Horror Movies

[Sparhawk]

Just watched Midsommar, strange strange movie. Very artsy, not super scary and fairly predictable but certainly worth a watch.

The Outsider has been really good, certainly recommend it.

Just watched it as well and will review it shortly. Agreed, very strange. The predictability was sort of painful for me. But I loved the imagery, score, and subtle fx/cgi. The score was almost hypnotic. That maypole song in particular, holy hell.

Quite the experience. Felt like the viewer got to partake in the hallucinogens as well.

I also wished we got to see or experience more of the deaths. I don't recall if we ever got to see what happened to Will Poulter's character, Mark? The one that pissed on the elder tree. He just followed that chick out into the woods and we never saw him again. Nor did we get to see how Josh or Connie died. Just got a quick glimpse of Josh's leg in a garden.

Apparently, there was a ton of imagery/symbolism in this film.
The film had me hooked about halfway through with the cliff scene. I was all in.
Especially the guy with the mallet.
How do you think one gets that job?????

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Apparently, there was a ton of imagery/symbolism in this film.
The film had me hooked about halfway through with the cliff scene. I was all in.
Especially the guy with the mallet.
How do you think one gets that job?????

Wild, right?

"Well shit, looks like this one needs the mallet treatment... I'll go first, then you two youngins finish it off"

Thought it was a little much when the entire village starts to wail in pain together. First saw it during that mallet scene and then at the end when they burnt down the temple. Got reeeeal weird with it.

 

[Sparhawk]

Wild, right?

"Well shit, looks like this one needs the mallet treatment... I'll go first, then you two youngins finish it off"

Thought it was a little much when the entire village starts to wail in pain together. First saw it during that mallet scene and then at the end when they burnt down the temple. Got reeeeal weird with it.

Yeah, so that might be that the entire village all 'feels' together or shares their emotions with one another.
This was driven home in the sex scene with the multiple women watching.

And emotions are the driving point of the story.
Our heroine feels neglected. The village feels her pain and together they 'free' her from that pain, both figuratively and literally???

Again, there is supposed to be a ton of symbolism in this one and I probably missed half of it.
I still think this was all just a ploy by the Swedish dude in the group who had the hots for her and this was his plan to get her. I mean, it seemed like they were all competing against one another for their thesis, so two birds with one stone, eh?

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Yeah, so that might be that the entire village all 'feels' together or shares their emotions with one another.
This was driven home in the sex scene with the multiple women watching.

And emotions are the driving point of the story.
Our heroine feels neglected. The village feels her pain and together they 'free' her from that pain, both figuratively and literally???

Again, there is supposed to be a ton of symbolism in this one and I probably missed half of it.
I still think this was all just a ploy by the Swedish dude in the group who had the hots for her and this was his plan to get her. I mean, it seemed like they were all competing against one another for their thesis, so two birds with one stone, eh?

Agreed... You do start to realize the emotional subtext & undertones from the early goings. Much like in Ari Aster's debut film Hereditary (2018), both films feature a heroine protagonist with deeply rooted psychological problems (mainly insecurity). Plus the traumatic event that ultimately directs them towards the conclusion (family deaths).

I probably missed half the symbolism as well. Interesting thought on the ploy. Very plausible. He basically straight up told her after the cliff scene that this could be her new family, what she so desperately needed. But IIRC that was the last time those two had a touchy-feely moment. Maybe more so that he just wanted her to join the 'family', and not just for personal reasons? But he did go an extra mile to draw her that birthday card portrait, which he gifted to her shortly after their arrival to the village. So could go either way

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

So in Midsommar, in the climactic sequencing we were shown a clown/jester in a barrel. Was that supposed to be Mark? Maybe that was their way of ridiculing him for pissing on the elder tree?

Also forgot about the scene where Josh tried to take pictures of that book which got him killed by what I think was another oracle?

@Sparhawk @Nasty_Magician

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

So in Midsommar, in the climactic sequencing we were shown a clown/jester in a barrel. Was that supposed to be Mark? Maybe that was their way of ridiculing him for pissing on the elder tree?

Also forgot about the scene where Josh tried to take pictures of that book which got him killed by what I think was another oracle?

@Sparhawk @Nasty_Magician

Found my explanation... This is in an article in esquire:

Mark's decapitated head is plonked on a straw body and has a jester's hat on it ("The attentive viewer might notice earlier on in the film that there are children playing a game called Skin the Fool," Aster noted to IGN). Where's the rest of him? Well, Aster explains, the man who bonks Josh on the head skinned him and took his skin as a trophy in the time-honoured Viking manner: "So, what you're seeing is Ulf wearing Mark's face, so Will Poulter's face, and wearing his legs as pants."

 

[Sparhawk]

So in Midsommar, in the climactic sequencing we were shown a clown/jester in a barrel. Was that supposed to be Mark? Maybe that was their way of ridiculing him for pissing on the elder tree?

Also forgot about the scene where Josh tried to take pictures of that book which got him killed by what I think was another oracle?

@Sparhawk @Nasty_Magician

It was whoever Will Poulter's character was. The bumbling fool.
And the pictures reminded me of the garden of eden and original sin. Thirst for knowledge.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Midsommar (2019)


This film was a trip, but in a strangely good way. Ari Aster, director of Hereditary (2018), has quickly made a name for himself in the horror genre for his unique styling & bold imagery. Both of Aster's films feature a lot of similarities: a heroine with deeply rooted psychological problems (mental illness precursors), a tragic event that ultimately spirals the protagonist towards their peril, dabbling in the occult, and a wild ending. Both films also have elaborately subtle setups, which are designed to generate particular images of horror and introduce the viewer to the emotional subtext, of which Aster uses as a driving point to his storytelling. The subtlety is a thing of beauty really. The setups are uncomfortable & brief, yet they establish everything we need to know about the protagonist in order to connect the emotional breadcrumbs throughout the rest of the film. In this film, Dani's grief after her family dies leaves her completely isolated, tethering her to her shitty boyfriend leaving her completely vulnerable.

My main problem with this film was the predictability. Not exactly detrimental but rather painful to a lesser degree. By the time the group of friends gets to the isolated village the movie feels like its virtually over for them. Not long after they arrive it becomes abundantly clear to them (not just the audience) that they've been lured into a sort of cult. And slowly but surely these visitors become successive victims to preordained & brutal killings. (@Sparhawk had a good thought about the "original sin: thirst for knowledge" in relation to the collegiate students writing their thesis) Said killings, took some time to properly digest & solve. Mainly because most of the deaths weren't used to strike fear into the audience, but rather used as an effect. Only a select few were of the gore variety. Certain images of mutilated bodies, were alone shocking without needing to see details or how it happened. But I overlooked some of the deaths as a result. In particular the death of Mark, which took some investigation to figure out. Apparently the man that killed Josh was wearing the skin of Mark's face & legs (nábrók), which is later seen on a straw jester in a barrel. Also the blood eagle death of Simon, which I didn't remember right away but I first became acquainted to it in the tv-series Vikings. Both of these are rooted in Norse history.

The main highlight of this film was the visionary experience. The cinematography was spectacular. Everything from the imagery to the score was surreal. The score, which was primarily used within the ritualistic scenes produced from a Nordic band, was hypnotic. Some of it gave off a feeling of being in a lucid dream or trance. The maypole ritual in particular, was quite the wild ride. Everything from the hallucinogenic vision of her feet, to the heavy breathing, to the chanting cries, to the hypnotizing & disorienting dancing... All encapsulated in a wavering motion of framework. Just all around crazy if you allow yourself to be submerged into that scene. Aster also uses a ton of symbolism in this film, both of historical relevance but also for foreshadowing purposes. Aster is big on décor and costume in this film. Every scene was filled with more than what your eyes could handle.

The acting was solid. Florence Pugh was the standout for obvious reasons, but also because she delivered on a role that features a wide range of emotional states (tragic grief, insecurity, vulnerability, unhinged fright, reeling disorientation, discomfort, doubt, bitterness, anger, rage, and ultimately malevolence). The film drastically shifts her character's mental & emotional states, which is mainly what its all about: Dani's emotional journey. The rest of the cast was good, but not particularly memorable due to the roles of their characters.

If you're a mainstream horror fan you probably won't like this film, but its still worth the watch. It's a slow-builder that isn't necessarily scary or frightening, but rather methodically eerie & dreadful. It's an artsy & bizarre experience filled with hypnotic scenery, shock imagery, & emotional undertones that leaves you feeling somewhat traumatized.

A bizarrely surreal experience... 7.5/10

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

It was whoever Will Poulter's character was. The bumbling fool.
And the pictures reminded me of the garden of eden and original sin. Thirst for knowledge.

Good connection!

Speaking of Will Poulter's character Mark... Was there a particular reason why they made him entomophobic (fear of bugs)? They emphasized that fact multiple times before getting to the village. I thought it was going to be something the cult used against him at some point?

 

[Sparhawk]

Good connection!

Speaking of Will Poulter's character Mark... Was there a particular reason why they made him entomophobic (fear of bugs)? They emphasized that fact multiple times before getting to the village. I thought it was going to be something the cult used against him at some point?

I wish I could give you an intelligent answer that I deduced from having watched the film.

But, I cannot.

So, settle for this :
'Midsommar' Star Will Poulter on His "Problematic" Character and the Notion of Playing the Comedic Relief [Interview]

Another google find said that Mark was paying homage to the director, who has a fear of bugs and ticks. And in the movie, apparently Mark has his socks pulled up over his pants to prevent ticks from getting in.

If you google Midsommar with symbolism or any direct question, chances are that a dozen or so pages will pop up with the answers you seek.

Apparently, there was so much more with the murals. Just google for it.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I wish I could give you an intelligent answer that I deduced from having watched the film.

But, I cannot.

So, settle for this :
'Midsommar' Star Will Poulter on His "Problematic" Character and the Notion of Playing the Comedic Relief [Interview]

Another google find said that Mark was paying homage to the director, who has a fear of bugs and ticks. And in the movie, apparently Mark has his socks pulled up over his pants to prevent ticks from getting in.

If you google Midsommar with symbolism or any direct question, chances are that a dozen or so pages will pop up with the answers you seek.

Apparently, there was so much more with the murals. Just google for it.

Will do. Thanks for the link. They answered my question in the first part of the interview:

I heard that Ari was terrified of bugs and basically wore a beekeeper’s suit on the set to protect himself. There’s a moment early in the movie where your character is really worried about bugs as he’s walking through the grass – was that an improv shout-out to Ari, or was that in the script?

I wish it was improv’ed, I wish I could take that credit. But actually, the real and truthful answer is that Ari does such an amazing job of infusing all of his characters with real life experiences. That was one of the only things about Mark, aside from a dark sense of humor, that is true of Ari himself. Ari told me that some of his neuroses were going to be embodied by Mark, and the bug thing, yeah, I was definitely channelling Ari Aster – but under his direction.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

The Recall (2017)


On Netflix! This movie was chalked full of shortcomings that gave it sort of a campy syfy channel look & feel, but plays like it has the seriousness & grandiosity of a blockbuster alien invasion film. As with most low-budget sci-fi films, this movie keeps the aliens & cgi out of sight as much as possible and saves that budgeting for singular scenes. Which means the run-time is full of b-team acting & character stupidity. The makeup fx on the aliens were well done, but sadly we don't get much run time with them.

This film really has no sense of direction. It felt like both the writer & director followed some basic principles of storytelling & character development that they didn't fully understand how to use within their screenplay. The main characters have brief and utterly irrelevant back-stories that only serve to make the viewer tell them apart, I guess? The story's progression has no real beginning or end in the sense that we're left neither knowing or caring what happens next. Basically all you're left with is "starts here & ends 90 minutes later". It tries to go to some places that we've seen in previous sci-fi classics in a feeble attempt to be more compelling, but ends up being completely useless and just gets in the way of the film telling a more conclusive story.

Snipes fits his role well enough, without acting much because he's the usual just as you'd expect him within a role. Himself. Except instead of killing vampires or stealing 2nd base, he's playing a doomsday alien hunter that is channeling Dutch from Predator (1987). But fear not, he's not all business in this film as his character injects some much-needed doses of mild humor in the form of corny one-liners, but that's the extent of the humor to be found here. I can commend RJ Mitte for overcoming his adversity (cerebral palsy) and making a name for himself in the acting industry, but I had to chuckle at a few of his lines in this movie because the delivery was so off-the-cuff. The rest of the cast is fodder.

Overall this film takes itself too seriously without seemingly being aware of what type of film it even wants to be. It clunks around between hard sci-fi & action to horror & teen romance. This film's false sense of ornateness ends up turning it into a joke that it's clearly not in on. The non-conclusive screenplay is lackluster at best. Avoid.

BM: 0/10

Could have been a SyFy original... 4/10

 

[Win TWINS!!!]

Girl on the 3rd Floor

Just fucking terrible.

Don't ever let CM Punk do another movie again...

 

[Shanemansj13]

Midsommar (2019)


This film was a trip, but in a strangely good way. Ari Aster, director of Hereditary (2018), has quickly made a name for himself in the horror genre for his unique styling & bold imagery. Both of Aster's films feature a lot of similarities: a heroine with deeply rooted psychological problems (mental illness precursors), a tragic event that ultimately spirals the protagonist towards their peril, dabbling in the occult, and a wild ending. Both films also have elaborately subtle setups, which are designed to generate particular images of horror and introduce the viewer to the emotional subtext, of which Aster uses as a driving point to his storytelling. The subtlety is a thing of beauty really. The setups are uncomfortable & brief, yet they establish everything we need to know about the protagonist in order to connect the emotional breadcrumbs throughout the rest of the film. In this film, Dani's grief after her family dies leaves her completely isolated, tethering her to her shitty boyfriend leaving her completely vulnerable.

My main problem with this film was the predictability. Not exactly detrimental but rather painful to a lesser degree. By the time the group of friends gets to the isolated village the movie feels like its virtually over for them. Not long after they arrive it becomes abundantly clear to them (not just the audience) that they've been lured into a sort of cult. And slowly but surely these visitors become successive victims to preordained & brutal killings. (@Sparhawk had a good thought about the "original sin: thirst for knowledge" in relation to the collegiate students writing their thesis) Said killings, took some time to properly digest & solve. Mainly because most of the deaths weren't used to strike fear into the audience, but rather used as an effect. Only a select few were of the gore variety. Certain images of mutilated bodies, were alone shocking without needing to see details or how it happened. But I overlooked some of the deaths as a result. In particular the death of Mark, which took some investigation to figure out. Apparently the man that killed Josh was wearing the skin of Mark's face & legs (nábrók), which is later seen on a straw jester in a barrel. Also the blood eagle death of Simon, which I didn't remember right away but I first became acquainted to it in the tv-series Vikings. Both of these are rooted in Norse history.

The main highlight of this film was the visionary experience. The cinematography was spectacular. Everything from the imagery to the score was surreal. The score, which was primarily used within the ritualistic scenes produced from a Nordic band, was hypnotic. Some of it gave off a feeling of being in a lucid dream or trance. The maypole ritual in particular, was quite the wild ride. Everything from the hallucinogenic vision of her feet, to the heavy breathing, to the chanting cries, to the hypnotizing & disorienting dancing... All encapsulated in a wavering motion of framework. Just all around crazy if you allow yourself to be submerged into that scene. Aster also uses a ton of symbolism in this film, both of historical relevance but also for foreshadowing purposes. Aster is big on décor and costume in this film. Every scene was filled with more than what your eyes could handle.

The acting was solid. Florence Pugh was the standout for obvious reasons, but also because she delivered on a role that features a wide range of emotional states (tragic grief, insecurity, vulnerability, unhinged fright, reeling disorientation, discomfort, doubt, bitterness, anger, rage, and ultimately malevolence). The film drastically shifts her character's mental & emotional states, which is mainly what its all about: Dani's emotional journey. The rest of the cast was good, but not particularly memorable due to the roles of their characters.

If you're a mainstream horror fan you probably won't like this film, but its still worth the watch. It's a slow-builder that isn't necessarily scary or frightening, but rather methodically eerie & dreadful. It's an artsy & bizarre experience filled with hypnotic scenery, shock imagery, & emotional undertones that leaves you feeling somewhat traumatized.

A bizarrely surreal experience... 7.5/10

Wow! One of the strangest movies I have ever seen! Worth the watch and definitely an interesting and well-made film but it just wasn't for me. This is not a movie you can watch over again unless you are simply watching it again to understand it more completely.

 

[Sparhawk]

Wow! One of the strangest movies I have ever seen! Worth the watch and definitely an interesting and well-made film but it just wasn't for me. This is not a movie you can watch over again unless you are simply watching it again to understand it more completely.

This guy wants a word with you...

 

[Fleet]

A sequel is coming out soon.

Yep. Cant wait. I liked the first 2 Hell House LLC's as well.

 

[SDGuy73]

Wild, right?

"Well shit, looks like this one needs the mallet treatment... I'll go first, then you two youngins finish it off"

Thought it was a little much when the entire village starts to wail in pain together. First saw it during that mallet scene and then at the end when they burnt down the temple. Got reeeeal weird with it.

What movie are you talking about?

Can you help with identifying a movie for me? It came out about two years ago. Some douche bags leave a girl for dead in what looks like the desert and she comes back for revenge. I believe she is a bloody mess on the poster.

 

[BusSport]

Can you help with identifying a movie for me? It came out about two years ago. Some douche bags leave a girl for dead in what looks like the desert and she comes back for revenge. I believe she is a bloody mess on the poster.

Revenge (2017)

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

What movie are you talking about?

Can you help with identifying a movie for me? It came out about two years ago. Some douche bags leave a girl for dead in what looks like the desert and she comes back for revenge. I believe she is a bloody mess on the poster.

Our discussion was about Midsommar (2019). I did a review on it towards the top of this page.

Pretty sure BusSport got it right with Revenge (2017).

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

@Sharkonabicycle - have you seen Sweetheart (2019) yet? Pretty cool aquatic creature they used. I'll write a review shortly.