S-VHS is a mediocre follow-up to the mediocre V/H/S, but it does contain one short by Gareth Evans that deserves its own feature-length film and is about the scariest horror film (short or otherwise) I’ve seen in years. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make the other 60 minutes of S-VHS any more watchable.
The Lords of Salem is Rob Zombie’s newest experiment in the horror genre. It's a surreal and bleak Rosemary’s Baby scenario that will no doubt polarize opinion. While I didn’t like the film for a number of reasons, it no doubt shows a general improvement over Zombie’s past work and does effectively establish a number of creepy and bizarre cinematic horror elements.
Drinking Buddies is the quintessential indie drama in the worst way. Meandering and largely unscripted (for that “organic” feel, don’t you know), it features scenes heavy with long looks and few words and the awkwardness inherent in putting actors in a room and letting them “discover” what their characters will say.
Before Midnight is one of those dialogue-driven indie dramas that make you appreciate the medium of film. It also reminds audiences of the subtle artistry that goes into making really great films that, on the surface, don’t look like they can possibly work.
As predicted, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is a silly albeit heartwarming comedy featuring the quintessential comedy stylings of Steve Carell. Steve Buscemi and Jim Carrey help round out a comedic cast not unfamiliar with this kind of cookie-cutter comedy pic, though no amount of over-the-top body humor (hello, Mr. Carrey) could make this movie anything more than a formulaic fluff-piece that will, no doubt, appease a good portion of the movie-going masses.
It was a ballsy move to even contemplate a remake of the iconic 80s horror pic The Evil Dead. So much could go wrong, after all, and there would be no quarter for a sub-standard remake of Sam Raimi’s shoe-string-budget shock and schlock masterpiece. Luckily for moviegoers though (and those responsible for the remake), Fede Alvarez's Evil Dead re-imagining does not disappoint.
The ever-growing SXSW film festival hits Austin in a few weeks with a solid film line-up ranging from much-anticipated blockbusters like Evil Dead, to cutting-edge indie pics like Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing and Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem. Running from March 8-16, SXSW can be counted on to screen some of the more innovative and controversial films in the indie movie industry, and the 2013 SXSW film line-up looks like it’s going to deliver yet again.
This “cabin-in-the-woods” horror pic gets off to a good start with subtle chills and a fresh concept, but ultimately suffers from a weak, overly vague ending.
