Horror Movies Thread

[Rideguy70]

I saw Talk to Me and one of the things I liked about it is how a few key points seem to be left intentionally ambiguous, so that the movie is open to some interpretation afterwards.

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Are Book of Shadows: Blair Witch II and Rob Zombie’s Halloween II really as bad as people make it out to be? Both are sequels considered not on par with the first entries (and even Halloween 2007 is contentious) and I can recall responses near the time the latter was released declaring it a piece of junk on par with some of the weakest Halloween entries.

Keep in mind I never saw any of these so just want to know I case I decide to skip on these.

 

[belloq87]

Are Book of Shadows: Blair Witch II and Rob Zombie’s Halloween II really as bad as people make it out to be? Both are sequels considered not on par with the first entries (and even Halloween 2007 is contentious) and I can recall responses near the time the latter was released declaring it a piece of junk on par with some of the weakest Halloween entries.

Keep in mind I never saw any of these so just want to know I case I decide to skip on these.

I am not a fan of either, though I do give BOOK OF SHADOWS at least some credit for not doing the expected thing for a BLAIR WITCH sequel. It's trying to be very different (I argue unsuccessfully, but still).

 

[Jake S]

I am not a fan of either, though I do give BOOK OF SHADOWS at least some credit for not doing the expected thing for a BLAIR WITCH sequel. It's trying to be very different (I argue unsuccessfully, but still).

I agree with this. Book of Shadows is, conceptually, really interesting. but through a combination of so-so execution and meddlesome post production it never lives up to that potential.

while far from perfect, the "requel" that came out in 2016 is more successful as a follow-up, albeit much less ambitious.

 

[belloq87]

Yeah, by all accounts, BOOK OF SHADOWS was hacked apart/re-shot by the studio against the director's wishes.

The 2016 movie has some good moments, but I think it tries to apply "rules" to a situation that didn't need them. And it ultimately makes explicit things that THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT kept ambiguous; one of the best things about that original movie (and one of the reasons I think it holds up extremely well) is that a number of explanations (real-world and supernatural) are equally plausible.

 

[Jake S]

The 2016 movie has some good moments, but I think it tries to apply "rules" to a situation that didn't need them. And it ultimately makes explicit things that THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT kept ambiguous; one of the best things about that original movie (and one of the reasons I think it holds up extremely well) is that a number of explanations (real-world and supernatural) are equally plausible.

totally agreed. I loved the use of sound/darkness to create a really foreboding atmosphere, but there's more explaining than is necessary.

 

[CoryLevy91]

Talk to Me is a very, very well done film that should go down as one of the year's best genre flicks and should fit really nicely into the ever growing catalog of A24 horror hits. I dug the lore, world, nasty spirits and unrelenting ferocity present throughout much of the run time.

Very funny that after viewing the trailer again before it, there's no doubt in my mind that Talk to Me will be a better film than Exorcist: Believer.

 

[saint.piss]

I saw Talk to Me and one of the things I liked about it is how a few key points seem to be left intentionally ambiguous, so that the movie is open to some interpretation afterwards.

Not to be that person but... it would make an awesome HHN house lmao

 

[CoryLevy91]

Not to be that person but... it would make an awesome HHN house lmao

Ehhhh, I feel like it'd be a pretty bland house. You'd lose the intensity the film offers through its close ups and cinematography through static, further away walk through views. It'd be fine but wouldn't really move the needle and I don't think the format would do the film justice.

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Does Masters of Horror count as either a television or short film anthology?

 

[Jake S]

Does Masters of Horror count as either a television or short film anthology?

I believe it's classified as a television anthology series.

 

[belloq87]

COBWEB, which hit VOD today after getting dumped in theaters last month, is surprisingly good. Go in cold, as the third act goes to some surprising (and pretty fun) places.

 

[belloq87]

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER is really quite good if you're a fan of classic horror. It's not technically an official Universal Classic Monsters movie (Universal distributed, but the movie was a DreamWorks production), but it certainly has that feel.

 

[Jamesh22]

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER is really quite good if you're a fan of classic horror. It's not technically an official Universal Classic Monsters movie (Universal distributed, but the movie was a DreamWorks production), but it certainly has that feel.

I really want to see this, I think the Classic Monster movies mostly work best when set in the past ie The Mummy.

COBWEB, which hit VOD today after getting dumped in theaters last month, is surprisingly good. Go in cold, as the third act goes to some surprising (and pretty fun) places.

Spoiler

I see what you mean!
I enjoyed it but didn't understand the last few minutes after they trapped the sister. I felt like there was a scene missing in between that and the final scare.

 

[rageofthegods]

I really want to see this, I think the Classic Monster movies mostly work best when set in the past ie The Mummy.

Spoiler

I see what you mean!
I enjoyed it but didn't understand the last few minutes after they trapped the sister. I felt like there was a scene missing in between that and the final scare.

Spoiler: Cobweb spoilers

I think it was supposed to be an imagination/scene from the future where it shows they can never know if they're safe or not, the director was just incompetent and didn't make some kind of proper transition.

Cobweb was a really good script directed by someone who takes everything way too literally. Needs a Wan, Raimi, someone with a sense of humor.Also the big surprising corpse reveal being a random party city skull is laaaaame

 

[belloq87]

I thought COBWEB's third act was certainly darkly humorous.

But mileage varies!

 

[CoryLevy91]

The Caller (1987) is a kinda haphazard execution of a very, very wild and out there idea that features a twist I don't think you would ever predict unless you were throwing everything possible at the screen. Stars Malcolm McDowell as a lone traveler who stumbles upon a cabin in the woods with a sole female inhabitant. The two initially start weary but friendly before trying to dig and dissect the other's 'story', leading up to a wild conclusion.

Now THIS is the type of movie Hollywood should be scrambling to remake. Amazing idea, just needs more polish and better execution.

 

[belloq87]

THE CALLER's big reveal is insane.

 

[Rideguy70]

"Point to you"

It is a pretty crazy movie, and pretty dang hard to find. I watched in VHS in the 80s (and still own it as a VHS, in fact!). There is/was a semi-crappy but will do copy of the movie on YouTube

 

[Allison]

I just watched The Caller on Tubi and yeah that was an odd one.