Reviews
Effigy (2024)
An intriguing hallucinogenic horror
This film lives on the power of its unnerving vibe. Not a jump scare movie. This is a patient horror train, taking you on a volatile journey towards true alienation. So I would say this one requires the right mood to fully appreciate. It is a meticulously crafted micro-budget film. It is without compromise: a Lynchian story, deep diving into a troubled translator's unravelling psyche in a surreal Tokyo as her cruelty turns outwards.. This film will challenge viewers to engage on its terms. There's layers to explore here and ambiguous elements to process. It's one of those films where your mind can fill in the shadow corners in a completely different way with subsequent viewing- this could be interpreted as either a strength or a weakness depending upon who you are- or how you feel. The pace of it is slow and hypnotic.. This allows it to inject its anxious energy in a subliminal way. Staying with it however, revealed a highly original and sadistic story. The ending hits with confident panache. A dark puzzle box of a film that is undoubtedly niche and delivers on the nightmares.
Trapped Ashes (2006)
Wussy Survivor from Toronto Film Fest Screening Speaks
Okay so maybe I'm a wimp or maybe I had legitimate medical reasons for fainting, but the fact is I do watch tons of horror films, volunteer regularly for a horror magazine, and this has never happened before. I should have fainted to Ichi the Killer, or Brain Dead, or f*ck, even the cockroach sequence in Creepshow- but no, the segment to knock me out was "The girl with the golden breasts" which was a story about this gorgeous chick who's boob implant goes horribly wrong. Following the episode I went to the doctor, got a blood test, EKG, had my blood pressure taken, a full out exam- and was told that I was probably dehydrated, my body type is lean and more susceptible. I was working crazy hours, attending midnight screenings, the theater was stuffy, and blah blah blah. I'm a guy who writes horror scripts! I've become jaded as a writer because I've found it increasingly hard to scare myself. I'd like to think I'm tougher than that, but damn. The feeling came on like dimensional twist- like I was fighting to stay in my body- my perspective was pulsing, disorientation followed, then the unfightable desire to go and splash some water on my face. I should have stayed in my seat. Instead, I went out to the lobby, came crashing down- busted open my eyebrow...and have no memory of the fall. To preserve my dignity- and see if it really was an epileptic thing, I attended the second screening, and am happy to say I survived- didn't faint or feel feverish throughout all the five stories, and enjoyed it quite a bit. I am totally into exploitation horror movies, and this one has plenty of it-- Though I would have liked to have seen more gore- the squeamish parts could have been expanded, made more sadistic, especially in the tape worm story-- the film as a whole reminded me of those old pulp EC horror comics I used to read as a kid. The lighting had echoes of Argento's Suspiria... The main score was effectively creepy, the director's styles were pretty varied adding some interesting textures to the whole, and I hope the people at Tales from the Crypt scoop up this team for another go at it- this time adding takashi miike to the roster to go full out into the lactating boob horror.
Hostel (2005)
Saw Hostel at Toronto Film Fest Today
This is what horror is all about.
Not your music video, hip-hop editing, glossy, PG-13 flavor of the week popcorn BS. This IS hardcore.
If you want to see a horror movie that doesn't look away, that stays in the room long after every other movie has squirmed to some other reassuring shot- then you need to watch this movie.
Eli Roth shows that he's not a one off- he's a true innovator, the future of the genre, and I hope he inspires many others in reviving Horror from the Kevin Williamson-esquire lull (which was good in the beginning) back down to the depths of visceral balls-to-the-wall hell ride it should be (not a Disney theme park ride).
You know there's hope when Tarantino is the Exec producer! Watch this movie Pre-neutered (un cut!) if you can. My real fear now, is that the censors will cut this movie down to the opening half hour.