MOVIE REVIEW: Blair Witch

Blair Witch (2016)

Horror, Thriller

Directed By: Adam Wingard

When The Blair Witch Project hit theaters back in 1999 it was nothing short of a phenomenon, the likes of which we will probably never see again. They had people convinced what they had seen was real, so how do you follow that up? You can't try to re-capture lightning in a bottle, but you can recreate a feeling by building off of what audiences loved the first time around. Making the film in secret doesn't hurt, either and writing/directing duo Simon Barrett and Adam Wingard did just that filming under the title The Woods. With clever marketing and an understanding of what worked so well the first time around Blair Witch is the sequel fans have been waiting sixteen years for. 

Ever since it happened, James Donahue (James Allen McCune) has been obsessed with discovering how and why his sister Heather went missing in the woods of Burkittsville, Maryland back in 1999. He thinks he may have finally found a legitimate lead when he discovers a video online of someone lost in those same woods. Thinking that there are answers out there, or that his sister might even be alive still, he gathers a group of his friends to go out there and look for themselves. Though they are all skeptical they head out with James anyways in hopes of finally setting his lifelong mission to rest. Unfortunately for them the woods, and the Blair Witch herself have different plans for them 

If the original film was a thrilling build up to an epic final shot than this new movie is an insane roller coaster ride that finishes as abruptly as it begins. Barrett and Wingard knew they couldn't recapture the tension and surprise the original brought, but they could get the scares. Not only that but they made sure to make those scares much bigger than the first time around. Once the group has entered the woods they begin to rapid fire these scenes, with some jump scares feeling a little cheap but most of them landing wonderfully. The cheap ones are easily forgiven as well when you realize they are there to simply build more tension for the crazy final act. 

When I say this film is a roller coaster ride I mean this is the best possible way. What you are seeing this time around is a thrill ride experience. The movie is here to scare the hell out of you, not to change the genre entirely. The original was also an experience of a different sort, giving audiences their first real glimpse at the found-footage genre while also tricking them into believing what they were seeing was real. Blair Witch doesn't get the opportunity to do that so they created an all new type of horror enterprise within the same framework.

What makes the film more than just this amusement park ride is the way the filmmakers build off of the established mythology of the original. They take ideas that were barely even realized in the first and bring them into fruition in truly terrifying ways. They build off of the story of the man killing all those children under the witch's control, we actually get to see that influence in action this time around. They also incorporate different types of horror here as well adding a few practical blood shots and an unnerving sci-fi element dealing with time. This is precisely what a sequel is meant to do; take what the original established and build off it to create a story that feels both familiar and totally new at the same time. 

There were two key elements in creating this feeling and they are the characters and the updated technology. Taking advantage of the fact that everyone will know that this is a hollywood film this time, they brought together a wonderful cast of characters. Some we are pushed to really like while others are made to be the unfavorables, giving us a connection to this story that we didn't have the first time. It being 2016 now they also step up their game technology wise, equipping our characters with plenty of HD cameras, high quality microphones, and even a small drone. These are all used in clever ways to show us new angles, and give us new sounds that we were not able to pick up in the original.

Though this film may be one of the most exciting horror rides you take all year they have some trouble sticking the landing. Following in the footsteps of one of the most iconic final shots in all of horror the ending of this movie was almost guaranteed to fall short of it. If you are hoping for a crazy final shot that blows the lid off of this movie you will be disappointed. Barrett and Wingard focused on the ride that gets us to the finale and when the ending does come it feels like the only out they had. 

The latest installment in the franchise hardly sets out to reinvent the wheel but it does a damn fine job of polishing it. Operating on the same framework as the original these guys crafted a found-footage movie that hits every beat it needs to and those who enjoy this style of filmmaking will have a great time. If you are someone who scoffs at this sub-genre of horror I still say you should give this a shot. Seeing it on a big screen, as loud as possible, and with a big crowd made this a wonderfully fun, and truly scary experience.

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find em anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: High-Rise

High-Rise (2016)

Drama

Directed By: Ben Wheatley

Dystopian storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to get a point across, if done right. FIlms like They Live!, Repo Man, and Children of Men get across a profound message about the societal age they are reflecting, What happens though when you take a story of dystopia from our past and give it to us in the present? Do the problems feel old and outdated or have we grown so little in some ways that the story feels as fresh today as it did back in, say, 1975? Director Ben Wheatley's adaptation of the J.G. Ballard book High-Rise asks us these questions as we watch a 1970's apartment building slowly descend into madness. 

Dr. Laing (Tom Hiddleston) has just moved into a new flat in a state of the art high-rise building designed by famed architect Anthony Royal (Jeremy Irons). It's to be the living space of the future, with all of their commodities available inside the building. From grocery stores to swimming pools this new way of living offers little need to go out into the real world. This idea spreads like wildfire in the minds of its tenants and in just a few months class warfare and a disassociation from reality leads the people to devolve into violent chaos. Closed off from the world the occupants of this high-rise experience first hand the high and lows of a caste system. 

Though the story takes place in the 70's, much of what occurs throughout feels like it could happen just as easily today. Aside from the blaring aesthetics of the film (Wheatley made sure to let us know this is the 70's) the story could have easily taken place in present time without changing much of the plot. The high-rise building is basically a mega-tower from the Dredd universe, just on a smaller scale and the mechanics of life inside don't differ all that much. The authorities don't come when tragedy occurs and the people on the top more or less control those who live on the bottom. 

In a day and age where we can get literally anything delivered to our doorstep, the idea of the changing mentality of humans when the need to leave their homes dies seems more present than ever. Confined to the forty floors of this building the residents create their own system of living that is both progressive and regressive at the same time. While the core idea of the building is a giant leap forward the execution of it is complete regression into the age of class society. So much so that a large group of the elite on the top floors even dress in victorian age attire, as if to say they are the aristocrats of the modern age.

Tom Hiddleston leads an impressive cast as the main character Dr. Laing and as usual puts forth an incredible performance. We are sold on this world through the eyes of Laing and its Hiddleston's performance that brings it home. Populating the supporting characters around him are some wonderful talents as well, like Elisabeth Moss as the pregnant single mother Helen. Next to Hiddleston though Luke Evans gives the best performance of the film as Wilder, a slightly crazed filmmaker. His descent into madness is the most tracked throughout the story and what he brings to the character is what sells it all. 

I personally have not read the book on which this movie is based, but from what I have gathered the violence and depravity are key parts there as well. From the way the movie opens up and with Wheatley's past films being used as a basis I was expecting there to be more death and gore than we were given. Not that it takes away from the film though as the point is to show how these people got there, rather than what happens when they did. Also, when violence does happen you can be sure it is in a brutal fashion as we have come to expect from Mr. Wheatley.

The use of music in this film must be commended as well, the way he uses unfamiliar renditions of popular music and how he syncs it up with side by side events happening within the building is a large part of what sucked me into the story. That, and the insane visual beauty that was created to give this film a proper period feel. The story is set in the 1970's and aesthetically you are reminded of this throughout. From the film's use of color down to the wardrobe of each class it is blatantly clear where in time this story is taking place. 

The movie hooked me from the opening scene and kept me totally engaged for the entire two hours that came after. If you allow yourself to be swept up into this crazy world than you will take a ride through the madness of the human condition that rings just as true today as it did back in 1975. Wheatley has quickly made a name for himself as one of the most unique voices in film and High-Rise is no exception. My only regret is that I missed this on the big screen, it is a such a beautiful film visually that seeing it on a massive screen would have only improved my experience that much more. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: Clown

Clown (2016)

Fantasy, Horror

Directed By: Jon Watts

I am sure that a number of you reading this have a totally rational fear of clowns, and I get it, they are the epitome of creepy and anything with a permanent smile plastered on its face isn't to be trusted. This common phobia has been exploited throughout the history of literature and cinema ensuring that this fear be kept alive, and the directorial debut of Jon Watts takes it a step further. Simply titled Clown, the first feature from Watts gives us a new and interesting take on the circus centerpiece that will force audiences to second guess just how comfortable with clowns they really are.

Kent (Andy Powers) is a hard working and loving dad who wants nothing more than to make his son happy. Today that means he has to pay a clown to come to his son's birthday party to entertain him, because this kid has the creepiest obsession ever (clowns). When the guy they hired falls through, Kent decides to dress up himself using a strange old costume he found in the attic of a house he is currently trying to sell. Things get weird the next morning when he awakes still in costume only to find that this suit may not be so easy to get off of him. In fact, it seems that the suit is becoming a part of him. Reluctant of his new style he sets out to find out where this suit came from and how he can get it off however, the answers may not be what he is hoping to find.

I have never been one to claim to have a fear of clowns, but I have also never went out to defend them and there is no denying the inherent creepiness that comes with that painted face. Watts takes it to the next level though and instead of relying on an audience's already established fear he creates one for everyone to enjoy. In the film he establishes a new mythology for where the idea of a clown comes from and uses it to create a truly terrifying creature. The freshness of the idea keeps the viewer engaged throughout the story, adding a certain level of mystery to what's going on.

Despite what the title suggests this movie is a total creature feature as we watch the main character slowly turn into a hideous monster with sinister motives. Since it is a transformation story that also means there is a heavy amount of body horror as well, making this a movie that preys on so many of our biggest fears. It's one thing to watch a clown kill people, it's another thing to watch a man physically transform into a hideous clown creature who wants to eat your kid. 

Having a solid premise for a story doesn't ensure a good movie and with something like this execution is key. For the most part Clown hits all of its marks, it slows down in the middle of the second act but picks itself up for a blood soaked finale. The hook isn't as twisty as you might hope either but it fits the story Watts wanted to tell. A cool idea, and some fantastic make-up and practical effects are what carry the film and it is enough, but there a bit left to be desired here.

Andy powers takes up the lead role of Kent and does a solid job selling the horror of the transformation and the realization of what it means for him. Laura Allen covers the duties of his wife Meg doing a fine enough job but the acting power here comes from Peter Stormare, who unfortunately doesn't get as much screen time as he should. Playing the eccentric costume salesman he has some of the best acting moments of the film.

Having a delayed release in the sates means that this film got a huge build-up from the horror community. Anytime a film is held back fans begin to cook up theories as to why, usually leading to a huge hype around the film for being "too crazy". Clown certainly isn't a tame film by any standards but it also isn't doing anything we haven't seen before. They kill kids, that's why it was held back and when you see the movie it all seems silly that it happened. Though it may not live up to the hype created by some due to all of this, this is still a solid creature feature with some fantastic body horror and practical effects. I recommend any horror fan give this a shot, especially with the Halloween season quickly approaching.

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: I Am Not a Serial Killer

I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016)

Horror, Thriller, Sci-Fi

Directed By: Billy O'Brien

With horror currently owning the box office, the age old debate has once again been brought to the surface of whether or not horror is still thriving. Spoiler: it is, and it has been for years now- you just have to know where to look. While Don't Breathe is sitting at number one at the box office it feels like a good time to remind fans that great horror can be found at anytime streaming on VOD outlets. For example, you can currently go and stream the new horror thriller I Am Not a Serial Killer while it is still playing in a limited theatrical run. I did so and in turn was treated to a weird, original new story told from a point of view we don't get to experience too often. 

John Wayne Cleaver (Max Records) has been recently diagnosed as a sociopath by his therapist, and despite the titles negative connotations, he has owned his new identity. He knows he has issues and that if the perfect sequence of events were to happen he would probably end up killing someone. He doesn't want to hurt anybody, though, in fact, the idea couldn't be less appealing to John, but he knows the potential is there. He follows a strict set of rules to keep himself from getting to that point but when a serial killer pops up in his remote little town his entire world is turned upside down. It's made even worse when he makes a strange discovery about the person performing these heinous acts and he now feels an obligation to do something about it. 

Seeing this story unfold from the point of view of John, a diagnosed sociopath, is what makes this movie so enjoyable to watch. We are seeing an original take on a classic small town murder mystery, told through eyes we rarely get to view anything from. Watching John handle his condition is fascinating enough to carry its own movie and learning how he has crafted his own set of rules, and how each of those rules keeps his bad habits at bay is a just one of many clever angles this movie operates on. 

Take that premise and use it as a baseline to tell a murder mystery and it gives us a take with are unfamiliar with. John's vast knowledge of serial killers and how they work allow him to catch onto the trail of his town's new infamous celebrity fairly easily and what he finds is totally unexpected. You may think you have the movie figured out in the first act but when the twists start coming and the film takes a slight sci-fi turn the outcome of the movie becomes rather unpredictable. 

Despite its cool and original premise, I Am Not a Serial Killer is not without its flaws. Watching John navigate his mental state is fascinating at times and pretty much everything dealing with the killer itself is totally engaging, but the filler in between can be quite clunky. There were a handful of moments where I began to lose interest in what was happening in the scene, or what I was watching didn't play directly into the story and slightly lost my interest. They do their best to create the strange relationship between John and his mother, who is aware of his diagnosis, but it often times comes off as a passing thought. 

The film succeeds with a clever premise and great performances from its leads. Max Records owns his role as the sociopathic John Wayne Cleaver, his unsettling demeanor and way of carrying himself creates the eerie atmosphere that most of the story operates on. The real treat though is Christopher Lloyd, who plays John's creepy old neighbor Crowley. Lloyd turns in one of the best performances we have seen from him ages and it adds a gravitas you wouldn't expect from a flick like this.

This is exactly the type of movie that totally justifies the changing landscape of releasing horror films. Though this is a clever new horror thriller it isn't a movie you necessarily need to see on a big screen. Yes, every movie is enhanced by being seen in a theater but this is also the perfect kind of horror movie to just pop on a Sunday afternoon and be surprised by. It offers us a new point of view in which to view a horror story from, and for that alone, it is worth the price of a rental. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!