Tucker & Dale vs Evil

The story of "city slickers heading into the woods and meeting an untimely demise at the hands of hillbillies" is a story that has been done to death in the horror genre. More often than not the scenario comes about because the people from the city underestimate the abilities of their counterparts and find themselves being gruesomely dispatched with. The movies are usually violent, and often unpleasant to watch. Being that this story has been done so often it shocks me that it has never really been played for laughs. Consider that rectified as this movie does it's best to turn the convention of that horror sub-genre on its ear. From there it is just a matter of whether the movie works or not. The answer for me is- a resounding yes.

Tucker (Alan Tudyk from Dodgeball and 3:10 to Yuma) and Dale (Taylor Labine from Reaper and Invasion) are two well meaning hillbillies who are going into the woods to work on the vacation home that they just bought. The house is a run down cabin near a lake which looks like any number of houses that would be in this type of film. Along the way they encounter a group of college students out on vacation (led by Katrina Bowden of 30 Rock) and the boys are pegged immediately as creepy hillbilly losers. At the general store Dale becomes smitten with Bowden's character Allison and Tucker encourages him to go and talk to her. For some unknown reason Dale walks over with a sickle and tries to start a conversation. He takes Tucker's advice to laugh no matter what she says which leads to an awkward situation that makes the two men seem even creepier than first thought.

Once out in the woods the college students head off skinny dipping in the middle of the night in the same lake where Tucker and Dale are fishing. Allison shows up and gets startled by the two while undressing to go skinny dipping. She falls underwater, hits her head and doesn't come up for air right away leading Tucker and Dale to rescue her. When her friends go looking for her they see Tucker and Dale loading her into their boat so they can help her. Tucker yells to the college students, "We've got your friend" which only exacerbates the situation. From there it is a constant stream of misconstrued situations that lead to a battle between the college students and Tucker and Dale. I wouldn't dare ruin them but suffice to say the result of these situations are often hilarious and are well laid out set pieces. I will say though that my favorite piece in the film is when Tucker accidentally cuts through a beehive with a chainsaw leading to a chase where Tucker and the student are both running from their perceived, or very real, antagonist. Also, Tucker and Dale's reactions are exactly what they should be to these events as the viewer can see what is happening and they can identify throughout.

Labine and Tuudyk have a great chemistry here and they play well off each other throughout the film. There was a chance of their characters being played as goofs and turning the film against them but the script and direction make it clear from the first frame that these guys mean no harm to anyone and are just as confused about what is happening as the college students are. The script also makes a smart move to show everything from the point of view of Tucker and Dale for the first hour or so of the film. Once things start going nuts they probably should have switched narrative places with the college students to make the concept work fully but it is really a minor complaint. At every turn, the viewer feels for what is happening to Tucker and Dale and you root for them from start to finish. It works in the last act of the film especially when the one college student goes full on Rambo trying to wipe them out.

For all the aspects of these types of films that the movie gets right the best one is that final part of the previous paragraph. Too often in these films one protagonist turns into an action hero way too quickly and can fight their way out of anything. In this film- had the character just talked with people and listened nothing happens. However, because he tries to be a hero he in turn screws up everything.

This is a great film and again- if I said too much I risk ruining what the film has in store for you. The film has had a tough road to theaters and they have finally gotten a distribution deal and should be hitting theaters at the end of September. If this film opens anywhere near you I encourage you to check this out- especially if you are not a fan of this genre of film. The director and writer, while they love those types of films, see the inherent problems that others do and make fun of those deficiencies at every turn. This is a solid laugh out loud film and while horror comedies may be infrequent, this is one that hopefully leads to a resurgence of that particular sub-genre of the horror film.

The only thing that prevents this from becoming an instant classic is the last 20 minutes or so, but it is excellent up to that point until it just becomes a good film.

Some quick hits on the summer hits- August

This movie feels like a stand-up comedy routine. In fact, I'd wager that if you read the script there would be notes in it that include the comments setting up the jokes and scenarios in the film. That would all be fine though if the script did not work so hard to get the viewer to hate the characters so much. Ryan Reynolds is particularly unlikable which is a shame because Reynolds is generally a pretty good actor. Here though he is a cad who is filled with so many douchebag tendencies that you can never get behind him. As a single person with married friends I personally try to be conscious of how I act around them. You never want to be in a position where your friend evaluates why they put up with you in the first place. Here though it's hard to understand why Bateman's character is friends with Reynolds. I say some off the wall things to my friends and their wives but telling your friend's wife you want her to sit on your face while you recite the alphabet is a pretty bad thing to say in front of your friend. There are funny moments in the film but they come too infrequently and the rest of the time you are wondering why the radiant Leslie Mann is putting up with all of this stupidity around her.

With Super 8 in June and this film in August it gave me some great relief to the future of summer blockbusters. This film, much like Super, flashes big action sequences but surrounds it with a completely compelling story making the impact that much more satisfying. The film got slagged a little early on because people were expecting this to be a film where apes destroy everything and run roughshod over the city of San Francisco. This isn't that movie though. This is more about the apes starting to gain a stronger foothold in the world as the human race begins to eliminate their own. They explicitly show in a tag scene during the closing credits how this will happen. The real fun here though comes from Andy Serkis. His acting in the film covers a wide variety of emotions as he plays Caesar as a wide eyed youngster, a rebelling teenager, a person questioning their identity and finally a defiant leader. There is a debate going on about his Oscar chances and I think he really deserves strong consideration. I know it is a computer and everything but it is him infusing the character with emotion and really elevating the story at every single turn. It's a great performance and probably his best work so far.

At this point in the franchise you know what you are in for and that carries some good and bad. With these films though you know people are going to die so from there it becomes a matter of how effectively they milk the scenarios for tension. This film improves over the last one by leaps and bounds in that regard. A few of the kills are incredibly intense and are nail biting. The one scene from the trailer shows a gymnast on a balance beam with a nail looming on the beam. In the film though that sequence is about 5 minutes long and the camera sets up about 4 different things that could go wrong and every time the camera cuts to them- with the cuts increasing in frequency as we move forward- you feel angst for the woman. The kill then comes and it is completely out of left field from the rest of the sequence and just works perfectly. The 3D here is top notch as the director (Cameron's second unit director on Avatar) uses the device to full hilt and launches things at the camera without the viewer ever seeing the launch. The ending too is hinted at throughout but it is still a surprise when it happens and works extremely well. Here's a hint (AND SPOILER OF SORTS)- the male is going to Paris for cooking school. Remember Paris? This is a nice infusion of blood to the franchise and hopefully leads to a nice new direction.

I really don't know what to say about this film. It gets so much wrong and is so off base throughout that it never feels like a movie that was completed. You get the impression that this film was only about half finished and then hustled through the production phase to get to theaters. The actors are all wrong, the script is terrible, and other than the first 25 minutes there is little to no enjoyment in this film. And apparently the 3D makes the film even worse, and I only saw it in 2D.

This film had all the earmarks of being something special in the horror genre. Del Toro has an affinity for these films, and Pearce and Holmes are both pretty good actors and the television movie in 1973 is good source material. Somewhere along the way though this film came off the rails and never recovered. The young actress in the lead role is really good and without her this movie would've been considerably worse. She begins hearing whispers in the vents at the house and being a child explores this until she lets loose ancient creatures that only want to take her back to their lair and feast. And while the creatures are in the shadows this film works and then some. It is scary and the tension is high. But then, they show the creatures and what we see are one foot tall simian like creatures with humpbacks that are off some CGI demo reel. To make matters worse, the creatures begin talking, and everytime they talked the laughs in the theater were audible. The scenes were they talk too are played for comedy even though it is clear that is not what the intended effort was. As the creatures are battering the young girl in the library she is screaming "What do you want," as she is getting closer and closer to the bookcase. At this point the lead creature pops up and yells, "We want YOUUUUUU." It was stupid and silly and it ruined whatever good will the film had created up to that point. By the end then we get a cliched ending and a silly tag to the end of the film designed to drive home the point of what has happened. It just feels off. Had they kept things in the shadows this movie works so much better.

Top Ten Horror Movies of the Last Ten Years

I was viewing the website of a friend the other day when I came upon his list of the Top Ten Horror Films of the past Ten Years. His list can be found here John Bem's list (the website could be considered NSFW as Blogger makes you click a button indicating that the site contains some questionable material). I have to say after reading the list that I was most intrigued by the concept of the list. John got the idea from another website that had a pretty compelling list as well. 

I can't say there is much deviation in their lists versus mine when I sat down to come up with my own top ten ranking, although there is some slight variation. However, the ones that do show up multiple times indicate that those particular films are most righteous and probably should be viewed if you have never seen them. The rules are that we take films from 2002-present So after sitting down and whittling a preliminary list down to ten, here is what I came up with. But first:

Honorable mention: Malevolence (2005)- A simple understated take on the horror slasher. It starts as a story about a bank robbery and kidnapping and then takes a left turn about halfway in and becomes increasingly disturbing. Also, filmed in the Bethlehem area.

28 Days Later (2002)- Killed me to leave this one off the list as I really love aspects of it including the deserted nature of London. However, I think the film takes a while to get into second gear and you could argue it comes a little too late into the film.

Paranormal Activity (2009)- While I generally liked the film and found it scary, I don't see it having the same appeal on a second viewing. The situation is still terrifying, but much of what it is gearing towards is based off the unknown and once you see the beats it's hard to forget them for the second time around.

Dawn of the Dead (2004), Shaun of the Dead (2005), & The Strangers (2008)- The last three films I cut off my list and each one had a big internal debate. On the first one, Zach Snyder's take on the Romero classic is well done but seeing as I just spent 3 weeks writing a 25 page paper on the original I find it hard to ignore that the subtext of the film is stripped in the new one. It's scary but it's empty. Shaun is a movie that is as hilarious as it is scary, and it is generally scary at times. There are some brilliant scenes and I think you should absolutely see it if you never have. The last one was a pleasant surprise of a movie to me and while a normal person would've escaped no less than 5 times it still manages to create an atmosphere that is haunted at every turn.

10. Let the Right One In (2008)/ Let Me In (2010)- You can call this a cheat if you want but there are not a bunch of huge differences between the Swedish film and its American remake. In fact, there is one aspect I like more in the remake and one thing I like less in the remake so in the end it becomes a bit of a wash to me. It is a horror movie of sorts but there is a loving romantic sentiment that permeates throughout the film. There is some gore at spots but it is the relationship between the young vampire and the boy who feels attached to her. A haunting film and beautiful even with a bleak slate.

9. Final Destination 2 (2002)- I know at this point for many the series is played out (although I think the new one reignites the franchise with some clever turns and the best "sometime later" sequence in the franchise), but in 2002 this series was hot and they followed up a great first effort with this sequel which found a new way to play with the formula. It stripped away much of the character introduction and instead upped the ante on the Rube Goldberg style gonzo kills. An elevator, a pipe, and an airbag are the death blows here with the latter setting off a huge set piece killing off a number of characters. However, it is all about that car crash that sets the film in motion as the premonition. It is an exhilarating 2-3 minute sequence with new obstacles popping up over and over again before carnage is all that is left. One of the best car crash scenes ever put on film and it helped differentiate the sequel from the sequels that followed.

8. Saw (2003)- Another series that by now has run its course but that should not detract from how great the first one is. The series turned to garbage by the middle of the third one and this film did lead to the torture porn genre that drew the ire of many. However, it should be remembered that the first film did not rely on its gruesome traps to draw its suspense. The central question at the heart of the films was "How far would you go to protect yourself and ultimately value your life?" And then that ending- that ending is what launched the film from a nice scary little horror movie to a massive worldwide franchise.

7. Pontypool- What happens when the English language turns on you? That is the central question in this film as zombies are spreading but it is not bites but rather the spoken word that is spreading the disease. If you've ever had a word, phrase, or song stuck in your head this movie will resonate and make you cautious of the words you say for the next week or so after viewing.

6. Insidious (2011)- It is a recent film but it is really well done and has the feel of a Gothic Hitchcock movie. The sound editing is top notch on this film as it creates scares and tension without resorting to cheap fake jump scares. The strings on the soundtrack reverberate fear into the viewer and then there are some absolutely terrifying images throughout including one of the best jump scares in the past 10 years. What really sets this film apart though is that director James Wan really wants you to be forever scanning the screen for what lurks in the corner or on the periphery of the action. There is one creepy scene that takes place in the middle of the two and features two "Did I just see that moments?" which work incredibly well. There may be some complaints about the last third of the movie but the first two thirds are so well done it gave the filmmakers a little bit of leeway with me. I didn't find the explanation of what was happening to be great but it wasn't terrible like some try to claim.

5. The Devil's Rejects (2005)- Some like House of 1000 Corpses better but to me this film is the pinnacle of Zombie's film work as it works as a horror movie, road trip film, with some touches of black comedy sprinkled throughout. By giving the villains from the first film characters and personalities he found a way to make the viewer identify with the killers and blurred the line between good and bad. William Forsythe is great as the cop but his methods make you question if he is really the good guy in all of this. On top of that it has a great wild climax set to "Free Bird" for the entire duration of the song. Unfortunately Zombie has really dropped the ball with his films after this.

4. The Mist (2007)- Stephen King can be hard to get right on screen but Frank Darabont has had considerable success in adapting King's work for film. With this movie he does a great job at drawing scares even while the CGI is delightfully cheesy at times. While it is a monster movie, at its core it is about what regular people would do under extreme circumstances. It isn't about the monsters outside against us but rather about the monsters on the insider. How we respond to things happening around us and how we gauge our friends and neighbor's reactions. It carries a special kind of weight being that it came out in such a polarizing climate. That ending as well, while different from the book, is amazing and one of the more jaw-dropping scenes I've ever seen. You could generally feel a hush come over the theater when the scene happened. That closing imagery will haunt you.

3. Slither (2006)- Equal parts funny and scary- this films works on multiple levels. What is disheartening is that the film did not find an audience at theaters as I think people didn't know how to take the horror comedy. There are great performances, some great lines, and Michael Rooker being as awesome as Michael Rooker normally is. I implore those that have never seen this film to watch it.

2. Drag Me To Hell (2009)- Before he graduated to big budget superhero movies, Sam Raimi was a well received horror director by helming the cult classic Evil Dead series. His return to the genre came with big fanfare and this really felt like the former graduate coming back to give a commencement speech. He took a formula he was good at and infused it with some of the big budget tricks he learned on the bigger pictures. It is a film that is PG-13 but earns its horror stripes by focusing on some vicious, and viciously gross, scenes. Plus Alison Lohman is just wonderful as the lead character. You feel for her throughout and it brings you into her plight from the beginning and by the end you are rooting hard for her.

1. The Descent (2005)- One of the most harrowing films I've ever experienced in theaters. Often it is dark and the camera positions itself in such a way that it carries a horrible sense of claustrophobia throughout. it is a fresh take on the monster film genre as it keeps the characters hidden for a majority of the film and it pivots on the relationships between the women in the cave. Because the film takes a long time to set up the story it pays off in the end when things get crazy. I prefer the ending of the British version of the film as it is far bleaker than the American ending but both work in various ways. Many of the scenes are pulse-pounding and create tension even though, and usually because, you're not always quite sure what is happening. 

Some quick hits on the summer hits- July

When you get casts with a bunch of stars the script sometimes has problems keeping up with all of them. Here the script plays to all the characters individual strengths and remains hilarious while doing so. Spacey is great in his role which is basically him riffing on his character from Swimming with Sharks. The revelations though are Farrell and Aniston who play against their type here and find some hilarious places to take the characters at every turn. Jamie Foxx is excellent in his small role and the three leads (Bateman, Sudekis, and Day) find the right mix for their parts to avoid them becoming caricatures and staying sympathetic throughout. There was some initial talk about this plot being directly from Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, and they do a great job of alluding to that in a discussion about halfway into the film. The one minor complaint is that the film could've gone for a darker tone but sort of backed off that to keep it broad. It's a really minor gripe though.

This is probably my favorite superhero film of the summer. Everything about the film just works including the setting and feel of the film. The movie takes place in the 1940's and it truly feels like a film that would have been made in that time. The CGI stuff early on with Chris Evans could have been really cheesy but he infuses those scenes with some pretty good pathos and develops the character so that when the ending comes you truly feel for him. I also enjoyed how the movie took a similar tact as Thor and started further along in the story and then went back and told you what happened. It breaks up the narrative structure and works as a framing device rather than just telling the origin story chronologically. Tommy Lee Jones is great in his role, but it's really a part he can play in his sleep. Overall a breezy two hour film that never overstays its welcome and never feels its length.

Sort of torn on this film. It wants to be different and at times succeeds. At other times it feels just as formulaic as the films it is riffing against. That leaves you with the two leads who do really play well off each other and do have a certain level of chemistry. In fact, their chemistry together is really what carries the film throughout its duration. The script doesn't always work and they introduce too many goofy side characters (like Kunis' mom) which sort of derail the proceedings. Logistically I understand why they include the stuff with Timberlake's dad in the film but it really feels out of place at times and an unnecessary diversion. Overall though I would say I enjoyed the film and there are quite a few funny lines sprinkled throughout. What hurts it though is the fact that you know how it is going to end even though it wants you to think it is different from that type of film.

This was one of the movies I was most looking forward to this summer and it ends up being a big disappointment to me. Cowboys & Aliens had all the earmarks for a goofy movie with a fun premise and it squanders all of that by playing it way too seriously. The first half of the film is really well done as we are introduced to the characters in the town before the aliens show up. But the two styles of film never really mesh together and there are a number of reasons as to why. Daniel Craig is not very good in his role and they give his character a backstory that tries way too hard. He should've just been a regular drifter into town or an outsider but instead they opt for a guy that has no recollection of who he is or why he has this device on his arm. Harrison Ford is okay in his role but I sort of wished by the end they had found someone else to play his part as he takes it way too earnestly. This should've been a B movie given the A list treatment and instead they take everything too seriously and suck all the fun out of the film.