With Michael Myers returning to our screens once again, Nic Cage letting loose in Mandy, and Hereditary causing us all to lose our heads, it's safe to say 2018 has been a good year for horror so far. With the likes of Suspiria and Overlord on the horizon as well, it looks like we've still got a lot to look forward to in terms of horror cinema this year. Horror can be a fairly vast genre however, and with so many films being released throughout the year it can be easy to miss out on a few. But fear not, because I'm here to recap some of the horror films that you may have missed over the past ten months.
I say may have missed, because if I just presumed that nobody reading this has seen any of the following films then I'd sound like a bollocks wouldn't I? These are just a couple of films that may have flew a bit under the radar due to their distribution or lack of heavy advertising. With Halloween just under two weeks away, now would be the perfect time to catch up on some of these underrated gems!
Tales From the Hood 2
The original Tales From the Hood came out in the 90's and focused on various issues faced by black people in America, only under the guise of four terrifying cautionary tales. Given the current state of race relations in the US and the success of recent films such as Get Out, writer-directors Rusty Cundieff and Darin Scott decided to make a follow up effort to their original film, and oh boy is it a fun ride. Genre veteran Keith David steps into the role of Mr. Simms (originally played by Clarence Williams III) who weaves 4 tales of terror that involve various social issues from racism, to the Me Too movement. Sure, many of the segments feel a little silly and not subtle at all, but with a title like Tales From the Hood, you don't expect subtlety.
From vampires, to seances, to giant racially-insensitive dolls (don't ask), the first three segments in this anthology are quite bizarre, but each carry their own underlying theme and message much like the first film. The final segment is where the film really packs a punch however, in a poignant and thought-provoking short that feels like it could have been an episode of The Twilight Zone. Kanye could certainly learn a thing or two from watching it.
There are moments when it feels a little bit over the top, but with important messages woven into the plot and a highly entertaining performance from Keith David, Tales From the Hood 2 is a cautionary comedy-horror that's worth checking out! Plus, if you haven't seen the first one then this would be a great chance for a double bill.
The Lodgers
This Irish gothic horror had a fairly quiet release earlier this year and has since made its way to Netflix I believe, for any of you genre fans looking for a bit of homegrown horror. The Lodgers is a tale of two siblings (played by Charlotte Vega and Bill Milner) who are bound to their crumbling rural manor due to an age-old family curse, and are haunted by mysterious apparitions who visit the house at night. Not everything is what it seems in The Lodgers however, and as this gothic tale slowly unravels it soon becomes apparent that this is more than just your average family curse.
Shot on location at Loftus Hall, Ireland's most haunted building, The Lodgers is packed full of beautifully macabre imagery and its second act is absolutely bursting with atmosphere. Gothic horror is something that doesn't come around as often as it used to, so when something like The Lodgers comes out it's always a treat. The only bad thing I could say about it is that it requires a lot of patience and tends to meander a bit in the first act, but if you stick it through and watch till the end then you will be nicely rewarded.
So if you're a fan of gothic horror and don't mind something a little slower then you should definitely give The Lodgers a watch. It's full of wonderful visuals and has a great cast to match, including the likes of Deirdre O'Kane, Moe Dunford, and The Strain star David Bradley. A perfect little ghost story for Halloween night.
Mom and Dad
Nic Cage is getting a lot of praise for his performance in Mandy at the moment (and rightly so), but earlier this year he gave an equally wild performance in a film that didn't seem to get as much hype. Written and directed by Brian Taylor of the Crank films, Mom and Dad is set during a catastrophic event where parents suddenly have the urge to kill their children. Nicholas Cage plays the father of our protagonists of course, while Selma Blair gives an equally bonkers performance as the mother of the piece. As you'd imagine it's a fast-paced, balls-to-the-wall horror comedy that never holds back.
The concept of parents savagely hunting down their kids is fairly disturbing as it is, and there are moments in Mom and Dad where we catch a glimpse of how truly dark things can get, such as a woman attempting to kill her newborn child moments after birthing it. Yet Taylor never lets this bleakness overshadow the film, and packs in enough bonkers humor and insanity from both leads to make for a thrill-ride of insanity. It's almost like a more violent episode of Tom and Jerry where Cage and Blair are both the manic cat while their children are the persistent mouse. There's even a hilarious cameo from Lance Henriksen himself, so if that's not enough to peak your interest then I don't know what is.
So if you like your horror films with a pinch of humour and your Nic Cage, well, un-caged, then you should definitely give Mom and Dad a watch. If you're planning to watch Mandy soon then why not gear yourself up for it with this gleefully gonzo gem.
Ghost Stories
Based on the stage play by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, Ghost Stories is the second anthology film on this list, albeit with a bit of a twist. Nyman himself plays professor Philip Goodman, a sort of paranormal-debunker who specialises in disproving instances of the supernatural. We follow him as he attempts to crack three separate cases of ghostly activity, where nothing is quite what it seems.
With Jeremy Dyson being one of the writers behind The League of Gentlemen, and Andy Nyman known for his work with Derren Brown, you'll know when you sit down to watch Ghost Stories that there is some sort of trickery afoot, but I'll say no more about that because it's such a fun film to watch. The individual segments themselves are entertaining enough, from haunted asylums, to demonic goat-men, the film feels very old school as do its various scares. However, what makes this more than your average anthology is what ties the film together, Philip Goodman's own journey that's laden with a number of overarching themes. It's the type of film that you'll want to watch a second time to look out for things you may have missed the first time around.
On top of all that Ghost Stories also boasts a strong cast, as along with Nyman are the likes of Paul Whitehouse, Martin Freeman, and Alex Lawther from End of the F***ing World(who gives a hilarious performance in his segment). It's the perfect film to watch on Halloween as, not only is it packed full of gloriously ghoulish moments, but 'The Monster Mash' also graces the end credits, so it seems very appropriate for this time of year.
Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich
The long-running Puppet Master franchise got a bit of a re-boot treatment this year, from the mind of Bone Tomahawk's S Craig Zahler. Written by Zahler and directed by Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund, The Littlest Reich is set at a convention focused around the infamous 'Toulon murders', where the various puppets are brought to life by a mysterious force, sending them on a bloody killing spree. It's something of a re-working of the franchise itself so long-time Puppet Master fans may feel a bit let down, but if you're new to the franchise and enjoy a bit of gory fun then oh boy are you in for a treat.
Zahler and co. have great fun coming up with nasty and gnarly ways to dispose of innocent victims via puppets, and they never hold back. The film is full of raw and graphic death scenes that all feel equally as creative as the last. It's a hardcore film to say the least, so if you've got a weak stomach then you might want to sit this one out. It's not all about the blood and guts however, The Littlest Reich manages to weave in some biting social commentary about the alt-right and hate crimes, as well as some characters who are memorable and in many cases, quite likeable. Look out for smooth-talking bartender Cuddly Bear (Skeeta Jenkins).
By far the goriest film of the year, Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is a highly entertaining reboot that's just as sharp as some of the puppets themselves. Beware though, it's definitely not for the faint of heart.
Climax
From the twisted mind of Gaspar Noé came this waking nightmare of a film, don't be fooled by its dazzling choreography and banging soundtrack because Climax doesn't mess about. The film focuses on a French dance troupe who decide to have a bit of a shindig on the final night of rehearsals, only to discover later on that their sangria had been laced with LSD. Thus begins a nightmarish descent into madness and taboo, that personally had my jaw gaping for much of the films latter half.
I found it similar to last years mother! only much more grounded and claustrophobic. In fact out of all the films on this list Climax is probably the most grounded of them all, but in a way that's part of what makes it so bloody terrifying. Full of distorted camera angles, long-takes, and moments that will have your jaw dropping, the film really knows how to get under your skin and takes full advantage of this as things progress. It's a highly disturbing 96 minutes and the less said about what makes it so, the better.
I can't really say much else about Climax at the risk of spoiling it all, but coming from someone who doesn't really get scared or disturbed easily by films, this really had me on the edge of my seat. So if you ever find yourself sitting at home alone, why not pour yourself a refreshing glass of sangria and give Climax a go, you'll be well and truly rattled.
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