FRIGHT FEST: IN A VIOLENT NATURE

 In A Violent Nature is your typical "cabin in the woods" scenario. A bunch of stupid horned-up college kids pocket an old totem left behind from a tragedy many years ago. Removing the totem re-awakens Johnny; a hulking, mentally-deficient monster to whom the totem belongs. Thrown into a violent, murderous rage, Johnny sets out to retrieve what is his. The thing that sets In A violent Nature apart from other "cabin in the woods"-esque scenarios is that the story is told solely and completely from Johnny POV.

In a Violent Nature is an inventive and clever riff on Friday the 13th. It could also be considered a secret Cabin in the Woods (2012) film. I like that as we follow around Johnny/the killer, we can tell that there is a regular slasher film actively happening around him. There is some very good sound design and cinematography here.

This flick moves very slowly (at least 80% is just watching Johnny walk) and is very quiet, but everything from the yoga scene to the final kill is top tier. I also really didn’t mind the first act either. My only real complaint is the last 20 minutes or so suck and could have easily been cut. They seem to exist so director/writer Chris Nash could sneak in a memorable line (sorry, dude… wasn’t worth it).

In the end, there is more good than bad here. Some gnarly and memorable kills, a cool supernatural killer, and some top-tier technical elements make In A Violent Nature an original horror film any patient horror fan should check out.

3.5 STARS

FRIGHT FEST: SMILE 2 SURPRISES

 “I love wearing your skin.”

In Smile 2, Pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott)  is making a successful comeback after a notorious drug addiction spiral. Said spiral ended when the car her boyfriend (Paul, played by Ray Nicholson) was driving with her in it crashed, killing him and nearly taking her life as well. Right when things start to look better, a stop by a high school friend-turned drug dealer’s place goes bad. He kills himself in front of Skye, passing the Smile monster on to her. Cursed and slowly going insane, Skye has to find a way to finally beat the Smile monster or die.

The first Smile was a popular but underwhelming film. With Smile 2, director/writer Parker Finn exceeds expectations. Here, he is let loose. The filmmaking on display is often aggressive and feels immediate. The cinematography by Charlie Sarroff and editing by Elliot Greenberg is stellar and trippy, effectively bringing us into the world of the Smile Monster. The score by Cristobal Tapia de Veer can veer into delicious Synth-y territory at the best of times and is certainly worth a listen on it’s own.

Kyle Gallner returns for a killer opening sequence, after which it’s the Naomi Scott show. We could discuss some supporting players, but there’s not much point since most get minor screen time. Miles Gutierrez-Riley deserves a call-out as Joshua, a friend of Skye’s. He manages to make the most out of his minimal screen time. Dylan Gelula is great and shows potential as Gemma, ex-best friend to Skye. Unfortunately, she’s literally only in three scenes. Luckily, Scott is so compelling as Skye that these small flaws are forgivable. 

Naomi Scott previously played Jasmine in the Aladdin remake. She was one of the best parts of that film. Is it any surprise she's upped her game since then? Naomi Scott deserves every bit of praise for her work here. Her performance isn't just fearless, but also surprisingly physical. There are multiple dance sequences throughout where she rehearses for shows. Scott slays her choreography in these scenes. She also proves she’s got the pipes to be a Scream Queen. Scott’s Skye Riley is given a good backstory, and she is more likable than the protagonist in the first Smile was. Naomi Scott is Queen as Skye Riley, and she puts on one of the best performances of 2024.

Smile 2 has an incredibly strong first act, but it loses its footing just a tiny bit during acts 2 and 3. It starts out so strong and fast, that it’s hard to maintain that momentum for a full two hours. This isn't enough to knock Smile 2 any points, but it is noticeable. The third act also makes a questionable choice that will likely frustrate or even anger some fans.

The kills and gore on display in Smile 2 easily out-do anything found in the first Smile. The high school friend’s death (Lewis, played by Lukas Gage) is easily an unforgettable highlight. There is a lot of blood and a lot of gore throughout . There are also plenty of creepy smiling people stalking the corners of the film as well. If you came to Smile 2 looking for fun, old-fashioned, bloody, squirm-inducing horror… you’ve come to the right place.

Smile opened the doors wide for Parker Finn to really show us what he can do, and with Smile 2, he doesn’t disappoint. With this second outing, Finn puts the pedal to the metal and delivers a thrilling, thoughtful, freaky, wild, and fun film that continues the first Smile’s exploration of trauma hidden behind fake smiles. Everything here is better: the story, the score, the cinematography, the editing… It all adds up to a sequel that is infinitely better than the first film. You better believe Smile 2 is one of the best horror films of 2024. It will put a smile on your face.

4.5 STARS

FRIGHT FEST: TERRIFIER 3 DECKS THE HALLS WITH ARTERIEL SPURTS OF RED

 In Terrifier 3, It's five years after the events of Terrifier 2 and Christmas-time is here. Sienna (Lauren LaVera) is living in a home for the mentally unwell, haunted by hallucinations of her slaughtered love ones. Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) is busy in college and doesn't have time for talk about Art. Sienna is invited to shack up with her uncle Greg (Bryce Johnson), aunt Jessica (Margaret Anne Florence), and young cousin Gabbie (Antonella Rose) for Christmas, but Art (David Howard Thornton) re-awakens with a crazed and evil Vicky (Samantha Scaffidi) in tow. While Art and Vicky have themselves a very merry Christmas, Sienna tries to hold it together as she can't be sure the glimpses of the carnage she catches is real or just a symptom of her fragile mental state.

Terrifier 3 has had a lot of buzz surrounding it for a while. From the rumors that a young child would be graphically murdered in the opening scene to the reports of multiple people leaving the theater within the first eleven minutes of the film. Can Terrifier 3 possibly live up to such hype and expectations? You bet your ass it can! On a sidenote: I personally found the bits that followed the opening scene to be far more graphic and disturbing than the opening scene itself was. As for the rumors about a young child being axed...This is a Terrifier film, what do you expect?

Terrifier 3 is directed by Damien Leone, the same man who directed, edited, and wrote the previous two Terrifier films. Many lauded much praise upon Terrifier 2, but I has my issues with the film. Luckily, Terrifier 3 is a large step up from the previous installment. This go-round, we actually have a plot, the screenplay is pretty solid, and every character is well-written and likable.

For example, Jonathan has a room mate, Cole (Mason Mecartea). Cole has a smoking hot girlfriend, Mia (Alexa Blair Robertson). In most films, Mia would just exist to be a slutty, untrustworthy, and unimportant side character. Here, she has some development. She has her own true crime podcast and is obsessed with Art the Clown. She totally loses her cool whenever she runs into Jonathan or Sienna, as she is both a major fan and would also kill to have them on her show. While some might call her a leech, Mia comes across as bubbly and cute. She never seems to have ill intent.

As for Cole, it feel like he should be your typical douchey jock-bro. However, he is never shown to be cruel or arrogant. In fact, he seems like a mostly nice dude. He encourages Jonathan to get out and be social. Cole can even be seen cringing in the background whenever Mia nerds out over Jonathan or Sienna. Greg and Jessica also get some development too. Greg has reservations about hosting Sienna concerning her mental state, but he never ostracizes her and is generally pretty nice and accommodating. All of our cast feel real and human this time.

What about the gore, I hear you ask? You know how the colors of Christmas are red and green? Well, Terrifier 3 says "Screw green, it's all about the red, baby"! Every single kill scene plays like the filmmakers asked themselves how they could one-up the bedroom slaughter from Terrifier 2. Oh yes, Terrifier 3 aggressively pushes the boundaries of good taste. This is easily the meanest, most brutal, bloodiest, and goriest Christmas horror film I've seen in a long time. There's also a decent amount of sacrilegious imagery. For me, every single kill after the opening scene floored me in both good and bad ways. I'm tempted to call Terrifier 3 transgressive, that's how intense this flick gets.

Lauren LaVera remains one of the great final girls of modern horror. She nailed her role in Terrifier 2, and she does so again here. In fact, she's actually better in this one. LaVera has a lot to play with here, and she impresses. Antonella Rose as Gabby is totally winsome and adorable. Gabby and Sienna make for a great team, so look forward to that in future films, I guess.

David Howard Thornton has always been iconic as Art, but this is easily his best turn as the character yet. It just feels right to have Samantha Scaffidi from the first film return for round 3, and the film gives Vicky a lot to do this time. Terrifier 3 likely could have easily put anyone under the prosthetics and we likely would have been none the wiser, so it means a lot they brought the original actress back.

Unfortunately, not all is shiny and bright with Terrifier 3. Yes, this flick does A LOT right...but it's still not without its flaws. Let's talk about Jonathan. I love Jonathan, he was one of the brightest spots of Terrifier 2. Elliott Fullam has a career as a musician/singer as well, so that might explain why Jonathan is treated the way he is here. Jonathan is actively running from the memories of Terrifier 2. He would prefer to live a normal, ordinary life. He's even disowned punk music. In other words: Jonathan has changed. We watch him struggle with himself and his choices. Where his character ends up plays like waving a gigantic middle finger in the face of the audience/Terrifier fans. It also makes everything surrounding him and his college seem meaningless/pointless, including the characters of Mia and Cole. If future Terrifier films commit to what Terrifier 3 set up in regards to Jonathan, I'll give them this: They have gigantic, swinging balls.

Terrifier 3 sets up that Sienna is dealing with severe trauma from the events of Terrifier 2. This trauma heavily affects Sienna throughout Terrifier 3. While it is tempting to roll your eyes at the mention of the word trauma (Trauma is the hot word in horror right now, after all), these parts are handled very well. In fact, there should have been more hallucinations. As is, we get less than a handful. Something is better than nothing, I guess.

Those walking in hoping for answers to questions raised during Terrifier 2 are going to be disappointed. The Clown Cafe plays no role here except for two brief callbacks. There is no explanation as to how Art and Sienna's dad is connected (Terrifier 3 seems to say that Sienna's dad was obsessed with Art and his killings...so that might be the answer. If so...LAME!!!!). There's also no explanation as to how The Terrifier is important in all of this. A tiny bit of lore is added, but it's not much. Terrifier 3 seems to be more focused on the film at hand than on setting up future pieces, which is a good thing (duh). 

Likely my biggest complaint with Terrifier 3 is its ending. This flick feels bombastic and excessive with how many kills occur and with the manner in which each victim is killed. So it's a bit disappointing when it all leads to an ellipsis or a cliffhanger. I can also understand the kind of thinking that led Damien Leone and crew to leave the character of Sienna where they choose to leave her, but it still feels a bit edgelord. Dark and mean just for the sake of being dark and mean. The finale is appropriately brutal and savage, but surprisingly small scale. It’s effective and tense, but can’t quite match the setting of the Terrifier in Terrifier 2. 

Horror films aren't supposed to appeal to mass audiences. They're supposed to shock you, scare you, piss you off. They're supposed to challenge you and make you uncomfortable, maybe even make you sick. Horror films push boundaries. Terrifier 3 understands this. There's a lot here that's going to anger or offend many, and that's a good thing. Terrifier 3 is easily the best of the Terrifier trilogy. It's also one of the greatest/best horror films of 2024. This one leaves a mark.

4.5 STARS

FRIGHT FEST: IT'S WHAT'S INSIDE

 In It's What's Inside, a pre-wedding party descends into chaos when an estranged friend shows up with a mysterious game.

First off: David Thompson is unbelievably perfect as Forbes. That demented smile he wears during his first scene says it all: “I’m going to fuck all of you motherfuckers up, and I’m going to have a blast doing it.” The blank eyed smile he gives Cyrus while Cyrus is going off on a monologue to him… too perfect. Forbes perfectly embodies the trickster archetype. He’s come here to party at literally EVERYONE’S expense, and I’m here for it.

The cinematography (by Kevin Fletcher), production design (by Terry Watson), art direction (by Karl Lefèvre), and score (by Andrew Hewitt) are all superb. The design of the mansion is eclectic and cool. There are several rooms that feel like they shouldn’t exist in this mansion, and the place itself feels enormous.

The use of color here is impressive and cool. The lighting and colors are beautifully trippy and surreal. The color red is particularly important. The score is very wacky and eclectic as well. It stands out, in a good way, and fits the film it accompanies perfectly.

It's What's Inside is Greg Jardin's first feature film as director and screenwriter. He mostly worked on promos and music videos prior to this, which honestly isn't surprising as much of It's What's Inside has a trippy/psychedelic music video aesthetic to it. Jardin does an unbelievably good job for his first time. It's What's Inside is like a hard sci-fi twist on Bodies Bodies Bodies. It's got plenty of killer twists and turns throughout. It's always fun watching a bunch of horrible people get what's coming to them.

4 STARS

FRIGHT FEST: HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS 33 TRIP REPORT

 On Friday, Sept. 20 I made the trek up to Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights. This would be a different trip, though. The reason I was attending the event this year was because a childhood friend and fellow horror hound would be going to HHN for his first time. I never miss an event if I can help it, but this being my buddy's first time made this year an absolute do-not-miss. So, how did this year fare?

ICONS

While technically, this year doesn't have any OFFICIAL Icons, Horror Nights was nice enough to roll out two brand new unofficial Icons in the form of SINIST3R and SURR3AL. These two insidious ladies are in the business of collecting our screams and haunting our nightmares. SINIST3R is in charge of the houses Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America, Triplets of Terror, Major Sweets Candy Factory, Goblin's Feast, and Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines. SURR3AL is in charge of the houses A Quiet Place, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Insidious: The Further, Slaughter Sinema 2, and The Museum: Deadly Exhibit. Like Dr. Richard Oddfellow before them, SINIST3R and SURR3AL are given free reign to roam several scare zones including Duality of Fear, Torture Faire, and Demon Ladies. They are both visually striking and memorable, and are easily highlights of this year's event.

THEME

Theme isn't necessarily vital to HHN, but when the event does decide to utilize theme it can make or break the year. This year, the theme was very scatter-shot. The first ads teased lore involving some kind of gigantic creature slumbering under Universal Studios. Next, marketing teased the iconic Universal entrance arch re-designed/re-imagined as a gigantic Lovecraftian monstrosity lovingly named Otis.  Then the first merch items utilized 90's/00's skater culture/punk aesthetic in much of it's designs. Finally, they unveiled SINIST3R and SURR3AL as the unofficial Icons. It isn't hard to see that the overall theme for HHN 33 was confusion/chaos. Nothing added up or gelled together, and all the individual pieces seemed at war with each other. Coherent, HHN 33 was not. The severe mishandling of theme wasn't enough to completely sink this year's event, but it was bad enough to remain in most's memories and shade how many would perceive this year. It also doesn't help that budget cuts played a role in HHN 33 and Hollywood definitely seemed to be in charge this go-round.

SCAREZONES

DUALITY OF FEAR

As soon as you enter the gates of Halloween Horror Nights, you must choose a path: follow SINIST3R, the manifestation of visceral horror. Or follow SURR3AL,the incarnation of unearthly terror.

This zone is located at the front of the park, and utilizes the famous iconic HHN arch. SINIST3R and SURR3AL can often be found atop the arch, berating and yelling at their victims down below. The theming of the duo's minions isn't great and there are no props or sets used. Projections are beamed down from the arch to the ground below, which is really as much theming as you get here. So yeah, this scarezone is...close to being non-existent. SINIST3R and SURR3AL carry this entire zone on their backs, and even then it's not enough to save it. This is where the Chainsaw Drill Team loiter about. 

4/10

DEMON QUEENS

Get caught in an otherworldly hellscape ripped from the darkest corners of your mind. Four merciless queens loyal to SURR3AL rule, surrounded by hordes of fanatical followers

Another "meh" scarezone. This one is in the Hollywood area, and features more minions of SURR3AL. There is a bit more theming here, and more scares...but I couldn't sparse the story (Something about SURR3AL wearing down our defenses until she's able to enter our minds and torment us). We didn't spend much time here, and it didn't leave much of an impression.

4/10

ENTER THE BLUMHOUSE

Escape a terrifying gauntlet of Blumhouse characters. From sinister sadists from The Purge and Black Phone to M3GAN dancing into your nightmares, you’ve never known horror like this.

This zone was located in the San Fran area, and was also light on theming. it consisted of several small stages where Blumhouse characters from M3GAN, The Purge. The Black Phone, and other films strut and pose. There are some scares here (None from the characters on stage, mind you), but the theming is (once again) just about non-existent. 

4/10

TORTURE FAIRE

Come one, come all, to SINIST3R’s renaissance faire with the devious theme of medieval torture. Brave the gloriously gory homemade torture devices ‘til you’re put out of your misery.

A zone I wasn't looking forward to, but it ended up impressing me. Set in the NYC area, Torture Faire had plenty of theming, lots of props, and multiple stages. A Blood Eagle is even featured (for whatever reason). All the scareactors seemed to get the assignment, and there were plenty of screams to be had here. A bonus was getting to watch SINIST3R roam and survey her domain on occasion. 

8.5/10

SWAMP OF THE UNDEAD

In backwaters Louisiana, you unwittingly wander onto private property, where you’re swamped by zombies borne from the bodies of other trespassers who were killed and dumped in a nearby bog.

Set in the Central Park area, this scarezone continues the tradition of Central Park having the most beautiful scarezones at HHN. Swamp of the Undead perfectly captures the atmosphere and ambiance of the Louisana Bayou. The zombies look pretty cool, but didn't provide much scares. luckily,  the theming and details were gorgeous. Definitely a zone I would have loved to have been able to linger in.

8.5/10  

HOUSES

MONSTRUOS: THE MONSTERS OF LATIN AMERICA

¡Ten cuidado! With La Muerte as your guide, try to survive the night with three terrifying legends: Tlahuelpuchi, La Lechuza and El Silbón.

This was the first house we hit (Meaning it's also my friend's first official HHN house). It felt very much related to 2013's Urban Legends: La Llorona. The theming is gorgeous throughout as most of the house consists of small Latin-American villages and alleyways with monsters just waiting to pop out from dark corners, doorways, and windows. There was one or two animatronics that looked ripped out of Spirit Halloween (WTF?!) and I had no idea who the monsters featured in the house are or what their lore/backstories are, but overall this was a mostly solid little sleeper house.

7/10

A QUIET PLACE

Silence your screams if you want to survive the terrifying, post-apocalyptic world. Like the Abbott family, you must keep quiet as you travel from the farmhouse to the woods, to the foundry. As soon as you make a sound, monstrous creatures who can hear the slightest noise, will hunt you down and silence you for good.

This is not a sound-based house like the marketing would have you believe...that said, it's one of the best of the night. Yeah, I wasn't expecting that. The house is very accurate to the films in the Quiet Place franchise (I don't think Day One was featured, though). The facade is the toy store from the beginning of the first Quiet Place, complete with the beeping space shuttle. Next, you enter a pitch-black tunnel using binaural audio (think the tunnel from 2019's Graveyard Games) that has a Death Angel lying in wait. From there, you are hit with a wide-open room with the title card for the house. Every Death Angel in the house is either a puppet, an animatronic, or an arm slashing wildly though a door. The movements of the Death Angels were spot-on and precise, and there were many featured throughout. The environments and sets were elaborate, realistic, and felt lived-in. This was absolutely a house I had no anticipation or excitement for, and it only continues to prove that Universal is THE BEST at crafting quality haunted houses from IPs many like myself might not be as enthused with (Just look at what they did with AVP, The Thing 2011, Dracula Untold, The Exorcist: Believer, and The Wolfman 2010).

8.5/10

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

A bone-chilling new specter has escaped from an ancient artifact, and he’ll stop you cold. The Ghostbusters must team up to save you and the rest of the world from a second Ice Age.

So yeah, the film this house is based on wasn't great. That said, Universal has a way of making treasure out of the mediocre. How did they do here? Not bad. There's some cold rooms and rooms with snow, one of the Garrakas got all up in my business, and there's even a room paying tribute to Vigo and the Ghostbusters 2 slime. Not a bad house, but after we had a ghostbusters house in 2019, it felt a little too soon for another one.

7/10

TRIPLETS OF TERROR

You’re invited to the Barmy triplets’ birthday celebration. But their kind of party involves recreating the murders of their entire family.

This house feels like classic HHN. There weren't many scares, but it told a full story. The story here follows the Barmy triplets, who savagely slaughter their family, then go on to recreate the murder ten years later. We start out visiting the original slaughter, walk through a dark room narrated by a child hosting a podcast about the Barmy triplets, and then we walk through their next killing spree ten years later. The locations/environments are pretty cool, including the Barmy house, back alleys, fronts of houses, and more. Triplets of Terror was not the best house of the night, but it was still very memorable and impressive. 

8/10

INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER

 Don’t get trapped in The Further as terrifying demons try to ensnare you. The Red-Faced Demon will lure you into his lair behind The Red Door, so he can possess your living body. And KeyFace will unlock your fears with his key-tipped fingers to keep your soul trapped in The Further forever.

This was the most buzzed-about house of the event. It was being highly hyped by many event-goers as the scariest house in HHN history. I....can't agree, unfortunately. The red door façade optical illusion (where the door grows larger the closer you to get to it), the red curtain/Darth Maul Demon rooms (Where the Darth maul Demons were perfectly synced), and the two mannequin rooms (where the room is filled with mannequins, hiding amongst which are several live scare actors. These rooms are classic HHN, and I always LOVE when a house decides to utilize them) were highlights. This house was definitely the scariest of the night, but I feel the first Insidious house from 2014 was better themed and scarier. Maybe I've just grown desensitized to HHN?

8/10

MAJOR SWEETS CANDY FACTORY

 You’ve been invited to chaperone a field trip to a candy factory. But this sweet tour is about to turn sour when free samples transform the kids into candy-coated killers wielding sharpened candies.

I was expecting a lot out of this house, and it didn't exactly deliver. I LOVE the idea of a candy maker who's products turn children into sugar-crazed monsters. There is some creativity on display throughout the house, and it was certainly fun getting to explore Major Sweets' warehouse. It felt like this house should have been a mix between Giggles and Gore Inc. and Leave It To Cleaver. Good news: this house is definitely better than Giggles and Gore. Bad news: It's nowhere near as classic as Cleaver. There is some humor here, and once again, it is a fun house to walk through...but it doesn't rank near the top of the night. 

7/10

UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: ETERNAL BLOODLINES

Join Saskia Van Helsing and the Bride of Frankenstein as they face off against Dracula's Daughter and her monstrous alliance.

The story here is pretty great and engaging. Saskia Van Helsing is the last of her lineage, the rest having all been killed by Dracula and other monsters. Heartbroken and enraged, Saskia sets out for vengeance, targeting Dracula's daughter. The story is easy enough to follow, and the opening scene was pretty cool (It's raining in a graveyard, Saskia is crying in front of a grave, we enter into a crypt/mausoleum). There are some cool moments in here, and I appreciate the dark ending Saskia's story gets. This house has been getting a lot of hate, but I'd place it about on the same level of Braide of Frankenstein...maybe higher. 

7/10

GOBLIN'S FEAST

 Visit a goblin village, where hordes of bloodthirsty goblins, orcs, hobgoblins and witches would love to have you for dinner.

Another attempt at a classic HHN house. I wasn't exactly looking forward to this house, but I had hopes. Sure enough, the detail work inside is very well-done, but the interiors don't feel as large or lived-in as they could. There was nothing in here that truly wowed or scared. It feels adjacent to Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate or Wicked Growth, but never gets close to those insane heights.

7/10

SLAUGHTER SINEMA 2

 If you’re dying for a B-movie horror marathon, head to the Carey Drive-in. Scream through scenes from creature features, grindhouse gore, spaghetti westerns and more.

I have heard so much high praise for the first Slaughter Sinema over the years, so I was more than eager to see what I was missing out on. Turns out...not much. This house wasn't necessarily bad, it just felt like a lesser version of H.R. Bloodengutz from 2011. It's always great to have a house set in Carey, Ohio...but this house just didn't do it for me. I've heard from event-goers that the first Slaughter Sinema was better. I'm not surprised. Not a bad house, just...I've seen better versions of this kind of house.

7/10

THE MUSEUM: DEADLY EXHIBIT

You decide to visit the new folklore museum exhibit, The Rotting Stone, when an evil escapes from within, destroying everything in its path.

Now THIS was more up my alley! A local museum decides to showcase a mysterious artifact dubbed 'The Rotting Stone', which starts to slowly infect and warp the museum once it arrives on site. This house was weird, freaky, gross, and surreal. It's really interesting and cool to see how The Rotting Stone transforms the museum around it: masks and walls come to life, security guards melt and morph, and more! This was the last house we queued up for, and it was a great way to end the night!

8.5/10 

SUMMARY

There were warning signs for HHN 33 from the very start. As far as I'm concerned, HHN 33 is another HHN 22...a weak, disappointing year. I might say it's worse than HHN 22. HHN 22 had all-timer houses like Gothic and Dead End. While there aren't any bad houses this year, there are no all-timers either. I'm always happy to support my friends, and I'm glad he had an absolute blast his first year. I'll never pass up an opportunity to attend HHN, but let's hope next year is a significant improvement. 

7/10

RANKING

SCARE ZONES

1. Swamp of the Undead

2. Torture Faire

3. Demon Queens

4. Duality of Evil

5. Blumhouse

HOUSES

1. The Museum: Deadly Exhibit

2. A Quiet Place

3. Triplets of Terror

4. Insidious: The Further

5. Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America

6. Goblin's Feast

7. Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines

8. Major Sweets Candy Factory

9. Slaughter Sinema 2

10. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

 

FRIGHT FEST: FOR A GOOD TIME, INJECT THE SUBSTANCE

 With the release of The Substance, that means we now have three Barbarians in one year. What a time to be alive!

In The Substance, aging starlet Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is fired from her cushy gig running a television exercise/ work-out show on her 50th birthday. Crushed, Elisabeth happens across a black market drug called The Substance that promises the user a younger, perfect, more beautiful version of their current selves...but at a cost. Naturally, Elisabeth can't resist and soon finds herself spiraling down a dark rabbit hole as her double Sue (Margaret Qualley) and her battle for control over their life. 

A horror-comic satire about age, youth, and beauty. Imagine if you mixed David Cronenberg’s The Fly, Sorry To Bother You, X,  AntiViral, Amazon Prime’s Them, and a Troma production. The Substance is self-indulgent and impulsive at the worst of times, luckily it approaches it’s tale of age vs youth with creativity, humor, and an off-kilter and odd sensibility. 

Dennis Quaid isn’t given much to do, but perfectly embodies his character. Margaret Qualley as Sue and Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle are absolute dynamite. The cinematography by Benjamin Kracun and production design by Stanislas Reydellet consistently pop off the screen. Coralie Fargeat (A Paris native) writes and directs, having previously done the same for Reality+ and Revenge. 

The Substance is graphic, with full-frontal nudity and more blood and gore than you could fill several swimming pools with. That said, while the proceedings can get disturbing, gross, and stomach-churning, the vibes The Substance more often than not tries to go for are comedic. 

Some might feel tempted to say that this movie is an exercise in style over substance, but they’d be wrong. The Substance has A LOT to say about youth, beauty, age, how youth views age and beauty, and how age views youth and beauty. The final 20-40 minutes plays host to a barrage of endings, each proceeding one invariably more bombastic and insane than the last. Look, a decade ago a movie like this would have been direct to video on demand, so what a treat that The Substance is getting a wide release.

The Substance is flawed. It tries too hard at times, and can feel more than a little self-indulgent. The good news is that its premise is incredibly interesting and unique, our two leads steal all their scenes, and there is plenty of commentary for viewers to contemplate after the credits roll. The Substance ranks in as another one of the best of 2024.

4.5 STARS

FRIGHT FEST: ODDITY

 In Oddity, Dani spends her days and nights renovating an old house that she plans on moving into with her husband Tim, the head of a mental asylum. One night, she decides to sleep over, resulting in her brutal murder at the presumed hands of an escaped inmate. One year later, her blind psychic twin sister pays a visit to the house in an attempt to uncover who is truly responsible for the murder.

A creepy, atmospheric horror-mystery. While the resolution to the mystery is pretty easy to call before the end of the first act, this film is still to be commended for its constant sense of lurking dread. There’s no real lead character. We spend most of the run-time with Tim's new girlfriend. She leaves by the end of the second act and isn’t all that important in the grand scheme of things, though. It feels like the surviving twin sister should be the lead, and while she’s definitely in this, she doesn’t get as much screen-time as others.

Despite these complaints, Oddity still manages to send a consistent chill up-and-down your spine for a full hour and thirty-five minutes. It also features one of the best “haunted houses” in modern cinema (Ain’t no way I’m stepping foot in there, let alone spending a night there or live there). The wooden dummy is plenty creepy and foreboding as well.

4 STARS