2 scary movies for the price of 1! (actually I bought Housebound from Amazon for $5 and watched Creep on Netflix, but anyway.)
Housebound: Kylie faces a fate worse than prison when she’s arrested for stealing to feed her 
addiction: house arrest, with her mother. Sober, presumably. Exactly the reason she did crack to begin with. But we pretty soon see that it’s not just her Corrie-loving mother and silent-as-a-stump stepdad she’s avoiding – there’s a fourth presence in the house, and lately it’s making itself known. The visiting psychologist has a thing or two to say about this of course (it may land her in a psych ward if she’s not careful) but the dude who’s monitoring her ankle bracelet is more keen – turns out, Amos is a bit of a paranormal savant.
Housebound is given to us by way of New Zealand, which means it’s a horror-comedy hybrid, and it actually delivers on both fronts. Gerard Johnstone is a newbie director and he’s not too flash but he’s got all the creepiest angles down pat.
Creep: God-damned found footage. I wouldn’t even have attempted this one if it wasn’t for the charming Mark Duplass, who has cast his spell on me ever since I first came upon him on The 
League. There are two actors in this movie, but since one is behind the camera, this is really Duplass’s show, and it succeeds on his performance. Having placed a Craigslist ad for a cameraman’s services for the day in order to record some words of wisdom to his unborn son before cancer takes him away, the two men find the transaction not going quite as advertised.
Patrick Brice, the guy behind the camera, is in fact the director, and the two wrote (or improvised) the piece together. It’s truly minimal, low on blood but high on creep. I won’t say much more because it’s good to go in blind, but this is not exactly horror, so much as…unease? Anxiety? Terror? Something like that. Something interestingly outside the genre.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
I first saw Mark Duplass in ‘The Mindy Project’ on TV. He played a midwife in competition with Mindy’s OB/GYN docs. Very funny. I figured he’d start popping up as an actor elsewhere. Glad to see he has. ‘Creep’ sounds intriguing.
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Yeah, I’ve seen him there as well. I love Mindy Kahling but don’t watch TV – I do, however, catch episodes on planes!
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Very good double review.
I loved “Housebound.” I felt the same way you did about “Creep.”
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You’re way ahead of me of course!
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Housebound is the fucking best!!
I didn’t like Creep that much because I hate improv and that scene at the river (or lake) was really stupid (to me) and ruined any positive thoughts I had going for the thing.
Hi!
#stupidwolfmask
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I had a hard time with tubbie time! That went on uncomfortably long, I thought.
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A man should never watch another man bathe!
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Nice, I really can’t wait to watch Housebound and Creep I thought was quite a nice surprise. Duplass is so weird in that film; have you seen Brice’s other feature, The Overnight? That’s about as weird/creepy as Creep is. Different genre, but same effect lol
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I haven’t, should I check it out?
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It was. . . . an odd film. But if you liked the dark humor in Creep you might like it, so. Might be worth a shot.
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Amos was easily my favorite part of Housebound. I did really like the mom, too. Solid movie, but didn’t blow me away. Thought Creep was really good, definitely creepy.
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I was just happy to tolerate them! I don’t usually watch horrors! I suppose these are only quasi, but still.
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Eric (Mr. IPC) recommended Housebound to me and it’s become one of my new favorites! Well that and Tucker and Dale vs Evil. I’ve had Creep in my Netflix watchlist but I’ve been a little hesitant about trying it. I think I’ll give it a shot this weekend.🎃👻👹💀
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Is TandD vs E worth checking out?
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ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!
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I LOVE “Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil”. It doesn’t hurt that I find Alan Tudyk to be mighty fine and that he played my favorite character in the incomparable space opera “Firefly.” “T & D Vs. Evil” is just a lot of fun to relax your brain with, and it’s got a sweet side despite all the blood and gore that nobody gives it credit for.
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I absolutely agree!
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I loved Creep. I’ll have to check out Housebound, that sounds interesting.
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It is, if you don’t mind the horror-comedy genre.
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They both sound quite interesting and creep sounds…creepy
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It was! It throws you a bit off balance. Plus, I’m used to Duplass being such a sweetie.
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I’m still not ready for scary movies 🙂
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Nice work! Haven’t seen Housebound. I wanted Creep to be a bit more darkly humorous, but it is pretty eerie. That end sequence really freaked me out.
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This was a double strange selection but I like Mark from the Mindy Show, since Mindy Kaling and her show captivated my sense of unique and original humor. The creepy movies may have to wait until out at the library. Thanks, you “a-holes” who open our eyes and minds to these off the beaten path films. 🙂
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I haven’t seen “Housebound,” but I really enjoyed “Creep.” I consider it less of a horror movie and more of a black comedy, albeit one that gets under your skin in an unsettling way. I love the creepy picture of Mark Duplass holding an imaginary Buddy while having ‘tubby time’ in the bath. It’s so… mortifying? Yes. That sounds about right. I did watch a New Zealand horror/comedy flick called “What We Do in the Shadows’ that I absolutely adored, I’ve seen it like ten times since. Have you watched it yet? I want to watch ‘Housebound’ but I’m not totally sure about it for some reason despite seeing some rave reviews.
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