Review: It Comes at Night



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Every year, a handful of artfully made horror films seep into the mainstream. Last year, The Witch stunned audiences with its hyper-stylized visuals and dark, brooding plot. This year, honors go to It Comes at Night. Perhaps not as sensationalized as The Witch, and maybe not as impressive, It Comes at Night is still a worthy foray into the stylized subgenre. Equal parts scary as it is compellingly human, It Comes at Night is a post-apocalyptic nightmare following a small family battling an unknown virus. Their lives change though when a man attempting to break into their home then moves in with his family. Playing off social dynamics, familial ties and a coming-of-age story, It Comes at Night feels far more relatable than any horror film should.

The film stars Joel Edgerton (Warrior) as Paul, the patriarchal father to the near-silent Travis, played by Kelvin Harrison Jr. (The Birth of a Nation), and husband to the strong-willed Sarah, played by Carmen Ejogo (Selma). It Comes at Night also features Christopher Abbot (Girls) and Riley Keough (American Honey) as Will and Kim, the young parents and newest members of the isolated homestead. Each cast member does spectacularly well conveying their respective roles. Abbott and Keough in particular are stellar as youthful and committed parents, while Edgerton and Ejogo feel well-versed and mature as determined survivors doing particularly well in the face of isolation and death.  

It Comes at Night beams with plenty of scares and atmospheric tension, all culminating into a surprisingly effective and thrilling ride. Throughout the film, dream sequences helmed by Travis will fill viewers with dread as jump scare feel all too imminent; even if they end up being terrifically unpredictable. But, these scenes aren't the only moments of fear; audiences can expect plenty of moments with shots of darkness and empty doorways. Other moments - particularly one scene where the family's dog, Stanley, runs off into the forest, feel completely terrifying, even though it takes place in perfect daylight.

This film is an unrelenting and grounded journey of love and loss. Throughout the movie, viewers will feel a part of this cobbled family of diverse characters all attempting to work together for a common goal of survival. When gut-wrenching happens, it comes at full force, without much warning and with plenty of intensity. Scene after scene only drives the characters deeper into the heart of the viewer and even when questions of lies and deceit come about, you can't help but feel for their struggles. This is a group of high moral standards and good people, a complete transition from typical horror tropes of victims getting what they deserve. 

It Comes at Night is splendidly crafted. It's the type of movie that should win over nearly any audience through its perfectly balanced amount of horror and drama.  Each scene culminates toward a polished and desolate ending. With a truly great cast, fully fledged characters and scares, this film feels wholly fresh. In the wake of films like Rings and The Bye Bye Man, It Comes at Night is a welcomed reminder of good horror, most closely relatable to the stellar entries of 2016. Audiences and fans alike should be thankful for this movie because so far, the prospects of cinematic horror this year have been relatively dim. 8 out of 10.

 

 

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.

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

Spring has sprung and as everyone begins venturing outside, it's important to remember the dangers that lurk in the places we go. From sprawling mountains to deserts and deep forests, horror has been using sprawling outdoor settings to instill fear in vacation-goers since the dawn of time. For the characters central to these films, the unknown dangers lurking in these landscapes often take on different forms, but the ending is almost always the same. In honor of Earth Day (April 22), here's a list of horror's scariest landscapes, featuring the threats that lurk within: 



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10. Desert in New Mexico (The Hills Have Eyes)

I saw The Hills Have Eyes 2 prior to ever seeing the first remake or it's original. Yet, there was something so troubling about the arid plateaus surrounding the formerly radioactive site. From the off-putting holes and crannies used by the sequel's somehow more aggressive mutants to the visual dryness of spaces surrounding the home, this desert setting should make anyone long for the comforts of A/C and rivers. This is by far one of the harshest settings of any horror movie around.

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9. Remote Forest (Evil Dead/Cabin in the Woods)

With so many films taking place in a desolate cabin in the wilderness, who pick these two? For one, Evil Dead is perhaps the most emblematic of the horror convention and secondly, The Cabin in the Woods resonated most with me. Each offer similar visuals; a dark and dense tree line with nothing but forests in sight, but each also offers its own unsettling aspects. The woods of Evil Dead seem cold and harsh, with plenty of twisting and turning roots to upset the stomach, while the warmer, more polished forest of The Cabin in the Woods looks far more safe than it actually is. Add in the booby traps and higher intervention of Cabin in the Woods, and what seems like another plain old setting quickly becomes a daunting maze of epic proportions.

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8. Rural New England (The Witch)

There's something drearily plain about the forests surround The Witch, but anyone who's seen the movie knows just what unsettling atmosphere it creates. Sure it looks like any other woods, but exasperated by the dark brooding stories and mythology surrounding it make for a hike that no one would want to take. It's a dimly lit, grey backdrop to an already dark and desolate film. The woods surrounding the farmland of The Witch is visually one of the most on-point settings in modern horror as it pairs a sense of familiarity with an impending feeling of dread.

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7. Amazon Rainforest (The Green Inferno)

Plenty of films take place in the jungles surrounding the Amazon River and Cannibal Holocaust most certainly did so the most prolifically, but it's Eli Roth's The Green Inferno that deserves the credit for encompassing the deep, lush colors of foreigner's image of the rainforest with the stark realities of its dangers and the mythological threats within. It feeds it's audience with imagery that'll make them fall in love with the idea of visiting but then lampoons that with terrible situations that'll make them want to look away. Tie in the unknown-lands aspects of the characters central to this film, and viewers are left with a truly terrifying journey.

 

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6. "Mount Holliston" Ski Resort (Frozen) 

Okay, so this one's not quite the spring/summer destination others on this list might be, but it undeniably deserves a spot on this list. Following a group of skiers who become trapped on a chair lift on the fictitious Mount Holliston in New England, the visually freezing and stark setting of this film is sure to send chills into its viewers- regardless of the weather outside. It's a grounded, mostly realistic tale of survival that should make skiers and snowboarders weary of chairlifts everywhere.

 

Best In Show: Horror's Creepy Kids (Part II of II)

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5. The Little Things, Hand bitter (King Kong), spotlighted child (Chernobyl Diaries) token apocalypse daughter (Quarantine)

Rather than occupy entire spots for these small roles, I decided to combine these deservedly noteworthy moments of terror. In each of the films occupying this spot, these children were absolute scene stealers, leaving me with nightmares for weeks. Whether it's the little girl with the chocolate bar in the King Kong remake or the small radioactive child in Chernobyl Diaries, or even the somewhat larger role as the residential apartment girl in Quarantine, these youngsters truly shook me to my core. In fact, part of me thinks they deserve to be placed higher as their parts really did scare me whole-heartedly.

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4. The Grady Twins (The Shining)

I remember the first time I encountered The Shining was when I was sneakily watching my parents watch it and the first scene I saw was with The Grady Twins. Without context or truly understanding their role in the film, I was still terrified. The Grady Twins gave me goose bumps and it was only until I saw the movie in full years later that I realized that no matter what, they would scare me.

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3. Mercy & Jonas (The Witch)

Mercy and Jonas are perhaps two of the greatest children in modern horror. From their willingness to talk to a goat, to Mercy's iconic "clickity-clackity" scene, the pair is odd in both appearance and personality. There's something so innately off-putting about the two youngsters, who seem all too innocent. As the movie progresses and fingers begin to point at their wayward ways, the suspense and tension building around Mercy and Jonas made my hair stand on ends. It was as if all these underlying thoughts overflowed into my consciousness and left me unsettled. Mercy and Jonas are truly standouts in the already stacked Witch cast. Their spot on this list is more than worthwhile.

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2. Regan (The Exorcist)Probably the most legendary child in horror, Regan is the epitome of scary. As a young girl possessed by Satan, she is by far one of the scariest children ever. Whether speaking in tongues or lashing out, Regan is the pinnacle poster child of horror and her actions throughout The Exorcist should scare everyone, but especially parents. What makes her even more effective is the fact that, outside of her possession, Regan is a character you feel for. She's a simple young girl who is then afraid herself of the entity surrounding her. In fact, even the later revival of The Exorcist into the Fox series gives a continued depth to the youngster who terrified a generation.

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1. Asian Influences Kayako and Toshio (The Grudge) & Samara (The Ring)

Full-disclosure: Without having ever seen the source material for The Ring and The Grudge, I can say that the American recreation of these ominous children is still terrifying. And, while eventually I will see Ju-On and Ringu, for now, I will settle to being afraid of the American versions of Kayoko and Toshio and Samara. For movies that have widely been criticized as less-than, I can say with utmost honesty, that these characters were haunting. Each left me up at night and while later sequels took away from - or in the case of Rings, ruined them, each of the three children haunting these films is amazing in their American original form

Best in Show: Horror Houses (Both Parts!)

Typically, I split the weekly list over two days, but other circumstances made it impossible for me to do a Thursday article. So, special news - here is an entire list for Friday! This one is on scariest homes in horror. Whether the house itself is haunted or it simply has the visual equivalency of a nightmare, the homes presented in this list are the ones that wrap and wind, creak and groan, and are ultimately unsettling.




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10. Country Home (The Taking of Deborah Logan)

While not the most iconic, the country home of Deborah Logan is a choppy antiquity. With sharp corners and plenty of doors, the divided up house must have been hard to get comfortable in. Even filled with the young group of students filming a project, the house in The Taking of Deborah Logan should cause some pause for the haunting, hollow features of furniture that hasn't been properly used, room that are rarely open and the empty woods surrounding it,



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9. Bates' House (Psycho)

Name a more iconic house than the Bates' house on a hill. The home of the titular killer of Psycho is the stuff of legend. Dark and dusty, his original home and its later revival in the television series Bate's Motel, create for a stuffy atmosphere worthy of mention. The Bates; house isn't the scariest, there is a certain lived in quality, even if it's offset by poor lighting and skeletons out of the closet. So, while it definitely is one of the most recognizable on this list, it doesn't always do much to stand out as the most horrifying. In other words, I could probably fall asleep here.
 



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8. Settler Farm (The Witch)

Poor, poor souls. The farm and surrounding forest of The Witch seemed destined to ruin the religious family at the center of the film. Between the grey, muddy backdrop and lighting to the lowly conditions of the house, the farm provides plenty of feels. At night, the darkness of the home is exclusively lit by candles, further enhances the creepy feeling,  The plot of land isn't anything to write to the homeland about- it's dark and questionably dangerous and for a period piece, the ability to create a setting that is still scary in 2017 is noteworthy.



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7. Apartment Building (Insidious: Chapter 3)

While not as recognizable as the original craftsman of the Insidious franchise, the apartments in the third installment offer a lot with a little. Featuring some of the biggest bang for their buck, the simple yet lived in features of the Brenner's apartment create a comfy feeling that becomes all too uncomfortable. Chapter 3 is an underrated gem. The apartments featured - the aforementioned Brenner’s' and the vacant one upstairs - offer a much grounded take on horror houses. It gives viewers very "it could happen to you" vibe and for that, I'm all in.

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6. Country Mansion (Texas Chainsaw Massacre Remake)

What ever happened to good ole fashion, southern hospitality? The country mansion featuring massive cement pillars is one of modern horror's most emblematic. The interior of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre home is definitely country-living themed, but underneath the doilies and ornate decorations is a much more sinister atmosphere.



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5. Semi-Attached (The Babadook)

Spooky and grey, those are the two words that best describe The Babadook, mostly thankful to almost entirely B&W home of the mother-son duo central to this film. The Babadook offers viewers an extremely stark setting for a home that by all means should be bright and cheery. But the problematic lives of the single mother who works too hard and her troubled son makes for a home that feels cold. It's an impressively large house featuring tall ceilings and expansive rooms that never brighten up.

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4. Apartment Building (Quarantine)

This is the worst apartment building. Even before the scares start, everything about this building is haunting. It’s greenly lit, damp-looking and outdated. Then as the tenants move through their apartments, it becomes increasingly clear that they were all living in disparaged, spooky conditions. Even when they move into some of the nicer ones, there is a constantly dark undertone that conjures up scares easily. The atmosphere feels ghastly, even when the scares aren't ghostly.

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3. Abandoned Home (Blair Witch Project)

Yeah, technically no one lives here. But, for a list of horror homes, not including at least one abandoned property feels negligent and the abandoned house in the woods featured in The Blair Witch Project is a worthy addition. Its empty, disparaged interior, paired with its blank, rundown exterior, make for something I'm truly terrified I'll stumble upon one day.



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2. Overlook Hotel (The Shining)

Is the Overlook Hotel technically a house? I'd argue yes. The snowed-in family of three is the only (living) occupants and one could say that if home is where the heart is; their hearts are definitely in it. From the winding halls rode through by Danny to the sprawling rooms of emptiness, the Overlook is not only one of the most stunning visual sets in horror; it is also one of the scariest. The Overlook Hotel is scary. Its sprawling hedge maze and similarly confusing halls provide a lost feeling that viewers won't shake even after the credits role. The Shining is a classic, and a lot of its merit is thanks to the Hotel that the Torrance's made home.



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1. Perron Family House (The Conjuring)

The Conjuring is an amazing piece of work. Whether discussing its cinematography, its acting or its plot, the talent of its cast and crew is undeniable. But, the truest star of this show is the home of the Perron family. This house is everything; it's old, discolored and eerie - despite the attempts to brighten it up. The basement alone is enough to send chills down my spine. The most telling sign of the effectiveness of the Perron's home is the ability for it to be scary, even in the daylight. Even if rooms are lit with natural sunlight, The Conjuring carries a heavy atmosphere of horror. The old house is undeniably the best horror house ever.

 

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



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5. The Houses October Built

When this movie first came out, its promotional material left me questioning it's quality. I first saw it the weekend after it was released (this is important to note for the validity that I am in fact a taste maker), and since then, it has become a Netflix hit. Prior to its addition to streaming though, this movie was bubbling under the sea with a very small group of fans.

I am so happy it has become better known. As a late entry into the over-saturated found-footage subgenre, The Houses October Built is maybe one of the best. It's a terrifying and realistic movie following a group of friends searching for the biggest "haunt" (what the film calls haunted houses). They take it a step too far and things spiral out of control. What gets to me is the fact that the movie felt like something my friends and I would do or would at least attempt to a lesser extent. The Houses October Built isn't necessarily the most original, but it is a really effective and grounded movie that will leave you at the edge of your seat.

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4. Insidious & Sinister (that's right, another tie)

The next four (five because of Sinister) on this list are undoubtedly modern classics. I decided to place these two movies together because of the level of fear they struck into me. As a fan of Blumhouse, the fact that these movies came from the same company does not surprise me. They are perhaps the most terrifying set of film within the past 10 years, only rivaled by James Wans' The Conjuring (he also made Insidious). I cannot even explain how I felt after watching these movies because they struck such a deep cord.

Even their eventual sequels, while sometimes problematic, are perfectly fine entries into the genre (expect a "In Defense" article on the third Insidious). Bughuul (Sinister) left me with days and nights of little sleep and constant fear (maybe a slight exaggeration, but not much of a stretch). That, paired with every ghost in Insidious has left me deeply troubled. The moments in the baby's room alone- from the horrifying man behind the crib to the baby monitor, make Insidious a worthwhile venture.


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3. The Babadook

One of my proudest moments in my life was watching The Babadook get released. As someone who caught up with the film immediately at the end of its Kickstarter campaign, I felt personally attached to the movie and now, as I have watched it spread its horrifying cape, I can't help but smile. Even without the horror, the story of a woman struggling to raise a problem-prone son would be compelling (Essie Davis is stunning). But, when you add in the lucid scares that seem central to The Babadook, there's no denying this film's power.




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2. The Witch

Widely recognized as one of the best films of 2016 and most certainly the best horror movie of the year, The Witch is a terrific  period piece that's slow burn is powerful. I've talked to some people who did not enjoy this movie and for each of those people, I came to love it even more. The Witch is a piece of art, and a scary one at that. There is literally nothing wrong with this movie. From Black Phillip to each of the actors' and actresses' turns as colonial folk, The Witch is amazing.

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1. The Conjuring

I don't even know what to say about this movie without sounding repetitive of the other entries on the list, except that it is all of the positive things above, and then some. I have been engrossed by this movie ever since I saw a midnight premiere and witnessed an entire audience collectively scream. It felt unreal as the camera panned up to the wardrobe where Bathsheba sat ready to pounce. I don't care how unoriginal it is for this movie to be my favorite, because it simply cannot be beat. I would love for something to challenge it though, just so I can have that moment of being that impressed once more.

 

Review: Split

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Rest my troubled heart. After the release of The Bye Bye Man last week, I was slightly worried about the state of horror in 2017. As the first major horror release of the year, it definitely did not set things off on the right foot. From its shaky storyline to a bountiful supply of disappointing "scares," The Bye Bye Man made an early bid for the worst theatrical-release horror movie of the year and possibly set the tone, however with the release of Split, the board may be reset yet. 

Split gives horror veteran, M. Night Shamaylan, a strong, star-studded follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2015 film, The Visit. Split stars James McAvoy (X Men: First Class) as Kevin, a man diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID) coping with 23 identities and a possibly dangerous 24th; an omnipresent monster-human named "the Beast." Starring alongside him is

newly annointed scream queen, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch) as Casey and Betty Buckley (Cats) as DID psychiatrist, Dr. Karen Fletcher. The film also features Haley Lu Richardson (The Bronze) as Claire and Jessica Sula (Skins) as Marcia.

Split opens its world at the birthday party of Claire, where Marcia, Claire's best friend and Casey, an outsider welcomed as a "pity invite," later need a ride home. When Kevin as one of his more dangerous personalities named Dennis hijacks their car and knocks the women out, we quickly come to realize that the women are in very real danger. The rest of the film plays out with the three attempting escapes and Dr. Fletcher's consultations with Kevin's Dennis masquerading as fashion designer identity, Barry; all while "the Beast" creeps closer and is later revealed.

 

As good as its plot sounds, Split is a constant and unrelenting gesture of proper suspense and for McAvoy; it is one of his most prominent turns to date. In fact, acting on all corners of the board are stunning. Taylor-Joy is terrific as a broken down possible final girl, and Buckley, Richardson and Sula do amazing in their supporting roles. This group, if assembled again could make any horror movie worthwhile. Whether it’s the strong-headed, but quickly destitute, Claire, the more subtle follower Marcia or Casey speaking, each of the three women seems far more established than any young actress should be. And for veteran Buckley, this film only adds to her extensive repertoire. All of that, piled alongside McAvoy's innate ability to move through different mannerisms and "identities," make every scene great.

 

Split is scary. Shyamalan’s ability to create a film that is terrifying through its sense of overhanging fears, rather than relying on jump scares, is undeniable. While every moment seems to exist only to act as a bridge to the final climax and reveal of "the Beast," Split never halts intrigue. Sure there are multiple attempted escape sequences, but McAvoy's command over the different characters is captivating enough for audiences.

 

Overall, Split deserves every laurel it gets. From each actor to the plot, to the continual train of thrills, Split is indestructible. It's renewed by hope for this year in horror and in this new, revitalized M. Night Shyamalan world, it's a welcome addition. I give it 98 personalities out of 100 and 9 out of 10.