PopHorror Let's Get Scared
We’ve finally reached Week 2 of my 365 Horror Movie Challenge! To start at the beginning of the challenge, click here. Unfortunately, they weren’t all winners this week, but they were all interesting nonetheless. Check out this week’s choices below!
January 8th – Let The Right One In
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com):
Oskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl.
I’ve never been on the “all remakes suck” bandwagon. Some remakes improve on the original, while some don’t do the original justice, period. In this case, I do have to admit that I prefer 2010’s Let Me In more than this film. Let The Right One In had a longer pace and less sympathetic characters. There’s not much difference between the films, so I wasn’t really watching anything new when I watched this film
Verdict: I recommend Let The Right One In only if you haven’t already seen Let Me In. The films are so similar, if you watch one, you aren’t really missing anything if you don’t watch the other.
January 9th – Never Hike Alone
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com):
A hiker’s survival skills are put to the test when he stumbles upon the remains of an old abandoned camp and discovers its long, dark secrets.
I’ve never seen a horror fan film before, and Jason Voorhees is my favorite slasher of all time, so I was really looking forward to Never Hike Alone, a film about the masked killer. This movie was so well done, I’d buy a DVD copy if I could! It brought the same feel of the original franchise, yet it’s so different. Of course, it’s not just the typical F13 storyline where people are killed off one by one till only a choice few are left to fight. This was worthy adversary against worthy adversary. It was fresh and it was exciting! I choose to believe it’s part of the F13 franchise, especially considering the epic cameo at the end of the film. Speaking of which, why is no one talking about the epic cameo at the end of the film? It was such a legendary ending!
Verdict: Not only do I recommend Never Hike Alone, I recommend you watch it right here, right now!
January 10th – Night Of The Creeps
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com):
In 1959, an alien experiment crashes to earth and infects a fraternity member. They freeze the body, but in the modern day, two geeks pledging a fraternity accidentally thaw the corpse, which proceeds to infect the campus with parasites that transform their hosts into killer zombies.
Night Of The Creeps is an excellent argument as to why the ’80s is considered the best decade of horror by many. It’s full of good old fashioned practical effects, cheesy one-liners, and young romance. The best friend/sidekick, J.C., is my favorite character in this whole movie. Because of him, this is one of the few ’80s horror films where I was really rooting for the good guys!
Verdict: I definitely recommend Night Of The Creeps to die-hard 80s horror fans!
January 11th – Red Christmas
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com):
A mother must protect her family on Christmas Day from a demented stranger who is hell-bent on tearing them apart.
I honestly don’t know how to feel about this film. The actors were great; I’ll give it that. However, it handled a very touchy subject in a way that just felt wrong. I certainly wasn’t offended by the subject matter, but I do think it could’ve been done better on many factors.
Verdict: I wouldn’t recommend Red Christmas.
January 12th – Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com):
Zombified chickens attempt to kill the fast-food workers that cook them in a restaurant built on an ancient burial ground.
I wanted to like this film. I really did! It was praised by horror fans, and I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, Poultrygeist had too much toilet humor, forgettable musical numbers, and just plain weird moments, which, as a horror fan, is saying something. It did have a few laugh out loud moments, but as a whole, Poultrygeist just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Verdict: I honestly wouldn’t recommend Poultrygeist.
January 13th – Before I Wake
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com):
A young couple adopt an orphaned child whose dreams – and nightmares – manifest physically as he sleeps.
Before I saw this film, I had never seen a Mike Flanagan film that disappointed me. After I saw this film, I’m still not disappointed! Before I Wake is one of the most original, brilliant films I’ve seen in a long time. I was a little skeptical at the beginning. It was definitely creepy, but I was on the fence about whether or not I was interested in the film itself. What really won me over was the ending. It was so heartbreaking and unexpected. It brought the whole movie together and really showed how brilliant the writing is. Mike Flanagan, you’ve done it again!
Verdict: I definitely recommend Before I Wake.
January 14th – The Wicker Man (1973)
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com):
A police sergeant is sent to a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl whom the townsfolk claim never existed. Stranger still are the rites that take place there.
I was a little surprised when I started this film. The Wicker Man was like an unintentional musical, which was a real treat. I loved the music, I loved the mystery… I loved the whole story. The Wicker Man is considered a horror classic and for good reason. It has a hell of a cast and left me in shock and awe.
Verdict: I definitely recommend The Wicker Man!
My favorite film this week was definitely Never Hike Alone! It’s a film every F13 fan needs to see. I’m always looking for horror recommendations. If you have any films you think I should watch, let me know in the comments!
