Although horror is not necessarily my favorite genre, this theatrical year has ended up more horror-heavy for me than in previous years thanks to some more unique premises and the presence of a recognizable name or IP. Of all the horror films on my radar this year, however, few had me more intrigued than Buddy, the theatrical debut of Casper Kelly, the mastermind behind Adult Swim Yule Log and, more famously, Too Many Cooks. The premise of a horror spin on children’s shows alone caught my attention, but the casting of Keegan-Michael Key and the knowledge that Kelly had created it sold me, as I had faith that he could do the concept justice through his unique lens. As the release date drew nearer, and the more I saw of the rather clever marketing campaign, my anticipation grew, enough that I made the effort to drive to a theater further away than usual just to catch a morning showtime on opening day. While the final film wasn’t exactly the same experience one might expect if they were only familiar with the viral Too Many Cooks, it’s nonetheless very Casper Kelly and felt very much worth the extra effort.
