American Horror Story: Cult - Episode 3 Special Guest Thoughts (Spoilers)

Hi guys, Marvel Man here. My younger brother has been a horror fan since he was far too young to be watching, and we've both enjoyed pretty much every season of AHS (maybe not Hotel) and discussed them frequently. This season has been no exception and he's asked if he could share his brief bullet-point thoughts on the most recent episode here. Be warned that there are both real and speculative SPOILERS but he's quite insightful and his thoughts and views present a different angle than just mine. I'll be back with my own full review tomorrow but without further ado here's the thoughts of Lil' Bro;

Episode 3 - "The Neighbours From Hell"

• The psychiatrist seems to want Ally out of the way, and Ivy is never around. They're 100% in on it, or being controlled by Kai. Or maybe the psychiatrist and Ivy are fucking?
• It's basically been confirmed that Kai can control people - The angry mob and the gay neighbour killing his wife. 
• "No cisgender names" is an obvious reference to the whole triggered "don't assume my gender" thing that was happening in society.
• Basically everyone is against Ally. The more people she pisses off the more people Kai seems to be recruiting to his cult. For example, the neighbours and the detective. 
• I don't know what the heck the chemical truck was. Maybe it causes hallucinations? Or is causing/exacerbating Ally's rage? Or maybe she's just had enough of society's shit, and it's to reinforce that message? 
• The biggest question for me is Ally. Is she a conspiracy nut? Paranoid? Or a mentally ill person who is being tormented? Is Ally against everybody or is everybody against Ally?

And finally, a couple of big spoiler spots that might have big ramifications for the future, as discussed in a text conversation between Lil' Bro and Marvel Man;

MM: Did you notice the buttons the psychiatrist was playing with? 

LB: Yeah they're the same as the cult tag.

MM: Exactly. And I may have misheard but did Oz say he watched Ivy putting in her password...?

LB: Yeah. It was "clownz". Which is more evidence that Ivy is behind it. I think everyone's messing with Ally. I told you Ivy was in on it. 

LB

American Horror Story: Cult - Episode 2 Review (Spoilers)

In this review I will be discussing the second episode of American Horror Story: Cult in broad terms, however I will allude to, and may divulge, plot points and character motivations to better explain my points and analyse the episode. This will not be an Episode Synopsis or Breakdown. However, everyone's spoiler sensitivity is different and if you truly want to go into the episode blind and not even being coloured by my views then I recommend reading this after seeing the episode.

"The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your door, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one."
- Bill Hicks, 1993

"And we also have evidence that Darth Vader tried to buy yellowcake uranium from unwed teenage mothers."
"Those things all sound scary! How much money before I can feel safe again?"
- Family Guy, 2007

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction ... The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation."
- Martin Luther King, 1963

"I am interested in reaching out to people, making contact with other human beings, building bridges, not walls."
 "What's that behind your back? This door is new. Strong. Why would you need a strong door like this? Bars in the windows? Why would you need a knife to answer the door? Are you gonna melt all this metal down and build a bridge?"
- American Horror Story: Cult, 2017

Episode 2 - Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

 AHS: Cult loses depth and nuance, but gains strong focus in it's second episode. It's as subtle as a sledgehammer, and it's treading  rather familiar ground (see above), but it tells it's message well, and it's one that really needs to be heard right now. All of this also reinforces exactly why AHS has taken on this political angle, and how it ties into the horror genre. It's by reflecting that sometimes the truest, scariest darkness is in men's souls.

  The episode begins with another frustrating cameo from our returning clown Twisty. This scene doesn't do any more to explain his particular significance though or how he fits in to the season's plot. Additionally the episode loses all the potential doubt about what is real. I'm certain these clowns are actually there now and, despite casting the same actor as Twisty, I have a feeling that I know exactly who's going to be revealed under the mask, and if I'm right then it's a cheap trick and the show should be above that.

  Although the specific focus on the 2016 election seems to have become softer it soon becomes apparent that this isn't the case. Our reality is used as the dystopia that's causing everything. Ally is being manipulated and twisted into fear and darkness just as we see the whole world is. Men like Kai have become empowered to be truly cunning and free to spread their negativity and try and let it infect others. This seems to have been exactly what has happened to Winter. Billie Lourd plays creepy so well, the detached menace showing even as she switches to seductive mode. A comment on the potential allure of fear and wanting to feel safe perhaps.

  We are also introduced to most of the season's new characters, as expected. There is a nice vocal cameo from a great actress who debuted in last year's AHS and we are also introduced to Billy Eichner and Leslie Grossman's unusual suburban couple. The pair seem to both confuse and reinforce the central themes, being militant liberals. This seeming contradiction introduces the potential for more morally grey thinking going forward. They also reveal just what the significance of bees is this season, as seen in the marketing already. The hives are a trigger for Ally and her apparent trypophobia, while the hive nature of a bee colony serves as a perfect metaphor for cult thinking. Eichner delivers a blatant speech to this effect which also comes off as none too subtle but thought-provoking.

  Finally the episode, though slow, ends with a shocking moment (which really shouldn't be). Without spoiling anything it is perfectly thematically relevant and seems to pay homage to the classic ending of the original Night of the Living Dead.

 The episode as a whole, then, is a little uneven. It starts fairly pedestrian and loses a little interest by abandoning some of its uncertainty. Likewise certain character motivations are poorly explained at this point. For example it's not made super clear why Oz is developing such disdain for Ally, and gravitating towards Ivy more. Sure, I can gather it's part of Winter's continued manipulation and brainwashing (presumably on behalf of Kai) but with everything else that's hammered home it would be nice to see some of that, and it had better be explained in future episodes as to what exactly Kai and Winter are doing, and why. This episode ultimately succeeds on the back of interesting performances (once again) and compelling, if not ground-breaking, storytelling. I would reinforce, however, that it's a message we urgently need to take to heart. I know I'm going to hate Kai and be increasingly frustrated with him "getting away with" things, but we need to recognise the real Kais in our world. Even when they're in a big, white house.

***1/2 (3.5/5)

MM

It (2017) Movie Review

Disclaimer 1 - Although I'm normally careful to avoid huge spoilers in my discussions this will be a spoiler review, for the simple reason that a book of this story has been out since 1986 and a filmed adaptation since 1990. Whilst I won't be posting a synopsis of everything that happens in the movie (a pet peeve of mine in reviews), I will be discussing things that happen which may be more effective as surprises or unknowns. If you don't want to know anything and haven't seen the movie then please return to this review once you have, and feel free to share your own thoughts on It.

Disclaimer 2 - I have never read Stephen King's It, nor have I seen the 1990 mini-series (I know, I know!). Although I'm aware enough of the general plot, some story beats and the things that have permeated pop culture, you should regard this review as being by someone who is watching this movie as their first real exposure to this story. As such I have no idea how faithful this film is or it's comparison to it's predecessors. There's a fascinating article to be written about these but that's not this one, I am judging the film entirely as it's own entity rather than as a remake or re-telling.


 "IT" 2017 is a good movie. Let me start by saying that. It's not a perfect film by any stretch and it doesn't re-define the genre or do anything new. It's phenomenal success, both financially and critically, can presumably be put down to things that should be a given but sadly aren't these days; a good plot, decent direction and outstanding, well- defined characters played by incredibly talented actors. There are flaws, which I will get into, but the overall feeling I had when leaving the theatre, and reflecting back since, is "that was a good movie".

  It didn't start that way. I was actually a little worried for about the first 20 or 30 minutes. The opening scene has sadly been over-played (including by this film's trailer) and it's familiarity robs it of a lot of impact. This is coupled with the fact that Bill Skarsgard's take on Pennywise (the default clown form of the titular monster) didn't come off as all that menacing or intimidating at this point. When he switches into full, toothy monster mode and bites off an arm the CGI and shock are played more bombastic than perhaps would have been more effective for me. The scene is vital to the ongoing plot moving forward though, and is just emotionally effective enough for me due to the young actor's performance of Georgie, and my own well-documented discomfort of seeing young children in distress. As the film goes on from this it unfortunately doesn't immediately pick up either. It seems like we spend a long time introducing character (retrospectively necessary but could have been a little deeper and tighter). What's really problematic though is that the film seems to set a pattern of good but slow character work leading to the next set-piece, which is where the film will try and scare you and reaffirm it's horror status. The horror never seems to come naturally and jars a little at first, before the film settles you into it's heightened reality. At this point it's not all that scary either, at least for anyone with tolerance and affinity for horror. My biggest gripe with the first half of the film though is a technical one, the sound design and sound editing are terrible. It seems like the film-makers knew that the visuals weren't all that scary so try and create discomfort and fear by having the music and sound cues be distractingly loud. Of course I'm on edge, my teeth are rattling and my ear drum hurts!. It's a shame as something more atmospheric could have worked much better, and does as this problem settles down after the first hour.

  It probably seems at this point that I'm being wholly negative about the film and so I have to mention a plus, and it's a big one. The cast here, primarily the seven young members of the "losers club" are uniformly excellent. You'll see this praise brought up a lot in reviews but I assure you it is well deserved. It's rare for child actors not to be annoying or seem fake but the seven young stars here absolutely carry the movie. I realised whilst watching that these characters are so relatable, and are played as such. I can't believe that there will be anyone who watches this film who doesn't find at least one character to identify with, who acts in a way that reminds you of yourself at that age. Heck, I saw parts of myself in three or four of the kids. It seems almost unfair to pick a stand out but I would say that Sophia Lillis (Bev Marsh) handles incredibly tough material with restraint and skill. It was, for me however, young Finn Wolfhard (Richie Tozier) who just comes out as the most memorable here. Perhaps a small part of that is knowing he's a good actor (from Stranger Things) and convincingly playing a totally different role here. He also gets most of the humour, sarcasm, the best lines and is the person we wish we were like, even if that doesn't make him literally the most relatable.

  As the film develops, it's verisimilitude increases dramatically. Previously hokey jump scares start to actually shock. They didn't terrify me at all but there were a couple of interesting scares that did get a little jump out of me, and I'm quite hardened and desensitized. The people sitting around my seat were jumping up like a pogo too so you might be scared, though I wouldn't personally class anything as terrifyingly scary. That's not how I necessarily judge a horror movie though. The film also improves as it's underlying themes become apparent. This isn't just a story about kids against a schlocky monster, it's about other horrors you fear as a child, both literal and intangible. For every monstrous creature there is representation of growing up, accepting loss, loneliness, facing bullies, extreme abuse (psychological, physical and sexual. Be warned). Perhaps a bigger theme that resonated with me, although I may be projecting too much onto it, is unity. It's explicitly stated that the kids are strong enough to face the monstrous "It" only when they are together. Friends can be family, even for the loneliest "loser". And whilst this is cemented incredibly disgustingly in the novel this film culminates with a simple, but effective, blood oath by an end point that is earned as we too have come to care about these people. It does slightly fudge what could and should have been a better-handled romantic subplot though.

  The only other gripe I have is a moment of seeming unreality when the movie spurts a geyser of blood at Bev, in a clear homage to the original Nightmare on Elm Street. This did take me out of the movie as I tried to comprehend how the parent figures can't see a bathroom literally covered in blood. I'm assured this is explained in the book though and the film just didn't explain it all that well, so perhaps that's on me. It was still a great homage and, indeed, there are a wealth of horror, Stephen King, 80s and director Andy Muschietti Easter Eggs and references which nerdier types (like me) will enjoy.

  In the end the film left me really wanting more, despite it's hefty run-time, and the final reveal of the film's actual title of "It: Chapter One" has me really excited to see the conclusion in Part 2 ASAP. That film will have some work to do in casting adult actors who can live up to their young counterparts though. I also got so invested in the mythology and story that I immediately began reading the novel when I got home (long story short; it was on sale for £1 digitally, I got it on my phone, started it about two weeks ago and now I'm truly ready to get stuck in). It is not a perfect movie but it's probably one of the best horror films I've seen in the last decade or so. The mix of Stand by Me type coming-of-age elements with Nightmare on Elm Street style horror and mythos leaves me excited to watch this again and dive deeper. I'm told I'll float...

**** (4/5)

MM

American Horror Story: Cult - Episode 1 Review (Spoiler-Free)

In this review I will be discussing the premiere of American Horror Story: Cult in broad terms. I will allude to, but not divulge, plot points and character motivations. However, everyone's spoiler sensitivity is different and if you truly want to go into the episode blind and not even being coloured by my views then I recommend reading this after seeing the episode.

Episode 1: Election Night

  It's good to have American Horror Story back. More importantly, after Hotel, it was good last season (Roanoke) to have it back on form. We can only hope this season also delivers and proves that single, truly awful, season to be a blip. So far, so good.

  There's an old adage I used to hear about science-fiction, that it's at it's best when it's genre is used to reflect current-day society and it's issues, fears, even controversies. As a Trekkie I first learned of this being used to describe the brilliance of Gene Roddenberry's original 1966 series. Back then it was how Roddenberry was able to tell stories about race relations, sexuality, politics and more in a way that he described as going "right over the network's heads". AHS: Cult is nowhere near as subtle in it's reflection of the horrors and fears in present society (as the title of this episode implies). However, I do believe that horror, like it's genre cousin sci-fi, can do really well when it comments on real-life issues. AHS this season has, in my opinion, been really clever in embracing the real horror that many people felt in November of last year (and, let's be honest, multiple times since). Indeed the show begins in this way as more of a social drama or satire, but is, if you think about it, just a different kind of scary. What perhaps makes it even more unsettling is that it is painfully real, and this is reflected throughout the episode.

  Lest we get too political or outside of the genre it's not long before we see the (welcome) return of the creepy and evocative AHS title sequence. Immediately afterwards is perhaps my favourite scene of the episode. Without spoiling it, the joy here is seeing an almost shot-for-shot remake of a scene from my favourite past season. It's like the episode is saying, "yes we're doing some social commentary this season but we're still THAT show". Some people may dislike this, or see the return of these elements as a re-tread but it filled me with warm nostalgia (weirdly, given what the scenes involved). Smartly it also uses the history of the show to succinctly fill us in on the lead character Ally (played by the amazing Sarah Paulson). Ally suffers from severe anxiety and irrational phobias. This is handled remarkably well by Paulson (as an anxiety sufferer myself I can confirm the truth of the performance, although I can only imagine feeling this severe).

 Throughout the episode Ally's anxiety, as well as the aforementioned call-back, makes us, as the viewer, question what's real. Is Ally hallucinating? Is young Oz seeing things? How can THAT character exist in this world, let alone in this way? This uncertainty is not given an easy answer, and I like that. It makes things more unsettling and the drama more compelling.

  On the more negative critical side I will say that this first episode did seem to show a bias. In a situation like this, when you're reflecting real lives, I think it would make for a better show, and social commentary, to show both sides of the story. Thankfully I'm on the side that the show seems to represent as the "good guys" but I do wonder if this will cost the show viewers in it's home country, and would have appreciated a representation of the more complex morality at play. I hope the show develops to seem a bit less black-and-white.

  My only other criticism is more of a personal one. I've always had issues with the horror genre exploiting children and there is a scene towards the end where a young boy suffers emotional traumas that seemed a little tasteless and too extreme for me.

  I couldn't leave without giving a quick view on the cast. This season seems to have the smallest cast to date but potentially seems like it could benefit from this in exploring the depths of these people. Without a big name star like Jessica Lange or Lady Gaga this is finally the time for Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters to take top billing, and centre stage. They deserve it after their work in the previous six seasons and thus far they do not disappoint. The new additions that we see here also make an impact. Alison Pill as Ivy comes across as a little aloof and unsympathetic but I suspect that's the point. Finally it's so good to see Billie Lourd (daughter of the late, great Carrie Fisher) get to show how good an actress she is. I watched her in both seasons of the wonderfully camp but completely ridiculous "Scream Queens" and while she killed at the comedy (no pun intended) we've already seen more depth and complexity to new character Winter than anyone in that show displayed.

  Finally, a warning. If you're a coulrophobe (afraid of clowns) then maybe give this one a miss, or watch with other people, in daylight, with all the lights on. It's not a phobia I have so it didn't affect me on that level, but I did appreciate the creepy nature of the imagery. It's especially effective due to how the show frames it and pushes it to extremes of taste and decency.

  Overall then not perfect but a very promising start. As with all AHS it'll be hard to judge until we see this as part of the bigger picture. There are still characters to introduce and the show has a habit of falling apart in the end of it's seasons. I'm super intrigued by this already though, with so many questions and genuine investment. I can't wait until next week for episode 2.

**** (4/5)

MM

The Keep - A quick retrospective review with some personal points

I have been a fan of horror for just about as long as I remember.  I have, in fact, been a horror fan probably longer than some of you have been alive.  One of my earliest memories of watching a horror film is that of The Keep.

My memories of the film are thus - a Nazi regiment takes over a keep.  This is the titular keep of the title.  After some troops die, a more awful Nazi regiment arrives.  In the meantime a something (I always took it to be a demon) is released and kills the Nazis.  In my memory, the demon is almost the good guy.  I mean he prevents the gang rape of Eva Cuza (played by Alberta Watson).  He kills a lot of Nazis.  However, my naive young brain (and so addled memories) missed the subtext.  That being, the demon was manipulating me, as well as Doctor Cuza.  When this is revealed, things go very wrong in the film.

On viewing again a few times, there is rather more to the film.  Firstly, I would point out that I firmly believe that the acting still holds up.  Ian McKellen may be a little strained at times, but I was captivated in particular by the presentation of Jurgen Prochnow.  Scott Glenn was also effective as Glaeken.  He was suitably strange and creepy.  Perhaps otherworldly is the best description, given he is perhaps angelic in nature in this movie.

Modern audiences may well be slightly turned off by the poor special effects of this film.  Whilst I enjoy The Keep, I am not a fool nor a sycophant.  Times change and effects do too.  In movies, we want to be absorbed and believe in the world that is being presented.  Unfortunately, I cannot state that this is the case with The Keep.  The opposite is the case with this film.  The drawn/animated effects show poorly, whilst the physical effects actually hold up.

I for one am glad that The Keep has not made the modern reboot list (at least at time of writing, August 2017).  I still believe that it stands the test of time better than many other films of recent release.  The concept is disturbing, the use of evil manipulating good offers a metaphor that modern audiences can understand.

My final verdict remains that Michael Mann's The Keep demonstrates that he is an auteur of the highest order.  Only a true visionary could produce something so deeply concerning, historically troubling and also relevant to a modern audience.

Final verdict: 4/5.

The Windmill Massacre - Review

I watched The Windmill Massacre over two sittings.  I'm not sure that this is the UK DVD box art but it certainly sums up the film rather well.  Make of that what you will.  There's no certification shown but I can confirm that the general release cut is 18 rated.

The Windmill Massacre is set in Holland and features a bunch of tourists who have all elected to get on a tour bus for a bit of a jaunt into the countryside, to take in some culture that isn't the red light district or cannabis cafes.  This is where things go very wrong.  It is quickly revealed that each character has a somewhat shady past and it literally comes back to haunt them.  Their lives are then put in danger by the thing from the box art shown above.

I'll just get it out there at this point in the review - this is a budget film in the sense that it is quite clearly made to a very specific price point.  I have no issue with watching a bit of shlock now and again and I'll presume that you don't either, given that you are reading Thursday The 12th.

That being said, better decisions could have been made on timing, special effects, pacing etc.  The first death in the film is so quick and so graphic - with requisite ropey effects - it'll probably have you in shock.  Just not in a good way.  Things that could have been hinted at are shown fully on camera.  This exposes the effects for what they are, namely often unimpressive to the point of silly.

The cast seem to be reasonably well chosen and each brings a suitable grimace of horror when presented with the 'sin' of their past.  Some pull off their wince-inducing death scenes better than others.  The acting, like the effects, leaves something to be desired.

I don't often write that there are no single redeeming features about any movie or TV show and I'm not about to start now.  I would say however that this is an unfortunate exercise in what could have been.  If the film makers demonstrated more care and subtlety in their art, perhaps even cutting out the jump scares completely, we might have had something far more interesting to watch.  Instead, we have a bit of a muddled monster-of-the-week story blended with some black magic and good old fashioned serial killer stalking.

Possibly best enjoyed if you have visited a cannabis cafe and had some absinthe for good measure.

Final score: 1.5/5.

Midnight, Texas - Series 1, Episode 1 quick review

Now, I don't tend to watch 'this kind of thing as my Marvel Man will tell you.  Anything cliched looking with an overly attractive, young and generic cast I tend to avoid.  Throw in some 'supernatural lite' and I definitely run a mile the other way.  Imagine my surprise then when I caught the pilot of Midnight, Texas and actually enjoyed it.

The storyline follows Manfred Bernardo, a psychic on the run from someone or other.  That bit isn't really that important as it only serves as a plot device to get him to the town of Midnight.  What is more significant is that Manfred is a 'real' psychic and he communicates with the dead on a regular basis.

To cut a expository episode short, Manfred meets the various occupants of the town.  He discovers that they are far more than they seem and that he is not the only person with supernatural abilities.  Queue the vampire, witch, angel and much more to add spice to the show.  Each has their own dubious past and various dramatic problems which will no doubt be explored in future episodes.

The tone of the show begins in quite a sinister/dark fashion, what with Manfred being possessed by a spirit and almost attacking the person he's doing a psychic reading for.  Whilst it does have plenty of jump scares, it manages to throw in plenty of humour as well.  It isn't brooding, but it does have a good sense of drama about it.

The question with a pilot episode should always be: 'will I tune in for episode two?'  In this case, I have set the planner already to catch the next one.  I'm not suggesting it will blow your mind with greatest but it was a decent watch.  Whilst that might seem a bit of a negative, if you realise that I'm more Penny Dreadful than I am Buffy The Vampire Slayer and you'll see it's high praise indeed.

Final score: 3.5/5.