What I’m watching

I got to attend a preview of Abigail on Wednesday, thanks to knowing a movie critic who is also a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers.

This was a fun, funny, gory movie, which I highly recommend. You know, if you’re into that kind of stuff.

That being said, if you haven’t already watched the preview embedded above, you shouldn’t. Unfortunately, the trailer gives away a ‘twist’ that the movie takes the time to set up and then draw out for dramatic tension. Unfortunately, this is a case of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing, and the marketing team that was responsible for the trailer does the movie a disservice by tipping the reveal.

One thing that I love about horror is the chance to tell emotional, human stories while also delivering gore and jump scares galore. Abigail feels abandoned by her father and Joey (our Final Girl) has a son that she hasn’t seen in years. Through these two characters’ arcs, the movie subtly delivers the message that it is more important to show up for the important people in your lives than trying to show up in some ‘perfect,’ unattainable way without sounding preachy.

And is it funny? Hell yes!

The phrase, “What the fuck?” is thrown around a lot in this movie, but the final one, delivered by a blood- and sweat-drenched Joey, whispered under her breath, rivals the comedic timing of Jay’s final ‘wtf’ in the movie, Dogma.

I consider myself a rather credulous viewer, meaning I like to like things. I had already wanted to see this movie when I got the chance to see it two days before everyone else could. The other members of GLAHW that I attended the movie with agreed that it was the perfect blend of horror and humor and definitely worth taking the time to sink your teeth into it.