Search
Search results
Awix (3310 KP) rated Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter (1974) in Movies
Feb 14, 2018 (Updated Feb 14, 2018)
Somewhat atypical late-period Hammer horror; feels a bit like a pilot for a TV show but is none the worse for that. Dope-smoking, katana-swinging action man Kronos does battle with a vampire that feeds off youth itself.
Works hard to avoid the usual clichés, with some great moments of black comedy along the way. References to other Hammer films from around the same time will please the faithful. Action choreography by doyen of swordmasters William Hobbs means that the fight sequences (especially the climactic duel) are considerably better than you'd expect from such a low-budget movie. Should have been the start of a series, but Hammer had run out of money.
Works hard to avoid the usual clichés, with some great moments of black comedy along the way. References to other Hammer films from around the same time will please the faithful. Action choreography by doyen of swordmasters William Hobbs means that the fight sequences (especially the climactic duel) are considerably better than you'd expect from such a low-budget movie. Should have been the start of a series, but Hammer had run out of money.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated We Summon the Darkness (2019) in Movies
Jul 6, 2022
We Summon the Darkness goes all in with its comedy-horror angle, and manages to fall short in every aspect. There are multiple scenes of extended dialogue that seemingly never end. Not necessarily a problem, but it's dialogue that goes nowhere, is painfully boring, and feels heavily improvised by a group of actors who don't really care. It's mind boggling how much this happens throughout the runtime. When things eventually kick off, it's still boring. When Johnny Knoxville finally turns up, it's boring. When the insufferable characters start to die, it's boring. Its low on scares, set pieces, and humour, making We Summon the Darkness a gigantic (half-arsed) swing and a miss.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Deerskin (Le Daim) (2019) in Movies
Jul 21, 2021
Deadpan horror-comedy from our French friends. Middle-aged man Georges (John of the Garden) pays an eye-watering sum for a suede deerskin jacket and moves into a hotel in a remote town. He is clearly in the midst of some form of crisis, even before the jacket starts talking to him. It turns out the jacket has a dream, one which Georges shares...
Starts off in a vein of low-key weirdness and gradually gets more and more absurd as Georges' obsession grows and he is joined (sort of) by a young waitress who's desperate enough to believe some of the lines he comes out with. Very much a slow-burn comedy, but an effective one... except that the situation eventually gets so improbably ridiculous that the writer-director clearly couldn't think of a way of resolving it, so the film stops abruptly and not very satisfyingly after a brisk 75 minutes. Shame; entertaining in a quirky way, mainly because of Dujardin's central performance - worth seeing just for that.
Starts off in a vein of low-key weirdness and gradually gets more and more absurd as Georges' obsession grows and he is joined (sort of) by a young waitress who's desperate enough to believe some of the lines he comes out with. Very much a slow-burn comedy, but an effective one... except that the situation eventually gets so improbably ridiculous that the writer-director clearly couldn't think of a way of resolving it, so the film stops abruptly and not very satisfyingly after a brisk 75 minutes. Shame; entertaining in a quirky way, mainly because of Dujardin's central performance - worth seeing just for that.
AmyBee (4 KP) rated The Damnation Game in Books
Sep 6, 2018
This novel has to be one of, if not THE sickest, goriest horror novels I have ever read. For that reason, I LOVED it! The plot is strong, the characters are entertaining and the scare-factor is off the scale!
It soon becomes clear that the author of this novel is the same guy who wrote and directed the first HELLRAISER film. His ability to 'think outside the box' in his writing is evident with certain tropes in this novel that I wouldn't have even thought existed but are absolutely terrifying. I was blown away.
I love the way that horror and comedy seem to be interchanged in this novel in a way that makes the horror even sicker. As the reader, once you realise that certain scenes are actually making you chuckle, it makes YOU feel like the sick one for daring to laugh at such a grim scene. It takes a great writer to be able to do this and to pull it off without coming across like they are just trying to cash in a cheap gag and Barker has this skill down to a T. Excellent stuff!
Just one thing annoyed me about this and that is the two young Jehovah's Witnesses who make an appearance somewhere like halfway through the novel. I thought their characters were far more 2D than all the rest were, and they could have been written much better. To me, they were just not believable at all.
It soon becomes clear that the author of this novel is the same guy who wrote and directed the first HELLRAISER film. His ability to 'think outside the box' in his writing is evident with certain tropes in this novel that I wouldn't have even thought existed but are absolutely terrifying. I was blown away.
I love the way that horror and comedy seem to be interchanged in this novel in a way that makes the horror even sicker. As the reader, once you realise that certain scenes are actually making you chuckle, it makes YOU feel like the sick one for daring to laugh at such a grim scene. It takes a great writer to be able to do this and to pull it off without coming across like they are just trying to cash in a cheap gag and Barker has this skill down to a T. Excellent stuff!
Just one thing annoyed me about this and that is the two young Jehovah's Witnesses who make an appearance somewhere like halfway through the novel. I thought their characters were far more 2D than all the rest were, and they could have been written much better. To me, they were just not believable at all.
Ronyell (38 KP) rated The Babysitter (2017) in Movies
Aug 4, 2020
The Babysitter From Hell!
Wow! I'm actually surprised that I enjoyed this movie as much as I did! At first, I thought that I wasn't going to like this movie because the premise sounded ridiculous. But once I watched this movie, I was quite impressed by how funny and scary this film was! I really loved the performances of all the actors and actresses in this film as they really got into their roles and they made the movie so entertaining to watch! I especially loved the performances from Samara Weaving as Bee and Robbie Amell as Max as they were the most entertaining characters in the movie! I loved the way that Robbie Amell made Max into such a comical character, despite the fact that he's an ax-crazy killer. I also enjoyed Samara Weaving's performance as Bee as she made Bee so friendly yet deadly at the same time. I also liked the fact that the movie had a nice balance between comedy and horror as there were many scenes that were quite intense. But at the same time, I was laughing out loud at how over the top the actors' performances were.
The main issue that I had with this film was that I felt that the characters weren't that well developed as I don't know anything about their backstories. The characters that I was the most curious about were Bee and her friends as their motivations to perform human sacrifices seem a little flat to me because I don't know much about their backgrounds and how they even know about performing sacrifices to have their wishes come true.
Overall, "The Babysitter" may seem like a silly horror comedy film, but it is definitely entertaining to watch because of how over the top the characters' antics are. And I loved the way that this film turned many horror tropes on its head and made a pretty entertaining movie out of it!
The main issue that I had with this film was that I felt that the characters weren't that well developed as I don't know anything about their backstories. The characters that I was the most curious about were Bee and her friends as their motivations to perform human sacrifices seem a little flat to me because I don't know much about their backgrounds and how they even know about performing sacrifices to have their wishes come true.
Overall, "The Babysitter" may seem like a silly horror comedy film, but it is definitely entertaining to watch because of how over the top the characters' antics are. And I loved the way that this film turned many horror tropes on its head and made a pretty entertaining movie out of it!
TacoDave (3607 KP) rated Anna and the Apocalypse (2018) in Movies
Dec 10, 2018 (Updated Dec 10, 2018)
Acting (3 more)
Music
Pacing
Humor
"Anna and the Apocalypse" is Fantasticly Strange
I didn't expect a lot when I saw "Anna and the Apocalypse" yesterday. I knew a little about it. I knew it was a Zombie/Christmas musical that was supposed to be "Shaun of the Dead Meets La La Land," and I knew it was popular at film festivals last year, but I didn't have any other real feel for what I was in for.
Luckily, I *loved* this movie. The first 30 minutes or so just follow several high schoolers as their school prepares for a Christmas performance. The way they randomly break into song, then look at each other weirdly when the song ends and continue with their day was amusing. The songwriting was great - the singing too! - and, except for one song, I wanted to own the soundtrack.
The rest of the movie follows a group of parents and students trapped in a school with zombies outside and, concurrently, a small group of high schoolers who are trying to make their way to the school to see if their loved ones are still alive. Heads explode. Bodies are mangled. People get bitten. And there is quite a bit of gore.
Yet, at the same time, the movie is light and hilarious. It walks a fine balance between horror/comedy/Christmas/musical, and succeeds almost completely.
If you like horror movies mixed with comedy and you are a fan of musicals, this one is a no-brainer. Pun intended.
Luckily, I *loved* this movie. The first 30 minutes or so just follow several high schoolers as their school prepares for a Christmas performance. The way they randomly break into song, then look at each other weirdly when the song ends and continue with their day was amusing. The songwriting was great - the singing too! - and, except for one song, I wanted to own the soundtrack.
The rest of the movie follows a group of parents and students trapped in a school with zombies outside and, concurrently, a small group of high schoolers who are trying to make their way to the school to see if their loved ones are still alive. Heads explode. Bodies are mangled. People get bitten. And there is quite a bit of gore.
Yet, at the same time, the movie is light and hilarious. It walks a fine balance between horror/comedy/Christmas/musical, and succeeds almost completely.
If you like horror movies mixed with comedy and you are a fan of musicals, this one is a no-brainer. Pun intended.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated What We Do in the Shadows in TV
Jul 7, 2020
Ridiculously Funny And Absurdly Delightful
What We Do In The Shadows s a 2019 comedy/horror mockumentary television series written by Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi. It's based on the 2014 movie of the same name. The show was produced by FXP, Two Canoes Pictures, and 343 Incorporated. The series stars Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillen, and Mark Proksch.
After an unexpected visit from their dark lord and leader, four vampires who've "lived" together for hundreds of years in Staten Island are reminded they were tasked with total and complete domination of the New World over a century ago. A verite camera crew follows along and gives a documentary-style look into their daily lives as they go about achieving said domination.
This show is ridiculously funny and just as good as the movie it's based on. It is a great mix of two genres that don't always mix well horror and comedy but with a mockumentary style akin to The Office. The only thing I would say is that the show's sense of humor isn't for everyone. But I like it and enjoyed it and am super excited it's been renewed for a second season. I love how it expands on the vampire lore of the world that they built upon and how they satirize the whole vampire genre. How they aren't afraid to make fun of the cliches and tropes often overused and familiar for fans of the genre. I give this show a 8/10.
After an unexpected visit from their dark lord and leader, four vampires who've "lived" together for hundreds of years in Staten Island are reminded they were tasked with total and complete domination of the New World over a century ago. A verite camera crew follows along and gives a documentary-style look into their daily lives as they go about achieving said domination.
This show is ridiculously funny and just as good as the movie it's based on. It is a great mix of two genres that don't always mix well horror and comedy but with a mockumentary style akin to The Office. The only thing I would say is that the show's sense of humor isn't for everyone. But I like it and enjoyed it and am super excited it's been renewed for a second season. I love how it expands on the vampire lore of the world that they built upon and how they satirize the whole vampire genre. How they aren't afraid to make fun of the cliches and tropes often overused and familiar for fans of the genre. I give this show a 8/10.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Happy Death Day 2U (2019) in Movies
Dec 31, 2020
There is enough increasing absurdity in Happy Death Day 2U to ensure that it's just as fun and entertaining as the first movie. It's sadly less rooted in horror this time around, and instead opts for a sci-fi/comedy approach, with the occasional sprinkle of PG-13 slasher tropes.
Jessica Rothe is honestly, for a second time, fantastic. Neither of these films would work half as well without her. Her character Tree, is hugely likable, and has great chemistry with the other cast members. This goes double for when director Christopher Landon decides to blindside the audience with an emotional beat. There's one scene in particular with Tree and her Mother that has all the potential to be a cheesy mess, but thanks to Rothe and Missy Yager, hits all the right notes. It's all good stuff that is unexpected from what is a standard family friendly Blumhouse flick on the surface.
As mentioned, the plot is so silly, but it's attempts to explain how the events of the first film even happened are admirable, and shakes up the formula enough to ensure it doesn't get boring, even though it has familiar moments. Some of the twists are a little convoluted, and the comedy aspects go a tad overboard sometimes, but overall the dumb narrative works a treat.
Happy Death Day 2U is a great if flawed switch-off popcorn movie, that's frequently funny, and has just enough horror elements to belong in the genre. Worth checking out!
Jessica Rothe is honestly, for a second time, fantastic. Neither of these films would work half as well without her. Her character Tree, is hugely likable, and has great chemistry with the other cast members. This goes double for when director Christopher Landon decides to blindside the audience with an emotional beat. There's one scene in particular with Tree and her Mother that has all the potential to be a cheesy mess, but thanks to Rothe and Missy Yager, hits all the right notes. It's all good stuff that is unexpected from what is a standard family friendly Blumhouse flick on the surface.
As mentioned, the plot is so silly, but it's attempts to explain how the events of the first film even happened are admirable, and shakes up the formula enough to ensure it doesn't get boring, even though it has familiar moments. Some of the twists are a little convoluted, and the comedy aspects go a tad overboard sometimes, but overall the dumb narrative works a treat.
Happy Death Day 2U is a great if flawed switch-off popcorn movie, that's frequently funny, and has just enough horror elements to belong in the genre. Worth checking out!
Vegas (725 KP) rated Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018) in Movies
Jul 10, 2019
The story (2 more)
The horror isn't horrific
The comedy isn't funy
I expected more from this cast
Not sure where to go with this, I don't like starting a a film and not finishing it, so I kept going with it, and by the time that it kicked into gear near the end, I found I had lost all interest and was doing a other things while watching it... Not caring who lived and who died....
I expected good things from a cast that included Michael Sheen, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Margot Robbie... However I was massively disappointed, apart from the very occasional funny bit, the humour didn't work and wasn't funny and the horror until near the end was almost non existent...
I was trying to think of some positive things to say but all I could come up with was that the setting the school was in was beautiful and looked amazing, with doesn't really help with summing up the film...
Die hard Simon Pegg/Nick Frost fans will probably like it, but, I think it's a film that you won't miss anything if you don't bother with it.
I expected good things from a cast that included Michael Sheen, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Margot Robbie... However I was massively disappointed, apart from the very occasional funny bit, the humour didn't work and wasn't funny and the horror until near the end was almost non existent...
I was trying to think of some positive things to say but all I could come up with was that the setting the school was in was beautiful and looked amazing, with doesn't really help with summing up the film...
Die hard Simon Pegg/Nick Frost fans will probably like it, but, I think it's a film that you won't miss anything if you don't bother with it.
Dean (6925 KP) rated Scream Queens - Season 1 in TV
Jun 25, 2017
Great cast (4 more)
Good cameos
Cool killer outfit
Surprisingly gory
Funny at times
Will make you Scream.... For one reason or another!
A gave this a whirl as the cast was impressive and a fan of Slasher films. This is a very bizarre series definitely more at the comedy side than horror. Featuring true Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis and Emma Roberts of @Scream 4. Almost like a spoof at times. Try thinking of a mix of Clueless, Mean Girls, Scream and Scary Movie. The spoilt rich kid humour won't be for all but the Killer wouldn't look out of place in a real Slasher film and there are a variety of ways he bumps off the brats.