I'm Not There

  Game Over. I saw   Alien  a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was pretty boring, not bad just boring.  I had heard how much better this sequel was so I gave it a chance.  Guess what?  This was also kind of boring to me but not as much... not as much.  It did not move as slow as the original and seemed to have more action sequences.  The effects were good and it;s ab overall better film I think so yes, they were right, this is just as good or in this case, better than the original.   The Alien Queen looked pretty cool and scary and people died, that was cool.  the gross little alien babies were there too and they all had Alien acid blood.  Side note, imagine if we had those hyperbolic chambers where you could sleep for 57 years and then just wake up.  How refreshed would you feel after a couple decades of sleep?   We need that.  You know what we don't need?  Newt, that annoying little kid who R...

 I Let You In  When I first saw the trailer for Talk to Me, it didn’t really grab my attention, just another movie about teenagers and possessions, something I don’t find scary at all.  So when I saw that this movie was streaming, I decided to check it out and I’m glad I did.  Sometimes, trailers don’t do a good job of promoting a movie   Trailers also sometimes have elderly people and folks from the South   So when I saw that this movie was streaming, I decided to check it out and I’m glad I did. This movie deals with a cursed relic that when you hold it and say some words you’re able to see spirits or ghosties. Dumb teenagers recorded on Snapchat until they all want to have a turn. What I enjoyed about this movie was that it was not predictable and I really did not know where it was going at times. There were a couple jump scares that got me. I would recommend this movie to any of you kids that are looking for a cute spooky movie this season.  

Here Lies Betelgeuse  Welcome to the 2024 Images of Fright Film Festival 15.  What a time. This year we started a little later than usual but not the latest festival by any means.  Things like work and school and life and stuff seem to be neverending and so here we are.  However, in preperation for the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice next weekend, the first film in the series fo rthis year is the original Beetlejuice .   Little known fact, I had never seen the entire movie until today, I know I'm a little late but I had only seen bits and pieces until tonight.  I enjoyed it and am still trying to figure out how Burton and friends came up with such unique imagery, like how does one think of a sandworm or a lady cut in half waiting on a couch?  Pretty impressive and the story was pretty cute.  I liked all the characters but Lydia deetz did get kind of annoying at times.  She reminded me of the girls who try really hard to remind you tha...

  Hey, Sweden !  The last movie this year was decided upon months ago, so my roommate could watch it for the first time and I am god to report he said he liked it.  Happy Halloween ya’all! 

  Have you met them yet?  Five Nights at Freddy’s was an entertaining movie albeit a little confusing if you’re not familiar with the game. I’m always a fan of new horror movies coming out for Halloween. Ghost kids and their bodies and in posssesions and a custody case. Great puppetry and costumes.  Check it out! 

  Show me how to do it.   I realize that I watched and wrote about Halloween Ends last year but I thought I would give it another chance. One without mid to high expectations, if anything to see if like a child, I was too hard on it out of disappointment.   I still insist that it starts off very good with a lot of potential, and I even forgot the events that were about to unfold. Midway through the movie, I thought that maybe they were going for a Halloween III  Season of the Witch type of thing where it’s not related to the original films, but goes off on its own and for a second, I thought oh, that is brilliant. however, that didn’t last very long and I go back to believing that this is a weakest entry into the newer films, and still does not make sense to me. However, like  Halloween III  Season of the Witch  , had it been its own movie, had it been just a Corey Cunningham movie unrelated to the whole story of Halloween, it may have worked.  T...

 Where’s Jenny?  All right for some reason this movie is what I like horror 80s campy but for some reason they cannot hold my attention. From the very beginning credits, I saw that it said “Troma” and the name Lloyd Kauffman and I thought it was gonna be a horror comedy. To a certain degree, it was however, it was more of a horror film that was just OK. Basically, children are riding a bus through toxic gas and they develop the ability that Rogue from the X-Men has. That is to say, if they touch somebody they die except in this case, their face turns into a papier-mâché bloody mess. That is pretty much it the whole movie is the adults trying to figure out what happened and once I do, I was hoping for some evil children to be killed. It does kind of happen but it’s not as funny as I thought it would be or as cool.  I have noticed that this year, either my attention span has gone down, or the movies are not as entertaining as I had hoped. Maybe it’s both. Maybe I am burnt o...

  Enjoy The Ride  Totally Killer is a fun time travel movie that’s also a little bit of a horror movie and a comedy.  Essentially, a girl travels back in time to the 80’s to prevent the murder of her mom. While watching it, I was kind of picking it apart and noticing its weaknesses, suchhow coincidentally her best friend is a genius and also how the killer is easily predictable. However, the comedy in the 80s aesthetic made me put off those thoughts. After a while, I gave up and enjoyed the movie and overall it was a fun experience plus, it has Randall Park. I love new horror, movies, and I am glad that I was able to add this one to this year’s festival.

  Nobody Will Save You is is a movie that answers the question, “Hey, what if there was a extended scene with those creepy aliens from Signs ?” It’s also kind of part Invasion of the Body Snatchers. O verall, it’s well done, well paced, well acted film.  There’s hardly any dialogue in the entire movie so anyone can watch it even your grandfather. It was an enjoyable movie with a confusing third act that may not be enjoyed by everyone but can be discussed. Good luck getting those aliens out of your mind especially the way they walk. Gross. 

  New York is filled with creatures.    I heard that Jacob’s Ladder was a horror movie so that was a lie.  It has horror aspects at times but overall it’s a dramatic thriller/mystery.  Cool movie though. That’s it plus Macaulay Culkin.  

  I can give myself a tetanus shot, Janet.  Fun fact I had originally watched Bad Moon   in 2018 and you can find the review here .  What I took away from this movie this time around was that Thor, the dog is the main character. I guess there is a novel in which this film is based on. A nyway, this film was very late 90s drama in terms of quiet scenes and instrumental almost elevator music.  I’m curious to know what I wrote about this the first time so I’m going to go ahead and read it and then report back. Ok I’m back and that first posting is better and more in depth than this one and everything I said then checks out.   Overall, it was a decent movie. It had a great looking werewolf. The transformations were decent, the acting was well done and of course, there is a cool dog. The one thing that did bug  me this time that I missed in my first post was Dennis the Menace a.k.a.  Mason Gamble’s hairline. How do you have a triangle hypotenuse c...

You    I’m sore, I need a break.   First thing’s  first I’m the realest. No, I mean I always get this film co fused with When A Stranger Calls and in my everyday life I find myself asking no one “ Did you check the children?”  Anyway, this was a clever way to remake the original, a copycat killer set in present day with good scares at least on my TV.  The ending is a bit of a letdown.  How does somebody get back up after being shot in t he head? Also, they pulled a Scream  finale.  In other words, I was all in until dat ending.  Anyway, I enjoyed the original and again, this was a cute way to do. A sequel, by acknowledging the first film except that there’s a sissy killer named Corey just like in Halloween Ends.  

  I am Jesus Gris Cronos  is a horror film my good friend Guillermo del Toro made back in 1992 where the protagonist finds a magic beetle looking artifact that pierces his flesh and gives him youth and vigor, also he ha stop drink blood to keep it going.  When I saw this golden beetle attaching itself to its host and giving him powers, I automatically thought of Blue Beetle.   Treble beetle or scare attaches itself to its host and also gives him powers but it is less bloody.  There is also a scene in Blue Beetle  where the grandmother is channel surfing and she passes through  Cronos .  I didn't understand the reference when I watched it three weeks ago but now it makes sense.   Cronos  is entertaining in the first half until the main character had his predictable fall from grace...literally lolz.  There was great acting all around and editing was well done.  The scenes where the beetle pierces the skin with its metal...

  You can thank your mother for fixing you a plate. Third time's the charm this year, finally I got a fun, popcorn movie to watch.  Even though it was along time coming and I had never seen this film, I didn't have to worry about plot or realities.  Maybe the fact that it took plce in1986 helped.  All I know is that Billy Zane had allergies and died to help the family only to then become a jerk in Titanic.  The  critters themselves are both cute and dangerous.  Look, if I saw one rolling towards me, I would kick it like a 5th grade soccer ball.  No questions asked.  I guess the family in the film did a good job but they just lost a lot, blood, property, mental peace. I am very glad that this picture made up for th last two screenings we had because.... damn.  I would watch this again in a theater full of people.  Also, the dad looks like Eric Roberts and old Morrisey had a baby.

  Shut up Baby  Two Evil Eyes   is the second entrant into this year’s festival.  I first saw a picture of this movie on a cone head friend’s story and did not recognize the film.  When I asked about it, it turns out it was a directorial duet between Dario Argento and George Romero. I was shocked, SHOCKED that I had not heard of this movie with these fine directors.  I excitedly decided to include it in this year’s festival and to my surprise, it was the second strike in the IFFF.  I did not enjoy this movie despite the directors and Harvey Keitel.  The first section,  The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar reminded me too much of Romero’s other mini- story on the film  Creepshow  with Ted Danson, titled  Something to Tide You Over  , a man is murdered and comes back to life as a bluish zombie creature seeking revenge.  Also, Adrienne Barbeaou starred in this story, much like how she starred in another story in...

  My guts are out Coop!   I’ve been wanting to watch Dog Soldiers for years but I’ve never been able to rent it or see it streaming.  What mane me want to initially watch it was the design of the werewolves and  hearing it was one of the better werewolf films.   After watching this fine film I can agree that the designs are cool although like in Jaws, we don't see them much up close.  As far as the story, if I’m being honest, I lost track of what was going on, there were several expository talking scenes and I tried my best to keep up but as outlined in the previous post, it’s been a challenge. I did notice however, that the pacing is good and Alfred from Gotham plays a major role. And that made me happy.  I don’t recall why there are werewolves in the first place but they look cool and there is blood.  Overall, I would recommend this movie to someone who can pay attention to the many talking scenes.   Welcome to the Halloween season and I...

  This year’s Images of Fright Film Festival has gotten a late start judging by last year’s standards. Interestingly, I’ve been watching several horror movies within the last couple of weeks.  None of them, however, cool enough to write about, several overhyped and underwhelming pieces until tonight when I found the first entry of this year’s festival, a movie which I always wanted to watch and should have watched a long time ago.  Here’s the rub, as they say, it is currently playing on my screen now as I write this and while I am paying attention, something feels off. Not with the film itself but in general.  I steel like I’ve had spiders crawl on me on three separate times today but when I look, I either slapped it away or there was nothing there.  I killed a spider last night and another one about an hour ago so maybe it’s only my brain or their cousins coming to seek revenge.  Also, yesterday I had a beetle fly into a car and land on the steering wheel ...

  Save your breath for screaming. 2022 has been the year for remakes, reboots and revisits of spooky properties.  We started this year's festival with a revisit/prequel and are ending with a reboot.  Looking back, most of the films were decent and there were a couple that could have been way better.  In this case,  Hellraiser  falls into the decent category making for an enjoyable watching experience. I know that I have seen the original  Hellraiser  before but at the same time, I do not remember it very clearly.  I remember it being slow and boring with some cute cenobites thrown in.  I don't even remember the puzzle box which plays a big role in this film.   In other words, when it comes to comparing this to the original, there is not much there in my brain to recall.  Maybe that is a good thing because I saw this film with semi fresh eyes.  I knew the Pinhead character as well as the cool looking cenobites a...

"Are you the psycho or the freakshow?" Halloween Ends , the last installment of the  Halloween  reboot, premiered a couple of days ago and it got mostly, negative reviews from the core audience.  I watched it and decided to give it a couple days to gather my thoughts and in the end, I decided that this movie while not terrible, is an odd way to end the franchise. Jamie Lee Curtis has said this would be the last time she would be playing Laurie Strode in a  Halloween  movie and the first two films set up a great rivalry that was to end the lives of one or a couple of the protagonists.   In the end, that did happen but the way the film got there seemed messy and forced.  The issue I and other nerds have with this film is that it is telling two separate stories, one of which has nothing to do with the previous films.  Not only that, but it seems the Michael Myers story, the story everyone has been excited to see, is sandwiched between the...

  (Horn honks) Holyyyyyyyy crap.  When Damien Leone said he knew this movie had to outdo the original in terms of violence and gore he was not kidding.  From the very beginning, Terrifier 2  is a bloody splatter-fest that has you glued to your seat.  This is the most bloody and gory film I have ever seen in my entire life.  At 2 hours and 18 minutes, you are in for a ride friend! This movie expands on the original and introduces several new characters that are potentially going to be in future installments seeing as how this movie did so well at the box office.  The main characters are high school kids who unfortunately, have a run in with Art the Clown and most of them do not make it until the end of the movie.  I bring that up to say that the kills in this movie are phenomenal and so well done that they should get prizes.  Having said that, the movie at times does feel like it is too gory and violent and brings to mind this scene: Another t...