Damien Riley is "Riley on Film." He also podcasts at The DRP ( thedrpodcast.com )
Starts out with the icy tundra potential of John Carpenter’s “The Thing.” Ends with a whimper. In between, unrealized potential. As far as horror goes, it disappoints. I’m not sure if this film knew what it wanted to do. I don’t recommend this one at all.
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Imagine the Superman origin story only Clark Kent grows up to be a sadistic killer. Sound interesting? It’s not.
The biggest problem I saw with this film is the casting. From the mother/father to the kids on the playground, The acting awful. One example is when the dad calls the mom (Elizabeth Banks) “Babe” it made my skin crawl. Brightburn’s uncle and aunt are equally flat. The uncle who dies witha shocking injury is from Breaking Bad. The theater I saw it in was empty. I know why.
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I joke with some and call this film my namesake. After all, it is right? Rewatching this classic horror film was amazing. I saw so many subtle influences on later films through the decades. Chill w me as I dissect the film. Oh and you get a bonus: the audio from the original trailer. Thanks for listening.
The Omen (1976)
R | 1h 51min | Horror | 25 June 1976 (USA)
Mysterious deaths surround an American ambassador. Could the child that he is raising actually be the Antichrist? The Devil’s own son?
Director: Richard Donner
Writer: David Seltzer
Stars: Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, Harvey Stephens
70’s movies are usually full of hippies and flowers, they all tried to change the world. This one? Not so much.
Wes Craven wrote and directed this on-purpose graphic horror film. Silly acting when it should be scary detracts a lot. It’s also painfully slow in plot at first. Still, if you can endure up to the one hour point, a fairly good movie starts there. A lot to see remains until the end credits. I would have given it a 7/10 but the acting is hideous. Still, it’s worth a watch.
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This was recommended to me by @ZoboWithAShotgun who has recommended me scary or gore filled movies for a couple years now. Sometimes when I ask her personally or others when I read her reviews on Twitter. One amazing, nasty film was Thanatomorphose www.imdb.com/title/tt2385074/I enjoyed that one for its story and torturous realism. 100 Tears didn’t do it for me. That’s ok. The gore isn’t done realistically. I found myself looking at my watch quite a bit. At times it looked like the director had waterballoons filled with fake blood in mannequins as his main form of special effects. Still, if you want a fun killer clown movie, this one will fill the bill.
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Extreme body horror with a good story. Listen to my podcast on this film.
Gore and blood are the hallmark of horror films. In this case, they are definitely present. In fact, this film fits nicely into the category of films that has been emerging in past decades called “body horror.” In truth, it’s one of the best. A movie that visits pain or disfigurement on its characters and makes you think, “I hope that never happens to me,” qualifies as body horror. You can feel, in a sense, what is happening to the protagonist as if it were happening to you.
Yes, we definitely can categorize this as body horror. Through a good part of the beginning in fact, I began to think it was just that but I was so mistaken. There are “people vs. the establishment” themes going on here. There is an empathetic look at suffering, especially of women. There is a supernatural aspect that for me was never really “fleshed out” but certainly got me thinking. I have a word to the wise if you haven’t yet seen this film and plan to: Go in knowing there is a story but let all your expectations fall away. This film attacks victimization and vengeance in an all new way I can guarantee exists nowhere else in horror.
Something should be said about this original film: it’s following remake is nothing like it and should only be seen after the original. Read only non spoiler reviews and the IMDb summary before seeing it. Body horror fans and standard horror fans must see this film, it is glorious.
This review may contain spoilers.
Here we have a very well made, visually styled, John Wick sequel. It may be the best written and the best choreographed of all three. Did anyone know John Wick I would spawn these amazing sequels? It wasn’t on my radar. Still, it has happened and this franchise is now a franchise to be reckoned with.
The film is rated R, it is 2h 10min long, an Action, Crime, Thriller, and was released May 17th 2019 (USA) As I write this review, it is reported to have knocked “Endgame” off the top of the box office charts.
The basic story is: Super-assassin John Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassin’s guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head – he is the target of hit men and women everywhere.
The director is: Chad Stahelski and the Writers: Derek Kolstad (screenplay by), Shay Hatten (screenplay by)
It stars: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane
Spoiler:
My favorite scene is where a hitan tries to collect the 14m bounty on John’s head when he is in the New York Library. The guy is a scary giant sized killer, he appears to tower over Wick. Anyway, I really liked the way they used the theme of a “book as weapon” to enable John wick to win the fight. LIke “the Matrix” has so many of, this is a scene choreographed more as a dance than of killing & violence. Some will disagree,
I am opposed to gun violence like this but I give it an 8/10 for what it is and to show how well this film is made. I don’t recommend it for viewers under 18. But for adults, I recommend it, it was a blast. What were your thoughts? Do leave me a comment.
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This review may contain spoilers.
Trip out on this one. I really liked it for many reasons but in the end, it was far too complicated for what it needed to be. I know most liked Inception, but I didn’t for the same reason: it was just too out there. I like stuff that I can grasp. This is above my pay grade.
I did like it though because it didn’t need to make sense. Once I gave up trying to read Wikipedia and figure it out, I was able to cruise through it and it was highly enjoyable. It’s the story of a heist gone bad. McAvoy loses his memory and can’t recall where one of the paintings is. He goes to a hypnotist to refresh his memory. Rosario Dawson is sexy as hell in this. There are a few full frontal sequences. That brings me to my main point (?) it was a highly visual treat. I do recommend it.
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This one is rated R most definitely. I imagine this film will appeal most to males 14-45 especially but to any and all interested parties. Listening to me talk about it may not be as good as rewatching? You can listen to my show on “Cashback” below. It appeared first on the DRP thedrpodcast.com
Vincent Price is good at spooky. In this, I learned he is good at evil too! Picking out a husband and a father from a crowd and forcing them to fight to the death in front of the daughter/wife … that’s one example.
I found this movie highly engaging and certainly it kept my attention. Unfortunately though it had the look of a Shakespearean play and not a horror movie. I would recommend this as an adventure/drama but as a horror it doesn’t stand up. That is, in today’s arena.
The story is great and as I said, Price takes no prisoners with his acting. If you’re looking for an old school Machiavellian play with extremely good acting and characters, this might be for you. Otherwise, I’d pass.
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