I usually stay away from anything demonic or of the like, but this is a really great psychological retro-themed horror film definitely worth a watch for any horror fan. On one level the film has a bunch of similarities to Rosemary's Baby, but at the same time it also feels like a mini version of The Shining (both in location size and film length) or a haunted house film. The plot centers around a college student hard-up for cash answering a flyer that advertised needing a baby sitter, but upon arrival to the babysitting job she finds out the couple who put out the ad are actually childless. The film is dialogue-less for most of the movie and there's a small cast of about five characters in total or so. The film is stylized after movies from the late 70s and early 80s and is set in the 80s. The fashion and cars are vintage as well as the 80s walkman the main character carries and the music she dances to while "babysitting", and the film's synth soundtrack. The film's feel is reminiscent of some of Poanski's films like The Tenant, as well as some of Dario Argento's 70s films too. All in all this movie was a great psychological thriller with some unexpected scares and it was also surprisingly fun, I found myself dancing in my seat and drumming along to the film's dance sequence set to the 80s one hit wonder The Fixx's One Thing Leads to Another. It can also get surprisingly violent The film has a cameo by horror veteran Dee Wallce (The Howling, Critters, Cujo, The Frighteners, E.T.) and has character actor great Tom Noonan (Heat, Manhunter, Last Action Hero, Monster Squad) in a creepy role as well. This film was director Ti West's big break, he then went on to make more successful horror films like V/H/S, The Innkeepers, and his newest film produced by Eli Roth called The Sacrament which is available to stream on Netflix and was heavily promoted by them upon the film's release. House of the devil is featured in Rue Morgue Magazine's 200 Alternative Horror Films You Need to See book, and is available to stream on Netflix as well. I give the movie a 4.5/5 and you can watch the trailer below:
This is a weird one based on the novel by Dean Koontz about a computer that wants to reproduce with a woman and traps her in an all technological "smart house". This movies promotes a fear of technology similar to 2001 Space Odyssey, but this has the scariest computer of all time IMO, my favorite line from the computer is : "Professor I have a question for you, when are you going to let me out of this box!" It has amazing special effects (the house is automated/controlled by the evil computer, so lots of cool gadgets) it even has a 2001-like trippy color sequence, and a story that feels super fresh and new 30+ years later. The film also has great acting starring Julie Christie carrying the half-human half-robot "child".If you watch the trailer don't worry, in the movie the husband doesn't know what's going on and that the computer has his wife captive. The trailer makes it look like the computer reproducing was his idea, and it wasn't. I give this combo of Rosemary's Baby and 2001 a 5/5, you can view the trailer below:
