(2000)
Dir - F.A. Brabec
Overall: GOOD
Czech filmmaker F.A. Brabec's colorful, stylized adaptation of Karel Jaromír Erben's ballad collection Kytice, Wild Flowers, (not to be confused with the Eric Roberts drama Wildflowers that was released the same year), easily has enough supernatural elements to justify it as a horror-esque movie. There are five main stories and two others that act more as loose bookends, and most of the film is rather whimsical and poetic with lush music almost consistently played throughout, the only dialog being taken from the actual Kytice ballads. "The Wedding Dress" is the most classic horror example and a rather lively one at that. "The Waterman", "The Noon-Day Witch", and "The Golden Spinning Wheel" are pure fairytales and all of them possess one or two dramatically eerie moments that are quite fitting to the fantasy setting. The poems themselves are all based off of Czech folklore with a heavily religious thread throughout and Brabec more or less brings them to life in a rich, playful way. It is simple yes, but it works as an art film that is anything but drab and again, it has got plenty of fun little macabre bits to maintain any horror buff's attention.
(2006)
Dir - Álex de la Iglesia
Overall: MEH
Originally shown on television, 6 Films to Keep You Awake at Night was a Spanish mini-series of six individual movies, naturally all horror ones. The Baby's Room is one such entry and though it is certainly formulaic and not without its shortcomings, it nearly delivers on a creepy premise. A handful of moments are handled successfully, with a video baby monitor and a supernatural, psychological takeover proving rather sinister if not all together logical. The boo scares are annoying of course, which is a shame as they would actually be downright terrifying if they were not utilized in such a hackneyed, predictable manner. Removing the loud shrieking violin noise for one is a fantastic idea that very oddly nobody ever thought to do. Things get muddy by the end where the film fails to deliver on much of its mystery, refusing to tie-in many of its plot elements that ultimately seem to just be there because horror movies. The nimble, seventy-seven minute running time is refreshing in some respects, but it is also the reason everything seems rather rushed because well, it is. Álex de la Iglesia's earlier The Day of the Beast is a much more solid horror entry if one is looking to investigate any further, with The Baby's Room being more of a botched exercise.
(2008)
Dir - Mats Stenberg
Overall: WOOF
Exhibit A for anyone who hates slasher movies. You know how Halloween 2 takes place in a hospital immediately after the first one? So does Cold Prey 2. You know how the first Cold Prey ends with a final girl moment where she murders the bad guy to death? So does Cold Prey 2, (same girl, same weapon, same location). You know how Michael Myers has inhuman strength and is always dead but then comes back alive no matter what happens to him? Same. You know how slasher bad guys always find a way to make all the lights stay off so they can kill the person who turns them back on right as they do so? Yup that is in here too. You know how the bad guy in slasher movies always get shot in the nick of time by someone you thought was dead just as they are about to kill someones else? Check. You know how when your bad guy in a slasher movie is left for dead but of course he is not dead and when the characters and camera turn their back on them, they vanish into thin air? Double check. You know how bad guys in slasher movies have opportune times to kill people but they put it off for several hours because it is more dramatic and way more stupid when they do? Yup. You know how the character you least expect to show up to save the day always shows up to save the day? Can we stop now?
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