Name: JPRoscoe
Email:
Bio: Follow me on Twitter @JPRoscoe76! Loves all things pop-culture especially if it has a bit of a counter-culture twist. Plays video games (basically from the start when a neighbor brought home an Atari 2600), comic loving (for almost 30 years), and a true critic of movies. Enjoys the art house but also isn't afraid to let in one or two popular movies at the same time.
Posts by JPRoscoe:
Slasher: The Executioner
October 14th, 2019|
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Is Slasher a cut above?
Sarah Bennett (Katie McGrath) was orphaned before she was born when she was cut from her womb by Tom Winston (Patrick Garrow), a man known as the Executioner. Returning to her family’s home in Waterbury with her husband Dylan (Brandon Jay McLaren), Sarah discovers that the past is also coming back. A new Executioner has surfaced and the horror is beginning again.
Slasher: The Executioner the first season of the Canadian anthology horror series. The season ran on Super Channel from March 4, 2016 to April 15, 2016.
American Horror Story’s set-up sparked the anthology series concept again. The long-play series with set endings provide a means to make a “complete” series while giving networks the option of having more seasons produced. American Horror Story often goes for the laughs with its lighter telling mixed with horror, but Slasher is trying to go for a more traditional horror story.
Slasher isn’t afraid to get gross…
The story is rather typical. There is a woman facing her past by returning home only to find a killer is making that past resurface. You have the usual lists of suspects: priests, police, mentally ill characters, media members, and former flames. It is loaded with rather typical twists and turns, but in a lot of ways, it is darker and more horror based than some similar series.
The problem lies a lot in the cast. Many of the actors aren’t very solid. The acting is very one dimensional, and the series tries to cover the acting flaws through dramatic music and shocking shots…but that actually makes the strained acting even worse at points…while AHS gets away with it because of the humor and tone, it just comes off as amateur here (I particularly think the whole newspaper cast is over the top with their news before public safety first take).
…really gross (a dog was eating the corpse before)
The series actual is rather visual. The murders and the horror are gruesome enough to cancel out some of the acting and plot holes, but they aren’t quite enough (though I do like the design of the Executioner’s costume).
Slasher—Season 1 has some potential for future seasons. The basic concept is solid and “true slasher” style horror is fun in the retro-throwback style. With movies like It and shows like Stranger Things finding their niche by appealing to this retro rebirth, Slasher could succeed. The second season of Slasher is called Slasher: Guilty Party and plays with the camp slasher motif.
Slasher: The Executioner Complete Episode Guide:
“An Eye for an Eye”
1.1 An Eye for an Eye Airdate: 03/04/16
Sarah Bennett (Katie McGrath) and her husband Dylan (Brandon Jay McLaren) return to Sarah’s childhood home where her parents Bryan (Dylan Taylor) and Rachel (Alysa King) were murdered on Halloween night. Waterbury has its own secrets, and Sarah is about to find out that her parents had a lot of them. While the woman across the street Verna McBride (Mary Walsh) tells stories about Sarah’s mother, a teen named Malcolm (Stephen Joffe) also goes missing. Though Sarah thinks Tom “The Executioner” Winston (Patrick Garrow) is responsible for her parents’ death, a new killer might patrolling the neighborhood.
“Digging Your Grave with Your Teeth”
1.2 Digging Your Grave with Your Teeth Airdate: 03/04/16
Sarah’s grandmother Brenda (Wendy Crewson) comes to visit as Malcolm is found in the woods fighting for his life. Robin Turner (Christopher Jacot) works to befriend Sarah, and Sarah has a run-in with Heather Peterson (Erin Karpluk) who has feelings about Sarah taking over her old business location. When Sarah gets a clue from the killer, she could find part of the killer’s motivation. When Robin is targeted by the killer, he learns that he might not be the real target.
“Like as Fire Eateth Up and Burneth Wood”
1.3 Like as Fire Eateth Up and Burneth Wood Airdate: 03/11/16
A friend of Brenda named Ada (Linnaea Halpert) in 1968 is put in a coma on the way to the prom when someone throws a brick from an overpass. Heather Peterson is arrested for the murder of Justin Faysal (Mark Ghanimé), but Sarah suspects the Execution is still free. When the Execution targets Sarah again, it could cause a rift between Sarah and Dylan. Robin learns that Justin made bad business deal that could come back to haunt him. Brenda makes a confession about her past to Sarah.
“As Water Is Corrupted Unless It Moves”
1.4 As Water Is Corrupted Unless It Moves Airdate: 03/18/16
The death of Brenda has revealed some of the town’s secrets and put Trent McBride (Jefferson Brown) in the eyes of the police as the possible Executioner. Dylan interviews Sarah for the paper and finds his status in the journalism world rising. Robin and Sarah try to look at suspects in the murders and question if Alan Henry (Rob Stewart) could be being fed information from Tom Winston. Cam Henry (Steve Byers) deals with June (Jessica Sipos) and her breakdown with the events occurring in the city. Dylan and Alison Sutherland (Mayko Nguyen) meet with a publicist named Lisa-Ann Follows (Enuka Okuma) over his coverage of the Executioner. A clue about the disappearance of Heather’s daughter is revealed.
“Ill-Gotten Gains”
1.5 Ill-Gotten Gains Airdate: 03/25/16
Dylan goes on air for the Executioner story, and Alison finds that he’s outshining her…but a new source of salacious texts could unearth more wounds. Robin and Sarah investigate Alan Henry after the murder of June and find potential evidence in the church. Alison reveals to Lisa-Ann how she got the newspaper ahead surrounding the disappearance of Ariel Peterson (Hannah Endicott-Douglas). The secret Chief Iain Vaughn (Dean McDermott) is revealed as Alison finds she could get her big break.
“The One Who Sows His Own Flesh”
1.6 The One Who Sows His Own Flesh Airdate: 04/01/16
Sarah’s investigation into Ariel’s disappearance puts her in danger as Chief Vaughn works to cover his tracks. Tom Winston reveals his relationship to Sarah and Sarah asks for the truth about what occurred in the past.
“The Pride of His Face”
1.7 In the Pride of His Face Airdate: 04/08/16
The lair of the Executioner is found and Cam suspects that Sarah is the target. Sarah tries to mend her relationship with Dylan but discovers a secret about their meeting. Tom Winston escapes prison to protect Sarah, but Sarah and Tom could become the symbolism of pride at the hands the Executioner when Tom’s secrets are revealed.
“Soon Your Own Eyes Will See”
1.8 Soon Your Own Eyes Will See Airdate: 04/15/16
With the death of Tom Winston, the Executioner has finished his punishment of the Seven Deadly Sins. Cam and Sarah begin to grow closer together as Dylan tries to make amends to reclaim Sarah’s love. When Dylan is arrested for the Executioner murders, the killer will be revealed!
Who Can Kill a Child? (1976)
October 14th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Who Can Kill a Child?
Studio: Penta Films
Genre(s): Horror
Release Date(s): April 26, 1976
MPAA Rating: R
A relaxing (hot) vacation on a remote island while I’m very pregnant? Yep…sounds like you picked this vacation, hubby
Tourists Tom and Evelyn (Lewis Fiander) are getting away before the birth of their third child and exploring Europe. Traveling to the remote Spanish island of Almanzora, they discover something is different. All the adults seem to have disappeared and the town seems deserted except for a few children. When they realize that the children are behind the disappearances, Evelyn and Tom discover themselves in a fight for their lives.
Directed by Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, Who Can Kill a Child? (¿Quién puede matar a un niño?) is a Spanish horror thriller. The movie is an adaptation of Juan José Plans 1976 novel El juego de los niños and was also released under the titles of Island of the Damned, Would You Kill a Child?, Island of Death, and Trapped. The film has received positive reviews and a cult following over the years.
Horror movies involving kids always raises the question of what will you do to protect yourself…and Who Can Kill a Child? puts it right in the title. The movie puts that question to mind when killer children throws back the question of war right back on adults.
They’re coming to get you…
The movie’s opening is actually the hardest part. The film uses real news footage of war atrocities from World War II and up…demonstrating that in war, the innocent (like children) often pay the price while not having any say over their treatment. The film then goes into the idea of “what if” the children behaved like the adults, killed, and threaten to spread their war all over the planet…would you do anything when faced with a six year old girl trying to murder you? While the characters (like in Children of the Corn) are painfully naïve (who wants to believe a child can kill?), it does take them too long to be proactive…and they are also frustratingly stupid in their behavior. The last sequence of the film kills me and leads to an ending similar to Night of the Living Dead. It might be cathartic and real, but it is frustrating.
Lewis Fiander and Prunella Ransome are solid in the film. They seem like really normal people and aren’t “supermodel” type stars that are often cast in horror films. They are the typical outsiders trapped in a weird place which helps build the fear. The movie also does a surprisingly good job in casting the children. They are all very basic ’70s kids. They have great devilish looks but also extremely innocent looks (when they are scared or feigning fear).
All bets are off at this point…every man (and child) for themselves!
The visuals for the film are quite strong. You get a lot implied violence and clever photography the first part of the film. It was one of those movies where you question if you are actually going to see any of the violence. Many have pointed out the homages to Hitchcock films like The Birds in the presentation. The film takes an even darker turn when the question of Who Can Kill a Child? is answered, and it is on…you hate to root against a bunch of kids, but you are happy when Tom finally acts.
Who Can Kill a Child? was a surprisingly effective and tense thriller. It has a real grindhouse feel but modern transfers show a clean, quality-made film that is above many other comparable films of the genre and period. The story was adapted again in 2012 as Come Out and Play and the story was also adapted into a radio play in 1999.
Joker (2019)
October 13th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Joker
Studio: DC Comics
Genre(s): Comic Book/Drama
Release Date(s): August 13, 2019 (Venice Film Festival)/October 4, 2019 (US)
MPAA Rating: R
Which Joker do you see?
Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a man on the edge. He works as a clown, takes care of his mother (Frances Conroy), and is trying to be a stand-up comedian while dealing with multiple mental illnesses. Cut off from his funded healthcare and medication, Arthur suddenly finds himself unemployed and questioning everything he thought he knew was true about his life when tragedy strikes…and it could be the best thing that ever happened to Arthur.
Directed by Todd Phillips (who also helped write the film with Scott Silver), Joker is a comic book drama. The film is based on the Batman villain and received criticism upon its release due to the film’s violent tone and idolization of the character. The film was released at the Venice Film Festival where it won the Golden Lion. The film was released to largely critical praise and a massive box-office release.
I am a comic book fan, and Joker upset non-comic book fans and comic book fans alike due to the conversations that swirled around it. It is in those conversations and the tone of the movie which helps elevate Joker above a lot of its contemporaries…but it also can kind of blur the film’s message.
Broken and sick…
The movie is basically a comic book movie at heart…it has a comic book “villain” and involvement of Bruce Wayne, his father, his mother, and even Alfred Pennyworth. This is where the comic book ties almost end. You have a movie that is primarily a drama about mental illness and the failings of the system linked arm and arm with this comic book set-up. For people who believe that comic book movies are popcorn and fun, this diminishes some of the message because they might not see it. For those who want a comic book movie, an art house presentation of a classic villain without the flash and visuals of something like Avengers or even The Dark Knight.
The movie is really a condemnation about the treatment of mental illness, and the even more current trend of elevating people into heroes without considering the consequences or if they can handle it. Arthur knows he’s sick, people recognize he’s sick, his meds aren’t working anymore, he’s been cut off from counseling, and he has easy access to a weapon…it is a bad combination. The people turn the subway killer into a hero and this further inflates Arthur’s delusions that it is a sign of acceptance. It’s a vicious circle that feels appropriate in this day and age where YouTube stars shoot to fame (and a number have been taken down by past digressions).
Barely holding it together
The film works because of Joaquin Phoenix. The character and script borrowed heavily from Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver but it is almost what happens to Bickle after the end of the film. While Bickle wasn’t getting mental help and did what he did as a result, Joker was getting help and the failure of that help contributed to the bad results.
Phoenix has great back-up in Robert DeNiro as the Johnny Carson-esque talk show host and Frances Conroy as Fleck’s equally disturbed mother. Zazie Beetz has a small but important role to demonstrate the depths of Fleck’s condition and the movie also features new performers portraying classic comic book characters Brett Cullen (Thomas Wayne), Carrie Louise Putrello (Martha Wayne), Douglas Hodge (Alfred Pennyworth), and Dante Pereira-Olson (Bruce Wayne).
I’ve got a secret
The movie has a great throwback look that also mimics Taxi Driver and Scorsese’s early films. It gets the grimy horror and dirty look that made those movies successful. This combines with a soundtrack emphasizing the character’s obsessions and sicknesses. A big criticism was drawn by the use of convicted pedophile Gary Glitter’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll (Part 2)”, but I would feel more critical of this if I didn’t hear high school and college bands play it all the time without more judgment.
Joker will not be for everyone (and it definitely is not for kids or younger viewers). The whole film is presented as a possible mind-game if you look at in some ways (especially considering the last scene in a very American Psycho-esque moment). It is the type of movie that challenges you while watching it because you have to keep recognizing that you are watching a film about a mentally ill character. Joaquin Phoenix is hypnotic in the film and gives one of his best performances which both enhances the story and builds more criticism for the idolization of killers without looking at the faults and potential solutions to prevent tragedies from happening. What do you do when the pills don’t work or stop working, what do you do with a person who could potentially commit a crime but is on the street because he or she hasn’t? Those are questions posed by Joker that society needs to answer…and at least Joker is spawning more conversation about it.
The Thing from Another World (1951)
October 13th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: The Thing from Another World
Studio: Winchester Pictures Corporation
Genre(s): Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror
Release Date(s): April 29, 1951
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
I call dibs!!!
A research station in the Arctic discovers a crashed spaceship. The spaceship is destroyed, but a creature is found trapped in the ice. When the creature is accidentally thawed out, it escapes. The researchers learn that the creature (James Arness) is plant based and needs the warmth of blood to survive. Now they must stop the thing before it kills them all.
The Thing from Another World is based on John W. Campbell’s novella “Who Goes There” from 1938 and was directed by Howard Hawks (who was uncredited) and Christian Nyby. It is considered a classic of science-fiction and was used as the basis for John Carpenter’s 1982 version of The Thing and the 2011 prequel (to the 1982 version) The Thing.
The movie has a very slow 1951 pacing. It is a good twenty minutes into the film before the thing is found and forty minutes in before the thing escapes the ice. This might be a bit hard for casual sci-fi watchers, but it is pretty typical of movies from that time. This slow build-up leads to a fun cat-and-mouse game between the researchers and the thing. Smartly, the thing’s attacks are fast and furious, and it is only the conclusion where it is clearly seen with any real clarity.
Ooooo…Hide & Seek?
There are some genuine jumps in The Thing from Another World which is a bit unusual for a movie that is more sci-fi than horror. The first real appearance of the thing involves the creature attacking immediately after the door is opened. It still is a bit surprising because the pacing of the movie is slower than modern movies.
Even with jumps, the movie remains a great example of science-fiction. The creature’s mere existence and reproduction is interesting, but the real plot involves the conflict of science and military. The creature is a great find and is wanted by the military and scientists, but the people just want to survive. The battle between the scientists and the military provides almost more conflict than the creature itself.
Tingly!
The Thing from Another World does have a weak love story involved. Captain Pat Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) and the secretary Nikki Nicholson (Margaret Sheridan) who works for head scientist Dr. Carrington (Robert Cornthwaite) have this flirty relationship. Nikki herself seems a bit out of place in the story since it seems odd that they would have one woman (especially at the time) working as a secretary as a research base. The 1982 remake gets rid of this weirdness by having an all male crew.
The Thing from Another World is a great movie in a really strong year of sci-fi (When Worlds Collide and The Day the Earth Stood Still also came out in 1951). It became a highly influential film. Surprisingly, the 1982 remake is another good take on the story, the 2011 version had some redeeming moments. The movie ends with the classic warning. “Keep watching the skies.”
Related Links:
The Fog (1980)
October 13th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: The Fog
Studio: AVCO Embassy Pictures
Genre(s): Horror
Release Date(s): February 1, 1980
MPAA Rating: R
A leper’s life for me?
Antonio Bay is about to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of its founding. The founders of Antonio Bay however hid a secret that could come back to destroy it. When Father Malone (Hal Holbrook) uncovers this secret, he realizes that Antonio Bay’s history is a fraud. As a hitchhiker named Elizabeth Solley (Jamie Lee Curtis) and a local named Nick Castle (Tom Atkins) begin to realize that something is wrong when the crew of a fishing boat are found dead, DJ Stevie Wayne (Adrienne Barbeau) is also uncovering part of the mystery. Kathy Williams (Janet Leigh) tries to organize the whole centennial celebration…but the fog is coming and there is something in it.
Directed by John Carpenter as his big-screen follow-up to the wildly successful Halloween, The Fog was met with mixed reviews but has since become a cult classic. The movie was tapped for a remake in 2005 which was universally panned by critics and fans.
It’s so relaxing to listen to a quiet soothing DJ at night…
I was actually excited when The Fog remake was announced because I like The Fog, but always felt something was missing…the remake was a bust, but I still feel that way about the original film. The idea of The Fog is great…if you’ve ever been caught in a big fog bank (especially an ocean fog bank) there easily could be something right in front of you and you’d never know it. To me, the pirate-leper tie is also interesting, but the story feels like it could be pushed a bit further.
There are some great tense moments in The Fog and a great cast to experience it. The boy trapped in the house and Adrienne Barbeau desperately clinging to the rooftop of the lighthouse come to mind. The reason is Carpenter does a great job with the direction of the film. He shoots The Fog with style and what scares the movie does have probably can be contributed to that….but there aren’t enough of the tense moments. Ghost stories often aren’t a jump a minute, but The Fog needs more jumps.
The ending of The Fog is also a build-up for nothing. Yes, the Adrienne Barbeau part is tense, but the whole church segment is a waste. The characters all drive from the fog for about fifteen minutes, but then just hide in a room, present a giant cross, and it is essentially over. The last minute jump isn’t very shocking or surprising, and it doesn’t help that it feels the story needs more.
I saw this Total Eclipse of the Heart video!
The cast and the visuals do help the movie. The style of the fog rolling in and the realization that it was done pre-computers is a token of success for Carpenter’s film. Add to the movie a number of scream queens (Adrianne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Curtis’s mother Janet Leigh), plus solid actors like Tom Atkins, John Houseman, and Hal Holbrook, and you have a good combination.
The Fog despite its flaws is a watchable movie. It just has a nice style to it that almost makes you forget the story (almost…not quite). Take The Fog for what it is…a creepy ghost story that isn’t scary enough. There is a bit of a fun precursor to John Carpenter’s future in Barbeau’s warning at the end of the film, she tells the sailors to watch for the fog…which echoes The Thing from Another World. The Thing from Another World was remade as The Thing by Carpenter in 1982.
Related Links:
Child’s Play (2019)
October 13th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Child’s Play
Studio: Orion Pictures
Genre(s): Horror
Release Date(s): June 18, 2019 (Premiere)/June 21, 2019 (US)
MPAA Rating: R
I know Chucky is making faces in this scene…but holy hell…what is this thing?
Andy Barclay (Gabriel Bateman) and his mother Karen (Aubrey Plaza) have just moved to a new apartment. While Andy is finding it tough to make new friends and argues with his mom’s boyfriend Shane (David Lewis), a new Buddi could change that. Buddi is a multiplatformed “smart” doll that not only serves as a friend, but as a household assistant. Unfortunately for Andy, a disgruntled employee has shut off the Buddi’s failsafe controls, and Andy’s new “friend” Chucky is doing anything to please Andy.
Directed by Lars Klevberg, Child’s Play is a horror thriller. The movie is a remake of the 1988 cult film which spawned a series of sequels. The film received mixed to positive reviews and so-so box office return.
I was a big fan of the original Child’s Play. It came out at just the right time for me. I was old enough to see it, but still young enough to remember the fears of childhood. I saw the sequels and for the most part enjoyed them even if they were goofy. I was on the fence about the new Child’s Play movie (especially after some of the pre-release images), but I have to say that the film kind of won me over.
Why have I invited this creepy thing into my home?
The story is modernized for obvious reasons. It has a real feel like the It film (and was produced by the same people) in that the kids are smarter and more tech-savvy. If you are going to have a goofy looking doll (which frankly is too goofy looking to be popular with everyone), it needs to have a catch, and essentially make Chucky into an Alexa is smart. The movie isn’t voodoo based or supernatural…instead you get technology out of control. There is a strange tone to the whole film that is sometimes unbalanced, but in general fun (though I do wish some of the horror was more intense).
The movie takes an interesting casting tone. Aubrey Plaza as the mother figure is strange. She is twenty years older than Gabriel Bateman who plays her son, so it isn’t very extreme, but I do like their relationship. I don’t see her dating the jerkish Shane character played by David Lewis since she seems relatively street smart and I do like that Andy’s friends are kind of frenemies who are on the fence about liking him. Brian Tyree Henry is a good cop character and pretty likeable (which makes what happens to Carlease Burke kind of sad), and Mark Hamill is a great replacement for Brad Dourif if he had to be replaced.
Will you be my friend!
Chucky takes some getting used to (as mentioned). He’s pretty hideous and I think something like Apple (which Kaslan seems to be a mock-up of) would put more into its visual construction since if nothing else, Apple is generally visually appealing. The new less-puppet based Chucky works sometimes and other times, it looks like a computer animated doll.
The remake of Child’s Play is an interesting one. The film goes its own way (which is smart), but that also could be further infuriating to people who want the traditional Child’s Play motif that has carried sequel after sequel. The ideas and tone of the movie worked for me and even if there are better movies out there, I can see myself watching it again since it is a fun ride…will it spawn sequels itself? Or is this Chucky’s “Friend to the End” already reached the end?
Related Links:
Red Dragon (2002)
October 13th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Red Dragon
Studio: Universal Pictures
Genre(s): Suspense/Thriller/Horror
Release Date(s): October 4, 2002
MPAA Rating: R
Smile like you mean it
A killer nicknamed the Tooth Fairy has struck two families. The FBI agents are stumped and are worried he is about to strike again. Special Agent Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel) realizes he needs help and reaches out to retired FBI Agent Will Graham (Edward Norton). Graham agrees to profile the killer but finds he is going to have to face Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), the man who forced him to step down as an agent when he was injured capturing him. Now Graham has to see through Lecter’s lies to find the truth and face his own fear. Meanwhile the Tooth Fairy (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself doubting the transformation he is undergoing when he meets a woman (Emily Watson) who could change his life. Can the Tooth Fairy be stopped without Will’s sanity or family at risk?
Now I’m going to make a butterfly
Directed by Brett Ratner, Red Dragon is a horror murder-profiler thriller. Adapting 1981’s Thomas Harris novel, the film follows 2001’s Hannibal and is the second adaptation of the novel after Michael Mann’s acclaimed 1986 thriller Manhunter with Brian Cox playing Lecter and William Peterson in the Will Graham role. The movie was met with mixed to positive reviews and strong box-office return.
With the initial success of The Silence of the Lambs in 1991 and its gory sequel Hannibal in 2001, a remake of Thomas Harris’ original book Red Dragon was inevitable. Though Manhunter has found cult popularity since its release, it wasn’t very noticed until Silence of the Lambs came out in 1991. Red Dragon had a lot going against it being a prequel, a remake, and under the helm of Brett Ratner whose previous films were mostly just action comedies. That being said, I don’t think Red Dragon is that bad of a film.
Wow…someone doesn’t like fake news.
The story of Red Dragon has always been smart. It was an early profiler piece with a detective who had to “get into the head of a killer” to find a killer. The story has a mystery and some genuine jumps and scares. It flows and weaves. You could argue that Manhunter did it just as good (or better), but it is interesting to see a completely different take on the same story at times…with a different more horror-based method of storytelling.
The movie is pretty faithful to the book and it was smart enough to get strong actors to help bring it to the screen. Edward Norton is “thinky” enough to pull off the Will Graham character…but it would have been nice if they had a less boyish Graham and more brooding. Ralph Fiennes, like always, was perfectly creepy as the Tooth Fairy Francis Dolarhyde and really gave it his all. The supporting help of Keitel, Watson, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a skuzzy journalist, and Mary-Louise Parker as Graham’s wife also helped boost this relatively smart suspense script.
This film will be mine…oh yes, it will be mine!
While the film was a means to bring the story into the Silence of the Lambs film series by bringing in Anthony Hopkins as Lecter again, it kind of messes up the flow of the movie ironically enough. It seems like a pretty intense crime film, but with Lecter’s popularity, his role in the story was made greater. These scenes are good for Norton but kind of seem like grandstanding for Hopkins who is on the verge of overacting the role that really made him famous.
Red Dragon is a good suspense movie with a number of jumps. It is a big improvement over Hannibal which had a bad story and tried too hard to be crazy. Yes, Ralph Fiennes character is over the top, but I can believe him more than a disfigured guy in a wheelchair feeding people to flesh-eating boars. Even if you are a Manhunter lover, and give Red Dragon a chance and check it out if you skipped it. It is its own entity and has its own creepy feel (and aspects of Red Dragon were used for the NBC Hannibal series). Red Dragon was followed by Hannibal Rising in 2007.
Related Links:
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Hannibal—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Hannibal—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Hannibal—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Jaws (1975)
October 13th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Jaws
Studio: June 20, 1975
Genre(s): Drama/Horror
Release Date(s): June 20, 1975
MPAA Rating: PG
You never know what’s under you…
The death of a girl (Susan Backlinie) out for a late night swim marks the first death. A great white shark is patrolling the waters off of Amity and now that it has found a food source it isn’t leaving. The town sheriff Marcus Brody (Roy Scheider) is desperate to get rid of the shark but finds himself butting heads with Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) who demands to keep the beaches open for the towns influx of necessary visitors. When the shark continues to kill, it is up to Brody, a shark researcher named Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and a crusty captain named Quint (Robert Shaw) to stop the shark once and for all.
Jaws was directed by Stephen Spielberg and based on the 1973 novel by Peter Benchley. It was a smash hit and become one of the first summer blockbusters by taking over theaters across America. The movie started a franchise and was nominated for Best Picture losing to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and won awards for Best Film Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound…Spielberg was snubbed.
I don’t know, I’d go to see this billboard
Jaws was a phenomena. It put Stephen Spielberg on the map as one of the hottest directors and along with films like The Exorcist and Star Wars, changed how movies were made and released. The unmatched potential shown by Jaws altered how producers released movies, and some argue put an end to the “modern golden age” of Hollywood that had developed in the mid-sixties and early seventies. Jaws helped create the age of the big box office juggernaut and changed the cinematic filmscape forever…for better or worse.
I’m tired and I wanna go home
Jaws does hold up however. The shooting was a nightmare with “Bruce” (the nickname for the shark) rarely working and complaints that it looked too fake. I have to admit in many shots Bruce does look fake but there are some more fleeting glances that look very real. Spielberg adds enough style to the movie, and he is obviously a fan of films with inventive uses of shooting techniques accompanied by the fantastic Jaws theme by John Williams.
The story really is two parts. The first part is the panic over the beaches and the second part is the boat period. You can debate which is better, but I think that the first half looks fantastic while the second half is more of an actors’ movie. Thankfully the book was edited down and portions of the book where Hooper has an affair with Brody’s wife Ellen (Lorraine Gary) was eliminated making their family more stable and Hooper more likable (plus this allows him to avoid the grizzly fate of the character in the novel).
Just need to rub some dirt on it, and I’ll be fine!
The acting is great (especially in the second part). Scenes like Roy Scheider’s son mimicking him, shows not only shows Scheider’s skills but Spielberg’s ability as a director to get scenes like that into the movie. The acting topper has to be the scar comparison between Quint and Hooper which leads into Quint’s famous telling of the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis. The story hadn’t been widely circulated (he does get some facts wrong including the dates), but now the story is part of naval history partially due to this film.
Jaws is a great classic. From the creepy opening scene (though why you’d go skinny dipping in the open, freezing ocean of the Atlantic at night in early summer is a question), the movie grabs you. I am always a little down on it when I think of the sequels, but every time I watch it, I am reminded of how good of a film it actually was. There are some pacing issues with a bit of a slowdown on the boat portion, but it is still worth the journey. Jaws was followed by the more horror based Jaws 2 in 1978.
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I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016)
October 12th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: I Am Not a Serial Killer
Studio: Irish Film Board
Genre(s): Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Release Date(s): March 13, 2016 (South by Southwest)/August 26, 2016 (US)
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Nope…nothing serial killer-y about someone wearing a panda ski mask
Teenager John Wayne Cleaver (Max Records) is fighting a battle within. He is diagnosed as a sociopath and finds he cannot empathize with those around him. With the danger of becoming a serial killer, John tries to adhere to a set of rules to keep him on the right path. When a serial killer begins targeting John’s small town, John discovers the killer’s identity and learns that all the evil in the world might not be inside humans.
Directed by Billy O’Brien, I Am Not a Serial Killer is a fantasy horror film. The film is based on the novel 2009 Dan Wells novel and originally premiered at South by Southwest in 2016.
I saw part of a trailer for I Am Not a Serial Killer on some movie I was watching and picked it up without really looking too deep into the film. As the film unfolds, it turns from a straightforward film to a fantasy…that doesn’t always work. Due to plot points, a ******spoiler alert****** exists.
Way to keep a low profile…
I kind of thought from the trailer that I was seeing a teenage version of Dexter. A serial killer is facing off against someone with serial killer instincts that can see “inside” of the killer…giving him means to track him and uncover his crimes. In some ways this is true, but it turns into a bizarre fantasy. The killer isn’t human (this is revealed early on) and I kept hoping the twist was going to be that it was a coping mechanism for John’s character to perceive the other killer (and therefor himself) as inhuman…but the killer was actually a creature that steals body parts etc. I didn’t really need this and would have rather seen a twist in the story.
Max Records is good as the teen with problems (he really reminds me of Rory Culkin). It is good to see the child star grow-up and develop into more adult roles. He’s joined by Christopher Lloyd as the serial killer and it is a different role for the usually comedic actor. The film is surprisingly not populated by other popular character actors or cameos and that does give it a more “real” feel, but it also makes Lloyd a bit distracting because you are gauging him more on his past performances.
Well…this isn’t where I expected this movie to go…
The movie is shot rather stylishly. The creature inhabiting Lloyd’s body is given more passing glances and cameos until the end which builds some suspense. Many of the shots are standard shots and the film has a nice edge in its appearance.
I Am Not a Serial Killer didn’t go the way I expected it to and unlike some pictures where that is a pleasant surprise, I kind of wish it had. The John Wayne Cleaver character has a lot of potential (scenes between John and Bill’s wife Kay show the range and torment of the character), but it instead seems to get lost in the alien-supernatural-fairytale? killer instead of the teen on the edge. The movie has a nice tongue-in-cheek approach to the storytelling that does keep it light, but I think it could have gone deeper without losing that fun.
Slugs (1988)
October 11th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Slugs
Studio: Dister Group
Genre(s): Horror/B-Movies
Release Date(s): February 5, 1988
MPAA Rating: R
Slugs stop by for a bite
A small town has a slug problem. Fueled by toxic waste, the slugs have taken a liking to human flesh. As health inspector Mike Brady (Michael Garfield) tries to track down what is killing people in his neighborhood, the slugs are growing bolder and hungrier. The slugs must be stopped before they spread and the killing continues!
Directed by Juan Piquer Simon, Slugs (Slugs, Muerte Viscosa) is an American-Spanish horror film. The movie is based on the 1982 novel by Shaun Hutson, and the film gained a cult following over the years.
I actually knew the book Slugs before I knew the movie. I loved drugstore horror novels (particularly the covers) and would always look at them even if I couldn’t get them. I never read Slugs, but I remember the menacing cover of horrifying slugs…killing! I never got to see the movie Slugs either, but through the magic of the internet, Slugs is readily available.
The horror…the horror…the laughs
Slugs is so goofy that it has become a gif. The biting slug is worth looking up if you haven’t seen it, but the majority of the film involves the characters either being killed by parasites in the slimy creatures or falling into a big pile of them. It has a bit of Jaws mixed in (the city is trying to make a big business deal), and the film develops as you’d expect plot-wise.
The cast is…odd. You get a mix of English speaking actors and foreign actors that are dubbed (badly). The conversations are stunted as a result and the acting in the movie has no flow. None of the leads are particularly strong actors to begin with, but it feels like the language is sometimes a problem as well (plus, you have a lead character named Mike Brady which just has you thinking of Brady Bunch getting consumed by slugs the whole time).
Oh…I guess I have a shellfish alergy
The movie also is put together oddly. You have the rather non-threatening creatures which everyone fears (and could easily step on in the beginning of the invasion) and the characters pretty much have the slimy things place on them and begin bleeding profusely. You have scenes like the man’s head blowing up in the diner scene due to parasites, and some of the gore led to censorship for the film. In addition to the non-threatening threat, you have strange music cues that just pop over scenes. It doesn’t usually make sense.
Slugs is so bad it is good. It is one of those films that is great for group watching. The movie sometimes takes directions you don’t expect (a girl avoids a sexual assault at a party only to be eaten) and is full of weird fringe characters that are killed before they are even established. The novel was followed by a sequel called Breeding Ground in 1985, and I would told see a sequel if they ever decided to make it.
