Freeze, 2022. 6/10

Directed by Charlie Steeds




Children of the Corn, 2023. 5/10

Directed by Kurt Wimmer





Consecration, 2023. 8/10

Directed by Christopher Smith

VALENTINE (2002). This reminds Me a lot of early 80's fare and about as good as most of them were; ie not very. If there were any messages in these films, one of them would be to be careful of Your past , as it may return to bite You! **

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

1408 2007 ★★★★

I loved every minute of it. Thanks toJordi Ostir for giving me the idea to go in for a rewatch. Because this is a great film, a great film and certainly one of the best King-adaptations out there.

The build up alone is amazing. The tension between the cheeky, smarmy writer and the maître d' is palpatable and makes you wonder if anyone does exasperation better than Samuel L Jackson.

But when he gets to the room... holy moly. Everything is done to perfection. The radio that starts playing by itself, giving a great callback to Poltergeist. Or the references to the people who died and/or killed themselves in there. Or how the room seems capable of reading your mind and then turning your biggest fears and your deepest traumas on you and using them to drive you crazy.

Or even the jump scares. Normally a tired trope which only serves to annoy people and get an eyeroll when done by less imaginative filmmakers.

1408 sucks you in, wether you want to or not and a lot of the credit goes to John Cusack. Carrying a movie on your own is a most difficult task for any actor, but Cusack pulls it off wonderfully. Making you completely buy his descent into madness.

The only point of criticism I could imagine was that you could see the end of the hallucination coming. But the whammy with the tape player makes up for that.

Mama 2013 ★★★

A Guillermo Del Toro production and it shows. It does have a certain terrifying supernatural atmosphere. And director Andy Muschetti does a good job bringing it to the screen.

It has a lot of qualities. The moment in the opening bit with the father intending to kill his daughter is touching, as is the separation between the two sisters.

Once the girls move in with the main characters, the story gets going. It certainly has scary moments, especually with Jessica Chastain's character. A few moments and a bit of an underwhelming ending kept from four stars.

Maybe it will win the fourth star on a rewatch. Who knows?

Teenage Caveman 2002 ★

Dull as hell and annoying. I turned if off after about 35-40 minutes.

Final Destination 3 2006 ★★½

A rewatch because... because I have a Netflix-subscription and I have to make it count. Plus, it has Mary Elizabeth Winstead and that's also a plus.

Nothing memorable, but a decent entry in the series. The premonition is worked out well with cool practical effects and the kills all have a good dose of over the top of whoa! ho ho hooooo gross out feel to it.

1922 2017 ★★★

Let's get the negative out of the way first. This is no Green Mile or Carrie.

But it's entertaining and it shows a different side to the great writer. While it does have the typical King-ghosties, it also shows his aptitude at writing a tragedy. And tragedy it is, indeed. With Thomas Jane making a decent narrator.

Good stuff for King-fans.

Godzilla 2014 ★★

I'm no Godzilla-connaisseur, but it does seem to take an awful long time for us to see any actual Godzilla.

It's not as if the human characters were all that captivating. Aaron Taylor-Johnson goes from Kick-Ass to Blando McBlandia, and the others humans follow suit. Leading to a truck load of military types doing shouty stuff in bursty bits. And we could have done without the Bryan Cranston-storyline all together.

The clash between Godzilla and the Muto's is spectacular, but the movie cuts away too quickly before it becomes interesting.

Crimi Clowns: De Movie 2013 ★★★★

Crimi clowns started off as a dark sitcom. The protagonists? A family that performs as clowns by day. By night, they work as burglars and robbers.And here, they made their big screen debut.

With its dark humor and found footage style, it goes perfectly in the same bin as Man Bites Dog (which is even referenced at one point in its original French title) or the similar styled series called Matrioshki.

For fans of Goodfellas or some of the gangster stuff Guy Ritchie did like Lock, stock and two smoking barrels. Grittier? Maybe. But entertaining as hell. That's for sure.

Final Destination 2000 ★★★

FD gave me the idea to go for a rewatch of the series.

This turned out to be more enjoyable than the first time in the theatres. The premonition was set up nicely and the kills were cool. Maybe not as gory as in the sequels, but pretty good. And of course, there was the "Carter, you dick" running gag is good for a smirk or a giggle.

Devon Sawa and Ali Larter were doing well with the material they were given. But Sean William Scott was just rehashing a Stifler-vibe and the rest was forgettable. Apart from of course Tony Todd being a total badass as usual.

And this X-Files fan feels a bit guilty for not recognising Modell. How did I miss that?

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 2003 ★★★★½

In terms of food, this movie can be both an epic seven course meal or a bag of Dick's. And both are equally delicious.

Just what I needed for tonight's viewing.

Ghost Ship 2002 ★★★

This movie is mostly known for its gruesome opening scene. Funny thing is: it immediately drew me in, but not because of the reason that's shown in all the Youtube-videos and lists mentioning it. It was because it opened with a sensuous rendition of Senza Fine, an Italian song that I up until now only heard in a version by - of all people - Mike Patton. Hearing a woman sing it and the inevitableness of what was coming got me hooked.

Don't get me wrong. This film has it's qualities, no doubt about that. The opening scene topped with the steel chord bit was set up well. Some of the bits with Julianna Margulies and the little girl were fittingly creepy, especially the pool bit. The comraderie between the crew was more credible than, say, Alien vs Predator.

The overall atmosphere was spooky enough to keep you intrigued and going. And the ending had a bit of a beauty to it as well. Ah, the lost souls are finally free. Can you consider this cheesy? Yes. But I'm leaning towards the positive here.

Then why no four stars? Because there are enough silly bits to keep from going that high. For one, there's Karl Urban and Ron Eldard in pretty much the worst Jackass skit ever.

Or Isaiah Washington's character. I cannot be the only one cynical enough to see a character talking non stop about his fiancé at home and immediately think "you are so dead". Him getting killed by following his little Isaiah rather than his brain? It can both add to your experience and take away from it.

The exposition at the end and the whammy after the all's well on a stretcher bit. Bit on the fence about that, as I am about more things in this movie. I get why they did it, but ....

Then last but not least, there's Gabriel Byrne. A man ingrained in cinephiles' memory as Dean Keaton. A man with the classy voice and ditto looks to play in the same league as Colin Firth. Starring in films that compete for the high prizes in Cannes, Berlin, Hollywood,... Someone who does these films the same way Alan Rickman did Dogma.

I'm sure the man is perfectly happy with his career as is - and many would kill for it - but even here, he has a few moments that make you wonder "what if...?"

Oh, and somehow, I thought it was kind of fun to hear a bit of Mudvayne in a movie like this. Good band, that.

Recommended for ghosty people looking for a popcorn evening.

A Quiet Place 2018 ★★★★

It was a beautiful movie.

It's horror for family people. About doing everything within your power to help and protect your family, even if they do not notice most of the time. Even sacrificing yourself when the occasion calls for it. And what parent cannot relate to the terror of having to give birth in silence?

Also: Can we mark this as one of the last times in cinema history that fireworks were useful?

Villa Captive 2011 ★★★

As a straight up thriller, it has its merits.

The story comes along at a fairly good pace. It keeps you intrigued and manages to make you care at least a bit about the main protagonists.

A torture porn would have gone more explicit on the gore and made the revenge kills more elaborate.

Incantation 2022 ★★★★★

I thoroughly loved this one.

It's spooky and creepy and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I loved the flipping back and forth between the current day and the past, delving deeper into what happened in the "place where you can not come" and how it still affects Li Ronan to this day.

The death scenes, the gore, the jump scares, the fear,... Not making any predictions on how it will age, but right now... They all work magnificently.

Well recommended.

Transformers 2007 ★

At least this proves the genius of Ryan George. If you can make something funny out of this dreck, you have some kind of brilliance at your disposal.

Wow wow wow wow... wow.

2012 2009 ★★★

Make no mistake about it, this is hella dumb. And overly sentimental. And stereotypical as hell. And a few other things. And as far as Oliver Platt's character goes... Why are we supposed to hate him again?

That said, together with Independance Day and The Day After Tomorrow, this proves one thing: Emmerich does dumb well. Or at least better than Bay does.

Pair this with Cusack and Peet pulling off credible action leads. Or Woody Harrelson. You can drop Woody anywhere and he does a solid job.

That combination makes it at least enjoyable. Enjoyable popcorn trash.

The Wasteland 2021 ★★

El Paramo did not do much for me.

Too many jumpscares - granted, the I spy bit paid off - and too much run of the mill ghostiness.

For fans of supernatural films, but not much more than that.

Maniac 2012 ★★★★

Because it's completely filmed in pov, pretty much all of this movie relies on the performance by Elijah Wood. Apart from a few bloody moments where director Franck Khalfoun and writer Alexandre Aja (High Tension) get to live out their inner gorehound.

Weirdly, it was made more impressive by seeing and hearing the childlike enthusiasm with which Elijah talks about his craft and his love for his job.

While his performance relies heavily on his voice, arm movements and things like heavy breathing, it's not really completely like the voice acting in cartoons (or at least it does not seem that way).

His performance and the story also offer an insight into his character's torment and how his soul is torn apart by both the past and later the present. But right before you start sympathizing with him, let alone feel sorry for him, you are reminded every time that, by the end of the day, he is a psychopathic killer.

I liked the Anna subplot for several reasons. On first sight, it keeps the movie from becoming repetitive. Together with the dating scene, it also shows how Frank has the opportunity to connect with women. But at the key moment, the demons in his head keep him from further connecting.

Finally, this might be odd, but in a way, this movie can perhaps create more goodwill for something like #metoo than some of the more "aware" films that came later. It shows how Frank is capable of a (somewhat) normal conversation. Even more, it shows how you, as a woman, can have a pleasant evening with a man, or even build up a relationship based on trust. But at every moment, there is that possible fear on how this "nice guy" can turn on you at any given moment and become a threat.

Final conclusion: it's definetily as good as the original by William Lustig, if not better. Well recommended.

DeadHeads 2011 ★★

It was good for a few chuckles and at least they switched the generic metal for generic indie rock. That's... something.

Other than that, the characters are too generic and cartoony to be funny. The only enjoyable ones are Emily - Annie Potts meets Hooks from Police Academy - and tonight's Ken Foree, who is the closest thing to playing it straight. And zombies can kiss girls now, because... reasons.

Shrek 2001 ★★★½

Believe it or not, but tonight brought two doses of John Lithgow. (The day after being the other one)

Some of the lines and references have perhaps not aged that well. I mean, how many kids still know the Macarena?

But as a modern day fairytale, it still holds up. It's has enough good jokes and cool action pieces to keep you involved in the story. Very entertaining.

Mike Myers shines as Shrek and, in my opinion, Eddie Murphy has his best role since Coming To America.

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Boston Strangler (2023)

On Hulu, regarding the case of the Boston Strangler in the 60s. I thought it was very well done. Stars Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon as the investigative journalists who broke the story.

[IMG]ht

BATTLEDOGS (2013).>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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SYFY offering that isn't perfect, but miles beyond what they normally offer. A young journalist (Ariana Richards from JURASSIC PARK) is bitten by a wolf in Canada and while in NYC airport transforms into a werewolf causing mucho destruction. While he and others are held in protective custody, a Army General (Dennis Haysbert is great here) gets the notion that aggressive powerful werewolves would be a great addition to our fighting forces. Things only get more dicey as the werewolves escape and plunge downtown Manhattan into chaos.
Script is silly and the werewolves could be better, but I can honestly say BD was enjoyable and worth a watch. ***

Lurking 2022 ★★½

A slow burner that picks up towards the end.

The first part focuses on the razzle dazzle filmmaker Kurt Duplass (apparently a nod to Creep) and his reluctant partner John.

It's only when they find a walkie talkie and get in touch with "Travis" that things get intense. The bit in the tunnel is intense and the part with the "finder" is well done.

Have I seen better in the genre? Sure. But it's still a nice addition to your collection.

Critters 3 1991 ★★★

DiCaprio (to his father): I hate you! I wish you were dead!
Crites: Well... THAT can be arranged.

The perfect dose of cornball fun you could expect from a horror comedy sequel. Not as out there and gory as the first two and the cover pulls a bit of a Jason Takes Manhattan. But overall, it's still fun, with all the silliness they have going on.

The Critters look a bit more sneaky than in the first two installments. But they still get in the same food related shenanigans. And we get a West Ham United-Critter, who's forever blowing bubbles.

The characters are as silly as you can expect, but still enjoyable. I like how Marcia is portrayed like a take charge kind of character, even though she gets into her share of silliness. And DiCaprio only gets the "annoying kid coming around"-arc.

Patient Seven 2016 ★★★

I went in with low expectations, but Patient Seven turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

Doctor Michael Ironside going through mental patients supplies us with the background for the separate stories. My personal favorites are British Dexter and Icelandic zombies. The twist at the end of the haunting story was pretty sweet too.

Near the end, it pulls an Identity-like switcheroo on us, except that this one is more predictable. Which keeps it from going beyond entertaining. But entertaining nonetheless. And available on YT.

Hostel 2005 ★★★★

I fed my inner gorehound today.

Eli Roth deserves credit for bringing gore back to the horror mainstream after a slew of PG 13 horror films. Sure, Paxton may not be very likable, but then again, that's not really the point either.

But the pay off worked and that's the point more than anything else.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later 1998 ★★★½

The opening kills are both entertaining and insightful. Where Jason-fans appreciate the creativity with gardening tools, Michael usually tends to stick to traditional stabbing. Which is why the ice skate skill is a nice switch from the usual.

You would think this would be bland and forgettable, but it's actually pretty entertaining. Steve Miner brought his experience from Friday to the table. The characters are okay. While the kids have bits of sarcasm here and there - the seed for the 2000s snark is perhaps already present - but for me, the balance tends a bit more towards the positive side of the line. And the funniest moment is the scene with Janet Leigh and Jamie Lee Curtis, where the prior talks about getting "maternal".

Quite a bunch of talent in this one, mind you: Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, LL Cool J,... How you rate them individually is a matter of taste, but they all went to do big projects. Hartnett shows his potential as a heart throb and LL kind of goes back and forth between comic relief and black Ben Tramer.

The atmosphere is definetily present. Best example being the shot on all the box covers of Laurie Strode and Michael Myers with just a door between them. The kills are okay too, though some are offscreen. The final confrontation between Laurie and Michael makes for a worthy ending to the franchise.

The Redwood Massacre 2014 ★

The most fun about this one was trying to pinpoint the accent(s).

Are these Scots? Or Englishmen trying to sound Scottish? Or was there perhaps a Manchester accent in there as well? Or somewhere else up north? Or Irish?

As far as the rest is concerned, the keyword is bland. Bland plot, bland kills and bland gore. Bland across the board.

Though I will give credit for the mask. Cillian Murphy's Scarecrow meets The Punisher. That looked kind of cool.

The Purge 2013 ★★★

People reviewing have been pretty harsh on this one, claiming it was nothing more than just a home invasion movie. So is is that or does it offer relevant social commentary?

I on my end would be somewhere in between. I would like to point out that it does hint at the consequences. Think of the man describing his loss in the end credits. Or the fact that the homeless man that the kids are chasing is a black man. Hinting at an excuse for racists to "do their thing".

I also liked the idea of looking at things like the guy wanting to kill his boss, or the envious neighbours. In my opinion, this sort of petty motives for killing are probably a lot closer to what a real life purge would be like. Callous businessfolk and ditto politicians would be safe, but that one guy who cuts me off in traffic? Oh, he's getting it. Or the dad standing in the way between me and my girlfriend.

Or of course the conflict the Sandinds find themselves in. Do we take in the homeless man? Do we hand him over to the killers?

This is often done not too subtly, but then again, subtlety is not really Platinum Dunes' strong suit.

Are things to be said about The Purge? Certainly. Pretty much everybody agrees on the intriguing starting point AND that more could have been done with it.

The story focuses too much on the Sandins alone. In order to really do social commentary, you could have focused on more families, or more parts of the Sandins. Aunts, cousins, grandparents,... A few live in Canada, a few live in poverty,... The runtime would be a bit longer, but with only 85 minutes, that should not be a problem. You can even keep the subplots about the jealous neighbours and flesh them out more.

The characters are a set of clichés: the self made man, the trust fund brats going out to do some killing, the weird son (who turns out to be the soft one),... So yeah, they could have used more nuance and subtlety, but like I said before...

That said,I would like to end on a positive note. This one may not have fully lived up to its potential, but it did open the door for the sequels to do so.

Cub 2014 ★★★½

Cub (or Welp in Dutch) is a Belgian horror flick on a group of boy scouts who are with a monster best described as Mowgli going off the tracks. And then escalating quickly.

The film gives a lot of attention to the boy scout culture: the group feel, the peer pressure, the discipline, the bullying,... I myself have never been a boy scout, so I cannot really relate to the group dynamics. Is that what keeps me from giving it four stars? Maybe.

Props to the actors for their performances, though. Titus De Voogdt and Stef Aerts are believable in their respective roles as the "decent" scouts leader and the total douchebag with the dog as an extension for his dick. Though I cannot see Stef Aerts without thinking of Wesley "uhnts uhnts uhnts" Biets.

The ingenious nature of the kills makes up for the relatively small death toll. With nice bits of gore like the stab in the eye. And at least Balou gets it good and proper. Best kill in the film in my opinion.

The reveal at the end is not that big of a shock, despite the fact that the character does it to pretty much the only the one who was somewhat nice to him. And the final shot of Jasmijn is excellently done.

Destination: Infestation 2007 ★★

Between Ants on a plane (suitable, since it's clearly a Snakes on a plane-rip-off), Swarm (lame) and Destination: Infestation (lame), this sure has a few different titles floating around.

It's not great, but not as terrible as I expected beforehand.

It ticks off some of the beats in SOAP like the main character getting with the single mom. Bratty/cheeky child included here. A few douchy characters who get their come uppance in the end, the pilot who is two days away from retirement, the scientist quarterbacking from the ground,... Having recently seen a report on the plane ride from hell, I wonder how the David Arquette-lookalike got so bombed during a 3 hour flight to be denied service (an annoying red thread throughout the movie), but these movies are not really about plot consistency.

The cast is pretty much what you expect from this type of movie. Jessalyn Gilsig is solid as the entymologist Dr. Ross, but Antonio Sabato Jr. is miles away from the charisma that Samuel L Jackson has.

Greta 2018 ★★★★

Watching this one reminded of a joke Bill Maher did on Anthony Hopkins: "I'm not afraid of any danger I can avoid by taking the stairs two steps at a time."

I was first intrigued by the trailer, then it kind of went off my radar and resurfaced after having it recommended somewhere recently. I must say, it did not disappoint.

It starts with a good idea about how a random object and a random act of kindness can get you to meet a new person. But then, there is more to this person than you have bargained for. The chills particularly come towards the end when all the foreshadowing pieces fall together. It's all perfectly set in New York, a city where a lot of people are lonely and where the wheels of justice can grind very slowly.

The ending itself is a tad predictable. Once the scene starts, you pretty much immediately catch on as to what the reveal will be and I wonder how the ever alert Greta did not catch on.

That said, I must add that the reveal was done in style. Don't get me wrong, you are caught up in the action and on the edge of your seat, rooting for the characters.

Credit for that certainly goes to the actors. Isabelle Huppert delivers a strong performances as the titular Greta. At first, a sweet, gentle woman looking for company. Huppert does a very good job portraying the madness and sadism underneath. Wonder where she got her inspiration. Cathy Bates in Misery? Real life cases?

When it comes to Chloe Grace Moretz... Not sure what to make of her performance. She has very good moments (she can certainly do frightened and you completely buy Frances and Erika being friends), but I was somehow never completely convinced. I understand from other film fans that her performances are a bit hit or miss. Where do you stand? Maika Monroe on the other hand was amazing as Erika. Her character was set up perfectly fine and she aced it.

Four stars. Check it out.

Lilith 2018 ★★

Bit of a revenge-story today.

Felissa Rose stars as the avenging angel/demon Lilith, catching up with and torturing all sorts of scummy men in a collection of separate stories.

The score and the gore are okay. The coherence, however, leaves a bit to be desired. The combination of different actresses playing Lilith and the constant switching between stories makes the experience a bit confusing.

It also does not help that the delivery in the demon-bits (in the overarching) is often a bit less Exorcist and a bit more Ten inch mutant ninja turtles.

For fans of Felissa Rose or if you like torture porn.

Braindead 1992 ★★★★★

Peter Jackson delivers a splatstick masterpiece, building on the last 30 minutes of Bad Taste. Nearly every scene is brilliant in its glorious silliness. Between I kick ass for the lord and Party's over, it's a veritable feast of hilarious dialogue and quotable oneliners.

Some of the top scenes have an over the topness and cruelty that remind me of Roald Dahl, with buckets of blood added, of course. Speaking of blood, seeing Lionel slipping over the blood also has hints of the Keystone Cops in it. So is Braindead Roald Dahl meets Eli Roth? Or would that be silly?

The opening scene already makes it pretty clear that the story is of lesser importance here. Yes, Lionel starts off as a wimp and has some sort of character arc. (Then again, when you see the greasers who call him a freak... I(!) am boozing in a graveyard and pissing on a grave, what are YOU doing?) And at the end he stands up to his controlling mother and eliminates all the remaining zombies. Credit where credit is due, uncle Douchwig McRaperface gets in his fair share of zombiekills too.

That's all secondary to the priest doing martial arts, the ear in the pudding, the zombie with the lightbulb head, the mohawk zombie baby,... It's a horror comedy and all you need to do is soak up the gore and cackle your ass off at the silliness. And I loved every second of it.

Braindead 1992 ★★★★★

Peter Jackson delivers a splatstick masterpiece, building on the last 30 minutes of Bad Taste. Nearly every scene is brilliant in its glorious silliness. Between I kick ass for the lord and Party's over, it's a veritable feast of hilarious dialogue and quotable oneliners.

Some of the top scenes have an over the topness and cruelty that remind me of Roald Dahl, with buckets of blood added, of course. Speaking of blood, seeing Lionel slipping over the blood also has hints of the Keystone Cops in it. So is Braindead Roald Dahl meets Eli Roth? Or would that be silly?

The opening scene already makes it pretty clear that the story is of lesser importance here. Yes, Lionel starts off as a wimp and has some sort of character arc. (Then again, when you see the greasers who call him a freak... I(!) am boozing in a graveyard and pissing on a grave, what are YOU doing?) And at the end he stands up to his controlling mother and eliminates all the remaining zombies. Credit where credit is due, uncle Douchwig McRaperface gets in his fair share of zombiekills too.

That's all secondary to the priest doing martial arts, the ear in the pudding, the zombie with the lightbulb head, the mohawk zombie baby,... It's a horror comedy and all you need to do is soak up the gore and cackle your ass off at the silliness. And I loved every second of it.

Primal Fear 1996 ★★★½

This movie is mostly carried by the actors. Or rather, one actor. Edward Norton's excells as Aaron/Roy in a performance that earned him a well deserved Oscar nomination. And there is of course the ever present charm of Richard Gere, which is not to be ignored.

The story is a solid courtroom drama. You can denounce the clichés like the crooked poltician/real estate developer and the diddler priest, but it flowed along quite nicely and some of the beats were brought to the table well, like the backs to the wall moment after the first session and the eureka moment before the deciding testimony. And of course the twist. The look on Gere's face when he pieces it together out is fantastic.

Recommended for fans of courtoom drama, people who can handle the truth.

Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 2022 ★★★★

This review may contain spoilers.

Netflix documentaries sometimes get a bad rep. This one has its flaws too, but it's certainly worth watching.

Over the course of three episodes, you get a detailed image of what went wrong in the months leading up to Woodstock and the climax at the festival itself.

The seeds were planted in the aftermath of Woodstock 94 and the days leading up to Woodstock 99. 94 did not make enough money, so they wanted 99 to compensate for that by cutting costs and maximizing profits. To subcontractors who inevitably did not deliver. Who woulda thunk it?

This leads to the type of price gouging and bad service that only served to (further) infuriate the crowd.

A crowd that over the course of the festival became
- drugged up
- dehydrated
- undershadowed - is that a word?/sunburnt
- taken for a ride (and not in a good way)

Agression released by Limp Bizkit, escalating in a night of debauchery, a lot of consensual sex, and a lot of non consensual sex. The security was a joke (because of course, cost cutting), so nobody had the authority to stop it.

And then the third day. Between an in hindsight infuriating press conference (everything is well Madame Marquis), the infected water, a surprise super headliner who was not there,... And the candles... Oh my goodness, the candles,... As well intentioned as it may have been... if the organisation had any idea of what was going on in the field, they would have realized the boneheaded nature of this idea. The saddest part is that, at first, it seems to go well. But then of course all hell breaks loose. And then a celebration of peace and love ends with the organisation barricading their own offices and having to call in the goddamn national guard.

The musicians only get a short bit of speaking time and only Fatboy Slim does a bit of introspection. Jonathan Davis is right about security, but how much has he reflected on his own part in all of this? And where was Fred Durst? Why did this tough guy nu metal rapper did not have the time or courage to answer a few tough questions?

Sadly, the people in the organisation rarely show any intropsection themselves or admit much guilt to what happened.

The only silver lining is that some of the women in the documentary credited the events for planting the seed of ideas and thoughts what would later become the metoo-movement. Other than that, it's just a very sad story.

Death Dive 2015 ★★★½

Death Dive – or Le Scaphandrier, as it is known in its native Quebec – is a bit of an odd offering in that in it starts with your standard slasher to then throw in elements from monster films/creature features and a bit of zombies towards the end.

The story revoves around retrieving a boat named Princess of the north. (Just for the way the characters say this name, I recommend watching it in the original French version. And for those hating subtitles: suck it up.) A monster appears from the ship, killing everyone out to retrieve/steal its contents and/or the possessions of the original passengers. Wearing what is quite possibly the least comfortable killer outfit ever: a diving costume.

The kills are done nicely gory. The second one has a shade of the original My Bloody Valentine over it and the researcher/vintage horror fan gets a kill not unlike Axel in The Final Chapter. On the upside: we do see the consequences. On the downside: the big moment is more than once offscreen.

That said, this movie has other things going for it too like he two diving suits in the researcher kill (you'll see when you see) or a shot that has to be a nod to Quint from Jaws. The ghosts haunt the car engine, putting a bit of a spin on the “car won't start”-trope. And I won't psoil it, but the ending has a touching moment that gives the killer the sort of extra touch that sets this movie apart from the standard.

Check it out.

Evidence 2011 ★½

Evidence is a pretty uneventfull found footage that does not bring many new things to the table. The first forty minutes are the typical stuff about friends going on a trip. One of them needs to record everything for some vague reason about a "documentary". The group falls apart and bicker amongst each other.

Then it makes a sharp turn in the second half, but it does not add anything apart from a few jump scares. Just a lot of shaky cam, sceraming and running around.

The rest? Bla bla conspiracy bla bla secret government project gone awry. Bla bla shouty bits bla bla bursty bursts. Something vague about zombies... who cares... something something another jump scare... At times, it just feels like a dull level of Doom.

[QUOTE=Tommy Jarvis;1051282]Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 2022 ★★★★

This review may contain spoilers.

Netflix documentaries sometimes get a bad rep. This one has its flaws too, but it's certainly worth watching.

Over the course of three episodes, you get a detailed image of what went wrong in the months leading up to Woodstock and the climax at the festival itself.

The seeds were planted in the aftermath of Woodstock 94 and the days leading up to Woodstock 99. 94 did not make enough money, so they wanted 99 to compensate for that by cutting costs and maximizing profits. To subcontractors who inevitably did not deliver. Who woulda thunk it?

This leads to the type of price gouging and bad service that only served to (further) infuriate the crowd.

A crowd that over the course of the festival became
- drugged up
- dehydrated
- under-shadowed - is that a word?/sunburnt
- taken for a ride (and not in a good way)

Agression released by Limp Bizkit, escalating in a night of debauchery, a lot of consensual sex, and a lot of non consensual sex. The security was a joke (because of course, cost cutting), so nobody had the authority to stop it.

And then the third day. Between an in hindsight infuriating press conference (everything is well Madame Marquis), the infected water, a surprise super headliner who was not there,... And the candles... Oh my goodness, the candles,... As well intentioned as it may have been... if the organisation had any idea of what was going on in the field, they would have realized the boneheaded nature of this idea. The saddest part is that, at first, it seems to go well. But then of course all hell breaks loose. And then a celebration of peace and love ends with the organisation barricading their own offices and having to call in the goddamn national guard.

The musicians only get a short bit of speaking time and only Fatboy Slim does a bit of introspection. Jonathan Davis is right about security, but how much has he reflected on his own part in all of this? And where was Fred Durst? Why did this tough guy nu metal rapper did not have the time or courage to answer a few tough questions?

Sadly, the people in the organisation rarely show any intropsection themselves or admit much guilt to what happened.

The only silver lining is that some of the women in the documentary credited the events for planting the seed of ideas and thoughts what would later become the metoo-movement. Other than that, it's just a very sad story.

TJ...once again, You review stuff right before I see it::shocked::!

This was VERY good, although CLUSTERFUCK might have been a good subtitle as well. Such POOR planning by the organizers, such greed (taking away the attendees food/water and charging such high amounts-$4 for a bottle of water?!?), having the event on tarmac in the middle of summer with the heat index so high and no shade, way too much stimulation (all the Nu-Metal bands plus the various tents throughout), a lot of drunken Frat boy types with no worries about answering for their behavior and lastly, very destructive Mob mentality.
I realize and understand that the promotors wanted to make a profit, but there is also disgust how they didn't seem to admit to any problems or take blame. By the way, I don't think Fred Durst could walk and chew gum at the same time. A good performer knows how to keep the excitement level up, but if necessary, tone things down. He was beyond foolish to exhort the crowd to "Break stuff", and not realizing what would happen.
Watching things like this make Me feel more than ever that there should be a limit on alcohol at events, especially large ones like this. I can't even begin to imagine how wasted they were, especially during the Port-A-Potty snafu::EEK!::.

I would give this **** also

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Is it any comfort if I say that the original review dates back to august of last year?

Glad you enjoyed it.

Final Destination 2 2003 ★★★

I went in needing to clear my head, not needing tothink about anything all that much. And this one delivered.

Decent popcorn fun with some hilariously gory kills. Also, death working backwards this time was a nice touch. My personal facvourites were the window kill and the barbecued arm.

The Dark Knight 2008 ★★★★★

You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

Do I really look like a guy with a plan?

I don't, I don't want to kill you! What would I do without you? Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No, no, NO! No. You... you... complete me.

Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

You think you can steal from us and just walk away?
Yeah.

You can tell a classic from it's number of quotable lines. And this one sure has a few of them. Not in the least because of the delivery.

And I can never get enough of the scenes between Bale and Caine and Freeman.

Lost Lake 2012 ★

It helped my vocabulary. In a sense that I started looking up synonyms for boring to enjoy this annoyingly unscary flick. So I ended up with

a boring ghost story
bland characters
humdrum jump scares
platitudinous dialogue
drab delivery
an insipid finish
plastic acting (these days, plastic somehow sounds worse than wooden)

I See You 2019 ★★

A pretty unmemorable flick. At least, for me it was.

We follow a family in a town where a child abductor/pedophile/serial killer is supposed to be active, but apart from some bits near the end, we don't really see that much of him.

The storyline about the family strife and the infidelity feels shoehorned in and the squatter-like figures – or whatever it is they call themselves, I already forgot the name – are not all that captivating or likable.

It's all just a little too messy to really be captivating.

Machete Kills 2013 ★★★★

The sequel to the cult grindhouse flick Machete. It hints at a finishing part to this trilogy, but that one is still in development hell, nine years after the realease of this one.

You know perfectly what you're getting when you go in. This is cheesy, awesome B-movie fun at its best, with all the bells and whistles. And an ensemble cast a ot of other movies would envy. As an illustration: remember the reactions to Scream when Drew Barrymore gets killed two minutes in? There are so many people in this one that you quickly forget.

Oh yeah, and president Charlie Sheen. I'm sure some people saw this in 2013 and thought to themselves: yeah, right. How stupid do they think we are? And then you rewatch it in 2022 and go: oh... ouch.

You Might Be the Killer 2018 ★★★½

Wow. Is Fran Krantz making a career out of these Scream-like meta horror comedies? Would be kind of fun, actually. Any other anyone could recommend? Because I am digging these.

A good two thirds of this film takes place over the phone in a smart-ass/knowledgeable conversation with his best friend and the passing customers inclined to voice their opinion. And people call Jessica Fletcher a busybody.

It was funny, it got a few laughs out of me and it honored and respected the tropes of the slasher genre. And the Serena Williams-lookalike playing the love interest was kind of cool too.

Nope 2022 ★★★★★

From the very first shot – with what we later learn is Gordy – this film has you intrigued and hooked. A monkey covered in blood, crouching over the body of a woman and a single shoe of a child. What is going on? What happened to the child?

Jordan Peele chooses to focus on atmosphere, showing not that much of the monster until later in the story. And even then, you're left to guess. The “second monster” at the end... Is that an evolved version? An alien queen like the one we saw in Aliens?

This way, he leaves much up to the actors. And they deliver. Especially Daniel Kaluya shines here, showing his range. Between the smart, artistic Chris in Get Out and the somewhat gruff, quiet OJ, the difference is pretty big. I'm also a fan of Steven Yeun and based on his suit in the trailer, I was for some reason expecting an OTT character that borrowed from Nicholson's character in Mars Attacks. Thus providing the comic relief.

Here, however, he plays it straight, with sometimes a hint of insecurity in his body language and inflection. Leaving him looking like someone suffering from what we now call imposter syndrome. Although, as I am typing this, I also realize that it can symbolize fears of a minority person that I as a Caucasian cannot and probably will never fully comprehend.

Because we cannot discuss a Jordan Peele-movie without talking about symbolism and metaphors. Some look a bit on the nose, like “Run OJ run” or the fistbump between a bloody Gordy and young Jupe. I also wonder wether what happens next is a nod to Night of the living dead, but maybe I am looking too far. Because there is so much more. The story about their ancestor. The shot of Keke Palmer covered in those yellow crime scene lines. And the idea of the monster being “in the cloud”, which I consider a stroke of genius in times where a lot of people have a large chunk of, if not all of their lives in such a cloud.

I could knock out a few more paragraphs, but I will leave the rest of the images and metaphors for a rewatch.

Five stars across the board. Deserves to be in all top-5 lists for 2022.

Deep Blue Sea 1999 ★★

Between the action and the plot, pretty much everything in this film was dumb. Even the comic relief. LL Cool J and a bird that says "fat butt". It only works the first time. Not to mention that LL has a bad case of important characteritis. On the other hand, the Christophe Lambert lookalike is suitable for this stuff.

That said... if there is a God, then Samuel L Jackson should become immortal as a thank you for making the best of this.

Fun fact: this one and Final Destination both have a character named Carter. But one is not a dick.

The Found Footage Phenomenon 2021 ★★★★

What I appreciated most about this movie, was the completeness of it. Personally, I only missed the Dowdle brothers and Paco Plaza. But in the who's who in the genre portrayed, this really feels like nitpicking.

This serves both as a good introduction and as a continuation. The newbies get a detailed history of the genre, while more experienced viewers are still likely to pick up titles they had not seen before.

I also liked how, in spite of the (lack of) technology, it always comes down to the same things: good characters, a good story, pushing the envelope,...

Does this mean it was perfect? No.

For one, I did not really completely agree with the stance it took on budget and recognizable actors. Thus dismissing/disrespecting Joe Keery's performance in Spree.

Also, it seemed very focused on the directors' point of view. I would also like to have seen some of the actors, like Manuela Velasco or Joe Keery for that matter, talk about how they compare this style to some of their other work.

In closing, I would like to play Devils advocate for a second and throw one more stone in the puddle. Since a lot of found footage scripts are improvised, well... Imagine Robin Williams in a FF? We know he was a master at improvising and movies like One hour photo and Insomnia proved he could be scary. Put those things together and...

How's that for a what if? :-)

Limbo 2021 ★★★★

The good people at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival always seem to have a keen eye for good Asian films. This one is a Hong Kong cop movie about an investigation into a serial killer, who has the trademark of chopping off his victims' left hand.

The whole movie is filmed in black and white, adding to a bleak and somber atmosphere, not unlike Seven. Some shots literally reminded me of Mills and Somerset. Without getting into ripoff territory, though. The way Cham Lau got the Japanese migrant documents was reminiscent of Somerset's dealings with the library cards, but it never became on the nose or super obvious.

The actors do a very good job. I completely buy Ka-Tung Lam as the rough around the edges rogue cop with the troubled past. Especially since I saw a picture of him later that night that reminded me of Johnny Depp. Mason Lee sports a pair of glasses that give him a Clark Kent-like vibe. Which somehow fit the more by the book cop he portrays. More of a character in its own right. While Cham Lau has some small hints of David Mills here and there, the difference between Will Ren and Somerset could not be much bigger. And Yase Liu acted her ass off. There are only few scenes where she is not crying or running or being scared. Or taking punishment. Holy moly. In only two hours, she got beat up more than Alex Krycek in a whole season.

The movie has you immediately in, with good storytelling and keeps you there until the very end. I don't want to spoil it, so I will not get into it, but based on the comparisons you can imagine it will not be very joyous.

Four stars well deserved.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula 1992 ★★★

An overall enjoyable adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic novel. Which is not to say that it does have not flaws.

For one, I was not caught in the tone which somehow did not fit for me. One thing pulling me out was Keanu Reeves' attempts at a British accent. They are both adorable and hilarious at the same time. Gary Oldman shows his range as the classic count Dracula. Though sometimes a bit over the top for my liking. That said, his scenes with Winona Ryder are filled to the brim with sexual tension.

Studio 666 2022 ★★★½

Watching this with a rowdy crowd definitely helped. It got you in the right mood to enjoy this.

It is no masterpiece for the ages. Sometimes the pace sags a bit and you can tell that the band members are no natural born actors.

But it succeeds in being cartoonish fun and the kills more than deliver. And that's enough for me.

Prisoners 2013 ★★★★

Prisoners is a solid thriller about the kidnapping of two little girls.

It stars Hugh Jackman, but to be clear: the tough, heroic Wolverine is miles away. Here, he is a desperate father, willing to go all I spit on your grave on a mentally challenged fellow who is suspected of the crime. The other lead is Jake Gyllenhaal, in a good role as the empathic, obsessed cop. Remarkable and funny: Even in a dark(ish) thriller like this one, he manages to sneak in a little bit of boyish charm in his first scene.

Also, on a side note: the fact that a mentally challenged character is called Alex Jones... Is that funny or does that make me the victim of a government conspiracy? Maybe something in the tap water, lol.

The story is set up well and moves along at a good pace. Dropping little snippets of information every now and then to keep you invested, with among others a nice parallel between Jingle Bells and Camptown Races from The Stepfather. And whenever Alex says more than just yes or no, you better keep your ears open. Maybe they should have gone a bit more into the moral dilemma between the two fathers, but then it might have gotten cheesy.

The final reveal is good and the subsequent shooting are well done and Gyllenhaal rushing to the hospital is suspense orthy of Hitchcock. That said, the final scene with Anna's mother and the moment with the flute seem a bit force and perhaps even unnecessary. As a viewer, you already know that things will not end well for this character in some way shape or form. So why add these two scenes? Because the alternative would too bleak? Perhaps.

All in all a solid thriller/crime film. Worth a watch.

Ps: Completely unrelated, but if Hollywood does a Ravi Coltrane-biopic, Terrence Howard would be a good lead.

Creaturealm: Demons Wake 1998 ★

The lads over at OSW review would/could/should have fun with this, because it goes in the same bin as The Room, Fatal Deviation, Samurai Cop and other so bad they're good movies.

I lasted about 20-25 minutes before turning it off. The dialogue, the sets, the acting, the delivery,... everything looks like and is on the level of a poor porn parody. Even Wood Rocket pays more attention to detail.

Unfriended: Dark Web 2018 ★★★★

Now that it's on Netflix, I decided to squeeze in a rewatch. It was worth the time.

In all aspects, Unfriended: dark web is a step up from Unfriended.

It starts with a good idea and a good story. I not only like how they cast an actually deaf actress for the part of Amaya, but also how the characters use ASL to their advantage later in the film.

The villains are also better fleshed out than in part 1. With all due respect, but the whole Laura Barnes-thing is just rehashing a lot of the slashers from the eighties with a FF coat. Granted, the whole idea of this secret Spectre/Illuminati like organisation is perhaps not very original either, but at least it's more appealing.

One of the main things in these movies are the characters. In part 1, it's a group of total douchebags that - certainly on a rewatch - have you thinking "how are these people friends?". Here, they may not be supergreat either, but at least they are (more) believable as friends.

The kills look good, with the villains using all sorts of technology and hacking skills to their advantage. To this films credit: they managed to make the techno babble not sound all that much like techno babble and the exposition does not sound all that much like exposition. But if you're not into the story, I can also totally see how this stuff looks silly.

The climax is better than the one part 1 too, but fair is fair, the studio producing the first Unfriended also had a hand in that. Here, we get several possible endings with one being bleaker than the other. That said, it rounds the story off in a good way.

So in short: a very enjoyable horror movie centered around a nice concept. Not sure where they would go next without repeating themselves, but if Unfriended 3 ever comes up, I will be in for it.

Freaks Out 2021 ★★★½

Freaks out, a Belgian-Italian coproduction, is a lovely story about friendship, about overcoming hardship and about being there for your friends. Because that's what you do for the people you hold dear.

It plays during world war 2, which paves for the sort of nazi killing that would have Indiana Jones and Aldo Raynes nodding in agreement.

The four main characters have gifts that can serve as superpowers. But this movie has a lot more heart than the average superhero movie. Not to mention the fact this one has the amount of gore that will never get you close to a PG 13.

And if that does not convince you, it also features a unique version of Radioheads Creep.

Resident Evil 2002 ★★½

I went in with low expectations and the first twenty, thirty minutes were actually pretty good, with a nice zombie atmos and decent kills.

Then the main character gets the type of memory that's convenient for the screenwriter and it disintegrates into generic action territory with hot people doing badass stuff and a dull bad guy reveal. But the action bits are okay(ish) and badass Michelle Rodriguez is the best Michelle Rodriguez.

Speak No Evil 2022 ★★★★

A Danish and a Dutch couple meet while on holiday. They hit it off and the Dutch invite the Danes over for a visit, only for them to find out that their hosts are not all they are cracked up to be.

For me, this film delivered. I like how it builds up the atmosphere with the foreboding score inversely proportional to the amicality of the atmosphere between the couples. As the story progresses, it peels away layer after layer with Patrick and Karin becoming less and less friendly, slowly revealing their true nature and intentions. In that aspect, it's possible to see the dinner scene as a form of grooming with the mother's eye on the near future.

This is all about manipulation and social control by alpha people over beta people. About wolves in sheeps clothing. Slowly, but surely, the Dutch parents assert their dominance over the Danes, with the scene at he restaurant and everything after as a key element. That's where the Dutchies really gain the upper hand. Where they know, we can do pretty much anything to these saps and they will be too scared/polite/... to put up a fight, let alone present themselves as a worthy adversary.

Social media are filling up with people annoyed by the beta nature of the Danish parents – in large part to it being available on Shudder, thus reaching a bigger audience then the type of art house film theatre(s) where I saw it. Not only was it not entirely correct – the mother did want to run away quite quickly – it could also be counted as a testament to the Dutch couple and their cunningness. As one scene shows, they are experienced in this “game” and so they know by now how and where to pick their next victims. In my opinion, the only thing breaking that mold was actually the sex scene. Given their history, this couple would be more likely to drop everything passion related on a dime and attend to their daughter calling for them, especially knowing the situation they are in.

The gory scene that everybody talks about, delivers on the intensity and eeriness. I went into the film a bit sceptical – what with all the “the scariest movie you will see this year” yadda yadda I have seen in the past on Netflix, social media,... Birdbox being the main culprit that comes to mind, but there are others as well. Only to end up thinking: wow, they really went there.

To me, this is the point where whatever is left of the spirit in the Danes breaks, allowing for a rather cruel closing sequence and ditto final shot of Bjorn and Louise. With an exchange reminiscent of an infamous dialogue in The Strangers: Why are you doing this? Be cause you were home/because you let us. Same scariness, same cruel, lackadaisacal delivery. Visually, the shot looks good, but it does make Patrick and Karin look a bit sloppy, which does not fit with their seemingly meticulous MO.

Well recommended, especially for fans of slow burns.

To be avoided by people going in a with a state of mind that says “I want it to make sense (ie (seemlessly) fit in my personal logic)”

The Purge: Anarchy 2014 ★★★

The second part of The Purge series is a step up from part 1 in that it delves more into the actual phenomenon of the purge, rather than focus on just one family.

We are slowly introduced to a variety of characters who somehow end up together towards the end of the first act. A struggling woman who not only has to take care of her daughter, but also of her ailing father. Thus allowing for a slight bit of Medicare commentary. There's a couple breaking up, but not really. And badass Frank Grillo on a revenge plot to avenge the death of his son. I understand how it needs this time to set things up and introduce everyone, but it somehow looks a tad bit messy, even on a rewatch.

Like I said, this one goes into the various aspects of The Purge a bit more, with quite a bit of social commentary. About how the poor dread this night and do all they can to survive and how the rich breeze through it and use their wealth to both stay safe and still purge. Best exemplified in the subplot where the father “sells” himself so that rich people can kill him 100.000 dollars in the safety of their home. Or the bit towards with a bit of a Running Man/Hunger Games-ish spectacle. It also allows for more elaborate kills and awesome shots like the Gatlin gun in the back of the truck.

Which, now that I think about it, raises an interesting question: Would the purge inadvertantly create a new market there? For example, for upper middle class people to buy/rent a condo in non purging countries like Canada or Mexico. Might make for a subplot with a lower middle class character saving for such a condo.

I also like how this one takes us outside more, showing how the danger can come from literally everywhere and at any time, even in the wee hours before the commencement.

As mentioned, Frank Grillo wants to kill the man who killed his son. An understandable state of mind and the type of quest you would probably see more often if the purge were to be an actual annual tradition. At least, there is more to it than to the type of petty killing a lot of people would stupe to during a purge. Like the colleague who got the promotion you were vying for, or the woman taking your favorite parking spot the day before the purge. And people with relationship issues? You might want to put off breaking up for a few days or even weeks.

And of course, there is the anti purge movement which, compared to The Purge: Election Year, is still pretty much in the background. Only to really pop up towards the end. Allowing (albeit unintentionally) for Election Year to improve on that.

Nothing all too mindblowing, but it makes for a decent sequel.

Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest 2003 ★★★½

A pretty comprehensive documentary in which all parties involved discuss all aspects of the classic Halloween.

Not just the making of, but also the history behind and where they got the inspiration for certain ideas. It's entertaining and it looks like even the big Halloween die hards will pick up one or two tiny tidbits they did not know before.

And it's available on Youtube. Check it out.

The Tunnel 2011 ★★★½

The Tunnel is a pretty decent Australian found footage/mockumentary about a newsteam researching a story on homeless people who supposedly live in a vast network of tunnels under the Sidney trainstations. Vast in this case even sounding a tad euphemistic at times.

One thing that the movie definetily had going for itself were the characters. They looked credible as good colleagues/friends, without resorting to bickering or the trope of the group falling apart. The banter between Pete, Steve, Nat and Tangles makes them (a lot) more likable than the average FF character. Making you care for them more when things go awry.

The scares were built up well, the jump scares benefited from good execution and timing. Not overdone, well timed. Good stuff. And the ending is also a nice break from the mould.

To me, it's not up there with VHS 2 or such, but if you are a fan of the genre, it's well worth a watch.

LET'S KILL WARD'S WIFE (2014). Out of a group of long time friends, one of them has an extremely hateful and abusive wife. The rest of the group conspire to do something about it .

This black comedy is kind of out there, but isn't bad at all with some outlandish moments. I found it kind of cool that the vast majority of the cast are related, either through blood or marriage. ***

Mister Creep, 2022. 7/10

Directed by Isaac Rodriguez

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THE DARK HALF (1993). George Romero adaptation of Stephen King's novel is way too long and extremely dull- I like much of Romero's work, but TDH could really have been made by anyone; it certainly lacks the oomph of earlier films. Some nasty moments and a pretty neat ending, but it's an awful long wait and not worth the wait. **

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[REC] 2007 ★★★★

[rec] stands tall as one of the classics of the found footage subgenre. Easily makes the all time top-five as far as I am concerned.

We follow a local tv crew – that's your excuse to keep filming out the way – on a routine assignment following the Barcelona fire department. At first, they seem shit out of luck as nothing much happens, the firefighters do not particularly have much to say and the few women in the firehouse run away at the mere sight of a camera. Needless to say, the report is not going very well.

Angela (enthusiasticly) So guys, you must have a lot of spectacular nights?
Firefighter (dryly): Nope. It's mostly pretty boring. And we hope it stays that way.

Which brings us to the first quality of this movie: the characters. Pablo and Angela come across as genuine reporters, trying to make the best of the situation. Making them instantly relatable. Angela is adorable in her attempts to put up a brave face. As is actress Manuela Velasco. This Angela is not a boy, that's for sure.

Relief comes when they get a call about a disturbance in an appartment complex. Something about an old lady screaming. They go over and get into their first (of many) “stop filming” quarrels with the police. With Angela urging Pablo to keep filming everthing... no matter what. After all, the public has a right to know.

It quickly turns out to be far from routine when the old lady does not really seem capable of conversation and then proceeds to bite one of the police officers on site. But it's only when a dead firefighter falls down the stairs that things really go south. From then on, you as a viewer are permanently on the edge of your seat. Completely immersed in the action. Meanwhile, Paco Plaza shows why is a genius of the Spanish horror by slowly putting the pieces of the puzzle together, showing the origin of the infestation.

He also shows how he masterfully builds up suspense. On a rewatch, you know what's coming (like the little girl biting her mother or the final shot of Angela), but when it actually happens, it still gets you. Scary stuff and a must watch for every horror fan.

Red Eye 2005 ★★★

In Red Eye, the dearly missed Wes Craven ventures into a thriller with the interesting twist that it mostly plays inside an airplane.

The opening minutes introduce us to Lisa, a hotel manager of the never panic type who has everything under control at all times. After the funeral of her grandmother, she is on her way and at the airport, she meets Jack, a charming, galant man. You, the viewer, are thus dooped into thinking that maybe there is a bit of romance in the air and that the danger will come from elsewhere.

And then in the plane, they sit next to each other. What are the odds?
Michael Scott: That's what *the screenwriter* said!

That, however, could not be less true. In only a few minutes time, the mask sinks and in no unclear terms, Jack tells Lisa what his plans are and what he wants her to do. These are the moments when Cillian Murphy shines and shows how thrillers and horror can be an actor's medium. Granted, he was pretty self confident that nobody would be eavesdropping, and towards the end, it gets a bit silly when the way he sounds reminded of a Denis Leary bit about a family of cancer patients who all have voice boxes. Then again, he can headbutt someone (bah gawd!) without anyone noticing, soo... that evens it out, I guess?

This might not be his best work, but I can tell you that Uncle Wes delivers a very entertaining thriller. The tension and the games between Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy keep you invested. Wonder why she did not venture into thrillers more often. Oh, well. The direction puts a nice spin on the “no reach” cliché and, yes, Uncle Wes can make a goofy looking pen look scary. So it's understandable that this movie made Bravo's list of 30 Even Scarier Movie Moments, even though The People Under The Stairs of The Hills Have Eyes are in my opinion scarier Craven-films.

Recommended for fans of a solid thriller and people who discovered one of Craven's classics and want to explore his work.

Baby Driver 2017 ★★★

From what I understand, Baby Driver is Edgar Wright's biggest commercial success. And the opening with Jon Spencer is pretty damn impressive.

That said, this did not make the same impression on me as his other gems. To be honest, it did not do all that much for me.

There were good things. Jamie Fox was good as the curmudgeon nutter in the group and I liked Spacey as Lord Boss Crime. And the bits between Baby and the deaf character were sometimes touching.

But the actor playing Baby was not all that charismatic and – at least for me – the chemistry between Baby and Deborah was not all that convincing. The visual stylings were there, but by Edgar Wright's standards, I was expecting more. The action just felt too slick and generic action like.

Yummy 2019 ★★½

Yummy mostly falls into the category “it's cool that we can do this in this country rather than always yadda yadda yadda”. A Belgian zombie film? A Belgian zombie comedy? I'm in.

The opening scene immediately has you covered. A shady doctor burning a body and... holy shit, it's Goldberg!

And he gets killed by a burning zombie?! Bah gawd, that man had a family!! (Yes, my JR still sucks)

We follow a couple on their way to a plastic surgeon in order for the woman to get breast reduction. The first thing that strikes me: the actor playing the boyfriend... I have seen him in only one role so far and there he played a softie. Here, his character is... a bit of a softie. Oh, and he ticks off the trope of the med school student who can not stand the sight of blood. How many of those have we had since Dead Snow?

Maaike Cafmeyer – as far as I know – had her first venture into the horror genre and she seems to be having fun with the girlfriend part. And there's the mother in law who – in the words of her daughter – spends her whole life trying to look like a teenage whore. She's (dyed) blonde and kind of douchy. What a surprise.

They end up in the kind of hospital that fits better in the universe of Hostel than that of ER or Scrubs, with sleazy staff and Clara Cleymans doing the type of charicature like Russian accent that could strike a chord with Ukranians.

Then a zombie escapes and all goes to hell. Resulting in a mix of gore, splatter and adolescent screwball humor that does not really rise above the crop. Been there, done that. Even what's supposed to be the big tearful goodbye did not really do all that much for me.

So it's not that original, but it does not have to be. It's definetily not as funny as Shaun of the dead, but it will get a few (ironic) chuckles out of you.

Recommended for people looking for some silly popcorn fun.

Trip 2022 ★★★

For the people with tldr-syndrome: Worst. Smoothie. Ever.

All jokes aside, Trip is a surprisingly solid ghost story that deals with topics like mental health and suicide. A lot more than one would expect from a movie that is available for free on Youtube.

I am not going to spoil anything, but suffice it to say that it goes into how difficult it is for the patients to express the state they are in and what they are going through, not to mention how difficult it is for their loved ones to know how to approach them. Or the faith that we put in doctors, psychiatrists and such and such.

Here is the link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk06Gb9Z0Kk

Check it out.

Be My Cat: A Film for Anne 2015 ★★★★

It's hard for me to say that I “liked” it since I have rarely been this uncomfortable watching a movie. That said, that is in essence the goal of this film. So that's a rather large feather in mister Tofei's cap.

From the first minute, Movie Adrian's presence puts you off balance with his incoherent rambling and his forced laughter. Over the course of the film, the kills become more gruesome and Movie Adrian becomes more and more unhinged. Especially in the moments when he lets his guard down. It's at these moments that we gets a glimpse of how warped his psyche really is.

Yes, this is a hurt soul. But this is also the type of warped mind who takes the stories about Stanley Kubrick and Shelly Duvall and then thinks that's how all directors should treat their cast.

Is there cinematographic merit to it? Yes.

First of all, props to the actors for making it look and sound convincing. Not easy in a genre known for small budgets.

Tofei also does a good job using the what you don't see is more scary than what you do see-trope. Especially in the torture scene with Flori.

He even manages to sneak in a few cinema nods. Some of the moments with Flori were reminiscent of the scene with Robert De Niro and Illeana Douglas in the Cape Fear remake. And it seemed like Tofei was sometimes purposely licking his lips in an attempt to channel Ledger in The Dark Knight.

A must see for every horror fan. Just don't expect anything cosy.

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His Name Was Jason: A Friday the 13th Fan Film 2021 ★★½

This fan film was dedicated to the memory of Steve Dash. I guess that explains why they decided to go with the Burlap Sack-look from part 2 for Jason.

The story, however, seems to be set in the universe of part 3, since that's where most of the callbacks are going: the barn from Higgins Haven, a character that looks like eyeball guy, the crime scene markers of Chucks kill, echoes from the 3D score (without the disco theme though),... Also, the waittress in the dinner kind of looked like an older version of Maddie from The New Blood. Need a little touch up work, my ass.

We follow three guys in a decaying town where all the good jobs are going away. So you get three over the hill with no prospects. Not sure if the movie wants to be social/political, but hearing these three talk, I could not help but see a picture of the type of small town folk that are likely to be convinced/suckered in (delete as appropriate) by someone like Donald Trump. Which kind of makes sense in my opinion.

They head into Camp Crystal Lake and stumble across Jason. Which brings me to my first point of criticism. I understand that other fan films have set a high bar, but this Jason just is not scary. Together with the images of him holding his head in anguish. Or the struggle with Mick. When you grew up watching Jason steamroll the competition, that just feels off.

The general idea is okay, but the dialogues are a bit too much of the same. Cutting a few minutes does not harm this film. Also, after the climax, we get a long final scene with no real pay off. The main good thing about it is that it promises a sequel with a higher death toll.

That said, the kills are okay and get more gruesome as the story progresses. I especially like the barb wire kill and the moment with the gun to Jason's head. You know what will happen, but it's still enjoyable. I also liked the use of the score, giving a nice vibe.

Decent overall. Not perfect, but not terrible either.

Hostel: Part III 2011 ★★★

So the opening sets you up with an innocent looking American boy and a hot, Ukranian couple. So predictable, right? And then... swerve! For full disclosure, there is also a swerve at the very end, but you can that one coming a mile away. The delivery is much better on the first one.

In this one, the action moves to Vegas with a bachelor party.
Bride to be: Should I worry?
Groom: No, of course not.
Womp womp.

In their race for adventure and their hunger for sex and infidelity, they of course end up with a US branch of the elite torture club. In spite of the main character heeding the words of Chris Rock: Can't wait for GI... I'm sorry, I meant No sex in the champagne room.

This time, they have set up shop somewhere near Fremont. Even for experienced movie viewers, doing that on the strip would require too much suspension of disbelief. The actual torture scenes are as gruesome as you would expect. Especially the first one stands out with the audience betting on what the torturer will do next.

The acting is no great shakes, though Chris Coy delivers a solid villain/main henchman. Lord boss crime is a lot more forgettable this time around.

Oh, and... *Sean William Scott-voice* Carter, you dick!

Red Eye 2017 ★

A pretty forgettable slasher with no link to the Wes Craven helmed namesake.

The Headless-tee was pretty sweet, though.

The Final Destination 2009 ★★½

Final Destination, the franchise that's like a trusty knife. Always ready to deliver when you are in the mood for some gore.

In this fourth installment, we follow Nick and his friends Lori and Janet. And there's a guy called Hunt, though, throughout the movie, I get the impression that they spelled the c wrong.

They are attending a Nascar-race where they come across a mechanic, a cowboy and a racist called Carter. Thus keeping in tune with the Carter, you dick!-theme. Also... a racist at a Nascar-race? Who woulda thunk it?

Of course, Nick gets a premonition and they escape impending doom. After that, they go through the same song and dance as in the previous installments: the elaborate kills, figuring out the scheme, trying to “cheat death”,... yadda yadda yadda. No Tony Todd this time. Sadly.

The kills are good, though. Spectacular, bloody, gory with the characteristic build-up. And that's what I came here for.

Triangle of Sadness 2022 ★★★

Funny thing: even when you watch a comedy in an arthouse-ish theatre with a supposedly edumacated crowd, it's still the shit- and the barf-jokes that get the biggest laughs.

It's certainly relevant for these times as it pokes fun at current themes like influencers (though a movie like The Joneses in my opinion perhaps did it better) and income inequality. And granted, it got a few laughs from me as well. So it's definetily worth seeing. Is it the masterpiece the blurb promises? Not... really. The back and forths between Woody Harrelson and the Russian are kind of funny, but other than that, it does not get much further than a lot of “boy, rich people sure are weird”-jokes. And models and influencers are shallow and self centered. What else is new?

The story was well told and the running time rolled by swiftly. A sign of a well told story. Woody Harrelson is good as the reluctant captain. Zlatko Buric reprises a more tongue in cheek version of his character in 2012. The other characters are well placed, though none of them really stood out all that much.

The Ghastlies is a B comedy horror that is meant to be stupid and campy looking but funny, and it is funny and entertaining in that sort of over the top way. It parodies the classic Ghoulies, Critters, Munchies, and Hobgoblins films from the 1980s. It begins with a silly satanic ritual gone wrong due to an unexpected disruption from a flying saucer from outer space with little space aliens who are, of course, the ghastlies. The story continues five years later, with a group of girls spending the weekend together on a camping trip out in that same area, who then have one of their boyfriends and a friend of his suddenly pop up to join them. They then, of course, get unexpected visits from the ghastlies. The plot and storyline are predictable, like they are meant to be, but there is plenty of good humorous drama and dialogue to keep it funny and entertaining, along with keeping interest. The actions and kill scenes are funny and entertaining when remembering it is parodying the other movies mentioned above from the 1980s. It is definitely not great, but fun and worth a look for those into parodies and movies like the ones mentioned above. ::danger::