We're in the midst of 31 Days of Horror, so of course, The Quick & Dirties is following suit. Rather than do a bunch of babbling, let's just get to it.
The Disappointments Room
(2016)
To help them get over the death of their infant daughter, Dana (Kate Beckinsale), her husband David (Raido), and their five year old son Lucas (Joiner) move into a secluded, but dilapidated mansion. Dana is having trouble coping and starts having some disturbing visions. Things get worse when she discovers a secret room in the house known as a "disappointment room." This is a room where rich families would lock up their disabled kids to they wouldn't have to be embarrassed by them, or deal with them much at all. Before you know it, the spirits in that room are swirling about and causing all sorts of trouble, mostly for Dana. The film tries to rely on star Kate Beckinsale to draw us in by making us sympathize with her. She gives it her best, and there is reason to give her our sympathy, but she is not nearly enough to carry this film the way it wants her to. Most other aspects of the film fail her. They come off as generic, derivative, and any other synonym you can think of for lazy. And boring. Can't forget boring.
The Void
(2016)
When Deputy Daniel (Aaron Poole) comes across an injured man in the road, he does what any good cop should and rushes the guy to the hospital. That's just the start of a very odd night for, soon enough, everyone in town is turning into something that is most certainly not human. And they're killing anyone they can get close to. To make matters worse, there are some people wearing some sort of hoods hanging around outside the hospital and will kill anyone who comes out. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Gore rules the day as we get plenty of blood and guts. However, this film is more than that. It's a movie with tons of intensity which increases until things reveal themselves to be something straight out of H.P. Lovecraft's wildest dreams. It's a weird, but entertaining ride that rarely lets up.
Ghost Team
(2016)
Napoleon Dynamite...er...Jon Heder, plays Louis, a guy who badly wants to be a ghost buster. When he comes across a guy who says his barn might be haunted, Louis organizes a makeshift team to investigate. The team includes his best friend Stan (David Krumholtz), his nephew, a clerk and a security guard from the electronics store from which they "borrow" their equipment, a beautician, and for good measure, a TV psychic they're somehow not sure they're supposed to pay. This is a horror/thriller/comedy that's better than you would think going in, but still falls short of being good. The highlight is the turn by Amy Sedaris as the psychic. It's a mix of self-deprecation and biting sarcasm and works really well. The horror stuff is of the self-aware variety, seeking to make fun of genre tropes. Eventually, it gives way to an action movie ending that is the weakest part of the film.
The Quick & Dirties has taken on horror before...
I've heard good things about The Void, so I think I'll be watching that soon. I watched the original Shutter last night and that was so bad.
ReplyDeleteI forgot about Jon Heder.
The Void is most certainly worth a watch. You can skip the others.
DeleteYeah, I think I'll avoid these. Plus, I just find Justin Long to be a one-note actor.
ReplyDeleteIf you watch any of them, go with The Void. And Justin Long is definitely a one-note actor.
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