Jeff Loves Horror

image source Plot Synopsis: On the surface, It's Buddy seems to be a syndicated children's show from the '90s. One day, one of the children in the show, a girl named Freddy, begins to question the titular Buddy's true intentions leading to dangerous consequences.  Positives: This is a movie that really understands those particular shows. Namely, the movie acts as sort of a satire of Barney. First of all, I have to commend writer-director Casper Kelly. This is a man who has written for quite a bit of Adult Swim content. In particular, he's the man behind Too Many Cooks. He also wrote episodes of Catdog. So, this movie, and material, is a wheelhouse he knows all too well. The production design is great too. The world that Buddy and these kids inhabit has sort of a Pee-wee's Playhouse look and feel. This is the kind of world where all of the inanimate objects talk, and have faces. Adding on to that, this movie has some really good practical effects work. All of the...

image source Plot Synopsis: Roughly ten years after the events of Scream 3, Sidney Prescott returns to her hometown of Woodsboro after writing a book. However, a new Ghostface emerges and begins a new killing spree, following the pattern of horror remakes.  Positives: As is always the case with these movies, Neve Campbell shows up to work. I like this version of Sidney Prescott too. I like that this movie gives us a Sidney that is actively working to move on, and not let her trauma define her. I also like that, in a lot of ways, Scream 4 feels ahead of its time. In particular, you have Robbie constantly streaming, and this is years before the existence of Twitch. On the flip side, you have a character like Jill. In many ways, Jill’s attitude and motivation feels like that of an influencer, a term that really wasn’t a thing in 2011. Of course, I also need to give Emma Roberts props for her performance as Jill. She does such a good job fluctuating between playing the innocent victim,...

Plot Synopsis: One year after the events of the first film, the “survivors” (they all died in the first movie) take part in a sleep study at a haunted house led by a horny professor. Positives:  Once again, I have to give props to the cast. Most of the cast of the first movie returns (including franchise MVPs Anna Faris and Regina Hall). I do think a lot of the newcomers deserve some recognition. This might be Chris Elliott’s most iconic role, and for good reason. And, my God, I think just casting Tim Curry automatically improves any movie. Much like the first film, I still think the humor mostly works. My favorite scene in the movie might be the opening scene parodying The Exorcist. The moment where James Woods sees the classic head rotation and just goes “fuck this” is maybe the moment that makes me laugh the hardest in the entire movie.  Negatives: I feel like this movie doubles down on the gross-out jokes. There’s an extended moment with a character peeing on the floor, as...

image source Plot Synopsis: A masked killer begins targeting and killing inept teenagers because he knows what they did last Halloween.  Positives: I think this movie's biggest strength is the cast performances. The Wayans Brothers, Anna Faris, and Regina Hall are always pointed to for how good their work in comedy is. Someone I don't necessarily think gets enough credit in this movie is Shannon Elizabeth. Her scene with the killer in the locker room is one of my favorites in the movie. Now, this is not the kind of movie you would typically go to for story, but I appreciate the understanding that having a story (as loose as it may be) is necessary, and the jokes are in service to the story. And yes, a lot of the humor still really works for me. There are so many lines that are engrained into my memory. Hell, the classic "wazzap" scene I feel is more associated with this movie than the commercials it was parodying. I mean, I didn't even know about the commercials w...

Plot Synopsis: Sidney Prescott once again finds herself fighting off a Ghostface killer. The main difference is that this time Ghostface is also targeting her eldest daughter, Tatum. Positives: As always, Neve Campbell is putting her all into this role. It’s evident she loves the character. There’s a couple of really gnarly kills here too. A few other actors are trying as well. Finally, as someone who loves the character of Tatum from the original, I’m glad this movie actually acknowledges her beyond a throwaway line. Mixed: To start, upon reflection, I have mixed feelings on the twins. I ultimately like the actors, and think they have good chemistry with one another. However, they feel tacked on. This movie really helped me pinpoint why Mindy is my least favorite of the core four. It kind of boils down to this: She’s an idiot, but the writers don’t seem to realize it. I don’t hate the character, and I think that mostly comes down to Jasmin Savoy Brown as an actress. Next, there’s the ...

Plot Synopsis: A woman takes a housekeeping job at a hotel, only to discover she is intended to be a ritual sacrifice because the hotel is run by a Satanic cult, and she now has to fight for her life. Positives: First and foremost, I love the cast. Zazie Beets is pretty damn good in the lead. But, I think the people who really shine are the villains. You have the likes of Heather Graham and Tom Felton in supporting roles, and they’re pretty fun. However, the absolute standout in the movie has to be Patricia Arquette. The woman is having an absolute blast. But, as the movie goes on, it’s easy to see that there’s actually a little more nuance to the character than you might have expected. When I first saw the trailer, I was worried about how much it showed. I can promise there are still some surprises in the movie, which was actually pretty nice. The action is a lot of fun, too. Finally, I think the special effects are pretty damn strong too. In particular, there’s some really good gore ...