Care for this "Devil"

While a certain ultra-low budget horror film has been making quite an impact at the Box Office (with a sequel in place, and bringing certain filmmakers out of 'retirement'), another one has been quietly flying "under the radar" and should be getting much more traction and attention.

Ti West's House of the Devil is an excellent homage to 80's horror films, but more specifically, a 're-branding' of the aesthetic of these genre movies. Although the plot may seem conventional (teenage babysitter all alone in eerie mansion), West's use of ambience and characterizations make Devil into a unique gem of a horror film.

West unabashedly presents stylistic 80's flourishes (freeze-frames, a kitschy musical score) but never talks down to his audience like many "slasher films" of that decade tended to do. He orchestrates the horror through mounting tension and character dynamics until he unravels everything in a spectacular, horrific climax. After having been overwhelmed by despicable horror films that relish in one macabre sequence after another in a loud, obnoxious way (I'm looking at you, Jigsaw), it's refreshing to see one that takes its time in emphasizing the protagonist's creepy surroundings and actually caring for the actors' performances. In this case, West provides the film with cult actors Tom Noonan & Mary Woronov as the creepy couple living in the mansion, and they're pitch-perfect in the roles. Also look out for Dee Wallace (aka Elliot's mother in "E.T.") at the beginning of the film, as 'the Landlady'.

For all those in dire need of a good "horror film fix," swing by the Angelika (18 West Houston Street) to catch this nifty flick.