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General Horror Films & TV Discussion Thread
- Thread starter HarleyQuinn
- Start date
Valeyard
Retarded sexuality and bad poetry.
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- Reaction score
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Like, I don't necessarily want to watch it again but I feel like I'll appreciate it all the more if I do. On one hand it was not close to as messed up as I was expecting (I'd heard about the actual case first, which is really rough), but the camera work and atmosphere was so incredible. At times it felt almost wrong watching it. Completely surpassed my expectations.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I have a strong feeling I'll rate it higher later on down the road, just as I do with Fincher's work. None of this takes away from Kendrick doing a hell of a job for her first time in the director's chair.
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I can totally see why In a Violent Nature (2024) is so divisive. It almost seems designed to split the audience, because it's such a brilliant and novel idea at its core, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. A slasher film that follows the undead killer between their murders instead of the victims? There's juice to be squeezed, but it requires a little more added to the glass before you drink it down.
Many years ago in a logging camp outside Milford Haven, young Johnny was tricked into climbing to the top of a fire tower before he fell to his death. As revenge for the subsequent killing of his father, he rose from the grave to exact his revenge, claiming the lives of any who disturb the peace around his resting place for decades onward. A group of college kids in modern times disturb it by stealing a locket, revealed soon after Johnny's resurrection to have belonged to his mother, and Johnny rises, once more out for blood.
Much like the "Tuesday the 17th" short from the first V/H/S, it's a pleasure to see an original slasher story that intentionally feels like a later sequel to an ongoing series. The lore is established but dripfed, the relationships between the victims feel as developed as any other slasher but with the added layer of subtlety that only overhearing their interactions brings, and being able to surmise so much from so little given is something I'd count as a win. The choice to follow Johnny as he stalks his prey is, truthfully, quite brilliant, taking the focus from the fodder to the cause of their respective demises
Where the fault lies, however, is in the droll execution. The initial dullness works wonderfully for the first kill, and even for Johnny's discovery of the college kids that stole his mother's locket from his resting place. It even works well for a kill by the lake, and for the scene where Johnny breaks into the Ranger Station to gain his mask and tools back...but it doesn't quite work for the full runtime.
The kills we do see are shot with the same tranquil disregard as Johnny's stalking shots, regardless of their brutality, and betray some of the more gruesome aspects by even modern sensibilities. Since we don't gain any character development from Johnny's victims, seeing them die becomes a chore more than it does a vicarious thrill. Sure, this choice aids the apparent point of the movie, that what Johnny does is just his undead humdrum nature than it could be any sort of passionate act, but it doesn't leave the audience wanting anything more than the runtime to end.
Overall, this is a considerable achievement in concept for writer/director Chris Nash, himself more known for special makeup effects (including on cult hits like Psycho Goreman and the Void), but a middling experience as a film. I'm not willing to write his work off just yet, but I do hope he refines it to whet the appetites of hungry horror hounds while adding his own unique spins on things in the future. 5.5/10
------------
Sorted by date and scored.
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. The House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Oh holy shit, I'm loving the current Reiwa era, because Godzilla Minus One (2023) just delivers on so many fronts.
At the tail end of WWII, kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikoshima lands on Odo Island for repairs. He's found out to have done the "cowardly" act of refusing to sacrifice himself for the glory of the Emperor, and is called out for it by mechanic Sosaku Tachibana. As Shikishima deals with the disdain of the mechanics on the island, a young Godzilla appears, barely 20 feet in height, and rampages. Shikishima has a moment where he can fire the machine guns of his plane at the beast to kill it but cowers, leading to the deaths of all but he and Tachibana.
Back in Tokyo, Shikishima finds that his parents died during the air raids, and comes across Noriko, who has rescued the infant Akiko from a dying mother shortly before. The three form something of a family unit over the next two years, with Shikishima joining a crew assigned to destroying the sea mines laid in the waters during the war. During one trip, a monstrous sized Godzilla, the size we all know too well, emerges from the depths before attacking the mainland.
What follows feels much more Western than a traditional Godzilla movie, focusing more on the Japanese effort to rebuild their nation and come to terms with their defeat than it necessarily does on the kaiju rampages. Shikishima regularly struggles with PTSD flashbacks, often crying to Noriko that he's not even sure whether this life is real or the dreams of a dying man who never made it home. Their makeshift family unit is one he initially rejects, regularly admonishing the young Akiko for calling him "daddy," but it eventually becomes his sole connection to whatever life he has.
There's an emotional aspect to this movie never seen before in a Godzilla film, and I'm fucking here for it. 8/10
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Sorted by date and scored.
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. The House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
At the tail end of WWII, kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikoshima lands on Odo Island for repairs. He's found out to have done the "cowardly" act of refusing to sacrifice himself for the glory of the Emperor, and is called out for it by mechanic Sosaku Tachibana. As Shikishima deals with the disdain of the mechanics on the island, a young Godzilla appears, barely 20 feet in height, and rampages. Shikishima has a moment where he can fire the machine guns of his plane at the beast to kill it but cowers, leading to the deaths of all but he and Tachibana.
Back in Tokyo, Shikishima finds that his parents died during the air raids, and comes across Noriko, who has rescued the infant Akiko from a dying mother shortly before. The three form something of a family unit over the next two years, with Shikishima joining a crew assigned to destroying the sea mines laid in the waters during the war. During one trip, a monstrous sized Godzilla, the size we all know too well, emerges from the depths before attacking the mainland.
What follows feels much more Western than a traditional Godzilla movie, focusing more on the Japanese effort to rebuild their nation and come to terms with their defeat than it necessarily does on the kaiju rampages. Shikishima regularly struggles with PTSD flashbacks, often crying to Noriko that he's not even sure whether this life is real or the dreams of a dying man who never made it home. Their makeshift family unit is one he initially rejects, regularly admonishing the young Akiko for calling him "daddy," but it eventually becomes his sole connection to whatever life he has.
There's an emotional aspect to this movie never seen before in a Godzilla film, and I'm fucking here for it. 8/10
------------
Sorted by date and scored.
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. The House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
RedJed
Rasslin' Rambler
Horror franchises continue for me in October...
Latest run-through was the Fright Night series as a whole. This included the original two and then the two remake ones.
Damn, I still just absolutely love the first Fright Night. Its pretty wild that this ended up being Tom Hollands first directing nod, for a first time out, a whole lot going on here. The Evil Ed character really shines here more than anything (makes me want to revisit 976-EVIL), but the cast as a whole just fucking does great work here. A film that flows so very well.
Fright Night 2 was awfully hard to find and actually awfully hard to sit through as the script was messy and didn't have the same charm at all as the first. I attempted to order an import Bluray which ended up being a bust, so found it through YouTube. Man, is there weird backstory to this film with the Menendez brothers killing of their father, who was the head of the studio spearheading this. Also losing Tom Holland and Chris Sarandon potentially returning to the sequel didnt happen since both were committed to Childs Play. There was a super limited release both theatrically and then on physical media. Because of specifically Hollands lack of involvement, this film just felt VERY off. I wish they would have shelved it til Holland could have committed to it after Childs Play but is what it is. This is probably my least favorite of all of the four.
FYI, there is still talk of a third film in this franchise with Tom Holland apparently having a script done for a roll-back with the original cast.
Then came the remakes....the 3d Fright Night remake which felt like it had really little to do with the original film in terms of scope of the story was quite enjoyable on a rewatch. I thought specifically the performances were on an elevated level and enjoyed the 3D aspect to this as well. This felt like a creative rehash on the core story a bit, but with so many positive changes to the story that it felt almost like it was a nice extension or compliment to the original. This is generally how I like to see remakes done.
The second Fright Night 2 was direct to video and still maintained some homage to some elements to the original story that perhaps the first remake didn't connect towards. It had really nothing to do with the remake at all, which was a bit of a weird take. But I didn't mind it, still not as bad as the original part 2. It had some flaws for sure, but the dynamic of a different envionment and a unique antagonist made it a somewhat enjoyable, if not slightly repetitive experience.
Up next....getting through the first Smile again, and then peeping Part 2. Also finishing up some vampire themed stuff with a double shot of Stake Land and Stake Land 2!
Latest run-through was the Fright Night series as a whole. This included the original two and then the two remake ones.
Damn, I still just absolutely love the first Fright Night. Its pretty wild that this ended up being Tom Hollands first directing nod, for a first time out, a whole lot going on here. The Evil Ed character really shines here more than anything (makes me want to revisit 976-EVIL), but the cast as a whole just fucking does great work here. A film that flows so very well.
Fright Night 2 was awfully hard to find and actually awfully hard to sit through as the script was messy and didn't have the same charm at all as the first. I attempted to order an import Bluray which ended up being a bust, so found it through YouTube. Man, is there weird backstory to this film with the Menendez brothers killing of their father, who was the head of the studio spearheading this. Also losing Tom Holland and Chris Sarandon potentially returning to the sequel didnt happen since both were committed to Childs Play. There was a super limited release both theatrically and then on physical media. Because of specifically Hollands lack of involvement, this film just felt VERY off. I wish they would have shelved it til Holland could have committed to it after Childs Play but is what it is. This is probably my least favorite of all of the four.
FYI, there is still talk of a third film in this franchise with Tom Holland apparently having a script done for a roll-back with the original cast.
Then came the remakes....the 3d Fright Night remake which felt like it had really little to do with the original film in terms of scope of the story was quite enjoyable on a rewatch. I thought specifically the performances were on an elevated level and enjoyed the 3D aspect to this as well. This felt like a creative rehash on the core story a bit, but with so many positive changes to the story that it felt almost like it was a nice extension or compliment to the original. This is generally how I like to see remakes done.
The second Fright Night 2 was direct to video and still maintained some homage to some elements to the original story that perhaps the first remake didn't connect towards. It had really nothing to do with the remake at all, which was a bit of a weird take. But I didn't mind it, still not as bad as the original part 2. It had some flaws for sure, but the dynamic of a different envionment and a unique antagonist made it a somewhat enjoyable, if not slightly repetitive experience.
Up next....getting through the first Smile again, and then peeping Part 2. Also finishing up some vampire themed stuff with a double shot of Stake Land and Stake Land 2!
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
It's been quiet with LDP and Junior up in Boston for the week, so I've been getting some gaming time in with the boys instead of sticking to a rigid schedule. It certainly doesn't help that I needed a rest after how lovely Godzilla Minus One was, because I can't think of anything else on the list that could match it except for the grand finale.
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I'm hesitant to say that found footage has run its course, because, in truth, V/H/S/Beyond (2024) isn't even bad. It's in the top three of the series, for sure, but there's no way anything in the series can top "Safe Haven" from V/H/S/2. This one does bring about some good fun, however, but the runtime of 2 hours definitely drags it down, even worse when you consider that one short could easily have been excised entirely and it would have made the whole product that much better.
NOTE: The final score will be averaged of the scores for the individual segments.
We start with the wraparound segment, "Abduction/Adduction," which is the best framing segment the series has had yet. It features actual ufologists and the YouTubers the Corridor Crew as they discuss the potential veracity of alleged "proof" of alien abduction videos, providing an excellent framework for what promises to be a gathering of alien-themed found footage shorts.
The core idea is that a Reddit post about two tapes discovered at a flea market, labeled Proof 1 and Proof 2 respectively, show two separate camera angles of a likely abduction case. The talking heads proceed to go over the history of UFO sightings in America, with the Corridor Crew chiming in to discuss how the "evidence" could easily be faked. A common theme is skepticism vs. belief.
We're off with an actioner in "Stork," as police officers in a project called W.A.R.D.E.N. siege upon a dilapidated house linked to dozens of infant disappearances. The officers immediately encounter zombie-like humans, eventually discovering the cause of it all. This is wall-to-wall action with nary a breath allowed, and it feels like an extremely abridged version of a feature that would become a cult classic. 6.5/10
After more of the wraparound, we have "Dream Girl," where the actual identity of Bollywood superstar Tara is revealed to be much more than a singing superstar. This is, easily, the worst of the bunch here. Not only does it quickly deviate from the alien theme that was established with the framing story and the first segment, but it commits the worst sin of a found footage short: swapping to "professional" quality cameras. Tara (Namrata Sheth) is gorgeous, though, so points for that. 4/10
"Live and Let Dive" kicks things back into gear, and we have a group of skydivers witness a UFO...that then destroys their plane. As they land in an orange grove, many injured and some dead, they begin to hear the screams of their friends from all around. Soon, our videographer is attacked by a large alien being, witnessing it slaughter his friends before his eyes. This one was simple, fast paced, and built to a fine climax. Not the best of the bunch, but far from the worst. 5/10
The weirdest of the bunch, and the best in pure execution, has to go to Justin Long's "Fur Babies." Yes, THAT Justin Long. His career launched with genre films, and it seems that he's settling nicely back into them. There's a playful disdain for "fur moms" that is immediately apparent, and Long clearly takes some cues from his turn in Walrus. This may be the most gleefully fucked up entry in the whole series. 6.5/10
The last of the unrelated shorts comes from Mike Flanagan (writer) and Kate Siegel (director), modern horror royalty if there ever were such a thing. While I'm not particularly enamored with their work, "Stowaway" clearly plays to Flanagan's strength is in conceptualizing something familiar and adding his own spices. Siegel's use of the camera is, actually, quite brilliant here, following UFO investigator Halley as she comes across a landed spacecraft and begins to explore it. There is such great lore shown that I would happily watch a feature length version of this, even a limited series, as the use of the nanites to repair her injuries, and the consequences therein, allows for some excellent body horror. The major glaring flaws, though, come from this being found footage for no real reason (as it would work that much better as a straightforward short), and the ending...leaving the question "how did they find the footage?" 6/10
With these played, it's time to circle back to "Abduction/Adduction," as the two tapes discussed earlier are edited together. We find a man asleep in his bed as an alien figure creeps toward him, performing experiments on him as he sleeps before removing a string of eggs from his throat. The real sell here is the reaction of the Corridor Crew, visibly shaken by what they've seen. 6.5/10
In all, this entry showed a marked improvement over the last several, with its only glaring fault being the "Dream Girl" short. Future entries should continue the thematic tone of the shorts therein, as this could have played even better with the framing bits discussing the shorts, making the entire runtime feel more like a solid 2-hour doc than a collection of vaguely similar horror shorts.
Weighted all together? I have to give this a 6/10.
------------
Sorted by date and scored.
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. The House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
22. ((nope))
23. V/H/S/Beyond (6/10)
------------
I'm hesitant to say that found footage has run its course, because, in truth, V/H/S/Beyond (2024) isn't even bad. It's in the top three of the series, for sure, but there's no way anything in the series can top "Safe Haven" from V/H/S/2. This one does bring about some good fun, however, but the runtime of 2 hours definitely drags it down, even worse when you consider that one short could easily have been excised entirely and it would have made the whole product that much better.
NOTE: The final score will be averaged of the scores for the individual segments.
We start with the wraparound segment, "Abduction/Adduction," which is the best framing segment the series has had yet. It features actual ufologists and the YouTubers the Corridor Crew as they discuss the potential veracity of alleged "proof" of alien abduction videos, providing an excellent framework for what promises to be a gathering of alien-themed found footage shorts.
The core idea is that a Reddit post about two tapes discovered at a flea market, labeled Proof 1 and Proof 2 respectively, show two separate camera angles of a likely abduction case. The talking heads proceed to go over the history of UFO sightings in America, with the Corridor Crew chiming in to discuss how the "evidence" could easily be faked. A common theme is skepticism vs. belief.
We're off with an actioner in "Stork," as police officers in a project called W.A.R.D.E.N. siege upon a dilapidated house linked to dozens of infant disappearances. The officers immediately encounter zombie-like humans, eventually discovering the cause of it all. This is wall-to-wall action with nary a breath allowed, and it feels like an extremely abridged version of a feature that would become a cult classic. 6.5/10
After more of the wraparound, we have "Dream Girl," where the actual identity of Bollywood superstar Tara is revealed to be much more than a singing superstar. This is, easily, the worst of the bunch here. Not only does it quickly deviate from the alien theme that was established with the framing story and the first segment, but it commits the worst sin of a found footage short: swapping to "professional" quality cameras. Tara (Namrata Sheth) is gorgeous, though, so points for that. 4/10
"Live and Let Dive" kicks things back into gear, and we have a group of skydivers witness a UFO...that then destroys their plane. As they land in an orange grove, many injured and some dead, they begin to hear the screams of their friends from all around. Soon, our videographer is attacked by a large alien being, witnessing it slaughter his friends before his eyes. This one was simple, fast paced, and built to a fine climax. Not the best of the bunch, but far from the worst. 5/10
The weirdest of the bunch, and the best in pure execution, has to go to Justin Long's "Fur Babies." Yes, THAT Justin Long. His career launched with genre films, and it seems that he's settling nicely back into them. There's a playful disdain for "fur moms" that is immediately apparent, and Long clearly takes some cues from his turn in Walrus. This may be the most gleefully fucked up entry in the whole series. 6.5/10
The last of the unrelated shorts comes from Mike Flanagan (writer) and Kate Siegel (director), modern horror royalty if there ever were such a thing. While I'm not particularly enamored with their work, "Stowaway" clearly plays to Flanagan's strength is in conceptualizing something familiar and adding his own spices. Siegel's use of the camera is, actually, quite brilliant here, following UFO investigator Halley as she comes across a landed spacecraft and begins to explore it. There is such great lore shown that I would happily watch a feature length version of this, even a limited series, as the use of the nanites to repair her injuries, and the consequences therein, allows for some excellent body horror. The major glaring flaws, though, come from this being found footage for no real reason (as it would work that much better as a straightforward short), and the ending...leaving the question "how did they find the footage?" 6/10
With these played, it's time to circle back to "Abduction/Adduction," as the two tapes discussed earlier are edited together. We find a man asleep in his bed as an alien figure creeps toward him, performing experiments on him as he sleeps before removing a string of eggs from his throat. The real sell here is the reaction of the Corridor Crew, visibly shaken by what they've seen. 6.5/10
In all, this entry showed a marked improvement over the last several, with its only glaring fault being the "Dream Girl" short. Future entries should continue the thematic tone of the shorts therein, as this could have played even better with the framing bits discussing the shorts, making the entire runtime feel more like a solid 2-hour doc than a collection of vaguely similar horror shorts.
Weighted all together? I have to give this a 6/10.
------------
Sorted by date and scored.
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. The House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
22. ((nope))
23. V/H/S/Beyond (6/10)
- Messages
- 22,644
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Points
- 313
Re-watched the Toy Story of Terror! made for TV short and enjoyed it as much as last year. I'm a sucker for the random Halloween-centric shorts and episodes of cartoons and TV shows so I try to watch a few via Netflix or Disney+ yearly now.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Is that the motel one? Because that's a good'un, and I don't even care for the Toy Story franchise.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Ah, now Black Roses (1988) is some grade-A cheese! Director John Fasano, not far removed from the cheesefest that is 1987's Rock n' Roll Nightmare, delivers another "so bad it's good" slice of shock rock goofiness that just needs to be experienced.
In the small Canadian (maybe Minnesotan?) town of Mill Basin, the new heavy metal band sensation Black Roses, fronted by Damian (Sal Viviano), books a week's worth of gigs to "test the waters" before an international tour, having never played outside of the studio. This being a rural community at the height of the Satanic Panic, there's considerable backlash by the parents of Mill Basin, calmed initially by high school literature teacher Matthew (John Martin) and Mayor Farnsworth (Ken Swofford) by pointing out that the same fear happened with Elvis, Little Richard, and the Beatles.
This time, though, the parents are right to be afraid. The teens throughout the town quickly become possessed by the subtle evil and the town descends to hell. Black Roses are revealed to be actual demons stealing the souls of the town's youth, and it's up to Matthew to stop them before it's too late.
This. Is. Awesome. While not as legitimately good as fellow 80s "horror metal" fare like Trick or Treat (NO WIMPS NO FALSE METAL) or even the Gate, this is just wall-to-wall goofy fun. The craziest part, too, is that the first act could have fed into a legitimate subversion of the Satanic Panic's unfounded fear that rock music, specifically heavy metal, was a curse upon the nation's youth, with Matthew and Mayor Farnsworth actively making great points about how youthful rebellion takes on new forms in each generation, and that music is just music.
But would it be as fun? Hell no. We wouldn't have gotten the band morphing into fleshy demonic monstrosities as they play Lizzy Borden's "Me Against the World," we wouldn't have had a fuckinf MENTORS record bring forth a dinosaur-like creature from a stereo speaker to devour Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore, and we definitely wouldn't have gotten the stunning Robin Stewart actively seducing and then fucking her best friend's dad to the point of a massive heart attack in the name of Damian.
This is what b-movies aspire to be. 6.5/10
------------
Sorted by date and scored.
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. The House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
22. ((nope))
23. V/H/S/Beyond (6/10)
24. Black Roses (6.5/10)
In the small Canadian (maybe Minnesotan?) town of Mill Basin, the new heavy metal band sensation Black Roses, fronted by Damian (Sal Viviano), books a week's worth of gigs to "test the waters" before an international tour, having never played outside of the studio. This being a rural community at the height of the Satanic Panic, there's considerable backlash by the parents of Mill Basin, calmed initially by high school literature teacher Matthew (John Martin) and Mayor Farnsworth (Ken Swofford) by pointing out that the same fear happened with Elvis, Little Richard, and the Beatles.
This time, though, the parents are right to be afraid. The teens throughout the town quickly become possessed by the subtle evil and the town descends to hell. Black Roses are revealed to be actual demons stealing the souls of the town's youth, and it's up to Matthew to stop them before it's too late.
This. Is. Awesome. While not as legitimately good as fellow 80s "horror metal" fare like Trick or Treat (NO WIMPS NO FALSE METAL) or even the Gate, this is just wall-to-wall goofy fun. The craziest part, too, is that the first act could have fed into a legitimate subversion of the Satanic Panic's unfounded fear that rock music, specifically heavy metal, was a curse upon the nation's youth, with Matthew and Mayor Farnsworth actively making great points about how youthful rebellion takes on new forms in each generation, and that music is just music.
But would it be as fun? Hell no. We wouldn't have gotten the band morphing into fleshy demonic monstrosities as they play Lizzy Borden's "Me Against the World," we wouldn't have had a fuckinf MENTORS record bring forth a dinosaur-like creature from a stereo speaker to devour Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore, and we definitely wouldn't have gotten the stunning Robin Stewart actively seducing and then fucking her best friend's dad to the point of a massive heart attack in the name of Damian.
This is what b-movies aspire to be. 6.5/10
------------
Sorted by date and scored.
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. The House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
22. ((nope))
23. V/H/S/Beyond (6/10)
24. Black Roses (6.5/10)
- Messages
- 22,644
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Points
- 313
It was! I discovered it last year or the year before in trying to "pad up" my watched stuff and found it pretty solid so it's quickly becoming an annual staple because it's a breezy 20-25 minute watch.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I read the little story book for young'uns first, we used to get the seasonal advent calendars that had themed stories of Disney properties to read to Junior. It's a fun one.
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
One of my criticisms of V/H/S/Beyond centered around the framing story not being as actively involved with the shorts, as doing so would have locked in a more cohesive storytelling experience. For proof of what I mean by that, we have Aussie found footage horror film the Tunnel (2011), which plays out like a 90-minute documentary about a mysterious catastrophe in the forgotten subway tunnels beneath Sydney.
A crew of journalists - reporter Natasha (Bel Deliá), producer Peter (Andy Rodoreda), cameraman Steven (Steve Davis), and sound engineer Tangles (Luke Arnold) - discover that the Government of New South Wales began a project to recycle water stored in abandoned subway tunnels beneath the heart of Sydney only to scrap the project without any explanation. Interviewing the local homeless population produces homeless man Trevor (James Caitlin), who has a massive panic attack when asked about what he's seen in that section of the tunnels. The crew sneaks in through a maintenance gate to uncover the secrets below, and comes across a grisly find: a large, carnivorous beast that lives in the darkness.
The greatest strength of this film is its editing, cutting between stretches of the recovered footage the crew managed to record and interviews with the survivors. Of course, doing so exposes who lives and dies on the team, but there was a blurb early on saying that not all involved in the incident agreed to be interviewed.
Its greatest weakness, beyond the usual trappings of found footage horror? There wasn't enough of the monster. Its presence isn't revealed until halfway through, and it would have been a benefit to have it more aggressively hunt the crew (or even some unlucky homeless individuals), and it seems to only exist because the story is ostensibly a monster movie. We aren't treated to any possible lore, and one subway guard that seems to know about its existence is dispatched quickly (albeit in an incredibly effective moment).
Ultimately, this is a very fine example of how to properly do a found footage horror film, and one that should be seen at least once by anyone into horror. 6.5/10
------------
Sorted by date and scored.
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. The House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
22. ((nope))
23. V/H/S/Beyond (6/10)
24. Black Roses (6.5/10)
25. The Tunnel (6.5/10)
A crew of journalists - reporter Natasha (Bel Deliá), producer Peter (Andy Rodoreda), cameraman Steven (Steve Davis), and sound engineer Tangles (Luke Arnold) - discover that the Government of New South Wales began a project to recycle water stored in abandoned subway tunnels beneath the heart of Sydney only to scrap the project without any explanation. Interviewing the local homeless population produces homeless man Trevor (James Caitlin), who has a massive panic attack when asked about what he's seen in that section of the tunnels. The crew sneaks in through a maintenance gate to uncover the secrets below, and comes across a grisly find: a large, carnivorous beast that lives in the darkness.
The greatest strength of this film is its editing, cutting between stretches of the recovered footage the crew managed to record and interviews with the survivors. Of course, doing so exposes who lives and dies on the team, but there was a blurb early on saying that not all involved in the incident agreed to be interviewed.
Its greatest weakness, beyond the usual trappings of found footage horror? There wasn't enough of the monster. Its presence isn't revealed until halfway through, and it would have been a benefit to have it more aggressively hunt the crew (or even some unlucky homeless individuals), and it seems to only exist because the story is ostensibly a monster movie. We aren't treated to any possible lore, and one subway guard that seems to know about its existence is dispatched quickly (albeit in an incredibly effective moment).
Ultimately, this is a very fine example of how to properly do a found footage horror film, and one that should be seen at least once by anyone into horror. 6.5/10
------------
Sorted by date and scored.
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. The House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
22. ((nope))
23. V/H/S/Beyond (6/10)
24. Black Roses (6.5/10)
25. The Tunnel (6.5/10)
- Messages
- 22,644
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Points
- 313
Smile 2 7/10
Naomi Scott was great as Skye Riley, a pop star returning to start up a world tour after a 1 year recovery post-car accident which killed movie actor Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson).
The movie is largely its own beast with a few small ties to the 1st without overly relying on it which helps this one out a lot. It's a pretty classic "pop star" trying to stay sober/move on while her Mom publicist (Elizabeth Riley doing a great job too) is relying on Skye to keep up her career for the $$ factor and in blissful ignorance of the meltdowns/psychotic breaks going on seemingly with Skye.
Some fantastic gore and solid kills throughout with a memorably tense scene in Skye's apartment involving a group of background dancers who contort themselves in pursuing Skye.
I'd argue this is better visually than the first one and I'll probably remember a lot more from this one. This did suffer from some pacing issues towards the end that made it feel a bit draggy though the final scene was memorable and I'm glad the movie did opt to go there. Recommended.
Naomi Scott was great as Skye Riley, a pop star returning to start up a world tour after a 1 year recovery post-car accident which killed movie actor Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson).
The movie is largely its own beast with a few small ties to the 1st without overly relying on it which helps this one out a lot. It's a pretty classic "pop star" trying to stay sober/move on while her Mom publicist (Elizabeth Riley doing a great job too) is relying on Skye to keep up her career for the $$ factor and in blissful ignorance of the meltdowns/psychotic breaks going on seemingly with Skye.
Some fantastic gore and solid kills throughout with a memorably tense scene in Skye's apartment involving a group of background dancers who contort themselves in pursuing Skye.
I'd argue this is better visually than the first one and I'll probably remember a lot more from this one. This did suffer from some pacing issues towards the end that made it feel a bit draggy though the final scene was memorable and I'm glad the movie did opt to go there. Recommended.
RedJed
Rasslin' Rambler
I'm with you on Smile 2. Significantly better to me than the first one, and different enough to stand alone as not just a rehash of the first either, even though it was written and directed by the same guy as the first.
The second entry had a whole lot of excellent tension development to it and some really awkwardly accurate scenes on how someone's trauma from past addictions hit in terms of how they are kinda working through them or getting some resistance into keeping sober. I thought it made some excellent points on celebrity culture too with the pace of the demands of the profession she was in. I heard this film was loosely supposed to be based on a singer similar to Lady Gaga fyi.
The performances were top notch in this which also set it above the first entry. All around great stuff here, and honestly the trailer didn't do much for me so I was definitely surprised how this ended up being.
The second entry had a whole lot of excellent tension development to it and some really awkwardly accurate scenes on how someone's trauma from past addictions hit in terms of how they are kinda working through them or getting some resistance into keeping sober. I thought it made some excellent points on celebrity culture too with the pace of the demands of the profession she was in. I heard this film was loosely supposed to be based on a singer similar to Lady Gaga fyi.
The performances were top notch in this which also set it above the first entry. All around great stuff here, and honestly the trailer didn't do much for me so I was definitely surprised how this ended up being.
Brooklyn Zoo
BZ
- Messages
- 17,713
- Reaction score
- 795
- Points
- 263
I truly believe that Naomi Scott deserves an Oscar nod. She was outstanding. But horror bias will hurt her, the same way it hurt Toni Collete.
I'm hoping Demi Moore for The Substance can break through. They have a horror bias, but they love comebacks. I doubt she gets nominated though.
- Messages
- 22,644
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Points
- 313
I've read the final scene has split a lot of people in terms of what it meant for the stuff prior but I personally liked it and thought that'd be where the film may go anyway. I can see how it'd piss people off or be a very hit/miss with most audiences though. To me it all comes down to the execution as folks don't complain about stuff like
The Wizard of Oz being a dream sequence at the end or The Sixth Sense basically nullifying some of the earlier scenes because Bruce was a ghost
- Messages
- 22,644
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Points
- 313
We were just discussing this in Chat and clearly manifested it!
Fall of Epic
Epic Reine
Finally watched Ready or Not which was pretty rad. I always thought Samara Weaving was the Dollar Tree version of Anya Taylor-Joy but she really stepped it up here as the desperate prey who is way in over her head but uses her whits to overcome everything.
Between this and Nobody Wants This, I'm becoming a bit of a Adam Brody fan.
Between this and Nobody Wants This, I'm becoming a bit of a Adam Brody fan.
Weaving is usually called the Dollar Tree version of Margot Robbie. I don't think she looks anything like ATJ. That said, I think Samara Weaving rules. She always gives her all regardless of the project, and I thought they made a huge mistake having her as the opening kill of Scream 6 instead of making her a big part of the movie.
Azrael on Shudder with her was very good. Might be my favorite of the current subgenre of Silent Horror. At 86 minutes, there's no dead time and it just moves and is relentless. I found it to have less filler than the Quiet Place series. Weaving has an it factor and charisma that can carry lesser movies like The Babysitter or Guns Akimbo. If Margot Robbie didn't exist, she would probably be a huge mainstream star. There even was a joke in Babylon where Samara plays an actress that ends up getting replaced by Margot's character.
Azrael on Shudder with her was very good. Might be my favorite of the current subgenre of Silent Horror. At 86 minutes, there's no dead time and it just moves and is relentless. I found it to have less filler than the Quiet Place series. Weaving has an it factor and charisma that can carry lesser movies like The Babysitter or Guns Akimbo. If Margot Robbie didn't exist, she would probably be a huge mainstream star. There even was a joke in Babylon where Samara plays an actress that ends up getting replaced by Margot's character.
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Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I want Samara and Margot to play sisters in a movie. They're similar in appearance, actually similar in range (Weaving loves camp way more but nails some great performances), and, just to really get me going? They're both into metal.
Fall of Epic
Epic Reine
Margot Robbie is the Dollar Tree version of Jaime Pressly and you know it!
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
Jamie Pressly is all about the Circle card savings. Margot is a Maxxinista. Samara just finds shit at Goodwill and blows smoke in their faces.
Folks...it's time to pitch a gross-out comedy about sisters Margot and Samara and their wild aunt Jamie.
Valeyard
Retarded sexuality and bad poetry.
- Messages
- 15,582
- Reaction score
- 7,342
- Points
- 253
Watched Nightmare On Elm Street. Seen it a million times by now but just needed something familiar. I always just wish it was better, you know? Like it's a good movie that has potential to be incredible but just doesn't get there. It feels like it could've been a GOAT psychological horror with great effects but it just kinda doesn't go for it. I love it, don't get me wrong, but it could've been even more.
BruiserBrody
Integral Poster
- Messages
- 31,072
- Reaction score
- 3,237
- Points
- 293
The Lapsed Fan released a NINE HOUR pod on the Exorcist....for reasons?
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
It's a movie that deserves it, honestly.
- Messages
- 22,644
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Points
- 313
As somebody who has watched 6+ hour Youtube videos... worth it.
- Messages
- 22,644
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Points
- 313
Here was my 2024 Watch List. ** = First time seeing it.
2024 October Movie Watching
10/1 - Hocus Pocus
10/2 - Men in Black; Shaun of the Dead
10/5 - The Platform 2**; IT: Chapter 1
10/6 - IT: Chapter 2
10/7 - As Above, So Below**
10/8 - Things Heard & Seen** (2021 movie starring Amanda Seyfried. I really liked it, 6/10. Husband/Wife move into this neighborhood and the past catches up to them)
10/10 - The Wicker Man
10/11 - Terrifier**
10/13 - The Butterfly Effect, Scream (1996), The Addams Family
10/15 - Abandoned** (Movie about a couple that buy a farm from 2022 starring Emma Roberts. It was awful)
10/16 - Campfire Tales
10/19 - Outside** (Foreign Zombie Movie on Netflix, great gore/effects but disappointing on the whole); Get Out
10/20 - Scary Movie; Young Frankenstein
10/21 - Addams Family Values
10/23 - Toy Story of Terror! (TV Short)
10/26 - The Witch; Demons of the Mind (1972)** (Very 70s movie that was weird. Not a fan)
10/27 - Smile 2**; Mickey's Spooky Stories (2024)**
10/28 - The Ghoul (1933)** (Solid old school movie where Boris Karloff plays a character who wants immortality upon death re: a special jewel but becomes a reanimated ghoul instead); Unhuman** (An EPIX Original Movie from Blumhouse about a group of teens that end up in a bus crash in the midst of a chemical attack and get attacked by zombies. There's several twists that kind of ruin this. Ali Gallo is the best thing about this movie and I hope she does more horror roles but this was pretty bad)
10/29 - Squid Game
10/30 - Phantasm; Arachnophobia; Psycho
10/31 - It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
2024 October Movie Watching
10/1 - Hocus Pocus
10/2 - Men in Black; Shaun of the Dead
10/5 - The Platform 2**; IT: Chapter 1
10/6 - IT: Chapter 2
10/7 - As Above, So Below**
10/8 - Things Heard & Seen** (2021 movie starring Amanda Seyfried. I really liked it, 6/10. Husband/Wife move into this neighborhood and the past catches up to them)
10/10 - The Wicker Man
10/11 - Terrifier**
10/13 - The Butterfly Effect, Scream (1996), The Addams Family
10/15 - Abandoned** (Movie about a couple that buy a farm from 2022 starring Emma Roberts. It was awful)
10/16 - Campfire Tales
10/19 - Outside** (Foreign Zombie Movie on Netflix, great gore/effects but disappointing on the whole); Get Out
10/20 - Scary Movie; Young Frankenstein
10/21 - Addams Family Values
10/23 - Toy Story of Terror! (TV Short)
10/26 - The Witch; Demons of the Mind (1972)** (Very 70s movie that was weird. Not a fan)
10/27 - Smile 2**; Mickey's Spooky Stories (2024)**
10/28 - The Ghoul (1933)** (Solid old school movie where Boris Karloff plays a character who wants immortality upon death re: a special jewel but becomes a reanimated ghoul instead); Unhuman** (An EPIX Original Movie from Blumhouse about a group of teens that end up in a bus crash in the midst of a chemical attack and get attacked by zombies. There's several twists that kind of ruin this. Ali Gallo is the best thing about this movie and I hope she does more horror roles but this was pretty bad)
10/29 - Squid Game
10/30 - Phantasm; Arachnophobia; Psycho
10/31 - It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Big Papa Paegan
L. A. Z.
I may have skipped a few days due to other things (namely being an asshole that wanted to do a night of gaming with the boys), but for the grand finale? Always.
Halloween (1978) is another movie that gets better with age and repeat viewings. After learning even more about how Carpenter overcame a small budget to create one of the biggest movies ever made? I'm still in awe at its near perfection.
This time, I noticed how often the Shape touches his surroundings, stalking both young Tommy Doyle and Laurie Strode after they arrived at his family home to drop off the key. Little things like his more humanistic movements before the killing begins and he turns into a murderous automaton.
1978's Michael Myers is the GOAT of horror movie killers. Period. 9/10
------------
Final list, sorted by date
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
22. ((nope))
23. V/H/S/Beyond (6/10)
24. Black Roses (6.5/10)
25. The Tunnel (6.5/10)
26. ((nope))
27. ((nope))
28. ((nope))
29. ((nope))
30. ((nope))
31. Halloween (9/10)
BIGGEST SURPRISES:
-Preferring Alien over Aliens for the first time after 30ish years of feeling the other way
-Anna Kendrick debuting with a banger in the director's chair via Woman of the Hour
-How insanely fun Black Roses was
-When Evil Lurks becoming the most depressing horror film I've seen yet
-Justin Long being involved in both a movie turning dumb (Barbarian) and turning incredibly fun (V/H/S/Beyond)
Halloween (1978) is another movie that gets better with age and repeat viewings. After learning even more about how Carpenter overcame a small budget to create one of the biggest movies ever made? I'm still in awe at its near perfection.
This time, I noticed how often the Shape touches his surroundings, stalking both young Tommy Doyle and Laurie Strode after they arrived at his family home to drop off the key. Little things like his more humanistic movements before the killing begins and he turns into a murderous automaton.
1978's Michael Myers is the GOAT of horror movie killers. Period. 9/10
------------
Final list, sorted by date
1. Baskin (7/10)
2. Barbarian (5/10)
3. Alien (9.5/10)
4. Aliens (9/10)
5. Hocus Pocus 2 (5.5/10)
6. Under Paris (6.5/10)
7. Child's Play 2 (5.5/10)
8. Child's Play 3 (6/10)
9. Bride of Chucky (7/10)
10. Terrifier 2 (3/10)
11. El Conde (7/10)
12. Addams Family Values (8/10)
13. Friday the 13th (6.5/10)
14. Body Bags (6/10)
15. Monster Party (6.5/10)
16. When Evil Lurks (7.5/10)
17. Lisa Frankenstein (4/10)
18. House on Sorority Row (5.5/10)
19. Woman of the Hour (7/10)
20. In a Violent Nature (5.5/10)
21. Godzilla Minus One (8/10)
22. ((nope))
23. V/H/S/Beyond (6/10)
24. Black Roses (6.5/10)
25. The Tunnel (6.5/10)
26. ((nope))
27. ((nope))
28. ((nope))
29. ((nope))
30. ((nope))
31. Halloween (9/10)
BIGGEST SURPRISES:
-Preferring Alien over Aliens for the first time after 30ish years of feeling the other way
-Anna Kendrick debuting with a banger in the director's chair via Woman of the Hour
-How insanely fun Black Roses was
-When Evil Lurks becoming the most depressing horror film I've seen yet
-Justin Long being involved in both a movie turning dumb (Barbarian) and turning incredibly fun (V/H/S/Beyond)
- Messages
- 22,644
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Points
- 313
Re-watched Smile and stand by my 5/10 score (greatly preferring Smile 2). I hated the writing behind the lead character (Sosie Bacon tried but I found the character pretty insufferable and annoying in the way she pushed the story forward, often manipulating those around her. Kyle Gallner's character being a cop, accessing evidence in his off day, and Rose's character literally snatching the computer to view it was particularly more cringe in the re-watch). I also felt like this movie was far more "jump scare" prone (particularly noticeable in transition scenes) in comparison to Smile 2, which still had a few jump scare moments but felt more reigned back and reliant on the tension/atmosphere/showing the gore instead.
The first half is pretty strong but by the end it, to me, becomes a chore by the final 20 minutes as you are just waiting for the end of the movie and the build up to pay off. The relationships are pretty minimally handled outside of several conversations (unfortunate since Jessie Usher and Kyle Gallner are both good actors) and I felt that was stronger & better handled in the sequel too.
The concept and tackling of mental health/is she going crazy? was solid but handled way better in other movies and that thread started to wear thin by the halfway mark. Movies like It Follows and even Blumhouse's Truth or Dare managed to evolve the central concept to multiple characters in the movie so it didn't feel like you were just stuck with this singular character repeating the same situation to multiple others: "I'm not crazy, I'm seeing things, somebody help me" to finally, "We're going to figure this out so fiance you gotta be outta the movie now."
Another minor knock to the original was that some of the writing was a bit underwhelming/unexplored. Rose talking to Ms. Munoz about her husband was interesting but then the movie derails it to make Rose reveal herself just so she can get yelled out of the house. Then it's literally repeated at the jail with the survivor (just with Rose saying it's a patient, not that she's an investigative reporter) just so he too can panic/yell at her and get her to leave. The same for the sister relationship which could've been interesting in exploring the dichotomy of their mother's suicide on each but instead ends up with a brief conversation and that's it.
The first half is pretty strong but by the end it, to me, becomes a chore by the final 20 minutes as you are just waiting for the end of the movie and the build up to pay off. The relationships are pretty minimally handled outside of several conversations (unfortunate since Jessie Usher and Kyle Gallner are both good actors) and I felt that was stronger & better handled in the sequel too.
The concept and tackling of mental health/is she going crazy? was solid but handled way better in other movies and that thread started to wear thin by the halfway mark. Movies like It Follows and even Blumhouse's Truth or Dare managed to evolve the central concept to multiple characters in the movie so it didn't feel like you were just stuck with this singular character repeating the same situation to multiple others: "I'm not crazy, I'm seeing things, somebody help me" to finally, "We're going to figure this out so fiance you gotta be outta the movie now."
Another minor knock to the original was that some of the writing was a bit underwhelming/unexplored. Rose talking to Ms. Munoz about her husband was interesting but then the movie derails it to make Rose reveal herself just so she can get yelled out of the house. Then it's literally repeated at the jail with the survivor (just with Rose saying it's a patient, not that she's an investigative reporter) just so he too can panic/yell at her and get her to leave. The same for the sister relationship which could've been interesting in exploring the dichotomy of their mother's suicide on each but instead ends up with a brief conversation and that's it.