Nicholas Ferwerda’s “Family Game Night” is a short that I could actually see becoming a feature film somewhere down the road. The potential for a dark comedy horror film is right there. As a short though, it’s a very good and very darkly eccentric horror film with a fun twist on the conventional nuclear family concept that entertains successfully.
Tag Archives: Horror
Revenge (2018)
Corealie Fargeat’s “Revenge” is kind a new chapter in the rape revenge sub-genre of thrillers and horror films. It deconstructs an often very controversial and polarizing sub-genre to make it less about the exploitation of women and more about the empowerment of a woman who even views herself as a sex object when we meet her. “Revenge” is a grueling film to endure, but one that is also quite fantastic in its imagery and depiction of men as less cunning sexual predators and more slimy snakes that prey on a woman who proves she is a pure force of vengeance to be reckoned with.
Children of the Corn (1984): Special Edition [Blu-Ray]
It’s surprising for such an iconic author that Stephen King’s tales are so tough to bring to the big screen. I don’t know why “Children of the Corn” has managed to become something of a semi-classic since 1984 because the only scary thing about it is how boring it is. “Children of the Corn” has been a baffling horror presence since 1984, garnering a whole series of movies, including a remake, and sequels to the remake. There’s even been a new film in 2018.
Paul’s Bad Day (2017)
A man wakes up from a black out and everyone around him is reacting rather peculiarly to his waking up.
Written and directed by Phil Bucci, Paul’s Bad Day is an uber short with a good impact and a fun twist on its subject. As a horror sub-genre that is quite overdone these day (and it will not be revealed here to keep some surprise), this new take on it is a breath of fresh air. The very short runtime forces it to be concise and straight to the point, something that is highly appreciated and shows that the filmmaker knows how to use the less-is-more approach to horror.
Girl #2 (2016)
As a killer offs all other sisters in their sorority, two young women argue as to which one will survive based on completely arbitrary characteristics leading the killer to wonder if he’s the crazy one or they are.
Lawnmower Man (1992): Collector’s Edition [2 Blu-Ray]
This was a time where the internet was capable of everything, and virtual reality was the wave of the future, which is what “Lawnmower Man” banks on to tell its yarn about the dangers of mind expansion. “Lawnmower Man” for a movie allegedly based on a Stephen King novella is really just a pastiche of other Frankenstein tales and tech gone bad stories from the past. It’s infamous, also, for being “based on” a Stephen King novel in name only (leading to a very notable lawsuit). Instead of a King tale, we get Jeff Fahey turning in to a computer and knocking boots with a very delectable Jenny Wright.
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006): Collector’s Edition [Blu-Ray]
As a slasher buff, I’m saddened that we’re in a current horror climate where other less deserving slasher films have gotten full fledged franchises while “Behind the Mask” is still just a one time gem. “The Rise of Leslie Vernon” is one of the best slasher films of the aughts that was perfecting the indie slasher sub-genre well before “Hatchet” came along. No slight to Adam Green, but I’d much rather have had three “Behind the Mask” films over four “Hatchet” films any day of the week. “Behind the Mask” is brilliant in not only creating a great slasher villain, but telling a sharp meta-story that dissects the sub-genre as a whole.