Ah. There’s nothing like a triple feature of slashers. But are any of these three worth a watch? Let’s find out.
MIDNIGHT SCREENING (2021)
This 69-minute film is super low budget, but I can’t help but have a soft spot for horror films that take place in a movie theater.
The premise is simple—there are 5 employees at the theater at closing time. One of them got his hands on an old film reel and wants to do a private screening of it. As they clean up, talk about potential new hires, and watch the movie, someone begins killing them off.
There are two major problems with this movie. First, the movie they are screening, which promises to hold some mystery, plays no part in the plot that unfolds. Second, all but one kill happen off screen! It’s a shame, because that one “graphic” kill is so quick, absurd, and funny that it encapsulates how the whole movie (and death scenes) should have played out.
The other downside is that there weren’t enough employees. If there had been like three more employees for a higher body count, along with onscreen kills, the pacing would have been better, and this truly would have been a fun little midnight movie.
The killer motivation sucks, but the zinger ending is perfect, and feels more like it could have been the final scene of a Tales from the Crypt episode.
DON’T LOOK AWAY (2023)
This is a fun little supernatural slasher that combines elements of Smile and The Ring.
A young woman gets into a car accident with the driver of a truck that was delivering a cursed mannequin, causing the curse to start pursuing her and her friends.
Wherever they go, the mannequin will suddenly appear nearby, and once you see it then look away, it disappears. Sounds like a plan to me, but unfortunately, if you don’t keep your eye on the mannequin, someone dies!
There is some genuinely spooky atmosphere, there’s no shortage of mannequin moments, there are a few entertaining kills, and there’s a very satisfying twist in the final act that sets this one apart from other stalk and destroy supernatural spectre flicks.
BLISS OF EVIL (2022)
I was loving the setup for this Australian slasher, but the film simply doesn’t live up to its promise.
We have a rock band heading into a studio in 1997. They’re still reeling from the death of one of their crew. The new guy they got to replace him is kind of creepy.
When they get ready to practice their song “Bliss of Evil”, the sound engineer starts to have a panic attack. It’s safe to assume they are about to unleash some supernatural killer.
NOPE. Instead, we get a totally bland dude in a hoodie as the killer. Yawn. He literally has to paint a blood mask onto his face so he’ll seem somewhat menacing.
There are hints of the kinds of classic slasher tropes we live for, but there are barely any kills, no chase scenes, no scares or suspense, and the band spends most of the time locked in one room trying to figure out how they’re going to get away.
The only somewhat interesting part is a flashback revealing what the deal was with their dead crew member.
