You might be the only person in this thread who has not seen it! Get to it!
31 Days of Horror (2018) - The October Movie Marathon
- Thread starter ThirstyFly
- Start date
Wanted to the og Halloween with the bf before going to the theatre for the new one but there's absolutely no trace of a Italian bluray for the movie...sigh
Alright, I've had some commitments this month that have kept me from here and the marathon in general. Those commitments are out of the way though and goddamnit I will watch 31 horror movies this month! It's just going to take some perseverance. I've seen 11 and have only wrote about 2, so I've got to do some catching up.
3. Prom Night
I probably had more fun with this than I'm supposed to have. I think it's mainly because it was released during the beginning of the slasher boom and the typical tropes were still not established, so this works slightly different. Plus that damn soundtrack got me. More slashers should use disco. It's hilarious how obvious they were compensating for a lack of ideas and had to extend many sequences. I swear, that disco dance last forever. The kills are a bit on the longer side as well, which is nice.
5/10
4. Happy Death Day
It's Groundhog Day x a comedy/slasher. That's exactly what it's billed as and that's exactly what you get. Basically, it's not going to break any new ground but its fun and harmless. There's nothing deep here, just a fun gimmick. I hope they make 30 of them.
6/10
5. Basket Case 2
Henenlotter time, bring on the sleaze! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Although, not as much as Basket Case 1 and some of its low budget charm is lost. However, this is the most polished Henenlotter film I've seen yet, you know, for a Henenlotter movie that is. The focus isn't just on the brothers as there are a wide array of physically deformed individuals in what is an obvious homage to Tod Browning's Freaks, and the homage goes pretty far actually. The effects are better, and there are plenty of laughs to be had. There isn't a typical villain here as the role seems to switch between the usual protagonist group and the antagonist, which leads to a pretty sweet moment that is kind of creepy and unexpected. Of course, by the time the ending comes you'll be shaking your head saying, "Jesus Chris Frank."
7/10
3. Prom Night
I probably had more fun with this than I'm supposed to have. I think it's mainly because it was released during the beginning of the slasher boom and the typical tropes were still not established, so this works slightly different. Plus that damn soundtrack got me. More slashers should use disco. It's hilarious how obvious they were compensating for a lack of ideas and had to extend many sequences. I swear, that disco dance last forever. The kills are a bit on the longer side as well, which is nice.
5/10
4. Happy Death Day
It's Groundhog Day x a comedy/slasher. That's exactly what it's billed as and that's exactly what you get. Basically, it's not going to break any new ground but its fun and harmless. There's nothing deep here, just a fun gimmick. I hope they make 30 of them.
6/10
5. Basket Case 2
Henenlotter time, bring on the sleaze! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Although, not as much as Basket Case 1 and some of its low budget charm is lost. However, this is the most polished Henenlotter film I've seen yet, you know, for a Henenlotter movie that is. The focus isn't just on the brothers as there are a wide array of physically deformed individuals in what is an obvious homage to Tod Browning's Freaks, and the homage goes pretty far actually. The effects are better, and there are plenty of laughs to be had. There isn't a typical villain here as the role seems to switch between the usual protagonist group and the antagonist, which leads to a pretty sweet moment that is kind of creepy and unexpected. Of course, by the time the ending comes you'll be shaking your head saying, "Jesus Chris Frank."
7/10
poltergeist II
Somehow never actually saw this.
Seems like something that at the time would have been a little disappointing, but I'm still loving the weirdo gross practical effects that show up in an otherwise family friendly film. You don't get effects like this in movies today.
2 1/2 ectoplasm ropes out of 5
Somehow never actually saw this.
Seems like something that at the time would have been a little disappointing, but I'm still loving the weirdo gross practical effects that show up in an otherwise family friendly film. You don't get effects like this in movies today.
2 1/2 ectoplasm ropes out of 5
I watched Scream 2 last night and had a FUCKIN BLAST. Damn I forgot how nice it is to just enjoy some simple genre fun, and I think Scream might be one of the best franchises in the biz for that kind of thing.
9. Tomie Unlimited (2011)
Well that was... Something. Not really that good, but it kind of wild and hilarious, especially the effects. XD Despite having enjoy the work of Junji Ito, I actually haven't read that much of Tomie, but by damn what a very beautiful but creepy girl, to the point that she drives men to even "kill" her!
10. Hush (2016)
An interesting premise for a slasher film, with a deaf protagonist as she tries to survive against this killer. I really like how this guy toys with her, although I am not sure about the mask being gone so soon, thus kind of losing a bit of the creepiness there. Still, a lot of good tension here and even some clever payoffs at the end. I also think that given the premise of a deaf protagonist, the sound design was used pretty effectively here.
Well that was... Something. Not really that good, but it kind of wild and hilarious, especially the effects. XD Despite having enjoy the work of Junji Ito, I actually haven't read that much of Tomie, but by damn what a very beautiful but creepy girl, to the point that she drives men to even "kill" her!
10. Hush (2016)
An interesting premise for a slasher film, with a deaf protagonist as she tries to survive against this killer. I really like how this guy toys with her, although I am not sure about the mask being gone so soon, thus kind of losing a bit of the creepiness there. Still, a lot of good tension here and even some clever payoffs at the end. I also think that given the premise of a deaf protagonist, the sound design was used pretty effectively here.
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1. Before I Wake (3/5)
2. 47 Meters Down (3/5)
3. Little Evil (3/5)
4. Sharknado (2/5)
5. The Shallows (3/5)
6. The Lodgers (1/5)
7. IT 2018 (4/5)
8. Apostle (2/5)
2+ hours of nothing going on and a mystery that isn't evolved till very late. Found it very boring but the kills,... wow, that was some medievil shenanigans that will satisfy the tortureporn fans.
I'm falling way behind here...
2. 47 Meters Down (3/5)
3. Little Evil (3/5)
4. Sharknado (2/5)
5. The Shallows (3/5)
6. The Lodgers (1/5)
7. IT 2018 (4/5)
8. Apostle (2/5)
2+ hours of nothing going on and a mystery that isn't evolved till very late. Found it very boring but the kills,... wow, that was some medievil shenanigans that will satisfy the tortureporn fans.
I'm falling way behind here...
#28 - The Monster Squad (1987) (sorta first time viewing) - The Goonies, The Lost Boys, Stand By Me, ET, etc. During the 80s these films that would feature a group of kids/teens standing up against whatever obstacle was in their way were enjoyable, fun movies. The Monster Squad for some reason was never as popular as the other films of its kind, and bombed at the box office. But, as has often been the case with box office bombs, it would find an audience over the years to become a cult classic. It's not hard to see why. The movie is a short, fun-filled, action-packed romp with all of the Universal Classic Monsters (aside from the Invisible Man) in attendance.
Over 100 years ago, Van Helsing fights the forces of Count Dracula with an amulet that contains the power of good. While Van Helsing and his gang attempted to banish Dracula to limbo, he was unsuccessful at doing so. Therefore, his forces traveled to the United States and hid the amulet from Dracula's reach as he would gain the power to rule the world if he were to break it. In present day, Dracula appears around the area that Van Helsing hid the amulet and recruits Frankenstein's monster, the wolfman, the mummy, and the Creature From The Black Lagoon to help find it. But standing in their way are a group of kids who are obsessed with horror monsters. The leader Sean is given a diary that was said to have been written by Van Helsing with instructions on how to stop Dracula and send him into limbo. The Monster Squad must use all of the monster knowledge to battle Dracula and his minions with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
Shane Black is one of my favorite writers. And while his dialogue can often be filled with immature, outdated humor, it's still very witty and sharp. One thing that he nails is reminded me just how kids who grew up in the 80s used to speak. It makes me cringe a little bit now, but those were very different times. Because the writing is so well done, the movie never has a dull moment. But I'm sure the fact that it's only 82 minutes meant that they didn't have time to mess around, and quickly got to the point. The creature effects are all done by Stan Winston, so we got some quality work on display. They weren't quite up to their old movie counterparts, but worked just fine for a kids flick. There's a lot more violence in here than I remembered initially. People die, and that's not very expected for a movie like this. But it gave what I thought was a light-hearted film some dark moments that really paid off.
Overall, The Monster Squad was a trip down memory lane which reminded me what it was like being a kid obsessed with horror back then. The humor is outdated, and the effects are pretty low-budget, but it has a great depiction of Dracula, and ends up being a surprisingly dark thrill ride. Recommended, but just know that the 80s were very different times in the ways kids interacted with each other.
7 wolfman nards out of 10.
19. House of Usher (1960) - I loved this movie and think it just may be Corman's best Poe movie. It has a lot of atmosphere, which is key for this kind of story. Everything is dark, gloomy, and crumbling to pieces, including the characters. Vincent Price is great as Roderick Usher and you immediately know you can't trust him. Its a short film, but there are nice twists and turns, leading to an inevitably tragic ending.
20. The Island of Lost Souls (1932) - This film is a creepy tale about a mad scientist turning animals into human-like creatures. His ultimate goal is to make them indistinguishable from the real thing. Just the idea of these grotesque surgeries makes me shiver. Charles Laughton gives a great performance as Dr. Moreau. He's comes off as charming at first, but when you learn about his experiments, his jovial demeanor becomes disturbing.
1. The Mummy (1932) (rewatch)
2. Extraordinary Tales (2013)
3. Justice League Dark (2017)
4. The Wicker Man (1973) (rewatch)
5. The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
6. Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956)
7. It (2017)
8. mother! (2017)
9. The Void (2016)
10. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)
11. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
12. The Mummy (1999)
13. Constantine (2005)
14. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
15. The Omen (1976)
16. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
17. Corpse Bride (2005)
18. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
19. Phenomena (1985)
20. Paranormal Activity (2007)
21. Black Sabbath (1963)
22. Carrie (1976)
A pretty compelling story based around a familiar feeling of social anxiety.
2. Extraordinary Tales (2013)
3. Justice League Dark (2017)
4. The Wicker Man (1973) (rewatch)
5. The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
6. Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956)
7. It (2017)
8. mother! (2017)
9. The Void (2016)
10. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)
11. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
12. The Mummy (1999)
13. Constantine (2005)
14. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
15. The Omen (1976)
16. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
17. Corpse Bride (2005)
18. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
19. Phenomena (1985)
20. Paranormal Activity (2007)
21. Black Sabbath (1963)
22. Carrie (1976)
A pretty compelling story based around a familiar feeling of social anxiety.
Films 28, 29 and 30 - Child's Play 1, 2 and 3
Having been avoiding Chucky movies for a long time, I decided to have a mini Charles Lee Ray marathon to see what the fuss was all about. And to be honest, despite watching the first three films all in one evening, I still have no idea. I am also at a genuine loss to see how this series has managed to reach seven bastard movies, with a reboot of the first one in the works, not to mention the planned TV series. I mean, I'm quite impressed too, but mainly mystified. On the basis of this evening's viewing, seven movies in this franchise is five too many.
I did enjoy the first two films, really quite a lot. I won't deny that there's fun to be had with a sweary psycho doll. Andy's a cute kid, Chucky's funny, and the second film has Jenny Agutter in it, which is always a bonus. The third movie is just bloody awful though. Truly terrible. At lot of my dislike of it was probably to do with my hatred of the setting, but it was also that every single character, including Andy and Chucky by this point, was just so unappealing. Actually no, not quite every character, the barber sergeant guy with the buzzcut fetish, he was fun. The rest of them were just dire though. The whole ludicrousness of the basic Chucky scenario seemed to stand out more in the third film too, but that might just be because I wasn't enjoying it, so I was finding it much harder to suspend my disbelief. In truth, all three movies are rammed with plot holes and how-the-fuck-did-he-get-there moments.
I don't know, maybe the next four movies are fantastic. I'll consult with my eldest son, who is a Chucky obsessive and has all the films apart from the last one on disc. I doubt whether I'll venture further into the series for quite some time though.
Films I've watched so far
Having been avoiding Chucky movies for a long time, I decided to have a mini Charles Lee Ray marathon to see what the fuss was all about. And to be honest, despite watching the first three films all in one evening, I still have no idea. I am also at a genuine loss to see how this series has managed to reach seven bastard movies, with a reboot of the first one in the works, not to mention the planned TV series. I mean, I'm quite impressed too, but mainly mystified. On the basis of this evening's viewing, seven movies in this franchise is five too many.
I did enjoy the first two films, really quite a lot. I won't deny that there's fun to be had with a sweary psycho doll. Andy's a cute kid, Chucky's funny, and the second film has Jenny Agutter in it, which is always a bonus. The third movie is just bloody awful though. Truly terrible. At lot of my dislike of it was probably to do with my hatred of the setting, but it was also that every single character, including Andy and Chucky by this point, was just so unappealing. Actually no, not quite every character, the barber sergeant guy with the buzzcut fetish, he was fun. The rest of them were just dire though. The whole ludicrousness of the basic Chucky scenario seemed to stand out more in the third film too, but that might just be because I wasn't enjoying it, so I was finding it much harder to suspend my disbelief. In truth, all three movies are rammed with plot holes and how-the-fuck-did-he-get-there moments.
I don't know, maybe the next four movies are fantastic. I'll consult with my eldest son, who is a Chucky obsessive and has all the films apart from the last one on disc. I doubt whether I'll venture further into the series for quite some time though.
Films I've watched so far
I'm behind on my reviews from the weekend, so I'm doing a quick pair instead of my usual spiel. Thankfully, I don't have much to say about them anyway.
#19 House of 1000 Corpses (2003):
The first feature from Rob Zombie, whose music I like, but whose remakes of Halloween I did not. Unfortunately, this was all the worst parts of Halloween 2007 made into a feature length film. Incomprehensible, obnoxious and cacophonous, it's basically just 90 minutes of loud assholes acting insufferable and horrible to some hapless victims. Pretty garbage to be honest, about the only thing I liked was some of the creature design work late in the film. It appears I'm not alone however, as Zombie himself has since looked back at his first film and not thought very much of it, calling it a "calamitous mess". That it is, Zombie.
I don't recommend it.
#20 The Devil's Rejects (2005):
A sequel to House, and most certainly a big improvement. It moves away from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre knockoff and somewhere closer to a Bonnie and Clyde knockoff, but with hillbillies. It's not great or anything, but it at least has a coherent plot and something resembling arcs. Zombie's clearly more comfortable behind the camera here, though it still hits the same issue Halloween 2007/2009 and House did, that it revolves around loud, boorish assholes acting like loud boorish assholes. It appears it's just what Zombie likes in his characters, but it wears thin. That said, it's a solid movie, and fixes most of the issues with the first entry.
I see that he's now working on a sequel, which given the story of this one, seems rather strange. But I'm all Zombie'd out for this particular October and am moving on.
#19 House of 1000 Corpses (2003):
The first feature from Rob Zombie, whose music I like, but whose remakes of Halloween I did not. Unfortunately, this was all the worst parts of Halloween 2007 made into a feature length film. Incomprehensible, obnoxious and cacophonous, it's basically just 90 minutes of loud assholes acting insufferable and horrible to some hapless victims. Pretty garbage to be honest, about the only thing I liked was some of the creature design work late in the film. It appears I'm not alone however, as Zombie himself has since looked back at his first film and not thought very much of it, calling it a "calamitous mess". That it is, Zombie.
I don't recommend it.
#20 The Devil's Rejects (2005):
A sequel to House, and most certainly a big improvement. It moves away from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre knockoff and somewhere closer to a Bonnie and Clyde knockoff, but with hillbillies. It's not great or anything, but it at least has a coherent plot and something resembling arcs. Zombie's clearly more comfortable behind the camera here, though it still hits the same issue Halloween 2007/2009 and House did, that it revolves around loud, boorish assholes acting like loud boorish assholes. It appears it's just what Zombie likes in his characters, but it wears thin. That said, it's a solid movie, and fixes most of the issues with the first entry.
I see that he's now working on a sequel, which given the story of this one, seems rather strange. But I'm all Zombie'd out for this particular October and am moving on.
Im not following along with this thread but i figured its more active than the main movie thread and these are horror movies.
There is a trend in movies these days where there are so many popping up on the digital platforms its actually hard to know whats good during the first few weeks of release. The good old days a movie would release to theaters or dvd and there would be a fairly good footprint of reviews on the usual sites like rottentomatoes or something. These days its a guessing game. I took a chance on these two and they were great.
The Dark (2018) - Really fucked up. I went into this reading a description, ill share it with you and i think thats all you should know. Undead girl befriends blind boy and people die along the way. Wonderfully well done.
Await Further Instructions - Another movie i didnt really know much about. Family home for the holidays encounters scary shit. It's like, Brexit the horror movie combined with hellraiser or some shit. Anyway, another really well done movie, dont want to say too much.
There is a trend in movies these days where there are so many popping up on the digital platforms its actually hard to know whats good during the first few weeks of release. The good old days a movie would release to theaters or dvd and there would be a fairly good footprint of reviews on the usual sites like rottentomatoes or something. These days its a guessing game. I took a chance on these two and they were great.
The Dark (2018) - Really fucked up. I went into this reading a description, ill share it with you and i think thats all you should know. Undead girl befriends blind boy and people die along the way. Wonderfully well done.
Await Further Instructions - Another movie i didnt really know much about. Family home for the holidays encounters scary shit. It's like, Brexit the horror movie combined with hellraiser or some shit. Anyway, another really well done movie, dont want to say too much.
21. Annihilation (2018): A gorgeous movie with a lot of visual creativity and mystery. Doesn't seem all that scary at first, but it does ramp up later on. The climax wasn't scary for me like other people seem to find it, it's just weird. It's like The Arrival for me: a lot of acclaim, but I thought it was OK.
Full list
Full list
DAY 30
Haze: Shinya Tsukamoto does The Pit and the Pendulum! While not entirely accurate, this sub-50 minute feature evoked Poe's tale in a way direct adaptations often fail at, thanks to Tsukamoto's keen interest in staying entirely in the headspace of our protagonist (played by Tsukamoto himself, in an admirable bit of self-mutilation) and focusing so much on what what he can't make out in the darkness as our hero has to rely on what he knows in order to push on through his prison. As befitting the director of such films as the Tetsuo series and Tokyo Fist, the traps here are quite the endurance test to get through, even with low-light setting, involving some truly grueling moments that will be enough to turn the most hardened soul into a claustrophobic. Tsukamoto manages to make the camera follow along the action in his typically atypical way, with further aid from the piercing sound design that will sicken all (you will find out very quickly how much you didn't want to know what teeth sounded like when scraping against a metal pipe), adding further to the intensity of each harrowing set piece. There is a story here, but one that wisely focuses more on having a reason to escape, rather than spending much time on why the prisoners are there in the first place. The allusions and assumptions are there only to add to the mystery and the madness, so folks looking for a more narrative-driven experience need not apply. In a sense, this might be Tsukamoto's most artistically pure film he's had since the first Tetsuo, which this evokes for both its simplicity and its all-out attack on the senses. It's not a long film at all, but you'll definitely feel a bit relieved once it's over in the best way.
Santos Palace: The last of the Cattet/Forzani shorts, and easily the best! Sure, it helps a lot that this is their first professional production, but what this lacks in the wild lighting and framing choices, this more than makes up for with its razor-sharp tension and excellent use of geography to create space between the two main characters as a waitress's day feels threatened by a patron who seems a little keen on invading her personal space. The drabber colors are also put to good use, hiding a lot in plain sight with the light sources being positioned in ways that obscure finer details until the story is good and ready to reveal what lies in them. It's clear now that Amer would not have been possible without this short, as it too had a hell of a way with its moments of tension while combining the more vibrant visual landscapes of their more beloved genre, but this is clear proof that they were destined to make that film great with how damn good this turned out.
Fido: The zombie apocalypse is over and... we won? It's kind of amazing how few zombie works actually have that as the premise that even after a decade and change that this still feels like a breath of fresh air, even before the satirical aspects kick in. Set during the 50s, it does make it a fair bit obvious to its modern day allusions to the pervasiveness of homeland defense, but it largely sticks to taking the piss out of the 50s stereotypes we all know and love and manages to get in some nice little commentary about the crumbling facade of toxic masculinity when put into check. It does stick closely to the expected content: the dialogue is swear-free, there's no nudity beyond our title zombie having his shirt off at one point, and the headshots are plentiful! Sure, it's not a particularly gory film, and I don't think it needed to be, but gorehounds had better look elsewhere for their viscera fix. There is a lot of humor in how closely it sticks to the social norms, with the actors having a lot of fun with their mix of repressed sexuality and anger management within their strict confines, though I do think the script at times does play up the kitsch factor a little too strong that can lead to some strange gaps in the same scene that makes it seem all too artificial. But really, it's all about the fun zombie imagery, of which there's plenty, thanks in no small part to Billy Connolly's fun performance as the mostly mute Fido, though the whole town is full of zombies doing cute things that also underline another big satirical element to the story. At the risk of making a really bad pun, I do wish the satire had more bite to it, as there was plenty of fertile ground to go in a sterner and darker direction, but it wasn't a bad choice to play it more cutesy as it does lead to some delightful moments of humor that do well with the lighter tone. It sands off the horror aspects of the zombie to a perfectly smooth edge, no question there, but the result is a pleasant and evocation of the 50s that it can't really commit entirely to the themes its juggling, it does the next best thing with them.
13 films left, spooooooooooooky!
Haze: Shinya Tsukamoto does The Pit and the Pendulum! While not entirely accurate, this sub-50 minute feature evoked Poe's tale in a way direct adaptations often fail at, thanks to Tsukamoto's keen interest in staying entirely in the headspace of our protagonist (played by Tsukamoto himself, in an admirable bit of self-mutilation) and focusing so much on what what he can't make out in the darkness as our hero has to rely on what he knows in order to push on through his prison. As befitting the director of such films as the Tetsuo series and Tokyo Fist, the traps here are quite the endurance test to get through, even with low-light setting, involving some truly grueling moments that will be enough to turn the most hardened soul into a claustrophobic. Tsukamoto manages to make the camera follow along the action in his typically atypical way, with further aid from the piercing sound design that will sicken all (you will find out very quickly how much you didn't want to know what teeth sounded like when scraping against a metal pipe), adding further to the intensity of each harrowing set piece. There is a story here, but one that wisely focuses more on having a reason to escape, rather than spending much time on why the prisoners are there in the first place. The allusions and assumptions are there only to add to the mystery and the madness, so folks looking for a more narrative-driven experience need not apply. In a sense, this might be Tsukamoto's most artistically pure film he's had since the first Tetsuo, which this evokes for both its simplicity and its all-out attack on the senses. It's not a long film at all, but you'll definitely feel a bit relieved once it's over in the best way.
Santos Palace: The last of the Cattet/Forzani shorts, and easily the best! Sure, it helps a lot that this is their first professional production, but what this lacks in the wild lighting and framing choices, this more than makes up for with its razor-sharp tension and excellent use of geography to create space between the two main characters as a waitress's day feels threatened by a patron who seems a little keen on invading her personal space. The drabber colors are also put to good use, hiding a lot in plain sight with the light sources being positioned in ways that obscure finer details until the story is good and ready to reveal what lies in them. It's clear now that Amer would not have been possible without this short, as it too had a hell of a way with its moments of tension while combining the more vibrant visual landscapes of their more beloved genre, but this is clear proof that they were destined to make that film great with how damn good this turned out.
Fido: The zombie apocalypse is over and... we won? It's kind of amazing how few zombie works actually have that as the premise that even after a decade and change that this still feels like a breath of fresh air, even before the satirical aspects kick in. Set during the 50s, it does make it a fair bit obvious to its modern day allusions to the pervasiveness of homeland defense, but it largely sticks to taking the piss out of the 50s stereotypes we all know and love and manages to get in some nice little commentary about the crumbling facade of toxic masculinity when put into check. It does stick closely to the expected content: the dialogue is swear-free, there's no nudity beyond our title zombie having his shirt off at one point, and the headshots are plentiful! Sure, it's not a particularly gory film, and I don't think it needed to be, but gorehounds had better look elsewhere for their viscera fix. There is a lot of humor in how closely it sticks to the social norms, with the actors having a lot of fun with their mix of repressed sexuality and anger management within their strict confines, though I do think the script at times does play up the kitsch factor a little too strong that can lead to some strange gaps in the same scene that makes it seem all too artificial. But really, it's all about the fun zombie imagery, of which there's plenty, thanks in no small part to Billy Connolly's fun performance as the mostly mute Fido, though the whole town is full of zombies doing cute things that also underline another big satirical element to the story. At the risk of making a really bad pun, I do wish the satire had more bite to it, as there was plenty of fertile ground to go in a sterner and darker direction, but it wasn't a bad choice to play it more cutesy as it does lead to some delightful moments of humor that do well with the lighter tone. It sands off the horror aspects of the zombie to a perfectly smooth edge, no question there, but the result is a pleasant and evocation of the 50s that it can't really commit entirely to the themes its juggling, it does the next best thing with them.
13 films left, spooooooooooooky!
22. Ghoulies II
So my inner completionist has kicked in and now I discover there are 4 of these darn movies
The funny thing is this one was way better than the first. They're still cheap as hell looking but the setting is much better suited for this premise. As a balant gremlins knockoff it works fairly well with some laughs but no real memorable kills makes it a bit bland and my god the cheese is too thick for even me in some scenes
3/10
So my inner completionist has kicked in and now I discover there are 4 of these darn movies
The funny thing is this one was way better than the first. They're still cheap as hell looking but the setting is much better suited for this premise. As a balant gremlins knockoff it works fairly well with some laughs but no real memorable kills makes it a bit bland and my god the cheese is too thick for even me in some scenes
3/10
#22 - May (2002)
I really liked this one! May starts out innocently enough, at first it didn't even seem like a horror film but more of a quirky romcom type thing. That's until around halfway through when it turns into a blood-soaked spectacle of assorted body parts, followed by an unexpectedly disturbing ending. I've never seen lead actress Angela Bettis in anything, but she nails the role of this socially-awkward girl desperately (and violently) trying to make a friend.
I really liked this one! May starts out innocently enough, at first it didn't even seem like a horror film but more of a quirky romcom type thing. That's until around halfway through when it turns into a blood-soaked spectacle of assorted body parts, followed by an unexpectedly disturbing ending. I've never seen lead actress Angela Bettis in anything, but she nails the role of this socially-awkward girl desperately (and violently) trying to make a friend.
22. Hellbound: Hellraiser 2
I've never actually seen this one, only the first and the fourth (the space one) and seen bits and pieces of the others. I was told that the first and 2ndare the only good ones. This one is definitely the most similar to the first in terms of tone and quality. The gore effects are solid. It's weird how polite Pinhead apparently is about taking people to BDSM hell. Even when the one person who's been evading them is in their grasp they're like "Eh, we got time. Go have a look around, visit the gift shop, do whatever. We'll get to the torture later."
I've never actually seen this one, only the first and the fourth (the space one) and seen bits and pieces of the others. I was told that the first and 2ndare the only good ones. This one is definitely the most similar to the first in terms of tone and quality. The gore effects are solid. It's weird how polite Pinhead apparently is about taking people to BDSM hell. Even when the one person who's been evading them is in their grasp they're like "Eh, we got time. Go have a look around, visit the gift shop, do whatever. We'll get to the torture later."
Haven't really given any impressions throughout the month but will now on movies that made an impact.
Life (2017)
I really liked this one, the way the alien moved, the way it interacted and the ending shot showed that it didn't give a fuck about anything but it's survival. Really liked this one.
Halloween (2018)
Hot off my viewing of the absolutely terrible original, and after reading the impressions here, I was ready to write it off as a terrible movie but it was amazing. Really really liked it and would recommend it to anyone.
Train to Busan
Also really enjoyed this one. Not much to say as it's pretty formulaic but still very enjoyable for a zombie movie.
That's it for tonight for first time viewed movies.
Life (2017)
I really liked this one, the way the alien moved, the way it interacted and the ending shot showed that it didn't give a fuck about anything but it's survival. Really liked this one.
Halloween (2018)
Hot off my viewing of the absolutely terrible original, and after reading the impressions here, I was ready to write it off as a terrible movie but it was amazing. Really really liked it and would recommend it to anyone.
Train to Busan
Also really enjoyed this one. Not much to say as it's pretty formulaic but still very enjoyable for a zombie movie.
That's it for tonight for first time viewed movies.
October 22, 2018
JeruZalem
Synopsis: Two girls head out on a trip to Tel Aviv but meet a guy that convinces them to head to Jerusalem first for a special event. Soon after enjoying their time there, things take a dark a turn and a horrific event starts to unfold...
Review: Although this is a found footage style movie, it has a unique perspective as the main character is wearing Google Glass. So most of the movie is shown through her eyes through Google Glass. There are scenes where you get interesting background information about where they are and the people they meet. It feels more 'POV' meets found footage. The scenes within the city are breathtaking and the atmosphere is jovial and light hearted until the eventual turn to horror. The actors land their roles right and to a degree are believable as to who they portray. Unfortunately none of the characters are truly likable but I still felt for them when their survival was at stake. Nothing here breaks any new ground but it was a fun watch and having the unique view of Google Glass was very interesting and added another layer to the film. As beautiful as Jerusalem is, I can see how terrifying it could be at night especially by yourself. In the dark.
- 7/10
JeruZalem
Synopsis: Two girls head out on a trip to Tel Aviv but meet a guy that convinces them to head to Jerusalem first for a special event. Soon after enjoying their time there, things take a dark a turn and a horrific event starts to unfold...
Review: Although this is a found footage style movie, it has a unique perspective as the main character is wearing Google Glass. So most of the movie is shown through her eyes through Google Glass. There are scenes where you get interesting background information about where they are and the people they meet. It feels more 'POV' meets found footage. The scenes within the city are breathtaking and the atmosphere is jovial and light hearted until the eventual turn to horror. The actors land their roles right and to a degree are believable as to who they portray. Unfortunately none of the characters are truly likable but I still felt for them when their survival was at stake. Nothing here breaks any new ground but it was a fun watch and having the unique view of Google Glass was very interesting and added another layer to the film. As beautiful as Jerusalem is, I can see how terrifying it could be at night especially by yourself. In the dark.
- 7/10
October 22, 2018
JeruZalem
Synopsis: Two girls head out on a trip to Tel Aviv but meet a guy that convinces them to head to Jerusalem first for a special event. Soon after enjoying their time there, things take a dark a turn and a horrific event starts to unfold...
Review: Although this is a found footage style movie, it has a unique perspective as the main character is wearing Google Glass. So most of the movie is shown through her eyes through Google Glass. There are scenes where you get interesting background information about where they are and the people they meet. It feels more 'POV' meets found footage. The scenes within the city are breathtaking and the atmosphere is jovial and light hearted until the eventual turn to horror. The actors land their roles right and to a degree are believable as to who they portray. Unfortunately none of the characters are truly likable but I still felt for them when their survival was at stake. Nothing here breaks any new ground but it was a fun watch and having the unique view of Google Glass was very interesting and added another layer to the film. As beautiful as Jerusalem is, I can see how terrifying it could be at night especially by yourself. In the dark.
- 7/10
I'm so glad that the found footage style has seemingly lost popularity. It was shit to begin with and shit to end. Good riddance.
And thanks for the review as I'm not interested in a found footage be it normal or Google glass style.
Films 28, 29 and 30 - Child's Play 1, 2 and 3
The third movie is just bloody awful though. Truly terrible.
Once you get to Seed, you'll start to question your life choices up to that point.
#21 - Fright Night (1985)
First of all, this is like REALLY 80s and I love it. It also does not take itself too seriously and is better off for it. Awesome creature design (and practical effects!), kind of campy and a lot of fun. The cast is great, although the character of protagonist Charley is outshone by most of the characters around him. Chris Sarandon especially seems to be having a blast with his role as the friendly neighborhood vampire. A very easy and fun watch. 7/10
- Godzilla (1954)
- Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
- King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
- Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
- Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster (1964)
- Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
- Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
- Son of Godzilla (1967)
- Destroy All Monsters (1968)
- All Monsters Attack (1969)
- Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)
- Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
- Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
- Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
- Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
- Godzilla 1984 (1984)
- Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)
- Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)
- Godzilla vs. Mothra : Battle for Earth (1992)
- Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1993)
- Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
- Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)
The original 1954 Gojira plays a substantive role in the Heisei series' conclusion. Godzilla's nuclear heart is in runaway mode and at risk of melting down. Meanwhile Destoroyah - a "kaiju-ification" of the original Oxygen Destroyer used to defeat Godzilla the first time and some prehistoric parasites - is rising from strata disturbed under Tokyo Bay. Baby is now Junior, and about the size of the original 1954 Godzilla (Godzilla's about twice that size throughout most of the Heisei films)... Miki will state that her mission is finally over as this final Heisei film sees the death of both Destoroyah and Godzilla, and the resurrection of Junior - bathed in the fallout of his dying father's meltdown - as the new Godzilla. After this film, TOHO intended to walk away from Godzilla for a while as Hollywood was supposed to take over the franchise for a period, but the disasterous trainwreck that is Emmerich's Godzilla film from 1998 was sufficiently horrid that the Japanese studio reconsidered and salvaged the King of the Monsters with the Millenium series a year later...
https://letterboxd.com/kinggroin/film/blood-and-black-lace/
It's immediately apparent the influence this film has had on countless follow up giallo attempts, and incredible how little things have improved since Bava's stab at it. Blood and Black Lace is dripping with style, shrouded in dark mystique, and sometimes even plays a little sleazy (key ingredients to a signature Argento, or Fulci outing). If it wasn't for the fact that a million similar films have come out since, I probably would have been able to appreciate its story and plot beats a lot more, but even given that, what's there is still serviceable enough, and it's still tons more interesting to simply look at than most if its cinematic progeny.
Wait. Please explain.
It's immediately apparent the influence this film has had on countless follow up giallo attempts, and incredible how little things have improved since Bava's stab at it. Blood and Black Lace is dripping with style, shrouded in dark mystique, and sometimes even plays a little sleazy (key ingredients to a signature Argento, or Fulci outing). If it wasn't for the fact that a million similar films have come out since, I probably would have been able to appreciate its story and plot beats a lot more, but even given that, what's there is still serviceable enough, and it's still tons more interesting to simply look at than most if its cinematic progeny.
Wait. Please explain.
another first time watch tonight with #23 Happy Death Day ive heard a lot of good things about this
#29 - Alice Sweet Alice (1976) (first time viewing) - As a longtime fan of slasher movies, and with having seen the iconic mask and yellow rain coat be referred to many times within the horror community over the years, I'm surprised it took me so long to watch this. Alice Sweet Alice is a slasher film that's not quite as good as the films that heavily borrowed from it, but remains an entertaining one that stands out among the pack. Not to mention that's it's as close to an American Giallo film as one could get at the time.
In 1961, Catherine Spages takes her two daughters Alice and Karen (played by Brooke Shields) to visit Father Tom at the St. Michaels Parish Girls School. Karen is constantly harassed by her obnoxiously mean older sister while preparing for her first communion. During the communion, Karen is strangled and set on fire by an individual in a yellow rain coat wearing a translucent mask. Catherine and her ex-husband Dominick must work with the police to figure out who killed their youngest daughter, and if Alice could be capable of something like that.
It took me a few minutes to gather my thoughts about this one. The audience witnesses a dysfunctional family falling further apart, the development of a teenage girl, and how religion can cloud one's mindset. It's all brought together into this neat little film that starts out very strong. What I noticed almost immediately was how there seemed to be an effort towards showing you just how out of control, and hateful the Spages family were towards each other. Headlining this was the performance by the actress that played Alice. I found out she was a 19 year old playing a 12 year old, and I could certainly believe it. She is a nasty, obnoxious brat towards her family, especially her sister. That anger and emotion captivates the audience, and sets us up for the mystery to follow. While similar films very bluntly attempt to throw red herrings at the viewer to throw us off on who the killer is, this film handles that in a way that felt much more subtle. The death scenes aren't gratuitous, but are effective because they are displayed as how the audience could imagine it happening to them. Surprisingly, the killer is revealed with about 30 minutes left in the movie so that we are given time to understand their motivations. From that point on, the suspense ramps up because they are featured until the very end, and there's no telling what will set them off. The final scene is disturbing, and definitely leaves an impression. A lot of the movie borrows from Don't Look Now, especially with the use of the raincoat and the aforementioned final scene. Some things that I didn't like included the sleazy landlord. I felt like his part really didn't fit in nicely with the other characters. Also, there is a scene of animal cruelty that I'm docking points for. I don't care what regulations weren't in place at the time, I don't ever want to see an actor put their hands around the neck of a kitten and flail it around like a dishrag. There were also parts of the movie where I felt things moved a bit too slow, and started to lose my interest.
A cult classic of slasher horror, Alice Sweet Alice is one of the smarter and creative slasher films I've seen. It wavers from time to time in overall enjoyment for me, but a deep slasher film is something that I greatly appreciate. Recommended, but don't come into this expecting a high body count, style over story, or overly violent death scenes.
7 bratty girls whom you hope ends up being the victim after the first 10 minutes out of 10.
1. Before I Wake (3/5)
2. 47 Meters Down (3/5)
3. Little Evil (3/5)
4. Sharknado (2/5)
5. The Shallows (3/5)
6. The Lodgers (1/5)
7. IT 2018 (4/5)
8. Apostle (2/5)
9. Halloween 1978 (5/5)
Watched the original Halloween tonight in preperation for when I'm going to see the new one tomorrow. Only watched it a few times before so this was a nice re-watch. Really like the movie and the John Carpenter score fits so well.
Favorite scene is Laurie in the foreground crying while Michael slowly sits back up in the background. Also, it cracked me up that Loomis looked so full of joy after scaring those kids at the Myers house lol
Ended a lot more grimm than I remember?
2. 47 Meters Down (3/5)
3. Little Evil (3/5)
4. Sharknado (2/5)
5. The Shallows (3/5)
6. The Lodgers (1/5)
7. IT 2018 (4/5)
8. Apostle (2/5)
9. Halloween 1978 (5/5)
Watched the original Halloween tonight in preperation for when I'm going to see the new one tomorrow. Only watched it a few times before so this was a nice re-watch. Really like the movie and the John Carpenter score fits so well.
Favorite scene is Laurie in the foreground crying while Michael slowly sits back up in the background. Also, it cracked me up that Loomis looked so full of joy after scaring those kids at the Myers house lol
Ended a lot more grimm than I remember?
Laurie on the floor crying, Dr. Loomis looking scared shitless and no body of Michael Myers after taking 6 shots and falling out the window.
You should post impressions, dawg.
Possession is a one of a kind viewing experience.
#22. Possession: Well, you were all recommending it so I had to watch it. Jesus Christ, what is this movie? I don't think I've ever seen a movie that has made me more uncomfortable in my life. Every single scene seemed like it was trying to keep you on edge. Even something simple like Sam Neill swiveling a little too much in his chair creeped me out. The creature ended up being the least creepy part of the film. I honestly felt I was going to have a panic attack at some point. I'm not going to pretend that I knew what the fuck was going on but it was masterful film making. I don't think I'll ever watch it again for the sake of my health. I need to watch a lighter film tonight.
The Dead 2: India
Something new: Zombies
I should have stopped at the first one and watched a different zombie movie instead because this was a few steps below the first. The first one had some good pacing and was actually pretty reasonable all things considered. This one kept trying to force tension and it just didn't work. The main guy was manhandled by a pack of zombies nearly every time he did anything yet wasn't scratched or bitten. I think there was some sort of message in the story, but it just didn't work like the first one did.
The Dead 2 gets a double tap in the head to make sure it stays dead and doesn't ever get watched again.
Something new: Zombies
I should have stopped at the first one and watched a different zombie movie instead because this was a few steps below the first. The first one had some good pacing and was actually pretty reasonable all things considered. This one kept trying to force tension and it just didn't work. The main guy was manhandled by a pack of zombies nearly every time he did anything yet wasn't scratched or bitten. I think there was some sort of message in the story, but it just didn't work like the first one did.
The Dead 2 gets a double tap in the head to make sure it stays dead and doesn't ever get watched again.
Dinosaur Jr. is one of my favorite bands btw, that's what's up.
I watched about half of Possession because then my wife came home and refused to watch the rest; it was giving her bad vibes, haha. It seems like all the actors are on drugs and everything seems sort of "off" like it's all operating on nightmare logic. Sam Neil rocking back and forth is an image I'll never get out of my head. I haven't seen any monster yet but this line in the opening credits - SPECIAL EFFECTS FOR THE CREATURE - looms large.
21. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) - Last year, I watched the 1931 version and this felt really similar. Honestly, I wasn't a big fan of either. I know Mr. Hyde is evil, but the way he treats Ingrid Bergman's character went a little too far for me. That poor woman is terrorized the whole film and never gets any kind of retribution for it. The movie is well-acted all around, but just gave me a bad feeling after watching it.
- Godzilla (1954)
- Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
- King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
- Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
- Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster (1964)
- Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
- Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
- Son of Godzilla (1967)
- Destroy All Monsters (1968)
- All Monsters Attack (1969)
- Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)
- Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
- Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
- Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
- Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
- Godzilla 1984 (1984)
- Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)
- Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)
- Godzilla vs. Mothra : Battle for Earth (1992)
- Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1993)
- Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
- Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)
- Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999)
TOHO's post-Emmerich reboot of the series was designed from the outset to be quite different from the Heisei series of Godzilla films. It was decided that henceforward each Godzilla film would be a stand-alone entity, more like the Showa era films, rather than the coherent chain of sequels that was the Heisei era films. And originally, each film was expected to have its own director, allowing for different visions of the Big G. This first film presents us with a decidedly more bestial Godzilla than ever seen before, with his Crocodilian skull, extended purple fins, slouched, feral posture, and reduced, more intimate size (he's down to about half the size of the final Heisei Godzilla, close to the height of the original Godzilla at about 55 meters). This Godzilla is presented right from the start as a fearsome force of nature and fact of life for Japanese people. The Godzilla Prediction Network (GPN) is a group of academics working to predict Godzilla's movements and study him (like storm-chasers pursuing Tornados in America), while the government Crisis Control Intelligence Agency (CCI) attempts to destroy him. When CCI finds an ancient alien artifact at the bottom of the Japan Trench and raises it to the surface, sunlight unleashes an alien force that seeks to resurrect itself and conquer the world. The horrific alien kaiju Ogra is born from the alien lifeform's attempting to use the regenerative elements of Godzilla cells to reform their bodies... Godzilla is attracted to the alien menace and the battle destroys much of Tokyo. Godzilla destroys Ogra and the aliens utterly, then kills the director of CCI (singling him out from a rooftop of on-lookers) and then - even in victory - continues to burn the city in wrathful anger; this is a very different Godzilla from the Heisei one, more an angry god than an indifferent giant...
#21 Mayhem (2017)
Your passcode is 8*199, fuckhead.
A virus that attacks the id of the brain and temporarily disables all inhibition infects a law firm. An eight hour quarantine and mayhem (hey, that's the name of the movie) ensue.
An office building's workers sealed in and attacking each other is pretty much the same synopsis as The Belko Experiment, which I watched last week. In my review of that, I expressed a desire to see the same basic idea done in a more lighthearted manner, with over the top office brawling and a sillier tone.
This is that movie, almost precisely. It may have been called into existence right then and there at my request, for all I know. A swooping, flashy madcap style coupled with copious violent office cubicle antics is everything I imagined it would be. There's even an amusing use of a water cooler, as any office based mayhem should contain. Anchored by the ever charismatic Steven Yeun, who I'm glad to see in a lead role for once, this was uproariously good fun. In addition to a campy violence fest, it also serves as a solid spoof on the inner politics of offices and law firms.
Something to note is while it's violent, it's never gratuitously so, and often they get humour out of not showing explicit gore. Another aspect I liked was that removing inhibition doesn't automatically make everyone into bloodthirsty rage monsters; amidst the inevitable brawling and mauling, many of the fellow office workers in the background are just doing silly things like streaking, photocopying their behinds, or covering themselves in post-its. These things prevent the film from just feeling like an excuse for movie violence.
I believe this is what they call a hidden gem. Big recommendation.
Your passcode is 8*199, fuckhead.
A virus that attacks the id of the brain and temporarily disables all inhibition infects a law firm. An eight hour quarantine and mayhem (hey, that's the name of the movie) ensue.
An office building's workers sealed in and attacking each other is pretty much the same synopsis as The Belko Experiment, which I watched last week. In my review of that, I expressed a desire to see the same basic idea done in a more lighthearted manner, with over the top office brawling and a sillier tone.
This is that movie, almost precisely. It may have been called into existence right then and there at my request, for all I know. A swooping, flashy madcap style coupled with copious violent office cubicle antics is everything I imagined it would be. There's even an amusing use of a water cooler, as any office based mayhem should contain. Anchored by the ever charismatic Steven Yeun, who I'm glad to see in a lead role for once, this was uproariously good fun. In addition to a campy violence fest, it also serves as a solid spoof on the inner politics of offices and law firms.
Something to note is while it's violent, it's never gratuitously so, and often they get humour out of not showing explicit gore. Another aspect I liked was that removing inhibition doesn't automatically make everyone into bloodthirsty rage monsters; amidst the inevitable brawling and mauling, many of the fellow office workers in the background are just doing silly things like streaking, photocopying their behinds, or covering themselves in post-its. These things prevent the film from just feeling like an excuse for movie violence.
I believe this is what they call a hidden gem. Big recommendation.
22. A Quiet Place: I know it's not the first movie to primarily use American Sign Language, but it's still a rarity. One of the characters is deaf anyway. There's plenty of tension to be found here, but I'm just asking myself "Just how much sound does it take to set these creatures off?" The breaking of a lantern puts their lives in danger, but not an open fire. Why aren't the creatures (or the family) just hanging around the river and waterfall the whole time? Why can't the family just whisper in each other's ears? Where did these things come from? There's a serious problem later in the movie that seems to just go away in favor of another. To quote Bruce Wayne from Batman Forever: "It just raises too many questions." It's a novel concept for sure, and the creature designs are cool. A good movie with an arbitrary problem and a huge foot fetish.
Full list
Full list
1. The Mummy (1932) (rewatch)
2. Extraordinary Tales (2013)
3. Justice League Dark (2017)
4. The Wicker Man (1973) (rewatch)
5. The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
6. Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956)
7. It (2017)
8. mother! (2017)
9. The Void (2016)
10. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)
11. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
12. The Mummy (1999)
13. Constantine (2005)
14. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
15. The Omen (1976)
16. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
17. Corpse Bride (2005)
18. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
19. Phenomena (1985)
20. Paranormal Activity (2007)
21. Black Sabbath (1963)
22. Carrie (1976)
23. Evil Dead II (1987) (rewatch)
Classic horror slapstick. I'll say from experience, this is one you want to show someone who's never seen it just to see how they react.
2. Extraordinary Tales (2013)
3. Justice League Dark (2017)
4. The Wicker Man (1973) (rewatch)
5. The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
6. Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956)
7. It (2017)
8. mother! (2017)
9. The Void (2016)
10. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)
11. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
12. The Mummy (1999)
13. Constantine (2005)
14. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
15. The Omen (1976)
16. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
17. Corpse Bride (2005)
18. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
19. Phenomena (1985)
20. Paranormal Activity (2007)
21. Black Sabbath (1963)
22. Carrie (1976)
23. Evil Dead II (1987) (rewatch)
Classic horror slapstick. I'll say from experience, this is one you want to show someone who's never seen it just to see how they react.
DAY 31
You thought you were going to be denied a bonus film, but it was me, Sono!
Exte: Hair Extensions: Oh that rascally Sion Sono, finding a way to get me to watch him before his film that I did have on the official schedule! Though he's no stranger to horror as it is, seeing him tackle a more conventional topic... well, OK, seeing him tackle in his own special way a conventional topic like a J-horror curse tale is of keen interest. Killer hair extensions (black and long, naturally) seems like the kind of thing that would ensure an outright spoof, but the biggest surprise that this film holds is how much it winds up playing straight and, in a real shocker, how deadly serious it can be at times. Sure, the movie opens with Chiaki Kuriyama and her friends narrating over their own dialogue to each other, livening up otherwise banal exchanges, and it isn't long before our villain, played to delirious and musical extremes by the dearly departed Ren Osugi, reveals himself to be a hair fetishist with designs on beautifying the world with cursed hair extensions, but we just as soon enter into a rather chilling subplot involving child abuse played completely serious, a shocking detail revealed about our heroine that will hit home for a lot of people that have been in her situation before and the backstory for why there's a curse on the hair makes for some incredibly grisly content, too. And despite the fact that killer hair shouldn't make for sterner content on their own, each scene that involves the various ways it gets around and how hit kills its victims is shot with the intensity of something you'd find more in a proper body horror film, with some truly wince-inducing moments and some great visualization on the hair effects that up their creep factor way past what you may have expected. I've always found that to be one of the more impressive qualities to Sono: even for someone that has the capability to take you on a trip like none other, he still manages to surprise you with his deftness at switching up genres on the fly and being able to play around with the tone in a way that flies right in the face of expectations as he is so willing to get as cute or as ugly as the situation demands. Here, he takes a really silly concept and plays with it in some genuinely horrific ways for quite a strong effect. Like some Sono films, it does mean that it can be a bit uneven as it goes from one extreme to the next, but it means that it's never boring for long enough as the next amazing thing is right around the corner. Resisting the temptation to go with a spoof was wise, as this one has enough genuine chills in it to hang with some of the best that the genre has produced in the country.
Left Bank: I don't know what it is about overcast and wintry settings that draws me in so much, especially as a former resident of Minnesota all too glad to no longer have to worry about feet of snow. There's something so aesthetically pleasing about the change of seasons that creates such a strong mood that's hard to describe but one would know the appeal as soon as they see it. While not a winter-set film specifically, this one carries a lot of that same appeal with its Antwerp setting, perpetually overcast and with little in the way of foliage, leaving behind warped branches that look like they've been long dead. It's a great place to have an unusual horror story like the one we have here, patient enough to not reveal its full hand until late into the film and yet doles out enough eerie elements to satisfy one's craving to be unsettled in quiet ways. It's an effective atmosphere that it creates that it does seem like things will turn out real bad at any given moment, giving the film an understated tension and a lot of power when it offers glimpses into the machinations of the plot being made against our heroine. Up until those moments happen, the film works quite well as drama revolving around a downward spiral, with Eline Kuppens' as Marie being potent as her defiance towards her crumbling situation masks a deeper disappointment in her own lot in life and hoping for something, anything to take her mind off of it. Initially, this means a lot of passionate sex with the new man her in life (international favorite Matthias Schoenaerts), but she quickly finds herself investigating the disappearance of a woman who may have uncovered a disturbing truth of the title's district. Even when the film appears to be moving into the direction you figured it would all along, it does throw in a few more twists along the way that makes it no simple tale and it certainly does not end the way that you have expected it to, a satisfying conclusion that carries an unexpected amount of emotional weight that practically flies in the face of the conventions its story had only seemingly been following. Truthfully, I really don't have too much to say about it in a negative manner, only that it does feel like that it stops just short of greatness as a result of the measured pacing of the story that's long on mood, but this is an unusual tale that's worth tracking down for anyone that loves a good supernatural teasing.
12 films on the official schedule to go...
You thought you were going to be denied a bonus film, but it was me, Sono!
Exte: Hair Extensions: Oh that rascally Sion Sono, finding a way to get me to watch him before his film that I did have on the official schedule! Though he's no stranger to horror as it is, seeing him tackle a more conventional topic... well, OK, seeing him tackle in his own special way a conventional topic like a J-horror curse tale is of keen interest. Killer hair extensions (black and long, naturally) seems like the kind of thing that would ensure an outright spoof, but the biggest surprise that this film holds is how much it winds up playing straight and, in a real shocker, how deadly serious it can be at times. Sure, the movie opens with Chiaki Kuriyama and her friends narrating over their own dialogue to each other, livening up otherwise banal exchanges, and it isn't long before our villain, played to delirious and musical extremes by the dearly departed Ren Osugi, reveals himself to be a hair fetishist with designs on beautifying the world with cursed hair extensions, but we just as soon enter into a rather chilling subplot involving child abuse played completely serious, a shocking detail revealed about our heroine that will hit home for a lot of people that have been in her situation before and the backstory for why there's a curse on the hair makes for some incredibly grisly content, too. And despite the fact that killer hair shouldn't make for sterner content on their own, each scene that involves the various ways it gets around and how hit kills its victims is shot with the intensity of something you'd find more in a proper body horror film, with some truly wince-inducing moments and some great visualization on the hair effects that up their creep factor way past what you may have expected. I've always found that to be one of the more impressive qualities to Sono: even for someone that has the capability to take you on a trip like none other, he still manages to surprise you with his deftness at switching up genres on the fly and being able to play around with the tone in a way that flies right in the face of expectations as he is so willing to get as cute or as ugly as the situation demands. Here, he takes a really silly concept and plays with it in some genuinely horrific ways for quite a strong effect. Like some Sono films, it does mean that it can be a bit uneven as it goes from one extreme to the next, but it means that it's never boring for long enough as the next amazing thing is right around the corner. Resisting the temptation to go with a spoof was wise, as this one has enough genuine chills in it to hang with some of the best that the genre has produced in the country.
Left Bank: I don't know what it is about overcast and wintry settings that draws me in so much, especially as a former resident of Minnesota all too glad to no longer have to worry about feet of snow. There's something so aesthetically pleasing about the change of seasons that creates such a strong mood that's hard to describe but one would know the appeal as soon as they see it. While not a winter-set film specifically, this one carries a lot of that same appeal with its Antwerp setting, perpetually overcast and with little in the way of foliage, leaving behind warped branches that look like they've been long dead. It's a great place to have an unusual horror story like the one we have here, patient enough to not reveal its full hand until late into the film and yet doles out enough eerie elements to satisfy one's craving to be unsettled in quiet ways. It's an effective atmosphere that it creates that it does seem like things will turn out real bad at any given moment, giving the film an understated tension and a lot of power when it offers glimpses into the machinations of the plot being made against our heroine. Up until those moments happen, the film works quite well as drama revolving around a downward spiral, with Eline Kuppens' as Marie being potent as her defiance towards her crumbling situation masks a deeper disappointment in her own lot in life and hoping for something, anything to take her mind off of it. Initially, this means a lot of passionate sex with the new man her in life (international favorite Matthias Schoenaerts), but she quickly finds herself investigating the disappearance of a woman who may have uncovered a disturbing truth of the title's district. Even when the film appears to be moving into the direction you figured it would all along, it does throw in a few more twists along the way that makes it no simple tale and it certainly does not end the way that you have expected it to, a satisfying conclusion that carries an unexpected amount of emotional weight that practically flies in the face of the conventions its story had only seemingly been following. Truthfully, I really don't have too much to say about it in a negative manner, only that it does feel like that it stops just short of greatness as a result of the measured pacing of the story that's long on mood, but this is an unusual tale that's worth tracking down for anyone that loves a good supernatural teasing.
12 films on the official schedule to go...
All I remember from "Exte" is Ren Osugi's "hair hair" song routine.
Edit: What, he's dead? Oh no!
Edit: What, he's dead? Oh no!
I honestly think Carpenter is somewhat overrated, but this is quite the hot take.
What is great about it?
The acting, especially in the death scenes was bad, I laughed a few times. No real tension and just meh.
I like a good slasher film but that one didn't meet the criteria sadly.
