Cassadaga (2011)

Beginning with the self-castration of a young boy who has just been chastised by his mother for dressing up as a girl, attention then focuses on Lily (Kelen Coleman). Lily is deaf, and currently grieving over the death of her sister Michele (Sarah Sculco). Teaching art classes at Cassadaga University, Florida, Lily happens upon Mike (Kevin Alejandro), the father of one of her pupils. Naturally, the two attractive characters begin a relationship as Lily takes steps to contact her dead sister.When creepy and unpleasant things start happening to Lily, (often involving maggots), people have a difficult time believing her. Well, they would, wouldn't they? By this time, though, she very much has our sympathy.Considering how sensitively all the characters are introduced and built-up (Lily is very appealing, Mike is a decent man, little Michelle avoids completely any trace of brattish-ness troubled juvenile characters are often prone to), I was surprised how horrific certain scenes were here. The most interesting of these however, involves the young cross-dresser having grown up to be a murderer who turns his victims into marionettes. With this being one of a two-strand story - the other involving Lily's spectral encounters - it isn't developed as much as it might be. Having said that, events are never predictable, like a great many horror hauntings are, and for that, I love it.The pay-off at the end is very satisfying, with twists built upon twists in a very carefully built-up way, and elements featured throughout coming together well (don't miss the post-end-credits sequence also). I hope we hear more from Director Anthony DiBlasi, who makes such a good job of Bruce Wood & Scott Poiley's story (unsurprising to hear in the extras that the project was originally two separate ideas melded together). From Coleman too, who puts in a terrific performance and is thoroughly watchable throughout. A word too, for Lee Grimes astonishing make-up effects. Really enjoyed this.

My kingdom for a half decent horror film! Thinking that I'd cleanse my mind of the initially promising but ultimately abysmal Lovely Molly, I immediately skipped to this one... Only to find it was just the same! A young lad cuts his pecker off in the introduction because he wants to be a girl, and the deaf woman's sister gets herself mown down on the road, and the stage is all set for no-hards-barred gore fun... But NNOOO!!Instead we have to tolerate the cutesy-poo relationship between the hearing impaired lady, one of her sickly-sweet pupils and this schoolgirl's seemingly perfect father, who might as well have Generic Love Interest tattooed on the back of his head. Oh, and his break off of their relationship two-thirds of the way through and his reasons for doing it are utterly nonsensical. Couldn't they pay him enough to stay for the entire film? Same with the uniquely voiced Louise Fletcher, who disappears without a trace too with no explanation. You think we should form a search party?Aside from that, we get sub-standard Sixth Sense style scares, a LOT of running about with no clear motive in mind, and of course the main draw... Girls being abducted and turned into human mannequins. It sounds like fun, and it is... But after a few short interludes of this, its back to the mind numbingly tedious main story, with the hopelessly convoluted antics and CRINGE CRINGE CRINGE dialogue. In fact, it got so painful at times, I wished I was as mutton as the heroine. And if you don't know what I mean, learn to speak Cockney. You Philistine.

I watched this today expecting very little. Recent horror efforts have not been much fun but I thought I would try this. I was actually happily entertained all the way through. The film has managed to avoid being corny which would have been a danger with a plot like this and it had its creepy moments. It was a little disturbing in some areas also without being too gratuitous. All in all an entertaining film delivering pretty much what I wanted. Horror based entertainment avoiding corn, endless running away and tripping over for no apparent reason and a mindless screaming heroine. All the acting was pretty good and the lady playing Lily acted well throughout. She is a very pretty girl and easy on the eyes but fortunately, can act with it unlike many similar horrors. Well worth seeing.

The movie was not received well at the Frightfest festival in Glasgow in general. You can see why of course, especially towards the ending, when things got ... well a bit out of hand, you could say. The laughter that befall most people was definitely not intended by the filmmaker. The supernatural elements in it mostly work I'd say, if you let yourself into them of course.It's a tough sell and I think you'll have to have a heart for that kind of movie. I didn't particularly think this was great, but I also didn't think it was as bad as some people thought. It comes down to if you think this will be worth your time.