Most Anticipated Horror Films of 2019

2018 has come to a close and with a brand new year, comes a brand new bunch of horror films to look forward to! Below is a selection of the films I am looking forward to the most in 2019! This may seem a bit late but I wanted to wait a couple of months in to the year for some more confirmed release dates and trailers to come out!

The New Mutants

The New Mutants was on my most anticipated horror films of 2018 list, but due to the film being extremely postponed to August 2019, I thought it made sense to add it to this list too – hopefully it won’t end up being on my most anticipated films of 2020 list!

As seen in Logan and Deadpool (both fantastic films), Fox has been incorporating a wider range of genre elements in to their X-men films. Following suit, The New Mutants has taken on a horror/psychological thriller genre style and as an X-men fan, I could not be more excited to see how this turns out. The New Mutants has a strong lead cast consisting of Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Split), Masie Williams (Game of Thrones) and Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things) has myself and many others very excited!

Due to be released August 2nd!

IT: Chapter 2

IT: Chapter 1 was one of my favourite films of 2017, so I can’t wait to see what the sequel brings to the table.  The IT mini-series is a cherished favourite of mine, however the second half which focuses on the adults versions of the losers club holds up pretty badly, especially in comparison to the child focused portion. Considering how great the 2017 adaption was, I can’t wait to see what they do with the source material and more importantly, what they do with the scare factor!

Due to be released September 6th!

3 From Hell

The third and instalment in Rob Zombie’s much loved (by some anyway, including myself) House of 1000 Corpses/The Devil’s Rejects franchise. I absolutely love the first two films and the vast majority of Zombie’s work, both movies and music, and I can’t wait to see what the Firefly clan do next! Sid Haig, Sheri Moon Zombie and Bill Moseley have knocked it out of the park with these characters so far, here’s hoping they bring that sinister, dark magic yet again!

No release date as of yet, but it is expected to be released later this year!

Pet Sematary

As a big Stephen King fan, I personally found the original film had a fair bit to be desired, with a poor lead performance being the made factor that dragged it down, I just couldn’t care for the father of the film when he was so clearly incompetent, however, with that being said, the original is not with out it’s charm! So I was very intrigued to see that in this day and age where Stephen King adaptions are being pumped out like crazy, to see that a film with such a cult following was being remade. When the trailer dropped I was immediately interested with so many brilliant pieces of imagery as well as some very strong casting, John Lithgow as Jug in particular has me very excited to see how this one turns out!

Due to be released April 5th!

Midsommar

Ari Aster has blown me away time and time again with his modern day masterpiece ‘Hereditary’, (which topped my favourite films of 2018 list) as well as with his brilliant short films ‘The Strange Thing About The Johnsons’ and ‘Munchausen’. So when it was announced that he would be reuniting with production company A24 to bring his next piece of traumatising art to the big screen, I knew I was in for another amazingly horrific experience! The trailer depicts some of the most jaw droppingly gorgeous shots ever put in a horror film, with wide open fields in broad daylight that contrast starkly with the dark and oppressive tone the film’s trailer is giving off. I really can’t wait for this one!

Due to be released August 16th!

MA

This trailer for ‘MA’ had me hooked as soon as I saw it. Octavia Spencer looks like she is having the time of her life, playing a cold and manipulative antagonist in this eerie horror/thriller. The film appears to be filled with great characters and acting (which is to be expected with Spencer in the main villainous role) as well as a great deal of tension and I can only assume some brilliant twists and turns are due to take place as well!

Due to be released May 31st!

US

Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’ was my favourite film of 2017 and I have been eagerly awaiting his next venture in to the horror genre and from what has been show of his next film ‘Us’, I will not be disappointed! The film appears to be full of grizzly and unsettling imagery and fantastic performances all around. The overwhelming sense of unease and paranoia is almost over powering just from the trailer alone so I can’t wait to witness ‘Us’ in just a couple of weeks time, as of writing this!

Due to be released March 22nd!

Brightburn

For anyone who has seen the trailer for this film, I would agree that it can basically be summed up as ‘what if Superman was evil’? This is not a negative in anyway in my eyes as it isn’t something that has been delved into in film form as far as I am aware. Couple that with awesome visuals such as the one above, input coming from three of the Gunn brothers (James Gunn of Slither and Guardians of The Galaxy fame being the best known of the three, who is serving as producer) as well as a great cast including Elizabeth Banks and of course, the terrifying idea of an unstoppable, all powerful being that wants to kill everyone and everything. What is there not to be excited about?

Due to be released May 24th!

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark

There has been a great deal of hype surrounding the release of the ‘Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark’ film adaption for a while now, and as each mini-trailer revealed a selection of hellish and terrifying beasts, ghosts and ghouls, I would say that hype was justified. Guillermo Del Toro acting as producer gets me very excited as the man has such an eye for horror with a great flair for practical creature designs and in a film all about a whole host of horrific creatures, what could be better? Couple this with André Øvredal (‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe’ and Troll Hunter’) as director and we are in for one hell of a ride!

Due to be released August 9th!

Doctor Sleep

Now this is going to be very interesting! A sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ starring Ewan McGregor as an adult Danny Torrence, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name and written and directed by the modern day horror movie master Michael Flanagan (‘The Haunting of Hill House’, ‘Hush’, ‘Oculus’, ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil’ and ‘Gerald’s Game’ to name but a few!). Every aspect of this film so far has me unbelievably excited, that the only real issue I see is myself having to keep my expectations in check so don’t over hype myself! But seriously, how great does all of that sound?

Due to be released October 31st!

Honourable Mentions

With my top 10 picks for this year (that we know are coming out) laid out above, I thought I would take the time to mention just a few other films that I am looking forward to seeing this year!

Glass, Happy Death Day 2U & Velvet Buzzsaw – These were both great films, but didn’t make the list because by the time I finished this post, I had already seen these movies!
The Curse of La Llorna – An eerie horror tale based on an equally unnerving Mexican urban legend!
Hellboy – An action/horror hybrid based on one of my all time favourite comic book series’. While I am excited to see this, my love for the Guillermo Del Toro Hellboy films has me somewhat biased!
The Prodigy – Much like Brightburn, we have an creepy child that is not as innocent as he appears, but how? That I do not know, but I am looking forward to finding out!
Zombieland: Double Tap – The Long awaited sequel to 2009’s horror comedy classic!

If you have made it this far, thank you so much for reading! If I missed any horror films that you are excited about, let me know in the comments and let’s geek out about them!

Stay Creepy!

Top Horror Films of 2018!

The end is nigh! With the end of 2018 and the first year of Movie Night Massacre, I like to look at all the films that I enjoyed in the world of horror. For anyone who has been following this blog since it began as a new years resolution of sorts, you may remember that my first ever post was my top films of 2017!

9. The Nun

Now, I am very aware that a lot of people did not enjoy this film, and while I am completely aware of the flaws of the film, it didn’t stop me enjoying it as a fun, creepy if somewhat generic entry in ‘The Conjuring’ universe. The film looks gorgeously shot, full of enjoyable creepy moments and a moody, unsettling atmosphere. While the film as a whole was nothing special (hence why it is at the lowest point of this list) I still had a lot of fun with it, and would happily watch it again. You can check out my full review here!

8. The Secret of Marrowbone

I was very excited to check out this film as it starred some of my favourite up and coming actors in Anya Taylor-Joy, Mia Goth and Charlie Heaton. While it didn’t fully live up to my expectations, with Heaton’s performance feeling somewhat lacking and the pacing feeling a little messy, I still really enjoyed this film, again, really nice cinematography, an immense air of mystery and a really strong final act.
A haunting family drama, haunting being meant in this most literal of senses. You can check out my full review here!

7. Ghost Stories

When I first reviewed ‘Ghost Stories’, I was definitely not it’s biggest fan, after countless reviews praising every aspect, I went in expecting more than I got. But after having a while (8 months to be exact) to think about it and process the character of the film, the clever story telling devises and the truly great paranormal sequences as well as some highly enjoyable performances, I have changed my mind, it is a really strong film, however, I still feel somewhat disappointed with the ending as I feel it takes away a great deal from the rest of the film. However, the vast majority of the film is still down right scary and unnerving!

6. Insidious: The Last Key

‘Insidious: The Last Key’ is the latest instalment in the ‘Insidious’ franchise, one of my absolute favourite modern horror franchises and I was very happy with this addition to the story of the further and those entangled within it’s grip. The creature design as usual is original and unsettling, the characters are well fleshed out for the most part thanks to Leigh Whannel’s great writing and film is highly enjoyable, frightening and brimming with character from start to finish. You can check out my full review here!

5. Annihilation

Alex Gartland is the sci-fi mastermind that brought us the mind shattering ‘Ex-Machina’, and while ‘Annihilation’ is not as mind melting, it is much more intense, expansive and action packed. Clear inspiration being drawn from ‘Aliens’ as we follow a team throw an other worldly landscape (this time set on a slowly terraforming Earth) how ever, the threat is not as straight forward as a vicious alien creature despite what my choice of image may suggest. If you love sci-fi horror then I would definitely recommend checking out this gem! You can check out my full review here!

4. The House That Jack Built

My latest review was for ‘The House That Jack Built’, a dark, twisted tail full of violence, abuse and gallows humour. I won’t repeat myself too much, as the review is still fresh.
The artistry on display in ‘The House That Jack Built’ is incredible, as writer and director Lars Von Trier displays a brutal and surreal film that also stylistically manages to feel all too real in particular scenes. This film is not for everyone, but if like myself you enjoy slow burn horror with an artistic flair then I would highly recommend checking this film out!

3. A Quiet Place

These next three films is where I have a great difficulty in putting one above the other, because I absolutely adored them all, but there can be only one! So in third place is John Krasinski’s ‘A Quiet Place’, a film that uses silence to build one of the most intense and suspense filled film’s I have ever seen. The sense of family is extended to audience in way that allows us to feel the loss, fear and dread of out protagonists in such a way, that each action and every event that takes places matters to us. This is a big factor for a strong horror film in my eyes because if we as the audience don’t care what happens to the characters, then what is there to be scared of? ‘A Quiet Place’ is absolutely brilliant and utterly unnerving! You can check out my full review here!

2. Halloween

‘Halloween’ was so, so nearly first as it has everything I could have wanted it to. A brilliant score by John Carpenter himself (that I have had on loop on Spotify ever since it was released), brutal kills, a great story, great scares and unexpected heartfelt touch that made this film hit in a sentimental way that only makes you love it more. Aside from one moment in the film that leaves you questioning what the writer’s were thinking as a result of how out of nowhere it is, this film is outstanding. The perfect sequel to John Carpenter’s original. You can check out my full review here!

1. Hereditary

‘Halloween’ and ‘A Quiet Place’ were the only two horror films this year that met my expectations. ‘Hereditary’ is the only one that exceeded them. The only film I left feeling an emotional tole after witnessing it. I felt unsettled, uncomfortable, scared and shocked. I always love a film that can make me feel this wide range of fear filled emotions. The several layers present in this film culminate to create an immeasurable sense of discomfort and fear. The dramatic tension present in the family, the mental health related undertones of the story and the supernatural elements all come together to make one of my now all time favourite films. One last aspect I truly love about the film is the way in which it feels as though I have barely scratched the surface of the hidden details present in this film and the way in which it feels like there is something new to be found with each watch. ‘Hereditary’ is a horrifying and utterly unnerving film, filled with immediate shocks as well as slow burn tension and subtle background details that are perhaps even scarier than what is clearly presented to us! You can check out my full review here!

Favourite Non-Horror Film of 2018: The Shape of Water

I couldn’t not give at least a slight mention to ‘The Shape of Water’ as it is my overall favourite film of the year. I love every single scene and every moment. I saw it several times in the cinema and bought it immediately when it was released and watched it countless times since. This movie is the sole reason I haven’t watched more movies this year, as I have just opted to put it on instead. You can check out my full review here!

If you have made it this far, thank you so much for reading my top horror films of 2018! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did enjoyed writing it. I’ll be back in the new year with my most anticipated films of 2019 list! What did you think of the movies I listed? Let me know in the comments or on the comments of what ever social media you seen my post this review on! In The meantime, stay creepy!

31 Days of Halloween Horror! – Top 31 Horror Movies

Over on my Instagram (@themovienightmassacre) for each day of the month of October, I can shared one of my all time favourite horror films, each with a short micro review! Since October has now been and gone, I thought I would compile them here for you all to read in one!

Day 1: Halloween (1978)

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(1) As you may have guessed from my last photo, John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) had to have a place on this list. Halloween is a staple of the horror genre, with long and lingering shots that allow dread to grow and develop, a career launching performance from Jamie Lee Curtis and iconic direction and music from the master of horror himself, John Carpenter! What do you think of Halloween (1978)? Do you love it as much as I do? Let me know in the comments and let's geek out about it! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #halloween #halloween2018 #halloween1978 #johncarpenter #jamieleecurtis #michaelmyers #lauriestrode #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #slasher #serialkiller #theshape #31daysofhalloween

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 6, 2018 at 3:49am PDT

Day 2: The VVitch

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(2) "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?" The Witch is one of my all time favourite films and in my opinion one of the best examples of great modern horror. I feel this way as a result of the incredibly emotional and believable performances of the cast as well as the way the whole film is dripping with suspense thanks to the masterful direction and pacing of Robert Eggers! Ever since seeing The Witch I have been excited to see what @anyataylorjoy do next as the I feel she gave one of the best acting performances I have ever seen! What do you think of The Witch? Do you love it as much as I do? Let me know and let's geek out about it in the comments! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #thewitch #thevvitch #anyataylorjoy #roberteggers #a24 #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #supernatural #paranormal #blackphillip #drama #witch

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 6, 2018 at 10:07am PDT

Day 3: The Exorcist

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(3) "What a wonderful day for an exorcism". The Exorcist was the first horror film I ever saw and I watch it regularly to this day. Startling performances, a rich and eerie atmosphere and incredible writing are just some of the reasons this film will always be my absolute favourite! Because it was my first, it meant so much to me to meet @eileendietz who played the iconic Pazuzu, kicking off my love of all things scary and monsterous! What do you think of The Exorcist? Do you love it as much as I do? What was your first horror film? Let me know and let's geek out about it in the comments! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #theexorcist #pazuzu #eileendietz #31daysofhalloween #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #supernatural #paranormal #demonic #demon #classichorror #exorcist

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 7, 2018 at 10:26am PDT

Day 4: Get Out

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(4) Get Out is a powerful and striking horror/psychological thriller film with something to say. There's something deeply chilling about a scary story that is not only startling and frightening but also rooted in a very real horror, which is something Get Out does terrifically. Jordan Peele completely blew me away with this film and I can't wait to see what he does in the horror genre next! What do you think of Get Out? Do you love it as much as I can do? What is your favourite horror film with a message? Let me know in the comments below and let's geek out about it! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #getout #jordanpeele #danielkaluuya #blumhouse #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #psychological #psychologicalthriller #comedy #darkcomedy #31daysofhalloween

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 7, 2018 at 3:27pm PDT

Day 5: Insidious

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(5) Insidious kick started one of my favourite horror franchises. I remember watching it at my friend's house when it first came out on DVD and being terrified of it but living every second of it! I had to walk home in the dark and when I got in I immediately leapt under the bed covers to hide until morning! I can't remember ever being as scared as I was that night since, with very few exceptions. What do you think of Insidious? What movie scared the shit out of you when you were younger? What movie scares the shit out of you even now? Let me know and let's geek out about it in the comments! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #insidious #insidious2 #insidiouschapter3 #insidiousthelastkey #jameswan #leighwhannell #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #supernatural #paranormal #haunted #haunting #31daysofhalloween

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 8, 2018 at 1:46pm PDT

Day 6: The Bride of Frankenstein

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(6) "We belong dead!" The Bride of Frankenstein captures everything I love about the Universal Monster films and more. James Whale's ability to create a macabre atmosphere while still creating a monster that is both horrific to the eye and emotionally compelling. Through this cinematic classic and it's predecessor, James Whale created the definitive film adaptation of Mary Shelley's terrifying tale. Boris Karloff as the monster is undeniably one of the most important performances in horror history. I could go in about how much I love this film, but I will save that for a future full review. What do you think of The Bride of Frankenstein? What is your favourite classic horror film? Let me know in the comments and let's geek out about it! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #thebrideoffrankenstein #brideoffrankenstein #frankenstein #frankensteinsmonster #maryshelley #boriskarloff #karloff #jameswhale #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #classichorror #universalmonsters

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 8, 2018 at 4:38pm PDT

Day 7: House of 1000 Corpses

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(7) "It's all true. The bogeyman is real and you found him!" House of 1000 is grim, grimey and gory masterpiece by @robzombieofficial , with iconic performances from the 3 from Hell themselves @sidhaigsays @sherimoonzombieofficial and @choptopmosele ! The film has so much originality and character that has since become synonymous with Rob Zombie. What do you think of House of 1000 Corpses? What's your favourite Rob Zombie film? Let me in the comments and let's geek out about it! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #houseof1000corpses #thedevilsrejects #3fromhell #threefromhell #robzombie #sherimoonzombie #sidhaig #billmoseley #captainspaulding #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #31daysofhalloween #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #serialkiller

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 9, 2018 at 6:24am PDT

Day 8: Ju-On: The Grudge

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(8) Ju-On: The Grudge was my introduction to Japan's unique approach to horror and I was hooked almost immediately! The overwhelming sense of dread and the constant foreboding atmosphere had me on edge the entire time. I have yet to figure out what it is about Ju-On 1 and 2 that has such a profound impact on me. What ever it is, more films need to incorporate it because I never feel more unsafe watching a film than I do when I watch Ju-On! What do you think of Ju-On? What is your favourite Japanese horror film? Let me know, I would love to know of more to check out besides the Ju-On series and Ringu. Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #juon #thegrudge #juonthegrudge #jhorror #japanesehorror #japan #kayako #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #worldcinema #worldhorror #31daysofhalloween

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 9, 2018 at 3:08pm PDT

Day 9: Rosemary’s Baby

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(9) "God is dead, Satan Lives!" Rosemary's Baby is a special cinematic experience, as there is no jumps or scares, but instead a strong and unnerving sense that something is very, very wrong. Mia Farrow gives an incredible performance in this film, just a shame that Roman Palanski is a complete piece of shit person. Besides that moral issue, this film is an iconic piece of horror cinema in my eyes! What do you think of Rosemary's Baby? What's your favourite unconventionally scary movie? Let me know and let's geek out about it! Stay creepy! #rosemarysbaby #miafarrow #classichorror #classiccinema #satan #satanic #31daysofhalloween #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #70shorror #31daysofhorror

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 10, 2018 at 8:38am PDT

Day 10: The Omen (1976)

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(10) "Look at me Damien, it's all for you!" Another timeless classic, The Omen is striking and bold as well as subtle and chilling. Full of intense and frightening imagery that truly push the envelope, even by today's standards and especially by the standard of the time! I would kill to have seen the first reactions of the first screening back in 76! A true piece of horror royalty right there! What do you think of The Omen? What movie do you wish you could have seen the first ever reactions to? Let me know, I'd love to hear what you think! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #theomen #omen #damien #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #classiccinema #classichorror #satan #satanic #supernatural #paranormal #intense

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 10, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT

Day 11: The Devil’s Candy

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(11) The Devil's Candy is a criminally under rated film that focuses on a family and a seemingly unconnected man with a very troubled mind who become intertwined as a result of a dark and sinister force! I enjoyed this film so much and I am shocked at how little praise and how much hate it has received, I think it is an original and brilliant modern horror film with great performances and cinematography. Have you seen The Devil's Candy? What horror films do you love and feel are under rated? Let me know, I'd love to hear what you think! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #thedevilscandy #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #indiefilm #indiehorror #seanbyrne #ethanembry #shiriappleby #satan #satanic #paranormal #serialkiller

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 11, 2018 at 7:32am PDT

Day 12: Poltergeist (1982)

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(12) "There here!" What do you get when you combine Steven Spielberg's writing and Tobe Hooper's direction? A god damn classic in the form of Poltergeist (1982) that's what! Of course I had to go with the most grousume scene too! With all of the Spielberg-isms present through out the film, this moment really catches you off guard and hits hard! What do you think of Poltergeist? What's your favourite gory scene in a film? Let me know, let's get graphic! 🎥🌑🔪 #poltergeist #stevenspielberg #tobehooper #gore #gory #supernatural #paranormal #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #triggerwarning #therehere

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 12, 2018 at 8:52am PDT

Day 13: V/H/S 1 & 2

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(13) This entry of my #31daysofhalloween is technically a bunch of short films, so why not just mash two anthologies together? I love the first two V/H/S films, while they aren't all perfect shorts, watching these 2 back to back is such a great time! I particularly love the narrative that ties the shorts together, some particular highlights involving a night out taking s hellishly wrong turn, and a haunted house that gets way too real! What do you think of the V/H/S movies? What's your favourite anthology film/show? Let me know, I'd love to hear what you think! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #vhs #vhsmovie #vhs2 #anthology #horroranthology #foundfootage #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #paranormal #supernatural #serialkiller

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 13, 2018 at 9:09am PDT

Day 14: The Shining

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(14) "Come play with us Danny. Forever… and ever… and ever." Do I really need to say why Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is one of my favourite horror films of all time! This timeless slice of insanity and terror is the pinnacle of psychological horror as it leaves the viewer shaken and feeling vulnerable with its constant building of tension and dread. Jack Nicholson gives one of the most terrifying performances in movie history. Also, just make things scarier for me… My name is Dani and that scene with the Grady twins never stops giving me the creeps! What do you think of The Shining? What scene messed with you the most? Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #theshining #jacknicholson #jacktorrance #dannytorrance #stanleykubrick #stephenking #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #psychologicalhorror #supernatural #gore #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 15, 2018 at 4:35am PDT

Day 15: Alien

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(15) In space, no one can hear you scream! Alien is the perfect science fiction horror film. Intense atmosphere, incredible writing, iconic art and creature design by H.R. Giger and a career defining performances by Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley and John Hurt as Kane. The Xenomorph is the most detailed and intricate creatures ever commited to film and I will never not love ever aspect of it's design. What do you think of Alien? What is your favourite sci-fi horror film? Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #alien #alien #xenomorph #sigourneyweaver #johnhurt #ridleyscott #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #scifihorror #scifi #gory #gore

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 15, 2018 at 10:09am PDT

Day 16: The Babadook

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(16) The Babadook is an intense psychological horror film that is full of trauma, fear and desperation. Supernatural terrors working in tandem with the very real horrors of mental illness and grief results in a very bleak and chilling piece of film. Jennifer Kent and Essie Davis work together so well and have created one of my all time favourite films. What do you think of The Babadook? What is your favourite film? Let me know, I'd love to hear what you think! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #thebabadook #babadook #jenniferkent #essiedavis #psychologicalhorror #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #supernatural #mentalhealth #indiehorror #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 16, 2018 at 5:52am PDT

Day 17: Hellraiser

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(17) "The box, you opened it, we came!" If you have been following me for any amount of time you will know how I absolutely love Hellraiser, probably to the point of wanting me to shut up about it! But I had to include it in my #31daysofhorror list as it was one my favourite films ever, hands down. I'll leave it at that as I have already talked about it at length. I'll post a link to my review of it below if you want to read more about what I think of Hellraiser? What's your favourite scary movie? 😱 Let me know and let's geek out about it! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 https://movienightmassacre.wordpress.com/2018/09/10/hellraiser-burnt-church-film-club-screeing-review/ #hellraiser #clivebarker #cenobites #pinhead #chatterer #butterball #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #31daysofhalloween #gore #gory

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 17, 2018 at 9:53am PDT

Day 18: The Devil’s Rejects

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(18) "I am the devil, and I am here to do the devil's work." The Devil's Rejects is such a great film! Less horror focused in parts and more of a crime thriller but the torturous nature of the Firefly clan stands out all the same. Widely considered @robzombieofficial 's best film and for good reason! Just like in House of 1000 Corpses, @choptopmoseley @sidhaigsays and @sherimoonzombieofficial all give such great and charismatic performances through out this bloodbath! What do you think of The Devil's Rejects? What's your favourite Rob Zombie film? Let me know! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #thedevilsrejects #devilsrejects #robzombie #sherimoonzombie #billmoseley #sidhaig #houseof1000corpses #threefromhell #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror #gore

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 18, 2018 at 8:56am PDT

Day 19: The Thing (1982)

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(19) I just got home from seeing John Carpenter playing with his band performing scores from his impeccable filmography! So I had to make today's entry in my #31daysofhorror / #31daysofhalloween The Thing! Both brutally and gory as well as subtle and claustrophobic with an air of paranoia thrown in for good measure, The Thing is science fiction horror at its best, with practical effects that still hold up unbelievably well! What do you think of The Thing? What's your favourite John Carpenter film? Let me know! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #thething #johncarpenter #kurtrussell #specialeffects #specialfx #practicaleffects #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #scifi #sciencefiction #scifihorror

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 19, 2018 at 4:03pm PDT

Day 20: The Creature From The Black Lagoon

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(20) The Creature from the Black Lagoon! One of the best looking creatures in cinematic history! A fun story with beautiful views and visuals makes for a classic monster movie/horror/sci-fi that holds up incredibly well despite some charmingly dated moments. The creature along with Frankenstein's monster is one of my all time favourite monsters, so much so I even went to a 3D screening of The Creature from the Black Lagoon earlier this year! What's do you think of The Creature from the Black Lagoon? What is your all time favourite monster? Let me know and let's geek out about it! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #creaturefromtheblacklagoon #universalmonsters #monstermovie #monsters #classichorror #classiccinema #classicscifi #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #sciencefiction #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 20, 2018 at 1:26pm PDT

Day 21: It Follows

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(21) It Follows is a unique and beautifully shot modern horror that takes a simple premise and develops it in to an intense and suspense filled work of art. Imagine an unstoppable force that only you can see that will follow you where ever you go, with the soul intention of destroying you. What do you think of It Follows? What's your favourite modern horror film? Let me know, I'd love to hear what you think! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #itfollows #indiefilm #indiehorror #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #psychologicalhorror #cinematography #supernatural #paranormal #modernhorror #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 22, 2018 at 2:02am PDT

Day 22: The Visit

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(22) The Visit is a film that is difficult to sum up in a picture as there is not that much of an obvious threat. Instead the film is filled with a thick and rich atmosphere of unease, mistrust and dillusion. The Visit also marks the beginning of the brilliant work between @blumhouse and M. Night Shyamalan as his career went back in the right direction. What do you think of The Visit? What is your favourite M. Night Shyamalan film? Let me know! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #thevisit #mnightshyamalan #split #splitmovie #thesixthsense #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #psychologicalthriller #psychologicalhorror #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 22, 2018 at 9:24am PDT

Day 23: Sinister

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(23) Sinister has a premise that is super simple but executed so well. A crime writer finds snuff films in the attic of decides to take it upon himself to solve the case. Without giving too much away, incase you haven't seen it, some very dark and paranormal phenomena is taking place. Sinister has consistently been a great time with each watch, the film clips being particularly chilling! Ethan Hawke delivers a brilliant and broken performance of a man put on the edge. What do you think of Sinister? What's your favourite modern paranormal focused horror film? Let me know! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #sinister #ethanhawke #blumhouse #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #paranormal #supernatural #bagul #demon #demonic #31daysofhorror #31daysofhalloween

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 23, 2018 at 12:33pm PDT

Day 24: The Evil Dead

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(24) The Evil Dead is a complete nope fest in the best way. The make up and special effects work just does something to me and really creeps me out! I love the entire Evil Dead franchise including the remake and the Ash Vs Evil Dead! What better a time to share my love for these movies than on Sam Raimi's birthday? Happy birthday you legend! What do you think of The Evil Dead? Which one is your favourite? Let me know! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #evildead #theevildead #samraimi #brucecampbell #deadite #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #paranormal #supernatural #gore #gory #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 24, 2018 at 10:31am PDT

Day 25: Frankenstein (1931)

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(25) "It's alive, it's alive! Oh in the name of God! Now I know what it feels like to be God!" Frankenstein is a universal monsters classic directed by James Whale, one of my favourite directors of all time and stars Boris Karloff, one of my favourite actors of all time, so naturally this had to be on my list! Whale brought Mary Shelley's terrifying tale that shows us how even in a world where corpses can be stitched together and brought to life, man can still be the most vicious monster of them all. Frankenstein's monster is one of my favourite monsters ever and Karloff brought him to life with so much skill and passion, I could watch this film and it's two sequels on an endless loop and never tire of them. What do you think of Frankenstein? What is your favourite Universal Monster movie? Let me know, I love them all and would love to geek out with you all about them! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #frankenstein #frankensteinsmonster #universalmonsters #boriskarloff #karloff #jameswhale #maryshelley #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #31daysofhorror #31daysofhalloween #classiccinema #drama

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 25, 2018 at 10:42am PDT

Day 26: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

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(26) Families that slay together, stay together! The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is Tobe Hooper's masterful slasher magnum opus. Brilliant set design, cinematography, character writing and design. There is a reason it is remembered so fondly all these decades later! Leatherface is one of the best horror villains ever put to film in my opinion and I never get tired of the intense and beautifully shot final scene of the film! What do you think of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? What is your favourite horror villain? Let me know! 🎥🌑🔪 #thetexaschainsawmassacre #texaschainsawmassacre #leatherface #tobehooper #serialkiller #horror #horrorfilm #filmreviewer #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #cinematography #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror #slasher

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 26, 2018 at 10:57am PDT

Day 27: The Ring

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(27) The Ring is a landmark in modern western horror as it's bleak tone and atmosphere creates a lingering sense of dread. Those expectations of dread are certainly met as The Ring has some absolutely terrifying sequences, being one of the only films that ever scared me so much when I was younger, that on first viewing, I actually turned it off out of fear of what would come next. The imagery is iconic and I can't wait to finally check out the Japanese original as soon as I get the chance as I've heard it's even more terrifying! What do you think of The Ring? What was the last movie to scare you shitless? Let me know! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #thering #goreverbinski #samara #naomiwatts #ring #ringu #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #supernatural #paranormal

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 27, 2018 at 9:08am PDT

Day 28: The Conjuring

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(28) James Wan's The Conjuring blew me away the first time I saw it. Intense and atmospheric, suposedly loosely based on real life paranormal events and an amazing cast and crew bringing the whole story to life resulted in one of the best modern horror films to grace the silver screen. I have been a huge fan of the franchise since seeing The Conjuring and aside from Annabelle, I have thoroughly enjoyed every entry in the series. What do you think of The Conjuring? What is your favourite James Wan film? Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #theconjuring #theconjuringuniverse #annabelle #thenun #jameswan #thewarrens #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #31daysofhorror #31daysofhalloween #supernatural #paranormal

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 28, 2018 at 11:57am PDT

Day 29: Dracula (1931)

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(29) "Listen to them, children of the night. What music they make." Dracula was the first Universal Monster film I ever saw and it kicked off my love for the series and my admiration of Bela Lugosi, who is one of my favourite actors to this day. Dracula is full a macabre and gloomy atmosphere and has such a great amount of character and creepy moments. What do you think of Dracula? What is your favourite Bela Lugosi film? Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #dracula #belalugosi #universalmonsters #vampire #vampires #monstermovie #monster #monsters #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #paranormal #supernatural #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror #blog

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 29, 2018 at 11:17am PDT

Day 30: Carrie (1976)

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(30) "They're all gonna laugh at you!" Carrie is an absolute classic Stephen King adaptation, with so much of his style and flavour kept in tact by director Brian De Palma. Sissy Spacek portrays Carrie White with so much passion and care that you can't help but love and care for her character, so when the tides turn and she shows what she is really capable of, the emotional conflict you feel as you begin to fear Carrie is utterly chilling! Iconic is a word I feel is made with this film in mind as it is by far one of the best movies ever made in my eyes and I love everything about it. What do you think of Carrie? Do you love it as much as I do? Let me know! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #carrie #carriewhite #stephenking #sissyspacek #johntravolta #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #supernatural #paranormal #briandepalma #31daysofhalloween #31daysofhorror

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 30, 2018 at 11:55am PDT

Day 31: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

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(31) Happy Halloween! Couldn't leave this gem out could I? A Nightmare on Elm Street is Wes Cravens big hitter (and he has some great films!) But nothing beats this grim and violent tale of lost innocence and violated sanctuary. The creative kills and set pieces make for a non stop fear train. Thanks to everyone who kept up with me through out my entire #31daysofhorror / #31daysofhalloween I had a lot of fun doing it! What do you think of A Nightmare on Elm Street? What was your favourite film I posted about this month? Let me know! Stay creepy! 🎥🌑🔪 #anightmareonelmstreet #nightmareonelmstreet #wescraven #freddykrueger #horror #horrorfilm #horrormovie #horrorfan #horrornerd #horrorgeek #horroraddict #horrorcollector #thriller #horrorblog #horrorblogger #blog #blogger #scary #creepy #movie #film #moviereview #filmreview #violence

A post shared by Movie Night Massacre (@themovienightmassacre) on Oct 31, 2018 at 4:27pm PDT

And there we have it! 31 horror picks! Did I mention any of your favourites? Did I mention any that you now want to check out? Please let me know and let’s geek out about it! If you have made it this far thank you for reading! Stay Creepy!

Hellraiser (Burnt Church Film Club Screeing): Review

I recently had the absolute privilege to attend Burnt Church Film Club’s screening of the Clive Barker’s gorey horror masterpiece, ‘Hellraiser’! What made this night even more special was the special appearances of cenobite actors Nicholas Vince (Chatterer) and Simon Bamford (Butterball) as well as make up and special effects wizard Stuart Conran!

You may have seen me talk about Burnt Church Film Club before in my Pan’s Labyrinth review or you may have seen me post about them on social media before, but if you haven’t, they are film club that host a vast and varied selection of film screenings of all genres at The Flying Duck in Glasgow. They have loads of great screenings year round with so many horror movie nights that i can’t even manage to pick which one to go to half the time! They have also done an amazing job bringing in special guests for live and skype Q&As just like they did for the ‘Hellraiser’ screening! You can check them out through the link below!

https://www.facebook.com/burntchurchfilmclub

It was great to meet Nicholas, Simon and Stuart and hear their stories from what it was like creating this horror classic! Now on with the review!

‘Hellraiser’ focuses on Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence), her father Larry (Andrew Robinson) and her step mother Julia (Clare Higgins) as they move in to a new house that up until recently was being squatted in by Larry’s reprehensible brother, Frank (Oliver Smith/Sean Chapman). The reason Frank is nowhere to be found however, is the result of some very graphic and gruesome circumstances.

The writing and direction of ‘Hellraiser’ is fantastic, which is to be expected when the author of the ‘The Hellbound Heart’ AKA the source material for this film is the one and only, Clive Barker himself. The sign of a strong script and pacing in any genre is each scene seamlessly flowing from one to the next and ‘Hellraiser’ does this so well, from start to finish. Each character is fleshed out (some all too literally!) in such a way that we understand each character’s motivations whether they positive or otherwise. This is something I always love to see in a horror film because it gives the audience a reason to care for the protagonist and a line of understanding the antagonist in some twister form or another.

Ashley Laurence’s portrayal of Kirsty Cotton is one of the best “final girl” roles and performances in horror in my opinion, as she not only captures the raw and visceral fear that any sane human being would feel put in her situation, but she also has the bravery and smarts to set things straight and stand up against the sinister forces she is pit against. Definitely one of the most underrated stars of the horror genre as a whole!
Of course, despite the small amount of screen time, The Cenobites themselves (played masterfully by Doug Bradley, Nicholas Vincent, Simon Bamford and Grace Kirby) are a chilling yet captivating, with Bradley and Kirby delivering lines give audiences goosebumps to this day!

As we mention The Cenobites, we can’t not mention the masterful special effects work taken on by entire special effects team (Stuart Conran included of course!) as they bring a whole new world to life with creatures, tortured souls, disfigured bodies and the extra-dimensional home world which The Cenobites call home! All these special effects hold up wonderfully to this day, even the more outdated digital effects, namely the animated lightning like effect that comes near the end of the film, has a particular charm to it – I would much rather see that than any form of remastered digital effect, as it just fits so well in my eyes.

I can’t go any further without also mentioning Christopher Young’s incredible score! Memorable melodies that will haunt your dreams and serenade the darkest depths of your mind, it is the perfect backing track to this dark, twisted and ethereal film.

But is ‘Hellraiser’ Scary? I would not say it is scary in the modern sense that it makes you jump in your seat, but instead it is a film that gets under your skin with gruesome visuals and terrifying thoughts that tip their hat towards H.P. Lovecraft and his concept of cosmic terror as everything about The Cenobites and their very existence is beyond our human understanding, they are not good nor evil, but on a plain of understanding that we can’t comprehend and I think it is that sense of insignificance and the overall fear of the unknown that makes ‘Hellraiser’ truly frightening!

Incase it wasn’t apparent through out this review, ‘Hellraiser’ is one of my all time favourites, I think it is masterfully written, directed, performed and created. While it may appear campy to some, to me it holds in immense amount of character that isn’t so easy to comes across these days.

I’m going to give ‘Hellraiser’ 92%!

Have you seen ‘Hellraiser’? If so what did you think about it? If not, what are you doing still reading this far? Go watch it!
Either way, let me know in the comments and lets talk about it! If you have read this whole review before ever looking in to anything about this movie then you can check out the trailer below!
Stay creepy and thanks for reading!

Pan’s Labyrinth (Burnt Church Film Club Screening): Review

Yesterday, I had the privilege to attend a sold out screening of Guillermo Del Toro’s modern day masterpiece ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ hosted by Glasgow’s own Burnt Church Film Club. BCFC is held in The Flying Duck, a fantastic vegan restaurant not far from Buchanan bus station. The club has hosted and will host a vast array of screenings for cult hits, under appreciated classics and the like, whilst creating a friendly and comforting viewing environment, allowing you to be surrounded by like minded people who are also there to appreciate these great films. I cannot recommend these screenings enough, so if you like what you have heard, I will link the Facebook page below where you can find event pages for screenings and links to by tickets!

https://www.facebook.com/burntchurchfilmclub

Now, on to the review! Pan’s Labyrinth is a dark and twisted fantasy/drama/horror set in just after the Spanish civil war where sects of each side continue to attack one another, or at the very least, doing what they can to set the other side back. Amongst all of the political and ideology fuelled chaos is Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), a young girl enraptured by tales of fairies and mythical beings who is taken to stay with her new father in law, Captain Vidal (Sergi López), a cruel fascist Falange officer. As she arrives on Vidal’s base, Ofelia is lead to a labyrinth by a stick insect which she believes to be a fairy. When she discovers this labyrinth, an entire mystical hidden past of which Ofelia had no idea of is revealed to her by the now iconic Faun (Doug Jones/Pablo Adán).

It goes without saying at this point that the direction by Del Toro is outstanding, as he works with every actor to depict a tale of wonder and melancholy, all while creating masterfully framed shots, unique and mesmerising creature and set designs. This allows ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ to feel as though it takes place in a world of it’s own, fully fleshed out and pushing the boundaries of believability.

The writing of this film, whether it be dialogue, lore, plot, pacing, is overwhelmingly strong. The pacing of the film is seamless, as each moment perfectly connects to the next. The story and dialogue suck you in to the world that is being presented in front of you. The fairytale aspects unique to this story are as timeless as anything that has been told through out tradition in my eyes. A particular part of the story I find deeply interesting is the contrast between the horrors of war and the horror of fairytale monsters, particularly within certain imagery present in the Pale Man’s chamber that is eerily reminiscent of a very upsetting image remembered from the second world war. I find that the use of horror that is very real, juxtaposed against horrors of a very unreal nature.

The acting through out ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ is outstanding. Despite the fact that the entire film is in Spanish and subtitled for English speakers like myself, it never once felt like an effort to follow the story as the emotions are so well conveyed not just through the actor’s tone of voice and body language as well as their dialogue. The range that is present within these actor’s emotional palette is immense, especially of that of Ivana Baquero, as through out the film wonderment in joy is matched by grief and sorrow. Baquero gives what is possibly the best child perfomance in cinema in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’.

The musical score through out this film ethereal, from heart wrenching lullabies, to dramatic and intense themes used to ramp up tension in war torn battles and Brother’s Grimm-esque, horrifying, monster focused scenes.

The part of ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ that stands out to most, and for good reason, is the creature design and special effects make-up. The Faun and the Pale Man are two of the most iconic, memorable and awe inspiring special effects creatures ever committed to film, brought to life by the fantastic Doug Jones. Despite it’s short length, the scene in which the Pale Man is present is a stand out moment of the film, that is as beautiful in it’s imagery as it is horrifying in the actions that take place.

Overall I had a great time watching ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ at the Burnt Church Film Club’s Screening. Regardless of this I will also be giving Pan’s Labyrinth 95%!

Thank you for reading my review of this film and event, if you have seen ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, let me know what you think in the comments and if for some reason you have not seen it, for your own sake, please do! You can check out the film trailer below.

The Babadook – Flashback Film Review

Since there isn’t always a brand new horror movie coming out to talk about, I thought I would add a series of reviews for older films to write and release when there is some down time in the horror film scene. So here is my first Flashback Film Review, and first up is a favourite of mine, ‘The Babadook’.

‘The Babadook’ follows single mother and nurse Amelia (Essie Davis) as she deals with the loss of her husband and raising her troubled son Samuel (Noah Wiseman). One night, Amelia proceeds to read Samuel a bed time story and selects a book she isn’t too familiar with from her shelf, a book called ‘The Babadook’. I will not say more than this as anything beyond could be considered spoiler territory and I recommend experiencing this film’s story first hand.

The first thing that struck me in ‘The Babadook’ was the tone of loss and grief. From Davis’ performance of a broken women trying to hold her life together, to the use of dark tones and muted colours through out her home.
Davis’ performance is incredible in this film, fully committing to ideas and actions that many actors and actresses would have a hard time working with as well as touching on some very sensitive topics like depression as well as touchy ideas such as a mother struggling to love of her own child. The performance Essie Davis gives through the film is strong and allows the audience to care deeply for her and in turn, fear for her, whether it be by allowing us to see her at vulnerable, to conveying to us how difficult Samuel is to cope with. This brings me to my next point, Noah Wiseman gives a great child performance, in that you completely believe in his character as well as the fact that you completely feel Amelia’s frustration with him as he as a character can be so annoying and irritating. This may sound like a negative but this is fully intended to further illustrate the character of Amelia’s difficulty in coping with the responsibility of motherhood alone. Overall, I cannot stress enough, the weight of Davi’s performance as Amelia, she is so heartbreaking to watch and as the tension ramps up through out the film, the care you develop for her character keeps that tension at an all time high.

Jennifer Kent’s direction and writing through out this film is very strong. Through her writing and direction she got two incredible performances out of Ellie Davis and Noah Wiseman. As well as this she manages very well to create a very lived in and believable world within this film and that is a skill that I feel does not go appreciated enough.
You can see through the detail in our lead character’s lives and through the visual details through out the movie that this is a project Kent has put an immense amount of thought and passion in to.

The visuals through out the film are very original and give ‘The Babadook’ a lot of character, from the previously mentioned use of shade and muted colours, to the appearance and movements used to depict the titular Babadook, my eyes were glued to the screen as I watched on. This was further enhanced by an aspect of the film that I really enjoyed but I understand may put some horror fans off. This aspect is the use of artistic and symbolic segments of the film that create a dream like effect that goes along Amelia’s depression related issue of sleep deprivation. I can understand that moments like this in film may not be for everyone but I personally love touches likes this in films, adding a somewhat surrealist element, further pushing the suspension of disbelief that is already present in most horror films.

Here’s the thing I feel I have been failing to discuss in my past reviews…
Is ‘The Babadook’ Scary?

Now obviously like all things in art, fear is subjective but in my opinion ‘The Babadook’ is incredibly unsettling, unnerving and creepy in the ways I want a horror movie to be.
However, in terms of creating a sense of fear in me, it did so in the way I normally was to be scared by a horror movie, by the means of drawn out suspense, a lack of jump scares and a continuous sense of mystery and uncertainty. The extra layer that I feel makes ‘The Babadook’ even scarier still is the added fear of something real, beyond that of ghosts and ghouls. The very real fear of loss and mental illness. Depression is a terrifying thing, whether it be through your own experience or watching someone you care about going through it and ‘The Babadook’ captures that perfectly in my eyes.

And with that, I am going to give ‘The Babadook’ 90%

I won’t be picking my favourite films every time in this series, as I will add to it with films I watch as I watch them that are not brand new too. I just thought I would start with a film that I love to kick things of right!

Have you seen ‘The Babadook’? If so let me know what you think about it! I could talk endlessly about this film so let me know how you feel about this movie in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen ‘The Babadook’ you can watch on Netflix in the UK now. Check out the trailer below!

A Salute to Women in Horror

Right off the bat, happy international women’s day! A day that we use to promote the idea that women should be treated with equality and respect every day of the year, not just today. There are a lot of influential women in the world and as a horror blog, I thought I would use discuss some of the woman that work in a genre so close to my heart.

Melanie Light – The Herd

I thought I would start off with a film that is near and dear to me on many levels. The Herd is a short indie horror film directed by Melanie Light that touches upon both the abuse of woman through objectification as well as the the abuse of cows (and other animals) for their milk. The Herd is intense and hard hitting though out, portraying the extent of suffering of these woman to such an extent that all those watching can understand that it is something to be discouraged in society. Light is a very powerful voice for both women’s rights and animal rights, using the medium of horror and film to make a bold and strong point about the way both are treated in today’s world with the underlying tone that lets us all know that it needs to change and we can be a part of that change.

You can watch the entire film for free on Melanie’s website here:
https://www.melanielight.co.uk/projects/5299121

Jennifer Kent & Essie Davis – The Babadook

Jennifer Kent is the writer/director of ‘The Babadook’, a dark and chilling film that depicts the very real horror of mental illness and grief in the form of a intense, petrifying entity that follows Amelia (Essie Davis) and her troubled son Samuel (Noah Wiseman). In my eyes, Jennifer Kent created one of the best horror film in recent memory and one of my all time favourites. Through Kent’s incredible direction and Davis’ haunting portrayal of a woman on the edge emotionally from everyday struggles as well as being tormented by a supernatural creature, we as an audience are able to observe an artistically enhanced view point of what it is like to live with mental illness – This is a topic that I will talk about in greater detail one day as I feel it is both very interesting and important/relevant to many of today’s issues. Overall, Jennifer Kent and Essie Davis came together to create a stunning and suspenseful piece of art that strikes you with fear as well as with an important message and for that, they both have my undying respect.

Lin Shaye – The Insidious Franchise

Lin Shaye has done something very special in my opinion. To be the an integral character and well written lead in a four part horror franchise as a 74 year old woman is hugely inspirational in my eyes, subverting expectations of her gender and age. Through out the franchise her portrayal of Elise Rainer is both strong and confident while still showing enough vulnerability so that we can feel her fear as she confronts the worlds most horrific demons. Lin Shaye is a very inspirational actress paving the way for other women in the horror genre by working her way up from small roles in the ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ series to becoming the lead in her own world renowned horror movie franchise.

Milicent Patrick – The Creature From The Black Lagoon

Milicent Patrick was an actress and the special effects artist who created the Gill-Man from ‘The Creature From The Black Lagoon’. Patrick does not receive enough praise and recognition for her design of one of the best looking, most original creatures in cinematic history. Sadly, a lot of this comes down to the fact that fellow special effects artist on the film Bud Westmore did all he could to tarnish what ever credit she received as he did not want to admit that a woman was the one who designed the iconic titular creature. After going on promotional tour for the film titled ‘The Beauty who Created the Beast’ Patrick returned to Westmore firing her from his effects team purely for taking credit for her work while also being a woman. So not only does Milicent deserve our respect and admiration for creating such a beloved monster but also the credit she deserves for her creation, so that Westmore’s attempts to hide her genius go on to be unsuccessful.

 

There are so many women that deserve to be highlighted for their contributions to the horror genre, and even more outside of horror and film in general, but I can only type for so long, so I wanted to highlight my personal favourite artists and ones that are particularly not as well known compared to others that I feel deserve more credit. But just to round things off, here are as many honourable mentions of other amazing women in horror that I can think of.

Sigourney Weaver – Alien, Aliens, Ghostbusters & The Village
Wynona Ryder – Beetlejuice, Dracula (1992), Black Swan & Stranger Things
Jamie Lee Curtis – Halloween, The Fog, & Prom Night
Anya Taylor-Joy – The Witch, Split & Marrowbone
Barbara Steele – Black Sunday, Pit and the Pendulum & Shivers
Sheri Moon Zombie – House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects & The Lords of Salem
Mia Goth – A Cure for Wellness, Marrowbone

If there are any others that I may have not thought of, please let me know in the comments! I’m sure there are some amazing women in the horror genre that I may not have heard of yet. Thanks for reading and again, happy international women’s day!

The Shape of Water: Review

‘The Shape of Water’ is one of my most anticipated films of 2018 as a whole. I am a huge Guillermo Del Toro fan with the Pan’s Labyrinth and Hellboy 1 & 2 being some of my all time favourite movies. When I first saw the trailer I was immediately in awe, my interest was at full attention.This review is pretty late as I have now seen this film 3 times in cinemas.

I can’t really keep going with out stating this out right here, as it will soon become very obvious. The reason this review so late is because I utterly adored this film and wanted to give it time before I review it just to be sure I wasn’t just being bias and overwhelmed but the views I had and have never diminished. It is without a doubt already one of my all time favourite movies, so with that out in the open, I will get in to the specifics of why this is the case.

Right off the bat, the first thing that will immediately come to your attention is the cinematography. Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy) and Dan Lausten (Silent Hill, Mimic) came together to deliver a film which rarely goes with out scene that could be paused and framed in an art gallery. Using lighting effects and colour theory to their advantage to not only depict a stunning visual, but to add depth to the story with these subtle elements.

Speaking of Del Toro, his direction through out ‘The Shape of Water’ is flawless, each action done for a reason, it is very obvious that this is a project that Guillermo has had in mind since childhood. Each element of the film flows seamlessly under his direction as a result of this, the visuals fit with the music, the actors all embody their roles perfectly and the world within this film feels completely fleshed out.

The actors performances are all award worthy, Sally Hawkins (Godzilla, Submarine) gives one of the most heart filled performances I have ever seen without saying a single word. She conveys a wide range of emotions all through her mannerisms and facial expressions and it is a joy to watch again and again. Doug Jones (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy) as the amphibious man is incredible, similarly to Hawkins portrays a wide range of emotions only with his mannerisms. Their romance as it blossoms through out the film had me completely invested. I fully cared for these characters because their performances where so strong, they did not feel like just characters. Michael Shannon (Man of Steel, Nocturnal Animals)was a truly intimidating antagonist, delivering what I feel is his best ever performance. He too was completely fleshed out and had me on edge, angered and shocked through out the feature. I could rave on and on about all the other great performances but this review would go on way too long.

The script works in tandem with the actors and direction to create an enthralling story from start to finish, taking it’s time in places where needed and ramping up the intensity as the story progresses. My one knit pick with the script is that I just wish there was more time spent on Elisa (Sally Hawkins) and the amphibious man first getting to know each other as this section of the film passes rather quickly. Perhaps this is me just wanting more time with these characters but that is the only thing that comes to mind as far as issues with the film go.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how incredible and ethereal the films soundtrack is. Each song is filled with wonder and whimsy as well as tension and fear when needed! Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Godzilla) did an other worldly job with these compositions and he really added to the setting of early 60’s USA with his addition of re-arrangements of songs from that period!

The last thing I want to explain, is why I am reviewing this on a horror blog. Despite Del Toro’s track record, the inclusion of a monster and moments of tension and dread, this is not what most people would consider a horror movie but a romantic fantasy thriller. Despite this, it is still a highly relevant film to horror due to it’s influence and roots coming from 1954’s ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ (and other horror films of that period) as well as the overall nature of the horror of Michael Shannon’s intense and menacing performance as the film’s true monster in Col. Strickland. Perhaps ‘The Shape of Water’ is not a horror film in the modern sense, but I feel it is in the traditional Universal monster sense and in the way it moved myself as a huge horror and monster movie fan.

I’m going to give ‘The Shape of Water’ 98%, a near perfect movie!

Have you seen the movie? What did you think about it? I know I have a very high opinion of this movie but I know not everone will feel the same way and that is fine. Share your thoughts on ‘The Shape of Water’ below! and if you haven’t seen it yet, you should. Check out the trailer below!

Guillermo del Toro Wins Best Director at Golden Globes and Shares His Love of Monsters.

Horror had a strong presence at this years Golden Globes, with ‘Get Out’ (Jordan Peele) for best actor Daniel Kaluuya and best picture, ‘Stranger Things’ for Best TV Series and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for David Harbour and of course ‘The Shape of Water’ (Guillermo del Toro) nominated for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actress for Sally Hawkins, Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer, Best Supporting Actor for Richard Jenkins, Best Original Score for Alexandre Desplat and Best Director for Guillermo del Toro!

A horror/fantasy film being nominated for 7 Golden Globes is no small feat and that shown by the sheer joy in Guillermo del Toro’s acceptance speech as he won Best Director. Tearing up as starts his speech by stating “Since childhood, I have been faithful to monsters. I have been saved and absolved by them, because monsters, I believe, are the patron saints of our blissful imperfection.”

He continues by stating that through out his life, creating his “strange little tales” has saved him 3 times, first when making ‘The Devil’s Backbone’, then when creating ‘Pan’s Labyrinth and most recently, when filming ‘The Shape of Water’.

Del Toro was briefly interrupted by the music, indicating to him to wrap up his speech and leave the stage to which he responded “lower the music guys, it’s taken 25 years, give me a minute.” to the cheers and applause of the audience, before going on to thank his cast and crew and making special mention to all the hard working women in honour of the victims of harassment and abuse in the industry.

Guillermo finished his speech stating, “Lon Chaney is smiling upon all of us.” ending a touching speech with a sentiment that would bring a tear to many old school horror fan’s eyes.

As a long time fan of Guillermo’s work, it makes me so proud to see him receive this amount of praise and recognition and I want to extend by sincere pride and admiration to him and his team. Well done Guillermo! You are a true horror icon and a true icon of film as an art form!