Scream (2022) Review

We are five movies into the franchise, and I did not think we would be able to get this far, but here we are another movie titled, “Scream”. This isn’t called Scream 5, but it is the fifth one to come out. Wes Craven is gone, but there are subtle moments when you know that the filmmakers are careful with the way they are handling the source material. That being said, is Scream any good? Well, it’s really up to a few ideas that you’ll have to ask yourself when watching.

Is nostalgia bad for movie making? There are some movies that are purely pushed into the nostalgia train, and turn out a bit bland. This time around we get the same concepts from all the Scream movies, with new characters, and links to the past that aren’t too bad. We see the original concept recycled again, but this time it’s done with a new sense of urgency. The nostalgia elements of it aren’t front and center throughout, but there are nods to the past within the framework, including the main character being the daughter of the original killer.

The plot is known, and the killers are not, that’s the basic plot of “Scream” and it once again comes at you fast. The pacing is quick, and there’s not a lot of slow down throughout, giving you what feels like a shorter movie than it actually is, which is a compliment to the filmmakers that put this thing together. By the time you get towards the end, you start to really get the tension that the first movie gave, and you’ll find that it’s a nice way to move along with the larger framework, especially when older characters mesh well with new ones, and fight alongside.

January horror releases usually don’t bode well, but this time around “Scream” does well in showcasing a mix of old school slasher horror, and new school depth. There’s a lot to dissect within the movie if you want to, or you could sit back and enjoy the fifth installment in what is one hell of a franchise. “Scream” is good, it’s fun, and it’s got enough gore to remind you that the story is in fact a horror gem.

The Sleeper Review

The slasher genre is not what it used to be. It is not getting as many releases as it once did, but they are still out there. In fact, if you look below the mainstream, you will find that there are a lot of options to select from, and some that aren’t even that old. Today, we look at one such film, which is none other than “The Sleeper”. 

“The Sleeper” will immediately catch you off guard, it looks like it was filmed in the 1970s or 1980s. The film grain is such that it definitely lends itself to a different era of cinema, and it follows through the entire movie. It also shares a lot in common with other horror movies in that it immediately throws you into the scares, with a kill happening right away. We are introduced to the villain and his hammer. He immediately goes after someone at a sorority house, and then we get to the crux of the film. There are prank phone calls that come through the sorority house on a night where they will have a party. They continue to move forward with a party, including a pretty lame sex scene, and each new victim is called out. 

As far as slasher movies are concerned, this is one that is standard. It features your killer that is faster than most, the weapon which is a hammer, and the milky eyes that you see here and there. What caught me was the use of “Giallo” elements. You get that throughout with the focus on black gloves and the hammer. The camera follows the black gloves a lot, and you don’t see the face of the killer a lot, even though it happens. 

The movie is not without criticism. There is some slow pacing here and there, the killers motives are never revealed nor his back story at all, and we just get straight forward nonsense. The Joe Bob Briggs cameo was good though, but the overall sense of dread and slashings are trumped up and you get some gore effects here and there. 

“The Sleeper” is soaked in nostalgia. From the way it is filmed, to the way it is paced, to the kill spots and even ending. There is something for those that love that era here, meanwhile nothing for the modern horror fan. I did not find this to be updated in anyway, but that doesn’t mean it is a bad movie. In fact, I liked it a lot. It is a throwback, and it’s one that takes a little getting used to, considering we are in modern times. Filmed in 2012 from Gamma Knife Films, this is one movie that really goes for the gusto at times, and works well in the frame of nostalgic slashers. Outside of that, I’m not sure it works or holds up well, but maybe it doesn’t have to. It’s a fine film to check out, especially when you’re out of ideas on what to watch via streaming. 

Vicious Fun Review

Once again, we have an awesome poster that has drawn me into watching the movie. There’s something about a good poster, and it’s something that you have to agree with. They say don’t judge a book by the cover, but hey, there’s a lot of graphic designers that work hard to design those covers. Then again, this isn’t a book. “Vicious Fun” is a streaming only movie from Shudder and it has a lot to offer, even if I don’t agree that it is strictly horror. Horror comedy? Perhaps it’s a little funnier the second time viewed, but let’s see what we got here, as we review this Shudder exclusive. 

The movie has an interesting plot, a lovable loser stalks the date of his roommate, only to find out that he’s not what he seems. Upon drinking way too much, and passing out in a closet, he wakes up to find himself in a support group for serial killers, and the fun goes off the rails when they discover that he isn’t one of them. From there we are thrown into a loop of fighting as one of the killers is actually a bounty  hunter persona, and is there to extinguish the villains, and that becomes the crux of the movie overall. 

The movie starts a little slow, and you really aren’t sure where it’s going. If you read the premise and tag line, then you probably know what to expect slightly, but things get out of control in the second act and continue to escalate from there. That being said, the movie picks up the pace  midway through, and you are treated to plenty of kills, gore, and fighting. There’s a few tropes of horror including the unstoppable villain that seems hell bent on attacking, and of course the gore of limbs, eyeball gouges, and more. The gore is played up to comedy standards at times, but it still there as a valuable element. The movie earns their horror card several times, but it is definitely leaning towards comedy a lot. A horror comedy is truly what this is, even though it isn’t always playing up scenarios for laughs. There is plenty of humor found in this film, however, if you have a dark sense of it. 

Overall, “Vicious Fun” is just that, fun. It’s a dark comedy horror movie that delivers on a lot of levels. It’s funny, it’s gross, it features enough gore to make even the most jaded fan happy, and well, it’s worth your time. If you have Shudder you’re going to want to check this one out, and if you don’t have Shudder, fork over the $6 for it, it’s well worth your time.