The Hallow

"The Hallow" aka "The Woods" (2015, Corin Hardy, Fantastic Films, Occupant Entertainment, Entertainment One) is an Irish-British film set in Ireland.

Adam (Joseph Mawle) and Claire (Bojana Novakovic) Hitchens have just moved into a remote, woodland house in Ireland with their newborn baby. Adam, a conservationist, finds a horrific mould nearby and brings a sample home. Big mistake. His family's very presence has enraged something living in the woods and now he's invited it into his home...

A film of several parts: a relationship drama about moving home, changing career and getting used to parenthood; a dark fantasy with unnatural forces; a body horror; and a home invasion. Overall the film has some really striking imagery, a fabulous, muted setting, a lot of atmosphere, pretty effective make up and effects and the jarring use of sound is also effective. However, it suffers from a slow plot which doesn't knit completely together.

Essentially, this film has a lot of really amazing components, but as a stand alone feature it's not as effective as it could be. It bodes extremely well for Hardy, however.

[Image: Fantastic Films, et al]

Hani

Red: Werewolf Hunter

"Red: Werewolf Hunter" (2010, Sheldon Wilson,Chesler/Perlmutter Productions) is a werewolf film with a little twist of Little Red Riding Hood thrown in there. It's also a made-for-TV film, so don't go in expecting any high calibre writing.

The lovely Felicia Day plays Virginia 'Red' Sullivan, a descendant of Little Red Riding Hood and a werewolf hunter. It seems the wolf that ate up Grandma in the fairytale was actually a lycanthrope and now it is the destiny of Little Red's descendants to maintain order with the wolf's kin.

Unfortunately, it would seem Red is in love with Nathan (Kavan Smith) and has accidentally brought him home to be turned. Can she and her family save her fiancé? And even if they do, can he deal with a werewolf hunting, kick ass ginger chick for his bride to be? And, even if he can, does she really want this jerky numbskull for a husband anyway?!

Certainly an interesting angle, the film is let down with the usual bad scripting that goes hand in hand with any Syfy Production, and some bad acting. Although, I think one is maybe the symptom of the other...

With some very amicable werewolf effects, the monster element certainly pleases in that lovely cheesy TV horror kind of way, but some clumsy editing, hit and miss soundtracks and boring character-building dialogue kind of detract from what could have been a perfectly fine mediocre film about an attractive red head in a leather jacket killing rampaging migrant werewolves...

[Image: Syfy]

Hani

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (2010, Troy Nixey, Guillermo del Toro, Miramax Films, Gran via Tequila Gang, FilmDistrict, StudioCanal UK) is a remake of the 1973 made-for-TV film of the same name.

The troubled young daughter (Bailee Madison) of an architect (Guy Pearce) who is refurbishing an old mansion to its former glory with his new wife (Katie Holmes), discovers Fey creatures are trapped within the house behind an iron grate and decides to set them free, believing them to be friendly. However, they soon turn out to be vicious and devious creatures which are hungry for children's teeth and must also take a mortal back to their netherworld to replenish their ranks.

A creepy retelling of the Tooth Fairy myth, this film was excellently jumpy in the cinema, but loses something a little on the small screen.

However, the animation of the 'fairies' is brilliant and little Bailee Madison gives a perfect performance as young Sally.

Not a film that will scare many adults, but would have many young viewers scared to hang an arm over the side of the bed, I imagine.

Creepy in a traditional way, with beautiful settings and effective attack scenes (and a little gore), I thoroughly enjoyed this film as a fun and creepy fairy story.

[Image: Miramax Films]

Hani

Bloody Cuts : Suckablood

"Suckablood" (2013, Ben Franklin, Jake Cuddihy, Ben Tillett, www.bloodycuts.co.uk) is another short from Bloody Cuts, the British horror anthology series.

Done in a fairytale style similar to Tim Burton with a dash of Dr. Seuss mixed with Edgar Allan Poe and a whole heap of The Brothers Grimm, "Suckablood" is a really artistic piece. It mixes animation, live action and prosthetics really nicely!

A young girl is reprimanded by her stepmother for sucking her thumb. To stop her, the stepmother tells her that she has cursed the child and if she sucks her thumb again, a creature called the Suckablood will come and kill her!

Terrified, the child goes to bed and sits scared, desperately trying not to suck her thumb. But can she really stop herself?

All done in poetic form, I can see why Stephen Fry is such a big fan of this short!

Highly recommended!

[Image: www.bloodycuts.co.uk]

Hani