31 Days of Horror (2021) - The October Movie Marathon

[hiredhand]

16. His House (dir. Remi Weekes, 2020)
A refugee couple escapes from war-torn South Sudan but end up being haunted by their past (literally) in their new house. I like the premise of the film but the real-life and horror elements don't really come together as well as I would have hoped. The leads are excellent.
7/10

17. Orgy of the Dead (dir. Stephen C. Apostolof, 1965)
An Ed Wood-penned "nudie-cutie" in which a young couple ends up in a graveyard and witnesses a lot naked dancers. Undead narrator of the film played by Criswell (Bill Murray's character from Ed Wood), wannabe-Vampira, the wolfman and the mummy are also present but do very little. Obviously the film is not very good and has less actual plot than Cats.
1/10

(I also watched The Last Duel this weekend which was excellent.)

 

[jph139]

Movie 17 | Diary of the Dead, 2007

I was told this is the best of the "later Romero" zombie movies, and I can see why. It's essentially his take on the "found footage" sub-genre, taking a more mockumentary angle on the subject, and the whole thing is like an extended metaphor on the rise of decentralized media. In a sense, really prescient! On one hand, it's about how people's firsthand experiences can better communicate the truth than mainstream media; on the other, it's about how every dumbass with a camera thinks his or her "truth" is more valuable than basic decency. And it's pretty explicitly political, with lots of post-Katrina energy about the government's failure to respond to a crisis. You get terms like "illegal immigrant" and "looting" and stuff tossed around, and a bit with a group of mostly-black survivors that's sort of about how, once the "folks with suntans" all ran off, they're able to start building a society on their own terms? Kinda? It's not really that fleshed out, but it's touching on something interesting.

Unfortunately, as a movie, it's pretty garbo! Acting and writing are terribly amateurish; it feels like a student film, and I'm sure part of that is intentional given the premise, that only goes so far. Every bit of social commentary and interesting idea is gutted and put on display in the most artless way. Nothing is every that surprising or stimulating. Interesting but bad.

 

[DonAntti]

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) Rating: 8/10
8. Day Of The Dead: Bloodline 2018 (First watch) Rating: 1/10
9. No One Gets Out Alive 2021 (First watch) Rating: 6/10
10. Willy's Wonderland 2021 (First watch) Rating: 8/10
11. The Babysitter 2017 (First watch) Rating: 7/10
12. The Babysitter: Killer Queen 2020 (First watch) Rating: 5/10
13. The Addams Family 1991 (Rewatch) Rating: 8/10
14. The Addams Family Values 1993 (Rewatch) Rating: 8/10
15. The Omen 1976 (First watch) Rating: 9/10
16. Muppets Haunted Mansion 2021 (First watch) Rating: 7/10

17. Frankenweenie 2012 (First watch)

- Young Victor loses his dog Sparky and brings him back alive with a weird science experiment. Audiovisually I really loved this. The animation and designs were great and so was the musical score. The story ain't anything groundbreaking, but it does have some good dialogue, likable characters, and some funny jokes. I also liked how much it was a love letter to classic horror movies. Overall I found Frankenweenie to be wholesomely Tim Burton.

Rating: 8/10

 

[ThirstyFly]

31 Days of Horror (2021) - The Torment of the Terrible Trios

Trio 5 (Movies 13-15) - Japanese Insanity

For my Japanese Insanity selection, I've gone with the sequel to one of my favourite discoveries from last year's marathon and a couple of oddities from two of Japan's most popular cult directors.

13) Evil Dead Trap 2: Hideki (Shiryô no wana 2: Hideki) (1992) (Oct 13)

During last year's marathon, I was blown away by the original Evil Dead Trap and couldn't wait to get to the sequel. Well, be careful what you wish for, I guess.
Unconnected to the original, Evil Dead Trap 2: Hideki is a sequel in name only and a considerably weaker film. It feels like a bunch of people just came up with random ideas for things they thought would be scary, then they tried to stitch it together into a single script without caring about making a coherent movie.
It's obvious there was talent involved with the production, though. Making great use of the urban Japanese environments, everything has a wet, grimy and lived in feel. I loved the use of neon signs and lighting to help set the mood. There's also some really great horror action sequences, including a pretty nuts finale, but the slapdash nature of it never feels like a cohesive story.

A couple of standout sequences keep Evil Dead Trap 2: Hideki from going directly into the skip pile, but they started with a flawed script and no amount of bloodletting or creepy lighting was going to save it. Definitely a disappointment after the outstanding original.

Disappointing. 2 / 5

14) The Happiness of the Katakuris (Katakuri-ke no kôfuku) (2001) (Oct 14)

Knowing the Happiness of the Katakuris is a musical comedy with stop motion animation sequences and is considered one of Takashi Miike's weirdest movies (and he's made some WEIRD ASS SHIT), I've been putting off watching it for ages. I like Japanese weirdness, but I also like a bit of structure, so I was concerned I might have the same experience I had with Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's House/Hausu, which I did not enjoy.
Thankfully, the Happiness of the Katakuris was much, much more enjoyable and pretty damn entertaining.
It may not have the most complex story, but it's filled with personality. The characters are all likeable and have distinct personalities and traits, and the whole thing was super energetic.
I do think maybe it was just a tad long for what it is, and I would have liked if there was a little more horror to it, as it's mostly a comedy. A couple of poor CG effects (even by 2001's standards) stand out as well, but those are just minor things. Probably my biggest complaint is the ending. It's not terrible, but I wasn't crazy about it. It was just a bit too out there. I'm honestly not sure how you should even end something like this though. Maybe they had that problem too.

Overall, the Happiness of the Katakuris is a lot of fun and charming as hell. Definitely one of my new favourite Takashi Miike movies. I can't wait to watch it again.

Recommended. 4 / 5

15) Tag (Riaru onigokko) (2015) (Oct 15)

Director Sion Sono (Suicide Club) continues his fetish of killing off as many Japanese schoolgirls in horrific ways as he possibly can in Tag.

Tag is one of the rare movies for the marathon where I watched a trailer beforehand and it led me to expect something like Battle Royale's social commentary crossed with Evil Dead's unseen force. Well, it's kind of that, but I felt the trailer was a little misleading and it doesn't really clue you in on how meta the film is. I guess that shouldn't be surprising considering the direction Suicide Club goes, but I suppose I was hoping for something a little more straight forward.
Tag starts out fantastic, there's a crazy set piece that is a sight to behold, for sure. It even tops Suicide Club's famous splatter filled opening. What follows is basically a series of set pieces that progressively get less and less impressive, strung together by rambling exposition, until the whole thing just kind of fizzles out. I really, really disliked the big reveal and the final act did nothing for me, souring me on the whole experience.

Overall, Tag is worth checking out for the incredible first half, but your enjoyment of the second half will really depend on what you're looking to get out of the movie. It attempts to do something a deeper than your usual Japanese action splatter epic, so don't go in expecting Tokyo Gore Police or the Machine Girl, that's for sure. Does it succeed at what it attempts though? For me, it didn't.

Half good, half bad. 2.5 / 5


Up next: Halloween Kills

 

[Pitcairn55]

Film #27 – Gretel and Hansel

I loved everything about this movie, which came as no surprise really, as I love Osgood Perkins other films and I love fairytales, so this was a match made in heaven for me. I wasn't expecting it to be quite so gorgeous to look at though; it really is beautiful, even in its most sinister moments. The script is fantastic too, with a deliberate, rhythmic, fairytale language that suits the film so well. Add to that great performances, and a plot that, like all the best folk tales, isn't needlessly complicated, and you have my new contender for film of the month. Wonderful.

Score: 5 out of 5

Films I've watched so far

 

[THErest]

25 -- The Addams Family (1991)

(rewatch)
This one is one of several annual traditional watches. It's gorgeous, it's funny, it's heartfelt, it's energetic, it's dark. Everyone is awesome in this, but man oh man, do I miss Raul Julia. He steals this whole thing, he's simply wonderful, just so vigorous, charming, and alive in this family of death. I feel like this approaches Airplane! in terms of gags-per-minute, or at least it's gotta be a solid second or third place.

Highly recommend, it's a delight.

Spoiler: previous entry

24 -- Candyman (2021)

(first watch)
This was a great followup to the original. It wears its racial injustice themes (and vacuous wealthy art world) very very much on its sleeve, but why not? I don't want to say too much, as it's new. I will say I think I liked the original better, for various reasons. To recount just one, there's just something about waking up in a huge mess of blood wondering what the fuck happened that is more effective as horror than just straight-up ghost kills all the time. Also, they kind of just jumped to the ending portion. Like, how did our guy get here again? But then, the end was kind of cool.

Anyway, I recommend it. Although, perhaps my biggest issue is, well, dude, I know you're engrossed, engaged, enchanted, but dammit, go to the doctor and get that bee sting looked at, fuck.

Click to shrink...

 

[wenis]

21. Jacob's Ladder [1990]

What a picture. There's just this very thick, heavy and foreboding atmosphere permeating the entire film. It's relentless in a great way that reminds me a lot of Possession and pictures in that similar vein really delving into the psyche of a person and the concepts of life after death, PTSD, trauma both internalized, what the traumatized do to those they're around and how it gets into the bones of someone and warps everything around them. Let alone touching on very real subjects like government testing on their soldiers. there's a lot to unpack in this movie. Just a tremendous picture.

5 🌠 out of 5

22. Night of the Living Dead [1968]

It's Night of the Living Dead, what else is there more to say? I wasnt initially going to watch the Dead franchise this month and really move into more of the pile of movies that I really needed to get to, but this one is always a treat to get into and I decided to watch the Dead series this time with the commentary. Always illuminating and tense. I dont think I'll ever get sick of this movie no matter how many times I've seen it now.

5 🌠 out of 5

23. Shutter Island [2010]

It has been a long while since I've seen this one, but I guess not long enough because all these memories started flooding back so all the beats just started coming back to me. Still a cool picture and its a damn shame Scorcese hasnt done more creepy pictures like this. There's a fantastic sequence here where you get DiCaprio getting into the high security part of the island and yea I think it's probably one of my favorite moments of the movie and of that year. Just a great small (but big) film that culminates into some unnerving shit at the end.

4 🌠 out of 5

24. Child's Play [2019]

I still like it. Maybe now my view has been colored a bit more having come off watching all 7 Child's Play films in a week, but I still think this is a rock solid take on the Child's Play concept. A lot of fun gore moments, tons of great dark humor and a fun finale. It's a good time.

3 and a half 🌠 out of 5

25. The Funhouse [1981]

One I hadn't seen before. It was pretty good. Pretty slow paced for a movie of its runtime, but there's some solid gags in here and a great 'monster' of the film. It's got this real grittiness that isnt like TCM, but its own thing (even though it definitely is being guided along the lines of TCM) and it's enjoyable, probably more as a midnite show and not a afternoon movie. Solid though.

3 🌠 out of 5

26. Dawn of the Dead [1978]

Sorry, another perfect picture. Dawn of the Dead is just one of those movies that is just infused into my spinal column and even watching it with commentary I can still hear all the lines in my head being recited by the actors even tho they drop the movie audio out when you keep the commentary on. It also looks fantastic in 4K. Just straight up a great comic book zombie movie and a ton of fun even if the under riding current of it being a total sucker punch look at consumerism and everyone who participates in it.

5 🌠 out of 5

27. The Poughkeepsie Tapes [2009]

This one really got gassed up there for awhile, but boy did I hate every second of it. Maybe its supposed to be ironic or satire or some level of film making that I'm just not getting, but none of that landed for me. It just felt sloppy and boring. There's a kernel of an idea in here where someone is stumbling onto these tapes and watches them all slowly descending into madness or in a LA92 sorta take on it where it's just 90 minutes of loose structured narrative around a serial killers home movies. there's something far more interesting buried in here that wasnt found at all.

1 🌠 out of 5

28. Cemetery Man [1994]

This was a solid as hell ride even if it kinda didnt make sense here or there. Reminded me of Peter Jackson's early stuff, Return of the Living Dead and a more light hearted Nekromantik. There's this playfulness and ability to ride that line of horror and romance I dont think many movies achieve if many ever really attempt to. I dug the surrealness of it as well a lot. There was this propulsion built into it and this madness that lived in it that keeps it fun and going forward. Would really like to see this receive a restoration in the future. definitely want to add it to my collection at some point.

4 🌠 out of 5

29. Day of the Dead [1985]

It is tough when someone asks to rank the Dead series. I do think theyre all perfect in their form. Maybe not perfect in the sense that everyone is going to love them all the same or all the time (because I do think they're great encapsulations and lessons of times we still go through because unfortunately not much changes), but Day while maligned at release is still an incredibly strong picture and having now lived in a pandemic for nearly two years now is really living in a new realm of perception and re-contextualization. It's brilliant.

5 🌠 out of 5

30. Hell Night [1981]

Not good. Just a lot of bad and unfortunate editing choices. That slow plodding pace never eases up and even when we're at our climax of the picture it never feels like there's a clear want for me as the viewer to keep rooting for these kids. I honestly stopped caring about the people running around from the monster after awhile. It was fun seeing the whole "my dad's a mechanic thing" come back and be beneficial, but otherwise, there's not much to this one. Didnt hate it, but wasnt overly taken by it either. It's also a very ugly movie.

2 🌠 out of 5

31. Grave Encounters [2011]

This one is still a classic. I was glad my memory was a bit more hazy on this one, but still just as memorable when it started to get cooking. Aside from maybe some questionable use of special effects and cgi shit there's a great tone of drea in this thing that I just love greatly and it's probably one of my favorite found footage pictures easily. Now only if we didnt end up with that sequel that honestly spoils this movie a bit now that its fresher in my memory. I probably, much like the folks in this movie, never should've ventured into those hallways in part 2.

4 🌠 out of 5

32. The Bird With the Crystal Plumage [1970]

Super cool movie. This thing was Italian as shit and I appreciated all of that. Maybe it has a bit of a soft end of mid/start of final act, but damned if that finale was great. great atmosphere and soundtrack. the actors are as good as they're gonna be, but still a lot of fun and I'm glad this blind buy ended up working out for me. A good one for the collection.

3 and a half 🌠 out of 5

33. Halloween [1978]

A classic. Dunno, everything that's been said about this movie has been said and it's really tough to figure out what else needs to be said. It's just solid and lives in the part of your brain where you can see the influences so well in everything you see going forward after its release. I'm looking forward to seeing this in theaters again on Halloween night.

5 🌠 out of 5

34. Halloween [2018]

I like it. I know its got its detractors, but to be frank I dont think any of the original sequels to Halloween are very good at all. Like all the Myers movies are kinda bad in their own regard and get worse as they continue to pack terrible mythology into them and it becomes less lean and very much less scary with each successive movie (and dont get me started on the drek that is the Zombie pictures). These movies at least have the hindsight to see what absolutely doesnt work at all for the franchise and keeps it much simpler. I appreciate and admire what they did to resuscitate these movies.

4 🌠 out of 5

35. The Evil Dead [1981]

I totally forgot the 40th anniversary was this year so this was simply a treat to return to the cabin. It's just ingenious filmmaking and true to its core very DIY and punk. Just a weird and wild movie that definitely doesnt get made anymore like this and raw as hell. Looks fantastic too in 4K. I really want to track down an original reel of this movie for my own collection. a Halloween masterpiece.

4 and a half 🌠 out of 5

36. Halloween Kills [2021]

Again I liked it. The dialogue is clunky as all hell, but there's a underlying crumbling of a town reckoning with its own past and its own unaddressed grief that gets placed at the bottom of a bottle that never runs out. It's also just brutal as all hell which stays in tone with the 2018 sequel and just brutally chugs along like a death bringing thomas the tank engine. I really wanna give it another look, but I also probably want to wait a bit before I revisit as I'm pretty burnt on the Hallowen films at the moment. Great time though.

4 🌠 out of 5

37. Grave Encounters 2 [2012]

Well this was a very disappointing revisit. I feel like I enjoyed this more when it first came out, but having watched the first and then the sequel a few days later I can easily say this is probably one of the worst sequels ever conceived. We have a lot of those in the horror genre, but YEESSSH this one is such a stinker and really brings down the first ones mythos and ending in a way that is super disappointing. If anything ever felt like a cash grab (though I dunno how much cash was really in the GE franchise) this is definitely one of the worst offenders. Nothing likeable about it beyond getting to go back to the ward and hoping for the best.

1 and a half 🌠 out of 5

38. Dead Heat [1988]

Did not expect to like this one as much as I did. You hear Piscopo and if you're my age you've heard all the jokes about this guy and how... silly he was I suppose in his SNL days and how full of himself he was. This doesnt disprove any of that and the little bit of digging I did on the movie revealed the producers and director were so sick of him in the movie at some point they just left him out of the middle to final act for the most part. Like I genuinely forgot he was there for a moment and we were all just enjoying a Treat Williams picture. This was a lot of fun though, some good goop, zombie gags and a surprise Vincent Price! what more could you want. This is a stone cold midnite feature if there ever were one.

3 and a half 🌠 out of 5

39. Dead & Buried [1981]

I really love this movie. I watched it last year and fell in love with it and then Blue Underground pumped out a gorgeous 4K set that I needed to have. Just one of those buried gems that I think everyone could appreciate and lives in that weird space of mystery/thriller and outright gory horror. Some great Stan Winston body horror effects and a great build up to a fun finale. Still a favorite and easily recommendable movie.

4 🌠 out of 5

40. Alone [2020]

Holy crap this one was unexpected, but John Hyams is a hell of a director (if you havent seen both of his STUPENDOUS action flicks, Universal Soldier: Regeneration and Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, you're missing out on some of the best Action/SciFi/Horror of the last 20 years https://www.patreon.com/posts/54542174). This movie though was a hell of a ride and maybe aside from one character choice I was gripped watching it and it's also straight up a gorgeous picture. Just an all around great package with a really scary villain. One of those road movies I'd put up there with The Hitcher, Joy Ride and Duel. Real good stuff.

4 🌠 out of 5

41. Bad Taste [1987]

What a bunch of wacky New Zealanders. Like it's Peter Jacksons early work. It's clunky and bumpy in all the wrong spots but its got a lot of heart and its goofy as all hell with tons and tons of goopiness that anyone can appreciate (well except for my partner who walked into the room right as peter jackson was spooning out some brains from a persons head and having a bit of lunch). The movie definitely loses its footing here and there and it really lives in the pocket when it goes all out action and sci-fi dumbness, but loses its footing when we gotta have dialogue scenes and stuff. I dunno, dumb fun. Sometimes you just need that.

3 🌠 out of 5

42. Dark Web: Descent Into Hell [2021]

So this has nothing to do with the Unfriended franchise which I didnt find out until I actually looked it up moments ago and erased my initial review. This shit sucked though, like straight garbage bad.

0 🌠 out of 5

 

[Ithil]

16) HOUSE (1977)

Bananas! Bananas!

Have you ever felt a void in your lifelong film watching experience that could only be filled by a scene of firewood coming to life to attack a Japanese schoolgirl, only to be defeated by her kung fu? Well your days of woe may come to an end, for there is HOUSE.

I insist on writing it in all caps because it just seems to be appropriate. HOUSE. Even the title card yells it. You might use the word batshit to describe many films, and it seems fitting at the time. The Evil Dead II for instance, I'd have called that pretty batshit in its humor and energy. From now on however, I'll call nothing batshit if it's not on the same level as HOUSE. I can describe the plot; a Japanese teen brings her schoolfriends to her distant Aunt's old house and soon discovers something sinister is afoot. I can't particularly describe the film, however. A truly madcap hodgepodge of wild editing, cartoon effects, stop motion, threatening mattresses, surreal horror and experimental imagination out the wazoo. It's somewhat to colorful quirky horror what Tetsuo the Iron Man is to hideous industrial horror.

As someone who adores matte paintings in films and stops to admire them any time I see one in a film made before the late 90s, this was a special treat for me, as its chock full of highly stylized matte paintings for buildings and landscapes. They don't even try to be "believable", just impressive. They only add to the insane atmosphere. Despite the breakneck pace and indeed, breakneck shenanigans, the helpfully named cast (such names at least in my subtitles as Melody, Fantasy and Gorgeous, to tell you their main traits) are all actually pretty distinct in a cartoony manner. The aforementioned kung fu enthusiast is the standout character, she has at least three of the film's best scenes.

Really you must see HOUSE at least once, just for the experience.

 

[deimosmasque]

1 - RE-ANIMATOR ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2 - DEEP RED ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3 - TROMA'S WAR ⭐⭐
4 - DEAD HEAT ⭐⭐⭐
5 - V/H/S/94 ⭐⭐⭐
6 - ANGEL ⭐⭐⭐⭐
7 - MAYHEM ⭐⭐⭐⭐
8 - HOGZILLA ⭐⭐
9 - HALLOWEEN (1978) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
10 - HALLOWEEN (2018) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
11 - BRIDE OF CHUCKY ⭐⭐⭐⭐
12 - TERROR TRAIN ⭐⭐⭐
13 - SEED OF CHUCKY ⭐⭐⭐
14 - SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE 2 ⭐⭐⭐
15 - HALLOWEEN KILLS ⭐⭐⭐
16 - HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

17 - HELL COMES TO FROGTOWN ⭐⭐⭐

Roddy Piper movies are always fun! The premise of this movie is ridiculous, the plot is ridiculous but it is a ton of fun! It's so weird but that is its charm.

Roddy Piper fighting mutant frogs. That's all you need to know!

 

[Ithil]

And with that my week of haunted houses comes to an end

Film of the Week: The Innocents (1961)
Dud of the Week: The Haunting (1999) (Allow me to express my contempt for this film one last time with a textual spit *pphtooo*)

Next up is my Giallo Gala, but first I make a quick stop for a bite to eat.

 

[DarthSpider]

I've been keeping up with watching movies, but haven't been doing a good job with my write-ups.

15. The Lighthouse

I went into this one thinking it might be a chore, but I loved every second of it. The aspect ratio, the sound design, the framing and cinematography, and most of all the acting. Everything was so fucking spot on. A lot of it was really damn funny too. 5/5

16. The Purge

17. The First Purge

18. The Purge: Election Year

I'm just going to review all of these together. The original is a bit different in that it is mostly a home invasion movie whereas all of the sequels focus more on groups of characters for whom The Purge is particularly dangerous. The social commentary in each of the sequels is thin, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't interesting. These movies offer mass appeal without going too deep, but honestly, I really like them. They are fun to watch. I usually really like the main characters, and I like all of the minor psycho characters they bring out, like Skeletor, or that couple dressed up as baby dolls, etc. I give them all a 3/5. I review The Purge: Anarchy at #5, so all I have left is The Forver Purge. I'll try to fit that in somewhere on this list.

 

[Jimi D]

1. Horror Express (1973)
2. I Walked With a Zombie (1943)
3. The Ghoul (1933)
4. Dagon (2001)
5. Dead of Night (1945)
6. Sea Fever (2019)
7. Portrait of Jennie (1948)
8. Deathwatch (2002)
9. Lemora - A Child's Tale of the Supernatural (1973)
10. Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
11. All Souls Day: Dia de los Muertos (2005)
12. Razorback (1984)
13. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
14. The Invisible Man (1933)
15. The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)
16. Kwaidan (1965)
17. The Black Cat (1934)
18. Lifeforce (1985)
19. Island of Lost Souls (1932)
20. Sputnik (2020)
21. Werewolves Within (2021)
22. The Craft (1996)
23. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
24. Dog Soldiers (2002)
25. The House on Haunted Hill (1959)
26. The Host (2006)
27. The Fog (1980)

I really like John Carpenter's ghost story, but it always has seemed to me just a little disjointed, as if it were trying to reach just a little further than it can grasp. There's a nice mood to it, and a great story, but the characters just don't grab me. Still, I'm drawn back to it every few Halloween seasons or so. Fave lines: Mrs. Williams "Are you going to give the benediction tonight, father?" Father Malone "Antonio bay has a curse on it." Sandy "Do we take that as a 'no'?"

 

[BaraSailey]

12. The Shining (1980) - I haven't watched this is a long while. This movie has great atmosphere, an excellent setting, and beautiful cinematography. It's way more slow moving than I remember, but I wouldn't consider that a bad thing. The pace really aids the atmosphere and makes the ending feel more explosive and intense. A true horror classic. 4.5/5
13. An American Haunting (2005) - I don't have much to say about this, other than I was shocked Sissy Spacek and Donald Sutherland were in this. I didn't think this was very good, though a possession/haunting story that takes place in the 1800s is an idea that I think had potential. It just wasn't very scary. 2/5
14. The Host (2006) - I usually don't love monster movies, but I did quite like this. It felt more like an action movie than a horror movie to me, but it was really engaging, emotional at times, and filled with excellent performances all around. 4/5
15. Queen of Spades (2021) - This was just trash. It was about some sort of Bloody Mary type ritual that a bunch of teens decide to try that gets almost all of them killed. It wasn't scary, or even that entertaining. 1/5

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
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

Click to shrink...

 

[Z-Beat]

17. Halloween (2018)

Revisiting this before I watch Kills. Tgis is still a solid love letter to original with its cinematography and callbacks. It's a better progression of Laurie's character than how Resurrection ended up for sure

 

[CrocodileGrin]

#19. Alien (1979) - 3.5 out of 5

First time viewing. Some parts of this reminded me of the first Terminator, where they only show the movie monster at certain angles for specific reasons (budget, technical limitations, to build tension) but I feel like this one knew how to execute it very well, especially in a darkly shot environment. What got me is that I can see how this movie inspired many horror forms of entertainment we have consumed over the decades, from movies to video games.

I thought I had seen bits and parts of Alien on tv, but I'm thinking it might have been Aliens, as everything seemed completely new to me. I'll know when I get to it later this month.

After Alien, I decided to go onto Tubi and see what it had to offer, with some mixed results so far.

#20. Waxwork (1988) - 1.5 out of 5

Cheesy as hell. Unfortunately, I just wasn't in the mood for this. This premise is good. The acting is a bit over the top at times, writing is very dull, and I felt bored through most of it. I'll give it credit as towards the end it does a twist that reminded me of a modern horror movie that came out 10 years ago, but even I felt that newer film does it a bit better.

Spoiler

Cabin in the Woods

#21. Monster Brawl (2011) - 1.5 out of 5

Imagine taking eight legendary monsters from fiction and put them into a wrestling ring. Who do you think would come out on top and win the championship belt? It's a movie done in the style of a PPV, but it's shot like a mix between the theatrical backstories from Lucha Underground meets the WWE Bray Wyatt Funhouse matches meets a live action Celebrity Deathmatch. You also have comedian Dave Foley there on commentary, the Mouth From the South Jimmy Hart standing next to two ring girls in bikinis in a graveyard, and Kevin Nash cameos while dressed like an army commando. I was really digging it, mainly for its stupidity and predictable presentation.

Unfortunately, by the third match, the appeal was wearing off and it got boring fast. The final matchup did nothing for me. The tease at the end was also incredibly stupid and nothing anyone was asking for. I'd say the Undertaker vs AJ Styles Boneyard match at Wrestlemania 37 was far more entertaining than this entire thing. If you're a fan of Youtube fictional deathmatch channels or a wrestling fan, you might get a kick out of it. By the end, I felt like I wasted my time, like most WWE PPVs.

#22. May (2002) - 4 out of 5

May is a shy, socially awkward veterinary assistant that has gone through her entire life without a friend. Well, she does have one friend: a doll that her overly controlling mom gave her as a young girl. After telling her doll she discovered the man of her dreams, she's decided to break out of her shell and make a new friend for once. This has a lot of relatable themes of social awkwardness, just dialed up by 10. That's because May is fucking weird.

Whenever May starts to feel like she can finally express her weirdness (her new friends claim they like "weird") by saying or doing something that she believes will be socially accepted, May manages to somehow take it to the extreme and screw up. May is an incredibly likable character, but the actress, Angela Bettis contributes much to this factor. Most of the movie I'm saying, "please don't do that May" or "please don't get weird, May", because I'm actively rooting for her to have something normal going for her. I'd pay for May's therapy bill if it will help her stop crying...and stabbing :(

I was really surprised to see Jeremy Sisto (Suburgatory, Law and Order, Six Feet Under, Clueless) and comedic actress Anna Faris in this. May has a really great leading cast, with Bettis being the real standout. This might be my favorite of the Tubi movies. I think it is on Prime Video as well.

 

[Owzers]

37 minutes into the new release on Shudder, The Medium, and it's just. so. Slow. Slowwwwwwww. Right now it's 0/10 territory so I hope it goes somewhere but if I were one to turn movies off this would deserve it.

Finished The Medium. It certainly got better after the first hour but I feel fairly soured overall by the build.

Spoiler

when the daughter was possessed for the last half of the film, the hidden camera scenes and bulk of it were more silly spider movement than scary, though there were some tense moments

I'll go 6/10.

 

[Junior Asparagus]

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
7. Shadow in the Cloud (2020) 1/5
8. Re-Animator (1985) 4/5
9. Kwaidan (1964) 4/5
10. Coven of Sisters (2020) 4.5/5
11. Don't Breathe 2 (2021) 1.5/5
12. Audition (1999) 4/5
13. The Final Girls (2015) 3.5/5
14. John Dies at the End (2012) 3/5
15. Life (2017) 2.5/5

16. The Endless (2017) 3.5/5

On the surface, this is a story about two brothers who decide to revisit the commune that they escaped when they were younger. Underneath, this is a pretty complex and ambitious mixture of cosmic horror and science fiction. It's somewhat hard to completely follow, and I guess there are some connections to the directors' previous film Resolution, which I haven't seen. There are some very creative ideas, the mostly unknown actors are very good, and the resources afforded on a seemingly low budget are used very effectively. I felt like the eventual resolution wasn't arrived at organically, but I enjoyed the ride.

 

[Oneiros]

16. Alice, Sweet Alice (1976) (Tubi)

Alice, Sweet Alice is a sleazy mystery slasher. The eponymous Alice is a 12 year old girl played by a 19 year old girl. The film actually manages to make her look that young most of the time, but there is a scene at a children's hospital where she is clearly a fully-grown woman. The story starts off with a horrific murder and stabbing, putts around for a while, and then gives an unsatisfying answer to the mystery. I don't know why they gave such a significant part to what seemed like a very minor character and gave them such trivial motivation.

 

[Violence Jack]

#31 - Antlers (2021) First Time Viewing

Pros:
-Wonderfully made
-Excellent use of tension
-Great effects
-Perfectly paced
-Excellent atmosphere and cinematography
-Good performance by Keri Russell
-One of the best jump scares I've ever seen

Cons:
-Some not great casting choices in my opinion

Overall: 9/10 - Antlers may have a pretty predictable premise, but from the first moment, it's slowly builds a story and narrative that is amazingly paced and incredibly engaging. Everything from the cinematography to the music sets the perfect mood for this film. And I'll admit that it has one of the most effective jump scares you will ever see. And even though some logic goes out the window towards the end, there really aren't a lot of the traditional horror cliches. I think Antlers is going to end up being a big hit when it opens nationwide, as it definitely became one of my favorites in this new decade.

 

[Rhaknar]

#22. May (2002) - 4 out of 5

May is a shy, socially awkward veterinary assistant that has gone through her entire life without a friend. Well, she does have one friend: a doll that her overly controlling mom gave her as a young girl. After telling her doll she discovered the man of her dreams, she's decided to break out of her shell and make a new friend for once. This has a lot of relatable themes of social awkwardness, just dialed up by 10. That's because May is fucking weird.

Whenever May starts to feel like she can finally express her weirdness (her new friends claim they like "weird") by saying or doing something that she believes will be socially accepted, May manages to somehow take it to the extreme and screw up. May is an incredibly likable character, but the actress, Angela Bettis contributes much to this factor. Most of the movie I'm saying, "please don't do that May" or "please don't get weird, May", because I'm actively rooting for her to have something normal going for her. I'd pay for May's therapy bill if it will help her stop crying...and stabbing :(

I was really surprised to see Jeremy Sisto (Suburgatory, Law and Order, Six Feet Under, Clueless) and comedic actress Anna Faris in this. May has a really great leading cast, with Bettis being the real standout. This might be my favorite of the Tubi movies. I think it is on Prime Video as well.

Click to shrink...

oh hey it's Angela Bettis! She killed it in 12 Hour Shift :D

#31 - Antlers (2021) First Time Viewing

Pros:
-Wonderfully made
-Excellent use of tension
-Great effects
-Perfectly paced
-Excellent atmosphere and cinematography
-Good performance by Keri Russell
-One of the best jump scares I've ever seen

Cons:
-Some not great casting choices in my opinion

Overall: 9/10 - Antlers may have a pretty predictable premise, but from the first moment, it's slowly builds a story and narrative that is amazingly paced and incredibly engaging. Everything from the cinematography to the music sets the perfect mood for this film. And I'll admit that it has one of the most effective jump scares you will ever see. And even though some logic goes out the window towards the end, there really aren't a lot of the traditional horror cliches. I think Antlers is going to end up being a big hit when it opens nationwide, as it definitely became one of my favorites in this new decade.

Click to shrink...

Antlers is finally out?

 

[Pitcairn55]

#31 - Antlers (2021) First Time Viewing

Pros:
-Wonderfully made
-Excellent use of tension
-Great effects
-Perfectly paced
-Excellent atmosphere and cinematography
-Good performance by Keri Russell
-One of the best jump scares I've ever seen

Cons:
-Some not great casting choices in my opinion

Overall: 9/10 - Antlers may have a pretty predictable premise, but from the first moment, it's slowly builds a story and narrative that is amazingly paced and incredibly engaging. Everything from the cinematography to the music sets the perfect mood for this film. And I'll admit that it has one of the most effective jump scares you will ever see. And even though some logic goes out the window towards the end, there really aren't a lot of the traditional horror cliches. I think Antlers is going to end up being a big hit when it opens nationwide, as it definitely became one of my favorites in this new decade.

Click to shrink...

This sounds very intriguing. Hopefully I'll get a chance to squeeze in a viewing at my local cinema just before the end of the month.

 

[coma]

19. Maniac (2012, Franck Khalfoun) ★★★½

Frodo was never going to be able to pull off what Joe Spinell did. It's respectable that they went for a different vibe that mostly works in its own fucked up way.

 

[Rhaknar]

45 - Werewolves Within 4/5

What a nice surprise (or not given all the good word of mouth it has), this was just a super fun "whodunit" story with really charming and funny characters and some great witty writing. Pretty much all the cast shines, and even tho it doesn't really stick the landing, it's still a great time and easily one of the best horror comedies around.

List so far

 

[Violence Jack]

Antlers is finally out?

Click to shrink...

No. I was at a horror film festival this weekend where they showed an advanced screening to all attendees

 

[Rhaknar]

No. I was at a horror film festival this weekend where they showed an advanced screening to all attendees

Click to shrink...

 

[AstralSphere]

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. (N) A Dark Song (2016) ****
10. (N) C.H.U.D (1984) **
11. (R) The Void (2017) *****
12. (N) Basket Case (1982) ***
13. (N) Caveat (2020) ***

Click to shrink...

---

14. (N) The Medium (2021)

Set in Thailand, a camera crew is filming a documentary following a village shaman, before shifting focus to a local young woman who is struggling with some extreme changes in her personality. Is it her grandmother's goddess seeking a new host and initiating a new shaman? Is it some other force, perhaps more demonic in nature? Or is it just adolescence?

Filmed in documentary form and presented as found footage, it's a slow burn horror that eventually hits a chaotic peak in the final third. I'll refrain from talking too much about it as it has literally just been released in the West and is best enjoyed knowing very little of the plot, but I'll say it reminded me a lot of The Wailing and is among one of the better found footage and 'possession' horror films I've seen.

---

4 stars out of 5.

 

[excelsiorlef]

67. The Wind 1986

An absolute slog. The killer is revealed so early that the entire movie is one long charismaless stalk. Very dull very uneventful.

1 outta 5

The 1 star is for the very Paul Rudd Mac and Me ending

 

[atdawnwestrike]

38. Lake Mungo (2008) (Rewatch) 2/5
Revisiting this one after the acclaim it has gotten over the years and it still isn't for me. It's well made, atmospheric and definitely has some creepy moments but most of the time I felt like I was waiting for something to happen.

 

[Ithil]

Bonus Film 2) There's Someone In Your House (2021)

I can Venmo you some money!

Another not on my list, but I had unexpected time to spare at work so picked a random one on Netflix. This was an immensely basic slasher mostly going through the usual old beats of a hundred others. It's reasonably well made technically but nothing will remotely stand out to you, even the kills are just there. There's also an air of trying way too hard to be CURRENT. Every few moments there's a reference or appearance of current pop cultural things. Venmo! Uber! 3D printing! Social media scandals! Podcasts! True crime! Reactionaries! Mumblecore! They even do that "everyone gets an incriminating text at the same time" trope. Three damn times.
It's one thing to follow current trends of fashion and tech, that's inevitable. But in my experience films trying overly hard to be in the moment just find themselves dated as hell within just a couple of years with no longevity. It's like when you hear a reference to MySpace in a mid 2000s work. Between the grating "down with the kiddies" script and the nondescript slasher format there's very little to recommend.

Also the killer is a guy in a dark hoody with a pale mask. I have seen this exact character design in no fewer than five other horror films in the last few years. I guess it's meant to be a modern killer look but it's already tiresome.

Skip.

 

[Joe Molotov]

Third weekend tally:

#14. V/H/S 94 - Dir. Jennifer Reeder, Chloe Okuno, Simon Barrett, Timo Tjahjanto, Ryan Prows, 2021 (Shudder) *** 1/2
#15. Mortuary Dir. Howard Avedis, 1983 (Shudder) ** 1/2
#16. Mausoleum - Dir. Michael Dugan, 1983 (Shudder) ***
#17. New Year's Evil - Dir. Emmett Alston, 1980 (Prime Video) *
#18. The Fourth Victim - Dir. Eugenio Martín, 1971 (Blu-ray) ***
#19. The Crucible of Horror - Dir. Viktors Ritelis, 1971 (Epix) **
#20. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday - Dir. Adam Marcus, 1993 (Vudu) ***
#21. Razorback - Dir. Russell Mulcahy, 1984 (Shudder) ****

 

[dglavimans]

1. Candyman (2021) 2/5
2. Lights out (2016) 4/5
3. SAW (2004) 3/5
4. Conjuring (2013) 4/5
5. Annabelle (2014) 5/5
6. Saw II (2005) 2/5
7. Saw III (2006): 4/5
8. Halloween (1978) 4.5/5
9. Haunt (2019) 3/5
10. Scream (1996) 5/5
11. Malignant (2021) 4/5
12 Saw IV (2007) 3/5

Click to shrink...

Saw IV (2007):

Next Saw movie is up! The guy dying from Saw II was sad after everything he was going through. Love the backstory and flashbacks in these movies and the kills where nice. Especially the mouth and eye stitch. Story wish it doesn't get to Saw 3 but still a better one then Saw II

3/5

 

[excelsiorlef]

68. Children of the Corn 1984

A nice little semi classic.

It drips Stephen King


3 outta 5

I give it 3* for being unintentionally hilarious and for a laugh out loud The End moment

 

[Z-Beat]

68. Children of the Corn 1984

A nice little semi classic.

It drips Stephen King


3 outta 5

I give it 3* for being unintentionally hilarious and for a laugh out loud The End moment

Click to shrink...

Don't watch the SyFy adaptation. It's hot garbage

 

[excelsiorlef]

Don't watch the SyFy adaptation. It's hot garbage

Click to shrink...

I'm watching all 10

 

[coma]

17. Frankenweenie 2012 (First watch)

- Young Victor loses his dog Sparky and brings him back alive with a weird science experiment. Audiovisually I really loved this. The animation and designs were great and so was the musical score. The story ain't anything groundbreaking, but it does have some good dialogue, likable characters, and some funny jokes. I also liked how much it was a love letter to classic horror movies. Overall I found Frankenweenie to be wholesomely Tim Burton.

Rating: 8/10

Click to shrink...

If you haven't seen it, the live action short he did of this in the 80s is worth a watch. It's on Disney+. It's pretty charming and you can see a lot of Burton's future style in it.

 

[Rhaknar]

46 - Evil Dead 5/5

One of my all time favorites, I absolutely adore this remake, it takes the ideas from the original (which is unfortunately very dated these days) and makes it it's own thing, while still being faithful to the source material. It's also brutal, nasty, dirty and uncomfortable in all the best ways, the cast is fantastic (especially Jane Levy who plays Mia), and all the practical gore and effects are just nigh on perfect.

List

 

[detective_miller]

#23 The Changeling

A lot more murder mystery and a lot less children nabbing monster/ghost bonanza compared to what I expected having only heard the title, but I am always down to watch that cool dude from the exorcist iii get down for some amateur gumshoe action. The house looks suitably atmospheric and the overall mystery are solid, but the action towards the end feels a bit thrown together, and out of place compared to the very grounded feeling in the first half. Wheelchair chase sequence was so unintentionally goofy looking I laughed out loud.

#24 Day of the Dead

Some extremely unlikeable characters that I could not wait to see die about 5 minutes into the movie, and the least believable romantic subplot I have seen in a long time. The social commentary is smeared on so thick and graciously it is about as subtle as a brick to the face. But... Bub is in this one which makes it among my top Romero movies based on that alone. Love me some Bub <3. The soundtrack is also banging. And the gore is great.

#25 Sputnik

Has the visual and auditory feeling of the Chernobyl tv-series, which makes it feel like there is this hugely oppressive apocalyptic events taking place even when the only thing happening on screen is two characters having some tea in bland meeting room. Found the scientific what-if concepts involving the parasitic organism to be interesting, and the moral dilemmas set up were effective at keeping the focus on a much more personal and intimate scale compared to where these type of movies usually end up. The relationship between the two main characters was developed in a believable and organic way, and enough space was given to allow them to develop into nuanced and flawed, but still sympathetic characters. Monster was also pretty cute.

# 26 A dark song

I was really into this for the first third, but then gradually fell off and felt pretty lukewarm on the overall experience in the end. Part of the problem came down to me finding the guy who was helping her set up the ritual to be completely insufferable (which is a bit tough when the movie only really has two characters in it), and part of it came down to so much of the conflict coming down to the characters continually flip-flopping on what they are hoping to achieve. "will you do whatever it takes? once it starts you can´t leave until the ritual is complete." "yes" ... 5 minutes later... "nothing is happening, I want to leave :("
Visuals are ok, but the overall ritual feels random and disconnected from the overall plot, despite the amount of exposition devoted to the process.

 

[excelsiorlef]

69. Children of the Corn II

More fun than the original as this was closer to a slasher and that's my jam.

3 outta 5

 

[More_Badass]

17) Lurkers (1988)
★★
First disappointment of the month. Or rather, just the first underwhelming watch. I can't deny Roberta Findlay's knack for uncomfortable unpleasant NYC grime; that was perfectly apparent in Tenement and even moreso in the blue-tinted midnight of Lurkers. But outside of the opening's playtime flashback and the nightmare-logic apartment hell of the finale, nothing here really clicked or inspired much tension, eeriness, or intrigue. The weird pace, thematic subtext, and striking urban atmosphere accomplish a lot for sure - approaching something akin to Carnival of Souls by way of Manhattan grindhouse drive-in - but Lurkers mostly fell flat for me.

18) Amok Train [aka Beyond the Door III] (1989)
★★★★
Obnoxious high-school "teens", a Satan-worshipping Yugoslavian village, and Bo Svenson's facial hair naturally lead to Amok Train aka Beyond The Door III aka devil-locomotive lunacy like only Italian horror could deliver.

Within five minutes, a head is obliterated via Final Destination 2-style truck accident. Within fifteen minutes, teens are walking through mist-laden woods into a village so obviously evil that the folk horror rites of blood and fire begin almost immediately. It's not long till the cast is trapped on the aforementioned runaway hell-train and the decapitations, face tearing, squished bodies, and other assorted railway splatter begins in earnest.

Striking Soavi-esque imagery, madcap train-based gorefest, and regular asides where the film turns into Tony Scott's Unstoppable as the police very seriously try to stop the Satan-possessed murder-train (spoiler alert: they don't.) Amok Train is delightfully confident in its nonsensical nightmare and serves up batshit moments like they're going out of style. No amount of bad American acting, mid-film lulls, and batshit plot can diminish the sight of a head ripped off by cowcatcher or the literally off-the-rails detour to kill some wayward victims. If you need to sate a fix for unfettered Italian schlock madness, can't go wrong with this one.

 

[excelsiorlef]

70. Children of the Corn III 1995


Corn in the City

Utterly delightful


3.5 outta 5

 

[ThirstyFly]

18) Amok Train [aka Beyond the Door III] (1989)
★★★★
Obnoxious high-school "teens", a Satan-worshipping Yugoslavian village, and Bo Svenson's facial hair naturally lead to Amok Train aka Beyond The Door III aka devil-locomotive lunacy like only Italian horror could deliver.

Within five minutes, a head is obliterated via Final Destination 2-style truck accident. Within fifteen minutes, teens are walking through mist-laden woods into a village so obviously evil that the folk horror rites of blood and fire begin almost immediately. It's not long till the cast is trapped on the aforementioned runaway hell-train and the decapitations, face tearing, squished bodies, and other assorted railway splatter begins in earnest.

Striking Soavi-esque imagery, madcap train-based gorefest, and regular asides where the film turns into Tony Scott's Unstoppable as the police very seriously try to stop the Satan-possessed murder-train (spoiler alert: they don't.) Amok Train is delightfully confident in its nonsensical nightmare and serves up batshit moments like they're going out of style. No amount of bad American acting, mid-film lulls, and batshit plot can diminish the sight of a head ripped off by cowcatcher or the literally off-the-rails detour to kill some wayward victims. If you need to sate a fix for unfettered Italian schlock madness, can't go wrong with this one.

Click to shrink...

Now this sounds like something I need to see!

 

[CapNBritain]

20. Dolls (1986, streaming on Amazon Prime) 3/5
I love Stuart Gordon and I'm glad that I was finally able to catch this this hidden gem of his. It's a pretty solid fairytale that isn't really scary, but is more funny in its dated ridiculousness. I can see why it's not a classic like Re-Animator, but I was thoroughly engaged the whole time and enjoyed the effects of the dolls. It has weird tonal shifts between the creepiness of the dolls, the innocence of the protagonists, and the goriness of some of the attacks/kills, but all in all a good time.

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
12. Friday the 13th Part 6 (1986, streaming on Peacock) 3/5
13. Friday the 13th Part 7 (1988, streaming on Peacock) 2/5
14. Friday the 13th Part 8 (1989, streaming on Peacock) 1.5/5
15. Friday the 13th (2009, streaming on HBO Max) 3.5/5
16. Videodrome (1983, streaming on Peacock) 3.5/5
17. Dead Ringers (1988, streaming on Peacock) 4/5
18. Sleepaway Camp 2 (1988, streaming on Amazon Prime) 4.5/5
19. Sleepaway Camp 3 (1989, streaming on Pluto TV) 3/5

 

[More_Badass]

70. Children of the Corn III 1995


Corn in the City

Utterly delightful


3.5 outta 5

Click to shrink...

Yes!! Saw this for the first time not too long ago and fell in love. Swapping the formula by bringing the folk horror to the big city rather than the big city outsider into folk horror is just brilliant on its own, and the deranged route the movie goes is wild. So many awesome bonkers gross-out moments

 

[excelsiorlef]

Yes!! Saw this for the first time not too long ago and fell in love. Swapping the formula by bringing the folk horror to the big city rather than the big city outsider into folk horror is just brilliant on its own, and the deranged route the movie goes is wild. So many awesome bonkers gross-out moments

Click to shrink...

Yah it was so ridiculously gory at times especially for some cheapo 90s 2nd sequel.

Just a demented little thing.

 

[Ravelle]

16) HOUSE (1977)

Bananas! Bananas!

Have you ever felt a void in your lifelong film watching experience that could only be filled by a scene of firewood coming to life to attack a Japanese schoolgirl, only to be defeated by her kung fu? Well your days of woe may come to an end, for there is HOUSE.

I insist on writing it in all caps because it just seems to be appropriate. HOUSE. Even the title card yells it. You might use the word batshit to describe many films, and it seems fitting at the time. The Evil Dead II for instance, I'd have called that pretty batshit in its humor and energy. From now on however, I'll call nothing batshit if it's not on the same level as HOUSE. I can describe the plot; a Japanese teen brings her schoolfriends to her distant Aunt's old house and soon discovers something sinister is afoot. I can't particularly describe the film, however. A truly madcap hodgepodge of wild editing, cartoon effects, stop motion, threatening mattresses, surreal horror and experimental imagination out the wazoo. It's somewhat to colorful quirky horror what Tetsuo the Iron Man is to hideous industrial horror.

As someone who adores matte paintings in films and stops to admire them any time I see one in a film made before the late 90s, this was a special treat for me, as its chock full of highly stylized matte paintings for buildings and landscapes. They don't even try to be "believable", just impressive. They only add to the insane atmosphere. Despite the breakneck pace and indeed, breakneck shenanigans, the helpfully named cast (such names at least in my subtitles as Melody, Fantasy and Gorgeous, to tell you their main traits) are all actually pretty distinct in a cartoony manner. The aforementioned kung fu enthusiast is the standout character, she has at least three of the film's best scenes.

Really you must see HOUSE at least once, just for the experience.

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Watched it last year and yes, it was quite the journey!

I believe the one of the producers, Nobuhiko Obayashi previous mostly did commercials for television and a bunch of dance videos which you can clearly tell of how weirdly shot some scenes are and how it looks. Absolutely bonkers movie indeed.

Hausu!

 

[More_Badass]

Yah it was so ridiculously gory at times especially for some cheapo 90s 2nd sequel.

Just a demented little thing.

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Never doubt Screaming Mad George! He did the effects for NoES 3 and 4, Society, Bride of Re-Animator, and more

 

[THErest]

26 -- Halloween Kills

(first watch)
I don't want to say too much, since it's brand new.
I found it to be on par with the 2018 reboot/sequel. That's good, that's great, that's awesome, as I consider that the best (Myers-centered) sequel. Also, that Carpenter score, soooo nice. So yes, I heartily recommend it.

I was just a tad disappointed that, in this film, they've somewhat christened Jamie Lee Curtis as the new "explain Michael Myers for us" exposition machine. (Or, at least part of it, in the absence of a Loomis.) Like, we've been here before, we know what's up, this kind of dialogue is not impressive and not needed.

But anyway, this was brutal, creepy, and absolutely fucking bonkers. If you've ever been scared of Michael Myers (since it's a scary movie, duh), consider that this one may also make you scared of your bloodthirsty, haunted, rabid, stupid, drunk neighbors. And pitchforks. Get it?


mass hysteria!!!!!!

Spoiler: previous entry

25 -- The Addams Family (1991)

(rewatch)
This one is one of several annual traditional watches. It's gorgeous, it's funny, it's heartfelt, it's energetic, it's dark. Everyone is awesome in this, but man oh man, do I miss Raul Julia. He steals this whole thing, he's simply wonderful, just so vigorous, charming, and alive in this family of death. I feel like this approaches Airplane! in terms of gags-per-minute, or at least it's gotta be a solid second or third place.

Highly recommend, it's a delight.

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[dglavimans]

1. Candyman (2021) 2/5
2. Lights out (2016) 4/5
3. SAW (2004) 3/5
4. Conjuring (2013) 4/5
5. Annabelle (2014) 5/5
6. Saw II (2005) 2/5
7. Saw III (2006): 4/5
8. Halloween (1978) 4.5/5
9. Haunt (2019) 3/5
10. Scream (1996) 5/5
11. Malignant (2021) 4/5
12 Saw IV (2007) 3/5
13. Conjuring 2 4.5/5

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Conjuring 2 (2016):

This movie felt.. Off? Dunno how I wanna rate it I think I liked it more then Conjuring 1. But then there where some weird choices like Ed not staying for the family. It scared me more then Conjuring 1 did though. The Nun was truly terrifying so that is good news for the Nun movie that I still want to watch. But sometimes the movie fel like it didn't take itself that serious anymore like Conjuring 1 did? Hard to explain why it feels off

4.5/5

 

[Rydeen]

16. Bio Zombie (1998)

I've been aware of Bio Zombie for a long time, I used to regularly see the DVD at Suncoast and was always curious but never committed to buying it because I wanted to watch it first.

Fast forward almost 20 years later and I've finally watched it, and honestly it might've gone down better now than it would've then. There's something wistful about seeing the late-90's Hong Kong mall featured in the film captured in all it's sickly fluorescent-green glory, it has a vibe and aesthetic all it's own. Just seeing the protagonists killing time playing House of the Dead on the Sega Saturn or secondary protagonist Bee playing with his GameBoy Camera on a GameBoy Color is more of a thrill now than it would've been in 2001.

I don't know how much of the political subtext of carefree Hong Kong youth being overwhelmed by zombies was a commentary on the eventual fate of Hong Kong after the 1997 handover from British to mainland China's control was intentional, but in light of the 2019 protests and the CCP's grip tightening the last couple years, it all feels oddly prescient for an otherwise goofy zombie horror comedy.

Outside of that, Bio Zombie is absolutely worth watching for the fluorescent green and neon-tinged mall that becomes a character itself and the 1998 youth culture on display through the first half.

Ending's a huge downer, though.

 

[hiredhand]

18. Velvet Buzzsaw (dir. Dan Gilroy, 2019)
Unfortunately this mix of art world satire and horror film doesn't really work in either genre very well. The horror premise is very simplistic and the horror side of the film takes ages to get going. The art world satire is not nearly as clever or inventive as in earlier films like The Square or Exit Through the Giftshop. The cast is good (especially Russo) and the film did manage to keep me entertained through its somewhat bloated running time. Unfortunately Dan GIlroy has followed his older brother Tony's footsteps in directing one excellent work and failing to live up to it in the next two.
5/10