Shudder Saturday: Shiver (2012)

Some people really seem to spend a lot of their time squandering a lot of goodwill. I understand that people in the film industry don't always have the luxury of ensuring the quality of the work that they're involved with, but it would help if they at least did their part. There are some people here who feel as if they're going through the motions, and unable to even do that minimum amount of work well. I would name and shame them, but I worry that I'm misjudging people based on the poor writing and direction.

John Jarratt plays Franklin Rood, a talkative serial killer who targets women and believes that he is always poised to save them. When his latest victim (Wendy Alden, played by Danielle Harris) finds the courage to fight back, he actually feels quite pleased with himself. Wendy may have needed him to make her into the strong woman hidden away inside herself. He's probably still going to have to kill her though, especially while a couple of detectives (played by Casper Van Dien and Rae Dawn Chong) are closing in on him.

Based on a novel of the same name by Brian Harper, Shiver has been adapted from page to screen by Robert D. Weinbach. I'm not familiar with anything else that Weinbach has written, but I'm not surprised to see that he doesn't have a large filmography. There are a couple of upcoming projects that he is penning. I won't be rushing to see those.

Neither Harris nor Jarratt are at their best here, far from it, but I can see why they were picked for their respective roles. It's just a shame that they were then given nothing good to do by the clumsy and tired screenplay. The same goes for Van Dien and Chong. Neither may be at the top of the acting game, especially the former (who is, however, lovely, and I'll always have a soft spot for him due to the time he would happily answer various questions on the IMDb message boards that used to exist), but both are still usually a lot better than they are here. A few others appear in supporting roles, but the focus is on these four characters, even if they're just moving around in between scenes that contain either horrible violence or horrible (for different reasons) speechifying.

I like director Julian Richards, despite his filmography not giving me many reasons to. It may have been over 20 years now since he helmed the dark and enjoyable The Last Horror Movie, but I'll always hope that he can find his way back to something that inventive and twisted. This certainly doesn't come close, and I can only imagine it being enjoyed by the most easily-pleased horror movie fan looking for another chance to watch Harris battling against a fictional psychopath.

3/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews

Prime Time: Resurrection Of Evil (2016)

AKA Havenhurst.

We’ve all done it, picked a movie based on one name in the cast list to quickly realise that the person you wanted to watch it only onscreen for one or two scenes. It happens more often in the horror genre than anywhere else, in my experience, with a famous name used to sell the film to loyal fans who might be curious.

Despite the hugely varying quality of the movies that she has been involved with, and I don’t begrudge any working actor the chance to grab those paychecks, I am happy to check out anything starring Danielle Harris. That is why I decided to watch Resurrection Of Evil, but I soon realised that the involvement of Harris amounted to little more than a brief cameo. Oh well, I just had to hope that the rest of the film was worth my time.

Sadly, it wasn’t.

Julie Benz plays Jackie, a woman who ends up being permitted to live in a furnished apartment in a large gothic building, named Havenhurst. A recovering alcoholic, possibly poised to lapse if top many things remind her of her deceased daughter, Jackie starts to find out more and more about her new home that adds up to an unnerving picture. But it is too easy for others to dismiss her concerns.

Directed by Andrew C. Erin, who also co-wrote the script with Daniel Farrands, this is a good horror movie environment without an actual good horror movie filling the space. A few early scenes have some decent atmosphere and ambiguity, but things get tiresome as more details are revealed, taking everything more into the realm of overused tropes and unimaginative plotting.

Benz isn’t terrible in her role, but she has to spend most of the film being a nervy amateur investigator, as well as spending one or two moments looking at alcohol while thinking about the death of her daughter. Fionulla Flanagan plays the benevolent owner of the building, a twinkle of menace in her eyes immediately clueing viewers in to the fact that she at least knows something about what is going on under her nose. Others play their parts well enough, but the only name I will highlight is Belle Shouse, playing a girl named Sarah who brings out the maternal side of our lead. Shouse is really good in her role, and I wish she had been given even more to do.

Although it’s not a complete travesty, there just isn’t much to hold your interest once the direction of the story becomes clear. The casting doesn’t make the most of those involved (as well as Harris going offscreen quickly, Jennifer Blanc-Biehn is similarly underused), the visuals lack any real inventiveness and style, and the special effects are hampered by the relatively low budget.

I have seen a lot of films that are much worse than this. Every horror fan probably has. That doesn’t mean you should rush to see it though. Even (especially?) if you’re a big fan of Danielle Harris.

3/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews

Prime Video: The Haunting Of Goodnight Lane (2014)

AKA Ghost Of Goodnight Lane.

It is always odd to write a review for a film that doesn’t have much you were fully receptive to. That doesn’t mean the film is terrible. It just may not have enough decent plot to discuss, or any cast or crew members who really stand out. But a film not having enough in it to discuss hasn’t ever stopped me from writing a review before, and it isn’t going to stop me now.

Beginning with a death caused by what we can only assume is a vengeful/evil spirit, The Haunting Of Goodnight Lane is a very straightforward bit of horror entertainment. There is a group of people trying to complete a project in a film studio area (well, it is a building that is currently being used as a small film studio), and weird things start to happen. Then more people start to die, by which time it may be too late for anyone to actually escape.

Despite some key people hired to show their faces onscreen, this is a film that feels cheap. But, importantly, it doesn’t feel lazy and careless. There is nothing here that is original, the script by Amy Acosta and director Alin Bijan places chills and fun ahead of plausibility and any sense of realism, but there is also no pretension or delusions of grandeur. That’s surprisingly refreshing, especially when everything is delivered in a way that is at least technically competent. The visuals aren’t all hidden away behind a load of jittery editing and filters (although some scenes get a bit busy), and one key performance helps to underline the self-aware humour of the whole thing.

That performance comes from the one and only Billy Zane, playing the typical man in charge who wants everyone to forget the potential danger around them until he finishes his latest job. Zane is a lot of fun, whether he is pulling tank to get everyone working again or being a bit sleazy with the main actress (played by Christine Quinn) due to revisit the studio. I am not going to pretend that every character registered with me, because this is a film in which you just expect everyone to die at some point, but having Lacey Chabert in a main role was a plus, and then bringing Danielle Harris in just before the halfway point also helped. I like both, and they did perfectly okay here (although it was far from their best work). Another good addition was Brina Palencia as Micah, the “misbehaving” woman who could easily have her absence excused by the others if she happened to disappear at some point.

Look at that. We made it. This is the end of a review I started with a warning about not having much to say. The Haunting Of Goodnight Lane is similar to 101 other cheap horror movies you could choose to watch, many of them using one or two bigger names to draw you in, but it’s also better than a lot of them. It actually makes decent use of the likes of Zane, Chabert, and Harris (instead of relegating them to a cameo filmed during a spare 5 minutes). Richard Tyson is another bonus, but used just for the opening sequence. And the storyline that unfolds is far from the worst I have seen in the horror genre. 

Does it all make sense? Of course not. Do characters act in a way that normal people would act? Nope. Got to hand it to director Bijan though, he paces it perfectly, ensures that most shots look well enough, and simply feels like he has treated the supernatural silliness with a bit of professionalism and care. That is something you can feel throughout the film, and it makes a hell of a difference. Despite enough negatives bringing this down slightly, in terms of choices made with the tone and performances, I would happily rewatch this. And I would even watch a sequel.

5/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews

The Last Boy Scout (1991)

Sometimes reviews are here to help encourage others to seek out films that are relatively unknown. Sometimes I'm pretty much preaching to the converted. This review of The Last Boy Scout falls into the latter camp. 

Bruce Willis is Joe Hallenbeck, a detective who is nothing more than a crumpled heap of neo-noir tropes. He gets dragged into a case that involves a stripper named Cory (Halle Berry) and her boyfriend, ex-quarterback Jimmy Dix (Damon Wayans). People start dying as they start to untangle a plot that involves gambling, corruption, and a ruthless businessman named Sheldon Marcone (Noble Willingham).

Starting with a hell of a set-piece that shows a football player tearing through a field of opponents and pulling a gun as he continues to run towards some points he desperately needs to placate some dangerous blackmailers, The Last Boy Scout is a small-scale film that works as well as it does thanks to the mix of characters and the impact of the many moments that have Hallenbeck cornered by deadly thugs.

Director Tony Scott brings his usual flair for this kind of material, without his usual love of excessively hyperactive editing (oh, you can tell it is HIS film, but it's much less headache-inducing than some of his later movie), and Shane Black is on form with his use of tropes and witty one-liners, making Hallenbeck one of his most memorable characters in a filmography that is just crammed with memorable characters.

Willis and Wayans are a good central pairing, with the former being older and cynical while the latter is a flawed wannabe-hero who perhaps isn't as familiar with how bad people can truly be. That's not to say that the character played by Willis isn't flawed, but his flaws are shown as part of the whole package that helps to make him so good at his job (or, at least, a stereotype who nobody expects to be able to achieve great things until he starts to defy the odds). Willingham is a charismatic villain, as is Taylor Negron (playing one of his right hand men), and Danielle Harris steals a couple of scenes, playing Hallenbeck's moody, but also smart and brave, daughter. Berry doesn't do too bad in her role, Chelsea Field is Hallenbeck's suffering wife, and there are one or two scenes for the great Bruce McGill.

You can predict a lot of the main plot beats here, and Black has never been bothered about being predictable, his focus is always on the dialogue and pacing, but this is yet another film that gives you joy through the actual journey, rather than the main destination. Which isn't to say that the finale is a disappointment. It brings everything together beautifully, and keeps the stakes high for all involved.

Willis gives one of his best, grizzled, turns (this performance sits just below the better Die Hard movies and Twelve Monkeys, in my opinion, if only for the pure fun of it), Wayans is on good form, there's a great score from Michael Kamen, and Scott and Black make a great team. It's a shame that this was their only film together. It's a high point for both of them.

8/10

https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews

See No Evil 2 (2014)

It's not often that you get your hopes up for a horror movie sequel, but that's what happened here. This sequel follows on directly from the events of the first film. Many corpses have been found at a major crime scene, including that of an eyeball-gouging killer named Jacob Goodnight (played, once more, by Glenn Jacobs AKA Kane). The bodies are taken to a city morgue, as expected, but that morgue is actually full of some young revellers all helping young Amy (Danielle Harris) to celebrate her birthday. It's not long until Goodnight manages to get up off the mortuary table, and the death toll starts up again.

Written by first-timers Nathan Brookes and Bobby Lee Darby, the main draw here, apart from certain cast members, was the fact that Jen and Sylvia Soska were hired to direct this film. Having enjoyed both of their previous features, I was hoping they could do something fun and interesting with a thin, tired premise. Unfortunately, the weak script really leaves them little to work with, and the only real fun to be had is during the first 20-30 minutes. Once the killing starts, it all starts to slide downhill.

Kane is still a decent choice for Jacob Goodnight, with his obvious physical presence and ability to break most people in two with minimal effort. Harris is okay in her role, she's been a fan favourite for years and makes up for her standard genre acting range with familiarity and likability. Katharine Isabelle, playing a friend, and reveller, who has a bit of a fetish for psycho killers, is much better, but she's not onscreen for long enough. And then there's Chelan Simmons, who I always tend to enjoy in horror fare, mainly because she often plays characters who add a bit of fun or humour to the proceedings. The men fare far worse, with only Kaj-Erik Eriksen making a good impression, playing a colleague who has a crush on Harris (completely understandable). I'll mention Greyston Holt, Lee Majdoub and Michael Eklund, but I won't waste my time trying to think of anything positive to say about their performances, although they're far from the worst that I've seen acting in the genre.

What really sinks this film is just the disappointing lack of energy. Even the kills aren't very memorable or inventive, something that the original film at least tried to get right. If you have a slasher movie without any impressive death scenes then what's the point? Does it get some stuff right? Yes. The Soska twins are competent enough to put together some polished camerawork and stylish moments, but that's about it.

If you like Kane, Harris and Isabelle then this is worth a watch, but only just. If you dislike any of those performers then I recommend just leaving this one well alone. Because they're the main plus points in a movie that's otherwise insipid and uninspired.

4/10

http://www.amazon.com/See-No-Evil-2-Blu-ray/dp/B00M6X9ZI2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412881347&sr=8-1&keywords=see+no+evil+2

Yes, I went for this picture to accompany the review. And I'd do it again, I tells ya.

Among Friends (2012)

A bit of a fan favourite in the horror community, Danielle Harris takes a turn in the director's seat for this enjoyable horror comedy. She doesn't take any great risks - it's firmly planted in the genre that made/kept her a star, and a few of the people onscreen seem to be people that she's been friends with for a while - but that doesn't make it unworthy of your time.

It's a familiar scenario. A bunch of friends are all invited to an evening out, and it's not long until everyone realises that someone has an axe to grind. Once things start going painfully wrong, the guests are offered the chance to either take some punishment or allow someone else to be dealt with, similiar to the sadistic, twisted fun of films such as Would You Rather.

The assembled cast, featuring the likes of A. J. Bowen, Jennifer Blanc and Brianne Davis, all do decent work here. Nobody is going to the Oscars on the strength of this movie, but they're all having fun, and many of the faces will be recognisable to horror fans. There's also a cameo by Kane Hodder that some will enjoy, although I just found it a bit irritating.

Alyssa Lobit is always enjoyable whenever she's onscreen, and she also wrote the script. Unsurprisingly, she gets most of the best lines, although she shares a number of enjoyable dialogue exchanges throughout the movie, allowing everyone to have at least one particularly good utterance.

As for the actual direction, Harris does a decent enough job. The movie is small, keeping a tight focus on the dinner table and the people in attendance (with one or two flashbacks making use of different rooms), but it never feels dull, or even claustrophobic. I guess that's to do with the character interactions, and the way in which the plot is teased out, despite the predictability of the individual moments.

Horror fans should still get enough enjoyment out of this to make it worth at least one viewing. It may be lightweight, and it may not deliver anything original, but it still manages to entertain, and the first third of the movie lets horror fans feel as if they actually ARE among friends.


6/10

http://www.amazon.com/Among-Friends-Alyssa-Lobit/dp/B00D920HT0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1401499507&sr=8-2&keywords=among+friends

The Victim (2011)

Based on a story by Reed Lackey, The Victim is written and directed by, and stars, Michael Biehn and provides a lot of fun for horror fans and, of course, fans of the leading man.

The movie begins with a surprising and sudden death before cutting to a young woman (Annie, played by Jennifer Blanc) running through some woods in a state of fear. Typical horror/exploitation movie fare. She then finds a cabin in the woods, knocks on the door and meets loner Kyle Limato (Biehn). He doesn't want to be bothered and he certainly doesn't want any trouble, which is what he suspects he's in for when Annie tells him about police officers chasing her through the woods after the accidental death of her friend. Kyle really doesn't want to get involved with this situation, but when the police officers (played by Ryan Honey and Denny Kirkwood) come snooping around he starts to think that Annie may be telling the truth and that he might be able to help her. It's not long until both of them are in danger as the two men in pursuit of Annie grow more and more desperate.

While it doesn't quite overcome its limitations - low budget, small scope, relatively small cast - I was pleasantly surprised by how much The Victim gets right. Biehn obviously knows his stuff and he gets it all in the movie in just the right mix. There's some violence, a bit of nudity, more violence and plenty of gruff one-liners delivered by the reluctant hero dragged into the big mess.

Ryan Honey and Denny Kirkwood are very enjoyable as the two men trying to cover up one horrible mistake, with the latter at least showing some regret as things spiral further and further out of control. Jennifer Blanc is fine as Annie and Biehn is his usual good self as Kyle. There's also a fun role for the lovely Danielle Harris, who has her most memorable "screen entrance" to date.

I can't think of anything more to say about the film, really. It doesn't want to be anything deep and meaningful and it isn't. That's not damning the thing with faint praise. On the contrary, The Victim is slightly refreshing in its approach, coming along after so many movies that have felt the need to emulate old film stock, throw in fashions and props from decades gone by and take any opportunity to nod and wink at the audience while often failing to get the basics right. This film gets the basics right and also contains a few nice references to past classics. It's not unmissable, it's not great, but it is good enough to watch and lend some support to. Do it for Biehn.

6/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Victim-Blu-ray-Michael-Biehn/dp/B0084DOK9W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359392744&sr=8-2

Marked For Death (1990)

Steven Seagal steps up to the mark to put an end to that voodoo and hoodoo that you do, in a movie that ends up being one of his very best thanks to a decent script, enjoyable baddie and the standard slap-happy chop-sockiness from our hero.

Seagal plays John Hatcher, a DEA agent in need of a holiday. The war against drugs clearly isn’t working and Hatcher needs to take a break from everything. He heads home to visit his family (including Elizabeth Gracen, Bette Ford and a young Danielle Harris) and finds that the dangerous world of drugs has begun to infiltrate his old neighbourhood, much to the chagrin of his old coach, Max (Keith David).  Hatcher doesn’t want to get involved but when he’s caught up in the middle of a violent shoot-out he realises that he has to help. But these drug-dealing Jamaicans, led by the fear-inducing Screwface (Basil Wallace), will go to any lengths to maintain their superior position. That includes targeting Hatcher’s family, which only makes Hatcher angrier.

I don’t know quite why I love this movie as much as I do, I just know that it will always be a favourite of mine. The action is decent, Seagal still can’t act and the content is slightly less gritty than his first two star vehicles but Marked For Death has plenty to make up for that. The opening sequence is great fun, and features a silent and younger Danny Trejo, the supporting cast is massively boosted by the inclusion of the great Keith David, it’s a blast watching Seagal face voodoo “powers” head on with his usual bone-breaking style and then we have one of my favourite exchanges in any action movie ever: 

“One thought he was invincible... the other thought he could fly.”

“So?”

“They were both wrong.”

Michael Grais and Mark Victor are responsible for the script, which is full of a few other gems that should raise a smile, and Dwight H. Little directs what may remain a highpoint in his film career. 

 

It’s undeniably dumb in places, especially with the inclusion of Joanna Pacula’s character for nothing more than a bit of exposition, but it’s also consistently fun, benefits from a great turn from Tom Wright, has room for a small Kevin Dunn appearance, throws a decent car chase in there and some impressive swordplay. If Steven Seagal hadn’t lucked out with Under Siege I still say that this would have remained his finest hour. 

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share