WEEK 158 - The Sixth Sense

Reviews / Author Comments due: 01/06/2014
Position on TimeOut list: 63
More Info: Wikipedia, IMDB
DVD: Link

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Black Christmas (1974) - Will's Review

Black Christmas is often hailed as the first Slasher, beating the other much hailed contender Halloween, by 4 years. I'm not so sure, it certainly has the 'feel' of a slasher, but it's lacking a few elements that it would need for me to class it as one; the antagonist isn't present enough for that, nor are there any actual slashings. 

From the overall tone of the thing, I'm surprised it managed to avoid the Video Nasties list; I'm not saying it deserves a place there, but it's more worthy than others which did get a mention; couple that with its Christmas background, and it seems it would have been on the censors hit list in the 80s. 

Our pool of victims is mostly taken from a sorority house, who's 'house mother' (is that even a thing? - a middle age lady who oversees the house) provides the comic relief, with the funny alcoholism and false 'nicey nicey' front hiding a charmingly foul-mouthed lady. 

The kills are nice - particularly the first one, which comes as a great scare - but not graphic, and the suspense is well handled; but for the most part the movie is a whodunit, and as such the ending lets it down, with the reveal managing to be be both predictable and lacking in motive, and then a needless sting at the end that undoes even that. I also felt that the christmas theme was underused; this is not a christmas horror movie, so much as a horror movie which just happens to take place in the run up to christmas. 

That said, it's an enjoyable enough romp in the slasher style, and it's always nice to see John Saxon (Nightmare on Elm Street, Cannibal Apocalypse) doing his bit as a cop in a horror movie. 

Despite not being a slasher, I think this one will appeal to slasher fans. and I give it a cautious thumbs up.

Black Christmas - Lisa's Review

So to a slightly older movie this week, 1974 and Black Christmas.  I'm not generally a fan of dated movies, so entered into this one without much hope of having an entertaining evening.  Thankfully I can say, I was wrong on this occasion.

The title of the movie may give you the impression that it's full of festivities and fakery that Christmas brings with it.  Thankfully the stereotypical Christmas movie feel is missing here.  There are a few reminders here and there in the script and little glimpses of festive things, but it's very easy to forget this movie is set at Christmas, which as far as I'm concerned is a good thing.

Although many aspects of the movie are dated, overall the movie had a nostalgic feel of times when horrors were good.  It took me right back to my childhood of growing up watching horror movies.  Although this one was released before I was born, it is very reminiscent of 80's movies.

Anyways, the plot!  The movie is set mainly in a girls sorority house.  There are a few main characters within the house:

Sweet and innocent Claire who is travelling home for the holidays.
Obnoxious, brash and crude Barb who isn't one for mincing her words.
Sensible Jess who is pregnant and wants to have an abortion against her boyfriends wishes.
Mrs Mac, the house mother who is much loved by all the girls.


The plot is something that has been repeated many times in different guises in other movies and is very effective when done correctly, which I feel it was here.

The girls have been receiving obscene calls from a man who they refer to as 'The Moaner'.  Unfortunately his moans and heavy breathing soon follow on to threats, insane noises and what sounds like other peoples suffering.  He soon moves on to relaying information that only certain individuals would know, creating suspicion as to who 'The Moaner' is.

We follow the girls individual stories and how the caller affects them all.  The calls soon become a secondary concern as one of the girls goes missing and we find out all is not well.

I won't say any more as this is a movie that I really feel you should watch.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is definately not the sort of movie I would go out of my way to see.  It is well shot, the acting is solid, performances are believable, the pacing is good, the score is used in just the right way and the overall sound in the movie is a big strong point.  It is not often that sounds alone can chill you to the bone, but as they are presented in this movie, they do.

I recommend this movie with no hesitation.  Go watch it. :)

The Devil's Backbone - Will's review

Another slower movie this week, as The Devil's Backbone gives us Guillermo del Toro's 2nd entry in Time Out's Best 100 Horror Movies list, following Week 123's 'Chronos'. 

Del Toro's movies are often more about people than events, and this one is no exception. During the Spanish civil war, we join Carlos, an orphan, as he is left at a boys orphanage. The orphanage is low on funds, although it has gold it cannot use until after the war, and is home to an unexploded (supposedly disarmed) bomb in the center of its courtyard, and possibly the ghost of a boy who vanished the day the bomb fell. 

At times I was reminded of week 120's "Come and See" - although this was more to do with the mostly young cast, backdrop of war, slower pace, and wonderful cinematography than the story itself, or even the tone of the story; which is far less brutal here. 

There's a bit of an odd mix going on; the story itself sets up something big, that never pays off (a chekhov's gun, if you will, which is never fired in the third act) and the supernatural elements of the story are almost redundant - every part of the film would have worked just as well without them. 

After much setup, one of the characters turns out to be a sociopath which given the movie a much needed jolt into its third act, and the movies climax offers an incredibly brutal scene, in an otherwise fairly non-violent drama. 

I didn't hate this weeks movie, but I'm not sure I enjoyed it. It was beautifully made, and technically excellent, but I found myself more enthralled than entertained. So much so, that I can't, not-recommend it... as art, if not as entertainment.

WEEK 157 - Black Christmas (1974)

AKA: Silent Night Evil Night, Stranger in the House
Reviews / Author Comments due: 24/05/2014
Position on TimeOut list: 64
More Info: Wikipedia, IMDB
DVD: Link

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The Devils Backbone - Lisa's Review

This weeks movie is another Guillermo del Toro movie to find a place in this list.  From the start, let me make it clear, I am a big fan of his work.  I adore the spanish language, I love the almost poetic nature of his scripts and the beautiful cinematography that always comes from Guillermos movies.  This movie is no different in this respect.

The movie is set during the Spanish Civil war in a remote boys orphanage run by the very strong characters of Dr Casares and Carmen who are married.  They also employ a caretaker (Jacinto) and a couple of teachers, including Conchita who is involved with Jacinto.  As I come to expect of Del Toros movies, the depth of the characters is as strong as usual, as is their scrutiny.  The orphanage is a poor one, but it has hidden gold bullion, which is used to back the Republicans.  Our story starts off following a young boy, Carlos, being dropped off at the Orphanage (unbeknown to him) by his tutor.  It really tugged on the old maternal heart strings when Carlos, upon realizing he's been left behind, runs desperately after his tutors car to no avail.  The emotional way this is played out is typical of Guillermo del Toros work.

The movie follows Carlos settling into the Orphanage and finding his feet amongst existing groups of boys and the ever present bully, Jaime.  There is much talk amongst the boys of a ghost within the grounds.  They refer to it as 'The one who sighs' and everyone seems to be terrified of it.  The one who sighs appeared the same day as one of the boys, Santi, disappeared, causing all kinds of speculation within the orphanage as to what happened to Santi.  Also on the same day that Santi disappeared, a large bomb fell into the yard and remains (supposedly diffused) large and imposing, stuck into the ground.

There are obviously all kinds of ways we could be taken during this movie.  This is one thing I love about Guillermo del Toro, he is far from predictable.  His movies are always a surprise and are always thought provoking, deep and engaging.  This one is no different.  I won't go into any more detail about the movie as if you haven't watched it, DO!! It's obviously sub-titled as it's spanish, but please don't let that put you off.  People who have problems with sub-titled movies are missing out on a whole world (literally) of amazing movies.

I stick a big, fat recommended on the arse of this movie.  Go forth and watch it immediately!  I will leave you with a beautiful quote from the movie:

"What is a ghost?  A tragedy condemned to repeat itself time and again?  An instant of pain, perhaps.  Something dead which still seems to be alive.  An emotion suspended in time.  Like a blurred photograph.  Like an insect trapped in amber."

WEeK 156 - The Devil's Backbone (2001)

AKA: El espinazo del diablo
Reviews / Author Comments due: 16/5/2014
Position on TimeOut list: 65
More Info: Wikipedia, IMDB
DVD: Link

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The Vanishing (1988) - Will's Review

I have very little to say this week, as our movie is so straightforward, but please don't take that as a bad thing; as with last week's Angel Heart, I would not have sought this one out, but perhaps more so than last week, I'm very glad I watched it.

A dutch couple (Saskia and Rex) on holiday in France stop at a service station, Saskia is kidnapped. Three years later, having never given up the search, Rex is approached by the kidnapper, Raymond. Having accepted that his beloved is probably dead, knowing the truth is all that maters to Rex, and he is persuaded to travel with Raymond to learn the truth. 

Not remotely a horror, barely a thriller (only the final scene is designed to build any kind of tension or fear) in truth, The Vanishing is a character study, rather than a story. 

I must mention that the final scene is one that many people will find terrifying, although it is a common theme, and not really the point of the movie, it works well, and serves to give the film an ending (a pure character study could too easily have trailed off). 

I understand that my scant description is unlikely to send you clambering to get hold of a copy, but I would thoroughly recommend this film. 

The Vanishing (1988) - Lisa's Review

This week we have a little Dutch number that required my full attention as it was subtitled.  I like to start off viewing a movie with no prior knowledge as to what it's about and what everyone else thought about it (although I do check that out afterwards), so as I was watching a strange sense of familiarity came to me.  I immediately knew the entire plot, but I knew I hadn't seen this movie.  A quick check confirmed to me that this movie has been remade for an american audience, which I did see at the flicks.  It was definately interesting to see the original.

I don't want to give away too much about this movie as, like last weeks movie Angel Heart, this is one I recommend and think readers should most definately watch.

We start the movie following a young couple, Rex and Saskia.  They are going on holiday to France.  Along with the usual fun interaction between a couple, we are given a detailed version of nightmares that Saskia has been having where she finds herself inside a golden egg, floating.  In later dreams, another person appears in another egg and if they collide, she feels that something will come to an end.  We find out that Saskias biggest fear is to be abandoned.  Cue the car running out of fuel, a row and Rex walking off, abandoning Saskia inside a rather foreboding tunnel.

After some dramatics Saskia forgives Rex and he vows to never abandon her again.  The couple pull into a petrol station and Saskia leaves Rex to go into the shop.  She is never seen again.  It is at this point that we find out more about Raymond; a man who had been making appearances throughout the movie.  We know that he has kidnapped Saskia.  There is no secret made of it, the viewer is aware throughout.  Raymond is a very normal, boring man, but a man with a lot more going on inside than he projects.  He is obsessed with the nature of a mans thoughts and his ability to do the best he can do and the worst.  He plots to abduct any woman and rehearses the nature of what he will do, so it doesn't go wrong.

For 3 years Rex obsessively searches for Saskia.  Even when in a new relationship, he is still trying to find out what happened to her.  His determination and perseverance, bordering on obsession interests Raymond and so starts a new game.

This is where I will leave the detail.  This movie is really a thriller with an ending which a lot of people found horrific.  The ending is something I saw many years before in another movie (I can't say which one as it would give it away).  It stayed with me for many years as, through all the horror movies I watched as a kid, I found this one most disturbing.  The fact i'd been hit by the punch before, lessened it a bit for me, but it is none-the-less scary stuff.

The movie is interesting and well paced.  The ending is very strong and ties together earlier elements of the movie.  I heartilly recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it.  Thumbs Up!

Angel Heart - Lisa's Review

An odd movie to find itself in a horror list this week.  While there are certainly horrific images present in the movie, it is far from a horror.

The movie gets it's name from our lead character Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) who is hired by a very well-to-do, oddly but impeccably dressed man Louis Cyphre (Robert De Niro).  Now surely it doesn't take a person of much intelligence to utter the name Louis Cyphre and draw some rather dark conclusions.  If those conclusions didn't occur, then the appearance and presence of Robert De Niro in the role should raise a few eyebrows.

So back to the story, Mr Cyphre hires Mr Angel to track down a previous associate, Johnny Favourite, with which he had a contract which remains unfulfilled due to Johnnys apparent disappearance.

The movie follows Mr Angel's search for Johnny Favourite, which takes him from New York to New Orleans and deep into Voodoo and some suspect places.  He meets everyone from Johnnys doctor to his ex wife and his daughter Epiphany(played by the beautiful Lisa Bonnet... whatever happened to her?).  Being a looker back in the day, we of course are treated to the obligatory sex scene and Mr Rourkes rather fine backside.  Mr Angel is definately a guy with streetsmarts, but even he eventually starts to get rattled when most people he tracks down and interviews are murdered in horrid ways.

He pushes on, having been tempted by an additional $5000 when the first murder sent him back to Mr Cyphre ready to throw the towel in.  We start to see more horror elements, in saying that, the movie is certainly still not a horror by any stretch of the imagination.  The closer to the end we get, the faster the pace gets and after quite a steady pacing, I was ready for the increase.

I would say that the twists in the movie are pretty predictable and I for one saw the big reveal coming a mile off, but there are subtle details, which are quite clever.  In other respects there are questions which remain unanswered and make no sense.  Questions I would have liked to have answered.  Some things didn't quite add up (and I hate that).

In saying that, I deliberately haven't gone into too much detail in my review as I think this is a movie you should watch.  It isn't the usual crap horror, it doesn't date even though it is a 1987 movie.  Mickey Rourke is ravishing and plays a fantastic role.  There is enough of a mix between thriller and horror elements and slow and fast pace to keep the movie interesting.

Thumbs up from Lisa.

Angel Heart - Will's Review

Private investigator, Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) , is hired by the mysterious Mt Cypher (Robert De Niro) to find out whether former crooner, Johnny Favorite is alive or dead, as Cypher claims that he had been contracted to help the singer early in his career, and that his part of the contract had never been fulfilled.

Key witnesses start being murdered, and Angel find himself deep in Louisiana's voodoo country, and suspect number 1 for the murders.

Aside from De Niro apparently playing Satan (any one remotely fluent in cinema or horror can't help but assume immediately that Cypher is the devil) nothing supernatural happens for a good 3/4 of the movies running time; up until that point the movie plays like a straight Noirish thriller; and to be honest I enjoyed the change of pace.

I've been busy as all hell lately (hence my running a week behind with my reviews) and I haven't really had chance to watch any movie not for this site. Given a free choice of any movie, it's unlikely I would have chosen a 50's period gumshoe movie... But I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The costuming, sets, direction, acting, the scant score... the whole production in fact, are pitch perfect. The supernatural elements are introduced organically and the twists are timed perfectly, allowing the viewer to see them coming just before the reveal, keeping exactly up to speed with the character's realisations.

I'd recommend this one not just to horror fans, but to anyone who enjoys watching a story unfold slowly, and doesn't need an explosion or decapitation every few minuets to keep them involved.

Week 155 - The Vanishing (1988)

AKA: Spoorloos (Dutch:  "Without a Trace"),  L'homme qui voulait savoir (French: "The Man Who Wanted to Know")
Reviews / Author Comments due: 10/05/2014
Position on TimeOut list: 66
More Info: Wikipedia, IMDB
DVD: Link

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Week 154 - Angel Heart (1987)

Reviews / Author Comments due: 03/05/2014
Position on TimeOut list: 67
More Info: Wikipedia, IMDB
DVD: Link

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Wolf Creek - Will's Review

Shades of Texas Chainsaw Massacre abound, tonally, stylistically, and plot wise, as 3 friends break down in the Australian outback, and are "rescued" by a stranger who turns out to be a maniac.

There's plenty of time to get to know our characters; the movie is two-thirds trough before anything bad happens - this can be a blessing or a curse in these movies; with Wolf Creek it's neither. That's pretty much a pattern for the movie as a whole; it does nothing wrong, as such, but nothing about it excites me either.

The maniac is great, and I understand that the sequel sees him in a more central role, shifting the emphasis (or rather giving it one) to slasher. I'll probably check that out, as with a little focus in the right direction, it could have been a lot better.

There's fun to be had as the movie (quite skilfully) plays with us regards the identity of "final girl / guy", but it's still nothing to elevate a solid movie into a great one.

art slasher, part torture porn, Wolf Creek is a solid movie, that competently does everything it set out to do. Sadly though, it brings nothing new to the table. Unlike lasts week, where I both recommended that you see the movie and advised you to avoid it, here I simply don't have the depth of feeling towards the film to do either.

An average, but serviceable, time-killer.