Category: Capsule Reviews

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Mini Reviews: SAINT MAUD, THE CAVE, and THE WITCH

Saint Maud (2020) A victim of false advertising, this was marketed as some kind of supernatural horror film in the vein of Hereditary but is instead a psychological character study about a young nurse (Morfydd Clark) who, after experiencing a traumatic event, slowly downward spirals into an unhinged mental state. Symbolism and suggestion are the real “horrors” of the movie, with the screenplay (by director Rose Glass) relying a bit too much on the title character’s uneven personality and backstory, which we only get glimpses of. Good acting, especially from Jennifer Ehle, but there just isn’t a whole lot of meat on these bones. C

The Cave (2005) Fun monster romp about a group of spelunkers who run into subterranean creatures while investigating a series of uncharted caves underneath the Carpathian mountains. Released the same year as the The Descent and although not as good, or as scary, this features more elaborate make-up FX and some impressive action set pieces, with elements borrowed from Pitch Black and Aliens. B–

The Witch (2015) A brooding atmosphere drenches this intense psychological horror fable about a religious 17th century family outcast by their community and forced to settle on their own isolated farm in the woods. When their youngest disappears, and the eldest son (Harvey Scrimshaw) begins showing signs of possession, the family begin to suspect a witch is in their midst. Director and writer Robert Eggers ignores convention and delivers an authentic account of farm life in the 1600s, putting the family’s trials and tribulations first, with excellent performances from Scrimshaw, Kate Dickie, Ralph Ineson, and especially Anya Taylor-Joy as the eldest daughter. The witch antics are just bonus material, and it all leads to a knockout ending. A–

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URBAN LEGEND and URBAN LEGENDS Mini Reviews

Urban Legend (1998) One of the better post-Scream horror offerings with enjoyable shades of ’80s slasher tropes about a college tormented by a hooded ax killer who uses famous urban legends as their modus operandi. Good characters and excellent atmospherics help heighten this above its Abercrombie good looks and a majorly goofy red herring in the form of Robert Englund hamming it up as the mysterious professor of – yup – urban legends. Although not nearly as gory as it could be this is still a thoroughly enjoyable flick. B

Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000) Decent sequel goes meta (not unlike Scream 3) with several film school students making a class project about the killings from the first movie (titled Urban Legends) while being stalked by a psychopath wearing a fencing mask. This lacks the pacing and energy of the first movie, and there’s a cockamamie subplot involving a dead character’s twin, but it has enough spunk and humor to keep it moving to its goofy climax. Don’t shut off the movie too soon or you’ll miss the surprise cameo at the end complete with the theme from Alfred Hitchcock Presents. B–

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DERANGED and ED GEIN Mini Reviews

Deranged (1974) Hysterically OTT Psycho dupe (that predated Texas Chainsaw Massacre by several months) about an Ed Gein-like simpleton (Roberts Blossom) whose obsession with his mother spirals out of control after she dies, resulting in him stealing her corpse and going on a grave robbing and killing spree. This early gore shocker is so distasteful that it’s rather unbelievable how well made it is, with good acting from Blossom, campy laughs, gross Tom Savini make-up, and a charmingly sleazy atmosphere. B+

Ed Gein (2000) Lacking the visceral detail and intensity of Ed Gein-inspired films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, this “biographical” movie of the notorious Wisconsin grave robber and killer features a well cast Steve Railsback as Gein whose life of torment from his abusive, religious fanatic mother (Carrie Snodgress) slowly turns him into the maladjusted psychopath we have come to know. Despite it’s gruesome subject matter the film is surprisingly restrained, even dull at times, and some of the make-up FX seem cheesy and inauthentic. C

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Guest Movie Reviews: Synchronic, Wolf of Snow Hollow, and More

Hey guys! My friend and fellow movie nerd, Aaron Reid, is going to be guest writing this week. Here are Aaron’s reviews on a batch of new and semi-new releases.

Synchronic (2019) “The present is a miracle.” Steve and Dennis, two paramedics, respond to a number of strange accidents where the victims have all experimented with a new designer drug. Rather than an intense high, this drug offers a mind-bending experience that unravels time. When Steve’s daughter goes missing, he and Dennis are forced to learn more about synchronic, the drug that blends the past and the present with deadly consequences. First time watch for me, and I really enjoyed this film. The tone and story paint a bleak picture of our comprehension of time. A bit of a slow start but this movie becomes an exceptional take on time travel once everything falls into place. “Experience time as it actually is rather than the linear way.”

The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020) “It was a full moon last night.” Bodies begin to accumulate in Snow Hollow coincidentally after the latest full moons, leaving the police force with very few leads and a community panicked about the recent deaths. Detective John Marshall is in over his head trying to solve the murders and managing a stressful personal life. The pressures lead to moments of his unraveling and weakness. Is there a werewolf in Snow Hollow? There just might be. This film expertly blends horror, comedy, and drama into just over 80 minutes, craftily giving us suspense and depicting the fragility of humanity at the same time. First viewing for me. If you haven’t seen it yet, add it to the top of your list. “Maybe it’s a wolf.”

The Beach House (2019) “Don’t be scared.” Emily and Randall escape to his parents’ beach house to rekindle their relationship only to discover Randall’s father invited Mitch and Jane, old friends, to use the vacation home. These two unlikely couples spend an evening together, culminating with the realization that the beach is aglow with an infestation. Soon afterward, these vacationers become aware of an infection in the air, water, and all around. I decided to rewatch this Shudder original. What I like most is the smothering feeling that consumes these characters. There’s not a lot of explanation given, but the film successfully illustrates a complete breakdown, both physical and societal, as life as we know it evolves into something unimaginable.“Windswept microbes of some kind.”

The Dark and the Wicked (2020): “Do you really think the Devil’s out there?” Michael and Louise return home to be with their dying father and support their mother. They soon discover a darkness surrounds the secluded family farm and their parents, an entity that is obsessed with destroying their lives. There’s evil here that is even more foreboding than the intense isolation and looming death. First time watch for me, and I found the horrors in this film to be real and visceral. The building suspense and eerie atmosphere slowly suffocates the audience until we feel the same dread as these characters. Add this to your list if you haven’t watched already. “He’s not out there. He’s already here.”

For more of Aaron’s reviews, please follow him on Instagram and check out his page on Letterboxd!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwAEWM9Jzfs