I’ll be honest, when I heard the premise of this film, and watched the trailer, I had certain expectations. A combination of ‘Rosemarys Baby’ and ‘The Exorcist’ was pretty much what was in my head. It opens with a nasty murder that certainly lingers in your mind before we embark on the story of Cecelia, Sydney Sweeney. Cecelia is a fish out of water, an American nun who had struggled to find her place back home and is now starting a new life in a remote Convent in Italy. This Nunnery is special however, because it houses retired nuns who are now facing either mental or physical health conditions. It is an end of the line place for nuns who are no longer active, for some a hospice, for others a place to hide the broken-minded.
When she gets there, it’s like high school, there are nuns to welcome her, nuns who talk behind her back, nuns who are outright rude to her face, and nuns who smoke in the toilet. Not being a religious person, I found some of the behaviours to be unexpected, I was surprised to see nuns and priests socialising at a gathering where they talked and drank wine as if guests at a party. That night, Cecelia stumbles upon a secret place within the nunnery, where secret things happen. Overwhelmed, she passes out and the next day when she awakens she’s unsure of exactly what she witnessed, what she experienced. After this the plot takes several turns that surprised me, and it all led to a truly shocking and pretty great finale.
Directed beautifully by Michael Mohan, this is a handsome and sensual film, with some lovely Italian countryside and that echoey austere nunnery; there are some deeply creepy shots in here. The acting by the supporting cast is good and no one drops the ball, but this is Sweeney’s show and she acts the ‘hell’ out of it! Her guttural screams and round expressive face are all we need to feel how she does, running about those halls at night in nothing but a cotton nightie and some bravado. The story itself threatens to collapse under the weight of its pseudoscience and the questionable motivations of its ‘villains’, but in the end that’s not what you’ll remember – it’s that last five/ten minutes that will stun you into incredulous silence. Ultimately this is a schlocky good time with a 70s sploitation vibe and some seriously impressive all-in acting from Sweeney. The underlying theme of women’s bodies being used without our consent and our bodily autonomy in danger is a timely and important one. The churches condemnation of this film is the icing on the cake! 7/10
One of the first films I watched in 2023, this film stars a who’s who of talented actresses and is directed by actress Sarah Polley. It tells the story of a group of Mennonite women coming together to discuss how they will proceed in the face of horrific systemic abuse at the hands of the men in the community. They have one night to decide whether to forgive, fight or leave. Essentially a long discussion interspersed with flashbacks both confronting and upsetting, and moments of tenderness and reflection, it is a stunningly austere film that in the wrong hands would have come off as overly cerebral…stagey….boring, but with these actresses and this film-maker we are gifted with a film that kept me enthralled, tense and close to tears. Ultimately galvanizing and enriching, it is also profoundly moving and quietly devastating. A marvel.
2. Knock at the cabin
I love M. Night Shyamalan movies, I dig the look of them, the camera angles he uses, the studied way his characters talk, the way everything feels portentous, the strong sense of character and story he imbues into every film. I love that his films always feel like HIS films, distinguishable from other directors with their own aesthetic and vision. This story of a family given an impossible choice to make whilst vacationing in the lakeside cabin from the title, is wrenching, thought provoking, sincere and quite beautiful in the end. I saw it twice and cried both times. I thought about this one for a long time afterwards – the prices we are willing to pay for our loved ones, the difficulty intertwined with choice, and are humans worth saving?
3. Barbie
More than a pop culture phenomenon, this movie came out at just the right time with just the right message. Synopsis – Barbie in the real world; but as the many MANY of us who saw it know, it was about so much more than that. Tackling themes such as toxic masculinity, capitalism, feminism, misogyny, self-esteem and gender politics; this movie got away with dialogue I don’t think would have been acceptable in a studio picture only a few short years ago. America Ferrera’s speech about how hard it is to be a woman was revolutionary, and made me want to cry and laugh and applaud all at once. Ken (perfectly realised by Ryan Gosling) has his own crisis of identity when he realises he doesn’t know his real self at all – something many men struggle with in their lack of introspection and resistance to change. Margot Robbie is fantastic and bolstered by an outstanding performance by Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie. The songs are brilliant too. Cannot recommend Kenough.
4. Guardians of the Galaxy 3
A blockbuster with an ethical conscience and the guts to say the quiet part out loud? Unthinkable! And yet, this is the second film in my list with these qualities (Barbie being the other).
This film rounds out the GOTG saga with a fitting farewell whilst also telling the tale of Rockets backstory, and what a heartwrenching backstory it is. As a former victim of vivisection, this side of his life is thoroughly explored and rightfully condemned before we find a satisfying conclusion and a kind send-off for all the major players. Before I watched this with my friend Emily, I was warned that animal lovers would be horrified. I think that these kinds of warnings didn’t understand what animal lovers actually want. I want people to see what happens to animals in laboratories, I want people to be outraged and disgusted and change their habits; and if it takes a movie like this about a cgi raccoon to help push that agenda, then I am all for it.
5. Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning part 1
These films are always (with the exception of a rubbish part 2) quality, with everything from the direction to the acting to the location shooting and twisty stories all well above other action film offerings. There’s an assumption of intelligence in its audience that I enjoy but they pack in some laughs and friendly banter too. Does the ‘crew working on a caper together’ thing in ways that would make the Fast and the Furious films green with envy. Not to mention the stunts! The stunts pulled off in these films are legendary and that is a status that’s well deserved as they are truly jaw-dropping, even more so when you realise Tom Cruise did them himself. The only issue I have with these films is that I can never remember which film is which – eg is it the 4th or 5th film with that fight on the clifftop? Is it the 3rd or the 4th film where they scaled a skyscraper? However, this is a small quibble because really, who cares? They’re all good (except 2 – avoid!) and if sometimes the intricacies of the plots are interchangable I really don’t care. Bring on part 2!
6. Cocaine Bear
Sounded unbearably stupid when I first heard about it but ended up being one of the best rides you could have at the movies all year. The perfectly realised 80s setting helped, the willingness to go as far as they could with regards to graphic attacks took it to new heights and then the cast of fantastic character actors brought it home. This has a wicked sense of humour, cool soundtrack and a star-studded cast of actors giving it their all. A total blast from start to finish.
7. A Good Person
Florence Pugh excels in this wrenching drama about grief and moving past and living with having made a terrible mistake. Pugh’s character Alison plummets into suicidal ideation, depression and drug addiction but though the film is heavy it is never dishonest about how hard it is to work though these things. Indeed, 21-year-old-suicidal-me felt very seen by this movie. Oh and Morgan freeman is great too. Be warned – you will cry.
8. Horror in the High Desert Minerva
A sequel to the low budget found footage ‘Horror in the High Desert’ that so impressed me back in 2021. With its open eerie landscapes and a strong sense of reality (reinforced by naturalistic performances and a story that stays within the realms of possibility) its easy to put yourself in the shoes of the protagonists. This one manages to expand on and amplify the mythology behind the desert disappearances with new information and new characters to get to know. It’s also really really scary.
9. Talk to Me
We Aussies have an enviable history of great horrors to be proud of. Personally, I believe it’s one of our strongest genres and while not every one is a winner, our ratio of awesome horror movies in relation to how many are made makes us the world’s best horror makers. Talk to me continues that grand tradition in being original, unpredictable, brave and real. Set in Adelaide, this is a quintessential Australian film down to the familiar suburban streets and the colloquial speech; it’s that authenticity which makes the horror so much more effective. This is a horror movie that in lesser hands would have been a far more pedestrian affair, and the fact that it was made by filmmakers in their big screen debut is astounding.
10. The Flash
One of the few movies I saw more than once at the cinema this year, I know this received less than stellar reviews but for the life of me I honestly cannot understand why. I got exactly what it promised me – a fun irreverent comic book story that was a blast from start to finish and even afforded me a few tears at the end, it did the multiverse schtick far better than recent attempts (Doctor Strange I’m looking at you!) and didn’t rely on an encyclopedic knowledge of an entire comic book back catalogue to hit its story beats, the appearance of old favourites reprising previous ‘batty’ roles was a welcome dose of nostalgia, and despite his personal issues Ezra Miller did a great job playing two versions of the character of Barry that were clearly and easily distinguishable from each other (and the differences made sense within the story too). There is so much here to enjoy and admire.
I, and the people I saw this with, enjoyed the heck out of it and it’s probably my second favourite comic book movie of all time now.
11. Sick
A good old fashioned 90s style horror, I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun this was. A cast of little-knowns give their all to this twist on a cabin in the woods slasher that has a little something political to say too. Well acted, propulsive action, some inventive kills, tension by the bucketload and a few laughs too. Seek it out!
12. Together
A two-hander featuring great performances by the ever-reliable James McAvoy and Sharon Hogan as a ‘shaky relationship’ couple forced to spend more time together when locked-down during the covid days. It’s a slice of life how it was back then in 2020 – paranoia, fear, watching the numbers grow and people dying; to witness how the forced isolation time impacts their relationship, their child and the people in their life is fascinating and surprisingly compelling given its one-house setting. Heavily improvised and featuring sequences spoken direct to camera in a mockumentary style, this was full of levity, pain and acceptance.
13. The Stranger
The parents of real-life murdered schoolboy Daniel Morcombe apparently tried to have this one banned, so close as it is to the hellish experiences they lived through at the loss of their child. As it stands this is quite a dark and brooding Aussie thriller about a troubled policeman attempting to catch a possible child-killer, that manages to make you feel uncomfortable and uneasy in equal measure. Joel Edgerton wrote, directed and starred in this and gives a great performance, but it’s Sean Harris with his tics and nervous, skittering eyes and raspy, whispery voice that you will take to your nightmares.
14. Demon 79
A black mirror episode, this may be the first time I’ve included a ‘tv show’ in my best movie list, but I felt it was worth bending the rules for (in fact, all the episodes in this season are pretty great). Essentially a slasher movie set in the 70s, this one drips with acerbic wit and that nostalgic aesthetic that we miss from the slashers of old. This tells the story of wallflower Nida (Anjana Vasan – excellent) who is given an ultimatum by a demon (Paapa Essiedu – also amazing and very funny) that may doom or save both the planet and herself. Setting the action against a backdrop of rising racial tension is a master stroke in giving us a sense of place and adds texture to a more familiar story.
15. The Covenant
Guy Ritchie makes a rousing movie about American military obligations to the local people of Afghanistan who risked everything to assist them. Jake Gyllenhaal, back on form after the execrable ‘Ambulance’ plays John Kinley, a man determined to pay back the lifesaving efforts of his interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim) despite the lack of urgency and outright disinterest of American authorities in supposed positions of support.
16. Wonka
An absolutely delightful confection of a movie with its heart firmly on its sleeve. Takes nary a misstep bar the lack of truly memorable and earworm-worthy songs. Timothee Chalamet continues to impress in his run of perfect performances, though Hugh Grant’s Oompa Loompa very nearly steals the show.
17.Saltburn
Barry Keoghan is always always great, this needs to be said upfront, and he deserves all the awards for this performance, as does Rosamund Pike. That said, this is a wickedly delicious film that sometimes veers too far in an attempt to be shocking but still manages to tell a decent story even with all the titillation.The less known heading into this one, the better.
Honorable mentions: Fingernails – engrossing and softly subversive tale about love, When I Consume You – heartbreaking horror about addiction and the legacy of abuse, Something in the Dirt – an unsettling, Lovecraftian-lite scifi buddy movie, Attachment – lesbian possession horror from Denmark.
Disappointments: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – too many plot holes, too much suspension of disbelief, waaaay too long, Oppenheimer – tedious and self-important, this manages to make a dynamic real-life story like watching paint dry (and I’m tired of female characters being used as plot devices), John wick 4 – truly highlights Keanu’s supreme lack of acting talent and is another overlong and self important movie.
Dishonorable mentions – 2023 was the year of chaotic experimental horrors and Skinamarink and The Outwaters head this charge like a pair of wet crayons. If you enjoy endless scratchy footage of blank walls or empty desert overlaid with indecipherable but unbearably annoying mutterings, then these are the films for you! Both are punishing endurance tests with little to no pay-off.
Worst film of the year – Terrifier 2, if there is a better example of how far we have plummeted when it comes to apathy and lack of humanity, then I don’t want to see it
When I heard a rumor that they were remaking The Exorcist, I was livid. The Exorcist (1973) directed by William Friedkin based on the book by William Peter Blatty is an Oscar nominated stone cold classic horror movie; and I find it so disrespectful to the genre that they keep remaking films that are classics. It’s not like they’re out there remaking Gone with the Wind or Citizen Kane etc so why are horror classics the only ones that don’t get the same respect? It actually boils my blood.
However, when I found out that it was more closely following the trend of reboots and legacy sequels, I was more open to the idea. While the reboots in my opinion have essentially failed, i.e. Friday the 13th, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre etc The legacy sequels are still open to debate, and I was more receptive to this idea.
I had qualms again when I heard that the writer and director was to be David Gordon Green, the man behind the atrocious-in-every-way Halloween Kills and the only-acceptable-when-compared-to-Halloween-Kills Halloween Ends, his pairing here with Scott Teems (Halloween Ends/Kills and the equally rubbish Firestarter remake…sigh) drops the expectations even lower.
His ‘attempts’ in Kills resulted in arguably the worst film of that year and so it’s fair to have doubts about his abilities when it comes to horror and legacy sequels in particular.
But I took a chance.
This started off strong, set in Haiti during the real-life earthquake (which is something I find somewhat distasteful but will put aside for now), they managed to capture that eerie sense of dread and power that permeated the original movie. There are discordant images and sounds that make you uneasy even if you’re not entirely sure why.
A child, Angela, is born in the tragic circumstances and then we fast forward to where she is a teenager (Lidya Jewett) being raised by her single father Victor, the always welcome Leslie Odom Jr.
She’s best friends with teenage Katherine (Olivia O’Neill) and together they have decided that today is the day to go into the woods and try and commune with the deceased.
Angela has an Ulterior Motive in that she would like to connect with the mother that she never met, the mother who had tragically died all those years ago.
They disappear. When they reappear days later, they have no memory of what happened to them but they are somewhat changed now; and because it’s called The Exorcist, the audience know what is happening but the characters in the film seem to taken an inordinately long time to come to this realisation. This section is rather tedious it has none of the power or surprise of the first film, nothing much happens and then everything happens far too quickly – it lacks the squeeze and tension of the original. The pacing is all over the place in this movie, and comparing it to the original is the best way to get across where this went so horribly wrong. In the first film there is a slow build of symptoms and signs, subtly creepy things such as Regan urinating on the floor and declaring a terrifying prophecy to one of her mother’s guests at a party, to having seizure like activity that led to a psychiatrist receiving an unfortunate death grip in the nether regions. By the time we had reached the explosive “do you know what she did, your cunting daughter” scene, we were already on edge and our nerves were shredded.
With this one, we go from they have no memory and things are strange to both girls suddenly looking completely different, and in need of at least basic medical care.
The character of Katherine is forgotten for a long period even though she has a scene in a church that is actually quite impactful and needed more exploration of its aftermath. I want to know what her parents were doing at that time, I want to know how a religious family would have dealt with that.
But we are left with the less interesting character of Angela.
By the time they get priests involved and then a holy woman and then a friendly neighbour, kidnap the girls and tie them to chairs ready for the exorcism, I was struggling to hold interest.
The return of Ellen Burstyn now playing in older/wiser Chris is wasted and discarded, the way the filmmakers choose to play out her story will have many Exorcist fans seething with rage.
The character would not behave this way, and did not deserve the things that happen to her in this movie. Who does Geen think he is to take the intellectual property of brilliant filmmakers and writers like Blatty and Friedkin and alter their stories so irrevocably.
The film eventually falls into a jumbled heap where Green battles to include all the aspects that he wanted to and manages to somehow service none of them properly.
I am not a churchgoer by any means but this is a religious story, and including everything under the sun just muddies the waters.
I’m not sure when filmmakers will realise that subtle, especially when it comes to this kind of story, is much more effective then jump scares and screaming and carry on.
The script is woeful, Gordon Green has no idea how people actually speak or connect, how dialogue flows and subjects are reached organically.
There are nonsensical decisions here; and the lack of care when it comes to detail is glaring and feels insulting – one spectacularly embarrassing example of this would be when everyone is mourning the loss of a character and we have an image of the ECG flatlining. It’s all very sad until you see the ECG connectors laying on the floor. No wonder we’re flatlining, the ECG isn’t even attached to the patient!
This is by no means a train wreck, but by the time the ending rolls around and it’s clear that there are sequels intended, you feel like telling the audience to not bother, to just go home and watch the excellent Exorcist TV show that was under-viewed when it was first released years ago. Unfairly cancelled after two seasons it managed to scare, honour, and add to the legacy in ways this film could only dream of.
Grief is a frequent feature of horror movies; horror used as a way to explore those emotions so much like a physical pain, as awful as any masked killer.
New Australian horror film Talk to me centers on Mia (Sophie Wilde), still mourning the loss of her mother to an accidental overdose the year before. Now she lives with her best friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) and her family, including sweet nerdy younger brother Riley (Joe Bird) and savvy mum Sue, Miranda Otto. There’s tension between these teen girls both in how they care for Riley and because Mias ex-boyfriend Daniel (Otis Dhanji), is now Jades current squeeze. Into this maelstrom of teen angst comes a new game – hosted by Joss (Chris Alosio) and Hayley (a malicious turn by Zoe Terakes) groups of youngsters gather to hold the preserved hand of a long-dead medium and invite spirits to talk to them before allowing them to take possession of their bodies for a minute. Videos of these escapades are uploaded for laughs and shared amongst friends. It’s all ‘fun and games’ until, after a powerful experience with the hand, Mia becomes addicted to its power and possibilities, and this leads to dangerous repercussions for all involved. By turns funny, weird and unnerving, the interactions with the hand never become repetitive, and in fact it’s easy to understand the fascination as different responses occur.
I was about a third of a way through this movie when I suddenly imagined what it would look like if it had been made in America. I doubt they would go down the ‘this game is addictive’ route and would likely play this as a one-and-done incident, with the rest of the film being about the after effects and the slow unravelling of the protagonist; the younger brother would be a child rather than a 14 year old, to garner more sympathy; the teen friends would be a gorgeous selection of white-teethed specimens of youthful perfection, and I question if it would be as multicultural as it is here.
Thank goodness it was made in Australia as this is a quintessential Aussie horror – real, honest, and unafraid to ensure the audience knows that no one is safe.
Written and directed by brothers Danny and Michael Philippou (who I was thrilled to learn had gone to the same film school as I had – MAPS in Adelaide, South Australia) it’s clear these guys know and love horror, their restraint allowing for more reaction shots than graphic shots, their patience in allowing the story to unfold without too much exposition, their wisdom in knowing that character development is vital in a good and lasting horror, is commendable.
This is scary in your guts, and original in a way the genre has been crying out for. The acting is great across the board with Wilde giving her all to her first starring role, Terakes has charisma for days, and Jensen shows unexpected strength and growth as the meek Jade. Miranda Otto grounds the film in earth-mother believability, panicking as she watches her family fall apart.
Just lately I’ve seen some great trailers that either gave away everything or were the only good parts when you came to see the movie, Talk to Me gives us a recent rarity – a great trailer that still manages to be a great movie. The best horror of the year. 8/10
Let me preface this article by saying that I chose not to include horrors loosely based on an amalgamation of real stories such as Wolf Creek, stories that were just inspired by real life such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Psycho, or movies that were sparked by real stories such as A Nightmare on Elm Street or The Strangers. Instead, I chose films that made every effort to stick as close to the actual events as possible.
10. Van Diemen’s Land, 2009
In 1822, eight convicts escaped the brutal Macquarie Harbour and disappeared into the harsh Australian wilderness. Only Alexander Pearce emerged, with chunks of human flesh in his pocket and a surprisingly full belly. This true story as told by Pearce (eventually hung for cannibalism) is presented here as a studied and oppressive film that manages to both haunt and horrify, one worth seeking out.
9. The Girl Next Door, 2007
Although not strictly a ‘horror’ movie in the classic sense, this is truly horrifying. Based on the systemic abuse culminating in the week-long torture, rape and murder of a 16-year-old Sylvia Likens by her guardian Gertrude Baniszewski, as well as Baniszewski’s children and neighbourhood kids in 1965. This is harrowing viewing and very little detail is spared. Called by authorities as the worst crime ever perpetrated on an individual in the history of Indianapolis. To think this actually happened is shocking and heartbreaking.
8. The Amityville Horror, 1979 The Lutz family move into a new home selling for a steal because it was the site of a grizzly family murder some years before, a murder in which the young son Ronald DeFeo jr. claim to have heard voices before killing his entire family as they slept. The Lutz encounter escalating alarming incidents – cold rooms, fly swarms, a little girl’s imaginary friend. This films inclusion is somewhat controversial merely because while the scenes shown in the film are claimed to be true by the Lutz’s, they admit that things are exaggerated for film. It is true however that they only lasted 28 days before fleeing in the middle of the night, leaving all their possessions behind them. Personally, I prefer the remake and feel it’s a better film, but for closer adherence to the claims, it’s gotta be the original.
7. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, 1986
Dangerously close to a bio-pic but with just enough cinematic artistry to not be a straight biography, this is based on real life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, and the vicious crimes he perpetrated in 1982. This is plain shocking: slap-you-out-of-your-seat nasty, with the killings happening so matter-of-factly to give a true sense of how little it means to our protagonist. Henry as portrayed by Michael Rooker is a beast of a character, wrestling with rage that is diluted by apathy. Shot on a budget, this movie packs a punch you won’t forget, but you will probably not watch it more than once.
6. The Town that Dreaded Sundown, 1976
This almost-documentary feeling horror is based on the real life Texarkana Moonlight murders that happened in 1946; in which a masked killer stalked the residents of that small town, ultimately killing five people. The names have been altered as well as the dates of the crimes, and some of the specifics of the actual murders have been altered; but the story, including the alarm of the town that never expected anything like this in their sleepy little burg, remain unchanged. The killer in real life, as in the movie, was never found. NB. A meta-sequel with the same name was released in 2014 and while wholly fictional, is actually a great 80s-style horror it worth checking out.
5. The Entity, 1981
In 1974 a woman in Culver city approached paranormal researchers claiming to have been raped and assaulted by an entity on an ongoing periodic basis. The investigators captured moving objects, floating lights, and a humanoid apparition within her home, but they never managed to capture the spirit successfully (as they did briefly in the film). Though it feels quite exploitive by today’s sensibilities, it is still an exercise in relentless tension, and the bravery of lead actress Barbara Hershey is to be commended.
4. Open Water, 2003 A couple goes for a scuba-diving trip; they go in the water, have a lovely time investigating the bottom of the ocean, and then surface to find the tour boat has gone, leaving them stranded at sea with nothing but scuba suits. This two-hander is maturely handled by all involved, has chilling moments, a reality to the couples bickering and connection, and the final denouement is haunting. I like this way more than I thought I would, and to know this tragic event happened to a hapless couple in real life is truly nightmare stuff.
3. Blackwater, 2007
Three people – a couple and the wife’s sister, decide to holiday in Northern Territory. Taking a tour through the mangrove swamps turns out to be an error of mammoth proportions when their small boat is capsized and they are forced to shelter in a tree whilst a menacing crocodile circles below them. This frightening premise is exactly what happened to 3 young men in 2003, right down to the scene where a crocodile slowly emerges from the water with a fallen companion in his jaws as if taunting the survivors in the tree. An expertly made horror, all the more admirable by the lack of CGI. An impressive achievement.
2. Zodiac, 2007
Not strictly a horror but with enough elements of horror to allow a place on this list, though not enough to earn the number one spot. Almost 100% factually based on the novel by our main character Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) the way this unfolds is gripping and compelling, it helps you to understand why a killer with only five confirmed kills to his name is still so spellbinding to a nation that has had so many more prolific killers in its history. The mystery at the heart of this and the doggedness of his primary characters expertly brought to life by Gyllenhaal, Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Edwards, are what drives the narrative and keeps you glued to your seat for over 2 1/2 hours. The attention to detail and respect for the real people involved is simply brilliant. Expertly directed by David Fincher, the banality of the killings is never overstated and always shocking. NB the zodiac case was reopened after the films release, but as yet there have still been no arrests.
1. The Exorcism of Emily Rose, 2005
Based on a real-life case of Anneliese Michel whose parents at their wits end by extreme and acute behavioural problems, decided their daughter was possessed. They enlisted the help of priests to perform an exorcism that lasted an astounding 10 months, and participated in their daughter’s ultimate demise from malnutrition and severe dehydration. A court case ensued in which the priest and parents were convicted of negligent manslaughter. The main differences in this film is the relocation from Germany to Minnesota, and the amalgamation of two priests into one. This films shares its focus between the poor afflicted Emily Rose and the lawyer tasked with defending the priest (Laura Linney – always so good). Again, the lack of CGI is what makes this film so affective-Jennifer Carpenter giving a bravura performance contorting her body and face in devilish ways and truly adding to the skin-crawling and general unease this film creates and its audience. Disturbing, with beautiful set pieces and a refusal to answer those difficult questions; the audience left to decide who is right, what really happened, and whether peering into the darkness is ever a good thing.
Let me be clear, this subgenre has it’s detractors, it’s doubters, let’s face it – outright haters! and while I love this type of horror film, I can see why. It practically thumbs it’s nose at stylistic horror classics such as Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, and A Tale of Two Sisters, in this it is polar opposite to recent beautifully shot horrors such as The Lodge, Nope and anything made by Ari Aster. But even so, it works for me, and I can’t help but get a little bit excited when I read ‘found footage’ on the film’s description; to this end I present to you my definitive list of my 10 best. *Clearly this is representative of this writers opinion only, but trust me – I put in the legwork to have a good solid body of work to pull from
10 Paranormal Activity 3 I have to admit that I like part 2 as well, but for the sheer audacity of the filmmakers to go back and flesh-out a backstory that far into the series I have to pick this one; this is something that happens regularly with horror now (see Insidious or X for example) but this was the first one I remember that backtracked and made a prequel, especially within the found footage genre. Set in the joyous 80s, this film explores why the whole saga started in the first place. I especially love that they made a trailer wholly of B reel scenes that never made it into the film, thus affording you real surprises as an audience – something they would never be allowed to do now. The scares are good and gave me some nice jumps, the acting believable and seriously, combining ghosts and creepy kids? That’s a winner folks!
9 The Bay Directed by heavyweight Barry Levinson, this film is about a disease outbreak in a small town in the Bay Area USA. How it spreads and brings fear and panic in it’s wake is skillfully explored here; the townsfolk falling to an ecological disaster that is all too topical for the world we live in now. I like the downbeat sense of this film, and the body horror was affectively gross and skin-crawling. I also appreciated the message – mess with the bull and you get the horns – mother nature ain’t missing around people, and soon she’s gonna get tired of us.
8 As above So below This is a horror to celebrate for different reasons than just the scares. The horror is there, but it is low-key and did not disturb me that much, what I liked was its originality. It’s about a small group of intrepid explorers searching for the fabled philosophers stone in the underground catacombs of Paris. The characters are all shades of grey, they use intellect to escape sticky situations, they genuinely care about each other, and the ‘face your own Demons’ shtick is handled expertly. It’s disturbing enough to be somewhat scary, humane enough to feel real; makes good use of the unusual and exotic locale, and allows its characters room to breathe. Not to mention, none of those pesky cliche ridden endings in sight.
7 Noroi the curse A Japanese found footage film concerning a documentary film crew investigating a phenomena known as ‘the curse’ which turns out to be a very nasty Demon. The footage left behind by the missing lead investigator forms the body of this film, and so was there for a true found footage film even though it does have elements of mockumentary. It’s designed to creep up on you, revealing new detail as the lead sinks deeper and deeper into a mystery he doesn’t want to leave unsolved. It’s complex, suspenseful, atmospheric, and absolutely terrifying.
6 The Visit
I love M Night Shyamalan films, his aesthetic and his imagination work for me almost every time. Most of his films feature some horror but, in my opinion, the only real horror films that he has made are Devil and this one. At the time The Visit came out, Shyamalan had fallen out of favor with audiences, and I don’t remember his name being used much to advertise this little movie about two kids going to stay with their grandparents – grandparents who aren’t ‘quite right’, and over time they become more horrifying while the kids just keep on filming and trying to get through their visit. With a star-making turn from Aussie Ed Oxenbould, this one scores extra points for being based in reality, and also for its wicked sense of humor that’s woven through the scares. Short and sweet – this is a great little movie.
5 Quarantine
I saw this before Rec, the Spanish original, and having seen Rec since, which is amazing and undeniably creepy, I actually still prefer this one. I felt the story was more coherent and it hung together as a complete film better for me. A virus takes over an apartment building, but this virus turns people into people eaters and before you can say “zombie”, the people inside are quarantined and have to survive somehow on their own. This was not a slow burn horror and once it got going it pushed the pedal to the floor from beginning to end. Had me literally climbing to the back of my couch to get away from the immediacy of what was on the screen-the found footage working in a different way here, and making you feel as much of the part of the action as you would be if it were happening in your own home. Relentless.
4 Horror in the High Desert-Minerva
Two years ago I saw Horror in the High Desert and though undeniably low budget and a small film (a slight tale about a lonely man venturing into the desert and basically disappearing), it surprised me in its humanity, and its willingness to allow the lead character to be someone who felt wholly authentic; and the ending really freaked me out. When I heard there was a sequel, I was pretty excited, having been so impressed with the first one. This one is even more disturbing and worked on an even deeper level for me. Indeed, it made me jumpy for a while after watching it. There is something so empty and isolating about the desert, about living somewhere so remote that even if you needed help it is nowhere to be found. While this riffs on the original film, and expands on it, this never feels less than real in its exploration of others who ran into mischief in the same area. I think we might get a third, and I am all for it!
3 The Blair Witch Project An infamous classic that really ushered in the dawn of found footage and became one of the most financially successful films of all time. Yes, I know Cannibal Holocaust came before it, but that 70s problematic work didn’t begin a found footage zeitgeist that has continued to this day – that’s all Blair Witches doing. Documentary film crew go into the wood to investigate a local witch story and don’t come out again – this film is what was found on the cameras left behind. At the time of its release, some folks believed the story to be true due to a successful marketing campaign and the unknowns cast in the key roles. This is also a slow burn horror film with just enough little scares to keep you watching, they build to one of the most haunting endings I have seen on film; just thinking about that final shot gives me chills even now. Sometimes what you imagine is 1000 times worse than what you see… And this film is a case in point – clever filmmaking that paid off.
2 Paranormal Activity We all know the story by now – a couple decide to investigate the disturbance they can feel in their house by setting up cameras at the end of the bed. What we see is what they filmed. This film jolted me out of my cozy “no horrors really scare me” mindset like a bolt of lightning. It was unremittingly full of dread, each night the camera is set up reveals escalating terrors with an unstoppable momentum. The things captured on film are the stuff of real-life nightmares. I went home from this shellshocked and troubled, and slept with the lights on like a baby for three nights straight.
1 Lake Mungo This is another film that crosses between mockumentary and found footage. It tells the story of a family coping with loss and looking for answers after the drowning death of their daughter. Sounds simple but this film explores family secrets, the paranormal, grief, and facing your own mortality. Also, it is one of the scariest films I’ve ever seen, more specifically – it features one of the scariest sequences ever put to film, and for that alone it deserves the number one spot. However, I also like that this is an intelligent and thought-provoking horror, set in reality with people we could know. It is slow, it has riches you have to delve for, it has all new horrors to reveal even up to the very last few shots, and it truly unsettled me. This is what I want in horror – real people with real emotions but still with the ability to truly make me afraid, Lake Mungo achieved that.
Special mentions –
Grave Encounters Okay so it’s a little silly, a little over the top, and the characters are far from likeable, but for me it didn’t matter because this was quite the ride! Duplicitous TV ghost hunters investigate an abandoned psychiatric hospital expecting to have to create ghostly goings-on as per usual, and instead find the real thing. Some big jump scares works very well, the claustrophobic situation the filmmakers find themselves in is palpable, and there are a few neat tricks to do with time and place that almost made this viewer feel a little panicky. Big dumb fun.
Creep
Lo-Fi found footage scares in this two-hander that is a slow burn but manages to (as the title implies) creep right under your skin. A virtuoso performance by Mark Duplass (who’s always good in everything) gives even the most innocuous moment that little feeling of unease. Similar to being stuck on a bus next to someone who’s just that little off-kilter enough to make you wish you could move, this one packs a punch that stays with you.
Though I’m aware that ‘based on a story by Stephen King’ can give some people pause, for me it’s essentially catnip. In my humble opinion the guy is a certified genius and I have loved nearly everything he has written, and nearly every film that has come from his work. Hell, anyone who knows me knows that my favourite films of all time are ‘It’ Chapter 1 & 2… and I’ve watched ALOT of films! So, The Boogeyman had my attention with that pedigree; still this film is based on a short story which historically has often meant lots of stretching and filler, and I’m not cool with that, so I had my expectations in check.
The Boogeyman tells the story of a family mourning the recent loss of their wife/mother, when they are targeted by an entity that latches onto people at their lowest. A kind of psychic vampire that thrives on their misery and uses it as a way to infiltrate their world. When psychiatrist dad Will Harper (Chris Messina) is visited by a bereaved and troubled patient, he has no idea what the patient has unleashed into his home. Daughters Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and Sawyer (Vivian Lyra Blair) struggle to make dad see the threat that’s just under his nose but, in his own grief, he may be too late.
Directed by Rob Savage of ‘The Host’ (great) and ‘Dashcam’ (shite), and written by Scott Beck of Á Quiet Place’, this had a good team behind the scenes. The cast is also strong with all 3 leads giving committed performances in a film that allows them more space to explore the characters than your average horror. This is also a film that understands and utilizes light and shadows to their full advantage – that light ball does some good work here!
I liked alot about this film – atmospheric and affectively somber music from composer Patrick Jonsson (The Alienist), a father character that has his own life that extends beyond his interactions with the kids, not just there to be an enabler or a dissenter, not just there to move the plot along as a generic parental figure. The relationship with the sisters is beautifully realised and refreshingly sweet without being cloying, both sister characters are individual and real, not obnoxious but believable and unexaggerated in their personalities. The creature is effective and the parts of him that you see seem to have an actual purpose rather than just to be scary, the house itself is quirky and looks lived in. Sadie’s friend circle are teenagers and as such, fail to understand the things that she has been through; they are believable as teenagers grappling with whether or not they want to put themselves through being friends with someone so serious and fraught. There is as much care taken with the quiet times and the talks as there is with the scares, and when bad things happen the way that characters respond feels correct and the way that real people would respond. One of the things I really enjoyed was that it didn’t feel safe, in other words I wasn’t confident that the main characters were all going to survive, and that is an important thing to maintain tension.
You could tell that alot of care went into this script and the small details and big picture were both realised in most satisfying ways. Did it scare me? Not much though there was one scene that had my heart pounding – the first glimpse of the sheer bulk of the creature they are dealing with. Many horror films don’t even give me that one moment of shock, so I was grateful for this one.
A simple story told well that can be enjoyed as both a monster movie and as an allegory for grief, this is one boogeyman worth dragging out from under the bed.
Beginning with a title screen informing the viewer that the year is 2020 and that to date there have been X amount of people infected and X amount of people have died from Covid; we are introduced to friends Parker (Gideon Adlon) and Bethlehem (Miri Woodlow). They have decided to quarantine from College at Parker’s parents’ lake house together and after the (at the time) de riguer questions of “did you do a RAT test?” and “do you have any symptoms” formalities, they set off in Parker’s jeep.
It’s clear from the outset that whilst Beth takes this very seriously and is scared of getting sick, Parker is mostly thinking about a fun lake vacation with her friend.
Once they arrive there are the usual young-adult hijinks and fun before they realise that they may not be so alone, and that perhaps being isolated is not such a great idea after all.
Set in 2020 during the height of the Covid pandemic and the rules and changes that occurred at the time, this neat little slasher couldn’t be more topical. Placing it firmly in a world that’s so freshly familiar to us is smart, and works in a way the majority of pandemic set films have not. Honestly, the way its weaved throughout the whole film and is, in the end, integral to the plot, is ingenious.
The acting is well above board with a few familiar faces in Marc Menchaca and Jane Adams (you might not know their names, but you likely know their faces), and in relative newcomers Aldon and Million, both strong and more than capable of carrying this movie and convincing in all aspects of their relationship and their abilities/pain.
The violent scenes are believable and the effects work well too, not to mention the tight and merciless direction by John Hyams (of the criminally underrated ‘Alone’); and there’s some nice, elevated cinematography from Yaron Levy that makes the most of the idyllic setting.
The most praise however should go to Kevin Williamson who co-wrote this clever script with Katelyn Crabb. It was at about the ten-minute mark that I started to get lovely OG Scream vibes and so it’s not surprising that the man behind that script also wrote this one. If you enjoyed Scream, I strongly encourage you to check out Sick, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
Slashers are a great subgenre of horror and are a favourite of many fans, but they seem to be the one that seems to churn out the more rubbish, so when you find a gem in the pile its worth shouting about.
So I’m shouting.
Run, don’t walk, to see this one – it’s fresh, taut, funny, thrillingand entertaining as hell!
I’m not really into ‘so bad it’s good’ movies unless they are fully in on the joke and do a great job of really amping up their cheesiness, but with its 80’s setting and balls-to-the-wall vibe, I was intrigued by this one; so when Miss Rachel suggested we see this, our second bear movie of the month together, I was in!
The ‘based on a true story’ disclaimer was bothering me though; it didn’t seem right to make a horror-comedy about people dying, so when I discovered it was only the concept of a bear on cocaine and the circumstances surrounding how she got to be that way that were used in this film, I felt relieved and marched off to the cinema for what I assumed would be a slight and corny comedy.
I got much more than I expected.
Focusing on several different protagonists including the always-good Kerri Russel as a mum searching for her daughter and friend who are lost in the local national forest, a pair of forest rangers (a barely recognisable Jesse Tyler Ferguson of ‘Modern Family’ fame and Margo Martindale), a trio of small-time teenage crooks and a separate trio of big-time drug dealers (the late Ray Liotta amongst them in his last film role), a pair of sheriffs accompanied by adorable Lhasa Apso Rosette – don’t worry, she lives!) and more, this tells the story of a bear accidentally coming across cocaine in the forest where she lives, ingesting it and essentially going on a drug-fueled killing spree all in search of more cocaine.
In between the action, the film focuses on the different protagonist groups individually, so we learn more about each character and grow invested in their stories. Luckily the sprawling cast is wholly populated with talented and reliable actors who all manage to be personable and interesting which is no small feat. This is something that is vital for a good horror movie – give the audience characters to invest in and we will care when they are endangered. It’s not rocket science but something that many film-makers don’t seem to understand. It’s the texture that counts. Each character here comes alive as a fully-formed person with their own thoughts, motivations, quirks, needs; and it’s this attention to detail that really pays off in the long run.
However, there are set-pieces here that are pure adrenaline-fuelled, yell-at-the-screen action that shake things up and keep the film moving a pleasingly fast-pace; one in particular (pictured above) was so well-executed and so gruesome that I felt pinned to my seat in horror, even while I was laughing.In fact, it’s the gruesome attacks that took me by surprise – I did not expect things to be quite so graphic, they really leave very little to the imagination.
Written by Jimmy Warden (The Babysitter) and directed by Elizabth Banks (Charlies Angels 2019, Pitch Perfect 2) this is a perfect blend of comedy and horror which is hard to get right. Too much either way and you lose the ability to enjoy the other; tone is vital and Banks nails it. I particularly enjoyed the way she plays with audience expectations; take the ambulance scene for instance – the driver floors it, a power song drops, and we are off – this is the recipe for a kickass escapade set to a cool beat as we have all seen and enjoyed in films before. Instead, Banks treats us to some of the grisliest carnage I’ve seen in a long time, and because of the preceding ‘escapade vibe’, we are totally unprepared for it.I also really liked how she took great pains to ensure the audience understands the difference between a movie monster bear and the real-life animals, the ‘bears do not attack humans without cause’ message was received and appreciated.
Goofy but not stupid, bloody, funny, and exciting with a killer soundtrack and a liberal dose of 80’s dorkiness; I had a great time with this.
Horror movies concerning themselves with cannibalistic families or backwoods rednecks are one of my favorite subgenres of horror. I enjoy the grimy visceral feeling of these films, and watching some bucktoothed Neanderthal get his just desserts at the end is always satisfying. Standouts from this style of horror movie would include the obviously perfect ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (original of course), ‘Wrong Turn’, ‘Rituals’, ‘Deliverance’ etc.
‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’ seemed like the kind of film, at least from the trailer, that could satisfy this strange predilection of mine.
I had no trepidation going in, I am aware of the hand wringing and pearl clutching that surrounds the idea of a Winnie the Pooh horror film, and to be honest it seems a bit ridiculous to me. No one is ruining anyone’s childhood, the books are still the same, they’ve been out for a very long time and will continue to delight.
So I approached this with an air of excitement, albeit guarded, because I didn’t know any of the cast or crew and that can give me pause.
Beginning with an animated back story, we learn that Christopher Robin, once old enough to go to college, abandoned his animal friends to fend for themselves in the 100 acre woods. This led to catastrophe with one of their number killed and eaten. Horrified that the abandonment had led them to such savagery, those lovable animals that we all know – Tigger, Owl, Winnie and Piglet, decide to turn on humans and make them pay; starting with the hated Christopher Robin. Later, when a group of young women come to stay at a house in the woods, Winnie and piglet rise up to kill them in inventive and ridiculous ways.
Here are the positives: firstly a tip – go with a friend like Rachel, whose enthusiasm for bad movies and whose total immersion in the action will amp up your enjoyment exponentially.
This is a handsome-looking film, the cinematography by Vince Knight is good, moody and far more professional-looking than you’d expect from a low-budget movie. Some of the directorial decisions from Rhys Frake-Waterfield worked well and added some tension. The music by composer Andrew Scott Bell, although mostly used in a completely incompetent manner throughout much of the proceedings, was full and rounded. I also enjoyed the practical mask work.
That’s about it for positives.
As for negatives, there are more than I can even list but I’ll try.
I can’t decide what was worse, the exploitive nudity wedged into a scene with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, the cliche rednecks just waiting around at a defunct gas station to swing into dubious action when the women falter, the obvious misogyny of having a group of all female victims? Or was it all just a clumsy satire of these types of slashers? Oh, how I wish that were true.
Made for a budget of reportedly $100,000, the issue isn’t with the budget, the issue is with a screenplay that is so bad it’s hard to believe it ever passed muster, and acting so abysmal that it’s incomprehensible how these people ever ended up on film. Did Frake just hire his friends? His enemies?
There is no character development; in fact I don’t even remember anyone’s names and for a lot of the film I had two of the characters mixed up, the fact that one of those characters was supposedly the main protagonist and she was so forgettable that I mixed her up with another character, is not a good sign.
Characters show up out of the blue with no explanation or sense of place, the deaths are occasionally done well but are mostly of the silly putty variety, or cutaway from, or shown in animation. Scenes continue well past the point where they should have ended, well past the point where the audiences patience have worn exceptionally thin. Tigger and Owl are a no-show and it’s never explained why.
People seem to be actively avoiding opportunities to escape, choosing to stand and die like a good little victim rather than take themany, Many, MANY chances they are given to get away and get help.
It seems to me that what this film needed (aside from a new script and cast) was a proper editor. Obviously director Frake-Waterfield was far too close to the material (indeed he edited, wrote, directed, and pretty much provided the catering for this film) to be subjective and to realise how much needed to be exorcised from this movie. At only 80 minutes it felt stretched beyond belief, points are labored, moments spinout endlessly… it feels like someone forgot to yell cut.
At the end of the day, it’s a great concept, and visually it worked, but the rest was so shockingly bad that it would’ve been better had they just embraced that and continued down this ‘so bad it’s good’ path like Sharknado. Instead, it couldn’t seem to decide whether it wanted to be a down-home cannibals style slasher, or a cheesy midnight lolathon, and that leaves us with an uneven tone as well as its other glaring failures.
I laughed a lot, but I’m not sure that’s what the director intended, and without an audience to laugh along with, I would have turned it off.
It wasn’t a budget problem, but a lack of skill and talent that made this one only worth watching to laugh at.
theresalwaysacat 