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The Mortuary Collection (2019)
The Mortuary Collection (2019)
2019 | Horror
The Mortuary Collection is the latest in a long line of Creepshow style horror anthology films, a particular sub genre that can be hard to pull off, but director Ryan Spindell rises to the challenge pretty damn well.

The short stories presented here escalate in tone and subject as the film progresses, starting off relatively fun, but getting increasingly darker and in depth. This is something that the characters comment on between the segments, showing a nice sense of self awareness, but not going over the top with it.
Some of the later stories are hard to watch at times, and are quite emotional in places, especially the one that features actress Sarah Hay as a woman in a vegetative state. It's a genuinely sad story, topped off with some fantastic creature design. An interesting mix to say the least.
The stories are all good in their own right, but are tied together with a clever twist and a satisfying conclusion.
The main character is Montgomery Dark played by a brilliant Clancy Brown. He has a proper Phantasm/Tall Man/Angus Scrimm vibe to him (definitely no accident) and is suitably creepy as this movie's story teller.

The film is pretty damn visceral, and employs both practical effects, and decent digital effects to achieve what it does. It's all looks disgustingly awesome. It also has a great music score by Mondo Boys to compliment all the creepiness.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Mortuary Collection. It's a good time, a competent anthology film, and well worth a watch for horror fans.
  
Black Christmas (2019)
Black Christmas (2019)
2019 | Horror
Fuck I really hated this.

Ignoring the politics side for a moment - it's a hugely poor horror film. It's devoid of any scares, it cuts away from any gore, and perhaps worst of all, it has the audacity to be called "Black Christmas" - which is quite simply one of the best slashers ever made.
Did this film even start as a Black Christmas remake? It basically goes: Men are shit - some people get killed offscreen - weird supernatural twist - oh shit, it's Black Christmas, better throw in a glass unicorn sculpture.
The supernatural part is something I'm not mad at actually - at least it tried something different rather than being a straight re tread.

Then of course, there's the aformentioned politics, which is what most people's issue is with this film. Feminist messages in horror movies can be hugely effective - the original Black Christmas does it well for example - but I can't help but feel that the message this version putting out there is severely mishandled. As a guy, I am willing to hear how I'm wrong in this instance, but it feels sooooo over the top with what it's trying to do. It's not too hard to be on board with for the most part, but the final scenes really go for it - I mean the lines "you're insane!" "No, we're just men" - really!? It just feels very in the nose to me.

Other than that, this film is turd. It gets a star for Imogen Poots and the creative snow angel death scene at the start. Watch the original instead.
  
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Sarah (7800 KP) Dec 17, 2020

Definitely agree. On the politics too, it’s so badly done

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Darren Fisher (2465 KP) Dec 21, 2020

Totally agree. It's a shit sandwich without the bread.

Split (2016)
Split (2016)
2016 | Horror, Thriller
James McAvoy (0 more)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I didn't realize this was an M. Night Shyamalan film when I watched it. In true M. Night Shyamalan fashion, you get a surprise twist at the end and find out that Kevin (James McAvoy) exists in the same world of hero and villain, David Dunn (Bruce Willis) and Mr. Glass ( Samuel L. Jackson) from Unbreakable.

James McAvoy had to play several different characters in this movie, as Kevin has 23 different personalities, some not so nice, and others, pure evil. A few of these personalities kidnap and hold 3 girls hostage and you watch as they learn the gravity of their situation and try to plan their escape. One of their captor's personalities is a kind and simple soul, Hedwig, that the girls try to exploit to help them escape.

All the while, Kevin is seeing a therapist to try to keep his darker personalities in check. But a new, more terrifying 24th personality begins to emerge and take over. It is this 24th personality known as the Beast that catches the attention of Dunn and Mr. Glass, along with the rest of the world. The Beast is superhuman, able to scale walls and seemingly invulnerable.

Of the 24 personalities, only a handful are fully developed characters portrayed in the movie. It could not have been an easy role, but McAvoy does it so well, that you believe the different personalities. I have long been a fan of McAvoy's and he does not disappoint in this film.
  
    Marble Mixer for iPad

    Marble Mixer for iPad

    Games and Entertainment

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    App

    Game Description: Bring the party home with Marble Mixer, a modern twist on the classic game of...

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Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Cows in Books

Aug 17, 2020  
The Cows
The Cows
Dawn O'Porter | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Entertaining and powerful
I was a little worried about reading this book as I was concerned about it being a little preachy, however I’m so glad that my concerns were completely unwarranted.

This is a very powerful, moving and motivational book. It promotes powerful and independent women without becoming too preachy or overpoweringly feminist, yet with a heartwarming, interesting and relatable story. There are aspects of all 3 of the main characters that I identified with, and no doubt most other women will too. Their stories and lives made me laugh and cry throughout the entire book, and I really struggled to put this down. I also thought I knew where this story was going until a major twist over two thirds of the way through completely shocked me. I never saw it coming and I loved this, along with the ending in general which didn’t play out in exactly the way you’d expect. I’ve seen Dawn O Porter’s documentaries in the past but wasn’t too sure what I’d make of her writing, however this is beautifully written. She’s come up with some human, deep and maybe slightly crazy characters that are all endearing in their own ways and intertwined their stories into something immensely entertaining. It’s also made me really think about my own life and make me feel better about things that have been getting me down, and I’d really encourage any woman to read this who might be in need of a pick me up. I will definitely be reading more of Dawn O Porter’s work after this.
  
Pontypool (2009)
Pontypool (2009)
2009 | International, Horror
10
7.3 (8 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Shock Jock Grant Mazzy starts a new job as the morning DJ for the small-town radio station of Pontypool in Ontario, Canada. Struggling with the change of pace Grant and the rest of the stations staff are unprepared for the reports of rioting that start to flood into the show.
Pontypool takes ‘Outbreak’ and ‘Zombie’ movies and adds a nice little twist. The majority of the movie is set in the confines of a small radio station and the three leads are fed information via phone calls and police broadcasts which means that they and therefore the viewer doesn’t see what is happening in the town. The film handles this restricted setting well, slowly building up the atmosphere and tension felt by the three main cast members and playing on Grant’s lack of ‘Small town experience’.
Unlike a lot of zombie movies, Pontypool doesn’t have a lot of visible blood and gore, having most of the violence described instead of shown. This makes the one or two violent scenes even more meaningful as they aren’t just there for the sake of the gore but do actually add something to the atmosphere and story, this is also helped by the fact that we don’t knowingly see a zombie until past the half way point.
Pontypool is an interesting, atmospheric film that relies on story over the need for effect, not only due to any budget restrictions but also because that is what the type of story it is trying to tell.
  
    Winter Kingdom

    Winter Kingdom

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    Tabletop Game

    Winter Kingdom features seven, double-sided hexagonal map tiles that are randomly arranged into the...