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

[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)
28. The Trollenberg Terror (1958)
29. Return of Daimajin (1966)

Daimajin is a sort of local demon god protector diety, a yokai of Japanese folklore. Rarely seen in the West before Arrow's excellent blu-ray release this year, the Daimajin films take place in medieval Japan, and might best be described as samurai/kaiju/supernatural cross-over films. Return is the second of the three films (all shot in 1966), and takes place around a lake and on a sacred island where - true to the series formula - an evil lord is raping the land and abusing the peasants and torturing the honourable nobles. Said honourable nobles (whose only desire is to protect the peasants, of course) make various attempts to overthrow the evil lord, which invariably fail, resulting in everyone's capture and imminent execution. Throughout the film, peasents and nobles alike make repeated pleas to the local giant god warrior statue which is defaced and desecrated by the evil lord, and in the end the 30 foot Daimajin comes to life and kills the various villains in unrelenting, fitting and gleefully gruesome ways. Great costumes, good acting, terrific practical special effects, and it's all rather good fun if you like this sort of thing. Recommended.

 

[Deleted member 7148]

Dead Silence (2007)

I'm a big fan of James Wan's horror films and this is the only one I haven't seen. I skipped it due to the terrible reviews it got at release. I thought maybe I would find appreciation here, especially after so many people hated Malignant and I loved it. Unfortunately, this is one of the worst movies I've seen in quite some time. Stupid story, wooden protagonist, terrible acting and worst of all it was just plain boring. I had to fight temptation to just stop watching it but I made it to the end. I can't believe this came out of Wan. It's trash.

1/5 spookies

 

[Fonst]

I tried to watch a horror movie but Lamb did not fit the bill. But No One Gets Out Alive is next on my list and hear good things.

 

[Z-Beat]

19. IT Chapter 2

This was much better on rewatch than it was the first time. The child actors I believe still turned out a better performance than their adult counterparts, but the adults did okay. The casting was solid, especially for Eddie. I could 100% believe that kid turned into that guy. I still hold that adult Bev should've been Amy Adams but I won't say no to Jessica Chastain in anything so...

One issue that I did have was that there was just a little too much misplaced comedy, particularly in the climax. It took a bit of the levity out. Some of the jokes were funny but for the most part I felt we could've done without it. Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise is still fantastic

 

[BaraSailey]

17. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - I absolutely love this film. Freddy is my favorite slasher villain and his personality and kills are always a lot of fun. Even though I think the Dream Warriors is the best in the series for it's insanely creative, campy kills, the first film is truly the strongest outing when you look at it as a whole. It has some fun kills, the iconic bloody bed kill in particular is one of my favorites in the series, and an excellent quasi final girl in Nancy. I've always enjoyed this series for how it plays with reality and makes you question if what you're watching is real or in a dream. 4.5/5

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
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
16. The Possession (2012) - I've always enjoyed possession films and I actually quite like this one even though I know it wasn't that well received at release. The whole idea of the dybbuk being literally inside Em physically is really creepy to me. I think this is overall a very competent horror film with some interesting twists on the standard possession story fare. 3.5/5

Click to shrink...

 

[AstralSphere]

74. Children of the Corn 7

The scariest thing is how ill fitting the pilgrim suit is on the ghost child boss.

1 outta 5

3 more 😭😭😭

Click to shrink...

Jesus, they made 10 of these?!

 

[Ridley327]

There have been plenty of "Die Hard...on a plane!" films before, but what this one hopes to make the difference is that you haven't seen a "Die Hard...on a plane!" movie that features vampires before. One does realize, though, that there is that undercurrent of that surprisingly expansive sub-genre of a sub-genre, as we've seen them basically copy it wholesale, right down to the cop (Passenger 57), sprinkle in an outright rescue team led by a reluctant hero (Executive Decision, and even went as far as making John McClane the President of the United States (Air Force One), but the supernatural has seldom played a part in the aeronautical hijacking. Closest we got was snakes, which are not supernatural, but they do play a part in a lot of supernatural happenings, so that's something that had some part in setting precedent, even as Snakes on a Plane was trying to be a bit more comedic. So yes, this one has vampires.

In a fitting twist of events, the film about bloodsuckers needed something resembling a pulse instead, as this manages to be quite bad at all the kinds of films that it wants to be, hoping and praying that the audaciousness of the concept was enough to make up for its criminal lack of thrills as an action film and its deadly lack of frights as a horror film. The film already gets off on a very bad foot as we join in right towards the end of the hijacking itself, with its sole escapee being a young boy who has clearly already seen so much. I don't mean that in the sense that he's seen too much death and destruction, even though he has, so much that the film decides to head right into what winds up being a giant flashback sequence in which he apparently was present for all the scenes that did not involve him at all, including several flashbacks inside of the bigger flashback to flesh out the backstory of how his mom became a vampire herself. Never mind that Nadja is the main character for the vast majority of the movie with everything being from her perspective, but lest you think that the film can't stoop any lower than having its framing device make no sense at all, it is ever so eager to show that it's not very good at handling anything else just as equally.

You name it, and the film comes up short each and every time with it. Heartfelt drama to draw you into the relationship between Nadja and Elias? Alarmingly distasteful from the jump as the film equates Nadja's condition with an overdose of cancer patient imagery, which gives her plight a nasty exploitative edge. Brilliant team of hijackers with a can't-fail plan looking for a pain in the ass to foil it? I'm not even sure they had a plan to do anything to begin with, other than a ghoulish ruse to blame the Muslim passengers on board for it and then leave the plane empty handed as they get paid for...what exactly, I cannot say. Gripping set pieces of clever ingenuity that make great use of the hero's prowess for improvisation? Nadja just jumps on folks, sucks their blood in a strange wiggle of death, and hopes for the best a lousy number of times. Memorable villains? Aside from a heinously overacted turn from Alexander Scheer as the loose cannon psychopath of the bunch that gives off the bad kind of Sharlto Copley vibe, the best you can say about them is that Dominic Purcell plays one of them. Clever quips and bon mots? The film takes itself so seriously that humor never figures into it at all, intentional or otherwise. Cool vampire action? Well, if Nadja can't think of anything clever, what made you think that the fresher batch can, especially in a film this incapable of showing anything too terribly violent beyond some bloodstains on or around corpses?

Any real interest the film has lies in its depiction of some vampire elements, like how it's treated as a growing sickness of inevitable transformation the more one indulges in their blood lust, causing physical changes that need to be covered up for with makeup and appliances to pass for normal. The initial idea for why this specific flight also tracks as a decent setup in terms of how to keep the clock running for Nadja's sense of urgency among the terrorist activities going on around her, even as basically everything else regarding the plane seems to vary on an "at need" basis for acting remotely like a plane. And, uhhh...I guess it was somewhat refreshing to get a more apocalyptic read of the situation by the end, even as I suspect it was only because they realized that there far too many cast members to be able to resolve otherwise and took the path of least resistance to vampirize all of them instead. But it's so damning to think that the film accomplishes little in terms of intrigue while overloading on the outright stupid with how much it keeps straining to keep going and going. Make no mistake that this is a very, very, very long two hour movie, one that has no respect for the viewer when it comes to momentum and having a way to advance the plot without straining to come up with a parade of contrivances so pained in their desperation that you could be forgiven for feeling like this should have started wrapping things up two hours before it does.

I don't think it's hard to see why they filmmakers thought they had enough to get the cameras rolling, as the maternal bond between mother and son seems sufficient enough to act as an anchor for the shenanigans of the high concept pitch the film's story hinges upon. I also don't see why no one saw just how many issues the script winds up having as it struggles to find something novel to actually do that wasn't already covered by the synopsis, as its filmmaking never rises above functional to feel like it can start papering over the gaps it has for stretching a meager premise to lengths that it has no hope of supporting. And with the action being so weak all around, regardless of genre, there's basically nothing to recommend that isn't better served elsewhere, especially with the self-seriousness this has that kills a lot of the potential for fun. It really begs the question of who they thought this was going to be for, as it's so overcome with opportunity and indifference that one fears that this may have been a film made entirely by algorithms with its dedication to being entirely perfunctory on all fronts. A film that wants to try on as many hats as it can, but can't help but face down the fact that there's no head on its shoulders to fit them at all.

 

[Mariachi507]

10. Halloween Kills

I'm going to keep it short since I already wrote a longer review for it on another site and want to avoid the self promotion. This is the biggest let down for me in a long time when it comes to cinema. Even when the reviews, I still didn't expect the level of incompetence that would here in many moments. With a final film on the way it makes sense to explore other aspects of Haddonfield from a creative standpoint. The intent behind this plot is sound, applying the theme is trauma from the last one to a wider scope of characters. Even the sinister, darker approach is valid. The film keeps stepping on its toes thanks to cheesy overwrought dialogue that's more interested with winking at the viewer than saying anything. This makes the characters feel cartoonish. To top it off, the direction is incredibly inconsistent and the editing is atrocious for a good part of it. There is a really unique and cool slasher film wanting to spring from this approach, it is such a bummer that this is what came instead. There's much worse films in the series, but with the talent involved...they should fucking know better.

5/10

11. The Entity

Wow. I bet this was a hot topic during its release because even today it immediately grabs your attention. Based on the "true story" of a woman who is repeatedly attacked and raped by an invisible intruder or ghost. Barbara Hershey sells the shit out of it in a wonderful performance that's not only risky for the publicity angle, but also risky just for how much she had to put in.

The movie doesn't pull any punches, the scenes where she is assaulted very powerful and disturbing. Yet, the film avoids falling into pure exploitation. It's a good dynamic with this mostly single mother having an older and very protective son in addition to the two smaller children. They don't drag on the part where nobody believes her either, although it's perhaps contrived how the science don't stick around for the fireworks until the end.

A big portion of the film is the more science based people debating the true believers, and this part does drag out a bit much since it takes up so much. Not that the plot isn't compelling, but it's a bit too talky.

I was reminded of It Follows, which came decades later. Even down to the score which sounded identical to some of the work Disasterpiece provided for that film. It's one of the more horrifying films I've seen this month, and it kept progressing the terror right when you thought it was safe. The ending that leaves you full of emotions is the cherry on top.

7.5/10

12. The Black Belly of the Tarantula

I love how within seconds you know what kind of movie you're able to watch. Having a naked woman on display during the opening title sequence all while featuring a score with a woman moaning in pleasure calibrates you quickly for some yellow fever (Giallo = yellow, before somebody takes that the wrong way).

The film itself was enjoyable but just wasn't enough to stand out amongst its counterparts for me. The mystery just fell flat even with the identity of the killer keeping you guessing up until the reveal. I appreciated the detective being fairly unique with this genre, a cop that doesn't want the gig and is only doing so because of the murders compelling him.

The relationship with his wife was sweet although the dialogue was rough even for a giallo. It kept from falling into Wiseau territory, but just barely haha. The killer's M.O. was appropriately disturbing and this was a time when Ennio Morricone's genius was typically on display is sleazy movies. It's a nice score, but not particularly a stand out in his discography. Like how the slasher film boomed in response to the release of Halloween, this film largely exist because of Dario Argento's Bird With the Crystal Plumage. I just wish this copycat had anywhere near the style Argento's breakthrough does.

5/10

 

[Rhaknar]

The Entity fucked me up as a child...

...the fuck was I doing watching The Entity when I was like 6 or 7 lol :(

 

[excelsiorlef]

Jesus, they made 10 of these?!

Click to shrink...

11

But the latest one isn't out yet

 

[coma]

22. Hour of the Wolf (1968, Ingmar Bergman) ★★★★

What could be scarier than your own inner demons?

 

[Pitcairn55]

Film #29 – The Dark (2018)

This was an accidental rewatch for me. I was supposed to be viewing The Dark (2005) with Sean Bean. I realised my mistake almost immediately, but I just went with it, mainly because The Dark (2018) is a fantastic film, and still fits pretty well with my main folk horror theme.

An armed and dangerous psychokiller, on the run from the police, holes up in an abandoned house deep in the woods known as Devil's Den, unaware that another monster is already in occupation. Psychokiller is soon dead, but it turns out he has a young blind teenage boy hidden in the back of his car, somebody the woods' resident monster is going to have to deal with, one way or another.

Sad, sweet, and quite bloody in places, this is an brilliant and original film, and is highly recommended.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

Film #30 – Halloween Kills

This was a bit of a disappointment I must be honest. I had a fun time seeing it on the big screen with friends, but we were all agreed that its predecessor was a much better film. Of course, the clue is in the title I guess, and if you just take it as an extremely violent, high kill count, gorgeously gory deathfest, then it delivers the goods in pretty spectacular fashion.

I did find myself actively rooting for Michael at various points though. This was mainly down to Tommy Doyle, played by Anthony Michael Hall, whom I took against from the word go for some reason. He was the prime mover in the tedious angry hospital mob sequence too. I mean, it was clear what they were trying to demonstrate with this part, but talk about labouring the point, holy crap.

I also thought the flashback sequences were a bit clunkily handled, and I couldn't shake the suspicion that the real point of them was just to be able to briefly resurrect Donald Pleasance (via some insane practical effects/make up that had me convinced digital trickery was at work, but apparently not). I'm not ideologically opposed to that kind of fan service, but even so.

There were other highlights; Big John, Little John, Sondra and Phil were all great, and I wish they'd been given more screen time. But the real draw of the film is Michael being even more Michael than usual. I wasn't completely unhappy with that, but after the quality of the first movie in this cycle, I was hoping for a bit more.

Blood and Guts Score: Off the frigging charts
Real Score: 2.5 out of 5

Films I've watched so far

 

[Rhomega]

Back from a ban, so I'm just going to have to copy/paste my reviews here:

7. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

It's a shame that they dropped the "Tommy is the new Jason" angle at the end of Part V, and like Halloween 4: Return of Michael Myers, it's lame they have to undo these endings that have sequel potential.

Jason's back, but this one is a bit different. Deaths are more comedic, like having a guy's bloodied face leave a smiley face imprint on a tree, or killing 2 kids in an RV. However, this all feels secondary to the plot of Tommy (who accidentally resurrected him in the first place) trying to get the help of the local sheriff who just wants to leave Jason Vorhees in the past, and there's also his daughter Megan who wants to help out. Also, no spoilers, but it really bugs me that the final shot doesn't reflect what happened in the climax.

This honestly was a lot better than i thought it would be. It's one of the best in the series to be honest.

8. Friday the 13th Part VIII: The New Blood (1988)

The writers introduce a new element to the formula: a girl with psychic powers who inadvertently awakens Jason from his watery grave, and the first thing he does is walk 5 miles to kill 2 teens who have just wandered into his territory. It's here where I have to ask: why are so many people living around Crystal Lake? I thought it was supposed to be a private camp. A lot of them are abusive jerks too. Where is Jason getting all of his weapons? It's also here where they won't show blood anymore. I came in expecting Tina to have several encounters with Jason throughout the movie, where she beats him back and he kills more teens while rethinking his strategy. Also, great makeup on maskless Jason.

A step down from Jason Lives, but I know it's only downhill from there.

9. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

There are some good things about this movie. There's "The Darkest Side of the Night" that bookends the movie. There's the Times Square scene you might have seen on YouTube. There's also the bit where the last two teens run into a subway station, and Jason just walks through the glass part of the door without missing a beat. This is also the movie where Jason's teleporting power is most noticeable, and is later featured in Friday the 13th: The Game (the modern one, not the NES one).

Jason does get his kills, but it takes a bit, so it feels like student trip chaperone Mr. McCulloch is the real villain half the time because he's an asshole. It takes them a good hour for them to actually get to New York City though, and most of the movie is spent on a boat, and Jason is there because he floated down the river from the lake (???) and starts killing the people on the boat because...I dunno. They make it to New York City where you'd think Jason would be slaughtering people left and right, but he's only interested in the remaining people because...i dunno.

The directors just wanted to shoot in New York and take Jason with them, and while you get some sights, it's not enough to warrant the trip.

10. Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

Tired of the same old Friday the 13th movie? Well now for something different. Jason is killed by the FBI before the title card. After which, it's shown that the whole nation knows about Jason (also that he was born in 1946, and there is a Friday the 13th in September). Then the movie goes bonkers but having a medical examiner outright eat Jason's heart that's started beating again and now Jason has possessed him, and Jason can move from one body to another. Aside from two kills, this has moved away from Camp Crystal Lake, and finally we meet more members of the Vorhees family.

None of the kills really stand out here, and the most spectacular moment is when Jason is killed at the beginning (and he actually makes grunts and groans here). It's more about the punishment Jason can take, and you're just waiting for that final moment for Jason to actually go to Hell.

Just one more to go, and then i can finally close the door on this franchise.

11. Jason X (2001)

So we have a group of people trapped on a ship in the middle of nowhere with an unstoppable killer.

Go watch Alien instead. Or if you want a campy sci-fi story with teens on a ship, go watch the '90s Nickelodeon series Space Cases.

12. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)

While not as good as The Dream Warriors or even the first movie, I enjoyed this one. The stakes are higher because people dreaming can call in other sleeping people and Freddy can kill them too, plus we have the returning souls mechanic. Freddy seems wittier in this one (including the popular shot of him putting on sunglasses), and it serves as a reminder of why I prefer Freddy over Jason and Michael Myers. Great visuals and soaked in the '80s, Elm Street's still got it...for now.

13. A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)

I'm not quite sure what it is, but I'm just not into this one. Probably because the movie breaks the fundamental premise and has these...waking dreams, I guess where Freddy can attack whether you're actually asleep or not. The best death is the ocmic book one, and they wind up falling back on Amanda Krueger (already covered in Elm Street 3). Oh, and Alice is having a baby, I guess.

This one is a big fat "Eh".

14. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)

aka The One With The Power Glove

The movie begins by telling the viewers that every child in Springwood is dead. Shouldn't this be getting national attention? Doesn't the constant mentions of Freddy Krueger among the children about to die mean anything? If there are no dreams to invade, shouldn't this trap Freddy in limbo?

This is a weird one because Springwood has been a mess of insane adults and a weird loop that brings the kid back to this statue that I guess Freddy is causing? The kills get a little too wacky here, and the ending is so unsatisfying.

And so ends my time with the slashers...at least until the remake, which I'm only doing because it came with the iTunes bundle.

15. Evil Dead (2013)

Finishing this franchise to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original movie. This isn't quite a remake, but it's not quite a sequel either, bringing in a new cast of character and the circumstances of what happens and why they're out there. It's certainly worthy of its name, with plenty of gore, make up, prop effects, and possessed acting. I certainly wasn't expecting the climax either.

16. Land of the Dead (2005)

A movie the asks the question "What if zombies were actually intelligent?"...which was covered in Day of the Dead. Half of the plot is about zombies breaching a walled city...which is kind of like Dawn of the Dead. The other half is about the hijacking of an armored truck called Dead Reckoning, which looks cool...but that's the only interesting thing about that plotline. Really, you're just waiting for the zombies to get Dennis Hopper, because you know it's coming.

17. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

"We did promise our publisher a third book." And there it is.

Based on the first Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, The Mummy doesn't even give its villain a name, simply calling him "The Emperor". Rick and Evelyn's son John is all grown up, and thus we get Indiana Jones-esque family drama. You get the friend of the main character who's really just a money grubber who'll betray the hero at the first opportunity.

Yep, it's a Mummy movie, alright.

18. Son of Frankenstein (1939)

This feels like a sequel to a Frankenstein adaptation I didn't see. The only constant between this and the 1931 movie is Boris Karloff as The Monster. Also joining us is Bela Lugosi as Ygor, and he's easily the best performance of the movie. Most of the movie is Baron Frankenstein being defensive about his experiments while Ygor runs amok, and the writers do try to avoid making this feel like a retread of the original. It's not as good as the first 2, but it's not a bad movie at all.

19. Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)

Following up on Son of Frankenstein, this movie brings in Dr. Frankenstein's other son Ludwig, who wants to distance himself from his father and brother, and wants to restore honor to the family name. Bela Lugosi returns as Ygor, but Boris Karloff is no longer the monster. He's played by Lon Chaney Jr, fresh off his starring role in The Wolf Man, and in the end, I think it turned out for the best, even if the monster doesn't have the signature grunts and growls Karloff could pull off. There's a plot twist near the end that makes me want to see how House follows it up, but then the movie just...stops. You know the monster's not dead, it's just a matter of waiting for it to come back, which is how the slashers of the '80s feel.

 

[excelsiorlef]

75. Children of the Corn 8 (2009)

This remake was the funniest shit, corny Vietnam flashbacks, fighting married protagonists who clearly hate each other, and Issac?


This Issac is hilarious he's a little moppet who has way too much dialogue, he speaks with zero inflection and rhythm lol. He speaks almost entirely in run-on sentences.

An end credits scene with zero passion that's supposed to be dramatic.

Just absolute comedy

1 outta 5

 

[Blader]

8. The Omen (1976)
I started watching this but it turned out my wife wanted to watch it too, but later. So, to be continued!

9. Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
This is a surprisingly good Wolf Man sequel and an awfully pathetic Frankenstein sequel. The first half actually works really well as a follow-up to The Wolf Man. It's not a simple retread of Talbot coming back to life, transforming, and running amok again, as you'd expect from the usual dime-a-dozen Universal b-movie sequel. The events of the first film actually weigh on Talbot and he's desperate not to have his life turn into that retread of the first movie -- and so wants to kill himself. That's heavy shit! There's some neat continuity here, with the return of Maleva and her troupe, the mention of Bela as the original werewolf, the mention of Talbot's father and his dying from grief over killing his son. It actually works! And the integration of the Frankenstein mythos into the Wolf Man's story is surprisingly organically done. It actually makes kinda perfect sense that Talbot would look to someone like Frankenstein, who has made a name out of controlling life and death through monsters, to be the one who could end his own life as a monster.

Where the movie starts to come apart is when Frankenstein('s monster) enters the scene. For one thing, he plays virtually no role in the story, and just stands around and grunts. Actually Talbot himself loses all agency in the story once Frankenstein appears, spending most of his time in the second half of the movie just pacing back and forth in Frankenstein's castle lab. But the real big problem is that the Frankenstein performance itself is just terrible. The long-held apocryphal rumor is that all of Lugosi's audio was cut because test audiences thought the monster sounded ridiculous with his voice, but even playing him as a blind and mute create, Lugosi's performance is just awkward and bad. He doesn't work at all, much less come close to Karloff. The final battle between the two monsters is extremely brief and not very interesting (it happens in literally the last 2-3 minutes of the film and is mostly Wolf Man climbing and jumping off tables), but I have more of a problem with how abruptly the movie ends. That's not too surprising with Universal monster movies in general, but here it really does feel like the film just cuts off mid-scene. You never even really see either monster go under the water at the end!

All in all, better than I was expecting but it unfortunately falls apart toward the end, which is a shame because it was surprisingly good for its first half.
6/10

 

[Ithil]

18) Blood and Black Lace (1964)

It's all over the newspapers. The scandal's raging!

I don't know if bright red and wireframe mannequins were a thing in fashion houses of the 1960s, but they sure make for great scene setting.

Buongiorno, my journey into the yellow finally begins. As a starter, Blood and Black Lace is a promising one. It makes its intent known right off the bat; superb visuals and grisly murder setpieces. A killer who I strongly suspect influenced the look of the DC character the Question is bumping off the fashion models of a prestigious house and...well, that's it, there's a killer and they must be caught. Minimized are the police and their investigation, who always are a little too late to help, and maximized are the murderer and their quite varied slayings. The backbone of the film is built around these setpieces of stalking and slaughter, but luckily it's a healthy and upright spine. The incredibly rich set design and stylized camerawork make for memorable death scenes, the standout for me being the antiques shop, a vast sea of multiple levels and hoarded furniture. It's a great cat and mouse chase.

There's an obvious question to be considered, and I will be considering it as I view these giallo films given the reputation: the interplay of eroticism and violence. Even as a novice I've heard all about this debate, over when exactly violence against women becomes sexualized,. The victims of the film are all women, the film is built around a succession of killpieces, and the notion of the killings being by a sex maniac is considered by the police characters. So are the murders eroticized? Mmm, yes but not that much? In terms of actual filmmaking, most of the murders are shot as rough, brutal and cruel (the opening kill in particular feels shockingly vicious). Some lean into it more than others, like one in a bathtub, but there's no nudity, no sex and little explicit violence. In short, I expect I'll see much worse in films yet to come.

If there's criticisms to be had, it's that putting the mystery element in the background means you aren't given the opportunity to solve it alongside the film, instead relegating it to a couple of fairly clunky expository infodumps late in the film. However, this would be a bigger problem in another film. For this one, so focused on visuals and atmosphere, it's only a quibble. The aforementioned mannequins contribute to a particularly superb track shot through the silent fashion house near the end of the film, the camera creeping in and around these mannequins standing around the central room. Oddly enough, my favorite bit of camerawork in the film isn't some impressively framed shot (of which there are many) or even complex at all. Instead it's a very simple edit; early in the film one of the models finds the first victim's diary backstage at their fashion show and announces it to the room. Cue individual reaction shots of every character in the vicinity looking alarmed, one by one. It's just a really fun bit of mystery making.

Easy recommendation, it's good stuff.

 

[Oneiros]

Dead Silence (2007)

Unfortunately, this is one of the worst movies I've seen in quite some time. Stupid story, wooden protagonist, terrible acting and worst of all it was just plain boring.

Click to shrink...

Just like his father ;)

 

[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) ***
14. (N) The Medium (2021) ****
15. (R) The Blob (1988) *****

Click to shrink...

———

16. (R) IT: Chapter 2 (2019)

A group of friends return to their childhood home town in a final confrontation with the evil that has returned from a 27 year slumber.

This is my first rewatch since I came out of the cinema at release disappointed with what I had just seen. I had loved the first film, and thought it was a very good adaptation of the first half of a very difficult to adapt book, and felt it succeeded as both a horror film and as a coming of age tale. Unfortunately while this is also a very good film in isolation, it is far less of an effective horror film due to some strange decisions during the filmmaking process.

I'm going to spoiler the main text of the review this time as I have a bit more to say than usual.

Spoiler

First off, the good: The casting was impeccable. Everyone here was great in their role, be it the kids or the adults. It really is a great cast throughout and they did a convincing job portraying these characters. Andy Muschetti is also clearly a very talented director, and it shows with the sheer level of polish in the way the film is shot. Divorced of the expectations of a horror film brings and especially as a sequel to the first, it is for the most part a fantastic movie. Skarsgard as Pennywise once again steals the show with an incredible performance.

However as a horror film it is very flawed. There are some fantastic scenes (the opening, the girl at the baseball game, and Bill trying to save the kid in the hall of mirrors), but all too often there is very little in the way of subtlety to the scares, with many coming across as less creepy and more of the likes of a PG13 movie such as Goosebumps. A lot of this might be due to the over-reliance of CGI effects, often in brightly lit scenes. The CGI itself is mostly fine, but it highlights some really silly looking creature designs that specifically reminded me of the Joe Dante portion of the Twilight Zone movie weirdly enough. However everything involving the deadlights (especially in the finale) looked great and had fantastic sound design.

The tone is also a real weak point that brings it down tremendously. There are lot of out of place jokes, especially during the finale when the characters are facing their worst fears in a hellish situation. Nothing exemplifies this strange tone more than the utterly bizarre pharmacy scene where Eddie gets vomited on by a leper... to the soundtrack of Angel in the Morning. What the hell was that about? It often feels like the filmmakers were making a conscious attempt to make sure its not too scary, but end up undermining the tension entirely.

There are constant not-so-subtle jibes at the book having a bad ending - which it did - but it feels completely unearned as it turned out they were throwing stones in glass houses all along. The ending here felt so unbelievable to me that I still can't come to terms with the notion that they ended this impossibly powerful ancient cosmic entity like that. I get it, it must be incredibly difficult as a writer to finish off a being like this in a story this epic and have it feel satisfying, but I'd have had more sympathy if it hadn't been setting itself up as a superior finale.

I like the film. It's incredibly well made, looks amazing (outside of the CGI monsters), the directing is great, and the cast is pretty much perfect, but it fails in a lot of respects as a horror film despite a couple of great scenes. I can't help but feel disappointed by it coming after the excellently well-rounded Chapter 1. Clocking in at almost 3 hours it is also far too long.

The potential for this one was so much higher than where it ended up hitting.

———

3 stars out of 5

 

[Ravelle]

Film #14.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe.


This was super fantastic, this kept on building tension and lore until it suddenly wraps up and ends within 2 minutes. I feel like this could have been a half hour longer finish up a existing third act or be a short mini series instead because there's a lot of great stuff in this and didn't get to shine.

 

[Owzers]

I rewatched Grave Encounters 1 and 2 because people mentioned how bad two was and I wanted a reminder. It's such an odd premise because

Spoiler

the lead in the sequel thinks the events from the "film" were real, gets confirmation from the studio exec, and still goes there. And then when people are dying and they are stuck reaffirms how right he was. Good plan there. It's such a blatantly poor scenario. Usually it's about wanting to find the truth out or hunt for a missing person. Not already thinking the lace is haunted and going in with no exit plan.

But the first is still worth recommending and if you're going to watch that you might as well see the sequel. To suffer. Much like watching Hell House 2 and 3, though I liked the first more than Grave Encounters.

Superhost - shudder - I thought this was better once the scenario unraveled but

Spoiler

it's so odd that they would know they are being watched by the "renter" but still talked about her and how they were going to shape their show on how crazy she was. Even telling eachother they probably should t talk there because she could be listening and they just do it anyways all the time

so, odd but good if you can overlook the awkwardness. 6/10.

odd things everywhere.

 

[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)
28. The Trollenberg Terror (1958)
29. Return of Daimajin (1966)
30. Masque of the Red Death (1964)

An old monster kid friend of mine (and I don't use the word "old" lightly; we saw the original Star Wars together that fateful spring week in 1977) joined me to watch Scream Factory's recently released Extended Edition Blu-ray, and we agree that Corman's finest film has never looked better. It's always been a beautiful movie to watch, but this new restoration is really a whole new level of gorgeous. Price strides through the film with an air of casually sadistic nobility, delivering every line with a melifluous menace that establishes clearly his dominance over the company at hand (a not inconsiderable feat for an American supported by British actors). It's spell-binding from beginning to end. "And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all."

 

[excelsiorlef]

76. Children of the Corn 9 2011

Whooo 9 movies in and they're like hey how about no children and no corn.

Boo
.5 outta 5

 

[Ithil]

Bonus Film 3) Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)

As powerless as this FORK!

When you have a historical premise as monumentally stupid as the one declared by that title, there's really only two ways to go about it. Either you go for high camp thrills, embracing absurdity, or you take a historical figure's name and put them to a fictional character, making me wonder what the point was and why you didn't just do a period film without this albatross. This film unfortunately leaps headlong into the latter. It takes its subject matter bafflingly seriously, as though it were not a film about President Abraham Lincoln fighting vampires. However, it is a film about President Abraham Lincoln fighting vampires. You see, in addition to being a lawyer, politician, president and pro wrestler, Lincoln also slew vampires all his life under the tutelage of a master hunter, and also the Confederacy and Civil War was really orchestrated and backed by vampires looking to take over the world. Still with me? Oh, no you're gone. Well I guess I'll just talk to myself.

My one overriding thought throughout the film is "why did they make the protagonist Abraham Lincoln. It only distracts and confuses. As far as the historical aspects thrown in, they are nothing but broad caricature out of an elementary school history book. Stovepipe hat, Gettysburg, theater, slavery, etc. That's all you get as far as "Lincoln", otherwise he's an unrelated character out of another film. Other historical companions like Joshua Speed and Mary Todd (a miscast Mary Elizabeth Winstead whom I normally like, but just seems out of place and too modern) are similarly just basic characters with real names thrown on.

To top it off, the whole film is smothered in this white digital grading that gives everything a desaturated bloomy look. It's like a 2006 Xbox 360 game. Combine it with an overabundance of highly unconvincing CG action that reminded me of the 2004 Van Helsing, which is not a compliment. It simultaneously manages to be over the top and dumb, while also draining any notion of fun from a nonsensical premise. If I hear of a film called Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, I imagine Lincoln throwing his stovepipe hat Oddjob-style to decapitate a vampire in the House of Representatives, or defeating Dracula in the White House dining hall with two silver candlesticks a la Horror of Dracula. I certainly don't picture a dour film going through familiar vampire film tropes and occasionally going "Abolition, amirite?".

Skip.

 

[More_Badass]

20) The Sect (1991)
★★½
Valuable lessons learned from Soavi's The Sect:

- Don't bring home old men obsessed with their package
- When buying a house, always check for tunnels to underground Satanic ritual chambers
- Rabbits like to channel surf
- The devil is a pelican

Kind of funny that I just saw Soavi-esque Italian horror about Satan wanting a bride (aka Amok Train). Now here's actual Soavi Italian horror about Satan wanting a bride. Rosemary's Baby meets Satanic Alice in Wonderland, filtered through the insane dream-logic moments and strange plotting you'd expect from a film directed by Soavi and produced by Argento. The madcap opening races from Manson-style desert massacre to downtown cult murder to human heart antics on the metro, and the rest of the runtime follows that same rhythm of bizarre supernatural…stuff. A dripfeed of bugs, devil rabbit, satanic pelican, killer cloth, knife murders, nightmares, undead attack, cult rites, and at least one ripped-off face.

But The Sect as a whole was never as good as its weirdest parts. Too sluggish, too sedate, too disjointed and nonsensical (nothing new for Italian horror of course), an underwhelming attempt at creeping dread that just made me miss the brazen insanity of The Church and the suspense of Stagefright. Still need to see Delamorte Delamore, but this is my least favorite Soavi at the moment

 

[excelsiorlef]

77. Children of the Corn 10

It tried.

It didn't succeed

2 outta 5

And with that other than #11 which is not out on vod or available anywhere i watched every Children of the Corn movie across 3 days.

 

[ElephantShell]

19. Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) 3/5

Pretty fun light weight Halloween watch. Iaughed a few times and truth be told I jumped once.

 

[kidtamagotchi]

October 19

Movie: Dark Water (2002)

Watched on: Tubi

Finally watched the original Japanese version of 'Dark Water'! I really liked this movie! A woman going through a bitter divorce moves into a dilapidated apartment with her daughter, where supernatural events and water leaks occur from the upper apartment. It has a mysterious, melancholy vibe throughout. It is actually a pretty tragic story. Really well made movie! This movie was remade in America in 2005, but I never fully watched that one so I can't compare. Still, I think people should check this version out!

Possible spoilers below!

I knew where this movie was going, since I read about the Elisa Lam case long before I had a chance to see this movie. It is EERIE how similar some of the things in the movie and the Lam case are. Made me even more uncomfortable watching it. If you want to see this movie, read the Elisa Lam story AFTER watching it. A real life story spoils a movie made years earlier. Really weird!

 

[Rhaknar]

48 - Afflicted 4/5

Really well made "found footage" style vampire movie, clearly low budget but with a ton of heart. I really like the main actor, the effects are fantastic for such a low budget, and they do a lot of imaginative stuff with the camera work (lot's of first person shots that straight up look like a videogame). The vampire makeup is super creepy too which I love. I really like this one.

List

 

[More_Badass]

48 - Afflicted 4/5

Really well made "found footage" style vampire movie, clearly low budget but with a ton of heart. I really like the main actor, the effects are fantastic for such a low budget, and they do a lot of imaginative stuff with the camera work (lot's of first person shots that straight up look like a videogame). The vampire makeup is super creepy too which I love. I really like this one.

List

Click to shrink...

The building jumps were insanely impressive for the budget and ambitious for found footage!

 

[oatmeal]

Superhost - shudder - I thought this was better once the scenario unraveled but

Spoiler

it's so odd that they would know they are being watched by the "renter" but still talked about her and how they were going to shape their show on how crazy she was. Even telling eachother they probably should t talk there because she could be listening and they just do it anyways all the time

so, odd but good if you can overlook the awkwardness. 6/10.

odd things everywhere.

Click to shrink...

They only talked about her the one time after breakfast. After that Teddy turned off the camera and when they talk about her again that night - she checks and the light is off.

 

[John Rabbit]

19. Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) 3/5

Pretty fun light weight Halloween watch. Iaughed a few times and truth be told I jumped once.

Click to shrink...

Straight up that scene toward the end with

Spoiler: Gonzo

facing his fears and turning into a withered version of himself

would've scared the shit out of me as a kid, it even got me a little uncomfortable as an adult.

 

[atdawnwestrike]

40. Halloween Kills (2021) (New) 3/5
This was a mess but I still had fun with it. We'll have to see how this feels after another watch or two.

 

[THErest]

28 -- Evil Dead

(rewatch)
I'd only seen this one once before, years ago, so I didn't remember much.

This is, IMO, a pretty awesome remake/reimagining of the original. It dialed down the comedy, and dialed up the horror and gore--but it works.
This shit is so gory and so intense, it actually had me cringing. And it just does not let up. Just fantastic.

Highly recommend.

Spoiler: previous entry

27 -- Dressed to Kill

(first watch)
The wife was tired, so I took the chance to watch a second movie today.
I knew going in that this was De Palma and starred Michael Caine and Nancy Allen. I didn't know it'd have so many other familar faces. I particularly enjoyed the Nancy Allen/Keith Gordon team-up, they were just adorable.

So this was gorgeous, stylish, enchanting, surreal. It had my full attention, slow and deliberate as it was. There were so many continuous long shots, it was great.

It was definitely problematic, however. Product of its time, I suppose. Then they tried to realistically explain some stuff, and I wondered if it wasn't groundbreaking for its time, even though it was terribly problematic. Also, that opening sequence was Skinemax.

And was the identity of the killer supposed to be a twist, or even a surprise? It seemed obvious from the get-go, and once I thought I knew, the other hints were practically screaming.

Good flick, though.

Click to shrink...

 

[CapNBritain]

22. The People Under the Stairs (1991, streaming on Peacock) 4/5
I was not expecting to love this movie so much. I thought that this movie would be about a family that moved into a house that held scary secrets, but it's actually about twisted white folks and how they fuck over communities of POC. The performances of the villain's veer between unhinged camp and genuine creepiness, the design of the house is labyrinthine and amazing, and Fool is just an awesome little dude. By the end, I was like this is the feel good movie of the year. Highly recommend if you like movies that lean more adventure-thriller than pure horror.

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
20. Dolls (1986, streaming on Amazon Prime) 3/5
21. Madhouse (1981, streaming on Tubi) 4/5

 

[Pitcairn55]

Film #31 – The Banishing

This is a Christopher Smith movie that had slipped under my radar until making the list for this month, and whilst by no means his best, it's still pretty good, despite having such an ill-suited and boringly generic scary movie name. Set in the early 1930s, it tells of a nervous vicar and his young family who are sent by the bishop to live in a spooky old rectory. Life soon gets a little supernatural, as it transpires the building was constructed on the site of a old monastery, used by a rather unconventional order of monks, many of whose spirits still linger.

It's my second film of the month to feature a John Lynch / Sean Harris double act. Harris is especially good as an eccentric paranormal investigator unaware of how badly he is being played by Lynch's Machiavellian man of the cloth, a bishop who is much less god fearing than he ought to be. Acting honours, however, go to the excellent Jessica Brown Findlay, playing the feisty vicar's wife with a troubled past and an enigmatic daughter. Of course, in the noble tradition of children in creepy films everywhere, the daughter is talking to ghosts about five minutes after the family moves in, and seems completely untroubled by their presence. Even when one of them insists on being called mummy.

Despite having an interesting story, great performances and loads of atmosphere, the film is never particularly scary, and does lose its way a bit in the rather overwrought through-the-looking-glass finale. It's still a fun watch however, and while it doesn't have a twist ending, there is a great little wrinkle in the plot right at the death that I didn't see coming, despite there being a huge hint about it earlier in the film.

Score: 3 out of 5

Films I've watched so far

 

[Rhaknar]

49 - Deliver Us From Evil 2/5

Bit torn on this one, I was sorta-kinda enjoying it for the first half, since it harkens back to those supernatural / police procedurals that were all the rage in the late 90s / early 00s, but overall it's a bit of a mess, the story ends up going absolutely nowhere and the ending is one of the flatest endings I've seen in awhile, but at the same time, it has some cool visuals, I liked Eric Bana in it and I always like Joel McHale (even tho he's basically just playing Jeff Winger), but yeah, one of those movies where I didn't hate it or anything, I just didn't particularly like it that much either.

50 - Night Teeth 2/5

Pretty disappointed with this one, as the trailer promised a lot more fun than what they actually deliver. A sort of Collateral with vampires, and while the movie focuses on the Collateral part, as in the MC driving the two vampire ladies around to various locations, it's pretty good as all three actors are good in their roles and the MC and his vampire lady friend are pretty cute together, as soon as it goes into the rival gang and other characters, the movie completely lost me. Shame, it would have been much stronger if it just focused on the three main characters. Also what the fuck was Megan Fox doing in the movie, she's in ONE scene lol. Still, I didn't hate it at all (much like Deliver Us From Evil I guess) and since I save my 0s and 1s to movies I not only think are bad but I actually dislike, this gets a easy 2, but that's about all I can give it.

 

[CapNBritain]

23. Black Christmas (2019, streaming on HBO Max) 4.5/5
Wow another unexpected gem. I almost didn't watch this as it looks like a cheap, bland, contemporary slasher that were endemic in the 2000s. Instead, I got a thoughtful film stuffed full of feminist themes, critiques on toxic masculinity, and yes, a very well shot and paced slasher. Some of the kills are done in great, single takes that have the camera linger and glide along with the scene in order to build tension in a very old school and effective manner. Even when the plot turned in ways I initially thought were going to be lame the movie almost always surprised me in a wonderful way. I thought back to my own college experience and felt very uncomfortable, which as man, I think is a good thing. The climax had me jump to my feet and pump my fist into the air.

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
20. Dolls (1986, streaming on Amazon Prime) 3/5
21. Madhouse (1981, streaming on Tubi) 4/5
22. The People Under the Stairs (1991, streaming on Peacock) 4/5

 

[Wanderer5]

19. Dracula (1931)

Click to shrink...

Well I am on a Universal Monster kick, so might as well see more of the classics, and Dracula is up next. Yet another classic indeed, and Bela Lugosi really did the role as Dracula well. While Count Orlok was creepy via his design, Bela was able to make Dracula unsettling to look at often, despite being more human, mostly with his stares that sure feel like he is looking into your soul.

I also love the sets and background paintings in this one, especially during the Transylvania part, where Dracula's castle is massive, and filled with wonderful details.

 

[jph139]

Movie 20 | Creature from the Black Lagoon, 1954

Man, why are they so mean to the Creature? I mean yeah he killed those guys and keeps trying to kidnap that lady but I think we should give him a break.

Following up one prehistoric 50s monster movie with another. I was really impressed with this one. The underwater shots are gorgeous, and surprisingly plentiful - it feels like half the movie is underwater! It's just a really, really good looking movie, and you can see why it's lumped in with the original Universal movies from the 30s. Cast is solid, too. The David vs. Mark scientist rivalry is fun, if a little low-key, and Julie Adams makes for a charming (and distractingly gorgeous) leading lady. But of course, the Creature is the highlight. Well-performed, with an excellent design that's realized perfectly. Campy for sure, but there's some moments where the lighting hits just right, and you almost believe he's real...

Evidently it was originally conceived for 3D, which I didn't know. Would love to give it a watch in that format, though I'm not sure how well it holds up to modern scrutiny.

 

[Ridley327]

Movie 20 | Creature from the Black Lagoon, 1954

Man, why are they so mean to the Creature? I mean yeah he killed those guys and keeps trying to kidnap that lady but I think we should give him a break.

Following up one prehistoric 50s monster movie with another. I was really impressed with this one. The underwater shots are gorgeous, and surprisingly plentiful - it feels like half the movie is underwater! It's just a really, really good looking movie, and you can see why it's lumped in with the original Universal movies from the 30s. Cast is solid, too. The David vs. Mark scientist rivalry is fun, if a little low-key, and Julie Adams makes for a charming (and distractingly gorgeous) leading lady. But of course, the Creature is the highlight. Well-performed, with an excellent design that's realized perfectly. Campy for sure, but there's some moments where the lighting hits just right, and you almost believe he's real...

Evidently it was originally conceived for 3D, which I didn't know. Would love to give it a watch in that format, though I'm not sure how well it holds up to modern scrutiny.

Click to shrink...

Easily one of the best showcases for 3D even now. The stereography is superb the whole way through.

 

[Conditional-Pancakes]

Easily one of the best showcases for 3D even now. The stereography is superb the whole way through.

Click to shrink...

Better than Friday the 13th Part III? :p

 

[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 ⭐⭐⭐

18 - SUSPIRIA ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A break from my playlist again to watch another all time classic in my opinion . It starts fast then slows down and builds it's atmosphere and mood. All of it builds to a strong crescendo.

I totally recommend this movie to anyone.

 

[DarthSpider]

19. Suspiria (2018)

The 1977 film is one of my all-time favorite horror movies, so I was hesitant to watch this one. It's been on my list since it came out, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I liked it quite a bit, and it was different enough from the original so as not to step on any toes. There is still a sense of being in a dream-like state, but it is achieved differently. We don't have the Goblin soundtrack or the vivid colors, so props to this version to being able to achieve that in a completely different way. The ending sequence of this movie is fucking bananas and I loved it. 4/5

20. The Monster Squad

No idea how I missed this one as a kid. It's like a cheap version of The Goonies with classic Universal Monsters. The main kid is a huge asshole, and none of the core kids are really fleshed out at all. That kinda sucked. I think there's even one kid in the monster club that never even has his name mentioned. There's also a fair bit of language that wouldn't fly today and some iffy stuff about virgins. I probably would have been obsessed with this movie as a kid if I'd seen it then, but I don't think it holds up particularly well. Horace (RIP to the actor) and the Corey Feldman wannabe kid are alright in my book. 2/5

21. Sleepy Hollow

I think this is my first rewatch, but it's been so long and I didn't really remember anything about it. The first thing that stood out this time was the cast. Holy hell is this cast stacked! Dumbledore, Palpatine, Vernon Dursely, Alfred, and on and on. I really enjoyed this. Standard creepy Burton aesthetic, surprisingly gory, decently engaging mystery plot, and lots of great actors getting to chew scenery. 3/5

22. Cult of Chucky

I didn't like this one as much as Curse, but it was still good. Good kills, funny one-liners from Chucky, and Nica is a cool protagonist. Andy was unbelievably stupid in this movie, though. 2.5/5

23. Child's Play 2

I spent a lot of this movie trying to remember where I'd seen the actress who played Kyle before. Anyways, good sequel to the original. I like the Andy/Kyle relationship and I'm glad it's coming back for the TV show. The ending setpiece at the toy factory was really cool. 3/5

 

[Owzers]

They only talked about her the one time after breakfast. After that Teddy turned off the camera and when they talk about her again that night - she checks and the light is off.

Click to shrink...

hmmm definitely missed about the lights, or there being a light. how does that work, would they have to constantly look to make sure the light was off while editing the video of her?

Spoiler

waking up to her making breakfast was one thing but her answering them through the speakers when they "thanked" her for the breakfast after she left seemed like a large notice that anything they did could be seen by her.

 

[oatmeal]

hmmm definitely missed about the lights, or there being a light. how does that work, would they have to constantly look to make sure the light was off while editing the video of her?

Spoiler

waking up to her making breakfast was one thing but her answering them through the speakers when they "thanked" her for the breakfast after she left seemed like a large notice that anything they did could be seen by her.

Click to shrink...

After breakfast, they vlog and Claire is talking shit - Teddy stops her saying she can hear, then they discuss turning it off. He heads off to get a ladder.

Next scene he turns it off and then the window breaks.

The camera is then off until the last day when presumably Rebecca turned it back on. But when they're editing, Claire double checks that the light on the camera is off.

There's a close up of the camera with no light on. Every other time it's on.

 

[Violence Jack]

#32 - House (1985)

Another one that I haven't seen since I was a kid, and it's still as great as I remember it being. Full of great costumes and effects, along with some great comedic moments, House is a vastly underrated film.

#33 - The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

Still one of my all time favorites. It's a mystery that takes the viewer down a dark hole from where they (nor the characters) can escape from. It's both sad, and horrifying.

#34 - A Classic Horror Story (2021) First Time Viewing

Pros:
-The third act
-Satire
-Cinematography
-Homages paid to other classic horror films
-Some brutal death scenes

Cons:
-The title kind of spoils the movie
-Plot holes and other things not explained
-Bad dubbing

Overall: 6/10 - This wasn't bad for a Netflix horror film, and the twist is fairly well done. However, I'm not sure if it was because of the bad dub job, but it felt like a lot of the plot was either confusing or left some plot holes. The first two acts are alright, but forgettable outside of the first death scene. You could see a lot worse on Netflix, but I wouldn't call this good. Watchable, and entertaining with a good third act.

 

[Rhaknar]

a classic horror story has good kills you say? hmmm

 

[Rhomega]

20. House of Frankenstein

A follow-up to Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, and similar to that, Frankenstein's monster doesn't figure that much into it. This is the period where the monsters crossover with each other, and thus you also have Dracula...who is extorted from the getgo and goes out like a chump. Castlevania Dracula wouldn't have any of that. It's also a shame that none of the monsters interact with each other.

The biggest thing for me is seeing Boris Karloff as something other than The Monster or the narrator for How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and I think he's great. The best feature are the transformations: the resurrection of Dracula and Larry Talbot into the Wolfman.

Despite its disappointments, this is a good Universal Horror movie that has Boris Karloff come face to face with his most famous role.

 

[Z-Beat]

20. Tales from the Darkside The Movie

An anthology as campy as the show was. Acting is pretty hammy. Still had fun with the stories.

 

[Elfgore]

7. Vampires

Wikipedia called this horror, so I'm counting it. Probably my least favorite of Carpenter's movies. It's not bad, but it's just kinda OK. There's a lot of yikes moments throughout with how a woman is treated and her relationship to the person who treats her like shit. I'd say like one character can even be called likable, the rest are all completely unlikeable. Vampires are played as boring as can be and there is a betrayal for the most boring reason with vampires that could be written. The only good parts usually involve the action, especially when vampire hunting. That part is pretty cool.

8. Pooka Lives!

Horror becoming such a shit show lately of a genre has truly killed my ability to tell if a movie is a parody of these shitty horror movies that come out or if it made with zero sense of irony. Pooka Lives either way isn't good. If it's trying to make me laugh, it didn't succeed. If it was trying to scare me, it also didn't succeed. Just crammed with pop culture stuff and buzzwords throughout, it just falls completely flat. The best credit I can give the movie is when the dolls repeat certain words it can create a good atmosphere from horror, but it's dropped fairly quickly within the first half hour.