Film Review : " Together"

Much like "The Human Centipede,"; the premise of this movie is more horrifying than what happens on screen. Horror is often a dark mirror reflection of what is going on in society, so it's clear that the rise in body horror has to do with questions of identity. In this movie sense of identity in relationships. This creates a relatable and very grounding premise that does not offer a great deal of "don't go in the basement" moments. In some ways, it's like "the Substance" and in others, John Carpenter's take on "the Thing". Mainly practical effects help this movie, which stars Allison Brie.  

There is also a Lovecraftian theme to the story. A curse of a cult whose chapel sinks under the earth to create monsters. This helps them avoid several tropes, but it could have been something Stuart Gordon might have made, and that is a good thing. The antagonist is passive aggressive until they become known. Though there is no clear resolution with this character or really anyone, leaving you to think this might be a trans-allied film. But it is more complex than that. It's the horrors of this undead relationship that set the tone for something as skin-crawling as the morphing bodies shifting on screen.

In my mind I kept waiting for something more gruesome, and I think the restraint they should which was not shown by the ned of 'The Substance," makes it a more entertaining film, though not as visually stunning as that movie. They do not shy from the special effects, but they go easy on the gore, making the tension of violence work for them. I really enjoyed this movie and recommend it to horror fans that are looking for something different. 

Film Review - "Late Night With the Devil'

This homage to the 1970s and the tone of horror back then is appreciated even when the execution might be questionable. The camp factor and suspension of disbelief compensate for a great deal in terms of what the budget might have restricted them to. This is aided by the found footage nature of the movie.  I think a big strength of the film is that it does not try to be another A24 or Millenial Teen Horror movie. It does not care about your feelings. Sure some of the concepts including the possessed girl might be well-worn horror tropes but they are approached from a fresh perspective. 

The movie ie might not take itself seriously but never crosses over into comedy, which it's unsure if that is, in fact, its intention. The humor comes across as an awkward diversion to avoid feeling the tension. This might be the most realistic part of the film. You never really care about the characters that much to become invested in their impending demise. You also can not say this movie has a happy ending, which is another plus in my book, as I prefer horror to be as bleak as possible, with no hope, which is horrifying in the emotional sense.  The movie plays with darker concepts, but never plunges you firmly into them, but still works for what they are going for. 

The best thing about this movie is so far this year Hollywood, as leaned in on remakes and rehasing movies rather than offering the audience a choice of picking fresh new content. This feels like when it comes to horror this has been worse, as "Immaculate" and the Omen prequel were almost the same movie, I did not review both because it would have been redundant, at least this is not a remake, and feels like some creative chances were taken, I think the very fact they did so made this work perhaps even more than the reality of what was committed to film as I was relieved to at least have the option of something new even if it was winking in the direction of a particular era, making that easily forgivable.  

Film Review : "Infinity Pool"

This movie is horror but not in the ways you think of horror. The concept is equal parts sci-fi in the concept of cloning. The body horror twisting the sense of identity was something also explored in director/ writer Brandon Cronenberg's last film "Possessor" Here it is taken a step further. The underlying message explores the social/political concepts of how other cultures see Americans. The invasion of drunk tourists who escape consequences, as well as some BDSM themes that are dabbled in. But the main takeaway is the beauty of the storytelling that is unfurled here which shows Brandon very mindfully carrying on his father's legacy. 

I want movies to disturb me and make me feel something. He successfully accomplishes this by creating an offsetting mood, where you see the road the characters are going down in their spiral into this abyss. Mia Goth continues to prove herself and her acting exceeds what she did in her work last year with TI West. There is not a clear-cut antagonist in this movie, but she would be in the running for it. The main theme is man vs himself, often the metaphor is clear, sometimes even literal. Masks are also a powerful symbol used, this sometimes creates a Clockwork Orange feel when things get reckless and characters give in to criminal urges.

What this movie does best is what I look for in not only horror movies but all cinema which is to take the darker ugliness and shoot it in a way that depicts it with stunning beauty. I want to see the worst perversity but shot in a way that makes it a surreal ballet. There is no real gore and even the violence is kept in check, but the violence is more of an attitude shaped by how bizarre trauma fragments someone and makes you question who is their real self. Death of self and shedding the condition weakness of the world unlocks a fearless animal inside and asks where is the line here. An excellent movie that leaves you with more questions like a dream you woke up in the middle of.    

       

Film Review : "Raw"

Here is the problem I run into when prospecting horror movies. I read something that says people are passing out at film festivals and being carted off in ambulances because it is so gruesome and then when I go to watch it the movie is border line horror more of a dark independent film. So what I have to remind myself is that the people who go to film festivals like Cannes to begin with would not know a horror movie unless it fucked them up the ass and are such goddamn pussies they could sit through the first Human Centipede. So needless to say my hopes and dreams in regards to “Raw” were very high. The French film was well made. The acting was above average even for art house fare. It would be hard to call this a horror movie if it were not for the subject matter . Cannibalism.

It is really more of a coming of age film. The liberal veterinary college they go to is filled with all of the people I detest in southern Europe. Lots of pretense. They make terrorism seem like a good way to thin the herd. So they are fodder fit to be eaten. I am not sure if this was the point of the movie, but it was one of my take aways. I need horror to be scary. Sometimes this comes by way of tension. There is a tension to the movie. Sometimes they hyper realism, adds to this and makes you feel a little uncomfortable at times. So it is hard for me to say this is a bad movie, though it does drag at points, but it does illict that feeling from you so it that way it certainly succeeds when not being full of it self in the way you almost expect french films to be.

With that French atmosphere comes a sexual element. Here the blood is almost a lubricant for the complicated social circles these two sisters have . There is a love hate relationship with these two sisters and the fight they eventually get it feels like a little bit of a release. We have seen cannibalism portrayed on screen in various ways, but not in this same way. To compare it to the Green Inferno, would be absurd though both movies have cannibals . so a movie like “We Are What We Are” might be more fitting though the latter is more of a horror film. 2017 has been more sparse in terms of horror. I was not able to even cobble together much of a top ten list last year, but might have more hope this year, so you take what you can get. It depends on how much you like French Films and what you want from horror when it comes to asking if this film will give you what you want. I am glad I did not pay 11 dollars to see if ,but it was not a bad movie, just not the kind of movie I was hoping for.

Movie Review : Split

Not too far removed from "Silence of the Lambs" in terms of the depth of horror. It is a much more intense character study than the Hannibal films. The intent is unclear where Hannibal is more calculated and some of this uncertainty is what makes the movie more unnerving.   M. Night Shyamalan comes pretty close to breaking away from the Rubix cube like formula we find in most of his films and finally delivers a horror movie. He got scary with "the 6th Sense" but takes it in a more disturbing direction that could have easily gone the way of torture porn, which at times I hoped for. It was very reserved when it comes to the violence. In truth the movie really hangs upon James McAvoy's career defining performance that has changed the game as to how you will see him going forward. Insanity is a key component to his character who has a multiple personality disorder . We mainly see the more dominant ones.

Until the end he really doesn't use much in the way of make up to change personalities, in fact he might wear a woman's clothes , but it is all in how he uses the nuances of her personality to transform him self. He captures the energy and innocence of a child and really makes you forget about Professor X or any other of his roles. They get right to the dirty work and prove you don't have to waste too much time trying to make you sympathetic to the victims in order to make you feel the danger. Even the more don't go in the basement escape moments are fluid and make sense given the protagonists are mainly teenager's aside from his therapist.

One thing I feel separates great horror movies from mediocre is the ability to make the most out of beautiful shots and create something more compelling than a blood bath.  Shyamalan proves that "the 6th Sense" was not a fluke, and despite the movies pg-13 rating creates something that draws you in visually as well as emotionally. Sure it was a little cheesy to tie it into "Unbreakable". Some times the over the top transformations McAvoy makes are even a little funny though it is disarming to the character in the story being told. If you like the more suspenseful side of horror , I think this movie will be dark enough for you and if you like "psycho" characters then this is a must see.

Deathgasm

You would think a metal horror movie would win me over without problem. It had some enjoyable moments, most of these in the front end of the film when the characters were being developed, but once things hit the fan, then it became almost the equivalent of a zombie movie , but with eyeless demons running around. I don't like comedies so this movie had that going against it. There was lots of senseless blood spaying every where, like something from the Tokyo Gore Police. But for me gore is more effective when it makes you squirm and when it is in such an over top manner than it loses this effectiveness. This is not nit picking is this just looking at what makes good horror movies or doesn't. If someone told me they like Deathgasm I am going to assume the prefer comedy. It takes a sharper writer than the one who wrote this script to make comedy and horror work in the keen manner it does on a movie like "Cabin In the Woods".

Sure they name dropped both King Diamond and Slayer, but so did the Clerks movies and than is not horror. Truth be told "River's Edge " is a better heavy metal movie, and even for all it's 80s cheese, you pretty much have to say the same for "Trick Or Treat". This movie lacked an effective big bad, a few ere hinted at and killed off, then the buddy movie took a sour turn, which had been set up via the tension with the love interest. I like how she was converted into a metal head, but the tension between her and the protagonist with not substantial. I'm over thinking this you say?  Why can't I just let this movie be dumb fun. I am all for horror movies being fun, it's the dumb part I have a problem with. How about a grim serious heavy metal movie? Obviously this is going to come from a movie called "DeathGasm".

The acting and effects were lacking and the winks they did at black metal and the 80s horror movies were more effective in some places than others. The movie started off with a lot of heart that made me return to it but once it got bogged down in the tired running around town with zombies or demons taking over things then it felt stale. If all you need is monsters getting killed with dildos, then you must be under the age of 17 as that must be this movie's demographic. It could have been smarter and that would have made up for the low budget blues.  Maybe one day I'll get that serious horror movie or make it myself.

the Human Centipede 3 The Final Sequence

The first movie was unnerving in concept alone. Otherwise it should surprising taste and class considering the subject. The second movie  was an homage to Easerhead in someways. It had the grit and gore the first film held back on  but it worked. The third movie is a tribute to exploitation films of the 70s'. Some of the David Lynch influence still lingers in the awkward bursts of insanity from Dieter Laser as the Warden. This is a tribute to the girls in prison films, but a homo-erotic shadow of that. Gay men into bdsm should flock to this. It's almost all man on man if it was not for the over the top t&a sex kitten secretary played by porn star Bree Olson. Tom Six is well aware most porn stars look better with there clothes on as it's the about to burst out of them motif that builds adolescent tension.

This is not an original concept , but lines up with other exploitation homages such as the Machete movies, Hobo with a Shotgun, Iron Sky or Bitch slap. The only difference is Six is willing to take it further, but if you have seen Ilsa the Wicked Warden you have already seen this movie.  I can understand what he was going for and why he was going for it. The gore factor is non- existent compared to the second movie. It's really bordering on not being a horror movie and could be a Quintin Tarintino movie if it had wittier and punchier dialogue. Harvey and Olson are the films best actors. He is exuberant at times and contrasts his character from the second film, though is the Warden's lackey.

The end felt rushed and the post- centipede scenes not as fluid as his other work. But to Six's
credit this is a better than most of  the wanna be exploitation films, yes this means you too Machete. However  I have not seen Wolf-cop yet a movie that would have to really be bringing the cheese to out do the other wise serious Late Phases. If you are a die hard Centipede fan as I am then go ahead and see this knowing it's hardly the horror movie that you were hoping for. I am looking forward to seeing where Six goes from here and if he is a one trick pony or not, after the first two films I have faith. The bar was raised really high here so its understandable why he really didn't take the leap. Well at least he has 70s retro out of his system for whatever he embarks on next. You can bet you won't be doing any re-makes of other horror movies. Wouldn't be surprised if he cropped up on the next ABCs of Death.

Byzantium

Byzantium might be one of the best vampires movies in some time. Despite strong showing at film festivals last fall, the theatric release was shamefully limited, though this trend in indie cinema finds the film getting the most exposure as it was just released on Showtime and dvd simultaneously .

 The movie embraces the human elements and romantic notions while keeping things gruesome in small doses when it is called for. The movie is beautifully shot and explores it's own take on the mythos. The vampires are not as supernatural as i might like, hell they don't even have sharp teeth , they just grow a mean thumb nail, not too mention my number one pet , they can walk in daylight. But even with those liberties playing against it the movie was able to win me over.

Vampire exhaust is not at a fever pitch as it was for zombies, who return from the dead became more tedious given the rather hipster cool zombies had taken in the past five years. Vampires are complex emotional creatures where zombie just chew scenery and are more of a back drop. The complex nature of vampires is what the film nails. the mother/whore, always believes she is doing what is best to protect her child, despite the glimpses we see of what a wicked predatory bitch she can be.

The dialogue feels natural and the only melodramatic moments come from the Vampire council who comes to hunt down the rogue vampires. This gives the actors a lot to work with and make their complex relationships and torn natures seem much more believable and answers the question about the nomadic life of a modern day bloodsucker , rather than making them super heroes who happen to suck blood. While my favorite vampires are the more monstrous variety depicted in 30 Days of Night, this is a good movie where the characters happen to be vampires, they very well could have been just serial killers and this movie would have been just as effective.

Saoirse Ronan steals the movie as usual, her acting chops are far superior to Gemma Arterton, whose sex pot vampire role, certainly has it's appeal, as she came across way sexier than she did in Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters, but Ronan continues to encompass a wider range of emotions in her roles. 

The flash back give you the back round story with out having to start with an origin or lay all the by laws for these vampires out for you. It covers it's bases and makes sense of the unique nature of it's character leaving few plot holes. There was enough of a bitter sweet element to it's ending to leave me statisfied , even though it did not adhere to my no survivors rule on horror movies.

Hopefully the On Demand options Show Time is offering will gain the audience this film deserves, a sequel would only cheapen this film , but the ending leaves it open for one. So if you are tired of the rather high school depictions vampires have gotten lately then this is a film that is worth your time.  

Nurse 3-d

This movie straddles a sometimes campy line and heavy handed premise, but might surprise you with the quality in which this film was made. I'm a fan of violence as long as the blood shed has a certain visually striking element to it. This film delivers that that regard and makes up for the dialogue that seems like it was dumbed down for a broader audience.

The 10 million dollars invested in this film was used very wisely, as the film really looks goo. Some of the sequences made the 3-d nature of the film's theatrical release very apparent, particularly in the high body count of the film final twenty minutes. Lionsgate was very conservative in the release as it opened in only 10 theaters.

Paz de la Huerta who frequently sans her panties for scenes , sometimes plays her role of an obsessed psychopath whose mainly weapon lies between her legs with almost too much camp. Yet it's clear this is stylistically what the film was aiming for, horror fans of the 80's and 90's will get this other audiences might miss the winks to the golden age of cheese that this movie draws inspiration from.

Director Douglas Aarniokoski has been the assistant Director on some high profile classics such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and From Dusk Til Dawn but has only ruled the directors chair on television shows along the lines of Sleepy Hollow and Criminal Minds, the latter shows it's influence the most. Sure there is a Fatal Attraction element to the film, as well as an 80's revenge flick meets torture porn vibe.

With big name actors such as Judd Nelson and Katleen Turner in a few supporting roles the bulk of the film is left to Paz de la Huerta , who uses her t&a more strongly than say Rebecca De Mornay in the Hand That Rocks The Cradle, though I would say Nurse is gory enough to easily cross over from thriller.

Sure sometimes the movie tries too hard to wink at it's naughty hi-jinks, it at times comes across like a tribute to these types of movies in the late 80's the same way Machete wants to be an exploitation film. However if you are like me and grew up on 80's horror then you might have an appreciation for this movie. Who doesn't miss the days where sex and slashing came to the screen hand in hand.

Fans of torture porn and revenge flicks will look past the often card board dialogue and take the movie in for the gory fun it turns into. There is the same blood spurting chaos that Asian extreme is known for though, not taken to such fountain like levels of absurdity. In some ways the main character's break down reminds me of Patrick Bateman from American Pyscho, she starts off with an almost Dexter like mission that descends into a blood bath when she can't keep crazy together. So despite the dialogue it comes pretty close to meeting my expectations.

Bates Motel

So i saw an advance of the new show that is billing it's self as a prequel to the 1960 classic which is not only a crowning achievement but one of the greatest directors Alfred Hitchcock but could also be one of the greatest films ever made , that that is what we are weighing this against...not another teen thriller on the CW but a movie that changed the game and created the horror subgenre we now know as slasher films ...you what paved the way for the likes of Halloween, Texas chainsaw Massacre , Hostel ..etc. In and of it self the show is entertaining when it stays out of high-school, lets face even on their best days the whole highschool thing has been done to death and after Buffy is it even needed to go there, not like there is a lack of that sort of thing on tv in the first place.

The major strike against the show is it's modernized ,now im not sure how a prequel to something set in 1960 ends up in 2013...yes there are ipods and iphones... so a key plot device of the original film is rendered a mute point as Janet Leigh could have gotten on her iphone and looked up triple a or a less creepy hotel or used mapqwest to know a better highway was built. So its silly really, they missed an opportunity to have retro feel , made a horror version of madmen...oh yeah before you say well why copy madmen...well why copy a thousand high-school shows.

Another think is i understand nerd is the new hipster but a car full of girls fawning over a dorky Norman Bates who has a overbearing mother is a little much more me to suspend my disbelief on and he needs to be more fucked up over chicks thats why he grew up to get all his voyeuristic kicks out of the peep hole shower. This show has the momentum of a lot of unfounded hype over it, based off of what commercial? their are a ton of people liking it on Facebook when it was sight unseen so they are all going to feel pretty stupid once they actually watch it. Its not horrible, it for the most part want to be the parts I like least about Dexter the teenage flash backs. But it was still watchable despite this, part of this was there is a rape in the first episode, though a pretty tame on, and on A&E I have low expectations for the shower scenes to come.

The Norman Bates character does capture some of his mannerisms and his awkward communication disconnects though the dynamic with him and his mother needs some work, but im not totally sold on this kid or his mother who is almost too likable at this point, though she is passive aggressive enough for you to see where its going. The problem with prequels is we know whats going to happen, he cant get killed or caught, so the stakes aren't as high as Dexter as in some ways this is the vampire diaries version of Dexter. Sure there wouldn't be a Dexter with out Psycho but that's not stopping these writers.

I don't see this being able to hold its own as a series, the modernization is going to drag the show into lowest common denominator teen fodder, and the horror elements are going to remain on par with Vampire Diaries, though Im not sure the looming Hannibal Lecter series is going to be much better and have yet to check out Ripper Street, though I plan on it once i get caught up with everything else, consider this a lesson in be careful what you like before you see it as its not as offensive as what I expected but misses the mark of respecting the source material.

Days of the Dead 2013

Held this year at the Sheraton in Atlanta, it was a step up from the conventions's debut in Atlanta last year. There were more dealers and if I had the money to spend would have walked away with a King Diamond action figure as well as an Ilsa She Wolf of the SS shirt. But I'm broke so avoiding spending money this year. The guests could be just as easily approached leaving the bar as they were at there tables , so I ran into both Tom Savini and Danny Trejo. I also saw Eddie Munster and Eerie Von wandering around ,the latter I did not recognized with out his devil lock. The Cosplay , was in full effect but of course couldn't compare to Dragon con, I was working with Chambers of Horror so as a Con rarity for me I spent Saturday night in costume as well. So you know it was me as the creepy old man being wheeled around I the wheel chair, sometimes with a giant green phallus.

The Hotel was easier to hang out in, the security seemed a little too tight at the Ball Saturday night, where Feind Without a Face played, the band featuring members of Mastodon , not the movie they were named after. Sure coffee was overpriced and their wasn't a con suite to help make up for thatif but oh we'll it was a block away from the same food court that hosts dragon con , so my. If treat was a trip to dairy queen on sat.

When this con rolls through your town it is worth the trip, particularlly if you are a collector as there DVDs of movies I hadn't even heard of being made which is rare and several titles which it would be impossible to find torrents of, as well as t shirts and toys galore. A lot of it did deviate from the horror genre as there were alof of Masters of the Universe figures as well as Superheroes.Aside from the action figures I think Metal could have been represented a little better..aside from Ace Frehley and Eerie Von being there. Since I think at risk of crossover into the bounds of my other blog Abysmal Hymns, that since the eighties horror has played a essential role as they soundtrack to horror movies.

I think this Con is headed in the right direction, in Atlanta we have Dragon-con, which has had years to develop so the temptation to weigh it against it aren't fair as it is still in the toddler stages. I think the inclusion of fan panels would be a smart move even though this is a Travelling brand of a convention like the comic con brand , just with out the weight behind the name like Comic con has, I think reaching out to their local connections would be wise to create more participation and a greater variety of things to do. The inclusion of the Splatter Ball which featured live music and performances helped keep the party moving and things alive past midnight. I mean come on its a horror convention , things that go bump in the night is what it's all about so getting the night bumping is crucial, perhaps later hours for the main rooms , making it more nocturnal event would be fitting. I mean who is going to something at noon that's when most people should be waking up. All night movie marathons, hosted by the starts would be a great touch as well.

So my top ten list of things I enjoyed and things I want to see...

Not in any particular order

1- the new and improved dealer room

2-finally recognizing Eerie Von

3-later running time

4-more costumes

5-King Diamond action figures

6- there was less emphasis on zombies

7-Circus Envy's booth

8-the Sheraton being a better hotel than last year

9-seeing such a large number of my friends in one place

10- Ace Frehelys security precautions

To improve

1- go bump the night all night

2- horror movie marathons

3-more metal...and where was the death rock?

4-well Alice Cooper might be more fitting than Ace

5-sluttier costumes

6-more panels

7-less Star Wars and Masters of the Universe

8-a haunted house would be cool there...

9-Creature for the black lagoon in the pool?

10-more occult oriented things

Getting into the Grindhouse

After seeing Django Unchained last night, I was thinking about the revivalist Grindhouse films cropping up more in recent years. It's a trend that has had promise and some times gets elements of it right but normally never the complete film. Django is not exception to this despite this being ground which has kept Tarantinos career afloat for years , even in the case of Jackie Brown taking the risk of just being out right boring. I don't think I have ever stayed awake for the entirety of that film.

The blatant homage in the Grindhouse film which was the double feature of Death Proof and Planet Terror. I like planet terror and would put it in my top fifty horror movies list. Death proof had hot chicks and stylistically worked on a few levels but I think took the joke and ran too far. Sure every hipster is going to try and tell you Hobo with a Shotgun is great when it is absymal on almost every level. I will even go as far to saw the Hachet films are basically Grindhouse homages, though very influenced by Troma films which was influenced by the Grindhouse era as well.

With Django , I initially didn't want to see it because it looked too black power for me. Though I do like some Blackplotation , mainly just the Pam Grier films, and Scream Blacula Scream. Tarintino I think took too many of those films to heart as a kid and has some personal indentity issues involving race, almost a reverse racism.

It's Cristoph Waltz who steals the show just as he did in Inglorious Bastards which I found to be superior to Django. I did like to see Waltz play Victor Frankenstein, I think he would make the character very sympathetic or Baron Mordo in the Dr. Strange movie. The naziplotation sub genre is among my favorite , while I prefer the Ilsa movies , I think Iron Sky though overly comedic did an admirable job.

One element with Django is there were several good rape opportunities passed up and this seems to be a sticking point with Tarrantino is he never commits to rape unless it's the man on man in Pulp Fiction...un well, I'm all for equal choices in sexuality so to Judging maybe he needs to come out of the closet. I think the graphic rape depictions is hat put the x in the exploitive nature of Grindhouse. Without it why else were women getting naked unless it was a Russ Meyer film, and even then Russ knew how to use rape. It's the debasement of humiliation that really sells it and darkens the tone of these films. I think I made it known my outrage at the Grey Anatomy nature of the rape I the Straw Dogs remake , which is what made run Bitch run so great.

Speaking of great why not take a look at my list of top ten Modern Grindhouse films

10- Candy Stripers- sci fi with seductive alien women mating with Teenagers, the cgi is pretty bad but this is entertaining like breeders was

9-Intlorious Bastards- aside from the liberties with history one of the better nazi movies beats out the visual superior tone of Iron Sky because it's not as blatantly comedic

8- Sheitan - well a girl jacks off a dog at one point and it brought a second date to Satans still so that's worth something, pretty creepy

7-visitor q- this house guest incites incest and ll other lactating wackiness , oh the Asians

6- Pervert- just because Mary Carey is in it doesn't disqualify this homage to russ Meyer as porn

5-Planet Pyscho- this is too tongue in check to be horror and could have used some rape

4-run bitch run- the star is hot and neo ally don't like blondes, but some rop rape and humilitation as well as it captured the tone of spit on your grave better than the remake.

3-the devils rejects- rob only gave us a tease of the rape jd I hoped for a horror movie but as action flicks go its good

2- I saw the devil- revenge and torture rolled into one an excellent film

1- old boy- one of my favorite film ever , this dominates any Bronson or dirty Harry film

Chernobyl Diaries

This makes up for Dark Shadows, and I'm always a fan of movie monsters that aren't Zombies, in aside from World War Z, I think I'm done with zombie movies though I'll give rec 3 a shot. The deceptive trailers made this appear to be a found footage movie and it's not. Though it does have kind of raw cinematography to it that bring to mind 28 days later, Cloverfeild or Monsters. The premise is a little more Hostel at the beginning, the escapades of tourists in Russia. I assumed it to be a little more Silent Hill and though in tone that element is present in some ways it has more grit and not based in supernatural. Sure some mutant on tourist rape would have been a wonderful addition, what it doesn't show you is whats scary, the director plays his cards very close to his chest While the characters fall into the don't go into the basement victim cliches, the claustrophobic tension is maintained, not unlike the Descent. The scares are smart and effect minimal. The acting is convincing enough, even though only Devin Kelley's character comes across as likable, however, Olivia's Dudley's cleavage could have used higher billing and more of a starring role, here's where the mutant rape could have been put to good use. The gore is minimal, and the deaths happen off screen. The creatures for the most part are kept in the shadows and this plays to a effect than if they had shown up looking like the Toxic Avenger. The movie's atmosphere and the feeling of the characters peril is the movie's selling point. The only flaws really lie in how annoying some opf the characters becoming when they are coming unhinged, but perhaps his was what the director was trying to illicit. Considering the competition as far as horror goes this film is with out peer in the current market...unless you count Cabin in the woods, which almost seems like a different genre in comparison. So if you are a fan of horror who has been starving by the current drought of movies, then don't miss this ...as how sure can we be Prometheus is going to be horror and not sci-fi? Does Abraham Lincoln Vampire hunter even count ? All these questions and if the Apparition is going to be worth a damn will all be answered by the summers end.

Days of the Dead 2012

This was the Con's atlanta debut, so it was small. The hotel was nice , but location made me feel like it took as long to drive down there as it did so browse every room. The word today is next year's is being moved to the Marriott down town, which is encouraging as the trek discouraged me from attending all three days. The high light for me was meeting Laurence R. Harvey of Human Centipede 2 fame, who was very sweet and humble man, as well as Ogre from Skinny Puppy/Repo! a genetic opera, who stopped to talk to my daughter about her Cthulhu doll and the finer points of picking your nose as a baby.
Interesting to see the pseudo celebrity status some of local cos-players have taken on. Chambers of Horror and Atlanta Zombie Apocalypse were represented but there was a noted lack of presence in terms of the other Georgia haunts. I think the healthy Haunt community keeps the Horror scene in Atlanta as vital as it is today, while guys like Shane Morton and Luke Godfrey, keep the horror arteries unclogged and flowing with monthly/quarterly events its also something more hands to need to come to the table to keep the horror scenes growth.
I think a hug opportunity was lost to not have fan tracks/ panels , as they dark fantasy panel has proven at dragon-con, it is a huge element to the sub-culture and other mediums like comics,books and even video games keeps the larger horror pulse throbbing. I think aside from vampires and zombies, occult studies, bdsm lifestyle and even forensics / true crime would have been welcomes additions.
For me mission was accomplished in supporting the horror community and getting to see friends, I looke forward to the growth in this cons future

dragon- con wrap up and review part 3

check out my blog willsmashforcomics if you have no clue what dragon-con is , this is part 3 of a blog series covering the event. horror gets a fair shake at dragon-con, ranging from the zombie -prom, to guests from the field Elvira to robert englund in attendance. the for horror cosplay was present with the doll face killer from the hills run red being the most memorable , in years past i know i have seen leather face and pinhead. horror get mixed into the dark fantasy track, panels i caught were the highly entertaining supernatural panel where micsha collins stole the show. the true blood panel featured writer charline harris who came off as a creepy old rich lady intent on flirting with the panelists, the monster hunter panel featured both sherrilyn kenyon and laurell k hamilton.
the lower profile panels i attended ranges from the normal gambit of genre topics, the occult fact or fiction, vampires, and were-wolves. mainly writers in the field pimping there products , combating twilight and the inevitable back lash. there rather horrifying trends were ya...which when i was a kinda i was reading king and barker from the get go so , not sure why we need to play it safe for the kids? and one author who i had to bite my tongue when she brought up the fact she was wrting christian vampire fiction,i can't believe people were ok with this, it is encouraging to see while zombies are on the rise as well as the were-wolves horror might go the less teeny bopper romance route and one day attempt to scare us again.

Fright Night

While the original film was far from a classic it earned a place in my heart as a kid . I was surprised this was even made , but as the flux of re-makes go this was a decent blend of staying reasonable true to the source while given that modern spin hollywood loves as they think kids can't relate to anything that does not resemble their lives.
Collin Ferrel as the vampire was the weakest performance of the ensemble, the mother and son dynamic for some reason felt more like lost boys to me. the under current of sexy was not present in this version, which with the true blood trend of sexy vamps , this surprises me , though i did enjoy the more monstrous take on the myth, i think micheal c hall would have pulled off the sociopath role better , and his range as an actor i'm sure he could have pulled it off in away that made people forget for a minute he's Dexter .
The cgi effects , got no complaints , with the exception of the arm lost by Christopher Plasse, who played the red mist in kick ass, as he take the turn to the undead as evil ed, i think in the original this character was handle more effectively
the other problem with the movie lies in the way it was paced was not as effective as the original either much like let me in, it tried to be different for the sake of being different than building any sort of tension.
the peter vincent character who is a criss angel type performer rather than a creature feature host was the only area where being different worked . the character had a real charm . Much like the original , i can't say this movie would be considered scary to any one who is out of diapers. i think most horror fans can appreciate the fact it is well made and the general lack of horror on screen this year we are taking what ever we can get unfortunatly it's sequels to tepid franchises like final destination...none of those movies will ever grace this blog as they are little more than cw teen dramas.
If you have 11 dollars to burn this movie is entertaining if nothing else, though less blood the true blood. It at least was a good timekiller as i wait for decent copy of don't be afraid of the dark to pop up online.

The Devil's Rock

It's been a minute since i have been able to sit through a horror movie that keeps my attention in one sitting. With the devil's rock i did just that , small cast and the budget flaws seen in the gore effects budget add up to this not reaching a wide audience but it entertained me. Breaking away from the more conventional premises, i think demons don't get there fair share on the screen , as most movies of the past ten years have been vampire, were-wolf, serial killer and ghost flicks , so any monsters that break the mold are welcome. No i have not made it through troll hunter yet , but i am about to watch wake wood .
The nazi's dabbling in the occult is another welcome subject in horror for me , and this movie is chalk full of it though , a limited range in the presentation of the subject, the movie gives winks to inglorious bastards as much as it does the exorcist . Well acted and what they had at there disposal they made the most of , the succubus in her natural state , looks like the little sister of tim curry from legend, so like a metal album cover , i would have gone the hp lovecraft route on this one and had less be more , because the full monty on it looks like a stripper on halloween. Granted even then this is heads above alot of the straight to d vd garbage or the syfy movie dreck, but what i feel like keep a good movie instead of great one.I think this lack of realism took away the fear factor , say what you will but the paranormal activity movies scare the shit out of movie and they are made on nothing. if you like occult based horror with a high suspension of disbelief then this one is for you.

Stakeland

Didn't have to wait long for this one , ok at least as long as i though i would , now for red state . WoW , is what i have to say after just finishing this movie, first lets get the comparisons out of the way zombieland... zombie land is a joke , a well crafted joke but a comedy non the less , this movie takes it self very seriously , the other the road, a movie i loved, the road was grim , but not horror , the cannibals popped up for a minute but i would say it was sci-fi drama, i will say it is more of a feel good movie than the road , though most films are spider and tarnation aside, the road has a bigger budget and they apocalypse did not come from vampires , so it was more visual than this movie, the make up effect here are ok though the vampires do come across as fast zombies , as they are very feral, i think un-romanticizing vampires could be a trend in the twilight back lash, as film makers take back the night so to speak,what the film does well it excels at , very character driven , several oh shit how are they going to get out of this suspenseful moments, and thing i was oh shit i'm scared , like the basement scene in paranormal activity 2 , no i thought it was good story telling and film making but , i suppose there are some who might find this scary, it would be scarier than say last years over hyped indie film monsters, if zombie scare you then yes , if you are easilly creeped then yes , if not and you like horror see this anyway, the holly wood moments were kept to a minimum, this always scores big with me , am i a little jaded perhaps, but as an avid horror fan i am this audience you gotta throw the curve ball and if you are reading this chances are you might be as well

we are the night

haven't enjoyed a vampire movie this much since let the right one in, though genre film both not sure either would be a true horror film if we are going to nit pick here , because we are the night never scared me, neither did let the right one in, both films the main character comes from desperate beginnings that's where the similarities end, the only faults are one of the main character, who comes across like alice from twilight, and the heavy handedness to the climatic battle scene, a problem i also had with the wolf-man remake. the theme is familiar but with a different feels more lost boys than anything else which comes to mind aside from the beginning which i found to be slightly girl with the dragon tattoo , but is not a cut and paste of vampire films, it adds to the mythos slightly though the broader origins are left out, but thats where the film strength lies is what they don't tell you, there were several opportunities the could have cheesed it up and gone in a glitzy direction but use restraint. the cinematography had some cool moments , not a dazzling as say night watch and the violence wasn't as brutal as 30 days of night a vampire movie , i felt was actually scary, but it did me well and should hold me over until i can get my hands on a copy of stakeland , which i have the feeling is going to come across as how i am legend should have been made
up next ... we'll say tues my review of i saw the devil

Welcome

ok, I have willsmashforcomics , but needed a forum to discuss my love for horror in print and on screens, those of a theater or computer these days as i don't pay for cable. So what will and won't you see here ? It's my blog and when it comes to the macabre i have my preferences , there will be a lack of teeny bopper vampires or anything geared to that demographic, so don't hold your breath for breaking dawn or scream 4 reviews. I am not a fan of americanized re-makes they are for idiots incapable of reading subtitles and don't mess with the classics either , if it isn't going to be a different or improved take on something why bother. The dawn of the dead re-make is the only one i really tolerate ,so yes there will not be coverage of the fright night re-make as it will fall into the previously mentioned demographic. Horror with comedic elements aside from the uk's being human is not my thing. i liked shaun of the dead and zombieland but neither was horror so would not belong here.
Yes there will be tv shows on here, being human, supernatural...ok they balance the humor , true blood and walk dead . i'm sure preist, bereavement, insidious and lords of salem will get there time in the spotlight here as well.
Now what do i like ? Exorcisms, monsters and torture porn are my faves, the realer the better unless we are talking about monsters then suspension of disbelief goes out the window. My fave movie monster is Frankenstein, but don't call him a zombie and i won't hit you with my monster manual to prove other wise . the last horror movie that really did it for me was i saw the devil. anything depraved gets points for me. I'm kinda burned out on zombies, i know atlanta is the horror capital of the south but it seems any horror hipster in town is hung up on them and they have bored me, though i did like rec 2 .
there's