Scare Me

Scare Me is a 2020 American horror-comedy directed, written by, and featuring Josh Ruben. Co-stars include Aya Cash and Chris Redd, and though the cast is small, it is robust, delivering performances that will stick with viewers long after the credits roll. The film revolves around the storytelling battles of two would-be writers and an unexpected guest who encounter each other in a remote cabin amidst a power outage.

The movie begins with Fred (Josh Ruben), an aspiring writer experiencing a creative roadblock. Wanting to write a horror story, he hopes that retreating to a secluded cabin in the Catskills during the off-season will reignite his creative spark. He quickly becomes aware of the ambitious and already successful horror novelist, Fanny (Aya Cash), residing in a neighboring cabin. When the storm causes a power outage, she ends up at Fred's cabin, and an impromptu storytelling face-off ensues.

Fanny and Fred start narrating their versions of potential horror narratives, resulting in an engaging back-and-forth play. As they delve deeper into the narratives, the atmosphere morphs into a frightening stage where their stories come to life visually and audibly, although it's apparent these dramatizations are part of their vivid imaginations.

While the movie starts light, favoring humor over horror, it grows progressively frightening, toy-telling, and the brilliance of its cast. Josh Ruben is excellent as Fred, a man whose insecurities come alive during the course of the night. Aya Cash portrays Fanny with a level of eccentric intensity that imbues the character with an air of unpredictability. And then there's Chris Redd, who comes in midway as Carlo, a pizza delivery guy, enriching the dynamics and dialogues.

The movie has a curious narrative style where all the horror elements are constructed verbally and then enhanced through suggestive visuals and sounds. The dread doesn't originate from classic horror techniques of shock or gore but from the power of the spoken word and intense character performances. These narrative techniques give the viewer an active role in the storytelling, encouraging them to participate by visualizing their perceptions of the characters' narrations.

Throughout the film, Scare Me addresses various themes such as gender dynamics, competitiveness, and confronting one's inner fears. Ruben has expertly woven these themes within the narrative, never allowing them to overshadow the storytelling aspect that is central to the movie. It's this delicate balance that sets Scare Me apart from other traditional horror-comedy films.

Moreover, Scare Me creatively explores visualization, empathizing the power of imagination, and the undeniable human love for dread and suspense. It pushes the spectator to reckon with the invisible fears that lie within storytelling and how a good story can manipulate reality. At the same time, it showcases the dynamics between people of different successful levels in the creative field, touching base on jealousy, resentment, admiration, and self-doubt.

Scare Me is cinematically rich, boasting impressive camera work. The film uses creative cinematography to create the illusions of the described horror, conveying the essence of the narrated stories while expertly maintaining the reality that it's all in the characters' heads.

In conclusion, Scare Me serves as a fresh narrative experience for lovers of both horror and comedy genres. Satirical yet sinister, it offers a compelling exploration of the power of stories and the human imagination. It is a film that highlights the raw creative prowess of its leads and delivers genuine scares without ever losing its sense of humor. Whether you're a writer looking for a relatable laugh or a horror fan seeking a refreshing new take on the monster in the dark, Scare Me is a film worth experiencing.