The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

The Official Forum of the Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 6:55 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 28 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 1:09 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 11:35 am
Posts: 110
Joe Neff wrote:
CRIMSON PEAK
-Agreed with notworldsfinest: this is a vastly underrated throwback to the Gothic horror films of yesteryear. Even though none of his films cracked my Top 10, I dearly love Guillermo del Toro's canon. The manner in which he crafts these beautiful, intricately woven cinematic worlds is often breathtaking.



I missed Crimson Peak when it was in theaters but so wanted to see it. I had actually kind of forgotten about it, but then a few weeks back we had a free preview of Starz & Showtime channels & I got a chance to DVR it. I haven't gotten around to watching it yet, but I am glad to hear good things. Del Toro always knocks it out of the park.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 3:16 pm 
Offline
Site Admin

Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:59 pm
Posts: 840
Location: Drexel North, circa 1993
Ghost wrote:
Ok, I know the film is a metaphor for STD's However if you take it at face value it's completely unrealistic.


But I think that's the whole point of IT FOLLOWS. There are so many signs throughout the film (some of which I mentioned) that even though it's set in a realistic world, the events that occur don't always follow a logical pattern or set of rules. There's much about what we and the characters don't know or don't see that's baffling. When you break it all down, the introduction of any rules governing the spirit comes solely from Hugh...who the film presents as not necessarily the most reliable of sources. Everyone else is improvising their response to the spirit as they go along, which is why the situation is so terrifying to me: they all think that they have a decent grasp on any so-called rules, but both they and we have the sneaking suspicion that those rules might not be as hard and fast as perceived. Jay (possibly) sleeping with the guys on the boat falls in with this line of thought. It's an act of desperation on her part, and there's never any solid confirmation that she goes through with it. Even if she does, there's no guarantee that it works...and the fact that we have no idea what happens to those guys always creeps me out too.

I totally understand if these aesthetics aren't everyone's cup of tea. But since its release, I've found the popular criticism of IT FOLLOWS as wildly flawed in pure plot logic to be like criticizing a dog for not being a chicken.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 10:36 am 
Offline

Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:15 pm
Posts: 360
Location: Akron, OH
Joe Neff wrote:
Ghost wrote:
Ok, I know the film is a metaphor for STD's However if you take it at face value it's completely unrealistic.


But I think that's the whole point of IT FOLLOWS. There are so many signs throughout the film (some of which I mentioned) that even though it's set in a realistic world, the events that occur don't always follow a logical pattern or set of rules. There's much about what we and the characters don't know or don't see that's baffling. When you break it all down, the introduction of any rules governing the spirit comes solely from Hugh...who the film presents as not necessarily the most reliable of sources. Everyone else is improvising their response to the spirit as they go along, which is why the situation is so terrifying to me: they all think that they have a decent grasp on any so-called rules, but both they and we have the sneaking suspicion that those rules might not be as hard and fast as perceived. Jay (possibly) sleeping with the guys on the boat falls in with this line of thought. It's an act of desperation on her part, and there's never any solid confirmation that she goes through with it. Even if she does, there's no guarantee that it works...and the fact that we have no idea what happens to those guys always creeps me out too.

I totally understand if these aesthetics aren't everyone's cup of tea. But since its release, I've found the popular criticism of IT FOLLOWS as wildly flawed in pure plot logic to be like criticizing a dog for not being a chicken.


I agree. I also think it's reductive to say that the metaphor of the film is about STDs. To me it's more about the fears of intimacy and sexuality that get tied up with fears of mortality in young adulthood as we start to become aware of our own mortality. STDs are certainly a potent reminder of those fears, but to say that the film is "about STDs" makes it seem like it's a monster movie where the monster is a haunted STD. I just don't think that's what the film is trying to do; if it were, I agree, the rules would be a bit hazy, but it's more of a meditation on these psychosexual fears which uses the horror trappings to make the audience relate to them viscerally.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:57 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:19 pm
Posts: 239
Do I have to insult It Follows to get this thread going again ...

Because I'll do it!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 10:06 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2006 6:03 pm
Posts: 472
Location: Dublin, OH
Joe Neff wrote:
criticizing a dog for not being a chicken.

Problem solved ...
Image

_________________
David A. Zecchini; Creature of the Wheel, Lord of the Infernal Engines
"Damnati Im Ludum" (VitruvianZeke@att.net)


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 1:36 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 4:51 pm
Posts: 482
Location: Ohio
not worldsfinest wrote:
Do I have to insult It Follows to get this thread going again ...

Because I'll do it!


Joe did touch on one point I had not consider and that this whole movie may be apart of its own universe (Like Marvel or DC) and not necessarily ours. I can suspend disbelief as much as the next guy but if you consider this takes in our reality it becomes to flawed, but if its not in this reality and we don't know all the rules than I can see this becoming more intriguing

However.....I think that might be giving the writer to much credit

_________________
"If you have GHOSTS you have Everything" - Papa Emeritus II GHOST B.C.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 5:08 pm 
Offline
Site Admin

Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:59 pm
Posts: 840
Location: Drexel North, circa 1993
Shucks, as much as I'd like to see the IT FOLLOWS debate drag on and on, here are some insights straight from writer/director David Robert Mitchell:

http://www.firstshowing.net/2015/interview-director-david-robert-mitchell-on-nightmares-it-follows/

http://www.indiewire.com/2015/04/david-robert-mitchell-talks-about-his-motivation-behind-the-ending-of-it-follows-265471/

In many IT FOLLOWS....um...follows in the footsteps of countless works of art that deal in ambiguity, knowing that the audience will always bring their own meaning to the table. Mitchell seems pretty upfront about what he was going for in terms of his storytelling approach. Now whether you like that approach is another thing...


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 12:31 pm 
Offline

Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:55 pm
Posts: 467
Location: Chicago
Great topic Joe. I get so frustrated every time I read or hear someone talking about how there are no good horror movies being made any more. Such nonsense. I think this century has seen rebirth/renaissance in the horror genre that rivals the 1970s and 1980s and these posts just reaffirm that. It's going to be difficult to limit it to just 10 choices though.

1. Inside This French masterpiece has everything a horror fan could ask for and I'm shocked it's not on anyone else's list. Brutal, suspenseful, gory... It's like the best Argento movie he never made. What's scarier than a psychopath wanting to cut a baby out of the stomach of a pregnant woman?

2. I Saw the Devil. Korean revenge film to end all revenge films. After the brutal murder of his wife, a government agent tracks down the serial killer responsible and continues to beat, torture and release so he can inflict maximum brutality on him. Unfortunately this allows the killing to continue. Will the agent become the monster?

3. The Descent Claustrophobic and terrifying. A modern classic.

4. Slither This one is just too much fun. Gross, slimy throwback to the creature features on the 1980s

5. House of the Devil Classic slow burn film full of brooding atmosphere.

6. Three Extremes Worth is for the Dumplings segment alone.

7. Devil's Candy Not released yet, but screened at the Chicago marathon last year. Great performances highlight this film about a struggling artist and heavy metal fan possibly coming under the spell of Satan after he moves his family into a rural farmhouse, who's previous owners were killed by their mentally challenged son. It's the relationship between the father and daughter that really make this film stand out.

8. Let the Right One In Subtle and creepy. I love the wintery landscape cinematography.

9. Cabin in the Woods A ton of fun.

10. Shaun of the Dead I have nothing to add, other than this film is a blast.

Honorable Mentions:

The Innkeepers,
The Sacrament
Cabin Fever
Devil's Rejects
Versus
It Follows
The Green Room
The Witch
Evil Dead (remake)
Only Lovers Left Alive
Under the Skin
Kill List
Pontypool
Session 9
You're Next
Dead Snow 1 & 2
Zombieland
28 Days/Weeks Later
Cabin Fever
Hostel 2
Green Inferno
Grindhouse
Black Swan
The Babadook
The Conjuring
Versus
American Psycho


I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot. And the order of my top 10 can shift at any given moment.

_________________
"I came here to chew bubble gum and kick a**. I'm all out of bubble gum."


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:30 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 10:29 am
Posts: 175
MEATFETISH wrote:
1. Inside This French masterpiece has everything a horror fan could ask for and I'm shocked it's not on anyone else's list. Brutal, suspenseful, gory... It's like the best Argento movie he never made. What's scarier than a psychopath wanting to cut a baby out of the stomach of a pregnant woman?


You know, I saw that this was available on Netflix or Amazon Prime and, at the time, my wife was 6-7 months pregnant; of which immediately, I said Oh, hell no! Now, that my kid is here, I'll give it a go.

Which is strange because, now that I think about it, when my wife was pregnant I watched Rosemary's Baby, The Omen (original) and House of the Devil...what the hell was I thinking?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 7:21 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:35 pm
Posts: 241
Location: Monster Island
In no particular order...

Cabin in the Woods- For reasons already stated.
28 Days Later- See above.
Let The Right One In- See above.
The Mist- One of my favorite modern day creature features, with an ending that absolutely kicks you square in the balls!
30 Days of Night- Love the comics, love the film.
Dawn of The Dead- Favorite modern day zombie film.
Rec- The first movie of the 21st century that genuinely scared me.
Stake Land- My favorite modern day vampire film, and this came out during the Twilight craze no less! LOL
Harbinger Down- Love letter to the age of practical effects(despite the use of some liberal CGI)how many nods, winks and references to past classic films can you spot?
Splinter- When it comes to gore horror, this is my pick hands down and with a very unique kind of monster may I add.

Honorable mentions...

Frankenstein's army- Just plain fun and nuts!
Slither- See above.
Dead Snow- The Evil Dead II of the 21st century!
The Thing- The film overall was kinda mediocre, but as a prequel they nailed the continuity and I loved the creature effects.
Let Me In- The theatrical return of HAMMER horror! That and I love Chloe Moretz.
Planet Terror- For reasons already stated.
Freddy vs. Jason- See above.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 7:41 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:19 pm
Posts: 239
Joe Neff wrote:
4. INLAND EMPIRE
-Ya know who scares me? David Lynch scares me. He's one of my all-time favorite directors, and even though he's never been associated with traditional horror, the manner in which he evokes a nightmare logic is definitely of the genre. There are so many moments in the TWIN PEAKS canon that still give me chills (the Red Room sequences, Killer BOB crawling over the couch, that mind-bending final episode of Season 2), ERASERHEAD is one of the most fully realizes screen nightmares, LOST HIGHWAY is like watching someone being turned inside out for two hours, and even BLUE VELVET is utterly terrifying in parts. INLAND EMPIRE might be the final traditional feature film he ever directs, and though I rarely see it associated with the horror genre, there are so many moments therein that feel like I'm just thaaaaat far from passing over into whatever dimension of grotesque fear is on the other side of reality, a short distance away from our daily lives. It's long, and strange, and difficult, and sometimes impenetrable. But I'll be damned if it doesn't haunt me to this day.



Just re-watched Mulholland Drive for the first time since the theaters and there are some real creepy nightmare moments in that too. What is going on in his brain?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 9:33 pm 
Offline
Site Admin

Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:59 pm
Posts: 840
Location: Drexel North, circa 1993
MEATFETISH wrote:
1. Inside This French masterpiece has everything a horror fan could ask for and I'm shocked it's not on anyone else's list. Brutal, suspenseful, gory... It's like the best Argento movie he never made. What's scarier than a psychopath wanting to cut a baby out of the stomach of a pregnant woman?


So here's a case study in the context of one's viewing changing over time. When I first saw INSIDE a few years after it came out, I was somewhat lukewarm on the whole thing. Probably because I'd heard such raves that when the plot revealed itself to be so compact and simple, I was a bit disappointed. Having just rewatched it tonight for the first time since then, I've done a complete 180 on it. This time, the compact plot was a huge plus for me, as it allowed the stark, efficient brutalism of the gore and suspense take center stage. You're right about it being very Argento-esque, reminiscent of some of his later rough works, but far more focused. Yeah, this one really brings the goods. Top notch.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Oct 03, 2016 7:58 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 10:29 am
Posts: 175
Just watched We Are What We Are. What really starts as a family drama totally turns to horror by about mid way through the 1st act. I thought it was really good and really well done and the payoff was pretty spectacular.

Definitively recommend watching it, if you haven't seen it because it harkens back to a more slow build and excellent payoff. Nice little throw back, I thought.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 28 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group