Friday, October 23, 2015

Netflix This Movie! Vol. 152

With one more week of #ScaryMovieMonth to go, we're in the home stretch. Enjoy these!

Adam Riske: Oculus (2014, dir. Mike Flanagan) Oculus is a movie I seem to like a lot more than most people. I'm actually kind of baffled by the indifference or negativity towards it. Anyways, I think it's a really suspenseful and spooky movie with great atmosphere and engaging performances. Not great, but one of those movies that in 20 years will probably be looked on more fondly than it is today.
Adam Thas: Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014, dir. Kiah Roache-Turner) I’m at a point now where I can say I’ve watched enough Australian horror movies that I can develop an opinion, and I think my issue with some of them (including Wyrmwood) is that they try to be both funny and serious, but the timing just feels off. I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing, like if I were Australian I’d totally get it, or if it’s just a problem with the movie. Wyrmwood is a zombie movie that feels a bit more like Zombieland than Night of the Living Dead, as they aren’t trying to make any social commentary, or really even scare you very much, but zombies are used more as a tool to shoot a lot of things. Personally, I’m okay with that (I loved Zombieland), and if you are too, you’ll probably enjoy Wyrmwood. I also think it was the timing, as I had just gotten done watching a few “deep” horror movies and Wyrmwood is a lot more light (in general). There are some scenes where they try and get more serious but they didn’t seem to work as well as the “crazy zombie shooting” scenes. It takes a few twists as far as what we think of a normal zombie movie and has an interesting enough story that it kept me entertained the entire time. If you’re looking for a break from your more serious movies during #ScaryMovieMonth, I think you’ll have a good time with this one. Now watch out for that CGI blood splatter.
Heath Holland: Stage Fright (2014, dir. Jerome Sable) I can't believe we're entering the final full week of Scary Movie Month. These next few days are going to be both incredible and a little sad, because we're running out of time. At any rate, have you guys watched Stage Fright? I unabashedly love this movie, which is part slasher horror, part stage musical -- kinda like Rocky Horror done with glee club kids at a camp where a serial killer is loose. It even has Meatloaf in it! The movie doesn't take itself seriously at all (it's definitely a horror comedy), which is part of the key to getting the most out of it. I have a lot of affection for this weird little movie, and I can't think of a better time to watch it than this final week of scares.
JB: V/H/S (2012, dir. Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg, and the collective known as Radio Silence) This anthology film continues to grow on me ever since we recorded our award-winning podcast on it way back in 2012. The first sequence is definitely the best, which lends the film the odd structural flaw (for an anthology) that nothing that comes after the first fifteen minutes can top them. Still, the film is a lot of fun, and at least all the segments are interesting. It would take the following year’s sequel film V/H/S 2 (except for the sequence titled “Safe Haven,” which belongs in THIS one!) to make the original film look that much better in comparison. V/H/S was made for Scary Movie Month.
Patrick: Soulmate (2013, dir. Axelle Carolyn) I'm not the biggest fan of ghost stories and supernatural horror, but Axelle Carolyn's debut film isn't really interested in being a full-blooded horror movie. It's more of a romantic drama but with supernatural elements and a quiet Gothic beauty. It's enough of a change of pace this Scary Movie Month that it might help break up some of the trash and gore we've all been consuming. It's a lovely film.

11 comments:

  1. I honestly sorta loved Oculus, probably because it actually freaked me out and that was the last thing I expected from it.

    Plus, Karen Gillan. Nope, nothing wrong here.

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    1. I dug Oculus a lot too. It had a Stephen King vibe I really enjoyed, and that apple/light bulb thing still freaked me out even though it was in all the advertising.

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    2. Oculus was a lot of fun. And let's not forget, not only is Amy Pond in this movie, so is Starbuck.

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    3. I was really on board with Oculus until its final minutes. Totally agree on the Stephen King vibe, too, JP.

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    4. PB...what's the better "at home sick" movie: Night of the Demons or Bone Tomahawk?

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    5. Bone Tomahawk is a better movie but can be pretty rough going. Night of the Demons is a lot more fun. You can blow your nose with either.

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    6. I also liked Oculus very much. Good performances, great visuals and fantastic editing. Also suspense and surprises. Very fine film.

      Plus, cute Brenton Thwaites.

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  2. Hope you guys don't mind me putting this here but read today that Shout Factory! is streaming for free Sleepaway Camp, Class of 1984, Day of the Dead, Exterminators of the Year 3000 and Night of the Demons all in their original VHS formats! I think that's pretty cool. Check it out http://thevhsvault.com/

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    1. I saw that too, and it made me very happy.

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    2. Great company! Love that they are doing this. Their promo says it's starts on the 26th but I tried a couple and they worked just fine so it's already begun.

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