61 Nights of Halloween, 2023 Edition

[Kane52630]

Tourist Trap

Well, that was creepy as f***. While this can be easily labeled as an obvious Texas Chainsaw/Carrie knockoff, I thought the atmosphere and truly disturbing moments propel it to be something more. Mannequins always creep me out especially when they start moving unnatually so this was probably more effective than most people and I feel like the grindhouse indie-ness of the movie does wonders for the creep factor. Chuck Conners does a great job doing his own version of Norman Bates crossed with Norman Osborn even though I thought some of the dialogue felt unnecessary. The rest of the cast was fine I suppose and I didn't expect to see Tanya Roberts in this. While I was enjoying the movie I did notice the movie was almost running around in circles to pad the movie a bit but I thought the horror moments paid off each time. Overall, it's a rough-around-the-edges indie horror from the 70s that does a great job of being utterly terrifying.
3.5/5

31 Days of Horror Marathon
Day 1: Saw X (3.5/5)
Day 2: No One Will Save You (4/5)
Day 3: Cobweb (3.5/5)
Day 4: The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (4/5)
Day 5: The Exorcist: Believer (2.5/5)
Day 6: V/H/S/85 (4/5)
Day 7: Totally Killer (3/5)
Day 8: Beaten to Death (3/5)
Day 9: The Wolf Man (4/5)
Day 10: Werewolf of London (4/5)
Day 11: She-Wolf of London (3/5)
Day 12: Friday the 13th (4/5) (REWATCH)
Day 13: Friday the 13th Part 2 (3.5/5) (REWATCH)
Day 14: Friday the 13th Part III (3/5) (REWATCH)
Day 15: Tremors (4/5)
Day 16: Someone's Watching Me! (4.5/5)
Day 17: Tourist Trap (3.5/5)​

 

[Man in the Suit]

I need to know, Man. Did you mean it?

 

[moviedoors]

Become one of the cool kids before it's fashionable; DARK HARVEST has cult favorite written all over it.

 

[CaptainWagner]

1. Friday the 13th (1980)​

2. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)​

3. Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)​

4. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1983)​

5. The Haunted Mansion (2023)​

6. Smile (2022)​

7. Totally Killer (2023)​

8. Chopping Mall (1986)​

9. The Exorcist (1973)​

10. The Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)​

11. Chernobyl Diaries (2012)​

12. The Shining (1980)​

13. The Ring (2002)​

14. Hocus Pocus (1993)​

15. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)​

16. Friday the 13th: Jason Lives (1986)​

Finished up the 80's Jason marathon

17. Friday the 13th: The New Blood (1987)

Throws out the delightful tone of Jason Lives for a haphazard return to the more "serious" roots of the franchise. Except now our hero is a knockoff Carrie, which kind of undercuts any attempt at that. I think Tina could have worked with the referential, self-aware style of the previous installment, but instead the insanity is dumped on top of a dry plot with forgettable characters. Worth it for the hilarity of the final showdown, though.

18. Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

On one hand - this would definitely get less hate if it was called "Jason on a Boat" instead. Because that premise honestly stands on its own just fine, and that's what 80% of this movie is. But even then, it would still be a mess. The lamest kills of the franchise - most happen off screen, and at one point Jason resorts to merely strangling a victim - with the most boring heroes - there were multiple Final Girl options who were more interesting with a few lines than Rennie was with nearly 2 hours - and the incomprehensible child Jason motif was just dumb, and not in the goofy, fun way like Tina. Bummer way to end the marathon - probably my least favorite installment.

 

[Luigi]

Doctor Sleep - Director's Cut (2019) dir. Mike Flanagan

It gets better every time I watch it, but the 3rd act still runs out of steam.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Doctor Sleep is very awesome. But even if it wasn't, Rebecca Ferguson being one of the most attractive beings ever in it, would be enough to make it a must see every year.

 

[Ninjablade]

Doctor Sleep is very awesome. But even if it wasn't, Rebecca Ferguson being one of the most attractive beings ever in it, would be enough to make it a must see every year.

Breakdown on how Darth and Snow choose films:
2% Quality
28% Hilarity
70% Is there an attractive actress in it

 

[Ninjablade]

25. Halloween 5: Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) dir. Dominique Othenin-Girard

Quote of the film: "Fortunately, we're lousy cops."

Every year I debate turning it off after the car chase in the corn field, and every year I regret not doing so. That really should be the ending of the film, it's such a fun set piece. The movie is actually pretty enjoyable up until then, but the last act is atrocious.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Breakdown on how Darth and Snow choose films:
2% Quality
28% Hilarity
70% Is there an attractive actress in it

We subscribe to ABS.

For me, "Always Be Stupid":

For Snow, well...

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I'm not saying this is the greatest scene in horror cinema history. But can you really say it isn't?

Spoiler

 

[Snow Queen]

 

[Broseph44]

Tourist Trap

Well, that was creepy as f***. While this can be easily labeled as an obvious Texas Chainsaw/Carrie knockoff, I thought the atmosphere and truly disturbing moments propel it to be something more. Mannequins always creep me out especially when they start moving unnatually so this was probably more effective than most people and I feel like the grindhouse indie-ness of the movie does wonders for the creep factor. Chuck Conners does a great job doing his own version of Norman Bates crossed with Norman Osborn even though I thought some of the dialogue felt unnecessary. The rest of the cast was fine I suppose and I didn't expect to see Tanya Roberts in this. While I was enjoying the movie I did notice the movie was almost running around in circles to pad the movie a bit but I thought the horror moments paid off each time. Overall, it's a rough-around-the-edges indie horror from the 70s that does a great job of being utterly terrifying.
3.5/5

31 Days of Horror Marathon
Day 1: Saw X (3.5/5)
Day 2: No One Will Save You (4/5)
Day 3: Cobweb (3.5/5)
Day 4: The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (4/5)
Day 5: The Exorcist: Believer (2.5/5)
Day 6: V/H/S/85 (4/5)
Day 7: Totally Killer (3/5)
Day 8: Beaten to Death (3/5)
Day 9: The Wolf Man (4/5)
Day 10: Werewolf of London (4/5)
Day 11: She-Wolf of London (3/5)
Day 12: Friday the 13th (4/5) (REWATCH)
Day 13: Friday the 13th Part 2 (3.5/5) (REWATCH)
Day 14: Friday the 13th Part III (3/5) (REWATCH)
Day 15: Tremors (4/5)
Day 16: Someone's Watching Me! (4.5/5)
Day 17: Tourist Trap (3.5/5)​

Glad you enjoyed it Kane. Always been a favorite of mine.

 

[Mani-Man]

Night 17...dont turn the crank on the box.

Jack in the Box 2: Awakening

I dont even know how many know about the first one.
But i honestly liked the first one.
Maybe just mainly due to the Monster design and basic idea, because i cant remember much about the movie outside of these two things.
But whenever i happen to throw the first one in, im entertained.
And the sequel does the same job it seems.
I enjoyed it mainly for the Monster and the ideas involving it, the rest is forgettable.
Nothing too bad, but just forgettable.
Serviceable to get from point A to B...but thats about it.
The strongest aspects of this really is the Jack in the Box idea and the monsters look.


1.Winnie Pooh: Blood and Honey
2.Terrifier 2
3.Halloween Ends
4.Smile
5.The Last Voyage of the Demeter
6.From Hell
7.Jeepers Creepers Reborn
8.Renfield
9.Pearl
10.Hellraiser 2022
11.Operation Overlord
12.Blood Vessel
13.The Winter Witch
14.The Popes Exorcist
15.Leatherface
16.Titanic 666
17.Jack in the Box 2: Awakening

 

[Man in the Suit]

Halloween Ends (2022) dir. David Gordon Green

Yeah this still ****ing rules. DGG's best Halloween, top 3 in the franchise, and a just good movie in general. Time will be kind to it.

 

[Broseph44]

Halloween Ends (2022) dir. David Gordon Green

Yeah this still ****ing rules. DGG's best Halloween, top 3 in the franchise, and a just good movie in general. Time will be kind to it.

Yessss

 

[Kane52630]

Halloween Ends is probably gonna get a bigger cult following as the years go by.

 

[Kane52630]

Just your daily reminder that An American Werewolf in London is a romcom.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Night 47

115. Hereditary (2018) dir. Ari Aster

Bite-Sized Review: One of the few films that still properly unnerves me, no matter how many times I watch it.

****1/2

116. Sleepy Hollow (1999) dir. Tim Burton

Bite-Sized Review: The best Burton is a mood. And this is most certainly a mood.

****1/4

117. Villains (2019) dir. Dan Berk & Robert Olsen

Bite-Sized Review: Relationship goals.

****1/4

118. Ready or Not (2019) dir. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett

Bite-Sized Review: Samara Weaving might have the most distinct scream I've ever heard. I could pick it out of a line up.

****1/2

119. Werewolves Within (2021) dir. Josh Ruben

Bite-Sized Review: Still think he's an idiot for answering that phone.

****1/4

 

[-Arya-]

7/10

A solid 50 minute short film that feels like a good episode of The Twilight Zone. It’s repetitive and one the nose with its themes but I enjoyed it a lot.





5/10

Doesn’t feel anything like a George Romero movie. Some good ideas but it’s buried underneath a bad plot. It also that has that cheap, generic 2000’s aesthetic that I hate. Reminded me of Ghosts of Mars, Doom, Underworld and Resident Evil.

 

[Sithborg]

Trying to decide between Resident Evil, Bayonetta, or Fatal Frame for Halloween video game.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Trying to decide between Resident Evil, Bayonetta, or Fatal Frame for Halloween video game.

Which Resident Evil?

 

[Sithborg]

Which Resident Evil?

Likely Revelations.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Likely Revelations.

Go with Bayonetta or Fatal Frame.

 

[Ninjablade]

If I had a nickel for every time in the year 2022 that Jenna Ortega played a side character who is brutally attacked in a horror film in which she completely outshined the lead actress, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that happened twice.

26. Scream (2022) dir. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet

Quote of the film: "Never **** with the daughter of a serial killer!"

It's tricky with movies like this series, where you really need to toe the line of not being what you're trying to make fun of/commentate on. This one wobbles quite a bit. The script could've used one or two more passes. The rules and then the big reveal scenes are absolutely brutal. On the nose and cringe. Alas, I still enjoy this movie quite a bit as it does have strong moments playing with common requel tropes. Most of the characters are really fun, I don't think Ghostface has ever been shot better than here, and most impressively it made a daytime scene scary. Could've used a stronger lead actress though, woof is Barrera bad.

27. X (2022) dir. Ti West

Quote of the film: "Because it is possible to make a good dirty movie."

Was kind of hoping this one would click for me upon rewatch, but I felt the same. It's fine. Tense in the right areas, some of the kills are cool, and I like the setting. Not really blown away by anything. It's so weird to me that this movie birthed such a welcomed sense of creativity that lead to its prequel, which is infinitely better.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Is The Addams Family the second best Tim Burton movie? I know he didn't make it but...