Short Movie Reviews – Spooky Season Week, Day 7

 

So, I ended up watching quite a few scary movies for this week of blogging, but if I gave each movie an individual post, there would be too many posts for only seven days, and I'm pretty sure people would get bored of seeing them.

Thus, after writing full reviews for The Blair Witch Project and Pet Sematary, I figured I could compile all of the others into one post, and give mini reviews for them.

Let us commence!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.

On a black and unholy Halloween night years ago, little Michael Myers brutally slaughtered his sister in cold bold. But for the last fifteen years, town residents have rested easy, knowing that he was safely locked away in a mental hospital – until tonight. Tonight, Michael returns to the same quiet neighbourhood to relive his grisly murder again…and again…and again. For this is a night of evil. Tonight is Halloween!

My Review!

I have always heard it said that people get frustrated at horror movie characters, for being so annoyingly dumb, but I have never come across a movie before where I actually felt such a thing. If you are not sure the bad guy is actually dead, don't drop the knife right next to his body and turn your back to him! A slasher movie from the 70s, this film includes a man, who killed his sister when he was only six, who breaks out of a mental hospital, and returns to his hometown. His doctor works to try and find him before people get hurt, and babysitting teenagers are the ones who end up in Myers' grasp. The main character, Laurie, is lovely, and incredibly likeable, but although she is very smart, she doesn't seem to have much sense when faced with someone trying to kill her! All in all, it's a good movie if you're after a little bit of suspense, as long as you don't mind predictability and a bit of nudity here and there.

Much-lauded comedy, described by its makers as 'a romantic comedy - with zombies'. Written by Simon Pegg, creator of the hit TV series 'Spaced', the film fuses the style (and copious bloodshed) of classic zombie films with observational suburban comedy. Shaun (Pegg) is a useless but likeable thirty-something who works in an electronics shop in Crouch End. He doesn't get much respect from his fellow staff, even though he's standing in as temporary boss; his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield) has had enough of his lack of direction and penchant for downing pints in the local pub; and he doesn't get on with his stepdad (Bill Nighy). Things get worse when the living dead make their appearance, threatening to spread their zombie curse across the nation. Will Shaun be able to rise from his sofa to save the lives of the two women he loves - Liz and his dear old mum?

My Review!

Not everything about this season needs to be overly horrifying and scary! We are allowed to watch movies that have some comedy in them as well, rather than just gore! Shaun of the Dead is a movie I have seen before, but it is certainly one that you can watch over again. With zombies who are happy to stop and wait for people to finish their conversation before attacking, and popping round the shop for a Cornetto, this movie mixes comedy and horror together, into a strange but almost delightful amalgamation of a group of people trying to stay alive when everything they know seems to have disappeared. If you are after a bit of a laugh, but also want to stay on theme with the time of year and throw in a couple of zombies, this is definitely a movie to watch!

Five battle-hardened American soldiers are assigned to hold a French Chateau near the end of World War II. Formerly occupied by the Nazi High Command, this unexpected respite quickly descends into madness when they encounter a supernatural enemy far more terrifying than anything seen on the battefield.

My Review!

This isn't a movie I watched for the first time this week. In fact, I have seen this movie multiple times now, and it has actually got better with each time I watched it. Thinking they've caught a break, the five American soldiers are happy to arrive at the French Chateau to protect it. They can sleep in beds, eat properly, rest for the first time in ages. But, what they are faced with isn't the dream they expected, but a nightmare. This is the kind of movie that has unexpected layers to it – there are the layers that reveal themselves, but then you realise there is still more to come, and then more still. This is almost a horror movie within a horror movie, although it is not until the very end that everything seems to fall into place. On rewatching it, you start to notice little things, things that will have been irrelevant the first time watching it, so unimportant that you might not even have noticed, but when you understand what is happening, what has happened, and what will happen, this film becomes all the more amazing. Rewatching it, this movie becomes a search for those little things, that just prove how much work went into creating this film. It is one that I highly recommend you watching. If you are after a scary, historical, military, supernatural film, that will put you slightly on edge and leave you staring in shock and awe as the credits roll, this is the one you must watch.

Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) are a happily married couple with three young children who have moved into their idyllic new suburban home. When tragedy strikes their young son, Josh and Renai begin to experience things in the house that are beyond explanation. Before long, their lives are turned upside down by demonic forces, hell-bent on terrorising their very existence. Forced to seek help and protect their family, they learn the terrifying truth…… it’s not the house that’s haunted but something far worse…

My Review!

I decided it would be a good idea to watch this movie, because image of the man with the red face standing behind Josh really freaked me out. There’s something about just how inhuman the red face looks that makes a chill run up my spine. Watching it at night, as well, was perhaps a mistake. If I knew what this film was about before I watched it, I wouldn’t have done that. But, as it stands, I finished watching a movie about nightmares and the hellish things the sleep world can hold, just before going to sleep. One thing that always seems to be utilised in horror movies is the lack of light, and wow, do the family in this movie have a lot of lamps, and use them way more often than the main lights. It’s almost like they want a spooky atmosphere. Another thing, is characters always act like they're in a horror movie. If you heard a strange voice over the baby monitor, surely you would run to get to your baby, rather than stand at the bottom of the stairs and listen to it? Nevertheless, it is a horror movie, and I suppose these ‘flaws’ are necessary for the movie. There were a lot of things that scared me about this movie, especially so the man with the red face, but one thing in particular was when the title was shown. Turns out, you can make anything scary if you put very loud, erratically played string instruments over the top of it. If you want to watch a movie that will scare you, freak you out, slightly annoy you with horror movie things, and make you afraid to go to sleep, go ahead and watch this one. Just not at night. And not right before you have to go to sleep. And not in the dark.

And done!

Spooky Season Week has, unfortunately, come to an end, which means we are now back to posts on only Wednesdays and Saturdays. It does mean, though, that I don't have to write as many posts last minute – I finished this one last night.

That's all for now, then.

Bye!

Short Story – The Halloween of A Drunk, British Girl (and the mockery of her friends) – Spooky Season Week, Day 6!

The Halloween of A Drunk, British Girl (and the mockery of her friends)

Read part 1 – The Poetry of A Drunk, British Girl (and the mockery of her friends)

*The following contains alcohol consumption.

"How have you never seen a scary movie?" Timmy asked, slamming a bottle of vodka down onto the coffee table.

"Because I don't like being scared," I stared at the bottle on the table, noting that Timmy hadn't procured any other drinks. "Is that all we have?"

"No, but it's all I'm getting." He sat back, reaching for the remote to the television, snatching it away before I could get it.

"Did you at least bring in shot glasses?" Amy asked as she walked into the room, and Timmy and I both leant back on the sofa to look at her upside down.

"Who needs shot glasses?" Vi leant forward and picked up the bottle, unscrewing the cap and taking a swig as Timmy, Amy and I watched. Her face didn't give away anything as she swallowed, putting the bottle back down on the table, and the cap down beside it, daring the rest of us to pick it up.

"Fine, I'll go," Timmy reached forward and picked it up. Amy left the room, saying something about refusing to drink from the bottle and that she'd be back in a minute with some glasses, as Timmy tipped the bottle back. I waited for his nose to crinkle, but to no avail – perhaps I was the only one whose entire face screwed up at the taste of vodka.

I heard the front door open, and I turned to look in the direction of it.

"Don't worry, everyone, the fun has arrived!" Noah walked into the room, shedding his coat and throwing it into the corner of the room.

"Where is it?" I asked, grinning, and he pulled a face at me, jumping over the back of the sofa and narrowly missing landing on me.

"It's right here," he leant towards me and pressed his lips against mine, and I closed my eyes, melting against him. His nose was cold as it brushed against mine.

"Please stop. Amy, hurry up and get in here, the lovebirds are making out again!" Vi called, and Noah smiled against my mouth.

"Just delivering the fun, Vi," Noah said, causing a very vocal reaction from Vi, who I was sure was about to walk over and sit between us.

"It's so annoying! I look over, and everything's fine, and I look over again and you're stuck together." Vi complained and Noah kissed me again, before sitting back, stretching his arm across my shoulders, and pulling me against him.

"Timmy wants to watch a scary movie, and I don't want to," I told Noah, and he stuck his bottom lip out, pouting down at me.

"Oh, dear. Are you scared?" he asked, and I stuck my tongue out at him, turning my back to him and folding my arms. "Poor Piper, scared of a movie," he grabbed me by my arms and wiggled his head into the crook of my neck, kissing my skin. I couldn't help but smile, and I shook my head at his antics. I couldn't stay mad at him.

"Stop it!" Vi half yelled, picking up a pillow and holding it across her face. "All the time!"

"What's going on?" Amy asked, finally returning.

"Where are the glasses?" Timmy asked, and Amy seemed to realise she hadn't brought anything back with her.

"Umm," she turned around and walked back to the kitchen, coming back seconds later with a stack of shot glasses.

"What were you doing in there?" I asked, trying and failing to get Noah to sit up properly and stop messing around.

"Nothing." I watched as her cheeks turned red, and grinned at her.

"Who were you texting?" Vi asked, and Amy picked up a pillow and threw it at her.

"No one, shut up. Put the movie on."

"Was it that girl you met at the coffee place?" Timmy asked, and Vi and I both turned to look at him. Noah even removed his face from my neck to stare as well.

"What? When? How do you know about this person and we don't?" I asked, accusingly.

"You trust Timmy with your secret girlfriends and you don't trust us?" Vi asked.

"Timmy is the least trustworthy of us!" Noah added, making Timmy attempt to hit him across the back of the head, but missing and nearly hitting me instead.

"I didn't tell Timmy, he just so happened to be there!" Amy said loudly, picking up her witch hat from the floor and pulling it down over her eyes.

"So there is a girl? He didn't make it up?" Noah asked and Amy, or rather the hat, nodded.

"What's her name? What does she look like? What's she like?" I hounded Amy.

"Where does she live? Does she like vodka and scary movies?" Vi added and Amy groaned from within the hat.

"I'm not inviting her over, you'll all embarrass me too much." She announced, just before the doorbell rang.

"Piper, you go." Vi deadpanned, and I sighed.

"Give me the hat then," I stood up and pulled that hat off Amy's head, putting it on my own instead. It went really well with my jeans and t-shirt. Very witch like.

There was a bowl of sweets waiting by the door, and I bent down to pick them up before I opened it, to a chorus of 'trick or treat!'

"I think I'll go with treat," I held out the bowl, waiting for the little fingers to find the contents. A parent stood off to the side, and nodded their thanks to me. I smiled back, as the children dropped their sweets into the baskets they carried. They thanked me, and I closed the door, picking out a sweet from the bowl and putting it in my mouth before anyone else realised I had taken one and asked me to bring them one as well.

"Turn the light off!" Timmy called, and I sighed, flicking the switch and plunging the room into darkness, other than the light the television emitted into the room.

"He chose a movie while you weren't here so you couldn't argue. I said it was unfair," Amy announced, and I slumped into the seat next to Noah. He wrapped his arm around me, and I curled up into him, ready to turn my head away from the screen and to close my eyes at any moment.

"Timmy, switch seats with me," Vi said, and I watched as she stood up, and waited for Timmy to move.

"Why?"

"Because." Timmy sighed, standing up and letting Vi sit down next to me. She shuffled up to me, and, as soon as Timmy pressed play and the title screen appeared, she reached for my arm and gripped it with enough force to cut of my circulation. I sat up a little, and leant closer to her.

"I thought you were all tough?" I whispered and she glowered at me.

"I don't like horror films," she whispered back, her teeth gritted, and I smiled, reaching for her hand.

"We'll survive." I leant back against Noah, with his arm around my shoulders, Vi's hand in mine, and her other hand around my bicep. I wouldn't be surprised if my arm were to drop off from lack of blood flow half way through the movie.

"I hope."

And done!

This is kind of a continuation from my other short story, in that it has the same characters. I missed them a bit, so they're back! And Piper and Noah have got together!

Not everything about Halloween has to be scary! So I decided just to scare my characters, rather than actually create something scary. 

*Throws a sheet over my head, and makes ghost noises* that's all for now...

Bye!

Movie Review – Pet Sematary – Spooky Season Week, Day 5!

 

Stephen King is a name that almost everyone knows, and a lot of people are very familiar with his work.

I am not one of those people.

The only movie I have seen that was based on a Stephen King book was It (unpopular opinion, I didn't think it was scary at all...) and I have never read any of his books, although I would like to remedy that.

And so, when I was scrolling through Netflix, hoping something would magically appear that I wanted to watch, and I saw this movie, I decided to settle down with a blanket, and press play...

Let me introduce this movie, and we can get into what I thought about it!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.

A sinister burial ground lies behind the Creed family's new, rural Maine property, and a sequence of tragic events will soon unleash its terrible power.

My Review...

A new house. A new life. Louis and Rachel Creed packed up everything they knew, and moved their family to a new house, far from everything they knew. With the desire to slow down, to spend more time at home with their two children, Ellie and Gage, Louis in particular takes this move as an opportunity to start a new kind of life, one where he doesn't spend hours upon hours working the nighttime shift at the hospital, and instead, spends those hours with the people he loves.

As Ellie starts to explore her new home, she come across an unusual area in the woods by the house. With a sign reading 'Pet Sematary', and graves all around, she is undoubtedly curious. Rachel had a difficult childhood, with the trauma of losing her sister and blaming herself for her sister's death, and has tried to shelter Ellie from the realities of death. And, while Louis doesn't completely understand, he lets his wife shield Ellie from the fact that what comes after death is unknown, and it is, unfortunately, inevitable.

But, when Ellie's cat, Church, is found dead on the side of the road outside their house, a road that trucks speed down dangerously, Rachel can't bear to tell Ellie that her beloved cat is gone. Instead, they weave a tale that Church has run away, and their new neighbour, Jud, takes Louis to bury Church. Instead of the Pet Sematary, though, Jud leads Louis to a different place, and bury the cat there, even if it is creepy, and has a strange feel to it.

The next morning, they find Church alive, in Ellie's bedroom.

The thing about horror, is that often it relies too heavily upon the supernatural, or on people with revenge on their minds, to create the atmosphere and to provide the scares. This film doesn't do this, but rather, uses human nature, assisted by the supernatural, to tell the story. There is plenty of foreshadowing throughout the film, with the lorries on the road, and with the story of Church, that helps you to predict what will happen, and even though you know it is inevitable, it won't stop you hoping that, somehow, Jud will get through to Louis, and everything will be left alone.

The whole idea of being able to bring the dead back is one that Louis grasps onto. After Jud shows him the place, its existence haunts him in the form of a cat who was once loving and kind, but now hisses and attacks his children. And, even though he knows the outcome, that if you bring the dead back to life, they will not return how they left, the pain that grief brings is unbearable, and with the option there, no other option seems available.

Louis is the character at the forefront of this movie, although Ellie also gets a lot of screen time. While Rachel and Gage are almost in the background of this small cast of characters, every one of them plays their individual role. The butterfly effect suggests that one action, one small decision, can change the course of everything that is to happen, and this movie, although not outright stating it, shows this. If Jud and Louis had buried Church in the Pet Sematary, if Louis and Rachel had told Ellie that Church was dead, if Rachel had never been left home alone with her sister that dreadful day – the outcome of this story could be completely different. Indeed, if Church stayed dead, and if Louis never learnt of the powers the ground could hold, there might not be a story to tell.

This movie is a fabulous portrayal of horror without the scares, but rather, something that will get under your skin, and leave you feeling unnerved. In particular, the closing scene is one that will stay with you for a long time. In the horror genre, it can seem too easy to kill off adult characters, and sometimes, if a character is too annoying, the viewer might even be waiting for that particular person to die. When two of the main characters are children, though, young children, who are innocent, lovely, and have their whole lives ahead of them, the whole aspect of horror takes on a different tone. It's more difficult and unsettling to watch children in danger, especially with such a subtle thread of supernatural running through the story. This family is living a normal life, in their new home, and yet, there is something wrong, something that they can't quite put their finger on. And, with the feeling of being unsafe hanging around them, trying to sleep at night becomes a much more difficult thing to do.

I watched the 2019 remake of this movie, and for those hardcore Stephen King/Pet Sematary fans out there, yes, I am aware this is a remake, and that there were some significant changes to the story in this film. I haven't read the book, and I haven't seen the original film, but giving my opinion on this film, it is a story that will cause chills to run down your spine, and I certain want to read the book now, to see just how different the ending is, and to read the words that eventually made their way into the imagery of this movie.

And done!

I said in a previous post that it was the week before my 'Spooky Week' and I only had three posts written. It is now Sunday, the day before Day 1, and this is post 4.

This is how unorganised I am.

To be fair to myself, I have been unwell the past couple of days, but hopefully (fingers crossed) I will be able to figure out 3 more posts before they have to go out.

That's all for now...

Bye!