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Pamyo (2024)
Decently made but overall not entertaining
In 2024's "Exhuma" we are introduced to multiple character's fighting off an ancient evil spirit that possesses and threatens a family. The movie seems to be getting lots of good reviews and therefore has a pretty decent rating. That got me excited since I like the cover and I was hoping for an entertaining horror flick from South Korea. But sadly it didn't hit my expectations and felt really dragged and overall too long. It's not one of these Hollywood quick cheap jumpscare productions, but rather an atmospheric slow paced horror-thriller. That in itself doesn't sound too bad but I found myself bored throughout quite often. The movie has some great elements and there are some nice camera shots and good acting. The movie also has historical background which could heighten the movies and enjoyability for some. However it doesn't manage to entertain for its over 2 hours of runtime and therefore fails creating an interesting universe and memorable characters. [5,4/10]
Lovely, Dark, and Deep (2023)
A fever dream in the wilderness
In 2023's "Lovely, Dark, and Deep" we are introduced to Lennon, a new back country ranger who is traveling through the wilderness hoping to uncover something from her past. The movie has some great shots of nature and there's a mystical feeling about the woods she is patrolling. She also meets another ranger and a lost woman in the woods. But for some reason the other Rangers don't seem to be pleased about her finding that woman and tell her to go home. The movie is much more complex and sadly that gets confusing quite fast. It felt like a fever dream with lots of unsettling noises and unique shots. The end result felt a little unfinished and the movie leaves too many unanswered questions. It's an overall decent watch but definitely won't suit everybody. [4,9/10]
Arcadian (2024)
A unique flick with unnerving creatures and lots of shaky cameras
In 2024's "Arcadian" we are introduced to a father and his two twin teenage sons after the world has been overrun by creatures. When I heard about an apocalyptic monster movie with Nick Cage as the lead, I was really hyped because he has been part of some amazing projects in the last couple of years and this sounded like something right up my alley. Sadly his character is a little bit underused but Jaeden Martell and Maxwell Jenkins do a great job as his two teenage sons and the overall acting from everyone was solid and convincing. The movie overall felt really similar to A Quiet Place and I'm pretty sure that some inspiration was taken from there. That is not necessarily a bad thing but if you would compare these two, then Arcadian is nowhere close to the quality of those movies. But that doesn't mean that it is not entertaining because I had a pretty good time watching it and I think the creatures from this movie were pretty interesting in their own weird way. They come out at night and have a unique unsettling look to them and are equipped with some surprising abilities and attacks. Sadly we don't get to see those that much because in every action scene where the creatures attack, the camera is being shaken non-stop. This made the attack scenes confusing and less suspenseful. I would have loved to see a more detailed look whenever the creatures were on screen but that is really not the case. Also the movie lacked some beauty or good cinematography in general which gives it this rather cheap look. But overall I still enjoyed it mostly and I would take a movie like this over another Haunted House movie any day. [6,7/10]
Vermines (2023)
Creepy, unsettling and amazing debut film from France
In 2023's "Infested" we are introduced to some residents of a rundown French apartment building in a fight for survival against rapidly reproducing massive spiders. When I first heard about this movie I was really intrigued because spiders are scary and disgusting to lots of people and therefore automatically have a huge potential for a horror movie. And over the years there have been quite a few horror movies with spiders that made audiences cringe. But "Vermines", which is the original French title, does a better job than all of it's predecessors in terms of sheer horror. It's a stupid fun idea but played out really serious and tension filled. The whole time I had an uncomfortable feeling and felt like something was crawling on me with all these critters running across the screen. The effects for the spiders were decent and convincing, even though sometimes they were so quick, you barely got to see how they look. But as soon as the movie really gets going, you get to see enough of them, probably even more than you would like. There's a decent character introduction that drags a little but overall tells us a lot about the characters that are being trapped in the apartment building. The characters and relationships between them are complex and not one dimensional, making the audience care for them and their survival. The acting was also pretty good and convincing and the set design was phenomenal and realistic. Of course the movie also had some minor flaws because we are dealing with massive man eating spiders that are somehow afraid of light and also seem to only attack when the plot needed them to. Also some characters have bigger plot armor than others which made the threat a little less unnerving at times. But overall I think it's an amazing horror movie and Arachnophobes should stay away from this movie for their own best. If you can devote yourself to this rather unrealistic scenario and over the top creepy-crawly action, you will have a bloody good time with "Infested". [7,2/10]
Humane (2024)
Some wasted potential turn this into mediocrity
In 2024's "Humane" we are introduced to a wealthy families dinner party that transforms into a night of horror and betrayal. Due to an environmental collapse, humanity is forced to shed 20% of its population and after the father of the York family dies, they are confronted with a situation that seems unsolvable at first. But without spoiling anything, the siblings certainly don't have much of a problem to betray each other and go for the easiest way out to save themselves.
The premise seemed interesting enough and with Caitlin Cronenberg as the director I was intrigued to say the least. However the movie ultimately falls pretty flat and becomes a rather underwhelming flick. It's well acted and overall the production looks pretty solid. The premise is slightly stupid but also interesting and unique in its own way. However the movie never manages to evolve into something memorable. It's able to pass the time but overall doesn't leave lasting impression and therefore ends up being pretty ordinary. [5,4/10]
Immaculate (2024)
A decent flick with a memorable face on the cover
In 2024's "Immaculate" we are introduced to the young nun named Cecilia who is portrayed by Sydney Sweeney. She is the main selling point for this movie with her remarkable rise in Hollywood right now. It's also interesting how this movie was made because Sweeney auditioned for this movie in 2014 but the project never materialized. Now that she is a big name in Hollywood, she reached out to the writer and went on to produce this movie with her in the leading role. I love that she is so dedicated to making a horror movie and a project she was certainly passionate about. And you could tell because her acting is really great and even though it was hard seeing her as a nun at first, she did the great job bringing her character to life. Although I find it a little weird that even in a movie about a nun, we somehow get to see her naked multiple times because she can't seem to leave her clothes on. Not a complaint but more of an observation.
The movie went in a different direction than I initially expected it to go which was a nice surprise. On the other hand it is really predictable and you immediately know where the threat lurks. There are some cheap jump scares in this but also some rather suspenseful moments that kept the tension high. The movie also looks pretty decent and overall entertains. But just like this review mainly focuses on Sydney Sweeney herself, the movie does too. Like I said she is the main selling point and the most memorable thing in an otherwise rather generic film that would be forgotten about easily. [5,7/10]
Late Night with the Devil (2023)
Unique and entertaining
In 2023's "Late Night with the Devil" we are introduced to a talk show host struggling to keep his view counts high. He is portrayed by David Dastmalchian in his first ever lead role and he does an incredible job. The setup for the live television broadcast from 1977 is overall convincing thanks to the acting and a great set design. The movie has a unique idea and that is exactly what we need in the horror genre. It is unpredictable and takes some unexpected turns while completely dedicating to the premise. The movie is quite slow paced and it takes some time before the real horror begins but certainly manages to entertain throughout with a constant suspense. The whole thing felt like a segment from one of the V/H/S movies stretched out for feature film length. Overall I definitely enjoyed the watch, but my expectations were probably too high since the movie gets lots of praise right now. [5,9/10]
Anatomie 2 (2003)
Different and over the top, but entertaining
In 2003's "Anatomie 2" we are introduced to Jo, who is a young medical student that gets invited to a secluded research group for muscle enhancement. His original goal was to help his brother who is bound to a wheelchair but soon he finds himself in a seriously dangerous environment.
The movie starts with a shocking intro sequence where a young man kills himself with a scalpel blade shouting that he doesn't feel a thing from his wounds. After that we get to meet our protagonist and what starts off as harmless research quickly goes over the top after being introduced to the research group from Müller-LaRousse. While the first movie was an atmospheric horror slasher which was grounded in reality, this movie definitely goes towards the silly and over the top side. There are many silly scenes that take all of the seriousness away but the movie still manages to be a thrilling ride mainly thanks to its lead portrayed by Barnaby Metschurat. There is some weird editing and many sequences were rather meant to be funny than shocking or scary. We are introduced to a handful of different and enjoyable characters and sets look convincing.
Even though this movie goes more towards the trashy side and has some pretty weird ideas, it's certainly manages to entertain and be a stand out film that is definitely memorable in it's own way. The overall quality drops quite a bit but in the end I was entertained and that's the main goal. [5,8/10]
Anatomie (2000)
A german classic
In 2000's "Anatomie" we are introduced to a young German medical student that arrives at the university in Heidelberg and shortly after her arrival she sees a body on the dissection table of a guy she just met days before. She immediately gets suspicious and starts questioning how he could have died.
The acting is great and the overall production is also pretty good and with this rather unique premise the movie immediately had my attention. The movie decides rather early, round about the middle part to show the audience what is going on at the university which also was a nice surprise and therefore avoids a quick and abrupt ending, but much rather focuses on the storytelling from there on.
This movie is also one of the rare occasions where German cinema went International which is always a nice surprise. And while the movie was released in the year 2000 and as far as I'm concerned the plot is also supposed to be from that year it has a rather old-school feeling to it like it's from the early 90s. The effects and make up look pretty good for the 24 year old movie and definitely hold up. The end result is not perfect but definitely worth watching and certainly manages to entertain for the runtime. [6,1/10]
Fatal Affair (2020)
Another badly made version of Fatal Attraction
In 2020's "Fatal Affair" we are introduced to Ellie Warren, who is a married woman that is being stalked by David Hammond, who is an old friend that is obsessed with her. After meeting in a bar they both got drunk and made out in the toilet but right before it got serious Ellie managed to resist and went back home to her husband. After that David keeps texting and calling her and even starts a relationship with her best friend to get closer to Ellie. Of course his obsessive behavior will soon be a threat for Ellie and her whole family.
This trope has been seen countless times in movies and it's getting really boring by now. The absolutely generic premise has nothing remarkable or outstanding to it and therefore is completely forgettable. The only movie where this premise genuinely worked and was interesting to see was in 1978's "Fatal Attraction" but since then all these copycats were just boring additions to the genre and this one might be one of the worst. In itself the movie is not terrible and there's a decent production value behind it with it being a Netflix film but I can't imagine that many audiences will enjoy this, especially if they have seen one of these movies before. [4,0/10]
The Maid (2020)
Flawed and generic premise with a decent ending
In 2020's "The Maid" we are introduced to a young maid that is being haunted by a spirit in her new workplace. She keeps seeing this spirit in form of another maid which is mostly shown through cheap jump scares and small cuts of her running around or just standing in the corner. There's also an intro sequence with a monkey doll that absolutely made no sense and therefore was completely unnecessary. The overall effects looked decent and the acting was fine but the movie borrows lots of scenes from other movies and therefore is unable to tell an original story on its own without relying on generic sequences. It is pretty clear that something happened to this other maid who is now is spirit and our protagonist is starting to uncover the truth. This is the premise that has been done before by multiple movies and this flick doesn't add anything remarkable. Towards the end the movie shifts and I think that is the strongest aspect the movie has. The ending is rather large scaled compared to the rest and almost goes a little over the top which I genuinely liked. The whole movie is divided into three nameless chapters but only one of them is really enjoyable. Overall I think it was an average flick with not much to show but definitely able to pass some time. [5,2/10]
The Craigslist Killer (2011)
Below average serial killer flick
In 2011's "The Craigslist Killer" we are introduced to a young medical student called Philip Markoff who appears to be just a normal guy on the surface. After meeting a girl they quickly bond and decide to marry. But what she doesn't know is that Philip is a serial killer who chooses his victims with the help of Craigslist. The movie keeps jumping between his almost perfect relationship with his soon to be wife and his dark little secret where he meets up with women and then kills them shortly after. The killings are not explicitly shown and the scenes are being kept really short, therefore the brutal and aggressive side of Philip is not well portrayed for the viewer. On the other side you can't root for him and even if his character is portrayed as a smart sympathetic guy, you wouldn't mind if he got caught immediately. The movie in general doesn't manage to involve the audience emotionally. There is nothing remarkable or memorable about this and it plays out just like many other movies about serial killers we have already seen. The only small twist is that Philip Markoff's killings were initiated through Craigslist. Probably the most interesting aspect is that it is based on true events but the dull execution quickly erases those interesting details. [4,7/10]
Bumperkleef (2019)
And the award for the stupidest characters goes to....
In 2019's "Bumperkleef" we are introduced to a family from the Netherlands on a road trip to the fathers parents. Like on many road trips with multiple children, the mood is tension filled. Therefore the father, after being harassed by another car on the road, flashes his headlights and drives really close behind a white van. Shortly after that, the family meets the driver of the van at a nearby gas station where he demands an execute and after the father denies it and curses at the man, the trouble begins.
Before we are introduced to the family, there's a short opening that immediately lets the audience know that the driver of the white van is not joking. It's compact and unique and immediately sets the mood for what's about to come. In general I think the whole topic is really interesting because I feel like the amount of reckless drivers are getting more and more and there are so many people out there that have their egos hurt in traffic by really small details and therefore endanger other people's lives just to take revenge.
To make a horror thriller out of this simple premise is a pretty good idea and could have made up for a great movie. Sadly the movie was really hard to enjoy because it is equipped with the stupidest character's you could imagine. I don't mind characters not being super smart and making the wrong decisions in the heat of the moment but in this film there were so many moments that could have prevented everything. And of course the movie needs the characters to make the wrong decisions for it to keep going because otherwise the runtime would not exceed 20 minutes. But here the characters are just being annoyingly stupid for no reason and that really got my blood pumping. At least the movie got a reaction from me and I guess it has a certain memorability to it, however I can't say that the final result was good. The movie also has some sort of message which I think is important but the delivery was lacking. This flick had so much more potential and could have been an amazing horror-thriller but the characters and decisions really dragged the whole thing down. [5,4/10]
Alien Trespass (2009)
Nice tribute, but not much to see
In 2009's "Alien Tresspass" we are introduced to multiple characters witnessing something crashing down on Earth. Shortly after an alien inhabits the body of a local and with the help of a waitress he tries to recapture another alien monster that escaped from the wreckage of his spaceship. This movie is a good looking tribute to 1950s Sci-Fi and the sets and characters look convincing. The effects and costumes were adjusted to a 1950s look and therefore didn't look good but suitable for that time. The dialogues and acting were also good and there are some familiar faces in this.
However the biggest problem that alien trespass has is that besides being a tribute it also should have focused on entertaining the viewer. And I think it's that point that really drags the movie down because while a similar flick from 1950 would profit from the nostalgia and the effects that were well done for this time, this movie does not have those advantages. Therefore it didn't manage to entertain much or provide anything to admire. [4,7/10]
Raging Grace (2023)
A decent look at classism and immigration with some twists
In 2023's "Raging Grace" we are introduced to an undocumented Filipina immigrant who was able to land a job as a care worker. She is working for a woman and her terminally ill uncle who doesn't speak or even react. She also brings a little secret to the job in form of her little daughter who she brings with her into the mansion without permission. She is happy with the job and only wants to secure a better life for her daughter and her but soon she uncovers some secrets and strange occurrences.
The movie has a pretty decent production value and the rather simple setup gets more complex and intriguing throughout. There are multiple twists and turns that give you a new perspective to look at characters and the way they are behaving. The movie deals with classism and immigration in an interesting though rather effortless way. The acting is pretty good especially from the young daughter who enters her rebellious phase not wanting to listen to her mother and doing her own thing. Overall it was a decent watch but the slow pacing and overall forgettable premise will only stick to some audiences. [5,2/10]
Exhibit A (2007)
Ahead of it's time
In 2007's "Exhibit A" we are introduced to a British family of four and we are experiencing their daily lives through the video camera of the daughter. It starts off relatively normal, but the fact that the family is under financial pressure causes some horrific events to happen. The premise is pretty simple and sounds intriguing and the found footage aspect gave the movie a scarily realistic feeling. It does take some time before it gets going but I think in the end it's worth it. The movie is not without its flaws however it's a solid watch and was certainly ahead of its time. If the same movie would come out now in 2024, it would be less effective but for a movie from 2007 this is an impressive piece of cinema. And I think that makes the movie even more enjoyable and interesting. It's an interesting approach to what financial pressure and the human psychology can do to Humans. [5,8/10]
Anchiporuno (2016)
Just because it has meaning it doesn't make it a good movie
In 2016's "Antiporno" we are introduced to Kyoko who is a renowned artist and her assistant Noriko. You immediately get a sense of what kind of person Kyoko is and how she behaves towards others. She is a psychotic lunatic and she loves to humiliate others for fun. There are lots of weird scenes and the movie mostly takes place in a colorful room with some paintings and a poorly decorated interior. The movie also contains lots of nudity and sexual content which is one of the main traits the movie deals with. Then there is a sudden turn of events which completely turns the movie upside down and gives you a new perspective to look at. After some time you also get a glimpse in to the mind of Kyoko and what events had lead her to the current situation. The movie is certainly equipped with a deeper meaning and a message but that alone doesn't make a good movie. To be honest, most of the time I was looking at the screen not knowing what the movie is trying to tell me. There are lots of weird scenes with lots of screaming and sexual talk involved and in the end the movie did not succeed as is source of entertainment and that is what I'm looking for when I watch a movie. [3,8/10]
They Nest (2000)
Decent flick with some nasty bugs
In 2000's "They Nest" we are introduced to Dr. Ben Cahill, who moved to a small Maine island to get some peace. He bought an old house there which he wants to renovate. Some local hillbillies don't really enjoy his company and give him a hard time while the local beauty seems to really like him (of course). After finding some cockroaches in his fridge he makes it his task to eliminate the troublesome bugs, who turn out to be a massive problem later.
The movie has many cliches and there's nothing groundbreaking implemented in the movie. You have the new guy in a small town with the townsfolk being skeptical about his appearance and the one local beauty starts flirting with him for unknown reasons. The acting is fine and the effects look decent for a movie from the year 2000. The overall story has nothing special about it and it's literally our protagonist against a massive bug infestation. The movie has some flaws but the result is enjoyable and worth watching if you enjoy this type of movie. [6,2/10]
Headless (2015)
Disturbing and that's it
In 2015's "Headless" we are introduced to a skull masked killer that abducts and tortures women. This movie was a short sequence from the movie "Found" (2012) where the young protagonist watches a V/H/S named "Headless". We only see a short sequence with some disturbing imagery which was stretched to feature length in this movie. I thought that "Found" had its strengths but also weaknesses like the acting and overall failed to entertain. This movie's strengths and weaknesses are in the same areas. There are some pretty good looking effects that enhance the torturing scene with brutality and realism. In general the movie is more violent and cruel. However the plot is almost non-existent and therefore pretty terrible. The acting is also really bad and it was hard to take any of the characters seriously. Basically the only strength this movie has is its effects and the disturbing imagery shown throughout but apart from that the movie fails and most aspects. [3,5/10]
Found (2012)
Would have been just as disturbing and even more entetaining as a short
In 2012's "Found" we are introduced to a young boy who is obsessed with horror movies and after discovering that his brother is a real-life serial killer his life changes forever. Marty is struggling with being bullied and having a dysfunctional family and the only way he can escape his real life problems are horror movies. He finds out that his brother regularly kills people and now has to deal with this secret.
I watched this movie a couple of years ago and I remember it being disturbing but overall not great. After giving it a rewatch yesterday, I stick to my opinion. The movie is really dark and violent and has some disturbing imagery, especially towards the end. It's slow and the peaceful atmosphere is a big contrast to the brutality shown. You follow the story from the perspective of the young Marty and therefore get a sense of how he feels and how conflicted he is with his thoughts and decisions.
The movie is really low budget and you can tell because some of the acting is horrible and apart from some nice effects the movie doesn't have much to offer. There are some nods to horror classics like Hellraiser and you can tell that director Scott Schirmer is a fan of the horror genre. Overall I think the movie has a hard time entertaining for 103 minutes run time and apart from some nice effects and one scene especially, there is not much entertainment value. I think this could have worked way better at the short film with only the important scenes included. It would have been just as disturbing and dark while saving the viewer lots of unnecessary scenes and conversations. [5,1/10]
Huesera (2022)
Wrong expectations for an otherwise decent movie
In 2022's "Huesera: The Bone Woman" we are introduced to a young woman whose biggest wish is to becoming a mother. After she and her husband finally manage to become pregnant, she is met with an evil spirit making her question her life decisions.
I waited a long time to see this and now I finally managed to get my hands on this movie. It had some decent ratings and looked promising enough. Sadly I was really misled with the trailers and my expectations because I was hoping for a dark and evil horror movie with a creepy and unique entity that is torturing our protagonist. However this movie is not quite that. It's really slow paced and beautifully shot. You have likable characters and a nice relationship that starts to break the further the narrative progresses. Also the movie is not your average horror flick, but instead the story about how you shouldn't let others decide how your life is supposed to be. It has an important message, however the approach that was taken here will definitely disappoint lots of horror fans that just went in with the wrong expectations just like me. That being said the movie is not bad but I found it hard to find entertainment value throughout. [4,4/10]
Sabaha (2019)
Decent but at last forgettable
In 2019's "Svaha: The Sixth Finger" we are introduced to Pastor Park who is hired to look into a suspicious cult thinking that their foundation is built on evil. I really enjoy South Korean horror and I think they always have unique ideas and this movie is no exception. It is mysterious and interesting and there is lots of things packed into the two hours run time. However I think that this movie could have been 20-30 minutes shorter and with all the things implemented in the movie none of them are really elaborated or have any impact. The movie is really slow paced which I don't mind if the payoff is good enough and in this case I would say that it's a decent pay off that is worth the wait. The movie is nothing groundbreaking and we follow Pastor Park unraveling the story and what's behind all of it. I enjoyed the watch but I think that this movie wasn't too memorable and therefore just an enjoyable cult flick some with some nice ideas. [5,7/10]
Guan yu wo han gui bian cheng jia ren de na jian shi (2022)
Focused on the emotions, but leaves the rest behind
In 2022's "Marry My Dead Body" from Taiwan, we are introduced to a young police officer that forms a special bond with a ghost. After having some trouble at work our protagonist suddenly keeps seeing a young man that no one else can see. This young man was recently killed in a car accident after a dispute with his father because he was about to propose to his boyfriend, which the father wouldn't accept. Now the ghost calls our protagonist his husband which he definitely doesn't like at first. After having some trouble connecting, the two form a special friendship and relationship which might be helpful finding the person who ran the ghostly young man over in the hit and run incident.
The story is really unique and you have some lovable characters that all do a good job portraying their characters. The movie adds some supposedly scary looking CGI-faces that serve as cheap and unnecessary jump scares. I think they really drag down the watching experience and some of the effects look laughably bad. I know this movie is not about the effects or the horror, but instead it conveys a beautiful and important message that had some emotional weight to it. However I think that some of these scenes made it seem like the movie didn't know what it wants to be. The story unfolds and takes some really predictable turns but I would definitely lie if I would say that the ending kept my eyes dry.
Overall it's a unique and interesting story with some major flaws but also great message and interesting characters. However I think the result was not as good as I was hoping it would be and sadly therefore the movie turned out pretty mediocre. [5,1/10]
Melancholie der Engel (2009)
Artsy, unconvoluted, disturbing and way too long
In 2009's "Melancholie der Engel" we are introduced to a group of people that have gathered in an old house and from there on the movie turns to a pretentious art house movie with disgusting imagery. There are quite a few scenes in this that are stomach-turning because they are so disgusting and disturbing that not everyone will even be able to watch this. The plot is weird and full of artsy stuff that was not entertaining at all. Every now and then something sick and disturbing happens to shock the audience just for the sake of it. In between there are quite a few nice shots and the overall cinematography was pretty good considering the low budget. However the overall result is way too long and unconvoluted. In the end some of the pictures will stay in the viewers head for a while but that's about the only achievement this movie gets. [3,0/10]
August Underground's Penance (2007)
Why would they make 3 of these?
In 2007's "August Underground's Penance" we are introduced to a young couple of serial killers that torture and kill innocent people. This is the third movie in the franchise and with the other two being absolutely terrible and disturbing I wasn't expecting anything else here. And obviously that's exactly what I got. This movie differentiates a little because in the beginning the movie feels a little tamer then it's predecessors. But about halfway through the movie gets off the rails and continues exactly where the other movies left. It's a sick and disturbing found footage horror movie that basically does not entertain at all. The gore is pretty good but that's about it. One movie of this kind was more than enough but this unnecessary franchise has thankfully stopped by now. [2,8/10]