American Horror Story 1984: Summer Killing, Happened So Fast!

American Horror Story 1984 is the latest iteration of Ryan Murphy’s beloved horror TV series. The plot this time around is inspired by 80’s slashers like Friday The 13^th and Sleepaway Camp and sees a group of camp councillors, each with their own mysterious past, travel to Camp Redwood for the summer, only to be hunted down by various slashers; twists and turns ensue.

In the horror TV genre American Horror Story is a staple, I personally rewatch old seasons of the show quite often, it can be both horrifying and entertaining to watch like nothing else can. However, it is also a bi-polar show at times, as the seasons vary quite a bit in quality, different people will love different seasons of the show, but some are definitely better than others.

For me, this was a step up from something like Cult or Roanoke but was also a step down from the previous season of Apocalypse, but that was always going to be a hard season to follow. I think the big issue with 1984 was twofold. Firstly and most dire of the issues, is the fact that there really wasn’t enough story here to fill out the episode count, it could have worked for a few episodes and it did, but as the season went on it just got more and more ridiculous and they tried to stretch it out. The second issue is the fact that series veterans Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters both sat this season out, both of these actors are incredibly talent and bring a lot to the show, which is why their absences from this season leaves such a vacuum.

That isn’t to say the cast that are there don’t do a good job, Emma Roberts is okay, and Billie Lourd is superb, one greatly upstaging the other. What’s more returning actor Dylan McDermott does a lot with very little and makes the most out of his time on screen, he has great on-screen serial killer chemistry with Zach Villa who plays Richard Ramirez; I would have loved to see McDermott’s character be a young Bloody face but I guess it just wasn’t meant to happen. Also, Villa was terrific and would be a great new addition to the cast moving forward.

Overall, the season was good, not to the same level as some of the other seasons, by no means is it great, but it is also not terrible either it is very in-between, it most certainly isn’t rush out and watch it TV.

Pros.

Slasher horror.

Interesting take.

Zach Villa and Billie Lourd are fantastic.

Cons.

Not enough story there.

Missing veteran actors.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Final Girls: Your New Favourite Summer Movie!

Final Girls is a comedy slasher film directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson. The plot involves a group of friends who get sucked into a summer slasher film and have to survive until the end. Along with this there is a subplot about the main girl Max (Taissa Farmiga), getting to meet a younger version of her mother, who appears as an actress in the in-film film, which is important as she has recently lost her, so there is an element of personal journey their as well.

I think the best praise I can give this film is that it is effortlessly charming, to describe it in as few words as possible it is the best kind of 80’s inspired B movie. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for parody film, Scary Movie, Cabin In The Woods, The Cornetto Trilogy and it carries on here, I think the reason I enjoy this film so much is because it is such a good take on the slasher genre, the mockery is so spot on, but also done with a heaping table spoon of love.

Another thing I commend this film for is using TV actors who don’t/ or at least haven’t yet had the chance to do a lot of film work. This is mainly true of Taissa Farmiga, who unlike her sister hasn’t really translated to film, she has been in a few minor roles here and there and there was of course The Nun, but overall she has been underutilised, she has proven time and again with American Horror Story that she is a fantastic young actor. This film also features Alexander Ludwig, of Vikings fame, who again shines when given the opportunity to be on the big screen. I think both of the young stars prove they have potential and talent in spades with the performances they give in this film.

What’s more I liked the mother daughter dynamic the film has going, I think it nicely adds emotional stakes to the film, without being too melodramatic. The same can be said of the film’s comedy it is a nice compliment to the film rather than being fully focused on, thereby taking away from the excellent slasher horror.

Overall, if you like Slasher films or just Horror in general then you will like this film, it is smart and an excellent parody, boosted by some genuinely fantastic performances; don’t let this one slip under your radar, check it out!

Pros.

It is smart.

It is an excellent parody.

It takes chances on unproven actors.

They pay off, by giving great performances.

The ending is a thing of beauty.

Cons.

Non.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Happy Death Day 2U: No One Remembers Their Second Birthday

Happy Death Day 2 is a science fiction slasher film directed by Christopher Landon. This film again follows Tree (Jessica Rothe), as she becomes stuck in parallel dimensions, which all feature the time-loop from the first film and to escape she must discover who the new evil killer is and stop the loop.

I was a huge fan of the first film, It is one of my favourite films of all time and I went into this really excited to see how they were going to carry on this story, but sadly I was pretty badly disappointed with this film; it is however, still a good film, just not what I wanted.

Once again Rothe steals the show, she is fantastic as Tree and the fact that she isn’t a bigger star is nothing short of a cosmic crime. Her chemistry with Carter (Israel Broussard), is still fantastic and they are still the cutest couple in the horror genre; my romantic heart is still warmed by them.

The multi-dimensional storyline allows for some neat alternative situations which are fun to watch, albeit they do get a little stale after a while, but for the most part they’re entertaining. This ties into my main issue with this film, the director Christopher Landon has said that he wants to make every Happy Death Day film in a different genre: hence why this one focuses so heavily on science fiction. Therein lies the problem for me, I fell in love with this property as a horror slasher franchise I thought it did slasher in a smart and novel way, however, as a science fiction film that doesn’t really have any horror elements it doesn’t really work for me and comes off as boring; to many genre diehards this would be seen as a very weak and a very bad science fiction.

Overall, I admire the director for what he was trying to do, the different genre idea could have been cool, but how it is used here leads to a very generic, very bland science fiction film that leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe if you went into this with lower expectations than I did you would like it more, as there are still things to like such as the characters, but for me this film was deeply lacking.

Pros.

The Characters.

The Humour.

Jessica Rothe’s Performance.

The concept.

Cons.

The concept is poorly executed which leads to a boring and bland final product.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Happy Death Day: The Best Kind Of Birthday!

Happy Death Day is a black comedy slasher film directed by Christopher Landon. The plot revolves around meangirl Tree (Jessica Rothe), who finds herself trapped in a time-loop in which she is fated to die at the end; on her birthday no less. Tree then decides she is going to find out who her killer is and stop them, thereby freeing herself from the time-loop; growing as a person along the way.

I genuinely believe that this film is Blumhouse’s best! This is not only my personal favourite slasher film ever, even topping John Carpenter’s original Halloween, but also it is in my top ten films of the last decade; I will now try and highlight why I think it is so good.

Ultimately, I will boil it down to one performance Jessica Rothe. Rothe is the perfect final girl as well as one of the easiest characters to root for ever put to screen, Rothe plays the character with so much easy confidence and charm that it is virtually impossible to not like her. What’s more the writing for her character is equally fantastic, she is layered, on the surface she appears as the typical mean girl stereotype, but underneath she has so much personal trauma, which the film deals with in such a sweet way; take note god awful 2019 Black Christmas.

Moreover, the romance of the film between Tree and Carter (Israel Broussard), is so well done that they have quickly become by favourite on-screen couple, the chemistry between the two is pitch perfect and I love every second they are on-screen together, it warms my romantic heart.

The fantastic characters aside, this film also works really well as a slasher film, as it is both smart and scary. Happy Death Day is very aware of what it is and as such it is very tongue in cheek about being a slasher film, not to the point of parody however; very much in a similar vein to something like the original Scream in that regard. Furthermore, there is also a great sense of tension throughout and the mystery of the film, as in who the killer is, is a perfect encapsulation of it, as it keeps you guessing right up until the last minute.

Overall, this is one of my favourite horror films of all time and I think if you haven’t seen it you should, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

Pros.

The tension.

The mystery.

Blumhouse at its finest.

Great on-screen chemistry.

Jessica Rothe.

Cons.

None.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Black Christmas (2019): The Nightmare Before Christmas

‘Black Christmas’ is a slasher horror film, serving as the second remake of the 1970’s original. The plot follows a group of sorority sisters as they’re preyed upon by an unknown stalker.

I will say this before I get into my full review I hated this film, It may well be my worst film of the year.

My first issue with this film is that it is not a slasher film, it is misleading to call it that this is a social commentary film that has about 15 minutes of slashing in it. The film serves as a look into abuse culture, especially as it pertains to American fraternities and Universities in general.

The sexual abuse theme in this film is uncomfortable if it was handled with the slightest amount of subtly or, taste then ‘Black Christmas’ could really have advanced a much-needed conversation, but that is just it this film lacks any kind of subtly and, the way it chooses to handle this topic serves to make you uncomfortable and, want to leave.

What’smore I never have an issue with political agenda in film, but it is so offensively intrusive here that it can’t help but turn you off the film. It seems like every other line one of the paper-thin characters are saying something political and, feminist, which again would be completely fine if handled tastefully, but it is not. These lines of dialogue feel forced in for the sake of it without actually having anything to say, which if anything serves to weaken the ideas behind what they are saying. A lot of the time it is as though they are just shouting out talking points from the news which really take you out of the film.

The issue with the script is that it feels like a first draft, by that I mean it doesn’t feel like it has been refined at all, the needless politicalness isn’t as clever, or as poignant as the filmmakers clearly think it is; as I said before if anything films like this are doing a disservice to the causes and, the issues they’re trying to champion.

Blumhouse really needs to rethink its approach, they use to be one of the strongest forces in horror, but now they are putting out bomb after bomb, a lot of the recent Blumhouse films feel like they’re trying too hard to be relevant and, because it is so obvious it is offputting.

Ultimately this film feels like it needed more time in development it needed someone to rein in the creatives and, be like maybe don’t do that, but the worst thing about this film is it is misleading, it isn’t a slasher film and, if I had known what it was actually about I wouldn’t have gone to see this; let this be a lesson for Blumhouse.

0.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Gallows Act II: The Franchise Slips the Noose.

The Gallows Act II is a Blumhouse Horror film and a sequel to the 2015 film The Gallows. The plot follows Charlie the hangman as he goes after new targets, who have been silly enough to read from his cursed screenplay. The story of this series is that of a teenager called Charlie, who died during a production of The Gallows many years ago, and now has come back as an angry spirit, corrupting people who read the stage play that killed him and demanding a willing sacrifice.

Like many Blumhouse films’ this follows the usual formula, a group of generic and self-absorbed teens, are hunted down one by one and killed by an angry spirit or, demon. Though Act II follows this formula in some respects, it also manages to better it in many others.

To get one thing very clear before we begin the review in earnest, The 2015 Gallows film is utterly terrible; it is probably one of the worst Blumhouse horror films, so Act II didn’t have a high bar to reach to be better than it’s predecessor, but it is.

Where the first film had characters that were generic and deeply, deeply unlikable, characters that you wanted Charlie to catch. Act II has an incredibly likeable protagonist and, she is the best thing about the film. Ema Horvath’s Ana Rue is extremely likable; being almost impossible not to root for. There is something about Horvath’s performance which is just so positive and wholesome it makes it stand out. The fact that her character is a vlogger is central to the narrative, and though it could have been handled terribly, it is actually done well; even adding to the scares in some scenes. Yes the rest of the characters are as generic and one-note as you would expect, but the lead is definitely a step up from the first film

Whatsmore, Act II also benefits from exploring the mythology and the play itself deeper. It sets out the rules about what Charlie can and can’t do, which greatly improves the film; adding far more consistency. In terms of the scares, Act II takes more than a little inspiration from Sinister, which is a great film to take cues from, one, not two obviously. Meaning that this film does, unlike the first film actually, have some great moments and a superb sense of tension.

Act II surprised me, I was expecting trash and, instead got this interesting fresh take on the series, very much like with the Ouija franchise. This is a nice little morsel of horror goodness to tide you over until more meatier releases are upon us. The Gallows Act II is a colossal improvement over the first boasting a compelling and likeable lead and a great fleshed out mythology that makes you want to know more. Plus the end reveal nicely carries over elements from the first film in a very interesting and satisfying way.

Far, Far better than I was expecting it to be, is it a must-watch? No. But horror fans will find something to love about this surprising sequel.

3.5/5
Reviewed by Luke

Slasher Horror: The Genre That Refuses To Die

A ‘Slasher’ film for those of you who don’t know is a type of horror film usually focusing on a group of people, in most cases teens, who are hunted down one by and one and killed. Sometimes this can be done with the standard escaped lunatic trope, Halloween the original, or sometimes the killer can have more of a supernatural bend, like Freddy from the Nightmare on Elm Street series.

The Slasher sub-genre has been around in one form or another for decades, stretching all the way back to the 1960 release of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. The film’s villain, Norman Bates, is the first example we see of what would become the horror staple slasher. Following on from this we had the release of Black Christmas, which is getting a 2019 remake, and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, both released in 1974; this kicked the sub-genre off, and proved that these sort of films was where the horror was heading.

The film that would go on to solidify the identity of what a Slasher film can and can’t be, as well as bring about the trope of the ‘Final Girl’, was John Carpenters Halloween; this is seen as the first of the modern slashers and would become the template for what other horror movies and franchises would do down the line.

The 80s were the prime time for Slasher horror, with the release of Friday the 13th at the end of the 70s going into the 80s as well as more from the Halloween franchise, and a little film called Nightmare on Elm Street. All of these films put their spin on the slasher formula, with the 1980s release of Child’s Play being the most novel making the evil slasher a doll. However, franchise fatigue was beginning to set in.

Over the 1980s the market had become saturated with Slasher horror and audiences were starting to get sick of it. The big franchises had become more and more silly, as a way to try and keep the concept new and exciting; here’s looking at you Friday the 13th. As such, when the 1990s rolled around, a film was released which exposed as well as poked fun at all of the sub-genres rules and tropes; this film was Wes Craven’s Scream.

Scream was released to massive applause and praise, with it almost being a parody, but still remaining scary, and most importantly innovative. The release of Scream helped to breath new life into the Slasher genre, but this was only short-lived. With more schlocky slasher films like Wrong Turn and Hatchet being made in this brief window, but all of this was not enough to save the genre; as we reached the end of the 90s, the Slasher horror was on its way out. Another contributing factor in this decline was the late 90s release of The Blair Witch Project, which pushed horror cinema in a completely different direction, found footage.

Throughout the 2000s the big Slasher franchises continued to release films, whether reboots or, sequels no one asked for and a lot of them came out to minimal fanfare and even fewer ticket sales. All hope for Slasher movies coming back to the forefront of horror cinema seemed lost. Then the news was announced that Danny McBride, know for his comedy roles, wanted to write a new entry for the Halloween series, this film would ignore all the terrible sequels that followed the original; when the movie came out it was met with praise at every turn and made a large amount of money for the studio; naturally two sequels to this film were announced thereafter. Now at the time of writing there is talk of a new Friday the 13th film as well as a Nightmare on Elm Street film, and though there still are terrible Slasher movie sequels being released, 2019’s Child’s Play and the Leatherface origin story, the Slasher genre still has one last gasp in its lungs and, one last scare to give.