Movie Reviews - 121 horror movies

[goodcop2000]

Note on 05/25/12: To avoid maintaining two separate movie review posts, I will be merging this general horror/thriller thread with the original zombie movie thread at the top of this forum.


This set of reviews is for horror movies and supernatural or horror-type thrillers with the exception of zombie movies which I've reviewed in a separate thread. In this post you will find vampires, werewolves, ghosts, psychotic killers and various other creatures that go bump in the night! Please note that the rating given will give you a clue as to the content of the film. The listings are alphabetical. Enjoy.


1408 (2007)
3 restless spirits

The ending was a bit disappointing but most of the movie was creepy (in a good way). The atmosphere gets more and more psychedelic as the main character tries to survive in the "evil" hotel room. There is really not much of a story line but the film definitely has cool moments.

30 Days of Night (2007)
3.5 dripping fangs

The strengths of this movie are the clever plot and the creepy atmosphere. It's a nice twist on the standard vampire movie where each day the humans get to fight back. In this movie the day is not coming anytime soon and the humans are purely in survival mode. The vampires are not the debonair, charming type; they are inhuman screeching monsters (but well dressed). Youngsters and viewers with weak stomachs should skip this one as it has copious violence, some of it extremely graphic. But for those of you who love vampires flicks, it's definitely worth watching.

Antichrist (approx. 2007)
3 false prophets

"Antichrist" is a short Polish film (about a half hour long) with sub-titles. It features children, one of whom repeatedly claims to the others that he is the Anti-Christ in a very creepy manner. Nice acting by the kids but no real plot to speak of.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
3.5 bloody axes

I watch many bad, low-budget horror films so that I can find the few fun, clever ones like "Behind the Mask". This is a horror film making fun of horror films (kind of like "Scream") and I enjoyed both the humorous parts and the slasher parts. The performance of the lead actor playing the would-be psycho killer Leslie Vernon makes the movie for me. He could easily have gone way over the top and ended up acting like Jim Carey but instead he did a really nice job of playing a crazy but charming guy with a sense of humor.

Black Christmas (2006)
1.5 bloody axes

Despite some decent moments of suspense, this movie stinks. It's a bit surprising because the cast includes somewhat legitimate actors like Michelle Trachtenberg and Lacey Chabert. The backstory about the psycho killer who has escaped from a mental institution is a little interesting but the rest of the "plot" is pretty much a bunch of sorority girls running around a house getting killed one by one. You don't care when the girls die because there is no character development and the girls aren't particularly likable. At times this movie almost seems like a parody of cheap 80's horror films. For example, one character dies when an icicle falls and impales their head. Not a giant icicle, mind you, just a regular icicle that apparently has a razor sharp 80-pound steel center from the way it cuts right through skull. And there is the obligatory "Whew...the killer is dead, everyone is safe now. Oh no! The killer is still alive!" Don't watch this movie. It's too late for me but you can still save yourself.

Black Death (2010)
3.5 bloody swords

This is a fun tale about a young monk who accompanies soldiers working for the Church as they seek out a suspected witch during the Great Plague. The action is exciting and the actors were excellent, particularly Eddie Redmayne as the young monk. The cast also includes Sean Bean (Boromir from Lord of the Rings).

Bridge Across Time AKA Terror at London Bridge (1985)
2 life guards

Local police try to deal with a modern-day Jack The Ripper copycat. The idea for the movie is interesting and there are a couple of decent scenes. However, sub-par acting (led by "star" David Hasselhoff) ruins this film's chance to actually be any good. The over the top acting and dated wardrobe do offer some unintentionally funny moments, though.

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
3.5 bed pans

"Bubba Ho-Tep" is part quirky, offbeat comedy and part cheesy, low-budget horror but for some reason it works! Bruce Campbell does an excellent job (as usual) in the role of an elderly Elvis Presley (impersonator?) stranded in a cheap retirement home. The rest of the cast is not bad, especially Ossie Davis who plays Elvis' buddy. Toss in an undead redneck mummy and you're in for a fun ride!

Cabin Fever (2002)
2 mottled corpses

For some reason this film became director/producer Eli Roth's big breakthrough hit but personally I don't get it. While there are a few nice moments of dread as we watch the mysterious disease spread, the bulk of this film is boring and I thought the acting was abysmal.

Candyman (1992)
3.5 sharp hooks

This movie is about a graduate student researching the Candyman "urban legend" who gets much more than she bargained for. There is just something about the Candyman that gives me the chills. It's a great character.

Candyman 2 - Farewell to the Flesh (1995)
2.5 sharp hooks

Candyman 2 adds some interesting backstory to the saga but the acting is pretty weak and the movie overall is not scary.

The Changeling (1980)
3.5 restless spirits

"The Changeling" is slightly dated but I found it to be a highly enjoyable haunted house story. The mystery unravels slowly and with great suspense, aided by a tension-inducing soundtrack. There are a couple of moments in the film that are genuinely "spine-tingling". The special effects, while not complex, are very effective.

Crazy As Hell (2002)
3.5 straitjackets

This is a pretty entertaining psychological horror set in an insane asylum. The interaction between the celebrity psychiatrist and the new patient who claims to be Satan is fun to watch.

Cutting Class (1989)
2 bloody axes

If you find yourself, as I sometimes do, in the mood for a cheesy low-budget 80's slasher movie, "Cutting Class" delivers that perfectly. As a plus, instead of showing badly-done, cheap special effects, the movie lets you use your imagination for most of the violence. The cast surprisingly includes Roddy McDowall, Martin Mull, and a very young Brad Pitt.

Darkness Falls (2003)
2 sleepless children

This is a very forgettable film. I liked the appearance and movement of the monster but otherwise "Darkness Falls" is just another standard Boogeyman-type horror with nothing to make it stand out. The acting is pretty bad and the plot is simple and boring.

The Darkroom (2006)
3.5 straitjackets

I'd like to have seen what "The Darkroom" could have been with a big budget but despite its obvious limitations it is a fun film to watch. An amnesiac mental patient escapes the asylum to try to track down his past and eventually does so with the help of a young man who has his own family problems. The lead actors do a nice job and I enjoyed seeing a blonde Lucy Lawless in a small role. I've watched a million thrillers before so I figured out the final "twist" about 45 minutes before the end but I still think it was pretty well done.

Daybreakers (2009)
3 dripping fangs

The movie started off in a very promising manner. I really liked the dark future world in which the movie is set - a world dominated by vampires who hunt down the few remaining humans as a food source. The effects of blood-deprivation on the vampires are quite startling, also. Despite the novelty of this different brand of vampire story, the plot was not very good and the acting was mediocre.

Dead Mary (2006)
2 scary myths

This movie had potential as the early character development was much deeper than the average slasher film and the acting wasn't bad. But the movie was very slow-moving (especially the beginning) and the special effects were sparse. Perhaps it was filmed on a shoestring budget? The worst thing about the movie was the boring and very abrupt ending. It was as if the film makers ran out of money at the end and couldn't afford to film a big final scene.

The Dead One (2006)
2.5 painted faces

I like the idea of a horror movie based around Mexico's Day of the Dead. Unfortunately, this attempt ended up being kind of boring.

The Dead Zone (1983)
3.5 cow bells

This is probably my favorite David Cronenberg film and definitely one of my favorite screen adaptions from a Stephen King tale. Christopher Walken is a natural as the creepy protagonist who gains special powers after emerging from a coma.

Demon Hunter (2005)
2 evil demons

The concept is pretty cool (a human/demon hybrid who executes rogue demons for the Catholic Church) but this is not a good movie. The special effects are made-for-TV quality, the acting is so-so and the dialogue is particularly bad.

The Descent (2005)
3.5 dark caves

This movie doesn't have the greatest character development; in fact for a while I had a tough time figuring out who was who among the all-female group of friends. But once the girls go into the cave and encounter the creatures, it's a fun ride. The film makers take advantage of people's common fears (claustrophobia, the dark, the unknown, being viciously attacked) and combine them all to really heighten the tension as the girls fight for survival. I spelunked a few times in college but watching the movie even made me feel a little claustrophobic.

Desert of Blood (2008)
1 dripping fang

I can not give a full review because I could not make myself watch this whole disaster of a movie. I suffered through the first 15 minutes of this Mexican vampire flick and then fast-forwarded to various points throughout the movie to see if it would improve. It did not. This is an obviously low-budget film with bad acting and a weak plot.

Devil (2010)
3.5 red pitchforks

I've always liked M. Night Shyamalan's movies. While he didn't direct this one, he did come up with the story (with due credit to Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None"). I found the movie entertaining and unpredictable enough to keep me changing my mind about which occupant of the elevator was the culprit. The acting was pretty good, especially Geoffrey Arend as a smartaleck yuppie type.

Devour (2005)
2 vivid dreams

This story is about a guy having these terrible dreams...except they're more than dreams...or are they? Ahhh, who cares? The conclusion of this movie is bad and seems hurried. The rest of the movie is no great shakes, either.

Dismal (2009)
1.5 bloody axes

The title of this film is a big clue as to its quality. "Dismal" is set in the Great Dismal Swamp which extends across the Virginia/North Carolina border and features high school kids getting slaughtered by a backwoods maniac. There is nothing original or interesting about the film.

Disturbing Behavior (1998)
3 model students

"Disturbing Behavior" is a decent thriller in the vein of "The Stepford Wives" for high school kids. I thought the acting was pretty good, particularly Nick Stahl as the resident slacker.

Dog Soldiers (2002)
4 full moons

"Dog Soldiers" is the best werewolf movie I have seen in a long time. The strong British accents took a little getting used to, but the story and action are great. Our protagonists are British soldiers dropped into a wooded area in Scotland for a training exercise. Things go awry and they find themselves fighting for their lives. The werewolves are huge (really tall) and scary and there are a couple of plot twists to keep things interesting.

Dorian Gray (2009)
3 evil talismans

The actors did a fine job and the movie is based on a classic story, but the plot felt rushed. The conversion of young Dorian Gray from an innocent country boy to a wealthy hedonist and worse seems too rapid and easy to be believable.

Dracula (1931)
3.5 dripping fangs

Watching this movie for the first time since I was a young child, I was a little disappointed in how much the plot and characters were altered from the novel. However, the film absolutely holds a place in history so I gave it an extra 1/2 star for it's iconic status. By the way, this movie is safe for kids. No scares and all violence is implied not shown.

Dracula (1979)
3 dripping fangs

There are some positives to this version of the classic tale - Laurence Olivier as Van Helsing, very cool looking gothic sets and surprisingly good special effects for the time. The negatives are that Frank Langella just didn't seem menacing enough as Count Dracula (ala Christopher Lee) and to simplify the story the writers made some odd changes. For example, Lucy is Dr. Seward's daughter and she (instead of Mina) is the love interest for Jonathan Harker. The version I watched was "drained" of color but not quite black and white. Apparently the original, full-color version is out of print.

Dracula 2000 (2000)
2.5 dripping fangs

It was disappointing to see Wes Craven's name on such a weak film but he was the producer, not the director. The idea for the film is not bad: Abraham Van Helsing (his life extended by Dracula's blood) can not kill Dracula and instead imprisons him. Burglars, believing that the high-tech security must protect great riches, break into Van Helsing's vault and accidentally free Dracula who then seeks to claim Van Helsing's daughter. Nice idea, bad execution. This movie is boring and not scary.

Dracula II: Ascension (2003)
2 dripping fangs

"Dracula II: Ascension" is supposedly a sequel to "Dracula 2000" but the only element of the first movie which is referenced in any way is the very final scene where it appeared that Dracula was killed. Of course monsters never stay dead with sequels on the line. The only scenes I enjoyed in this movie were the ones featuring Jason Scott Lee as a vampire-hunting priest. The rest of the cast was forgettable as was the weak plot.

Dracula's Daughter (1936)
3.5 dripping fangs

Picking up the story right where the original "Dracula" ended, this is a pretty good sequel. The story was interesting even though Dr. Van Helsing is the only hold-over character. The acting was good, especially by the male lead, Otto Kruger, who plays Dr. Jeffrey Garth.

Drag Me to Hell (2009)
1 toothless hag

This movie is full of sub-par CGI effects, jump scares and gross out gags. It is not scary. The best scene was the "surprise" ending and even that was predictable.

Eraserhead (1977)
2 freaky worms

According to other reviews I've read from people who love this movie, I'm really in the minority. I liked the lead actor, Jack Nance, and there were definitely memorable and disturbing images scattered throughout the movie. I just can't get on board with a film that is completely about images and atmosphere and does not provide any real narrative. After watching it, I didn't feel like I had watched a movie but instead that I had just woken up from a a bizarre, fever-induced dream.

The Ferryman (2007)
1.5 life jackets

This awful horror takes place on a chartered boat as the unwitting passengers face a mysterious enemy. My suggestion: Go for a walk. Have a snack. Read some comic books. Just find SOMETHING to do with that 100 minutes other than watching this dog of a movie.

The Fly (1986)
4 double helixes

It seems nowadays that Hollywood can barely come up with an original idea when you see the stunning number of remakes/sequels/adaptations that come out every year. But once in a while the student can be greater than the master. This David Cronenberg remake of a darn good 1958 black and white film is really good. The very impressive makeup and special effects keep you immersed in this story of a man doomed to a slow, horrible transformation after an experiment goes awry.

The Fourth Kind (2009)
2 alien probes

This movie really only has a couple of spine-tingling moments to offer. Unless you're a big fan of alien movies or you can't get enough of Milla Jovovich, you can skip this one.

Frankenstein (1931)
4 dismembered corpses

Who can forget the mad Dr. Frankenstein yelling "It's alive!" Although it's not very scary by modern standards, this is a horror classic. I love the fact that by the end of the movie you feel as much pity for the monster as for his victims.

Fright Night (1985)
3.5 dripping fangs

Fright Night was a breath of fresh air in the mid-80's when the horror genre was awash with "slasher films". I loved the performances in the movie including Chris Sarandon as the stately vampire, William Ragsdale as the normal kid who discovers a dark secret and, of course, Roddy McDowall as the late night horror movie host. This movie is a nice mix of humor and horror.

Fright Night Part 2 (1988)
3 dripping fangs

Ragsdale and McDowall reprise their roles from the original film well but I just didn't find part 2 quite as entertaining. It's worth a watch if you liked the first one.

The Frighteners (1996)
4 restless spirits

I knew "The Frighteners" starred Michael J. Fox so I was expecting it to be a silly comedy but it's not and it's a much better movie than I expected. It has good special effects for its time, nice acting, darkly humorous elements, and an engaging plot.

Gacy (2003)
2.5 buried bodies

I was really surprised at how boring this movie was. I'm sure the story of John Wayne Gacy's life was more interesting than this. The film gave very little background info about his youth and possible factors or motivation that turned him into a serial killer. It seemed like the whole movie was just Gacy schmoozing and then killing young men without trying very hard to conceal his actions with interludes of Gacy trying to get rid of the bad smell in his crawlspace.

The Gate (1986)
2 mini-demons

This movie about young kids accidentally opening up a portal in their back yard is not very good. I would have rated it even lower but the marauding gangs of knee-high claymation demons made me laugh.

Ghost Story (1981)
1 restless spirit

This movie was incredibly disappointing. The story is quite good, of course, because the movie is based on Peter Straub's very creepy novel of the same name. The film version though is very choppy with horribly dated, cheesy special effects. If I had seen this movie first I would never have read the book and that would have been a shame.

Grave Encounters (2011)
3 restless spirits

Let me start by saying that some people hate the entire "found footage" genre in which we discover the fate of the characters by watching their personally filmed movies. My wife can't do these films because the jerky motion of the hand-held cameras makes her sick. So if you hated the format of "The Blair Witch Project" or you get motion-sick, this movie is not for you. Personally, I enjoy this type of film and I think "Grave Encounters" is worth watching. It's not an original or complex plot, but it is fun and scary at times. Basically, we follow the exploits of a small TV crew who lock themselves in an old lunatic asylum to film an episode for their Ghost Hunter-type reality show. Of course, they end up experiencing a lot more than they bargained for. The tension builds steadily as the TV crew progresses from noticing small phenomena to eventually realizing they may be in serious trouble. Thankfully the film makers don't try to overwhelm the viewer with special effects but instead use effectively scary images at intervals to break up the tension with brief moments of terror.

The Grudge (2004)
2.5 cat boys

Adapted from a Japanese movie (see "Ju-On: The Grudge" reviewed below), "The Grudge" fooled me with its movie trailers more than any other movie. I was really expecting it to be great and it fell far short. Nothing was done to improve or augment the Japanese version. There is really no reason to watch this version instead of the original unless you like gazing at Sarah Michelle Gellar's face, which I admit is a decent draw.

From Hell (2001)
3.5 mutilated corpses

Johnny Depp is very good in this movie about the investigation into the Jack the Ripper murders. It's nice to see some familiar actors (Hagrid from Harry Potter and Bilbo Baggins from Lord of the Rings) in a different setting. The movie is dark and creepy without being overly gory. I was impressed by how well the film conveys the misery and hopelessness of the prostitutes living in poverty.

Halloween (2007)
3.5 smashed pumpkins

I was apprehensive about watching this remake of John Carpenter's 1978 film which is not just a classic horror film but an icon in the genre. I have to say that Rob Zombie did a nice job, especially with the more detailed back story showing Michael Myers' youth and Dr. Loomis when he was still trying to help Michael not kill him. The movie felt a little too long at the end but this is definitely worth a watch for those who enjoy slasher films.

H2: Halloween II (2009)
2 smashed pumpkins

Rob Zombie's "Halloween II" is a pretty big disappointment after the nice job he did on the 2007 remake of the original "Halloween". The unimaginative plot is not worthy of the classic Halloween franchise and by the end I was bored and really didn't care who lived or died.

Hannibal Rising (2007)
3 fava beans

"Hannibal Rising" is a pretty good stand-alone story exploring the childhood and psychological formation of the monster that is Hannibal Lecter. I thought Gaspard Ulliel did a fine job as the youthful Lecter.

The Happening (2008)
3 deadly epidemics

The movie is a little slow-moving and Zooey Deschanel seems to sleep-walk through the first half of it. However, as usual with M. Night Shyamalan, there are some genuinely creepy moments. I find that his films usually have striking visuals and this one is no exception. It just felt like it had the potential to be much better.

Hatchet (2006)
2 bloody axes

The synopsis of this movie is basically "clueless tourists flee from hatchet-wielding maniac in swamp". There is no real story line and the acting is terrible. This movie also has one of the most abrupt endings I have ever seen. On the plus side, the special effects are okay and there are brief cameos from horror icons Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger) and Tony Todd (The Candyman).

Hatchet II (2010)
2 bloody axes

I didn't really like "Hatchet" (see above review) but I had hope that "Hatchet 2" might be better. Bigger budgets for sequels can lead to better quality and according to the estimates on IMDB.com the budget was doubled from $1.5 million to $3 million for the second film. I think the gory 80's horror movie-style death scenes were better so the budget helped there but to me the acting was actually worse in the sequel. Hatchet 2 picks up at the exact moment that Hatchet ended (which does explain why the first movie ended so abruptly) but Danielle Harris took over the lead role and she was not very good. In fact most of the acting in Hatchet II was downright bad, even for a horror film. Most disappointing was the weak performance given by Tony Todd (of "Candyman" fame) whose small role in the first film was much expanded for the sequel. Since the acting was worse but the story and effects improved, I call it a tie! Both movies were equally lousy.

The Haunting of Molly Hartley (2008)
3 pentagrams

This is a decent low-budget supernatural thriller. The young, no-name cast did a nice job and I thought it was a good story. It's not very scary, though except for a few "made you jump" moments.

Heart of Midnight (1989)
3 creepy rooms

This is a very strange psychological thriller. Jennifer Jason Leigh gives a fine performance as a woman teetering on the edge of insanity and the supporting actors are a colorful cast of characters. There are some odd scenes that seem out of place with the rest of the movie but the story comes together nicely in a strong finish.

Hellraiser (1987)
3.5 otherworldly demons

I watched Hellraiser the first time back in 1987 when it came out. Watching it again as an adult, it was better than I remembered, with a sinister plot, freaky monsters, and excellent special effects (for the time). Clive Barker did a nice job directing his own material. Hellraiser exudes the same creepy atmosphere as Wes Craven's original Nightmare on Elm Street.

Hostel (2005)
3 circular saws

I know some folks loved this movie and I agree that the idea of being kidnapped and tortured for someone's amusement is terrifying. However, watching torture scenes makes me uncomfortable in a way that watching people get eaten by zombies does not so I really didn't have a great time with this movie.

Hostel: Part II (2007)
3 circular saws

It's been quite a while since I saw the first installment but I think this one was better overall. It showed both sides of the equation traveling on a collision course...the rich freaks willing to pay vast sums to murder someone and the unsuspecting college students on vacation who were to become their prey. There is not a ton of violence throughout the movie but a few scenes are exceptionally gory.

House (1986)
2.5 rubber suits

This 80's story about a man who inherits a house with monsters in the closet was more cheesy than I expected, particularly the terrible flashback Vietnam War scenes. However, I enjoyed the funny scenes with the neighbor played by George Wendt (Norm from the TV series "Cheers").

House of 1000 Corpses (2002)
2.5 bloody axes

Typical "group of young adults loses their way and end up in the clutches of backwoods maniacs" movie. While there were some scary moments, this movie is really nothing special.

House on Haunted Hill (1999)
3.5 restless spirits

It's been a while since I've seen the original Vincent Price film but I think this remake is just as good. It had a nice creepy atmosphere, a classic "survive the night in a haunted house" plot, interesting characters, and decent acting. I particularly liked Chris Kattan as the eccentric caretaker. The only weakness, surprisingly, was some sub-par special effects toward the end of the movie.

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
3.5 cosmic horrors

I really enjoyed this Lovecraftian offering from director John Carpenter. It has the feel of a good Stephen King story and is held back only by a few weak special effects (probably not that bad for 1994). Sam Neill does a fine job in the main role as an insurance investigator who denies the possibility of supernatural occurrences against all evidence. The rest of the cast is mediocre. My favorite scene is toward the beginning of the movie when Neill is drinking coffee in a diner completely unaware that an axe-wielding maniac is stalking across the street towards him, scattering passerby.

Jeepers Creepers (2001)
3.5 pilfered organs

This movie is very entertaining. It begins with a brother and sister witnessing the possible dumping of a body and progresses to the discovery that their suspect just may not be human.

Ju-On: The Grudge (2002)
3.5 cat boys

This is the original Japanese film upon which the American film "The Grudge" was based. Thankfully, the original is much better. I had some trouble following the story at times because of the large number of characters (all with unfamiliar Japanese names of course) and the non-chronological order of the scenes, but eventually I sorted things out. This is not a neat little story tied up with a bow. My favorite thing about "Ju-On: The Grudge" was the combination of unnerving sounds and startling images used to create fear and tension.

Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)
2.5 sticky webs

This is one of those horribly bad horror movies that is fun to watch and laugh at. I loved watching the incomparable William Shatner. In keeping with the quality of the film, it has an abrupt, terrible ending.

Laid to Rest (2009)
3 chrome masks

Okay the acting wasn't outstanding, especially the lead actress, Bobbi Sue Luther, but this was a pretty fun movie to watch. Yes, the characters make tremendously bad decisions with their lives on the line but isn't "Don't go in there, you idiot!!!" a traditional statement to make while watching a horror flick? On the plus side, this movie had a nice creepy atmosphere, a scary-looking relentless killer, and really impressive special effects. If you like realistic, gory effects, you'll want to check this out. While the plot and acting is average for a low-budget horror film, the special effects are on par with big movies like "Hostel".

Legion (2010)
2 hideous demons

The premise was pretty interesting and there were a couple of decent action scenes and creepy special effects. However, all of the time between action scenes was painful, with poor acting and really cheesy dialogue. I recommend you skip this one.

Living Death (2006)
1 slayer

It's getting harder and harder to find good horror films. This particular one is terrible. I know that Kristy Swanson has not had an award-winning, stellar career in film but I'm actually embarrassed for her to be in a film this bad. The movie is about greed, murder, and revenge but that makes it sound much better than it is.

The Machinist (2003)
3.5 sleepless nights

"The Machinist" is a very interesting psychological thriller that revolves around a man who has such terrible insomnia he has not been able to sleep for a year. Christian Bale is great as the insomniac and lost an alarming amount of weight to play the role.

The Mangler (1995)
1.5 severed limbs

"The Mangler" is yet another Stephen King story butchered by Hollywood (no pun intended). To be fair, the original story about a possessed laundry machine is only so-so, but this movie is just plain bad.

Manhunter (1986)
3.5 fava beans

Nicely done adaptation of the novel "The Red Dragon". It held my interest throughout with interesting characters (especially the serial killer) and decent acting. It's strange seeing someone other than Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter but Brian Cox did a pretty good job in a limited role. My favorite part was definitely the ending sequence which featured a tense confrontation while Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-De-Vida" is blasting the whole time. The rest of the music in the movie was rather dated 80's music and was slightly distracting.

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)
3 dismembered corpses

This Kenneth Branagh production is much more true to the original novel than the traditional Frankenstein films and it definitely has it moments. I think the best (and most dramatic) scene is when the monster interrupts Victor Frankenstein's honeymoon. A good version overall, nice acting, but some slow parts made the movie a little too long.

Mirrors (2008)
3 eerie reflections

Mirrors is a movie for folks who like creepy, atmospheric horror. There are a few gory scenes but the bulk of the special effects are really well-done, freaky things going on with the mirrors. The movie is somewhat like "The Ring" with the main character (Kiefer Sutherland) getting involved in violent supernatural happenings and then trying to track down the history behind them to save his family. When the mystery is solved, it ends up being a rather weak and disappointing story, but the ending action and final twist are still pretty good.

The Mist (2007)
3 mysterious shapes in the fog

I try not to get too excited about movie versions of Stephen King stories because I am so often disappointed. However, most of this film actually does justice to the King short story/novella with two very annoying exceptions: 1) The crazy homicidal old mystic from the story is portrayed as a crazy homicidal fundamentalist Christian (Hollywood definitely loves to bash Christians) and 2) the original King story was left open-ended and of all the possible endings to choose (including the uncertainty of the written story) the movie makers chose what had to be the cruelest, most unsatisfying ending they could come up with. If the movie had ended a few minutes earlier than it did, I would have rated it higher.

The Mothman Prophecies (2001)
3.5 mothmen

Setting aside the "based on true events" silliness, this was a pretty good, engaging supernatural thriller. There is a feeling of tension and suspense throughout the whole movie which conveys a cool, creepy vibe. The story line is a little disjointed at times and it's never really that clear exactly what happened but I enjoyed it. Fans of "The X Files" will feel right at home watching the movie.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
3.5 striped sweaters

If you like the original film made 26 (!) years earlier, then you should like this one. It retains most of the plot and the creepy atmosphere of the earlier version, especially during the dream sequences. I was prepared to dislike a new Freddy in comparison to Robert Englund but Jackie Earle Haley was terrific. The teenage targets and their parents were all decent and after a slow start, I thought Rooney Mara came into her own as the new "Nancy". Really the only negative for me was that the movie was so similar to the first one that there were no real surprises. Still, after all these years, the murder of Freddy Krueger and his return in dreams is a great story.

The Ninth Gate (1999)
3 unanswered questions

I enjoyed watching the bulk of this movie, which has a kind of "Davinci Code" feel to it but is a bit slower-moving. The big weakness of the movie is the ending. There is a gradual build-up through the whole movie promising a big finish but the end does not deliver either great excitement or a lot of information wrapping up all the questions. As the credits rolled, I was wondering what the heck happened. I went online to research the meaning of various clues in the movie and now I understand the ending. Post-viewing research really should not be a necessary part of watching a movie.

The Norliss Tapes (1973)
3 evil sculptures

There are a few moments where this made-for-TV movie is dated and unintentionally funny but overall I enjoyed it. The story is pretty good and I like the "film noir" type voiceover narration by the main character. The movie is not gory at all but has some decent thrills and chills at a 70's era level. I was a little distracted by the monster's blue skin and I don't know if that was a quirk of the makeup artists or degradation of the original film quality. One final note: the film ends very abruptly with a major unanswered question and a teaser for a sequel that apparently was never made.

Nosebleed (2008)
2 drops of blood

"Nosebleed" is a strange black and white short (only 9 minutes long) starring David Arquette. It had an Eraserhead feel to it and I really didn't get it or enjoy it.

Nothing But the Night AKA The Devil's Undead (1972)
1 sleepy viewer

It's surprising and disappointing that a film with two horror legends like Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing can be so bad. I forced myself to watch the first 45 minutes to give the movie a chance but I really wanted to turn it off after the first mind-numbingly boring half hour. I fast-forwarded and watched the final 15 minutes and the ending was much better than the beginning but not good enough to justify watching this movie.

The Number 23 (2007)
3 pet detectives

This movie about a man who becomes obsessed with a mysterious novel and, of course, the number 23 has a pretty interesting plot. Jim Carrey does a nice job in a semi-serious role but the movie's last 15 minutes felt like a limp to the finish line.

The Omen (1976)
3.5 scary birthday parties

For a movie filmed in 1976 I think it holds up exceptionally well. Nice acting, great music, scary moments..."The Omen" is a classic in the horror genre. I wonder how many people decided not to have kids after seeing this...

Pandorum (2009)
3 carnivorous beasts

"Pandorum" is an enjoyable, dark horror/sci-fi flick. It's a pretty interesting story which unfolds slowly as the astronauts recover their memories and discover things on the ship. The feel of the movie is like a mixture of "Alien" and "I Am Legend". Not a masterpiece but a fun watch if you like those types of movies.

Phantasm (1979)
3 silver balls

The positives for this movie are the excellent score that plays on your nerves (reminiscent of "Halloween"), the creepy atmosphere, a few scary moments and images, and a memorable ending. It's a rather strange movie overall. As is customary for B movies in the horror genre, it has pretty bad acting and a questionable plot. The movie is a bit dated at this point and has some '70-style freakishness to it. I would say it's worth watching if you are a lover of horror movies and enjoy seeing older ones, otherwise you will probably feel like you're wasting your time with this one.

Population 436 (2006)
3.5 mysterious towns

I love the premise of this movie which is that a worker from the Census Bureau is sent to a small town to find out why the town has reported the same number of residents for a 100 years. Some of the plot is predictable but this was a pretty enjoyable movie. I didn't know Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit acted but he was my favorite character in the movie.

Prom Night (2008)
1.5 barely bloody axes

I will give the filmmakers props for trying to make a scary film without resorting to explicit violence and gore. In fact I don't think I've ever seen a less gory "horror" film. Unfortunately, I don't think I've ever seen a more boring one, either. The plot of this movie was so basic and predictable that it could have been written by a high school student or perhaps a clever chimp.

Psycho II (1983)
3 straitjackets

No sequel could possibly measure up to the Hitchcock horror classic "Psycho" but "Psycho II", set 22 years after the events of the original, is surprisingly good. The plot twists kept me guessing right up to the last scene which delivers one last surprise for the road. If you are a fan of Norman Bates and his psychotic mother, this is well worth your time.

Ravenous (1999)
3 chunky meat stews

"Ravenous" is an independent film about cannibalism starring some pretty big-name actors including Guy Pearce, David Arquette, and an actor I loved in "Band of Brothers", Neal McDonough. The movie was interesting and at times disturbing but unfortunately the plot was not very believable.

Red Sands (2009)
1.5 carbine rifles

This horror follows a group of American soldiers in the desert fighting against a mysterious foe. There are not a lot of positive things to say about "Red Sands". I don't mind low-budget horror films as long as they are imaginative and have a good story. Unfortunately, the plot of this movie is predictable and, worst of all, boring. The costumes, sets, and regular special effects are alright but the CGI effects are horrendous and look like a cartoon added to live action ala "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" The acting is not terrible but is certainly not good enough to save this film.

Reeker (2005)
3.5 strange smells

"Reeker" is an entertaining indie horror flick about a mysterious monster stalking a group of young folks on a road trip. The first time I saw it I thought it was too slow-moving but I really liked the ending. When I watched it a second time, I caught a lot of things that I missed on the first viewing which increased my appreciation of the film.

The Ring (2002)
4 VCR tapes

Setting aside any comparisons to the original Japanese version "Ringu", which I have not seen, I like "The Ring" because it is downright scary. In addition to creepy imagery, there are some real surprises that occur. Although other movies have tried to simulate the same effect, this is the first place I saw the weird jerky approach with sudden jumps forward employed by the monster. It still creeps me out.

Room of Death AKA La Chambre Des Morts (2007)
4.5 eerie dolls

If you can stand reading sub-titles (or you speak French) don't miss this excellent murder thriller. Elements of this film remind me of "Silence of the Lambs" (purposefully I'm guessing because that novel is glimpsed briefly in a scene). There is a young, unproven, female profiler new to her department, a ritualistic murder to solve, and a kidnapping victim with a limited life span. There are also very well-acted, complex characters and some unexpected twists. I was extremely impressed by the film.

The Ruins (2008)
2.5 secluded temples

This story is about a group of tourists who journey to visit a Mayan temple off of the beaten path and end up fighting for their lives. I really enjoyed reading the book version and I thought the movie previews looked great, but I was fooled. More gory than scary, this movie was disappointing. It did not capture the great atmosphere of the book.

Saw (2004)
4 deadly puzzles

I watched this movie expecting to just see a bunch of blood and gore but no real story. I was very wrong. While there is plenty of carnage, the plot is actually complex and, at times, brilliant. We are witness to the deadly games put on by the killer, Jigsaw, who tries to force his victims to make horrible choices to survive.

Shriek if You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th (2000)
1.5 bad jokes

I know that you love to watch slasher movies so a parody of a slasher movie would be great, right? Uhhh...unless you just HAVE to see every spoof movie that comes out, skip this one. Most of the jokes are very obvious and unfunny.

Shutter (2008)
2.5 ruined photos

The last part of the movie was slightly interesting but the first 80% was boring and none of it was scary.

Shutter Island (2010)
3.5 straitjackets

"Shutter Island" is an interesting and entertaining psychological thriller/horror set at a maximum security psychiatric hospital on an island. The story line stayed faithful to the book, which was excellent, and the cast was solid across the board.

Slash (2002)
3 bloody axes

I thought it was great that the makers of this movie decided to keep it simple and call it "Slash". No pretenses there! The story involves a rock band getting stranded on a farm and trying to avoid being sliced and diced by a psychotic killer. Because I kept my expectations low, I actually enjoyed the film. It's a basic, low-budget slasher. There are no really scary moments and not much gore for this genre but the ending is actually pretty good.

Southern Comfort (1981)
3.5 muddy swamps

The tension is maintained very well in this thriller, helped along by the rather eerie soundtrack reminiscent of movies in the 70's. The ending is particularly well done and very tense right up to the last moment. The story is about a squad of weekend warriors (Army National Guardsmen) on a training exercise in the Louisiana bayou. They accidentally cross some of the Cajun locals and start a mini-war. Unfortunately for the soldiers they are equipped with blank rounds in their rifles and the bayou residents prefer to use live ammunition. While the cast doesn't have any big stars, Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe, and Peter Coyote head a solid group of actors.

Spirit Trap (2005)
3 restless spirits

There is nothing new in this movie (several strangers brought together in a haunted house, a mysterious padlocked door, the discovery of an ancient weatherbeaten journal, etc.) but the formula was executed well resulting in a pretty enjoyable movie. I thought the acting was quite good and there was a lot more atmospheric tension and suspense than gore.

Stir of Echoes (1999)
3 straitjackets

This was a decent supernatural thriller. Some of the plot was predictable but Kevin Bacon does a nice job playing a man teetering on the edge of sanity.

Suspiria (1977)
3.5 flying broomsticks

I've wanted to check out some of director Dario Argento's horror flicks for a while now and Suspiria is the first one I've seen. I picked it because it is well known among horror aficionados and often listed by publications as being among the greatest horror films of all time. The plot is very simple and bare bones but not a bad story overall. The acting was generally alright with some of the over-the-top performances you would expect in a 70's horror film. What makes this movie stand out for me are the vivid imagery (bold colors / use of shadows / exotic camera angles) and the intense, eerie score performed by Italian rock band Goblin. I enjoyed the unique visuals but at times the score was so loud and discordant that it surpassed "tension-inducing" and became downright irritating. Suspiria is definitely worth watching if you enjoy classical horror and I plan to watch some more Argento movies to see how they stack up in comparison.

La Terza Madre AKA Mother of Tears: The Third Mother (2007)
2 flying broomsticks

It's hard to believe that this is the final installment in the trilogy that Dario Argento started with the great "Suspiria". There is no reason to watch this other than just wanting to see the end of the trilogy for completeness. It has some decent gore but no tension or suspense. Feel free to watch this film if you want to see old horror movie cliches, strange witches with moussed-up hair, and a really bad performance by the leading actress, Asia Argento.

Theater of Blood AKA Theatre of Blood: Much Ado About Murder (1973)
3.5 gruesome murders

If you can suspend your disbelief to get past a plot with some holes, this is a fun 70's horror flick. Vincent Price is terrific as the scorned actor out to gain revenge on theater critics and there are some really spectacular murder scenes. There is a lot of gore but it's mostly done in a darkly humorous manner.

The Thirst (2006)
2 dripping fangs

"The Thirst" is a modern vampire flick and it had some decent (and exceptionally gory) special effects. However the story was convoluted, the editing was choppy, and the acting was sub-par.

Twilight (2008)
3 sparkly albinos

This movie wasn't great but at least it was faster paced than the book. I was very disappointed in the quality of the special effects since the movie version was so highly anticipated. The acting was hit and miss.

UKM: The Ultimate Killing Machine (2006)
1 universal soldier

This movie about men being subjected to some strange medical experimentation doesn't have the excuse of being low budget because it has nice sets, mostly good special effects and a respectable actor in Michael Madsen. However, the plot is bad, the dialogue is bad and the acting (including Madsen) is bad. I used it as something to watch while I ran on the treadmill and that is about all it is worth.

Underworld (2003)
4 dripping fangs

Vampires. Werewolves. Cool cinematography. Driving heavy metal tunes. Interesting plot with a back story that goes back to the very creation of the two predatory races. Kate Beckinsale in a leather jumpsuit wielding high-calibre weapons. Supernatural action flicks don't get much better.

Underworld: Evolution (2006)
3.5 dripping fangs

The first time I saw "Underworld: Evolution", my enjoyment was limited because I really had trouble following the plot and understanding who all the characters were and how they were related. When I watched it again, everything clicked. With some great action scenes, I thought the movie was almost as good as the original. Kate Beckinsale was terrific again as the vampire Selene and Scott Speedman was solid as the vampire/lycan hybrid Michael Corvin. Tony Curran was nothing special in the scenes where he was in human form but his character, the vampire elder Marcus, was much more powerful and terrifying than the vampire elder Viktor from the first "Underworld". There is a little bit more gore in this movie, but if you liked "Underworld", I think you will enjoy this sequel.

Underworld: The Rise of the Lycans (2009)
3 dripping fangs

Michael Sheen does an excellent job as Lucian and is really the star of the movie. I wasn't as impressed with Rhona Mitra, who plays the strong female lead (Sonja) in lieu of Kate Beckinsale as Selene since Selene has not been born yet in this prequel. Mitra looks a little like Beckinsale (which is fair since it was stated in the first Underworld movie that Victor spared Selene's life because of her resemblance to his long-lost daughter Sonja) and tries to act like her but doesn't really pull it off. I hate to be picky about appearance but I found Mitra's apparently artificially inflated upper lip to be very distracting in the movie. I saw a few minutes of another of Mitra's movies and her lips had a normal appearance. The rest of the cast was just okay. Some of the effects were really good but some of the CGI, especially some early shots of a pack of lycans, looked fake. This movie really didn't add much to the ill-fated love story between the lycan Lucian and the vampire Sonja that was already told as part of the first movie. Sadly, there were no new surprises. I didn't hate the movie because I enjoy the Underworld characters and story but it was my least favorite in the series.

The Undying Monster (The Hammond Mystery) (1942)
2 foggy moors

This movie about a Welsh family suffering from a curse had potential but it fell short. Some of the acting was too melodramatic and the scenes with the monster were brief and unexciting.

Vacancy (2007)
4 mints on the pillow

This fast-moving thriller about a husband and wife who end up making a very bad choice for their lodging kept me interested to the end. Married couples will probably identify with the bitterly sarcastic dialogue between the couple when we first meet them. However, petty arguments are soon set aside as the realization sets in that their lives are in danger. Bonus: the beautiful Kate Beckinsale plays the wife.

The Vault of Horror (Tales from the Crypt, Part II) (1973)
3 dripping fangs

This movie is adapted from stories from pulp magazines like "Tales From The Crypt". The special effects are terrible but I actually enjoyed the stories. Good old fashioned British horror.

We Are the Night AKA Wir sind die Nacht (2010)
3 dripping fangs

This is a German movie about a group of female vampires who decide to recruit a new member. The atmosphere of the movie is very cool and it has a few really good action scenes. The film is not very gory as horror movies go. One of the female vampires looks like an even hotter version of American race car driver Danica Patrick so that's a positive! The only big downside for me was that instead of English subtitles the movie was dubbed in English and I didn't really like the voice actors they used. Some of the voices were so bad that they were distracting. But if you are a vampire fan, I think it's a fun watch.

The Wicker Man (1973)
3 naked hippies

The story line for this original is better than the 2006 remake. The acting is pretty good and the creepy atmosphere is very effective. I would have rated this movie higher except for two things - 1) The 60's-style flower child music throughout is distracting and annoying and 2) watching Christopher Lee, the great Dracula, prancing around in a dress and wig for a strange religious ritual was both disturbing and comical.

The Wicker Man (2006)
2 wicked women

The tale of a police officer going to a remote island to search for a missing child had some creepy moments but overall was very disappointing. The highlight of the movie was Nicholas Cage punching some women in the face. Seriously.

Wolf (1994)
3 full moons

I didn't know what to expect from Jack Nicholson in this role but I was pleasantly surprised at how well he did. This is a pretty enjoyable werewolf movie but there is not much action until the end. One negative is how obvious it was when Nicholson's stunt man stepped in for running and jumping scenes.

The Wolf Man (1941)
4 full moons

This has always been my favorite of the classic Universal horror films of the 30's and 40's. Lon Chaney Jr. is the tragic character Larry Talbot, who returns to his home town after 18 years only to become cursed after a bite from a wolf. Great story!

The Wolfman (2010)
3 full moons

There are a few nods to the 1941 Universal Pictures "The Wolf Man" including the similar appearance of the werewolf and the name of the protagonist, Lawrence Talbot (Larry Talbot in the original). The overall plot, however, is very different and drags for the first part of the movie. The pace of the movie picks up (and the fun really starts) the first time that Lawrence transforms.

[goodcop2000]

After my original post with 75 movies I've added the following 25 movies to the list:

1408 (2007)
30 Days of Night (2007)
Black Christmas (2006)
Dead Mary (2006)
Devour (2005)
The Fly (1986)
Gacy (2003)
Ghost Story (1981)
Hostel (2005)
Hostel: Part II (2007)
Living Death (2006)
Manhunter (1986)
The Mothman Prophecies (2001)
The Ninth Gate (1999)
Nothing But the Night AKA The Devil's Undead (1972)
Population 436 (2006)
Prom Night (2008)
The Ruins (2008)
Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th (2000)
Slash (2002)
Spirit Trap (2005)
Stir of Echoes (1999)
UKM: The Ultimate Killing Machine (2006)
The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man (2006)

[samuraitrev]

Great work sir you're a machine.

[goodcop2000]

(05-08-2012 12:08 AM)samuraitrev Wrote:  Great work sir you're a machine.

Thanks, samurai. I'm glad somebody is reading! If a person reviews movies in the forest and nobody reads them....

One thing that making this list has shown me is how many hours of my life have been spent watching horror films! I've still got 25 to 50 movies to add to the list and probably another 100 that I watched so long ago that I've forgotten too much to review them. Crazy.

[goodcop2000]

10 more movies have been added to the list:

Cutting Class (1989)
The Dead Zone (1983)
Disturbing Behavior (1998)
The Frighteners (1996)
The Gate (1986)
The Mangler (1995)
The Mist (2007)
The Number 23 (2007)
Ravenous (1999)
Vacancy (2007)

[goodcop2000]

10 more movies have been added to the list:

The Descent (2005)
Dog Soldiers (2002)
The Grudge (2004)
House (1986)
Jeepers Creepers (2001)
Ju-On: The Grudge (2002)
The Machinist (2003)
The Ring (2002)
Saw (2004)
We Are the Night AKA Wir sind die Nacht (2010)

[samuraitrev]

I think you've got all of those reviews spot on you are shaping up to be a very reliable source for celluloid gore hounds. Your reviews are informed and interesting.

I personally loved The Descent my advice is watch it again you will then know every character (they are quite complex) and the plot deserves another visit (the freindship dynamic, histories and conflict). Please don't think I'm being patronising I'm sure you 'got it'. I'm just saying it's definitely a better film 2nd time around. A dark room, alone with surround sound helps too. I would give it 5 stars and I would say it's one of the best horror films I've ever seen. This probably helped by reading one of Lovecraft's early tales titled The Thing in the Cave when I was young. Scarred. for. life.

Dog Soldiers and The Descent were made by the same director.

Don't watch The Descent 2 it was a major disappointment for me.

Thanks for these reviews keep going sir!

[goodcop2000]

(05-12-2012 12:36 PM)samuraitrev Wrote:  I think you've got all of those reviews spot on you are shaping up to be a very reliable source for celluloid gore hounds. Your reviews are informed and interesting.

I personally loved The Descent my advice is watch it again you will then know every character (they are quite complex) and the plot deserves another visit (the freindship dynamic, histories and conflict). Please don't think I'm being patronising I'm sure you 'got it'. I'm just saying it's definitely a better film 2nd time around. A dark room, alone with surround sound helps too. I would give it 5 stars and I would say it's one of the best horror films I've ever seen. This probably helped by reading one of Lovecraft's early tales titled The Thing in the Cave when I was young. Scarred. for. life.

Dog Soldiers and The Descent were made by the same director.

Don't watch The Descent 2 it was a major disappointment for me.

Thanks for these reviews keep going sir!

Thanks for the feedback, samurai. Don't worry about me taking offense to any commentary - I'm no professional just a movie lover with opinions. I know exactly what you mean about a 2nd watch - I've had my opinion change pretty drastically on movies when I watch them a second time. And I would definitely watch the descent again - the tension in the darkness was awesome.