The Year in Horror (2016) -The Best of Times (Part 1)

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2016, Accidental Exorcist, Antibirth, best films of 2016, Beyond the Gates, cinema, Clash of the Dead, Demon, Don't Look in the Basement 2, Evil Souls, Fear Inc., film reviews, films, Goddess of Love, Jack Goes Home, Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse, Movies, Nerve, Never Open the Door, Night of the Living Deb, Queen of Spades: The Dark Rite, Shelley, Stalkher, The Curse of Sleeping Beauty, The Hoarder, The Interior, The Shallows, The Triangle, Thirst, Viral, When Black Birds Fly, Where the Devil Dwells, year-end lists

2016 was an exceptionally good year for horror. You might call that a subjective point of view but I assure you: I arrived at my results the same way that any good statistician might…I analyzed an awful lot of data. As of this writing, I’ve seen 179 of the released 2016 horror offerings or roughly 68% of every witch, zombie, possession, alien, slasher and monster flick that came out this calendar year.

Each film I screened this year went into one of five categories based on my completely biased (although rarely arbitrary) impression: Excellent, Very Good, Decent, Pretty Bad/Better Than It Should Have Been (a bit of a catch-all) and Terrible. As of this very moment, 70 out of the 179 films sit comfortably in the Excellent/Very Good end of the spectrum.

We’ll look at my 20 favorite horror films of 2016, along with some more than honorable mentions, in a future post. Until then, however, I thought I might share a few thoughts on the movies that made it into the “Very Good” column of my little spreadsheet. Since time in this tumultuous year grows slim, I’ll play Lightning Round with this part of the proceedings and try to limit my observations to a few lines. Trust me when I say, however, that any of these little gems are more than worthy of greater focus. In no order whatsoever, then, here are the “Very Good Horror Films of 2016.”

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When Black Birds Fly – Dizzying, gonzo, insane and probably apt to cause seizures in certain folks, Jimmy Screamerclauz’s truly outsider epic doesn’t look like any animated film currently out there…and that’s a good thing. Despite being rough around the edges, this “Adam and Eve meet Hellraiser” parable is absolutely unique and one of the most interesting films I screened all year.

Antibirth – With a bit more focus, this could’ve been one column over but I still thoroughly enjoyed this nutty tale of the worst morning after ever: the ending, alone, is easily worth the price of admission, as are the charmingly scuzzy performances by Natasha Lyonne and Chloe Sevigne.

The Hoarder – Surprisingly smart and genuinely unsettling, this plays upon the innate creepiness of big, empty storage facilities and manages to work in some good twists and lots of cringe-inducing, if restrained, violence.

Where the Devil Dwells – On the outside, this looked cheap as hell but patience revealed a smart, well-made and surprisingly kickass interior. I’m also going to nominate David O’Hara for a Best Actor Tomby (we’ll get to those later) for his performance as silver-tongued serial killer Oren, easily one of the scariest constructs of the entire year.

Stalkher – This literal battle of the sexes is front-loaded with some of the meanest, most cutting observations on gender that I’ve ever (uncomfortably) sat through but it tempers that with a genuine eye for character and sense of mischief that makes the acid easier to swallow. This is, at heart, a two-person show and when the two performers are this damn good…well…that’s when magic happens.

Evil Souls – Another cheapie that ended up being surprisingly good, this is a grungy, nasty throwback to old-school Italian grindhouse flicks and it does the niche genre proud. While decidedly an acquired taste, this is comfort food to those who can stomach it.

The Interior – Quiet, unsettling character study that takes the familiar tale of a loner going crazy and throws some genuine curveballs into the formula. Although a little too unfocused and slight to be considered essential, this will reward viewers who appreciate mood and thought-provoking puzzles over jump-scares and gore.

Jack Goes Home – Rory Culkin does a helluva job as a truly damaged young man returning home to make peace with his awful past but this is really too unpleasant and nasty for me to truly love. Still, you have to respect any film that so honestly lays bare physical and emotional abuse and this is exceptional filmmaking for anyone who can sit through it.

Fear, Inc. – Lots of smart twists and turns in this horror-comedy about a smartass horror nerd who gets the best/worst gift of his entire life. The meta-ness of the whole thing can get a bit heavy-handed, at times, which separates this from something like Behind the Mask or Tucker & Dale vs Evil but it’s a really fun ride, full of great gore and engaging performances.

The Shallows – Call it “Blake and the Seagull vs Jaws,” if you will, but I thoroughly enjoyed this decidedly cheesy, silly tale of an injured surfer battling a ravenous shark mere yards from the safety of the shore. Lively does a great job in what’s basically a one-woman show and there are plenty of memorable setpieces and thrilling getaways.

The Triangle – For a while, this is actually a pretty sub-par, stereotypical tale (1st-person-POV, no less) about a group of friends trying to save their buddy from another one of those mysterious cults that are so de rigeur in modern, indie genre films. Then, out of nowhere, a twist comes along so goddamn good that it actually vaults the whole film into another stratosphere entirely, placing it somewhere closer to 2001 than The Sacrament and making it one of the most unforgettable films I saw all year.

Night of the Living Deb – There’s a lot to love in this charming zom-rom-com about the ultimate manic pixie dream girl who actually turns out to be anything but. The performances are exceptionally strong and if nothing ever hits the giddy heights of the best horror-comedies, the whole experience is so gosh-darn sweet that you probably won’t care.

Viral – One of the better “infection/possession/zombie” films I’ve seen recently, Viral vaults over the rest of the crowd by virtue of the pitch-perfect focus on the relationship between the two sisters, a relationship that makes the inherently tragic aspects of the story so much sharper and more painful.

Nerve – Like several films that I screened this year, Nerve is only marginally a horror film but I’ve included it because the “game that kills” aspect gives it a slight leg up on the competition. The film zips along at a manic pace and only betrays its young adult roots by virtue of one of those super-positive resolutions that always strike me as a bit cornball. This was a consistently gorgeous ride, however, and I’m not ashamed to show my love.

The Curse of Sleeping Beauty – Despite a handful of shoddy moments, this was a surprisingly cool, ridiculously imaginative take on the traditional story of Sleeping Beauty that featured truly lush visuals, a gonzo take on fairy tales and a modern update that didn’t make me want to chew glass. Another classic example of not judging a film by its outward appearance.

Queen of Spades: The Dark Rite – This Russian take on late ’90s-early ’00s Western teen slashers is derivative, for sure, but it’s also got enough natural energy to power a small city. Polished, fast-paced and lots of fun, this is the kind of film that should be clogging multiplexes.

Clash of the Dead – I’ve seen lots of “undead soldiers harass the living” films but this UK export still managed to get under my skin. Chalk it up to the cool concept, the super-eerie location or the solid performances and effects but this one left a mark on me that earned it a place on this list.

Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse – I expected this to be a dumb romp but was actually met with a sly, subversive and rather remarkable little zombie film that features a clutch of great performances (Jim Jeffries is perfect) and unexpected moments of genuinely emotional heft. Think of this as a more subdued, small-scale version of Shaun of the Dead and you’re in the general area.

Beyond the Gates – I loved the concept of this “horror Jumanji,” especially since I owned several of the VCR-based board games that the film is based on (the horror one I owned was, of course, my very favorite) but the actual execution let me down a bit. Still, this is lots of fun and manages to nail the retro look and feel to a tee: throw in Barbara Crampton and I have no problem recommending this whatsoever.

Don’t Look in the Basement 2 – Coming 40 years after the original and directed by the original filmmaker’s son, this is a true labor of love and it shows. This return to the madhouse features many of the same characters and provides a truly organic, smart conclusion to the original narrative, no easy feat four decades after the fact.

Shelley – This seems like it’s going to be another indie take on Rosemary’s Baby but the actual destination is quite a bit thornier and much stranger.Strong performances and an oppressive sense of encroaching dread kept this one high in my list but the overall familiarity kept it from grabbing the brass ring.

Never Open the Door – Like The Similars, this mind-bending tale about a group of friends encountering the unexplained at an isolated cabin is filmed in gorgeous black-and-white and features so many twists and turns that you’d be forgiven for filing a whiplash claim. It’s a consistently smart film that offers no easy answers (or any answers, really) but should give you something to ponder for days later.

Thirst – This tale about wayward teens at a desert survival camp under siege by a monster that drains their vital juices reminds me of the films I used to grab off video store shelves based purely on their box-art…and that’s a very good thing. Although it certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, Thirst is the perfect film for a rowdy group of buddies and a case of cheap beer.

Accidental Exorcist – Despite being more than a little rough around the edges, Daniel Falicki’s Accidental Exorcist was actually one of my biggest surprises of the year. The filmmaking is so strong, in fact, with a style that perfectly toes the line between pitch-black, deadpan humor and actual horror, that I was more than a little surprised and disappointed when the credits rolled: I lost all track of time. The future of horror films lies with genuine geniuses like Falicki (who also fearlessly plays the titular character) and Joel Potrykus (who reprises his essential Derek character here)

Demon – When Polish director Marcin Wrona died last year, at the age of 42, he left behind one last testament to his filmmaking prowess: the incredibly odd, unsettling and smart Jewish possession “fairy tale,” Demon. The dreamlike, strange atmosphere recalls the best work of Roman Polanski (an obvious influence) and if the ultimate resolution is decidedly vague and a bit frustrating, it takes nothing whatsoever away from the journey. The world will mourn his loss but his final statement will, I think, prove timeless.

Goddess of Love – With a little more polish and focus, this magical-realist fable about a seriously damaged young woman losing her last grasp on sanity could have been a companion to Marjane Satrapi’s astounding The Voices. As it stands, however, it’s still a pretty remarkable film, featuring an absolutely fearless performance from lead Alexis Kendra (an easy nomination for a Best Actress Tomby) and marking a major step forward for filmmaker Jon Knautz, formerly known for silly horror-comedies like Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer.

 

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The 31 Days of Halloween (2016): 10/29-10/31

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31 Days of Halloween, cinema, film reviews, films, Halloween traditions, Jack Goes Home, Movies, Nerve, October, Stalkher, The Sighting, The Triangle

At long last, I present the fifth and final week of the 31 Days of Halloween. Enjoy and look for a final wrap-up on the month coming soon, along with information and an update on the ongoing 2016 Horror Project. As the curtain closes on this season, I present the final five films of October.

 

The Sighting

For a while, David Blair and Adam Pitman’s The Sighting (with Pitman also starring) is a pretty average, indie Sasquatch attack film: we have a couple of friends on a road-trip to Canada who take an ill-advised detour and end up attacked by a group of angry Sasquatch. The acting is okay (with a tendency towards the unbelievable), the dialogue is a bit clunky and there’s a little too much split-screen, slo-mo and the like for my tastes. It’s not terrible, mind you, but it is terribly familiar and rather meh.

At a certain point, however, the filmmakers did two things that not only hooked me but managed to elevate the film from “meh” to “decent.” First, there was a thoroughly unique and interesting explaination for the Sasquatch (complete with chalk-line animation) that was actually one of the more original inventions I’ve seen in a genre film, of any budget, in some time: bravo. Second, the filmmakers introduced a genuinely intriguing twist and then managed to develop it intelligently, while still leaving enough room for doubt by the final credits. In a year where too many films proceeded from A to B to C in as safe a way as possible, it was unbeliveably refreshing to see an ultra-low budget flick take the route less traveled. While The Sighting was never exactly amazing, it was solid and ended on a particularly good note: bunts and grand-slams both earn bases, after all.

The Triangle

In a coincidence that can only be termed “cosmic,” the very next film that I screened ended up involving the same creative personnel and actors as the previous film: you might not believe me but I swear this was unplanned. In a further coincidence that can only be described as “impossible to ignore,” The Triangle ends up suffering much of the same exact problems as The Sighting, yet also benefits from the same game-saving twist, albeit one that’s even better than the one in their Sasquatch flick. Truth, as they say, is really stranger than fiction!

The Triangle begins as a pretty standard-issue found-footage film about a group of friends (the filmmakers, using their own names) who go visit an old friend at his commune-like home and wind up in the same sorts of situations that usually happens in these types of things. The acting is decent, there’s an almost comical over-reliance on split-screens (much of which serves to confuse the action rather than heighten it) and the whole thing feels very familiar. Then, out of nowhere, the filmmakers drop a simply genius twist, the kind of thing that would be more at home in 2001: A Space Odyssey and we’re really off to the races. From there, The Triangle becomes pretty damn fascinating, right up to the enormously satisfying (if frustrating) open-ending. If this filmmaking team ever manages to make a consistent film, I’d be willing to wager it would reserve a spot on one of my future Best of lists, no questions asked: the amount of potential here is really exciting.

Stalkher

Some films will just be a tough sell, no matter how you slice ’em, and the pitch-black Australian comedy Stalkher is definitely one of those. The directorial debut of leads John Jarratt (perhaps best known as the terrifying Mick in Wolf Creek) and Kaarin Fairfax, written by Kristijana Maric, Stalkher is the tender story of a creepy guy who slips into his co-worker’s home, one night, with the intention of doing her grevious injury. He wakes up tied to a chair, however, and quickly realizes that his prey is every bit as “damaged” as he is and just as eager to have some human interaction, even if it has to be with the guy who just broke into her house. As the night progresses, a twisted, perverted battle of the sexes ensues, with each of the would-be “lovers” using every trick in their books to gain the upper hand on the other. Will Jack be able to free himself and finish the job he came to do or will Emily finally find the love that she’s always wanted?

Nothing about Stalkher would work if the leads weren’t so unbelievably fearless: this is, after all, essentially a two-person show, almost like a stage play, in a way. There is an undeniable thrill in watching Jarratt and Fairfax (two extremely talanted performers at the absolute heights of their respective games) absolutely rip each other to shreds, both spiritually, emotionally and physically. The dialogue is raw, honest, very funny and pretty offensive, while the frank discussions about men and women pull zero punches on either side: Jack is a revolting misogynist but Emily certainly isn’t spared from Maric acidic script. At times, the film was actually too awkward, painful and honest to watch: there are moments where the action veers effortlessly from extreme hilarity (Fairfax is an absolute master of the cutting comment) to gut-punch ugliness and it can give you a bit of emotional whiplash. There were times were I felt terrible for laughing and did, anyway. Stalkher definitely won’t be for everyone but it’s a massively impressive co-directorial debut and Jarratt and Fairfax absolutely deserve commendation for everything they did.

Nerve

Based on Jeanne Ryan’s young-adult novel, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman’s (the team behind Catfish and Paranormal Activity 3) adaptation of Nerve is really more of a thriller than a horror film, which makes its placement on my ultimate 2016 horror list a bit dubious. Questions of genre-placement aside, I ended up liking this smart, fast-paced techno-thriller quite a bit, even if much of it was as predictable and leading as an old-fashioned rail-shooter video game. Young Venus Delmonico (Emma Roberts, proving she’s one of the best, most exciting new actors out there) decides to participate in a game where players perform increasingly dangerous “dares” for a horde of anonymous, online spectators. She finds danger, betrayal, heartbreak and true love, all while doing her best to free the masses from the blinders of the status quo. If it sounds a bit familiar, it is, although that doesn’t stop the fun (for the most part).

Nerve has a lot going for it: fantastic cast of young actors (Roberts and Dave Franco are particularly good); exceptionally colorful and cool look, nerve-wracking action sequences (there’s a blindfolded motorcycle ride that easily one of the year’s best setpieces) and just enough familiarity to allow the filmmakers to shorthand many of the characters and situations, getting us right to the “good stuff” (for better or worse). This was extremely polished and decidedly non-horror-oriented but, as mentioned before, I really enjoyed it: as someone who is decidedly not the target audience for young adult cinema, that very fact, alone, elevated this quite a bit.

Jack Goes Home

Several years ago, I saw a film that disturbed and affected me quite a bit: I actually haven’t stopped thinking about it since, to be honest, in one way or another. Eduardo Sanchez’s Lovely Molly was a truly horrifying, painful and impossibly bleak parable about drug addiction and sexual abuse, couched in a demonic possession narrative, that absolutely howled with genuine, real pain. I never thought I would see another low-budget genre film like that. Enter Thomas Dekker’s Jack Goes Home, yet another impossibly bleak film that will, no doubt, knock around in my skull for years to come. And they say that horror is just empty thrills…

Jack (Rory Culkin, in a truly amazing, award-worthy performance), a very troubled young man, returns home to see his mother (Lin Shaye, more unhinged than anything since her tentecular outburst in Mouth of Madness) after he finds out that his beloved dad has just died in a car accident. Jack makes the trip with his childhood friend, Shanda (Daveigh Chase), leaving his pregnant fiancee (Britt Robertson, in one of the film’s most thankless roles) behind. Once there, Jack gets hit on by his gay, next-door-neighbor (Louis Hunter) and meets his dad’s favorite veternarian (Natasha Lyonne, with the film’s other thankless non-role). He also finds a mysterious tape recording, addressed to him, and some rather strange, disturbing things in the attic. As Jack begins to remember more and more about his repressed childhood, he also comes to learn some terrible things, secrets that no one should ever have to know. Will Jack be able to hold on to his fraying sanity or will his trip home be a journey straight into Hell?

Jack Goes Home is one of those rare films where I’m not sure how much it means to say you liked it…or if that’s even possible, to be honest. Extremely well-made and with one of my favorite performances of the year (Culkin really is magnificent in this), this was also one seriously miserable film: the revelation takes the film into a whole, horrible other direction which has the effect of sucking the viewer down into an absolute black hole of gloom. I can honestly say that there wasn’t a single part of the film that I truly “enjoyed,” even though I respected the hell out of the whole thing. Even Culkin’s performance, which I’ve termed one of my ‘favorites,’ is based on such misery, anger and venom (often directed at innocent people) that is something else best admired from afar. Call Jack Goes Home the anti-feel-good hit of the fall.

And, with that, we finish the final day of October, the ever sacred 31st: Halloween. Stay tuned for a final wrap-up on everything screened this month, along with a few final thoughts. Until then: Happy Halloween, boos and ghouls!