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Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

:siren::siren: My official start :siren::siren:


1. Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth - Anthony Hickox, 1992



Knowing its reputation, I went into this with rock bottom expectations. And it met them. There isn't much here that appealed to me. Everything I like about the first two films - the interesting characters, the good directing, and most importantly the imaginative ideas - are gone here. What we get instead is an ugly looking, dumb movie with a lousy script and acting that ranges from below average to atrocious.

But above all that, the worst thing about this is how it does away with the core ideas of the first two films. The entire concept of the cenobites being summoned from a metaphysical realm to take a person to their personal hell, is gone. Here the cenobites are reduced to Terminator-like monsters walking around the city blowing stuff up. They've lost all of their mystique.

By dumb horror standards it's not a terrible movie. It's got some decent gore and effects, and the Pinhead character is undeniably cool looking. But for the standard set by its two predecessors, it's a total failure.

/ 5

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Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe

Spatulater bro! posted:

Countdown film #2 (I'll officially begin the challenge tonight):

Hellbound: Hellraiser II - Tony Randel, 1988

With plenty of original ideas, it expands on the premise without being too repetitive. Some of the "rules" of the Cenobites and their world become a little muddled (e.g. why did Julia go to the world but Larry died?). But what the film lacks in logical coherency it makes up for in balls-to-the-wall insanity, with some incredibly imaginative visuals and brilliant makeup effects. The doctor character in the last act is just bonkers. The movie's not as strong as the original overall, but it's an entertaining, worthy followup.

3.5/5

I see on Letterboxd that you did not enjoy Hellraiser III very much. Can't say I'm surprised! Oh poo poo you beat me to it.

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

Basebf555 posted:

I see on Letterboxd that you did not enjoy Hellraiser III very much. Can't say I'm surprised! Oh poo poo you beat me to it.

Next on my list is Hellraiser Bloodline, but I'm seriously considering cutting my losses with the franchise here and moving on to my next movie.

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer

Spatulater bro! posted:

1. Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth - Anthony Hickox, 1992




Is this the one with the CD cenobite?

I really like that shot you chose.

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe

Spatulater bro! posted:

Next on my list is Hellraiser Bloodline, but I'm seriously considering cutting my losses with the franchise here and moving on to my next movie.

Well, I won't claim that you'll definitely like Bloodline, but there's a lot more creativity to it than Hellraiser III. It's also the obligatory "in space" sequel, so may as well see it for that reason alone. I full endorse dropping the franchise after Bloodline though.

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

Franchescanado posted:

Is this the one with the CD cenobite?

I really like that shot you chose.

Yeah there's the CD-shooting one, the one with a camera in his eye (lots of horrible puns from this guy), and the bartender who throws gasoline from his shaker and then blows fire.

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe
4. Ravenous

Technically a rewatch, but it didn't feel like it because I hadn't seen this for about ten years. The thing that struck me the most about it that I never noticed ten years ago was how great the soundtrack is. It's what I'd call foot-tapping music at certain points, but almost inappropriately so considering what's happening on-screen. It's perfectly off-putting in a way that is a great fit for the tone Bird was going for.

The gore is pretty brutal, its really not surprising that the movie had a tough time finding an audience in 1999. Its definitely a very dark comedy but probably more gruesome than any actual horror movies that were coming out around that time. The teenagers probably wouldn't have been interested in a black comedy-western, and older people wouldn't have been able to get into all the blood and guts. It's a film that is stuck in no mans land but that often does describe the most beloved cult classics, which Ravenous is turning into as we speak.

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

Ravenous is so great. I rented it on VHS from the new release shelf at Blockbuster back in 1999. I had no idea what I was getting into, and it floored me. I've seen it at least half a dozen times since then and it always holds up.

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer
I still haven't watched Ravenous so it's going to be the next thing I watch.

Will someone please recommend me a wildcard, preferably on Shudder? I'll mention if I've already seen it.


:siren:Feel free to request Wildcards from others. I fall in the habit of perusing lists for half an hour instead of watching things because I can never decide.:siren:

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

Franchescanado posted:

I still haven't watched Ravenous so it's going to be the next thing I watch.

Will someone please recommend me a wildcard, preferably on Shudder? I'll mention if I've already seen it.


:siren:Feel free to request Wildcards from others. I fall in the habit of perusing lists for half an hour instead of watching things because I can never decide.:siren:

That's precisely why I constructed my list ahead of time. Paralysis by analysis hits me hard.

My Shudder wild card suggestion: Fender Bender

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe

Franchescanado posted:

:siren:Feel free to request Wildcards from others. I fall in the habit of perusing lists for half an hour instead of watching things because I can never decide.:siren:

My go-to Shudder wildcard is Dead and Buried. Most people haven't ever heard of it, and neither had I until last year when it came up in the horror thread.

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer

Spatulater bro! posted:

That's precisely why I constructed my list ahead of time. Paralysis by analysis hits me hard.

My Shudder wild card suggestion: Fender Bender

Thank you!

I've tried making a list ahead of time twice now, but my brain then wants to defy the list because it hates limitations. I manage to watch more movies by getting recommendations or picking them right before I watch them. Making the movie list for the OP gives me an idea of my options, but that's about it.


edit:

Basebf555 posted:

My go-to Shudder wildcard is Dead and Buried. Most people haven't ever heard of it, and neither had I until last year when it came up in the horror thread.

Our movie tastes are pretty similar, and I remember you talking about this in the horror thread, so I'll throw it on my list as well. Thanks!

Leave
Feb 7, 2012

Taking the term "Koopaling" to a whole new level since 2016.
If you haven't seen them, I recommend the VHS movies. They're solid horror anthologies and available on Netflix.

But skip the third one. Altogether.

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

I think VHS Viral is worth watching. It's the weakest of the three by a large margin, but it has Parallel Monsters which is really great.

MacheteZombie
Feb 4, 2007

Spatulater bro! posted:

I think VHS Viral is worth watching. It's the weakest of the three by a large margin, but it has Parallel Monsters which is really great.

If you can watch just the shorts and skip the wraparound segment it's an absolute blast.

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer
VHS Viral is fine, I liked all of the shorts enough, but it's one of the few instances where the wrap-around story actually hurts the movie. The idea is decent, but it's just so drat bad and makes the other shorts more lame.

Everyone seems to like VHS 2 the most, but I honestly can't remember any stories past the eye camera and GoPro zombie and have to look up summaries anytime it's brought up.

Leave
Feb 7, 2012

Taking the term "Koopaling" to a whole new level since 2016.

Franchescanado posted:

VHS Viral is fine, I liked all of the shorts enough, but it's one of the few instances where the wrap-around story actually hurts the movie. The idea is decent, but it's just so drat bad and makes the other shorts more lame.

Everyone seems to like VHS 2 the most, but I honestly can't remember any stories past the eye camera and GoPro zombie and have to look up summaries anytime it's brought up.

Not even the death cult? That's the best one!

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

Yeah I find it hard to imagine being murky about Safe Haven. If any stretch of horror ever screams "memorable" to me, it's that.

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer
No, seriously. I just looked them up and can't remember them, and I've seen the movie twice now.

I might rewatch VHS2 for the challenge. Anthology films are the best for these things.

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe
I think I'm gonna leave anthology horror to the real Halloween season, just feels wrong to watch one now.

MacheteZombie
Feb 4, 2007

Basebf555 posted:

I think I'm gonna leave anthology horror to the real Halloween season, just feels wrong to watch one now.

Disagree. Black Sabbath is great any time.

alansmithee
Jan 25, 2007

Goodness no, now that wouldn't do at all!


Basebf555 posted:

My go-to Shudder wildcard is Dead and Buried. Most people haven't ever heard of it, and neither had I until last year when it came up in the horror thread.

Dead and Buried is great.

Also rewatched From Beyond, great as always. But since I've already seen it, figure I'll try to watch something new so throw me down for a shudder wildcard.

Spatulater bro! posted:

I think VHS Viral is worth watching. It's the weakest of the three by a large margin, but it has Parallel Monsters which is really great.

I think the stories are fine, it's the wraparound that's kinda junk. Also I think Parallel Monsters is the weakest imo-I think it would've been better if it was more low-key with what happens. I just found it kinda goofy, and not in a good way. Bonestorm's one of my favorites in the whole series-it's basically a live-action zombie video game.

And without going too far astray, how do people feel about the ABC's of Death, or The Theatre Bizarre?

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

alansmithee posted:

Dead and Buried is great.

Also rewatched From Beyond, great as always. But since I've already seen it, figure I'll try to watch something new so throw me down for a shudder wildcard.


I think the stories are fine, it's the wraparound that's kinda junk. Also I think Parallel Monsters is the weakest imo-I think it would've been better if it was more low-key with what happens. I just found it kinda goofy, and not in a good way. Bonestorm's one of my favorites in the whole series-it's basically a live-action zombie video game.

And without going too far astray, how do people feel about the ABC's of Death, or The Theatre Bizarre?

ABCs of Death is steaming garbage. I haven't seen the sequel.

Shudder wild card recommendation: Tombs of the Blind Dead

MacheteZombie
Feb 4, 2007

Spatulater bro! posted:

Shudder wild card recommendation: Tombs of the Blind Dead

This is on my list and one I planned to watch in the next day or two!

alansmithee
Jan 25, 2007

Goodness no, now that wouldn't do at all!


Spatulater bro! posted:

ABCs of Death is steaming garbage. I haven't seen the sequel.

Shudder wild card recommendation: Tombs of the Blind Dead

Well fwiw I found the second better, at least some of the segments.

And that's a great choice, but I've seen it already :(. Got another?

MacheteZombie
Feb 4, 2007

alansmithee posted:

Well fwiw I found the second better, at least some of the segments.

And that's a great choice, but I've seen it already :(. Got another?

It's on your list so not really a wildcard, but I watched The Asphyx recently and it's a great flick.

I'll wild card rec Blood Diner as an alternative.

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer
ABC's of Death has one or two great shorts, some good shorts, but most of them are bad and some are outright offensively distasteful. ABCs 2 is even worse, but it had this cool short.

alansmithee posted:

Well fwiw I found the second better, at least some of the segments.

And that's a great choice, but I've seen it already :(. Got another?

Have you seen Blood Diner?

edit: Wow, two recs for Blood Diner for two different people. So I'll also throw out Willow Creek

Franchescanado fucked around with this message at 18:05 on May 2, 2017

alansmithee
Jan 25, 2007

Goodness no, now that wouldn't do at all!


Franchescanado posted:

ABC's of Death has one or two great shorts, some good shorts, but most of them are bad and some are outright offensively distasteful. ABCs 2 is even worse, but it had this cool short.


Have you seen Blood Diner?

edit: Wow, two recs for Blood Diner for two different people. So I'll also throw out Willow Creek

Unfortunately I've seen both (also seen Blood Feast, the movie Diner was a sorta-sequel to). Willow Creek was cool, didn't expect anything like that based on who directed it.

Also surprised you thought ABCs 2 was worse, I found the good segments were much stronger. Zygote especially was really something. Also apparently there was a 2.5, but I've not seen that.

alansmithee fucked around with this message at 18:14 on May 2, 2017

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

alansmithee posted:

And that's a great choice, but I've seen it already :(. Got another?

how about : Pieces

Hollismason
Jun 30, 2007

Witchfinder General

Shudder Wildcard recommendation: The Unholy

MacheteZombie
Feb 4, 2007
Or The Church

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe
So many possibilities for Shudder wildcard picks. Shudder is awesome.

Anyone still looking for a good wildcard choice might want to check out some Larry Cohen(God Told Me To, The Stuff, Q). I feel like Larry Cohen is like the embodiment of the wild card.

MacheteZombie
Feb 4, 2007

Basebf555 posted:

So many possibilities for Shudder wildcard picks. Shudder is awesome.

Anyone still looking for a good wildcard choice might want to check out some Larry Cohen(God Told Me To, The Stuff, Q). I feel like Larry Cohen is like the embodiment of the wild card.

Oh man I watched the Stuff for the first time last month, what a cool flick. Would pair well with a They Live rewatch.

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe

MacheteZombie posted:

Oh man I watched the Stuff for the first time last month, what a cool flick. Would pair well with a They Live rewatch.

You should watch Q The Winged Serpent too, because it stars Michael Moriarty, the guy who plays "Mo" in The Stuff aka the best part of the movie. He somehow plays an even more ridiculous character in Q.

MacheteZombie
Feb 4, 2007

Basebf555 posted:

You should watch Q The Winged Serpent too, because it stars Michael Moriarty, the guy who plays "Mo" in The Stuff aka the best part of the movie. He somehow plays an even more ridiculous character in Q.

Cool I'll check it out for sure. I'm trying to work through a big chunk of the They Shoot Zombies List this year.

Mo was great, up there on my list of awesome horror protagonists.

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer
You guys made me thing Q The Winged Serpent was on Shudder. :mad:

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe

Franchescanado posted:

You guys made me thing Q The Winged Serpent was on Shudder. :mad:

It is, at least it is on the Amazon Prime add-on. Its not showing as just a regular Prime movie either, specifically says its through my Shudder subscription.

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer
Really? I tried looking it up on my Amazon app on my phone and only got Blu-rays. I'll look when I'm back on my computer.

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe

Franchescanado posted:

Really? I tried looking it up on my Amazon app on my phone and only got Blu-rays. I'll look when I'm back on my computer.

It probably wasn't searching in Amazon Video somehow, I've had that happen to me before.

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Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer

Basebf555 posted:

It probably wasn't searching in Amazon Video somehow, I've had that happen to me before.

I double checked and added it to my Watchlist, thanks for correcting me.

I'm supposed to do game night with friends tonight, but I'm not feeling well and no one's confirmed a time, so I think I'm gonna stay home and watch a movie or two.

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