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Horror Films

"Ragnarok" an excellent and under rated horror - thriller. A scientist who is studied in Norse mythology and history comes across a map which leads them to a legendary Viking location in the subarctic where Norway and Finland meet. Well when they get there they are in for a very big surprise. At 1st the movie was a little slow but it picks and doesn't let y go. 9/10 (IMO).
 
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014): Another found footage horror tale which does tie in with the Franchise (eventually). A Bruja, Possession, Murder, Poltergeist effects. Not to mention a Worldwide Coven of Witches intent on summoning up Demons to mass possess their victims to ... er help them conquer the earth I guess. Some pretty savage scenes as well as levitation, people thrown about and through windows, the possessed getting super strength and other powers. Similar in some respects to Hereditary which handles the scenario in a far more effective and terrifying manner. Still, this film is well worth watching. Directed & Written by Christopher Landon. On Film4. 6/10.
 
Jim said:
"Ragnarok" an excellent and under rated horror - thriller. A scientist who is studied in Norse mythology and history comes across a map which leads them to a legendary Viking location in the subarctic where Norway and Finland meet. Well when they get there they are in for a very big surprise. At 1st the movie was a little slow but it picks and doesn't let y go. 9/10 (IMO).
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Thanks for the recommendation, thoroughly enjoyed it. Available on Prime.
 
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Jim said:
"Ragnarok" an excellent and under rated horror - thriller. A scientist who is studied in Norse mythology and history comes across a map which leads them to a legendary Viking location in the subarctic where Norway and Finland meet. Well when they get there they are in for a very big surprise. At 1st the movie was a little slow but it picks and doesn't let y go. 9/10 (IMO).
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Thank you for this review I’ve been tempted by this movie for a while but for whatever reason never pressed play! It’s now on my list!
 
ramonmercado said:
Cruel Peter: Sicily 1908, Peter is a nasty little git, his rich English mother lets him get away with anything. He slashes a servant girl's face with a razor, tortures animals, buries the dog of tenant boys alive. An incipient serial killer but one of the boys strikes back and buries Peter alive. An Earthquake strikes Messina, thousands are dead, Peter is forgotten about. The present day, a widowed English archaeologist, Norman and his troubled teen daughter Liz arrive in the city. She has interest in occult, has a crystal ball., more like an ouija board and seeks to contact her mother. Norman is excavating a Gothic cemetery when he unearths a box with items belonging to Peter. Liz has visions of Peter, while she sleeps the crystal ball whirls of its own accord. Instead of her mum she summons up cruel peter! We get poltergeist effects, personality changes, hands emerging from a sink, ghosts, local peasant superstitions, a scary caretaker, witchcraft, necromancy. The Gothic cemetery is quite impressive, especially the creepy crypts.and great cinematography, mostly in dark or shadows.A slow paced and moody Gothic tale which doesn't quite achieve everything it apparently sets out to but certainly a passable horror film. 6/10. On Netflix
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Just out of interest Ramon, the leading actor in this movie occasionally plays in my cricket team and I had a chat with him over a beer last night.
 
GNC said:
Edgar Wright's latest, Last Night in Soho, drops a teaser:

Now that looks... pretty great, actually.
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I've got huge respect for Edgar Wright ever since SPACED .. I'm looking forward to watching this.
 
Devil's Prey (2020): An Angel and a Demon battle over the soul of a serial killer. Some good acting by the serial killer, angel and demon but bad acting by the earthly detective trying to track down the murderer. Crows are used to good effect as are the ghosts of the killer's past victims. His visions and hallucinations add to the weirdness Might have been a better film if the budget had been bigger. Written & Directed by Lincoln Casimir. On Prime. 5/10.
 
Another from Shudder: Caveat, which I'm seeing described as a Irish horror film, though the IMDB says it's British, presumably thanks to the intricacies of funding. Anyway, it was made in Ireland, and though it runs out of steam eventually, this has one of the strongest atmospheres of dread I've seen in a horror for a while. You can practically smell it!

Oh yeah, it's about a drifter who goes to babysit his friend's niece in an old mansion, not realising he has to be chained up to do so. And then there's a drumming rabbit (a monkey with cymbals not available, obvs).
 
GNC said:
Another from Shudder: Caveat, which I'm seeing described as a Irish horror film, though the IMDB says it's British, presumably thanks to the intricacies of funding. Anyway, it was made in Ireland, and though it runs out of steam eventually, this has one of the strongest atmospheres of dread I've seen in a horror for a while. You can practically smell it!

Oh yeah, it's about a drifter who goes to babysit his friend's niece in an old mansion, not realising he has to be chained up to do so. And then there's a drumming rabbit (a monkey with cymbals not available, obvs).
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Just watched this meself, right up Twigs alley. Solid film which actually dosent leave many unanswered huh moments. Apart from the rabbits.
 
Outpost (2008): A bunker in war torn Eastern Europe, a mystery, Undead. But this isn't your typical Zombie movie, it's a different type of Revenant. A scientist hires a group of mercenaries to escort him across a battle zoe. They reach a bunker and things turn strange, the come under fire but find no bodies even when they apparently kill people. They find a pile of bodies with one man alive but unresponsive. A nazi flag is found on a wall, one of the mercs is wounded, the bullet is decades old. A mix of the Occult and Scientific calling to mind the Ahnenerbe and their experiments. Some great scenes of fighting in the dark tunnels of the bunker. Good action horror thriller. Directed by Steve Barker from a script by Rae Brunton. On Netflix. 7/10.
 
GNC said:
Another from Shudder: Caveat, which I'm seeing described as a Irish horror film, though the IMDB says it's British, presumably thanks to the intricacies of funding. Anyway, it was made in Ireland, and though it runs out of steam eventually, this has one of the strongest atmospheres of dread I've seen in a horror for a while. You can practically smell it!

Oh yeah, it's about a drifter who goes to babysit his friend's niece in an old mansion, not realising he has to be chained up to do so. And then there's a drumming rabbit (a monkey with cymbals not available, obvs).
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I just saw this yesterday. Good atmospheric mood. The acting was good as well. I think that I read this is the director's first film. Love the setting and premise, though many things left mostly unexplained, leaving me with a "half finished" feeling. I don't mind if movies don't explain everything, but in this case, there was not enough detail to even come up with a good idea of what has happened. If this is an example of the director's ability, then not a bad start. I personally would give it a 6/10
 
brownmane said:
I just saw this yesterday. Good atmospheric mood. The acting was good as well. I think that I read this is the director's first film. Love the setting and premise, though many things left mostly unexplained, leaving me with a "half finished" feeling. I don't mind if movies don't explain everything, but in this case, there was not enough detail to even come up with a good idea of what has happened. If this is an example of the director's ability, then not a bad start. I personally would give it a 6/10
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The Irish make a surprising amount of solid horror - thrillers, I.E.: "The Hallow", "From the Dark", "Liar of the White Worm". Like many British films more focus on plot and atmosphere then say monsters and slashers killing someone every millisecond.
 
Finally got to see it.

The Hunt: A satire which takes no prisoners, the "Deplorables" and the "Liberal elite" both end up literally riddled with holes in their arguments (and bodies). A group of Deplorables wake up in a forest, they are gagged and make their way to a crate in the middle of a field A piglet runs out of the ,crate which also contains guns. They then come under fire, you've no sooner identified with a character when they're shot, blow up, impaled on stakes or stabbed. But the tables are turned when some of the Deplorables ably fight back. The Libs are sent up with woke language and horror at offending anyone even when they are offing rednecks. How the whole Hunt scenario comes about is really a lampooning of both sides. The deps see crisis actors everywhere, even refugee babies are performing. Great acting from Hilary Swank as Athena, the Lib leader and Betty Gilpin as Crystal, the Dep who fights back; their one to one combat is wonderfully choreographed. An enjoyable dark comedy/satire which is extremely violent. Directed by Craig Zobel from a screenplay by Nick Cuse and Damien Lindelof. 8/10.
 
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ramonmercado said:
Finally got to see it.

The Hunt: A satire which takes no prisoners, the "Deplorables" and the "Liberal elite" both end up literally riddled with holes in their arguments (and bodies). A group of Deplorables wake up in a forest, they are gagged and make their way to a crate in the middle of a field A piglet runs out of the ,crate which also contains guns. They then come under fire, you've no sooner identified with a character when they're shot, blow up, impaled on stakes or stabbed. But the tables are turned when some of the Deplorables ably fight back. The Libs are sent up with woke language and horror at offending anyone even when they are offing rednecks. How the whole Hunt scenario comes about is really a lampooning of both sides. The deps see crisis actors everywhere, even refugee babies are performing. Great acting from Hilary Swank as Athena, the Lib leader and Betty Gilpin as Crystal, the Dep who fights back; their one to one combat is wonderfully choreographed. An enjoyable dark comedy/satire which is extremely violent. Directed by Craig Zobel from a screenplay by Nick Cuse and Damien. 8/10.
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Agreed. It was surprisingly entertaining, for a movie that had its tongue wedged permanently and painfully in its cheek.
 
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A Quiet Place Part II: Day 1 of the Invasion. A sleepy small town, a kid baseball game, suddenly something hurtling through the sky. Utter horror, nay, existential terror as the hippo sized spider creatures appear, tossing cars about, emerging from a the windscreen of a bus after killing/devouring the passengers and driver. Then were on to day 474. Evelyn (Emily Blunt) leads Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe) in search of refuge, meeting up with Emmett (Cillian Murphy) who is at first reluctant to provide shelter. This is a tale of the quest for safety, both immediate and long term. There is always the risk of attack by the creatures, silence isn't just golden, it's mandatory. The experience of the deaf Regan is portrayed by absolute silence but she is no victim. She takes part in the fight against the spiders and human foes as feral human scavengers are encountered. There are many shock/jump shots in the film, some caused by mundane events but all the more effective because of that. Some gruesome scenes of horror but also banal shots of a suitcase, a laptop, shoes, abandoned on a train station platform evoke a tale of terror. A worthy sequel with good performances from Blunt, Simmonds, Murphy and Jupe. Written and Directed by John Krasinski. 8/10.
 
ramonmercado said:
A Quiet Place Part II: Day 1 of the Invasion. A sleepy small town, a kid baseball game, suddenly something hurtling through the sky. Utter horror, nay, existential terror as the hippo sized spider creatures appear, tossing cars about, emerging from a the windscreen of a bus after killing/devouring the passengers and driver. Then were on to day 474. Evelyn (Emily Blunt) leads Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe) in search of refuge, meeting up with Emmett (Cillian Murphy) who is at first reluctant to provide shelter. This is a tale of the quest for safety, both immediate and long term. There is always the risk of attack by the creatures, silence isn't just golden, it's mandatory. The experience of the deaf Regan is portrayed by absolute silence but she is no victim. She takes part in the fight against the spiders and human foes as feral human scavengers are encountered. There are many shock/jump shots in the film, some caused by mundane events but all the more effective because of that. Some gruesome scenes of horror but also banal shots of a suitcase, a laptop, shoes, abandoned on a train station platform evoke a tale of terror. A worthy sequel with good performances from Blunt, Simmonds, Murphy and Jupe. Written and Directed by John Krasinski. 8/10.
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A friend of mine went to see this, first cinema visit in over a year, so was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, he's a bit corned beef and with the characters whispering throughout he hadn't a clue what was going on. Very disappointed.
 
GNC said:
A friend of mine went to see this, first cinema visit in over a year, so was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, he's a bit corned beef and with the characters whispering throughout he hadn't a clue what was going on. Very disappointed.
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I had problems hearing the dialogue in a couple of scenes but it was generally audible.
 
The Devil Below: Outsiders come to investigate the mystery of a mining town which disappeared, different members of the team may have their own agendas and/or past traumas. Arriving in Hillbilly Central naturally they ignore the threats/warnings from the locals. They find the abandoned town but soon realise that the Hillbillies aren't the main problem as they encounter subterranean creatures. Battles ensue and they have to join up with the locals to fight the beasts. Some good scenes with people being dragged away and even ingested by the monsters. It takes a lot of bullets and flamethrowers to bring the critters down. An entertaining romp. Directed by Bradley Parker, written by Eric Scherbath. On Netflix. 6/10.
 
ramonmercado said:
The Devil Below: Outsiders come to investigate the mystery of a mining town which disappeared, different members of the team may have their own agendas and/or past traumas. Arriving in Hillbilly Central naturally they ignore the threats/warnings from the locals. They find the abandoned town but soon realise that the Hillbillies aren't the main problem as they encounter subterranean creatures. Battles ensue and they have to join up with the locals to fight the beasts. Some good scenes with people being dragged away and even ingested by the monsters. It takes a lot of bullets and flamethrowers to bring the critters down. An entertaining romp. Directed by Bradley Parker, written by Eric Scherbath. On Netflix. 6/10.
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Watched it last night. Yeah, I reckon 6/10 is a fair shout, although it was a pretty blatant mash up of A Quiet Place and The Descent.
 
Last night's slice of Grand Guignol was The Odds (2018) on Prime Video.

A woman, desperate for money, signs up for a mystery competitive game of brutal elimination, until one survivor walks (or limps) away with $1,000,000.

Sound familiar?

Did to me, as it's remarkably similar to the 2012 horror "Would You Rather", with one round of the game featuring the exact same trial by water.
The Odds though appears to be much lower budget, as we only get to see one competitor (Abbi Butler), with the drop-outs and deaths of the others, being reported by her facilitator (James J. Fuertes) who may or may not be on her side.
Balancing psychological horror with genuine gore, The Odds just about held my interest till the end, but the absence of interaction between the competitors meant that this dragged at times. Given the woeful lack of originality and the fact that torture porn doesn't really float my boat, I cannot honestly rate this higher than 4/10.
 
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It: The Dynamic Duo, Ed & Lorraine Warren strike again in a tale "based on true events". 1981, an 8 year old boy is possessed, some great effects as he contorts, transforms, stabs and attacks people, even poor Ed has a heart attack. However the Demon jumps into an older boy, Arnie. Unconscious Ed can't tell people this and the Demon tricks Arnie into stabbing his boss, believing he is a monster. As Ed starts to recover a quest begins to have Arnie found not guilty due to Demonic possession. Great fun as they consult a retired Priest who spent years combating a Satanic Cult - The Disciples Of The Ram. Satanic totems are found hidden and more cases of proxy murder by Demonic trickery are uncovered. Flashbacks and dreams/visions are well handled as are the gruesome murders. All hokum but entertaining hokum and this episode of the franchise uses quite a bit of Folk Magic and tends towards the Folk Horror end of the spectrum. Directed by Michael Chaves from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. 7/10.
 
I can't enjoy the Conjuring films, they promote a pair of charlatans who needlessly frightened and exploited a lot of people and made themselves rich doing it. Plus there's about 1% truth in all three of the series.
 
The Seventh Day: An Exorcism goes wrong in 1995 as the Exorcist is killed by the Demon and his apprentice has to take over. 2020 the apprentice is now a hardened veteran of the War against Evil but the RCC has slipped up and is only now training new Exorcists as they face a plague of Demonic Possession. in this Training Day the veteran (Guy Pearce) puts a novice Exorcist (Vadhir Derbez) through his paces as they investigate the case of a boy (Brady Jenness) who has murdered his family. Some good Demonic action Possession effects with a few plot twists some of which might not come as a total surprise. Good atmosphere of dread as the Possessed levitate throw people around, use telekinesis and general Poltergeist actions. Living bodies transform and burst into flames as crucifixes become flying weapons powered by malignant spirits. Script could have been a bit more developed so that reveals aren't signaled. Still, this is an effective Horror B Movie with good acting from Jenness and Derbez. Written & Directed by Justin P. Lange. On Netflix. 7/10.
 
I just watched "Don't Blink" which I actually quite enjoyed, not sure anyone had to go crazy with a gun, but that's just me. Intriguing as people progressively disappear without a trace. There's no explanation at all... Except Robert Picardo pops up for a few seconds at the end as a semi-sinister agent type and suddenly the sudden disappearances, lack of wildlife etc. etc. all made sense in my own little universe! Voyager holodeck! :hahazebs:
 
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