October Horror Movie Challenge: Day 8

After a few technical difficulties (realizing that Friday the 13th series was no longer on Netflix streaming), I decided to watch Halloween II. The theme for today was to watch remakes and sequels, so this actually wasn't a bad choice. It's a sequel to a remake, after all!

I liked the film. I'm not sure how much I remember liking/disliking the first Rob Zombie Halloween, but I think it seemed mostly like a direct copy of the original. That's probably wrong, but whatever, it's been years. This sequel film though doesn't seem to bear much of any resemblance to the second film. Of course, I barely remember anything about that film either (instead I prefer to focus all my memories on Halloween III Season of the Witch). Halloween II is nice and worth checking out even for Halloween fans to see what is done with it.

All I had to do was see the opening for Friday the 13th Part VI to know that it wasn't one to be taken seriously. Instead of trying their hardest to try and replicate scary stuff in the first 5 films, this one is made to be a joke. It's meant to be a big gag of the horror world and everyone should definitely recognize this. I mean, come on, the intro is a ridiculous Bond parody scene. It was okay, not particularly good, but worth a laugh.

October Horror Movie Challenge: Day 7

Today was the first day I've really felt like not watching things. Oops. I can't help it that I have things to do! Either way, I still worked through three films but it was not entirely pleasant. Ah well.

The first thing I watched was The Fog because I had no clue if I'd actually seen it before. I know I have seen one version, but was it the original or the remake? Unless the remake is a scene by scene copy then it was indeed the 1980 version that I'd already viewed. Well, it's not a big problem since it features Jamie Lee Curtis, who is always worth watching.

It was much creepier than I expected. Just something about staying out of the fog lest the weird ghost pirates would come and get you was really cool. They were creepy and the fog was glowy and moving unnaturally and it was a blast. I'm glad I saw it again as the first time it was not given the attention it deserved.

Then I watched two documentaries. The first was Zombie Girl. I think it's a fine doc but the girl was kind of pleasing as well as repulsive. I don't know. She was obviously just a happy kid but it was hard to feel glad about what she was doing when you could see her mother struggling to keep up with all these demands. It's one thing to tell a kid "you can do anything" but then to front the expensive costs to make it happen? You can help with giving them a camera, or letting them download a video program, or even maybe buying some books on the subject matter... but totally letting your child run wild with money for extras and props and whatever else? Seems a bit overwhelming.

After that I checked out American Scary. Nice documentary about television horror hosts. It made me wish there was more spoken about Vampira or Elvira. Honestly there should be documentaries about each of these women, if there aren't already. I've never searched so how would I know? Either way, it seems great and just totally worth learning more about. I unfortunately have seen very little of either although a local access channel here has their own take on an Elvira-like character.

Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever

Year: 2009
Director: Ti West
Writer: Joshua Malkin, Randy Pearlstein
Genre: Horror: Body horror

Cabin Fever was a movie I ignored time and time again. The "cabin" portion of it made me jump instantly to summer camp cabins and I wrote it off as a dull slasher. Of course, when I finally watched it realized what a fool I'd been. It is an excellent film and plenty disgusting too. Until recently I had no clue that there was a sequel. Practically as soon as this was discovered I got a hold of it and watched.

First off, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever might imply it's a sequel but it really isn't. Well, only in the vaguest of senses. It starts off where the last film left off... which is that the water is highly infected. The water continues down and gets sucked up and brought into town because nobody realizes they're pawning off contaminated water to people. Making contact with the water spreads the infection. From there, simple skin to skin contact will transmit it further.

So what makes this movie different? It isn't focused around a bunch of campers. Instead it is based in and around a high school. The way the characters interact and the things they go through are quite different from the characters of the first film. I'm not sure if I liked it more or less, but it was still a pretty great experience. It definitely retained the gross-out scares that we'd expect, even without Eli Roth at the helm.

If you give this a watch be ready for some seriously unexpected gross out moments. One in particularly completely caught me off guard. It's something I was anticipating throughout the film, but when it finally occurred... wow!

Dogtooth

Year: 2009
Director: Giorgos Lanthimos
Writer: Giorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou
Genre: Black comedy

I've got to admit that Dogtooth really had me confused for a while. It wasn't hard to get into the world of the film but it was a bit hard to comprehend. It felt like the supposed hilarity of the film was passing right over my head. Usually I do well with black comedies but I was worried this might be just too far flung from my usual intake.

For a large portion of the film it was exactly that. However, in the final 3rd of the film I finally felt like I "got" the joke. I can't remember now what exactly the tipping point was but it was some scene. It switched my brain into a different mode and suddenly I couldn't stop chuckling at how ridiculous the whole thing was. I guess it took a while to grasp fully.

Anyway, once that switch occured I was much happier with the film. If I watched it again I'm sure I could see the whole thing in that new light and have much more fun. With the never-ending list of movies on my watchlist though I probably won't get to it for a while. By then I'll probably have lost that alternate mindset too!

I especially liked the end as it seemed the most hilarious and dark way to go. In games there is a phenomenon that is often called a "bad end". There probably is for movies too but I'm not as involved in the film world. Either way, a "bad end" is usually the ending you get in a game if you've made all the wrong choices (although you don't know you made them necessarily). In the film the ending was perfect. If you weren't thinking with the mindset of the movie you might not even know what it meant. I got it though, and laughed.

Night of the Demons (Remake)

Year: 2009
Director: Adam Gierasch
Writer: Jace Anderson, Adam Gierasch
Genre: Horror

It might be a bad idea for me to share my thoughts on Night of the Demons because I really didn't enjoy the original. I know it has a bit of a following though, and I'll admit, it did some creative things with interesting characters. Still, I didn't enjoy it much and the same holds true for this more recent version.

Honestly, the first thing I thought of when watching was Hellraiser: Hellworld. If you've never seen that film you should continue to never see it. For those that have watched it though it probably doesn't need to be said that nothing should ever be bad enough to remind you of it. Thankfully, after the introduction the film crept away from memories of Hellworld and I felt immediately better. Still didn't like the film though.

There were some positive points in the movie for me. I really liked how they managed to keep in a famous scene with a breast but also inject a bit more into it. The changes brought into the film do make it a bit better than the original. That's just my thought on the matter though as many will probably find that a near-sacrilegious statement.

Thankskilling

Year: 2009
Director: Jordan Downey
Writer: Jordan Downey, Kevin Stewart
Genre: Horror: Comedy, Animal attack

I'd been avoiding watching Thankskilling for a while now. There was just something abot it that seemed like it was attempting to be too campy and I was worried. Either way, over Thanksgiving I decided to give it a spin since it fit the theme of the week. I'm glad  I did.

The movie is tremendously low budget with nobodies left and right. Still, it's never taken exorbitant amounts of money to make a good feature and this proves it. Well, it's not "good" in the typical sense but it's good for some silly, dumb laughs. The film pokes fun at horror tropes and is completely unbelievable. For example, there is a part when the teenagers are vigilantly seeking to stay far away from the vile turkey, but fail to notice that he is actually in their house, just wearing a mask.

The movie is supremely dumb but somehow it becomes endearing because of it. Everyone who was involved in this movie must have known exactly what they were making and so it exudes fun. The characters aren't all wonderfully likable but you're still interested in seeing what they get up to. They're a motley crew to be sure and not one really ready to go up against a demonic bird. I think it's their sheer incompetence at stopping the turkey that helps make it even more fun.

It probably isn't to everyone's tastes but if you're looking for a very simple, silly film this might satisfy you. Definitely watch it if you've got time on a future Thanksgiving.

Enter the Void

Year: 2009
Director: Gaspar Noe
Writer: Gaspar Noe, Lucile Hadzihalilovic
Genre: Drama

I'm not really sure what I can say about Enter the Void. I wholly enjoyed my experience with it but I'm pretty sure everyone's mileage will vary. This was honestly my first film from this director (which is probably blasphemous to even say) but whatever. I've wanted to go and watch I Stand Alone and Irreversible for a while but it seems you need to be in a specific mood to enjoy them. As is, I don't think I've been in the right kind of mood yet for many months.

Anyway, onto Enter the Void. It starts us off in the world of a young man who's doing some drugs. Apparently he's a small-time dealer in Tokyo. Everything seems to be fine but when he goes to drop something off it turns out to be a sting operation. He's chased into the bathroom, shot, and killed. From there the movie really begins and we see his life leading up to this moment and what transpires because of it.

I thought it was a really cool film overall. I'm always a fan for neat cinematic effects and obviously a film about life, death, and drugs would have some cool visuals. It was very nice although I was worried I might have my first seizure during an almost two minute long sequence of a flashing white light. Either way, it was a pretty cool adventure, although not something I would probably watch when just feeling bored.

For one, it's over two hours long which may be too much of a time investment. It's also not an easy movie, necessarily. It feels harsh at times and you have to be at least a little dedicated to the world to enjoy it. Honestly, I don't know what to say other than it was pretty neat but not for everyone. Like, for me I was not a fan of the whole ending sequence for 2001: A Space Odyssey the first time but only because I was watching it for an assignment. Had I been given free run to discover the film on my own and watch on a quiet evening it would have been much more enjoyable.

The Descent: Part 2

Year: 2009
Director: Jon Harris
Writer: James McCarthy, J. Blakeson
Genre: Horror: Monster

Watching The Descent for the first time a few years ago it was all a big blur. I remember paying a lot of attention to the lively female characters right up until some incident with a zipline. After that, it all washes together and I have no real clue what happened. So, starting up Part 2 could have been a chore for my forgetful brain but thankfully it lets you know what happened prior. Basically, one of the girls got out of the cave and the rest are still down there.

The woman who made it out is then forced back down by an investigative team because they figure she'll be able to guide them. She can't really remember what happened though over her days in the cave so why they brought her is beyond me. I felt a lot like her as the movie began because neither of us quite knew what state the other girls were in, although it was presumed they were probably not all still living.

So the go down and then things get ugly. What else would you expect? I like the character progression of the main girl but also one of the cops who escorted her down there. It's nice to see strong female leads that aren't sexied up. Of course, near the end of the movie you could say this happens but it's not that bad.

Again, I sort of faded in and out of the movie. I'm not sure what causes this but maybe I just am not a fan of cave exploration. I didn't like that there was more screen-time for the cave monsters though. I don't think there was nearly as many clear and long shots of them in the first film. Okay movie but I don't think we needed a tidying up of the story.

Paranormal Entity

Year: 2009
Director: Shane Van Dyke
Writer: Shane Van Dyke
Genre: Horror: Haunting

Asylum, the people behind Paranormal Entity, are most famous for what they do, rather than the movies they actually produce. They tend to take well-established names and churn out movies with similarities (as well as very close titles). Their business method is shady if smart... it's an attempt to confuse consumers into getting their product instead of the "real deal". Probably one of their "best" non-copycat films is Mega Shark VS Giant Octopus.

So how does this film which basically attempts to be Paranormal Activity stand up? Surprisingly well. Luckily for Asylum this isn't a movie that requires lots of money be put into it. The house looks nicely furnished and even the actors aren't too bad. The scares are subdued for the most part, like the original PA.

The story is a bit more akin to the 2nd PA film... there is a family occupying the house instead of just a couple. This family is a mother and her two teenage children. It's a pretty nice little story and possibly even better than the premise for PA. I'm glad to see they didn't just rehash the story and went to try something of their own.

Later on the movie gets a little silly trying to scare viewers. It also gives us more titillation with bare breasts from time to time. It's not really necessary but I'm sure the filmmakers thought it was the perfect excuse to do so. Overall I think it's weird but this isn't a bad movie at all. I intend to watch Paranormal Entity 2 soon.

My Bloody Valentine

Year: 2009
Director: Patrick Lussier
Writer: Todd Farmer, Zane Smith
Genre: Horror: Slasher

My Bloody Valentine (3D) is a remake I actually contemplated going to see when it was out. To me, it seemed like the perfect way to cap off a Valentine's Day date. However, as fate would have it I never went to see it then. Watching the film today lets me know that was probably the best twist of fate ever.

This movie is entirely too dull. The premise presented is neat enough... A miner killed his partners in a mine shaft, then it collapsed, leaving him in a coma for years after. He came to some years later and started killing once again before being shot down during his spree. More years pass and then it seems our miner killer is back again!

It's close enough in soul to the original except that it doesn't feel nearly as fun. It's all dull and you never find yourself caring for anyone. The movie almost feels like a horrible train wreck at points. There is a part where a woman is completely naked and running from the murderer. Yes, 100% nude. This takes the "girl in skimpy outfit running from maniac" to the extreme and I can't say I liked it one bit.

None of the lead males are especially compelling either. I mean, are we supposed to feel for the young cop on the force who had some of his friends die to the maniac? I could initially understand that but nearly a minute after he is introduce we find out he's a huge cheater. I don't know about you, but knowing someone is cheating rather uncaringly on their partner isn't going to bond me with them. As for the other guy, well, he just feels like a slab of concrete. He's got no real personality that shines through. Oh, there's a "twist" ending too. I figured it out early on and I'm sure anyone else watching will catch it too.

Maybe I sound harsh but I'm mad that I wasted an hour and 40 minutes on this thing. If you like or want to watch it though, then more power to ya.

The Stepfather

Year: 2009
Director: Nelson McCormick
Writer: J.S. Cardone
Genre: Horror: Thriller

I don't know what it was about the 1987 original but I really liked The Stepfather. Because of my enjoyment of that version I was a little apprehensive about giving this movie a view. Either way, I've gone and done it and it wasn't so painful.

This film is very similar to the first. Basically, you've got a man who goes around trying to find his perfect family. He meets divorced women with kids and worms his way in until he can marry them. However, things seem to never exactly work out so he murders them and runs away to find a new family. This is the tale of just one family and it's decent.

 The characters are all decently believable. It's good to see characters actively raising attention about how strange the father is. In many movies, characters just tend to gloss over that stuff (so that the killer can keep on killing). Sometimes it feels like characters are too detective-like but I suppose that's better than simply going with the flow. It creates a "staccato" murdering spree which is neat.

The movie isn't incredible or great or too good but it's okay. Fans of the original might as well see it for better or for worse.

Fat Head

Year: 2009
Director: Tom Naughton
Writer: Tom Naughton
Genre: Documentary

I've got to tell you something. Nutrition, exercise, and all that kinda stuff is a big interest of mine. Possibly because of that, I've watched Super Size Me at least 5 times since it was released. It was a pretty interesting movie and when it came out I was knee deep in learning about the horrible truths behind our mass produced food culture.

It's maybe because of this that I was so shocked by Fat Head. It's basically a RE: Super Size Me where the attempt is to completely debunk what was said in it. Talking about the fact that grains and the like are not actually that amazing for you in high quantities, saturated fat being necessary in more than "low fat" degrees, and that sort of thing. Almost everything said in the film went against my old notions about nutrtion and what is honestly healthy for us.

I can't say whether or not I fully believe what was said, because it's such a stark difference from what I've always been told. And yet, it was all presented in such a convincing fashion I was rivited and soaked it up. There were many books mentioned through the course of the film and I now have the urge to read them. I want to see if the way I've been handling diet (regular food diet not weight loss diet) is completely wrong. If it is, I'll be angry at the world who has hammered it in that these foods, supplements, and nutrients are good for me.

The documentary is pretty humorous and presents facts in a very easy to digest fashion, even if they are "strange" claims. The proof presented in the film is also shown with hard results and numbers as opposed to the psuedoscience from Super Size Me. I'll need to watch it again to start wrapping my mind around what was being said before I can start debunking or believing the claims.