 I KNOW WHAT YOU
DID
LAST SUMMER
1997 / d. Jim Gillespie
  
Released one year after Wes Craven's SCREAM, this adaptation of Lois Duncan's classic novella is considered a forerunner in the onslaught of teen slashers which characterized the late 90s and 00s (see: URBAN LEGEND, VALENTINE, FINAL DESTINATION, SWIMFAN, DISTURBIA, and others). While many of the above mentioned films have been met with varied degrees of acceptance among horror fans, it is this reviewer's opinion that I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER belongs in the higher echelon of teen slasher films. Though frequently dismissed for its teen idol cast (Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillipe), the quality of the film boasts surprisingly high production values, and excellent filmmaking techniques from start to finish. Overall, a solid, "teen-friendly" horror flick, followed by incredibly disappointing and very weak sequels.
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 INSIDIOUS
2010 / d. James Wan
Effective and downright creepy endeavour from the director who brought us SAW and DEAD SILENCE. When their son falls into an unexplainable catatonic state, Josh and Renai Lambert discover that the cause of their son's illness is far beyond anything they could have imagined in their worst nightmares. Director Wan succeeds in presenting us with a plethora of surprisingly memorable scenes that have a penchant for resurfacing in the mind during particularly dark and quiet hours. The only complaint is that the film can seem a tad unfocused, as the last half and the first half are so dramatically different. Regardless, a genuinely well-crafted and unsettling horror film. Kudos for the use of Tiny Tim's "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" which added heavily to the memorability of the flick.
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 I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU
DID
LAST SUMMER
1998 / d. Danny Cannon
I wish I could say this film reeled in the scares, but like a fish out of water, this was just a huge flop. Julie James and her new (more alive) friends go on a tropical getaway weekend, but their plans soon hit a snag when resiliant fisherman returns. The first film should have been left alone without producers looking to cash in on its success, thus opening a whole can of worms and hitting rock bottom with this flick.
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 I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE
1978 / d. Meir Zarchi
A well known flick belonging to the "rape/revenge" subgenre, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE is a film completely devoid of taste and decency, but also lacking any suspense or real thrills. Purely exploitative, but slow paced and even outright goofy at times, one is better off to watch Wes Craven's 1972 gem: THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT or even the often downplayed--but far more entertaining--HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK. The only real selling point here is the groin-grabbingly-gory bathtub castration scene. Yikes.
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 IT'S ALIVE
1974 / d. Larry Cohen
What should Frank and Lenore Davis expect while they're expecting? If your answer is anything other than "the spawn of Satan", you're horribly wrong! After a delivery room massacre, the horrific fruit of Frank's loins is loosed on the city, and begins carrying out an infantile bloodbath. You've heard of the "terrible twos"? Well here's a case of the terrible two-days-old! IT'S ALIVE, despite hiding under the guise of a ridiculous horror film, tackles important issues like familial rejection, the fear of birthing an unhealthy child, and the pressures which stem from accepting responsibility for the actions of your children. Frank, Lenore, and their non-mutated son are all presented as exaggerated sterotypes as they would have existed in a typical 1970s family hierarchy. Frank is a man's man, whose obligation is to protect his family above all else, whereas Lenore's maternal instincts drive her to look past the derangement of the baby, and see it for what it essentially is: her child. Though not overly graphic, Rick Baker's special effects are a pleasure to watch as always, and the film overall makes for an excellent watch. Highly recommended.
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