100 Horror Films Challenge 2016 Final Update

October 25^th:

1.       Stranger Things (2016-, Drama/Horror/Mystery) Series 1, Episodes 3 & 4: Chapter Three: Holly, Jolly (51 mins) & Chapter Four: The Body (50 mins)

-          I couldn’t stop watching this, it’s like a good book you just can’t put it down!

October 26^th:

2.       Stranger Things (2016-, Drama/Horror/Mystery) Series 1, Episodes 5 & 6: Chapter Five: The Flea and the Acrobat (52 mins) & Chapter Six: The Monster (46 mins)

-          So good but also surprisingly scary!

October 27^th:

3.       Stranger Things (2016-, Drama/Horror/Mystery) Series 1, Episodes 7 & 8: Chapter Seven: The Bathtub (41 mins) & Chapter Eight: The Upside Down (54 mins)

-          Thoroughly enjoyed this and can’t wait for series two but good grief the ending was bleak! I’m so worried about Will and Eleven!

October 28^th:

-          None.

October 29^th:

-          None.

October 30^th:

4.       American Horror: Hotel (2011-, Drama/Horror/Thriller) Series 5, Episode 1: Checking In (62 mins)

-          As this is just over an hour it counts! I don’t rate AHS as highly as some but I thought Coven was very good and this seems like it will be a pretty good series too depending on where it goes from here (I know I’m behind as I am with all my TV!)

October 31^st:

5.       Halloween (1978, Horror/Thriller)

-          Ending on a classic! I love the way Carpenter builds suspense and I have fond memories of watching this with a large group at Sci-Fi Weekender.

So there we go, 41 movies in 31 days! Still not a fabulous score but I beat last year’s by 5 so I’m still happy. 

100 Horror Films Challenge 2016 Update #4

October 19^th:

-          None, it’s all gone Pete Tong!

October 20^th:

331.      Finders Keepers (2014, Horror/Mystery/Thriller)

-          This one’s quite predictable but it’s good fun, there’s plenty of deaths and the doll is really creepy!

October 21^st:

232.       Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016, Horror/Thriller)

-          I don’t remember the original very well but this one was good. Quite scary in places and a little too CGI for me but great acting and I loved the ending.

October 22^nd:

33.       Scream: The TV Series (2015-, Crime/Drama/Horror) Series 2, Episode 13: Finale: Halloween/Halloween II (81 mins)

-          I adore this show and I think it’s a great tribute to Wes Craven. This episode is almost a stand-alone and not quite as good, or believable, as normal. Still really pleased to see it’s been picked up for a third series though.

October 23^rd:

-          None, busy weekend.

October 24^th:

  34.      The Curse of Downer’s Grove (2015, Drama/Horror/Mystery)

-          Or, as it’s weirdly called on Netflix, ‘The Curse of Drowner’s Cove’. This one was just bad, I only stuck it out so I could count it for this challenge! The acting & writing are dreadful leading to a screen filled with characters I hated but was supposed to identify with. Great premise but poorly executed, I think this film was trying to be too many things at once.

35.       Black Mirror (2011-, Drama/Sci-Fi Thriller) Series 3, Episode 6: Hated in the Nation (89 mins)

-          I’m cheating again because Black Mirror should definitely be classed as a horror, or some of the darker episodes should, and this one was gory in places and pretty damn scary! Such a good series, very pleased Netflix picked it up.

   36.      Stranger Things (Drama/Horror/Mystery) Series 1, Episodes 1 & 2: Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers (48 mins) & Chapter Two: The Weirdo on Maple Street (55 mins)

-          I’m cheating again (so good at this!) and counting two of these as a movie because they’re about 45-50 minutes each. Loving this show so far now I’m finally watching it & as the internet is basically all Stranger Things or The Walking Dead (which I don’t watch) I feel like I can be on it again!

YAY! ANYTHING AFTER THIS POINT IS BEATING LAST YEAR’S SCORE AND THERE’S STILL 6 DAYS LEFT.

100 Horror Films Challenge 2016 Update #3

October 11^th:

117.       The Loved Ones (2009, Horror/Thriller)

-          I love this one (I amuse myself at least if no one else!) & I was dressing up as Lola Stone for Mayhem so I wanted a re-watch. Definitely just as good; brutal and twisted!

October 12^th:

-          None, last minute packing and a quiz instead.

October 13^th- Mayhem Day One:

218.       Raw (2016, Horror)

-          This was one of the ones I was most looking forward to because of all the hype of people throwing up and fainting at screenings. There was only one bit that really got me like that but it was a stunning debut, funnier than I thought it would be with a unique and engaging story.

319.       Headshot (2016, Action/Drama/Thriller) WILD CARD ONE

-          Not the sort of film I would normally pick but this was a lot of fun! Over the top, violent and some silly audio description subtitles this was a great one to end the day on.

October 14^th- Mayhem Day Two:

420.       We Are The Flesh (2016, Drama/Fantasy/Horror)

-          This one felt like it was being weird for the sake of it! Some good acting and an interesting ending but that’s all I can say that’s nice about it.

521.       The Rezort (2015, Horror)

-          Another one I was really looking forward to that definitely delivered. Great action, funny characters and a unique take on zombie. Was great to have a Q&A with the director afterwards too!

622.       The Greasy Strangler (2016, Comedy/Horror/Thriller)

-          This one was funny to a point but not entirely my sense of humour. The over the top deaths were fun though!

October 15^th- Mayhem Day Three:

723.       They Call Me Jeeg Robot (2015, Action/Comedy/Sci-Fi) WILD CARD TWO

-          Not one that I would normally watch but this was great. Really funny, emotional in places

824.       Pet (2016, Thriller)

-          I’m counting this one without a wild card again because it made my skin crawl and messed with my head! Fantastic acting and not one I’ll forget for a while.

925.       The Ghoul (2016, Drama/Thriller) WILD CARD THREE

-          I really liked this one & the Q&A afterwards. It makes you work for it but the acting was fantastic and the end brought it all together for me.

126.   The Devil’s Candy (2015, Horror)

-          The long-awaited follow up to The Loved Ones which I watched while dressed as Lola Stone. It was in some ways darker because it was light and funny before things kicked off and with great acting and soundtrack.

October 16^th- Mayhem Day Four:

127.   Don’t Kill It (2016, Fantasy/Horror)

-          This one was a stand-out of the festival for me because I had low expectations for it but it was very funny, great gore and kept my interest, I want to watch it again already.

128.   Creepy (2016, Thriller) WILD CARD FOUR

-          I don’t watch many foreign films because I tend to watch horror films with people that hate subtitles so this was a nice change. Definitely does what it says on the tin and kept me guessing.

129.   I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016, Thriller) WILD CARD FIVE

-          This was another unique one (it was a really good line-up this year), phenomenal acting, emotional, tense and made me want to read the book.

130.   The Void (2016, Horror)

-          I was looking forward to this one but I didn’t love it in the end. The start is incredibly scary and I like the idea but the look of the creatures and all the pregnancy horror just wasn’t for me. The Q&A afterwards was very funny though.

October 17^th:

-          None, I pretty much just went to work and slept!

October 18^th:

-          None, caught up on Humans which I only recently got into but I’m slightly obsessed with after the amazing Persona Synthetics fake advert.  

100 Horror Films Challenge 2016 Update #2

I've got Mayhem this coming weekend which is adding 14 to my total if I use all my Wild Cards so if things keep going well I'll beat last year's pitiful score of 36!

October 6^th:

9.       Deepwater Horizon (2016, Action/Drama/Thriller)

-          I’m cheating again & counting this one without a wild card (I’m so good at this!) because there was some really grim injury detail that freaked me out. Very well-made movie but deeply emotional and intense so not one I’d be able to keep watching.

October 7^th:

10.      In A Dark Place (2006, Horror/Thriller)

-          My Mum & I were both up early this morning and she suggested we had time for a horror movie of her own accord! Apparently it was only in solidarity with my challenge but I think I’m winning her over. It wasn’t a great choice unfortunately, started off well but my attention started to drift halfway through and I just don’t understand the ending. I’ve never liked Henry James’ Turning of the Screw which this is based on so maybe that’s why.

11.       Crazy Eights (2006, Horror)

-          This is one of those films that I kept hearing about & never quite got round to but I found it on Amazon Prime and finally went for it. I was not disappointed, it was disturbing and had great character development; I’m working on a full review for this one.

October 8^th:

12.       The Last Days on Mars (2013, Horror/Sci-Fi/Thriller)

-          This one is different to the kind of horrors I would usually choose but I enjoyed it, very clever and brilliant acting.

October 9^th:

13.       The Reaping (2007, Horror/Thriller)

-          I dimly remember watching this when it first came out but I couldn’t remember it so I gave it another go. It’s interesting and I like how it looks but the ending’s a bit too desperate for a sequel and I’m not sure I’d watch it a lot.

14.      We Are Still Here (2015, Horror)

-          This is another one I’ve been meaning to watch for a while and it really freaked me out! Great gore, phenomenal acting and an intriguing plot.

15.       February (2015, Horror/Thriller)

-          This one was weird but not in a good way! It had some really good moments but it was hard to follow and the ending doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

October 10^th:

16.      Final Destination 5 (2011, Horror)

-          Sometimes you need a familiar favourite. I love this franchise and fondly remember how fun this one was in 3D at the cinema with friends. 

The Invitation Review

The Invitation (2015)

IMDb genre: Drama/Horror/Mystery

Director: Karyn Kusama

Writer: Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi

Starring: Logan Marshall-Green, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Michiel Huisman

I haven’t really heard much hype for this movie, and when I told some friends I’d watched it one of them said it was ‘underrated’ which I think is spot on, and I think that’s because it definitely won’t be to everyone’s taste. From me personally though I think it’s practically perfect.

This movie is the very definition of a slow-burner; up until the last twenty minutes or so we’re more or less just watching some friends have a relaxed party. However, the eerie score and sublime camerawork mean that there is always a claustrophobic sense of dread even when all is seemingly well. The stunning script ensures that the interactions feel natural and gives us just enough information to pique our interest but not enough to work everything out so we’re left not knowing who to trust. This feeling of distrust is also achieved as the acting is faultless and the small tensions in the group aren’t overplayed but add to what’s already been established.

As well as creating tension this film is highly emotional in its portrayal of grief and the lengths people will go to to ease their pain which builds to the gut-wrenching ending which I still keep thinking about a few days on.

The only criticism I really have about this movie is that the tension is built for a long time but once we find out who is right there’s some good gore but it all seems to be over very quickly. That may be for the best though as it doesn’t just turn into a gore fest.

So, great script, acting and score I think you should check it out.

General Opinion: 

         

 Scare Factor:  

I think this is more thriller than horror in terms of scares but it has its moments and the ending packs a terrifying and poignant punch.

Gore: 

Probably not a film for gore freaks but the gore is used well to enhance the tone that’s already been established.

Clowns: 

 There are some jokes, all credit to the writers that the reunion of friends feels very natural, but there’s always a sense of dread that means you’re not relaxed enough to be too amused.

In the UK you can now accept The Invitation (oh, I’m so witty) on Netflix or rent on Amazon Prime for £3.49.

100 Horror Films Challenge 2016 Update #1

It isn't going too badly!

October 1^st:

1    4.       The Reef (2010, Horror/Thriller)

-          After seeing The Shallows fairly recently, which I really enjoyed, I fancied a shark movie. Unlike Dark Summer this was not worth sticking with! It just didn’t hold my interest, I was rooting for the shark.

2    5.      And Soon The Darkness (2010, Crime/Horror/Mystery)

-          I very much enjoyed this one, it was extremely tense in parts and Amber Heard was a very strong lead.

October 2^nd:

3     6.       Fear (1990, Mystery/Thriller)

-          I’m cheating and counting this without a wild card as I couldn’t find it on IMDb until I was most of the way through, it sounded like a horror & it came out the year I was born! Fairly average overall but some very scary moments and still an enjoyable watch.

October 3^rd:

4     7.       Dark Skies (2013, Horror/Sci-Fi/Thriller)

-          A re-watch on this one for me, I think I enjoyed it more the second time, it certainly seemed to escalate far more quickly this time around!

October 4^th:

5      8.       Grindstone Road (2008, Horror/Thriller)

-          I didn’t love this one, very dark lighting wise and a bit too slow with not much of a pay-off.

October 5^th:

-          None, oops!

I'm Baaaaack!

Sorry internets, it's been almost a year since I updated this blog apparently!

I'm working on some more reviews to upload in the coming days to get back on it.

For now, I have an update for the 100 horror movies in October 2016 challenge. Due to ill health I haven't been able to do much so I've started a little early. Therefore, early challenge entries are:

Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015, Fantasy/Horror/Thriller)
       - I have now watched this film three times which feels appropriate. I wanted to start with this one because I think it's a great continuation for a series I really enjoy & since I last watched it I became Facebook friends with Lin Shaye so we're basically best friends now!

The Invitation (2015, Drama/Horror/Mystery)
       - I was thrilled when this one appeared on Netflix as I missed it at Mayhem last October & it definitely lived up to my expectations. Look out for a full review soon.

Dark Summer (2015, Horror/Thriller)
       - This one took me a long time to get into but I'm glad I stuck with it because it didn't go where I expected it to & had a very good ending.

I didn't realise until writing this that all three were from 2015, clearly a good year for horror as I enjoyed them all. As I'm starting with three already under my belt I'm hoping I can beat last year's pitiful score!