Even though the Halloween season has come to pass, and America is gearing up for the holiday season, there is never a wrong time of year to leap out of your seat in fright or relish in whichever immaculately crafted bloodbath spills out in front of you. As expected, October saw a deluge of horror titles slash into theaters or people’s homes, and many of them turned out to be terrific additions to what is already a very strong year for the genre. There’s something for every kind of horror fan here: a shockingly superior sequel to one of the biggest box office surprises of the post-pandemic industry, what is possibly the best entry in a long-running franchise’s four-year streak of resurgence and a thrillingly original and stylish Sundance hit.
Parker Finn’s “Smile 2” – In Theaters
Compared to the first film’s rather pedestrian and unoriginal approach to its interesting premise, this bigger, bolder and crazier sequel rectifies its predecessor’s issues, thanks to the director’s sharper handle on how to make his monstrous creation terrifying. The set pieces are ambitious and well-constructed. Finn’s visual language is not only more refined and distinctive, but genuinely inventive. The filmmaker is having a blast behind the camera with how expressive and devilishly playful the shooting and cutting on display are. Despite the improvements, there are still some pacing issues and frustrating vagueness regarding what is happening and what isn’t, as well as what exactly the “Smile” entity is.
Piercing right through these nitpicks is Naomi Scott’s show-stopping performance as tormented pop star Skye Riley. Scott constantly vacillated between a horribly broken person struggling to keep her head above water and the terrorized victim of the sadistic demon that’s latched onto her psyche. Scott plays the quieter, more emotionally draining moments and the explosive, riotous breakouts of terror with equal precision and aplomb.
Combined with Finn’s gleeful menace in the director’s chair and his screenplay’s effective examination of addiction, celebrity culture and self-destruction, “Smile 2” is one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. If its jaw-dropping finale is any indication, there may be even wilder and scarier smiles to come.
“V/H/S/Beyond” – AMC+, Shudder
Continuing its franchise’s hot streak with a thrilling sci-fi bend, this latest collection of ultra-gory and insane found-footage shorts immediately lands as a contender for the best entry yet. It consists of monster squads (directed by Jordan Downey), a Bollywood set terrorized by AI (from Virat Pal), a skydiving nightmare (from Justin Martinez), a perverse doggy daycare (from Christian and Justin Long), a heartbreaking accidental abduction (from Kate Siegel and modern master Mike Flanagan) and a wraparound narrative (courtesy of Jay Cheel) that climaxes with one of the creepiest images of the decade. Some are better than others, but all of them are deliriously entertaining showcases for exciting concepts and mind-blowing practical effects and gore.
Greg Jardin’s “It’s What’s Inside” – Netflix
Netflix made history when it acquired Greg Jardin’s madhouse horror comedy for a record-breaking $17 million at Sundance.
Unfortunately, this deprives audiences of the opportunity to collectively lose their mind at the film’s twisty, unpredictable plot and hilariously sardonic humor. Jardin concocts the film, which sees a dinner party descend into chaos after an unexpected guest arrives, with an abundance of style and energy. But, the overwhelming nature of his direction and the editing can border on overkill. To help maintain its impact and wit, the film uses a refreshingly abrasive and mean-spirited approach to modern relationships and social media and impressive technical craft along with a very watchable cast.
