Horror, humor coalesce in clever remake of horror classic

Colin Farrell. AFP FILE PHOTO

Colin Farrell is on a thespic roll. After skillfully reinventing himself as the Boss from Hell in Seth Gordon’s dark comedy, “Horrible Bosses,” the Irish actor turns in another droll, off-the-wall portrayal as the charming vampire-next-door in Craig Gillespie’s clever remake of the 1985 horror cult classic, “Fright Night.”

As the dashing but pasty Jerry Dandrige, Farrell paints the town, uh, red as he wreaks vampire havoc on a suburban Las Vegas neighborhood. What the 400-year-old bloodsucker doesn’t count on is facing some opposition from teenage “nottie-to-hottie” Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin), who enlists the assistance of his girlfriend, Amy (Imogen Poots), his mom (Toni Collette), and spurious vampire slayer, Peter Vincent (David Tennant), to help him rain on Jerry’s bloody parade!

Predictability and triteness often hobble remakes, but Gillespie (“Lars and the Real Girl”) knows how to add mirth to mayhem. He smartly utilizes advances in modern technology to give the franchise reboot its refurbished, 21st century look.

The production’s sleek polish isn’t the only thing going for it: With its tongue firmly in cheek, the movie bucks genre conventions by spinning an amusing and enjoyable yarn without taking itself seriously.

You know you’re in for more than just B-movie jollity when you have Collette, Tennant and, in a welcome cameo, Chris Sarandon (who played Jerry in the ’80s original) around to help Farrell and Yelchin give moviegoers a good scare. They make this “Fright Night” frightful – and fun!

‘X-Deal’

Also worth a peek is Lawrence Fajardo’s gender-bending erotic drama, “X-Deal.” If you’ve seen the filmmaker’s stirring ensemble drama, “Amok,” our top pick at this year’s Cinemalaya, or his Urian-winning 2005 short, “Kultado,” you know Fajardo isn’t just out to shock his audience.

Last July, when we asked the thirtysomething filmmaker what inspired the making of “Amok,” he quickly replied: “Init (heat).” His latest film likewise generates a lot of heat and sizzle as it shows how the entry of lipstick lesbian, Dana (Jamilla Obispo), in the lives of Billy (Jon Hall) and Sarah (Paloma) complicates the live-in couple’s already shaky union.

Despite the movie’s underwhelming finale, it’s instructive to see how the filmmaker puts his dynamic indie sensibility to good use. He knows how to establish the appropriate mood to dramatize conflict and convey tension.

Moreover, Fajardo astutely uses his actors’ strengths (and perceived weaknesses) to make the characters they portray more believable: There’s Hall’s cold machismo, Paloma’s overt sexuality, and Obispo’s innocent looks and veneer of false confidence.

In this age of instant gratification, Fajardo’s daring movie strikes a cautionary chord as it reminds viewers: “Be careful what you wish for!”