You're Next - Review

The home invasion sub-genre consists of some of the most unnerving films in horror. The idea of masked individuals invading your home to attack you and your family is both plausible and terrifying. The monsters aren’t supernatural. They are human. They aren’t in a place that feels foreign. They are hiding under your bed and coming through your window. Home is primarily a universal symbol of a safe place where a person can rest and escape the dangers of the outside world. A successfully made home invasion film can turn that sense of security upside down. It can make you double check the locks on your windows and leave the closet door open. It can take the safety out of suburbia. You're Next is not the first film to utilize this concept (Funny Games, The Strangers and Halloween immediately come to mind), but it employs it well while successfully mixing in dark comedic elements creating a surprisingly original experience in an arguably tired sub-genre.

Director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett have pulled off another great collaboration balancing horror and comedy well with plenty of twists and turns throughout. The story is centered on the Davison family who are celebrating the 30th wedding anniversary of parents Aubrey and Paul in a secluded country mansion. The festivities take a deadly turn when lunatics donning animal masks begin picking them off one by one in gruesome ways. Although You’re Next has not been marketed as a horror comedy it easily falls into the sub-genre. Audience members around me were laughing as much as they were jumping in fright. A lot of the comedy comes from the bickering going on between the siblings. Joe Swanberg (Drake Davison) really shines as the stuck up brother who takes every chance he can to demean his siblings. Director Ti West also has a brief but memorable role as documentary film maker Tariq whose film was screened at the 2008 Chicago Underground Film Festival and prides himself on creating “art”. It’s an amusing skewering of the pretentious art-house filmmaker and his fans should get a kick out of the role.

Podcast Episode 7

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In Episode 7 Connor wants William Devane to cry in 1977's Rolling Thunder, Mike doesn't believe Juno is that tough in 2005's The Descent and Adam doesn't understand how New Eden works in 2010's Stakeland. We also discuss Romero's aspirations for a new zombie project, the proposed cuts for the US distribution of Snowpierecer and much much more. This podcast will contain spoilers! Enjoy!

Maniac (2012) - Review

I am not one to regularly cry foul whenever a remake or reboot of a popular horror film or franchise is announced because while a high percentage of them are merely tolerable at best, every once in a while we get a remake like Maniac. A perfect example of how a director can update a film with style and creativity while still maintaining the essence of its source material.

In terms of story, Maniac is true to its source. We follow serial killer Frank as he stalks the streets hunting women in order to scalp them to take home and add to his growing collection. He attaches their scalps to mannequins using them as vessels through which his victims can once again live and inhabit his lonely world. While the story remains largely intact the differences come in terms of overall execution and casting. I believe it is in these areas that the film will ultimately fail or succeed for most.

When I first read the reports of how Maniac would be updated shooting primarily from the point of view of Frank I was skeptical. It sounded like a gimmick. Surprisingly to me it worked well most of the time. It’s extraordinarily un-nerving to be in the shoes of Frank as he commits his acts of violence. It puts the viewer in a position where we are forced to sympathize with the victims while actively taking part in their demise. We aren’t flies on the wall anymore. It is particularly uncomfortable to be at the wheel as Frank drives through the city watching women, stalking them. It gives a sense of how easy it is to blend in and how unaware we really are as to who could be watching.

Grabbers - Review

Too many movies in the horror genre devolve into lesser clones of those that came before using tired premises and overused villains. That’s why it’s refreshing to see a movie with an original concept executed in a fun and entertaining way. That movie is Grabbers, an Irish monster flick about bloodsucking alien squid that land off the coast of Erin Island and descend upon the small fishing village. In their way are Garda (Irish police) O' Shea; an alcoholic, Garda Nolan; a busy body on temporary assignment to the island, Dr. Adam Smith; a geeky British scientist and Paddy Barrett; a drunken fisherman.

The grabbers are a mix of CGI and practical effects but mostly CGI. They look pretty good though and it never takes you out of the film. They feed on their victims through a pointed tongue which shoots out like a frog grabbing their victims (hence the name) draining their blood. A grabber only needs two things to survive, water and blood, meaning the only time they can attack the island is when it’s raining and there happens to be a storm heading right toward Eden Island. Another of the grabbers’ weaknesses is none other than booze which basically means the Irish are the grabbers’ kryptonite. Once this is discovered it sets up the second half of the movie as O'Shea and Nolan struggle to keep everyone in town nice and hammered.

Podcast Episode 6.5 - Cop Killers

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This week we have a special "minisode" of Midnight Triple Feature where we cover Cop Killers from 1973. Two guys kill some cops while smuggling cocaine across the Mexican border and craziness and hilarity ensues. Enjoy!