HELLARIOUS **** USA 2019 Dir: Robert Boocheck, James Feeney, J.M. Logan, Chris McInroy, Sarah K. Reimers, Jason Tostevin, Shayna Weber. 79 mins
A killer shopping cart is on the loose. Two fed up lunch ladies borrow inspiration from their idol Johnny Depp and his role in the film Sweeney Todd to get back at the high school teens they serve day in and day out. A dog is bitten by a mysterious creature and becomes human. What do these stories have to do with one another? Nothing – besides the fact that they are three of the seven individual tales that make up the film, Hellarious.
Full of gore, camp, and unique spins on classic tales, Hellarious is a collection of dark humor short films. Some are morality tales while others are just ridiculous fun. Each plays with a classic horror trope, such as satanic rituals gone horribly wrong – or right depending on how you look at it, ordinary, inanimate objects that are out for revenge, or a werewolf tale turned upside down. Each story holds your attention in its own way, with each chapter’s title card sparking curiosity as to how this next one will go.
There are no call backs to previous stories. There are also no rules or weak links. I suggest watching them all in one sitting. Just sit back, and enjoy the ride.
Review by Laura Smith