#NoMercyNovember2019
My Watchlist for No Mercy November 2019. (@CampCthulhu)
30 days, 30 killing sprees; it's an all month, all American merry massacre killebration here at #NoMercyNovember!
30 days, 30 killing sprees; it's an all month, all American merry massacre killebration here at #NoMercyNovember!
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- DirectorTobe HooperStarsDennis HopperCaroline WilliamsJim SiedowA radio host is victimized by the cannibal family as a former Texas marshal hunts them.Day 1 - Friday the 1st
Mini-Review: The first sequel to The Texas Chain Saw [sic] Massacre, which has the same director as it. This leaned way more into the comedic aspect here, which some will probably dislike but I actually liked it (the idea of the Cook's chili winning awards is pretty hilarious). The plot was straightforward but enjoyable (the second half was pretty much Sawyer family time, which was great). The cast was all pretty great with some unique and flamboyant performances (shout out to Dennis Hopper as Lefty Enright, but I liked the Cook the most).
The climax and ending were both sort of abrupt, but they were explosive and mostly satisfying. Final thoughts, the makeup and effects (by Savini) were top notch in this (awesome gore). Not a lot of kills in this (the explosion takes the most), which was kind of disappointing. As a complete package, this was different but still kind of the same as the original - the great gore, strange humor, and over the top performances outweighed the flaws and provided a great sequel here.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Drayton Sawyer / The Cook (Jim Siedow)
Massacre Count: 7 (Overall: 7) - DirectorJeff BurrStarsKate HodgeKen ForeeR.A. MihailoffA California couple and a survivalist encounter Leatherface and his family.Day 2 - Saturday the 2nd
Mini-Review: The second sequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which acts as something of a soft reboot (I guess?). I saw this only one other time, like more than a decade ago (so my memory of this was kind of fuzzy). As mentioned, the plot doesn't really seem to follow the events of Part 2, but I suppose you could fit this in that timeline in a way (Stretch does make a cameo appearance here). Either way, the story was simple but effective with great pacing (the movie flew by). The cast was very animated and pretty great (shout out to Alfredo, but Tex and Benny were my favorites).
Leatherface's mask didn't look as good as Part 2, but was still decent enough. As for him, he's a bit more aggressive and untamed here. Like before, there wasn't much of a 'massacre' here so to speak (few kills), and the kills themselves weren't very impressive (lots of cutaways). The climax and ending were both fun and pretty outlandish (especially Alfredo's final scene). Final thoughts, the fast pacing, tight runtime, and energetic performances made this a fun watch here. If the kills weren't as censored, then this could've been as great as Part 2, but, as is, it was just a pretty good followup here.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character(s): Tex Sawyer (Viggo Mortensen) & Benny (Ken Foree)
Massacre Count: 6 (Overall: 13) - DirectorStu SegallStarsJohn F. GoffSteve VincentDouglas GudbyeTwo police detectives try to catch a serial killer who is stalking a rural California drive-in theater, randomly killing people with a sword.Day 3 - Sunday the 3rd (SLASHER SUNDAY)
Mini-Review: A low budget sleazy 70's proto-slasher here. And when I say sleazy, I mean pretty much full sleaze (grimy and grainy look, poor editing, questionable acting, the works). The plot follows the title to the word (the opening sequence is pretty great, and there's some bizarre filler scenes later on). The runtime is short and the pacing is good for the first two acts, but, as mentioned, the third act has some obvious padding in there (mostly the carnival and warehouse scenes).
The cast was pretty questionable at times (one of the detectives literally fumbles a line and does a full reset in scene). Germy was very colorful and pretty great overall (shout out to Austin and Orville, though). The killer, the Swordsman, didn't wear a disguise and used a cutlass as their main weapon (an inspired choice). The climax, killer reveal, and ending all happen in about the span of two minutes and were actually unexpected (the killer reveal in particular).
Final thoughts, as mentioned, there's a couple technical flaws in this; the editing was pretty mediocre, which led to some continuity errors and the sound mixing was pretty awful at the beginning (it gets better later on). On a positive note, I liked the soundtrack here (some strange dark synth going on here), and the kills were pretty good overall with some nice gore ('off with his head!' was my highlight).
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Germy (Douglas Gudbye)
Massacre Count: 8 (Overall: 21) - DirectorKim HenkelStarsRenée ZellwegerMatthew McConaugheyRobert JacksA group of teenagers get into a car crash in the Texas woods on prom night, and then wander into an old farmhouse that is home to Leatherface (Robert Jacks) and his insane family of cannibalistic psychopaths.Day 4 - Monday the 4th
Mini-Review: The third sequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which is also sort of a soft reboot (even though it mentions the previous two entries). The plot is very basic in this, just like the original (another tight runtime with good pacing here, too). It did have some detours here and there, which were pretty funny oftentimes. The main cast (mostly the Sawyers) was pretty great here (they might be the most animated out of all of them with Vilmer easily being the best here).
Leatherface wears a couple of masks in this - his first mask (which was probably the most familiar) was pretty cheap-looking, but the other (the female one) actually looked kind of decent. The characterization of him was definitely different in here (he's a bit more creepy and very flamboyant here). The kills were violent, but pretty much bloodless here (high strung head crush was my highlight). The climax and ending were both weird and kind of irrelevant(?).
Final thoughts, at first, I felt like the screenwriting was pretty terrible, but then I got into it and I really liked it by the end. Very grimy and grainy look to this with some shots looking very low quality. The chase sequences were pretty great here (especially Leatherface and Jenny's first chase). Once again, the core cast does a great job of carrying the simple story with some clever writing and nice chase scenes mostly redeem the weaker kills and strange ending, and make for a pretty funny and very entertaining complete package here.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Vilmer Sawyer (Matthew McConaughey)
Massacre Count: 5 (Overall: 26) - DirectorJim WynorskiStarsTamie SheffieldCharity RahmerErin ByronFive high school cheerleaders, their coach and a couple of adolescent sex-crazed guys travel to a cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway only to be killed off one by one by an unseen maniac.Day 5 - Tuesday the 5th
Mini-Review: An early 2000's low budget video slasher, which is apparently a continuation of the Slumber Party Massacre series here. This was pretty much exactly what you'd think it was (basically a slightly souped-up but still sleazy affair here). The plot was mostly an excuse here and was very barebones (escaped mental patient, stranded in woods, no cell phone reception, etc.). The runtime is short and it was mostly well paced.
It's amateur hour all day in regards to the cast here (ranged from mediocre to over the top). Parker was probably the 'best' here (shout out to Buzzy for being incredibly gratuitous). The killer didn't really wear a disguise and most of their kills were POV shots (just their hand in frame). Speaking of the kills, they were pretty unremarkable with minimal/mediocre (see: bad CGI) gore ('knock, knock, who's dead?' was my highlight). The climax and ending were explosive (literally), but mostly unimpressive (very bland killer reveal).
Final thoughts, as mentioned, this was pretty much what I expected and not much more. The bad writing and mediocre acting made the movie unintentionally comedic (or maybe it was on purpose?). The bad/little gore and weak kills were a disappointment. It's a fast watch and there's plenty of that nice sleazy nudity in there, so there's that, I guess. But that's not enough for me, unfortunately, and this, ultimately, ended up being a pretty bland and boring time killer.
Rating: 3/10 (Bad)
Best Character: Parker (Charity Rahmer)
Massacre Count: 12 (Overall: 38) - DirectorChris W. FreemanJustin JonesStarsThomas DowneyEd O'RossMarissa SkellA detective from a big city and a small town sheriff close in on a serial killer. They have to solve the case before a sorority is wiped out and they become victims themselves.Day 6 - Wednesday the 6th
Mini-Review: A modern sorority slasher, which models itself after its similar predecessors. The production value of this was better than I expected (and I didn't expect much). The plot was pretty pedestrian overall, but it does get twisty near the end. The cast was around mediocre to average (Watts and Lumpkin were easily the standouts here). As mentioned, the climax and ending just kept ramping up the twists ('shock after shock after shock!'). By the final twist, it was pretty ridiculous (and even gets lampshaded by Watts).
On the technical side, the kills didn't really impress me (the best one was probably the first one). There's a couple of cameos in here (including a really bizarre one from Ron Jeremy). The comedy was pretty middling for me (I liked the fridge discovery, but mostly because of the weird pose she was doing). There's a post-credit scene, which promises a sequel (that hasn't happened yet). The intention of this was clear, but it didn't really resonate with me ultimately. I didn't love or hate it - it was mostly just average viewing here.
Rating: 5/10 (Average)
Best Character: Detective Watts (Thomas Downey)
Massacre Count: 10 (Overall: 48) - DirectorCarol FrankStarsAngela O'NeillWendy MartelPamela RossCollege student Beth and her sorority sisters are stalked by an escaped psychopathic killer who shares a strange telepathic link with her.Day 7 - Thursday the 7th
Mini-Review: The fourth entry in the 'Massacre' slasher series, which is also the start of the
'Sorority House' series. A lot of this was pretty basic and the plot was very familiar (escaped mental patient goes on killing spree). The story was basically an amalgamation of Halloween and Halloween II (but it takes place on a different holiday here).
It does try something a little different with the psychic link angle, though. The cast was mostly average here (I really liked Beth, though). The killer, Robert Henkel, didn't wear a disguise and used a hunting knife as his main weapon. He didn't have much of a personality for most of his appearance (he does get somewhat lively when he closes in on the final few victims).
The kills were basic (like most of the movie), and didn't really have much blood and almost no gore (the last one was my highlight). The climax and ending were fairly standard, but still mostly satisfying. Final thoughts, even though this was pretty derivative, I still found a good amount of enjoyment in it. There's some nice writing in here, and it overall had a fun authentic vibe about it.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Beth (Angela O'Neill)
Massacre Count: 10 (Overall: 58) - DirectorJim WynorskiStarsGail ThackrayMelissa MooreStacia ZhivagoFive college women buy the old Hokstedter place for their new sorority house. They decide to stay in it for the night to meet the movers in the morning, but begin to get the creeps when the weird neighbor starts poking around.Day 8 - Friday the 8th
Mini-Review: The fifth entry in the 'Massacre' series, and the first sequel to Sorority House Massacre (which doesn't really have anything to do with it). It's pretty basic here, just like its predecessor (simple plot and short runtime). There is a 'twist' in regards to the plot, but it wasn't really too surprising to me. The cast seemed a bit more lively this time around (Orville was easily the best here). The killer, Clive Hockstatter, also doesn't wear a disguise and used a hook as his main weapon.
The kills were pretty weak (almost all of them were off-screen). Most of the blood and gore was in aftermath shots (shadows and splatters). The climax and ending were really over the top and pretty fun (the amount of punishment that Orville endures is hilarious). There's a mid-credit scene, which I really liked. Final thoughts, this was definitely a different flavor of slasher than the previous installment, but it has some funny moments and more nice writing, which led to another pretty good watch here.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Orville Ketchum (Himself)
Massacre Count: 9 (Overall: 67) - DirectorJim WynorskiStarsGail ThackrayKaren Mayo-ChandlerDeborah DutchWhile doing the inventory for a lingerie outlet in a high rise office building, five attractive women are terrorised by a series of bizarre killings. They suspect that the strange janitor, who witnessed another series of killings years back, is at the bottom of the whole thing. Little do they know the real horror that they face in the end.Day 9 - Saturday the 9th
Note: Also known as "Sorority House Massacre III".
Mini-Review: The sixth(?) entry in the Massacre series, which is a direct sequel to the previous entry. The plot here was basically the same as Sorority House Massacre II (nearly all the beats are the same) - the main difference here was the climax and ending, which were both true to the title. The cast was also similar to last time with some of them even returning. Orville returns and is once again the main highlight for me (he steals the show whenever he's on screen).
The killer, Clive Hockstatter (who is pretty much Orville's archenemy), is also the same as before (no disguise and hook weapon). The kills and gore were nearly identical to before, but the amount of blood in the splatters seemed cranked up. As mentioned, the ending is where this mainly diverged. Orville and Hockstatter both deliver on the title's promise and take an insane amount of punishment here (even more so than in the previous entry). It was weird, comically gratuitous, and actually pretty great (especially the final scene).
Final thoughts, even though this was mostly just a remake of the previous installment (but with actual sequel references), I think I preferred this over its predecessor. It has pretty much all the good stuff from last time (including even more gratuitous showering scenes and skimpy lingerie), but with a more explosive and actionized ending. I'm not sure if this is an actual part of the Sorority House Massacre series, but I did have the most fun watching this one, and, to me, this was their best offering here.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Orville Ketchum (Himself)
Massacre Count: 7 (Overall: 74) - DirectorJack WeisStarsCurt DawsonGwen ArmentWilliam MetzoPolice try to capture someone who is commiting ritual murders of women during Mardi Gras in New Orleans.Day 10 - Sunday the 10th (SLASHER SUNDAY)
Mini-Review: A graphic and bizarre 70's slasher here, which is apparently a 'remake' of the 60's splatter/slasher (splasher?) Blood Feast. The plot was pretty weird here and is delivered in an almost vignette manner - there's a couple of subplots (including a pretty strange and somewhat dull romance thing) intercut with the John's massacring (the pacing was mostly okay, though). The main cast was mostly average with the exception of the John. There's some colorful bit characters, though (my favorite character was the second hooker victim, but I can't find her credit anywhere, so I'll say the John was my favorite).
As mentioned, the killer, the John, gave a lively performance here. He wears a disguise, but only during his killings (which isn't often). His main weapon, a ritual dagger, looked decent. His motive and background are similar to Blood Feast (ritual sacrifice to ancient god). The kills were minimal (only three), but they were all extremely graphic and very gory (they're all carried out the same way, so much so that it almost looks like the footage was recycled). That said, the gore did look good. The climax and ending features a car chase, and was actually similar to Maniac Cop (even the final scene).
Final thoughts, there's lots of nudity in this (as expected, though - especially since they're mostly hookers and strippers). I liked some of the writing in this (especially from the second hooker victim). I liked the soundtrack here, and it was pretty funky at times. The editing was rough in spots with some jarring cuts here (the funniest one was when the John knocked out that group of girls). This had a very grimy vibe about it, but it also had some wacky scenes and dialogue, which lightened the mood just enough to be a pretty fun and mostly enjoyable watch here.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: The John (William Metzo)
Massacre Count: 3 (Overall: 77) - DirectorManny SerranoStarsMatt W. CodyMike RocheByron M. Howard10 years ago, Officer James Fincher narrowly escaped being killed at the hands of a masked maniac. Now a Detective, a new string of murders has begun in Havenwood. Has the Ripper returned?Day 11 - Monday the 11th
Mini-Review: A low budget early 2010's slasher here. Straight off, I'll say a lot of this was very shoddy and schlocky, but not in a good way. The plot was very dull here, and the extended runtime with bad pacing didn't help matters. Some more amateur hour acting in regards to most of the cast here (I didn't really like any of them, frankly). The killer, the Ripper, had an unremarkable disguise (weird clown mask), and mainly used a comically oversized hunting knife.
The kills were mostly weak here - there was some blood, but a lot of them were cutaways (attic attack was probably the highlight). The gore in general was just okay - it's mostly in aftermath shots, but it looked somewhat credible. The climax and ending were both ridiculous (not in a good way), and, honestly, I was kind of checked out by then, so I wasn't particularly interested in their outcome.
Final thoughts, as mentioned, this was pretty poorly made overall; the cinematography was amateurish with several bad shots in there, the screenwriting was bland with some horrible lines sprinkled in and the characters themselves were uninteresting, and, finally, the audio overall was a complete disaster - terrible sound recording (it switches from stereo to mono several times - sometimes in the same scene), laughably bad sound effects in general, and awful sound mixing (the audio was terrible to begin with, and the music was badly mixed with it). This was just a really poor attempt overall, which I didn't enjoy and found to be a pretty useless waste of time.
Rating: 1/10 (Useless)
Best Character: None
Massacre Count: 28 (Overall: 105) - DirectorJared MastersStarsDanika GouldLindsay LambMindy RobinsonAfter being fired, a high school educator goes on a killing spree, stalking his former female students at their slumber party.Day 12 - Tuesday the 12th
Mini-Review: Another low budget early 2010's slasher here. It's exactly what you think it is; schlocky, amateurish, and pretty cobbled together. The plot was very standard and kind of dull (some of the sleepover scenes were okay). The runtime is short, but the pacing is pretty bad with a few obvious filler scenes to pad it out (the egregious dream sequences which served no purpose were the biggest offenders). More amateur hour acting here (I did like Devon, though) - the worst was Deon easily (I kept wishing he'd die, but he's in it for the long haul unfortunately).
The killer, Mr. Anderson, had a very bland personality and a flimsy 'gone postal' motive. His disguise looks nowhere near as cool as the poster (really just a cheapo beanie mask). He uses a variety of weapons. The kills were pretty weak overall (unimaginative with minimal/mediocre gore - best one was probably the mailbox mauling). The climax and ending were kind of dark at first (bad guy -mostly- wins), but it ultimately ended on a pretty dumb note (last line is a literal joke).
Final thoughts, the script is pretty awful with dated memey dialogue ('epic fail'). The soundtrack was mostly obnoxious and terrible overall. I did like that weird shout out to Doris Wishman in the end credits. This wasn't as poorly made as the last flick, but it was still an amateur effort here. The few fun scenes in here are nowhere near enough to redeem this overall, and this was just another mostly boring and pretty bad time waster.
Rating: 3/10 (Bad)
Best Character: Devon (Nikole Howell)
Massacre Count: 12 (Overall: 117) - DirectorTomm JacobsenMichael RousseletJon SalmonStarsAlec OwenBen GigliOlivia Taylor DudleyIn the wake of two back-to-back mass murders on Chico's frat row, loner Brent Chirino must infiltrate the ranks of a popular fraternity to investigate his twin brother's murder at the hands of the serial killer known as "Motherface."Day 13 - Wednesday the 13th
Mini-Review: A campy 2010's throwback slasher here. The plot was straightforward here (I liked the framing device with the lost/banned film premise) with decent pacing (the fake commercials offer some nice breaks from the main story). The cast were all pretty over the top and campy (Derek was my favorite). There's a few cameos in here, which were mostly alright.
The killer, Motherface, had an average disguise with a nice mask, which carried a Leatherface vibe (as expected). She used a variety of weapons. The kills had a nice creativity to them with some crazy gratuitous gore ('eat your heart out' was my highlight). The climax and killer reveal were both weird (but I suppose they fit the tone here), and the ending itself was even weirder (especially the last scene).
Final thoughts, the comedy was hit or miss with me with the fake commercials being some of my favorite bits here (the goblin and the psychic ones were my favorites). The camp factor was high here, and was sometimes a bit too much for me (I did like those parts when Brent was searching for Sizzler). I liked the opening massacre montage (which was also a 'recap' of the first two nonexistent movies), which was my overall highlight.
I wasn't expecting the amount of camp in this, but I do feel like it nailed the tone it was going for. That tone, however, wasn't really in my wheelhouse - that said, I still had a mostly good time with my viewing of this.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Derek (Greg Sestero)
Massacre Count: 40 (Overall: 157) - DirectorDrew MarvickStarsCameron Lee VampLeeAnna VampJohn MolinaroWhat started out as a relaxing summer day by the pool for a group of high maintenance young socialites quickly becomes a nightmare when an unknown killer begins stalking and murdering them one by one.Day 14 - Thursday the 14th
Mini-Review: Another campy 2010's throwback slasher here. The plot, story and setup were all pretty standard here (like much of the 'Massacre' series was - in fact, it was pretty much just a modern version of one of those movies). I hated almost all of the characters, and the cast did a good job of making them contemptible (Nancy, who was probably the only likable one, was my favorite).
The killer wore a pretty standard disguise (just coveralls), and used an assortment of power tools. The kills were mostly basic, but they were bloody with some alright gore ('gory hole' was my highlight). The climax was twisty, but not totally unexpected (it's not difficult to guess the killer reveal), and the ending was satisfying enough (I got what I wanted out of it).
Final thoughts, as with most of these lower budget modern slashers, there's usually some filmmaking flaws present (mostly crew/cameras in shot) and this had only one that I noticed (glass reflection). I liked the pixel art in the opening credits (I hated that song, though). The script had some memes in it (as these usually do), but they didn't bother me much here (I actually loved the ahegao part). As a complete package, this was a pretty good and enjoyable effort here - the shorter runtime and nice pacing helped it out a lot.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Nancy (Margaux Némé)
Massacre Count: 11 (Overall: 168) - DirectorDave CampfieldStarsDave CampfieldPaul ChomickiFelissa RoseCaesar, an effete tough guy and his slovenly half brother, Otto, have signed up as summer camp counselors. But when the mysterious Carrie shows up, the other counselors start disappearing one by one.Day 15 - Friday the 15th
Mini-Review: A low budget late 2000's parody (I suppose?) camp slasher here. The plot is very basic and pretty stupid (on purpose, I think). I didn't really like it, though (bad execution). The acting from the main characters was pretty bad (probably on purpose again, but I wasn't a fan of it) - I loved Carrie, though. The killer didn't wear a disguise and used a couple of different weapons. I didn't find them to be particularly interesting and their reveal was pretty weak. The kills were mostly bad with cheap fake looking gore (acid barrel roll was probably the best).
The climax and ending were both pretty terrible and just sort of happened (I kind of hated them, and I really hated that setup for a sequel, which I will never see). Final thoughts, none of this really inspired me here, and a lot of it was pretty bad (on purpose or not). The editing was rough in certain spots with some terrible cuts. The writing and the jokes were mostly a miss with me. This lost me around the midway point, which is where I checked out for the most part. I enjoyed Felissa's role and that's about it (pretty much the only thing keeping it from being totally useless).
Rating: 2/10 (Terrible)
Best Character: Carrie (Felissa Rose)
Massacre Count: 7 (Overall: 175) - DirectorRobert HughesStarsJohn KerryMark MearsMark CasoA newly opened campsite is terrorized by a primitive young man who begins killing campers to defend his territory.Day 16 - Saturday the 16th
Note: Also known as "Son of Sleepaway Camp".
Mini-Review: A low budget late 80's camp slasher here. The plot was very dry and pretty boring throughout the first two acts here. It picks up the pace in the third act, but, for me, it was too late by then (horrible pacing overall). The cast was mostly average here with no real standouts (George was probably the best one). The killer, the Hermit (as he's identified in the credits), had a 'caveman' look about him.
He used a combination of sharp objects, traps and his bare hands. He wasn't overtly evil, per se - he's like a threatened animal. I didn't really find the reveal in regards to him, or even his character overall, to be particularly interesting. The kills were about half decent and half mediocre with some alright looking gore (caravan kaboom was my highlight).
The climax was where all the massacring happened, so it's pretty action-packed. It all sort of happened within a ten minute span (one quick shot). The ending was dark, but it didn't really do much for me (I didn't hate it, but I didn't really like it either). Final thoughts, the characters were very stupid in this, and watching them fumble around wasn't very entertaining. The pacing is what ultimately killed this for me (way too slow). It had the right idea here, but just couldn't deliver, unfortunately.
Rating: 4/10 (Mediocre)
Best Character: George Webster (John Kerry)
Massacre Count: 16 (Overall: 191) - DirectorAndrea BianchiStarsGino ConcariPatrizia FalconeSilvia ContiA red gloved killer sporting gaudy Miami Vice style mirrored shades, brutally assaults a prostitute with a blade. The killings continue and it all has something to do with the film crew that's in town making a horror movie.Day 17 - Sunday the 17th (SLASHER SUNDAY)
Mini-Review: A grimy late 80's Italian slasher here. This was pretty dry for much of the story with some strange stuff sprinkled in (mostly in regards to the movie within the movie; 'Dirty Blood'). The acting was pretty average with a couple of narmy scenes in there (Adrian was my favorite). The killer didn't really wear a disguise (well, mostly), and used a 'spike' as his main weapon. The kills were violent and bloody but pretty basic ('nice head, I think I'll take it' was my highlight).
The climax, killer reveal and ending were all pretty confusing (the reveal is unusual, but sort of makes sense - after that, it takes a bizarre turn and nothing really makes sense). Final thoughts, the soundtrack was decent here (pretty synthy). This was very cheap looking, but there were some decent shots in there. The gore looked decent overall (nothing particularly impressive here). The pacing was bad in the first two acts, which is where the dryness came from. This was a pretty middling slasher overall - even though I can appreciate the effort here.
Rating: 5/10 (Average)
Best Character: Adrian (Danny Degli Espositi)
Massacre Count: 12 (Overall: 203) - DirectorAmy Holden JonesStarsMichele MichaelsRobin StilleMichael VillellaA female high school student's slumber party turns into a bloodbath, as a newly escaped psychotic serial killer wielding a power drill prowls her neighborhood.Day 18 - Monday the 18th
Mini-Review: An early 80's dead teenager slasher here, which is the start of the 'Massacre' series. A lot of this was pretty simple (like the plot, characters and killer), but it had that genuine feeling to it, which made it more enjoyable (like Sorority House Massacre). The killer, Russ Thorn, didn't wear a disguise and mainly used a power drill as his weapon. He had a colorful and freaky personality, which I liked.
The kills were mostly basic, but they were bloody with some decent gore (impromptu lobotomy was my highlight). The climax and ending were just like the rest of the movie; standard, yet still enjoyable. Final thoughts, there's lots of nudity in this (as is tradition). I liked the writing in here (the characters were more likable and seemed a bit more clever than usual, and the killer's lines nailed the weirdo vibe). This was just a simple, yet effective flick here that I had great fun watching.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Valerie Bates (Robin Stille)
Massacre Count: 12 (Overall: 215) - DirectorDeborah BrockStarsCrystal BernardJennifer RhodesKimberly McArthurCourtney Bates, the younger sister of Valerie, and her friends go to a condo for a weekend getaway, but Courtney can't get rid of the haunting feeling that a supernatural rockabilly driller killer is coming to murder them all.Day 19 - Tuesday the 19th
Mini-Review: The second entry in the 'Massacre' series, and the first sequel to Slumber Party Massacre. The plot has a long setup and a pretty slow pacing, so the first two acts were kind of dull. It picks up in the third act with its aforementioned marquee massacre. The cast wasn't particularly noteworthy (they just seemed to serve their roles). The killer ended up putting out the most lively and, to me, best performance here (shout out to Mr. Damnkids, though, lol).
Speaking of the killer, who is called the 'Driller Killer', he had a interesting 'rocker' theme about him (full leather getup), and seemed reminiscent of Freddy (dream killer). He uses a guitar-power drill hybrid (Drilltar?), which looked pretty neat. The kills were very bloody with some great gore ('drilled through the heart' was my highlight). The climax was basically a long chase scene, and was mostly good. The ending was strange and confusing. I didn't care for it because of the potential ramifications.
Final thoughts, there's a lot of POV shots in this (from various characters), which I felt indifferent about. Lots of weird dream sequences (both day and night), some of which I liked a lot (like the hand sandwich). The soundtrack seemed appropriate, but it wasn't my cup of tea (I did like 'Let's Buzz', though). Speaking of Let's Buzz, that musical number was pretty hilarious (I liked most of those numbers). This has some fun moments in it, a colorful killer and great gore, but the slow buildup and potential cop out ending left me feeling like this was only a 'decent' watch here.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Driller Killer (Atanas Ilitch)
Massacre Count: 6(?) (Overall: 221) - DirectorSally MattisonStarsKeely ChristianBrittain FryeMichael HarrisJackie Cassidy and her friends are stalked by a serial killer while having a slumber party.Day 20 - Wednesday the 20th
Mini-Review: The third entry in the 'Massacre' series, and the final sequel to Slumber Party Massacre. I watched the 'Unrated Cut'. This was fairly straightforward here, unlike the previous installment. The plot and cast were both about the same (maybe a tad lesser) as the first (shout out to Ken and Maria, but Jackie was my favorite). The runtime was a little longer here, but the pacing was on par with the others.
The killer was very over the top with an energetic performance. His disguise was pretty basic with a decent looking mask. He keeps the tradition going by using a power drill as his main weapon. The kills were bloody, but not as graphic or gory as the previous entry ('backseat drilling' was my highlight). The climax and ending were pretty dumb (the characters act very stupid and fail the deal with the killer or escape when they had many opportunities to do so).
Final thoughts, the writing was kind of snappy at times (some decent lines in there). Not as much nudity in here, but plenty of skimpy lingerie (again, as is tradition). There's one scene in particular that I noticed what appeared to be a crew member and equipment in the shot (it's hard to miss and pretty blatant). This felt sort of similar to Hide and Go Shriek (1988) (and Ken is even played by an actor from that movie), but with a weaker finish. Despite the finale, it was still a pretty fun and mostly good watch.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Jackie Cassidy (Keely Christian)
Massacre Count: 12 (Overall: 233) - DirectorJim McCullough Sr.StarsBill ThurmanAnna ChappellWill MitchellA mentally-unstable elderly woman recently released from a mental asylum proceeds to slaughter all the guests staying at her motel.Day 21 - Thursday the 21st
Mini-Review: An early 80's supernatural/backwoods slasher here. The plot starts off with a satanic supernatural angle, which was a little different here. After that, it's mostly straightforward with a slower pacing (it takes a while before the killings start). The cast was mostly average with the exception of Evelyn and Crenshaw (who was my favorite - he has the best writing, and some pretty funny lines).
The killer, Evelyn Chambers, doesn't wear a disguise and uses a sickle as her main weapon. Her personality was kind of strange (she doesn't go for the kill straight off, and literally pranks the victims initially). The kills themselves were basic, but had some good looking gore ('human PEZ dispenser' was my highlight). The climax was just alright (it's actually not very climactic, but it was still decent).
The ending was ominous and seemed like a sequel hook, but, of course, there's no sequel to be found. Final thoughts, I liked the pranks that Evelyn pulled on the guests (Crenshaw's reactions were the best). The biblical theme seemed interesting at first, but didn't really go anywhere meaningful. It was competently made, and, if the pacing were tighter, could've been good. That said, it was still a decently entertaining flick here.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Robin Crenshaw (Major Brock)
Massacre Count: 9 (Overall: 242) - DirectorAnthony CooneyStarsAri LehmanColleen Elizabeth MillerPortia ChellelynnAfter finding out about the brutal murder of his fiancé, Shavar seeks revenge against a masked killer with a penchant for yard work weaponry. Fall will be the season of fear.Day 22 - Friday the 22nd
Mini-Review: A modern throwback low budget parody (maybe?) slasher here. It's pretty much amateur hour all day here; the acting, the direction, the writing, the cinematography - you get the idea. The plot was very thin and mostly an excuse. The runtime is short with some mediocre pacing (it struggles to maintain its length with about five minutes of it being credits). I didn't care for the cast here (all amateur and pretty mediocre). Ari Lehman's cameo was the best here.
The killer was basically the same as Nail Gun Massacre (1985) - their disguise, a motorcycle helmet and camouflage fatigues, was the same as the Avenger. They mainly used, as the title suggests, a leaf blower (the way it was used is mainly what made me think this was a parody - it's very unrealistic, but it's also played straight). The kills were mostly weak and pretty dumb with some terrible CGI gore ('killdo' was my highlight). The climax, killer reveal and ending were all pretty standard and expected (this actually followed through with its reveal, unlike Nail Gun Massacre, though).
Final thoughts, I really hated the soundtrack here (loud and obnoxious). This seemed mostly like a parody or some kind of homage to Nail Gun Massacre (there's even a character who wears a shirt with that movie's poster on it), which is sort of weird to me (that movie wasn't really anything special, so this whole thing just came off as bizarre). I didn't really enjoy this much, honestly; the bad gore, dumb kills, boring pacing, and amateur everything else left a pretty bad taste in my mouth by the end.
Rating: 3/10 (Bad)
Best Character: Phil (Ari Lehman)
Massacre Count: 10 (Overall: 252) - DirectorJon McBrideStarsJon McBrideDenice EdealTom CasielloThree siblings begin to kill people with a woodchipper while their father is away.Day 23 - Saturday the 23rd
Mini-Review: A low budget late 80's horror comedy here. Despite the title, there isn't really any sort of massacre here (a couple of characters get 'massacred', but that's about it). The plot was weird, it starts off very mundane, and then ventures into bizarro world where it basically became a parody. The cast was all about the same here (very flamboyant and outlandish - Aunt Tess was probably my favorite). The kills were weak with minimal blood and pretty much no gore. The climax and ending were both pretty funny (the actual stakes and resolution are both just so absurd).
Final thoughts, I kind of liked the bouncy garage band soundtrack here. As mentioned, this was low budget (no budget?) and had a very cheap look to it with mostly terrible audio. The dialogue had some decent lines and a very casual vibe about it ('Oh, wow'). This wasn't really a slasher here, and there's no massacre - there is a woodchipper, though (so, I guess it sort of lived up to the title). This won't be something I think too much about, and it was a mostly average experience here.
Rating: 5/10 (Average)
Best Character: Aunt Tess (Patricia McBride)
Massacre Count: 2 (Overall: 254) - DirectorConstantine S. GochisStarsJerry LazarusJeannetta ArnetteNick CarterSix people are trapped within the confines of their old high school during their 10th high school reunion with a psychotic, masked preacher who kills them off for their sinful lives they have made for themselves.Day 24 - Sunday the 24th (SLASHER SUNDAY)
Note: Also known as "Class Reunion Massacre".
Mini-Review: A (somewhat?) rare and gritty 70's supernatural proto-slasher here. The plot was very dark and pretty downbeat here (it's clear straight off the bat that there's not gonna be a happy ending here). I can appreciate a grim slasher when I see one, though (the adequate runtime and pacing helped out, too). The cast was mostly average here, and seemed to serve their roles (the killer was the best).
Speaking of the killer, the Redeemer, wore a few different disguises (I liked his Grim Reaper costume the most). The kills were savage and about half creative, half basic, but not very bloody ('death from above' was my highlight and the bloodiest). As mentioned, the climax doesn't have a happy ending, but it was true to the theme here (just desserts). The ending was kind of strange, but still likable (the thing with Christopher is never truly revealed, unfortunately).
Final thoughts, this had a very grimy look about it with a lot of film grain (it gave it an authentic look and feel about it, which was neat). Shout out to that 'online gaming' chess match (lol). The transfer I watched (Code Red) seemed a little messed up (mostly stuttering here and there). The editing was rough in spots with some sharp cuts (the one when the Redeemer confronts John was the worst). I mostly enjoyed this for what it was; the violent kills, dark story, and overall look of it outweighed the flaws and led to a mostly good viewing here.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: The Redeemer (T.G. Finkbinder)
Massacre Count: 8 (Overall: 262) - DirectorGeno McGaheeStarsSteven Joseph AdamsMike AndersonCynthia AppleSatan demands worship but now he demands a meat cleaver massacre. A town under the control of the devil and a mystery killer on the loose leads to shock after shock.Day 25 - Monday the 25th
Mini-Review: A low budget (?) 2000's video slasher, which was released in the 2010's on streaming. This was pretty much just flat out trash from start to finish, and I can't really think of a single thing about it that I liked. The plot is nonexistent until about the midway point, and what followed that was mindbogglingly stupid. The acting was either stiff as a board or just flat out terrible with probably the worst cast I've ever seen (Rod was so out of place that I laughed whenever he appeared on screen (so I guess that makes him my favorite?)).
The killer had a very cheap and gaudy disguise and, true to the title, used a cleaver as their main weapon. I hated all of the kills and, I dare say, they were the worst I've ever seen (shout out to the beheading with the blatantly obvious mask of that guy's head, LOL). The climax, killer reveal and ending were all pretty bad (they did stay true to the 'satanic' part, though).
Final thoughts, I hated the soundtrack, which was hilariously inappropriate. Classic 'crew in mirror' shot appearance. This had probably the worst writing I've ever seen (it's so bad that I struggled to make it to the end). The cinematography was awful with some truly horrible shots in there. I could go on with more, but you get the idea. I've seen a lot of slashers and this is easily the worst. It's completely useless, and I would've rated it a zero if I could.
Rating: 1/10 (Useless)
Best Character: Rod (Martin DuPlessis)
Massacre Count: 17 (Overall: 279) - DirectorDavid Ryan KeithStarsMark WoodLisa CameronLisa LivingstoneWhat begins as a exciting camping trip to the legendary Redwood murder site, takes a terrifying turn when the innocent campers discover the legend is about to become a nasty and bloody reality.Day 26 - Tuesday the 26th
Mini-Review: An early 2010's backwoods slasher here. The plot and pacing were both pretty rote (there's just not much going on with this overall - it's all very straightforward). The cast wasn't terrible, but they weren't really any good either (Jessica was probably the best). The killer was overall just average - both their origin and their disguise. The kills were gory with a crazy, over the top amount of blood ('just a little off the top' was my highlight). The climax and ending were a little extended, and mostly standard (nothing particularly interesting here).
Final thoughts, I went into this blind, so I didn't know this was going to be set in the UK (the accents caught me off guard at first). That said, there were some nice landscape shots in there (especially near the end). The score was just alright (sort of foreboding). This was overall just kind of bland. It's got a lot of blood, but that's about it. The story, characters and even the killer were just very plain and boring, which led to a pretty mediocre viewing, unfortunately.
Rating: 4/10 (Mediocre)
Best Character: Jessica (Rebecca Wilkie)
Massacre Count: 13 (Overall: 292) - DirectorWayne BerwickStarsJackie VernonLoren ScheinAl TroupeFed up of his wife's bad cooking, Donald kills her and turns to cannibalism to satisfy his appetite.Day 27 - Wednesday the 27th
Mini-Review: A late 70's / early 80's comedy slasher here. The plot has a decent pacing here, and the story itself was about as weird as you think it is (everything involving the comically oversized microwave was just bizarre). The cast was mostly good here with Donald being easily the best. The kills were pretty weak and mostly bloodless (lots of off-screen kills - the first kill is probably the best one).
The killer, Donald, as mentioned, gave the best performance (very flamboyant and lively). He doesn't wear a disguise and mainly used his bare hands (or just whatever he has at his immediate disposal). I had no idea how this was going to end (I checked the timestamp as it approached the finale and was pretty curious). The actual climax and ending were just full blown weird (the resolution and the entire final scene left me baffled).
Final thoughts, the audio was kind of trash at certain parts with some low level repeating in some scenes. Most of the comedy was a hit with me (I loved the huge crab at the beginning). This benefited from its short runtime (some bits had the potential to drag, but they ended at the right time). The special effects looked pretty fake most of the time (pretty much all of the body parts and gore). The killer and bizarre writing carried the movie to a pretty decent viewing overall here.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Donald (Jackie Vernon)
Massacre Count: 7 (Overall: 299) - DirectorNettie PeñaStarsJake SteinfeldVinessa ShawPeter De PaulaAn escaped mental patient steals a station wagon and makes his way to the Bradleys' Thanksgiving celebration, where he plans to make them a little less thankful...Day 28 - Thursday the 28th
Holiday Special: Thanksgiving
Mini-Review: An early 80's Thanksgiving-themed slasher here. The main of the plot was mostly standard here (escaped mental patient goes on killing spree - the whole nine yards), but the opening is nice and over the top (literally from the very first scene). The cast was bland to average here (shout out to 'Mistake', but 'Body by Jake' Steinfeld as the killer, Jay Jones, was my favorite).
The killer, Jay Jones, didn't wear a disguise and didn't have a main weapon either. His performance was quite lively and flamboyant (I enjoyed his energetic antics here). The kills were somewhat decent (I suppose?) - elbow drop hood smash was my highlight. The climax and ending were straightforward and seemed to be a setup for more, but, of course, there isn't any more.
Final thoughts, the score was decent here (I liked the drums the most). The lighting was pretty terrible throughout (it's especially bad during the night scenes, which aren't made any better by the low picture quality). It's so bad that most of those scenes were pretty much just pure darkness (the kills in those scenes might as well have not even happened). This wasn't very good, ultimately. But I did appreciate the effort here, and the killer's presence made this a somewhat decent watch.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Jay Jones (Jake Steinfeld)
Massacre Count: 9 (Overall: 308) - DirectorJonathan LiebesmanStarsJordana BrewsterMatt BomerDiora BairdBefore being sent to serve in Vietnam, two brothers and their girlfriends take one last road trip, but when they get into an accident, a terrifying experience will take them to a secluded house of horrors, with a chainsaw-wielding killer.Day 29 - Friday the 29th
Mini-Review: A mid 2000's slasher here, which acts as a prequel to the earlier reboot. The plot had a decent pacing here, but the story itself was pretty stale (and, not to mention, a foregone conclusion - what with this being a prequel). The acting was mostly decent with Sheriff Hoyt easily being the best here.
The killer, Leatherface, wore a pretty bland mask initially, but he does get a more familiar mask later on. He uses a chainsaw as his main weapon (and actually uses it pretty often, too). His characterization was basic (not a lot of depth here). The kills were bloody with some nice gore, but they too were also mostly basic (backseat backstabbing was my highlight). The climax and ending were both decent, but expected (no real surprises here).
Final thoughts, although this had some decent parts in there, it was mostly standard. Sheriff Hoyt carries the movie and gives it some elevation (really great performance). The obviousness and blandness of the story didn't do much for it here. It was decently shot with some nice gore and good pacing, which ended up being a pretty entertaining watch.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Charlie Hewitt / Sheriff Hoyt (R. Lee Ermey)
Massacre Count: 10 (Overall: 318) - DirectorMarcus NispelStarsJessica BielJonathan TuckerAndrew BryniarskiAfter picking up a traumatized young hitchhiker, five friends find themselves stalked and hunted by a deformed chainsaw-wielding loon and his family of equally psychopathic killers.Day 30 - Saturday the 30th
Mini-Review: An early 2000's remake slasher here. The plot had some similarities with the original, but went its own way for the most part (some stuff from the original is still the same, like the sledgehammer smashing and Leatherface accidentally slashing himself). I didn't care for the victims at first, but they sort of grew on me over time (Sheriff Hoyt was the best here again).
The killer, Leatherface, has a pretty nice looking main mask and, of course, uses a chainsaw as his main weapon again. He's a lot more active in here than in the previous entry (Hoyt doesn't do as much here in return). The kills were pretty basic and mostly bloodless (which is actually true to the original - 'roadkilled' was my highlight). The climax and ending were familiar, but still different enough and mostly satisfying.
Final thoughts, this was decently shot with some more good pacing here (just like the prequel). Sheriff Hoyt's role is decreased here, which is sort of disappointing (they make the most of him when he does appear, though). The changes made here aren't really enough to make it completely different, nor are they enough to really compliment the original - they're just sort of middling. That said, I'd probably still put this on par with its prequel as mostly good and one of the better horror remakes here.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Sheriff Hoyt (R. Lee Ermey)
Massacre Count: 7 (FINAL: 325)