Suburban Gothic (2014) ***1/2

Richard Bates Jr.'s' Suburban Gothic (2014) is a breezy, funny, horror comedy—a much lighter follow-up to his 2012 film Excision (my review here). I watched SG for the first time about six years ago and I really liked it. It was just as enjoyable a second time. 

I can't quite put my finger on why I like this film as much as I do—it's no masterpiece and there's not a lot of depth to it. It's just one of those slightly offbeat films that you can throw on and be easily entertained by without too much commitment. The world of SG is hyperreal—brought to life by its vivid production design and lighting—but it has relatable characters and moments. Matthew Gray Gubler and Kat Dennings are quirky and spunky without being obnoxious. There are fun cameos from the likes of Jeffrey Combs, John Waters, and Jack Plotnick. Ray Wise, as a cartoon caricature of a nuclear patriarch, has some choice dialogue.

Recommended for fans of Kevin Smith (in his prime), Todd Solondz, But I'm A Cheerleader (1999) (my review here), The Evil Dead (1981) (my review here), and House (1977) (my blogpost here).

You can find my Richard Bates Jr. Feature Films Ranked list here.