Sunday, April 8, 2012

Downside

There are downsides I can think of to horror movie watching. When you watch too many and suddenly the movies mix together somewhere down the the line. I watched a movie the other day and kept waiting for these people to be trapped in a farmhouse.

They never went near a farmhouse. Sometimes you confuse name titles or just plain forget. And don't get me started on remakes. Do you realize how many Turn of the Screw versions there are? I think like 8.

I hate to say there is absolutely no originality left in movies. But some movies are just too alike. While I love asian horror movies, my mother is beginning to think all asian ghosts have long hair. And I won't even get started on slashers. The only slasher movie I ever saw that I couldn't figure out the end was Cutting Class and that was because it kept switching suspicious people back and forth.

Various tastes of horror all have a formula. Which is probably where originality ran to. I'm waitng for a revolutionary director to kill the cliches. I mean in real life does your car stop working, cell phone battery die, flash light die, leg break, and I won't even begin on pointless sex scenes taking up a half hour of screen time.

Which bring us to movie sex. In certain aspects, doses, and situations, go ahead. In movies like Bad Biology, sex is a given and doesn't come off as too much because it's too much to start with. And the places they have sex. . . I'm a virgin, but I know I'll never get it on in a cave or abandoned hospital or after someone is killing off most of my friends. At least not in the context they put it in. I won't go into the pointlessly long shower scenes. (Except for where's the naked guys? Not that I care, but guys need to shower too.)

Mythology isn't properly represented in horror movies usually. I mean the Sci Fi Channel (not SyFy) really helps out with that kind of stuff, but mainstream hollywood should have a better grasp on that. I mean if you're just vomitting out remakes and 3-Ding everything, branch out.

Anyway I saw a decent ghost story recently. The Awakening (2011) And I'm liking the demon Azazel. He pops up a lot.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Fear

Horror movies are meant to inspire fear, but now a days it's getting harder to do. I mean some movies don't bring immediate fear. Sometimes (for me) you're walking along and something reminds you of a movie and you realize you're scared.

I remember watching the Exorcist. I heard about how it was so scary and yadda yadda. I wasn't too scared. I found the movie more so vulgar then scary, but I guess it was creepy because when I left the room a sense of unease followed me. It went away after watching the parody, but while it was there, it was there.

The cheapest horrors are more of the jump scares. I mean you know it's coming and sometimes directors play it off as 'not really scary but it shows the characters unease therefore by association' bit. Half the time the jump scare gives surprise (either at the event or the loud music suddenly played) and if it is fear it does follow you (me) it's just gone.

If the storyline isn't that good to begin with, effects make the movie even crappier. (Pardon the language) Don't use frickin' CGI for everything or if you do make it look good. Slasher films have suffered the worst with this. I mean I don't expect you to use a real axe on somebody's head, but make it look more realistic! I mean some 70s/80s movies did cooler jobs. I'm not against CGI but if they use that as there only effect then yeah, it'll suck.

Effects can make a movie or show scary, but don't go overboard. I mean like with Underworld or Supernatural. Underworld was a good movie, but the vampires tend to bare their fangs too much in unnecessary situations. Not too mention when the lycan hybrid guy was transforming, his fingers snapped around way too often. I mean how many joints did he grow or relocate?

Supernatural is still my favorite horror tv show on right now, but it has gone downhill on certain aspects. While before it only scared me on select few episodes, now it doesn't. At all. The plot to what is happening now seems sloppier then before the 5th season. The focuses have turned a bit more to comedy. There aren't a lot of new monsters (I always hope to learn new things) and again they are emphasizing the effects a bit too much.

Horror that can scare people I suppose has to be more relatable. Like, in the movie theatre when I went to see The Grudge, I ended up screaming out loud. Oddly enough my fear was based on the fact that I have long hair and sometimes passing by the mirror or window I think I see someone else. And I have choked on my hair before. And almost killed myself while swimming in a pool. My hair tangled my arms and . . .

Anyway they should stop making high school horror movies. Because no one is relating to thirty year olds pretending to be high schoolers. Why are they using thirty year olds? Because if they used real teenagers, they would go to jail for child pornography. Half the time sex is overrated in a horror movie but, that is for a different rant. Any opinions/arguments welcome.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Anthologies Pt. 2 : Not really anthologies

Most recently I watched a movie called Demonic Dolls. Which is why it is important to relay how some anthologies aren't really anthologies. Some people take movies (full length features) and shorten them and throw them together.

I've scene two or three like this. The issue is sometimes they don't care what they cut and suddenly the short story makes little to no sense.

Another issue is how the way the movie was made, it wasn't meant to be cut down. After the beginning, you go from kill scene to kill scene with no build up and then straight to the end.

While we are on anthologies lets differentiate them from intertwining stories. Anthologies can have a common linking factor in them but they survive on their own.

Intertwining stories are ones that are leading up to the conclusion. I guess it's like Touch. Anyway this is short so I'll right something better soon.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

. . . Random dabblings.

Okay first I read some short stories by Richard Matheson and it was awesome. I mean I was reading them and thought he kinda has a sense of humor. Then I read The Flourishing of the Strumpets and Creeping Terror, and yeah, he'sa funny guy.

Button Button was the basis for The Box. Which I already hate the movie without seeing because of (Spoiler alert) aliens. Movies that end with aliens without certain build ups are copping out. I mean God Told Me To was a good movie, but Knowing? It does this suspense thing and then BAM!! Aliens are resetting the world.

My sister spoiled The Box for me so I know aliens are testing humanity. In Button Button it was obvious not a cut and dry normality to it but the last line in the story made it seem like it was more lonely in a crowd/connected but not tone. I'll get around to watching the movie anyway.

(Spoiler ends) I need to watch Eraserhead eventually, but it isn't my cup of tea. . .

MOVIE RECOMMENDATION: The Watch Honestly some people might not like it but I couldn't figure out the ending 'cause it's not the most conventional turn horror movies tend to take, but yeah. It builds up and the storyline covers the acting and music misuse.

I think music is important to movies but gosh, they mess it up a lot. Why is the music louder than the talking? You turn it up full volume just to hear people talking then you're deaf from a bad jump scare. Another thing. Movies shouldn't keep using jump scares. It removes the tension. I watch a movie (when I was a kid. It gave me nightmares. Rewatching it now, I realize I made it a better movie in my head.) and the scariest scene for me is at the beginning when the woman is travelling room to room to discover the source of dripping water. She never found it, so this unease follows you.

I read a review saying Eraserhead does this so eventually.

People ned to stop making documentry style horror movies. Admit it, you're only doing it cause it's cheaper. Well guess what? You're losing money on the people who run out of the theatre vomiting. Motion sickiness is a B!@&. Don't get me wrong, I love all 3 Paranormal Activity movies, but The Devil Within, Cloverfield, Blair Witch Project which of course started it all, but it gets annoying. I personally can't see why people were scared of the Blair Witch. I'm still trying to figure out the horror of a guy standing in the corner.

There was this one asian horror film, I think called Suicide Dolls, and it was documentry style suicides. The stories themselves are boring because there is no story, just a long period of time to prep for the suicides. I kept skipping through stuff to make sure their was something to it. The deaths are gory and slightly disturbing. And at the very, very end there it a random sex scene.

Which brings me to Let Me In. When the boy was sticking a tree, he just sounded retarded. I mean in the swedish version the kid looked weird doing it but not really stupid or pathetic. Oh and the bullies sound like they're raping the kid if you don't have movie screen to show what's going on. (Learned a co-worker who had the volume on his iphone on high. I thought he was watching some twisted porn. Imagine my surprise...) Anyway, I think it was the casting I disliked. The best part of the story is the vampire folklore being used as it was originally thought of. Can't beat that. I'm procrastinating writing a story so I better do stuff.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A List of Stalker Books

I like reading books on stalkers. I've only read a couple, but it's fun unless they suck or you run out. I'm tired of doing web searches for stalker books and coming up  with Twilight. You know what fan girls? Edward is a stalker or just plain obsessed with Bella. The only reason it isn't creepy is because Bella reciprocates everything. And if you stop making Twilight so OMG IT'S FREAKING AWESOME LETS HAVE VAMPIRE SEX or blah blah whatever no one would complain. I needed that off my chest.
Some (most) of these books I haven't got to reading so I can't say for sure how good they are.

The Stalking of Sheila Quinn - A good stalker book until the ending kills the plot. Seriously how cheesy can you get?

The Guardian - A nicholas Sparks books about a chick having  one night stand and can't get rid of the guy. HR (Haven't Read)

The Mall - A story about an old mall with old passages not seen by people. A psycho lives in there and stalks his latest victim. Pretty good book. The ending surprised me and I got to wondering about everyones age. Just to keep track of pedophilia.

R.L. Stine - He's an author but a ot of his books involved some crazy guy or girl going psycho or being psycho. Like Snowman or The Best Friend

Stalker - Faye Kellerman wrote this book and it's an okay story but it didn't leave a big impression in my mind.

Little Stalker - It sounds cute. Something about a girl across the street from her idol I think. HR.

Jinx - It's Meg Cabot. HR but it sounds like the stalker might just be a sidetrack to the story.

Purity - A novella about a kid worshipping a deity for a chick and ends updating a guy. No not comedy or completely gay.

Trust Me/Stop Me - These might be a bit a stretch because they are more like following books then stalking. Yeah, there's a difference.

The Stranger - Not sure, HR but reviews make the  girl sound creepy.

What We Keep Isn't What Always Stays - A girls date a mentally traumatized guy. It's stalking without focusing on it.

Silent Stalker - HR

The Stalker - Joan Lowery Nixon Someone's murdered and a friend help another friend not go to jail.

I Know What You Did Last Summer - Not like the movie but okay. Not to be a cynic but something was wrong with the ending.

The Twisted Window - Boy Girl Some stalking

Stranger with my Face - Title Self Explanatory and it's a girl

Every other book I'm listing fromnow on definitely HR (Haven't Read)

The Bed I Made - Lucy Whithouse

Diary of a Stalker - Electra Parks

Mailman - B. Little

Deadly Pursuit - Irene Hannnon

Whispers - Koontz

My Nerdy Valentine - Vicki Thompson

The Killer's Wife - Bill Floyd

Catching ... (something I can't read my own writing) Clare Naylor

Darkling Listen Katherine Sutcliffe

George Bush Dark Prince of Love - It's about a stalker , but probably not a horror story.

Mean Spirit - Will Kingdore

With or Without You - Lauren Sanders

Make Believe Love - Lee Gowan

The Fan

And add more in comments if you pass by. Not Twilight.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

WOMAN IN BLACK!

When it came to theatres I went and saw it. I was so excited, I blew all my free change on snacks. (I mean I was her for Halloween) We went to a drive in, for they are notoriously cheaper and double features. Well the Woman in Black was NOT a double feature. Apparently they ran out of movies.

And when I read an article giving a review on it, the movie was described as atmospheric. That's obscure talk for the film is dark as in seeing it in a drive in where some jerk keeps turning on his headlights every five minutes until someone honks and yells is not a good idea.

Besides my complaints it was an all in all good movie. It was a Hammer horror production. It was directed by James Watkins who did Eden Lake. And it was it's own story. These really score big with me.

What I mean by that is it's a remake of a movie made from a book. The first movie stayed close to the book while being on it's own. The new one took certain events and elements and made their own story, which is what I like to see in remakes. Except in the end if I had to compare it to something, I'd think of the Ring. SPOILING STUFF NOW. This movies second half was driven to lay the ghost to rest in an attempt to protect his son as opposed to trying to hurry along his business and leave.  IM DONE NOW.

You don't see the woman as clearly as in the other movie,but that could of just been the headlights again. Speaking of women, their screams seemed to be mechanical, but maybe it's because I don't like kids and don't think I would act like that.

At one point the movie seemed to be just hurried along, but it was a good movie if you can sit and not be distracted during it. Daniel Radcliffe gave a wonderful performance and did a good job being depressed, a brave coward, and a smart enough man. A brave coward because he rejected the supernatural until he couldn't.

There was  this scene in which Radcliffe is given a dog as a companion to help him not be alone, but I wonder half the time where the hell it is. In the book, it followed him everywhere. In the first movie, you knew it was there, but in this movie you only know where it is when you need to know something freaky will happen.

In comparison to the book every villager's personality was a bit opposite. The village was  hostile, confrontational, and more angry then scared. The book had the characters quiet, staying away from the topic, accomadating, and more connected to our protagonist (his woes became theirs). The characterdevelop formula still worked, except maybe when the one guy almost ran down the villagers because no one would act so nonchalant.

The movie itself isn't not scary. It has jump scares and creepy stuff building atmosphere (not just dark because that isn't all atmospere. I'm tired of saying "Oh that movie was dark" and hearing "So you mean it was atmospheric? No.) I find ghost children in general freaky beyond belief.

I can't help but feel all I did was complain ( I have a few more which I won't go into) and haven't done the movie justice. I couldn't enamour myself into the movie with the distractions around me so these things don't pass me by. Next up: A List of Stalker books and stuff that is annoying when trying to find them.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Cute Horror

I think to people who aren't all hardcore horror cutesy kind is what they prefer. I think people have different ideas of cute horror, but to me it's like The Nightmare Before Christmas or Edward Scissorhands. Kid horror movies or just movies with monsters and no horror.

I have nothing against Hello Kitty halloween edition. I'm just thinking about all these things in horror, what about the things not meant to be? I mean supposed to be cute and ends up going wrong? I have a headless doll in my room. I got it broken so the head falls off if I mess with it. And the eyes stare.

I have to wonder about the end of the Howling. That werewolf who changed looked so cute and harmless, you're like why'd yu kill it?! I mean I'd understand if suddenly it became menacing, but no.

While I was surfing FearNet, I stumbled upon articles about home made halloween bento boxes. You know I should make something awesome like that. Those need to be cute because if they aren't you feel disturbed eating them. I would.

. . . The whole reason for this random entry was for this tthing where I watched thirty second movies of popular movies remade with bunnies. It was awesome. That was the only time I made it through clockwork orange.

I guess Cute and Horror best go together with food and outfits. I need a freaking awesome hand bag now.

Anyway monster of the week: Tikbalang. What's cuter than a baby? Before it eats you alive.