31 Days of Horror (Pt. II of II)

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October 16th - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Maybe not so much a horror film as it is whimsical, but the hefty tone of the feature-film adaption of Sweeney Todd makes for something perfect for the dark fall months. With cannibals abundant and grisly set pieces, this movie feels like a bit crazy, but is all in good fun - at least for those of us who don't have our throats slit.

October 17th - The Mothman Prophecies

Shrouded in mystery The Mothman Prophecies perfectly captures the lore surrounding the winged beast seen by many in a film perfectly suitably for October. While not the scariest, this twisting movie is an impressive and dimly lit shroud of obscurity. Sure to bolster your belief of the mythical, The Mothman Prophecies brings one of the most well-known folk tales to the mainstream.



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October 18th - Night of the Living Dead
At first glance, this black-and-white zombie film may feel dated, but upon watching, viewers will realize it transcends times. Forging the way for so many undead films that followed, Night of the Living Dead is an iconic masterpiece and required viewing for the month of October. The dread throughout, the scares sprinkled in and the unique acting all wrap up into something efficient and entertaining.

October 19th - The Conjuring

The go-to modern classic, recognizable to nearly anyone and scary to most, is The Conjuring. Deeply embedded in the fall season, The Conjuring uses hyper-stylized visuals to convey a chilling atmosphere. It is bon a fide and deserving of everyone's eyes and there is no better time to watch than right before Halloween.

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October 20th - Creep
With a sequel forthcoming, there's no better time to revisit Peachfuzz the wolf than right before Halloween. With nothing more than a cheap Halloween mask to help take on the killer's identity, this grounded slasher film is uncomfortable and insane. It never goes into outlandish territory and instead focuses on setting up a sympathetic dying man with some odd quirks. This of course unravels into something far more sinister, but oh well. That's life.

October 21st (Weekend Double Feature) - Annabelle: Creation/Ouija: Origin of Evil

In a world of abundant mediocre sequels, these shockingly good prequels make a perfect horror double feature. Released on Video-on-demand on October 20, Annabelle: Creation is one of the most impressive horror films in a year of impressive horror films. Round out the night with the surprisingly efficient Ouija: Origin of Evil and you're sure to have a great time with these retro period pieces.

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October 22nd (Weekend Double Feature) - Hell House LLC/Fear. Inc.
Sometimes when you go looking for something scary, you bite off way more than you can chew. That's essentially what happens in this pair of movies. Like The Houses October Built, both Hell House LLC and Fear. Inc. feature a group of friends who are prepared for horror, but not the real kinds they end up facing. Hell House LLC recounts an incident at a local haunted house attraction gone wrong and in Fear Inc. a man employs a scare company to come strike terror in his friends. Both are perfect for October.

October 23rd - The Fourth Kind
For all the love of ghosts, goblins and witches during the Halloween season, people often forget aliens. With big action flicks abundant and plenty of classics going around, it may be easy to overlook the underrated gem, The Fourth Kind. Easily one of the more terrifying entries in the abduction subgenre, The Fourth Kind pairs "real life footage" with some terrifying "reenactments."

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October 24th - CropseyHorror documentaries are often pretty over-the-top. With too much effort put into dramatizing the accounts of people and reenactments that'd make any viewer cringe, it can be hard to watch them. But some great ones do exist. None more so than Cropsey. Low-key and dark, this brooding documentary follows a pair of filmmakers examining, and never quite solving the stories surrounding a derelict building in New York City. It leaves quite a bit to interpretation, all to the film's benefit.

October 25th - The Nightmare on Elm Street

The Nightmare on Elm Street is the most 80s thing to come out of the 80s. From its soundtrack to its styling, this comical and scary horror movie is perfect for October. It's got everything you could ever want to get you in the mood for Halloween; oddly grotesque props, some gory death scenes and an easily recognizable killer.

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October 26th - The Blair Witch Project
If you've ever been in the woods during the fall, you can pick up on the creepy atmosphere all around you. Playing on that fear is the iconic Blair Witch Project. Whether it’s the bumps in the night or the occult objects the group of friends find in the mornings, this movie gives viewers plenty to be afraid of. Watch and then go into the woods and who knows, maybe those sounds you hear will be all the more scary to you.

October 27 - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Leatherface wears a mask of sorts, so what better time to watch this disturbing film than around Halloween. It's a classic slasher with plenty of gore and, despite the hot setting of the south; this movie is best viewed in the coolness of autumn. Don't eat while Halloween candy while you watch though, you'll regret it.

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October 28th (Weekend Double Feature) - Scream/ Scream 2
Kick off Halloweekend with one of the greatest horror films of all time: Scream. Acting as a satirical revival of the inundated subgenre, this slasher franchise is one of the most permeating films in the industry. Everyone loves it and rightfully so. Start with the first and go to the equally as strong second. Without a doubt these movies have spawned the longest-running Halloween costume of all time. With plenty of mask variations available for the spookiest day of the year, your Ghostface options - just like the killers in the franchise - are endless.

October 29th (Weekend Double Feature) - Scream 3/Scream 4 

Is this entire weekend really supposed to be all about the Scream franchise? Yes, 100 percent. Sit down and watch all four in the same night, over the course of a weekend or throughout the month. It doesn't matter so long as you watch them all before the 31st. Even with the ridiculousness of Scream 3 and the glossiness of Scream 4 marring the Wes Craven creations, these movies are undeniably amazing.

October 30th - Trick 'r Treat

Getting the cult status in horror is a difficult task that has zero formula, but no movie has ever captured the heart of so many from unpredictable places like the cult classic, Trick 'r Treat. An anthology horror film connected by a cute, but admittedly disturbing masked child named Sam, Trick 'r Treat goes everywhere; from camp and gore to terrifying ghoulish scares. With the potential for a sequel constantly bubbling under the surface, the mark made by Trick 'r Treat is destined to stick for years to come.



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October 31st - Halloween
Finally reaching Halloween, there's only one movie left to see: Halloween. By namesake alone, this film is the pinnacle film of this spooky holiday. Avoiding Halloween, whether the original, sequels or eventual remakes, is sacrilegious. Halloween is a master class of slasher prestige and Michael is one of the most iconic villains in horror. There simply is no better time to watch this movie. Halloween on Halloween is like brushing your breathing, you have to do it.  

31 Days of Horror (Part I of II)

Halloween comes but once a year, but the month of October should be filled with all things spooky. No matter your plans, sitting down and watching some scary horror films will provide you with everything you need to get in the Halloween mood. This week's compiles 31 horror films (bonus weekend double-features) in honor of the most terrifying month of the year. The movies on this list will scare you, set the tone for fall and give you all the legendary iconography representative of Halloween. So without further ado, the 31 Days of Halloween Movie Masterpiece (16 to 31 tomorrow): 

 



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October 1st - The Houses October Built/The Houses October Built 2

Is it fair to have a double-feature be the first and second in a series? Yup! What better way to kick off the month than a movie with October literally in the name? The answer is there isn't. The Houses October Built will set the tone for some truly great scares even if it’s not an insanely complicated film. Perfect way to begin the month.

 

October 2nd - The Babadook

For all the annoyingness that is the child at the center of The Babadook, this film offers plenty of dark tones and creepy scenes that'll leave viewers with nightmare. It's vintage feel and practical effects will make you yearn for Halloweens past and by the film's end, everyone should be left feeling a little more unsettled.



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October 3rd - An American Werewolf in London

Horror during the Halloween season should be all doom-and-gloom. That's why including movies like An American Werewolf in London are a must. Chilly, scary and, at times, comical, this film has everything from a lycanthropic transformation to decaying bodies and is a must on any October horror list.

 

October 4th - The Witch

Perhaps more Thanksgiving than Halloween, The Witch will provide the perfect witchy feeling to Halloween. However, unlike also must see non-horror films like Hocus Pocus, nothing about this movie is sweet and succulent. It's a disturbing and chaotic rabbit hole that'll leave you clutching your babies and your animals a little closer.

 



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October 5th - Friday the 13th                                    

A summer-set classic, but also one that sparked years and years of Halloween costumes, Friday the 13th is a necessary classic. While the slasher at the core of this franchise first ends up not being Jason at all, Friday the 13th is the movie you have to see if you've ever gone out in a hockey mask to collect candy.

 

October 6th - Evil Dead

Players’ choice on this one. Both the 1981 original and the 2013 remake are worthwhile endeavors to get you in the mood for October. Each features plenty of twisting branches, grotesque kills and a curse that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy.



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October 7th (Weekend Double Feature) - The Orphanage and The Awakening

This night is reserved for a pair of films set in secluded schools and orphanages. For one, orphans make for some scary horror content and sure The Orphanage is more summerset, but it's a spooky Spanish horror film featuring hollow hallways and a masked child that make for an adventure not for the faint of heart. Tack on The Awakening and you have two very accomplished horror films to round out your night.

 

October 8th (Weekend Double Feature) - Insidious/Insidious: Chapter 3 

Insidious is sure to go down as a modern day classic and its absence on any list of Halloween films is a gross oversight. With all the ghoulish figures, jump scares and terrifying haunted house scenes a person could ask for, it is by-and-large one of the scariest movies to come out of the modern film era. For the second movie of the night, skip the shaky sequel and go straight for the underrated gem, Insidious: Chapter 3; a film that has tense, spooky atmosphere and enough jump scares to make your heart stop.

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October 9th - Noroi: The Curse

Often dubbed as one of the scariest horror films ever created, the found-footage Japanese hit, Noroi: The Curse takes the creep factor to the max. More investigative than straight-up horror, Noroi pulls no punches and instead features a number of deaths; disturbing characters and a climax that is, well, scary.

 

October 10th - The Taking of Deborah Logan

The obsession with this movie is borderline obsessive. If there is a list or a category or anything in regards to horror, chances are The Taking of Deborah Logan deserves to be on it. Seemingly coming from nowhere and continuously overlooked, this film is an absolutely terrifying found-footage endeavor. Taking place in cooler months, it'll definitely get you ready for Halloween, all through an old woman more likely to give you hard candy rather than chocolate.

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October 11th - The Last Exorcism

While you'd think naming yourself the last of something would make you, well, last, The Last Exorcism spawned a pretty mediocre sequel and did little to stop the subgenre from moving forward. However, perhaps the quality of The Last Exorcism should have warranted it to be the final nail in the exorcism industry. It’s a terrifying found-footage film taking place in a Podunk town with very questionable religious motives - perfect for the Halloween season.

 

October 12th - Behind the Mask: The Rise and Fall of Leslie Vernon

An indie darling and cult gem, Behind the Mask: The Rise and Fall of Leslie Vernon is the type of cheeky slasher film that'll leave you laughing uncomfortably. It’s a divisive little horror film filled with heart and is sure to put you in the Halloween mood as it satirically rips into the subgenre and brutally attacks our protagonists.

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October 13th - Poltergeist

Without even acknowledging the pointless remake of this horror classic, it must be noted that Poltergeist is an October must. What can be said for this ghoulish flick that hasn't already been talked about? Sure, its graphics may have dated terribly and its acting isn't as strong as some of today's standards, but between the clown toy scene and the bodies in the ditch, Poltergeist is worth your time.

 

October 14th (Weekend Double Feature) - Sinister/Lake Mungo

Mystery swirls around these two films' plots and both have terrifying results. In each, we find characters attempting to unspool a murder, or in the case of Sinister, a series of murders. Is something supernatural going on or is there another, more realistic story? Well, as anyone who knows anything about Sinister can attest to, Bagul certainly isn't human. Lake Mungo on the other hand? That one you'll have to watch to find out. With a much smaller release, this slow-burning horror film is quite the bone chiller.



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October 15^th (Weekend Double Feature) - The House of the Devil/The Innkeepers

Ti West is quite the horror icon. With both The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers, he's proven himself to be an adept director that can balance absolutely terrifying moments with more lighthearted comedy. The two films that work best together are his retro-flavored movies, The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers. Each are perfectly shot masterpieces that deserve even more credit than they're given and both are some of the scarier choices for a fall night in.  

 

 

Review: Welcome to Willets

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Despite multiple classics and a few big-budget sci-fi adventures, good alien movies are hard to come by. Over the years, the subgenre has taken a quieter route in the industry, with few, notable exceptions. Dark Skies - one of the more recent attempts wasn't overly terrifying and while plenty of interstellar films continue to get released, we've yet to see a permeating rebirth of families getting the heebie-jeebies at the hands of grey figures from the sky. So, for fans anxiously waiting for impact, Welcome to Willets should give a little peace.

Starring Chris Zylka (The Leftovers) as the film's lead, Jeremiah, and Anastasia Baranova (Z Nation) as townie Courtney, Welcome to Willets finds a group of friends fighting for their lives against aliens deep in the woods. The local pot farmer and Courtney's uncle who encounters the group and is worried about the aliens played by Bill Sage (We Are What We Are) and his significant other is played by Sabina Gadecki (Entourage). Jeremiah's group of friends is comprised of a cast of young stars, including Garrett Clayton (King Cobra), Thomas Dekker (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Keelin Woodell (The Bye Bye Man), Rory Culkin (Scream 4) and Harrueche Tran (3-Headed Shark Attack).

The youthful star power of these budding actors definitely works in favor of this movie. Each brings a certain determination surely brought on by each of their past experiences in horror films. In fact, Welcome to Willet is uplifted past other, weaker parts through this group of stars. Shakier plot points and some truly cheesy practical effects take away from the movie's quality and typically higher standard seen from IFC Midnight films. The dialogue could be improved and by the film's end some of the story feels muddled.

Welcome to Willets features a certain retro atmosphere. Like a throwback to the teen horror films of yore, this film is unabashedly simplistic and comedic. It's not a terrifying exercise of horror but it is an easily entertaining one. It's not nearly as polished as say, The Cabin in the Woods, but it is certainly an upbeat romp that's fun enough to sit through.

Overall, Welcome to Willits isn't some insane alien film. It's not Close Encounters or even The Fourth Kind, but in an age where the only existing options are crazed action/sci-fi films and an occasional offbeat alien film, it'll have to do. Welcome to Willets makes the most of its young stars and even it's more weathered veterans, and it’s got plenty to at least get viewers through the night. 5 out 10.

Review: Happy Hunting

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In horror, hunting season often means something entirely different from the daily grind of deer meat-seeking outdoorsmen. Over the years, a multitude of releases have featured prey that is disturbingly human. Movies like Carnage Park and the classic short story, The Most Dangerous Game, all see hunters becoming the hunted as crazed maniacs stalk our victims down. Happy Hunting is in a similar vein.

Following a recovering alcoholic who gets stranded in a rural town, Happy Hunting is an aggressive thriller that finds our protagonist struggling for his life against the townspeople who kidnap drifters and hunt them for sport. While shaky at times, this movie is a bloody heap of crazed fun. Happy Hunting stars Martin Dingle Wall (Gun Shy) as Warren Novak, our struggling alcoholic. Ken Lally (Heroes) and Sherry Leigh (Poseidon) as the Pattersons, an unhinged couple that seems completely rosy until the hunt begins, Connor Williams (The UnMiracle) as the youngest prey, Robbie, and Gary Sturm (Sasquatch Hunting) as the games spokesperson, Sheriff Burnside.


Pairing camp and grit, Happy Hunting finds comedy in its vicious premise. There's moments reminiscent of The Purge, stylized kills that bend into grindhouse and overall, plenty of chase scenes to make audiences' hearts race. Wall and Lally are definitely the film's biggest standouts. Wall gravelly voice works well as he struggles to cope with his sobering brain and Lally gives off major creep vibes until he becomes the intense killer seeking revenge.


Visually, Happy Hunting is a perfect end-of-summer bash. Set in a desert, there's an almost monochromatic tone to the film. The harsh, sunbaked lighting of the treeless land makes for an experience that'll leave viewers thirsty for water. This works in favor perfectly with Warren's struggle with sobriety as his thirst and delusions are exasperated by the harsh landscape around him.


Audiences have seen this kind of movie done better, but there's no denying the entertaining gut punch resulting from the graphic imagery, stark desert landscape and deeply unsettling villains. Happy Hunting could stand to polish up, but for all it is, it’s satisfying. The acting of the leads, at least is worthy, the violence is visceral and gory and for fans of similar films, Happy Hunting should quench their thirst. 6 out of 10.

Best in Show: Nasty Neighbors (Pt. II of II)



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5. Troy & Sons (The Neighbor) There's a sheer ruthlessness to the neighbor at the center of The Neighbor. Like Mick Taylor of Wolf Creek infamy, Troy is a rural man who is evil to his core. Drawing his two sons into his insidious plans, Troy is the type of neighbor who may come across as a homely outdoorsman, but he is nothing short of villainous. His small business consisting of holding victims for ransom and killing everyone in his way is the type of work only someone in a Podunk town could get away with.


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4. Jon & Teresa (The Ones Below) If things feel too perfect, chances are they are. This is exactly the conclusion Kate and to an extent her husband, Justin, come to after quickly befriending and defriending their new downstairs neighbors. While slightly off, the pairs quickly have a budding friendship. That however, crashes after a by-chance accident that quickly unravels into hell for Kate. Disorienting in their passive aggressiveness and the steps they take to ruin the lives of Kate and Justin, the pregnant Kate quickly recognizes the darkness behind Jon and Teresa. While things at one point grow rosier, the unsettling tension never leaves this film. This is a pair you won’t see coming, but will certainly regret accepting into your lives.

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3. Mr. Jones (Mr. Jones) Artsy and cultured neighbors can be a double-edged sword. Sure they bring a certain lighthearted airiness to the area, but they can also spell trouble thanks to their free spirits and intrusive projects. This happens to be a complete and total understatement in the case of Mr. Jones. A secretive artist in the vein of Banksy, Mr. Jones is a welcome unknown for new homeowners Scott and Penny. After they decide to research the recluse and film it, they soon get more than they bargained for. Mr. Jones isn't a neighbor any of us are bound to come across any day, but his scary sculptures paired with the mystery surrounding him make him less than a satisfying prospect for any potential homeowners.

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2. Jerry Dandrige (Fright Night) Though more comical than most neighbor horror stories, the core of the 70's film, Fright Night, is terrifying. Deceptively charming to everyone other than Charley Brewster, Jerry Dandrige is a new neighbor \you'll literally be praying to leave. While he may need to be invited in and presents himself as cordial, he's truly anything but. Using trickery and deceit, Jerry captures the hearts of those around him and then transforms them into similar monstrous creatures. His ability to feign normalcy in the eyes of everyone by Charley is a testament to his charms. Jerry is scary, at the very least, because of his ability to charm.



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1. Robert Turner (Disturbia)

One of the most iconic thrillers for 2000s teenagers is the Shia LaBeouf-starring film, Disturbia. Featuring a neighbor with enough skeletons to fill more than a closet, Disturbia is a frightening reminder that despite rosy appearances, you don't really know your neighbors. Sure they may be friendly and relatively normal, but underneath that veil could be something far more sinister. Like the human Jerry Dandrige, Robert Turner comes across as the charming man next door. Older and dressed in semiformal clothes in nearly every appearance, he seems like your typical suburbanite. But, after some deep sleuthing, it becomes clear that he has a secrets and a preparedness to kill. Disturbia isn't a straight up horror film, but it gives viewers one of the scariest neighbor nightmare stories in the film industry.

Best in Show: Nasty Neighbors (Pt. I of II)

While plenty of horror films are set nestled in desolate locations, some of the scariest stories come from the house right next door. Whether hiding bodies in their basement or harboring a dark secret, neighbors can be the unknown and unsuspecting evil you never knew you had to watch out for. Sure suburbia sounds nice and high-rises can build a sense of community, but when your fellow suburbanites or tenants are evil, isolation seems like the better plan. This week's list covers horror's scariest neighbors.

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10. Will & Annie (Honeymoon)

While leaning more toward the isolated setting of films like The Strangers, the indie horror flick, Honeymoon, features a pair of distant neighbors who could make any new residents' skin crawl. When Paul and Bea set out for their honeymoon at a remote cabin, their closest neighbors are a pair of odd townies, Will and Annie. Will happens to know Bea from her youth and Annie, while quieter is deeply troubled. And, while Will ends up being less aware of the dark roots setting themselves into Annie and Bea, his initial hostilities toward Will are more than suspicious cannot be ignored.

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9. Ryan Jacobson (House at the End of the Street)

Despite his troubled childhood and continued struggles, there's no denying the creep factor driving Ryan Jacobson. When divorcee Sarah and her daughter, Elissa, move into a secluded and wooded neighborhood, the nearby house at the end of the street proves to harbor more than the normal white lies of everyday families. Ryan lives there alone after the disappearance of his sister who happened to murder their parents. Things get increasingly unsettling as Elissa uncovers far more than she bargained for in her budding relationship with Ryan. Ryan isn't your typical scary neighbor; he's young, enrolled in school and seems relatively friendly, but through all of his childhood trauma, Ryan has turned into something far more evil.

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8. Abel Turner (Lakeview Terrace)
Rarely do thrillers give as much of a perspective as to the crazed reasoning behind bad neighbors as in Lakeview Terrace. While completely unwarranted, there's something almost sympathetic about the unhinged Abel Turner. His actions while sinister and problematic are given plenty of backstory and while he eventually turns into quite the problem, he starts the movie as a grumpy old man. It’s a shame how evil he turns out to be because everyone would think having a cop next door would be the blessing of a lifetime.  Instead, it ends up being an absolute nightmare. 

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7. The Castevets (Rosemary's Baby)

You have to love moving into a new place and discovering you have kind, even if a little overbearing, elderly neighbors. Well, that is until you realize they're far more sinister than they appear. Turns out, the Woodhouse's neighbors are quite the opposite of cutesy. In fact, they're anything but. Last week, the pair made the list of scariest old people in horror and for good reason. The Castevets' pension for Satan, hidden behind a desire to assist Rosemary and her pregnant needs, is anything but neighborly. Rosemary's Baby is a classic hinged on the great villains created in The Castevets. They're terrifyingly kind demeanors and their overly helpful nature make for something truly dark.

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6. The Ferrins, Halversons and Mr. Cali (The Purge)While a lot of money may buy you a nice neighborhood, it certainly can't buy you nice neighbors. While the tension built around the neighbors surrounding the Sandin's may seem a little warranted, the added pressure of an annual anything-goes evening of horrors is all that's needed to break the camel’s back. Whether it’s the standoffish but innocent behavior exhibited by the Sandin's is partially to blame the horrific intentions of their neighbors is anything but couth. Despite the feigned culture and class of them all, this group of neighbors are vicious. They set out with a goal and set on the Sandin's house with all the ferocity of the deeply rooted mistrust and competition of upper-class living.

Review: The Canadoo

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For years, creators have tried turning America's passion for reality television into effective and scary horror stories. Television shows like Siberia and movies like Man Vs. and Wrong Turn 2, have all had limited success capturing the melodramatic, but engrossing nature of broadcasted reality. The recently released movie, The Canadoo, follows suit.

As noted, The Canadoo follows a group of five hopefuls as they venture into the forest for the chance of fame and fortune. There's a pretty stereotypical typecast between the aggressive pretty boy, the fame-seeking blonde, the nerdy introvert and the kind, small town girl. However, each is provided some more dimensionality as the film unravels. The film stars Tyler Buckingham (Megan Leavey) as aggressive pretty boy, Shawn, Ali Roberts (The Takeover), as the fame-seeker, Taylor, Alina Lia (Immortalis) as the kindhearted Ashley, Teddy Cole (Vice Principals) as nerd, Adam, and Drey Wigfall (The Brides of Sodom) as Derrick.


The cast is pretty phenomenal. Despite being relatively unknown, each provide far more to their characters than anyone could expect. The bonding sequence around the fire is one of the movie's most enjoyable and grounded sequences. It gives depth to characters that otherwise carry on as one dimensional. It feels the most real and would fall more in line with what actual reality programming attempts to do and is successful, largely in part, because of the cast. Even when they seem to fall into shaky territory, they wrap back enough to provide some sense of realness.  



The Canadoo takes a lot of time to get anywhere near a horror film. The majority of the film is spent giving the characters conversational moments, rather than building tension amongst them and the wilderness. For a non-horror film, this would be entirely fine, but when the movie has less than thirty minutes left, you begin wondering why the "scares" are amounted to a handful of rustlings in the bushes around the group's camp. The chasing in the dark scenes aren't fantastic, but more so because the camerawork seems pulled from the 90s. The eventual unveiling is scary and inexplicable, but it is the wilderness, so who knows what happens out there.


The Canadoo is cheaply made and sometimes leans toward mediocrity. Like the aforementioned films and shows that feature contestants taking part in reality television, there's something inherently missing. The fact that the cast isn't real, the things that happen to them aren't even close to real and the show they're featured on also isn't real make for something filtered through too many lenses. It's got some benefits; its characters - while sometimes flat - have a certain draw to them, the setting - while plain - is incredibly desolate and the plot - while predictable and not always scary - is enjoyable. The Canadoo isn't the most intelligent or terrifying film made, but it never becomes something unwatchable. 5 out of 10.

Review: The Atoning

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Before services like Netflix and iTunes, it's imaginable that it'd be hard to review indie movies and compare them alongside far superior, more mainstream films. But, with so many horror films coming out on various streaming and VOD efforts, the excuses one could make for mediocrity grow thin. There are new horror movies out every week. There's big ones and small ones and pretty much everything in between, and despite these differences some excel in every category while others flounder. The Atoning does the latter.

Written and directed by Michael Williams (OzLand), The Atoning follows young parents, Vera and Ray, as they attempt to shield their son, Ray, from ghoulish things in the night. Family secrets, slamming doors and plenty of conflict keep are created to round out the film's haunted house and with varying success; these things do make what could have been a flat film into something maybe a little more bearable. The Atoning stars Virginia Newcomb (Peacock) and Michael LaCour (Texas Heart) as Vera and Ray, and Cannon Bosarge (Bonnie & Clyde) plays Sam.

In regards to the cast, there is something particularly grounded and normal in each of the actor's performances. Newcomb is sympathetic as the wife and mother who wants the best for her son and Bosarge certainly has at least some career ahead of him. LaCour comes off as the slightly weaker part of the trifecta, but he has moments of clarity. Williams also does a good job with the resources he has. It's simply shot, but in an industry of obsessively odd angles and insane camera shots, it’s almost relaxing to see something more plain.

These technical aspects are about all The Atoning has going for it. The scares are joltingly predictable. The dialogue is relatively flat and the family's troubles are never all that engrossing. Sure each cast and crew member probably is working their best, but it doesn't mean the resulting film is even remotely interesting or even worse, scary. When the big twist comes, it provides some new direction, but it’s done better before in other movies. The modern perspective change - while welcome - isn't fulfilling. It ends up being a melodramatic and rather odd turn that turns it away from the film's horror aspects.

The Atoning is a bland example of a film that is at its best, boring. Even with a creepy set of ghouls in the end, there's far too much painstaking done to keep viewers invested. If they make it to the end, they might be a little scared of the creatures, but not enough to make up for the long and arduous uphill battle it took to get there. 3 out 10.

The Overlook: The Loved Ones

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In horror, subtly can do a lot to add to a film's tension and atmosphere. On the flip side, visual gut punches can make for one hell of a romp. Typically, Australian horror goes for the ladder. Movies like the cult classic, Wolf Creek, and this year's Killing Ground, offer plenty of no-holds barred violence and vivid imagery. Another Australian horror film that shouldn't be missed is 2009's The Loved Ones.

Written and directed by Sean Byrne (The Devil's Candy), The Loved Ones follows a teenager kidnapped by a crazy father-daughter duo after he denies the daughter's offer to attend a school dance together. As per the case with most horror movies of similar premises, the eventual escape attempts, saves and murders are gory bloodbaths of seismic proportions. The film stars Xavier Samuel (September) as the lead, Brent Mitchell whose father recently passed, Robin McLeavy (48 Shades) as crazed Lola, and John Brumpton (Storm Warning) as her father.


Each of the cast members - even supporting ones - are impressively cohesive throughout. They fully commit to their roles and all the ridiculous, over-the-top scenes that follow. Byrne's craft is equally strong. Showcasing a very visible style and direction specific to him, Byrne is anything but typical. This aspect is most visible in a clear passion for heavy metal characters and score. Both in The Loved Ones and the recently released IFC Midnight-distributed The Devil's Candy feature plenty metal music. His films are similarly styled featuring vigorous attacks and unblinking scenes.


Is The Loved Ones scary? Maybe if you're currently enrolled in high school with some people who could possibly be crazed stalkers. Otherwise though, The Loved Ones is much more an insane joyride of gruesome and strange fun. There is plenty to appreciate throughout this movie. From the weird zombie-like people who are suggested to be devolved former victims to the unsettling trashiness of Lola, The Loved Ones would never fit in to the horror mainstream, but it also would never want to.


The Loved Ones is best seen with a sense of levity. Not to be taken so seriously, this dark and troubling film injects enough humor into its core scariness to transcend the horror genre. For Byrne's first film ever, it's definitely an impressive feat. Its quality is high above that of most low budget horror films and is certainly worth finding on Hulu.

Review: Temple

(imdb.com)

2017 has been a strong year for indie horror films. From The Devil's Candy to A Dark Song, this year has had plenty of gems that have been successful despite limited theater runs. These movies, which have come out in quick succession this year, have just as quickly become genre favorites. The newly released film, Temple, attempts to join this list with varying success.

From the writer behind films like Blair Witch and You're Next, Simon Barrett, and cinematographer and newly anointed director, Michael Barrett (Ted), Temple follows a group of three friends who travel to a temple deep in the Japanese countryside. There, they get more than they bargain for and everything that makes horror scary breaks loose. One of the film's more impressive feats is in its brooding scenery. Stylistically, Temple is pretty fantastic. Dark and luring, the scenes of the film are engrossing and pleasing to the eyes.


The movie stars Logan Huffman (Final Girl), Brandon Sklenar (Hunky Dory) and Natalia Warner (Learning to Breathe) as the trio of American tourists, Kate's childhood friend, Chris, and couple, James and Kate, respectively. Huffman is most noteworthy and excels as the gentlest of the three. His character is a loner and he plays it well, while also conveying a sense of normalcy. Sklenar's role is confusing given his simultaneous hatred for Chris and care for him and Kate after trouble strikes. Warner is fine, but her character is background noise in comparison to the mass of other ongoing events 


Temple does a lot to mess up its conventional but effective premise. Whether it's the interjecting found-footage that does the film a grave disservice and detracts from the otherwise fine camerawork or the sacrifice of horror for melodrama between the characters, this movie busts at the seams to the point of disrepair. Even the entities that haunt our protagonists come out of the shadows in such excess that none make a large enough impact to be horrific. There's a shape-shifting demon, dead monks and some ghoulish children, but also the possibility of a character's mental capacity playing the villain in Temple and none are given much follow through. The movie is additionally sluggish; taking much of the run time gearing up, just to unfold rapidly and ends minutes later.

Overall, Temple is like the misshapen vegetable on a pile of fine looking ones. You may accidentally grab it and you may- after avoiding it - eventually eat it, but the entire time you're questioning whether or not you should. It sacrifices far too many tense moments in exchange for romance, falls too often into ruts of bland complacency and by its wrap, many will have already tuned out. Even if it’s beautifully shot, the filmmakers are all too keen on marring its quality with shaky, unnecessary camera footage. Temple isn't offensively bad, but it's certainly not something worth spending much time on. 4 out of 10.