41 Horror Films In 31 Days

Below, you'll find the list I've comprised for this year's Halloween viewing, which I'll be starting at the beginning of next month. Last year, I feel that I was deprived of a proper Halloween. Reason being, it just came up to fast, I let time slip by. And I didn't get to watch the films that I usually do, the ones that put me in the mood for Halloween. Aside from watching John Carpenter's "Halloween", which I watch every year on the actual holiday, I can't remember any other flicks that I watched.

I used to run marathons, where I'd almost clear my entire movie collection!

This year, I can't watch as many as I'd like because of life but, I've got a solid list ahead of me that I mapped out. I'm not watching any Freddy's or Jason's, or Chucky's because, I've just gone through all of them in the past three or four months. So, I've sacrificed watching the common classics for the sake of visiting pictures that I haven't seen in a while. Of course, there's still some all-time greats that I had to keep on the list, and wouldn't replace.

On a side note, I'll openly admit that if possible, I'll exceed this list. I'd like to watch "Maniac Cop" for the fifth or sixth time. I'll also try and squeeze the "Evil Dead" remake in, and if possible, any or all of the original trilogy.

If you're a genre buff, you'll know most of the films, if not all of them on my list. If you aren't familiar with any, and would like to be, all of the motion pictures listed are linked to their IMDb page.

1. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
2. The Howling (1981)
3. Ginger Snaps (2000)
4. Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004)
5. Bad Moon (1996)
6. Wrong Turn (2003)
7. The Strangers (2008)
8. The Funhouse (1981)
9. 2001 Maniacs (2005)
10. House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
11. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
12. Dead and Breakfast (2004)
13. Re-Animator (1985)
14. Day of the Dead (1985)
15. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
16. Resident Evil (2002)
17. Paranormal Activity (2007)
18. The Innkeepers (2011)
19. The Sentinel (1977)
20. The Orphanage (2007)
21. House on Haunted Hill (1959)
22. 976-Evil (1988)
23. The Exorcist (1973)
24. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
25. Fright Night (1985)
26. The Lost Boys (1987)
27. The Prowler (1981)
28. Prom Night (1980)
29. April Fool's Day (1986)
30. Happy Birthday to Me (1981)
31. Intruder (1989)
32. Carrie (1976)
33. Silver Bullet (1985)
34. Pet Sematary (1989)
35. Pet Sematary II (1992)
36. Hocus Pocus (1993)
37. Trick 'r Treat (2007)
38. Trick or Treat (1986)
39. Night of the Demons (1988)
40. Halloween (1978)
41. Halloween II (1981)

Top 5 Horror Movie Remakes

The picture above was something that I saw on Facebook the other day, and posted it on my Grimm Reviewz page. It got me thinking, and I thought that it'd make a good post. Especially since I'm not a remake hater like so many others are. I'm don't necessarily approve of them but, I'm not one to hate them before giving them a chance. And regardless of what others believe, there actually are some good ones out there. 

There's actually more than five that I can list but, five is a good number to stick with. The ones listed are ones that I not only thoroughly enjoy but, I consider to be better than their predecessors. I know remakes are controversial because loyal fans of the original films feel passionate about them, and don't want them remade. However, truth of the matter is, remakes can be really good. Below are my five choices, the ones that I consider the best, above and beyond. 

1) The Thing (1982)

2) The Fly (1986)

3) The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

4) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

5) Dawn of the Dead (2004)

THE WORLD'S END caps off a perfect trilogy

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 109 MINS
WRITER(S)- SIMON PEGG AND EDGAR WRIGHT
STARRING- SIMON PEGG, NICK FROST, AND MARTIN FREEMAN
DIRECTOR- EDGAR WRIGHT



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Five friends reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.

Years back when I became a fan of 2004's "Shaun of the Dead", I became obsessed. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine has a memory of me watching it seven times in one week. Afterwards, I discovered the British sitcom, "Spaced", which also stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. I became an instant fan. Then, "Hot Fuzz" hit in 2007, and again, I was a fan. What I'm getting at is, seeing the conclusion of the Wright, Pegg and Frost trilogy was a must for me.

The first thing that struck me when watching, was that I forgot that it was about robots taking over the world. Seriously, no exaggeration, the characters and their bonds seem so real that I got caught up in their personal stories. And, with the character development going on, the big picture slipped my mind! When the first robot encounter happens, it actually jolted me, because I forgot all about that aspect of the film. Just goes to show ya that all you gotta do is sit these guys down at a pub and let them talk to make a good movie. 

It's laugh out loud funny, even though there's tragic and depressing moments. There's always an upbeat to it, giving off a positive and heartfelt vibe, even through the gloomy times. I can recall several times that this movie had me cracking up. And a lot of that not only came from great dialog but also, the action scenes...

Nick Frost owns the screen in the showdown scenes. His character, Andy Knightley, is such a calm and collected character. So, it's a total rush of excitement and humor when he snaps and starts kicking major ass. He and Simon Pegg make an unstoppable team yet again! The action and effects are done in a very comedic way, and it's very original. The whole film is really just genius humor!

The supporting cast was spot on as well. The thing that I enjoy and commend this movie on the most is, the fact that all of the characters are funny and have their moment, not just the leading men.

As the film concludes, it ties up very nicely and leaves you with a smile on your face. Well, it left me with a smile on my face, anyway. It really does end on the right note. This isn't some "Rocky V", where they need to do another film to wash this one out. No, they hit the nail on the head with a proper finale. It doesn't live up to "Shaun of the Dead" but, I like it more than "Hot Fuzz". 

As the final installment in their trilogy, there's a lot of underlying messages. Most of which, are about growing up and moving on. This is particularly sad because, I found it to not only be about the characters in the film but, also about Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright in their personal lives. Moving on from the past and letting go. It's dismal to see them go but, they go out in a blaze of glory with this great end to their series. 

Nothing stays the same, no matter how hard you try. And nothing lasts forever. But, friendship is worth living for. That's the message this motion picture leaves us with. "The World's End" is a celebration of life.

I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE 2 holds nothing back

RATED- UNRATED
RUN TIME- 105 MINS
WRITER(S)- NEIL ELMAN AND THOMAS FENTON
STARRING- JEMMA DALLENDER, JOE ABSOLOM, AND YAVOR BAHAROV
DIRECTOR- STEVEN R. MONROE



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Katie is trying to make it in the cutthroat world of modeling. When she innocently accepts an offer to have new photos taken for her portfolio, the experience quickly turns into an unthinkable nightmare of rape, torture, and kidnapping. When a twist of fate finally frees her from her captors- beaten, battered, bruised, and broken, she will have to tap into the darkest places of the human psyche to not only survive her ordeal, but to ultimately find the strength to exact her brutal revenge.

  

Being a big fan of the 2010 remake, I was definitely excited about this sequel, especially since it's by the same director. However, I also remained a bit skeptical. There's concerns that rose to my mind, like little red lights flashing. Sadly, I must say that I was right in being apprehensive about this one. The alarm going off in my conscience, those flashing red lights ended up being dead on the money, and I'll tell you why.

I've said this before, and I'll repeat it again for the sake of this films topic. There is no such thing as a good rape scene. I understand that sometimes in order to make a revenge flick, or a drama even, rape needs to be depicted. However, there is tactful ways of doing it. The film that I praise for having a tactful rape scene is Alex Aja's 2006 "The Hills Have Eyes" remake. It didn't show you much but, you were fully aware of what was going on.

The 2010 remake of "I Spit On Your Grave" also surprised me in the sense that although it was extreme, it wasn't overdone. The amount of maltreatment was done quite well. There wasn't too much thrusting or humping shown. It was more implied that she was molested by the gang of guys due to her passing out. I think that's the greatest thing about the retelling of the 1978 motion picture. The brutality was shown on such a tense level, that it wasn't necessary to exploit every little thing. It was immensely intense as well. And, the payoff was as much deserved as it was worth the wait.

This sequel does the exact opposite of what I praise the remake for. Before I go further, let me go on record as saying that I did like this movie. I just found it to be less tasteful than the prior installment, and not as thrilling. Unfortunately, the thing that I think lessened this one compared to the other, is the revenge. And that's a big problem.

This film centers around Katie (Jemma Dallender) and the gang of foreign creeps she encounters, from Bulgaria. When she refuses to go nude for the photo shoot, she soon realizes that she got mixed up with the wrong people. Things go from bad to worse, and then a little more worse. And right when you think the film has gone a bit too far, it goes a bit further. This to me, is like a half-sister to the remake. It's got similar traits, and is definitely part of the same family but, it's not as complete and whole.

After being beaten and raped repeatedly by multiple men, and being deceived by someone Katie thought she could trust, as well as the police, the payback just isn't what it needed to be for such a violent and gritty piece of cinema. The rape and torture goes a bit too far, to the point where it's almost un-watchable. They show a lot more than they should, unlike the remake. It's really not a necessity to show all that is shown, it's a bit much, and crosses a few lines, especially for a lackluster conclusion. Katie is beaten horribly, raped multiple times by different men, shocked, and pissed on. Oh, and buried alive! 

The revenge scenes were nasty and twisted, and deserving. They're not anything but shock factor though. It seems so fabricated and commercial, it doesn't feel as real or dreadful like it should. The final death is really hard to watch for men, at least I found it painful to view. Brings a new image to mind when hearing the term balls in a vice.

And, there's one other big thing that I did not like, and that is that they made Katie too much of a female icon almost, for lack of a better word. Once she decides to go over to the dark side, and get vengeance  for herself, she gets this black leather jacket, and she wears it through the remainder of the movie. I don't like that she has a cool, dark image about her. She should have a dirty tank top with sweat stains and grease and soot on it. She just doesn't look the part, and the wardrobe throws me off. It just lost the genuine revenge feel that the other film had, and you can see that this one has the brain of the remake but, not the heart or soul.

There's a scene where she exacts revenge on a big bull of a man. She knocks him out, and drags him through the train station tunnels where she's living, picks him up and puts him on a bed, all while wearing her little black jacket and without breaking a sweat. I'm not one for nitpicking, but damn. As I said above, this was just far too fabricated and insincere. 

Do I hate this film? No. Do I love it? No. Do I like it? Yes. 

I just can't fully back it because it's hard to watch something so gut-wrenching and have the pigs responsible for these despicable acts get punished in a watered down way. This film had no problem screwing with male genitalia but, what it needed to grow a bigger set of nuts for the sickness depicted and turn it up a notch. You can't have the antagonists do worse than the protagonist or the point is missed, and that's the case with this sequel.

Would I watch it again? Yeah. Would I buy it? Yeah. Will I watch it often? No. 

The remake is already hard enough to watch, and I like it a lot more than this one. "I Spit on your Grave 2" is Jack Ketchum's "The Girl Next Door", meets Eli Roth's "Hostel". I'm more disappointed than anything with this one. I wish they'd gone more original than predictable. Oh well. 

On a final note, the acting is good. But like the gore and torture aspect of this movie, it takes you out of the experience because it seems so expected and refurbished.