No One Gets Out Alive

"No One Gets Out Alive" (2021, Santiago Menghini, The Imaginarium, Netflix).

Ambar (Cristina Rodlo) moves to Cleveland after her mother dies. As an undocumented immigrant, she finds herself at the mercy of some devious and exploitative characters, including Red (Marc Menchaca), the owner of an old boarding house who demands rent in cash up-front in exchange for not asking Ambar any questions. The boarding house is large, run-down and apparently, only accepts female tenants. Ambar experiences some odd things in the house, but chalks it up to other tenants' behaviour. Besides, she has bigger concerns like finding a job. 

After a co-worker scams her out of most of her savings and the spooky happenings in the house become more intense, Ambar seeks help from a distant cousin, Beto (David Barrera), but when he is unable to help her, she is forced to ask Red instead and this plays right into his and his brother Becker's (David Figlioli) grim plans...

A fairly serviceable haunted house story with a cast of interesting characters and exploration of some very real life horrors. The effects are good and Rodlo cuts a sympathetic protagonist who is also very resourceful. 

The film doesn't go into much detail of the history behind the spookiness and it feels a little unexplored which robs the ending of a bit of oomph. An impressive creature is present, but we don't get too much time with them and it feels less like a 'less is more' approach and more of an 'out of the blue' approach as a viewer. 

Currently available on Netflix.

[Image: The Imaginarium, et al]

Hani

Freaky

 "Freaky" (2020, Christopher Landon, Blumhouse Productions, Divide/Conquer, Universal Pictures) is a horror comedy.

Millie Kessler (Kathryn Newton) is a typical movie high school teenaged girl... she's also the school team's mascot. After getting within stabbing distance of murderer and local urban legend, The Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn), she wakes to discover that she has traded bodies with the madman and is now faced with navigating life as a middle aged, wanted man while said man's consciousness is cavorting around town in her body! 

A hilarious and well-crafted horror comedy from Landon, who also brought us the amazing "Happy Death Day" franchise. The film takes the well-known concept of "Freaky Friday" and adapts it for a slasher film experience with such wonderful ease and tongue-in-cheek hilarity. 

Vince Vaughn excels as Millie, bringing humour and heart in equal measure and then is equally terrifying as The Butcher. Similarly, Kathryn Newton, gives an excellently disturbing performance as The Butcher, countered by her time on screen as Millie.

A fun premise that delivers exactly what you want from it and in a way that is completely rewatchable. I love a good horror comedy and this is a good horror comedy.

[Image: Universal Pictures]

Hani

The Changeling

 "The Changeling" (1980, Peter Medak, Chessman Park Productions, Pan-Canadian Film Distributors).

John Russell (George C. Scott) is a composer who moves to a large rented mansion from the city after the tragic death of his wife and young daughter in a road accident. After experiencing some supernatural phenomena in the house, John begins to hope that he may have found a way to communicate with his daughter's spirit. However, the house has a dark past and John's digging instead leads him to uncover the truth behind a prominent family's history. 

A haunted house classic. The film delivers an unsettling atmosphere and a beautiful, haunting setting. The child ghost's voice still gives me the shivers and the scenes with the ball rolling around are eerie. Not a slow film, we are treated to a possessed wheelchair chase scene down a large, ornate staircase and some disturbing scenes of the murder taking place in the house as well as an eventful and satisfying finale.

George C. Scott gives a fantastic and sympathetic performance as our protagonist, John Russell. He is grief-stricken and lonely. We see him break down and we see him working to get himself back together. It's such an honest and heartfelt portrayal of a bereaved husband and father that doesn't shy away from emotion but still maintains the determined and capable characterisation of the time. John is sad and determined to sort out this haunted house business. Even if he looks completely unhinged doing it. 

Supposedly based on actual events, the unravelling of the mystery is punctuated by the reaction of the spirit in the house who is tragic but also still a petulant and demanding child. John is manipulated by the spirit, but later takes the spirit's plight on-board as his own way of dealing with his own loss. 

A genuinely beautiful and entertaining haunted house film that should be a must-see for any horror fan. 

[Image: Pan-Canadian Film Distributors, et al]

Hani

Malignant

 "Maligant" (2021, James Wan, Atomic Monster, Boom Entertainment, Boom! Studios) 

Madi (Annabelle Wallis) experiences a traumatic event. Left reeling from this and convinced that either an intruder or an intrusive force, has gained access to her home, Madi's sister, Sydney (Maddie Hasson), offers to move in and help Madi recover. However, as time goes on, Madi begins to see things - things that she could not possibly know about. Horrible things that are happening in real time, putting her under the suspicion of Officers Shaw (George Young) and Moss (Michole Briana White).

A new style for Wan, the film kicks off feeling like a much older, campier film, before jumping into more familiar territory with spooky shenanigans in a large house. But this film delivers so much more than the above. With a winding, interesting plot that hops from the bizarre to the outrageous and a gifted cast purposefully hamming it up for effect - but not too much. 

The visuals are excellently used and really appeal to me as a fan of 70s and 80s horror films, J-horror films and practical effects.  "Malignant" pays homage to Henenlotter's "Basket Case" in the best possible way. 

There's so much more to this film, but I don't want to give away too much. My advice is to go in knowing as little as possible.

[Image: Boom Entertainment, et al]

Hani

The Night House

 "The Night House" (2020, David Bruckner, Phantom Four Films, Anton, TSG Entertainment, Searchlight Pictures) is a haunted house film centred around grief.

Beth (Rebecca Hall) returns home after the funeral of her husband, Owen (Evan Jonigkeit), to the beautiful lakeside house he designed and built for them. She attempts to go about her normal life as much as possible, but at night she is haunted by increasingly disturbing and realistic dreams. She finds herself waking up in different places around the house and, against the warnings of her concerned friend, Claire (Sarah Goldberg) and neighbour, Mel (Vondie Curtis Hall), she starts to dig into Owen's secrets uncovering some things about her husband and their home that she did not know. 

A truly beautifully shot film which is slow burning and laced with intrigue. I found myself rapt for 107 minutes and even jumped at one or two places (which is not something I find myself doing often). The story straddles the daily horrors of dealing with grief with the haunted house elements very well, creating a balance rather than feeling like two different themes. The grief of Beth's loss and her building feelings of betrayal intertwine with her unravelling of Owen's life and the dreams that Beth is experiencing.

Rebecca Hall gives a wonderful performance as our protagonist, Beth. She is sad and forlorn, but she is also angry and driven to uncover the meaning behind Owen's sad fate. We feel sympathy for her, but we also appreciate that she is lashing out at those with her best interests at heart. She has such a wonderful range of emotions in every scene. We really share her emotional journey. 

The effects and styling of the haunting are captivating and creative. The use of negative space, shadows and the feeling of something being there that cannot be seen keep you watching the background of every scene for signs of 'life'. The house feels both extremely open and extremely claustrophobic. And, as we build to the climax, the presence becomes more and more threatening.

There are a few clues dropped quite early in the film that may give the game away for some of us seasoned horror viewers, but it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the journey. And I feel like the film does a good job of explaining just enough to come to a satisfying conclusion without getting too bogged down in explaining its lore and rules. 

The film has an interesting take on what happens after death which does not fully conform to the usual Christian religious leanings and I personally found this thought-provoking and unique in a genre so often tied to Christian beliefs.

Certainly a film I'm glad I watched in a cinema, but one I would also like to experience again in my own home. Although, it might make me look twice at some of our corners and furniture...

[Image: Phantom Four Films, et al]

Hani

Willy's Wonderland

 "Willy's Wonderland" (2021, Kevin Lewis, Landmark Studio Group, Baffin Media Ltd., Saturn Films, JD Entertainment, Landafar Entertainment).

A man of few, or actually no, words (Nicolas Cage) takes a job as a janitor at an abandoned family entertainment restaurant called "Willy's Wonderland" in order to pay for repairs to his car which have left him otherwise stranded in a small American town. 

The restaurant hosts some dilapidated animatronics including Willy the Weasel, Arty Alligator, Cammy Chameleon, Ozzie Ostrich, Tito Turtle, Knighty Knight, Gus Gorilla, and Siren Sara. The Janitor begins his long night shift taking short breaks to play a pinball machine and drink some energy drinks as well as occasionally change shirt. But it isn't long before he comes to learn that the animatronic animals are alive and blood thirsty.

After doing battle with one of the animatronics, the Janitor goes dutifully back to his chores, but is soon interrupted by a group of teens lead by Liv (Emily Tosta) who is hellbent on ending Willy's Wonderland's blight on the small town after her own ill-fated experience at the restaurant. 

Extremely reminiscent of the "Five Nights at Freddy's" games (which, if you're unfamiliar, are definitely worth seeking out), "Willy's Wonderland" couples an industrious protagonist just trying to do his job in spite of a menagerie of killer animatronics, with perhaps, understandably, a little less intrigue than the games. 

The premise is fun and Cage delivers an entertaining performance as the silent, straight faced Janitor, just dealing with things as they come up. 

The action does become a little samey and perhaps 8 animatronics was a little many, however, the film doesn't outstay its welcome at 88 minutes of run time and certainly delivers a fun and innovative collection of kills. 

Definitely worth checking out. 

[Image: Saturn Films, et al]

Hani

PG: Psycho Goreman

"PG: Psycho Goreman" (2020, Steven Kostanski, Raven Banner Entertainment, RLJE Films, Shudder) is a Canadian horror comedy. 

Two kids; the Tyrannical Mimi (Nita-Josee Hanna) and her browbeaten older brother, Luke (Owen Myre); accidentally release a murderous intergalactic warrior called The Duke of Nightmares (played by Matthew Ninaber and voiced by Steven Vlahos), whom Mimi renames Psycho Goreman or "PG" for short (much to PG's chagrin).

Finding that, with the crystal taken from PG's prison cell, they have control over the deadly alien, a relentless Mimi, anxious Luke and their soon-to-be-regretful friend, Alastair, proceed to have some wacky, gruesome fun as well as introducing PG to Luke and Mimi's hilarious parents (Adam Brooks and Alexis Hancey). However, a group of equally entertaining hunters from PG's home planet of Gigax are now hunting PG down. Will the plucky kids help their murderous friend evade retribution? Will they find out if PG has a taste for hunky boys? Only time will tell!

A hilarious, ridiculous, gooey and tastelessly wild ride. PG will win you over with sarcasm and violence, and amazingly Power Rangers-chic practical effects. I had the best time! Easily my favourite film of 2021 so far.

[Image: Raven Banner Entertainment, et al]

Hani