October 2017 Horrorfest

First viewing - Oct. 21st

Halloween Spooktacular at the Drive-in
Best new-to-me film for October

Happy Death Day was my main priority for this weekend since I couldn't get out for it last weekend, and I'd told one of my friends at work that I might be willing to watch it & IT back-to-back. So I was very amused that the drive-in paired them for me.

Anyway, while this is basically Groundhog Day reimagined as a horror movie it's non-stop fun and I pretty much loved it. Jessica Rothe is an actress to keep an eye on going forward, Israel Broussard shows promise as well, and much of the rest of the cast does a good job. Most amusing was that I figured out early on who the killer really was, but then the movie worked to have me question what I'd thought instead of following some obvious points to get to that reveal. That earned it extra credit from me, and it's a film I'll gladly revisit multiple times down the road.

First viewing - Oct. 21st

Best hidden gem

I found myself with some down-time on Saturday afternoon, and really wanted to watch something via Showbox. Both movies I tried to watch failed to play without technical issues, however, so I gave up on Showbox & opened my Prime list instead. Turns out that wasn't a bad thing at all, because I got to watch this underrated film from Argento. There's enough blood to make it horror (Giallo would probably be more accurate really), the story is told in a way that kept me guessing who the killer was all the way until the end, and it's both captivating and entertaining from start to finish. Plus it's got a great score by Ennio Morricone which kept impressing me. Definitely give this one a chance if you haven't already.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 8th

Worst film for October

For most of my life, my only engagement with Ghoulies came from ads in the comic books I read in the ‘80s. I remember seeing the creature in the toilet, but beyond that I never heard anyone else mention the films nor did I ever come across them on cable(where you’d think they’d find a comfortable home). Finding out I could watch the original film via Prime for nothing, I figured I’d finally give it a chance. Turns out I was just fine ignoring its existence. The titular creatures are interesting-looking, but wind up having a very minimal role throughout the movie to the point whereyou start to question how it got named after them. The rest of the film stretches beyond the point where I could easily suspend my disbelief by having its main character compelled to engage in dark magic and only one person around him thinks this is a bad idea. It doesn’t help either that the film’s tone is serious when a comedic approach might have made the whole thing more palatable. The acting is, not surprisingly, mostly awful, and beyond the creatures the only other thing I appreciated was that it wasn’t any longer. Even the ending winds up making the rest of the film mostly pointless, which was super frustrating. I wish I could say this falls under the so bad it’s good category, but honestly it’s just bad. I see Prime has the second film too, but rest assured I won’t waste my time on it.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

Re-watch - Oct. 1st

Since October started on a Sunday that I had the kiddo, we decorated the house for Halloween and I pulled a small stack of movies from my shelves for her and me to watch throughout the month. I managed to talk her into watching Ghostbusters first, which has been a favorite of mine since I was about her age. She definitely enjoyed it and wasn't scared at all by anything that happened in the movie.

I really can't think of anything to say beyond that I still love this movie and am always glad when I revisit it and see that it still holds up well. It was definitely a great way to kick off my Horrorfest.

First viewing - Oct. 2nd

So clearly Chopping Mall is by no means a great classic of the genre, but knowing Barbara Crampton was in it and having occasionally seen it spoken of positively I wanted to give it a chance. It's clearly a cheaply made B movie, and while that means some aspects (acting mainly) suck if you let its shortcomings slide a little there's plenty of fun to be had. Some of the stores in the mall have names that are references to other movies or people, which was a constant source of enjoyment for me. It's obvious we're following slasher movie rules, yet the fact that it's mall security robots taking on humans makes it feel fresh and there are some very amusing kills. All in all I thought it was worth watching once.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 3rd

I'd never heard of The Mutilator until its tagline popped up as a question on a game I used to play, so when I saw it was available on Prime I figured I'd see what it was like. Evidently the film is really called Fall Break but when it went to video they changed the title on the package (and only the package, which had me initially questioning whether there was a mix-up) in hopes more people would watch it. And while the title change is certainly an improvement, it doesn't fix any of the issues the film has which makes it little wonder that few have seen it.

The acting is pretty bad, so don't be surprised if you don't recognize a single name here. Yes, it's a slasher movie, but unlike most slashers you know all along who is killing the young people so there's no mystery element to it & the film doesn't bother trying to throw you off or add a twist. So basically it's just a guy killing some people and seeing who survives the night and who doesn't, though even that winds up being exactly what you'd expect. The only thing I can say in its favor was that it kept moving for the most part & the effects were decent, so it wasn't a total waste of time. Still, I can't say it needs to be sought out by those who haven't seen it.

Just a thought: The opening credits show this film comes from OK Productions, which I'm guessing they called themselves because they weren't sure how to spell Mediocre.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 4th

This was a big step up from the two films that preceded it. Frightmare marks the first film I've watched this month where I genuinely had no idea where it would end up, and the fact it kept me guessing until the end was a welcome change. The cast is solid and the effects are pretty good for the most part. I did feel, however, that the ending could have gone a different way and been more powerful, and perhaps if it were remade today it could be done more like I'd envisioned. The only real issue I had with it is that the pacing could be a little better as there are a few spots where things slow down more than they should. But if you can stay patient it turns out to be worth checking out. I'm glad I gave it a chance.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 5th

Given Tobe Hooper's recent death I've been curious about his other films. I hadn't realized he directed this sequel, and since it was added to Prime this month I figured I'd give it a shot. Turns out I shouldn't have bothered.

There's very little that makes this worth sitting through. The cast does a decent job with what they're given, the music is pretty good, and the effects are mostly excellent thanks to Tom Savini's gifts. The story and dialogue, however, leave much to be desired, and the tone is such that you're never sure whether this is supposed to be a comedic horror or a straight one. Bill Moseley and Caroline Williams are both saddled with characters that are initially interesting or amusing but over time turn into grating irritants. Bill Johnson is no Gunnar Hansen, by which I mean his Leatherface is portrayed decently but lacks the strong and fear-inducing presence of his predecessor. And for whatever reason Dennis Hopper is in this in a role that's sadly underutilized. Overall the film is a mess, and I regret having given in to my curiosity instead of continuing to ignore the sequels. If you haven't explored beyond the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, you're better off for it.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

Re-watch - Oct. 7th

After a string of somewhat underwhelming horror films this month I needed to watch something I knew I'd enjoy. Enter Idle Hands, which I can't remember the last time I watched but have always had a good time with. Sure the acting could be better, but everything else is a lot of fun and it's consistently entertaining. It's nothing great, but I like it anyway.

First viewing - Oct. 7th

I chased Idle Hands with Jennifer's Body, a film I previously had no interest in watching. After seeing Karyn Kusama's The Invitation and considering that I do generally enjoy Diablo Cody's scripts, I figured I'd give it a chance. And you know what? The movie is fine. It's got some amusing moments, the cast is decent, and what I appreciated most was the fact that in this film we get a female killing off the males which kinda flips the usual horror script. The film is clearly supposed to be a horror-comedy, but it struggles to properly balance the two and thus winds up being pretty average and forgettable. It's nothing great nor would I watch it again, but I don't regret the time spent on it either.

Just a thought: How do you include a Hole song in a film called Jennifer's Body but not use "Jennifer's Body"? Too obvious? Maybe, but I felt like using an already well-known song ("Violet") was even more obvious.

First viewing - Oct. 9th

Curtains, on the other hand, wound up being better than its flaws and issues would suggest. Evidently this was originally shot with one director and crew, then shelved until it could be completed by the producer and another crew. Its original directorwanted to make a psychological thriller while the producer wanted it to be a slasher film, and while the resulting hybrid is messy it kinda works. The cast is mostly solid, and thereare some rather amusing and excellent sequences that were impressive. On the other hand, there are multiple scenes where you can see microphones in the shot, which I turned into a game of spotting them to add another source of entertainment. And some scenes don’t really fit in with the rest of the movie, yet work on their own to some extent.I wound up really enjoying it for what it is, but I can’t deny it could be far better and thus I can’t justify giving it a higher rating than a 7/10. I’d totally watch it again though.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

Re-watch - Oct. 10th

Aside from some unnecessary shaky camerawork there’s nothing about Black Sheep I don’t love. The premise is ridiculous but it works because they made it a horror-comedy and took full advantage of making it fun. The cast isn’t exceptional, but they all put in decent performances and I have no complaints about any of them. And the gore & effects are handled so well throughout while bringing to mind Peter Jackson’s
splatter films. Watching this film always brings me joy, and I’m glad I have it in my collection to revisit as I please.

Just a thought: Looking up Black Sheep’s writer/director Jonathan King, I was disappointed to see he hasn’t made anything since that’s the same quality (at least not if IMDb ratings can be trusted). But he does have a vampire movie coming out in 2018 so maybe that’ll be worthwhile?

First viewing - Oct. 12th

No Horrorfest would be complete without at least one anthology, so I decided to check this one out. The way it began got me really excited mainly because of its use of "A Night On Bald Mountain" which is one of my favorite classical pieces. I dug the framework of this one, which sets us up to follow an aspiring employee of the titular asylum who is tasked with figuring out which patient is actually the head doctor, stripped of his authority because he's gone mad. The whole thing is solidly entertaining, though the horror elements are extremely tame. There's very little bloodshed and it felt like something that could have run on TV instead of the big screen. And while I refuse to spoil anything, I will say that when the doctor is revealed there's at least one aspect that makes no damn sense. If you've seen this, let me know & we can discuss the ending.

Anyway, it was worth watching once.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 13th

I would also argue that no Horrorfest is complete without a Poe adaptation, though last year I failed to catch one. And I suppose it's probably too fitting that I watched a movie about a black cat on Friday the 13th. Anyway, while the crown for adaptations of Poe's "The Black Cat" still rests squarely on the head of the Masters of Horror adaptation, this was pretty enjoyable. The logic of the events doesn't always work, and overall it doesn't reach the heights of Zombie or The Beyond, but it's got some great images and I was mostly entertained. The pacing is on the slow side, which had me fighting to stay awake once or twice, but if you're expecting it to take its time you'll probably be fine. I doubt I'd go out of my way to watch it again, but I don't regret watching it.

Interesting how things are connected: This is the second film in a row I've watched that Patrick Magee has a major role in.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

Re-watch - Oct. 14th

So first off, for some reason I had Torso confused in my mind with Pieces until it got going & realized my mistake. That didn't stop me from enjoying Torso again, but it did take me a moment to adjust my expectations for the different mood of this film. It's been three years since I last watched it, and it's still as solidly entertaining as I remembered (just not the batshit fun of Pieces). My rating still stands, and hopefully the next time I revisit it I'll better remember what happens in it.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 16th

So I spotted this on Showbox & was curious about it. My curiosity increased when fellow Listalite VierasTalo had good things to say about it this month, so I figured I might give it a try. Showbox provided a link to the trailer, and I didn't even finish watching it before my mind was made up to just watch the movie.

This is exactly the type of film I prefer to watch during October. It's fun from start to finish, the characters are well-written, the horror and comedy elements are well-balanced, and it's just a good time all around. It didn't quite cross the line into greatness due to some early elements not working quite right and some minor issues with its ending, but overall I had a blast with it and will definitely be watching it again.

First viewing - Oct. 17th

No One Lives was a recommendation from BAMF (see comments below) that I figured I'd give a chance. There are a number of images throughout that I won't soon forget, the cast does a decent job, and the story moves along well enough. I didn't find a single character that I cared much about though, so it was hard for me to like it very deeply which is disappointing as I dug the story idea.

Just a thought: Luke Evans still isn't James McAvoy.

First viewing - Oct. 19th

I had good intentions to finish up dinner & watch a movie, yet by the time I got the kitchen cleaned up and everything in place so I could sit down with one it was later than anticipated. Shock has a run-time of an hour and 9 minutes, so I figured it was a safe option. Plus, no Horrorfest is complete without at least one Vincent Price movie. I can't say this is one of his better ones though, mainly due to the ridiculous plot. Now I don't mind a ridiculous plot, but when it's taken seriously it can be problematic. And this one is taken so seriously I even struggled to keep awake at times. As horror movies go it's pretty tame, but with Price involved in a major role I can't hate on it too much. It's not a bad movie, I think I just wasn't in the right mood for it.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

Re-watch - Oct. 20th

This is the last weekend of the month that I can go all-out on horror movies, so I wanted to make the most of it. I spent my Friday night with a pair of over-the-top and insane horror movies that are always fun. It's been 4 years since I last watched TerrorVision, and my thoughts are pretty much the same. I see last time I failed to note the joyously absurd set design of the film, which ensures there's always something worth looking at. The whole thing is pure stupid fun and totally insane & I love the hell out of it.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

Re-watch - Oct. 20th

Do I even need to comment on Dead Alive at this point? If you haven't seen it, you need to correct that immediately. If you have then you most likely know what a creative and delightful film it is, and I don't need to go into details to back that up. I'm just glad I have it in my collection to watch whenever I please.

First viewing - Oct. 22nd

I'd never heard of Trilogy of Terror before joining Listal, so those of you who have voiced your support for it are to thank for my finally checking it out. For those not already aware, this was a made-for-TV movie which stars Karen Black as the main character of each of the three tales on hand. As such it's pretty tame for a horror flick, but since I knew that up front I let it slide. The acting could be better at times, but for a supporting cast comprised mainly of nobodies it was fine.

The first tale was told well enough that I didn't know where they were going with it, and it was a decent entry point but nothing exceptional in my opinion. The second tale I knew from the start what was going on and figured out shortly after where it would wind up, which was pretty disappointing but at least it was somewhat entertaining. The third and final tale, however, was easily the best of the bunch and will be the one thing that sticks in my memory as time goes on. It made the whole thing worth sitting through. I don't know that I'd ever watch this again, but I'm glad I gave it a chance.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 22nd

I wrapped up my weekend with Pumpkinhead, which was mainly worth seeing for the creature effects. Given that Stan Winston directed it, that probably shouldn't surprise anyone. The story was fine and I appreciated that it wasn't obvious about who might live. It's nothing I'd go out of my way to watch again though.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 23rd

I've been curious about Southbound for a while now, so when I spotted it on Prime I added it to my list of things to watch. And I have to say that for an anthology film I thought it worked even better than I'd anticipated. This is one of the rare occasions where there's not a weak story in the bunch, and despite each tale having different directors they all feel like they belong within the framework of the film and could have been handled by the same people. I went into this one completely blind & with an open mind, and would encourage others to do the same.
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

Re-watch - Oct. 26th

I had to watch something from Romero this month, and since I wasn't able to catch any of his films on the big screen (one local theatre did a week-long run of his films, but started it on a kiddo weekend) I made a point to revisit Day of the Dead. I last watched it the day I saw Diary of the Dead on its opening weekend, and I kinda forgot just how much there is to appreciate throughout the film. Everything works so wonderfully, from the story to the cast to the effects, and Romero's usual social commentary is on point as usual. I especially enjoy Bub more & more each time I watch this film. And maybe next time I won't wait as long to give it another look.

Just a thought: The opening of the film is forever tied in my head to the Gorillaz song "M1A1".

Re-watch - Oct. 28th

There's nothing that needs to be said about this one. Watched it with the kiddo.

Re-watch - Oct. 28th

I finally talked the kiddo into watching Corpse Bride, which of course she really enjoyed. I was amused each time she'd make a comment in awe of the more grotesque elements of the film. For my part, I realized it has been a while since I last watched it & I was reminded how much I enjoy the film overall. Also I was surprised to see Laika's name on it, as I thought their first film was Coraline. Clearly I need to brush up on their history, though of course it's not solely their production. But no wonder then that the stop-motion animation is so brilliantly rendered, and clearly this film influenced the ones that would follow.

First viewing - Oct. 28th

After the kiddo went to bed I decided to finally check out Creepy which I've heard excellent things about. Thankfully I was able to watch all of it without falling asleep, unlike Motel Hell which I started Friday night but opted out of giving another try for now (I left it out of the list because I missed so much of it & couldn't finish it, so I feel it's unfair to give it a write-up). First off, while this certainly has horror elements it's really a hybrid of a few genres rather than being straight horror. I really appreciated the approach, though had I realized what I was getting into sooner I might have held off for another time. Still, I thought the film worked pretty well for the most part, & while I was leaps & bounds ahead of our protagonist the journey it took was worthwhile and resolved in a somewhat surprising way. I don't know that I'd go so far as to call it Great, but I dug it and would probably watch it again.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 30th

I figured I'd give this Bela Lugosi movie a chance even though I didn't know anything else about it. And while it certainly has elements of early horror, mainly with its set-up of a bunch of people stuck in a house with a killer on the loose, it's a comedy/horror hybrid that relies more on the former than the latter. So it's definitely fun, but not really scary. There's a great running gag though where Lugosi's butler character keeps offering poisoned coffee to his guests, and Jack Haley does a solid job of leading the ensemble alongside the equally talented Jean Parker. My only real complaint is that the transfer was awful, which left some scenes too dark to distinguish what was going on and others just fuzzy. If someone like Criterion would take a moment to give it a full restoration it might find a bigger audience. Not that it's a Great film, but it's worth your time.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

First viewing - Oct. 31st

So on Halloween I narrowed my options on Prime to Argento's Inferno, Ganja & Hess, and this film which bears a horror tag. Thankfully I also knew from its reputation that there'd be some claymation and it was a musical, otherwise I might have given up on it early. The whole film is an oddball wonder, and I can't help but respect Miike for making the damn thing. I appreciated the film and especially its messages, and I'm certainly glad I watched it. However, it wasn't horror enough for Halloween night (I'd argue it's just a musical comedy with some horror elements to enhance its flavor), and so I couldn't justify ending the month with it.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime

Re-watch - Oct. 31st

While I certainly had plenty of other worthwhile horror options handy, I opted to pluck You're Next off the shelf and revisit it instead. I haven't seen it since it was in theatres 4 years ago, but I knew that it'd be a good time and full-on horror instead of another hybrid. Looking at what I wrote last time it seems the camera work bothered me way more than it did this time around. There was maybe one moment where I found it problematic, but the rest of the film I didn't even notice anything annoying which has me scratching my head. Maybe it was more noticeable on the big screen. Whatever the case, I still don't think the movie rates higher than a 7.5/10, but I like it enough that I'm keeping it in my collection to revisit periodically. I especially appreciate how the female protagonist is written here, and the effects are really well-done. Best of all as I said it's pure horror fun from start to finish, and was thus a treat to end the month with.

First viewing - Oct. 7th

Wait, what is this doing here? Well I really wanted to check out American Made, but it came out on a kiddo weekend & had to wait until this month (note this is one of two departures from horror for this month, unless The Florida Project fails to arrive here in the next couple weeks). Surprisingly it's the first film this month I've seen for the first time and truly enjoyed all around. It's a hell of a story, the cast does a wonderful job, and it's consistently entertaining. I wasn't aware of Barry Seal's involvement in the events that take place here, but I do remember some of the events being on the news growing up and so it was interesting to see how he fit into it all. I don't think it's a great movie, but I enjoyed it and would watch it again.

First viewing - Oct. 7th

I first heard of Effects years ago, but couldn't tell you now exactly when or where that happened. I want to say there was a documentary that discussed it, because I remember seeing brief clips from it, but whether it was a doc I watched or something added as pre-show entertainment at Drafthouse I couldn't say. What I recalled was the film has something to do with a snuff film and Tom Savini was involved, plus that it wasn't easy to find. So when I heard earlier this year that AGFA had got hold of it & was bringing it back to screen at Drafthouse I'd hoped it'd find its way to me. And as luck would have it the theatre in my neighborhood got a hold of it, so I couldn't pass up an opportunity to finally watch it.

First off, I want to say that I think the theatre could've handled their approach to showing Effects better. For whatever reason they had 4 showings over the weekend of it, when really they only needed one. There were less than 10 people in the audience including me, and I couldn't help thinking if they'd been able to have Savini or any of the people involved show up for a Q & A and have one screening event it would've drawn a bigger crowd and got them their money's worth in one shot. Four screenings of a film most people have never heard of is foolish.

As for the film itself, I liked the overall idea & approach they took with it. Basically you've got a multi-layered film about making movies which was certainly interesting & thought-provoking. There are also multiple references to the city I live in, which I found more amusing than I would have before I moved here. It's definitely a low budget affair too, which I can respect. But ultimately while it's certainly interesting and often entertaining, it's also a film that's not for everyone (I mentioned it involves a snuff film, right?) and so it's lack of a fanbase isn't too surprising. As a film fan I thought it was worth checking out, but it's nothing I'd watch again.

Re-watch - Oct. 21st

Halloween Spooktacular at the Drive-in

Hey, wow, my thoughts are exactly the same as they were 3 years ago. I really didn't plan to watch this for a while longer, but since it was showing along with Happy Death Day & IT I figured I wouldn't mind finally seeing it on the big screen. I will say, however, that I might have preferred seeing something else instead but at least they didn't pick something I wouldn't watch. The other all-horror option on another screen was the original Friday the 13th (which I saw last year), Boo 2 (which I'd never watch), and Drive-In Massacre (which I know nothing about but might have been cool to see).

Re-watch - Oct. 21st

Halloween Spooktacular at the Drive-in

I just watched IT last month, and my first impressions held up. This time around I noticed some details I'd missed, and overall I'm very happy with the ways the film makes Derry a character and injects its adults with touches of evil and flashes of Pennywise. It was a great end to a great night, and now I can wait to revisit it until after both chapters are available to watch at home.

First viewing - Oct. 22nd

My friend & I went to see The Florida Project, the latest film from Sean Baker. I really dug what he did with Tangerine, and from the trailers I knew I'd at least appreciate this film if not love it. Well, I appreciated it but didn't love it. The acting is excellent across the board, especially the performance from Brooklynn Prince who is so outstanding she deserves to earn best actress nominations if not the trophies to go with them. I'd like to see Willem Dafoe get some attention as well, as he's a joy to watch every time he appears. The film looks great too, and there are many scenes that I felt were well-done and enjoyed. Then there are scenes that felt more like filler to pad out the run-time, which I found to be tedious at times. Perhaps others won't be as bothered by those moments due to the overall slice of life approach, but I was. Add to that the fact that it failed to deeply connect with me on an emotional level while leaving me with the impression that it should have, and I left feeling mildly disappointed. It should also be stated, however, that I was still thinking about this film off & on over the next day after I saw it, so it clearly works well more often than not & leaves a strong impression. I don't think it was a matter of my mood, as I was genuinely excited for the film, so I guess it just didn't work for me like it may others. It's totally worth watching though, and I'm glad I saw it.