Yeah I dropped Shudder earlier this year. I did really like their 100 Scariest Movie Moments special last year and I liked The Sadness, but that's about it for original content and it felt like only 5 or 6 older movies were getting added per month. Way downhill from 2017/18.
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General Horror Films & TV Discussion Thread
- Thread starter HarleyQuinn
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Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I still think AMC+ is worthwhile, if only because it comes packaged with Shudder, and there are still some great cult finds that you can't really get elsewhere (original TCM, Alligator, etc.).
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Was it ever socially acceptable?
RedJed
Rasslin' Rambler
So apparently the Halloween franchise is being shopped around by Miramax.....read a report that supposedly the first intention of Akkad is to find a streaming service (front runner is Paramount +) to do a specific six episode series based off of Halloween 3. But this morning, news came out to confirm that is not what is happening and that news is all bullshit supposedly.
From that clarification, my assumption is that any television series will be Myers based, and not H3 or anthology based.
What is confirmed as fact is that Miramax will still retain co-ownership rights with Akkad whatever the direction is for films down the road. Television rights are through Trancas (Akkad). Miramax also is bidding for the tv rights as is A24, who we know is doing the Crystal Lake series already through Peacock.
My guess here is that A24 does secure the television rights with Trancas/Akkad and we probably get some sort of Halloween series on Peacock, as a follow up from Crystal Lake. Time will tell!
From that clarification, my assumption is that any television series will be Myers based, and not H3 or anthology based.
What is confirmed as fact is that Miramax will still retain co-ownership rights with Akkad whatever the direction is for films down the road. Television rights are through Trancas (Akkad). Miramax also is bidding for the tv rights as is A24, who we know is doing the Crystal Lake series already through Peacock.
My guess here is that A24 does secure the television rights with Trancas/Akkad and we probably get some sort of Halloween series on Peacock, as a follow up from Crystal Lake. Time will tell!
RedJed
Rasslin' Rambler
Backing up on some horror releases I checked out in the last month or so
Satanic Hispanics: This is an all latino-based anthology film. I thought all things considered, this was pretty fun. The wraparound story was so much better than you usually get in these types of films....that story connected within the short stories somewhat. If you're looking to binge through anthology films this Halloween season, this should be on your list.
Nun 2: I thought this was actually better than the first, and the story bridged well as a follow up from part 1. If you went in blind to this without seeing the first one, I think people would get lost in things with the main characters for sure though. While I don't really need to see a Nun 3 (and I can't see where they would go with it from the scene after the credits) it feels like this was a good lead-in to the next Conjuring film, something called Last Rites I think?
Last Voyage of Demeter: Wow this one overachieved, really found myself immersed in it. Maybe one of the most unexpected gems in horror this year on the mainstream releases.
It Lives Inside: One of the more effective PG-13 horrors in recent memory. I just thought the creepy vibe of this film was so effective. Half of the time it felt like some Elm Street-like fever dream with the monster slowly taking form as the movie progressed, finally showing a true reveal in that third act. There was some cultural themes going on here too since it was an Indian-American family featured, so be prepared a bit for that focus as well.
Satanic Hispanics: This is an all latino-based anthology film. I thought all things considered, this was pretty fun. The wraparound story was so much better than you usually get in these types of films....that story connected within the short stories somewhat. If you're looking to binge through anthology films this Halloween season, this should be on your list.
Nun 2: I thought this was actually better than the first, and the story bridged well as a follow up from part 1. If you went in blind to this without seeing the first one, I think people would get lost in things with the main characters for sure though. While I don't really need to see a Nun 3 (and I can't see where they would go with it from the scene after the credits) it feels like this was a good lead-in to the next Conjuring film, something called Last Rites I think?
Last Voyage of Demeter: Wow this one overachieved, really found myself immersed in it. Maybe one of the most unexpected gems in horror this year on the mainstream releases.
It Lives Inside: One of the more effective PG-13 horrors in recent memory. I just thought the creepy vibe of this film was so effective. Half of the time it felt like some Elm Street-like fever dream with the monster slowly taking form as the movie progressed, finally showing a true reveal in that third act. There was some cultural themes going on here too since it was an Indian-American family featured, so be prepared a bit for that focus as well.
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I'm excited to catch Last Voyage on streaming as I've heard good things about it. Now intrigued with It Lives Inside too.
Gary
Mind. Body. Light. Sound.
You know, why not? Most mainstream slasher movies are straight up comedy films these days, so I’ll take something that seems to have a sense of humor but isn’t afraid of being mean spirited.
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
David Gordon Green might not direct more Exorcist reboot sequels
Green isn't necessarily getting the boot, he just... might not have time in his schedule for more of them...
www.avclub.com
RedJed
Rasslin' Rambler
Did anyone besides me go to this?
This one kinda overextended itself I felt, and I probably enjoyed it more than ANY of the sequels. It still had the usual Saw themes for sure, but it had more of a engaging backstory to it and Kramer (and Amanda) were made more of a good guy/protagonist role than usual. Balanced out a new story within already established ones a bit.
Where they go from here is anyone's guess but I wouldn't be shocked to see the producers try and connect within other sequels in the franchise, as there certainly could be some dots to still connect within the entire story.
Valeyard
Retarded sexuality and bad poetry.
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From what I was told, it was good but the traps were much less than expected. I'm not much of a Saw guy but have been cornered by one most days, but I know if the traps are sorta lame then it probably isn't what one wants from a Saw movie. So maybe I'd like it more.
RedJed
Rasslin' Rambler
So where's everyone's October horror binge list at?? What's all on tap for yall?
My first week was focusing on everything Exorcist. Binged through a movie a night in the franchise starting on the 1st, and finished off with the new one in the theater this past weekend.
As I said in Bad Movies thread, I didn't think Exorcist: Believer was as terrible as I had fears on. This had a much different beat than any other Exorcist film to no surprise, in particular the jump scares in this were effective. The story was a bit strange and there was some characters within it that were even stranger, but this at least had an overreaching story of faith and hope that got interlaced within it. Formula felt almost cookie cutter from the Halloween trilogy though, which probably is more a bad idea than good. I hope DGG steps back and lets others direct and maybe even primarily write future installments just to change this formula up a bit. While it wasn't offensively bad, there was certainly some stuff within the third act that was pretty outrageous and strange.
Also, there was a bit hook for the second film near the end as
Looking back at the others....the original still holds up well, still kinda shocking in parts. I explained my vial hatred for part 2 in the Bad Movies thread. Part 3 was probably the standout of all of the sequels, particularly the "Legion cut" which is actually shorter than the theatrical cut and more effective. And then we get to both prequels, and frankly while The Beginning is pretty bad, I think that wasn't even as terrible as part 2. Dominion had something more to it than The Beginning but not by much. They both pretty much are garbage IMO.
Ranking best to worst in the Exorcist franchise:
1. Exorcist 1
2. Exorcist 3 (Legion/Director's Cut)
3. Exorcist: Believer
4. Dominion
5. The Beginning
6. Exorcist 2: The Heretic
Additionally, I did a follow up from all that and watched a new Asylum film capitalizing on the franchise familiarity with a film called The Exorcists. Frankly, this probably was the best Asylum film I've ever seen and was shocked to see it play at a local neighborhood screen in Minneapolis. Apparently that was just one of five theaters showing that one. Had Doug Bradley as one of the main priests, really fun flick as a followup from all these others. Enjoyed it more than Believer in parts.
My first week was focusing on everything Exorcist. Binged through a movie a night in the franchise starting on the 1st, and finished off with the new one in the theater this past weekend.
As I said in Bad Movies thread, I didn't think Exorcist: Believer was as terrible as I had fears on. This had a much different beat than any other Exorcist film to no surprise, in particular the jump scares in this were effective. The story was a bit strange and there was some characters within it that were even stranger, but this at least had an overreaching story of faith and hope that got interlaced within it. Formula felt almost cookie cutter from the Halloween trilogy though, which probably is more a bad idea than good. I hope DGG steps back and lets others direct and maybe even primarily write future installments just to change this formula up a bit. While it wasn't offensively bad, there was certainly some stuff within the third act that was pretty outrageous and strange.
Also, there was a bit hook for the second film near the end as
Linda Blair/Regan showed up to reunite with Ellyn Burstyn/Chris (who got her eyes stabbed out by one of the possessed girls earlier)......so I would guess both of them will be heavily involved in the next one.
Looking back at the others....the original still holds up well, still kinda shocking in parts. I explained my vial hatred for part 2 in the Bad Movies thread. Part 3 was probably the standout of all of the sequels, particularly the "Legion cut" which is actually shorter than the theatrical cut and more effective. And then we get to both prequels, and frankly while The Beginning is pretty bad, I think that wasn't even as terrible as part 2. Dominion had something more to it than The Beginning but not by much. They both pretty much are garbage IMO.
Ranking best to worst in the Exorcist franchise:
1. Exorcist 1
2. Exorcist 3 (Legion/Director's Cut)
3. Exorcist: Believer
4. Dominion
5. The Beginning
6. Exorcist 2: The Heretic
Additionally, I did a follow up from all that and watched a new Asylum film capitalizing on the franchise familiarity with a film called The Exorcists. Frankly, this probably was the best Asylum film I've ever seen and was shocked to see it play at a local neighborhood screen in Minneapolis. Apparently that was just one of five theaters showing that one. Had Doug Bradley as one of the main priests, really fun flick as a followup from all these others. Enjoyed it more than Believer in parts.
Exorcist: Believer was very bad, but I actually thought it was better than The Nun II and Insidious: The Red Door. I thought Leslie Odom did a good job and there were a few interesting ideas early on. All that went out the window once Ellen Burstyn showed up though and I hated what they did to her character. It felt really disrespectful and I hate these legacy sequels crapping on great characters from the original. Ann Dowd was trying her best, but she had the stinkiest lines of the movie.
The Body and The Blood scene might be the lamest horror scene in a while though. They really should've altered the girl's voice to make it sound more menacing. David Gordon Green seems to love communities banding together to stop a evil force. It was hilarious how many people were in the room for the final exorcism and some of those characters like the pastor or the boxing gym neighbor really needed fleshing out. I was expecting a bigger body count in general.
The main problem is that it's just too safe and homogenized. They didn't want to piss off anyone and tried to appeal to everyone and that just doesn't work with a franchise like The Exorcist. The original still feels like a dangerous film. This one had rarely any profanity or blasphemous language. It's not scary at all and there's no tension. In the original, you got to spend time with Regan/Chris and get to like them. In this, it was really rushed and you didn't really know or care about either of the girls. I liked one dark aspect of the ending, but then the big monologue about hope from Ann Dowd was just terrible and undercut everything that happened.
I'd skip this and watch the very underrated Fox tv series with Geena Davis from a few years ago.
3/10
The Body and The Blood scene might be the lamest horror scene in a while though. They really should've altered the girl's voice to make it sound more menacing. David Gordon Green seems to love communities banding together to stop a evil force. It was hilarious how many people were in the room for the final exorcism and some of those characters like the pastor or the boxing gym neighbor really needed fleshing out. I was expecting a bigger body count in general.
The main problem is that it's just too safe and homogenized. They didn't want to piss off anyone and tried to appeal to everyone and that just doesn't work with a franchise like The Exorcist. The original still feels like a dangerous film. This one had rarely any profanity or blasphemous language. It's not scary at all and there's no tension. In the original, you got to spend time with Regan/Chris and get to like them. In this, it was really rushed and you didn't really know or care about either of the girls. I liked one dark aspect of the ending, but then the big monologue about hope from Ann Dowd was just terrible and undercut everything that happened.
I'd skip this and watch the very underrated Fox tv series with Geena Davis from a few years ago.
3/10
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RedJed
Rasslin' Rambler
Yeah that particular Body & the Blood scene was a complete misfire for sure!
That was my other qualm with this that I didn't mention, it's too homogenized would be a good word to put it. It's too cookie cutter....too much of the template that the Halloween trilogy was. It was too slickly edited and produced where it didn't really feel a whole lot like an Exorcist film in the first place. The montages and monologue stuff felt right out of any or all of the DGG Halloween trilogy. But yah not scary nor tension. A couple jump scares got me....but that aspect never has been a staple of the exorcist films, nor should it be.
How they portrayed Chris (Burstyn) was for sure pretty ridiculous and felt so very shoehorned within the story. It's kind of weird how she refused to be in previous installments regardless of pay offers, so I don't know what brought her to the table with this one. The one scene of particular significance for her essentially trying to be an exorcist herself was just atrocious.
I still will hold to the opinion though that this film was better than three of the other Exorcist films prior. It's just a sad state of the franchise that four of the six films in the franchise are pretty much well below average.
That was my other qualm with this that I didn't mention, it's too homogenized would be a good word to put it. It's too cookie cutter....too much of the template that the Halloween trilogy was. It was too slickly edited and produced where it didn't really feel a whole lot like an Exorcist film in the first place. The montages and monologue stuff felt right out of any or all of the DGG Halloween trilogy. But yah not scary nor tension. A couple jump scares got me....but that aspect never has been a staple of the exorcist films, nor should it be.
How they portrayed Chris (Burstyn) was for sure pretty ridiculous and felt so very shoehorned within the story. It's kind of weird how she refused to be in previous installments regardless of pay offers, so I don't know what brought her to the table with this one. The one scene of particular significance for her essentially trying to be an exorcist herself was just atrocious.
I still will hold to the opinion though that this film was better than three of the other Exorcist films prior. It's just a sad state of the franchise that four of the six films in the franchise are pretty much well below average.
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Ellen Burstyn only did it because they put all of her pay to a scholarship fund for struggling actors.
https://www.indiewire.com/features/...sequel-to-fund-acting-scholarship-1234755930/
https://www.indiewire.com/features/...sequel-to-fund-acting-scholarship-1234755930/
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I've been writing the stuff I've watched down in a notebook. Literally going night by night as I usually don't plan anything out except Hocus Pocus on 10/1, one of the Friday the 13ths on 10/13, Halloween on 10/30, and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on 10/31.
I'll eventually post my list but I usually end up watching SyFy/AMC airings of stuff unless it's something I'm just really jonesing for and have the Blu-Ray lying around.
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I really did not like Pineapple Express and his other movies just strike me as pretty outside of the horror realm, regardless of how good they are. IMO he lucked out with a decent Halloween then fucked that all up. He seems to be a really good TV director with two series I've never tried in Eastbound & Down and The Righteous Gemstones but this movie sounds like a continuation of his Halloween franchise flaws and he sounded like a really poor fit for The Exorcist from what his strengths are as a director.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
That said, Exorcist III is awesome.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Goddamn...I heard the Children of the Corn remake was bad...but oh shit did it blow last awful and into legendary rifftastic territory.
Which is kind of a shame, because the two leads (Bo and Eden) were very good in their roles, and I hope their careers are fruitful.
Which is kind of a shame, because the two leads (Bo and Eden) were very good in their roles, and I hope their careers are fruitful.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Totally Killer (2023) is, easily, the best movie I've seen this spooky season. It's the bastard child of Scream and Back to the Future that I never knew could work so well. In fact, the only negatives I can really say about it revolve around the forced "zoomer ethics" jokes, because everything else just works so well. The whodunnit aspect, the kills, how the time travel works...it's very, very fun. 7.5/10
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
IIRC people thought the movie was in the public domain until the ‘00s. I’m fairly certain there were cheapie public domain DVD release of NoLD.
Google tells me it’s STILL in the public domain.
Google tells me it’s STILL in the public domain.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Wait...it isn't? I've literally never read or heard anything to the contrary.
Valeyard
Retarded sexuality and bad poetry.
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It is but different places own the rights to their distributions of it. So like if they want an HD version or something the studio who remastered it owns that version. It's a mess and has plagued a lot of public domain classics.
Cackling Co Pilot Kamala
Integral Poster
Featuring an appearance from Mean Gene and Jesse The Body!
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
The Black Phone (2021) is so goddamn good. It's less outright horror and more thriller, but damn if it isn't a lesson in efficiency and mood over everything else. Ethan Hawke is amazingly creepy (and I cannot stress enough how much better he is in genre pictures than his "serious" fare), Mason Thomas delivers, Jeremy Davies is always brilliant, and Madeleine McGraw gives another example of how this crop of young talent is prime for true greatness as they get older.
Director Scott Derrickson and his writing partner C. Robert Cargill (co-host of the amazing Junk Food Cinema podcast) deliver again. Sinister was the best major horror film of 2012, Dr. Strange was the best non-Avengers MCU entry of Phase 3, and the Black Phone has easily cemented itself atop the horror throne for this decade. I can't ignore Joe Hill, author of the short story this is based on, either; he takes the best elements of his father's legendary work and strips away the aimless prose before sinking the finale. 8/10, see it immediately if you haven't yet.
Director Scott Derrickson and his writing partner C. Robert Cargill (co-host of the amazing Junk Food Cinema podcast) deliver again. Sinister was the best major horror film of 2012, Dr. Strange was the best non-Avengers MCU entry of Phase 3, and the Black Phone has easily cemented itself atop the horror throne for this decade. I can't ignore Joe Hill, author of the short story this is based on, either; he takes the best elements of his father's legendary work and strips away the aimless prose before sinking the finale. 8/10, see it immediately if you haven't yet.