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. 

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Fear, Inc. (2016)

‘What would you do if you found yourself in a horror film?’. That is the question that the 2016 film Fear, Inc. asks.

Fear, Inc. is definitely a love letter to the horror genre. It is a small indie film. One that when it was initially released it flew under the radar. It wasn’t till recently that I discovered it on Hulu.

Fear, Inc. follows a company of degenerates who can be hired for a premium to bring your greatest fears to life. But when horror junkie Joe Foster’s customized scare seemingly begins, he and his friends must decide if this company is there to scare them or make them pawns in their own sick game.

The story definitely feels fresh and original. There are homages to other films in the genre. But it never feels out of place. The opening of the film is one that sets up the world and the rules of The Company. It is a very strong opening and will not wish to spoil.

After the opening, the film spends its time introducing the characters. The stand out of the film cast is Lucas Neff’s Joe Foster. He is a bit of a lovable oaf. But he is the everyman. Ultimately, the film fell on whether or not he was relatable. And I would say that it succeeds. The rest of the cast does an outstanding job.

The film proceeds to throw Joe into the world of Fear, Inc. along with his loved one and friends. It is a bit like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. It’s something that will change the course of the film altogether. I can definitely say that I was very impressed by the film. I had it pegged that it was going to be one thing. But then, it just took a step off the path and went into an entirely different direction. And that is definitely the film’s strength – its unpredictability.

I would highly recommend this film. It is a very strong and passionate love letter to horror. It’s original and fresh. If you have a chance to see it, don’t pass it up.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

The film was directed by Vincent Mascale from a script written by Luke Barnett. Starring Lucas Neff, Caitlin Stasey, and Chris Marquette. It is available on Hulu.

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Welcome to Shadyside - Fear Street:1994

In the 90s, R.L. Stine was known mostly for his Goosebumps books. Yeah, there were some other books that he had done. But I knew mostly Goosebumps. And man, I am a bit sad that hadn’t dived into the Fear Street novels during those days.

In 2015, R.L. Stine had a resurgence due to the success of the Goosebumps film. Which I’ll admit that I even found something to enjoy from it. But I wished that it was a bit darker.

My wish was granted with Netflix’s summer event – Fear Street.

The first chapter in this trilogy Fear Street Part 1: 1994 landed this past Friday on the streaming giant.

This film is something special. It is honestly the first fun film that I have watched in a very long time. It’s a callback to the 90s films of old that were fun. They didn’t care to take themselves too seriously. They were there to entertain and give us characters we can relate to and care about.

1994 gives us characters to care about in spades. Each of the performances in the film just oozes 90s love. One of the strongest characters in the film is Josh (played by Benjamin Flores Jr.). He has so much heart. I found myself rooting for Josh so much throughout the film. Deena (Kiana Madeira) and Sam (Olivia Scott Welch) were the next standouts. The story between them is one that had me deeply invested in what would happen with them.

The score and music used in the film was great. It helped the 90s nostalgia train a running as it felt like a greatest hits soundtrack. It was also great hearing Marco Beltrami score again.

This film is a gem. It encapsulates everything that was great about 90s horror. All of the references and easter eggs are a complete love letter to the genre. And it leaves me wanting to see what happens in the next chapter – FEAR STREET Part 2: 1978.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

It was directed by Leigh Janiak and starring Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald and Maya Hawke.

Synopsis: A circle of teenage friends accidentally encounter the ancient evil responsible for a series of brutal murders that have plagued their town for over 300 years. Welcome to Shadyside.

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A New Game Begins - SPIRAL: From The Book of Saw

In 2004, James Wan and Leigh Whannell delivered a film that was special with the first Saw. It defied expectations with its twists and turns. And culminating in that iconic end scene that we love so much with “Hello Zepp” playing.

Darren Lynn Bousman than jumped aboard the Saw train and delivering the next three films. For me, they are some of my favorites of the franchise. Especially with the interconnected storylines that flow throughout them. They all are completely solid. And in the case of II, it upped the game.

After Bousman left, the kinetic energy that he provided started to waver. For some fans, they started to see the films as cookie cutters. Just with a new design of traps. And some traps may have felt a little simple or they harkened back to a previous trap.

When I heard that Chris Rock would be joining the franchise with Bousman returning to direct, I was a little flabbergasted. I was very unsure of what to expect. Chris Rock is best known as being a funny man. What could he bring to a Saw film?

As more news of Rock’s involvement spread, we learned that he had a hand in pitching the idea for the film. I was a bit shook. I took a deep breath and wanting to take the film with an open mind.

Then the word came of Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger returning to write the film. They had previously written Jigsaw. Many people have had quite a few bad things to say about that film. However, I enjoyed it a lot. Yeah, it felt in line with the previous films. But it just had a bit of a distinct feel to it.

I watched the first trailer and my excitement for this franchise began to renew. I understand now how the people growing up with Elm Street and Friday the 13th felt because this is how Saw was for me.

And then the news came of Samuel L. Jackson being involved in the film. This was something I never expected in a million years. But it also helps illustrate that this isn’t your typical Saw film. This is something different. Something special.

And then the pandemic happened throwing the release date in disarray. Goodbye October release that Saw is known for. But in the back of my mind, I was okay with it.

After waiting so long, I finally had the chance to sit down and watch Spiral. Everybody that worked on this film delivered in my opinion.

The main summary of the film goes like this “A criminal mastermind unleashes a twisted form of Justice.”. That’s roughly a good summary of the film. It’s vague. Ultimately that sounds like a summary for one of the other films.

This is different. I have seen a lot of bad reviews towards Spiral. I personally think it’s because it is different. It is an evolution for the franchise. A necessary one.

And the film immediately sets the tone that this is a different type of Saw film with its opening. The opening is very brutal. It left me with my mouth open in shock. Then a smile came to my face. I had the feeling that this was going to be something new. It was a similar feeling I had with all of the Bousman-led Saw films. And it just took me back to seeing Saw II at the theater with my Dad on opening day.

After the opening, we are quickly introduced to Zeke (Chris Rock). He butts heads with his Captain – Angie (Marisol Nichols), who assigns him a partner, William (Max Minghella). William and Zeke uncover that this new Jigsaw copycat is targeting crooked police officers. And Zeke’s father, Marcus (Samuel L. Jackson) checks on his son.

Immediately, I thought back over the past year to everything that happened that was Police related. It helped the film hit differently for me. And also added a different feel. Yeah, we seen other cops in Saw films – but they weren’t specifically targeted. Largely, they would get in the way (exception being Detective Matthews). This felt like a very topical film now than may have hit back in October.

The acting in this film is incredible. It elevates the film to a new standard. Everyone is literally on their A-game. It was difficult for me to find fault with anyone’s performance in this film. They were their characters. And that helped create a living breathing world. Something that in the later Saw films had a hard time with.

Chris Rock’s performance is incredible. I was expecting something with a bit of humor. I wasn’t ready for Chris Rock as a hardened character. Zeke’s been through a lot. It’s something I haven’t seen before from him. I hope that we continue to see more of these performances from him.

Samuel L. Jackson does a great job as Marcus. The chemistry between them is very strong and I could buy them as father and son. This was not the ham Samuel L. Jackson (example: Snakes on a Plane). He is a caring father that will do whatever he can to help his son.

Marisol Nichols did a great job as Angie. She had a very strong presence and it’s easy to see why Zeke looks up to her. It’s about the amount of respect that they have for one another. And that’s on a level that she had with Marcus.

As for Max Minghella, I have seen some of his other performances. (Great example being the movie Horns. If haven’t seen it, I recommend it.) He always delivers a solid performance. In this film, it is lifted up to another level. He is able to be relatable and leaving you wanting to know more about his character. He also does well with delivering a strong presence as well.

The tone for this film is different than the previous Saw films. Well, the more I think about it, it does feel in tone with the original Saw. Which is that grunge Se7en feeling. It feels like a solid return.

The pacing is also fantastic. It didn’t feel like it was a slow burn. It sets up things quickly then just dives off in a very good way. It never left me wishing the film would hurry up and be over.

The traps and gore. It wouldn’t be a Saw film without those. While they are included, they do feel a little toned down. I don’t mean Oh no, they suck. Each of the traps in this film are definitely new and unique. And they greatly reflect that this an evolution. And that’s also because of ‘Jigsaw’ in this film.

It’s not John Kramer. Sorry if I spoiled it. This is someone who has a good reason for doing what they do. I’m not going to spoil it for those who haven’t seen it yet. When it was revealed the who, I was excited. Literally am still excited to see if there is a Spiral sequel, if the threads left in this will continue. I hope so. And I would love to see more of this ‘Jigsaw’ explored. Because it feels like it’s only just a small bit of what makes them tick. And that is fascinating.

*Side Note: The voice in the videos didn’t bother me. I know we are used to Tobin Bell’s voice. But again, this ain’t John Kramer. It was refreshing to hear something different.

Also “Mr. Snuggles” is awesome in a super creepy way. It’s cool that they used something unique than just not having or reusing Billy.*

Darren Lynn Bousman did an amazing job with this film. It was fun seeing the callbacks in terms of the kinetic energy from those early films.

Everything in this film worked to create a very special film. I easily put this film alongside the original Saw. It had me guessing what was going to happen next. Nine times out of ten, I wasn’t prepared for what was going to happen next. It left me wanting to know what could happen next. And I hope that we do get a sequel that picks up the threads.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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