Spook Out! Day 28 ~ Session 9 (2001)

IMDb Says...

"Tensions rise within an asbestos cleaning crew as they work in an abandoned mental hospital with a horrific past that seems to be coming back."

I Say...
Not just "seems"...

Horror Type...
Psychological Horror, Thriller

Main Players...

Peter Mullan as Gordon Fleming (The Boss)

David Caruso as Phil (Second in Command)

Stephen Gevedon as Mike (Curious Cat)

I liked...

• the writing, acting, use of space, and lighting--excellent
• that, even though it's a bit of a slow burn, it's engrossing and well-paced, and kept me eager/anxious for the big reveal
• how it masterfully builds the dread, creepiness, and suspense factors
• the intricacies of, and tensions within, the men's relationships with one another
• that it's hard to know whom to trust/believe, and
• that it's hard to know what's real
• the nephew character, what a sweetie (I heart Oreos too, kid!)

The Meh...

• The motivating force behind...things is left somewhat ambiguous. I hate ambiguity, boo!
• Though the creep factor was high, the scare factor was not. A few jumps would've seasoned the movie nicely.

Would I recommend it...?

Yes, it's a clever little thriller for the Halloween season! Sensitives will enjoy that the violence is more implied than shown (mostly) and that there's not much gore, really.

Miscellany...

• Session 9 was filmed on location at the former Danvers Lunatic Asylum in Massachusetts.
• Peter Mullan (Gordon) also co-stars in this wonderful Britcom called Mum and plays just about the sweetest gruff guy you can imagine. The show's about loss, grief, picking up the pieces of your life, and finding love when you thought it impossible to love again. Oh, it's also about annoying relatives. It may not stream for free right now (I watched it on an Amazon channel to which I subscribe, BritBox) but can be rented or purchased outright--and it's so totally worth it! Highly recommend.

Ratings...

My Grade: B+

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=64%, Audience Score=63%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Session 9 on Netflix (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 28 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 22 ~ The Lodge (2019)

IMDb Says...
"A soon-to-be stepmom is snowed in with her fiancé's two children at a remote holiday village. Just as relations begin to thaw between the trio, some strange and frightening events take place."

I Say...
"Village" implies there are other folks nearby--there aren't. And as far as I could tell, relations never really thawed or perhaps things might've gone a bit differently...

Horror Type...
Psychological Horror, Thriller

Main Players...

Riley Keough as Grace (Childhood Trauma Survivor)

Jaeden Martell as Aiden Hall (Tech-Savvy Big Bro)

Lia McHugh as Mia Hall (Sweet Lil Sis)

I liked...

• the acting, which was phenomenal--really excellent work done by all (including Alicia Silverstone in an all-too-brief cameo)
• how the tension's at an "11" from the jump and doesn't let up and,
• that, though this is a slow-burn, I was engrossed straight away and throughout
• the atmospheric setting of the titular lodge

The Meh...

• The dad is a self-absorbed, unethical, thoughtless, irresponsible, selfish prick, and a disgrace to fatherhood. His fate was too good for him. Richard Armitage did such a great job in this role that he's almost put me off him completely.
• At one point we see Grace emerge from the shower, and she wraps a towel around her waist but leaves her breasts exposed. Gratuitous much? There was absolutely no need for that kind of exploitive bs.

Would I recommend it...?

I've lost count of how many podcasts I've had to listen to in order to process the ick The Lodge dredged up. This movie is bleak, y'all. Buh-LEAK. Abandon all hope if you choose to watch it, or prepare to be robbed of it. I found this film utterly unnerving; my shoulders were constantly up around my ears and arriving at the end did not lower them. I was left with a sick feeling in my gut that's not yet dissipated fully.

This is an excellent movie. It's a study of PTSD, the need for present parents who are active in their children's lives, and a dire warning of what happens when people aren't given access to the care they require. As a horror movie, it ably did its job without any of the trappings expected of the genre--and yet here I am, thoroughly horrified by it.

Horror fans into jump scares and gore may find this a bit toothless. The faint-of-heart should exercise extreme caution in approaching it. Trigger warnings for: a suicide (shown as it happens), footage of mass suicide victims (after the fact), children in peril, an animal death (after the fact), cults, and gaslighting.

Miscellany...

Riley Keough (Grace) is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, and the eldest granddaughter of Elvis. Like her ma and grandpa, Keough is not only attractive but has a lovely singing voice (which she displays in the movie, to chilling effect).

Ratings...

My Grade: A-

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=74%, Audience Score=51%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched The Lodge 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 22 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 20 ~ Light as a Feather (Hulu Series, Two Seasons, 2018 - 2019)

Hulu Says...
"An innocent game of “Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board” goes wrong when the five teen girls who played start dying off in the exact way that was predicted, forcing the survivors to figure out why they’re being targeted - and whether the evil force hunting them down is one of their own."

I Say...
That's about the size of it.

Horror Type...
Teen-Horror-Drama, Supernatural, Body Horror, Thriller

Main Players...
Liana Liberato as McKenna Brady (21st C. Nancy Drew-Type)

Haley Ramm as Violet Simmons (Shy New-Girl You Love to Hate)

Brianne Tju as Alex Portnoy (True-Blue BFF Who Shoots First & Asks Questions Later)

I liked...

• the strong female characters--good, bad, and whoo-boy-hella-bad--who drove the plot along by taking action every step of the way (even when they made bad choices, they were still actively choosing, which I really enjoyed)
• that the male characters were sensitive and supportive of the gals while still being active players
• the series' creativity and imagination--it went places I wouldn't have thought to go in a million years
• that good and evil were in a battle, yes, but were presented as nuanced and not so easy to pigeon-hole
• that each episode spanked along at a brisk 22-25 minutes, delivering a tightly-plotted tale that kept me hungry for more
• that the horror was played for genuine scares and the show didn't degrade into smarmy camp like some TV-horror shows do

The Meh...

• as a parent it does make me roll my eyes at how most adults in the series are either pretty useless or just not around (but, to be fair, it is written for teens, which I knew going into it, and the adults have to be weak so that the kids can be active protagonists, I geddit, I geddit)
• some episodes were a little too brisk in the first season and would've benefitted from a slightly longer format (or maybe just more episodes, as we get in season 2)
• now and again, there's some lazy writing. For instance, in one episode, the old "you have to wait 48 hours to report a missing person" nonsense reared its ugly head--this simply isn't true and I really wish writers would stop trotting out this irresponsible twaddle. Please, if you seriously suspect someone's missing, REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY!

Would I recommend it...?

Totes! I found Light as a Feather a unique, engaging horror series, in the vein of Stephen King's It or Netflix's Stranger Things, only these kids are old enough to drive cars, instead of having to ride bikes. As this excellent IndieWire review says of the first season, "Light as a Feather is Hulu’s teen horror adventure with a mystery as engrossing as it is grotesque, and just creepy enough to scratch that Halloween itch without keeping you up at night." If you're of an extremely delicate disposition, you may wish to look away from the body-horror elements when they arise (I seem to recall there always being a sign that it was coming and that there was ample time to avert my gaze, when I needed to). (Yes, OK, even I needed to, toward the very end of season 2. I'm watching this stuff all by my lonesome, gimme a break.) (Sheesh!)

Miscellany...

• the second season finale may also have to serve as a series finale (some websites report that the show has been cancelled). It did wrap things up in a satisfying way, but also left a few threads that could easily be woven into another season. Hulu, if you're reading this, PLEASE GIVE US A THIRD SEASON! (I'll be your best friend!)
• the series is based on the book by the same title by Zoe Aarsen

Ratings...

My Grade: B+

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=50%, Audience Score=81%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Light As A Feather on Hulu (it's also available for purchase on Amazon)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 20 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 19 ~ The Invisible Man (2020)

IMDb Says...

"When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see."

I Say...
I listened to part of a podcast where one of the hosts complained that the movie was about a battered woman, not the invisible man, and to some extent he's got a point--I agree that this movie's more "about" her than it is "about" him. But, to paraphrase one of his co-hosts (a woman), the invisible man made himself felt in every frame of this movie--and I agree with her as well. Anyway, it's a reimagining, not a remake, of the 1933 film by Universal Pictures.

Horror Type...
Psychological Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Main Players...

Elisabeth Moss as Cecilia Kass (She Gets Knocked Down but BOY, Does She Get Back Up Again!)

Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Adrian Griffin (The Titular Prick-Weasel)

Aldis Hodge as James Lanier (Hunky AF SFPD Detective)

I liked...

• Elisabeth Moss' award-meriting work. DANG, GIRL!!!!! We're not shown what her character's boyfriend did to make her drug him so she could leave him in the dead of night, but she conveys PTSD so successfully that we don't need to see the abuse to believe it was brutal
• how the movie starts with off-the-charts tension and doesn't let up till...well, it just doesn't let up!
• that, though there's not really a lot of humor in this, there's one memorable line that made me bark a laugh, for which I was grateful
• how cleverly Cecilia went about proving the improbable, even during moments of great duress
• that they don't try to make a romance happen btw a woman recovering from an abusive relationship and the fella whose home's currently serving as her safehouse. They're good friends, and nothing else--well done!
• Aldis Hodge's arms--they should *totally* get their own credits...

The Meh...
This sucker's, like, two hours long and--with respect--though there was tension throughout, after Cecilia left Adrian at the start of the movie, it kind of dragged for about an hour...till a *very* memorable restaurant scene (gave me chills!), after which the paced picked up and spanked along till the end. Still, that first hour!

Would I recommend it...?

It's a great thriller (after that first hour!) with a satisfying ending, but probably extremely triggering for anyone who's been stalked and/or in an abusive relationship. There are a few bloody bits, but they're quick. 

Miscellany...

...but did I mention Aldis Hodge's arms???

Ratings...

My Grade: B+ (the + is for Aldis Hodge's arms)

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=91%, Audience Score=88%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched The Invisible Man 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 19 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 12 ~ A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (in Farsi w/English subtitles, 2014)

Amazon Says...
"Strange things are afoot in Bad City. The Iranian ghost town, home to prostitutes, junkies, pimps, and other sordid souls, is a place that reeks of death and hopelessness, where a lonely vampire is stalking the towns' [sic] most unsavory inhabitants. But when boy meets girl, an unusual love story begins to blossom...blood red."

I Say...
A) You've said too much, Amazon, B) That's an impressive run-on sentence, and C) You need to work on your apostrophe placement...

Horror Type...
Vampire, Thriller, Drama

Main Players...

Sheila Vand as The Girl (The Vampiest Vamp Who Ever Vamped)

Arash Marandi as Arash (The Persian Fonz)

Masuka The Cat as The Cat (Meow)

I liked...

• the cinematography. Shot in gorgeously noir black and white, the setting, the framing, the lighting, the angles--GAH, the EVERYTHING makes this film a luxurious feast for the eyes
• The Girl. So menacingly stylish, so effortlessly compelling--I've never found an antihero as morosely, forbiddingly sexy as this gal! (WTF is not to love about a skateboarding vampire???)
• Arash, her lovably goofy, yet sincere love interest. He's got his flaws (more on those in the next section) but he's still the heart and soul of this movie
• the hilarious scene in which The Girl comes upon a very high Arash, who's lost and staring up at a street lamp. How she gets him moving is adorbz!
• how it explores our connections to others: how we're drawn and repulsed, how we make and break them, how we endure and how we fail. As in life, the "whys" sometimes remain mysteries...
• how the director uses the stereotypical attributes of females/female victims--silence, stillness, downcast eyes--to render the Girl utterly terrifying
• how The Cat ratchets the tension up in pretty much every scene featuring him
• the soundtrack which (forgive me) really rocks my kasbah
• how the movie really takes its time...

The Meh...

• ...although it does take a little too long here and there, and its hypnotic hold really start to work on you. Shaving off a few minutes would've alleviated the soporific effect
• Arash, whom I love, is concerningly impetuous and rash. This is due to his youth, no doubt, but some of his actions do bother me
• I'm left with a ton of questions! (As I noted earlier, the "whys" remain mysteries.) The biggest one arises toward the end, when Arash fails to confront The Girl about a very suspicious, and serious, coincidence--it's clear that he's bothered by it but, apart from a bit of a quiet fit, he doesn't address it directly. Say what, Arash? I know you've got the warm and fuzzies for her, but still! I would do anything for love, but I--well, you know...

Would I recommend it...?

Heck yes! This is a fabulous film full of girl-powah! It's more of a drama/thriller than horror, though--no jump scares and I don't remember any gore, really. There's one disturbing scene about forced drug use but it's not, IMO, exploitive. It's more creepy than scary (that noted, if The Girl had interrogated me the way she did a street urchin in the film, I'd have definitely soiled myself).

Miscellany...

• A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night has been described in various places as an Iranian vampire spaghetti-western--and it totally is. However, it was shot, not in Iran, but in California
• the film's writer/director, Ana Lily Amirpour, has a cameo as "Skeleton Partygirl," and doubles for The Girl in some of the skateboarding shots
• the bones of the movie came to Amirpour when she tried on a chador, like The Girl wears in the movie (not a hijab, as some reviewers have asserted)
• this was a re-watch for me. I'm ding-dang-donged if I can recall when I first watched this, but it was long enough ago that I forgot all the particulars--though I never forgot how much I heart this film

Ratings...

My Grade: A- as a drama/thriller, B as a horror movie

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=96%, Audience Score=75%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night 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 12 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE

Spook Out! Day 31 ~ Train to Busan (2016, in Korean with English Subtitles)

Netflix Says...
"As a zombie outbreak sweeps the country, a dad and his daughter take a harrowing train journey in an attempt to reach the only city that's still safe."

I Say...
Actually, they were already on the train when the shit hit the fan, but yeah, it was a harrowing ride, all right!

Horror Type...
Zombie Apocalypse, Thriller, Action

Main Players...
Gong Yoo as Seok-woo (Hot Workaholic Dad)
Kim Su-an as Su-an (Kind of a Pain But Still Precious Daughter)
Jung Yu-mi as Seong-kyeong (Baller Pregnant Lady)
Ma Dong-seok as Sang-hwa (Hero)

I liked...

• how this film made me hold my breath repeatedly; it takes you to the edge and brings you back till you're utterly worn out
• that you really get a sense of who the leads are and what motivates them (apart from wanting to get the freak away from snapping zombie jaws); a lotta heart in this film, too
• how it breaks from some zombie rules (no shamblers here) and creates interesting new ones
• the use of wit as well as brawn to get out of tough spots
• how well the worst, and the best, of humanity is represented here
• that it's so engrossing you don't even feel the length of the movie till it's over and you realize nearly two hours have gone by

The Meh...
There is no meh in this award-winning film.

Would I recommend it...?

Absolutely, positively, 100-Gajillion-Percent. You have to watch this. HAVE TO. Yes, it's gory; yes, the zombies run; yes, it's violent af. But you have to watch this brilliantly terrifying movie.

Miscellany...

• The zombie apocalypse, like life, is not fair. Not even a little bit.
• As the credits started rolling I was bawling into some napkins. But rest easy--it's emotional, not schmaltzy.
• Though I'm a few days late, I've saved you the best movie for last. You're welcome. Go frigging watch it. Now.

Ratings...

My Grade: A+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=93%, Audience Score=88%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Train to Busan on Netflix (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

Train to Busan's IMDb Page

Train to Busan's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 31 (and, indeed, the blogfest!) of

Spook Out! Day 29 ~ Us (2019)

Amazon Says...
"The visionary behind Get Out returns with an original nightmare, pitting an endearing American family against a terrifying and uncanny opponent: doppelgängers of themselves."

I Say...
^An accurate summary.

Horror Type...
Thriller

Main Players...
Lupita Nyong'o as Adelaide Wilson (née Thomas)/Red (Mama Bear)
Winston Duke as Gabriel "Gabe" Wilson/Abraham (Papa Bear)
Shahadi Wright Joseph as Zora Wilson/Umbrae (Sister Bear)
Evan Alex as Jason Wilson/Pluto (Brother Bear)

I liked...

• the undercurrent of wrongness from the very start
• the sustained tension from the moment Jason makes his startling announcement to his family
• how, and this was my favorite part, the family falls into its familiar bickering in one particular scene when peril's closing in around them
• the flashing back and forth from Adelaide's first encounter with the weird in 1986 to the present day madness
• that the menace was on a wider scale than I'd thought going into this film

The Meh...

• the first act is somewhat dry and runs longer than necessary to establish things
• there's a Big Reveal in the third act, which fits well, then a surprise twist at the end, which also fits well. However, the two don't, in my mind, fit one another for this movie--that is, given the twist, the way the Big Reveal took place doesn't make sense to me

Would I recommend it...?

Yeah, it's a great thriller for Halloween! There's some violence and a bit of gore but all appropriate and not overdone.

Miscellany...

I raved about Lupita Nyong'o in a previous review and must do so again here--she's fan-freaking-tastic and should be in All The Things, ever.

Ratings...

My Grade: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=93%, Audience Score=60%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Us on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

Us' IMDb Page

Us' Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 29 of Spook Out!

For some reason, Blogger's upload picture function is not, in fact, allowing me to upload pics. Alas.

Spook Out! Day 27 ~ Summer of '84 (2018)

Shudder Says...
"It’s the summer of 1984, the perfect time to be 15 years old and free. But when neighborhood conspiracy theorist Davey Armstrong begins to suspect his police officer neighbor might be the serial killer all over the local news, he and his three best friends begin an investigation that soon turns dangerous."

I Say...
^I take issue with the word "soon."

Horror Type...
Serial Killer, Thriller

Main Players...
Graham Verchere as Davey Armstrong (Budding Filmmaker)
Tiera Skovbye as Nikki Kaszub (Hot Girl Next Door)
Rich Sommer as Wayne Mackey (Good AND Bad Cop?)

I liked...

• Davey's determination, grit, bravery, and ingenuity
• how wonderfully creepy a "good guy" Mackey was
• the '80s setting, music, and parlance, which brought my Gen X heart much joy
• that the ending takes a sobering turn which is distinctly unlike typical '80s flicks and I'm afraid I can say no more w/o getting all spoilery
• the straightforward plot, which enjoyed some great moments of tension and suspense...

The Meh...

...and yet lost a lot of momentum by taking too freaking long to tell its story. It's an hour and 45 minutes, y'all--and it sure as heck didn't need to be.

Would I recommend it...?

Well, it's fun when it's moving, there are some good moments of humor, and the nostalgia factor will keep you into it if nothing else (assuming you're a person of A Certain Age). There's not a lot of gore, though in the last act as Things Are Revealed we do see some gruesome sights. It's an entertaining watch and I'm glad I took a chance on it...and actually, I would love to see a sequel wrap up the narrative's honking-huge cliffhanger.

Miscellany...

I super dig this Canadian indie's dark-synth movie score. (Eh?) (C'mon, you knew I had to do it.) 

Ratings...

My Grade: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=70%, Audience Score=65%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Summer of '84 on Shudder (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

Summer of '84's IMDb Page

Summer of '84's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 27 of

Spook Out! Day 25 ~ The Lifechanger (2018)

Netflix Says...
"A shapeshifter has to kill, then inhabit his victims, or die. But as his need for new bodies speeds up, he finally faces down his own mortality."

I Say...
...and reconnects with a love best left in the past...

Horror Type...
Body Horror, Thriller

Main Players...
Bill Oberst Jr. as Drew's Voice (The Unreliable Narrator?)
Lora Burke as Julia Wilson (Bar Fly)

Jack Foley as Robert (Aging Man Bun)

I liked...

• the narrator's voice/style/loneliness/longing
• the very dark humor, when it put in an appearance
• that Drew was brave enough to risk all (in various ways which are too spoilery to detail here)
• the brisk pacing
• the ways in which the shapeshifter changed with each new form but somehow retains his identity...whatever that is, precisely

The Meh...

• the ending is challenging, leaves the viewer with questions and an overwhelming sense of dismay (and a little confusion, at least on my part)
• I'd've liked to've learned more about Drew's origins
• that freaking nightmare of an aging hipster beard and man bun, you guys! UGH! (Don't get me wrong, I dig a long-haired dude, but not if he wears his mane in a mun.)

Would I recommend it...?

Well, I liked it but it's violent and gory here and there (at the very start, for example), so if you're squeamish you may wish to avert your eyes--but do consider checking out this very interesting and unique tale. And let me know what conclusions you come to, regarding the ending.

Miscellany...

This film's Canadian, eh? (I'd apologize for that but I wouldn't mean it.) (So, in fact, I won't.)

Ratings...

My Grade: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=86%, Audience Score=70%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched The Lifechanger on Netflix (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

The Lifechanger's IMDb Page

The Lifechanger's Wikipedia Page (the only one I could find is in French)

Spook Out! Day 24 ~ New Year, New You (2018)

Hulu Says...
"A group of old friends gather for a girls’ night on New Years [sic] Eve. But as they begin to rehash old memories, many of the gripes they’ve been harboring manifest in murderous ways."

I Say...
^That's a somewhat misleading summary but I can't explain why without spoiling things. (Sorry.)

Horror Type...
Thriller

Main Players...
Suki Waterhouse as Alexis (Scarred 4 Life)
Carly Chaikin as Danielle (Guru from Hell)
Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Kayla (Voice of Reason)
Melissa Bergland as Chloe (Gurl So Jelly)

I liked...

• the way the movie messes with your head as to who, actually, is the villain of the piece
• how Carly Chaikin chewed all the scenes, even the ones in which she wasn't present; she perfectly captured the snidely self-congratulatory air of the most narcissistic of self-help personalities
• the use of beauty products as legit weapons
• how the movie didn't shy away from showing women's capacity for physical violence...

The Meh...

• ...even though I didn't find all of it believable (from one character, yes; from another, no)
• given what's revealed, I also don't believe the guru would choose to spend New Year's Eve at a girl's night with old friends (with whom she's not really stayed in close contact since school) when she could be partying with celebrities and Instagramming the shit out of it
• man alive, how the first half of the movie dragged! It's only 1 hour and 24 minutes but it felt like it took forever to get interesting (like, roughly the first 40 minutes were a snoozefest, 4realz). It's like they felt they had to pad the thing with girl-bonding bullshit like face masks (ALSO unbelievable bc the gals showed up to the little shindig all dressed up for NYE and, dang it, if you've spent a few hours getting dolled up for a party, you wanna make the most of your hard work, not show up at somebody's house and wash it all off, c'mon!!!!!)
• the self-help industry is full of bullies telling you how crap you and your life are but there are also realistic people actually trying to do something meaningful and helpful--but the self-helpers presented in this film are completely caricatured, which I found heavy-handed and lacking in both cleverness and subtlety

Would I recommend it...?

I mean...once the action picked up, I got more into it. But it took about 40ish minutes for that to happen, so...I dunno. It's an uneven effort that has some really interesting ideas which are well-executed, pardon the pun. But it requires some patience on the viewer's part, as well as a firm suspension of disbelief at times.

Miscellany...

New Year, New You is the fourth feature-length installment in Hulu's horror anthology Into the Dark. (They've released one movie a month with a theme central to that month's holiday, as observed in the US.) I'd read a few online articles ranking the different films and this one was considered among the best by several folks, which is why I chose it to review. Maybe I need to take a different approach to making my selections...

Ratings...

My Grade: C+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=93%, Audience Score=Not Available

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched New Year, New You on Hulu

New Year, New You's IMDb Page

New Year, New You's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 24 of

Spook Out! Day 23 ~ The Invitation (2015)

Netflix Says...
"A man accepts an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, an unsettling affair that reopens old wounds and creates new tensions."

I Say...
Look, just stay out of the Hollywood Hills. Bad juju there, man. Bad. Juju.

Horror Type...
Psychological, Thriller

Main Players...
Logan Marshall-Green as Will (Just-'Cause-He's-Paranoid-Don't-Mean-They-Ain't-Out-To-Get Him)
Tammy Blanchard as Eden (Dangerously Smiley Hostess)
Michiel Huisman as David (Creepily Insistent Host)

I liked...

• the focus on Will and how the film places the viewer right there with him in his grief, isolation, and worry
• the superbly-built atmosphere, which went from subdued sadness to disturbing to uneasy to dread-filled to WHAT THE FREAKIN' HECK?!?
• how the filmmakers trust the audience to pick up the hints they skillfully blend into the narrative, regarding backstory as well as what's fixing to go down
• the tension as the party vibe shifts from the alcohol-fueled banal to a sobering weirdness as people behave peculiarly and revelations are...uh...revealed
• the occasional moments of understated humor that let me catch a breath without taking me out of the story

The Meh...
Though it's a pretty successful slow-burn of a film, I reckon about ten minutes could be shaved off the 1 hour, 40 minutes runtime without doing any harm to the story.

Would I recommend it...?
100%, noting that most of the scary stuff is in the third act and not "horror-movie scary" until really the bitter end (and even then, not a jump-scare-type scary, but good old psychological horror).

Miscellany...

One of the most terrifying moments for me was flipping John Carroll Lynch's gently menacing delivery of, "You are out of line." Especially 'cause you get the feeling there's a LOT he could do to get you back in line and none of it's pleasant.

Ratings...

My Grade: A-
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=88%, Audience Score=70%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched The Invitation on Netflix (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

The Invitation's IMDb Page

The Invitation's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 23 of

Spook Out! Day 22 ~ Hush (2016)

Netflix Says...
"A deaf writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears in her window."

I Say...
^That's about the size of it.

Horror Type...
Slasher, Serial Killer, Thriller

Main Players...
Kate Siegel as Maddie Young (Fighter)
John Gallagher Jr. as The Man (Coward)
Michael Trucco as John Stanley (Smart Neighbor)

I liked...

• the way the story unfolded
• how Maddie strove to use every tool she could think of to survive
• the jerk villain who was a pleasure to hate

The Meh...

• why the heck would anyone opt to live in the woods ALONE??? I mean, c'mon!!!
• though it's a brisk 1 hour, 21 minutes, and the writers did manage to vary the routine a bit, there was still a lot of cat-and-mousery in a fixed setting that didn't quite manage to keep my attention 100% of the time
• I would've liked to've learned something of the killer's motivation

Would I recommend it...?

Yeah, it's definitely a good slasher flick! Caution to the faint of heart: the first time you see The Big Bad getting all stabby, it's not overly done but still somewhat sickening.

Miscellany...

You may remember the gal who plays Maddie as one of the siblings in Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House (which I've *just* learned is getting a second season, W00T!).

Ratings...

My Grade: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=92%, Audience Score=73%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Hush on Netflix

Hush's IMDb Page

Hush's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 22 of

Spook Out! Day 15 ~ I Still See You (2018)

Amazon Says...
"Several after years after a cataclysmic event, Ronnie's suburban world has mostly returned to normal, except that the world is shared with ghosts, and one of them appears to be trying to kill her."

I Say...
^Yeah, that's about right!

Horror Type...
Sci-Fi, Thriller, Supernatural

Main Players...
Bella Thorne as Veronica "Ronnie" Calder (Gen Z Lydia Deetz)
Richard Harmon as Kirk Lane (Spook-Researching Ally)
Dermot Mulroney as August Bittner (Cool Teacher)

I liked...

• the really interesting, unique ideas developed here
• how cleverly the "rules" of this world were conveyed to the audience
• the crazysauce of folks adjusting to seeing "spectral remnants" on the regular
• how well the post-apocalyptic dreariness played out (although "post apocalyptic" seems to apply to one city only, and not the world)
• that Ronnie's a smart gal and works to piece things together, wisely seeking help instead of trying to go it alone

The Meh...

• There's a missed dramatic opportunity of "telling not showing" toward the end which cheats Kirk and the audience
• I really liked this but I can't say I found it compelling. Maybe the first two-thirds of the movie felt like an exercise in mood-setting and discovery (which makes sense), but any sense of urgency only kicked in during the third act (as there was a literal deadline). There are definitely some good scares here, and the creep factor is strong, but I just feel like there could've been a little more...intensity. Or cowbell.

Would I recommend it...?

Sure! It was a fun little spook-fest with a satisfying ending, great for a bit of Halloween viewing.

Miscellany...

The title's somewhat misleading; "I Still See You" seems like it'd better fit a slasher-movie. Also, it's disappointing to me that a film with some really good, original thoughts didn't do better with critics.

Ratings...

My Grade: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=8%, Audience Scores=50%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched I Still See You on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

I Still See You's IMDb Page

I Still See You's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 15 of

Spook Out! Day 14 ~ We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2018)

Netflix Says...
"The fragile and secretive world of two sisters and their uncle crumbles when their charming cousin arrives with eyes toward the family fortune."

I Say...
If you're trying to cut sugar from your diet but finding it hard to stick with, just watch this movie.

Horror Type...
Suspense, Thriller, Family Drama

Main Players...
Taissa Farmiga as Merricat Blackwood (Witchy Lil Sis)
Alexandra Daddario as Constance Blackwood (Agoraphobic Big Sis)
Sebastian Stan as Charles Blackwood (Grasping Cousin)

I liked...

• Daddario's portrayal of the fragile, shellshocked sister, forced by fate to grow up and assume the always-smiling '50s housekeeper role, was amazing--bravissima!
• the pockets of quirk that pop up now and again
• how well the sisters look after one another, and their debilitated uncle
• the real sense of living in the past, both literally and metaphorically, that the movie conveys
• that the movie was pretty faithful to the book upon which it's based...

The Meh...
...and yet, the movie does something the book doesn't, as far as I can recall: it hints at an answer to the big WHY, which I find unsatisfying as what the film implies doesn't answer the WHY fully (that is, the movie's WHY applies to one person only; however, it doesn't make sense regarding the others who are impacted by the movie's WHY). I appreciate that last bit doesn't make a lick of sense but to explain further would mean getting all spoilery.

Would I recommend it...?

As a fine bit of drama, yes. As a horror film, no (though to be fair, I'm not sure why I thought this was a horror movie when I added it to my list for this little blogfest).

Miscellany...

Crispin Glover steals nearly every scene he's in, as the debilitated uncle, in a quiet but compelling way. (And no, I don't think that just because the man's smoking hot.) (Really.) (But dang, that man is smoking hot!)

Ratings...

My Grade: A for a great dramatic film which horror buffs would likely enjoy if they don't go into it expecting a scary movie. Unsettling and disturbing, yes, but not scary.

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=89%, Audience Score=57%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched We Have Always Lived in the Castle on Netflix (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle's IMDb Page

We Have Always Lived in the Castle's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 14 of

Spook Out! Day 12 ~ I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016)

Amazon Says...
"Christopher Lloyd stars in this thriller about a troubled teen who must hunt down a supernatural killer while battling his own inner demons."

I Say...
Kid fighting his own homicidal tendencies desperately tries to save the people he loves.

Horror Type...
Thriller, Serial Killer(s), Supernatural

Main Players...
Christopher Lloyd as Bill Crowley (Neighborhood Old Guy)
Max Records as John Wayne Cleaver (Budding Psycho?)
Laura Fraser as April Cleaver (Clueless Mom)

I liked...

• the tension and suspense that totally kept me on edge wondering where this would all end (spoiler: somewhere I'd never have imagined)
• the complex feelings evoked by worrying that Socio-Teen might snap while at the same time I grasped for the straws of humanity in his actions
• being completely surprised by Christopher Lloyd in this role...and yet not
• how cleverly the teen fought to keep from giving in to his darker urges (which had to be extra hard, given how his mom let him assist in the family business--a funeral home...the family that embalms together stays together?)
• how Socio-Teen has the stereotypically-serial-killery three names (two of which belong to an actual serial killer--John Wayne Gacy--and one which the average American may recognize from the wholesome '50s sitcom Leave it to Beaver)
• the Fargo-esque feel of the flick, from the snowy landscape to at least one character's broad midwest accent
• the crazysauce twist at the end

The Meh...

• the crazysauce twist at the end. I mean, I did actually enjoy it, but I didn't see it coming. (I defy anyone who didn't read the book this film's based on to say they did.) The full truth of Lloyd's character felt like it came out of nowhere. And also...
• the mom went along with her kid's wackadoodle idea without coherent, or very much, explanation from her son (which was a refreshing change, in a way, from parents who just wave away when their kid's telling them about some grave, looming threat...but still...). Anyway, it didn't seem an organic progression, given what the movie shows of their strained relationship, as well as her concerns for his mental state

Would I recommend it...?

Dang right, and I can't wait to watch it again! (SO GOOD!)

Miscellany...

Christopher Frickin Lloyd, man. Uncle Frickin Fester!!!

Ratings...

My Grade: A
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=93%, Audience Score=61%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched I Am Not a Serial Killer on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

I Am Not a Serial Killer's IMDb Page

I Am Not a Serial Killer's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers and some inaccuracies)

This concludes day 12 of

Spook Out! Day 10 ~ Honeymoon (2014)

Hulu Says...
"Young newlyweds Paul and Bea travel to a remote lake cottage for their honeymoon, where the promise of private romance awaits them. Shortly after arriving, Paul finds Bea wandering and disoriented in the middle of the night. As she becomes more distant and her behavior increasingly peculiar, Paul begins to suspect something more sinister than sleepwalking took place in the woods."

I Say...
You can't say any more than that^ about the film without giving things away, so I won't.

Horror Type...
Supernatural, Thriller, Indie

Main Players...
Rose Leslie as Bea (Ginger Bride)
Harry Treadaway as Paul (Suspicious Groom)
Hanna Brown as Annie (The Gal Ain't Right)

I liked...

• the slow, steady burn of weird
• how close the newlyweds were
• the remote setting--major creep vibes come gratis with a cabin in the woods, as we all know
• the subtle ways in which the bride lets slip that all's not well with her (much to her chagrin)
• how even as he's getting more and more freaked out, the groom's main concern throughout is his bride's well-being and how he can help her overcome whatever's troubling her

The Meh...

• I can foresee some folks being put-off/growing restless with the slowness of this movie's burn (but it kept my attention and interest from start to stop)
• while the couple's still in the first flush of their honeymoon, their schmoopiness* could be a little annoying to some viewers (*that's totally a word)

Would I recommend it...?

Yes, but take note: though it reaches a horrifying conclusion, the bulk of the film is "merely" unsettling, which may not satisfy hardcore horror fans. OTOH, in the third act there's a gory sequence which may not be appreciated by lighter fans of horror.

Miscellany...

• You may recognize Rose Leslie from Game of Thrones, but I remember her from her (short) stint on Downton Abbey
• I first saw Harry Treadaway in the wonderfully creepy Penny Dreadful series

Ratings...

My Grade: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer= 75%, Audience Score=44%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Honeymoon on Hulu (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

Honeymoon's IMDb Page

Honeymoon's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 10 of

Spook Out! Day 9 ~ Hell House LLC (2015)

Shudder Says...
"In this found-footage gem, a documentary crew visit the site of a haunted house attraction whose opening night ended with 15 unexplained deaths."

I Say...
Documentary crews may wish to consider filming safer spaces. Say, Chernobyl or Death Valley.

Horror Type...
Supernatural, Thriller

Main Players...
Ryan Jennifer as Sara Havel (Token Girlfriend)
Danny Bellini as Alex Taylor (Driven CEO of Titular LLC)
Gore Abrams as Paul O'Keefe (Sweet Sleeper)

I liked...

• the mood, which was palpable and consistently creepy throughout
• that good use was made of lighting to produce feelings of dread
• that some of the most effective scares were the simplest ones
• the last 10-ish minutes of the movie, which were intense...

The Meh...
...but I can't say that they make Hell House LLC worth the watch. Look, I get that found-footage horror is choppy, and often what's most frightening is what you can't see as a result. But I call BS on that being used for long stretches, as happens here--on the ill-fated opening night, bits of tour-goers' recordings are pieced together to show how it all went sour, only they seemed to record mainly the ensuing chaos of freaked out people racing for exits. I watched this only hours ago and I can't say I have any idea what happened. Full disclosure: I have to admit to getting massively bored around the 50 minute mark and reaching for my phone. There are probably chunks of the film I didn't really pay attention to bc all the (long) non-horror bits were filmed with painstaking clarity and I just found large swathes of it tedious. Also, the four dudes of the LLC were heckin' bro-y and if I'd wanted that, I'd have watched Ghost Adventures.

Would I recommend it...?

Only to folks who really dig found-footage horror. Otherwise, pass.

Miscellany...

In the story, Hell House's opening night was October 8, 2009. If I'd watched this yesterday it would've been on the 10th anniversary of the events it depicts! 😨

Ratings...

My Grade: C-

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=89%, Audience Score=71%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Hell House LLC on Shudder (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

Hell House LLC's IMDb Page

Hell House LLC's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 9 of