Hell Of A Summer (2025)

 

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story- Jason (Fred Hechinger) returns to Camp Pineway, assuming the role of camp leader. The head counselors, Kathy (Rosebud Baker) and John (Adam Pally), are nowhere to be found, but Jason eagerly accepts the task of running the camp.

Jason faces a number of irritating challenges during his failed attempts to organize activities for the group. The team of counselors, including Mike (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Demi (Pardis Saremi), Chris (Finn Wolfhard), Bobby (Billy Bryk), Shannon (Krista Nazaire), Miley (Julia Doyle), Ari (Daniel Gravelle), Noelle (Julia Lalonde), and Ezra (Matthew Finlan) all ignore Jason’s attempts to unite the group for a fun summer camp experience.

Claire (Abby Quinn) tries to support and protect Jason. But the counselors will have bigger problems to worry about, after a bloody dead body pops up, and a killer wearing a devil mask appears. Does Jason have what it takes to protect and save the group?

My Thoughts- Jason is a loser, but he’s also a likable loser. Yes, it’s easy to laugh and poke fun at a grown man, who’s weirdly excited and happy about returning to summer camp. But taking on the role of a head counselor means A LOT to Jason. He needs to grow up and find a real job, and Jason has a bad case of arrested development. There’s no denying Jason really needs to take those first big steps into the real world, but he’s a good and genuinely nice guy, who just wants to enjoy life before he’s sucked into the meat grinder known as adulthood.

Fred Hechinger really delivers a solid performance as Jason. It’s easy to believe he’s this socially awkward guy, and I did get a few good laughs out of Jason’s failed attempts at trying to crack jokes, or Jason’s cringy comedian act. I wanted Jason to succeed, because he takes a lot of crap from the other counselors, but he never lashes out, and he doesn’t have the urge to seek vengeance. Providing a positive and safe summer camp experience is important to Jason, even if he has to risk his life to accomplish those goals.

Two killers! Revealing Demi and Mike as the killers works as a solid and surprising twist. They’re both narcissists, but Mike comes off as more of a goofball and an airhead. Demi? She’s genuinely more nasty and aggressive. Demi basks in the glory of being the cerebral mastermind behind the murders. She wants all the credit, and Demi desperately seeks the fame that’ll inevitably come with being one of the survivors of a bloody massacre. 

One of my favorite moments in the movie happens towards the end. Jason is tied up. He’s pleading with Demi to come to her senses, because he still doesn’t believe she’s a bad person. Jason wants to believe Mike is the puppeteer, who’s controlling her. Demi’s response? She mocks the idea of needing to be guided and controlled by a man, reminding Jason that she’s a strong and fierce woman. Pardis Saremi’s snarky and hopeless victim act before she tears into Jason is just perfect, easily one of the best scenes in the movie. 

A good number of dead and mutilated bodies throughout Hell Of A Summer, but the characters still have depth and different personalities. Whether it’s Matthew Finlan playing the pretentious play-actor, Julia Lalonde’s Noelle believing she’s a clairvoyant, or Finn Wolfhard’s Chris filling the role of a normal and nerdy kid, Hell Of A Summer makes an earnest attempt to avoid the easy way out to raise the kill count with disposable characters. It’s mostly easy to predict who’ll make it to the end alive, but you’re still able to care about the main cast of characters, and you can at least believe in the possibility of everyone having a shot to make it out alive.

The humor and the jokes are fairly consistent, the overall cast is solid, and Pardis Saremi is easily the standout star in the supporting cast, playing a vain social media influencer with a dark side. Hell Of A Summer is a harmless slasher comedy, featuring a nice twist for revealing the bad guys. There’s a good balance for slasher movie elements, the comedy, and the approach to deliver an unconventional coming-of-age film. Also, I’ll give some bonus points for a handful of creative and gruesome kills. A knife dipped in peanut butter used to kill someone with a peanut allergy? Yikes! 

Is it predictable in certain spots? Yes, but Hell Of A Summer is still a fun film that’s not afraid to be fully self-aware, while leaning into a lot of horror cliches. Tires are slashed, cars won’t start, and Ezra happily saying “I’ve always wanted to say that!” when the group finds out the phone lines are down is just hilarious. 

In the end, the villains got what they deserved, and the survivors enjoyed their happy endings. That’s more than enough for a silly film that wasn’t trying to be a groundbreaking movie, or reinvent the formula for slashers. Also, it’s impossible to ignore the irony for the majority of the group pointing their fingers at Jason for being the original suspect. A man named Jason is being accused of murdering camp counselors? That sounds familiar, and maybe they could’ve used one a shot of a hockey mask, but I guess that would’ve been too much.

Rating- 7/10

Hell Of A Summer (2025)(Minor Spoilers)

 **This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Jason (Fred Hechinger) returns to Camp Pineway, assuming the role of camp leader. The head counselors, Kathy (Rosebud Baker) and John (Adam Pally), are nowhere to be found, but Jason eagerly accepts the task of running the camp.

Jason faces a number of irritating challenges during his failed attempts to organize activities for the group. The team of counselors, including Mike (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Demi (Pardis Saremi), Chris (Finn Wolfhard), Bobby (Billy Bryk), Shannon (Krista Nazaire), Miley (Julia Doyle), Ari (Daniel Gravelle), Noelle (Julia Lalonde), and Ezra (Matthew Finlan) all ignore Jason’s attempts to unite the group for a fun summer camp experience.

Claire (Abby Quinn) tries to support and protect Jason. But the counselors will have bigger problems to worry about, after a bloody dead body pops up, and a killer wearing a devil mask appears. Does Jason have what it takes to protect and save the group?

My Thoughts- Jason is a loser, but he’s also a likable loser. Yes, it’s easy to laugh and poke fun at a grown man, who’s weirdly excited and happy about returning to summer camp. But taking on the role of a head counselor means A LOT to Jason. He needs to grow up and find a real job, and Jason has a bad case of arrested development. There’s no denying Jason really needs to take those first big steps into the real world, but he’s a good and genuinely nice guy, who just wants to enjoy life before he’s sucked into the meat grinder known as adulthood.

Fred Hechinger really delivers a solid performance as Jason. It’s easy to believe he’s this socially awkward guy, and I did get a few good laughs out of Jason’s failed attempts at trying to crack jokes, or Jason’s cringy comedian act. I wanted Jason to succeed, because he takes a lot of crap from the other counselors, but he never lashes out, and he doesn’t have the urge to seek vengeance. Providing a positive and safe summer camp experience is important to Jason, even if he has to risk his life to accomplish those goals.

A good number of dead and mutilated bodies throughout Hell Of A Summer, but the characters still have depth and different personalities. Whether it’s Matthew Finlan playing the pretentious play-actor, Julia Lalonde’s Noelle believing she’s a clairvoyant, or Finn Wolfhard’s Chris filling the role of a normal and nerdy kid, Hell Of A Summer makes an earnest attempt to avoid the easy way out to raise the kill count with disposable characters. It’s mostly easy to predict who’ll make it to the end alive, but you’re still able to care about the main cast of characters, and you can at least believe in the possibility of everyone having a shot to make it out alive.

The humor and the jokes are fairly consistent, the overall cast is solid, and Pardis Saremi is easily the standout star in the supporting cast, playing a vain social media influencer with a dark side. Hell Of A Summer is a harmless slasher comedy, featuring a nice twist for revealing the bad guys. There’s a good balance for slasher movie elements, the comedy, and the approach to deliver an unconventional coming-of-age film. Also, I’ll give some bonus points for a handful of creative and gruesome kills. A knife dipped in peanut butter used to kill someone with a peanut allergy? Yikes! 

Is it predictable in certain spots? Yes, but Hell Of A Summer is still a fun film that’s not afraid to be fully self-aware, while leaning into a lot of horror cliches. Tires are slashed, cars won’t start, and Ezra happily saying “I’ve always wanted to say that!” when the group finds out the phone lines are down is just hilarious. 

In the end, the villains got what they deserved, and the survivors enjoyed their happy endings. That’s more than enough for a silly film that wasn’t trying to be a groundbreaking movie, or reinvent the formula for slashers. Also, it’s impossible to ignore the irony for the majority of the group pointing their fingers at Jason for being the original suspect. A man named Jason is being accused of murdering camp counselors? That sounds familiar, and maybe they could’ve used one a shot of a hockey mask, but I guess that would’ve been too much.

Rating- 7/10

Coming Attractions- Silent Night, Deadly Night

 

Release Date- December 12, 2025

A promising trailer. I’ve always been a big fan of the Silent Night, Deadly Night films, and it looks like they’re going with a more serious and darker tone.

A LOT of noticeable differences, if we’re making comparisons to the original film. Billy in the 1984 film was traumatized from witnessing the sleazebag Santa Claus murdering his parents in front of him, and the abuse from Mother Superior just made things worse. Billy snapped, and he went on a brutal killing spree. Rohan Campbell’s Billy is clearly being portrayed as a more cold-blooded and calculating killer, and he has an accomplice! I like the idea of giving Billy a girlfriend, who’s apparently aroused by his bloodthirsty personality, because it adds another twisted layer to the movie.

The slight parallels to Halloween Ends? Rohan Campbell playing a vengeful killer in a small town in another slasher flick is definitely a freaky and eerie coincidence. Of course, Allyson in Halloween Ends didn’t want to believe Corey was a maniac, and this version of Billy doesn’t have Michael Myers as a mentor, but the similarities are impossible to ignore.

TWO callbacks to the original in the trailer! The dear head kill is a nod to what happened to Linnea Quigley’s character in the ‘84 film, and the beheading on the snowmobile in the woods. I’m not a big fan of the 2012 remake. The 2012 film tried to be more serious, but it just didn’t click with me at all. Going by the trailer, the 2025 remake will be more serious, but there’s also a nutty vibe here, with some dark humor mixed in. 

The more cheesy and kind of goofy stuff was a perfect fit for the 80’s. They’d have to do a full on throwback style slasher to pull that off now. Sure, they could’ve played it safe with more fan service, but it’s not necessary. High hopes for Silent Night, Deadly Night 2025, and I’m glad they’re taking a chance on doing something different.

Coming Attractions- The Boy From Below

 

Director- Tory Jones

Release Date- Currently Unknown

I ran across The Boy From Below on Bloody Disgusting’s Twitter page. I’ve never seen the movie, but apparently The Boy From Below is a retelling of The Wicked One (2017).

Eh, I guess The Boy From Below could be a decent enough film? Halloween, the small town haunted by gruesome murders, and the tragic story of a scream queen B-movie actress are all good ingredients for a slasher. Add in Felissa Rose and Dee Wallace, and there’s a chance they might have something here. I don’t have high expectations for this, but The Boy From Below could possibly satisfy the October/Halloween season fix for horror movies, and maybe that’s enough.

Jason Universe: Sweet Revenge (2025)

 **This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Harold (Chris Carlson), the caretaker, welcomes  Eve (Ally Ioannides), her fiancé, Kyle (Toussaint Morrison), Troy (Tim James White), and Dana (Natassia Wakey) to a secluded cabin in the woods. But the group’s planned peaceful getaway is violently interrupted, when Jason Voorhees (Schuyler White) appears….

My Thoughts- Writer/director Mike P. Nelson squarely puts the spotlight on Ally Ioannides’ Eve. Eve starts out as someone, who’s shy and a little bit insecure, because she’s not quite sure why Kyle chose her. 

Of course, Eve has to go through her phase of being the frazzled victim after Jason’s first attack. Towards the end, Eve makes a big transition to being a fierce and resilient fighter. She completely snaps, but there’s no screaming, or over the top hysterics from Eve. No, it’s more of a silent and strangely focused form of rage from her. Some good facial expressions and a solid performance from Ally Ioannides, and when the credits start rolling, you’ll understand why Eve is a “force of nature.”

Jason Voorhees is back! Honestly, I didn’t have a big problem with the look, Jason’s wardrobe, or the mask. Jason showed up, brutally murdered a lot of people, and he terrorized a group of friends, who just wanted to have some fun? Sweet Revenge easily checks off the important boxes for one of Jason Voorhees’ killing sprees. 

Schuyler White? Just going by White’s movements and his demeanor as Jason, you can see he put a good amount of effort into staying true to the character. White does his best to capture the fine details for Jason. There’s no denying that, and you really can’t compare him to the likes of a Kane Hodder, or Ted White (my personal favorite pick for the best version of Jason Voorhees). It’s a short film, and Jason makes his first appearance at a little bit past nine minutes for a movie that goes slightly over fifteen minutes. No short glimpses, or physical teases before the scene, where he grabs Eve. That’s it. 

Eve kills Dana before a teased one on one showdown with Jason! Sweet Revenge ends with a bloody and chaotic finale. Eve catches Kyle kissing Dana, so Eve gets her revenge by killing Dana, when they’re trying to escape Jason together. Eve, jamming the knife through Dana’s skull, while she’s speeding down the road, is a gnarly scene. 

On the surface, you could say Eve killing Dana was a bit random, but not entirely. Dana bailed on Eve TWICE during Jason’s rampage inside the cabin. On top of that, Eve saved Dana from Jason, and Dana would’ve left her at the cabin, if she had the keys to the car! Yeah, you can understand why Eve was pissed. And there’s a brief shot of a Camp Crystal Lake sign, when Dana is driving. Good timing for the official reveal for Crystal Lake, one of the final pieces of the story that ties Jason’s lore together after the massacre. 

There’s more spotlight on Eve during the finale. The spaced-out and catatonic look on Ally Ioannides face is perfect. You’re witnessing a woman, who’s been through hell. Betrayal, violence, murder, and the sight of mangled corpses. Eve endured a lot, and she was still ready to fight Jason alone, with a smile, and the dried-up blood on her face was a nice touch. Sweet Revenge ends with a cliffhanger before the fight between Eve and Jason starts, and you have to wonder if Eve will somehow return, or at least play a role in the new Jason Universe. 

And let’s not forget, Sweet Revenge is sponsored by Angry Orchard Hard Cider! I expected the product placement throughout Sweet Revenge to be shameless to a point, where it’s impossible to ignore, but it’s really not that bad. Sure, you can clearly see the Angry Orchard branded bottles in more than one scene, but I did get a good laugh out of one scene, where Eve finds a corpse with a freshly picked apple stuffed into the victim’s mouth. 

What’s important for me is, Sweet Revenge simply helps reintroduce Jason Voorhees. You’re reminded of how dangerous Jason is, a brutal force to be reckoned with. Hopefully, Sweet Revenge is the first sample sized serving for a potentially bright future, because Jason Voorhees is too big of a name in the world horror movies to just sit on the sidelines. 

I would’ve preferred to see Jason’s return on the big screen. But the Friday The 13th remake was released in 2009. Sixteen years is way too long. Voorhees is more than worthy of a spot on anyone’s Mount Rushmore for horror icons/villains, so I’m just glad they finally gave us SOMETHING new. 

Sweet Revenge sort of spirals out of control towards the end. One bonkers series of events after another, there’s a handful of ridiculous moments (Jason stabs Eve through her chest with a machete….and Eve miraculously pulls it out without bleeding to death), and it’s painfully easy to predict the sole survivor, or the final girl. 

Still, it’s a harmless slasher short. A good amount of bloody violence, nasty gore, and the not so subtle foreshadowing (you know something bad is going to happen, when the motor for the fishing boat makes an appearance) sets up two gruesome kills. Chris Carlson’s Harold is a creepy old pervert, but his character also works as the harbinger of doom here. And there’s a good callback to the original Friday The 13th film, when Jason snatches Eve out of the canoe. 

I’m not a huge fan of the modern trend, where almost everything needs to be some kind of shared universe, but I’m looking forward to the Crystal Lake series. For the first time in years, it looks like we’re actually seeing progress for Jason Voorhees. A short film, the Crystal Lake series, a new video game, and hopefully a full length feature film in the near the future? This is how it’s supposed to be done. Do a big rollout, and go all out for the kind resurrection that’ll drive Tommy Jarvis crazy!  

Rating- 5/10

Coming Attractions- Hell Of A Summer

 

Directors- Billy Bryk, Finn Wolfhard

Release Date- April 18, 2025

Summer camp, teenagers, a masked killer running around, AND a ouija board? Hell Of A Summer has all the ingredients to be an at least halfway decent slasher film. This should be a layup, but I’m still not completely sold on this one right now. 

The humor looks good, and there’s a possibly hilarious storyline about Fred Hechinger playing the twenty-four years old loser, who works as a camp counselor. There’s no way Hechinger is actually the killer, because it’s too obvious. Although, there’s a strong chance he winds up being the hero, who stops the killer, and they go with the big happy ending, where Hechinger finally gets his life together.

Coming Attractions- Heart Eyes

 

Director- Josh Ruben

Cast- Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Devon Sawa, Chris Parker, Jordana Brewster, Latham Gaines, Michaela Watkins, Gigi Zumbado

Release Date- February 7, 2025

Yes! Finally, another Valentine’s Day slasher. My Bloody Valentine and the 2009 remake are two films that successfully pulled off creating brutal and bloody horror films, with an ironic and sinister twist for a holiday that’s supposed to be about happiness and love.

I’m excited for Heart Eyes, because I’m a big fan of holiday themed horror, and there’s so much untapped potential for Valentine’s Day. I’m not completely sold on the mask. Obviously, the killer’s mask is supposed to be similar to the heart eyes emoji, but it just looks kind of weird.

A solid trailer, featuring signs of bloody gore and creative kills. Hopefully Heart Eyes finds unique methods to work Valentine’s Day into the story, including cards, roses, boxes of chocolates, and other gifts, similar to both My Bloody Valentine films. Maybe I’m getting too far ahead of myself, but I already have hopes for a sequel, because it wouldn’t hurt to have another slasher villain. 

New Year’s Evil (1980)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Diane Sullivan, known to her fans as Blaze (Roz Kelly), prepares to host Hollywood Hotline, a New Year’s Eve countdown celebration. But the bash is interrupted, when Blaze receives a series of disturbing phone calls from a stranger named Evil. Evil plans to kill a different woman at the end of each countdown to the New Year across different time zones throughout the US, saving Blaze for last.

Blaze is supported and protected by her manager, Ernie (Jed Mills), Lieutenant Clayton (Chris Wallace), and Sergeant Greene (Jon Greene). But Blaze suspects something is wrong, when her assistant, Yvonne (Alicia Dhanifu) goes missing. One thing is clear, Evil is not a harmless prank caller, he’s a cold-blooded killer, who wants to see Blaze suffer. Time is running out, as Evil closes in, and Blaze is forced to deal with shocking revelations from her husband, Richard (Kip Niven), and her son, Derek (Grant Cramer). 

My Thought- Roz Kelly is a nice fit for Blaze. She brings the kind of cool superstar persona you’d expect for someone, who’s supposed to be the “First Lady Of Rock.” The flashy clothes and the big red hairdo really pulls everything together for Blaze, and Blaze is a bit of a diva.

Evil is a crafty, smart, and sadistic killer, recording the sounds of each murder for Blaze. He’s a dangerous chameleon, switching identities including, a priest, a sanitarium worker, or a suave ladies’ man, who drives a Mercedes. Evil is a merciless psychopath, driven by misogyny. 

Evil targets promiscuous women, but there’s one scene that really sticks out for me. Evil, dressed as a priest, steals a car with a young woman (Teri Copley) in the backseat at a drive-in. She offers him sex, telling Evil they could “get it on,” because she’s scared, and she’s hoping Evil will let her go, if they do. Evil ignores the request, pulls out his switchblade, and he chases the woman around, hoping to kill her. This scene provides one of the many examples that shows how much Evil truly hates women. He never has sex with any of his victims, because it’s not about that. He wants to punish women. And you’ll notice Evil has a disgusted reaction, when the young woman mentions sex.

The voice? Oh, boy. Evil uses a distorted voice for his phone calls with Blaze. His phone voice is really over the top and silly.”It’s EEEEEEEVILLLLLLL!” Or, “I’m going to commit MURDER at midnight!”  The first time I heard Evil introduce himself over the phone, I laughed, and it gets funnier throughout the movie, especially during scenes, where Evil is trying to convince Blaze that he means business. Why is the killer talking in THAT kind of voice, when he’s describing how he murders women? The phone call scenes should’ve had a more serious tone, but I couldn’t stop laughing. 

Richard is Evil! That’s right Richard is the killer. It’s a good surprise, considering how they set it up. Richard was supposed to be MIA. Blaze’s elated reaction for Richard’s arrival, followed by her confused and heartbroken disappointment for everything that he’s done works as a successful reveal.

Of course, Richard’s explanation for the killings involves more venomous misogyny. He resents all women, including Blaze for destroying his life. The final nail in the coffin? A paranoid Richard believes Blaze is ruining Derek, who already has a few loose screws, so Richard decided to put a stop to it. 

Is Blaze a workaholic, who neglects her husband and her son? Does she have an ego? Yeah, you could say that, but her heart is in the right place. And Richard is still a scumbag. Kip Niven is appropriately creepy and unhinged during his “ladies are not very nice people” rant. He whines about Blaze restricting his allowance and “castrating” him, and you’ll quickly realize Evil is just a bitter loser, who blames all of his setbacks in life on women.

The cliffhanger really didn’t do anything for me. It’s not surprising Evil jumped from the roof to commit suicide. He was a coward, who didn’t want to face any consequences. The ending reveals Derek secretly killed the ambulance driver. He drives off with an injured Blaze on a stretcher, as the countdown to the New Year in Hawaii begins.

Derek is clearly following in his father’s footsteps. There’s more than enough evidence that proves Derek is completely nuts. The guy wears pantyhose on his face, he’s clearly dealing with mental problems, and Derek also resents Blaze. There’s a lot of similarities for Richard and Derek’s relationship with Blaze. Notice how Richard and Derek are happy to see Blaze, when they arrive at the hotel. But Blaze sort of shuns both of them, Richard and Derek take it personally, and Derek is devastated, when he sees Richard’s body on the pavement. Hell, after all the madness, Derek is STILL angry with Blaze during the final moments of the movie.

Derek’s place in the story is a weird case. It’s obvious he’s not the killer, but Derek gets a good amount of screen time. Yes, I know he plays a big role in the cliffhanger during the ending. Still, there’s more than one scene featuring Derek being a weirdo and doing strange things, and nothing happens? The only reason I can think of for Derek’s appearances and all the teasing is, they were possibly setting things up for a sequel, where Derek becomes Evil’s successor.

New Year’s Evil has always been one of those mixed bag horror films for me. The kills are brutal enough, grisly images (e.g. Yvonne’s severed head in the elevator shaft), and Evil is an effective slasher villain. Meshing the feel of the 1980’s with a strong new wave rock vibe, including the music, gives New Year’s Evil a unique identity. And a few decent laughs for the comical grunginess from the punk rock kids and the biker gang.

Working the New Year’s Eve countdown into the story for a holiday horror film builds a decent amount of suspense. You know for sure this is a movie about New Year’s Eve, but my big problem with New Year’s Evil is, the movie just drags too much and it’s kind of dull. Evil using the elevator to torture Blaze? That’s all I can think of for a big moment here. Outside of that scene, nothing really jumps off the screen to grab your attention.

New Year’s Evil is a decent enough 80’s slasher and a holiday horror film. A lot of corny moments, and New Year’s Evil has the kind of cheesiness you’d expect from an obscure 80’s horror flick. I also wish Evil had more scenes with the mask he wore at the end, because it’s a good mask. 

Honestly, there’s only so much you can do with New Year’s Eve celebrations as a foundation. Sure, you can put a spin on New Year’s resolutions, the countdowns, partying, drinking, champagne, and that’s about it? Still, some strong bonus points for a good performance from Kip Niven, because Niven pulls out all the stops for Richard. And Roz Kelly really holds her own well in the leading role.

Rating- 5/10

New Year’s Evil (1980)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Diane Sullivan, known to her fans as Blaze (Roz Kelly), prepares to host Hollywood Hotline, a New Year’s Eve countdown celebration. But the bash is interrupted, when Blaze receives a series of disturbing phone calls from a stranger named Evil. Evil plans to kill a different woman at the end of each countdown to the New Year across different time zones throughout the US, saving Blaze for last.

Blaze is supported and protected by her manager, Ernie (Jed Mills), Lieutenant Clayton (Chris Wallace), and Sergeant Greene (Jon Greene). But Blaze suspects something is wrong, when her assistant, Yvonne (Alicia Dhanifu) goes missing. One thing is clear, Evil is not a harmless prank caller, he’s a cold-blooded killer, who wants to see Blaze suffer. Time is running out, as Evil closes in, and Blaze is forced to deal with shocking revelations from her husband, Richard (Kip Niven), and her son, Derek (Grant Cramer). 

My Thought- Roz Kelly is a nice fit for Blaze. She brings the kind of cool superstar persona you’d expect for someone, who’s supposed to be the “First Lady Of Rock.” The flashy clothes and the big red hairdo really pulls everything together for Blaze, and Blaze is a bit of a diva.

Evil is a crafty, smart, and sadistic killer, recording the sounds of each murder for Blaze. He’s a dangerous chameleon, switching identities including, a priest, a sanitarium worker, or a suave ladies’ man, who drives a Mercedes. Evil is a merciless psychopath, driven by misogyny. 

Evil targets promiscuous women, but there’s one scene that really sticks out for me. Evil, dressed as a priest, steals a car with a young woman (Teri Copley) in the backseat at a drive-in. She offers him sex, telling Evil they could “get it on,” because she’s scared, and she’s hoping Evil will let her go, if they do. Evil ignores the request, pulls out his switchblade, and he chases the woman around, hoping to kill her. This scene provides one of the many examples that shows how much Evil truly hates women. He never has sex with any of his victims, because it’s not about that. He wants to punish women. And you’ll notice Evil has a disgusted reaction, when the young woman mentions sex.

The voice? Oh, boy. Evil uses a distorted voice for his phone calls with Blaze. His phone voice is really over the top and silly.”It’s EEEEEEEVILLLLLLL!” Or, “I’m going to commit MURDER at midnight!”  The first time I heard Evil introduce himself over the phone, I laughed, and it gets funnier throughout the movie, especially during scenes, where Evil is trying to convince Blaze that he means business. Why is the killer talking in THAT kind of voice, when he’s describing how he murders women? The phone call scenes should’ve had a more serious tone, but I couldn’t stop laughing. 

Derek’s place in the story is a weird case. It’s obvious he’s not the killer, but Derek gets a good amount of screen time. Yes, I know he plays a big role in the cliffhanger during the ending. Still, there’s more than one scene featuring Derek being a weirdo and doing strange things, and nothing happens? The only reason I can think of for Derek’s appearances and all the teasing is, they were possibly setting things up for a sequel, where Derek becomes Evil’s successor.

New Year’s Evil has always been one of those mixed bag horror films for me. The kills are brutal enough, grisly images, and Evil is an effective slasher villain. Meshing the feel of the 1980’s with a strong new wave rock vibe, including the music, gives New Year’s Evil a unique identity. And a few decent laughs for the comical grunginess from the punk rock kids and the biker gang.

Working the New Year’s Eve countdown into the story for a holiday horror film builds a decent amount of suspense. You know for sure this is a movie about New Year’s Eve, but my big problem with New Year’s Evil is, the movie just drags too much and it’s kind of dull. Evil using the elevator to torture Blaze? That’s all I can think of for a big moment here. Outside of that scene, nothing really jumps off the screen to grab your attention.

New Year’s Evil is a decent enough 80’s slasher and a holiday horror film. A lot of corny moments, and New Year’s Evil has the kind of cheesiness you’d expect from an obscure 80’s horror flick. I also wish Evil had more scenes with the mask he wore at the end, because it’s a good mask. 

Honestly, there’s only so much you can do with New Year’s Eve celebrations as a foundation. Sure, you can put a spin on New Year’s resolutions, the countdowns, partying, drinking, champagne, and that’s about it? Still, some strong bonus points for a good performance from Kip Niven, because Niven pulls out all the stops for Richard. And Roz Kelly really holds her own well in the leading role.

Rating- 5/10

In A Violent Nature (2024)(Minor Spoilers)

 **This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- In Ontario, Canada, Troy (Liam Leone) takes a locket necklace hanging above Johnny’s (Ry Barrett) grave at an old abandoned fire tower. The necklace, a gift from Johnny’s father, belonged to his deceased mother. Removing the necklace, the only item capable of keeping Johnny’s soul at rest, resurrects Johnny.

Troy, his girlfriend, Kris (Andrea Pavlovic), their friends, Ehren (Sam Roulston), Aurora (Charlotte Creaghan), Brodie (Lea Rose Sebastianis), Evan (Alexander Oliver), and Colt (Cameron Love) are all enjoying a peaceful getaway at a cabin in the wilderness. Armed with dragging hooks, an axe, and wearing an old firefighter mask, Johnny attacks the group, determined to retrieve his mother’s locket, by any means necessary. 

My Thoughts- Johnny checks off just about every box that you could possibly think of for a slasher villain. He’s a vicious hulking brute with superhuman strength. Bullets? They only slow him down. 

You can take one look at Johnny before he starts his killing spree, and you’ll quickly notice he’s seemingly invincible. Johnny’s nightmarish appearance really pulls everything together, with the dirty clothes, the bullet holes on his body, and his rough hands. Johnny is a big guy, but he’s also smart. He’s a tactical killer, setting traps, or patiently waiting for the right moment to strike. 

But the monster has a tragic backstory. Johnny, living with a mental disorder, was targeted as a kid, collateral damage because his father, a shop owner, raised his prices. Bullets, traps, Johnny being outnumbered. None of it matters, because a mother’s love is the only thing that’s capable of stopping Johnny and bringing him any kind of peace. 

No jump scares, or surprises before the kills throughout the movie, because In A Violent Nature mostly plays out from Johnny’s perspective. You know he’s coming, and more often than not, you know what’s going to happen, when Johnny corners his victims. It’s a refreshing approach to largely show the movie from Johnny’s POV. 

Jump scares in horror movies are fine, when they’re limited, but In A Violent Nature flips things around. Early on you can see just how dangerous Johnny truly is, a killer, who won’t stop until he finds his locket. The protagonists are unaware of Johnny lurking in the background or in the shadows, and when he finally pops up, it’s too late. That’s still terrifying, knowing the killing machine is marching towards his targets, who have slim chances of survival, and you’re seeing everything unfold from his perspective.

Showing the vast majority of the movie from the killer’s perspective helps In A Violent Nature stand out from other slashers, but that doesn’t cancel out the fact that the movie still features some of the usual slasher tropes. And the characters are pretty thin without any real depth. 

Still, In A Violent Nature is a solid slasher, featuring bloody and gruesome gore and a high kill count. There’s one death scene that’s truly an all-timer. It’s BY FAR one of the nastiest and more extreme kills I’ve ever seen in any kind of horror film, and you’ll know it, when you see it. A few moments of humor in the early stages. Chuck (Timothy Paul McCarthy), his “#1 mother******” trucker cap, followed by Johnny mistaking his mother’s locket for Chuck’s locket. And the goofing around between the group at the campfire and teasing Ehren. 

Writer/director Chris Nash cleverly ties together a lot of plot points and events from Johnny’s past. The toy car is a big one. Remember, Johnny’s toy car injured a worker, sparking the incident that caused so much trouble. You’ll notice a red electric toy car outside of Chuck’s house, and Johnny plays with a red toy car on the keychain in the woods. The firefighter mask Johnny wears? It’s the same kind of mask that was used in a prank to scare him. Good irony for Johnny using something that was meant to hurt him, and turning it into his own symbol of fear and intimidation. 

There’s also no denying In Violent Nature is a beautifully shot film with an artsy feel to it. I can maybe understand someone getting bored watching Johnny constantly stomping through the woods, but there’s a strange irony for so many horrible murders happening in the quiet and peaceful wilderness. I’m also glad there’s no theme music throughout the movie, because In A Violent Nature still manages to be a tense film. The scene, where Kris is running from Johnny at night is one good example for the eerie silence and the sounds of nature working.

In A Violent Nature has an old school vibe to it. A slasher set in the woods, and college kids are being stalked by a masked killer?  I’m also a sucker for campfire tales (Ehren telling the story of The White Plains Slaughter) about the horrible past in a small community or a small town. It’s all there, but In A Violent Nature is still a modern film. Selfies, and a conversation about cancel culture, when the group is tiptoeing around saying the R-word to describe Johnny. 

After the first trailer, I knew what to expect from In A Violent Nature, so the slasher cliches didn’t bother me too much. With or without the decision to show a good eighty to ninety percent of the movie from Johnny’s POV, the cliches are still right in front of you. I guess my only complaint is Lauren-Marie Taylor’s conversation with Kris, and the iffy ending. I don’t have a problem with Taylor’s unique pep talk, but the placement of it just didn’t work for me.

I’m looking forward to the planned sequel, because I’m always ready for a new horror series, especially a slasher series. There’s still a lot of material to work with, including revisiting Johnny’s past. The Ranger (Reece Presley) told Kris and Colt The White Plains Slaughter story was “mostly true,” so it’s possible there’s more than one version of what actually happened. 

In A Violent Nature had a good amount of buzz for a low budget unrated slasher. Hopefully they’ll be able to keep the momentum going with the sequel. Is there a spot for Johnny as a popular slasher villain? Time will tell.

Rating- 7/10

In A Violent Nature (2024)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- In Ontario, Canada, Troy (Liam Leone) takes a locket necklace hanging above Johnny’s (Ry Barrett) grave at an old abandoned fire tower. The necklace, a gift from Johnny’s father, belonged to his deceased mother. Removing the necklace, the only item capable of keeping Johnny’s soul at rest, resurrects Johnny.

Troy, his girlfriend, Kris (Andrea Pavlovic), their friends, Ehren (Sam Roulston), Aurora (Charlotte Creaghan), Brodie (Lea Rose Sebastianis), Evan (Alexander Oliver), and Colt (Cameron Love) are all enjoying a peaceful getaway at a cabin in the wilderness. Armed with dragging hooks, an axe, and wearing an old firefighter mask, Johnny attacks the group, determined to retrieve his mother’s locket, by any means necessary. 

My Thoughts- Johnny checks off just about every box that you could possibly think of for a slasher villain. He’s a vicious hulking brute with superhuman strength. Bullets? They only slow him down. 

You can take one look at Johnny before he starts his killing spree, and you’ll quickly notice he’s seemingly invincible. Johnny’s nightmarish appearance really pulls everything together, with the dirty clothes, the bullet holes on his body, and his rough hands. Johnny is a big guy, but he’s also smart. He’s a tactical killer, setting traps, or patiently waiting for the right moment to strike. 

But the monster has a tragic backstory. Johnny, living with a mental disorder, was targeted as a kid, collateral damage because his father, a shop owner, raised his prices. Bullets, traps, Johnny being outnumbered. None of it matters, because a mother’s love is the only thing that’s capable of stopping Johnny and bringing him any kind of peace. 

No jump scares, or surprises before the kills throughout the movie, because In A Violent Nature mostly plays out from Johnny’s perspective. You know he’s coming, and more often than not, you know what’s going to happen, when Johnny corners his victims. It’s a refreshing approach to largely show the movie from Johnny’s POV. 

Jump scares in horror movies are fine, when they’re limited, but In A Violent Nature flips things around. Early on you can see just how dangerous Johnny truly is, a killer, who won’t stop until he finds his locket. The protagonists are unaware of Johnny lurking in the background or in the shadows, and when he finally pops up, it’s too late. That’s still terrifying, knowing the killing machine is marching towards his targets, who have slim chances of survival, and you’re seeing everything unfold from his perspective.

I have mixed feelings for how the ending played out. Kris is the sole survivor and the final girl, but the long conversation with The Woman (Lauren-Marie Taylor)? Why did they do this towards the end? 

It’s kind of puzzling, because the sequence with Kris getting lost in the woods at night and running around in circles builds up anticipation for something big. Maybe Johnny surprises her? Kris struggles to escape Johnny? Or maybe Kris finds a way to defeat Johnny? But In A Violent Nature ends with a long conversation during a car ride, The Woman patching up Kris’ bloody and injured leg, and a shot of the missing locket that Kris hung on the gas can? That’s it?

I’m not saying it’s a terrible ending. The Woman’s story about her brother surviving a bear attack after Kris told her she was attacked by an “animal” is loaded with similarities to the horrors Kris endured, including The Woman’s reasons for why animals kill. I just don’t understand the reasoning behind deciding to cool things down during the home stretch, after teasing a final showdown between Kris and Johnny. 

There’s also a tease for a sequel. Kris placed the locket on the gas can and ran away, but in the final shot of the movie, you’ll notice the locket is gone. It’s not confirmed if Johnny retrieved the locket, or if someone else took it.

Why did they show Johnny’s face? It’s a weird decision after a noticeable effort to hide Johnny’s face in every scene until the reveal happens. Showing what Johnny actually looks like should’ve been a big moment. Instead, he just takes his mask off, he plays with a toy car, and then Johnny nonchalantly puts his mask back on like nothing happened.

Showing the vast majority of the movie from the killer’s perspective helps In A Violent Nature stand out from other slashers, but that doesn’t cancel out the fact that the movie still features some of the usual slasher tropes. And the characters are pretty thin without any real depth. 

Still, In A Violent Nature is a solid slasher, featuring bloody and gruesome gore and a high kill count. Aurora’s death is BY FAR one of the nastiest and more extreme kills I’ve ever seen in any kind of horror film. A few moments of humor in the early stages. Chuck (Timothy Paul McCarthy), his “#1 mother******” trucker cap, followed by Johnny mistaking his mother’s locket for Chuck’s locket. And the goofing around between the group at the campfire and teasing Ehren. 

Writer/director Chris Nash cleverly ties together a lot of plot points and events from Johnny’s past. The toy car is a big one. Remember, Johnny’s toy car injured a worker, sparking the incident that caused so much trouble. You’ll notice a red electric toy car outside of Chuck’s house, and Johnny plays with a red toy car on the keychain in the woods. The firefighter mask Johnny wears? It’s the same kind of mask that was used in a prank to scare him. Good irony for Johnny using something that was meant to hurt him, and turning it into his own symbol of fear and intimidation. 

There’s also no denying In Violent Nature is a beautifully shot film with an artsy feel to it. I can maybe understand someone getting bored watching Johnny constantly stomping through the woods, but there’s a strange irony for so many horrible murders happening in the quiet and peaceful wilderness. I’m also glad there’s no theme music throughout the movie, because In A Violent Nature still manages to be a tense film. The scene, where Kris is running from Johnny at night is one good example for the eerie silence and the sounds of nature working.

In A Violent Nature has an old school vibe to it. A slasher set in the woods, and college kids are being stalked by a masked killer?  I’m also a sucker for campfire tales (Ehren telling the story of The White Plains Slaughter) about the horrible past in a small community or a small town. It’s all there, but In A Violent Nature is still a modern film. Selfies, and a conversation about cancel culture, when the group is tiptoeing around saying the R-word to describe Johnny. 

After the first trailer, I knew what to expect from In A Violent Nature, so the slasher cliches didn’t bother me too much. With or without the decision to show a good eighty to ninety percent of the movie from Johnny’s POV, the cliches are still right in front of you. I guess my only complaint is Lauren-Marie Taylor’s conversation with Kris, and the iffy ending. I don’t have a problem with Taylor’s unique pep talk, but the placement of it just didn’t work for me. 

I’m looking forward to the planned sequel, because I’m always ready for a new horror series, especially a slasher series. There’s still a lot of material to work with, including revisiting Johnny’s past. The Ranger (Reece Presley) told Kris and Colt The White Plains Slaughter story was “mostly true,” so it’s possible there’s more than one version of what actually happened. 

In A Violent Nature had a good amount of buzz for a low budget unrated slasher. Hopefully they’ll be able to keep the momentum going with the sequel. Is there a spot for Johnny as a popular slasher villain? Time will tell.

Rating- 7/10

Character Spotlight- Megan Garris- Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

**This post contains spoilers**

Jason Voorhees is back from the dead! Jason kills Tommy Jarvis’ (Thom Mathews) friend, Allen Hawes (Ron Palillo). Determined to protect the peace in the quiet town of Forest Green, Sheriff Mike Garris (David Kagen) and his trusted Deputy, Rick (Vincent Guastaferro) dismiss Tommy’s pleas for help to stop a resurrected Jason, as ramblings from a delusional nutcase. Sheriff Garris forces Tommy to leave Forest Green, and when that doesn’t work, Sheriff Garris locks him inside a holding cell. Tommy needs an ally to stop Jason, and there’s only one person, who’s willing to help: Sheriff Garris’ daughter, Megan (Jennifer Cooke)!

If you’re going to take the dangerous risk of confronting Jason, you need someone fearless and bold, and Megan might be a little bit crazy. Think about how Tommy sternly warned Megan to stay away from the campsite before the final showdown with Jason. She didn’t flinch at all. Sheriff Garris’ stern warnings and demands to stay away from Tommy? Not enough to stop her. 

The high-speed car chase was the first sign of loyalty from Megan, and let’s not forget Tommy would’ve been stuck in the holding cell, if Megan didn’t grab Deputy Rick’s gun. Megan was dedicated to helping Tommy, and the fact that she noticeably has a crush on him also helps. 

Megan is bratty, but in a playful way, and she has a sharp sense of humor. Megan’s cool, and it’s not just the orange ‘77 Camaro that she drives. Jennifer Cooke brings natural charisma and a magnetic presence to Megan. The scene, where Megan holds Deputy Rick at gunpoint with his new mail order laser scope is one of my favorites. Rick tells her she shouldn’t clown around. Megan’s response? “I’m not the one with the funny red nose.”

A true daredevil, and she can be reckless, but Megan also has a big heart. She showed compassion for Tommy, when no one else wanted to. Megan cares about her friends, Cort (Tom Fridely), Sissy (Renee Jones), Paula (Kerry Noonan), and she protected the kids at the campsite. 

Big contributions from Megan. She saved Tommy’s life, and with some help from the propellers on the boat’s motor and Tommy’s trap, Megan put a stop to another one of Jason’s killing sprees. 

Tommy and Megan are both unhinged in their own ways. Together, they’re the kind of duo you need to fight Jason Voorhees, and there’s no denying Megan Garris is a memorable Friday The 13th character. Megan, the dynamo blonde, with a fierce appetite for danger and adventure, powered by Jennifer Cooke’s enjoyable and electric performance. A camp counselor, the Sheriff’s daughter, Tommy Jarvis’ love interest, and she battled Jason Voorhees? That’s one hell of a résumé for a horror heroine! 

Coming Attractions- In A Violent Nature (2024)

 

Director- Chris Nash

Cast- Lauren-Marie Taylor, Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Reece Presley, Liam Leone, Charlotte Creaghan, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Sam Roulston, Alexander Oliver, Timothy Paul McCarthy

Release Date- May 31, 2024

A story that’s told from the killer’s perspective is a refreshing approach, and the trailer for In A Violent nature definitely gives off a lot of old school slasher vibes. The similarities to Friday The 13th are undeniable. It’s also good to know Lauren-Marie Taylor, who played Vickie in Friday The 13th Part 2, has a role in the movie.

In A Violent Nature seemingly has all the right ingredients for a promising slasher. A fearsome villain, an isolated setting far away from civilization, and the trailer drops just enough hints and clues, without completely spoiling any major plot points. There’s a lot of positive buzz for In A Violent Nature. I’ll always root for the success of a new slasher, so this one is high up my list of priorities for horror movies.

Coming Attractions- MaXXXine (2024)

 

Director- Ti West

Cast- Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Lily Collins, Halsey, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon, Bobby Cannavale

Release Date- July 5, 2024

While X was a solid slasher throwback, Pearl truly took everything to another level. Mia Goth’s performance was phenomenal in Pearl. Unhinged, disturbing, and delusional, Goth nailed every layer of that character. And they’re clearly sticking with the storyline for the obsession to achieve stardom by any means necessary.

AHS 1984 is the last time I remember seeing The Night Stalker/Richard Ramirez playing a role in a movie or TV show, but I’m banking on a swerve for MaXXXine. They never say his real name, and Ramirez doesn’t make an appearance in the trailer. Is it possible that Maxine is The Night Stalker? She is determined to be a star, so murdering the competition is a possibility.

I’m interested to see how things play out after the audition scene. The disastrous fallout with Pearl not being to handle rejection was one of the bigger highlights in Pearl, and a major turning point in the movie. I’m a sucker for 80’s vibes and 80’s nostalgia. The 80’s setting fits perfectly with the boom period for slasher films, and I’m curious to see how Bates Motel and any possible Psycho references are related to the story. The cast looks great, so hopefully MaXXXine delivers for Ti West’s unconventional trilogy.

My Bloody Valentine (2009)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- A tragic mining accident disrupts the quiet town of Harmony, when Tom Hanniger (Jensen Ackles) forgets to bleed the lines, causing a deadly cave-in. Tom escapes, but Harry Warden (Richard John Walters) murders the other miners.

A year passes, and Warden suddenly awakes from a coma to continue his killing spree. Tom, his girlfriend, Sarah (Jaime King), and Axel (Kerr Smith), and his girlfriend, Irene ( Betsy Rue) have plans to enjoy Harmony’s mining party. But Harry shows up to butcher anyone who crosses his path. Axel, Irene, and Sarah escape. Tom survives Harry’s attack, with help from Sheriff Burke (Tom Atkins), who wounds Harry with a series of gunshots. An injured Harry disappears, and Tom decides to leave Harmony.

Ten years later, Tom returns to Harmony to sell the Hanniger Mining Company. Tom is prepared to cash out. His decision upsets Sarah and the mine’s supervisor, Ben Foley (Kevin Tighe), because the Hanniger Mining Company is Harmony’s lifeline. Axel is Harmony’s new sheriff. To make matters worse for Tom, Axel is now married to Sarah, and they have a son named Noah. 

Tom struggles to navigate his emotional roller coaster, because he still has feelings for Sarah, but a bigger problem causes more trouble. Harmony’s dark past resurfaces, as Tom, Sarah, Axel, Deputy Martin (Edi Gathegi), Ben, and a retired Sheriff Burke are forced to deal with the possibility of Harry Warden returning to finish what he started.

My Thoughts- There’s a good amount of noticeable differences between the remake and the original. In the original, T.J. was a young man who left home. He went out into the world to try and find himself and make it on his own, but things didn’t work out, so he returned home to work in the mines. T.J. put a lot of effort into humbling himself. Tom? Well, early on you get the impression he really is the selfish and whiny spoiled brat that everyone else makes him out to be. He’s the pariah of Harmony, and unlike T.J., Tom actually has a direct connection to Harry Warden.

As the story progresses, Tom changes his mind. He doesn’t want to sell the mine, but are his intentions truly genuine? It’s blatantly obvious Tom hoping he still has a chance to steal Sarah away from Axel is one of the main reasons why he wants to stay in Harmony. The love triangle is far more tense and serious in the remake. Ackles and Smith did a great job of making the rivalry between Tom and Axel feel real. You can tell both men hate each other, while Sarah is stuck in the middle.

Kerr Smith is the true spark in the cast. Smith absolutely nails the different faces of Axel. Axel is hot-headed, a jerk, and a cocky tough guy, with a smart mouth. He’s also having an affair with Sarah’s employee, Megan (Megan Boone), and to throw in another disastrous twist, Megan is pregnant with Axel’s child. Axel is a mess, but you can also see he doesn’t want to lose his family. And he cares about protecting the peace in Harmony.

If you’re a fan of 80’s horror, there’s a good chance you know about Tom Atkins. Atkins’ presence in a horror slasher provides some good nostalgia. The grizzled old sheriff is a perfect fit for him. Atkins shows he’s still got some fire left in him during the bar fight scene, when shouts out “EVERYBODY STAND DOWN GOD D****!!” to diffuse the tension. Truly a classic Tom Atkins moment.

Harry Warden/The Miner is still a dangerous and menacing villain in the remake. The remake features a handful of creative and brutal death scenes. Selene’s (Selene Luna) death is a good example of just how callous The Miner is, when he jams the pickaxe through her head and slams her body into the ceiling lights. There’s also a callback to Mabel’s death scene in the original with Axel and Sarah’s maid. The Miner stuffs Rosa (Joy de la Paz) in the dryer, and the shot is set up to mirror what happened in the original, when you see Rosa’s charred corpse. That’s exactly what happened to Mabel.

Revealing Tom as The Miner wasn’t a big shocker. In the 1981 film, they hold off revealing the fact that Harry is dead until the final moments. In the remake, Axel reveals Burke and Ben killed Harry in act of “vigilante justice” ten years ago, and they buried his body in the woods. The possibility of Harry returning for revenge is squashed a lot sooner this time around. Honestly, it’s for the best, because unless they planned on going the supernatural route, there’s no point in teasing Harry still being alive. A coma? A cave-in? Gunshot wounds? A mortal man can only survive so much.

They tried to throw a curveball with the possibility of Axel as the killer. Megan’s death could’ve easily raised a red flag. He wanted to kill Megan, because he didn’t want Sarah to know about the affair and his illegitimate child. Tom was hoping that would be enough to pin the murders on Axel.

Tom? If you pay close attention, too many sensible clues killed any chances for his innocence. It’s revealed Tom hallucinated Harry’s appearances throughout the movie. IF Harry was actually alive, then the scene where Tom is “trapped” inside the cage in the mines doesn’t make any sense. Harry locks Tom in a cage, while he murders another miner named Red. Harry kills him, runs off, and he leaves Tom in a safe place unharmed? Harry Warden is a cold blooded killer. During, the opening of the movie, you can tell Harry clearly hated Tom, so why would he spare his life?

I’ve always had mixed feelings for the explanation and the reasons behind Tom’s transformation into The Miner, because it could go both ways. So we learn Tom was in a mental institution for seven years, and they show him taking medication at the motel. We’re lead to believe Tom has a personality disorder, but the flashbacks tell a different story. When they show the flashbacks with Tom carrying out the murders, it’s possible to believe he was possessed by Harry Warden. 

To take it a step further, Tom starts talking in Harry’s voice during the big standoff with Axel and Sarah towards the end. When Axel is revealed as the killer in the 1981 film, it’s undeniably clear he completely lost his mind. The idea of Harry’s evil spirit controlling Tom works, but there’s also the possibility that Tom just finally snapped. His mental health deteriorated, his father is dead, the whole town hates him, and Sarah, the one person he truly loves, moved on with her life. Tom had a lot of heavy burdens to carry, and holding on to all that rage finally got the best of him. 

My Bloody Valentine 2009 is a 3D film, but it wasn’t necessary. The 3D side is just way too gimmicky. The lingering scenes with The Miner pointing the pickaxe at the screen loses the wow factor quickly. The remake could’ve stood on its own without 3D. The 3D disrupts the flow of the movie, because if you’re not wearing a pair of 3D glasses, there’s almost no point in watching certain scenes. 

The remake tries to be a raunchier film at times. No nudity or sex scenes in the original. The 1981 film is more modest, but the 2009 version has one over the top sex scene. Irene is completely naked, when she confronts Frank (Todd Farmer), and well, she’s still nude when she’s trying to hide from and fight off The Miner. There’s a sleazy motel in Harmony, and let’s not forget Axel is supposed to set the standard for morals, but he’s having an affair.

My Bloody Valentine 2009 is a solid remake, that manages to pay homage to the original, while maintaining its own identity. The remake works as a more modernized version of the original, and as a throwback to 80’s slashers. There’s more comedy and tongue in cheek scenes, including the kills, but the original had a more consistent serious tone.They don’t hold back on all the brutal violence and bloody gore. Keeping the bloody hearts in heart shaped candy boxes and the dark humor Valentine’s Day cards helps push the idea of a sinister side to the holiday.

There’s a cliffhanger with Tom secretly escaping, and a planned sequel was cancelled, but I’m glad it never happened. Sure, you can go the route of Tom returning to go after Axel and Sarah, but there’s no point. They exhausted almost every avenue for Tom, Axel, and Sarah here. Anything else would’ve been overkill, so the remake was better off as a one and done deal.

Rating- 6/10

Valentine (2001)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- During the school dance, Jeremy Melton is rejected by Paige, Lily, and Shelley, when he asks for a dance. Kate tells Jeremy there’s a chance she might dance with him later, but Jeremy finds himself in trouble, while he kisses Dorothy under the bleachers. Dorothy lies and tells the school bullies Jeremy forced himself on her. Jeremy is humiliated and beaten by the group of bullies. After the sexual assault allegations from Dorothy, Jeremy is sent to a reform school and he spends time in juvenile hall.

Thirteen years later during Valentine’s Day season, Paige (Denise Richards), Lily (Jessica Cauffiel), Shelley (Katherine Heigl), Dorothy (Jessica Capshaw), and Kate (Marley Shelton) are all taunted and stalked by a mysterious masked killer. Kate looks for comfort in her ex boyfriend, Adam (David Boreanaz), but almost every male surrounding the group is a suspect. Has Jeremy Melton returned for revenge?

My Thoughts- Looking at the entire cast, Denise Richards and Marley Shelton easily deliver the top two noteworthy performances. Paige is a narcissistic and shallow mean girl with an ego. Richards brings a good amount of enthusiasm and energy to the character, and she definitely has a presence as Paige. Kate is presented as the only humble and earnest person in the group. You could’ve put a halo over Kate’s head throughout the movie, because Shelton is truly convincing as Kate. Everyone else does a job of playing their roles, but that’s about it.

The killer hits all the right notes for a slasher movie villain. Dressed in all black, he’s cold, ruthless, and relentless during the pursuit of his victims. I have mixed feelings on the Cupid mask. I kind of think it looks ridiculous, but once you know the story, you could say it makes perfect sense. The mask fits with the Valentine’s Day theme. It’s ironic that a cold blooded murderer would wear that kind of mask, and if you pay close attention to the opening flashback, there’s a kid wearing the same mask at the school dance.

Valentine features some creative and brutal kills. The killer using a hot iron to burn and beat Kate’s perverted neighbor, Gary (Claude Duhamel) is a savage scene to witness. There’s also the scene where the killer uses broken glass to kill Ruthie (Hedy Burress), and Lily’s death scene has a comedic ending. The killer uses arrows, and as Lilly falls off the balcony, she lands inside a garbage bin and the lid closes shut. 

Paige’s death scene easily takes the top spot. The killer uses the cover on a hot tub to trap her inside, but it doesn’t end there. He brings out a power drill to further torment and injure Paige. Paige is electrocuted to death, when the killer drops the power drill into the hot tub, and it’s a grisly image to see Paige’s body floating in a pool of her own blood. 

Revealing Adam/Jeremy as the killer was a good swerve that was executed to perfection. They did a good job of playing a believable guessing game throughout the movie. Valentine is packed with sordid male characters, including Detective Vaughn and Lily’s pretentious boyfriend, Max (Johnny Whitworth). Adam was portrayed as a messy alcoholic, especially towards the end. The only consistent clue they’ll give you is the killer’s nose bleeds, because Jeremy had a problem with nose bleeds as a kid. Using the nose bleeds as a hint, you at least know or have a good idea that an adult Jeremy is the killer. Paige and the others didn’t believe the pitiful geek Jeremy was capable of changing his name, his appearance, and launching an airtight murder plot to pick them all off one by one.

The final curveball with Dorothy? I genuinely believed she was the killer. Before Adam shoots her to death, Dorothy revealed she was bitter about always being the outcast in the group, or in her own words “the fat one.” The jealousy and anger she was holding on to for all those years finally got to her, and she snapped. Another important tidbit is Ruthie’s death. You could believe Dorothy wanted to kill Ruthie, because she exposed her new boyfriend, Campbell (Daniel Cosgrove), a man who’s a pathological liar and a con artist. Ruthie was Campbell’s ex girlfriend, so Dorothy viewed her as another person who wanted to ruin her last bit of hope for happiness.

Dorothy would’ve been a logical choice for the killer, but Adam still works. The ironic trickery during Adam’s explanation to Kate for why Dorothy allegedly did it was unreal. Adam is consoling Kate, and going on about how Dorothy had a deadly mix of anger and loneliness. Adam was basically telling Kate why he killed her friends, without actually confessing to the murders himself. The blood from the nosebleed running down Kate’s cheek, confirming Adam was the killer, definitely provided a good shocking moment to end the movie.

I’m always a big fan of fine details, and something to pay close attention to is the order in which Adam kills everyone. Adam kills everyone in the exact chronological order for the rejections he received at the dance, saving Dorothy for last and pinning all the murders on her. Remember how Paige told Adam she would rather die by being boiled alive, when he asked her to dance with him? That’s basically how she dies, electrocuted to death in a hot tub. 

Gary’s death is a big clue that points to Adam as the suspect. Looking at the big picture, Gary didn’t fit with the rest of the killings. But he was harassing Kate and stealing her underwear, so whoever killed Gary obviously did it to protect Kate. Adam always made it clear he never stopped loving Kate. She was the only one in the group who was nice to him, and going by his own twisted logic, he would do anything to protect her. 

Valentine is a solid holiday horror film, that also works as a fantastic homage to 80’s slashers. They cleverly put a horror spin on familiar Valentine’s Day traditions. A box of candies with maggots, and the cheesy dark humor with Adam’s Valentine’s Day cards (“roses are red, violets are blue- they’ll need dental records to identify you”) worked as good sinister tie-ins for the movie. 

There’s also a few good comedic bits for some breathing room from all blood shed. Shelley has a disastrous date with a guy named Jason (Adam J. Harrington). Jason is a self absorbed tool, who makes a habit of constantly reminding Shelley of his first name. There’s a hilarious moment, where Shelley scribbles the words “help me” on her plate, as Jason keeps rambling on about his requirements, because she couldn’t wait to get away from him.

Going forward, I’ll be adding Valentine to my list for holiday horror films. I didn’t expect much from Valentine. I was pleasantly surprised, and the double twist at the end was superb. Valentine has a familiar horror slasher story, but it still manages to have its own identity, with a sharp screenplay and good twists and turns.

Rating- 6/10

My Bloody Valentine (1981)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- In the 1960s, miner Harry Warden (Peter Cowper) starts a brutal killing spree one year after a cave-in. As the sole survivor, an insane Warden murders the residents of Valentine Bluffs on Valentine’s Day during the town’s annual dance, leaving a permanent scar on the quiet town.

Years later, T.J. Hanniger (Paul Kelman) returns to Valentine Bluffs to work at the Hanniger Mining Company. T.J. still has feelings for his ex girlfriend, Sarah Mercer (Lori Hallier), but Sarah’s relationship with T.J.’s fellow miner, Axel Palmer (Neil Affleck) complicates things.

T.J. and the others have a bigger problem, when dead bodies start popping up. The possibility of Harry Warden returning to Valentines Bluff concerns T.J.’s father, Mayor Hanniger (Larry Reynolds) and Chief Newby (Don Francks).

The Valentine’s Day dance is cancelled, but T.J., Axel, Sarah, Patty (Cynthia Dale), Hollis (Keith Night), and others decide to secretly have a Valentine’s Day celebration for fun. But things take a dark turn, when a miner kills them off one by one. Has Harry Warden returned to Valentines Bluff to pursue his revenge on the town?

My Thoughts- Harry Warden/The Miner ranks high up on my list of memorable slasher movie villains. The Miner is undeniably vicious and genuinely intimidating. He’s a madman wielding a pickaxe, with a relentless thirst for violence. There’s just something genuinely disturbing about The Miner and Warden. The flashback showing Warden eating body parts to survive after the cave-in really shows how Harry completely lost it.

The miner suit and mask adds to his strong presence, and I can’t forget about the fine details for his character. The quick movements, and when you hear the heavy breathing, you know serious trouble is coming. Warden/The Miner only appears in two films, if we’re counting the remake, but the character does more than enough to leave a lasting impression.

You almost can’t have an 80’s slasher without a grizzly old kook warning the youngsters about a dangerous killer, and Happy (Jack Van Evera) fills that spot. Van Evera does his job as the harbinger of doom. He’s there to let you know that Harry Warden is a serious threat, it’s not a joke, and anyone in town could be his next victim. Using the old timer telling a ghost story approach, Happy narrates the flashback for Harry’s story to play up his dark legend. It’s a good spooky flashback. Happy hooks you into believing Harry might actually return one day, if the town holds another Valentine’s Day dance. 

It’s a Valentine’s Day horror film, so of course you’ll get the expected grisly tie-ins for the usual traditions. Bloody hearts in the candy boxes, grim Valentine’s Day cards with ominous warnings, and The Miner turning the heart decorations upside down at the laundromat was a nice touch. My Bloody Valentine does a wonderful job of setting a dark and eerie mood throughout the movie, by taking a festive day that’s supposed to be about love and happiness and completely turning it upside down. 

The gore and kills in My Bloody Valentine are truly brutal. Poor Mabel (Patricia Hamilton) suffering the fate of being cooked alive in a dryer at the laundromat showed how cruel The Miner could be, and the sight of her dried out and burnt corpse is horrifying to look at. Sylvia’s (Helene Udy) death is a nasty moment to remember. The Miner takes her head and shoves it through a faucet. To make things more wicked, he turns on the faucet after she’s dead.

The tense love triangle between Axel, T.J., and Sarah fits perfectly within the story. T.J. left, and Axel was there to be with Sarah. You can tell T.J. is bitter, and although T.J. gets too pushy and persistent, you can see Sarah still has feelings for him.

Revealing Axel as The Miner was a good surprise. Throughout the movie, they played a good guessing game for the possibility of Harry Warden returning for his revenge. But it turns out Warden’s been dead for five years, and Axel actually does have a direct connection to him. Axel’s father was one of the supervisors who was responsible for the cave-in. Innocent men died because of his carelessness, and Harry turned into a monster. As a child, Axel witnessed Harry murder his father.

Axel clearly never got over the trauma, but I’ve always wondered what made him finally snap so many years later. Was it the fear of losing Sarah to T.J.? Or was it the return of the Valentine’s Day dance after twenty years, an event that’s connected to the worst night of his life? A combination of both? It’s clear Axel is not well, and you really see it during the ending. 

After he cuts off part of his own arm to escape, Axel starts rambling on about how he’s going to return with Harry. The maniacal laughter, and Axel professing his love for Sarah, as he runs off into the darkness is a perfect ending. It’s a chilling final series of events. Axel is either going to bleed out, or he’s going to pick up the pickaxe again. He’s clearly crazy enough to try another killing spree.

My Bloody Valentine is a gruesome and brutal slasher film, that definitely deserves its cult classic status. The opening scene featuring a masked miner (presumably Harry) killing the blonde woman immediately lets you know you’re about to see a movie that’s not going to hold anything back. Horror films featuring a premise about a small and quiet town with a dark past are some of my absolute favorites. Mayor Hanniger and Chief Newby are struggling to keep everything secret about Harry’s possible return, because his shadow disrupts the peace in Valentine Bluffs.

My Bloody Valentine is truly a memorable holiday horror film, and it’s a must-see pick, if you’re a fan of 80’s slashers. The uncut version is far more graphic, and it’s worth checking out, if My Bloody Valentine is one of your favorites.

Rating- 8/10

The House On Soroity Row (1983)(Minor Spoilers)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers**


The Story: After graduation, seven sorority sisters come together for a farewell graduation party. Katey (Kathryn McNeil), Vicki (Eileen Davidson), Liz (Janis Zido), Diane (Harley Kozak), Morgan (Jodi Draigie), Stevie (Ellen Dorsher), and Jeanie (Robin Meloy) share an unquestionable bond as sorority sisters, but one irreversible incident will test the limits of loyalty and trust within their group.

Mrs. Slater (Lois Kelso Hunt) is the strict, no-nonsense housemother, and she won’t tolerate any foolishness. Mrs. Slater runs the sorority house with an iron fist, and Vicki reaches a boiling point, when Mrs. Slater use her cane to destroy her waterbed, ruining Vicki’s night with her boyfriend, Rick (Michael Sergio). Vicki comes up with an idea for a prank with a gun to scare Mrs. Slater, with plans to lure Mrs. Slater to the pool, forcing her to retrieve her cane at gunpoint. Surrounded by the sisters, Mrs. Slater reluctantly goes into the dirty pool to grab her cane with Vicki holding the gun. Mrs. Slater grabs her cane, and she decides to fight back, but the gun accidentally goes off during the struggle.

Mrs. Slater is presumably dead, sparking a panic amongst the group. After a heated debate, the sisters agree to hide Mrs. Slater’s body in the pool for the time being, and after the party, they’ll deal with the messy dilemma. During the party, the sisters do their best to hide any signs of foul play, but everything changes, when the group returns to the pool for a startling discovery: Mrs. Slater’s body is gone.

The scramble to find Mrs. Slater’s body begins, but the sisters have another problem on their hands, when an unknown killer, using Mrs. Slater’s cane as a weapon, targets the group. Vicki is dead set on finding and burying Slater’s body, but Katey is looking for answers after she calls the number on Mrs. Slater’s medical ID bracelet. Dr. Beck (Christopher Lawrence) has the answers to the questions in Mrs. Slater’s mysterious past, but the killer is closing in. Has Mrs. Slater returned from the dead? Or, is someone else determined to kill the sisters one by one for revenge?

Review: Lois Kelso Hunt brings the essential demeanor of a cold and nasty authoritarian to Mrs. Slater, and the creepy cane is a great accessory for her character. Mrs. Slater is a hard woman, but she has a few vulnerable moments here, and it’s almost impossible to not feel any sympathy for her, when the prank takes a wrong turn. Eileen Davidson’s performance as the cocky and arrogant brat, who’s fed up with Mrs. Slater and her rules is spot on. Vicki is truly the perfect adversary for Mrs. Slater, with the “you can’t tell me what to do!” attitude, the bossy and condescending persona, and she’s someone, who’s not afraid to break all the rules.

While everyone else is panicking, losing their minds, or following Vicki’s lead, Katey is the only one, who has the guts to stand up to Vicki. She’s not afraid to question everything, bringing morals into the group’s conundrum, and you get the feeling she’s more concerned with doing the right thing, while Vicki pushes the rest of the group to save their own asses. Kathryn McNeil is undeniably innocent and kind as Katey, and Katey proves she’s a fighter, who won’t quit, when she comes face to face with the killer towards the end.

You’ll see a good amount of horror tropes (people fall down, while running, splitting up, making stupid decisions, etc.), and predicting the final girl is pretty easy. But if you’re a die hard horror fan and you love slashers, The House On Sorority Row is a real treat. The slow burn approach to storytelling really works, when you consider the hysteria amongst the group, because they have no idea what’s going on, or who’s trying to kill them.

The House On Sorority is a “just right” horror film, because nothing is too extreme or over the top here. The nudity is kept to a minimum, and you’ll see a fair amount of blood and grisly images, but The House On Sorority Row is not a gore fest or a bloodbath horror film. And I can’t forget about the nostalgic black and white intro, featuring Mrs. Slater giving birth. Ranking and placing 80’s slashers in the upper echelon is a tricky task, because it’s a crowded pack, but The House On Sorority Row deserves its status as a cult classic, and there’s no denying it.  

Rating: 8/10

The House On Sorority Row (1983)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story: After graduation, seven sorority sisters come together for a farewell graduation party. Katey (Kathryn McNeil), Vicki (Eileen Davidson), Liz (Janis Zido), Diane (Harley Kozak), Morgan (Jodi Draigie), Stevie (Ellen Dorsher), and Jeanie (Robin Meloy) share an unquestionable bond as sorority sisters, but one irreversible incident will test the limits of loyalty and trust within their group.

Mrs. Slater (Lois Kelso Hunt) is the strict, no-nonsense housemother, and she won’t tolerate any foolishness. Mrs. Slater runs the sorority house with an iron fist, and Vicki reaches a boiling point, when Mrs. Slater use her cane to destroy her waterbed, ruining Vicki’s night with her boyfriend, Rick (Michael Sergio). Vicki comes up with an idea for a prank with a gun to scare Mrs. Slater, with plans to lure Mrs. Slater to the pool, forcing her to retrieve her cane at gunpoint. Surrounded by the sisters, Mrs. Slater reluctantly goes into the dirty pool to grab her cane with Vicki holding the gun. Mrs. Slater grabs her cane, and she decides to fight back, but the gun accidentally goes off during the struggle.

Mrs. Slater is presumably dead, sparking a panic amongst the group. After a heated debate, the sisters agree to hide Mrs. Slater’s body in the pool for the time being, and after the party, they’ll deal with the messy dilemma. During the party, the sisters do their best to hide any signs of foul play, but everything changes, when the group returns to the pool for a startling discovery: Mrs. Slater’s body is gone.

The scramble to find Mrs. Slater’s body begins, but the sisters have another problem on their hands, when an unknown killer, using Mrs. Slater’s cane as a weapon, targets the group. Vicki is dead set on finding and burying Slater’s body, but Katey is looking for answers after she calls the number on Mrs. Slater’s medical ID bracelet. Dr. Beck (Christopher Lawrence) has the answers to the questions in Mrs. Slater’s mysterious past, but the killer is closing in. Has Mrs. Slater returned from the dead? Or, is someone else determined to kill the sisters one by one for revenge?

Review: Lois Kelso Hunt brings the essential demeanor of a cold and nasty authoritarian to Mrs. Slater, and the creepy cane is a great accessory for her character. Mrs. Slater is a hard woman, but she has a few vulnerable moments here, and it’s almost impossible to not feel any sympathy for her, when the prank takes a wrong turn. Eileen Davidson’s performance as the cocky and arrogant brat, who’s fed up with Mrs. Slater and her rules is spot on. Vicki is truly the perfect adversary for Mrs. Slater, with the “you can’t tell me what to do!” attitude, the bossy and condescending persona, and she’s someone, who’s not afraid to break all the rules.

While everyone else is panicking, losing their minds, or following Vicki’s lead, Katey is the only one, who has the guts to stand up to Vicki. She’s not afraid to question everything, bringing morals into the group’s conundrum, and you get the feeling she’s more concerned with doing the right thing, while Vicki pushes the rest of the group to save their own asses. Kathryn McNeil is undeniably innocent and kind as Katey, and Katey proves she’s a fighter, who won’t quit, when she comes face to face with the killer towards the end.

So after a while you start to realize Mrs. Slater is not the killer. She’s not a zombie, and she didn’t crawl out of the pool to seek revenge on the group. So who’s the killer? Well, it turns out Mrs. Slater had a son named Eric years ago as a result of Dr. Beck’s illegal experiment. Eric was hidden by Mrs. Slater, living in the attic, where he witnessed the murder.

Dr. Beck will do anything to keep his work a secret, so he injects Katey with a sedative. Dr. Beck plans to use Katey as bait to capture Eric, but his plan backfires, when Beck accidentally shoots Peter (Katey’s date) with his tranquilizer gun. Eric eventually shows up, and he turns the tables on Beck. Eric murders Beck, but Katey manages to get the best of Eric during her last stand. Eric is presumably dead, while an exhausted Katey is lying on the floor, but Eric’s eyes open at the last second for an “it’s not over yet” cliffhanger.

Charles Serio’s Eric fits the bill for a menacing threat. The disfigured face, the stringy long hair, and the dark, shadowy shot of Eric raising his mother’s cane in the air before he murders Vicki is excellent. Katey making it to the end as the final girl is no real surprise, and you know it’s only a matter of time before she makes her miraculous comeback. Still, The House On Sorority Row delivers an entertaining finale. Questions are answered to fill in any holes (i.e. Mrs. Slater closing the house before Eric’s birthday) during the home stretch, and Katey’s hallucinations after Dr. Beck injects her with the sedative are really freaky and eerie. Eric (wearing a jester costume) jumping out of the corner is a nice surprise, and the attic is the ideal setting for Eric’s lair. Littered with toys, and other gifts from Mrs. Slater, the attic is dank and spooky, and you know it’s the last place you want to be, if you’re trying to fight a killer.

You’ll see a good amount of horror tropes (people fall down, while running, splitting up, making stupid decisions, etc.), and predicting the final girl is pretty easy. But if you’re a die hard horror fan and you love slashers, The House On Sorority Row is a real treat. The slow burn approach to storytelling really works, when you consider the hysteria amongst the group, because they have no idea what’s going on, or who’s trying to kill them.

The House On Sorority is a “just right” horror film, because nothing is too extreme or over the top here. The nudity is kept to a minimum, and you’ll see a fair amount of blood and grisly images (Jeanie’s severed and bloody head in the toilet, the dead bodies floating in the pool, the dead bodies in the pool opening their eyes during Katey’s hallucinations, etc.), but The House On Sorority Row is not a gore fest or a bloodbath horror film. And I can’t forget about the nostalgic black and white intro, featuring Mrs. Slater giving birth. Ranking and placing 80’s slashers in the upper echelon is a tricky task, because it’s a crowded pack, but The House On Sorority Row deserves its status as a cult classic, and there’s no denying it.  

Rating: 8/10

 

2013 End Of The Year Awards- Best Horror Film- Maniac

**This post contains spoilers**

I struggled with this one for a while, because I was stuck on a three way tie between Maniac, The Conjuring, and Evil Dead, but I picked Maniac for my final decision.

Why? For starters, Maniac is shocking, grotesque, and bloody. Now I know you can say the same thing about Evil Dead, but director Franck Khalfoun crafts a dark and mesmerizing slasher film. There's a chilling sense of fear throughout Maniac, and Frank's POV is a refreshing touch. The audience sees everything from Frank's eyes, and you can feel the madness behind Frank's disturbing thought process. On top of that, Maniac features an outstanding soundtrack. The eerie scores are a perfect tie-in for Maniac, and it's hard to ignore the nostalgic 80's vibe.  

Elijah Wood is incredible in the leading role. Frank is an unhinged man, who's struggling to control his murderous impulses. The rage, the violent outbursts, the conflict, and Frank's grief during troubled flashbacks with his mother. You can feel everything, and Elijah Wood  taps into his dark side again (i.e. Sin City) to deliver another A+ performance with the leading role in Maniac.

The finale is amazing. Frank's demise mirrors the final moments of the original, and the set up for the fiasco at Anna's (Nora Arnezeder) apartment is perfect. A frustrated Frank is trying to console Anna after Rita's (Jan Broberg) death (of course, Frank murdered Rita after Rita's taunts at Anna's exhibit), but Frank accidentally reveals himself as the killer, when he mentions the short distance to Rita's apartment. And Frank drives the nail into the coffin, when he mentions the recent murders in the city.

The horrified look of shock on Nora Arnezeder's face is spot on, and the tension after Frank's accidental confession is unreal, because you're waiting for that one moment, when Anna attacks Frank for survival, or when Anna makes a move for an escape. Great stuff.

The 1980 original gained a strong following as a cult film, but the 2013 film is on a short list of remakes that challenge the original for superiority, and you can make a legit argument for the 2013 remake taking the top spot for the better film. Don't pass on a chance to watch Maniac 2013 horror fans. If you do, you're missing out on a great hidden gem.