31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN: HOST (2020)

AN HOUR OF SCARES THAT GOT US THROUGH QUARANTINE

This movie did what so many filmmakers have tried to accomplish and faltered in my opinion, utilize zoom and technology to create a fun, scare filmed film that everyone could relate to, especially during the time of quarantine where these calls were so common. It’s a simple setup with a seance and Jemma not taking it seriously causes them to be all the way fucked up. The jump scares in this film are EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE. Some of my favorite jump scares of any horror film are all bundled into this one. None of them are cheap. All of them advance the terror factor of the film. There is a reason it’s considered one of the scariest movies of all time based on heart rate measurements of viewers.

TECHNOLOGY TO FACILITATE THE SCARES

This is where the film really hits all its strides. When it’s using the Zoom setup and common technology tricks to get the scares out there. The Zoom setup itself is awesome because I love watching this movie on my laptop and it feels so damn real from that perspective pretending you are on the call. The looped video background of Caroline throws you for a loop before she bludgeons her face out of nowhere into the keyboard, also assisting in that is the random typing in the chat from her that’s being typed from the head banging. Just genius stuff there. Caroline really loves the face filters, that comes back to haunt her as a face filter catches a figure in her living room and turns to her which would be bloody terrifying if it happened to you just in standard Snapchat scanning your room.

HALEY AND THE FINAL SCARE

Haley is a great lead and she is very believable as trying to keep everybody in understanding of what’s happening and to take this all serious. Her getting pulled from her chair twice gave me a good chuckle, but her apartment feels very small and that all going on in a small setting for her would be terrifying. The favorite scare of mine is the end, even though Alan’s back to back scares are awesome and confirm that this is a demon they are dealing with (great design for the demon too that’s flashed to you out of the dark). The use of the camera flash to light your way is set up earlier, and it never disappoints. Several clicks happen before the final scare and you really are just a sitting duck at the film’s mercy before it sends you home with a lasting jump scare to try to fall asleep to. The final touch of the credits being in the drop down options also was genius from Rob Savage. Applauds all around for this film.

C. A. ROETHLE