Army of Darkness (1993)

Are you a fan of Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court? Are you a fan of The Three Stooges? Are you a fan of zombies and curses? If so, this is the movie for you. Raimi mixes Twain's novel of a protagonist's ingenuity as the result of sixth-century time period displacement with his (Raimi's) expressed penchant for The Three Stooges to produce this horror icon.

It's been a while since I've seen Raimi's third installment in the Evil Dead trilogy, and the movie maintained--if not increased in--its charm. Like Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness is comfortable with its niche as a horror comedy. The only other movie I can think of that kept me laughing out loud for the entire duration is The Hangover. Bruce Campbell does a masterful job. It's no wonder his name is in the horror movie canon!

Though we leave the creepy woods and cabin for this adventure, we do not leave the signature Raimi "character abuse" and gags. Just when I thought the second installment's gag with the household items bending over and laughing couldn't be topped, I get an army of skeletons marching toward a castle, playing bone flutes and bone drums...and wearing berets! And how could I ever forget the scene with the miniature Ashes?

I wanted to make a list of noteworthy quotes, but in the midst of frantically scribbling on a notepad during the movie, I realized that one just has to see it. To post all of the dialogue (and monologue) worth posting would be to post the entire script. One must simply indulge in the movie oneself and revel in the comedic goodness. Thank you, Sam Raimi.

Inferno (1980)

Loved Suspiria, but I didn't care much for this second installment in the Three Mothers trilogy. Inferno is pleasingly stylized, but not in the same manner as Suspiria; though the gore is definitely ramped up in comparison. And, sadly, Goblin is missing from the musical score--a major let down. On its own (i.e. without comparison to Suspiria), the movie just doesn't do it for me. As soon as a scene has my attention it fades into a quirky, below average story, with tidbits seemingly thrown in for good measure.

Hopefully Mother of Tears will be better.

Deadline (2009)

I never realized how perfect Brittany Murphy is for horror film until this movie. Not only does she thoroughly creep me out with her crazy eyes and wax lips from the start of the film, her countenance manages to become perpetually dingy for the duration. By the end of the film, her hair had several different styles going on (did I miss her braiding it somewhere?), half matted and mashed and half loose and wild. And now you think less of me for thinking so much about her hair? Well, like the sometimes goofy acting, I think we can pawn the whole hair thing off on the fact that she is mentally unstable--a fact the film desperately wants you to embrace.

Though the movie doesn't bring anything new to the genre, it is entertaining. It begins with a classic horror movie opening that causes the viewer to speak out loud to the TV. In Deadline's case, I questioned Tammy Blanchard's decision to leave Brittany Murphy in the secluded house, alone, without a car. This, after the film portrays Blanchard as caring deeply for Murphy? I think not. But it made me smile and enjoy my experience, anyway. Plus, I was happy to have Murphy and Blanchard away from each other. Their interaction came off rigid, almost mechanical.

Despite the aforementioned acting, cheap thrills, and innumerable creeks and groans from the house, Deadline's merit, for me, comes in the form of psychological consistency, specifically with Murphy's character. I have no clue whether this was consciously placed in the film or not, but it jibes perfectly with Murphy's defense mechanism, denial. I laughed and shook my head, thinking what an awful movie I was watching, when Murphy turns out the lights and closes the door in reaction to the overflowing bathtub. Similarly, she closes her laptop in response to the "scary messages" screen saver. I was ready to write these actions off as further exemplifying the movie's flaws, but then it hit me that Murphy was employing her defense mechanism in both of these instances. Bravo!

All in all, this is a decent psychological thriller that reminds me a lot of What Lies Beneath. It has its faults, but it has its redeeming points, too. The parallel plots add some depth to the movie, but in the end its a reiteration of plots and twists readily available to the genre. Yet, it's still worth a watch. As with all movies, there is positive and negative. I give Deadline 3/5 stars.

The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (2009)

Just in case we needed more proof that Rob Zombie is a strange individual, we now have The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. I wish I could say it was entertaining, but I can't. I wish I could say it was creative, but it wasn't. What we have here is simply a gratuitous exploration of the male id.

The Gate (1987)

I fell asleep halfway through, woke up after the credits (the DVD menu was looping), switched the player off, and went to sleep. The DVD has been sent back to Netflix without a re-watch.

Thirst (2009)

A cash-in on the Twilight bandwagon, Thirst offers little storyline amusement. But, once again, the film showcases Park's talent as a director. If you want to see more of Park's signature direction and cinematography, it's here. If you want a break from the overused vampire genre, steer clear.

Deadgirl (2008)

Dark, chilling, intense! This movie had me uncomfortable and jumping out of my seat more than a few times, especially in the first thirty minutes or so. Sure, there is some comic relief, but this is a good revisit to twisted, macabre roots of horror.

Trick 'r Treat (2008)

I've got to give credit to Bo at Last Blog on the Left for this one! He was right: I thoroughly enjoyed this flick. I haven't had that much fun watching a movie in a long time! This has it all.

The Hills Run Red (2009)

Contrary to my suspicions, this was a decent flick. I was wholly entertained!

100 Feet (2008)

A terrible, boring movie that Famke Janssen couldn't even give beauty.