Looks like we’ll be getting an unexpected guest this holiday season.
A family of grinches gets together for what’s likely to be their annual (and last) Christmas tradition when all goes dark. During their tumultuous bickering, one of the children tears up his letter to Santa and throws it out the window – presumably the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s (or Krampus’) back.
When the ungrateful family starts to come to their senses, it’s too late and Grandma warns everyone of what’s coming. Krampus is seen on the roof of the house with his sack of baddies and morbid toy contraptions before coming down the chimney to wreak havoc on la maison de dégénérés.
This looks like a holiday treat. From square one everyone but Grandma is an unlikeable character. Envy, bitterness, pettiness and disgust run rampantly in this household. The kids are fighting to the point where one angrily shreds his letter to Santa Claus – and on Christmas (for shame). You can bet that not a creature will be stirring when Krampus rears his ugly head (except Grandma, she seems nice). Krampus’ helpers are going to terrify and provide us with unique deaths that are sure to hark a few herald angels.
At this point the only question that remains is will Santa save the day (or show up at all)? Regardless, Krampus should jingle some bells and raise some hell.
Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, Krampus is coming to town.
In just a few short hours we get what may very well be Daniel Craig’s James Bond swansong.
At first glance, Spectre seems like your average 007 flick. Everyone’s favorite British spy has to save the world from a deranged lunatic (Christoph Waltz), get the girl (Monica Bellucci) and grab a few swigs of the old reliable (shaken, not stirred).
But that would be too easy.
Walt’z character Oberhauser is not just a simple villain, but the head of the evil organization the film’s title bears. Throw in Hinx (former WWE champion and Guardians of the Galaxy’s Drax Dave Bautista), and you’ve got one of the most intimidating henchmen Bond has ever faced. This time around, Bond will not just be on her majesty’s secret service – he’s going to be taking down an entire entity with him.
While it may not be as good as its predecessor Skyfall, Spectre still looks like a contender to be another great Bond film. If this is in fact the final Craig Bond film, let’s hope he goes out with a bang Ian Fleming would approve of.
The galaxy shook Monday night as the third (and presumably final) trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was unveiled.
For starters, we finally have a trailer with plot elements (and how) in contrast to the cryptic nature of the previoustwo.
Han Solo and Princess Leia (reprised by Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher) look weary as the battle between good and evil will continue with the latest Sith leader Kylo Ren’s (Adam Driver) Dark Side army in honor of Darth Vader’s memory. Given these facts, it’s plausible that Ren either does not know or refuses to believe Vader’s final act was a redeeming one. Regardless, the galactic power couple of Solo and Leia will more likely serve as mentors to our main protagonists (and latest Jedi) Rey and Finn (Daisy Ridley and John Boyega).
However, there’s no trace of Luke Skywalker (who Mark Hamill is reprising), leading us to believe he may be returning in the form of flashbacks or voice work.
Excitement, breathtaking visuals and suspense permeate the trailer – letting our imaginations run wild. A nice touch of Stormtrooper combat, a neat inside shot of the X-Wing and the almighty lightsaber dual make your childhood memories fondly flow back to you. Despite their ages, it looks like Han and Chewie (reprised by Peter Mayhew) are back for one last hurrah this Christmas.
For the love of God, please don’t let this movie suck.
Halloween is just around the corner and you know what that means…everyone is in the mood for horror (you know something to watch while sipping your pumpkin spice coffee).
Here are some films that need to become staples of Halloween horror along with the classics (the ones that are public domain will have a link to watch instead of a trailer).
The most recent film on this list is about a deaf mute woman who is killed by a gang of rednecks. Her boyfriend goes looking for her only to be kidnapped by the same group. Little do these onion-towners know that she has been brought back to life by Native American magic and is out for revenge.
The film feels like a throwback to movies such as “I Spit on Your Grave” and “Thriller: a Cruel Picture” but is nowhere near as explicit. “Avenged” is more like “Kill Bill” fused with supernatural horror and one of the more original recent horror films.
The most bizarre film on this list is a Spanish film done in the style of Italian films. “Anguish” is about a man who is brainwashed to kill by his telepathic mother and is also actually a movie that two teenage girls are seeing in a theater. Events in the real world start mirroring whats going on in the movie. The film is full of symbolism and is very unpredictable in the best way.
8. I, Madman(1989)
Film critic Roger Ebert barely ever likes horror films but he loved this one. The movie is about a bookstore clerk who discovers a really good book called “I, Madman.” While she reads the book the murderer somehow comes into the real world. The film fuses slasher with weird Twilight Zone-ish horror and does it very well.
7. Mystics in Bali (1981)
Kathy travels to Indonesia in order to learn more about dark magic. She ends up meeting a witch who transforms her into a floating head that goes around drinking blood and eating unborn babies (not making this up).
This is just the tip of the iceberg as this film is one of a kind, managing to be weird and over the top yet pretty well made at the same time.
6. Vampyr (1932)
“Vampyr” is a French/German horror film directed by Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer. A traveler who is obsessed with the occult goes to a town to later find out it is under the curse of a vampire. Being a mixture of silent films and early sound silents,the film has very little dialogue and uses cue cards to help tell the story. Atmosphere is where this gem shines and it’s one any fan of classic horror films should give a watch.
5. Messiah of Evil (1973)
A horror film found in many cheap horror packs, “Messiah of Evil” is one that’s worth the bargain.
A young woman goes searching for her father – a former artist. She ends up in a seaside town that is governed by a mysterious cult. Like “Vampyr,” this film is heavy on atmosphere. The visuals are really well done. After making this film, husband and wife team Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck would go on to write screen plays for classic films such as “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
4. Martin (1977)
George A. Romero is mostly know for his zombie films, but has several others well worth checking out – including the vampire classic“Martin.”
The film is about a young man who thinks he’s a vampire who goes to live with his insane elderly cousin who believes he’s a result of a family curse.
The film plays on the old-world hysteria that created vampires, but sets them in modern day as well as showcases Romero’s love for social commentary.
3. In The Mouth Of Madness (1995)
You might have heard of this film as one of John Carpenter’s worst -you’ve heard wrong.
The film is about a horror writer who’s writing comes to life and is causing the apocalypse. With a good story, creepy special effects and tons of homage to H.P. Lovecraft this is actually one of Carpenter’s best.
2. LO (2009)
One of the many films Netflix seems to love recommending people, this is one that is well worth watching.
A man speaks to a demon named Lo in order to find the whereabouts of his girlfriend who was captured by demons. Unfortunately Lo has other plans.
The film is a low budget horror comedy – something that comes out a lot nowadays. Unlike the others it doesn’t fall into Troma worship territory and gets pretty emotional at times.
1. Spider Baby (1968)
We end this list with a film that’s not only underrated but also influential.
“Spider Baby” stars Lon Chaney Jr. as Bruno, the caretaker of three teenagers Virgin(Jill Banner), Elizabeth (Beverly Washburn) and Ralph (Sid Haig). These kids suffer from a disorder that makes them regress backwards, eventually devolving into cannibals.
“Spider Baby’s” style is a horror/black comedy fusion (a very rare thing at the time). It is also the first of its kind, inspiring many other crazy family horror films such as “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “The Hills Have Eyes.”
Haig would go on to become a horror icon and Hill would later direct other classics such as “Coffy.” This is not only one of the most underrated horror films of all time but one of the best.
The Godfather of Gore is back with an offer we can’t refuse.
After six long years since 2009’s “The Uh-Oh Show,” director Herschell Gordon Lewis will be giving us what is being billed as “a new horror anthology” and we couldn’t be more excited.
BloodMania doesn’t give us many clues as to what the plot is other than it revolving around an all-girl rock band, murder (of course) and apparently “the worst day of Brewster Bricabrac’s life.”
Seeing as Bricabrac (who we can assume is the film’s main protagonist) gets run over by a steamroller and has one of his eyes gouged out it has to be.
Other than copious amounts of gore set to Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King”, there is some kind of demon/poltergeist lurking about and a disgusting old man who’s severed head winds up in an air vent. There’s also two women making out in a shower (which we can safely assume will die during the feature) and a pretty hilarious interaction between two homeless men (because why not?).
From the man who brought us such classics as “The Wizard of Gore,” “The Gore Girls” and “Blood Feast,” “BloodMania” looks to be a fit for every gore fan. While it won’t be up for an Oscar or mentioned in the same sentence as “Titanic” or “Good Will Hunting,” “BloodMania” will certainly cater to the niche audience that Lewis intended it for.
It’s been two weeks since the Horror community lost one of its pillars in the iconic form of director Wes Craven to brain cancer at age 76.
Here is part two of our tribute to the legendary filmmaker (click here for part one).
Deadly Friend
Another film I’ve seen thanks to Guy and Angie. We found this on a now removed streaming site called AllUC. The site had many films on it including several cult horror films from the 70’s and 80’s. Knowing this was a more obscure Craven film we decided to watch it.
The movie is about a young child prodigy who’s best friend is a robot he built named BB. He has a crush on his neighbor Samantha who’s father abuses her. The two decide to play a prank on a crazy old lady from their neighborhood that goes wrong. BB ends up being destroyed and Samantha gets pushed down the stairs by her dad, leaving her brain dead. Doing what any normal teenager would do in this situation, he puts BB’s chip in Samantha’s brain to bring them both back. Although the experiment works, Samantha isn’t quite the way she used to be.
This movie is as cheesy as it sounds. When we first saw this the three of us thought this film was a great underrated work by the master. Looking back, the film is pretty bad – but in a fun way. The concept brings stupid to new levels and the kills are hilariously bad (including the infamous dodgeball scene). Originally the film was going to be more of a Sci-Fi film driven by its story. Hopefully one day that cut will show up.
The Serpent and The Rainbow
This was always a film I’ve heard of. Although I never knew anything about the plot, it was a title that stuck out. One day I saw that Chiller was showing it. Naturally, I decided to watch it.
The film is about a man named Bill Pulman (Dennis Alan) who goes to Haiti after hearing rumors of people coming back from the dead. This is very different from Craven’s normal work. The film is surreal, atmospheric and isn’t really based around gore. Nor does it have the amount of tongue-in-cheek humor Craven’s films tend to have.The film is also based on a true story which made it seem bizarre to me. I love learning about weird real-life stories so that aspect got me hooked. I admired that the film showcased a more intelligent style from this director. My mom recently bought a cheap copy of it for herself from Walmart as she remembered this was a film she really liked.
Shocker
Yet another film I watched with Guy and Angie. Being bigger Horror collectors then me, those two would always end up with new additions to their collections almost every week.
The film is about a psychotic TV repairman who is turned in to the police by a football player. He is then put on death row. Before he is killed in the electric chair he sells his soul to Satan. This causes him to become one with electricity and gives him the ability to travel through power lines, TVs and even people.
I found this film to be very silly but in a fun way. It doesn’t take itself seriously at all. The second half of the movie is where it really gets weird, but I won’t spoil anything.
The People Under the Stairs
My mom was searching through eBay for a film she remembered from childhood about little people coming from under stairs and taking people away. She mistakenly thought it was the film called “The People Under The Stairs.” Upon watching we find out she mixed the title up with a different movie.
The film is about a young kid in the ghetto named Fool. When attempting to rob the house of his family’s insane landlords, Fool, along with two others, get trapped in their house. They then face the horrors inside and learn some very dark secrets. The landlords themselves are an incestuous brother and sister who are really over the top.There are also themes of child abduction and abuse. One would think this is a throwback to Craven’s exploitation days, but this film has a more comical tone then his earlier works.
To this day this is one of my favorite Craven films and one I recommend it to those who want to explore him beyond his obvious works.
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
After buying the “Nightmare on Elm Street“ collection I would watch one or two of them every day after school. I enjoyed part two even if it was little weird. Three was my favorite of the sequels. Four, five and six I found to be pretty weak. The only one left was “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare.”
I was a little worried since three of the films in a row were crap and the concept almost sounded like a spoof. Part of me was excited since it was Craven back in the director’s chair.
The film is about Craven (as himself) and the cast members of his films (also as themselves) having their dreams invaded by Freddy Kreuger from outside of the movie world. Though the concept may seem a little silly this is the darkest Freddy film to date. Unlike the other “Nightmare“ films, he is not portrayed comically at all.
I fucking love this film.
I found this darker updated version of Freddy to be pretty cool. It is my third favorite in the series.
Scream 1 and 2
While first getting big into Horror (collecting in 8th grade) I’d go on eBay and look up horror films I’d heard were supposed to be good.
I saw a lot that contained “The Howling,” the first two “Scream” movies, a film I hadn’t have heard of called “The Last Broadcast” and “Friday the 13th Part Seven.” I’d eventually watch all of these films. “The Howling“ would end up being my all-time favorite werewolf movie, I had seen “Friday” before and loved it and “The Last Broadcast“ was pretty cool and not what I expected at all.
Then there were the “Scream“ films. “Scream” is a pretty well known movie about a killer in a ghost face mask who goes around killing people – but before he kills them he gives them horror trivia.
The film is very meta and full of self references and jokes about the slasher genre. The film is kinda TOO meta especially considering it is set in reality.
If this was a weird surrealist film or a parody film like “The Naked Gun” trilogy this might have worked. To me it just came off as hipster shit.
The film’s influence was even worse as a good chunk of mid 90’s-early 2000 Horror was filmed to the brim with “Scream” clones. I had the same feelings about the sequel which had a similar plot. I never saw the remaining two and have no interest.This would be the point where Horror fans said Craven had sold out. While I don’t like most of his post “New Nightmare”stuff I don’t blame this franchise on him but on writer Kevin Williamson. I have yet to see a film with that name I like.
Cursed
Seeing previews for this I was little excited.
Having only known Craven for Freddy at the time and seeing his name in previews made me want to see said films.
My Dad would buy the bootleg of this from that same guy in the city who he bought “The Hills Have Eyes” of off.
The film stars Christinia Ricci and Jesse Eisenberg as two siblings who get attacked by a werewolf. They then start turning every full moon and try to find out who bit them to end this curse.
This movie absolutely sucks.
The writing (which no surprise is by Williamson), the acting , the plot, everything in this movie is horrible. There is no atmosphere. This couldn’t scare an agoraphobic five-year-old. All of the characters are annoying. To think this is the same guy who brought us many classics in the past is amazing.
Red Eye
The same year as “Cursed,” Craven would release another film called “Red Eye.”
I remember seeing previews for this that didn’t detail what it was about. All it showed was a woman talking to a man on a plane then one of his eyes would flicker red before the title appeared.
I didn’t see this in theaters but sometime after it went to DVD I rented it from Blockbuster (remember those?).
The film is about a woman who meets a mysterious man on a plane. She then ends up getting kidnapped and is forced into a plot to kill a politician. If she refuses her father will die.
This movie was surprisingly good. The style was different from Craven’s norm. More of a Hitchcock style Thriller than Horror, “Red Eye’s” moments were very intense and you worried for the girl the entire time.
Out of the post “New Nightmare“ Craven films, this is the only one I’ve seen that I enjoyed. I have not seen “My Soul To Take,”but have heard nothing but bad things about it and “Music of the Heart” does not look like my kind of film. All in all, Craven is someone who was important to me as a Horror fan and will be missed.
Everyone’s favorite gun slinging, wise-cracking, hyperviolent anti-hero has his own movie and yes, it’s rated R.
Deapool’s trailer is filled with a plethora of murder, mayhem and mature language – and that’s not all. We also get a glimpse of leading man Ryan Reynold’s transformation from Wade Wilson to the merc with a mouth, complete with love interest bound to end in tragedy.
From a first look, Deadpool’s main characteristics seem like they will be intact. Marvel’s wittiest asassin breaks the fourth wall numerous times and goes back and forth with X-Men Colossus (Andre Tricoteux) and Angel Dust (Gina Carano), a few grunts and even an old lady (verbally).
Nothing is more priceless than the exchange that goes on between an unmasked Wilson and T.J. Miller’s “Weasel” (avocado anyone?).
And then there’s the pun-intended kicker. DMX’s “X Gon Give it to Ya” (because Deadpool is part of the Weapon X program).
Mark Hamill’s Joker is coming out of retirement for one last laugh.
It was announced Monday the artist formerly known as Luke Skywalker will voice Mr. J once again for DC’s Animated version of “The Killing Joke.”
Plans to finally make an animated feature of Alan Moore’s classic graphic novel had been unvelied earlier this month at San Diego Comic Con.
While he had retired The Joker in 2011 after voicing the Clown Prince of Crime in the “Arkham City” video game, Hamill had reportedly expressed interest in returning to the role if “The Killing Joke” were to be made into an animated feature.
Not only did Hamill and fans alike get their wish, but according to Collider, Hamill has already recorded his voice for the feature.
The film will be released direct-to-video next year.
Who’d have thought something so awesome could come from a story revolving around one bad day?
Last week Warner Brothers Pictures and DC Comics turned heads at San Diego Comic Con when the highly anticipated “Suicide Squad” trailer was revealed to the public.
We are invited to the journey over filet mignon as Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) vaguely discusses her secret government agency A.R.G.U.S’s plans while giving us a brief history of what the Suicide Squad typically is; a random collection of super villains serving as pawns for a covert mission.
Upon Waller’s words we are slowly introduced to the criminals compromising the team with the focus being on Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Deadshot (Will Smith).
While there’s not much dialogue going on after the first third, we see enough action and twists that give us plenty inclination of what to expect next summer.
Throughout the trailer, there are snippets of singer Becky Hanson’s remixed cover version of the Bee Gees 1968 top-10 hit “I Started A Joke” playing in the background – an obvious foreshadowing of what we’ve all been waiting for.
Enter Jared Leto’s Joker, who’s seems to bring his own unique brand of sinister to the character on the big screen.
All we need to hear is that giant, menacing belly-laugh of his and we’re convinced.
2012 saw a very unlikely horror movie blow the roof off of the supernatural world with a demon that uses multimedia and imagery as a portal to our world in order to brainwash children into murdering their families before joining his cult.
2015 looks to plunge into the inner workings of Bughuul with Sinister 2, in theaters this August.
While the trailer itself looks mostly like more of the same, Sinister 2 appears that it will focus more on Bughuul (reprised by Nicholas King) and his child abducting methods than terrorizing the family that moves into his den.
Sinister 2 seems to be delving more into Bughuul’s lore as well. Upon seeing him more we also see the children brainwashing Bughuul’s child of choice, culminating with the boy presumably filming a murder (possibly an initiation). We also see Bughuul’s history being briefly explained (although it could be borrowed footage from the first movie), hinting towards Sinister 2 filling in a few of Mr. Boogey’s blanks.
With one part Poltergeist and two parts Children of the Corn, Sinister 2’s trailer does show signs of a different direction but doesn’t quite look like it will shock us in the way the first film did. Having said that, expecting one thing from a trailer does not necessarily mean you will get it in full. We’ll just have to see.
However; Henry Hall’s “Hush, Hush, Hush, (Here Comes the Boogeyman)” still gives us the heebie-jeebies.
The Bonesaw 