02. Malignant (2021) (New) 4/5
Went into this blind and the first hour had me wondering what the hype was about but once "that part" happens and it clicked that this was a big budget campy b movie, I really enjoyed it.
02. Malignant (2021) (New) 4/5
Went into this blind and the first hour had me wondering what the hype was about but once "that part" happens and it clicked that this was a big budget campy b movie, I really enjoyed it.
Last night's movies:
01. The Haunting in Connecticut (Unrated Version) - 6/10, very underrated. Balances jump scares, gore, and psychological tension and suspense well. Avoid the PG-13 theatrical version at all costs. Unrated Version is 1 hour and 42 minutes long.
02. Pandorum - 7/10, great on the tension and suspense. The set pieces remind me of Alien and Event Horizon, very tight spaces to build your uneasiness and then wide spaces for a breather...or so you think. :)
01. The Haunting in Connecticut (Unrated Version) - 6/10, very underrated. Balances jump scares, gore, and psychological tension and suspense well. Avoid the PG-13 theatrical version at all costs. Unrated Version is 1 hour and 42 minutes long.
02. Pandorum - 7/10, great on the tension and suspense. The set pieces remind me of Alien and Event Horizon, very tight spaces to build your uneasiness and then wide spaces for a breather...or so you think. :)
Film #02 – Witchfinder General
I'm glad I finally got round to watching this as I've been meaning to check it out for many years. I enjoyed it a lot, though not quite as much as I was hoping to, especially for a movie that Total Film voted the 15th best horror film of all time, back in 2005.
Set during the English civil war of the mid-17th century it's a story based on the real-life career of Matthew Hopkins, self-appointed witchfinder, who travelled the countryside looking for people to accuse of and execute for witchcraft. Vincent Price plays Hopkins with a deadpan intensity that would be quite unnerving were it not for the ridiculous wig he's made to wear. (It might be a period accurate hairdo, I don't know, but it just looks daft.) He's aided by John Stearne, played by Robert Russell, who throws himself into the part with hammy gusto, enthusiastically pricking the backs of the accused with a long needle, trying to find the Devil's mark that will betray them as guilty. Fairly quickly the pair target the wrong family, and find themselves hunted by an angry soldier.
It's a good looking film, with great shots of the beautiful English countryside and wonderful old architecture, but despite all the frantic chasing round on horseback that goes on, the movie lacks any real sense of urgency or tension. And I know it's probably a bit churlish to criticise a film made in 1968 for have poor effects, but the use of very fake-looking blood does somewhat diminish the horrors on show. On the plus side, the movie definitely doesn't go exactly where I was expecting at the end, and almost anything with Nicky Henson in is worth a watch.
Score: 3 out of 5
Films I've watched so far
I'm glad I finally got round to watching this as I've been meaning to check it out for many years. I enjoyed it a lot, though not quite as much as I was hoping to, especially for a movie that Total Film voted the 15th best horror film of all time, back in 2005.
Set during the English civil war of the mid-17th century it's a story based on the real-life career of Matthew Hopkins, self-appointed witchfinder, who travelled the countryside looking for people to accuse of and execute for witchcraft. Vincent Price plays Hopkins with a deadpan intensity that would be quite unnerving were it not for the ridiculous wig he's made to wear. (It might be a period accurate hairdo, I don't know, but it just looks daft.) He's aided by John Stearne, played by Robert Russell, who throws himself into the part with hammy gusto, enthusiastically pricking the backs of the accused with a long needle, trying to find the Devil's mark that will betray them as guilty. Fairly quickly the pair target the wrong family, and find themselves hunted by an angry soldier.
It's a good looking film, with great shots of the beautiful English countryside and wonderful old architecture, but despite all the frantic chasing round on horseback that goes on, the movie lacks any real sense of urgency or tension. And I know it's probably a bit churlish to criticise a film made in 1968 for have poor effects, but the use of very fake-looking blood does somewhat diminish the horrors on show. On the plus side, the movie definitely doesn't go exactly where I was expecting at the end, and almost anything with Nicky Henson in is worth a watch.
Score: 3 out of 5
Films I've watched so far
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I ended up watching PRINCE OF DARKNESS.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prince_of_darkness
The 4K/HDR remaster. Holy crap that has got to be one of the best looking movies I've ever seen. I was not expecting a 1987 John Carpenter movie to look that amazing, honestly felt like it could have been released yesterday.
Like another poster mentioned I was not that impressed the first time I saw this movie, but the exquisite visuals of the remaster have me re-appreciating everything about the movie. The chunky, groovin-yet-ominous Carpenter synth. The fairly unique horror cast where everyone is a professor or PHD student. Incredible old spooky church setting (4K/HDR really make this shine). Eyebrow-raising Asian/homosexual jokes. Alice Cooper hobo zombie.
Add this 4K/HDR version to your 31 Days list, you'll have a blast.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prince_of_darkness
The 4K/HDR remaster. Holy crap that has got to be one of the best looking movies I've ever seen. I was not expecting a 1987 John Carpenter movie to look that amazing, honestly felt like it could have been released yesterday.
Like another poster mentioned I was not that impressed the first time I saw this movie, but the exquisite visuals of the remaster have me re-appreciating everything about the movie. The chunky, groovin-yet-ominous Carpenter synth. The fairly unique horror cast where everyone is a professor or PHD student. Incredible old spooky church setting (4K/HDR really make this shine). Eyebrow-raising Asian/homosexual jokes. Alice Cooper hobo zombie.
Add this 4K/HDR version to your 31 Days list, you'll have a blast.
4. Seance 2021
A genuinely solid little flick from the writer of You're Next, which is funny because watching it I was like this has a You're Next feel, and only after did I discover why.
Pretty solid
A genuinely solid little flick from the writer of You're Next, which is funny because watching it I was like this has a You're Next feel, and only after did I discover why.
Pretty solid
Must check this one out at some point, I loved In The Mouth of Madness from that Carpenter period.
2. Extremity (2018)
A troubled young woman submits herself to an extreme horror experience where she's mentally and physically tortured. Reliving past trauma through memories and hallucinations she snaps and turns the tables on the crew.
Ponderous and not very well written, the potential for something truly transgressive is relegated to a truncated final act that isn't completely satisfying, even if it has a particularly gruesome scene that's a welcome payoff. The film doesn't go far enough with it's premise & spending time with mundane behind the scenes conversations trying to flesh out unlikable characters instead of creating more scenes of bloody revenge feel like a budgetary issue.
Tokyo Gore Police director Yoshihiro Nishimura pops up in a small role which is kind of odd.
= 3 out of 5
3. Prevenge (2016)
A pregnant woman loses her partner in an accident and goes on a murder spree to get revenge urged on by her unborn daughter, whom we can hear, in this wry dark comedy shot in an arty handheld style.
Written, directed and starring Alice Lowe, who was really pregnant at the time, there's some decent laughs, nice gore and good performances here with characters that stay just a few steps away from cartoonish.
Really enjoyed this as it finds the right balance in what it's going for.
= 4 out of 5
The Raid homage was so Simon Barrett
This would make an ideal pairing with Baby Blood
Was thinking specifically of the fluorescent-tube throat stab/slice, like how Mad Dog was killed at the end of The Raid
October 1
Movie: Candyman (1992)
Watched on: Tubi
Like many here, I started with the original Candyman. I have heard of the movie for years, but never watched it until now. I remember the kids in my class talked about Candyman as if he was real. So, after all this time, what do I think of it? I liked it! The performances were great, the music was excellent, and there is a genuinely gross scene in there to boot. Of course, since this is a horror movie, there is some unnecessary female nudity.
Movie: Candyman (1992)
Watched on: Tubi
Like many here, I started with the original Candyman. I have heard of the movie for years, but never watched it until now. I remember the kids in my class talked about Candyman as if he was real. So, after all this time, what do I think of it? I liked it! The performances were great, the music was excellent, and there is a genuinely gross scene in there to boot. Of course, since this is a horror movie, there is some unnecessary female nudity.
03. Thir13en Ghosts (2001) (Rewatch) 3/5
This is in no way a good movie but it screams 2000's horror shlock which is right up my alley and I enjoyed revisiting it. Despite it's glaring technical flaws, it has a great set design, interesting lore and Matthew Lillard to make this an entertaining cheesy trip down memory lane.
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5. The Guest 2014
The sympathetic psychopath element was excellent, Dan Stevens killed it. The framing got pretty broad and I feel it lost that claustrophobic trapped in a small town with a dangerous guy feel.
I feel like rearranging some of the scenes would have worked better as the best case of a psychopath trying to help and do good came after a lot of less sympathetic moments.
That said well crafted, very John Carpenter circa Assault on Precinct 13 but not as bold.
3/5
The sympathetic psychopath element was excellent, Dan Stevens killed it. The framing got pretty broad and I feel it lost that claustrophobic trapped in a small town with a dangerous guy feel.
I feel like rearranging some of the scenes would have worked better as the best case of a psychopath trying to help and do good came after a lot of less sympathetic moments.
That said well crafted, very John Carpenter circa Assault on Precinct 13 but not as bold.
3/5
2. Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 (1988)
Following up on one of my favourites from last year's viewing and man did it not disappoint. It was a overall pretty good expansion of the story and lore from the first film, and included some really cool setpieces and insane gore effects. Like damn the effects are pretty stellar here to present guesome imagery.
The new key characters are great, including a new messed up villain, and adding history to Pinhead's in this in regards to who he was before having pins in his head is a interesting addition. Also dude just continues to throw out some really memorable lines haha.
Following up on one of my favourites from last year's viewing and man did it not disappoint. It was a overall pretty good expansion of the story and lore from the first film, and included some really cool setpieces and insane gore effects. Like damn the effects are pretty stellar here to present guesome imagery.
The new key characters are great, including a new messed up villain, and adding history to Pinhead's in this in regards to who he was before having pins in his head is a interesting addition. Also dude just continues to throw out some really memorable lines haha.
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I was looking for random horror movies and found something called The Snare
The trivia for this move is fucking wild (and horrible)
www.imdb.com
I probably wont watch this. But the trivia gets worse and worse
The trivia for this move is fucking wild (and horrible)
The Snare (2017) - Trivia - IMDb
The Snare (2017) - Trivia on IMDb: Cameos, Mistakes, Spoilers and more...
www.imdb.com
I probably wont watch this. But the trivia gets worse and worse
Watched 2 movies and neither of them from the list I had prepared, so already off the rails. :D
#1 The midnight meat train
Heard that it was adapted from a Clive Barker short story and that it was directed by the guy who made Versus, which definitely was enough to pique my interest. I love trains also, and title and basic premise is too gloriously goofy to pass up, plus I have developed this nostalgia for 2000-ish movies lately. Was very satisfied with the result. A very energetic style of framing the shots and some pretty gory kills. Also has exactly the kind of ending I am always down for, put a big grin on my face.
The themes of voyeurism and problematic nature of the New York art scene (sublimation of suffering for artistic/public consumption) do not really land and the movie probably takes itself more seriously at times than makes sense. Nightcrawler this ain´t, this is the midnight meat train, so aspirations to high art or profound social commentary are probably not to be expected.
#2 Survival of the dead
This one I was less enthusiastic about, though zombie fatigue may also be playing a part. Probably my least favorite Romero work. Terrible terrible dialogue, uninteresting plot with way too many poorly written boring characters, uninteresting CG gore gags for the most part. Just very mediocre and forgettable with no real bite. Shame, because the premise itself sounded interesting.
#1 The midnight meat train
Heard that it was adapted from a Clive Barker short story and that it was directed by the guy who made Versus, which definitely was enough to pique my interest. I love trains also, and title and basic premise is too gloriously goofy to pass up, plus I have developed this nostalgia for 2000-ish movies lately. Was very satisfied with the result. A very energetic style of framing the shots and some pretty gory kills. Also has exactly the kind of ending I am always down for, put a big grin on my face.
The themes of voyeurism and problematic nature of the New York art scene (sublimation of suffering for artistic/public consumption) do not really land and the movie probably takes itself more seriously at times than makes sense. Nightcrawler this ain´t, this is the midnight meat train, so aspirations to high art or profound social commentary are probably not to be expected.
#2 Survival of the dead
This one I was less enthusiastic about, though zombie fatigue may also be playing a part. Probably my least favorite Romero work. Terrible terrible dialogue, uninteresting plot with way too many poorly written boring characters, uninteresting CG gore gags for the most part. Just very mediocre and forgettable with no real bite. Shame, because the premise itself sounded interesting.
3. The Invisible Man (dir. Leigh Whannell, 2020)
I assumed this would have had more to do with the H.G. Wells novel but in the end it's probably a good thing that they don't lean on the plot of the original novel. The film reimagines The Invisible Man as a thriller about woman trying to escape an abusive relationship. It has been a long time I have enjoyed a horror film from a major Hollywood studio as much as this one. Elisabeth Moss is expectedly great as the lead.
8/10
I assumed this would have had more to do with the H.G. Wells novel but in the end it's probably a good thing that they don't lean on the plot of the original novel. The film reimagines The Invisible Man as a thriller about woman trying to escape an abusive relationship. It has been a long time I have enjoyed a horror film from a major Hollywood studio as much as this one. Elisabeth Moss is expectedly great as the lead.
8/10
6. Sequence Break 2017
Behold a miracle of miracles, a body horror film, boring beyond the definition of boring.
A man and his gooey sexual arcade machine dull as Grade Z Molasses
.5 out of 5.
80 minutes of time lost to the ether.
Behold a miracle of miracles, a body horror film, boring beyond the definition of boring.
A man and his gooey sexual arcade machine dull as Grade Z Molasses
.5 out of 5.
80 minutes of time lost to the ether.
Zoom Horror marathon with a buddy.
But yo in 2018 I did 101 in 31
Most unnerving and horrifying movie I've ever seen it fucks my shit
2. Dementia (1955)
"Overflows with horror, hopelessness, sadism, violent acts of terror and outbursts of panic"
New York Censor Board
"Art is a medium for the transmission of emotions. It is not difficult then to determine, for yourself at least, whether a work of art has failed or succeeded. It was intended for you.
You are the only judge. I enjoyed DEMENTIA. It stirred my blood, purged my libido. The circuit was complete. The work was a work of art. Whether you like it or not will depend entirely upon the permeability of your emotional shell, your idioplasm and your previous conditions of servitude. It is not important."
Preston Sturges, Hollywood, 1953
Now this is the goods.
I only knew three things about the film before going in:
a) The Preston Sturges' 'libido' quote
b) That it is basically a silent film(no one speaks, but you'll still hear some recorded ambient audio like footsteps or a gasp of surprise)
c) That it was also released as Daughter of Horror with added narration
This is a moody, bizarre little nightmare of a movie, about a woman who wakes up in her room, grabs a switchblade, and heads into the night for some fun and not-so-fun times. It is a film that is pretty hard to talk about, it is all mood and atmosphere, no dialogue at all, with characters who are more archetypes than, uh, characters(our protagonist is credited as "The Gamin" and others are the like of "Rich Man", "Law Enforcer", "Mother", "Father", "Wino") and the engine that powers it runs strictly on dream logic, certainly more so than most films that get labeled as such.
There are so many powerful images though and the paranoia and panic that simmers throughout the whole film is really something. Definitely worth a look if you are into something outside the box. And considering this was made in the early 1950s, it makes me sad thinking about just how many weird and marvelous outside-the-mainstream films have been lost to the ages.
One of my favorite films I've seen this year.
p.s. Watched a bit of Daughter of Horror and the narration really ruins the atmosphere of the film.
Monster week ahoy!
2) Deep Rising (1998)
I've never actually killed anyone before...not intentionally anyway.
That's got to be the lamest attempt at a "From the makers of Popular Film" tag I've ever seen.
Deep Rising, an action horror from Stephen Sommers, director The Mummy (1999) and other action films with a leg in the past, is a film in a lot of debt, and its loan sharks aren't hard to name. Taking a cue from Predator, it starts as a seeming action thriller with a team of bad guys planning to rob a luxury cruise ship, only for a distinctly non-human threat to turn up and ruin everyone's night. It shows its hand a little earlier than Predator and I think it would have gotten more mileage out of the luxury cruise setting and less on the gun toting would be thieves. Though I was entertained by how many longtime character actors made it onto the ethnically diverse bad guy crew, including Wes Studi, Cliff Curtis, Djimon Honsou and Trevor Goddard (Beni from The Mummy also grates as comic relief). They don't get much to do other than be fodder, however.
The script is of course total pap, cribbing liberally from the aforementioned Predator and especially from Aliens, but you're here for the B-movie thrills boasting a more robust budget than most. I think it delivers on that regard, even if it leans more in the action than horror. The jaunty and enthusiastic 1990s orchestral score doesn't inspire any fear but it is fun to listen to. Likewise it boasts some great set work and practical effects, especially a great scene where the creatures crush their way into a steel door and corridor. Unfortunately these are used alongside some ropey 90s CG for the monsters, a shame since their designs are pretty cool.
These kinds of mid budget B-movies are sadly mostly extinct these days, but this was a fun one. High art it sure isn't, but it's enjoyable junkfood. Recommended for some harmless amusement.
2) Deep Rising (1998)
I've never actually killed anyone before...not intentionally anyway.
That's got to be the lamest attempt at a "From the makers of Popular Film" tag I've ever seen.
Deep Rising, an action horror from Stephen Sommers, director The Mummy (1999) and other action films with a leg in the past, is a film in a lot of debt, and its loan sharks aren't hard to name. Taking a cue from Predator, it starts as a seeming action thriller with a team of bad guys planning to rob a luxury cruise ship, only for a distinctly non-human threat to turn up and ruin everyone's night. It shows its hand a little earlier than Predator and I think it would have gotten more mileage out of the luxury cruise setting and less on the gun toting would be thieves. Though I was entertained by how many longtime character actors made it onto the ethnically diverse bad guy crew, including Wes Studi, Cliff Curtis, Djimon Honsou and Trevor Goddard (Beni from The Mummy also grates as comic relief). They don't get much to do other than be fodder, however.
The script is of course total pap, cribbing liberally from the aforementioned Predator and especially from Aliens, but you're here for the B-movie thrills boasting a more robust budget than most. I think it delivers on that regard, even if it leans more in the action than horror. The jaunty and enthusiastic 1990s orchestral score doesn't inspire any fear but it is fun to listen to. Likewise it boasts some great set work and practical effects, especially a great scene where the creatures crush their way into a steel door and corridor. Unfortunately these are used alongside some ropey 90s CG for the monsters, a shame since their designs are pretty cool.
These kinds of mid budget B-movies are sadly mostly extinct these days, but this was a fun one. High art it sure isn't, but it's enjoyable junkfood. Recommended for some harmless amusement.
- Dawn of the dead Argento's cut I think it's a great version of the movie but having only seen the extended Canne's cut I prefer that over Argento's cut as I enjoyed the quiet dialogue scenes a great deal. I missed the zombies running around the mall and the Francine's frustration over everyone else getting too attached to the mall and the tension it brought into the group dynamic.
- Day of the Dead a great follow up to Dawn the gore and Zombie designs are fantastic and love the further continuation of the decay in the setting and the exploration of the remnant humanity still in the zombies.
- Return of the living Dead 3 it's a good idea for a return movie with not the best execution. It has a major lull in the middle, the only section I would say is strong is the final third.
7. Superhost 2021
Fantastic engaged full tilt boogie performances especially from the main antagonist elevate this little piece of retreated genre work to an enjoyable level.
Well shot, fun times. There's some fun juxtaposition of vloggers who essentially live their lives on camera being so uncomfortable being recorded by others.
The ending works and quite frankly the usual dumb horror movie protagonist decisions here are relatively motivated and feed into the ending.
Solid stuff.
Fantastic engaged full tilt boogie performances especially from the main antagonist elevate this little piece of retreated genre work to an enjoyable level.
Well shot, fun times. There's some fun juxtaposition of vloggers who essentially live their lives on camera being so uncomfortable being recorded by others.
The ending works and quite frankly the usual dumb horror movie protagonist decisions here are relatively motivated and feed into the ending.
Solid stuff.
I'm not sure I'm doing 31 movies but I just watched #Alive and thought it was okay. I enjoyed it but had to try and suppress the part of my brain that would point out logical fallacies (though isn't that the basis for a lot of horror movies?) . The movies does a few interesting things with technology and what modern day "survival" looks like. It could've done a lot more (and could've done with fewer "aw come on" moments). Still, it does enough things to keep itself entertaining for its 1h39m.
1. Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (N)
2. Child's Play 2 (R) - I haven't seen Child's Play 2 and 3 in like a decade but since it's part of my whole spooky toys/dolls theme, I am happy that I revisited actually a really good sequel. It's close to the first.
3. Magic (1978) (N) - I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but they have quite the cast and it is a solid movie. Not really spooky or scary, but highly tense with even simple scenes being tense due to what came before it and the break of the main character.
2. Child's Play 2 (R) - I haven't seen Child's Play 2 and 3 in like a decade but since it's part of my whole spooky toys/dolls theme, I am happy that I revisited actually a really good sequel. It's close to the first.
3. Magic (1978) (N) - I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but they have quite the cast and it is a solid movie. Not really spooky or scary, but highly tense with even simple scenes being tense due to what came before it and the break of the main character.
4 - Crawl 3/5
A very simple but competent creature feature with some shoddy CGI in spots but good acting and some nice scares and set pieces, and fantastic production values (outside the spotty CGI), it does what it does well but that's about it. Also couldnt help but laugh at the random characters inserted into the movie half way just so we could have some gator kills, because otherwise its just main character vs gators. I enjoyed it quite a bit overall.
5 - Blood Red Sky 2/5
I made a comment earlier that I was struggling with what to score some movies and this was the one I was thinking about. I kept flip flopping between 2 and 3 throughout watching it, because I actually enjoyed it and I LOVE the vampire makeup and the main actress, and while the game sticks to its main premise (vampire lady vs terrorists, its basically die hard on a place for a bit) it's genuinely great, but its about 30 minutes too long (why is this 2 hours long?!), the ending completely falls apart and it has a bunch of bloat with flashbacks. Shame because again, I did like it, but it's not a good movie.
off work for the next 2 days so I should be able to get a few under my belt.
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#2. Hostel - Whenever a movie gets a reputation for being incredibly gory, I go in expecting it to be five minutes set up and then ninety minutes of torture and screaming. The set up is a bit longer than that and the torture porn isn't that extensive. Granted it's an Eli Roth movie so the dialogue itself is torture as you have to listen to a whole bunch of homophobic slurs. The genre is part and parcel with insufferable characters but yeesh. When the violence does come, it is of course pretty graphic. That eye part was yucky. The parts with the guy escaping were actually fairly entertaining. A surprisingly watchable film given how incredibly crass it is.
1. Fright Night 2011 (First watch) Rating: 5/10
2. Leprechaun Returns 2018 (First watch)
- Leprechaun Returns is a sequel to the original Leprechaun from 1993. Like the original, it's about a Leprechaun who wants his gold back. Is it as silly as the premise sounds? Of course, it is. At its core Leprechaun Returns is a silly & dumb slasher comedy with some nice gory kills and corny one-liners. The performances were alright and the characters were likable but unremarkable. Overall it succeeds at being funny at times, but nothing more.
Rating: 5/10
2. Leprechaun Returns 2018 (First watch)
- Leprechaun Returns is a sequel to the original Leprechaun from 1993. Like the original, it's about a Leprechaun who wants his gold back. Is it as silly as the premise sounds? Of course, it is. At its core Leprechaun Returns is a silly & dumb slasher comedy with some nice gory kills and corny one-liners. The performances were alright and the characters were likable but unremarkable. Overall it succeeds at being funny at times, but nothing more.
Rating: 5/10
Watched 2 movies and neither of them from the list I had prepared, so already off the rails. :D
#1 The midnight meat train
Heard that it was adapted from a Clive Barker short story and that it was directed by the guy who made Versus, which definitely was enough to pique my interest. I love trains also, and title and basic premise is too gloriously goofy to pass up, plus I have developed this nostalgia for 2000-ish movies lately. Was very satisfied with the result. A very energetic style of framing the shots and some pretty gory kills. Also has exactly the kind of ending I am always down for, put a big grin on my face.
The themes of voyeurism and problematic nature of the New York art scene (sublimation of suffering for artistic/public consumption) do not really land and the movie probably takes itself more seriously at times than makes sense. Nightcrawler this ain´t, this is the midnight meat train, so aspirations to high art or profound social commentary are probably not to be expected.
#2 Survival of the dead
This one I was less enthusiastic about, though zombie fatigue may also be playing a part. Probably my least favorite Romero work. Terrible terrible dialogue, uninteresting plot with way too many poorly written boring characters, uninteresting CG gore gags for the most part. Just very mediocre and forgettable with no real bite. Shame, because the premise itself sounded interesting.
Growing up as a massive Romero fan, this film's existence breaks me heart. It's so terrible :(
Excellent film up until the finale. Wrapped up too neatly. Moss is fucking stellar in it though.
8. Z 2019
Excellent performance from the lead and the child, some decent atmosphere, a pretty good ramp up to the final act, ending falls a wee bit flat.
Invisible Friends are creepy brah, oh and holy shit lady you have a terrible husband
Excellent performance from the lead and the child, some decent atmosphere, a pretty good ramp up to the final act, ending falls a wee bit flat.
Invisible Friends are creepy brah, oh and holy shit lady you have a terrible husband
Film #03 – Heretiks
Heretiks (aka The Convent) is a marvellously gory piece of 17th century Gothic set in a convent where condemned women are given the opportunity to avoid execution and repent their sins. Unfortunately the building turns out to be cursed and living there soon makes being burnt at the stake look like the more attractive proposition.
While the film does revel in its own melodrama, and there are a couple of moments where you think it's starting to take the piss, for the most part it manages to avoid becoming a parody of itself. It's helped by having an excellent cast who keep things believable (well, apart from the weird Michael Ironside cameo; not sure why a magistrate in 1600s England would have quite such an American accent, but whatever). Clare Higgins is especially good as the no-bullshit mother superior, as is Emily Tucker playing one of the fallen women struggling with difficult romantic feelings.
After Howl and The Seasoning House, this is the third Paul Hyett film I've seen in these marathons, and just like his previous movies it is definitely worth a watch. (Unless you have a thing about eyes, in which case you should probably skip it.)
Score: 4 out of 5
Films I've watched so far
Heretiks (aka The Convent) is a marvellously gory piece of 17th century Gothic set in a convent where condemned women are given the opportunity to avoid execution and repent their sins. Unfortunately the building turns out to be cursed and living there soon makes being burnt at the stake look like the more attractive proposition.
While the film does revel in its own melodrama, and there are a couple of moments where you think it's starting to take the piss, for the most part it manages to avoid becoming a parody of itself. It's helped by having an excellent cast who keep things believable (well, apart from the weird Michael Ironside cameo; not sure why a magistrate in 1600s England would have quite such an American accent, but whatever). Clare Higgins is especially good as the no-bullshit mother superior, as is Emily Tucker playing one of the fallen women struggling with difficult romantic feelings.
After Howl and The Seasoning House, this is the third Paul Hyett film I've seen in these marathons, and just like his previous movies it is definitely worth a watch. (Unless you have a thing about eyes, in which case you should probably skip it.)
Score: 4 out of 5
Films I've watched so far
- Horror Express (1973)
- I Walked With a Zombie (1943)
- The Ghoul (1933) - This British production was designed to capitalize on the popularity of Universal's horrors like The Old Dark House, The Mummy and Frankenstein and copping Boris Karloff for a couple week's work while on he was on vacation from Universal visiting family and friends in England was just the ticket to ensure success. Karloff is the titular Ghoul, an Egyptoligist who turns to the old gods in search of immortality, returning from the grave(?) to strike a bargain with Anubis. Ernest Thesiger curbs his flare to a modest degree but can't help but steal every scene he's in as the club-footed servant Laing. Fave quote: Broughton (the estate lawyer) "You may be putting yourself perilously near dishonesty." Laing (Thesiger, while looking askance at the attourney) "I've seen men nearer."
#2. Blood and Black Lace (1964) (My first Giallo Film)
I've been meaning to get into Giallo and after some stellar recommendations, I decided on Blood and Black Lace to be my introduction to the genre. The first thing I noticed during my viewing was how absolutely stylish this film is with striking colors and framing in almost every scene. There are also numerous tracking shots that I thought were especially impressive. The film opens in a very theatrical way introducing the cast in a number of poses illuminated by a number of vibrant colors. I'm unsure if this vibrancy is simply a staple for films in this genre or if this movie was particularly colorful due to the whole fashion/modeling theme. To draw comparisons to western media the film with its close-ups of shocked victims framed in garish colors reminds me of pulp horror comic books or media inspired by said comic books such as Creepshow or Tales from the Crypt. I feel that tone is especially present in how bodies are depicted post-mortem with corpses being highlighted in blue and purple tones stained with bright red blood. The actual violence started off fairly tame but the brutality of the kills quickly began to ratchet up over the course of the film. The brutality of said kills was especially disturbing due to the overt sexual overtones and the fact that most of the victims were comprised of women. The killer themself was fairly unique in design and I enjoyed that they were clearly a regular fallible human being instead of the superhuman teleporting murderer that I'm most used to in horror. All in all, I feel that this was an excellent choice for my first foray into Giallo.
Overall: 5 masks out of 5
I've been meaning to get into Giallo and after some stellar recommendations, I decided on Blood and Black Lace to be my introduction to the genre. The first thing I noticed during my viewing was how absolutely stylish this film is with striking colors and framing in almost every scene. There are also numerous tracking shots that I thought were especially impressive. The film opens in a very theatrical way introducing the cast in a number of poses illuminated by a number of vibrant colors. I'm unsure if this vibrancy is simply a staple for films in this genre or if this movie was particularly colorful due to the whole fashion/modeling theme. To draw comparisons to western media the film with its close-ups of shocked victims framed in garish colors reminds me of pulp horror comic books or media inspired by said comic books such as Creepshow or Tales from the Crypt. I feel that tone is especially present in how bodies are depicted post-mortem with corpses being highlighted in blue and purple tones stained with bright red blood. The actual violence started off fairly tame but the brutality of the kills quickly began to ratchet up over the course of the film. The brutality of said kills was especially disturbing due to the overt sexual overtones and the fact that most of the victims were comprised of women. The killer themself was fairly unique in design and I enjoyed that they were clearly a regular fallible human being instead of the superhuman teleporting murderer that I'm most used to in horror. All in all, I feel that this was an excellent choice for my first foray into Giallo.
Overall: 5 masks out of 5
2. Freaky (2020)
I was already in love with Christopher Landon's slasher deconstruction I'm Happy Death Day, so I'm happy to say this does not disappoint. It's pure camp with some amazingly inventive kills and one of the better Vince Vaughn performances in some time. Despite being a body swapping horror comedy the LEAST believable thing about it is that no one thinks Kathryn Newton is attractive until she puts her hair in a pony tail and wears a leather jacket.
3/5
I was already in love with Christopher Landon's slasher deconstruction I'm Happy Death Day, so I'm happy to say this does not disappoint. It's pure camp with some amazingly inventive kills and one of the better Vince Vaughn performances in some time. Despite being a body swapping horror comedy the LEAST believable thing about it is that no one thinks Kathryn Newton is attractive until she puts her hair in a pony tail and wears a leather jacket.
3/5
2. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
This sequel is so meh. While Donald Pleasence is the star here, he's off his rocker more than normal. Danielle Harris still does great as Jamie, but it's a shame the ending of 4 isn't really followed up on. Just stick her in a mental institute, that's good enough, and it gets her closer to Dr. Loomis. The plot feels like it's meandering around while Michael kills people, but sometimes it's just pranksters. That was novel in 4, but here it's getting old quickly. There's a psychic link between Jamie and Michael, and a number of people with thorn tattoos, but these aren't really elaborated on at all, and won't be until 6.
This sequel is so meh. While Donald Pleasence is the star here, he's off his rocker more than normal. Danielle Harris still does great as Jamie, but it's a shame the ending of 4 isn't really followed up on. Just stick her in a mental institute, that's good enough, and it gets her closer to Dr. Loomis. The plot feels like it's meandering around while Michael kills people, but sometimes it's just pranksters. That was novel in 4, but here it's getting old quickly. There's a psychic link between Jamie and Michael, and a number of people with thorn tattoos, but these aren't really elaborated on at all, and won't be until 6.
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Slumber Party Massacre II needs to be the definition of "what the hell did I just watch?".
9. Still/Born 2018
Phenomenal performance from the lead, a fantastic 3rd act, really really good stuff.
Creature design is a bit generic but holy shit the desperation in the third act made me tear up a bit
Phenomenal performance from the lead, a fantastic 3rd act, really really good stuff.
Creature design is a bit generic but holy shit the desperation in the third act made me tear up a bit
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I really enjoyed this when I watched it last year. The twisting of the HG Well story into a story of gaslighting and tech bros is not what I expected what it was first pitched.
I watched the first Slumber Party Massacre and honestly I thought it was bad and wasn't scary at all