Horror Movies

[DJ]

RIP 2020 sports.....need to start getting back into Horror.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

God bless COVID19... All the movies in theaters got released to on demand and the pirate versions are now flush with HD material.

I watched The Boy 2, Invisible Man & The Hunt last night. Watched Underwater & The Turning today. Will probably watch Gretel & Hansel tonight and whatever else is in theaters.

 

[Taddy Mason]

God bless COVID19... All the movies in theaters got released to on demand and the pirate versions are now flush with HD material.

I watched The Boy 2, Invisible Man & The Hunt last night. Watched Underwater & The Turning today. Will probably watch Gretel & Hansel tonight and whatever else is in theaters.

I watched The Boy 2 and The Hunt, have Invisible Man in the queue. Didn't see Underwater and The Turning were out, but will give it a look.

I swear some companies make it hard to not pirate. I get seeing ones at $19.99 to buy, but then others have the option to only rent them for 48 hours at that price.

 

[Taddy Mason]

God bless COVID19... All the movies in theaters got released to on demand and the pirate versions are now flush with HD material.

I watched The Boy 2, Invisible Man & The Hunt last night. Watched Underwater & The Turning today. Will probably watch Gretel & Hansel tonight and whatever else is in theaters.

Didn't see where a good version of Underwater or Turning is out (though the later doesn't sound like it's all that great).

Invisible man did a great job of building suspense/tension, but doesn't really track from any logical standpoint.

It's been a while since I've seen the Boy, so I was torn between is this really happening or not (same could be said for the above briefly).

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Didn't see where a good version of Underwater or Turning is out (though the later doesn't sound like it's all that great).

Invisible man did a great job of building suspense/tension, but doesn't really track from any logical standpoint.

It's been a while since I've seen the Boy, so I was torn between is this really happening or not (same could be said for the above briefly).

The Turning had an HD version out, and Underwater wasn't as good of quality. I had to turn my TV to vivid brightness to help with the darker scenes.

Invisible Man was pretty decent, but I agree there were some logical problems. Some very "convenient" sequences. Still liked the end result, even though I didn't quite feel like the protagonist was ready to make that leap just yet as she was constantly playing the unstable victim card... That last scene should have been a little more difficult for her to do, given all the psychological trauma from that guy.

The Boy II was sort of disappointing. It basically destroyed everything the first movie built and went with the supernatural/possession route instead. Passable, but I liked the logic in the first movie way better.

The Hunt was pretty fun.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

The Hunt (2020)


This film is essentially the umpteenth variation on Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game, but more driven with political satire. More or less like Ready Or Not (2019) but more heavy-handed on the left vs right wings. As we discussed late last year, this movie's release date was postponed due to all the mass shootings that were going on. Definitely was a good call given the backlash that would have ensued. The movie wasn't nearly as bad as the early political coverage made it out to be, but it still does poke fun with plenty of political subtext, and departs with the primary directive of "the right to bear arms" never being intended as justification for people to turn their guns against those they disagree with (obviously taken to many satirical extremes here). However, it does methodically dissolve it into an extreme outlet for pent-up frustrations. I'll end the political discussion here and not go any further lol.

The suspense in this movie was decent. One of the film's gimmicks is to surprise audiences with cleverly timed, yet shockingly creative kills whenever possible. Especially with the faces you most recognize, aside from Swank, as they are splattered before you can even remember what movies you've seen them in. It fools you into thinking you can pick out the designated survivors. The gore is ample, but very effective. The visual effects team used a graphic mix of CG & practical gore effects all throughout to give us some genuinely startling deaths. The movie also hooks us early on by giving us an illusion that the hunters have the upper hand, by delivering a series of kills using inventive booby traps. The hunt is on! The illusion was quickly & humorously deteriorated by the use of a grenade. Suddenly these hunters aren't as smart or well-trained as we thought (even though this could have been figured out from the intro scene). And as soon as we are (more properly) introduced to our MacGyver-skilled military vet protagonist, the fun really begins. The climax's explanation of the elaborate program was sort of disappointing but it did deliver a helluva well-choreographed fight.

The acting was surprisingly good even though the film was rather anemic in its social commentary and the cast was filled with farcical & blunt caricatures. There's not much depth beyond the well-timed punchlines, but it works just fine for this thrilling game of cat & mouse. Betty Gilpin was easy to root for. The southern drawl was a nice touch. But what was most endearing, aside from her impressive combat skills, was her talk less & notice more approach, as well as her different brand of redirected anger. Loved the brief part where she discussed her pent up rage at her job. Don't think I've ever seen Hillary Swank in an antagonist role, but she pulled it off. Would have loved to have seen Glenn Howerton have a larger role. His brand of psycho, as evidence of 14+ seasons of Always Sunny, could have been used to a more comedic effect. Although I did get a good laugh at him wearing a Kimono.

If you were a fan of Ready Or Not (2019), then I'd definitely recommend this film. Still would, even if you didn't care for it. This film takes a wishful thinking approach with its satire as it aims to tear down the hyper-politization of left vs right culture, but it was still loaded with fun nonetheless.

A fun ride of visceral thrills with political subtext... 7.5/10

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

The Invisible Man (2020)


A twisted adaptation to HG Wells' identically titled novel from 1897. But this has a modernized twist and shifts the perspective from the mad scientist to the terrified victim. Instead of the focus on moral corruption of otherwise good men, this film reframes the theme as a tale of domestic abuse & PTSD. And in this particular political subtext, this film did it right where some other newer generational films are doing it wrong.

The suspense in this movie was definitely a highlight. It thrusts you into the action suspense right away but when the dust settles it then starts to build up a whole new sense of palpable terror. Invisibility in itself would commonly imply a supernatural element within this genre, but this follows the Hollow Man (2000) to another level of manipulation & torment. The viewer can easily digest this terror, not only because the writers do an excellent job of building the suspense for you, but also because there is a great sense of realism on display as they introduce us to the new invisible man in a supernatural way & the general "unease" of not being able to see the "monster". This approach was truly awesome. Seeing the psychological torment play out in a manipulative sequence of events was fun. The effects have been seen before but this film's use of them had a more masterful quality, making good use of practical scene-building moments, even if they were somewhat predictable. I loved how the director framed the empty spaces in the rooms (especially when Cecelia is talking to Adrian), suggesting a presence & affirming her & our worst fears. Is he there? Or is he not? The director uses this framing to play with our minds and place us directly in Cecelia's shoes. Normally the use of so much negative space within frames would imply amateur film work, but this film uses it to an ominous effect which isn't applicable to other films. The director used this effect masterfully to instill fear simply by pointing the camera at empty space without the need for any FX or CG.

Elisabeth Moss did well in this role. She projected the psychological realism well enough to instill the sense of paranoia & ultimately the dread she was experiencing. There were some moments that felt a little overboard, but overall she played the part. The performance had a lot of momentary/reactive elements to it so it made sense to go a little overboard here & there. One of my bigger issues with her character, which wasn't Moss' fault, was that the psychological trauma that she lived through while living with Adrian didn't really materialize well enough for me to completely believe or connect with her. Could have used a little more character building & background than merely displaying the resulting mental state she had to overcome.

There were some logical concessions that were made for dramatic purposes, but they weren't necessarily focused on to be overly problematic. I didn't understand how Adrian was so immensely strong. Pretty much superhuman. Was it the suit? There was nothing to imply that. Also in the final 3rd of the movie there were some significant plot holes regarding cameras & visibility of certain actions. The film was so focused on surveillance and privacy, and yet there were several scenes where if there was even 1 functioning security camera the plot would unravel & the movie would have ended. I also didn't quite feel like the protagonist was ready to make the climactic leap just yet, but that could have been a result of my disconnect with her character. It was a good surprise though.

Overall the film was technical & well-made, but it has some logic problems as well as feeling somewhat undercooked in terms of its protagonist & villain. It does play well on its focus & strength to build tension without becoming exhaustive though. So from a popcorn standpoint its solid entertainment.

Decent popcorn thriller with some logical problems... 7/10

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Bloodline (2018)


This film was pretty much a blatant ripoff of Dexter (TV series '06-'13). A sociopathic monster, born in blood, hiding in plain site, that only kills those he deems as deserving, has the ritualistic murder setup to get the victim to confess, has a parent figure that taught him the way, etc. Pretty close to being exactly the same without any self awareness, and maybe a splash of Hitchcock's Psycho. And much like my sentiments towards the TV series, I still thoroughly enjoyed it! I get why people are thrashing its ratings though, so take my review for whatever its worth.

This movie is a slow burn for sure, and it is definitely not tailored for slasher or suspense fans. Although it does have ample brutality & gore to satisfy the gorehounds, its dialogue heavy & focuses on the psychological elements to give it a more mystery-thriller vibe. It's technically sound & methodical, but it does require a vested viewer to deliver its payoffs.

The film was aesthetically pleasing. The synth score was oddly placed but solid, like something straight out of TRON: Legacy (2010) or something like that. It had a good connection with Evan Cole's character, as if he was a 70's serial killer misplaced in time. Strange but effective. The filming work was solid, even if I didn't care much for the film-reel style flashbacks to Evan's "born in blood" moment. They were used to good effect though to tap the viewer into the psycho's cognizance. Some were a mere image flash in the blink of an eye, and others a brief look into different elements of that scene.

Damn, who knew Stiffler was this good at acting? Honestly, Seann William Scott completely erased all my preconceived notions of his acting abilities. That eye twitch though! He left me wanting to see him in more roles like this. Loved the entire cast honestly. The mother was particularly satisfying. At first Mariela Garriga was just another gullible female, but her performance through her character arc was solid and ultimately became the most intriguing character in a shocking turn of events. She has one of the most important dialogues with Detective Overstreet that explains everything you need to know about the why or the how for said twist. So make you sure you pay attention during those scenes!

Overall this film was well-crafted, however it may not be everyone's cup of tea. Even though it does have some good violence & gore, it relies on the psychological nuances of its characters to make it more compelling. Which is yet another similarity to the tv series Dexter. If you were a fan of the tv series, then you know exactly what to expect.

Slow burn copycat of Dexter, but worth the watch... 7.5/10

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018)


Hell House LLC (2015) review: Horror Movies

Well, this movie was a letdown. Everywhere the first movie excelled, this movie faltered. This movie is the epitome of what people complain about when they hate on found-footage filming style. Running around screaming and shaking the camera violently... It gets tiresome quickly. This movie had the desperation feel of a sequel that is about several sequals into a franchise. Everything about it felt gimmicky & amateur.

The first movie had a decent atmosphere & used practical effects, whereas this film does none of that. They wasted about a half hour of run time on a pointless talk show interview that did very little to build anything into the plot, and just tried to provide more "evidence" that the hotel was indeed haunted. It was a boring gimmick that ate up the first 15 minutes of the movie and they kept returning to it at later times. Once the characters finally enter the house we only get about 30 minutes of runtime there. The only thing I found remotely entertaining was the creepy ghost girl. When she killed the psychic, then again when she appeared in the chain-link fenced hallway, and lastly when she was playing the piano at the end. Sadly that was about it. The rest of the "scares" entails spotting ghosts & running away screaming. Oh and don't forget the added electrical glitching to make things appear more sinister... Yawn. The "twist" in the climax was as predictable as it was cringe-worthy. Basically it sacrifices all the eeriness of the unknown from the original for a shoddy master plan featuring a new villain. Which is really the only purpose of this film: introducing this villain & his plans.

This movie felt more of a segue into the third act of this amateur franchise. And honestly I'd much rather just ignore the existence of this film.

Gimmicky mess... 3.5/10

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire (2019)


This movie did a much better job of recapturing what the original accomplished. It brought back the creepy atmosphere using practical effects, and of course the use of props. The plot was a bit of a mess though, and the characters were somewhat annoying. The new millionaire playwright's quest to close the gateway was not all too creative. He essentially did exactly what the first movie did just to slaughter the masses & get his chance to close the gateway. Didn't really make sense other than to drive the franchise to a close. And the forced Faustian themes were really lame. They tried to make an ominous connection to it, but didn't give it enough legs to support itself. Ended up being nothing more than an afterthought.

This movie had a lot of potential until it sort of unraveled in the climax & resolution. The climax brought back the hooded figures to slaughter the masses, which was done even cheesier than the original. The carnage was a sad attempt and it looked so fake. And the gateway CG when the floor fell was pathetic. The resolution in this film was one of those tacky hollywood endings but I get why they did it. Putting a bow on the franchise by paying homage to the original actors. Wasn't very creative, but sure let's give them a tip of the cap and send them on their way.

Overall I like this 3rd & final installment better than the 2nd, but not better than the original. It was a feeble attempt at recapturing their fans but it went out with a fizzle.

Decent scares, but goes out with a fizzle... 5/10

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Was a interesting concept.

 

[Taddy Mason]

View attachment 236349


Was a interesting concept.

obviously.

that said, underwhelming overall.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

obviously.

that said, underwhelming overall.

Thought it was worth a watch.

 

[Taddy Mason]

Thought it was worth a watch.

oh, it's fine overall in the grander scheme. loads better than the malevolent and malevolent 2 (bereavement) i watched the other week.

don't know if you missed my obvious reference, but end of the day, similar to cube or circle, with the difference being we know you can choose to put yourself there, which is another level never realized.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

oh, it's fine overall in the grander scheme. loads better than the malevolent and malevolent 2 (bereavement) i watched the other week.

don't know if you missed my obvious reference, but end of the day, similar to cube or circle, with the difference being we know you can choose to put yourself there, which is another level never realized.

Never seen the cube or the circle. So I tried to find them to see what they were like. Unfortunately the cube came up as unavailable. The circle.......geez could only watch for a few minutes. It about a social media contest I guess and the circle is the only place they can communicate?

 

[Win TWINS!!!]

Chicks in bikinis.... what could go wrong?

 

[Taddy Mason]

Never seen the cube or the circle. So I tried to find them to see what they were like. Unfortunately the cube came up as unavailable. The circle.......geez could only watch for a few minutes. It about a social media contest I guess and the circle is the only place they can communicate?

cube is available on SportsHoopla, vudu, and tubi (the last two with ads) and circle is on netflix (not the tom hanks one)


they obviously differ from one to the other, but i thought the social experiment was similar.

 

[BrockForBroglio]

God bless COVID19... All the movies in theaters got released to on demand and the pirate versions are now flush with HD material.

I watched The Boy 2, Invisible Man & The Hunt last night. Watched Underwater & The Turning today. Will probably watch Gretel & Hansel tonight and whatever else is in theaters.

The boy 2, is that the right title? Can't find anything about it.

Found it, tomatoes gave it 10%, how was it for you?

 

[Taddy Mason]

The boy 2, is that the right title? Can't find anything about it.

Found it, tomatoes gave it 10%, how was it for you?

10 based on audience or critic? he laid out his full review later, though i think that may have gave away some plot points, either way, if you have nothing else to watch, go for it. i don't want to cloud you with my judgement either.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

The boy 2, is that the right title? Can't find anything about it.

Found it, tomatoes gave it 10%, how was it for you?

“Brahms: The Boy II” is the official title... it’s gives me anxiety when trying to alphabetize my horror list so I just call it Boy 2 lol.

Not a bad watch, but I liked the logic better in the 1st movie. This one went a completely different direction.