Movies
Cute and funny, but not quite as good as I remembered it to be. Smith is a gifted horror director and this little horror/comedy balances both genres quite nicely, but almost two decades later there's not enough to set it apart from a slew of similar outings. It's prime filler for genre fans, but it lacks that little extra. Smith has a jolly sense of humor, with some absurdities thrown in (the bear is pretty memorable), and the horror is quite graphic and to the point, but the rest of the film is a little too flimsy to leave a strong impression. The 00s were a good era for horror and Severance doesn't disappoint, but a masterpiece it is not.Read all
A decent but somewhat basic and predictable horror flick. The setting is a small convent on the Scottish shores, the story pretty much writes itself after that. There's certainly nothing blatantly wrong with Consecration, it's just that Christopher Smith used to deliver more notable horror films, so it's hard not to feel just a little disappointed. The setting is gorgeous, the performances are solid and there are some neat little twists in the story, that do add a little intrigue. But it's not enough to make a sizeable impact, and the horror elements are a tad generic. It's a proper horror film that doesn't bore and deliver exactly what it promises, so if you're looking for pleasant genre filler, give it a go.Read all
Christopher Smith returns to the horror genre. The Banishing is pretty basic genre fare though, which is a shame as Smith has shown himself pretty apt at putting a unique spin on the genre in the past. Not that this is a bad film, anything but, it's just a bit too by numbers for its own good. The Banishing is a solid slowburner, but it lacks the audiovisual finish to stand out. There are some very moody scenes, performances are good across the board and there are a few solid scares, but overall it's not enough to convince me this wasn't just another haunted house flick sporting a dramatic backstory. Quality filler, but I'd hoped for something more.Read all