October is finally here, which means the Spookening has pushed the pedal to the floor.
Here is what we’re watching this week:
Us (2019): While Get Out was a certified classic right out of the gate, Us is a frustrating movie and something of a sophomore slump for Peele. I gave it a rewatch and had the same issues with it as I did the first time, in that once reveals start happening much of what we had seen before doesn’t make much sense. There are so many gaps in logic and plot holes that emerge that it greatly distracts from all the fantastic stuff the movie does elsewhere. The most egregious, for me, is the “surprise” ending that is about as cliched as it gets for the tropes the film is using, and also sort of ruins the allegory they had working, turning this from a story about class uprising into one seemingly more about revenge.
But I said frustrating, not bad. That’s because essentially everything in this but the script is working like gangbusters, which is why I think a lot of people either gave it a pass or didn’t notice some of the issues. The direction, horror sequences, the score (especially), the cast, and humor are all on point. And Lupita Nyong’o in particular is quite phenomenal in her dual roles. So, divorced from the many narrative issues, the film works incredibly well. But thinking out everything that is presented leaves you with a narrative and symbolic mess, albeit an entertaining one. – David
The Shining (1980): There are a lot of reasons this is considered a horror classic, and with each rewatch those reasons stand out even more; the confounding layout of the hotel, the booming and unsettling score, the nonchalant way the movie presents its supernatural elements so they really do feel like they have “always been there.”
But there are other things that stand out, too, which don’t add as much. There are a number of weird zooms that feel out of place watching them now. Dick feels even more like an afterthought than he does in the book. And as engaging and entertaining as Jack Nicholson’s performance is, it doesn’t help Jack Torrance come across as an actual character (which is the main reason Stephen King gives for hating this adaptation). None of this takes away from how successful the movie is overall, but for modern audiences watching this for the first time it’s good to be aware that some things do feel dated. – Tim
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994) – In many ways, this is the spiritual predecessor to Scream, which redefined the horror genre for a generation. With New Nightmare, Craven re-entered the world of Freddy Krueger to save it from ending on a particularly sour note. Instead of mailing it in, Craven dove into inspired meta horror, as an evil demon, taking the form of Freddy Krueger, tries to enter our world and Heather Langenkamp is the only one to stop it. While it’s an ABSOLUTE CRIME that you don’t get to see Freddy Krueger murder Robert Englund or Wes Craven in this movie, as they also play themselves in it, this is still an underrated gem that proves there will always be fun avenues to explore with Krueger when the right people are involved. – Steve
Sweetheart (2019): When the boat she was traveling on with friends sinks during a storm, a young woman finds herself on a deserted island, struggling to survive both the elements and attacks from some sort of creature. Due to this, much of the front half plays like Cast Away if Wilson was a hideous fish monster. When some additional people arrive in the back half, however, things get a bit dodgy for a spell, with the male character being brought to life by one truly godawful actor. Overall, though, it’s a pretty tight and well-paced movie, with a good leading performance and some solid monster bits.
The director, J.D. Dillard, was tapped last year for a future Star Wars movie, which put both this film and his other, Sleight, a low-fi sci-fi flick, on my radar. They both dive into genre tropes and focus on character, so I could see him as a good choice for a future war of the stars. – David
Our House (2018): Our House isn’t a bad movie, and there is a lot there that could be the building blocks for a really good one, and have been in other cases. It is centered around a family grieving a loss, and slowly builds to a creepy climax. But buildups need to be engaging, and that is where Our House really falters. Its take on a grieving family feels really generic, especially when compared to films like The Babadook and Hereditary, and it spends a lot of time on the “science” behind the supernatural stuff but only provides half-assed attempts at an explanation for all that effort. Still, you could do worse for a background movie for the season. – Tim
A Ghost Story (2017): Contemplative and melancholy, this is much more a drama and an experimental film than a horror film, but that should be evident if you see the trailer. It plays with some standard ghost tropes in novel ways, has some interesting twists to the low-stakes story as the plot develops, and features some great cinematography and a solid score. Definitely not your standard October horror fare, but fitting for the season. – David
Urban Legend (1998) – This one gets a bit lost in the slasher craze of the late ‘90s, but it’s such a fun ride. Plenty of ridiculous moments abound, but those making it clearly love the genre, because there are plenty of fun cameos and references throughout that you’ll only catch after multiple viewings. Though the stalking killer maybe isn’t the most memorable (though I’d absolutely take a NECA action figure of it), the plot taps in to everyone’s innate fears of certain urban legends, making it a more inspired movie than many of the other slasher movies that came out at this time. – Steve
Häxan (1922): Part documentary, part fiction film, this examination of witchcraft throughout history features some intriguing and revolutionary special effects along with some striking visuals. It’s also a movie from the 1920s with a LOT of title cards, so it can really be a slog between the key bits. That said, it’s still essential viewing for horror enthusiasts. – David