Tuesday 29 October 2013

Movies to watch before Halloween - Final Part!

Before I present my choice of films I'd want to watch in a Halloween Triple-Bill, I'll give a few honourable mentions for films which I could have included amongst the others I've suggested this month:

Se7en (1995)- Autumnal, but perhaps a bit too bleak, it's still a classic Horror/Thriller, best known for that gut-punch ending (which, when I saw it at the time of release, made me want to do that to the writer if I were ever to meet him!) (The gut punch, that is, not cut off his head and put it in a box!)

The Blair Witch Project (1999) - found footage has been so overdone the last few years that the impact of this film has diminished, but watched at night in the dark it still can deliver the chills!

Scream (1996) - whilst I enjoy films which poke fun at genre conventions, I think this one does it a bit too much for my liking, hence I didn't include it in my list.  However this film had a tremendous affect when it came out, and is still - rightly so - highly regarded.

Saw (2004) - whilst you could fairly blame this for kicking off the torture-porn fad of the last decade, it's easy to over-look that this plays out as a well-told mystery - and isn't as gory as people remember; it actually holds back from showing a lot of the gory details!  I think the continual sequels have devalued this film, but in a few years people will look back at this as a genre classic, much like other Horror franchises marred by countless inferior sequels (e.g. Halloween, Friday 13th, Nightmare, etc.)

I'm sure there are loads more I could have included - perhaps I'll do another list next Halloween?  Anyway, without further ado, here's my choice for a Halloween Triple-Bill - in running order, no less!

Donnie Darko (2001)


As I previously posted, when I was a kid Halloween was more about the anticipation, the build up to the night, more than the actual holiday.  If I had to pick out one film which I feel reflects that it would be this one.  The atmosphere, the underlying weirdness, just captures the feelings I'd get looking at all the Halloween decorations for sale in the shops, which fuelled my anticipation and excitement about what the night would bring!  Aside from the fact that Halloween is a prominent date in the movie's plot (it is, of course, the date the world will end!), in a lot of respects it doesn't seem like a logical choice to be on here.  In its own right it is a brilliant film, if hard to categorise: is it a sci-fi? A super-hero story? A religious allegory? Or is it simply a drama about how your teenage years can at times really, really suck?  It's all of those, of course, and more.  I've chosen this as the first film I'd watch in my Halloween Triple Bill because of the atmosphere and how it captures the build-up and anticipation to Halloween.


The Shining (1980)


Enough superlatives have been thrown in the direction of this masterpiece without me adding to them, but I think this remains possibly the most chilling ghost-story put on film (and that's not just because of the wintry setting - that's right, not 'Autumnal', for a change!).  I have included this in my Halloween 'Triple-Bill' because I think there should be at least one very serious horror; 'The Shining' is without doubt exemplary in this respect - there's levels of psychological horror (Jack's mental decline, the implied abuse of his wife and son), visual horror (The Twins, The Woman in the Bath), atmospherics (the implied menace of the empty, labyrinthine hotel; the elevator of blood), and tension & shocks ("Herrrrrre's Johnny!" Dick Halloran's death).  I think you'd be hard pushed to find a more perfect ghost story and horror film to spook you and give you chills on Halloween night!


Re-animator (1985)


After the intensity of 'The Shining', to finish off my triple bill I decided to lighten the mood (slightly!) I decided to go for some ghoulish fun - there are a number of films I could have chosen (some are in this list!), but ultimately I plumped for this one.  It has a black, slightly sick sense of humour (be-headings AND cunnilingus all in one scene?!?), but it is archetypal of horror films of its era.  When it gets gruesome, it is with a wild, infectious sense of glee, so you know this is for laughs as much as it's intended to creep you out.  I figure what better way to bring Halloween night to a close but with something that will leave you cackling with maniacal laughter at the end..?


Well, these are my choices, I'll be very surprised if anyone else would have chosen the same three movies.  Ironically, I won't be watching any of these films this Halloween as I'll be away on holiday with my family.  But if you choose to watch some suitable movies on Halloween night, I hope you have a creepy, ghoulish, scary, fun evening!

Thursday 24 October 2013

Movies to watch before Halloween - Part 4

Here's the penultimate part of this series, before I reveal my ideal Halloween night 'Triple-Bill' next week!



Shutter Island (2010)


Films in which Leonardo Dicaprio plays someone who may (or may not) be losing their mind were like buses in 2010 - in the same year he did this, and 'Inception'..!  Joking aside, this is, despite its bleak story and harrowing revelations, a joy to watch - it is beautifully and evocatively shot, every performance is excellent, and the story just draws you in.  For me, this is one of those films that if you happen upon it while flicking through the channels on TV, it doesn't matter how far along it is, I have to watch it.  With its stormy, wind-swept setting, this is another of those films which really feels autumnal, so to me it is very much at home in this list of films to be watching right now.


A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)


I feel sorry anybody of the current generation who's first exposure to Freddie Kruger was via 2010's utterly forgettable remake; having said that, there was a point in the late 1980's/early 1990's where Freddie had become more of a jokey anti-hero.  But in the original 1985 movie, it's easy to see why he became an instant icon of horror: a terrifying, indefatigable, and nigh in-escapable character - with a wicked and sadistic sense of humour to boot.  Although this movie established some genre formula which the director, Wes Craven, would go on to poke fun at with the 'Scream' films, here there is a gleeful brutality to the deaths which mean their impact isn't diminished.  I use that word 'gleeful' deliberately - although this film succeeds in being an effectively scary horror movie, it is also a ton of fun, and it knows it - it really demonstrates how the '80's were a heyday for horror movies which could entertain as well as frighten you!


Halloween (1978)


I'm sure that quite a few people would wonder why I've not included this in my final 'Halloween-night Triple Bill'; obviously, it is an auto-include on any list of films to watch in the run-up to Halloween.  And deservedly so - not just because it is synonymous with the holiday (well, duh!), but because of what a bench-mark it is in the horror genre: there were 'slasher' movies before this, but until this film none had the impact that this did.  The funny thing I find when watching this movie now is that it's pretty clear that it wasn't filmed around the time of year when it's set: all the trees are still covered in a lush, green spread of leaves - so it's not really one to include in this list because of an 'Autumnal' feel!  Despite the fact this is a tremendous film, I've not included it in my 'final three' because I've chosen another classic horror, which like this one plays the scares seriously, and is also a high bench mark for the genre.


Slither (2006)


This movie is a loving, big-budget tribute to the grimy, gruesome, yet gleefully fun b-movie shlockers which were a staple of '80's video rental stores.  The cast are clearly enjoying this - from Michael Rooker's alien-infected Grant Grant (yes, really!), Nathan Fillion's heroic Sheriff, to the under-appreciated Elizabeth Banks as the tenacious damsel-in-distress Starla, all play it at just the right level to make the jumps shocking, the horror gruesome, and - above all - the humour just the right side of parody.  The balance of horror and tongue-in-cheek, slightly black comedy is spot on in this film - it's not necessarily the most frightening horror film, but it certainly is one of the most fun of the last decade.  Halloween is about having fun after all, so that's why 'Slither' is in this list.


Well, that's it for this week - more to come in the last few days before Halloween is actually upon us, thanks for reading!

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Movies to watch before Halloween - Part 3


Here's the next selection... enjoy!

Dawn of the Dead (1979)


Much has been written about the original Dawn of the Dead - it pretty much is the 'Citizen Kane' of Zombie movies, the zombie movie by which all others are judged.  Sure, the make-up and special effects haven't aged well, even in comparison with Romero's other Zombie movies from that era.  But this film feels such an epic journey, as it sweeps from the horror of the rising Zombies and the crumbling of society, through to a flight to safety, and an action packed adventure to maintain that safety; before turning again to pose more existential questions, eventually and inevitably becoming a battle for survival against the worst of humanity's destructive traits.  The mix of satire and existential reflection are at their strongest in this take on the genre.  Whilst this film feels more wintry than Autumnal (it was clearly shot in the depths of winter), the fact that this is THE Zombie Epic makes it one of those films to curl up on the couch on a chilly Autumn afternoon or evening, and lose yourself in - so I think it feels at home in this list.


Shaun of the Dead (2004)


What a lot of people often don't appreciate about 'Shaun' is that it is a PROPER Zombie movie; perhaps because it IS so good a comedy (possibly the best British comedy of the last decade), a few have taken it as a parody of the genre.  But this is not the case - 'Shaun' has, like 'Dawn', key elements of satire (the scene where Shaun walks to the newsagent, oblivious to the apocalypse taking place around him, completely nails the apathy of many 20/30-somethings at that time) and existential contemplation (despite the efforts of his girlfriend and her friends, Shaun can't seem to see there's more to life than going to the pub every night..!) are vital elements to the film.  That, and dismemberment by Zombies... It might seem like a slight to either of these films that I've put them side by side, but I think in the run-up to Halloween these are great together - giving you the best of Zombie movies, and 'Shaun's comedy offering relief and release after the moodiness and intensity of 'Dawn'.


Hocus Pocus (1993)


I just missed out on being part of the generation for whom this film is probably a big part of Halloween by a handful of years, but I can see how much fun they'd have had with this as kids.  With all the horror films people can tend to watch in the run up to Halloween it's easy to forget that it's a holiday that kids are meant to have the most fun with (in fact, I think it's unusual for anyone who enjoys Halloween to NOT have had this start in their child-hood).  I think this is a fun film to watch with your children if they're getting excited about dressing up and going Trick or Treating, so that's why it's in this list alongside some films which are as far as you can get from being kid-friendly!


The Sixth Sense (1999)


It's a shame that this film has now become a by-word for denigrating the career of someone who was at one time a very promising director.  However, if you're willing to forget the baggage of much of Shyamalan's work over the last 10 years, this is still an affecting and atmospheric piece of work.  It is a classic ghost story, but it is also a touching and heart-felt portrayal of the relationship between a single mother and her son.  It's also laden with seasonal atmosphere, with many shots and scenes lined by trees in the throws of the autumnal change, and leaves being swept along streets by rising winds.


The countdown to Halloween continues next week, look out for some more movie suggestions then!

Tuesday 8 October 2013

Movies to watch before Halloween - Part 2

So, here we are, the next of the choices for my list of films to watch during the run-up to Halloween.  I must admit every time I think I've finished it I either think of something else, or someone suggests another!  Because of this I'm now going to be including 4 films each week, instead of three (which was my initial intention).  Anyway, the films:

Dracula (1958)


I suppose it depends what generation you're from will affect which actor is, for you, the definitive take on Vampires - especially the most iconic of all, Count Dracula.  For me, that position belongs to Christopher Lee and his first performance in the role in the 1958 Hammer Horror Film.  I think this was one of the first horror films I managed to watch all the way through as a kid - certainly the first Dracula/Vampire film, at about the age of 9 or 10.  Watching it in the 1980's, time had certainly softened the edges of this one, which no doubt creeped a lot of people out upon its original release (but such is horror - what's considered shocking and terrifying one decade is seen as a joke the next).  It's easy to forget that, since the advent of romantic, sparkly vampires (sorry Mr Whedon, but you've got to take some responsibility for that nonsense...), Dracula was once an imposing and fear-inducing character.  For me, the one performance which truly lives up to that Christopher Lee in this film - he is completely menacing, and when he has his victims cornered, the way in which he slowly terrorizes and subjugates them creates scenes of great tension.  Aside from this, I've included 'Dracula' in this list of seasonal films because I think you need a touch of the Gothic when it comes to Halloween - and it's not complete without at least one Vampire!


Ghostbusters (1984)


"But wait!" I hear you cry! "This isn't a Halloween set/related film, and neither does it have an Autumnal feel (alright, some scenes do...)!  What's it doing here?"  Well, quite simply, I think this film fueled my interest in all things ghostly as a kid, which in turn fed in to decorating the house to be like a haunted house at Halloween (my Dad still enjoys reminding me of how much of the paint work I destroyed with this spray-on cobweb stuff!).  I even went Trick or Treating dressed as a Ghostbuster when I was about 11!  Halloween is not just about scares, it's about having fun, and this film is a comedy which has well and truly stood the test of time - there are jokes in it which I didn't get until I was much older.  It's got spooks and jumps but it's got great laughs - that's why I've included it in my list.


The American Scream (2012)


If you're planning on having a Halloween party and want to decorate your house up for it, then trust me, you want to see this documentary!  It focuses on three families in the US town of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, who every year spend a lot of time and effort to make their homes and gardens in to 'Haunts' - like a fairground haunted house, full of rooms of ghoulish and macabre scenes where you just know something (usually someone in a costume!) is going to jump out at you.  It's an amusing, and at times actually touching, portrayal of the varying degrees of obsession which drives these people (usually with their understanding wives and families!) to put on these.  If it doesn't get you in the mood for putting up Halloween decorations then I don't know what will..!  It certainly reminded me of how excited I used to get about Halloween as a kid.


The Exorcist (1973)



It's easy to forget the impact this film had, as there have been some bloody, traumatic and disturbing horrors released in the four decades since this was first unleashed on an unsuspecting world.  But despite the fact that so much of this film's shocks have permeated in to popular culture, there is still this incredible sense of disquieting and unsettling menace which seethes throughout it.  Something that still stands out is the sound design - it's as though everything is attuned to make even the smallest pin drop sound like a jarring cacophony; that's before you even get to the daemonic, possessed voices.  Aside from the fact it is a bench-mark Horror Film, I've decided I can put it in this list because there's a scene early in the film which features Trick or Treaters!


Right, that's it for this week, more next week...

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Movies to watch before Halloween - Part 1

Three posts so far this week - that's already more than the whole of last month! Ha!

Oh look, a seasonally related picture...

Well it's October - Halloween is on its way, and before you know it we'll be at Christmas and the New Year again already!  As a kid I used to love Halloween, I loved getting dressed up and going Trick or Treating, and decorating the house (much to my parent's displeasure!).  When I was really young part of the appeal was a strange fascination I had with ghosts and the Paranormal; I'm more cynical now but as a kid part of me really wanted to see a ghost (though it would have probably made me soil myself!), and I thought (for whatever reason) I was more likely to do so on Halloween.  Like Christmas to a certain extent, Halloween is one of those occasions which is more about the anticipation and build-up - only at Christmas you've still got all your presents to enjoy, Boxing Day, New Years...  I always felt that Halloween was anti-climactic, come the 1st of November I'd always feel let down - especially if I was hoping to see a ghost!

Having said that, I still enjoy the build-up to Halloween, and I'm someone who actually likes Autumn.  There's just an atmosphere about this time of year I can't quite put in to words, as the leaves begin to fall from the trees and the nights draw in; it makes me want to start cosying up at home with the heating on and watching a good film on TV!  Seeing as Halloween is all about ghoulish fun of getting dressed up as ghosts, vampires, zombies, witches, it goes without saying there's a strong association with Horror Movies - so it's unsurprising that I do tend fancy watching a few of those this time of year!

With all of this in mind, over the coming weeks leading up to Halloween I've decided to post suggestions of ideal films to watch this time of year.  Mostly they're horrors, but there are some other genres represented, too.  Finally, on (or somewhere before) the day itself, I'll suggest a solid triple bill to watch if you're planning on having a night in with some good movies...

Here are my first choices:

The Ring (2002)



I think a lot of people were surprised at how well this re-make stood up against the Japanese original, 'Ringu' (I must admit I've never seen it, but did manage to have the ending spoiled for me by a Channel 4documentary a few years ago!).  From what I've seen of that however, I think this film stands on its own in terms of the visual style employed by Director Gore Verbinski.  This film feels gloomy and - yes! - Autumnal, helping to add to the sense of impending doom as Naomi Watt's journalist investigates the cursed tape.  It's not just about horror and gloom, there is also a sense of tragedy and sadness as the plot progresses.  Some people have found this film so frightening that it has given them sleepless nights - it makes me want to curl up on my settee in a warm room, perversely!  The autumnal visuals, the atmosphere and horror trappings for me make this a great film to watch during October.


Coraline (2009) / Paranorman (2012)



Two fantastic animated movies from the incredibly talented people at Laika studios, these two 'family friendly' films remind us that children are able to tolerate stories which do go to some dark places.  Only 'Paranorman' actually has a clear link to Halloween, as the holiday is a prominent plot point, but both are shot through with Autumnal atmosphere - Coraline with its ever-present gloomy weather and slowly unfolding sense of doom, while Paranorman perfectly portrays the turning of season with golden leaves falling from skeletal trees (as well as the appropriate Halloween decorations!).  Coraline is something of a classic children's film, whilst Paranorman is clearly the work of people who grew up during the 1980's looking back and paying tribute to the films which were a staple of everyone's childhood during that decade: kids' flicks like 'The Goonies', supernatural comedies like 'Ghostbusters', and low budget horror shlockers with gory effects.  If you wanted to make a Halloween triple-bill you could watch with your kids, then I'd say these are essential viewing!


Silence of the Lambs (1990)



Obviously, it is well acknowledged how great this classic film is, and it clearly strides confidently across a number of genres - thriller, mystery, horror, drama - all of which it feels at home in.  This, for me, is a great film to watch in October, not only for its story and subject matter, but again it's a film which 'feels' Autumnal due to the way it's shot (again, it feels like the weather is permanently overcast and gloomy), which adds to the atmosphere.  Again, it's a film which (perversely) I enjoy most when curled up on the couch with a hot drink, on a chilly, overcast afternoon; when the weather starts turning this time of year though, it feels like the best place to be!


I'll be posting some more suggestions of movies to watch this time of year next week.  In the meantime, please comment any suggestions or comments about my choices so far!

Tuesday 1 October 2013

Movie Review: 'Prisoners' - The one that got away...




If you're a parent, child abduction is an uncomfortable subject to be presented with in almost any medium; it's certainly something I wouldn't wish upon anyone.  Having said that, I do believe that there is room for a serious film to use this as a subject by which to ask deep questions about human nature, and to examine how individuals react under extreme circumstances such as this.

'Prisoners' casts Hugh Jackman, Maria Bello, Terence Howard and Viola Davis as the parents of two girls who are abducted, at the suspected hands of Paul Dano; Jake Gyllenhaal plays the Detective investigating the case.  If you've seen the trailer, you'll be familiar with the set up, and it seems as though the intention of this film - which has Jackman's character kidnap, imprison and torture Dano's suspect character under the belief he knows where the girls are - is to carry out the sort of exploration of human behaviour I describe above.

Sadly, if 'Prisoners' was trying to do this, it fails by falling in to being a pretty standard procedural/mystery thriller.  By the time it reaches its conclusion you can't help but feel that if the makers had concentrated on being one or the other, and hadn't pulled their punches at a couple of points, this could have been more successful either as a thriller OR as a character-driven drama.

It's not for the want of trying - the performances are on the whole solid, with Jackman providing the drive and intensity you'd expect from the man who will always be identified with Wolverine; Dano, often cast as a bit of a weirdo, manages to elicit no small amount of sympathy for his portrayal of a damaged young man with a child's IQ.  Other than that, the rest of the cast feels a little under used.  There is one major stand-out however - Jake Gyllenhaal's superb performance as Detective Loki, a twitchy, haunted man - haunted by what is never made clear, as his back-story is never really expanded.  But Gyllenhaal's acting performance elevates what might have been a clichéd character in to the film's strongest asset.  Don't be surprised to see his name at awards nominations in the coming months.

I had anticipated that this film would either leave me feeling frustrated or underwhelmed - as the story ploughs in to typical mystery/thriller territory, I had a feeling that it would not deliver something as dark and thought-provoking as the trailer suggested.  The cinematography helps to maintain a suitably gloomy tone, and there are some attempts at establishing some iconography and imagery to build on the mystery - however this simply helps to pull things away from drama in to straightforward thriller territory.  There's also some pretty tactless stabs at some sort of commentary on post-War on Terror America - these don't have the impact you'd expect simply because they're not exactly subtle, and they're also over-shadowed by the film's plot.  It's clear that the intention of the writers, and of director Denis Villeneuve, was to make a very serious drama - sadly it seems to pull away from them in a direction they possibly weren't quite aiming for.

For those reasons I would say that this film is ultimately a bit of a missed opportunity - if you're in the mood for a twisty thriller, then this will most likely be a compelling distraction for the 2 1/2 hour run time; but in terms of a more serious drama, this isn't your best bet so far this year.