Let the Right One In

Let the Right One In (2008)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1139797/


What?!? Another vampire movie?

An essay in androgeny. Funny how 12 year old boys and girls are nearly indistinguishable. The sexless tweens however did add to the atmosphere of this movie. A slow burn, the suspense of what is happening to Oskar mixed with what exactly is Eli? Vampire? Home schooled? Ghost? Love slave of a creepy old man? Pacing is everything in this movie. It slowly reveals the beauty that is “Let the Right One In”. Give the cinematographer credit for a hauntingly magnificent film. 10/10 despite being a vampire movie.

Happy Halloween!

Enjoy this most horrific of holidays. Be safe, eat brains, and send more paramedics…

Return of the Living Dead

Return of the Living Dead (1985)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089907/


Braaaiiinnnsss…An icon saying is born. This movie is regarded as having been the first zombie movie to have the zombie crave brains. Tarman is also another highly recognized character from this film. Linnea Quigley also makes an appearance as a naked punk rocker, pink hair and all.

Ok…so if you look at the writing credits for “Night of the Living Dead”, you will notice that John Russo has a writing credit. Now, click the imdb link above, he has a writing credit here as well. Russo and Romero were involved in a drawn out legal suit over naming rights for sequels. It ended with Russo getting to call his movies “…of the Living Dead” and Romero got “…of the Dead”. Enough history.

This is one of my favorite zombie films. It can be terrifying one minute and hilarious the next. The back story is that “Night of the Living Dead” was based on a true story. Burt, Ernie, and Frank accidentally unleash Tarman, a sample specimen from the first zombie uprising. All efforts to make the situation better ultimately fail. I think our best bet is to just do away with Louisville…9/10

Happy Birthday David

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Happy 63 David. Here is a tribute from Flight of the Concords.

Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks

Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks2009

Ah…Max Brook’s newest addition to the Zombie-verse, this time in graphic novel form. The book is a chronology of “recorded” zombie attacks. It some cases, the tales are said to be folklore and secrets several governments tried to cover up. The final story takes place in the USA in 1994, and the reader is left with an overwhelming foreboding of things to come. This book begs for additional volumes. The artistry of the book is amazing, my only complaint is that the violence and gore was tame for the most part, the story of the Cossacks being the exception. This may have been to make the book more accessible or perhaps they are not jaded gorehounds like myself. Enough about myself, the book is relatively short, I finished it in one sitting, and at $17 (USD) I was left wanting more. Max did it again and I can’t wait until his next effort. I rate this 9/10.

Nightmare City

Nightmare City 1980

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080931/

What I’ve learned from watching this movie: 1. Italian zombies can fly/land planes, drive cars, and use guns, 2. Italian zombies are obsessed with tits and will do anything to bite them. With that said, it is apparent that Italian women did not wear bras in the ’70’s, regardless of occupation, thus making it easier for said zombies to bite their breasts. The gore in this film is rather tame by today’s standards, as the zombies preferred to sip blood than to devouring victims. Italian zombie movies hold a dear place in my heart. If you are a fan of the genre, this is worth a look. If you have not been introduced, then rent Fulci’s Zombi (a.k.a. Zombi 2). I give this 7/10.

It’s My Party And I’ll Die If I Want To

It’s My Party And I’ll Die If I Want To (2007)

“I’m going to fuck-start your face!”

Scotchworthy’s debut film is promising. Sara’s birthday is on Halloween and her friends are throwing a surprise party in the local haunted house. What could possibly go wrong? The movie opens with a man slaughtering his family in an old funeral home. Cut to present day. While preparing for the party at the funeral home, Tom Savini startles an unclad friend of Sara’s. The friend then has her heart ripped out by a ghost. Various characters go missing while they are preparing for the party. When Sara arrives all hell breaks loose. For being a low budget movie, the special effects are quite good, which is what one would expect with Tom Savini as a consultant. Although the plot is somewhat cliche, it is evident that there was a lot of love put into the film. The dialog did not fizzle, most of the actors could act, and there are legitimate chills in the movie, especially at the end. The movie is too dark (poorly lit) at times, and the pacing was slow at times. My biggest peeve is that the “comic book” effect is over used in low budget movies, and it is used here as well. I am looking forward to more films from this Chicago based company. I give this a 9/10.

Silent Night, Deadly Night

Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088117/

Apparently the PTA fought to keep this movie out of the theaters back in the 80’s. I guess a killer Santa Claus is just not meant for the kiddies. The holidays haven’t been the same. Billy sees a crazed man dressed as Santa kill his parents when he was just a boy. If that isn’t enough, his creepy dying grandpa taunts him as well. Cut ahead 10 years later, we find Billy at work. When he if forced to play Santa, he makes them pay, they all pay! Mwahahaha! Linnea Quigley makes a cameo with a fun death scene and there is a show down with nuns. 6.5/10

Timecrimes

Timecrimes (2007)
http://www.timecrimesmovie.com/

I rented this movie based solely on the cover. This is not a horror movie, but a science fiction movie about time travel. If you have not seen this movie yet, quit reading, I don’t want to spoil it for you. You gone? Okay, anyway. What would you do if you were sent back in time one hour? This is a character study on just that question. Hector travels back in time one hour. Don’t think too long on the events that lead up to it, as there is a plot hole there. He sees himself from one hour ago with his wife and becomes jealous of the hour younger version of himself. He attempts to correct his poor decisions, which only makes things worse. I loved this film. If you like it, also try the movie Primer. I give this film 9.5/10. Go watch it now. On a side note, there is going to be an American remake of this because apparently Americans cannot read subtitles.

Surf Ninjas

Surf Ninjas (1993)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108258/

I remember this as being the best movie ever made. In 1993, I was 11 and this movie contained everything I ever wanted. Now it is 2008. The nostalgia factor is high with this movie, but I now lack that innocence that made this movie so great 15 years ago. At age 11, this would have receive 9/10. Today it gets 7.5/10