Rosemary's Baby

I absolutely love Rosemary's Baby (1968) and I think it is one of the most perfectly executed horror films of all time. There are so few movies that keep you at the pace of their main characters, where you don't know what's going to happen next, that it makes this stand out even more.

Rosemary Woodhouse is a newlywed, married to an up and coming actor in New York City. They move into a new apartment and are immediately welcomed by the neighbors after a tragedy puts them in the same place at the same time. But is this fate? Strange things soon begin to happen to Rosemary and she soon starts to question who around her is on her side and who is out to hurt her. In the end she discovers the truth, something truly chilling and terrifying with an ending that blows the viewer's mind.

They just don't make horror movies like this anymore, I could watch this film a hundred times. (9.2/10)

Jennifer's Body

There's something about Jennifer's Body (2009) that I like, but after two viewings I still can't put my finger on it. I'm not a huge fan of the plot, the acting isn't spectacular, and the way the film is shot leaves something to be desired. But, there's still something about it I like.

The story follows a girl named Needy who has to put up with Jennifer, the best friend from Hell... literally. After a botched virgin sacrifice (because she is not one), Jennifer now has to stay alive by killing people and drinking their blood. It's up to Needy to make sure Jennifer stays in line and stops killing people she knows. The whole thing is kind of stupid, but it come across as a horror film version of Mean Girls. That may be why I like it, there's dark humor and it's enough to keep my interest.

Not a movie I would watch over and over, but definitely a fun movie. (6.9/10)

Zombieland

I put off seeing Zombieland (2009) for a while because I'd heard it was good and I was waiting for the post-Oscar season lull to catch up on some good movies from the year before. I wasn't let down by this one.

The story takes place after the zombie apocalypse, where most of the world has been turned into the walking dead and those who are still human have to deal with their new surroundings. We follow a 20-something boy who has created a list of basic rules he uses to stay alive in the new world. He meets up with a man, and eventually two girls, as they come and go from each other's stories and, in the end, decide it's better to stay together. The stand-out part of the movie involves the group taking shelter in a certain movie star's mansion and discovering that the place isn't exactly empty.

The movie is constantly and consistently funny while bringing some perspective into how real people might deal with being placed in a zombie film. I loved it. (8.7/10)

The Sixth Sense

I was never an M. Night Shyamalan fan and The Sixth Sense (1999) was where that started. Even at my young age upon seeing this in theaters for the first time, everything seemed overacted or forced.

The story is something everyone knows by now: "I see dead people." Yes, the little boy can see spirits (something that has been popularized by every ghost show on late night cable) and they play a part in his everyday life. He doesn't tend to react to them in any way a child should; maybe he's used to them, or maybe it's bad direction - either way it all got nominated for undeserved Oscars. I decided to give M. Night another chance as I thought Unbreakable was good enough, but after getting completely sucked into Signs only to be let down, I put in the towel for this director.

I am willing to give Devil (2010) a chance when it comes out, but that one is only produced by M. Night. (5.8/10)

The Blair Witch Project

The first time I saw The Blair Witch Project (1999) was years after its debut. By that time I'd read up on the movie and nearly ruined my experience by knowing as much as I could ahead of time. That is, until I decided to try watching it as though I'd known nothing about the movie in advance.

The movie is paced like a bad late-night cable documentary. You're following some people along to find out about an urban legend you've never heard of. They interview locals and try to find some people with a connection to the legend. Then, after failing to come up with much more than they already know, they decide to go straight to the source of the legend... the middle of the woods near the town. By now you know they get lost and all hell breaks loose as the legend comes alive around them. My only hesitation is the near-constant swearing which distracts a bit from the creepiness of the movie.

I do think this is a solid horror film and one of the top 5 to come out of the '90's. (8.6/10)

Misery

I think Misery (1990) is one of the greatest horror/thrillers ever made. I love simplicity in movies, especially when it works out to feel like there is a deep complexity, which, there is in this movie.

The story, by now, is well known. An author is abducted by his biggest fan after he crashes his car on a snowy road and after she is angered by his new novel, she does everything she can to keep him captive and make him rewrite it. The claustrophobic atmosphere almost chokes the viewer throughout the movie. The only breaks come in the form of comedic pauses provided by updates from the local sheriff as we see his investigation into the matter progressing through the movie. In my opinion, this movie is among the top Stephen King adaptations we've ever seen.

A great film and a well-deserved Oscar for Kathy Bates's performance. (9.0/10)

Piranha 3D

Well there's not too much to say about Piranha 3D (2010). You can pretty much see every plot twist coming and the over-the-top gore was a little over-the-top for me. I didn't really see anything redeeming about this movie, for me it wasn't even enjoyable.

I know it was supposed to go above and beyond what most movies would find acceptable and I know it was supposed to be just for the fun, but I don't think it went far enough in either direction for me to go along for the ride. It wasn't slap-happy gore like The Evil Dead, and it wasn't just a fun ride like Grindhouse. It's like there's this grey area in between, and that's where this movie sits.

Overall, not enjoyable in any sense of the word, but at least I didn't walk out. (3.8/10)

Repulsion

I was really looking forward to this movie. I think the only other Polanski film I've seen until now was Rosemary's Baby, and that is one of my favorite films of all time. I was thinking another psychological horror film from the same director made around the same time would be just as good, but I was wrong.

Repulsion (1965) is supposed to be a movie about sexual repression and how it can affect the mind. It's drawn a comparison to David Lynch's Eraserhead, another one of my favorite movies. I see the similarities, but the difference is the execution. Repulsion lumbers along from one scene to the next, every scene lasting too long and some not needed at all. I can appreciate the film and some of the visuals are quite startling, but in the end I don't think it was made all that well from any aspect.

For a movie titled Repulsion, I was expecting a bit more than what I found. (6.1/10)

Circus of Horrors

I stumbled upon this movie on TCM after watching the terrific final sequence of Tod Browning's Freaks. They were having a circus night and I knew I couldn't watch the whole movie, so I recorded it and watched it later. It was definitely an interesting experience.

Circus of Horrors (1960) looks like it was made on a micro-budget. The only part that's really impressive is the circus set-up itself, which was apparently an already existing circus. The film centers around a plastic surgeon who uses a circus as a front to "fix" deformed female criminals and keep them bound to his circus by blackmailing them with their past crimes. Anytime one of them tries to leave the circus, he finds a way to "accidently" kill them during the show.

The acting was on par with most smaller movies from the time period; a bit of overacting, but generally not too bad. I have to say my biggest dissatisfaction comes from a bear mauling that happens at the beginning of the film. The bear is clearly a large stuffed animal, if not a person in a bear suit, and it gives the scene a hokeyness that doesn't sit well with the rest of the film.

Overall, a good effort and a decently entertaining film. (6.3/10)