2010’s – Page 16 – Jiggy's Horror Corner

Halloween (2018)

Directed by David Gordon Green [Other horror films: Halloween Kills (2021), Halloween Ends (2022), The Exorcist: Believer (2023)]

Disregarding everything but the first Halloween from 1978, the newest addition to the Myers mythology is pretty solid, though I don’t know if it’s overly special, and it certainly doesn’t possess the same charm of the original.

Story-wise, everything’s basically fine. The idea of an uber-prepared Laurie just waiting for Michael to come back seems a bit much, but Curtis gave a good performance, so I can live with that. Admittedly, I didn’t care much for the whole Sartain sub-plot, because it didn’t really go anywhere or add anything to the movie aside from a small twist (which is rendered ineffective just minutes later).

Overall, though, the story’s good. I was a bit bothered by the fact that they felt the need to add as much gore as they did. Make no mistake, the gore’s well-done, and there are some rather brutal kills here, but at the same time, the original managed to become a classic without gore, by-and-large, and given this one has that almost-retro feel (just look at the opening credits), it’s just somewhat disappointing they went the route they did.

Like I said, Jamie Lee Curtis’ performance here is pretty good, and I’ve nothing to complain about regarding Will Patton or Haluk Bilginer (despite not personally caring for where the movie took him). Judy Greer (who, believe it or not, I know best from the charming romantic fantasy 13 Going on 30) and Andi Matichak, who played Curtis’ daughter and granddaughter, didn’t really add all that much, in my opinion. Neither was particularly important toward the end, and it just felt somewhat wasted. Dylan Arnold, who played Matichak’s boyfriend, just disappeared half-way through the film (though there were reasons), and I was sort of expecting him to pop up again, but to no avail.

There are plenty of positive things about the movie. The gore, though I personally thought they should have tried without, was pretty solid. I also liked the sequences focusing on Curtis’ life after the 1978 original, and there was a bit of psychology involved with her character (naturally so). More so, there were a decent number of more subtle, creepy scenes (I liked the jack-o-lantern head, along with Michael’s walk to grab the hammer) that added a more traditional feel to the movie.

I guess my biggest problem is with Bilginer’s character (who played the Loomis-type doctor in the movie). His actions just didn’t really change anything, and they didn’t really add anything. It just seemed sort of pointless. If they had changed that up a bit, I could see myself giving the movie a better rating.

As it is, if you’re a fan of the Halloween franchise, I think you’ll enjoy this addition, as there’s plenty here to be happy with. A few mishaps aside, this is a good slasher with an occasionally pretty retro feel, and is generally enjoyable. It’s just not quite amazing.

8/10

Dead in the Water (2018)

Directed by Sheldon Wilson [Other horror films: Shallow Ground (2004), Kaw (2007), Screamers: The Hunting (2009), Carny (2009), Mothman (2010), Red: Werewolf Hunter (2010), Killer Mountain (2011), Scarecrow (2013), Shark Killer (2015), The Unspoken (2015), The Hollow (2015), The Night Before Halloween (2016), Neverknock (2017), Stickman (2017)]

Oh boy. This Syfy film is pretty derivative of better movies from the past (such as 1989’s Leviathan and 1998’s Deep Rising), and doesn’t bring anything remotely interesting to the story to make up for the lack of originality.

What hurts the movie most isn’t necessarily the story, though; it’s the fact that the cast (comprised almost entirely of women) is utterly one-dimensional. I finally ended up learning their names toward the end of the film, but there was very little about the characters that we really knew, aside from the fact they were all on a ship together. None of the actresses did much with their shallow characters, but that’s more likely an issue with the script than the actresses themselves. I guess Nikohl Boosheri did the best, as tepid praise as that is.

The special effects weren’t terrible, though I didn’t care for the look of the parasitic organism. The stale nature of the story doesn’t really lend much in the way of suspense and mystery past a certain point, though, and more so, I can’t think of a reason to watch this when you could instead watch something like The Thing, or Leviathan, or even DeepStar Six. It just seems pointless, especially since there’s not much context to this movie to begin with.

Dead in the Water is an apt name for this – unoriginal ideas combined with uninteresting characters leads to a film that doesn’t take long to show how uninspired it all is. Theoretically, Syfy could have been able to cobble together something better than this (maybe along the lines of The Devil’s Tattoo, also known as Ghost Rig, from 2003), but as it is, this movie is very much so below average.

4/10

What Happens in the Mountains – Should Stay in the Mountains (2018)

Directed by Stacey Alexander [Other horror films: What Happens in the Mountains – Should Stay in the Mountains Part II (2021)]

This movie is not that good, and in truth, it’s barely a movie (as it clocks in at around 42 minutes). But it is extraordinarily hilarious, so that has to count for something.

Filmed in Northern Georgia, with a cast of about three people (and multiple Bigfoots – Bigfeet?), this is as low-budget as one could imagine (in fact, at the time of this writing, the film does not have an IMDb entry), and there’s also not really much story. Basically, local Bigfoot hunter Buck encounters Bigfoot (there’s more than one in this area) while hunting. And that’s about it. They come to his house to extract revenge toward the end, and admittedly, that was filmed well, but this movie overall doesn’t have that much in way of a plot.

The main actor is Stacey Alexander (who also directed the movie and wrote most of the music), and I’ll fully admit, he had me cracking up quite a bit. Some of his dialogue was golden, and he came across a colorful character. A reporter who appeared a bit, played by John Tripwire, was less pleasing, though – his gravelly voice was something I couldn’t get used to, and he seemed rather soulless standing next to the soon-to-be-legend that is Alexander.

Being a comedy-horror, more than often the comedic influences overshadowed the suspense. There were multiple text overlays throughout the film I could have done without. That said, my favorite thing about the movie was the Bigfoot shriek. I couldn’t help but laugh until I cried during the multiple times that inhuman shriek popped up. Literal tears were in my eyes because of that. So it’s a low-budget movie, but it could be fun.

The scenery (Northern Georgia) looked rather beautiful, and they certainly had fun with this short feature. Not taken seriously, I could see this being a lot of fun to a small niche of people. I know that most would probably hate it, and that’s understandable, but I was amused, and while I wished it had been more horror than comedy, I just think of that dialogue (“Does a whale have a blowhole?”) and that shriek and start smiling again. Definitely not a good movie, but a solid viewing experience all the same.

6/10

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)

Directed by Robert Eggers [Other horror films: The Lighthouse (2019)]

I first saw this film back in October of 2017, and was rather happy with it. Seeing it again only affirms those same thoughts, and more so, places this on a pedestal of sorts, and above many other horror movies of the modern age.

What first has to be mentioned is the strong focus on religious faith throughout the movie. From my perspective, I think the film clearly shows the dangers of religious fundamentalism, and taking one’s religion too seriously. Others, of course, see it a bit differently, but to me, the descent into religious mania was perhaps the most terrifying thing here.

The atmosphere works well with that theme, and it comes across as pretty masterful. The setting and story, too, help increase the feeling of unease, and the dialogue, much of it taken from accounts from the 1600’s (when the movie is based), really bring a realistic feel to this period piece. In relation, while the film is in English, given it’s very archaic style, I’d recommend, at least for the first time watching this, that captions be used.

The cast here is pretty stellar throughout. Anya Taylor-Joy, who later shows up in the 2016 Split, does fantastically in her role, and given this is one of her earliest roles, shows her an actress of high potential. A strong emotional range, you can’t help but feel for her as her family slowly starts perceiving her in a negative light (and the reason they do so, as aforementioned, is an increasing religious mania). Ralph Ineson isn’t a name I’m terribly familiar with (though he does show up in both the Harry Potter films and Game of Thrones), but also shows a strong performance here, and save Taylor-Joy, is my favorite character in the film. Kate Dickie (who was also in Game of Thrones) does great here playing a remarkably unlikable mother.

With as solid as the film is, I’m not entirely convinced with the ending. It’s not bad, by any means, but given the horrors perpetuated already because of the family’s strong religious convictions, it just felt rather unnecessary. It certainly doesn’t give much credence to the family’s actions, and in fact shows that much of what the mother and father thought were wrong. Still, it’s a somewhat eye-opening conclusion, and while I don’t love it, it wasn’t terrible.

For modern-day horror (even though the movie itself took place in the late 1600’s), this movie is a pretty clear win. The atmosphere alone is enough to bring positive attention to it, but throw in the story, the actors and their (well-done) archaic dialogue, and you have a stand-out film. The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (or The Witch, which strikes me as a far more boring title) is a movie I don’t necessarily love above all else, but it is a clear example of a very solidly done horror film in an age where we don’t really see too many others.

8/10

Whistle and I’ll Come to You (2010)

Directed by Andy De Emmony [Other horror films: Love Bite (2012)]

A BBC television production based on a classic story by M.R. James, this short feature is both somewhat sluggish but ultimately a spooky adaptation.

The story is pretty simple, partially because it’s an adaptation, and partly because it’s only about fifty minutes long. There’s a good moody, atmospheric feeling to this film, and it works well, but at the same time, I think it lacks a bit of meat.

No disappointments from the cast, though. John Hurt does a fantastic job as a depressed man who just put his wife into a nursing home. Hurt really brought a lot of feeling to this, and is probably the best reason to watch this. The rest of the admittedly small cast worked out also, what with Gemma Jones (Pomfrey from a few of the Harry Potter films), Lesley Sharp (who was in a Doctor Who episode titled ‘Midnight’), and Sophie Thompson.

What works best about this movie is the downbeat, depressing aura, along with the pretty suspenseful scenes at the end. Even the spectral figure on the deserted beach was a nice touch (the setting as a whole, an almost-empty hotel near the sea, was beautiful). This said, I felt that this was lacking something. Not enough to make it anywhere near a bad film, but still, not something I’d eagerly watch again in the future. As decent as some scenes were, I’d rate this around average.

7/10

Little Evil (2017)

Directed by Eli Craig [Other horror films: Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010), Zombieland (2013)]

I will fully admit, I didn’t go into this one with expectations that I’d enjoy it. I try my best not to go into a movie one way or another, but I find it rather difficult at times. Despite my thinking that I wouldn’t care for this one, though, I’d say that Little Evil pleasantly surprised me.

A lot of this comes from the fact that the humor wasn’t too overbearing (until the final ten minutes or so), so while it was definitely a light-hearted film, I never got the sense that what I was watching was idiotic, which some comedy-horror films tend to be.

The route the story took assisted in this aspect also. While at first it was virtually a comedic Omen, in the last thirty minutes, the movie switched gears and went an entirely new (and welcomed) direction. Obviously, I won’t divulge that exact shift, but it even led to (believe it or not) an emotional scene or two.

Much of the cast was somewhat forgettable. I did like seeing Tyler Labine (who played Dale in Tucker and Dale vs. Evil) for a bit, and Bridget Everett was pretty fun, but most of the side characters were just sort of there. Clancy Brown was a nice face to see, though (I know him best from The Shawshank Redemption), and Adam Scott did really well as the main character. I don’t really know Scott from many things (he was in Krampus, but let’s be honest, I don’t remember any individual character from that film), but I couldn’t help but get a Thomas Gibson feel from him. Regardless, he did pretty good here.

Because the movie took a few interesting turns, it didn’t turn out to be nearly as stale or bad as I initially expected. It’s nothing great, mind you, but it’s certainly serviceable, and there are a few rather funny scenes here (I liked both the principal and Adam Scott’s conversation, along with the footage of the wedding), to make a single viewing of this movie go down pretty well.

7/10

The Void (2016)

Directed by Jeremy Gillespie [Other horror films: Father’s Day (2011)] & Steven Kostanski [Other horror films: Father’s Day (2011), ABCs of Death 2 (2014, segment ‘W is for Wish’), Leprechaun Returns (2018), Psycho Goreman (2020), V/H/S/94 (2021, segment ‘The Veggie Masher‘)]

Generally well-liked by many in the horror community, The Void does a good job of standing out as a different class of film, but at the same time, certain elements are a bit hard to enjoy here.

The story and plot overall are both pretty interesting, in a rather H.P. Lovecraftian way. At the same time, my biggest gripe comes from the fact that much of what actually happens in the film isn’t really explained. Personally, I loved the ending, but I just wanted to understand more of what was going on. The movie certainly keeps the audience engaged, but instead of answering just a few of these questions (where did all of those cult members come from, for instance), we don’t really get much aside from the rambling of a mad man.

One of my favorite things about this film, though, is how suddenly the story picks up. Five minutes into the film, you know you’re in for an exciting ride, and past a certain point, there’s almost no reprieve whatsoever. In some ways, this can sort of make the movie feel as though it’s dragging, but generally, I thought they did well trying to balance out the panicked action with a few ‘taking a breather’ moments.

Of course, the special effects in this film are most of what people talk about. Done with very little CGI, the body horror in this film is pretty high intensity. It’s a bit downplayed in that it’s sometimes difficult, by virtue of lighting, to see exactly what some of these creatures look like, but also keep in mind that in some ways, that could make the situation even worse. Regardless, the body mutations in this movie were appropriately freaky, and certainly the highlight of the film. Also, the costume design of the cultists was simple yet highly effective. I sort of wish they did more in the film than just stand outside the hospital and look menacing, but they had a solid presence all the same.

I’ve seen the movie twice now, and while I do have an appreciation for it, I still don’t love it. If a few more questions were answered, I think I’d have an easier time with the film. Like I said, I thought the ending was pretty decent, not to mention cool, and though the sub-basement sequences at times got a bit much (with multiple hallucinations and the like), I think most people going into this will appreciate the retro feel this sometimes possesses (it sort of reminds me a bit of Prince of Darkness at points). Definitely a movie to give a chance, and certainly a movie that’s above average, but it didn’t utterly blow me away.

7.5/10

Hell House LLC (2015)

Directed by Stephen Cognetti [Other horror films: Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018), Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire (2019)]

Like few found footage movies before it (Ghostwatch being the one that most comes to mind), Hell House LLC blew me away, and seeing it a second time, little of the impact was lost.

Done by seeming to be a documentary about a tragedy that occurred in a haunted house attraction, with interviews of journalists and authors, and mixing that up with different forms of media such as video captured from the event and put on YouTube, this film goes beyond a simple ‘one guy holds camera and films creepy stuff’ idea. It feels real, and even the multitude of movie (provided by videotapes of the haunted house crew in the months leading up to the tragedy) have an uneasy vibe about them.

One of the reasons much of this movie really works out well (even for rewatches) is the fact that many of the scares are quite subtle. Sure, the clown scenes were openly terrifying, but there are others that you could easily miss watching through this the first few times (such as unexplained figures, creepy shadows, that type of thing). And even the more obvious scares, such as the frantic, chaotic ending in the basement and the clown scenes have an organic feel to them. Nothing here really seems forced.

The cast throughout did a fine job, and really, no one stands out with a bad performance. All of the main performances made a good impact, and while no one blew me away, they all did competently enough as to not really cause any hindrance on the story.

I’ve spoken quite a bit about my problems regarding many modern found footage horror films, but that’s not to say that I can’t enjoy a good found footage movie when I run into one, this movie being a good case. It has enough flexibility and story-telling techniques going on that it strikes me, even after having seen it twice, as something special. A great film, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to any fellow fans of horror.

8.5/10

This was covered on Fight Evil’s seventh podcast by Chucky (@ChuckyFE) and myself. Give it a listen below.

Vampire Ticks from Outer Space (2013)

Directed by Michael Butt [Other horror films: Yetis (2012), This Woods Is Cursed (2015), This Book Is Cursed (2017)]

This is a low-budget, low-quality, ridiculous film, yet at the same time, I’ve not had this much fun in a while.

In many ways, this low-budget film (apparently, the budget was around $700) seems a love-letter to the B-movies of the past, such as Attack of the Giant Leeches (and I will say, this movie had a lot more feeling than the 2008 remake of that very title). It has questionable, yet fun, acting, a paper-thin plot, and special effects that maybe aren’t that special. I will say, the blood in particular looked bad (basically just water dyed red most of the time; it was that thin), but really, in a movie like this, I don’t see how that’s a big problem.

As far as actors go, I pretty much liked everyone. Most of them were horrible, which brought a lot of charm. I loved it when some of them couldn’t keep a straight face, and one of them couldn’t help but smirk every time he was on-screen, which was especially funny when another actress actually got into her role, and kept crying. Terrible acting, and I loved it. My favorite was Charley Guaren, who was the opening kill. His over-the-top attitude, his lines, his delivery, everything about him, I absolutely loved. I just wish he had gotten more screen-time.

The movie ends on a somewhat serious note. While the credits are running, it shows interviews with people who believe they’ve seen UFO’s. These look authentic to an earlier time period, and if I had to bet, I’d say wherever the director got them, they’re probably real interviews. Just a small touch that felt slightly out of place, but was cool regardless.

Toward the end, there was a small element of the film I didn’t care for, but it shortly led to a really interesting conclusion, one that a big-budget film likely wouldn’t have the balls to pull off (mostly because it’s so damn ridiculous). Still, I thought it was a lot of fun, and really helped cement the feeling of the movie.

No doubt, Vampire Ticks from Outer Space isn’t an amazing film, but it is both entertaining and amusing. It has that drive-in movie feel, and most everything about it, from the terrible acting to hilarious dialogue/delivery, horrible special effects, and the story, was fun. I had a hoot watching this one, and I would gladly give it another go in the future. When it comes to rating a movie, what matters more than that?

8/10

American Horror House (2012)

Directed by Darin Scott [Other horror films: Dark House (2009), Something Wicked (2014), Deep Blue Sea 2 (2018), Tales from the Hood 2 (2018), Mr. Malevolent (2018), Tales from the Hood 3 (2020)]

So, we have random ghosts with no discernible backstories killing bitchy sorority girls (who are illegally hazing new pledges), and along with this, there are also some dumb fraternity jocks around. Because of course there would be.

I first saw this film back in the 2012 October Challenge for HMF (Horrormoviefans, a forum I’ve been a member of for many years), and I rather disliked it back then also. Really, there’s not that much to say about this Syfy affair. There is occasionally some okay gore, but otherwise, the movie’s void of any pleasant additions and feels overly vapid.

None of the characters, aside from maybe Alessandra Torresani’s, have any value whatsoever. When they get killed, you just find yourself shrugging. Why would I care one way or the other if a sorority clone gets killed? If the kills were more impressive, sure, but this movie can’t really boast that.

Speaking of clones, the ghosts got a bit old. There were more than a handful, but we never really got much a read on any of them, excepting the main ghost, who, *SHOCKER* somehow is still around at the end, and should Syfy ever want to, they have room for a sequel.

As I said, there’s not really a lot to say about this film. It was bad the first time I saw it, and American Horror House does not increase in value over time. It’s just not that enjoyable or good a movie whatsoever. Part of this may be that I see absolutely no value in either frats or sororities. Why would you want to join an organization that abuses and humiliates you? I don’t get it at all. And given how horrible most of these characters are, it makes these people pretty hard to be sympathetic for. Nothing much here, and I wouldn’t recommend this.

4/10