Saturday, October 15, 2016

Weekend Open Thread

We're almost halfway done with #ScaryMovieMonth! Anyone else already feeling depressed?

Well, this was certainly a week. Thankfully there were many, many horror movies to get us through the rough parts. Let's talk about what we've been watching and anything else you all see fit to discuss! And thanks for watching so many movies and writing so many reviews! And for being the best!

39 comments:

  1. Will the masses get Blacu-doug? That is the question on the hearts and minds of us F!ers

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  2. I regret that I'm going to miss out on a lot of SMM but I've been having a lot of fun trying to contribute as much as possible before I leave. I've got some stuff ready on a tablet though for a couple 15 hour flights.

    Watched The Accountant and most of Kevin Hart's new stand-up. The former has a supporting cast I really like, in a mediocre movie. The latter most people will know by now if they'll like it or not.

    Still need to watch the first couple episodes of the new season of Ash vs. Evil Dead.

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    1. You've been killing it. Life happens but sounds like you may fit in more during your flights than most folks do all October (non fthismovie peeps). I'm curious if you have some flight horror lined up? At least tell me you'll fit in Nightmare at 20,00 Feet!

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  3. "We're almost halfway done with #ScaryMovieMonth! Anyone else already feeling depressed?"

    This is definitely the state of mind I'm grappling with. I was able to set aside a huge chunk of time this weekend for pounding through scary movies, and after each one I watch, instead of thinking "What a great time I'm having!", I'm thinking "Fuck! Now I only have time for six more!" I guess that's just insanity sinking in it's claws. *shrug*

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  4. It's been a great month so far. I tackled the entire Texas Chainsaw Series for the first time, and it was all worth it for those first two. I know I didn't have to watch the rest, but I'm a completist. A lot of first time viewings for me, American Werewolf in London was another and it was not at all like I thought it would be. Should have known since John Landis directed it that the tone would be much different than most horror of the time. I'm now going through the Friday the 13th series, another one that I used to pick and choose my way through, often catching the marathons that would run on AMC. Now I'm seeing them in their true nudity filled, outlandish form. It's been a mixed bag, but all franchises are. It's going to be a great second half of the month after these Jason movies. I've got first time viewings of 'The Funhouse' and Romero's Dead Series next! I know it must sound like blasphemy on this site to be hearing from someone who hasn't seen these movies, but for some reason I just haven't. I'm glad I can view these movies now, being a little older (and somewhat wiser?), I appreciate them a lot more for what they are. Currently watching Friday 7...it's living up to its' reputation, lol.

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    1. "I know it must sound like blasphemy on this site to be hearing from someone who hasn't seen these movies, but for some reason I just haven't."

      I think that the real purpose of this sight may be more to encourage people to finally sit down and watch things they know they should have seen than it is just a place for people to come and circlejerk over things they already have; that's kind of a dickish way of saying that it's a place for people to discover movies above all else. In any case, nobody around here is going to reprimand you for just getting to a classic horror movie now... they're going to be excited that now you've finally seen it!

      I hate the first two Michael Bay TCM movies, but love every other installment. Matthew McConaughey's entry is especially underrated, and Alexandra Daddario's has a its own insidious charm (i.e. Alexandra Daddario.) Don't one and done the franchise! Live with them a bit!

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    2. Thank you for saying that! I love that you characterized this site as a place to discover movies. This will help me deal with the crippling depression of SMM being halfway done.

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    3. Dammit, Patrick! I didn't realize it until you said it. I think we can all agree that October should be at least 45 days long.

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    4. I hope you didn't take my quote out of context, I wasn't trying to say that I felt like anyone on the site was looking down on others for not seeing certain movies. I just meant that I am bowing to many on the site and their horror movie prowess. There was a time when I was younger when I loved horror movies over any and all other movies. Then I saw Goodfellas for the first time around the age of 14 or so, and I kind of went down this path of having to watch every critically acclaimed movie ever made. I know that's not the best way to describe those films, but I guess I started seeking out the classics at that point. It's been a long journey back to horror for me, I really dismissed a lot of stuff from like 2005-2015. I thought horror was dead and that I had seen everything, but I was naive and dismissive. My early love for horror still lives, it only laid dormant for years until I got some good recommendations from this site. I was too afraid to try out some new things, things that weren't universally praised. I wasn't trying to be a dick in any way, I promise, haha.

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  5. After day 15, we're at 1609 total reviews. If the average keeps the same, we're on our way to about 3,500 by month's end.

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  6. My picks this week have been all over the place, from classics like Dead of Night (really enjoyed it) and Cat People (meh) to barely-horror action movies like Predator 2 (hadn't seen it for ages, exactly what I remembered) and Dark Angel aka I Come in Peace (a really fun scifi actioner) and a so-bad-it's-fun Italian zombie movie Burial Ground. Wyrmwood might be this week's highlight for me (besides getting a mention on the podcast, obviously).

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    1. Yeah I watched Cat People too for the first time and wasn't super impressed. It was fine. Appreciated the weirdness though. I can understand how it was a big deal at the time.

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    2. Cat People gets better with repeat viewings

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  7. I've been watching a lot of Giallo lately. if I could travel back in time, I'd open a shop selling black leather gloves in seventies Italy. I'd make a killing!

    Still hoping to find Pieces here in Ecuador, so I can see it with the commentary. had a blast with the halloween 3 commentary last year.

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  8. Anyone else freaking out about Shin Godzilla? It is the Godzilla movie I've been waiting for all these years. It's my current pick for best of 2016. I can finally exorcise the repellent Godzilla 2014 from my mind #FordBrody

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    1. I've never really made an attempt to get into Godzilla movies (I absolutely will at some point), but I did watch this and found it to be pretty fun.

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  9. Just wanted to share something cool I got to do this week. At a Halloween themed coffee house on my campus I performed 'A New Beginning' by Wolfie's Just Fine. If you haven't heard the song, you should look it up as its about Friday the 13th part 5. A really fun song, and it really hit with the crowd. What a great month October is!

    Also, as a huge Hammer fan I finally watched Curse of the Werewolf. I know it's not super well loved around here but it sure is with me! I actually didn't find it slow, and the werewolf stuff (though it comes late) really works and is actually bloody and scary. Loved it!

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    1. cool song, nice clip. got me in the mood to watch part V again.

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  10. I just watched Zombi 2 this week and really enjoyed it. The gore effects were so impressive and the actual depiction of zombies was just inhuman enough to make them a terrifying force, and there are so many memorable scenes. I thought it was really interesting going back and reading Patrick's review which was before 'the big Italian horror turnaround.' I wonder whether he's turned around on this particular one.

    Also, I said I was going to Los Angeles a while ago and I just got back. I managed to see the El Capitan and Egyptian theatres and have a little look around them but didn't actually get to see a movie. They are something else though, nothing like that in Australia, as with the Grand Chinese. I did get to do the whole 'horror crawl' and see all those horror stores in Burbank. They were all amazing, sooo much cool stuff. Two other things I got to do was the Halloween Horror Nights at Universal which was insane, we stayed til 2 in the morning and got it all done. My favorite was probably the Texas Chainsaw Massacre one, which was kind of a theme for the time I was there cos I also got to see it in 35 mm at the New Beverly, in a double feature with Torso. Again, I've just never been in an environment like that before while watching a movie and as far as I know those are the first 35 mm prints I've ever seen so it was pretty special. God Americans do Halloween hard, it's so cool.

    The site has been so active throughout October, it's been great!

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  11. Xtro shout out!

    I check every list everyday to see who the Cool kids are that are watching Midget clowns and Bond girls

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    1. I would, but the online store I ordered it from ran out and now I'm waiting, hoping the DVD will arrive before the month is over.

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  12. As E.S.A.D.D. so articulately put this, this is a place to discover movies, and I have been discovering stuff all week. I finally saw Dawn of the Dead, which now I am a little annoyed that it took this long to watch cause I loved it (had a weird zombie phobia). Also Bucket of Blood was just a ton of fun, Corman is quickly becoming one of my favourite directors. So thank you F This Movie. And sorry about all the deletes I'll be more careful in the next couple of weeks.

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    1. '..I am a little annoyed that it took this long to watch..'

      That's pretty much what I was trying to say in my post above. I'm more frustrated with myself for being dismissive, especially after being a fan of the podcast and site for 4 years now. In a way though, it's good to be viewing these films with the perspective that I have now. It's been a great month so far thanks to F This Movie! I also apologize for my terrible lack of error proofing my reviews, I know I've screwed up like 3 or 4 times now.

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    2. I think I was copying your sentiment more than anything else. Though you are right, I am watching these movies completely with a different perspective, and loving them. I cannot believe how much my taste has changed even in the last five years. I think I am finally an adult now, took a while.

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    3. Couldn't agree more, I am also finally feeling like an adult, only took 27 years...it seems anything I re-watch now is through a different lens. Some of my love for the Nightmare Series has waned, I used to defend 'The Dream Child' and others, but after watching it a couple weeks ago for the first time in years, it really isn't what I thought it was. I hope 'The Funhouse' is better than I remember it being about 12 years ago now. I watched it on AMC and didn't get it, but I'm hoping it was just the fact that it was on cable and my underdeveloped movie taste at that point.

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  13. The (para)phrase"It's not about not having a life, it's about not sleeping" has never been truer than this month. Getting up early to sneak in a movie before real life sets in. Laying awake in bed contemplating the next day's viewing. Reviewing/adapting list. Freaking out about running out of time to watch everything on the list. Adding new stuff. Go with favorites or new to you finds. Oh, what a time to be alive.

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  14. Half over? Fuck that, we have half left! In honor of the good people of this site I'm forcing a bunch of non horror people to a scary movie night at my place. Most of these people haven't even seen The Thing!? They're mainly in the back 9 of their thirties and have no excuse. So I'm going to show them that and Tales of Halloween. I can't wait to watch people checking out The Thing for the first time. Who nows maybe I'll convert some of them and they can just keep going with me late into the night.

    So Far This Month
    Best New to Me: The Prowler, Investigation of Hell House, The Sentinel
    Most disturbing that I'll NEVER watch again: The Sacrament
    Wanted the MOON and got a TURD: The Green Inferno
    Amazingly good rewatches: Halloween 4, The House of the Devil, In the Mouth of Madness

    Anyway, everyone has been just killing it on the 7 word reviews. It's been so much fun reading them, seeing what people are watching and finding new movie's to check out. Stay strong and enjoy the best half everyone. Thanks Fthismovie for making this all possible and providing such great content and podcasts!

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    1. I remember seeing the thing for the first time. It was the first time I had ever swore in front of my dad. Hopefully you get a similar reaction

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  15. As of today I'm at 24 horror films for the month, which might be more than I've watched in the 5 years leading up to this SMM.
    I've watched almost all of them with my next door neighbor who has a similarly screwed up sleeping schedule.
    I am a happy man.

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  16. Beat me, I'm on 20 today, you always feel like you wanted to do more, Lazy Sunday for me so will do a few today, I'm gonna ramp up at the end aswell, releastic hopes of around 40 ish

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  17. Took a break from Scary Movie Month to watch DOOMED! THE UNTOLD STORY OF ROGER CORMAN'S FANTASTIC FOUR. I rented it as consolation for the fact I missed SHIN GODZILLA's final screenings this morning (both showings were sold out at the closest theaters in Cambridge).

    DOOMED! is an efficient;y told, playful, and satisfying account of the doomed Roger Corman produced FF adaptation. What really struck me about the movie is how, in spite of the film's legacy as one of the worst superhero movies ever made, the cast and crew continue to look back on their work with pride. It gives the documentary a genuinely melancholy tone while begging viewers to re-appraise the heavily bootlegged, shoe-string budgeted spandex film. I'll resist dusting off my VHS copy until scary movie month is finally over.

    Nevertheless, I look forward to getting cozy with FANTASTIC FOUR (1994). My 90s childhood dictates a certain amount of warmth toward Roger Corman's New Concorde era and I'm sure FF will fall into the same category I place fun-but-brainless stuff like CARNOSAUR or SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE III.

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    1. Paraphrasing a review about the Corman FF....the people in that production are long time character actors...they're workers...and when you put workers in a Corman film, shit gets done!

      I haven't seen the documentary yet but I've seen the movie. They should feel proud of what they did.

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  18. The only problem with Scary Movie Month is that it coincides with football season....Sundays and Thursday nights can be difficult. :-)

    Meanwhile, tonight is The Simpsons "Tree House of Terror"

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  19. Kathy, that's not a problem. It only enhances this month. Go Bengals!!

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  20. 15 movies so far this month. I think the thing that has kept me from burning out this year is mixing in some regular movies too. Here's some non-scary things I've watched to cleanse my pallet. Quiz Show, All the President's Men, On the Waterfront, and Chinatown. My policy this month has been to watch whatever I want, scary or non, to keep myself in the flow of watching something regularly.

    The 7 word reviews were especially good this week from everyone. Some of you really put the rest of us to shame with your wit.

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  21. I'm a little saddened that I haven't had the time to participate more this month. I've been following things, in the little spaces (ie. on the toilet). Hope to squeeze in several more before the month is finished (or after, who cares)

    Mostly, I'm very proud at taking a day off, and watching all the Hellraiser in one sitting (with a couple cheats the day after and before). But to be honest, there was a full house cleaned, all the laundry folded, dishes done, and a bunch of paperwork done with Hellraiser in the background.

    I started with 3-9, and then watched Hellbound, and finished with the original, which I gave my full attention to. Some on the later series ones had some interesting concepts, with a dash of Pinhead thrown in. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a blur, and I cannot comment of which ones to recommend.

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