Horror Movie Challenge: Day 18: Movie Others Hate/We Love: Halloween II (2009)

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I know that most horror fans seem to despise this movie but I find it to be a beautiful shot, misunderstood gem of a horror film. I admire Zombie for not doing a straight up remake of the original sequel and I like how you actually are able to see the emotional grief that the first travesty has caused its characters. We are able to see Laurie and Annie as real, flesh and blood characters that are each trying to deal with this travesty the only way that they know how. It’s not a perfect film (the horse imagery is out of place to say the least) but it is an ambitious film and that’s more than you can say about most horror movies today.

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31 Days of Horror: Day 17: “The Pact” (2012)

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“The Pact” centers around a young woman named Annie and her struggle to piece together mysterious happenings in the home she lived in as a child. With the death of her mother and the disappearance of her sister shortly after, Annie, played to perfection by Caity Lotz, returns home only to realize that she is not alone. With strange bumps in the night, she flees the house, but returns later and is forced to take a closer look into dark past of her family.

With stunning cinematography and effects, The Pact, gives more spine tingling chills than most of the supernatural films that have been released lately. With suspense setting in just minutes into the film and not letting up until the credits roll, audiences will be holding onto their seats for the entire ride. With the disturbing imagery coupled with some excellent editing and direction, the hair will stand up on the back of your neck throughout the film. The film contains minimal gore, but the blood comes not only as a pleasant surprise, but also as an eye-opening and well done effect. You’re not getting the bloody goodness of the slashers, but some very well timed suspenseful scares.

Not having seen a decent supernatural horror film in a while, I am delighted to praise The Pact. With the music revving up at all the right times and the cuts being dead on, the mystery is to die for. I would be happy with a ending that cuts to black a few minutes earlier, but honestly, this film still holds up with the additional running time and does not seem to drag on. Be on the look out for this film, written and directed by Nicholas McCarthy.

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Horror Movie Challenge: Day 17: Favorite Horror Franchise: “Scream”

Slasher Studios*Horror Movie Challenge (30 Days)

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(mini reviews of all 4 in order from best to worst)

1. Scream 2 (1997)
Although at times I feel as though I am in the minority, I truly believe that “Scream 2″ is the best film in the Scream franchise. This is that rare sequel that takes everything that works about its predecessor and manages to take it to another level. The deaths are suspenseful, the characters are charming and likable, and the twist ending works better than it has any right to. I also truly believe that this is some of Craven’s finest directing and the “cop car” scene is a hide-your-eyes-behind-your-fingers chiller of a scene. More than that, this film is just a hell of a lot of fun from beginning to end.

2. Scream (1996)
Scream made horror movies scary again with a brilliantly constructed plot. One year after the death of Sidney Prescott’s (Campbell) mother, two students turn up gutted. When a serial killer appears, Sidney begins to suspect whether her mother’s death and the two new deaths are related. No one is safe, as the killer begins to pick everyone off one by one. Finally, something the horror genre was missing: a good old fashioned murder mystery. The performances all around are first rate from Neve Campbell as the vulnerable to Courteney Cox as the bitchy journalist willing to do whatever it takes to get a story Gale Weathers to David Arquette as the sweet, slightly dimwitted Deputy Dewey to Drew Barrymore’s doomed Casey Becker.

3. Scream 4 (2011)
“Scream 4″ is executed with an artistic flair of wit and style that long time fans and film buffs alike will love. While I sometimes wished there could have been a little more genuine tension and suspense, the final twenty minutes are just so off-the-wall that it makes up for any slow patches. All in all, this is bloody, fun, and very entertaining. The cast is clearly having a ton of fun, and most of them really put on a good show. This may be cinematic junk food but it sure is tasty.

4. Scream 3 (2000)
“Scream 3″ is the kind of movie that has a lot of great ideas mixed in with a few mediocre ideas. The film spends far too much time with Sidney away from the group, alone in the cabin. We want to see Sidney take on evil and put on a good fight. Something that doesn’t happen here until the final act. That being said, Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers has never been better. Given a bitter rival to play against, played by a deliciously witty Parker Posey, she shines in every single scene that she is given. Overall, I think “Scream 3″ is a fun film. It may be the worst installment of the franchise but it is still a hell of a lot better than 90% of the horror that is released today.

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31 Days of Horror: Day 16: “The Burning” (1981)

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I can’t dare to begin a classic 80’s horror conversation without talking about The Burning. This 1981 work of near perfection really does fire on all
cylinders and keeps the audience enthralled throughout the duration of the 91 minute runtime. The kills are spectacular, the locations are to die for, the cast has the perfect 80 vibe.

The blood and gore within The Burning is top notch as Tom Savini works his magic and gives us some of the most memorable deaths ever to grace the silver
screen. The raft scene is produced with out a flaw and everything from the blood, to the shot selection, to the editing pace was well meshed to create
something very special. Location, location, location. We have all heard this phrase before and so did the locations scouts for The Burning. We are set in a summer camp near and lake and forest. Very classic 80’s. I have always loved the camp feel for a slasher/horror location and is one doesn’t disappoint.the water adds such a boost the the production value and gives great backdrops for the beautiful cinematography.

This is always a fun film to watch because we can look back and see the film debuts of the young Jason Alexander, Fisher Stevens, and Holly Hunter. They all give great performances and who can forget Larry Joshua as the classic jock, Glazer. Glazer adds a ton of fun to this movie and is always great for some comedic relief. I hope this film receives more of a following that it deserves. True horror fans know and appreciate this project but the general public has no clue this film even exists. Personally, I always make it a point to bring up The Burning during a movie conversation with a non horror fan in hopes to convert them to the world of Cropsy!

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Horror Movie Challenge: Day 16: Favorite Indie Horror: “Halloween”

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halloween

With it being October and only 2 weeks away from our favorite holiday, there is only one movie that comes to mind when speaking of classic indie horror films; the one and only, Halloween. This 1978 slasher from the great John Carpenter helped changed horror as we know it and had an effect on fans young and old. We all know the story of Michael and Laurie and the mayhem that took place, but the people outside of the horror community really don’t understand the importance this film and it’s characters. The fan following Halloween has earned after all these years is extraordinary and has few rivals. Grade school age kids have found this film and fallen in love with it as if they were there opening night to see it the first time.

People young and old gravitate toward this slasher flick and are some of the most dedicated fans around. Slasher Studios has been around the festival circuit and Halloween t-shirts can be found on fans everywhere. Michael Myers art and apparel can be found at almost every other booth and fans dressed up and the Michael himself have become a standard. If you have been to a horror convention, you more than likely saw horror actors signing autographs. Well, when Jamie Lee Curtis attended last year’s HorrorHound Weekend, she took over and was the primary, and most likely the only focus of the of the attendees. This was her first and last horror related appearance and she did it all for charity. The fans stood for ours and days just to get that minute of Jamie Lee time. The dedication was undeniable. So, whether you are a fan or not, and I hope you are, Halloween is more than just a movie. For many slasher fans, it’s a way of life. Halloween has been there for them and they will be there for Halloween. Will there ever be anything like this again? Probably not and that is what makes this film so special. Hard to believe it all started as just an indie slasher..

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Not Quite Horror: “No Country for Old Men” (2007)

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Not Quite Horror contains reviews of films not traditionally considered horror films. By analyzing them as horror films (identifying the monster, discussing the shared worry for the audience and the main characters, and understanding the depth of horror available to the viewer), who knows? There’s more than one way to watch a movie.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

In the month of October, I am celebrating the films of Not Quite Horror legends Joel and Ethan Coen.

The Monster: Anton Chigurh. Despite Chigurh’s awkward appearance and Javier Bardem’s masterful performance, the assassin represents a walking absence of any form of humanity. Chigurh kills efficiently and without remorse. At times he allows a coin flip to decide if a person lives or dies.

The Horror: Chigurh represents a change of pace from previously reviewed films. Perhaps owing to the Coen Brothers staying faithful to Cormac McCarthy’s source novel, the tone surrounding Chigurh lacks the sarcastic/mocking tone of many of their other films. This form of death is blank and pitiless.

The Shared Fate: Chigurgh is a perfect existential figure of dread. Everything from the nightly news to the entirety of human history contains name after name of men and women who harm others with the same lack of regard or emotion.

The Coen Brothers use this film to continue creating a body of work where death is the end, and it never ends things satisfactorily. Chigurh is another of the grim reapers, except no smile graces his face.

— I am indebted to Noel Carroll’s The Philosophy of Horror for his ideas on defining horror, as well as John Skipp and Craig Spector’s article “Death’s Rich Pageantry, or Skipp & Spector’s Handy-Dandy Splatterpunk Guide to the Horrors of Non-horror Film” in Cut! Horror Writers on Horror Film for a similar idea.–

–Axel Kohagen

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Horror Movie Challenge: Day 15: Great 80’s Horror: “Humongous”

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“Humongous” is a fun, homage filled 80′s slasher that rips off a dozen other, better slasher films but still manages to be a lot of fun. Remember the scene at the end of “Friday the 13th Part 2″ where Amy Steel pretends to be Jason’s mother? This film sure does as the exact scene is repeated here to lesser effect. That being said, the kills are fun and characters are a tad bit better developed than most of the other 80′s slashers out there. David Wallace is particular is quite strong as our lead twin Eric. Most of the time in 80′s slasher, guys are given nothing to do but not so here. He almost becomes the film girl by being smart, likable, and even given a chance to emote. Lead Janet Julian possesses similar qualities and has a lot of fun with her “last girl standing” appearance. This is a must watch for fans of the early 80′s slasher genre. I can’t say that everyone is going to enjoy the film as much as I did as the film is quite slow and repetitive at times. Nonetheless, it is one of the better examples from the under-appreciated genre.

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31 Days of Horror: Day 15: “Hansel & Gretel” (2013)

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I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with most films from Asylum. With over 50 movies in the can, the production company has yet to lose money on a single feature. Often from the time a title is announced to the moment the film is available to purchase is less than six months. This is cynical filmmaking to say the least but there is something ingenious about the business side of this sort of low brow end of movies approach. Is this really anything different than what Roger Corman did in the 60s and 70s? Joe Dante’s Piranha was a shameless rip off of Jaws. The Asylum’s Hansel and Gretel is a shameless rip off of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. The real question to ask…does this rip off work or is it even worse than the “blockbuster” it is trying to capitalize on. Let’s take a bite out of Hansel and Gretel.

As Hansel & Gretel begins we witness an overweight girl tied up in shackles trapped in a dark and dreary basement. She manages to get herself free and she runs out of the house and into the woods only to find herself trapped yet again. An apple in the mouth and some seasonings and she has become the next meal for the family who lives in the house. After “treated” to the opening Saw “homage”, I was already tuning myself out of the film. But then something strange happened. The movie developed a sense of humor about itself and it went from being a chore to sit through to becoming one of the more entertaining movies of the last few years. We have our two heroes (Hansel and Gretel, of course) on a race against time as they battle the delightfully evil Dee Wallace as the witch. But I mean Dee Wallace runs a bakery that sells meat pies called The Gingerbread House. How great is that?

I’m been complaining lately that there haven’t been enough good-bad horror movies lately. Horror movies that aren’t exactly great but are shamelessly entertaining. The Asylum’s Hansel and Gretel completely fits the bill. Not only is this Asylum’s best work to date, it is also their most enjoyable work yet. A terrifically over-the-top performance by Dee Wallace who gets to shout lines like “EAT YOUR FUCKING DINNER!” and “I was always going to eat YOU!” seals the deal. A must watch for slasher fans. I can’t wait to dig in for seconds.

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31 Days of Horror: Day 14: “Prom Night III: The Last Kiss” (1989)

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Prom Night III: The Last Kiss is an interesting blend of comedy (very broad Student Bodies style splatstick) and horror, slasher and supernatural, and tongue-in-cheek and clever. It is mostly a lot of fun to watch and Taylor delivers some great zingers as Mary Lou. At 97 minutes, the film is a bit on the long side. At least ten minutes could have been cut from the final act within losing anything storywise. That said, it is consistently funny and quite often very entertaining. The production values are solid throughout and the script is helped out immensely by a game cast that appears to be having just as much fun as we are.

Please note, if you choose to watch this film (and it is indeed recommended), the DVD version released in a double feature DVD along with Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil is a cut TV broadcast version. Most of the gore, swearing, and nudity is all but removed. However in the VHS version it is uncut, with all gore, profanity and nude scenes left intact.

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Horror Movie Challenge: Day 14: Cheesy Horror: “The Last Slumber Party” (1988)

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LastSlumberParty

Day 14: The cheesiest horror you’ve ever seen

Oh boy, where to begin… The Last Slumber Party is one film that needs to be seen in order to be believed. Cheesy to the max, this movie takes the term, “so bad, it’s good,” to another level. The story takes a few weird turns along the way and viewers are given the privilege of meeting some very memorable characters. A group of middle school kids could rival the overall production value and probably find better actors. The line delivery is atrocious and I love it! I love it almost as much as I love the Sesame Street poster in the teenage girls bedroom.

Although this film is just about as cheesy as it gets, it is one of those films that always seems to put a smile on my face. Just thinking of it now makes me want to watch it again. I can only dream that one day it gets a proper dvd or even blu-ray release that is packed full of extras to answer the extensive list of questions I still have. I need to know more about this film. Where did the filmmakers find these actors? How many days was the shooting schedule? How many hundreds of dollars was the budget? So many unanswered questions…

Even though The Last Slumber Party does everything wrong, in a strange way, that is why this movie is so fun to watch in all it’s amazing 80’s-horror-film glory. The acting and line delivery is cheesy. The camera work and direction is cheesy. The plot and killer is cheesy. And I loved every minute.

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