The Not Quite Halloween Horror List of 2019
Lets face it, 31 days is not a lot of time to watch horror movies. Sometimes things fall through the cracks and movies just don't get a chance for a month long Halloween binge. So here are some notable movies that weren't picked up in October.
To explain their rating a bit, if a movie is so bad that its on the verge of being painful, it would fall somewhere within the 1-3 range. The 4-6 range is for movies that are not good but still watchable to good movies that have left little long lasting impression. 7-10 are movies I enjoyed to love.
To explain their rating a bit, if a movie is so bad that its on the verge of being painful, it would fall somewhere within the 1-3 range. The 4-6 range is for movies that are not good but still watchable to good movies that have left little long lasting impression. 7-10 are movies I enjoyed to love.
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- DirectorKuo-Hsiung LiuStarsBetty Pei TiChi-Min ChinChih-Ping ChiangA Chinese village run by beautiful women turns out to be more than the local men bargained for--especially if they have any idea of seducing the local beauties, then running out on them.Good God help me, what have I done? This was not a great horror movie for the most part. The story is slow and the action scenes few and rather weak. But t is a movie that demands recognition none the less. Animals were hurt in the making of this movie. In the most grotesque way possible. A man eats snakes, frogs, and a mouse alive on screen. And for no discernible reason. Its a nasty spectacle of a movie not for the feint of heart.
- DirectorJalmari HelanderStarsJorma TommilaOnni TommilaPeeter JakobiIn the depths of the Korvatunturi mountains, 486 meters deep, lies the closest ever guarded secret of Christmas. The time has come to dig it up. This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus.I was happily impressed by this move. Christmas horror movies aren't great, there is Gremlins, Black Christmas, and not much else of note based on the holiday. While the ending is campy, the prior acts are pretty well crafted and are actually pretty scary. The fire in Santa's eyes are a really nice touch and while he looks frail, he conveys a threatening aura about him like an animal that can lash out at any moment. I really recommend it, it would have been a possible top contender had I found it earlier.
- DirectorSusanne BierStarsSandra BullockTrevante RhodesJohn MalkovichFive years after an ominous unseen presence drives most of society to suicide, a mother and her two children make a desperate bid to reach safety.This movie is given far too much credit. The acting is passable but the script is just terrible, so the end result is genuine, mentally handicapped characters. Almost every plan is like they are driving nails with their forehead. The rules are nonexistent, the monsters can't physically interact with the world except when they can, and never all that efficiently. They can rock a car and toss leaves around but can't open doors. The dialogue is embarrassing to listen to and the characters have no dimension beyond the detestable guy that paraphrases Trump one time for no reason to the idealized heroic veteran that "has to open the door" whenever any stranger knocks no matter how dangerous. The framing device renders the first act completely pointless, you know everyone is no longer around so they might as well be wearing red shirts, and the last act is rushed and hard to believe. They survive rapids without so much as losing a bird and navigate a forest all the while blindfolded almost without incident. It was lucky Netflix picked it up, it isn't worth the ticket price.
- DirectorAri AsterStarsToni ColletteMilly ShapiroGabriel ByrneA grieving family is haunted by tragic and disturbing occurrences.I'll give the movie credit, it really knew what I wanted in the last act. I made a couple little quips about scenes only for the movie to step up like it heard me each time and I appreciated that. It is just a shame that the first act is so slow. About halfway through I was almost ready to give up because of the long winded family drama that I really didn't care for. The fact that no one ever had on them an epipen for their deathly peanut allergic daughter and then push to have her go to a high school party where she is half everyone's age just seemed profoundly stupid to me. Also, was there ever mention the family had a dog? A dog just kind of showed up for one scene, had a door closed on it, then died off screen days later and I have no idea whose dog it is.
- DirectorRahi Anil BarveAnand GandhiAdesh PrasadStarsSohum ShahJyoti MalsheAnita Date-KelkarA mythological story about a goddess who created the entire universe. The plot revolves around the consequences when humans build a temple for her first-born.I don't have much experience with Indian horror movies. All I've ever seen is Mystics in Bali, a while entertaining though 'flawed' movie to say the least. But this was far beyond my expectations, it is genuinely a very good movie. The sets are very interesting, particularly the womb where the evil god resides that looks adequately repulsive. But its the way the monster is formulated that makes it. It doesn't just kill, but rather infects and mutates the body into Cronenberg monstrosities. And then kills you. But the true monster lies within. Risking themselves out of greed, it is a good cautionary tale of when it comes back to bite you.
- DirectorSteve RudzinskiStarsAmie WrennAaron FletchersmithBen DietelsWhen their home is haunted by a dream spirit, it's up to Whiskers to figure out what is haunting them and how to send the ghost to the other side. She'll use ghost hunting, the Nekkomeownicon, and Wally's credit card to get the job done.This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen. 10/10
- DirectorJustin LeeStarsKevin MakelyTodd A. RobinsonSummer SpiroAn ex-soldier ventures into the Pacific Northwest to uncover the truth behind his fiance's disappearance.I was greatly surprised. Seeing the 4.5 score, I thought this was just going to be background noise but I ended up really enjoying this. It treats bigfoot as a force of nature, while the hero goes in to control (in this case kill) it it manages to go hog wild on him and he finds himself woefully ill equipped. And that is hard to convey in a B movie. Bigfoot looks intimidating, though he does do the trope of grab helpless hero and toss him away, and it does feel that it is in control throughout the movie. What I didn't appreciate was the universe building ending. If this was a stand alone movie, I think it would be fine but the start of a franchise? Yah kidding yourselves.
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsIan Patrick WilliamsCarolyn Purdy-GordonCarrie LorraineA dysfunctional family of three stop by a mansion during a storm -- father, stepmother, and child. The child discovers that the elderly owners are magical toy makers and have a haunted collection of dolls.A horror movie I've seen everywhere but never actually watched in its entirety. I have to say, its a shame I didn't watch this for a Halloween month. This movie was for the most part very good. The dolls are effectively creepy even before they move and the stop motion animation gives it a great surreal quality. The cast is for the most part obnoxious, but that is how it was intended anbd makes their eventual deaths meaningful. Unfortunately, that really great animation must have drained the budget something fierce, the final battle with Punch is not good. The puppetry isn't as good and the wires and hands animating him are even visible at times. It takes a lot out of the movie solely because of how good it was before.
- DirectorSteven KostanskiStarsTaylor SpreitlerPepi SonugaSai BennettThe Leprechaun returns once again, when a group of girls unwillingly awaken him after they tear down a cabin so that they can build a new sorority house.I love the Leprechaun series, so I have mixed feelings for this one. Being the first true sequel it has much of the story already set up and it handles it alright. Ozzie's return was welcome, I wished he was around a little more but I understood his role. The lack of Warwick Davis on the titular role is disappointing but the new guy isn't half bad. He has pretty good delivery and he takes to the role well, though the accent took a little getting used to. The female lead isn't too bad either. What didn't do as well was the rest of the cast. They're all kind of one note and not all that endearing. The gore is alright, certain deaths are a little hokey but some are really brutal. Its not fine dining but neither was the rest of the series so if you like them you'll likely enjoy this one.
- DirectorMitchell AltieriStarsKen ArnoldDan De LucaKevin JiggettsThree inept night watchmen, aided by a young rookie and a fearless tabloid journalist, fight an epic battle for their lives against a horde of hungry vampires.It has its moments. As far as horror movies go, its not that scary. It blurs the line between zombies and vampires and there isn't really much thought put into the story. There is no reason why it takes place in Baltimore or why patient zero was a clown troupe other than they thought it would be funny. But the comedic elements aren't bad, characters are an interesting cast and interact humorously. Its alright. Not very memorable but alright.
- DirectorErik Kristopher MyersStarsRachel ArmigerReed DeLisleMatt LakeA filmmaker discovers a box of video tapes depicting two students' disturbing film project featuring a local horror legend, The Peeping Tom. As he sets out to prove this story is real and release it as a work of his own, he loses himself and the film crew following him into his project.This was interesting to say the least. A lot of the creepy footage looks a bit on the cheep side, though it is supposed to be a student film, and there isn't really much going on from time to time, but it really does have some good ideas. Peeping Tom may as well be a Five Nights at Freddy's animatronic, but when they aren't using him for jump scares, he isn't that bad. He's better when he isn't on screen. Then there is the main story of the director trying to sell the found footage as real, and that is when the movie is at its best. Seeing all the "whack job" ghost people shoot him down is pretty entertaining. Its got some good parts, some meh moments, its 60/40 I think. Maybe give it a watch as a curiosity rather than a good horror movie.
- DirectorFabrice-Ange ZaphiratosStarsHelen BentonTerry BrownDana DayA young woman accompanies her boyfriend to his family's rural Wisconsin home for Christmas, where the spirit of a Japanese samurai begins wreaking havoc on them.A transcript of this movie's pitch meeting was released. The key quote came from the producer: "And then we do MORE mushrooms," shortly before he started screaming unintelligibly about the albino snakes coming out of everyone's eyes. This is the kind of movie that stars no one and damn straight its going to deliver on its premise of a samurai ghost invading Wisconsin. Its a chore to watch sober, but if you like seeing non actors being told to convey gibberish in Latin, this is a thing. Watch and marvel as they contort their faces into such expressions as popping their skull out of their head and a fight between the color red and the color blue. As to the quality of the movie, I can assuredly say I'll take more of the red ones with the white spots. It keeps the serpants at bay.
- DirectorDavid D. FordTony GibsonStarsDavid D. FordAngela HargerKayden GrishamFollows the Hartman family and their dealings with a legendary creature when it begins coming around their farm house deep in the woods in the late 1960s.I kind of have to marvel how the acting just seems to get progressively worse as the movie goes on. Everything is delivered as stilted and unnatural as possible to such a degree that I suspect this is everyone's first time in front of a camera. This movie is great for riffing, with plenty of material to work off of but not bad enough to be physically painful to watch. The bigfoot is pretty impressive compared to most low budget bigfoot movies, better than Cry Wilderness but not as good as Abominable, and used appropriately sparingly. While the story is based on the Cowman of Copalis Beach, it does seem to borrow from The Legend of Boggy Creek, sometimes reenacting some of the stories from it. But Boggy Creek's use of untrained actors gave it a more genuine feel. It didn't try to make them act like this movie does.
- DirectorWei-Hao ChengStarsWei-Ning HsuRiver HuangYin-Shang LiuBased on true events and long-circulating urban legend in Taiwan. Wei is nowhere to be found one day before his grandma returns from her own strange missing incident. Wei's girlfriend desperately searches for his whereabouts and finds that it is the horrifying mystery of the little girl in red that has followed and haunted them all along.The first two thirds are very well done. Very atmospheric, the ghostly little girl looks intimidating, and the more grotesque scenes play into the plot well. At no point at this time did I feel anything detract from the movie. Then comes the catharsis. Most of it was fine, they jump to the woods a little too fast and that's quite jarring, but it does set a good atmosphere for what's to come. Unfortunately, what's to come is a big dumb CGI fight. The monster/spirit that looked so good as the child zipping around reveals its true form. Ugly CGI monkeys. They intertwine some interesting elements but you still have to come back to CGI monkey fight. Its alright, I'll even say good, but the disappointing end sours it and keeps it from being great.
- DirectorChristopher PhelpsMaxim Van ScoyStarsWray VillanovaLaura HajekNathan Andrew WrightFrom the vaults of the golden age of slasher films comes LAKE NOWHERE, a raucous, bloody romp which resurrects the thrill of gory midnight movies for an hour-long plunge into the depths of horror. Inspired by the dusty days of VHS, LAKE NOWHERE is preceded by original trailers & commercials, replicating the experience of watching a long lost bootleg tape. When a group of friends arrive at a desolate lakeside cabin, they are stalked and murdered by a Masked Maniac, whose lust for blood transcends our world. This age-old tale of senseless slaughter quickly spirals into the realm of supernatural horror and classic monster movies, as we learn the true power that lies within LAKE NOWHERE.The director really understood what he was going for. The VHS static and grimey footage delivers a great retro blood and gore feel that sets the stage for what's to come. The characters look great, they seem fitting for a 70s grindhouse movie. The killer looks great, the close ups on his eyes beneath the tree bark mask make him look better than most Jasons. Even the scene composition is inspired with memorable still frames and great camera placement. The writer on the other hand, needs to be beaten with an oar. The story explains nothing and the dialogue is passable at best and truly awful at worst, its art house schlock that sounds like someone trying to look smarter than he is. And seeing as the two are one in the same, it shows the difference between a mechanic and a poet. Its worth a watch for the experience but not for the story.
- DirectorYoshinobu YamakawaAmber Lee ConnorsStarsMisato FukuenMiyuki SawashiroDaisuke KishioAmagane Rinne, an upbeat schoolgirl, has died. But even dead, she still has to attend school in the underworld.I am of two minds yet again. On one hand, I can say I had no idea where this movie was going. But on the other, I had no idea where this movie was going. While it took some time to adjust, I grew to really like the art style. Its very scratchy and looks like they colored the rough draft sketches they made, but once it gets going, the character designs start to take over. All of the supporting cast are fascinating to look at, especially Hellvis who may be the greatest character put on paper. And it looks like it is going to be an interesting high school story with a twist, with a human girl going to a school in hell. It looks like it could be fun interacting with the monster girls in her class, but that doesn't happen. Halfway through it gets biblical, and then nonsensical, which was kind of fun but also a bit of a let down. There is so little character progression that I was saddened for the wasted opportunity, so I checked out the source material. It's very much the same. In all, I liked it but it's a strenuous recommendation.
- DirectorMichael DoughertyStarsKyle ChandlerVera FarmigaMillie Bobby BrownThe crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.Much better from its predecessor. Ken Watanabe steals the show while most of the rest of the cast drag it down. Special effects on the for main kaiju look great but not so much the others. Its purely a failure of design, they just don't look like anything worth remembering. The final battle wasn't great either, the director greatly overestimated my interest in a family squabble while the two most badass creatures to ever live are tearing the city apart. It still doesn't measure up to the better Japanese Godzilla movies but baby steps. I'm sure King Kong will be even better.
- DirectorJ. Zachary ThurmanStarsKeith DowsettAmelia HakleroadAllison Joy McDanielA group of people wearing animal masks seek revenge against a group of teenagers after one of the teens accidentally kills one of the "furries", having confused him for a real animal.I selected watch now. Mistakes were made. The only furry horror movie is not very good for a variety of reasons. The plot is boring and the acting really poor, but its the blend of comedy and horror that really drags it down. There is nothing worse than bad comedy and this movie is just not funny. The furries' voices become grating and the sight gags are just not funny. The costumes don't do much to help either, the fox and dog are fine but the rest run into a serious issue. They're really cumbersome. When the villains are struggling to run without their heads falling off, they're capacity to be a threat is greatly diminished. Then there is the ending which was underwhelming even for such a poor experience as the rest of the movie. I don't recommend this.
- DirectorStewart SparkeStarsLyndsey CraineMichaela LongdenLizzie Aaryn-StantonSophie's 18th birthday becomes a bloodbath when monsters descend upon her house and start to devour the party guests. Sophie and her friends must rally together to send their party crashers back to hell.Mediocre. I have no faith in crowdfunded movies anymore, this just didn't hold up. Its harder to make a badass female character than to make a male one. In order to make them look credible, a lot of movies nowadays try to rectify this by making the male characters laughably weak. This is one of those movies. When they aren't screaming at pitches medieval choir boys wish to attain, they don't do anything to inspire confidence while the girls try to take on the mantle. Only, they have neither the charisma nor the line read to properly deliver. Its like being insulted to by a 13 year old on XBox Live. They can swear and threaten all they want, they don't sound nearly as tough as they think they do. Couple this with some meh looking monsters, very cheap props, and a just in general boring script, there isn't much to get excited about.
- DirectorJohn R. LeonettiStarsJoey KingRyan PhillippeKi Hong LeeA teenage girl discovers a box that carries magic powers and a deadly price for using them.Woo! This movie isn't good. Its pretty bad. Its a monkey's paw story if you remove all the clever twists and replace it with unsatisfying carnage. The deaths in this movie range between comical to farcical. An old man slips in the tub, that's fine. The old man comes to and bumps his head on the faucet after a nasty fall, that's a Three Stooges joke. There is no supernatural elements that build to anyone's death other than they tell you the box does it. If you missed that scene, its just comes across as clumsy people bumping themselves off doing stupid things. The characters are shallow. So shallow I wouldn't trust leaving them in a kiddie pool. Its funny at times but never intentionally. When it tries to be, its just a shame. Get drunk a riff it with friends, but don't try to go it alone.
- DirectorJohnny KalangisStarsBilly ZaneMaggie CastleShauna MacDonaldA comedy-horror-thriller in which a doctor and his teenage daughter are terrorized by flesh-eating zombies at a truck stop.Not great, but bad in a way where its kind of hard to put your finger on. It lacks the stakes to be a good horror movie. The deaths are handled comically and are mostly an avenue for the humor. But the comedy isn't that good either. Its hard to place what is is that mkes the jokes fall flat and on paper they look like they would be funny. Maybe its the dry delivery or they are simply overproduced, none of them really sit right once put to film. It treats everything so flippantly, nothing really matters and the end result is just devoid of entertainment.
- DirectorAndré ØvredalStarsZoe CollettiMichael GarzaGabriel RushIn 1968, the night of Halloween brings mayhem in a small town when a group of friends discovers a notebook written by a mysterious girl that foretells terrifying events.I wish this was an anthology. When they focus on the stories from the book, the movie is fantastic. The story scenes are some of the scariest stuff I've seen in spite of the PG13 rating. The monsters look great, especially the Pale Lady. The Jangly Man is excellent as well, while he is heavily CGI, he is well designed and the way he moves is so grotesque you can overlook the computer sheen. Unfortunately, the main story line is very disjointed. It is still geared toward a younger audience and is very simple as a result, spoon feeding information and there is little intrigue. If it were an anthology with a few Scary Stories, it wouldn't have been a problem. But this would lead to a problem. Because of the source material, I think this movie should be accessible to a younger audience. The story segments may be a little too scary for kids.
- DirectorStephen NorringtonStarsBrad DourifEly PougetWilliam HootkinsAfter a mad genius inventor of killer robots and cyborgs at Chaank Armaments Corp. kills execs, he unleashes his ultimate death machine on the new cute CEO firing him.I was thoroughly surprised by this movie. I had low hopes going in, and in some ways it failed them. The acting is pretty poor and the writing is dated. But then the robot, I was completely blown away. I thought at first it was going to be the android from the opening which was pretty lame but then they reveal the mechanized hell beast and my jaw dropped. The animatronics and miniatures look amazing and there is a lot of versatility to it. I would recomend it just for that.
- DirectorJoel AndersonStarsRosie TraynorDavid PledgerMartin SharpeStrange things start happening after a girl is found drowned in a lake.I had wanted to put this on my horror month when I first heard of it. Unfortunately, I found it too late and already have a very stacked library already. I am reminded by Sir Noface from last years horror month, and how awful it was. This is nothing like that. While Sir Noface had no content, this movie has nothing but. The story is constantly twisting, from ghost sightings, to sordid affairs, to a psychological mystery, and then to an ominous occurrence, and the end result is a mockumentary that feels credible. Its a well crafted mystery with layers upon layers of intrigue. The only problem I have is resolution, I wanted more to tie up loose ends. What happened to the neighbors and that sort of thing. Still, its a creepy tale great for being told in the dark. An A of a film.
- DirectorBobby MillerStarsTashiana WashingtonAva PrestonJack FultonA reluctant babysitter must protect three kids from an invasion of ravenous critters.Critters was the best and Gremlins clone, at least until 3 and 4 drew the franchise to an abrupt end. The revival doesn't help much either. What worked with the original two movies was that it was sufficiently different. It didn't tie itself to the formula of Gremlins of evil creatures running amok, the monsters were criminals being sought by alien bounty hunters. They spoke their own language, cursed, and indulged in their insatiable hunger rather than just cause chaos, and the lack of mysticism made it stand out from The Ghoulies and many other movies. The reboot decided to hell with that, we Gremlins now. All the way to create their own Gizmo, a good crite with white streaks. Its bad. Not painfully so but still very, very bad.
- DirectorHenry CassStarsDonald WolfitVincent BallBarbara ShelleyIn 1870s Transylvania, scientist Dr. Callistratus is put to death by villagers who wrongly believe he's a vampire. However, his horribly disfigured henchman, Carl is on hand to orchestrate a life-saving heart transplant.Well that was a thing. Not great, not good, not bad, not terrible, its painfully average. Nothing really stands out, everything is kind of there. The servant's deformity is very simple and the effect has been used in so many movies it no longer has much impact anymore. Same goes for some of the gore scenes, the heart in the vat dates back to even before Frankenstein. I guess the villain looks , nah, even that looks like a cheap Lugosi knockoff. This exists, and that's really its sole accomplishment.
- DirectorE. Elias MerhigeStarsJohn MalkovichWillem DafoeUdo KierThe filming of Nosferatu (1922) is hampered by the fact that its star Max Schreck is taking the role of a vampire far more seriously than seems humanly possible.A meta movie about filming Nosferatu, I am astonished this movie is so good. It does take many liberties with history, no one died and Greta was never popular, but instead focuses on the context of the silent movie. Dafoe is a great Orloc, capturing all the intricate movements of the silent era vampire. The Count looks great in general, his buckteeth and pointed nose gives him a vile, rodent like appearance that so few vampire movies capture.
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsJeffrey CombsBarbara CramptonJonathan FullerA man travels to Italy with his family to live in the castle they have recently inherited. But he soon begins to suspect that they are not the only occupants.This was surprisingly good for a straight to TV movie. And that its a TV movie was a real shocker as I am sure I saw balls a couple times on the monster. This movie gets how to dress up a monster. The box art spoils its appearance and let's face it, its not that original. But you only see him unmasked at the end and most of the time he's wearing a half mask made from white curtains, and nothing else. The makeshift disguise actually looks great. The single eye hole you can't quite see inside is very memorable and the material perfectly compliments his gnarly teeth and jaw. Even the white cloth works wonders as the bloodstains die it brown, giving him an even more menacing appearance. This is a movie that took advantage of everything to mask the extremely low budget. And it has Jeffrey Combs. Love me some Jeffrey Combs.
- DirectorWilliam A. LeveyStarsJohn HartIvory StoneJoe De SueEddie is a Vietnam war veteran who loses both his arms and his legs when he steps on a land mine. A brilliant surgeon is able to attach new limbs, but his assistant switches the DNA injections, transforming him into a huge hulking monster.This movie may have killed more careers than twitter mobs. This was bad. Really bad. At no point was there any tension, even when the monster is stalking his victims, it is treated like a farce. Victims run headlong into his arms. One climbs a ladder like a pro wrestler, which leads to another weird factoid, the monster climbs ladders faster than he walks. The scientist isn't even mad. Its just, I can't even describe it. It was like they took everything that makes a horror movie and stripped it of everything that makes it a horror story. Their patient who sneaks off every night, rips people apart and eats their entrails, and then comes home where they all then treat his condition. At no point do any of them realize that he is the culprit? There isn't a spec of blood on his person? He is supposed to be a beast, he isn't going to wash himself off nor does he have another set of clothes. Words fail me. Nothing makes sense anymore. I can taste purple. I think I need to lie down.
- DirectorAdam GreenStarsKane HodderJoel David MooreDeon RichmondWhen a group of tourists in a New Orleans haunted swamp tour find themselves stranded in the wilderness, their evening of fun and spooks turns into a horrific nightmare.The idea is actually kind of interesting. A single movie broken into three meant to be viewed back to back. But such a plan has a glaring flaw. The gore is plentiful and cheap, but in an endearing kind of way. It is reminiscent of Troma movies like the Toxic Avenger with very obvious prosthetics. There is some variety in how characters die, and some of them are quite gruesome, though nothing original. The monster hillbilly looks good though not particularly memorable like Castle Freak's. But the big problem is, its just not that interesting a story. The monster hillbilly ghost is immune to the point of being overpowered like Jason, but unlike the Halloween character he lacks character. His backstory is boring and its told in the least entertaining way possible. Through an exposition dump. What they attempted is novel, but I can't bring myself to care enough to watch the next two installments.
- DirectorJohn HoughStarsPeter CushingDennis PriceMary CollinsonA religious sect led by Gustav Weil hunts all women suspected of witchcraft, killing a number of innocent victims. Young Frieda, Gustav's niece, will involve herself in a devilish cult, and become an instrument of Justice in the region.I chose between this and Vampire Circus for 2019's Halloween and I think I made the right decision. That isn't to say this movie was bad, just not as engaging. Peter Cushing is always a plus though I wouldn't rate this one of his better performances. He does look the part of a puritan well but its not a real stand out role for him. I was very surprised by the Collinson sisters however. The playboy models could actually pass off as actors in this movie, they're more than just pretty faces. The effects are still Hammer cheap but passable. Ultimately, I like Vampire Circus more but there were still some gems in Hammer's twilight years.
- DirectorReginald Le BorgStarsBasil RathboneAkim TamiroffLon Chaney Jr.Sir Joel Cadman, a mad scientist, kidnaps his victims and cuts open their brains in an effort to discover a means to cure his wife's brain tumor.Wow that is a stacked lineup. Lugosi, Chaney Jr, Carradine, Rathbone, and TOR JOHNSON, I am hard pressed to think of a more star studded cast. And none of them are all that memorable. A lot of cookie cutter characters, Lugosi is the mute servant, Rathbone the mad scientist, and so forth, but none have anything that stands out. I can't even say this is a great Tor Johnson role, and he can only play one character.
- DirectorRoy Ward BakerStarsVincent PriceJohn CarradineAnthony SteelA writer of horror stories is invited to a "monster club" by a mysterious old gentleman. There, three gruesome stories are told to him; between each story some musicians play their songs.I actually kind of loved this. The music interludes are terrible and the monsters are the worst I've ever seen. I mean sub Halloween store. I can see the actor underneath them. But Price and Carradine are just so damn lovable. The short stories are great even if the first two deviate from the source material with the Shadmock being my favorite. The Vampire I think was the weakest because of the corny end, but it was the one that I thought had the best comedy, especially the dirge scene near the end. And the third, it feels like a horror story I used to read in anthologies back in middle school. Which oddly enough, was what I thought was missing in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. This is a controversial one as its not a great movie but it is among my favorites this year.
- DirectorRichard FleischerStarsTony RobertsTess HarperRobert JoyA reporter moves into the Amityville house in defiance of the supernatural events connected to it, and finds everyone around him besieged by the evil manifestations which are connected to a demonic presence in the basement.The Amityville Horror is my favorite horror movie, and easily sits among my favorite movies in general. I cannot say the same for The Amityville II not so much. The Amityville name is not well protected. There are more rip offs, fakers, and outright garbage than I care to count. So I never bothered watching the third installment until now. Its not the worst, but it definitely feels the odd man out. Not because of the old 3D effects but because it plays like a cheap rip of Poltergeist. There are many of the same notes, like the daughter being taken and the collapse of the house, but in general the movie isn't great. I didn't hate it as much as the previous film though. In a weird way I found it charming. Just not really enough to warrant continuing the franchise.
- DirectorHideaki AnnoShinji HiguchiStarsHiroki HasegawaYutaka TakenouchiSatomi IshiharaJapan is plunged into chaos upon the appearance of a giant monster.Godzilla starts heading into new and strange directions. Rebooting the franchise back to the original, this movie is a bit more procedural than a lot of his other outings. Focused heavily around the government responding to a giant monster attack, there are plenty of scenes of military, scientific and government agents sitting around the war room. But what really shines is Godzilla itself, which undergoes a series of drastic changes. Starting from a larval/fish form, it gradually evolves into the Godzilla we know, and possibly beyond. The new look is great as well, less dinosaur and more zombie mutant dinosaur. While it may not be the best starting point for new fans who may get turned off by the government drama in it, this is a promising start into a new future of Godzilla movies.
- DirectorMichael SpierigPeter SpierigStarsHelen MirrenSarah SnookFinn Scicluna-O'PreyEnsconced in her sprawling San Jose, California mansion, eccentric firearm heiress Sarah Winchester (Dame Helen Mirren) believes she is haunted by the souls of people killed by the Winchester repeating rifle.The Winchester House has a very interesting history of ghostly curses. It doesn't translate in this film. A lot of that is because the unease one gets from the house is entirely because of the architecture rather than a tragic backstory. There was no tragic past to work with, just inexplicable and claustrophobic rooms. This isn't at all carried over as the movie house is much larger and spacious than the real thing. Its a bit tedious, with all its best scenes done to death in the commercials, and there aren't that many to speak of.