Movie Review: It's drippy

Either my age is catching up with me or my stomach is getting weak.

I have a movie review, and then a bit of commentary on a new televisions show. Let's get to the good stuff.
The movie? The remake of Evil Dead. Saw it opening night.

As far as remakes go, this was well done. A little low on the humor side when compared to the original, but who says it has to measure up in that department? Not sure anyone can do the original justice, which is why I am glad the director chose to take the remake in the direction he did.

It surpasses the original in horror, gore and all-around evil.

There were boo moments. There were funny moments. And there were many creepy, atmospheric, spooky moments that will thrill any true horror movie fan.

What got to me was the gore. Seriously, on numerous occasions my hands flew to my face, my eyes squeezed shut, and I waited to look until I thought it was safe. Most of the time it was still happening. We heard others in the theater say things like "I can't believe they showed that!" and varying degrees of ooh's and eww's.

I couldn't take it. Not sure if it was the build up, the situation and then the acts themselves, but there were many scenes that made me think about leaving.

This POV is coming from a bonafide horror movie fan. I've seen them all - the classics, the splatterfests, the B-movies, the Dario Argentos and Tobe Hoopers and Takashi Miikes and Sam Raimis. When I was in grade school I used to beg, BEG my mom to buy the Fangoria magazine for me because I loved to read about horror and look at the cool special effects makeup. Looking back, I'm thankful she didn't waste her money, the VHS movies sated my need for spookiness.

Having become a horror movie fan at such an early age, I feel that I've seen so much, I should be conditioned to whatever gore is thrown up on the big screen. Not so, I guess.

There is only one other movie that I couldn't get through, which was Nishimura's Tokyo Gore Police. Unwatchable. From the first minute. Too bad, I heard it's good.

Evil Dead was 85% watchable, 15% not so much. It was good, check it out if you like horror movies. But be warned - it's drippy.

On the television side of things, there is a mid-season replacement drama on NBC (YES! NBC!) called Hannibal, which is based on the title character from the movie of the same name and a character from The Silence Of The Lambs.

I've watched American Horror Story and NCIS, so I'm no stranger to murder plots and dead bodies. I don't watch for that stuff, I like the mystery and detective work. But this show is just too creepy for me. It's not gory, really, but the gore is implied, and I know it's coming, so I'm opting out early in favor of happy, nightmare-free sleep.

I love the actors - Mads Mikkelsen, Hugh Dancy. And I read that the plot is very good. But seriously, this is too creepy even for me.

I love a good scare. And a good plot. But I guess I'm just over the gore.

Movie Review - Lovely Molly

I was surprised by how decent this was. But then, Eduardo Sanches directed, and if you liked his first film, The Blair Witch Project, then you'll appreciate the realistic, spooky bent he brings to the film.

The sense of dread throughout the film was pervasive and lasted through to the end. The actress, who is apparently new to the scene, did a fine job. I liked that she looked like someone you might be friends with from work or the gym. Normal, flawed, a little bit messy. She may have even been a little too real at times, which pulled you into the story more - she was believable in a way that made you think it could be you hearing the noises...

Some of the scenes are pretty graphic, including full-on nudity and sex, but it never felt gratuitous, and melded into the storyline. The violence feels real also. Sounds real, too, which was unsettling. I hate it when I'm watching a movie and when someone plunges a knife into someone else, you hear a metal-on-metal sound, but I realize it's kinda worse when the sound effect mimics what a sharp knife entering the back of the head probably sounds like. Pop, slurp.

I could've done without the sister. Annoying as hell, and not necessarily needed.

I was pulled along by the story, trying to figure out why lovely Molly behaved the way she did, and wondering what were actual clues and what noises and people and visual effects were meant to distract. It wasn't until close to the end that the story began to feel like it was unraveling, and loose ends were going to remain just that. Even so, I wasn't tempted to push pause or skip it - I had to know how it ended.

Well, the ending wasn't what I expected. It felt somewhat unfinished. And there was some weirdness as well that made no sense at all. I would argue that it leaves things wide open for a Part II. I wouldn't be opposed to that.

Being a horror movie fanatic, afficianado-wannabe, I've seen my share of spook stories. This one held its own with the likes of other "is she possessed or crazy or on drugs?" movies, and then some.

Three and a half stars out of four. Mostly because it's rare to find an atmospheric, somewhat unique horror movie these days.

Movie review - Antichrist

I'm not sure how I missed this movie - it came out in 2009, and I'm a fan of Lars von Trier. My friend told me about it this week, and she knows my tastes very well.

It didn't disappoint.

The story is about a couple who, while making love, lose their only toddler son to a horrific accident. In an effort to save his wife from drowning in grief, the husband suggests they get away to their cabin in the woods, called Eden. He's a therapist and is going to try exposure therapy on her.

I guess exposure would be one of the overarching themes in this film - physical, behavioral, mental.

It's a horror movie, hands down, and a good one. But it also has an interesting fairytale element to it also. After I watched it I searched for reviews to help explain a little of the more odd scenes (fawn, fox, crow). There's a lot of imagery to this film. It's beautiful, foreboding, terrifying, and sinister.

As with most von Trier films, the cinematography is astounding, as is his use of music. If you've seen Melancholia, he uses the same type of slow-mo intro. Powerful.

I like how raw Charlotte Gainsbourg is in her acting. I often wonder if she doesn't just pull from real life when she inhabits her characters - her performances never feel contrived or overly dramatic, just natural.

Willem Dafoe was decent. He isn't someone I care to watch, but did a fine job with his reserved style.

It has many sexually explicit scenes, one within the first couple minutes in the opening of the film.

Two thumbs up for this one. Streaming on Netflix.

Why I Love Fall - Redux

10. Baseball - I am a new fan to this very complex sport, and now that we're in the running for the Series, well, I'm hooked.

9. Cooler weather - I am at my best during this time of year. The smell of wet leaves, the chill in the air, damp mornings and evenings on the back porch. I dig it. I really do.

8. Football - specifically, college. Go Bison, go Tigers, go Jayhawks. Nuff said.

7. Oktoberfest - I love a month that is dedicated to celebrating beer. My favorite at the moment would be Lips Of Faith Fleur by New Belgium from Ft. Collins.

6. Halloween - everything about this holiday makes me smile. The candy. The costumes. The decorations. My family has a long-standing tradition (this marks our 20th anniversary) where we get together, deep fry everything (fries, shrimp, etc.), hand out candy, watch scary movies and play cards. It's a blast, and I look forward to it every year.

5. Wineries - I love me a little long-stemmed culture on a hillside with my homeys.

4. Foliage - Missouri has phenomenal changing of the leaves. The colors are unlike anything I've ever seen. I guess growing up in North Dakota, where there are 4 trees and you have maybe 21 minutes between summer and winter will do that to a girl.

3. NBA - I think basketball players are incredible athletes. Constant movement, multitasking, speedplay. Astounding.

2. Bad horror movies - I recently reviewed the Human Centipede. I would consider this to be a bad horror movie. Bad in a good way. Others would include Motel Hell, I Spit On Your Grave, Basket Case and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre II. Actual bad horror movies would be Albino Farm, Alligator X, and any of the Saw movies.

1. Good horror movies - nothing beats a good horror movie this time of year. My favorites include Halloween, Devil's Rejects, The Shining, Grindhouse, The Exorcist, Inside, 30 Days of Night, Let The Right One In.