Tag: Japan

Directed by Craig Zobel [Other horror films: N/A]

I knew very little about The Hunt aside from the fact I heard it was political, and being a political creature myself (I’ll get my hot take out of the way: look into third parties, as it’s the only thing that can save us), that didn’t turn me off at all, and while the base idea of this film isn’t original, I did find it quite a decent film with a decent amount of strong points throughout.

The way there was no clear-cut main character until about 25 minutes into the film was sort of amusing. At first, it looks like Emma Roberts (We’re the Millers) would be the lead, but wait, no, it’s Justin Hartley (which I would have been okay with, as he seemed a decent guy). Then misfortune befalls him, and Ike Barinholtz seems to take the main stage. And finally, we get to Betty Gilpin, and she makes a pretty good lead. I thought rotating through the characters until we got to the actual lead was a fun idea, but it does lead to one issue I had.

There’s a lot of characters in this movie. About 12 are the “hunted” ones, and somewhere around seven, if not more, are the ones doing the hunting, and we only really get to know five of these characters overall, and that might be stretching it. I would have liked to know more about some of the hunters than just Athena (Hilary Swank), so that did sort of bother me.

Gilpin does a really good job with her role, and of course Swank (who I know from some random stuff, such as The Next Karate Kid and Freedom Writers) was nice to see here. Hannah Alline, who appeared in two scenes, consistently reminded me of someone (and it just now hit me – it’s Deborah Ann Woll, or Karen from Daredevil), which is probably why she stood out to me, and Amy Madigan (who I recognized from two episodes from Criminal Minds’ second season) was fun in the short time she had. Lastly, while Wayne Duvall’s character remains a bit of a mystery, Duvall was still decent with what we had.

Some comedic influences appear throughout the film, and I think they’re mostly well-done (such as the lengthy fight at the conclusion and Swank’s aversion to being thrown through a glass door), with a good mix between amusing and suspenseful. There’s also a little flashback near the conclusion that fills the audience in a little more on what’s actually going on, which I appreciated (though I wish it could have been longer).

I guess I’ll also say that, while I am a far-leftist (and while I despise Trump, I also despise Obama and Biden), I don’t hate conservatives as some liberals may. I work with many conservatives (in northeast Indiana, there’s not a lot of political diversity), and I understand why many of them supported Trump and why they vote the way they do. The political division is no doubt terrible right now – Republicans hate Democrats, Democrats want Republicans thrown into jail for treason – and this movie parodies that beautifully, which is probably why it has been deemed somewhat controversial (though I really don’t think much of the actual content warrants that label).

Hunting humans isn’t an original idea. The Most Dangerous Game from 1932 dealt with the idea, as did Bloodlust! (1961), Turkey Shoot (1982), and Naked Fear (2007), not to mention plenty of others that I don’t know but am sure exist. The Hunt adds a little political spin on it (technically, Turkey Shoot had a political spin also, but this spin is more accessible to a modern-day audience) and has some clever moments (such as obfuscating the main character and the flashback near the end).

While not overly gory, there are deaths by spike pit and grenades (you have to remember to pull the pin, though), so if that’s your go-to desire, there’s a bit here to keep you happy. The Hunt isn’t really that special of a movie, but I did think it was decently fun, and likely a smidge above average.

7.5/10

Directed by Ralph S. Singleton [Other horror films: N/A]

Though this is far from one of the better Stephen King adaptations, I think that Graveyard Shift carries with it some charm, much of it from a combination of the schlocky nature of the story and Stephen Macht’s overly enjoyable performance.

While it’s based off a short story from King’s first collection, Night Shift, not too much in this hour-and-a-half long film seems too unnecessary. Certainly, showcasing Warwick’s despicable nature more overtly here was a nice addition, which makes sense since they were trying to find some additional padding for the story, which was somewhat thread-bare in the original short story.

Without a doubt, Stephen Macht gave the best performance here. I don’t know what his accent was (sounds like a strong Louisiana twang), but he commanded attention in every single scene he was in. I really enjoyed Macht’s portrayal of Warwick, though it did get a bit much toward the end (more on that shortly). The main character, played by the milquetoast David Andrews, left naught a single impression whatsoever. Kelly Wolf had some gumption, but her character didn’t much amount to much, aside from hint at Andrews’ untold back-story.

Brad Dourif also appeared somewhat extensively in the film, but I thought his character was far, far too over-the-top. This isn’t to say that Macht’s character wasn’t, but Dourif took it to a new level, and I admit that while I usually enjoy his performances, this one turned me off somewhat.

A few things, such as the back-story of Andrews’ character, made Graveyard Shift feel somewhat incomplete. We’re literally never given any idea of what makes Andrews’ character tick – he was a blank slate, and we about never learn a thing about him. Another problem I had was that the conclusion felt as though it was escalating too quickly. It’s a shame, as otherwise, things were mostly plodding along fine.

One of the absolute best things about the film, though, was the setting. From an expansive cavern filled with bones to a flooded out, marshy graveyard, which stands next to an old, ominous mill, Graveyard Shift really knew how to use their settings, and it stood out as easily one of the most memorable parts of the film.

Ultimately, I enjoyed the clinical style of the short story more, but I appreciate how they attempted to flesh out Warwick’s character here, and I can’t say it enough: Stephen Macht’s performance is fantastic. I’d say that this is somewhat below average, but I will admit to enjoying it a hell of a lot more this time around as opposed to when I first saw it some years back, and while some aspects weren’t that great (including much of the conclusion), I suspect this has decent rewatchability.

6.5/10

Directed by Tate Taylor [Other horror films: N/A]

Well, Ma isn’t a terrible movie, but I don’t really think it has enough going for it to really stand out. There’s some decent tension at certain points, and I think the ending’s okay, but for the most part, I found the film somewhat lackluster.

As far as positives go, I did like the lead here, being Diana Silvers. She consistently reminded me of someone, and I still can’t quite place it, but she did great in her role, and of the teen characters, she was easily the most memorable. Octavia Spencer was also pretty good as a mentally-unstable middle-aged woman, and boy, she was creepily possessive at times, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say I was blown away by her. Though she had only a few scenes, I also liked seen Allison Janney (The West Wing) here.

Otherwise, the cast was just sorta there. The same can be said for much of the story, to be honest. While aspects were moderately interesting, such as the slight mystery of why Ma was doing what she was doing, more often than not things just went down a generic road with little standing out.

Honestly, I wouldn’t even call the movie necessarily bad. The problem with Ma is that save a few scenes near the conclusion, and some decent performances by the main characters, I don’t see how this is all that memorable. I can’t say I’m really surprised by this (after this movie was released, I pretty much heard nothing about it), but it was certainly disappointing. Not an awful film, but probably still a bit below average, and definitely not memorable in many ways whatsoever.

6.5/10

Ma was covered by Fight Evil’s podcast on episode #25, so you can listen to Chucky (@ChuckyFE) and I discuss this one.

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan [Other horror films: Signs (2002), The Village (2004), The Happening (2008), The Visit (2015), Old (2021), Knock at the Cabin (2023)]

I didn’t really know what to expect going into this one, but I am happy to say that this movie did not disappoint at all.

The story is pretty simple, and the cast small (in a manner of speaking), but it was told in a very tense and heart-racing way. The three kidnapped girls (Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jessica Sula) all did pretty well, and worked hard to get out of the situation they were in. Taylor-Joy’s character, though, was tragic, in that even if she happened to get away, her nightmare was far from over. And while I can’t begin to praise James McAvoy’s performance here enough, suffice it to say that it’s perhaps some of the best and most diverse acting I’ve ever seen.

My one issue with the movie is that the whole beast personality comes off as a bit ridiculous. Sure, some of the things that he can do are pretty creepy (that wall thing, for instance), but it really felt a bit much, especially toward the end. I also sort of wish we got looks into a few other personalities, though the few we did get nuggets of (such as the historian) were pretty interesting.

Split’s a movie done well. Taylor-Joy (who I’ve seen previously in The VVitch) did amazing with her role, and I think she has a lot to offer the genre. M. Night Shyamalan obviously has a sketchy history, though I will fully admit to enjoying both The Visit and The Village. He did an amazing job here, and really, this is a moderately easy contender for top horror film of the last five years. If only that last personality wasn’t as unrealistic as I felt it was. On a final note, while this is related to the 2000 film Unbreakable, but you definitely don’t need to see that film to enjoy this (as I certainly haven’t).

8.5/10

Directed by George P. Breakston [Other horror films: N/A] & Kenneth G. Crane [Other horror films: Monster from Green Hell (1957), Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman (1958)]

I know, I know, this movie has a terrible title, but really, it’s not that bad. In fact, while it’s not a favorite of mine from the time period, it’s a rather serviceable flick.

The plot isn’t too far removed from other flicks you might find from the late 1950’s – a mad scientist injects an American man with a serum, and the man slowly turns into a monster. Certainly not overly special, but it is done decently well.

The cast all did a pretty okay job, despite most of them not really being all that well-known. Peter Dyneley played the desperate, possibly going crazy, main character very well. Playing the mad doctor, Tetsu Nakamura (who was also in the classic Bijo to ekitai ningen, or The H-Man, from a year earlier) did fantastic, and even though throughout most of the film, his character was one of a cold heart, he had a good emotional scene toward the end. Jerry Itô (who was in Mosura, or Mothra, in 1961), did a good job playing a police superintendent.

Perhaps the surprising standouts, though, include two individuals who never have never before or again acted: Norman Van Hawley and Terri Zimmern. Hawley, playing a friend of the main character, really came across as a deeply concerned friend, and pretty much shined throughout the film. Zimmern did great with her role, as a hesitant accomplice to the mad doctor’s plans. Why neither acted before or again is beyond me, as I thought both did pretty well.

Special effects were pretty well-done, including a legitimately creepy scene about 45 minutes in, and a disfigured woman who appears every now and again (her story itself is pretty tragic, once we hear it). We even get a little splatter of blood at the beginning (sure, it’s black-and-white, but it still looked decent). I won’t deny it got a bit hokey toward the end (and by a bit, I mean a lot), but I think it still sort of mostly worked.

Some of the pacing was a bit off. The first chase sequence was fine, but a second and third? Come on, guys. There was some decent suspense in the movie, but the ending felt rushed (which isn’t really that different from many movies around the same time period, to be honest). Still, overall, I think The Manster (god, I hate the title) is still a decent movie, and I can easily see myself watching it a third time if I’m ever in the mood for a decent 50’s flick. Not amazing, but like I said, it’s serviceable.

6.5/10