Spook Out! Day 30 ~ The Wretched (2020)

Hulu Says...

"A rebellious teenage boy embarks on a gutsy crusade to stop the terrifying evil he suspects has possessed his neighbor in this bone-chilling occult thriller."

I Say...
That's about right.

Horror Type...
Supernatural Horror, Creature Feature

Main Players...

John-Paul Howard as Ben Shaw (Troubled Teen)

Piper Curda as Mallory (Sassy Teen)

Zarah Mahler as Abbie (Neighbor From Hell)

I liked...

• how the scares start coming from the jump, and keep on coming
• the artfully articulated Wretch in all her gory glory
• how some character-types who are traditionally left unharmed in other horror movies enjoy no special protections here (which is to say, I didn't enjoy what happened to them, but I was impressed by how the directors dared to break through established conventions)
• that the dad of the piece eventually listened to his son, though Ben gave every indication of being a very unreliable narrator indeed
• the Sixth Sense-like twist in the third act. Nicely done, youse guys--I suppose I should've seen it coming, but I totally didn't...

The Meh...

• I'd have liked more intel/background on what, exactly, that Wretch-beastie is (she's referred to as a witch, but she strikes me as something different, something...more)
• It's got some '80s brat-pack movie tropes (a hot girl who's kind of a bitch, rich guys who're dicks to the protagonist, an embarrassing moment in a swimming pool, etc.) which contrast weirdly with the heavier themes of the film and detract from its intensity 

Would I recommend it...?

Yeah, it's got loads of great scares with gruesome effects for Halloween, takes some risks, and does some things I haven't seen horror movies dare to do, of late. It's not for the faint of heart. Trigger Warnings for: babies, kids, and animals in peril, lotsa violence, and did I mention the gore?

Miscellany...

The Wretched was released to VOD and drive-in theaters during the Covid 19 pandemic and has been "...the closest thing to a box office hit this summer." Bravo, y'all!

Ratings...

My Grade: B+

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=74%, Audience Score=45%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched The Wretched on Hulu (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 30 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 9 ~ The Descent (2005)

Amazon Says...
"A girls' trip to explore a labyrinth of North Carolina caves takes a terrifying turn in this spelunking scarefest."

I Say...
The "girls' trip" descriptor annoys me but otherwise, Amazon's correct.

Horror Type...
Creature Feature, Action

Main Players...

Shauna Macdonald as Sarah (Grieving Survivor)

Natalie Mendoza as Juno (Lara Croft's Evil Twin)

Alex Reid as Beth (Stalwart BFF)

I liked...

• how the movie shakes you up pretty soon near the start, in a wholly unexpected way
• that this film showcased six badass gals just being badasses, without passing commentary along the lines of how impressive it is that women can do these physically demanding feats. They just did their thing bc that's what they like to do, all matter-of-fact, tough, and competent, and that's just that (like that scene when they all have to get across a sickeningly deep chasm--dang!)
• how, despite the trauma she's endured, Sarah's still a fighter with a will to live
• Beth and Sarah's deep, true friendship
• the complexity of the movie's main antagonist--by which I don't mean the feature's creatures (aka Crawlers), but gal-pal Juno. She's, pardon the expression, that bitch who's perky af first thing in the morning and can freaking stretch her body into positions that'd make a pole dancer blush. She's also a duplicitous, self-interested, manipulative character who is yet weirdly honorable (or perhaps just guilt-driven, but the ability to feel guilt and let it motivate you to do good is--in my opinion--underrated), amazingly fit and fearless, and a BAMF fighter when she's gotta be. I hate her frickin guts but begrudgingly respect her. In short, Juno's hella compelling and Natalie Mendoza shoulda won a shit-ton of awards for her work in this, but didn't (nor did any of the gals in this film) bc there's no justice in this world
• that the movie completely avoids being male-gazey--bravo, and I mean that most sincerely

The Meh...

• I mean, they're in caves, so it's frigging dark and hard to see stuff and understand what's going on, like with found-footage flicks. When a movie spends too much time in crappy lighting, I get all bored and reach for my cell and miss stuff and have to go back and waste time catching up--ugh
• the movie starts with some of the gals whitewater rafting and they're screaming a lot and it's high-pitched and cuts through my temples and blerch
• I find the basic idea of the movie a bit classist--these folks can afford regular adventure vacations (and all the requisite gear) and they opt to put themselves in dangerous and difficult situations for kicks (I feel this way about movies with all male casts who do this kind of thing as well). So many people have to do hard and harrowing work so as to provide for themselves and their families and don't get paid enough to be able to take annual vacations--and if they can afford one in a given year, they're sure as shit not risking their lives and potentially putting others to the trouble, danger, and expense of rescuing them. I have to admit, the privilege inherent in this premise somewhat dims my enjoyment of the movie...

Would I recommend it...?

My third Meh bullet notwithstanding, I would, bc it really is a fantastic thriller. And those Crawlers are the stuff of nightmares--I held my breath often as I watched, lest they hear me and tear through the screen, lol. Not recommended for the faint-of-heart and/or folks suffering from claustro-, acro-, or nyctophobia.

Miscellany...

My grades are, of course, subjective but in the case of The Descent I do appreciate it intellectually/objectively in a way that I can't fully do emotionally/subjectively--and my grade reflects this ambivalence. However, dear Readers, I felt y'all should have access to reviews that wholeheartedly endorse the movie, so here are a couple of podcasts you can listen to, if you're interested:

The Horror Virgin Podcast, Episode 28: The Descent

The Faculty of Horror Podcast, Episode 47. Caved In: The Descent (2005)

Ratings...

My Grade: B+

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=85%, Audience Score=76%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched The Descent on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 9 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 5 ~ Arachnophobia (1990)

Amazon Says...
"An unexpected guest causes a web of chaos."

I Say...
More like web of deaths. Also, surprisingly succinct, Amazon. Nice job.

Horror Type...
Comedy Horror, Creature Feature

Main Players...

Jeff Daniels as Ross Jennings (Determined Doc)

Harley Jane Kozak as Molly Jennings (Sensible Spouse)

Julian Sands as Dr. James Atherton (Arachnid Aficionado)

I liked...

• how it engrossed me straight away, and not just bc of Julian Sands being all smoldery British sexy W00F (le rawr freakin RAWR)
• that when we meet Ross and Molly, we learn pretty quickly why everything that's about to go down is the worst possible thing Ross could ever have to deal with, but also,
• that Ross deals with it all like a friggin boss
• the bits of foreshadowing, delicately sprinkled here and there, so subtle you might miss them
• how Ross, et al (once the locals stop crapping on him for being a city-slicking outsider), methodically investigate and process the clues, making this flick almost equal parts small-town drama, creature-feature, and police procedural--leading to disaster-movie-level danger
• the humor--some stuff made me LOL, even if it was patented late '80s cheese, bc...
• the scares! Spiders fixing to drop on you when you're showering? Or climbing up from the toilet just when you've settled in for a good read? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!

The Meh...

• the pacing was mostly good, but it was definitely a slow burn and could've been edited down at least ten minutes or so without losing anything important
• that smarmy, shitty soundtrack. Le suck.

Would I recommend it...?

I would, though I wonder if a lot of my love for this movie stems from nostalgia...perhaps younger audiences wouldn't be too into it? It's heavy on the creep factor and does have a few jump scares (one had me catching my breath and goosebumpy), though if spiders don't wig you out as they do me, you might consider it a bit tame for a horror movie...

Miscellany...

• This is a re-watch for me, and I've always had the warm and fuzzies for Arachnophobia. In the first place, bc I adore comedic horror, but mainly because of the era it captures (despite the crappy music and, I'm sorry, the UGLY dresses on the townies and the boxy tops Molly wears--UGH). I'd pretty much forgotten everything except for Jeff Daniels, John Goodman (hilarious), and spiders. Loved sinking into it again today. 💜
• Curiously, I came upon a spider's web today, in my parents' garden. A big one, spanning across a little path between beanstalks. Something curled up and brown was caught up in that thing, hard to tell what...hmmm...I'm sure it's just a coincidence.

Ratings...

My Grade: A-, though I admit that nostalgia-colored glasses nudged it up from a B+

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=92%, Audience Score=54%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Arachnophobia on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 5 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 3 ~ After Midnight (2019)

IMDb Says...

"When his girlfriend suddenly disappears, leaving a cryptic note as her only explanation, Hank's comfortable life and his sanity begin to crack. Then, from the woods surrounding his house, something terrible starts trying to break in."

I Say...
That's an excellent descriptor that tells you all you need to know going into it.

Horror Type...
Creature Feature, Relationship Drama

Main Players...

Jeremy Gardner as Hank (Hopeless-Romantic Hunter)

Brea Grant as Abby (Gone Away Girlfriend)

Henry Zebrowski as Wade (Game, if Goofy, BFF)

I liked...

• what a cute couple Abby and Hank make (mainly in Hank's recalled memories--they're cute but not cloyingly so)
• the creepy af house--Abby compares it to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre joint and she's not far off. Anyway, it really sets the tone for Southern Gothic...
• the pacing--things quickly get weird and grow progressively weirder at a nice clip (the movie's about an hour and twenty-ish minutes)
• the way dread builds, especially toward the end, at the climactic birthday party (birthday parties do tend to bring out the intensity within folks, don't they?)
• Hank's heartfelt monologue at said party--as lovely as his singing voice!
• the unexpected moments of levity, much of it in connection with Hank's BFF Wade
• the proposal scene, which is now my fave in cinematic history

The Meh...
Hank and Abby have The Relationship Talk--which they do need to have, but at 13 minutes long (I clocked it!) it really bogs things down. On the one hand, Abby's points provide a good reality-check contrast with Hank's earlier nostalgic reminiscing. On the other hand, it was too much in one go, and I wish they'd found a way to get some of that exposition out in a way that didn't completely stall the action FOR 13 MINUTES STRAIGHT!

Would I recommend it...?

Yes, as I did enjoy this slow-burn, special film. It's a great meditation on relationship troubles and the suffering they bring when time passes without input from the beloved. With the above complaint noted, I think it's a great bit of drama. The horror aspects are felt more in the atmosphere, setting, and Hank's isolation--HOWEVER, there's a spectacular jump scare that your body's growing tension anticipates but can't quite predict, followed by some necessary gore. That bit's as bad as it gets in this movie and, apart from one earlier quick flash of the Creature, the only other such horror-movie staple in this flick. BUT it really is something, and it made me actually jump and squeak, and then LOL the way you do after you've had the stuffin spooked out of you. I legit got chills too, ROTFL, racing right down my arms, dang it all. Which, I have to admit, was rather pleasurable, as I so rarely get so freaked out by movies these days.

Miscellany...

I chose this flick because Henry Zebrowski's in it--I mainly know him from the Last Podcast on the Left and was curious to see his acting chops, which I did enjoy here. (Full disclosure: since they left Stitcher in favor of exclusivity with Spotify, I haven't been following LPOTL, mainly bc I don't really use Spotify for anything else.)

Ratings...

My Grade: B+ as a Drama, B as a Horror Movie

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=88%, Audience Score=47%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched After Midnight on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia

This concludes Day 3 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 1 ~ 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Crackle* Says...

"After getting in a car accident, a woman is held in a shelter with two men, who claim the outside world is affected by a widespread chemical attack."

I Say...
This^ misses a critical element that makes for an effective tease in other summaries I've read--that the man who takes her there may be as much of a threat as whatever's happening aboveground.

Horror Type...
Psychological Thriller, Post-Apocalyptic, Creature Feature

Main Players...

John Goodman as Howard (Bunker Host)

Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Michelle (Resourceful Heroine)

John Gallagher Jr. as Emmett (Goofball...?)

I liked...

• the phenomenal cast, very much indeed
• the tight plot, in which everything means something and will come into play
• how I repeatedly found myself holding my breath and on the edge of my seat
• how it made me work to decide for myself whether the antagonist was actually a villain or just super socially awkward (I'm not gonna spoil this for ya--you're going to have to watch for yourself to find out)
• how, bit-by-bit, the story teaches the heroine everything she needs to know to survive
• how the heroine's life passion literally helps save her life
• the surprise pops of dark humor that made me legit LOL
• that kick-in-the-pants ending!

The Meh...
We learn there's more to Howard than he lets on but I'd've liked more definitive answers regarding his past.

Would I recommend it...?

YES! I loved this movie, Goodman, Winstead, and Gallagher (who played the cowardly prick-weasel from Netflix's Hush!) deserve ALL THE AWARDS. This isn't so much a jump-scare type of horror movie, more a menacing slow-burn that combusts at the very end, to spectacular effect. I feel like even folks who aren't into horror movies can enjoy 10 Cloverfield Lane without fear of losing sleep.

Miscellany...

It seems that the ending has polarized viewers, who complain that it came out of nowhere and ruined the film for them. I have to agree that it almost feels like we got one movie for the first, say, hour-and-a-half, and a completely different flick in the last ten-fifteen minutes or so. However, to me, those final, harrowing, action-packed moments totally make sense and absolutely fit with what came before (again, no spoilers, but do pay attention to all the squirrelly theories the fellas toss out).

Ratings...

My Grade: A

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=90%, Audience Score=79%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched 10 Cloverfield Lane on Crackle* (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 1 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

*Crackle is a free streaming platform I'm just finding out about. As you may have guessed, it's free bc commercials--during this 1 hour 43 minute movie, I counted 7 commercial breaks, the first few lasting nearly 3 minutes, though spaced generously apart. As the film progressed, commercial break lengths went down to about 2 minutes but came along more frequently. I didn't mind it bc FREE (and also, plenty of "cable" TV channels do this.) (I'm looking at you, FX--and YOU ain't free! Why do I have to love your programming so much??? Ugh...)