Dismembering Christmas (2015) Review

Two years I watched a film called Don't go to the Reunion made by a company called Slasher Studios. It was a Kickstarter project so I watched it with a pinch of salt and enjoyed it for what it was. Today I watched their second feature length film, Dismembering Christmas, with that same pinch of salt, but it turns out I didn't need it. The overall production has massively improved, and while the previous film was good for an amateur film, this one feels so much bigger and better. It doesn't feel amateur at all, it's actually hard to believe it was a Kickstarter funder project with a low budget.

The characters are interesting and the kills are extremely creative and fun. When those two things are applied to a standard slasher formula, it's a recipe for a good film. Mrs. Wallace reminds me of Annie Wilkes, she has that same eery presence about her. The bunch of friends in the house have good relations and we understand their connections without the dialogue being aimed too obviously at the audience. The story was well paced and the scenes were cohesive. 

In terms of direction and cinematography, I was blown away. Some of the shots were really impressive, particularly where the camera follows characters around the house. The kills are memorable thanks to strong imagery that is created, and of course, the whole film feels so Christmassy. They really nailed that aspect, which was important because many seasonal films can forget to include the all important seasonal presence. I'm certainly going to watch it again before Christmas. 

My only complaint is that it's quite short at 66 minutes. I understand there were limits due to the small budget, but an extra scene developing the character of Mrs. Wallace would have pushed Dismembering Christmas that extra step further. But on the overall, I'm massively impressed and happy with the finished product. I said that I couldn't wait to see what they did after their first film and they absolutely knocked it out of the park, so I'll repeat myself; I can't wait to see what they do next. A Halloween themed film next maybe?

5/7

Sinister 2 (2015) Review

Sinister 2 tells the story of a mother and her two sons running from the kids' father who is looking for custody of them. They live in a rural American farm house where they hope not to be found. We quickly learn that the house is possessed by Bughuul and one of the sons is being led to the basement by a ghost every night and shown old film reels of families being killed. The viewer is to understand that he is to kill his family next as the chain continues.

The premise of the film is good and interesting enough to hold the audience's attention for 97 minutes, but a list of things would have improved the quality of this film immensely. It would have been better as a standalone film, as it's not all that relevant to the first Sinister film. It would have been better without all of the paranormal parts, but that's probably just my opinion. And of course it's a product of Blumhouse, so jump scares dampened the otherwise sinister mood throughout (pun intended).

The cast performed well, all of the characters are interesting and engaging. The mother, played by Shannyn Sossaman gives a particularly strong performance. The director did his job extremely well, there are numerous wonderful visuals, particularly in the super 8 films shown to the kid and the part in the corn field (spoiler). He's a young director and managed to show off his skills well, but the film is not without its problems The story is okay but leaves the audience wanting more. The overall production is quite a let down, considering that the effort of all other parties is there.

I think it would be fair to say that there are a lot of strong points. The opening scene is good, the ending is good. But there are a lot of weak points too. When it needs to, it doesn't pack enough weight behind its punch, it just gives you a jump scare instead.

Blumhouse films always have the potential to be great. They have plenty of chances to take a risk, but time after time they play it safe. Unfriended was a big risk by Blumhouse and it paid off, I hope they can continue from that. But Sinister 2 is another safe horror film that could have been something more. It will make its money and a third instalment will probably be announced, but no new ground will be broken.

3/7