31 Nights of Halloween...

[DarthSkywalker]

So this is a little late, but better a little late then never. I didn't find a thread for this, so I am sorry if one already exist. October is probably my favorite month of the year, and beyond the nice change in the weather, it is because it is the perfect excuse for watching the spooky, weird, funny, terrible and absolutely horrifying movies that qualify under the giant umbrella of "Halloween" flicks.

The idea here is to track what everyone is watching this month that goes along with that theme. See what everyone is enjoying, and perhaps find a few recommendations along the way.

I started this month with three movies on the first.

Night 1

1. Apostle (2018) dir. Gareth Evans (New)

"The promise of the divine is but an illusion. Nothing in this world is pure... except for Jennifer, my sister."

Thoughts: Missed out on seeing this last year, so I made sure to start with it this year. As if Resident Evil 4 came to life, this movie starts out slow but just keeps pushing and pushing, until you aren't sure what is going and then you realize this is all actually happening. Dan Stevens needs continuously employment for his facial expressions alone. Also no one kicks a fence like him!

2. Tragedy Girls (2017) dir. Tyler MacIntrye

"To make an omelette, you have to kill some ex-boyfriends."

Thoughts: An enjoyable little slasher comedy, that I feel walks the line of between annoying and fun rather well. The leads are a lot of fun, as are the kills. Also weird going back to this one after seeing Jack Quaid on The Boys.

3. Beetlejuice (1988) dir. Tim Burton

"It says, 'live people ignore the strange and unusual'. I myself am... strange and unusual."

Thoughts: An all time favorite and one of the first movies I can ever remember watching, I will be watching way too many times this month. Maybe about about 167 times. A film full of style, great performances, awesome music, and so much mood. There are so many little things, that even after all these years there are little things I am still noticing. Keaton's performance is everything, while Winona Ryder set unrealistic expectations for little Darth's future movie crushes.

All in all, a very enjoyable start to one of the best months of the year. Until tomorrow...

 

[StarLord]

I watched Belzebuth (2019) on Shudder last night.

A fresh take on the possessed/religious aspect set in Mexico. The first hour is incredible and then it kind of veers off into generic possession territory, but the opening ten minutes are bloody harrowing.

 

[Broseph44]

I mean I watch horror year round but obviously October is special for some of us. This is how I started October yesterday.

 

[Broseph44]

Darth you should check out The Ritual.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I watched Belzebuth (2019) on Shudder last night.

A fresh take on the possessed/religious aspect set in Mexico. The first hour is incredible and then it kind of veers off into generic possession territory, but the opening ten minutes are bloody harrowing.

Darth you should check out The Ritual.

Sounds like a nice start to the month for both of you. And now I am so curious what that ale taste like Broseph, and I don't even drink.

 

[Broseph44]

Sounds like a nice start to the month for both of you. And now I am so curious what that ale taste like Broseph, and I don't even drink.

Its really good if you like pumpkin type stuff.

 

[Broseph44]

I’ll be watching Apostle at some point it’s been on my list for a while now.

 

[StarLord]

One Cut of the Dead (2019)

LOVED it. So creative, smart and just brilliant. Definitely will be a regular on my October watch-list from now on. If anyone is going to watch this, then avoid reviews and trailers because it's best going in spoiler-free.

 

[Sithborg]

Just hoping TCM has a bunch of Hammer horror on this year.

 

[Luigi]

bad place Fest

Fun premise executed well. Neon infused slasher peppered with some fun kills. Extra points for that bleak ending.

8/10

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Night 2

4. Hereditary (2018) dir. Ari Aster

"I never wanted to be your mother."

Thoughts: I love this movie. It's existence is justified just by the dinner scene, and yet there is so much more here. Even as it builds to one of the craziest ending in recent memory, this movie isn't about the scares but the family at the heart of it. The first 30 minutes of this one are crucial imo. It shows you that even before the night that changes all their lives, this wasn't a good situation. Like so many families not happy, not content, just struggling to exist. The incident almost becomes an excuse to express that for Collette's character, who turns in such a strong performance. It all so just very human, until it isn't. Great, great film.

5. Emelie (2016) dir. Michael Thelin (New)

"Don't be Sorry. Everyone dies at some point."

Thoughts: So this was a blind watch. All I knew about it was Sarah Bolger is in it, it has some pretty decent reviews and it is available on Netflix. Making it easy to watch. I am happy I did. I really don't want to give anything away to those that haven't seen it, but this movie was nothing like I expected it to be. Bolger is very good here, and the movie gets properly weird on more then a few occasions. I definitely recommend this one.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

bad place Fest

Fun premise executed well. Neon infused slasher peppered with some fun kills. Extra points for that bleak ending.

8/10

Neon you say... well I might need to check that one out.

 

[StarLord]

The Devil's Candy (2017)

Quite suspenseful, has some great visuals and it's cool mixed in with the metal music. Plot is kind of thin, though, and the run time clocks in at less than 80 minutes, which I think could have been padded out a little. I'd say it's worth a watch and also check out director Sean Byrne's first feature The Loved Ones (2009).

 

[Lasirius]

Saw The Shining in theaters last night, it was awesome to see it on the big screen.

 

[Kane52630]

In Fabric

It's utterly bizarre and wild and I loved pretty much every minute of it. This manages to be a homage to Argento and the Giallo films from the 70s and 80s, but bring something new that we haven't seen before and it doesn't hold back. It's got an overt message on consumerism, but it doesn't takes itself too seriously because it is about a dress that literally kills people and play by slasher rules. I dug the performances, but Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Fatma Mohamed were really great. Overall, it's a much watch if you are a fan of Giallo.
9/10

31 Day Horror Marathon 2019
Day 1 | In Fabric (9/10)
​

 

[Kane52630]

The Dead Don't Die

Interesting choice for Jim Jarmusch to go to the horror genre route after Paterson. It's pretty much the classic Romero zombies that do a few meta things along the way. I do like how it was directed and structured, it's a very nonchalant zombie horror comedy. I dug the cast a lot, it's probably the only thing that keeps the film from sinking. My biggest issue with the movie is it's trying to go for political/social satire, but the message doesn't say anything new. The movie's hottest take is "Trump is bad. Science is good." And Romeo already did a social commentary on consumerism in Dawn of the Dead, so a lot of the movie is just a retread. Outside of all of that, I still enjoyed it, but it's just slightly forgettable.
7.5/10

31 Day Horror Marathon 2019
Day 1 | In Fabric (9/10)
Day 2 | The Dead Don't Die (7.5/10)
​

 

[Lasirius]

In Fabric

It's utterly bizarre and wild and I loved pretty much every minute of it. This manages to be a homage to Argento and the Giallo films from the 70s and 80s, but bring something new that we haven't seen before and it doesn't hold back. It's got an overt message on consumerism, but it doesn't takes itself too seriously because it is about a dress that literally kills people and play by slasher rules. I dug the performances, but Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Fatma Mohamed were really great. Overall, it's a much watch if you are a fan of Giallo.
9/10

31 Day Horror Marathon 2019
Day 1 | In Fabric (9/10)
​

I've been looking forward to this one for quite a while. Is it On Demand?

 

[Kane52630]

I don't think it's on Demand yet, but it did leak out.

 

[NDX]

01. Maniac Cop

Just started Maniac Cop 2. I find this trilogy a lot of fun. I have a pile of movies I haven't watched yet, about 40 or so (not counting box sets) want to at least get through 10 of them this month. Not that I've thought it through outside of stacking them on my couch.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

01. Maniac Cop

Just started Maniac Cop 2. I find this trilogy a lot of fun. I have a pile of movies I haven't watched yet, about 40 or so (not counting box sets) want to at least get through 10 of them this month. Not that I've thought it through outside of stacking them on my couch.

Yeah, this month becomes a bit of a balancing act. I want to watch all my old favorites, but need to reserve some time for some new stuff. And then of course next year, the pile of old favorites is a bit longer.

 

[Sawyer]

Trying to get some new stuff in for each of the 31 days this month. Don't know whether I'll actually be able to pull it off, but I've got enough to keep me going for awhile.

Day 1. Happy Death Day - Loved it. Was especially charmed by the two leads (at least until I found out Israel Broussard is a Sandy Hook truther, but that's a story for another time). Very enjoyable though, and I'm looking forward to seeing Landon take on something even weirder like the Kathryn Newton/Vince Vaughn body swap thriller.

Day 2. Candyman - The Philip Glass score alone would be worth it, but everything else was great too. Loved the vibe.

Day 3. The Autopsy of Jane Doe - great from beginning to end. Like a film version of a bottle episode. Great scares, great work by both leads. Really my only complaint is Roose Bolton's very shaky attempt at an American accent.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Trying to get some new stuff in for each of the 31 days this month. Don't know whether I'll actually be able to pull it off, but I've got enough to keep me going for awhile.

Day 1. Happy Death Day - Loved it. Was especially charmed by the two leads (at least until I found out Israel Broussard is a Sandy Hook truther, but that's a story for another time). Very enjoyable though, and I'm looking forward to seeing Landon take on something even weirder like the Kathryn Newton/Vince Vaughn body swap thriller.

Day 2. Candyman - The Philip Glass score alone would be worth it, but everything else was great too. Loved the vibe.

Day 3. The Autopsy of Jane Doe - great from beginning to end. Like a film version of a bottle episode. Great scares, great work by both leads. Really my only complaint is Roose Bolton's very shaky attempt at an American accent.

I finally saw the Happy Death Day films together last month, and I was shocked by how much I loved them. Very well made, and I like the switch in genre for the sequel. Sad to hear about Broussard. One of the things I really liked about the movie was he was a male love interest I didn't want to seen set on fire. Thankfully though both films belong to Jessica Rothe, who is a Goddess.

 

[Lasirius]

Day 2: Our House. Forgettable but entertaining for what it was. A 90-minute flick with minimal and predictable scares but sometimes that is good enough. 6.5/10
Day 3: Get Out rewatch. love this movie. 8.5/10

 

[Kane52630]

Polaroid

A very by the book teen horror flick. It's almost like it was made in the early 2000s and didn't get released until now. And it doesn't help that you see the Dimension Films logo at the start of this. The movie is based on the short film and you do you see a shorten version of that in the opening act, but it's nowhere near as clever or sharp. The cast was mostly not annoying, which helps. Also I thought the creature design was pretty interesting and they do some interesting scares. The problem with this lies with how painfully predictable this becomes. It's a formula that's been used countless times and you see every move they make five steps ahead. That being said, there's not enough for me to hate or love about this, it's just kinda there doing nothing. Overall, it's mediocre as bad place.
6.5/10

31 Day Horror Marathon 2019
Day 1 | In Fabric (9/10)
Day 2 | The Dead Don't Die (7.5/10)
Day 3 | Polaroid (6.5/10)

​

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Bump for that new page smell...