Shocktober 2026 - Burying the Ex (2014)
“She's back, she's dead, and she thinks we're still dating!” – Max
Ah, the strange case of Joe Dante. Back in the eighties, Joe Dante established himself as one of the best, most reliable directors of the type of films I love watching. His films ranged from The Howling (1981) to a segment of Twilight Zone – The Movie (1983) to Gremlins (1984), Explorers (1985), The ‘Burbs (1989) and several more. Then, he faded away, concentrating more on TV. I miss his stile of film making . I miss his usual stock of veteran character actors, his directing style and his choice of projects. Burying the Ex is his last feature film to date, and for whatever reason, it’s one that most people haven’t seen. Even its disc release was patchy.
All those films I mentioned above have a uniquely comforting visual style and feel to them, and although horror comedy is Dante’s comfort zone, this film somehow looks and feels different from his usual style. It might be that this film involves less soundstage work, with the film being shot on location. However, Dante is very much on form here, with what is a horror rom-com.
Max (Anton Yelchin) is a horror movie nerd, dating Evelyn (Ashley Greene) who is a beautiful but manipulative eco-warrior. He often feels trapped because Evelyn controls his diet, changing it to vegan, and has even persuaded him to sell his car, in favour of riding a scooter to work. Speaking of work, Max also has the enviable job of working in a horror memorabilia shop (well, enviable to ME, at least.) In the run-up to Halloween, Max is checking in a delivery of new stock, among which is a novelty Satan Genie which claims to make people’s desires come true.
After having sex in the shop, Max and Evelyn express their love and agree never to be parted. They will be together forever. Shortly afterward, Max has Evelyn move in with him – something he soon regrets. They head to a malt shop to celebrate this big new step with Max having persuaded Evelyn to try something HE likes for a change. But Evelyn is immediately rude and confrontational with the shop owner Olivia (Alexandra Daddario)
Worse, while Max is at work, she redecorates his apartment, everything has to be environmentally friendly, and she takes down and folds his collection of rare film posters, one of which I noticed was signed by Christopher Lee, and stuffs them in a drawer – folded! (Sacrilege!!)
Taking the advice of his half-brother Travis (Oliver Cooper) Max decides he has to break off the relationship, but needs to do so in a public place so he can make a quick getaway and everyone in the vicinity could see her for the control freak she is. But plans go awry when on her way to him in a park, she’s run over by a bus and killed as she’s crossing the road.
A few weeks later, Max is feeling responsible for her death and is cutting himself off from everyone, until Travis persuades him to go to a horror movie double bill. There, he bumps into Olivia, and they begin to hit it off. However, later on that evening back at the apartment, Max is visited by Evelyn who has risen from the grave and has come home, looking pretty ripe. Max realises that the Satan Genie that he had stuffed on a high shelf and forgotten about has actually worked. They’re going to be together forever. Beyond death.
He tries to reverse the wish, but clumsily drops the Satan Genie, shattering it. He looks in occult books for a means to send her back because he wants to pursue a relationship with Olivia. But that doesn’t work either. But Evelyn has plans to kill Max, so they can be immortal together. Obviously, he’s not enthusiastic about this.
Travis has an idea to behead her, because that works in the movies. And he’ll do it while Maz and Olivia are at a screening of Night of the Living Dead. But before he can carry out the deed, Evelyn, who hasn’t eaten since returning from the grave, develops a craving for brains, and attacks him.
Max is surprised to find Evelyn still alive, or as alive as she gets, more so that she has attacked and kidnapped Olivia after reading Max’s texts to her. Back at the apartment, Max finds Olivia tied up and sees Travis’ partially eaten corpse. But after a fight, as she’s about to kill Max, Travis rises as a zombie. He fatally stabs Evelyn through the chest and they re-bury her. For good this time.
There’s a happy ending as Max and Olivia become partners in business, with a rotting but happy zombie Travis sign spinning outside their shop.
Next time, it’s the penultimate scream (where does the time go?) Get ready for a close encounter of a furred kind.
Until then…
Don't forget the Piercing the Veil Shocktober Special at this link.