Macabre Monday: Abigail and Horror in the High Desert: Firewatch

Recent movie reviews

My current run of horror movies hasn’t been good. On a run of questionable films, such as Nine Miles Down (2009)—two stars, interesting idea based upon an urban legend, delivered as an off-brand TV movie—and The Outwaters (2022). Here’s my one-star review of that filmic experience:

“Do you see it? Do you see it?”

No. Not at all. And if I cannot perceive what is on the screen, I cannot care about it.

I have no idea what happened. I’ll not be researching it.

So dark. Just darkness and murkiness and one big muddle.

And then there was Against the Night (2017), which was a rip-off of other movies in the found footage genre, and had such a “aren’t I clever?!” ending that I was too cranky to review it. I’m a little cranky just remembering it.

But there’s good news! Abigail (2024) 4 and 1/2 stars:

My favorite vampire universes exist when everyone remembers that vampires are disgusting. This delivered. (Letterboxd)

Fun, an original premise, and gross. Vampire stories are too often focused on the seduction, and forget the aftermath; when you only drink the blood of a human, that’s a whole lot of leftovers. Leftovers rot. Ergo, vampires are disgusting. Let’s do this. Plus, this pokes all my nannying/babysitting memories with disturbing children. Trust me, there is nothing quite like being alone in a strange or semi-strange house with a child that could be dangerous or deeply mentally ill. That’s a different flavor of isolating and frightening; I know this from experience.

Then, finally, I was able to watch the third installment in the Horror in the High Desert found footage series, Firewatch. That day, I rewatched the first two, Horror in the High Desert and Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva back to back, then swung right into Firewatch. What a fun, chilling experience!

If you think it’s a good idea to go down in an old mine, think about the canaries.

My childhood home was built on the site of a quartz mine; its blocked-up entrance was in our back yard. And that brand-new home was haunted. Do I think there was causation? You’re damn right I do, and this movie just solidifies that belief.

Also, canaries, for a reason.

I’m not sleeping tonight.

Edit: I did have a movie-related nightmare last night, so upping my rating from 4 1/2 to 5. Favorite of the series so far. Looking forward to number four. (Letterboxd)

In the third movie, the viewer really gets to know one character, spending a great deal of time alone with him, and this heightens the fear factor, because I really grew to care about him and his outcome. An example of immersive storytelling.

About that quartz mine…I told my personal paranormal stories in episodes 3: Ghoulies and Ghosties and Long-Legged Beasties… and episode 4: …And Things That Go Bump in the Night. Available everywhere you catch your podcasts, or ad-free here, linked below. Enjoy.