US (2019)

Jordan Peele's second effort 'Us' lives up to the tagline that sometimes we are our own worst enemy. It's with this and many other strong elements and themes that shows he is a true talent in the industry and his sophomore film is far from a slump. The film stars Lupita N'yongo as a woman named Adelaide who is heading back to her childhood home of Santa Cruz with her husband (Winston Duke) and two children. From the very start, strange coincidences begin to happen until the family is suddenly attacked in the night by a gang of doppelgangers who have hatred and violence on their minds.

Peele's knowledge of how to create effective horror is on full display here, rarely relying on loud noises or jump scares and instead going for a strong sense of dread and tension which is complimented perfectly with Michael Abels second contribution to the score. Like his previous film 'Get Out', Abels conducts a haunting choir with heavy strings and I can imagine myself sitting alone listening to it and getting the chills from the very first note. This time around, he also incorporates a famous hip hop song 'I Got Five on It' by taking the instrumental elements and crafting an eerie theme that helps ramp up the film's climax. This film also sports some beautiful cinematography thanks to Mike Gioulakis, who has delved into the horror genre with 'It Follows' a film that also had nice visuals that complimented the horror elements.

The performances here are also top notch, with the obvious stand out being Lupita N'yongo whom I really feel deserves an award for this. Winston Duke may not be as much of a stand out here and more of a comic relief, he still does excellent with the part he is given playing a very believable father character that shows he's willing to sacrifice himself if it means protecting his family. Even the two kids get their time in the spotlight and are pretty even and thankfully don't add to the usual horror tropes that come with child characters. They're smartly written, can be funny without being annoying, they're likeable, and they feel like real kids and react like real kids would.

While I do think 'Us' is a solid horror film, I didn't quite enjoy it as much as 'Get Out' for a few reasons. First, while the main cast is solid our secondary characters are merely fodder and we barely get to know them outside of the opening and their ultimate demises. While I won't spoil these scenes I feel that for a movie that's so smart in every other aspect to have such a cliche sequence that many horror films have had before it feels out of place. I also must confess that I simply don't feel some elements (which I cannot reveal due to spoilers) all connect or make sense. I wish I could elaborate more on this but perhaps you'll understand if you saw it for yourself and maybe you won't feel the same way but to me a lot of the overall reveal once the curtain is pulled back just left me a bit confused and unsatisfied.

Jordan Peele's 'Us' may not be as good as his previous film, but it's one of the best movies you'll see this year and one of the best the horror genre has to offer. It contains that same wit and tension of 'Get Out' while adding some new elements and some real thought provoking themes of duality and what we perceive as our enemies. I encourage everyone to see this film this weekend and I promise you won't be disappointed.

9/10

Get Out (2017)

'Get Out' is the directorial debut of comedy writer Jordan Peele and stars Daniel Kaluuya as a young man named Chris, who is about to spend the weekend with his white girlfriend's family. Right from the start, Chris feels slightly hesitant about his visit but finds that they are all very warm and welcoming however Chris slowly begins to feel very uncomfortable as everyone's overt kindness hides a sinister plot.

While some may find the shift from comedy to horror a bit jarring and sudden for Peele, as we've learned from Robin Williams and Jim Carrey the best comedians can look deep inside and find that darker place, perhaps better than many of us would like to admit. Comedy can often hide pain and this can bring out some brilliant creativity and passion in someone, which is what makes 'Get Out' so spectacular. From the opening sequence, you feel that isolation, paranoia, and being uncomfortable in a foreign environment that we've all experienced on various levels. It's these that make the film so relatable for the viewer no matter your race, creed, or orientation. Even before the true horror starts, you know something is wrong and we are 100% onboard with Chris from the start. He feels alone even with the friendliest people and a woman he truly loves. Daniel Kaluuya shows these emotions with a subtle and almost stoic performance which makes it even more commendable.

The rest of the cast does just as well as they hide their facade in a believable and again relatable way. The dad makes lame jokes and plays up the stereotypical embarrassing parent well. Catherine Keener as the mother is a little more obvious with her sinister aspects, but she's always such a class act and performs well here. I can't forget Lil Rey Howery as Chris's best friend who provides the comic relief and always had me roar with laughter each time. It seems Mr. Peele projected himself within this character and despite his more comedic angle, he also does the dramatic parts well too. The film's score is appropriately eerie and was written by first timer Michael Abels (who also performed the score to Peele's second film 'US'). The opening credits is one of the creepiest horror movie themes I've heard in a long time, with a slow guitar and an almost Gothic choir in the background. The score stays away from those loud strings or 'jump scare' sounds and instead goes for that subtle route and it's a surprise Abels didn't receive a nomination as its a solid first soundtrack.

'Get Out' is the smartest horror/thriller in many years that keeps a strong sense of tension throughout and has a sharp wit and dark humor sprinkled in. Jordan Peele is a natural talent and his film is not just scary as hell, it's smart too. If you have yet to check it out before this week's 'US' I highly encourage you to view it. The hype is completely warranted and it's the best horror flick of the 2010's so far.

10/10

Child's Play (1988)

It's actor Brad Dourif's birthday today! We also have a new movie in the series on the way, so why not re-visit the 'Child's Play' franchise? This will go over a little slower than the first time as I have less time than usual for a full on marathon. This will be a re-review of the series and as such, several elements or opinions may have changed since my first go around. So without any further delay, let's start with 1988's 'Child's Play'.

The film is directed by Tom Holland (Fright Night) and stars Brad Dourif, Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, and Alex Vincent. Serial killer Charles Lee Ray is gunned down inside a toy store after a short pursuit. The next day, young Andy Barclay is having his birthday and all he wants is the new Good Guy doll, an interactive toy that wants to be your best friend. However, his mother is unable to afford the doll until finding a homeless man willing to sell one. What follows is a series of bizarre events and horrific murders as young Andy tries to convince his mother that his doll, named Chucky is more than just a toy.

With my first review, I stated that I feel the original movie while obviously a big influence wasn't exactly my favorite in the series and that hasn't really changed. Like most origin movies, a slower pace to build everything up properly is a given but 'Child's Play' does space things out well. While I do think its somewhat sluggish in pacing despite the short running time (next to 'Child's Play 3') the film makes up for it by having well written characters that are easy to care about, especially young Andy who is so cute and innocent and you feel so bad for the hell he and his mother go through. Chris Sarandon's Mike Norris is also charming and despite his initial disbelief (and who could blame him really?) of Andy's story, you see that he truly does care about the safety of these two and is willing to solve it even at the risk of his own life. The stand out here is Dourif of course and it baffles me that this man was only given the awards spotlight once. He gives it his all here, and in just a voice performance alone he breathes life into the animatronic doll and much of his performance seems to be put into the design of the Chucky doll itself. The mannerisms that Kevin Yagher and his team brought through their puppetry and design are still amazing even 30 years later.

What I didn't mention before is the score by Joe Renzetti and his incredible ending theme. It fits the picture perfectly, having a child like softness much like a nursery rhyme while having that edgy creepiness at the same time. But what's disappointing is the score as a whole, which doesn't have the same sound to it. It's pretty minimal throughout but whats here to me just didn't fit as well as that creepy theme song. Its tense and works for the more sinister moments, such as the babysitter's stalking scene but overall it feels like two different sounding pieces of music and it throws me off. I much prefer Graeme Revell's score for the sequel but we'll get there when we get there.

So having watched the movie again after giving it some much needed rest, I did enjoy it a little more but I still have some big problems. As I said, the movie takes a while to get going and even after a tense scene it takes a bit too long to get to another. While I praised the film's robotics and special effects work, some elements have never worked with me even back when I first saw it. There are obvious little people as stand ins for Chucky, often wearing cheap and goofy looking masks and it really throws me off. I understand they couldn't have him do some things and it was 1988 when this stuff was fairly new but I can't say with honesty that it doesn't look strange or comical. And for whatever reason, the film does just abruptly end and overall the climatic fight with Chucky is a bit mediocre. They establish throughout the movie that he is turning more and more human, but only a gunshot to the heart would kill him. It's a bit silly even for a killer doll flick.

I really enjoyed going back to the original 'Child's Play' film and while I don't think a remake was needed, it will be interesting to see what they have up their sleeve. As for the original, it still has some of the same flaws I established before, but at the same time I was much more forgiving and really came out on a bit of a high. It's still not my favorite in the series, but It was a lot better than I remembered.

7/10

The August Underground Trilogy (2001-2007)

The idea of a "Snuff Film" has fascinated our society as far back as the 1970's, feeding our morbid curiosities and our imaginations. Over the years, several films have tried to cash in on this such as the 1976 film simply titled 'Snuff' which touted itself as real which naturally led to severe consequences on the filmmakers. Cut to the 1980s and we have 'Cannibal Holocaust' which was considered so convincing that director Ruggero Deodato has to produce the cast alive and well in open court. Even with the less extreme examples of 'The Blair Witch Project' or 'Poughkeepsie Tapes' these still brought along with them tons of controversy and paranoia. But two series of films stand out in this new sub-genre of horror and those are the infamous Japanese 'Guinea Pig' series and Fred Vogel's 'August Underground' trilogy, which we'll be looking at today. This being my first ever review of an entire series at once, we'll be going through each film at a time before I come to a final conclusion.

We'll begin with August Underground released in 2001 and starring the film's director Fred Vogel. I won't be going into much of a story with these films as quite simply there is none to really speak of. The films were meant to be presented as "real" snuff film footage, filmed with an old VCR camera and artificially aged to look authentic. It's a unique way to go for sure and in fact almost landed the filmmaker in Canadian prison due to its realistic nature. The problem is when one sits down to watch it, the style simply becomes frustrating especially for an hour long. It also doesn't help that the film isn't the least bit scary or disturbing really. The special effects are either too difficult to see or too cheap looking when you consider Fred's background in gore effects work. The two main killers are annoying, act poorly, and do little more than scream and swear at each other or their captive. It gets stale and annoying fast. So, overall the film gets the look down but falls apart in nearly every other department, leading to a poorly made attempt at true life horror.

August Underground: Mordum came two years later and sees our two killers and their new companion: a woman named Crusty (yes, I'm serious). This film believe it or not is even more annoying to listen to thanks to our new companion who screams and swears even more than our previous two dunce caps. I understand guys that I am not supposed to like these people because they are sadistic killers filming their murders, but these guys don't act with the slightest bit of realism. Most serial killers do not rave on like madmen, cursing and covering themselves in filth while acting like a neanderthal. Most if not all of the real people (and certainly the ones who are actually scary) are quiet, methotical, and as far as fiction goes charismatic to some degree. Otherwise, how would these people manage to get near anybody? They act like this in public, constantly laughing like hyenas or calling someone "gay" or dropping F-bombs like a 10 year old who just learned to swear. I hated 'Mordum' even more than the first film.

Our final entry is August Underground: Penance from 2007 and goes for a slight change in the usage of a digital camera, making the film a lot less painful to look at while still keeping that "found footage" vibe. Within the first few minutes, I can already see a big improvement in the acting department, with the over the top screaming and swearing minimized until necessary and the chemistry between the two are much better this time around. We also see them just goofing around, partying, and other basic stupid home movie stuff in between the kills, making them feel much stronger. The special effects work is also much better, even incorporating real animal parts for some sequences. This one definitely goes for broke when compared to the first two showing the most disturbing sequences of them all. I'd say of the three, if you simply have to see one of these 'Penance' is the "best" I suppose.

Most often when I am recommended these "shock" films, I seem to find myself completely numb to them. They are just attempting to be offensive for the sake of being offensive and even the cheapest horror flicks usually have more to say than that. These are huge wastes of time to be honest unless you must have every shock & gore flick out there.

3/10

Valentine (2001) Blu-Ray Review

'Valentine' has always been one of my favorite slasher films and for years and now thanks to Scream Factory, we have the cult classic on Blu-Ray for the first time. The story is about a group of young women who begin to receive sinister Valentine's Day gifts seemingly from a young boy they once tormented at a school dance 20 years before. Is it the long forgotten boy longing for revenge? Or is it someone else? Firstly, the idea of introducing red herrings in the movie is one of its biggest flaws. We know it has to be this boy because of the film's opening prologue so these other suspicious or terrible people feel far too obvious and ultimately unnecessary. Surprisingly when looking back on this film for this review, I was surprised that I had little issue with the film outside that element. It's hard to believe that critics were so vicious to the film back in 2001, obtaining a abysmal 9% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film doesn't reinvent the wheel or anything, but director Jamie Blanks was never intending to. He simply wanted to make a throwback slasher film, without relying on the 'Scream' formula which in itself had become stale by then. 'Valentine' set out to be a fun and well made movie with a cool killer and a cast of likeable and funny characters and I feel it does just that.

The Blu-Ray comes with a 2K remaster of the original film negative which was shot by Rick Bota and both he and director Jamie Blanks supervised the transfer. Once again, Scream Factory delivers a solid video presentation giving 'Valentine' new life with a picture quality that all by itself blows the old DVD out of the water. The film was shot with blue and red color schemes and here they pop brilliantly. But the film also keeps the blacks and dimmer scenery intact to keep the more sinister scenes effective. Audio is presented in Dolby 5.1 and sounds clear and as well as you're going to get. Ultimately the audio is standard fare, which is by no means bad but nothing noteworthy here really.

Special Features are packed in comparison to the rather bare bones DVD release. You of course have those original features transferred over such as the original Audio Commentary with the director but we also have a brand new Commentary with Jamie Blanks, director Don Coscarelli, and author Peter Bracke. Both are very informative and go into many elements of the film, including the infamously deleted scenes, the cast, the filmmaking, and Don and Jamie's friendship. These are both very good listens for fans of the film and even goes into some tips for independent filmmakers if you're so inclined. Speaking of deleted scenes, we do finally get the majority of them intact although one frequently talked about death scene is sadly missing. Still, it's rare to see slashers get their cut scenes rediscovered and I appreciate Scream Factory's efforts. You also get some new interviews with the lovely ladies of 'Valentine' as well as an interview with composer Don Davis along with some classic press kits and documentaries from the original film's release. It's nice to see such a packed Blu-Ray after nearly twenty years of that crappy Warner Bros. DVD.

Any fans of slasher films have likely already seen 'Valentine'. It's one of the better entries in the post-Scream era and one that any horror enthusiast should at least check out. Scream Factory once again knocks it out of the park and delivers their very best in both audio/visual presentation and tons of great special features. I highly recommend this new release.

The Movie: 8/10

 The Blu-Ray: 9/10

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Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

'Happy Death Day 2U' is once again directed by Christopher Landon and picks up directly after the first film, in which a young woman named Tree was stuck reliving the same day over and over again until she was killed by a mysterious figure in a baby mask. The stakes are raised even higher as one would expect in a sequel, but it takes such a hard left turn that it may turn off many fans of the original. I can at least say that I truly appreciate that Landon and Blumhouse are so willing to take risks and try to weave a unique idea, but for me one of the greatest sins a sequel can commit is explain too much and as you may have guessed 'Happy Death Day 2U' commits this sin. On top of the weird backstory, they don't leave any kind of mystique at all opting to just flat out tell the audience within the film's first act and while it's a good idea for a film, I really wish it was used for another project.

Any horror elements the original had are stripped away, opting more for comedy and science-fiction which do work thanks to the likeable cast of characters and tongue in cheek humor. But I feel rather left out when I was promised a supernatural horror film but instead getting more of a black comedy instead. When the film does call back to its horror tropes, that's just what they are: tropes and really poorly executed ones to boot. Jump scares and misdirection that is typical of the genre so for any fans of horror or slasher films in particular there's sadly nothing left for you here. But as I said, I do enjoy the comedic elements and the cast are better than before with our main lead (Jessica Roth) holding the film together. Her character of Tree gets a lot of added layers this time around and without spoiling things, she has to really struggle with the decisions presented to her and you see that struggle and mixture of emotions thanks to Roth's high energy performance.

I'm sad to say that I was a little disappointed with 'Happy Death Day 2U' in the end. It's not a terrible movie, in fact it's an excellent movie really. But it feels too much like a bait & switch and goes in a bizarre direction that makes me unsure of the future of this potential franchise.

7/10

The Prodigy (2019)

'The Prodigy' is directed by Nicholas McCarthy (The Pact) and stars young Jackson Robert Scott, whom many of you have likely seen from 2017's 'IT'. He plays Miles, a young boy born the same night a psychotic murderer was gunned down by police. As Miles grows, he begins to show high levels of genius intelligence which his parents are thrilled to see. That is until Miles turns 8 years old, and mysterious accidents begin to occur around the young boy as he begins to show more & more disturbing behavior.

'The Prodigy' is a simple film on paper: evil child does evil things. Nobody believes the parents until things escalate into a showdown. This is the biggest problem with 'The Prodigy' because it also presents new ideas that are different from your usual killer kid fare, but they become muddled before even the second act. At first the film acts as if Miles is possessed and it's a demon seed film, then it goes into the more interesting ideas of reincarnation, but then it peaks and becomes a somewhat standard killer kid flick a la 'Orphan'. What really saves this movie I think is the finale, and it is absolutely gut-wrenching and unapologetic about it too. It's a great ending that is simply not seen in a theatrically released horror film very often these days. People seem to forget that horror movies are about that gut reaction and not about happy or satisfying climaxes so to see a wide release like 'The Prodigy' pull off such a brutal ending was awesome to see.

However, that brings me to the film as a whole, which is unfortunately just not good enough to earn such a good payoff. It's average at best, save for the wonderful cinematography and the excellent performance by Scott, who I think has a good horror career ahead of him but the rest really falls to pieces unfortunately. As with many of these kind of films, people stretch the suspension of disbelief to ridiculous levels, even when Miles commits horrible atrocities nobody calls the police, or immediately sends the kid to the hospital. They also have to commit the sin of the father character always being angry, poorly written, and seemingly incapable of caring for a child. This cliche really needs to stop because its not only lazy, but quite insulting.

Don't get me wrong here my dear reader, I don't hate 'The Prodigy' in fact I will go so far to say that I enjoyed it enough to go back and see what I may have missed as it does have much to offer when discussing the various themes it presents. It's just that it's weighed down with too many common tropes of the genre and becomes stale long before that amazing ending.

5/10