefly explain the setup. Centering on a young woman, Michelle played by a very strong Mary Elizabeth Winstead who at the beginning seems to be running from something. Well on the road she falls victim to a horrific car accident. When she awakens she finds yourself chained to a wall with a tray of food in front of her. Moments later her Captor Howard played by a very creepy John Goodman enters and explains to her that there was some sort of attac on the outside world and that he saved her life. She of course questions him right off the bat as any good heroine would do. But after some events she believes his story and then it begins to unravel and the horrifying truth is finally exposed. Along for the ride is another man he let Into the Bunker one of his neighbors Emmett played by a very Charming John Gallagher Jr. I won't say what happens in the film's third act only to say that it's absolutely worth the wait. Although this is being marketed as a sort of sequel to Cloverfield it's absolutely its own beast. First-time director Dan Trachtenberg fills the film with nail-biting suspense and a thick atmospheric dread. The three central actors all give solid performances and add a surprising amount of depth to their characters. The standout performance of course goes to John Goodman completely out of character here and and doing a damn good job scaring the shit out of us. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is so impressive as the final girl. Her character is strong right from the get-go but becomes so Kick-Ass and self-reliant it's hard not to clap out at her every action. The culmination of events is truly shocking and leaves promise for one hell of a sequel. Still what stands is an extremely satisfying genre film that is entertaining, sweaty palm inducing suspenseful and increasingly creative as it moves along. My only complaint is that I wish it all would have just been a bit scarier especially considering the surrounding events. That being said 10 Cloverfield Lane is the best genre film to come out in quite some time. ****.25/5