Babysitter Wanted (2008) Depends On Whose Baby

I was lucky working in college.  The highlight of my employment then was working in a video store (VHS, baby!), with the worst scenario being that some Lothario maybe got pissed because he couldn't impress his date since all of the copies of 9 1/2 Weeks were rented out.  I never had to babysit.  And after watching Babysitter Wanted, I count myself fairly lucky.

It was also that bygone decade, the crazy 80s that all the kids are talking about these days, when I attended my first college.  Long story.  In recent years, I've noticed a trend:  some horror movies are trying to reflect the look and ambiance of the 70s and 80s.  There's been a widespread return to the grindhouse and VHS days of old, and I gotta say that I really like it.  Sure, there are going to be some misses among the hits.  Law of averages.  But many of the recent ones I've seen have been on the "hit" side.

Babysitter Wanted falls on the "hit" side, but it did take me a minute to warm up to it.  Written by Jonas Barnes, and directed by Barnes along with Michael Manasseri, it tells the story of sweet, wholesome Angie (Sarah Thompson) and her first foray into college life.  Angie is devoutly religious and completely innocent of the underbelly of college.  Heading to Adams College (sorry, no nerds seen taking revenge), she moves in with a hard-partying but not unkind roommate and is forced to sleep on the crusty couch, since the previous tenant had sold the bed.  Looking for work, Angie grabs one of those phone number strips advertising a babysitting job.  She secures an interview, but becomes skittish when she realizes someone is following her around campus.  The sheriff (the always-great Bill Moseley) can't do much without more proof, but assures her that he'll come if called.  On the bright side, she meets nice guy Rick (Matt Dallas), whose intentions seem as pure as Angie's own heart.  Angie meets the Stanton couple (Bruce Thomas and Kristen Dalton) and their little tyke, Sam (Kai Caster).  Sam's a shy kid who always wears a cowboy outfit that his parents claim he never takes off.  Once the friendly Stantons leave, that's when the fun begins.  The mysterious figure stalking Angie shows up, and interrupts Sam's meal of meat and sauce to break into the house.

And that's when it takes a left turn I honestly didn't see coming.

Of course, you know I'm not going to spoil it here.  Nothing is what it seems, and Angie is seriously in for the fight of her life as her faith and sense of reality are shaken to the core.

The movie is good fun, filmed in the vein of early- to mid-80s slasher movies with an over-the-top secret.  It looks like something you might find on VHS, and that's a compliment.  I enjoyed how it looked.  The acting is solid throughout, especially by Thompson as Angie.  She plays innocent, scared, and determined all in one, even if she is a slight (intentional) caricature.  Kyle XY alums Dallas and Thomas are also good as well as Dalton as the mother.  I'm a Bill Moseley fan, so obviously I'll say he was good, too.  Oddly enough, he didn't play a villain, but rather a kindly, concerned sheriff.

It was definitely a fun little movie, sure to please the gore fans as well.  There were a lot of bloody shots, and they carefully didn't show what was surely the most wince-inducing "cuts."

So be careful about that babysitting job.  Not everyone can have an adventure like Elizabeth Shue.

Here's the trailer:

Some Guy Who Kills People (2011) Some Pleasant Surprises

I had heard a little bit about this small film called Some Guy Who Kills People, and with that title alone, I knew I had to take a look.  It smacks of horror-comedy with a wink and a nod which, when done right, is usually a good time at the movies.  I didn't get that, but what I got was definitely a nice surprise.  Yeah, sure, the wink and nod were there, but what I didn't expect was how much heart the movie had.  While fitting firmly in the horror genre, it also owes a lot to the whodunnit as events unfold.

Written by Ryan A. Levin and directed by Jack Perez, Some Guy Who Kills People is the story of hapless Kevin Boyd (Kevin Corrigan), a man just coming off a stay at a local mental hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown and overwhelming depression.  He lives with his mom (Karen Black), works in an ice cream shop with his one friend Irv (Leo Fitzpatrick), and has sad memories of a group of bullies literally torturing him.  One of those bullies, now older and fatter, suddenly turns up dead with a hand axe buried in his forehead.  Sheriff Fuller (Barry Bostwick) attempts to solve the crime, which turns plural when another of the former bullies shows up dead (and headless) - all the while wooing Kevin's mom.  What Kevin refuses to realize is that he has more going for him than he thinks:  he's caught the eye of a young British woman named Stephanie (Lucy Davis), he's a fantastic artist, and he finally meets his 11-year-old daughter, Amy (Ariel Gade), the product of a one-night stand years before.  Amy is a breath of fresh air in his life, even if he doesn't want to breathe.  She's brilliant and straightforward, and also has problems he can relate to.  But there's that pesky issue of former bullies turning up dead.  Everything sets on a collision course in Act 3 that I just won't spoil here.

I really like it when I set out to see a movie, expecting it to be pretty good, and discovering it to be really, really good.  That was the case with Some Guy Who Kills People.  It's deftly written and directly, and the acting is tremendous.  Corrigan, who played a mysterious information broker on the great sci-fi series Fringe, is perfect as Kevin.  He comes across as awkward, nervous, unsure of himself yet harboring dark secrets.  He doesn't say much at first, and when he does, it's in short bursts.  Gade is amazing as Kevin's daughter, Amy.  Whip-smart and outgoing, she's the complete opposite of her father, and she is comfortable and natural in the role.  Bostwick is also outstanding as the town sheriff, equal parts dim bulb and brilliant detective.  He commands every scene he's in, and offers some of the movie's best lines of dialogue.  He's funny, and you often wish he'd use his brain a little more, but man, is he likable.  Really, everyone has shining moments in this film, supporting and main characters.  Davis is sweet and awkward, and the late Karen Black plays the mother as complex and often mean, but ultimately she's a mother who loves her son.

Pleasant surprises are always welcome when I'm watching a movie, and Some Guy Who Kills People brought some heart and soul to a familiar pair of genres.  Just good stuff from beginning to end.  Great way to cap off the holiday weekend!

Until next time, dear readers, here's the trailer: