High school can be a really “killer” time. Like “Ginger Snaps,” 2 girls here are obsessed with death and more specifcally: killing. What’s left of center is that these girls have a Youtube show where they leave all sorts of clues. Yet, they are never suspected. Well, for a while.
Tragedy Girls (2017)
R | 1h 38min | Comedy, Horror | 20 October 2017 (USA)
From $3.99 (SD) on Prime Video
A twist on the slasher genre, following two death-obsessed teenage girls who use their online show about real-life tragedies to send their small mid-western town into a frenzy and cement their legacy as modern horror legends.
Director: Tyler MacIntyre
Writers: Chris Lee Hill, Tyler MacIntyre | 1 more credit »
Stars: Brianna Hildebrand, Alexandra Shipp, Jack Quaid
Tyler MacIntyre is in the director’s chair here. He says this film was inspired by the bubblegum comedy “Clueless,” There’s the irony because this film is a bloodbath. We don’t get to see how these killers evolved, they are just catapulted into their misadventures of death. At the same time I kept feeling as if there was a genre filter I was missing. The girls are killers but when you’re following them in the heat of what they’re doing, it strangely works. The closest thing I can compare it to is the TV series “Dexter.” This is an oddly fun teen comedy that is hard to turn your eyes away from. Another twist on the slasher genre that works. 7/10
This film looked interestig to me about the mid point of 2016. IMDB was advertising it and the trailer looked cool as well. It was as if we were getting a new Freddy Krueger or Jason from the Friday the 13th. I’m sorry to report we got a fake looking undead humanoid with grim reaper attire, and no ability to scare.
The Bye Bye Man
“Three friends stumble upon the horrific origins of a mysterious figure they discover is the root cause of the evil behind unspeakable acts.” -IMDB
Horror, Thriller
PG-13
Fri 13 Jan 2017 UTC
96min
IMDB Rating: 3.8
Horror movies are fun for a few reasons. One is that they throw you out of your comfort zone. They repulse but in a good way. If the acting is good and the creature/villains nightmarish, it makes for a good old time of ump scares and creepiness. I predicted the 2 jump scares as I recall the number to be. The rest of the footage is a huge piece of crap.
A college freshman and his girlfriend are playing grownups. He has no job we can surmise. That’s always a surprising thing when you see an 18 year old with a huge house he’s renting and no job. His girlfriend is average looking. No starlet/horror star budding here. Even their kisses are forced. I think I forgot to tell you how god awful the acting is.
The characters discover an urban legend about a reaper creature that haunts and kills you if you say his name. I won’t say his name but rather just direct you t the title of this review. There you are.
This film is worse than a student movie short. Some of the lines had me holding my hands. One of my favorites was when a child saw fire in a relatives home, her dad said to her “Fire can’t hurt him now.” That was choice crap! Maybe one day I’ll watch it again and make a list of quotes, there were so many bad ones. I DO NOT recommend this film. I haven’t rated a film a 1/5 in ages. Wonders never cease.
This post is part of a series I am experimenting with where I review the films now streaming on Netflix. I’m attempting to make them non-spoiler previews.
Holidays is an anthology of horror stories that share the theme of holidays including Easter and St. Patrick’s Day. They range from creepy and unsettling to gory and outright macabre. Anthologies can be great because they get to the conflict and solution much faster than other genre films. There are some truly scary anthology horror films out there, but can this one compete? Let me tell you what I think.
Holidays
“HOLIDAYS is an anthology feature film that puts a uniquely dark and original spin on some of the most iconic and beloved holidays of all time by challenging our folklore, traditions and assumptions.” -IMDB
Horror
Not Rated
Fri 29 Apr 2016 UTC
105min
IMDB Rating: 5.1
Among the directors is Kevin Smith of Tusk fame. Since that is one of my favorite horror films from 2014, I had high hopes for what he did her. I’ll go ahead and say there isn’t anything as horror-comical as Tusk but there is some stuff just about as twisted. In one, religious folk may be offended. If you decide to give it a go, keep your mind open with the jaws of life. I think I’ll be a recovering religious person my whole life and I loved it. Traditionalists should steer clear. The first three are generally vanilla.
The 5th, Halloween, stars Kevin Smith’s daughter Harley Quinn Smith and gets into sex webcams. The girls say fuck quite a bit, which is not necessarily bad depending on how much you enjoy hearing that from cute girls. Basically the 5th takes you into the twisted, vengeful mind of Kevin Smith. I’ll hold back on details but I can safely tell you we see an asshole get his without spoiling anything.
I’m a big horror fan. I love watching what can be done in this genre. Kevin Smith pushes the limits and gets great results in my opinion. Smith’s contribution may be seen by some as unimaginable but when you’re dealing in vengeance art, you never know what will appeal to people. I’m reminded of the rape scene in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The 6th, Christmas, stars Seth Green. It’s fun to watch but not unique to me. See Brainstorm 1983 for more info on that (what’s a little remake posing as plagiarism between friends?). Oh, there’s a little sleight of hand from Dexter playing in there as well. For the genre of anthology horror, I’d say this one is worth my time. How open minded do you have to be? Well, enough see a climax per sequence which, if you think about it, better than the single big one we’re usually limited to. The final sequence takes place on New Year’s Eve and I will call it the most predictable. The anthology could be better in places but it also could be a lot worse overall. My verdict: Worth watching.
Wondering what you’ll see? Let me know in the comments. Then, get on Netflix where it’s currently streaming and see for yourself.
This is one of those horror movies I have heard of for years but for some reason never got around to seeing. If you like horror, and this is your situation, I’m happy to report this is an awesome flick worth seeing. It’s got scares and a creature, and some humor to get you through it.
Jeepers Creepers (2001)
R | 1h 30min | Horror, Mystery | 31 August 2001 (USA)
A brother and sister driving home through isolated countryside for spring break encounter a flesh-eating creature which is in the midst of its ritualistic eating spree.
Director: Victor Salva
Writer: Victor Salva
Stars: Gina Philips, Justin Long, Jonathan Breck
We know this director from “Powder” and the franchise of Jeepers Creepers. He has put together a very fun horror story and it has taken wing in our culture to be a well known household word. I see this as an accomplishment.
From the opening segments where the brother and sister characters are driving their old beat up car across a one lane highway to the end where the creature is showing us his exemplary appendages, this film rocks the horror. I think the most notable part for me was the discovery Justin Long’s character makes down the septic pipe. “Alien,” eat your heart out. I am told by a movie pal that part II is worth watching so I surely will be. This is a great horror movie, check it out if you haven’t already. I rate it 8/10.
I’d been waiting for this film to come into theaters and once again: we have a Netflix movie that never made it there. Is that bad? This is the first real horror film of 2018 and it certainly watches like one. Unlike some movies that have come down the pike in a forest that really weren’t horror like “The Witch” and “It Comes at Night,” this one has the elements of a horror and delivers as such.
The Ritual (2017)
1h 34min | Horror | 9 February 2018 (USA)
A group of college friends reunite for a trip to the forest, but encounter a menacing presence in the woods that’s stalking them.
Director: David Bruckner
Writers: Joe Barton, Adam Nevill (novel)
Stars: Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier
The director is David Bruckner, known for “V/H/S,” “Southbound,” and “The Signal.” Looking at these titles makes me realize he has a solid background in horror and “The Ritual” is his foray into the big time. This one will probably be enjoyed by more than the others. It’s an “on location” piece meaning it is filmed in the woods. This must have proved challenging. I found some pparts of it to be a little misguided but as a whole, this is a directorial accomplishment.
There is a house the hikers happen upon in the film. Upstairs there is an odd piece of ritual like art. It looks rustic and religious in form. I found not much was explained there and it never really added up for me what was happening there. It was if it was just being blamed on the supernatural when the scenes could have held better clues.
Other than the house scene, the film develops well throughout. The ending is a massive crescendo and it’s nothing you’d expected up to that point. By saying less, he says more. By suggesting the size and shape of creatures, he makes them all that more scary. Because it’s supernatural, we can’t really argue logic here which is good for the director because it’s lacking a bit there. Having said that, I found this horror film scary and full of suspense. There are many roads to Rome and this one definitely finds its way there. I give it a 8/10
After seeing Alice Lowe as the love interest in “Sightseers” I will recognize her in anything she does I think. She a unique look, beautiful and yet just on edge. You’re left wondering what she will do in every situation. That is very true in “Prevenge” only most would never guess what she’s planning next in this film.
Prevenge (2016)
Not Rated | 1h 28min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy | 24 March 2017 (USA)
Widow Ruth is seven months pregnant when, believing herself to be guided by her unborn baby, she embarks on a homicidal rampage, dispatching anyone who stands in her way.
Director: Alice Lowe
Writer: Alice Lowe
Stars: Alice Lowe, Dan Renton Skinner, Jo Hartley
Alice Lowe gives us a triple blow here: She is director, writer, and leading lady. This undertaking always impresses me. Sometimes, the quality of the film suffers but in this case it doesn’t. This reminds me of some crazy idea she had maybe in a restaurant some night out after a lot of beverages. The difference between this and most ideas directors have is that she saw it through. The idea for a horror movie is a novel one and it follows a specific rhythm. It is comedy, but black comedy at that. Not everyone will find this funny. Fans of horror surely will. I give this one a 9/10.
DAMIEN RILEY | World Music | HQ Blog 
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