When its title card arrived alongside a grating hyperpop song, I was worried that Bodies Bodies Bodies would be an exercise in empty, insufferable style. Bodies isn’t without an aesthetic, mind you, but it’s never as punishing as the opening might lead one to believe – its titles simply set the tone for its Gen-Z vibe, which the movie captures with varying degrees of success.
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I wasn’t sure what to expect when I streamed Come to Daddy. Though it bills itself as a horror movie, it was fairly clear from the title and description that this wasn’t the case – at least, not entirely. It defies easy categorization, always a welcome quality; unfortunately, in this case, it also turns out to be the movie’s fatal flaw.
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Velvet Buzzsaw is a movie I wanted to like – to love, even. The last time Dan Gilroy and Jake Gyllenhaal teamed up we got 2014’s excellent Nightcrawler, and given the gonzo premise of their new collaboration, I thought I was in for a good time. But the Netflix movie curse spares few; even up-and-coming directors and A-list actors cannot escape its grasp. The streaming service’s marketing would have you believe Velvet Buzzsaw is first and foremost a horror film, but the truth is the horror is an afterthought. So is everything else in the movie. Continue reading
Among his other virtues, Lars Von Trier has always been something of a troll. His movies often act as playful middle fingers to his harshest critics, gleefully confirming their accusations with a devil-may-care attitude. The approach has a rebellious appeal, but it’s also overshadowed some of Von Trier’s lesser works, which have made the mistake of putting shock value above quality. The House That Jack Built sees Von Trier’s devilish style at its best; it shamelessly aims to offend, but backs up its intentions with original, exciting filmmaking. Continue reading
Subgenre: Haunted House
Summary: A troubled writer moves into his late aunt’s home, only to discover it’s deeply haunted. Continue reading
Subgenre: Horror-comedy / Nicolas Cage
Summary: A virus causing parents to be homicidal toward their offspring throws a small town into chaos. Continue reading
Subgenre: Horror-Comedy
Summary: An unsuspecting loner attends a Halloween party, not knowing that it’s a plot to have him murdered. Continue reading
Subgenre: Horror-Comedy
Summary: After being roped into a home robbery plot, a ghetto kid is hunted by a pair of insane landlords. Continue reading