October Halloween/Horror Movie Goal

This October I reached and breached my goal of watching 31 Halloween or Horror themed movies in October. Here is a list of the films I watched.

Scary movie

Evil Ed

Ghostbusters

Tombs of the Blind Dead

Night of the Demons

Return of the Living Dead

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (producers cut)

Donnie Darko

Halloweentown

Murder Party 

The Blair Witch Project

The Monster Squad

Halloween 

Friday the 13th part 7 The New Blood

Night of the Comet

Carnival of Souls 

Night of Living Dead

Hocus pocus

Let the Right One in 

Tucker and Dale vs Evil

Evil Dead (2013)

What We Do in the Shadows 

Friday the 13th (1980)

Paranormal Activity 

It Follows 

Halloween (2018)

The ‘Burbs

The Witch

Shaun of the Dead

Ghostbusters 2

Oculus

Halloween 2

Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire

White Zombie

In the Mouth of Madness

Halloween 3: Season of the Witch

Cherry Falls – review

Cherry Falls is a satirical slasher film that seems like it is built for cult status. The story is silly, as many slasher movies tend to be.  Still, the actors at least try to make the humor subtle without going into a meta territory like Scream or winking at the camera like later Nightmare on Elm St. movies. The gravitas that the main actors bring make the movie interesting and watchable.

Cherry Falls is a town in Virginia where teenagers are being brutally murdered. Their dead bodies have the word “virgin” carved into them. As Jody Marken, played by Brittany Murphy, goes to school and find out about the fate of her fellow students, she soon finds herself being chased by the killer. The killer creates a scare in the community where all the virgins want to loose their virginity so that they will not be targets of the killer’s rage.

For the most part the actors are the standard teenage slasher movie tropes. Hordes of twenty-somethings pretending to be teenagers acting like stupid stereotypes. You do not care if they die because they are painfully annoying. Brittany Murphy, Michael Biehn, and Jay Mohr are actually trying to make an entertaining movie and anything entertaining coming out of it is almost solely owed to their talents. The many other characters could easily be replaced by cartoon characters with names like “gay best friend,” “slutty friend,” and “loud-mouth bully.” 

Brittany Murphy was an underrated actress who will certainly be missed. Her performance is vulnerable and believable despite the rather ludicrous material. Michael Biehn is sort of under utilized. He is the sheriff and Brittany Murphy’s father in the film. He is trying to make the script work for him but at times he seems like he is just annoyed with people. However, since he is playing an overworked sheriff, that attitude seems to work. Jay Mohr is great. His acting range goes from a subtle, calm one to a scenery-chewing ten.

The movie is said to have gone through five attempts to the MPAA before the censors would approve it. That being said, it would have been so interesting to see a director’s cut of this movie. It does feel like there might have been a lot more gore and sex at one point but it was neutered for a more mainstream audience. It is the sort of movie that should draw a cult status form fans of horror that is not that serious or scary.

The story is silly. The overall motivation of the killer is mindless. It is a tale of revenge but it is also chaotic and directionless. Much like Ghost Face from Scream, the killer spends a great deal of time placing his victims in scary positions and getting his butt-kicked by the protagonist. The teens discussing losing their virginity to save their lives is amusing and the inevitable orgy that ensues is laughable but makes the movie at least unique.

The movie is full of product placement for Coca Cola and other junk food. Not to the point of distraction, but many shots linger on desk or tables with Coke products. The movie does not seem to take itself too seriously but it also does not go to the level of being so over-the-top that it comes off like the characters are winking at the camera or just going through the motions to get their paycheck.

Cherry Falls is worth checking out. If you are a horror fan or a slasher movie fan then this movie will entertain you. The film is just unique enough to not fall into the same camp as the horde of movies that came out during the Scream generation of horror movies. The great performances really make this hidden gem into something that hopefully finds more of an audience in a cult status and the ending kicks the movie into an insane gear, which will have the audience laughing at how over-the-top things get.

Oculus – review

Oculus is a horror film directed by Mike Flanagan who directed the impressive Absentia.  While the script is a bit weak at times, the story is fascinating and makes a very fun ghost story. The acting is also done really well considering the somewhat mediocre script. The editing must have been a daunting task, given the constant back and forth in the storyline between the past and present.

Eleven years after the murder of her mother and father, Kaylie, played by Karen Gillian, seeks out to prove that the mirror in her house was haunted. Kaylie is sure the mirror possessed her parents and drove them to kill one another.  Her brother Tim, played by Brenton Thwaites, meets with her in their old house to help confirm her claims. Between memories of their childhood prior to their parents’ demise and the illusions the mirror entraps them in, Kaylie and Tim begin an uphill battle in order to destroy this mirror.

The acting in this movie is genuine. Rory Cochran and Katee Sackhoff do a great job playing parents who are slowing driven insane from the mirror (much like Gollum with the ring of power).   The effects are dynamic, creating genuinely creepy moments.  The mirror has the ability to absorb energy from living victims, conjure ghosts, and induce haunting illusions, which makes a really fun concept.   

The weakest part of the movie is that the script was written with some clumsy dialogue. During the first scene that Kaylie and Tim share, their expository dialogue comes off forced and unnatural. Once things in the plot begin to pickup, the dialogue reaches a good stride and becomes really interesting.

Oculus is a good film. If you are a horror fan it is certainly worth a rental or a matinee. Oculus is a fun movie acted by believable actors. The movie shows quite a bit of skill and conceptually it is very clever. Oculus is enjoyable and will make even the more hardened horror fan squirm in their seat.

Devil’s Due – review

Devil’s Due is an okay movie.  It’s entertaining and the acting is great, but it has several plot holes that add to its list of faults. The movie is also fairly cliché in its delivery.  Still, at the very least this movie is entertaining considering it is a mild thriller about the antichrist.

Newlyweds Zach and Samantha McCall, played by Zach Gilford and Allison Miller, take their honeymoon to the Dominican Republic. They meet a cab driver that takes them to a “special” club. After the two are drugged, they pass out and a ritual is performed on Samantha so that she is impregnated and will eventually give birth to the antichrist.  As the pregnancy develops it changes Samantha. Will this birth bring forth the antichrist?

The best part of this film is that the acting. Allison Miller has a lot of range and shows a great deal of vulnerability.  Zach Gilford’s character is also well done. His struggle to come to terms with the truth as he unlocks the conspiracy is pretty fascinating.  They seem like good people so it’s a damn shame when the misfortune happens to them.

A lot of Devil’s Due could have been prevented with common sense.  Avoid non-tourist areas in third world countries; don’t trust a cab driver who wont take you to your destination; don’t drink free booze you are unsure of; turn on the lights in a dark house; things of that nature.  The characters were arguably doomed to begin with on account of their poor judgment.  There are several other plot holes as well. For example, how the hell would the police think Zach caused the damage that was done to his house when his wife was throwing a telekinetic fit? How could no one have heard of the new doctor assigned to the young couple when there would have been mounds of paper work from billing and insurance, not to mention the assistants and nurses who helped with the amniotic fluid test?

Plot holes aside, Devil’s Due is not a bad movie. While not a great movie, it is certainly worth a rental if the horror genre is usually your taste. It keeps a good pace but did not need to be a P.O.V. movie to tell its story. It was entertaining at the very least and sometimes that is all we need from our movies.

The Conjuring – review

The Conjuring is the latest horror film from director James Wan.  The film has a great score and an incredibly creepy atmosphere.  For the most part it is a fun and scary film with really decent acting. On the other hand, there are a lot of aspects to movie that will be familiar to anyone who is a fan of the supernatural horror genre.

The Conjuring takes place in 1971 when the Perron family buys an old farmhouse in Rhode Island.  Carolyn Perron, played by Lili Taylor, and Roger Perron, played by Ron Livingston, slowly find their home and family are being terrorized by several supernatural entities.  They request the aid of supernatural investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.  Together they attempt to rid their family of the horrors plaguing their lives.

The acting is pretty solid for this movie.  Everyone is believable in all their rolls and it makes the film pretty enjoyable. The music is very eerie and it works really well to the benefit of the movie and the overall chilling atmosphere.  The filmmakers took a great deal of care into making this look authentic since it takes place in the 70s to make it look like it was filmed with 70s film. 

If you are a nitpicker this movie does have some things that will make you think a little less of it.  For example, it seems to borrow a lot of concepts from other films. The Amityville Horror, The Entity, Poltergeist, The Exorcist, and even Evil Dead just to name a few that seem to have borrowed items of sorts.  Still, if you can look past this it is still an entertaining movie worth seeing.  It does a lot with very little in terms of visual and doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares, which makes it a pretty fun change of pace.

If you are a horror fan I recommend this film. If you look past the massive amounts of borrowed material it really is a good chiller.  If you are a not a horror fan you will likely be terrified by the ghastly images or the demonic doll.  It’s worth seeing as a matinee or rental if you are into a good ghost story.  If that is your thing you will not be disappointed.

Evil Dead – review

Evil Dead is a remake of the 1981 film of the same name.  However, you do not need to be familiar with the franchise to enjoy this new film.  This new movie has a few glancing references to the classic movie, but it really is its own entity.  The movie has good effects and an original take on the story, which makes the film wildly entertaining.

Mia, played by Jane Levy, is coming to a remote family cabin to get clean off drugs.  In her cold turkey attempt to break her cocaine habit she is accompanied by her brother David, played by Shiloh Fernandez, along with his girlfriend and two other friends.  While at the cabin they come across a room that contains a book bound in human skin.  One of them reads from the book and unleashes a demonic entity, which possesses Mia and begins wrecking terribly gory havoc upon those in the cabin.

The movie is filmed to have a gritty, dirty, look to it similar to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  It gives you a filthy feeling while watching it.  There is a lot of gore yet the movie is not too gratuitous and fits the story perfectly.  The story goes in one direction and then surprisingly goes in another, which is reminiscent of films like Psycho and A Nightmare on Elm Street.  It is a fun idea and makes it very entertaining.

Going in a different direction than the original in this case works well.  Going against the grain allows them to come up with different motivations and ideas as well as really fun excuses for gore.  The movie does have a few plot holes.  However, they aren’t really a big issue unless you really want to be nitpicky- then of course, you’d be nitpicking a movie about demons coming back to possess people after reading from an evil book.  Pick your battles.

Evil Dead is a really fun movie.  It has some good legitimate scares and great effects.  The characters are interesting and the suspense is built up really well.  If you are a fan of horror or the Evil Dead franchise then this is a must see. If you are just looking for something different then you might just want to give it a watch and enjoy a movie that is very creepy.

The Last Exorcism part 2- review

The Last Exorcism part one was a really good movie that showed good acting over a creepy tale.  I was genuinely excited for the sequel when I heard about it in development.  In The Last Exorcism part two, acting was the same good caliber but the story lacked a few plot elements; taking a turn away from the cult aspect and relying more on a demonic love story.

After the events of the first film Nell Sweetzer, played by Ashley Bell, is found in a local home.  After a visit to the hospital she is taken to a girl’s home where she is slowly rehabilitated.  Her life is finally getting back on the right track.  Then she begins to get demonic visions and she starts to feel as if she is being followed. Is the demon Abalam planning to corrupt young Nell again?

 The acting is very good.  Ashley Bell brings a great performance to Nell.  She is naïve, demure, and very believable as an actress.  Some of the other characters are alright but it’s not nearly as interesting as Bell as Nell.  They found a way to bring her father back into the movie, which was fun. I wish they found a way to write in Nell’s brother, or the reverend Cotton Marcus for this movie as well.

The story itself is okay.  The choice to go from POV camera to a more standard view is much better for this type of story.  The movie shows a different tone and attitude than the last since the focus is Nell this time around. There is less humor and more mystery involved in this one.  How the found footage from the first movie came to be released into the public is still a question.  The ending is also a lot darker and leaves very little room for a sequel. 

If you are a fan of the first movie then you should see this one as well.  It is different from the first film and in that respect the viewer will appreciate this movie’s style. If you’ve never seen the first movie, it’d be best as a rental or a matinee if you are desperate.  On its own this movie was fun, but is really a lesser movie when compared to the first.

Absentia- review

Absentia is a horror film from 2011 that is both creepy and subtle.  It has good acting and a very clever plot.  It also uses the age-old, brilliant production choice that less is more.  It has a strong Lovecraftian theme that seems to tell its tale in a symphony of terror.

After seven years, Tricia, played by Courtney Bell, is filling out the paperwork to have her husband declared dead.  Tricia’s sister Callie, played by Katie Parker, has arrived for support her.  They discover that a tunnel nearby might have something to do with a series of disappearances that occur throughout the neighborhood.  Might there be something much more terrifying coming from the tunnels?

The acting is fantastic.  Courtney Bell has a wonderful sensitive vulnerability. Katie Parker is dynamic and shows great emotion on screen. The rest of the cast is wonderful too. Another standout is Morgan Peter Brown who is haunting and scary in his performance as Tricia’s husband, Daniel. 

The subtly is a brilliant choice.  As the mystery unfolds the small town terror begins to become more expansive.  The fact that it unfolds like a lingering mystery makes it much more terrifying. This adds depth to the characters as they investigate fears that culminate from the dark corners of the earth.

If you are a fan of horror this is a must see. Absentia is a brilliant movie that masters simplicity.  Its great acting showcases its atmosphere rather than being cheapened by gory effects.  I recommend it for anyone who is looking for something original and different.    Hopefully we will see much more from these people in future productions.