Horror Movies

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

The Human Race (2013)


What a missed opportunity this movie was. I went into this with an open mind after watching the trailer. Although it looked creative & intriguing, the quality looked low budget. I've seen some great movies with low budgets and poor acting so I hoped that maybe there might be an overlooked hidden gem here, but sadly I was wrong. Read that this film took several years to film & produce due to budgeting issues, and it shows. The entire film feels very disjointed, and the progression is errant. Almost feels as though the director doesn't quite have a feel for what he wants the movie to accomplish, and its easy to think that over 7 years he might have changed his mind a few times. And ultimately the climax or reveal just felt cheesy & lazy (not to mention some silly CGI). It did have a few good things about it though. The acting might not be good, but they were solid enough to not merit any cringe-worthy situations. Also lost in the clusterfuck was a few nice pieces of writing. Some of the relationships between the victims were nicely drawn and drew empathy from an otherwise fodder-filled film. There's also the unique setting with its seemingly random safe spots and oppressing prison-like atmosphere. Sadly due to the disjointed nature of it the movie doesn't hold any suspense. It's nothing more than a mildly intriguing look at the way people interact under stress, sort of like a Hunger Games type scenario. Wouldn't recommend it.

Missed opportunity... 4/10

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

COMING SOON!

Get Out (2017)
Release Date: Feb 23rd
Synopsis: A young African-American man visits his Caucasian girlfriend's mysterious family estate. ( Thanks for that thoughtful synopsis IMDB)

Devil In the Dark (2017)
Release Date: March 7th
Synopsis: Two estranged brothers find themselves stalked by an terrifying unknown presence while on a weekend hunting trip in remote British Columbia.

Raw (2017)
Release Date: March 10th
Synopsis: When a young vegetarian undergoes a carnivorous hazing ritual at vet school, an unbidden taste for meat begins to grow in her.

The Belko Experiment (2017)
Release Date: March 17th
Synopsis: In a twisted social experiment, 80 Americans are locked in their high-rise corporate office in Bogotá, Colombia and ordered by an unknown voice coming from the company's intercom system to participate in a deadly game of kill or be killed.

The Void (2017)
Release Date: Apr 7th
Synopsis: In the middle of a routine patrol, officer Daniel Carter happens upon a blood-soaked figure limping down a deserted stretch of road. He rushes the young man to a nearby rural hospital staffed by a skeleton crew, only to discover that patients and personnel are transforming into something inhuman. As the horror intensifies, Carter leads the other survivors on a hellish voyage into the subterranean depths of the hospital in a desperate bid to end the nightmare before it's too late.

 

[Taddy Mason]

Reading the synopsis for Raw all I can think of is

If it does well they can have a combined sequel with Get Out titled Guess Who's Dinner

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

COMING SOON!

The Circle (2017)
Release Date: Apr 28th
Synopsis: A woman lands a job at a powerful tech company called the Circle, where she becomes involved with a mysterious man.

Alien: Covenant (2017)
Release Date: May 19th
Synopsis: The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discover what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.

Annabelle 2 (2017)
Release Date: May 19th
Synopsis: Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, soon becoming the target of the dollmaker's possessed creation, Annabelle.

Life (2017)
Release Date: May 26th
Synopsis: An international space crew discovers life on Mars.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Reading the synopsis for Raw all I can think of is

If it does well they can have a combined sequel with Get Out titled Guess Who's Dinner

Lolz...

Charlie: I've got a question for you... is it racist if we don't eat this guy?

Dee: Well, shit, Charlie. Now it is.

Charlie: I'm sorry, Dee. [walks over to white specimen] The white guy over here looks better to me for some reason.

Dee: So much better, doesn't he? What is that?

Charlie: You know what it is? Generally, I don't eat dark meat.

 

[DJ]

Watching the 2016 remake of Cabin Fever.

 

[jakedog56]

I Am Not A Serial Killer (2016)


On Netflix! I wasn't very familiar with the book & its sequels written by Dan Wells, but had heard raving reviews. It is still on my to-do list. As far as I have learned, this movie deviates a little with the books due to budget constraints & on-screen translation issues but still adheres very closely. The bookies are calling it a great adaptation. After doing some digging I discovered the books follow more of an internal struggle with the main character, which you can imagine is very difficult to produce into a movie. Most movies have achieved this by giving the character an alternate ego in the form of an additional character that only he/she can see. The director decided against this. As far as the film goes, the progression is good but does have a slow-burn vibe. My wife thought it was too slow, but I didn't so others may have a different opinion than mine. It's not a very scary movie and doesn't produce the frights that major blockbusters do, but it does a great job of keeping you intrigued and still gives you all of the horror elements necessary with a decent amount of suspense & even a hint of the supernatural. Definitely a psychological mystery thriller of sorts. It's not overly gruesome or gory, but it does give plenty of blood & guts (organs rather). The cinematography was clever as it uses lots of artistic b-roll and some cool eye-witness style filming. It allows you to see everything through John's eyes, and helps you relate to him more. Acting was outstanding. Not sure why I was apprehensive about Christopher Lloyd in this sort of role, but he played it masterfully. Max Records in the lead role was stellar. Also worth noting the score had an excellent retro vibe to it, sort of like It Follows & Stranger Things. IMO this movie can be enjoyed by people who don't necessarily hold horror movies in such high regard. I could see some people finding it a little flat so I am a little worried about throwing out the recommendation to one & all. So I'll just say that if you have made it all the way through this review, then chances are you'll find this movie as entertaining as I did.

Impressive, slow-burn psychological thriller... 8/10

Just watched it. Pretty good. Another spot on review.

 

[DJ]

Watching the 2016 remake of Cabin Fever.

Turned it off 45 minutes into it.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Turned it off 45 minutes into it.

Had the same feeling... but managed to gut it out

Horror Movies

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Well I thought we would be hearing "good news" by now... But the patience is wearing thin. Supposedly Salva shot a scene back in October to prepare for filming and has a script ready to go. And he was quoted saying there might be some "good news" coming soon. Still now word...

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Under the Bed (2012)


The monster in this movie is awesome. Very reminiscent of the pumpkin head creature. One of the better monster build-ups too where they use darkness and shadow play to heighten the scare-factor until they unleash it in the climax. Seems to be a forgotten art any more. And this movie knows how to use gore without overdoing it, another balancing act long forgotten. But a major drawback for me was the lack of suspense. Even with an awesome creature it felt like the movie took a while to get up off the ground. A few of the characters didn't quite fit either. Namely the parents. Not sure why the dad was so angry all the time, and the step-mom was just odd. Neither really added much to the story. I thought for a while that the creature was some sort of metaphor for the dysfunction within the family but I was wrong, but still not quite sure. Also felt like there were quite a few plot holes as you never really comprehend why all this is happening. Story felt lacking, but the cinematography & production values are excellent. The acting by the 2 brothers was good. Overall this movie isn't a masterpiece, but it was good entertainment. Worth the watch.

Boogeyman done right... 6.5/10

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Abattoir (2016)


Slow, tedious, and depressingly predictable. The writers thought they were being clever by being extensive & mysterious but it was ultimately a waste of time as it didn't take much effort to guess what was going to happen. Felt like playing a game of Clue when you've figured out the killer within the first couple turns, but you keep on playing the game because you don't want to ruin the fun for others, and in the end you try to act surprised lol. The conceptual ideas behind the movie were intriguing enough to keep me interested however it's lack of focus & poor writing sunk the ship. It was sort of a tangled mess of ideas that desperately needed to be simplified. The noir vibe that the film had going was pretty cool and some shots were beautiful. The cinematography was excellent overall and the attention to set detail was immaculate. It provided some cool scenery. There were some interesting characters with decent performances, even if they were oddly mixed. The female lead felt like someone straight out of the 50's. Writing had a decent story-build before the convolution started. It was a decent stab at trying to be original, something directors take for granted nowadays. We can certainly appreciate the effort even if it missed its mark.

Great idea, decent attempt, bad execution... 5/10

 

[B_dub]

Split (2017)


M Night Shamalamadingdong is back baby! (Yes that was me channeling my inner @Chef99) Before I get too carried away I have to tell you that this movie wouldn't have worked without James McAvoy. Hands down his best performance in his whole career and stands out as one of the biggest reasons to watch this movie. You will find faults & flaws with this movie, but you can get past them due to McAvoy's phenomenal performance. His transition between personalities without fancy production cuts or camera work is amazing. You get to watch his madness change on a dime right before your eyes. The plot progression is twisty & suspenseful like most M Night movies which makes it entertaining until the end. The cinematography, acting, fx, etc are amazing. But before the horror fans get too excited you should know that this film isn't necessarily scary, rather it's tense & suspenseful. By that reason alone this movie probably shouldn't have been given the "horror" tag. A psychological thriller is more fitting. It has very little gore. Nevertheless, this movie is worth a watch. I wouldn't call this M Night's best work, but it was definitely one of his better thought-provoking thrillers. His attention to detail with all facets of directing is amazing. Everything from writing & casting down to human interactions & emotions. I hope there is more to come from M Night daring to be different again, because his lower budget work is outstanding and easily brings out his best storytelling.

McAvoy will make your skin crawl... 8.5/10

Really didn't expect a lot going into that movie, but I really liked that one. McAvoy knocked the hell out of that role. You can see him changing personalities just by the looks on his face. Imagine that must be hard to do, but he made that role his own.

And that ending....

 

[B_dub]

And I'm sure its already been covered, but the movie "Shut in".
Mother of Baby Jesus did that suck ass. Hour of pointless scenes followed by one of the dumbest twists I can recall in a long time. Makes zero fucking sense.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

And I'm sure its already been covered, but the movie "Shut in".
Mother of Baby Jesus did that suck ass. Hour of pointless scenes followed by one of the dumbest twists I can recall in a long time. Makes zero fucking sense.

That movie is on my list of movies I wanted to see... Might have to knock it down to the "only on drinking nights" list lol

 

[B_dub]

That movie is on my list of movies I wanted to see... Might have to knock it down to the "only on drinking nights" list lol

Watch it if for nothing but the twist. So dumb its actually funny.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Don't Hang Up (2016)


This film has a great Panic Room vibe to it. A lot of similarities between the 2, with its atmosphere, dark lighting, & the crazy filming transitions aided by cgi (seemless transitions from room to room through surfaces, key holes, etc). The story is of the straight-forward vengeance slasher sort. It doesn't offer anything new or original, but it does well with using a bunch of old ideas. The progression is good and it has solid suspense all throughout. Even though its a simple plot, it keeps you enthralled and it plays out well. It has a decent score and ample amounts of gore. The actors will piss you off, but its not due to the acting rather the writing. They are meant to come off as crass & immature because it ultimately aids in their dismissal & the overall message of the movie that "what goes around, comes around" or "karma is a dish best served bloody". This is not one of those artsie & elaborate horror films. Its not pensive, rather its a simple yet effective thrill ride that provides good entertainment. There was some confusing decision making going on, but if you can make the assumption that most kids like this are generally not very bright then you can get past it. This film is one that either works for you or it doesn't because of its generic simplicity, so I understand all the bad ratings it received. One could argue that it is a carbon copy that offers nothing to the genre, but it didn't bother me. If you watch this then don't expect to be blown away by it, just lower your expectations and you'll enjoy it like I did.

Sometimes you just need a good old fashioned vengeance slasher... 7/10

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

"Decent score & ample amounts of gore"... Didn't intend to come across like I was Abe Lincoln giving his Gettysburg Address of Horror... lol

 

[B_dub]

Just watched Hush on Netflix.

Saw the earlier reviews here and agree that it was very well done.
Not necessarily cheap scares, but an impending sense of anticipation and dread.

With the woman being both deaf and mute, there were several obvious elements that were to her disadvantage, but others that wind up being to her advantage.

Yes, there are some head scratching moments (if you're deaf, why would you try sneaking around outside?), but there are enough clever moments that give this cat and mouse game some life.

Agreed. After all the shitty films that make their way to theaters now a days, don't see how this one didn't make it to theaters. Didn't really consider it scary, but from like the 20 mark on, it gets tense as fuck and doesn't let up. Loved the scene and music at the end where she writes on the glass in her blood. Took me like 20 minutes to finally figure out who the killer was after he took off his mask. Knew I had seen him in another movie that year just took a while to remember.

 

[B_dub]

Under the Bed (2012)


The monster in this movie is awesome. Very reminiscent of the pumpkin head creature. One of the better monster build-ups too where they use darkness and shadow play to heighten the scare-factor until they unleash it in the climax. Seems to be a forgotten art any more. And this movie knows how to use gore without overdoing it, another balancing act long forgotten. But a major drawback for me was the lack of suspense. Even with an awesome creature it felt like the movie took a while to get up off the ground. A few of the characters didn't quite fit either. Namely the parents. Not sure why the dad was so angry all the time, and the step-mom was just odd. Neither really added much to the story. I thought for a while that the creature was some sort of metaphor for the dysfunction within the family but I was wrong, but still not quite sure. Also felt like there were quite a few plot holes as you never really comprehend why all this is happening. Story felt lacking, but the cinematography & production values are excellent. The acting by the 2 brothers was good. Overall this movie isn't a masterpiece, but it was good entertainment. Worth the watch.

Boogeyman done right... 6.5/10

Watched this today and I agree. Was actually glad to see the dad die. Dude was a jackass pretty much throughout the whole movie for no reason.