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Mokelumne Trekka posted:#6 - Monkeyshines: An Experiment in Fear (1988) - [...]Are animals eligible for acting awards? The female monkey was outstanding - no sarcasm - that is a make-or-break type of thing, if it just looks like the monkey's "acting" by performing tricks it isn't convincing.[...] If you haven't heard the How Did This Get Made episode on Monkey Shines, you really need to.
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Oct 1, 2018 00:41
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20. Ghost Ship (2002) I watched this because I had the same fond memories of it that I do for Thirteen Ghosts. They're guilty pleasures of dumb. But I've seen Thirteen Ghosts several times and haven't seen Ghost Ship since it came out. I thought it was terrible in 2002, but in an endearing way. In reality, I just remembered the opening scene of an entire ballroom getting bisected (Which was nuts when I was a teenager) and forgot the garbage rest of the film. I joked that this movie was so early 2000s that it's the nu-metal of horror, and Mudvayne immediately began playing in the movie. 0.5  /521. Starry Eyes (2014)  I've seen a lot of people talk about this movie lately, so I gave it a shot. I went in knowing the general consensus seemed to be "Good, but flawed," and I can almost agree. It did a lot right, but not much that I didn't feel was done better elsewhere. The story of someone who wants to get famous at whatever cost isn't touched on, or at least done well, very often. I also liked the addition of viewing Hollywood as a literal cult that rebirths people as "perfect" in the name of their chosen demon to be a good antagonist for preying upon people desperate to make it in showbiz. The fellatio for a movie part scene is a little rough to watch by any standards, but is even more unsettling and hard to watch by today's Hollywood climate standards. The pacing was a little janky, but LORD OF BOOTY put a link to his fan edit over in the Horror Thread and it solves most of those issues without hurting the film at all. I'd have to sit down and really think about it for a while, but for some reason, the movie just didn't click with me. The last 15 or so minutes were all that really caught my interest, if only for the sudden uptick in violence that seemed right out of the French Extremity wave. It's not a bad film. It's probably even pretty good. But I just couldn't really get into it. /522. Marebito (2004)  Continuing a foray in J-Horror, I went with Marebito. I've heard about this film for years but knew nothing about it going in, except that it was filmed in 8 days in between the filming of Ju-On: The Grudge and the American remake of The Grudge by director Takashi Shimizu. We follow Masuoka, a man who becomes obsessed with fear after witnessing a man commit suicide on a train platform. In trying to understand what the man's fear was like he travels into the underground tunnel systems of Japan and ends up discovering a naked girl chained to a wall. He takes the girl, who doesn't speak, eat or drink, back to his apartment, where he begins treating her like a pet. I'll leave off the general plot-line there, but the end result is a strange exploration of psychosis and paranoia with some heavy Lovecraftian themes. The question of how much of this is real, as we're seeing it, is left partially vague. Has Masuoka discovered an underground labyrinth of ghosts and strange vampire people or is he a father who lost his mind, killed his wife, and holds his daughter captive like an animal? Or a mixture of both? It's a weird flick and worth the watch. I'm genuinely surprised it doesn't seem to get talked about much. /523. Tokyo Gore Police (2008)     2 giant prehensile meat penises/5
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Oct 1, 2018 00:43
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 78- Burn, Witch, Burn 1962 - PRIME I'm a bit biased on this one as the book it's based on, Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber is one of my faves. This adaptation is good, hits the right spots. I love the idea of while the men are out doing their thing, their wives and girlfriends are spellslinging away to help ensure their partner's success. If this was possible in reality, I'd be a serious spellcasting fool. I definitely recommend giving this one a watch.  79- The Birds 1963 - PRIME One of these days I'm going to eventually read the story it's based on. There's also a commemorative Barbie as Tippi Hedren's character that was released in '05 which might end up being the first time I buy a Barbie once I have more space. This one's so iconic, anytime we see birds acting odd, we think of this movie. I know I was when I was taking out some garbage and ended up getting chased by a roadrunner who decided to come flying at me. You would've thought I was being chased by Rodan himself with how I ran back in the apartment. Animal attack films generally are pretty scary though with this movie, it's also got the added scary once you hear about what Tippi Hedren went through behind the scenes with Hitchcock.
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Oct 1, 2018 00:47
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 2. Cat People-1942: 8/10 (rewatch) Val Lewton produced a string of low-budget Horror films in the 1940s, most of which are considered minor to legit classics. This is probably the best of the bunch, loaded with atmosphere and a really great performance from Simone Simon. The only thing holding it back (and this really goes for most of Lewton's Horror pics) is that it drags a bit despite it's short length, there will be stretches where you will probably check the clock. Luckily, there are some fantastic scenes, especially the pool sequence. Might've helped with a more charismatic male lead as well, no one else in the movie really matches Simon's performance.
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Oct 1, 2018 01:03
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Annnnd, Sinistri beat my record from last year before October even started. And you all wonder why some of us think the head start is horsegarbage.
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Oct 1, 2018 01:24
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Choco1980 posted:Annnnd, Sinistri beat my record from last year before October even started. And you all wonder why some of us think the head start is horsegarbage. It's still possible for people to beat my count. There's plenty of those quiet ones you got to watch for who can easily explode out the gate with movie counts in this thread.
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Oct 1, 2018 01:27
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Several Goblins posted:21. Starry Eyes (2014) If you've seen my version and the original: what did you think of my change to the ending? It's simultaneously the change I'm proudest of and iffiest on.
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Oct 1, 2018 01:38
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Choco1980 posted:Annnnd, Sinistri beat my record from last year before October even started. And you all wonder why some of us think the head start is horsegarbage. Head start or not she still did it in 14 days. That's pretty drat impressive.
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Oct 1, 2018 01:48
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Plus it's not a head start at all since everyone's allowed to start at the same time.
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Oct 1, 2018 01:52
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And also this is fun and just an excuse to watch horror movies to excess.
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Oct 1, 2018 02:02
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#12 Screamers (1981) 2/5 Specimens With Full Human Intelligence This is not great. The original adventure film or a full horror re-shoot/edit would be far more satisfying. There is some fun fishman brawling but the action is largely flat after the opening tacked on to the film. I love underwater shots so the Atlantis stuff is fun. #13 Rabid 3/5 Mall Santas Gunned Down The story isn't much but the action is really good. I think I like Chambers as a predator more than the epidemic rioting. The effects can't compare to Cronenberg's peak but they are fine for a Canadian b-movie. #14 Hellraiser 2 4/5 Skin Suits With Low Tensile Strength Still more gross than scary but it's a fun series. The Channard cenobite is creepy and awful. I'm glad the Pinhead VHS cover scared me away from renting this series as a kid. It's weird how much these movies feel like Labyrinth. The Goblin King was getting into some kinky poo poo after the musical numbers. #15 King Kong (1933) 4/5 Jaw Bones Snapping Like Celery This is great. It's fun to see shots switch between actors in front of a projector, close ups with partial full-scale creatures, and total stop motion with fake actors. I could live without most of the scenes before the island but it doesn't truly drag. #16 The Devil Rides Out 3/5 Smoking Goat Floors Christopher Lee saves this after a slow start and a lot of Satan talk that doesn't thrill me. The outdoor Satanic mass is a highlight. The effects are dodgy but I really like the blown up projector tarantula and the terrible car chases are endearing. Not my favorite Hammer but a nice change from all the monster movies. #17 Faust (1926) 4/5 Skeleton Men Riding Skeleton Horses It's not much of a horror film but the scope is impressive for the era. I love the miniatures and double exposures. The sets and costumes are so far ahead of everything else I've seen from the 20s. This is the first silent that makes me wish there was a real score instead of forgettable piano. #18 Hell Fest 2/5 Unexpected Onibaba Masks Not enough kills for a slasher. Not tense enough for a stalker. There are flashes of a great movie and one of the kills stands out but that's the only time this movie ever feels close to reaching its potential. It's not truly bad but it's not much better than the Final Destination sequel with only a few scenes at an amusement park. I need to watch Funhouse. #19 Maniac Cop 3/5 Expository Scenes In The Mayor's Office Shot On VHS Or Some poo poo I love the style and tone of the movie but the story is kind of flat until the third act. Maybe the sequels develop the trigger happy cop a bit more. The ending has great action and I want to see more from Lustig. #20 Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 5/5 Texas/Oklahoma Chili Cookoff Grand Champions This is an amazing comedy. Savini's gore is really good (the wall spewing guts is great) but hardly warrants a mention next to the insanity of everything in this movie. The Sawyer family is ridiculous and explored in far more detail than anyone would reasonably expect. The Leatherface performance is arguably restrained compared to his family and Dennis Hopper chewing the scenery. They Shoot Zombies: 40/50 3 from 7 different decades: 2010s, 1980s, 1970s Foreign Language: 1/10
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Oct 1, 2018 02:22
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It really says something about how good TCM2 is that Savini gore is near the bottom of the list of reasons to watch it.
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Oct 1, 2018 02:48
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 16. The Invitation (2015) . Directed by Karyn Kusama Seen on Netflix (streaming) I thoroughly enjoyed this, though it's one of those horror movies where the very end dampens things for me. For the most part, the film does a great job of turning polite awkwardness into something more overtly unnerving and I actually love the cult reveal, but the shot of other cult members across the city executing the same plan really took me out of it. Regardless, I hope Karyn Kusama gets to do more genre films like this.
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Oct 1, 2018 03:01
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TheBizzness posted:And also this is fun and just an excuse to watch horror movies to excess. 
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Oct 1, 2018 03:02
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 3. Graveyard Shift-1990: 8/10 (rewatch) Fun killer rat movie based on the Stephen King short story. We get some decent gore, Brady Dourif Brad Dourifing it up and Stephen Macht with the worst loving Maine accent I've ever heard (and being from Maine, I know this, it sounded like he thought the movie was set in Cajun country or something). Also a really terrible end credits theme.
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Oct 1, 2018 03:06
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LORD OF BOOTY posted:It really says something about how good TCM2 is that Savini gore is near the bottom of the list of reasons to watch it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIXRRm1Amas&t=90s
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Oct 1, 2018 03:08
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Franchescanado posted:
19. Ghosts of Mars (2001)  Watched on: iTunes John Carpenter is a man who needs no introduction. His works in horror are legendary from Halloween, The Thing, The Fog, They Live even his non-horror works like Escape from New York and Big Trouble in Little China are gold. Though once the 90s came along he went into a bit of a dry period with both critics and audiences and his fanbase started to wonder if he was losing his touch. He basically bottomed out with Ghosts of Mars which was a dud and put him into semi-retirement for almost a decade. So, this is my submission for this Fran Challenge. Ghosts of Mars stars Jason Statham and Ice Cube and has 90s low budget mainstay Natasha Henstridge. This movie is very different from John Carpenter’s work because while he is known for suspense, tension and maybe a little cheesiness at times this movie is pure camp and cheese. Rain that fell on a newly terraformed Mars awakens microorganisms that infect colonists and turn them into some kind of zombie cult. The movie then becomes a mix of sci-fi, action and horror as a group of police officers sent to pick up a inmate must team up with him to survive. Ghosts of Mars is like the B-movie at the end of a double feature. The one where you watch something campy and cheesy after an exploitation flick with blood and gore. That’s what I watched it as and it’s honestly not a terrible film but wow is it cheesy and dated. /5Total: 1. The Conjuring 2 (2016), 2. Terrifier (2016), 3. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), 4. Split (2017), 5. The First Purge (2018), 6. Trick 'R Treat (2009), 7. Wolf Creek (2005), 8. King Kong (1976), 9. Halloween II (2009), 10. Pumpkinhead (1988), 11. House on Haunted Hill (1959), 12. House on Haunted Hill (1999), 13. What We Do in the Shadows (2014), 14. Ghostbusters (2016), 15. Bride of Chucky (1998), 16. Seed of Chucky (2004), 17. Nightbreed (1990), 18. The Axe Murders of Villisca (2016), 19. Ghosts of Mars (2001) Justin Godscock fucked around with this message at 04:22 on Oct 1, 2018 |
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Oct 1, 2018 03:09
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FRAN CHALLENGE #4: Worst of the Best or Best of The Worst 
Watch a highly regarded director's worst movie.
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It's night to October, so I better start my all month marathon with at least one movie per night. It got quite late for me, so i just watched four random short films from a list i got by typing best horror shorts into Google. I'll won't go to great details on any of them, just say a few words if I liked them or not. THE PASSING - A Horror Short Film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA8_2L5cKh4 This one is kind of OK. Just a thin plot that's more of a sort of short haunted house ride with some attempts at jump scares. Two cops investigates an emergency call and spooky crap happens. There Are Monsters | Future Shorts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I61l_f-328c I liked this one a lot better. It got a jump scare, but I'd say it's better done than any of the ones in the previous video. It's is more about the creepy feeling than cheap jump scares and I'd say this one is actually worth watching. Only issues for me are the camera work and the ending isn't that great. "HI" - ASMR horror shortfilm by Bahaish Kapoor (2014) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QpckSLz-hw This one just kind of sucked. Boring ghost that just shows up to be spooky and no payoff at the end. Skip it. Lights Out - Who's There Film Challenge (2013) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUQhNGEu2KA Now this is more like it. This is a good horror short that actually works and highly recommend this one. For whatever reason, they made this into a full length movie in 2016 and I have no intentions in ever watching it. I'll just stick to this one. I'll hopefully have a proper full length movie to write about tomorrow night. Hot Dog Day #89 fucked around with this message at 04:26 on Oct 1, 2018 |
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Oct 1, 2018 04:23
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1. Halloween (1978) - Blu-ray I've never seen any of this franchise beyond bits and pieces. My son is a fan and the remake releases to theaters soon so the kids talkes me into starting our horrorfest here. I can see where this film has earned so many fans. The pacing, constant anxiety, music, acting, and matter-of-fact violence add up to an excellent movie. Even Laurie's missteps are understandable for being a suburban teen in a quiet neighborhood. Versus our typical horrors staffed by blithering 'tards. Her awareness that somerhing is awry and visible internal suppression of the mental alarms may well be my favorite part of the film. Not my favorite movie and it will be far from an annual viewing but great nonetheless. 2. Halloween II (1981) - Blu-ray Gratuitous. Zero inclination to watch, again. 3. Carnival of Souls - DVD Was this filmed by an industrial film maker?  Yup. This movie has some problems but is simple, creepy as hell, and good. The ghouls are wonderful amd deserve mention all their own. Tally: N/A Psycho (1960), 1. Halloween (1978), 2. Halloween II (1981), 3. Carnival of Souls (1962)
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Oct 1, 2018 04:42
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Day -1 - Young Frankenstein https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOPTriLG5cU Watching Frankenstein, Bride, and then Young Frankenstein as my last three watches was a pretty good idea. Brooks's movie is fantastic, of course, but watching it right after the things that it parodies gave it some more fun context. Though I probably should have watched Son of Frankenstein as well to go with it. While I think The Producers is Mel Brooks's best film, Young Frankenstein feels like his most passionate. It's impossible to not feel his affection for the Universal monster movies while watching it as every aspect of the movie reflects them perfectly, down to using some of the same props. There's even nerdy reference gags in the film that only a few people in the audience would get ("We've been through this five times before!" so I guess Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is non-canonical  ).I saw the touring version of the Broadway show a few years ago and it sure was a cash-in. There wasn't anything actually wrong with it, just that the movie is almost perfect suffering only from some unfortunate 1970's sexual attitudes. The musical is basically a greatest hits version of the movie. And now it's time for the true challenge to begin! The month of hauntings is upon us!
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Oct 1, 2018 05:21
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gey muckle mowser posted:
I can with one word: Tiddies.
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Oct 1, 2018 05:32
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Alien: Resurrection 2003 "Special" Edition (adds 7 whole minutes!) If you're going to turn Alien into a hybrid action-horror franchise with maximum corniness, you could do worse than to hire top-tier character actors for all the parts while making sure to keep in all the body horror and then some. I would call this an enjoyable B+ movie, amusing throughout. It still feels like a big-budget production where people cared how it would turn out creatively, and the angry alien baby stuff is all great, and I assume Weaver's doing as far as script demands. The incredibly articulated face, the utterly horrific death sequence that I really defy any movie to top, the whole thing. It's also fitting that after four movies, Ripley finally goes to This Toilet Earth.
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Oct 1, 2018 05:32
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 4. Tucker and Dale vs Evil-2010: 10/10 (rewatch) Absolutely one of the best Horror Comedies...ever. If ya haven't seen it, just go and see it and enjoy the hell out of it.
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Oct 1, 2018 05:51
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20. Haunters: The Art of the Scare (2017) I said a few posts ago I was considering watching a documentary. I couldn’t find the one I wanted so I went for something different. This is a documentary about the people who build haunted houses and scare houses for Halloween. Interviews include people behind McKamey Manor (a bit of a lightning rod amongst enthusiasts because they actually go hands-on with their guests and you need to sign a waiver before going) and Halloween Horror Nights. I really wanted to watch something more Halloweeny in real life and seeing how a group of my friends and I are planning on going to a local haunted house soon this was way more than appropriate. The film shows two different sides of haunted houses. The traditional ones where dudes in bloody clown masks jump from doorways and the more extreme ones like McKamey mentioned above. The film shows the passion of both sides and what they think about one another and it’s really something like this I needed to watch to get more excited for Halloween now that October is here. /5Total: 1. The Conjuring 2 (2016), 2. Terrifier (2016), 3. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), 4. Split (2017), 5. The First Purge (2018), 6. Trick 'R Treat (2009), 7. Wolf Creek (2005), 8. King Kong (1976), 9. Halloween II (2009), 10. Pumpkinhead (1988), 11. House on Haunted Hill (1959), 12. House on Haunted Hill (1999), 13. What We Do in the Shadows (2014), 14. Ghostbusters (2016), 15. Bride of Chucky (1998), 16. Seed of Chucky (2004), 17. Nightbreed (1990), 18. The Axe Murders of Villisca (2016), 19. Ghosts of Mars (2001), 20. Haunters: The Art of the Scare (2017)
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Oct 1, 2018 05:56
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 80- Twice Told Tales 1963 - DAILYMOTION This was a nice change of pace from the usual anthologies always going off of Poe with Nathanial Hawthorne's work being used. With this one I'd say out of the stories featured, House of the Seven Gables is probably the weakest entry. It would've been an improvement to cut the Gables and just allot the time saved to the other two stories.  81- X, the Man with the X-ray eyes 1963 - PRIME This one I would like to see remade with a bigger budget just to see where they go with it. Story's simple with a lot of potential. A doctor devises eyedrops to increase the range of human vision to help better diagnose people. Of course there's going to be something going horribly wrong with this. The drops work but his vision expands to wavelengths beyond what the human brain can handle. There has been talk about a different ending having been made but best I've been able to research is this came from a mention in Stephen King's Danse Macabre when talking about the movie and people presumed this was an actual alternate ending. If it existed, I do have to agree it would've made for a more hosed up ending. "I can still see...."
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Oct 1, 2018 06:07
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11 (14). Spring (2014) Available on Shudder  A young American loses his mother and left alone, jobless, and in some trouble takes a friend’s advice to spontaneously take off for Italy where he meets a beautiful young woman who holds a monstrous secret. One might call this a Lovecraftian Love Story. I really enjoyed this film. I’m not even sure how I feel about it as a horror film. I mean, the horror is there. I was really impressed with the monster affects and the mystery and journey of Louise’s nature. But it really is first and foremost a love story. And I’m not sure I ever felt the dread or fear I maybe was supposed to feel as Evan essentially risks his life to be with her. I knew it was there and I was kind of enriched in the story but I never really felt the tension I think I should have. I don’t know, that feels more critical than I want to be. I really, really enjoyed the film. Its gorgeous and has tons of atmosphere. The beauty of the setting does a lot of that but the filmmakers do a lot to take the horrific scenes and glimpses we get of the monster and not exactly juxtapose them against the beauty, but make them part of it? This is a film who’s cinematography takes center stage. Which again, feels more critical than I want it to because the story and the action are all top notch. Literally the only thing that felt missing was that “dread” I feel like I should have felt. It is very different and cool and worth watching. Part of the reason I checked this out tonight was because I saw everyone talking about Resolution and Endless and when looking them up I saw that their auteurs Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead (and “auteurs” really does seem to be the best way to describe them as writers, directors, producers, editors, and cinematographers in a film that really does feature all those roles prominently) also did this film which had been getting pushed down my lists for a few years. So on the last day before my challenges and October proper I decided to knock this one off and check it out and it really impressed me and moved those other two onto my list of movies I hope to get in this October. A fine end to my pregame before October proper. I’m not totally tired and I might watch another but its now October so I think that brings my September Tally to an official close. It was a rather different, eclectic, not totally horror pre-game but I enjoyed it and it has me ready for the challenges and big stuff I've been holding back. But also, Chaos Playoff Baseball so time crunches. September Tally - New (Total) 1 (1). A Cure For Wellness (2016) / - (2). Slither (2006) / 2 (3). Castle Rock (2018) / - (4). The Forsaken (2001) / 3 (5). The Night Eats the World (2018) / 4 (6). The Girl With All The Gifts (2016) / 5 (7). The Voices (2014) / 6 (8). Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010) / 7 (9). Jug Face (2013) / 8 (10). Coherence (2013) / 9 (11). A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014) / - (12). Vampire in Brooklyn (1995) / 10 (13). Excision (2012) / 11 (14). Spring (2014)
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Oct 1, 2018 08:31
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 The List1. Welcome to Willits (Fran Challenge 1: Love Something You Hate) 2. Multiple Maniacs (Fran Challenge 2: Queer Horror)  So, John Waters. Despite what Werner Herzog believed for decades, he is incredibly gay. And being incredibly gay at a very interesting (read: dangerous) time, that reflects a specific PoV. I couldn't even understand what it was like to exist within a society that regressed and progressed in incredible fashion, all within his lifetime. And perhaps because of that, it makes this film, which was created at the start of his career, such an odd and alienating artifact. It should be evident that what Politically Correct meant decades ago is very different from what it means now. Back when this film was made, to rebel against it was to try to force the status quo to acknowledge what it was inherently ignoring. And this film opens up with that statement on its sleeve, barker on stand beckoning to the normies. Come see the geek show. Watch freaks and weirdos do the sick and inexplicable. Witness the subjugated perform for your amusement, from the safety of your higher morals. But once Divine hits the stage, the divide crumbles. Audiences are strapped into a queer coated joyride, forced to watch the 'fags' and 'dykes' get their kicks at their suffering, both within the film and metatextuality. It takes the exploitation model and flips it on it's head, instead exploiting it's audience for the filmmaker's enjoyment. Admittedly, it's an amature and mediocre film. In a certain way, it works best purely as an artifact of semi-contemporary outsider art. But it has something that a lot of bad movies don't have. A certain level of glee and understanding of it's content. It's John Waters, a champion of trash, understanding that he is making a trash movie. It's garbage, and with that he and his friends are going wild. Ostensibly, between the murder and bad people doing bad things, this is a kind of horror movie. But in practice, between the odd comedy, weird story detours, and the almost pornographic sex/recreation of the Stations of the Cross scene, you will be too puzzled and entertained to be 'Shocked' and 'Terrified'. There's probably too many oddball ideas in this kinda overstuffed movie, but it doesn't matter. This is a disposable film, meant for the exploitation circuit. You film it, cash out, forget about it and move on to the next feature. And because of that distinct, devil may care, balls to the wall attitude, they accidentally made an immortal film. Something a bit more intelligent than Outsider Art, a bit too gross for High Art. It's something so specific to it's time, to the people that made it, that it should never be forgotten.
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Oct 1, 2018 10:38
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Banged out a couple of the Fran Challenges over the last couple of nights.Franchescanado posted:
Was surprised to find out while looking for applicable films for this challenge that American Psycho was filmed in Ontario (in Toronto, like all movies filmed in Ontario. ), and had been meaning to watch this for ages, so figured this was as good a time as any to do so. Quite enjoyed this one, and definitely got more than a few Fight Club vibes while watching it, particularly the last 20 minutes or so which played this a lot more ambiguously than I was anticipating, and calls into question the events of the film and the reality of Patrick Bateman himself up to that point. All of this is bolstered by Christian Bale absolutely nailing Patrick Bateman as an insecure, egomaniacal piece of poo poo who prioritizes own self-image above all else, and who will lose his mind at just the slightest challenge to it, be it somebody trying one-up him, or just to flex his own perceived sense of superiority.Franchescanado posted:
For this one I opted to go with Guillermo del Toro's Mimic (probably interchangeable with Blade 2, but I chose Mimic over it due to its more ambitious nature and del Toro's own personal disappointment with how it turned out due to studio meddling). Watched the director's cut to be specific, and mind you I don't have any experience of watching the theatrical version to compare it to, but I actually didn't mind this one. Granted, even in the director's cut I definitely get the impression that del Toro's vision was compromised in favour of what ultimately ends up being a serviceable but fairly standard Aliens-inspired monster movie, and a handful of character interactions feel underdeveloped (Susan's and Peter's rushed reunion in the subway springs to mind), but even so, del Toro's penchant for creature and set design shines through and there are some interesting seeds of mirrored themes between the humans and insects sprinkled about that could have benefited from being expanded upon further (Susan's/the insect's fertility and both sides disguising as one another being the ones I picked up on). Also realized after the fact that I completely unintentionally chose two films in row that use Toronto as a filming substitute for New York City. Movies Watched (4): Mandy, Hobgoblins (MST3K), American Psycho, Mimic Challenges Completed: #3 (American Psycho), #4 (Mimic) Trash Boat fucked around with this message at 11:43 on Oct 1, 2018 |
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Oct 1, 2018 11:22
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Trash Boat posted:For this one I opted to go with Guillermo del Toro's Mimic (probably interchangeable with Blade 2, Blade 2 rules actually, I mean it’s not on the same level as much of del Toro’s stuff but it’s great dumb fun and waaaay better then Mimic in my book
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Oct 1, 2018 11:34
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gey muckle mowser posted:Blade 2 rules actually, I mean it’s not on the same level as much of del Toro’s stuff but it’s great dumb fun and waaaay better then Mimic in my book Yeah, that was impression that I got having admittedly never seen it; that Blade 2 never strives be high art or anything but knows exactly what it is and accomplishes what it sets out to do, whereas Mimic has higher aspirations but never quite manages to fully realize them due to the Weinstein's fuckery.
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Oct 1, 2018 11:47
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Franchescanado posted:
15. Children of the Corn 1984 | dir. Fritz Kiersch | Netflix/Hulu I chose this film because I remember it being a boring waste of potential.  (I was right.) I have actively not recommended this film to people. Most of my friends remember this is as being one of the scariest movies to them as a child, but none can actually remember seeing it. It's a wonderful premise--a town of children crazed by religion into a murderous society--that paints many horrible pictures to the imagination of those who haven't seen it. There are great moments. I think the opening is great. There's a great sequence where Linda Hamilton is lifted on a crucifix and the children chant beneath her. It feels like these were the two Big Moments that were clearest in the minds of the filmmakers, and the rest of the run-time is the glue to hold them together. There's a lot of glue, however, and it's very messy. I think they nailed it with the casting, as well. I like Linda Hamilton and Peter Horton as the couple. John Franklin's Isaac puts in strong work for the villain, but gets upstaged by Courtney Gains's teenage Malachai, who's looking to shift the power to his favor, for blood lust as well as self preservation. He looks like he'll be 19 soon, which doesn't bode well in this community. So where does the blame land on? Why does this movie suck? For me, it comes down to two names: this is director Fritz Kiersch's first feature length film, for one. After this, he made what looks like direct-to-VHS C-movies. He managed to get a good cast and a good script, but completely failed this movie visually and with it's pacing. I also can't let João Fernandes, the cinematographer, get away without taking some blame. You might recognize his name from being DP on Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, The Prowler, and a few Chuck Norris action movies. Here he is working under the alias Raoul Lomas. It's like he wanted to hide his name after this failed attempt--on a Stephen King license, no doubt. I know he's a competent DP, and he gets some moments to shine (like the above posted GIF), and it seems like they wanted to try for a natural lighting scheme, but he looks like he hasn't shook the roots from his beginnings in pornography here. It all looks flat, bland, and many of the shot compositions are amateurish. Where's the remake? Or did one of the numerous sequels already deliver us a good Children of the Corn? I know there have been other, more interesting adaptations already. Not Recommended! Side note: I thought that the male lead, Peter Horton, was actually Steven Weber, a Steven King adaptation regular. Movies Seen: Hell House, LLC | Dagon | The Bird With the Crystal Plumage | Critters 2 | Serial Mom | Monster Squad | The Neon Demon | Motel Hell | Vampyr | Possession | Under The Skin | Martyrs | The Curse of the Werewolf | The Old Dark House | Children of the Corn Total: 15 Fran Challenges:
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Oct 1, 2018 13:07
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I'm in for this challenge, hoping to complete it for the first time! I have tried in the past and haven't made it past around 19 but I'm going for it. ----- 01. Terrifier (2017)  Terrifier is not a good movie by any stretch of the imagination. Other than the design and performance of Art the Clown (I did appreciate how he was completely mute) and I guess some of the practical effects there's not much going on here. I don't think I could name any of the characters (who exist seemingly just to be killed/mutilated) and the plot is almost non-existant. I'm surprised this got so much love from those who reviewed it earlier. 1/5
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Oct 1, 2018 13:13
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Happy First of October! Did someone say spooky dance party?  Do you like listening to music while you decide which film to watch or when you write your reviews? Give Franchescanado's Halloween All Year playlist a try. It's made up of songs that are good all year long, but are perfect for the Halloween season. (Even though it's a spotify playlist, it should be free to listen to.) This is the best Twitter account: https://twitter.com/HalloweenCounts/status/1046610669213274112
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Oct 1, 2018 13:20
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Franchescanado posted:Do you like listening to music while you decide which film to watch or when you write your reviews? Give Franchescanado's Halloween All Year playlist a try. It's made up of songs that are good all year long, but are perfect for the Halloween season. (Even though it's a spotify playlist, it should be free to listen to.) This rules, thanks! May I suggest some more songs that I have on my (much shorter) Halloween list? Call me the Wolfman - The Hi-Risers Batman, Wolfman, Frankstein or Dracula - The Diamonds He’s Back (The Man Behind the Mask) - Alice Cooper Vampire Twist - Brave Combo I Don’t Wanna Go Down to the Basement - Ramones
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Oct 1, 2018 13:35
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gey muckle mowser posted:This rules, thanks! May I suggest some more songs that I have on my (much shorter) Halloween list? Absolutely. I'll add these. If anyone else wants to recommend me some tunes to add, please DM me or hit me up on Discord, so as not to clutter this thread up with too much awesome music. I appreciate any/every suggestion. (Except for Feed My Frankenstein by Alice Cooper. I hate that song.)
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Oct 1, 2018 13:38
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7/31 Rob Zombie is one of the more controversial directors in the Something Awful horror community, his Halloween remake especially. He's a real love-it-or-hate-it guy, with your opinion varying widely depending on your personal preference in horror. Having not watched a Rob Zombie movie in full before but having watched the first four of the original series, I'm coming in with a fresh view on him. The film sets itself apart from the first seconds. Whereas Carpenter quickly created a simple synth and piano soundtrack in a few days, Rob Zombie's version opens with a Texas Chain Saw Massacre-style combination of dark orchestral strings and industrial noises, followed by the title slamming in almost like a jump scare itself. From there, "God of Thunder" by KISS begins playing as we open up on a grungy home on Halloween. It's immediately apparent that the man who made himself famous with White Zombie and solo songs like "Dragula" and "Living Dead Girl" is in charge and putting his own stamp on things. While Carpenter's theme remains, the deep synth backing to the distinctive piano keys has a crunchier tone deepened by more synth strings. The grunge is what sets this film apart, and is one of the things that attracts a lot of criticism. The original Halloween is so clean as to be virtually sterile, from the 1970s suburbs with manicured lawns and perfectly blowing leaves to the simple score and Michael Myers' plain white mask and navy boilersuit. There's even a minimum of blood. Zombie, on the other hand, seems in every film like he'd rather be shooting a Texas Chain Saw Massacre remake. Myers lives in a home where greasy rednecks drunkenly threaten to skullfuck each other over breakfast and he wears his hair long and keeps pet rats. His iconic mask is kept buried under the floorboards until he reaches adulthood, making him look like he crawled out of a grave. Speaking of his parents, this is another controversial part of the remake. The original simply says "Michael Myers is pure evil" and that's it. Later films would start going crazy with druid magic to try and explain why he keeps resurrecting with super strength and tries to kill everyone he sees, but Myers has very little characterization and his family life is perfectly normal. The intention is to show how there was no trigger to turn Michael Myers into a killer: a young boy in a completely normal suburban Illinois family became a sociopathic monster for no apparent reason. The remake, on the other hand, shows Michael as coming from an insanely violent and abusive home. He's either turned into a psychopath or has it aggravated by the abuse he suffers from his family and school bullies, leading to a killing spree that puts him in a mental hospital to break out of later. Michael Myers is no longer "The Shape". He's not an inhuman embodiment of evil. He's a very real sort of killer with plenty of dialogue and F-bombs (at least as a child) Setting aside the controversial changes, we come to the actual meat of it: is this a good horror movie? I don't think it's that awesome. Laurie is an extremely weak character who spends most of her time under threat screaming, flailing, and crying while only making one or two proactive choices beyond running away. Most of the other characters, as is typical for Rob Zombie, are assholes. However, there are moments of good work. True to the original, Michael often lurks in the background without having attention called to him. While bloodier than the original, it's not overdone or gratuitous. The atmosphere really starts to improve once the adult Michael makes it to Haddonfield and gets his mask. What makes it most interesting is that it's one of the very few horror movies to actually make the villain its main character. We see more of Michael than anyone else in the movie, even after he dons the mask and stops speaking. His discovery of Laurie is shown from his perspective rather than hers. While some argue that it takes the mystery out of it, I found that it added an unusual amount of complexity to what is otherwise a one-dimensional slasher villain. We also get the opportunity to disagree with Loomis: was Michael always an empty-souled psychopath destined to become The Shape, or did his abusive household and the stress of being locked in a mental institution rob him of any opportunity to be better? Does he truly have no sense of morality or capability for love, or does he show legitimate affection for his baby sister and kill because he knows no other way of dealing with people he doesn't like? While not great, Rob Zombie's Halloween provides an excellent basis for a sequel where he no longer has to be worried about being tied down to the common sense of a "remake". chitoryu12 fucked around with this message at 17:29 on Oct 7, 2018 |
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Oct 1, 2018 13:44
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gey muckle mowser posted:Blade 2 rules actually, I mean it’s not on the same level as much of del Toro’s stuff but it’s great dumb fun and waaaay better then Mimic in my book The first half of Blade 2 rules. The second half is terrible.
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Oct 1, 2018 14:04
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Let's get this party started #1. Ravenous (1999) (commanded by Ramadu) A team of soldiers manning a California fort in the 19th century find a haggard man who tells a harrowing tale of his own survival, that has great and terrible impact on the men in the days to come. For years this has been a guilty blindspot in my viewing history, and I regret it's taken this long for me to see it. It's an immaculate movie, full of atmosphere, great acting, top notch music, and a strange way about it of directing where the violence comes quick but never seems expected or even accented by the music, keeping the viewer constantly off-kilter. It's an amazing movie, and definitely recommended. out of Five#2. Ghost Stories (2018) A famous TV paranormal debunker has presented to him three cases by his lifelong idol that were never solvable, and tasked with getting to the bottom of things. These seemingly normal instances prove to be anything but. This one wasn't bad at all, though I suspect that Martin Freeman being one of the stars had much to do with its notice in most circles. For the most part, I'd say it's a very by-the-book spooky story film, and the third act feels very rushed together. That said, it's not BAD, just not really groundbreaking in any way. out of Five
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Oct 1, 2018 14:46
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LET SCREAMTOBER BEGIN
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Oct 1, 2018 15:32
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| # ? Jun 6, 2024 15:45 |
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 5. Terrifier-2017: 8/10 Pretty much know what you're getting with this one, some great gore gags and a pretty cool killer. Luckily those two things are enough and this is quite a bit better than other movies like it (like Laid to Rest which this reminded me most of).
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Oct 1, 2018 15:48
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