Frightfest 2017 Day One

All aboard for HMC's guide to the good, the bad, and the absolutely terrible (I know there are those of you out there who love those the most) showing at Frightfest 2017. We're back at the Empire, Leicester Square after adventures at the Vue and Shepherd's Bush. In fact the last Frightfest film shown here was the splendid BIG BAD WOLVES back in 2013, as well as the awful (and awfully entertaining) I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE 2 (I never thought I'd be typing that title out again). Will there be anything that good / dreadful this year? Only the next five days will tell. We kicked off with Joe Lynch and Adam Green spoofing the prologue sequence of the 1983 TWILIGHT ZONE movie, then it was on with the films!

Cult of Chucky

          This time Chucky's in an asylum, where he has followed Mica (Fiona Dourif) who is now incarcerated having been found guilty of the murders in 2013's CURSE OF CHUCKY. But is it really him? Because surely that's the remnant of his talking head that Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) has in a safe? Who is delivering all the other Good Guy dolls to the asylum? And more importantly, who is responsible for the spate of new murders? Don Mancini's latest Chucky sequel isn't perfect, and it isn't as riotously entertaining as CURSE, but there's some good stuff in here, and a climax that's absolutely worth waiting for as everything goes quite nuts. Not at all bad for what is essentially CHILD'S PLAY VII, especially as they've had the sense to let Jennifer Tilly out of her box again.

Death Note

           Adam Wingard's latest is that rare beast - a US remake that's actually rather better than the Japanese film it's based on (purists attack me now!). It has pretty much the same plot - the Death Note of the title is a book in which you write the name of someone you wish to die. It comes into the possession of a teenager who kills over 400 people who 'deserve it'. There's a big spiny demon (not called Norman) and another brilliant teenager known only as 'L' who is investigating the murders. Made for Netflix, this really did deserve to be seen on the big screen. Razor sharp editing, some great set pieces, good acting from the leads and a synth score from Atticus Ross & Leopold Ross all make this one a winner. My love-hate-love relationship with the films of Adam Wingard continues!

Psychopaths

          ...and what a film to finish the evening with! I'm a big fan of the films of Mickey Keating. Both POD and DARLING offer depictions of insanity, but nowhere near approaching the degree of PSYCHOPATHS, a movie which may have you doubting your own sanity by the end if it. One of those great late night Frightfest films where you wonder what on earth you've just watched, the general opinion of the audience on the way out of this one suggested it didn't go down too well. With Lynchian imagery, a deliberately fragmented storyline, and the execution of insane serial killer Larry Fessenden as the apparent trigger for residents in a small town going nuts, this was a delirious way to end one of the best Frightfest opening nights in a long while.

To Day 2