Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" (2019, André Øvredal, Lionsgate, Entertainment One, CBS Films, Sean Daniel Company) is a film based on the series of short stories by Austin Schwartz.

A horror anthology aimed at teens (think "Creepshow" meets "Goosebumps"), the film is surprisingly jumpy and really well put together. We follow Stella (Zoe Margaret Colletti), Auggie (Gabriel Rush), Chuck (Austin Zajur) and Ramon (Michael Garza) who find the book of scary stories by Sarah Bellows, the town's local horror legend, on Halloween night. The stories not only have a horrible way of becoming reality, however, the group discover new stories are still being written from beyond the grave and people they know, including themselves, are the unlucky protagonists... Can they put a stop to Sarah before it's too late?

Although very heavy on CGI which may not age very well in the long run, the film has a neat wraparound story and enjoys a seasonal Halloween theme which could make it a fun addition to annual viewing.

The stories are well adapted for screen from the original tales and even those of us too old to enjoy the childhood nostalgia of the stories themselves, the film still captures the feel of the tales and makes an entertaining 120 minutes.

Our protagonists and even antagonist bully, Tommy (Austin Abrams), feel well rounded and give a good performance in their roles. The late 60s setting of the film seems somewhat incidental, but not the the film's overall detriment. In the main, the adult characters are kept to the periphery and leave the main work to the kids.

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the scares were. The film doesn't seem to shy away from being quite dark and it's certainly a film young me would have loved. For the adult viewer it will feel relatively trope-laden but it's a perfect film for younger horror-hounds in the making who want to see something scary but aren't quite ready for some of the more adult targeted films. It's a good gateway film and could have the staying power for longevity in the future.

[Image: Lionsgate, et al]

Hani

A Better Life

"A Better Life" is a horror novel by Kyle M. Scott (2018).

A group of desperate people kidnap a child in an attempt to get hold of enough money to end their problems. But, they've gotten much more than they bargained for...

We follow Jess and her husband, Curt, who, together with Curt's kind and matronly sister, Lisa, and the dangerous ruffian, Pete, have kidnapped a quiet young girl called Emily from her senator father. They take Emily to an abandoned and secluded house in the middle of the Mojave desert.

Jess feels extremely conflicted about what they've done. On one hand, she feels horrible for taking the young girl from her home, but on the other hand she knows that she and Curt are in a desperate situation with very few remaining options. She takes a shine to the strange child who is beautiful but stoic beyond her years in a disconcerting manner. Jess feels both protective of her and scared of her.

The story is told from the characters' perspectives with a tendency to focus on our main protagonist, Jess. Through the eyes of each character we learn more about them and their motives. And we find that they have shades of grey.... Some much greyer than others.

Tensions begin to rise when Curt and Pete find that Emily's parents may not be interested in getting her back, and Pete's violent side rises to the surface. Meanwhile, Jess begins to get close to Emily and sees an unnerving peak behind the pretty little girl's eyes... For Emily, we find, is more than just a lonely little rich girl who likes comic books. She has a chilling talent.

The subject matter is pretty terrifying. Having the kind of power that Emily wields is scary enough, but the fact that Emily chooses to use her powers based on her own childlike grasp of right and wrong (where shades of grey are not acceptable) is the truly scary thought. Emily may seem calm and unperturbed by her situation, but she knows that her tantrums can be deadly. Equally, however, she is a child and naturally wins some of the readers' sympathy.

Kyle M. Scott paints a terrifying portrait of this little girl and also of the kidnappers themselves. They all have dark secrets and taking Emily has sealed their fates. Scott describes with fantastic gusto the gory and violent scenes the characters face, creating a clear disturbing image in the reader's mind and some scenes that didn't leave my thoughts for a few days.

A truly chilling ending leaves the reader with a sense of dread and a thirst to know more about the fate of this strange and powerful child.

Available now on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle editions

IT (2017)

"IT" aka "IT: Chapter One" (2017, Andy Muschietti, New Line Cinema, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Vertigo Entertainment, Lin Pictures, KatzSmith Productions, Warner Bros. Pictures) is based on Stephen King's amazing novel of the same name.

On a stormy day, Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) gives his little brother, Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott), a sailboat made of paper to play with outside. But, when innocent little Georgie's sailboat floats down a storm drain, he makes the acquaintance of Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgård) and meets a gruesome end. For Bill and his band of misfit friends, however, it is just the beginning as he tries to find out what happened to his baby brother, and they are all taunted by IT...

What a thrilling experience it was to see a horror film in a cinema and actually get a few scares! I had been apprehensive as Tim Curry's rendition of Pennywise is so iconic that I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role, but Skarsgård has really made this version of the clown creature his own. Not only is he bitter-sweet, off-balanced and straight up freaky, but he's also so well designed. The clown is just different enough to mark this character as a whole new imagining.

The film stays pretty close to King's masterpiece, and although obviously not every plot point could be squeezed into the run time, I didn't feel that it was rushed or lost any of the pacing. Of course, we still have the next part of the book to cover, and, having now seen the first instalment, I have high hopes for the second battle.

The 80s vibe and styling is excellently achieved. From the clothing to the background advertising, it feels very authentic. I'm really enjoying the 80s love at the moment.

The Losers Club are perfect. All the actors give such a great, realistic performance and bring the roles to life. I can only hope their adult counterparts in the next movie can continue with such style. The characters in this story have such horrid background stories and face some traumatic situations and the movie does well to lighten the tone with some humour now and again. This also just makes the darker scenes all the more cutting.

Aside from leading man, Bill, who gives a fantastic performance and holds the club together, we are joined by Bev (Sophia Lillis); lone girl of the group who, as well as being bullied relentlessly at school also has a traumatic and horrifying home life. Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor); love sick, overweight romantic who is also the new kid at school. Richie (Finn Wolfhard); a motormouth who masks his own personal demons with humour and crassness. He's also a face you'll recognise from "Stranger Things" (and he really proves his mettle with a quite radically different and equally iconic character). Stan (Wyatt Olef); a quiet, smart Jewish kid who manages to get a good few quips in when Richie takes a breath. His father is the local Rabbi and he feels under pressure to make him proud. Mike (Chosen Jacobs); a home-schooled kid raised by his grandfather after his parents met a grissly end. He doesn't want to be an outsider, but equally he isn't sure if he wants to join the others when he knows what he's let himself in for. And, Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer); a hypochondriac fuelled by his mother's blatant Munchhausen's by-proxy.

Keeping the Losers Club terrified even before Pennywise awakens, we have the local gang of bullies, led by Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton), son of a local cop who constantly belittles him, Henry feels like he has to terrorise others to make himself feel more like a man.

While Skarsgård's Pennywise does a fair bit more chatting that Tim Curry's did, the film benefits from taking more from the book and enjoys some truly disturbing images. The scares are frequent, quick paced and effective and the plot moves along smoothly.

All in all, it was my most satisfying cinema trip in some time!

[Image: Warner Bros. Pictures, et al]

Hani

Mama

"Mama" (2013, Andrés Muschietti, Guillermo del Toro, Toma 78, De Milo Productions) is a supernatural horror based on a 2008 short called "Mamá".

Jeffery D'Asange has lost everything financially in the banking crisis and, in a fit of despair, he kills his business partners and his wife and runs off with his two young daughters to a cabin out in the woods where he plans to kill them and himself too. Unbeknownst to him, the cabin is already occupied by something otherworldly, and this otherworldly thing (which calls itself Mama) is all about the crazy maternal instinct, so you can bet your boots that old Jeff doesn't get to off his kids.

The kids are still missing five years on and Jeff's twin brother, Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), has been looking for them with the help of a search party. They're eventually found still residing in the cabin, but are now completely feral.

After a battle over rights with his sister in law's mother, Lucas and his rock chick girlfriend, Annabel (Jessica Chastain), bring little Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lilly (Isabelle Nélisse) to live with them. The only thing is, Mama also tagged along with the girls and she doesn't like to share....

I'm going to jump in first and say that I enjoyed this film, but I wasn't scared by it. It's nicely shot. Annabel and Lucas were relatable and were rounded enough characters. Although, speaking as a rock chick myself, I was a bit disappointed that Annabel was painted as non-maternal quite so much at the start with her 'rock 'n' roll lifestyle' being blamed primarily for this. Thanks for playing to the stereotype, guys, but I don't see anything wrong with enjoying Slipknot and being a mother!

Some of the scenes with Mama are great. She is hidden most of the time and I enjoyed her sneaking about in the background. There are scenes where she quickly crawls about and it is very effective. However, the end scenes showed too much of her and she comes to the same fate as the monster in Jeepers Creepers; less scary. Although there is a hella dark end to this film.

The kids nailed it. They were great. Victoria made a realistic and sympathetic character and Lilly was very convincing and freaky as the feral child. Child centred horror is almost always effective, but the scenes with the kids playing with Mama are haunting in their creepy, creepy innocence.

So yes, it didn't make me wet my pants and it didn't make me check under the bed for creepy, skinny monster mothers, but it was an engaging hour and forty-odd minutes, and I would happily watch it again in the future.

[Image: De Milo Productions, et al]

Hani 

Misery

"Misery" (1990, Rob Reiner, Castle Rock Entertainment, Nelson Entertainment, Columbia Pictures) is the film adaptation of Stephen King's fantastic novel "Misery".

I hold this film in high esteem because it captures a lot of the themes from the novel and the changes it makes are beneficial for the on-screen adaptation. It doesn't just chop and change features for laughs and creates a few levels of intrigue and dread without trying to go too deep.

The casting is also flawless with James Caan as author turned captive, Paul Sheldon and Kathy Bates frankly makes the role of crazy 'number one fan', Annie Wilkes, her own. I couldn't imagine anyone else playing the part. She is truly terrifying.

In case you've been under a rock since 1987 (when the book was published), the plot is simple: Paul Sheldon is the author of a successful fictional series called "Misery" (named after his title character). He is caught in a terrible car accident, and is horribly hurt. The car crash scene is very arty with the music. Love it.

He wakes to find that he's been saved by Annie Wilkes, a strange lady who proclaims to be his number one fan and a nurse. She nurses him back to health, but upon reading his pre-copy of his latest novel and discovering that he intends to kill off her beloved Misery, Annie gets nasty. Real nasty.

An excellent study of jailer and captive behaviour and a tense mental game of wits, I'd rate this film as one of my favourite King adaptations as well as an excellent psychological thriller.

While there are certainly 'eep' moments, this film is not a gory film or a jump-infested spook fest. It's a slow building dread, which eventually unleashes some real mental scares.

Also, there's a pretty epic fight scene that still makes my eyes water at a certain part!

[Image: Castle Rock Entertainment]

Hani

The Conjuring

"The Conjuring" (2013, James Wan, The Safran Company, Evergreen Media Group, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros.) is a haunted house/possession/witchcraft film from the director who brought us "Saw", "Dead Silence" and "Insidious".

Based on a true story, we meet the Perron family.

Roger (Ron Livingston) and Carolyn (Lili Taylor - the werewolf's mother from Netflix's "Hemlock Grove") have just moved into an old house in Rhode Island with their five daughters. Upon moving in they begin to experience strange happenings - from random injuries, to scary closet monsters, to creepy imaginary friends.

Eventually it all becomes too much to ignore as the apparitions become more menacing and the family seek the help of the famous paranormal experts, Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga).

A very traditional haunted house tale that can be compared to the likes of "Poltergeist" and the "Amityville Horror" and with a bit of "The Birds" and some "Exorcist" thrown in there too.

Excellently acted and very engaging, this crowd pleaser had the audience in Glasgow squealing, whooping, jumping and then laughing self-consciously at their antics. It was a really good experience!

The film is quite a rollercoaster of jump scares and fun cinematography. Whilst it relies heavily on predictable horror tropes and slightly overused scenes (creepy old lady in a rocking chair, for example), it likes to feint jumps and get you back when you least expect it and you really feel for the characters' plight.

However, as usual with Wan films it seems, the hectic ending of constant pulse-pounding moments begins to feel more like a series of scenes with lessening terror intensity and more hilarity. There's just too much going on!

The Annabelle doll sub-plot (also really a job the real life Warrens have worked on) is fantastic and could easily spin-off as a whole film to itself! I do love the prop which is one of the creepiest yet and knocks Billy the Saw dummy off his little pedestal.

All in an excellent experience and a film I enjoyed! Hardcore horror fans might like to bump their gums about how 'predictable' this or that is, but the truth in the matter is I jumped in that cinema, so Mr. Wan, I take my proverbial hat off to you. Much better than "Insidious"!

[Image: Warner Bros.]

 

Hani

Bloody Cuts : Don't Move

"Bloody Cuts" is a series of short horror films from some talented British folks. I only just discovered episode 8 today: "Don't Move" (Anthony Melton, David Scullion, 2013).

I love a good anthology and will make it my goal (post-Masters assignment) to watch and review them all asap!

A clever and tense little film, we find a group of friends in a darkened flat, unable to move as they are hunted by a demon who can sense movement. Slowly and intensively the demon takes down the remaining friends in some gruesome and bloody ways, as the others have to stand stock-still and listen.


Clever, brilliantly put together, with some eerie-as-hell sound effects and gory to boot, I thoroughly enjoyed "Don't Move" and would highly recommend you all get over there and watch it! Now! Shoo!

All of the shorts are available to watch online: http://www.bloodycuts.co.uk/ Enjoy!

[Image: www.bloodycuts.co.uk]

Hani

The Mist (2007)

"The Mist" (2007, Frank Darabont, Darkwoods Productions, Dimension Films) is based on the novella of the same name by Stephen King.
A wild thunderstorm causes some carnage to the house of the Draytons, David Drayton (Thomas Jane), Stephanie Drayton (Kelly Collins Lintz) and their son Billy (Nathan Gamble). It also damages the house and car of their dickhead neighbour Brent Norton (Andre Braugher).

David agrees to take Brent to the shops in his undamaged car, taking young Billy with him, and leaving his wife in the house. The supermarket is teeming with people who are panic-buying after the freak weather.

Just then a sudden thick mist rolls in, accompanied by a yelling madman, Dan Miller (Jeffery DeMunn), who warns everyone to stay inside and avoid the mist as he has seen someone 'taken by it'.

The power goes down and the store becomes reliant on its back up generator. Several people run out into the mist and can be heard screaming in agony.

Everyone backs into the shop and awaits there, terrified. One woman, desperate to get back to her children, runs out into the mist solo.

A run-in in the backroom brings it to the attention of everyone that there is indeed, something in the mist.... or some things!

The film does well to analyse human nature and to demonstrate how one convincing and fanatical person can quickly turn people against one another. The "crazy Christian" woman fanatic-type-person, Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden), starts as a minority figure. A crazy person that the others avoid and laugh at, but as the fear spreads and the panic grows, she becomes stronger, more convincing. The others flock to her and she becomes dangerous and twisted. She begins to appear to make sense, to be a redemption for the terrified people, but the power goes quickly to her head and she soon begins to think of herself as the second-coming. She can do anything, right? She has god on her side! And if she has to kill a few people, well he'll understand, right? Somehow, I think both King and Darabont are men after my own heart. I'm not the biggest fan of religion. Especially fanatics. By all means, have faith, just don't push it on me. If I'm stuck in a shop with you, surrounded by man-eating mist monsters, and you wont stop preaching all day and all night, I'll damn well use up all the duct tape stock! Geese!

I do love Ollie Weeks (Toby Jones) in this flick. He's the assistant manager, and his unassuming character quickly steals the show as a capable, gun-toting sensible dude!

A lot of the characters are quite menacing and tense. Which really adds to the plot and the pace. The people are suspicious, scared, angry and soon, without hope. They react like pack animals, and turn on one another. Plus, some truly horrific injuries really bring you to the edge of your seat.

The monsters are surprisingly good, considering movies which rely on so many special effects usually lose their impressive effect after so long. "The Mist" manages to keep some mistique by shrouding the creatures in mist. The animals, insects and creatures are scary because, for all intent and purpose, they're pretty organic. They've clearly come from another world, another climate and have adapted differently. They're not monsters, they're just creatures. They're doing what comes naturally to them! Now, I'm not saying 'let's conserve these crazy gigantic bug-monsters'! Hell no! Kill 'em all! I'm just saying, well done guys, these creatures are scary!

The creatures vary from lobstery things and tentacled things, to gigantic locusts and pterodactyl-y things and... spiders! Arachnophobes beware, here there be spiders!

The ending is severe. Harsh, even. Extremely harsh! Stephen King is never this harsh. The brutal ending is needed though, I think if this movie had ended like the book or like "The Birds" it would have felt unfinished.

And watch out for familiar faces!

A good, tense movie. If you have a bug-fear, you may find this movie uncomfortable. If you fear for humanity you will find this film will not soothe those fears. But since when did horror exist to make you feel good about humanity?

[Picture: Darkwoods Productions]

Hani 

The Woman in Black (2012)

"The Woman in Black" (2012, Hammer Film Productions, Momentum Pictures) is the modern adaptation of the novel by Susan Hill (a fabulous book, definitely read it!).

I went to the cinema on opening night in Glasgow to see this film, and have to admit to hiding my eyes! Me? Big tough horror-lover? Yup, scared me shitless, I must admit! So, I kept my reviewing for the DVD so that I could watch it without my fingers in my way!

Daniel Radcliffe stars as Arthur Kipps, a young solicitor in London, who's wife passed away in childbirth. He feels haunted by his departed wife's spirit, but he soon finds out how it really feels to be haunted when he is sent to deal with the estate of the late Mrs. Alice Drablow in a small English country town.

Mrs. Drablow has passed away, leaving the large house and estate empty... or so they think. Kipps is sent to put the papers into order and sell the house. He leaves his nurse and young son (played by Radcliff's godson, Misha Handley) in London while he goes to Eel Marsh house.

Kipps meets Sam Daily (Ciarán Hinds) on the train. Hinds plays the role of the local landowner tremendously and very closely to the book's character. His wife, Elizabeth Daily (Janet McTeer) is diferent to the book, a little more crazy and with psychic powers... but on the whole it adds to the story.

Hammer did extremely well to set the scene. The whole film feels very authenic, rustic even. The villagers are suitably suspicious and private. If only they had warned him better! Unfortunately, this is not the case, they warn cryptically and we all know how that goes!

The house is out on the marshes and can only be accessed while the tide is out. The road to the house is called 'Nine Lives Causeway' - an awesome name if you ask me! The road is treacherous and cuts the house off from the rest of the world. Arthur is doomed from the get-go, even before he notices the woman's spectre.

The ghost is extremely well capured. She is like an onryō ghost seen usually in Japanese stories. She can appear anywhere, often sneaking up in the background before jumping out from the foreground.

Kipps uncovers the terrible secret of the Drablow household and the ghostly inhabitants of Eel Marsh house; Alice's sister, Jennet Humphrye, had a child out of wedlock. Her son was taken from her and raised by her sister, while she was locked in the house, believed to be insane. Her son died in tragic circumstances in a terrible carriage accident on the marshes while she stood helplessly and watched from her window. This accident is replayed over and over on the marshes in the form of a horrific ghostly loop.

The feel to the movie as a whole is very classic Hammer, but the modern special effects and clever camera work make it a truly engaging and terrifying watch.

The Woman's ghost is usually a precursor to the terrible death of a child. She is seen in the very start of the film, which is truly haunting, causing three young girls to plunge to their deaths from the attic window, the very room where Kipps is housed for the first night of his stay. The children's deaths are striking, and some gruesome, but not ridiculously bloody, which I appreciated.

The ghost is fierce, angry and unrelenting. She menaces Kipps throughout the film, and she cannot be sated.

The eerie setting, minimal conversation and excellent camera and sound work bring Susan Hill's fabulous book to life! You will find yourself on the edge of your seat. And Radcliffe secures himself in the main role, not a hint of Harry Potter in sight. A very good, tense and deep performance.

Unlike the original film, Hammer makes you read and look with minimal character voiceover. No wax cylinder recordings here!

A very worthwhile film, it is full of jumps and shocks to keep you entertained.

The best of it is, things go bump, but not just in the night. I find even the busy scenes when Kipps and Daily attempt to end Jennet's terrible haunting, don't ruin the film.

I highly recommend this film for a good tense scare! Hammer are back!

[Picture: Hammer Films]

Hani