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Habitual (2019)
One of the Most Terrifying Anti-Drug Films
This film has been on my radar since before it was released. I belong to a whole mess of horror movie F__eB__k groups, and Johnny Hickey came around to promote this in like October of 2020. At that time, his first film Oxy-Morons, a gritty, true-life story that exposed the opioid crisis in Boston way before it became a national epidemic, was streaming for free on Y__T__e. I checked it out and really liked it. It had flaws that plague a lot of independently-financed first films: some sound issues, some blocking issues, and some minor continuity confusion, but that might just require a second viewing. The two main characters are played by Hickey himself and. Damien Di Paola, and they both seem the most experienced actors of the bunch. The story is compelling enough, and the film is enjoyable.
During the time when he was frequenting these horror groups online, Johnny Hickey spent a lot of time hanging out and conversing with the members. He didn't just pop in to plug his new joint. At least in my experience, Hickey has been very gracious about interacting with other cinephiles, especially when it comes to the process of filmmaking and and the horror genre.
Habitual again tackles the subject matter of the drug epidemic in our country, this time focusing on the substitution of fentanyl for party drugs like molly and X. In the ten years since Oxy-Morons, Hickey has definitely put in his time, sweat, tears, and most likely, money to becoming a better filmmaker, and it pays off exponentially with Habitual.
Following a group of twenty-something, rave-rat, second-tier criminals as they plan and attend a rave in an abandoned asylum where I am assuming is somewhere in rural Massachusetts, Habitual weaves a trippy, skin-crawling metaphor of what a fentanyl overdose looks like. Here is where things go off the rails.
Hickey works in prophecy through an intense taro card reading at the beginning of the film, and we are introduced to the concept of a Blight. That is all I will say about that because the less you know, the more terrifying it becomes when the prophecy begins to fulfil itself.
There are tons of digital video and audio glitch effects used to convey the discombobulation that the overdosing characters are experiencing. At first, they are annoying, but the glitches soon become a way of providing the viewer with information about the characters and their experiences.
Hickey's portrayal of a drug-frayed, manic psychopath in very Nic Cage in that it is over-the-top bonkers and beautiful. I forgot to look to see if he also plays the Blight, but if he does, horror is definitely his "thing". Regardless of whether Hickey is the Blight or some other actor, in his writing of the characters, he nails the absolute animalistic drive to eviscerate every living being it encounters. This thing is brutal and terrifying, many times resorting to tearing its victim's flesh apart with its bare hands.
Habitual has taken some hits here for being hard to follow. It's a cautionary tale of what happens when you don't clearly know what it is that you are putting into your body.
I recommend this film to anyone who is interested in immersing themselves into the successful product a DIY feature-film project. Hickey deftly navigates all of the pitfalls into which his first film fell and uses them to create a visceral and horrifyingly realistic experience for the viewer.
Psycho Goreman (2020)
Wow. Just... Wow.
Here is the obligatory disclaimer stating that I don't often write reviews, but when I am inspired, like by this film, I will take to the boards to share my hot take.
Also, my title can be construed as both positive and negative, and that is because every single review I've read about this film, whether it is praising or trashing it, is spot on. The only other film I can think of that fits this description is Hobo With a Shotgun - these are films that should not have been made, but were... and the world is so much better for them.
If you are a fan of horror, then you've most likely seen his other films: The Void, Manborg, Fathers' Day, and his contribution to The ABCs of Death. He is not a newbie. Also, if you've made it this far into the rabbit hole of reviews, you are probably familiar with the plot of the film, so I'll avoid any summaries. I will discuss some of the finer points of the film, though, and these might enter into spoiler territory. You have been warned.
I can understand the hate that Mimi is getting in the reviews. She is very unlikeable; however, she is also oddly charming. She seems to lack any remorse or sense of empathy, so the fact that she is in charge of a galactic murderer is simultaneously hilarious and alarming. All of the characters in the film are pretty much static characters... nobody really experiences any growth or learns any lessons, but that's not really the goal, is it?
Psycho Goreman plays out like the movie that anyone my age (I'll be 50 in December) would make specifically for the twelve-year-old version of themselves. Kostanski meets those of us who grew up fans of Troma films, Power Rangers, Duke Nukem, and Evil Dead right at the same level and entertains us from that place. It's low-brow and crass, violent and messy, nonsensical and poignant...
Here are the highlights:
* The police officer that PG makes his slave
* The Dad is a weird and hilarious character
* I like Luke a lot - I would love to see him developed a little more
* Alasdair - OMG, poor kid. LOL
* It never takes itself too seriously
The flaws of the film have been covered in all of the low-score reviews. They are valid. It takes a special kind of movie fan to endure something like Psycho Goreman and actually enjoy the experience. If you didn't like the film, then you do have taste. Those of us who do enjoy it do not entertain any pretense of it being misunderstood. No. It is exactly what is served up: a beautiful mess of writer, director, producers, actors, etc. Having the time of their lives making a film simply for the joy of putting this stupid story somewhere that can be experienced by others. It has become a recent favorite of mine.
Rorschach (2015)
This movie is onYouTube!!!!!
So, do treat yourself to a beautiful diamond in the rough. Go into it knowing nothing about it, and have yourself a creepy, 75 minute joyride! It's low-budget, but the heart that went into selling this modern haunted house tale is inspiring. It was obvious that every single person in front of and behind the camera were 100% committed to telling this story, making it hit on a personal, and truly scary level, but also conveying that they are having a blast doing it. It makes it a genuinely good time at a horror(ish) movie.
Blood Quantum (2019)
Dumb Title, Good Film
I am not sure how we are supposed to watch zombie films anymore. Do we watch them purely in the Romero Camp, and shun the rest of the storytelling, or do we accept everything, including iZombie? ... and then just forgive The Walking Dead for all the ridiculous added drama to the zombie lore?
I think we've found a middle ground.
Blood quantum is an apocalypse film. It doesn't matter if it's zombies or nuclear bombs or anything else... this world is doomed.
As viewers of this story, we are dropped into a society that has been fecked for hundreds of years. While it seems that because of heritage and genetics, this particular group may come out on top, it is soon revealed that the negative outcome has been influenced more by nurture than by nature. The crushing blow is delivered by someone on the inside, someone who is immune, someone whose strength could save his people for years to come...
And, ugh! The human failure in this is so much more devastating than any harm the living dead could do.
It's a heck of a film. A perfectly-told heartbreaker.