31 Days of Horror (Halloween) 2020

Date: 10/1/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I decided to kick off October by watching a silent classic horror movie like I normally do. Kino Lorber recently released this movie on Blu-Ray just in time for this movie's 100th anniversary. I also haven't seen this movie in a long time and I remember I only have seen the bad US release of this movie probably over 10 years ago. After watching this movie again on Blu-Ray, this movie is awesome. The 4K restoration of this movie is amazing because it helps restore the movie with its original tinting intact. The movie is wonderful to look at with the amazing set pieces.

I always love the art direction that this movie has because it helps creates a surreal fantasy feeling to it. During the opening scene of the movie, it feels like you are opening up a book to a fairy tale from many centuries ago. The atmosphere in the movie feels so creepy and yet authentic. It's hard to describe it, but I can't help to love the authenticity of silent movies especially silent horror films. Silent Horror movies in general are even more surreal and authentic because they use dark imagery and body language to create a chilling movie. Paul Wegener does a great job of playing The Golem and The Golem itself would later become an iconic movie monster. Making The Golem possibly one of the first major movie horror icons predating the Universal monsters by a decade.

Paul Wegener as The Golem is scary, strong, and yet somewhat yet sympathetic. The Golem is almost like a robot that has no free will from his own monstrous creators. When watching this movie, you can see how this movie was a big influence on the 1930s Frankenstein movies and possibly the creation of The Hulk from Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. I also love how Paul Wegener uses his facial expressions to create a scary-looking monster. By today's standers, this movie is not scary for most people. Back in the 1920s, this movie probably did scare many people who saw it at the Cinema. The movie does suffer from typical romance clichés, but I'm not bothered by it too much. I still think The Golem has a well-told story with interesting characters and a warning of creation going against its creator. A similar theme that Fritz Lang would later use several years later in Metropolis (1927).

It's still strange to think that this movie is the third movie in a franchise and the other two are lost. In the 1910s and 1920s, people probably have seen the other two movies and would probably talk about them regularly similar to the movie franchises that we have now. Now the first two movies are lost, and they will probably never be found. It would be like finding out in 100 years from now that Army of Darkness (1992) is the only Evil Dead movie left (I hope that never happens). Even if they are not as good as the first two, it would be interesting to see how those two movies are.

Overall, The Golem: How He Came into the World (1920) is a great work of art and an important movie in cinema history. Check out this movie if you haven't already.

Date: 10/2/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie since I was 10 on VHS when a friend of mine and I watched it after school. I picked up the German Blu-Ray that is region free on Diabolikdvd back in May and I haven't had the chance to watch it until now. After watching this movie again, I still think it holds up pretty well in my opinion. Death Machine is not a masterpiece, but it's still a fun sci-fi horror movie nevertheless.

The story is nothing original or groundbreaking, but it's still entertaining. The movie borrows inspiration from movies such as Alien (1979), The Terminator (1984), and Hardware (1990) because this movie has similar themes and characters to those movies. Just like most cyberpunk theme movies, the movie has an anti-consumerist capitalist message to it. Similar to Robocop (1987), you have big companies that don’t care what harm they do as long if they make money. The value of a dollar is more important to them than the lives of innocent people. Sadly, you have the same problem in our reality.

I do like the cast of characters in this movie because some of them are pretty memorable. Brad Dourif's character is a fun over the top goofball villain that enjoys having fun. You also get to see Rachel Weisz (The Favourite) in her first major movie role long before she became a major star in Hollywood. Richard Brake (Game of Thrones) also plays a fun and cheesy over the top role too. The acting in the movie is nothing award-winning, but it's still pretty good for what it is.

My favorite thing about this movie is the aesthetics because the movie looks and feels awesome. I love the general vibe that this movie has with the cool outdated high tech gadgetry, the dark color scheme, and the use of fog during scenes of the movie. It has everything that I love from old cyberpunk movies from the 80s and early-mid 90s. Even the special effects hold up pretty well and I always love the design for the Evil Robot in this movie. You also have some really cool gory moments in the movie that are fun to watch.

Another awesome thing about this movie is the techno-industrial music from Crispin Merrel. The music in this movie is very catchy and I can listen to it all day long. This movie also runs at 2 hours and it moves at a nice pace. Not once did I feel like that the story was starting to move slowly or too fast. If I had to pick one thing that I didn't like about this movie, it would be the humor. Some humor in the movie works while other times it does not. The humor can be pretty stupid and annoying at times because you can tell that they were trying to make the movie into a serious film.

The Blu-Ray release of this movie is excellent because the picture and sound are fantastic. Watching the movie in 1080p allows you to see the visuals in a clearer way. I do wish that the Blu-Ray had more bonus content like the behind the scenes or a commentary track from Stephen Norrington. Either way, I'm happy that someone restores this underrated gem in HD.

Overall, Death Machine is a fun movie and I do recommend checking it out if you've got time to spare.

Date: 10/3/2020
Viewed: Criterion Channel
Re-Watch

Note: I have been in the mood to revisit this movie and I felt like now is the time to watch this movie again. I used to own the DVD, but thankfully the movie is on the Criterion Channel streaming service. After watching this movie again, this movie is still fantastic. Onibaba is one of those movies that never gets old when I revisit it. Everything about this movie is top-notch. The atmosphere is perfect because it feels so dark and creepy. You can literally feel the wind blowing in the weeds when watching this movie. The story feels like poetry with the themes of lust, wrath, and betrayal.

I'm glad that this movie was never shot in color because the movie wouldn't be the same if it was. The black & white colors help create the general tone of the movie. This movie has a very dark and serious story with no light heart moments. When watching this movie, you get to see the struggle that these characters live through during the 14th century in Japan during the Genkō War. They say war is hell and this movie shows the poor people struck by it. These characters are living through hell and you have an innocent woman that is stuck with a cursed mask in the movie. I love how you can really feel a connection for these characters and how you can feel sorry for them. There's plenty of dark moments that happen in this movie and I don't want to spoil them for anyone. This is not a film for the faint off heart, you will probably be turned off by certain scenes in this movie.

You also have fantastic makeup work that holds up really well. I have seen many people that say this movie is too slow, but I disagree. I feel like the movie moves at a nice pace, and they did a good job of keeping the movie under 2 hours. The music from Hikaru Hayashi is wonderful, and he was able to make the music feel so haunting. I can't think anything wrong with this movie, to be honest.

Overall, Onibaba is a masterpiece and I highly recommend this movie. This movie is a perfect movie to watch on a full moon night.

Date: 10/4/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Seeing that last year, I did revisit the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie for the 45th anniversary and I still love it. This year I decided to revisit the sequel because I don't feel like waiting another year for this movie's 35th anniversary. I was lucky to get the Scream Factory Blu-Ray before it went out of print. This movie still rocks in my opinion. While nowhere as good as the first movie, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is still a lot of fun for what it is. It's a very different movie from the first movie and I didn't mind the goofy direction that Tobe Hooper went for this movie. He was able to do something risky and make it actually work.

The humor in the movie is funny because it's so wacky and over the top. I always find myself laughing at most of the dumb stuff that happens in the movie. The production values in this movie are solid and the special effects still hold up very well nearly 35 years later. The makeup and gore effects from Tom Savini are awesome. I love how gross and cool the makeup and gore in this movie looks. Dennis Hopper steals the show by playing a fun and over the top memorable role. The last battle during the end of the movie is epic and it is worth the wait. Bill Moseley as "Chop Top" Sawyer is another fun memorable character in the movie, and he plays the role very well. I don't have anything else to say, to be honest.

Overall, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a fun sequel and I do recommend checking it out.

Date: 10/5/2020
Viewed: TubiTV
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie in years and I probably have seen this movie once or twice during the 2000s. From what I can remember, the movie went direct to VHS and DVD in the United States. I also remember that this movie is more closely based on Shadow Over Innsmouth and not a direct adaption of the short story "Dagon". After revisiting this movie again on Tubi, I still think it's a good movie. The movie is nowhere as good as the Re-Animator movies (1985-2003) or From Beyond (1986), but it's still a solid movie nevertheless. Dagon is a fun movie to watch and it moves at a nice pace. It's not too long or too short, it's just about right in my opinion.

I do like how the movie has a dark moody tone by having the movie being set in the rain. It helps create a claustrophobic atmosphere for the movie. I do love how Stuart Gordon is able to create a sense of tension with the main characters trying to survive against a group of strange people on a mysterious island. When watching this movie, I always get a survival horror vibe to it. You also have some jump scares in the movie that actually works and does not feel cheap. I also like the general message of the movie by showing how greed and religion can corrupt people. This is not some bad Syfy channel original movie like some people think it is. You actually see how far people are willing to go when it comes to greed and their religious beliefs. It does bother me when people don't actually look beyond the surface level when it comes to lower budget movies because these type of movies are better than most people give them credit for.

The acting in this movie is not the best, but I do think it is passable. Sadly, this is the last time we see Francisco Rabal (Viridiana) in a movie before he passed away. Francisco Rabal plays a fun memorable character and I consider him to be the best actor in the movie in my opinion. My biggest issue with this movie is the special effects because they are a mixed bag. The makeup work and the practical effect are pretty good. They are nowhere on the same level as the special effects from Screaming Mad George, but they are still not bad. However, the CGI in the movie sucks and it even looks worse now. Even back in the day, I thought the CGI look pretty poor looking. They almost look like an FMV cutscene in a PS1 Final Fantasy game in my opinion. I also didn't like most of the characters in this movie because they are not as fun and memorable as the main cast of characters in the other H.P Lovecraft adaptions from Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna in my opinion.

Overall, Dagon is a good movie and I do recommend checking it out.

Date: 10/6/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Arrow Video)
Re-Watch

Note: If I had to pick a favorite Werewolf movie, it would be this movie (The Howling and original Wolfman come pretty close). I always love this movie growing up and it never gets old when revisiting it. I got the Arrow Video Blu-Ray Special edition for Christmas last year and I have saved it for October. The Arrow Video release is perfect after many years of having a mediocre home release. The video and sound quality are fantastic in my opinion. Arrow did a wonderful job of making the picture look so clean and crisp. It's so crisp looking, it almost feels like you are watching this movie on set with the director and actors. I also notice many details that I would never notice until now. Even the trees in the background look and feel so photorealistic.

The movie itself is great and it still holds up well. The movie has a fun cast of memorable characters, amazing special effects, and a cool story. I love how the movie is able to blend horror and comedy so well without coming off as a total mess. I love the characters in this movie and John Landis did a wonderful job of creating wonderful chemistry with the two main characters. The special effects in this movie are still fantastic for a movie that is almost 40 years old. CGI will never capture the authentic feeling of practical effects, no matter how high the budget is. The movie's atmosphere is wonderful too because I love how the movie feels so close to London. When watching this movie, I always feel like I'm in London with these characters. The movie is also a time capsule of London back in the early 1980s with the X-rated movie theaters and other sleazy shops that no longer exist. The only thing that I don't like about this movie is the ending (I won't spoil it for people who haven't seen it yet).

I have nothing else to say about this movie because I can't add anything new to say. If you haven't seen this movie, do it now.

Date: 10/7/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Vampire Hunter D is truly a special anime to me because I still remember watching it on the Sci-Fi channel back in the 90s when they used to air anime. I was probably six years old when I first saw it and I loved every bit of it. Seeing that this year is the 35th anniversary of this movie, I felt like it was the perfect time to watch it again. I did revisit both Vampire Hunter D movies in 2015, but I didn't have an LB account at the time. After watching this movie again, I still feel like this movie is awesome. I still think the second Vampire Hunter D movie is better, but that's my own personal opinion.

The thing that I love the most about Vampire Hunter D is the world that the series takes place in. Vampire Hunter D is set in a strange futuristic world that is a mixture of gothic horror, a spaghetti western, and cyberpunk. The aesthetics in the movie is amazing thanks to the wonderful art direction from Yoshitaka Amano (Angel's Egg). He helps create the unique world that this series is set in. You also have many cool and strange monsters that are very creative looking. While the story is pretty simple, it's still well-told for what it is. This movie is not deep and it's not meant to be. You have a fun cast of characters that you actually like and care about. Not to mention, you have plenty of bloody action sequences that are awesome. Seeing D (The main character) kill monsters is always fun to watch.

What's also cool about this movie is the lore. The movie may not give out every detail behind the mythos that exist in the film's universe, but it still keeps you intrigued. It's like in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) where they mention stuff from the past that the audience does' not know about, but you are still fascinated by the world that these characters exist in. D himself is a total badass main character that is silent and deadly. He may not have much personality to him, but that's the point. D himself is almost similar to The Man with No Name from Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy (1964-1966) where he is a character with a mysterious presence around him with an unorthodox sense of justice. Not every character needs to have a backstory to be cool or interesting.

The animation is wonderful because Toyoo Ashida did a great job of creating so much detail with the aesthetics in the film. Most anime fans these days will be turned off by the outdated art style, but I love it. While I do like the rest of the characters in the movie, I do feel like they could have been developed better. Rei and Lee have the best development compare to the other cast of characters. Doris Lang is a fun female character, but I wish she had a stronger role in the movie. I also hate the panty shots in this movie because they serve no purpose other than to be fan service.

Overall, Vampire Hunter D is a solid movie that is worth checking out. I do recommend it to both anime & non-anime fans alike.

Date: 10/8/2020
Viewed: DVD
First Viewing

Note: This is a movie that I always wanted to see for years because I always hear interesting things about this movie. Sadly, the movie is out of print and the movie goes for high prices on the aftermarket. Thankfully, I was able to get a copy of this movie thanks to Jeremy from the 22 Shots of Moodz and Horror podcast on Facebook. After watching this movie for the first time, I had a lot of fun watching it. Necronos is one of those dumb edgy trashy low budget movies that I love to watch. This movie is not at a good movie at all, but that does not mean you can’t like these types of movies. Obviously, this movie is not going to be everyone's cup of tea and I'm not surprised by the low rating that this movie has. This is a movie that you need to be a fan of the extreme cinema genre or the splatter film genre to get a kick out of it. So, if you don't like this movie, I can totally understand that. Movies like Necronos and other trashy movies are my junk food entertainment. People have the MCU, Fast & Furious, Michael Bay, and Disney movies, etc as their junk food entertainment, meanwhile, I have low budget trash movies as my junk food entertainment.

I love the general vibe and atmosphere that this movie has because it reminds me of the other low budget German splatter movies from directors such as Olaf Ittenbach (Burning Moon) and Andreas Schnass (Violent Shit). You have plenty of blood, gore, and other extremely violent movies that you can sink your teeth into. There were some violent moments in this movie that made my jaw dropped for how well they did handle the gory special effects in the movie. Even the gore in the movie almost feels reminiscent of the blood and gore that you would find in older Peter Jackson movies such as Bad Taste (1987) and as Braindead aka Dead Alive (1992). I also like how the movie has a scuzzy feeling to it with the environments looking so dirty. You can smell the sludge on the ground when watching this movie. The tagline for the movie claims that this movie makes Cannibal Holocaust look like Bambi when that’s not true at all in my opinion. Cannibal Holocaust is still more graphic than this movie because the violence in that movie is portrayed in a more realistic fashion and has a real-life documentary feel to it. Meanwhile, the violence in this movie is more schlocky and over the top. Even some violent moments in this movie made me laugh for how over the top it was.

The movie is 2 hours long and it surprisingly moves at a fast-paced. It honestly felt like a 50-minute movie than a 2-hour film. The story in the movie is nothing great, but I still found the plot to be interesting. The main characters are flat and forgettable, but the movie does have a cool cast of villains. You have a cool story with an evil wizard that wants to create an undefeatable army of the undead for Satan, and he has his minion Goran kidnap victims for him. However, the story starts to get a bit more convoluted later in the film when they start to find a virgin witch that is The Chosen One meanwhile, they are trying to create a monster called the Berserker (Who almost looks like a medieval version of Super Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze lol). For a movie that is meant to be a total gore fest with a simple plot, the story gets way too confusing. I almost lost track of what was going on in the movie because you have way too much going on.

Overall, Necronos is a fun trashy movie from start to finish. If you like low budget movies or extreme cinema, I recommend checking it out.

Date: 10/9/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Scream Factory)
Re-Watch

Note: I got the Friday the 13th Blu-Ray box set from Scream Factory in the mail yesterday, and I was looking forward to watching the new transfers for Part 1-4. To be honest, this movie is not my favorite Friday the 13th sequel. It's not a bad movie, I just don't revisit this movie as much as the other Friday the 13th movies. I always hated how Alice is killed off in this movie because I always like her as the main character. She should have been the Laurie Strode of the Friday the 13th movie but didn't (I know the real reason why Adrienne King didn't return, but her role could have been replaced by someone else).

I never found the main characters in this movie to be as fun and memorable as the ones in the first movie in my opinion. I also don't find this movie to be as atmospheric as the first movie. While I always like the mystery and build up to Jason's appearance in this movie, but I still feel like the first movie did a better job of creating a mysterious build-up to the main killer of the movie. The special effects for the gory kills are still pretty good and the double-impalement scene is still awesome in my opinion. The scenes with Terry's dog, Muffin always confused me because we see a scene of a dead dog which is most likely Muffin. Later in the film, Muffin finally returns and is shown not to be hurt. I find it hard to believe that Jason didn't kill Muffin and the dead dog which is the same dog breed is somehow not related whatsoever.

The ending is almost similar to the ending from the first movie, but it's more open up for interpretation. In the first movie, I feel like it was obvious that Jason attacking Alice in the lake was not real. Meanwhile, some people still debate if Ginny was really attacked by Jason or not at the end of the movie. We still don't know what happens to Paul and Muffin. Maybe they didn't return to the Cabin, and they found Ginny knocked out after defeating Jason before being loaded into an ambulance truck. It's always fun to think about these types of things after the movie is over.

Overall, Friday the 13th Part 2 is not a bad movie and I do recommend it if you enjoy the first movie.

Date: 10/10/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: It's so hard for me to pick a #1 favorite David Cronenberg movie because he has so many movies that I love. It's always a toss-up between this movie, The Fly (1986), and Naked Lunch (1991) in my opinion. After thinking about it lately, I think I decided to pick Videodrome as my #1 favorite Cronenberg movie. I do feel like Videodrome really represents what his filmography is truly about. In Videodrome, you have graphic nudity, body horror, surreal imagery, and a great social commentary that you would also find in his other movies.

I love the story in this movie because it's awesome and perfect in every way in my opinion. James Woods plays a memorable character named Max who gets addicted to a snuff videotape and slowly loses his sense of reality over time in my opinion. It's a very cool and original story because no other movie at the time had such a unique story. The movie is a total mind trip and it makes you feel like that your brain is melting away when watching this movie thanks to the disturbing surreal imagery. It almost feels like the line between fiction and reality starts to blur.

Every time when I watch this movie, I'm always glued to my seat because the movie is so fascinating to watch. There's not a single dull moment in the entire movie. I almost feel like Max when he gets his face literally sucked into the TV screen. I always love how this movie is both dated and relevant at the same time. The technology in the movie is obviously dated because no one really uses tapes for movies and TV shows anymore. However, the general theme and message are timeless in my opinion. The general theme and message of the movie is that people can't always tell what is real or not. It shows how dangerous the power and influence of the media can be on the human mind. Even almost 40 years later, we still have a problem with people believing in fake news or propaganda as if it is real information. Even humor these days can be confusing if it is satire or not. The ending will also make many people feel puzzled and I consider that to be a good thing. I love it when a movie makes me think and the filmmakers open things up for interpretation allowing the audience to decide on what just happen.

The special effects and atmosphere in this movie are fantastic. Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London) did a wonderful job of creating special effects that are so surreal and gross looking. Not to mention, the special effects still hold up very well in my opinion. The atmosphere has a cold eerie feeling to it that really helps captures the tone of the story. Everyone outside of James Woods did a wonderful job with acting. While I do love this movie, I can understand why some people won't like this movie. You will have people that will find this movie to be confusing or too gross for their taste.

Overall, Videodrome is a masterpiece and I highly recommend checking it out.

Date: 10/11/2020
Viewed: Shudder
First Viewing

Note: This is a movie that I always wanted to see growing up and I never had the chance to watch it. I know nothing about the movie other than the premise. Not to mention, I listen to the Goblin soundtrack to the movie multiple times. However, that score is only in the Italian dub of the movie. Seeing that the movie is on Shudder (As of 10/11/2020), I decided to watch it for the first time. After watching this movie for the first time, I thought it was pretty good. I thought the story was cool and interesting. I dig the idea behind Patrick's character with him being a guy in a coma with psychokinesis powers.

The movie is pretty tame, so you will be let down if you are going into the movie for some blood and gore. Patrick focuses more on suspense than having gory kills. I do love how they were able to create a dark and chilling atmosphere in the movie. The movie has jump scares that are well done, and they don't feel cheap in my opinion. The acting and dialogue in the movie are surprisingly good too. Robert Helpmann (The Red Shoes) was my favorite actor in the movie because he played a fun memorable character.

My least favorite thing about this movie is the slow pacing. It took me a while to get invested in the story because the first 35-40 minutes of the movie was pretty boring. I was also not a fan of the ending because it felt a bit rushed in my opinion. Nevertheless, I'm still glad that I finally watched this movie.

Overall, Patrick is a good movie and I do recommend watching it if you've got time to spare. I will probably check out the unofficial sequel from Italy in the near future.

Date: 10/12/2020
Viewed: 4K UHD
Re-Watch

Note: This year is the 40th anniversary of The Shining and it felt like the perfect time to revisit it. I will probably keep this review short because so many people have seen this movie and I don't have anything new to say. The movie looks amazing in 4K UHD because the picture is so clean and crisp looking. The detail in the movie really pops out and it almost feels like that I was watching a brand-new movie. The backgrounds look so photorealistic as if I was watching the movie on set. I swear the movie is so good-looking in 4K UHD, it almost felt like they reshoot the movie with a time machine.

Kubrick did a wonderful job of making a movie that is so creepy and disturbing in my opinion. I always love the atmosphere in the movie because it captures the feeling of isolationism so well. When watching this movie, you can also feel the cold snowy weather in the movie. The iconic music from Wendy Carlos & Rachel Elkind is also amazing and I can't imagine the movie without it. The acting in the movie is still great and I always love Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance.

The movie has a deep subtext to it beyond the surface level if you want to look at this movie at a deeper level. While I do love this movie, it's still not my favorite movie from Kubrick. I still personally prefer 2001, A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, and Dr. Strangelove over this movie. However, that's my own personal opinion.

If you haven't seen this movie, go watch it now!

Date: 10/13/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray (Scream Factory)
Re-Watch

Note: I was looking forward to revisiting this movie because this is one of my favorite Friday the 13th movies that I always like growing up along with Part 6-8 and Jason goes to Hell. Thankfully, this movie is still as fun as I remember it being. Friday the 13th Part 3 help make Jason into the movie character that we all love today. In this movie, he gets his classic hockey mask and I can't imagine Jason without a hockey mask.

The movie is non-stop fun with a fun cast of characters and plenty of cool kills. This movie is so entertaining and I can't think of a single dull moment in the movie. I also love the windy autumn feeling that this movie has too. It was nice that they decided to have the movie to be set on a different season than the summer setting of the first two movies. Richard Brooker (RIP) is also great as Jason because he feels like a brute force of nature while still being a normal human at the same time.

I only have seen the movie in 2D and the 3D gimmicks never bother me that much. They never felt like they were forced into your face as some 3D movies do. If there’s one thing I don’t like about the movie, it would be the reliance on dumb jump scares. I forgot how stupid some fake jump scares in this movie were. I'm also not a fan of the ending in the movie as well.

Overall, Friday the 13th Part 3 is a very enjoyable sequel and I do recommend it if you enjoy the first two movies. If you didn't like the first two movies at all, then this movie is not for you.

Date: 10/14/2020
Viewed: DVD
First Viewing

Note: This is a movie that I never saw growing up, but I do remember hearing about it. I always remember hearing how gory and violent this movie is from other horror movie fans. Back in the mid-late 2000s, I remember seeing DVD copies of this movie at the Suncoast at the Columbia Mall in MD (Which does not exist anymore sadly) and never bother to pick it up. Over the years, the movie went out of print and it became very pricey on the aftermarket. Fortunately, I was able to get a DVD copy of this movie on eBay for a good deal. After watching this movie for the first time, I loved it. This movie really lived up to my expectations.

Darkness is everything that I love about low budget underground horror movies from the 80s and early-mid 90s. It's very violent, gory, and edgy, but so much fun to watch. Everything about this movie feels like a genuine Grindhouse movie that would play on 42nd Street back in the day. The movie has a 16mm grainy picture quality to it similar to movies such as the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Wake in Fright (1971), the original Evil Dead (1981), and Deadbeat at Dawn (1988). You also have amazing practical effects that still look awesome today. The blood and gore in this movie feel very reminiscent of special effects from Tom Savini, and movies from Pre-Lord of the Rings Peter Jackson and the Zombie Bloodbath Trilogy (1993-2000) in my opinion.

This is not a movie where you can expect life philosophies or any deep social commentary. This is a movie that offers blood, gore, and action for the sake of blood, gore, and action. The filmmakers know what movie they were trying to make, and they know who their main target audience is. The story feels like if I Am Legend (The book, not the movie) meets Dawn of the Dead (1978). You have a group of normal everyday people that are trying to survive an ever-growing epidemic of Vampires. I also love the dark atmosphere in this movie because it feels like it is set during the apocalypse. The streets are empty and you can smell the death in the air with these characters trying to survive. You also have a chilling score that helps create a moody tone of the movie.

Most people will say that a movie that only offers blood and gore for the sake of blood and gore is a bad thing, but I don't think that is always true. To me, it depends on how you handle the blood and gore in a movie. The reason this movie being a total gore fest works so well because this movie is a bit self-aware of how silly its plot is. Not to mention, they never push the bar too far with the violence and it does not come off as tasteless as the August Underground movies or the Vomit Gore Trilogy. While I do love this movie, I still wish they put some more effort into the story and characters. You don't get much characterization for the main cast of the characters because you barely know anyone in the movie.

Overall, Darkness is an awesome gory horror movie from start to finish. I do recommend this movie for anyone who enjoys violent movies. If you are not into gory movies, then steer clear from this movie. I can't wait to see the final cut from Arrow Video in the near future.

Date: 10/15/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie since I was in Middle School when I had to read stories from Edgar Allan Poe in the 7th grade. I remember our teacher played this movie for us to watch while we were reading the story. After watching this movie again, this movie holds up very well. The Masque of the Red Death is a movie that people will overlook because it has Roger Corman's name attached to it. Roger Corman has directed many bad movies, and he admits that. However, he also has made many great movies under his belt too and this movie is one of them. I even consider this movie to be the best movie that he has directed in my opinion.

The movie has amazing production values and wonderful cinematography. The movie has a very colorful look to it thanks to Nicolas Roeg (RIP). The striking visuals help create a dark and moody tone of the movie. The atmosphere in the movie is also dark and has a striking dream-like feeling to it. For a movie that is over 55 years old, I still think the set designs for the movie look good. It's amazing how Roger Corman knows how to make a small budget movie feel like a big scale epic. Scream Factory also did a wonderful job of restoring this movie because they help clean up the movie to make it more clear and crisp looking. The bright colors and the wonderful visuals really pop out in HD because you can now see more detail that you don't normally see.

The best thing about this movie is the story because the story is very well told in my opinion. I love how the movie deals with themes such as people battling with their own faith. Vincent Price does a wonderful job of acting by playing a character that is blinded by his own beliefs. His character is someone who believes that Satan is the only god in the universe and that would later backfire on him. The movie also deals with a deadly virus that is killing people and you have people hosting major group events despite what is going on in the world. That sure sounds like what is going on right now in our reality. I also like how the movie explores the theme of every man creates their own hell as well. There's plenty of subtexts to this movie if you really want to dig deeper beyond the surface level of the movie. This is a type of movie where the more you think about it, the more you like it in my opinion. If I had to pick one thing that I didn't like about this movie, I do think the movie did have a bit of a slow start. After the first 15 minutes of the movie, things start to get excellent.

Overall, The Masque of the Red Death is a timeless classic and I highly recommend watching it.

Date: 10/16/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Rewatching this movie was a nice nostalgia trip because this was one of my favorite movies as a kid. I remember back in 1998, this was a popular movie with both kids and teens. Kids that I know at my lunch table would talk about how awesome this movie was and would always wonder if our school teachers are aliens. I don't remember if I saw this movie in theaters or not, but I do remember renting it on VHS several times at Blockbuster. Paramount recently reissue this movie on Blu-ray, and I was able to pick up a copy at Target for $5. After watching this movie again, it's still a fun movie.

I don't let my nostalgia get in the way of writing reviews, but I do think the movie is still pretty good even without any nostalgia. The Faculty is like if Breakfast Club and Invasion of the Body Snatchers had a baby. This movie is far from perfect and it is not Robert Rodriguez's best movie in my opinion. The movie has a fun cast of memorable characters and there's not a single dull moment in the movie. I always love how this movie is filled with energy thanks to Robert Rodriguez's direction. Robert Rodriguez knows how to create fun action sequences while having some good scary moments at the same time.

I also like some cool horror movie homages that are added to the movie. You can tell that Robert Rodriguez is a big fan of both classic and modern sci-fi horror movies. The soundtrack in the movie is also enjoyable and I didn't mind the cover version of "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" from Class of '99. The biggest flaw in the movie is the false jump scares because they are super annoying. You also have dumb plot holes that start to stick out like a sore thumb when watching the movie. Some scenes in the movie are a bit homophobic because they treat lesbianism as if it is a bad thing. I do like the practical effects because they are pretty good and the slug alien creature in the movie still looks awesome. However, the CGI in the movie has aged poorly and it can be distracting at times. At least, the CGI in this movie did not age as badly as the CGI in Spawn (1997) and Deep Rising (1998) in my opinion lol.

Overall, The Faculty is a very enjoyable movie and I do recommend it if you've got time to spare.

Date: 10/17/2020
Viewed: Youtube
Re-Watch

Note: I have been in the mood to revisit this movie because I haven't seen it in years. I think the last time I saw this movie was back in 2009 and I felt like it was the perfect time to revisit this movie. The movie has no good Blu-ray release and the DVD is out of print. I was lucky enough to find the movie on YouTube. After rewatching this movie, it still holds up very well. Cemetery Man aka Dellamorte Dellamore is a great unique movie like no other. A movie like this could only be done in the 90s and not in today's world in my opinion.

This movie has amazing visuals, funny humor, cool characters, and a great atmosphere. I love the art direction and atmosphere that this movie has because it truly feels like a gothic horror movie. You got plenty of great scenery that feel like they are ripped out of a horror comic book (I'm aware that this movie is based on a comic BTW). This is a movie that is perfect to watch in October because it feels right at home with the autumn season. You have scattering autumn leaves on the ground that you will find in windy afternoons during the fall and you can feel the cold chilly weather as well. I also love how this movie is so different from your typical horror movie. This is a movie that can appeal to both B movie fans and art-house movie fans as well. To me, the movie almost feels like an odd mix between a classic Sam Raimi movie, a Tim Burton movie, and a movie from Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

This movie is filled with plenty of creative surrealism that really fits with the story. In the movie, Rupert Everett plays a cemetery caretaker named Francesco Dellamorte, and he slowly loses his mind after working in a cemetery for so long. The movie makes the audience question if the movie was really real or not. For a zombie movie, the movie is more about the characters and not the undead themselves. I love how Francesco Dellamorte feels like a normal everyday person and killing zombies is just a mundane job to him. He feels like a character feels grounded in reality, and he is just tired of his life. He only wants to find love in his life, but he is always had bad luck when he finds a woman that he truly likes. Francesco Dellamorte is not your nice guy/incel that will have a hissy fit because he can't get laid. He's a type of character that I feel like almost anyone can relate to even if the movie is set in a fantasy setting.

The movie is also hilarious because the movie is filled with bizarre humor. The special effects in this movie are still awesome for a movie that is 25+ years old. Rupert Everett does a wonderful job of playing a character that is both a badass and down to earth. Even the actors in this movie did a wonderful job. I do wish they explain more on how the virus that can bring the dead back to life is created. Other than that, I have no other complaints about this movie.

Overall, Cemetery Man aka Dellamorte Dellamore is a fantastic movie and I do highly recommend this movie. I wish Criterion, Arrow Video, or Vinegar Syndrome would pick up this movie and release it on Blu-ray with a 4K scan.

Date: 10/18/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Seeing that this year is the anniversary year for the Vampire Hunter D movie franchise, I wanted to rewatch both Vampire Hunter D movies. I remember the major hype that this movie had back in 2000 because it was a brand new Vampire Hunter D movie and it was going to be directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Ninja Scroll). Back in the day, when you hear Yoshiaki Kawajiri's name, you would know that you know something awesome is going to be produced. This movie even had a US theatrical release and was heavily advertised back in 2000-2001. I still remember being 9-10 years old at the time, and I was so excited to see this movie. However, I had to wait for the movie to come out on VHS to watch it because it was not playing near me in Maryland. I remember when I used to like the first movie over this movie back in the early 2000s. The more I watched it over the years, I find myself liking the movie more with each viewing. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is an improvement over the first movie and is a noteworthy animated movie in my opinion.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a standalone sequel and you don't need to watch the first movie to enjoy this movie. My favorite things about this movie are the breathtaking visuals and the dark atmosphere. The movie truly feels like a gothic horror with dark and spooky aesthetics. The character designs and the location designs are just oozing with gothic horror. This movie is so beautiful to look at that I could stare at this movie all day and not even blink. Not to mention, the movie is a perfect movie to watch in October with Halloween around the corner because it fits well with the Halloween fall season. As you would expect from a Yoshiaki Kawajiri movie, this movie is filled with many stylish action sequences. There's not a single dull moment in the movie because Yoshiaki Kawajiri knows what his target audience wants. Just like with the first Vampire Hunter D movie, you still get a cool world with neat monster designs and an interesting mixture of different genres (Horror, Sci-Fi, Western).

D himself is still awesome and it is always fun to see him kill bad guys with his sword. I do consider this movie to be an improvement over the first movie because they did a better job of developing the characters in my opinion. The characters in this movie feel more memorable, and they also have characters arcs as well. You also get some more information on D with his past. The pacing is excellent as well because the movie didn't move at a slow pace or go by too quickly. The voice acting is not bad and I only have seen this movie in English. Believe it or not, the English version of this movie is the official language of the movie and the Japanese version is a dub. I can't think of many official Japanese movies with the main language is not Japanese. If there is one thing that I didn't like about this movie is that they should have done a better job on the main villain's motivations.

Overall, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a great movie and it is worth checking out. I do recommend it to both anime fans and non-anime fans.

Date: 10/19/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Eraserhead is one of those movies that I always have a hard time talking about because you really have to see it to believe. I found myself trying to figure out what to say about this movie without posting any spoilers for the past hour now. Eraserhead is the ultimate nightmare fuel movie in my opinion and I still consider it to be David Lynch's best movie. Eraserhead sums up on what I love about avant-garde and experimental films. This movie has a great cold rainy atmosphere, beautiful cinematography, mind-blowing visuals, and disturbing scenes that will leave an imprint on your brain forever.

Every time when I watch this movie, I feel like that I'm glued to my seat and I don't want to blink because I'm stuck in a trance. The dark atmosphere and the surreal tone really sucks you into the movie's world. Watching this movie is like watching a long and surreal episode of the Twilight Zone. With this movie, you can be creative and make up your own interpretation. I feel like this movie can be whatever you want this movie to be. I even like that no one knows where this movie takes place. Does it take place on another planet or does it take place on Earth in another timeline? I feel like that is up to you on what you want to decide. It's even cool to think that people are still trying to figure out the true meaning of the movie even 43 years later. I think no one is ever going to figure out the real theme and message of this movie. It will keep on being one big mystery and I like that. I feel like no one else besides David Lynch can create something unique that people are still talking about in my opinion.

I also love how this movie lacks any music score and does not have much dialogue because it makes the movie feel creepier. It's also amazing that David Lynch did many duties on the film by himself and it took years to get this movie finished. It really shows that he had a very strong artistic vision, and he wanted to show the world his art. No matter what happens, you should never give up your dreams and David Lynch help inspired me to keep on trying harder as an artist. The movie is also a huge influence on many filmmakers and artists. You can easily tell that filmmakers such as Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse), Shinya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo: The Iron Man), Jim Jarmusch (Dead Man), and many others were inspired by this movie.

Overall, Eraserhead is an amazing movie and it is worth seeing. If you are not into surrealism, this movie is probably not going to be for you.

Date: 10/20/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray (German Import)
Re-Watch

Note: I have been in the mood to revisit this movie over the last few months and I felt like October was the perfect time to revisit this movie. I did buy the German Blu-ray on Ebay a while ago which is region free and has the final cut of the movie. Not to mention, I only seen this movie probably once when I was 16 in High School and I remember liking it. After watching this movie again, this movie still holds up very well. Dust Devil is a fantastic movie that is very cool and original. I honestly consider this movie to be Richard Stanley's best movie in my opinion. This movie looks like a western, but it's not one at all.

One of my favorite things about this movie is the story. It's a pretty original take on a serial killer by having the main villain be tied into African folklore. Robert John Burke (BlacKkKlansman) does a wonderful job of playing a character that is so creepy and disturbing. He has a dark vibe to him that always makes me feel uncomfortable when he is on screen. The movie does a great job of keeping the audience in the dark by keeping the story fresh and original as it progresses when it comes to the mythology that exists in the movie. It will keep you intrigued when you hear characters talk about the folklore that exists in South Africa. This movie also has a great cast of characters that are very well written because you can feel very sympathetic towards them. The main characters are relatable and are connected to each other with the theme of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Without spoiling too much, these characters have a tragic moment that happened in their past. You also get plenty of suspenseful moments in the story that will keep you surprised. This is not a movie that will use cheap dumb scares to scare the audience.

Another neat thing about this movie that no one really talks about is the social commentary on the South African Border War and how it affected people. The Border War recently ended in 1990, so everything was still very fresh in people's minds at the time. The acting in the movie is excellent and Chelsea Field (The Last Boy Scout) does a great job of playing a solid female lead role in my opinion. Another great thing about this movie is the visuals and atmosphere. Everything in this movie looks and feels great because Richard Stanley has an amazing artistic vision. This movie has a dark and dirty atmosphere to it similar to Hardware (Another movie from Richard Stanley). The atmosphere in this movie really sucks you into the story and it captures the feeling of isolationism so well. Not to mention, you can feel the dry heat of the desert that this movie is set in. Everything about this movie feels so dark and gritty that makes you feel like that you are in someone else's nightmare. You get plenty of dark and strange imagery that adds more to the wonderful dream-like atmosphere in my opinion. I do admit that this movie does have flaws such as the characters will do really stupid stuff that makes no sense. Some dialogue in the movie is not very good neither.

Overall, Dust Devil is a fantastic underrated gem of the 90s and I do recommend it. Please watch the Final Cut of the movie and not the North American release. Miramax cut so much stuff out of the story that it hurts the movie. Someone needs to give this movie a good Region 1 release.

Date: 10/21/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I loved this movie ever since I first saw it when it came out in 2018. This movie is one of my favorite movies of the 2010s and it left an impact on me after watching it. It's one of those movies that I love to think about from time to time. I was in the mood to revisit this movie again and this movie keeps on getting better with each viewing (This is my 3rd or 4th viewing of the movie). Mandy is a movie that I wanted someone to make for so many years and it finally happened. It has everything that I wanted in a modern horror movie. It has ultra-violence, grainy 16mm film stock, neon colors, and mind-blowing surreal imagery.

The story is nice and simple which works well for this movie. Not every movie needs to be deep with some social commentary. Mandy is a heavy metal opera and it knows what the movie's main audience wants. You get plenty of cool action sequences that are awesome to watch. The visuals are so amazing that I don't want to blink when watching this movie. Not to mention, this movie has the coolest chainsaw battle since Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) in my opinion. Nicolas Cage is the perfect actor to play the main character in the movie because I can't imagine anyone else working for this movie. I also love the animation bits in the movie because they remind me of Heavy Metal (1981). Many people feel like this movie is too slow, but I disagree. I honestly felt like the movie move at a nice pace for a slow burn movie.

The special effects in the movie are excellent too. Panos Cosmatos knew how to use his budget very well without making the movie look and feel cheap. Jóhann Jóhannsson (Sicario) did a wonderful job with the musical score and this was the last movie that he worked on sadly. I do wish they made the violence in this movie more crazy and extreme, but that's just me.

I honestly don't have anything new to add because I feel like enough people have seen this movie already. Go check out this movie if you haven't seen it yet.

Date: 10/22/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie in over 15 years and I did want to revisit it to see if I still enjoy the movie or not. I just bought the Blu-ray released by Arrow Video and it came in the mail today. After revisiting this movie, I still love it. The Addiction is the best vampire movie of the 90s in my opinion. The black and white cinematography is absolutely beautiful because it makes the movie feel so atmospheric. The use of dark lighting really helps captures the dark moody tone of the movie. This movie even looks better now thanks to the amazing 4K restoration that Arrow Video did. I'm glad that this movie was not shot in color because it wouldn't work at all.

The black and white cinematography helps create a hypnotic feeling to it as if you are fallen under a vampire's curse. This movie also feels very down to earth and it really captures the feeling of New York City so well. The movie is a time capsule of New York City during the mid 1990s with the story being set after the sleazy days of 42nd Street and before 9/11. I love how Abel Ferrara was able to do something new and creative with the vampire genre at the time. Lili Taylor does a great job of playing a young college student that becomes a vampire and slowly loses her own humanity. Abel Ferrara was able to use vampirism as a metaphor for drug addiction with Lili Taylor's character becoming obsessed with blood. You also get a great social commentary on sin and redemption by showing that humans are imperfect beings. Every time when we help ourselves, we end up losing more people in return.

The vampirism in the movie is also a metaphor for capitalism on how people always leech off each other for money. People spend money every day and people also die when money is spent upon. This movie also talks about previous wars and genocides in human history and how our deaths are caused by social barbarism. There's so much more subtext to this movie that I could write a whole book about it. Christopher Walken and the other actors in the movie did a fantastic job with their roles as well. Joe Delia (Ms. 45) also did a wonderful job of creating a chilling musical score that fits so well with the film.

Overall, The Addiction is a fantastic movie and I do highly recommend it.

Date: 10/23/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Seeing tonight was a slow rainy night, I felt like tonight was the perfect night to watch this movie. I got the 4K restoration blu-ray for my birthday back in May and I was waiting for the perfect time to watch this movie. I know that Blue Underground released a 4K UHD version, but I don't feel like double-dipping at the moment. While this movie is not a perfect movie, I still love it. I still put House by the Cemetery in my top 5 favorite Lucio Fulci films (The Beyond would be #1 BTW). I love the atmosphere and the set designs that this movie because it captures the feeling of being at a graveyard so well. It has the aesthetics that you want in a gothic horror movie. You have cobwebs in the basement of a haunted house, creaky floorboards, dark lighting, and a spooky atmosphere. This is a perfect movie to watch around Halloween time in my opinion.

The movie is super creepy by having a spooky atmosphere that really captures the feeling of being in a haunted house better than most haunted house movies do in today's world in my opinion. The sounds of moaning spirits still give me the chills when I always revisit this movie. Dr. Freudstein is a really cool horror movie villain and I love the build-up to his appearance. Lucio Fulci did a wonderful job of creating a suspenseful build-up to his appearance by not showing most of his body. It allows the audience to use their imaginations on what the killer in the movie looks like. When you finally see Dr. Freudstein on camera, he truly looks like a scary being that you do not want to meet. You also have plenty of blood and gore that still hold up in my opinion. Gianetto De Rossi (Dune 1984) always knows how to make blood and gore to look both scary and gross looking at the same time.

The story is very interesting and I did like the main characters. The movie has a lot of mystery behind the haunted house that the characters are moving into and you slowly learn more about the history behind it as time goes on. Lucio Fulci knows how to keep the audience entertained because there is not a single dull moment in the movie. You keep on watching the movie because you want to learn more about the history of the haunted house. I also like that you care about the characters and you want to see them survive by the end of the movie. The movie's ending is also interesting because it makes the audience thinks about what really happened after the movie is over. The music score in the movie is fantastic and it is so fun to listen to. It's both catchy and bone-chilling at the same time.

The movie does have flaws because you do have some plot holes in the movie that are a bit annoying and the acting is pretty bad for the most part. The child actors in the movie have always been annoying to me and they are even worse in the English version. I don't mind the dub for this movie, but they should have hired a better voice actor for Bobby. It sounds like the person who voiced him is probably a 40-year-old woman trying to sound like a 7-year-old boy.

Overall, House by the Cemetery is an awesome movie and I do recommend checking it out. However, this is not a movie for the squeamish.

Date: 10/24/2020
Viewed: Blu-ray (Import)
First Viewing

Note: This is a movie that I wanted to see for so many years after hearing about it. I remember in the 2000s, you had people who talk about how this movie makes Cannibal Holocaust (1980) look like Toy Story (1995) in comparison. This movie finally got a region-free blu-ray release and I bought it from diabolikdvd as quickly as possible. After watching this movie for the first time, I really enjoy it. Subconscious Cruelty is truly an experience that you really have to see to believe. I really try not to sound like a broken record when writing reviews, but I do mean it. It's almost hard to talk about this movie without going into spoilers. This is a movie that you need to go into blindly and not read anything about the plot to get the full experience of it.

This movie is not going to be everyone's cup of tea because it's very disturbing and the story is nonlinear. If you don't like this movie, I do understand. However, I still feel like this movie deserves a better rating in my opinion. Watching this movie will take you down into a deep rabbit hole and it will glue you to the screen with the surreal imagery. The movie is very atmospheric with colorful lighting and a chilling story. I love how this movie feels and looks because you can tell that Karim Hussain was inspired by Italian horror movies from Mario Bava and Dario Argento. This movie has the same bright colors that you would find in those movies that were made in the 1960s-1980s.

The story is very extremely symbolic that deals with themes of incest, climate change, porn addiction, the dangers of religion, and people being betrayed by their own religious believes. It uses imagery to tell a story and express its anger by showing those images. According to Karim Hussain, the movie is also a big finger to censorship and I can totally see that. It really pushes the bar on how far the violence and sex in the movie can go. I still don't consider this movie to be as violent as Cannibal Holocaust (1980) or Forced Entry (1973) because those movies feel very grounded to reality and almost feel like real snuff films. With this movie, it's not the same in my opinion. However, I still put it pretty high on my list of the most violent movies that I've seen. The only thing that I didn't like about this movie was the ending because I didn't know what happened in the end. If it was not for the lackluster ending, I can see myself rating this movie higher.

Overall, Subconscious Cruelty is a great art-house horror movie and I'm glad that I watched it. I don't recommend this movie for the faint of heart. If you enjoy extreme cinema or surreal movies, check out it.

Date: 10/25/2020
Viewed: Blu-ray
Re-Watch

Note: Perfect Blue is probably my favorite animated movie of all time next to Ninja Scroll (1993) and Waking Life (2001) in my opinion. Everything about this movie is breath-taking from start to finish. I remember when the movie came out on VHS in 1999, but I never saw it at the time. It was not until I was 16 or 17 when I finally saw the movie and I end up loving it. After watching it again on blu-ray, this movie is still amazing. Perfect Blue is probably the only animated giallo movie that I can think of. What I love about Perfect Blue is the amazing animation and writing. Don't let the Gkids label fool you because this is not a movie for children at all.

The animation holds up really well with a large amount of detail and the use of colors in the film. For a title that came out in 1997, it still looks really good today. The animation and tone do very feel reminiscent of other anime released around that time period such as End of Evangelion (1997), Serial Experiments Lain (1998), and Boogiepop Phantom (2000). The animation makes the character seem so life-like with the fluent body motion as if they are real people. It's a shame that we will never get 2D animation similar to this movie ever again.

While the story does show its age with the technology because you have characters learning how to use the Internet for the first time, but you still get an amazing story nevertheless. Satoshi Kon was able to tell an amazing story with beautiful symbolism and is able to make the audience question what is actually real or not. This movie will mess with your mind at times by using different jump cuts and surreal imagery. You can feel the feeling of paranoia that Mima Kirigoe (The main character) is going through with her being haunted by her own shadow. Mima Kirigoe is a great protagonist because you feel sorry for her and you don't want to see her go through pain during the entire movie. You also have a great supporting cast that is memorable too. The iconic music score from Masahiro Ikumi really helps the movie by adding more suspense to the gloomy atmosphere. While I do love this movie to death, this movie won't be most people's cup of tea. Perfect Blue can be very disturbing and it does have a shocking moment that will turn some people off.

Overall, Perfect Blue is a masterpiece and I do recommend it if you love horror or psychological movies. I would also recommend this movie to fans of Hitchcock, Argento, Fulci, and Lynch.

Date: 10/26/2020
Viewed: Blu-ray
Re-Watch

Note: I have looked forward to revisiting this movie when it was announced that Unearthed Films would be releasing this movie on Blu-Ray. I remember seeing this movie when I was 14 and I was blown away by it. It did leave an imprint on my brain because I never forget how nasty this movie was. My Blu-Ray copy came in the mail today and I decided to watch this movie ASAP. After re-watching this movie again, this movie is still awesome. The Untold Story is a very well made movie that is raw to its core. This movie is not a movie for the squeamish because this movie does not hold back with graphic violence. This is a Category III rated movie (The HK equivalent to NC-17) and you get plenty of disturbing moments in the movie. However, the movie is not pointless shock factor just to be shocking. The violence serves a purpose to the story of how cruel Anthony Wong's character truly is.

This movie is based on a true story (Eight Immortals Restaurant murders) that happen back in the 1980s. I'm not 100% familiar with the real events, but I still feel like movies should stand on their own when it comes to telling a good story. The story in this movie is very well told (no pun intended) because the movie moves at a nice pace and it is so fascinating to see how this crime case gets solved. The movie has an atmosphere that is unsettling and the cold chilling music score helps makes the movie feel more disturbing. Anthony Wong does a wonderful job of playing a serial killer and he does deserve the award that he won at the 13th Hong Kong Awards. His character is so evil and nasty that almost makes you want to take a cold shower when watching this movie. The main characters outside of Anthony Wong's character are surprisingly good too. I love how Herman Yau is able to make the main cast of characters so likable and memorable. Danny Lee's character was my favorite character because he was very funny about how he always brings in a new woman to work every day.

The movie also has an interesting social commentary on police brutality by showing bad the police force can be. The policemen in the movie are not much better than the criminals in jail. That's one thing about this movie that people tend to overlook. For a movie that is dark and nasty, the movie also has an offbeat sense of humor too. Similar to Memories of Murder (2003), the movie knows how to balance the tone of comedy and seriousness. I do think some of the sexual harassment jokes in this movie were annoying and they got super old quick. The movie has amazing practical effects that still hold up very well in my opinion. All of the blood, gore, and human body parts are top-notch and they don't look cheap at all in my opinion.

Overall, The Untold Story is a great movie and I do recommend it if you enjoy violent horror movies or Hong Kong cinema.

Date: 10/27/2020
Viewed: Blu-ray
Re-Watch

Note: I always loved this movie ever since I first rented it on VHS when I was 6 or 7. I remember going to Blockbuster and picking out this movie because the VHS cover was super cool. I waited forever for a proper HD release of this movie because the old blu-ray release was pretty bad. Thankfully, MVD Visual was able to give this movie justice by giving us a fantastic blu-ray release with a great transfer and tons of bonus content. This movie still rocks and I miss when cyberpunk movies like this used to be the norm during the early-mid 90s. Split Second does a great job mixing sci-fi, horror, noir, and even comedy into one cool movie.

I do admit that this is not a perfect movie because the acting is not great and the writing could have been better. The movie is so much fun to watch because you have a cool cast of characters and plenty of action to keep you entertained. Rutger Hauer plays a badass police officer that has witty one-liners. I also love the chemistry between Rutger Hauer's character and Neil Duncan's character because it's so much fun seeing these two interact with each other. Rutger Hauger's character always has something funny to say back to Neil Duncan's character. I even enjoy Kim Cattrall's (Police Academy) role in the movie because she plays a fun likable love interest in my opinion. Michael J. Pollard (RIP) has a cool memorable role as well.

I always like that this movie does not take itself too seriously because it's pretty tongue-in-cheek and the humor does not overshadow the serious story. My favorite thing about this movie is the dystopian cyberpunk setting that this movie has. The movie feels very bleak that captures the feeling of the world being flooded by climate change. I love how all the streets in London in this movie are covered in water to show how climate change can affect society. The dark blue color scheme is also perfect for the movie's tone and the lighting in the movie is fantastic. You also have a decent music score that is pretty noteworthy in my opinion.

The special effects in the movie are awesome and are not as bad as people make them out to be. I see people say that this movie looks cheap, but it feels no different from any other Hollywood sci-fi movie around that time period in my opinion. The suit for the Monster in the movie is very cool and it reminds me of a mix between a Xenomorph from the Alien movies and Venom from Marvel Comics. I do wish the Monster in the movie was on-screen longer and more backstory to the Monster would have been nice. At least, the build-up to the Monster was worth it. It's a shame that this movie never became a franchise because I would have loved to see more of this movie's universe.

Overall, Split Second is a fun movie and it is worth checking out. I also recommend it if you enjoy 90s cyberpunk movies such as Hardware (1990), Nemesis (1992), and Death Machine (1994).

Date: 10/28/2020
Viewed: Blu-ray
First Viewing

Note: This is a popular grindhouse movie that I never saw until now. I always remember seeing images of this movie growing up and I never got around to seeing it. Not to mention, I always loved the poster for this movie. Kino Lorber released the movie on Blu-Ray recently this year and I was saving it for the right time to watch it. After watching this movie for the first time, I enjoy it. Cannibal Apocalypse aka Invasion of the Flesh Hunters is not the best Italian horror movie, but it's still a fun movie nevertheless. Many people will assume that this is a zombie movie based on the title when it's not.

The story in this movie is pretty silly and it hardly makes sense because the cannibal virus in this movie will make real life scientist scratch their heads if they ever saw this movie. However, I'm able to use my suspension of disbelief for these types of movies. The movie has a fun cast of characters and it has some really gross gory moments that will please any fans of gory movies. I do like the dark and gritty tone of the movie because it fits well with the movie's atmosphere. John Saxon, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Tony King, and the other actors did a good job with the material they were given with. I hear John Saxon was not happy with this movie and that's too bad because he is easily the best actor in the movie in my opinion.

The music in this movie rocks because it's so catchy to listen too just like any other Italian horror movie released in the 70s and 80s. My biggest issue with this movie is that I feel like the idea behind this movie was not very well executed in my opinion. I love the idea of post-war veterans that are losing their humanity from post-traumatic stress induced nightmares, but I feel like that concept was never fully explored upon. It would also be cooler if the movie was actually set in Manhattan with a full-blown cannibal apocalypse. I guess the movie's limited budget would prevent that from happening. I'm happy to finally watch this movie regardless.

Overall, Cannibal Apocalypse aka Invasion of the Flesh Hunters is a fun movie and I do recommend it if you enjoy Italian horror movies. RIP John Saxon

Date: 10/29/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: Yet another cult movie that I never saw until now. I always had this movie on my bucket list of movies for years because the images for this movie look amazing. The story for the movie sounds super cool too because I always dig a God vs. Satan story. After watching this movie for the first time, it was not bad. I like it, but I didn't love it sadly. Many people told me that this movie is in a similar vein to Alejandro Jodorowsky movies and only a very few moments in this movie fell close to his work.

The opening scene of the movie was breathtaking because it had very bright colors and felt very atmospheric. Sadly, the movie does not have many sequences similar to the alien landscape that we saw earlier in the movie. The story didn't make a lick of sense at all and I was confused about what happened after it was over. You would think that a movie about trying to stop Satan’s next generation of evil won't be convoluted. Despite the movie having a messy plot, I still found the movie to be super entertaining to watch. This movie throws a curveball at you with many crazy moments that happen out of nowhere. You have birds killing people and demonic children showing up during the story of the movie. You can tell that this movie was trying to cash in on the success of The Omen (1976) which was still fresh in people's minds at the time. I did find the characters to be interesting and I was curious to see if they would live at the end of the movie.

I was surprised to see actors like Franco Nero (Django) and Lance Henriksen (Aliens) when watching this movie because I didn't recognize them at all. It was also cool to see both John Huston (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre) and Glenn Ford (The Big Heat) in this movie as well. Not to mention, it was ironic to see Wallace Wilkinson in this movie because he was also in Cannibal Apocalypse (1980) which was a movie that I watched yesterday. I love the music score in this movie because it sounds very similar to other Italian grindhouse movies. The Stridulum theme is easily my favorite track in the movie for being so catchy. After this movie was over, I decided to listen to the entire soundtrack on Youtube.

Overall, The Visitor is not a bad movie and I do recommend it if you are curious. Maybe I will like this movie more with multiple viewings in the near future.

Date: 10/30/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First Viewing

Note: This was my first time watching this movie after hearing many things about it for years. I remember when this movie came out when I was a junior in High School and there was a lot of hype behind this movie. The reason why I never saw this movie until now because I hear so many divisive things about it. This is a movie that many people seem to like or hate depending on who you ask. I finally watch this movie for the first time and I thought it was good. This is not a movie for the faint of heart and you should not watch it if you can't handle very dark themes such as rape.

I don't know much about the murder of Sylvia Likens and I never read the book from Jack Ketchum. As I said before, I feel like movies should be viewed as their own thing as long if they tell a good story and are not totally insulting to the real-life story (As seen with The Haunting of Sharon Tate). I thought the story was well done and it made me want to learn more about the real-life story after the movie was over. This movie starts off as pretty nice and innocent before it starts to become very dark. This movie is a reminder of how terrible and sick normal everyday people can be. Real-life is scarier than any horror movie in my opinion.

Blythe Auffarth does a wonderful job of playing a normal everyday girl that gets emotionally ruined. You really feel sorry for her and the shit that she has to go through. The child actors in this movie are surprisingly good too. Everyone in this movie feels like believable people that you would know back in the 1950s. Blanche Baker (Sixteen Candles) also does a great job of playing a cruel woman who is obsessed with eternal femininity and toxic masculinity. This movie reminds us of how the 1950s values and morals were not exactly the greatest lifestyle. Many people label this movie as an "extreme cinema" movie and they are not totally wrong. This movie does push the bar on how far they can go for an R rated movie.

However, there is no blood or gore in this movie. The violence in the movie is portrayed very realistically and it shows that you don't need blood & guts to be disturbing. This is a movie that feels very grounded to reality and it is raw at its core. All of the violent scenes in this movie exist for a reason and they are not added just for mindless shock factor. This movie has probably the most disturbing rape scene that I've seen in a movie since the original I Spit on Your Grave (1978). The violent moments in the movie is used as a message to warn us about the dangers of sick people out there who are actually doing this to innocent people. People need to be aware of the real story to avoid history repeating itself.

Another thing that I like about this movie is the aesthetics because I like how it is able to capture the culture of the 1950s. All of the characters look as if they are ripped straight from that decade. If I had one complaint about this movie would be the lack of backstory for some of the characters. It would be nice to know why Blanche Baker's character is so cruel towards Blythe Auffarth's character.

Overall, The Girl Next Door is a strong and powerful movie that is worth checking out.

Date: 10/30/2020
Viewed: Blu-Ray
Re-Watch

Note: Happy Halloween everyone and I felt like the original Fright Night is a great way to end my 31 Days of Horror. I haven't seen this movie in a while and I did buy the Blu-Ray released by Sony last year. I don't consider Fright Night to be a masterpiece like some people do, but I still consider it to be a noteworthy movie. This was Tom Holland's directorial debut and he knocks it out of the park. I always like the characters in this movie because they are so memorable. It's also amazing how well the special effects hold up 35 years later. You never get special effects as authentic as the special effects that you see in 80s horror movies compare to the special effects in today's world in my opinion.

The acting is not bad at all and Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes 1968) is great as Peter Vincent. The only thing that I didn't like about the movie are some plot holes in the story, but that's about it. I don't have anything else to say because I feel like enough people have seen this movie. Go watch this movie now if you haven't seen it.

Date: 10/31/2020
Viewed: Shudder
First Viewing

Note: I didn't know that this exists until yesterday. I always wanted to see an animated version of Creepshow for decades now and they finally made one. It's not the animated Creepshow that I wanted, but it's still not bad. The animation feels like a flash motion comic than traditional hand-drawn animation that is similar to the animated sequences in the original two Creepshow movies. The animation reminds me of the cut scenes in Twisted Metal: Head-on for the PS2 and PSP. However, they probably didn't have a big enough budget and it's only a special, not a full-length movie.

The special has two stories and here's my opinion on them.

Story 1: This is the best story out of the two because it was super interesting. You have a main character that is stuck on an island in the middle of the Ocean and he is trying to not die from hunger. I do like the gross moments in this story because you get to see someone who is forced to eat himself alive to survive. Kiefer Sutherland does a great job of voicing the main character.

Story 2: I almost hated this story at first because this story focuses on a teenage girl who is tweeting about her life. I was like "Who the hell cares about this person" because it takes a while before anything interesting happens. Once they show up at the circus is when things start to get good. The message of the story starts to become loud and clear on what they are trying to say about social media. The message of this story is how people always tweet about death for their own enjoyment. You also have a message about people being distracted by their own social media feed while other people are in trouble. I would like this story more if the main character was likable. Joey King still did a good job of voicing the main role though.

Overall, A Creepshow Animated Special is pretty decent and I do recommend it if you are curious. I still hope for a full length animated Creepshow movie one day.

Date: 10/31/2020
Viewed: Shudder
Re-watch

Note: I think the last time when I saw this movie when I was probably 8 years old on cable TV (I think) and I felt like watching the new Last Drive-In episode would be a good way to pass off time on Halloween. Hack-O-Lantern is a dumb movie, but it's so much fun to watch. Everything about this movie is so entertaining. The story is cliche and it makes little to no sense. The acting and dialogue are really cheesy and over the top. However, that's the charm of the movie. I do like the atmosphere in this movie because it does feel like it takes place during Halloween. It's also cool to see Gregory Scott Cummins in his first role before he was a TV star in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

I always liked the costume design for the main killer in this movie because it always looks neat in my opinion. The movie even has some gory kills that are pretty cool even though the body count is low. Joe Bob made the movie more enjoyable by giving us interesting facts about the movie. The movie has a fun history behind it that it is worth reading.

Overall, Hack-O-Lantern is an enjoyable movie and it is worth checking out if you like watching bad movies.

Date: 10/2/2020
Viewed: Hulu
First Viewing

Note: I remember the hype for this documentary when it came out in 2013 and I never had the chance to see it until now. This is a documentary that I have been curious to check out for a while after Dawn Brancheau died in 2010. There have always been rumors and stories of Seaworld not being the best place for animals for decades now. After watching this documentary for the first time on Hulu, I have mixed feelings about it. Blackfish is a very well-made documentary that talks about the issue of captive Orcas, but I just didn't love it as most people did. Honestly, most of the stuff that they talked about in this documentary is stuff that I already know about.

I was already well aware of the proper life span for Orcas and how bad people capture baby orcas in the wild for money. However, the information about the orca brain on how it handles emotions is very large and active was neat. That was one thing that I was not aware of until now. The rest of the stuff in this documentary is not new to me because I remember reading about how SeaWorld's animals have been mistreated for years. I still respect the time and effort that was put into making this documentary because it was still well-made. There's probably plenty of people who are not aware of the stuff that happens in SeaWorld. It's always good to see more people to be informed of these types of issues. Animals should never be treated terribly, and they are just as important as human beings.

I do recommend checking out this documentary if you are curious.

Date: 10/7/2020
Viewed: Netflix
First Viewing

Note: I have been curious to check out this movie because the trailer for this movie was excellent. After watching this movie for the first time on Netflix, I thought it was not bad. Despite the title, it's not a horror movie or supernatural theme movie (I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I'm pointing that out for other people). I can understand the mixed reviews for this movie because it is very long and some scenes are rough to watch. It took forever for me to get invested in the story and characters. This movie moves at a snail's pace and it was not until 50 minutes into the movie when things started to kick off for me.

I do like the dark and serious tone that this movie has. This is a movie that feels very grounded in reality and it does not hold back when it comes to serious issues. For a movie that's not a horror movie, this movie does have some scenes that are pretty scary and disturbing. The movie knows how to surprises its viewers with shocking moments in the story. The atmosphere in this movie is also very dark and chilling too. I like how the movie's atmosphere can suck you into the movie's setting in the south. I also do like the movie's message on religion and how it can drive people into madness. Even though other movies have handled that message better, I still thought it was well done in this movie.

The production values in this movie are fantastic because the movie looks and feels like the 1950s. The acting is well done and I feel like everyone in this movie did a great job with their roles. Tom Holland and Robert Patterson easily steal the show with their roles by playing two believable characters that could have easily exist back in the 1950s. It won't surprise me if those two get some type of Oscar nomination.

Overall, The Devil All the Time is a good movie that is very dark and bleak. I doubt I will revisit it again anytime soon, but I'm glad that I watched it.

Date: 10/7/2020
Viewed: DVD
Re-Watch

Note: I haven't seen this movie since I was 16, and I was not sure if I would still like this movie now. Pink Floyd: The Wall is a fantastic movie that tells a good story by using symbolic imagery. This is a movie that covers themes of war, police brutality, fascism, loneliness, relationship problems, etc. that are still going on in today's world. It pretty much shows not much has changed in nearly 40 years, sadly. You have many scenes that are not easy to watch because they feel so close to reality. Some scenes in this movie still give me the chills and make me feel upset in a good way. A movie like Pink Floyd: The Wall knows how to make you feel uncomfortable without rubbing you in the wrong way. It's a movie that reminds us of the terrible things that exist in the real world. We can't just ignore these issues and pretend that they don't exist.

The movie is only 95 minutes long and it moves at a nice pace. I can't see this movie going any longer and I'm glad that Alan Parker picked a good run time for the movie. Otherwise, I think it would start becoming nauseating. My favorite thing in the movie is the animation sequences because they are always cool to watch. The animation is very well animated, and they still hold up well after almost 40 years later. You also get to see the psychological torment that the main character goes through after many years of pain and you can really feel the suffering that the main character goes through. I also love the cool camera angles that this movie has well because it helps make the movie feel more unique. The music in the movie is obviously fantastic and every musical track fits well with the story. While I do love this movie, I can see why other people won't enjoy it. This movie is not everyone's cup of tea and some people probably won't get the message of the movie.

Overall, Pink Floyd: The Wall is a fantastic movie and a movie like this would never be made in today's world. I do highly recommend watching it.

Date: 10/16/2020
Viewed: Tubi
First Viewing

Note: I remember when this movie came out and I wanted to see it, but I end up forgetting about it. After watching the movie for the first time, I really enjoy it. Wind River is a solid slow-burn atmospheric thriller that does not overstay its welcome.

The movie moves at a nice pace by not going over its runtime. It didn't move too slow or too quick in my opinion. I love the cold windy feeling that this movie has. When watching this movie, I felt like I was in a snowy place with these characters. I always love when a movie has a snowy atmospheric feeling to it. You get plenty of great location shots of the wilderness because you get to see many cool plants and animals. Some shots in the movie almost feel like they were ripped from a nature documentary in my opinion.

The acting and the writing in the movie is pretty solid in my opinion. It was cool to see Gil Birmingham in the movie because I always remember him from House II: The Second Story (1987). I like how all the characters in the movie feel grounded in reality and the movie does not follow any dumb character clichés. Not to mention, the acting was great because everyone did a good job of playing believable characters. Without spoiling anything, the movie does a great job of having you on the edge of your seat by having good story moments that you won't see coming.

Overall, Wind River is a solid movie and I'm glad that I finally saw it. I do recommend checking it out.

Date: 10/19/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime Rental
First Viewing

Note: I never saw this movie and I still remember seeing a trailer for it when I saw Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring back in 2001. It was one of those movies that I wanted to see, but I never had the chance to. Better late than never, I finally got the chance to watch this movie. I also know nothing about this movie, so I went into this movie blind without reading anything about the plot. After watching this movie for the first time, I thought it was not bad. Storytelling is an interesting indie movie from the early 2000s.

I thought the acting was solid and I did like the general vibe that the movie had. This movie is a time capsule of America that was stuck in the middle after Columbine and before 9/11. It shows how much has changed in the last 20+ years now. I like that this movie is an anthology film with two stories that are unrelated to each other because it makes the movie feel more unique in my opinion. This movie is very entertaining and I'm surprised how quickly this movie ended. I even found myself laughing a few times during the movie because I thought it was pretty funny.

The "Non-Fiction" story is probably my favorite story out of the two because it is longer and you get to know the characters more than the first story. I like the general theme of the movie of two characters trying to tell a story and none of them are not very good at it. In the movie, you get to see the themes of dysfunctional families and personal trauma. The movie also shows how privilege the upper middle class white suburban family can be in America as well. However, I do wish these themes were executed better because this movie is too short. I would have been okay if they added another 20 minutes to the movie to polish the story. While I do get the message behind this movie, I still had a hard time liking some characters in the story. This movie did make me facepalm and yell out "Wait what?!" a few times because you have characters in this movie that act so stupid.

Overall, Storytelling is a pretty good movie and I'm glad that I finally watched it now. Check it out if you've got time to spare.

Date: 10/24/2020
Viewed: Blu-ray
Re-watch

Note: This movie has been on my mind lately and I recently bought the Arrow Video Blu-ray. I remember seeing this movie when I was in middle school on VHS back in the early 2000s and it did leave an impact on me. I find myself always thinking about this movie from time to time growing up. Deadbeat at Dawn still holds up and it is a great example of underground film making in my opinion. To me, this movie came out during the end of the era of grindhouse movies because you had grindhouse movie theaters and other movie drive-ins being shut down at the time.

Everything about this movie is awesome because you have badass action sequences, a grainy 16mm picture quality, and a dark story that feels grounded to reality. I always love how atmospheric that this movie is because it has a dark, gritty, and sleazy tone similar to movies such as The Driller Killer (1979), Maniac (1980), and Combat Shock (1984). The special effects for the blood and gore are awesome for a low budget movie. The blood, gore, and makeup effects look authentic and it's amazing how they still hold up after 30 years later. The story is nice and simple as you would expect from an action movie. This is a movie that was never going to have a deep story and it gives what the main target audience wants. You have a badass main character that knows how to kick ass and he does a good job on it.

When it comes to certain movies such as action movies or slasher movies, I'm pretty generous with them as long if they are entertaining and are not totally stupid. Watching this movie is like playing a beat 'em up arcade game because most of this movie is the main character just beating the crap out of people. I also like how the movie does not overstay its welcome by keeping the movie nice and short. The movie is under 90s minutes and none of the action sequences feel repetitive. There's a healthy balance of action and drama in the movie. For a simple movie, the main character is still likable and you do feel sorry for him. He just wants to move on from the life of crime and he keeps on getting thrown back into it. You can feel the emotional pain that he is going through after losing someone that he truly loves.

Overall, Deadbeat at Dawn is a great action movie and I do recommend it if you enjoy violent action movies.

Date: 10/25/2020
Viewed: Netflix
First viewing

Note: I'm a pretty big fan of the Coen Brothers, but I haven't seen some of their recent movies lately after their True Grit remake. It's not because I don't want to, but I keep on forgetting to do so. I finally watched this movie on Netflix and it was great. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a very cool spin on the western genre by having it be an anthology film. The movie has great acting and solid production values as you would expect from a Coen Brothers movie. The acting is fantastic because I can't think of a single bad performance in the movie. You also have hilarious moments that are very well done. The Coen Brothers never fail when it comes to comedy in my opinion.

The movie is 2 hours long and it goes by so quickly in a good way. Not once did I felt like the movie took forever to be over. I do enjoy most of the stories in the movie except for the last two stories. The last two stories in the movie didn't entertain me as much as the other stories did. If I did to pick a favorite story, it would be the first one. Tim Blake Nelson as Buster Scruggs is a very fun character that I would pay money to watch an entire movie based on that character alone. All Gold Canyon is my second favorite because it was so much fun watching Tom Waits' character dig up gold.

I don't have anything else to say about this movie. I do highly recommend this movie if you like westerns or Coen Brothers movies. I do need to check out Hail, Caesar! (I did buy it at the Dollar Tree recently) and Inside Llewyn Davis soon.

Date: 10/26/2020
Viewed: Tubi
First viewing

Note: This is another movie that I remember seeing VHS copies of at my local video store as a kid in the mid-late 90s, but I never rented it. Better late than never, I finally watched this movie on Tubi. This movie was so bad and yet I had a blast watching it. This movie is your typical stupid 80s cheesy sci-fi movie that went straight to VHS. I was constantly laughing during the entire movie because the acting, dialogue, and fight scenes are hilarious for all the wrong reasons. The fight scenes are probably the best unintentionally hilarious action sequences that you can ask for.

The script for this movie is filled with plot holes and it is trying so hard to copy off of the first Terminator movie. The movie has a very low budget that it almost felt like that they film the movie in someone's apartment. At least, the blood and gore in the movie didn't look that bad. I even like the movie score because it was very catchy in my opinion.

I do wish the movie was in HD because some scenes look so dark that I had no idea what was going on. Overall, Mutant Hunt is a fun trashy movie and I do recommend it for a bad movie night.

Date: 10/28/2020
Viewed: Amazon Prime
First viewing

Note: I never heard of this movie until recently when my online friends recommend this movie to me. They told me that this would be right up my alley and they were right. Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla is a pretty solid movie about a lonely man that goes crazy over time. Sure, this movie is not original or perfect, but it's still well made in my opinion. This movie has elements from other movies such as The King of Comedy (1982), Star Time (1992), Bad Boy Bubby (1993), and Tony (2009) because this movie does share similarities to those movies. That's not a bad thing because those movies are awesome and this movie did a good job of being inspired by those films.

The movie is super entertaining and there's not a single boring moment at all. The story keeps you intrigued because you find yourself being attached to Warren (the main character of the story) and you wonder what will happen next. Glenn Maynard does a great job of playing a lonely man in his 30s-40s that feels super believable. Warren is a strange person, but he is also nice and harmless. He is a type of character that can easily be your next-door neighbor in real life and you almost feel sorry for him. The guy just wants to be happy, but he always gets harass by jerks around him. You find yourself rooting for Warren and hoping that things will work out in the end for him. This movie warns us about what happens when you push someone's buttons. Warren also has a crazy crush on a celebrity and it also reminds us of how bad CWS (celebrity worship syndrome) can be.

My favorite thing about this movie is the direction that the story heads at. You think things that will go nice and easy in the end, but they don't. You get plenty of cool surprises that you don't see coming when watching this movie. I also love how this movie is able to be a psychological thriller and a comedy at the same time without coming off as a total mess. My biggest issue with this movie is that I wish it was longer. I would have loved another 10-15 minutes to the movie to show us more of the other characters in the movie.

Overall, Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla is a good movie and I do recommend it if you enjoy indie movies or character study movies.