Lucabrasisleeps Reviews

Night of the Big Heat (1967)

Cheap but entertaining

[6/10 · 30 July 2015]

It doesn't have the classy look of the British horror movies of the period. But it is still a somewhat entertaining movie from the Golden age of British horror.

The movie builds the atmosphere slowly and the monsters are never really shown. In the end though, the actual form may be a little disappointing to people. Remember we are living in the post-Alien age, so this kind of low budget stuff may not be pleasing to the eye. But still the buildup is worth it. It is also nice to see the sweaty sexy ladies and ahem...sexy men as well. They are drenched throughout. This might just end up as a guilty pleasure because of all these aspects. There are constant sexual elements throughout as well. But not much in terms of explicit nudity as expected.

Frankly I thought the characters were sexist. The dialogue in the love triangle section was ridiculous and corny and it really hampers what could have been a fairly good sci fi thriller. I did not enjoy the annoying dialogue. This is like a time capsule and I just couldn't relate to it all. The ending is strange as well which reminded me of some recent American movies with abrupt endings.

Anyway I enjoyed it.

6/10

Fright Night Part 2 (1988)

Nice sequel

[7/10 · 30 July 2015]

I think I don't want to rate it lower. I enjoyed it quite a bit. There are certain things I am a little surprised by.

I do think the look of the film is different to the original. Generally remakes have a higher budget I think. But from what I saw, this movie seemed a little cheaper than the original. The original was quite classy and was gorgeous to look at. But I still thought this one was one of the better sequels I have seen from the 80s. I understand the intent of the film. If Chris Sarandon could ooze such sexuality in the original, why not have a woman in that role? That would be absolute dynamite.

And it does work. Julie carmen is incredible as the vampire Regina. The dance in the sequel is quite interesting (does she have any sort of training or something) and they even use the Come to me song! That is like the icing on the cake.

It seems that certain horror movies made in that period have also made an impression. Near dark, for example. But unlike Near dark, I think, having multiple vampires is not really an excellent idea in this movie. It is just difficult to believe that these multiple vampires couldn't defeat this guy and an old man. Their deaths are not highly believable. Now if they were regular human beings, how hard would it be to defeat them? Brian thompson alone would have been difficult if he had been just a regular human being.

Despite its drawbacks, it has high sentimental value with its seductive 80s style look, the beautiful Julie carmen and the antics of Roddy mcdowall. The song Come to me is also beautiful and it is a nice version of the original. I also liked the lack of a shock ending. But then maybe I have watched too many recent horror movies and have become used to that stuff. It also seems to remind me of certain vampire movies of the 70s with its erotic atmosphere. Which is always a plus.

It is not a perfect film by any means but it is a good sequel.

7/10

The Den (2013)

Creepy and effective

[8/10 · 20 July 2015]

I want to rate it higher. The ending could have been better. The character's actions are maybe a little unbelievable. But overall it is a really creepy movie and another reason why found footage has been so popular in recent years.

Not much over the top stuff. Just pure creepiness. The killer(s) are also menacing and they don't seem cartoonish. The slow buildup is great. Again the advantages of the found footage genre shines through with the lack of music and the realism adding to the suspense. Of course the usual question arises though - why should she carry her camera everywhere? That is a question which is not relevant when judging a found footage movie. It is one of those things we just need to accept. For that matter, in a slasher movie, why does the killer need to take so much time in scaring his victim? Why can't they just finish them off? So this is also some artistic licence which people need to accept.

Even though the proceedings are fairly predictable, the slow buildup and the lack of loud jump scares makes the movie unique in a sea of such movies. Also the intent of the filmmakers is to make a movie that is highly critical of the present day "millenial" generation. Not one character is genuinely likable. Even the female lead seems to be uncaring to her friends. The rest of the characters are also depicted to be vapid and uncaring(except for the sister and the close friend). But maybe the social commentary, at times, is a little heavyhanded. But for the most part they don't try to preach. They just want to give a quality horror movie which they delivered.

I loved it even with its flaws.

The Possession of Michael King (2014)

A good horror movie hampered by jump scares

[6/10 · 19 July 2015]

We can all accept that jump scares have become a feature of new horror movies. Especially the possession/paranormal type horror movies. But when it spoils the atmosphere in a quality horror movie, that is when it gets irritating. This is actually a good horror movie. But there are some irritating jump scares with extremely loud background effects which hamper the movie. It spoils the atmosphere it meticulously builds.

I am a sucker for such movies. So as far as the concepts are concerned, it definitely is my kind of movie and it works most of the time. But is it as good as it could be? I am not sure. The performance of the lead is pretty good and it is one of the things that is a big advantage. This is not one of those cheesy possession films with bad acting. There are some really effective scenes especially the scene on the stairs (damn).

The ending is predictable. I don't have any complaints but I pretty much predicted how it was all going to pan out. It was the usual ending which has been seen in all sorts of horror movies in recent years. Why does the dead person have so much influence anyway?

Anyway I liked the movie but maybe it would have been better if the jump scares had been toned down and even if the volume had been turned down on those scares. My ears were ringing after some of them.

The Possession of David O'Reilly (2010)

Dumb characters, average movie

[5/10 · 12 July 2015]

The movie is actually not so bad as its rating would suggest. But I can understand why people would hate it.

The problems are related to the lighting and the actions of the characters. The movie is so dark that sometimes it is difficult to see what is going on. It is shot in a single apartment and so you never see the light most of the time. In addition, there is a plot device which says that he can only see these beings in the dark. Which makes it even worse. The beings themselves are not so bad.

The various dumb actions by the characters are another problem. I mean, seriously a crazy guy runs around with a knife, the least you would do is to calm him down and take the knife away from him. That is what logical human beings do. Instead predictably the characters here would not do that. The girlfriend says that he needs to leave but as usual he continues to stay. Because then the movie would have been over much earlier. Even after they suspect this guy's mental state, they still continue to have him in the house. I just find it all really bizarre. Another dumb thing is the stabbing of the guy. I know the filmmakers may have wanted a downer ending but the stabbing is too lame and unbelievable. Would he stab his friend in order to prevent the beings from killing him? Yeah that is real believable. In dumb movies like this, they always find some predictable reason for somebody to accidentally stab the wrong person or whatever.

The ending is predictable but in movies like this, where else could it go? The premise is not highly original so the ending is par for the course.

But other than these things, the atmosphere that is created is actually not so bad. It was an entertaining ride if you overlook the character's actions.

5/10

Starry Eyes (2014)

Brutal and downbeat

[7/10 · 27 June 2015]

I would actually say that I didn't like it as much as I think I would. I am not such a fan of the Hollywood Illuminati movies because frankly they don't make much sense to me. I think the Illuminati idea is a convenient scapegoat for everything. Now, as far as the movie is concerned, I am not judging the movie on that basis.

The first movie that came to mind when I was watching this movie was the movie Kill list. For some reason, it constantly reminded me of that movie. But honestly it doesn't have the subtlety and maturity of that movie. There is a difference between the kitchen sink style and the American mainstream horror style I suppose. But this movie does do well on its own in different ways.

Alex Essoe has given a powerful performance as Sarah. This is a movie that depends quite a bit on the lead character, so her performance is the absolute highlight of the movie. The transformation is impeccable. But what I liked was this - she was not a victim. Towards the end, what we see is what she really is. People like to look at the movie as a budding starlet being corrupted by the cult. But I don't look at it that way. Right from the beginning, we see that she didn't fit in there. She was awkward and shy. Most shy people would be able to relate to her feelings at the beginning. For the most part, she is powerless. But one day, she receives the power but for that she needs to sacrifice. The ending is also a sacrifice for her goals. She hated them anyway. Her line in the end where she says "They see the real me" makes sense. She was pure evil. The cult just brings it out of her. It makes her find out who she really is.

The slow burner approach is adopted here but I wouldn't call it subtle. It isn't. But we are not going to see any over the top CGI monsters. But the tone is definitely downbeat and the gore when it appears is certainly brutal.

I do think maybe some of the other acting performances were maybe not up to par. Certain actors who were clearly not good enough were thankfully not utilised much. Especially that guy who was the assistant in the audition. The Producer was not so good either. Their acting seems so cliché and out of place in a movie like this.

Overall I liked it.

7/10

The Signal (2014)

Average sci fi thriller

[5/10 · 20 June 2015]

The movie mostly screams average. For a movie like this, the payoff is paramount and it is important for the plot to be needlessly convoluted. The plot is not that complicated and the payoff is not so interesting.

The Lawrence fishbourne aspect is impossible to miss. It is one thing for a plot to be predictable. But what about the characters? This type of character is so predictable that I was able to point out what he was going to say next. And is it so important that have to be so evasive always? Damon was constantly trying (and not succeeding so much) to project this aura of menace. It just seemed like a typical Morpheus role to me.

The twist is not so surprising. If you have seen enough Twilight zone episodes and recent sci fi thrillers, it should be a cakewalk. One thing I did like is the efficient usage of the budget. Frankly it seems like a movie with a higher budget. That is impressive. But unfortunately the script is nothing special and comes up short. The characters were annoying as well.

Having said all this, it is never boring and towards the end, becomes more and more action packed.

Anyway I thought it was fine but not much originality and the proceedings are not interesting either.

5/10

Ouija (II) (2014)

Derivative but Fun

[6/10 · 19 May 2015]

What bothers me about these films is that even though movies like the Exorcist and Witchboard have been released, people still think it is safe to mess with Ouija boards. None of them show any sort of hesitation. That is not realistic since at least one of them would maybe hesitate and back off from the whole idea. But this is Hollywood movie world and apparently they need to go ahead fearlessly in order to be proved wrong.

I am ranking it higher than most people. I did feel that there is some creepy atmosphere at various points. The movie starts with a bang and that sets the tone for the rest of the movie. It has the usual James wan-like jump scares but it doesn't overdo it. Unlike maybe some other recent horror movies. Towards the end, it does start to get more frenetic. But still there were some good scenes. Like that scene with Debbie (or Doris)! But the story is nothing new and the twist (if you can call it that) can be seen a mile away.

I was surprised by the fact that some of the scenes in the trailer did not appear in the movie. Supposedly a couple of scenes were removed. One of the scenes in the trailer was actually pretty good, I kept waiting for that scene and it never appeared. That could have raised the rating a bit. The ending is not so bad but maybe the victory was too easy. The last shot was a little irritating but this is now common in all horror movies.

It seems Lin shaye has to appear in pretty much every horror movie nowadays and her role is not too bad as well. But maybe she could have been there longer. Olivia cooke is gorgeous but I found her character's decisions to be pretty strange.

Overall I did enjoy it but was bothered by the unoriginality. There is no doubt that the ouija board genre has maybe reached its limit and they need to quit making movies about this. This movie shows the shortage of ideas in the genre.

The Guest (I) (2014)

Entertaining but clichéd

[6/10 · 19 May 2015]

I have to admit I expected somewhat of a different movie while watching this. I expected a slow burning mystery film with a serious tone. With a mind bending twist. The poster looked cool and people were raving about it so I expected something.

Instead I get a predictable movie where there are no actual surprises. I mean, they really imply everything from the start. No twist is going to shock you. Considering his earlier movies like You're next, I guess I expected some more intelligent and fresh twists. This type of movie has been done countless times now. And of course the tone may be another thing that was not satisfying. The second half moves into over the top territory. It seems that the villain has definitely killed more in this movie than many other movies of the same type. I guess they didn't want the villain to be even a little sympathetic. They just go overboard and it becomes a standard Hollywood action movie which glorifies violence.

The characters are clichéd and they fall into the usual problems that we have seen quite a few times in these type of movies. But thankfully there are some funny scenes which redeem the movie. Like the conversation regarding the detention. Or even the murder of one of the characters when he goes to buy a gun. Because in this movie, really nothing is serious.

Dan Stevens gives a good performance in the lead role. It is one of the bright points of the movie and somehow he is able to rescue the movie from mediocrity. Another thing I liked was the soundtrack. As I am a fan of 80s music, the music at various points was a highlight. Especially in the ending.

Overall I liked it. It was definitely entertaining with the shootouts and the humor. But they could have more fresh concepts and maybe a darker tone.

6/10 (for the performance of Dan stevens, some humor and the soundtrack)

Coherence (2013)

Interesting

[7/10 · 16 May 2015]

I expected a movie that was a little better though. Maybe a movie which would be totally original and would have a terrific ending. I am not so sure I got that. The point is that the basic structure of the movie is something that we have seen in countless other movies and TV shows. Even though clearly time travel and parallel universes are separate concepts, the structure as far as film making is concerned is often almost the same. They deal with the same old "guy meeting his parallel/past self" and so on which leads to various problems. The only difference being that there are multiple people who have to deal with this situation now. I was reminded of various Twilight zone episodes (The Parallel, Mirror image in particular), Timecrimes, Primer, Sliding doors and so on. This makes the movie a little predictable since we know how the movie is going to progress. But still there are some neat twists which are interesting.

One thing I did like is that they do discuss scientific concepts (in very small doses of course) and incidents. They did leave me thinking even after the movie ended. I like movies which make me curious about the themes and make me want to explore more about them. That is a sure sign that the movie has worked even if it isn't terribly original. So full marks to the filmmakers for that. They don't really dwell on it in depth like say, Primer but then they would be in trouble in losing their audience. I even started reading a little bit about the Tunguska event. It is actually incredibly scary to think that such an event actually even happened.

Emily Baldoni is gorgeous but her character always seems creepy and reserved as if she has a secret to hide. You could say it might even be a sort of a red herring. The rest are fine but I have a complaint regarding the character Mike. Is it really necessary that there has to be an idiot in every horror movie? In every horror/thriller movie there is always THAT guy who wants to create problems and acts like an idiot.

So what about the ending? I did expect better but still the ending has moved in the only way it can move honestly. It is like poetic justice. You can't let somebody get away so easily for doing something like that. But in another angle, no crime has been committed because such a person never actually existed. At least as far as the current universe is concerned. Maybe that was the evil version and it is necessary for the good version to take down the evil version to make things right. Who knows? In any case, the ending is fine but still maybe I expected a little bit more.

Altogether it is not as good as I thought it would be. But I was still entertained by its twists and turns, its scientific discussions and the numerous questions that crop up as the movie goes on. It made me think about the actions of the characters and its consequences. I give it a 7/10

Evilspeak (1981)

Certainly different but a little too long

[7/10 · 10 May 2015]

Actually it is only around 98 minutes but frankly it seems quite long. That is always never a compliment for a movie. I give some credit for the interesting premise. But often I was wondering about when it will really get into gear.

I do like 80s cheesy movies but these type of films have 2 very important things - they get into the action quite early and they are not that long. Evilspeak, on the other hand, is quite slow and tries to build atmosphere. It tries to be a slow burner but I am not sure if it has totally worked. I do appreciate the efforts for character development (even if half baked). I was waiting for the inevitable attack but it waits too long for the revenge. A nasty bunch of cartoonish villains who were quite deserving of whatever fate they got in the finale.

But the climax. Damn. It could have been worthwhile if the movie was a little shorter maybe. Still the climax has more violence than quite a few slashers and it is quite intense in tone. Even if some elements may be laughable but in 80s horror movies, anything is possible. What's with the boar attacks anyway? I was wondering why people were so afraid of pigs. Maybe the impact would have been better if wolves were introduced? I am not so sure. But it just enhances the movie's weirdness.

Don Stark is pretty good as the bully, I was trying to remember where I have seen him. Clint howard has given a good performance as well. The performances in general are pretty good for a cheesy 80s horror movie.

6/10 (because of the excellent climax and the performances).

Alone in the Dark (1982)

Unique and interesting

[7/10 · 3 May 2015]

The slasher genre is quite a tiring genre with its endless sequels and clichés. But there are occasionally a few gems that might have gone under the radar. This movie is an example. It is also another movie which shows how good actors can really elevate a standard horror movie into a quality horror.

Jack Palance and Martin Landau have both given excellent performances. I am surprised though since I would never expect these guys in such a low budget horror movie. But these guys seem to have had a lot of variety in their careers so it is understandable. They don't seem to go through the motions and they have really given a lot of effort for their roles in this movie. It was also interesting to see Lin shaye in a small role at the beginning. She looked so cute! But of course this is no character study or anything. It is as much fun as any other quality slasher. It takes a while to get going though. There is a sizable amount of humor in the lines. It is not particularly slapstick, it is mostly clever dialogue. Donald pleasance turns in a good performance as well. He almost seems delusional with his views and pretty much pays for it. There is a twist which I should have seen coming but didn't. There are some interesting gory scenes but nothing too gory. Maybe that is because of the veteran actors in the movie.

Maybe they could have made the female characters a little more badass. We are used to seeing such characters in slashers but in this movie, the female characters are not really that tough. Maybe this is another way in which the movie subverts clichés but it was a little disheartening to see such weak female characters.

When it gets into gear, it is full of action. But I liked the fact they spent some time in developing atmosphere. Even if the humor sometimes seems jarring, it still ends up as an effective slasher with superior performances.

7/10

Gremlins (1984)

Enjoyed it

[7/10 · 2 May 2015]

Judging by its horror comedy reputation, I didn't expect to like it at all. Mostly it is not much of a horror. Yes, there are some horror elements, but mostly it is a light hearted and funny movie about some cute monsters with a frenetic pace.

That is maybe one of my complaints. Maybe it could have gone a darker route. I guess Spielberg's involvement eliminates any chance of there being a darker edge to the movie. Instead it is a somewhat funny movie. I did like one thing though. It starts out as a very corny movie with really sickly sweet characters. Then it finally stops messing around with all the cuteness and gets going with the action.

Once it starts with the action, then anything goes. Woman in wheelchair being thrown out, explosions and so on. There is never a boring moment with all the comedy that is going on. Especially the gremlin smoking three cigarettes and another one collapsing after drinking so much alcohol! Obviously with all this stuff, any of the remaining horror elements are gone. I didn't complain since it was so much fun to watch.

The water reproduction aspect was not a strong point of the movie. Frankly this could easily get out of hand. I am not sure how anybody could have prevented the gremlins from multiplying. The gremlins that cut wires and did other intelligent things were not able to multiply enough to beat Billy and his family. That is not exactly believable. Maybe they should have had another reason.

But overall these absurdities don't matter since it is so much fun to watch! I liked it.

7/10

The Clinic (II) (2010)

Could have been better

[5/10 · 26 April 2015]

I had some high expectations about the movie. The central premise sounds intriguing and I was expecting some mind bending psychological thriller. Sure, those movies are now a dime a dozen but I still expected something more.

I understand why the male character was not able to stay for the rest of the movie. But maybe they could have hired another actor and reshot the scenes with him. That would have been better. There is so much buildup about the guy coming to rescue his wife and then it just ends. In a very lame sort of way. I was not satisfied with that.

The concept itself is problematic. The explanation didn't make sense and it seems like a lot of effort for nothing. Maybe you need a more diabolical reason if you have a big facility such as this. Also where are the thugs? We really don't see many people hired for managing so many women. It just seems strange that the head is so easily accessible as this. Generally in such movies, the head of the operations would be accessible only after a lot of bloodshed and lot of people dead. And not from some aggrieved mother either. We don't see any band of thugs or assassins or something.

There is a lot of predictability as well. Right from the beginning, we are shown that it is all mostly futile since they are watching anyway. So what's the point of all the tension and the violence? And then there is of course the ending with the protracted attempted murder of the lead female. The head is supposed to be a ruthless woman but she keeps the woman till last. For what reason, I am not sure. She could have been killed pretty much immediately after she supposedly "wins" the contest. The usual drama plays in the end again insulting the intelligence of the audience.

Maybe I am being a little harsh with the rating because I was not totally bored or anything. But it could have been so much better with the premise and instead it ends up like this.

Exists (2014)

Nothing new but entertaining

[7/10 · 26 April 2015]

Obviously the director is allowed to make movies based on his previous movies. In this case though, he is interested to show the monster and he has added music too.

That is a baffling decision honestly. I know certain found footage movies have added music. But if you are adding music to this extent, then why not drop the shaky cam and have a normal film then? Leave out any pretense of realism and make a regular horror movie. The music is effective though. It is not annoying and it enhances the atmosphere. Obviously the shaky cam thing bothers me often but generally I am able to look beyond these aspects.

The movie doesn't waste time on character development or in building atmosphere. In many ways it is surprising since Blair witch or Lovely molly were pretty all about atmosphere. This is a total action film. Even if the monster is shown, it doesn't really bring down the movie. The monster makeup is realistic. The monster is also shown rarely and only from a distance for the most part. There are quite a few effective scenes here. What I liked about the monster is that he actually seems like a genuine threat. He is not a large lumbering predator, he is actually quite fast and even clever. He thinks like a human being.

I didn't like some of the characters and their attitudes but in general the characters are not so important in this movie. Rather it is the action which never lets up that is more interesting. It is also not longer than necessary, it is short and to the point.

Overall it seems derivative now, it doesn't show anything new. But it is a very entertaining action filled found footage movie.

7/10

Cure (1997)

Masterpiece

[10/10 · 19 April 2015]

In many ways this movie has one of the scariest villains in horror movie history. He is so cunning and emotionless and he has tremendous powers that he could use at will. I wouldn't call this movie scary but it really got under my skin.

Certain scenes were really effective because they come out of absolutely nowhere. The hanging scene or the scene with the nurse murdering the guy came out of nowhere. The movie moves really slow with absolutely shocking moments at frequent intervals. The mark appearing at various points was also effective. I have often mentioned that payoff is important, at least give me something! And this movie delivers that in spades. Koji Yakusho gives a stunning performance as Takabe. His frequent bursts were incredible to watch. A detective, as he explains, is not supposed to show any emotion. Takabe, at various points, is almost losing it but he manages to compose himself at the last moment. He tries to be the dutiful husband to his ill wife. He tries to do his job despite dealing with scumbags. Yet towards the end, he finds that he might be losing the battle to Mamiya.

And that's what this movie is all about. It is about the battle between Takabe and Mamiya. Despite trying his best, Mamiya manages to get into the mind of Takabe after getting a few details about his life. That's all Mamiya needs to manipulate someone. Few people are immune to his hypnosis techniques. The way in which the movie details the crimes of Mamiya is a treat to watch. It is just fascinating to watch how he manages to talk to those people and understand their issues quite easily. Most probably he knows their story even before they told him. Even the calm and composed Sakuma becomes increasingly erratic towards the end.

As in many movies of this nature, the lack of music (or minimalist music) works so well. It lends a documentary feel to the scenes. But some scenes suddenly switch to a surreal nature and that is disorienting. That's why this movie works so well. The concept itself is interesting. What is Mamiya exactly doing? Is he manipulating people to commit crimes or is he just removing the inhibitions? It is even scary to see how otherwise normal people seem to lose it. Even people like that friendly officer. The movie is incredibly atmospheric and the creepy concept and the execution elevate this movie to classic status.

The ending is disturbing as well and it gives a satisfying conclusion to his excellent horror film.

One of my favourite Japanese horror films and I rate it a 10/10.

It Follows (2014)

Effective

[7/10 · 12 April 2015]

I had high expectations for the movie and it is not everyday that such movies meet my expectations. I did have some problems with it but overall it is quite effective.

The setting is incredible. The suburban setting really works well in generating a creepy atmosphere. The music is effective and again, it is this style that really works rather than over the top loud music in horror movies. Predictability is not a factor and there is enough time spent in slowly building up atmosphere. There are scenes which are humorous as well and they are never the slapstick style.

The creature itself is creepy. It reminded me of the Thing to some extent. It is not the same concept of course but the fact that it could appear in any form seemed similar. The tall guy damn - that had the biggest impact in the cinema where I was watching it. The lack of too many jump scares was also refreshing. The introduction scene was also a highlight. Another thing I liked was that the movie doesn't exactly hold back and some of the scenes are disturbing, especially that scene with the mother (or It pretending to be the mother).

I did think the pool scene was a problem. I don't think it fits in with the rest of the movie and it doesn't make much sense. While it is well done, I think maybe the scene doesn't have an impact. Regarding the ending, maybe it could have been better. I was not so satisfied with the ending. Another thing I wondered - what about the parents? I don't remember the parents much at all. The students were just roaming around with no restriction whatsoever. American culture I guess..

Overall I loved the movie but it has some problems.

7/10

The Wolf Man (1941)

Sad movie

[7/10 · 10 April 2015]

The reason why this movie works is because of the performance of Lon chaney Jr. The corny makeup doesn't really matter. Obviously a movie like this is going to be hurt by the censorship of the times. But in this movie, the focus is on the pain of the lead character and the inevitable disaster. That is why the movie works better than most horror movies of the same period.

I have a soft spot for such movies where the lead character is in a tough situation from which there is no escape. He was just in a wrong place at the wrong time. Frankly I was not a fan of the dad character. He didn't really seem understanding of the situation. Sure he did help with the police and all but he could have let him go out of town. It would not mattered of course since the illness would still haunt him. But at least the girl would be safe.

I am not sure if it works as a pure horror movie. I don't think it has many creepy scenes. And often the corny makeup is a problem. I thought the movie would have worked better if there was a real wolf and if there was an effective transformation scene. But then I guess the special effects were not possible then.

It was really depressing to see Larry losing his grip on sanity and getting further away from Gwen. It finally ends in a tragic way but at least in the end, his reputation is unspoilt.

I liked the movie overall 7/10.

Preservation (2014)

Tired and derivative

[5/10 · 10 April 2015]

This seemed like a weak imitation of the Spanish movie El rey de la montana. That was an exciting movie with great characters and the female lead was played by Maria valverde. Here the female lead doesn't even come close to her. This actress seems pretty uninterested in the proceedings when things get bad and you don't really see the passion in her eyes. The male actors are not so much better. They are there only for a limited time though.

What I was surprised was that despite buildup of some triangle tension stuff, it doesn't really move in that direction at all. It is just a bit of misdirection but only for a short period of time. But for the good stuff - the movie felt short. It doesn't really drag beyond necessary. The action comes quick and fast.

But I have some complaints about the action scenes. Judging by what is going on, it is clear these three could have been eliminated long back. The killers had all the advantage they needed and the job could have been over quick without all the drama. For example, dragging by the bicycle? Come on. It was not impossible to finish the job quickly. And realistically, if they can steal all the stuff without them knowing, I am sure they can find a way to kill them too. They took way too much time with the advantage on their side.

Despite all the illogical stuff, I would have enjoyed it if they had just tried to bring something new or at least delivered a good time. I don't think they quite achieved it. I thought it was OK with the action part but they didn't spend much time in developing any sort of atmosphere. To its credit, it doesn't feel that boring or slow.

5/10

Gallows Hill (2013)

Mediocre first half but improves quite a bit

[7/10 · 7 April 2015]

In hindsight maybe the rating is too high for this movie. But I am partial to movies which have a better second half.

The main problem is predictability. If you have seen similar movies, then it is pretty much the same template. Too many elements are derived from so many other movies. There is really no attempt to bring anything new to the table. Another thing was the dad character. He is a good actor and all but I just couldn't buy him as the father of that girl. When she called out "Daddy" in the first scene of their meeting, I was quite surprised. He looks way younger than that. I also disliked the nosy nature of the characters. They invited trouble by going down to investigate. I am not sure if it is manners to explore since they were just guests in that house. The frequent Spanish also doesn't help matters since I was puzzled at the long conversations.

But once the girl is out, then it is game on. It just pretty much piles on the action from that point. Well, whatever action is possible within that house for the most part. The frequent bursts of Spanish doesn't matter now since we are as puzzled as the dad character. It also works well for the devil voice as well. Then it becomes a Thing-like situation with pretty much anyone being a target for the possession. The ending is a nice touch. Here the negative ending actually works instead of being a lame shock ending out of nowhere which many movies do nowadays. It is actually believable and doesn't feel like a gimmick.

There is plenty of eye candy but unfortunately not much nudity. I guess there is not much time to do anything and the characters are not in the mood anyway with all the possessions and all.

I liked it. 7/10

Graduation Day (1981)

Average

[5/10 · 4 April 2015]

I actually liked it more than most people did, judging by the rating. One of the first things I noticed was the presence of Christopher George who was in one of my favourite slashers called Pieces. But here he is not that good and the movie overall is not highly interesting.

There is some minimal nudity, frankly I don't remember any memorable ones anyway. They should have amped up the nudity, at least that should have increased the rating somewhat. Some interesting violent scenes though especially a murder by spikes! There are definitely some atmospheric scenes which did work I admit. Especially the locker room scene. But they are few and far between to actually make a big impact.

The ending is highly disappointing. Apparently it is a big twist but it is pretty much what everybody would predict anyway. And it is also ripping of some better horror films as well.

Overall, I am not satisfied but some high points for some atmospheric scenes.

5/10

The ABCs of Death (2012)

Varied Collection of short films

[7/10 · 22 March 2015]

One of the benefits of having so many short films is that maybe there is something for everyone in this bunch. I am not sure if I can call this an anthology, it is mostly a collection of 5 minute (or less) short films. There are so many different approaches and so the movie is fascinating.

One main thing I noticed is that there are way too many films with scatological themes. I have not seen so many movies dealing with such themes in a horror anthology before. It is plain weird to see a short film about farting. The Japanese films were overall weird but the farting one takes the cake. I just don't see how this is appropriate for a horror anthology. In any case, most of the films were only borderline horror. Another striking aspect is the inclusion of taboo subjects which may not be included on other anthologies that much. For example, I have not seen many taboo subjects on VHS or the other anthologies. I was disturbed quite a bit, maybe they could have been avoided.

My favourites are Dogfight, Jidai-geki, Libido, Pressure, Toilet, XXL and Zetsumetsu. Dogfight was incredible because it dealt with one of my greatest fears - Dogs! I was so terrified throughout this one, it is visually striking. They should make more horror movies about dogs. Jidai-geki was hilarious, I was laughing at the various faces and the special effects. Libido was absolutely intense. Apparently this is the same guy who was behind the Safe haven segment in VHS2 as well so I am not surprised by the intensity of this segment. Pressure was hard to watch. But here people were complaining about the animal abuse but for me personally, it is the human story that struck me. I don't care about cats but I do care about the woman in the story who goes through various difficulties. This is a serious entry in a mostly comedic over the top anthology. Toilet was also interesting because of the clever premise and lines. The ending was also hilarious! XXL was shocking with its brutal violence. Apparently the French horror wave is not over yet. In usual French style, they try to include some social commentary in the midst of the brutal violence. And frankly many times I have felt the same way as the girl since I have had weight issues. Zetsumetsu at the end is also funny. I have been a fan of Tokyo gore police so this is pretty much similar to that style.

It is funny how many of the directors in this anthology have made short films similar to their own previous films. I am surprised by the Ti west short film though, it is not that good. Fart, Gravity, Exterminate, Hydro electric diffusion, Quack, WTF are terrible. Speed and Vagitus were somewhat interesting, they have good endings. The remaining stories are not excellent either.

Still they were entertaining somewhat in their weirdness. I rate it a 7/10.

The Battery (2012)

Highly disappointed

[4/10 · 21 March 2015]

This is clearly not a horror movie. Well, at least not the kind of horror movie that I am used to. I have heard about slow burn movies but what about movies which don't have a payoff at all? The Micky character..Jeez, what a whiner! I was expecting him to just run away in the end and leave his friend to be eaten or something like that. Why not, at least give a shocking ending in the end. Give me something. I didn't just spend 100 minutes to see a lot of arguments and songs. And why are there so many songs? Is this Bollywood? And even a dance. I was rolling my eyes at the dancing and the annoying songs in the middle which spoil any sort of atmosphere they want to build. I guess they can pad the run time by including all these songs.

At the hour mark, suddenly I was curious about what is going on. I thought that this is the time the movie perks up. Something like Dead man's shoes or something. I was getting ready for the second half. Instead I get another long sequence in the car with a bunch of songs and the guys playing around. And the zombies? These must be the most useless zombies ever.

What about the Orchard? I didn't really care much but the way they built it, I was expecting something towards the end. That is fine but at least don't bore me by showing them brush their teeth and play baseball and all. A few kills would not interrupt whatever nonsense these two were doing.

I did laugh at a few points. It is not totally boring if you don't expect a horror movie. But even then, I couldn't stand that Micky character and I was getting a little tired of the unnecessary songs. Edit out the songs, expand on the Orchard and voila - there is a decent movie. Maybe not a horror movie but something good. Some points for some interesting scenes. Masturbating at a zombie and all. I think my problem was that I expected a straight forward serious horror movie. A rare commodity these days.

4/10

Excision (2012)

Not much of a horror movie

[6/10 · 19 March 2015]

I had high expectations while watching this movie. I did expect a straight forward horror movie. I was wrong about that. This was a black comedy for the most part.

I was annoyed with the standard trope that appears in most movies nowadays of the dominating mother and the submissive father. I remember seeing a similar sort of theme done 13 years ago in American beauty. And ever since then, literally dozens of movies have used the same theme. The performance of Traci lords seems more of an imitation of what Annette benning did. Only less annoying though. On that topic, Traci lords has given a creditable performance, I was quite surprised. Annalynne mccord's performance is also pretty good. Her deadpan delivery and sulking expressions were funny to watch.

I liked the affection between the sisters. That was refreshing to watch. I guess that is important anyway towards the end. Also there is genuine affection in the family even though towards the end, it all goes horribly wrong. And honestly the family is not that dysfunctional at all. The problems are purely with the girl and her fantasies.

The dialogue is pretty funny and it keeps things interesting throughout. The dream sequences are interesting but I didn't think they were anything shocking, maybe they were trying too hard. There are some gory scenes in those fantasies but they didn't make much of an impact on me.

Overall, I liked it somewhat but not too impressed.

6/10

Cat People (1942)

Some nice moments

[6/10 · 19 March 2015]

I am never sure of horror from this era. Often I am left cold and unsatisfied. But this movie is OK. I liked it better than I thought. It starts pretty slow and I was quite bored with the corny romance and all but then in the second half, it gets better. I just never saw what he saw in her and their relationship always seemed awkward.

Honestly I couldn't relate much to the girl. I kept feeling sorry for the guy who is stuck in this unique situation. What if he had just fallen in love first with that fun loving Alice character? She is so funny and outgoing in contrast to this cold woman. I thought Irena often behaved coldly to her husband and he was as nice as possible to her. Finally after some time with this behaviour, he finally got tired of it. In any case, he could never have a normal life with her. If they did get a divorce, maybe she can mate with that panther and have a happy life. If it was in the current day, he wouldn't have to marry her after just a tea in her apartment. In the olden days, things were different I guess. And what's up with that psychiatrist guy? Ugh. I think some of that stuff isn't exactly legal.

In the second half, there are a few creepy scenes done in traditional Jacques tourneur style. The swimming pool scene especially and the scene in the office are effective. The black and white is effective when it comes to these scenes. Simone simon is good as the creepy Irena. Obviously the less is more approach is used often here because of censorship restrictions. But they work as far as this movie is concerned.

The movie feels longer than its runtime. I liked it but there are some problems.

6/10