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Plwriter (2 KP) rated Meddling Kids: A Novel in Books
Oct 9, 2017
I fell in love with the cover of this book and immediately downloaded it. The amazon page showcases a review from the USA Today that says “…it scratches a nostalgic itch for those who grew up on Saturday morning Scooby-Doo cartoons and sugar-bombed breakfast cereal.” I started reading and then opened good reads and noticed that it suggested a bunch of Steven King books as similar reads.
I panicked. I don’t read horror. I was sure this book was going to leave me terrified. I wouldn’t let my husband leave while I was reading it.
I shouldn’t have worried.
This book was great. It was about as scary as a Scooby-Doo movie (think Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost). It was funny and fun with a great nostalgia factor.
I loved the representation in this book. It was nice to see minorities represented and normalized.
The way the book is written could turn people off. It’s either going to be something you love or something you hate. It’s prose mixed with stage directions and random author(?) interjections which makes it feel a little haphazard and messy.
Over all, I loved it and though it hearkens back to mythical horror themes it’s not too scary just like old time Scooby-Doo.
I panicked. I don’t read horror. I was sure this book was going to leave me terrified. I wouldn’t let my husband leave while I was reading it.
I shouldn’t have worried.
This book was great. It was about as scary as a Scooby-Doo movie (think Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost). It was funny and fun with a great nostalgia factor.
I loved the representation in this book. It was nice to see minorities represented and normalized.
The way the book is written could turn people off. It’s either going to be something you love or something you hate. It’s prose mixed with stage directions and random author(?) interjections which makes it feel a little haphazard and messy.
Over all, I loved it and though it hearkens back to mythical horror themes it’s not too scary just like old time Scooby-Doo.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Scream (1996) in Movies
May 12, 2018
Labeled a classic and dubbed as a mystery/slasher film, Scream is a film you can turn to for years to come when you’re in need of a blood bath. If you’re a 90s baby like me, then you probably have. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I consider it a favorite, but it is definitely a movie I like to watch when I need to relax.
One of the things that I really like about Scream is the fact that it serves a dual purpose: it sates my thirst for blood while simultaneously making a mockery of itself. If you’re new to the horror genre, then it’s an easy and entertaining way to learn the “rules” of horror movies – and then watch as the cast adheres to them without failure. Of course, these aren’t real rules in as much as they are unspoken. For prime examples of movies that highlight these rules, I point you to Halloween, The Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th.
Scream is one of those films that is more likely to draw a bit of laughter from me than it is likely to scare me. To some degree, this is because I’ve seen it so many times. To another… it’s honestly hilarious.
One of the things that I really like about Scream is the fact that it serves a dual purpose: it sates my thirst for blood while simultaneously making a mockery of itself. If you’re new to the horror genre, then it’s an easy and entertaining way to learn the “rules” of horror movies – and then watch as the cast adheres to them without failure. Of course, these aren’t real rules in as much as they are unspoken. For prime examples of movies that highlight these rules, I point you to Halloween, The Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th.
Scream is one of those films that is more likely to draw a bit of laughter from me than it is likely to scare me. To some degree, this is because I’ve seen it so many times. To another… it’s honestly hilarious.
Fred (860 KP) rated Overlord (2018) in Movies
Jun 8, 2019
Great blend of genres
After some great WWII war drama, this movie shifts to horror & blends the two perfectly. It's kind of like "From Dusk Til Dawn" where it all seems to be going normally, then BAM! we're hit with the shift. The acting is top notch, but the only problem is the film never feels like it's really WWII. You can tell it was made recently. I mean, there's no way the soldiers would be racially mixed. And if it was, the soldiers wouldn't have been civil to each other. It does pull us out of the mood a little, but today's movies have to do this. A strong person of color and/or a strong woman must be thrown in, otherwise people will complain.I have no problem with these & if it sounds like I am complaining about it, it's only to point out that people will complain. I wouldn't be giving the film an 8 out of 10 otherwise.
Anyway, back to the film itself. Plenty of action & drama in this one. It's most enjoyable & sometimes can be real creepy. I don't want to give the story away, so I'll just leave it at that. Simple enough. If you're into war dramas, horror, sci-fi & the likes, then give it a watch.
Anyway, back to the film itself. Plenty of action & drama in this one. It's most enjoyable & sometimes can be real creepy. I don't want to give the story away, so I'll just leave it at that. Simple enough. If you're into war dramas, horror, sci-fi & the likes, then give it a watch.
Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) rated Amityville: The Awakening (2017) in Movies
Jan 27, 2019
Not much (2 more)
Stays within the Amityville realm
Shows footage from DeFeo's crimes and mentions the Amityville history/"haunting"
Slow and drags on (8 more)
Boring
Tense in a teen angst way
Poor character relationships
One-dimensional characters
Vague plotlines
Visually too dark to see most action
Unoriginal
Flat acting
Drags on and on and on and blah.
If you expect a family to move into the Amityville house where DeFeo murdered his family in the 1970s and be haunted or possessed by a ghost, demon, poltergeist, etc., you are 100% correct. That premise could be interesting but unfortunately, this film falls short. It is tense because of the relationships between the characters and not from suspense. It's pretty boring and relies on a few jump scares and flashes of horror. The storyline is unoriginal and poorly done. The lighting is so dark that it's difficult to see the last 30 minutes of the action. You might as well be listening to an old-fashioned radio show or horror podcast instead. This movie is problematic from beginning to end. There are much better films out there with a similar premise so unless you're extremely bored and like to torture yourself, avoid this one.
Andrew Kennedy (199 KP) rated Halloween (1978) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
The night HE came home
John Carpenter and Debra Hill created in just 30 days what some horror directors couldn't achieve in 30 months, a perfectly paced, well acted and truly tense slasher movie.
From the opening tracking shot to the final montage everything about this film is on point.
Donald Pleasance as Dr Sam Loomis delivers each of his warnings about Michael Myers with such gusto that you truly believe that Myers is the embodiment of evil.
Jamie Lee Curtis is brilliantly believable as the girl next door Laurie Strode, who Myers hunts down this Halloween night.
Nick Castle as Myers has such suttle movements and the now much copied head tilt.
The story of the young Michael Myers who viciously murders his sister Judith at age 6. Now 21 Myers escapes from Smith's Grove sanitarium and heads for his home town of Haddenfield.
Once there in one night Micheal will raise unholy hell and with Dr Loomis in pursuit trying to stop his escaped patient.
The music is iconic not just Carpenter's memorable theme but the music throughout helps to raise the tension. The camera work is amazing, one very famous scene in particular always delivers a chill.
This is truly a horror masterpiece.
From the opening tracking shot to the final montage everything about this film is on point.
Donald Pleasance as Dr Sam Loomis delivers each of his warnings about Michael Myers with such gusto that you truly believe that Myers is the embodiment of evil.
Jamie Lee Curtis is brilliantly believable as the girl next door Laurie Strode, who Myers hunts down this Halloween night.
Nick Castle as Myers has such suttle movements and the now much copied head tilt.
The story of the young Michael Myers who viciously murders his sister Judith at age 6. Now 21 Myers escapes from Smith's Grove sanitarium and heads for his home town of Haddenfield.
Once there in one night Micheal will raise unholy hell and with Dr Loomis in pursuit trying to stop his escaped patient.
The music is iconic not just Carpenter's memorable theme but the music throughout helps to raise the tension. The camera work is amazing, one very famous scene in particular always delivers a chill.
This is truly a horror masterpiece.
The Meg (2018)
6.6
Rate It
Movie Watch
Long-in-gestation nautical monster movie. Five years ago, expert sea diver and Naval Captain Jonas...
action horror sci-fi damn big shark
The Astounding Illustrated History of Science Fiction
Dave Golder, Jess Nevins, Russ Thorne and Sarah Dobbs
Book
A truly astonishing, illustrated history of Science fiction, covering fantasy, and horror, with...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Yummy (2019) in Movies
Nov 10, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
First of all, this is marketed as a horror comedy, which is arguably misleading. Bar a couple of throw away gags near the start (and an obligatory dismembered penis), Yummy plays things pretty straight, as it violently hurtles towards it's bleak (as fuck) conclusion.
The lack of laughs isn't a bad thing by any means. There are plenty of zombie comedies already out there (granted, there are plenty of zombie movies in general to choose from) but as this particular sub genre refuses to die, the serious entries may as well be half decent, which Yummy certainly is.
It's has some great set pieces, some nice camera work, and a good cast.
Maaike Neuville and Bart Hollanders are a likable lead duo, and give us a pair of sympathetic characters to root for, and are a huge asset to this movie.
For zombie fans, have no fear, it doesn't take long for the shit to hit the fan, and the gore comes thick and fast when things start tumbling downhill. The practical effects are fantastic, the CGI effects are painfully average, but overall it gets the job done.
Yummy is a genuinely solid entry into the vast Zombie Horror catalogue. It's bloody, it's morbid, and it's hectic, which is good enough for me.
The lack of laughs isn't a bad thing by any means. There are plenty of zombie comedies already out there (granted, there are plenty of zombie movies in general to choose from) but as this particular sub genre refuses to die, the serious entries may as well be half decent, which Yummy certainly is.
It's has some great set pieces, some nice camera work, and a good cast.
Maaike Neuville and Bart Hollanders are a likable lead duo, and give us a pair of sympathetic characters to root for, and are a huge asset to this movie.
For zombie fans, have no fear, it doesn't take long for the shit to hit the fan, and the gore comes thick and fast when things start tumbling downhill. The practical effects are fantastic, the CGI effects are painfully average, but overall it gets the job done.
Yummy is a genuinely solid entry into the vast Zombie Horror catalogue. It's bloody, it's morbid, and it's hectic, which is good enough for me.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Leprechaun (1993) in Movies
Oct 19, 2020
The original Leprechaun is so so silly. It's low budget, it's brimming with unfunny jokes, it's not scary in the slightest, but dammit it's hard to hate on it too much.
The characters in Leprechaun are mostly typical easy-to-dislike personality voids (apart from my boy Ozzie), but some of the casting is notable. Of course, a pre-Friends Jennifer Aniston takes the lead and is likable enough, but the main star is obviously Warwick Davis. This being the early nineties, the horror genre was firmly set on its villains being the star, following the success of 80s icons such as Freddy Krueger, and the titular creature takes up most of the spotlight.
The Leprechaun himself is so-so. He's more of a little shit than a full blown monster, and the majority of his one liners aren't particularly funny, but Davis is clearly giving his all in this role, and is no doubt the sole reason why this movie spawned an entire franchise, even if Lep is ultimately a poor man's Chucky.
As far as cheesy horror films go, you could do a lot worse than Leprechaun (it's many sequels for example). It's cheap and trashy, but it's still pretty entertaining.
The characters in Leprechaun are mostly typical easy-to-dislike personality voids (apart from my boy Ozzie), but some of the casting is notable. Of course, a pre-Friends Jennifer Aniston takes the lead and is likable enough, but the main star is obviously Warwick Davis. This being the early nineties, the horror genre was firmly set on its villains being the star, following the success of 80s icons such as Freddy Krueger, and the titular creature takes up most of the spotlight.
The Leprechaun himself is so-so. He's more of a little shit than a full blown monster, and the majority of his one liners aren't particularly funny, but Davis is clearly giving his all in this role, and is no doubt the sole reason why this movie spawned an entire franchise, even if Lep is ultimately a poor man's Chucky.
As far as cheesy horror films go, you could do a lot worse than Leprechaun (it's many sequels for example). It's cheap and trashy, but it's still pretty entertaining.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Brightburn (2019) in Movies
Jun 25, 2019
A good idea
I love the idea for this film. An evil version of Superman as a horror film is a genius move, it's just a shame it isnt as well executed as it could have been.
One good thing is that this film jumps right into the story. No preamble or hours of filler, it cuts right to it and gets down to the point, which explains the rather short and refreshing 90 minute run time. The plot idea itself is good, I just think some of the jump scares are predictable and that some of the characters actions are so stupid - not quite on the level of Scream's "running up the stairs when they should be going out the front door" but not far off. This relies in some parts on stereotypical horror movie tropes like obvious jump scares and poor character decisions, and it had so much potential that wasn't realised. But that said, the gore was wonderful and the ending was a refreshing change to the norm. And I loved the little cameo from Michael Rooker. My only question is, was this meant to be an evil rip-off of Superman? I'm assuming that was the point to make an evil version, but I'm just surprised they got away with it...
One good thing is that this film jumps right into the story. No preamble or hours of filler, it cuts right to it and gets down to the point, which explains the rather short and refreshing 90 minute run time. The plot idea itself is good, I just think some of the jump scares are predictable and that some of the characters actions are so stupid - not quite on the level of Scream's "running up the stairs when they should be going out the front door" but not far off. This relies in some parts on stereotypical horror movie tropes like obvious jump scares and poor character decisions, and it had so much potential that wasn't realised. But that said, the gore was wonderful and the ending was a refreshing change to the norm. And I loved the little cameo from Michael Rooker. My only question is, was this meant to be an evil rip-off of Superman? I'm assuming that was the point to make an evil version, but I'm just surprised they got away with it...