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(03/11/20 5:30pm)
by Rex Meyer
For the past few years, horror has seen a renaissance in the cinematic world aided by sophisticated storytelling, complex metaphors, and multi-dimensional characters. Films such as Hereditary showcase the turmoils of grief and familial relationships under the guise of the occult, while Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning Get Out reflects the horrors of racism and the liberal ignorance of white America. Still, every so often there enters a horror movie whose intentions to tell a terrifying yet profound story are mutilated by a static, pretentious, and inept plot progression unable to sufficiently scare audiences and critics alike. Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s winter horror film The Lodge fulfills this sentiment to a bitter degree.
Released in a limited engagement on Feb. 7 before opening nationwide on Feb. 21, The Lodge details the bleak dynamics of a family ravaged by a tragic loss. Afflicted by an extended separation, Richard has recently informed his devout Catholic wife, Laura, that he plans to divorce her so he can marry his girlfriend Grace. Upon hearing this devastating news, Laura commits suicide, leaving her son and daughter, Aidan and Mia, grieving her abrupt departure from the mortal world. Now living full-time with their father, the pair accompany him and Grace on a trip to a remote New England lodge for the Christmas season. Due to prior work obligations, Richard ends up leaving his kids to adjust to life with their future stepmother. Unfortunately for Aidan and Mia, Grace’s dark and mysterious past full of grim secrets intrudes into their time inside the family lodge.
(01/17/20 7:20pm)
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for Season 1 of You.
(01/16/20 3:15pm)
by Rex Meyer
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for Season 1 of You.
Loosely based on Caroline Kepnes’ novel Hidden Bodies, the sequel to her sleeper hit You, Season 2 of You ventures deeper into the psyche of its serial killer protagonist Joe as he trades the wholesome literary scene of New York City for the fame-hungry background of Los Angeles. The people are prettier, the fashion is more sophisticated, the hunger for stardom is ever more present, and social media encompasses the identity of the people surrounding him. Unfortunately for Joe, his fresh start quickly transforms into murderous mayhem as his lust for a new girl takes him down a dark, chaotic rabbit hole. In the fashion of a typical psychological thriller, You Season 2 contains numerous twists and turns that will leave audiences with their eyes wide and jaws dropped. Although these plot twists serve for an enticing viewing, the overabundance of them risks taking the show into absurd and redundant terrain. Nevertheless, the show retains its millennial charm and endearing cast of characters that makes it stand out from other shows about romance and murder.
(11/22/19 6:41pm)
by Rex Meyer
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of American Horror Story: 1984.
After eight weeks of insane plot twists, literal backstabbing, ghostly reincarnations, and gore galore, American Horror Story: 1984 aired its ninth and final episode in what is now the show’s shortest season ever. As the ghosts of Camp Redwood say goodbye to the '80s and the showdown between Brooke and Margaret comes full-circle, a surprise appearance by a series veteran and an unexpectedly sentimental ending brings the season to a satisfying conclusion. Although the year 1989 ended in a bloodbath for the dead inhabitants of Redwood, let’s flash forward 30 years later to see what became of the campsite after the fact.
In 2019, Mr. Jingle’s now grown-up son, Bobby, arrives at a dilapidated and abandoned Camp Redwood. Played by the steamy Finn Wittrock, Bobby comes to seek answers on why he has been receiving checks from an anonymous source. Once he enters the campground, he encounters Montana and Trevor, who tell him that his father, Benjamin Richter (aka Mr. Jingles), drowned in the lake. Since the ghosts of Redwood have remained in purgatory with no contact to the outside world, they are ignorant to the cultural changes that have occurred since 1989. Bobby’s interactions with Montana and Trevor come from an entirely new perspective that contrasts well with the two established characters stuck in their cartoonish '80s attire. Bobby does not initially believe the two are ghosts until they prove it to him by killing themselves and resurrecting in front of his very eyes. Now that Bobby finally believes they are ghosts, Montana and Trevor disclose what exactly happened on Halloween night of 1989.
Frustrated by Trevor’s attempts to prevent the festival-goers from entering Camp Redwood, Margaret shoots him off the premises and leaves him to die in the streets. Montana weeps for Trevor to crawl back to the camp so he can reincarnate as a ghost. Brooke suddenly appears and helps Trevor get back to the campsite. When Montana asks Brooke why she helped him, Brooke simply responds with, “because I’m not like you.” Flash forward to 2019, Montana tells Bobby that Brooke’s act of kindness changed her views on killing. Montana’s story arc was definitely one of the best aspects of the season. Her transition from being a cold-blooded killer to a witty antihero was not only gratifying to watch, but also amusing as viewers get to see how she and the other ghosts unite to kill Margaret.
Back in 1984, Bruce, the most pointless character of the season, gets a machete to the throat by Trevor, who lets him die off-camp so he cannot return as a ghost. Meanwhile, Ramirez is tricked into following Montana to a cabin, where she promises that Billy Idol is waiting to meet him. Unfortunately for Ramirez, Billy is nowhere to be found. The ghosts of Camp Redwood immediately leap out of the shadows and take their turns hacking Ramirez to death. Furthermore, the ghosts vow to repeatedly murder him for 30 years since his pact with Satan allows him to reincarnate. I’d go as far as to say this blood-spattered scene was probably one of the goriest scenes AHS has ever produced. While the average viewer might be turned off by the copious amounts of gore, horror fans will appreciate the over-the-top theatrics in this scene. Overall, Ramirez’s deaths were sweet to watch as he finally atoned for all the horrible crimes he committed.
Back in 2019, Montana directs Bobby to meet Donna at the local asylum after being attacked by Ramirez at Redwood. She explains to him that Margaret was murdered on Halloween night in 1989. A flashback showcases the eagerly anticipated showdown between Margaret and Brooke. Sadly, the scene was not very climatic and left me wanting more. The choreography was average and the scene itself just felt short and pointless. For a season that was very fast-paced and had a tight narrative, the climax did not live up to expectations. After Margaret shoots Brooke in the abdomen, Chet and Trevor grab Margaret and take her outside to be executed. They proceed to chop off all her limbs and insert them into a wood-chipper. Her minced body parts—which look strangely like a cherry slushy—shoot all over the campgrounds so she can not reincarnate as a ghost. Just like the death of Ramirez, her death was incredibly gory and ridiculous in the best way possible. The excessiveness of the scene made it hilarious to watch and amplified AHS’s campier side.
Bobby and Donna trace the anonymous checks they had been receiving to Prinevill, Oregon, where they discover Brooke alive and well. Before we go any further, I must point out that Brooke looks extremely good for age (remember, 30 years have passed since 1989 so she would be around 50 years old). Of course, the show is self-aware in that aspect, as both Bobby and Donna mention how silky her skin looks. Anyway, Brooke states that she survived because Ray’s ghost helped her exit the campsite to get medical assistance. Brooke also admits that she sent the checks because she admired Bobby’s father (Mr. Jingles) and wanted Bobby to have a normal life. After this meeting, Bobby decides to return to Redwood one last time.
Upon his entrance to Camp Redwood, Bobby stumbles upon the ghost of Margaret. She tells him she can lead him to his father. Knowing that she framed his father, he unsurprisingly distrusts her intentions. Margaret reveals that she is able to exist as a ghost because she died right before the wood-chipper blended her head. Soon after, Margaret tries to kill Bobby, but is killed by Mr. Jingles; however, Bobby’s reunion with his dad is short-lived when Margaret resurrects and kills Jingles to be the “final girl,” aka the female survivor who lives to tell the story. Finally, Lavania Richter, Jingles’ mother and Bobby’s grandmother, appears and summons the other ghosts who besiege Margaret. Lavania tells Bobby he is handsome and the two say their goodbyes. In a typical '80s-film fashion, the episode closes with a bittersweet ballad as Bobby waves goodbye to Lavania, his father, and young Bobby one last time.
American Horror Story: 1984 was a wild season that paid great tribute to the horror films of the 1980s, as well as the cultural landscape of the decade. Like many slasher films, the knives were sharp, the kills were extravagant, and the music pierced the heart of '80s nostalgia. Making Emma Roberts the lead was one of the best decisions the creators could have made, and the equally compelling supporting cast provided both laughter and terror that made the season’s thin storyline worthwhile. Although unpredictable in its execution, the finale presented a heartfelt conclusion that tied up all loose ends and commented on the lasting legacy of the '80s. With its over-the-top campiness and extremely gory death sequences, AHS: 1984 was a fantastic season that made a huge gamble by entering new, uncharted territory, where it could have easily met its demise but ultimately prevailed in the end.
(11/09/19 9:25pm)
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of American Horror Story: 1984.
(11/02/19 9:27pm)
by Rex Meyer
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of American Horror Story: 1984.
American Horror Story: 1984 returned with its seventh episode titled “The Lady in White,” where we saw some familiar faces from seasons past. This week showed Donna and Brooke continue their journey to Camp Redwood while Mr. Jingles aka Richter is haunted by the ghosts of his past. And in the grisly fashion of AHS, a big revelation was unveiled as well as the introduction of some pivotal new characters. Before I say anymore, let’s get right to dissecting this episode and seeing what its innards are all about.
Twenty-two years before the Camp Redwood massacre of 1970 occurred, a tragic incident resulting in a child’s death took place. It’s 1948 and Camp Golden Star is open for business. Lavinia Richter, a single mother played the wonderful Lily Rabe, is working at the concession stand as her two boys, Benjamin and Bobby, play at camp. The young Benjamin gets distracted when he witnesses two counselors doing what typical teenagers in the 80s do in the woods. Unfortunately, his curiosity is cut short when his brother is run over by a motorboat and dies. Upset and devastated, Lavinia lashes out at the camp’s staff and blames her other son, Benjamin, for his death.
Unlike previous seasons, AHS:1984 has not featured many cameos either, so it was nice to see Lily Rabe in the opener. Her presence dominated the opening scene and brought forth a disturbing element of terror as she shrieked at the sight of her son’s dead body. In an otherwise campy season, the more serious element of horror she added was a nice touch. This episode mainly featured two storylines: Donna and Brooke’s venture back to camp and Mr. Jingles return to Redwood. The former was entertaining but felt pointless at times while the latter was heavy in character development and developed the show’s plot.
In the Donna and Brooke plotline, they decided to go back to Camp Redwood after seeing an ad for an upcoming festival. While at a skating rink, a sketchy man dressed in a black leather jacket and a pair of aviator sunglasses approaches the two. Played by season one veteran Dylan McDermott, Bruce asks if they can take him back to his girlfriend’s place. Donna declines his request until he fixes her broken-down car. As the drive progresses, Donna and Brooke become weary of Bruce. He becomes very aggressive and shoots a cop that approaches the car. The pair immediately drive away, but he catches up to them and hits the back of their vehicle with a police car. Brooke wakes up after being knocked out, and after a brief scuffle with Bruce, she and Donna continue their journey to Redwood, leaving Bruce tied to sign with his thumbs cut off. As with Rabe earlier, it was nice to see an AHS veteran in the mix after having few cameos this season. But unlike Rabe’s character, Bruce was just filler to give something for Brooke and Donna to do. Their story may have been entertaining; however, it also didn’t add much to the storyline in this episode.
Finally, the storyline that was the most imperative to this episode was Mr. Jingles’ return to Redwood. After vowing to murder Richard Ramirez for the death of his wife, Mr. Jingles is given an unpleasant welcome by the ghosts of the men he killed a couple of episodes ago. Jingles confesses his motivation for returning to the ghosts, and they mention that a lady in white, who ends up being Jingle’s mother Lavinia, attacks them at night. A flashback depicts a young Jingles (Benjamin) stabbing his mother to death after she tries to kill him following the death of his brother.
To sum up the rest of the episode, Lavinia reveals to Benjamin that she has been watching him the whole time he’s been at Redwood and admits to manipulating Margaret into killing the campers in the Redwood Massacre of 1970. Meanwhile, Ramirez slaughters members of a band that was set to play at the festival and leaves satanic symbols on the tour bus. Back to Jingles crying on a dock, his mother comes to tell him to stop grieving for his brother and leave. He ponders her direction for a moment and then kills himself so he can come back as a ghost to relieve the ghosts of Redwood from purgatory.
As I stated earlier, Mr. Jingles' storyline revealed why the people who died at Redwood came back as ghosts as well as explaining his unwanted attachment to the camp itself. It made the episode interesting and provided some answers that were much needed. Furthermore, having his mother be the main cause of the deaths in Redwood harkens back to the “mommy issues” trope in 80s slashers films such as Jason’s Vorhees’ mother in Friday the 13th. In a way, it almost seems that Mr. Jingles has become the main character instead of Brooke. His storyline has been much more intriguing and better developed.
(10/25/19 3:00pm)
by Rex Meyer
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of American Horror Story: 1984.
In an unexpected turn of events, American Horror Story: 1984 gave us an episode that could have very well been the finale of the season. This episode, titled “Red Dawn,” saw the campers learn more about the secrets lurking at Camp Redwood, while two characters faced off in a deadly battle. But with most of the cast murdered and many of the loose ends actually explained, it looks like AHS: 1984 will be taking the second half of the season in a different direction; unfortunately, we will have to wait till next week to see how these last five episodes unfold. So, without further ado, it's time to get into all the twisted, gory details of AHS: 1984’s “Red Dawn.”
The episode begins as a flashback to the year 1980, in which Donna spies on her father seemingly cheating on her mother with another woman. She gets out of the car to catch them in the act, but instead makes a horrific discovery of the woman’s corpse. Donna realizes her father is a serial killer, then witnesses his suicide when he figures out that she has learned of his crimes. This explanation for Donna’s obsession with Mr. Jingles was graphic but very effective because it exemplified the personal demons within her character. Angelica Ross wonderfully portrayed the devastation and frustration Donna felt when she learned about her father’s murders.
We flash forward to 1984, where the revived Richard Ramirez tells Donna that he was—unsurprisingly—brought back by Satan and knows all about her misdeeds. The scene conveys the guilt Donna carries because she couldn’t help her father before, and now she can’t help Mr. Jingles either.
The rest of the episode mainly consisted of characters getting killed off one by one. Margaret takes Chet on a boat and confesses her role in the Camp Redwood massacre of 1970. Chet screams in agony as she slices his ear off and drowns him by chaining him to an anchor that falls to the bottom of the lake. While it was sad to see Chet go, his character didn’t really have much importance. He didn’t have a huge backstory, and the only notable things he did were admitting to obvious steroid usage and serving as a potential love interest for Brooke—which never went anywhere. His death wasn’t very impactful, but I don’t think it was intended to be. Since the deceased have been reappearing as ghosts, this probably won’t be the last time we see Chet. Afterwards, Donna flees from Xavier and Montana after she admits to both of them that she freed Mr. Jingles. During her escape, she begs Mr. Jingles to kill her so she can be free of her guilt. He denies her plea and leaves her to suffer. This looks like it will be the end of Donna, as her story has come full circle. The ambiguity of this fate seems fitting since Donna was a bit of an enigma herself; however, considering how this episode ends, she could reappear later in the season.
Not knowing Margaret is the real killer, Xavier saves her from Mr. Jingles by killing him with a bow and arrow. She scores another ear for her collection—which is probably her 50th by now—when she stabs Xavier to death. Similar to Chet, his death was unfortunate but not too gut-wrenching to watch. His death is not necessarily a detriment to the episode itself, since he will probably return in some capacity. The writers have already reincarnated most of the deceased characters thus far, so I highly doubt Xavier will be an exception.
Mr. Jingles is subsequently revived by Ramirez while Brooke loses her virginity to the ghost form of Ray. Finally, Brooke learns that Sam, the best friend of her fiancé, was Montana’s brother, and Montana had planned to kill her as an act of revenge. As the sun rises, Montana and Brooke fight to the death while a bus full of young campers makes its way to Camp Redwood. The campers arrive just in time to see Montana being killed by Brooke, while an injured Margaret frames Brooke for the murders...and that’s how it ends. The night of terror is over and most of the cast is now deceased; however, Camp Redwood is known to have supernatural forces at work, so I’m sure the characters we saw die will be back soon. The real question is whether or not this is the last time we see Brooke. She’s in police custody now, so it is highly unlikely she’ll return to Redwood. It will also be interesting to see what Margaret does now that she has framed another person for murder. Based off of the preview of next week’s episode, some answers might be provided and some big revelations might be unearthed. After all, it is the series’ 100th episode.
(10/08/19 7:00am)
by Rex Meyer
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of American Horror Story: 1984.
American Horror Story: 1984 returned this week to continue its tale of severed ears, bad 80s hair, and deadly misfortunes. Although it was not as exciting as the premiere, this episode resumes the story of Mr. Jingles’ journey back to Camp Redwood and Brooke’s PTSD regarding the fallout of the Night Stalker’s attack. Character arcs are expanded upon and some unexpected twists reveal that this season is not completely set on replicating the slasher genre.
Similar to last week’s opener, a gory murder occurs to shock and terrorize the audience. The scene begins with Dr. Karen Hopple arriving at Camp Redwood to warn camp director Margaret about Benjamin Richter (Mr. Jingles)’s escape from the insane asylum. Margaret is not surprised when she learns about the situation and her brilliant mind insists the camp will still open as scheduled. Unfortunately for Dr. Hopple, her car breaks down on her way back and Mr. Jingles, posing as a truck driver, proceeds to stab her in the neck (ouch). While the opener was gruesomely entertaining, the real significant developments of this episode do not occur until later.
After hearing of a murder at a gas station near the campsite, Brooke continues to worry about The Night Stalker following her to Redwood. At this point, we learn Brooke planned to marry a man named Joey Cavanaugh the previous summer. On the night of their wedding, Joey decides to shoot her father, the best man, and himself after accusing Brooke of cheating on him with his best friend. Compared to the context of the entire episode, this segment seemed pretty insignificant to the progression of the story. While Brooke has consistently dealt with people not believing her stories, the writers could have explained this without going into some random anecdote. It seemed like an uninspired attempt to flesh out more of Brooke’s character. Hopefully, later episodes elaborates a little more on the importance of this event in Brooke’s life.
Another matter revealed in this episode is Montana’s bisexuality. This is shown when she attempts to kiss Brooke as a way of comforting her. Even though her sexuality was not majorly hinted at prior to this moment, it now makes more sense as to why Montana was so adamant about Brooke joining her and her friends in coming to Camp Redwood. Xavier’s sexuality is also put up to speculation when his cousin appears at camp to blackmail him into doing explicit “gay modeling.” This subplot does not last very long, however, as his cousin Blake is soon murdered by Mr. Jingles when he peeps through a hole into the men’s shower. I must admit, I am living for the queer representation in this episode because it adds a bit more depth to its characters and furthers the campy atmosphere.
Most of AHS: 1984’s second episode revolves around the unveiling of the characters’ backstories, but there are some remarkable advances in plot that make up for some of the monotonous character arcs. The biggest progression in plot would be Richard Ramirez, The Night Stalker, being designated by Margaret as “protector” of the camp; she convinces him that he should not feel guilty for his heinous crimes if they were done in the name of God’s work. While I mentioned the previous episode’s inclusion of The Night Stalker negatively offsets the campiness of AHS:1984, the writers seem to have come up with an intriguing idea that merits the use of a real life serial killer in a fictional 80s-themed horror series.
In addition to Ramirez’ presence, AHS: 1984 has introduced a supernatural element that looks promising in how it will affect the narrative for the rest of the season. An amnesiac hitchhiker run over by the group of counselors in the first episode reappears only to be murdered by Richard Ramirez... twice. According to Margaret, the hitchhiker was a counselor named Jonas who was run over by Mr. Jingles when he fled Camp Redwood in 1970. While it was unexpected of AHS: 1984 to include a paranormal element in a season that was (thus far) somewhat grounded in reality, this twist adds an original element to a season that has to rely on recreating the formulaic structure of an 80s slasher film in an innovative way.
(09/25/19 7:38pm)
by Rex Meyer
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for this episode of 'American Horror Story: 1984'
Oh the 80s, a decade defined by trickle down economics, New Wave music, big hair, and the weekend slasher flicks teens would lie to their parents about seeing. And just like how many of those films turned out to be full of corny one-liners and over-the-top gore, Ryan’s Murphy new season of his hit FX series American Horror Story echoes these tropes in the best way possible.
American Horror Story: 1984 takes us back to the year, you guessed it, 1984, where a group of teenagers volunteer to help reopen Camp Redwood for the summer. Unfortunately for them, a homicidal maniac is on the loose and seeks to annihilate each counselor one by one. The season stars scream queen Emma Roberts with supporting talent including Billie Lourd, Matthew Morrison, and Cody Fern. But before all the goodies get spoiled, it's time to dive right into the premiere episode.
In the vein of a classic 80s slasher, the opening scene of AHS: 1984 begins in the year of 1970 with a trio of teenagers—one male and two females—who are having a liaison of sorts until the sound of keys jingling alarms one of the women. A shadowy figure enters and proceeds to stab all three of the teens before revealing a wide shot of dead campers sprawled throughout the cabin. After showing a collection of ears the killer had made into a necklace, the classic AHS opening credits roll. The credits feature retro digital graphics, VHS tape glitches, and a revised theme song resembling 80s synth-pop, and AHS: 1984 slashes its way into a potentially excellent season.
Already, this season has shown that is hyper-aware of what it is without trying too hard to replicate the horror films of the era. The atmosphere was chilling while the kills were outright brutal. A particular death depicted a knife going straight into a women’s eye and then ending with a white fadeout that was clearly an homage to Friday the 13th.
Emma Roberts portrays the young heroine named Brooke Thompson who recently has been a victim of the infamous Night Stalker, aka Richard Ramirez. She decides to join her fellow aerobics classmates in leaving Los Angeles for Camp Redwood in order to cope with the trauma she had endured after her encounter with the Night Stalker. Admittedly, the plot of the episode already seems thin and cliche but this is not necessarily a bad thing as many of the films from the slasher sub-genre contain this element as well. The inclusion of Richard Ramirez was very abrupt and didn’t seem to really fit into the context of the episode as a whole. Granted, they needed to give Brooke a reason for wanting to leave but the inclusion of a real life serial killer alters the tone.
The supporting cast is hilarious when they mimic the character tropes of 80s horror. There is the jock named Chet, the promiscuous blonde Montana, the funny guy Ray and the wild card Xavier. Each character is over-the-top in their own way which really fits the campy tone aimed by the creators. Despite accidentally running over a hitchhiking hippie and receiving some ominous warnings from a gas station clerk, they continue on their trip. The group of counselors are greeted by the Camp Redwood staff and learn some terrifying news about the history of the camp itself.
Matthew Morrison, Angelica Ross and Leslie Grossman round out the rest of the wonderful cast with the latter brilliantly playing the conservative Christian camp owner Margaret Booths. At this point, the episode really delves into the core of the show by setting up the creepy camp environment followed by some snappy dialogue, pot-smoking and electric scares. Brooke’s paranoia settles in but she may not be totally wrong as the killer behind the brutal slayings of 1970, Mr. Jingles, recently escaped a mental asylum and is set on returning to Camp Redwood.