Teelie
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It was overly optimistic even with that title.
The Horror Thread - Part 4
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Heretic
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Just saw Open Grave, which I think came out earlier this year.
I can't say much about this film (starring the guy from District 9 and a girl who could play Alice Eve in a biopic, except that Alice Eve is available to do that if needed). He wakes up in an open grave with no memory of who he is or how he got there. He finds some other people in a house who all have the same problem. Because their memory loss is an important part of the film, and the story unfolds as flashes of memory start to return, I can't really talk about the movie without spoiling it. It's kind of like Memento for the Horror crowd.
I'll say this. There was a good idea here. There's a few things that don't make sense or don't seem reasonable once the movie ends though. Why did this or that happen? Why didn't these people do blank? It kind of falls apart when you think about it. It's a shame because the idea was very good and it could have been awesome. It's like there were a few HUGE things that they couldn't figure out how to avoid so they just said screw it and played dumb. And most of the interactions with the threats of the movie (as well as the "scarecrows") were handled very poorly.
I can't say much about this film (starring the guy from District 9 and a girl who could play Alice Eve in a biopic, except that Alice Eve is available to do that if needed). He wakes up in an open grave with no memory of who he is or how he got there. He finds some other people in a house who all have the same problem. Because their memory loss is an important part of the film, and the story unfolds as flashes of memory start to return, I can't really talk about the movie without spoiling it. It's kind of like Memento for the Horror crowd.
I'll say this. There was a good idea here. There's a few things that don't make sense or don't seem reasonable once the movie ends though. Why did this or that happen? Why didn't these people do blank? It kind of falls apart when you think about it. It's a shame because the idea was very good and it could have been awesome. It's like there were a few HUGE things that they couldn't figure out how to avoid so they just said screw it and played dumb. And most of the interactions with the threats of the movie (as well as the "scarecrows") were handled very poorly.
chamber-music
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The actress who looks live alice eve is Erin Richards from misfits, Gotham and being human
Heretic
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Just watched Coherence (2014)
A family (with assorted friends and frenemies) gather together for a reunion dinner party. A meteor passes over the area, the lights/cell phone/internet go out...but there's one house down the street that has power. Maybe they'll help? Or, maybe they aren't so friendly? Maybe they should just leave that house alone?
It gets weird, but if you've seen other reality/mind bending sci-fi/thriller/horror films, then you'll catch on fairly quick and get what is going down. In fact, it is very similar in concept to a movie from last year that involved a meteor. It's still a cool enough concept that it keeps you interested though.
It does a whole lot with no budget. Don't expect huge special effects. It's a story about this group and how they react to this situation.
It's worth a watch...even if you then come back here and say "this reminds me of this other movie" well...yeah...it's been done before. But it's a concept that keeps you on your toes.
EDIT: I just read that there was no real script to this movie. The actors were given basic goals to accomplish, and given free reign to make that happen. That explains why it feel like an actual get-together, with people talking over each other etc.
A family (with assorted friends and frenemies) gather together for a reunion dinner party. A meteor passes over the area, the lights/cell phone/internet go out...but there's one house down the street that has power. Maybe they'll help? Or, maybe they aren't so friendly? Maybe they should just leave that house alone?
It gets weird, but if you've seen other reality/mind bending sci-fi/thriller/horror films, then you'll catch on fairly quick and get what is going down. In fact, it is very similar in concept to a movie from last year that involved a meteor. It's still a cool enough concept that it keeps you interested though.
It does a whole lot with no budget. Don't expect huge special effects. It's a story about this group and how they react to this situation.
It's worth a watch...even if you then come back here and say "this reminds me of this other movie" well...yeah...it's been done before. But it's a concept that keeps you on your toes.
EDIT: I just read that there was no real script to this movie. The actors were given basic goals to accomplish, and given free reign to make that happen. That explains why it feel like an actual get-together, with people talking over each other etc.
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redhawk23
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Just caught this year's Occulus on DVD. Not a bad little flick.
It tells an interesting story of a brother and sister seeking to destroy a haunted mirror that ruined their family 10 years prior.
Oddly, this movie takes A LOT of influence from Stephen King's IT. Basically the whole story structure is exactly the same as it cuts back and forth from modern times, to 2002 and showing how the two stories parallel. One character was sent away and grew up in an asylum and has forgotten or explained away the events that occurred when they were children. The other character stayed behind and remembers everything. Even the historical exposition is handled in a similar way to IT. None of this is a complaint, it was just interesting to see.
In the end I really feel that Occulus stuck the landing with its ending.
It tells an interesting story of a brother and sister seeking to destroy a haunted mirror that ruined their family 10 years prior.
Oddly, this movie takes A LOT of influence from Stephen King's IT. Basically the whole story structure is exactly the same as it cuts back and forth from modern times, to 2002 and showing how the two stories parallel. One character was sent away and grew up in an asylum and has forgotten or explained away the events that occurred when they were children. The other character stayed behind and remembers everything. Even the historical exposition is handled in a similar way to IT. None of this is a complaint, it was just interesting to see.
In the end I really feel that Occulus stuck the landing with its ending.
Heretic
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Watched At the Devil's Door (2014) from the guy who did The Pact (a very well regarded film from a few years ago that I didn't see).
I heard that this has all of the typical possession/haunted house cliches, but that the story is so twisty-turny that you never know what is coming. I knew what was coming. The problem is the script. Like...one example that gives nothing of the plot away...a real estate agent is on the phone, and since you cant hear the person on the other line, she basically repeats everything they say back to them (so the viewer will have both sides of the conversation). That's a small example of a problematic script that kind of tells you the twists a half hour before it comes. What they aren't telling you, they are bashing you over the head with through loud Horror Movie Violins Because Nothing Scary Is Happening But We Want You To Be Scared.
I'll give it this...it has an interesting story structure. There is no "main" character, per se. This is part of the problem, since the characters have to establish themselves so quickly that the dialogue has to be odd to set up their part of the plot.
Fairly unique plot structure aside, it really is a low budget version of the possession/haunted house movie (where no less than THREE people get the "bent/contorted back" treatment that all possessed people get).
Eh...it's okay. I wouldn't rush out to see it if I were you, unless you never get tired of seeing possession films.
I heard that this has all of the typical possession/haunted house cliches, but that the story is so twisty-turny that you never know what is coming. I knew what was coming. The problem is the script. Like...one example that gives nothing of the plot away...a real estate agent is on the phone, and since you cant hear the person on the other line, she basically repeats everything they say back to them (so the viewer will have both sides of the conversation). That's a small example of a problematic script that kind of tells you the twists a half hour before it comes. What they aren't telling you, they are bashing you over the head with through loud Horror Movie Violins Because Nothing Scary Is Happening But We Want You To Be Scared.
I'll give it this...it has an interesting story structure. There is no "main" character, per se. This is part of the problem, since the characters have to establish themselves so quickly that the dialogue has to be odd to set up their part of the plot.
Fairly unique plot structure aside, it really is a low budget version of the possession/haunted house movie (where no less than THREE people get the "bent/contorted back" treatment that all possessed people get).
Eh...it's okay. I wouldn't rush out to see it if I were you, unless you never get tired of seeing possession films.
Heretic
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Watched Kristy (2014) which was formerly known as Random, and before that Satanic and apparently before that, it was Kristy. This is a movie that many of us Horror fans have really been looking forward to.
It's basically You're Next, but at a college.
Okay, so apparently the name Kristy means "follower of Christ" so a group of Satanist types are killing girls...who are not named Kristy...and carving a K on their faces....because they are obsessed with killing Kristys so they can "kill the Christ" but don't care if the girls names are actually Kristy. But that's okay...because the "kill the followers, kill the Christ" idea never comes up again after the intro and it turns into killing pretty girls with money and nice lives. If that all sounds muddled...well...it is. It appears though that they couldn't decide on a name or motive...so they edited, filmed more, edited again etc. Just a guess, but it would explain a lot.
Ashley Bennett plays the only student at her college who didn't go home for Thanksgiving. The killers target her and she runs for an hour. Everyone she does meet likes to stand still as she begs them to run for their lives. She does end up with phone access but never calls the cops. But that's okay because SHE. FIGHTS. BACK!
There's some money (budget close to 7 million, while You're Next was only 1 million) and talent involved here. The lead actress is good. There are a few good moments (there's a tense underwater scene, for instance). But overall the whole thing is just so lazy. Heck, they were editing the film and still didn't seem to know the motive!
Anyway...if you like You're Next and want to see that again, but at a college, watch it.
It's basically You're Next, but at a college.
Okay, so apparently the name Kristy means "follower of Christ" so a group of Satanist types are killing girls...who are not named Kristy...and carving a K on their faces....because they are obsessed with killing Kristys so they can "kill the Christ" but don't care if the girls names are actually Kristy. But that's okay...because the "kill the followers, kill the Christ" idea never comes up again after the intro and it turns into killing pretty girls with money and nice lives. If that all sounds muddled...well...it is. It appears though that they couldn't decide on a name or motive...so they edited, filmed more, edited again etc. Just a guess, but it would explain a lot.
Ashley Bennett plays the only student at her college who didn't go home for Thanksgiving. The killers target her and she runs for an hour. Everyone she does meet likes to stand still as she begs them to run for their lives. She does end up with phone access but never calls the cops. But that's okay because SHE. FIGHTS. BACK!
There's some money (budget close to 7 million, while You're Next was only 1 million) and talent involved here. The lead actress is good. There are a few good moments (there's a tense underwater scene, for instance). But overall the whole thing is just so lazy. Heck, they were editing the film and still didn't seem to know the motive!
Anyway...if you like You're Next and want to see that again, but at a college, watch it.
TheDreamMaster
The Night He Came Home...
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So I picked up a slew of films recently:
Stage Fright (2013) DVD
Motel Hell BluRay
The Howling Special Edition DVD
Hellraiser: Deader (for completion purposes only)
Under the Skin (not bad, not great, not totally horror either)
Lords of Salem (on discount) DVD
Psycho 2-disc Special Edition DVD
Bates Motel Season 1 DVD
Stage Fright (2013) DVD
Motel Hell BluRay
The Howling Special Edition DVD
Hellraiser: Deader (for completion purposes only)
Under the Skin (not bad, not great, not totally horror either)
Lords of Salem (on discount) DVD
Psycho 2-disc Special Edition DVD
Bates Motel Season 1 DVD
Heretic
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Watched Of Silence (2014), a new Horror film that I watched because of the appearance of Najarra Townsend, who was good in last year's Contracted so I've been interested in seeing her again.
She is barely in this...plays a totally throw away character who sits down with the main guy for a minute, says "your wife was a good woman" or whatever, then leaves (showing up for about 2 seconds in another throw way scene later).
Man...this film is BOOOOOOOOOOORIIIIIIIIIIIING.
It's about a guy whose wife died so he's really depressed. But because he shoots blanks and his wife wanted a kid when she was alive, he is even depressed in the flashback scenes. There is really no emotion at all from this guy in the movie...it's all one note. The promo blurbs take space to mention that he was a scuba diver, but it hardly matters since we never see the ocean. Anyway, he starts hearing voices and seeing stuff. There are a few visitors thrown in to give him someone to talk to, but mostly it's him walking around the house. This "guy walking around a house all creeped out" thing worked really well one of last year's best Horror movies The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh, but that movie had a GORGEOUS set design that kept things interesting, better camera work, a better lead actor, and a solid reasoning for the creepiness.
Everything that might be an interesting visual is so dark you can barely see it (which is fine because it's a low budget film...just a heads up for those who like cool creatures...you can't see much). So...you're basically waiting the entire film for a lackluster action scene that shows nothing and ends with a snore.
She is barely in this...plays a totally throw away character who sits down with the main guy for a minute, says "your wife was a good woman" or whatever, then leaves (showing up for about 2 seconds in another throw way scene later).
Man...this film is BOOOOOOOOOOORIIIIIIIIIIIING.
It's about a guy whose wife died so he's really depressed. But because he shoots blanks and his wife wanted a kid when she was alive, he is even depressed in the flashback scenes. There is really no emotion at all from this guy in the movie...it's all one note. The promo blurbs take space to mention that he was a scuba diver, but it hardly matters since we never see the ocean. Anyway, he starts hearing voices and seeing stuff. There are a few visitors thrown in to give him someone to talk to, but mostly it's him walking around the house. This "guy walking around a house all creeped out" thing worked really well one of last year's best Horror movies The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh, but that movie had a GORGEOUS set design that kept things interesting, better camera work, a better lead actor, and a solid reasoning for the creepiness.
Everything that might be an interesting visual is so dark you can barely see it (which is fine because it's a low budget film...just a heads up for those who like cool creatures...you can't see much). So...you're basically waiting the entire film for a lackluster action scene that shows nothing and ends with a snore.
Matt Mortem
Karloff is King
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So my girlfriend just got a job working for Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare in Phoenix. She's doing wardrobe for 'em. Pretty damn cool.
Matt Mortem
Karloff is King
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She's my go-to cinemtographer. We've done a number of shorts together, even scored an Audience Choice award and Best Cinematography award last May at a film fest. She also does production design and the like, and was nominated for doing PD on a short. They pounced as soon as they got her resume. Seems like it's gonna be a cool opportunity.
Also, since she works there, I get to go for their "dress rehearsal" run through where they test all the attractions. It's gonna be sweet.
GremlinZilla89
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Just saw Stage Fright....decent with a few standout moments, but I feel it didn't capitalize on it's premise. It felt like it was holding back.
Heretic
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I think it was fun. The songs are great...LOVE the the end credits song. The middle part that was all about the girl trying to get the part and the sleazy producer guy was boring time-filler and there wasn't a lick of Horror during that entire middle section. As a result, the Horror aspect felt half-baked. BUT...a month or so after I watched it, I still have that first song stuck in my head (the "not in that way" part). Plus, the killer was at least unique and fairly iconic looking. I said this before, but if I were to put together a Justice League of slasher killers but could not include the legends of the slasher era, I'd be hard pressed to find 7 cooler than Alfonso.
Heretic
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Awesome! If you don't want to do so publicly, send me a link in a message to your shorts, I'd love to check them out.
Film making is always something that I kind of wished I had gotten into. I picked music, and ended up not even liking creating music, so I've spent my life in management type roles, doing publicity etc etc etc. I wish I had spent my early years learning the movie making trade because I have a bunch of ideas. One thing I like to do as a mental exercise is come up with cool stories for genres or characters that I'm bored with or don't like. I came up with a zombie idea and ran it past a guy I know who publishes zombie short story compilations and is heavily involved with it, and he said it was the best zombie idea he'd heard in years and that I should turn it into a movie, and I was like...well...I have ZERO experience or know-how on making a movie...so, that aint gonna happen. Short story long...I get a kick out of watching the methods of other people. I'd love to be on a set to help out and learn a bunch, you know?
GremlinZilla89
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Yeah, the killer is awesome and most of the songs are fun and its overall a slick production...the plot just dragged it's heel far too much in the second act for the third to have any impact. Once it was getting good it was over.
Majik1387
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Stage Fright had such a charm to it, but I agree something was holding it back. Even musically, there was a fair amount of work put into it that needed some more polishing.
And surprisingly, the killer singing did not feel out of place to me at all. I love whoever the cinematographer was for the real gritty horror scenes. They were just so strong and what I want more from today's horror movies.
I also just saw the red band trailer for Jersey Shore Massacre and wanted to kill myself.
And surprisingly, the killer singing did not feel out of place to me at all. I love whoever the cinematographer was for the real gritty horror scenes. They were just so strong and what I want more from today's horror movies.
I also just saw the red band trailer for Jersey Shore Massacre and wanted to kill myself.
Heretic
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Watched Crawl or Die (2014), the first part of what threatens to be a trilogy.
Have you seen Aliens? This director has, and he decided to just redo that with whatever spare change he could come up with.
We learn in a flashback scene that there is only one woman in Earth who can get pregnant, so an elite(?) military team is charged with transporting her off of Earth and to Earth 2, where she'll be safe. It's a long trip, so they'll be in cryosleep for the journey. That is all we know about the backstory. The ride there is not even touched upon as they are already on Earth 2 at the start of the film.
Anyway...a creature is on Earth 2 and is chasing them. The team is picked off quickly and we are left with one strong-willed female soldier in her underwear (no, seriously) who must protect the girl and crawl through a tight tunnel while escaping the alien.
That's it. Despite there being a team of soldiers, there is very little dialogue in the film. Aside from the flashback setting up the premise, every other line spoken is like "come on, Doc" or something similarly brief. This flashback scene is terrible because...not only is the bulk of the film's dialogue spoken here, but the actor delivering the lines is horrid. PLUS...the military briefing room they are in is very clearly the same room as the rest of the movie is filmed in, with circular tunnels clearly seen in the background. Ah, low budget films!
The alien itself (what little we see of it) is of course reminiscent of a Xenomorph. It seems like most movie monsters start with that basic design and make changes from there. I could kind of look past it except that the rest of the movie is taking cues from Aliens as well.
On the plus side...kudos to the lead actress Nicole Alonso for doing what must have been a nightmare of a role. For 90% of the film she's in her underwear crawling through insanely tight tunnels (not real tunnels, she clearly could have just bashed her way out very easily...but I tend to forgive low budget constraints like that), covered in dirt.
Why does this film exist? Aliens already exists. If it was to create a new trilogy (as the hype implies) and develop a new sci-fi Horror franchise...then put some freaking thought into it! However, if the film exists solely to introduce us to a new indie Horror actress, then it did its job. Alsonso doesn't say or do much but crawl around in her underwear...but I think that most people who see this will want to see her again. I see this type of thing often, where it appears that an indie director/producer will find a female muse and base movies around her. I'm fine with that as it can hopefully lead to bigger and better things for a new generation of scream queens. But on its own as a film franchise, there is no reason for this to exist.
Have you seen Aliens? This director has, and he decided to just redo that with whatever spare change he could come up with.
We learn in a flashback scene that there is only one woman in Earth who can get pregnant, so an elite(?) military team is charged with transporting her off of Earth and to Earth 2, where she'll be safe. It's a long trip, so they'll be in cryosleep for the journey. That is all we know about the backstory. The ride there is not even touched upon as they are already on Earth 2 at the start of the film.
Anyway...a creature is on Earth 2 and is chasing them. The team is picked off quickly and we are left with one strong-willed female soldier in her underwear (no, seriously) who must protect the girl and crawl through a tight tunnel while escaping the alien.
That's it. Despite there being a team of soldiers, there is very little dialogue in the film. Aside from the flashback setting up the premise, every other line spoken is like "come on, Doc" or something similarly brief. This flashback scene is terrible because...not only is the bulk of the film's dialogue spoken here, but the actor delivering the lines is horrid. PLUS...the military briefing room they are in is very clearly the same room as the rest of the movie is filmed in, with circular tunnels clearly seen in the background. Ah, low budget films!
The alien itself (what little we see of it) is of course reminiscent of a Xenomorph. It seems like most movie monsters start with that basic design and make changes from there. I could kind of look past it except that the rest of the movie is taking cues from Aliens as well.
On the plus side...kudos to the lead actress Nicole Alonso for doing what must have been a nightmare of a role. For 90% of the film she's in her underwear crawling through insanely tight tunnels (not real tunnels, she clearly could have just bashed her way out very easily...but I tend to forgive low budget constraints like that), covered in dirt.
Why does this film exist? Aliens already exists. If it was to create a new trilogy (as the hype implies) and develop a new sci-fi Horror franchise...then put some freaking thought into it! However, if the film exists solely to introduce us to a new indie Horror actress, then it did its job. Alsonso doesn't say or do much but crawl around in her underwear...but I think that most people who see this will want to see her again. I see this type of thing often, where it appears that an indie director/producer will find a female muse and base movies around her. I'm fine with that as it can hopefully lead to bigger and better things for a new generation of scream queens. But on its own as a film franchise, there is no reason for this to exist.
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TheDreamMaster
The Night He Came Home...
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Stage Fright had such a charm to it, but I agree something was holding it back. Even musically, there was a fair amount of work put into it that needed some more polishing.
And surprisingly, the killer singing did not feel out of place to me at all. I love whoever the cinematographer was for the real gritty horror scenes. They were just so strong and what I want more from today's horror movies.
I also just saw the red band trailer for Jersey Shore Massacre and wanted to kill myself.
The....the....wha.....?
Wasn't Jersey Shore Shark Attack enough?
Pittman4Two
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I want to take a moment to remind everyone how much I love Sinister.
One of the scariest movies I've ever seen.
One of the scariest movies I've ever seen.
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