Saturday, December 29, 2018

I had to do it - the REAL worst song of 2018

WARNING - this is a cursed video! Clicking it may cause you to become infected with Untalented Attention-Seeking Douchebag Virus. If teenage white boys start listening to you ironically, please see your doctor immediately.



I... I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to give this any more underserved attention than it already has. But it's TORMENTING me. This song is one of the circles of Hell. I need to exorcise it from my soul. And of course, the only way to do that is to have a good old rant.

I guess we'll call this "post-zombie apocalypse music" and look, I'm glad the brainless walking dead are exploring their artistic side. Far be it for me to suppress culture. But... why is anyone else listening to this? WHY WAS IT A TOP 10 BILLBOARD HIT??

The answer is, the charts are no longer relevant and won't be as long as songs that are basically jokes, streamed by children and teens endlessly for FREE, are allowed to actually impact popular culture. I'm not mad this "song" exists; I'm mad it got out. I'm mad it's not firmly in its niche where it belongs and I had to hear it. Because as soulless and droning as this thing is - and the lyrics might as well just be "BRAAAAAAAINS" over and over - it's also somehow earwormy. To a ridiculous level. I, a grownass woman, should not have this parasite in my brain just because I watch youtube videos about music. (Is this thing actually played on the radio? Or in shops, or anywhere in polite society? I don't think I've heard it outside. But the threat is there, dammit. The threat is REAL.)

So anyone who says counting streams hasn't made pop music that bad, we're just overreacting, please listen to "Mo Bamba" over and over again on a loop for all eternity. It's fucking obvious why free streams shouldn't be counted - you'll click on any idiotic thing if you don't have to pay for it! You'll listen to it "ironically" or even hate-listen, and it all counts the same. Especially if you're a teen, tween, or fratdouche male. (Sidenote: I doubt any woman has ever listened to this song voluntarily.) So these dipshits are allowed to partially control the music culture and we all pay, even though they don't. Sure, pop music has always skewed young but when you actually have to shell out your Christmas money, you're not gonna spend it on this backed-up septic tank of a song.

This guy knows he's shit, everyone who listens to this knows it's shit, but that's the point. Ha ha ha. Let's stick it to people with taste, they suck. Remember when kids' rebellion music was rock n roll, or at least good hip hop like Dr. Dre? They had to earn our money. And idiots like this Sheck person don't. This isn't a case of one generation not understanding the next. Nothing has changed; kids have always rebelled. And that's fine! Listen to your shitty song to your heart's content, kids, but I shouldn't have to. It's the system that's changed, and it's broken. So how do we fix it? Streaming isn't going anywhere, but how about only paid streams count? That should at least cut back on 12 year old boys having so much power.

To compare this with probably the shittiest equivalent from my time, "Ice Ice Baby" - yeah, that song sucks, but there's an obvious reason it was a hit. That sweet "Under Pressure" beat. Why you wouldn't just listen to "Under Pressure" I have no idea, but Vanilla Ice played us. That's the shame of my generation, but at least there's an identifiable appeal. The lone appeal of "Mo Bamba" seems to be to torture other people with it. That sums up 2018 better than anything else I could say.

So "Frinds," as horrible as you are, you are only the second-worst song I heard in 2018 by virtue of being an actual song. And lemme tell you, I hate that song more every time I hear it. Girl, you are way past the "friend zone" and into the Twilight Zone with this guy. UGH. No, I'm not going back there. I PROMISED MYSELF I WOULDN'T GO BACK.

And I have to reiterate, when I say these are the two worst songs I heard, I refuse to listen to the garbage made by any of the criminals that had hits this year. That I even have to say "any of the criminals" is insulting, scary, and sad. "Stop making terrible people famous" has become a rallying cry, and really, let's do that, shall we? And also, maybe put the violent criminals in prison where they belong? We can let out all the poor people in there for weed and other non-violent bs to make space for 'em. WIN/WIN.

POSITIVE music post coming next, and then 2019! Let's do better. That clean slate is so smooth and inviting, isn't it?

Friday, December 28, 2018

Okay, that's finally caught up. I will not get behind again.

Turns out I actually still like music, so I will have a more in-depth 2018 album post after all. And... maybe something else. Something not so positive but which must be exorcised. Stay tuned!

Classics I'd never seen! Part 1

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

I was gonna work through my "classics I've never seen" list from most recent back, but I didn't want another year to end without having seen The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It was time. Why have I never watched this? I could probably come up with some convoluted reason but the short answer is, I was scared. Something about this movie has always scared me.

Horror that takes place in isolated settings is always the most effective for me, and this ramps that up to 10. Now first of all - I know the 70s were a Different Time, but if you pick up a hitchhiker that looks like that... in the middle of hickville nowhere... by a slaughterhouse... I can't be too shocked by your inevitable end. I basically knew what was gonna happen because it's been in every haunted attraction I've ever been to, but it was still disturbing to watch it unfold. It would have been really cool to see this in the 70s before everyone and their grandma knew who Leatherface was. Imagine going into this knowing nothing.

But I can see why haunts always use this theme, because this gives us a true house of horrors. My favourite part, by far, is the set design. Gotta hand it to Leatherface, he's crafty. He probably could have done well at the local farmer's market if he didn't work in human bones and skin. But I'll give him his props; if you kill something, you should use all of it. That's just sound economics. And somehow, I wasn't expecting the family of inbred cannibals to have such a lovely sunflower field. I bet they have a real special fertilizer recipe. Okay, I'm gonna stop before I start writing fanfic.

Texas Chain Saw Massacre is scary. It will always be scary. Tobe Hooper managed to tap into a true timeless nightmare. The third act (infamous dinner scene) is super loud and chaotic; it's pretty much nothing but screaming and guttural redneck noises. It was effective, but I'm giving this 3.75 stars because it's probably not one I'll come back to often. That's just personal taste. I probably shouldn't use the phrase "personal taste" when discussing a cannibal movie. For general filmmaking, scares, and sheer inconic-ness, I'll give it a 4. This is a must-see for horror fans, and I'm glad I finally faced my fear. If I can deal with clowns, I can deal with redneck cannibals too. Now redneck cannibal clowns... you can miss me with that bullshit.

Let the Right One In

I have a shortlist of classic/iconic horror films I've never seen, and want to see. Might as well start with the most recent.

This was one of the cutest, sweetest, most heartfelt horror stories I've seen, and there was a lot of murderin' going on. I'm not sure how they pulled that off, but they did. I guess I can like a romantic vampire story if the characters are compelling and the acting is good. There's an underlying brutality that makes the whole thing kind of sick but NOPE, you're still totally rooting for these characters and don't even feel dirty about it.

I'm not even sure this is a horror film, honestly. It's one of the best childhood character studies I've seen. It's a unique and fantastic film most horror fans should enjoy, but limiting it to a genre does it a disservice.

Christmas horror part 2, the Krampusing

Krampus

Here's what director Michael Dougherty is awesome at: setting the tone of a season. I fully believe he could make a scary spring or summer movie about the Easter Bunny or Uncle Sam (this is not a suggestion... or is it?) Trick r Treat is definitive not just of Halloween but the whole Halloween season. The feeling, the atmosphere. You can almost smell it, that wood smoke and apples smell. Ahhh.

And Krampus does similar for Christmas. You can almost smell the... cloves and cinnamon? While I love fall, I HATE winter, so any movie where winter itself is kind of a monster is gonna affect me. The family is trapped not only by the demons, but by the storm. It adds a whole other layer of well, chillingness that you're just not gonna get in a Friday the 13th movie.

But what really makes this something special is the creature design and effects. It's nothing less than gorgeous. Everything has this intricate detail that's somehow oddly Christmassy, considering they're like demon minion toys. I mean, it's weirdly kind of pretty, and Krampus himself is huge and imposing and just badass looking. It's some of my favourite design in a movie, period. This might have been one of my usual 3.5 star "really liked it but didn't love it" horror movies, but the winter atmosphere and Krampus and his army of horrible delights notches it up half a star.

Gremlins

(Originally written 12/15/17)

I watched Gremlins for the first time since the 80s and wow, that was a pretty amazing time capsule. Most of my favourite 80s stuff I've relived as an adult, but this one was firmly lodged in the memory of childhood. I wonder if that's why I held off so long on rewatching it, as if bringing it into adulthood would somehow ruin it.

It didn't.

I'm so glad I saved it though, because that was just the experience I needed now. I was immediately taken back to my 80s kid Christmases -that sweet pink Barbie Corvette Gizmo drives? Oh yeah, I had that sucker! Along with Barbie's dream pool and her cat (complete with little carrier) and her horse and her toilet. Yes, there was a Barbie toilet that flushed. We were truly living the dream. I don't care how much high-tech shit there is now, that toilet was cooler.

While the basics of the movie stuck with me, the "don't get them wet, don't feed them after midnight" and all that, I knew there'd be at least one detail I'd forgotten that would come flooding back in a rush of nostalgia. And it was that Corvette. I'm not sure I could come up with a more 80s scene than that (except maybe the gremlin FLASHDANCING IN PINK LEGWARMERS. Yes, that is a thing that happens in this movie. And I have no idea if it was self aware or just the 80s.) I actually remember my little Barbie-obsessed kid self yelling and cheering during the Corvette scene. So I got a little piece of my childhood back last night. Merry Christmas to me! Super fun movie.

Oh I had a Gizmo doll too, but I don't think he fit in the Corvette.

Silent Night Deadly Night

But for some reason, I never feel like revisiting this one. It has some good kills and it's worth watching, but... it's kind of a downer? (Like Christmas Evil, a movie I remember actually disliking.) This is okay but I don't know, you're expecting a romp and sometimes it is, but there's this traumatized kid and it's just too real. Sad horror movies are fine, great even, but I'm not sure that's what I want from a killer Santa Claus movie. I'd rather that be dumb fun.

So while I rate this higher because it's a better-made, more coherent film, I'd rather watch Silent Night, Garbage Day.

Christmas horror time!

Black Christmas

This is pretty much the perfect Christmas horror film. To be honest, I'm not a fan of much Christmas horror; it's difficult to find that right balance between dark and light. I love Krampus and Gremlins, Better Watch Out was a good one-time watch, and I still need to see Rare Exports. But what I most want to watch on a dark Christmas night, the festive lights fading down to their last dim glow, is Black Christmas.

There's a lot to love about this movie - the characters, the atmosphere, even the ambiguity. The lack of answers doesn't seem like a cop-out here; it was clearly done intentionally to leave the viewer unsettled, their own imagination running wild. Sometimes what we fill in with our minds is scarier than what's shown, if it's set up properly. It's done masterfully here.

But my favourite thing is almost intangible - the perfect contrast between warm and cold tones. That feel of a winter's night with only the red and green glow between you and the chill. There's a shot of a brightly lit Christmas tree in a room so dark, the tree appears to be in a kind of void. It's subtle and creepy and gets under your skin. (I think this film might hit me harder since I moved to a cold climate.)

I hate to even call this a slasher, because while I love slashers, it brings up images of fodder; interchangeable screaming coeds running around in their underwear. Black Christmas gives us more fleshed-out characters and subtle performances. Despite its comedic moments, this is more of a spiritual sister to something bleak like The Blackcoat's Daughter than a Sorority House Massacre. Because of its mood and engaging characters, it has tons of rewatchability. I could easily put this on every year and enjoy it.

P.S. The 70s truly had the worst clothes and home decor. It's a wonder we ever procreated out of that decade.

Rare Exports

Well, this was delightful. I am loving these movies based on European folklore (this, The Ritual, Krampus), especially with a Christmas theme. Are there more of these (that are good I mean, not the 400 terrible Krampus knockoffs)? Unlike the other two, I wouldn't actually call this horror, more like supernatural fantasy. This is not a bloody film at all, there's no rampaging killer Santa. What there is is actually way more unique, subtle, at times touching and at other times quite funny.

Our main characters are young Pieteri and his father, a reindeer hunter. They're living a pretty sad life in the middle of nowhere Finland. The mother died, all the reindeer have mysteriously died, this poor kid has nothing but a fake pet on a string, and they're facing an unhappy Christmas. (There are NO women in this movie - not one. Since there seem to be no indoor toilets, this is probably for the best.)

Enter a mysterious figure caught in one of their traps. Is he related to the pit of doom that's been excavated up on the mountain? Is he the nightmare fairy tale Santa Claus that's been haunting Pieteri? I don't want to give away anything about this movie, just watch it. The unexpected humour, especially at the end, was a real treat because I started out feeling so bad for these characters and I just loved how everything unfolded.

The atmosphere, acting, and visuals are all really great. You can tell these Finnish filmmakers poured their heart and soul into telling this tale from their homeland. This was perfect Christmas Eve viewing, and definitely one I'll revisit.

Super Dark Times

Who watches a movie called Super Dark Times on Christmas night? Well me obviously, I'd rather sit through Movie House Massacre again than watch some holly jolly Hallmark shit. But this is actually a Christmas movie! Someone even gets tied up with Christmas lights. Festive!

So until the final scene I was kinda torn on whether this was horror - it seemed more like a drama/thriller. But the ending was pretty... intense. I liked the acting in this movie and the naturalistic feel. I liked the mom who was a real person that said "fuck" instead of some cookie cutter mom character. I liked Allison, a teen girl in a movie who actually seemed like a teen girl. You'd be surprised how rare this is. Like she wasn't there just to be "generic love interest girl," she had a personality.

Why I'm not rating this higher, despite enjoying it, is the ending. There was no real explanation for it. Not that everything needs to be explained, I just felt like the motivation came out of nowhere. Was this person always messed up? Cause I don't buy that they would just "snap," even after a tragedy, unless there was already an issue there. That's never even alluded to, so it kind of lost me at that point. It seemed like it happened just to give the movie a big finish, rather than a real character arc.

I still think this is worth a watch; it's tense with good performances and a lot of good moments. You might even want to watch it on Christmas. (Oh, one thing that annoyed me. One of the kids says "Going out in winter is such a slog" or something and I'm like yeah, I feel you kid, then they go out and THERE'S NOT A SINGLE FLAKE OF SNOW ON THE GROUND. Obviously it doesn't snow everywhere, but what is a slog about going out in clear weather? Putting on a coat?? Pssh, I live in Canada, you're not getting that shit past me.)

December denial

Hell House LLC

Another found footage movie about a haunted attraction? Sure, why not. I wish it was October, I can live vicariously through this til I inevitably give in to Christmas. Like Houses October Built, I'm glad I watched this in December like a weirdo, cause I wouldn't want to see it before visiting my local haunt.

What will make or break this movie is if you're willing to suspend disbelief that these people would not only stay in the obvious murder hotel but decide to invite the public in. That makes them kind of assholes, and kind of stupid, but if you get into the feel of this movie like I did, you might be willing to shrug it off. I mean, it's typical horror movie stuff, but usually these idiots only endanger themselves. What I liked can be summed up by my favourite word - atmosphere! The abandoned hotel is so authentically creepy even before the crew decorates it that it drew me right in. I wanted to know all about it. (It's called the Abaddon Hotel, which will probably clue you in somewhat.)

This movie is at its best with subtle scares and there are a lot of them, so much that I will probably rewatch this next Halloween. There's a lot to see here, but it doesn't feel cluttered. This hotel has just seen some shit. I enjoyed watching it unfold, and I like how you don't really see anything clearly. This makes a good case for "what you don't see is scarier." You only see that the clown dummy has moved, not what's moving it or how. Super creepy.

I found the opening night footage actually scarier when it was just chaos and you couldn't tell what was happening, but even when you saw it was just brief flashes and I am glad there was some kind of answer. You don't want a cop-out ending to a movie that's all buildup, so they handled it pretty well. The very ending I think was kind of silly, as is sometimes the case in horror. They have to tack something on to GETCHA! when they should just leave it alone.

What I did want was more stuff about the hotel, so I guess I'm watching the sequel. Yeah, you got me movie, that really hit my creep spot. And it's on Shudder, so I know what I'm doing tonight. Putting off Christmas for another day.

I'd put this about on par with Houses October Built. They were both enjoyable and worth a watch if this is your thing. This one has some shaky cam scenes and I had to close my eyes a few times, so heads up if you have motion sickness. The scenes were well done and felt authentic, so I made it through. Man, I'm such a sucker for horror. Maybe one day I'll even be able to get through Blair Witch.

Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel

Okay, I kiiinda liked this more than I thought I would based on the reviews? It's not good exactly, and it's not as creepy as the original, but... I think I just love this hotel. I think I love it so much, and it was really the star of the movie and certainly the best actor. So in a way, this was just what I wanted. But it could have been better.

I'm torn between loving the Abaddon so so much and wanting more sequels where it eats more yummy guests, and wondering why no one's burned the fucker to the ground yet. While I wasn't impressed with this as a whole, enough of its parts intrigued me that I'm hoping for a better part 3. Like Amityville, it has one of the best villains ever in the form of a damn building. The clown dummies do some heavy lifting too. Every time I see a killer clown and think "SCARIEST ONE EVER" it gets fucking outclowned and my nightmares get worse. It's fine. I'm fine.

The acting is bad but it's found footage, so who really cares. The final scene sucked for the same reason it did in the first one - like seriously, again? And the big denouement before that, while interesting, didn't feel as organic as it should have. There was a lot of telling not showing. I did want to learn more about the history, but I didn't necessarily need a lecture from a demon. Hi, I'm a minion of Satan and welcome to my TED talk on hotel management.

If you liked the first one, especially the hotel, I'd watch it, but I'm holding out for Hell House LLC III: Seriously, Does No One Have a Damn Match?

So much movie catchup

Okay, continuing to post all my recent Letterboxd reviews here. There's like, a lot.

The Canal

This movie has a Curse of the Cat People reference, 10/10!

I think this was my first Irish horror film if you don't count Gorgo, which I don't, or Fatal Deviation, which is just horrifically (and wonderfully) bad. This is a good old-fashioned ghost story... or is it? I'm gonna get into spoilers here. I have to, to explain why I don't rate this a little higher. I liked this movie; it's dark and depressing and has some very disturbing images. The setting and atmosphere of the canal and tunnels (and the true horror, the world's grimiest public toilet - I'd be relieved if a ghost was all I saw in there) is unique and effective and what sets this movie apart.

Because, while this did have its own merits, it felt like an Irish stew of other movies at times, such as Sinister and Insidious. It's not blatant, it's just clear the sort of tone they were going for. Which would be okay if it had been more focused. It felt like it couldn't decide what it wanted to be, and just went for ALL the things. Spoiler -

Towards the end, we learn the "ghosts" were in the main character's mind. He's crazy, and he did the killing. Or do we, because the very end of the movie is all about ghosts! So was it a ghost story, or a psychological story? Did the ghost of the murderer drive the main character crazy? But that would mean the ghosts were actually there and it wasn't all in his mind. Having it both ways kind of seems like a cop-out.

I liked both the tunnel scene and the heartbreaking final scene, just on their own merits. Very effective. I only wish it had come together better, and I wouldn't have minded exploring the horrors of those tunnels a little more, either. (Oh yeah, just to throw another bean into the pot, there's also a brief mention of devil worshippers and child sacrifice! Was that real or another imagining? Because I kinda want to see a whole movie of devil worshippers in those creepy tunnels now.)

This is worth watching for the atmosphere alone, and I did like elements of the story. I just think it could have been better if it hadn't tried to do so much. I half expected werewolves or killer clowns to pop out alongside the ghosts and devil worshippers and psycho killers, just to cover all the bases.

Dead of Night

A while ago I made a list celebrating old tv movies, not knowing one of my favourites was yet to come. This really hit that sweet spot for me.

The first segment "Second Chance" is not remotely horror. It's one of the wholesomest things ever and I loved every minute of it. Starring the youngest Ed Begley Jr. I've ever seen, who immediately endeared himself to me. I'm always partial to characters who value things from the past. Fans of Quantum Leap and Back to the Future, check out this sweet little segment.

The second, "No Such Thing as a Vampire," is probably the least memorable, but it's still enjoyable with a nice little twist. No complaints, the other two segments just stayed with me more.

The third, "Bobby," could have been called "Sometimes Dead is Better." I got major Pet Sematary vibes here, and I actually think this tv movie did it better and creepier (than the movie, not the book. The book is gold). This is the strongest segment and certainly the most horrific, though the first one spoke to me on a different level.

This was perfect late night viewing, and took me back to the late night viewings of my childhood. I can't realistically rate it higher than a 3.5, but just know it's a little higher in my heart. Give it a 4 for mood?

The Seventh Victim

Not so much a horror as a sad sort of noir melodrama with Satanists, this was compelling enough for its short runtime. It felt choppily edited and even truncated in parts, especially towards the end, and it turns out it was. The ending, while effective in content, was cut so short that I was like, "wait, is that what happened?" and had to go back and watch it again. This could have been a better film simply with better pacing and editing.

That said, there is plenty of note here. The characters are interesting and have sort of an "off" feel, which helps heighten the tension. I was not expecting an openly lesbian and even somewhat feminist story from 1943, and that was the high point of an otherwise not remarkable film - even if it ended sadly. This movie had two love stories, which I actually found more interesting than the Satanists. And that's coming from someone who usually hates romantic melodrama and loves cult movies. I think that's because the relationships were better established and explained than the cult itself.

Not necessarily recommended for horror fans, but if you want some melancholy with a little intrigue and characters you don't often see in old movies, it's worth a watch. And this is the second movie I've seen in as many days with a Cat People reference or connection - 71 years apart. Freaky!

Phantasm

This movie is so weird, but I kinda love it. I'd seen this before but probably not since the 90s. It was a treat to see the remastered version on Shudder, since I'm sure my previous viewing was a ratty VHS.

I was already deep into Elm Street before I saw any of the Phantasm movies, but imagine the mindfuck of watching this in the theatre in 1979. I need to build a time machine to do just that, and nothing else. It takes place in the same kind of disreality as Elm Street; you're in this contained little world and you're never sure what's real. It's very low-budget, but that's part of its charm.

This movie is soooo 70s, Jody might as well have been played by Ben Murphy. I love how chill they were in the creepy mortuary with the alien death dwarves like you know, these things are gonna happen, you just gotta roll with it man. And Ice Cream Man was pretty much the best guitar-strummin' sidekick ever. Where did this stuff even come from? I'm guessing the same place most 70s weirdness came from. (Don't do drugs kids, but do watch awesome movies that were probably made on drugs.) As 70s as it is, it also has that "80s kid adventure!" feel which is pretty much my favourite thing.

In addition to the spooky mortuary and the iconic Tall Man, this has one of my top 5 favourite horror scores to help set the mood. Maybe top 3. Also the rare random 70s boobs and more cemetery sex than you expect to see going into a movie. I mean, you'd think maybe one round of cemetery sex per movie but nope, this will exceed your expectations. There must really be nothing else to do in that town.

We need to talk about that ending. What kind of town leaves a mineshaft to hell unattended like that? Wouldn't you put a fence around it, or something?? Oh, and the other ending... I'm not sure how I feel about it. How much of the movie actually happened? I'm glad there are sequels so we got to explore the world more, cause that's my only real complaint with this movie. I wanted more of it.

I'm looking forward to revisiting the sequels. It's been too long.

Aquaman

I see most of the superhero movies, they're a fun diversion, but my true heart lies with horror. So of course I was intrigued by this James Wan-directed megamovie and yeah, it was fun! It was pretty. Princess Mera's jellyfish dress was beautiful and delightful. Please tell me there will be jellyfish-inspired clothes in all the stores next spring. This is all I want now. I'm like, I wanna write about this movie I just saw and enjoyed but literally all I can think about is that jellyfish dress.

It's okay. I'm okay. Go see Aquaman, it's a good time.

Also, Patrick Wilson. That is all, I love Patrick Wilson and it was so cool seeing him in this role. Apparently Leigh Whannell was also in this and I missed him so I'm gonna have to see it again.

Monday, December 24, 2018

More horror movie catchup

Better Watch Out - What a twist! This gets an extra half star for genuinely surprising me, and elevating what could have been standard fare. Probably won't watch it again, but definitely worth watching once.

Housebound - New Zealand does it again! NZ and AU have been absolutely crushing it with delightful, surprising, and sometimes disturbing films over the past several years. This one is more on the delightful side, though it does have disturbing moments. This was like a funhouse ride, literally and figuratively as it mostly took place in one house (hence the title). There were so many twists and turns and little cupboards opening and secret rooms in this big old house that it kinda felt like a dark ride. Just when you think you're out, nope, a clown pops out at you from behind a wall!*

Equally tense and fun, I had a blast watching this.

*this movie contains no actual clowns, but there is a terrifying teddy bear.

Sun Don't Shine I watched this on Shudder, but it's not horror or even a thriller. It's more of a character study crime drama road movie? It's really good, well-acted, directed, edited, and the shots are especially beautiful. It feels like a high quality home movie. Based on pure filmmaking, I would rate this higher, but as I'm more of a horror/thriller girl, I have to rate it on my personal taste.

I'm a big fan of director Ti West (House of the Devil, The Sacrament) and his naturalistic style. This is the directorial debut of Amy Seimetz, who played the sister in The Sacrament, and the two leads also appeared in that movie. So I was intrigued, and here I got that same natural style I find so compelling. The story is so simple that to be compelling, it needed to be told through the acting and the visuals. And it absolutely was. I loved the use of the Florida scenery to add mood and colour. I lived in Central Florida for years and yup, that's Central Florida all right! For such a sunny state with so much beauty, it can be oddly weird and depressing.

This isn't a fun movie. These kind of not-so-bright characters always make me sad, because they're so real. You know there are people like this living sad lives all over the country, and having kids who'll have the same kind of lives, and it's pretty depressing. So don't go into this expecting a fun, quirky road trip. It's pretty much the saddest road trip ever, with the last person you'd want to be involved in a crime with, and no possible good destination.

This is a recommendation, and it has tense moments due to its nature, but don't go in if you're looking for a thriller or something that isn't a bummer. (That is also my review of the state of Florida.)

The Old Dark House - "My own view is we're not on a map."

I haven't watched many pre-1960 movies, but I should because I'm charmed nearly every time. It was a particular delight for me to see Melvyn Douglas, who starred in two of my favourite movies (Ghost Story, The Changeling) when he was very old, so handsome and charming. Part of me was like, "Girl, you're really gonna marry someone you've known for one night?" and another part was like "Yeah. Yeah, I get it. Go get it, girl." Usually romantic subplots in horror movies bore me, but he was so ridiculously charming I was hung on every word. I feel like actors had better chemistry back in the day. Just a theory.

Anyway, it's obvious what my favourite part of this was, but the movie itself was also really good! This is a "what's the secret in the old spooky house?" movie, which is totally my jam. It's that fun old timey horror, where it's all suspense creepin' up on you til the big final scene. Short and sweet, with fantastic performances and atmosphere. This is a comfort movie 100%. One of my easiest watches ever.

Starry Eyes - Well, that was... something! This was the second half of my little Shudder double feature, the first being The Old Dark House, which I described as "comfort" and "easy to watch." This was the polar opposite.

Which isn't to say this isn't good. It's extremely effective in what it's tying to do and say. Someone did not have a good experience in Hollywood, methinks. Watching this movie about an aspiring actress I'm like, why would anyone do this to themselves?? Which is probably a weird thing for a movie buff to think. But that's how effective it is. It just looks like the saddest life ever, and that's before the horror elements even kick in.

And when they do... this movie is really brutal and unpleasant. That can either be good or bad, depending on taste. It isn't necessarily my thing, but if you want a movie that really goes there and doesn't let up, this is a hell of a ride. My rating reflects my personal taste more than the quality of the film. If I was more into body-horror and extreme fucked-upness, I'd rate it higher.

Killing of a Sacred Deer is weird and gets its own entry

Hmm soo

I can't decide how I feel about this one. There's an MST3K quote for every occasion, and this time it's "Emotions are for ethnic people." These people are so white, stilted and spooky I kept expecting Get Out to break out. It's like everyone in this movie is a glass facade; touch them and they'll shatter.

Except for Martin, they're not spooky in a threatening or typical horror-movie way - it's just that they all talk like Vicki the robot from Small Wonder. Every character, a flat monotone. I don't understand this choice in what is otherwise a beautifully-made and compelling film. Why cast Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman and Alicia Silverstone only to have them not talk like people? Why are they talking about watches? What could possibly be more irrelevant in 2017? Is that the point, they're so out of touch they only talk about superfluous things? Okay I guess, but it takes relatability out of the equation.

The story here is very interesting, and somehow manages to be suspenseful despite my not feeling anything for the characters. I never lost interest and wanted to see how it ended (and it was worth it). It could have been shorter, but it was paced well and the storytelling was so effective I can't really complain. I'm not gonna spoil anything because I do think this should be seen.

This is a beautiful-looking film with some very artistic shots. Maybe the characters are the way they are to let the visuals and score do more of the talking? I don't know. It's a good movie that could have been better. Maybe it would have lost some of its odd punch if the characters acted like people, but it was so unnatural that at times it took me out of the movie.

I can see how it works as a Mood, but it's a two hour long Mood. There's nothing but Mood. Just one character to relate to, to ground the movie a little, would have been nice. Like they could have made the daughter more emotional. Just someone to remind you "yes, these are for sure humans from planet Earth." (Nicole Kidman's character might very well have been an alien. WTF was wrong with her?)

I admire this film more than I like it, I guess. It's unrateable for me, but it is a recommendation for the storytelling, powerful conclusion, and some beautiful cinematography.

Horror movie catchup

I've been doing all my writing on Letterboxd and fell way behind here, so here's catchup #1.

Amityville II: The Possession - Keep the demon, lose the husband.

The cringy incest scene can end any time please.

Some cool makeup effects.

Why did the house blow up when the house didn't blow up?

Too long. The last scene was fine; it should have come sooner.

Hard to really care about a family of incestuous abusers, y'know?

I finally watched this, it is done. Thank u, next.

Little Evil - Well, this was some unexpected fun. Spooky Poltergeist tv! The Keymaster! Burning clown! Let's blow up a nunnery! (I haven't even seen a staticy tv in 20 years.) It's funny, I was just thinking of Poltergeist and Ghostbusters and here they were. I guess it's not really coincidence; horror is kind of a big interconnected web. I'm sure the fine folks who made Little Evil grew up on the same stuff I did, and they're still excited about it too. I liked that the Keymaster thing had a real payoff, not just "have this delicious reference, 80s kids!"

One thing that held me back from ranking this a little higher, as I did find it funny if not super scary, was the mom character. So dude marries mom, her son is the Antichrist, you're caught up. And she is WAY TOO DAMN CHIPPER for what she's been through. "I was raped by an evil cult and had a son, but I'm past that now, how was your day?" "All my past boyfriends died in horrific accidents, pass the peas!" (Those aren't direct quotes, but they might as well have been.) I kept waiting for a real comedic or dramatic payoff to this, and there never was one. Even in a comedy, she could have finally snapped out of her denial and had a real Moment, making her more relatable. She just made me angry. Like honey, I'm all for thinking positive but there's a time to stop, and that's when your weird son tries to bury his stepfather alive.

Those were the only scenes that didn't really work for me. The rest of it was pretty solid and I laughed several times. There are a few genuinely creepy moments as well, like the wedding video, which was followed by a funny joke ("Maybe he's wearing a lot of hair gel"). And the CLOWN ON FIRE. Thanks for that image. I thought the humour and horror mixed well, though it was definitely more on the comedy side. I'd rank it about the same as The Babysitter. Not amazing, but a fun way to pass an evening.

Insidious: Chapter 2 - I really enjoyed Chapter 1, but held off seeing this due to poor reviews. It was better than expected, but maybe also worse? What was up with the weird lady right out of Sleepaway Camp? I assume it was an homage, and cool and all, but the aunt in Sleepaway Camp makes me laugh. Every time. So modeling your scary scary ghost lady after her just gave me some giggles during what were supposed to be tense moments.

Too long, too many jump scares, and a somewhat convoluted plot. But a convincingly sinister performance from usually mild-mannered Patrick Wilson and some cool visuals make it worth seeing.

Eyes Without a Face - I don't watch a lot of foreign language films, so one has to be really special to catch my attention. This was such a movie. I'm not sure I've seen a more tragic figure than Christiane wandering that big house (her prison) with her sad eyes behind that damn uncanny valley mask. Creepy, immersive, and deeply affecting.

I found this gripping all the way through, with a satisfying and beautiful ending. It's a French film so of course the end was rife with *Film Brain voice* SYMBOLISM!!!111!, but honestly it was lovely. And the score! I'm not sure why demented carnival music worked, but it weirdly did? If you're in the mood for a well-made old b&w horror, you can't go wrong with this.

Jug Face - I don't know quite how to feel about this movie, but that's kind of a compliment? The main character, Ada, does some stuff that could make her unsympathetic. But she's not, due to the awful, abusive situation she's in. You still feel for her despite her flaws. The real heartbreaking character here is Dewai. Such a beautiful, understated performance by Sean Bridgers. Lauren Ashley Carter also shines as Ada.

Compelling, unsettling, and unique.

The Witch in the Window - Creepy and gives you feels, the best kind of horror movie. Loved the isolated setting, sympathetic characters, and the family dynamic that made it all the more powerful.

The Ritual - I looove isolated settings in horror movies! They're always the creepiest because of the unknown. This did not disappoint. Tense and gripping with a unique lore that makes it stand out.

Mountaintop Motel Massacre - I liked the setting and atmosphere of the run-down mountain motel, but unfortunately I found this boring. The first half is so slow, and it was too implausible the sheriff believed Evelyn after the first very suspicious, bloody death. That took me out of the movie. (An "accident in the garden?" How? Did she step on 20 rakes Sideshow Bob-style?)

I might give the second half a rewatch because I kept dozing off and I think I missed some crazy.



Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Um, wow?

So I discovered Letterboxd, and it's life-changing and I've been spending pretty much all my time there. All my reviews can be found there now, but I'll also continue putting them here. I'm a bit behind, but I had a LOT to say about what I watched last night so let's get right into Messiah of Evil.

This is one of the toughest films I've ever had to review. On one hand, it's one of the coolest things I've ever seen. On the other, it has some pretty glaring flaws. There are two things that can really make a horror movie for me - atmosphere and creative kills. Those two elements make up all the bright spots in this movie, and then some, so if that intrigues you definitely check it out. But let's get the negatives out of the way.

I didn't really get into this movie until about halfway through, at the supermarket scene. It had some cool atmosphere, but was quite meandering and the impersonal tone and characters didn't pull me in. It seemed very style-over-substance, and while I enjoy stylish, artsy horror if other elements draw me in (see my Lords of Salem review), this one had all the personality of a damp beach towel. Or so I thought, at first.

The main character, a woman searching for her artist father in a small, gloomy seaside town, comes across so spineless and dull she was barely a presence. She sits passively while this group of hipsters and an old drunk they're entertaining in their motel room for some reason (?) spout word salad in response to her simple question, "do you know where my father is?" Later, the hipsters descend on her father's... home? studio? both, I guess? where she's staying, and she just lets them move right in! Um, how about no? Then the hipster dude who already has two other girlfriends starts hitting on her, and she just STANDS there while he puts his hands on her, and I'm so frustrated.

They're all just so blasé and nothing's happening but then EVERYTHING starts happening, and it's amazing. And it all starts in a Ralphs Supermarket, of all places. One of the girlfriends decides to gtfo and I don't blame her, and here we start getting a real feel for how spooky and deserted this town is. She follows a lone man into the brightly-lit but empty-seeming market. She discovers some of the "townsfolk" enjoying dinner in the meat aisle, as you do if you're a... vampire? zombie? zompire? and they soon surround her in a feeding frenzy. And I'm just sitting there thinking, who flipped this movie's switch to "on??" Because this was one of the scariest, best-shot, and most effective scenes I've seen in a horror movie, and it came out of nowhere!

But even that pales in comparison to what comes next, which is the movie theatre scene. If the beginning of this movie was 2.5 stars, the theatre scene is a solid 5. I am not exaggerating when I say this is now one of my favourite scenes of all time. I don't want to spoil it, just please, please watch it. Like - this is what horror is, or should be. They nailed it.

Back to our boring main character and the hipster guy. I'm not invested in either of them, but pretty excited to see how this all plays out after those two amazing scenes. I should also mention the cool design of the artist father's home. He has all these moody, black and white murals of people and I'm like, does he have a mall escalator in his house?? But no, it's just another mural and okay, I think I need to redecorate my living room. So that makes a fantastic set piece for the confrontation between jellyfish lady and her zompire dad. (The shots of the 70s beach town are also very cool, as I love time capsules like that. The whole look of the film is great.)

Wet noodle lady is understandably losing it, so she finally shows an emotion. Hipster guy comes back to save her which is nice, and also kind of an emotion, so okay movie, I'm on board. They run together to the beach, there's some great creepy imagery, she lets out a very convincing scream in the middle of the ocean, which was a fantastic shot and the only time I really felt anything from her.

So, what a weird ride! At its best, this reminded me of Carnival of Souls, a film I adore despite its slow moments. At its worst, it felt pretentious and unfocused. In the end, the good definitely outweighed the bad for me. That movie theatre scene... holy shit.

Wednesday, December 05, 2018

Least Favourite Music of 2018 (that I heard)

Well, obviously I can't write about music I haven't heard. I'm saying I haven't heard much, or I heard a little bit and just started screaming. So this isn't a complete account of the year. I've never even heard a Kane Brown song. Really.

Worst pop song I heard:

"Frinds" by Marshmello and Anne Marie - I discussed this here https://mrsrowsdower.blogspot.com/2018/07/#5482303009913007983 already, so I'll keep it brief. Is this worse than Generic Mumble Rap Song #27 by Lil Generic Mumble Rapper of the Week? No, probably not. I'm sure more effort went into the production, at the very least. But this is one of the stupider pop songs I've heard. Let's make a lyric specifically around spelling a word, and somehow manage to chuff it up completely!

"Haven't I made it obvious?" No, not really.

"Haven't I made it clear?" As gravy.

"Want me to spell it out for you?" Sure, you can try.

"F-R-I-N-D-S!" *buzzer sound* Nice try, but sit down! (I won a spelling bee this year, so it just seems fitting to call this one out, y'know?)

You had ONE JOB, Anne Marie. I won't even get into how the guy sounds more like a S-T-A-L-K-R than a F-R-I-N-D. I already covered that, and this song just makes me tired. Like everything else in 2018.

Worst lyric I heard:

Which is also by the worst band name I heard! "Broken," by lovelytheband. Yup, that's really what they're called. That's not a band name, it's the twitter handle you use when "lovely" is already taken. Oh God, that's how they got their name, isn't it? Is their twitter handle "lovelythebandtheband?" Anyway... "I like that you're broken, broken like me." Okay, I get what you're trying to say - misery loves company and all that. Not everyone is perfect sunshine rainbows and unicorns and darn it, they deserve love too! As someone who suffers from anxiety and depression, I'm down with that.

What I'm not down with is the word "broken." It's like saying, "I like that you're depressed." It's awesome to find a soulmate and yeah, it can be hard if you have issues and there might be great relief upon meeting someone with similar issues you can relate to - but don't tell said person you're glad they're in pain because it benefits you. "I like that you ruptured your spleen, I ruptured my spleen too, WOOOOOOO SPLEEN PARTY!" I don't think that's what they were trying to say, and that's why it's a bad lyric. Say "I like that you're different" or "imperfect" or whatever. "Broken" just sounds so negative.

Okay, so did I actually hear anything by Lil Generic Rapper of the Week #s 1-52? Just enough to be uninterested, but not enough to call it my "worst." That would be like singling out one piece of lumpy oatmeal in a bowl as the worst. How would you do that? The biggest, the lumpiest, the most greyish-mush coloured? I'm aware that some of these terrible rappers are/were also terrible people, and that one of them died. I'm not going to listen to any of their music or talk about them here. They don't deserve to be in the limelight and I will not contribute to any discussion of them, even on my tiny blog. There's no "art vs artist" argument to even be had when the "art" itself is so trifling. And can we please STOP glorifying horrible people?? It's bad enough there's one in the White House; when they invade entertainment we don't even have any escape from it.

Why am I listing so few actual songs? In previous years I'd hear a bad song and be all, "ooh this is really bad, I must listen!" Even 2016, which I hated, I had a blast talking about. I made two or three posts gleefully describing how terrible it was. But man, the past couple years have dulled me to hate-listening. I still enjoy a good rant, but I don't enjoy the process of getting to said rant, i.e., listening to shit.

Has the world changed so much? Have I? Has music? I think the answer to all that is "yes," and I'm just not inspired anymore. Unless popular music rediscovers colour and energy, good or bad, these posts might not happen next year. I can only take so much of Lil Mumbley and all the sparse, dour, downbeat songs. WE GET IT, WE'RE ALL DEPRESSED. YOU'RE NOT HELPING! And don't you dare call it "emo." Emo music has passion, energy and y'know, EMOTION. It's not whining and slurring over a barely there beat, it's loud guitars and drums and emotive vocals. It's meant to make you feel something, not put you down for a nap.

Maybe that's the reason for all this boring music. Does everyone have insomnia? Is it helping? Or maybe everyone's doped up on prescription drugs that numb their senses. Like everyone, the artists and their audience. Damn, I might have hit on something. Can we please bring back cocaine just kidding but maybe not really?

(Don't do drugs kids, but totally do listen to awesome music that was made on drugs.)

Is it a coincidence the title of one of last year's big hits was just the number for the suicide hotline? Clearly, it was preparing us for this year, which seemed to be actively trying to get us to kill ourselves. Occasionally, one of these downvibe songs hits me. I can fuck with "God's Plan" sometimes. But that's just it; this is once-in-a-while mood music. It should be a niche, not the bloody default setting. Popular music is completely out of balance, maybe more than ever. One thing hits, then it completely floods the market til the next thing hits. And it never seems to be anything fun anymore. 🙁 I mean the 80s were trendy af, but a lot of the trends were fun, and none of them completely took over.

Even the positive, so-called love songs are so oddly spare - "Girls Like You," "I Like Me Better," "Mine." Yeah, I can tell you're really hype about this relationship. Maybe if you forget to refill your prescription, you'll actually show an emotion! Til then, enjoy a song with all the passion of still lying in bed at 10AM even though you're not tired anymore, you just don't feel like getting up. Dude says "I'm so fucking happy you're alive," but he sounds like he's about to slip into a coma, and the music behind him is so thin. Who is this for? It reminds me of a riff from MST3K - "Drab, flat passion meanders across the screen!"

PLAY INSTRUMENTS! HAVE A FACIAL EXPRESSION! AGGGGGGGHHH!

I tried listening to some hit songs for more content, and it was worse than I ever imagined. There's one in the top 10 right now that's so bizarre it doesn't even sound like humans made it. And not in an interesting way, just - WHAT? What are you doing with your life? And why are people buying it?? The phrase "the inmates have taken over the asylum" springs to mind. I'm not naming the "song" because I'm hoping it will just slink away on its own. In shame.

One more note before I briefly talk mainstream "country" - this 80s thing. It's not so much on the charts where hip-hop dominates, but so many bands are doing the synth thing and it's getting REALLY tiresome. Especially when it's classified as "rock." Just because it's a band doesn't mean it's rock, ffs. I know I've pounded this into the ground, but as someone who grew up in the decade and loves it - stop clinging to the 80s and start being the 80s. Remember why we loved them in the first place - the creativity. Taking risks on new things. As bad as things are, creativity never dies. It's always there, just waiting to be tapped into.

I have zero interest in the sausagefest that is the country charts. I guess you could say I'm protesting the lack of women, but that's just a self-righteous way of saying I don't care. I see the top two artists are "Dan + Shay" and "Kane Brown," neither of which I've heard, but I don't need to hear them to know what they are. Bland, safe radio filler. Country music used to kick. Now it just limps. So on that note...

Worst country Second worst pop song song I heard:

"Meant to Be" by Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha - My second worst song literally just boils down to "meh." If it happens, it happens, whatever, I don't really care. That's the kind of year this was. This was the biggest "country" hit of... ever, I guess, as well as a big pop hit - "Meh: the Song." I guess the video is okay. Her plaid game is on point.


Truly, I aspire to this level of plaid. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the success of this song is partly due to how fabulous she looks in the video. That would actually improve it for me. If only the music was as vibrant as her outfits. Cause "whatever" is exactly how I feel about this song. I can't even hate it; there isn't enough there there to inspire hate, or any emotion at all. And that's worse. I'd rather have something to rant about than stare into a void.

And I think that's gonna be my final word on 2018, the Year of Xanax. As always, hoping for better next year. ☮️

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

Favorite Music of 2018

UPDATE: I listened to more music! It was good! Update to this post is here: https://mrsrowsdower.blogspot.com/2019/01/#2493607932399423457

I realize more every year that I'm all about mood, vibe, and aesthetic. And sadly, 2018 offered very little. I guess someone gets some kinda mood from droney hip hop and middle of the road country, but I need texture in my music. It's no wonder I kinda shrugged and dove headlong into movies mid-year. As bad as popular music has been in the 2010s, lemme tell ya, this is one of the greatest decades ever for horror movies. Maybe second only to the 80s. See, this is a music post and I still wanna talk about movies. Sigh. Okay.

I wasn't inspired to listen to a whole lot, but here's the best of what I heard.

Top 10 favorite songs:

1. I Can Feel it Calling by Trophy Eyes - You know when a song just hits you, and you know it will be a part of your life forever? Yeah. In a year when music felt especially small and insignificant, my favorite song is a rousing, six-minute modern rock anthem. If you like the Killers, check this out.

2. Baby You're a Haunted House by Gerard Way - Any other year, this would obviously be my number one. I kinda wanna call it a tie. Can I call it a tie? Oh right, it's my list. Can I just say, I'm still processing that this song even exists? And it came out right at Halloween? Someone still understands me. Thank God. This is just a great, catchy song, and it came out of nowhere! What a gift to my spooky little heart. #notworthy

3. A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega by Ashley McBryde - In a year when I moved farther away from country, or maybe it moved farther away from me, here's a song that personifies everything I love about the genre. Anthemic lyrics, catchy chorus, beautiful vocals and spot-on production. Everything about this is great, but I think I wanna highlight the production most of all. Because seriously, what happened? Production in mainstream country has become so flat it feels more like a still life than a song. And not even a good one, the kind that Motel 6 buys in bulk. But "Little Dive Bar" is full of life and colour and movement. This is the kind of song that brought me into country, and it helped bring me back for a little while.

4. Life Eternal by Ghost - Best musical moment of 2018: "THIS IS THE MOMENT OF JUST LETTING GO!" Oh man, when that kicks in I get chills every time.

5. Can't Knock the Hustle by Weezer - "Dystopian mariachi funk" is definitely a mood I can get behind in 2018. If the Black Album is more of this vibe, I'm gonna be a happy camper next March. (Please, Weezer, don't make me regret writing this next March, okay?)

6. Dance Macabre by Ghost - Ghost has written one of my favourite rock hits of 1985. Seriously, this is how you properly 80s. Don't copy or remake, make it your own! And yes, I just used "80s" as a verb.

7. Killing Ourselves to Live by Halestorm - And my favourite rock hit of 1988 is... Yeah, just write these big power choruses and I'll buy your song. It's pretty simple. Lzzy Hale sounds killer on this, but she always does.

8. Africa by Weezer/Hash Pipe by Toto - Okay, so sometimes remaking 80s shit works too. Look there are no rules, just don't suck. "Africa" isn't like, the best cover ever or anything, but it kinda brings back and celebrates Weezer's nerdy side. And Toto's cover of Hash Pipe is even better. I love that this happened. I love that it brought rock back into the popular discussion, even briefly. I live for singularly weird shit like this. I get to put Toto on my favourites of 2018 list. I mean, come on!

9. You Can Count on Me by Trophy Eyes - "Some of my friends sell drugs, but I just sell sad songs" Best opening line to a song ever? Maybe! Another great, catchy anthem from this Australian band. I didn't love their album as a whole, but the standout tracks really, um, stood out. As they do. Shut up.

10. Crown Shyness by Trash Boat - Yeah, I can vibe to a good old emo-ey ballad. With these guys I really liked the album as a whole and had a hard time picking one song, but this one hits me the hardest.

Honorable mentions:

Say Amen (Saturday Night) by Panic! at the Disco - Yeah, the production on Pray for the Wicked has all the texture of an airhorn, but I can't deny this song. It's just too catchy. And while I wish it was this song instead of "High Hopes," P!atD having a TOP FIVE BILLBOARD CHART HIT in 2018 is definitely the music story of the year.

Body Talks by The Struts ft. Kesha - Of course Kesha fits right in in glam rock. I think this was her calling all along. The Struts are one of the most fun bands out there right now, Kesha has gone from a sentient eyeroll to an artist I actively seek out, and they came together for this catchy jam. Kesha might never have another pop hit, and more power to her. It feels like she's just free to do whatever she wants now, and she fits well in this lane.

Vicious by Halestorm - "What doesn't kill me makes me vicious" is another favorite lyric of the year. Just an awesome, straightforward rocker from Halestorm.

Southern Babylon by Ashley McBryde - I've already used "anthemic" and "aesthetic," now I get to use my other favorite word, "atmospheric!" Huzzah, we've hit the trifecta. But yeah, if you want a shot of smooth, smokey whiskey in a song, here ya go. I can smell the cigarette smoke and hear the katydids chirping from here. I was gonna put this in the top 10, but...

My favorite album of 2018 is, Girl Going Nowhere by Ashley McBryde! Since I'm praising the whole album, I thought I'd give someone else a shout out in the top 10. But yeah, this is my favorite country album in quite a while. This brings back the feels of when I heard Miranda Lambert's first album, so hopefully this is the start of another beautiful musical friendship.

Besides the two songs I mentioned, my other favourites are "Radioland," "Girl Going Nowhere," and "Tired of Being Happy." This is an easy and pleasant listen all the way through, with standout vocals and a clear sense of voice and presence. I feel like I'm actually listening to Ashley McBryde, the artist, not some contrived studio bullshit. That's not a feeling I get much from mainstream music anymore. So thank you, Ashley McBryde, for giving me an easy favorite new album and a pinch of hope for the future of mainstream country.

~~EDIT: After making this post, I listened to albums by The Beths, Neko Case, and Caroline Rose. They're all great. Those plus Ashley McBryde and Kacey Musgraves are my top 5. Also shoutouts to First Aid Kit, Pistol Annies, Phoebe Bridgers, and Brandi Carlile. END EDIT.~~

I didn't listen to many albums this year, but a quick shout out to Kacey Musgraves' Golden Hour and Trash Boat's Crown Shyness. Oh and Gorillaz The Now Now, my summer vibe album of the year. I haven't listened to it since summer and probably won't listen to it til next summer, but it serves a purpose and I thank it for its service.

Favorite pop hit of 2018:

"All the Stars" by Kendrick Lamar and SZA. The Black Panther soundtrack gave us some pretty good music from a great movie, and this bright, soaring track is a standout.

Runner-ups: "Finesse," for bringing New Jack Swing back for one brief shining moment. "Nice for What," for good use of a sample and being a non-boring Drake song. "No Tears Left to Cry," for keeping me up all night wondering what 80s song the "right now I'm in a state of mind" part reminds me of. I feel like it's a specific song, but does it just sound like the whole 80s? All I'm getting is an image of someone dancing in legwarmers. (EDIT: Okay, I think it is just "Flashdance." Glad to have that sorted. Seriously, whenever that chorus comes on I can feel the pink legwarmers caressing my calves.)

Favorite country hit of 2018:

Obviously it's "Little Dive Bar," but my second choice is "Drowns the Whiskey" by Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert. Maybe not the homerun "Little Dive Bar" is, but it's a solid double, maybe a double with an error allowing the runner to reach third? Yeah, every time Jason Aldean has a good song it kinda feels like he stumbled into it by accident. But I'll take it.

Okay, that's done! I know it was pretty perfunctory, but it was a perfunctory year. If you keep saying the word "perfunctory" it sounds weird. PerFUNKtory. Should I even do a "worst" post this year, or just say "LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE?" 🤔

Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/27G74gAnYbHYGNf94LF0go

Monday, December 03, 2018

3 more movies!

I've been catching up on more recent (2010s) movies I missed. There are 3 or 4 more I wanna get to, then I'm gonna watch some old classics, then it's Christmas horror time! I have two new-to-me Christmas movies lined up that I'm pretty excited for, plus a couple rewatches.

The Invitation - This was an engaging sort of thriller-horror. Once again you're presented with this awkward situation where you don't know what's going on. I think these movies work so well for me because awkward social situations scare me in general, then on top of it you don't know if there's actually something sinister going on or if it's just weird. Well it's a horror movie, so the audience knows something's up but the protagonist doesn't, and it's easy to put yourself in their place. (Other good examples of this are the Creep movies, The Gift, and Get Out, which adds yet another layer with racial tension.) If you can tap into that kind of realistic-feeling uncertainty and unpredictability, you've got a good psychological horror flick.

Man, I loved this one. It's not a spoiler to say it involves a cult; even knowing that the ending is quite shocking. Cult movies are some of my absolute favourites, whether it's something supernatural or just brainwashed people. It's fascinating. Highly recommended!

The Barn (2016) - I then watched two movies I probably should have saved for Halloween, but I'm still in denial it's December and that's okay. This was a fun throwback with some sweet practical and makeup effects, beautiful shots, and original lore. First off, if you're looking for perfect Halloween imagery, this is right up with Pumpkinhead and Trick r Treat. You've got your pumpkin patch, your corn maze, your creepy old barn, and it all takes place in the 80s so A+++++++++. The 80s touches they put in felt fun and authentic without becoming parody, like the metal show veejay called "Dr. Rock." :D


The legend goes, if you knock three times on this old barn in this creepy little farm town and say "trick or treat," demons will be set free in the form of the miner (boogeyman), the jack o'lantern, and the candy corn scarecrow. The jack o'lantern has a power where he can see through the eyes of all the pumpkins in the town to stalk you, then turn into one to kill you. I thought this was cool and unique and pretty much Peak Halloween. Normally I don't condone smashing pumpkins, but in this town it might save your life! If you love Halloween, you can't go wrong with this movie. Note: there seem to be a couple movies made around this time called The Barn; this is the 2016 one with the Linnea Quigley cameo. (She plays a pearl clutching church lady lol)

Also, random boobs because it takes place in the 80s. It's been awhile, random boobs. Welcome back?


Creepy, artsy shots like this feed my soul.

The Houses October Built - With a name like that, I had to watch it. In December. Shut up. While this was my least favorite of the three, it's still pretty darn good. This is a found footage movie. They can be hit or miss for me, but I thought this was a hit. I'm obsessed with haunted houses, so of course I loved the concept of finding the most extreme scare. Would I have been up for the "Blue Skeleton?" Nah, but I still like the idea of an "anything goes" haunted house, and I like how it played out here. I do NOT like that there's a sequel starring the same characters - kinda takes away from the ending, doesn't it?? I'll be missing that. But this was a fun, suspenseful watch and I liked the documentary style and look inside the haunted houses - and the kind of people who might be running them. I don't think I'd want to watch this right before visiting a haunted attraction, so maybe December is the best time!

This one has rare present-day random boobs, because zombie strippers. It's not as silly as it sounds.

Friday, November 30, 2018

Let's lighten things up - horror comedies

What We Do in the Shadows - "Found footage vampire comedy" isn't exactly a phrase that sent me scrambling into my seat - I was expecting some Real World shit with "edgy," wise-cracking, Hot Topiced vamps. But this was so critically acclaimed I had to give it a shot and yeah, it's not that at all. It's hilarious. It totally makes fun of the whole "sexy vampire" trope. I mean, hundreds-year-old dudes probably wouldn't be all suave and shit, vampires or not. They would be weird, awkward freaks in poofy shirts who try too hard and argue about doing the dishes. There's a newbie vampire who does dress in what I'm pretty sure is a Hot Topic Black Parade jacket, but he's not a caricature. He's just some dude with a friend named Stu who happened to get turned into a vampire.

Oh man, I loved this movie. If you're like me and aren't usually into vampire movies, watch this vampire movie! It kinda takes the piss out of that stuff you don't like, but not in a mean-spirited way. It's just fun, with occasional dark moments to make it horror and not just comedy. Another score from New Zealand!

And remember, vampires don't put down towels. At least, not the cool ones.

The Frighteners - This was a first time watch for me. 90s horror isn't usually my thing, at least not past 90/91 which was basically still the 80s. So I missed this '96 flick the first time around. For a mainstream movie starring Michael J. Fox, this thing was pretty darn weird! It was directed by Peter Jackson, so it was also overly long. I enjoyed the movie, for all its oddness, but man you could've easily trimmed 15-20 minutes. Fox plays a con man with a sad past, and he has ghost pals he uses to frighten his unsuspecting victims. But of course, there's an actual spirit going around killing people, and adventure ensues. Right off the bat, the ghost effects are impressive. This was made in the mid-90s, and its use of CGI and makeup looks better than many modern films. Clearly a lot of work was put in. So major props there; I'd recommend this on the visuals alone.

The story is a bit convoluted but I'll give Jackson credit, it does all tie together. It's just by the time you reach the end, the beginning seems so long ago and you're trying to remember everything that happened. The length did detract some from my enjoyment but I still recommend it, especially for fans of Fox, as this was his last starring film role, and Dee Wallace, who gives an awesome against-type performance. But Dee Wallace is always awesome. I also liked the "adventurey" feel, which kind of threw back to the 80s. This is what the Haunted Mansion movie should have been. If you like stuff like Poltergeist and Ghostbusters, you'll probably dig this.

Two horror comedies in a row. I needed them after Blackcoat's Daughter and Southbound, those were an intense couple of watches.

Finally I watched another Shudder exclusive, Another Evil. This is listed as a horror comedy, and I kinda see why, but this was some Creep shit right here. That's a compliment, I really liked it, but those kind of situations genuinely creep me out. Like Creep, a man develops a working relationship with a quirky guy - this time, an exorcist. That's right, it's Creep with ghosts! Also like Creep, you soon realize the quirky guy is more than just quirky, he's off his wheels and you don't know what he might do. This setup really hits a sweet spot for me. It's genuinely unsettling because it feels real, but it's so awkward that it's kinda funny?

I generally like supernatural horror (which this is, but the human interaction is the main focus), and not "people being awful to each other" horror. (Not including slashers. Slashers are their own thing, and I dig them.) I'm talking "torture porn," etc. There's a reason I've never seen any of the Saw movies, or any of the Purge movies, or stuff like Hostel. Not for me. But this, the two Creep movies, and even something like Get Out, they don't feel mean-spirited, just weird and awkward and you occasionally laugh to break the tension. Until the murder starts, of course. And even then, it doesn't seem deliberately cruel. It's more complex. And I like that feeling. Not knowing is often the greatest horror.

Next week - my year end music stuff. Oh boy?

Thursday, November 29, 2018

tbt ~ 6 favourite hits from the Summer of 84

Since I just watched Summer of 84, I'm counting down six songs I heard that summer that made me a music fan forever!

6. The Reflex - Duran Duran

5. When Doves Cry - Prince

4. Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr

3. Borderline - Madonna

2. Magic - The Cars

1. Sister Christian - Night Ranger



What a great year. I feel so lucky that this was my first exposure to popular music. Say what you want about the 80s, and they weren't perfect, but not a single one of these songs feels cynical or lazy like so much of today's music does. I hope today's kids have as much fun with their music as I did with mine but man, it's hard to imagine. In 30 years, when music is just a continuous low keyboard hum set to a drum machine, today's kids will pine for the good old days of Post Malone. So I guess it's all relative. But I maintain that 1984 had a special spark that transcends nostalgia.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

It's still Halloween, right? Right??

And the terror train keeps chuggin' along. I delved into some Shudder exclusives, with great results!

Summer of 84 - Obviously I had to watch this. The summer of 84 is my summer of 69 - the best days of my life. Okay, maybe I was too young for it to actually be the BEST. But it was the first time I really became cognizant of pop culture, and also one of the best times for pop culture. It was the perfect storm of awesomeness. Ghostbusters, Gremlins, all that amazing music. So how'd this 2018 movie do in capturing the feel?

Pretty damn well, actually! It's definitely 1984, but it doesn't hit you over the head with IT'S THE 80S BITCH, HERE'S A NOSTALGIA PIE TO THE FACE! You've got the 80s cars and fashions, there's a Gremlins reference, "Cruel Summer" is played. But there are none of those aggravating "wink wink" moments that are designed to speak to the modern audience more than feel natural in the scene. In fact, this is a very naturalistic movie which is its greatest charm.

Another sign it's the 80s is all the kids are outside adventuring. And it's this that leads them into a terrifying, real life adventure, when one suspects his next door neighbour is a serial killer. Is he right? Watch and find out! I highly recommend this; it should appeal equally to 80s kids and modern fans.

The Blackcoat's Daughter - And on the opposite end of the spectrum, we have a winter not-so-wonderland. Warning: if you have seasonal depression, DO NOT watch this movie in winter! Watch it in the summer when it can't hurt you. That said, this is a good movie and I do recommend it. It's a slow burn and it's quite bleak so it won't be for everyone, but I found it rewarding. Like It Follows, I immediately googled it at the end to make sure I grasped what had happened, and for the most part I did. Filling in the blanks was helpful though. This is the story of two girls left at a remote Catholic school over a winter break, and that's all I'm gonna say. Watch it, but wait until you can go outside and see flowers growing in the sunshine afterwards.

Southbound - From an 80s suburban summer, to a bleak New York winter, to a lonely desert highway. These movies really ran the gamut in aesthetic. I feel like it took all their restraint to not play "Highway to Hell" in this movie, and I admire that, because it would have been a bit on the nose. This is an anthology movie and a really damn good one! Like Trick r Treat, all the stories take place in the same area and connect with each other. I didn't know what to expect from this at all, but I loved the sound of the Route 66-type setting, with the old timey truck stops and half-deserted towns. You can mine a lot of creep factor from that, and this lived up to my expectations and then some. The atmosphere was great, and they could have coasted on that, but the stories were surprisingly well done. A lot of care and skill went into this and I highly recommend it.

Three more standout films from this awesome decade of horror. I can't get enough. Feed me more!

After Summer of 84, I felt like revisiting an 80s favourite I hadn't seen in ages, The Lost Boys! This is one of the few vampire movies I dig (along with Fright Night). No tedious melodramatic bullshit, just creatures of the night who want to kill you. And talk about atmosphere! You know I will. The lair of the vampires is one of the coolest settings ever, an old sunken seaside resort hotel. It makes this like, deserted luxury cave by the sea and it's SO COOL!


This is a fun, kinda quirky, very 80s movie that doesn't have a ton of substance but has a lot of entertainment value. A fast watch with memorable lines and characters and a great cast. If you haven't seen this for a while, give it a watch!

Thursday, November 22, 2018

More late night movie madness!

The awesome train just keeps on rollin'.

Spider Baby - The subtitle for this is THE MADDEST STORY EVER TOLD and yeah, that's not hyperbole, this thing is pretty darn mad. This is somewhat of a cult film from the 60s that I'd never heard of before lucking into it on a horror podcast. This is why you should listen to horror podcasts. This movie could have been cheesy as hell, like Ed Wood territory, but it's surprisingly well-made and well-acted. It's about a family with a syndrome that causes them to regress into violent mutants in late childhood. The two creepy girls, especially the "spider" one, are really effective. Lon Cheney Jr. brings a subtle and even touching performance as their caretaker. I like how the story progresses, it's suspenseful and the ending is perfect. Definitely recommended!

The Devil's Candy - This is a 2015 film that covers some very familiar territory - family moves into a house but oh oh! It's already occupied. By SATAN. But like any good movie, this takes old themes and makes them seem new again by giving us fresh, sympathetic characters and a story and feel of its own. This is another metal horror movie, in a way, but there's no evil in the music this time. The father and daughter are metalheads, and it comes into play GLORIOUSLY at the end. I love the creepy images manifesting in the father's paintings, and Pruitt Taylor Vince gives a standout performance as the house's previous tenant who just can't let go. This is an awesome movie; you really care for the characters and want them to make it out. And remember: butterflies aren't metal!

Autopsy of Jane Doe - Another awesome one, this time from 2016. For as much as everything sucks right now, the 2010s are one of the best decades for horror movies. I just keep getting blown away. This is an extremely suspenseful film that takes place entirely in a morgue, and it's as creepy as that sounds. The pacing really stood out to me here, it builds perfectly to an ending that's both sad and satisfying. Father and son coroners are, obviously, doing an autopsy on a Jane Doe, and things are not as they appear. She doesn't have a mark on her... on the outside. Once they start cutting they discover a mystery to solve, and that's my favorite aspect of the story. The movie is scary and horrific, but that mystery element really pushes it over the edge. They do finally solve it and it's very cool, but is it too late for them? Watch this movie!

Insidious - Another modern horror I adore. It had been a while so I gave it a rewatch and it totally held up. Amazingly, I've never seen the direct sequel, so I will be remedying that. (I did see part 3, for some reason, which is a prequel.) There are many things I love about this, but I think my favorite is in the early part of the movie, when you start yelling at the people to GET OUT OF THE DAMN MURDER HOUSE, they do! They move. Unfortunately, the thing in the house packs itself up with their books and spoons and makes itself at home. It's insidious, you see. This is a fun ride with a pretty shocking ending.

Amityville Horror (1979) - I'd been meaning to rewatch this for a long time, and it made a great companion to Insidious and Devil's Candy. Yup, this is one of the original family-moves-into-a-devil-house movies, or at least one that really put them on the map. It's long, but it never really feels slow to me. I like the buildup, I like getting to know the characters, and I really like all the artsy shots of the house.


Say it with me - atmosphere, bitches! This is a must-see for any horror fan, a landmark film that totally holds up. Take the two hours to watch it, it's worth it.

The Innocents - And finally, this might be my favourite yet. Amazingly, I had never seen this classic until last night and WOW. I'm saying it now, best performance by a child actor I have EVER seen. Holy shit, this kid Martin Stephens was uncanny in the best way. I loved Deborah Kerr's character, she was so brave and selfless in her determination to save these children from the malevolent forces in their home. And talk about atmosphere! The house and lake and gardens are amazing, at once beautiful and creepy. The little girl also gives a great performance, and she grew up to be the medium (AKA the winner of Britain's prestigious Floppiest Collar Award) in Legend of Hell House! Cool! I can't express how much I loved this movie, just watch it. It's watching you. 👀


Whew, I'm all caught up now. I will be taking a break to watch the new Mystery Science Theatre episodes, but I'll be back with more late night horror movie madness next week. My end of year music posts are also coming soon, however brief they may be.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Late Night Movie Madness

Beginning with Lords of Salem, which I discussed in my previous post, I've been on a helluva roll. Nine movies watched and not a bad one in the bunch. And eight were totally new to me! Splitting them into two posts.

Deathgasm - I watched this after Lords of Salem, so I had a completely accidental "someone plays demonic music and all hell breaks loose" double feature. It worked well in both movies. While this isn't as epic as Lords, it is kinda an updated version of 1986's Trick or Treat, with humour and way more gore. This was a lot of fun, especially if you like metal horror movies. I'm not even a metal fan but I love these, for some reason. This is from 2015 but I guess it takes place in the 90s, because the girl was using a discman and no one had a phone. It didn't really feel of any particular time, though. This is a New Zealand film and damn, NZ and Australia have been killing it with cool horror movies.

Black Sunday - AKA the good version of She-Beast, kinda. After hating that movie but digging actress Barbara Steele, I found another, more highly acclaimed witch movie she was in. The story isn't exactly the same, but it is the "old timey witch back for revenge" trope, so you know I'm there for it. Barbara Steele plays the dual role of the witch and the princess whose body she wants to possess and YESSSSSSS, this is what I wanted out of She-Beast! Good performances, no goofy shit or foreign Torgos, and OMG atmosphere for days. The castle and the wild, desolate landscape around the old abandoned crypt set my spooky lil heart all aflutter.


There's probably a Starbucks there now. 🙁

Popcorn - AKA the good version of Movie House Massacre! Yeah, this is what I wanted out of that piece of crap. What an awesome, layered movie this is, damn. How had I not seen this before? How is this not a classic??


Already sold, 10/10!

This 1991 movie is an homage to 50s schlock and 80s slashers, and both are done skillfully. A college theatre department is holding an all night movie fest in an old cinema to raise money. They're bringing back three 50s movies and showing them in their original formats like "aroma-rama" and "shock-o-scope." But there's a killer on the loose, and he's pretty creative! He probably could have had a bright future if he didn't kill people. Oh well.

Not only did they film parts of the fictional 50s movies and show them within the movie, the gimmicks even play a part in some of the the kills. What an awesome idea! Starring Jill Schoelen of The Stepfather and When a Stranger Calls Back, and seeing her rock a cute kind of Lydia Dietz look here makes her mullet in Stranger even more tragic. Yikes. Also starring Eric from Phantom of the Mall, coincidentally. I mean, I didn't seek him out, but there he was. I highly recommend this if you like goofy 50s movies, slashers, or both. It's a little silly, but overall well done and vastly entertaining.

Intruder - Speaking of Phantom of the Mall (as I probably will for years to come), here we have 80s Kid Nostalgia Porn, Part Two: the Supermarket! Awwww yeah, did this take me back. You don't realize how much the look of stores has changed until you watch something like this. I especially dug the groovy checkout stand lights. There were also great shots of old cereal packages, and even a bonus glimpse of some vintage holiday decorations in the attic. Score!

If you didn't grow up in the 80s and don't care about that, don't worry! There's still plenty to enjoy here. It's a cool setting. Something I learned is there are a lot of things lying around a supermarket that can kill you. Spectacularly. Yeah, the kills in this are fantastic. Watch it for that. And the cereal boxes. And some of the weird shots, like one from the inside of a phone(?) It sounds goofy, but it kinda weirdly works? I don't know, there's just something about this movie. It's cool. You'll probably know who the killer is, but that's okay.

My only complaints? The ending is terrible. Doesn't take away from the rest of the fun, but really dumb and implausible. And I'm using "implausible" in the context of a movie where a guy gets hung from a meathook, there's a bloody hand in a lobster tank, and another guy gets beaten with a severed head. There's implausible and then there's just silly, y'know?

And finally, the title. Intruder? Generic and unmemorable, and doesn't even really fit the plot. Why not something splashy like SUPERMARKET SLASH, or CLEANUP ON AISLE FIVE? There's even a great pun in the movie involving "half off," so why cheap out on the title?

Friday, November 16, 2018

November is just the second October

I've been watching a horror movie every night, and plan to for the foreseeable future until my giant list is more manageable. I signed up for Shudder recently, which has increased my list even more! Why didn't I wait til I'd cut it down more first?


That meme is pretty much just me at all times.

Okay, so I watched Rifftrax' Halloween offering, Terror in the Wax Museum. This isn't a good movie, but it might be one of John Carradine's least embarrassing later performances? Kind of your standard "old Hollywood actors slumming it in a silly B horror movie" deal. Would probably be watchable on its own, but made great with Rifftrax. I then watched the most recent Rifftrax release Truckers Woman and forget the wax museum, this is where the real terror lives. Worst movie "protagonist" since Mitchell. Were we supposed to like this guy? This was the only movie I had to take a shower after watching, and I watched something called Deathgasm.

I then attempted to watch Teenage Exorcist, something I don't recommend you do. Man, this started out so promising. There's a cool animated opening credits scene complete with cheesy theme song - "teenage exorcist, teenage exorcist!" Yeah, sing it! Then the first scene has creepy real estate agent Michael Berryman and I'm like, YESSSSSSSS. Then he goes away. Then the movie sucks for an hour until Eddie Deezen shows up. Seriously, I kept falling asleep. He's first billed, but is in the movie for like 10 minutes. See, they were trying to call an exorcist, but instead ordered a pizza! OMG, so wacky. Deezen plays the pizza "boy" and was the only funny part of the movie. Lead actress Brinke Stevens is fine, so if you're a fan you'll probably get your money's worth, but the rest of the cast, UGH!

I know, let's get Michael Berryman and Eddie Deezen in our movie but only give them 15 minutes combined screen time, and fill the rest of it with lame, unlikeable nobodies! I know it's a low-budget movie and the nobodies were probably paid in pizza (hey, it was already in the budget, genius!) but did their characters have to be so awful? There's nothing worse than awful characters who are also uninteresting. Brinke Stevens' brother in law was an insufferable douchebag. I guess they were going for an 80s "yuppie" parody but he wasn't funny, just annoying. And OMG, the so-called "love interest." One of the worst characters I've ever seen in a movie. I've said how much I hate the trope of the guy "wearing down" the girl until she agrees to be with him. It's disgusting. This guy just pushes himself all over her even though she's clearly uninterested, and they end up together in the end! BARF. He was never likeable, it was never like "aw, she should give the poor guy a chance," he was AWFUL. She should have ended up with Eddie Deezen, except I guess he was supposed to be a "teenager" despite being 34. It should have been called Pizza Exorcist or something.

Okay that's out of the way, the rest of the stuff I watched was good or at least interesting!

Next up was Lords of Salem, and boy am I glad I gave Rob Zombie another chance. I found his Halloween remake unbearable due to the writing and characters ("THAT'S NOT LAURIE STRODE!" I kept yelling as I cried into my wine. That was a fun night 🙄). But the direction and cinematography weren't bad, so I thought I'd give him another try with original characters that couldn't be ruined. Three rock radio deejays in Salem? That sounds great! Old timey witches seeking vengeance in modern day? You know that's my jam! They start out playing my favourite Rush song and it only goes up from there. Cool characters, great performances, awesome music, and some of the most beautiful shots I've seen in a horror movie. Like, the framing and the colours look like something in a museum.


Iconic.

I guess some people have issue with Sheri Moon Zombie's performance, but I thought she was awesome. I mean, nepotism's only bad if the person isn't talented. Then there's one of the other deejays, played by an actor I didn't know, but he was great. He was her friend who obviously had a thing for her but unlike Teenage Exorcist, this movie understands that the character becomes unsympathetic if they push. He was like, a genuine friend, which showed that he actually cared for her. But she was too fucked up to reciprocate. Damn, she was a heartbreaking character. Then you have horror icons like Ken Foree (as the third deejay), Dee Wallace, and Bruce Davison who is electric every time he's on screen. What a fantastic actor.

I don't wanna say much more, this is now one of my favourite movies in my favourite subgenre (witches/satanic cults) and I don't want to spoil it. It's beautiful to the point of being artistic, and every horror fan should watch it. It doesn't have the yelly, trailer trashy characters that were in Halloween, everyone is either sympathetic or interesting in some way. The pacing is just what I like, a slow burn that builds up the characters and tension and leads to an explosive ending. LOVED it!

And I'm gonna end on that positive note. I have more movies for another post, so stay tuned!