Wake Wood

I feel like this stylish thriller missed the mark a bit. It's waking the same ground as "Pet Cemetery", but with far less emotional impact. The main characters felt very underdeveloped to me. I didn't feel like I knew them well enough to truly connect with them and their struggle. The biggest miss is that we never get to know the daughter before her death, and not having that point of comparison seriously injured the chances of this film having true emotional impact. The acting was understated, but could have used more passion from time to time. The direction was lovely, but I felt there wasn't enough meat for a proper story. This was just okay for me. 3/5

Wake Wood on Netflix

House at the End of the Street

There was something here with this suspense thriller, but it just wasn't developed enough for me. The first half of the film was completely predictable and by-the-numbers. The second half had real promise as the details of the plot begin to unfold, but, ultimately, it failed to have the impact it should have had. I never cared about the characters enough to get invested in them, and the detail that would have made the "twist" really great was missing. This movie needed to both show and tell more than it did. Just okay for me. 3/5

House at the End of the Street on Netflix

It Comes at Night

This is a gorgeously directed psychological horror film that reminded me in tone and feel to "The Witch", which I found spectacular. The acting is solid, and the script is doled out very slowly and carefully, creating a sense of tension that was almost palpable. I admire post-apocalyptic films that never show the apocalypse, but rather leave that horror in the past and unseen. I also have to mention there was an interesting visual trick that happened slowly over the course of the film. I didn't notice it until the end, and I actually started the film again and advanced through it slowly to see if I was right in what I saw, which I was. I've never seen it done before, and I'm not going to spoil it for anyone who rents this, but, if you do rent this, just keep your eyes open, and if you miss it, start it again immediately. You'll see it. Kudos to this film, I definitely enjoyed it. 4/5

It Comes at Night on Netflix

Annabelle

When I first saw "The Conjuring" I was supremely interested in the Annabelle doll and it's story. I had hoped that eventually we would learn more about the doll, so when I heard that this movie had been released I was really happy. The good news is that this film really looks and feels like like it belongs in the "Conjuring" universe, and that's a compliment. Although not directed by Wan, this film had a similar tone and pacing to Wan's films, and I appreciated the attention to detail. The acting was fairly good, but I felt let down by the script, which felt very by-the-numbers to me. Plot-wise there wasn't much to this film, and atmosphere alone will only take a horror movie so far. In the end, this was good but not great, but I do hope for more films set in the "Conjuring" universe. 3/5

Annabelle on Netflix

The Childhood of a Leader

I don't even know how this film ended up in my queue, but I'm so glad it did, because it just blew me away. This is the actor Brady Corbet's directorial debut, but it felt like the polished hand of Kubrick more than the the first work of a new director. It was lush and beautifully framed throughout in impressive fashion. But I have to talk about the score for this, because that was the real star. The moment the credits started and the overture began, I was captured. The music is bombastic and cacophonous and just perfect in every way. I was utterly entranced by it, so imagine how stunned I was when I saw that it was none other than Scott Walker who composed it. I only recently discovered Walker in a documentary called "Scoot Walker: 30th Century Man" about his life and career, and, when I saw it, I really disliked his work, rather immensely so in fact. Clearly I need to listen again, because this was amazing. This movie won't be for everyone. It's brash and intense and stylistic and nebulous, and I will say I didn't get the very very end at all, which is why I deducted a half star. But I loved it, really. Highly recommended. 4.5/5

The Childhood of a Leader on Netflix

Partisan

Y'know, I'm all for films that require a bit of work from the audience. I love films that make me think or figure things out or see the subtext beneath the surface. What I'm not for is when films pretend that you will be able to figure things out if you try hard enough and then never give you anywhere near enough information to understand anything that's happening. I honestly have no freaking idea what I just watched. I don't know when this film took place (post apocalypse maybe?), where it took place, who the characters were, what their relation was to each other, or why they were doing anything they did. Literally none of that was clear at all. And then, it just ends. All of a sudden. With no warning or clue about what was happening or going to happen after the end. That was so annoying. I have to give it two stars because the acting was strong, as was the cinematography, but the plot? Non-existent. Bah humbug.  2/5

Partisan on Netflix

Time Lapse

It's so rare when a sci-fi time-travel movie gets it right, and this film gets it SO SO SO right. The script is very tight, original, and detail-oriented. The direction was simple and yet extremely effective. One of the three leads was truly great, another on their way to great, and the last solid and good. This film kept me on my toes - I spent the film trying to guess what was next and delightfully failing every time. I greatly enjoyed this. 4/5

Time Lapse on Netflix

The Blackcoat's Daughter

This movie is the very definition of ominous. It reminded me very much in tone and style to "The Witch", which is high praise coming from me. This psychological horror film is the latest from Oz Perkins, who also wrote and directed the wonderfully creepy "I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House", which I just loved. Both films are very atmospheric, driven by haunting and discordant scores, and feature strong performance from the female leads. Be warned that this is a very slow film that leaves very much to the viewer to unravel, so make sure you are paying attention while you watch it. But do watch it, it's a lovely thriller and very well made. 4/5

The Blackcoat's Daughter on Netflix

Hidden

A family of three has been hiding in and underground bunker for a great length of time, and now, circumstances force them to come out. That's all I'm going to tell you about this film, and all you need to know before you watch it. This little indie horror/thriller from the Duffer brothers who brought us "Stranger Things" has a tight plot, stellar acting, and great direction, especially given the restraints of the set. You've really got to see it to appreciate it - i highly recommend it for genre fans. 4/5

Hidden on Netflix

Split

Well, I never thought I'd be writing these words, but... M. Night Shyamalan has made am extraordinary film that everyone really must see. The story of this psych thriller (I can't call it horror really) is quite well put together. Yes, there are holes in portions of it, but the reviewers who have made those their sticking points are missing the bigger picture. It's a good story well told, and he clearly did some research on popular theory of this subject. James McAvoy is, in a word, transcendent. He should absolutely get an Oscar nod for this. But, in all honesty, it was the direction that grabbed me the most. This doesn't look like a Shyamalan film - it truly looks like something Kubrick made. It's a visual feast, and so much of the story is told visually and through the soundscape. It's the total package, and, yes, there's something unexpected at the end. At least he stayed true to that convention. Seriously, this is amazing. You must watch it. 4.5/5

Split on Netflix

The Bye Bye Man

I've been waiting for a while to get this film, and it didn't disappoint me. What I find interesting is the complete dichotomy of the Netflix reviews. People either love this or hate it, but I've noticed that, if they loved it, like me, they were observant. There's a lot going on in the background of this movie. Things just slightly out of frame, in shadow, blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind of things. The more I noticed, the creepier and more effective the film was. The direction was quite well done in this way, and it paid off for those who look for the little things like I tend to do. I bet if I watched it again and again, I'd still not catch them all. The acting was fairly solid, and the script compelling and well-paced. I enjoyed this, and I will be trying not to let "don't think it don't say it" live in my head for very long. 4/5

The Bye Bye Man on Netflix

The Eyes of My Mother

This is, by far, one of the most profoundly disturbing and deeply horrific movies I've ever seen. I'm honestly still stunned by what I just saw, and I can watch pretty much anything without flinching. This film had very minimal dialogue, which it really didn't need to convey it's message. I'm incredibly thankful it was also in black and white, as I really don't know if I could have watched it in color. I really can't stress how dark and troubling watching this was, I really can't. Yes, it's very violent, but it's not the gore that makes it so difficult to watch. It's everything you don't see, all that you mind has to fill in, that tipped it over the edge. It's a very powerful film, and if you like this kind of horror, I recommend it, but don't say I didn't warn you. 4/5

The Eyes of My Mother on Netflix

Right at Your Door

This movie is FAR better than I expected. The script is excellent and the acting very solid. The twists of the plot are just so compelling, and I really didn't see where it was heading. I'm really impressed by this indie sci-fi post apocalyptic thriller - definitely give this one a chance! 4/5

Right at Your Door on Netflix

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

This fifth installment in the PA series exists in the same universe as the first four but is a separate story with new characters. There are several tie-ins with the first films, most notably the reappearance of Ali from the second movie, about whose fate I had been very curious. There are other things as well, best left unsaid and unspoiled in a review. The root of the story isn't as compelling to me as the story of the previous films, with less inspired acting as well. Still, this proved an interesting way to extend the PA universe, and I will be curious to see the (currently) final chapter later this week. 3/5

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones on Netflix

Paranormal Activity 4: Unrated Edition

I don't know why this was unrated. There's nothing extreme or unusual about it that would cause it to be unrated - maybe it was never theatrically released? This fourth installment of the PA series is not quite as strong as numbers two and three, but it still compelling nonetheless. I did rewatch the first film the other day, so the complete story of Katie and Hunter was very fresh in my mind. This was an interesting way to continue their stories, and that last shot of the film did in fact freak me out quite a bit. I have no idea if the last two films are set in the same universe, as they have different names, but I have to say this series was much much stronger than I expected it to by. It's a rich story in an interesting world, and I would love to continue to watch more of it unfold. 3.5/5

Paranormal Activity 4: Unrated Edition on Netflix

Paranormal Activity 3

Okay, this series is getting interesting for me. What I didn't realize until I finished this film was that the first film, which I remember only sparingly, is a part of the same story. For some reason I had thought it was unconnected to the rest of the films, but apparently I was very wrong about that. I'm clearly going to have to rewatch the first film after having seen this. This third installment is more-or-less a prequel story, and it sets the stage for understanding more about how the first two films came to be. It's a really interesting fill-in-the-blanks story, and I'm completely intrigued about this series now. Hopefully I can get my hands on the first film before I set out to watch the fourth. I'm totally invested and really need to know more about this story now! 4/5

Paranormal Activity 3 on Netflix

Southbound

Generally, horror films that market themselves as intersecting anthologies are anything but, or the individual elements are so uneven in quality that the film suffers. I was pleasantly surprised by this movie, which, in fact, had five stories that actually all intersected in ways that made sense. I was also pleased that each of the stories were relatively solid with interesting plots. Given that each short was less than twenty minutes long, there were a lot of holes in plots and characters, but that's to be expected with films like this. The lack of budget was apparent, but I ended up rather enjoying this film. If you like weird horror, you might like this odd but enjoyable film. 3.5/5

Southbound on Netflix

The Hidden Face

Wow, this Spanish thriller is just amazing. I didn't guess one moment of it & the acting is superb. Bravo! 4.5/5

The Hidden Face on Netflix