Review: Happy Death Day

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Slashers have, quite literally, been done to death. With the 90s overflowing with near identical takes on the subgenre and movies like Scream and more recently, The Final Girls, it seems there really was nowhere else for them to go. So, they've mostly disappeared - much to the disappointment of fans everywhere. But this year's Happy Death Day could very well lead to a resurgence of simple, yet effective humanoid killer film.

Following a sorority girl who is given the unique and outlandish opportunity to uncover her own killer by living the same day over and over, Happy Death Day is the Groundhog Day of slasher films. As the film progresses and the amount of suspects dwindles, her physical being takes a toll each relived day, eventually leading her to the hospital in a weakened state. Happy Death Day stars the particularly fantastic Jessica Rothe (La La Land), as Tree Gelbman. Other supporting cast includes the lovably plain Israel Broussard (The Bling Ring) as Tree's one-night-stand-turned-confidant, Carter, Ruby Modine (Shameless), as Tree's roommate, and Rachel Matthews as the Chanel Oberlin-esque sorority queen, Danielle.


Happy Death Day is first and foremost, pure entertainment. Thrilling, brashly funny and brimming with strong performances from young stars, the flaws of the film are easily overlooked. Rothe's ability to dart cold, dead stares at anyone she dislikes, Broussard's endearing nice guy and even the comic relief provided by Matthews, all make for a film that's delightfully sinister. It's horror comedy done right. There's small inflections of camp, some exciting fight scenes and a plot line that provides enough meat to stay interesting.


The single flaw in this film is in its logical. While mostly sound, some parts feel tossed in and hastily thrown together. For instance, the accrual of injuries, as suggested by internal wounds found on a life's trip to the hospital, never explain how she survived being burned alive in one evening. Additionally, the blind acceptance of the multiple chances to save herself is a huge expectation by the filmmakers, with little legitimacy. But, if other film's like the aforementioned Groundhog Day can get away with this logic, why shouldn't Happy Death Day?


Happy Death Day has a mass-appeal quality about it. Never venturing too far into the horror genre, its gimmicky base and near-perfect execution should give any viewer something to enjoy. The few plot holes are easily overcome, and Rothe deserves a lot of recognition as the film's compelling star. Happy Death Day feels fresh. Its presentation is a rare and special package that should leave audiences wanting more from the entire team. 7 out of 10.

The Overlook: Demonic

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A recent trend in horror movies is uniting criminal investigations to exorcisms. Movies like The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Deliver Us from Evil and Fox's The Exorcist TV series paired cops and detectives with ongoing or aftermath discoveries of butchered victims, occult symbols and often, a couple survivors. While sometimes repetitive, these movies and shows offer fresh takes on humans interacting with demons and the devil. That's why 2015's Demonic is worth a watch.

Recently added to Netflix, Demonic follows a group of friends who enter a haunted house and get more than they bargain for. Alongside these flashbacks are a detective and psychologist attempting to solve the eventual massacre of the teens. Demonic stars Maria Bello (Secret Window) and Frank Grillo (Warrior) as psychologist Elizabeth Klein and Detective Mark Lewis, respectively. Cody Horn (End of Watch), Dustin Milligan (Schitt's Creek), Scott Mechlowicz (EuroTrip) and Megan Park (What If) play the group of teens, with Milligan starring as troubled young man with disturbing dreams. His character John, Horn's Michelle and Mechlowicz's Bryan are the only remaining members of the party upon the police's arrival.

Demonic has a lot of flaws. From some shaky acting from supporting characters to some mediocre story points, there's a lot to criticize. But at its center, there's still something entertaining about this movie. Milligan is absolutely fantastic as the central character and possible murderer - even if his character has some inconsistencies. Had the filmmakers left him more solemn throughout, rather than give him some jokey moments, his character would be even more solidified.

Additionally, the nonchronological storyline, while interesting comes with its own host of issues. Most importantly, the aftermath scenes are far more entertaining than the typical and at times, overly conventional teens-exploring-a-haunted-house ones. But, while this film could have fallen completely into the waste basket, these later scenes mostly focusing on Bello's and Grillo's characters provide plenty of buffers. Both Bello and Grillo bring a heightened level of acting to some of the weaker characters and cast.

This movie isn't perfect. But, in a constant craving for more, horror fans can rest assured that empty space will be filled. It's a movie that revels in its basic functions, but provides enough jump scares and star power to drive it home. Demonic is a great choice for a casual afternoon, even if not necessarily a horror-filled night.

 

 

 

Best in Show: Saw Traps (Pt. II of II)

(sawfilms.wikia.com)

5. Five-Way Collars

This trap is particularly spectacular because of its later reveal. When five collared strangers wake up and are told that they have to reach keys across the room in 60 seconds, chaos ensues. When one person pulls their collar forward, the other people are pulled back, making for an intense fight for survival. What they don't realize though is, had they gone forward one at a time, they all could have reached their keys in time. This twist, later piling on with the following traps and the "one must die" mentality leads to a bloodbath of seismic proportions. This trap isn't the most glamorous but it is effective and creative.

(sawfilms.wikia.com)

4. Pig Vat

The pig vat trap is disgusting. By far one of the most stomach-turning inventions of the series, this trap isn't for the faint of heart. Between what one can assume is an awful smell and the very common fear of drowning, all exasperated by the fact that you'll drown in guts, the pig vat would be one of the worst traps to go through. This trap is simple - one person is chained down at the bottom of a vat while slaughtered pig parts are dropped on top of them, it’s the job of another to get the key. The key comes with an especially difficult task given the character's unwillingness to let things go and burn his children's stuff. Overall, putting your faith in another person is difficult; maybe the only thing more difficult is breathing in a vat of sludge.

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3. Nerve Gas House

In terms of most elaborate, the nerve gas house is probably the most intertwining. Not only was the building filled with traps for its guests to fall victims to, this derelict home was actually a trap in and of itself. The house is simply filled with a gas that slowly kills those trapped in it unless they reached antidotes. While it only actually killed one, the power of the house was more in its ability to unhinge those within.

(sawfilms.wikia.com)

2. Needle Pit

Viewers have to wonder if Amanda would have ever gone into the nerve gas house knowing she'd be tossed into the needle pit. This is perhaps one of the most cringe-worthy traps in the entire series. Propelled into absolute terror through the yellow lighting used by the filmmakers and reaffirmed by the way Amanda is just tossed in, this trap is nothing short of awful. Most similar to pulling through a pig container of extremely sharp Legos, the needle pit is the nightmarish trap that would make even the most driven survivors turn away. The franchise really cashed in on viewers' fears of needles with this one and the results are absolutely blinding.

(sawfilms.wikia.com)

1. Reverse Bear Trap

Is there anything more iconic than one of the first traps encountered in Saw? The answer is a resounding no. Not even the film's main trap - a bathroom with plenty of twisting clues and a chance to saw off your own foot - can compare to the legendary reverse bear trap. It's hard to know how memorable this series would have become without the showcase of Amanda Young and the bear trap. Surely, there were other characters, but none of those storylines ruminated with the audience the same way this short bit did. It truly kicked off the series. This device stole the hearts of horror fans and its later usage throughout the series only continued its meaningful existence. Will it make a return in Jigsaw? Possibly, but even if it doesn't there's zero chance it'll ever be replaced.

Best in Show: Saw Traps (Pt. I of II)

With the recently retitled Jigsaw movie officially due out this fall, Lionsgate Films officially solidified Saw as a seemingly never-ending story. Sure, each film is filled with flaws and sometimes the gore is more gratuitous than it needs to be, but for what they're worth the franchise has provided creatively provided plenty of blood splattering fun for genre fans eager to consume new material. The series has consistently held down box offices and while not always a critic favorite, the Saw movies are eaten up by audiences. This week's list looks at the scariest, most gruesome traps in the world of Saw.




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10. Steam Maze

At the very least, the steam maze in Saw VI is a sweaty and hot endeavor that could make you faint and die, at the very most; you'll scald your skin and die. So basically, this trap is a lose-lose and for Debbie, it definitely was a loss. It's not the most creative or the goriest trap, but the steam maze would definitely be a struggle for anyone with an aversion to heat. Teamwork also makes this trap especially difficult given the need for someone to constantly be burnt at any given time.

(sawfilms.wikia.com)

9. Shotgun Carousel

This is one of the Saw franchises most entertaining traps. Given the opportunity to save 2 out of 7 captives, the shotgun carousel is one of the more intriguing games Jigsaw plays on his victims. By assuring safety to some and threatening others, he created a situation that challenges morality, human dynamics and who "deserves" to continue on in the world. The climactic showdown is maybe not up to the same gory standards as some of the other traps, but it was certainly entertaining for audiences looking to see bad people face consequences.

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8. Spike Pull

In Saw IV, there were plenty of forgettable moments. But, one thing that truly stood out was the spike trap that saw a couple held together with piercing poles. The wife, who had been abused by the husband, had a chance to pull her spikes through and survive, but in the process it would kill her husband. In rare form, this trap gave us a character to root for and alleviated viewers from witnessing another senseless kill. It was a welcome change of pace, even if it was slightly insensitive.

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7. Razor Box

Everyone knows the feeling; you accidentally stuck your appendage into a chair arm or a railing and instant panic sets in realizing you're trapped. This feeling is basically the idea of the razor box trap. Except, in this trap, the hole you stick your hands to is one with the potential to kill you. Not only did the delirious Addison fail to notice the key on the opposite side of the box, or the fact that if she had used one hand to move the blades and another to grab the syringe, but she also didn't notice that the blades would most certainly rip open her arms if she stuck two hands in. This trap proves that in the Saw universe, the most obvious plan of action isn't always the wisest.

(sawfilms.wikia.com)

6. Razor Wire Maze

Like the steam maze, the razor wire maze just seems like an awful trap. Not only did the victim of this trap have to avoid cutting himself open on the razor wires all around him, he also had to navigate the chicken-wire corridors that would most certainly blend together. Tack on the fact that the entire thing is timed, and panic would most certainly set in. The razor wire maze is an impending doom type of trap that some would probably consider not worth the hassle.

Review: Don't Knock Twice



(imdb.com)

I keep referencing 2016 as an amazing year for horror. My hopes are high for 2017, but it’s quickly looking like my expectations will not be reached. From The Bye Bye Man to Rings the theatrical release section of horror movies is doing pretty terribly. Sure, Split is great, but can it save 2017 alone? Probably not. Our hope it seems, is for smaller releases by production companies like IFC Midnight to carry some of the dead weight in cinemas across the country. The Axes Murders of Villisca left a lot to be desired but the year is still young, and when I found out about the release of Don't Knock Twice, I prayed. While I'm unsure if my prayers were exactly met, I will say that Don't Knock Twice is certainly a step up from the other horror movies released this year.


The movie follows an artist who's now-grown reenters her life after she gave her up years ago because of addiction. Then, when a childhood game of knocking on a condemned home takes a turn for the spooky, things get even more complicated for the already tense relationship. Don't Knock Twice stars Katee Sackhoff (Longmire) as Jess, the recovered mother to daughter Chloe, played by Lucy Boynton (Sing Street). It also features Nick Moran as a Detective (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), Jordan Bolger (iBoy) as Chloe's friend at the home, Javier Botet (Mama) as Jess' new husband and Pooneh Hajimohammadi (The Machine) as a spiritual mother who commissions Jess to sculpt her.

The biggest issue with Don't Knock Twice is its storytelling. Disjointed and at times confusing, Don't Knock Twice feels ADD. It's got all of the makings of a good plot and mythology but unfolds less like a napkin at a dinner party and more like a towel thrown out a window. Attempts to be "twisty and turny" aren't solid enough to withhold criticism. The mythology behind the witch's story is murky at best, even when it's suggested that it's clearly written out, it's obvious it needed more concrete effort. Don't Knock Twice feels like a good story, but then ruins it by dropping everything they build on to go in different directions, mostly at a loss to the viewer. It's like that company struggling to make a name for itself, but never sticks too hard into a new idea out of its lack of immediate success. It's a choppy movie that needs longer scenes and more flow, not random insertions like the one where Chloe levitates and almost gets sucked through some sort of door portal.

Don't Knock Twice does offer a few moments of fear, but these are spread thin and weakened by poorly timed scares and diffused tension. Scenes - like those in Chloe's friend Danny's apartment or the scene where Jess following the sound of cries through her house - begin terrifying but offer little to capture that fear once she stumbles on the witch. This seems to be a reoccurring and preluding theme throughout the whole movie in every aspect. A lot of Don't Knock Twice is spent building to a "moment" only for that moment to be nonexistent or tossed to the side of the road.

The acting is the best part of the Don't Knock Twice. Both Sackhoff and Boynton meet above level expectations for this indie horror movie. Sackoff's strong features lend a hand to her determined and headstrong attitude and extrapolate her expressions well. Boynton also does a good job as the struggling daughter coping with a lot of trauma and difficulties.

Don't Knock Twice isn't great. If I was 12 and this was the late 90s, maybe the jutted plot and broken CGI would be more acceptable, but in 2017 and at the age of 22, these inefficiencies are hard to ignore. Don't Knock Twice is fine if all you're doing is casually watching it on a Tuesday afternoon with nothing else to do. It's spooky, but never scary; it's got above average acting that never reaches too high; and its plot is interesting, but never compelling. The fact of the matter is, Don't Knock Twice is like that first car you buy on Craigslist; you'll get where you wanted to go but the ride won't be comfortable and also the radio doesn't work. I give the movie 5 knocks out of 10.