825 Forest Road Film Review

Halfway to Halloween Presented by Shudder

 

April showers bring May flowers – and the month of April brings us halfway to Halloween! This April, Shudder is celebrating with four new horror films debuting each week this month.

April 4 – 825 FOREST ROAD

April 11 – SHADOW OF GOD

April 18 – DEAD MAIL

April 25 – FREWAKA

I’ll be giving you the lowdown on each film before you tune in weekly.

The first up is 825 FOREST ROAD.

From the creator of the HELL HOUSE LLC franchise, Stephen Cognetti, 825 FOREST ROAD centers on Chuck Wilson starting a new life after a family tragedy when he moves to the town of Ashland Falls with his wife Maria and little sister Elizabeth. But he quickly discovers that the town has a dark secret. The ghost of Helen Foster has terrorized residents for decades, since her own suicide back in the ‘40s.

Finding Helen’s old home is key to ending the hauntings, but the address they have doesn’t match any of the town’s existing streets. When Chuck realizes his family might be in danger of Helen’s wrath, he takes it upon himself to locate 825 FOREST ROAD before it’s too late.

825 FOREST ROAD is slow burn ghost story, featuring three different viewpoints on one timeline before converging in the final timeline for the conclusion. At times, it can feel a bit repetitive but you do get to see varying perspectives of the ghost, Helen Foster.

There are several spooky moments and attempts at classic jump scares, but they left me wanting a little more. However, the use of a mannequin was quite entertaining and the fact that the majority of the intense hauntings occurred during the day helped to drive home the helplessness of the situation.

As the story continued to unfold, it became very hard to root for any of the characters as because they all came off as one dimensional and the ending only left me with more questions.

I felt 825 FOREST ROAD had some decent meat to it but ultimately, it needed more time to cook to become a savory story that would haunt you afterwards.

If you like slow burns with a mystery to solve and take care of, give 825 FOREST ROAD a view to see how it hold ups to your standards and share with me your perspective.

Halloween Kills Review

Halloween Kills

Dir: David Gordon Green

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Thomas Mann, Will Patton, Dylan Arnold, Kyle Richards, Nancy Stephens, Robert Longstreet,

and Anthony Michael Hall

1 h 46 m

 

"Let it burn!" These are the words Laurie Strode, the babysitter who battled Michael Myers back in 1978, screams at passing firetrucks. Laurie, who waited 40 years for Myers to return to Haddonfield, trapped Michael inside the basement of her compound and set the whole place on fire, saving her daughter and granddaughter in the process. 

 

David Gordon Green's sequel, "Halloween Kills, takes a different route than the rebooted first film. Taking the emphasis away from the character study of the resilient and traumatized Laurie Strode, played with ferocity by Jamie Lee Curtis in the first film, and refocusing on the genre's slasher intentions. Green eliminates suspense in favor of brutality, which is violent, bloody, and gory, and shifts the perspective from Laurie's plan for closure against Michael Myers onto other survivors from that fateful Halloween night in 1978. Specifically, an angry mob, led by Tommy Doyle, a commanding Anthony Michael Hall, are planning a frenzied hunting party searching for the Boogeyman who still haunts their beloved Haddonfield. 

 

When "Halloween Kills" opens, it's still Halloween night, and Michael Myers has survived, brutally slaying the group of firemen who freed him from the blazing trap set by Laurie, who is now recovering in the local hospital after her encounter. Her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) are also worse for wear. 

 

At the same time, the surviving members of Michael's carnage in 1978 meet at a local dive bar. Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall) and Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards), the kids Laurie babysat as a teenager, meet with former nurse Marion Chambers (Nancy Stephens) and grown-up bully Lonnie Elam (Robert Longstreet). Phones begin to chime, and a television news alert interrupts the Halloween festivities as word breaks that Michael Myers has escaped and returned to continue his hometown rampage in Haddonfield. Tommy, a baseball bat in hand, organizes a gang of locals to hunt the Boogeyman down once and for all, fiercely proclaiming "evil dies tonight." 

 

Director David Gordon Green aggressively shifts tone, substituting the suspenseful scares and menace of the first film for a more brutal and horrific approach. While there is nothing wrong with manipulating genre expectations, especially with a franchise that has existed for more than 40 years, Green also diverts from the core emotional character of the Halloween myth, Laurie Strode. For much of "Halloween Kills," Laurie is sidelined to the confines of a hospital bed. And when she finally regains consciousness, the character is left with a one-note emotion of guilt that isn't explored. 

 

In place of Laurie, the film focuses much of its time on Tommy Doyle and the crowd of traumatized townsfolk who grow more aggressive with every dimwitted decision they make. There are hints of commentary surrounding mob mentality and the impact one strong voice can make in a crowd of scared individuals; one scene involving another escaped inmate brings these themes closest to a complete emotion. However, the narrative rarely offers the time between kills to examine these pieces. 

 

What is very clear about "Halloween Kills" is the composition of Michael Myers. The near superhuman monster has one purpose, destruction. For the survivors of Michael's past mayhem, who are traumatized, scared, and angry, their connection with The Shape is personal and affecting. For Michael, he barely registers any relationship to his past victims; this is shown through the sudden, forceful, and vicious acts of violence committed against anyone who gets in Michael's way. These gory special effects-driven scenes are sure to have the horror fans "oohing" and "aahing" with glee.

 

It is well known that "Halloween Kills" is not the finale for this franchise, which belongs to the forthcoming and aptly titled "Halloween Ends." David Gordon Green attempts to do something different with this sequel; while the heightened special effects viscera and nostalgic community of characters bring chaos to the drama, the absence of Laurie Strode for much of the film turns Michael Myers into an unstoppable machine and ultimately makes this film feel like a placeholder, a side story of Michael's night of terror until Laurie meets him face to face one final time. 

 

Monte's Rating

2.75 out of 5.00

Come Play Review

Come Play

Dir: Jacob Chase

Starring: Azhy Robertson, Gillian Jacobs, John Gallagher Jr., and Winslow Fegley

 

A light flickers, flashes, and then blows out. A young boy, panicked, looks intently around his bedroom, holding the glow of a cell phone screen out to illuminate the darkness in the corners. A low grumbling voice grows into a shrieking scream, footsteps pound with booming tremors, the young boy sits covered with a sheet draped over his head. 

 

This scenario could come from any realm of a horror film but it plays the introduction to writer/director Jacob Chase’s debut feature film “Come Play”. The scene of a terrified child placed in a frightful situation, sometimes known as the “child in peril” device, has populated film in many different forms. Sometimes it’s fun, like in “The Goonies”, playful, like in “The Monster Squad”, and other times downright scary and disturbing, like in “The Babadook” or “It”. “Come Play” falls into the scary category, a film that depends less on its jump scare tactics and more on the unease it conjures by placing a defenseless child within arm’s reach of a monster from another realm. 

 

Oliver (Azhy Robertson) is a lonely boy who feels different from everyone around him, most of the kids at his school mock his silence and some take advantage of his kindness with cruel jokes. Looking for a friend, Oliver seeks refuge within the screen of his tablet or cell phone, watching episodes of “SpongeBob SquarePants” and playing with screen applications to take pictures of himself. One day Oliver discovers a story that mysteriously appears on his device, a creepy tale about a lonely monster named Larry who is looking for a friend. As Oliver engages with the story, Larry becomes more threatening, inching closer to a real-life connection with Oliver.

 

Director Jacob Chase adapts “Come Play” from his 2017 short film “Larry”. While there are moments throughout the feature that feel stretched unnecessarily, a common concern when a short film idea is built into a feature-length film, “Come Play” still displays some interesting family character dynamics and a lead performance from Azhy Robertson that is exceptionally composed. 

 

It’s these moments, with a family struggling on the brink of separation and their son desperately retreating further into his protective shell, that adds the emotional component to make the scary and threatening monster have a gravity of consequences. Specifically, the story between the mother and son is so tenderly composed that when Larry begins to stalk the entire family, the peril for the characters is peaked with tension. It’s ultimately what makes “Come Play” so effective.

 

Larry, the ominous 10-foot tall entity lingering in the dark corners, is mostly a practical effect monster…yes, you read that correctly. In the current days where monsters are computer-generated designs, hearing that the Jim Henson Creature Shop designed this monster, where 4 puppeteers operated the movement, is a complete blessing for movie monsters. While CGI is still used for certain movements and expressions, these moments are hardly scary, Mr. Chase uses the monster in effective frightening ways late in the film, showing the creepy nature of Larry as it stalks Oliver and his mother. 

 

“Come Play” struggles with maintaining its pressing and menacing tone throughout the film but it makes up for these lapses with an effective cast that is provided time to add the emotional components to make the final act scarier than it probably would have been. Jacob Chase proves an understanding of how to set up a scare but, most impressively, the ability to craft characters that mean something to the story. While film will never stop relying on putting children in perilous situations, or placing scary monsters in closets, “Come Play” proves that there is still life and scares to be mined from these movies. 

 

Monte’s Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

Halloween Hangover - Book Recommendations

by Theresa Dillon

It’s the most wonderful time of year! Spooky decorations everywhere, pumpkin everything and horror films upping the game on all streaming platforms for everyone’s viewing delight. And let’s not forget the return of The Shape on the big screen this Halloween season.

But when November 1^st hits, Halloween is officially over and Christmas takes over. (Poor, wonderful Thanksgiving).

If you’re like me and not ready to say goodbye to this awesome time of year and are Netflixed/Shuddered out, I’ve got you covered with 5 killer books to curl up with on the couch.

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado 

Published in 2017, I was drawn to this book thanks to the adult-version of the short story “The Green Ribbon” from In a Dark, Dark Room; a book I read as a child. That story has been transformed into the beautifully written “The Husband Stitch.” I’m already dreaming of a female filmmaker to pick up this story for a short film. Other standouts from this collection include “Inventory,” “Real Women Have Bodies,” and “The Resident.” Without giving anything away, each story is unique and leaves the reader (more specifically female) mesmerized

Pretty Little Monsters by Kelly Link 

If you’re into the fantastically weird, you need to check out Kelly Link. Her short story collection for young adults was my introduction to this fantastic writer but any age will enjoy this collection. If you want a story that will leave you with chills, read “Monster.” For the fun and fantastical, read “The Faery Handbag.” To end the collection on a high note, Link’s novella “Pretty Little Monsters” takes you back to the teen years of fitting in with the crowd but with a howling-good twist. 

Nocturnes by John Connolly 

Connolly is most well-known by mystery/thriller readers for his Charlie Parker series. I, however; fell in love with his other writings, specifically his horror/comedy series The Creeps. I’m going to take you on a spookier journey though by recommending his first volume of scary short stories, Nocturnes. If you’re a Richard Matheson fan, I think this collection is right up your alley. While it may not include the killer twists Matheson was known for, it draws you in and offers a variety of macabre tales. I especially loved “The Erlking,” “The New Daughter,” “The Furnace Room” and “The Inkpot Monkey.” Note: If you read before bed like me, some of these tales can induce nightmares so be prepared.

The Neighbors by Ania Ahlborn 

Touted as a cross between Blue Velvet and Basic Instinct, this book starts off at a shimmer but boils over with crazy revelations. Ahlborn is a master at crafting her characters and this is a great intro to her writing. Another amazingly, creepy book by Ahlborn is Seed but as it actually terrifies me the further I read, I have yet to finish it as it’s too scary for me personally to read at night. Check it out if The Neighbors is too tame for you.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu 

Do you enjoy reading about tragic historical events? This is the book for you! Katsu takes you on a trip with The Donner Party in this historical fiction account of what happened while driving out West to achieve the “American dream.” With various supernatural elements, thoroughly researched details and characters you root for, this take is haunting and will partially satiate your inner historian.

14 and The Fold by Peter Clines 



Here’s a 2 for 1 for you. Clines’ 14 and The Fold actually tie together and are a fun read for H.P. Lovecraft fans. Start with 14, the first of this unique series. Both books are on the lighter reading end so if you’re looking for Lovecraft intensity, you won’t find that here but you will get a glimpse into a new view of Cthulhu with interesting scenarios, crazy science, and lovable characters.

Do you like my list? Maybe you have your own recommendations? You can reach me on Twitter @theresadillon for any comments. 

Halloween Review

Halloween

Dir: David Gordon Green

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Will Patton, Haluk Bilginer, Rhian Rees, Jefferson Hall, Virginia Gardner, and Andi Matichak

In 1978 a low budget horror film featuring a group of teenage girls and a stalking killer in a pale white mask changed the landscape of genre film forever and introduced the cinematic world to a young director, eventual master of horror, named John Carpenter. “Halloween”, as simplistic of a premise as it may have, is undeniably an iconic film responsible for the explosion of horror films in the 1980’s and ultimately influencing generations of filmmakers still trying to evoke the fear of the boogeyman.

“Halloween” is also responsible for the introduction of Jamie Lee Curtis in her first film role as the lone survivor, Laurie Strode, of Michael Myers’ Halloween night carnage. Director David Gordon Green, who has done everything from arthouse films like the exceptional “George Washington” to goofball comedies like “Pineapple Express”, returns 40 years later to Haddonfield, Illinois and back into the life of Laurie Strode. Mr. Green builds an homage to the brilliant classic in the designs and story, however, the highlight here belongs solely to Jamie Lee Curtis.

Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) survived the horrific events of Halloween night in 1978 and has dedicated her entire life to preparing for an eventual second encounter with Michael Myers. However, in doing this, Laurie has been divorced two times and has estranged herself from her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak). During this time Michael Myers has been silently waiting in a mental institute, being studied by his psychiatrist (Haluk Bilginer) and interviewed by a couple of podcasters (Rhian Rees and Jefferson Hall) researching the extent of Michael’s actions, they go as far as bringing him his mask. 

David Gordon Green demonstrates a keen understanding of all the moving parts that have come before in this long-running series. Green, who co-wrote the script with Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley, provides enough knowing nods to different aspects of the Myers mythology that fans will have fun seeing it all come to life. Green uses these aspects to toy with expectations as well, showing the recognizable closet slates or a lingering clothesline to evoke tension associated with the imagery. Accompanying all this is a new score by John Carpenter, building on the original themes in unique ways while also adding a few new elements that ratchet up the unease. And there is more but the fun won’t be spoiled further.

Jamie Lee Curtis is exceptional throughout the film; Laurie’s flowing gray hair and piercing expressions display a victim who is determined to never be unprepared again. Mrs. Curtis captures the essence of this character nicely, displaying the tough-as-nails heroine, the slightly unhinged doomsday prepper, and a traumatized woman who barely escaped death. Judy Greer is good although slightly underutilized playing Laurie’s daughter Karen. Newcomer Andy Matichak has a natural presence on screen, doing her best version of the type of young characters found in Carpenter’s original film.

The narrative, amidst the amusing elements that call back to the past, builds towards an eventual showdown between good and evil. Mr. Green does a nice job keeping the tension palpable, and the horrors horrific, as Michael stalks from house to house seemingly choosing victims simply because they were home on Halloween night. It’s menacing to watch the brute force that Michael possesses, even though the film makes no mystery that Michael is a well-aged man, the kills are vicious and gruesome. Still, the eventual encounter between Laurie and Michael, which is what the film is always aiming towards, doesn’t hold the gravity that it should. This is partly because the film turns into a standard slasher film with tropes so familiar that you can feel the beats developing well before they happen. Where Carpenter’s original film took its time building angst and composing the frights, Green’s film seems content to rush through the scares which take away from the foreboding nature that the encounter should have composed.

But these are minimal qualms for a film that is ultimately a highlight amongst the franchise. Mr. Green does a fine job keeping the focus on Laurie Strode, and Jamie Lee Curtis is so good playing the character. John Carpenter’s “Halloween” will never be bested, but for those that have grown up with The Shape as a constant icon of terror during the month of October, this 2018 return will be a welcomed arrival.

Monte’s Rating

3.75 out of 5.00