Melt Face Molly Drop
Well-Known Member
Having now watched the "Thorn Trilogy," I've gone back and bumped my score for H20 fromto
6th Annual N&G 31 Days* of Halloween (2024)
- Thread starter LeeVing
- Start date
Selaws
Well-Known Member
Film 17: Reign Of Fire 
I suppose this technically is sci-fi/fantasy film, but there's a level of jump-scare horror I suppose. I first watched this years ago but never gave it another thought until recently. One of the best dragon films in my opinion (apart from the obvious How To Train Your Dragon).
Film 18: Legion.5
The cast in this is STACKED but I did find It to be a bit dated and the story by the end was a bit over the top.
Film 19: Smile
One of my favorite recent horror films, looking forward to seeing the new one. Although, saying that I found the majority of the film to be significantly scarier than the actual monster reveal towards the end.
Film 20: Cloverfield.5
Another film that I hadn't seen in a while. Such a killer concept and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.
Film 21: 10 Cloverfield Lane
Man, Goodman puts in a stellar performance here. Great stuff!
I suppose this technically is sci-fi/fantasy film, but there's a level of jump-scare horror I suppose. I first watched this years ago but never gave it another thought until recently. One of the best dragon films in my opinion (apart from the obvious How To Train Your Dragon).
Film 18: Legion
.5The cast in this is STACKED but I did find It to be a bit dated and the story by the end was a bit over the top.
Film 19: Smile
One of my favorite recent horror films, looking forward to seeing the new one. Although, saying that I found the majority of the film to be significantly scarier than the actual monster reveal towards the end.
Film 20: Cloverfield
.5Another film that I hadn't seen in a while. Such a killer concept and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.
Film 21: 10 Cloverfield Lane
Man, Goodman puts in a stellar performance here. Great stuff!
LiamGallaghersBucketHat
Go on, geezer.
Any of youse use Shudder?
I know it’s not a pricey sub but how’s the selection?
I know it’s not a pricey sub but how’s the selection?
avecigrec
Well-Known Member
I've been loving it. Not planning on keeping it year 'round, but it's been where I've watched at least half of my movies the past two months
EvanBenner
Well-Known Member
I'm a perennial subscriber and love it. I get enough out of it every month to make it worth the cost.
Every now and again I jump on a promo for AMC+ and I do enjoy their exclusives too, so it's almost silly that I don't just upgrade permanently to the AMC+ sub at $2 more per month since all of Shudder is included there. Shudder gets some of the goodies like Interview With The Vampire albeit on a later timeline.
gaporter
Well-Known Member
I'm going to try my best to get caught up posting over the next day or so; in the meantime, I'm enjoying seeing what everyone else is watching! We're entering the final stretch, my fellow Halloweenies
gaporter
Well-Known Member
MOVIE #20
Beetlejuice (1988)
Did a rewatch of this in preparation for seeing the sequel. It's funny because this one tends to slip my mind when I think of my favorite Burton movies but anytime I watch it I'm reminded how much I actually like it. Of course, Michael Keaton's electrifying performance as the titular bio-exorcist is great, but what puts it over the top for me is the surprising amount of heart it has behind its creepy and demented visuals.
Rating:
MOVIE #21
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Personally I thought this was a riot, over the top and campy in all the right ways. It definitely feels like Burton embracing the chance to make something that isn't a YA adaptation or a Disney remake for the first time in at least a decade. I wasn't a huge fan of Jenna Ortega as the daughter (her performance was fine, but the character too often seemed like a moody teen written by what an older person would imagine a moody teen to be, especially compared to Ryder's unique performance in the original) and the absence of the Maitlands is pretty glaring and at times distracting. However, considering that de-aging Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin probably would have added quite a bit to the budget, it's an acceptable compromise. Other than that, I didn't really have any problems with this at all; seeing Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara all reprise their respective roles without missing a step was well worth the price of admission alone.
Rating:
MOVIE #22
The Changeling (1980)
It's always nice to put on a movie you know very little about and it turns out to be a much more interesting experience than you're expecting it to be. The Changeling had me sold based solely on the premise of George C. Scott staying in a haunted house alone, but what starts as a deceptively simple ghost story slowly unfurls into one of the more intriguing plots I've seen in a horror movie in some time. I realize I'm being vague, but that's only because I think it's best for anyone who hasn't seen this to go in blind like I did; if atmospheric, well-acted slow burn supernatural thrillers are your thing, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Rating:
MOVIE #23
Ghostbusters (1984)
Ghostbusters is one of the more confusing movies to have gotten the nostalgic heartwarming legacy sequel treatment when you consider that the original classic is a goofy, irreverent horror-comedy (with the scale weighed heavily in favor of the comedy) that doesn't take itself even the slightest bit seriously, and in my opinion, that's exactly what makes it so good. It doesn't ever need to be any more complicated than this, a bunch of entertaining doofuses running around chasing ghouls and making dick jokes.
Rating:
MOVIE #24
Suspiria (1977)
Somehow had never seen this, though I knew it by reputation as one of the most visually impressive films ever made and it did not disappoint on that front. The vibrant colors matched with the eerie atmosphere and soundtrack make it unlike anything else out there. It feels like watching a bad dream play out before your very eyes, which is probably one of the highest compliments a horror movie can receive.
Rating:
MOVIE #25
Fright Night (2011)
I'm a big fan of the original Fright Night but had never watched this remake. In my opinion, it's a pretty solid retelling with a great cast, but the biggest issue is there's not really anything here that wasn't already done better in the original. I get the sense this was made for a “modern” (2011) audience that the producers expected had never seen the original, because if I didn't have the 1985 version to compare it to, I'd probably rate it a lot higher because I do think there's a lot to like here. As it stands, though, I would consider it a serviceable retread.
Rating:
Beetlejuice (1988)
Did a rewatch of this in preparation for seeing the sequel. It's funny because this one tends to slip my mind when I think of my favorite Burton movies but anytime I watch it I'm reminded how much I actually like it. Of course, Michael Keaton's electrifying performance as the titular bio-exorcist is great, but what puts it over the top for me is the surprising amount of heart it has behind its creepy and demented visuals.
Rating:
MOVIE #21
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Personally I thought this was a riot, over the top and campy in all the right ways. It definitely feels like Burton embracing the chance to make something that isn't a YA adaptation or a Disney remake for the first time in at least a decade. I wasn't a huge fan of Jenna Ortega as the daughter (her performance was fine, but the character too often seemed like a moody teen written by what an older person would imagine a moody teen to be, especially compared to Ryder's unique performance in the original) and the absence of the Maitlands is pretty glaring and at times distracting. However, considering that de-aging Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin probably would have added quite a bit to the budget, it's an acceptable compromise. Other than that, I didn't really have any problems with this at all; seeing Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara all reprise their respective roles without missing a step was well worth the price of admission alone.
Rating:
MOVIE #22
The Changeling (1980)
It's always nice to put on a movie you know very little about and it turns out to be a much more interesting experience than you're expecting it to be. The Changeling had me sold based solely on the premise of George C. Scott staying in a haunted house alone, but what starts as a deceptively simple ghost story slowly unfurls into one of the more intriguing plots I've seen in a horror movie in some time. I realize I'm being vague, but that's only because I think it's best for anyone who hasn't seen this to go in blind like I did; if atmospheric, well-acted slow burn supernatural thrillers are your thing, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Rating:
MOVIE #23
Ghostbusters (1984)
Ghostbusters is one of the more confusing movies to have gotten the nostalgic heartwarming legacy sequel treatment when you consider that the original classic is a goofy, irreverent horror-comedy (with the scale weighed heavily in favor of the comedy) that doesn't take itself even the slightest bit seriously, and in my opinion, that's exactly what makes it so good. It doesn't ever need to be any more complicated than this, a bunch of entertaining doofuses running around chasing ghouls and making dick jokes.
Rating:
MOVIE #24
Suspiria (1977)
Somehow had never seen this, though I knew it by reputation as one of the most visually impressive films ever made and it did not disappoint on that front. The vibrant colors matched with the eerie atmosphere and soundtrack make it unlike anything else out there. It feels like watching a bad dream play out before your very eyes, which is probably one of the highest compliments a horror movie can receive.
Rating:
MOVIE #25
Fright Night (2011)
I'm a big fan of the original Fright Night but had never watched this remake. In my opinion, it's a pretty solid retelling with a great cast, but the biggest issue is there's not really anything here that wasn't already done better in the original. I get the sense this was made for a “modern” (2011) audience that the producers expected had never seen the original, because if I didn't have the 1985 version to compare it to, I'd probably rate it a lot higher because I do think there's a lot to like here. As it stands, though, I would consider it a serviceable retread.
Rating:
zomgbear
Well-Known Member
On a quest to 31 movies by Halloween!
22) Evil Dead 2 (1987)
I always preferred this one over the 1st Evil Dead even though I probably have watched that one more. This is my favorite of the trilogy. I know this isn't meant to be a "remake" per say but it pretty much is a remake but amped up like crazy. It has so many iconic scenes and lines, it's a true classic. And of course, can't watch this without checking out...
23) Army of Darkness (1992)
I get why people like this and I kind of like it for the same reason but I wouldn't call it my favorite. Less like a horror and more like a wacky action adventure comedy. Overall a very fun movie though.
24) Trap (2024)
I thought this was great. It's a super fun movie. Although it's more of a thriller than a horror. But it does involve a serial killer called "The Butcher". This might be the most straight forward M Night movie I've seen in a long time. I'm glad Josh Hartnett is making somewhat of a comeback recently. He's really good in this movie.
22) Evil Dead 2 (1987)
I always preferred this one over the 1st Evil Dead even though I probably have watched that one more. This is my favorite of the trilogy. I know this isn't meant to be a "remake" per say but it pretty much is a remake but amped up like crazy. It has so many iconic scenes and lines, it's a true classic. And of course, can't watch this without checking out...
23) Army of Darkness (1992)
I get why people like this and I kind of like it for the same reason but I wouldn't call it my favorite. Less like a horror and more like a wacky action adventure comedy. Overall a very fun movie though.
24) Trap (2024)
I thought this was great. It's a super fun movie. Although it's more of a thriller than a horror. But it does involve a serial killer called "The Butcher". This might be the most straight forward M Night movie I've seen in a long time. I'm glad Josh Hartnett is making somewhat of a comeback recently. He's really good in this movie.
gaporter
Well-Known Member
MOVIE #26
Howl (2015)
I think I liked the premise of this one more than the actual film. The idea of doing a “strangers on a train” type premise with werewolves is a good one, but I guess there was just something about the execution here that didn't entirely connect with me. I think it was the writing - in a movie like this, a lot of pressure is placed on the characters to carry the movie and I unfortunately didn't find many of them to be very interesting or complex. Part of me feels like that was probably intentional to a degree, like you're not supposed to know too much about these people the same way they all know very little about each other, but being to form more of a connection to them so the stakes felt a bit higher would have definitely improved the movie in my opinion.
Rating:
MOVIE #27
Hunter's Moon (2020)
This, on the other hand, made Howl look like An American Werewolf in London. I typically cut the lower-budget projects I watch a bit of slack but this was just dreadfully boring and had very little werewolf to show for it. Plus the big twist at the end, while it may have worked fine with better execution, was undercut by the film acting like they'd just pulled the cleverest trick on the audience possible when it was fairly predictable and an idea I've seen done better in other movies.
Rating:
MOVIE #28
Army of Darkness (1992)
I'm kind of with @zomgbear on this one. I was looking forward to finally seeing this as I really enjoyed the first two Evil Dead movies, but unfortunately I didn't quite get the hype. I still liked it but I think I was just expecting something different from what I got. Sam Raimi's kinetic direction and Bruce Campbell's comedic chops make it a pretty fun sit for what it is, but after the great tease at the end of the second movie, I thought the direction this went in terms of amping up the silliness and swapping out all the creative Deadite designs in favor of walking skeletons was disappointing. I think I would have been okay with them leaning more into the comedy if the gore had been increased as well, but the cut that I watched was so tame on those merits it seemed like it could almost pass for PG-13 with some editing, and while it may sound superficial, I come into an Evil Dead movie expecting to see some blood and guts. In doing a bit of research, I realized that the version I watched was actually the edited theatrical version rather than the apparently more graphic director's cut, so maybe it would be worth it to seek that out instead.
Rating:
MOVIE #29
Pumpkinhead (1988)
If you ask me, this is an underrated masterpiece that is overlooked when people talk about the great monster movies of the 1980s. In a perfect world, Pumpkinhead would have his seat at the table alongside all the other slasher villains and have a healthy line of sequels that vary wildly in quality (I don't count the actual sequels they made, even if I do have a weird soft spot for Blood Wings). The titular demon himself is a fantastic design and actually displays a fair bit of personality in the sadistic ways he tortures his victims and how he seems to get satisfaction from their pain. It's also one of the most gorgeous looking creature features ever made and has an emotional core that I find very genuine and affecting. Others may not see in it what I do, but I can put this on every year around Halloween and never get tired of it.
Rating:
MOVIE #30
Lord of Wolves (2024)
Charlie Steeds is a purveyor of Z-grade horror movies, including (of particular interest to me) the occasional werewolf flick. His previous efforts in the genre have been the kind of low-budget yet mindlessly entertaining shlock you would expect, though with his newest film, Lord of Wolves, he seems to be trying to make something that can be taken a bit more seriously… and unfortunately, that mission was a bit of a failure. I appreciate the ambition to try to branch out and do something different, especially on a shoestring budget, but the attempt to do a more dramatic type of film is severely undermined by the fact that he's still relying on the same kind of cheesy Party City-esque creature effects that populated his other movies. Not only that, but the writing tries so hard to grasp at multiple heavy topics at once that it all starts to feel like a melodramatic soap opera at points. I can only justify giving this a middle-of-the-road score because a lot of the actors actually seemed to be trying their best with the material they were given and the moments where this actually tries to be the low-grade “Hellraiser with werewolves” film it was advertised as can be kind of entertaining, but I can't really in good conscience recommend this to people.
Rating:
Howl (2015)
I think I liked the premise of this one more than the actual film. The idea of doing a “strangers on a train” type premise with werewolves is a good one, but I guess there was just something about the execution here that didn't entirely connect with me. I think it was the writing - in a movie like this, a lot of pressure is placed on the characters to carry the movie and I unfortunately didn't find many of them to be very interesting or complex. Part of me feels like that was probably intentional to a degree, like you're not supposed to know too much about these people the same way they all know very little about each other, but being to form more of a connection to them so the stakes felt a bit higher would have definitely improved the movie in my opinion.
Rating:
MOVIE #27
Hunter's Moon (2020)
This, on the other hand, made Howl look like An American Werewolf in London. I typically cut the lower-budget projects I watch a bit of slack but this was just dreadfully boring and had very little werewolf to show for it. Plus the big twist at the end, while it may have worked fine with better execution, was undercut by the film acting like they'd just pulled the cleverest trick on the audience possible when it was fairly predictable and an idea I've seen done better in other movies.
Rating:
MOVIE #28
Army of Darkness (1992)
I'm kind of with @zomgbear on this one. I was looking forward to finally seeing this as I really enjoyed the first two Evil Dead movies, but unfortunately I didn't quite get the hype. I still liked it but I think I was just expecting something different from what I got. Sam Raimi's kinetic direction and Bruce Campbell's comedic chops make it a pretty fun sit for what it is, but after the great tease at the end of the second movie, I thought the direction this went in terms of amping up the silliness and swapping out all the creative Deadite designs in favor of walking skeletons was disappointing. I think I would have been okay with them leaning more into the comedy if the gore had been increased as well, but the cut that I watched was so tame on those merits it seemed like it could almost pass for PG-13 with some editing, and while it may sound superficial, I come into an Evil Dead movie expecting to see some blood and guts. In doing a bit of research, I realized that the version I watched was actually the edited theatrical version rather than the apparently more graphic director's cut, so maybe it would be worth it to seek that out instead.
Rating:
MOVIE #29
Pumpkinhead (1988)
If you ask me, this is an underrated masterpiece that is overlooked when people talk about the great monster movies of the 1980s. In a perfect world, Pumpkinhead would have his seat at the table alongside all the other slasher villains and have a healthy line of sequels that vary wildly in quality (I don't count the actual sequels they made, even if I do have a weird soft spot for Blood Wings). The titular demon himself is a fantastic design and actually displays a fair bit of personality in the sadistic ways he tortures his victims and how he seems to get satisfaction from their pain. It's also one of the most gorgeous looking creature features ever made and has an emotional core that I find very genuine and affecting. Others may not see in it what I do, but I can put this on every year around Halloween and never get tired of it.
Rating:
MOVIE #30
Lord of Wolves (2024)
Charlie Steeds is a purveyor of Z-grade horror movies, including (of particular interest to me) the occasional werewolf flick. His previous efforts in the genre have been the kind of low-budget yet mindlessly entertaining shlock you would expect, though with his newest film, Lord of Wolves, he seems to be trying to make something that can be taken a bit more seriously… and unfortunately, that mission was a bit of a failure. I appreciate the ambition to try to branch out and do something different, especially on a shoestring budget, but the attempt to do a more dramatic type of film is severely undermined by the fact that he's still relying on the same kind of cheesy Party City-esque creature effects that populated his other movies. Not only that, but the writing tries so hard to grasp at multiple heavy topics at once that it all starts to feel like a melodramatic soap opera at points. I can only justify giving this a middle-of-the-road score because a lot of the actors actually seemed to be trying their best with the material they were given and the moments where this actually tries to be the low-grade “Hellraiser with werewolves” film it was advertised as can be kind of entertaining, but I can't really in good conscience recommend this to people.
Rating:
zomgbear
Well-Known Member
You know i never knew there was a director's cut of this one. I might check it out too, I've always thought Army of Darkness was a bit too tame as well.MOVIE #28
Army of Darkness (1992)
View attachment 217018
I'm kind of with @zomgbear on this one. I was looking forward to finally seeing this as I really enjoyed the first two Evil Dead movies, but unfortunately I didn't quite get the hype. I still liked it but I think I was just expecting something different from what I got. Sam Raimi's kinetic direction and Bruce Campbell's comedic chops make it a pretty fun sit for what it is, but after the great tease at the end of the second movie, I thought the direction this went in terms of amping up the silliness and swapping out all the creative Deadite designs in favor of walking skeletons was disappointing. I think I would have been okay with them leaning more into the comedy if the gore had been increased as well, but the cut that I watched was so tame on those merits it seemed like it could almost pass for PG-13 with some editing, and while it may sound superficial, I come into an Evil Dead movie expecting to see some blood and guts. In doing a bit of research, I realized that the version I watched was actually the edited theatrical version rather than the apparently more graphic director's cut, so maybe it would be worth it to seek that out instead.
Rating:
EvanBenner
Well-Known Member
Here's a late roundup of some of the past few weeks watches.
Suitable Flesh is a fun and engaging recent release with cosmic, psychological, and body horror elements.
Hell House LLC Origins: The Charmichael Manor is a strong return to form for the budding franchise. Addresses some of the shortcomings I felt of second and third entries. Actually has me interested in more.
The Sect is a madcap Italian horror that kept several sensibilities of 80's horror alive into the early 90's. Absurd in all the best ways.
Dark Crystal isn't horror, but it is the basis for my partner's costume this year, and we always rewatch the source material of our inspirations.
Piranha 3D was pure dumb fun.
The Platform 2 landed pretty flat for me. Brings in some big ideas but doesn't pack the punch of the original.
Mr. Crocket is a new Hulu release about a malicious children's show host. Has lots of fun practical elements to it, but the story left much to desire.
Before I Wake is the last accessible Mike Flanagan film I hadn't seen. A grieving couple take in a foster kid whose previous guardians had died or disappeared, only to find that his dreams and nightmares become reality. Another good showing from Flanagan.
Hellraiser was a rewatch as a final refresher while I button up my own costume creation. Hoping my original interpretation does this source justice! (Hoping to do a photoshoot tomorrow and have pics up before Halloween.)
Hellbound: Hellraiser II is more enjoyable on a rewatch, having now seen all the franchise has offered. It offers more context around the cenobites and is therefore the actual springboard for my original costume concept.
Suitable Flesh is a fun and engaging recent release with cosmic, psychological, and body horror elements.
Hell House LLC Origins: The Charmichael Manor is a strong return to form for the budding franchise. Addresses some of the shortcomings I felt of second and third entries. Actually has me interested in more.
The Sect is a madcap Italian horror that kept several sensibilities of 80's horror alive into the early 90's. Absurd in all the best ways.
Dark Crystal isn't horror, but it is the basis for my partner's costume this year, and we always rewatch the source material of our inspirations.
Piranha 3D was pure dumb fun.
The Platform 2 landed pretty flat for me. Brings in some big ideas but doesn't pack the punch of the original.
Mr. Crocket is a new Hulu release about a malicious children's show host. Has lots of fun practical elements to it, but the story left much to desire.
Before I Wake is the last accessible Mike Flanagan film I hadn't seen. A grieving couple take in a foster kid whose previous guardians had died or disappeared, only to find that his dreams and nightmares become reality. Another good showing from Flanagan.
Hellraiser was a rewatch as a final refresher while I button up my own costume creation. Hoping my original interpretation does this source justice! (Hoping to do a photoshoot tomorrow and have pics up before Halloween.)
Hellbound: Hellraiser II is more enjoyable on a rewatch, having now seen all the franchise has offered. It offers more context around the cenobites and is therefore the actual springboard for my original costume concept.
zomgbear
Well-Known Member
25) Halloween II (1981)
I enjoyed this one. I didn't really like the first part where Michael Myers is just going around killing people randomly but I thought it picks up really well after they get to the hospital. The ending is also pretty satisfying. Agreed with @avecigrec that everyone is really dumb in this.
26) Halloween H20 (1998)
My god... Josh Hartnett's hair is terrible in this. Mike Myers too. He looks weird in this one - the way his hair is makes him look a bit like a clown. Anyways, this was not bad. I wouldn't say it's anywhere near the original or even the second one. I think it's interesting how they brought Laurie back. I liked the ending... excited to see how he comes back from that for Resurrection....
I enjoyed this one. I didn't really like the first part where Michael Myers is just going around killing people randomly but I thought it picks up really well after they get to the hospital. The ending is also pretty satisfying. Agreed with @avecigrec that everyone is really dumb in this.
26) Halloween H20 (1998)
My god... Josh Hartnett's hair is terrible in this. Mike Myers too. He looks weird in this one - the way his hair is makes him look a bit like a clown. Anyways, this was not bad. I wouldn't say it's anywhere near the original or even the second one. I think it's interesting how they brought Laurie back. I liked the ending... excited to see how he comes back from that for Resurrection....
gaporter
Well-Known Member
zomgbear
Well-Known Member
I know it's going to be stupid but I will watch it lol
mdmost
Well-Known Member
Older one and me watched The Exorcist last night. She liked it but I think kids today are so desensitized by gore that hauntings and possessions don't really faze them. It was scary but not worse than other more recent movies she's seen. We agree that movies where there's some realism to them are more scary. I'm debating Texas Chainsaw Massacre. She says one thing she doesn't like about older movies (70s) is how the sound is always off or uneven. That's valid.
EvanBenner
Well-Known Member
One of the more recent perks of living in Chicago has been the triumphant return of Graveface Records & Terror Vision to the city. They've been popping up with all sorts of concerts and screenings, including a free showing of regional creature-feature horror oddity In the Woods last night at one of our favorite breweries, Half Acre. It was originally going to be screened fireside on the patio, but a dip in temps ended up moving the show to the brewery's barrel room/event space.
This movie is a hilarious delight of the rowdy midnight screening variety. I went in knowing little more than "two firefighters battle a giant wild boar demon," and that's certainly part of it. Very little of the movie even happens in the titular woods, the plot is a little soap opera-y, almost everything is dubbed over, and I'm not sure if the filmmakers realized just how on the verge of camp this all was.
The key art for this on Letterboxed seems as if it was pulled from a cover designed by someone who never watched the movie. Hands in chains? A man wielding an axe? A logline of "Vengeance is Timeless"? (I guess maybe you could make an argument for that by the end of the film, but it's a stretch.) The only graphical element that seems relevant is the disembodied limbs. The pull quote, "...creepier than Blair Witch Project," is also a wild thing to say, but I guess in 1999 that was the biggest promise one could make to draw attention.
The art for Terror Vision's release of the movie (below) is quite elevated in comparison.
This movie is a hilarious delight of the rowdy midnight screening variety. I went in knowing little more than "two firefighters battle a giant wild boar demon," and that's certainly part of it. Very little of the movie even happens in the titular woods, the plot is a little soap opera-y, almost everything is dubbed over, and I'm not sure if the filmmakers realized just how on the verge of camp this all was.
The key art for this on Letterboxed seems as if it was pulled from a cover designed by someone who never watched the movie. Hands in chains? A man wielding an axe? A logline of "Vengeance is Timeless"? (I guess maybe you could make an argument for that by the end of the film, but it's a stretch.) The only graphical element that seems relevant is the disembodied limbs. The pull quote, "...creepier than Blair Witch Project," is also a wild thing to say, but I guess in 1999 that was the biggest promise one could make to draw attention.
The art for Terror Vision's release of the movie (below) is quite elevated in comparison.
gaporter
Well-Known Member
MOVIE #31
Night of the Demons (1988)
While this movie is by no means a masterpiece of horror, I think on rewatch it's actually a more clever film than my younger self gave it credit for. The typical gratuitous nudity and leering shots of women's bodies you usually find in 80s horror flicks are actually used here to serve a narrative purpose and subvert expectations as the titular demons take advantage of their host's bodies to seduce their unsuspecting victims. It turns what would usually be titillating images into something uncomfortable and unnerving since the viewer knows what's really going on. Either that, or the director just thought T&A was hot and I'm reading way too much into an easily disposable teen horror movie. Either way, this is a fun Halloween staple.
Rating:
MOVIE #32
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Maybe Burton's best looking film? I don't know, there's a lot of competition in that department, but the Gothic, autumnal palette of this one is just so damn scrumptious to my eyes. I love every frame of this movie. I also don't mind the significant departures from the original Sleepy Hollow story; I prefer Burton applying his “reimagining” approach to classic stories from literature like this rather than doing an endless stream of remakes. As long as the Headless Horseman is still there in some capacity, I'm fine with it and getting Christopher Walken to play him is just the cherry on top.
Rating:
MOVIE #33
Night of the Demons (2009)
This remake seems to be pretty unpopular, and while it's not entirely unwarranted, I don't know, I can't really hate this. I don't like it as much as the original, but I think it's a perfectly acceptable modernization. They decide to turn Angela's party from this creepy, intimate affair into a giant Halloween extravaganza, which is a good metaphor for the two films overall. The original straddles a weird line between being a dumb teen horror flick and having a legitimately creepy and surreal aura about it; this one isn't operating at that level and clearly just wants to be a fun, brainless possession movie. It's shallow, sure, but there's some decent gore and the demon designs aren't half bad. Not everything works (Edward Furlong in particular feels like he randomly sleepwalked onto set with a nasty hangover and the filmmakers decided to just go with it), but I mean, it's not like you're trampling on some sacred text here anyway. It gets a pass from me, though I acknowledge that I'm probably just easy to please.
Rating:
MOVIE #34
MaXXXine (2024)
I actually thought this was going pretty good until about the last twenty minutes, which is unfortunately one of the bigger third act fumbles I've seen in a film as of late. I still think that X and Pearl as a duology are two of the best horror movies of the last couple years, and while this is thematically and stylistically in line with what I expected coming from those, it's also way more obvious and a lot less focused. It probably sounds like I'm being pretty negative for a movie I'm giving three and half skulls, but like I said, the only part where I felt they really dropped the ball was the end and everything up to that point I was perfectly fine with. It's just that having a satisfying conclusion is pretty important so when a story lacks that it's a bit hard to overlook. Mia Goth is a fucking movie star, though.
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MOVIE #35
Idle Hands (1999)
Idle Hands is a stoner comedy, a horror movie about a possessed hand, and a satire of "the disaffected youth" all rolled into one. The premise is basically "what if we put the dumbest people imaginable in a horror movie situation?" and the results are more often than not hilarious. It does a nice job skewering and having fun with some of the typical horror movie cliches without feeling like it's winking too hard at the audience. I got a kick out of it.
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Night of the Demons (1988)
While this movie is by no means a masterpiece of horror, I think on rewatch it's actually a more clever film than my younger self gave it credit for. The typical gratuitous nudity and leering shots of women's bodies you usually find in 80s horror flicks are actually used here to serve a narrative purpose and subvert expectations as the titular demons take advantage of their host's bodies to seduce their unsuspecting victims. It turns what would usually be titillating images into something uncomfortable and unnerving since the viewer knows what's really going on. Either that, or the director just thought T&A was hot and I'm reading way too much into an easily disposable teen horror movie. Either way, this is a fun Halloween staple.
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MOVIE #32
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Maybe Burton's best looking film? I don't know, there's a lot of competition in that department, but the Gothic, autumnal palette of this one is just so damn scrumptious to my eyes. I love every frame of this movie. I also don't mind the significant departures from the original Sleepy Hollow story; I prefer Burton applying his “reimagining” approach to classic stories from literature like this rather than doing an endless stream of remakes. As long as the Headless Horseman is still there in some capacity, I'm fine with it and getting Christopher Walken to play him is just the cherry on top.
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MOVIE #33
Night of the Demons (2009)
This remake seems to be pretty unpopular, and while it's not entirely unwarranted, I don't know, I can't really hate this. I don't like it as much as the original, but I think it's a perfectly acceptable modernization. They decide to turn Angela's party from this creepy, intimate affair into a giant Halloween extravaganza, which is a good metaphor for the two films overall. The original straddles a weird line between being a dumb teen horror flick and having a legitimately creepy and surreal aura about it; this one isn't operating at that level and clearly just wants to be a fun, brainless possession movie. It's shallow, sure, but there's some decent gore and the demon designs aren't half bad. Not everything works (Edward Furlong in particular feels like he randomly sleepwalked onto set with a nasty hangover and the filmmakers decided to just go with it), but I mean, it's not like you're trampling on some sacred text here anyway. It gets a pass from me, though I acknowledge that I'm probably just easy to please.
Rating:
MOVIE #34
MaXXXine (2024)
I actually thought this was going pretty good until about the last twenty minutes, which is unfortunately one of the bigger third act fumbles I've seen in a film as of late. I still think that X and Pearl as a duology are two of the best horror movies of the last couple years, and while this is thematically and stylistically in line with what I expected coming from those, it's also way more obvious and a lot less focused. It probably sounds like I'm being pretty negative for a movie I'm giving three and half skulls, but like I said, the only part where I felt they really dropped the ball was the end and everything up to that point I was perfectly fine with. It's just that having a satisfying conclusion is pretty important so when a story lacks that it's a bit hard to overlook. Mia Goth is a fucking movie star, though.
Rating:
MOVIE #35
Idle Hands (1999)
Idle Hands is a stoner comedy, a horror movie about a possessed hand, and a satire of "the disaffected youth" all rolled into one. The premise is basically "what if we put the dumbest people imaginable in a horror movie situation?" and the results are more often than not hilarious. It does a nice job skewering and having fun with some of the typical horror movie cliches without feeling like it's winking too hard at the audience. I got a kick out of it.
Rating:
Selaws
Well-Known Member
Film 22: The Cloverfield Paradox
Honestly, I thought this film landed pretty flat, and the connection to the other Cloverfield films was super loose. Not great.
Film 23: The Black Swan
I had not seen this film since it was first released and I wasn't expecting much. Perhaps that's part of the reason I found it so impressive this time around. Great performances and really interesting how they build upon the main characters insecurities and own self doubts.
Film 24: Terrifier 2.5
This film series just does not seem to be connecting with me at all. I get that they lean into the gore as part of the main premise, but take that anyway and there's literally nothing to them.
Film 25: Devil.5
I really liked this film a lot and wish it had that little bit more.
Honestly, I thought this film landed pretty flat, and the connection to the other Cloverfield films was super loose. Not great.
Film 23: The Black Swan
I had not seen this film since it was first released and I wasn't expecting much. Perhaps that's part of the reason I found it so impressive this time around. Great performances and really interesting how they build upon the main characters insecurities and own self doubts.
Film 24: Terrifier 2
.5This film series just does not seem to be connecting with me at all. I get that they lean into the gore as part of the main premise, but take that anyway and there's literally nothing to them.
Film 25: Devil
.5I really liked this film a lot and wish it had that little bit more.