Rate the Last Movie You Saw

[dannyboy121070]

MAXXXINE hit Max yesterday, so that was last night's film. (Mild spoilers to follow.)
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I've found the trilogy to be OK so far....X was fun, but overrated, PEARL was great...this one was a slam dunk until the end, with a revelation that was always in the back of my mind, but seemed to be too ridiculous to really consider. And that was the way they chose to go...? Ugh. Not bad enough to ruin the film, but ludicrous enough to taint all that has gone before. Fun performances all around, some really gnarly gore, and I loved the 80s aesthetic Not too shabby, but someone should have vetoed that end reveal..

[dannyboy121070]

Just got back from seeing TERRIFIER 3. I am amazed that a film like this can be seen in a theater in this day and age.....it took me back to my early teen years in The Bronx, when it seemed like there was an unrated gorefest playing in our local dive theater almost every few weeks. RE-ANIMATOR, EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN, DAY OF THE DEAD, etc. This was a real throwback. Mercifully, it was shorter than the last one, but at the expense of the story flow. By the finale, you could tell that a lot of connective tissue had been snipped out to shorten the run time. I can't say that I enjoyed this film....it's more of an endurance test than anything else. The gore is almost unlimited, and mean as hell, but that stuff doesn't really bother me. I would probably refrain from telling Horror-haters that I saw this film, as this is the type of movie that would make people assume you were crazy for paying to see, lol.
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[dannyboy121070]

A couple of goodies over the past few days:

First up was the ROSEMARY'S BABY prequel, APARTMENT 7A, on Paramount+
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Much better than I expected it to be! Granted, nowhere near as good as the Polanski film, but it held my interest, which most prequels do NOT, and had some good performances, especially Dianne Wiest channeling Ruth Gordon. I had a good time.

Next up was a 35-year-later rewatch of THE WICKER MAN, which I have put off forever because I feel like I remember it too well to watch again. Turns out I remember the plot and the ending, and nothing else, so it was like a new film, basically. The joys of getting older! I forgot that it was, for all intents and purposes, a MUSICAL, with some very ear-wormy tunes! Christopher Lee looks like he had a blast making this film....he positively radiates joy. Lee in drag towards the end is a sight to behold. And who knew that there was a SEQUEL??? Although it doesn't appear to be streaming anywhere, I'm excited to finally learn that THE WICKER TREE is out there. Someday.....
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[Sock Monkey]

I saw this when it first hit Shudder a while back, and, while I thought it was well done, I just found it incredibly stupid that these people would basically stay in a really weird, potentially dangerous situation, just to be polite. I mean, at one point, they left, and came back for a stuffed animal...? Buy the kid a new one.

Yeah, I had the same the feeling about the stuffed animal moment. I gave the film a little bit of a pass on it because while I would have turned to my kid and been like "sucks to be you," I feel like the film did establish not just the lengths that the dad would go to get the stuffed animal back when it was left behind at the beginning of the film, but also his reaction when being complimented about how he was "a hero" for doing that for his daughter. I can see where stuff like this is a breaking point for some viewers, though.

[Sock Monkey]

Halloween Horror Movie #5:
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Night of the Hunter (1955):

This has been on my "To Watch" list for so long and I'm really glad that I finally got around to watching it, but I don't think I was prepared for what the movie was. While the plot centers around the battle between two children to keep stolen money away from what is essentially a serial killer posing as a preacher (played by Robert Mitchum, who deserves all the acclaim he receives for his portrayal), there is so much subtext in this movie around sexuality, violence, religion, and morality. I was really stunned how thematically dark the film was in the themes that the film touches on. There's a sequence about a teenage girl basically prostituting herself for affection from the boys in town and the viewer really has to pay attention to what's being said to grasp this whole dynamic, but it is so compelling as to how it situates itself into the narrative as a parallel to Shelley Winters's character. The cinematography and set designs are amazing and it does lend itself to feeling like a fairy tale in parts. While I do think this is much more of a noir than a horror film, I can see why so many horror aficionados claim it as one of their own. I really liked this film, but I know that I'll grow to love it upon repeat viewings. Grade: A

[dannyboy121070]

Halloween Horror Movie #5:
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Night of the Hunter (1955):

This has been on my "To Watch" list for so long and I'm really glad that I finally got around to watching it, but I don't think I was prepared for what the movie was. While the plot centers around the battle between two children to keep stolen money away from what is essentially a serial killer posing as a preacher (played by Robert Mitchum, who deserves all the acclaim he receives for his portrayal), there is so much subtext in this movie around sexuality, violence, religion, and morality. I was really stunned how thematically dark the film was in the themes that the film touches on. There's a sequence about a teenage girl basically prostituting herself for affection from the boys in town and the viewer really has to pay attention to what's being said to grasp this whole dynamic, but it is so compelling as to how it situates itself into the narrative as a parallel to Shelley Winters's character. The cinematography and set designs are amazing and it does lend itself to feeling like a fairy tale in parts. While I do think this is much more of a noir than a horror film, I can see why so many horror aficionados claim it as one of their own. I really liked this film, but I know that I'll grow to love it upon repeat viewings. Grade: A

Phenomenal film. I believe it was also the only film Charles Laughton ever directed. I might have to try to squeeze this in before Halloween.

[Sock Monkey]

Phenomenal film. I believe it was also the only film Charles Laughton ever directed. I might have to try to squeeze this in before Halloween.

It is Laughton's only directorial effort and it just blows my mind because it is so accomplished. I'd love to see what else he would have done if given the chance or inclination.

[Sock Monkey]

Halloween Movie #6

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Annabelle Comes Home (2019): This movie was nowhere near being on my Halloween viewing agenda, but we had a dinner with some of my wife's work friends and they all decided that watching a horror movie would be fun. As a pretty diehard movie fan, I helped put together a list of movies, but really didn't want to weigh in too heavily because there's horror fans who do super deep dives into things and then there's horror fans who kinda skim the surface of mainstream fare. I'm not judging either because everyone's got their tastes, but being in the former camp, it is very easy to misjudge what other people think is "scary." I'd hate for someone to be, like, "I want to see a very scary movie" meaning like The Conjuring or Scream (which I like both), but I show up with like I Saw the Devil or Martyrs or something way off the wall. Anyways, they settled on this trilogy-capper to the Annabelle franchise. I did watch the first Annabelle and didn't think too much of it, so I skipped both the second and third film. This one kinda works as like The Conjuring 1.5 and I still like Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in the roles of Ed and Lorraine Warren, even if the movies don't quite match up to their chemistry. Unfortunately, most of the film is about the Warrens' daughter, her babysitter, and the babysitter's friend battling it out against the demon in control of the Annabelle doll. To be fair, I actually really liked all the characters and there was a lot more emphasis placed on character development and suspense than I had anticipated. Yet, the movie falls victim to the problem I have with a lot of James Wan's movies and their spinoffs: they show the ghosts/monsters/demons too darn much. When the movie gets cranking it's all weird werewolf ghosts (that can tear up a car, but gets scattered into mist when hit with a guitar?) and possessed dresses and visions of dead parents. It all ends rather abruptly, but, overall, it's perfectly fine. If I was 15, then this might have absolutely been my jam and I did enjoy it for what it was. Grade: C-

[dannyboy121070]

A mixed bag over the past few nights, in terms of subject matter and quality.

First up was Neil Marshall's DOG SOLDIERS, which didn't hold up as well as I had hoped. I struggled with the thick accents, and a lot of the soldier's personalities grated on me. The werewolf effects still got the same response from me a few decades later: An innovative approach, but they basically looked like Cirque De Soleil performers in bodysuits, on stilts, with immobile dog masks on. I loved it when it first came out, but didn't thrill me as much the second time around. It was, however, great to discover that my favorite GAME OF THRONES actor, Liam Cunningham, appeared in the film.
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The next night found me finally giving in and watching NIGHT OF THE DEMONS, which I have put off for years. I'm glad I pulled the trigger...It was the kind of film my friend Bryan and I would go to our local dive to see every weekend in the 80s. My move upstate must have caused us to juuuuust miss this one, as it would have been right up our alley. The final girl is maybe the worst actress I have ever seen in a movie like this, and that's saying something. The effects and gore were a lot of fun, and I'm sorry I put this one off for so long.
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Finally, after a day that dealt me some truly life-altering news, I felt like I needed a laugh, and since I'm reading her autobiography, I decided to watch ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK, which did the trick, and provided me with a lot of smiles, and a few unexpectedly deep belly laughs. (I had to pause the film when Elvira is messing with the letters on the theater marquee, because I was laughing so hard, and didn't want to miss anything.) Unexpectedly dirty for a PG-13 movie....I had another great laugh when, after getting bonked on the noggin, Elvira is asked "How's your head?", to which she replies "I haven't had any complaints." And it was written by the guy who played Jambi the Genie on PEE WEE'S PLAYHOUSE! I had a lot of fun, and may just watch the sequel tonight.
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[Sock Monkey]

Halloween Horror Movie #7:

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Exhuma (2024): The one downside to watching (and reading) a lot of horror is that I can situate myself within a narrative pretty quickly and while I’m not one of those people who like to be two steps ahead of a film, it isn’t very often where I pause the movie like I did with Exhuma and turn to my viewing companions and be like, “I have no idea where this is going.” This movie starts off being about a group of four individuals—a female shaman and her protégé, a geomancer, and a guy who works in the morgue—working together to rid a Korean family of a curse and then morphs into something completely different, but includes ancient secrets, demons, and Korea’s relationship with Japan. While I feel like some of the nuance was lost on me due to cultural specificity, I really enjoyed this film and loved the mythology that it covered. Highly recommended if that sounds like your jam. Grade: A

Halloween Horror Movie #8:

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The Coffee Table (2022): There’s very little that I can say about this film that won’t ruin it and, honestly, knowing even the hook dampens the effect. Here is what I can tell you: Jesus and Maria have just had a baby and being new parents is taking its toll on the couple. Jesus, in an attempt to assert himself, digs his heels in on his choice of a coffee table for their apartment, a choice that sets off a chain reaction of events with devastating consequences. I feel this is kind of a “love it or hate it” type of film and for me and the wife, this was absolutely a “love it.” Not horror in the traditional sense, but very unnerving. Grade: A

Halloween Horror Movie #9:

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Big Bad Wolves (2013): You know, when you’re making your way through close to two dozen films, there’s gonna be at least a couple of misses…and this was most assuredly one of them. Ostensibly a dark comedy about a rogue cop and the father of a murdered girl teaming up to kidnap and torture a confession out of the girl’s suspected killer, this film is neither funny, suspenseful, or scary. Instead, it’s a chore. Not even a last minute twist could save the film. If the synopsis sounds like it could be your cup of tea, then I’d suggest foregoing this one and instead watch another 2013 film, Prisoners, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal. It isn’t perfect, but a lot more compelling than this one. Grade: D-

[Sock Monkey]

A mixed bag over the past few nights, in terms of subject matter and quality.

First up was Neil Marshall's DOG SOLDIERS, which didn't hold up as well as I had hoped. I struggled with the thick accents, and a lot of the soldier's personalities grated on me. The werewolf effects still got the same response from me a few decades later: An innovative approach, but they basically looked like Cirque De Soleil performers in bodysuits, on stilts, with immobile dog masks on. I loved it when it first came out, but didn't thrill me as much the second time around. It was, however, great to discover that my favorite GAME OF THRONES actor, Liam Cunningham, appeared in the film.
p30014_v_v10_aa.jpg
The next night found me finally giving in and watching NIGHT OF THE DEMONS, which I have put off for years. I'm glad I pulled the trigger...It was the kind of film my friend Bryan and I would go to our local dive to see every weekend in the 80s. My move upstate must have caused us to juuuuust miss this one, as it would have been right up our alley. The final girl is maybe the worst actress I have ever seen in a movie like this, and that's saying something. The effects and gore were a lot of fun, and I'm sorry I put this one off for so long.
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Finally, after a day that dealt me some truly life-altering news, I felt like I needed a laugh, and since I'm reading her autobiography, I decided to watch ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK, which did the trick, and provided me with a lot of smiles, and a few unexpectedly deep belly laughs. (I had to pause the film when Elvira is messing with the letters on the theater marquee, because I was laughing so hard, and didn't want to miss anything.) Unexpectedly dirty for a PG-13 movie....I had another great laugh when, after getting bonked on the noggin, Elvira is asked "How's your head?", to which she replies "I haven't had any complaints." And it was written by the guy who played Jambi the Genie on PEE WEE'S PLAYHOUSE! I had a lot of fun, and may just watch the sequel tonight.
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Man, I love Dog Soldiers. It's been so long since I've seen it that now I'm worried I'll have the same experience you have had. I've never seen Night of the Demons, but did catch the first half of the remake that came out a while back and I've never felt the need to go back and finish it. Maybe I'll check out the original one day. And I really liked that Elvira movie when I saw it when it first came out. I remember it being a lot of fun, but haven't seen it since then. Maybe something else to revisit one day!

[dannyboy121070]

Halloween Horror Movie #7:

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Exhuma (2024): The one downside to watching (and reading) a lot of horror is that I can situate myself within a narrative pretty quickly and while I’m not one of those people who like to be two steps ahead of a film, it isn’t very often where I pause the movie like I did with Exhuma and turn to my viewing companions and be like, “I have no idea where this is going.” This movie starts off being about a group of four individuals—a female shaman and her protégé, a geomancer, and a guy who works in the morgue—working together to rid a Korean family of a curse and then morphs into something completely different, but includes ancient secrets, demons, and Korea’s relationship with Japan. While I feel like some of the nuance was lost on me due to cultural specificity, I really enjoyed this film and loved the mythology that it covered. Highly recommended if that sounds like your jam. Grade: A

Halloween Horror Movie #8:

952557-the-coffee-table-0-1000-0-1500-crop.jpg?v=903619d456.jpg

The Coffee Table (2022): There’s very little that I can say about this film that won’t ruin it and, honestly, knowing even the hook dampens the effect. Here is what I can tell you: Jesus and Maria have just had a baby and being new parents is taking its toll on the couple. Jesus, in an attempt to assert himself, digs his heels in on his choice of a coffee table for their apartment, a choice that sets off a chain reaction of events with devastating consequences. I feel this is kind of a “love it or hate it” type of film and for me and the wife, this was absolutely a “love it.” Not horror in the traditional sense, but very unnerving. Grade: A

Halloween Horror Movie #9:

p9913797_p_v10_aa.jpg

Big Bad Wolves (2013): You know, when you’re making your way through close to two dozen films, there’s gonna be at least a couple of misses…and this was most assuredly one of them. Ostensibly a dark comedy about a rogue cop and the father of a murdered girl teaming up to kidnap and torture a confession out of the girl’s suspected killer, this film is neither funny, suspenseful, or scary. Instead, it’s a chore. Not even a last minute twist could save the film. If the synopsis sounds like it could be your cup of tea, then I’d suggest foregoing this one and instead watch another 2013 film, Prisoners, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal. It isn’t perfect, but a lot more compelling than this one. Grade: D-

COFFEE TABLE and EXHUMA sound like winners! I'll add them to my list!

[Sock Monkey]

COFFEE TABLE and EXHUMA sound like winners! I'll add them to my list!

I'd be interested in your thoughts. EXHUMA is a safe recommendation if one likes Asian horror mythology, but THE COFFEE TABLE very much only works if one buys into the premise. Anyways, if and when you get around to them, I hope you like them!

[dannyboy121070]

Some REALLY good films over the past few days:

First up was THE HIDDEN, a gem from 1987 that I saw in our local Bronx dive theater the weekend it was released. Cop Michael Nouri joins forces with weird FBI agent Kyle McLachlan (This has to be how he got the TWIN PEAKS role...) to discover why seemingly random people are going on murderous crime sprees. Great practical effects, Claudia Christian in her prime (and very little clothing), and early in their careers bit part appearances from Lin Shaye & Danny Trejo, who basically looked old even 40 years ago. Also, Jake the dog should have won some kind of Oscar for his performance...what an actor! This is one of those movies that it seems no one but me has seen. Rectify that!


Next was CAVEAT on Shudder...If I had known that this was by the same folks that made ODDITY, I would have watched it first. No relation or connective tissue, aside from the same creepy rabbit appearing in both films, but they both have the same vibe. Sock Monkey references the film on a previous page, writing:

"Caveat (2020): There was quite a buzz around this movie when it first came out and I can see what draws people in about the film. The movie centers itself around a man who recently has had an accident that impairs some of his memory and he to get some money he agrees to watch over a young woman with some mental health issues in a rundown house on an isolated island. Upon arriving, though, he finds that he has to be strapped into a harness that chains him to an anchor in the basement and limits his movement in the house, assumedly in an attempt to foster a sense of safety for the young woman. Twists and turns and possible supernatural occurences abound and should have been my cup of tea, but unfortunately, a lack of clarity in some twists and some leaps in logic that just went a little too far pulled me out of the movie. The director did a great job building up atmosphere and tension, but the script needed a little reworking to pull off what they were hoping. And, finally, yes, that bunny is freaking creepy.
Grade: C-"

I liked it a lot more than he did. The basic premise is one of those "I would be out of there so fast..." plot devices that I usually find hard to swallow, but I bought it here, due to the main character's head injury. This film features the creepiest corpse this side of the old lady in BLACK SABBATH, the aforementioned creepy rabbit, and the best dog side-eye look I've ever seen. (The dogs were KILLING it this weekend!) I had a real good time with this one.



And, totally randomly, an article popped up on my phone raving about I SEE YOU, a film that I had never heard of. The spoiler-free rave made it seem like a Horror movie, which it wasn't, but it is certainly Horror-adjacent enough to fit into my Halloween viewing. Amidst a backdrop of local boys disappearing, the investigating detective and his wife, whose marriage is crumbling due to her infidelity, are plagued by odd incidents around their house. I really enjoyed this film, and had to go back and rewatch a chunk of the middle so I could fully appreciate how they pulled off some of the revelations in the last half of the movie. Really well done. Totally unrelated aside, but why do actresses get plastic surgery? Given the choice between looking her age and looking like a cross between MASK's Rocky Dennis and HANNIBAL's Mason Verger, post face-skinning, Helen Hunt REALLY chose wrong. Her face was incredibly distracting every time she was on screen. Just age, ladies. Just age.

I'm not posting the poster image, because it is a little spoilery...I'd probably avoid the trailer, as well. Just go in blind.