1. Ouija: Origin of Evil
2. His House
3. The Dead Don't Die
4. My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To
Dark and moody family drama where the horror comes from the dire stress of the situation the characters find themselves in. It was an interesting story led by great performances from the relatively small cast. Not particularly scary or gory, it instead relies on a constant state of dread that permeates every scene.
5. Relic
Much like Babadook, this a movie intent on hammering you over the head with its metaphor. It does some interesting things for sure, and is fairly decent as a haunted house movie, but by the end its unwavering devotion to its metaphor kind of takes the wind out of the story. I think leaning on the supernatural to provide more subtlety would have helped it stand out better as a horror movie. Still not bad overall though.
2. His House
3. The Dead Don't Die
4. My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To
Dark and moody family drama where the horror comes from the dire stress of the situation the characters find themselves in. It was an interesting story led by great performances from the relatively small cast. Not particularly scary or gory, it instead relies on a constant state of dread that permeates every scene.
5. Relic
Much like Babadook, this a movie intent on hammering you over the head with its metaphor. It does some interesting things for sure, and is fairly decent as a haunted house movie, but by the end its unwavering devotion to its metaphor kind of takes the wind out of the story. I think leaning on the supernatural to provide more subtlety would have helped it stand out better as a horror movie. Still not bad overall though.
I liked Tourist Trap too although I wouldnt say it's particularly original especially when compared to the original House of Wax film.
13 -- The Evil Dead
(rewatch)
I watch this one every couple years.
Man, it's fucking rad.
Who needs a budget when you've got creativity, style, atmosphere, humor, energy, gallons of various gross gooey fluids, tension, unrelenting insanity, and the Chin?
I needed this today.
....finallly some good fucking food....
(rewatch)
I watch this one every couple years.
Man, it's fucking rad.
Who needs a budget when you've got creativity, style, atmosphere, humor, energy, gallons of various gross gooey fluids, tension, unrelenting insanity, and the Chin?
I needed this today.
....finallly some good fucking food....
I'd recommend checking out Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell if you want more low-budget Evil Dead-inspired creativity, with added dose of J-horror crazy
7. Candyman (1992, streaming on Tubi) 5/5
I can't believe I waited until this long to see this movie. I've always heard it's name in the background when growing up but just never made the effort to check it out. It is amazing and not at all what I imagined it would be. The pacing, the story, and OMG the music is just breathtaking. I'm literally just blown away after watching this and I hope that I can see the recent one on streaming soon. My only slight nitpick would be the ending. I really think the main character deserved to rest, so even as I saw it coming I didn't like that she was now a Candyman-like figure. But it made sense in terms of the themes and story, plus that asshole husband really broke his side-chick to her funeral so fuck him.
Previous movies:
1. Critters (1986, streaming on HBO Max) 2.5/5
2. Slumber Party Massacre 2 (1987, streaming on Tubi) 2.5/5
3. The Brood (1979, streaming on HBO Max) 5/5
4. Return of the Living Dead (1985, streaming on HBO Max) 4.5/5
5. Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993, streaming on HBO Max) 2.5/5
6. The Wicker Man (1973, streaming on Amazon Prime) 4/5
I can't believe I waited until this long to see this movie. I've always heard it's name in the background when growing up but just never made the effort to check it out. It is amazing and not at all what I imagined it would be. The pacing, the story, and OMG the music is just breathtaking. I'm literally just blown away after watching this and I hope that I can see the recent one on streaming soon. My only slight nitpick would be the ending. I really think the main character deserved to rest, so even as I saw it coming I didn't like that she was now a Candyman-like figure. But it made sense in terms of the themes and story, plus that asshole husband really broke his side-chick to her funeral so fuck him.
Previous movies:
1. Critters (1986, streaming on HBO Max) 2.5/5
2. Slumber Party Massacre 2 (1987, streaming on Tubi) 2.5/5
3. The Brood (1979, streaming on HBO Max) 5/5
4. Return of the Living Dead (1985, streaming on HBO Max) 4.5/5
5. Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993, streaming on HBO Max) 2.5/5
6. The Wicker Man (1973, streaming on Amazon Prime) 4/5
Didn't really mean the plot was particularly original, just that it didn't feel like much else I've seen. The weird tonal shifts and music probably went a long way towards that. Just an odd film that doesn't necessarily work, but I can respect it.
Film #10 – Wrong Turn (2021)
Some happy, modern friends go for hike in the forest and before long they are being very strongly encouraged to leave. In a change from the standard mutant redneck cannibal bad guys, this time round we have the descendants of civil war era doomsday preppers making life difficult for the tourists. These stern and serious, skull mask wearing folk formed a cult known as The Foundation a couple of hundred years ago, and have survived ever since in a fortified compound high up in the wooded mountains. As the cultures clash, the question soon being asked is, who are the real primitives here? (Clue: I reckon it's probably the people who have red hot pokers playing a prominent role in their judicial system.)
This movie was pretty good fun. I mean, it's not really a Wrong Turn film, but there are very few franchises that need seven instalments that all tread the same basic ground. This reboot taking things in a whole new and interesting direction was pretty cool I thought. Is it likely that something like The Foundation could survive in this day and age? No, probably not, but who cares? If you suspend your disbelief there's lots to enjoy. Fans of the wonderful Tucker and Dale Vs Evil will recognise that film's central gag being played completely straight here, for example. And apart from one Casey Affleck-looking moron who didn't know when to keep his mouth shut, the young people who were about to die were surprisingly not very annoying. The idea of The Foundation as a kind of egalitarian, multi-racial hard knock utopia (with a very strict criminal code) was interesting too, though it's a shame the man in charge was just another middle-aged white guy. (This being The Movies, he also got to have sexy time with a woman young enough to be his daughter, naturally enough).
To be honest, there's lots of other stuff wrong with the film , but it's still worth watching if you like this kind of thing (which I really do).
Score: 3 out of 5
Films I've watched so far
Some happy, modern friends go for hike in the forest and before long they are being very strongly encouraged to leave. In a change from the standard mutant redneck cannibal bad guys, this time round we have the descendants of civil war era doomsday preppers making life difficult for the tourists. These stern and serious, skull mask wearing folk formed a cult known as The Foundation a couple of hundred years ago, and have survived ever since in a fortified compound high up in the wooded mountains. As the cultures clash, the question soon being asked is, who are the real primitives here? (Clue: I reckon it's probably the people who have red hot pokers playing a prominent role in their judicial system.)
This movie was pretty good fun. I mean, it's not really a Wrong Turn film, but there are very few franchises that need seven instalments that all tread the same basic ground. This reboot taking things in a whole new and interesting direction was pretty cool I thought. Is it likely that something like The Foundation could survive in this day and age? No, probably not, but who cares? If you suspend your disbelief there's lots to enjoy. Fans of the wonderful Tucker and Dale Vs Evil will recognise that film's central gag being played completely straight here, for example. And apart from one Casey Affleck-looking moron who didn't know when to keep his mouth shut, the young people who were about to die were surprisingly not very annoying. The idea of The Foundation as a kind of egalitarian, multi-racial hard knock utopia (with a very strict criminal code) was interesting too, though it's a shame the man in charge was just another middle-aged white guy. (This being The Movies, he also got to have sexy time with a woman young enough to be his daughter, naturally enough).
To be honest, there's lots of other stuff wrong with the film , but it's still worth watching if you like this kind of thing (which I really do).
Score: 3 out of 5
Films I've watched so far
Thanks for the rec.I'd recommend checking out Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell if you want more low-budget Evil Dead-inspired creativity, with added dose of J-horror crazy
I saw this film at the Nighthawk theater in Brooklyn, and I was shocked by how beautiful the camera work is.
Such a fun movie too. That hog is ridiculously huge.
Last edited:
5. Annabelle (2014):
Since I plan on seeing the whole of the Conjuring universe this month for the first time Annabelle is next. The beginning was brutal with the break in at the house and the aftermath of that..
The movie felt different then Conjuring.. I actually was legit scared at moments because I couldn't lay my finger on who to trust and who not to trust in the movie. And for me the demon moments and especially in the elevator where really nerving.
For the element of suprise for me who to trust and who not to trust I actually think I rate it higher then Conjuring! Also funny in the beginning I thought the doctor was a jerk but he actually stood by the wife until the end and actually believed here instead of going the she is crazy road
5/5
Last edited:
19. Dead & Buried (1981) (New) 4/5
This was a terrific slow burn with a great creepy small town coastal setting. Not sure how this flew under my radar but I will be revisiting it in the future.
7) Razorback (1984)
Oh I dunno, there's something about blasting the shit out of a razorback that just brightens up my whole day.
Since Jaws we've had all sorts of giant animals attack movies; crocs, orcas, snakes, you name it. So why not a big pig too?
This was a right trip. The setup is simple; in the remote Australian Outback, a giant bloodthirsty razorback is terrorizing a rural settlement. The actual plot takes quite a few unexpected turns I won't go into as its best to be surprised, but suffice to say a giant maneating hog is not the only threat in the Outback.
The film is shot like a slick nightmare, with a surreal and lurid atmosphere drenched in great saturated lighting and superb photography of the brutal Outback landscapes. Everything here is desolate; dusty, crumbling buildings and lonely hills. In doing 31 Days for the last few years I've really gained an appreciation for films that can achieve a truly grimy atmosphere, harder than it seems. The original TCM, Hellraiser, and C.H.U.D. of all films were standouts in the past couple of years. Razorback hits those notes for me, albeit in a more dreamy, heightened reality way. It reaches a sort of dark camp, with the oppressive ambience broken up by clever transitions and moments of genuine hilarity (a gag with a television I won't spoil seriously cracked me up).
The titular beast is wisely only glimpsed, not unlike Jaws' killer shark, but what we do see holds up well. Acting wise it leans into a mix of stiff and over the top, but it's not out of place in the bizarre tone. All in all the superb, confident direction greatly elevates what is on-paper a basic monster animal premise into a truly memorable experience.
Highly recommended.
Oh I dunno, there's something about blasting the shit out of a razorback that just brightens up my whole day.
Since Jaws we've had all sorts of giant animals attack movies; crocs, orcas, snakes, you name it. So why not a big pig too?
This was a right trip. The setup is simple; in the remote Australian Outback, a giant bloodthirsty razorback is terrorizing a rural settlement. The actual plot takes quite a few unexpected turns I won't go into as its best to be surprised, but suffice to say a giant maneating hog is not the only threat in the Outback.
The film is shot like a slick nightmare, with a surreal and lurid atmosphere drenched in great saturated lighting and superb photography of the brutal Outback landscapes. Everything here is desolate; dusty, crumbling buildings and lonely hills. In doing 31 Days for the last few years I've really gained an appreciation for films that can achieve a truly grimy atmosphere, harder than it seems. The original TCM, Hellraiser, and C.H.U.D. of all films were standouts in the past couple of years. Razorback hits those notes for me, albeit in a more dreamy, heightened reality way. It reaches a sort of dark camp, with the oppressive ambience broken up by clever transitions and moments of genuine hilarity (a gag with a television I won't spoil seriously cracked me up).
The titular beast is wisely only glimpsed, not unlike Jaws' killer shark, but what we do see holds up well. Acting wise it leans into a mix of stiff and over the top, but it's not out of place in the bizarre tone. All in all the superb, confident direction greatly elevates what is on-paper a basic monster animal premise into a truly memorable experience.
Highly recommended.
Sweet Home is very much a product from Juzo Itami (actor and producer) who reshoot a lot of scenes, even Kiyoshi Kurosawa doesn't consider it his movie. So don't expect anything like his post Cure films.
With that being said, Sweet Home has its moments and good imagery, especially in the bonkers third act. I'd say that is worth watching
25 - V/H/S 3/5
Rewatch of the first in the anthology series pretty much confirmed what little I remembered from it, it starts the show with the showstopper, aka the succubus short, and after that it's a bunch of weird, uneven, borderline film school quality shorts. I still enjoy it overall and I think it's a cool idea, but the quality of the shorts varies wildly and the "main" story goes nowhere. Still worth it just for the Succubus short alone, that shit is awesome (and no wonder it got it's own standalone movie).
List!
8. Resident Evil Apocalypse (2004)
Overall a okay film that I actually like more than the first. It definitely has it moments like during the church and the school, where it felt well paced and even felt kind of creepy.
Basically turns out to be a loose adaption of Resident Evil 3. I thought Carlos was alright, while Jill was really damn good in this for a while. Sienna Guillory definitely felt like perfect casting for her. Too bad she will then get upstaged by the actual protagonist, but hey. XD They didn't do a bad job of bringing Nemesis's design to live action, but otherwise he kind of lost a lot of terror about him, and the fist fight at the end with him and Alice was weird.
Overall a okay film that I actually like more than the first. It definitely has it moments like during the church and the school, where it felt well paced and even felt kind of creepy.
Basically turns out to be a loose adaption of Resident Evil 3. I thought Carlos was alright, while Jill was really damn good in this for a while. Sienna Guillory definitely felt like perfect casting for her. Too bad she will then get upstaged by the actual protagonist, but hey. XD They didn't do a bad job of bringing Nemesis's design to live action, but otherwise he kind of lost a lot of terror about him, and the fist fight at the end with him and Alice was weird.
8. Suspiria (1977, streaming on Tubi) 3.5/5
I watched the 2018 remake a while back and thought it was an interesting enough film but it didn't really hold my interest. I knew that it was a remake of a legendary cult classic so I went into this with high expectations, especially since I haven't seen many films of this nature (giallo, or giallo-adjacent). I was immediately grooving to the soundtrack and vibing with the crazy use of color. I just love how parts of the screen are bathed in bright red or slime green, and how scenes are framed with these colors in mind to produce amazing visuals. Unfortunately, there are definitely weird edits that mar the experience, although they may just be a product of their time and budget. Scenes will end or switch, seemingly at random, with the music blaring on or off in a way that was jarring and probably not the intention. And the plot is kind of aimless and vague, and not quite in a dream-logic feels right even though it might not make sense kind of way. But it was definitely an interesting film that I'm glad I watched, and I looks forward to seeing more like it.
Previous movies:
1. Critters (1986, streaming on HBO Max) 2.5/5
2. Slumber Party Massacre 2 (1987, streaming on Tubi) 2.5/5
3. The Brood (1979, streaming on HBO Max) 5/5
4. Return of the Living Dead (1985, streaming on HBO Max) 4.5/5
5. Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993, streaming on HBO Max) 2.5/5
6. The Wicker Man (1973, streaming on Amazon Prime) 4/5
7. Candyman (1992, streaming on Tubi) 5/5
I watched the 2018 remake a while back and thought it was an interesting enough film but it didn't really hold my interest. I knew that it was a remake of a legendary cult classic so I went into this with high expectations, especially since I haven't seen many films of this nature (giallo, or giallo-adjacent). I was immediately grooving to the soundtrack and vibing with the crazy use of color. I just love how parts of the screen are bathed in bright red or slime green, and how scenes are framed with these colors in mind to produce amazing visuals. Unfortunately, there are definitely weird edits that mar the experience, although they may just be a product of their time and budget. Scenes will end or switch, seemingly at random, with the music blaring on or off in a way that was jarring and probably not the intention. And the plot is kind of aimless and vague, and not quite in a dream-logic feels right even though it might not make sense kind of way. But it was definitely an interesting film that I'm glad I watched, and I looks forward to seeing more like it.
Previous movies:
1. Critters (1986, streaming on HBO Max) 2.5/5
2. Slumber Party Massacre 2 (1987, streaming on Tubi) 2.5/5
3. The Brood (1979, streaming on HBO Max) 5/5
4. Return of the Living Dead (1985, streaming on HBO Max) 4.5/5
5. Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993, streaming on HBO Max) 2.5/5
6. The Wicker Man (1973, streaming on Amazon Prime) 4/5
7. Candyman (1992, streaming on Tubi) 5/5
1. Fright Night 2011 (First watch) Rating: 5/10
2. Leprechaun Returns 2018 (First watch) Rating: 5/10
3. Ready or Not 2019 (First watch) Rating: 7/10
4. Insidious Chapter 3 2015 (First watch) Rating: 7/10
5. The Final Girls 2015 (First watch) Rating: 6/10
6. Apocalypse Domani 1980 (First watch) Rating: 7/10
7. His House 2020 (First watch)
- His House is about a refugee couple that escapes from war-torn Sudan to England. They have a hard time settling in because they are tormented by the ghosts from their past. The acting in this movie is really good as are the surrealistic horror scenes. I also thought that it was very well shot and offers one of the better plot twists that I have seen in a horror movie in a long time. I wish it were just a little bit scarier than it was, but overall I liked this movie a lot and do recommend giving it a watch.
Rating: 8/10
2. Leprechaun Returns 2018 (First watch) Rating: 5/10
3. Ready or Not 2019 (First watch) Rating: 7/10
4. Insidious Chapter 3 2015 (First watch) Rating: 7/10
5. The Final Girls 2015 (First watch) Rating: 6/10
6. Apocalypse Domani 1980 (First watch) Rating: 7/10
7. His House 2020 (First watch)
- His House is about a refugee couple that escapes from war-torn Sudan to England. They have a hard time settling in because they are tormented by the ghosts from their past. The acting in this movie is really good as are the surrealistic horror scenes. I also thought that it was very well shot and offers one of the better plot twists that I have seen in a horror movie in a long time. I wish it were just a little bit scarier than it was, but overall I liked this movie a lot and do recommend giving it a watch.
Rating: 8/10
Not really a "twist", just a revelation in my opinion. But it's fucked and I loved it.
Yes, that's a better word to use, but for my defense, It's over 2 am where I live so I didn't really have that much time/energy to proofread anything I wrote.
Just finished the Eyes of Fire restoration via the Nightstream digital fest, and it looks fantastic. Was like seeing the movie for the first time again
#6. Kairo/Pulse (2001)
I feel like there's a lot to unpack after seeing this film but I'm going to try and make my thoughts as coherent as possible. I went into this film thinking that it'd simply be another ghost story and then it slowly morphed into a commentary on technology, depression, and extreme loneliness. From the jump, everything feels like it's seeped in this intense feeling of melancholy with every scene being as gloomy and dimly lit as possible. This overwhelming sense of gloom and isolation only gets worse as the film goes on as the already scarcely populated sets become even more desolate. Early on I thought the premise was already clever with the concept of ghosts and the afterlife intermingling with early 2000s era technology but then it evolved and went places I wouldn't have imagined when they start getting into why these ghosts exist. Said ghosts created a massive sense of dread in me during their initial appearances but this dread all but dissipated when you learn that they're possibly the products of loneliness and a lack of real connections gave form. However, that doesn't mean that they weren't scary as the film relies on a very slow burn type of horror instead of jump scares or gory shock. I liked the lead character due to his indomitable will as he tries to avoid succumbing to the overwhelming negativity that becomes very pervasive in the largely depressing second half of the film. I think my only negative is related to the said second half because while technology plays a large role during the beginning of the film its importance dwindles as the plot progresses despite the fact that it can be seen as the force behind why everything happens in the first place. Pulse is an excellent film and I'm looking forward to what else Kiyoshi Kurosawa has to offer since his critically acclaimed film Cure is further down my list for this month.
Overall: 4 disks out of 5
I feel like there's a lot to unpack after seeing this film but I'm going to try and make my thoughts as coherent as possible. I went into this film thinking that it'd simply be another ghost story and then it slowly morphed into a commentary on technology, depression, and extreme loneliness. From the jump, everything feels like it's seeped in this intense feeling of melancholy with every scene being as gloomy and dimly lit as possible. This overwhelming sense of gloom and isolation only gets worse as the film goes on as the already scarcely populated sets become even more desolate. Early on I thought the premise was already clever with the concept of ghosts and the afterlife intermingling with early 2000s era technology but then it evolved and went places I wouldn't have imagined when they start getting into why these ghosts exist. Said ghosts created a massive sense of dread in me during their initial appearances but this dread all but dissipated when you learn that they're possibly the products of loneliness and a lack of real connections gave form. However, that doesn't mean that they weren't scary as the film relies on a very slow burn type of horror instead of jump scares or gory shock. I liked the lead character due to his indomitable will as he tries to avoid succumbing to the overwhelming negativity that becomes very pervasive in the largely depressing second half of the film. I think my only negative is related to the said second half because while technology plays a large role during the beginning of the film its importance dwindles as the plot progresses despite the fact that it can be seen as the force behind why everything happens in the first place. Pulse is an excellent film and I'm looking forward to what else Kiyoshi Kurosawa has to offer since his critically acclaimed film Cure is further down my list for this month.
Overall: 4 disks out of 5
The Astounding She-Monster (1957)
Another massive drag.
Before watching this the only thing I knew about it was its fantastic poster and, having now seen it, that poster is really the only thing one needs to know about it. A slow, unbelievably slow, flick with nothing to really dissect or think about or even really criticize. Nothing happens, the She-Monster walks about, the heroes win(with a "Uh oh..." cliffhanger), the end.
I guess the one thing I can say is that the filmmakers add a shimmering effect to the She-Monster, its not great but at least they knew they had to do something so it wasn't just a lady in a silver jumpsuit.
Just watch or rewatch Devil Girl From Mars instead.
1 - RE-ANIMATOR ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2 - DEEP RED ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3 - TROMA'S WAR ⭐⭐
4 - DEAD HEAT ⭐⭐⭐
5 - V/H/S/97 ⭐⭐⭐
Latest release in the V/H/S series (literally came out yesterday.) For those who don't know it's a series of found footage shorts tied by a loosely connecting story (usually someone finding and watching the various found footage tapes. ) This time I thought the connecting plot was rather weak this time. A violent SWAT team finds what they think is a drug bust but isn't. ⭐
Without giving any of the shorts away I'd say someone of them stretched the found footage concept a little too far away from that idea (Seriously you cannot put your own soundtrack into a found footage scene) especially as a V/H/S film. And some of them out stay their welcome, but overall most were pretty good.
Alot better than the last one.
I'd rate the shorts, ⭐⭐, ⭐⭐⭐, ⭐⭐⭐, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2 - DEEP RED ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3 - TROMA'S WAR ⭐⭐
4 - DEAD HEAT ⭐⭐⭐
5 - V/H/S/97 ⭐⭐⭐
Latest release in the V/H/S series (literally came out yesterday.) For those who don't know it's a series of found footage shorts tied by a loosely connecting story (usually someone finding and watching the various found footage tapes. ) This time I thought the connecting plot was rather weak this time. A violent SWAT team finds what they think is a drug bust but isn't. ⭐
Without giving any of the shorts away I'd say someone of them stretched the found footage concept a little too far away from that idea (Seriously you cannot put your own soundtrack into a found footage scene) especially as a V/H/S film. And some of them out stay their welcome, but overall most were pretty good.
Alot better than the last one.
I'd rate the shorts, ⭐⭐, ⭐⭐⭐, ⭐⭐⭐, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
26 - Devil 4/5
Another rewatch of one of my favorites, I really like this tight little horror thriller. I'm usually a sucker for single location movies (Phonebooth, Buried, etc) and this is no different, with the majority of the movie spent inside an elevator with 5 people inside, the paranoia growing as one by one they die and we don't know who the killer it. Great cast, a very tight runtime (it's not even 90minutes), and a good simple story make this one I always easily recommend.
11. There's Someone Inside Your House (2021)
• Rating: 5 creepy masks of your own face out of 10
• Synopsis: "The graduating class at Osborne High is being targeted by a masked assailant, intent on exposing the darkest secret of each victim, and only a group of misfit outsiders can stop the killings."
What a perplexing teen slasher film. I really can't say it was bad, there's definitely some entertainment to be found here, but it's so by the book... we've all seen this movie a thousand times already.
And it's so frustrating how it's always on the verge of having something interesting to say but it never happens. It could have been such an interesting piece about how in the modern world you can't escape past mistakes or past versions of yourself no matter who you've become. It really seemed like it was going there. But no, while the story does touch upon the subject, it's never explored in any meaningful way. Same with how it flimsily tries to explore some social issues. It's in the end just all so inconsequential. So frustrating. The ending made me roll my eyes so hard.
And it's also disappointing how the idea behind the title of the movie never amounts to much.
It's a tragedy how this film was denied any real personality. Time will tell, but I suspect after a few months it will end up being completely forgotten, floating all alone in Netflix's servers. Which is a shame considering how Netflix really is capable of making interesting horror movies. If you want to watch a cool and clever slasher, go watch the Fear Street trilogy instead.
---
Other movies I watched this month:
• Rating: 5 creepy masks of your own face out of 10
• Synopsis: "The graduating class at Osborne High is being targeted by a masked assailant, intent on exposing the darkest secret of each victim, and only a group of misfit outsiders can stop the killings."
What a perplexing teen slasher film. I really can't say it was bad, there's definitely some entertainment to be found here, but it's so by the book... we've all seen this movie a thousand times already.
And it's so frustrating how it's always on the verge of having something interesting to say but it never happens. It could have been such an interesting piece about how in the modern world you can't escape past mistakes or past versions of yourself no matter who you've become. It really seemed like it was going there. But no, while the story does touch upon the subject, it's never explored in any meaningful way. Same with how it flimsily tries to explore some social issues. It's in the end just all so inconsequential. So frustrating. The ending made me roll my eyes so hard.
And it's also disappointing how the idea behind the title of the movie never amounts to much.
It's a tragedy how this film was denied any real personality. Time will tell, but I suspect after a few months it will end up being completely forgotten, floating all alone in Netflix's servers. Which is a shame considering how Netflix really is capable of making interesting horror movies. If you want to watch a cool and clever slasher, go watch the Fear Street trilogy instead.
---
Other movies I watched this month:
Last edited:
Movie 7 | Spiral, 1998
Well damn if they didn't swing for the fences with this one. Some interesting ideas, and I think approaching the curse from a clinical angle had potential, but by the end they lost me completely.
Ultimately, the whole ghost pregnancy thing was wild, and following THAT with some sort of weird IVF cloning thing is building a house on a REAL shaky foundation. Sadako is more sexy than scary here, so the horror is pretty light. Like, the foreboding ending on the desolate beach gives me some vague "cosmic horror" vibes, but the premise is just too hard to really take seriously. The biggest problem for me, though, is that as a main character, Ando is just... not really compelling. And the narrative is really laser-focused on him, so there's no reprieve at all.
Weird, weird movie. Can't say I recommend it, but, I mean, I gotta respect the attempt. I can see why they ignored it completely for Ring 2 the year after - it's a way more conventional film than Spiral, but it's a lot more watchable.
Well damn if they didn't swing for the fences with this one. Some interesting ideas, and I think approaching the curse from a clinical angle had potential, but by the end they lost me completely.
Ultimately, the whole ghost pregnancy thing was wild, and following THAT with some sort of weird IVF cloning thing is building a house on a REAL shaky foundation. Sadako is more sexy than scary here, so the horror is pretty light. Like, the foreboding ending on the desolate beach gives me some vague "cosmic horror" vibes, but the premise is just too hard to really take seriously. The biggest problem for me, though, is that as a main character, Ando is just... not really compelling. And the narrative is really laser-focused on him, so there's no reprieve at all.
Weird, weird movie. Can't say I recommend it, but, I mean, I gotta respect the attempt. I can see why they ignored it completely for Ring 2 the year after - it's a way more conventional film than Spiral, but it's a lot more watchable.
Last edited:
Movie 7 | Spiral, 1998
Well damn if they didn't swing for the fences with this one. Some interesting ideas, and I think approaching the curse from a clinical angle had potential, but by the end they lost me completely.
Ultimately, the whole ghost pregnancy thing was wild, and following THAT with some sort of weird IVF cloning thing is building a house on a REAL shaky foundation. Sadako is more sexy than scary here, and the foreboding ending on the desolate beach gives me some vague "cosmic horror" vibes, but the premise is just too hard to really take seriously. The biggest problem for me, though, is that as a main character, Ando is just... not really compelling. And the narrative is really laser-focused on him, so there's no reprieve at all.
Weird, weird movie. Can't say I recommend it, but, I mean, I gotta respect the attempt. I can see why they ignored it completely for Ring 2 the year after - it's a way more conventional film than Spiral, but it's a lot more watchable.
Haven't seen this, but I find it so hilarious that this was released along side Ringu.
8. Final Destination (2000) (DVD)
I finally know the origins of the Smash Bros' level. Final Destination is a pretty fun movie about a small group of high school classmates and a teacher who cheat Death due to a premonition. And Death is not happy about this, so it sets up violent Rube Goldberg machines designed to finish off those who escaped.
The premise reminded me a lot of the Twilight Zone episode "And When the Sky Was Opened", where survivors of a spaceship crash are gradually disappearing because they weren't meant to live. I feel like Final Destination could have taken a more serious tone and it still would have worked. It could have leaned into the ideas of death's inevitability and survivor's guilt, but it takes the cheap spectacle route. The characters are boilerplate high school stereotypes, the deaths are usually telegraphed, and the way Death's pattern is explained is silly. Besides all of that though, I think the movie is worth a watch. The elaborate deaths are enjoyable and the story has good bones.
I finally know the origins of the Smash Bros' level. Final Destination is a pretty fun movie about a small group of high school classmates and a teacher who cheat Death due to a premonition. And Death is not happy about this, so it sets up violent Rube Goldberg machines designed to finish off those who escaped.
The premise reminded me a lot of the Twilight Zone episode "And When the Sky Was Opened", where survivors of a spaceship crash are gradually disappearing because they weren't meant to live. I feel like Final Destination could have taken a more serious tone and it still would have worked. It could have leaned into the ideas of death's inevitability and survivor's guilt, but it takes the cheap spectacle route. The characters are boilerplate high school stereotypes, the deaths are usually telegraphed, and the way Death's pattern is explained is silly. Besides all of that though, I think the movie is worth a watch. The elaborate deaths are enjoyable and the story has good bones.
It's been a few days since I last posted an update, but it's not because I haven't been watching any movies. In fact, quite the opposite... here's what I've watched since then:
Some of these were part of my originally planned 32-film horror movie tournament bracket, but I decided to shelve my plans for a concurrent horror game tournament bracket and substantially expand the movie bracket instead. How much did I expand it? Well, I might be biting off more than I can chew here, but here's the new line-up (which has been totally reseeded including the films I've already watched from the previous bracket, invalidating prior match-up results):
New current tournament results:
Round 1-1: Kwaidan (1964) vs The Lost Boys (1987) - Winner: The Lost Boys
Round 1-2: Dracula (1992) vs Friday the 13th (1980) - Winner: Dracula
Round 1-3: Noriko's Dinner Table (2005) vs Sinister (2012) - Winner: Sinister
Round 1-4: The Others (2001) vs The VelociPastor (2018) - Winner: The Others
Round 1-5: The Birds (1963) vs Jigoku (1960) - Winner: Jigoku
Round 1-6: The Witch (2015) vs Pulse (1988) - Winner: The Witch
Round 1-7: In Fabric (2018) vs In the Mouth of Madness (1994) - Winner: In the Mouth of Madness
Round 2-1: The Lost Boys (1987) vs Dracula (1992) - Winner: The Lost Boys
Round 2-2: Sinister (2012) vs The Others (2001) - Winner: The Others
Round 2-3: Jigoku (1960) vs The Witch (2015) - Winner: Jigoku
Round 3-1: The Lost Boys (1987) vs The Others (2001) - Winner: The Others
House / ハウス (1977): A haunted house horror story with a wildly whimsical aesthetic that somehow doesn't entirely undercut the dread, and in fact sometimes adds to it. Surprisingly rich with fascinating subtext, too. Marvelous.
Poltergeist (1982): While Poltergeist failed to get me to buy into the stakes of the story and get invested emotionally, it was still a highly entertaining rollercoaster ride that really picks up in the last 3rd of the movie. While not directed by Spielberg, you can definitely feel his touch here.
The Witch (2015): A gorgeous and disturbing tale of a family tormented by a witch, though I've gotta say... Thomasin teasing her young brother and sister with tales of witchcraft is probably the closest I've been tempted to yell at a character in a horror movie for doing something dumb. Still, that's not really a flaw of the movie itself which was fantastic.
Crimson Peak (2015): Certain aspects of the story might be a bit flimsy, but this film very quickly put a big smile on my face which remained there for the duration of the movie. A visual treat.
Kwaidan / 怪談 (1964): A beautiful anthology film comprised of four ghost stories. Its deliberate pace helps establish a thick atmosphere and mood, though I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel every minute of the 3-hour runtime. My favorite story was the 3rd one, though they're all good.
The Lost Boys (1987): Deliciously 80s vampire flick that's pure fun. Maybe certain aspects of the plot could be nitpicked, and some of the compositing is spotty... but all the same, I had a great time with it.
Friday the 13th (1980): Although I hadn't seen this one before, I knew the score regarding the identity of the killer in this installment. What I didn't know, however, was that Kevin Bacon was in it... well, half of it anyway. Ultimately, it was an amusing enough movie but a bit unsatisfying.
Dracula (1992): Technically a partial rewatch, as I definitely saw at least the opening sequence back when I was around 5 years old or so... though I'm sure my parents shooed me out of the living room when things got too sexy. Anyway... while they're not this film's only problems, Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder sure do drag this movie down a few pegs, eh? Still, between the striking aesthetics of the film and the handful of other actors and actresses who deliver more captivating performances, it manages to be enjoyable enough. Has me wishing it were better though...
Noriko's Dinner Table / 紀子の食卓 (2005): I didn't realize that this was gonna have a plot tangentially connected to Suicide Club, so that was a fun surprise (and a good thing I'd already seen Suicide Club, though I'd probably have been ok without it). It's a little bit slow, but quite compelling and I think it's the superior film compared to Suicide Club.
Sinister (2012): There are some fair criticisms one could levy against this movie... over-reliance on jump scares, the monster looking like a member of Slipknot, etc. But ultimately I found it highly effective, easily the scariest film I've watched this month and the only one to actually send chills down my spine. And while I'm not judging these movies by how scary they are but instead how good they are... while horror movies can easily be good without being scary, I think it's unlikely for any horror movie to be scary without also being good. Also, I do love me a deliciously dark ending.
The Others (2001): As with Dracula, this one's technically a partial rewatch... I'd seen it back in the day as a kid, but my attention was so divided that my dad had to explain to me what the big twist was (despite the fact that one of the living characters basically spells it out for you). So yeah, I did know the main twist going in... but it kinda gave me the best of both worlds, being able to pick up on fun details "Stop breathing like that. Stop breathing like that! STOP BREATHING!" without actually knowing the details. Anyway, it might be easy to write this one off as a Sixth Sense ripoff, but it's the superior film... or maybe that's just my crush on Nicole Kidman elevating it, but you can't deny she gives a tremendous performance here.
The VelociPastor (2018): Hot trash, but you likely deduced that from the name of the film. Faintly amusing, but I mainly just included it so that its meager ~75 minute runtime would give me a bit of a breather. And well, that's pretty much what it accomplished.
The Birds (1963): Psycho is great, this one ain't. Being a well-liked Hitchcock film, maybe my expectations were too high... but damn, this kinda sucked. Got off to a decent enough start, and even when the horrible compositing reared its head and sapped most of the scariness away, I was willing to overlook it in hopes that the story paid off... but my jaw was literally agape at how rubbish that ending was. If this movie was ever good, it certainly hasn't aged well.
Jigoku / 地獄 (1960): A visually stunning tale of a man who finds himself tormented in life and in death. Loses a little bit of steam over the course of its runtime, and I'm not entirely sure what to make of the ending... but it's definitely something special, and has aged quite well.
Pulse (1988): Shockingly bad. *ba dum tss* Okay, not VelociPastor bad... but aside from some cool (and very sparse) visual effects, it didn't really have much of anything going for it and was mostly just a chore to get through.
In Fabric (2018): The tale of a creepy clothing boutique and their cursed red dress. Quite fun, and very attractive visually... but the 2 hour runtime is definitely a size too big.
In the Mouth of Madness (1994): Got off to a reasonably strong start, but my feelings became a little more mixed as the film went on... though the ending puts a nice bow on it, earning it a Get Out of Jail Free card. Kinda made me think of Alan Wake, to the point where I half-expected John Trent to turn out to be Sutter Cane. Anyway, it wasn't amazing, but it was cute.
Some of these were part of my originally planned 32-film horror movie tournament bracket, but I decided to shelve my plans for a concurrent horror game tournament bracket and substantially expand the movie bracket instead. How much did I expand it? Well, I might be biting off more than I can chew here, but here's the new line-up (which has been totally reseeded including the films I've already watched from the previous bracket, invalidating prior match-up results):
Kwaidan (1964)
The Lost Boys (1987)
Dracula (1992)
Friday the 13th (1980)
Noriko's Dinner Table (2005)
Sinister (2012)
The Others (2001)
The Velocipastor (2018)
The Birds (1963)
Jigoku (1960)
The Witch (2015)
Pulse (1988)
In Fabric (2018)
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
Funny Games (1997)
Children of the Corn (1984)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Black Christmas (1974)
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Suspiria (1977)
Southbound (2015)
Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker (1981)
Donkey Punch (2008)
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Hellraiser (1987)
House (1977)
Ju-on The Curse (2000)
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
The Craft (1996)
Crimson Peak (2015)
Bordello of Blood (1996)
Midsommar (2019)
It Comes at Night (2017)
The Omen (1976)
Unmasked Part 25 (1988)
Kuroneko (1968)
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
The Descent (2005)
Underwater (2020)
The Host (2006)
The Frighteners (1996)
Angel Heart (1987)
The Last House on the Left (1972)
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
The Shallows (2016)
Mother! (2017)
The Card Player (2004)
Possession (1981)
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Dead Ringers (1988)
Life (2017)
They Live (1988)
Nekromantik (1987)
Don't Look Now (1973)
The Addiction (1995)
Altered States (1980)
Seeds (1968)
Evil Dead Trap (1988)
Piranha (1978)
The Stepford Wives (1975)
Hitcher in the Dark (1989)
The Wailing (2016)
In a Glass Cage (1986)
Possessor (2020)
Driller Killer (1979)
Nosferatu the Vampyr (1979)
Phantasm (1979)
Arachnophobia (1990)
Grandmother's House (1988)
The Vanishing (1988)
Shivers (1975)
Roadgames (1981)
Scream and Scream Again (1970)
Poltergeist (1982)
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
Cronos (1993)
The Green Slime (1968)
Hereditary (2018)
Don't Breathe (2016)
The Dead Zone (1983)
My Girlfriend is a Serial Killer (2019)
Re-animator (1985)
The Beyond (1981)
The Evil Dead (1981)
Puppet Master (1989)
The Lighthouse (2019)
Martyrs (2008)
Phenomena (1985)
The Cell (2000)
Onibaba (1964)
Session 9 (2001)
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
Sharks of the Corn (2021)
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Candyman (1992)
Halloween (1978)
Ring (1995)
The Skin I Live In (2011)
Serial Mom (1994)
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920)
Lips of Blood (1975)
The Exorcist (1973)
Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971)
Eyes Without a Face (1960)
Phase IV (1974)
Fright Night (1985)
Haunted School (1995)
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
Snuff (1975)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)
Gremlins (1984)
The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
Audition (1999)
Scream 4 (2011)
The Ninth Configuration (1980)
Event Horizon (1997)
Repulsion (1965)
Psycho II (1983)
Creepshow (1982)
Forbidden Siren (2006)
Carrie (1976)
Lifeforce (1985)
Dark Water (2002)
Double Exposure (1982)
The Lost Boys (1987)
Dracula (1992)
Friday the 13th (1980)
Noriko's Dinner Table (2005)
Sinister (2012)
The Others (2001)
The Velocipastor (2018)
The Birds (1963)
Jigoku (1960)
The Witch (2015)
Pulse (1988)
In Fabric (2018)
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
Funny Games (1997)
Children of the Corn (1984)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Black Christmas (1974)
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Suspiria (1977)
Southbound (2015)
Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker (1981)
Donkey Punch (2008)
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Hellraiser (1987)
House (1977)
Ju-on The Curse (2000)
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
The Craft (1996)
Crimson Peak (2015)
Bordello of Blood (1996)
Midsommar (2019)
It Comes at Night (2017)
The Omen (1976)
Unmasked Part 25 (1988)
Kuroneko (1968)
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
The Descent (2005)
Underwater (2020)
The Host (2006)
The Frighteners (1996)
Angel Heart (1987)
The Last House on the Left (1972)
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
The Shallows (2016)
Mother! (2017)
The Card Player (2004)
Possession (1981)
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Dead Ringers (1988)
Life (2017)
They Live (1988)
Nekromantik (1987)
Don't Look Now (1973)
The Addiction (1995)
Altered States (1980)
Seeds (1968)
Evil Dead Trap (1988)
Piranha (1978)
The Stepford Wives (1975)
Hitcher in the Dark (1989)
The Wailing (2016)
In a Glass Cage (1986)
Possessor (2020)
Driller Killer (1979)
Nosferatu the Vampyr (1979)
Phantasm (1979)
Arachnophobia (1990)
Grandmother's House (1988)
The Vanishing (1988)
Shivers (1975)
Roadgames (1981)
Scream and Scream Again (1970)
Poltergeist (1982)
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
Cronos (1993)
The Green Slime (1968)
Hereditary (2018)
Don't Breathe (2016)
The Dead Zone (1983)
My Girlfriend is a Serial Killer (2019)
Re-animator (1985)
The Beyond (1981)
The Evil Dead (1981)
Puppet Master (1989)
The Lighthouse (2019)
Martyrs (2008)
Phenomena (1985)
The Cell (2000)
Onibaba (1964)
Session 9 (2001)
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
Sharks of the Corn (2021)
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Candyman (1992)
Halloween (1978)
Ring (1995)
The Skin I Live In (2011)
Serial Mom (1994)
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920)
Lips of Blood (1975)
The Exorcist (1973)
Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971)
Eyes Without a Face (1960)
Phase IV (1974)
Fright Night (1985)
Haunted School (1995)
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
Snuff (1975)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)
Gremlins (1984)
The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
Audition (1999)
Scream 4 (2011)
The Ninth Configuration (1980)
Event Horizon (1997)
Repulsion (1965)
Psycho II (1983)
Creepshow (1982)
Forbidden Siren (2006)
Carrie (1976)
Lifeforce (1985)
Dark Water (2002)
Double Exposure (1982)
New current tournament results:
Round 1-1: Kwaidan (1964) vs The Lost Boys (1987) - Winner: The Lost Boys
Round 1-2: Dracula (1992) vs Friday the 13th (1980) - Winner: Dracula
Round 1-3: Noriko's Dinner Table (2005) vs Sinister (2012) - Winner: Sinister
Round 1-4: The Others (2001) vs The VelociPastor (2018) - Winner: The Others
Round 1-5: The Birds (1963) vs Jigoku (1960) - Winner: Jigoku
Round 1-6: The Witch (2015) vs Pulse (1988) - Winner: The Witch
Round 1-7: In Fabric (2018) vs In the Mouth of Madness (1994) - Winner: In the Mouth of Madness
Round 2-1: The Lost Boys (1987) vs Dracula (1992) - Winner: The Lost Boys
Round 2-2: Sinister (2012) vs The Others (2001) - Winner: The Others
Round 2-3: Jigoku (1960) vs The Witch (2015) - Winner: Jigoku
Round 3-1: The Lost Boys (1987) vs The Others (2001) - Winner: The Others
House / ハウス (1977): A haunted house horror story with a wildly whimsical aesthetic that somehow doesn't entirely undercut the dread, and in fact sometimes adds to it. Surprisingly rich with fascinating subtext, too. Marvelous.
Poltergeist (1982): While Poltergeist failed to get me to buy into the stakes of the story and get invested emotionally, it was still a highly entertaining rollercoaster ride that really picks up in the last 3rd of the movie. While not directed by Spielberg, you can definitely feel his touch here.
The Witch (2015): A gorgeous and disturbing tale of a family tormented by a witch, though I've gotta say... Thomasin teasing her young brother and sister with tales of witchcraft is probably the closest I've been tempted to yell at a character in a horror movie for doing something dumb. Still, that's not really a flaw of the movie itself which was fantastic.
Crimson Peak (2015): Certain aspects of the story might be a bit flimsy, but this film very quickly put a big smile on my face which remained there for the duration of the movie. A visual treat.
Kwaidan / 怪談 (1964): A beautiful anthology film comprised of four ghost stories. Its deliberate pace helps establish a thick atmosphere and mood, though I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel every minute of the 3-hour runtime. My favorite story was the 3rd one, though they're all good.
The Lost Boys (1987): Deliciously 80s vampire flick that's pure fun. Maybe certain aspects of the plot could be nitpicked, and some of the compositing is spotty... but all the same, I had a great time with it.
Friday the 13th (1980): Although I hadn't seen this one before, I knew the score regarding the identity of the killer in this installment. What I didn't know, however, was that Kevin Bacon was in it... well, half of it anyway. Ultimately, it was an amusing enough movie but a bit unsatisfying.
Dracula (1992): Technically a partial rewatch, as I definitely saw at least the opening sequence back when I was around 5 years old or so... though I'm sure my parents shooed me out of the living room when things got too sexy. Anyway... while they're not this film's only problems, Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder sure do drag this movie down a few pegs, eh? Still, between the striking aesthetics of the film and the handful of other actors and actresses who deliver more captivating performances, it manages to be enjoyable enough. Has me wishing it were better though...
Noriko's Dinner Table / 紀子の食卓 (2005): I didn't realize that this was gonna have a plot tangentially connected to Suicide Club, so that was a fun surprise (and a good thing I'd already seen Suicide Club, though I'd probably have been ok without it). It's a little bit slow, but quite compelling and I think it's the superior film compared to Suicide Club.
Sinister (2012): There are some fair criticisms one could levy against this movie... over-reliance on jump scares, the monster looking like a member of Slipknot, etc. But ultimately I found it highly effective, easily the scariest film I've watched this month and the only one to actually send chills down my spine. And while I'm not judging these movies by how scary they are but instead how good they are... while horror movies can easily be good without being scary, I think it's unlikely for any horror movie to be scary without also being good. Also, I do love me a deliciously dark ending.
The Others (2001): As with Dracula, this one's technically a partial rewatch... I'd seen it back in the day as a kid, but my attention was so divided that my dad had to explain to me what the big twist was (despite the fact that one of the living characters basically spells it out for you). So yeah, I did know the main twist going in... but it kinda gave me the best of both worlds, being able to pick up on fun details "Stop breathing like that. Stop breathing like that! STOP BREATHING!" without actually knowing the details. Anyway, it might be easy to write this one off as a Sixth Sense ripoff, but it's the superior film... or maybe that's just my crush on Nicole Kidman elevating it, but you can't deny she gives a tremendous performance here.
The VelociPastor (2018): Hot trash, but you likely deduced that from the name of the film. Faintly amusing, but I mainly just included it so that its meager ~75 minute runtime would give me a bit of a breather. And well, that's pretty much what it accomplished.
The Birds (1963): Psycho is great, this one ain't. Being a well-liked Hitchcock film, maybe my expectations were too high... but damn, this kinda sucked. Got off to a decent enough start, and even when the horrible compositing reared its head and sapped most of the scariness away, I was willing to overlook it in hopes that the story paid off... but my jaw was literally agape at how rubbish that ending was. If this movie was ever good, it certainly hasn't aged well.
Jigoku / 地獄 (1960): A visually stunning tale of a man who finds himself tormented in life and in death. Loses a little bit of steam over the course of its runtime, and I'm not entirely sure what to make of the ending... but it's definitely something special, and has aged quite well.
Pulse (1988): Shockingly bad. *ba dum tss* Okay, not VelociPastor bad... but aside from some cool (and very sparse) visual effects, it didn't really have much of anything going for it and was mostly just a chore to get through.
In Fabric (2018): The tale of a creepy clothing boutique and their cursed red dress. Quite fun, and very attractive visually... but the 2 hour runtime is definitely a size too big.
In the Mouth of Madness (1994): Got off to a reasonably strong start, but my feelings became a little more mixed as the film went on... though the ending puts a nice bow on it, earning it a Get Out of Jail Free card. Kinda made me think of Alan Wake, to the point where I half-expected John Trent to turn out to be Sutter Cane. Anyway, it wasn't amazing, but it was cute.
Last edited:
Grave Encounters (2011)
This film seems to have a decent following and I'm a sucker for found footage horror movies, so I gave it a shot. I'm pretty mixed on the experience. I enjoyed it as a spoof of these dumb ghost hunter shows you see on TV and I dug how the crew got deeper into the madness as the film progressed. However, I just didn't find it very scary and the one scene I found effective was sorta ruined by some bad CG that stuck out like a sore thumb. The sound design was rather cool in the later half but I found a lot of the attempts at scares to be corny. The ending had me totally rolling my eyes too. That being said, I can't say that I wasn't thoroughly entertained here and had a good time watching it.
2.5/5 spookies
This film seems to have a decent following and I'm a sucker for found footage horror movies, so I gave it a shot. I'm pretty mixed on the experience. I enjoyed it as a spoof of these dumb ghost hunter shows you see on TV and I dug how the crew got deeper into the madness as the film progressed. However, I just didn't find it very scary and the one scene I found effective was sorta ruined by some bad CG that stuck out like a sore thumb. The sound design was rather cool in the later half but I found a lot of the attempts at scares to be corny. The ending had me totally rolling my eyes too. That being said, I can't say that I wasn't thoroughly entertained here and had a good time watching it.
2.5/5 spookies
OP
OP
7. The Fog (1980)
So I'd actually only seen the remake of this movie up until tonight and I do think on the whole this is objectively the better film. The characters feel more grounded/developed, the ghost designs are creepier, it does a better job of building up suspense, and does more with describing what isn't shown than the remake did with showing the stuff. It's all around just a very solid spooky film
So I'd actually only seen the remake of this movie up until tonight and I do think on the whole this is objectively the better film. The characters feel more grounded/developed, the ghost designs are creepier, it does a better job of building up suspense, and does more with describing what isn't shown than the remake did with showing the stuff. It's all around just a very solid spooky film
Ari Aster double feature! First time viewing for both.
11. Hereditary
This is the first movie to legit scare me in quite some time. There have been a lot of great horror movies recently that sit with me long after the credits roll, and haunt my thoughts like ghosts, but usually those movies don't frighten me while I'm actually watching them. This movie achieved both. Incredible acting from Toni Colette. I know I'm late to the party, but this is one of the best horror movies I've seen in years. 5/5
12. Midsommar
Wow, Aster did it again. I think I enjoyed this even more than Hereditary. In fact, I imagine this is going to end up being my favorite of this year's viewings. I loved pretty much everything about this movie. Not as "scary" as Hereditary, but disturbing as fuck. 5/5
11. Hereditary
This is the first movie to legit scare me in quite some time. There have been a lot of great horror movies recently that sit with me long after the credits roll, and haunt my thoughts like ghosts, but usually those movies don't frighten me while I'm actually watching them. This movie achieved both. Incredible acting from Toni Colette. I know I'm late to the party, but this is one of the best horror movies I've seen in years. 5/5
12. Midsommar
Wow, Aster did it again. I think I enjoyed this even more than Hereditary. In fact, I imagine this is going to end up being my favorite of this year's viewings. I loved pretty much everything about this movie. Not as "scary" as Hereditary, but disturbing as fuck. 5/5
Ari Aster double feature! First time viewing for both.
11. Hereditary
This is the first movie to legit scare me in quite some time. There have been a lot of great horror movies recently that sit with me long after the credits roll, and haunt my thoughts like ghosts, but usually those movies don't frighten me while I'm actually watching them. This movie achieved both. Incredible acting from Toni Colette. I know I'm late to the party, but this is one of the best horror movies I've seen in years. 5/5
12. Midsommar
Wow, Aster did it again. I think I enjoyed this even more than Hereditary. In fact, I imagine this is going to end up being my favorite of this year's viewings. I loved pretty much everything about this movie. Not as "scary" as Hereditary, but disturbing as fuck. 5/5
Wow, first time watching both Hereditary and Midsommar! Very exciting evening!
I really love both of these movies.
It was an amazing day of horror, that's for sure. It sucks that I missed out on all the discussion of these movies while they were all the rage, but I'm a better horror fan now for having seen them. Two very distinct types of movies that terrify me in completely different ways. And to think I was worried about feeling numb to a lot of it because I'm watching horror movies every day.
Hey, I've seen this one about a bajillion times before, what gives?!
...wait, it's a special 40th anniversary screening?
Yeah, you can join up!
In the pantheon of horror film debuts, Sam Raimi's ultimate experience in grueling horror stands alone as easily the most exciting, inventive, and frankly horrific of them all, combining a genuine passion for taking the audience on the world's most aggressive roller coaster of gross-out shocks with clever thriftiness that helps to make the film feel much grander and bolder than its tiny budget would have ordinarily dealt it. Though it does feature a few of the usual growing pains associated with first-time filmmakers getting the chance to make something more substantial, both in front of and behind the camera, you find yourself not minding the technical gaffes and dodgy performances as Raimi hits the gas soon after the title drops (literally, as the case is here!), putting our weekend vacationers on a collision course with the Kandarian Presence that haunts the woods that surround the cabin that's about to filled with a how lot of blood.
Not knowing what the audience could stomach plays a big part in how fresh the film feels even now, as Raimi unknowingly goes above and beyond to deliver on horror moments so strong that it manages to make one wince even now with how utterly gnarly the moments of disfigurement can get. Even if one were to remove the notorious tree scene from the film, you're still facing down some moments of grisly violence that need to be seen to be believed, as the actors and the camera give it their all to show you just how nasty things can get when you really put your back into it. I've little doubt that when this was running around back in the day that a fair few folks made short work of their previous meals that day being ejected out quite forcefully, but the key to keeping folks coming back is to make sure they have a reason to get back into the theater after vomiting or even pulling off the feat of getting them to stay in their seat regardless as his team pulls of an impressive level of escalation to just about anything. And though it's not as elegant as later solutions added by considerably more money allowed for, that camerawork remains so strong and peerless throughout that it's boggling to consider the logistics of how they were able to make it work with how little they had to work with in the first place.
There is, of course, just enough humor baked into the film to take some of the sting off long enough before it reloads and goes on the attack again, and the attempt to humanize the agony Ash goes through with how much he seems to care for the entire gang, let alone his beloved Linda and his little sister Cheryl, are appreciated in being able to give us an eventual hero to root for, even as his chances shrink the more and more the Deadites assume control. And though it may seem like it's all so undernourished compared to more serious attempts, the occasional moments of respite are great at both setting up future gags of the less comedic kind and as an effective palette cleanser before finding another shade of red yet to be spilled. Without them, the film would certainly be poorer in both pacing and affability and are quite plainly essential to being able to sell the film on all of its merits. Just enough here is exactly all it needed to succeed on the whole, making for a good set of instincts on the part of the whole cast and crew to make sure that they were good enough to be able to hang around and even make some high notes of their own.
It's not hard to see why its sequels would gain more favor with the public at large, as the horror is de-emphasized in them to the point where they may as well be more fantasy than horror (especially for Army of Darkness) and they focused on wider crowd-pleasing efforts that played up the humor to very good ends in addition to truly bravura staging and execution. But with this first film, as raw as it gets, it also feels much purer and timeless that makes it hard to believe that it has been 40 years, as it manages to feel very fresh in its ruthless efficiency and no holds barred approach to the way it progresses to get one to get very excited to see what comes next after the latest shock. It's perhaps not so scary after the umpteenth time watching it, but the craft that went into those jolts remains extraordinary enough now that you can still feel the electricity that it generates to remind you just how wonderful low-budget filmmaking has and always will be when the drive is there to do something that no one has seen before. Even with its extreme violence, I find myself so eager to revisit this whenever the opportunity presents itself as it's so eminently engaging that the 85 minutes fly as you have your eyes glued to the screen. You will want to look away whenever a pencil might come into view of the frame, but goddamn it if the hooks of this movie aren't in you good that you persevere to see just how much worse it can get in that regard, only to be treated instead to as impressive a debut film as they can possibly come in on with a shoestring. A remarkable film that deserves all the mark anniversaries to come.
...wait, it's a special 40th anniversary screening?
Yeah, you can join up!
In the pantheon of horror film debuts, Sam Raimi's ultimate experience in grueling horror stands alone as easily the most exciting, inventive, and frankly horrific of them all, combining a genuine passion for taking the audience on the world's most aggressive roller coaster of gross-out shocks with clever thriftiness that helps to make the film feel much grander and bolder than its tiny budget would have ordinarily dealt it. Though it does feature a few of the usual growing pains associated with first-time filmmakers getting the chance to make something more substantial, both in front of and behind the camera, you find yourself not minding the technical gaffes and dodgy performances as Raimi hits the gas soon after the title drops (literally, as the case is here!), putting our weekend vacationers on a collision course with the Kandarian Presence that haunts the woods that surround the cabin that's about to filled with a how lot of blood.
Not knowing what the audience could stomach plays a big part in how fresh the film feels even now, as Raimi unknowingly goes above and beyond to deliver on horror moments so strong that it manages to make one wince even now with how utterly gnarly the moments of disfigurement can get. Even if one were to remove the notorious tree scene from the film, you're still facing down some moments of grisly violence that need to be seen to be believed, as the actors and the camera give it their all to show you just how nasty things can get when you really put your back into it. I've little doubt that when this was running around back in the day that a fair few folks made short work of their previous meals that day being ejected out quite forcefully, but the key to keeping folks coming back is to make sure they have a reason to get back into the theater after vomiting or even pulling off the feat of getting them to stay in their seat regardless as his team pulls of an impressive level of escalation to just about anything. And though it's not as elegant as later solutions added by considerably more money allowed for, that camerawork remains so strong and peerless throughout that it's boggling to consider the logistics of how they were able to make it work with how little they had to work with in the first place.
There is, of course, just enough humor baked into the film to take some of the sting off long enough before it reloads and goes on the attack again, and the attempt to humanize the agony Ash goes through with how much he seems to care for the entire gang, let alone his beloved Linda and his little sister Cheryl, are appreciated in being able to give us an eventual hero to root for, even as his chances shrink the more and more the Deadites assume control. And though it may seem like it's all so undernourished compared to more serious attempts, the occasional moments of respite are great at both setting up future gags of the less comedic kind and as an effective palette cleanser before finding another shade of red yet to be spilled. Without them, the film would certainly be poorer in both pacing and affability and are quite plainly essential to being able to sell the film on all of its merits. Just enough here is exactly all it needed to succeed on the whole, making for a good set of instincts on the part of the whole cast and crew to make sure that they were good enough to be able to hang around and even make some high notes of their own.
It's not hard to see why its sequels would gain more favor with the public at large, as the horror is de-emphasized in them to the point where they may as well be more fantasy than horror (especially for Army of Darkness) and they focused on wider crowd-pleasing efforts that played up the humor to very good ends in addition to truly bravura staging and execution. But with this first film, as raw as it gets, it also feels much purer and timeless that makes it hard to believe that it has been 40 years, as it manages to feel very fresh in its ruthless efficiency and no holds barred approach to the way it progresses to get one to get very excited to see what comes next after the latest shock. It's perhaps not so scary after the umpteenth time watching it, but the craft that went into those jolts remains extraordinary enough now that you can still feel the electricity that it generates to remind you just how wonderful low-budget filmmaking has and always will be when the drive is there to do something that no one has seen before. Even with its extreme violence, I find myself so eager to revisit this whenever the opportunity presents itself as it's so eminently engaging that the 85 minutes fly as you have your eyes glued to the screen. You will want to look away whenever a pencil might come into view of the frame, but goddamn it if the hooks of this movie aren't in you good that you persevere to see just how much worse it can get in that regard, only to be treated instead to as impressive a debut film as they can possibly come in on with a shoestring. A remarkable film that deserves all the mark anniversaries to come.
1. Candyman (2021) 3.5/5
2. The Empty Man (2020) 3/5
3. The Lost Boys (1987) 2/5
4. His House (2020) 3.5/5
5. 28 Days Later (2002) [rewatch] 4/5
6. 28 Weeks Later (2007) 3.5/5
I'd seen 28 Days Later before but somehow I'd never seen the sequel. For the most part, I was pretty impressed with how they progressed the story and didn't just rehash the original movie. It's clear they had a bigger budget and more well-known actors (though some of them would go on to become much bigger names later in their careers). They were able to be more ambitious while keeping the same tone and feel from the first movie, even with a new director. While not as innovative as the original, this was a great expansion of the universe and an example of a sequel done well.
2. The Empty Man (2020) 3/5
3. The Lost Boys (1987) 2/5
4. His House (2020) 3.5/5
5. 28 Days Later (2002) [rewatch] 4/5
6. 28 Weeks Later (2007) 3.5/5
I'd seen 28 Days Later before but somehow I'd never seen the sequel. For the most part, I was pretty impressed with how they progressed the story and didn't just rehash the original movie. It's clear they had a bigger budget and more well-known actors (though some of them would go on to become much bigger names later in their careers). They were able to be more ambitious while keeping the same tone and feel from the first movie, even with a new director. While not as innovative as the original, this was a great expansion of the universe and an example of a sequel done well.
Friday the 13th (1980)
Dispassionate is the word that kept echoing in my mind during the 95 minutes runtime. This is a slasher film so incompent, so uninterested in itself, it baffles me how it spawned one of most enduring movie franchises of the last century.
A cold reinterpretation of many (better) horror stories coupled with awful directing (the "you're doomed" guy leaving in his bike after whispering in a single shot is the funniest shit).
I was suprised with the characters having actual personalities and humanity, but in the end, they exist only to be killed. Maybe that's the appeal? There's craft in the gore, but it's so bad edited.
Anyway, Betsy Palmer shows up for 15 minutes and brings so much life with an insane twist, it almost made me think that is not so bad.
1. Final Destination 1: 3.5/5 (Rewatch)
2. Malignant: 3/5
3. Willy's Wonderland 3/5
4. Trick R Treat: 4.5/5
5. An American Werewolf in London: 5/5
6. The People Under The Stairs: 3.5/5
7. Tremors:
This movie series gets hijacked by Gummer but before all that shit which I dunno if it needed to be a franchise but that out of the way, man I love good ol creature features and this is one of the best modern(?) ones, Bacon/Ward gel good, Micheal Gross is the standout(duh.), Reba can shockingly act, the practical effects kick ass and it's a horror movie you can show the old kids (Chances are they are already into horror anyways.)
5/5
2. Malignant: 3/5
3. Willy's Wonderland 3/5
4. Trick R Treat: 4.5/5
5. An American Werewolf in London: 5/5
6. The People Under The Stairs: 3.5/5
7. Tremors:
This movie series gets hijacked by Gummer but before all that shit which I dunno if it needed to be a franchise but that out of the way, man I love good ol creature features and this is one of the best modern(?) ones, Bacon/Ward gel good, Micheal Gross is the standout(duh.), Reba can shockingly act, the practical effects kick ass and it's a horror movie you can show the old kids (Chances are they are already into horror anyways.)
5/5
#7. The Last Exorcism - A story about Howard from Better Call Saul setting out to make a documentary about how exorcisms are bullshit. I don't think this movie is going to win you over if you're tired of exorcism or found footage movies but I did quite enjoy it. There was some cheap musical cues for some of the scares which didn't make much sense for found footage. I think the ending was too much though. I'm not necessarily against the general direction that the ending took but it just felt a little extreme for what the movie was going for most of its runtime.
9. Tenebrae (1982)
Not quite sure what to think about this one yet. Great direction and music as per usual, but not sure if I liked the mystery as much as Deep Red. Actually damn, this ended up being more of a bloodshed than I expected, but it felt like it was nailing the senselessness of killings that Dario Argento was apparently exploring for this. Much like Deep Red, the ending is pretty bonkers, but a different kind of bonkers. Wild that the protagonist ended up being a killer, and that last 10 minutes with him faking his death, and everyone but Anne dying was crazy.
Not quite sure what to think about this one yet. Great direction and music as per usual, but not sure if I liked the mystery as much as Deep Red. Actually damn, this ended up being more of a bloodshed than I expected, but it felt like it was nailing the senselessness of killings that Dario Argento was apparently exploring for this. Much like Deep Red, the ending is pretty bonkers, but a different kind of bonkers. Wild that the protagonist ended up being a killer, and that last 10 minutes with him faking his death, and everyone but Anne dying was crazy.
#7
I was really gripped by this for the first 90 minutes or so. I thought it struck a nice balance between disturbing and moments of pitch black comedy. But the last hour became a bit of slog with an epilogue that just wouldn't end. Like every Von Trier I'm left with some scenes that will be permanently etched into my mind.
7/10
I was really gripped by this for the first 90 minutes or so. I thought it struck a nice balance between disturbing and moments of pitch black comedy. But the last hour became a bit of slog with an epilogue that just wouldn't end. Like every Von Trier I'm left with some scenes that will be permanently etched into my mind.
7/10
Film #11 – From The Dark
My third Irish movie of the month, and it's another very enjoyable effort, despite that truly terrible poster above.
Mark and Sarah are a young couple venturing out into the countryside for a weekend away. When they take a wrong turn and their car gets stuck, they seek help from a nearby farmhouse, only to discover that the farmer is in much greater need of assistance than they are.
A low budget monster movie with a four person cast and a rather slight story, From The Dark is elevated by the quality of its execution. It's got great natural dialogue, there's fantastic chemistry between the leads, and it's both gripping and creepy. The real highlight however is Naimh Algar who plays the ever resourceful and increasingly badass Sarah. She's absolutely fantastic, and I'll definitely be looking out for anything else she's been in.
Score: 4 out of 5
Films I've watched so far
My third Irish movie of the month, and it's another very enjoyable effort, despite that truly terrible poster above.
Mark and Sarah are a young couple venturing out into the countryside for a weekend away. When they take a wrong turn and their car gets stuck, they seek help from a nearby farmhouse, only to discover that the farmer is in much greater need of assistance than they are.
A low budget monster movie with a four person cast and a rather slight story, From The Dark is elevated by the quality of its execution. It's got great natural dialogue, there's fantastic chemistry between the leads, and it's both gripping and creepy. The real highlight however is Naimh Algar who plays the ever resourceful and increasingly badass Sarah. She's absolutely fantastic, and I'll definitely be looking out for anything else she's been in.
Score: 4 out of 5
Films I've watched so far
Ari Aster double feature! First time viewing for both.
11. Hereditary
This is the first movie to legit scare me in quite some time. There have been a lot of great horror movies recently that sit with me long after the credits roll, and haunt my thoughts like ghosts, but usually those movies don't frighten me while I'm actually watching them. This movie achieved both. Incredible acting from Toni Colette. I know I'm late to the party, but this is one of the best horror movies I've seen in years. 5/5
12. Midsommar
Wow, Aster did it again. I think I enjoyed this even more than Hereditary. In fact, I imagine this is going to end up being my favorite of this year's viewings. I loved pretty much everything about this movie. Not as "scary" as Hereditary, but disturbing as fuck. 5/5
I'm very much looking forward to their next film. I was so tired of how generic Western mainstream horrors have been over the last couple of decades, but Hereditary in particular really struck a chord with me. Pretty much only Sinister and It Follows made any impression on me from the current era before this film. Excellent acting and absolutely incredible imagery. I've only seen it once but it really stuck a chord with me and is on my list for a rewatch this year.
I watched Midsommar for the first time as part of last year's list and loved it almost as much. Scary in a very, very different way and utterly captivating for every minute of it's relatively long runtime.
1. (N) Sputnik (2020) ****
2. (N) Dead Silence (2007) ***
3. (R) Halloween II (1981) ***
4. (R) Halloween IV (1988) **
5. (R) Halloween V (1989) *
6. (R) Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) ***
7. (N) The Midnight Meat Train (2008) ****
8. (N) Lake Mungo (2011) ***
---
9. (NEW) A Dark Song
I loved this film. I definitely lean towards the more slow-burning atmospheric films that have tense build ups and nightmarish imagery, and this film was all about those elements.
The main character hires an occultist to help her perform a series of dark rituals in an isolated Welsh house over a period of months, all to summon a guardian angel. The majority of the film is about leading the viewer to question why the lead woman wants to put herself through such extreme sacrifice, if the rituals are real, and even whether the occultist she has trapped herself for months in a house with is even trustworthy. Is he a conman who wants her alone in the middle of nowhere? Or is he actually legit?
The mental torture the occultist puts her through is upsetting, and I spent a large part of the film with genuinely no idea where the plot was going as it did such a good job of delivering just enough information and motive but then introducing a scene that makes you question all of it. It feels like a constant back and forth and really helps to keep the film engaging during the times where it is basically just two characters locked in a barren house performing various rites and/or talking.
The tension slowly builds to a quite insane climax that I will absolutely not spoil here. I'll just say I was happy with how the film ended and it goes in directions you may not expect. The acting is great, and the direction is similarly good (there are a couple of shots that will definitely stick with me due to the outstanding composition). It felt like a real place and the two characters felt like real people with real emotions.
Highly recommended. One of the best British horror dramas I have seen in a long time. Huge thanks to Conditional-Pancakes for their recommendation, as I wouldn't have known about this film where it not for them.
---
4 stars out of 5.
2. (N) Dead Silence (2007) ***
3. (R) Halloween II (1981) ***
4. (R) Halloween IV (1988) **
5. (R) Halloween V (1989) *
6. (R) Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) ***
7. (N) The Midnight Meat Train (2008) ****
8. (N) Lake Mungo (2011) ***
---
9. (NEW) A Dark Song
I loved this film. I definitely lean towards the more slow-burning atmospheric films that have tense build ups and nightmarish imagery, and this film was all about those elements.
The main character hires an occultist to help her perform a series of dark rituals in an isolated Welsh house over a period of months, all to summon a guardian angel. The majority of the film is about leading the viewer to question why the lead woman wants to put herself through such extreme sacrifice, if the rituals are real, and even whether the occultist she has trapped herself for months in a house with is even trustworthy. Is he a conman who wants her alone in the middle of nowhere? Or is he actually legit?
The mental torture the occultist puts her through is upsetting, and I spent a large part of the film with genuinely no idea where the plot was going as it did such a good job of delivering just enough information and motive but then introducing a scene that makes you question all of it. It feels like a constant back and forth and really helps to keep the film engaging during the times where it is basically just two characters locked in a barren house performing various rites and/or talking.
The tension slowly builds to a quite insane climax that I will absolutely not spoil here. I'll just say I was happy with how the film ended and it goes in directions you may not expect. The acting is great, and the direction is similarly good (there are a couple of shots that will definitely stick with me due to the outstanding composition). It felt like a real place and the two characters felt like real people with real emotions.
Highly recommended. One of the best British horror dramas I have seen in a long time. Huge thanks to Conditional-Pancakes for their recommendation, as I wouldn't have known about this film where it not for them.
---
4 stars out of 5.
Last edited:
#6. Kairo/Pulse (2001)
I feel like there's a lot to unpack after seeing this film but I'm going to try and make my thoughts as coherent as possible. I went into this film thinking that it'd simply be another ghost story and then it slowly morphed into a commentary on technology, depression, and extreme loneliness. From the jump, everything feels like it's seeped in this intense feeling of melancholy with every scene being as gloomy and dimly lit as possible. This overwhelming sense of gloom and isolation only gets worse as the film goes on as the already scarcely populated sets become even more desolate. Early on I thought the premise was already clever with the concept of ghosts and the afterlife intermingling with early 2000s era technology but then it evolved and went places I wouldn't have imagined when they start getting into why these ghosts exist. Said ghosts created a massive sense of dread in me during their initial appearances but this dread all but dissipated when you learn that they're possibly the products of loneliness and a lack of real connections gave form. However, that doesn't mean that they weren't scary as the film relies on a very slow burn type of horror instead of jump scares or gory shock. I liked the lead character due to his indomitable will as he tries to avoid succumbing to the overwhelming negativity that becomes very pervasive in the largely depressing second half of the film. I think my only negative is related to the said second half because while technology plays a large role during the beginning of the film its importance dwindles as the plot progresses despite the fact that it can be seen as the force behind why everything happens in the first place. Pulse is an excellent film and I'm looking forward to what else Kiyoshi Kurosawa has to offer since his critically acclaimed film Cure is further down my list for this month.
Overall: 4 disks out of 5
I feel like I'm in the minority with this opinion, but ever since I first watched it years ago I felt that it is a genuine masterpiece of a film. And that feeling has only gotten stronger on every rewatch. An absolute masterclass of mood, and the way it slowly and almost imperceptibly morphs from tense J-horror to existential dread and commentary on human nature is quite unlike anything else I've seen.