ThirstyFly
Member
That's the best part!
-
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31 Days of Horror 7 |OT| The October Movie Marathon
- Thread starter ThirstyFly
- Start date
That's the best part!
Ooh...which one?
ThirstyFly
Member
I'm powering through so you'll see later today when I catch up on my reviews. It still has time to turn things around!
Violence Jack
Member
Silver Shamrock!
Considering the kind of stuff that pops up on your lists and having a generally good handle on your tolerance levels, it must be as bad as watching your loved one melt in lava for it to be that unwatchable.
ThirstyFly
Member
I even made it through ThanksKilling one year and that was like torture.
Gobble gobble motherfucker...best thing that movie ever did lol
Im not able to this every day but Im doing binges. I took some movies down with me here while visiting my sis and helping her clear out her house.
Watched From Beyond, gawd damn cant believe I missed this growing up. I would love to see the premise tackled in a more serious movie, that could be some truly terrifying shit. This movie with that humor was just fine though.
Re-Animator recent Arrow release. Watched the integral version which my memories kind of hazy but seemed to really only add some soft core porn and certain um, fetish, plot points. Still a great movie too me and Jeffrey Combs needed more work.
One really interesting part of this bluray is in the special features. Theres a segment with some guy who runs a Lovecraft podcast (sorry guy cant remember your name but you were great and knew your shit) who runs through every HP Lovecraft inspired movie made. It was surprisingly long and very thorough with the guy going over the plot of the movie and then going over the HP story its based on comparing the two. There are spoilers in this section of course but it was very interesting and I was jotting down movies to watch like crazy.
Watched From Beyond, gawd damn cant believe I missed this growing up. I would love to see the premise tackled in a more serious movie, that could be some truly terrifying shit. This movie with that humor was just fine though.
Re-Animator recent Arrow release. Watched the integral version which my memories kind of hazy but seemed to really only add some soft core porn and certain um, fetish, plot points. Still a great movie too me and Jeffrey Combs needed more work.
One really interesting part of this bluray is in the special features. Theres a segment with some guy who runs a Lovecraft podcast (sorry guy cant remember your name but you were great and knew your shit) who runs through every HP Lovecraft inspired movie made. It was surprisingly long and very thorough with the guy going over the plot of the movie and then going over the HP story its based on comparing the two. There are spoilers in this section of course but it was very interesting and I was jotting down movies to watch like crazy.
3. Rings
I remember loving the first movie back in 2002. I skipped the sequel after hearing all the bad reviews, and being kind of burnt out on j-horror by that time. But I always liked the concept of The Ring because of how many set rules the curse has. It's always fun to speculate and theorize how the rules work exactly and how you might be able to thwart them. So color me surprised when it turns out this movie starts with
. What a neat idea! I can imagine half of horror-gaf would have done the same thing. Unfortunately this idea ends half way through the movie and the rest of the film follows a very similar plot to the first film. Our 2 main characters travel to a town guided by visions, which turns out
. We discover the back story of her mother, who apparently was featured in the 2nd movie, and our characters then proceed to try to break the curse. Of course, there's a
which leaves things open for a sequel. Though if they do make a sequel I imagine they'll just retcon things and basically go back to square one.
The scare scenes were not very good, as they just end up reusing the same stuff from the first movie. I guess there's not that much you can do when the method of killing is pretty much just
, and everyone already knows this exact scene since the first movie was so big. They probably could have come up with something new. At once point Samara comes out of a
, but they cheaped out and just had the
.
Overall it was an interesting story and I wasn't bored. Worth checking out if you really liked the first movie.
I remember loving the first movie back in 2002. I skipped the sequel after hearing all the bad reviews, and being kind of burnt out on j-horror by that time. But I always liked the concept of The Ring because of how many set rules the curse has. It's always fun to speculate and theorize how the rules work exactly and how you might be able to thwart them. So color me surprised when it turns out this movie starts with
a college professor finding the cursed tape, figuring out the rules, and running experiments on it with his students
to be the location Samara was born
twist ending
The scare scenes were not very good, as they just end up reusing the same stuff from the first movie. I guess there's not that much you can do when the method of killing is pretty much just
the ghost coming out of the TV and looking at you with her death glare
cell phone, and I was hoping she'd come out all tiny because of the small screen, or maybe have to somehow creepily contort out of the tiny device
phone be obscured by bugs and she emerges from the bugs full sized
Overall it was an interesting story and I wasn't bored. Worth checking out if you really liked the first movie.
Fallen behind on reviews, so some quick ones:
4. Fright Night
It was alright. Chris Sarandon was great. Strange that his film career seemed to sputter out after this and The Princess Bride -- good-looking guy with charisma and screen presence, how did Hollywood not put him in a million things? The main kid was just a bit too plain and boring to ever really give a shit about his story. And the kid playing Evil is one of the worse actors I've ever seen (which I guess made for a natural transition into his later stint as a porn star). Overall, maybe more hammy than I was expecting, but not bad. Just ok.
5. Day of the Dead
The third in Romero's dead series, and usually the least liked of the first three. I can see why: the underground complex is a far more boring setting than the claustrophobic house in Night or the mall in Dawn, most of the characters are pretty unlikable, there's hardly any of the social commentary that played a role in the first two movies (other than some really over the top racism directed at a Hispanic soldier, of which the message I guess was, racism is bad?). Because the soldiers are so intensely bad people, the human drama here doesn't feel as compelling as in Night and Dawn. Still, I liked it just fine. Tom Savini's zombie effects are at their best here and I'd probably say their comparable to the practical effects in The Fly or The Thing, they're really that fucking good looking. Dr. Frankenstein trying to teach a zombie to be docile is an interesting angle to add to the story, and the abandoned city at the beginning is some effectively eerie world building.
While not as well-written as Night and Dawn, and clearly lacking the budget for Romero's ambitions, I think Day is probably unfairly maligned and overall I liked it more than I didn't.
6. The Return of the Living Dead
This, on the other hand, I enjoyed a lot. Funny, unexpectedly brutal, great cast of characters with well-defined personalities and screen presence. The 80s must have been glory days for zombie makeup artists, because the effects work in this film is fantastic as well. I also like how O'Bannon very quickly and clearly differentiates his take on zombies from Romero's. These fuckers are faster, more aggressive, more hostile, can actually talk! And are the first to both show and articulate their appetite for brains. Good stuff.
4. Fright Night
It was alright. Chris Sarandon was great. Strange that his film career seemed to sputter out after this and The Princess Bride -- good-looking guy with charisma and screen presence, how did Hollywood not put him in a million things? The main kid was just a bit too plain and boring to ever really give a shit about his story. And the kid playing Evil is one of the worse actors I've ever seen (which I guess made for a natural transition into his later stint as a porn star). Overall, maybe more hammy than I was expecting, but not bad. Just ok.
5. Day of the Dead
The third in Romero's dead series, and usually the least liked of the first three. I can see why: the underground complex is a far more boring setting than the claustrophobic house in Night or the mall in Dawn, most of the characters are pretty unlikable, there's hardly any of the social commentary that played a role in the first two movies (other than some really over the top racism directed at a Hispanic soldier, of which the message I guess was, racism is bad?). Because the soldiers are so intensely bad people, the human drama here doesn't feel as compelling as in Night and Dawn. Still, I liked it just fine. Tom Savini's zombie effects are at their best here and I'd probably say their comparable to the practical effects in The Fly or The Thing, they're really that fucking good looking. Dr. Frankenstein trying to teach a zombie to be docile is an interesting angle to add to the story, and the abandoned city at the beginning is some effectively eerie world building.
While not as well-written as Night and Dawn, and clearly lacking the budget for Romero's ambitions, I think Day is probably unfairly maligned and overall I liked it more than I didn't.
6. The Return of the Living Dead
This, on the other hand, I enjoyed a lot. Funny, unexpectedly brutal, great cast of characters with well-defined personalities and screen presence. The 80s must have been glory days for zombie makeup artists, because the effects work in this film is fantastic as well. I also like how O'Bannon very quickly and clearly differentiates his take on zombies from Romero's. These fuckers are faster, more aggressive, more hostile, can actually talk! And are the first to both show and articulate their appetite for brains. Good stuff.
Dee Dah Dave
Member
Watched You're Next last night with the Wife. A rather unbelievable premise with bad acting all round.
3/10
We also watched The Strangers the day before which is a better film. The tension is really well done and the situation quite believable for the most part.
7/10
3/10
We also watched The Strangers the day before which is a better film. The tension is really well done and the situation quite believable for the most part.
7/10
Catching up on write ups
Day 6
The Hitcher
The little movie that could... Super intense game of cat and mouse between a psycho Hitch Hiker (amazing Rutger Hauer, with perhaps his career defining role) and a young man (CT Howell) driving across America. The cinematography is great, the score perfect, my only problem here having been the terrible copy shown by HBO (pan & scan, super grainy) when the film was shot in a beautiful 2.35
8/10
Day 7
Silent Hill
Videogame adaptations are more miss than hit, but Christophe Gans did mostly good here (and far, far better than the sequel). Some dialogues are iffy, and the changes to the story and characters probably irked the fans, but the visuals are very good, the atmosphere extra thick, and the monsters and gore surprisingly impactful, particularly the impressive final sequence, going from a close up on a burning face to Alice Krige being raped Evil Dead style and ripped in halves by barbed wires.
Some slower portions in the middle, but still a fairly solid experience.
7/10
Day 8
House
One of my favorite horror/ comedy films of the 80s, though not nearly on par with an Evil Dead 2. Has aged quite a bit, but still a classic of the 80s imo. You also have to remember not to think too hard about the plot, because the twist about "who" is behind it all does not really make sense, but it's all good fun.
7/10
Day 9
1408
When I saw 1408 for the first time a few years back, I was going in blind into what was an adaptation of a Stephen King story. I ended up loving it, in spite (or because of?) its minimalistic setup (2/3 of the movie are in a single hotel room) and a terrific acting job by both Samuel Jackson (only about 5 minutes in the film overall) but specially John Cusak who carries the film like a champ.
Let me tell you though...
This is indeed one Evil Fucking Room.
8/10
PS: anyone noticed how The Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" is often featured? (We saw In the Mouth of Madness not long ago)
Are they fucking evil?
Day 6
The Hitcher
The little movie that could... Super intense game of cat and mouse between a psycho Hitch Hiker (amazing Rutger Hauer, with perhaps his career defining role) and a young man (CT Howell) driving across America. The cinematography is great, the score perfect, my only problem here having been the terrible copy shown by HBO (pan & scan, super grainy) when the film was shot in a beautiful 2.35
8/10
Day 7
Silent Hill
Videogame adaptations are more miss than hit, but Christophe Gans did mostly good here (and far, far better than the sequel). Some dialogues are iffy, and the changes to the story and characters probably irked the fans, but the visuals are very good, the atmosphere extra thick, and the monsters and gore surprisingly impactful, particularly the impressive final sequence, going from a close up on a burning face to Alice Krige being raped Evil Dead style and ripped in halves by barbed wires.
Some slower portions in the middle, but still a fairly solid experience.
7/10
Day 8
House
One of my favorite horror/ comedy films of the 80s, though not nearly on par with an Evil Dead 2. Has aged quite a bit, but still a classic of the 80s imo. You also have to remember not to think too hard about the plot, because the twist about "who" is behind it all does not really make sense, but it's all good fun.
7/10
Day 9
1408
When I saw 1408 for the first time a few years back, I was going in blind into what was an adaptation of a Stephen King story. I ended up loving it, in spite (or because of?) its minimalistic setup (2/3 of the movie are in a single hotel room) and a terrific acting job by both Samuel Jackson (only about 5 minutes in the film overall) but specially John Cusak who carries the film like a champ.
Let me tell you though...
This is indeed one Evil Fucking Room.
8/10
PS: anyone noticed how The Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" is often featured? (We saw In the Mouth of Madness not long ago)
Are they fucking evil?
#9 Return of the Living Dead 3
Well, it was better than part 2, but way lower budget and less horror focused. I couldn't help by notice and chuckle every time Curt leaned on the wall of a supposed military installation and it wobbles like plywood/foam. RTLD3 went its own way and only has trioxin in common with the previous two (id have loved to see Thom Matthews and James Karen appear some how), and it only kinda works because the two leads, despite doing a lot of stupid teenager things that don't make much sense, just play it as straight as they can. Melinda Clarke going the extra mile with that excruciating looking hunger-relief makeup certain helps make the plight believable, and it certainly an interesting riff on 'trying to stop the onset of zombie-ism' that most movies just take as a forgone conclusion.
Would watch again for that aspect, because Clarke really seems tortured by it all. (R1>3>2 if youre interested)
May try to get in another film today, as fiance and I are behind by a day. Probably one of her picks next
Well, it was better than part 2, but way lower budget and less horror focused. I couldn't help by notice and chuckle every time Curt leaned on the wall of a supposed military installation and it wobbles like plywood/foam. RTLD3 went its own way and only has trioxin in common with the previous two (id have loved to see Thom Matthews and James Karen appear some how), and it only kinda works because the two leads, despite doing a lot of stupid teenager things that don't make much sense, just play it as straight as they can. Melinda Clarke going the extra mile with that excruciating looking hunger-relief makeup certain helps make the plight believable, and it certainly an interesting riff on 'trying to stop the onset of zombie-ism' that most movies just take as a forgone conclusion.
Would watch again for that aspect, because Clarke really seems tortured by it all. (R1>3>2 if youre interested)
May try to get in another film today, as fiance and I are behind by a day. Probably one of her picks next
ThirstyFly
Member
08) Rosemary's Baby (1968) (Oct 08)
Luckily I've somehow managed to avoid any major spoilers for Rosemary's Baby over the years. I did however know the general direction it takes just from seeing so many movies it has been compared to - that's always the risk when finally sitting down to watch a movie like this. Is it going to live up to decades of lesser films being compared to it?
The simple answer in Rosemary's Baby's case is, yes. Yes it lives up to its reputation and more. What a fantastic film.
It makes an interesting companion piece with my earlier viewing of The Possession as well. While one is an explosive storm of chaos, the other a masterpiece of subtlety. An elegant and captivating tale from start to finish. Highly recommended.
Rating:
out of 5 Bub salutes. (2.5 is considered average on this scale)
09) The Backcoat's Daughter (February) (2015) (Oct 9)
For Canadian Thanksgiving I always try to watch something either Canadian or with a Canadian connection. I had pretty slim pickings this year, so this joint Canadian/American production is what I settled on. Thankfully, The Backcoat's Daughter turned out to be a hell of a pick. The less said about this one the better since it's best to go in fresh, but if you're into slow burn and isolation type horror movies, check this one out.
There are some issues with the revelations towards the end (partially because film is a visual medium), but the flaws certainly didn't distract from my initial viewing.
Highly recommended.
Rating:
out of 5 Bub salutes. (2.5 is considered average on this scale)
Cherubimon142
Member
Just saw this movie over the weekend at it's premiere screening. It's a new Urban Legend horror film that functions as a deconstruction/critique of "found footage" films. I had a great time watching it, and while the plot takes a while to develop, it really comes full circle towards the end.
More_Badass
Member
15) Jacob's Ladder (1990)
I don't think I would call Jacob's Ladder a horror movie. I've often seen it categorized as such, but it's much more of a drama. A disturbing surreal bleak drama, with some horrifying and unsettling imagery and a tense sense of paranoia, but a drama nonetheless. It reminded me of recent movies I've seen like mother and Possession, rather than your typical horror film. Overall, an enjoyable watch, anchored by Tim Robbins' gripping performance
I don't think I would call Jacob's Ladder a horror movie. I've often seen it categorized as such, but it's much more of a drama. A disturbing surreal bleak drama, with some horrifying and unsettling imagery and a tense sense of paranoia, but a drama nonetheless. It reminded me of recent movies I've seen like mother and Possession, rather than your typical horror film. Overall, an enjoyable watch, anchored by Tim Robbins' gripping performance
ThirstyFly
Member
10) The Love Witch (2016) (Oct 1)
"I didn't know this town was hostile to witches."
"Well, it's certainty not San Francisco."
After the intensity of Gerald's Game, Possession, Rosemary's Baby and The Blackcoat's Daughter, I needed a bit of a breather and decided to go with something light for today. Being a comedy, I figured The Love Witch would be a fun way to compliment Rosemary's Baby. Well... it wasn't. The Love Witch is about as fun as watching a puppy drown.
Shot on film with rich, saturated colours, the film opens as beautiful throwback to the 60s-70s. Though a year is never shown, the camera techniques used as well as the costumes, sets and music suggest it to be a period piece... that is until you begin to notice the modern cars mixed in with the vintage ones. And then computers with LCD monitors. And then a character even pulls out a smart phone! The setting never makes any sense. It's as if they just did not have the budget to go full 70s and decided to not bother hiding the current elements that destroyed the illusion. Surely there was a creative way they could have worked within their limitations instead of simply ignoring it. Blend things together and give it a timeless look, or even make it a modern day story and have the lead be an odd fish out of water thing like the criminally underrated Elvira: Mistress of the Dark movie. Anything but this lazy, nonsensical inconsistency.
And then we have the fact that this is supposedly a comedy, but this thing slogs along for an excruciating 2(!) hours without a single joke and if there is a plot (which I doubt), the inept actors fail at delivering it. The acting is terrible, and I seriously doubt in an intentional way. There's nothing stylized about it that would suggest it's a conscious decision by the actors or director to capture that 70s feel. The lead Samantha Robinson may be going for something, but whatever it is she is not skilled enough to present it. I feel this review is as meandering as the movie itself, so I'm just going to end it like they did. Fade to credits.
This is the equivalent of watching a bad high school play in Technicolor. The only recommendation here is one of avoidance.
Rating:
out of 5 Bub salutes. (2.5 is considered average on this scale)
Half a Bub for nailing the vivid 70s colours and half a Bub for Samantha Robinson being unbelievably attractive. No further Bubs given.
Violence Jack
Member
#12 - Your Vice Is A Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (FTV)
This might've been one of the slowest giallo films that I've ever seen. Not enough murders to keep my interest, but I will give it points for combining a lovers quarrel, forbidden passions, and a murder mystery along with elements from Poe's The Black Cat. This makes the second film I've watched as an adaptation of that poem, and I'd like to avoid them for the rest of the challenge. Even with a 99 minute runtime, it felt way too long. That might've been due to the fact that some plot elements were introduced that really never got answered, and just chewed up time. The performances are good and energetic. Edwich Fenech is smoking hot, though I don't understand why she had sex with everyone she meets. However, it was just too slow for what I expect from a giallo. Somehow this made me appreciate What Have You Done to Solange's slow build towards a great ending even more.
4.5 one-eyed cats yowling into the moonlight out of 10
ThirstyFly
Member
I was disappointed with The Editor as well, but that's more a collection of references and dumb jokes, and in that way it succeeds. They certainly did not seem too concerned with a logical plot.
I don't feel The Love Witch succeeded at what it was trying to accomplish outside of its visuals.
You know you're not enjoying a movie when your mind wanders and you start thinking about Zombie Lake instead.
ThirstyFly
Member
There's gotta be another Amer somewhere, and I'm gonna find it!
While I'm still watching two films a day, I'm gonna start splitting my posts per day, as having two films per post is getting unwieldy.
19) The Mummy (1959)
Seems I've spent the better part of my life amongst the dead.
I was not the biggest fan of the Universal Mummy film, finding it highly derivative of Dracula. However, this Hammer remake actually takes its plot from Universal's other mummy film, The Mummy's Hand. That one also wasn't much to write home about, so the bar is a little low for this particular monster, and Hammer leaped over it easily.
What I got with this version was a sort of best of both worlds. The superior atmosphere and more interesting mummy of the Karloff film, but also the enjoyable shuffling mummy murder of the other Universal films. Once again constrained by a small budget, only the beginning of the film takes place in Egypt (and it's not particularly convincing when it is there), the action quickly moves back to England. From there, we have a sort of slasher film as the mummy Kharis is controlled by a villain and commanded to kill off those that disturbed the tomb.
Peter Cushing is again the hero, and coming right off a charismatic turn as Dracula, Christopher Lee is back to being a lumbering monster with no dialogue, apart from a flashback scene to ancient Egypt showing how he came to be condemned. However, they use his considerable height and intimidating presence to good effect as he stomps about throttling folk. His expressive eyes also do help give the mummy some personality.
Something I noticed from the Universal films was that guns fired on screen tended to have no visible impact. The monster or person would simply flinch. Here however, whenever Cushing lights up the mummy, we get a satisfying dusty squib exploding and a chunk of his body flying off. It's fun to see the mummy gradually accumulate damage throughout the film.
I need to give a special shout out to the musical score, which is wonderfully majestic and elevates the entire film. Just check out the opening titles to see what I mean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFlxSOpnA7k
I have a feeling this film's score influenced Jerry Goldsmith's work for the 1999 adventure film.
Overall I will say the Hammer film is without a doubt superior the Universal original, the first time I've been able to definitively say that.
19) The Mummy (1959)
Seems I've spent the better part of my life amongst the dead.
I was not the biggest fan of the Universal Mummy film, finding it highly derivative of Dracula. However, this Hammer remake actually takes its plot from Universal's other mummy film, The Mummy's Hand. That one also wasn't much to write home about, so the bar is a little low for this particular monster, and Hammer leaped over it easily.
What I got with this version was a sort of best of both worlds. The superior atmosphere and more interesting mummy of the Karloff film, but also the enjoyable shuffling mummy murder of the other Universal films. Once again constrained by a small budget, only the beginning of the film takes place in Egypt (and it's not particularly convincing when it is there), the action quickly moves back to England. From there, we have a sort of slasher film as the mummy Kharis is controlled by a villain and commanded to kill off those that disturbed the tomb.
Peter Cushing is again the hero, and coming right off a charismatic turn as Dracula, Christopher Lee is back to being a lumbering monster with no dialogue, apart from a flashback scene to ancient Egypt showing how he came to be condemned. However, they use his considerable height and intimidating presence to good effect as he stomps about throttling folk. His expressive eyes also do help give the mummy some personality.
Something I noticed from the Universal films was that guns fired on screen tended to have no visible impact. The monster or person would simply flinch. Here however, whenever Cushing lights up the mummy, we get a satisfying dusty squib exploding and a chunk of his body flying off. It's fun to see the mummy gradually accumulate damage throughout the film.
I need to give a special shout out to the musical score, which is wonderfully majestic and elevates the entire film. Just check out the opening titles to see what I mean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFlxSOpnA7k
I have a feeling this film's score influenced Jerry Goldsmith's work for the 1999 adventure film.
Overall I will say the Hammer film is without a doubt superior the Universal original, the first time I've been able to definitively say that.
#10 - Jason X (2001)
Jason X is so deliciously 2000 styled with the hair and the clothes and the pretending to be futuristic, it earns bonuspoints for just being able to make fun of the things people are wearing. With this one I was prepared for the worst, but got one of the more enjoyable movies from the franchise. It is so extremely over the top and features some of the best kills of the entire series. This is what the series has been building towards. Honestly, it's JASON IN SPACE, what's not to enjoy? (Please don't respond to that question.) 6/10
John Rabbit
Banned
"You'll never survive if you lose control."
Movie 6 - Vacancy (Rewatch)
As a completely arbitrary challenge this year, I'm going to format my reviews in ≤140 and ≤280 character "tweets".
140
Elegantly simple in it's premise, setting, and construction, Vacancy is heavy on smart characters, light on frills, and deft with violence.
280
Three leads known more for dramatic and comedic chops carry a horror film about a fractured couple caught-off in the backwood motel of Somewhere, USA. Sharp writing, intelligent characters, brutal but understated imagery, and a brisk runtime makes a punchy and enjoyable time.
Liked:
- The acting from the 3 main characters, Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale especially
- The premise (not exactly original, but I like it)
- Character action is smart and realistic
- Very lean and evocative story telling
- Has a kind of baked-in, kitschy throwback vibe
Did not like:
- Kate Beckinsale's character is a little hamstrung in back third of the film for no good reason (because she's a woman)
- The premise is a little under-utilized in the story
- That I'm unable to watch this movie for the first time again
5 honeymoon suites out of 5
--
I feel like I'm alone in really loving this film, there's just something about it that pleases me to no end.
Movie 6 - Vacancy (Rewatch)
As a completely arbitrary challenge this year, I'm going to format my reviews in ≤140 and ≤280 character "tweets".
140
Elegantly simple in it's premise, setting, and construction, Vacancy is heavy on smart characters, light on frills, and deft with violence.
280
Three leads known more for dramatic and comedic chops carry a horror film about a fractured couple caught-off in the backwood motel of Somewhere, USA. Sharp writing, intelligent characters, brutal but understated imagery, and a brisk runtime makes a punchy and enjoyable time.
Liked:
- The acting from the 3 main characters, Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale especially
- The premise (not exactly original, but I like it)
- Character action is smart and realistic
- Very lean and evocative story telling
- Has a kind of baked-in, kitschy throwback vibe
Did not like:
- Kate Beckinsale's character is a little hamstrung in back third of the film for no good reason (because she's a woman)
- The premise is a little under-utilized in the story
- That I'm unable to watch this movie for the first time again
5 honeymoon suites out of 5
--
I feel like I'm alone in really loving this film, there's just something about it that pleases me to no end.
There aren't many films like Amer.
And now, because nobody asked for it, my ranking of the Friday the 13th movies.
6 > 1 > 8 > 10 > 9 > 2 > 4 > 3 > 7 > 5
I assume this order will differ quite a lot from other people. Onto Nightmare on Elm St!
6 > 1 > 8 > 10 > 9 > 2 > 4 > 3 > 7 > 5
I assume this order will differ quite a lot from other people. Onto Nightmare on Elm St!
Not horror, but Peter Strickland's Berberian Sound Studio and The Duke of Burgundy might be of interest to you.
ThirstyFly
Member
#12 - Your Vice Is A Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (FTV)
This might've been one of the slowest giallo films that I've ever seen. Not enough murders to keep my interest, but I will give it points for combining a lovers quarrel, forbidden passions, and a murder mystery along with elements from Poe's The Black Cat. This makes the second film I've watched as an adaptation of that poem, and I'd like to avoid them for the rest of the challenge. Even with a 99 minute runtime, it felt way too long. That might've been due to the fact that some plot elements were introduced that really never got answered, and just chewed up time. The performances are good and energetic. Edwich Fenech is smoking hot, though I don't understand why she had sex with everyone she meets. However, it was just too slow for what I expect from a giallo. Somehow this made me appreciate What Have You Done to Solange's slow build towards a great ending even more.
4.5 one-eyed cats yowling into the moonlight out of 10
Have you seen any of Sergio Martino's other gialli?
I haven't seen that one yet. I own it on Blu-ray but I've heard it's more thriller than horror so I just haven't gotten around to it yet. From your review that sounds correct. Too bad I bought both that and Bava's 5 Dolls for an August Moon because of Edwige Fenech before finding out they're both stinkers so they've just been sitting there unwatched.
Anyway, back to Martino... I really enjoyed Torso and All the Colors of the Dark (also with Fenech) and I'm planning on watching The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh as well this month (again with Fenech). They did a lot of movies together but I believe that's it for gialli. The rest were comedies.
John Rabbit
Banned
"At the end of the day people are out for themselves."
Movie 7 - The Belko Experiment
As a completely arbitrary challenge this year, I'm going to format my reviews in ≤140 and ≤280 character "tweets".
140
"Office Space meets Battle Royale!" is a completely apt description for this tonally inconsistent and shallow but (mostly) fun murder party.
280
Brimming with "that guy!" actors, this film fails to really "say" anything by the end other than "people can be cruel". Veers wildly from funny to morbid to shocking but doesn't lean hard enough in any one direction. Works as a decent adaptation of PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS.
Liked:
- A great cast; Tony Goldwyn was put on this earth to be an eternal son of a bitch
- Fast-paced and fun, the film is constantly moving between storylines
- The black comedy aspects of the writing
- The soundtrack
Did not like:
- Doesn't really deliver on the promise of social commentary or greater message (when it seems like it wants to)
- What little CG there is was quite bad
- Very by-the-numbers structure; you know the end about 10 minutes after it starts
3 blood-red Swingline staplers out of 5
--
This movie reminded me by turns of both Resident Evil (the film) and Shaun of the Dead but there are no zombies in it. Weird.
Movie 7 - The Belko Experiment
As a completely arbitrary challenge this year, I'm going to format my reviews in ≤140 and ≤280 character "tweets".
140
"Office Space meets Battle Royale!" is a completely apt description for this tonally inconsistent and shallow but (mostly) fun murder party.
280
Brimming with "that guy!" actors, this film fails to really "say" anything by the end other than "people can be cruel". Veers wildly from funny to morbid to shocking but doesn't lean hard enough in any one direction. Works as a decent adaptation of PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS.
Liked:
- A great cast; Tony Goldwyn was put on this earth to be an eternal son of a bitch
- Fast-paced and fun, the film is constantly moving between storylines
- The black comedy aspects of the writing
- The soundtrack
Did not like:
- Doesn't really deliver on the promise of social commentary or greater message (when it seems like it wants to)
- What little CG there is was quite bad
- Very by-the-numbers structure; you know the end about 10 minutes after it starts
3 blood-red Swingline staplers out of 5
--
This movie reminded me by turns of both Resident Evil (the film) and Shaun of the Dead but there are no zombies in it. Weird.
At the very least, you really liked The Blackcoat's Daughter, which was my big recommendation for this year's celebration, so I can't feel too bad!
ThirstyFly
Member
I might get to Red Nights this month, which is another foreign neo giallo (Hong Kong/France/Belgium), so fingers crossed!
I watched Berberian the same year I watched Amer (2015 I believe). I liked the setup but not the direction it took towards the end and ultimately left disappointed. Haven't heard of The Duke of Burgundy, I'll look into that, thanks.
Yup, definitely one of the highlights so far. And it's always nice to see James Remar pop up in stuff.
It's not a horror film at all, but it's very much steeped in the rich texture of European erotic films of the 70s, though it is amusingly one of the least smutty films on the planet. And then it gets really sad, and then it became my favorite film of 2015 and one of my favorites of the decade, easily.
pitcairn55
Member
October 10
Film #13
Demonic
I was going to watch Nina Forever tonight, but it turns out that despite heavily featuring a bloody, resurrected corpse, it's not a horror movie. What I saw of it was cool though, so I'll watch it next month.
I put Demonic on my list as a substitute but I don't know what lead me to do that, probably James Wan's production credit. Anyway, it's the least atmospheric haunted house movie I've ever seen, with a tedious over reliance on jump scares. The super-generic characters suffer from horror movie logic so badly, constantly doing stupid things because the crappy Scooby-Doo-kids-perform-séance-in-a-murder-house plot needs them to.
Verdict: Slick, well-acted, ridiculous garbage. What Frank Grillo and Maria Bello were thinking when they agreed to be in this is I have no idea.
Films I've watched so far
Film #13
Demonic
I was going to watch Nina Forever tonight, but it turns out that despite heavily featuring a bloody, resurrected corpse, it's not a horror movie. What I saw of it was cool though, so I'll watch it next month.
I put Demonic on my list as a substitute but I don't know what lead me to do that, probably James Wan's production credit. Anyway, it's the least atmospheric haunted house movie I've ever seen, with a tedious over reliance on jump scares. The super-generic characters suffer from horror movie logic so badly, constantly doing stupid things because the crappy Scooby-Doo-kids-perform-séance-in-a-murder-house plot needs them to.
Verdict: Slick, well-acted, ridiculous garbage. What Frank Grillo and Maria Bello were thinking when they agreed to be in this is I have no idea.
Films I've watched so far
Violence Jack
Member
The only other Martino film I've watched was Torso during last year's challenge, and I really enjoyed it even though I had the killer pegged pretty quickly.
#12 - Your Vice Is A Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (FTV)
This might've been one of the slowest giallo films that I've ever seen. Not enough murders to keep my interest, but I will give it points for combining a lovers quarrel, forbidden passions, and a murder mystery along with elements from Poe's The Black Cat. This makes the second film I've watched as an adaptation of that poem, and I'd like to avoid them for the rest of the challenge. Even with a 99 minute runtime, it felt way too long. That might've been due to the fact that some plot elements were introduced that really never got answered, and just chewed up time. The performances are good and energetic. Edwich Fenech is smoking hot, though I don't understand why she had sex with everyone she meets. However, it was just too slow for what I expect from a giallo. Somehow this made me appreciate What Have You Done to Solange's slow build towards a great ending even more.
4.5 one-eyed cats yowling into the moonlight out of 10
Quite the unwieldy title.
mariachi507
Member
Uh oh, I skipped out on writing a review yesterday. Hopefully my procrastination isn't already kicking in. To make up for it, I've got a double dose of people eating people.
8. Raw
Queue the Ol' Dirty Bastard. Powerful film about a young woman's blossoming adulthood and sexuality symbolized with a desire for meat. I actually physically squirmed at times during this, however it wasn't really because of the gore. Instead, director Julia Ducournau shows us Justine's journey in the most intimate of ways. Due to camera placement, framing, and perspective I really felt like I was personally invading this young woman's life, and it made me feel dirty. There is some really nice filmmaking here, with good performances, and a really nice OST. It's sort of like Ginger Snaps with cannibalism and I definitely recommend it.
Verdict: 8/10
9. Cannibal Holocaust
Oh boy. Here we are. Fun for the whole family. After years of telling myself I wouldn't ever do it, I've finally watched Cannibal Holocaust. Now that I've seen it, what the hell can I say about it? It's pure exploitation, and I don't think five minutes go by without something repulsive appearing on screen. The film wears its intentions on its sleeve as well, I mean..."I wonder who the cannibals really are?" Are you fucking kidding me with that line? The most infuriating part is that despite how "on the nose" it is, despite the movie thinking it's smarter than it really is, it makes a point. I was too big of a wuss and watched the animal cruelty free version. I knew that would take out a part of the dread that makes the film memorable, but I knew I wouldn't be able to stomach seeing the animals slaughtered. However, I was perfectly fine watching the sequence that showed footage from various wars with actual humans getting shot in the head or worse. What does that say about me? All in all, It's definitely not the best made film. There's shoddy acting, writing, and it's downright offensive for the sake of it. It leaves an impression on you though, and actually innovated in the horror landscape with the found footage aspect. I would say it deserves a spot in the horror film canon for sure. Oh, and that soundtrack, how in the world did this movie manage to secure a soundtrack that good? It's beautiful at times, which makes the carnage happening on screen all the more sobering.
Verdict: 7/10
Next: Something fun because I need it.
8. Raw
Queue the Ol' Dirty Bastard. Powerful film about a young woman's blossoming adulthood and sexuality symbolized with a desire for meat. I actually physically squirmed at times during this, however it wasn't really because of the gore. Instead, director Julia Ducournau shows us Justine's journey in the most intimate of ways. Due to camera placement, framing, and perspective I really felt like I was personally invading this young woman's life, and it made me feel dirty. There is some really nice filmmaking here, with good performances, and a really nice OST. It's sort of like Ginger Snaps with cannibalism and I definitely recommend it.
Verdict: 8/10
9. Cannibal Holocaust
Oh boy. Here we are. Fun for the whole family. After years of telling myself I wouldn't ever do it, I've finally watched Cannibal Holocaust. Now that I've seen it, what the hell can I say about it? It's pure exploitation, and I don't think five minutes go by without something repulsive appearing on screen. The film wears its intentions on its sleeve as well, I mean..."I wonder who the cannibals really are?" Are you fucking kidding me with that line? The most infuriating part is that despite how "on the nose" it is, despite the movie thinking it's smarter than it really is, it makes a point. I was too big of a wuss and watched the animal cruelty free version. I knew that would take out a part of the dread that makes the film memorable, but I knew I wouldn't be able to stomach seeing the animals slaughtered. However, I was perfectly fine watching the sequence that showed footage from various wars with actual humans getting shot in the head or worse. What does that say about me? All in all, It's definitely not the best made film. There's shoddy acting, writing, and it's downright offensive for the sake of it. It leaves an impression on you though, and actually innovated in the horror landscape with the found footage aspect. I would say it deserves a spot in the horror film canon for sure. Oh, and that soundtrack, how in the world did this movie manage to secure a soundtrack that good? It's beautiful at times, which makes the carnage happening on screen all the more sobering.
Verdict: 7/10
Next: Something fun because I need it.
pitcairn55
Member
Have you tried The Strange Colour of Your Body's Tears? It's not as good as Amer, but it is made by the same people.
ThirstyFly
Member
Not yet. I've heard mixed things about it so I've held off. Maybe I'll do a double feature with Red Nights when I get to that.
I know I've been the one to caution against it, but it's not like I think it's awful or anything. As strange as it sounds, it feels like more of a first feature film than Amer did, since it's so disjointed and erratic in comparison.
J-Roderton
Member
Going 80s with The Mutilator tonight. Hope it's alright .
JigglesBunny
Banned
Wasnt in a good head space yesterday and couldnt really handle sitting through something so Im doing yesterday and todays pick tonight - Martyrs and The Poughkeepsie Tapes. Modern classics in my opinion.
mechashiva
Member
1. (New) Jason Goes to Hell (Vudu)
2. (New) Trick 'r Treat (Blu)
3. (Rewatch) From Dusk Till Dawn (hulu)
4. (Rewatch) The Faculty (hulu)
5. (New) My Bloody Valentine (3d Blu)
6. (Rewatch) Sleepaway Camp 3 (vudu movies on us)
7. (New) Tag (Netflix)
8. (New) Pumpkinhead (Amazon prime)
9. (Rewatch) Final Destination 5 (3-D Blu)
10. (Rewatch) Piranha 3-D (3-D Blu)
11. (Rewatch) Sleepaway Camp 2 (Vudu on us)
12. (Rewatch) Zombieland (blu)
13. (Rewatch) The 'Burbs (Arrow Blu)
14. (Rewatch) Scream (Vudu)
15. (Rewatch) Mars Attacks (hulu)
2. (New) Trick 'r Treat (Blu)
3. (Rewatch) From Dusk Till Dawn (hulu)
4. (Rewatch) The Faculty (hulu)
5. (New) My Bloody Valentine (3d Blu)
6. (Rewatch) Sleepaway Camp 3 (vudu movies on us)
7. (New) Tag (Netflix)
8. (New) Pumpkinhead (Amazon prime)
9. (Rewatch) Final Destination 5 (3-D Blu)
10. (Rewatch) Piranha 3-D (3-D Blu)
11. (Rewatch) Sleepaway Camp 2 (Vudu on us)
12. (Rewatch) Zombieland (blu)
13. (Rewatch) The 'Burbs (Arrow Blu)
14. (Rewatch) Scream (Vudu)
15. (Rewatch) Mars Attacks (hulu)
mariachi507
Member
#09 - Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
Ok then. 5/10
"I think of a little girl in a pink dress, sticking a hot dog through a donut."
That line basically sums it up.
My other film for the day.
20) The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
Apologies if my dramatic entrance startled you.
I figured Hammer would be a good fit for Sherlock Holmes, given their usual forte was period films set in England with access to plenty of fine British actors. I'm surprised they didn't make more.
This is a pretty straightforward adaptation of the novel, with mostly minor changes and compressed elements and no major alterations. Peter Cushing appears to be having a great time playing Holmes, giving a fast talking, hammy performance. Thankfully they eschew the dopey, bumbling Watson of some adaptations, like the original stories he's smart and capable, just not on Holmes genius level. Christopher Lee also gets to play a normal person for once as Henry Baskerville.
Since it's filmed on location out on the moors of south England it captures the feel of the novel quite well.
The downside it's not really a horror movie. The novel is one of the spookier Holmes tales, but still, it's a detective story, not a horror.
But if you are a Holmes fan, this is a good adaptation and worth checking out.
20) The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
Apologies if my dramatic entrance startled you.
I figured Hammer would be a good fit for Sherlock Holmes, given their usual forte was period films set in England with access to plenty of fine British actors. I'm surprised they didn't make more.
This is a pretty straightforward adaptation of the novel, with mostly minor changes and compressed elements and no major alterations. Peter Cushing appears to be having a great time playing Holmes, giving a fast talking, hammy performance. Thankfully they eschew the dopey, bumbling Watson of some adaptations, like the original stories he's smart and capable, just not on Holmes genius level. Christopher Lee also gets to play a normal person for once as Henry Baskerville.
Since it's filmed on location out on the moors of south England it captures the feel of the novel quite well.
The downside it's not really a horror movie. The novel is one of the spookier Holmes tales, but still, it's a detective story, not a horror.
But if you are a Holmes fan, this is a good adaptation and worth checking out.
JigglesBunny
Banned
The Poughkeepsie Tapes Blu-Ray is only available online and theres no digital release to speak of so its out of the question tonight.
Im also introducing a new twist for the rest of this year and going forward - the punishment movie. If a day is missed, you have to also watch a punishment movie. It may either be a terrible movie from a quality standpoint or a movie that you have strong opposition to/fears of watching.
So for tonight, Ill be watching Rob Zombies 31 (first time viewing) in exchange for Poughkeepsie which was last nights missed pick, Martyrs which was the original pick for this evening and as my punishment film, Ill finally watch a film Ive been actively avoiding for years - Inside.
Reviews to come later.
Im also introducing a new twist for the rest of this year and going forward - the punishment movie. If a day is missed, you have to also watch a punishment movie. It may either be a terrible movie from a quality standpoint or a movie that you have strong opposition to/fears of watching.
So for tonight, Ill be watching Rob Zombies 31 (first time viewing) in exchange for Poughkeepsie which was last nights missed pick, Martyrs which was the original pick for this evening and as my punishment film, Ill finally watch a film Ive been actively avoiding for years - Inside.
Reviews to come later.
It's been 10 days, and on day 10 I finally got around to:
10. The Conjuring
So after all the years and hype I think I like it more than Insidious out of these James Wan ventures. I like that the protagonists, the demonologists were more proactive and I dug the setting where this allegedly took place. I think out of the recent batch of these Wan-esque movies like Sinister, Insidious, etc, this has the most fitting climax where it doesn't feel too cartoony or silly (considering). I can see why people really liked it, though I'm hoping the sequel and other movies don't rely on the same tame jump scares once I get to Annebelle, it's sequel, and Conjuring 2 and Insidious 3 on later this month.
10. The Conjuring
So after all the years and hype I think I like it more than Insidious out of these James Wan ventures. I like that the protagonists, the demonologists were more proactive and I dug the setting where this allegedly took place. I think out of the recent batch of these Wan-esque movies like Sinister, Insidious, etc, this has the most fitting climax where it doesn't feel too cartoony or silly (considering). I can see why people really liked it, though I'm hoping the sequel and other movies don't rely on the same tame jump scares once I get to Annebelle, it's sequel, and Conjuring 2 and Insidious 3 on later this month.
mariachi507
Member
Oh man!!! The Kentucky Theater (in Lexington) has announced that they are not only showing NotLD, but also Suspiria! I might actually get to see this thing on the big screen.
Violence Jack
Member
Where did you find the animal cruelty free version? I really dont want to buy the DVD set just to see it.