Horror – Page 2 – Wonderfully Weird & Horrifying

Spooktober 22, Day 25: Cat’s Eye

Posted on October 25, 2022November 6, 2022 by Kstrouse

Alright, beasties. It’s that spooky time of year again. For this edition of Spooktober, I’m going to do a post a day but, like a great haul after trick or treating, I’m hoping to mix it up and deliver some surprises. There’ll be reviews, new or old, seen/unseen, TV or film. Depending on my wicked mood, there may also be lists, audio, or video. I hope you’ll enjoy it and remember: stay spooky.

Stephen King rocks. If you don’t already know this, somehow, I’m happy to consistently remind you.

The anthology film Cat’s Eye is one of those lesser-known King ventures, despite him having penned the screenplay (his first solo) based on two of his own short stories (both from Night Shift), and one new one. This screams King in all the ways you may expect, and others, well, they may just surprise you.

It follows three stories linked through a cat, and it’s chock full of Easter eggs and is darkly hilarious. It feels a lot like Creepshow but somehow gets significantly less traction. Lewis Teague directs the interestingly offbeat breed of storytelling that is Cat’s Eye.

The first story stars James Woods about a man who signs up for a service to help him quit smoking, but the terms…well, they may require quite the sacrifice. It’s got a wicked burn this one, and Woods is perfect in the role. It is my favorite of the three and starts the movie with a bang.

Next, our kitty companion takes us to a wealthy man’s (Kenneth McMillan) own twisted vengeful obsession with gambling to new heights when he bets his wife’s lover won’t make it around the building on a tiny ledge. While I feel it’s the weakest, it’s still wildly entertaining.

Finally, we visit a young girl (Drew Barrymore) who is being tormented by a small troll in her walls. It’s delightfully campy with a tricky little creature that doesn’t want to let up, and a girl no one believes. But the troll is cute, he’s got bells on his hat like a court jester and just wants to suck the life out of children!

Cat’s Eye is pure, bizarre camp with just the right amount of Stephen King’s signature terror.

Cat’s Eye is currently streaming on HBO Max

Spooktober 22, Day 24: Carnival of Souls

Posted on October 24, 2022October 28, 2022 by Kstrouse

The alienating feeling begins swiftly and remains wrapped around Herk Harvey’s 1962 film Carnival of Soul until its final scene. This isn’t a movie that thrives on visual scares, but instead, the effects of trauma, psychological peril, and the sense that you’re misplaced.

That’s not to say the film isn’t creepy, it’s just delivered in a way where the fear is read in the eyes of our lead, and in the well of loneliness, you see in her tears.

Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) is the only survivor of a horrible car accident. She tries to put it behind her and start anew, getting a job as a church organist, and settling into a boarding house in Salt Lake City. Soon though, she is haunted by visions of a man, and other disruptions that begin to unravel her grip on reality. She’s also fascinated with the site of an old carnival pavilion as if something is pulling her towards it.

Carnival of Souls is definitely eerier than it is scary, made on a small budget, without any of the more pushy aesthetics or violence that so often accompanies the genre. Here it works, though it wouldn’t be surprising to find that some viewers think it tedious. For me, the 80 minutes went by in a flurry, and I can see how this paved the way for many films to follow (one, in particular, I won’t mention because it spoils the twist). I love tracing the inspirations in horror throughout the beginning of the film. Each time I discover a new one it’s like coloring in the picture a bit more.

Carnival of Souls isn’t a complete stunner for me (though damn close) but it’s a resonating, effective piece of work that nudges those feelings of lonesomeness we often face with a moody, nightmare-tinged quality.

Carnival of Souls is currently streaming on Amazon Prime

Spooktober 22, Day 23: Cat People (1982)

Posted on October 23, 2022October 30, 2022 by Kstrouse

Alright, beasties. It’s that spooky time of year again. For this edition of Spooktober, I’m going to do a post a day but, like a great haul after trick or treating, I’m hoping to mix it up and deliver some surprises. There’ll be reviews, new or old, seen/unseen, TV or film. Depending on my wicked mood, lists, audio, or video may also exist. I hope you’ll enjoy it and remember: stay spooky.

Earlier in the month, I saw the first Cat People, loved it, and covered it for Spooktober. Forty years later we got another Cat People, this time directed by Paul Schrader which is wildly different. Of course, I had to watch it, and now that I have, I feel compelled to write about it.

source: Image Entertainment Inc., MCA/Universal Pictures

Irena (Nastassja Kinski) has just arrived in New Orleans, meeting up with her brother Paul (Malcolm McDowell) who she hasn’t seen since they were kids. The film doesn’t really touch on where she’s been after their parent’s death, more than a brief dialogue, but it isn’t entirely necessary. This movie has some supernatural teeth and it doesn’t waste time before biting.

When a woman is attacked by a black leopard, it is then trapped in a hotel room and local zoo employees including zoologist Oliver Yates (John Heard), and Alice (Annette O’Toole) come to take it in. They bring the leopard to their zoo, and Irena finds herself drawn to it, where she also meets Oliver, who she falls in love with.

If you know the story at all, you’ll know that being intimate with another triggers the shape-shifting ability in an uncontrollable, bloodthirsty fashion. Something her brother Paul knows a lot about.

There are some callbacks to the original, including the diner and pool scene, with similar bones and ideas but warped into something weird and feral. It’s sexy, it’s sensual, and it’s strangely intoxicating. I found myself mesmerized at times by the texture of it, the horror, and the magic of watching Natassja Kinski, who is truly captivating. It also has some genuinely creepy scenes.

I totally dug how charged the movie felt, from its opening gorgeous scene to its end. Throughout the film we hear the music from David Bowie’s Cat People track, but not until the final shot do we get to experience it, and hear him belt out the lyrics.

I can see why some people may not love this version, and I try not to compare it negatively to the original, which holds its own in unique but varied ways. If the 1942 version was our quiet intro, the 1982 one is the loud, controversial counterpart. More violent and extroverted than its predecessor this is less thought-provoking, but more visceral.

Paul Schrader makes this movie his own and I found it to be intoxicating, strange, and at times horrific- a reimagining served with a side of mysticism that is certainly never dull.

Cat People is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Spooktober 22, Day 22: The Eyes of My Mother

Posted on October 22, 2022October 23, 2022 by Kstrouse

Chilling. That’s the first word that comes to mind with writer/director Nicolas Pesce‘s The Eyes of My Mother.

A tragedy occurs and breaks up a family’s quiet, happy life. Young Francisca (Olivia Bond) is taught by her mother about human anatomy, which sparks a keen curiosity in her, but also an acceptance of life and death. When she gets older Francisca’s (Kika Magalhaes) interest grows in disturbing ways. The film chronicles her transition in a compelling, and sickening manner.

The film is only an hour and 16 minutes, yet each minute is felt. It’s not said as a negative, it’s just so heavy that you carry each scene with you as you go. It’s one of the oddest, but honestly, most impressive horror films I have seen in a long time. It manages to completely capture you, unnerve you, but also entrance you.

In stark black and white, there’s a foreboding cloud hanging over, and yet it is beautifully shot. The music is subtle and many scenes are filled with silence. Kika Magalhaes is fantastic, and stoic for most of the film, with moments where her facade breaks and the trauma and emotions overwhelm her. The film primarily takes in one location, a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, and in ways, it feels like another world: Francisca’s. With no connection to anyone and a loneliness that pervades, she’s always yearning for the family she once had. The cinematography by Zach Kuperstein is also exquisite, heightening the sense of isolation.

The Eyes of My Mother is really one of a kind. It has a presence that doesn’t disappear when the credits roll. Each scene is meticulously crafted, and it is one where the atmosphere lives in you. A unique directorial debut that shouldn’t be overlooked.

The Eyes of My Mother is currently streaming on HBO Max.

Spooktober 22, Day 21: Haxan

Posted on October 21, 2022October 28, 2022 by Kstrouse

What’s amazing about this 1922 film is that, well one: it was 100 years ago, and two: it’s giving lessons and reenactments, and they are, at times, more well-structured than some new embodiments of witches and lore since. It’s a common subject in the film be it horror or folklore, but there’s a reason. It is embedded in our history. I feel this prejudice against anything that seems off, weird, or not the “norm.” It’s a part of history that’s painful to see, which makes this both captivating and challenging.

In some ways, this is the most terrifying new (to me) film I’ve watched recently because its documentary style reminds us how things were perceived 100 years ago. For this much info to be compiled, about innocent people being persecuted, at that time, is disturbing to me. And honestly, while the witch trials ended, there are still a lot of connections and our own versions of it that show how much we have regressed. It’s a bit harrowing to see because it’s nonfiction and fiction at work, showing how dangerous people can be when they don’t understand something.

For its time the visuals are especially potent. Obviously utilizing practical effects, it seems realistic, and it is truly unique. The devil is especially menacing. It casts a spell on you and doesn’t let go.

My only gripe and this can sometimes happen with silent films, is the music used. Sometimes I feel it overcompensates and it’s not necessary, and it’s also not tonally connected to the images we are seeing on screen. Still, that’s a very limited aspect.

Benjamin Christensen’s Haxan is really a creepy wonder, a hybrid, an anomaly we don’t often get to experience. Stylish, informative, and ultimately, unforgettable.

Spooktober 22, Day 20: Thirst

Posted on October 20, 2022October 20, 2022 by Kstrouse

A well-known and beloved priest Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho) is tired of seeing people perish from a deadly virus. In turn, he volunteers for an experimental procedure to find a cure, but doesn’t live through it. However, unbeknownst to anyone, the blood used in his transfusion is different and brings him back to life. It seems like a miracle, and perhaps, hope, that a cure is in their grasp. But soon, Sang-hyun finds himself changing. At first, it’s a stronger sense of smell, then its odd cravings, and then a sensitivity to sunlight. Bumps are appearing on his skin, and he seems to be getting weaker, until, he accepts the truth he’s been avoiding: he needs to drink blood.

Sang-hyun at heart is a very giving man, and he finds that he can “sip” from a comatose patient’s I.V without causing harm to anyone, or drawing attention. He frequently visits people in the hospital for prayer, so it’s a smart plan. This suffices for a time, but soon he notices other new urges, specifically when it comes to Tae-ju (Kim Ok-bin), the wife of his childhood friend, Kang-u (Shin Ha-kyun) who is stuck in an abusive family, and the desires he feels.

Directed by Park Chan-wook and co-written by Park Chan-wook and Jeong Seo-kyeong Thirst is a beautifully designed, sensual, and yet violent affair. The chemistry between the two leads is electric, and it makes for some sultry scenes. Their lust for each other, and also for blood, makes for an intriguing psychological, emotional and physical dance. The acting is terrific, and the direction and writing slick and compelling.

My only complaint, and its minimal, is its length. There are a few periods that stretch on longer than they probably need to, but ultimately, I also can’t think of what I’d possibly cut. Thirst has ample amounts of style too, and a script that touches on heady themes of temptation, faith, love, as well as what you’re giving up with immortality. Can your soul remain pure?

Heartbreaking, funny, sexy, disturbing, and even sweet at times, Thirst manages to be an intriguing rumination on vampires that stays afloat amid an ocean of its predecessors.

Spooktober 22, Day 19: Slither

Posted on October 19, 2022October 28, 2022 by Kstrouse

I remember the first time I tried describing this film to my parents as I recommended it for a watch. This sci-f/horror comedy is not an easy one to lay out with a straight face. It’s also not one that writer/director James Gunn may be precisely known for, but it is one that I immediately think of because I have fond and hilarious memories tied to it.

In the small quaint town of Wheelsy, something out of this world (a meteorite) has just landed in the woods.

Starla Grant (Elizabeth Banks) and Grant Grant (Michael Rooker), are married but struggling. One night, when with another woman, he comes across a strange substance in the woods, and it takes him over. From there, well, I’ll just say, hell hath landed.

Local sheriff Bill Pardy (Nathan Fillion), Stella’s past love, is at the forefront of investigating some strange behavior, but nobody could expect the grotesque truth that is waiting. What Grant is now, is something that wants to feed, and this small town is here for the picking.

Slither is a blast. It’s funny and absurd, disgusting and a slimy mess, but really gives homage to the B horror movies of the past. I’d recognize this as a cult film for sure because it is so over the top and uses its inspirations wisely. Some of the edits mixed with music are just the kind of horror comedy I look for. As the creature that was once Grant Grant grows (and inherits a sort of hive mind), so does the ridiculous plot, ensuring, at the very least, some laughs.

Everyone involved is enjoying themselves, and some of the jokes and remarks about the outrageousness of the circumstances make it even more hilarious. Is it spectacular? No, but it is inventive in its own right. It also has some underlying themes of toxic masculinity and possessiveness. Michael Rooker is fantastically creepy, and the script never wavers from making each scene ripe with discomfort, before being followed by a laugh. Also, the practical effects are really worth a cheer.

Slither is inherently weird, and if that’s your sort of thing, and you want a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this is one hell of a time.

Spooktober 22, Day 18: The Loved Ones

Posted on October 18, 2022October 28, 2022 by Kstrouse

Sean Byrne‘s 2009 directorial debut The Loved Ones, may just be a low-key stroke of genius in the sense that it is uniquely horrifying, over-the-top, and darkly funny, all while being quite unique. It’s a low-budget, primarily one locale film, which allows its sadistic nature to feel claustrophobic too.

Lola (Robin McLeavy) wants her prom and she wants it her way. With the help of Daddy (John Brumpton), she’ll get it at any cost. However, her dates, including the newest Brent (Xavier Samuel), are in for a terrifying night.

When troubled and grieving high schooler Brent is asked by Lola to go to the prom and he declines (to go with girlfriend Holly Victoria Thaine), he’s kidnapped and brought to Lola’s home for their “special” night. This isn’t the first time she’s done this, and what unfolds is darker and sicker than you can imagine. Daddy, along with a lobotomized woman they call Bright Eyes is also there to celebrate the occasion.

What pushes this beyond a usual torture flick is not only the bizarre story, and the totally unhinged Lola, but its witty script. I won’t sugarcoat the fact that this film is utterly disturbing at times, as the acts portrayed are truly deranged. The addition of terrific sound design and a twisted villain in Robin McLeavy makes The Loved Ones nightmare fuel of a different sort.

It’s an impressive debut feature from Sean Byrne that is wildly entertaining even if you’re watching some sequences through splayed hands. The movie also bursts with color and music, showing the contrast between the bloody truth of the circumstances to the sadistic joy Lola gets from it over its brisk but energetic 84-minute runtime.

I like when movies are unexpectedly wicked, but also when they fully commit to their intentions. This was most definitely one of those occasions.

Some of the actions feel a bit repetitive, but through surprising and shocking turns, and dedicated performances The Loved Ones is a darkly comic, twisted horror gem.

Spooktober 22, Day 17: The Lodge

Posted on October 17, 2022October 28, 2022 by Kstrouse

Alright, beasties. It’s that spooky time of year again. For this edition of Spooktober, I’m going to do a post a day but, like a great haul after trick or treating, I’m hoping to mix it up and deliver some surprises. There’ll be reviews, new or old, seen/unseen, TV or film. There may also be lists, audio, or video, depending on my wicked mood. I hope you’ll enjoy it and remember: stay spooky.

This is definitely an experience. And by that, I mean, a deeply unpleasant one. It was a terrifically done film, but not one I want to revisit again anytime soon.

Grace (Riley Keough), Richard (Richard Armitage) and his son Aidan (Jaeden Martell), and daughter Mia (Lia McHugh) decide to go to a remote cabin for Christmas. The family is reeling from tragedy after Richard left his wife for Grace and she committed suicide. Grace, is also dealing with a past trauma of her own, which becomes a big part of the torment and psychological breakdown that occurs throughout The Lodge.

When Richard has to suddenly leave for work, Grace is left with the children, and when a blizzard comes, the three are trapped there. While it isn’t clear what’s occurring until a gut punch of an end, the three begin to question their surroundings and what’s happened. The children also feel resentful of Grace and use every opportunity to make things even more difficult. The kind of horror it is shifts from survival to existential, before escalating to a psychological nightmare fairly fast, with a methodical nature in the way it delivers the pacing and its reveals.

Riley Keough gives a spectacular performance of a woman reliving the pain of her trauma, and this chilling horror builds an atmosphere that is thick and haunting. Directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala there are some misdirections on where it is going, making its final moments staggering.

I completely understand why some viewers do not like this movie. Some aspects of the story seem far-fetched, but when reflecting on the decisions made one can understand how Grace’s character was slowly spiraling and that her recognition of plausibility is skewed. I was not on edge, in anticipation of what was to come, and even when it did, it still unraveled me.

Dark and dripping with stomach-turning, ample dread, and incredible lead performance, The Lodge isn’t a perfect movie, but damn does it not take up a heavy residence in your brain.

Spooktober 22, Day 16: Green Room

Posted on October 16, 2022October 28, 2022 by Kstrouse

Green Room was one of my favorites of 2015, and it further showed how amazing Anton Yelchin was (RIP) how Imogen Poots is an under-looked talent that is always stellar, and writer/director Jeremy Saulnier is someone who can craft an engaging, gritty piece of work.

Punk metal band The Ain’t Rights has just got their newest gig, but it isn’t the sort of crowd they want. Bassist Pat (Anton Yelchin) and guitarist Sam (Alia Shawkat), drummer Reece (Joe Cole) and vocalist Tiger (Callum Turner) are in for a challenging night. After a performance, they witness a murder in the green room, and from there they are thrust into the situation alongside Amber (Imogen Poots) the friend of the victim, trying to escape the clutches of white supremacists.

There’s something messy and grungy about Green Room that permeates the graffitied walls and beer-covered floor, beyond the toxicity in the air and the hatred that surrounds the bar full of individuals who will do nothing to keep this crime contained. None worse than Darcy (Patrick Stewart), the especially vicious leader.

That sort of dodgy aesthetic makes each moment feel innately raw, and ultimately, scary. It’s a night of terror and endurance as each member of the band is tested to their limits, with plenty of cringy violence and horrible deaths. There’s also a sense of empowerment for the band, clinging to each decision they make, and hoping they can make it out.

Jeremy Saulnier writes and directs this horror with apt vision and succinct intention. It’s impressive how the tension is racked up and never dulled over the course of its runtime. This was a hard rock no holds barred film with high moshpit-like energy and high stakes. It also proved Patrick Stewart can be sinister. Who knew? Now we do.

There are cinematographic choices that make this limited space feel especially tarnished, each piece of wood worn, each darkened crevice hollow and deep, which makes the setting of Green Room horrifying.

Green Room doesn’t shy away from the violence and shocks, creating some relentlessly disturbing aesthetics. The cast is stellar and the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat.