In this edition of Montage, we discuss horror sequel Insidious: Chapter 3, buzz-heavy creepfest It Follows and Gillian Flynn adaptation Dark Places, starring Charlize Theron.

Insidious: Chapter 3

Aside from its ludicrously inaccurate title, this prequel to the first two Insidious films offers plenty of interesting new wrinkles to the developing mythology surrounding that spiritual dreamworld known as the Further. Once again, medium extraordinaire Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) is in the midst of it all, as the film explores her re-entrance into paranormal investigation following the death of her husband. Alas, Insidious: Chapter 3 is saddled with a mediocre main plotline centering on a teenage girl plagued by a dark entity. Known as “The Man Who Can’t Breathe”, this creation pales in comparison to the previous films’ “Lipstick-Faced Demon” and “Bride in Black”, and the story at hand lacks the compelling twists of the two-part Lambert family saga that precedes it. Even though this third film features some inconsistencies with the series’ established rules, it adds enough fresh insights to warrant a watch for fans of the franchise, though it will likely fall flat for Insidious newbies.

Rating: 3 out of 5

It Follows

One of the most acclaimed horror films to hit theaters this year, It Follows has faced criticism from some for its potentially shallow status as an allegory for sexually transmitted diseases and the dangers of promiscuity in general. While these claims may not be necessarily unfounded, the film is also a sublime exercise in minimalist horror. Director David Robert Mitchell builds suspense off of the simplest of images, wringing every bit of terror out of the film’s reported $2 million budget. For her part, star Maika Monroe delivers a tortured performance as the young woman stalked by the mysterious creature of the title, but ultimately, movie fans looking for depth and gruesome images to add to their nightmares may find It Follows in short supply. Rather than taking an interest in the grotesque, Mitchell’s film delights in transforming every dark corridor and every out-of-place figure into a potential threat. It Follows is paranoia taken to horrific new heights, and though the film may not be everyone’s taste, it certainly has style.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Best-selling novelist Gillian Flynn may have seen her novel Gone Girl adapted into an Oscar-nominated blockbuster last year in the hands of modern visionary David Fincher. However, her previous novel didn’t exactly get the same careful treatment, despite an A-list cast. Mad Max: Fury Road co-stars Charlize Theron — who also produces — and Nicholas Hoult lead Dark Places, the story of a woman (Theron) investigating a mysterious tragedy from her family’s past. Perhaps it’s writer/director Gilles Paquet-Brenner’s approach to Flynn’s material or the tale itself, but the film struggles to feel memorable or particularly compelling, even as its protagonist continues to unravel the truth behind the crime her brother (played by Corey Stoll) has been locked up for. In fact, the film’s pace and overly convoluted twists come off more like a TV movie than a proper feature. Even so, Mad Men star Christina Hendricks delivers a standout performance in flashback as the mother to Theron and Stoll’s characters.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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