mrosesteed Reviews

Insidious (I) (2010)

Creepy start, chaotic end

[6/10 · 19 September 2019]

Insidious begins as a scary, atmospheric story of isolation, paranoia, and potential insanity and ends as an over the top monster fight. By switching progagonists halfway through from frightened mom, Renai, to traumatized dad, Josh, the film loses its focus, spiraling out of control into a convoluted mishmash of clunky exposition, eerie supernatural tableaus, campy villains, and bizarre ghost hunting tecnhiques. While many conceptual and visual elements of the film remain creepy, its generic shock based soundscape and choatic final act undermine the tension of the first part of the film.

The Conjuring (2013)

Decent period genre piece

[7/10 · 19 September 2019]

Based on the allegedly true experiences of real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring features converging storylines, which combine the typical tropes and aesthetic of haunting films with documentary style depictions of the Warrens' investigation. From the film and audio technology featured in the investigation sequences to the warm color grading of the movie as a whole, which evokes the color film stock of the early post-Tenchicolor era, the film's artistry evokes its 1970s setting, separating it visually from other, more desaturated horror movies of the 2010s. However, the often overwrought, bassy, atmospheric soundscape of its era does prevail.

Silent Hill (2006)

Atmospheric and disturbing despite flaws

[7/10 · 27 July 2019]

A slow building adaptation of Konami's 1999 survival horror video game, Silent Hill pairs the game's siganture fog, monsters, flashlights, and supernatural mystery elements with a story heavily adapted for the cinema. Although the film stumbles over plot holes and timeline discrepancies, its eerie atmosphere is bolstered by practial monster effects, thorough set design, and a surreal score by Akira Yamaoka, whose music from the first two games is wisely employed heavily throughout the film. At the movie's gruesome climax, original music by Jeff Danna evokes religious and Spaghetti Western sensibilities and enhances the visually and conceptually disturbing collision of supernatural and human horror.

Resident Evil (2002)

Fun action-horror

[7/10 · 27 July 2019]

The first in a decade-and-a-half-long film series inspired by the 1996 Capcom video game of the same name, Resident Evil transforms its source material from gothic survival horror to modern action-horror, complete with prominent electronic music, stock action characters, and CGI violence. Although the movie's uninspired shock sounds, dated computer graphics, choppy flashbacks, and stereotypical casting foreshadow the weaknesses of its vastly inferior sequels, Resident Evil benefits from a solid mystery plot, detailed art direction, and a charismatic performance by Milla Jovovich as a mordern, grown up Alice in Wonderland. The result is a fun thriller whose lack of graphic violence does not dampen the horror of the Umbrella Corporation's cavalier attitude toward human life.

Witchboard (1986)

Entertaingly flawed

[5/10 · 27 July 2019]

Witchboard adds supernatural mystery and a heavy dose of '80s camp to a sentimental drama about a commitment phobic loser who finds purpose, direction, and friendship while helping a loved one struggle with addiction. Thematically unsubtle and artistically and narratively inconsistent, this sappy bromance is more entertaining for its flaws than for its plot or audiovisual style.

Suspiria (I) (2018)

Interesting reimagining but much too long

[7/10 · 25 July 2019]

A sprawling reimagining of Dario Argento's 1977 supernatural giallo classic, Suspiria pays homage to its source material by employing expressionistic sound, visually arresting locations, and camera and editing techniques that recall Argento's style. It separates itself from the original with a muted palette, a soundscape dominated by audible breaths and sighs (suspiria), and an emphasis on the political and social context of the 1970s, including the exploration of both dance and witchcraft as vehicles female empowerment. Although well crafted overall, the film's exessive length ultimately undercuts the impact of its excessive blood.

The Dark Tower (2017)

Promising but rushed

[5/10 · 18 May 2019]

Like the series of novels on which it is based, The Dark Tower is a sci-fi-fantasy epic with themes and episodes of horror - supernatural murder, mind control, vampires, Lovecraftian monsters creeping in from the darkness outside the living universe, and overt references to other, related works by Stephen King, including The Shining and It. This ultra condensed, extremely liberal adaptation, which picks and chooses bits and pieces from King's extensive source material, is a fast paced story about finding a place and a purpose, which features high production values and strong performaces (especially McConaughey as the sinister man in black). However, its worldbuilding feels rushed, and much of the film is taken up by clunky exposition and over the top special effects. Ultimately, this concept driven film devolves from a sci-fi-action-horror to an outrageous CGI action extravaganza, which threatens to bury the characters along with the plot.

Haunter (2013)

Scary and creative in spite of cheap CGI

[7/10 · 18 May 2019]

In spite of occasional cheesy digital effects and cheap 2010s production values, tight writing and a well executed concept make Haunter a surprisingly effective atmospheric horror film. Without the need for elaborate makeup or onscreen violence and gore, Haunter presents a terrifying villain, who threatens a plucky protagonist determined to break a cycle of helpless victimization. Although the movie's CGI manifests as a hallmark of low budget cinema, it is not heavily relied upon to advance the plot; the bulk of the film is simply shot within the confines of a basic set, and the narrative is well constructed to function effectively within the movie's budgetary limitations.

The Hole in the Ground (2019)

Creepy but generic

[6/10 · 18 May 2019]

The Hole in the Ground is a conceptually creepy film that explores perspectives on insanity and paranoia. However, its theme of optics and perception is unsubtle, and the motivation behind the rash of apparent doppelganger replacements is unclear. Although the film nevertheless has its share of sinister moments, many of which involve expressionist visuals and sounds that portray Sarah's growing suspicion that her son is not himself, The Hole in the Ground is, overall, a generic movie with an unremarkable soundscape, a bleak, desaturated palette common to horror films made at this time.

Sometimes They Come Back (1991 TV Movie)

Slick but sappy

[5/10 · 18 May 2019]

Originally released on CBS as a TV pan-and-scan cut down from its original super wide 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Sometimes They Come Back has slick, vivid cinematography and high production values for a 1990s TV movie, along with all the cheese and sentiment you might expect. Although entertaining, the film fails to make the most of its disturbing premise - the undead thugs are too campy to be genuinely scary, and the narrative merely flirts with idea of Jim as an unreliable "narrator" before difinitively revealing the reality of the supernatural threat he suspects and diving into his convoluted methods of defeating it.

Nightbreed (1990)

Excessive and bizarre

[6/10 · 18 May 2019]

Various cuts of Nightbreed have surfaced since its original theatrical release, one as many as 155 minutes long. I watched the 120 minute directors cut released by Shout! Factory in 2014. Based on Clive Barker's 1988 novella, Cabal, Nightbreed is an elaborate and indulgent fantasy-horror with heavy handed themes of love, intolerance, incitement, abuse of power, manipulation, and monstrosity. Although the film's richly colorful cinematography, elaborate makeup, and conceptual elements are strong, its convoluted storyline, mediocre acting, and over the top writing and aesthetic transform what could have been a compelling fairy-tale-esque parable into an exercise in gory, campy excess.

Nothing But the Night (1973)

A little clunky but a good payoff

[7/10 · 29 April 2019]

A fast paced mystery thriller with a disturbing sci-fi-horror finale, Nothing but the Night (also known as The Devil's Undead, Castle of the Living Dead, The Resurrection Syndicate) is artistically clunky but well acted and narratively compelling. Based on John Blackburn's novel of the same name, the film has an ensemble cast with no clear protagonist and suffers from jerky camera movements, jarring cuts, and overused soft focus. Its unusual, saxophone centric, mellow jazz score, however, highlights the dark, film noir-ish elements of the moive: its offscreen sex and violence, its occasional expressionist sequences, and its progressively more sinister plot, which touches on issues of politics, privilege, class, and child abuse and culminates in an climax more intellectually then visually horrific.

Case 39 (2009)

Generic but creepy

[6/10 · 29 April 2019]

In spite of a generic, somewhat cheap aesthetic and an awkward beginning, Case 39 resolves into a fairly well conceived film with multiple levels of horror. With relatively little graphic onscreen violence, the film conveys the horror of greusome death, of helplessness, of possible insanity, of the idea of evil incarnate, and, most frightening of all, of the desire to harm a child.

Hellraiser (1987)

Great makeup, interesting concept

[6/10 · 22 April 2019]

Best remembered for the makeup and costume design of its iconic monster, Pinhead, Hellraiser is both a vehicle for elaborate makeup effects and a conceptually interesting piece of interdimensional horror. While its slime, gore, and monsters are visually rich, however, its soft focus and star filter heavy cinematography is cheesy and overdone, and its plot, dialogue, and characters fail to fully capitalize on the its intriguing premise. Although these flaws make the film's grisly torture and gratuitous gore less stomach churning than they would be in a less campy film, the lack of a well defined, relateable protagonist makes the plot less compelling that it should be and the film less memorable.

Pet Sematary (1989)

Sinister and solid

[8/10 · 22 April 2019]

Although it suffers some from mediocre acting (with the exception of a classic, memorable performance by The Munsters' Fred Gwynne) and an overly campy climax, this adaptation of Stephen King's novel is, on the whole, solid, effective, and compact. Its themes of death and loss and moments of shock and gore are well juxtaposed with a bright, colorful visual style, which effectively depicts the happiness the Creed family is desperate not to lose, even as horror creeps into their lives. In the film's darker moments, well photographed shadows and well designed sets and sounds punctuate the eerie mood that builds up to the film's inevitably grim conclusion.

Pet Sematary (2019)

Heavy handed remake

[6/10 · 22 April 2019]

The second adaptation of Stephen King's 1983 novel, Pet Sematary employs thematic and stylistic changes to differentiate it from the 1989 film. Instead of being about how we do (or do not) deal with death, trauma, and loss, the 2019 film focuses on the difficulty of achieving an ideal family situation in the face of modern life. Also prominently featured is the evil wendigo, which lives in the woods - an aspect of King's novel that is barely hinted at in the earlier film. Fans may or may not appreciate several nods and fakeouts that reference the other movie, as well as changes to the story, which allow for some disturbing new scenes and sinister surprises in what might be an otherwise familiar story. Less forgiveable are the accompanying plot holes, creepy gimmicks, and the movie's heavy handed, dark aesthetic, which is fraught with jump scares, artificial thumps and swooshes, and generic, overbearing music.

Fragile (2005)

Generic but creepy

[6/10 · 22 April 2019]

With its dreary, desaturated pallet and stock scares, Fragile is a solidly executed genre film, which takes full advantage of its inherently creepy setting (an isolated, out of date hospital) and successfully builds drama and tension. Although its exposition and dialogue are occasionally clunky, the film's plot twists are surprisingly effective and well timed, and its monster becomes more and more frightening as themes of body horror and child endangerment intensify toward its frantic climax and sentimental ending.

Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)

Cheap fanboy/fangirl fodder

[4/10 · 22 April 2019]

In contrast to the previous film, this second installment of the series inspired by the survival horror video game series, Resident Evil, feels intended for a built-in audience of the franchise's existing fans. Characters from the games not present in the previous film appear with little introduction, exposition is delivered through a series of choppily edited recaps and distracting subtitles identifying people and locations, and many elements of the production feel like cheap cop-outs, including its laughable swooshy sound effects, its combination-horror-strings-and-indusrial-synth score, and its nonsensical ending. Although the action-horror sequences are fun, especially for fans, the most interesting aspect of Resident Evil: Apocalypse is probably its international casting, which not only reflects its status as a multi-national production but also emphasizes the pervasive influence of the flagrantly immoral Umbrella Corporation.

Humanoids from the Deep (1980)

Schlocky fun

[7/10 · 22 April 2019]

This movie had everything: gratuitous violence, gratuitous female nudity, raping and murdering fish men played by actors in monster suits, and a host of other schlock horror genre tropes. A borderline pastiche of more iconic films, including Jaws, Alien, and Creature from the Black Lagoon, Humanoids from the Deep recovers quickly from an awkward start and resolves into a cheap but entertaining exploitation movie that does not take itself too seriously.

We Are Still Here (I) (2015)

Cheap but ultimately entertaining

[6/10 · 8 April 2019]

A horror movie clearly made by horror fans, We Are Still Here suffers some from its lack of budget but ultimately delivers a strong payoff on its sinister premise. In the early, quiet portions of the story, awkward dialogue, actors and props selected primarily for their association with the horror genre, and inconsitent camera techniques, which waffle between tranquil tripod shots and jarring handheld movements, lend a cheapness to the film. However, well crafted monsters, high quality horror effects, improved dialogue, and disturbing exposition surface with increasing frequency as the movie nears its strong but grisly climax.

The Monster Club (1981)

Fun but somewhat inconsistent

[6/10 · 6 April 2019]

Based on the stories of R. Chetwynd-Hayes, The Monster Club is an unusual mix of gothic horror, intentional camp, and early 1980s new wave rock. While its humor and its featured songs are hit and miss, the film nevertheless sports an interestng structure, with its stylized, modern gothic anthology segments generally outshining its silly frame story and glitzy rock performances. Overall, the film is a well lit, tongue in cheek entertainment piece with unique monsters, well conceived irony, and a satisfying ending.

The Church (1989)

Creative, chaotic, and bizarre

[6/10 · 6 April 2019]

Hallucinatory and surreal, The Church is borderline experimental, strongly favoring aesthetic over plot. Much of the ensuing brutal and chaotic horrorscape is inventive and intriguing, but over the top effects, unexplained plot twists, and poorly defined motivations more often than not result in unintentional camp. The Church is lurid and bizarre, creatively horrific, and ridiculous.

Hereditary (2018)

Creepy but unrelatable and very slow

[4/10 · 6 April 2019]

Hereditary is a gruesome, dark "indie" family drama, which gradually transitions from real life to supernaural horrors. Aiming for a slow build, its style is characterized by long silences, subtly altered colors, a gliding camera, and a muted soundscape overrun by heavily ominous, atmospheric music. However, after some early brutal shocks and eerie scares, the film's creepy vibe cannot maintain sufficient tension to support its multiple troubled protagonists and excruciating pace.

Scream of Fear (1961)

Beautiful and atmospheric

[7/10 · 29 March 2019]

A noirish thriller with crisp black and white cinematography, Scream of Fear (aka Taste of Fear) is creepy, atmospheric, and well made. Its well thought out soundscape includes intentional silence, soft nature sounds, and frightening, unexplained thumps and crashes, which draw the vulnerable protagonist toward scenes of horror - only then does the dramatic music strike, as well as the title scream. Almost completely free of blood and gore, Scream of Fear relies largely on technical artistry to create a chilling mood around a convoluted, twisting, giallo-like plot, which meanders toward an abrupt but fairly satisfying ending.

Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)

Brutal, artsy, and effective

[8/10 · 24 March 2019]

Alice, Sweet Alice is a sinister slasher style mystery that underscores the nasty side of human nature. In a film full of unflattering caracatures of base, unpleasant people, even the more virtuous are ultimately depicted as flawed and further blinded by their good intentions, and the masked, uniformed killer - a child? - is physically indistinguishible from any other student at the Catholic school. A haunting score accompanies the film's stylized, close-up heavy visuals, brutal violence, and jarring sound, which features lengthy sequences of quiet, chaos, and blood curdling screams.