Scary Stories (from a Dark Allie)

I first saw this movie on a plane in 2022. It turns out I hadn’t actually seen the previous film before, so there were some references (the lemon squares?) I didn’t catch until this viewing, but otherwise I don’t feel like I missed much. I was under the (mistaken) impression this movie was supposed to be a full reboot anyway, so I wasn’t expecting to need the context when I watched it the first time - and I didn’t, the story made sense to me.

Well, that’s kind of a bummer…this is the first installment I could barely make it through. And it’s the last film Wes Craven directed. Both the last film in the Scream series directed by him, and the last film he ever directed.

Oh, did I forget to mention yesterday that I’d be watching all the remaining movies from the Scream franchise this week? Hope you don’t mind!

I’m a little worried I might mind by the end of it…I’m not sure I ever saw this one or Scream 4. Some scenes felt familiar but it could just be because there’s not a whole lot of “new” in this.

Look, I don’t think anything was ever going to live up to the first movie, not even (especially not?) a sequel as self-aware as this one. And it doesn’t, but it’s fine.

Honestly, as soon as the opening scene started, I remembered most of this movie, which probably didn’t improve this viewing for me. But it’s fine. The movie, I mean. It’s just fine.

I love it when remakes/reboots are meaningful and can stand on their own, and I feel like this movie does just that. I liked it about as much as the original, which is impressive considering that that was a Joel Schumacher film, and you know I love those.

This one’s also a bit darker and scarier than the original, also impressive given its PG-13 rating.

When I originally picked Dead of Winter for this week, I wasn’t fully expecting it to actually BE the dead of winter for us, but I probably should have. We’re blanketed in snow and it’s freezing outside. Below freezing, even.

But if I was hoping this movie would keep me warm, I was wrong. There’s a good story in there (and apparently this was a loose remake of a 1945 film?), but it takes way too long to tell it, and there’s not enough tension or action to keep the audience hooked for so long.

I read the book this movie is based on, The Cabin at the End of the World, several years back, and really liked it. I’ve liked most of Paul Tremblay’s work, though surprisingly more of the longer works than his short stories.

Anyway, I was excited last year when I heard this was being made into a movie, so I reread the book in anticipation before it was release.

I don’t really remember what I thought of this movie when I first saw it, but I remember thinking it was weird, and I definitely still think that. I guess it’s to be expected from a (Brandon) Cronenberg film?

On rewatching it…well, it’s still weird, and I’m still not quite sure what I think about it.

This movie was fine. It could have been a lot better. It had an interesting context and setting, and on the surface an interesting story, but it didn’t really do anything new with either.

I wanted to really like this movie. For most of the film, I was ready to give it four stars, but then it just kind of…ended. It’s nicely shot and the acting is great, but the pacing and the payoff fell flat for me.

I’m giving this movie three stars, but barely, and it’s mostly because I really like Erica Leerhsen. This is a weird movie, and one that just really has no reason to exist.

I first saw this in theaters with my mom, and I admit the fourth star in my rating might be more for nostalgia than the film itself. I also admit that having seen this film multiple times, and seeing the actors in other things since, I have also lost some of the initial charm and mystery as I write this.

So, first things first, I have no idea what to call this movie. I first heard of it as Peopletoys, which was an intriguing enough name…and when I looked it up to pull movie details, it was listed as Devil Times Five, which is…fine, I guess.

Then I started the film, and the title screen shows The Horrible House on the Hill, and when I went to look that up to make sure it was the same film, I learned it was also released on video as Tantrums, which I think I like better than both Devil Times Five and The Horrible House on the Hill, but not as much as Peopletoys.

Now, all that out of the way, this movie is not as good as ANY of its names.