Topic: Marie's 2012 Horror Movie Thread

[Dragonfire]

This is where I'll discuss the movies I watch this October.
Some people here may remember that I don't always go strictly horror with this.  Some that I watch are definitely horror..others just deal with ghosts, vampires, witches or other monster type characters in some way.  I do want to try to get to some I haven't watched on DVD yet, but there are also some that I watch every year.

[Dragonfire]

The Frighteners

The Frighteners In the sleepy little town of Fairwater, a monstrous evil has awakened... an evil so powerful, its reach extends beyond the grave. Director Peter Jackson and Executive Producer Robert Zemeckis unleash a riveting thriller with the most spectacular special effects this side of the hereafter. For Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox), death is a great way to make a living: ridding haunted houses of their unwelcome "guests." But he's in cahoots with the very ghosts he promised to evict! It's the perfect scam... until Frank finds himself at the center of a dark mystery. A diabolical spirit is on a murderous rampage... and the whole town believes Frank is behind it. Boasting music by Danny Elfman, co-starring Trini Alvarado, Jeffrey Combs and John Astin, this supernatural chiller is so fiendishly entertaining, it's scary!

I love this movie.  I still remember being completely freaked out by previews when the movie originally came out.  Then a few years later, I came across the movie on tv one night without knowing what it was.  It was just so...odd at the part I turned on that I had to keep watching.  The plot is really entertaining.  I like how it is set up with Frank going to help get rid of ghosts for people and then it turns out that the ghosts are working with him.  It sort of seems like it is more of a comedy at first, but things with the killer take a darker turn.  I so didn't see how things were going to work out.  I think it works well for the movie.  it works well as a thriller and has good horror movie elements.  The movie is very entertaining and has held up well.  I still really enjoy it when I watch it.



I did post a longer review on Epinions a few years ago if anyone wants to take a look.

The Frighteners

[Dragonfire]

Scooby-Doo Zoinks! Two years after a clash of egos forced Mystery Inc. to close its doors, Scooby-Doo and his clever crime-solving cohorts Fred (FREDDIE PRINZE JR.), Daphne (SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR), Shaggy (MATTHEW LILLARD) and Velma (LINDA CARDELLINI) are individually summoned to Spooky Island to investigate a series of paranormal incidents at the ultra-hip Spring Break hot spot. Concerned that his way cool theme park might truly be haunted, Spooky Island owner Emile Mondavarious (ROWAN ATKINSON) tries to reunite those notoriously meddling detectives to solve the mystery before his supernatural secret scares away the college crowds. Scooby and the gang will have to overcome their personal differences and forget everything they think they know about fake ghouls and phony creatures to crack the case, save themselves and possibly... the world. RUH-ROH!

Yes I know this one is silly..but I enjoy it overall.  While I never have liked how Mystery Inc. broke up, I do like the idea of them going to a spooky vacation destination to investigate things.  Things are silly at times, and the humor does resort to a lot of gross stuff that isn't needed or funny - Scooby and Shaggy having a fart contest is just stupid.  Most of the humor works for the most part.  The characters are sort of like they have been in the cartoons, though there are changes too.  Daphne kind of ends up being a version of Buffy with the fighting she does.  This is one of the very few times that Matthew Lillard hasn't annoyed me..he makes a good Shaggy.

Overall I enjoy the movie even though I do think is has some issues. 



I did post a longer review on Epinions several years ago if anyone wants to take a look.

Scooby-Doo

[Dragonfire]

Forbidden World On the planet Xarbia, an experimental life-form known as "Subject 20" has been created by an elite group of scientists in hopes of preventing a major galactic food crisis. However, instead of prolonging life, Subject 20 is destroying it, and the man-eating organism poses a double threat because it constantly changes its genetic structure. Bounty hunter Mike Colby is called in to investigate but soon suspects that the scientists are keeping something from him, and he discovers why ... Subject 20 is half-human!

I decided I was in the mood for one of my Corman movies.  The movie has a thin plot - mostly because of how fast the script was written - and it is clear it was made with a limited budget.  The movie is kind of cheesy and seems to be a version of Alien, but it still manages to be entertaining.  It isn't going to appeal to everyone though.  The ...monster is decently creepy and scary.  The effects aren't that bad considering the limitations of the budget.  Some scenes are a bit gory, but that fits with what is going on.  There isn't much in the way of character development, something else that could bother some people.  Even with the issues the movie has, it is still entertaining overall and I think it is worth watching.



I did post a longer review at Epinions after the first time I watched the movie.

Forbidden World

[Dragonfire]

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed Jinkies! They're the most monsters ever gathered! Mix those creepazoids with Scooby-Doo and the rest of the Mystery Inc. gang and you have the recipe for family fun! A masked villain wreaks mayhem on the city of Coolsville with a monster machine that creates real-life versions of Mystery Inc.'s former foes like The 10,000 Volt Ghost, The Cotton Candy Glob, The Skelemen and The Pterodactyl Ghost. Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard), Velma (Linda Cardellini) and Scooby-Doo launch an investigation into the monster outbreak that leaves Shaggy and Scooby questioning their roles in Mystery Inc. Eager to prove their detective skills, the ever-ravenous duo comes up with a secret plan to solve the mystery all by themselves. Can the gang unravel their most challenging case? Seth Green, Alicia Silverstone and Peter Boyle join the cast for some zoinked-out monster madness!

This is another one that I enjoy that I know others don't care for.  The plot is definitely silly, though I think the silliness works for the most part.  There are several monsters in this one that were first seen in the original cartoons.  The personalities of the characters seem like they were in the original cartoon.  There isn't anything graphic going on or really that scary, but a few things might scare younger children.  For me the movie is fun and entertaining, though there are issues with the story not being that strong - not that I expected a strong story.  This one isn't one that everyone will like or even want to see.  People that liked the first movie may find something to like here.



I did post a longer review on Epinions previously if anyone wants to take a look at that one.  I think I posted about it here before too.

Scooby-Doo 2: Monster's Unleashed

[Dragonfire]

Creepshow Two macabre masters — writer Stephen King and director George A. Romero — conjure up five shocking yarns, each a virtuoso exercise in ghouls-and-gags style of classic '50s horror comics. A murdered man emerges from the grave for Father's Day cake. A meteor's ooze makes everything...grow. A professor selects his wife as a snack for a crated creature. A scheming husband plants two lovers up to their necks in terror. A malevolent millionaire with an insect phobia becomes the prey of a cockroach army. Add the spirited performances of a fine cast (Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, E.G. Marshal and King himself) and the ghoulish makeup wizardry of Tom Savini. Let the Creepshow begin!

I've seen this one several times over the years, though I think this is the first time I've watched it in a few years.

The movie is a collection of spooky short stories, tied together by the fact that they are all supposed to be from a horror comic book.  None of the stories are that long, so there isn't time for them to be full developed.  That doesn't bother me because they are entertaining.  I think they all work as being creepy stories.  Leslie Nielson is in one of the stories as a truly twisted character who comes up with a unique way of getting revenge for an affair.  The first time I saw this movie was the first time that I'd seen him in a non comedy role.  The stories are effective, though some are stronger than others.  Certain things do look a little dated, but the movie is still entertaining and still worth checking out.



I did post a review on this one on Epinions a few years ago if anyone wants to take a look.

Creepshow

[Dragonfire]

Piranha While searching for missing teenagers, novice skip tracer Maggie McKeown (Heather Menzies) and local town boozer Paul Grogan (Bradford Dillman) stumble upon a top-secret Army laboratory conducting genetic research on piranha fish for the purpose of developing biological warfare. When the deadly eating machines are accidently released from the compound, they're soon headed downstream and consuming everything, and anything, in their path. Just when you thought it was safe to go in the river... Piranha features a stellar group of talent in front of as well as behind the camera. The top-notch cast of cult stars includes Kevin McCarthy (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers), Barbara Steele (Black Sunday), Belinda Balaski (The Howling), Dick Miller (A Bucket Of Blood) and Paul Bartel (Death Race 2000). Piranha is director Joe Dante's second film. He would go on to direct Gremlins and Small Soldiers. Producer Jon Davison went on to produce the blockbusters RoboCop and Starship Troopers. The film also features a thrilling soundtrack by Pino Donaggio (Dressed To Kill, Carrie and Dante's The Howling).

I think it is pretty clear that this one is meant to be a version of Jaws.  There are somewhat small fish that are attacking people, but there are scads of them and they have really sharp teeth.  Of course, when Maggie and Paul try to warn people about what is going on, no one believes them and the government is just trying to cover up what is going on.  So things are set up so that the piranha get to a resort with lots of people in the water.  There are lots of attacks in the movie that are gory without getting too gory.  I don't know anything about piranha, so I don't know if they really would attack people or not.  Even knowing how highly unlikely it is that any genetically altered people eating fish would end up in a lake, this just reinforces the fact that I never want to go swimming anywhere that has any sort of fish or critter in the water.  I'll stick to swimming pools.  Anyway, the plot isn't exactly strong, but it does manage to be entertaining.  The effects are clearly low budget, but they are done in a way that manages to work.  One of the extras on the Blu-ray talked about how they used fishes on sticks for some of the scenes.  There are naked women in different scenes, something that some people will probably enjoy.  Overall, I enjoy the movie and think it works even though the plot isn't that strong. 



Piranha

[Dragonfire]

Broken Lizard's Club Dread Break out the (suntan) lotion for the ultimate DVD release—of Broken Lizard's Club Dread, packed with never-before-seen footage and hours of killer special features! It's a vacation to die for when the crazy comedy team that brought you Super Troopers takes you on a trip so outrageously fun...it's murder. Welcome to Coconut Pete's Pleasure Island, a booze-soaked tourist resort where high-spirited fun soon takes a deadly turn—leaving the island's hilariously inept staff to battle a machete-wielding maniac as they fight to survive another day in paradise!

This is another one that I know some don't care for.  I think the blend of humor and horror works well, though I can see it not appealing to some people.  In some ways it is like a slasher movie, with the killer running around the island killing various people.  Some of the murders are a bit gory and may bother people who don't like that sort of thing.  There are a lot of barely dressed women throughout the movie, and even nudity in some scenes.  The plot isn't overly complicated, but it is entertaining and I think it works overall.  There are some suspenseful moments as well as some that go a bit over the top later in the movie.  Overall I enjoy the movie and think it is worth checking out.



I did post a review on Epinions a few years ago if anyone wants to take a look.  I thought I posted about it here before too, but I couldn't find it..though I didn't look that hard.  Anyway, here's the link to the Epinions review.

Club Dread

[Dragonfire]

I forgot to mention this before..but like a day after I watched Piranha, the Blu-ray was still in my player.  I was thinking of watching something and flipped over to see what was still in there and the main menu was up.  It shows some fish swimming around and there are water sounds.  One of my cats, Lillie, was in with me and she got engrossed in watching that screen.  I've noticed her watching stuff before at times, but not as intently as she was the fish.  She seemed a bit...disappointed when I turned it off..she got up and left.   

[Dragonfire]

Eight Legged Freaks

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!

This one is definitely on the silly side, but I enjoy it.  I've seen it several times now and I still enjoy it.  The movie is basically like an old monster movie with huge, mutant, people eating spiders. In real life, I tend to freak a bit when I see a spider, even small ones.  Despite that, spiders in movies don't bother me.  The plot isn't that complicated, but it manages to work and it makes a fun, goofy movie.  This isn't one that everyone will like though.



I did post a longer review at Epinions a few years ago if anyone would like to take a peek.  I think I posted about it here before too.

Eight Legged Freaks

[Dragonfire]

The 'Burbs

The 'Burbs Tom Hanks portrays suburbanite Ray Peterson, whose plans for a peaceful vacation are disturbed by a creepy new family on the block, in this outrageous suspense-comedy directed by Joe Dante. To the disappointment of his wife Carol (Carrie Fisher), Ray decides to spend a relaxing week at home, and soon gets into trouble with his neighbors - a hefty busybody (Rick Ducommun), a freaked-out ex-soldier (Bruce Dern), and a spacey teenager (Corey Feldman) - as they observe the strange happenings next door at the Klopek's bizarre residence. When the neighborhood grouch suddenly disappears, the men are convinced the ramshackle house hides some hideous clues. Armed with assault rifles, high-powered binoculars and a shovel, they decide to see for themselves exactly what is going on in the Klopek place, Set in an average neighborhood that is anything but average, THE 'BURBS blends slapstick comedy and spine-thrilling mystery with the type of witty humor that has made Tom Hanks one of today's most popular stars.

I tend to watch this one in October.  I think the neighbors are spooky and creepy enough to work for this.  I first saw the movie years ago and I still enjoy it when I watch it now.  It is different and a bit twisted, which is part of what I like so much about it.  Ray is just trying to have a nice normal, calm, vacation at home, but his plans quickly go down the drain as he gets pulled into spying on the the secretive new neighbors.  Things quickly spiral out of control in a very entertaining way.  The movie is more on the lighthearted side, but it still works well as a creepy type of movie.  I think it is very entertaining and it is definitely worth checking out.



I did post a longer review at Epinions a few years ago if anyone would like to take a look.  I think I posted about this one here before too.

The 'Burbs

[DSig]

I grew up in a neighborhood very similar .. same type of characters etc.  "The Burbs" is a great film

[Dragonfire]

I hope you didn't have any neighbors like the Klopeks.

[Dragonfire]

The Invisible Woman

The Invisible Woman You've never seen a comedy quite like this one! When a wacky professor (John Barrymore) builds a machine that makes people invisible, he tests it on a beautiful model, Kitty Carroll (Virginia Bruce). But gangster Blackie Cole (Oscar Homolka) is out to steal it, since invisibility would be an asset in his criminal pursuits. Filled with laughs and creative special effects that make it impossible to predict who will appear - or disappear - next, this delightful comedy also stars film favorite Margaret Hamilton (The Wizard of Oz).

This is the first time I've watched this one.  It is very different from The Invisible Man and The Invisible Man Returns.  That could disappoint people looking for another creepy, scary type of movie.  This one is a slapstick type comedy and isn't scary or creepy at all.  While the movie is definitely different from what I expected, I still really enjoyed it and think it is worth watching.  The music even sounds more fun and silly, so that helps to set the mood right at the beginning, along with the first scene having George the butler tumble down the stairs.  There is a lot of silly sort of stuff that happens in the movie.  I think that worked for the movie, though other people may not agree.  The special effects are pretty good considering that the movie was made in 1940.  I do think it has held up well, though it is a little more out of place when considered along side the other Universal monster movies.  Yes Kitty ends up invisible, but she really isn't a monster. 

I do enjoy the movie and think it is worth checking out. 



I did get a longer review posted at Epinions if anyone would like to take a look.

The Invisible Woman

[Dragonfire]

Tremors

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.

This is one of the first horror type movies that I watched and enjoyed.  The first time I saw it was an edited version that played on network tv, but I still enjoyed the movie and watched it several times over the years.  I still enjoy the movie when I watch it. 

I think the idea of some sort of ...creature or monster that is under the ground and can track people by noise and vibrations is effective for a horror movie.  The plot is fairly straightforward, with people started to die in odd ways or just seeming to disappear before the creatures are shown.  After that, the small population of Perfection is trying to stay safe and figure a way out.  They have to run from the creatures a few different times and different characters do end up meals for the creatures.  There is a decent amount of action, and a few things happened that I didn't expect the first time I saw the movie. 

There aren't that many characters since the movie is set in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere.  Some of the characters are a bit odd or goofy in some way, but that manages to work for the movie.  Val and Earl, along with college student Finn, seem to deal the most with the creatures.  Val and Earl have been trying to make a living doing odd jobs around the town, though given that practically no one lives there, there isn't much for them to do.  Burt and Heather Gummer live a little ways outside of the "town" and they have their own personal arsenal and can make their own bombs.  Walter Chang runs the small store in town.  Nancy does some sort of pottery work and lives with her daughter.  Nestor lives close to the store and that is about all I know about him.  Miguel is also around in several scenes.  Melvin is an annoying teenager who acts like an idiot more often than not.  I never thought about it before, but his parents aren't around and aren't mentioned.  The cast all handles their parts well.

The movie is a bit cheesy at times, but it manages to be fun and entertaining.



I did post a longer review on Epinions a few years ago.

Tremors