Tag Archives: horror movie reviews

Saturday is Horror Day #101 – Haunt, Frankenhooker

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Haunt

It’s Halloween night and a group of friends are bored and not in the mood for the usual Halloween tricks or treats. When they happen upon a flier for an “extreme” haunted house, they decide to check it out. But they quickly discover that some nightmares are for real…

This film is by the writers of A Quiet Place, and while it may not be a great film, it’s a pretty good horror film, and will keep you guessing as to what is going on. This may even put you off of going to haunted houses, as it becomes hard to distinguish between what is staged and what is real. High gore factor as well as hitting on common phobias, such as spiders and confined spaces. All in all a satisfying watch. Also, it was produced by Eli Roth of Hostel fame. I’ll give this film 4 Stars.

Frankenhooker

Jeffrey (James Lorinz) is a bit… unusual. A wannabe doctor/inventor, who dreams of the great contributions he’ll make to help mankind. But when his fiancé Elizabeth is killed in a tragic lawn mower accident, he realizes he must do something to keep her alive. He steals her head and vows to rebuild her body. But how? Of course! He must come up with new female parts, so he decides to shop for them among the hookers!

Armed with a lot of money and drugs and little common sense, Jeffrey becomes involved a group of

hookers who work for Zorro (Joseph Gonzalez). When Jeffrey realizes he can’t go through with his plan, the hookers discover the drugs he has brought and ingest them, and chaos ensues. What else can he do but go through with his original plan? Although maybe the result isn’t quite what he envisioned.

This was one hysterically funny and campy horror movie! From the same guys who brought us Basket Case, no less, it’s an homage to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, as well as low budget gory horror films of the 50s and 60s. It is simply hilarious from start to finish, from the lawn mower accident to the ending. Jeffrey finds relief from stress by inserting a drill into his brain. Also, look for a cameo by Louise Lasser (of Mary Hartman fame, and ex wife of Woody Allen) as Jeffrey’s mother. I had no idea how good this film was or I would have watched it soon.

The acting is spot on, writing is great, lots of gore and lots of laughs. Definitely a fun time. I’ll give this film 4.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #100 – Smile, Silence of the Lambs

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

I’d like to start by saying welcome to the 100th post of Saturday is Horror Day! Little did I know when I first began to write this weekly adventure into the horror genre that it would last this long, but here we are. My first review is for the movie Smile, but I am going to look for something I like better before I post this for a second review. Thanks for taking the journey with me, hope you are enjoying the reviews and plan to continue to ride along!

Smile

Psychiatrist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) has a disturbing encounter with a patient who insists that she is being stalked by an entity who changes faces and forms, but has only one constant – its smile. Trying to probe further into the young woman’s problems, their session comes to a chilling end, traumatizing Rose.  Having witnessed her suicide, not only can Rose not get it out of her mind, but she is beginning to see strange things herself. The more she sees, the less people believe or trust her, and she is about to become a part of the same institution where she works, except for viewing it from the inside! Will no one save her from the creature who smiles?

I will admit this was a creepy film, but not anything extraordinary. Decent writing and acting, but a not

overly complex plot which isn’t even fully explained. I never did understand who or what the creature was. Nonetheless it’s worth watching at least once. If for no other reason, than to see Kal Penn as Rose’s boss. Also, Robin Weigert plays Rose’s therapist. A good evening’s entertainment. I’ll give it 3.5 Stars

I decided to rewatch one of my favorite films for this post, hope you enjoy it too!

Silence of the Lambs

FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is called into the office of her supervisor, Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn), the last thing she expects is to receive an actual field assignment. He tells her that they are doing a survey among a number of known and incarcerated serial killers for a study. Most of them have been cooperative, but one in particular has not and he wants Starling to approach him with the survey and to see if she can get answers out of him. Clarice is surprised that this seems to take priority right now, what with the killer Buffalo Bill on the loose – so-called because he likes to skin his humps. But what can she do but obey? So off to Baltimore she goes.

Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) has been incarcerated at the Baltimore Hospital for the Criminally Insane for a dozen years. He is held securely behind a wall of glass at the end of the hall. The director of the hospital, Dr. Frederick Chilton (Anthony Heald) is not only obnoxious but ambitious. He’s miffed when Clarice snubs his advances and his assistance. Dr. Lecter becomes intrigued by Clarice and her naivete and toys with her. But when another inmate disrespects her, he gives her some actual information.

Clarice follows the clues Lecter obliquely gave her and discovers a severed head in the back seat of an

old car in a storage unit. Crawford takes her with him unexpectedly after the discovery of another corpse in West Virginia, and she suddenly realizes she has become part of the Buffalo Bill case. In the meantime, Catherine Martin  (Brooke Smith), daughter of Senator Ruth Martin (Diane Baker) is kidnapped, and finds herself at the bottom of a well, being told to put the lotion on her skin.

Jealous of Clarice’s continued association with Lecter, Dr Chilton bugs his cell and learns some interesting information that Crawford has fed to Lecter through Starling. But Chilton decides to make his own deal with the distraught senator in hopes of fostering his own career. However, he’ll learn soon enough what it means to make an enemy of Hannibal Lecter. Clarice is racing against time, as Buffalo Bill is known to kill his victims after three days. But why? And what is the meaning of the marks on their backs? And why a death’s head moth?

Tick tock, tick tock…time is ticking, Clarice…

Based on the novel by Thomas Harris, Silence of the Lambs is a magnificent thriller that keeps you guessing to the very last minute. Jodie Foster shines as Clarice, the naive young woman whose greatest desire is to be in the FBI, and aspires to be a profiler. Scott Glenn is her supervisor, Jack Crawford, who takes a chance on a trainee to entice Lecter into helping with the Buffalo Bill case, although he doesn’t tell her that. Ted Levine is incredible as Jame Gumb (I am a huge Ted Levine fan) and his dance is pretty amazing. But the star of the show, without a doubt, is Sir Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, one of the most fascinating characters to be found both in the book and on the silver screen. Prior to this, there was a film of the novel Red Dragon, called Manhunter, which starred Brian Cox as Lecter. But once Hopkins assumed the role, it became his.

Direction, acting, writing – this film has it all. And it stands up to repeated viewings. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this. I’ll give this film 5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #99 – Barbarian

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Barbarian

Tess (Georgina Campbell) books a night at an AirBnB for a job interview the following day. Arriving during a storm, she discovers to her dismay that when she uses the code on the lockbox, the key isn’t there. That isn’t supposed to work that way. Then her irritation turns to confusion when she sees a light inside. Knocking, she discovers that Keith (Bill Skarsgärd) is already there and he too has a reservation for the night. Tess decides to leave but Keith persuades her to stay, and gives her the bedroom. She is wary but doesn’t have much of a choice. She goes to her room and closes the door, before going to bed. But in the middle of the night, she awakens, hearing a noise, to find her door open. She confronts the sleeping Keith, who denies all knowledge of the door.

Tess goes to her interview the next day and is shocked to see the neighborhood surrounding the AirBnB consists of decrepit, boarded-up houses. Good thing she isn’t staying long. After her interview, she returns to the house but there is no sign of Keith. When the power acts up, she heads to the basement to deal with it, only to accidentally lock herself in when the door closes behind her. And she has left her phone upstairs. Searching for a way out, she stumbles upon a secret room which contains a bed whose mattress is covered in suspicious stains and a camera on a tripod. Who knows what once went on in this place. Spying a door, she opens it to discover what appear to be steps carved into the ground, leading down…

 
 
 

AJ (Justin Long) is a one-time actor whose career was ruined by false accusations from a female co-

star. Determined to get away from it all, he decides to go to one of the properties he owns, which he rents out as an AirBnB. He’s confused to find evidence of occupation, since no one is supposed to be there.  But it looks like a couple of people are staying there, although they aren’t in evidence. In looking around, he heads down to the basement and is locked in too. Then he too discovers the secret room, which leads to the secret door leading down, down, down… to where? Hearing a cry, he heads down to find out.

 

To be honest, this is the point where I just gtfo some other way and not down those creepy stairs. But then where would the movie be, right? She does go down the stairs, of course. This movie is not what it first appears to be. And it is pretty creepy. I’ll admit I didn’t find the ending as disturbing as some might, but I’ve seen this trope before. It’s not something one would readily guess, though. Definitely worth watching, and probably rewatching. I’ll give this film 4 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #98 – The Menu

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

The Menu

Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) invites Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) to dine at a very exclusive restaurant on a small island. This restaurant is so exclusive that reservations are hard to git, and only so many people can dine that at a time. Margot considers herself lucky… until she learns that she wasn’t even Tyler’s first choice for dinner companion and her name isn’t even on the guest list. Well, she’s there now, might as well make the best of it, even if the other diners seem rather hoity-toity to her.

Granted, Tyler and the other diners seem to know a lot more about fine dining than Margot does, and about the chef who is preparing this sumptuous repast for their delight, Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). The Chef’s staff is extremely devoted and very well-trained, including Elsa (Hong Chau), who acts as hostess to the guests.  However, as the meal progresses and the night advances, all is not as it appears to be. And there seems to be some uncertainty as to whether anyone will make it out of there alive…

I’ve been wanting to see this movie after I watched the first trailer, and I was not disappointed. At first I thought it was a dark comedy, but don’t be fooled – this is indeed horror. I thought it was well-written, with a good cast, including John Leguizamo, whom I love. Definitely some familiar faces here. This film pokes fun at the so-called gourmands who think fine dining has to include foams and fancy swoops across the plate, etc. I’ll probably see something I missed the next time I watch. I left the film being rather satisfied indeed. I will give it 4.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #97 – A Ghost Story, Don’t Panic, The Room (2019)

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

A Ghost Story


C (Casey Affleck) and M (Rooney Mara) are a young married couple very much in love. Their only source of conflict is the house they live in. M wants to move, and is researching new residences, but C is opposed to the idea. However, a tragedy makes that a moot point. Afterward, C returns to the house as a white-sheeted ghost, and tries to reconnect with his bereft wife.

 

 

This is one ghost story that actually is about the ghost and not about the living. C is more haunted than 


anyone, most of whom can’t see him. It’s about loss and it’s about time, as C sticks with the house, for better or for worse, and follows it through not just multiple owners but other changes as well. It’s sad and intense, and not what one would call scary, unless you’re afraid of the future and what it might hold. Most of it is silent. The soundtrack is lovely. I don’t think I would watch it again.  Both Affleck and Mara give good performances. I’ll give this film 3 Stars.

Don’t Panic


This 1987 Mexican film about a 17 year old boy who is gifted a Ouija board for his birthday is so bad, I gave it up just a little ways in. Bad acting, bad script, bad sound quality… I would just avoid this one altogether

 

 

 

The Room (2019)


Matt (Kevin Janssesns) and Kate (Olga Kurylenko) buy  a house that needs a little fixing up, having been on the market for a while. In the course of renovations, Matt discovers a secret room and does some exploring of his own. To his amazement, he figures out that if you wish for something while in that room, it appears. He fills the room with all kinds of things, including an original Van Gogh!

 

Kate is astounded at everything in this room and doesn’t buy Matt’s explanation of how it got there. But he tells her to try it, to wish for something. So she wishes for a thousand dollars… and it appears! Amazed, she asks for more and more. The couple go crazy, treating themselves to everything they can think of. But there is one thing Kate wants that they have never been able to have. One day, while Matt is out, Kate wishes for a baby. And the trouble begins…

 

This is an interesting variation on the usual genie granting wishes story, with of course the moral being 

 


be careful what you wish for cause you might surely get it. As everyone knows, magic comes with a price, including this magic. The film is very well shot and the actors do a great job. It keeps your attention and keeps you wondering what is going on. While we never learn why the room works the way it does, we definitely see the consequences.

 

This movie had me guessing what was going to happen as Matt begins to discover more and more of the truth, but can’t seem to do anything to control what Kate has unleased. Definitely worth the watch. I give this one 4 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #96 – Cannibal Holocaust

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Cannibal Holocaust

A documentary crew disappears in the Amazon rainforest. Professor Monroe (Robert Kerman) heads up a rescue mission to find them. Following their trail, they discover the footage that was taken by the missing film crew. And watching that film leads to an understanding of what happened to the four filmmakers.

This film is told in documentary style, but of course it isn’t true. However, what it is is pretty disturbing and very violent. And from what I read, although no actors were harmed during the making of this film, and all the blood is fake, but apparently some animals did actually die. Keep in mind this was made in 1980, so I’ll guess the standard disclaimers of no animals being harmed was not a thing.

Watching the found footage, there is little doubt as to why these people met the fate they did. What is

less clear is why they did what they did. There is a lot of savagery here – and not all on the part of the cannibals. Of course there is cannibalism, but also rape, torture, murder… This is a difficult film to watch, and it’s not what I would call entertaining. It’s truly horror for the sake of horror. Know this going into it – there are no happy endings here. Makes me wonder what The Green Inferno is like, which is mentioned in this film more than once. Not the film, but I guess a place.

At any rate, if you have a strong stomach and want to see why this film was originally banned give it a try. I’ll give it 3 Stars but won’t ever watch it again. Once was enough.

Saturday is Horror Day #95 – White Zombie

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

White Zombie

On the island of Haiti, a young couple, Madeline (Madge Bellamy) and Neil (John Harron) look forward to being married. They’ve been persuaded by Charles (Robert Frazer) to have the wedding at his house. While on the way there, they are approached in their carriage by a strange man, who seems taken with Madeline, and even goes so far as to take her long white scarf before they can elude his grasp. Little do they realize he is “Murder” Legendre (Bela Lugosi), a local business owner.

 

The couple is further disturbed by tales of zombies on the island – the living undead. Once arrived at Charles’ house, it quickly becomes apparent that he is very taken with Madeline, and spends most of his time trying to persuade her to marry him instead. But she is adamant that she won’t and to stop being silly. A desperate Charles approaches Legendre who is responsible for the zombies who work under him. Together they hatch a diabolical plan to separate the young couple. And it works, for on their wedding night, the young bride suddenly and mysteriously dies.

 

This is a little known gem from 1932 starring the incomparable Bela Lugosi. It’s actually quite well 

done, and from what I read, it’s speculated that Lugosi directed some if not all of the film. It’s not very long, not much over an hour, but it says a lot in a short period of time.

Bela is as charming and hypnotic as ever. The film says a lot with little dialogue, almost like a silent movie with a few lines added here and there. Whoever directed, whether Lugosi or not, did a good job in this zombie film made long before the Walking Dead. I’ll give this film 4.5 Stars.

 

Saturday is Horror Day #94 – Stitches

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Stitches

Stitches (Ross Noble) isn’t a particularly funny clown – he’s rude and he’s crude. Even the kids he’s paid to entertain don’t particularly find him amusing.  But something goes horribly wrong at Tom’s (Tommy Knight) birthday party, and Stitches ends up dead. Six years later, Stitches comes back, and this time he’s looking for vengeance!

Tommy and his friends are teens now. And some of the kids have grown up to be assholes. Tom still can’t forget the single kiss he shared way back when, in his treehouse, with Kate (Gemma-Leah Devereux), but he hasn’t had the nerve to follow it up with her and now she’s dating a jock. He invited her to his party and hopes she’ll come.

Through a touch of bad Karma, Stitches receives the invitation and decides to crash the party…

This is an Irish film, made in Ireland, and it is definitely a dark film. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. Some might complain that too much attention is paid to the teens in between the first and second party, but I believe it set everything up for what was to come, including how certain people died. The death scenes are definitely creative and very gory, so know that going into it. Ross Noble as Stitches is great. I could have used more of him. All in all an enjoyable film to watch. I’ll give it 3.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #93 – Midsommar

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Midsommar


Following the tragic death of her family, Dani (Florence Pugh) has been clinging to her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) a bit more than usual, to the annoyance of his fellow students/friends. They’d been planning a trip to Sweden by one of the group to witness a mid-summer festival in his hometown. Christian feels compelled to tell them that he’s invited Dani, but she doesn’t really want to go. However, she does, so they grudgingly accept her presence among them.

There is something very beautiful and at the same time odd about the village where they end up. The people are indeed welcoming and loving. At the same time, some of their ways are… unusual, to say the least. One of the reasons Josh (William Jackson Harper) is there is to write about the festival for his thesis. When Christian suddenly decides to use that specific festival for his thesis is well, tensions begin to run high.

 

Still reeling from the death of her family, Dani is none too pleased when one of the village maidens 


seems to have set her cap for Christian. Another couple, Simon (Archie Madekwe) and Connie (Ellora Torchia) are there also, and Simon unwittingly does something completely unforgivable to the villagers. He inexplicably decides to leave without informing Connie, who is understandably distraught. The villagers assure here that the man who took Simon to the station will be back for her as well but she doesn’t wait and runs off.

Things get stranger and stranger… and then somewhat sinister…

This movie was beautiful to behold, set in a beautiful country. Everything looks wholesome and clean, but of course what you see isn’t always what you get. It all depends on how you look at it, as simply a horror story (from most people’s viewpoint) or a lovely fairy tale (from Dani’s POV). Although it’s about two and a half hours long, it doesn’t really feel long as you keep wondering what is going on and what’s going to happen. Pay close attention for clues, even though they won’t really prepare you for the ending. But there are hints. Might have to watch it again sometime to find more. I’ll give this film 4 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #92 – The Descent

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

The Descent


Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) is recovering from a devastating life event the previous year. She meets up with some of her friends for a vacation. But their idea of having fun is exploring caves! Juno (Natalie Mendoza) is the somewhat leader of the group. She’s the one who picks the cave and gets all the information they need to safely explore, making sure they all have the right gear as well.

 

This particular cave is actually in a hole, so they have to go down on ropes. The only way out is through the exit, as they won’t be able to ascend the same way. No problem, right? Except that Juno neglected to mention that this isn’t the cave she told them they’d be going to and they don’t have any guidebooks for it! She thought it would be fun for them to be the ones to explore it, and also maybe bring Sarah out of her funk. Maybe even name the cave for her late daughter!

 

 

 

But things start to go horribly wrong, and now they’re not even sure how to get back to the surface… and they are horrified to realize they are not alone.

 

This is one creepy scary movie! I will admit to jumping more than once. Imagine being underground and not knowing how to get back up? Assuming there is a way up? And then, on top of that, the creatures… *shudders* You may recognize MyAnna Buring as she was in Ripper Street and more recently The Witcher. This is a good horror movie. I’ll give it 4.5 Stars.