Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    HORRORSCREAMS VIDEOVAULT – SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT HORROR
    • Home
    • Film Reviews
      • Films Beginning With Numbers or Symbols
      • A – C
      • D – F
      • G – I
      • J – L
      • M – O
      • P – R
      • S – U
      • V – X
      • Y – Z
    • Book Reviews
    • Franchise Corner
    • Competitions
    • Horror Screams Podcast
    • Contact Us
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    HORRORSCREAMS VIDEOVAULT – SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT HORROR

    Film Review: SCARE ME (2020)

    Steven WestBy Steven West26th August 2021Updated:26th August 20211 Comment2 Mins Read

    SCARE ME *** USA 2020 Dir: Josh Ruben. 104 mins

    Here’s a cabin-confined, pandemic-released, novel take on the horror anthology format, performed with gusto. Mostly a two-hander, it has writer-actor-director Josh Ruben as writer-actor-director Fred, an ad agency worker in his late thirties holed up in a remote cabin in the snowy middle of nowhere. The film’s tone is set early on via a scene in which, beset by creepy sounds, he takes a glance down the stairs of the cabin basement, mutters “Nope” and closes the door. While alone, he jokily highlights potential parallels to Jack Torrance in THE SHINING.

    During a power cut, Fred takes refuge with best selling horror novelist Fanny (Aya Cash, so good in THE BOYS), the author of popular zombie novel “Venus”. After a discussion about werewolves (“You got AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON and you got everything else…”), she launches a challenge to scare each other with horror stories. SCARE ME then sees them bouncing off each other with their yarn-spilling skills, while the soundtrack provides full-on sound effects and music and the lighting shifts for dramatic effect. In between Crypt Keeper impersonations, Fred unravels a werewolf story with a nod to the POLTERGEIST tree and Fanny tells the story of a creepy old Russian grandpa and the little girl who attempts to poison him, like a “mini Paul Sheldon”.

    SCARE ME’s ever-knowing, references-aplenty approach positions it as another throwback to the SCREAM era, complete with typical lines like “If this were a movie, I’d dolly in real slow about now”. The pop cultural nods are relentless – LABYRINTH, Stephen King, Gollum – and in line with the age of the characters, though the storytelling of the actors is genuinely engaging. Ultimately, it plays out more like Post Modern Halloween Night at the improv theatre than an actual movie. That said, Chris Redd steals it late in the day as a pizza delivery guy who joins in on the action via “an army of dead babies”. Plus, Fanny’s “talent show” episode provides a great showcase for Cash’s talents, especially when it segues into a full-blown music number about killing kids from the King of Hell.

    Review by Steven West

     

    SCARE ME IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

     

    Facebook0Like0Share0Tweet0Pin0
    Anthology aya cash cabin in the woods chris redd dead babies gollum josh ruben post modern Scare Me Scream Stephen King the boys

    Related Posts

    Film Review: THE DARK AND THE WICKED (2020)

    24th May 202202 Mins Read
    Read More

    VIPCO release anthology film VIPCO’s Vault Of Terror Volume One

    2nd May 202202 Mins Read
    Read More

    ‘SCREAM’ actor MATTHEW LILLARD sets up new ‘decentralized movie studio’; first project is vampire movie ‘Let Them Die’

    19th April 202204 Mins Read
    Read More

    New charity horror anthology Out of the Shadows from Red Cape Publishing, Danni Winn, and Donovan ‘Monster’ Smith to be released December 17th

    2nd December 202101 Min Read
    Read More

    1 Comment

    1. Pingback: Josh Ruben’s ‘Scare Me’ out now on Blu-ray, DVD and digital | HORRORSCREAMS VIDEOVAULT - SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT HORROR

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Search The Website
    Recent Posts
    • TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY CUT OF “DEADLY REVISIONS” ANNOUNCED!
    • Augie Duke from Mayans MC and Stand-Up Comedy Star Jiaoying Summers Join Cast of “Static Codes”
    • “Get Out Of The Toybox!” – DOLL SHARK makes a big splash on Indiegogo
    • Official trailer released for Ozploitation classic ‘Fair Game’ which returns to the big screen this July
    • Interview with Chris Sivertson, director of MONSTROUS, ahead of UK release
    Archives
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.