Horror Movies Watched and Books Read (May 2010)

MOVIES

Insanitarium (2008) **
I'm not even sure where to begin on this one. Crazy people are used as experiments by a doctor which is the subplot. This movie goes all over the place. Good gore and Peter Stormare's usual fine acting are about the only thing making this remotely tolerable.

The Graves (2010) **
A small town feeds passer by's to a demon in order to keep themselves safe. Nothing really worked for me in this one except the performances of Bill Mosley and Tony Todd.


The Black House(2007) ***1/2
An insurance agent tries to prove a man murdered his step-son for the money and gets far more than he bargained for. If the make it through the rather boring and procedural first half, then you are in for a great final half of the movies which stays away from the usual supernatural elements found in Asian cinema.






Splatter Beach (2007) 1/2
Sometimes you know what you're getting into before even deciding to watch a movie. I knew this a D grade movie, but I wanted some background noise while I was working on something else. I'm surprised that I even rated this monstrosity 1/2 star.

The Train () **
An overdone premise - US students traveling Europe are slain for the organs on the black market. Slightly suspensful and a tad gory, but not really worth it.

Shock Waves () **
Some would this nazi zombie flick a classic. I think it could have so much better with more logic and better characters. Even John Carradine and Peter Cushing seem to walk through their roles.

Legion (2009) *1/2
Such a disappointment. Had a couple of decent moments before the constant, mind numbing action sequences began.

Pyscho II (1982) ***
A very suspenseful tale that has you guessing if Norman has slipped back into his old ways right up until the end.

The Haunting of Molly Hartley (2008) **1/2
Nothing special about this spawn of Satan tale, but it did enough to keep me interested in watching the outcome

Trilogy of Terror (1975) ***
A decent made for TV movie with 3 short films. The best one is last with the famous Zuni voodoo doll.

# Supernatural, Season 5 (2009-2010) *****
Even though the show is going at least one more season, this felt like a series finale (as it was going to be). The Winchesters battle continue to battle angles, demons, Lucifer, and themselves to try a stop the Apocalypse from happening. I'm cant recall a more satisfying end cap to long term story arc from a series on Network TV. This show new what it was doing from day one and took the viewers on an incredible ride. Next season will be impossible to top, by I'll eagerly await to see where the saga of Dean and Sam head.

# Fringe, Season 2 (2009-2010) ****
I really enjoyed this season. I think the show is starting to hit it's stride and the stories they come up with on a weekly basis is amazing.


The Descent 2 (2010) ***
Picks up basically where the first one leaves off, with a search party looking for the missing group of cave explorers. Better than most sequels and the only the stupid decisions made by the Sheriff took away from it.

Animals (2010) **
I wanted to like this movie. But the ultra-terrible computer animation for the monsters and the unnecessary narration ruined the otherwise decent movie.

Necrosis (2009) *1/2
Bad acting and a thin story makes for an unbearable movie.

Carriers (2009) ***
Four people try to survive a virus outbreak. They heading to a secluded place on the beach and ride out the disease. Of course it's not going to be that easy. A good and very bleak movie where the horror lies in what you will do to survive.

The Human Centipede (2010) **1/2
The concept behind this movie is utterly sickening. However, it's not nearly as gruesome as I was lead to believe. Worth watching just for the villainous doctor.


# Lost, Season 6 (2009-2010) ***1/2
There has already been so much debate on this season, the entire series, and the last episode. For me, the entire season seemed a bit rushed and a letdown. The show turned into an event where the island was the main character. This year so many things where answered, but way too many where left opened as the focus turned back to the original survivors of the Oceanic flight. Still it will go down as groundbreaking TV, the likes we may never see again.


The Quiet Family (1999) ****
A Korean film about a family who runs a mountain hotel where guest keep dying off. Loads of black humor and light on gore, but I enjoyed it. Not nearly as wacky as the Takeshi Miike remake though.







Survival of the Dead (2010) **1/2
The story was decent, basically a modern day western but with zombies as a backdrop. But the CGI was terrible.





BOOKS

Death Troopers by Joel Scriber ***1/2
Star Wars and horror...interesting. The Empire constructs a virus that turns people into zombie like creatures. And it's the unfortunate luck of prison vessel to stumble upon the ship where the testing is being done.



Ghost Road Blues by John Maberry *****
The first book in a trilogy which I will anxiously await to finish. The book has everything for a horror fan. Supernatural elements, a great bad guy, kick ass fight scenes, drama, cringe worthy moments, and amazing true to life characters. Why did I wait so long to read this story about a town rising up to fight evil? It's one of the best novels I've picked up this year.











Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton ***
The first book in the Anita Blake series. I was captivated by the main character and this world she lives in that has a unique mythos on the supernatural world.

Supernatural vs. Lost - The Tale of the Tape

Before you read any further, obviously there will be a few spoilers for both Supernatural and Lost in this article (I will try not to give a lot away though).





THE RUNDOWN

Lost debuted on ABC September 22, 2004 and instantly became water cooler talk. The cant miss show of the season about a group of strangers whose plane crashes on a beautiful island in the Pacific. The viewer quickly learns all is not as it appears. The island held many secrets just like the passengers of Oceanic 815. Little did people know the juggernaut unleashed upon us. The program quickly turned from a regular show to being touted as a must see event each week.


Supernatural debuted on The CW September 13, 2005. The story of two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who "hunt" creatures thought to be of myth and lore. It quietly became a cornerstone for the network in a very difficult Thursday night time slot. Fans didn't have a clue what was in store as each season the bar was raised more and more.


THE AGENDA

Season 1 of Lost was mostly about the group of flawed characters and how they were going to get off this island. But from the fist episode the island showed us it has plenty of mystery as well. Each week another layer unfolded. For every question answered, many more became apparent.

In Season 2 the battle for the island heats up as the survivors battle against "the others" and the Dharma Initiative starts popping up.

Season 3 continues the war against the others and introduces several new cast members on both sides. And the survivors make contact with a rescue team.

The strike shortened Season 4 deals mainly with the rescue team and their motives. However Jack, Kate w/ Aaron, Sun, Hurley, and Sayid escape the island and are known as the Oceanic 6 Survivors. Everything changes in the final episode of the season as the flashbacks turn into flash-forwards.

Season 5 deals with the Oceanic 6 trying to get back to the island, which is jumping around in time. It settles in the 70's where the remaining survivors become part of the Dharma Initiative.

Season 6 deals a lot with Jacob vs. the Man in Black. We are also introduced to to a flash-sideways universe where everything is similar to the characters, yet different. And of course the final battle for island takes place.

Through out the course of the show there are themes raised about fate vs. free will, the complexity of human nature, many philosophical references, salvation and redemption, and an idea of the afterlife.


Supernatural takes a different approach to take similar themes, such as fate vs. free will and controlling your destiny.

Season 1 starts out with several "monster of the week" episodes and then you get a beginning of the yellow eyed demon tale they try to find their missing father, which becomes a major part of the show's mythology. Many comparisons to The X-Files were made in the format of the show.

Season 2 has the brothers dealing with the death of their father and continuing to hunt down yellow-eyes. Along the way Dean makes a deal with a demon: his soul in one year in exchange for Sam's life. And the gates of Hell break open releasing several demons.

Strike shortened Season 3 has the brothers trying to find a way out the Dean's contract and hunting the demons accidently released from Hell. Sam also discovers his special powers and battles with them taking over. Another main demon named Lilith is introduced.

Season 4 has Dean pulled from Hell by an angel, Castiel, to help stop the Lilith from breaking the seals to release Lucifer from Hell. We also find out that most angels and demons are fairly similar, just with different agendas. Dean and Sam's relationship is strained as Sam continues to be manipulated by his powers. Lucifer is freed and the Apocalypse is upon us.

Season 5 is all about the upcoming Apocalypse. Sam finds out his is the true human vessel for Lucifer while Dean finds out the he is the true human vessel for the angel Michael. All they have to do is say "yes" to their destiny. As the brothers try to figure out how to stop the Apocalypse, we find out their relationship also mirrors brothers Lucifer and Michael. They stop the inevitable due to their freedom of choice but it's not without consequences.


THE END(s)

Lost fans seem to branch out two different ways. Those who are charmed by the island and its secrets (the characters became secondary); and those who were captivated by the characters and their plights (the mysterious island was always secondary). If you are the first type of fan, the final was utterly disappointing. If you are the second type of fan, the final was extremely rewarding. And each side will never convince the other side of their view is correct about the finale.

For me, after Season 1, when Daniel Lindelof and the writers started introducing all these other characters and themes into the mix, the story became about the battle for the island and about not the Oceanic survivors. Basically, the island became the main character in the tale. So obviously I fall into the first category. While the finale was slightly rewarding from the original characters stand point, I felt like most of the questions weren't answered and the show took the easy way out. In fact, during most of the final season I felt this way.


As for Supernatural, Season 5 was going to be the finale. Creator/Head Writer Eric Kripke stated for the beginning he knew where the story was going and how long it would take to get there. Now there is a Season 6 happening, may be more, but Kripke will be gone. So I'm gonna treat it as the end...of sorts.

The last episode which ends a five year story arc is nothing short of brilliant. Many questions raised where answered but there is some mystery surrounding it. Some fans were turned off by the first person narration of the prophet Chuck, I found it to be outstanding and not done in a hokey manner. Kripke wrote from the heart. I'll paraphrase the following from the show's.

Endings are hard. You will never please all the fans. All the loose ends need to be tied up and you are about to forget a few. Yes, endings are hard.

THE VERDICT

Both of these shows have developed a ravenous fan base over the years. They have forever changed pop culture, though Supernatural is far more on a cult level than Lost.

I am and always will be a fan of Lost. The 121 episodes provided viewers with a unique mythology and strong, non-stereotypical characters. It is open ended enough to let people form their own opinions regarding certain aspects of the show. It was great television that challenged the viewer to keep up with several narratives from the past, the future, the current, and an alternate place.

However, I feel Supernatural (through 104 episodes and counting) is the better program. A show which at first glance appeared to be about two twenty something brothers hunting monsters through the heartland of America, evolved into so much more. It is the far more rewarding show. This long term story felt more like an excellent novel, revealing more and more layers until the climatic & satisfying ending. I don't know what the future of the Winchester's may be, and it surely can't top the last five years, but I'll be waiting to continue the journey.

Horror Movies Watched & Books Read (April 2010)

MOVIES

Lo (2009) **1/2
This movie proves you make an engaging film with limited budget and a good concept. If the comedy factor would've been toned down, I would have rated it higher.

I Sell the Dead (2009) ***
A campy tale full of fun about grave robbers. Great performances, a splash of comedy, and a some gore. This one is just a good time.

Buppah Rahtree: Flower of Evil (2003) ***
A horror movie from Thailand suggested to me by a friend as it's one of her favorites. This one starts out rather melodramatic as a good looking rich kid wins a bet with his buddies by having sex with shy girl, Buppah. She gets pregnant and has an abortion...and dies. The middle part goes into almost full on slapstick and parody (The Exorcist has big influences here) as it deals with the cast of characters in the apartment building Buppah now haunts and the local shaman trying to exorcise the ghost. The final act is nothing short of Takeshi Miike territory. It has a little of everything and I actually jumped out of my chair once.

The Zombie Diaries () **
It seems to dread over much of the same issues as we've all seen before without bringing anything really new to the table.


Lake Mungo (2009) ***1/2
This fictional tale done in documentary style about a family experiencing supernatural events after their daughter drowns is simply great. It never takes down the path you think it's heading and the final fifteen minutes are down rite chilling.









Hidden aka Skjult (2009) ***1/2
A man returns home after his mother's death and attempts to deal with a tragedy from his childhood. This Norwegian film has a Twin Peaks feel to it in terms of the setting. There are some truly suspenseful moments as the plot unfolds. Nothing is as it appears.

Dread (2009) ***1/2
There's plenty of gore, violence, and sex in this very good adaptation of the Clive Barker story. The tale about a group of college students trying to discover the nature of fear simmers nicely until it explodes into all out chaos at the end.

Society (1989) **1/2
An suburban teen is introduced to an underground society. Some great imagery in an average tale.


The Eclipse (2009) ****
While not all out horror, there are a few scares in the drama about a man who seems ghosts and befriends an author of ghost novels.


The Fourth Kind (2009) **1/2
If I want to watch a documentary, I watch one. What I dont want to see is actual footage either spliced in or side by side with actors portraying the same scene with audio tracks overlapped onto each other. It's annoying and hurts what could have been a good movie about alien contact.

Blackout (2007) **
People are stuck in an elevator. They have secrets.

The Final (2009) *1/2
High school outcasts get revenge on the popular kids. Nothing original or all that interesting.

City of the Living Dead (1980) **1/2
A ton of gore from the master Lucio Fulchi but a thin, thin story. Worth watching.

The Collector (2009) **1/2
I loved the premise, a guy attempts to rob a house which just happens to be already occupied by a deranged serial killer. There's some cool gore and it's stylish, but ultimately too many plot holes for me.

Next Door (2005) ***1/2
Another disturbing mind bender from Scandinavia about a odd neighbors who hold secrets. A little predictable, but the movie has style.

Cabin Fever 2 (2009) **
A lot of good gore but nothing else all that interesting in this one. Huge disappointment from Ti West, who apparently disowns it as the producers made drastic changes.

# Monster Quest, Season 4 (2010) ***1/2
The show tries to find scientific facts on if cryptids exist or why animals are being scene and living in parts of the US that they shouldn't be in. A solid season as usual, but the seem to be focusing less and less on cryptids.

# Destination Truth, Season 3 (2009-2010) ***1/2
More of the same from Josh and the gang. They try to find creatures of lore or occasional ghost and normally come up empty. I still find it more entertaining than most of these type of shows.

Smash Cut (2009) **1/2
This flick is a dedication to master of low budget gore, Hershel Gordon Lewis. It hits the mark fairly well as a movie director adds authenticity to his horror movies.


Paranormal Activities (2009) ****
I'm all about the slow burn in horror and subtleties. This one doesn't disappoint and is very effective.















BOOKS
Horns by Joe Hill ***1/2
An fun little story about a man who wakes up one day to discover horns growing out of his head.
















Best of Fantasy & Horror, Fifth Edition ***1/2
I didn't read all the short stories, but enjoyed the ones I did.

Under Appreicated Horror Author #6 - Richard Laymon

Richard Laymon wrote many well received novels in the horror genre before he died in 2001. His peers knew him well, however to non-horror fans he's basically an unknown. And that's a shame. Also published novels under Carl Laymon and Richard Kelly. Many of his short stories can be found in collections.

I've read Cuts, about a serial killer, which was as graphic and brutal of a novel as anything I read before. This was my first forray into Laymon. A handful of other a setting in my pile of books to read.


NOTABLE BOOKS
- The Cellar (1980) {Beast House Trilogy #1)
- The Beast House (1986) {Beast House Trilogy #2}
- Flesh (1987) Stoker Award Nominee
- Funland (1989) Stoker Award Nominee
- The Stake (1990)
- Bite (1996)
- The Midnight Tour (1998) {Beast House Trilogy #3}
- The Traveling Vampire Show (2000) Bram Stoker Award winner

Horror Movies Watched and Books Read (March 2010)

MOVIES

3/1 - The Children (2009) ***
An enjoyable little fright flick, that probably hits a nerve a bit more if you have kids. It's still effective movie.


3/3 - Satan's Little Helper (2004) **
An interesting idea which becomes kind of a one trick pony after awhile.

3/4 - Organizm (2008) *
I was pretty well drunk when I started watching this movie. And all the alcohol in my body couldn't convince me this didn't have loads of bad acting & special effects. I shut it off, slammed my drink, and went to sleep.


3/6 - Antichrist (2009) ***
I've read other reviews that call this art house horror. I'd tend to agree. The first 2/3 of the movie is a lot of boring dialog and sex. But the third is worth the price of admission alone. This movie has one of the most fucked up scenes I've watched in a movie (I cringed). And there's another scene which contains an image I've never witnessed before in film.

3/9 - Wizard of Gore (2007) **1/2
Gotta love Crispen Glover in this Hershel Gordan Lewis remake that doesn't shy away from blood.

3/11 - The Ferry Man (2007) **
This New Zealand horror movie didn't really do anything for me. Felt way to long. The only reason I didn't hit the fast forward button was because the remote was out of reach and I was lazy.


3/14 - Triangle (2009) ***
This is the type of movie that will either become better after a second viewing when you see all the small touches in this multi-layered story or becomes much worse because the surprises are gone. But after the first viewing, this is an great Twilight Zone feel of a movie.

3/17 - Broken (2009) *
After the first twenty minutes, I was bored with the familiar tale of a woman being held & tortured by a lunatic. I made it through the next fifteen before turning it off to take a shower.

3/19 - Skeleton Crew (2009) *1/2
A film is being made about a crazy, serial killer doctor and it's being filmed at the asylum where the events took place. The director starts going off the deep end. Dispite low budget, it had potential but couldn't pull it all together.

3/20 - Blood Creek (2010) ***
The first half of this movie is a solid suspense tale with a nice backstory. Suspend your disbelief for the second half and get through the bad CGI and this is an entertaining horror movie.

3/21 - 4Bia (2008) ***1/2
Another fine effort from Thailand. This ghost story anthology is a fun outing. The final segment was my favorite but the opening tale had a twist that I never saw coming.

3/23 - Red Sands (2009) **1/2
A good cast, a solid story, and eerie setting makes this one you may want to check out.

3/24 - Colour from the Dark (2010)
I'm a sucker for films based on Lovecraft stories. This one falls a bit short though.

3/26 - Parasite Eve (1997) **
You can skip this adaptation of the kick ass video game. It's nothing too special.

3/28 - The Darkroom (2005) *1/2
Not even good actors can save this mess of a movie.


3/29 - Orphan(2009) ***1/2
A pretty darn good horror flick, which I probably would've rated slightly higher if the big surprise hadn't been ruined for me by watching Tosh.0 a couple of weeks ago (he gave it away). Still it's well worth watching.













BOOKS

Phantoms by Dean Koontz ****
This could be my second favorite Koontz novel (after The Taking). If you've only see the movie, do yourself a favor and pick up the book.











Red by Jack Ketchum ****
Not a true horror novel, but it does explode in violence ala the usual Ketchum way. Actually, it's a rather cool novel about an old man wanting justice for the murder of his beloved dog. What pet owner cant relate?







The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
Full of facts, witty fun, and general common sense. This it's everything one could want in a survival manual.