Day 1: The Omen (1976)
Richard Donner's first big hit as a director, The Omen is about the son of a U.S. Ambassador (played by Harvey Stephens) who turns out to be the Anti-Christ. Though it suffers from some tonal issues, shifting between Hammer Studios style "schlock" and more psychologically driven horror (ala Rosemary's Baby) it is well directed by Donner and features a powerhouse performance from Gregory Peck, who's Robert Thorn grows increasingly paranoid about the strange and disturbing occurrences surrounding his adapted son. Jerry Goldsmith's score, though a bit over-the-top at times, features some really haunting use of choir.
Score: 8/10
Robert Wise return to the horror genre remains, perhaps, the definitive haunted house movie, though it is not nearly as well known as his entries in the musical (The Sound of Music and West Side Story) and Sci Fi genres (The Day the Earth Stood Still and Star Trek: The Motion Picture). Julie Harris likable but unhinged Eleanor Lance is right up their with Norman Bates as one of the most fully realized portraits of insanity on film. Between Eliot Scott's set design, Davis Boulton cinematography and Robert Wise's direction, Hill House becomes a character unto itself, leading it's inhabitants, and the viewers, on a journey into madness.
Score: 10/10
Day 3: Goosebumps (2015)
A middling Jack Black comedy, the one thing Goosebumps has going for it is the novelty of seeing so many of R.L. Stine's creations come together. Not being familiar with his work, I did not have much of a connection to this material, but I still had fun with it. Some serious pacing issues and an ill conceived plot twist put a damper on things, but it's good enough for what it is.
Score: 7/10
Day 4: ParaNorman (2012)
It's worth noting that I laughed during ParaNorman more than Goosebumps. The folks at Laika really now how to mix drama and comedy in a way that works. The animation is absolutely stunning, maybe the best the studio has done. With that said, I found the Norman's character arc a little weak and some of the film's morals were a bit forced.
Score: 8/10
Day 5: Beetlejuice (1988)
My favorite film from one of my favorite director's Beetlejuice is just a joy to watch. It's subversion of the Haunted House/Demonic Possession genre is really clever and, beyond that the zany world Burton and the writers create is equally compelling and hilarious. Micheal Keaton's titular character may feel like a bit of a third wheel at times, but he steals every scene he's in.
Score: 10/10
Day 6: The Conjuring (2013)
One of the better horror films to come out in the past decade, The Conjuring benefits from James Wan's confident, steady direction. There's no one working on mainstream Hollywood movies who understands the genre better. Chad and Carey Hayes' script, though historically dubious, is much more character driven then your average horror flick. Ed and Lorraine Warren, though most likely frauds in real life, have become, perhaps, the most decent, likable protagonists of any modern movie franchise.
Score: 9/10
Though lacking the economy and measured pacing of it's predecessor, The Conjuring 2 succeeds thanks to Wan's upping the ante with his control of suspense, the script's building on the character's arcs from the first film, and the addition of some really likable new characters. The pacing, as I hinted, is a little slow and choppy at times and there is some fake looking cgi effects. It's more uneven then the first film, but it's also more daring and, at times, more memorable.
Score: 9/10
See you next week!
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