31 Days of Halloween Movies (2018) - Horror Fans Unite!!!!!!

[filmbuffTX]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

First-time viewings marked with an *

[Show spoiler]9/06/18: The Little Stranger * (2018):
9/07/18: The Nun * (2018):
9/10/18: Predator (1987):
09/11/18: Predator 2 (1990):

9/12/18:

-Predators (2010):

[Show spoiler]


A damn sight better than the anemic second installment, this belated entry in he franchise (produced a solid two decades after part two) finds a gaggle of Earth's nastiest mercenaries and killers (a motley, engaging crew including Walton Goggins as a hick death row inmate, plug-ugly Danny Trejo as a Mexican cartel enforcer, and a surprisingly commanding Adrien Brody, among others) dropped off via parachute onto an alien game preserve on another planet and find themselves hunted by a trio of freshly-designed, 'roided-up Predators (who have a "classic", Stan Winston Predator chained to a post for not very well-explained reasons). Produced by low-budget wunderkind Robert Rodriguez and slickly directed by the unfortunately-named Nimrod Antal, Predators has fun with it's very varied group of victims and playing off of iconic moments from the original (including a great showdown between a Predator and a Yakuza gangster armed with a vintage Samurai sword), and adds a few wrinkles to the usual proceedings, like a pack of "Predator Dogs" used to flush out the group and soften them for the kill (more could have been done with this, frankly). There are certainly flaws (a "surprise" revelation about one of the group late in the proceedings is telegraphed from a million miles away), but I've always found this to be a solid and underrated entry in the franchise.

I prefer Predators to Predator 2 as well. Although I’m going to give Predator 2 another watch before I see the new movie. Maybe I’ll enjoy it more.

Originally Posted by Punishment1o1

It started off well enough, but I hated the reveal.

Fair enough.

[Show spoiler]I liked the reveal. It was unexpected and I always prefer practical vs. supernatural. I just think it’s an average film though and wouldn’t rate it higher than 3 stars.

[snobird]

31 Days Of Horror

Movies:

9/7 - The Nun (Theater Showing)
9/8 - Day of the Dead: Bloodline
9/10 - Verónica

Documentaries:


TV Shows:

9/8 - The Purge: Season 1 - Episode 1 - What Is America?
9/10 - Fear The Walking Dead: Season 4 - Episode 13 - Blackjack
9/11 - The Purge: Season 1 - Episode 2 - Take What's Yours


Previous 31 Days Of Horror:

2013
2014
2015
2016
2017

[cgpublic]

"Spirits surround us on every side... they have driven me from hearth and home, from wife and child."

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari [1920; Re-Watch (2014 Kino Lorber Blu-ray; 4K Restoration)]



Rating:

Analysis: Nearly 100 years old, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is not a film that is easy to embrace for modern audiences. But given the right setting and related mood, it can transport you to a very unique dream state filled with dread.

[hagios]

9/12

[prkchopexpress]

alright so far...
first time watches in bold.

hannibal tv series complete.

sesson 1 and 2 - 4.25 of 5 stars
season 3 - 3.75 of 5 stars

it's really hard to divorce preconceived notions of the series from your expectations of the series. hopkins is hannibal, and I still feel that way. on a pure aesthetic level, this is beautiful looking series. there are solid performances, with the best coming from hugh dancy. the production design with the crime scenes is really astounding. and shocking that they were able to get away with as much as they did on tv. the dream sequences are fantastic. the food all looks very good. the only things that I mark it down are personal things. some choices I didn't like. and it really is on the shadow of hopkins. while a lot of people love the silence of the lambs, I think I have always liked the Hannibal film from 2001 one more. and I can't separated him from the character. but ultimately, if you are a genre fan or crime fan, this is absolutely worth checking out. the meticulous detail with which they craft the frame is always impressive.

perfect blue - 5/5
a dark thriller that just happens to be animated. a mystery where you aren't sure what is real and what is fantasy. a reveal that you don't see coming. a must for fans of thrillers.

predator 2 - 3/5
ambitious, and interesting in parts. doesn't just try to copy the original. some cool moments and decent performances. but ultimately is not a perfect movie or sequel.

truth or dare 2018 - .25/5
the only reason I'm not giving this a zero is because it's not the worst the movie I have seen this year. but there really isn't anything to like or anything that is worth seeing. the characters are unlikable. the script is bad. the performances are bland. nothing works at all.

slice - 3/5
mores comedy than horror. super low budget. if you are a huge horror and comedy obsessive, and you want to watch everything, you'll see this at some point. most of the sticking points come back to budget, so I'll give it a pass in that sense.

the sorority house massacre - 1.75/5
a sentence I never thought I would say. watching the sorority house massacre makes me wish I was wishing the slumber party massacre. super low budget. only 75 minutes, but still feels kind of long. mostly unimaginative. but the leads have good chemistry and the dialogue scenes are not bad. a late slasher really needs some good money scenes with the fx. this doesn't have it though. a bit obscure. if you're looking for a cut, this is on amazon prime. slasher completists only though, as it doesn't do anything memorable.

halloween II - 2/5
I feel like this is too generous. I hadn't seen it in forever. I feel like the 2/5 score is way too generous. dean cundey does a good job lighting and there is maybe one or two sequences that aren't terrible. but there is no suspense in this. and I think it gets a full point just because the original is so good. I saw it a young age and it scared the hell of out me. and really probably started my love of the genre and carpenter. everything feels so forced. I know you can never have the surprise of the original again, but it doesn't even have the fun of friday the 13th part 2. man the Halloween sequels are all really bad, other than part 3. the commentary with the director is not bad. I must hate myself because I watched it once (since I hadn't seen it in at least ten years and thought maybe it might be better to see it in widescreen) then watched it a second time with the commentary. there is nothing revelatory in the commentary. one of the more boring ones. bring on the new one from blumhouse.

vampire clay - 4.5/5
someone recommended this in the modern independent horror thread. if I was going by pure enjoyment I had while watching this and ambition, i would give it a 5/5. there are a lot of cool practical fx in this. this seems super low budget, but I never had the thought watching it "i wish this scene had more money." the premise and title seem silly, but the execution is solid. my love of the fx could be causing me to overrate it, and that's what I hate about number values. but for me and objectively, i think everything works. I don't remember watching any spot and thinking "that was a bad idea or decision." i was just into it. there is a lot of cool art design in it too. a letter grade would probably be low b high a. but this might have a very niche audience. the closest thing I can describe would be like if you checking out the video store, and you find a movie you've never seen or heard anything about, so you take it home and you just totally enjoy it and are glad someone told you about it.

edited to add more.
mandy 2018 - 5/5
I saw this for those one night screenings, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since then. this is very arty. so it's not for everyone. but this is one of the most stylish, beautifully shot movies of the year. the atmosphere and the style is amazing. there are so many great compositions, from a visual and an audio sense. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say it's one of the best movies of the year, because every choice not only works, but is a home run out of the park. I could not give this movie a higher recommendation.

the predator - 2.75/5
this is serviceable like a late friday the 13th. I mean it has the predator and it has some kills, and I guess if that's all you need, then you're set. but it's really kinda of a disappointment, especially since predators was a fun surprise that was made for a little less than half the money.

mom and dad 4.5/5
this is so deliciously bonkers. from one of the guys who made crank. has that crazy hyper kinetic style. lean and mean.

edited
it stains the sand red - 4.5/5
a lot of people have zombie fatigue, and that's understandable. you can't get away from them. but this is a low budget movie that actually tackles it in a new way. the first 25 minutes might cause you tune out. but it is actually just setting things up for later on in the film. I really dug it by the end. this is a movie that seemed to come out but didn't get a huge advertising push, so it got lost in the sea of content.

the great alligator - 4/5
I love italian exploitation flicks from the 70s and 80s. this is one from sergio martino. this is a fun jaws knock off. now, the special effects aren't great, but that shouldn't be expected on such a low budget. its like the last shark level. but I was personally into the movie and didn't care at all. worth a look. currently on amazon prime.

prom night 3 - the last kiss 1.5/5
this is really bad. like frustratingly so, because they have this crazy awesome evil dead force type shot at the beginning. but this really all comedy and no horror. it's comedy with some terrible fx, but it doesn't really have any impact because the tone seems to be made not with love for the genre, but a teasing or poking finger. and prom night II is so good because it takes the material seriously, which really makes this feel worse by comparison. if you are a weird slasher franchise completist, there is a poor quality copy on youtube. but other than that, you can pass.

edit
prom night 4 - deliver us from evil - .5/5
an obscure deep cut that really isn't worth seeking out. a morbid curiosity that for some reason we has horror fans want to see every film of a franchise sometimes. which really leads us to watch some garbage. the blond girl is the only thing memorable. but the script and everything about the production is so lackluster.

the house of the devil- 1.5/5
ugh. i don't even know why I'm rating it this high. I love the idea of slow burn and older style, but this is really a movie where nothing happens. the lead actress is not bad. everything about this movie just feels so meh. i just felt bored the whole time and by the time we got to the "payoff", I didn't care.

the autopsy of jane doe - 2/5
this is most frustrating of any recent watches, because the first 45 minute has me so hooked, and the second half suffers from "everything plus the kitchen sink." I know this is one of the surprises of the last few years, but I really didn't enjoy it at all.

necronomicon - 3/5
this is an interesting anthology that doesn't entirely work, but is still worth checking out. this is low budget, so the effects aren't mindblowing. but some of these stories are just so weird.

adding
the uninvited - 5/5
so this is from the 40s. so you have that 40s quick talk. less is more.

splinter - 3.75/5
this is a ten year old budget monster flick. not bad, but not spectacular. I wouldn't call it a must see, but might be a fun surprise if you stumble across it.

add
among the living - 3.5/5
from the guys who made inside. more good than bad. has some moments. but doesn't entirely work. I just felt it wound up being so meh. it's on shudder in the us if you're curious.
body melt - 3/5
eh. this is entertaining, but not as crazy as you'd expect from the title.
magic - 4.5/5
man, how hot is ann margret in this? you might think this is bad if that's my first thought. but she is totally the best part of this movie. I mean, burgess meredith is pretty good too. and hopkins is solid. but ann margret is totally the best thing in this movie and the movie wouldn't work without her. overlooked in all this, a really great jerry goldsmith score. but this is still a solid genre flick that I have looked over for like forever.

opera - 5/5
I know some people will argue that this were the quality of argento's work started to declined. but I've never understood that. saw an italian dubbed 35mm print and this is movie might be one of the more underrated argento. this is top tier. the camerawork is just amazing. the simonetti score is one of his more subtle. I had initially questioned the heavy metal music, but it actually makes perfect sense in the terms of the story. I hadn't seen this in probably twelve years. but this is a fantastic genre movie, and still would be one of the best that came out that year.

inferno - 5/5
I have become more of a fan of this over the last couple years. they had a gorgeous 35mm print that just blew my mind. I never, ever thought this movie could look that good. there's a shot at the end that really blows my mind. I can not believe how great it looks. doesn't use goblin, and instead goes with emerson for the score. I don't know that I would make the case, but I think you could argue that this is his best work.

the stendhal syndrome - 5/5
this is the last great argento. was only a dcp. but that morricone score is just amazing. it's a beautiful, seductive, enchanting melody that draws you in. similar to the opening of suspiria. argento's work does have a very dreamlike quality. this one pushes it into nightmare territory. I hadn't seen this in a long time, but this is one that has always stuck with me as the best of his post opera work.

suspiria - 5/5
a slightly faded Italian dubbed print. I saw the synapse dcp last year, and that was revelatory and clean. this print was kind of noisy. but man... that goblin score through the stereos was LOUD and I loved every second of this. suspiria will always be his most famous work. it's a really magical. and it's kind of mindblowing to think that he makes this and inferno right after. (and tenebre).

assassination nation - 4/5????
I want to say that I personally did not enjoy most of this movie. i don't think I've ever felt so old and out of touch watching a movie. but, this is a dark and disturbing movie. it's horror in the sense that something like the twilight zone was horror. i felt and weird and uncomfortable with this movie, but that's the point. sometimes you hear about a movie, and it feels like you should love it because it checks a lot of boxes for what you like or hits a lot of your sweet spots. but it's ultimately underwhelming and disappointing. and that's how I feel about this. so really, my high score is for being so super ballsy and nihilistic and so much the opposite of any movie that comes out and gets a fairly big release. worth checking out once. but most likely I would never have the desire to watch it again.

creepers - 4.75/5
this print looked pretty good. i have seen phenomena before, but I had never seen this shorter cut. it's lean and mean. I'm not sure what's missing, because I've only seen phenomena twice. and the last time I saw it was when the blu from synapse came out. but it did kind of feel like I was missing something. I have an idea about why it's so short. joe bob briggs told a story about interviewing roger corman and corman said that his favorite exploitation movie is 82 minutes because it will fit on four reels. anything longer requires another reel and will increase shipping by 20%. and I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't exactly what happened here. this is the first argento for me that wasn't a complete out of the park home run. and maybe part of that is because it comes out right between tenebre and opera. it's still pretty great though. the score is kinda sneaky good in parts. and the last twenty minutes are kinda bonkers.

tenebre - 5/5
this is the best argento. of all the argentos, this was the one I was most excited to see in 35mm. and it looked fantastic. suspiria has one the greatest openings in horror, and I would say tenebre has one of the greatest endings ever for any thriller. let's not forget that tracking shot. or what could be one of the best goblin/simonetti scores. there is really some genius stuff on here that I only noticed for the first time. I can not say enough about how great this movie is. if you haven't seen it, grab the synapse blu because you are in for a real treat.

from beyond - 5/5
the alamo drafthouse had a 35mm print. now, I have had the vhs (which by the time I got to it had been worn out), a DVDr bootleg of a screening on hdnet when it looked like it would never come out on dvd and I bought the scream factory blu as soon as it came out.

this movie has never looked so good. I can not believe how great the effects still look on a big screen. the pretorious stuff is so great. and it's all real. it was really an embarrassment of riches when dealing with fx in the 80s, and this one doesn't get discussed nearly enough. there's so much slime in this movie. a lot of people talk about re-animator, and I love how crazy re-animator is, but I think this a better movie. combs steals almost every scene. crampton is so game to whatever weirdness they throw at her. ken foree as comic relief. and there's that whole sexual undertone to the whole movie. this should be mentioned more not just as one of the best horror flicks of that year, but one of the best horror movies of the 80s. if you're lucky enough to get a screening of s print by you, this one is a must!

bride of frankenstein - 5/5
not as revelatory as the other prints. (it's probably always been kept in great condition) but still nice to see on a big screen.

hell fest - .5/5
with a classic, everything works and every choice made is the right choice. this is the opposite. nothing works. and it's from top to bottom. in fact, the only thing that really isn't bad is the production design. but even that is almost ruined by the poor acting. now this wasn't as bad as say truth or dare, but this had probably one of the stupidest endings I can recall in recent memory. this feels like the kind of horror movie made by someone who doesn't like or understand horror movies. like a terrible dtv mess, but with better production. ugh.

[samlop10]

Previous:

1. Predator 2

2. Deep Blue Sea

3. Razorback

4. Revenge

5. The Nun

6. Halloween 6: The Curse of Micheal Myers (Producer's Cut)

7. Slither

8. Raising Cain (Director's Cut)



Current:

9. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom



This is my original review, I have watched it a few more times since but that review still holds up. Regardless to say, after having mixed feelings on Jurassic World the first time I watched it and better enjoying it as a live-action cartoon in subsequent viewings, I went with that mindset for this sequel, and it definitely payed off as that is what the first Jurassic World setup and the story follows suit here:

Originally Posted by samlop10

Grade: A

I really liked this gothic, dark fairytale take on the dinosaurs. The Indoraptor made for one vicious creature that provided some genuinely scary sequences with a very good amount of tension. It almost had a Guillermo del Toro-eque feel about it in a very good way. The original and Jurassic World have a magic to them that feels bright and full of discovery but here Bayona takes it a step further, in a different direction, and evolves it so that it feels fresh and more original while at the same time providing a good tone for the themes the film explores.

The camera work and cinematography are stunning. I watched it in Laser IMAX 3D and I was constantly in awe of the direction and visuals. J. A. Bayona proves to be very versatile with the camera, showing that he can easily handle busy scenes with a massive scope, such as the eruption of the volcano, and just as easily make an extreme close up to a small thing like an eye opening important without loosing sight of what it means in such a grand set piece. This makes for some heavy but exhilarating sequences in which the tension just keeps mounting. It’s exciting and tiring at the same time, in a good way.

The second half shifts gears to a more intimate, claustrophobic, almost surreal setting in the mansion. It feels like a horror movie in the vein of The Relic but significantly better executed. I thought it was handled very well with, again, excellent camerawork and cinematography that I don’t get tired of praising. And instead of just having dinosaurs meandering about destroying things, the aftermath of what happens in the mansion leads to some serious consequences. This is layered with the origins of one of the characters (no spoilers) and it really puts into perspective whether they should be treated as any other animal or not.

This time around you can really see the consequences and repercussions of what the findings of creating dinosaurs from a strand of DNA mean for humans. Given that, J. A. Bayona has decided to use his darker, gothic visual style to compliment the exploration of those themes. How humanity perhaps went too far with science this time and how it will actually affect the whole world now in various ways, not just in our interactions with the dinosaurs. In this way I feel like the franchise has finally taken a logical step forward and away from the islands, opening the world in the franchise to a whole lot of new possibilities. Whether they’ll take good advantage of that remains to be seen, until the next entry at least.

The few issues I had with the film were that Owen and Claire don’t get much character development. They’re so likeable already, however (with Claire being way more sympathetic now), that it almost doesn’t matter, and overall, they carry the film extremely well, complimenting each other very nicely with some nice chemistry to boot. The other issue I had was that the first half felt like a bit of a retread of The Lost World. That quickly changes, however, and it leads to something very different but thankfully, in a good and interesting direction.

So overall, it is my favorite sequel of the franchise. While I really liked JW, this one feels more fresh, energetic, and emotional (I can’t get than infamous shot out of my head, it’s so beautiful but tragic and haunting), with a more focused path and goal of where it wants to go. The themes from the original are surprisingly advanced to the logical next step, and even though they lead to something that feels darker, it is a welcome change that does leave you wondering with curiosity where they’ll take the franchise next. The gothic fairlytale take with the dragon-like Indoraptor was pure joy to experience on the big screen. It felt very unique and exciting, definitely scarier than the previous entries, suspenseful and more horror-oriented without crossing any lines. Can’t wait to watch it again.

PQ: 4.5 / 5
The Dolby Vision encode is almost reference quality. Save for the black levels which sometimes are not as deep as they could be (a limitation of the source), and very brief compression artifacts in the very beginning, the rest impresses throughout. The picture is awash with color nuances that standard blu-ray simply cannot replicate. The picture is darker, yes, but it is so while looking very natural and maintaining excellent saturation levels with lots of subtleties, be it from different greenery and earthy/brown colors, or the more gothic cinematography of the second half in the mansion which is basically a museum/lab. The lava from the first half also burns deeper and with more detail thanks to the wider gradations in color.

Dynamic range is also on full display here, especially in the second half which takes place in a much darker setting in the mansion. The contrast between the dark corridors and exhibitions, and the bright lights across them, as well as during the bidding, really showcase the gothic visuals. It is also darker, but at the same time, light sources inside and lighting during the storm outside are brighter, helping to make the cinematography punchier with more pop and thus more appreciable. Shadow detail is another highlight. Despite the darker picture, there is a constant showcase of detail in darker areas of the picture. Nothing ever gets crushed or clipped. Take, for example, the scene in which Maisie sneaks into the lab, and before being discovered, she hides in a very dark corridor which is only lit indirectly by a light from the adjacent hallway, the Indoraptor reaches out towards her hair through the bars, and you can clearly see the skin and claws as they touch Maisie's hair which is also clearly defined despite the deep darkness.

Fine detail also impresses. Amongst all the CGI shots, the image holds up very well. Thankfully they used more practical effects this time around and it pays off as there is a nice uptick in detail across textures like the dinosaurs' skin, as well as the clothing on the characters, among other objects. I did notice brief and subtle banding in the underwater scene in the very beginning, but otherwise the picture is free of compression artifacts. Black levels range from good to perfect, with some scenes clearly having intended higher black levels. None of these ruin the picture, but rather, simply keep an impressive transfer from being perfect.

AQ: 5 / 5
Demo material through and through. Presented here on lossless DTS-X, the sound design combines crazy blockbuster action and more subtle horror/suspense to great effect. There is great directionality throughout and this is experienced as soon as the film starts with the helicopter flying overhead from back to front, moving smoothly over the viewer. Then the rain envelopes as the storm rages, and then one is submerged underwater as they try to get the tooth, all these thanks to the heights as well as the ear-level effects which blend together quite well. There is also great directionality in the front stage, with the many running dinosaurs moving across the screen, either fighting or trying to escape. The surrounds and overheads are constantly active throughout. Be it for atmospherics like a storm (you can hear the rain hitting the mansion's roof from above), or with discrete effects like the different debris and lava flying around as they try to escape from the island. Then in the mansion, groans, steps, and hisses create a tense and creepy atmosphere as the Indoraptor stalks and hunts our protagonists through the dark hallways, corridors, and stairs. Then when blue and the Indoraptor fight, it aggressively follows them across the soundstage, moving from behind and to the left and then to the front and to the right. The low end provides pitch-perfect support for all of this, also staying constantly active while also maintaining clarity and nuance, staying light when it needs to (such as with lightning), or going down deep with explosions and heavy dinosaur steps. In case you couldn't tell, the overheads are used pretty constantly for the duration of the film. Through all this, dialogue stays intelligible, never drowned by the rest. Overall, making this track demo material for 3D sound.

[kingdoxie]

Dementia1.jpgDementia.jpg

Dementia 13 (1963)

[jeddy3]

9/5 - Alien vs. Predator (2004)
9/7 - Annihilation (2018)
9/10 - Upgrade (2018)
9/11 - A Quiet Place (2018)
Cooties (2014)
9/12 - I Am Legend (2007)

[chad_1138]

Starting this year with some films off Netflix and Amazon Prime before we dive into our collection. Here we go... (*denotes first time viewing)

09/01 - *Demon House
09/02 - *The Babysitter
09/03 - *The Ritual
09/04 - *Death Note
09/05 - *American Fable
09/07 - *The Nun
09/07 - *The Bye Bye Man
09/08 - *Before I Wake
09/10 - *Mercy
09/11 - Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
09/12 - Predator (4K)
09/13 - *Ghost Stories

[charlieray1]

SEPTEMBER WARM-UP

Blue = blu-ray, * = first time viewing

Previous Films:

[Show spoiler]

The Orphanage (2007) A well-made, creepy, slow burn horror film. Very effective, and surprisingly moving at the end. This got our annual MonsterFest off to a great start!
Village Of The Damned (1960) Hadn't seen this in a few years. I forgot how very well-made and effective it is. Terrific movie, and a great looking new blu-ray from Warner Archive.
*The Devil's Daughter (1973) 1/2 (YouTube) My wife and I are old enough to have seen a lot of silly 70's TV movies as kids and we have a soft-spot for them. This is a completely predictable "Rosemary's Baby" rip-off -- campy, and a LOT of nostalgic fun. Decent cast too, with Shelly Winters, Joseph Cotton and a post "Dark Shadows" Jonathon Frid. We liked it ... but if you grew up after the '70's, you'll want to knock a couple of skulls off.
The Dead Zone (1983) Easily my favorite SK adaptation -- great story, great cast. Brooke Adams is beautiful! A favorite. Imported the Australian blu-ray. A little disappointing. Sound is definitely an upgrade, picture is too, but it's subtle.
Ghost Story (1981) 1/2 Another old favorite. I'm a sucker for slow-burn, well-crafted ghost stories ... and this one has those qualities in spades. Cool to see these old-time actors -- the cast is excellent -- along side Alice Krige, who is perfection as Eva/Anna. Loses half a star for over-reliance on shock cuts to gooey dead faces. They get a bit repetitive after a while, and they're not necessary in this movie -- it's strength is "eerie", not shock.
*The Little Stranger (2018) theatrical Gee, I wanted to love this. It looked like the kind of subtle ghost story that's right up my alley, but I guess even subtle can be overdone. EVERYTHING is laid between the lines, to the point that I really didn't understand what happened in the film. Had to read about it afterwards to figure out what I missed. Good premise, well made and well acted ... but it needs at least a LITTLE more overt storytelling. A big disappointment.
*Cronos (1993) :1/2 This didn't do much for me either. Some nice moments early on, but mostly gooey and pointless. *sigh*
*Cat Creature (1973) youtube 1/2 OK, I knew this wasn't going to be good, but I thought it would be entertaining. As I said (see: The Devil's Daughter) I have a fondness for campy 70's TV movie horror. I don't mind if they're silly, over-acted, unbelievable ... but this one was dull. How do you take a plot about a 2,000 year old cat creature stalking Los Angeles and make it boring? Simple: all "cop investigation" and very little cat. Interesting cast though -- Peter Lorre Jr? Who knew? (NOTE: OK, this is weird! Peter Lorre Jr wasn't related to Peter Lorre! Check this out: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0521137/bio)
The Grudge (2004) 1/2 The best of the weekend ... and the only one I had seen before. Not a great movie by any means, but fun and entertaining. (Are you listening, Cat Creature?)
The Fog (1980) A favorite, and IMO, one of JC's best films. However, I might skip this one for the next few years. No fault of the movie, but I've seen it many times and it's become so familiar that it didn't do as much for me this year. Still, it earns it's 4 skulls.
Asylum (1972) Boy, did I enjoy this! Never had the DVD, so I hadn't seen it since the VHS days. I love all the old Amicus anthologies, and although I had forgotten some of it, this is one of the best. The wrap around story is much better than most, and each tale worked quite well. Decent blu-ray too -- some nice extras.

Silence Of The Lambs (1991) What a powerful movie this is. Jody Foster and, especially, Anthony Hopkins are so perfect in their roles. Controlled, understated, underplayed and completely chilling. Also, for a film with such gruesome subject matter, it's surprisingly restrained -- it's dark and oppressive, but most of the violence is off-screen. A smart, well-made, grim thriller. My wife and I tend to stick to lighter, "fun" horror movies, but this one is too good to miss.

[cgpublic]

"What was going on? What terrifying secret was unfolding?"

Vampyr [1932; Re-Watch (2017 Criterion Blu-ray; 1998 Restoration)]



Rating:

Analysis: Created soon after the transition from silent film to sound talkies in Europe, Vampyr from Denmark’s Carl Dreyer screens like a silent memento mori with only whispers of dialogue, relying on haunting images to create a sense of foreboding as the film descends into a semi-consciousness state slowly revealing its supernatural secrets, until good unsparingly triumphs over evil with a striking conclusion.

[hagios]

9/13

Cup of tea theatre

Psycho





Psycho II

[lilboyblu]

#2
Prince of Darkness (1987)*
What could I follow up my excellent viewing from the other night with? Some more John Carpenter, of course. How I went 31 years without ever seeing this before is beyond me. Once again, excellent atmosphere throughout and some great practical effects. Had a bit of an Assault on Precinct 13 vibe, but with a horror slant. The always excellent Donald Pleasance played more of a supporting player amongst the large cast, but he was still great as always. It was fun seeing Alice Cooper, and Victor Wong and Dennis Dun being cast again was cool too. Another top tier Carpenter in my book.

#1__The Fog (1980)

* - First Time Viewing
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[october27]

8. SHAUN OF THE DEAD
This is a pretty cool horror comedy. You don't get heavy into the zombies until the second half but the cast, especially Simon Pegg are funny enough to carry it until the action picks up. Zombie effects are well done.




9. FREDDY VS. JASON
Here are two of our favorites from the 80's. You get a lot of elements from each series and plenty of both of the main characters. I like the Vs matchup movies and wish we could get more of them.

[Show spoiler]
1. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
2. THE MUMMY 1959
3. SALEM'S LOT
4+5. FRIDAY THE 13TH 1+2
6. THE MUMMY 1932
7. THE THING 1982

[chad_1138]

Starting this year with some films off Netflix and Amazon Prime before we dive into our collection. Here we go... (*denotes first time viewing)

09/01 - *Demon House
09/02 - *The Babysitter
09/03 - *The Ritual
09/04 - *Death Note
09/05 - *American Fable
09/07 - *The Nun
09/07 - *The Bye Bye Man
09/08 - *Before I Wake
09/10 - *Mercy
09/11 - Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
09/12 - Predator (4K)
09/13 - *Ghost Stories

[kingdoxie]

WolfMan1.jpg

The Wolf Man

[filmbuffTX]

Predator 2 (1990)




I personally don't consider Predator films to be horror or Halloween related, but since everyone else is listing them I will. Other than the A vs. P films this is my least favorite film of the franchise. It feels very dated to me and I don't like the filmmakers' vision of what future Los Angeles would be like. Predators (2010) is probably the most horror-ish because of the setting/premise.

September
Fade to Black*
Slaughter High*
Truth or Dare*
The Howling*
Cult of Chucky*
Maximim Overdrive*
Predator 2

*first-time viewing

[hamchuck1]

Hot Fuzz - more action/comedy than horror but there are some cult/mystery elements that feel like The Wicker Man 4/5

Super 8 - solid creature feature that may or may not have kicked off this current 80s nostalgia wave 4/5

[mpstjohn]

Previously this month...

[Show spoiler]Marrowbone 1/2
Happy Death Day
It (2017) 1/2 28 Weeks Later
The Fly
Frighteners
Arachnophobia
Darkman
C.H.U.D. 1/2
Exorcist III 1/2

Unfriended 2: Dark Web 1/2

[Show spoiler]Surprisingly impressive improvement over the original film with a better set up, pay off and actually likeable characters

Revenge 1/2

[Show spoiler]A beautifully photographed but ultimately one dimensional film that tries to redeem itself in the latter half with excess gore and rebirth symbolism but ultimately forgettable except for the visceral moments of violence.

An American Werewolf in London 1/2

[Show spoiler]Though in the last third it almost feels as if they ended the film in the alleyway after blowing their budget on the Piccadilly Circus scene as flawless a werewolf movie as anyone can ask for. Half a star off just for not having a better finale.

All Hallow's Eve

[Show spoiler]The framing device of a babysitter who's kids stumble upon a mysterious VHS is used to stitch together the filmmaker's short films into feature length. Not badly shot but not well enough shot either for me to think of this as more than a special effects reel. Randomly misogynistic for no particular reason.

The First Purge

[Show spoiler]Not quite as good as Anarchy or Election Year but still better than the original, this prequel sets up quite quickly just how the Purge was first introduced. While I wish it had done more in this department, particularly toward the end its still a fascinating social satire and horror film and by weaving together elements of modern politics more closely with this world's alternate history its a scary reminder of just how close this world seems to our own today.

[jeddy3]

9/5 - Alien vs. Predator (2004)
9/7 - Annihilation (2018)
9/10 - Upgrade (2018)
9/11 - A Quiet Place (2018)
Cooties (2014)
9/12 - I Am Legend (2007)
9/13 - Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Signs (2002)