The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) #510

One the most haunting, slow burning horror movies I've seen in years, "The Autopsy of Jane Doe" is the perfect film to watch alone on a dark and spooky night. There is an overwhelming feeling of seclusion and solitude present, although that's the natural of environment of a small-town coroner. The movie is a masterclass on how to reveal each new clue to the audience for the maximum effect. Staring the brilliant Brian Cox ("The Ring" and "Trick-R-Treat"), giving a grounded performance the provides the gravitas needed for this film. "Autopsy" is a film that shouldn't be broken down scene by scene, so I'll provide a brief overview. 

The unidentified corpse of a young woman is found at the sight of a bizarre multiple homicide. The body is brought to the town's coroner, Tommy, who gets to work on the autopsy. Seeing that it's an unusual circumstance, Tommy's son and assistant, Austin, skips his date with his girlfriend and stays behind to help. Together, the two begin to discover one anomaly after another, where logic ceases to make sense. The corpse is a complete enigma, and their findings suggest something darker than they were expecting. Soon the line between reality and the supernatural begin to blur, but why? Who is the Jane Doe and what does she want?

The chemistry between Timmy and Austin feels real and genuine, as the deal with the different stages in their lives. Timmy is dealing with growing old alone now that his wife has passed away, and Austin is starting a new romance. When things begin to become chaotic, Timmy steps up to protect his son as best as he can.

 

Barbarian (2022) #509

Watch the trailer here

 

“Barbarian” feels like the perfect movie to watch on Devil’s night as a double feature with “The Crow”. Both take place in Detroit and both are dark and violent. Both take place in a bad part of town, and both have their own hidden monsters, aka very bad people. What starts off as an awkward exploration of how uncomfortable a woman could be by taking one risky chance after another becomes something completely different with its twisty 2nd act. Staring Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgard, Richard Brake ("31" and "Mandy") and Jusitn Long ("Tusk").

Tess arrives in Detroit for a job interview, but things are not off to a great start. First her ex won't stop calling her, and then she discovers that her Airbnb has been double booked. Having nowhere else to go, Tess is coaxed to come in by the other guest, Keith. Initially hesitant, Tess gives Keith the benefit of doubt and decides to trust him. Sensing her unease, Keith does his best to defuse the situation and offers to sleep on the couch. Tensions ease more when Tess learns that Keith is involved in one of the groups her new job is planning on working with. When she awakes, Keith has already left for the day, so she leaves for her interview, now noticing the run-down condition of the neighborhood. The interview goes well and seems to be getting better, but when she arrives at the house, Tess is chased by a homeless man yelling wildly at her. 

Shaken, Tess finds the basement door open. She goes to see what's in the basement but get locked in. Tess discovers a hidden corridor that contains a mattress, video camera, and bloody handprints. She is eventually freed when Keith arrives back at the house, and once Tess tells him what she's found, he takes the intuitive to search the corridor further. Fearing that something may have happened to Keith after a long absence, Tess goes back down the corridor, which becomes a series of tunnels in the dark. She finds Kieth, who is injured and terrified, and soon finds out who had harmed him.

From the dark to the bright sunshine filled backdrop of California, the film switches gears and focuses on AJ, a man who is having a rough day as well. First, he's accused of sexual assault on a co-star on tv series, then he finds out that he's been fired from said series. Having no immediate income but plenty of bills, and some new legal fees to deal with, AJ flies out to Detroit to sell some rental properties that he owns. Meeting up with a friend, he admits that he assaulted the girl but thought it wasn't a big deal; the complete opposite of Keith. AJ then goes to the house, which he owns, and discovers the basement. He becomes excited, thinking that he's discovered valuable extra square footage, when he becomes lost in the tunnels and is attacked by the Mother, the creature that killed Keith. AJ is tossed into a cell where he meets Tess. She's been down there for a few days and tells AJ that she thinks that they are her children.

Aat different times, both Tess and AJ manage to escape the cell. Tess makes it outside where she meets the homeless man who tells her that Mother will come out at night to look for her. Tess then is able to call the police, who when they arrive, dismiss her and threaten to take her in as the instigator. Meanwhile, AJ finds a room where Mother will not approach. Inside is an old man in a bed and various pieces of evidence that explains what is going on. Trying to help the man, AJ accidently provides the man the means to kill himself, escaping his crimes against humanity. 

Through a series of events, Tess and AJ are chased around the neighborhood by Mother, with a climax ending on top of a water tower. AJ proves once again that he's not the hero, sacrificing Tess to save himself. Mother knows better killing AJ and cuddling with an injured Tess, before Tess uses a gun to end Mother's torment.

Await Further Instructions (2018) #508

 

A family gathering for the holidays where most of the family are unwelcoming and xenophobic and the smaller portion feels bullied and outcast for their lifestyle choices, is suddenly trapped together and unable to escape, with the only contact from outside of the house coming from text appear on the tv. This is the set up for “Await Further Instructions”, a cosmic horror about control and obedience, essentially an experiment being conducted by otherworldly entities.

Nick returns to his parents house after cutting off most contact from them for three years. His girlfriend Annji comes with him, and almost immediately the family gives their disapproval and racist thoughts about Annji, who is of Indian descent. After having a screaming argument with his pregnant sister, Nick decides that coming back was a mistake and insists they leave. When they try to do so, a weird, ribbed, black  material has blocked very aperture and window in the house. The black surface looks like black cords fused together creating a solid wall. The family then notices text on the tv that states “Stay inside and await further instructions”. Naturally the very controlling father Tony declares that it’s from the national emergency service, but is that who it’s really from?

First the family is told that all of the food in the house is contaminated and that they must wash themselves with bleach, they follow the instructions. When vaccines are dropped from the chimney, Nick and Annji have their doubts, but the ever controlling Tony forces them. Tony’s elderly father dies a gruesome death and the tv states that one of them is infected. Naturally the family suspects Annji, and they lock her away. Tensions and parinia run rampant as Nick and Tony clash, family members die, and the instructions become ever more demanding and violent.

With everyone dead, with Nick killing his father in self defense, the dead rise once more as Tony becomes a  meat puppet infused with the living wires. It’s a shocking end with an axe, and as the camera pans up, you see that every house has suffered the same fate.

Gothika (2003) #507

 

Ghost movies were a popular and common sight in the late 90's and early 2000s and Dark Castle Entertainment was there to provide. First they remade popular films originally made by William Castle, such as "House on Haunted Hill" and "Thir13en Ghosts" before creating their own original material, such as "Gothika". A start studded film, starring Halle Berry, Charles S. Dutton, and Robert Downey Jr. and John Carrol Lynch, "Gothika" is a haunting ghost story taking place in a naturally scary location, a psychiatric hospital. Some may find the pacing of the movie a bit clunky when compared to today's sensibilities, but it felt quite at home in the horror films of its time. The production has some great value and visuals, except for some fire effects later in the film.

Halle Berry plays Dr. Miranda Grey, who works in a remote rural hospital in Connecticut with her husband Douglas, and good friend Dr. Pete Graham. One night while driving home, Miranda narrowly misses a young woman standing in the middle of the street, crashing her car. When she approaches her, Miranda is engulfed in flame before she falls unconscious. When Miranda awakes, she finds that she's being held in the very hospital that she works in, and that she is the sole suspect in her husband's violent murder. 

Miranda befriends a patient of hers, Chloe, who she begins to better understand the trauma and struggles that she's going through. One night, Miranda witnesses Chloe being raped, and that her claims of abuse were not delusions. She sees a tattoo design on Chloe's attacker, but no one believes her either. Miranda has problems of her own as she is haunted by visions of the girl from the accident. The ghost begins to torment Miranda by carving the words "Not Alone" on her arm, as well as throwing Miranda against the wall, making it seem like she's trying to kill herself. Miranda is able to escape from the hospital after the attack and drives to a farmhouse that Douglas was renovating. Looking for clues that she's had vivid visions of, Miranda finds a mattress and various torture tools, including a video camera. One of the video tapes shows Douglas killing a young girl on the mattress. Police arrive and arrest Miranda, but find another girl that Douglas had kept locked up

Miranda is taken to the police station for questioning. While waiting to see what happens next, Douglas's best friend, the sheriff Bob Ryan, comes to interrogate Miranda. Miranda tells bob that Rachel, her ghostly tormentor, was set up to look like she committed suicide, but the visions she's been given make it seem more like a cover-up. Being accused of his involvement in her murder, which he was, Bob tries to sedate Miranda but ends up getting injected instead. During the struggle, it's revealed that he is Chole's rapist. Rachel's ghost appears, and Douglas shoots at her, igniting a fire in the station. Burning alive, Miranda shoots Bob, setting Rachel's spirit free. 

Then sometime later, both Miranda and Chole are free, moving on with their lives after their trauma. 

X (2022) #506

"X" is the first released film in a new trilogy by writer/director Ti West and starring Mia Goth in all three films. Chronologically, "X" is the middle film in the narrative and takes places in 1978, preceded by "Pearl" which takes place in 1918, and then the series wraps up with "Maxxine" in 1985. "X" and "Pearl" were filmed back-to-back during the height of Covid, allowing Ti West to make the most of the location that was used in both films. 

Maxine is girl who knows what she wants and quotes "I will not accept a life I do not deserve". She also declares "you're a fucking sex symbol" to her reflection in the mirror, right before leaving for a X-rated film shoot out at a remote farm. Coming along is her boyfriend Wayne, fellow exotic dancer Bobby-Lynne and her primary scene partner Jackson, and director RJ and his shy girlfriend Lorraine. After a misunderstanding with the property owner Howard, the crew quickly gets to work. With her scene coming up later in the day, Maxine walks around the property and runs into Pearl, Howard's wife. Invited into the house, Pearl becomes almost obsessive over Maxine, showing her an old picture from her youth where the two look nearly identical. Maxine is able to get out of the house right before Howard returns.

Pearl secretly watches Maxine film her sex scene in the barn, which entices her to seduce Howard. He says he can't, and this triggers Pearl's unhealthy murderous tendencies. Her first victim is RJ, who she finds after he decides to leave the project after Lorraine requests to be in the film with the others. Then one by one the group is separated. Waye is killed by Pearl in the barn, while Howard locks Lorraine in the basement and then takes Jackson out to the river under the pretense that they are looking for his confused wife. Pearl sneaks into bed while Maxine is sleeping and molests her. Pearl quickly leaves when Maxine wakes up screaming. Bobby-Lynne tries to help Pearl, who is standing on a dock naked, but Pearl pusher her into the river where a large alligator quickly kills the young woman.

Lorraine escapes the basement only to be killed by Howard using a shotgun. Howard dies as he and Pearl tries to move the body. Maxine narrowly misses being shot Pearl, how is thrown back by the kickback of the gun. Pearl is finally killed when Maxine drives the van over her head. It's only at the end that we learn that Maxine is the daughter of a popular tv preacher, who constantly shown on the tv throughout the film. 

"X" is comprised of some great talent such as Brittany Snow (Would You Rather) as Bobby-Lynne, Martin Henderson (The Ring) as Wayne, Jenna Ortega as Lorraine, and of course Mia Goth as Maxine. This film is Ti West's return to horror, having been nine years since he had made "The Sacrament".

Fun detail - Plowing Service is painted on the side of the van the group drives to the farm in, a humorous innuendo that add levity to a dark film.

Superhost (2021) #505

"Superhost", a Shudder Original Film, was a delightful surprise that I completely love. I had heard a few rumors about the film before I saw it for the first time, and I'm so happy that I followed their advice. The film has a simple straight forward story that has a flawless execution, a topical and well used premise, and a stellar cast. Filmed during the height Covid, the cast of five prove to be more than enough to keep the story moving and the movie entertaining. The photography is crystal clear, the background music supports the scenes without ever overwhelming the moment, and the pacing is perfect. I highly recommend this film for this Halloween season and beyond.

Claire and Teddy are the hosts of a once popular Vlog dedicated to reviewing Airbnb's and other lodgings. They're losing subscribers, so their next review is extremely important, as Claire does not want to rely on her parents for any kind of financial support. They arrive at a remote house that appears gorgeous on the outside, but that's all they can see when the security code they've been provided fails. Trying to call the hosts prove fruitless to the spotty phone reception in the mountains. While recording a scene for the Vlog, Rebecca shows up, the supposed owner of the house, and lets them in. Rebecca seems a little odd but harmless, and once she leaves, Clair and Teddy begin recording their review. They love most of the house but find the overabundance of security cameras all throughout the house concerning.

Tension begin to simmer, first when Claire becomes frustrated with the quality of their first upload and the possibility that their Vlog channel has peaked, and then when Teddy sees a person standing outside at night, starring at the house. During the next day during a walk, Claire suggests they make videos like they used to, videos that had friction with the hosts, but Teddy disagrees by saying that those felt like click-bait; click-bait or not, those videos brought in clicks. This comes back to haunt them when Vera, a previous host tracks them done and confronts them in the driveway. When Rebecca shows up to see what the disturbance is all about, Vera tells her how they gave her a horrible review that ruined her business to the point that she has to sell her house. Rebecca tells Vera to leave or she'll call the cops, but when Vera tries to persuade Rebecca to be careful with the vloggers, Rebecca screams that she'll cut Vera open. Vera speeds away and Rebecca is back to her happy self, saying that she's ready for her super host interview. During the recording, Rebecca's behavior slowly becomes odd and erratic but ends when Rebecca recovers from a trance and announces that she is a super host!

The next day while hiking through the rails, Claire takes the opportunity to record their experience with Vera much to Teddy's chagrin. When they reach a gorgeous lookout point, Teddy sets the camera up and proposes to Claire, something that he had been planning to do from the start of the trip. She acts excited and says yes, only to tell Teddy that he was a genius for such a gimmick, breaking his heart. Seeing how distraught he is, Claire tries to reassure him that they will talk about their future when they get home, and everything she does is for them. When they return to the house, they begin to find evidence that they home may not belong to Rebecca. They agree that they should leave, they pack up and try to drive away, only to be stopped by Rebecca who is standing in the road. Highly erratic, she makes them follow her into the woods where she leads them to Vera, who is tied up to a tree. 

Why is Vera here, tied to the tree? What happened to the original owners? Who really is Rebecca and what does she want with Claire and Teddy? And will Claire and Teddy make it home alive and safe?

The movie stars Sara Canning as Claire, Osric Chau as Teddy, and Gracie Gillam, (Fright Night), as Rebecca. Horror icon Barbara Crampton, (Re-Animator, From Beyond, and others) has a supporting role as Vera. As I mentioned, all four actors give a phenomenal performance that I really enjoyed. The story arc has the twist and turn in all the right places, keeping the film moving at a nice quick pace.

 

Willy's Wonderland (2021) #504

Nicolas Cage is a treasure and we must recognize him for the genius that he is. Only he could give us such memorable performances in such movies as "The Wicker Man" and "Mandy" Adding to that phenomenal list is "Willy's Wonderland". Only an actor of Nicolas Cage's degree could be so entertaining without saying a single word. With only actions and complete commitment to the role is he able to make this movie all that it is and more. Mr. Cage also served as a producer, becoming attached to the production after the script garnered a cult following while posted online.

The premise is simple, The Man was minding his own business driving through Nevada when his tires are shredded. He's picked up by a local mechanic who offers to fix his car for cash or work for a night for Tex Macadoo, the owner of Willy's Wonderland. Willy's is a decrepit and haunting old restaurant with eight rundown animatronic animals. All The Man has to do is clean the place up, take his breaks, and wear the uniform, a Willy's Wonderland t-shirt. The Man wastes no time and gets straight to work, taking brakes to sip soda and play a functional pinball machine.

One by one, the animatronic critters, all of which are possessed by a cult of children killers, come to life and try to kill The Man. Not surprised by what's going on, The Man dispatches each oversized character as they come, as long as it doesn't interfere with his break schedule. First Ozzie Ostrich attacks in the parlor, then Gus Gorilla tries to take down The Man in the restroom. Each fight is quick and brutal, and lucky for The Man, there are plenty of clean t-shirts to change into after the fighting is done.

While The Man is busy cleaning and kicking ass, teenager Liv and her friends arrive at Willy's with the intention of burning it to the ground, knowing it's evil legacy. When they realize that The Man is inside, Liv breaks in to get him out, but her and her friends become trapped inside. Having potential victims beside The Man, the killer animatronics go after the teens. The Man saves Liz while the others die in classic slasher fashion, until the town sheriff comes to stop The Man from killing the possessed animatronics. It's revealed that the mechanic, the sheriff, and Tex have been sending drifters to Willy's as a form of human sacrifice for years to keep the town safe. But as killers do, Willy himself takes out the sheriff so he can go toe to toe with The Man. Never get in the way of a deranged weasel.
 

Most people who have seen this movie will agree that it has one of the most catchy and repetitive theme songs ever, played over and over and over throughout the movie, sung by Willy.