5th Annual N&G 31 Days* of Halloween (2023)

[threesunrises]

We watched one of our all time faves, The Wolfman (1941) a few days ago. Have had it on our DVR for a long time, and make sure to watch it every October. Found Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman (1943) on Peacock TV and decided to watch that afterward. It was not very good.

Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman

 

[zomgbear]

14. Suspiria (1977)
Watched the Synapse restoration. Great movie. I've seen this but this restored version really takes the cake. In the other cut, I've seen, the sound is super distracting and various edits removes some key plot points. This one feels a lot more complete and the color in this one is stunning. Highly recommended.

15. Mr. Vampire II
This one is ridiculous & completely over the top and I'm all for it. Its a different feel from the first in that its missing a lot of the cool vampire lore - and in a way strips it down to a slap stick family comedy that's cute & oddly heartwarming. There's some really fun sequences though and I had a great time watching it.

 

[EvanBenner]

Reached for something low stakes this afternoon and landed on The Zero Boys which promised action horror. Seeing Nico Mastorakis's name attached to it had me both intrigued and worried, but this certainly was no Island of Death.

It opens on a shootout sequence that establishes the titular boys as paintballing LARPers. After winning their battle, they hit the road ready to celebrate but get lured into the woods at the sight of a woman in distress. They track her to a house with no one home and decide to crash for a bit until they are besieged by unknown assailants.

For most of its runtime, it becomes a fun home invasion/hillbilly slasher horror that puts the crew's LARPing skills to the actual test.






Closed out the day with my selection for Spooky Season theme "Korean" with Whispering Corridors. It's a slow burn about a haunted high school with reflections on how we mistreat others (and how teachers mistreat students). Eerie and enjoyable.

 

[EvanBenner]

Today's Spooky Season theme was "scary kid," so I scrolled to the bottom of my Shudder watchlist to find something to watch among the earliest additions long awaiting my attention. Landed on Z which promised a mischievous kid and his imaginary friend.

Z is proof positive that horror doesn't have to be rated R to be effective. On pressing play the interface claimed this was rated PG, but I think that was a mistake as it seems to be Not Rated in the US and largely PG-13 or equivalent in other countries.

A little bit supernatural, a little bit psychological, altogether pretty engaging.

 

[EvanBenner]

Kicked this morning off with my Spooky Season pick for the 1950's—THEM!
This one's been sitting on my watchlist for years but never seems to get hit any streaming subs, so I finally forked over a few bucks for the the rental. (Figured what better time than now while Amazon is offering $6 in credit for $30 spent on movies/tv this week.)

Aside from old sci-fi's classic obsession with giving monsters an incessant high-pitched whine any time they are shown on screen, this was pretty enjoyable. The premise is simple: nuclear bomb testing created a mutant species of giant ant that begins a reign of murderous terror. It plays closely to plausible/believable ant behavioral science, far less out there than say Phase IV.





Switched gears back to HoopTober with an Amicus anthology starring Peter Cushing. It was fun, but left me wanting a stronger thematic connection between the characters' choice of antique shop items and their ultimate fates. I go into it a bit more on Letterboxd.

A ★★★ review of From Beyond the Grave (1974)

Never cheat an antiquities peddler, for his wares may be cursed. My 20th watch of HoopTober X is a later Amicus Productions anthology anchored by Peter Cushing as the proprietor of oldies and oddities shop Temptations Ltd. Unfortunately for his profit margins, many of his clientele seem unable...

boxd.it

 

[D Jilla]

Been watching, slacking on posting. Here’s a catch up post.

1. The Conjuring (2013)
Second time seeing this one - it holds up really well. Probably the best modern haunted house movie I’ve seen. Nothing original here, but super well done and engaging.

2. The Amityville Horror (1979)
Basically the original version of The Conjuring. Creepy in a lot of ways and I always love the atmosphere of 70s horror. On the downside, there’s stuff that doesn’t really make any sense, and the ending is pretty weak all things considered. Despite taking so much from this one, the Conjuring is the more satisfying film.

3. Pet Sematary (1989)
One of my favorite Stephen King books - this is a really faithful adaptation of the book. For whatever reason though, it doesn’t make for a very good movie. Acting and direction both could be better. Has kind of an early 90s made for TV vibe. I still need to see the recent remake.

4. The Menu (2022)

Really enjoyed this one. More of a comedy/satire but with horror elements. The plot is a little over the top, but Ralph Fiennes and Anya TJ play it so well that it works. Extra effective if you’ve ever been to Michelin starred type restaurant before.

 

[EvanBenner]

I normally mod for a few Twitch streamers on the earlier weeknights, but they're all off a lot this month, so I have a few more opportunities to squeeze in foreign language films. The first on my list last evening was the Taiwanese horror Hospital (2020) on Netflix, which was decidedly not good. From the opening scene I almost expected another film crew adventure a la Gonjiam Haunted Asylum or Grave Encounters, but it quickly shifts to a small-scale father & son sham tour scheme in a derelict hospital with a history of misfortunes. Everything from there on out is super unoriginal/off-putting. I could draw some thematic comparisons to 2021's exorcism mockumentary The Medium, but they are night and day as far as viewing experiences go. (The Medium was my favorite movie that year.)





After the huge sigh that was Hospital, I turned my attention to Thailand's The Maid (2021), which is by the same writer/director as the new kaiju movie The Lake I mentioned earlier in the thread. The Maid and The Lake share a lot in common as far amusement factor goes despite their narrative struggles. The first 2/3 of The Maid is all establishment until it makes a heel-turn into utter depravity.





After a night's rest, I woke up to the Spooky Season theme of "werewolf" and immediately teed up The Wolfman (2010), one of Universal's many attempts to restart the Monster Universe. It's shocking to see how negative reception has been for this one, but maybe I'm coming at it from the angle having seen far worse (including the awful intended sequel Werewolf: The Beast Among Us). Sure, it's more dramatic and less horrific, but it's perfectly cozy for the Spooky Season and would even visually mesh well as a double feature with
(or an appetizer for) Sleepy Hollow.

 

[EvanBenner]

Figured I'd mention a few newer movies on the block that I caught early through digital film fests:

Subject, now on Screambox

My first Popcorn Frights watch is Subject — coming to Screambox as a streaming exclusive on Aug. 22.

I quite enjoyed this lean yet stylish sci-fi horror which uses its limited, isolationist setting to strong effect.

Convict Willem submits to a secretive research program in lieu of imprisonment. From a (still) secluded cell, he watches home footage from his past while contending with the presence of a menacing figure in a a neighboring cell.

While I wouldn't categorize this movie as delivering anything too unexpected, the script, pacing and performances are all very satisfying. Easy recommend for introspective horror lovers.

Subject (2022)

On his way to prison, a man gets intercepted by a secretive government agency who task him to monitor a secret experiment in exchange for commuting his sentence.

boxd.it

Sorry Charlie, now on Tubi

Sorry, Charlie (suspenseful, single location horror) – An assault victim (Charlie) thinks her attacker from months prior (who lured women with the sounds of crying babies) is still at large despite a suspect being behind bars. His voice begins to haunts her as she volunteers on a crisis hotline from the safety of her home.

This is a whip-smart, paranoia-inducing movie grounded by a spectacular lead performance. Super engaging and satisfying. Fave of the fest so far. (World premiere!)

View attachment 179947

And here's one I didn't review in the Movies thread but is sure to please fans of channel-changing TV throwback horror extravaganzas with eccentric hosts and fake ads.

HeBGB TV, now on Screambox.

 

[avecigrec]

Looks like I've got a non-Die Hard or Scrooged move on my Christmas list this year...

 

[EvanBenner]

I'm not huge on slashers, but I can have fun with them if they're well done. Checked out the pandemic slasher Sick from Scream series writer Kevin Williamson which went straight to Peacock last year. Aside from maybe worries that an overt coronavirus premise makes this movie too much of its time or that it might irk pandy-skeptics, I'm surprised this went straight to streaming as it would have played well in a crowd setting.

Two friends set out for a private weekend quarantine retreat in a family cabin only to be joined by an unexpected intruder out for blood. Much of the movie is a tense and prolonged chase until a recontextualizing reveal. It's sharp-witted as you might expect from Williamson (with additional debut writing credit to Katelyn Crabb—his assistant on Screams 5+6), and engaging thru and thru. Strangely enough, I can't even think of any other Peacock originals, so even if they have just one at least it's good (but just one is no reason to sub).

EDIT: Oh wait, they also had They/Them (read They Slash Them) as an original, which was... extremely misguided. My eyes literally glaze dover looking at this list of original content for the platform.

For a double feature that'll leave you gasping for breath, I'd follow Sick with S. Korean serial killer thriller Midnight (2021).

 

[Selaws]

7. Evil Dead Rise

Not a bad watch really but it didnt blow me a way. A bit too over the top at times.



8. Green Room

My favourite in the Halloween list to date. Not the traditional horror, more suspenseful and slasher, but it was given a "horror" listing and it was one of the A24 films I have been meaning to watch. Loved it.



9. Await Further Instruction .5

A film with a fantastic premise which really hooked me. A dysfunctional family with an abusive father gathers together for Christmas and wake up to find that all the exits and windows have been blocked from the outside. Messages start appearing on the TV that eventually starts to raise tensions. If I was basing this on the ending alone it would get 1 star at the most unfortunately, but the premise was original.



10. It Lives Inside .5

I watched this last night and enjoyed it for the most part. Its one of these films where the monster isnt revealed until the end, but you see snippets of something that builds the tension. The reveal was a bit of a let down though.

 

[LeeVing]

I've been in a funk where I really don't feel like watching movies - or playing records. I have been listening to audiobooks and sleeping a lot.

I've also binged a lot of Dead Meat's Kill Counts on YouTube and watched this yesterday via Shudder and then decided to finally open the 4K release I bought a long time ago and watch it with the directors commentary.


I'm surprised they didn't plan for a sequel.



#10.
Summer of 84 (2018)



I get people are a bit over the whole "80's retro" movies...but as someone who grew up in this timeframe, I'm all for them. Most of the time they get things pretty close to how it was.

 

[Ghost]

7. Evil Dead Rise

Not a bad watch really but it didnt blow me a way. A bit too over the top at times.

View attachment 184542

8. Green Room

My favourite in the Halloween list to date. Not the traditional horror, more suspenseful and slasher, but it was given a "horror" listing and it was one of the A24 films I have been meaning to watch. Loved it.

View attachment 184543

9. Await Further Instruction .5

A film with a fantastic premise which really hooked me. A dysfunctional family with an abusive father gathers together for Christmas and wake up to find that all the exits and windows have been blocked from the outside. Messages start appearing on the TV that eventually starts to raise tensions. If I was basing this on the ending alone it would get 1 star at the most unfortunately, but the premise was original.

View attachment 184544

10. It Lives Inside .5

I watched this last night and enjoyed it for the most part. Its one of these films where the monster isnt revealed until the end, but you see snippets of something that builds the tension. The reveal was a bit of a let down though.

View attachment 184545

Green Room is absolutely bruuuuuuutal. Great film and they did an absolutely tremendous job of building and holding suspense for the entirety of the movie. I swear I get a new grey hair every time I watch it.

 

[avecigrec]

7. Evil Dead Rise

Not a bad watch really but it didnt blow me a way. A bit too over the top at times.

View attachment 184542

8. Green Room

My favourite in the Halloween list to date. Not the traditional horror, more suspenseful and slasher, but it was given a "horror" listing and it was one of the A24 films I have been meaning to watch. Loved it.

View attachment 184543

9. Await Further Instruction .5

A film with a fantastic premise which really hooked me. A dysfunctional family with an abusive father gathers together for Christmas and wake up to find that all the exits and windows have been blocked from the outside. Messages start appearing on the TV that eventually starts to raise tensions. If I was basing this on the ending alone it would get 1 star at the most unfortunately, but the premise was original.

View attachment 184544

10. It Lives Inside .5

I watched this last night and enjoyed it for the most part. Its one of these films where the monster isnt revealed until the end, but you see snippets of something that builds the tension. The reveal was a bit of a let down though.

View attachment 184545

Green Room is absolutely bruuuuuuutal. Great film and they did an absolutely tremendous job of building and holding suspense for the entirety of the movie. I swear I get a new grey hair every time I watch it.

Green Room has lived in my head rent free for about eight years now. I've only seen it the once and can't name many other movies that have stayed with me so viscerally. Absolutely brilliant film.

 

[Selaws]

11. Sick .5
Quite a fun slasher. Doesn't drift from the usual theme too much but is based around the global pandemic - a couple of friends insolate in a lakehouse during the height of Covid.



12. Cocaine Bear .5

A fun over-the-top film which doesn't take itself seriously at all.

 

[EvanBenner]

Roundup time!

Thursday's Spooky Season prompt of "elevated horror" (i.e., arthouse horror) had me digging around for one I haven't already seen, and I landed on Ingmar Bergman's Persona. Really enjoyed this isolated, psychological thriller about an actress and her caregiver.



The Zodiac Killer from 1971 hits familiar beats of the true story in an quaint, crass, and not that scary way.



Been meaning to check out The Possession for a while after enjoying learning about dybbuks in other media. This was fine but unremarkable.



Friday's Spooky Season theme called for a 90-minute movie, so I finally queued up Eden Lake. It definitely earns its reputation for cruel cynicism (something I have little capacity for), but I found more to appreciate here than similarly framed killer-teen films (Class of 1984, Grotesque).



Turned to some early Mike Flanagan fare with Absentia. It starts out kinda generic and visibly limited in budget, but builds to a surprising and satisfying turn. A woman moves in with her sister whose husband went missing 7 years ago, only uncover a web of local, seemingly supernatural disappearances.
Lots of building blocks represented here that you could peg as Flanagan signatures in later works!



Today's Spooky Season theme asked for "disabled horror," and I saw decent reviews of See No Evil with Mia Farrow. Rather liked this one! Mia is blinded in a horse riding accident and later moves in with extended family. She soon wakes one morning not realizing the rest were all murdered and becomes trapped in a tense cat and blind mouse chase.

 

[Selaws]

13. Red State

Another film that had a great premise but was unfortunately hit by a lackluster ending. Some tense moments though.



14. Werewolf By Night .5

A really fun mini-film that pays homage to the classic horror films of days gone. The majority of the film in in black & white which really fits the aesthetics. I think I saw that a colour version is coming out soon (maybe even today?) so I might watch that to see if it hits the same way.



15. Reptile

More of a thriller or crime drama than a horror film, so im not really sue why it was given that sub-title. However, there were certainly really tense moments.

 

[EvanBenner]

Things got a little cryptid yesterday in our hunt for good background trash while going full steam on costume construction.

After See No Evil, I tossed on Mothman (2010) which was laughably bad. The CGI creature effects were cartoonish in a way that worked for Scooby-Doo in 2002, but this movie played it way too seriously.





Followed it up with what seemed to be a regional horror offering centered around my native state but quickly realized there was next to nothing Wisconsin about it other than name drops of specific towns/highways. The Beast of Bray Road (2005), as it turns out, was made by the studio behind such high-concept, low-pretense movies as Sharknado (2013). Faux-regionality was just the beginning of my disappointments with this movie, from its off-putting script, crass characterizations, and disappointing fallback into a generic werewolf movie. It's a clear case of the wrong people appropriating a story they have no ties to or stakes in and churning out a soulless product for all the wrong reasons.





Kicked things off this afternoon with my pick for Spooky Season theme "Australian." The Loved Ones is a delightfully depraved flick about a school dance rejection gone so so wrong.





Followed that up with even more high-spirited horror vibes: The Return of the Living Dead! I tend not to rewatch most movies, but this one's a bona fide blast and a half. Neither my partner or roommate recalled having seen it, so I just had to put it into our queue. This movie prioritizes fun above all else and punctuates beat after bold, hilarious beat with some of the best needle drops on screen.

 

[Melt Face Molly Drop]

2. Phantasm (1979)
I like this one far more than I should with it's terrible dialogue and plot points that make no sense, but somehow it's still great and worth the occasional rewatch.
View attachment 181143

Agreed. First time viewing just now and while it was what I was looking for (a decent horror to watch during the daytime), it felt disjointed in spots and the lack of scares was a bit disappointing. Dug the soundtrack/score though.

 

[EvanBenner]

Figured after our disappointing cryptid selections yesterday I'd toss on a newer creature feature for hopefully better results. The Tank finds a struggling small family who inherits a secret coastal estate. On the grounds, they find a giant cistern that turns out to house a slimy, bloodthirsty beast.

It's pretty standard fare that kind of waffled on its scientific underpinnings—the parents own a pet store and know a thing or two about animal behaviors, but that honestly had little consequence. (In contrast, the movie Vampire Bats I plugged earlier in the month kept a more consistent mind about what was and wasn't typical behavior for its swarm of rampaging bats.)

The creature itself was fun and done practically for the most part it seems.



Moved on to Haunt which finds a group of friends attending an extreme haunted house on Halloween. It's an okay slasher with decent seasonal vibes and a poorly integrated subplot.



This evening my virtual access to Queer Fear Film Festival also began, so we queued up one of the blocks including two shorts and a feature.

The first short It Takes a Village is a production local to Chicago where a pregnant woman entering labor races to reach her ideal delivery setting which is totally not a hospital. Very campy and stylized. This is my first experience with creator Glamhag's work, though I've had their feature Holy Trinity on my watchlist for a while now. I spotted a local screening of theirs not too long ago but had a conflict (ugh!).

Seems anyone can view the 8-min short on Glamhag's site.



The second short was Gianna where lesbian Gina must confront her devious inner saboteur—a spitting image of herself but "prettier." Super hilarious and well produced.



Last in the block was a campy New Orlean noir with comedy/horror underpinnings. In Big Easy Queens a cast of drag queens and cabaret entertainers portrays the height of a turf war between rival club-owning mob matrons in the Quarter. Part musical, the lyricism and vocal talents on display were quite impressive.