Quest for a Favorite Horror

I haven't seen it in a while but I think it would be misleading to call the execution awful – there are actually moments where you wonder how something was achieved, which is pretty great in itself. Other aspects might be lacking but yeah the idea itself is probably one of the most disturbing, and is based on a real person's experiences.

I struggled to get through Videodrome the first time but did eventually see the whole thing. The notion of technology becoming organic is good, and reminiscent of Japanese horror films in a way. I think The Thing was a great body horror creation, and The Fly certainly is very good too.

I haven't seen any other film from Cronenberg other than The Fly, and the reason why is mostly because I didn't think they'd hold up on an emotional level. Body films are fun, and I'll definitely watch them eventually though. What I loved about The Fly was the emotional torment of the character, that speech about "insect politics" gave me goosebumps, it was so well executed and written. For some reason, instead of making his movies a priority, it actually made me leery to watch more.

I liked Alien, I liked Aliens, didn't like Alien 3 or Resurrection. Didn't like Alien vs. Predator or Requiem. Haven't watched Prometheus. The reason they're not on the list is because I didn't really consider them as contenders after watching them and I had watched them recently enough to not need a double-dip. A lot of the films in that list aren't even films I love, but rather, films I liked and want to see again just to be sure of their placement. Since I am trying to go the legal route and buy all these films, I'll wait until I can find the full series (with Prometheus) for cheap.

I noticed that as well, but felt it better not to argue the point. I figured I'd watch it anyway as it looks like it could be an enjoyable film.

Prometheus is well worth a look. It is interesting how much closer to Alien they seem to have gone with the sequel, but so far that's just on the appearance of the ship and its crew.

Personally My favourite horror film is the shining but thinking out the box I will try something like Dead snow that is a horror comedy about Nazi zombies. one of my all time favourite sci-fi horrors is event Horizon that movie kicks ass especially watching on Blu-ray because it is visually stunning and although slightly humorous at times it manages to psychologically mess with your mind. And Sam Neill is in the movie which is a bonus

one of my new favorite member here

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@ Derek
I loved Sinister. I loved it the first time I watched it, and even when I revisited it recently, I still thought it was terrific. Shame about Sinister 2, which I thought kinda sucked. Also a shame that Sinister 2 didn't make enough to warrant Sinister 3, even though I didn't like the sequel, I thought the series had potential.

Different strokes for different folks, prime example of that here, I didn't like Event Horizon or The Shining, but I've been meaning to check out Dead Snow. Part of what turned me off is that I doubted it'd really be anything more than good fun. (Something I'd buy at the bargain bin.)

yeah the sequel is a piece of sh*t... Scott Derrickson didn't direct it and that's the main reason why it suck so bad imo.

Love Scott Derrickson. Not only did he make Sinister, but he also made my favorite of the Hellraiser series.

Like what? Genuinely asking because i haven't seen it in a while myself.

Event Horizon was very good – I mean some of the dialogue is pretty ridiculous (Sean Pertwee's character springs to mind) but like you say it is visually stunning. Hellraiser seemed to be even more of an influence on it than Alien actually, and that kind of horror definitely translates well to a science fiction context.

Sinister's one of those films where I saw the trailer and thought it looked good but never got round to watching it. I notice it gets mentioned a lot on Movie Forums.

I watched An American Werewolf in London, I'll try and watch the other films when I have the chance to buy them.



An American Werewolf in London is a horror-comedy film I've heard recommend on a number of occasions. A lot of the reason it has taken me as long as it has to watch the film, might in-fact be because of the heightened expectations I had for it. A high percentile on Rotten Tomatoes and a healthy cult-following, when, other-wise, I didn't think the film itself looked too appealing when I watched trailers for it. In the end, I found enjoyment in An American Werewolf in London, but it wasn't anything much more than what I expected.

A charismatic and likable lead, the film has charm and enthusiasm about it. The set pieces and make-up are all top-notch as well. I'd compare this almost to a Full Moon Feature, which some might take an insult (I like Full Moon), a b-movie, which is what this film felt like. The characters themselves aren't very well-developed, the relationships are fast-paced and unrealistic, and the acting itself lacks on an emotional basis. The charismatic and likable lead I mentioned earlier finds himself unequipped to tackle the severity of certain situations with the level of emotional prowess I think would've benefited the narrative, which I found very lacking.

An American Werewolf in London is a decent film, an entertaining, harmless affair that neither particularly excels nor fails.

Watch The Thing next, surely you have to enjoy that one.

Updated: rewatched "Saw"

Review:



October 24th, 2004 marked the theatrical debut of Saw, the first chapter of a series that went onto have six sequels and two video-games. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and arguably started a “torture porn” craze. On that note, I’ll go ahead and debunk that reputation and say that the first film is far from deserving of such a title. As a matter of fact, Saw, for the most part, is a relatively tame psychological thriller in the same category as films like Seven or Silence of the Lambs.
The film is well-made, albeit limited by a small budget, and makes good use out of its concept. I believe the concept seen in the Saw films is an obvious one, in-general, a vague idea that has likely been done before, but rarely has it been done with as fleshed out construction. The reasoning behind why John Kramer‘s actions is one of my favorite motives for a horror villain.
I was always leery about watching the film, I was brought up on the idea that the film was shallow and empty and showed violence for the sake of it. However, once I watched the film, I discovered that statement couldn’t have been further from the truth. The concept, for the most part, is captivating and served with decent enough acting at the forefront, with an inspired and twisted vision for the viewer to pay witness to.
The film isn’t without mistakes and suffers from a lot of the issues that later installments would later exemplify. For instance, the narrative itself tends to find itself becoming a little too convoluted. Some of the characters are well-established, whereas others take a backseat and it is made difficult to care about them on any real, genuine level. The excessive flashbacks, particularly toward the end, as well as the recaps, are examples of stylish tropes that became a major issue as the series progressed.
Saw might be a little bit of a messy film, but it’s a good film in my book. A cool concept that is efficiently executed that keeps the small budget from working to its detriment.
Rating: 3.8 out of 5.0

I see you have Evil Dead 2 listed under horror/comedy but nothing else from Bruce Campbell? If you've not seen them, I recommend Army of Darkness and especially Bubba Ho-Tep.

Another good one (though not starring Campbell) is Fido. Dead Alive was a fun little gore-fest, too.

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I enjoyed Army of Darkness, though, not nearly as much as I remembered enjoyed Evil Dead 2, so it didn't make the cut. I think I have Fido, but I don't think I've watched it. I've also seen Dead Alive, which was enjoyable as well.

I love sinister aswell,not only did it entertain me but it actually gave me a bit of a scare-which hasnt happened in a loooooong time.i thought the videos where so incredibly creepy. (sidenote i had actually read about serial killers that day for an assignement so people doing that stuff didnt seem that farfetched anymore)
however,and i think me and derek have talked about this before (), i hated the ending and it kinda ruined it for me. still the best horror i have seen in a really long time.

i have fondness for 90s/00s stuff though like I know what you did last summer and the scream triology. prob because i was so young then,those movies actually scared me (like in jumped not afterwards lol)
i still watch them every now and then,esp ikwydls

so yeah,ive been looking through netflix trying to find new ones,but sinister is the best and about the only decent one ive found so far.

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My recent favorite was The Witch. Real low budget, no name actors, from the current master of low budget strange movies, the studio A24. They did everything right, imply a lot, not show very much and go with a story that has some historical credibility, like the Salem Witch Trials era. All of the manifestations that were in the movie were things that were reported as "reality" in the era.

All the stars were aligned when I watched The Witch. My friends and I drove an hour and a half to an enormous theater, that was completely empty, with just us, I might add. The high reviews had us really excited for it. However, when I watched it, I was very disappointed. From a technical standpoint, I appreciate the film's authenticity, but I found the acting itself to be limited, and I found the film very ho-hum and lacking. I understand what the film wanted to convey, but I wasn't entertained by it, thereby, I wasn't effected by it. The story-line is nothing we haven't seen before, and while it was aesthetically well-made, it didn't incorporate enough new elements to be truly noteworthy. But, again, this is just my opinion. I know a lot liked it.

Update: The Conjuring 2 takes No.1 rank!


When The Conjuring arrived in 2013, it set audiences and critics ablaze, receiving rave reviews and grossing over 300 million dollars, the film left its mark. I recognized it as an efficiently made and solid film, but didn’t really share the sentiment of it being an all-time classic horror film. Be that as it may, I was very excited for The Conjuring 2. As a matter of fact, it was my most anticipated film of the year, a close-second being the disappointing, godawful Purge 3 film. The Conjuring 2 was warmly received from critics as well, albeit not on the same level as its predecessor, but while it made less domestically, The Conjuring 2 actually made more worldwide than the first film.
In my opinion, The Conjuring 2 might very well be the perfect supernatural horror film. I’ve always had a large dislike for supernatural films, after all, a lot of them are slow-burn, low-budget films that build to an even more anticlimactic conclusion. Annabelle is a prime example of this, and it’s actually a very frequent happening as of late. Films get-by on cheap jump-scares and bad tricks, and have no worthwhile payoff for themselves. The Conjuring 2 isn’t what I’d call slow-burn, but I think the pacing finds a happy-medium.
A little over two hours, The Conjuring 2 certainly doesn’t rush any of its narrative, it brings back terrific performances from Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, who have really captured lightning in a bottle with their portrayals. The film is neither at a break-neck pace nor a turtle race, it’s a power-walk, feeding you enough to keep invested. I feel like I might start seeming like a broken record, but the pacing is actually my favorite aspect of the film. I almost despise the phrase “slow-burn,” not because the idea behind it, but because I feel like a lot of movie studios use that as a means to show little vision or narrative strength, opting for cheaper thrills. This film, on the other-hand, has a feast that it spoon-feeds over a two hour period. That’s what I want most out of a horror film, a vision, the presence of a strong antagonist. It is the same reason I love slasher films and dislike “ghost” movies. You have a face to evil, and it’s more fun and distinctive that way.
The film has more than a few memorable moments, and some of them aren’t even horror related, but, rather, scenes from the strong performances of our leads.
The direction and how this film is shot are the best aspects in my opinion. James Wan has mastered the craft, and I believe this is his best film yet. The Conjuring 2 has a spine-tingling atmosphere that never relents. It is through his ability and the ability of everyone involved that a film like this that’s almost two and a half hours is able to feel short. (I also love the ending!)
I saw this film in theaters and I left thinking it was terrific, after watching it a second time, my opinion remains the same. The Conjuring 2 might be one of the best made horrors I have ever seen. I love the work that was put into it, and I believe it is one of the rare sequels that improves ten-fold on its predecessor. I think it’s a great film and I highly recommend it!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

I would definitely recommend checking out “The Babadook” and “Oculus.” Glad to see “Sinister” near the top of your list, as it is one of my favorite horror films. By “Blair Witch” do you mean the new “Blair Witch” or the original “Blair Witch Project?” I happen to really enjoy “The Blair Witch Project,” but it did lose some of its magic when it was revealed that the events portrayed were not real.