So much suspense for no payoff.
Fuck this movie.
1/10
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(2009) Pandorum
This script is super aggressive and I can understand fully why it was panned by critics. However, this really is a great sci-fi film and one that deserves a second look.
I love Ben Foster, in pretty much anything. He’s one of the most underrated actors, period. Dennis Quaid, I mean, he’s great but this is a really strange role for him and while I did think he was good in it, the full spectrum of his character doesn’t reveal himself until the third act. I can understand why critics were on the fence.
Overall though, expect a sci-fi epic with the flavors of The Decent. I mean that aspect alone, I’m also thinking about The Time Machine and realizing I have some criticisms over the unoriginal creature design.
But, whatever, It’s still a good movie, it’s just not great.
7/10
(2014) Exile
This film actually hold my attention from start to finish, sort of in the same way that Xtro did. I think that both films actually suffer from huge issues in storytelling and missing details, things that both hurt the film immensely, yet somehow inspire some strange fascination.
The acting in Exile, for the most part, is utter shit. It’s utter shit for extended periods and overall, it’s just completely unacceptable. Yet sometimes, it just works. the shitty acting somehow just kind of blends into the overall strangeness and ambiguity of the situation. Things that don’t work somehow start to compliment each other and the film, in specific moments, can really relish in its own unique aesthetic.
I don’t think it’s a good film by any means but it’s a strong effort. I appreciate the boldness of it and really hope to see more of this director in the future.
5.5/10
(2014) It Follows
I saw this film at Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline and everything I see there tends to leave a more lasting impression in some way. I didn’t have a blog back then but I decided to give this film another watch and it really held up.
The things that make this film great seem really obvious to me. The first horror mechanism is the unstoppable force. “It” does not speak and “It” is always moving. It’s slow and methodical but the juxtaposition to each victims frantic panicking makes everything all that more scary. This concept is essentially what made the Friday the 13th films so iconic.
The less obvious greatness in this film is the really raw take on a coming-of-age tale. It’s very explicit in the dangers of sex and STD’s. There’s a ton of vulnerability in different shots and it was an aspect I probably respected the most.
There’s no doubt that this was one of the best films I saw in 2014.
9/10
(2015) #Horror
It’s just horrid. You can tell there was actual effort put into this which makes it even worse. That was legitimately painful to sit through. There’s no entertainment to be had, either intentional or unintentional.
1/10
(1981) Nightmare
This is a pretty nice little 80’s slasher, definitely subsequent in quality to the 80’s greats but something that does seem to feel memorable.
The biggest issue this film has is the meandering plot. It simply drags on too long and I started to lose hope of it all coming together but thankfully, it did.
I don’t know man, the flaws are really transparent but it’s a fairly cruel film that really entertained me. I can’t rate it super high but I’d definitely recommend it.
It feels somewhat unique among other 80’s slashers.
6.5/10
(2017) Terrifier
This film is getting an unusual amount of attention. I’m not sure if it was due to the marketing or the fact that it was added to a streaming service but everyone is talking about it right now.
While I enjoyed it for what it was, it’s still very much a b-movie. The production is grimy and rough. The city setting is really quiet. It really reminds me of an Abel Ferrara film, in that anyone you see on screen will be involved in someway. The city really isn’t populated like you’d expect and that’s a direction I can really respect.
The practical effects are also incredible. The movie is simply, super gory and fun. The plot really isn’t fleshed out at all and the actual character’s actions are oftentimes nonsensical and frustrating.
I think it’s fun and I respect this film but it’s being a bit overhyped. I’m really excited to see more of this character though. The ending left it open for a lot of opportunity.
I do just want to note that this film did an exceptional job at recreating that 80’s horror vibe without any of the over-the-top, synth-wave, fucking…you know, just all that bullshit. The one thing I feel like directors don’t exactly get is that a lot of these 80’s slashers are flawed. I tend to look past certain flaws to recognize innovation as well as having a nostalgic soft spot but I really am not too entertained by unintelligent, 80’s throwback characters these days.
6/10
