Dir - Lee Chung-hyun
Overall: GOOD
A South Korean remake of the Puerto Rican film The Caller from 2011, The Call, (Kol), tweaks the premise enough to be a unique retelling. By emphasizing its more Twilight Zone aspects in place of overt supernatural ones, the story builds its back-and-forth timeline jumping in darkly dramatic ways even if it hits some predictable beats along its course. While the structure is for the most part riveting and both Park Shin-hye and Jeon Jong-seo turn in commendable performances as the two stand-ins for good and evil who eventually duke it out with each other respectfully, the film may lose momentum for some who find that the twisty-turvy plotting runs itself in circles. Writer/director Lee Chung-hyun rides a thin line in this regard where once the otherworldly rules are established, (if not at all explained), then the build up can only go in one direction where history is endlessly rewritten with more tension-mounting results. For Shin-hye's protagonist, the effects of her ordeal are certainly gut-wrenching, yet they never become depressingly overbearing even if the story cannot seem to help itself but to rain on her parade. Still, the pacing is tight and the somewhat classy, less exploitative, and stylistic attempt at suggesting the horrific elements is appreciated.
Dir - Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr.
Overall: MEH
Another slightly above mediocre Welcome to Blumhouse feature, writer/director Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr.'s debut Black Box has a psychological horror premise that leans more on the side of pseudo-science silliness than anything, but the presentation at least is sincere. On paper, it is easy to chuckle at things like a medical head contraption that is able to unlock uploaded memories and two different consciousnesses punching each other for control of a physical body, but you would never know how goofy such elements are judging by the excellent performances. Mamoudou Athie sympathetically portrays his struggling protagonist who is trying to reclaim his life after a traumatic brain injury that by all logical accounts should have left him dead. Yet when he does succumb to the aggressive duality that is striving to break free, he proves to be quite terrifying in a domestically abusive sense. Child actor Amanda Christine is an impressive highlight as well and Cosby Show fans will assuredly get a kick out of Phylicia Rashad reemerging with a significant role in a genre film. The horror elements include blurry faces and a mysterious figure that snaps, creeks, and contortions its body and sadly none of these elements are either unique or freaky. It plays things a bit too safe to offer up any compelling surprises, but it is still adequately done.
Dir - Christopher Alender
Overall: MEH
The first full-length in over twenty years from director Christopher Alender, The Old Ways is a loud, dumb folk horror possession movie that weaves some formulaic, heart-string pulling crap about family and overcoming one's personal "demons" and well, you get the idea. Harsh words perhaps that at least are not wholly deserving for significant chunks of the running time, which allude to something more intelligent and worthwhile than what is ultimately delivered. Performance wise, it has everyone taking the supernatural material very seriously, even when Brigitte Kali Canales in the lead specifically does not take it seriously yet does seem concerned with her kidnapping at the hands of her cousin and a Nahua bruja who is dressed throughout the movie in essentially a Halloween costume. Photographed well with some halfway decent effects work considering the meager budget, (and some actual snakes instead of CGI ones, which is refreshing in and of itself), but Alender abuses incredibly cliched screechy noises in the cheapest and most obnoxious way possible to convey scariness. Throw in a couple dabs of schlock and even more screaming monster noises with an "I'm a badass and not afraid of you anymore" finale and it all degenerates into a pile of tripe that is unfortunate to say the least.
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