31 DAYS OF DREW 2 - DAY 5: TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL

Every horrorhound's favorite month is upon us, and to celebrate, I'll be dishing out film recommendations for every day in October. I hope you enjoy the month with some good movies, even if they aren't ones I recommend!

Today's Pick: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)

I've mentioned on here a few times about how my enjoyment of Scream has soured as time marches on. I think I should at least give the film credit for doing one thing fairly well: humor. The humor in Scream is often effective, even if it can get a little too snobby towards the genre it's dissecting from time to time. There's nothing sweet about Scream. In contrast to that, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil might just be one of the sweetest horror comedies ever made. It also happens to be extremely clever in its use of horror cliches, flipping the character perspectives around in order to teach a simple but tender message about not judging people by how they appear.

The story is a pretty simple one: a bunch of kids are going camping and run into a duo of bizarre rednecks. However, the rednecks are actually just two best friends who are fixing up their newly obtained vacation cabin. Because of some misunderstandings and a scary story about a redneck massacre that took place in the woods about twenty years prior, the kids treat the pair like they popped up out of Deliverance. This leads to a whole bunch of splatstick comedy, and an interesting reversal of typical horror protagonist/antagonist roles.

While the premise of the film is certainly great, it's the charm of the two leads (Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk) that makes the movie so endearing. Labine is the ultimate teddy bear as Dale, making his social awkwardness incredibly relatable without ever feeling pitiful. Tudyk plays Tucker as a straight man that's way out of his depth, and his friendship with Dale is one of the strongest and most believable relationships ever portrayed in a horror movie.

Though there is plenty of humor and goofy gore throughout the film's running time, it's the characters that elevate this film. In horror films, you will often tolerate less-than-stellar acting in order to enjoy an entertaining premise or to see some enjoyable effects work. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil has both of those elements, but never uses them as a crutch for poorly written characters or substandard acting. It really does hit every mark you want, and happens to do so without any cynicism or snark.

This is a film I've shown to my non-horror loving friends and they ate it up. It's something that anyone who loves good comedy and good characters will like. This is a film you can pop in for all of your friends who don't like "scary movies." They'll love it, and you'll still get to see people impaled and chopped into pieces. Everyone wins.

Tomorrow's film has one of the best titles of all time. Spoiler alert: It's not Octopussy. See you then!

31 Days of Drew 2 (2014)

Day 1: Ghostbusters

Day 2: An American Werewolf in London

Day 3: Troll 2

Day 4: Hellraiser

31 Days of Drew (2013)

Day 1: High Plains Drifter

Day 2: The Night of the Hunter

Day 3: Laid to Rest

Day 4: Resolution

Day 5: Tremors

Day 6: Phantom of the Paradise

Day 7: Society

Day 8: The Frighteners

Day 9: Tourist Trap

Day 10: Creepshow

Day 11: Nightbreed

Day 12: Hollow Man

Day 13: Jason Lives - Friday the 13th Part VI

Day 14: House

Day 15: Ghostwatch

Day 16: Behind the Mask - The Rise of Leslie Vernon

Day 17: The Cabin in the Woods

Day 18: Carrie

Day 19: Theatre of Blood

Day 20: Waxwork

Day 21: Jeepers Creepers

Day 22: The Monster Squad

Day 23: Club Dread

Day 24: Intruder

Day 25: The Addams Family and Addams Family Values

Day 26: The Return of the Living Dead

Day 27: Beetlejuice