Monday Movie Review - MARROWBONE

This is one of those psychological horror movies, short on gore but heavy on screwing with your mind.

Three siblings go to the U.S. with their mother to escape a harrowing ordeal involving the father. They move back into the mother's old, abandoned family homestead and change their last names to that of her maiden name, Marrowbone. 

The mother gets sick. In order for the family to remain together, they hide the fact that she's dying, and pretty much keep a low profile from the rest of civilization until the eldest son turns 21 in a few months.

Eldest son falls in love with the town librarian, but another man is vying for her affections. Someone is seen prowling around on the grounds. And strange noises and odors are coming from the attic in the big old house.

If you're thinking this is going to be one of those movies where the house is possessed by an evil demon, forget it. That's what I believed until I got swept up into this story. What followed had me rewinding the video to double-check what I'd witnessed. And then I had to watch the movie all over again to catch all the subtle little clues I'd missed the first time around.

This movie left me with a gut punch to the feels. After reading past reviews for it, it's clear you're either going to hate the movie or love it. But for me, the bottom question left for me to answer was, would I watch it again?

Hell, yes. 

Which is why my recommendation is that you

Monday Movie Review - CROWSNEST

Four tropes this movie includes:
1) Found footage/ shaky camera film
2) Five young twenty-somethings going out into the middle of nowhere for a weekend. 
3) Dire warnings given but not observed.
4) Spotty or no cell phone service.

Three things this movie had that surprised me:
1) The majority of this film takes place inside an SUV.
2) The main protagonists drive an RV.
3) It doesn't end the way you think it might.

The acting was very good. Several scenes actually had my stomach tied up in knots as I waited for the outcome. Not a lot of bloodbath, but there is one really gruesome kill.

Which is why my recommendation is that you

Monday Movie Review - THE 16TH EPISODE

A trio of friends run a video blog involving haunted locations, especially in exotic locations around the world. On a trip to Casablanca, Morocco, they encounter a group of people who promise to show them around the city. It isn't long before the trio finds out the group has nefarious plans involving satanic worship and demonic possession.

I'm really not a big fan of demonic possession movies, but I have to give this film credit for going about it in a totally different way. In addition, the main bad guys are given some background, enabling you to see how deeply evil and depraved they are.

And the ending? Let's just say it doesn't conclude in ways you'd expect.

There is copious blood but few scares. Most the horror is psychological. 

All in all, my recommendation is that you give it a try, but

Monday Movie Review - I TRAPPED THE DEVIL

A couple arrive at the man's brother's house in time for Christmas, but there is no festivity here. The brother's overwhelming paranoia and fear is immediately evident to them. And when he confesses he has a man imprisoned in his basement--not an ordinary man, but the Devil himself--they don't know whether to think he's gone mad, or to believe him.

This movie is a slooooooow burn as the tension builds toward the final act. The actors are excellent, as is the overall look and feel of this film. There is no gratuitous blood and gore. No monsters or CGI. But when I finally saw the Devil, I remembered what the brother had said.

"He took the form of a man."

At that point, I wondered why in hell the brother had taken the Devil in that form in the first place. And then I realized there was a whole new horrifying angle to this story that we may never know.

This movie left me with more questions than I started with. But because it's more of a psychological thriller, my recommendation is that you

Monday Movie Review - WHAT THE WATERS LEFT BEHIND

You know how, if a book or movie becomes a smash hit, a hundred knock-offs will soon follow to try and take advantage of that success? Well, consider this movie number one hundred and one.

This movie's cool title, cover art, and premise sounded interesting enough for me to rent it. Several young (and one slightly older) adults head for Epecuen, Argentina to do a documentary about the place, with regards as to its impact on those who lived there. The site is a real location. In fact, check it out and read about its history. It's rather fascinating.

What I didn't expect was to find myself watching another version of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre".

Now, I have to admit, it wasn't a bad little movie. There were some good effects. The acting was okay, if a bit over the top in some places. And it's in Spanish with English subtitles (for those of you who prefer the dubbed versions.) 

If you don't mind watching a Spanish version of TTCM, go for it. Otherwise my recommendation is that you:

Monday Movie Review - SUSPIRIA (2018)

I have never seen the first SUSPIRIA, nor the other two original films of this trilogy by Dario Argento. It was word of mouth that got me interested enough in renting this flick, plus the fact that there were some well-known actresses in it.

Do you remember me saying my recommendation is largely based on whether or not the movie "sticks" with me after viewing it? I must admit this film left a lasting impression on me, and that's saying a lot. Not because of the incredible photography, not because of the acting, but because of the gradual build-up to the final act. An act that both grossed me out and kept me glued to the screen.

A brief synopsis is this: an American girl gets accepted into a premiere German dance school. It is the 70s, and themes of destruction and death during political upheavals at that time are played throughout the film.

While the girl is learning the ropes, she begins to feel as if there is much more to the the dance academy than being just a school for dance. That there could be an evil and dark malevolence behind the teachers. What she inevitably learns is more horrifying, until she learns how it can be handled.

I had to go back and re-watch the first part of the movie, in order to grasp what I saw later in the film. Although I still have some confusion regarding the Mother, a quick internet check helped to clear that up.

The brutality is vivid. There are no holds barred. This isn't you average hack-and-slash movie. This is well-crafted gore to the point of being an art form. And although I personally have no desire (at the moment) to see the movie again, my recommendation is that you

Monday Movie Review - The Field Guide to Evil

When I read the blurb and discovered this collection of short films was done by the same people who'd put out The ABCs of Death, I rented it with the hope of finding some great content. After all, between you and me, we both know there are going to be some hits and some misses when it comes to any kind of compilation.

Unfortunately, all eight of these vignettes missed for me.

Each one is based on a particular piece of folklore or myth from a specific country. Many of the shorts are in a foreign language with English subtitles, which doesn't bother me. The cinematography was gorgeous in most cases, the CGI was excellent, and the acting was engrossing, but somehow all the stories fell flat at the end. There was a great hook, a superb follow-through, but then...  It's sad when you finish watching a film, only to ask yourself "What happened then?" or "Wait! That's it?"  A few even left me scratching my head, wondering what the main plot had been about. 

If this shows up on your cable, or in one of your streaming services, and you have nothing better to do, you might want to check it out. Otherwise, my recommendation is that you

Monday Movie Review - CATSKILL PARK

Warning! Shaky cam video!
Lots of screaming.
Lots of running around in the woods in the dead of night.
Lots of flash-bangs and blinding lights.
Lots of whining, "What are we going to do?"
Lots of yelling, "I don't know!"
Lots of "Put that camera down!" and "Stop filming me!"
Lots of blurry images and loss of video.
Lots of people disappearing, reappearing, disappearing again.

But the acting is decent, despite everything else. Makeup effects aren't bad. And there's a pretty neat spaceship.

My recommendation: If you like this sort of movie, or you have absolutely nothing else to watch,

Monday Movie Review - OVERLORD

To me, this was FRANKENSTEIN'S ARMY meets SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. 

I'd heard a lot of up talk about this film, but you all know how that goes. One man's thumbs-up may be another man's thumbs-down. So I went into it with an open mind because - hey! - Nazi zombies!

First of all, the special effects were phenomenal in this flick. In addition, the acting was spot-on. There was no corniness, and no over-the-top moments that pulled you out of the story. Of course, with J.J. Abrams at the helm, I expected nothing less than well-polished entertainment.

Roughly thirty minutes into the movie, I felt I was settling into another version of SPR, until they got to the underground bunker and the undead. Even then, the show didn't become a free-for-all splatterfest, and for once I was impressed. I'm not saying there isn't that much gore. On the contrary, because - hey! - Nazi undead! But what's there is evenly matched with the build-up of tension and the inevitable gun fights.

And bombs. Let's not forget the bombs.

If you're looking for something pretty decent to escape with, I highly recommend that you

Monday Movie Review - ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE

Once upon a time, there was a TV show called Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. I was and still am a huge fan. In season 7, the show's creator, Joss Whedon, took a brave step in creating an hour-long musical entitled "Once More, With Feeling", in which the entire cast sang instead of spoke. The resulting "Buffy Musical" was a huge hit.

ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE reminds me so much of that episode.

Anna is a typical teenager in her senior year, a loner of sorts, who is anxious to escape her small town after graduation. (Note: Although this takes place in Scotland, the teen angst and struggles are the same, no matter what country.)

What she and her small band of friends never see coming is the end of the world, aka zombies, and right before Christmas. Yes, this is a holiday musical zombiefest. The songs they sing as they battle the advancing hordes are spot-on, echoing their fears, their hopes, and the realization they may not make it out alive.

I fell instantly in love with the music and lyrics, and with the movie by the third song. I immediately bought the soundtrack. The movie itself is not yet available on disk, but as soon as it is, I'm going to get it. 

Which is why I wholeheartedly recommend (and you know I rarely do this!) that you

Monday Movie Review - THE GOLEM

Lithuania, 1673

From the beginning you can tell this is going to be a historical horror tale, and that's what caught my attention. I rather enjoy the period costumes, the locations, and the lack of modern-day technology.

To briefly sum up the premise: 
The plague is decimating whole families and towns. A group of men from an adjacent village are blaming one town in particular of being the reason for the plague because those villagers are of the Jewish faith. They blame the Jewish community of bringing God's wrath in the form of the disease upon everyone because of their religious beliefs.

Hannah sees only one way for her people to survive the accusations and attacks, and that's to create a golem -- a creature who will defend her village.

Against the wishes and warning from her rabbi, who refuses to do it himself, she brings a golem to life, who she believes has taken the form of the son she lost seven years ago. This child golem attaches itself to her as if she were indeed its mother.

There are copious amounts of blood, and the deaths are gruesome.  The acting is top-notch, and the story kept my interest. This is not your typical monster rambling in the woods. I actually felt sympathy for the connection between the golem and Hannah.

If you want a taste of something different, I highly recommend that you 

Monday Movie Review - HELLFEST

It's Halloween. An amusement park that specializes in horror themes has come to town. A group of young adults decides to try it out for a lark. A crazed killer is hiding in plain sight on the grounds, and his kills are mistaken as part of the props and decorations.

Sorta sound like a scenario you've heard or watched before? Same here. But I decided to give it a try anyway, having nothing better to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I was nicely surprised.

The heroine wasn't spending the entire movie screaming for help or running around the park, looking for a way out. The secondary characters were relate-able. The kills were gory but not over the top. I could have kicked the security guards for their nonchalance. Better still, the park's rides and attractions were so cool looking, I wished they would come to my home town (sans killer, of course).

All in all, one of the better-made movies about horror parks. And not a bad way to spend a wintry afternoon. Which is why my recommendation is that you

Monday Movie Review - Housebound

Kylie is caught trying to rob an ATM. She's ordered to spend 8 months in home detention, where her mother and stepfather live.

It's not long before she realizes there's something going on with the huge old house. In fact, when she discovers the actual history behind the structure, that's when all hell starts to break loose -- beginning with whatever is living behind the walls.

Initially I thought this movie was going to be another one of those haunted house flicks, complete with a demon she'd have to find a way to exorcise. But midway this story took a sharp left turn and went in a direction I wasn't expecting. And the ride it took me on left me breathless in some scenes, and laughing in terror in others.

Lots of red herrings are thrown at you in this New Zealand movie. I wouldn't so much rate this as a horror film as much as a murder and suspense. 

I strongly suggest that you

but be sure you're not holding the popcorn bowl while you're watching it.

Monday Movie Review - Sightseers

If you like your horror with a touch of black comedy, you can't go wrong with this little gem.

Sightseers is a British flick about a 34-year-old woman escaping the clutches of her overbearing mother to spend a long holiday with her boyfriend. They're taking a camper to go see some of the grander tourist sites such as a pencil factory and a tram museum, as well as some scenic locations.

Along the way, people die. Some are deliberately killed, and others are accidental. But as we follow this couple (the actors are also the writers of the script), you get to wondering how it's all going to end.

All in all, I got several good laughs out of it. If you liked Shaun of the Dead, and you have a couple of hours to while away, you might want to give this one a try.

In short, my recommendation is that you 

Monday Movie Review - The Night Eats the World

Every so often you need a post-apocalyptic, zombie-filled movie that's a bit different. In most of the ones I've seen, it's always a small group of people trying to find an ideal safe spot. This movie does things a bit differently, and that in itself is refreshing.

A young man wakes up one morning after an alcohol-fueled night of partying to discover he's the last man left alive in the world. Or, at least, in France. Realizing that if he steps outside his apartment building he'd be eaten by zombies, he remains put and does the best he can to survive. We never find out where the zombies came from, or what caused them, but I think that only adds to the story.

The movie is a slow burn all the way through, yet meticulous, showing all the ingenious methods he uses to stay alive. But most of all, to remain sane, considering the circumstance. 

Very different, and with an ending I wasn't prepared for. Which is why I heartily recommend that you

Monday Movie Review - EXTINCTION

I love aliens from outer space coming to decimate the world type of movies. Two of my favs in that genre are Skyline and Battle: Los Angeles. For me to wholly endorse a movie, I need one of two things to happen. I either need to be hit broadside with a plot twist I never saw coming, or an ending that blows me away.

This movie did both for me.

If you watch the trailer, the editing department does a bang-up job hooking you. Yes, this is an alien invasion movie. Except it's not. And I won't go any further because I always promise no spoilers.

In short (to quote the blurb from IMDB), A father has a recurring dream of losing his family. His nightmare turns into reality when the planet is invaded by a force bent on destruction. Fighting for their lives, he comes to realize an unknown strength to keep them safe from harm.

Here it is, days after watching this flick, and I'm still thinking about it. I'm going back to re-watch it for all the little "clues" I missed the first time around. And then I'm going to do what I recommend you all to do - and that is to

Monday Movie Review - MEXICO BARBARO

Some horror movies like to build up the tension before unleashing on the viewers. Some go for the all-out blood and gore assault. And some like to push as many buttons as it can to see how grotesques and stomach-churning they can get.

Mexico Barbaro fits into this third category. This subtitled flick is actually eight short tales that are linked together without any discernible connecting thread that I could tell. Some of the tales take more than one viewing to understand what the story's about. But some are so sickening that I had a hard time watching it (ie. rape, child rape and torture, and menstrual blood, to name a few.)

I rented this movie because it was listed on several sites as among the most bizarre and revolting movies of all time, and I agree with those critics. This is not for the squeamish, but neither can I recommend it.

Which is why I suggest that you
 

Monday Movie Review - CARGO

Back in 2013, I highly recommended a short 7-min. film called "Cargo", featuring a father trying to protect his infant daughter after he's being bitten by a zombie. (Link here.)

Now, five years later, the original creators of that short have made a full-length feature film, this time starring Martin Freeman, of Hobbit and Sherlock fame.

When was the last time a horror movie made you cry?

The story has been expanded, but the premise is the same. Martin, as "Andy", is trying to find a safe place for his daughter, Rosie, before he succumbs to whatever is causing people to go stark raving. I also have to give kudos to the people who created these monsters (no CGI, by the way. It's all in-house makeup!) These "zombies" have touches of originality, including burying their heads in the ground in order to "hibernate", and the yellowish fluid they exude from their mouths and eyes as their insides putrefy.

To add the cherry on top, this takes place in Australia, which makes the perfect backdrop for this post-apocalyptic wasteland.

This story will tear your heart out, and in a good way. Which is why my two-thumbs-up recommendation is that you

Monday Movie Review - THE RITUAL

Four men, friends since college, embark on a pilgrimage to Sweden to honor a fallen comrade. While there, they encounter an entity in the woods, and the people who worship it, who intend on offering the newcomers as sacrifice.

Hot damn! This movie messes with your head. The deaths are gruesome. And when you finally see the monster in all its glory, it is one for the books.

Again, I checked this one out because several sites listed it among their top ranked horror movies. From beginning to end, at no time did this film lag or grow tedious. The build-up is punctuated with horrific discoveries, and there are no jump scares.

Which is why my wholehearted recommendation is that you

Monday Movie Review - Downrange

SHUDDER is a site where you can watch unlimited horror movies for a monthly fee. This month they're touting their newest release, DOWNRANGE. And although I was initially skeptic of the premise - six friends on a road trip are confronted by a sniper - I thought I'd go ahead and give it a try.

I'm glad I did.

This is one bloody carnage. Six friends, three boys and three girls, are on their way somewhere, when they get a flat tire. Only they find out the hard way the tire didn't blow on its own. It was hit by a high caliber bullet. From a sniper. Who then proceeds to play with them, punching them in the legs and hands to watch them writhe in agony, before finally taking them out with a head shot. Or two.

The acting was pretty damn good. There were many suspenseful moments when you didn't know when the next shot was coming (because the sniper is using a silencer). But the gore effects were spectacular.

Of course, there were some large plot holes that bothered me, especially when it came to their cell phones. If they can post pictures to their social media sites, why can't they call 9-1-1 for help? Maybe I missed that explanation. 

But, all in all, it was a pretty entertaining flick. Even better was the ending, which I didn't anticipate AT ALL.

Which is why my recommendation is that you