My Horror Journal Of 2013

While I am a huge lover of all things horror, my year of it started with nothing but a whimper. I actually really enjoyed 3 Extremes and highly recommend it to other horror fans, but this is nothing more than a boring sequel on so many levels. The strangeness of it all is that it's not actually a sequel at all, but the first film in the series while it's predecessor is actually the first film...confused? The second film made a bigger bang due to more accomplished directors taking part so it was branded Three Extremes while the first film came out as the sequel to capitalize. It's obvious of the two films that this is the more lacking due to it's lesser production values and overall bore factor, the second segment is beyond a doubt one of the worst fucking things I have ever seen in any film and I am getting more and more angry thinking about it so I'm going to refrain from writing any further than don't bother with this.

I rather liked the general idea of the film due to my large interest in Psycho and Hitchcock in general, but couldn't help but feel that film didn't hit all it's marks. I consider it eligible for this list based on it's central premise being based around one of the best horror films of all all time and it's roots being buried in Ed Gein's farmhouse. Strangely however I felt it was Ed Gein's presence throughout the film that held it back. I didn't much care for his sequences spread throughout the film conversing with Hitchcock because I didn't find them to be all that realistic or compelling in the least. The cast however saved the film for me in terms of great acting. It's nice to see the story of the film and how difficult it was to get the thing made at all and the struggle between one of the best directors in history if not the best and his wonderful wife who was there every step of the way to make everything better.

I really had no idea how to approach this film at all. It had been quite a few years since I'd seen the first film which I really enjoyed and need to revisit sometime soon. As for the second film...well it's a pretty solid film that lays more on action horror rather and overall scares like the first but it still works in most ways. It was a pretty solid entry into the series and a worthy sequel. On that note we come to this third film which has been on my radar for quite a while and to be quite honest I had almost forgotten about it due to not hearing much about about it for months at a time, but alas here it is. I will say that I enjoyed it quite a bit even if it didn't feel like a REC film at all. It starts the same way as the others being from a handheld camera point of view, the camera is the hands of a teenage boy filming a wedding and it stays that way for a least 30 minutes and then everything goes to hell, and that's where things get a bit strange. The film then decides to completely ditch the handheld camera and goes for the directors chair. No longer are the characters pertaining their point of few to you, you are simply watching them like any other film. While I don't think this hurts the film it just felt off because I didn't expect it. From that point on it goes for extreme gore and off beat comedy bits that seem out of place. The gore worked for me and it has one hell of a downer ending that strangely worked for me so I can't help but recommend it to those who enjoyed the first two films, just don't expect the same type of atmosphere this time around because you won't get it.

I really don't have much to say about this short film besides how downright bizarre it was, while not entirely a horror film it showed such strange moments throughout that I can't possibly leave it off my list. I found it merely by accident clicking through various list on this site and it lead me to youtube where I sat dumbfounded for 45 minutes. It's surreal, bizarre, and fucking strange. So by all means, take the time to watch it.

V/H/S is a film I wanted to loved so badly due to my overall love of anthology films and television series, but it fell miles short of my expectations and many others. The idea is a fun one, but rather than make a good wrap around story to bring it all together they choose a rather bland one with nothing at all interesting to bring to the table. The stories are all over the place in terms of quality, my favorite story being the last for it's sense of batshit insanity in the special effects department. While the experience is overall a stale one, it's hard to hate them for trying and if you are fan of these types of films or series or horror in general, you are bound to find at least one segment you enjoy. That being said if your expectations were along the lines of Creepshow, you may want to walk away right now.

In my quest in looking for some decent horror off of Netflix Streaming, I came across this little flick which based on it's trailer looked to be one hell of a good time. It could not have been farther from that if it tried, the film itself is a fucking bore to sit through and it so full of tried and old horror cliches that even when it tried anything new it fell back into horrible again immediately after. It was nothing more than a waste of film and time to those unlucky enough to plow through it. It ties with 3 Extremes 2 for the worst thing I've watched this year in the horror genre.

I enjoy Roger Corman films especially those based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe, so this film was right up my alley. I found it to be just as wonderful as The Mask of Red Death and loved the campy feel of it all. Vincent Price steals the show as always, and Peter Lorre is also wonderful here. If you like Vincent Price or campy horror pictures in general give it a watch for sure, you will not be disappointed one bit.

Having seen both the theatrical cut and the director's cut more than once I can say I prefer the little things including within the director's cut just a tiny bit more. The xenomorph hanging within the chains remains one of my favorite scenes from the film and how on earth they kept it out of the original cut is beyond me. Still a great movie after all these years and you haven't seen it by now then do so you will not be disappointed.

Not much to really say about this film that hasn't been said by millions of others. It's fucking badass, and that's all you really need to know.

While not as much a horror film as it is a straight up laugh riot, it's still a wonderful film. Not my favorite of the trilogy but definitely worth the time of anyone that enjoyed the others. Bruce Campbell shines the brightest as Ash in the entire series and makes for one of the best one-liner films in existence. I try to at least watch the trilogy once a year and it has yet to become the least bit stale.

I watched this many years ago and didn't much care for it, but with me currently obtaining the Blu-Ray collection I felt the need to give it a revisit. As a film itself I still don't much care for it, but it's definitely a film that showcases the later talent of one David Fincher. The film reeks of studio interference and rewrites, and because of this never really has room to breath or really standout as a true Alien film. And honestly any film that manages to kill off the characters you gave a fuck about in the last film in the first ten minutes doesn't deserve much of your time Great cinematography aside, it's not a film I think I will ever have the displeasure of viewing again.

I avoided this film for so very long, but when I bought the Blu-Ray set I felt it was time to finally give it a chance even with my expectations below zero.

The film is not horrible in all aspects, but it is still pretty damn bad. The dialogue is laughable at best, but the film still comes off enjoyable enough. I did enjoy it more than the third entry, but I think I would have liked anything at all after sitting through that.

The direction they decided to take Ripley was anything but awesome, and I can't help but wish they did her more justice here after the lackluster part 3 which also made her character much less than previous installments.

I don't think I will take the time to watch it again anytime soon, but I feel as if I may watch again sooner or later, which is something I can't say for Alien 3.

Being a very hard DVD to come across, I was reduced to watching a horrible version of the horrible DVD someone uploaded up to YouTube. One of those films you hear about for a long long time and don't very put that much thought into actually seeing.

I suppose I was happy to see Peter Vincent again, but like most sequels things from the original are dropped entirely like girlfriends or the implied return of Brewster at the end of the original. It's still an 80's cheesefest in every sense of cheese, but it still entertained me enough to wish it would get a real release at some point in the future. It's little seen and not nearly as bad as many believe it to be.

I really can't say enough about how wonderful The Burbs actually is, it is a film that took me far too long to actually see, but when I finally did I was hooked just like my other favorite Joe Dante films. This is the man that made Gremlins, a film which stands as one of my favorites of all time. I enjoy Dante's directing style and wish he had gone on to make more great movies throughout his career, but sadly that wasn't the case.

It's quite a fun movie about the paranoia in a suburb between neighbors and while it is not a full blown horror film, it is much like Gremlins in which a horror situation is implemented this time in a suburb rather than around Christmas time. I still wonder consider to be somewhat of a horror comedy, especially due to it's over the top dream sequence that gets me giggling like a school girl.

One of the best documentaries I have ever seen, if you are a fan of the franchise you owe it to yourself to seek this one out. It's full of facts and interviews that offer great insight into the franchise as a whole that helps you get a real feel for the struggles and triumph's in New Line's beginnings and hopes for Freddy.

A great watch for anyone interested in horror film production and history in general. These guys are supposedly making a doc about Friday the 13th next so here's hoping that turns out just as wonderful.

I realize that some way not enjoy this overly tongue in cheek horror flick, but I grew up on it. The theme song is beyond badass, and the mean spirited nature of the overall plot is enough to make anyone at least crack a smile. It's campy, fun, and dumb. It's a guilty pleasure for sure, but one I bring out every once in a great while for a laugh.

Still as wonderful as the first time I experienced it. I am still surprised at how mean spirited the invisible man actually is, and I love every minute of it. Another great film from the great director James Whale.

If you haven't seen it by now...what the hell is stopping you?

I had no fucking plans of ever watching this due to Paranormal Activity 3 being actually decent until it's god awful piece of shit ending, but here I am...sigh.
My girlfriend checked it out when we last visited the library, so here I am.

It was a boring movie and nothing more. I just wanted something to happen and it never did. While I didn't much care for the whole Microsoft product placement, I did find the kinect scene oddly uncomfortable. That wasn't enough to leave any type of affect on me overall, but I was surprised how creepy that scene actually was in a film of nothing at all.

The ending also sucked more than the third..go figure. Why they don't do different families with different scenario's every film is beyond me. I feel that would have been a hell of a lot better, not to mention more interesting.

If it was possible to film a mindfuck..well here it is.
I can't begin to describe this, and it would be an injustice if I did. Seek it out if you enjoy films in the tone of Suspiria, but don't expect anything along the same level of greatness. It is a semisequel thingy that wants nothing more to blow your mind, and question your fucking sanity.

I honestly cannot describe how much I love this movie. I learned about it from a very young age due to finding an aliens in cinema book at my school book fair. I only ever saw one tiny picture of the aliens at the beginning of the film, but that was enough. I could never find the film anywhere after that. Advance ten years or so and low and behold Sony decides to finally release the film on DVD and Blu-Ray. The first Blu-Ray I ever bought and still my favorite. It's loaded with special features and the film itself is a perfect homage to the 80's in general. If you haven't gotten around to seeing it, then you really should. It screams cheesy and the overall badassness that is Tom Fucking Atkins. So please take the time to watch it and love it as well. If you do the take the time...it would "Thrill Me". =)