FRIGHT FEST: ANTLERS

 The final film on tonight's double feature is Antlers.

The Native American myth of the Wendigo is a fascinating one. When a man eats the flesh of another man, he goes crazy and will soon only crave human flesh. Eventually, that man will morph into something inhuman. This new thing's hunger knows no bounds, it will never be full

In Antlers, we open with Frank (Scott Haze), a scummy drug dealer who has set up shop deep in the local mine. Not the best choice of locations as he is mauled by something, and returns home to his two sons not quite right. When his condition worsens, and young Aiden (Sawyer Jones) grows sick as well, it falls on older brother Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas) to care for and feed his family.

School teacher Julia (Keri Russell), senses something is wrong at home  with Lucas. Fearing abuse, she enlists the help of her brother Paul (Jesse Plemons), the town sheriff. When she digs too deep, Julia unwittingly unleashes the Wendigo upon the entire town. With bodies dropping at an alarming rate, will Julia be able to save Lucas?

Jesse Plemons and Keri Russell do what is required of them plus a touch more as our heroes. They are given minimal development and little meat to chew on, but they do the best they can. Surprisingly, Jeremy T. Thomas as Lucas is given a lot to work with as a young boy who has been forced to mature much faster than usual and is dealing with a severe amount of trauma. He plays it all very well, and his reactions are convincing. Graham Greene appears in a supporting role as Warren Stokes, an ex-sheriff who is familiar with the myth of the Wendigo. He also isn't given much to do, but his presence does add something to the film.  

Antlers is adapted from a short story by Nick Antosca (Channel Zero), with a screenplay by Nick Antosca, Henry Chaisson, and Scott Cooper (who directs as well). The script itself isn't anything to scream about, but the cinematography by Florian Hoffmeister is impressive. The opening shot draws you right into the film. Hoffmeister uses greys and muted colors to match the dour themes Antler has to offer, and it works. Even when Antlers wanders (as it does often during the first two acts), it always looks nice. 

It's true not much really happens in the first two acts of Antlers. Our leads wander aimlessly about, Lucas cowers in fright (among other things), and we watch Frank's condition worsen. Luckily, there are more than enough horrific scenes in Antlers and they aren't all crammed into the final minutes either (they are sprinkled throughout the entire film). When Antlers wants to frighten or disturb you, it does.

When all is said and done, despite being a good Wendigo flick (and featuring plenty of Wendigo action), Antlers isn't really special. It borders on being generic or predictable with some of its plot beats and structure . While it's on, Antlers is mostly entertaining. It works as a Wendigo flick and as a horror film...it even attempts to add in some deeper themes. It's certainly not as bad as some would have you believe. At the end of the day, Antlers is a fairly solid (and certainly enjoyable) addition to the horror genre. It would make for a good watch this time of year.

3 STARS

And so another edition of Fright Fest concludes. I hope your spooky season was full of chills and frights. Till next year, pleasant nightmares.

FRIGHT FEST: LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

 To conclude this year's edition of Fright Fest, I present a double feature. First up on the roster: Last Night in SoHo.

This is without a doubt Edgar Wright's most stylistic and surreal film. Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie), A young clairvoyant, attends fashion college in London. Her "gift" enables her (via her dreams) to track Sandy (Anya Taylor-Joy), a beautiful and talented aspiring singer in the 60s. As Eloise grows more obsessed with the past, Sandy's story turns dark and Eloise's dreams begin to bleed into her waking life. 

Anya Taylor-Joy steals the show. Most should know she is an incredibly talented actress, but here she proves she can sing and dance as well. Her story and arc are intriguing, and it's hard not to grow obsessed like Eloise. Thomasin McKenzie is great as our lead. Not only is she tormented by her dreams, but by the possibility they might just be dreams after all. McKenzie gets to do some physical work near the end, and she does a fantastic job of portraying terror throughout the film. 

The supporting cast all do pretty solid jobs as well. Michael Ajao is very likable as the friendly and dependable John, love interest for Eloise. Terence Stamp (Zod in Superman 2) plays a mysterious older man who might be involved in Sandy's story. Matt Smith Plays Jack, Sandy's "manager" (He's fantastic in a slimy role). Diana Rigg plays the old land lady of the apartment Eloise rents. This was Rigg's final role, and she impresses. 

Edgar Wright directs and co-writes along with Krysty Wilson-Cairns (who penned the screenplay for 1917). The script is fine but Wright's direction, the cinematography (by Chung-hoon Chung), and the editing (by Paul Machliss) are the stand-outs. Wright and production designer Marcus Rowland do an A+ job of recreating London in the 60's. The sets, the costumes, the dances...You will feel as immersed in that era as Eloise does. 

Last Night in SoHo is not without some substance to it. The story is pretty interesting and doesn't always go where you think it would. The characters are very well developed too. That said, this is an Edgar Wright film, so the style takes center stage most of the time.  

The first act teases at this being another semi-musical as there are several song-and-dance numbers, and while this aspect is eventually dropped, Wright still finds ways to use songs to inform or compliment what is happening on screen. It’s a skill that Wright has enjoyed flexing ever since Shaun of The Dead, and he’s only gotten better at it over time. 

SoHo is Wright’s return to horror after 17 years. Unlike Shaun before it, SoHo is less interested in humor. It takes itself fairly seriously, and the humor (when there is any) rarely takes center stage. It takes a while before SoHo goes full horror, but once it does the film doesn’t hold back. The horror sequences are intense and well-done (the climax in particular is striking and memorable).

Last Night in SoHo is clearly influenced by Giallos (Italian horror flicks like Demons, Profondo Rosso/Deep Red, and Tenebrae) and supernatural horror. The bright, vibrant colors that pulse throughout the film and the numerous stylish mirror tricks are highlights. 

There is much to love in SoHo, but unfortunately not everything is peachy. The third act finale starts off strong but ends in a way that isn't fully satisfying. Everything doesn't gel smoothly together or fully coheres by the end credits, either. Luckily, Last Night in SoHo is a lot of freaky fun while it's on. The style always mesmerizes, the story/mystery easily pulls you in, and the performances are great (with Joy stealing the show). 

SoHo isn't Wright's best. It sees the director trying something different for a change, and the results are mixed. That said, there is still a lot to enjoy here. Wright knows how to show audiences a good time, and should you choose to trek back into the 60s with him, that is exactly what you will have.o conclude this year's edition of Fright Fest, I present a double feature. First up: Last Night in SoHo.

3.5 STARS

FRIGHT FEST: HALLOWEEN KILLS SLAYS

 Back in 2018, David Gordon Green and Blumhouse/Universal released Halloween. They hoped it would revitalize the Halloween franchise. Their plan was to jump start Michael Meyers by going back to the series roots: eliminating all Halloween sequels as canon, and making Halloween a straight sequel to the original set 40 years later. I re-watched it recently before my viewing of Halloween Kills, and it was likely the best made sequel at that point. It had some issues that bothered me at the time of its release and still bother me today, but overall I found it a mostly worthy successor.

In Halloween Kills, Michael (James Jude Courtney, still one of the best Michaels) has survived the events from the previous film and is now on an unhinged killing spree through Haddonfield. The town's citizens rally around Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, where Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis), Karen (Judy Greer), and Allyson (Andi Matichak) are recuperating. A vigilante mob forms, and a hunt for Michael ensues. "Evil ends tonight."

Back for this go-round are some characters from the original Halloween. We get the return of Tommy Doyle (Portrayed this time by Anthony Michael Hall), Lindsay Wallace (Played by original actress Kyle Richards), ex-Sheriff Leigh Brackett (Played by original actor Charles Cyphers), Marion Chambers (played by original actress Nancy Stephens), and Lonnie Elam (Played this time by Robert Longstreet). It's really cool to see all of these OG characters back again, and they spend a decent amount of time together. It's nice that Halloween kills includes scenes of them hanging out and being friends.  

Tommy Doyle gets the most meat out of the above listed characters, and the film goes to some surprising places with him. Anthony Michael Hall does a physical, intimidating performance and he fits the role well. Kyle Richards returns as Lindsay Wallace, and is lovely. She gets to kick some ass (as does Marion Chambers/Nancy Stephens). It's fun to watch characters from the original take on Michael instead of running away. 

Most of the cast from Halloween 2018 return as well. Jamie Leigh Curtis reprises her role of Laurie Strode and, although (much like Halloween 2) she spends 99% of her time in her hospital bed/hospital room, she is still Queen bad-ass and gets some great character moments. Judy Greer is back as Karen, Laurie's daughter. She joins with the mob to kick some Michael butt, hurt and angry over the death of her husband in the previous film. Andi Matichak returns as Allyson, daughter to Karen. She, too, joins with the mob to hunt down Michael. Matichek's performance was one of the strong points of Halloween 2018, and she continues to do a superb job here.

Dylan Arnold also returns as Cameron, boyfriend to Allyson and son to Lonnie. Last we saw, Allyson and him were on the fritz. We start the film with Cameron, and luckily he is a much more likable character this time. Will Patton also returns as Deputy Frank Hawkins, who is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial on account of his severe wounds from the previous film. He gets some stellar character development here.

A nice touch is that we get to see how Michael was captured after the ending of John Carpenter's Halloween. No de-aging is used, as we follow a young Deputy Hawkins (Thomas Mann) and his partner Pete (Jim Cummings) as they track down Michael (portrayed by Airon Armstrong for the 1978 portions, who does a great job. The mask used looks just like the one from the OG, although it's hard to tell if it's completely CGI or not). More time is spent here than expected (we get several scenes), but it's nice to return to the original and Halloween Kills captures the look, feel, atmosphere, and tone of John Carpenter's classic very well. It helps that everyone in this part feels and looks like they belong in that era too. Thomas Mann and Jim Cummings work well together, and their friendship is believable. Thomas Mann in particular really impresses as a young Hawkins, and the insights we get into Hawkins' character and backstory during the 1978 portions are satisfying and cool.

Loomis actually returns in this portion for brief moments. He's portrayed by Tom Jones Jr. (in mostly brief shots) and voiced by Colin Mahan. You know it's not Loomis when you see him and hear him in these portions, but the character still acts just like the Loomis we remember. It might have been a better choice to not include Loomis at all, but it makes sense to have him appear (after all, why WOULDN'T Loomis be there when Michael is apprehended).

Halloween Kills doesn't start the way you think it would (or even WHEN you really think it would), and it actually takes a bit of time before Halloween Kills gets to what happens directly after the events of the previous outing. This outing definitely suffers from some pacing issues. The film cuts away from the carnage at times to returning characters chilling at a bar, unaware that Michael is back. There's  plenty of  "meanwhile" scenes with Laurie, Karen, and Hawkins chatting in her hospital room. The character development we get in these scenes is great, but it's hard not to get a bit antsy waiting for the next kill (more on those later).  There is also a sub-plot involving another escaped mental patient which only exists to eat time and drive home (bluntly) the film's message about the dangers of mob mentality and vigilante justice. Lastly, it's a bit disappointing that most of our supporting cast (ie: those going up against Michael) are just plain terrible at fighting and shooting. I know we need Mikey boy to return for the third film, but would it kill you to make these guys at least semi-competent.? 

Luckily, we all came here for the kills and they DO NOT disappoint. There are many murders in Halloween Kills, and they are of a high quality. The kill scenes sampled here are brutal, savage, and satisfying. There is lots of blood, lots of gore, and a good deal of variety. Michael is not afraid to put down his knife and use other near by items to wreck a dude's day. Some of the kills/fights in Halloween Kills are the best in the entire franchise, so get hyped. 

John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter (John's son), and Daniel Davies return to score Halloween Kills. The score for Halloween 2018 was an all-timer, the score for Halloween Kills is still pretty killer for the most part. David Gordon Green returns to the director's chair, and does a more than competent job once again. Green wrote the screenplay with Danny McBride (just like Halloween 2018), but this time Scott Teems teams up with them to assist. The script is mostly pretty good, although there are some humor moments that fall flat hard (I'm looking at you Silver Shamrock Trio in the park). Michael Simmonds returns as Cinematographer, and does a bang-up job again (the film is consistently pretty).

It should come as no surprise that Halloween Kills comes with an incomplete ending (Halloween Ends has already been confirmed for 2022 after all).  Halloween Kills indeed serves much of the same role as Back To The Future 2 did in it's trilogy, acting as mostly a stepping stone for the final installment. What a stepping stone it is, though. It was hard to watch this sequel without feeling spoiled. The action/kills were superb, there was great character development, and it was faithful to the original source material and that film's mythology. It's still flawed, but I found the flaws here bothered me far less than the flaws in 2018's flick did (Plus, Halloween Kills actually resolves an issue regarding Michael's motivation that really bothered me in the 2018 outing). Halloween Kills is a brutal, aggressive, ultra-dark,  bloody, fun throwback/update to classic slashers. In the end, it should leave audiences hyped for whatever comes next.

4 STARS

FRIGHT FEST: V/H/S 94

 The V/H/S franchise returns seven years after the devastatingly disappointing V/H/S Viral. Can this latest outing restore V/H/S to what it once was?

HOLY HELL

The wrap-around segment this time is entitled 'Holy Hell', and it's directed by Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin). In it, a S.W.A.T. team go on a drug raid after receiving a disturbing video. As they explore the location, they find a different video or V/H/S being played in each room. This one was pretty meh for me up until the fan service-y final reveal (which I dug). The acting by the S.W.A.T team members quickly grew on my nerves, and the first shot looked super cheap (though the short does look better as it goes on). Overall, I'd qualify this one as just good.

3/5

STORM DRAIN

The first V/H/S we are treated to is entitled 'Storm Drain', and it's directed by Chloe Okuno. A tv news journalist is given an assignment to investigate claims of a "Rat-Man" who has been living in the sewers and terrorizing the townsfolk. As the journalist and her cameraman (unwisely) travel deeper into the sewers, they might just come to regret their search for answers. The first thing that really threw me out of it was the jornalist's complete and sudden 180 character change. She goes from being hesitant about trekking into the sewers, to suddenly all gung-ho about going deeper in once they find a homeless man's sleeping bag (The reasoning is that the journalist believes she can turn this into a story about the conditions the homeless are living in, but I'm not buying it). Luckily, Rat-Man is an impressive and freaky practical effect, the truth behind Rat-Man is kind of bonkers (in a good way), and the final effect gag is delicious. Storm Drain is ultimately flawed, but super-entertaining.

3.5/5

THE EMPTY WAKE

Directed by Simon Barret (The Guest, You're Next), we follow a young woman who is in charge of an empty overnight wake for a young jumper. As the night goes on, strange events convince her that the man in the coffin is still alive, but the truth is much darker and stranger. A good deal of this short felt very similar to watching an episode of 'Scare Tactics'. There is very minimal plot, the events until the finale aren't that terrifying, and I'm not sure what happened at the end. Luckily, this short is built around one practical effect, and what a practical effect it is (It more than makes up for what is otherwise quite a lackluster entry). 

3/5

THE SUBJECT

Directed by Timo Tjahjanto (an alum of V/H/S, having directed 'Safe Haven' in V/H/S 2. He also directed May The Devil Take You, Headshot, and Portals). A mad scientist is kidnapping people and experimenting on them in an attempt to create the perfect human/robot hybrid. When a police force run by a brutal commander busts the doc, no one might make make it out alive. The action and practical effects are insane and commendable, and the story has potential...unfortunately there is A LOT of bad CGI, and the short changes perspective/cameras far too many times (How exactly was all this footage compiled into one movie?). You would expect better from a V/H/S alum. 

2.5/5

TERROR

Directed by Ryan Prows , A crazed right-wing/religious extremist group has kidnapped a vampire, and plan on using it's blood as an explosive weapon to be used to blow up a federal building. Naturally, these are a bunch of gun-happy idiots so....things don't go exactly as planned. Yeah, this is the best short out of the bunch. The footage feels old and authentic, and it looks grainy enough (not to the point where it's hard to make out, thank God). The proceedings are also a ton of fun, and the ending gets appropriately bonkers. Terror ends V/H/S on the right note.

3.5/5

In the end, V/H/S 94 isn't quite as scary as the first two V/H/S installments. Luckily, the practical effects featured within are all super impressive and the proceedings are always bonkers and fun. V/H/S 94 makes for a fun, bloody viewing during Halloween season and it's likely to please most V/H/S fans.

3.5 STARS

SMALLS' FRIGHT FEST: MASKS ON (MOSTLY) FOR HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS 2021

 Welcome back, foolish mortals, to Fright Fest. This year, we start things off with a bang with a visit to Halloween Horror Night 2021.

2020 marked the 30th anniversary of Halloween Horror Nights. Unfortunately, COVID-19 led to a last minute cancellation of the event (the first time HHN had been cancelled). This year, the event makes it's triumphant return to celebrate it's belated 30th. COVID-19 is still very much a threat in the U.S. at the moment, so naturally this meant HHN had to adapt accordingly. The streets pretty much remain the same, but inside the houses the boo holes and actor areas are cordoned off by plexiglass (meaning you pretty much know where every scare is coming from in advance, and the actor's can't get anywhere as close to you as before). Most of the scareactors wore masks as well. This wasn't a deal breaker of any kind. True, I don't think I was genuinely scared once at the event (and I know that if the plexiglass wasn't there I would have definitely been scared by the scareactors) but I kind of dug the new vibe this year. I don't think I would like this approach to continue, but for one year it was nice. 

In case it hasn't been obvious, HHN doesn't really do over-arching themes or Icons anymore (You could argue the event's last Icon was either Lady Luck in 2011 or Chance in 2016). The event has changed and is still changing. That said, this year's 30th celebration brings back a lot of the great stuff from the past for a satisfying and epic curtain call.

SCAREZONES

30 YEARS, 30 FEARS

"Characters from 30 years of Halloween Horror Nights scare zones have returned to fill the streets with screams."

Man, was this zone disappointing. Some VERY COOL stuff in here (the OG Horror Nights truss with flames, a light-up blue Pumpkin guy stilt walker, a skeleton/Grim Reaper stilt walker, a genuinely impressive fog/light effect where they were able to project silhouettes/images onto or into the fog), unfortunately it's a pretty small area (think Asylum in Wonderland from 2008, but maybe smaller) it didn't really come together to make a cohesive zone. Still, definitely worth at least one or two walk-thrus.

5/10 STARS

SEEK AND DESTROY

"A ruthless alien cyber regime led by The Controller has taken over New York, turning humans into fuel. Succumb or be destroyed."

A zone I was actually looking forward to, unfortunately it just didn't do much for me. The costumes for the aliens wasn't impressive or imposing (Imagine futuristic hazmat-esque suits. I did dig the bloodied humans running around, though). There is definitely a neat back story to the zone, and the zone is fairly lengthy...I just have seen better and more immersive zones in the NYC area. 

5/10

CRYPT TV

"Step inside Cyrpt TV, a dark universe of monsters that reside in the same reality-on your screen, in your pockets and now San Francisco."

I have very little knowledge of Crypt TV and it's creations, but this zone was pretty fine. Some cool character designs and neat mini-shows. Not the best zone I've seen in the San Fran area, but considering I walked in expecting very little, I'd say I was pleased by what I encountered.

7/10

LIGHTS CAMERA HACKTION: EDDIE'S REVENGE

"Get ready for the feel-bad movie of the year. Eddie Schmidt, Jack the Clown's brother, is filming a horror film and the monsters are real."

Ok, I'll take the L on this one. Don't believe I got to walk through this one even once. I'll go to my corner now.

GOREWOOD FOREST

"Sixteen Years after the gory sacrifices of Terra Cruentes, the heartless Terra Queen is back. Evil is in her nature."

YES!!!! ALL HAIL THE TERRA QUEEN!!! FINALLY, I get to see a deep cut character from Horror Nights history. Damn, was this zone cool and definitely NOT your typical Central Park zone. This time, the trees are adorned with thick streams of pulsing red light that wind from the ground up, almost like the land of the zone itself is alive with some power. The Terra Queen is only at the front of the zone (with a prop sacrificial victim) while the rest of the zone is her minions that emerge from grass/hay huts. I LOVED getting to spend a bit of time with The Terra Queen, and the zone felt pretty fully realized. Can't believe I'm saying this, but Gorewood Forest is the best zone I've seen in the Central Park area.

8/10 

HOUSES

UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN LIVES

" 'We belong dead.' The last words of Frankenstein's monster when his Bride rejected him. Now she'll stop at nothing to bring him back."

What a freakin' cool idea for a house: Make a direct sequel to a classic Universal monster movie. Right from the moment you enter the building, you are greeted with a score that sounds right out of one of the Classic Universal Monster films (Honestly, the most I was impressed with the house). The first room was pretty cool, with the ruined castle facade, the Monster crushed, and the screaming and hysterical Bride trying to lift the column off of her mate (Wasn't expecting to be touched emotionally by this scene). The rest of the house follows The Bride, who has taken to capturing Dracula's numerous Brides and using them to bring her mate back to life. A nice story, some good sets. Overall, a pretty decent house but it didn't come close to living up to the hype that had been surrounding it. 

7/10

HHN ICONS: CAPTURED

"Jack The Clown, The Storyteller, The Caretaker. For the first time ever, 30 years of nightmares come together in a terrifying Hell of Fame."

Now THIS is how you do a fucking anniversary house. Holy shit. The facade is you entering into the realm of The Lantern from HHN 20. The entrance is adorned with each Icon's totem from 2010 (so freaking awesome, finally getting to see those in person). Naturally, there is a thrumming rock score that ushers you in. The first room, you find yourself inside the lantern, with each Icon trapped in their own cell/cage (Adaru gets a small moment too). The rest of the house, you get to explore the realm of each Icon. Yes that means there are rooms themed to the worlds of Lady Luck (Basically walking through the commercial from 2011), The Usher (a small theater auditorium and the lobby for The Universal Palace/Silver Screams), Jack and Chance (Don't think I saw Eddie, could be wrong), The Caretaker and Cindy, The Storyteller (who is revealed to be some kind of shape-shifting monster/demon), and Bloody Mary ( You don't see her. Instead, it's a room full of mirrors that shatter. It's pretty cool.). At the end, one Icon sits on the throne, a different one depending when you walk through (Did the Icon kill Adaru/Fear to get the throne? Did they kill all the other Icons to do so? Both?)  So yes, one of the best (if not THE best) anniversary houses of all time. 

10/10

PUPPET THEATER: CAPTIVE AUDIENCE

"A puppeteer and a ballet troupe trapped in a deserted theater for years are about to turn you into a human puppet. That's your cue to scream."

Ok, so the full story is that this theater (I believe it's called The Grandeur) was around in the early 20th century (1910s, 1920s, or 1930s?). It experienced a devastating collapse, trapping all the performers within. Years later, they've all gone mad and have turned on each other and you. The facade is incredibly cool stuff,  the crumbling Grandeur with smoke emanating out of it. The first half or so of the house really makes it feel like you are walking through a theater that is incredibly unstable and is still collapsing as you walk through (in fact, it ends with you exiting through a burst of smoke. Seems like our trek was too much for the Grandeur, and it finally completely collapses right as we escape.). I really dug the  wide open, fully realized room in the middle of the house (Here, the room is themed to a ruined auditorium complete with stage, destroyed seats, and an opera box). There's also a hallway (themed to a dressing room) that reeks of baby powder (not an entirely unpleasant smell). Overall Puppet Theater was classic Horror Nights all the way, and it's tied for top house.

10/10

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE

"Step into the dilapidated Texas home of the depraved Sawyer family who welcome you with razo-sharp blades and a roaring chainsaw."

YEAH, BUDDY! This was my first house of the night, and I was not expecting to love it anywhere near as much as I did. There isn't much plot to the house, we are basically visiting The Gas Station and Sawyer House four years after the events from the first film. The facade is very cool, as we get to wind our way around the front of the gas station (oh yes, it's fully realized). The minute you step foot into the gas station (pretty much you enter in the way Sally did, where the kitchen is) you are bombarded with the scent of BBQ and cooking human flesh. If you are a fan of the first two Texas Chainsaw films, then this is the house for you. It really does feel like you have stepped into the world of those films. For my money, the best parts were the gas station facade, the out back/back yard/area in between the gas station and Sawyer house, the front stairs and "death" hallway (where that one guy gets brained by Leatherface early on in the first film. You get to walk into that hallway, without Leatherface coming for you.), the living room (with all the skeletons and feathers and stuff), and Chop Top's room (Yes, you get plenty of Chop Top here). I'd qualify this as maybe the sleeper house of the year. I bet many will sleep on this, but they would be wise not to. 

9/10

WELCOME TO SCAREY: HORROR IN THE HEARTLAND

"In Carey, bad things just happen. No one escapes from this small Ohio town beset by an endless parade of bloodthirsty creatures and maniacs."

A house that acts as a deep cut for long time Horror Nights fans (to the point where the town population sign places Carey in Wyandot County. Years previous Legendary Truth investigated The Wyandot Estate, which i assume must also be in Wyandot County). There is no real through-line, story, or over-arching theming (Doesn't really feel like you are traveling through Carey, either), and it resembles your classic "best of" house. Explore The Spawning, The Orfanage, Havoc: Dogs of War, Legendary Truth: The Wyandot Estate, Leave It To Cleaver, H.R. Bloodengutz: Holidays of Horror, Dead End, and The Hive. A very short house, but I was low-key delighted walking through it as, for the first time, I got to go through an anniversary house where I knew what house each room was from (Seemed like Dead End got the most love). Only downside is the house is very much so on the short side, but die-hard Horror Nights fans should be pleased.

6/10

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE

"Explore a decaying mansion that wants to trap you forever, forcing you to spend eternity listening to the sound of your own screams."

The Haunting of Hill House series on Netflix was superb, sublime, phenomenal, and scary. This house had A LOT to live up to, but it's undone by it's choice of location (inside the second parade warehouse). Hill House is a LARGE house, in order to effectively convey the sensation of walking through Hill House you need a large area to work with. The facade is pretty nice (A boarded up Hill House), but the inside is nothing but claustrophobic hallways that twist and turn (nice to see the pitch black hallway from Graveyard Games make a return though). It feels like you are traveling through the show, but it doesn't feel like you are ever in the actual Hill House. A nice attempt.

5/10

BEETLEJUICE

"Got trouble with the living? You know what to say: Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. It's showtime."

This year's "fun" house. Here you get to explore some areas of the afterlife while also traveling through some moments from the film. The first room is with Beetlejuice acting as a carnival barker, ushering us into his house (pretty cool). After this, you walk into what is arguably the best room in the house, and something that I have sorely missed in recent years: The return of the revolving/spinning hallway. It's still dizzying, it's still tons of fun. Let's hope they keep bringing it back. The actual house is not bad, but also not as great as previous film-house adaptations. It's fun, imaginative, and faithful (Plus, you get to see the model)...I can't help but wish the ending wasn't so abrupt though. It's definitely worth a walk-through for fans of the ghost with the most and for the return of the revolving/spinning hallway. 

6/10

REVENGE OF THE TOOTH FAIRY

"The innocent traditions of the tooth fairy hide a darker ritual. It's an eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth."

Set in Victorian London, the house follows the story of James Westhorne, the youngest member of the Westhorne family. When he refuses to give up his tooth to the tooth fairy, this enrages the fae folk. They swarm the house, murdering everyone inside and turning James into one of them. Here, we are walking through a beautifully realized pop-up book with voice-over narration. Some of the rooms feel and look realistic, yet the pop-up book aesthetic continues throughout the house. It's a very cool idea and an incredibly cool story. Naturally, the carnage inside is satisfying and icky as well. All in all, Revenge of The Tooth Fairy easily emerges as a new Horror Nights classic.

9/10

WICKED GROWTH: REALM OF THE PUMPKIN

"There is no breaking free from the vines of the Pumpkin Lord, here to entrap you in his ever-growing evil."

This is the other house tied for top spot. DAMN, was this awesome. After a short hallway full of glowing pumpkins, you find yourself in the realm of the Pumpkin Lord, another dimension or alternate reality he rules over with fear, terror, and brute force. Explore many locales (including a dilapidated house, a cabin/shack, a Witch's lair, and more. It's all very outdoors-y, backwoods, country town-esque). The settings, theming, and minion designs are all great, gorgeous stuff and the final reveal of The Pumpkin Lord and how he looks is kind of bonkers (in the best way). It helps that the whole house is strongly influenced by the Halloween holiday.  Best parts for me was the covered, wooden bridge you get to trek across about halfway through (the most impressive thing I've seen at Horror Nights in a long time) and the witch, who had some funny lines ("I'm the pretty one!", or when a victim starts to escape from a cauldron she bops his head and says "Get back in there."). Wicked Growth creates a compelling and fully realized dimension/reality that is always a joy to explore.

10/10

CASE FILES: UNEARTHED

"Follow the trail of a private eye as an investigation into the supernatural leads you into a dark world of ghouls and terrifying creatures."

Another deep cut for long time Horror Nights fans. This house centers around a fan favorite character first introduced in 2008. His name is Boris Shuster and he is a certified bad-ass. He almost put a stop to Mary Agana's madness, but arrived too late (She had already been murdered and thus turned into Bloody Mary by the time he got there). He would later go on to create Legendary Truth, a collective dedicated to investigating and fighting supernatural threats and events. In this house, we follow Boris after Mary Agana/Bloody Mary, but before he had created Legendary Truth. He walks the streets of New York, solving supernatural cases, fighting monsters, and collecting totems along the way (Totems apparently act as some sort of negative/bad/evil charging force). The first room is pretty neat, as we meet a Legendary Truth investigator who is doing research on Boris. What comes next is even cooler: We meet Boris, in his office overlooking NYC. Why is this cool? If you walk the NYC streets in Universal, you'll see he has an office window. This is how the room inside of that office window is supposed to look. Another cool moment is we get to walk into The Kitty Kat Club, which is also an actual facade on the New York streets of Universal. The house itself is very hard-boiled, pulpy, and film noir-ish but with a distinctive HHN/Supernatural feel. The story isn't the easiest to follow, and I believe all of the monsters are new. It's not the best house at the event, but it should delight die-hard fans of  HHN or Universal Studios Florida.

7/10 STARS

SHOWS

There were two shows this year: Halloween Nightmare Fuel and Marathon of Mayhem: Carnage Factory. I slept on both. 2 more Ls. Oh well.

RIDES

HOLLYWOOD RIP RIDE ROCKIT

A ride most don't care for, but I love.  I got to ride in the front row late at night to the track of Stronger by Kanye West (This is my preferred way to ride). The wind in your face/hair, the PERFECT views of Horror Nights, and the thrill of those coaster maneuvers make Rip Ride Rockit always a MUST at HHN. 

TRANSFORMERS: THE RIDE 3-D

First off, I LOVE the new lighting package on Optimus at night. He's illuminated in blue (his eyes still glow blue as well), and his sword glows orange/yellow. As for the ride itself...well, I finally got to cross a long-standing item off on my bucket list: I got to ride this sucker while high (Delta-8 THC. Legal weed). It definitely lived up to my expectations. 

REVENGE OF THE MUMMY

This is the best the ride has looked since opening day. The 180 Imhotep face launch scene looks great (not as good as opening day, but still much better than before). The ride looks darker, the LED mummy screens look brighter, and I noticed what might be a new mummy victim prop near the beginning of the ride (before Reggie). Mummy always makes for a very fun ride. It's a classic.

SUMMARY

2021 brought some changes to Halloween Horror Nights (another change I have yet to mention is that it seems the event has stopped titling years as ex: HHN 30, but instead ex: HHN 2021), luckily none of them served to dampen my enjoyment of the event in any way, shape, and or form. The story of how I got to this event is itself an interesting one. I bought my tickets for Sept.30 (with Express Passes), and asked one of my friends from work if he wanted to go with. He said his friends were going to go in October. I figured oh well, fuck this year's tag line (Never Go Alone), I guess I'm flying solo. The week of the event, my friend informs me that his friends decided they want to go on the 30th...they had no idea I was going the same date. Despite the night being a fairly average one for Horror Nights (ie: not bad/not super crowded), we kept having trouble meeting up until (around midnight) I found myself walking behind him in the Crypt TV zone. Crazy stuff. So, getting back on track: Halloween Horror Nights 2021 was definitely one for the fans, and a step up from 2019's event. The scares would have been there if not for the Plexiglass (I admit plenty of others in line were freaking out and screaming at the BOO moments, so maybe I'm just desensitized in general. Your mileage may vary, I guess), but the theming, storytelling, and design was on par with some classic Horror Night years. That's right folks, this is one you should not miss. So, mask up and wander into the fog. The nightmares are waiting.

10/10