Late Night with the Devil

I was kind of floored by this movie. Now, to be upfront, Late Night with the Devil doesn't exactly do anything new with its portrayal of demonic possession, or at least, anything we haven't seen before in movies with similar subject matter. But this is a case where it's all in the execution, because this still feels like a very fresh take on it. To an extent, the structure/format and trappings of making a horror movie in the form of a late night talk show from the 70's may seem gimmicky, but filmmaking duo Colin and Cameron Cairnes clearly know what they're doing here. Just aesthetically, the style here feels vividly realized, from the production design and especially the storytelling style itself. Not only is it a refreshing and unique take on how to tell a horror story, but the way it still manages to ratchet up the tension throughout is nothing short of impressive. It's incredibly tight storytelling that manages to communicate so much in terms of character while staying within its trappings -- and it's also a great showcase for well-worn character actor David Dastmalchian, who doesn't squander in the least his chance to shine in the spotlight this time. But back to the horror, this is one of those movies that seems to recognize what's truly skin crawlingly scary. Because some of the things this movie does really do work because the atmosphere is pretty masterfully sustained the more the film goes on, and when it indulges in its most horrific imagery and scenes, the impact really hits because all aspects of the filmmaking collide together in some truly unsettling ways. And the payoff is absolutely worth it. Late Night with the Devil is a movie that left me feeling pretty giddy by the end, and I love that feeling. One of the most clever, creative and effective horror films I've seen in recent memory.

****/****