Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: HEREDITARY (2018)

A24 horror films are sometimes touch and go, I mean, The Witch and It comes at Night were brilliant additions to the genre with deserved praise. But, HEREDITARY is one of those films that came on the heels of an outrageous ad campaign that promised the most disturbing horror film you've ever seen. As usually turns out to be the case, I assure you that it isn't. I'm still a fan of the style of shock advertising made popular in the 50's and love the way HEREDITARY was able to make it work. The film is disturbing, although only because of the misleading story line. Yes, HEREDITARY is very reminiscent of Rosemary's Baby. It's also not a bad film, with decent jump scares and mind numbing mental horror, its hardly the film the advertisements and critics are promising.

Though I still believe there is nothing amazing that makes HEREDITARY stand about above other demon possession type films, it is still worth a watch if you have to the time.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves, or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: THE ENDLESS (2017)

I've mentioned many times that our introduction to the writing/directing team of Moorehead and Benson were first brought to our attention by our patron saint Bill Oberst Jr who had the pleasure of playing a creepy Frenchman in their film RESOLUTION. I've also debated and reveled in the new wave of cerebral horror Benson/Moorehead were a part of and gave, them especially, my hopes that they would bring us more. I was extremely excited when their next big project, SPRING, was announced, and definitely did not let now. Once a sequel to RESOLUTION was announced I waited with anticipation for what I knew was going to be thrilling and mind bending on a level that only story tellers like them could manage, and they did.

THE ENDLESS takes us into the heart of two young survivors (played by Benson and Moorehead) of what may have been a death cult as they decide to go back and visit after escaping. Their lives haven't gotten much better since leaving, so why not? Once there the film turns into exactly what you expect as thing go from ok to downright creepy. There are few writers and directors in the independent world that can weave a tail as engrossing as Benson/Moorehead and still keep it on the edge of horror. THE ENDLESS is another winner on both the psychological and entertainment front.

As with all things Moorehead and Benson, THE ENDLESS comes highly recommended by the Creepercast. Although already suggested, definitely check out RESOLUTION first since there are important elements of THE ENDLESS that calls back to it. At last look both were available on NetFlix.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves, or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: WILDLING (2018)

Brad Dourif and Liv Tyler helm this modern Grimms style fairy tail about a child that could be more than she appears. Relative newcomer Bel Powley plays the coming of age monster to be deftly. I found Liv to be as laid back in her role as usual and Brad stuck to tough love surliness. Director/cowriter  Fritz Böhm has created an excellent atmospheric exploration into the human condition versus monster that would no doubt make Hans Christian Anderson proud. That much said, from the moment of discovery to the end it felt like WILDLING was an extension of Jack Ketchum and Andrew van den Houten's 'Offspring'. More likely comparisons can be made to the brilliant Lucky McKee sequel 'The Woman'. Powley's transformation looks eerily simlar to McIntosh's character to the point I imagined it was somehow related.

If, like me, you're a sucker for dark fairy tales or a fan of either the 'Offspring' and/or 'The Woman' than WILDLING is a worthy monster flick for you. Just don't feel bad when the the true monster turns out to be you.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves, or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: WARM BODIES (2013)

A terrible plague has left the planet's population divided between zombies and humans. An unusual zombie named R sees his walking-dead brethren attacking a living woman named Julie and rescues her. Julie sees that R is different from the other zombies, and the pair embarks on an unusual relationship. As their bond grows and R becomes more and more human, a chain of events unfolds that could transform the entire lifeless world.

Directed and scripted by Jonathan Levine based on the novel by the same name by Isaac Marion; WARM BODIES stars Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Dave Franco, and Rob Corddry.

Initially, WARM BODIES was kind of funny. But when it turned into a Romeo and Juliet zombie romcom I wasn't into it anymore. The filmmakers where banking on the love story, even releasing it around Valentine's Day, but what we got was a barely lukewarm ridiculous concept. Seriously, zombies are dead, they can't just come back to life because they fell in love warming their cold dead heart.

Available in all formats although I'm not sure why you'd want to see it.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: IDLE HANDS (1999)

When slacker teen Anton Tobias has his right hand possessed by a demonic force, he finds that his life gets a lot more interesting. While Anton himself is an amiable guy, his hand proves to be an appendage of death, killing his two best buddies, Pnub and Mick, who return to life as wisecracking zombies. In addition to murdering those closest to him, Anton's evil hand significantly hinders his chances with lovely neighbor Molly.

Directed by Rodman Flender from a script written by Ron Milbauer and Terri Hughes; IDLE HANDS stars Devon Sawa, Elden Henson, Seth Green, and Jessica Alba.

Probably one of the first teenage zombie romcoms and how can you hate it. Seth Green steals the show most of the time but the classic possessed hand helps move along the humor.

Available in all formats and is brilliantly one of the best horror comedies you'll ever see.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012)

When five college friends arrive at a remote forest cabin for a little vacation, little do they expect the horrors that await them. One by one, the youths fall victim to backwoods zombies, but there is another factor at play. Two scientists are manipulating the ghoulish goings-on, but even as the body count rises, there is yet more at work than meets the eye.

Written by Drew Goddard, Joss Whedon as well as directed by Goddard, CABIN IN THE WOODS stars Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, and so many more. Another glorious comedic twist on the Cabin in the Woods horror tropes and delivered by the great Joss Whedon while directed to perfection by Drew Goddard. Full of familiar faces and comedic responses to expected moments.

Available in all formats and is brilliantly one of the best horror comedies you'll ever see.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to breifly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL (2010)

We can never rave enough about this horror trope twisting story about two scruffy pals' backwoods vacation takes a bloody turn when ignorant college students mistake them for a pair of murderous hillbillies.

TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL is Directed by Eli Craig, Written by Eli Craig and Morgan Jurgenson, and stars Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, and Katrina Bowden. Scream opened the door for slasher aprody and TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL stuck its hillbilly foot in it in glorious fashion. These poor redkneck friends jsut wanted to work on their new summer house!

Available in all formats and is brilliantly one of the best horror comedies you'll ever see.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to breifly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves, or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: Knights of Badassdom (2013)

"Three best friends must find a way to vanquish the evil entity they summoned during a live-action role-playing game."

Directed by Joe Lynch, Screenplay by Kevin Dreyfuss and Matt Wall, Knights of Badassdom stars Peter Dinklage, Ryan Kwanten, and Steve Zahn. This is one of those comedic gems that come along and sandwich heavy metal music, live action dungeons and dragons, and horror into a clever mash of unwitting maniacal madness. So fun to watch!

Available in all formats and worth a great laugh at nerdity.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to breifly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves, or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: Cute Little Buggers (2017)

In this British low B scifi/horror, a couple of lizard-like aliens have arrived to earth with the intent of stealing our women and killing our men using genetically modified bad CGI'd bunny rabbits. CUTE LITTLE BUGGERS is a goofy alien invasion film with lots of sexual frustation and bloody victims. My mind kept going back to the killer rabbit in Monty Python. Everything in the film fits common tropes from the lone sufferer returning home to make peace with his father to the ex-girlfriend and her asshole fiance. Still, fun although the CGI is mildly distracting.

Directed by Tony Jopia (Crying Wolf, Dawning of the Dead) from the Screenplay by Garry Charles, Andy Davie. CUTE LITTLE BUGGERS stars a few familiar Brits like Caroline Munro, Honey Holmes, Dani Thompson, Gary Martin, Kumud Pant, Sara Dee, John R Walker, Steve Aaron-Sipple. For a Benny Hill good laugh with no expectations be sure to check it out on all VOD platforms.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: BEYOND THE WOODS (2018)

BEYOND THE WOODS is an Irish horror film written and directed by Sean Breathnach, making his feature debut. The film stars Ross MacMahon, John Ryan Howard, Mark Lawrence and Irene Kelleher. The plot is environmentally simple... Seven old friends get together for a reunion at a holiday home on the edge of a forest in Ireland. However, a sinkhole has opened nearby and is spewing hot sulfur. The friends begin to act out of character and soon come to realize that something evil is also crossing through the sinkhole. Of course, it has opened a portal to Hell.

Admittedly I love myself some Irish horror films, and that hasn't changed even though BEYOND THE WOODS lacks the usual love for the characters and dingy darkness of the evil the characters face. That is not to say it isn't original enough to entertain a watch. It does come heavy handed on the environmental front and the character drama/conflict seemed underplayed despite needing to be a major focus of the film. Check it out yourself and let us know what you think.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: Haunted Routes Evil East Coast Highway (2017)

Hitchhiking ghosts, haunted hotels, possessed dolls, famous graveyards and murder sites. The Haunted Routes crew map out the ultimate haunted road trip along the eastern coast, stopping at such locations as Salem Massachusetts, Sleepy Hollow, Blood Manor, Troma Entertainment and many others, all the while sharing insight on the paranormal that celebrate the morbid and macabre. The film is pretty much longer versions of the short clips Shockfilmfest provides on their YouTube page. Although they seem to bill these shows as paranormal investigations they really just provide the true stories behind some of the most haunted sites we know about and in this film, they tie them all together into an east coast route, should you choose to follow them. Also the inclusion of the haunted attraction Blood Manor and visit with Troma Studios make it an interesting documentary with interviews with iconic horror players.

Available now on Amazon 

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: GHOST HOUSE (2017)

Lost in the Thai countryside, a young American couple find themselves haunted by an evil spirit. Desperate for a solution, they spiral deeper into a surreal, supernatural world that leads them into a frenzied, terrifying confrontation with pure evil.

After Rob Zombie's Halloween, I strongly believe there is very little Scout Taylor Compton can be bad in and I definitely wouldn't say GHOST HOUSE is her first failure. But there is a lot about this movie that feels contrived and overemphasized. Like the little houses, which are apparently everywhere. I do like the purpose of the houses, to lure ghosts away from haunting the big houses where we live. But the film also ties in the idea of an evil spirit that may or may not have been a real legend to this part of the world. Its a great ghost story all by itself that causes one to wonder why bring up the houses if not only to give the evil spirit a vehicle by which to attach to the living. In the end, it is still a great ghost story and everyone knows that the best ghost stories come from the east.

Available now on all video platforms especially Netflix.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: Demon House (2018)

Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans buys a supposedly haunted house in Indiana and documents what happens when he moves in. For fans of the Travel Channel show Ghost Adventures, this has been an ongoing drama. Bagans and crew have teased elements of the night spent in this house and the resulting destruction, as well as the ongoing physical and mental health issues he and his crew have experienced. The movie plays out like any documentary or episode of the show, beginning with stories from those who once lived in the home and ending with an overnight investigation. It is all very compelling and creepy as we learn about possessions and pain caused by the likelihood that this house is a doorway to hell. Zak Bagans has become one of the foremost authorities and haunts and demons and doesn't lose any credibility here. The Demon House is a worthwhile watch for believers and skeptics alike that will still leave you with lots to think about.

Available now on VOD.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: Winchester (2018)

The most haunted house in the world sits on an isolated stretch of land that's 50 miles outside of San Francisco. Built by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester fortune, it stands seven stories tall and contains hundreds of rooms. Historically, despite there being no real reason for this many-roomed maze, we are lead to believe it is because Sarah is crazy and believes the ghosts of those murdered by the rifle that bears her name are attempting to exact revenge. The reason for the maze is to keep the angry spirits from finding her, or at least that's what we were always told. WINCHESTER actually twists the historical record and poses the idea that maybe Sarah wasn't so crazy after all, but she was actually a warden for errant ghosts and one just happens to actually want revenge. Add in a hired doctor with a substance abuse issue to question her sanity and you have a very interesting historical fiction something like 13 Ghosts.

Available now in theaters.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017)

The plot is simple... a sergeant and his task force embark on a mission to destroy the Creeper on its last day of feeding. The Creeper soon fights back when they get close to discovering its mysterious and dark origins, and then things get complicated. All the Jeepers Creepers movies take place over the same 23 days, so where does the third one fit? In an age of messing with franchise timelines, JEEPERS CREEPERS 3 comes off feeling like a new chapter but really takes place right between the first and second. The confusing part is if this third edition is supposed to take us to the last night of this cycle, how the hell did part 2 have time to happen? I'll chock up as our characters are date keeping challenged, how about that. JEEPERS 3 is likely the better of the sequels, almost like it was intended to be the third but for whatever reason got passed up. This Creeper also has a lot more fun toys and a fantastically devilish personality. You'll actually laugh at his quirks like you would any of your favorite serial killer's antics.

Available now on Netflix so there's no excuse.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.

Jeff's Really Short Reviews Presents: HAPPY DEATH DAY (2017)

Understandably described as Ground Hog Day for horror fans, HAPPY DEATH DAY uses all the same techniques. In this case, a self-centered sorority girl, Tree, already has a difficult life co-oping her friends' boyfriends and sleeping with the professor. But, today, every day, is her birthday, and someone is going to kill her. Over, and over again. Obviously, the premise is to find out who's the person behind the very creepy mascot mask and stop them from killing her again. Of course, she'll need to grow (see what I did there, Tree... grow?) and change as a person in order to find out who it is and foil the serial killer once and for all. She also needs to do it soon since all these deaths are having a real toll on her. After the ultimate sacrifice, finding true love, and coming to terms with her issues, will she ever be able to move on from this day? HAPPY DEATH DAY is your cure for collegiate love story tropes mixed with plenty of dark humor and horror stereotypes. Clever and enjoyable.

Currently available in all video formats.

Jeff's really short reviews are designed to briefly highlight those movies that Jeff either loves or in some cases, hates, without any fluff in between.