In the waning days of 2015, well be polling SHOCKs stable of fantastic freelancers to see what horror flicks made them tick the loudest.
We continue with Mr. John Nicol…
The year simply blazed by at warp speed; or maybe it was simply uneventful in the horror domain. I wish I could add television shows to this list; beautiful masterpieces like PENNY DREADFUL and ASH VS EVIL DEAD were far more terrifying than most of the entries this year and could easily trump the schlock that found its way into the graveyards of on-line outlets. I hate to be a downer, but the stuff that’s being passed off as horror these days makes my fast forwarding thumb ache just thinking about it. Here is my unconventional list for 2015
5. FELT (Dir: Jason Banker)
Not well received by the critics, which is understandable as it is clunky and amateurish in places; however, I admire its ambition. This indie cross between FRANK and FAT GIRL (with hints of NYMPHOMANIAC) sees rape victim Amy succumbing to a world of disguises and escapism that ultimately ends up blurring the boundary of her fictional universe with her damaged reality (think HEAVENLY CREATURES.) Amy is a troubled young woman who hides behind her male, hand-crafted costumes fully equipped with fake penises and such; the horror is subtle for the most part, but more in your face when its sensitive topics bubble to the surface. FELT explores the bitter horror of the human psyche and also deals with controversial topics of rape and the unofficial rape culture that unfortunately exists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwxmnyoofPs
4. MAPS TO THE STARS (Dir: David Cronenberg)
I am not the greatest fan of David Cronenberg’s cinematic direction these days, but his latest entry MAPS TO THE STARS totally captivates and delivers. Its a visceral journey into the under belly of Hollywood shrouded in a surreal ghost story. Cronenberg peels back and reveals a tabloid portrait of the Hollywood lifestyle like a botched face-lift. The performances are captivating and terrific; Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Sarah Gadon and Robert Pattison take command of their roles – everyone has ghosts, demons, baggage, all of which Cronenberg brings to the surface and serves up like a sinful dish of excess and gratuity.
3. THE REVENANT (Dir: Alejandro G. Inarritu)
Easily one of the best films of 2015 and not your typical horror entry; Inarritu’s epic piece blurs the boundaries of horror for sure. It is a psychological mind assault (think about the darker moments of APOCALYPSE NOW sandwiched into a pseudo historical drama revenge tale.) The film is brutal and horrific at times while maintaining beautiful moments of dread, isolation and personal rage. If these notes don’t encapsulate what should be in horror film, then I am truly at a loss. THE REVENANT‘s heart most definitely pumps horror blood even though it hasn’t been marketed as such.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKeK_FojB-A
2. CIRCLE (Dir: by Aaron Hann & Mario Miscione)
A nice little eerie indie gem that captures the magic of the TWILIGHT ZONE episode “THE MONSTERS ARE DUE ON MAPLE STREET” and turns it into a tight little experiment; a snapshot of humanity and its weaknesses. 50 unknowns are trapped in a circular room and are executed at the discretion of all who are present. Thus setting the stage for a very real and inescapable game of life and death that immediately spirals into human nastiness: everything from racism, sexual discrimination, to mistrust right down to killing someone for their faith. CIRCLE is human paranoia to the core and nothing is more terrifying than that – humans make the best monsters.
1. GOODNIGHT MOMMY – directed by Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala
Coming in at number one is this years THE DESCENT (because I have not been legitimately scared by a horror flick since THE DESCENT). GOODNIGHT MOMMY completely restores my faith in the crippled horror genre; this film has been made to scare! Ever since the trailer dropped online, I felt that this film would deliver and it certainly does. Maybe it’s just me, but when it comes to young children forced to trust their parents (their protectors in life) and then rebel against that protective blanket when you know in your gut that something is wrong or out of character (like a father with a drinking problem), it is a terrifying experience. GOODNIGHT MOMMY should be enjoyed with the lights off, curled up on the couch under a blanket; scary stuff, kids.
Here are some of my dishonorable mentions: POLTERGEIST (2015), HARBINGER DOWN (despite all its valiant efforts to bring practical effects back to the mainstream), THE CHOSEN, EXETER and the countless other Netflix gems lingering out there; 2015 saw its share believe me…
