WE ARE STILL HERE (R)
Great ghost stories are hard to come by, but movies like “The Conjuring” and the “Insidious” franchise have breathed life into a seemingly dead genre. The independent gem “We Are Still Here” is even better than those aforementioned higher profile titles because it adds an off-kilter sense of humor to the proceedings.
“We Are Still Here” focuses on Anne and Paul Sacchetti (played by Barbara Crampton and Andrew Sensenig), a grieving married couple who move into a creepy New England countryside home. It isn’t long before neighbor Dave McCabe (Monte Markham)—an odd but well-spoken local—drops by uninvited to share stories of the home’s rather grim history. Shortly after, the Sacchettis discover that there might be an evil presence lurking around in the basement.
This atmospheric haunted house tale from writer/director Ted Geoghegan benefits from an undeniable building of tension, solid performances, creative gore effects, and a central location that serves more as a character than just a locale. More importantly though, “We Are Still Here” offers up genuine scares.
Crampton (“Re-Animator”) and Sensenig (“Upstream Color”) are terrific as a couple in mourning. Crampton in particular brings real sadness and vulnerability to the role of Anne. Independent horror king Larry Fessenden and Lisa Marie are an absolute riot as a new agey hippie couple who attempt to help Anne and Paul determine what exactly is happening in their house. Of the cast though, it’s Markham who appears to be having the most fun. As a shifty Dave McCabe, he’s simply a joy to watch throughout this picture.
In terms of tone and style, it’s clear that Geoghegan worships at the altar of Lucio Fulci, but in addition to being a loving tribute to the works of that Italian genre filmmaking legend, there were also portions of “We Are Still Here” that reminded me a bit of John Carpenter’s “The Fog,” most notably the history behind the home’s haunt and the design of the ghostly creatures themselves.
“We Are Still Here” is an absolute blast of a haunted house picture. It builds to a fever pitch in the final act, but the movie is also complemented by unexpected twists, wonderful bursts of humor, and a fitting tongue-in-cheek attitude. It even offers up moments that are surprisingly sweet. In the end though, it’s about the scares, and “We Are Still Here” delivers. In fact, it might be my favorite horror picture since “The Babadook.”
“We Are Still Here” is currently playing in select markets. If it’s playing in your neck of the woods, I highly recommend you see it in the theater. If not, you can check it out on VOD.
