Spook Out! Day 30 ~ He Never Died (2015)

Netflix Says...
"A reclusive immortal who needs human flesh but tries to stay clean finds himself cast back into society by a gang of thugs and his estranged daughter."

I Say...
Kids, man. They can really disrupt your reclusive immortality, know what I'm sayin'? Actually, the above summary gets one thing wrong--she's not his estranged daughter bc he never knew of her existence till this movie.

Horror Type...
Horror Comedy, Dark Comedy

Main Players...
Henry Rollins as Jack (Reclusive Immortal)

Kate Greenhouse as Cara (Loyal Waitress)

Jordan Todosey as Andrea Huntsman (Life-disrupting Daughter)

I liked...

• the dry, deadpan style of Rollins' delivery
• how the normalcy of the waitress and daughter contrast so starkly with Jack's...well, everything
• that Jack enjoys a good game of Bingo now and again
• that, at least in the movie, Jack shows mercy

The Meh...

• it's a little too dry
• it's also a little too long
• the pacing was sluggish in the first act and maybe the first part of the second act

Would I recommend it...?

It's an OK watch but not really a horror movie, IMO. (To be fair, I'm not sure why I thought it was one.) Pretty violent and gory, though.

Miscellany...

That Mr. Rollins is a fine lookin' fella. Le rawr RAWR!

Ratings...

My Grade: C+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=87%, Audience Score=64%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched He Never Died on Netflix (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

He Never Died's IMDb Page

He Never Died's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 30 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 28 ~ Ramekin (2018)

Amazon Says...
"Emily...[is] a college girl in New York City coming to live in the spacious Upper West Side apartment of her recently-deceased grandmother. There she encounters a little white porcelain cup--a ramekin--that slowly begins to control her life and demand the unthinkable."

I Say...
^That's exactly right and BOY what a ride!

Horror Type...
Horror Comedy, Surreal, Supernatural

Main Players...
Jamie Saunders as Emily (Tidy College Girl)
Renee Adrienne Vito as Jane (The BFF with the Stupid Face)
Adriano La Rocca as Mark (The Cute But Clueless Neighbor)

I liked...
I've been bullet-pointing for this section in my previous reviews but for Ramekin I'm going stream-of consciousness bc that's the only way I can think to tackle it right now.

I love how precise all of Emily's motions are, down to her diction and phrasing. Her face is wonderfully expressive and that big-ass smile she whips out is both beautiful and terrifying. I dig that she gets a few moments of grace to see that something's terribly wrong and she's not quite herself and wants to get out of whatever hell she's in. But she can't bc Ramekin.

I adore surreal humor, and this horror-comedy is just that. I mean, it's a ridiculous situation--being controlled by a ramekin? A ramekin??? Yet, the writing and Saunders' amazing work really sell it for me. Some of the dialogue made me cringe, other bits made me literally laugh out loud. And then there were these moments when a lick of terror seriously shot through me as I sat there helpless (much like Emily, but without any cupcakes, more's the pity).

The "poetry" in this is risible, when it's not utterly chilling. (Mark, how could you not understand?????)

The soundtrack's groovy!

Also, any New Yorker can appreciate that the only way a college student could lay claim to a lovely furnished apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side is if it were haunted or possessed by...something. (HAH!)

The Meh...
There's a bit in the beginning when Emily's trying to leave Ramekin in the dish rack that goes on a little long and could lose a viewer's interest--but stick with it!

The ending's even more bizarre and I couldn't quite grok it till I read writer/director/ filmmaker Cody Clarke's (or someone bearing his handle) explanation in this Reddit thread.

Would I recommend it...?

Yes! It's kooky and it's creepy, hilariously freaky, it's altogether unique-y--and for Amazon Primers, free! I heart this film so much I'm including a teaser for it:

Miscellany...

Please watch this ultra indie movie (made on a $500 budget!). Let's support indie artists so Hollywood gets the message that we don't want remakes, we want original creative voices!!!

Ratings...

My Grade: A-
Article #2: Ramekin Review!
Regrettably, there's no Rotten Tomatoes page for Ramekin.

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Ramekin on Amazon

Ramekin's IMDb Page

A Wikipedia Page for Ramekin does not currently exist.

This concludes day 28 of

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 26 ~ Wake Wood (2009)

Amazon Says...
"The parents of a girl who was killed by a savage dog are granted the opportunity to spend three days with their deceased daughter."

I Say...
Well, there's not much else to say after ^that, except ain't y'all never seen/read Pet Sematary???

Horror Type...
Supernatural Horror

Main Players...
Aidan Gillen as Patrick Daley (Grieving Vet)
Eva Birthistle as Louise Daley (Grieving Pharmacist)
Timothy Spall as Arthur (Tweedy Town Shaman)

I liked...

• that this flick's got atmosphere coming out the wazoo
• that c-sections are a recurring, and important, theme
• Timothy Spall's lovely rich baritone, which I suppose is meant to come off as menacing at times but for me is just yum
• the ending which, if I understand it correctly, is one of the most understatedly horrific I've seen in a long while
• that, unlike its predecessor Pet Sematary, there are very clearly defined Rules...

The Meh...

• ...and yet, not all of the applicable terms and conditions are presented to the grieving parents before they consent to the ritual that'll bring back their daughter (which seems irresponsible)
• the parents consistently make some pretty stupid moves that you just wanna smack 'em repeatedly about the face and ears with a wet fish
• there are moments when the actor playing the reanimated daughter shines but more when she just isn't credible (I know, I know, none of this is credible, but some child actors sell you on their characters 100% and maybe this one wasn't directed as well as she could've been)

Would I recommend it...?

Yeah, it's a groovy Halloween watch, if frustrating at times. It's gory now and again, though.

Miscellany...

This low-budget Irish film was produced by Hammer Film Productions!

Ratings...

My Grade: B
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=80%, Audience Score=39%

Details, Schmeetails...

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

Wake Wood's IMDb Page

Wake Wood's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 26 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