Like ABCs of Death and V/H/S, horror anthology Minutes After Midnight is a collection of very short stories, each directed by a different film-maker. Usually, these kind of projects are a very mixed bag, equal parts good and bad, but this is a rare example where the good easily outweighs the bad.
Sid Zanforlin's Never Tear Us Apart is a fun opener, with two guys running into backwoods cannibals who give chase. The twist isn't anything special, but gore-hounds will definitely enjoy the very bloody death scene in which one of the friends has his head chopped in half by an axe. It's certainly a great way to grab the audience's attention.
Awake (Dir: Francisco Sonic Kim) is the only tale to disappoint me, on account of the fact that I didn't really understand it. A kid with a head wound acts weird, stomps an injured dog to death, and then gets a little bitey. Strange.
Crazy for You (Dir: James Moran) sees serial killer Charlie (Arthur Darvill) willing to give up killing for Jessica, the love of his life. The only problem is that Jessica is obsessed by polka dots, which just happens to be the trigger for Charlie's uncontrollable urges. Still, where there's a will there's a way. This story actually has a happy ending, albeit a very twisted one.
The Mill at Calder's End hasn't got the most coherent of narratives, but director Kevin McTurk's visuals are great, the whole story told with the use of very realistic rod puppets (one of which looks just like Peter Cushing). Refreshingly different.
Roid Rage (Dir: Ryan Lightbourn) is easily the silliest (and crudest) entry: it tells the tale of Sammy (Zach Canfield), whose exposure to radiation has resulted in a toothy mutant asshole that feeds on unwary human victims. Lots of cheesy gore, both CGI and practical, go to make this one a hoot.
Christian Rivers' Feeder has the strongest story: a struggling musician moves into a rundown house where a supernatural force provides him with inspiration-at a price! Well acted and confidently directed, this is a great segment, even if I did guess the twist before it happened.
Timothy (Dir: Marc Martínez Jordán) is a twisted treat. A young boy is hoping to watch his favourite TV programme, Timothy's Show, but his babysitter wants him asleep. While he is laying in bed, the boy is visited by the star of Timothy's show, a giant rabbit, who takes a sledgehammer and bashes the babysitter's head in. No prizes for guessing that the rabbit is all in the boy's imagination, but it's demented fun while it lasts.
Ghost Train (Dir: Lee Cronin) easily has the best setting, a creepy ghost train ride in an abandoned funfair. Wonderful production design, great cinematography and smart storytelling make this one well worth a watch, even if the ending isn't as strong as one might hope.
The film ends with a really enjoyable, over-the-top segment: Horrific, directed by Robert Boocheck. A man finds himself face to face with a ravenous beast that he believes is a chupacabra. A battle between the two ensues, the man trashing his home in the process. But where there's one monster...
With nine stories, eight of which I would heartily recommend, there is something here for every type of horror fan.
7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for the hilarious 'whack a mole' moment in Horrific.
Sid Zanforlin's Never Tear Us Apart is a fun opener, with two guys running into backwoods cannibals who give chase. The twist isn't anything special, but gore-hounds will definitely enjoy the very bloody death scene in which one of the friends has his head chopped in half by an axe. It's certainly a great way to grab the audience's attention.
Awake (Dir: Francisco Sonic Kim) is the only tale to disappoint me, on account of the fact that I didn't really understand it. A kid with a head wound acts weird, stomps an injured dog to death, and then gets a little bitey. Strange.
Crazy for You (Dir: James Moran) sees serial killer Charlie (Arthur Darvill) willing to give up killing for Jessica, the love of his life. The only problem is that Jessica is obsessed by polka dots, which just happens to be the trigger for Charlie's uncontrollable urges. Still, where there's a will there's a way. This story actually has a happy ending, albeit a very twisted one.
The Mill at Calder's End hasn't got the most coherent of narratives, but director Kevin McTurk's visuals are great, the whole story told with the use of very realistic rod puppets (one of which looks just like Peter Cushing). Refreshingly different.
Roid Rage (Dir: Ryan Lightbourn) is easily the silliest (and crudest) entry: it tells the tale of Sammy (Zach Canfield), whose exposure to radiation has resulted in a toothy mutant asshole that feeds on unwary human victims. Lots of cheesy gore, both CGI and practical, go to make this one a hoot.
Christian Rivers' Feeder has the strongest story: a struggling musician moves into a rundown house where a supernatural force provides him with inspiration-at a price! Well acted and confidently directed, this is a great segment, even if I did guess the twist before it happened.
Timothy (Dir: Marc Martínez Jordán) is a twisted treat. A young boy is hoping to watch his favourite TV programme, Timothy's Show, but his babysitter wants him asleep. While he is laying in bed, the boy is visited by the star of Timothy's show, a giant rabbit, who takes a sledgehammer and bashes the babysitter's head in. No prizes for guessing that the rabbit is all in the boy's imagination, but it's demented fun while it lasts.
Ghost Train (Dir: Lee Cronin) easily has the best setting, a creepy ghost train ride in an abandoned funfair. Wonderful production design, great cinematography and smart storytelling make this one well worth a watch, even if the ending isn't as strong as one might hope.
The film ends with a really enjoyable, over-the-top segment: Horrific, directed by Robert Boocheck. A man finds himself face to face with a ravenous beast that he believes is a chupacabra. A battle between the two ensues, the man trashing his home in the process. But where there's one monster...
With nine stories, eight of which I would heartily recommend, there is something here for every type of horror fan.
7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for the hilarious 'whack a mole' moment in Horrific.