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Ridley327 · Oct 27, 2016

October 26

Vampires in Havana is the best animated vampire turf war mixed with revolutionaries fighting back against a police state, mixed with a romance, mixed with a hero myth, mixed with a comedy, mixed with a musical that is likely to ever be made. Yes, these are all the things that happen in this 72 minute film, and that's not even everything! Decidedly on the adult side of the animated feature spectrum, this film is not likely to win any awards for its animation in any time in history, but it makes up for it by being so jam-packed with ideas and pacing itself so quickly that it's hard not to get caught up in this mix of lewd humor, trumpet music and gangsters. It's not going to be scaring anyone anytime soon, though it is nice that they give the vampire form a more harsh visual and aural appearance and they surprisingly don't skimp on the messy deaths throughout, but that's hardly the appeal as vampires dance, sing, screw, pirouette after teleporting, shoot stake-loaded shotguns, drink blood from taps labeled for the alcoholic they're being fed from, make deals with Al Capone and chase each other all over Havana for a formula that can make them walk out in the daylight. Seriously, I could spend even more time going over all the fascinating and silly things for more sentences than I think I can write and I still won't be able to cover everything that happens in the film. If you can stomach ultra-crude animation, and that might still be overselling the quality, then there's a lot to enjoy in this film.

Films for October 27: Like, ohmigosh, I'm doing two movies on a Thursday and, like, it SOOOOOO happens that they're both about weird stuff going down at the mall and junk. Night of the Comet is about these two Valley girls who have to live in a world that was obliterated by a comet, or something, and they have to fend for themselves in the biggest mall and they get all the cool digs and makeup for free now! Jealous much! And then, there are these gang of kids that go to another mall, a Chopping Mall, and, like, the security is totally not stopping at kicking them out, and they're so mean because they're robots and they just don't get us at all. Whatever!

ThirstyFly · Oct 27, 2016

Jean Rollin “Not Very Sexy Sexy Time” Double Feature

24) The Demoniacs (Les démoniaques) (1974) (Oct 24)

Ugh. Alright… I was looking to expand my knowledge of Jean Rollin's filmography as I had previously only seen Zombie Lake (which was shit) and The Living Dead Girl (which wasn't great, but I enjoyed). I'm not sure how I ended up with The Demoniacs, but I regret it.

The story itself maybe has promise. A group of pirates known as “wreckers” who trick ships into smashing into rocks and then plundering the wrecks discover two female survivors from their latest pillage. After assaulting the women and leaving them for dead, the wreckers' captain begins to be haunted by his guilt and believes he is being visited by their ghosts. There's also Satan and

a clown

and much, much regret.

The Demoniacs, is yet another one of Rollin's horror/sex/art films, but it's never scary, not sexy (which is an amazing feat considering how stunning Joëlle Coeur is), not interesting as art, and I'm not even entirely sure it is a film. It's just a slow, mean spirited mess and the payoff you want to see after having to watch so much awful shit never happens.

Garbage. Avoid.

Rating:

out 5 "What's in the basket?"

I wonder what the striped shirt budget was on this “film”.

25) The Grapes of Death (Les raisins de la mort) (1978) (Oct 25)

I almost didn't watch this after the suffering though The Demoniacs, but the promise of an old school zombie movie was too alluring for me to avoid. Thankfully, it was a much more enjoyable time.

A young woman traveling by train to live with her fiancé on a vineyard encounters a man who she notices a wound on his neck begin to fester and spread to his face. Fleeing the train in fear as the man pursers her, she gets lost in the countryside where she discovers an illness has spread to the locals, creating an army of murderous automatons.

This movie was brutal as fuck. Damn. The zombies aren't your normal shuffling Romeo ghouls. They're more similar to rage infected humans but without the speed and twice the brutality. They're also among the most disgusting things I've ever seen put to film. At under 90 minutes, it doesn't drag on like most of Rollin's other films, but it still has tons of weird edits and just general cheap, sloppiness.

Overall, this is recommended because holy shit, but it could have been so much better if it wasn't directed by the French Ed Wood.

Rating:

out 5 "What's in the basket?"

Plasticine · Oct 27, 2016

ThirstyFly said:
23) Trick or Treat (1986) (Oct 23)

My last hair metal horror movie review of the month, I promise. Trick or Treat is about a bullied metal head (Skippy from Family Ties) whose idol, Sammi Curr dies suddenly in a hotel fire. Turning to his DJ friend for solace, Skippy is given Sammi's final demo record. The only copy in existence. Skippy discovers that all isn't normal with the record as Sammi begins to communicate to him though it and things soon get out of control. Oh, and it's also 80s as hell if you couldn't tell.

This one is pretty frustrating. It has all the elements of a really good 80s flick and could have been really fun, but it comes up short in too many places to make it memorable. It starts off pretty good with a cool setup and Skippy makes for a believable lead. It even has one of, if not the coolest kill I've seen this month with a hilarious shot of the aftermath. Unfortunately it suffers from uneven pacing, and devolves into a rushed mess with one of the worst final acts I've seen recently.

Even though it's rated R, other than some burn makeup and a melted ear, there's no gore at all. I don't recall much swearing either, but there is one brief nude scene that I'm assuming is the reason for the R rating. With a little more R-rated content, a couple of trims here and there and a stronger final act, this probably could have been a really fun 80s flick.

There's enough fun pieces in here to make it a mild recommendation, but it's a shame the complete package is an overall letdown.

Rating:

out 5 "What's in the bastket?"

I like Trick or Treat more than any reasonable human being should. It's definitely not as great as it could be. The gore should have been cranked up to eleven. Plus it does feel a bit long -- like it's a thirteen song album, when only ten songs would have been perfect. But the soundtrack is awesome. I also related to Skippy way more than I'd care to admit. It definitely had all the makings for a classic. It should have been Blizzard of Oz, but wound up being The Ultimate Sin instead.

I also like The Ultimate Sin, too

lordxar · Oct 27, 2016

Holy shit did I get far behind...

The Craft. This was definitely not what I expected. Given the cast, cough Neve Campbell...cough...I assumed this would be some shitty girly flick about witches and spiders painted on fingernails or something. In reality this was a pretty fucking awesome movie about witches. The effects were not bad at all given that this is a 20 year old movie and I dug the story. I kind of figured they would battle it out with some big villain but this was a helluva lot more violent version of Chronicle. Give it a shot, not a bad Halloween flick at all.

MV5BMTY4MjQ2MzU1OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTM2Mjc3ODE@._V1_UX182_CR0,0,182,268_AL_.jpg

Dementia 13. I saw Francis Ford Coppola directed this and thought, hell yea I'm definitely giving this one a shot. I also saw the giallo word mentioned in a letterboxd comment and sure as shit it is. Even more so, what this starts as and how it finishes are completely different. Like the main story arc isn't the main story arc. Worth a watch to see what happens.

Puppet Master. We've all watched this right? I haven't seen this since college back in the early 90's. Someone watched a bunch of these for last year and then I found a cheap DVD set of the whole series so I thought why not. Not a bad movie, definitely b rated but I loved how seriously the movie takes the puppets. You'd think they would be some shitty gimmick but the animation was decent and the various versions were pretty cool. Knife and hook guy would probably be my favorite I guess but the small headed strong guy was pretty cool too. I'm looking forward to binging the rest at some point but I'm not going to rush on these. Hell I may save them for next year.

Inside. Last but holy fuck not least. I've watched some violent movies in my time but damn does this one take that one step further. Once the shit hits the fan it really hits the damn fan hard and then doesn't let up until the very end. The unrated version was all Google Play had but it looks like its only three minutes longer so I can't imagine much was left to your imagination in the first place. Haute Tension is my only other foray into French extremity and that's been a while since I've watched it. All I can say is that this was brutal beyond brutal in a lot of ways. I think I liked it. There was a good amount of tension throughout and even though the story was kind of basic I really dug the red stuff flying. Like there were some really brutal kills but kind of cool in a way.

Guess I'm doing the last film on my list tomorrow which is the Student of Prague. It's some sort of silent film and I'm hoping its not slow but it is only like 75 minutes. I think after that I'm going to hit Shudder pretty hard this weekend and just binge all the cool shit I've avoided to stay on target with my list.

Steamlord · Oct 27, 2016

#44 - Halloween II [2009]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dknzzBkX7U

#45 - Friday the 13th [2009]

It certainly doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's not the worst in the series either. Not that that's saying much.

Letterboxd list

mariachi507 · Oct 27, 2016

19. The Thing (Rewatch)

I mean, it's The Thing. An argument can be made for it being the greatest horror film of all time. It's quality never diminishes on rewatches. In fact, I love how well thought out the script is, trying to figure out who is infected and when is like putting together a puzzle.

Verdict: 10/10

20. The Wicker Man

I really enjoyed this. My first viewing comes from The Final Cut version which I thought was very cohesive. This is a film who's horror is driven by atmosphere and general weirdness. You will probably be just as confused as Sergeant Howie when the residents of SummerIsle randomly burst into song, and there are plenty of songs throughout the film. The song's themselves are pretty good actually. It's this mixture of traditional and folk which really suits the film great. I gotta give a special mention to "Willow's Song", as soon as the movie ended I had to rewind to watch that sequence again, it's spellbounding. The mystery aspect of the story was interesting and progressed very well. I knew the ending of the film beforehand, but the conflict of Sergeant Howie's Christian morals and the town's odd Pagan lifestyle kept me enthralled. A horror classic that I highly recommend, there aren't many movies like it.

Verdict: 8.5/10

21. The Innocents

A great classic piece of supernatural gothic horror. It rely's more on atmosphere with slick direction than it does conventional shocks. Thanks to this, there were moments where I was actually creeped out. The acting by the beautiful Deborah Kerr is on point, but I was heavily impressed by the child actors. As Fancy Clown mentioned, there are similarities with Rosemary's baby where you wonder whether the horrors are real or are just part of the main character's imagination. Should we be scared of the ghost, or is there perhaps a more sinister threat? The story is based on Henry James but film's clever nature comes from the mind of Truman Capote. There is an underlining subtext in the film that really surprised me due to the controversial nature of it. I don't want to give away the details, so go check it out for yourself. You shouldn't regret it.

Verdict: 8.5/10

I'm starting to feel spoiled with these high quality movies.

DeathoftheEndless · Oct 27, 2016

Divius said:
Any must-sees? Things I should avoid?

Definitely watch The Changeling. The only other two of those I've seen are Baron Blood and Dead of Night, which are meh.

25. The Shining

I've seen The Shining many times and I think its second-to-none when it comes to atmosphere. From the haunting opening score, you know something terrible is coming. Its a very different story than the novel, but I love them both and think they stand apart from each other. Jack is definitely less humanized in the film, but this adaptation does away with some of the sillier aspects of the book. Its a moody and scary tale of isolation and perpetuation of evil.

walkmetothelake · Oct 27, 2016

OP
Letterboxd list

---

Film #58 - The Guest (2014)

I love this film so much!!!!! 💜💞💘💖💙💛💯😍

Okay sorry for the non-review but this one just really hits all of the right notes (similar to It Follows) for me. The way the music comes in when

Anna confronts David in the maze with the gun

fucking kills me.

When can I have an alternate cut where

David comes into the everyone's lives and makes them better minus the messiness that comes later?

Film #59 - Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004)

I was hesitant to watch this but since both this and the prequel are on Cinemax and I borrow my mom's account, why not.

Peeling away the most appealing bits of the original Ginger Snaps such as the relationship between the sisters, the twist on both the coming of age and werewolf topics, and the general relatability doesn't leave this with much unfortunately. It's great to pick back up with Brigitte and see what she's up to but this doesn't really go anywhere too exciting. The rehab thing in concept could've been good but in execution it wasn't anything special. On top of things this goes in some really weird directions towards the end while doubling down on the tragic werewolf effects that I complained about with the original.

I'm surprised to see the general reaction to this is pretty decent, to be honest. It wasn't as bad as some sequels are but I found myself thinking of how much better it could've been throughout. If you were into the werewolf and horror elements more than I was with the original this might be worth a look.

Film #60 - Rope (1948)

This was so great. I absolutely loved the cast and play like structure here. I'm surprised this seems like one of the lesser talked about Hitchcock films. I'd go as far as to say that this is my favorite of his that I've seen.

Film #61 - The Prowler (1981)

This had really great effects but that was pretty much it. Everyone in this was pretty dumb and I found myself getting pretty bored throughout. The costume/uniform was great concept wise but felt underused. I expected better.

Film #62 - Dark Water (2005)

This has to be one of the most depressing films I've ever seen. Between the plot (a messy divorce, an apartment from hell, etc.). the constant rain/water, and gloomy setting it gets to be a lot after a bit. I'm sure Roosevelt Island in reality doesn't look like this all the time but I'm certain this film didn't sell anyone on the place.

Jennifer Connelly is absolutely great in this. I feel like if this is approached as more of a drama or even at times of a character study, there will be more enjoyment to be found. I just really find myself getting engrossed in Dahlia as a character. The climax of this one is lacking a bit in comparison to the original but this holds up pretty well otherwise.. There aren't many thrills/scares to be found here if that's what you're searching for though.

Still, with the above mentioned gloominess and my general appreciation for this one I decided to slot it in here for the closing few days of my Halloween season watchathon anyway. It helped that I currently don't have anything from Netflix dvds wise and didn't feel like browsing streaming services at risk of browsing for an extended period of time before not watching anything at all. If you can adjust your expectations this is probably worth a go sometime.

Violence Jack · Oct 27, 2016

#34 An American Werewolf in London (1981) - Simply put, GOAT werewolf movie and one of the greatest horror movies ever made. I know John Landis is well known for a lot of his films, but I truly feel this was his opus. I even loved his vampire movie Innocent Blood (which is a severely underrated vampire flick, and shares a similar tone with AWiL). I got to meet David Naughton last year at a horror festival, and he told me that his sex scene with Jenny Agutter was filmed on his 30th birthday. He considered it the best birthday present ever. I love this movie.

#35 Hush (FTV) (2016) - A decent, by-the-numbers home invasion flick. Outside of the "she's deaf" plot (which was a neat addition), I didn't really feel like it did anything worthwhile. It was pretty predictable. I felt it would've been better if the killer

had kept his mask on, as it took away a lot of the mystery plus he looked like a complete douchenozzle

. I like Mike Flanagan's movies, but this one didn't seem to have the same imaginative spark that his other films had.

Rating: 6.5/10
Genre: Home Invasion

MattyH · Oct 27, 2016

#27 Evil Dead 2013 (unrated cut) after channel 4 UK showed it last yeah uncut accidentally the only to watch it was bootleg although its now on iTunes officially

Surfinn · Oct 27, 2016

Violence Jack said:
#34 An American Werewolf in London (1981) - Simply put, GOAT werewolf movie and one of the greatest horror movies ever made. I know John Landis is well known for a lot of his films, but I truly feel this was his opus. I even loved his vampire movie Innocent Blood (which is a severely underrated vampire flick, and shares a similar tone with AWiL). I got to meet David Naughton last year at a horror festival, and he told me that his sex scene with Jenny Agutter was filmed on his 30th birthday. He considered it the best birthday present ever. I love this movie.

#35 Hush (FTV) (2016) - A decent, by-the-numbers home invasion flick. Outside of the "she's deaf" plot (which was a neat addition), I didn't really feel like it did anything worthwhile. It was pretty predictable. I felt it would've been better if the killer

had kept his mask on, as it took away a lot of the mystery plus he looked like a complete douchenozzle

. I like Mike Flanagan's movies, but this one didn't seem to have the same imaginative spark that his other films had.

Rating: 6.5/10
Genre: Home Invasion

Agree with your criticism of Hush quite a bit. Wish it would have happened. Good idea, pretty mediocre execution overall though.

Bulk_Rate · Oct 27, 2016

#10 The Old Dark House (1932) (DVD).

Five travelers waylaid by a fierce nighttime storm take refuge in a decaying Welsh manor inhabited by a depraved family and their hulking, grotesque butler (Boris Karloff). They go on to share pleasant dinner conversation, followed by drunken wrestling, high-stakes games of hide-and-seek, minor arson, some knife throwing, and finally a bit of death.

James Whale, most famous for directing "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein," also crafted this nearly-forgotten gem. Full of eccentric characters and comedic throughout, "The Old Dark House" also delivers a few creepy moments and some unnerving imagery (the creepy old woman's face reflected in a distorted mirror as she rants is downright David Lynchian).

Among a distinguished cast, the film stars a young Gloria Stuart who nearly 70 years later played the elderly Kate Winslet character in "Titanic." Stuart also recorded a fantastic voice commentary on the "Old Dark House" DVD.

A shame that the picture and sound are so ragged but we are talking about an unrestored 85-year old move.

Rating: 5/5 times this one made me smile

Rhomega Beta · Oct 27, 2016

26. Creepshow (1982)

An anthology of 5 stories. I do like the comic book-style presentation that's sometimes used. Thanks to the miracle of home video, you can pause and read the ads and such between stories, which are rather witty and look like something you'd see in a horror comic from the '50s.

1. Father's Day: A decent story about a family of rich, gold digging snobs waiting for their old great aunt to show up for Father's Day, which is also the day the great-aunt murdered her father. Cool looking and sounding zombie, but I don't care for the rest.
2. The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill: Starring Stephen King himself as a redneck farmer that finds a meteor. The strange blue juice inside the meteor causes plants to grow rapidly and everywhere, including on Jordy himself after he touches it. I enjoy Jordy's thought processes and imagine spots, and the ways the plants take over his house.
3. Something to Tide You Over: Starring Leslie Nielsen. I don't think there's a worse death than a slow one, and here we have being buried alive at a beach before high tide comes in, but it doesn't end there. Once again, good work on makeup.
4. The Crate: A creature slasher feature, plus a nice revenge story. Creature isn't much to look at it, and you can tell it's not a complete suit by having it move the crate around. I think this is the best one.
5. They're Creeping Up On You: If cockroaches disgust you, you may want to skip this one. A Scrooge-esque germophobe gets what he deserves. Well, maybe more.

Overall, it's a decent anthology. 5 stories gives it a nice variety.

Full list

DeathoftheEndless · Oct 28, 2016

26. The Thing From Another World

The Thing From Another World is a pretty good monster movie. The setting and uniqueness of the monster is what makes it cool. I was really disappointed in the amount of screentime for the Thing though. It manages to shine (literally) in the minute or two it appears at least. The characters are decent and there is a lot of sarcasm and banter, which starts to get old after a while. Overall, the film is alright and led to the classic '80s re-imagining.

lordxar · Oct 28, 2016

The Student of Prague. Not gonna lie, I'm half assed watching this. Holy fuck is it boring and the YouTube version is pixelly on my TV. People walk around, there's a carriage, some old dude, an ugly chick...more walking. A ballroom, cemetery, ugh...this just is not interesting. So the story is that our protagonist signs a deal with the devil. There's a love interest but her pixel is hard to see vs some others...eh she might be a chair. Not sure at this point. This shit looks like a PS1 game...wait another carriage. Ten minutes of this left...

Fox Mulder · Oct 28, 2016

#22 Evil Dead (2013)

I like it. Only really wish they had done something different for the main character to lose the hand though. It's 100% forced and out of nowhere.

#23 The Mist (2007)

Black and white is a fun way to watch and it hides the dated cg effects a good bit. I watch this every year.

Rhomega Beta · Oct 28, 2016

27. Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man (1943)

Maybe this should have been called The Wolf Man Meets Frankenstein. Worth nothing that it's a sequel to Ghost of Frankenstein, which is why The Monster is blind, but the movie doesn't explain that at all. The transformation sequence is great and I did like the "Faro-la, Faro-li" musical number. There is a fight scene between The Monster and The Wolf Man, but it's at the last minute, and it's not clear if Larry Talbot accomplishes his goal or not. Not as good as The Wolf Man or Bride of Frankenstein, but it's still nice.

Full list

Penguin · Oct 28, 2016

Penguin said:
30. Knucklebones - Took the suggestion from someone in this thread, the movie attempts to create a new Freddy-esque slasher villain, but really doesn't know how to make it stick. The premise is also kind of goofy. I prefer Fender Bender

31. What We Do in Shadows - A fun little vamp-doc. It has some charm and looks different.

32. Cabin Fever - For some reason thought this movie was older so was surprised to see Shawn Hunter in it. A bit goofy especially the ending, but good time.

33. Detention of the Dead - A rewatch. It's a zombie Breakfast Club

34. Hush - Really good movie. The villain was rather charismatic... and sadistic, but helps since has to carry the movie. Some great audio design as well.

pitcairn55 · Oct 28, 2016

28/10/16
Film Extra Credit 1
Treevenge

Yesterday was the first day I didn't manage to fit in a full length movie this month, due to family commitments. I did manage to squeeze in this entertainingly demented short on YouTube however.

It's a Christmas film, and the title basically says all you need to know about the plot. The humans are hideous, the trees are cool (especially the way they talk to each other, dismayed and confused by the horrors being perpetrated upon them), and it's probably funny. I was a bit drunk by the time I watched it and I laughed a lot, but that's no guarantee it's actually amusing, obviously. The finale is super gory, I can say that for certain, and wins this year's award for Most Original Eye-popping Scene.

Worth watching if you have a sixteen minute hole in your life that needs filling. Maybe.

EDIT: Not that I'm genuinely expecting anyone to read this post and immediately go in hunt of Treevenge, but if you do, don't be a drunk dummy like me and watch the crap quality bootleg YouTube version, check out the official HQ version instead.

EDIT 2: As pointed out a little further down the thread by ThirstyFly, Treevenge comes from Jason Eisener, the director of Hobo With A Shotgun, which is a film I now really want to see!

Films I've watched so far

Fox Mulder · Oct 28, 2016

#24 The Brides of Dracula (1960)

Dracula nowhere despite the title, but it's still got Cushing as van helsing. Dracula movies always toss rational logic out as they fight vampires at night, but there's a clever ending.

GhaleonEB · Oct 28, 2016

#20: As Above, So Below | via Netflix DVD

It's late, so I'll just note that I didn't know this was a found footage style film until it started, which filled me with dismay. But it's found footage done about as well as you can do it, I think. Good, likable characters that the film takes time to establish, and they are not idiots. The cameras they use are stabilized and so the images are far more clear and less shaky than in most entries in the genre. It goes to some delightfully fucked up places, though I thought

the depths of Hell could have been a bit more creative.

. The ending was good, and satisfying.

There is one character death at the start of the third act that is meant to be scary and tragic but was actually absolutely hilarious, one of the few missteps the film makes. But otherwise it's much more fun than I thought I was in for when the lead started recording herself at the beginning.

**** out of five

Steamlord · Oct 28, 2016

GhaleonEB said:
There is one character death at the start of the third act that is meant to be scary and tragic but was actually absolutely hilarious, one of the few missteps the film makes.

As someone who didn't like the film, that scene was the final straw for me. I couldn't stop laughing.

GhaleonEB · Oct 28, 2016

Steamlord said:
As someone who didn't like the film, that scene was the final straw for me. I couldn't stop laughing.

It was like a big sack of potatoes landing. I laughed my ass off.

Bulk_Rate · Oct 28, 2016

#11 Baskin (Netflix)

A cadre of ill-tempered, foul-mouthed Turkish cops - who, based on their behavior, are close relatives of the warden from "Midnight Express" - stumble upon the never-ending set of Austin's "House of Torment" as punishment for their unpleasantness. Lots of camera shaking ensues.

Rating: 1/5

Violence Jack · Oct 28, 2016

#35 The Fly (1986) - Happy 30th anniversary to this timeless classic. There aren't too many films that get a 10/10 from me, but this is one of them. It takes the viewer through a range of emotions, has Oscar winning special effects up there with the likes of The Thing, and great acting. Top 3 horror for me.

ThirstyFly · Oct 28, 2016

Plasticine said:
I like Trick or Treat more than any reasonable human being should. It's definitely not as great as it could be. The gore should have been cranked up to eleven. Plus it does feel a bit long -- like it's a thirteen song album, when only ten songs would have been perfect. But the soundtrack is awesome. I also related to Skippy way more than I'd care to admit. It definitely had all the makings for a classic. It should have been Blizzard of Oz, but wound up being The Ultimate Sin instead.

I also like The Ultimate Sin, too

There's a little bit of Skippy in all of us. I think it was smart of them to show him trying to stop everything, and even trying to help the people that bullied him. Made it much easier to relate to him as a character since he didn't turn into an asshole out for revenge.

pitcairn55 said:
28/10/16
Film Extra Credit 1
Treevenge

Yesterday was the first day I didn't manage to fit in a full length movie this month, due to family commitments. I did manage to squeeze in this entertainingly demented short on YouTube however.

It's a Christmas film, and the title basically says all you need to know about the plot. The humans are hideous, the trees are cool (especially the way they talk to each other, dismayed and confused by the horrors being perpetrated upon them), and it's probably funny. I was a bit drunk by the time I watched it and I laughed a lot, but that's no guarantee it's actually amusing, obviously. The finale is super gory, I can say that for certain, and wins this year's award for Most Original Eye-popping Scene.

Worth watching if you have a sixteen minute hole in your life that needs filling. Maybe.

EDIT: Not that I'm genuinely expecting anyone to read this post and immediately go in hunt of Treevenge, but if you do, don't be a drunk dummy like me and watch the crap quality bootleg YouTube version, check out the official HQ version instead.

Films I've watched so far

You should probably mention that Treevenge is directed by Jason Eisener (Hobo with a Shotgun). It's definitely worth checking out.

MattyH · Oct 28, 2016

#28 A nightmare on elm street 3 Dream Warriors - i love all the freddy films but this was the first one i saw and its always stuck with me il probably end up watching parts 4 and 5 over the weekend as well

Ridley327 · Oct 28, 2016

Went to bed relatively early last night, so I'm actually a little behind on reviews for the first time this marathon. Pretty good run, all things considered!

October 27, film 1

Despite the low budget, Night of the Comet punches above its weight with a nice character focus, smart dialogue and a refreshing intimate scale for something as big as the end of the world. Yes, nearly everyone in the world disintegrates or is well on the way, but the film is much more concerned about how two sisters (Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelli Maroney, who both play off each other really well) and their new companion (Robert Beltran, of Eating Raoul fame) as they learn to survive and meeting up with the not-so-fortunate survivors. With a lot of emphasis on the relationship between the three, it's not the most plot-driven affair, but it was nice to see their growth throughout and how their lives prior to the comet impact how they want to carry on, with a really interesting recurring theme with the nightmares that Sam has. Once the story does kick in, with the expected government agency (led by Mary Woronov!), things start to take on a more sinister tone, seemingly in spite of a gleefully absurd montage set to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. I'm of two minds of the group's inclusion: on one hand, I do like that the stakes are considerably raised that point, especially once true intentions are revealed, but on the other, it never gets anywhere near the same TLC as our core trio, making them feel less essential and hard-hitting, making the resolution of that particular part of the film feel limp. But it's hard to knock a low-budget feature that's as surprisingly ambitious as this one, and with a cast this inherently likable paired with a script that takes full advantage of that bond, the complaint doesn't register that harshly. Within its constraints, the film impresses and while there's a chance that it could have been even better, what we do get here is more than enough to leave a lasting impression.

October 27, film 2

Having more in common with Night of the Comet than I had actually read into, Chopping Mall features a couple of repeat cast members, with the most notable one being Kelli Maroney as our resourceful heroine. The other one, Mary Woronov, shows up in one of the most random but welcomed reprisals of a character from a completely different movie (along with husband Paul Bartel for the full effect), but it's more of a cameo, to go along with a lot of other fun cameos (Dick Miller! Gerrit Graham!) that the film is able to boast. Anyway, no one is going to mistake this film for anything other than a cheesy and trashy B-movie, but that's OK because this is one cheesy and trashy B-movie that is completely aware of what it is and gives you all the things you expect and then some. More adorable than intimidating, the Protector 101 robots are nevertheless a hell of a lot of fun to watch in action, with their quaint practical effects giving way to some truly hilarious moments of mayhem. While the character development is virtually non-existent, the actors are all having a lot of fun and do a pretty fantastic job with some of the best "you won't believe what the writers came up with" lines ever uttered, along with running up and down a mall for a nice bit of physicality. At 76 minutes, the movie never wastes a moment getting to the goods and despite the low budget, it does a lot with it in terms of all the special effects and making use of its mall location. All in all, it's good, clean fun that makes no bones about what it is and is all the better for it.

Films for October 28: It's an all-out giant monster attack! Now, I know how to pronounce Quetzalcoatl, but for those living in a major urban area, Q: The Winged Serpent will do just nicely as the tagline proclaims that it's all you'll have time for before it gobbles you up. And speaking of giant monsters, who could really leave the big man out of a marathon like this? No one, and that's why we're following our previous film up with The Return of Godzilla, more familiar to me in its New World Pictures edit/hatchet job, but given the treatment it has sorely deserved with the recent Blu-ray release. You can run, you can hide, but you're still going to get stepped on!

pitcairn55 · Oct 28, 2016

28/10/16
Film 32
Saint

My last fully Christmas themed movie of the month is a bit of a let down. A Dutch comedy horror, it reworks the story of Sinterklaas, turning him into a murderous ghost who goes on a killing spree in Amsterdam every time a full moon coincides with the 5th of December. Which sounds like it could be quite fun, but really its just another psycho Santa movie, hampered by some dodgy CGI, some dodgy acting, a very dodgy script and a smattering of casual racism. Not great.

Films I've watched so far

gabbo · Oct 29, 2016

#20 Mama

Jamie Lannister and Jessica Chastain fight an evil spirit that's tormenting and raising his nieces after his identical twin brother does some terrible things that aren't really explained and tries to kill the girls. The two girls were fantastic as feral children trying to cope with the world and an evil spirit at the same time, even Coster-Waldau and Chastain were pretty good. It's too bad the story is nothing but cliches and terrible cg jump scares, with almost no tension

I've been meaning to watch this for ages since Guillermo del Toro was attached, but his non-directing efforts are extremely hit or miss, and this was a definite miss.

Fox Mulder · Oct 29, 2016

#25 The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

Very slow, like the werewolf is still a boy an hour in. Sucks that he's a werewolf just because he was born on Christmas from rape, but IMDb says censors didn't want him to be conceived by a werewolf rapist. Lol.

Rhomega Beta · Oct 29, 2016

28. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Also my second film in the Cornetto trilogy (need to see The World's End now). This movie gets a good start by having Shaun too wrapped up in his own life to notice the zombie apocalypse happening around him until the 30 minute mark. What sets this movie apart is not just that Shaun and Ed are rather dim about fighting zombies as well as a long-term plan. There's also the fact that guns aren't readily available, making the fight harder and forcing them to be more resourceful. Shaun has to confront who he is and all his screw-ups and half-thought out plan. This is a good movie worth adding to any zombie fan's collection.

Full list

Ridley327 · Oct 29, 2016

October 28, film 1

Q: The Winged Serpent represents a welcome throwback to 50s monsters movies with a bit more of a modern flair (meaning more violence and a bare breast or two). Well, it should have been, had it not been for the film spending an inordinate and seemingly interminable amount of time with Michael Moriarty as he does his thing. While this marks the first meeting of directory Larry Cohen and his frequent leading man, there's a sense that Cohen was really impressed with his easy-going charm and told Moriarty to go completely overboard with it. Having a great big ham as a leading man isn't an inherently bad thing, but the amount of screen time Moriarty gets compared to everything else that should be happening in the film brings the whole film down, as all of the various subplots have to be rushed to their conclusion with no sense of momentum at all. And it is so strange that with a cast that includes the likes of David Carradine, Candy Clark and Richard Roundtree that they would all feel wasted, to say nothing of the promise of a giant monster rampaging through the skies of NYC. When it decides to focus on the classic B-movie charm, there is some fun to be had, and some of the Michael Moriarty scenes do work, but there is so little of either one that you will soon be wishing that this lasted as long as your average B-movie. It's incredible how damn long this feels at 90 minutes.

Ridley327 · Oct 29, 2016

October 28, film 2

As much the end of an era as it was the beginning of a new one, The Return of Godzilla wisely reset Godzilla's role back to that of an aggressor, unaccompanied by his usual friends and foes and embraced the uneasy tension of the world at the time of its making. Despite it being years and years since I last saw it in its controversial Godzilla 1985 version, it was immediately obvious that the biggest difference was the focus on the sociopolitical element, with Japan acting as the middle man between East and West nuclear dominance. Subtlety is not the order of the day here, but that's never been a principle concern for the series, which has always relied upon and indeed needed its message about the horror of nuclear proliferation to be heard loud and clear. While some movement is made toward having some kind of personal drama as we follow our core group of characters, the film nevertheless opts for a harder realism that hadn't been seen in the series since the original, making the execution of the plan to stop Godzilla much more important and prominent. There has and will always be a strong appeal to the more lighthearted takes on the character, but for my money, Godzilla is never better than the horrifying force of nature that he was in the original and is here, and with this being a more lax era, having the scale of destruction feel much more palpable and a more unflinching attitude towards the depiction of violence really helps bring a lot of the terror back, which is further aided by the special effects that better depict Godzilla's more animalistic qualities. Age has diminished the film somewhat, in that its dry bluntness isn't always the most exciting time out with a film, and its hard not to see the constraints of the production of attempting something more realistic while also not being completely top-notch (once you see the breathing holes in the suit, you'll never unsee them), but it still packs a lot of power. As someone who got the chance to see it, Shin Godzilla takes a hell of a lot from this film, and while I do think that it does improve upon it in every way, homage must be paid to the originator for setting such a good mold to work with in the first place.

Films for October 29: It's time to get really weird in the east with a pair of Asian films based on black magic. First up is Mystics in Bali, about a woman cursed to become a vampiric creature unlike any other. Then, we head to China for The Boxer's Omen, in which a tale of revenge becomes trapped between warring states of spirituality.

pitcairn55 · Oct 29, 2016

ThirstyFly said:
You should probably mention that Treevenge is directed by Jason Eisener (Hobo with a Shotgun). It's definitely worth checking out.

Good point. I've edited my post.

ThirstyFly · Oct 29, 2016

Ridley327 said:
Films for October 29: It's time to get really weird in the east with a pair of Asian films based on black magic. First up is Mystics in Bali, about a woman cursed to become a vampiric creature unlike any other.

Hah. Why do you do this stuff to yourself?

jackal27 · Oct 29, 2016

Haven't had time to do my write ups, but I'll make some for some other movies I've watched this month tomorrow.

Dead Space: Downfall

Against my better judgement I decided to flip this on because I was playing Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and wanted something on the TV. Also, I find myself wishing for some animated horror every year. Every year I am disappointed. And this one is no different!

This movie is garbage. I'm not a huge Dead Space fan, but I get the gist of the games. This as a movie though is just so poorly executed. Poorly animated, poorly written, poorly edited, it's just a failure on nearly every level. Something that I also hate is how pornographic the violence is. There is zero weight behind it. Voice actors did the best they could with what they were handed, but it's such a shame their work goes to waste here. I didn't care about a single one of the characters. Some of the world-building was solid, but I feel like this is more a testament tk the game than the movie. I hear the sequel is infinitely worse, but I have no idea how that's possible. Hey, remember when EA killed off the most successful horror franchise of the last decade in a span of like 5 years?

2/5

Steamlord · Oct 29, 2016

#46 - A Nightmare on Elm Street [2010]

Huh, what? Oh, sorry, I fell asleep.

But I made it through my slasher adventure and filled a huge blind spot in my horror knowledge! So that's good... I guess...

#47 - The Addiction [1995]

A fairly interesting representation of vampirism as a reflection of the human condition and its relation to evil. Unfortunately it's too on the nose philosophically; nearly every line is steeped in academic jargon and references to philosophers and it doesn't feel natural at all. That's not to say there's no meaning behind it, but it would be so much easier and more convincing to get across in a more casual, naturalistic way. But hey, at least the film owns it; the main character is a philosophy student, after all. The focus on historical atrocities from a cold, clinical standpoint helps to emphasize the metaphor linking humanity and vampirism, but the film also shoves all that down the viewer's throat with its dialogue. With a lot more subtlety this could have been really good. Still, I enjoyed a lot of it; it's well-made overall and has really good moments, including a memorable climax. Of the two 90s black and white vampire movies that I'm aware of, however, I'd say Nadja is better simply because it allows itself to have more fun with its premise instead of diving up its own ass.

Letterboxd list

mariachi507 · Oct 29, 2016

My ISP has crapped out and I really really don't want to do theset write ups on my phone. As I wait for everything to start working, I'll just say that I've seen some incredible movies the past few days. Simply incredible.

Ridley327 · Oct 29, 2016

ThirstyFly said:
Hah. Why do you do this stuff to yourself?

I have a need for the strange and the unusual, for I myself am strange and unusual.

GK86 · Oct 29, 2016

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse - I thought this was a fun movie. It mixed in horror/zombies and humor well.

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension - This franchise really, really jumped the shark. This was worse than that web cam edition.

The Voices - Quirky horror/comedy. I enjoyed it.

The Night of the Demons - Campy as fuck, but I liked it.

Troll - No idea what I just watched, but I laughed throughout the movie.

Tonky · Oct 29, 2016

I'm watching Krampus and House of Wax today.

Fancy Clown · Oct 29, 2016

34) Carrie - (Brian De Palma, 1976)

"They're all gonna laugh at you!"

The last time (and only time) I had seen Carrie was when I was kid, and it obviously stayed in my memory for a long time, but I had watched it as a "Stephen King movie", so I thought revisiting it all these years later and watching it as a "Brian De Palma movie" would be a worthwhile experience. And boy was it. De Palma brings his self-conscious stylizations and lurid tone to the forefront here, and as a result makes a pop-horror masterpiece. For most of the film it's a candy coated high-school drama (except for Carrie's little slice of gothic home life with her terrifyingly nuts mother), until the third act literally sets everything ablaze. What really makes this work is that despite De Palma's winking tone, he really makes the emotional core of Carrie's plight work. So when he blows up the high school drama to operatic proportions in perhaps the most virtuoso sequence of his career (the entirety of the prom, from the lovely dance scene, to the slow motion suspense building of the bucket, to the split screen destruction), it feels incredibly emotional and powerful instead of hokey, because much of the true horror in this film is the social and home life cruelty that Carrie has to endure. And of course I have to give props to Sissy Spacek in her iconic role, because I don't think any other actress could have done this three part role justice. Only Spacek is believable as the ugly, pathetic, and sad outcast in school, the beautiful but shy prom queen, and finally the ungodly horrific wraith of vengeance. And De Palma directs it all to a T, providing memorable visuals, music choices, and rhythmic editing to every scene to make it one of the most purely entertaining spectacles in horror history. The new Scream collector's edition bluray was a gorgeous way to revisit the film too, really highlighting De Palma's gorgeous hazy, grainy, and colorful cinematography.

Edit: I'd be remiss to forget to pimp another astoundingly good Pino Donaggio score!

ThirstyFly · Oct 29, 2016

mariachi507 said:
My ISP has crapped out and I really really don't want to do theset write ups on my phone. As I wait for everything to start working, I'll just say that I've seen some incredible movies the past few days. Simply incredible.

That sucks. I hope you get it sorted out soon.

pitcairn55 · Oct 29, 2016

29/10/16
Film 33
Holidays

This is an anthology of eight stories based around individual holidays throughout the year. I watched it specifically for the Christmas story to link into my main theme for this month, but that turned out to be one of the weakest of the bunch, with its VR shenanigans feeling a bit like a Black Mirror reject. Whats more, with the smallest of plot changes, it could have been set at any time of the year. That last criticism could also be levelled at the slight but funny

psycho-hookup

New Years story, and most disappointingly - considering this is a horror anthology - at the Halloween one as well. Kevin Smiths tale of a cam-girl coven is entertainingly disgusting, but it feels like an existing story that just had Halloween tacked on to the front of it.

The first five stories were far better, because they stayed much closer to their themes. The Valentines Day tale of teenage bullying and heartbreak is darkly funny and beautifully shot, St Patricks Day wins big for its gorgeous Irish accents and its

super-creeoy little druidess schoolgirl

, and the visit to a messed up hippie commune in Mothers Day is wonderfully weird. Fathers Day is in some ways the most conventional story on offer, but still manages to be as enigmatic as it is sinister.

Best of the bunch for me was Easter, however. Writer/director Nicholas McCarthy abandoned all but the barest bones of a story, choosing instead to fully embrace the strange conflicts inherent in the way the western world celebrates that holiday. The result is bizarre and compelling, and if I was a young man Id definitely now be starting a band called

Big Bunny Jesus and the Stigmata Chicks

.

Overall, definitely worth watching.

Films I've watched so far

MattyH · Oct 29, 2016

#29 Pride & Prejudice & Zombies i read the book back in 09 loved it but sadly missed out on this at the cinema not expecting greatness but should be a nice time waster

lordxar · Oct 29, 2016

The Beast Must Die. I thought this had a really cool story. Rich hunter guy thinks one of his guests is a werewolf so he's rigged up the surrounding forest and parts of the house with cameras and microphones. Well, he invited his guests to figure out which was a werewolf and made this cool setup. Peter Cushing helps and I really dug this. It's total 70's style though with the bow chica muzak and everything. Recommended. One thing I almost forgot was that this was setup as a whodunnit type thing. Like they even give you a 30 second clock to form an opinion and everything. The presentation was a bit cheesy but I loved it.

Christmas Evil. Given the poster your thinking Santa is a slasher which he does eventually kill people but it's not Michael Myers type stuff. It's some guy that loses his mind over the course of the movie and then dives off the deep end. I actually enjoyed this even though it wasn't a bloodbath and was more of a psych profile type of thing. It's almost more of a drama for the most part but the end goes way off the rails and keeps with the story but I didn't care for the ending so much but whatever, the rest of the movie was pretty cool.

Edit: for additional beastly thoughts

DeathoftheEndless · Oct 29, 2016

27. Son of Frankenstein

Son of Frankenstein surprisingly lives up to its predecessors' quality and is on the same level. Bela Lugosi as Ygor steals the show, which is really impressive considering the outstanding performances of Karloff, Rathbone, and Atwill. The mood of the film is spectacular; its mostly set at night and in the rain. The sets are huge, detailed, and are warped enough to have come out of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. If I had to choose one of the Frankenstein films, I would certainly be tempted to pick this one.

28. Dracula (Spanish 1931)

The Spanish 1931 Dracula film is a solid take on the same script as the Lugosi version, but its hampered by an extra 30 minutes of filler. Most of the additional material is in the second act and it only manages to drag the pace to a crawl. Coupled with the fact that I think Villar doesn't stand out as much as Legosi, I'll take the American version any day.

gabbo · Oct 29, 2016

#21 Dracula

The children of the night. what movies they make!
Bela Lugosi in the cultural-defining role as Dracula is still fantastic, as are most of the supporting cast. The fake bats not so much, but the film is trying to emulate a play, so it succeeds in its minimalism.

Again, the movie succeeds mostly because Lugosi is fantastic. One does not become the defacto image of a character for no reason, and Lugosi is both suave and charismatic and terrifying with that silent stare. The man is what we still think Dracula (as a literary/film character) should more or less be.
The film's a little slow, a little cheesy, and rather boring from a film making standpoint (great sets though). Still, like all the original Universal monsters, Dracula is always worth watching and is still a classic of the genre.

Plasticine · Oct 29, 2016

Getting caught up on reviews and movies.

Slugs [Oct 22]

Mutated slugs (slowly) overrun small town USA in this ripping mollusc on a rampage flick. Riddled with ridiculous plot-points, including a man who decides the most logical way to get a slug off his hand is self-inflicted chainsaw dismemberment, and horrendous dialogue. But who really gives a shit about that when you're watching a movie called Slugs? Instead of wasting cash on bullshit like great actors and a solid screenplay, the producers wisely spent their filthy lucre on the groovy splatter effects. This gore quotient starts out at ten and never lets up for all 90 glorious minutes of this thing. Fortunately the London Philharmonic Orchestra are on hand to class this joint up. Features a scene where a naked woman, slicked in blood, writhes around, screaming in agony, while being devoured by a bevy of slimy, disgusting slugs. Now that's what I call acting! The final word in invertebrate horror.

Dark Floors [Oct 22]

Like Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne before them, shock rockers Lordi decided to take their act to Hollywood. Instead of distilling the essence of their cheesy brand of heavy metal into a schlocky B-movie epic, Mr. Lordi decided to go all Silent Hill on our asses. Unfortunately the resulting under-cooked story doesn't make a lick of sense and the straight-faced atmosphere does no favors to Lordi's stage costumes. Sure, the band's outfits look righteous up on stage, shrouded in smoke and bathed in candy colored lights, but they generate more chuckles than scares when they're aping Pyramid-Head thing instead of KISS. Capped off by a head-scratcher of an ending that makes you wonder why they even bothered in the first place. Definitely should have stuck to asking us all if we love a monster man.

All Through the House [Oct 23]

Sexually charged Holiday slasher filled with boobs, blood and severed dicks. Not afraid to shy away from the kill when this bad Santa gets down to businesseven when business involves a pair of hedge clippers and the male anatomy. Acting about what you'd expect from a modern-day cheapo horror flick. Plays things straight-faced, but constantly undermined by illogical decisions and beyond bad dialogue. Features a ridiculous kill involving a wheelchair that will have you howling. Not quite top of the shelf stuff, but the gallons of blood and sleazy atmosphere make-up for a lot of its sins. Goes into some really fucked-up places, thanks to a Sleep Away Camp on steroids backstory for the killer. Will do in a pinch if you need some Christmas time viewing for the family while downing eggnog and scarfing down gingerbread cookies.

The Funhouse Massacre [Oct 24]

Opens with a host of serial killers staging a breakout from a Guantanamo style big house for the criminally insane. Naturally, free from their unlawful captivity, these psycho-killers set-up shop in a funhouse that emulates their crimes. No time for scares, this one aims to be a fun and straight-ahead body count flick. Over the top kill sequences helps drive home the comedic nature of the flick. The story hangs together for the most part, but goes for a couple of unearned character moments in the third act. Great B-movie cast features Robert Englund, Clint Howard and Jere Burns as a Charles Manson style cult leader. Also features what I'm sure will be the first of many Harley Quinn knock-offs psychos in the horror genre.

Burial Ground [Oct 25]

Gory, sleazy and gloriously stupid. More concerned with delivering zombie gut-munching action than telling anything remotely resembling a coherent story. The gratuitous gore effects and goofy looking zombie make-up (which look like doctored up fright masks) only heighten the absurdity of it all. Toss in a fifty year old looking midget playing an incestuous ten year old, horrendous dubbing and a wonky score that sounds lifted straight from a schlocky 1950s sci-fi epic, and you have a towering achievement in Italian horror. Viva Peter Bark!

Previously viewed:

1. The Exorcist
2. The Neon Demon
3. Chopping Mall
4. Most Likely to Die
5. Bats
6. Knucklebones
7. The Guardian
8. Fender Bender
9. House
10, The Crazies
11. From the Dark
12. The Brood
13. Shin Godzilla

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