Yeah, Al confuses me with his list orders/rankings, sometimes I suppose the list is more about sheer enjoyment...but then again, I would have expected Planet Terror to crack the top 20 for him.
Well find out soon enough.
Hey, Planet Terror probably would crack my top 20...
[Show spoiler]I saw this when it first came out in the cinema way way back in good old 1998, the air was cleaner back then. *Cough!* sorry!...anyway I didn't really like it as I recall, it was hyped up pretty strongly but didn't really live it up to it. Surprise surprise on a re-watch I have done a 180 and now do appreciate the film a whole lot more, I guess I didn't quite get the tone first time round.
Set in small town USA two sets of brand spanking new hi-tec toys are due for release but a small batch get an early chance of sales in a local toy shop. The shop is run by a humble man who has a slightly rebellious son, naturally this lad gets into some small fry high jinx (that builds) with these toys as they break loose and run amok. One set of toys are the good guys and one set are supposedly the bad guys, one group has been programmed to destroy the other and the local family is slap bang in the middle.
Basically this is a modern remake of 'Gremlins' and I never even twigged back in the day. The whole premise is pretty much the same albeit in a lighter tone of course, replace monsters with killer toys. Everything is very cliched and pretty stereotypical of small town America, the film is actually a very good little homage to those classic 80's teen flicks that involved monsters/aliens/the supernatural etc...Hell they even cast classic 80's stars Wendy Schaal and Dick Miller, who of course has starred in some perfect examples of typical 80's trashy horror comedies, including 'Gremlins' (that's not trashy by the way). Miller even plays a similar type of role to his 'Gremlins' character, direct homage to the genre right there if you ask me.
Had this been made back in the day it probably would have been pretty dark, but lets give credit where credits due, this film is also quite dark. Its not scary and its not bloody of course but there is a nice undercurrent of evil that lurks within these toy soldiers. You would think how can a toy injure me, but give these little guys a big knife or nail gun and all of a sudden you've got a problem. This is how the film works well in my opinion, they don't hold right back with the action, yeah sure most of it is kinda silly, almost cute, but there are some slightly nasty moments where they have successfully tweaked the hairs on the back of your neck.
The sadistic knife wielding 'Barbie-ish' girly dolls are a good example of this. The sequences with them involved aren't scary but its certainly heading down eerie street as they scamper around with damage to their faces and no hair. Almost a PG version of 'Chucky'...almost.
The toys themselves are a mixed for me. On the one hand the gruff, butch, muscle bound military special elite soldiers are really nicely. Love the cliched cartoonish caricatures of the typical buzz cut 80's macho action man, especially the cigar chomping ones. Not only do they look like a typical dirty dozen team with each member a master in his own field (explosives, communications etc...), but they got Borgnine, Walker, Brown and Kennedy to voice them! awesome much?!. The other two remaining soldiers are voiced by Tommy Lee Jones and Bruce Dern so really its nothing short of sheer brilliance. And again back in the day I didn't even realise.
Of course you have to remember that even though these little guys have been deliberately designed to homage their voice actors to a degree (and the action man genre). They are also suppose to be stereotypical action figures within the film, the type of toys that little boys would clearly love, look at their their names...'Brick Bazooka' 'Nick Nitro'. The characters work on two levels of the conventional stereotype.
On the other hand the Gorgonites are a very surreal bunch that didn't really fit the style of the film methinks. Their leader 'Archer' is pretty cool looking and sounds epic voiced by Langella but the rest are a crazy ass bunch of monsters that would feel more at home in a Tim Burton fairytale really. I'm not sure why they didn't keep all the Gorgonites the same type of creature as their leader Archer just with different colours or patterns on the fur (go down the Thundercat route). I did like the dark twisted appearance of one or two of them sure, almost a bit 'Evil Dead-ish' if you ask me but they just don't fit this flick.
I do recall that a lot of the hype for this film was down to the Stan Winston effects for the toys. To be fair these effects still remain solid today, gotta give kudos to the actual design and creation of all those action figures because they do look great, I'd have one. The CGI is also not too bad these days, its used for the more obvious requirements but blends in well. On the whole they managed to use both real props/models and CGI effectively together instead of just relying on all out computer effects.
This film shows me how you change as you get older, when I first saw it I couldn't care a less about it and didn't pick up on half the details. Now I can see clearly what they were trying to do and I think it works pretty well really. Its not anywhere near as good as some of the 80's classics but it can hold it head up high as a decent entry into the comedy horror genre. I say comedy horror with a pinch of salt as its not totally like that, more a watered down kiddie PG version but still good still good.
Switch out The Sixth Sense with The Others and I'd agree. I'm not the big fan of The Sixth Sense a lot of people are, but Carrie and The Others are two of my favorites.
Also kind of odd that The Sixth Sense is way down there with a 4.5/5 rating, but I'm sure he has his reasons. It's his list.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abdrewes
Yeah, Al confuses me with his list orders/rankings, sometimes I suppose the list is more about sheer enjoyment...but then again, I would have expected Planet Terror to crack the top 20 for him.
Well find out soon enough.
Problem I've found with ranking things based solely on personal rating is that I don't think it accurately reflects what is genuinely good as a horror film. I put The Sixth Sense so far down because I don't think it's all that scary, or intense, or suspenseful, or anything like that. I also put Planet Terror so far down because, even though I enjoy it a lot, it's so much more action than horror. I almost didn't put it on the list because of that (also had a hard time figuring out the Blade movies and the Evil Dead sequels, but I decided to omit those as well, because the horror aspects are so diminished). So, even though I'd score these movies highly, from the horror perspective, I felt there were better experiences in the next films up.
Hopefully, the top 20 or so will be more agree-able. I think the top of the list is pretty accurate for what I'd consider to be damn scary movies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KilloWertz
Hey, Planet Terror probably would crack my top 20...
[Show spoiler]
Sweet!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abdrewes
Haha. Death Proof would probably crack mine
Interesting. Even though I put PT on the list, I omitted DP, because I wouldn't call it horror per se.
The film starts off with what must be the most messed-up thing imaginable: children massacring their parents and taking over a whole town. Things remain tense when a hapless couple drives into the town and falls victim to the children's unholy rituals. Only from the scary mind of Stephen King...
My score: 3.5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Birds
Fear of: duh, birds!
Alfred Hitchcock flexes his muscle in building suspense and terror in this harrowing scenario. It takes a little while for the bird-pocalypse to get going, and once it does, there's no real explanation or solution given. It's just a thrilling experience to watch these characters cope with the onslaught of the birds and the chaos following. With Hitchcock's competent direction, it remains a solid, respectable classic.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Constantine
Fear of: angels and demons.
From the Hellblazer comic series, John Constantine is a dude who wields a cross-shaped crossbow, small globes of holy water, and other neat toys to vanquish and exorcize evil demons. The film ventures into some visually-fantastic territory, as Constantine travels to hell and back and unravels a mystery that could lead to the apocalypse. The film has some action, but much unlike other comic-book movies, action is not really the selling point: this film is more like a hard-boiled theological mystery, full of atmosphere and thrills.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Cabin in the Woods
Fear of: anything you pick.
Yeah yeah yeah, we've all seen movies about cabins in woods, where stupid teens get themselves killed by some evil zombies or something. Cabin in the Woods gives us that, but with a clever twist: it turns out that this particular cabin in the woods is a simulation, with a control room observing the action and herding the hapless characters to their doom. Once the characters realize what's going on and find their way to the control room, they unleashes an incredible bloodbath in the film's last act, which is extremely wicked and imaginative.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Signs
Fear of: crop circles and the aliens that make them.
Crop circles! What are they? What made them? What do they mean? Signs is by far the one and only film I've seen that actually addresses these questions, and on a deeper level, asserts that these things may be "signs" of a greater calling. On the surface, however, the film is a pretty slick thriller with some light humor, plenty of poignant emotions, a lot of style, and some genuinely creepy scares.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Final Destination 2
Fear of: logging trucks, fire escapes, dental offices, panes of glass, barbed wire, explosives, and water.
Continuing the novel premise of Final Destination, a new batch of people escapes a tragedy (a massive car accident involving a logging truck; probably still the most incredible mess of car wrecks ever caught on film), and they all struggle to escape the Grim Reaper's vengeance once again! The deaths in this film are the craziest, wickedest, and most imaginative of the series. The movie moves at a brisk pace and entertains tremendously. Best of all, it does its best to add on to the first film and continue the franchise in a logical direction (much unlike the third, fourth, and fifth films). Final Destination 2 remains my favorite of the series, for it is pretty gnarly.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]From Beyond
Fear of: stimulating a certain gland that will make you see beings from another dimension!
From Beyond is one of a very few films successfully adapted from the works of HP Lovecraft, by far the scariest writer I've read. The man was well ahead of his time, always speculating on life from other worlds and dimensions, and they were always weird, bizarre, totally inhuman creatures. The film From Beyond presents a total onslaught of such creatures, all very weird and gnarly, and as they terrorize the scientists, a ton of bloodshed ensues. With a slight undercurrent of S&M, the film is very freaky and wicked!
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Midnight Meat Train
Fear of: some dude with a hammer.
From one of Clive Barker's stories, Midnight Meat Train is as wicked as it sounds: some murderer whacks people on a train, and hauls the corpses away as meat. It's pretty crazy and inhumane as it is, watching people being butchered like animals, but the finale pulls out a pretty frightening twist that puts it on a wholly different level of creepy. Vinnie Jones plays the killer as wickedly as ever, while the film overall is slick and stylish.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Hostel
Fear of: foreign places.
Hostel definitely has its share of bloody violence and ugly-looking torture. What makes it so frightening, however, is that there are supposedly places actually like this; an underground circle where the rich pay to do whatever they want to a human being (including brutal murder). Despite a cast of really dumb characters, the film is tense and gripping all the way to its bloody conclusion.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]High Tension (Haute Tension)
Fear of: a serial kidnapper...or is it?
This French film kicks off in pretty standard slasher-movie territory, with a crazy maniac kidnapping a girl and driving off with her. As things go on, though, not all is what it seems. The film pulls out a pretty slick plot twist, which doesn't exactly jive with the events that well, but it is a noble attempt to turn something trashy into something smart. The film is pretty grisly and suspenseful, and it's a wicked experience overall.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]The Hitcher (1986)
Fear of: hitchhikers.
The Hitcher is one freaky character. From beginning to the end, the film just throws the main character from one intense situation to the other, right up to a very wicked finale. Rutger Hauer is genuinely creepy, the things he does is seriously crazy, and it's pretty frightening to think about how you'd handle it if you were in this situation
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Ghost Ship
Fear of: a ship-load of ghosts.
If nothing else, everybody knows this movie for its gnarly opening scene, in which a whole deck-load of people are cut in half by a flying cable. From then on, the film remains consistently fun and intriguing, with plenty of paranormal encounters and fun characters to follow. Above all, it is a solid story with a very clever twist at the end; one that's genuinely rather creepy, and makes the final shot all the more intense.
My score: 3.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Fear of: going to sleep.
This is the first in a long line of films featuring Freddy Kruger, the psycho, sardonic killer lurking in people's nightmares. Within various dreamscapes, the film successfully digs up some imagery that's fantastically creepy, wicked, and surreal. It makes for a thriller that's both tense and scary.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Texas Chainsaw Massacre(1974)
Fear of: Leatherface and his family.
This is still one of the most visceral and rough-looking movies I know of. It's not nearly as graphic as its title suggests (although the 2003 remake certainly is), but it's still disturbing and creepy, thanks to the way the film lingers on so many disturbing details in the grungy settings, and the horrific nature of the murderous family. Even though the film has a pretty daft cast of characters, it is genuinely creepy and sick, and full of suspense.
My score: 3.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Cabin by the Lake
Fear of: uninspired screenwriters.
Here it is, one made-for-TV movie that really is good enough to be on any top-100 movie list. Originally aired on the USA channel, this short film presents the uniquely satiric and wicked tale of Stanley, the screenwriter whose research for horror scripts leads him to actually kill people. It is pretty creepy to watch this guy (played surprisingly well by Judd Nelson) drowning his victims and arranging them in a demented little underwater garden of death. It makes for one of the funnest, most thrilling, most audience-friendly serial-killer movies available.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Saw
Fear of: deathtraps.
At its time, Saw was one of the most visceral and most unique pictures, and is the progenitor of the modern "torture porn" craze. Even though the film has some rough-looking parts, Saw is not really all that bloody; it's more successful at suggesting violence, as the audience watches in suspense as the characters struggle through their various deathtraps and are forced to make hard decisions. That's the other neat thing about Saw: the main villain never actually kills anybody, but forces everybody to kill themselves through his diabolical traps. There is a point to it too, revealed with a clever twist that puts the entire story into a decent perspective. Despite being a tad bit trashy, the film is wicked, stylish, and quite well-made, and still offers enough to contemplate. I've seen six of these films, but the first one remains my favorite of the lot.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Day of the Dead (1985)
Fear of: zombies!
In this follow-up to George A Romero's Dawn of the Dead, the zombie hoard is back! With a slight tongue-in-cheek attitude, the film includes some intriguing scenes where zombies are experimented on, and some of them prove to still be capable of being domesticated. Of course, that still doesn't stop them from eating lots of flesh and having all heck break lose. The film definitely has its interesting parts, and I find it most memorable for a certain zombie named Bub.
My score: 4/5
-------------------- 43:
[Show spoiler]Inside (À l'intérieur)
Fear of: some crazy woman will cut you up and steal your baby.
Of all the wickedest things...Inside is a very extreme film with a ton of blood and gore! It has a truly menacing villain who just keeps coming at the main character and just won't stop. It's an intense, morbid, and fast-moving thriller with a lot of painful-looking scenes. It might even be a bit much for many viewers, but I found it quite gripping and intense.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Orphanage (El Orfanato)
Fear of: ghosts.
In this day and age, it seems like blood, guts, sex, and cheap jump-scares drive most horror films, but this Spanish film is one refreshingly original exception. It doesn't rely on scare tactics, it's inherently non-violent, but it is still atmospheric enough to work. It's a pretty decent story with intriguing twists, and it is a well-made piece of work.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]The Skeleton Key
Fear of: hoodoo!
This is a pretty unique supernatural thriller, set in the deep south, with its focus on the mysterious powers of hoodoo. The film sets up an intriguing mystery. It is a very slick and stylish film, with purposeful pacing, and a decent story attached to it.
The Good:Tub is about some dude who jacks off in the shower and accidentally impregnates his bathtub. Yes, you read that right. It's about some dude who jacks off in the shower and accidentally impregnates his bathtub. What ensues is 12 minutes of gross-out hilarity as well as some surprising pathos. The song choices and cues are clever, and the freaky-looking animatronic tub baby is pretty impressive.
The Bad:Nothing major.
The Bottom Line:A quirky, Cronenberg-inspired comedy. Tub is worth a watch.
As a child, Godzilla was always my favorite monster. I'd only seen a few of his movies because my mom wasn't too keen on buying/renting them. Watching them on broadcast television, I remember being bored with the human scenes, but PUMPED when Godzilla was on screen! Well, my son has actually fallen for The King of Monsters, just like his old man, so I got him Vol. 1 of the "Godzilla Collector's Set". (It's a tin case with 5 "Godzilla vs [Monster]" movies.) I was watching YouTube shorts with the kids and we watched a mock "Pacific Rim" trailer using footage from "Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla". This got us wanting to watch it! We came down to The Den... and my daughter saw "the butterfly one!" After seeing that it came before "Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II" (set doesn't have the original), we watched "Godzilla"vs Mothra" first. What. A. Mistake.
Where should I start? This movie was sooooooo slooooooow. It had scenes that made no sense; like the temple scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"! Here we have a Japanese Indiana Jones stealing a small statue of Ganesha. Why was it in this movie? It had absolutely nothing to do with the plot! It was just an extra-long, drawn-out intro for a character. Typing of which, the characters were boring and uninteresting. There are also 2 fairy-sized women who sometimes speak in unison to an annoying degree. Oh, and they sing. More than once. As for the MAIN ATTRACTION... it SUCKED!!!!111!! Mothra, and his evil twin Battra, start out as caterpillars. Giant caterpillars. They also have the nerve to "fight" Godzilla in this form. Mothra sprays silk at him. SILK! After way too long we FINALLY get to Mothra's changing into a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL butterfly... with bird feet on stubs. Battra shows up too, only more bat-like with longer legs. For NO REASON these 2 enemies join forces to defeat Godzilla in the most embarrassing fight of his life. Then the movie tortures you with MORE MOTHRA and the TINY GIRLS for several more minutes.
This movie was terrible in every way a movie could be. I wasn't expecting an Oscar winner. I wasn't even expecting the awesomeness that was the action of "Pacific Rim"! I was expecting Godzilla vs a monster, and I got mostly stupid people talking! When Godzilla was in action, he was as slow as a slug. All he did was take hits and slowly move his arms all helpless-like! For ANYONE who says the '98 "Godzilla" was the worst Godzilla movie, I present to you "Godzilla vs Mothra: The Battle for Earth"! 0/5
Problem I've found with ranking things based solely on personal rating is that I don't think it accurately reflects what is genuinely good as a horror film. I put The Sixth Sense so far down because I don't think it's all that scary, or intense, or suspenseful, or anything like that. I also put Planet Terror so far down because, even though I enjoy it a lot, it's so much more action than horror. I almost didn't put it on the list because of that (also had a hard time figuring out the Blade movies and the Evil Dead sequels, but I decided to omit those as well, because the horror aspects are so diminished). So, even though I'd score these movies highly, from the horror perspective, I felt there were better experiences in the next films up.
Hopefully, the top 20 or so will be more agree-able. I think the top of the list is pretty accurate for what I'd consider to be damn scary movies.
Fair enough. If it's considered horror, I rank it as horror, but I get what you are saying as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jvince
Pretty cool seeing Skeleton Key at #41. Such an underrated film. Imo, it's one of the best horror films of the 00s.
I'll have to add that to the list for next October. There's no way I'd be able to fit it in this year since I'm not going to be able to watch anything next week.
Plus, it'd be nice to watch another solid Kate Hudson movie. She doesn't make many anymore.
It had scenes that made no sense; like the temple scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"! Here we have a Japanese Indiana Jones stealing a small statue of Ganesha. Why was it in this movie? It had absolutely nothing to do with the plot! It was just an extra-long, drawn-out intro for a character. Typing of which, the characters were boring and uninteresting. There are also 2 fairy-sized women who sometimes speak in unison to an annoying degree. Oh, and they sing. More than once. As for the MAIN ATTRACTION... it SUCKED!!!!111!! Mothra, and his evil twin Battra, start out as caterpillars. Giant caterpillars. They also have the nerve to "fight" Godzilla in this form. Mothra sprays silk at him. SILK! After way too long we FINALLY get to Mothra's changing into a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL butterfly... with bird feet on stubs. Battra shows up too, only more bat-like with longer legs. For NO REASON these 2 enemies join forces to defeat Godzilla in the most embarrassing fight of his life. Then the movie tortures you with MORE MOTHRA and the TINY GIRLS for several more minutes.
Yep, that's pretty much everything I remember from the two Rebirth of Mothra movies. It's weird stupid stuff that makes absolutely no sense, but I thought was utterly laughable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monkey_Boy
This movie was terrible in every way a movie could be. I wasn't expecting an Oscar winner. I wasn't even expecting the awesomeness that was the action of "Pacific Rim"! I was expecting Godzilla vs a monster, and I got mostly stupid people talking! When Godzilla was in action, he was as slow as a slug. All he did was take hits and slowly move his arms all helpless-like! For ANYONE who says the '98 "Godzilla" was the worst Godzilla movie, I present to you "Godzilla vs Mothra: The Battle for Earth"! 0/5
Sounds like a must-see for me.
I've only seen about five or so of the Godzilla movies (other kaiju experiences would be limited to Rebirth of Mothra, both of which are stupid, and four of the Gamera films, three of which were fairly cool). I do want to make it a priority to see the other 20-something films in the series...sometime. I remember dad had a copy of Godzilla vs King Kong once, and it seemed pretty cool.
Chances are that I might have seen G vs Mothra before, I just don't remember it now. Either way, it's going on my rent list, even if it is awful.
Fair enough. If it's considered horror, I rank it as horror, but I get what you are saying as well.
Really, the best way to put it is, if I wanted to watch horror, what would I pick first?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jvince
Pretty cool seeing Skeleton Key at #41. Such an underrated film. Imo, it's one of the best horror films of the 00s.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KilloWertz
I'll have to add that to the list for next October. There's no way I'd be able to fit it in this year since I'm not going to be able to watch anything next week.
Plus, it'd be nice to watch another solid Kate Hudson movie. She doesn't make many anymore.
Guillermo Del Toro's debut film is a one-of-a-kind gothic fairy tale, centered around a cool spider-like machine that grants eternal life. It is an endearing story with endearing characters and plenty of endearing ideas. It's a bit small in scope and scale, especially compared to the director's later works, but that's one of the things that makes it all the more charming. I remember it being an excellent story.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Hellraiser
Fear of: Pinhead, tearing your soul apart!
Holy crap, this movie has some really gnarly and wicked blood and guts! Once the otherworldly puzzle-box gets solved, some really freaky extradimensional beings appear and mix things up in really twisted ways. At its core, the film explores some stark themes of sadomasochism.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]A Serbian Film (Srpski Film)
Fear of: filmmakers.
This film is sick. It very purposefully crosses the line on certain issues, all to prove just how sick it really is to cross such lines; for most audiences, it's just too much, and I can't blame them. However, I've always felt this was a very good-looking picture, with great composition, solid performances, and a heck of a style. I've always been intrigued by the story. Above all, it does have some interesting themes worth exploring. It is, however, a very harrowing and depressing picture that I would never wish upon anybody else.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Devil's Backbone (El Espinazo del Diablo)
Fear of: ghost boy. Pay no attention to the unexploded ordinance in the courtyard.
One of Guillermo Del Toro's earlier and more touching pieces of work, this film focuses on boys in an orphanage, and a ghost with ominous warnings. The plot unfolds beautifully, with a great cast of characters and superb filming. Throughout, it maintains a dark and creepy tone, and it remains one of my favorite ghost stories.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Wicker Man (1973)
Fear of: cultists.
There is something inherently freaky about cults. Perhaps because they're entire groups of people that are inhumanely conditioned to act and think a certain way. In The Wicker Man, the main character comes across a freaky isolated cult that revels in pagan worship, of which he becomes the centerpiece of their rituals. The film is consistently suspenseful and creepy, but reaches an appropriately somber climax.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Misery
Fear of: your biggest fan.
Another fine adaptation from Stephen King's novels, Misery is one unique story that doesn't rely on any outlandish supernatural terror or excessive blood and guts. It's just about a writer trapped in a house with an obsessive fan. Kathy Bates delivers one seriously creepy performance, exuding a stark split personality that's halfway motherly and halfway psychotically fanatical. These strong performances, a few well-placed scenes of pain, and a cold isolated locale makes the film very successfully tense and chilling.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Martyrs
Fear of: extremely mean people.
Martyrs is one of the hardest movies to take. Its whole point is to bring as much pain as possible to the main characters, because the more pain they endure, the closer they become to God. I personally like this premise far more than most other torture movies, which use the torture as a mere excuse for shallow shock value; here, it's part of the narrative, and it points to some interesting and profound themes regarding human existence. It's a very painful-looking picture, and it's as dark as they come. If you can handle it though, it is well worth seeing.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler][REC]
Fear of: an apartment building filled with zombies.
Chances are that you may recognize the Americanized version of this film - Quarantine - which was shot-by-shot the exact same. [REC], however, is at its freshest and most original. Even though it gets really frantic with the camera work and a lot of characters yelling at each other, it maintains good tension and atmosphere as the camera follows the people around during a quarantine, followed by various zombie attacks. [REC] uses a lot of gimmicks to make itself look creditable and real, and it is really successful that way. I actually don't usually like these types of films, but [REC] is a rare exception, and it is a truly freaky experience.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler][REC] 2: Fear Revisited
Fear of: demonically-posessed zombies taking over an apartment.
[REC] is a heck of an experience as it is (remade in America as Quarantine, which is essentially the exact same movie, but swapped out the demonic stuff in favor of glorified rabies). It can be a little too jarring to watch with the erratic camera work, but its composition is top-notch. This sequel manages to continue the story with frightening results: I was seriously freaked out when the characters explored the building's attic spaces and beheld some strange and otherworldly phenomenon. This movie had some damn scary scenes, and if I found them scary, then you'd probably be freaked out too. The hand-held camera work is still dominant, making everything appear authentic and real (even though the camera does bounce around a lot). As good as the first film is, this second one is my favorite of the lot, for it genuinely did creep me out.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]28 Weeks Later
Fear of: even more zombies!
28 Days Later has its moments, but I always enjoyed this sequel a grade more; it dispenses with the shakey camera work and tells a straightforward story. Even though it is the exact same type of story that's been told before, it is stylish, exciting, and pretty grisly. Both 28 Days and 28 Weeks Later stand as must-see zombie movies; I just happen to like this one most consistently.
It's easy to think of transporter beams on Star Trek terms, beaming matter all around very cleanly and usually without incident. The Fly presents the scary notion that teleporting matter could fuse things together accidentally. This remake of the classic 1958 film takes things even further to explore the horrifying transformation and decay of the human body after such an experiment. The film tells a tragic story with compelling characters, and a lot of gnarly effects. Even though the classic version is a good story in its own right, I think this remake captures the horror of the situation the best.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Creepshow 2
Fear of: wooden Indian statues, oil slicks, hitchhikers, and plants.
Even though this sequel to the first Creepshow is not particularly well-liked, I personally always enjoyed it as much as its predecessor. The film presents just a few stories, but they are good ones. There's the story of the wooden statue that comes to life and takes revenge for some murdered store owners. My favorite is the story of a bunch of teenagers stuck on a raft, with a gnarly water creature waiting in the water to eat them. The last is a about a hitchhiker that just won't die. In between, there are some funky animated segments which tell the story of a kid getting bullied, and then getting revenge. It's still one fun thrill ride, and I think it's a decent follow-up to the first film.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Creepshow
Fear of: zombies, grass, the ocean, bugs, a crate monster, and voodoo dolls.
Stephen King and George A. Romero joined forces to deliver Creepshow, an anthology of five creepy stories. The first involves a dead dude rising up to claim his Father's Day cake. My favorite has always been the second story, starring King himself, as a farmer becoming covered in alien grass. The third involves a guy buying his wife and her lover in the beach, where the tide comes in and they see how long they can hold their breath. The crate monster sequence is freaky as heck, and the story of Mr. Pratt with all the cockroaches is genuinely creepy. In between, a little boy also gets a hold of a voodoo doll and takes revenge against his father for taking away his comic books. All of these stories are a blast, told with a cool pulpy style, and featuring quite a broad cast.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Eden Lake
Fear of: I don't like the looks of those teenagers...
Eden Lake is by far the one movie that's ticked me off the most. I just couldn't stand to watch this poor couple constantly getting harassed and ultimately hurt by these stupid hoodlums. The film takes it to the Nth degree, and that makes it a very hard-hitting experience that underscores just how bad things can get when it comes to the youth in modern society. This film illustrates just how criminally sad things can be.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Insidious
Fear of: some ghost stalking a little boy.
Insidious is one of the most recent movies that genuinely frightened me. Although the film is often criticized for having a weak last act (complete with a guest appearance by Darth Maul...I mean, a demon that looks like Darth Maul), the film has a ton of freaky occurrences and imagery that hints at the terror of otherworldly forces. It is truly creepy to see ghostly handprints or images in photos and other stuff. It is pretty standard ghost-story fare, but the film makes the most of its potential and delivers some genuine scares.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]The Re-Animator
Fear of: severed heads.
One of only a few films based on the works of HP Lovecraft, and this film is perhaps most famous for its onslaught of gnarly and crazy bloodshed. With the premise of a student bringing the dead back to life, the film dishes out everything from undead cats to an undead severed head that's extraordinarily horny, shortly followed by a whole hoard of naked zombies running around. It is one fast-moving film with loads of blood and guts, and some truly freaky scenes.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Sleepy Hollow
Fear of: the headless horseman.
The legend of Sleepy Hollow makes for a fine and dandy Disney film and a seminal folk tale, but in Tim Burton's hands, it is a devilishly awesome adventure flick for Halloween. It gets pretty gnarly, with its images of the headless horseman slicing and dicing his victims, with bleeding trees and foggy forests, and with elements of witchcraft thrown in the mix. The film has a decent story, a strong cast of characters, and a great sense of fun. It is a refreshingly bold re-imagining of the classic legend.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Event Horizon
Fear of: the ship is alive!
Event Horizon is one scary place. The titular spacecraft is as oppressive-looking as they come, with its dark industrial walls studded in metal spikes, a catwalk cutting across something that looks like a giant meat grinder, and with blood and gore hanging off the walls. It's as if Paul WS Anderson took some inspiration out of the Doomand Quake video games and made his own hellish horror show out of this film (and chances are that's probably the case). The story and characters aren't too terrible, the atmosphere is genuinely creepy, and the overall concept did freak me out when I first saw it. It still is one of the best space-themed horror movies I know of.
Even though this film is not very well-received critically, it has been a favorite of mine for a long time. In this version of House on Haunted Hill, the ghosts are genuinely threatening, thanks to the wicked deaths and the onslaught of visceral imagery that portrays them as truly inhumane spirits. The story takes a bunch of unlikely turns, the ending does pump out a bunch of special effects that haven't held up well, but it is still one fun thrill ride, with plenty of freakiness to satisfy.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Fear of: mall zombies.
After surviving the Night of the Living Dead, there comes the Dawn of the Dead, a semi-post-apocalyptic vision where the zombies are everywhere now, and a small band of military dudes hole themselves up in a mall infested with these flesh-eating grubs. The movie has its share of blood and gore, which is wicked, but this is also the most classic example of how terrifying classic zombies can be; yeah, they move slow, but in one massive hoard they can overwhelm you and rip your guts out if you make even the slightest lapse in judgement. Above all, the film dips into some amusing satire, showing zombies shuffling around the mall; seriously, aren't all malls like this anyway?
How many firsts can one film have? this historic movie is the first adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's novel of the same name. It was the first dinosaur based fantasy film which inevitably led to more monster/dino movies, the spark that lit the fuse as it were. And it was the first film to show animated models as the main feature within a film, or the main special effect...welcome to the lost world.
This being the first time I have seen the film I was surprised at the fact its basically the very first King Kong film. The plot involves a team of adventures, professors and scientists (and the obligatory female) that venture deep into Venezuela to a large plateau. The reason being firstly to rescue an explorer who has been lost on the plateau and because of his journal that shows sketches of dinosaurs.
So the team set out mainly to rescue but also to try and discover lost dinosaurs and naturally try and bring one back. It wasn't until the later of the film that I realised how much of an early Kong film this was. When they manage to bring a huge Brontosaurus back to London only for it to escape and run amok destroying half of Westminster, I was quite surprised. I really didn't expect to see that, there have been so many similar films that have used this simple premise but its interesting to see the very first of the genre. A little research and you will see the man behind the effects is none other than Willis O'Brien, the man responsible for the mighty Kong and Mighty Joe Young.
But lets not beat around the Jurassic bush here, this film is all about the special effects, it was America's first summer blockbuster if you will. Hell yes it was the first big blockbuster...the film even had product placement in certain scenes, mainly in London at the end.
The film now of course is very rough and has aged badly in places, but in my opinion this actually makes the effects look much better and adds a real sense of grittiness to the proceedings. A combination of stop motion model work and matte paintings set against the scratchy, darkly lit black n white actually brings the whole thing to life and covers any nasty obvious joins that would give away the illusion. Of course the model dinosaurs are somewhat jerky and tend to move erratically at times but in general the creature movements and behavioural habits are surprisingly well created.
When the Allosaurus attacks a baby Triceratops and the parents come to its defense it does actually look quite realistic. Clearly research into the way animals do behave in these situations has been used for the dinosaurs, you half expect a real 'Godzilla-esque' cheese fest but its better than that. The only issue I had with some dinosaur sequences is they felt separate from the characters plot, they didn't really connect in any way, had you taken them out it wouldn't affect the story. Most of them are obviously in there just for the visual spectacle which is fine, you do need some dinosaurs present if you're going down this route. But we mock modern films for doing the same thing don't we hehe.
There is also some brilliant use of scale in the sets and model use. Shots of the massive cliff face they climb to reach the plateau (although I have no idea how on earth they supposedly scaled that cliff as its flippin vertical!), the tree that spanned the deep drop, the mighty cliff face they descended from their cave hideout, the dinosaur fight on another cliff edge...lots of cliffs in the film. They all help to give the film a realistic sense of depth, simple tricks to lull the audience whilst at the same time essential ingredients for adventure yarns.
You can clearly see how the film has influenced so many creature films, from the jungles sequences to the rampage in London, its all very familiar if you've seen other stop motion classics such as Harryhausen's. The later live action sequences are grand too, the amount of extras and cars that we see dashing about in the London sequences is certainly an eye opener. You can see why people in the day thought the film was genuine and it terrified them because it does look like a realistic news reel. I can imagine that various elements of this film scared people back then, this kind of thing had never been seen before. I'll bet the ape-men probably brought gasps of horror as they do look pretty fearsome even now, the black and white accentuates their looks even more.
I can't deny that I did find the plot a little tricky to follow at times. This being a silent film all you get are the odd shots of text with dialog, but at times you don't get much so you're left to guess what's going on. The ending suffers from that to be honest, it fizzles out leaving you kinda wondering what actually happened. One minute there is death and destruction, the next the lead character is kissing the female lead and they drive off into a happy ending. That along with the constant organ (?) soundtrack throughout are the only things that I didn't really like, the music can become irritating as it never really blends properly with the film, seems completely out of place.
Being a monster/creature/dinosaur fan I did enjoy this...musky, grainy, stuffy old visuals included. Its interesting to see the dated effects and the slightly hammy acting and its also interesting historically of course (white guy painted up as a black man! his dialog screen caps also being written as a black man would have spoken at that time...presumably). Its not gonna be for everyone of course and I won't lie and say its a rollercoaster ride of thrills, it can be boring at times, but I think everybody should at least see where it all began.
Empire State (Blu-ray, 1st movie) – For a movie released straight to home media, I thought it was good. The cover is a bit misleading though, The Rock is probably in the movie 10 minutes, and Emma Roberts has maybe 2 minutes of screen time. Liam Hemsworth plays the part well, and though it’s nothing more than your typical heist film with some organized crime thrown in, I found it to be enjoyable. Honestly, the best thing they could have done is made it 20-30 minutes longer and developed the relationship between Hemsworth and Roberts more, as well as fleshing out Mr. Johnson’s (probably a penis joke in there somewhere) character a bit more.
6.5/10
Dark Knight Returns: Part 1 (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It’s not up there with Under the Red Hood, but is nonetheless a solid entry in the animated films from DC. DC may not be performing as high with their live action films, but I think they’ve got an edge with the animated films. Much like UtRH, this is suitably dark, and makes for a good show of what the caped crusader would be like as an older man. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in Part II.
6/10
Dark Knight Returns: Part II (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I thought it was a solid follow up to the original, and continues the dark nature of the first part quite well. I liked the conclusion, and I believe most fans of the character would find it believable. Though I do enjoy watching the animated Marvel & DC stuff, something prevents me from enjoying them as much as live action films. I’m not sure why that it is, but I did enjoy this 2 part series well enough to recommend it.
6/10
Admission (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It’s not a bad movie necessarily, but the leads are definitely not used to the best of their considerable abilities. It’s not really funny enough to be a good comedy, nor is it dramatic enough to be a good drama. All in all, it’s a fairly boring movie about boring characters doing boring things – way too tame for its own good. Fans of Paul Rudd and Tina Fey will spend the entire movie wondering what could have been.
5/10
The Conjuring (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – Easily the most unsettling and scary movie I’ve seen in the last few years. I made the mistake of watching this at night, and unfortunately I had something to do the next morning; it definitely hurt my sleeping that night. The cast all performed very well, something usually missing from horror films. If you like your horror movies to have that high intensity without kills and gore, this is an absolute top tier film in that regard. I actually felt the movie was at its weakest towards the latter third when the demons began to be visible.
8/10
The Apparition (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – Although it was very slack after viewing The Conjuring, I don’t think it’s quite as bad as the reviews made it out to be. It doesn’t bring anything new or original to the table, but it’s better than the average rating of 2.2 it has over on rotten tomatoes. The biggest complaint I have is the length (or lack thereof) and the lack of explanation.
4/10
Van Helsing (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – As is the case with most all of Stephen Sommer’s films, what it lacks in substance, it makes up for with the popcorn effect. For a movie approaching 10 years of age, the special effects look like they could have been done today. The locales used in the movie, as well as the characters are really good too. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale make for an appealing duo, too. As a film it has some problems, but I like it for what it is.
7/10
The Good:Vincent is a wonderful little film about a kid who's obsessed with Vincent Price and Edgar Allan Poe. What's awesome is that Burton managed to get the Vincent Price on board to narrate his film. The claymation is quite impressive and his trademark visual style is a mesmerizing feast for the eyes. Such a well-composed poem too.
The Bad:Nothing major.
The Bottom Line:I can't believe I haven't seen this until just now. Vincent is definitely up there along with Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, and Ed Wood as Burton's greatest works. What happened, Tim? What happened?
Ghosts and demons have possessed people and houses, but what about cars? Why wouldn't a car be haunted? What's to stop it from running people over all on its own? I've always loved this wicked premise of Christine, so named after the titular car, which develops an unhealthy relationship with its owner and goes on a revenge killing spree. The film touches a particularly interesting nerve in teenage culture, where boys already have a deep affection for their automobiles; this film just takes it a step further. John Carpenter directs Stephen King's story pretty faithfully despite many departures from the book; it looks great and has an impeccable cast.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Psycho
Fear of: psychotic hotel managers.
This is it: the one film that tried so hard to push the envelope and be purosefully infamous, it succeeded and became a classic! Hithcock doesn't hold back on anything; this film is loaded with sauciness and scandal, bloodshed and murder, and by God, it even shows a toilet on screen! The famous shower murder scene is perfectly composed, but the rest of the film does its best to be freaky and terrifying. At the center of it all, Norman Bates emerges as one of the most terrifying screen villains of them all, and the man is genuinely scary.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Evil Dead
Fear of: deadites. And the trees...definitely fear the trees...
This is as simple and plain of a film as a horror film can be: it's just about a group of people stuck in a cabin in the woods, who unwitting unleash terror on themselves. The film does get really bloody and intense though, as the dead rise up and even the trees around the cabin turn on the kids. The film is appropriately creepy and oppressive, and the finale has an incredible amount of gore to it. It's short and simple, but quite effective.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Thirst (Bakjwi)
Fear of: a priest who becomes a vampire.
Whoa, a priest who has to drink human blood? How does that work? In this Korean thriller, we watch the wicked story of such a man learning to live with his thirst. There is plenty of blood spilling that ensues. Throughout, however, the film's premise remains truly intriguing and challenging, and it has a heck of a flair to go with it.
There are plenty of films out there that have serial killers as a villain, but how many really dive into the mind of one? The Cell is one freaky movie that literally dives into the subconscious of a killer, using Inception-style sci-fi to paint visually extravagant worlds around the characters as they explore the depths of a sick mind. It's a weird world with artsy lavish embellishments juxtapose to grunge and filth, and it makes for an experience that's as thrilling as it is visually magnificent.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Triangle
Fear of: ummmm...
What a weird film. What the frakk is going on? I don't even know.
Triangle is one bizarre mystery, featuring a character who travels out to sea, and winds up on a derelict ship where somebody's systematically killing people. What makes the film trippy, however, is that there's a big time-traveling twist that occurs, which challenges the audiences' notion of what's really going on, and ultimately comes in full circle. It can be really hard to understand or interpret Triangle, but in addition to presenting a mind-bending puzzlebox of a film, it does fundamentally provide enough grungy thrills and kills to satiate horror fans.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Ring
Fear of: TV.
Based on the Japanese film Ringu, The Ring takes the original premise and adds on a rather intriguing and creepy mystery. The imagery of The Ring is very stylish and gorgeous, but not without a sense of being ominous and freaky. Bloodshed and deaths are kept to a minimum, but the film does dish out enough to emphasize the threat, and it layers on all kinds of supernatural occurrences that defy natural explanation. I remember a lot of folks were frightened by this film when it came out; I personally wasn't. But I can't deny that the film does touch upon the scary notion that what's in your TV could crawl out some day and get you!
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]In the Mouth of Madness
Fear of: some guy's books will usher in the end of the world!
This always seemed like a lesser-known, possibly underrated, film in John Carpenter's repertoire. While the plot isn't exactly all that sensical, it does its best to emulate the terror of HP Lovecraft to the big screen, complete with a whole hoard of gnarled, otherworldly monsters. The mystery is intriguing, and full of odd occurrences. It makes for a decently thrilling experience, full of vivid imagery. I've always been fond of Sam Niell's performance, and Carpenter's own theme song is really rockin'!
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Descent
Fear of: spelunking.
This film descends into a perfect setting for a horror picture; caves have a lot of potential with their dark, cramped, claustrophobic walls. This film also tosses in an entire race of cave-dwelling monsters, which indiscriminately starts to kill off the cave explorers in the film. The film's last act becomes a massive bloodbath, with the survivors desperately massacring these monsters with their rock-climbing axes. The film is enthralling as it is, but it pulls out a pretty awesome twist at the end that really makes the story and characters more thoughtful and endearing.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Alien
Fear of: the xenomorph.
Alien is as simple as it can be: it's just about a starship picking up an alien creature, which goes on to wreak some havoc. But like all essential horror classics, it's the execution of simple material that counts. In Alien, the actual alien creature is one of the freakiest and most otherworldly monsters ever conceived (designed by HR Giger, scariest artist ever). It's not just the looks of it either; as menacing as it is to see this thing's saliva-soaked teeth and spine-covered body, its birth is probably the gnarliest thing, as the baby alien chews its way out of a guy's chest. The film subtly gets under the audiences' skin, with its focus on the settings, which are purposefully made to blur the lines between biological and mechanical, and are so full of detail that it's an awesome sight to behold. Above all, there's probably nothing freakier than imagining interspecies molestation, as a facehugger crams some egg-laying tube down your throat.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Silent Hill
Fear of: some town called Silent Hill.
I only recently managed to play the video game, Silent Hill 2. I could barely bring myself to do it. It is by far one of THE scariest game I've encountered; not because it's bloody or anything, but because the atmosphere is incredible. It's a world shrouded in fog, filth, and darkness, where monsters could emerge at any time. Before seeing the game, however, I've been more familiar with this film. The film can get pretty convoluted with the story, but it is one freaky experience. There is action and a lot of visual effects wizardry, but if the film does anything great, it's in capturing the right atmosphere. It is a creepy film drenched in fog, ash, rust, and dirt, with all manner of inhumane monsters crawling across the screen. I've always been freaked out by the pyramid-head monster. By the film's end, however, human monsters are revealed, in a manner not too different from Stephen King's The Mist. The finale is a brutal bloodbath of terrifying vengeance; even though the film leaves off at an odd place, the experience overall has always been creepy and satisfying. In spite of all its flaws though, the Silent Hill film is probably my biggest guilty pleasure horror film of them all.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Bram Stoker's Dracula
Fear of: the son of the dragon.
Although Bella Lugosi may forever be associated as the most iconic and definitive version of Dracula (don't know why, the man's corny as hell), this version of Bram Stoker's Dracula remains the best and most faithful adaptation of the original story. Despite some liberties taken with the source material (mostly involving a tacked-on romance between Mina and Dracula), the movie carries the same sense of terror and adventure the book had, and it goes through most of the same plot points. The movie doesn't hold back on the bloodshed or the sexuality, thoroughly capturing the dark and primal allure of vampires. Above all, Gary Oldman plays a decent, emotionally-nuanced version of Dracula, and the story overall does a great job of portraying a man who denounces God and decays into a wicked creature.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Let the Right One In (Låt den Rätte Komma In)
Fear of: adrogynous vampires.
You may be more familiar with the Americanized remake, Let Me In, which tells the same story but in a different setting and different manner. I personally prefer this original Swedish film instead: it is a mesmerizing and brooding film, with a very cold and slick style, and perfect performances by the cast. It tells the touching story of a boy and his vampiric friend, who eventually becomes something like an avatar of vengeance against everybody bullying this kid. The film gets freaky as it shows how Eli finds the blood needed to sustain herself. The film also carries some freaky subtexts regarding incest and sexuality (although I've heard that the original book is more explicit). What I've always found most freaky, however, is the final scene in the pool: when you see what happens in the background, it's pretty darn awe-inspiring.
The Omen is perhaps infamous for many things: firstly, for its freaky deaths shown on-screen, which suggest that there are indeed forces at work beyond our own comprehension. Secondly, there were a lot of tragic deaths and accidents behind the scenes, suggesting that there really are invisible forces in this world beyond our own comprehension. That is because the film focuses on uncovering the universal truth behind the potential birth and rise of the antichrist. The film is appropriately ominous, thanks not only to its freak accident scenes, but also because it subtly hints at the coming of the apocalypse. Despite being a rather slow-moving film, it is a heck of a story well worth seeing.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Exorcist
Fear of: demonic possession.
Here it is, a film so scary and intense that, back in 1973, it sent audiences literally running and screaming up and down the aisles. It does get really freaky when the demon appears on-screen, always spouting vulgar words and vomit from its mouth. I have to admit too that, every time that demon came on-screen, I felt dread in the pit of my stomach, because I didn't know what freaky thing would happen next. This is by far the only film that's made me feel that way, for it is most effective. The movie takes on a pretty slow pacing, but it is a heck of a decent story, which conveys very strong themes of faith by its end.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Silence of the Lambs
Fear of: cannibals and dudes wanting to rip the flesh off of you.
Closely adapted from Thomas Harris' novel, this film is perhaps most memorable for Anthony Hopkin's portrayal of Hannibal Lecter. The man is wise, civil, educated, but he partakes in eating human flesh, and Hopkins' performance perfectly captures the chilling menace and mannerisms of that character. But that's not the main villain of Silence of the Lambs: the main bad guy is a freaky nutjob named Buffalo Bill, whose fanatic obsession with metamorphosis drives him to kidnap and skin his victims to make a suit of human flesh. And in the middle of it all, Jodi Foster gives the performance of her career as the FBI agents trying to figure it all out, using one monster to catch another. It's a very dark and gritty-looking film. It's light on the blood and gore, but still eerily disturbing. It is also a stylishly intimate film that boldly explores the savage depths of human brutality.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Antichrist
Fear of: scissors.
Antichrist: don't worry, it's not really about the antichrist per se. Why is this film even called "antichrist"? The frakk if I know. This film doesn't really have much of a story to tell or much logic behind what happens and what it all really means. However, it is one heck of a freaky experience. The film contains some of the most darkly beautiful scenes I've ever seen, and that alone makes it hugely redeemable. It goes off on some crazy tangents, including some extremely hard-to-watch scenes of violence and genital mutilation. It does offer a lot to think about though, challenging the overall relationships between men and women, and between men and God. A lot of people have written this film off as pretentious nonsense and trashy filmmaking (and, perhaps, a little too misogynistic), but I personally value the experience of this film, for it has some very potent imagery and it presents a lot to contemplate.
The Mist is a pretty simple film, borrowing perhaps a little bit of the classic horror-movie formula established in Night of the Living Dead. Only instead of zombies invading a house, it's a mist rolling over a grocery store. And within the mist, something strange and otherworldly makes a dreadful appearance.
The movie follows Stephen King's novella pretty well, and adds a little more to the mix to make for a truly terrifying experience. The monsters in the mist are very Lovecraftian, lacking in any terrestrial shape or form, and ripping apart human bodies in particularly painful-looking ways. But what really makes The Mist freaky is not the monsters outside the store, but surprisingly, it's the monsters within. Mrs. Carmody comes out as the film's true antagonist, as she forms a mini-doomsday cult and manipulates everybody's desperation to feed the monsters, both outside the store and within her own wicked soul. Thus, humanity becomes the most terrifying aspect of the film, and it persists all the way to the wicked ending.
And yes, there is the infamous ending, which turns this film into one of the ultimate love-it-or-hate it affairs ever. It is a bitter and horrific ending, which perhaps strains any sense of logic, but the irony of it really propels it into a level of brilliance that makes the entire film a truly deep and invoking experience. Whether you love or hate the ending, the film overall is worth seeing for the overall themes and experience, for it is intense.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Thing (1982)
Fear of: an extraterrestrial that can take on the form of anybody.
There's nothing much new about aliens impersonating human life: such terrors have been explored thoroughly in many versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and even in the ongoing saga of Battlestar Galactica. One of the first and most original ideas, however, was The Thing From Another World, effectively remade by John Carpenter into this film - simply, The Thing. Once again, it's all about an alien creature that destroys human life and imitates it; same old story, but the execution of it is among the freakiest and most tense experiences ever filmed.
Set in the isolated and barren landscapes of Antarctica, the film immediately sets a brooding pace and creepy tone that remains consistent throughout. It is especially tense when the characters spend their time pondering where the alien creature is, and whether or not they can trust each other. At times, this sends everybody at each other's throats. The threat of the situation, however, is strongly reinforced when the actual thing appears on-screen. In a few well-staged scenes, the thing emerges, literally exploding out of flesh and bone, in a bloody mass of withering tentacles and contorted muscle. The stuff that happens in these scenes are just insane, and it makes for one hell of a freaky experience.
It's hard to forget about the thing, as it mutilates dogs, turns one man's head into a spider-like critter, and goes on to chew on another guy's head. At the same time, the characters can't forget about the thing either, and it systematically drives them all mad and desperate. The desperation becomes palpable, and makes for one truly creepy experience for the audience.
Fear of: could it be ghosts, or could it just be no beer and no TV makes Jack crazy?
Of all the horror films I've seen, there's still nothing like The Shining. Stephen King's original novel was quite freaky and ominous as it is; Stanley Kubrick's adaptation is pretty liberal, ditching a lot of the ghosts and supernatural horror, but his focus on psychological horror is part of what makes it so creepy.
The film creeps along at a methodically steady pace, hitting a stride that's hypnotic. With its audience entranced, the film then delivers some of the most startling and ominous imagery possible: it's hard to forget about the slow-motion elevator full of blood, the image of the axe-murdered twins, or the woman in the bath tub. Even the general location - the Overlook Hotel - is an oppressive sight, so isolated and bleak, ultimately becoming surrounded by impassible snow. The camera captures the perfect sense of creepiness as it steadily passes through the halls and reveals every horrific detail that it can.
At the center of it all, it's a movie about Jack Torrence gradually losing his mind and becoming an axe-murderer, just like the caretaker before him. Even though Jack Nicholson's performance gets extremely cheesy and laughable at times, there's still nothing creepier than to watch his expressions and mannerisms as he gradually becomes haggard, stressed, and insane. The film's finale, in which he becomes trapped in a hedge maze, is perhaps the defining climax of the whole thing, as if the maze itself is the maze of his own mind, and he literally becomes frozen in its primal core. In those last moments, Jack starts screaming incoherently and animalistically: it is a scene that probably gives me the most chills.
The Shining has captivated and frightened audiences for over thirty years, and remains a seminal horror classic for many great reasons. Its atmosphere is second-to-none, and the way it handles the psychological horror is perfect. The cast does their best, with smashing results. Stanley Kubrick never really believed in the supernatural, but his film does embody something that is perhaps the scariest fear of them all: the terror of human mind and what it's capable of.
My Score: 5/5
Additionally, the documentary Room 237was recently produced to explore the odd discrepancies of the film and the bizarre theories on the film's actual meaning. It has provided a very interesting analysis, which inspired me to look more into the film and develop my own analysis, which I've posted on this here blog.
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I suppose the list is more about sheer enjoyment...but then again, I would have expected Planet Terror to crack the top 20 for him. 
Also sad to see The Sixth Sense ranked so low.
The Boredom!!!!
They also have the nerve to "fight" Godzilla in this form. Mothra sprays silk at him. SILK! 
After way too long we FINALLY get to Mothra's changing into a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL butterfly... with bird feet on stubs. Battra shows up too, only more bat-like with longer legs. For NO REASON these 2 enemies join forces to defeat Godzilla in the most embarrassing fight of his life. Then the movie tortures you with MORE MOTHRA and the TINY GIRLS for several more minutes.
Linear Mode
