END OF THE YEAR: 2021 Top 10 Movies

    Well, here we are everyone. The last article of 2021. We made it through 2021. What a year it has been. I wanted to say thank you to everyone that has shown support. I could not have done this without you. The guys over at Essential Scares and Slash in the Attic have been so supportive and helping push me into continuing to further the content. I never could have imagined that would have gone as far as I have so far. And am so excited for the future.

I would also like to thank my partner, Mandy. They have been here for me through it all. So supportive. They knew how much this meant to me. They could see the stupid twinkle in the eye I had when I talk about the blog. It means everything that they have been here by my side. 

One of the biggest feats has been getting the opportunity for my first press junket with SYFY for Slumber Party Massacre '21. That was such a wild experience. Unfortunately I wasn't able to do the zoom chat interview, but that didn't stop me as conducted the Interview in my style - through email. It may not be the best way to do it, but it's casual and no pressure. It makes it just a normal conversation. And that's pretty cool. 

I also had the pleasure of getting five screeners this year. Into the Blumhouse from Amazon Prime and the Fear Street series. It was wild getting to see them first and then conducting the reviews. Even more so for Slumber Party Massacre as had to deal with having a time where couldn't share certain aspects at first. It's honestly something I feel like has helped strengthen my writing. 

And over on Twitter, we hit 473 followers. That's pretty huge considering I hadn't started the Twitter account till just July of this year. 

There's also been my health that been dealing with. It's been all dental - so no worries about me going anywhere anytime soon. I underwent surgery and had teeth removed. That's what started everything this year. The blog gave me a way of keeping my sanity while I was in recovery. And hey, now have a big smile once again as received my dentures in time for Christmas. A Christmas miracle indeed.

Now, we are all here so that I can share my Top 10 of 2021. When I first started crafting the list, it looked a bit different. With the last week of last minute reviews, it changed things pretty drastically. Movies I had in the top spot were pushed back. Movies that I thought would be on the list - well, they were sidelined. It's a tough thing to sum up the best horror films of 2021. Or at the very least a Top 10. 

*Links to the reviews for each film are available in the titles*

So let's kick things off with 

10: Fear (Pt. 1) Street (Pt. 2) Trilogy (Pt. 3)

Fear Street was an interesting addition to this list. The first Goosebumps movie I enjoyed a lot. It was one of Mandy and I's first movies that we went to. However, I always hoped for something a little more mature and adult than what we were given. Thankfully, Fear Street managed to be something very special. It brought back such wonderful memories and feelings that I had from watching the Stephen King adaptations in the late 90s/early 00s. It also helped that the films were not afraid of showcasing some of their inspirations on their sleeves. I mean 1994 and 1978 are clearly harkening back to Scream and Friday the 13th. This was also the series that brought this blog back from the dead. Plus the films are just a lot of fun. I'm still hoping that Netflix will wise up to release official blu ray release cause they would sell like gangbusters. And here's to hoping that we will get more Fear Street in the future. 

9: Wrong Turn '21

Wrong Turn '21 was honestly everything that I was hoping it would be. It wasn't a retread of the familiar cannibal hickerbilly family that has played out by now. Instead this incarnation proved to be something of a reworking of what a Wrong Turn film could be. It was a pretty bold move that, for me, paid off. 

8: Werewolves Within

Werewolves Within was just so much fun. It seem to come completely out of nowhere. I wasn't prepared for all of the colorful characters in the film. A lot of things worked together so dang well. And just the way the cast plays off of one another is utterly fantastic. 

7: Slumber Party Massacre '21

I enjoyed the original Slumber Party Massacre. It was interesting and honestly among the best in the early 80s slashers. This 2021 retelling brilliantly subverted all expectations. Whenever I thought the story was going to be going one way, the film would be like Nah. It also wasn't afraid of poking fun at itself and at the genre. 

6: Antlers

Antlers worked really well for me. Yeah, I was prepared for it to be a creature film. But I wasn't expecting it to be as much of a character piece as it was. It was a nice change in what I came to expect from films lately. And the way that the film just builds to showcasing the creature was fantastic. 

5: Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin

Next of Kin was another one that I didn't see coming. I went in expecting this to be a typical Paranormal Activity film. At this point, the franchise had played out its previous story with ghosts. This managed to take all of those expectations I had and smashing them. This is a different kind of film compared to those previous entries. By the end of the film, I was all on board with the direction that they were taking things. I'm hoping that we will see further installments with this storyline. 

4: Candyman

Candyman. Candyman. Candyman. Candyman. Candyman. Nia DaCosta delivered a powerful film. The visuals and storytelling was all on point for me. Going into the film, I was already prepared to love it. Something I wasn't prepared for was the places it went. It beautifully mirrors the original film in a way that I haven't seen before. It also re-established what Candyman could be. And boy, he's the whole damn hive. I am prepared for wherever they take the story next as this furthered the mythos in such a unique way. 

3: Malignant

Holy Shit! Malignant left me wanting more of this crazy James Wan. He took all of the expectations everyone had for the film and crafted a beautifully chaotic and utterly balls to the wall film. It beautifully follows the evolution of his film style as it starts on one side of the spectrum and ends on the other. That whole third act after the emergence of Gabriel was so off the wall in a wonderful way. 

2: Last Night In Soho

Last Night In Soho is a beautiful Edgar Wright masterpiece. It honestly felt like his Sixth Sense. The journey went on along with Eloise was so good. The visuals and dreamlike visuals is also on point. Plus, Swing Dancing sequence was super cool. I also was so set on knowing where the story was going, but Wright subverted that expectation. He was like Here hold my beer. This is another that I cannot recommend enough. 

1: The Night House

Holy Shit! The Night House was something that I never saw coming. It managed to get under my skin and make my skin crawl. And still is something that left thinking back on. The relatability of it made the film even more powerful.

Thank you all for a wonderful 2021. Here's to where 2022 takes us. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter. You can also subscribe to receive email updates when new content drops.

The Night House (2021)

     Hello everyone. Welcome back for my final review of 2021. I originally was planning to finish my coverage on Black Christmas '74. However after some recent things going on, I have decided that it'll be better to finish that next month. Trust me, the wait will be worth it as it ties into something else that I have going on. So just bare with me. 

    Yesterday, I had mentioned having a double feature with Werewolves Within. The second film of that double feature was The Night House starring Rebecca Hall. I started watching it and became entranced with the story it was telling. Part of it reminded me of a film that would have come out in the late 90s/early 00s. By far, that's not a bad thing at all. When it was round those times, I would go and stay the weekend with my Grandma. We would spend a lot of time watching so many different movies. It was wonderful. Typically, we wouldn't even bother watching a trailer or knowing anything about it. If the title alone hooked us, well then we would watch it. The same thing happened here. I never once watched any of the trailers for the film or read what it was about. I went in completely blind. And boy, I was not disappointed. 

    The Night House follows the character of Beth, played wonderfully by Rebecca Hall. Be prepared for a lot of Rebecca Hall as she carries this film so much. She is recovering from a loss in her life, her husband. Slowly, she begins witnessing things and uncovering truths that she was unaware of. It is honestly a beautiful story. It's one full of absolute heartbreak. It is a slow burn. From the first minute, I was absolutely hooked. I watched the film broken into chunks. There is a serious tense atmosphere to this film at times - it would leave me with goosebumps on my arms. But there are times where its very dreamlike. It's really a masterpiece. The further down the rabbit hole we descend, the more the tension ramps up. This was an experience that I have never had before. And honestly, I'm not sure I will ever have again. And that's okay. The film had me relating a lot to the character of Beth. I fully placed myself in their shoes. What would I do if this event had happened to me? It just left me thinking about it so much. 

    The cast in this film is astonishing. We have Rebecca Hall, who is the MVP of it. She's so relatable. Sarah Goldberg plays Claire, who at first I was unsure of. I wasn't sold on their friendship. It felt a little hollow at first. But as the story progresses, you begin to see that friendship. And by the end, she proves to be a rock for Beth. Vondie Curtis-Hall plays Mel, Beth's next door neighbor. He's the quiet reserved old man. There's a genuine care for Beth that comes across in his scenes. He honestly also manages to steal those scenes a little bit as well. And then there's Evan Jonigkeit as Owen. What a powerhouse of a performance. I honestly mean that for everyone. This is such a small character piece of a film that if someone wasn't bringing it, it'd bring it down. But that's not the case. 

    This was a film that just oozes in its tension. I was on edge as I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. This is not a blood to the wall, horror film. But a small, intricate thriller. And it works absolutely so well. It's also one that has left me thinking about it. It's there lingering in the back. Just when I thought I had shaken it, something brings it back to the forefront. That's is honestly a testament to the power of this film working so damn well. Now, I understand that there are going to be people where this won't hit. And that's okay because that's the beauty of film. It's all subjective. 

    Overall, I loved The Night House. It's one that I am so happy that I went in completely blind. It drew me in and never let go. It'll be one that I will return to from time to time. I highly recommend it if you haven't checked it out yet. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter

Heavens to Betsy: Werewolves Within (2021)

         Welcome back everyone! Hope everyone has been doing well and continuing to have a fantastic week. Over here at BlazinBlue's Horror Review, it's been very interesting as I have been watching films in a one-two punch it seems. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of watching Resident Evil and Last Night In Soho. It was honestly a very interesting double feature. Two films on opposite ends of spectrum. One a fun popcorn game flick and the other a complete masterpiece. Today, I have to say is going to be another interesting double feature. 

    The first film that I had the pleasure of talking about today is Werewolves Within from director Josh Ruben and writer Mishna Wolff. I had heard a bit about it over the past few months. All of it has been extremely positive. In the past, I have watched movies where I have heard extremely positive things but then the movie fell short. Or in a most extreme case, I just didn't get what all the hub bub was about. I mean I respect the movie and understand what the movie is and what it did for movies - but it just didn't hit with me. So, I went into Werewolves Within with a bit of cautious optimism. 

    Now, this isn't the first Josh Ruben movie I had the pleasure of watching. Over at our friends on Shudder, there was a small movie called Scare Me. It was a very interesting film as it was pitched to me as an anthology. I went into that film with that specific mindset. However, I was completely unaware that it was something different. It was something a bit more experimental, if I may so. It was something a bit more in the vein of a stage play honestly. For the most part, you have two characters just shooting the shit and telling stories trying to scare one another. It was one that I had a hard time trying to find the words to review at the time. But overall, Scare Me had a specific tone with its unique sense of humor. And it's pretty fantastic. 

    This brings me back to Werewolves Within. As much as I thought I was aware of what Werewolves Within was, I really wasn't ready for it. First off, it's fun. Movies nowadays feel like for the most part are trying to hit for the most serious end of the spectrum. So when something fun comes along, boy does it tend to hit. I mean take a look at Knives Out. That's something that is a bit serious, but it's the amazing cast that make it such a fun film to watch as the story unfolds. The same honestly can be said for Werewolves Within, in my opinion. 

    Now, something that I was a bit unaware of was the fact that this is a video game adaptation. That's something that I honestly was unaware of. But then in the first few seconds of the film, the Ubisoft logo is blasted on the screen. Immediately, I had to take a few seconds to figure out exactly what the game was that this was adapting. Back when the Playstation VR was coming out, there was a small game from Ubisoft called Werewolves Within. It was one that I was unaware of and had never heard of. When I delved into the story of the game, I was fascinated with the fact that it was an online game where you have 5-8 players and have to find out the Werewolf amongst the Villagers. Now, that also is a similar playstyle for the party game, Mafia. It also proves that it was something that was ahead of its time as Among Us would later go on to achieve a similar style in a space setting. 

    The film is a similar style in the vein of a fantastically fun whodunit. Roughly as Josh Ruben has mentioned in some interviews, Knives Out with Werewolf. A snowstorm traps town residents together inside the local inn, where newly arrived forest ranger Finn and postal worker Cecily must try to keep the peace and uncover the truth behind a mysterious creature that has begun terrorizing the community. It's a very solid story for a film. As the story slowly unraveled, I found myself not exactly sure where it was going to go. Which that is something that I truly appreciate in films these days. The whole last part of this film is completely chaotic and so wonderfully fun. 

    Now to have a solid film, you have to have a great cast. This is something that is extremely important in an ensemble that whodunnits require. And boy does this film deliver. We have Sam Richardson as Finn. This is the first time I have seen him in anything. And holy crap, I found myself enjoying his performance so much. Finn feels like the ultimate nice guy. He lets others talk over himself, he puts others before himself. He just wishes the best for everyone and has such a genuine urge to help. It's amazing. There's also Milana Vayntrub as Cecily. Now most of the world knows her as the AT&T girl, here she is so much more. I completely forgot that she was the AT&T girl. The performance that she delivers in this film is so amazing. She's fun and cute with so much quirkiness and humor. I cannot wait to see her in more things after this. The rest of the cast that make up this completely colorful and unique town are also so fantastic. I could go on to say so much about everyone because each one are so good. Everyone sticks their performances and I would love to see this cast reunite in another film  because they are so fun playing off one another. 

    Moving on, we have the gore and violence section. Is Werewolves Within something that is extremely gorey and violent? Honestly, there isn't a lot. There is some towards the end as things hit the fan. That's something that is to be expected. But the beauty of this film is seeing how this fantastic cast play off one another. And for the most part, whatever gore could be shown - well, it's handled off screen. That is something that is pretty smart. 

    We have a movie about werewolves. Does it deliver on that front? Yeah. But honestly, if this was a movie that showed everything on the front - it wouldn't be the smart fun film it is. They wonderfully keep the creature to the shadows. I mean, yeah we get to a point in the story where we see the creature. But it's a buildup that pays off wonderfully. 

    One small section that I'd like to mention is the music. There's a point where there's some fantastic use of 90s music. Specifically Ace of Base and Savage Garden. Hearing the songs that are used, it just brought back all that wonderfully cozy 90s nostalgia feelings that I get. It's comforting and I applaud the way they are used. 

Overall, I loved Werewolves Within. It's clever, smart, and fun. I never once found myself bored as we spend time with this great town. The only bittersweet moment that I had was when the credits began to roll because it was over. It's a very fine video game adaptation and may say that it's one of the best. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter.

    

Well, Hello There: Last Night In Soho (2021)

 

   Hello everyone again, Matthew here with another review. Earlier today, I had mentioned that I was beginning to go through things for my Top 10 of 2021. When I had written down every 2021 film that I had covered, I realized that there was only about 12. Honestly, that's a pretty low count. However looking back at it, it's actually pretty impressive considering that's only 2021 releases. So far, as of right now, I have written about 139 articles so far (including this one). That's exceptionally well considering I only recently came back to this back in July. But there was something missing. A member over on Twitter (@oddsocietyUSA) had pointed out that I never covered Edgar Wright's latest film, Last Night in Soho. 

    Now I remember seeing the preview for Last Night in Soho when I went to see Nia DaCosta's Candyman (yeah, that's what I'm always going to be referring to that as). It was something that I hadn't given much thought. The trailer was a very memorable one. It just hit me as being something that looked different. It was something that I knew I would end up digging, but unprepared for just how much. I had also seen the second Malignant trailer that had sold me on that film as well, but that's another story. The trailer was a true spectacle. It had dazzling visuals, it lured you in with its melody, and then promised to be something unexpected. 

    That trailer does not compare to how the film is. It was a great trailer. It brought the film to my attention. However, I have to say that it was a bit of a misdirect. This film is far grander and more grandiose than I could have imagined. This is a film that is truly special. And if I do say so myself, it's one of Edgar Wright's greatest masterpieces. If Shaun of the Dead was his Night of the Living Dead, Last Night in Soho is his Sixth Sense. 

    Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) is an aspiring fashion designer. She is absolutely in love with the 60s. The music and the fashion. It is her absolute inspiration. She's hoping to make her Gran and her mother proud. After moving to London for school, Eloise finds herself being able to be transported back to the 1960s and encounters a dazzling wannabe singer (Anya Taylor-Joy). However over time, Eloise uncovers that not all is dazzling as these dreams of the past begin to splinter and uncover something far darker. 

    This film is so damn good. It's is enrapturing. I am one hundred percent sure that I'll be revisiting it again soon. I would love to dive further into the story, but that would be a disservice to everything Edgar Wright has crafted. Trust me, this is one that you will want to go in blind. 

    The visuals in this film are amazing. Wright lures you in with a beautiful dreamlike atmosphere. The way the film evolves is so good. It begins as a fish out of water story, but then begins slowly going down the rabbit hole. The first trip down the rabbit hole begins with the transportation to the 1960s and it's absolutely fantastic. I mean there is so much good stuff. There's even a swing dancing sequence. And as someone that knows and loves swing dancing so much, it made me so happy to see.  As the story slowly unravels itself, the visuals begin to shift. It's a more haunting atmosphere that is unlike anything I have seen from Wright yet. There were moments that it was absolutely chilling. 

    The cast in this film is so good. Thomasin McKenzie is absolutely brilliant as Eloise. She's endearing and you just want the best for her. Anya Taylor-Joy is just as brilliant with her performance as the mysterious Sandy. As the film progresses, you begin to see Eloise learning from Sandy and coming into her own. With Sandy, it's a bit more of a haunting tale as you see just what the world can do to someone. Matt Smith is here as well. For anyone that doesn't know, I love Doctor Who and Matt Smith was my intro to it. I even enjoyed seeing him in Terminator: Genisys (I will not apologize for that film as I really enjoyed it). But here is a performance unlike any other. He is able to add so many layers to his performance as Jack. Almost like an onion, one would say. Terrance Stamp is also here. And I cannot rave about this performance enough. He may be in the film only a small portion, but when he is on screen - it is amazing. 

    The film does feel different when it begins to shift into horror territory. It's more unapologetic. It's more chilling as it shows just what the world is at times. And then there's a sequence where it takes that step further down the rabbit hole into giallo. Now, we have seen Malignant earlier this year that was Wan's love letter to Giallo. This feels a bit like Wright's love letter to that. And it is beautiful because when things take a turn, it really turns. It all culminates into such a brilliant third act that I never saw coming. The ending of the film was also one that I appreciated and is brilliant. 

    Overall, I cannot recommend Last Night In Soho enough. It is so amazing. I know that it wasn't in theaters long due to the pandemic. However, I really hope that it is able to find its audience. I am sure that it will. This is one that definitely went under the radar for far too long. If you have the chance, don't pass it up. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter.

Welcome to Raccoon City: Resident Evil (2021)

     Hello everyone, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Currently still have a late Christmas gift for everyone with a review of the original Black Christmas. So stay tunedI w for that.

    Resident Evil. It's a title that is such a massive name in both games and movies. It carries a very distinct image when comes to one's mind. Either you think of the fantastic game series or you immediately have flashes of the Paul W. S. Anderson film series. For me, my interaction with the franchise overall is a bit interesting. I remember hearing about the game series here and there after my family had bought a PS1. It was something that was a bit terrified of. For some reason, my mind kept hyping up the games so much. It probably was due to the fact that one of the first games we bought for the system was Alien Trilogy. I was super creeped out and terrified of that game because of the first person perspective and the face huggers that would leap at you and then just appear over the entire screen. Nowadays, I just see it as a Doom clone. 

    Later on, the first Resident Evil movie was getting ready to come out in theaters. I was excited about it. Mostly because I had seen how everyone put the game series in such a high standing. I managed to come across the S. D. Perry Resident Evil novels. If you haven't checked those out, I highly recommend them. They were and still are some of my favorite novels. I was hoping that the first movie would capture some of what made that first novel, The Umbrella Conspiracy, so memorable to me. I had started playing Resident Evil 3 as that was the only one my local video store, Family Video, had. Again, huge scaredy cat when it came to games at that time. So it wasn't a long run. 

    When I had finally had the chance of seeing the film when it was released on DVD, I was a bit caught off guard. Where were the characters that I had known? Why did Paul W. S. Anderson, who claims to be such a fan of the series, care to tell a more original story? Well to an extent, I guess. Why was it so important to have basically carbon copy cutouts of the stereotypes that we were somewhat familiar with? I eventually overcame this and appreciated the film for being a fun popcorn flick. It just wasn't what I was hoping for. I just kept wondering what it would have been like if they would have been more close to the games. But it kept me interested in the franchise. 

    This brings me to Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. This is a very interesting film to me. By now, it's well known that the story is a bit of a mashup of Resident Evil 1 and Resident Evil 2. Also by now, let it be known that I am well acquainted with the story of Resident Evil 2 Remake. When I had first heard it was going to be a mashup, I was a little confused as to why but pretty pumped. I am happy to say that Johannes Roberts did a good job of creating this mashup. The film is a huge rollercoaster. From minute one, immediately we are thrown into the Raccoon City Orphanage where we see young Claire and Chris Redfield. They are under the care of Doctor Birkin. If he had a first name, I don't recall hearing it in the film. This opening sequence is one that was a bit tense and creepy as we are also introduced to Lisa Trevor. I don't know much about this character, but what we are shown in the film. It's pretty interesting and had me wanting to see more of the character. 

    Now, there are flashbacks in the film involving the young Claire. There's not many like one or two that I recall. My question is why? Why wasn't this all connected to the opening sequence? It presents no information that we are not already present to. It honestly feels like it was part of that sequence originally and just moved to different parts to keep it flowing. It's honestly just a small nitpick I guess. 

    Now for the most part, I have heard people complain about the way characters are portrayed. They have said that Leon is presented as a bumbling idiot. Honestly, I don't see him as a bumbling idiot completely. He just feels like someone that is recovering from being a little down on his luck and is a rookie on the police force. It's a bit of a solid introduction to Leon as hopefully we will see him come into his own in another film. Wesker is another aspect that have seen some complaints about. Honestly, he feels like a mashup of Wesker with Barry Burton. It's changes like these that feel different but not bad. I mean we have seen far far worse changes with the Resident Evil lore in the Paul W. S. Anderson side of things. 

    Now, the cast is a bit stacked. We have Kaya Scodelario as Claire, Hannah John-Kamen as Jill, Robbie Amell as Chris, Tom Hopper as Wesker, Avian Jogia as Leon, Donal Logue as Irons, and Neal McDonough as Birkin. Everyone seems to be enjoying the work they did in this film. It doesn't feel like nobody was phoning in their performances. Each performance had something interesting going on with them. The only downside I will say is that the film feels like it throws everything into gear rather quickly. So, we don't necessarily have as much time to get to know the characters a little better. 

    There's action in the movie. Though honestly, not as much as I had hoped for. The trailers made it seem like it was going for a huge bombastic action feel. That is not present here. This is a film where it's a bit closer to John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13. But what is presented here is done well. Well, outside of the final fight that this and the 2002 film had. That part literally had me scratching my head in a small sense of deja vu. 

    This film didn't strike me as gorey. I know that there is some violence in the movie. But nothing too far or heavy on the gore-tastic spectrum. Honestly, there was a point or two where it felt like they had to lean farther on the gore-tastic spectrum for the rating they were shooting for. If those moments weren't there, it wouldn't have felt out of place being a hard PG-13. 

    Now when you think of Resident Evil, you know there are zombies and creatures. This film didn't really disappoint. For the most part, we have our 'zombies'. They are our basic enemy type in the film. Honestly, they did a really decent job of adapting the looks from the games to the movie. We also have our returning creatures - the Pupper, the Licker, and the Tyrant. Each of these creatures are given a sequence that showcases them in a pretty cool way. The favorite easily being the sequence with the Licker. It left me sitting there with my mouth hanging open. It's just such a badass thing that I didn't see coming. The Tyrant was featured in Resident Evil: Extinction. However, I vastly prefer it in this film. It feels a little more grounded in the beginning stage. It feels vastly more practical. It doesn't feel like overbloated CG. The second stage of it can't be said the same for. But that's okay because it's still a bit interesting to see. And then there's Lisa Trevor. I mentioned her earlier and I still don't now much about her. 

    And then there's Umbrella. Umbrella is typically the big bad of the Resident Evil franchise. In this film, they do have a presence. In the background art of the Orphanage, their symbol pops up everywhere. They have mottos with "An Umbrella is a shelter from rain." and "Umbrella is your family now." on the walls as well. This honestly was pretty interesting seeing this presence. Outside of that type of stuff, it's pretty bare. They mention that Umbrella has set up shop elsewhere and it definitely feels like it. It helped make the film more interesting for me, especially as we see the effect that Umbrella had on Raccoon City. 

    Overall, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City delivered on everything I had hoped it could be. If I could go back and tell my younger self to just be patient and wait for a more solid Resident Evil adaptation, I would. This is definitely the film I had hoped the 2002 film would be. I am hoping that this will find its audience. Its definitely worth taking the time to spend with it. And it's honestly, my favorite video game adaptation so far. Hopefully we will get another installment that furthers the world that's being established. 

Rating: 4 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter.

Home for the Holidays: Black Christmas (2006)

     Hello everyone. Welcome back to Home for the Holidays. Yesterday, I shared my thoughts on Sophia Takal's Black Christmas from 2019. It's been interesting seeing some of the response to that film. So I guess my thoughts on it could be considered to be a bit of a hot take. 

    Today, I get to present my thoughts on Black Christmas (2006) or as it was presented Black X-Mas. One thing that I have to say is that it feels absolutely crazy that it's been 15 years since this film was released. Where did the time go? It just feels like it was released not that long ago. 

    I remember when it was being released that the marketing was absolutely bonkers with it. Every time I turned the tv on, I would find at least once during a commercial break that there'd be a preview for the film. It was a bit of a big deal and they were pushing the film pretty hard. At that time, I hadn't give it much thought. It was at a time where remakes were a bit of hit or miss. For the most part, the track records were miss. I hadn't even heard of the original Black Christmas either. So this was my initial introduction to Billy. But the previews just made it look rather bland - like it was just every other slasher that was being released at the time. It felt like it lacked the thing that made it unique. 

    I can definitely say that the wait to see it was worth it. And those initial previews for the film were a byproduct of the marketing team not understanding what the film was. When I finally had the chance to see the film, I was taken aback by it. It is a rollercoaster of a film. It is unnerving at some times. It is unrelenting. It is very unapologetic. It's screaming from the rooftops, "I'm Black Christmas. I'm here. Take it or leave it. But just know, I'm not going anywhere.". 

    I remember that there was a time where the appreciation for the film was something that was in the minority. It wasn't very vocal. The mass public had definitely decided to snuff the film because it wasn't the original 1974 film. However, I have been in that minority. I loved the film for being what it was. What Glen Morgan and James Wong were able to do was very interesting. They had taken the essence of the original film and ramped up the weirdness and icky. They were letting the horror flag fly in a sense. When I dived into my DVD features, I was very excited to hear that Bob Clark was very supportive of it. He was enjoying the fact that they were making the story their own, instead of straight up rehashing what had come before. Now, it's awesome seeing the appreciation for the film as it seems to have found its audience and become a bit of  an underrated cult classic. 

    The story of this film roughly has a few key elements of the original. We have Billy, who is stalking in the shadows. We have the sorority who have made his former home their own. We have the creepy boyfriend who has a bit of a secret of his own with Kyle. One by one, Billy begins to take them out. Roughly that's what I remember from the original film. However, it beautifully ramps things up in such a unique way. It hones in on the theme of family so well. They definitely took chances with it. They introduced the character of Agnes working alongside Billy. This whole aspect was one that completely caught me off guard in my first watch of the film. The innerworkings of Billy's backstory is extremely extremely disturbing and creepy. Just the whole relationship between Billy, his mother, and Agnes is one for the history books. Honestly in one aspect, it could feel like a small precursor to what Rob Zombie did with his take on Halloween. The more I think about that, the more I appreciate how it reflects the original films influencing one another. 

    The characters in the film are a bit interesting. For the most part, they do a great job of harkening back to those original characters but a bit more modern. Billy is pretty solid. Yeah, he takes a huge leap into the limelight compared to the original. But that's okay, it honestly makes this such a unique entry. All of the actors and actresses bring their A-game. It was really interesting coming back to this after some time and seeing where some of the actors and actresses went in their careers. I mean Katie Cassidy ended up moving on to other horror films as well as being such a vital part of the CW's Arrow. 

    The gore in this film is on its game. It is not afraid to give the audience what it wants. And that's letting the blood fly. There are countless times where an icicle is used as a weapon. I mean it's basically a key weapon. However, there is a variety to the murder mayhem. And it doesn't disappoint. 

    Overall, I have to say that I still love Black Christmas (2006). It wants to be its own thing. And that's pretty cool. Its definitely a beautiful addition to horror holiday films. I honestly would have loved to have seen a sequel (if it would be possible). If you haven't checked this out, I definitely recommend it. 

Rating: 4 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter.

Home for the Holidays: Black Christmas (2019)

 

    Black Christmas is considered by many to be the ultimate Christmas horror film. It is the pinnacle of what this branch of the genre provides. It is tense and littered with atmosphere. It keeps its threat in the shadows. Since that 1974 film, we have seen two more additions that crafted an anthological franchise. Honestly, I would consider that to be pretty impressive. 

    In 2019, we had our latest addition to this franchise. It was Sophia Takal's take on Black Christmas. The film was by many considered to be an unmitigated disaster. It was honestly what they would probably consider to be Blumhouse's first black mark on their resume. Blumhouse honestly is to this generation what New Line and Dimension were in the 80s and 90s. For the most part whenever I see something be labelled as a Blumhouse film, I tend to go in a bit open minded. 

    When it came to Black Christmas 2019, I missed it when it was released in theaters. I had kept my ear to the ground on it. So I had heard a lot of what many would consider its faults. For me, I had the pleasure of getting to catch the film last Christmas Eve. My partner and I were finishing up wrapping presents and getting them underneath our tree. Why not watch a Christmas horror film? So, I booted up our Vudu account and hit Play. 

    I had gone all in on the film. I managed to keep an open mind the entire runtime. Yeah, it wasn't a retelling of the story from the original film. It didn't have to be for me. It was something different. It honestly felt a bit fresh. Yeah, it was PG-13. But for me, that didn't hurt it. It's honestly nice to have some Christmas horror films that aren't straight Rated R bloodbaths. Actually sometimes it's nice to be able to go into a horror film that's just PG-13 over R. Almost a bit comforting if you will. Yeah, I have heard that there was originally a Rated R cut that ran 111 minutes. But for the most part, this PG-13 cut was solid. 

    Sophia Takal and April Wolfe crafted a film that stands apart from the original Black Christmas. To some, it probably felt a bit heavy handed with its themes. But it never felt like that. Yeah, its a bit unique with its shifting of the villain from Billy to the Hawthorne College Illuminati. There isn't one sole person but overall those members of the fraternity. It felt like the Hawthorne fraternity was a Legion that was spread by the mysterious black goo. Yeah, I said that right. There's black goo that is able to infect the men and turn them against the women. Does that hinder the film? Not really. 

    The characters in this film are all pretty unique. Well, besides the cold opening character of Lindsay. Every one has something that makes them feel like real people. They just aren't straight cookie cutter stereotypes. All of them also don't take crap when things start coming to a head. Imogen Poots delivers a solid performance as Riley. She's a bit on edge at the beginning of the film, but as it goes on she comes into her own. Cary Elwes once again brings a solid performance to the film. He's a very strong headed character, especially with the reveal at the end of the film. By that point, I wasn't surprised with it. 

    With the trimming of the film down to PG-13, it meant that there was a bit less violence. What violence there is in the film doesn't feel out of place. It all works together to serve a purpose. Would I be interested in seeing what the R cut would have been like? Yeah, I would be interested. Does it hurt the film? No. 

    Overall, Black Christmas 2019 isn't as bad as many have said. If you go in with an open mind, you might be surprised at how smart and entertaining the film can be. Is it perfect? No, but what film is? It is a good watch for the holiday season. 

Rating: 3.75 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter.

Home for the Holidays: Krampus

Welcome back to Home for the Holidays! How's everyone's holiday season going so far? It's been a crazy chaotic one so far. But then again, when isn't it a crazy holiday season each year? Everyone just wishes for the perfect holiday. We keep seeking for those same feelings that we had when we were younger. However we can never rekindle those familiar feelings, we may come a bit close to it. But never achieve that perfect holiday season. And honestly, it's better to appreciate the time that we have with family while we have it. They may be crazy but I mean come on, they can't be as crazy as the Griswolds. 

You may be asking yourself "What does this all have to do with Today's movie?". Honestly, it's the theme and moral of the whole movie. Today, join me as we discuss Michael Dougherty's second holiday classic, Krampus.

Back in 2007, Michael Dougherty brought us the Halloween classic Trick 'R Treat. It was such a delight back then. It perfectly encapsulates a lot of things that we love about the spooky season. I mean there's a reason that it went on to become such a classic all these years later. 

In 2015, Dougherty returned to bring us his second holiday film with Krampus. It was something that I honestly never expected to love as much as I do. I love Trick 'R Treat. It's a family tradition to watch it at least once during the spooky season. But for Christmas, we had Christmas Vacation. I mean to an extent one could view that as a horror movie unto itself. The whole squirrel sequence was one I remember terrifying me as a child. When I had heard word of Krampus, I instantly was excited. I just hoped that it would be as special as Trick 'R Treat. 

When it was released, the terrible thing was that our local theater wasn't playing it. It seemed to have been a victim of a wacky theatrical release. This had unfortunately been the same issue with Trick 'R Treat except that had been shelved and then shoved directly onto home release. 

This led me to first watching it when it hit home release. It honestly lived up to the hype that I had for it. It was a beautiful love letter to the crazy family holidays. Just ya know with Gingerbread Men ready to attack, dwarves that felt like they were out of Phantasm, a Jack in the Box that surpassed Demonic Toys, and the big entity himself - Krampus. 

The Engels somehow manage to outdo the Griswolds when it comes to dysfunction. Actually they wouldn't feel out of place of living down the street from them. Oh crap, now that's head canon. And before you say Howard is nothing like Cousin Eddie, I'll say you are crazy. Howard is probably good buddies with Cousin Eddie. And that is why this film works. It calls upon what we know of holiday classics and adds a beautiful horror twist to them. It's pure nostalgia and love. But it's also completely relatable. I mean there's probably a time or two when we were younger that we could see ourselves as young Max. I mean nowadays I can totally relate to Adam Scott's Tom. 

This cast in the film is fantastic. Each one of them is very unique and distinct. They are a dysfunctional family and not just some cookie cutter Hallmark crap. Adam Scott is so good as Tom. Toni Collette's performance doesn't feel as dissimilar to her performance in Hereditary. That's pretty awesome. David Koechner is also fantastic as Howard. Honestly, I have yet to find a film that he's in where I didn't like his performance. And yes, Scout's Guide to the Apocalypse is amazing. Conchata Ferrell also is superb as the terrible Aunt Dorothy. In the beginning of the film, they all may seem one note. But over time, they grow and become an awesome family unit. You can't help but be endeared by them.

Does this film deliver in the horrors? Absolutely. We watched it this year with our son for the first time. He has heard us discuss it before. And even questioned Why he has a homemade Krampus bell hanging by his door. He absolutely loved the film. He was horrified by the toys in this film. The Angel and Bear were the most terrifying. He kept asking why when they showed the Jack in the Box. That whole sequence with the toys is a bit unsettling. The best part for me this time around was the Snowmen that appeared in the yard. I never really paid them much attention before to notice that as the family members fell, a snowman would appear. That was a very cool attention to detail. And then there's the whole sequence with Beth being chased by Krampus. It just oozes with atmosphere and a bit of dread. 

This is family horror that is done right. Its rating allows it to join the ranks of cult classic alongside Gremlins. It's honestly one that the whole family can enjoy. And that's pretty special as there aren't many good horrors the whole family can watch. Especially as there is not much gore and that does not hinder the film one bit.

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter.

Book Review: Those We Left Behind And Other Stories

Hello everyone. Hope everyone's been well while I've been gone for a little while. Lots of crazy things happening at home. I mean tis the season and all. Slowly we been working through the Night of the Reviews retrospective. I think I'll be having two or three more installments left for that. 

However we have something to be excited about. I have our first book review here on BlazinBlue's Horror Review. 

Those We Left Behind is an anthology written by Brandon Applegate. Mr. Applegate was so awesome and kind to send a pre-release copy to me. 

Now, I will say that the cover for the book is what made me stop and go 'Hey, this is something different here.'. It brilliantly grabs your attention and draws you in. After that alone, I was on board. It just screams horror in a way that I haven't seen in some time. I mean look at that haunting image above. 

The next thing that just lured me in was the sypnosis of this anthology. 

"A bedtime story has unspeakable consequences. A walk in the woods introduces a father to his daughter's horrifying new friends. A bit of trash in the shower drain leads to a surreal fight for survival. In this collection that ranges from magical fantasy to blood-spattered horror, Brandon Applegate guides you on a journey through the darkest, most tragic corners of his imagination. From the surface of Mars to the supposed safety of a child's bedroom, his stories will remind you that it's not a sacrifice if it doesn't hurt."

This sypnosis is alone so powerful. It lays out a groundwork of what one could possibly imagine. And for me, that's a deep deep rabbit hole. There is absolutely so much that my mind alone could come up with. And honestly, it's only a small fraction of what one could find in this fantastic collection. 

Typically, I imagine that when one does a book review that they tend to go in depth of what makes it so great. However, I'm not going to go into too much detail. It would honestly be a huge disservice to this collection to give away all its secrets. It is a very powerful journey. I have yet to think of a book that has hit me so hard as this one has. And that is saying a lot as I have read Pet Semetary. I know that there's a lot of people that consider Pet Semetary to be such a high bar. As a parent especially, it's truly deeply terrifying the thought of losing one's child. However what Brandon has done with this collection of stories has surpassed that. 

This collection can be a bit of a brief read. I mean the whole thing in all is 128 pages covering seventeen stories. That's a really fast read if one so wills it. However, I don't recommend doing that. Take the time to just let the stories unfold on their own. Don't rush it. It makes the journey so much grander and greater. Something I greatly appreciated with this was that there was story notes at the end, as well as content warnings. Now this is something that I honestly haven't seen in other anthologies. It allows the reader to get a glimpse behind the curtain as well as if one wishes get a brief idea of what to expect. 

The more that I think about it, the more I tend to think of this anthology compared to Joe Lansdale's High Cotton. I remember diving into Lansdale's world of reading back in the early 2000s. It was just after Showtime brought us the Masters of Horrors. Specifically the one - Incident On and Off A Mountain Road. It was a bit of a gateway as that also introduced me to Don Conscarelli's work on Horror as well. High Cotton was a fantastic read. Definitely one of my favorites for sure. I am happy to say that Those We Left Behind and Other Sacrifices has joined that in the pantheon. 

What I will talk about is that first story in this collection, Bedtime Story. At once, it feels like a familiar setup with a Grandpa telling his grandson a story. It's light hearted and relatable. It's comforting. However as the bedtime story moves on, it becomes clear that it's Grandpa's story. It's one of doing ones duty, loss, heartbreak, and becoming lost in the world. It's such a twist that left me floored. By the end of the story, I was sitting there with the book in my hands just shocked. I hadn't seen the ending coming by a longshot. It in a way sets the tone of what this collection will be like. It's not going to be happy or comforting. Again as Grandpa beautifully puts it in the story, "It's not a sacrifice if it doesn't hurt.". 

In the end, Those We Left Behind and Other Sacrifices feels like a new brand of horror in one way. It's not relenting. But in a sense, it feels like a callback to Lovecraftian. This collection is one that I highly recommend. It's a fantastic introduction to what Brandon Applegate can do. And I cannot wait to see what comes next. If you have a chance, pick this book up. It can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble as well as his website.

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

Follow Brandon Applegate on Twitter and check out his website.

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter.

Night of the Reviews: Dawn of the Dead (2004)

     After the beginning of the resurgence of the zombie genre with 28 Days Later and the first Resident Evil, producers Eric Newman and Marc Abraham wanted to help blow the doors wide open for the genre into modern times. I can definitely say that they were largely successful with that. Dawn of the Dead 2004 was written by James Gunn and directed by Zack Snyder. At the time, the pair were rather unknown names. Well I guess you could say that James Gunn wasn't that unknown, he had written the live action Scooby Doo zombies by then. Looking back, it was pretty fantastic to see how they would go on in their careers to become such large names in horror and the superhero genre. 

    Dawn of the Dead 2004 was a remake of George Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978). For the most part, it does everything that a remake could do rather successfully. One of the biggest reasons why this film worked so well is its casting. Sarah Polley, Ty Burrell, Ving Rhames, Michael Kelly, and Mehki Phifer are all the big names. There are a lot of other now well known actors and actresses that also pop up in the film. This ensemble is incredible. Everyone plays off one another so wonderfully. And even the great Ken Foree returns in a cameo as a Priest on Televsion and delivers his iconic line from the original 'When There's No Room in Hell, The Dead Shall Walk The Earth'. 

    Another success for this film is that it's not a retelling of the original story. Yeah, we have the basic foundation of survivors living out in a shopping mall. That's about as much of a connection to the original as we are going to get. And that's is 100 percent okay. It allows this to be more of a reimagining than a remake. And that is exactly what it needed to be. It allowed so much freedom to unshackle themselves from being a straight up remake. It allowed us to grow with these new characters and establish connections with them. And when some of them start falling, boy does it hurt. 

    If Night of the Living Dead 1990 had a little gore, Dawn of the Dead 2004 brings the gore in with a firehose. The blood flows swift and free when everything hits the fans. It's honestly pretty fantastic. Then there are the zombies. And yeah, this film straight up calls them zombies. This was the first of the new generation of zombie films that called them what they were. It definitely set the tone by doing that. These zombies are also securely not in the Romero mold. They broke the mold completely. They are fast. They are swift. If you aren't careful and blink, you'll be overcome rather quickly. These updated zombies are fantastic and scary as all hell. I mean in the opening moments of the film, we are treated to the neighbor girl sprinting so fast down the hallway towards Sarah Polley. I remember seeing this in the theater opening day. This moment had such a powerful impact as it still is so terrifying to this day. It brilliantly establishes what to expect from the film. 

    Dawn of the Dead 2004 holds up so well to this day. It's a brilliant example of what a remake should be. Honestly as we will see with some of the other remakes in this franchise, they didn't learn from this example. The fantastic thing is that Dawn of the Dead 2004 makes a brilliant double feature with Night of the Living Dead 1990. I wish we could say that Day of the Dead received similar treatment. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter

Night of the Reviews: Night of the Living Dead (1990)

Hello everyone, welcome back to Night of the Reviews. I had a day or two to decide on what would be the next film to cover. I mean I could easily go and talk about Diary of the Dead. But at this time, it didn't feel right to just jump into it yet. So I decided to start tackling the remakes.

When the original Night of the Living Dead was released, it was released without a copyright. This put the title fully into the realm of public domain. This allowed anyone the chance to use the title if they wished. It also meant that the original crew wasn't seeing all of the revenue from the film that they had hoped for. After 1985, George was seeing a lot of success from his 'of the Dead' films. Night was a cult classic. Dawn had proved that George wasn't a one trick pony with his stories. And Day definitely delivered on the natural evolution of how the fight for survival against the dead would go. 

At the time, there were some people that were wondering how it would go to remake Night of the Living Dead. George had agreed that it would be a good way of getting some of the money they would have gotten from the original film. However, George was quick to say that he would not direct it. He had directed the original and that was enough for him. He was ready to hand it off to Tom Savini. 

Now I had grown up watching this more than I had the original. So as great as the original is, this was my Night of the Living Dead. It for the most part follows the original story. But it updates things to well 90s modern day. But the strongest part of the film for me is the fact that Romero got to have Barbara survive and be more active in the story. For the most part, it's a very Ripley-ish Barbara and for me that wasn't a bad thing. Honestly most of the small changes were for the better. The cast of this film was also something that made it pretty damn special like the cast of the '68 film did. I mean we have Tony Todd in his first starring horror role as Ben. This interpretation was a bit in the vein of the original but for me it feels elevated. This isn't Tony Todd doing a Duane Jones impression. He is able to make the role his own. And for me, this was my Ben growing up. Patricia Talllman delivers an incredible performance as Barbara. She is able to stand toe to toe with Tony Todd's Ben as well as Tom Towles's Harry. She is someone that will not go down without a fight. And for the most part, she is the voice of reason. It's just the others have an issue seeing her viewpoint because they are so set that they are right. I mean if they had listened to Barbara - chances are it'd be a whole different ending for them. 

Now this film does have its gore. It's not surprising as ya know, it's a Savini project. Savini was able to take the ideas of the walking dead from the original and bring them into a more modern time. They are more decaying. There is definitely a lot more variety to them as well. I mean at one point, we see a corpse that is probably a few hours old walking to reveal its scars from being prepared by the mortician. This was a pretty incredible reveal.

Overall, Night of the Living Dead 1990 still stands as one of my favorites. I have grown to love the original film, but for me this one works better. 

Rating: 4.25 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter.