Sacrifice (2020) #476

 

In the vein of H.P. Lovecraft comes "Sacrifice", a 2021 thriller about a young man returning to the land where he was born and the family secrets waiting for him there. The isolation of being on a small island in a foreign country, persistent nightmares, and creeping realization that the local citizens are all members of some esoteric cult wear down Issac and his wife Emma until the fateful revelation and conclusion of the film. Directed by Andy Collier and Tor Mian, the movie stars Ludovic Hughes as Issac, Sophie Stevens as Emma, and Barbara Crampton as Renate Nygard.

"Sacrifice" feels like a tribute to Lovecraft and his fans, and as such it may not appeal to every horror fan. While building atmosphere, the pacing may feel slow and dragging and the actual scary moments are few and brief, all much like a Lovecraft story. As fans of Lovecraft know, it's not always about the obvious scares that matter the most. The impending doom that haunt Emma throughout the film is truly effective, as well as the mysterious motivations of the cult that seems all too welcoming. Perhaps the most poignant attribute to Lovecraft is having Issac coming back to his homeland to tie up loose strings and slowly learning about his family's haunting past secrets. Giving Issac the last name of Pickman is also a very nice touch!

I must admit that I was looking forward to this film when I learned that Barbara Crampton was attached to the project. She had hinted that she was working on a Lovecraft style movie and that was all it took. She plays an important supporting role with plenty of screen time but still allows Sophie and Ludovic to shine during their scenes. As one of the local citizens with knowledge of Issac's past, Barbara's presence is felt more so in each subsequent scene. It was truly a pleasure watching her in a Lovecraft style movie again.

The Invisible Man (2020) #472

 

The film “The Invisible Man” proves that you don’t need a big budget to make a big, incredible movie. Star Elizabeth Moss has the performance of the year as Cecilia Kass, a victim of domestic abuse who believes that her ex Adrian is still tormenting her after his apparent suicide. Leigh Whannell wrote and directed the film, updating and modernizing this adaptation from the novel of the same name. With a budget of only $6 million, “The Invisible Man” took in a box office total of $134 million and have earned more if not for the pandemic closing theaters down earlier in the year.

Elizabeth Moss had her work cut out for her in this film, spending most of her screen time fighting against an unseen force. Her physicality is spot on and completely believable as she’s thrown around and struggles against the invisible assailant. Her range of emotions are also upfront and center, starting the movie as an already beat down and abused woman. She finds the strength to leave her abusive boyfriend and start a new life. When unexplained occurrences begin around her, Cecilia’s composure and resolve are pushed to their limits.

The narrative in “The Invisible Man” is smart and sharp, keeping the theme of abuse and manipulation as the central focus throughout. Cecilia is framed several times and takes the fall. But Cecilia isn’t the only character to fall victim to Adrian; Adrian’s brother Tom expresses how he was used and Cecilia’s friend James is led to believe that Cecilia is a threat to him and his daughter. 

The explanation for the invisibility in “The Invisible Man” is clever and believable. Can’t share too much without spoiling anything! The special effects and use of CGI is used sparingly and wisely, relying on Elizabeth’s great acting and physicality to make the most of the action sequences. This is most definitely a movie that I’ll watch several more times over the next year or two. Action packed and suspenseful, “The Invisible Man” is a must see for 2020.

Gretel & Hansel (2020) #462

One of the few theatrical movie releases of 2020, "Gretel & Hansel" is a dark, modern retelling of the classic Hansel and Gretel fairy tale with the added bonus of learning about the origin of the evil old witch that likes to eat children. This is the kind of movie that I'll watch only once; it was very well made but it wasn't the kind of movie I normally would sit through. As many critics have written, the movie has a serious pacing issue that will test most viewers, even with a running time of only 87 minutes. 

While "Gretel & Hansel" does have it's issues with pacing, it does have it's strengths as well. The visuals are stunning and the cinematography is of the highest quality. The color palate used is the typical dark blues contrasted with warm oranges and amber. In an attempt to look artistic or to simply distance itself from other period horror movies, the witch's house is a very modern looking house. The interior looks like it feels the time period save for the cellar which looks like it was filmed in a modern painters/photographers art studio. It is a very interesting choice to make. The sound track is also nice and eerie and helps to set the mood with all of the dead, empty space of non-action.

Sophia Lillis, best known as Beverly Marsh in "It" and "It: Chapter 2", stars as Gretel. Having already proved her ability to star in a big budget horror film, Sophia looks at east carrying the weight of this film and it's attempt to create a dark and heavy atmosphere. She alone is responsible for her young brother Hansel after they are forced to flee from their home after their mother threatens to kill them with an axe. She continues to try to protect her brother after they meet Holda, an old woman who lives alone in the forest...

Alice Krige, who stars as the witch Holda, who does an incredible job of keeping things creepy. She lives alone and has no livestock but she always has plenty of food. Her fingers are permanently stained black, making her even more mysterious. The exchanges between Gretel and Holda are tense and keep the movie grounded. Holda alone knows the history of the Beautiful Child, a young girl who was banished after people began to die after coming to hear her premonitions. 

The Return (2020) #450

Easily one of my favorite full length features that I saw at the 25th annual H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival was “The Return”, a haunting ghost story about a young man who returns to his childhood home after his father passed away. It may seem like an overused premise but what impressed me about this particular film is how well it used its limited budget and how smart the narrative is when compared to similar films. 

Character development and relationships are often overlooked and forgotten in horror films in favor of action, plot, and jump scares but that is not the case with “The Return”. The story revolves around Rodger, his girlfriend Beth, and his childhood friend Jordan. The chemistry between the three feels real and genuine. As Rodger struggles to piece together his past, you can see how the stress effects his relationship with Beth as she tries to remain supportive while feeling neglected. And when it appears that there may still be a romantic spark between Rodger and Jordan, you can feel and relate to Beth’s hurt and jealousy. You also sympathize with Jordan as she feels left out and dismissed when she tried to share her feelings. Actors Sara Thompson snd Echo Hasbury really carry the film emotionally from beginning to end. 

Richard Harmon, who plays Rodger, has his own emotional demons to deal with. Wracked with guilt from the deaths of his parents and little sister, all at different times in his life, While struggling to find the real cause of his father’s death, Rodger begins to piece together his past after discovering that he had seen a psychologist when he was a young child. 

The manifestation of horror in this film is what I’ll call the Smoke Ghost. It’s a clever and unique special effect that really adds a sense of dread. It’s not overly used which adds to its effectiveness. Director BJ Verot and crew should be proud of this film and I hope it becomes popular when it is made available to larger market.

Await the Dawn (2020) #449

One of the great joys of attending a film festival, especially one as themed as the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, Oregon, are the type of films that the curators/festival directors decide to screen. There is nothing more fun than to see independent shorts or feature length movies that shamelessly reference anything related to Lovecraft’s work; “Await the Dawn” does this twice! One of the main characters is named Howard Phillips and he works at the Miskatonic lab. The other great thing about this film is outrageous use of gore. This movie doesn’t care how campy it may come across as because it’s too busy have fun. It’s “From Beyond” meets “Evil Dead”. What more could you want?

“Await the Dawn” is a plot and action driven movie. That’s not to say that there isn’t some story and character development. The story follows Jane, a struggling drug addict, who is going on a road trip with her family before entering rehab. There are scenes where Jane blames her mother Annie, played by Dee Wallace, for making her go to rehab and there are scenes where Jane’s brother tries to romantically reconnect with Jane’s best friend after a brief fling. But these are just filler as we wait to see a demonic nine year old terrorize everyone and everything. 

As I mentioned, there are moments of ooey gooey gore. There are also dead bodies, possession, scientific gadgets, and a creepy demonic looking elder god. Hannah Stasser is great as Maggie, the demon girl. She plays the role with such zeal and she appears to having so much fun. Josh Server is equally entertaining as Howard, Maggie’s primary nemesis. His performance may be the most even throughout the film; not too campy but not too serious. If you have the opportunity, you should give this movie a try.

Nina of the Woods (2020) #448

 “Nina of the Woods” was one of the selected feature films that was screened at the 25th annual H.P Lovecraft Film Festival. This was the movie’s regional premiere although the festival itself was being streamed this particular year. The film follows a small reality TV series production crew filming an episode concerning a Bigfoot like creature. They hire a young actress and a local guide to take them deep into the woods. The cast comes across as genuine and not as your typical horror movie tropes. It is a slower movie but I found it very enjoyable and a nice counter balance to some of the more chaotic films that deal with similar themes.

"Nina of the Woods" is similar to recent films like "In the Tall Grass" and "Blair Witch" in that all three story lines are about the cast of characters becoming lost and dealing with a bizarre twist in time. What sets "Nina of the Woods" apart from the crowd is it's mystical, serene approach. The scenes are beautifully filmed with subtle imagery, the pacing isn't erratic when the characters become lost, and there isn't a need for jump scares to remain entertaining. 

Megan Hensley plays Nina, the primary character, who returns to the forest where she lived as a small girl. She is an inspiring actress and after an awkward and insulting audition, she is offered the role of "local girl" to make the episode appear more authentic. She only agrees after her agent urges her to take the role. Through flashbacks, we see that she was taught to respect and hold nature in high esteem, and that every living thing gives back the cycle and to each other. As Nina and the production crew travel deeper into the forest, she comes to remember more of her forgotten past.