  |
 Severin's 2016 Horror Movie Countdown, The Countdown Begins |
| Track this thread | Email this thread | Print this thread | Download this thread | Subscribe to this forum |
 25th February 2017, 04:29 PM
Post
#21
|
|
 Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872 
      |
#19 The Shallows
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra I've used a bit of license here because for me, The Shallows isn't really a Horror film. More of a Thriller. Much like that other (obvious/lazy comparison coming up) shark film, Jaws. However, enough people consider it to be a Horror that it would be remiss of me not to include it. Plus, by using a broader definition it also means I can allow entry for at least two other films that contain many Horror elements. And if the thought of being eaten alive by a shark isn't horrific, then what is, right? I like The Shallows. It has enough going for it for me to recommend it to pretty much anyone, but like all the recent films in this countdown, it exists in that 'almost but not quite brilliant' category. To be fair there's a lot of hugely entertaining films that reside there too and it is no place to be ashamed of. If The Shallows is a Horror then it sits alongside Cujo or Razorback in the 'monster animal' trope. Our heroine is trapped on a small rock by a killer shark, but that rock will be underwater soon and the beach is too far to swim to. And really that's all the film needs to be. Unfortunately they've thrown in some clunky sub-plot about her wrestling with the dilemma of whether or not to be a doctor one day. It gives our lead character someone to talk to but serves little purpose. Just making her a doctor would have given her justification for her medical knowledge. The film's single strongest element is its lead, Blake Lively, who turns in a performance of wonderful physicality. Her dialogue may be fairly standard but she portrays a brute will to survive that comes across as reminiscent of one Ellen Ripley. By all accounts Lively's insistence on doing much of her stunt work herself incurred some notable injuries during filming including a genuine smack in the face at the point where her character breaks her nose. Another strong element is Lively's supporting character of Steven Seagull. The decision was made to use a genuine bird for these scenes rather than CGI of animatronics and it really shows. What could have been laughable and ridiculous is given a genuine and occasionally touching aura. Towards the end of the film you are genuinely hoping that nothing awful happens to Steven. To sum up. I like The Shallows. It a really fun popcorn movie. It has no depth or anything much to say but for an hour and a half it's well worth your time. |
 |
 
|
|
26th February 2017, 11:46 AM
Post
#22
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#18 Sorgenfri (aka What We Become)
Directed by Bo Mikkelson This Danish film slipped out with very little fanfare and really deserved a wider audience. Set in the small suburb of Sorgenfri, the local community is alarmed when a nearby viral outbreak sees a seemingly heavy handed government response turn out to be insufficient and life turns into a fight for survival. This is what Fear The Walking Dead could have been. That TV show was supposed to show us the fall of civilisation as the zombie outbreak takes hold. Instead it skipped over all the interesting parts and rushed to being simply The Walking Dead in a different place. With this film we see almost everything from the point of view of a single family trusting in the government as their idyllic lifestyle and all their freedoms are slowly taken away. Their soon isolated in the home with no information about what is happening as fear and paranoia take over as the try to understand what is happening. It is this that marks the film out as being different from many of its contemporaries and we spend plenty of time with the family to relate to them. They feel like real people because their aren't any real stereotypes in play. The son is perhaps the most guilty of this but is played as both sympathetic and a bit of an arrogant fool which sidesteps him from being too one dimensional. It is of course he who makes a crucial stupid decision and that would be my one complaint with the film as that decision doesn't quite have enough attention paid to his motivation and comes across as overly dumb. But the film is a different and refreshing perspective on a zombie movie. One that takes its time to set the scene, build the characters and slowly chip away at their lives until finally giving way to the inevitable for a finale that doesn't hold back. Well worth a look |
|
|
|
|
26th February 2017, 12:07 PM
Post
#23
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#17 Bone Tomahawk
Directed by S. Craig Zahler Another film that was given a limited release but met with critical acclaim. Coming out just at the end of 2015 it hung around just long enough to qualify for this list. Bone Tomahawk is a curious mixture of Western and Horror and may not be to everyone's taste. Indeed, for much of its 2 hour run-time it plays out like a dark Western such as The Unforgiven and the plot is simple - After the murder of a farmboy and the abduction of others, the sheriff is called in to investigate and eventually it appears a local tribe of Native Americans are to blame. Except that they dwell in the Valley Of The Starving Men and are believed to be cannibalistic. What follows is a long journey across the American desert with the sort of dialogue that Tarantino excels at and some great performances from Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson and Lost's Matthew Fox before we finally arrive at the tribe's lands and the film turns into a Survival Horror. In fact there's one murder by the tribe that is so casually done and practical in its perpetrators actions that it only makes it more horrific. Here lies where Bone Tomahawk may struggle to find an audience. It too much of a Western for out and out Horror fans and the ending may be too much for Western fans even the film moves naturally and effectively between the 2 genres. If you are partial to both I would definitely give this a look and fans of Kurt Russell can expect one of his best performances yet |
|
|
|
|
4th March 2017, 11:14 AM
Post
#24
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#16 Evolution
Directed by Lucile Hadžihalilović Evolution is one of those films that if I watched it again, I would most certainly give it a higher placing, and a further view would probably raise that position again. It is a film that almost defies categorisation as it is part Drama, part Sci-Fi and part Horror. The films begin with Nicolas, a sickly young boy, discovering a dead body beneath the water off the coast of the island on which he lives with his mother. They share this island with other young boys and their mothers but with no adult males present. The boys are all receiving a special treatment to cure them of an illness which is never fully explained to them. After the body mysteriously disappears Nicolas begins to question everything around him and so begins a journey of discovery that throws more questions at the audience than it ever intends to answer. The film itself is deliberately slow paced and surrealistic but it retains a hypnotic feel and draws you in because you're trying to figure out what is happening to these young boys. Each new scene seems to offer a clue but no real answer (much like Lost did in it's early seasons) until towards the end as a small revelation gives over to a big reveal. But this reveal only serves to throw more questions at you as to why this is happening. And then the films moves on to its final scene where something like normality is restored and you still may not have worked it out. Now I will confess I had thoroughly enjoyed the experience but had no idea what the bigger story was until someone said one single word to me and suddenly everything made sense. I grinned as it dawned on me and it was then I admitted that this film was actually quite brilliant. If you want an unnervingly surreal and challenging film where you really have to think about what you're seeing then this is definitely worth your time and it's about as far away from you typical Hollywood fare as you can get. Odd yet beautiful and compelling. |
|
|
|
|
4th March 2017, 11:39 AM
Post
#25
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#15 Ouija 2: Origin Of Evil
Directed by Mike Flanagan This was a genuine surprise for me. I'd been reliably informed that the original was basically so bad it was unwatchable and didn't expect anything of note from this but director Mike Flanagan is steadily building a solid reputation in Horror circles and this will help no end. Switching the setting to a prequel was a smart move. Many acknowledge Horror's golden age to have been the 1970s and therefore placing the film at the end of the 60s gave it a look and feel that reminds us of classics from the past. It also meant that the film didn't rely on people having to have suffered the first one to understand the plot freeing the film to act as a standalone piece. Using a classic ouija board plot was inevitable but the setting helped prevent thsi from feeling quite as well worn as it otherwise might. A solid and most importantly likeable cast also means you don't spend half the film wishing they'd all die horribly but that you actually wish them well. Beyond that the film does absolutely nothing you don't expect but because it is crafted with such respect and love for the films it is clearly influenced by, then you can just sit back and enjoy the ride. If only more Horror directors understood the genre better then the quality would improve drastically. And if Mike Flanagan continues to apply this deft touch to future Horrors he could really make a name for himself soon. |
|
|
|
|
4th March 2017, 12:00 PM
Post
#26
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#14 Lights Out
Directed by David F. Sandberg In 2013 a short film entitled Lights Out took the internet by storm. It was smart, witty and simple and it got enough attention that its director Adam F. Sandberg was given the green light to produce a feature length version. It turned out to be a smart move. Lights Out could have been awful. An unproven director with an admittedly great single scene with no backstory must turn his clip into a workable and coherent 90 minute plus movie. But Sandberg got pretty much everything right - a strong cast with time spent on characterisation, a back story that no only makes sense but is actually better than many from similar films and enough different ways in which to keep the lights on. But there were two other elements that really hit the spot - the casting of dancer Alicia Vela-Bailey, as Diana the malevolent spirit and the clever use of lightning employed through all her scenes. Vela-Bailey is a professional trained dancer and because of this is able to use her body movements to maximum effect. At times being both incredibly agile and also twisting her limbs into eerie shapes. All the while Sandberg keeps his ghost in silhouette through lighting and not using CGI. This in itself is an incredible achievement and must have incurred hours of frustrating set up and test shooting to make sure the shot wasn't spoiled. The end result is a film which turns out to be unexpectedly effective. Diana is a creation that in the 80s could well have launched a franchise to rival Freddie Kruger or certainly Chucky and she should be rightly remembered alongside other classic ghosts like Sadako. For. now we'll just have to see what the sequel brings. |
|
|
|
|
11th March 2017, 03:26 PM
Post
#27
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#13 The Monster
Directed by Bryan Bertino Another limited release film here but once again another much overlooked little gem. The Monster stars Zoe Kazan as Kathy, a young, alcoholic single mother who is due to take her daughter Lizzy to her father's house as it his turn to take custody. Lizzy has stated she wants to live with her father permanently as her mother is often incapable of looking after her properly. It is during this late night drive on a lonely country road, in the pouring rain that Kathy's car hits something injuring her and damaging the car enough that an ambulance and a mechanic is needed before they can continue. Upon close inspection the wolf that they believe they hit appears to have been killed by something with much bigger teeth. Director Bryan Bertino uses this simple set up to give us a simple yet endearingly effective Horror that has the mother/daughter relationship at it's core as they are terrorised by a largely unseen force. It's because the film is grounded by this relationship that it never strays too far into cliche or parody, as both leads are very likable. With such a small cast it also never becomes simply a splatter movie preferring to rely on suspense and mystery until the end at which point it delivers on the action. This isn't a film that will amaze you with it's groundbreaking ideas but it works terrifically as a staightforward hunter vs prey monster Horror |
|
|
|
|
11th March 2017, 03:36 PM
Post
#28
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#12 10 Cloverfield Lane
Directed by Dan Tracthenberg For me, 10 Cloverfield Lane isn't a Horror film, more a psychological Thriller but it seems there are quite a number of people that do consider it to be one and for that reason I have allowed it in here. It should be said however that it IS a great film but as it's only vaguely Horror related I couldn't justify giving it a higher placing than this. JJ Abrams ‘blood relative’ to the original Cloverfield was announced via a trailer in January. Less than 3 months later the film was in cinemas. Whilst it has thematic similarities with Cloverfield the film is a stand-alone that doesn’t require viewing the original. Instead of a monster on the rampage film this time we get a claustrophobic psychological thriller which centres on a young girls who survives a car crash only to awaken in the bunker of a survivalist who claims it is unsafe for her to leave. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays the lead role of Michelle and turns in a great performance of strength, ingenuity and vulnerability but the stand out here is John Goodman as Howard. The film plays out from Michelle’s perspective and like her we don’t know whether or not we can trust him. Howard appears decent and honourable but is just creepy and odd enough that we can’t tell quite how things will play out later. Director Dan Trachtenburg keeps things taut and claustrophobic but still allows the occasional moment of humour before ramping up the tension again, until finally the big revelation come and we think we know where this is going before the film throws one final curveball at us. 10 Cloverfield lane showed us that you don’t need huge stars, budgets or special effects to make a success as it went on to make over 7 times its budget at the box office and become a critical hit too. This post has been edited by Severin: 11th March 2017, 03:38 PM |
|
|
|
|
11th March 2017, 03:54 PM
Post
#29
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#11 The Neon Demon
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn When The Neon Demon premiered at Cannes and received both a standing ovation and a chorus of boos, it was clear that this film was going to polarize opinion and the reviews backed that up. This is a film that can be broadly referred to as a Psychological Horror as we follow Elle Fanning's Jesse into the cutthroat world of fashion in which she at first appears to be the starlet that everyone adores. Winding Refn's film is at times surreal, at others deliberately obtuse and often confrontational in its approach. It is this that makes it so polarizing. Critics have argued that the film is vacuous and has no depth or thought behind it relying merely on a glossy sheen to ntice viewers in, whilst advocates argue that the director is simply mirroring the fashion business which is the true target of the films criticism and purpose. Much of the said imagery is beautifully presented despite the ugliness of the idea and as the film reaches its climax the thing that struck me most was how it evokes the style of some of Dario Argento's best work - Suspiria or Inferno for example. The Neon Demon is clearly not a film for all to enjoy but it is certainly a visual feast and one of the most beautifully presented films in years. |
|
|
|
|
11th March 2017, 03:57 PM
Post
#30
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
So, only 10 films to go and I wonder anyone if has seen a film in this list that they hadn't previously heard of and may be interested in. I'd love to know
This post has been edited by Severin: 11th March 2017, 03:58 PM |
|
|
|
|
11th March 2017, 05:10 PM
Post
#31
|
|
 I found the love, I found the love in me
Pronouns: He/Him
Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,468 User: 5,042
        |
'The Monster' and 'What We Become' have my interest the most!
Didn't really like 'The Neon Demon' too much. It was better than 'Only God Forgives', but 'Drive' has just really set the bar for me with his films, and I'm really unsure on how to deal with them. Because, I can see that they're visually stunning, I just feel that the stories are nowhere near as strong! It's really upsetting 
|
|
|
|
|
12th March 2017, 11:42 AM
Post
#32
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
I'm glad there'something of interest to someone at least! Thanks for commenting
I'll be trying to finish this up over the coming week so hopefully there'll be a couple more you might find intriguing. |
|
|
|
|
12th March 2017, 08:16 PM
Post
#33
|
|
|
BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 7 March 2006
Posts: 2,043 User: 15
 |
I have been following this. Keep ´em coming thou I still wait the results of the horror franchise thing (whoever was doing that). Hopefully Train to Busan is the winner, it is, by far, the best horror film of 2016.
|
|
|
|
|
13th March 2017, 09:36 AM
Post
#34
|
|
|
I found the love, I found the love in me
Pronouns: He/Him
Joined: 13 December 2007 Posts: 87,468 User: 5,042
|
I'll continue the results of the horror thing once I'm back off my jollies.
Think I might just do a list of 21-wherever we're at, and countdown the top 20, coz the individual results is really time consuming and I get bored haha! Yeah I'm thinking and hoping 'Train To Busan' is number 1! Such a good film! |
|
|
|
|
13th March 2017, 07:04 PM
Post
#35
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#10 The Invitation
Directed by Karyn Kusama Straddling a fine line between Horror and Thriller is this Hitchcockian film from Jennifer's Body director Karyn Kusama. Starring Logan Marshall-Green as Will, the film begins with him and his girlfriend heading towards a dinner party held by his ex-wife, Eden and her new partner David. Eden and David met at a grief counselling session whilst she was recovering from the death of the child she'd had with Will, and Will has not seen either of them or any of the other guest for over 2 years. He is suspicious of her motives from the outset. What follows is a sublime exercise in paranoia and dread as Will's doubts and fears increase with every passing scene, whilst we, the viewer can never quite be sure if Will is right or if there are dark forces at work behind the smiles. The film takes its time, largely being a collection of scenes set around a dinner table or in the host's living room, but always leaving just enough substance to create a slow burning tension as Will begins to lose control of his emotions. I was incredibly impressed by this not just because I found myself gripped by the mystery, delivered by a strong cast of familiar yet not overly famous faces but also in the masterful way the finale breaks out and the final reveal that ties up all the little hints you hadn't really paid attention to. This is not a gorefest, in fact few of my favourite Horrors are, even though I have no problem with the gore. This is one for those that like a puzzle and slow build to a climax. |
|
|
|
|
13th March 2017, 07:05 PM
Post
#36
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
Oh and we'll definitely be seeing Train To Busan, but you'll just have to wait to see where I've placed it.
|
|
|
|
|
15th March 2017, 04:58 PM
Post
#37
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#9 The Autopsy Of Jane Doe
Directed by Andre Ovredal When the body of a young girl is found half buried in the basement of a house that has become the scene of a bizarre and unexplained multiple homicide, 2 local coroners are charged with performing an autopsy on the unnamed girl. They must work through the night to get results as soon as possible but once the procedure begins strange things start to happen. This film from Andre Ovredal, the director excellent Trollhunter really struck me as the kind of spooky, slow building mystery Horror they don't make enough of these days. The cast is small (enough that this could make for an excellent play) and for the majority of the film there are only 3 actors present. Veteran Brian Cox, Emile Hirsch and Olwen Kelly - the titular Jane Doe. Cox and Hirsch play off each other wonderfully as the father and son coroners and the script is delightful. It feels natural and despite the occasional odd line the two actors easily convince. However, despite not having a single line of dialogue it is hard not to admire the performance that Olwen Kelly puts in. It's easy to underestimate just how difficult a job it is for an actor to have to lie motionless for long periods of time, minimising your breathing signs but to have to do it completely naked for hours on end takes dedication. During production the cast and crew were instructed not to speak to her or interact in anyway with her, and she remained in position and motionless whenever anyone was present. It is just the actress that compels but her character casts a shadow over the entire proceedings as the others attempt to unravel her secrets. The reveal comes not too early or not too late in proceedings although a small amount of knowledge on a specific subject will give it away much earlier and that did happen for me but had the effect of raising the anticipation levels. Although the plot lacks any twists or turns and remains fairly straightforward this really works as a simple mystery and anyone who enjoys both the CSI shows and supernatural Horrors should find much in this to enjoy |
|
|
|
|
15th March 2017, 06:36 PM
Post
#38
|
|
|
BuzzJack Enthusiast
Joined: 21 June 2008
Posts: 1,368 User: 6,471
 |
I've never seen "...Jane Doe" but your description really intrigued me. I've downloaded it for later. I'm not going to watch any trailers though. I want to go in with no other ideas about it other than what you've written.
|
|
|
|
|
16th March 2017, 12:12 PM
Post
#39
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
QUOTE(PaulM1983 @ Mar 15 2017, 06:36 PM)  I've never seen "...Jane Doe" but your description really intrigued me. I've downloaded it for later. I'm not going to watch any trailers though. I want to go in with no other ideas about it other than what you've written. That's great. I hope you like it as much as I did. |
|
|
|
|
16th March 2017, 12:33 PM
Post
#40
|
|
|
Mansonette
Joined: 3 November 2009
Posts: 6,938 User: 9,872
|
#8 Green Room
Directed by Jeremy Saulnier Green Room is another of those films that is open for debate about whether it is a true Horror or not, but many of the films scenes play out as if the director's intention was to make this a Horror film and so it places at number 8 here. Set in Oregon, USA, Punk band the Ain't Rights are scheduled to play a small club as part of a mini tour they've been doing. However, when they arrive they're dismayed to learn the audience is comprised of neo-nazis. Despite deliberately antagonizing the crowd by opening with the Dead Kennedys' classic Nazi Punks f*** Off they play their set and are due to leave the venue when one of the band accidentally stumbles across a murder scene. After this they are placed under siege in the buildings green room and must use all their wits to survive. Playing out like an allegory on modern society (sometimes it feels like we're all under attack from the far right these days) Green Room is a simple yet tautly crafted film in the vein of Assault On Precinct 13 and it's young cast - including the much missed Anton Yelchin - all acquit themselves well but for me the true star of the film is Sir Patrick Stewart, taking a break from the X-Men and Shakespeare to portray the outwardly affable club owner Darcy. Darcy's resolution to the situation he discovers is simply to dispose of the witnesses and Stewart delivers his lines with a chillingly casual manner. The film at no point tries to throw a surprise at you but it does every thing it attempts with an efficiency and verve that makes for compulsive viewing. |
|
|
|
|
| Time is now: 29th April 2024, 01:43 AM |
Copyright © 2006 - 2024 BuzzJack.com
About | Contact | Advertise | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
