Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Film: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)
Dir: Eli Craig
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5 stars



Horror-comedies were big in the 1980s, but sort of dwindled in the 1990s. In 2004, Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead revitalized the sub-genre, and ever since, there have been dozens and dozens of them released. Some are fantastic, but many don’t quite get it. A great horror-comedy requires the right balance of dark humor and a sincere love of the genre. A horror fan can easily distinguish between a hollow spoof and a true horror-comedy. Fortunately, Eli Craig’s Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is of the latter variety, with solid performances, hilarious situational humor, and definite respect for horror.

Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are two ordinary redneck friends who just bought their own vacation home in the backwoods. Tucker is the leader of the duo, while Dale is a hopeless romantic with low self-esteem. While fixing up their cabin in the woods, they repeatedly encounter a group of college kids on break. Dale’s unsuccessful attempt at talking to a pretty girl sets off a chain of misunderstandings wherein the students become convinced that the two rednecks are psycho killers. As the college kids decide to go after their would-be killers, Dale and Tucker fear for their own lives.

The concept alone of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is fantastic. It recalls mistaken-identity screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, only it is also infused with everything horror fans love about the genre. It is a hilarious parody of massacre-style flicks (i.e. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) where the killers are typically rednecks who look just like Tucker and Dale. But these good ol’ boys just want to fish, drink beer, and enjoy their vacation in peace. Meanwhile, the college kids really believe they are being picked off by hillbillies because they are too scared, too dumb, and watch too many horror movies to just shut up and listen.

Tudyk and Labine are both fantastic in their titular roles. They have great buddy chemistry and comedic timing. Some of the actors playing the college kids are also good, particularly Jesse Moss who thinks he is Rambo but looks like Tom Cruise in a popped collar. Even though misunderstanding and miscommunication are comedy staples that have been beaten to death, these qualities are actually really funny here. This is situational comedy at its finest. As a horror flick, Tucker & Dale is not bad either. It racks up quite a body count and delivers some fun gore scenes. Horror fans will also love all the inside references to the genre and its conventions.

At first glance, Eli Craig’s filmography doesn’t inspire confidence with titles like Space Cowboys and The Rage: Carrie 2, but fortunately he only acted in those. As a director, on the other hand, the man has a real future. This movie proves he has the skills to helm either a horror or a comedy with ease - or perhaps another horror-comedy if we’re lucky. There have been tons of horror-comedies released over the last few years, and while some are great, most lack this perfect pacing and wit. Severance was pretty good and parodied the same massacre-horror sub-genre, but Tucker & Dale is better all-around.

Many films have claimed to be "the next Shaun of the Dead" or some variation there of. In the case of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, it is actually true. Like that movie, this one has lovable characters, lots of blood, and laugh-out-loud humor. This is definitely one of the best horror-comedies of the last decade. The only thing that could have been improved is the film’s title – the “vs. Evil” part misrepresents what the movie is about. The plot is far more clever than the title implies. Of course this is a petty complaint – the film is fantastic. Hopefully it will rightfully achieve the same cult status that Shaun did and keep the horror-comedy genre kicking for a few more years.

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A Horrible Way to Die

Film: A Horrible Way to Die (2010)
Dir: Adam Wingard
Rating: *** out of 5 stars



A Horrible Way to Die is the latest feature from indie horror director Adam Wingard. It is not a well-known title yet, but it has been drawing a lot of attention at recent film festivals, including Fantastic Fest where the writer and lead actors won a few awards. The film was made on a shoestring budget but that fact does not distract from its good writing, fine performances, and even some solid gore. Unfortunately, frantic camerawork does heavily distract from the good parts and therefore drags the movie down a bit.

Sarah (Amy Seimetz) is a recovering alcoholic with a dark past. After moving to a new town, she joins AA in hopes of beating her problem and starting a new life. Although reluctant to begin a relationship, she agrees to go on a date with a fellow AA member, Kevin (Joe Swanberg). As the two grow closer, Sarah knows that she must tell him her dark secret, that her ex-boyfriend is convicted serial killer Garrick Turrell (AJ Bowen). Making matters worse, Turrell just escaped from prison with his sights set on Sarah, killing anyone who gets in his way.

Screenwriter Simon Barrett has constructed a simple yet effective script. The concept and the characters are well-written. The tension is slow-to-build in places, but the story picks up toward the end and wraps up nicely. Complementing Barrett’s writing are some talented actors. Indie darling Amy Seimetz is very good in the lead role. Sarah is 100% victim – she is not a strong female figure but we get the impression that perhaps she once was. Alcoholism and Turrell have seemingly made her this way – a ruined woman. Seimetz is an ideal match for the part of this woman emotionally battered by her own demons.

However, it is AJ Bowen who really steals the movie as Garrick. Like many serial killers, Turrell is a man of few words, but complex nonetheless. In Bowen’s face, you can see how the character struggles with his urge to kill – how he genuinely means it when he promises not to hurt his victims right before he murders them. The kill scenes are brutal and bloody – a stark contrast against the flashbacks in which Garrick is tender with his then-girlfriend Sarah. Bowen delivers the perfect blend of intensity and sympathy for the role.

Wingard’s storytelling style is effective, as the film flows well, but his visual choices are questionable. Most shots are out of focus, shake wildly, or veer away from anything of relevance (actors, scenery, etc.). This kind of nauseating camerawork does nothing to help the film. Presumably, Wingard’s intention was to symbolize the frantic nature of each scene – a filmmaking choice that lacks originality. Whatever his goal, it looks like his cameraman has some combination of ADD and epilepsy. This is not pleasant to watch, nor does it instill a sense of tension or uneasiness. It just comes across as annoying to the viewer. In many shots, the lighting and set design are great – it is a shame to have those aspects hidden by a runaway camera.

The concept of A Horrible Way to Die is as old as the horror genre itself – a girl being stalked by a killer. But this is not a typical cat-and-mouse story, as it deals more with internal menaces such as dark secrets, addiction, and denial. The film makes good use of its meager budget, and despite some eye-straining camerawork, is an interesting little thriller worth checking out.

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Hatchet II

Film: Hatchet II (2010)
Dir: Adam Green
Rating *** out of 5 stars



Check out my review of Hatchet II at The Horror Channel:

http://www.xomba.com/hatchet_ii_review

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Inglourious Basterds

Film: Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Dir: Quentin Tarantino
Rating: ***** out of 5 stars



After a long streak of great films, I figured Quentin Tarantino had finally begun a downward spiral following the surprisingly flawed Death Proof. The mixed reviews of Inglourious Basterds coming out of Cannes supported that theory. So my expectations were pretty low. As it turns out, I was dead wrong. Basterds is a unique, fun, and mature addition to QT's repertoire.

Basterds is a fictionalized WWII tale set in Nazi-occupied France. Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) leads a group of Jewish-Americans (and two German defectors) on a mission with one goal: kill as many Nazis as possible. These "Basterds" and their brutal tactics effectively terrorize the SS. Meanwhile, a young cinema proprietor named Shoshanna (Mélanie Laurent) attracts the attention of a Nazi war hero-turned-actor, who insists on screening his movie at her theatre. What he doesn't know is that Shoshanna - a Jew in hiding - witnessed her family slaughtered by Nazis, and has revenge on her mind. When word of the premiere gets out, the Basterds plan to sabotage the event and hopefully kill a large portion of the attending Third Reich.

Like some of QT's previous films, this one is broken into chapters. This technique is especially appropriate here because the story is more like a fairy tale than a history lesson. It even begins with "Once upon a time...." There are hundreds of films portraying the bleak realities of WWII, but Basterds is not one of them. Frankly, I have seen enough movies about the Jews being tortured, gassed, burned, and buried - it's about time we get to see them kicking Nazi ass! There is only one scene of violence against Jews in this entire film - but a dozen against the SS. And it's awesome. Maybe it never really happened, but who cares? It is very satisfying.

However, one way Basterds is more accurate than most of its predecessors is the fact that the Germans speak German and the French speak French. English is only used when appropriate or explained, and the rest is left to subtitles. Often times, the languages switch back and forth. To accomplish this task, Tarantino hired very talented bilingual actors like Diane Kruger, Michael Fassbender, Daniel Brühl, and Christoph Waltz. All do an amazing job, and give the film a feeling of authenticity. On the American end, Pitt's tongue-in-cheek performance is hilarious.

As much as I love the entire cast, I have to single-out the golden child of this movie - Christoph Waltz. He portrays the charming, scene-stealing Nazi villain, Col. Hans Landa. He provides some of the film's funniest moments, and easily gives the strongest performance. Dare I say, this is the greatest performance Tarantino has ever gotten from any actor. QT said himself he could never have made this movie without Waltz. The former tv actor is one of those brilliant untapped thespians, and I'm so glad Tarantino exposed him to the world. I have no doubts that the 2009 Supporting Actor Oscar is his, especially after winning Cannes' Best Actor prize. It is impossible to watch Basterds and not be captivated by Col. Landa every second he is on screen.

Okay, enough gushing about Christoph. I also must mention the great gore FX courtesy of Greg Nicotero and his crew, and the incredible score by legendary composer Ennio Morricone. All these elements combine into a fantastical war film with the heart of a western. Tarantino's story and dialogue are great, and his self-love is kept to a minimum this time. I have read parts of the original screenplay, and can see where much of his rambling dialogue was cut, thankfully. Contrary to my worries, it is very possible that his films are only getting better.

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The Howling

Film: The Howling (1981)
Dir: Joe Dante
Rating: **** out of 5 stars



Between The Howling and John Landis' An American Werewolf in London, 1981 was a great year for lycanthrope fans. Both films were iconic pioneers of the subgenre, each loaded with black humor, great music, and groundbreaking makeup FX. In comparing the two, my heart still goes to London, but Dante's flick remains an influential and scary horror classic.

Television anchorwoman Karen White (Dee Wallace) is the target of a serial killer known simply as Eddie. In order to help police catch him, she agrees to meet Eddie in person, and consequently she is almost killed. Emotionally traumatized by the incident, Karen is ordered by her doctor to go on a country retreat. She and her husband Bill stay the week at a beautiful but remote colony of psychiatric patients. Howling sounds in the night and eviscerated cows are the first hints that something is not right with this place. Needless to say, the local residents are not what they seem.

Honestly, the werewolves in this aren't even as scary as Eddie is. The opening of the film, where Karen is trapped in a peep booth with the killer, is disturbing and horrifying on a level I did not expect from this movie. Beyond that, Dante keeps the mood a little lighter. Sure, it's all dark and bloody, but he slips in plentiful wolf puns and classic film references. Each time you watch the movie, you are bound to discover another in-joke you missed the last time.

Also worth mentioning is legendary composer Pino Donaggio's chilling score, which captures all the tension and eroticism of a good werewolf movie. You know it's a proper horror film when there is an Italian on musical accompaniment.

Based on Gary Brandner's novel The Howling, the screenplay is tense, witty, and packs an unforgettable ending. The story nails the standard lyncanthrope themes, like sexuality, change, and animal instincts. The script is supported by good performances, not the least of which being scream queen Dee Wallace, and amazing visual effects. The godly Rick Baker was originally hired to handle the film's special makeup effects, but he left to work on An American Werewolf in London. He left the job in the able hands of his assistant, Rob Bottin, who is one of my absolute favorite makeup effects artists (see also: The Thing, Total Recall).

Just like Landis' film, The Howling boasted a werewolf transformation on-camera. Bottin pioneered his own morphing technique, since Baker took his famous "change-o" mechanical head with him for London. Bottin utilized air bladders under latex and makeup to create the illusion of a human transforming into a werewolf. It may seem outdated today but it was groundbreaking at the time, and still impresses me to this day. Furthermore, the finalized werewolves look great - huge, frightening...and a tad adorable.

It is refreshing to know that both 1981 werewolf films did not steal from each other, but instead each film satisfied a niche within the subgenre. Both had amazing FX, great music, and campy humor, and yet they feel like completely different types of movies. Though it may seem a little outdated or silly by today's standards, The Howling nails the werewolf genre conventions while paying fantastic homage to its predecessors.

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Drag Me to Hell

Film: Drag Me to Hell (2009)
Dir: Sam Raimi
Rating: ***** out of 5 stars

For me, this is the cinematic equivalent of the second coming of Christ. I don't care if that offends you, I really mean it. This is Sam Raimi's epic return to horror and it more than delivers. It is scary, funny, outrageous, and dripping with Raimi's distinctive style. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better time at the theater this year.

Loan officer Christine Brown (Allison Lohman) is up for a promotion to assistant manager. After her boss informs her that she must "make the tough decisions" to get ahead, Christine denies an elderly gypsy woman an extension on her mortgage. She suffers the consequence when the woman places a curse upon her, whereby a vicious demon haunts the victim and ultimately drags them to Hell. With the help of her boyfriend, a medium, and a seer, Christine tries everything possible to dissuade the demon from taking her soul.

Drag Me to Hell will make you jump, scream, laugh, and possibly gag. This was exactly Raimi's intention, as the director loves the elicit a response from his audience. His self-proclaimed "spook-a-blast" has definitely achieved that goal. It is scary, hilarious, unique, and so damn fun. Do not be deceived by its PG-13 rating - this movie really pushes the envelope with gore and gross stuff. It is completely over-the-top in the best possible way.

I loved Lohman in the lead role. Originally, Ellen Page was cast in this role but dropped out. I am so glad she did because Lohman nails the sweet innocence of Christine. Her progression into desperation and borderline madness is perfect. Page would have been far too angsty and tough for the part. Lohman also takes a couple Bruce Campbell-style beatings. She is a real trooper. The rest of the cast are great, as well, even Justin Long who I usually am not a fan of.

So many moments in this movie recalled the Evil Dead films - even some direct references and recycled sound FX! For a Raimi fan like me, this is pure heaven. Sam is back in original form here with canted camera angles, twisted humor, and brilliant use of sound. He also recruited his friends - the greatest FX team in the business KNB - to handle the practical effects. As always, they did a great job. The only downside of this movie is it makes me literally ache for Evil Dead 4. If you have any doubts that another Evil Dead film could be as good as its predecessors, Drag will completely shatter them.

If you have not seen this film yet, GO! NOW! It is imperative that you see it in theaters with other people because it is one hell of a film-going experience. At each viewing I attended, the audience's screams, laughter, and stomping roared louder than anything I've ever heard. Believe me when I tell you this film is 100% unadulterated fun.

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Street Trash

Film: Street Trash (1987)
Dir: Jim Muro
Rating: **** out of 5 stars



Pay no attention to that Tommy Vance quote on the poster - it is wildly inaccurate and just plain stupid. However, Street Trash is an awesome movie full of tasteless hilarity, quirky characters, and gooey gore. A better comparison would be: Bad Taste meets The Toxic Avenger on the set of They Live. In other words - fantastic.

The film is about a community of derelicts living in and around a NYC junkyard. When the local liquor store starts selling a mysterious booze called Tenefly Viper for $1, a slew of homeless winos are found dead - or more specifically, melted. Aside from that, there is very little plot. We follow the daily hijinx of Fred and his brother Kevin, who get into a mess of trouble with the Viper, the local mafia, the police, and Bronson, a ruthless Vietnam vet who rules the junkyard.

Street Trash isn't exactly known for having an intelligent or even cohesive plot. But it does have a range of hilarious characters, outrageous scenes and quotables, and some surprisingly awesome melt FX. Seriously, Jennifer Aspinall and Mike Lackey (who also plays Fred) did an amazing job with the special makeup effects. I was impressed from the infamous toilet scene and it only got better thereafter. You really must see this movie to believe it.

I fear that director Jim Muro (now J. Michael Muro) is ashamed of this film, and he has not directed since but is a very successful stedicam operator. It's a real shame because he did a great job with this one, as did writer Roy Frumkes. I was pleasantly surprised at how much Evil Dead influence appeared in this too - from the Sam-o-Cam shots to the choice of making the hobos' blood every color except red. Again, it's a shame Muro didn't embrace directing - he might have been another Raimi.

A lot of people compare this to Troma films, but honestly, I think it's way superior. It never felt like shock-for-the-sake-of-shock, or cheap, dirty humor. Oh, it's trashy (look at the title) but it's fantastic and so, so funny. This movie definitely stole a place in my heart among cult classics like Re-Animator and Bad Taste.

**PS - I don't usually mention DVD features in these reviews, but if you see and enjoy Street Trash, you MUST check out "The Meltdown Memoirs" on the two-disc set. It is a lengthy documentary about the making of the film and has interviews with everyone in the cast, and most of the crew - including Bryan Singer, who was a production assistant on the film. Of course, Muro does not appear. It is very comprehensive and a must-see for fans of the film.

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Rambo

Film: Rambo (2008)
Dir: Sylvester Stallone
Rating: **** out of 5 stars

Rambo is not destined for Oscar gold or critical praise, but that won't stop it from being one of my favorite movies of this year. It is like a textbook example on how to make one fantastic fucking action movie. I'd call it a guilty pleasure, except that I feel no sense of guilt for loving it. It is not for everybody, but for a gore whore like me, this is pure, unfiltered awesome.

John Rambo is living a quiet life in the Burma jungle, wrangling cobras for a living (a job for a true badass). A group of missionaries asks him to escort them into a warzone so they can help the villagers, who are being marauded by an oppressive government militia. At first he refuses to get involved, for their own safety, but eventually he relucantly agrees. So of course the stupid missionaries get kidnapped by cruel Burmese soldiers, and it's up to Rambo to rescue them. Just to make things even more badass, he gets help from a team of highly-trained mercenaries.

Rambo includes actual footage of war-ravaged villages, as Stallone was clearly trying to shock his audience with real world horror. Even the staged acts of violence in the film are pretty horrifying. So the film evokes that same feeling you get watching Saving Private Ryan or Schindler's List, except Rambo gives us the ending we only wish would happen in real life - a badass motherfucker showing up and completely wrecking the bad guys. The villains in this are SO evil that it makes the revenge that much sweeter. Perhaps the moral relevance is lost in all the gratuitous kills, but it is so damn satisfying on a visceral level.

There are slow parts where the story dominates, but they are always punctuated with some great moment of Rambo ripping someone's throat out or obliterating someone with a 50-cal machine gun. The last ten minutes or so are just about the most fun I've had watching a movie in some time. It is an absolute massacre of bad guys in so many colorful ways. I was very impressed with the visual FX - with the exception of one or two bad CGI shots, the gore is phenomenol. Very brutal and very realistic.

I'm sure I sound like a complete sicko for enjoying the carnage so much, but put this movie on in a room full of people and watch the wild reactions it will elicit. The violence is so, so extreme and so, so satisying because the bad guys are absolute assholes. I've seen enough depressing films about the victims of genocide - it's about damn time we saw the murdering dickheads getting their asses handed to them. And who better to do it than Rambo?

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