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Spell 2020 ★★★★
Looking at the cast and some of the themes in this movie, one cannot help thinking that the success of Get Out helped in getting this project green lit. Having studio execs see that this kind of story gets bums in seats certainly does no harm.
Does this contribute to your viewing experience? Is this in any way relevant? Depends on how you look at it, I guess. On the one hand, the story is told from a certain perspective that adds a different context with its own metaphors. That said, one quality Spell shares with Jordan Peele-films is that you can both enjoy it on a deeper level as well as on a surface level as some sort of bouillabaisse of Misery, Deliverance, The Wicker Man,... even though, granted, this is less subtle than the average Jordan Peele-film. You don't really have to read between the lines in this one.
On a surface level, we see a businessman named Marquis and his family fly to the Appalachians for the funeral of his father. During a storm, their plane crashes and Marquis wakes up with what at first looks like a sweet old lady and her husband. However, it becomes apparent quite quickly that there is a lot more under the surface. With the couple and their friends/neighbours dabbling in voodoo, magic and impromptu surgery.
The horror comes at several levels. The physicial horror, ie the gore, is used sparsely, but very effectively. The one bit with the long nail will haunt you after the screening.
More prevalent is the psychological horror. First of all, Marquis has to worry about his family, which leads to a red hering which touches on the theme of cannibalism.
Or how he has to deal with the demons from his past. In short term like his abusive father, who turns out to be no stranger to voodoo himself. Or in long term with his father using images related to racism and slavery.
And last but not least, there is more than one spot with traces of hope being crushed, before we get to the ending.
You could argue on which ending would fit the narrative. Would it benefit more from the current one, which does not leave the family unscathed, or from a bleaker ending which would be more in the line of the before mantioned Wicker Man or, say, Eden Lake? Hard for me to say.
What I can is that a) both popcornhounds and cinephiles will find things to enjoy here and that b) this gem does not deserve to go under the radar.
The Outside 2022 ★★★
The fourth episode of Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of curiosities follows Stacey, a young woman trying desperately to better herself and find acceptance from her colleagues.
Kate Miccucci shines as Stacey. You can really sense the insecurity, the sense of not belonging and the determination to do so. Even after her husband delivers a passionate speech about everything that makes his wonderful, she still sticks to her goals. And honestly, after seeing a few scenes with this group of desperate housewives... Why anyone would yearn for the respect and friendship of these people is beyond me.
The atmosphere swings back and forth between eerie, awkward and funny. Like Stacey literally standing outside the circle of friends she wants to be a part of. Or her exchanges with the tv commercial guy who for some reason kind of reminded me of papa from Stranger Things. Or the fact that Micucci at times seems to be chanelling Jordy Verrill. Probably partly due to the way she is made up, both making her look more tired and beaten down and her eyes bigger and, for lack of a better word, more bulgey.
In closing, I like the vagueness of the ending. Is this real? Is this a dream? Will she wake up with everything going to hell?
Doctor Sleep 2019 ★★
In retrospect, I consider myself lucky to have found this DVD in the bargain bin.
An attempt at a sequel to one of the most iconic horror films ever is at worst doomed to fail from the start and at best be a good film that's perceived as underwhelming.
On the upside, there is the interview scene with the priest, turning around the dynamics from The Shining. Rebecca Ferguson does a very good job as Rose the Hat.
Then again, there are the things that leave to be desired.
First of all, there is the opening act. The idea of bringing back iconic characters is a nonstarter here, because it is bound to look like a cheap knockoff. The people replacing Shelly Duval and Scatman Carruthers tried their best, but it just did not work.
Ewan Mcgregor is an accomplished actor with some iconic roles to his credit, but I just did not buy him as adult Danny Torrence.
The special effects were neither impressive nor scary for the most part. And for all the Shang Tsung-ing that's going on in this movie, the main confrontation is just a gun fight.
But the biggest disappointment comes at the end, when they go back to the Overlook hotel. With a lot of moments where we are supposed to lose our shit, because oh-my-god-he-did-the-thing and ehmagerd, I remember that from the other movie. And me? I just did not feel much at all.
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