February Film Roundup: The House, See For Me, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Reviews)
Some short (but sweet!) reviews of three of the films I watched in February 2022!
The House (2022)
Netflix, 97 minutes
When I saw the animated cat in the Netflix image recommending The House, I thought it was maybe a film meant for children. I was very, very wrong. The House is a three part stop-motion anthology that’s definitely not for children.
I’ve seen this film described as a comedy, and I could maybe see it as being a very dark comedy, but to me, the three stories veer more into the realm of the horror genre. These feel like creepy campfire stories or good short horror stories you might read.
Each of the three stories is completely separate from one another (with the only connection being that they take place in the same large house). The first story follows a poor family given a new house by a mysterious architect. Of the three stories, this first one is the most eerie. I really liked it though because it was so unique—I felt an uneasiness watching it that isn’t a feeling you often get when watching movies.
The second story takes place in a world of anthropomorphic rats and follows a developer struggling to renovate and sell a house. The third story (anthropomorphic cats this time) follows a landlady struggling with her tenants while water rises around the house in a flooded world.
The House is definitely not for everyone, but the stop-motion animation is fantastically done, and if you’re in the mood for something very different, it’s worth checking out.
Grade: 7.5/10
See For Me (2021)
IFC Midnight, 92 minutes
I watch a lot of low-budget horror movies and sometimes you can tell right away that you’ve got a stinker on your hands with poor acting and subpar cinematography. That’s really not the case with See For Me, where the twist on your typical home invasion movie premise is that the main character is a blind young woman. Don’t be tricked though, because even though the acting seems solid at first and the look of the film is fine, this is definitely one to skip.
The main problem with See For Me is the plot. Once we really get into the second act of the film with the blind woman dispatching the thieves (with the help of an army veteran she’s connected to with an app on her phone) the movie descends into ludicrousness. Characters make decisions that make no sense, and the “plan” of the main villain when revealed (and his interactions with the protagonist) also makes little sense.
There’s always going to be a level of suspension of disbelief with these types of movies, but See For Me just takes it to an absurd level. This is a bad movie, and not in an entertainingly bad-type way. See For Me is definitely one I wish I hadn’t seen.
Grade: 3/10
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)
Netflix, 81 minutes
Texas Chainsaw Massacre is not a good movie, but let’s be honest, you’re not watching the ninth installment of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise on Netflix and expecting it to be “good.”
So, how does this movie hold up compared to your standard slasher? Well, it’s still subpar. I’m not a huge fan of any of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films, but if I had to rank this one in relation to some of the other more recent installments, I’d say it’s worse than the 2003 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake and more on par with 2017’s Leatherface (you know, the one about the origins of a young Leatherface that you definitely saw). It’s probably even slightly worse than Texas Chainsaw 3D (the one that starred Alexandra Daddario and Scott Eastwood before they became more successful).
This new installment is plenty bloody, and some of the kills are alright, but this largely forgettable gore-fest isn’t worth your time.
Grade: 4/10