Alien (1979)

In honor of the recent death of artist and alien designer, H.R. Giger, as well as the upcoming 35th anniversary of its release.

GENERAL INFO:

Director:  Ridley Scott

Studios:  Brandywine Productions, 20th Century Fox

Starring:  Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Ian Holm

Tagline:  In space no one can hear you scream.

MPAA Rating:  R

Genre:  horror, terror, thriller, science fiction, drama, suspense, alien, monster, mystery 

Scare score:  B-

Rating:  A-

Plot overview:  In the future, the cargo-towing spacecraft Nostromo is returning back to Earth from deep space.  The crew members are awakened from their deep-sleep stasis when the ship's computer system, called 'Mother,' picks up what seems to be a distress call from the uninhabited planetoid LV-426.  The 7 crew members, led by Captain Dallas (Skerritt), descend to LV-426, and their small shuttle is damaged in the process leaving them stranded for at least a full day.  Several members venture off the shuttle and find a crashed alien spacecraft containing remnants of one race as well as countless eggs from another.  When one egg hatches, the terror begins.

Ask me for a movie that I truly love every time I watch it, and Alien will be way up there on my list.  While this movie is heavy on the sci-fi and somewhat light on the horror (this has got enough of an And Then There Were None feeling about it to pull it into the 'drama' and 'mystery' genres), it is the first installment of a famous and reputable film series that are appreciated to this day.

Can you imagine that Sigourney Weaver (a veteran by the time Cabin in the Woods rolled around) was a newbie in this movie?  And can you furthermore believe that she was treated disrespectfully by other cast mates for being a newbie?  This shocks me most of all because she kicks absolute but both in plot and in acting during this entire movie.  Warrant Office Ellen Ripley (Weaver) is a stern, smart mix of man and woman (not physically of course, as the ending of the movie flaunts), and perhaps the only member of the Nostromo who uses her brain throughout the film (don't let aliens on board.  Period.)

Even though they were apparently bullies, the other actors in this film do a swell job.  I love the small cast, the feeling of playfulness and also mistrust between the adults, especially when the pressure, claustrophobia, and loneliness start to set it.  Quick shout out to Veronica Cartwright in the role of Lambert, an equally tough space woman.  Hasn't she come a long way from The Birds and yet only a year earlier she starred in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  All in all, the small cast makes for an exciting mystery filed with diverse personalities that add to the melting pot of tensions, even before a nasty, practically indestructible alien gets thrown into the mix.

I love alien.  Love the design, love the tongue thing that's actually another small head and mouth, love the different stages of growth/ evolution.  It completely baffles me how it manages to grow from being about a foot tall to becoming an enormous killing machine in, oh, say, 45 minutes.  Maybe that just makes alien all the scarier.  What's most interesting about alien in this movie is how little we know about it and how little we see it.  That's right, there are maybe two scenes that give us a complete idea of what alien actually looks like.  Even then, due to the film's dark nature, a lot is left to imagination.  This obviously has its plusses and minuses: there is plenty of suspense followed by large thrills waiting for alien to attack; then again, does the creature deliver?  There are a few scenes that would make us think so, but overall I would have to say the problem is resolved too easily.

The horror in this movie is slow and consuming.  It surrounds us, isolates us, penetrates us - just as it does the crew members and its victims.  There is a hunt, but the hunters are also the hunted.  There is a chase, but it's just as much frantic as it is planned.  Boasting one of the most memorable scenes in sci-fi/ horror (who's hungry?), Alien is filled with plenty of twists and turns that leave us craving and questioning more, just as the crew of the Nostromo questions more, only to find that curiosity kills the cat, even in the 2100s.

Final critique:  This is a great movie that ties together multiple genres such as drama and mystery, science fiction and horror.  While there is a generally pressured, scary feeling through the film, there are only a few actually scary (and also very memorable) scenes.  When Alien decides to do scary, it doesn't hold back.  I'd still easily recommend this movie to scaredy cats, as there is a truly interesting plot here supported by good acting and effects that surprisingly don't make me think it was done in 1979.  Really good movie; not the scariest, but super entertaining with some terror throughout.

Aliens (1986)

Not to be confused with Alien, although it is the sequel.

GENERAL INFO:
Director:  James Cameron
Studios:  20th Century Fox
Starring:  Sigourney Weaver; ft. Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein, Lance Henriksen, Mark Rolston
Tagline:  This time it's war.
MPAA Rating:  R
Genre:  horror, terror, action, thriller, science fiction, drama, suspense, alien, monster
Scare score:  C-
Rating:  B

Plot overview:  Following the events of the first film, Ellen Ripley (Weaver) awakens from her stasis after fifty-seven years.  Having expected to only sleep for several weeks, Ripley finds the world, or indeed, the universe around her to be quite changed, with the happenings aboard the Nostromo called into questioning and her reputation smeared as she is stripped of her space piloting license.  To add insult to injury, Ripley also learns that the planet where they first found the Alien eggs is now a terraforming colony under Weyland-Yutani Corporation.  Desperate to prevent more deaths at the hands or claws of the monstrous Aliens, Ripley agrees to return to LV-426, where the organization has lost contact with the terraforming colony.  Will Ripley and a team of Marines be enough to stop a potential Alien outbreak?

Super short entry here.  Watched this movie immediately after I watched Alien, so it's been a while.  In my book, this is much more of an action movie, filled with a sort of Vietnam-in-space feel plus a premature '90s sense of style and humor, all of which dulls the sense of terror.  Sure there is plenty of suspense plus a few jumpy moments (it's the Alien franchise, after all), but the movie is not especially frightening.  Even the C- might be too high of a rating.

Our cast of characters is highly entertaining here, filled with some of James Cameron's favorites, making this movie even an outer space prequel to Titanic or a more hostile Avatar.  Aside from Miss Weaver (so much love), my personal favorite was Bill Paxton as private Hudson.  He is the original bro in his tough-talking, rough-acting, curse-loving, gun-happy role; equal parts action and comedy.  Feminists rejoice in the Saturn Award-winning performance of Jenette Goldstein as private Vasquez, but other activists may frown upon the casting the white actress in the role of a powerful and gun happy Hispanic Marine.

The interesting thing about this movie is its further exploration of the Alien universe, providing us with more explanation about the Xenomorphs, how their race works, and if the Corporation has any influence in their breeding and fate.  There is most certainly sinister commentary here regarding corporatism and capitalism, which monetary gain held over human safety.  Among other societal critiques, Alien also touches on sexuality, rape, gender roles, and politics in general.  Racy!

Sitting here a month after watching the film, my honest opinion is that there are memorable special effects and memorable characters, but no scares come to mind.  The trip to another world with futuristic technology is always fun for those who love a touch of sci-fi in horror, but otherwise, aside from some suspenseful chase scenes and a good battle or two, the first film boasts a more true sense of terror.

Final critique:  In a long line of horror and sci-fi hits, Aliens simply remains overshadowed by the film that started it all.  Filled with action, cursing, gun violence, and good special effects, this film is certainly not the scariest in the bunch.  Definitely entertaining with some creative Alien nests, cocoons, and beasts themselves, but not too frightening overall.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

GENERAL INFO:
Director:  Philip Kaufman
Studios:  United Artists, Solofilm
Starring:  Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright, Leonard Nimoy
Tagline:  Get Some Sleep
MPAA Rating:  PG
Genre:  thriller, horror, drama, science-fiction, psychological thriller, alien invasion, aliens
Scare score:  B+
Rating:  A

Plot overview:  After an alien species lands in San Francisco, many strange flowers begin to rapidly sprout up across the city.  Soon after, coworkers from the Department of Public Health Elizabeth Driscoll (Adams) and Matthew Bennell (Sutherland) begin noting strange changes in the actions and attitudes of people around them.  Growing increasingly concerned that a serious health concern has fallen upon the people of San Francisco, they team up with friends Jack (Goldblum) and Nancy Bellicec (Cartwright) to combat the aliens taking the forms of the city's habitants.

I saw the 1956 original a few years ago, and I just realized I saw the 2007 remake in theaters, but tonight I felt like watching this remake.  After the fact, I must say I'm really pleased with my choice, as this selection was both enjoyable, pleasantly scary, and simply impressive.

The first thing I noticed was several familiar faces, from previous movies I've blogged about, namely with Art Hindle of 1979's The Brood in the role of Driscoll's partner Geoffrey and then of course Veronica Cartwright who played the memorable Cathy Brenner in Hitchcock's 1963 The Birds.  We're just starting to develop a little horror film family here, aren't we?

As major plusses for the movie, we have good acting and good special effects.  The rapid growth of alien flowers on plants in one of the first scenes looked both realistic and interesting.  Later on we contrast the beauty of a flower with the growth of the large pods, which will both disturb and gross out the audience as they pulsate and 'give birth' to alien clones.  Throughout the film we are also treated to images of bodies covered in sinews and veins, as well as some blood, which are sure to make viewers uneasy.  Fun stuff, especially since I've seen worst effects in movies that have been released more recently.

As is typical in most horrors, during the whole film we are forced to follow the plight of the small group of protagonists as it seems the world turns against them.  Luckily we are following a group of likable actors and characters, which not only makes the film more interesting, but it also allows us to establish an almost emotional bond with these people and their situation, thereby causing us to stress over the final outcome and root for human victory (for the most part) up through the movie's final seconds.  The beautiful Brooke Adams provides us with a fun and easily likable Elizabeth Driscoll, who is both smart and aware much sooner than the other protagonists concerning the alien invasion.  She is nicely complimented by Sutherland, who portrays Bennell both with humor and drama.  Smaller performances by Goldblum and Cartwright as man and wife add more dramatics and mystery, and the presence of Nimoy disconcerts us further as we debate who is good and who is bad.

What I probably liked most about the film is the psychological aspect.  From the get go we aren't even really sure who is human and who the aliens have already got to.  I must give a big shout out to the extras in this movie, who made it silently terrifying as their presence of San Fran citizens is both omnipresent and threatening.  Even when they are still normal they seem off, odd, and potentially dangerous.  The mere plot of this invasion is a very scary concept: "my boyfriend isn't himself; my wife isn't herself; it's my husband- but it's not."  We keep hearing this coming from panicked people, including our protagonists, throughout the movie, but it seems as though everyone else is ignoring them.  Could it be that the majority is already under alien influence?  We find ourselves questioning who is human and who isn't every time we see or meet a new character: the uncertainty of this silent terror is brilliant.  Furthermore, towards the end, we even begin to question if it is worth fighting an innumerable foe, or is it easier to just peacefully give in?  You must decide.

As the alien invasion becomes more complete, terror grows even stronger for our protagonists and suspense grows even higher for us viewers.   This movie is sure to keep us entertained until the last seconds, without many dull moments to complain about.  The mystery persists long enough that, although we piece bits and pieces together ourselves, we don't get major answers or gross, revealing images until far into the film.  With this tactic, the plot grows more complex, and victory seems just as possible as defeat.

Lastly, this film is enhanced by the eerie and suspenseful tunes of Danny Zeitlin.  Without remaining overly '70s, it adds suspense and drama to many scenes of the film, starting in the first scene.

Final critique:  There isn't much more I can think of to say about this film except that I really genuinely enjoyed it.  The terror is both subtle and outright, and the fear is both physical and psychological.  Good acting enhances a creative and always-questionably-possible plot that is sure to get audiences thinking, "what if?"  I recommend this remake for most crowds, though while only a PG film, there are several scenes that are sure to scare you, or at least disturb you a little bit *cue the high pitch noise the aliens make when alarming others*

Pumpkinhead (1988)

GENERAL INFO:
Director:  Stan Winston
Studios:  De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
Starring:  Lance Henriksen
Tagline:  A Grim Fairy Tale.
MPAA Rating:  R
Genre:  horror, terror, thriller, monster, curse
Scare score:  D
Rating:  C+

Plot overview:  During a getaway to the country, some city teens are involved in a dirt bike accident that takes the life of a local boy.  Stricken with grief, Ed Harley (Henriksen) seeks his revenge, unleashing a vengeful demon upon the unsuspecting teens.

I remember always seeing this VHS case in Blockbuster when I was a kid, but I've never gotten around to seeing this original movie or its made-for-TV sequels.  While this production is '80s up the wazoo, it was an interesting concept and, at the very least, an entertaining movie.

First of all, I was excited to watch some sort of monster movie.  Going into it, I had very, very different ideas of what Pumpkinhead was going to be like; not surprisingly I was expecting a pumpkin-headed monster or even some sort of scarecrow demon, but alas that isn't the case here.  The demon is a masterpiece of special effects with all credit deservingly going to director Stan Winston, who is known for his work on film series such as Jurassic Park, Aliens, and Predator.  Well before I knew about Winston's affiliations with these other films, the noticeable relation was already there.

Here are my issues with the monster: first of all, this isn't a demon or monster so much as an alien.  Pumpkinhead doesn't quite have a pumpkin head, but rather a similarly shaped head to that of Alien.  I wouldn't be surprised if, as far as the body and tail are concerned, Pumpkinhead was the inspiration for Mewtwo.  That's a serious statement.  All in all, Pumpkinhead is a fierce enemy, but in my book it isn't quite right for the mood the whole movie, and the tagline "A Grim Fairy Tale" tries to set; it is far too extraterrestrial instead of demonic.  Furthermore, the cicada sound made whenever Pumpkinhead is approaching reminded me way too much of Predator.  A little more creativity here wouldn't have hurt.

My other big issue with the creature itself was the boring, repetitive ways in which it always killed.  Not once did it vary from a sort of strange combination of lifting, throwing, and dropping its victims until they were dead.  Not once did this vary with the exception of very minor changes either before or after proceeding to lift up and drop the given victim.  Boring city.

Regardless, special effects in this movie are pretty fantastic, specifically those involving Pumpkinhead itself.  Perhaps with such a complicated costume they were limited to the ways the monster could actually kill people while onscreen.  While it may not be as memorable as, say, Alien or Predator, Pumpkinhead was a cool looking demon.  I also really liked the whole urban-legend bit revolving around him.  When the Wallace kids start chanting that rhyme to scare their little brother, it was both a creepy and interesting moment.  We've seen a similar rhyme in the Nightmare on Elm Street movies.

The script was nothing special in this movie.  In fact, since the version I watched online had English subtitles, I was much more aware of the poor script that I perhaps would have been in a normal viewing.  So much of the dialogue in this movie is repeated.  So much of the dialogue in this movie is repeated.  I can't stress it enough.  I first realized this during the scene when Harley returns to the old woman who lives in the woods.  Every single line he has he repeats twice.  Then the old woman starts to do it too.  In later scenes, the teenagers do it as well.  The teenagers do it as well.  What may feel like desperation to an amateur screenwriter just sounds like a poorly thought out echo to audiences.

Acting isn't good either, but for an '80s B movie, it's certainly entertaining.  Lots of melodrama from unexperienced teenage/ twenty-something actors, lots of over-the-top Appalachia-meets-Deep-South poverty, and extra lots of running through dark, foggy woods and slipping in the dirt before giving up the will to run only to continue running.  When will these teenagers learn?

*SPOILER ALERT*

Something I loved about this movie though was the sort of evolution we saw in our two main characters at the end.  That is to say, Pumpkinhead and Ed Harley.  From the first murder, we realize that there is some sort of connection between the two, but it isn't until the very end that we see Pumpkinhead taking on the features of Mr. Harley and vice versa.  Truly eerie and fascinating, and done spectacularly for 1988.  Then, at the end of the film, we see the curse of vengeance complete its full circle when the witch/ old woman buries a new corpse in Pumpkinhead's grave for next time.

Final critique:  There is plenty of promise in this movie, but not enough delivery.  Going into Pumpkinhead, I think that most audiences will expect something different, although at the end of the day we have a unique monster attacking a group of frightened teenagers just as other unique monsters chased and killed other frightened teenagers throughout the majority of horror films from the 1980s.  The best thing about this movie is the fun plot and the creative monster, both of which will leave you wishing everything were more masterfully executed.  A fun watch, nothing more, nothing less.

The Blob (1958)

GENERAL INFO:
Director:  Irvin Yeaworth
Studios:  Paramount Pictures, Umbrella Entertainment
Starring:  Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut
Tagline:  Indescribable… Indestructible!  Nothing Can Stop It!; It Crawls... It Creeps... It Eats You Alive!
MPAA Rating:  Unrated
Genre:  horror, thriller, science fiction, drama, mystery, alien, monster, teen
Scare score:  D
Rating:  C+/B-

Plot overview:  While spending an evening at lover's lane, smooth-talking Steve (McQueen) and the innocent Jane (Corsaut) see a meteorite crash over a nearby hill.  What they don't know is that the meteorite contains a seemingly unstoppable, blob-like alien that consumes any living organism that crosses its path.  Steve, Jane, and their friends find themselves in a race against the clock to stop the growing monster as it continues to claim its victims, but will the teenagers be able to convince the adults in town about the impending danger before it's too late?

We have a true classic of American horror here; regardless of reception and success, I like to think that people have at least heard of the blob or a similar monster that creeps, crawls, and consumes.  Young Horror Buff saw what he realizes now to be the 1988 remake of this movie and to this day remembers suffering from a recurring nightmare afterwards which involved my neighborhood being attacked by the eponymous monster from the film.  Well having watched this original version (for the first time?) I admit that this film couldn't possibly give nightmares to anybody, and that as the years go on I think this movie is slowly slipping into the "too old to be scary" category.

Nevertheless I admit that there were a few scenes, especially at the beginning of the movie, that did make me a little uncomfortable hence the D for scare score.  Honestly I wish I watched more monster movies, so I think watching this eerie glob of goo got me excited enough to allow myself to be frightened by several sequences in which it moves rather rapidly towards its next victim.

Unfortunately, after those principle scares I'm sorry to say that the film just starts to drag on and on with very little monster screen time and an awful lot of mediocre, naive 1950s acting.  It was almost painful at times to just watch these actors recite their lines or react to 'scary' sequences - worst shout outs go to Jane's parents, the blond member of the 'bad boy' trio (his facial reactions are the worst), and an extra special 'you're awful' award to whatever actor was the main fireman.  If I ever, ever encounter a firefighter who talks back to me in rhetorical questions during a fire- just grant me patience.  Even Mr. McQueen ends up getting so much screen time often filled with just reactions via face or gestures (rubbing his mouth or nose) that it begins to grow very old very fast.

In general, this movie is filled with a large amount of plot, and by the end of the 82 minutes we have seen the large majority of this time consisting solely of cantankerous adults complaining about and fighting with eager teenagers.  Let's not forget that there is also plenty of erroneous fluff such as a backwards car race, an old man (who appropriately sleeps in a twin bed next to his wife's twin bed) who isn't sure whether to wear fall-out clothes or fire clothes, and a(n admittedly adorable) little boy with no common sense but with a whole lotta lisp complete with cowboy gun - because, hey, it's the '50s.

Soon I will go back and watch the remake, which I'm sure will be filled with more monster time, deaths, and gore than this one (hopefully).  Then again, the fact that it's from 1988 is not too promising.

Final critique:  All in all, this is the type of movie I'd prefer to watch late at night on TV before (or while) falling asleep.  I would recommend this movie for most people, except I think realistically it would bore a modern audience.  Either way, The Blob has a lot of heart and a really good idea of a terrifying alien force coming to earth and attacking a small town.  I thought it was very interesting that they chose to set this movie in a real town - Downingtown, PA - where you can even go visit places such as the movie theater and the diner (in and around the area of filming).  Lastly, I read a really interesting piece about how the blob represents communism attacking small town America.  While it seems creators of the film deny this - I think it's a cool angle!

American Horror Story, S2, E5 - (2012)

"I Am Anne Frank (Part 2)"

GENERAL INFO:
Creators:  Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
Producers:  20th Century Fox
Channel:  FX
Starring:  Jessica Lange, James Cromwell, Evan Peters, Sara Paulson, Zachary Quinto; ft. Franka Potente
TV Rating:  MA SLV
Genre:  television, horror, drama, insane asylum, alien abduction, mutants, serial killer
Scare score:  C+
Rating:  A-

Plot overview:  Following her instinct as well as the claims made by the woman claiming to be Anne Frank (Potente), Sister Jude (Lange) goes to a Nazi hunter and asks him to pursue the case of Dr. Arden (Cromwell).  To her dismay, that same week, Frank's husband shows up at Briarcliff demanding that his troubled wife, in reality named Charlotte Brown, come home to be reunited with their baby.  After her release, Arden threatens Sister Jude that he will finally have her dismissed from Briarcliff due to her poor management, and Sister Mary Eunice (Lily Rabe) plots with him so that they may run Briarcliff together and thereby continue with his bizarre experiments.  Meanwhile, Dr. Thredson (Quinto) finally helps the innocent Lana (Paulson) escape, but she is not free from her plight yet.

First off, I want you to know that I haven't died (or been murder, abducted, or anything exciting like that).  I apologize for neglecting The Horror Blog for such a long time, but things have been crazy lately with early bedtimes and lots of traveling.  I hope that this weekend will be more filled with horror.

Back to the important stuff.  This was a great episode, and I'm excited to be so far behind, because immediately following this post I get to watch the next episode and continue with the excitement!  Finally, 5 episodes into the season we have been thrown a bloody bone from the writers and several mysteries have been solved... or at least expounded upon.  The mysteries I refer to are namely the experiment with mutants, the alien abductions, and the identity of Bloody Face.

I think Potente did a pretty tremendous job this week as Anne Frank/ Charlotte Brown (like Charlie Brown?).  All of the home video-ish sequences of Charlotte and her husband (David Chisum) were simultaneously eerie as well as reminiscent of the now retro time period in which the show takes place. In many ways her mystery and identity are not fully resolved, and the end of the episode hints that Arden may still be as sinister (or more so) than we are expecting.  I'm really starting to hate that guy.

This was also a big episode for Lange although in a very different way, as we see her once again on the outside instead of as the pious Sister Jude.  I'm not quite sure why she suddenly decides to leave Briarcliff, assuming that she will indeed lose her job; I'm not a monsignor and I don't know how bureaucracy works in insane asylums, but I really think she still had a chance as Briarcliff's director.  Old habits die hard, I suppose.  The actress was nicely featured, specifically with attention grabbing camera angles and shots, as well as a rather nice monologue that was only slightly tarnished by the fact that she was talking about a dead baby squirrel.

The strange mutants made by Arden's experiments are real!  At least Shelley (Chloë Sevigny) has become like Raspers, and much to my delight she was dumped next to a school playground.  Tell me there has rarely been anything funnier in American Horror Story than a schoolyard full of screaming children.  That scene was awesome, and to the show's credit, so was her make up.

*SPOILER ALERT*

When I say 'bloody,' you say 'face' - Bloody Face!  Bloody Face!  I think something along those lines is the cheer we're hearing all across the air these past two weeks with the true identity of our terrifyingly gruesome serial killer finally being revealed.  Woozy and lustful fans of Kit (Peters) rejoice in his innocence (and the fact that Briarcliff didn't have him sterilized) and other fans that was as suspicious of Quinto as Horror Buff has been are patting themselves on the back.  The good doctor - turned serial killer.  These past few episodes, Thredson has been creepy to say the least, so it only makes sense that Quinto's change of character was leading up to something big.  Since the Doctor's introduction this season he was either going to kill or be killed, so the surprise isn't really too great, although I admit I still was somehow wishing that Lana would escape.  Thredson's home decor was so eerie, and I like the fact that some of these ideas are taken from real-life murderers like Gein.  The worst part is when he wants to continue with Lana's therapy- bring on the horror!

You know by now I'm skeptic of alien abduction plots.  This episode, however, really started warming me up to the idea of what has been going on.  I like that we see Grace (Lizzie Brocheré) back aboard the ship, along with the surprise presence of Alma (Britne Oldford) who seems to have been eating too much during her abduction - just kidding she's pregnant!  Omg never saw that coming!  Just kidding again.  Grace's brief and bright abduction sequence was vaguely reminiscent of this summer's Prometheus as far as uncomfortable cutting and operation tables go.  I saw this bit as a sign of hope yet for Alma, Grace, and Kit.

Final critique:  This was a good, nicely paced episode that introduced us to some different and playful camera angles and the old side of Sister Jude; it also gave us much-wanted answers, which will help push the plot along and keep viewers coming back for more.  I am pleased with how the Anne Frank bit was resolved (or not), as well as with how Arden's identity is left open.  Really good acting, good script writing, and good, juicy content this week.  Looking forward to more, coming at you right now!

It (1990)

From the director who brought you Halloween III (you know, the one without Michael Myers)...

GENERAL INFO:
Director:  Tommy Lee Wallace
Studios:  Warner Bros. Television
Starring:  Tim Curry, Tim Reid, Richard Thomas, John Ritter, Annette O'Toole, Harry Anderson, Dennis Christopher, Jonathan Brandis, Brandon Crane, Emily Perkins, Adam Faraizl, Seth Green, Marlon Taylor, Ben Heller
Tagline:  The Master of Horror unleashes everything you were ever afraid of.
MPAA Rating:  TV-MA
Genre:  TV, horror, thriller, mystery, drama, alien
Scare score:  D/D+
Rating:  B+

Plot overview:  A group of misfit children are terrorized by an evil being that appears as to be a cruel, knee-slapping clown (Curry) that can also manifest itself into their biggest fears.  After thinking they have destroyed It, each of the children moves on to live a privileged, successful life.  But when they are called back 30 years later when It returns, will the 'Lucky 7' be strong enough to defeat It once and for all?

Who doesn't know the image of the clawed clown with razor sharp teeth and bloodshot eyes?  Unlike most children, Horror Buff always liked clowns, although Stephen King and the creative team behind this two-part miniseries clearly played on one of the most common fears or dislikes in American society.  Yet It is so much more than Pennywise the Dancing Clown, It is everything you were ever afraid of; It is your worst fear... a concept that works much better in writing than in film, I'm afraid to say.  Regardless, that doesn't mean that this slamming '90s adaptation weakens the entertainment or creepiness behind King's novel, just that the scare factor itself isn't really there.

This movie boasts great acting all around, babies and grownups alike.  Starring Bastian Bux (Brandis), Hollywood's sweetheart of the late '80s, Seth Green already showing off his natural humor, and a pretty fantastic Emily Perkins and Brandon Crane, we are introduced to the plight of the children of Derry.  The flashbacks in the movie feel a whole lot like Stand By Me (which you should go watch), which is also based off of a work of King, giving us an idyllic, '50s-americana undertone that is contrasted by the rapidly increasing creepiness.  

Then we have the action taking place in 1990, which is the time period that maybe the majority of the film takes place in.  While the second half is less popular with fans and critics, there is still some good acting and an occasional scare; admittedly, the adult half of this film depends much more on emotions and relations than the kid half.  Starring in this half we have some smooth jobs by Tim Reid, Richard Thomas, John Ritter, Annette O'Toole, Harry Anderson, and Dennis Christopher.

Something fun that each actor had to work with was his or her distinct character.  In both time periods, we have Bill Denbrough (Brandis/ Thomas), a suave yet geeky boy who has lost his brother and subsequently endures a difficult home life (aka Gordie from Stand By Me).  Then there's Ben Hanscom  (Crane/ Ritter), a big boy with an even bigger heart dealing with his father's death in the war.  The resident female, Beverly Marsh (Perkins/ O'Toole) is a bright and beautiful young woman with an abusive, alcoholic father.  Eddie Kaspbrak (Faraizl/ Christopher) is a momma's boy and debatably asthmatic hypochondriac, but when the time comes, he finds his courage.  One of my favorite characters, Richie Tozier (Green/ Anderson) is a red-head and natural comedian who makes dorky look cool.  To draw on racial tensions from the '50s and '60s, although I imagine they're stronger in the book than they are in this miniseries, we have Mike Hanlon (Taylor/ Reid)- the only one of the Lucky 7 that doesn't get out of Derry in his adult years.  Finally, to round out the group, we have devout Jewish boy scout and obsessive empirical cataloger Stanley Uris (Heller/ Richard Masur).  This cast of distinct, colorful characters - topped off with Tim Curry as a lasting Pennywise - make for a film that, while not the scariest, has depth and heart.

What's good about this movie:  everything Tim Curry.  The scary horror isn't there, but the creepiness is.  The hard contrast between his slapstick humor (and incredible physical acting) and the fact that he is a psychopathic killer is so satisfying.  His yellowed teeth, his red and dry eyes with their continuous shifty glances, his voice, and, of course, his strange exclamation that 'down here, they all float' make for a memorable and actually scary nemesis.  And no, this isn't Michael Myers or Leatherface scary, it's a more subtle, creepy terror that stays with you after watching.  It's ability to manifest itself into It's victims biggest fears also adds color to the movie (werewolves, clowns, mummies, etc).  I also like the dual nature of the film, with major action taking place both in 1960 and in 1990.  One of my absolutely favorite details in this movie is the balloons filled with blood.  I love the scenes where the seemingly unaware people are showered in blood.  The fact that Pennywise can appear to terrorize his victims and no one else can see leads for some fantastic scenes: older Richie in the library, young Beverly in her bathroom.  It's fantastic.

What's bad about this movie:  single-handedly, Richard Thomas' mole and ponytail ruin the movie for me.  Horror Buff isn't afraid of too many things, but men with ponytails is high on that short list.  Just can't handle 'em.  That being said, from the time we're introduced to older Bill, the whole thing is just unsettling.  Did Stephen King ever have a ponytail?  As we see when showed Bill's book titles, Bill is certainly a sort of fictional version of King.  The fact that it was made as a two-part TV movie also results in a lengthy final product, so if you're watching it all at once you'll need 192 minutes to do so. Then, finally, the general feeling of a '90s made-for-TV-movie does inevitably leak into the feeling of the film - we're talking mushy background music, excessive fade-outs, the works.

*SPOILER ALERT*

The concept of a timeless, dimension-less, shape-shifting, omniscient foe is great and scary.  In writing.  That being said, sometimes the true terror of It is difficult to convey on screen.  Ultimately, and this is just my opinion (but hey, it's just my blog), the idea that It is an alien, topped with the whole concept of 'dead lights' is just not my favorite resolution.  I like that if somebody doesn't let It scare them that they can then imagine ways to hurt it ("this is battery acid, slime!") because then they're playing It's game.  However, in the scene that It reveals it is a devourer of worlds ... and of children- yeah, that is just kind of dumb to me.  Why children?  The final battle scenes in the caves underneath Derry (lol) have bad effects, and the spider/alien monster doesn't deliver.  It is much creepier in his other forms.

Final critique:  This is a fun, enjoyable movie.  I think the true reason that It has remained so relevant and entertaining - aside from it being an invention of Stephen King who we love and adore - is Tim Curry, 100 percent.  His Pennywise character and admirable acting skills make for a ride that is simultaneously funny and creepy.  There are a lot of little scares in this movie, but nothing should shake you too much except for Pennywise's general sadism mixed with a corny sense of humor.  Still, I wouldn't recommend this movie for audiences that scare too easily or that don't like the general concept of a multitude of terrors materializing in order to eat children.

American Horror Story, S2, E1 - (2012)

The only TV show I watch regularly.

GENERAL INFO:
Creators:  Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
Producer:  20th Century Fox Television
Channel:  FX
Starring:  Jessica Lange, James Cromwell, Evan Peters; ft. Adam Levine, Chloë Sevigny
TV Rating:  MA SLV
Genre:  television, horror, drama, insane asylum, alien abduction, mad scientist
Scare score:  B-
Rating:  A-

Plot overview:  In present day, newlyweds Teresa (Jenna Dewan) and Leo (Levine) are on a honeymoon touring the 12 most haunted spots in America; equally as interested in having their own fun as they are in discovering ghosts.  Their last stop is to the Briarcliff Manor, a large building first built as a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients (complete with a "death chute" in the basement to dispose of the dead) but later turned into a Church-owned asylum for the criminally insane.  Hearing a loud noise, the couple moves from one bang to another until Leo is viciously attacked by an unseen force behind a door.  Cue opening credits.
In 1964, we are introduced to Kit Walker (Peters), a young and friendly man who is living with his new black wife in secret, as she is afraid of what society would do to them if they were found out.  That night, prompted by strange loud noises and blinding lights, Kit runs out to defend his house and bride.  We subsequently are shown various, choppy clips of him being the subject of an alien abduction.
In the next subplot, we are introduced to the driven journalist Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson) who is hoping to make her big break by doing an exposé on Briarcliff and some of its patients.  She is given an interview with the sadistic head nurse Sister Jude (Lange), who quickly realizes what she is up to.  Lana has really come to see the admittance of a horrible serial killer, called Bloody Face, who has terrorized the town of late: killing and skinning 5 women, one of whom was black.  Of course, it is revealed that Bloody Face is none other than Kit, who has no memory of committing any murders, especially not that of his wife.  No one believes his insane stories of being abducted by aliens.  Through Kit we are shown the inner workings of Briarcliff as well as the maladies of its patients.
Moving right along, we meet the frightening Dr. Arden (Cromwell), who introduces the major theme of science vs. religion.  He and Sister Jude, respectively, represent these two forces in the institution.  Through this subplot, we become aware of the monstrous tests Dr. Arden runs on some patients.
Through these various subplots, we are introduced to the major themes of the episodes and perhaps the season in general, all of which have a heavy focus on society (individual perception vs. social perception): race relations, homosexuality, religion, science, truth and lying, good and evil.  Much as in last season, the episode jumps around from the past to the present day dilemma of Teresa and Leo in an enticing introduction to Season 2.

I love American Horror Story.  Last season it was the only program I would actually make time in my schedule to watch as a dedicated fan.  The writers and creative team did a beautiful job of balancing classic, supernatural horror (ghosts, haunted houses, the devil, the spawn of satan, murderers) with what really frightens us to our core as humans (burglars, unfaithful spouses, miscarriages, suicide, school shootings, and even home realty).  That is what made the show truly about American horror, especially on a personal level.  I already see this season doing the same thing, although perhaps more on a public level - still behind walls but no longer in a home, well, at least not one for families.

So far the plot is filled with all the little stories we know to look forward to in this complicated show of variously overlapping terror.  First and foremost we have Sister Jude (Jessica Lange fans cheer for joy), who is so complicated that I still didn't know if I liked her or not up until the final events of the episode.  Here we already have a high ranking nun, a symbol of pious authority, who is very clearly dealing with her own personal demons and desires.  Lange is already doing a great job acting, and I'm glad she is so different from Constance in Season 1.  I'm a little confused by her accent and by where this season takes place in general, not that we need to know anything except East Coast (soo different than Season 1).  In her accent I'm hearing traits of southern mixed with the occasional Boston or Upstate New York.    Peters also uses a hard-to-pinpoint semi rural sounding accent.  We know that in two weeks the episode is titled "Nor'easter," which means they have to be within about two hours of the coast and north of the Mid-Atlantic if it's going to be a serious storm.  Oh well, less meteorology and more reviews, Horror Buff

I like Peters so far, too.  He's back again as - surprise! - a killer who doesn't remember anything (although I don't think he did anything intentionally).  I'm not usually crazy about the whole "blame it on the aliens" thing, but as this is the '60s and it was done tastefully throughout the episode, I think it's an interesting touch.  Good acting on his part; he seems much more mature than in Season 1.

As of yet, I think the scariest subplot is Lana's.  First of all she has to live in fear for who she really is, and then she meddles too far into Briarcliff's matters and suffers the consequences - with no friends or family to save her.  Any plot involving psychiatric wards always plays the card of "you're crazy if we say you are," because I think that someone who denies they're crazy is only considered that much crazier.  Once you're committed, who's to say whether or not you actually belong there?  Scary stuff!

Final critique:  That being said, I am really excited that this season has started up.  The small scares are already abundant, and the deeper terror is still being uncovered.  Good acting, interesting episode: we're off to a good start.  Stay tuned next week.

American Horror Story, S2, E3 - (2012)

"Nor'easter"

GENERAL INFO:
Creators:  Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
Producers:  20th Century Fox Television
Channel:  FX
Starring:  Jessica Lange, James Cromwell, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Zachary Quinto; ft. Chloë Sevingy, Lizzie Brocheré, Lily Rabe
TV Rating:  MA SLV
Genre:  television, horror, drama, psychological thriller, insane asylum, aliens, mutants
Scare score:  A-
Rating:  A

Plot overview:  In present day, horror honeymooners Teresa (Jenna Dewan) and Leo (Adam Levine) and pursued and killed by multiple men dressed as Bloody Face.  Just as it is revealed that these are teenagers wearing masks, another Bloody Face turns the corner and begins to attack them.
Back in 1964, Sister Jude (Lange) begins to lose her senses as someone is clearly blackmailing her about the young girl she killed while drunk driving before her days as a devout nun.  Through the kind Doctor Thredson (Quinto), Lana (Paulson) learns that her girlfriend on the outside might be in grave danger.  Due to this threat, Lana finally trusts alleged murderer Kit (Peters) who is plotting with close friend Grace (Brocheré) and also nymphomaniac Shelley (Sevigny) to escape during a scheduled movie night which is meant to distract the patients from the oncoming nor'easter.  The once-innocent Sister Mary Eunice (Rabe) has clearly been affected by last episode's failed exorcism and is now showing demonic qualities.  Lastly, the troubled Dr. Arden (Cromwell) continues his sick and sadistic medical practices on various patients.

Sorry this is a bit delayed, but wow!  What an episode.  I was pretty much on the edge of my seat during the whole thing, finding myself both thrilled by all of the action that was thrown at us as well as the fact that these various plots actually had things in common.  Before I start, let's take a moment to give kudos where kudos are due, namely to me, Horror Buff, for correctly identifying the characters' accents and pinpointing the location of Briarcliff to 'rural' Massachusetts, namely somewhere near Framingham as we saw in the newspaper left on Sister Jude's desk.  Maybe I should leave this blog behind and start up a life as a dialectologist.  Then again maybe not.  Onto the horror.

This episode allowed us to settle down a bit, exploring the psychological depth of different characters further while still tossing us some thrills (such as Bloody Face, some sort of mutant human monsters, and - oh yeah - an alien).  We've been presented with the new mystery of who could possibly be blackmailing Sister Jude - could it be the newly possessed Sister Mary Eunice, or is it perhaps all in Sister Jude's mind?  Either way I think it's safe to say we are finding more pity in our hearts for Lange, for while she isn't necessarily likable she certainly is getting what was coming to her and then some.

This was a huge episode for Cromwell, who had to do some interesting and difficult things as an actor. I'm not quite sure why he felt the need to deface the statue of Mary (which they make really creepy in the opening credits), but I guess he had some stressful events leading up to that point.  Primarily we see that he is also being played with by Mary Eunice, therefore becoming equally caught up in a psychological puppet game with Jude.  Furthermore, maybe some of his sadism comes from his own inadequacies?

Well it's another failed escape attempt for Kit, Grace, Lana, and especially Shelley (too soon?).  I sense that their plight is turning into a sort of hellish One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, am I right?  Hopefully they find some better way out that doesn't lead them through the forest of cannibalistic mutants.  Speaking of which, I'm assuming it's only a matter of time before we learn more about them.  Creepy, and props to the makeup crew.

Is anyone else starting to worry about Dr. Thredson?  I watched enough Scooby-Doo as a kid to know that a body can only meddle too far into something before it really gets serious.  Quinto is a big-billed name this season, apparently almost as much as Lange, so while I don't think he'll be killed off very simply, I am concerned about what his fate will be.

I am really happy with the acting this season.  While the plot is still young, and the various subplots are getting more complicated and bizarre (again, that alien), I'm generally a fan of the different characters.  I always enjoy when we are made to sympathize for people who might very well be murderous, terrible people (what do we know about Grace, really?)  And while Lily Rabe's Spanish accent isn't the best attempt we've ever seen from a demon, she does seem to be having a lot of fun portraying a possessed nun!  Really, I think we are watching all of these actors enjoy doing this show, which always makes me wonder how scary it feels while filming compared to the final product.

Final critique:  Before this week's episode starts introducing some Holocaust plots, let me say I am very happy with where this season is going thus far.  The horror itself is still a bit all over the place, but I guess that still gives the writers lots of directions to take the upcoming episodes - so long as they cover any loose ends.  I enjoyed the light/ dark contrasts in this episode as well as several striking camera angles that utilized some interesting diagonal shots.  Aside from providing lots of thrills, this episode honestly just got me excited for more.  Keep it coming.

American Horror Story, S2, E12 - (2013)

"Continuum"

GENERAL INFO:
Creators:  Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
Producers:  20th Century Fox
Channel:  FX
Starring:  Evan Peters, Sara Paulson, Jessica Lange, Lizzie Brocheré, Britne Oldford; ft. Naomi Grossman, Dylan McDermott, Frances Conroy
TV Rating:  MA SLV
Genre:  television, horror, psychological thriller, drama, insane asylum, serial killer
Scare score:  B
Rating:  A

Plot overview:  In the penultimate episode of Season 2, we are given a glimpse into various characters' lives a few years after the original plot.  While trying to maintain a normal life, balancing two wives (Oldford and Brocheré) and two children, Kit (Peters) watches his modern family fall apart due to the pressures of readjusting to life after alien abduction as well as sharing one man.  Lana (Paulson) is steadily reaching her dreams of fame after successfully publishing a book about her ordeal with Bloody Face.  At the same time, however, she faces the truths of the stories she bent, the people she left out of her past, and the promises she has broken.  Lastly, Sister Jude (Lange), now called Betty Drake, slips further from reality as time passes her by in Briarcliff.

Frankly, this episode was excellent.  It did a healthy job of continuing with the rapid changes we were given in the past two installments.  While we were thrown around in time a bit - which caught me off guard more than once - it was interesting to see what life is like for our two released/ escaped protagonists Kit and Lana.  As is custom at this point for American Horror Story, even life outside of the principal evil of this season - Briarcliff - is no fairy tale.  The horror lives not only in the decaying mental institution, but it lingers as well in the homes and bookstores of our everyday lives.  While most of us will never have to worry about ending up in a place like Briarcliff, balancing a polygamous relationship with an axe murderer, or having a psychopathic son, we will deal with the stressors of family life and the temptations of success and fortune.  Isn't this a twisted version of the American Dream?

That being said, excellent acting across the board.  Along with the plot, this made the episode simply fluid- I couldn't believe 43 minutes had passed once it ended.  We had a really nice balance of plots, shuffling between Kit and his family, Kit and Lana, Lana, Jude and her troubles, and Johnny.  There was a subtle terror throughout the episode, highlighted by moments of gore and suspense, particularly featuring an axe and a very unhappy former foster child.  The costumes and props were beautiful, and they helped us understand what careful detail the creators and designers put into this show.  I wasn't alive in the late '60s, but this is how I imagine they looked.  Special shout outs go to Lange who is showing us yet another side of her acting ability, Grossman in the role of Pepper (who has been rather spunky since the aliens granted her speech and collectedness), and Conroy, who was a fun female inmate, with a new accent graced by cigarette smoke.  Great twist in the plot there as well, especially when she blew that kiss.

*SPOILER ALERT*

I don't remember how I felt last time around, but I can't believe that in less than a week Season 2 will be over.  There are quite a few loose ends to tie up, and while we know how certain plots will end (Johnny has to be alive to be Bloody Face in 2012, still roaming B-Cliff), there are still many possibilities remaining (am I stupid at this point to hope for a happy ending for Lana, or a non-suicide route for Kit with the heart of gold?)  What about poor Jude, once the austere figure of brutal authority at Briarcliff, and now perhaps one of its most lost and distant patients?  What will this season teach us about salvation and forgiveness?  I want to think happy thoughts, but after 1.9 seasons of American Horror Story, I am forced to think otherwise.  Either way, we are sure to be in for a treat.

Two things I thought were a bit bizarre.  (1) The sudden promotion and exit of Monsignor - I mean, Cardinal - Howard (Joseph Fiennes).  Obviously we had been set up for that all season, but so soon?  For a second I thought the devil was inside of him following Mary Eunice's death, but he seemed way too sincere saying goodbye to Jude.  Hmm.  (2) Alma?  Really?  I didn't think the sweetheart had it in her to suddenly grab an axe and out the axe murderess.  Looks like Kit does look for something common in his women.  Anyhow, her dead body looked pretty interesting with all that green and yellow.  "Her heart just stopped" - sounds like the aliens might have had something to do with this.

Final critique:  One week left until Murphy and Falchuk have to wrap up another baby.  That means within a few months we'll start getting hints about Season 3!  But let's not get ahead of ourselves.  We still have the guilty-yet-pure-hearted Jude lost in a timeless, seemingly hopeless insane asylum, Lana who has a promise to fulfill, Kit with his own conscience, and Johnny with a thirst for his mother's blood.  Will the season go out with a bloody bang?  I think it'll be great, as long as they don't kill off everybody like they did in Season 1.  After all, Briarcliff - and the anthology's - fates are at risk in the final episode of AHS.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

GENERAL INFO:
Director:  Jack Sholder
Studios:  Heron Communications, Smart Egg Pictures, New Line Cinema
Starring:  Mark Patton, Kim Myers, Robert Rusler, Robert Englund
Tagline:  The Man of Your Dreams is Back.
MPAA Rating:  R
Genre:  horror, terror, thriller, slasher, teen
Scare score:  C+
Rating:  A-/B+

Plot overview:  A few years after the events of the first film, a new family has moved into 1428 Elm Street, and the teenage son Jesse (Patton) is already having terrifyingly realistic nightmares.  These nightmares largely revolve around a terribly scarred murderer, Fred Krueger (Englund).  This time around, he doesn't just want to kill teenagers, he wants to use Jesse's body to do so.  Worried that he is losing his mind, Jesse depends on the support of his [it's complicated with] girlfriend Lisa (Myers) and new friend Ron Grady (Rusler).  Will the help of his friends and family be enough to combat Freddy from taking over his mind and body?

The saga continues with this sequel, released only a year after the original movie (love a good horror franchise).  One of the best things this movie does, quite unlike other franchises at the time, is (almost) totally switch up the plot.  If this were your standard horror sequel, Freddy would merely be haunting Jesse in the same way that he haunted Nancy in the last film, simultaneously moving on to his friends.  This clever sequel, however, turns the protagonist's battle with Krueger into something not only mental but also physical, a haunting equally as diurnal as nocturnal.  Perhaps the greatest change we are given here is the fact that the protagonist and main victim of the horror is a teenage boy and not a girl.

While this isn't completely groundbreaking (in The Evil Dead our main protagonist is a college-aged male), it is certainly different than our typical damsel in distress in the horror genre.  Furthermore, unlike films such as The Evil Dead where the male protagonist largely fights against the given terrors, in this Elm Street installment, our protagonist is much more of a victim than he is a hero.  In fact, his debated saving comes at the hands of a girl.

Is that what's groundbreaking about this movie?  A debatably homosexual protagonist in a mainstream horror movie?  Truth be told, Horror Buff doesn't buy that theory.  If you watch this movie convinced that Jesse is straight, it still makes complete sense.  The boy is going crazy (like the last movie, we may very well debate that the horror sequences only take place in a fantasy world created by Jesse).  While Jesse's sexuality may or may not be in question, one thing that's certain is that he doesn't fulfill every standard male/ macho stereotype usually attributed to masculine characters such as Ash in The Evil Dead.  We see Jesse nervous from nightmares and social pressure, we see Jesse dancing (including some butt gyrating) while cleaning his bedroom, we hear Jesse's ear-piercing screams - true screams, not yells - several times throughout the movie.  Jesse is sexualized, often shown in his underwear, and at one point almost made to be the victim of sexual assault.  Forget final girls and forget jock boys that get killed off oh-so-close to the finale: here we have a masculine boy victim.

What's good about this movie?  As mentioned, the total change in plot is refreshing.  It also adds a level of psychological depth to the film as the main character has to truly debate whether or not he is going insane.  While there is plenty of time dedicated to plot development, when the scares come they're certainly fun, providing small thrills here and there.

*SPOILER ALERT*

The best scene of the movie, or at least one of them, has to be the pool party at Lisa's house.  When Freddy breaks loose here, he shows no mercy, and a TBP or teen booze party turns into an absolute bloodbath.  Seriously though, this scene is great.  I love when chaos breaks loose.  It's reminiscent of Carrie and the final prom scene, except with a creepy pedophile slashing students while fire seems to burst forth from everything.  Then, towards the end of the film we have a pretty gross burn sequence which alludes to Freddy's human demise and perhaps Jesse's mortal end.  This features some disturbing makeup and another Jesse being sort of born forth from the ashes aka burnt, charred skin.

Another favorite scene?  Shortly before Grady's death, we see Freddy literally bursting forth from Jesse's body.  I love the special effects here: a disturbing, Alien-esque birth of evil from a human character.  Gross and so smart.

The worst scene?  This probably has to be when the family bird goes crazy, kills it's companion, and then we literally have an unnecessarily extensive scene that can at best make us think of The Birds and at worst make us want to stop watching.

While our main characters all deliver some good or decent acting, my favorite has to be Kim Myers in the role of Lisa.  Does she not look exactly like Meryl Streep?  Also her acting is a breath of fresh air.

Final critique:  I'm keeping this review short because I watched this movie over a week ago and have sort of forgotten about other major points that I think I might have wanted to have touched upon.  Regardless, this is a truly well-done sequel, and while its scares don't necessarily surpass those of the first movie, the new cast and new plot keeps this franchise upbeat and interesting.  Stayed tuned as I review more Nightmare on Elm Street-s to see whether Freddy sinks or swims.

Pet Sematary (2019)

GENERAL INFO:
Director: Kevin Kölsch, Dennis Widmyer
Studios: Di Bonaventura Pictures, Paramount Pictures
Starring: Jason Clarke, John Lithgow, Amy Seimetz, Jeté Laurence
Tagline: Sometimes dead is better; They don't come back the same.
MPAA Rating: R
Genre: horror, supernatural thriller, zombie, haunting, family drama, remake, Stephen King
Scare score: B-
Rating: B+/B

Plot overview: After moving from Boston to Maine, Louis Creed (Clarke) and his wife Rachel (Seimetz) are hoping for a more calm way of life so that they can slow things down while raising their two kids. Shortly after settling in, however, the family begins to be plagued by strange events, culminating in the death of their beloved pet cat, Church. The Creeds' new friend and neighbor, Jud Crandall (Lithgow), decides to help with their grieving, so he takes Louis beyond the local pet 'sematary' to a dark and ancient place to bury Church, who comes back home later that night, seemingly alive but fundamentally changed. When disaster strikes the family again shortly thereafter, the temptation to bring the dead back to life proves too strong for Louis, even though he knows that whatever comes back will not be the same as what was lost.

I waited a few weeks to see this movie in theaters, and I ended up having an afternoon showing all to myself. The projectionist even fast forwarded past all the previews so that I could get straight to the movie. Sometimes living in a small town has its perks for Horror Buff.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, but considering his prolific and unmatched impact on horror as we know it, the majority of Stephen King's body of work that was adapted to film fell victim to the era of production, that is to say so many of his books became movies cursed by the production quality of the '80s. I think The Shining is a stunning exception to this, but when you think about movies like Thinner (which is still fun) or especially Graveyard Shift, even Cujo and Christine to a lesser extent, I think it becomes more apparent. Anywho, nothing a remake can't fix... enter Pet Sematary.

The original movie from 1989 was one of the earliest horror movies I was continuously exposed to while growing up, and it has had a very lasting impression on me. It felt like it was always on TV, and some of my earliest memories of horror are from this film. I think one of the images that has scared me most throughout my life, all because of how young I was when I would see it on TV, was that of Rachel's sister and her case of spinal meningitis from hell. That being said, my interest was piqued when I learned that this new version was coming out.

My general thoughts are that this was a fun adaptation but not groundbreaking. It had a lot of familiar elements with some other scattered references to King's mythos (e.g. Derry sign while Rachel is in traffic), but it also made some bold choices to change the plot of the book and the original. Even though Horror Buff feels like a purist so much of the time, I didn't see the harm in freshening up the story with some of these new or altered bits of plot.

I really enjoyed the production quality and I thought the film was pretty lovely to watch, including all that beautiful Maine wilderness. I especially loved the creepy animal masks the local children would wear on their processions into the Pet Sematary when laying a lost loved one down; this was one of those eerie things just believable or fun enough that a small town might do and that would look as terrifying to outsiders like Rachel as it did to us as viewers— but that might be totally normal to locals who had observed the tradition for generations.

*SPOILER ALERT*

I also thought the acting was pretty solid throughout the movie, or at least in lazier scenes that it never got into that awful family drama aspect that we've seen in so many horror movies focused around the family unit. I recognized Clarke's face but I'm not too familiar with his other work; he could have fooled me that he's Australian! I didn't love him in the beginning but he grew on me during the film. Amy Seimetz (The Possession, Alien: Covenant) was given a sort of strange role with Rachel, who really misses out on most of the action. I liked her but I didn't feel especially moved by the re-exploration of her childhood trauma, which I felt she could have acted more strongly. She was great in her final scenes, however. I think one of the smartest plot change decisions this movie made was to kill and reanimate Ellie (Laurence) instead of Gage (Hugo and Lucas Lavoie). I thought the young Laurence has a great look about her and I wonder if we will see more of her, and it felt more natural to utilize a more mature actor—even though she's still a little kid—to play such a crucial role in the movie. I laughed out loud at the early scene when she comments how "cemetery" is spelt wrong on the sign at the pet sematary. ELLIE IS ALL OF US. Especially as her undead version, Laurence brought a lot of morbid fun to the movie— there was something mature about her contemplative nature upon realizing her own deadness and incompatibility with the natural world. I could have done without that demented ballet scene, though.

Pretty much the whole time, I was expecting the infantile Gage to get killed, and as the first movie showed us, there is only so much you can do with a child that young coming back as some demonic zombie. I was even nervous that it would become special effect heavy to carry that all out, given how young Gage was. So as my stomach was all in knots anticipating the inevitable during the birthday party scene, it's fair to say I was really surprised with how that all ended up. Why wouldn't these people have built a giant fence along their property line? Forget the creepy cemetery and ancient Indian burial ground (*yawn*)— that highway was a nightmare! Admittedly, I jumped pretty hard the first time a truck sped by early on in the movie. After that, I really didn't think this movie was too scary. There was some classic suspense, and even just the right amount of gore between the flashback to Zelda's (Alyssa Levine) death, Ellie attacking Jud (Achilles tendon iconic to the original), and that particularly enjoyable early scene when Louis tries to save former college student and future ghost Victor Pascow (Obssa Ahmed) following an accident. I chuckled during Jud's death scene as we see demon zombie Church licking his little cat lips in anticipation— that was great.

Fun fact: Stephen King was inspired to write this book while working at the University of Maine (much like Louis) after his family cat was killed by a truck on a busy nearby road. He had to bury the cat and explain what had happened to his daughter when he started to wonder, what would happen if the cat could come back, only different?

Otherwise the horror here was kind of odd at times. I think it's almost more that I found myself too busy questioning the logic behind everything that I couldn't focus on what exactly was happening. Why does Victor get to haunt Louis? Especially when there is a special burial site to reanimate the dead, where does a random ghost come into play? Why in the world did Jud ever think that bringing Church back to life would be a good idea, especially given his story about his pet dog and the implications about his late wife? Are the dead simply brought back to life with a grudge, or is this more of a demonic possession happening? While the end of the movie is being considered shocking now, I felt the last couple of minutes were not wholly satisfying and that the movie even ended on a strange note. (Not to mention it breaks my first Cardinal Rule!)

I know the Indian burial ground trope is tired and has received its fair share of due criticism, but I enjoyed this movie's quick references and short sighting of the wendigo, a prevailing piece of Native American folklore that scared me a lot as a kid. I think this movie examines the breakdown of the nuclear family unit, exploring not only death but grief and loss in general. I wonder if there is commentary on the guilt so common in grief, and if that guilt can be extended to America's bloody colonial history. As Jud mentions, perhaps burying Church in the burial ground in the first place started a string of events that would ultimately lead to the Creeds' demise, or maybe the events were totally random. Is there an element of revenge here? Who are the demons returning in the dead's bodies, anyhow? Or am I overthinking it?

Final critique: This wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't the amazing remake you might anticipate after almost exactly 30 years (the original was released April 21, 1989). Then again, the actual material here is pretty specific, and I don't think there was much more you could have changed without losing the story, or without losing the audience who is first and foremost dedicated to King. Though not a terribly scary movie, the combination of jump scares, brief violence/ gore, and the generally dark mood of the film might mean some people will have to sit this one out. The moral dilemma here is enough to have you thinking about this movie for a while after. How far would you go if you had the power to reverse death? Or is it better to accept that the loved one you lost can never come back, at least not as their original self?

American Horror Story - S2, E13 (2013)

"Madness Ends"


GENERAL INFO:
Creators:  Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
Producers:  20th Century Fox
Channel:  FX
Starring:  Sara Paulson, Dylan McDermott, Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, Joseph Fiennes; ft. Frances Conroy
TV Rating:  MA SLV
Genre:  television, horror, psychological thriller, drama, insane asylum, serial killer, aliens
Scare score:  B
Rating:  A

So before I get started, let me say one thing: sometimes you drop the ball.  Sometimes even my love for horror movies just gets ignored for half of January and all of February.  But here we are in a new month, and here I am with new efforts to find the real time to continue this blog.

Plot overview:  In this pretty captivating season finale, we focus on current day Lana (Paulson) as she is interviewed in her lavish townhouse.  While we learn that she has become famous due to her writing and especially her tele-journalism career, the eager interviewer brings up the one topic Lana swore she wouldn't talk about: Briarcliff.  In a sudden change of character, Lana decides to go into the details of her exposé of Briarcliff one last time.  During her story, she discusses how she searched for Sister Jude (Lange), director-turned-patient in her own hellish creation, and how the clues led her back to her friend Kit (Peters).  His story is concluded for us as we learn his children - Lana's godchildren - went on to become world famous doctors.  Kit himself had ventured back to Briarcliff years ago where he rescued Sister Jude, nursing her back to health with the help of the mysterious intervention of his children, until it is finally her time to pass.  Down the road, Kit contracts pancreatic cancer but is ultimately taken back by the aliens.  As viewers, we are aware that Lana's abandoned, sociopathic son Johnny (McDermott) has infiltrated the filming crew, and when the interview ends Lana calls him out of hiding, read to accept her fate.  Finally face-to-face, the mother and son are able to discuss the bitterness, hate, and sadness that has plagued them both for years.  The suspense will keep anyone on his or her seat until the final seconds.

So this is old, old news by now, but I wasn't about to let the month and a half gone by stop me from finishing my posts on this great season of American Horror Story.  I was so thrilled with this episode.  Loose ends were rounded up and resolved for us- those of us pro-Jude were probably content with her final years living as part of Kit's family, and even those of us who never forgave her for her cruel behavior in the beginning of the season most likely felt at ease that she wasn't quite vindicated for all her deeds.

The real star of the episode is Lana, who shines even though coated by tons of aging makeup.  I have to comment on the blood-red walls in her beautiful home that she shares with her equally successful partner, a singer.  That specific tone is reminiscent of the very first advertisements that started coming out the summer before Season 1.  It's just a really good, eye catching hue of red that was a nice compliment to last season and the show itself.  

Dylan McDermott also gets a shout out this time around as the murderer having a breakdown, aka Johnny, aka Bloodyface Jr.  I'm happy we got to learn about his story and then see a wide range of angry/ sad emotions from him during the final scenes.  

*SPOILER ALERT*

They really kept us hanging in there until the final seconds, huh?  Having thought I knew American Horror Story by this point, I was ready for Lana to peace out in a bloody bang from her vengeful son.  How the tables were turned when she soothed him and then finally turned that gun to his forehead!  What an awesome way to end the season, so much justice, so much happiness - totally the opposite of the ending of last season.  This really surprised me for the series as a whole, and I guess it has taught me that they are going to continue experimenting from now own.  

Final critique: All in all, it really was a pretty wild ride this season.  It flew by, and when I got to this episode I didn't even realize that it was all coming to an end (even though the episode title states that rather clearly).  While we had some weird bouts (think Anne Frank), the show had its fair share of monstrous beings, alien abductions, psychopathic murders - and best of all, human corruption, greed, and hate (not to mention overcoming said sins).  I am especially pleased with how the season ended - with a bang!  (I had to).  Rumors for next season are already swirling about, and from what I've heard, we might be headed to Salem!   But are we ready for a period piece?  I can certainly wait until October, but I'll be looking for leaks until then!

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

GENERAL INFO:
Director: Drew Goddard
Studios: Mutant Enemy Productions, Lionsgate
Starring: Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Jesse Williams, Bradley Whitford, Richard Jenkins; ft. Sigourney Weaver
Tagline: You think you know the story.
MPAA Rating: R
Genre: horror, supernatural terror, thriller, satire
Scare score: B/B+
Rating: A

Plot overview: A group of five friends heads to a lonely cabin to spend a long, relaxing weekend. They could never imagine the horror awaiting them there.

This movie is great. I watched it for the first time last spring, but I never got around to blogging about it. Luckily I had plenty of free time this week to watch and enjoy it again.

I think that horror fans will find themselves pretty evenly split between loving and loathing this movie; obviously I'm one of the former just because I appreciate everything put into this movie. Cabin in the Woods flips horror on its head, putting an entirely new twist on the genre simply by recycling just about every archetype and trope they could think of, making stereotypes brand new.

While the audience is generally appeased with the right amount of college students having fun and then being terrorized and slaughtered, there are also some moments that we are treated as rather dumb viewers when 'the rules' need to be explained to us. I mean I get it, the egos of some horror buffs might just not be able to handle that— I'm not saying this Horror Buff can't, I'm just saying there might be some more sensitive fans out there. The fun thing about this movie, though, is that you're never entirely sure just what exactly is going on, and when you find out, you can't help but smile at this tongue-in-cheek approach to a horror movie.

The first time I saw Cabin in the Woods I thought I had made a big mistake when we were immediately introduced to two obvious archetypes— Dana (Connolly) and Jules (Hutchison). When smart jock Curt (Hemsworth) throws that football through a window but intellectual jock Holden (Williams) makes a perfect reception in the street, I almost couldn't handle it. This can't be so, I thought, so naive to the satire I was in store for. The small scares and the eerie atmosphere surrounding the cabin (which is, by the way, almost straight out of The Evil Dead) start quickly as we try to guess what exactly is the relation between the comic-relief scientists (Whitford and Jenkins) down in the lab, and our victims up in the cabin.

Given the fact that we are working with rehashed, reproduced, over-the-top tropes, each of our five principle characters still manage to charm and surprise us. Leading the way is our 'virgin' Dana, who is intelligent and rational. She is a heroine we root for and enjoy following throughout the entire film. Studly jock Curt surprises us with his extensive knowledge of Russian economics early in the film, and as time goes on (and runs out), we only become more familiar with what a great guy he is. His girlfriend is a beautiful if dumb, fun and endearing if loose, not-natural blonde. Then we have newbie Holden, who is also more than just muscle. Finally, rounding out the group, we have pothead and conspiracy theorist Marty (Kranz), who in his altered state also brings a large amount of sense to the film.

The plot, which is a new take on a hundred old plots, is intriguing and entertaining. The writers here were anything but afraid to play with everything horror fans love: bewitched items, creepy basements, conspiracy, sacrifice, and the end of the world, to name a few. As the initial horror at the cabin expands into something much larger, the apt horror fan should be fascinated at the sheer variety the movie then treats us to. One of my favorite things about this movie is absolutely this creativity (although not necessarily novelty) when we get to witness attacks and murders carried out by an army of nightmares. Some of the allusions in this film are to Hellraiser, The Strangers, Night of the Living Dead, Thir13n Ghosts, It, Alien, maybe Poltergeist, plus any werewolf movie, and then a general feeling of Friday the 13th throughout with a touch of Deliverance and Texas Chain Saw Massacre at the beginning. It's actually awesome.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Some qualms I had with this movie came directly from the satirical humor. All in all, sure, I liked the scientists down below. I didn't necessarily love the whole idea that some prehistoric gods under the Earth's crust depend on a very specific ritual of human sacrifice in order to not destroy the planet. That being said, I admit I'm a bad Horror Buff insofar as I've only had a very basic introduction to Lovecraftian themes and works. Also, when that very fact comes from the direct explanation by workers or especially Madam Director (Weaver), it frankly resulted as... well, almost stupid (those are tough lines to deliver seriously, even for Weaver). Still, the general idea of playing with the rules of horror movies makes this film both charming and fun to watch.

The scares are plentiful and pleasing, ranging from your standard surprises in the dark and things that go bump in the night to much more modern, high-paced monster kills. There's honestly a little bit of everything for everybody in this movie.

Final critique: I realize I don't have tons to say about this movie even though I think highly of it. It's not the best horror movie out there, but it's a pretty wonderful nod towards all of its predecessors in the genre. The acting is good, and the plot is really fun; in fact, I think fun is the best way to describe this movie. Audiences that easily scare certainly may not want to watch this film, but anybody looking for a good time with a movie that gives the horror genre a good name, spicing up old, worn-out plots and using them in a new recipe of horror, should definitely move this to the top of their list.