deandraslater Reviews

Halloween Ends (2022)

Tries Something Different

[6/10 · 11 March 2023]

A few years after the events of 2018, Laurie Strode has finally gone to therapy and is in the process of writing her memoirs to finally close the chapter on Michael Myers once and for all. Unfortunately, her granddaughter gets involved with a disturbed young man accused of killing a child he was babysitting and a series of murders start up. Is Michael back or is her granddaughter's new beau more unhinged than initially expected?

It might be a little too late in the game to reinvent the franchise in the final installment of a trilogy, but that's what Halloween Ends does. This makes it easily the most interesting and risky of the previous entries in the Blumhouse trilogy, but it doesn't fit in well with the previous two films. Not since Season of the Witch has the Halloween franchise attempted something this different, but the results are a mixed bag.

Performances and character work are better than the previous films, but there's precious little Michael Myers which will be a huge problem for many Halloween fans. It also brings up interesting themes and topics often, but never explores any of them long enough to say anything worthwhile about them. Scares and suspense sequences seem like afterthoughts, but Laurie and Michael's final showdown is good enough.

Scream VI (2023)

Big Apple Horror

[8/10 · 11 March 2023]

After the events of the previous scream, sisters Sam and Tara head off to New York with fellow survivors Chad and Mindy, but they won't be getting back to normal anytime soon when it becomes clear that another Ghostface-costumed murderer is coming after them.

While the last Scream felt like it was playing it safe, this new entry into one of the strongest and most consistent horror franchises does take a few risks, especially with an opening sequence that hints at a few things more interesting than it ends up completely delivering and with some viciously violent kills. The characters have more depth and life than the previous film and they form an easily to root for gang of survivors. Courtney Cox shows up from the original trio to show support and get one of the film's most intense moments with Ghostface.

Halloween Kills (2021)

Plot Dies Tonight

[4/10 · 2 December 2021]

Unstoppable killing machine, Michael Myers, breaks out of the trap Laurie Strode set for him in the previous film and goes on a bloody rampage through Haddonfield to find his way back home as the townspeople gather to try and stop him once and for all.

Halloween Kills has a bit more atmosphere and Halloween spirit than the previous film and the shots of Myers walking the streets to find his latest victims are effective out of context, but there's next to no story here which might leave many audience members wondering why this was even made. Jamie Lee Curtis is sidelined to a hospital bed for the entirety of the film and the town mob is comprised of a bunch of uninteresting cartoons whose chants of "Evil dies tonight" get exhausting after you hear them for the 150th time.

The Manor (I) (2021)

Hershey and the Creepy Retirement Home

[7/10 · 2 December 2021]

Judith, a 70-something dancer, suffers a stroke and checks in to retirement home for a little rest until she gets better. Once there, she's taken aback by some of the more extreme patients who rant and rave about a monster trying to get them at night. After some investigation, she discovers that these rantings might hold some truth in them and she'd better get out before she becomes the next victim.

It's refreshing to see a horror film featuring almost entirely characters over 70 and Barbara Hershey carries the movie beautifully. She's equal parts vulnerable and sassy. The film might be a tiny bit predictable, but it's a fun ride and a lot of the creature effects appear to be practical and not loaded with tons of bad CGI.

Open 24 Hours (2018)

Slick and Sick

[6/10 · 9 August 2021]

Mary has just escaped from her evil serial killer boyfriend and trying to get her life back together by accepting a job for the night shift at a secluded backwoods gas station. On her first night, she begins to suspect she's either losing her mind or her ex has returned and is intent on terrorizing her and anyone else unlucky enough to cross his path.

The more psychological aspects of the first half of the film are discarded for a finale that felt a little too "torture porn" for me, but it has some suspense and thrills. Way better than many modern horror films.

Fade to Black (1980)

Eric Always Wanted To Be In the Movies...

[6/10 · 9 August 2021]

A movie-obsessed nerd has enough of people not taking his cinematic ambitions seriously, so he kills them in disguises inspired by his favorite movie characters.

As many good things as Fade To Black has going for it, the finished product is unsatisfying in a variety of ways. It's torn between tortured character study and also trying to keep up with the culture's current obsession with slasher movies and doesn't commit to either fully enough to satisfy and it's neither as thrilling or psychologically complex as it could be. Dennis Christopher's performance holds it together even when it comes close to crumbling down.

Garden Party Massacre (2017)

Wacky Horror Mashup

[6/10 · 19 January 2021]

A bunch of suburban friends huddle inside their house after a lunatic with a pickaxe crashes their party and kills their friend. Before long, they're at each other's throats in some hilarious ways.

It took me up until the 20 minute mark to really get into Garden Party Massacre. The humor and performances take some getting used to. Not every performance hits the mark every single time and many of the comedy bits fall flat, but when it works, it works really well and there are enough genuinely funny moments to make it a worthwhile watch. Even better, the film takes some really insane twists and turns right as it's starting to wind down into "been there, done that" territory.

Terror (1978)

Nice Argento Homage

[6/10 · 10 August 2020]

A witch's curse causes bad things to happen to all the people involved in the production of a horror movie and the witch herself might have possessed one of its stars.

Clearly inspired by the work of Dario Argento, Terror is one of those movies where it's best to leave logic at the door and enjoy the gory set pieces and colorful lighting. It starts off slow and even frustrating since there's not a lot of plot or character development to latch on to, but something happens midway through where, if you just turn off your brain and go along for the ride, you'll have a good time.

The Invisible Man (I) (2020)

He's Watching You!

[9/10 · 29 July 2020]

After escaping from an abusive husband, Cecilla struggles to move on with her life and feels that the terror might not be over. She thinks her husband has found some way to follow her and terrorize her further.

The Invisible Man is anchored by the stellar performance of Elisabeth Moss and the tight script by Leigh Whannell. Together, they're a perfect team, creating a story that moves quickly and supplies more than a few well-executed jolts and shocks to make your jaw hit the floor. If you want to nitpick some of the logistics, you could, but the film doesn't allow the viewer much time to think of these things while it's playing out which helps a lot.

Deadly Manor (1990)

Rock Bottom Slasher

[4/10 · 22 July 2020]

A group of friends headed to a lake for a little weekend fun pick up a dangerous hitchhiker and then they stop off at a seemingly deserted mansion instead of sleeping in their car when it gets dark. Little do they know that the house is inhabited by a psychotic killer who will spend the rest of the evening dispatching of them in the most boring ways imaginable.

Deadly Manor's plotting is so nonsensical it sometimes feel like watching someone else's dream. People pick up and believe random hitchhikers, they walk into creepy mansions that don't belong to them to sleep, they go off and investigate strange noises in the night, etc. The acting is about as good as this story deserves, which is to say that it's equally as uninteresting. Nothing about this movie makes any sense and, even worse, it's pretty boring and doesn't even have a few stylish death scenes to make up for it.

The Funhouse Massacre (2015)

A Good Time

[7/10 · 14 June 2020]

It's Halloween night and a handful of inmates have escaped from an asylum and camp out at a haunted house attraction that just so happens to be based on their killing sprees. Obviously, the body count starts spiraling out of control when they open it up to the public and these killers get back to doing what they love best. The Funhouse Massacre won't scare the socks off of you or have you on the edge of your seat, but it boasts a couple of good performances, some well-done set pieces, and a sprinkling of funny gags. There's a fun Robert Englund cameo as well.

One Must Fall (2018)

Wonderfully Acted

[7/10 · 23 May 2020]

When Sarah and Alton lose their jobs for confronting their sexist boss, they get a job at a crime scene cleanup company. On their first day on the job, they end up at a warehouse where the killer hasn't left and he picks them off one by one.

One Must Fall might have some script issues and a killer who just needs to shut up every now and then, but it's beautifully shot and the acting is way better than most films of similar budgets I've seen, especially from Julie Streble and Andrew Yackel as Sarah and Alton who makes for a great team. Despite some flaws, it's still far from a waste of time.

Last Caress (II) (2010)

A Mix of Entertaining Giallo Cliches

[7/10 · 13 April 2020]

Last Caress never really rises to the occasion and offers much that's new or that we haven't seen before, but what it does offer is a refreshingly simple (and quick) giallo homage. It combines elements of well-loved giallos such as Deep Red, Suspiria/Inferno, Blood and Black Lace, and Torso.

The acting and characterizations are about on par with most giallo films and the lighting and set design are wonderfully lush and colorful. The only drawback is the gauzy, digital look of the photography which can betray the vibe it's going for. The sleaze factor is still there, though, with every female in the cast getting nude at some point and suffering an impossibly violent and cruel death. There are machetes to faces, meat cleavers to fingers, and hooks into heads.

At a brisk 72 minutes, Last Caress never overextends itself and even draws up a little suspense during the last act where there's only one final victim to face the killer and they rip off a section of Torso.

There are definitely better giallos out there, but this one moves well, has a lot of fun moments, and you can feel the passion on the screen.

Smoke and Mirrors: The Story of Tom Savini (2015)

Very Entertaining Documentary

[9/10 · 11 February 2020]

If you're interested in horror films or makeup effects, this is definitely the movie for you. It's a deeply personal and interesting look into the life of makeup effects master Tom Savini, warts and all. I never knew Savini had such an interesting life until this documentary. I'd known about his Vietnam days a bit, but I never knew he had such a passion for acting and it occurred to me that, perhaps, this might have been his true love. I'd always assumed that he'd fallen into acting due to his makeup effects work.

Savini comes across as an incredibly likable, intelligent, and warm guy and his daughters obviously think the world of him, which leads me to believe he's a wonderful father as well.

If you have Shudder, this is most definitely worth your time to get a peek behind the curtain of one of the most creative minds of horrordom.

Midsommar (2019)

Unforgettable

[8/10 · 4 February 2020]

I'm not one of those people who thinks every horror film should be 80-90 minutes. There are too many brilliant horror films that have pushed (or exceeded) that 2 hour mark so I can't say that's a wise barometer of a film's quality. However, Midsommar could stand a few trims here and there to tighten things up.

The issue with Midsommar is this - we've all seen movies like this before. We know what's going to happen, yet the characters don't, so we spend an awfully long time waiting for the inevitable as we have to see ancient cult rituals carried out in real time. It can make for an exhausting watch.

It's not the story that Midsommar is telling that's interesting, but the way that it's telling it. With its focus on a toxic relationship between Dani and Christian, it colors a familiar story with something altogether different and unique.

When Midsommar really hits its stride, though, it's off and running and better than just about any other horror film in recent memory. Ari Aster has rounded up another phenomenal cast just like with Hereditary and the film is drenched in dread from the first frame all the way to the unforgettable final frame.

It's, without a doubt, worth seeing.

Ghoulies II (1987)

Worse Than the Original

[4/10 · 4 February 2020]

I don't even know why I gave this sequel a shot since I didn't find the original anything terribly memorable, but I had the double feature Blu-Ray and figured I should give it a shot. After all, some sequels are better than the original. Ghoulies II is not one of those films.

It has a flashy premise - the ghoulies end up crashing a traveling carnival and wreak all kinds of PG-13 havoc - but that's about it. It's mostly style-free with decent enough performances and the occasional chuckle here and there. There's an uninteresting romance subplot between two of the carnival workers and an auditor that's about as gripping as watching paint dry.

If you didn't like the first one, you probably won't like this one much either.

Die! Die! My Darling! (1965)

Just Shy Of Truly Memorable

[6/10 · 22 January 2020]

American Patricia Carrol (Stefanie Powers) travels to the UK with her fiance for his business, but tells him that she's agreed to stop off and visit Mrs. Trefoile (Tallulah Bankhead), her deceased fiance's mother. Once she gets there, she discovers that Mrs. Trefoile is quite the eccentric, uttering Bible verses, performing church services in her own home, and holding her staff under her oppressive thumb. She presses Patricia about her virginity, her church attendance, and gossips about how her church's new priest is a sinner because he dared to remarry after his wife passed away. After all these red flags, Patricia still agrees to stay the night, but she soon finds herself a prisoner in the house, being terrorized by a gun-wielding Mrs. Trefoile who wants to purify her to be good enough for her dead son.

Die! Die, My Darling! is one of those rare movies where the setup might be better than the payoff. Everything starts off with a nice, perky pace and gradually turns into an endless series of Patricia trying to escape, only to be apprehended and terrorized again. Powers and Bankhead sure do commit to the lurid material, though, and that's very admirable. They make it worth watching even when it feels like it sidesteps a few more potentially interesting plot threads and themes to be more palatable to audiences of that time.

This isn't one you'll be remembering alongside Whatever Happened to Baby Jane or Strait Jacket, but it's not a complete waste of time either.

Black Roses (1988)

Heavy Metal is the Devil's Music!

[7/10 · 13 January 2020]

Black Roses tells the relatable story of a heavy metal band that comes to a small town, plays a concert in spite of the protests of some Tipper Gore-esque prudes, and ends up possessing all of the town's children into killing the adults and, sometimes, turning into slimy demon creatures.

At a scant 85 minutes, Black Roses gets in and gets out before you can ask too many questions and that's for the best. The pace is fast and furious and there's never a moment to scratch your head or overthink anything too much. It's the kind of movie made for late night TV where your brain is half-awake and you just want to be entertained. The effects are surprisingly excellent, there's some ok gore, and the story itself is entertaining. Still, I wish I could figure out whose side the film is on. After all, the adult prudes turn out to be right and this band really does bring evil and destruction with them.

Watch Me When I Kill (1977)

Lacking A Few Thrills

[6/10 · 9 December 2019]

Watch Me When I Kill really, desperately wants to be Deep Red. It is not. Still, few films are and Watch Me When I Kill has enough going for it to make it worth a watch. What other giallo film can claim that the killer's motivation involves their family being killed by Nazis. That's not a bad reason for a murder spree if you ask me. It does leave the film on a sour, somber note, but there's still some fun to be had before the big climax. It's never as suspenseful or brutal as some of its giallo brothers and sisters, but it tries so hard you want to give it point for trying.

One thing that does work - the score by Trans Europa Express. It has a distinct Goblin-esque feel to it that works incredibly well.

Triggered (I) (2019)

Frequently Hilarious

[9/10 · 29 November 2019]

If Todd Solondz and John Waters were given $15 to make a movie and decided to do a slasher flick with some of the most bizarre and borderline unlikable characters I've ever seen, it might look and sound something like this. I'm going to need a whole spin off movie with Callee's weirdo mother. She's the one of the strangest slasher film characters since Aunt Martha in Sleepaway Camp.

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail (1971)

Giallo Twists and Turns Abound

[7/10 · 11 November 2019]

I've discovered that, unless you're going with the classic giallos of Argento or Bava, this Italian horror subgenre can be a bit hit and miss. The Case of the Scorpion's Tail is one of the better, more stylish ones with tons of twists and turns around every corner.

In the film, a rich woman's husband dies in a plane crash, making her the sole inheritor of his fortune, but someone has other ideas and will stop at nothing to claim the money for themselves.

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail can go from straight up Hitchcockian suspense to downright daffy in the blink of an eye and this keeps the audience on their toes. The plot is as convoluted as they come, so expect to scratch your head many times throughout.

As many of these Italian giallo films were, this film is remarkably well shot and glossy with some very interesting compositions and Bruno Nicolai's score makes for a nice earworm.

Judy (II) (2019)

Zellwegger is Astounding

[6/10 · 4 October 2019]

Judy Garland is one of the great entertainers of the 20th century and trying to capture her essence is a mammoth mountain to climb for any performance. Renee Zellwegger should be commended for finding the essence of Judy and using it. There are moments where she (under a few lbs of makeup tricks and prosthetics) looks uncannily like her, capturing her twitchy body language beautifully. Every now and then, she even sounds like her a bit when her native Texas accent doesn't accidentally slip in. I'm sure we've all heard far better superficial Garland impressions vocally, but what many of them fail to do is capture her essence which Zellwegger does with seeming ease.

As excellent as Zellwegger is, Judy itself lets her down a bit with a pretty dour story about the last year of Garland's life, spruced up by the occasional MGM studio flashback (many of which don't add much to the film). It's not a very memorable film at all, which is a true shame, because a performance as good as Zellwegger's deserves a better vehicle. Still, against all odds, there are a few moving moments here and there such as a scene where Garland visits with two of her gay British fans and we can see what this woman means to so many people.

Inside (I) (2016)

Who is this for?

[4/10 · 24 September 2019]

I get it. You want an American audience to see a great foreign film without bad dubbing or having to read subtitles. Sure, let's aim for that lowest common denominator. And they do! They aim right for the mouth breathers among us and hit a bullseye by taking out everything risky, terrifying, grisly, and intense about the original film, turning it into something that would play on Lifetime on a Sunday afternoon.

The makers of this movie try to take out everything edgy or visceral about it to make the film as palatable to a mainstream audience as possible, but this big twist is - this went straight to VOD and bypassed theaters altogether. It was released straight to horror fans who have mostly been appalled by how tame and neutered it feels in comparison to the original. You have to wonder who these people are making these remakes for.

Laura Herring and Rachel Nichols are good actresses. How did they end up in this mess? Was the script they read better?

Incident in a Ghostland (2018)

Home Invasion With a Twist

[7/10 · 24 September 2019]

It must really suck to make a film as gut punching as Martyrs so early in your career and have everyone compare every other film you make to that. Ghostland is a good film, but it suffers from a slightly overlong 2nd act where things begin to get repetitive. Even a 5 minute trim would help things roll along smoother.

Ghostland is about two sisters and their mother who move into their aunt's quirky home in the middle of nowhere as two serial killers are prowling the countryside for new victims. Obviously, the killers set their sights on the family and terrorize them.

To say much else would deprive the film of one of its most vicious twists that turns everything you've seen before on its head. Ghostland does seem to have a lot to say about the importance of family and a mother's love for her children. There are certainly moving moments and even a few decent scares, but something feels like its missing.

Ghostland is a movie you can like, but not really love. It's still worth seeing.

Santa Sangre (1989)

Hallucinatory, Beautiful, and Crazy

[9/10 · 20 September 2019]

Santa Sangre starts off a bit slow, but after you get past the first 30 minutes or so, it really starts bringing the crazy and never lets up, turning into a memorable hallucinatory horror/coming of age nightmare. There are some visuals in this movie that I'll never forget (the image of several painted up corpses rising from a graveyard at once is both beautiful and nightmarish).

The story takes place during a multi-year span of time where a young boy witnesses his mother having her arms sliced off after she pours acid on lover and his latest squeeze. The boy goes insane, is committed to an asylum, and breaks out when his armless mother comes to get him. He ends up creating a new act for her where he can be her hands (complete with long, glossy red nails) and she forces him to murder any woman he finds attractive.

In many ways, it's like a crazy Euro version of Psycho exploring the unhealthy relationship between a mother and son with random bouts of Argento-level violence and gore. As I mentioned earlier, the visuals are out of this world, the soundtrack is haunting, and the performances are admirably committed. It's a film that defies description, but you'll be glad you saw it.