Streaming Originals: Vicious Fun (2020)

 

    Welcome back to Streaming Originals. Last time, we checked out Jeremiah Kipp's Slapface. It was an interesting film that had really struck a chord. It was a film that still left a lasting impression and has me asking questions. And I understand that it may not exactly be a film for everyone. I would definitely say that it worked a lot better than Antlers, which was also a solid flick. Today's film may be one that may appeal a lot better.

    Vicious Fun was written by James Villeneuve and directed by Cody Calahan. It was released in 2020 and eventually found its way to being a Shudder Original. It stars Evan Marsh, Amber Goldfarb, and Ari Millen. The synopsis for the film is as follows: Joel, a caustic 1980s film critic for a national horror magazine, finds himself unwittingly trapped in a self-help group for serial killers. With no other choice, Joel attempts to blend in or risk becoming the next victim.

    First thing I wanted to say is that I get the film is supposed to be a 'period' piece set in the 80s. But for the most part, it felt far from being set during that time. Everything seemed to be screaming 'modern-day'. But that's honestly a very small nitpick. It does have some elements of the 80s: the music and lighting at times. Well especially in the bar, it's very much screaming 80s. 

    Other than that, the film was a lot of fun. The whole idea of having a self-help group for killers is really entertaining. It allows one to come up with so many different fun ideas for a killer. I mean the variety wasn't lacking whatsoever in the film. And everyone brought a certain charm to their killers. The killers consisted of Bob, Carrie, Fritz, Mike, and Hideo. Honestly the big standout amongst the killers is Bob. He just has so much charm to his personality that it's kind of hard not to like him. He also manages to blend in with disguises extremely well. Fritz is a bit of a wild card. He felt very much in the vein of Joker from the comics and that's evident in his clown persona. Hideo is exactly what you'd expect: a samurai. I would say that Mike is this universe's take on Jason. He wields a machete and is massive. But instead of a hockey mask, he's sporting a welder's mask. 

    I honestly think one of the greatest aspects of the film is the character of Joel. In the beginning, we see him as someone that is entirely uncertain of himself. He's kind of just wading through life it feels like. He is absolutely not sure what he wants and lets others push him around. But over the course of the film, we see him come into his own a little bit. He's forced to finally figure out what he wants with the help of Carrie. It results in some fantastic chemistry between Carrie and Joel. And by the end, he's ready to help her. 

    When I had first watched the film, I honestly found the character of Joel to be very grating. He seemed like just a parody of what horror fans are. His mannerisms in the beginning were very awkward. I get that sometimes we can be socially awkward especially when we like someone. But it just was a bit too much. It took a second watching to begin to appreciate it more. It allows the chance to see Joel evolve and grow as a character over the course of the film. I honestly didn't think I'd be looking at the film in another light and realizing that it's a character piece. 

    The kills and gore in this film are exactly what you would expect. They all wonderfully play on what the 80s slashers were doing. Each one of the killers get a moment to shine. And Bob does do a mean impression of the pencil trick from Dark Knight. 

    This was a really fun film. It didn't take itself seriously. It is clearly a love letter to the genre. I know that by the end of the movie it sets itself up for a sequel. I'm sure it'd be a lot of fun to be able to explore this world again. If you're looking for a fun flick, give this a shot. 

Rating: 4 out of 5. 

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Streaming Originals: Slapface (2022)

 

    Welcome Back Everyone to Streaming Originals! I know it's been a while since I covered anything that was streaming exclusively. Unless we count the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre? But I don't. Anyways, this is the series where I dive into different films that are exclusively streaming to one of the many streaming services available. The last one that I covered was Hellblazers over on Tubi. 

    Today, I had the pleasure of checking out Slapface from Jeremiah Kipp. It's streaming exclusively on Shudder. The synopsis for the film is as follows: "A boy deals with the loss of his mother by creating a dangerous relationship with a monster rumored to live in the woods."

    Slapface is an incredibly interesting film with a few different layers to it. On one side, it's a deep look of a family struggling to hold itself together. On another, it's a story about a boy trying to find himself and figure out who he is. Another layer finds the boy dealing with a monster. The more that I try to unpack the film, the more layers I begin to uncover. And then I hear Shrek saying "Onions have layers.".

    August Maturo leads this film as Lucas, a teenage boy that is dealing with the loss of his mother. He lives with his older brother, Tom, played by Mike Manning. The interesting thing is that both of these characters were faced to grow up way too fast. Lucas is completely unsure of what to do and how to handle himself as he's found himself bullied by three girls - one of whom has a crush on Lucas. Tom isn't very helpful as he is on the same path that his father was before him - drunk. At the beginning of the film, he's trying to fix things and make it right for his younger brother. But through the course of the film, you just see the alcoholism bubbling itself to the surface as his way of escaping from life. If only his life hadn't take that turn with the car accident, where could that have left him? Would he have followed in his father's footsteps? This was something that I found myself thinking a lot about. And honestly, that's pretty fantastic to see supporting characters in a film being so layered. As for Maturo, it's interesting seeing where he goes on this journey. Part of it reminds me of Let The Right One In. And there's another character, Anna, that dates Tom. She tries to actually get to know both brothers. She genuinely cares for both of them. But she's like this brief glimpse of light and hope for the characters before the darkness fully consumes everything. 

    Then there is the creature. Well, it's honestly interesting to try and figure out if it's a creature or if it's a witch. There's a local legend involving a Witch. Lucas accidentally summons it one day as he walks into a 'house' on a dare. Whatever you may like to call this 'entity', it is incredibly original. It harkens a little bit to the Tooth Fairy from Darkness Falls in movement briefly. It's something that I found extremely unnerving. 

    There is a lot more that I could say about Slapface. It just has so many layers to it. I thought I had it figured out exactly where the story would go. But nope, it kept proving me wrong. It is a dark tale. By the time, the ending had arrived - I wouldn't have been surprised if one aspect I guessed would turn out to be right. There's a lot of different ways that someone could interpret the film as well. This is a film that I feel like could be compared to Antlers in its handling of certain elements. And I would say that it succeeded more than Antlers did. It left me with an ending where I was speechless. It's a bold story and one that I would recommend checking out. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5. 

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Streaming Originals: Hellblazers (2022)

    

    Hello everyone, Matthew back here with more of Streaming Originals. So far, we have checked out some films from Netflix and Shudder. Today, we get to take a look at another exclusive entry from Tubi. Tubi has been slowly building itself to be a successful competitor in the Streaming Wars. I mean this is a whole streaming service that is entirely free. The amount of content that is available is pretty astounding. It's a pretty nice way of standing out among Shudder and Netflix. Especially as they are fairly heavy handed in the Horror business, I mean my buddy Fred from Fred's Horror Corner has been recommending a lot of films that are available on this service. And a lot of them are in the Found Footage vein. 

    Today, I had the pleasure of checking out their original - Hellblazers. Hellblazers is an interesting small film. I have talked in the past about Indie Horror. Well, I can definitely say that Hellblazers is a part of Indie Horror. It's a film that has a small story and was made in such a fashion that I honestly could see it being just a bunch of friends getting together to make a film. And if that is the case, it's pretty awesome. 

    The story of Hellblazers focuses on a satanic cult wanting to unleash hell on earth. In order to ensure this happens, they are able to free a demon from hell and set it upon the small unexpecting town of Hope Valley. Immediately this is a solid set up and one that I wasn't sure where they were going to go next. When we are introduced to the town and the townspeople, I immediately began to think of Perfection from Tremors. It's a small group, but that's okay. If it had been overburdened with characters, I don't think the film would work as well as it does. The demon that the cult is able to summon? Umm, again I understand that there probably wasn't a large budget to work with - the demon looks okay. It looks a bit like something from DOOM, but it feels and looks practical. A practical effect is something that I will always appreciate so very much. In a lot of movies today, they tend to gravitate more towards CG-heavy designs and it will bring things down. So seeing practical is nice, especially with other portions of the effects as well.

    As I mentioned before, this is a small story. It is something that moves pretty well. I never really found myself bored with the film and was able to stay engaged. Could there have been a little more to it? Absolutely. It feels like there were elements that could have been more developed. The character of Joe, the new town sheriff, felt a little light. There was definitely something that felt like the film was alluding to for him, but something in the follow through of it felt like it missed the mark. Actually now that I think about it, the characters overall in the film would have been nice to see a little more of. The cast in the film however delivers. Every one seems to be having a lot of fun with the film. It just furthered the feeling of this being a bunch of friends making a movie. It was also nice seeing some genre legends in this film with Tony Todd, Adrienne Barbeau, and Bruce Dern. Each of these three are awesome with what they have in the film. Bruce Dern absolutely steals the scenes that he's in. I would have liked a little more of Tony Todd, but the film kind of flips the script on what you would expect. Oh yeah, Billy Zane is also in the beginning of the film as the leader of the cult. He is fantastically over the top. It left me missing him after he left the film. 

    Overall, if you are looking for a fun time - check out Hellblazer's on Tubi. Is it a perfect film? No, but I honestly don't believe that there is such a thing as a perfect film. But I'd recommend this one. Go grab some popcorn and boot up Tubi. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5. 

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Streaming Originals: Anything for Jackson (2020)

    

  Hello everyone, Welcome back to Streaming Originals. Last time, I took a look at another Netflix original, The Platform. As of right now, I have covered four Netflix Originals. Roughly, Netflix has had a 75% success rate for me so far. However with today's current climate of Streaming Services, we know that Netflix is not the only one available. Today, I am pleased to shed some light into the darkness of Shudder Originals. 

    So far, I have watched a few different Shudder Originals. I watched The Call with Tobin Bell and that was a miss for me. It felt like it was rather long and padded. I have also watched The Mortuary Collection which was a fantastic anthology film. It was a big breath of fresh air. Case in point that leaves Shudder with a chance for it to hit or miss. Another really solid original is Ruin Me from a few years ago. 

    A film I had heard about in the past is Anything for Jackson. It was one that kept popping back up and I had it placed in my backlog to cover it at some point. I had no idea that it would be the first Shudder Original that I'd be coming out swinging with. What brought it back to my attention was Patton Oswalt. Over on Twitter, he posted and was super excited that a podcast he listens to was covering the film. I could tell in this short little tweet that he genuinely loved Anything for Jackson. It was that genuine attitude that sold me on checking out the film.  

    The film starts out as a pretty normal morning for a husband and wife, Henry and Audrey Walsh. The house that they live in is huge, which is a good thing as this is the main setting for the film. The husband and wife are quickly discussing how he will look like a 'rapper' because of the hem of his pants being too high on one side. Pretty normal family stuff. That quickly changes as the story opens up with the arrival of Shannon. Well, arrival is a very light way of putting it. Okay, okay. They kidnap her because she's pregnant. Their main goal is to try and perform a ritual that will allow their dead grandchild, Jackson, to be reborn in Shannon's fetus. How are they able to do this? Well, it turns out the Walshes have a secret - they are Satanists. 

    While some may say that a lot of what I have said so far could be a spoiler, I have to say that it's not. It's really only the tip of the iceberg. There is literally so much going on with this film that you could watch it a few times and still uncover something new. Plus the sypnosis for the film kind of gives all that away. 

    I wasn't sure what to expect going into the film. I knew roughly what it would be covering. But the film literally goes to show just how far someone would go to get a loved one back. It's such a strong powerful message. With Henry, he would literally give up everything and everyone so that Audrey could get her wish. And Audrey would go to the literal depths of hell to try and get her grandchild back. Honestly, Henry's side of things is a pretty strong love representation of his love for Audrey. 

    Then there is Shannon, our unfortunate prisoner. This is someone that came to Henry as his patient and learned that she's pregnant. At first, it seemed like a very big end of the world realization for her. However with the use of the flashbacks, it beautifully illustrates just how much one's life can change for their child. Shannon could have easily been a thrown away character in some other film, however not here. 

    I would definitely say that for each of the characters in this film - there is a strong characterization to them. No one's really a shallow cookie cutter version of themselves. Even with the other members of the Satanists, we see a distinct character. It's pretty fantastic. And all of the actors and actresses bring their all to this film. The four big standouts being Julian Richings (Henry), Shelia McCarthy (Audrey), Konstantina Mantelos (Shannon), and Josh Cruddas (Ian). All of their performances are incredible and multi-layered. And definitely huge tip of the hat to Josh Cruddas, even if he does remind me of a YouTuber that goes by the name Brandon Farris. 

    Moving onto the horror elements of the movie, oh boy. There are some pretty heavy elements. I mean we kind of get it all. We get body horror, ghosts, and hints of possession to just say a few. Every single element works extremely well together. There were quite a few moments where the hairs on the back of my neck would stand up. The biggest one involving teeth, as someone that underwent dental surgery it caused me to cringe. 

    Honestly, the only element of Anything for Jackson that I don't know if it worked for me was the ending. It's presented in a very let the audience make up their mind on it. It's a bit of a bold move. But safe to say, it's not a happy ending. It's a bit of a bleak ending and that's okay. If there were some things that would have been tightened up a little bit, perhaps it would have worked better for me. With a second watch, it could very well work better. Time will tell.

    Overall though, I was very impressed with Anything for Jackson. It is a powerhouse of a film while also being small and intimate. It definitely doesn't hold many things back. But the beauty of it is seeing the interactions between the characters. I wasn't disappointed with taking the time to watch it either unlike The Call. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5. 

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Streaming Originals: The Platform (2019)

 

   Hello everyone, Streaming Originals has returned. Last time, we took a look at Nobody Sleeps In The Woods Tonight II. That was a fun film that was very fresh and original. 

    Today, I took a look at a film that I had been hearing a bit about lately. Quite a few people had been recommending it. It's been streaming on Netflix. It is The Platform, a Spanish film that was released in 2019. 

The Platform is a extremely intriguing film as it presents a challenge not for the characters within it, but for the audience as well. The Platform is a mysterious place, an indescribable prison, a deep hole. An unknown number of levels. Two inmates living on each level. A descending platform containing food for all of them. An inhuman fight for survival, but also an opportunity for solidarity. 

This film was an incredibly interesting experience. In the very beginning, I wasn't sure if I could handle the film. While it isn't straight up horror, this is more of a slow burn thriller. At first, it throws you into the shoes of Goreng as he is discovering what the rules of this place are. During a small flashback and talking with his cell mate, he mentions that he entered this place willing. It was a way of earning a degree if he could last six months within its walls. Now for me, I wouldn't do it. There is absolutely no way that I could have handled being stuck in this situation. It's not worth it. Goreng thinks very easily that its something that he could handle and it wouldn't be so bad. It would give him a chance to read through Don Quixote. What kind of rational mind believes that this is something that would necessarily be not that bad? 

Over the course of the film, Goreng learns more about himself than I believe he ever could have wanted. In a way, it did allow him the option to get a degree in who he is as a person. But the film is definitely layered. As the layers begin to peel away, we get to see just how humanity truly can be. In this place, it's a ticket to seeing truly evil things. However, there is always that chance for change. It just takes one person to help bring solidarity that could shape the way this prison is. 

I truly appreciate the way the story unfolds and is told. It gives us a very close connection to Goreng. He is our eyes and ears. His experience is our experience. That is something that I haven't seen in a film in a while. It also presents the idea of how people with opportunities look down to those who do not in society. That is extremely evident as this platform of food is brought down level by level to each of the different 'prisoners'. It immediately pits the different levels against one another in chaos. 

This film is a film where I strongly believe that one person's watch of it will be a different experience from another person's. It's a tightly packed and very well executed story. Trying to just unpack it all in one view, I don't know if that's possible. It allows there to be a lot to sit and think on as well as a strong re-watchability. 

The only time I think the film may not necessarily be everyone's cup of tea is in its ending. It is definitely a strong ending, but an open ended one. It allows the audience to take the time to process it and come up with their own view of it. 

Overall, The Platform is a special experience. There's honestly a bit more that I could go into with it. But that would be doing the film such a disservice. It's one of those that you have to take the plunge and give it a shot. If you are able to stick it out, you will find a story that will make you think a lot about people and society. Personally, that is what I was able to take away from the film. It's definitely one that I don't think will go away any time soon. 

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Honorable Mention: Now typically, I haven't given any honorable mentions for this series. But if you enjoyed The Platform and Squid Game, there is a series on Netflix as well called 3%. It's also a Spanish series. But in the first series, the way the story unfolds is extremely strong as well as its characters. By the time it ended, I was quite shocked and a bit eager to see where it could go. Definitely recommend it. 

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Streaming Originals: A Classic Horror Story (2021)

 

    Welcome back everyone. I am happy to say that there has been a tremendous positive response to my diving into the Netflix Originals horror films. There was even someone that reached out asking if I had dove in far enough to recommend films and which ones to avoid. It left me thinking about things for a little bit. When I first started this Horror Review, I started with a small independent film - Weird Fiction. If you haven't checked it out, I recommend it and it can be found to purchase from Amazon and stream off of Tubi. I had a passion to highlight the indie horror scene. As time began to pass, I began to look more into older films that I hadn't seen or a little more mainstream films. Those weren't bad ideas to do. But it felt like something was missing. When the question came up of what to recommend and what to avoid, it became quite clear that it's a bit of a niche area that isn't covered as much. My friend Fred, of Fred's Horror Corner (go check him out over on Youtube), recently went back to a back to basics approach for his stuff: he is now highlighting more of the found footage genre. So over here, we will have some of the mainstream horror from time to time. But this here is the beginning of things with the new series, Streaming Originals. 

    The goal of Streaming Originals will be to highlight the horror films that are available on Netflix, Shudder, Hulu, Prime, Tubi, and Paramount+. As of this writing, this will be my third review in this new series. I hope you enjoy and onto the review. 

    Today, I had the pleasure of continuing my dive into the horror films offered by Netflix Originals with A Classic Horror Story. It is an Italian horror film. 

    When I first started the film, I wasn't sure what to think. It immediately throws off guard with its opening moments. Looking back on the film though, I have to say that I strongly appreciate this opening. It delivers on the gore and a tense atmosphere. It's a bit of a snuff piece. But in the overall context of the film, it makes complete sense. 

    After that, we are introduced to our group of characters. Elisa is on her way to her parents' home. She's a bit unsure of whether or not it's the right decision. This decision leads her to Fabrizio the travel blogger's carpool. Joining them on this ride is Riccardo, a doctor, and a couple - Sofia and Mark. As night draws near, they encounter an animal in the road. Naturally, they swerve to avoid but find themselves crashing into a tree. When they come to their senses in the morning, they discover that they are no longer on the road but in a clearing surrounded by forest. The only landmark near them is a rustic wooden cabin. 

    This is a film that may not be everyone's cup of tea. There will be some people that find it to be very good. And there will be some that won't get very far into it. It is a bit of a slowburn. Honestly, that's not a bad thing at all. This film was really great. Each of the actors and actresses delivered solid performances. I found myself actually worrying about some of the characters. The way the film is structured is pretty brilliant. It boldly points that the story is going to go in one direction and then pulled the rug out from under me. As the film came to a close, I was left with my mouth hanging open. This is a film that is not afraid of being unique. This is a film that is very sure of the story it wants to tell. And I love the Italian lore that is at the forefront. I was very prepared for it to end in one distinct way. 

    For the most part, A Classic Horror Story was a bit subdued in its gore. It has its opening moments and a few here and there. But for the most part, its subdued as it delves deeper than just being a complete gorefest. The themes of this movie absolutely hit in a way that I never imagined it would. 

    Overall, A Classic Horror Story is a very unique story. It definitely stands out amongst the crowd very proudly. I applaud the way it subverted my expectations. While it may not be for everyone, if you are able to stick it out - you are in for a ride. 

Rating: 4 out of 5. 

A Classic Horror Story is available on Netflix.

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