HEREDITARY – I saw this thinking “I’m probably not going to like this as much as I’m meant to, am I?”, and I was right. That’s the problem when things end up burdened by their own hype, they can never truly rise. But don’t get me wrong, ‘Hereditary’ is a really good flick… not great, but interesting, excellently well made, pretty much at the top of the genre as far as filmic quality goes. The same thing happened with ‘The Babadook’ in a way, another undeniably good, quality film that I enjoyed but couldn’t rave over. Anyway, ‘Hereditary’ is initially about middle class American grief, then about the possibly real but potentially imagined reincarnation of an occult entity. In truth, as is often the case, the drama is handled much better than the horror, and the transition from one kind of film to another is a bit crassly done in places (the ‘seance’ scene etc). Again, when you set a bar way high, little glitches ring a lot louder. But that’s minor quibbling, really. There are one or two nasty, unexpectedly brutal moments that are quite wrenching, and the chilly atmospheric tone, particularly noticeable at the start, definitely gives the film presence. The possible ‘folie-a-deux’ aspect is interesting, although I can’t remember if there was a point where this was abandoned and you were meant to take events as read. If you strip ‘Hereditary’ right down, you could kind of nail it as really no more than a well put together semi art-house take on latter day multiplex ghostie fodder like ‘Insidious’. It’s not this generation’s ‘The Exorcist’. But it is a really good movie that people should watch.
DEAD NIGHT – Back in solid B-movie territory, here is a family on holiday in a cabin in the woods. Dad has a tumour and said cabin has cancer healing properties or something? I didn’t really get that aspect of ‘Dead Night’, but the same could be said of most of the rest of the film. ‘Dead Night’ is a genre scramble incorporating a cult, some kind of demonic birthing ritual, possible aliens, definite gore and Barbara Crampton. Inconsistency seems to be its stand-out characteristic, with nicely shot woody atmospherics suddenly competing with a plasticy TV-movie feel and wonky pacing that went a bit saggy, then a bit quicky. But I was half-cut when I saw it so who knows. One thing I do know – I enjoyed it.
PARASITES – I generally really like anything by Chad Ferrin (of ‘Easter Bunny Kill! Kill! fame), and ‘Parasites’ is no exception. It’s about some college kids out driving in LA – they veer off their beaten track, end up with a flat in a ‘bad area’ and find themselves at the mercy of a gang of belligerent homeless dudes. What follows after the set-up is basically an urban chase featuring a foaming-at-the-mouth Robert Miano and a briefly glimpsed but equally deranged Joe Pilato. There are clear references to the ‘urban warscape’ thrillers of the eighties, and whilst ‘Parasites’ doesn’t quite have the visual panache of a John Carpenter or a Walter Hill flick, the omnipresent hulking ruins of downtown dereliction guarantee a specific atmosphere. ‘Parasites’ touches on issues concerning racist violence and includes Ferrin’s usual preoccupation with the fate of the vulnerable.
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