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October fun: 31 days of Horror, Blood, Guts and Gore! (and zombies, too....)

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#1 ·

*edit*

 

Watch as many horror movies you can take in 31 days.

 

Thirty-one total.  One a day.  Thirteen.  Twenty-two.  Six?

As many as you want, just have fun.

 

****

 

Every night (or day) in October! It's tough, but can it be done? I tried last year but ended up having to go away for business and it buggered up my schedule.



Half of the fun was creating the spreadsheet of movies/format/date.


Who's in with me?
 
 
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#701 ·
I just started. My best time to watch is in the morning. so i sat down and watched movie number one. I picked a good one to start:


1 - GROTESQUE - uncut, directors version


What a movie!!!! The basic premise is a newly-dating couple is kidnapped and then tortured. This is one of absolute incredible torture movies, it puts most other torture movies to shame. I really enjoyed this one immensely as I really like the torure movie genre. The torture starts out sexy and you almost think its going to be a soft porn movie, but it soon changes into an out and out torture movie. Its done quite well, good special effects, good acting, really a movie worth watching. Certainly fits the description of a HORROR movie.


A great start to October, I picked the right movie to lead off the month.
 
#703 ·
Here we go.

1. Sugar Hill, 1974. Blacksploitation, racism, voodoo, zombies, tale of venegenance. 3/5

2. The Video Dead, 1987. Killer zombies come out of a TV and kill everybody with big hair. 3/5

3.Shock Waves, 1977. Nazi mutant underwater zombies trash a hotel. Death by sea urchin and glass bottom boats. 3/5

4. John Carpenter's Pro Life (Masters of Horror), 2006. Right to life activist raids a clinic to save the spawn of a demon. 2/5
 
#705 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by yankeeman /forum/post/19273171


I just started. My best time to watch is in the morning. so i sat down and watched movie number one. I picked a good one to start:


1 - GROTESQUE - uncut, directors version


What a movie!!!! The basic premise is a newly-dating couple is kidnapped and then tortured. This is one of absolute incredible torture movies, it puts most other torture movies to shame. I really enjoyed this one immensely as I really like the torure movie genre. The torture starts out sexy and you almost think its going to be a soft porn movie, but it soon changes into an out and out torture movie. Its done quite well, good special effects, good acting, really a movie worth watching. Certainly fits the description of a HORROR movie.


A great start to October, I picked the right movie to lead off the month.


Great one to start off with yankeeman. There were several AVS'ers that called me sick when I posted about this movie, better watch out.



A good follow up would be "Tumbling Doll of Flesh" (Niku daruma) .
 
#706 ·
Okay, here we go...

1. Severance (first-time viewing)

A group of European corporate misfits (who happen to work for a weapons company) go on a team building exercise in the wilderness in Hungary of all places. Of course everything goes to hell in a handbasket. Quirky, violent, awkward, nerve-wracking, and often very funny! It had a strange sensibility all of its own.

2010 Horror Movie Marathon List

1. Severance
 
#707 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by darthrsg /forum/post/19273532


Here we go.

1. Sugar Hill, 1974. Blacksploitation, racism, voodoo, zombies, tale of venegenance. 3/5

2. The Video Dead, 1987. Killer zombies come out of a TV and kill everybody with big hair. 3/5

3.Shock Waves, 1977. Nazi mutant underwater zombies trash a hotel. Death by sea urchin and glass bottom boats. 3/5

4. John Carpenter's Pro Life (Masters of Horror), 2006. Right to life activist raids a clinic to save the spawn of a demon. 2/5

Wow, 4 movies on day one! Go darthrsg, go!
 
#708 ·
I'm a newbie at this whole thing, but I'm gonna give it a go:


Today's film:

Fido


This was a odd one for me. I'm generally okay with bigger-budget indy flicks, but this one seemed to try too hard to be satirical and lost a lot of its humor in the process. There were still some funny parts, though. The gore level could have been turned up a notch as well. Overall, pretty enjoyable, and it was definitely novel and different with some truly touching moments.


I agree with the 6/10 rating on IMDB, and would recommend it, especially for zombie fans.


Also, IMDB lists it as PG-13, but on Netflix it is an R. I think the R is the accurate rating due to violence and gore, but the gore is almost always presented in a kinda funny way, so I'd be comfortable letting my 15 y.o. son view it.
 
#710 ·
I doubt I'll watch 31, but tonight I did start it off right with "A Tale of Two Sisters". Two sisters cope with the changes to their family.. including the loss of their mother and their new, over-bearing stepmom.


Excellent film that also happens to be a great psych horror. The visual storytelling is pitch-perfect and the 3rd act pays off in droves. Great suspense, great mood, great frights, great directing, and great performances. I would recommend the film to all horror and non-horror fans alike.
 
#711 ·
Apollo's 2010 October Horrorfest


1. Pontypool (2008)- {4/5} DVD (First-time viewing) I made a point not to check into the plot or read any online reviews in order to go in blind. This movie came in very highly recommended, so it was my eventual choice to kick off this year's challenge. Well, I must say, this was a very original movie with fabulous performances by the 3 main actors. The suspense was built nicely throughout the movie and when the plot was finally revealed, it certainly made for a surprise that one would never expect. It actually bordered on confusing (at least for me) as I ended up doing some rewinding to make sure that I got it right. All in all, a very good effort.


2. The Monster Walks (1932)- {1.5/5} DVD (First-time viewing) Hopefully I get better at "appreciating" the older titles I choose to watch in my challenges as time goes by. As it stands, it is very difficult to ignore the extremely thin scripts and the poor acting. That was my feeling about this specific title in my 50 Horror Classics box set. It involves a scheme by an uncle and his "shockingly revealed" son/butler to steal an inheritance from a young woman whose father just passed away. It tries to keep you guessing (which it actually succeeds at in a way) but in the end, this one provides more unintentional laughs than it does horror.


3. Friday the 13th Pt. II (1981)- {3/5} DVD Since my rented copy of "Teeth" was unplayable, I sifted through my collection and came up with this. It started out strong (mainly because it showed the main highlights of Pt. 1) but it failed to hold its own compared to the original. Jason's killing skills are much more limited than I remember and while some of the kills scenes were pretty entertaining, others were quite cheesy. I found myself wondering why midnight walks in the woods are so appealing to attractive females. Oh well, it was a fun watch even though the ending left me questioning if they left out a few scenes. The credits started rolling without an explanation of how Jason's last victim got away from him. Maybe it all gets explained in the beginnning of Pt. 3, but it has been too long since I have seen that one to remember.


4. The House on Haunted Hill (1959)- {3.75/5} DVD (First-time viewing) This movie certainly changed my previous opinions on "classic" horror. It starts with a nice, creepy beginning with some mandatory, chilling screams and is followed by a narrative by Vincent Price as he gives the backdrop of what the movie is all about. If you haven't seen this movie, it is about a rich couple who invite a group of random people to a "party" in a haunted house after which they will be awarded $10,000 if they remain in the house for the entire night and if they can do so without dying. The acting in this movie was very good; especially that of Price and his wife, played by Carol Ohmart. The chemistry they have is spectacular as they banter back and forth about killing each other. Unfortunately, I have seen the remake of this many times in the past so I knew how the movie was going to play out. Even so, there were some good scares and some clever twists and turns as the movie rolls along. For those who haven't seen it, I would definitely recommend giving this one a spot in your October lineup.


5. Maniac (1934)- {2.5/5} DVD (First-time viewing) This movie is about a crazy-ass scientist who tries to use a special serum to bring back the dead. When he gets the idea that he is going to try to convince the assistant to kill himself to use for his experiment, his assistant ends up killing him instead. To mask what he had done, the assistant (who happens to be a master impersonator) takes on the scientist's identity and pretends to be him. Of course, he ends up going completely insane as well and the movie spins off the tracks. I had some serious belly laughs with this movie. There is so much random crap going on, I nearly went mad myself. The performances were very bland and boring from some of the actors while extremely over the top and entertaining by others. This movie really does live up to its name because there are some crazy and disturbing scenes at times that don't really even have a place in the story at all. There is also some random, unnecessary nudity along with one of the worst chick-fights in history. This one is not a good horror movie by any means, but it is certainly entertaining in other ways. This is the main reason for giving it the 2.5 rating.


6. Night of the Living Dead (1968)- {2.25/5} DVD (First-time viewing) I'm sure everyone knows what this movie is about, so no use explaining the plot. Overall, I didn't really enjoy this film. It was filled with horrible fight sequences, non-stop crickets sounds and several different sections that had me questioning if this was a silent film. Seriously, there were long stretches when there were no words spoken at all between the actors even though their given situation certainly called for some communication. Towards the end, it picks up slightly as I thought the scenes where the zombies were eating flesh were quite cool. It was also cool when the young girl transforms into a zombie and attacks her parents. The radio/tv broadcasts were done well and were very believable. Unfortunately, this movie had more disappointments than anything else.


7. Graveyard Shift (1990)- {2.5/5} AMC First off, I hate rats. It was difficult to watch this movie solely because of the rats. I have never really been a fan of most Stephen King movies either. I don't know if it is any certain thing in particular, but they just turn me off; especially the ones centering on animals (except Cujo, which I like). This movie is about a rat-infested textile mill and a crew of workers as they slowly learn that there is something dangerous living within the basement of mill that has been slowly killing folks for what appears to be hundreds of years (given the amount of bones that are littering its lair). It actually reminded me a little of The Descent in the way the it was done; however, it is an insult to even compare the 2. In the end, it appeared that the "monster" was some sort of a bat/rat hybrid but it really didn't matter. The acting was okay but the story completely failed to grasp my attention at all as I had trouble staying awake. Not recommended.


8. Teeth (2007)- {3.5/5} DVD I watched the trailer for this movie beforehand, so I knew what to expect (vagina-dentada that wreaks havoc on unsuspecting teenage suitors). I was pretty disappointed through the first 15-20 minutes as the cult-like chastity convention right off the start had me bored and uninterested. It certainly picks up as the movie rolls along though. It has some very graphic and disgusting scenes that will make you cringe and laugh at the same time, but overall this is a cool and original story that is certainly worth a watch.


9. The Collector (2009)- {3.75/5} Blu-Ray My wife and I really liked this movie. It is from the makers of Saw so there are many elements that resemble that series; however, this is a unique story with its own identity. The very first scene starts it off with a bang and it does a good job of holding your attention throughout. It was equal parts scary, disturbing and creative in the way that the story was crafted. It also included unique scenery/camera shots along with a great audio mix for those that have good home theater setups. On the other side of the coin, it also had its flaws as there were many times when we were questioning how feasible this whole fiasco really was. Taking it all into consideration, we still had a good time watching it and I would recommend it to other horror fans.


10. An American Werewolf in London (1981)- {3.5/5} DVD (First-time viewing) You know, I had always thought that I saw this movie when I was a teenager but it appears that I was wrong. For 1981, this movie had good effects and well-done werewolf transformations (although we joked that David looked alot like Chaka during one of the scenes). There was also a good amount of humor mixed into the script, which we liked. The nightmare sequences were pretty cool at times and the soundtrack was good as well. Even though I can't really pinpoint any particular thing that I really disliked, I felt the movie was only slightly above-average; hence the 3.5 rating. I'm glad I finally took the initiative to rent it though.


11. The Wolfman (2010)- {3.5/5} Blu-Ray Since we were on the subject, I decided to pop in Wolfman for a 2nd go 'round. Firstly, this movie has great sound throughout and a pristine picture (but only some of the time). Some scenes were breathtaking and others were soft and unnatural. As far as the film itself, it was slightly better this time around. The actors do a good job with what they are given to work with. We thought it was strange how Del Toro's character was completely disinterested when he originally found out about his brother's disappearance yet he became committed to the bitter end shortly thereafter. Maybe it was Blunt's character that piqued his interest....who knows. Either way, Hugo Weaving as the inspector did a great job and many of the kills throughout the movie were very entertaining. The last showdown betwee Del Toro and Hopkins was severely disappointing however. I couldn't help but notice the parallels between this movie and An American Werewolf in London considering that I had just watched it a few days prior. In the end, this movie is okay and is worth checking out but like I wrote in an earlier post, it was not worthy of a purchase. I guess I was just expecting so much more than what it turned out to be.


12. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)- {3/5} Blu-Ray (First-time viewing) My experience with this movie was frustrating right off the bat due to having to fast forward (not skip) through what seemed like 30 minutes of garbage before actually getting to the main menu. Once the movie began and we get a chance to see what Freddy looks like......frustrating does not begin to describe how we felt about his face. I can't believe that a group of professional studio executives had a meeting of the minds and agreed that Freddy should look the way he did.
Friggin Blasphemy! The movie itself was choppy and poorly acted (except Nancy's character who did a fair job). The scenes portraying Freddy as the pre-school gardener were particularly stupid. I mean, what school lets the gardener play with the children and take them on "special" outings off-grounds? On the positive side, there were still some cool scenes and a few good scares as well. The best part about this movie by far though, was the soundtrack. The surround mix was very good and the bass..........especially in the boiler room........ was phenomenal!! Sometimes the soundtrack in a movie makes it a fun watch even though the movie was a disaster. In this particular case, it is one of the main reasons for the generous "3" rating. By the looks of how the movie ended, we can be comforted in knowing that they're planning on a sequel. I can't wait.



13. The Blair Witch Project (1999)- {4.5/5} Blu-Ray I'm not sure if its possible to make a movie with more realistic performances. The small talk, the arguments, the interviews, the fear, the slow loss of sanity.....all done extremely convincingly. There is no question why so many were fooled into thinking that this was all real footage. Without ever showing you who/what is tormenting them, the movie still effectively creeps the absolute s*$t out of you. I love how the tension slowly builds throughout the entire movie and then culminates in one of the sweetest endings ever. The only negatives in the movie were the dumb situation with the loss of the map and the fact that they continue to record their experiences even in the face of death (of course this is also the reason why I like it because it adds to the realism of it all). The extras on the blu-ray were very cool as well including the alternate endings (4 of them). Highly recommended for those who haven't seen it in awhile.


14. Carny (2009)- {1.75/5} SyFy (First-time viewing) Lou Diamond Phillips stars as a small town sheriff who's town is being terrorized by a gargoyle-type creature that escaped from a traveling carnival which had just pulled into town. At first, I actually found myself interested in this straight-to-SyFy (I believe) effort. Of course, that didn't last very long once they introduced the pastor's son/rebellious delinquent who proceeds to taunt the gargoyle in its cage until it finally breaks loose and starts wreaking havoc on everyone. The creature itself is hard to describe since they never really allow us a good, close-up look at it. Also called the Jersey Devil, it appeared menacing and semi-cool at times but laughable and ridiculous other times (actually most of the time). There was some good gore as one scene featured the town pastor cutting the tongue out of the carnival leader's mouth, but all in all, this movie was not worth my time. I should also mention that it featured an absolutely dreadful ending. It was almost like the director just said "To hell with it" and gave up. Surprisingly, even the great Lou Diamond Phillips was helpless in saving this flick.
Not recommended.


15. Midnight Movie (2008)- {2.5/5} DVD (First-time viewing) This movie is about a group of people who attend a midnight showing of a horror movie only to find out that they are in fact part of the movie itself. One by one they get knocked off until the little twist at the end which will have you saying, wtf is going on. This movie was confusing. Not sure if it was my lack of attention or not, but I didn't fully understand how it all went down. The acting was mostly poor and the giant corkscrew that the killer prefers to use on his victims was cheesy. It did have some good kills and lots of blood though. As the movie came to a close the action picked up a little and things got more interesting but as a whole this movie is not very good.


16. The House of the Devil (2009)- {4.75/5} Blu-Ray (First-time viewing) I'll start off by saying that I am buying this movie. No question about it. I loved the early 80s feel to it! Ti West did an absolutely fabulous job of crafting a near masterpiece. It helped that people posted that it was a slow ride and to wait it out. The anticipation was fun as I loved waiting for the crazy s*&t to start happening......and when it finally did.......wow what a thrill ride! It also had some unexpected LFE that nearly cracked the foundation of my house. This is my kind of movie, no doubt about it. My wife is away at a conference, so you can bet that this one will be watched again before Horrorfest is over. Highly recommended!!!


17. April Fool's Day (2008)- {2.75/5} DVD (First-time viewing) Much to my disappointment, when the movie began I realized that I got the wrong version of AFD. I though that I was renting the 1986 version and didn't even know there was a "remake". Well, aside from that, it didn't turn out as bad as I was expecting. It resembled a soap opera at times and all the characters were d-bags in one way or another, but the acting was actually okay and there were some good, unexpected scares as the movie went along (especially the last kill). The storyline was pretty easy to figure out right off the bat, but it still proved to be slightly entertaining in the end.


18. Frozen (2010)- {4.25/5} Blu-Ray (First-time viewing) Talk about an edge of your seat experience! I found myself very uncomfortable throughout much of the movie (reminding me of Orphan or Inside in that regard). The acting was very good/believable and the storyline was very original. Just being stuck out there was crazy enough but when the wolves come into the picture, the intensity went off the charts. I also really liked the dialog as I was laughing out loud on a few occasions when they were passing the time with small talk. Of course, one becomes an expert in survival when watching this kind of movie, so naturally I thought about what I would have done differently. But, in the end, this was an excellent movie that keeps you on the edge of your chair nearly the entire time. On a side note, Joe talks about his GF in college by the name of Jenny Bluth and strangely enough I also went to college with a girl by the name of Jenny Bluth.



19. The Funhouse (1981)- {3.5/5} AMC (First-time viewing) This turned out to be a much more entertaining movie than I had expected. Instead of being another cheesy early-80s slasher, it actually does a good job of crafting a scary and intense story with good acting and makeup/costumes that were certainly ahead of its time. The movie centers on a group of teens who decide to spend the night at a carnival. In the process, they witness a real-life "freak" murder the fortune teller after having sex with her. The rest of the story is about the freak and his father hunting them down to prevent the murder from getting out. It was directed by Tobe Hooper who also did Salem's Lot and TCM. I have to say that I enjoyed this movie quite a bit despite the horrible ending. The freak certainly stole the show as he gave an off-the-charts wild and crazy performance.


20. Friday the 13th Pt. III (1982)- {.5/5} AMC There is no doubt that they rushed to the drawing boards and slapped together a story solely to take advantage of the popularity of the series. All they had to do was mix together 1 part "3D" and 2 parts axe-wielding killer...... and presto.......an absolute embarrassment to filmmaking. I didn't recall this movie being as bad as it was. The acting and dialog were completely unbearable. I quickly found myself reaching for my computer to multi-task only to glance at the screen when one of the fine actors regurgitated another laughable line. The score was the only aspect of the movie that I partially enjoyed and without the fact that the legendary hockey mask was introduced in this film, it would be the most forgettable movie in history. Garbage!!


21. Wrong Turn (2003)- {3.75/5} DVD Despite its maddening flaws, Wrong Turn is a thoroughly enjoyable movie. Basically a combination of Wolf Creek and The Hills Have Eyes (and maybe even a little TCM), it does a good job of nailing down the cannibalistic mountain man storyline. Although the acting was pretty good, the decision-making at times was hard to digest as I found myself yelling at the screen on more than one occcasion. On the positive side, there were some really good scares and several fantastic kills. The mountain men most definitely stole the show. The soundtrack was also quite dynamic as the surround and LFE channels were very active. This was a good addition for this year's Horrorfest.


22. Deadgirl (2008)- {4/5} DVD (First-time viewing) This one starts out with some boring dialog between a couple of unpopular high school kids and quickly turns into a disturbing and entertaining movie that includes great gore, creepy scenes and quite a bit of nudity (even a few scenes that show a pretty humorous.....shall we say......follicle patch.) Shiloh Fernandez stars as Ricky, and to me, he could pass as a Joaquin Phoenix look alike (sans the scar). Noah Segan stars as J.T. and although he was pretty annoying during the first part of the movie, he develops into a thoroughly entertaining psychopath/necrophiliac with some excellent lines as the story spirals completely out of control. My wife and I were very entertained by this movie solely because it is so bizarre with a good blend of horror, suspense and even some well-placed comedy. The ending was also pretty cool as well but we never really do get an explanation of where Deadgirl came from or what she was. Either way, highly recommended as long as you can stomach the disturbing scenes.


23. Lake Mungo (2008)- {4.25/5} DVD (First-time viewing) Without the strong recommendations from this forum, I would never have made the effort to watch this movie. Well, I'm glad that I did. This movie was done very well in nearly every facet. Aside from the scene with the drowned girl's body, there was no gore in this movie at all. Just a scary and suspenseful tale of spirits and ghosts with a few very unexpected twists to top it off. The movie begins fairly slowly, but it does a great job of building the suspense as we go. I love horror movies and I don't normally get creeped out too easily, but this one had me scanning the room a couple of times to ensure that I was alone.
Overall, a very good movie. The only reason for the 4.25 rating (and not higher) is because, in comparison, the movies that I gave 4.5-5.0 ratings were just slightly more enjoyable to me. Either way, highly recommended.


24. Funny Games (2007)- {3/5} DVD (First-time viewing) It was kind of hard to rate this movie because it was so up and down. There were some things that worked well for me and there were others that were downright annoying. Right off the bat, it begins with the worst introductory song that I can ever remember experiencing. Bad enough that we had to actually turn the volume down. The whole premise of this movie is fairly intriguing though in that it resembles "The Strangers". Two seemingly normal, preppy looking guys show up at a random house and proceed to terrorize the inhabitants. The way that they do this contributes to the overall entertainment of the movie because they spend more time terrorizing them emotionally then they do physically. The interactions between the 2 intruders was also pretty entertaining at times and one of them actually looks into the camera in one scene and proceeds to "rewind" the movie because something went wrong. Very, very strange addition to the movie, no question, but I guess it was still kind of funny. Unfortunately, this movie had more faults than it did assets. For one, it was EXTREMELY slow.... and not in a good suspenseful way. Things just dragged on way longer than they should have. The victims also didn't respond to situations in ways that normal folks would. I was actually angry on several occasions because of their stupidity. In the end, while this was certainly no "Strangers", it had a few redeeming qualities. It may warrant a weak recommendation based on the fact that it goes out of its way to be different from movies with similar storylines.


25. Night of the Demons (2009)- {3.5/5} DVD (First-time viewing) Overall, this is a fun and entertaining Halloween gorefest. The story revolves around a Halloween Party in an old "haunted" mansion that gets busted by the cops. 7 of the partygoers end up getting trapped in the mansion after everyone else leaves only to find that there are demons that are waiting to kill everyone in an attempt to take over the world. I know, it sounds pretty ridiculous, but this was a really fun movie to experience; especially the first half of it. There is an abundance of eye-candy here (including Shannon Elizabeth for those American Pie fans) and there are some really gruesome images to enjoy. Through the first 40 minutes, I was convinced that I was going to buy this solely to watch in the spirit of Halloween every year, but unfortunately, it does lose quite a bit of steam as the movie crosses the halfway point. Even so, this one is certainly worth another rental at some point in the future.


26. The Last House on the Left (2009)- {4.25/5} HBO I have never seen the original, so I don't know how it stacks up compared to that one. With that said, this is a very disturbing movie with terrific performances by all of the actors. This is the second time I have seen this and I must say, the rape scene was equally as unsettling this time around due to the realism of the way it was shot. It almost makes you feel guilty for watching the damn thing; especially for a second time. This movie has you on the edge of your seat much of the time and when her parents figure out who the attackers are; the subsequent revenge is very satisfying to watch (although it is not carried out in the most efficient manner). And even though the very last scene appeared slightly out of place, it still made for an unexpected and entertaining ending. All in all, a very good movie.


27. Dread (2009)- {3.75/5} DVD (First-time viewing) This one is part of the Afterdark Horrorfest 4 and is based on a short story by Clive Barker. It is about a man who recruits a couple of college students to help him do a psychological study on people's deepest fears. It turns out that the man (who was a psychopath from the jump) had alterior motives for doing the study as he eventually sets out to make the participants' deepest fears come true. Overall, I thought this movie was very well done. The performances are spot on and the originality of the story itself was quite intriguing. Some of the scenes were very graphic/entertaining to watch and the tension in the movie built up nicely until it culminates in a rather cool ending. Originally, I wasn't sure if I liked the last few sequences that led up to the ending, but after thinking about it today; I decided that it was fine the way it was. This movie was a very good addition to this year's challenge and it is definitely worthy of a rental recommendation for others.


28. Trick 'r Treat (2007)- {3.75/5} Blu-Ray Rating stands from last year. I bought this movie a few months back as it figures to be in regular rotation for future October Horrorfest challenges. A fun and entertaining Halloween flick.


29. Hostel (2005)- {4.25/5} Blu-Ray Its been a few years since I've seen this movie so I jumped at the chance to buy the blu-ray for $10 a few weeks ago. Its a cool and original story with solid performances by the cast and the fact that it could actually happen in real life makes it that much more disturbing to watch. The eye candy is in full effect as well. Some of the scenes are quite gruesome and realistic and the surround mix was done exceptionally well. Aside from a few minor flaws, this movie is a very solid effort IMO. In fact, I think I'm going to add Hostel II to my library for next year's Horrorfest.


30. The Final (2010)- {1.75/5} DVD (First-time viewing) This movie is a part of Afterdark Horrorfest IV. It is about a group of high school kids (who have been bullied by the "upper class" of students at their school) who decide to anonymously host a costume party of which only the popular kids were given an invitation. Once there, they plan to torture them in an effort to teach them a lesson and get revenge. I read somewhere that this movie resembled a glorified high school production and that analysis is spot on. The acting was extremely weak and the pacing was absolutely atrocious. I felt that the overall premise was interesting and once the movie began, it succeeded at holding my attention as I anxiously anticipated the beginning of the "party". Unfortunately the trailer made this movie look alot better than it was and it ended up being nearly a complete flop. Not recommended.


31. Orphan (2009)- {4.75/5} Blu-Ray This is the perfect way to end another October Horrorfest. My rating remains the same from last year as this is a repeat from last year's challenge. There isn't much to say about this movie that I haven't already posted. Personally, I think this movie is a near masterpiece. Vera Farmiga and especially Isabelle Fuhrman give outstanding performances and I can't say enough about the cinematography and all the subtle touches that make this such a fun watch even after several prior viewings. An absolute thrill ride!




Its amazing how quickly this month flew by. Once again, it was an absolute blast and I hope everyone makes it back here next year. I look forward to going back through everyone's reviews/lists and coming up with future additions to Horrorfest. Thanks again folks!! Over and out.
 
#712 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Airboss /forum/post/19276100


Great one to start off with yankeeman. There were several AVS'ers that called me sick when I posted about this movie, better watch out.

You are sick. Sick sick sick.



Yeah, i hear that all the time, particularly from my wife when i describe the movies to her.


If you remember, i defended you in the Grotesque thread here.
 
#714 ·
The Grotesque i have is an Asian version, but it does have English subtitles.


Now then, today being Oct 2nd, i continued my early morning viewing. I am starting my collection of about 13 dvds that i own from the Masters Of Horror series.


Today, my second movie for the month was:


MASTERS OF HORROR - CLIVE BARKER'S HAECKEL'S TALE


While the first half is slow, it weaves a story, and it really picks up in the second half and becomes quite good and quite visual. Its a perfect thing to watch in October since the overall look and feel to it kind of go with the month of October. Definetely worth a watch, and i probably would have liked it more if i had not watched Grotesque yesterday, as that made Haeckels Tale seem more mild in comparison.
 
#715 ·
I'm almost embarrassed to post the first of my two for the day... almost.

Warlock


I don't remember ever seeing this one, and it honestly doesn't really qualify as a "horror" movie anymore (maybe back in 1989 it would have). It reminded me of a mediocre version of the original "Highlander" only with witchcraft instead of swords. I imagine it would have been decent in 89, but in 2010 it doesn't hold up.


I give it a 4/10.


The next one I watched today was MUCH better:

Deadgirl


I don't wanna give away to much, because I think the movie was much better given the fact I knew nothing about it. Several good surprise twists combined with a well developed plot made for an enjoyable ride.


8/10.
 
#716 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by BMaugans /forum/post/19279994


I'm almost embarrassed to post the first of my two for the day... almost.

Warlock


I don't remember ever seeing this one, and it honestly doesn't really qualify as a "horror" movie anymore (maybe back in 1989 it would have). It reminded me of a mediocre version of the original "Highlander" only with witchcraft instead of swords. I imagine it would have been decent in 89, but in 2010 it doesn't hold up.


I give it a 4/10.


The next one I watched today was MUCH better:

Deadgirl


I don't wanna give away to much, because I think the movie was much better given the fact I knew nothing about it. Several good surprise twists combined with a well developed plot made for an enjoyable ride.


8/10.

If that's the worst one you see this month I'd say you're pretty lucky.
Good stuff so far BMaugans and the rest of you guys!


I tried to kick it off Thursday @ midnight but fell asleep halfway though. Last night's kickoff party was a blast. Horror movies (especially bad ones) are much more fun with a crowd. And beer. Lots of it.
 
#718 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by BMaugans /forum/post/19279994

Deadgirl


I don't wanna give away to much, because I think the movie was much better given the fact I knew nothing about it. Several good surprise twists combined with a well developed plot made for an enjoyable ride.


8/10.

Deadgirl is EXCELLANT. Great choice!!!!
 
#719 ·
2. Happy Birthday To Me (first-time viewing)

Starts out as a standard early 80's slasher, but it's really a mystery or a whodunnit. The teenagers are pretty much all unlikeable, which is the movie's greatest weakness, and it's a bit jarring to see Melissa Sue Anderson (the older sister in "Little House on the Prairie") partially disrobing in an early scene. A few nice almost Hitchcockian twists, lots of creative and stylish kills, this one really keeps you guessing right up until the end. But the end is just asking audiences to swallow way too much, unfortunately, stretching the point of believability too far. Not a bad way to spend 110 minutes, though.

2010 Horror Movie Marathon List

1. Severance

2. Happy Birthday To Me
 
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