Should There Be A 'Slender Man' Film?

Earlier this week, the first look of the upcoming film 'Slender Man' dropped with both a poster along with a trailer which you can view HERE. The film is of course based upon the popular Internet meme/urban legend that sparked some controversy in 2014 when two young girls attempted to murder their friend in the fictional character's name. Since the story is connected with such a tragedy, more controversy was surely to come as now there are arguments and even a petition to ban the new Sony Pictures film before its May 2018 release.

Now, is this outrage warranted? Does the movie deserve to be made without controversy or petitions? Well, the simple answer is yes. The media has long been the easiest scapegoat when it comes to the horrible things human beings have done in life so this is nothing new. However, the answer is the same across the board: these works of fiction are just that and whether they influence people to commit these horrible crimes has never been a solid argument. Long before the Internet, films, or video games, people killed in the name of religion, personal grudges, or for political gain. We don't blame these things today and entertainment is no different. To say that a 'Slender Man' film or a 'Grand Theft Auto' game shouldn't be made because it makes children kill but have no issues with the Bible, Islam, works of classic literature, or even music by The Beatles despite having similar controversies is downright hypocritical.

For a large majority, horror stories have been healthy escapism from the tragedies of the real world and they don't end up harming others because of them. As hard as it is to hear it and as generalizing as it may sound, there is much truth to it and that is that children and the adults they grow into are influenced heavily by their family life, school life, and their social standings throughout their youth. While some may find it just as easy to blame the parents for a situation such as this, it has more credible evidence than blaming media. Children today get cell phones before they turn five years old, are able to access the computer sometimes before that with little to no supervision from the parents or guardians in charge. It isn't just about abuse or neglect at home, but proper supervising as well and being in your child's life more. As a personal sufferer of mental illness myself, I can tell you that outward appearances do not tell you anything.

This argument has been a long one for fans of the macabre and horror like myself, with many pointing the finger at them when issues would come up with me. The simple fact is, my problems are my own and are controlled by me, not Jason, not Freddy, and not Slender Man. We need to start taking the blame for our own actions, whether we be these young girls, or their parents who have attempted to pass the buck off themselves by starting up this petition. People are responsible for their own actions and if we must suffer for that, then its our cross to bear but own it. If you think that this small little story on the Internet can influence your child to harm others, then restrict their usage of the computer more. If you think 'GTA' is too violent, then don't buy it for your children. Be responsible and don't pull down Sony Pictures because you need an easy answer. Whether or not the final product is even going to be good I can't say, but it has every right to exist and be seen and people have the responsibility and right to restrict their children from seeing it. Banning things you don't like is what Nazis and Communists did and its time for it to stop.

Thank you guys for reading today. I know sometimes you don't like these serious articles and as such I try not to do them on here as often, but I felt this needed to be said as I found a deep meaning in it. Feel free to let me know what your thoughts are about the upcoming 'Slender Man' movie in the comments below. Should it be released? Is it even going to be a good movie? Should people take more responsibility? Let me know and thanks again.

Hell Night (1981)

1981 was a heyday for the slasher movie with some of the biggest films in the subgenre coming out that year including 'My Bloody Valentine', 'Friday the 13th Part 2', 'The Burning', and of course the film we're reviewing today 'Hell Night'. I will admit going into this one that a lot of hype had been built up beforehand. The movie was unavailable to me for many many years as the DVD had not been in production since 2002 and as a result, 'Hell Night' went for an average $100 price tag. Thanks to Scream Factory, I was finally able to experience this popular slasher flick and while I won't go so far to say it was worth the long wait, I was satisfied and had some good fun.

The film comes from the producers behind the classic 'Halloween' and in some ways you can tell. The movie is primarily set in an old dark mansion and gives off a vibe of that local house you thought was haunted as a kid much in the way the Myers house was depicted. It even comes with a backstory about mutant children dying in the house only to come back for revenge. It's all good cheesy fun you'd find in a William Castle or old Saturday night spookfest and it gives the film a more light-hearted tone despite the gruesome deaths. The film's plot has the teens staying in the mansion in order to pass a hazing ritual or 'Hell Night' for their local sorority only to find that the pranks and gags are the least of their worries when the legend turns out to be true.

Starring Linda Blair (The Exorcist), Peter Barton (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter), and even Vincent Van Patten of all people the cast of 'Hell Night' do alright in their roles but are lacking in many areas, even for a slasher film. Barton's character I feel gets the shaft the most, because the film spends so much time building him up as this really nice charismatic guy only for him to feel unimportant in the climax. The same goes for Van Patten, who has the opposite problem. He is generally portrayed throughout the film as an uncaring dick, but towards the end he suddenly becomes a hero even fighting off the killer with a shotgun.

As for Blair, she does about the same as her usual roles. I never really cared for her to be honest and here I just don't believe her 'final girl' transformation due to her usual quiet and shy performances. The other female characters are so minimal and quickly dispatched that I can't even remember their names, but I suppose that's the name of the game here but still, even some of the worst slashers tend to treat their characters a little better. The gore effects and makeup for the killer are really good considering the age of the film and its minimal budget. It has probably one of the best head decapitations in a horror film I've seen, being shot in one take with a real head and a prosthetic body. The other deaths aren't quite as over the top, but effective and gruesome enough to satisfy any fan.

The Blu-Ray was presented in a 4K transfer and looks impressive for a 1981 film. It has the right amount of age and grain to keep the horror feel but also keeping the special effects and spookier scenes crystal clear. I was told that the VHS and even the original Anchor Bay DVD had some really dark scenes making it hard to focus but that's not a problem with this new Blu-Ray. More top notch work from Scream Factory. Sound is great as well. Dialogue is clear and the gross out and ghastly noises throughout are effective. Special features include trailers, an audio commentary, and 4 hours of interviews from the cast and crew of 'Hell Night' giving an impressive overall package.

'Hell Night' is one of the better slasher films due to its unique setting and kills, but at the same time it doesn't offer anything new to those who aren't fans of this sort of thing. The Blu-Ray/DVD package is another great transfer from Scream Factory with impressive audio and video quality that any fan of the film should definitely pick up.

7.5/10

PICK UP THE FILM HERE:

Insidious: The Last Key (2018)

'Insidious: The Last Key' thankfully doesn't follow the usual trend of crap horror films released during the first week of the new year. It deals with some really dark material for a PG-13 film well and brings some genuine thrills and a wonderful performance from Lin Shaye. The entire film really rests on Shaye as it's a horror film in 2018 that has an elderly woman in the lead which is unheard of in any decade, so to say that she had a lot on her shoulders would be putting it lightly. Thankfully, she is as wonderful and charming as always and I really think this may be her best performance in both the series and her career.

It helps that she is surrounded by a great supporting cast, even if her two sidekicks (one played by the writer himself) do come off as almost arbitrary and have the worst dialogue in the film hands down. Still, they give their best with what little they have to do with the overall story here. Shaye's character has two nieces here that are also pretty good in their brief roles. They aren't annoying, they don't make dumb decisions like many teen characters, and one even connects heavily to the climax so overall you have a horror film with some pretty decent writing for once.

The film looks great as well, as does the franchise as a whole but it doesn't go as far with its spectacle as the previous two entries. The creatures/demons/ghosts themselves are pretty minimal and pulled back in their designs with the main antagonist having an interesting but at the same time an all too familiar look to him. If there is any real negative I had with 'The Last Key' is that it does rely on cheap jump scares from time to time but thankfully they have payoffs 99 percent of the time and something scary actually happens. The film also does have an overall familiar feeling to it and on top of it being a prequel, you get the feeling throughout that you know exactly what's going to happen (with the exception of a decent twist towards the end).

So in the end, it's no worse than part 3, but it isn't better than the first two. It's simply a fun spooky horror movie that's well acted, well written, and well shot. The 'Insidious' series does defy the usual diminishing returns most horror franchises reach by their fourth film by still remaining consistent in its quality. It can never match that first film, with its iconic red lipstick demons, Tiny Tim ghosts etc. but it's still a worthy sequel that's worth your time if you're a horror fan.

7.5/10

The Most Anticipated Horror Films of 2018

2018 looks to be another great year for horror films, from highly anticipated sequels to the smaller but intriguing new films so without any delay, let's get into the upcoming films of the year.

'Insidious: The Last Key' releases this weekend! The fourth and possibly final entry in the series looks to bring the same spooky atmosphere and chills. Having Lin Shaye return one more time is just icing on the cake. Be sure to check out the film on Friday January 5th.

It's amazing to me that such a legendary tale as the infamous Winchester Mansion has just now gotten a film adaptation. From the previews and stellar casting however, the wait will be well worthwhile. For those unaware, the mansion is said to house the spirits of those who fell by the Winchester rifle as the widow of the gunsmith builds room upon room in the house in an attempt to appease the vengeful spirits.  See Helen Mirren fight off ghosts on February 2nd.

I've still not read the novel, but the upcoming film 'Annihilation' looks to be one unique experience. We should expect nothing less from the director of the criminally underrated 'Ex-Machina' who seems to fit this tale of mutant creatures and mysterious beings perfectly. The film having Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh are big highlights for me as well. See what lies beyond the shimmer on February 23rd.

Despite strong box office and above average reviews from the critics, it strangely took a decade for 'The Strangers' to receive a follow up. Hopefully the wait will be worth it as the three mysterious killers go on to terrorize an entire mobile home area. 'The Strangers: Prey At Night' will release March 9th.

While 'The New Mutants' is based upon Marvel's 'X-Men' comics, the film adaptation looks to be taking a dark and Gothic horror route, which should make for a stand out this year among the other superhero flicks. Set in an asylum full of mutants who have yet to control themselves, terror and violence ensues. Look for this one on April 13th.

Blumhouse has become a household name in the modern era of horror films and they aren't stopping anytime soon. While tilt back and forth in quality, they tend to bring out some entertaining horror fluff. 'Truth or Dare' looks to take a similar route to their previous film 'Ouija' as the plot centers around a group of teens haunted by ghosts after playing the titular game. I'm currently on the fence with this one but we'll have to wait and see on April 27th. UPDATE: The trailer just dropped and you can view it right HERE.

Comedian John Krasinski goes behind the camera for his first shot at the horror genre with 'A Quiet Place'. The film tells the story of a family living in complete silence, from talking in sign language to walking on special sand trails. Why is that? Because something is lurking and is attracted to noise of any kind and its only a matter of time before someone grabs its attention. Those who prefer a slow burn horror might want to check this one out in April.

Spider-Man's greatest villain is getting his own spin off film and its going down a really dark and blood-splattered path from the sound of it. After the success of 'Deadpool', an R-rated 'Venom' film quickly got the greenlight and is looking to be a Marvel film like no other. Starring Tom Hardy as the vicious alien being, this may be my most anticipated comic book film this year. Check it out this June.

Despite a real-life tragedy and frequent controversy, the Internet creepypasta is getting his own film this July. The plot to 'Slender Man' is so far unknown, but I feel that they might go in a 'Blair Witch' direction if they are trying to be faithful to the material. Only time will tell how this one turns out. UPDATE: The first trailer for 'Slender Man' is now up HERE.

'The Purge: Island' will be a prequel, telling the story of the first Purge Night in a remote location. Sadly, other than a confirmed 4th of July release and the brief synopsis not much else is known.

One of the biggest horror films this year will be 'The Nun', a spinoff of the popular and excellent 'Conjuring' series. Not much is known but it will likely take place in the past and is to be set in an old European Convent. 'The Nun' will haunt your dreams this July.

'The Predator' will finally see the return of one of my personal favorite franchises and has a strong backbone to support it. Firstly, you have writer/director Shane Black, a talented cast including Keenan Michael Key, and a strong emphasis on action, horror, and terror. The hunt begins again this August.

'The Meg' is based upon the popular series of novels about a giant killer shark. And by giant, we're talking an ancient prehistoric shark known as the Megaladon so the picture above is no exaggeration. Jason Statham stars in the film adaptation which will be released this August. I just hope they show the shark eat a T-Rex like in the novel.

2018 is the 40th anniversary of John Carpenter's classic film 'Halloween' and to celebrate, we're getting a new entry in the series. While the plot and title is still unknown, I cannot be more excited to hear that Jamie Lee Curtis and the original Michael himself (Nick Castle) will be returning in their respective roles. The film is looking to dial back on the gore and slasher elements and hoping to channel the original film. And you've got John Carpenter producing and writing the music. Something has to go so horribly wrong for this film not to work. See it this Halloween.

Okay, here's something for everyone. 2016's 'Goosebumps' turned out to be a far better film than anyone could have expected, so a sequel had to be coming. The film is looking to be set in the book's most famous location, a haunted theme park run by monsters and will see Jack Black returning as the novelist R.L. Stine. The sequel is set to release this October.

The final entry in the 'Cloverfield' series is still lacking a solid release date, or even much details. Sadly, all we can do at this point is speculate but it is likely that the film will follow a similar style to '10 Cloverfield Lane' rather than the first film's found-footage angle but only time will tell.