10. Seed of Chucky (2004) 2,5/5
I found the concept of the movie pretty funny but it did not deliver on it at the end. Sometimes I did not found the comedy funny. Although the scenes with all the dolls together are great. Love Glen/Glenda tho. Still a decent watch.
11. Curse of Chucky (2013) 3,5/5
This was a lot better. The comedy is gone and there are some tense scenes and clever misdirections. Also I like how it connects with the previous movies. Sometimes I feel bad because I enjoy a lot of Chucky when he is a doll, but when they show how he was as a normal human he is a fucking disgusting person.
12. Cult of Chucky (2017) 4/5
This was a trip but I like it lol. It has a little more comedy than the last one. I found the kills pretty gross and with mental health involved everything is even more disturbing. I found the main gimmick of the movie very fun. And the ending... I hope the new tv shows adress all of it.
The Stuff (3.5/5) - I had a lot of fun with this. If you haven't seen it, it's a Larry Cohen joint where humans get hooked on this ice cream/yogurt like substance called The Stuff that's actually a monster/alien. Definitely check it out if you're into 80s B-movie horror.
VHS 94 (4.5/5) - I absolutely loved this flick and it was easily my favorite out of all the VHS movies. It sets the tone immediately with the first short and you immediately know what you're in for the rest of the way. The wraparound story was awful, but the individual stories were a blast - plenty of horror, comedy, camp, and some excellent monster designs. Huge fan of this one.
Trick R' Treat (4/5) - Saw this back in 2009 when it came out and had absolutely no recollection of it, so decided to watch it again. It's fantastic! This is another anthology collection with a bunch of interwoven stories throughout. The movie has an excellent Halloween vibe (it's sooo orange) and one of the mid-movie twists is incredible. As it was playing out, I kept thinking to myself, "Wait, this is so weird, what is going on?" Then it all comes together for such a great holy shit moment. Fun movie and also highly recommended.
8 - Videodrome (1983) - Classic Cronenberg. Solid practical effects and gore, fun story with some socio commentary. Pretty decent flick. 8/10
9 - The Haunting (1999) - Used to really dig this as a kid. Now... it's not great. Still a few fun moments, but overall yeesh. 5.5/10
10 - Dead Night (2017) - Just... randomly decided to watch this after a few beers. And it's kind of modern best of the worst territory. Not great technically, but enough laughable moments, and beats to keep me interested. 6/10
11 - Sweetheart (2019) - Decent monster flick. Kind of a fun twist to be stranded on an island, which is already bad enough, and then you have to deal with a monster on top of that. 6.5/10
8) Hotel theme - 1408. Still pretty enjoyable. 3/5
9) Free choice - Wolf Cop. I made a joke about a Bram Stoker's Dracula like love scene with a wolf, and an hour later, the movie delivered. 5/5.
10) Witch theme - Drag Me to Hell. I hated this when it originally released, but had a good time with this viewing. That may have been due to my girlfriend's constant screaming lol. 4/5.
Quiet place 1 and 2: Overrated. I had this impression that in the first one there was barely any talking but I felt like they talked a lot. Everyone just does really stupid shit that causes trouble. I don't get the hype at all over these movies.
Shadow in the Sky: Really cool premise and although you could tell this was lower budget I think they did a hell of a job stretching it. Pretty wild action.
Malignant: Polarizing but we really liked it.
Freaky: Another really cool premise and I wasn't as struck on the first act but it finished really strong. The supporting cast was relevant and not just extras which was cool. Good movie.
Freaks of Nature(2015): Never even heard of this movie but the cast is pretty good and so was the acting. Really fucking weird premise but surprisingly not bad.
The Baby(1973): We loved this and I highly recommend it if you want something really offbeat and fucked up.
Subspecies 1 and 2: There is a 3rd one we haven't watched yet but they are all connected and pick up where the other left off. The first one is a little slow but not bad the second is actually better than the first imo and was pretty fun. I wouldn't necessarily recommend these because there are so many better movies to watch but they aren't bad movies.
Mistress of the Dark: We watch this like every other year it's great. We kind of alternate between this and Monster Squad as a yearly must watch.
Getting in late on cataloguing my Halloween watches this year, had a great month so far even if I've leaned heavier on the trash than I would usually.
#1 Children of the Corn (1984) - 3/5
I was kinda dreading the worst when it came to this, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I had with it. Lots of people had warned me it was a bad adaptation, or just straight-up boring. Didn't really get in the way of my enjoyment, for all the very evident budgetary restrictions. Probably not a good film, but small town low-budget horror will always be my kinda jam. The Arrow 4K looks fantastic, too.
#2 Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981) - 1/5
Susan Tyrrell is very spooky in this and the sexual stuff is sordid and gave me Sleepwalkers vibes, but I'm not sure it really clicked as much as I wanted it to. Maybe it was all the homophobia or the uncertain of itself tone, overall I felt this had a lot of missed potential and was too mean-spirited to be truly fun plus too goofy to be truly scary.
#3 Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1992) - 3/5
This low-key ruled, I had a great time. Yeah it's not as distinctive as the first, but it's maybe more competently made. Fun either way.
#4 V/H/S (2012) - 3/5 (Rewatch)
The second one is better, but this is super admirable. It's a little more mumblecore at times than it should be, probably on account of the tiny budget, but it's a cool idea executed quite well.
#5 V/H/S/2 (2013) - 3.5/5 (Rewatch) Safe Haven is fucking awesome, Timo Tjahjanto and Gareth Evans should team up on another horror movie down the line.
#6 Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995) - 2/5
It's not as entertaining as the second film, but it is surprisingly good for DTV trash. Fun change of location and a killer climax can't save this from being much more than a curosity, though.
#7 Killer's Delight (1978) - 2.5/5
Undercooked low-budget serial killer jam, doesn't really do much of note but it's pretty neat for fans of that era of exploitation filmmaking.
#8 Devil Story (1986) - 1/5
This is one of those titles that Vinegar Syndrome releases that I'm not entirely sure I understand the appeal of. An apathetic fart of a film, just a stinky gust that failed to illicit much of a reaction from me. This old guy tries to shoot a horse for like 60 minutes while the weird nazi Thanos zombie guy just kinda grunts and stumbles around. Utterly bizarre French no-budget horror that meanders for most of its running time, which is admirably just 72 minutes, at least.
#9 VHS 94 (2021) - 3.5/5
There's nothing quite as good as Safe Haven here, but it still manages to be the most consistent film in the series so far. Good fun, Simon Barrett's was my personal favourite. Worth pointing out that the wrap-around stuff is just as perfunctory as the previous entires in the series, but it's the first time I've enjoyed each of the stories. Could see myself enjoying this even more on a rewatch, too.
#10 Evil Dead II (1987) - 4.5/5 (Rewatch)
It's Evil Dead II, not sure what else there is to say about it at this point. Love it, always will.
#11 Shallow Grave (1987) - 3/5
Intentional or not, this had a lot of not so subtle things to say about police. Interesting conceit, but a little too plodding for how much it relies on the steady escalation of events. Still, I appreciate how grimy this distinct blend of thriller and slasher can get, even if I would have liked some sort of power reversal or a moment to cheer for near the end. Instead, it's just shockingly bleak.
#12 The Dark Half (1993) - 3/5
Cleaning up on the remaining George Romero films I haven't seen, and I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. Yeah the story is Stephen King at his pulpiest, and it's far from perfect, but it's a fun time and Romero's direction is solid as always. His killer editing isn't present, though, unfortunately.
#13 WNUF Halloween Special (2013) - 3.5/5
It doesn't stick the landing but I was smiling pretty much the whole way through, and it definitely got me in the halloween mood. I always love lost media ideas, a subset of found footage that I don't think gets enough love. This nails that, at least for the most part!
#14 The Vanishing (1988) - 4/5
My favourite first-time watch of the month so far, and I think it's one of the best-shot thrillers I've ever seen. Feels like the blend of a gorgeous contemplative drama and a distinctively genre-y '80s horror-tinged thriller.
I didn't love the ending, which I thought telegraphed too much as it lurched towards its inevitable misery. Having said that, the ending doesn't change how I feel about the rest of it, which is just stunning.
#15 The Outing (1987) - 2.5/5
Another low budget regional curiosity, but this time around the filmmakers are really trying to punch above their weight. They don't know how to structure a film, and the lack of budget clearly was a big hindrance, but hey they really tried! Some cool kills, just a shame it takes so long to get to the main part of the film.
Excited to add a few recommendations from this thread to my watchlist!
26. The Host (2006) (Rewatch) 5/5
An absolute blast of a genre mashing monster flick. Another favorite of mine that I appreciate a little more every time I watch it.
I was really liking this one until the final act where it sorta-kinda falls a part for me, nevertheless, this is a cool psychological horror movie about a mom convinced her son was replaced by something else. Evil kid movies are always fun for some reason (lol?) and this was indeed very creepy and eerie for the first two thirds, but it misses the landing and the revelation of what's happening fell flat. Shame, but still worth a watch probably.
11) Corpse Mania (1981)
★★★½
Shaw Brothers does giallo. Or more specifically, Kuei Chih-Hung - aka the mad mind behind Boxer's Omen and Killer Constable - does giallo. Corpse Mania is uncompromisingly grotesque yet gorgeous, disgusting yet thrilling, fetid yet frantic: period exploitation noir indebted to Bava, Argento, and De Palma.
Corpse Mania starts sluggishly, its initial momentum arrested by a lengthy flashback indulging in exposition set-up and necrotic maggot-squirming grotesqueries. But after that half hour however, the gut stabs, detective kung-fu, brothel intrigue, and split diopters are unleashed at full blast. Actually from that point on, the necrophilic depravity is largely abandoned in favor of slasher terror, as Chih-Hung flexes his talent for suspense and splatter.
Corpse Mania fuses sleazy giallo bedlam with Gothic atmosphere and Hong Kong action physicality. Regularly splashed with paint-red blood, the film's stylish stalk-&-kill sequences unfold against a canvas of fog, shadow, twilight haze, and colored lighting. A backseat ambush and a final-act escape are visceral highlights, while its cleaver-wielding killer - masked behind shades, scarf, and fedora - is as striking and vicious as Bava's Blood & Black Lace icon.
A strong recommend for fans of giallo, slashers, CAT III grisliness, and golden-age HK genre fare
10. Friday the 13th Part 4 (1984, streaming on Paramount+) 3/5
I didn't watch these movies growing up but obviously knew about this legendary series. The only one I saw at its time was Jason Goes to hell, which I definitely enjoyed. When I finally saw the first two as an adult, I was a little let down. They hadn't aged very well at all. I watched the 3rd last year and it was pretty awful, and not really in an enjoyable way. But after reading a few reviews on this one in this thread, I decided to give it a try and I was blown away! This movie is what I think of when I envision an iconic 80s slasher. It had paper-thin, but fun characters, lots of boobs, good pacing, and nice kills. I didn't expect Crispin Glover or Corey Feldman but they were nice surprises. The way final death is also pretty awesome. I guess I'm going to keep going until I hit another terrible movie, so let's see how long this good streak lasts!
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
8. Suspiria (1977, streaming on Tubi) 3.5/5
9. Ghoulies (1985, streaming on HBO Max) 1/5
27. Razorback (1984) (New) 4/5
I went in expecting your standard 80's B monster movie but this is all that and more. The whole movie feels like a surreal fever dream taking place in the Outback. The creature was great and the cinematography was outstanding.
27. Razorback (1984) (New) 4/5
I went in expecting your standard 80's B monster movie but this is all that and more. The whole movie feels like a surreal fever dream taking place in the Outback. The creature was great and the cinematography was outstanding.
It's like a micro-budget French 28 Days Later only really boring and with some of the worst sound mixing I've seen in a movie in a while. I love zombies and zombie movies are my favorite monster movies but this did absolutely nothing for me. 1/5
Saw III: This one was actually good again after the disaster for me that was Saw II. The swerves are good and Amanda being the one that was tested was actually something I didn't see coming. The MC saving the persons was a bit whatever but it actually all ended up really good! Favorite Saw for me so far by a looooong mile
(rewatch)
I've seen this many times, and I'm tired, so I'll be brief. Imaginative, gruesome, disgusting, batshit. If you haven't seen it, I suggest doing so, there's nothing quite like it.
Sometimes you just want to play with your cube and have a nice eternal S&M demon party in the attic, ya know?
16 -- Haunt (2019)
(first watch)
This was a fun little watch. Kind of by-the-numbers, however. Some young folks ditch the club and go to a haunted house attraction, and oh shit, shit is real. It's got some gruesome and brutal stuff going on, especially in the back third. I'm not a huge fan of the visuals, too much primary colored lighting, characters are sometimes randomly put in time-out to serve the plot, and I didn't really much care for the main girl's dramatic backstory, but none of that is a dealbreaker.
(rewatch)
Incredible, this one. It looks great, it sounds great, the atmosphere is both real and horrifying, the score is amazing, the story is intense, the cast is amazing (Tony Todd is hauntingly brutal....and alluring). The violence is so raw, and you don't even see it all. The aftermath is enough. The use of blood is so perfect, you can almost taste it.
Ahhh this looks tight, I've only gotten into black magic and Hong Kong Cat III as of last year, although I had watched Riki-Oh before. This sounds right up my street, caught Kuei Chih-Hung's Bewitched recently, which was surprisingly fun. Hoping to stumble across something as great as Seeding of a Ghost one day.
It's unusual for a film to be this much the creation of one individual. Jordan Graham not only wrote, directed, edited and produced this movie, he also did almost everything else: make up, special effects, sound design, cinematography, score - it's pretty much a case of you name it, he did it. He even constructed the cabin in the woods that much of the filming takes place in. One of the only jobs he didn't do was act, though he did get his grandmother involved on that front.
Fortunately all this incredible effort was not in vain, because if you respond to its particular vibe, Sator is a very good movie indeed, and my favourite of the month so far.
It tells the story of two brothers, a sister and their grandmother living in two properties in a pretty oppressive forest. Sator is a supernatural entity that also inhabits the woods and that wishes to 'claim' the family. It is aided in this by some disciples who have already succumbed to its dark allure. The siblings learn of Sator's existence from their grandmother's tales, and one brother in particular seems dangerously drawn to this strange being.
Whilst this film is in no way even pretending to be based on a true story, Jordan Graham gave up working on a previous project and started on this one when hearing a version of those same tales from his actual grandmother, Nani, who appears to have accepted Sator's existence as real in her own life. Even more interestingly, Nani plays the grandmother in this film and is listed in the credits as 'herself'. And she's fantastic in it too, putting in the best performance. The film is interspersed with black and white home video footage, some of which has been created especially for the movie, and some of which appears to be genuine footage of the Graham family, as also listed in the credits is Jordan's grandfather ('RIP 1925 - 2006'). In this 'original' footage, we hear Nani talk about Sator's presence in her life.
Of course all this could just be a load of bollocks, a mythology built up around the movie to create added interest, like a less extreme version of the 'disappearance' of the actors in Cannibal Holocaust. But I want to believe, and I'm an absolute sucker for this kind of blurring of fantasy and reality, so it's all good as far as I'm concerned.
Considering so much of this film was the work of one man, it is extremely well made. It looks amazing for a start, and the sound design in particular is just sensational. If there were awards for ominously creaking cabin doors, this film would beat all-comers, seriously. But the sound throughout the movie is just fantastic, whether it's the score, or the mystical chanting some characters hear throbbing in the background, or the roar of the wind in the trees, the rush of water over stones in the stream, the crunching of boots through snow, all of it combines to create a palpable sense of place and menace. And though there aren't many of them, even the jump scares are classily done, without the usual artificial stabs of LOUD NOISE that are the curse of many a more conventional movie.
It won't be for everyone I suspect, because it must be said that not much happens, in the conventional sense of horror film activity. But if you don't mind atmosphere often taking precedence over action, you may well find lots to enjoy here. And while there are certain elements of ambiguity around some events, the film has a proper ending and is definitely a proper horror movie.
I absolutely bloody loved it. Big thanks to More_Badass for pointing me in its direction.
Ahhh this looks tight, I've only gotten into black magic and Hong Kong Cat III as of last year, although I had watched Riki-Oh before. This sounds right up my street, caught Kuei Chih-Hung's Bewitched recently, which was surprisingly fun. Hoping to stumble across something as great as Seeding of a Ghost one day.
If you haven't seen Boxer's Omen, do yourself the favor. There's also Devil Fetus which is pretty close in "quality" to Seeding of a Ghost (I prefer Devil Fetus).
Can't help but feel dissapointed with this, as I expected a payoff that never comes, which maybe is on me, but nevertheless I feel almost cheated. Even after watching some "explanation videos" I still feel the same, as it's not that I didn't get it, it's just that I didn't get what I wanted out of it. Still, it's beautifully shot, has a killer soundtrack and the main actress's performance is great, and it sure is eerie and ultimately disturbing, but ultimately it feels like it's trying hard to be one of those famous A24 movies (I was about to call it the german Witch for the first half of the movie), but never reaching the narrative quality of those.
#8. Dementia 13 - Dir. Francis Ford Coppola, 1963 (Blu-ray) **
#9. Silent Night, Deadly Night Part II - Dir. Lee Harry, 1987 (Amazon Prime) ** 1/2
#10. Hell Fest - Dir. Gregory Plotkin, 2018 (Netflix) **
#11. Slumber Party Massacre - Dir. Amy Holden Jones, 1982 (Blu-ray) **
#12. Return to House on Haunted Hill - Dir. Víctor García, 2007 (Blu-ray) * 1/2
#13. Haxan - Dir. Benjamin Christensen, 1922 (Blu-ray) ****
Quick Takes: Dementia 13 is too dreary, SNDN2 is only half of a movie, Hell Fest is too sanitized, Slumber Party Massacre is too by the numbers, Return to House on Haunted Hill is just awful, and Haxan is freaking 100 years old almost, that's crazy.
Such an incredible film. Some would consider it a action thriller but I think its a solid horror film. The horrifying reality of the crew being trapped on this site with a nest of xenomorphs, the gruesome way they all kick the bucket one by one, the tension and anxiety at points…phewwww. The effects aged really well too and I get geeked up every time I watch it. Although HR Giger wasnt consulted for the queen's design, I fucking loved it regardless. The script is cheesy as shit at points but in the best way. The child does really well with her acting despite it being the only role she's ever done also. A masterpiece and worth the 2 1/2 hrs to get all those little extra scenes. 10/10
First time watching this. I always heard this movie was good/must see, so I finally took a chance on it. This is one messed up movie! Incredibly violent... which is the norm for these types of movies. I did like the 'idea' of this movie. Pretty creative, I admit! Despite not fully liking the movie, I still need to see the original French cut. The dubbing in the version I watched was not good. Apparently some scenes were trimmed for violence, also. If you like 70s/80s -style slashers, this movie is for you!
11. Kyrsyä - Tuftland (dir. Roope Olenius, 2017)
Sympathetic but in the end not very succesful Finnish indie folk horror film. I can't be too harsh on the film because it was mostly done by amateurs and clearly with a very small budget. The film is basically a variation of the Wicker Man story: an outsider comes to an isolated community where something is not right. The film works quite well in the first half when it's slowly building tension but falls apart when the horror movie part of the film is supposed to start.
4/10
12. The Juniper Tree (dir. Nietzchka Keene, 1990)
A fascinating and beautifully-shot medieval fantasy drama starring Björk and based on a Brothers Grimm story. Two sisters are forced to flee their home when their mother is burned as a witch. The sisters find shelter with a farmer and his son (with a little help from witchcraft). The film has an other-worldly melancholic atmosphere throughout the film reminding me of the work of Tarkovski and Bergman. Best film of the month so far.
9/10
11. Friday the 13th Part 5 (1985, streaming on Peacock) 3.5/5
Wow I really thought that Part 4 was a fluke and that this next one would be terrible, but it's not! I actually like it better! I like how there's actually continuity in this franchise too and the opening scene is cool. I think that the setup and characters aren't as interesting as Part 4, but the climactic fight made up for it. It was also interesting how it was kind of a murder mystery, since Jason is supposedly dead. Kind of like the first movie, and the resolution actually made sense to me. I guess from 4 on kids become the heroes of the franchise, because Reggie rocks! Also, I don't really remember 1-3, but is this the first time there are prominent black characters? And they aren't event he first to die. Spoilerish observations below:
Tommy is apparently a kung fu master, until he really needs it
This Veronica mars looking final girl kind of just gave up during the initial chase, but then really got a second wind once Reggie came to the rescue
Reggie is a badass
I really thought I'd be done with this franchise but this movie was still enjoyable so onto Part 6!
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
8. Suspiria (1977, streaming on Tubi) 3.5/5
9. Ghoulies (1985, streaming on HBO Max) 1/5
10. Friday the 13th Part 4 (1984, streaming on Paramount+) 3/5
With how many genre mash-ups that horror has had over the years, I'm a little surprised to find that deserted island survival films and creature features aren't nearly as common as one would think. Sure, there's plenty of survivalist pictures that involve some kind of monster in them, but deserted islands are seldom utilized and I really don't know why. With nothing but their thoughts and wits to them, the struggle of the protagonist turns into a real existential thrill as they have to cope with the looming possibility that even if they do overcome their adversary, there's a non-zero chance that all that awaits them is more of the island life, with rescue a near-impossibility and accepting that this is your ultimate fate. It's a juicy topic to be certain, and with skill levels being considerably less than that of, say, Dutch from Predator, how they go about their preparations and taking stock of the following respite gives it a real exciting energy to it that I can't help but be immediately on board with.
This film does then, for the most part, scratch a lot of that itch, as poor Jennifer finds herself quickly all alone on an island after a shipwreck. Though there's no immediate sign of there being something strange, we do get treated to some of the usual tropes being dutifully doled out: the protagonist offering up their own kind of skill check as they see what they can do with all they have on them; discovering that the deserted island was once home to other castaways and left behind some helpful trinkets; pooling their resources to find both more proper shelter and, with any luck, begin to craft a plan to make their way off the island should it come to that. For her part, Kiersey Clemons makes for a very appealing protagonist, as she's able to carry a lot of the film without needing to say much of anything out loud (a frequent annoyance, in my estimation), imbuing a palpable sense of putting all her strength into figuring out things for herself while also guarding just how scared witless she is of her predicament. And then all the strange coincidences start happening that prove that she may not be nearly as alone and alive on the island as she had thought, before getting an absolute killer scene in which her attempt to flag down a passing airplane with a flare lays it all to bare just what kind of threat she has to deal with.
Thankfully, the film has no pretensions about what she's dealing with at all, as we get treated a real monster and a rather inspired one at that. Coming across as the love child of the Gill-man and a Street Shark, the monster here cuts a very impressive physical presence, made all the better by the decision to use a costumed performer whenever possible, making for both a very visually pleasing design and as a genuine threat with its build being far larger than anything that Jennifer could possibly deal with head on. And indeed, a couple of close calls make it clear that she's going to need to really hunker down and figure out just how the hell to deal with such an overwhelming presence, even if that might wind up being that she needs to take a chance with leaving altogether. Despite the PG-13 rating, this definitely knocks pretty hard on the door of an R-rating, with some surprisingly bloody and gory moments to it that both give folks what they look for in a horror film of this nature, while also giving the film a good sense of physicality as it doesn't shy away from the blood, sweat, and tears that goes into Jennifer's bouts with the monster. It makes the struggle all the more exciting and makes Jennifer even easier to root for as she pushes herself to try and figure the how of it all.
At this point, the film's snappy pacing for being just over 80 minutes long works very well in its favor, as the "all killer, no filler" approach does give it a vitality that it may not have ordinarily have had with such familiar material being put out onto the screen in a fitting if not exactly the most original way. But then it calls to mind another annoying cliche of deserted island films that had yet to show up, and unfortunately, it does show up here and threaten to curtail the whole production with its attempts to take time away from the very compelling fight Jennifer has had to fight on her own up until that point. What makes the appearance of these characters all the more a bummer is that there's almost an interesting idea that's introduced with them that goes frustratingly unexplored in the end, rendering the 20ish minutes they get in the film feel very unwelcome as the film was planning to dispatch them anyway. I wouldn't call them awful on their own merits, but with how well the film was doing when it was just focusing on Jennifer, they're a big distraction all to accomplish the very simple task of explaining why the film is titled the way it is.
Thankfully, when one's back is up against the wall, the film does come alive again for a good climax as the final battle between Jennifer and the monster is a very physical bout as Jennifer pools together her remaining resources and creates a window of opportunity. Here, getting back to brass tacks improves the film a great deal as we get treated to a nice degree of uncertainty as to whether or not she can make it, adding a lot of excitement as her best efforts are still up against a creature of unimaginable strength and much more familiar with its environment than she ever will be. Wisely, the film decides to let well enough alone for its final image, a victory for the night that may or may not prove to be the start of her ultimate achievement in getting off the island. While the film does have its stumbles and can't always find the most novel way to approach the material, there is some very solid filmmaking present throughout and Kiersey Clemons is always a rock for the entire film to prop itself upon, seeing her claim a memento is enough for anyone to realize that if it's not today, then it's for sure going to be some day.
Such an incredible film. Some would consider it a action thriller but I think its a solid horror film. The horrifying reality of the crew being trapped on this site with a nest of xenomorphs, the gruesome way they all kick the bucket one by one, the tension and anxiety at points…phewwww. The effects aged really well too and I get geeked up every time I watch it. Although HR Giger wasnt consulted for the queen's design, I fucking loved it regardless. The script is cheesy as shit at points but in the best way. The child does really well with her acting despite it being the only role she's ever done also. A masterpiece and worth the 2 1/2 hrs to get all those little extra scenes. 10/10
FYI - Netflix has this series called the Movies that Made Us. Its a behind the scenes how movies got made. The new season comes out this week and Aliens is one of the episodes. Should be really cool behind the scenes stuff. I know Cameron did a ton of camera tricks like slow down frame rates and filmed scenes in reverse. Should be super cool.
Missed a couple days so I'm two behind but I'll probably watch at least one more tonight to catch up.
8. Censor (2021) 3/5
Interesting idea and some unsettling vibes in this but it left me wanting a little bit more. I don't mind leaving things unanswered and mysterious but I could have used just a bit more of... something. The movie wrapped up fairly suddenly and left me scratching my head.
9. Frankenstein (1931) 4.5/5
This and Bride are considered the Universal Monster movie gold standard by many and for good reason. I kind of enjoy watching all of them because I find the vibes very relaxing but this really stands out as special.
Pros:
-Tense atmosphere
-Realistic
-Chilling portrayal of killer
-Boris Karloff
Cons:
-The Boris Karloff scenes were a little boring at times in the beginning
Overall: 7.5/10 - This should've been called "Boris Karloff gives no fucks". His gentlemanly tone and demeanor facing retirement from acting is a sharp contrast against the would-be sniper who seemingly gets the desire to kill for seemingly no reason. I also liked that the killer is a clean cut young man with no prior issues nor showing any sign of remorse for anyone he fires upon. He is a blank piece of paper, and it's pretty terrifying.
12. Friday the 13th Part 6 (1986, streaming on Peacock) 3/5
Despite all odds I'm still enjoying this franchise! Things take a wild and ridiculous turn in how Jason is brought back. I feel like this is the movie where the creators decided to "level up" the franchise. Jason, or whomever the killer was for each movie, was really just a human in the past. Now he's a tough zombie, so that instantly ups the threat level. I personally prefer him being human but I was able to roll with it, especially since there are so many other improvements. The tory is less thin, with real character and solid performances. There's an early scene where a couple in car comment on the situation in a very smart and meta way that is reasonable and funny in a way that Scream would bank on a decade later. There is a lack of boobs but it's a small price to pay for the increased production value. I like how Billy returns and is actually suspected as being the killer in a way that impacts the plot, which was kind of barely touched upon in part 4. They edged into the dumb character drama and "depth" that many contemporary horror movies waste time on, especially with the laughable romance, but they don't overdo it. All in all this movie improved on its craft in many ways while still retaining its charm. I guess I'm onto Part 7 next.
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
8. Suspiria (1977, streaming on Tubi) 3.5/5
9. Ghoulies (1985, streaming on HBO Max) 1/5
10. Friday the 13th Part 4 (1984, streaming on Paramount+) 3/5
11. Friday the 13th Part 5 (1985, streaming on Peacock) 3.5/5
Emma and Isaac, a young American couple, return to the Norwegian island on which Isaac was born in order to arrange for the sale of the house he has inherited there. As Isaac finds himself falling under the spell of the island once again, Emma grows increasingly distressed by the strange traditions of the old religion the islanders still practice.
Whilst by no stretch of the imagination is Sacrifice a horror comedy, the film is nonetheless suffused with some very dark, deadpan humour, much of it emanating from the local sherrif / religious leader, played by the excellent Barbara Crampton (who to my admittedly untrained ears does a pretty decent Norwegian accent). Sophie Stevens is also good as the pregnant Emma, frantically trying to break the enchantment that has her husband being baptised by druids, and building weird scarecrow monuments to the dead, amongst other things.
The script is occasionally repetitive, and takes a bit too long to get moving, and there's also not nearly enough in the way of eldritch, betentacled monstrosities considering the opening credits' Lovecraft name check. Still a fun movie though.
I was going though DVD's and Blu-ray's I bought over the past two years, and I realized I had some films I never bothered to open. One of them was this movie, which I got from the DVD bargain bin at Big Lots for $0.75. The price wasn't the surprising part, it was how good the movie was. Mayhem might be my favorite of the batch of movies I've seen so far. Even as a low budget movie, it doesn't care and wants to have fun from start to finish.
#12. Wolf Guy: Enraged Lycanthrope (1975) - 3 out of 5
Legendary martial artist, Sonny Chiba is a suave-looking man taking on the yakuza by himself. He's cool, a hit with the ladies, and has great style while kicking ass. He's also a werewolf. This is an action/horror exploitation movie with some drama and sci-fi as well. The time period, clothes and fights also reminded me a lot of the video game Yakuza 0. I mean, just look at this stuff:
There are some silly, yet cool moments that make no sense, yet manage to work (Ex: he beats people up by throwing coins at them and they do crazy shit). There's also a bit of a James Bond vibe as well, but more on the negative side on how both treat its women characters. A lot of ideas and themes are going on in this movie, but I'll be honest, I'm not familiar with Sonny Chiba outside of Kill Bill and of all things, Tokyo Drift. However, I do know he's a legend for sure, and this movie makes me want to explore more of his body of work. A neat movie for its time.
#13. The Wasp Woman (1959) - 3.5 out of 5
It felt like a really long Twilight Zone episode. Imagine a "be careful what you wish for" scenario, as the main character that is obsessed with staying young and beautiful entrusts everything she has in the hands of a questionable mad scientist that claims to have discovered a formula to help her reverse the aging process. Of course, things don't go as planned. I liked it!
Lemora - A Child's Tale of the Supernatural (1973)
Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
All Souls Day: Dia de los Muertos (2005)
Razorback (1984)
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
The Invisible Man (1933)
The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)
Kwaidan (1965)
The Black Cat (1934)
Lifeforce (1985)
Sure, I know the arguments and I agree, Tobe Hooper's loopy mid-80s mash-up of Quatermass, Planet of the Vampires and Dawn of the Dead has a bevy of flaws, but I've had a soft spot for it since first seeing it in the theatre on release, and as most everyone else seems to be watching it this year, who am I to argue? I think most would agree that this story of the ill-fated Churchill's voyage to Hailey's comet and the vampire plague its return subsequently unleashes on London probably could have used a good editor at the script-writing stage to help focus the ultimate flood of wild ideas to a more managable number, but the film is filled with colourful characters, great practical effects and an alien threat straight out of the classic sci-fi films of the '50s... oh, and Matilda May is pretty easy on the eyes... Fave lines: Cain "But she's not human. She'll destroy you!" Carlson "She's destroyed worlds!"
I also liked that the killer is a clean cut young man with no prior issues nor showing any sign of remorse for anyone he fires upon. He is a blank piece of paper, and it's pretty terrifying.
Look. I won't lie, I only watched this because I've always found the name hilarious. And I'm not going to lie and say it's some amazing horror movie—I'm not even convinced it's a horror movie! But I thoroughly enjoyed this one, even if it was for purely ironic reasons. It's not remotely scary. But it does have Marv and Kevin McCallister's dad from Home Alone in the same movie trying to stop people from being eaten by the radioactive Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers.
As a film connoisseur it's a 1/5
As someone who loves some ironic cheese 3/5
Somewhere in here is a fun zombie movie, but it's trying so hard to be 'Edgy Ocean's 11' that you'll never find it. Some of the cast is fun to watch, despite there being almost no depth to anything, and some of the zombie parts are enjoyable, it's just a shame you have to sit through so, so much to get there (seriously, why is this movie 2 and a half hours long?).
7. Mandy
Man, I don't even know. It's definitely a case where the sum is greater than its parts, because there's so much weird shit going on (in front of and behind the camera) when you start to deconstruct everything. But damn does it come together into an amazing homage to 80s album covers and apocalypse movies. Nic Cage is amazing, but honestly every lingering shot just left me in awe of what they were putting on the screen. I honestly didn't expect to love it as much as I did,
8. V/H/S/94
This movie ended up having the opposite issue, where I really wanted to love it more than I did. The set-up stories are always the weakest parts, but this one was especially bad. At least the ones in 1 and 2 served as a coherent through-line. Here it's just poorly-acted madness. The stories themselves never hit the highs of 1 and 2, and the lows are so much lower. The first segment was by far the best, and felt like it could have easily slotted into one of the previous movies. The 2nd was cliche and forgettable. The 3rd was by far my least favorite. It's overly long and spends wayyyy too much time on a boring setup. Once it gets going its fine, but by then I was already desperate for it to end. The 4th segment was ok. It at least felt like more of a return to form coming off the 2nd and 3rd. Overall though the whole package was a disappointment and much closer to Viral, quality-wise, than I was expecting.
This is definitely a so bad its good type of film. I decided to skip straight to the sequel after hearing that a large chunk of it is reused footage from the first one. The new footage makes up the second half of the film and is actually pretty good but the plot is still bad overall. The kills were a little creative especially in the new footage but weren't anything to write home about. The best part by far is Eric Freeman's hilariously over-the-top performance as Ricky which looks like he's simultaneously overacting and underacting at the same time. His acting saves the lazy first half which is a straight-up recap show for Silent Night Deadly Night 1. But the whole thing feels like a bad horror film mashed together with a somewhat decent one. As it is it's a pretty lame film but I'd recommend giving the Ricky-centric second half a look just for a laugh.
(first watch)
A neat, albeit shlocky, little thriller. Weird incest vibes abound, and the detective is fueld solely by rampant homophobia. Bizzare performances, actual creepiness, and unexpected Bill Paxton make it a treat. But, then again, rampant homophobia. Oh well.
Who'da thunk a coiled rope would be such an effective distraction?
(rewatch)
I've seen this many times, and I'm tired, so I'll be brief. Imaginative, gruesome, disgusting, batshit. If you haven't seen it, I suggest doing so, there's nothing quite like it.
Sometimes you just want to play with your cube and have a nice eternal S&M demon party in the attic, ya know?
16 -- Haunt (2019)
(first watch)
This was a fun little watch. Kind of by-the-numbers, however. Some young folks ditch the club and go to a haunted house attraction, and oh shit, shit is real. It's got some gruesome and brutal stuff going on, especially in the back third. I'm not a huge fan of the visuals, too much primary colored lighting, characters are sometimes randomly put in time-out to serve the plot, and I didn't really much care for the main girl's dramatic backstory, but none of that is a dealbreaker.
Repulsion is about a woman named Carol who has a troubled relationship with men. Its implied that she was a male's abuse victim as a child, so now she is completely sickened by the entire gender. When her sister leaves her home alone for a few days, Carol has a mental breakdown and things quickly escalate out of control.
This is a pretty miserable movie. It takes a while to get going and then it brings on the misery. Blegh, I'm not watching this one again.
10. The Man From Planet X (1951) (Dailymotion)
The Man From Planet X is a low-budget sci-fi horror movie from the beginning of the space craze of the 1950's. The alien looks pretty goofy, but I thought it was interesting that he wasn't hostile until one of the scientists provokes him. I think that's the type of thing that would happen if aliens actually did visit Earth; everything is going well and then someone decides to needlessly antagonize them. Overall, its a decent movie, if also slow and cheesy.
One of those iconic movies that I've never seen, really enjoyed, and can say nothing insightful about. It's got all the vibes of classic pre-war horror, but with impressively dynamic camera work and a healthy amount of grit. (When that hammer comes down in the opening sequence, you know you're gonna get some splatter.) The lighting alone is legendary - if anyone wants a lesson in why you'd choose black-and-white, just show them some clips of this. Real chiaroscuro! Or whatever!
Cast is pretty conventional, with all your stock characters and the typical underdeveloped romance. Barbara Steele shines through of course, both as the doe-eyed damsel and as her witchy ancestor. She's got "the look" that prototyped decades of Italian horror heroines and the talent to back it up. I'll also give Arturo Dominici a shoutout: he's got the mopey, resigned look of an undead manservant down pat.
#11. La Llorona (2019) - I hadn't known about this Conjuring Universe film until I saw some people mention it in the thread. In watching it, I wasn't sure what the connection was going to be. I was expecting it to just end with a cutaway shot to Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga saying "...and that's the story of La Llorona". The End. Which is about as much of a connective tissue that this cinematic universe seems to require. Anyway, La Llorona is a 2019 Guatemalan film that has nothing got to do with Conjuring Universe. I don't know why it took me looking up the film afterwards to realise my mistake because it's very far from one of those films.
Anyway, this movie is great. It tells the story of a Guatemalan dictator who committed a brutal genocide against the native Mayan population. Trapped in the house by protestors, he and his family are haunted by something else. The film really lets its scene linger and although it doesn't have much in the way of scares, it maintains an intense atmosphere throughout. People might want something a bit more brutal for a supernatural revenge film but I feel the more subdued nature of the film was the right call given the real genocide they're depicting. It's definitely worth a watch. I think it's a Shudder exclusive.
#11. La Llorona (2019) - I hadn't known about this Conjuring Universe film until I saw some people mention it in the thread. In watching it, I wasn't sure what the connection was going to be. I was expecting it to just end with a cutaway shot to Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga saying "...and that's the story of La Llorona". The End. Which is about as much of a connective tissue that this cinematic universe seems to require. Anyway, La Llorona is a 2019 Guatemalan film that has nothing got to do with Conjuring Universe. I don't know why it took me looking up the film afterwards to realise my mistake because it's very far from one of those films.
Anyway, this movie is great. It tells the story of a Guatemalan dictator who committed a brutal genocide against the native Mayan population. Trapped in the house by protestors, he and his family are haunted by something else. The film really lets its scene linger and although it doesn't have much in the way of scares, it maintains an intense atmosphere throughout. People might want something a bit more brutal for a supernatural revenge film but I feel the more subdued nature of the film was the right call given the real genocide they're depicting. It's definitely worth a watch. I think it's a Shudder exclusive.
9. No One Sleeps in the Woods Tonight (2020) - This movie felt like The Hills Have Eyes but in the woods. It follows a lot of horror tropes (and a character in the movie is constantly pointing this out) and has a cast of characters that feel two dimensional for the most part. I will say it was shot really well and a few of the kills were quite fun, but otherwise it wasn't very impressive. 2.5/5
10. Evil Dead (2013) - After watching Evil Dead II yesterday, I decided to rewatch this remake (or re-imagining? this shares very few things from the original series of films). The last time I saw this was when it was out in theaters, and I still quite like this film for what it is. It's very very gory, which I remembered, and is something I enjoy about it. I also liked the premise for why the group heads to the cabin, and I appreciated that this wasn't just a simple remake but was truly its own thing. I still prefer the original series for how campy it was, and Bruce Campbell kills it as Ash, but this is great in its own way. 4/5
11. House of Wax (2005) - I haven't seen this film in a very long time, probably close to when it originally came out. I remember thinking this was trash, probably in part because Paris Hilton is in it, but after this rewatch I have a new appreciation for this film. Paris is honestly fine in this -- though she's barely in it -- plus her death is one of the best in the film. I also really feel like it was a fun, unique take on a slasher, and the setting itself of the wax museum/town was great, plus the finale is pretty awesome. The entire museum being made of wax makes no real sense to me, but the whole thing melting away was a cool idea.. 3/5
Other films I've watched so far:
1. No One Gets Out Alive (2021) - This was okay. I didn't hate it, and I liked the main character but the ending section, where most of the actual horror elements take place, fell pretty flat to me due to the monster looking very not scary. 2.5/5
2. Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016) - A rewatch for me, but a film that is truly a million times better than its predecessor. It's a got a great atmosphere and a fun, creepy story. I'm a true sucker for creepy little girls in horror and Lulu Wilson does a great job at being truly creepy in this. As a side note, Mike Flanagan really likes to reuse actors, which isn't a bad thing, I just never realized how many actors in this were in his other films/series. 4/5
3. Mama (2013) - Another rewatch. I think the CGI is this movie's weakest part due to how fake the titular character actually looks. It's still pretty solid overall but the fondness I had for it the first time I saw it has faded a bit on a second watch. 3/5
4. Till Death (2021) - I wouldn't really consider this a true horror film (to me, at least), but it was a pretty solid film overall. It definitely kept me entertained, but if I had to vote on which version of this premise I prefer, I would easily give it to Gerald's Game. That film felt more like horror film, while this definitely leaned more into the thriller aspects even if the idea is horrifying in itself. 3/5
5. There's Someone Inside Your House (2021) - This was okay overall. I enjoyed the cast and I felt like the movie was shot well. I love teen slashers and it definitely felt like a type of homage to the genre. I felt the twist with the killer was slightly predictable though, and it didn't impress me that much. It was still an enjoyable watch. 3.5/5
6. The Manor (2021) - This had a very interesting premise, and I felt it had a unique protagonist given the fact we don't see many main characters in horror that are in their 70s. For a Blumhouse Amazon collaboration film, this was pretty good. It wasn't very scary but it kept me engaged. 3/5
7. Friday the 13th IV: The Final Chapter (1984) - Definitely the best Friday the 13th film. This had some fun kills of your favorite typical teenage horror stereotypes. I had no idea Corey Feldman and Crispin Glover were in this so that was a fun surprise to see. I also enjoyed how they beat Jason in this, and I assume the implication was that Tommy would become the new Jason with that last shot (though I'm pretty sure they didn't go that route). This would've been a decent end to the series if they had actually ended it here. 3/5
8. Evil Dead II (1987) - This was a rewatch for me, but it had been a few years since I'd seen this (though I've watched it many many times). It's still my favorite Evil Dead film. I love the mix of horror and camp. The whole film feels completely over the top, and Bruce Campbell's performance really makes this movie for me. 4/5
This one's a little odd. Lotta weird baby stuff and they waste zero time killing people off. Despite the bodycount being so low. Silly sequel that probably doesn't need to exist
