May your God go with you
This week we begin with Afraid directed by Jason Goldberg and released in 2018. A couple out to attempt to save their relationship (infidelity reigns supreme) retreat to a cabin in the woods all seems idyllic solitude and the beauty of nature just the two of them ...but of course this is a horror movie and soon strange events begin to occur and it's not long before they realise that they aren't alone and their every movement is captured on camera.
This isn't a jump scare movie you won't find blood and entrails splattered across the bedroom floor but it is genuinely creepy and will have you checking your next hotel room for recording devices (PS @ FYI they are usually in the light fittings).
Moving on
Heidi - Daniel Rays' offering of 2014. Horror fans will be familiar with "Anabelle" from The Conjuring movies - well this is found footages tribute to that creepy little b**ch. There's really not much you can say about this movie ... a haunted possessed doll discovered in a creepy attic by a young boy and his friend is a recipe for disaster and a warning to leave things alone ... let sleeping dogs (or in this case dolls) lie. Despite that it's a thoroughly enjoyable movie with just the right amount of scares and tension to keep you watching whilst wondering if perhaps the attic might be best locked forever.
Trigger warning (metaphorically and literally)
A movie inspired by the school shooting in Columbine, Zero Day directed by Ben Coccio and released in 2014 follows two young gun loving misfits and their decent into committing a horrific crime against their peers and a society they believe fails to understand them. This is a chilling beautifully put together piece as you enter into the world and minds of what are to ultimately become serial killers. The main protagonists in this appear quite likeable at times, just normal kids growing up struggling to find their place in the life, but always with a sinister undertone that leads to an explosive ending. This is a very difficult movie to forget and if you pass this by I certainly wouldn't judge you for that.
Call the nurse or perhaps not!
Haunted Changi - Andrew Lau and Tony Kerns' 2010 haunted hospital horror from Singapore. Very much in the vein of the aforementioned "Grave encounters" this is a genuinely creepy disturbing and truly frightening movie. I personally find it hard to believe this movie received such bad ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. I accept that it's no Blair Witch Project but this movie deserves, in my opinion, better ratings than it was afforded. If you're a fan of spooky haunted buildings camera crews investigating then this is one for you. Again it's no Noroi: The Curse but it really isn't a bad movie and if your in the mood to be scared this'll do it.
Finally. ... The best for last?
An Irish Exorcism - directed by Eric Courtney and released in 2013 this movie,as the title suggests, nods heavily in the direction of The Exorcist.
A young teenage girl (another trope you find in lots of these movies - teenage girls are all brides of Satan I'm telling you), a distraught mother, an overly enthusiastic young woman making a documentary on exorcisms and demonic possession, a couple of priests and there you have it. Simplistic but genius. Indeed as I write this I'm tempted to watch it again. Whilst the plot is not entirely unpredictable it still works extremely well with an amazing cast of believable characters who have perfect chemistry. The subject matter itself is extremely controversial. While the plot twists and turns you will find yourself asking questions the movie doesn't answer but that's not always a downside. Beautifully shot, beautifully directed, just the right length a movie I would encourage any horror buff too watch.
So, we come to the end, this is where the camera stops rolling and the batteries die. I hope you have enjoyed this series and given a couple of these a go.
Remember there's Always more footage to find.
⏩ Gary Robertson is a patron of TPQ.
Suppose f you were doing box sets you would have to add The Walking Dead.
ReplyDeleteNo place for The Thing or The Evil Dead?
And TWD spinoff, Fear the Walking Dead. Netflix are streaming a new film this Friday, Army of the Dead, it is getting good review... zombies with speed and intelligence as in I am Legend.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, Shawshank Redemption give me recurring nightmares... where I got jammed stuck in the sewage pipe and couldn't go forward or back.
I Am Legend was a great show - don't like that feeling Christy of being tuck in a pipe. Must watch Army Of The Dead.
DeleteI always watch The Exorcist by myself, setting aside the nonsense of the content for sheer jump and creep factor nothing beats it though I always say watch the director's cut. The 'spider' scene when Regan walks down the stairs is creepy as hell.
ReplyDeleteThe walking dead last few seasons were poor. The writers tried to inject current first world problems into an apocalypse. Didn't work. You haven't time to be analytical about mental health when you're fighting for survival.
ReplyDeleteI think Season 8 is as far as I got but I am going to finish it at some point. I used to love watching it with the kids. Then it went flat and they lost interest.
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