herleifl Reviews

Fair Game (1986)

simple fun

[5/10 · 23 August 2024]

Revenge flick beautyfully filmed in the outback, Australia, we got sand, kangaroos, poachers in big trucks, some shooting but mostly the girl and the poachers use the environment to harass each other, setting traps, running after with the truck and so on.

Unlike some movies they don't set out to kill from the start, to me this makes it more believable; but ..oh yeah, soon enough things turn real bad indeed - with many memorable scenes underway.

As others have mentioned, this film is maybe a little one dimensional, the protagonist is fine acting vise, and we have some nice stunt work from some of the others but that's all you get, dont look for a hidden meaning or anything - this is a fight to the death in and around a remote farm in the outback desert!

Don't Hang Up (1974)

Goodnight Amanda

[5/10 · 21 August 2024]

The film is worth watching for the extremely unsettling phone calls the protagonist gets while in her grandmothers big house alone... That and a general creepy mood and giallo like filming makes this a nice old horror. There's some killing but it's not over the top.

Acting is also .. not bad actually, the girl is headstrong and the judge has a menacing persona fitting the film, the museum curators face has a plasticity that makes his real emotions eerily unpredictable, well done sir

Plot vise this dosent make much sense but I can't say much without spoiling things, I don't think that matters as much as you might think though, crazy people dont act rationally do they.

The House in Nightmare Park (1973)

Seen in 2024 ...

[4/10 · 21 August 2024]

...this is quite a silly movie, it's not very much a horror, more a gothic old time'y comedy, but not super fun either. The best thing here is the spooky mansion setting and occasional foggy night scene (speaking as a horror fan here mind you). But for the most part this is a bunch of theater actors over-acting absolutely everything! It's almost interesting to see all the grimaces and quirky mannerisms they use, to portray these silly people shut up in the mansion looking for the one that finds the "treasure" first and maybe enjoying a little murder of the competition. Maybe that was the humour back in the day?

I found this movie in a list of "cult-movies" and okay, it sort of made an impression, it's campy and cliché at the right places, paired with the gothic setting it's unusual, but I didn't enjoy the parodying I was promised of the English horror/thrillers of old, some of which I have seen and enjoyed.

The Inheritance (II) (2024)

A review that tells you what is what without spoilers

[4/10 · 5 August 2024]

Critics are mixed as you can see here on IMDB, I would recommend this for a Halloween party or something like that, what you need to know if you are in that age group and not a horror fan pre se, is that there's a big scary mansion, plenty rooms and halls and a flock of siblings trapped and haunted by something mysterious caused by their old rich dad. You can stop reading now! Pretty cool movie, somewhat scary,

Clearly this is not for experienced horror fans as they will roll their eyes with all the clichés, this move is complete with ghostly foot prints, pentagrams, secret doors, a locked vault, mysterious statues that move, paintings.. that move.. and so on and so forth, the script is nothing new and the acting is okay. Not that many memorable scenes sadly, but executed well enough if you consider it for a younger audience. Its like poe for dummies.

Dying Breed (2008)

solid horror

[7/10 · 10 July 2024]

I think this deserves more than 5, for horror fans, this ticks a lot of boxes in my opinion. For those who come here for a quick synompsis; this movie is about a reseacher and friends that explore a secluded forest looking for endangered species but stumbles over people living in the wild that are less than happy for the visit.

For horror fans there's a lot to like, calustrophobic settings, dark forests, death traps, good cinematography and lighting - it's dark and scary a plenty, but compared to a lot of movies with similar plots(and I admit there are some) I think the special effects are pretty good, especially the gore. This reminds me what horror movies ued to be! You just dont expect a bloody naked body hanging from a tree half-dismemebered that much anymore.

Book of Blood (2009)

rubbish ghoststory

[3/10 · 21 June 2024]

I have read the book, but even ignoring that this is almost unbearable.

Let me just tell you what you get before giving my opinion; An author of books about the paranormal brings a student she believes to have a special connection to the "other side" to a haunted house .. and sure enough sounds are heard, lights are flickering... as they do. It's a cool backstory from the book but ends up mostly as a mediocre ghoststory.

But there are good things, it's well enough filmed and it has some atmosphere which I value a lot in a horror. The little gore that is, is well made. You can watch it for these things, but be warned, the story and the characthers are unbelivable and silly, the romance(?) that is thrown in half heartedly and for no reason or logic is annoying, and, I guess this is not uncommon in horror but, people are not very bright.. the final nail in the coffin for me was the acting.. I was just annoyed by the whole movie. Thus the rating. Except for the vivid illustration of "the book of blood" (yes I'm teasing) I can not recomend this for any reason.

The Objective (2008)

Suprisingly watchable

[6/10 · 10 May 2024]

An CIA officer gets sent, with a team of local soldiers already in Afghanistan, deep into an desolate uninhabited mountainous wilderness area, on a secret mission that we slowly learn more about as it progresses. Mysterious things happen to them as they get closer to.. something...

It's all very x-files but still, all the genre pitfalls and american solider clichés I expected, didn't really come -If you like a mystery in a setting like this, it's pretty serious in tone and strangely captivating, worth a watch.

Too reach the limit here I can add that the acting and filming was fine, The Afghanistan landscapes are not exactly pretty but not something I'm bored of, you do really get the feeling they get into a very desolate area as the whole movie is.

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

unsympathetic Holmes in ridiculous plot

[8/10 · 24 March 2024]

I had read a lot of good about this one, but when I just saw the year 2000 version of this, I was surprised to find it was much better than this classic. Here Holme is portrayed as a quite unsympathetic man, and this mixed with many strange things in the plot and especially peoples actions (most things changed to be more logical in the newer version) makes for a strained watch. What you need to be prepared for is constant running to get sherry no matter what's wrong, a girl who sees one of the protagonists for the first time, then runs from him, when he catches up, she tries to get away, then kiss him... just like that,it's beyond weird. A man is found dead, probably murdered, when they get home and discover it's not who they though it was, they go around commenting on the paintings and go to bed!? Sherlock is also a funnily rude close talker some times... it's a barely entertaining movie with lot's of strange and illogical choices being made.

Boo (2005)

The dog

[4/10 · 8 January 2024]

You can't kill what's already dead Sounds like a cliché? It is. This is a movie that only it's mother could love, still for horror fans this has some campy entertainment value, the setting is a dark abandoned hospital, and who doesn't like that? The acting is hilarious and and it's a hailstorm of horror clichés, seriously, you could make a drinking game out of it. It really get's quite funny after a while. But then we have the dog. My god what was that?? ! truly the stuff of nightmares! Some special effects are actually quite good and gory but not used much, surprisingly maybe. Still It does drag on a bit so be sure to have your chosen beverage ready when you watch this.

Death of Me (2020)

excellent trapped on exotic island horror -with story explanation

[7/10 · 20 December 2023]

I will tell you when the spoiling begins.

I dont think the short description of the film did a good job of actually saying what this film is about. It is a nice horror playing on the sneaky fear that people around you, the people taking care of you, when in a place where customs and language is strange to you, are conspiring to hurt or exploit you, are they talking about you behind your back? Why the strange looks? And so on.. acting is good, gore is good but minimal, location is exotic and I found nothing wrong with it. The story is about a couple visiting a small island in Thailand where they experience memory holes and confusion after being given a mysterious potion, the film then goes on to slowly unravel the mystery of why.

Okay, a lot of reviews was confused about the story so here comes the spoilers:

for the last 200 years the islanders have sacrificed one person, usually voluntary, in a ritual and this has kept the island safe from storms. Now this year the protagonists are chosen to be sacrificed as a huge storm is coming, they are given a potion that makes them obey and the husbands kills the wife, but she can not die as she holds a magic amulet. The amulet prevents death to keep the sacrificial victim in a half-dead state that is needed for the ritual to work, the rest of the movie is her stumbling around confused by visions because of her state and inability to leave until the night of the sacrifice, on the way the husband needs to be removed so he can't help her flee, so he's made to kill himself by the same obey-potion. In the end she is to be sacrificed, but the sacrifice is supposed to be voluntary and the potion is now sufficiently out of her system to allow her to flee. She escapes and the storm kills most people on the island, she dies too, in the boat she escapes in, but as she is reunited with her amulet after being found she wakes up to life again and the movie ends.

The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

Nitpickers feast but overall decent exorcist horror

[5/10 · 5 November 2023]

Of course there's plenty that you can say could have been better, but is it worth your precious horror-movie time, barely, is my answer, it's not that scary but it's not an awful movie, I see all the negative reviews,and they're not wrong but there's nice things like trying to get some of the mood of the original, good make up and decent cinematography except for a bit boring grading, but as I said, nitpickers paradise, a better director would have helped but it's not bad bad, the protagonist was pretty soulless - that was the worst for me, but all in all; more interesting as a exorcist franchise film that tries (mostly fails though) to take it self seriously -than a actual scary creepy movie. I can like a entertaining bloody horror or scary film- with a not so excellent plot, but as others have mentioned, it's not that scary and not much of a story, seems like parts were cut actually, so my advise is -accept that it's a exorcist movie, someone will be possessed, and an exorcism scene will come, I don't think that's spoiling it for anyone! If you're fine with that the film is fine as entertainment.

V/H/S/85 (2023)

better than the rating

[7/10 · 31 October 2023]

I just watched this and it's definitely better than it's rating right now. The stories are varied with some being splitt into parts and spread out so that we get both variation and familiar parts. There's fear, gore, murders and monsters and most of it is well made and well acted, and it's all sewn together in a period correct nice glitchy VHS chaos. I guess for me it had what I expect from a horror movie but a lot more varied and some of it cooler than I expected, for example the story of the scientists with ..something... behind a one way mirror (slightly reminding me of beyond the black rainbow somehow)

Stoker Hills (2020)

PLENTY dark corridors, woods and scary abandoned buildings

[6/10 · 26 October 2023]

Here we have a nice b movie with lots of x-files, Seven, Silence of the lamb thriller vibes - parts are in found footage style but not most of it, just wanted to let you know. It's not as professional as those movies mentioned of course but it has mood and dark suspense so I enjoyed it. Acting is surprisingly (I've seen a lot of b movies lately) good. I'm not sure why some complain about the story, I felt understood it even if everything was not spelled out - now for the pacing and atmosphere, this is a matter of taste, there's PLENTY dark corridors, woods and scary abandoned buildings, so if you're into that stuff you probably won't complain. It has its share of murders and blood, be warned. There's some character development, just a little tongue in cheek, which is fine.

Quarantine 2: Terminal (2011)

Claustrophobic panicy outbreak horror

[8/10 · 11 September 2023]

This deserves a much better rating, to me this movie does what is sets out to do and does it well. As a horror film fan I expected something like it but was pleasantly surprised!

Good acting, good horror if not super original, a cool setting and plenty dark and some gore. Lots of claustrophobic and panicy action as the virus spreads, I'm not spoiling anything by saying that I think. If you wonder if this is a zombie movie, well it's a zombie movie without the zombie word, it's like 28days, day Z and others, people go cracy but don't overthink it, just imagine if that happened on a plane.. Prrretty Cool!

Whispering Corridors: The Humming (2020)

Creepy

[6/10 · 3 September 2023]

This is my first movie in this series and I think I'll look for the others! A fairly well made movie about a high school for girls where there are rumours of haunting and a scary happening in the past, all fueld by a closed of floor that has been unused for years. You get plenty exploring in the dark, whispering empty corridors when the school is closed and a well made drama between the protagonist - a former student returned, maybe with knowledge of said happenings... And the pupils and serious real world issues of abuse and neglect. Throw into this the creepyest rotten pupil slowly appearing from the abandoned floor and you get a pretty decent film. Intrigued?

Honeydew (2020)

I liked it

[7/10 · 13 July 2023]

Wow many unhappy customers here. Well I like it, it's a psychological horror, so watch if you like that, it has focus on mood, telling a story just as much trough the filming, the artefacts you see, the expression on people's faces as the dialog, going for a increasing creepy feeling of being trapped, as the protagonists seek shelter at remote farmhouse when their car break Down. It is slow, reviewers are correct, it's the way this movie was meant to be, love it or hate it, to me this was fine, it's not the texas chainsaw massacre. There are things to complain about but not the acting nor the set or filming, it's just one of those slow dark films that some people like, and a lot of people dislike.

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Hardly a horror film

[4/10 · 12 July 2023]

Bah, more like a children's film with a little gore, nobody wants that! Good parts are the cinematography and the effects, bad part, young actors acting not like what real people would and h aaving ca one scared-face and using it all the movie, I never wished the brats in a movie was taken by the demon so much before... Basically what you get here is the story of a mother that goes mad, you can ignore the rest of the story, the movie sure does for the most part, although the voice on the old record was pretty cool we totally get no buildup or logic to why this appear beneath the parking garage floor.. Yes.. Stupid and irritating movie, but well made, not a b movie or low budget look.

Lingering (2020)

Very creepy atmospheric movie

[8/10 · 28 June 2023]

I massively disagree with the negative reviews! Although not a horror like american movies, its a much rarer type, the creepy silent hallway and dripping cellar type of nightmares, it's well made and acted -you get a slow but steady feeling of dread (more than gore or fear) , there's family drama, madness, suicide, ghosts, but also blood, murder, a empty hotel, obligatory asian horror movie kid, but less annoying here thankfully- lighting and filming is very nice, but in a David Lynch way. Not a horror with demons and monsters and all that fun but a slow paced, very creepy sinister atmospheric movie- if that sounds interesting - give it a chance.

Charlie's Farm (2014)

deserves a better rating

[6/10 · 18 June 2023]

My oh my, an actual horror that delivers on gore and suspense, although starting out a little standard, when the protagonists start exploring the farm in the outback of Australia, where gruesome murders happened years before things get exciting, the movie delivers on most horror aspects, maybe except originality, but it's well acted, fairly bloody, has good effects, and is filmed beautyfully in the outback - and it's not just a desert background this time, the deserted farm, looks like a deserted farm, with abandoned fields, rusty farm gear, various derelict outbuildings and houses that sets the mood nicely. I feel it makes up for not being the most original movie- story vise. It deserves a better rating.

Sisu (2022)

Nice bloody arctic western revenge movie

[7/10 · 31 May 2023]

This is one of those movies where I wish I could ignore the minium length of these reviews , this movie can be explained so fast! It's an entertaining action movie in the new genre I call arctic western revenge movie . Well made, decently bloody, lots of action but not in a exhausting way. Nice arctic locations .. very entertaining.. did I allready write that? Aksel hennie as the nazi boss was fine, no big fan of him but he's okay here, main character played by Jorma Tommila did a good job of being an quite old but very very hard to kill finish solider, the role reminds me of Stallone in Rambo. Go see.

Demonic (2015)

oh yeah it's a 5 but...

[5/10 · 20 May 2023]

This was not so bad! You know, I've seen some of those movies that got 2 and 3 on imdb and that really gives you some perspective on things, this starts out traditional and quite obviously not the best movie made, some horror film cliché comes in early, young people investigate the paranormal in an abandon place and so on, we have all seen that before, but! Then ...it 's not just that anymore, we see what happened after the obligatory seance in the "haunted house" in flashbacks at the same time as police try to make sense of the story from one of the survivors -This dyamic is sort of new for the genre and feels a little fresh, and the scares, although not jump scaring you every 5 seconds, it's was pretty spooky sometimes, enjoyably so you can say. I've seen a lot of horror, a lot of B movies, some have charm and some dont, this is not the best movie but it got a little something that works. Acting is good in some parts not so good in others but overall not bad. I dont regret putting it on.

Ad Astra (2019)

low key beautiful sci fi drama

[8/10 · 11 May 2023]

A very human drama but with a sci-fi or at least space setting. Has some tense moments but it's a story that could have been translated easily to various scenarios on earth since the deeper story is about the value of life and family, and a comment on how mankind in its relentless search for something bigger than itself, something to give our lifes meaning, wether it is god or country or alien life, we sometimes forget the value of what we have. Watch if you want a beautiful sci fi drama, that is not an action movie. Great acting, but a a slow pace that is not for everyone I guess. Highly recommended if you're looking for a relaxing sci fi movie just now!

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

Court room drama

[4/10 · 27 March 2023]

No, just no, well made court room drama or not, even with the few horror scenes it has, although well made and some even scary, this is a court room drama and not a horror film, horror fans be-ware. The simplicity of the case is soon revealed and nothing changes during the film so watching just for the court-room drama is also disappointing, "your honour he meant well! He can't be found guilty then can he?" you do not need an entire movie to figure out what you think about that. That said, great acting on "Emily"s part, she goes all out loco here, without turning to special effects too much, so that was nice at least.

Killerman (2019)

amazing gangster drama

[7/10 · 23 March 2023]

Felt this was a great gangster crime movie. Recommended. Got to mention that even if it's a gangster movie of sorts, it's mostly the two main protagonists you see, and their fight for a place in the local mob and life in general, and problems they get in when they run into dirty cops. It has a wonderful tense mood reminiscent of classics in this genre, and with nice characters and the action escalating slowly, the movie getting more brutal as it progresses it's was great entertainment! Also nice to see a good gangster movie from New York. Acting and directing is good, and it just looks good- maybe not the most original story but it works well the way it is.

Black Water: Abyss (2020)

Croc horror!

[6/10 · 25 February 2023]

I like horror movies, and I like this movie about some unfortunate people that get trapped in a cave with a croc. Lately I've seen many croc horror movies and this is pretty good, I also like cave horror movies and we get a bit of both in this one. The only really bad thing in this movie is that everything happen in more or less the same cave, filming is good, props are good, the acting is good, the protagonists are not all cardboard figures and there's even some internal drama in the group that unfolds as the movie progresses. The croc is realistic and the kills are brutal, brutal, not over the top gory or anything, but quick and brutal, people being thrown screaming around like rag dolls in the water, rough!