We Are Still Here (Review)

We Are Still Here (2015)

Horror

Directed By: Ted Geoghegan 

Amidst all the horror remakes and dulled down PG-13 teen screams big studios release nowadays too many people seem to think horror is dying. This is hardly the case however and if you are looking for great, innovative horror you just need to look to the internet. Nowadays, with Video on Demand (VOD) and all other sorts of instant streaming services these film makers have found a whole new way to reach their fans. Such is the case with last weekend’s We Are Still Here which released simultaneously on VOD and in a limited theater run. In his directorial debut Ted Geoghegan has brought a clever twist to the classic haunted house that manages to feels both completely new and totally vintage at the same time.

The less you know about this movie, the better so I’m not going to give you too much plot. Anne (Barbara Crampton) and Paul Sacchetti (Andrew Sensenig) have just lost their son in a horrific car crash two months prior. They decide to move into a quiet house in the country to try to cope and be at ease. Shortly after moving in however, Anne begins to hear strange noises and witness odd occurrences like pictures falling off the wall. So she calls the parents of her son’s old roommate and asks them to come up for the weekend with their son to help ease the pain. Upon the arrival of their friends it starts becoming quite clear that not only the house they have moved into is strange, but the entire town itself.

We Are Still Here is a testament to how beautiful horror movies can be, even among all the blood and guts. The use of long shots on the snow covered countryside and in the house build up the suspense astronomically. It's a film that forces you to look when you would typically cut away. This is something I love in horror films; too often do scenes cut away at the most horrific parts to only leave you guessing. The director wants you to see what’s hiding in that corner, he wants you to see what lurks in the shadows and he definitely wants you to see how they die.

Bringing in two coveted horror all-stars never hurts your cause either. With Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator) as the traumatized mother and Larry Fessenden (Jug Face) as the wacky stoner buddy you'll feel right at home as soon as you see their faces. Fessenden is balls out in this movie too; his performance stole the show for me as he was both hilarious and scary as all hell. As one of the most iconic "Scream Queens" it's always great to see Crampton back in horror again too. She shows us all she’s still got it here, bringing a dominant dramatic performance to the screen.

I have been seeing a large amount of people describing this as a "fun" horror movie, and it is, but I feel that's not what it does best. We Are Still Here is a scary flick. Just by the time the title card popped on screen I was already feeling on edge. The use of long, steady shots and intense music set the stage for what’s to come. Even when just functioning as a basic haunted house move in the first act I found myself going to shield by eyes every time someone turned a corner.  I've always said if a movie can scare me in daylight it’s a quality film, and this does just that.

As a huge genre fan it is always refreshing to see a film that encompasses the feeling of both Modern and classic horror. The last film I can remember doing this is Ti West's The House of the Devil back in 2009, and just like that film this often feels like it came from another decade. This film proves that just because modern audiences love the bigger and badder doesn't mean it can't be done in a small contained story. We Are Still Here is available on multiple VOD outlets (Itunes, Amazon, Vudu) and is in limited theaters. If you are a horror fan then don't miss out on this one. For a meager $6.99 you can even OWN it on Vudu. Don't sleep on this one guys, it’s worth every penny.

As usual, thanks for reading! I am Zach Who Watches Movies and you can find me on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!