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.

The Overlook: Cooties

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Ever watch a movie and think, why? Why does this film even exist? The fact of the matter is, not every movie is necessary. Without a message to drive a story home, many of these films are panned by audiences and critics alike. But if done well, even the most unnecessary film can be worth watching. Whether filled with well-timed scares or even cheap comedy, small indie films can make a big impact by giving audiences something to talk about.  2014's Cooties is one of those films.

While not always best or most purposeful, Cooties is pretty fantastic. Filled with some truly low-brow comedy and an ensemble of strong actors with aggressive character choices, Cooties is the type of movie that'll inspire no one, but entertain most. Following a group of teachers who must band together against some raging zombie students, Cooties is as exactly as ridiculous as its premise sounds. There's schlocky humor, mediocre scares and some blatantly bad storytelling, but for all of its issues, Cooties is undeniably fun. 

Cooties stars Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings) as the newly hired substitute teacher and writer, Clint, Rainn Wilson (The Office) plays a gym teacher, Alison Pill (Milk) plays a former childhood lover and fellow teacher, and Jack McBrayer (30 Rock),  Nasim Pedrad (Scream Queens) and Leigh Wannell (Insidious Chapter II) all play fellow teachers, as well. Ian Brennan (Glee) plays the school's edgy vice principal. While each role is only given so much time to shine, all are fantastic.

At times, the movie becomes too on-the-nose, but its less of a problem and more a stylistic choice. From a hardline racist student aptly named Patriot, to a perfectly timed joke suggesting Wood's character is a hobbit, this movie is definitely aware of its comedic ploys. Very much in the vein of campy films before it, Cooties isn't so concerned with scaring its audience, but is more so interested in providing fun, if not sometimes, cheap entertainment. It's got enough going for it to keep the energy, even if it gets a little weak at parts.

What makes this film so effective is the heart at the center of Cooties. Each and every actor connected to this film seems fully invested in all of the antics this movie has to offer. Whether making an off-color remark, receiving a "cooties shot" or passing out Ritalin to the crazed children, this cast never lets on that they're not in on the joke. Cooties is undeniably light-hearted fun. It's never amazing, but it's definitely a punch of upbeat entertainment.

The Overlook: Fear, Inc.

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Dedicated horror fans often complain about how, over time, they've become desensitized to scares. Even movies that terrify most come across as placid to some aggressively consuming audiences. Playing off of this, some filmmakers have attempted to address these problems head on. In the Scream franchise, horror movie buffs who are seemingly ahead of the killer then become victims and in The Houses October Built, the insatiable desire to be scared took a turn for the deadly when a group of friends look for the best haunted house of their lives. This is basically the foundation of last year's Fear, Inc.; a horror-comedy that shows once again what happens when someone bite off more than they can chew.

Similar to Houses October Built, Fear, Inc. features a group of friends who get caught up in a horror service that takes things very, very far. But, with enough differentiation and a healthy dose of blind comedy, Fear, Inc. is iconic on its own. Opening with a horror fanatic who thinks he's setting his friends up with a company responsible for scaring, this film quickly devolves into a twisting and horrific film asking what limits actually exist in a contract and the question, "who is pranking who?"

Like The Houses October Built, Fear, Inc. brings together a wickedly strong ensemble that is able to balance horror and comedy, given the ridiculousness of the plot. The true star and most definite scene stealer is Lucas Neff (Raising Hope) who plays horror junkie, Joe Foster. His character is the funniest and most blankly accepting of his situation. He adds a lighthearted tone to what could be a very dim film. His girlfriend, Lindsey, is played by Caitlin Stasey (Reign), and Chris Marquette (Freddy vs. Jason) plays his best friend, Ben. The cast is rounded out with Stephanie Drake (Mad Men) playing Ben's wife, and Mark Moses playing the leader of Fear, Inc. 

With so many twists, Fear, Inc. is an unexpectedly good movie. Each of the actors is game for the wild roles they play. Whether being hunted or being tricksters, these characters will completely engross the viewer who will surely be content with whatever they're watching. Fear, Inc. also has a fair set of scares to balance out the comedy. Between some truly energetic deaths and Neff's uncanny ability to seem so unaware and invested in what he believes is a prank, Fear, Inc. gives some truly great moments.

Overall, what makes Fear, Inc. so special is its originality. It toggling between entertainment and horror is cringe-worthy in the best way possible. Even while viewers see and know that the characters have something to be afraid of, the band of friends still accepts it as a joke. This type of disruption is so perfectly captured it's hard to deny this movie as addicting.

Review: Prevenge



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A strong contender as one of the strangest film's this year is Prevenge. Following the story of a pregnant woman who believes her child is speaking to her; Prevenge is an absurdly dark horror-comedy with gumption. It's the type of movie that doesn't seem concerned with how the audience feels about it, because it is so sure in how it feels about it. Prevenge takes prenatal horror in a strange direction as the crude central character, Ruth, unhappy in her life takes a turn toward killing because of her baby’s pension for it. Prevenge is not for everyone at all, but as noted, it doesn't want to be.

Prevenge stars a particularly quirky Alice Lowe (Hot Fuzz) as mother-to-be, Ruth; she holds the entire film on her shoulders as the sole character with substantial dialogue and multiple scenes. She's fantastically droll, but also really interesting to observe as she interweaves with secondary characters and plots their murders. Other supporting actors include Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones) as a woman who has no time for Ruth, Kate Dickie (The Witch) as an employer with literally no life outside of her job, and Jo Hartley (This Is England) as a midwife frequented by Ruth. Dickie is especially fantastic; her slightly unhinged working woman is hilariously desperate and unconventional.

Prevenge is never scary in the literal sense. It leans heavily toward dark comedy and while it holds some horror aspects, it certainly doesn't adhere to its conventions. Perhaps the scariest parts of Prevenge - and probably intentional pieces of the movie, are the gross encounters she has with people who don’t care, are outwardly rude or are completely ignorant to her very real problems a pregnant woman faces. In fact, the death scenes are more fun than they are anything else, with precursory that even if her baby isn't talking to her, these people deserve to be killed by Ruth.

One of the oddest parts about Prevenge is in its lack of backstory. The film practically falls into the center of the story. Ruth is deeply pregnant and already hears her baby, neither are explained past brief comments and by the end of the movie, viewers won't t ever truly understand what happened and why, only that it did. There's subtext that is progressive, the nurturing mother figure so typical of stereotypes is broken apart, making way for a single woman unable to cope with her pregnancy and the issues she faces.

As mentioned previously, Prevenge will not be for everyone. It's very British and at times, low budget. But, for its lack of camera prowess and cinematography, the film makes up for in campy fun and a pretty entertaining performance from Alice Lowe. It's the type of movie that'll never make you hold your breath or scream, but it will engross you in a wayward world of talking fetuses and offbeat pregnancy. 6 out 10.

 

Review: Get Out

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When it was announced that Jordan Peele would be releasing a horror film, there was definitely reason to pause. For one, the MadTV alumni's most recent projects included little to no indication that horror was in his future. From Key & Peele to Keanu, Peele's delving into the genre seemed to come from left field. And yet, Get Out makes a strong, early case for 2017's best horror film. Where the failures of movies like The Bye Bye Man and Rings should have left viewers concretely dismayed, Get Out does more than its share. Not only could Peele's new movie lead a new generation of horror, it seems that the film could be a move towards relevancy in the industry. Completely topical, equally funny as it is scary and well-acted, the comedian's endeavor shouldn't go unnoticed by anyone, whether fan of horror or not.

Get Out tells the story of Chris, played by Daniel Kaluuya (Black Mirror), and his girlfriend, Rose, played by Allison Williams (Girls), who go to visit her family's isolated home in the country. Once there, Chris soon realizes that something is wrong, not only with the too accepting family, but also with the other people of color around him. Far above average, the plot of Get Out is the rare movie that compellingly combines relevant social tensions with horror and comedy. Not only is Get Out a fantastic modern take on horror, Peele's comedic past is also prevalent throughout. Get Out should be required viewing.

The acting alone in this movie is worthwhile. From start to finish every character that viewers encounter is played perfectly. From William's Rose and Kaluuya's Chris to Bradley Whitford (Cabin in the Woods) as Rose's father, Dean, the Blumhouse produced film is stacked with A+ performances. Then, there's Catherine Keener (Into the Wild) as Rose's psychiatrist mother. By far one of the best performances of the year so far, Keener's character is quietly evil and consistently in control, from the moments she asks to hypnotize Chris to the movie's finish, she is truly icing on top of the cake. The sprinkles on the cake come from Betty Gabriel (The Purge: Election Year) who's turn as the housekeeper, Georgina are unmatched.

Get Out also comes with its fair share of over-the-top jump scares and suspenseful moments. Moments like when the couple hit a deer or when driving or pretty much any moment the equally prim and terrifying housekeeper, Georgina appears, provide some thrills that are meant to startle then laugh. These are scares done intentionally and well, sometimes for the comedy, sometimes for the jolt. The comedy, especially from the minor characters is also worth noting.

What makes Get Out great, when it could have just been good, is its use of cultural themes.

Whether it's the smaller moments like an approaching cop car later in the movie (can't delve too deeply without giving a lot away) or some more explicit themes like the fact that Dean repeatedly says he would have voted for Obama a third time, it’s clear that Jordan Peele and Get Out want to show that racism isn't dead and even the smallest gestures by members of the majority, may not be intentionally racist, but are certainly still relevant.

All of the hoot-and-hollering for Get Out is well-deserved. Each and every moment of this stellar movie simultaneously works on a number of levels. It's funny, subtle, subversive and scary - each in more than one way. Whether it's the movie's ability to capture the perspective of a marginalized identity to be consumed by a wide audience in an understandable way, or the ability for the film to provide a haunting plot that has comedy tossed in, everything about Get Out is well thought out and terrific. It will more than likely be one of the best horror movies, and one of the best movies of 2017. 9 out of 10.

Best in Show: Horror-Comedy (Pt. II of II)

Here's the follow up to yesterday's list!

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5. Zombeavers

Do not miss this movie. It is gloriously awful. As someone who typically hates that, the fact that somehow Zombeavers is worthwhile should make people pause. It's hilarious and weird and like Black Sheep, it's a zombie-wereanimal film that is so hilarious in its faults that it makes for something amazing. Yeah, I hate movies like this, but Zombeavers is so endearingly awful and intentional that everything works.  Missing this movie (currently on Netflix) should be punishable.



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4. What We Do in the Shadows

If Slither is this list's horror-leaner, then What We Do in the Shadows is the comedy one. I'm a sucker (get it?) for mockumentaries and this one, based on a group of vampires, is no different. Not only is the application of vintage-vampires in the modern world hilarious on its own but the diversity of styles in each vampire is great. There are true stages in the development of the vampire mythology and the research that went into those developments is clear and visible. What We Do in the Shadows is one of the funniest movies I had seen in a while. At times more laughably pathetic than cool, the challenges faced by the vampires are all too human.



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3. Krampus

With Krampus, it feels like everyone knew it would go one of two ways: unfunny and plainly awful or amazingly hilarious and scary. Krampus is so candid in knowing its intentions that at no moment will viewers question its existence. It feels so meant to be- from its cast of hilarious actors to the strong visuals, Krampus is good for a watch year-round. What makes Krampus spectacular is that it never feels dumb. It's smart and trashy and exactly what you think it will be without the B-horror awfulness that often comes with horror-comedies.



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2. Shaun of the Dead

The first time I saw Shaun of the Dead I hadn't become engrossed in horror movies and even the shortest trailer terrified me. That being said, I was completely horrified by this movie. Yeah, it's great that it’s funny but something about Shaun of the Dead is also so scary. Even the jokey moments- like the zombie trapped on the pole, left me deeply unsettled. It definitely feels like one of the best zombie movies around, even better than some of the more serious ones. Shaun of the Dead is silly, but also really good.

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1. Zombieland

The only zombie horror-comedy that ever passed Shaun of the Dead in my book is Zombieland. Funnier, quicker and more adventurous, Zombieland also felt very grounded in the real world. Sure, one particular moment with Bill Murray is so over-the-top it's ridiculous (also hilarious), but a lot of the moves and reactions made by the group feel so normal and realistic. Zombieland could have been called How You Would Handle The Apocalypse and I would agree whole heartedly. Zombieland is funny and scary and while it's similar to Shaun of the Dead, its definitely more culturally relevant In its moments.

Best in Show: Horror-Comedy (Pt. I of II)

Defining what exactly a horror-comedy movie is can be difficult. At times, there is a fine line between a few different moments where a film runs too close one way or the other, may feature satire (like Scream) but isn't necessarily a comedy or is unintentionally funny and is actually just a bad movie. With those things considered, filmmakers must then pull off a movie that is actually entertaining. As someone who is openly predisposed to hating the diametrically opposing genre blend, my list of horror-comedy movies is pretty limited. For some movies that lean one way or the other or do so unintentionally, I tried sift through in exchange for very definable horror-comedy movies.


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10. They're Watching

They're Watching is weird. Simultaneously funny and at times, scarier than it should be, the smaller release of this film isn't one that should go unnoticed. It's ending, while insanely over the top, is the best kind of disaster. From the foreign backdrop, to the less than intelligent characters, They're Watching is a heaping mess of strange Eastern European foreigners and eccentric mythology that makes for a frolicking found-footage adventure with an insane ending to match.

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9. Slither

Slither definitely leans more towards horror than to comedy. When I originally caught this film on MTV years ago, it actually scared me and did little to make me laugh. Over the years, repeated watches have allowed me to see the comedy comfortably, while still being disconcerted by the grotesque parasites that deform and craze the townspeople. This movie is disgusting above most else. It's crazy cyst-like visuals will make your skin crawl long before you're able to utter a chuckle, that being said it's definitely worth something for being such an obnoxiously off movie.

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8. The Final Girls

Like Scream, The Final Girls definitely borders on being a simple satire, but hard inflections of comedy definitely permit it into this list. This movie is perhaps the most millennial film to come out in recent years. With a cast of young, budding stars including Taissa Farmiga of American Horror Story fame, The Final Girls has a lot of color and spunk for such a small movie. Actors like Adam Levine (Workaholics) and Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley), only up the level of the film's ability to make something that is wholly funny.

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7. Black Sheep

Like a lot of the movies that fill out this list, Black Sheep takes grotesque to a new level. Think American Werewolf in London transformation scene but much more horrifying and sheepish (sheep-like, but sheepish sounds better). Black Sheep is insane. Like a zombie-werewolf crossbreed featuring exclusively sheep, literally every moment of this film is a big, laughable question mark. The absurdity that runs rampant- more than pretty much any other movie I've seen, is noteworthy because Black Sheep plays like it has absolutely nothing to lose. Poor graphics, mediocre acting and somehow less than amazing views of New Zealand, all make for a movie that shouldn't be nearly as fun as it is.

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6. Scary Movie 3

To this day, Scary Movie 3 is the only movie in the entire parody franchise to make me laugh. In fact, it's also the only one in the series to scare me even slightly. The use of The Ring and Signs provided for such a array of material that the comedy benefited greatly over the previous two. It is so ridiculous, so unintelligent and yet, so confident, that it's worth the watch. Where low-brow comedy paired with gags would normally make for a cringe-inducing journey, something about Scary Movie 3 kept my attention.