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Extreme Cities: The Peril and Promise of Urban Life in the Age of Climate Change
Book
How will climate change affect our lives? Where will its impacts be most deeply felt? Are we doing...
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Frankenweenie (2012) in Movies
Oct 31, 2020
Black & White (3 more)
Dark
Tim Burton
Stop Motion
A Boys Best Friend
Frankenweenie- is a halloween classic. Ive wanted to watch this film for couple of years now and it was not disappointed.
The plot: Young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) is a science nerd and outsider at school, but he does have one good friend: his dog, Sparky. But then, tragedy strikes, and Sparky shuffles off this mortal coil. Victor is heartbroken, but his science teacher (Martin Landau) gives him an idea of how to jolt old Sparky back to life. The experiment is successful, and all goes well, until Victor's fellow students steal his secret and use it to resurrect other dead animals -- with monstrous consequences.
It is a feature-length remake of Burton's 1984 short film of the same name and is also both a parody of and homage to the 1931 film Frankenstein, based on Mary Shelley's book of the same name.
This is the final horror film released under the Disney banner until Ready Or Not on August 21, 2019 from Fox Searchlight Pictures, which was bought by Disney in 2019.
The voice cast includes four actors who worked with Burton on previous films: Winona Ryder (Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands); Martin Short (Mars Attacks!); Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas); and Martin Landau (Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow), along with some new voice actors, such as Charlie Tahan and Atticus Shaffer.
Its a dark humor twisted film.
The plot: Young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) is a science nerd and outsider at school, but he does have one good friend: his dog, Sparky. But then, tragedy strikes, and Sparky shuffles off this mortal coil. Victor is heartbroken, but his science teacher (Martin Landau) gives him an idea of how to jolt old Sparky back to life. The experiment is successful, and all goes well, until Victor's fellow students steal his secret and use it to resurrect other dead animals -- with monstrous consequences.
It is a feature-length remake of Burton's 1984 short film of the same name and is also both a parody of and homage to the 1931 film Frankenstein, based on Mary Shelley's book of the same name.
This is the final horror film released under the Disney banner until Ready Or Not on August 21, 2019 from Fox Searchlight Pictures, which was bought by Disney in 2019.
The voice cast includes four actors who worked with Burton on previous films: Winona Ryder (Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands); Martin Short (Mars Attacks!); Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas); and Martin Landau (Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow), along with some new voice actors, such as Charlie Tahan and Atticus Shaffer.
Its a dark humor twisted film.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Halloween II (2009) in Movies
Jun 12, 2021
The sequel to Rob Zombie's divisive Halloween remake suffers in the same way that it's predecessor did, in that when all is said and done, I'm just not a fan of his style within the Halloween template. This one actually doubles down on the nastiness, and is effectively one big misery simulation. None of the characters are likable, and yet, none of them deserve the horrible ways they are killed off (probably).
A huge BUT though...I actually think that Halloween II is slightly better... I will still stand by my opinion that this version of Michael Myers is the scariest. Even more so in this one. Rob Zombie's Myers is remorseless and brutal, and of course, absolutely fucking massive. There's some really nice shots of him as well, especially in the opening hospital scene.
I also quite liked the random music video-esque sequences. It's something different, which is usually cause for alarm bells in this franchise, but it kind of works here.
Halloween II is not even close to being in the top tier of the series, but it does feel like it carries more weight than its predecessor. The practical make up work is pretty outstanding (and grim) and it rounds off Zombie's duology well enough that a third was thankfully out of the question. Ultimately, it serves as yet another reminder of how messy and unsatisfactory this series can be when it strays too far from the original.
A huge BUT though...I actually think that Halloween II is slightly better... I will still stand by my opinion that this version of Michael Myers is the scariest. Even more so in this one. Rob Zombie's Myers is remorseless and brutal, and of course, absolutely fucking massive. There's some really nice shots of him as well, especially in the opening hospital scene.
I also quite liked the random music video-esque sequences. It's something different, which is usually cause for alarm bells in this franchise, but it kind of works here.
Halloween II is not even close to being in the top tier of the series, but it does feel like it carries more weight than its predecessor. The practical make up work is pretty outstanding (and grim) and it rounds off Zombie's duology well enough that a third was thankfully out of the question. Ultimately, it serves as yet another reminder of how messy and unsatisfactory this series can be when it strays too far from the original.
David Lowery recommended Suspiria (1977) in Movies (curated)
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Pulse (2006) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
Offensively awful, legitimately reprehensible filmmaking. I challenge anyone to find a worse American remake of Japanese horror than this. Not at all shocking how mercilessly they unceremoniously gutted the original of any sense of breadth, nuance, emotion, horror, intelligence, memorability, you know - all of that stuff that actually makes a half-decent horror film because apparently us dumb Yanks just couldn't handle any ounce of it... but by God did it have to look like moldy garbage too? This may be the worst looking film I've ever seen, whoever color-coded this to look like a chemical reaction between bleach and rotting flesh better have been blacklisted from working in the film industry since. I had to stop somewhere around the halfway point (which still felt like a goddamn century even though this barely touches 90 minutes with credits) because I felt physically ill from stomaching these shit visuals for that long. Of course it's ineptly acted, too. Is this what they thought the original meant? Some doltish technophobic lecture about how cell phones are as evil as murderous demons which also doesn't have a single milliliter of character to its name? The kind of stuff that could feasibly be used in torture chambers to get information out of people. So ironic that it kept the name, because it honestly doesn't have any pulse to speak of. Needed a trigger warning for pure stupidity.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Zombeavers (2015) in Movies
Oct 21, 2020
Do you remember that bit in Scrubs where JD is trying so hard to not laugh at something that Sean Hayes' character says because he's cross with him, but let's out the smallest laugh and is then annoyed at himself? That's an accurate portrayal of the one time I found something funny in Zombeavers.
I enjoy a so-bad-it's-good film now and again - may I interest you in the culinary delights of Basket Case, or Maximum Overdrive perhaps? Hell, I'd even take The Wicker Man remake at this point - but Zombeavers is one of those films that thinks it's so-bad-it's-good when if fact it's just plain shite.
It would be a much easier film to enjoy if the characters weren't just completely awful assholes for the entire runtime. There is just no redeeming quality to any of them. I know that they are designed purely to die horrible deaths, but considering those parts don't happen for quite a time, it's a really grating and deeply unfunny experience.
By the time the horror hits, it's too hard to care anymore, and no amount of gratuitous nudity or silly gore can fix that.
I will acknowledge that it does step up a notch in the dying minutes when we get the human-beaver-zombie hybrids (with some pretty gross practical effects) and is the sole reason why this film went from a one to a two.
Big old pile of toss.
I enjoy a so-bad-it's-good film now and again - may I interest you in the culinary delights of Basket Case, or Maximum Overdrive perhaps? Hell, I'd even take The Wicker Man remake at this point - but Zombeavers is one of those films that thinks it's so-bad-it's-good when if fact it's just plain shite.
It would be a much easier film to enjoy if the characters weren't just completely awful assholes for the entire runtime. There is just no redeeming quality to any of them. I know that they are designed purely to die horrible deaths, but considering those parts don't happen for quite a time, it's a really grating and deeply unfunny experience.
By the time the horror hits, it's too hard to care anymore, and no amount of gratuitous nudity or silly gore can fix that.
I will acknowledge that it does step up a notch in the dying minutes when we get the human-beaver-zombie hybrids (with some pretty gross practical effects) and is the sole reason why this film went from a one to a two.
Big old pile of toss.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated House on Haunted Hill (1959) in Movies
Oct 4, 2019
The Hill House
House on Haunted Hill- is one of the best horror movies of all time. Its terrorfying, horrorfying, scary, spooky, terrorfying and more.
The Introduction by Vincent Price is perfect, he introduces the movie and tells us the viewer what were going to witness. Vincent Price's spooky and creepy introduction is terrorfying.
The Plot: Rich oddball Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) has a proposal for five guests at a possibly haunted mansion: Show up, survive a night filled with scares and receive $10,000 each. The guest of honor is Loren's estranged wife, Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), who, with her secret lover, Dr. Trent (Alan Marshal), has concocted her own scheme to scare Loren's associate, Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig), into shooting the potentially crazy millionaire. But more spooks and shocks throw a wrench into the plan.
The film is in the public domain.
The film was remade as the 1999 film House on Haunted Hill, which had a 2007 sequel titled Return to House on Haunted Hill. The 1999 film was released to middling reviews but was a box office success, while the 2007 sequel was direct-to-video and widely panned. Dont watch those films.
In 2017, another remake is in development and a prequel to the original film, which the latter will be written by Castle's daughter Terry Castle. That will be intresting if it happens.
I would highly reccordmend this movie.
The Introduction by Vincent Price is perfect, he introduces the movie and tells us the viewer what were going to witness. Vincent Price's spooky and creepy introduction is terrorfying.
The Plot: Rich oddball Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) has a proposal for five guests at a possibly haunted mansion: Show up, survive a night filled with scares and receive $10,000 each. The guest of honor is Loren's estranged wife, Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), who, with her secret lover, Dr. Trent (Alan Marshal), has concocted her own scheme to scare Loren's associate, Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig), into shooting the potentially crazy millionaire. But more spooks and shocks throw a wrench into the plan.
The film is in the public domain.
The film was remade as the 1999 film House on Haunted Hill, which had a 2007 sequel titled Return to House on Haunted Hill. The 1999 film was released to middling reviews but was a box office success, while the 2007 sequel was direct-to-video and widely panned. Dont watch those films.
In 2017, another remake is in development and a prequel to the original film, which the latter will be written by Castle's daughter Terry Castle. That will be intresting if it happens.
I would highly reccordmend this movie.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Stillhouse Lake in Books
Oct 8, 2019
Really good
Contains spoilers, click to show
Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.
With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.
But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.
<strong>Brilliant</strong>
This was a little something different from Rachel came and I loved it! If Bihar one small but bare was how much she kept repeatedly saying she was in hiding and some bits I thought were unnecessary. But saying that it was a really good book.
I was genuinely sickened by her husband and enjoyed the suspension. Although I did call Sam's role!
With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.
But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.
<strong>Brilliant</strong>
This was a little something different from Rachel came and I loved it! If Bihar one small but bare was how much she kept repeatedly saying she was in hiding and some bits I thought were unnecessary. But saying that it was a really good book.
I was genuinely sickened by her husband and enjoyed the suspension. Although I did call Sam's role!
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Black Christmas (2006) in Movies
Aug 20, 2019
False Advertisement
The trailer lied to me and you the auidences. The trailer showed many sences that were not in the movie, nor in the bonus features. So why then even have those sences to beginning with? Well the production company and the distributed wanted to say "hey, you know what? Lets shoot some sences throw them into the trailer but not have them in movie. Lets hype the movie by having sences not even in the movie. So when you see the trailer and than watch the movie. We will be lying to the auidence, but in the end get alot of money for false advertisement".
Also According to Glen Morgan, he and Wong had numerous disputes with Dimension executives Bob and Harvey Weinstein regarding the tone of the script as well as the film's conclusion, which resulted in numerous re-writes and re-shoots. Re-shoots that one of the cast memebers didnt know about and got mad.
The plot: The holiday season turns deadly for a group of sorority sisters (Katie Cassidy, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Michelle Trachtenberg) who are stranded at their campus house during a snowstorm. These coeds better watch out, for a vicious killer is on the loose, and he will not care if they are naughty or nice.
Katie Cassidy and Mary Elizbeth Winstead wasted in this movie.
What im saying is this is a bad movie, not only a bad movie, but a bad reamke. A awful remake.
Also According to Glen Morgan, he and Wong had numerous disputes with Dimension executives Bob and Harvey Weinstein regarding the tone of the script as well as the film's conclusion, which resulted in numerous re-writes and re-shoots. Re-shoots that one of the cast memebers didnt know about and got mad.
The plot: The holiday season turns deadly for a group of sorority sisters (Katie Cassidy, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Michelle Trachtenberg) who are stranded at their campus house during a snowstorm. These coeds better watch out, for a vicious killer is on the loose, and he will not care if they are naughty or nice.
Katie Cassidy and Mary Elizbeth Winstead wasted in this movie.
What im saying is this is a bad movie, not only a bad movie, but a bad reamke. A awful remake.
Andrew Kennedy (199 KP) rated Alien: Covenant (2017) in Movies
Aug 31, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
A new Alien film is something I look forward too. They promised we would find out about xeno origins and see new strains. Plus, Ridley was directing, what could go wrong?
You could end up making a film that feels like a remake of the first film.
The set up to get us to the planet, crew interaction and things going badly wrong on the planet feels so familiar.
So the positives, Michael Fassbender is outstanding in his performance as Walter/David. He seriously acts rings round anybody else.
The score is fabulous and rich.
Danny McBride is also noteworthy for his performance.
Katherine Waterston is likeable but feels like trying to be Ripley but not.
Negatives the Xenos get very little screen time. I think were 45 mins+ in before we see one.
Billy Crudup is very unlikeable and his death barely made me care.
The origin story ending up been David created the xenos. I don't know this stuck in my craw a bit. I just feel vengeful synthetic created the ultimate organism is a bit of a let down.
After, the first film Scott said he expected other sequels to ask "where did the xeno come from?" question.
The problem is that question is difficult to give a satisfactory answer too. Like most fandom people have there own theories and in truth does it matter?
Covenant has big ideas, it just doesn't execute them all properly.
You could end up making a film that feels like a remake of the first film.
The set up to get us to the planet, crew interaction and things going badly wrong on the planet feels so familiar.
So the positives, Michael Fassbender is outstanding in his performance as Walter/David. He seriously acts rings round anybody else.
The score is fabulous and rich.
Danny McBride is also noteworthy for his performance.
Katherine Waterston is likeable but feels like trying to be Ripley but not.
Negatives the Xenos get very little screen time. I think were 45 mins+ in before we see one.
Billy Crudup is very unlikeable and his death barely made me care.
The origin story ending up been David created the xenos. I don't know this stuck in my craw a bit. I just feel vengeful synthetic created the ultimate organism is a bit of a let down.
After, the first film Scott said he expected other sequels to ask "where did the xeno come from?" question.
The problem is that question is difficult to give a satisfactory answer too. Like most fandom people have there own theories and in truth does it matter?
Covenant has big ideas, it just doesn't execute them all properly.