What classics did you see last week ? (27 Oct - 02 Nov 2019)
Nov 3, 2019 16:44:07 GMT
teleadm, wmcclain, and 4 more like this
Post by Lebowskidoo 🎄😷🎄 on Nov 3, 2019 16:44:07 GMT
Still more horror stuff for Halloween month...
Family Blood (2018)
I had no idea what this was even about when I started watching it, so it was a pleasant surprise when I realized it was a vampire movie. It has a downbeat vibe throughout, which is more realistic than playing it for laughs, I suppose.
Vinessa Shaw is so beautiful, and the cast is very good. James Ransone is great but his role is more supporting than starring.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973 TVM)
Famous horror TV-movie from the 70's. It was considered quite eerie at the time but I found it a bit tame now. The creatures are silly looking and nothing too threatening. I preferred the remake, which I did find creepy and really fleshed out the story much better.
Eat (2014)
After reading various reviews, I expected this to be great, gory fun. It has its moments but I was disappointed that I wasn't as disgusted as I had hoped to be. Still, I probably have a stronger stomach for this sort of thing, and would not recommend anyone watch this while eating.
Amityville: The Awakening (2017)
I liked this. Probably having sat through one too many atrocious Amityville sequels helped it seem like a bit of a breath of fresh air. Having an actual actress like Jennifer Jason Leigh involved sure inspires confidence. The plot is a mish-mash of other horror movies.
This series seems unkillable, how many times will they try to milk it? Well, I plan to watch The Amityville Murders (2018) next so I guess they're not finished milking that Amityville teat just yet.
The Amityville Murders (2018)
Just what the world was clamoring for, yet another Amityville sequel. This one tells the story of the real murders that set all of this Amityville stuff in motion in the first place. This area has been covered before in the first sequel, but here it's slightly less demonic and just a little supernatural.
The acting is better than your usual Amityville sequel, particularly John Robinson as Butch DeFeo who is a real standout.
Now can we please let all this Amityville stuff rest in pieces?
Cat's Eye (1985)
More Twilight Zone-ish than straight-up horror anthology from Stephen King. The stories keep your interest but none are going to floor you. I liked watching James Woods being driven to the edge (or was that Robert Hayes?) but the Drew Barrymore goblin story was the most fun for me.
Being a cat person, I was stressed about the cat's welfare for most of the running time, especially when I saw the smoke coming from that animal shelter on "Termination Day!"
Beetlejuice (1988)
Tim Burton's spooky-funny masterpiece is still great entertainment. It's been decades since I saw it last and it's still the manic, madcap, morbid little movie I remember.
I'd forgotten how much of a comedic powerhouse Michael Keaton was in this. His energy level is beyond what most humans are capable of. Knowing that he improvised so much of his best stuff only leaves me further in awe.
The movie itself is such a design marvel. Quirky and weird but fun and clever. I think Burton must have been a great fan of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Now there's something I would not have pieced together back when I first saw it, I had to have some self-taught movie education first.
Shout out to my beloved Catherine O'Hara, who can do no wrong and is her usual amazing self here too!
Pyewacket (2017)
I love when Canada produces some good horror! This comes from Adam MacDonald, the director of Backcountry, a solid camping horror movie if ever there were one. He's also an actor who's been in horror movies too, so the dude is creating quite the reputation in horror.
Here, the story is about an angsty teen girl, very relatable and all caught up in her emotions. She hangs with some outsiders (who look like 80's kids, I had to check and see what decade this was supposed to be set in) who are into occult stuff and her mom argues with her a lot, while they both deal with the father's death.
Great performances by the cast. The movie is a quiet one, a slow-builder, but I was quite invested and it kept me interested throughout. When it gets creepy...it gets really creepy!
It has a modest budget but it produces that sinister vibe us horror fans love. You won't be disappointed.
Dracula (1979)
One of the first horror movies I can recall watching at an early age without covering my eyes from start to finish. It opens with a howl so creepy and horrifying, and it's just epic! It was scored by JOHN WILLIAMS, like, oh my God, I had no idea then, but now, wow, such an impressive and perfect score!
Sir Laurence Olivier as Prof. Van Helsing? No one could argue with what perfect 1979 casting that is right there! Frank Langella is a suave bastard as Drac, but at the same time he's haunted my nightmares. Those scenes where he climbs up and down buildings just invoke the same terror that gave younger me nightmares. Kate Nelligan is perfect as Lucy and Donald Pleasence as Dr. Seward adds so much to his role.
The sets, the fog, the darkness, it all adds to the experience in a fantastic way. This version differs greatly from the Stoker novel and most adaptations, it was based on a Broadway production at the time. It has epic moments you never saw coming for this reason. I mean, the same old story is great and all, but this movie changes it up wonderfully.
Not going to spoil anything, but I'll just say this: What was said in The Incredibles about capes is proven to be the truth here.
To Die For (1988)
I really liked this years ago, this time I kept finding reasons not to like it. Seems cheesier than I recall, but you could do worse.
Mostly it's Dracula and his brother, Tom, fighting over a woman in late 1980's Los Angeles. Gotta love that synth soundtrack.
Great to see scream queen Amanda Wyss (A Nightmare on Elm Street) again.
Son of Darkness: To Die For II (1991)
Direct sequel to To Die For, but doesn't bother explaining how Vlad/Max/Dracula survived the ending of that movie, or why he looks like Michael Praed now instead of Brendan Hughes.
Seems even more inspired by Interview With the Vampire than the first movie. Not bad, probably more suited to a female audience, what with all the sexy stuff. I wanted more gore!
Stephanie (2017)
Went into this one completely blind, not knowing a thing about it. Have to say I really liked it. It takes various turns here and there I didn't see coming. Won't say much more so as to avoid ruining some of the twists. Seemed like more of a sci-fi thriller than a horror movie in many ways.
Young Shree Crooks is just outstanding as Stephanie. She's in nearly every scene and delivers every time. A star is born!
Directed by Akiva Goldsman, who has a great list of credits. It seems this movie has been barely seen or ignored. I think it deserves to be seen by more people.
Veronica (2017)
A teenage girl has to look after her younger siblings constantly because their widowed mother has to work. She takes time out to use a ouija board to contact her dead father, only she contacts someone or something else instead.
It's the usual ouija board story, but it's the manner in which it's told that impressed me. This movie succeeds in creating the necessary creepy vibe quite well. It also creates a sense of realism and the young actors are all very good. You really feel for what they're going through.
The least scary thing about it should be the subtitles, don't let them scare you off from seeing this fine film.
The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
Oh, Clive Barker, how I've missed you! It's been eons since I've read anything of his, or seen a new movie based on his work. I guess when I started watching this movie I wasn't quite prepared for the surprising level of tension and gore I was in for. Barker's imagination has supplied us with some of the most memorable cinematic nightmares over the last thirty years, and this tale continues that trend.
The Clovehitch Killer (2018)
Dylan McDermott, of all people, is quite quietly creepy in this role.
Also, Tyler's Christian brainwashed friend is most definitely on the path to becoming cult leader one day. He was a little scary on his own.
It's a fairly engrossing thriller, it keeps plugging away and you find yourself fully invested in this story, which takes some interesting twists in both the story and in the way it is told.
Buddymoon (2016)
Great goofy fun. Although it's about a guy taking his wilderness hiking adventure honeymoon with his best man instead of his almost bride, it never gets all maudlin. This is mainly due to the best man being played by Flula Borg, a manic, relentlessly upbeat and funny German dude, and David Giuntoli's best pal in real life too.
It seems as though the characters are based mostly on the actual actors, how much, I'm not sure. It's a bit of comedy, a little drama, and a whole lot of Oregon scenic tour. Nothing extraordinary, just a pleasant journey with two goofy guys, designed to make you smile, and it will.
Loved the mini-Grimm reunion with Claire Coffee!
Family Blood (2018)
I had no idea what this was even about when I started watching it, so it was a pleasant surprise when I realized it was a vampire movie. It has a downbeat vibe throughout, which is more realistic than playing it for laughs, I suppose.
Vinessa Shaw is so beautiful, and the cast is very good. James Ransone is great but his role is more supporting than starring.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973 TVM)
Famous horror TV-movie from the 70's. It was considered quite eerie at the time but I found it a bit tame now. The creatures are silly looking and nothing too threatening. I preferred the remake, which I did find creepy and really fleshed out the story much better.
Eat (2014)
After reading various reviews, I expected this to be great, gory fun. It has its moments but I was disappointed that I wasn't as disgusted as I had hoped to be. Still, I probably have a stronger stomach for this sort of thing, and would not recommend anyone watch this while eating.
Amityville: The Awakening (2017)
I liked this. Probably having sat through one too many atrocious Amityville sequels helped it seem like a bit of a breath of fresh air. Having an actual actress like Jennifer Jason Leigh involved sure inspires confidence. The plot is a mish-mash of other horror movies.
This series seems unkillable, how many times will they try to milk it? Well, I plan to watch The Amityville Murders (2018) next so I guess they're not finished milking that Amityville teat just yet.
The Amityville Murders (2018)
Just what the world was clamoring for, yet another Amityville sequel. This one tells the story of the real murders that set all of this Amityville stuff in motion in the first place. This area has been covered before in the first sequel, but here it's slightly less demonic and just a little supernatural.
The acting is better than your usual Amityville sequel, particularly John Robinson as Butch DeFeo who is a real standout.
Now can we please let all this Amityville stuff rest in pieces?
Cat's Eye (1985)
More Twilight Zone-ish than straight-up horror anthology from Stephen King. The stories keep your interest but none are going to floor you. I liked watching James Woods being driven to the edge (or was that Robert Hayes?) but the Drew Barrymore goblin story was the most fun for me.
Being a cat person, I was stressed about the cat's welfare for most of the running time, especially when I saw the smoke coming from that animal shelter on "Termination Day!"
Beetlejuice (1988)
Tim Burton's spooky-funny masterpiece is still great entertainment. It's been decades since I saw it last and it's still the manic, madcap, morbid little movie I remember.
I'd forgotten how much of a comedic powerhouse Michael Keaton was in this. His energy level is beyond what most humans are capable of. Knowing that he improvised so much of his best stuff only leaves me further in awe.
The movie itself is such a design marvel. Quirky and weird but fun and clever. I think Burton must have been a great fan of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Now there's something I would not have pieced together back when I first saw it, I had to have some self-taught movie education first.
Shout out to my beloved Catherine O'Hara, who can do no wrong and is her usual amazing self here too!
Pyewacket (2017)
I love when Canada produces some good horror! This comes from Adam MacDonald, the director of Backcountry, a solid camping horror movie if ever there were one. He's also an actor who's been in horror movies too, so the dude is creating quite the reputation in horror.
Here, the story is about an angsty teen girl, very relatable and all caught up in her emotions. She hangs with some outsiders (who look like 80's kids, I had to check and see what decade this was supposed to be set in) who are into occult stuff and her mom argues with her a lot, while they both deal with the father's death.
Great performances by the cast. The movie is a quiet one, a slow-builder, but I was quite invested and it kept me interested throughout. When it gets creepy...it gets really creepy!
It has a modest budget but it produces that sinister vibe us horror fans love. You won't be disappointed.
Dracula (1979)
One of the first horror movies I can recall watching at an early age without covering my eyes from start to finish. It opens with a howl so creepy and horrifying, and it's just epic! It was scored by JOHN WILLIAMS, like, oh my God, I had no idea then, but now, wow, such an impressive and perfect score!
Sir Laurence Olivier as Prof. Van Helsing? No one could argue with what perfect 1979 casting that is right there! Frank Langella is a suave bastard as Drac, but at the same time he's haunted my nightmares. Those scenes where he climbs up and down buildings just invoke the same terror that gave younger me nightmares. Kate Nelligan is perfect as Lucy and Donald Pleasence as Dr. Seward adds so much to his role.
The sets, the fog, the darkness, it all adds to the experience in a fantastic way. This version differs greatly from the Stoker novel and most adaptations, it was based on a Broadway production at the time. It has epic moments you never saw coming for this reason. I mean, the same old story is great and all, but this movie changes it up wonderfully.
Not going to spoil anything, but I'll just say this: What was said in The Incredibles about capes is proven to be the truth here.
To Die For (1988)
I really liked this years ago, this time I kept finding reasons not to like it. Seems cheesier than I recall, but you could do worse.
Mostly it's Dracula and his brother, Tom, fighting over a woman in late 1980's Los Angeles. Gotta love that synth soundtrack.
Great to see scream queen Amanda Wyss (A Nightmare on Elm Street) again.
Son of Darkness: To Die For II (1991)
Direct sequel to To Die For, but doesn't bother explaining how Vlad/Max/Dracula survived the ending of that movie, or why he looks like Michael Praed now instead of Brendan Hughes.
Seems even more inspired by Interview With the Vampire than the first movie. Not bad, probably more suited to a female audience, what with all the sexy stuff. I wanted more gore!
Stephanie (2017)
Went into this one completely blind, not knowing a thing about it. Have to say I really liked it. It takes various turns here and there I didn't see coming. Won't say much more so as to avoid ruining some of the twists. Seemed like more of a sci-fi thriller than a horror movie in many ways.
Young Shree Crooks is just outstanding as Stephanie. She's in nearly every scene and delivers every time. A star is born!
Directed by Akiva Goldsman, who has a great list of credits. It seems this movie has been barely seen or ignored. I think it deserves to be seen by more people.
Veronica (2017)
A teenage girl has to look after her younger siblings constantly because their widowed mother has to work. She takes time out to use a ouija board to contact her dead father, only she contacts someone or something else instead.
It's the usual ouija board story, but it's the manner in which it's told that impressed me. This movie succeeds in creating the necessary creepy vibe quite well. It also creates a sense of realism and the young actors are all very good. You really feel for what they're going through.
The least scary thing about it should be the subtitles, don't let them scare you off from seeing this fine film.
The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
Oh, Clive Barker, how I've missed you! It's been eons since I've read anything of his, or seen a new movie based on his work. I guess when I started watching this movie I wasn't quite prepared for the surprising level of tension and gore I was in for. Barker's imagination has supplied us with some of the most memorable cinematic nightmares over the last thirty years, and this tale continues that trend.
The Clovehitch Killer (2018)
Dylan McDermott, of all people, is quite quietly creepy in this role.
Also, Tyler's Christian brainwashed friend is most definitely on the path to becoming cult leader one day. He was a little scary on his own.
It's a fairly engrossing thriller, it keeps plugging away and you find yourself fully invested in this story, which takes some interesting twists in both the story and in the way it is told.
Buddymoon (2016)
Great goofy fun. Although it's about a guy taking his wilderness hiking adventure honeymoon with his best man instead of his almost bride, it never gets all maudlin. This is mainly due to the best man being played by Flula Borg, a manic, relentlessly upbeat and funny German dude, and David Giuntoli's best pal in real life too.
It seems as though the characters are based mostly on the actual actors, how much, I'm not sure. It's a bit of comedy, a little drama, and a whole lot of Oregon scenic tour. Nothing extraordinary, just a pleasant journey with two goofy guys, designed to make you smile, and it will.
Loved the mini-Grimm reunion with Claire Coffee!