May (2002)
Other than the main character having a weird fixation with a doll, the first 3/4 of this film don't quite seem like a horror film. You might think its just the story of a very awkward woman who is having trouble forming and keeping relationships with the people around her because of how weird she is. THEN, that last 15-20 minutes of the movie kick in, and you realize that the entire film was just a slow build to the craziness at the end. Taken as a whole, I thought this was a very well done film (one scene near the very end actually creeped me out, which doesn't happen very often in horror films, as I am usually impervious to that type of stuff). Angela Bettis gives a fantastic performance as the main character - she is so strange and unnerving.
The Walking Dead
Last week was the season 2 premiere of the AMC show. Most of the critics I read were high on the beginning and end of the 1st season, and not so happy with the middle episodes. I, on the other hand, was pretty happy with the entire season. I am not going to say much about the premiere, as I will probably write a post on the season as a whole at the end (much like I still plan on doing with Breaking Bad at some point). However, since it is a zombie show, I felt I should include it. The first episode was very well done, with the opening sequence being incredibly tense. A good start to a show that had a lot of turmoil behind the scenes between the seasons.
Castle of the Walking Dead (1967)
After watching the premiere of The Walking Dead, I was looking for one more horror movie to watch before bed, and I thought that the title of this one was fitting. I should have been a little more discerning in my choice. It stars the fantastic Christopher Lee, so I thought I was in for a treat. However, this film was fairly boring. Lee plays a vampire type character who returns decades after being drawn and quartered (which I will admit was a way of killing villains you don't normally see in a horror film) to get his revenge. In fact, I thought the entire opening sequence was pretty cool. Too bad it was such a snoozer from there on out.
(The trailer is in German, and was the only one I could find...)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
I have stated many times that the original Halloween is not only my favorite horror film, it is also one of my favorite movies of all time. I have seen sequels 4, 5, and 6 many times - not because they are good movies, but because it seems AMC shows them nonstop every year during their Fear Fest (and prior to that, USA Network used to show them all the time I think). Somehow, though, I had never seen either of the later sequels that finally brought back Jamie Lee Curtis. This is the 1st of those 2 sequels, and I thought it was a much better film than any of the previous sequels other than Halloween II. The plot completely ignores the non-Curtis films (probably a good idea as, by the time they got to 6, the story was completely bogged down with elements of devil worship and cults and evil spirits that a clean slate was needed).
We pick things up 20 years after the events of the first 2 films. Michael Myers hasn't been seen in all that time, but he eventually tracks his sister down in her new life (with a new identity) and the killings begin anew. The film is a taut, exciting thrill ride (it only clocks in at 86 minutes, so there is not a lot of filler), packed with lots of little nods to the original (bits of dialog, repeated scenarios, etc.). Its also helped along by having a few actors in early supporting roles that are really good at what they do - like Michelle Williams and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (unfortunately, Josh Hartnett in his first role is as wooden as ever). This film even features an ending that would have been a great capper to the Halloween films and should have ended things on a high note.
Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
Unfortunately, they didn't end things with H2O. UGH. This film is terrible. First, they knock-off Jamie Lee Curtis in the first 10 minutes of the film in order to shift focus to a whole new set of characters. As for the new characters: Busta Rhymes - YAY! Katie Sackhoff (from Battlestar Galactica) - SUPER YAY! That boring guy in American Pie who was Tara Reid's boyfriend - meh. Tyra Banks - BOOOOOOO! The plot revolves around an Internet reality show based in the Myers house on Halloween night, which of course attracts Michael Myers, but who cares. This film is not good and the less said about it the better.
Other than the main character having a weird fixation with a doll, the first 3/4 of this film don't quite seem like a horror film. You might think its just the story of a very awkward woman who is having trouble forming and keeping relationships with the people around her because of how weird she is. THEN, that last 15-20 minutes of the movie kick in, and you realize that the entire film was just a slow build to the craziness at the end. Taken as a whole, I thought this was a very well done film (one scene near the very end actually creeped me out, which doesn't happen very often in horror films, as I am usually impervious to that type of stuff). Angela Bettis gives a fantastic performance as the main character - she is so strange and unnerving.
The Walking Dead
Last week was the season 2 premiere of the AMC show. Most of the critics I read were high on the beginning and end of the 1st season, and not so happy with the middle episodes. I, on the other hand, was pretty happy with the entire season. I am not going to say much about the premiere, as I will probably write a post on the season as a whole at the end (much like I still plan on doing with Breaking Bad at some point). However, since it is a zombie show, I felt I should include it. The first episode was very well done, with the opening sequence being incredibly tense. A good start to a show that had a lot of turmoil behind the scenes between the seasons.
Castle of the Walking Dead (1967)
After watching the premiere of The Walking Dead, I was looking for one more horror movie to watch before bed, and I thought that the title of this one was fitting. I should have been a little more discerning in my choice. It stars the fantastic Christopher Lee, so I thought I was in for a treat. However, this film was fairly boring. Lee plays a vampire type character who returns decades after being drawn and quartered (which I will admit was a way of killing villains you don't normally see in a horror film) to get his revenge. In fact, I thought the entire opening sequence was pretty cool. Too bad it was such a snoozer from there on out.
(The trailer is in German, and was the only one I could find...)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
I have stated many times that the original Halloween is not only my favorite horror film, it is also one of my favorite movies of all time. I have seen sequels 4, 5, and 6 many times - not because they are good movies, but because it seems AMC shows them nonstop every year during their Fear Fest (and prior to that, USA Network used to show them all the time I think). Somehow, though, I had never seen either of the later sequels that finally brought back Jamie Lee Curtis. This is the 1st of those 2 sequels, and I thought it was a much better film than any of the previous sequels other than Halloween II. The plot completely ignores the non-Curtis films (probably a good idea as, by the time they got to 6, the story was completely bogged down with elements of devil worship and cults and evil spirits that a clean slate was needed).
We pick things up 20 years after the events of the first 2 films. Michael Myers hasn't been seen in all that time, but he eventually tracks his sister down in her new life (with a new identity) and the killings begin anew. The film is a taut, exciting thrill ride (it only clocks in at 86 minutes, so there is not a lot of filler), packed with lots of little nods to the original (bits of dialog, repeated scenarios, etc.). Its also helped along by having a few actors in early supporting roles that are really good at what they do - like Michelle Williams and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (unfortunately, Josh Hartnett in his first role is as wooden as ever). This film even features an ending that would have been a great capper to the Halloween films and should have ended things on a high note.
Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
Unfortunately, they didn't end things with H2O. UGH. This film is terrible. First, they knock-off Jamie Lee Curtis in the first 10 minutes of the film in order to shift focus to a whole new set of characters. As for the new characters: Busta Rhymes - YAY! Katie Sackhoff (from Battlestar Galactica) - SUPER YAY! That boring guy in American Pie who was Tara Reid's boyfriend - meh. Tyra Banks - BOOOOOOO! The plot revolves around an Internet reality show based in the Myers house on Halloween night, which of course attracts Michael Myers, but who cares. This film is not good and the less said about it the better.
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