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: 



(imdb.com)

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.

(imdb.com)

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.

(imdb.com)

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.

(imdb.com)

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.

 

(imdb.com)

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.

 

The Overlook: The Ones Below

(imdb.com)

Neighbors can be a lot to deal with. From noise to the secretive, on-looking ways of intersecting lives, sharing spaces - even those blocked by locked doors, can prove to be a challenge. Add a few pregnancies on top of that and some darker, sinister intentions and the concept of neighbors becomes all the more unsettling. This is essentially the plot of The Ones Below. Following the lives of a couple expecting their first child and their new, suspiciously creepy downstairs neighbors who are also expecting a child, The Ones Below is a slow-burning and unsettling film.

The Ones Below hosts a beautifully stunning cast who do terrific in their respective roles. In the upstairs flat, Clémence Poésy (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and Stephen Campbell Moore (The History Boyd) play Kate and Justin, the aforementioned young couple who are expecting Their new neighbors, played by David Morrissey (The Walking Dead) and Laura Birn (A Walk Among the Tombstones), are also expecting a child and for Birn's foreigner, Theresa,, the struggles of pregnancy seem to have her head in a strange place. The One Below places everything on the shoulders of these four proficient actors and the movie greatly benefits because of it. 

 

There's a lot of disturbing moments in The One Below. From the off-color comments made by Morrissey's character to the greatly uncomfortable confrontations between the two couples, this film knows how to dole out goose bumps. But, even worse than these moments are the more subtle ones- conversations unveiling the troubled relationship of Kate and Justin and the strange, startling eyes of the off-center Theresa, all culminate into a nerve-wracking experience.

The Ones Below is beautifully shot; sleek and elegant, but deeply dark and brooding. It is the type of movie that even on the brightest day, could make an audience feel like it's raining out. The Ones Below hosts a collection of perfectly curated pieces of furniture, wall hangings and knick-knacks, it is undeniably easy on the eyes, and completely wills you to yearn for these characters' tastes. Even when things become seedy and the smooth surfaces of the film's plot begin to ripple, viewers will still want in on the lifestyles lived.

While not a proper, conventional horror film, The Ones Below most definitely is one. It is a troubling, brooding movie that makes for a scarily good time. It is the type of revelation that showcases that you never truly know your neighbors. The Ones Below feeds into the discomfort of acquaintanceship and is honestly a must-see, cringe-worthy adventure. Oh, it's currently streaming on Netflix, so no excuses.

 

Review: The Void

(imdb.com)

Alien: Covenant is fast approaching, but until then what do sci-fi/horror fans have to look forward to? I present The Void. Easily one of the most entertaining and mysteriously outrageous as it is grounded, The Void is a terrifying concoction of the cult and alternative dimension subgenres. It's the rare sci-fi/horror movie that seems realistic - thanks in part to a stunning cast of actors who bring a level of humanism to their roles.

The Void follows a police officer who brings a disoriented man to a desolate hospital, only to bear witness to a grand plot of portal openings and monstrous creatures. The recently charred hospital that is this film's setting, hosts a number of lingering characters who have yet to move to one of the more well-kept hospitals in the rural area. There's a trio of nurses, a doctor, a pregnant teen, her grandfather, a male patient and later an additional pair running from the cult. Each of these characters provide depth and interest to the storyline; especially noteworthy given horror's tendency to use a cast like cannon fodder rather than story development.

The Void stars Aaron Poole (The Conspiracy) as police officer and central character, Daniel Carter, horror icon Kenneth Welsh (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) as Dr. Richard Powell, a friend of Daniel's father, Daniel Fathers (Dark Matter) as a man running from the cult outside the hospital and Kathleen Munroe (Resurrection) as experienced nurse and wife of Daniel, Allison Fraser. Other cast members include Ellen Wong (The Carrie Diaries) also supports as an inexperienced nurse-in-training, Kim, Mik Byskov (The 100) as a fellow cult escapee, Grace Munro () as the pregnant teen, Maggie and James Millington (The Freshman) as her grandfather.

As noted, this movie excels at creating characters that feel worthwhile. For Poole who holds much of the camera's attention, his role as Daniel is especially terrific given his realistic and subtly comical responses. Other especially great performances come from Wong, whose character goes from somewhat useless to undoubtedly scrappy and Munro's Maggie who is scarily frantic for her and her baby’s life. The understandable, but constantly frustrating man played by Fathers, is also entertaining enough, as is the other members mentioned previously.

The Void is also bolstered by a pension for suspense building. No matter how ridiculous or off-the-rails its final scenes got, everything felt horrifying. Even scenes that had a sense of placidity - like those featuring the cloaked cult members standing in the lot - were unsettling at the least. There's also plenty of homage to movies like The Thing, with impressive practical effects and well-timed gross out scenes worthy of the history books. In fact, there are no true flaws in The Void. This is a film that is truly committed to its mythology and no matter where that mythology goes or how susceptible that world could be of critiques, the confidence at which it plays out is hard to undermine.

The Void is deserving of each and every one of its praises. It is horror-inducing, it is funny and it most certainly is well-done. It’s the type of movie an array of people could find something to love and is setting an early standard for best lists of 2017. From the very first scene where Daniel comes face-to-face with a cult member (Personal note: I pinpointed this scene as one that would give me nightmares, and within an hour of falling asleep I was jolted awake by a dream of it), to the final intense moments of survival, The Void never lets up. 9 out 10.

 

Review: FirstBorn

(imdb.com)

Netflix has one of the best horror selections on streaming services. From acquisitions of The Babadook to random finds like Last Shift, there are numerous, worthwhile options. But, despite all of the adequate options, there are almost an equal number of bad options. Nothing encapsulates this dilemma more than FirstBorn. Among some of the most prominent films on the site, FirstBorn sticks out as a sore thumb.

Whereas, Netflix had seemingly dropped the bad-horror shtick as their choices got better and competitors like Amazon Prime fell out of the race, FirstBorn is a strange addition and one Netflix should remove. Of course this movie isn't the only bad horror movie on Netflix but the permanence of it on every tab will undoubtedly give viewers pause as to whether it'll be worthwhile or not. Well, it's not.

FirstBorn is tepid. Poorly written and most offensively, not scary, it fails on numerous, grating levels and one should wonder how much the service paid to have this movie on their site. The film follows a young couple whose first child brings along some demons after birth. It's not a groundbreaking idea, but where somewhat unoriginal movies have overcome these creative shortcomings with new styles, scares and storytelling, FirstBorn feels like a sad, boring rehash of movies like Insidious.

FirstBorn stars Antonia Thomas (Misfits) and Luke Norris (The Duchess) as the new parents. They seek the help of Elizabeth, played by Eileen Davies (Sightseers). Each play their role as leveled and fulfilling as expected, given the weak script and rehashed ideas. No one is particularly bad, but most certainly no one is particularly good. As noted, this film could have done a lot with old ideas. Many horror movies aren't spectacularly new but, at the very least, they should offer a new point of view.

This movie is cringe-worthy throughout. It's reliance on sharp, loud noises are more distracting and removing than jump-inducing and the use of any atmosphere building is entirely absent. By the film's end, any viewer who is still awake deserves a prize. Its blatant mediocrity is offensive and without any stimulation, it becomes a true snooze. So, save some time and rewatch The Babadook for the eightieth time, no judgment necessary.

 

The Overlook: The Watcher



(imdb.com)

Sometimes when looking for something to watch, you just want something easy and cheesy like a Lifetime movie, but most certainly a step above that. This is essentially what The Watcher is. Equal parts horror as it is melodrama, The Watcher is, well, easy to watch. It's a slightly trashy, but perfectly suspenseful film with darkened halls and sounds in the night. There's acting and a script that waiver between dismal and fantastic and the film succeeds with varied success. The Watcher is most definitely a shaking film, but it's also enjoyable and for that, noteworthy.


The film focuses on a couple who move into an old home in a typical, nosy suburban neighborhood. When strange happenings start to occur, it becomes clear that there are much more sinister entities at work. The Watcher stars Erin Cahill (Boogeyman 3) and Edi Gathegi (Gone Baby Gone)as the young couple, and Denise Crosby (Pet Sematary) plays an intrusive neighbor whose son, played by Riley Baron, is somewhat offensively depicted as having a disability. Each of them do mediocrely in their roles; Gathegi is the only one who does consistently well, although Cahill makes valiant efforts, despite being brought down by a constricting woman-in-torment role.

The bad of this film has all been outlined above; from somewhat offensive portrayals of those with special needs to some over the top acting that could be tossed up between a weak script or poor skills, The Watcher leave's some yearning. But, where it works, The Watcher really works. There are numerous parts - especially those featuring the birdlike man, that are especially suspenseful and while it eventually gets somewhat lost in translation, the establishment of the film is relatively powerful. The former neighbor is also pretty terrifying as he peers through fences and shows himself into the couple's home.

The Watcher is strongest at creating an atmosphere of fear. It's off-putting and weird style, propelled by scary notes and the impending arrival of the birdman, later seen in visions, is definitely creepy. The film additionally wins some points for it's unsettling turn in the last act. For what could have leveled out as a typical ghost film. The Watcher isn't something to hold a candle to, but it is cheaply entertaining enough to be worthwhile. For those mindless nights of boredom, it's definitely not the worst thing on Netflix and that's saying something.

 

Review: Here Alone

(imdb.com)

If you're like the millions of people who wait day-by-day for new episodes of The Walking Dead, then these moments of lull can feel desperate and empty. In fact, even if you're not a fane of the program, but still love zombie films and all things post-apocalyptic, the wait period between new material can feel endless. Rest assured though, more is coming and more will continue to come. The subgenre is perhaps the most profitable due to it's escapism aspects and there doesn't seem to be any shortage of potential with the subgenre. Queue the release of Here Alone; a perfectly well done, heartfelt film that'll appeal to broader audiences and fans alike. It's sad, it's unnerving and best of all, it's suspenseful.

Here Alone follows a young woman's fight for survival a year after the world is destroyed by a virus. The film stars Lucy Walters (Power) as Anne, the woman central to the story, Shane West (Nikita) as her husband, Adam David Thompson (A Walk Among Tombstones) as Chris, a man Anne comes across on her journey, and Gina Piersanti (It Felt Like Love), as the man's would-be stepdaughter, Olivia.  

Beautifully shot in Upstate New York, Here Alone begins as a stark portrayal of life in the wilderness. Viewers enter into Ann's life unsure of what had happened, only that the difficulties she has faced have led her to the dismal conditions she finds herself in. There are flashbacks showing her husband and baby, but similar to many movies like it, it's easy to tell that they're no longer with her, a definite bid for audience's sympathy (a tactic that, time and time again, works).

Here Alone is a more subtle film than the nonstop action so well known to the post-apocalyptic subgenre. However, it offers more than its fair share of vision and suspense. The introduction of the unseen monsters in the woods alone is enough to cause pause, as Ann ventures into an abandoned home in search of food. And, when she eventually gets caught on a fence, the short moment will dole out goose bumps. This theme of subtlety continues as we witness flashbacks to Anne's eventual solitude, a brief climactic encounter in the woods and the perfectly paced climax.

The one flaw, more like a thorn in the side than a fatal blow, is the slow start of young actor Piersanti, who unfortunately comes across as more unsure of her role than unsure of how to live through the troubled times her character faces throughout the first half of the film. But, even this is overcome by the midway point when a dare leads her into a lake to swim and she unfolds as a character to care about. In fact, by the midway point, all three of our central characters matter and will inevitably pull at the heartstrings of audiences.

While never groundbreaking, Here Alone accomplishes enough in its character study of survival instincts to not be diminished by its conventionality. As far as post-apocalyptic films go, this one is far tamer than most others. Reminiscent of Into The Forest, Here Alone is mostly quiet, but not to be underestimated. It's an interesting film that puts viewers in the shoes of its characters and for that, it deserves some recognition.

 

 

The Overlook: The Windmill

(imdb.com)

For those left with emptiness from the severe lack of slasher films circulating the horror industry right now, look no further than The Windmill. Recently added to Netflix, this under-presented film about a group of tourists stalked by a supernatural killer while visiting Holland's acclaimed windmills, is the closest thing to a straight up slasher audiences will have seen in a while. Even as mystical, occult moments occur, The Windmill is - at a very base level - just a bunch of people being plucked off one-by-one; a tired but consistently entertaining horror convention that has all but disappeared recently.

The cast, while extensive, all do variably well in their roles and when they're killed off (spoiler, it's a slasher), you sometimes care, but most of the time - as is typical for slasher films, you don't. The Windmill stars Charlotte Beaumont (Jupiter Ascending) as Jennifer, a known stowaway with questionable mental stability, Bart Klever (The Pool) as Abe, the bus driver, and Adam Thomas (Altar) as Curt, one of the passenger's sons. The rest of supporting characters are practically cannon fodder, as predictable, but each give worthwhile moments of intrigue.

As noted, The Windmill follows a group of diverse tourists all with storied pasts and secrets as they embark, and later break down, on a road connecting Holland's windmill attractions. The Windmill hosts a variety of twists and turns, a lot more ineffective than not, but is ultimately an easy-to-watch, entertaining movie without stakes. The film's biggest strength is in serving up mid-2000s horror on a silver platter. For such a low budget, they offer worthwhile graphics and some pretty sudden deaths. The Windmill is reminiscent of See No Evil and offers the same level of strange fun.

The Windmill gets weird. There is no denying how odd this movie gets when the slasher aspect gets left behind by a convoluted supernatural plotline that is both confusing and awkward. If the movie had remained somewhat grounded, it most definitely would have been even better. But, as per usual, some horror movies like to add unnecessary distractions that only weaken them. Think how Annabelle went from cult-ghost movie to crazed-Insidious demon; it is that level of transition.

Overall, for a stumble-upon on Netflix, The Windmill is great. It's not terribly acted and is most definitely one of the more bearable additions on a streaming site known for some weak entries. The Windmill is like Chiller network: good for a sleepy night in, but nothing to write home about.