Dread Central’s Best and Worst of 2014
Steve Barton
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Jason “Jinx” Jenkins’ Picks
Though the markings on the wall may have been pointing to this sad trend for some time, 2014 will always be the year when I realized that the VOD market has eclipsed cinemas so far as the overall quality and abundance of good films being offered. This is true not only of films in our favorite genre, but other genres as well (I’m thinking of films such as the great sci-fi movie Snowpiercer, the pitch black dark comedy Cheap Thrills, and the undeniably intense revenge dramas Blue Ruin and Big Bad Wolves – all fantastic, all given pitifully small – if any – theatrical runs).
There was a great deal of fantastic cinema relegated to limited theatrical engagements and VOD premieres, all while big-budget studio dreck clogged silver screens in wide release. Ah, well. At least there were still great films waiting to be discovered. It’s simply a shame that they have to be “discovered” at all, while audiences can hardly escape the likes of Annabelle and Ouija at their local multiplexes.
In any case and on a more positive note, here are my own personal choices (in alphabetical order) for the best of what 2014 had to offer horror fans:
The Babadook – All the hype surrounding this movie would have you believe that it’s the most terrifying film of all time (it’s really not), and is easily one of 2014’s best offerings from any genre (it absolutely is). Featuring knockout performances from Essie Davis and six-year-old Noah Wiseman, The Babadook is a beautifully made study of a single mother’s breakdown in the face of her son’s antisocial behavior and the appearance of the titular threat – a sinister storybook character who leaps from the printed page and into our poor lead’s life. The Babadook may not be truly horrifying, but it is an undeniably creepy, dread-inducing, and very smart film with more heart than one might expect from a movie of this type. A great film, heralding a talent (writer/director Jennifer Kent) worth keeping an eye on.
The Battery – While an initial VOD viewing led to this film going onto my “Honorable Mentions” list last year, a second viewing (via a newly released Blu-ray from Scream Factory) gave me a better appreciation for this, a character-driven zombie film more concerned with its leads’ journeys than its body count. The performances are solid, the dialogue great, and the filmmaking remarkedly assured (from first-time director/lead actor Jeremy Gardner). Though its deliberate pace may put off some viewers, I gladly count this as one of the best offerings the genre has seen in the past year.
Cold in July – Not horror, you say? From Joe R. Lansdale’s novel comes Jim (Stake Land) Mickle’s newest, which appears at first glance to be a gritty Southern noir before a few nasty twists send it hurtling into some pretty icky, damned disturbing territory – leading to an intense climax full of gunfire and bloodshed. While I won’t spoil the film’s zigs and zags here, trust me when I say that horror fans and those who appreciate dark cinema will be glad they checked this out, if only for the performances by “Dexter” star Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard, and a wily, entertaining as hell Don Johnson.
Enemy – A new film from the increasingly impressive director/actor duo of Denis Villeneuve and Jake Gyllenhaal (following their excellent 2013 film Prisoners), Enemy tells the tale of Adam, a bored young history professor who discovers the existence of one Daniel St. Claire, a mildly successful actor who appears to be Adam’s exact physical double. When Adam instigates a meeting between the two, each man becomes obsessed with certain aspects of the other’s life, all while nightmarish arachnid-laden imagery is woven throughout the tale. This is a bizarre, fascinating, and quite unnerving film with great performances from Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent, Isabella Rossellini, and Sarah Gadon.
The Guest – The last movie I managed to catch before making this list is also one of the year’s best – a creepy, intense, super-fun rollercoaster of a flick concerning a discharged vet insinuating himself into the lives of a fallen comrade’s family. Dan Stevens turns in a star-maker of a performance here, keeping his “aw, shucks” demeanor constantly charming while never quite letting the audience feel entirely at ease with his titular character (for good reason). The writing/directing duo of Simon Barrett and Adam Wingard may have given us – if not their best film – then certainly their most enjoyable.
Honeymoon – Quiet, deliberately paced, and filled with a dread-soaked atmosphere throughout, Honeymoon introduces us to Paul and Bea, a likeable young pair of newlyweds who retire to a remote cabin to wile away their honeymoon in peace. A bizarre sleepwalking episode with Bea heralds increasingly bizarre behavior from the young woman – leading Paul to believe that the woman he shares a bed with may no longer be the person he married. Harry Treadaway and Rose Leslie carry the movie effortlessly, all as first-time director Leigh Janiak steadily ratchets up the tension until the film’s final shocking moments. This film is a stunner.
Housebound – From the land of Peter Jackson comes one of the very best horror comedies this reviewer has seen since – well, Jackson’s own Dead Alive. Boasting big scares, big laughs, great performances, a genuine mystery and some jaw-dropping bloodshed, Housebound is a completely riveting and thoroughly entertaining ride. This movie is a blast and would make for a helluva double feature with Álex de la Iglesias’ hilarious shocker Witching and Bitching.
Proxy – Zack Parker’s follow-up to 2011’s flawed but fascinating indie shocker Scalene is a major leap forward for the filmmaker. Driven by wonderful acting, precise direction, and a script as twisty/turny as any this viewer has witnessed, Proxy thrusts us into the lives of some truly reprehensible people and forces us to sympathize with them, even as their deeds turn truly heinous. Proxy is hard to categorize but is easily one of the meanest, smartest, and straight-up nastiest films I saw this past year – and it’s also one of the very best.
The Sacrament – The House of the Devil director Ti West’s newest film is also his best yet, featuring AJ Bowen and Joe Swanberg as two VICE reporters who travel to a remote village to document a religious community led by “Father” (a great Gene Jones), a charming old Southerner who holds a definite sway over his followers. While the group members initially present themselves as friendly enough Christians, the veneer of this community is eventually chipped away by both the reporters and a group of secretly unhappy members until its dark heart is revealed, putting both visitors and hosts in mortal danger. The Sacrament is strong, disturbing material, bolstered by West’s command of storytelling and strong performances from Bowen, Swanberg, Jones, Kentucker Audley, and a marvelous Amy Seimetz.
Under the Skin – Gorgeous, creepy, and defiantly strange, Sexy Beast/Birth director Johnathan Glazer’s newest film stars Scarlett Johansson as an attractive young lady of extraterrestrial origin who travels Scottish towns and countrysides in a nondescript van in search of easily duped men willing to take a ride with her – each unaware of the dire peril they have placed themselves in. While her mission appears to be that of harvesting humans as, perhaps, a food source – Johansson’s character eventually allows her contact with mankind and the trappings and frailty of her own anthropomorphic, fleshy disguise to humanize her – sending this alien on a journey to discover just what it is to be a human being. Beautifully made and utterly outré, this reviewer can honestly say he’s seen nothing quite like this film before.
Honorable Mentions – Starry Eyes, Wolf Creek 2, Oculus, Witching and Bitching, The Houses October Built
2014 movies I wish I’d enjoyed more include Almost Human, Ouija, Annabelle, Tusk, and I, Frankenstein.
Yet to See – The Canal, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, At the Devil’s Door, Late Phases, Jessabelle
