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Horror Films

brownmane said:
Yummy (2019 Flemish Dutch). Painful to watch. It couldn't decide if it was to be a zombie horror/comedy or horror and attained none. Lots of splatter gore effects and all of the zombie tropes. Supposed funny scenes (maybe, I couldn't tell) come off as just plain nasty. Reminded me of torture porn like Hostel (didn't like it). I did watch it to the end only because I'd already started it. 3/10. On Shudder Tv.
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I do that too, very rarely do I stop a film because I'm not enjoying it, even though I probably should. Mind you, I couldn't last with The Devil All the Time on Netflix this week, a friend loves the book so I gave the film a go, but it was just men being horrible and women being doormats. Maybe it was missold as a horror movie, but I couldn't be bothered with it.
 
GNC said:
I do that too, very rarely do I stop a film because I'm not enjoying it, even though I probably should. Mind you, I couldn't last with The Devil All the Time on Netflix this week, a friend loves the book so I gave the film a go, but it was just men being horrible and women being doormats. Maybe it was missold as a horror movie, but I couldn't be bothered with it.
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I have walked out on some movies or stopped watching a DVD. I left "Field of Dreams" - spoiler - a story about building a baseball diamond in middle of cornfield, I've walked out of another that I can't even remember the name of. When I'm sitting watching a bad movie, I now ask myself (usually after giving it 1/2 hour to get going) "if I have only 1 hour left to live, would I rather spend it watching this movie, or enjoying a cup of coffee?" Life is too short. A really bad movie loses every time to good coffee:). "Yummy" that I mentioned above did have good special effects, but they were definitely overused. So I managed to finish it.
 
The trouble is, there are some films that take a while to warm up and their last half hour can be the best part. Your coffee rule is good, but if I'm half an hour in and couldn't care less what happens to any of the characters I seriously think about giving up. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Usually, I'm optimistic, and I also am careful to choose something that at least has a low level of interest, but you can't always trust your own instincts!
 
brownmane said:
I have walked out on some movies or stopped watching a DVD. I left "Field of Dreams" - spoiler - a story about building a baseball diamond in middle of cornfield, I've walked out of another that I can't even remember the name of. When I'm sitting watching a bad movie, I now ask myself (usually after giving it 1/2 hour to get going) "if I have only 1 hour left to live, would I rather spend it watching this movie, or enjoying a cup of coffee?" Life is too short. A really bad movie loses every time to good coffee:). "Yummy" that I mentioned above did have good special effects, but they were definitely overused. So I managed to finish it.
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Field of Dreams isn't that bad, it's just very sentimental and a really slow mover. It also requires you to engage a bit with people who love baseball.
I have to say, there are a few films I've seen that left me a bit unhappy at the end. I always like to see a good ending - perhaps I'm a bit old-fashioned or something.
 
#Horror (2015): From the opening scenes it's obvious that this is going to be some sort of a Slasher flick. But it's more, a social satire, a tale of real life bullying as well as cyber-bullying. Just to make things interesting the house in which six young girls are having a sleepover was the scene of a mass killing by a crazed artist 50 years before. Then add in an addictive Social Media game and you have most of the ingredients for a good horror thriller. But the father of one of the girls is a deranged doctor, the mad artist's body was never found and the sleepover degenerates into a girls version of Lord Of The Flies. Perhaps there is too much going on in this film for things to really gel. Still it's quite watchable with a few shocks, most of the horror is psychological though. Written & Directed by Tara Subkoff. 6/10.
 
The Devil's Doorway: A found footage dark horror tale. 1960, two priests are sent to investigate reports of a miracle at a Magdalene Laundry. The younger priest, Fr Thornton (Ciaran Flynn), films their work. Fr Riley (Lalor Roddy) the senior cleric has 25 years experience as a miracle auditor and has grown cynical, Thornton still hopes to uncover proof. The priests clash with the brutal Mother Superior (Helena Breen) over the treatment of the inmates and at night Thornton is disturbed by visions of children playing, apparent ghosts. Things quickly turn stranger as the priests discover the nuns are hiding a dark secret, a pregnant girl (Lauren Coe) imprisoned in the basement. Possession, Satanic Worship and savage violence are the themes which run through this film. But as Fr Riley points out the evil carried out by people is often far worse than any supernatural threats. The history of the Magdalene Laundries bears witness to this. A disturbing film which makes the most of a low budget. Some great scenes shot in underground tunnels. Convincing performances by Roddy, Flynn, Coe and Breen). Directed and co-written by Aislinn Clarke. Available at https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-devils-doorway until 3 October. 7/10.
 
I watched Eli Roths 2016 remake of the 1980s Green Inferno on horror channel other night.
Lots of bad reviews online, but I thought it was well done and enjoyed it. American college students go to the Amazon to protest logging camps , run into cannablistic tribe.

The original 80s one is on YouTube , also known as Cannabil holocaust, thought that one was awful . A well known video nasty when it was released and banned in many country's, I can see why, real animal killings , rapes and the Americans were awful people, glad to see them get eaten TBH. .

A rare case of the remake been better.
 
Mythopoeika said:
Field of Dreams isn't that bad, it's just very sentimental and a really slow mover. It also requires you to engage a bit with people who love baseball.
I have to say, there are a few films I've seen that left me a bit unhappy at the end. I always like to see a good ending - perhaps I'm a bit old-fashioned or something.
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I'm not a sports fan. I don't remember if I even knew what it was about at the time. I did enjoy "A League of Their Own". Funny and a great cast.
I definitely don't like sentimentality nor romance only in a film.
 
Medium (1985): The Free City of Danzig (Gdansk), 1933, shortly after the Nazis have won control of the city government. An eager young Nazi Detective Sergeant is intent on replacing his DI. The DI is a tad disheveled and has taken to sleeping on the beach, drinking too much and having memory lapses. That's the most mundane thing in this film though. A powerful Medium (Mage) is performing a Ritual, bringing people together to reenact events which occurred in the past. A dark film but not all of the darkness comes from the Occult elements, the Nazis are consolidating power and their Brownshirts control the streets. Some gruesome scenes and plenty of psychological horror as the Inspector, with the assistance of lesser psychics, attempts to comprehend the mysterious events which are taking place. Writer/Director Jacek Koprowicz delivers a worthy addition to the Polish Horror Film Canon. On Netflix. 8/10.
 
Visions: After a car accident a couple, Eveleigh and David relocate to a vineyard in California. At a welcoming party Eveleigh notices one of the guests acting as if possessed. She then starts to have strange visions of a hooded figure and bloody scenes. Poltergeist effects occur and she's pushed through a window by a mannequin. Typical haunted house horror/mystery but with an interesting plot twist. Some disturbing scenes of an average nature. A bit uneven paced but the tension does ratchet up for the final 20 minutes. Directed by Kevin Greutert and written by Lucas Sussman. Showing again on the Horror Channel on Thursday 1 October at 11.10 pm. 6/10.
 
Can recommend Becky to old school slasher fans, the twist is that Becky is the slasher - and she's a 13 year old girl! Going nutzoid on a group of neo-Nazi prison-breakers! Has some pretty unimpressed reviews, but Mark Kermode liked it and I agree, this is very entertaining if you get the joke (it's kind of a black comedy, I suppose it would have to be).
 
There's a new The Craft movie coming out. I enjoyed the original, judging from the trailer the new one will be quite bland. They use a quote from the original in the trailer, the delivery shows how it's really a pale imitation.
 
Xanatic* said:
There's a new The Craft movie coming out. I enjoyed the original, judging from the trailer the new one will be quite bland. They use a quote from the original in the trailer, the delivery shows how it's really a pale imitation.
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Yes, I hope they don't water it down.
The original was pretty good, I thought. Fairuza Balk was exceptional as a 'bad girl'.
 
Anyone seen Gretel and Hansel with the IT girl (so to speak)? I liked it, and it's whetted my appetite for arty horror, so this looks good to me:

New Britflick with a horror theme called Rose: A Love Story. Not out yet, though.
 
sherbetbizarre said:
No, but I want to... is it on Prime?
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It is! Looked fantastic on my TV, really atmospheric. I had a look at the IMDB and a lot of people were calling it boring, but I didn't find that, though it does take its time. Gets good and freaky in places.
 
The Temple: Another film about vengeful and angry ghosts. Mostly told in flashbacks, the only survivor of a trio of Americans who went to visit a remote Temple in Japan is questioned, seriously injured he is in an oxygen tent. The trio were warned, in a curio shop in a bar, by a village resident to avoid the Temple but of course they went to it. This Temple is protected by Werefox statue which comes to life. Not great but some good scenes of the Werefox, a hand rising and pulling someone through a wooden floor; ghosts rising and maiming people. Good sense of dread, especially in underground shots. Interesting plot twist. Worth watching. Directed by Michael Barrett, written by Simon Barrett. On Netflix. 6/10.
 
Any love for CLEARCUT (1991)?
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Grahame Greene from DANCE WITH WOLVES gives the performance of his life as an native Canadian who may be crazy, wise, or even possessed by a spirit when he kidnaps two white men in a bid to stop logging on his land. Stars off like a thriller & by the end goes into very dark (and gory) places indeed. Wonderfully cryptic and sure to start arguments . It was good enough to be attacked by a native political chief as "irresponsible" because he feared ecologists & native radicals might copy it. Never released on English DVD, but I've seen it on social media.
 
The Babysitter: Killer Queen: Two years after his clash with the Satanic Cult, Cole (Judah Lewis) is in High School. No one believes his tales of that night, Melanie (Emily Alyn Lind), wisely keeps quiet about the whole thing. Cole has to see the school therapist/nurse and his parents want to send him to a special school. His complicated relationship with Melanie continues, she now has a boyfriend, Jimmy (Maximilian Acevedo), but still invites Cole along to a lake party on Jimmy's uncles's boat. A new Satanic Cult emerges and along with the resurrected old team sacrifice a victim. Cole escapes from their clutches with the help of Pheobe (Jenny Ortega), a new bad ass girl in his class who has an Alice In Wonderland fixation. You get death by decapitation,real flamethrower, homemade flamethrower, boat hook, machete. There are some good in references to Cape Fear, Deliverance etc. Very much a slapstick comedy horror but there are some dark moments. Not up to the standard of the original (maybe too many wacky characters) but we get the origin stories of the original Cult and it's certainly worth watching. Directed and Co-Written by McG. On Netflix. 6/10.
 
Vampires VS. The Bronx - in a bid to save the neighbourhood from rampant gentrification, three kids discover the properties have been purchased by a bunch of nasty vampires... first stop on fighting back, they rent out Blade! Sort of a kids movie, with humour, but also some blood and gang violence (a clip from Blade would make this a "15" alone). Wu-Tang's Method Man plays an unlikely Priest! On Netflix 7/10
 
Watched the original Tales from the Crypt a couple of days ago, it's watchable but not very good. The five protagonists (antagonists?) are gathered because they have done some wrong but the man in the third or fourth segment who dies because his wife has wished for money doesn't seem to have done anything wrong, he's squandered his wealth but he's not a murderer or inhumane monster like final guy. He also gets the cruellest/most OTT/most hilarious treatment in his segment. I quite liked the "trying to outwit the monkeys paw" idea but it was just hilarious how things started stacking up and getting worse.
 
sherbetbizarre said:
Vampires VS. The Bronx - in a bid to save the neighbourhood from rampant gentrification, three kids discover the properties have been purchased by a bunch of nasty vampires... first stop on fighting back, they rent out Blade! Sort of a kids movie, with humour, but also some blood and gang violence (a clip from Blade would make this a "15" alone). Wu-Tang's Method Man plays an unlikely Priest! On Netflix 7/10
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I quite enjoyed this, against my expectations. It's quite playful with vampire lore while still recognising what's gone before.
 
Ogdred Weary said:
Watched the original Tales from the Crypt a couple of days ago, it's watchable but not very good. The five protagonists (antagonists?) are gathered because they have done some wrong but the man in the third or fourth segment who dies because his wife has wished for money doesn't seem to have done anything wrong, he's squandered his wealth but he's not a murderer or inhumane monster like final guy. He also gets the cruellest/most OTT/most hilarious treatment in his segment. I quite liked the "trying to outwit the monkeys paw" idea but it was just hilarious how things started stacking up and getting worse.
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There's something very Old Testament about the morality of the Amicus anthology horrors - we're all guilty of something, and we will all be punished. Hence the fear factor.
 
Selfie From Hell: Bit of a mishmash with a confused script. Shadowy creatures intrude on Selfies and Vids, even attack people, leaving them in comas. But the coma-stricken still send emails, even vids! Also involves Red Rooms and Black Rooms on the Dark Net. Acting isn't bad and the effects and cinematography are ok, especially the lighting. Some disturbing scenes, real horror! Remember:be careful of giving out personal info on the Dark Net! Written & Directed by Erdal Ceylan. Showing again on the Horror Channel, 15th October at 11.00 PM. 5/10.
 
Knuckleball: Dark family secrets are uncovered in this cross between The Shining, Home Alone and Deliverance. Twelve year old Henry is left with his grandfather on an isolated farm as his parents head off from the weekend. Things are grim from the start, his mother admits to her partner that her mother actually committed suicide. Henry soon finds a dead dog under a tarpaulin and is ambushed by a feral cat. Then grandpa dies. Oh and there's a full scale Canadian snow storm settling in as well. To lighten the mood Henry then comes in contact with a psycho, Dixon, who is intent on harming. A life and death game of cat and mouse ensues. Scenes of extreme violence ensue as the mouse reveals that he isn't easy prey but others fall victim to the psycho. The weather is very much a protagonist in this tale as lack of shelter means a swift death Nothing too original about Knuckleball but it's a good horror thriller with convincing performances by Luca Vilacis as Henry and Munro Chambers as Dixon (a nuanced psycho); Michael Ironside takes the grandpa role beyond the bounds of curmudgeon. Directed/Co-Written by Michael Peterson. On the Horror Channel, 7/10.
 
The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Watched it again, the eerie old house, the thirteen cats, the cynical DA picking an uber-religious ADA to prosecute. The "hungry" defence lawyer who wants to be a partner in her law firm.The priest who won't take a plea deal over the exorcism which went wrong. Apart from any possession the Devil's work is being done by the legal profession! The story unfolds in flashbacks and court testimony. At times it looks as if the devil is taking a hand in the trial. Good possession scenes which don't always relt on heavy effects. A disturbing film but satisfying and entertaining if you're a horror fan. Directed and Co-Written by Scott Derrickson. On the Horror Channel. 8/10
 
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