It's Movie Time

In between keeping my children occupied as we hunker down for a LONG time at home together I have been able to catch up on some films I've wanted to see, but not had the time to watch. So when I take a break from writing projects or reading WAY to many news articles I wind down with some horror movies which, no matter how good they are, don't seem so scary anymore. As you may have noticed (anyone out there?) I have not kept up with the blog. Life gets in the way of plans sometimes. But, in order to be a bit more frequent, I'm going to review each movie after I see it. Since my first viewings piled up I will tackle them all in this post, then review the rest as I see them. Me being a teacher with nothing to grade, I'm going to do the old-school grade method for different horror and general movie types. So, without further ado, here we go! 

Jennifer's Body

Karyn Kusama's 2009 film Jennifer's Body has been on my "to watch" list for a LOOONG time. Was it worth the wait? Yes and No. As you might expect from writer Diablo Cody the dialogue was a lot of fun, especially when delivered by Megan Fox, and it has some nice gross out scenes and funny moments. I didn't know that the film was a flop at the time but has steadily gained a following. I can see why if the viewer focuses on the campy nature of it and the female empowerment themes, but as a scary movie not so much. The tone of this movie is a bit all over the place, and works against it in some crucial scenes. The most glaring example of this is when Jennifer is sacrificed by a bunch of mediocre Blink 182 wannabes so they can jump-start their careers. 

The scene is horrifying, akin to a gang-rape, but severely undercut by jokes about the band members looking up sacrificial rites on google. I suppose it shows their callousness, but I think the scene was played for laughs so it just didn't sit well with me. Uncomfortable for the wrong reasons, and if directed by a man could've been interpreted as insensitive at best. 

Beyond that, its just not scary because to my mind, Jennifer is the victim here. Played as a body horror from her perspective, and as a revenge movie if she got the opportunity to go after the band, I think this could've been great. Something like "The Fly" meets "I Spit on Your Grave." But it is basically mediocre fun, worth watching, but more interesting to talk about as how it could've been done differently. If you like Diablo Cody's writing and are interested in discovering how Megan Fox is actually a good actress and can carry a movie when given the chance, it is worth a watch. If you do watch it, do yourself a favor and watch the unrated cut. Not at least to watch a Maxim cover star puke up blood. 

Jennifer's Body Grades:
General Horror Fans: B
Jump Scare Fans: C
Creepy Vibe Fans: F
Gore Hounds: B
Yours Truly: C

Oculus

A haunted mirror, ooooohhhh, scary. Well, actually, it was. Honestly, if I didn't know Mike Flanagan of House on Haunted Hill fame directed this I probably wouldn't have checked it out and my life as an unread blogger would've have been less meaningful by it. I thoroughly enjoyed Oculus, even though it takes a bit to get going. I love the interweaving of the protagonists childhood and adult interactions with the mirror, and it pays off particularly well at the end. It not only serves as backstory, but is pivotal to the plot and how the mirror can deceive people. Don't want to give away too much with this one. A classy, well made film. Never cheap or gimmicky with its scares, and you get to see Karen Gillian without blue make up. 

Oculus Grades:
General Horror Fans: A
Jump Scare Fans: B+
Creepy vibe Fans: A
Gore Hounds: C
Yours Truly: A

The House of the Devil

This one had been recommended to me many times, and I can see why. I loved it, and want to watch it again some time in the future, but I can't universally recommend it. If you love slow burn, not much happening, mood pieces this is a movie for you. If you don't want to sit though a woman walking the halls of a house for about an hour before anything plot-worthy occurs you should give it a pass. It is heavy on late 70's early 80's aesthetics. Director Ti West even filmed this movie with FILM on cameras of the era! So it looks great, has that creepy, exploitative grain to it. But not a lot happens. and when it does it may not be enough for viewers who want more bang for their buck. 

The House of the Devil Grades:
General Horror Fans: B-
Jump Scare Fans: D-
Creepy vibe Fans: A
​Gore Hounds: B
Yours Truly: A

So, that's all for now. Looking back on it, I had the most to say about Jennifer's Body, which either means the first movie will get the most text, or there is a lot about it to discuss. Probably both. Anyhow, I still need to review V/H/S and Halloween III before I can get on the day to day routine of reviews, so those will be next.