Topic: Dragonfire's Halloween/Horror Marathon 2009

[Dragonfire]

Halloween/Horror Marathon

This is for my Halloween/Horror marathon.  For several years, I have tended to watch some movies every year around Halloween, and I will more than likely watch those movies again this year.  Some will be horror and others aren't really horror, but still feature ghosts, witches, vampires, or monsters of some sort...like Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit.  Not really horror, but I like watching it this time of year.

I don't know yet what movie I'll start with and I'll more than likely won't decide what I'm watching each day until I'm ready to watch something..then I'll figure out what I'm in the mood for. I'll also watch different Halloween episodes of tv shows.

I'll try to get a table for a list set up too.

[Dragonfire]

Igor



This hilarious animated twist on the classic monster movie is must-see family fun! Determined to prove he can create his own diabolical invention, a mad scientist’s (John Cleese) nice-guy assistant, Igor (John Cusack), creates a female Franken-monster. But his creation, Eva (Molly Shannon), is sweet and sings show tunes! That is, until she falls into the clutches of Dr. Schadenfreude (Eddie Izzard) and his shape-shifting girlfriend (Jennifer Coolidge). Now it’s up to Igor and his sidekicks (Steve Buscemi and Sean Hayes) to save Eva – and their country – from real evildoers, including sneaky Prince Malpert (Jay Leno)!

My Thoughts

I know this isn't considered horror by many people, but it fits for me.  I think the movie is heavily inspired by Frankenstein, and the story has an different twist to the story of a mad scientist.  The story still has some dark overtones, though it is mostly family friendly.  I think the story is entertaining and makes for a good animated movie.  It won't appeal to everyone though.  The animation is done well, though it isn't as good as what Pixar does.  Music does end up being important to what is going on since Eva decides she is going to be an actress and is preparing for an audition for Annie.  There is a rather unique performance of the song Tomorrow late in the movie. 

This is an entertaining movie that I enjoy.



I did get a review posted on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater originally.

Igor

[Dragonfire]

Phantoms



A heart-stopping, edge-of-your-seat thriller with a hot cast of rising stars, 'Phantoms' is the latest from Master of Suspense, Dean Koontz!  Five lone survivors in a devastated town must face the unthinkable: a ferocious force of evil...lying below the earth for centuries...has surfaced with the power to destroy every human being!  Left behind are two sisters, the town sheriff (Academy Award® winner Ben Affleck - 'Pearl Harbor'), his deputy (Liev Schreiber - 'Scream 3'), and a noted tabloid journalist (Peter O'Toole).  You're in for a pulse-pounding experience as the survivors must race to stop this terrifying threat before it wipes mankind off the face of the earth!

My Thoughts

I enjoy this movie overall, though the book it is based on is much better.  Too much has to be condensed or completely eliminated for the story to have the same feeling as the book.  The movie does have a creepy atmosphere and some decent action scenes.  The pace does move a little slower, which might bother some viewers.  There is more attention given to building suspense instead of just relying on special effects like some movies do.  The effects the are alright, though they aren't overly impressive, especially what is the major effect for the movie.  The plot is interesting even though it isn't as developed or strong as it was in the book.

I enjoy this movie even though the plot could have been stronger and more suspenseful.



I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Phantoms

[Jimmy]

I enjoy this movie overall, though the book it is based on is much better.

Agree 100% with you, except that I haven't enjoy this film at all
I was so pissed off when I've seen this film the first time... It was so badly cast that one of the most creepy scene in the book doesn't make sense anymore... Lisa is supposed to be 13 or 14 old, not a young adult or a late teenager and the casting of Rose McGowan remove all the disgusting side of the Deputy Wargle.

[Dragonfire]

I enjoy this movie overall, though the book it is based on is much better.

Agree 100% with you, except that I haven't enjoy this film at all
I was so pissed off when I've seen this film the first time... It was so badly cast that one of the most creepy scene in the book doesn't make sense anymore... Lisa is supposed to be 13 or 14 old, not a young adult or a late teenager and the casting of Rose McGowan remove all the disgusting side of the Deputy Wargle.

That is true...it has been long enough since I read the book that I forgot that Lisa is younger in the book. 
It isn't as good as the book..though I don't think it is as much of a mess as the movie version of Watchers.  That's just a giant mess.

[Dragonfire]

Ok...I forgot to start my table before I started posting about movies.  So..I'm doing the table now.

Number	Title	Date	Rating
1	Igor	10/01
2	Phantoms	10/01
3	Eight Legged Freaks	10/02
4	Carrie	10/03
5	Child's Play	10/04
6	The 'Burbs	10/04
7	Tremors	10/05

[Dragonfire]

I've watched a few more I have to write about..I just don't have the time at the moment.  So I'll be back to do that later.

[Dragonfire]

Eight Legged Freaks



What do you get when you cross toxic waste with a bunch of exotic spiders?  Eaten!
The townies of Prosperity, Arizona, will all become a screaming smorgasbord if mutated arachnids as big as SUVs have their way in this comedy/horror crowd-pleaser whose creators include the producers of "Independence Day" and "Godzilla."  Spiders that leap like gazelles, web-spitting spiders, spiders that suck your insides out as if through a straw - they're among the behemoths conjured up by an inventive effects team.  David Arquette heads the two-legged stars, mobilizing the citizenry in a last-ditch fight to survive.  Here's hoping they succeed.  Otherwise Prosperity - maybe the world - may be reduced to one giant, uh, website!

My Thoughts

This is more like a comedy or spoof of horror movies, but I still consider it a type of a horror movie since it involves giant mutant spiders eating people.  In real life, I tend to freak out if I see a spider.  However, for whatever reason, it doesn't bother me a bit to see spiders in a movie. 

The stuff going on in this movie is silly and not that believable, but I think it makes an entertaining movie.  It doesn't scare me at all.  It reminds me a bit of some of those older monster type movies that have some kind of mutant monster attacking people.  I tend to like some of the goofier horror type movies, which this one definitely is.  There really isn't any suspense or mystery to the movie and many things are predictable, which will probably bother some people.  The plot is probably too silly in general for some viewers.  The acting is fine without anything that really stands out one way or the other. 

I just think it is an entertaining movie that I still enjoy even after seeing it several times.



I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Eight Legged Freaks

[Dragonfire]

Carrie



Based on the best-selling Stephen King novel, Carrie "catches the mind, shakes it and refuses to let go" (Time Magazine)!  Starring Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie (in Oscar®-nominated* performances), John Travolta and Amy Irving, this ultimate revenge fantasy is "absolutely spellbinding" (Roger Ebert), "outrageously witty" (Los Angeles Times) and one of the all-time great horror classics!

At the center of the terror is Carrie (Spacek), a tortured high-school misfit with no confidence, no friends...and no idea about the extent of her secret powers of telekinesis. But when her psychotic mother and sadistic classmates finally go too far, the once-shy teen becomes an unrestrained, vengeance-seeking powerhouse who, with the help of her 'special gift,' causes all hell to break loose in a famed cinematic frenzy of blood, fire and brimstone!

*1976: Spacek, Actress; Laurie, Supporting Actress

My Thoughts

I've seen this one a few times over the years, usually when it has turned up on television.  This was the first time I had watched it in years.  This one isn't as gory or as scary overall as most other horror movies, though I do think this one has a scene that is one of the scariest ever.  It still makes me jump a bit, and I freak when it is recreated in other movies too.  The plot is interesting and Carrie being tormented in school is perfectly believable.  Some of the scenes start off a bit sweet and then something shocking happens that changes the mood completely.  There is a really sweet scene with Carrie and Tommy later in the movie..then just minutes later all hell is breaking loose.  That brief moment of sweetness makes what happens even more tragic.  There isn't any mystery to the movie and really not much suspense, but it is still very entertaining.

The characters work very well.  Carrie really isn't a bad or evil character.  She is just pushed too far and she snaps and ends up using her new ability in a not so good way.  Sissy Spacek is wonderful in the part, especially later in the movie when Carrie has snapped.  She gets this look on her face that still freaks me out a bit.  It fits perfectly for what is going on with the character at that point.  Carrie's mother Margaret is an overly religious woman who sees sin lurking everywhere.  The woman is clearly missing most of her marbles and the way she treats her daughter is horrible.  Piper Laurie is great in the part.  The other characters don't stand out as much to me, but the cast is all good in the parts. 

Some of the shots and effects look a bit dated now, but overall the movie has held up very well.  The majority of the movie deals with how horrible groups of kids can treat others in high school, which is very believable.  The stuff with Carrie having powers is a smaller aspect even though it does end up playing a large part in what is going on.



I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Carrie

[Jimmy]

Love this movie

You know what get me everytime even if I know that it will happen

[Dragonfire]

Love this movie

You know what get me everytime even if I know that it will happen

Probably the exact same thing that gets me too.   

[Dragonfire]

Child's Play



Experience this pulse-pounding slasher-shocker as never before with this all-new 20th Anniversary Edition! Chucky's back with a new slew of "friends to the end" – including a gripping audio commentary, thrilling behind-the-scenes featurettes and more!

Six-year-old Andy is thrilled when he gets a brand-new, cheery Chucky doll for his birthday. But he quickly discovers that Chucky is possessed by the soul of a notorious serial killer who swiftly begins terrorizing Andy, his ill-fated babysitter and his disbelieving mom. And he doesn't stop there. Proving he's nobody to toy with, the demonic doll schemes to transfer his evil spirit out of its "kid-friendly" container...and into Andy!

My Thoughts

I was never afraid of any of my toys or dolls growing up, but I do remember seeing some creepy looking dolls that probably would have given me a bad dream or two.  I think this is actually the first time I have seen the entire R rated version of of the movie.  Before, I had just seen the edited version on television, so of course it was more mild.  Even in the R rated version, it isn't too violent or gory.  Though I guess some people might feel different about that.  The plot is kind of...silly, but it makes for an entertaining movie.  There really isn't much mystery to what is going on, but then again, I already knew what was going on with Chucky before I first saw the movie since I had heard about it.  I wasn't interested in the movie at all for years, but I enjoy it since I've taken the time to watch it.



I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Child's Play

[Dragonfire]

The 'Burbs



THE 'BURBS
Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) is just a normal guy living a normal life, or so he thinks, until he spends a week at home next to his new, very strange next-door neighbors.

My Thoughts

Yes I think this one fits because of the bizarre nature of the neighbors.  This is more comedy and not that scary, but there are still horror elements in it and I think the story is rather dark and twisted.  I enjoy the movie and think it is very entertaining.  The humor and more scary elements work together well with what is happening and that just makes the movie more entertaining for me.  The movie has a interesting mix of character and I think the cast did well.  I also find it interesting that the movie was filmed on the street of the backlot at Universal Studios that now serves as Wisteria Lane.  The run down mess of a house the new weird neighbors live in is now Bree's perfect house.  



I did get a review posted on Epinions a few years ago if anyone would like to go take a look.

The "Burbs

[Dragonfire]

Tremors



Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward star as two country handymen who lead a cast of zany characters to safety in this exciting sci-fi creature comedy.

Just as Val McKee (Bacon) and Earl Basset (Ward) decide to leave Perfection, Nevada, strange rumblings prevent their departure. With the help of a shapely seismology student (Finn Carter), they discover their desolate town is infested with gigantic man-eating creatures that live below the ground.

The race is on to overcome these slimy subterraneans and find a way to higher ground, in this enjoyable thriller co-starring Michael Gross and Reba McEntire.

My Thoughts

This was actually the first horror/monster type movie that I saw.  I remember not being interested in seeing the movie at all when I saw trailers.  Then I saw the movie when it turned up on tv and I really liked it.  Since then I've seen it several times and I still enjoy it.  I love the mix of comedy and horror...which may be why I'm still partial some more...corny horror types of movies.  Some things that happen are a bit cheesy and there is some over acting at times, but it all works to make a highly entertaining movie.  The characters are interesting and I think the cast did well.  The movie isn't that gory, so it is more mild than some movies.



I did get a review posted on Epinions last year.

Tremors

[Dragonfire]

Tremors 2: Aftershocks



They're back! The giant underground creatures that terrorized a desert town in 'Tremors' are now plowing their way through Mexican oil fields, gobbling up everything and everyone around - and only one man can stop them! In the style of its predecessor, this comedy sci-fi creature feature reunites Fred Ward as down-on-his-luck Earl Basset and Michael Gross as gung-ho survivalist Burt Gummer, two desert desperadoes who take on the task of destroying the monsters. Partnered with them is Christopher Gartin, a young guy in need of kicks, cash, and a career change, and Helen Shaver, a sexy and intrepid scientist who's seen it all...until now. Together they devise an ingenious plan for tracking and killing the creatures. 'Tremors 2' is filled with high speed action and plenty of laughs - until the predators wise up.

My Thoughts

This one is a bit cheesy at times, but it is entertaining.  It isn't clear how much time has passed since the first movie, but it has been long enough for Earl to lose the money he made.  Val is only briefly mentioned, but it is enough to explain why he is gone.  Heather's absence is also explained in a way that is logical.  Some of the plot, an isolated area being terrorized by graboids, is the same, but enough different things happen to keep things more interesting.  The movie really isn't that gory or violent, even during the few scenes that include some violence.  There is enough action to keep things interesting.  There is also a decent amount of humor as well.  Several things that happen make me laugh, though the humor could be too silly for some viewers.  Fred Ward is fine as Earl again, though I did think his hair looked a bit silly.

I do enjoy this movie even though it has some issues. 



I did post a review on Epinions last year if anyone wants to take a look.

Tremors 2: Aftershocks