Film Review : " Host"

 Shudder is coming correct with horror movies this year, I think the most entertaining one I have seen in something or at least over the course of last Saturday when I downloaded a bunch after feeling I needed to get caught up. This one came out back in July. In the vein of the Paranormal activity movies. The British film is impressive for a variety of reasons . Some of these are behind the scenes, like how the director worked remotely with the actors. The were instructed how to light their shots that were done via Zoom, which is the platform on which the movie was set. But even more they were given a online tutorial as to how they were to handle taking care of all their effects. Some of these included people suspended in mid aire, which I have to assume was handled in post production . 

The writing and the cast are really at the heart of what makes this movie, as well as the mood it creates . This movie is a clear cut lesson often forgotten in horror. You have to care about the characters in order for it to become scary. If you have annoying character or the dumb college kids at Crystal Lake, then you root for the monster to kill them. Some characters do make stupid horror mistakes , but I feel it is given proper context. I do not like comedy , but the beginning of this movie is funny. The drinking game that occurs is one of my favorite moments. I think this makes the characters more endearing. Fun friends that you do not want to see killed.  

Of the six movies I watched last weekend this was the best with "#Alive" coming in 2nd place. I will get around to writing a review of that as well. I think since found footage movies are not coming out at the rate they once were, even if you are not normally a fan of them, there is a great deal that is entertaining about this movie . If you are not into supernatural themes then you are not going to like it , but if you do then this is a must. It might be my top contender for best horror movie of the year. It has certianly been the horror movie I have been recomending the most this week. 

The Top 10 Horror Movies of the Millenium

It's the Time of Year when every one wants to ask me what are the best horror movies . They do not ask me what are the best horror movies for Halloween, just are the best ones and I think those are two seperate questions. So I am going with the best. To make a best of all time would need more than 10 entries , and would be a bit redundant after all how could I make a top 10 without "the Exorcist" , "the Shining" or "Texas Chainsaw Massacre"/ So I am making this list instead, it might spille fresher blood.

There are two components that factor into this what is being defined as good or the best ? What is horror? 

What makes them better than others? ...The ability to make you feel something, feat would be preferred but some of these also embraced a quality of darkness that offered feeling of despair or bleakness, the looming dread. Not jump scares. 

Horror there are many beautiful movies that had horror concepts but were not horror movies. Vampires being one of the most comming concepts that offered wonderfully beautiful movies like..."Let the Right One In" , "The Only Lovers Left Alive" or " Byzantium" but  they were not fear inducing on any level and just great movies.  Nothing wrong with that, it just doesn't belong on this list. Remakes are also disqualified. There is one movie on here that pays heavy tribute, but found it's own way.  There you go now lets not waste any time. 

10- "Green Inferno"

Sure it pays homage to "Cannibal Holocaust" , but the sense of gritty doom it brings is very tangible. How many cannibals in the jungle movies have we gotten in recent years. I also like the perhaps not so subtle message to activists it brings with it. 

 

9- "Frankenstein's Monster" 

I love Frankenstein lore. We get it mixed with Nazi's in a more gritty than grindhouse manner. It's a win. It also shows that Hollywood does not have to pump out the same kinds of Blumhouse crap they do now. 

8-Creep

Pyschos are a common theme in horror. The challenge is to present them in a real way, that has not been done a million times before this movie did that. I also liked "Split" but this movie is more horror and intense than that one. 

7-"House of the Devil" 

A wonderful tribute to the post-"Exorcist" horror of the 80s, I love the mood of this movie. 

6- "House of 1000 Corpses" 

I was on the fence , but it is wonderfully made, and felt intense the first few times I have seen it and fun when I still rewatch it. Zombie has not been able to touch it since. 

5- "What We Become" 

Zombies have been done to death. Not to say there are not still good zombie movies being made, most of them become action. Like "Train to Busan" or "the Horde" . Both great movies, just more fun than scary, not this one . 

4- 'What Keeps You Alive" 

The survivor vengence theme. Another trope that is sometimes pulled of better than others. 'Ready Or Not " was fun this is more intense and scary. 

3- " It Follows" 

The grim bleakness of this movie is wonderful, it left me anxious and in a low swing. 

2- "the VVitch" 

Black Philip became a horror icon. One of the best movies ever made. 

1- "Human Centipede" 

How often has the very premise of a movie made someone afraid to watch it?  Very tastefully done considering the premise. The sequel might have been everything you were afraid this was going to be, but it is what you don't see that scares you. 

the

Film Review : "Possessor"

 I saw a few people refer to this movie by David Cronenberg’s son Brandon as horror.  It’s not. It is dark sci -fi.  I mean in a year where there is a noticed lack of horror movies that might be just sitting on the shelves , I am willing to make do with dark sci-fi to fill that void. The movie is violent enough and at times even gorey. Gore alone doesn’t make something horror.  Not as twisted as say “Old Boy” , the mind fuck is very overt. In fact at times it feels like it is perhaps trying too hard.   It looks great. It is also well acted. The sound mix is crucial to the film and nailed pretty well. All the technical elements of filmmaking he has down. He took notes from his father in this regard. In fact he might even go a little overboard trying to convey the traumatic flashbacks suffered by the conflicted protagonist. 

There are moments when you can not tell what reality they are in. This happens more as the film climaxes. The main protagonist you never get connected to as they are off screen and acting as the title suggests. You get more of the bodies they are riding. I think it does a good job of showing the dissonance it creates. How awkwardly they fit into their lives. There is one scene that I would not say is scary as much as it is , oh jeez this is not going to end well. So Brandon succeeds in making me feel something. If a film can do this they are doing something right. Another mark of the film’s success is when I am watching a movie at home there are enough distractions that I often stop and come back to it. I watched this all in one sitting, 

If you are a fan of his father’s work then you are going to like this movie. I mean the obvious comparison that came to mind was “Existenz” . It just benefits from better cinematography. The use of color in this film is impressive. It glosses over some of the discomfort caused by certain situations presented . If you show up to this movie wanting horror you may be disappointed. The trailer is kind of vague  and elusive when painting the best picture of what the tone is going to be. Dark is a fitting adjective for the film for sure. The premise of the movie is much more Phillip K Dick than Cliver Barker or Stephen King. I think if this came out in the summer before we experienced such a drought of horror, the lack of horror might not be a disappointing factor as it is very well made. Adjust your expectations going into this and if you like paranoid science fiction then this will be a fun ride for you.