The Brothers Grimm-2005

While selecting something to exercise to, I came across The Brothers Grimm. What a great movie, especially for someone who has always liked the darker fairy tales. Most well known children's tales are represented, but not quite in the way that you would expect. This movie did not get good reviews, and most common complaint was that the "plot jumped around too much". I didn't think so at all, and I was rivited all the way through. This is what is needed when I exercise to something.

I don't want to talk about the plot too much, as I don't want to ruin it for anyone. This is easily one of my favorite movies. This is, I guess, for kids. There is at least one certain scene involving Grandmother Toad that could be a bit "awkward" to explain to the kiddies.

Black Christmas Remake

I just watched the orginal Black Christmas. I always get this confused with When A Stranger Calls, which I don't like. I much prefer Black Christmas as a more "thought provoking" horror film <G>. Looks like the remake is going to answer some questions that were not answered in the orginal. It's not out yet, but I am wondering if I will prefer that. In the meantime, some film for you.

Opening scene from the orginal movie.

Trailer from the remake.

Obscene phone call from the orginal.

Changeling

When I first rented this movie, I think I had a horrible virus or something. I remember enough about it to recall it was good, but knew I had missed some very important pieces of the puzzle. So this weekend, I had rented it again to watch it all over. Course my husband kept coming in and interupting. See he hates horror movies, and must come in and exclaim all the time "how can you watch that?" "do you really like this?". It's so annoying, and after 20 years, you know he knows the answer to all those questions. I digress, but he has a hard time grasping sometimes that though we mesh in all sorts of other ways, our tastes diverge sometimes.

Any way, this is when ghost stories were done right. You know with an actual plot and mystery that made sense in some fashion. A bit of suspense. Any horror/ghost buff is going to love this movie. Especially if you are like me and like to see big beautiful mansions with incredible wood work and such. A mystery that comes to life piece by piece, and makes perfect sense if you are not riddled with a temperature and virus, and stay awake through the whole thing!!

The Other-1972, All About Eve-1950

I have been getting over a little bit of a stomache but lately. So I have been forced to watch more television, read, and attempt to play tombraiders. You know, TV even if you get all the channels still really sucks. I have been forced to visit some classics. The only reason I haven't watched these lately is that when I was young these movies fascinated me so much that I watched them all the time.

The first was my first book as well, which gave me the sensation that most America had if the watched "The Sixth Sense". Book definately better than the movie, but the movie is pretty good all the same. The movie and book that I am referring to is "The Other". I don't want to give it away too much, but excellent story line that is in the horror realm, but thinking horror realm.

The other movie that I saw this morning was "All About Eve". I didn't really remember much of it, but great movie about amition, betrayal, taking friends for granted, and in the end still not being happy after you have gotten all that you wanted. Very young Marilyn Monroe has a small part in it. I wasn't sure (after I watched it this time) if I ever really watched the movie all the way through.

Movies, these days, are just not made with the same quality or attention to detail.

Creep 2004

This is a fairly decent horror movie. In other reviews, they had written that the alternate ending filled in any gaps that you might have wanted to fill in. As I get.....um....older, I tend to appreciate a little mystery subject to interpretation. Or perhaps I have given in as many of these movies just refuse to close up the holes!!! God knows I am not giving up horror movies for such a small thing. Unfortunately, I could not view the additional footage as the ^(#@!&amp; dvd remote is missing from the move.

Any way, this starts off as our heroine gets accidentally locked into the subway tunnels at night. They keep it locked up tight as a drum, and she suddenly feels a pressing need to get out of there. Again, I hate to ruin parts of the plot for anyone.

It's one of those gritty, what I call survival horror movies. A bit of mystery is involved. A bit too bloody and gory in some parts, just for the sake of blood in gore, for my case or evolved horror movie pallatte.

However, a pretty decent horror flick that will keep you thinking.

Half Light - 2006

Here is a gem that came up on my movies on demand one day. Demi Moore, who I haven't seen for awhile, plays a stressed out and blocked writer that goes to this (Scottish or Irish) little town by the sea for a wee bit of a break. I don't want to give it away, but it doesn't become as relaxing as one could think.

Classic ghost story. A bit predictable, but still well done. Incredible scenery to look at during the movie too. I really liked this ghost story, and it was a nice surprise.

Three Extremes - 2004

Love the asian horror movies. This is three movies in one using three different directors from Japan, Korea, and China. Not for the faint of heart, and definately not with children, as all seem to have some kind of implied (at least) violence towards children....or, no can't ruin the surprise of it all. Very disturbing, I like it the way I like Texas Chainsaw, House of 1000 Corpses, About Henry, et. Not something that can be watched without feeling way disturbed about, but the orginality of these films and the unexpectedness get me every time. As with most Asian films, the translation or dubed in lines make me think I have missed something in the end. Never sure if I am just not too bright, or they like to keep a bit of vagueness and keep one guessing. I actually don't mind that so much anymore, gets your imagination going, and you can come to your own conclusions. Just wish I knew whether that is what they were doing or not.

Hostel - 2005

Tarintino produced and directed by Eli Roth (Cabin Fever-Yuck) what I am suspecting will be a classic the likes of Texas Chainsaw Mascre and House of 1000 Corpses. It's not just the gore of course, which is shocking and disturbing. As usual with these films, the subtle and not so subtle hints of something just not right make this a special movie.

Many people are talking about certain scenes, but I would hate to ruin it for someone who has not heard anything yet. Best to go in like I did, unknowing. This film caters to a a few different genres of horror movie survival, torture, betrayal, evil (but not satanic evil), hunting, and revenge. There's a little something there for many people.

I am not a Tarintino fan, and I hated Cabin Fever. This is the first movie of either one of them that I truly enjoyed. Perhaps it's the start of a great partnership?

The Dark-2005

The Dark was a passable ghost movie. Set in Ireland with beautiful scenery. The movie seemed to borrow some elements of The Ring. It seemed to be a cheap ripoff, but the acting and scenery was good. The story was okay.

That being said, I've seen movies that I wished I hadn't wasted my time on. This one was entertaining, just somewhat of a disappointment for what it seemed to copy.

High Tension-2003

Did no one else get this was a cheap rip off of Intensity? The book and then the made for tv US movie by the way.

And quite a lot less interesting than either. Okay if Intensity had not come out in book format, I might have found this somewhat interesting. But lesbian gone psycho, come on. Really. Yawn.

Read five other reviews, and none mentioned the fact that at least one half , if not two thirds of the movie was a complete rip off of intensity, right up to the point where it it got completely uninteresting.

Don't bother if you've read the book or seen the movie Intensity. Seriously.

Plus if you have seen any movies with "twist" endings, this one is quite predictable.

Perfume-The Story of A Murderer 2006

Okay, Perfume, is my truly favorite type of horror movie, gothic. Loved, LOVED this movie. Very incredibly creepy. Really good conclusion of the movie, I thought, as well.

Dustin Hoffman is in this by the way. I think this is the second movie where I have seen him not in his usual leading part, but as a small but intrical part of the story. He did a good job, as I was not one hundred percent sure it was him until I looked up the movie site.

In ways it reminded me of how Grimm's fairy tales actually were. Dark and unforgiving.

Dirt Boy 2001

I think almost every horror movie has a family estrangement story of some sort in there. This movie, Dirt Boy, is no exception, but it is part of a mystery.

This was filmed in the Cape Cod area, and is obviously and independent film. This film was very good, and not the disappointment of other independent horror films where you actually hear the director shouting cut or see the mike!!!

This film was very well done, and I found it hard to go away for a drink, bathroom or anything before it was done. I very much enjoyed this. I had my doubts considering it was an American made horror movie on Netflix's play immediately list LOL. In fact, I forgot to play it on my computer, and was bummed when it came in on DVD. I loved this movie though.

Introducing Horror Haven

I will be back shortly. There is but one topic to this blog, my horror movies!!!

As a child, about the only thing I could bond with my "father" over was perhaps horror movies. I would stay up late at night, and I was allowed to watch the creature double features, and this is how I became a huge Godzilla fan. I don't watch the old ones so much, but I like modern remakes of this concept. If I do stop to watch, I kind of go into a comforted trance LOL.

Huge fan of Halloween, and will include my review of Rob Zombie's remake at some point. I love the classics (Let's Scare Jessica to Death, Rosemary's Baby, Baby). Not so much the vampire, Frankenstien, and mummy ones, but these more surprising and bizarre movies. Please share your favorties with me.