Deep Red (1975)

Thanks to starting this blog, I met some knowledgeable horror movie fanatics. These fanatics (you know who you are) pointed me to Dario Argento, whom, I humbly admit, I had never heard of prior to starting this blog. You see, in my naïveté, I used to think I was a fairly well-versed horror movie buff. So, a big thanks to everyone out here in the blogosphere who helped me find the path!

The first thing that caught me with Deep Red was the music by Goblin. As in Suspiria, and as a musician myself, Goblin is a real treat. I also had the pleasure of basking in the stylization and direction that I've come to learn is "pure Argento." On top of superb auditory and visual stimulation (though visual stimulation reaches new heights in Suspiria) Deep Red caused me to laugh more than a few times. Good plot, good acting, good script, good direction, good soundtrack: A+.

This is one of the only who-did-it movies, complete with classic red herrings, that actually kept me wondering until the very end. Even after the "reveal," I had immediate disputes; but those disputes where taken care of masterfully. In fact, the movie gives the viewer the chance to go back to the "scene in question" and see what they missed--it was right there in front of my eyes! Never before has that happened in a movie, that I can think of.

So, despite it being slow in places, and despite all of the high expectations I had going into the experience, Deep Red still won me over. I understand why Dario is king of the hill when it comes to the giallo.

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

What's with the DVD menus these days? I purposefully abstain from reviews and trailers before watching a movie because too much is given away. Now, with the DVD menus in movies like The Unborn and The Haunting in Connecticut, I am forced into an onslaught of all the mood and thrills of the movie, delivered in a rapid--yet comprehensive--collage that plays before AND after I select play movie.

Tonight, as I encountered this, I looked away from the screen until it was over. Extreme behavior? I've been known to exhibit extreme behavior at times, sure; but why throw away the mood and horrific imagery before the movie even starts? I don't want to see any of it. I want to be scared for the same reason the characters are: because they are witnessing things for the first time. Anyway, I haven't even started the movie yet--had to vent out my frustration.

On with the show...

Well, that was disappointing. This movie offered nothing new to the audience: one of the family members see "frightening" visions, the family becomes concerned, the doctors confirm that nothing is wrong, a priest attempts to expel the evil from the house, some library research is done, and so on and so on. I thought The Amityville Horror remake did a better job than this movie. The only deviation from the format we've all been subjected to time and time again is the multiplied number of "scares." Seriously! I couldn't even keep count of how many times this movie used the exact same scare tactic.

Boo.

You may argue, but I recommend The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) above this movie.

[REC] (2007)

So, I've been holding off of the U.S. remake, Quarantine, for months now, waiting for Netflix to ship the original Spanish film [REC]. I still haven't seen the U.S. remake, but it's hard for me to believe that it could be better or even on-par with [REC]. Manuela Velasco's performance as the reporter pulled me into the movie from the very start. There is no way Quarantine's Jennifer Carpenter could do this like Manuela Velasco. Carpenter is clunky, gangly, awkward, and, well, just not very likable in my opinion. Velasco, on the other hand, pulled me into the reality of the movie, causing me to laugh and care.

Admittedly, the film is fairly generic and follows the zombie genre closely. It isn't until the end, when a twist is thrown in, that the movie claims its place in the horror genre, but don't let that stop you; it still packs punches with heightened action throughout. Too bad it is only the last fifteen minutes or so that really sent chills down my spine, but I think this is the effect they were going for. It made me think of Audition, which is 75 minutes of tame drama, then 15 minutes of shock--though, [REC] does not go for heavy gore in its ending, and like I said, it isn't a tame drama throughout. For some, the movie may become monotonous (especially if you watch a lot of zombie/survival movies), but trust me, the ending is worth it!

Killing Ariel (2006)

The best part of this movie was the nightmare I had while sleeping through the last thirty minutes. It was a terrifying dream; the most frightened I've been in a long time. Killing Ariel tried so hard and is lame at best. The tone, acting, and visual gags reminded me of a full-length version of one of the tales from Campfire Tales (1997). If this comes on TV during an October horror movie marathon, it might be worth checking out, but don't waste a spot in your Netflix queue, or a slot in the torrent downloader.

In My Skin (2002)

Mon dieu! Once again, an over-the-top, ultra-realistic French (horror?) movie. Among the rest of the French extremism movies I've seen recently, this is at the bottom of the list, yet it stands alone and has its own tone. And that tone is disturbing to the point that I realized I had spent an hour and a half sitting on the edge of the couch with my mouth hanging wide open.

The Unborn (2009)

So much promise, so little delivery. In a word: monotony. If the exterior of a house at the start of every scene transition doesn't scream monotony, the continuous reuse of the same visual gags and cheap thrills will. And it really stinks, too, because I had high hopes for this one. I even gave the PG-13 label a chance after having seen Drag Me To Hell. But despite a few eerie visuals, which seemed misplaced in the entire context of the movie, it is simply mundane, nothing we haven't seen over and over already, worthy of omission.

Donkey Punch (2008)

This is more of a mediocre thriller than a horror movie, but it still has its merits. If you don't know what a donkey punch is, check out Urban Dictionary, an indispensable resource for urban vernacular. Supposedly, this movie is based on an "original idea" by one of the writers (it proudly boasts this information at the forefront of the ending credits), but it is a complete copy-and-paste of a hundred countless thrillers where everyone is having a good time, something tragic happens, and the group begins to divide and form deadly alliances like an unrated version of Survivor. But, like I said, it has its merits: above average acting and a few brilliant shock-gags. Worth a watch if you don't have a good book close at hand.

Frontiers (2007)

Think Texas Chainsaw Massacre mixed with Hostel, but with superb cinematography, acting, lighting, pacing, sound, and gore, as only the French seem to be able to master in the horror genre. Frontiers continues the trend of brutal French horror with high production value; and this after having seen High Tension, Martyrs, and Inside, among others. When it comes to a bloody good time, this movie is the guest of honor.

The Ruins (2008)

An entertaining, pleasantly gruesome movie that caught me by surprise. Sure, the plot has been done many times before, but this movie had some memorable moments despite the cliché. Plus, I have respect for any movie that contains the lines (and don't quote me here):

"Four American tourists don't just disappear. Someone will find us."

Dead and Breakfast (2004)

There are three types of campy horror movies, and they produce three different reactions: a mere roll of the eyes, a "hmn" executed through the nose, and actual, genuine laughter. Dead and Breakfast falls in the third category!