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Showing posts from October, 2012

Evil Dead 2 (1987) - Sam Raimi

Evil Dead 2 is a classic in the horror genre. It is a treat to sit back and watch someone like Sam Raimi sit behind the camera and create such entertaining and fantastical storyline. Credit's due where credit is due I guess. Bruce Campbell carries this movie the entire way. He IS this movie. The entire first half of the film is just Campbell working by himself. He pulls it off with such gusto. Bruce Campbell IS Ashley Williams, no matter how good this new remake looks . Remember, I wrote this before that remake had come out yet. Anyway, Evil Dead 2 only serves as an improvement to the already stellar and familiar Evil Dead franchise. This movie doesn't compete in anyway and it doesn't need to try. It is a classic through and through.  This movie starts things off in a really interesting manner. It just completely retcon's the entire first movie... well not entirely. The first movie has to do with a group of young adults, going up to a cabin to have a good time.

Martyrs (2008) - Pascal Laugier

Martyrs is an Ultra-Violent revenge horror film from France that really pushes the ultra-violent edge and leaves you cringing in your seat. It asks the question what is beyond our realm of existence? What happens to us after we die?  The word torture porn gets thrown around a lot in horror these days. Case in point Saw and Hostel. Those movies have an excessive amount of gore and the storyline works right along with it. This movie is all about torture, all the way through. Our main character is tortured the entire film, even when she isn't physically tortured her emotions are toyed with.  Our main character gets dragged into a place that she didn't want to be in, all for being "The Good-Guy". Classic tale of wrong place at the wrong time, only this time the emotion is much more. The story revolves around an evil corporation or cult of old people that are looking to answer some questions about their own mortality. They find these young women and p

The Last Exorcism (2010) - Daniel Stamm

The Last Exorcism isn't very adventurous in the genre. You can pretty much surmise what happens without watching it. Priest gets a call about a girl that is possessed, its always a girl for some reason. The priest comes, he is usually disillusioned. He preforms an exorcism that pulls the devil out into the real world. In just about every single one of these movies, the person that is possessed is always claiming possession by Lucifer himself. The possession is always dismissed and then returned upon.  This movie was also bitten by the found footage bug that has been haunting horror for sometime now. Thanks Blair Witch Project. The film follows a disillusioned priest that starts preforming exorcisms as a way to show that there is no God. Of course he is proven wrong, just look at the poster for the movie. It doesn't matter. The plot is inconsequential, you are watching this movie to figure out why we are seeing the found footage. Folks. I don't know why you are

Psycho (1960) - Alfred Hitchcock

The iconic, terrifying, and original Alfred Hitchcock tale of a man and his mother. This is more than just your usual horror movie. Psycho is Hitchcock's vision on murderous real-life killers like Ed Gein or Albert Fish. Or at least his interpretation of the novel.  The casting was an enormous task for Hitchcock that went was adamant about his choices. Anthony Perkins is fantastic. Norman Bates transformed killers in movies. Hell, it transformed what the public thought of those around them.  could be just about anyone that I could know. The killer wasn't adorned in some fantastic costume. He was just a neighbor kid. He looked perfectly normal. Such a great job of bluffing the viewer, that is unless you are watching this movie already knowing the twist. Then its not much of a surprise. Psycho follows a young woman that turns up missing after stealing a large amount of cash and disappearing from a out of the way motel. The number one suspect is Norman Bates, a young uns

Duel (1971) - Steven Spielberg

A lot of people out there might just look at the title and think that Duel doesn't belong in the horror movie area. I have a different view on the subject, obviously. Duel is scary as shit to me. I hate driving on the freeways and passing a trucker. Those "cowboys" of the highway are all hopped up on goofballs, they could run you right off the road and not even know they did it. Crazy. That is like one of my fears.  This is Steven Spielberg's first theatrical film, written by Richard Matheson and based on his short story. If that isn't enough to get you to see it then maybe the plot will. The movie is about a guy that is on his way home from a business trip and runs afoul of a menacing and ugly diesel tanker truck. The truck stalks our hero the entire film and squares off with him on numerous accounts. The most recent movie that I could tie this in with would be Joy Ride from 1997.  The movie dose a good job of solidly setting you up and getting you to r

[rec] (2007) - Jaume BalaguerĂ³

Found footage horror movies are the newest genre and this is one of many that helped usher in that genre. The draw here isn't gore or jump scares, but it does have plenty of that. The draw here is being put into the cameraman's shoes. You are first hand for all of the madness that occurs. The only thing that takes you out of it is the subtitles. The movie is in Spanish but it does have English subtitles. The movie starts out by introducing our main heroine for the film. She is a news reporter and we are watching her filming a segment at a local fire department. She follows them around the station, seeing how things work during the overnight shift. She even gets to go on a call with them. A call that has them responding to an old woman that is trapped in her apartment. When they are in the apartment complex, they are shut in and told that they are under quarantine. Now this news reporter and a handful of firefighters have to survive the night with virus Zombies running ar

Idle Hands (1999) - Rodman Flender

Idle Hands is a dark horror/comedy. It's a good send off to the teen movies of the nineties. It features an almost timeless soundtrack and quintessential nineties cast all playing high-school students. The movie has tons of cameos and plays out in a really fun and unique tale.  A demon that only possesses the laziest human being, has targeted a young stoner that just made the realization that all he does is watch TV all day with no ambition. The demon takes control of his hand and begins murdering people. Parents, Friends, Girls... errp. His hand has to be stopped. If you want to have some fun this year then this is the movie to watch. This is more of a comedy movie in horror movie clothing. It brings you some really big laughs, and some really gory scenes. The movie does have its drawbacks. It is really unbelievable and cheesy, most of the time that is ironic so it is pretty funny. However, other times it is misleading and just cheesy. That comes in the form of poorly deli

1408 (2007) - Mikael HĂ¥fström

This is a creepy movie through and through. It follows a haunted house-type storyline. However, it offers a fresh approach to the genre. Rather than having an entity to deal with or some ghosts to spook our hero, he has to survive the night in an evil room.  Our hero, Mike Enslin, is a depressed and bored ghost hunter that pens successful books on the subject of creepy attractions across the world. His writing leads him to the beautiful Dolphin Hotel in the overly cramped New York City. The Dolphin Hotel is notorious for the fifty six mysterious deaths that have all taken place in room 1408. Get it. 1 + 4 = 5 + 8 = 13. Riveting. The manager of the hotel pleads with Mike not to stay in the room. But of course he stays. Why wouldn't he.  This movie differs from other haunted house movies in a pretty big way. The manager says that there are no ghosts or demons. It is just an evil fucking room. This is scary on many levels. Firstly you are playing by the room's rules.

Tales from the Crypt (1972) - Freddie Francis

Tales from the Crypt brings the EC Comic publication to the big screen in a decent anthology horror movie. Just like in the comic books you are presented these stories by the Crypt Keeper. Not as cool or grotesque looking as the Crypt Keeper that most will remember, but creepy none the less. The main storyline follows a group of people that are on a tour of the Crypts in Britain. They get lost and wander into a strange room and are introduced to our host. He presents each of them with a tale. ...And all through the house.  This is the cream of the crop. A escaped, psychotic, mental patient is stalking a woman that had just killed her husband in her house. It is christmas time and naturally the mental patient is wearing a Santa suit. This is the scariest of the movie. The actor playing the escapee did a great job. He was really frightening. Reflection of Death A man that is leaving his family for his mistress  is haunted by a mysterious nightmare that prophesies his own deat

Phantasm (1979) - Don Coscarelli

Phantasm is a very creative horror movie that draws on original content from director Don Coscarelli. He had such huge ideas that it filled over three hours worth of footage. Much of which is now lost forever, but some has popped up in Director's Cuts of the movie. The film sets it focus on a new antagonist, The Tall Man. Angus Skrimm portrays the Tall Man, a ghoulish undertaker that is stealing bodies from the local cemetery and creating mindless dwarf zombies out of them. No one in the town knows about this and it is unclear how long it has been going on. However, a young boy witnesses the Tall Man and investigates him, much to his own horror. This movie has a really good storyline to it and it is one of the main draws of the film. The movie also has some really sweet visuals that were obviously creepy in its day. The tools that the Tall Man utilizes are all creative and astounding. The mystery that surrounds the Tall Man creates an unknown horror around him that su

Man From Deep River (1972) - Umberto Lenzi

Disgusting. This movie is gross. Man From Deep River, aka Sacrifice!, aka Il paese del sesso selvaggio, aka Deep River Savages is a disgusting cannibal exploitation grind-house film from Italy. This is my first viewing of the genre. It turned my stomach pretty badly. There are senseless scenes of animals meeting their demise in front of the camera. It is like a snuff film based in animalia. The plot of this piece revolves around a British photographer that is taken in by a tribe somewhere in the jungles of Thailand. He eats monkey brains. Witnesses the mutilation of various animals including Pigs, Alligators, and Snakes. It is only a matter of time before the cannibalism kicks in and the tribe that he is with eats a young woman. The story moves pretty slowly and is hampered by terrible audio and forgettable shots. For a great deal of the film our main character witnesses animals being killed and then retreats for veracious love making with his tribal bride, then right back to an

Lord of Illusions (1995) - Clive Barker

At one time during the nineties, directors tried to recreate the film noir style. David Lynch, Alex Proyas, and Clive Barker are the directors that come to mind right off of the bat. They did such good work and helped usher in neo noir.  Lord of Illusions is based on one of Clive Barkers stories from The Books of Blood, The Last Illusion. This story follows detective Harry D'Amore (Scott Bakula) as he is following the case of a cult created by illusionists Nix and Swan. D'Amore gets mixed up in a world of lust, intrigue, murder, and magic. The cultists and Nix are pretty scary. However, the crude effects take you out of the movie at several occasions. This could actually benefit from a remake, but I don't think its gonna happen.  Barker does a great job of making this movie a "nod" to the noir films of yesteryear. The heavy shadows and Bakula's tough as nails detective really make for a fantastic combination. The added magic element makes for the r

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) - Eli Craig

Lately there have been some really good satirical horror films. Of course I am talking about Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (which will be from now on known as; TDv.E), and Cabin in the Woods. I am going to start things off by recommending this movie to anyone that likes Cabin in the Woods. Both of these movies take a really huge leap with the genre. This movie particular, is slightly predictable. At least at first. It's smart like that. It leads you on and then switches gears on you and it does it so well.  Eli Craig and Morgan Jurgenson did a fantastic job penning this movie. It is so well written and just a fantastic movie all around. I had a great time. Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk carried the movie all the way to the very end. They were the best duo, I really want to see something else with them. If this entire team could do another movie I would be a very happy camper.  The plot is so original. It is a breath of fresh air in a world full of horribly smogged over regurgi

The Fog (1980) - John Carpenter

The Fog is really short, both on entertainment and time. The movie feels like it just builds, and builds, and builds. However, nothing is ever really achieved. The antagonist is too vague. You never really know what the antagonist is, zombies, pirates, zombie pirates? There are too many questions that the movie leaves you with. It also feels as if it is rushed, and the run time seems to be a bit short. The stars are a-plenty in this freak fest. Jamie Lee Curtis makes an appearance, this is during her scream queen era. Also joining the cast are Adrienne Barbeau, Janet Leigh, and Halloween III's Tom Atkins. Atkins really made his way around the horror movie circuit in the 80's. He was pretty popular. This is the third movie that I reviewed with Tom Atkins in it. It doesn't fare much better than Halloween III. Creepshow blows this one out of the water.  The plot of this movie is pretty simple. Really simple in fact. This next paragraph has spoilers. So don't re

Cat People (1942) - Jacques Tourneur

Cat People is an awesome film noir style horror film that has to do with some pretty heavy problems for its day. It was made during World War II, which was a crazy time for America and a crazy time to be making a horror film. The movie has to do with a young girl that believes she comes from this rare race of Serbians that can turn into cats. Not like house cats, but like full grown leopards and the like. The movie is highly stylized and very uniquely shot. It has some really fantastic scenes that are creative and compelling. I am not a fan of anamorphic movies, films where the main villain turns into an Animal type thing just don't do it for me. However, this movie is very clever about its transformation. The effects are subtle and heavily shadowed to protect the charm of the story. Film noir is a fantastic medium to present these types of movies. The acting in the movie is very well done Simone Simon does a great job as our helpless anamorphic and Kent Smith does a great job as

Insidious (2010) - James Wan

Insidious is a creepy haunted house nu-age horror film that plays with the same type of terror that a found footage film would have. The scares are a mix of spooky terror and jump shots, it does a good job holding your interest the entire film. The acting is not the worst, but it does show the limitations that a tight budget would have. The film is a haunted house type movie in the way that Paranormal Activity is. Very slight almost subliminal terrors await in just about every scene. It sets a really good pace. The source of the evil in the house comes from a comatose young boy that came in contact with the evil first. The movie mixes elements of different inspired stories. One that comes to mind first is the Twilight Zone episode Little Girl Lost. In that episode a young girl is lost in a different dimension. She is pulled back into the real world by her father, who ventures into the dimension to save her. This movie carries a lot of the same elements and uses them out-ri

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010) - Tod Williams

Like the first movie; Paranormal Activity 2 is a very slow paced horror film, that rewards you for waiting through some really dull scenes. You literally stare at the screen and wait for something to happen, then a chair moves across the floor less than a foot. If you want to see a fast-paced high intensity killer, that chops his victims up and comes back every holiday to kill teenage girls. This movie isn't for you.  This movie is a prequel to the horror movie hit, Paranormal Activity, that takes place a few months prior to the beginning of that title. The movie deals with the same demon as the first film only this time we get more information on why the demon has attached itself to these girls. In this movie the demon is interested in abducting or killing this families first-born son. The demon constantly harasses the mother in this movie, the sister of our lead from the first movie. There is a ton of paranormal activity, I should say. The movie goes the usual path of seq

Poltergeist (1982) - Tobe Hooper

Poltergeist was, at one time a creepy and scary film. I remember watching it, at a young age and being really scared. Throughout the years, the film has lost a great deal of its luster and hasn't held up really well against the more intense horror flicks. That standing, this is a really solid movie about realistic paranormal phenomena that takes its liberties with some of the realistic aspects. Does that make any sense? Steven Spielberg is notorious for making some really, huge, and overly adventurous movies that feature a good cross section of average American life. This movie is no exception. The main characters are delivered in very average light. They are an average American family that is haunted by this entity throughout numerous movies. Even the students and doctors that survey the entity are average.  The movies plot deals with an evil ghostly entity that is terrorizing a young girl. It has opened a dimensional gate in her closet and sucked her in. Devastating h

King of the Zombies (1941) - Jean Yarbrough

King of the Zombies is a horror/comedy from 1941. Boy does it show its time. The entire movie is loaded with racial stereotypes that start to really distract you from enjoying this otherwise mediocre chuckle fest. However, they did get some good jabs and references to Nazi Germany. Low on fuel and off course, a cargo plane crash-lands while following a strange radio signal. The only inhabitants of the island are a crazy racist German doctor and his "servants". As he calls them. Jeff, one of the crew, stumbles upon zombies in the basement. However, that is only the beginning of this story. This racist German doctor is practicing voodoo! This movie is the first movie that I have reviewed from the forties. It is interesting that this movie was made while the world was in such a terrible place. I was constantly looking for the mentions of the world outside of the one that the actors had created for themselves.  That is until the main villain turns out to be a Germ

Necropolis (1987) - Bruce Hickey

Necropolis is a cheap and forgetful movie from the era that spawned countless amounts of crap. The movie has no substance and is confusing at some points. The cuts are horrible. The movie jumps around too many times. It is hard to keep up with, but it doesn't really matter. The movie doesn't provide you with anything to keep your interest. This supernatural thriller is about a killer witch that has the power of suggestion. She can literally make people do her bidding just by talking to them. Instead of having them do anything for her though, she just ends up killing them. She also has some powers over zombies? There is a scene with this witch wet-nursing a group of zombies with ectoplasm? Yeah... I don't know what for. Who cares.  The eighties is littered, literally littered with crap like this. The writer/director Bruce Hickey, never wandered into the horror genre again. This was it. There aren't any scenes that I would recommend. The best I can say is to