Boogeyman and Kristy: From Disappointment to Delight

A Thanksgiving Horror Film Festival of One PT4

By Buttonface

There I am, running out of steam and lining up Boogeyman from 2005. Not sure if it’s the name or the directing style but I immediately think of Full Moon Pictures, and that is only good if you’re made by Full Moon (think Troma, but somehow worse).

Again, being bad is only okay in some situations. It had some Babadook vibes, but ultimately, the 2000s were a rough time for seasoned horror fans.

We had these movies that were “Experiences” but all they really amounted to was a shocking opening, a disappointing middle, followed by an attempt to shock us at the end, and, you have the same thing here… but they dropped the ball on the opening scary closet scene.

It happened. I couldn’t do it. I let that piece of shit play while I worked on stuff. I caught the gist. Basically, if you liked I Know What You Did Last Summer so much that you’re willing to watch something way worse, but going for the same audience, then this is your jam.

Redemption from Kristy (2014)

Okay, end of the night and I’m watching the last one, and after the stinker that was Boogeyman, I start Kristy from 2014. My hopes aren’t high. Did I just pick poorly? Is the genre of “Thanksgiving Horror” so small in it’s backlog and finite in it’s reach that there’s just nothing good? Also, I don’t really feel that the failings of 2000’s horror movies were corrected in the 2010s.

But, just when you start to think that all is for not while wondering, “What am I doing with my life?” you remember why you love horror films. I watch so many of them, just trying to recapture those inspired moments of my youth. One might ask if it is really worth watching 99 of the world’s worst films just to find one that’s good. The answer is a resounding yes.

Kristy started out with some suggestive sexy young people bodies… which makes me think, “Okay this thing might be tolerable, but it won’t be great”, but it immediately sends you for a twist and the twist is… the whole beginning is well acted and, while obviously setting up the location of the film, does so in a way that is very believable.

Kirsty is basically about a girl who stays at her college over Thanksgiving break which draws they eye of some satan-worshiping murder people. The premise is somewhat derivitive, but the shocker is, it’s made really fucking well! And as I said, believable… at least I think it is… I dropped out of community college, but had I gone to a great school, I could imagine staying home for thanksgiving break.

I love my family and all, but man, holidays… am I right? I have to show up, stay sober, be interesting and try to explain a direction for my life, which, let’s just admit it, is a slow beeline to six feet under.

Kristy is one of those movies you don’t even want to talk about because you want it to be a pleasant surprise for everybody, like it was for you… then you are reminded that people don’t do what you do. But you really should.

Good night.