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NATUROM DEMONTO AND DEMENTED MOMS: A Completely SPOILER-FREE ‘Evil Dead Rise’ Review

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Elevated horror? Nah, son. Elevator horror.

What reason do I have to pretend that I wasn’t at least a little biased about Evil Dead Rise from the jump? Every review, and every reviewer, is defined by their biases. I hope by now, reader, you’ve come to understand mine. To err is human, to get unreasonably hyped about deadites and chainsaws is just me being honest.

My point is, I loved this movie, and I knew I would love this movie. If the other Evil Dead films aren’t your cup of tea, I won’t bite your head off about it (I’ll even let you keep your hand). But be warned, this is much of the same…in that it’s a surprising tonal fusion of Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead (2013) and Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead 2. And even if neither floats your boat, I think this one is still worth a watch.

Need a primer on all things Evil Dead? Check out our Horror 101 article on the franchise here!

Evil Dead Rise follows Beth (Lily Sullivan), a sound tech for a rock band escaping her personal problems by visiting her estranged sister and mother of three Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) at their L.A. apartment in disrepair. When an earthquake tears a hole in the apartment’s parking lot floor, the unearthing of a new Necronomicon and its inevitable reading summons the usual suspects. The demons take Ellie for a joyride to unleash the mother-of-all-deadites on the building, and it’s up to Beth to save her nieces and nephew from mommy dearest.  

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Such a drastic change in setting from the franchise’s usual wooded cabins to urban confines is subtly addressed in the movie’s cold open. Usually, I would dislike the opening for being a flash-forward, but I enjoyed it this time for how explosively evil it is. It shows that Lee Cronin knows how to set the mood just right, hitting us from the jump with the mean-spiritedness of something like Evil Dead (2013) while ratcheting up a lot of the blatant camp that was missing from that movie (not Evil Dead 2 levels, but close enough).  

Evil Dead Rise delivers on being disturbing without diving so deep into the well of sadness that 2013 did and even has some moments of levity (depending on how dark your sense of humor is). The movie is a wonderfully balanced 97 minutes that slows down and speeds up exactly when needed. 

This film definitively has my favorite deadites, which is something I didn’t even think about until now. While the ones in Alvarez’s made me want to scrub in a hot shower, and Raimi’s had incredible makeup and actors in both the films and television, Cronin’s deadites are all just magnificent bastards that you can’t wait to see meet the other end of a boomstick.

Sutherland’s Ellie is the ultimate example of this: not only is her brutality so perfectly played physically, but her ultra-expressive facial acting and devious voice make her born for this role; she’s probably going to land as my favorite antagonist in film this year, if not one of my all timers. Ellie’s lines are instantly quotable, since much of the dialogue for the deadites is suped up a lot compared to previous films’ promises of swallowing souls and creative cursing. One line flew over my head as creepy dialogue with slightly silly wording; I later realized it was a subtle jab at Beth’s biggest insecurity and fear. There are layers to these mind games, and the deadites really steal the show this time around. They also pull out a couple demonic tricks wholly unique to this film, with their big finale being exceptionally fun in its grotesquery. 

The younger members of the cast are pretty good, with Danny (Morgan Davies) standing out for being able to turn up the terror with his reactions. Gabrielle Echols character of Bridget only really hits her stride towards the middle of the film, but when she does, her performance ends up being a serious highlight. Sullivan makes Beth sympathetic and plays to the arc of her character wonderfully, making you want to root for her the entire way through.

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In terms of cinematography, you should watch this in IMAX or Dolby Atmos (I did the latter) if it is safe and reasonable for you to do so. I say this because the sound design in this is incredible. I know this train of thought is exaggerated a lot by critics because all movies are designed to be seen in theatres, but this is the first time I’m saying it and genuinely feeling it for a release this year. With Scream 6 and many other films I’ve seen, the audience enhances the experience. But with Evil Dead Rise, your experience the first go around will be entirely different if you can have true surround sound bombarding you. The way the music is mixed is stellar, but it’s the diegetic sound that really stands out in this film. Between the earthquake, the stabs and shots, the supernatural voices, and the absolute torrents of blood, the sound in this film is impeccable, and it’s worth every penny to see this with one of those ear-busting sound systems. 

This movie’s special effects are that expert synthesis of practical and digital you often hear about but don’t always get to see. Some of them were so seamless, I was having trouble distinguishing which was which, and that’s just how I like it when you’re hitting me with waves of gore and skin-crawling uses for household objects (cheese graters sound comfortable to anyone?). The effects are outright masterful complements to creative sequences that utilize the building to its fullest. 

Hint hint: check the subheading.

When it comes to the rest of the visuals, I already know some people will complain about the lighting. The movie is visually very bright, even in scenes where it should be darker. The apartment is so well-lit that I had forgotten that the power was supposed to have been shut off. It wasn’t enough to take me out of the movie or irritate me, but I figured I might as well note it since I do the same for many of my other reviews.

BOTTOMLINE: In the end, Evil Dead Rise is a damn good film, a nearly perfect horror film in my book. On re-examination, I’m sure I’ll find more little things that bother me or question the execution of a scene here or there, but I can’t see myself disliking this movie at all. It was exactly what I wanted it to be: a pulpy, bloody, campy, artistic mess that is ironically everything you’d want in a neat package, with a high rewatch value to boot. Watch it and watch it in theatres if you can. 

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Luis Pomales-Diaz is a freelance writer and lover of fantasy, sci-fi, and of course, horror. When he isn't working on a new article or short story, he can usually be found watching schlocky movies and forgotten television shows.

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[REVIEW] ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ It’s Not Great…

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I was obsessed with Fear Street as a kid. I still have my collection of the popular YA horror detailing the murder and mayhem in Shadyside. These books have moved around the country with me. I even secretly hope to adapt a few of them for the screen someday. So, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I have to tell you that Fear Street: Prom Queen is a strong contender for the worst movie to hit streaming (so far) this year. Here is our review of Fear Street: Prom Queen.

I felt Netflix’s 2021 Fear Street trilogy, helmed by Leigh Janiak, was okay. We had some great kills, it added intersectional lead characters as canon, and the soundtrack was a banger. Did it feel more like a project that was moved to Fear Street rather than an adaptation of any of my beloved books? Yes. Was it the worst thing that could have happened to the beloved series? No.

However, I could not help getting more excited for this fourth installment. Mainly because the title Fear Street: Prom Queen is so close to Fear Street: The Prom Queen. It gave my nerd heart hope that we would finally see one of the actual books on screen. However, we rarely get what we want in life.

A Disappointing 1988 Vibe

Fear Street: Prom Queen does take place during prom season. It does have a group of high school girls who want the crown for various reasons. We even eventually get around to some underwhelming murders. However, this 1988 moment left a lot to be desired. When it opens with the synth music and the 1980s high school, giving us Stranger Things vibes, I knew it would be different than anything that came before.

I quickly made peace with that and gave the first act grace, even when it started to experience turbulence. Not only is this installment bad, but it also undoes all of the goodwill the first three movies built with the audience. The characters feel one note, the pacing never finds the gas pedal, and by the time it got to the revealsI wanted to take a nap. 

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Fear Street: Prom Queen and its One Dimensional Cast

We follow Lori (India Fowler), an outcast at her school who has been nominated for Prom Queen. As our narrator, she gives us the one-dimensional descriptions of everyone else. This includes her best friend Megan (Suzanna Son), who Lori tells us is a stoner and horror nerd.

We quickly realize Megan is also a Queer sidekick as this movie will not be following in the predecessor’s footsteps. There will be no queer Black characters at the front this time. Anyway, part of Lori’s deal is the town hates her mother because of mysterious events that transpired at her prom while she was pregnant with Lori.

This wild speculation and gossip has become the gospel that haunts Lori. It is also ammunition for her bully and prom queen competition, Tiffany (Fina Strazza).

Tiffany is one of the many characters that could be more interesting. However, the writing and direction will not let her be great. Each time she corners Lori to torment her with an exposition-filled monologue in whispered tones, I wondered if this was really the best option.

The way Tiffany runs her squad and twists the verbal knife into her bestie’s heart gives glimmers of a more interesting villain. Sadly, Fear Street: Prom Queen forces her also to be one-dimensional.

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The project also wastes Lili Taylor as Vice Principal Dolores Brekenridge. A woman who demands law and order in her school but is just a stock character. However, at least it allows the actor to stop the whole affair from being a complete flatline.

My fellow millennials will also get a kick out of seeing Chris Klein as Dan Falconer. Dan is a teacher at the high school who happens to also be Tiffany’s dad. He might also have the silliest character arc of anyone in this situation. 

The Killer in Fear Street: Prom Queen

Lackluster Kills with No Tension

One of the things Fear Street (the books and the first three films) has going for them is the kills. Not only do teens die, but also the rest of the teens have to carry on as their classmates get turned into charcuterie.

Fear Street: Prom Queen opted out of all of that. The first kill is an uninspired axe to the shoulder. There was no fight, no struggle or chase. Just a whimper of a weapon going into someone’s back while they look off into the night. That aspiring prom queen is a drug dealer, so a few people ask about her, but no one really looks for her. Any hope that Christy’s (Ariana Greenblatt) whimper of a death scene would not set the tone is dashed at the prom.

Matt Palmer’s direction never allows for any tension building. This would not necessarily be a bad thing if Fear Street: Prom Queen ever found a rhythm. Or at least picked up the pace during the kills. However, they are all as slow and uninspired as the rest of the movie. Co-writers Palmer and Donald Mcleary never gave any of the characters a chance to have texture.

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So, none of the deaths have weight on top of the killer just appearing next to the victims as if by magic. They also never got out of their way long enough to let the story do anything interesting or avoid being so formulaic. So, the few times they think they are surprising the audience falls flat.

Formulaic Storytelling and Flat Reveals

Each killer reveal was somehow equally ridiculous, expected, and underwhelming. This makes Lori’s fight for survival too tepid for us to root for her when she gets her final girl moment. 

I tried to gaslight myself into saying the movie was going for camp. After all, Tiffany and Lori have a weird dance-off to Gloria (a 1982 anthem) during the prom when things get too heated. However, as the entire runtime felt like a rehearsal instead of a performance, I might never know what the tone was supposed to be.

Sadly, I stopped trying to understand the mess and endured because that is my job. I finish things and tell people what I saw, and if I think it is worth watching. With great displeasure, I must tell you that Fear Street: Prom Queen feels like CW and Tubi had a baby behind a Radio Shack in hell. Not in a fun and chaotic way. More like the people didn’t understand the assignment and assumed their audience does not have standards.

A Letdown for Fear Street and Slasher Fans

I did not have a good time with Fear Street: Prom Queen and would like my time back. I love slashers and the books the movie is allegedly inspired by. So, I hate that it fails in both lanes.  It especially hurts because the Fear Street books are right there in all their fun glory.

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While this did not capture any of the thrills of my favorite parts of the series, it did force me to find even more ways to appreciate the 2021 Netflix trilogy. It was not the Fear Street of our youth, but it got a few things right. Also, it at least gave horror fans something to talk about.

So, it really sucks to see this one campaigning for a spot at the bottom of the discount bin. 

Fear Street: Prom Queen is now available on Netflix.

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[Review] ‘Bring Her Back’ A Gut-Wrenching Horror Masterpiece

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Let’s just say the Philippou brothers are about to commit highway robbery on A24’s budgeting department for the foreseeable future. The sophomore feature film of the former YouTube celebs, Bring Her Back, lands the guys a heavy two-for-two after their directorial debut. 

Bring Her Back: A Triumphant Follow-Up From Philippou Brothers

As cute and carefree as these guys are in conversation, we’d never believe the trauma Danny and Michael Philippou were about to drum up with their grief-soaked house party, Talk To Me. Representing the new generation of horror, much of the film’s praise circled around their ability to add an accurate adolescence to the low vibrational theme of loss.

Their playfulness as a duo hasn’t budged, but the twins’ newest project swaps out any source of teenage nostalgia for an extra helping of domestic dread.

It’s “feel bad “o’clock”, alright. Bring Her Back sits at the stoop of the disturbing side of extreme cinema, similar to Red Rooms or Speak No Evil (2022)– just add a gallon of the bloody stuff.

Sora Wong and Billy Barratt Shine as Siblings in Bring Her Back

The film follows Andy and Piper, siblings who are quickly placed into nightmare foster care after the sudden death of their only parent. It’s felt instantly that the innocence of these characters is about to be challenged in ways the viewer might not be ready for. The bond between Sora Wong as Piper, and Billy Barratt as her brother, Andy, is tangible. The audience will feel how the series of events stretches and disrupts their chemistry from its origin, through its conflict, to the lasting impact of its third act.

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Piper is the younger sister. She’s visually impaired, and a victim of bullying at school. Billy is almost 18, and after years of abuse, prioritizes protecting his step-sister from the household horrors that come with adolescence. The desolation is boosted with Sally Hawkins in the role of Laura; the kids’ new foster parent. Personally, I’m thankful Hawkins retired from her career of serving comfort charisma in the Paddington series for something complex and dangerous.

Her newest role is a little relatable… and likable for a little? All around it’s demented. Laura’s fallen into immense emptiness after losing her daughter, but found a seemingly reasonable solution in providing care for kids in need, like her current foster child, Oliver. At least that’s what her alibi tells us.

Weaponizing Empathy in a Horror Movie

The amount of humanity all over this is disturbing. Care is a theme, but it’s really a gag that anyone with an ounce of empathy is subject to trip over. The facade of a safe space lets in the manipulation. The only “what if?” comes from the ability to accept a stranger’s care in a time of struggle. The Philippou’s are wicked to use our human empathy against us.

Sora Wong’s debut performance carries a lot of hope to Piper, which is basically the viewer’s lifeline. Her visual impairment makes little impact on the situation, especially because she has all of the characteristics of a role that horror fans typically hold on to, especially with the weight of this context. Hopefully the young actor finds a taste for horror in her career moving forward.

Practical Effects and Body Horror Steal the Show

The physical horrors I witnessed are some of the worst things you can do to an audience. I honestly wish y’all luck getting this stuff out of your head (complimentary). The first foster child, Oliver, puts all the current creepy children in horror to bed. As strange as Laura gets, he is the conduit of the supernatural element. Jonah Wren Phillips nailing the classic “creepy kid” thing makes him the perfect subject for Philippou’s display of practical effects. The body horror sequences are traumatizing; they last forever, and you’ll hear twice as much as you see, but they’re worth every cent spent in production. These moments make for excellent theater experiences, but I also understand if you’d rather watch at home and sob a little too.

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Simply put, Bring Her Back weighs a thousand tons. Somehow, it’s able to complement massive amounts of grief with the kind of practical and emotional depravity you rarely see in a wide release. We are so far from the gateway, folks, so take your trigger warnings seriously.

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