Cavemeisters Horror Viewing Log

cavemeister

Looking at previous threads, I would like to start my own horror viewing log. I love horror movies (good and bad alike) and as i watch many, I will start reviewing them as I watch them.

Hope you enjoy


Mod Edit: I just wanted to say you are very welcome to post away here.... Spooky...

cavemeister

The Ring (2002)

The Ring was at the beginning of the Japanese horror remakes by Hollywood studios at the start of the Noughties. There have been many Japanese remakes since (Many rubbish in translation) but The Ring stands out as a superior horror experience.

The movie is about a mysterious video tape that seems to have the ability to kill whoever watches it 7 days from first viewing. Once viewed, you receive a phonecall where a girls voice announces that you will die. No one knows where the tape comes from and the content of it seems to be a mix of bizarre & disturbing images that looks to be like watching someones nightmare.

The movie stars Naomi Watts as Rachel, a single mum and journalist for a Seattle newspaper who, at the funeral of her niece (who died mysteriously 7 days after watching a certain videotape) is asked to investigate how she died as doctors were unable to confirm exact cause of death.

Throughout the course of the movie Rachel and her 9 year old son, Aiden both see the tape and both get the call announcing their demise in a week. As the clock ticks, Rachel is desperate to get the the bottom of the tape, find out how people are getting killed and ultimately, save herself and her son from their pre destined fate.

Directed by Gore Verbinsky, the movie has a very dark and foreboding atmosphere to it. It seems to be always raining (very much like the movie Se7en) which gives an eerie feel to it. Verbinksy is very good at only giving away tiny pieces of information throughout the movie and you really are guessing all the way to the thrilling climax of the film.

This is a film that doesn't do the whole Blood n' Guts thing. It gets you with frights and lots and lots of "jumpy" scenes - The bulid up to certain events in the movie are truely terrifying.

Be warned, you will never look at household appliences the same way again.

Excellent film

8/10

cavemeister

The Rite (2011)

There seems to have been an explsion of possession / excorcism movies of late. Emily Rose and The Last Exorcism (to name a few) and now, Mikael Hafstom's "The Rite"

Like most of the movies in this genre, The Rite is based on true events - Well, it's based on a book that’s based on true events. (The book in question is "The Making of a Modern Exorcist" by Matt Baglio)

The main plot of the movie centres around Micheal, the son of a mortuary owner who gives his son a choice upon reaching maturity; go into the mortuary business or become a priest. Due to past experiences, Micheal enters a seminary college to begin the 4 year degree program to become a priest. Although he excels in most subjects, he fails theology. When questioned on this, Micheal explains that he cannot explain the feeling inside him that God does not exist. On hearing this, the college dean decides to send him to Rome to study the art of Exorcism - As proof of the Devil will no doubt have to prove that God also exists.

While in Rome, Michael meets a very unorthadox Exorcist, Fr. Lucas (Anthony Hopkins) who has Micheal shadow him during the Exorcism of a young and very heavily pregnat girl (An amazing performance by Italian actress, Marta Gastini) Micheal, upon hearing and seeing a possessed girl in the flesh, refuses to believe that she is indeed under the influence of demonic forces and constantly tries to use Science to give a more accurate prognosis i.e. abused as a child, modern tv, epilepsy etc.

Ultimately, Fr. Lucas is not able to save the young girl or her baby and both die. Distraught, Fr Lucas briefly loses his faith and in that very brief moment becomes possessed by the Demon who was in the young girl. All hope for Fr. Lucas now rests on the shoulders or Micheal and his fellow classmate, Angelina to perform an Exorcist (on the Exorcist)

Will good prevail over evil ? Will Micheal finally gain belief in the afterlife? Or will the Demons of Hell prove to powerful?

Overall, I found this movie to be entertaining at best. The scenes of Exorcisms are intense but ultimatley there is nothing new here - We have seen it all before time and time again. Anthony Hopkins plays the role of Fr. Lucas very well throughout but for the entire movie to rest on his shoulders, it is not enough. If you have seen "The Exorcist", this movie will be a walk in the park for you.

6/10

cavemeister

Splinter (2008)

Splinter is set somewhere in the American countryside where Seth (Road Trip's Paulo Constanzo) and Polly (Jill Wagner) are a young city slicker couple who have decided to go camping for the weekend. After a series of "city folk can't make it in the country" disasters, they decide to check into a motel instead. On their way along the quiet roads to their Motel, they are taken hostage by a hitch hiking couple who are highly agitated and seem to be running from the law.

Upon pulling into a gas station to fill up the car, they find the station attendant covered in what appears to be hundreds of black splinter like thorns all over his body. Initially it is assumed he is dead but when disturbed, he springs to life and tries to attack and kill the group. He seems impervious to gunfire and body parts removed, seem to be able to move on their own. Trapped inside the gas station, our group must fight for survival against what seems to be an invincible entity.

Personally, I liked the idea of the movie and was looking forward to watching it. However, I was left feeling a little hard done by.
Firstly, the "Splinters". We do not know where they came from. Are they alien, are they biologically created or simply nature evolving itself. The only explanation we get throughout the movie is that it is some kind of parasite that controls it's host.
Secondly, it stinks of John Carpenter's "The Thing" but at least with The Thing, we got to see the alien/parasite. In Splinter, every time we see a shot of the infected host, we get the "shaky camera" effects and never really see what is attacking our group of survivors - Obviously, budget issues would have played a part in this as CGI is not used anywhere in the movie (refreshingly)

I researched the movie online and was surprised to see it getting favourable reviews so possibly, they are seeing something in this movie that I don't.

Overall I was disappointed. This movie in the right hands and the right budget could have been a cult classic.

5/10

cavemeister

Taxidermia (2009)

This is a very well hidden grotesque piece of work.

Released in 2009, this movie follows the lives of 3 generations of male lineage in one family.

Split in 3 parts:

Part 1
Set at a remote outpost in Hungary in the 20's, we follow the life of a poor tortured soul who lives as a slave for his master (a very cruel Lieutenant) and spends his days engrossed in deplorable acts of self gratification (including how not to use your wee-willy-winky as a flame thrower… I kid you not) a brief romance with a maid in the house leads to the birth of a boy which leads to..

Part 2
By far the most grotesque part of the movie.. our 2nd child has grown up to be a champion speed eater who consumes food (and expels food) at a rate that will really make you feel sick, it’s truly disgusting how this part of the movie plays out. Anyhow, our speed eater meets and marries a fellow speed eater and they soon have a child, a baby boy which leads to..

Part 3
The child from part 2 has grown up to be a gaunt but extremely skilled taxidermist. His father, the ex champion speed eater has become so obese that all he can do it sit in his chair eating chocolate while insulting his “Skinny” son who drops by each day to feed him and his obese cats. One argument leads to the boy leaving his father and cats to fend for themselves (which is impossible given his weight) so the ever growing hungry cats decide to eat what they can…. Yep you guessed it!! Upon finding out, the taxidermist decides that he has nothing left to live for and would rather continue what’s left of his wretched life as a work of art which leads to a scene that is truly UNBELIEVEABLE! I won’t spoil it for you but I have to say, fair play to the writers and the SFX crew.

Overall, a very uncomfortable movie to watch purely for the queasiness you feel by watching these vile characters.. It really is possible to feel dirty after watching this movie. It is funny, sad and horrifying all at once… Well made and well acted!
Hungarian Subs

8/10