Dread Central’s Best and Worst of 2014
Steve Barton
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Gareth Jones’ Picks
As a foreword to this list, I’d just like to stress that of the various year-end lists that I’ve composed over the years for Dread Central, this one has proven the most difficult. Because on reflection, 2014 has been a more than formidable year for the genre – and that extends even to the bad. Usually, the worst are an easy bunch to point out… but this year I rarely found myself outright hating something.
Sure, there were disappointments – films that failed to meet expectations or simply dropped the ball unnecessarily – but even the most drab multiplex-courting fare failed to stoke my fires of hatred. They were treading water, without doubt, so will get a mention… but in all sincerity, even most of the found footage entries that unfolded before my eyeballs in 2014 weren’t terrible!
Perhaps that’s just me becoming even more jaded when it comes to the genre (as if that’s possible!) – harder to please, but even harder to truly annoy – but in any case, casting a view back over the year reveals a pleasing landscape.
Here’s to more quality in 2015!
Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead
Simply put, Dead Snow 2 is the most fun that I’ve had at the movies in a long, long time. It’s slicker, sicker, gorier and funnier than its predecessor, and comes blasting forth with a confidence that uppercuts Wirkola’s previous effort straight into the stratosphere with a zombie-powered arm. Nazi zombies don’t get any better than this.
Housebound
The kind of perfect mix of comedy and horror that only the Kiwis can pull off, Housebound is genuinely scary, thoroughly funny and populated by wonderful characters with bags of heart to boot.
The Guest
Dan Stevens shines as the dark star at the centre of writer/director team Simon Barrett and Adam Wingard’s stylish mix of horror, thriller and all-out action. Slick visuals, an absorbing plot and bags of ’80s style peppered with liberal doses of humour and moral ambiguity make for a triumphant time at the movies.
Late Phases
Director Adrián García Bogliano teams up with writer Eric Stolze to create that all-too-rare beast: a darned good werewolf film. Nick Damici continues to impress with his portrayal of a curmudgeonly blind war veteran left to fend for himself in a retirement community beset by werewolf attacks. Some wonky werewolf designs fail to undermine what is a gripping, emotional and tense story that has a genuine message to deliver.
Creep
Cash-strapped videographer Aaron responds to a Craigslist ad offering good pay for a one-day engagement recording the life of Josef… who turns out to be quite the weirdo. To say the least. Two excellent lead performances and a thoroughly intimate style ratchet the unease of Creep to unbearable levels, while character connection on both sides leaves the audience yearning for an amicable outcome – and leaves the finale ever more subtly horrific for it.
There were plenty of other high-quality offerings this year which could quite easily share a place with those I’ve listed, including Spring, Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla, The Canal, The Editor, What We Do in the Shadows, Suburban Gothic, Coherence, The Harvest, Der Samurai, The Babadook, Faults, Open Windows, House at the End of Time, Cold in July and the excellent Lord of Tears.
Oh, 2014… you really have spoiled us!
As I mentioned earlier, this was a year sprinkled more with disappointment and general malaise than it was the recognition of sheer crap. But for me, the worst goes to:
Leprechaun: Origins
Setting aside the fact that this was touted as a prequel to the exploits of the gleeful little murderous green chap brought to life by Warwick Davis over the years, it wasn’t even any good as a generic monster movie. The creature design doesn’t fit with much of anything in myth (perhaps it should have been called Troglodyte: Origins?), the characters are a vacuous bunch and the whole thing is just a chore to sit through. But when you try to treat it as in any way related to the aforementioned cult series against which it positions itself, the wheels fall off, the engine ignites and the whole thing goes up in flames. Pathetic.
Nymph
A Serbian entry packed with dodgy accents, dodgy CGI, dodgy direction, dodgy editing and a thoroughly embarrassed Franco Nero. A slovenly slasher effort for the majority of the runtime, its cack-handed approach fails to satisfy on both the human and monster sides of its weathered coin.
The Scribbler
I’ll happily admit to not having read the graphic novel on which this is based, but if it’s anywhere near as incoherent and grating as John Suits’ filmic effort, then I’m not guessing I’m missing much. A strong cast are uniformly wasted in this tedious, rambling mess that is simply much too busy congratulating itself on its ‘cool’, angsty style to even think about forming an engaging story. The Scribbler is utterly painful to watch.
That’s it for the real hatred on this year’s list. Since it’s shorter than expected, I’ll just have a quick moan about a few other flicks that, whilst I didn’t loathe them, didn’t impress much either:
See No Evil 2 – While the Soska sisters managed to imbue their sequel with an impressive amount of atmosphere and threat, See No Evil 2 seriously let us down on the kills (of which none are memorable) and failed to bring anything of value to Jacob Goodnight’s character… even going as far as to just forget about his eyeball-removing MO. Ultimately, it does work, but never justifies the need for its own existence.
The Quiet Ones – If ever there was a more disingenuously-titled film, I’d like to see it. Endless jump scares, loud noises and obnoxious volume increases pave the way to a disappointingly morose and predictable ending. A good cast, but glossy production values undermine the attempt at old-school atmosphere.
Ouija – This year’s The Possession. You know how it will begin. You know how it will end. You know to keep the volume at a reasonable level for the next stinger. I’m done hating on movies like these when it comes to my lists… because they fail to even make me angry these days. They’re just… nothing.
Starry Eyes – A duo-directed rage project that fails to handle its point with any subtlety whatsoever, and populates it with a grab-bag of thoroughly unlikeable characters who exist solely to talk shit, get mad, be mad, kill or die (in brutally gory fashion). And yet that sounds more interesting than Starry Eyes ultimately is, somehow. Still, it’s getting tons of great reception out there amongst genre fans, so don’t just take my word for it – check it out and decide for yourself!
