Review: Nails

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Whether snowed in at an empty hotel, stuck on a ski lift or trapped within an elevator, horror movies have made the most out of stationary locations. Often creating a sense of claustrophobia, audiences cringe at the inescapable horrors that surround these films' characters. From classics like The Shining to more modern fare like Devil, movies featuring a closed in location have proven to be effectively secluded - even in the middle of cities or busy buildings. The latest film to capture this is Nails.

Starring self-described scream queen Shauna Macdonald (The Descent) as Donna, Nails finds ghostly scares limited to a hospital bed. After a car accident, Donna becomes disabled and forced to rehabilitate in a spooky older hospital with a dark past. Each night, suspicious things happen around her and she is unable to defend herself or prove these issues. Like sleep paralysis, this movie uses her inability to move to create tension. It also stars Leah McNamara (Lily) as Donna's daughter, Gemma, Steve Wall (Vikings) as Donna's husband, and comedian Ross Noble as Donna's nurse and confidante.


Nails is impressively compact. It's the kind of movie that works because of its characters and scenery, not its story. Macdonald's performance elevates the one-room horror flick way beyond what this otherwise practical horror story could have been. Nails, the central antagonist is less the center than the background device at which the characters are propelled; only providing scares but never amounting more than the one dimension he began the story as. MacDonald in - all her horror glory is impressive - and deserving of a lot of credit. Without her in the hospital bed, this movie could fall apart easily. But, her ability to convey terror is as impressive as ever.


The most glaring flaw in Nails is its dependence on horror conventions. With plenty of bump-in-the-night scares and dreadfully empty stares into dark corners, Nails does little to create anything fresh. But, that doesn't mean it’s not still at least a little scary. Filled with deeply embedded tension and an atmosphere that is dreary and filled with shadows, Nails does succeed at creating horror, even if it’s not the type of horror that's quite uniquely terrifying.


Overall, for a typical ghost tale, this indie flick is impressively put together. There's a deeply unsettling atmosphere, some terrific acting and a well-established actress at the help. Nails may not be overly creative in its execution, but it’s an entertaining and relatively scary endeavor. Nails shouldn't be as worthwhile as it is, but the core of this film is haunting even if it fails to exceed expectations of what a ghost movie can be. 7 out 10.

Best in Show: Unsuspecting Travelers Abroad (Pt. I of II)

5. Chernobyl Diaries 

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This movie's gotten a bad rap. Featuring a pretty standard group of characters who engage with one another and their situation in a way not much unlike real life, Chernobyl Diaries reinforces the idea that when traveling, you should stick with the typical. Extreme tourism feels right up the alley of many who decide to go abroad, and for this group, that decision comes with a hefty price. This film is a scary reminder that sometimes, those areas that are off-limits should remain just that: off-limits. 



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4. The DescentThe Descent has been widely covered on list after list on this blog. But, it's relevancy to horror is far too paramount to be excluded. The Descent seeps into pretty much every subgenre out there as it's perfectly shot, intensive plot and stellar cast all make for a terrifying but completely compelling endeavor. At the center of this film, Sarah isn't just in an unknown cave, she is quite literally out of her element; having just crossed the Atlantic to for an annual trip with friends. She of course gets far more than she bargained for as a group of strong-willed ladies become trapped in a cavernous maze of death. The Descent should scare both local cave-divers and those looking for more international adventures alike.

3. Hostel

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For whatever reason, horror filmmakers seem to have a pension for gore abroad. Like Wolf Creek and Borderland, Eli Roth's Hostel is the type of gross-out fest that easily makes the stomach turn. Hostel follows a pair of tourists who get caught up in a seedy, underground business of (literally) gut-wrenching proportions. Hostel is a dark and sick movie that'll have even the most versed travelers feeling uneasy about visiting places off the beaten path. It's the type of film that utilizes foreign barriers and the resulting isolation to create an atmosphere of absolute dread. For those homebodies out there, this movie presents nothing more than a confirmation that perhaps keeping local is the best way to go.





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2. As Above, So Below/Devil's Pass

Both As Above, So Below and Devil's Pass share the unique similarities of travelers intentionally looking for mystery. In each, a group of explorers end up in a downward spiral of chaos. In As Above, So Below, an archaeologist and her newly formed group of spelunkers travel into an unexplored part of the Paris Catacombs and practically descend into hell. In Devil's Pass, some American students run off to Russia to make a documentary about some missing hikers. Both are found-footage, both have some truly scary moments and each is notable for their horrific execution. While Devil's Pass suffers from some weak graphics, there's enough atmospheric suspense - similar to The Blair Witch Project - to make it quite the journey. As Above, So Below was also the center of some criticism despite some truly scary moments that'd make anyone's skin crawl.

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1. An American Werewolf in London 

The pinnacle of this list and by far the most deserving of the top spot is An American Werewolf in London. Like all of the unfortunate victims of circumstance on this list, perhaps none are more unsettling than this pair of Americans who encounter a beast on an English countryside. Equally funny as it is scary, An American Werewolf in London has aged better than most 80s horror films. Featuring the isolation of being in a foreign country with some old nostalgia and lore typically met by backpackers exploring desolate area, every moment of this film feels holistically thought through. The humor is never distracting, the jump scares are never predictable and throughout, viewers will be drawn closer and closer into one of the best werewolf movies ever.

Best in Show: Unsuspecting Travelers Abroad (Pt. I of II)

Horror has a long history of inflicting itself upon the unexpected. Especially abroad, travelers often get way more than they bargained for. With summer fast approaching and the need to explore outside of our borders itching at the adventurous, this week's list looks at the best horror movies about travelers abroad. Ignoring the somewhat problematic nature of painting foreign lands as particularly dangerous, these free-for-all movies are often complete descents into chaos.




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10. Out of the Dark

While not the most cohesive film, Out of the Dark is a rare indie horror film that feels scary. Offering a share of jarring moments featuring dead, bandaged children and terrifying shadows, the film wasn't much of a critic or commercial success. Its problematic painting of the mysticism of the third world - although met with a certain tone of first world oppression - didn't do the ghost story any favors. But, Out of the Dark is plenty horrifying. It follows a mother positioned to take over her father's business in South America, whose family is haunted upon arrival. The movie gets twisty as discoveries are made and the mother's daughter goes missing. Out of the Dark is ta telling story of how American misdeals can come back to bite you.



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9. They're Watching

They're Watching is a pretty ridiculous movie with a fun, engaging plot and pretty much zero basis in reality. Following an American home makeover TV crew in Eastern Europe, They're Watching plays completely into the traditions and mystic nostalgia of the area while providing the occasional scare and intentional laugh. It's a terrifically odd movie destined to scare few, but entertain all. It's placement on this list is mostly thanks to the sketchy villagers surrounding the makeover home who make for deeply unsettling moments.



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8. Wolf Creek

This movie is bleak. Wolf Creek is a gritty portrayal of suffering at the hands of a maniac. Following a pair of British 20-somethings who travel into the Outback with an Australian, Wolf Creek is a stark cat-and-mouse chase of disturbing proportions. It's a film that features little relief or absurdity and instead focuses on unsettling the viewer through very real possibilities of kidnap and torture. For some viewers, Wolf Creek will most definitely be too much, but who could blame them? This film is so painfully executed that the awfulness these characters experience, you feel, too.



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7. The Ruins

The Ruins is pretty typical for a mid-2000s horror movie; dumb young adults doing dumb, adventurous things and paying for it. But none of these aspects stops this film from being terrifying. Featuring a mysterious Mayan ruin with viciously alive vines, The Ruins makes adventure feel all too worthless. From the Cabin Fever inflections of attempting to strip your body of the infection to the off-center mimicry of the plants, this movie will leave viewers afraid of going anywhere that's not a particular tourist trap. In The Ruins, unmarked means death.



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6. Borderland

For detractors of Wolf Creek, heed this warning: Borderland is not for you. Following a trio of college friends who get swept up into a satanic crime cult, Borderland takes everything displayed by Wolf Creek, adds dimensions of the occult and tosses it into a small Mexican city. It's gory and gratuitous violence; all exasperated by harsh lighting and intense camera work make for a romp that'll make stomachs turn. Borderland has some of the intrusive nature of Americans into other's lands and nails the ignorance of youth perfectly.

Best in Show: Horror Sequels (Part II of II)

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5. The Descent: Part 2

Most horror fans and critics agree that The Descent is a modern classic. It terrified audiences and thanks to superb acting and crazy effects, the claustrophobic horror film catapulted its way into the hearts of all. But, the lesser talker about, yet still adequate follow up to The Descent deserves viewers' attention. Like the first, it offers up completely terrifying cave creatures and all of the original's claustrophobic atmosphere. The Descent: Part 2 is a direct continuation of the first's story and is nearly as unsettling, which given it being a sequel, is saying a lot. While the group venturing into the deadly cave may not be as compelling, there are still plenty to root for and when a surprise entry comes about, fans of the original will undoubtedly be won over.

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4. The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring 2 got a surprising amount of flak from horror fans attempting to be edgier. By disliking the sequel to the critically acclaimed original, fans attempted to differentiate themselves from casual viewers and critics who applauded the sequel's continuation of stellar camera work and genuine scares. But, not even that coalition could halt the success of the second Conjuring. This movie is impressive and to search for flaws, people had to really stretch. This is one of the few horror sequels that keeps the majority of themes from the original and carries them over well. It's deeply terrifying and worth every second of its longer runtime.



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3. Scream 2

There is something so timeless about Scream. Simple, yet satirical, Scream ages better than most horror classics and this is partially thanks to its nearly as amazing sequels. Scream 2 is perhaps the movie at its best; grander and just as quickly paced, the follow up to Scream, spans over a college campus and features a lovable twist and some fun chase scenes. Scream 2 also hones in on the first's comedy and makes plenty of bold moves to be even funnier and on-the-nose. Scream 2 is definitely comparable to the first and with all of the same actors attached to it; it definitely feels like a trip down nostalgia lane.

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2. Saw II

While the first Saw build viral excitement, it is the film's sequel where the movie really comes into its own. Looking past the shock value of the original, Saw II is arguably more entertaining and more superior. Featuring far more suspense, a host of new characters and a twisting and turning plot, Saw II opened so many doors for the franchise. The traps are creative, the characters are unlovable and as they maneuver through the death house, it's easy to become captivated in their tiny world. Saw II is an underrated gem in the horror universe, often overlooked by the regarded first and the more over-the-top follow ups. But, this sequel, with all of its sickening yellow lighting and choppy rooms, is the real gem of the series.

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1. Aliens

Aliens, the well-known, highly regarded sequel to Alien, is - by some accounts - even better than the first. Utilizing plenty of special effects, a host of new talent, including a pretty great child star, is pretty much an action-packed perfection. In fact, the aptly titled Aliens could have just as easily been named Sigourney Weaver vs Space Monsters Pt. II and I'm pretty sure the audience and today's viewers would still love it. This is the type of movie that, even if the graphics get a little wonky over time, is still a must see and worthy rewatch. Aliens is nonstop suspense and excitement and is a pinnacle sequel to an already great horror-sci-fi film.

 

 

Best in Show: Horror Sequels (Part I of II)

Horror sequels get a bad rap. For horror fans, the audacity of sequels seems unimaginable and wrong. Add on a few more editions and filmmakers basically become criminals of the entertainment industry. But, when a horror sequel works, it can easily become a shining star and rather than being recognized as a standard, is instead listed as an exception to the rule. Fortunately though, for those fans who want to see stories continue on and for those hoping these stories are told equally well to the originals, options do exist and the future of horror sequels isn't dead yet. This week's list covers the best horror sequels (and two, kind of three, prequels that truly deserve acknowledgment) out there. The movies listed are direct sequels, following the original (fair note that many are more recent, given the ability to stand the test of time not typically granted to classics).




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10. Wrong Turn 2: Dead End

It's no secret that the Wrong Turn franchise is pretty trashy. But, unlike movies that get the "camp" label, Wrong Turn is criminally underrated given its exaggerated storylines and over the top acting and death scenes. Not taken seriously, the sequel to the original Wrong Turn is an impressive endeavor with a creative approach. Following a group of reality show contestants who must survive the now well-known cannibals of the West Virginia forest, Dead End is hilariously weird and offers a plethora of jump scares and laughs.

 

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9. Final Destination 2

Like Wrong Turn, the Final Destination franchise has received a lot of flak. But, with an original featuring strong performances and a particularly creative storyline, the first and its later sequels deserve a lot more credit. The sequel - which capitalized on everyone's fears of highway accidents, is particularly good as it left behind some of the more sinister undertones of the first movie in exchange for some slight exaggeration and comedy. Final Destination 2 also deserves additional points for playing with the "final girl" trope and featuring some pretty insane, while not necessarily logistical, death scenes.





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8. Ouija: Origin of Evil

While I did say I was specifically sticking to horror sequels, the prequel to the awful Ouija deserves recognition. Unlike the first's overly polished camera work and plot, Ouija: Origin of Evil is filled with personalized time pieces and amazingly suspenseful moments. Ouija: Origin of Evil is the rare follow up that completely blows the original out of the water. Not only does it ignore the mythology of the first and advantageously grasps its prequel setting, but Ouija: Origin of Evil offers truly terrifying scares. The one question it'll pose viewers to ask is: "what original?"





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7. Paranormal Activity 2

There's something about the second Paranormal Activity film that is especially starling. Like the viral success of the first, Paranormal Activity 2 utilizes the relativized home security cameras. Unlike the first though, the action and dialogue of this sequel is packed with far more action. From spooky childhood stories to actual movement on camera, the somewhat predictable sequel is truly terrifying; it's larger budget and gathered collection of faith propelling it to success. Paranormal Activity 2 deserves more given that it literally surrounds the events around the first and builds on the mythology, providing everything the filmmakers needed to make a larger franchise,



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6. Insidious: Chapter 3

Okay, so the first part of this list actually has quite a few prequels on it. I assure that this is the final one and while there are a lot of prequels that deserve to be seen and received, this list is definitely about sequels. But, unlike the direct follow ups of Ouija and Paranormal Activity, it is the third film in the Insidious franchise that deserves some attention. Insidious: Chapter 3 is a truly terrifying adventure, following a rather tepid sequel and building on the first's concrete mythology. And, while each follow up to the original has been less well-received, Chapter 3 was a refreshing return to the basics, featuring all of the horrifying shadowy figures and panned scares that drew in viewers in the first place.

Best in Show: Horror Landscapes (Pt. II of II)

The follow up to yesterday's list:

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5. Australian Mangrove Swamp (Black Water)

Having just recently seen this movie, there may be some relevancy giving it a boost onto this list, but having had had it in my peripherals for years, it is without a doubt, worthy. The murky, shallow waters of Black Water are deeply troubling. The foreign horror film is definitely one of those movies that greatly benefits from its remote and beautiful, but scary location. While the audience sits there hopeful that the mangroves will provide some sort of possible survival, the far out location of the watered forest, dashes a lot of the characters' determination. It's an impressive choice by the filmmakers because of the close proximity of a danger that potentially couldn't reach them. It's a die of starvation or die by crocodile situation that is all propelled through the setting of Black Water.

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4. Atlantic Ocean (Jaws)

The movie that scared a generation out of the water, it's hard to believe that Jaws wouldn't even exist without the ocean it takes place in. Sure this is a pretty grandeuous statement since none of us would exist without the ground we stand on, but the fact of the matter is, Jaws specifically hinges on the water because of the limitations gills presents. Which makes the film's setting all the more effective. For a horror movie that's scare tactic is so easily avoidable (just don't go in the ocean), it's amazingly effective at instilling fear in its viewers - even in 2017. Whereas, other ocean-based horror films are almost as scary, there is something so realistic about the waters in Jaws. Movies like The Shallows are great and terrifying in their own right, but the polished, gleaming waters in movies like it just aren't as scary as the Atlantic Ocean in Jaws.

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3. Black Hills Forest (Blair Witch Project/Blair Witch)

Iconic; this is the only word to describe the fictionally named patch of woods outside of the very real Burkittsville, Maryland where a team of young filmmakers disappeared under haunting circumstances. Later, when the film was revisited in the Book of Shadows sequel and the 2016 Blair Witch, the mythology surrounding this forest continued to grow. While the follow-up films received some negative reviews, the one constant was this: that the Black Hills Forest would be a terrifying place to visit. The very plain, very unpolished forest that the mysterious Blair Witch calls home is perhaps one of the scariest plots of lands and one that made hikers fearful of the woods for years to come.

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2. Mayan Ruins in Mexico (The Ruins)

Based on the book of the same name, The Ruins placement on this list is basically a twofer in honor of Earth Day; an ecological horror with a visually stunning backdrop. All of this culminates into truly outstanding scenery for a terrifyingly vivid destination horror film. The overly sunny, super saturated ruins of Mexico make for a similar atmosphere to The Hills Have Eyes but with added humidity to make you sweat. It's one of those movies that'll make you think twice about visiting popular tourist attractions - even if the ruin featured is off the beaten path.

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1. Unmapped Caverns in the Appalachian Mountains (The Descent)

Is there anything more effective than claustrophobia? By far one of the most common fears, the use of it in horror has been near constant, but no other film captures this sensation better than The Descent. By far one of the scariest horror films ever, the setting of this film is the most worthy of this number one spot. The deep, dark underground cavern the women of The Descent get trapped in is a hauntingly terrible and the main reason many have crossed spelunking and cave diving off of their must-do lists. While not the first thing one might think of when they think of Earth Day, the underground caves in The Descent, are definitely a part of nature.

10 Favorite Horror Movies (Ever) (Part I of II)

It's been about a week since I began this blog and I realized that I most definitely should have started things off acknowledging my favorite horror movies of all time. As noted, I am a child of modern horror and my opinions tend to reflect that. I do enjoy some classics and will more than likely talk about them again, but in terms of my current standings on the industry, only two "classics" made it into my list. However, I would argue that all of the movies I've listed will be looked back upon as classics as well.



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10. The Strangers

As previously noted in my list of favorite slashers, I truly love The Strangers. From the nostalgia it provides for me to the very real fears it doles out, it's a staple in my horror collection. I have been confused for so long as to how so many people collectively decided they didn't enjoy this movie, I spent years backing into rooms making sure no one was about to come behind me. Fire alarms still give me pause and I am always afraid to be home alone. With all that said, I think it would be a lie not to include The Strangers on my top list.



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9. The Descent

The Descent frequently is placed on lists of best modern horror films, but it is so much more. The Descent is a bona fide classic. The first time I saw this movie I was left scarred. It is a deep, terrifying adventure film that also happens to feature a diverse group of female leads, and honestly it deserves more recognition than it gets. The Descent was everything in high school and I'll be watching it this weekend. 

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8. The Exorcist

For all I say about modern horror, The Exorcist continues to be one of my favorites of all time. It's too amazing not to love and where other older horror movies falter when looked at through today's lens, The Exorcist holds on. It's acting isn't overrated or outdated, not even its effects seem that outlandish and fake. The movie is able to transcend time and I am here for it. 

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7. Cabin In The Woods

What is this movie? That was my question the first time I saw Cabin in the Woods. I then went back to the theater and saw it two additional times. It's funny without trying too hard, scary without it being the center of the film and interesting beyond all belief. I really, really dig this movie. I love it so much I have purchased merchandise featuring it. The scares  are real, the humor is solid and no one can say it's an un enjoyable movie. By the time Sigourney Weaver, one of the original "final girls," shows up, the brakes have been completely smashed away.



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6. Scream

I loved all four of these movies. They're so emblematic of everything Halloween (I'd argue even more so than Halloween itself) and for this reason alone, it's one of my favorites. On top of that, I love the characters- From Sid to Dewey, to literally anything that Cougar Town says, this movie is a relentless horror movie that is in on any jokes it offers. It's the ultimate satire and I am here for it. There is not a thing I would change about these movies. While not particularly scary (except for the stray jump), Scream is a must-see horror movie for literally anyone ever.