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 Severin's 2016 Horror Movie Countdown, The Countdown Begins |
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 28th January 2017, 12:26 PM
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#1
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 Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872 
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2016 was an awful year in so many ways, but there was one area that was far better than many recently, and that was in the quality of Horror movies. 2016 was an exceptional year in that respect.
From the big franchise names like Blair Witch and The Purge, through hits like The Shallows and Don't Breathe to lesser known foreign cinema fare such as Train To Busan the quality has been much stronger than normal. And so in deference to that I shall present you with my countdown of the best. It should be noted however that there are two notable films that will not be appearing in the list. They are The Boy and The Other Side Of The Door. The reason? I simply cannot bear either of the two lead actresses and have so far avoided watching them because of this. They may be great (although reviews suggest otherwise) but I couldn't possibly judge them as fairly as I would like to. I will however be including every other Horror I have seen from 2016. Feel free to speculate. This post has been edited by Severin: 6th February 2017, 12:05 PM |
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28th January 2017, 03:43 PM
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#2
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 I found the love, I found the love in me
Pronouns: He/Him
Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,451 User: 5,042
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Yay! Looking forward to seeing this list. Kinda want some more low key horrors to see!
Excited. I'm going to hazard a guess at 'The With' possibly winning with 'Under The Shadow' coming close! |
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29th January 2017, 12:53 AM
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#3
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FIVE YEARS OF THE TURRET 15-20
Joined: 12 March 2015
Posts: 4,754 User: 21,666
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Haven't seen any 2016 horror movies :/
But I may follow this countdown. 
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6th February 2017, 11:58 AM
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#4
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#32 Let's Be Evil
Directed by Martin Owen Some films have a broadly interesting premise but build on it through an excellent script, thoughtful characterisation, skilful direction and a strong cast to create something special. Let's Be Evil is notable in that it fails on every single count of the above. Indeed, were it not for a great '80s inspired synth score by Julian Scherle the film would fail on every single level. The set up is that in the near future children are segregated from society and educated to the highest standard in a hidden facility so that they can reach their highest potential. During this process a select few individuals are paid handsomely to observe the progress and report on the projects development, all the while using a form of virtual reality headset. Events inevitably take a sinister turn. After an admittedly intriguingly surreal opening scene the film takes a nosedive and despite it's brief 90 minute run time becomes an endurance test. The characters are thinly sketched stereotypes who routinely make bizarre decisions, and talk in a manner that is distracting, unreal and succeeds only in removing you from any immersion. The quality of the acting is befitting a student movie despite the cast being mostly recognisable suggesting the blame lies with the director here. The film makes no effort to explain anything that is occurring or why it is. This in itself doesn't have to be a problem as the film I've placed at #16 on this countdown uses the same trick but uses it to place the viewer in the protagonist's mind. Here, though it appears to be done only because 'it would be cool'. In fact it appears many of the stylistic choices in the film are taken without thought of substance. The film's most visually striking feature is its use of vibrant lighting and strong colours which could have really set the film apart from its contemporaries but because the majority of the film is spent aimlessly wandering corridors in what looks like an old nuclear bunker the effect becomes little more than tiresome. When the film finally kicks up a gear in the last 10 minutes it still makes little sense and by that point you're passed caring. The film quite honestly has nothing to say and doesn't even comprehend how to articulate it. Unfortunately in a great year for Horror, Let's Be Evil stands out not only for being, for me, far and away the worst film of the year in its genre (and there was some strong competition) but one of the most appalling I've had the misfortune to sit through. This post has been edited by Severin: 6th February 2017, 12:01 PM |
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7th February 2017, 11:33 AM
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#5
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#31 The Forest
Directed by Jason Zada The second entry on my list is a film that I had high hopes for but ultimately came as a huge let down. The Forest has a fascinating premise - a young girl must venture into Japan's Aokighara forest ('the suicide forest') to find her missing sister, convinced she is alive because of the connection between twins. The forest in question is a real life location on the edge of Mount Fuji which in recent years has become a magnet for people who wish to kill themselves. The geography of the mountain is known to absorb sound, creating an eerie silence in the area, which is punctuated only occasionally by the sound of birds, deer or the bears which roam the forest. Local legend has it that the forest is also inhabited by many Yurei - the Japanese equivalent of a restless spirit or ghost. All of this makes for a great setting and the casting of Game Of Thrones' Natalie Dormer in the roles of both twins is a promising choice, but the film fails to give enough space to define any of the characters properly and relies too much on traditional Horror tropes and jump scares. Natalie Dormer gives a spirited performance but a weak script does her no favours, whilst Zada's occasional moments of flair only briefly grab the attention before familiarity and boredom drifts back in. The so-called twists are predictable, the film just isn't scary and you can guess the ending in the first 15 minutes. On the positive side the location is beautiful, even if it is Serbia standing in for Japan and there's enough of a glimmer in Dormer's performance to suggest that with the right material she has potential to warrant star billing. |
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7th February 2017, 12:13 PM
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#6
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#30 The Green Inferno
Directed by Eli Roth Next up is Eli Roth's 'grindhouse' homage to the late 70s/early 80s exploitation movies of the so-called 'Cannibal Boom' - in particular, Cannibal Ferox and Cannibal Holocaust - the 2 most famous examples of the genre. In fact, Roth's film takes its title from the 'found footage' segment of Cannibal Holocaust. The green inferno name itself is a reference to the dense jungles of the Amazon rainforest. It should be noted that I have no problem with splatter movies and I thoroughly enjoy the odd gorefest. As for Cannibal films I'm not a massive fan - I thought Cannibal Ferox was OK but Cannibal Holocaust remains to me a standout moment in Horror movies, so it can't be said that I'm averse to the genre. I appreciate Grindhouse films for what they are - cheap thrills made in a hurry, and on a budget that makes that of a 1980s Doctor Who episode look like Avatar. And I appreciate what Eli Roth is trying to achieve here - a grubby, dirty, violent and uncompromising modern take on the Cannibal film. In many ways he hits the target - unsubtle social commentary, extreme violence, plenty of gore and a non stop rollercoaster ride of shocks and terror, and the plot is simple but fine - young idealistic environmentalists fly to the Amazon to confront and protest against large multinational company's destruction of the habitat, followed by the inevitable plane crash. But the films trips over itself in trying to appear too trashy. The acting is beyond lousy and in particular Sky Ferreira, whose performance is so bad that she be barred from ever standing in front of a camera again. Thankfully she doesn't appear much (although she leaves a lasting impression) but the rest of the cast are nothing to get interested about and Roth is trying so hard to layer on the gore that he forgets the reason that the best Cannibal movies (Holocaust and Ferox) work is that they start slow, keep a small cast and allow the characters time to assert themselves, maintain an air of 'somethings around the corner' with the occasional moment of horror in small doses and then at the end, as the film reaches its climax, that's when you ramp things up. Much like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre does. Much like The Forest in the last post, this had much potential, albeit for entirely different reasons, but ended up being a massive disappointment. A struggle to sit through but not in the way Roth intended. |
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7th February 2017, 01:03 PM
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#7
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#29 Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
Directed by Burr Steers Pride & Prejudice & Zombies is another missed opportunity. Nobody was expecting Oscar material but taking Jane Austen's classic study of social etiquette and self discovery and adding zombies to the mix (themselves often a metaphor for class divisions) should have been a winner. And as the film begins the promise looks good. The cast is excellent, the production design is superb and everything starts with flair and most importantly wit. Zombies are the perfect material for satire and Elizabeth Bennet is a character renowned for her sharp delivery and there are several great moments early (including a delightful turn by Matt Smith) yet somehow the film quickly beings to unravel and you realise that it doesn't work as an adaptation of either the original novel or a zombie flick. The social graces and class commentary that the book so brilliantly skews are not dwelt on at all and the film just doesn't know where to go with its zombie half. The result is a curiously unengaging mess that appears to give up on its own internal logic by midway and becomes a series of set pieces thrown together in the hope that something will stick. All the while it appears to be saying 'look how clever and ironic we are' as things just get dumber. The main saving grace of the film is the way in which it has that attention to detail that the best BBC productions have, so if nothing else you can just admire the sets and costumes whilst you wait for the occasional chuckle. |
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7th February 2017, 01:50 PM
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#8
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#28 31
Directed by Rob Zombie In at #28 is 31, Rob Zombie's latest offering. This is another grindhouse/exploitation movie and before the film starts you already know what you're getting. It's Hallowe'en 1976, a group of carnys are abducted and awake to find themselves trapped in a large underground complex. All they have to do is stay alive for 12 hours. It's survival horror time. Think The Running Man. For me Rob Zombie is an extremely inconsistent director in terms of quality. I loved House Of A 1000 Corpses, The Devils Rejects and even his first take on John Carpenter's Hallowe'en, and I'm a fan of his aesthetic and his music. However, Hallowe'en 2 was terrible, El Superbeasto was forgettable and Lords Of Salem I thought was decent. So, overall I knew exactly what to expect from 31 and yet it somehow failed to deliver. Zombie's wife Sheri Moon once again takes the lead role in a familiar and yet charmingly endearing way. Nobody else appears to be interested in casting her yet Rob continues to expand his wife's IMDB page, and to be fair she's not a bad actress by any means. It also pleases me that his are among the few Horror films where the female lead is a 40-something woman and not the typical young girl cliche. The remainder of the cast veer from stilted wooden performances to over the top hamming it up and neither quite strike the right tone for the movie. Malcolm McDowell is the only other actor who doesn't screw it up and even he's pushing it. The set design, costumes and characters are all well thought out and at worst functional but can be impressive at times. The film's overall mood is dirty, sweaty, sleazy, and blood soaked and it should work so much better than it does but the whole thing feels tired and like everybody's just going through the motions. If you've never seen a film like this before or simply adore everything Rob Zombie does you may well love it but if you are familiar with the archetype you might just doze off. |
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8th February 2017, 04:38 PM
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#9
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#27 Incarnate
Directed by Brad Peyton We move now into the realm of films that aren't totally terrible, and propping up the bottom of that pile is Incarnate. Starring Aaron Eckhart, Carice Van Houten and David Mazouz, the film treads a familiar ground of the demonic possession type. The twist here is that our exorcist is an atheist and approaches his subjects through a (pseudo) scientific outlook. The victims are completely unaware of their predicament and in their minds are living an idyllic fantasy life which our main protagonist (Eckhart) must enter and then convince them is a lie. Whilst the film itself doesn't subvert enough of the usual tropes in the possession sub-genre it does manage just enough to keep things from becoming too stale. Eckhart is solid if unspectacular and his grizzled, alcoholic Kurt Cobain image makes a refreshing change from the usual priest. Carice Van Houten (Melisandre from Game Of Thrones) and David Mazouz (Bruce Wayne in Gotham) both convince with a script that doesn't give them much to work with. Brad Peyton's direction is perfunctory and given that it's a decent cast and a novel enough twist on the formula, you come away thinking the lack of atmosphere and tension is down to him and that a more accomplished director could have brought a lot more to the table. The film doesn't appear to be trying to scare you (or if it is then it's not working but that doesn't actually detract from the experience as it's more about the nature of faith and fantasy. Aside from the generally underwhelming feeling the film leaves you with the biggest gripe is after a major plot development involing the death of a character that should have external consequences, nothing happens and nothing is explained why. There's an earlier line that could be used to explain it away but it's a blink and you'll miss it moment and tenuous at best. Overall a generally decent film that tries something interesting but doesn't quite hit the mark. There are far worse ways to spend an hour and a half |
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8th February 2017, 05:01 PM
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#10
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#26 Friend Request
Directed by Simon Verhoeven Friend Request is a curious film. A film about an evil spirit that targets you through social media should be utterly terrible but somehow it does just enough every now and then to prick your interest and make you sit up again. First of all director Simon Verhoeven (no relation to Robocop's Paul Verhoeven) here is above the average and he manages to wring some tension from moments that you know are coming and have seen many times before. A slight over-reliance on jump scares perhaps but most modern Horrors are guilty of the same crime. Here at least they are mostly well performed. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly is lead actress Alycia Debnam-Carey who is perhaps Australia's next big Hollywood export. She's already begun making an impression with a strong performance in The 100 and is one of the only reasons to watch Fear The Walking Dead. She is arguably too good for this film but her performance helps to lift the whole project. She manages to make some clunky dialogue seem almost natural and the supporting cast do not share her charisma but don't detract either. Plot wise there's nothing happening you can't guess from the title and it's something you've seen many times before, often done better but if this sort of thing appeals to you then I suggest giving it a try as it isn't without merit. |
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8th February 2017, 10:06 PM
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#11
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I found the love, I found the love in me
Pronouns: He/Him
Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,451 User: 5,042
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Thankfully, I've not seen 'Let's Be Evil', so t least it's not one I've seen and enjoyed haha. 'The Forest', 'Green Inferno' & 'Pride, Prejudice & Zombies' were all extremely bad, well PP&Z was just a bit naff more than anything. 'Green Inferno' is genuinely one of the worst films I've seen in a long, long time. Eli's good when he really tries! So I was pretty sad that it was as bad as that.
Not seen (nor heard of tbh) '31' or 'Incarnate'. The latter seems to be an interesting concept though! But I fear that it might be one of those things where the concept is just too much for the director and production team to handle, judging by your write up of it. I really enjoyed 'Friend Request' though, tbh. It was a nice little, enjoyable movie. Had a few creepy (not so much "scary") moments and I liked the characters. |
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9th February 2017, 11:30 AM
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#12
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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Looks like we're pretty much on the same page so far Jonjo. I was pleasantly surprised by Friend Request and I really didn't expect that from it.
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9th February 2017, 12:13 PM
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#13
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#25 The Purge: Election Year
Directed by James DeMonaco Next up is the latest in The Purge series and I can imagine a few people yelling at me 'this should be higher' so I'll start by saying I did like this. I didn't love it and I thought it was fun but it wasn't great. A solid 6/10. Election Year is the 3rd film in the franchise and each one has upped the ante somewhat. The original was a straightforward home invasion movie with two good leads in Lena Headey and Ethan Hawke and the idea of a 12 hour period each where all crime is allowed is daft yet entertaining enough to run with. It had a nicely claustrophobic tension to it, and was successful enough but the audience wanted to see more of what was going on the wider world. And so the sequel - The Purge: Anarchy took us outside to see what was happening. It increased an already prominent political subtext and ramped up the action. It worked and Anarchy was a success and arguably an improvement on the original. So now to episode 3 and Elizabeth Mitchell's Senator Charlie Roan is running for office and promising to end the purge. Election Year does exactly the same thing before, expands the world with more action and more emphasis on the political commentary. All of which in itself is not a bad thing but the increased action is at the detriment of characterisation this time although for a film like this that is clearly not the point. The writers and director clearly want to comment on the modern American society but the message (which was already extremely unsubtle) is now layered on so thickly it's overwhelming. The biggest flaw in their method is that they seem to have resorted to racial stereotypes and cliches. With the exception of our 2 leads (Elizabeth Mitchell and Frank Grillo) pretty much every caucasian in the film is out to join in the mayhem and bloodlust, whilst all the poor are people of colour. I realise the argument that the film is set in a predominantly black ghetto makes sense but this is a fictional world and the film is arguing a rich vs poor class struggle and not (to oversimplify it) a black vs white one. Mixing it up a little could have strengthened the case. On the flip side the score is fantastic, the film looks great and the costume department must have had so much fun coming up with ideas. The lightbulb car is a work of genius. The plot follows a largely predictable path but it's a fun ride and the acting is never great but always good enough. Whether Election Year proves to be the final installment or not is still uncertain but it would make for a fitting and satisfying conclusion to a decent trilogy even if the series peaked with Anarchy. I get the distinct feeling that any further films would be going too far and the law of diminishing returns would apply. |
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9th February 2017, 02:01 PM
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#14
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#24 Sadako Vs. Kayako
Directed by Koji Shiraishi In 1998 in Japan a low budget Horror was released. One that preceded to change the face of the genre for years to come. That film was Ringu or in English: Ring (not The Ring). Before Ringu most contemporary Horrors were slashers, tired old franchises like Hallowe'en, Children Of The Corn and Phantasm were still plodding along and average fare like I Know What You Did Last Summer were prevalent. Scream had breathed some new life into the scene but it was still following a well worn (if subverted) formula. Ringu returned to the old fashioned 'cursed item' trope, gave it a modern technological twist and then with a steadily slow building air of creeping dread, scared the crap out of everyone. Sadako was a nightmare vision. I remember grown adults who were genuinely freaked out for some time by her. Ringu inspired a raft of copycat films and eventually the term J-Horror was born, indeed the films influence can still be seen everywhere today (Hollywood has just released its third US version). The very same year a V-Cinema (like a mini TV Movie) film called Ju-On was broadcast. It too featured a similar character called Kayako whose story would continue with the 2000 releases Ju-On: The Curse and Ju-On: The Curse 2 before making the leap to the big screen with Ju-On: The Grudge. and it's 3 sequels. Again Hollywood would notice and remake the franchise. On 1st April 2015 the film Sadako Vs Kayako was announced. It was an April fools joke, but by December the film had been confirmed as genuine. Sadako and Kayako are both Onryos, or vengeful spirits and interaction with their respective items curses the individual. For Sadako it is the VHS tape and for Kayako it is her old home. Plotwise, Yuri needs to convert an old tape to DVD, requiring her to purchase an old VHS player (with free casette! I wonder what's on it?), whilst Suzuka is curious about the local 'haunted house', leading both girls to eventually become cursed. However, the two spirits cannot both claim the girls... Director Koji Shiraishi is well aware that there had been over 20 previous films featuring a version of one of his titular characters and the impact from either franchise was dwindling. It is clear the film is something of a cash-in, and so he doesn't try to emulate the sense of terror that the very originals had. He hits all the correct beats and we get the expected TV shot, the down the stairs crawl. All of those iconic moments are included, but he also lightens the mood considerably with typically Japanese humour. Something that doesn't often translate well to Western audiences. It also has the singlular slow pace that Asian Horror loves. The film is therefore curiously corny and funny in places and also a best off compilation of J-Horror and as such is not for everyone. I'm personally a huge fan of the early films of these two and I would urge anyone curious in the franchises or the genre to check out Ringu as for me it remains one of the most bleak, unsettling, genuinely creepy films ever made. Ju-On: The Grudge is a lesser film but still among my 20 favourite Horrors ever In terms of quality or scares Sadako Vs Kayako is no Ringu, it's not even a US remake of Ringu. It's a 6/10 type film but it has Sadako AND Kayako in it and for that's a few beers, a bowl of popcorn and an hour and half of creepy fun in the company of my two favourite girls of Horror. This post has been edited by Severin: 9th February 2017, 02:03 PM |
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11th February 2017, 05:27 PM
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#15
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#23 Blair Witch
Directed by Adam Wingard And here we have the 2nd sequel to another of the 1990s most groundbreaking Horrors. In 1999 The Blair Witch Project helped re-shape the future of Horror films in two ways. An exceptional marketing strategy that even fooled some into thinking it was a genuine story but mostly because of its use of the 'found footage' technique. The suggestion is that the viewer is watching raw (sometimes unedited) footage of an actual event. This format was not a new revelation. The 1980 Horror Cannibal Holocaust is generally credited with pioneering the technique (and it still remains among the most visceral examples of how effective it can be) but few films had taken advantage of the idea - Man Bites Dog and The Last Broadcast are the only two of any real note to do so. However, since the runaway success of The Blair Witch Project, cinema, and in particular Horror is now awash with examples. The 2nd film in the series, Book Of Shadows, did away with the found footage technique and was a disaster in every way and so that looked to be the end of any Blair Witch franchise, but last year a trailer was released for a film called The Woods. This trailer caused a minor sensation and then a much larger one when it was revealed to have been a sequel to the original film - This time Heather's brother James ventures into the woods to search for clues as to what happened to his sister. As a marketing technique it worked but not quite on the level of the original. The exact same thing can be said of the film itself. Whilst it has some great moments, it's too enthrall to the original, to the extent where it hit so many similar plot points that it is almost a remake. The over familiarity of the film takes away much of the suspense and at the end of the day it just isn't particularly scary, which is a shame because the trailer suggested otherwise. The cast all give perfectly decent performances but the characters have little depth and Adam Wingard's direction is capable but doesn't show any of the wit or inventiveness that You're Next or V/H/S did. Indeed one of the film's most contentious moments comes near the end with the decision to reveal the witch herself. Personally, I'm a big fan of witches (more on them later) and I quite liked this element but it is the least interest option to take. But overall I have to say I enjoyed the film. It was solid but unspectacular. It's nowhere near as good as the first film and it's true that overuse of the found footage conceit since the original robs the film of any freshness but audiences new to the Blair Witch wouldn't need to see the original to enjoy this and if viewed as a 'soft reboot' there's mileage in the franchise yet. |
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18th February 2017, 04:47 PM
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#16
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#22 The Conjuring 2
Directed by James Wan Placing The Conjuring 2 this low may be a surprise but I do have my reasons, which I will explain later, but I do think the film is a solid and effective Horror film. It does everything required of it without ever stretching itself. Choosing the Enfield haunting as its premise was a strong choice and because it is set in England it helps to differentiate the film from its predecessor. The 2 central investigators return and are as likeable as before. This time they are to investigate house in Enfield where a young girl and her family are being menaced by a not so benign presence. This is pretty much standard fare for a haunting film and there are references and nods to others examples such as The Amityville Horror, Poltergeist and many others. And this is partly the problem. We've seen it all before, so we know what we're getting and usually because we know this we don't mind. Unfortunately, almost exactly 12 months earlier Sky had released their 3 part miniseries The Enfield Haunting which covered the exact same story. The Timothy Spall lead series was wonderfully acted, genuinely spooky and hit all the right notes as well as having a subplot that tied neatly into the main thread and expanded our central characters motivations and beliefs. Additionally it spent 3 hours fully crafting the story, its characters and its resolution. The Conjuring 2 though, spent the first 20 minutes glossing over the Warrens investigation in the Amityville haunting (something I'd have liked a whole new film on in this franchise) before heading to England. Additonally rather than concentrate on the Enfield story, the film introduces a demonic nun whuch for me veered the story away from what I really wanted to see - the Warrens and Maurice Grosse investigating the Enfield story. So to surmise, The Conjuring 2 is a good film and its position here may be a little unfair. I definitely want to spend more time investigating ghost with the Warrens though so I will be looking forward to the next film. |
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25th February 2017, 03:30 PM
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#17
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#21 Don't Breathe
Directed by Fede Alvarez If any film was the years big Horror hit, then it was Don't Breathe. About as high concept as it gets, 3 burglars target what they think is an easy ride - a blind man, only to find things aren't that simple. The simplicity of the plot is one of it's great strengths as it allows the characters room to breathe (pun intended) and gives them a greater depth than most films of this type. It also gives director Alvarez time between his scares to bring the tension levels back up. It is also arguably the cause of the films weaker elements. Any film where you are asked to root for petty criminals is treading dangerous ground especially when none of them are particularly likeable, (even if we are given a plausible motivation for their actions. Consequently it is quite easy to side with the 'villain' at first and even when the inevitable revelations of his character come along it isn;t going to change your opinion of the protagonists. Some might argue that a film with no obvious good guys is making a statement, and they would have a point but that idea isn't developed well enough in the end. The film instead concentrates on central premise of being trapped in a building, hunted by a killer and having to be very quiet. This is all effectively done but it's also basically the last half hour of John Carpenter's Halloween played out for a whole hours worth of film time. Thrown in an unnecessarily distracting dog chase and you have the film. Don't breathe is good, very good. Maybe even great at times but I personally don't think it will stand up over the years as anything more than a very good slasher film and that's a sub-genre of Horror that is oversubscribed, and that very few examples of which stand out. Don't Breathe will probably sit just behind the likes of Halloween,Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday The 13th and Scream as an almost classic |
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25th February 2017, 03:54 PM
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#18
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Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,929 User: 9,872
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#20 Hush
Directed by Mike Flanagan It's actually really rather difficult to view either Hush or the preceding film in this countdown, Don't Breathe without comparison to the other, and I only marginally place Hush higher. Both have a similar premise and both are executed with skill and expertise in their field (director Mike Flanagan has also been responsible for the impressive Occulus and Ouija 2). Whilst Don't Breathe featured a blind killer, this time the tables are turned onto the protagonist being deaf. Plot wise there's little of significant difference except that the killers motivations are let to our imagination and the 'victim' is a much more sympathetic character, and so we find ourselves rooting for her much easier than in Don't Breathe. Where Hush really excels though, is in its use of silence. Although not always total silence, as the director found viewers may find that off putting, but the film is almost totally devoid of dialogue for much of the run-time and the we only have the sound of breathing for long periods, and the director uses the lack of sound to unnerving effect rather than just tension. The film is also more visually striking than Don't Breathe and their are certain images that stick with you and I can't in all honesty say that about Don't Breathe. Hush also remains solely focused on its core set up and doesn't divert too far into side alleys. This is a film where you are always trapped inside and that feels more claustrophobic for it. My biggest gripe with the film is it's predictability. I won't post any spoilers but if you are familiar with the concept of Chekov's Gun, than, like me, you will know exactly how the film ends even before the opening scene is finished. But the joy in this film isn't the surprises you might hope for but the pleasure of a well executed, somewhat under the radar, gem of a movie. |
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25th February 2017, 04:21 PM
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#19
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I found the love, I found the love in me
Pronouns: He/Him
Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,451 User: 5,042
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'Conjuring 2' was my favourite of last year! I really enjoyed it and thought it was genuinely scary and tense at times and I have to disagree about 'The Enfield Haunting' (sorryyyyy). I found it really bland!
 I was really disappointed, coz I was told by SO MANY that it was "amazing". But I was just bored  'Don't Breathe' is excellent too, though, so I'm pleased to see that that made your countdown! My only qualm with it was that I wasn't sure who I was supposed to be routing for? Is that made clearer in 'Hush'? If so I'll add it to my "To watch" list. It's always caught my attention, I've just never got around to giving it a go!
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25th February 2017, 04:21 PM
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#20
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 feminist icon
Pronouns: she/her
Joined: 21 April 2015 Posts: 25,354 User: 21,777 
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I watched Hush just because I was bored of seeing it constantly pop up in my suggested and was blown away! Truly fantastic
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