Fingerprints 2006

I liked this movie. I like supernatural horror films. It didn't have a lot of intense cultural meaning but the story was well told. It had groovy character actors like Sally Kirkland and Geoffrey Lewis. The other actors were good too. Leah Pipes as Melanie is a girl who O.D.'s, then dies and comes back to life. Therefore she can see dead people, specifically dead kids from a bus crash in San Antonio, Texas. That works for me. They also did a nice job with a little commentary on how difficult it can be to regain a good reputation after something goes wrong. Even Melanie's family doesn't trust her after her mishap. So what does it take to come back from something like that?

The Ruins

The Ruins (2008, directed by Carter Smith) was plenty gruesome and filled with enough suspense! It was also great to see Jena Malone (Donnie Darko's girlfriend in Donnie Darko) in this type of movie, she is excellent. What I thought was going to be another Hostel/Turistas type movie turned into something else (a killer plant movie?). But since there weren't really any "bad guys" in this movie (only bad plants), it kept it interesting.

Funny Games

Describing Michael Haneke's 2007 version of Funny Games as overwhelmingly intense would be an understatement. The game is in the hands of two handsome, young, charismatic golf players that cause psychological torture like you've never seen. The movie kept me waiting for the next scene to bring some sort of relief. (and does the relief ever come?) Everything about Funny Games from the acting to the cinematography is matchless. You don't typically come across films like this (a gem!). Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Devon Gearhart give outstanding (believable) performances as a family trying to survive the night and protect each other from two unknown, violent psychopaths. The intruders are manipulators ( and malignant narcissists?) of the highest form, and their pleasure is derived from playing god. Beware, this isn't your typical slasher film.

Tripper

Just realized I never talked about "Tripper". Not sure about the whole Reagan killing hippies stuff, especially since we have new poster children for representing 'Evil Republican'. But there's a nostalgia about it I guess.

First let me say my fave scene is the nudist scene and I don't want to spoil that. I also like when Jamie King runs into a drum circle freaking out and the people are too high and tranced out to listen to her, and then they dose her with acid by somehow macing her (sp? what I mean to say is they sprayed her like one would spray an attacker with pepper spray) with it.

The movie has also has an all star cast. Just to name a few: Paul Reubens, he acts like Peewee but he says fuck all the time. Awesome. The kid from Witness is in it. And he has a moustache. Jamie King. I'm not so much of the demographic to know what else she's been in though she's somewhat familiar. The hot dad from The Mist in a totally different role. This guy is versatile. The anti drug guy is the villain, awesome. No wait, the traumatized blue collar aggie kid is the villain. And was that Fishbone? That was totally Fishbone. Party at Ground Zero. "It's our God-given right to rock."

A good special feature involved a PA finding a human finger while she was sweeping the set. I don't even believe them but it was a good gag.

Over all, did it hang together too well? Not so much. Did it have lots of fun stuff? Absolutely.

Fear Itself

I can't believe I haven't talked about Fear Itself. My current favorite TV show that I can watch on the Web besides The Office.
I loved the cable series Masters of Horror. Same guy behind this series, Mick Garris. First let me say that my favorite episode of Fear Itself so far is "Eater." That said, I loved watching Eric Roberts in "Spooked". The show features great directors and I love the short form for giving them a chance to try out stuff. I hope they keep trying out stuff. p.s. my favorite Masters of Horror episode was "Sick Girl" by Lucky Mckee, director of one of my favorite horror films, "May." Both start Angela Bettis.

Eric Roberts - Fear Itself


Eater - My Favorite

Exciting

I'm about to watch Funny Games. I am excited about it because the actors are good. I recently watched Turistas. I did appreciate that it was set in Brazil and was probably a reaction to Brazil's reaction to 911. And I also appreciated the underwater photography which I can't find a publicity photo of, I guess because they are trying to save it for when you watch the movie. But otherwise it was kind of rote. And not even rote enough to have some big scary guy say in a scary way "Tu-ris-tas." Which was kind of a disappointment.

Dexter (series, 2006-)

OK, this is my first series I'm talking about. And truthfully I don't recall another series about a serial killer. I've only watched the first 4 episodes of the first season, and it hasn't quite quite pulled me in completely. So I'll watch more and get back to you. Next up, David Arquette's directing debut, "The Tripper."

Technolust (2002)

This movie is a little boring even though I like the concept. But Tilda Swinton is always weird and interesting.

The Mist (2007)

I liked this. It wasn't new, but it was well done. Marcia Gay Harden was really good and there were a lot of great character actors.

Seconds (1966)

Seconds was recommended to me by David Kleiler. He said, and I quote, it's the only good movie Rock Hudson ever made. All I want to say about it is, the movie was awesome. Run don't walk.

Just Because

Mary McCormack realizing her husband is seriously not going to let her back in the house as she's been contaminated.

I haven't been posting doesn't mean I haven't been watching horror flicks. In fact you could say I've been kind of living one. But that aside, here's what I've been watching:

Hatchet (2006). "Old School American Horror"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlgsiix43KU
Behind The Mask (2006). This was clever.
http://www.behindthemaskthemovie.com/
Right At Your Door (2007) I really liked this. Dirty bomb on L.A. I liked the twisth at the end. The title seems simple but I can never remember it correctly.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/rightatyourdoor/trailer/
Bad Reputation (2005) They should call this Bad Makeup artist but it was entertaining.
http://www.badreputationmovie.com/

I think many of these are from Anchor Bay Entertainment. They are a company with a catalog of B horror flicks whom I'd be interested in working for (if only I could write a proper English sentence) but can't seem to figure out where they actually are. I see they are a subsidiary of Starz but that's about all I can figger out, shucks.