It’s interesting that director Rory Abel’s horror drama “Phobia” works on various levels. As a movie about a man dealing with the trauma of a horrible accident that left him an agoraphobe, “Phobia” works. I found much of the material involving agoraphobia to be very compelling, and often very suffocating. Director Abel is able to convey a shockingly accurate depiction of agoraphobia, with actor Michael Jefferson giving a remarkable turn as a man confined to his two story brown stone. It’s when the movie transforms in to a more supernatural thriller is where it falters.
Tag Archives: Mystery
Fire in the Sky (1993)
Director Robert Lieberman’s horror drama has a lot going for it, one of which is the immense dread that drips from every minute of the film. We’re never quite sure what occurred to character Travis Walton in the woods, and why he was abducted by Extraterrestrials, but I was very interested in finding out how the various sub-plots would fare. Sure, “Fire in the Sky” is a very loose adaptation of the original abduction accounts, but it works as a horror film that side steps awe inducing UFO sighting. There’s not even much of a focus on the abduction of Travis Walton.
Darkman III: Die Darkman Die (1996)
It’s interesting how solid the “Darkman” series ended up being. While “Darkman III” is by no means on par with Raimi’s original, it’s still a very entertaining exit for such a unique superhero. Director Bradford McKay pushes Darkman toward the Phantom of the Opera style super heroics rather than the grisly monster in the shadows this time around, and Arnold Vosloo returns to really provide a passionate turn as Peyton Westlake, once more. While Liam Neeson gets credit for the role, Vosloo really is a great successor in his own right.
Dark Skies (2013)
Your attitude toward “Dark Skies” depends on whether or not you want to see a remake of “Signs.” In reality, the entire movie is one big reworking of the M. Night movie sans the religious overtones. There’s the disjointed family, the bonded siblings, the static laden communication devices, the doe eyed youngster who can sense the aliens, the barking family dog, and there’s even an awkward dinner where the dad begins sharing stories about his children. And yet, despite the obvious derivations from the aforementioned M. Night film, I really enjoyed “Dark Skies” through the very end.
Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998)
For an early specimen of the found footage sub-genre, “Alien Abduction” is surprisingly solid. It’s cheaply made, confined to one setting, and the acting is dodgy, but its execution is creepy and many moments reflect what would become common imagery in future found footage movies like “Blair Witch” and “Cloverfield.” Back before the internet, viral videos trickled in to underground collectors’ circles and even networks that sought out to convince audiences of their realism. “Alien Abduction” is a film desperately trying to convince audiences it’s a real document, and back in 1998, you’d believe it was a groundbreaking chronicle of a family facing aliens.
Grave Halloween (2013) (DVD)
See kids, that’s why whenever you want to honor someone’s memory, sometimes a symbolic ceremony works better than getting lost in woods haunted by demons. You don’t always have to do what dreams tell you to. Despite some flaws in the narrative though, “Grave Halloween” is a solid horror film. It’s a little bit of “Evil Dead,” and a little bit of “Blair Witch” thrown together for a pretty entertaining ersatz Asian horror picture. Albeit one that’s only given the Halloween tag because character Maiko has to commit the ceremony Segaki for her mother, which happens to fall on Halloween.
Scare Zone (A Conjuring Halloween Tale) (2013)
I wasn’t expecting to like “Scarezone.” I didn’t go in to it wanting to hate it, but I was not looking for anything resembling something watchable, either. In the end, “Scarezone” surprises as a solid horror effort that mixes comedy, horror, and a slasher whodunit in to a charming indie genre installment. It’s also nice to see an indie film take a horror attraction and use it to the advantage of the film to induce suspense and tension. “Scarezone” has its faults, but I’d definitely recommend it for experimental fans that appreciate films like “Popcorn,” and “Scream.”