A quick round up of recently viewed movies...
The Wicked (US 2013, 100 mins, 101 Films - cert 18)
Teens put a local legend to the test, which says that if you break a window in a secluded house then a witch known as "The Wicked" will come for you. Meanwhile, a seven year old girl has gone missing - this is more than just a legend...
Whilst not the most original horror flick you'll come across this year, there is something endearingly old-school about it. There are also some nice visual flourishes, particularly the manner in which the witch appears and disappears, along with some well staged kill-offs. Its main faults are that it's a bit overlong (it wouldn't miss a good 10 minutes being lopped off), and there are some earlier points where it doesn't seem able to make up its mind whether it wants to be a horror film or not. Still, once it gets going it's enjoyable stuff overall. Predictable at times? Perhaps. Lapsing in logic in parts? Sure, but its sheer energy gets it through. It's the kind of film which feels like everyone involved mucked in together and had some fun making it, and it shows on the screen. You could do much worse than The Wicked to open a movie night with some friends.
Static (US 2012, 80 mins, Second Sight - cert 15)
After the death of their child, a young writer and his wife are disturbed by a young girl at their door who claims that a group of people in masks are stalking her...
Above average chiller which puts an interesting spin on the "stranger at the door" theme. Stylishly made, it does sadly become a little sluggish in parts, but when it hits the right notes (more often than not) it's very effective and genuinely eerie. Good lead performances certainly help put it up a notch, and the end twist is pretty satisfying too, although the opening shot might give too much away to the astute. The familiar constituent parts are blended into an intriguing concoction overall. Co-writer/director Todd Levin might be worth keeping an eye on.
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