Horror 61 Nights of Halloween, 2023 Edition

[Ninjablade]

The box office for it is depressing me. I need more!

This is why the people need to listen to Marty. They've forgotten what real fun is

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Night 23

59. Creep (2014) dir. Patrick Brice

Bite-Sized Review: But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo...

****

 

[-Arya-]

7/10

Fun movie. Imagine if the toys from Sid’s house in Toy Story were actually evil and started killing people in a spooky house.

 

[Luigi]

Night 23

59. Creep (2014) dir. Patrick Brice

Bite-Sized Review: But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo...

****

 

[DarthSkywalker]

 

[Sithborg]

Criterion Channel looking to have some fun collections this year.







Also a Pre-Code Horror and Hopping Vampires of Hong Kong collection. May be worth a month.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Night 24

60. Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) dir. (NEW)

Bite-Sized Review: A proper follow up that does it's own thing.

***3/4

61. Child's Play (1988) dir. Tom Holland

Bite-Sized Review: It wouldn't be spooky season without Charles Lee Ray.

***1/4

62. Creep 2 (2017) dir. Patrick Brice

Bite-Sized Review: It impresses me how different this feels, without losing one bit of the potency of the first. If anything, it's better.

****1/4

63. Child's Play 2 (1990) dir. John Lafia

Bite-Sized Review: What's not to love about a horror flick with the same aesthetic as Problem Child?

***1/4

 

[NDX]

Who mixed a horror film in with my scifi marathon?

Accidentally got next month started a bit early watching Bloodtide. Not a bad flick overall.

These Mill Creek box sets are a hodgepodge of unorganized crap.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Rewatched hocus pocus again this time in 4k. That movie is such feel good film in pretty much every way. Visited the Dennison house in Salem about 5 years ago too

Also rewatched The Batman as well since it does give off that spooky/rainy vibe. I gotta say, my opinion on the film remains unchanged. Fantastic first half, with the second half slowing to a crawl. I really think the film was too long honestly and I still do. Some nitpicks about Pattinsons Bruce Wayne and the lack of Alfred as well. The emo Bruce Wayne stuff and one noteness of this iteration is something that bugs me whenever I watch the film and I hope in Part II he has the persona we are all used to. In regards to Alfred, played wonderfully by Andy Serkis, I get the idea was Bruce and Alfred to reconcile, but their dynamic in the film, at times, gave off the same vibes that TASM 2012 did with Peter and uncle Ben. There's only one moment in the film where Bruce isn't an ******* to Alfred. I also wish Batman was creepier in the movie at times and lurking instead of just slow walking. I also think that another thing is there's a coldness to this film that still leaves me detached, particularly in the second half. I think perhaps it was intentional to leave certain things out of the film because we "already know" but I do wish there was more there for me to get emotionally invested in. At times it feels like a movie that is beautiful to look at but as time goes on, it's like "okay, that was kinda predictable". Biggest example for me is the parents angle. I do not like when reboots go the "secret your parents kept" route. Again, The Amazing Spider-Man did this and, to bring my point about the Alfred/Bruce and Peter/uncle Ben dynamic back again, I just don't like that trope. It's a personal thing for me, but it just seems like an excuse to be different for the sake of being different or expanding the run time.

[BGCOLOR=initial]Still, w[/BGCOLOR][BGCOLOR=initial]hile I don't think it's a masterpiece, I still think it's an overall great Batman flick. Pattinson, zoe, and dano are all fantastic and the aesthetic is a Batman fans dream so I can't fault it for those things. I love the action scenes, particularly the fight at the iceberg lounge and the batmobile/penguin chase which is just *chefs kiss*. The bomb collar scene is also one of my favorite Batman movie moments too. So yeah, overall, still a solid 8/10. Hopefully Reeves can tighten things up with the sequel and really go unexpected with the next one. [/BGCOLOR]

 

[Link]

Spoiler

September 1st: Friday the 13th (2009)
September 2nd: Saw IV
September 3rd: The Nun
September 4th: Saw V
September 5th: Resident Evil: Death Island
September 6th: The Autopsy of Jane Doe
September 7th: The Nun II
September 8th: Ringu
September 9th: Antlers
September 10th: Skinamarink
September 11th: The Gallows
September 12th: Host
September 13th: The Gallows Act II
September 14th: Hellraiser (2022)
September 15th: The Ring
September 16th: The Ring Two
September 17th: Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
September 18th: Death on the Nile
September 19th: A Haunting in Venice
September 20th: I Know What You Did Last Summer

September 21st: Unhinged
September 22nd: Hellbound: Hellraiser II
September 23rd: The Host (2006)
September 24th: Saw VI
September 25th: Saw 3D

A film so terrifying and violent that Grace Randolph famously walked off after 45 minutes and STILL reviewed it on Rotten Tomatoes. Was it worth all the drama? Well no, not really. Crowe is great in the role, he's menacing and darkly amusing. If it wasn't for him and his star power, Unhinged doesn't have a ton to offer, beyond a few mean kills. It's short and sweet though.

Now this was a treat. I had heard many good things about Hellbound, but the beginning of the film was very much giving cheap direct-to-DVD trash. It all kind of turns around after a HORRIBLE kill involving a mattress and it genuinely doesn't slow down for a second after. This is a rollercoaster ride of camp and sleaze and I couldn't have been more pleased. It's such an odd film in the most delightful way possible. Also odd was the inclusion of a synopsis of the film on my DVD main menu. The synopsis acknowledges that the film looks cheaper than the original (even though it cost more) and that it's a camp masterpiece. Great stuff.

Probably my least favorite Bong Joon-ho film, but that's not to say that I didn't like it, it's still a three-and-a-half to four-star production. I think I might need another watching of this to fully digest it all, but for now, I did enjoy all the thematic storytelling and strong political commentary.

I actually rather liked Saw VI this time around. Maybe it's just that it comes right after four and five, aka the most unpalatable, horribly written trash the franchise has to offer. At least this one has a cohesive (as far as Saw films go) plot. Overall I don't particularly like this franchise, but this is one of the rare highlights.

Absolute garbage. I hope Saw VI Kevin Greutert comes to play with Saw X, rather than Saw 3D Greutert. Once again I was hoping to be strapped into one of the traps, rather than spend another second with this swill.

 

[Arnold Rimmer]

Spoiler

September 1st: Friday the 13th (2009)
September 2nd: Saw IV
September 3rd: The Nun
September 4th: Saw V
September 5th: Resident Evil: Death Island
September 6th: The Autopsy of Jane Doe
September 7th: The Nun II
September 8th: Ringu
September 9th: Antlers
September 10th: Skinamarink
September 11th: The Gallows
September 12th: Host
September 13th: The Gallows Act II
September 14th: Hellraiser (2022)
September 15th: The Ring
September 16th: The Ring Two
September 17th: Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
September 18th: Death on the Nile
September 19th: A Haunting in Venice
September 20th: I Know What You Did Last Summer

September 21st: Unhinged
September 22nd: Hellbound: Hellraiser II
September 23rd: The Host (2006)
September 24th: Saw VI
September 25th: Saw 3D

A film so terrifying and violent that Grace Randolph famously walked off after 45 minutes and STILL reviewed it on Rotten Tomatoes. Was it worth all the drama? Well no, not really. Crowe is great in the role, he's menacing and darkly amusing. If it wasn't for him and his star power, Unhinged doesn't have a ton to offer, beyond a few mean kills. It's short and sweet though.

Now this was a treat. I had heard many good things about Hellbound, but the beginning of the film was very much giving cheap direct-to-DVD trash. It all kind of turns around after a HORRIBLE kill involving a mattress and it genuinely doesn't slow down for a second after. This is a rollercoaster ride of camp and sleaze and I couldn't have been more pleased. It's such an odd film in the most delightful way possible. Also odd was the inclusion of a synopsis of the film on my DVD main menu. The synopsis acknowledges that the film looks cheaper than the original (even though it cost more) and that it's a camp masterpiece. Great stuff.

Probably my least favorite Bong Joon-ho film, but that's not to say that I didn't like it, it's still a three-and-a-half to four-star production. I think I might need another watching of this to fully digest it all, but for now, I did enjoy all the thematic storytelling and strong political commentary.

I actually rather liked Saw VI this time around. Maybe it's just that it comes right after four and five, aka the most unpalatable, horribly written trash the franchise has to offer. At least this one has a cohesive (as far as Saw films go) plot. Overall I don't particularly like this franchise, but this is one of the rare highlights.

Absolute garbage. I hope Saw VI Kevin Greutert comes to play with Saw X, rather than Saw 3D Greutert. Once again I was hoping to be strapped into one of the traps, rather than spend another second with this swill.

From what I heard, Greutert didn't have his heart in it on Saw 3D because he wanted to go off and do Paranormal Activity 2 or 3 but Lionsgate forced him to return for 3D. Not the case on this movie.

 

[Link]

From what I heard, Greutert didn't have his heart in it on Saw 3D because he wanted to go off and do Paranormal Activity 2 or 3 but Lionsgate forced him to return for 3D. Not the case on this movie.

That's interesting! Hope it works out and X is one of the better instalments. Just a few days to go, I purchased my tickets this morning

 

[Man in the Suit]

From what I heard, Greutert didn't have his heart in it on Saw 3D because he wanted to go off and do Paranormal Activity 2 or 3 but Lionsgate forced him to return for 3D. Not the case on this movie.

Correct. Saw VI underperformed. So the producers picked the worst/most popular fan theory from the House of Jigsaw forum and combined it with ideas for the 7th and 8th movies. They fired 3D's original director and exercised an option on Greutert's contract. He only had 2 weeks before filming to do a rewrite, but he couldn't do much when they already built the sets, picked locations, and hired the cast. Greutert used to have a blog and posted during all that. He was miserable.

A few years ago, there was a great interview with Greutert. Sadly the site is deleted and I can't find the interview. But here's a good quote that hopefully gives an idea of Jigsaw's characterization if he's given creative control:

"I thought it was a little silly when the producers themselves started buying into Jigsaw’s so-called “philosophy” without any irony at all. In the early films, he was a crazed and embittered psychopath who indulged in ornate self-delusion about his murdering ways, but over time there was a strong push to make Jigsaw more of a cult leader who somehow attracted a range of people into his sphere of influence, and in some instances seemed downright cuddly. I was okay with Amanda joining him, because there are truly broken people out there who will gravitate toward anyone who will have them, but not Hoffman, and definitely not Jigsaw’s wife.

Jigsaw was a murderer, though in his mind he was judge, juror, and executioner for his fellow man. And while it’s true we could probably all use regular wake-up calls with regard to appreciating our lives, I think Jigsaw did more harm than good."

He understands the character more than anyone not named James Wan and Leigh Whannell.

 

[Link]

Correct. Saw VI underperformed. So the producers picked the worst/most popular fan theory from the House of Jigsaw forum and combined it with ideas for the 7th and 8th movies. They fired 3D's original director and exercised an option on Greutert's contract. He only had 2 weeks before filming to do a rewrite, but he couldn't do much when they already built the sets, picked locations, and hired the cast. Greutert used to have a blog and posted during all that. He was miserable.

A few years ago, there was a great interview with Greutert. Sadly the site is deleted and I can't find the interview. But here's a good quote that hopefully gives an idea of Jigsaw's characterization if he's given creative control:

He understands the character more than anyone not named James Wan and Leigh Whannell.

All of that sounds interesting. It's going to be fascinating to see how they're going to strike the balance with Kramer's character in this new one. He's the main character for the first time and (according to an interview with the production designer) it's going to be more of an empathetic portrayal and we're supposed to feel for him. That seems like a really difficult task, at least for me.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Somehow the Saw series is an even more tangled mess then what my brother has described to me.

 

[Sithborg]

Somehow the Saw series is an even more tangled mess then what my brother has described to me.

The best description is that it is a horror soap opera.

 

[Ninjablade]

Aren't like all the Saw sequels actually prequels until you get to 7?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Aren't like all the Saw sequels actually prequels until you get to 7?

Yes. It's basically the Fast series of horror.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Night 25

64. Child's Play 3 (1991) dir. Jack Bender

Bite-Sized Review: The OT of CP is fun AF.

***1/4

65. Seven (1995) dir. David Fincher

Bite-Sized Review: Wrath and Envy... Fincher knew.

****1/2

66. The Nun (2018) dir. Corin Hardy

Bite-Sized Review: After seeing the sequel today, this was actually mandatory re-watch. Didn't make it any less painful.

**

 

[Man in the Suit]

Frankenstein (1931) dir. James Whale

Colin Clive's performance is so ****ing good.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935) dir. James Whale

BoF is in my Top 10. But I'd do anything to see Whale's original cut. It was maybe 90 minutes long. Deleted scenes included more Mary Shelley dialogue (censors said her clothes were too revealing), and there was deleted subplot with Karl (Dwight Frye) commiting murders and framing The Monster.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Love that Frankenstein gif @Man in the Suit .

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Night 26

67. The Nun II (2023) dir. Michael Chaves (NEW)

Bite-Sized Review: Color me suprised by how much I enjoyed this. So much better then the first and that might be clouding my judgement a bit, but I rather enjoyed it and it actually has a few decent scares. Taissa is a forever girl.

***1/4

68. Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004) dir. Grant Harvey (NEW)

Bite-Sized Review: Why?

*1/2

69. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) dir. Stanley Kubrick (NICE)

Bite-Sized Review: The Chad Nicole Kidman and the virgin Tom Cruise.

****1/2

70. Curse of Chucky (2013) dir. Don Mancini

Bite-Sized Review: The revival I never knew I needed.

***1/4

 

[Sithborg]

No mention of Maslany doing pre-practice for Helena? For shame....

 

[Man in the Suit]

The Invisible Man (1933) dir. James Whale

I always forget just how good this one is. I'm kind of on a James Whale kick here -- he's the GOAT of Universal Horror.

 

[Kane52630]

I'm convinced that Conan O'Brien got a lot of his zaniness from Claude Rains in Invisible Man.