Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Looking forward to this one!
New walkers, new villains, New York! Maggie (Lauren Cohan) forms a lethal alliance with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) to rescue her kidnapped son. Together they will try to navigate the mean streets of NYC. If they can survive #DeadCity, they can survive anywhere.
#TWDDeadCity premieres June 18th on AMC and AMC+.
Nick Kolakowski’s Until the End features eleven stories of terror and wonder. Here’s the synopsis…
A woman moves her family into a house full of spirits… but who’s really haunting who? In the depths of an icy planet, a bored A.I. plots its escape… and it’s willing to kill anyone who stands in its way. The dead return for one big evening, all with their own secret missions.
These are just a few of the 11 tales in Until the End, an anthology of terror and wonder designed to keep you awake well into the night.
If this sounds like your jam, you know what to do.
Graham Humphreys created this cool alt poster for Death Proof. While Death Proof isn’t one of my favorite films, it does feature Kurt Russell and Rosario Dawson directed (and in a screenplay) by Quentin Tarantino. If you’d like to see more of Graham Humphreys’ art, you can at his Instagram page.
Gabriel Hardman recently posted the art above. I absolutely love the idea of Creatures from the Black Lagoon! Talk about potential. If you’d like to see more of Hardman’s art, you can at his Instagram page. Oh, and be sure to click on the art above to see it biggie-sized!
/Film recently posted Bee Delores’ list of The 15 Best Horror Franchises, Ranked. So I thought I’d play along. Before you click over to see Delores’ rationale, here are how our rankings stacked up. Also, I would have found spots on my list for Dracula, Frankenstein and The Creature From the Black Lagoon.
|
Delores |
Zablo |
| 15. Hannibal Lecter | 15. Child’s Play |
| 14. Saw | 14. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre |
| 13. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre | 13. A Nightmare on Elm Street |
| 12. A Nightmare on Elm Street | 12. Paranormal Activity |
| 11. Halloween | 11. Friday the 13th |
| 10. Paranormal Activity | 10. The Evil Dead |
| 9. Alien | 9. Final Destination |
| 8. Friday the 13th | 8. Scream |
| 7. Psycho | 7. Saw |
| 6. The Conjuring | 6. The Conjuring |
| 5. Final Destination | 5. Psycho |
| 4. The Living Dead | 4. Hannibal Lecter |
| 3. Child’s Play | 3. Halloween |
| 2. The Evil Dead | 2. Alien |
| 1. Scream | 1. The Living Dead |
Nope (2o22)
Director: Jordan Peele
Writer: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Michael Wincott, Steven Yeun, Wrenn Schmidt, Keith David, Terry Notary, Donna Mills, Eddie Jemison, Sophia Coto and ‘Snub’ Pollard.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
The Haywood Family trains horses for use in movies and television productions. Unfortunately the business is struggling. There’s not much need these days for horses. Things take a turn for the worse when Otis Haywood, Sr. (David) is stuck and killed by metallic coins, watches, etc. raining from the sky. The only explanation is the objects fell from a plane.
In an effort to keep the business alive, OJ sells some of the family’s horses to Ricky ‘Jupe’ Park (Yeun). Park was a child actor who survived a terrible on-set rampage by a monkey that killed/maimed many of his co-stars, but left Park unharmed. Now Park runs a small old west theme park.
One night, during a terrible electrical storm OJ and his sister Emerald (Palmer) see something in the clouds. It appears to be a UFO. Later they notice a strange cloud that never moves… and provides cover for the mysterious UFO. OJ and Emerald figure if they can prove the UFO’s existence by videoing the UFO, they will make a fortune. When they discover that the UFO might have been behind the events that cause their father’s death, they realize that their lives are in danger.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I’m a Jordan Peele fan. I gave both his previous films, Get Out and Us 5 star ratings. He’s an excellent writer and director. Peele creates interesting characters in unbelievable situations and makes them believable. He knows how to provide tension and genuine scares. We get some of that in Nope, but for me it didn’t rise to the level of his previous films.
Nope features a wonderful cast. Daniel (Sicario) Kaluuya, KeKe Palmer, Michael (Strange Days) Wincott, Steven (The Walking Dead) Yeun and Keith (The Thing) David would make any movie better just by showing up. I’d never seen Keke Palmer before, but I’ll be watching for her in the future. The camera loves her. Michael Wincott and Keith David don’t have big roles, but their impact is huge. I always enjoy seeing them. Donna Mills gets a nice cameo!
There’s a lot going on in Nope. We have the whole story with the Haywoods, there’s Ricky Park with his western theme park and rampaging monkey backstory, the UFO that may not be a UFO at all and more. Peele loves his characters and he’s created a bunch for Nope. I wish we’d got to know them better. It feels like the story is a mile wide and an inch deep. But Peele may have wanted the audience to fill in the blanks. The other aspect that fell short for me was the ending. I don’t want to give away much so I’ll just say that the ending seemed a bit too pat for my taste.
Nope is a movie that most people liked better than me. So keep in mind, your mileage (as always) could vary. I look forward to whatever Jordan Peele cooks up next.
Nope (2o22) rates 2 of 5 stars.
Cailyn Szelinski at CBR.com came up with her list of 10 Classic Horror Movies That Deserve A Reboot. Before you click over, here are my thoughts on her suggestions as well as a couple more.
Carnival Of Souls (1962) is a cult classic. As Szelinski points out, it was remade once to poor reviews. I’m not a big fan of the original. Unless you find someone like Guillermo del Toro who has a passion for the material, then I’d say, “Pass.”
The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) is one of the most beloved of all the classic Universal Horror movies. There is no need for a remake. Fans of the original would be a hard sell. Is the Bride really scary enough to bring in a younger audience? I’d again say, “Pass.”
The Wolf Man (1941). Most everyone likes werewolf movies. There’ve been many made, but few are considered great. Every time a new werewolf film comes out, I hope for the best. Yeah, I’m for a Wolfman reboot.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968). I think this is a great idea for all the same reasons as Cailyn Szelinski. You’ll see why when you click over.
Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954) is one of my all-time favorite movies. I’m not just talking about horror either. Because I hold it in such high regard you might think that I would be against a reboot. I’m not. A reboot of The Creature has perhaps the most potential of all these films. Everyone loves the Creature. As Szelinski says with modern technology a truly terrifying update could be made. Someone do it!!
What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (1962). I’m not sure this would work. Bette Davis and Joan Crawford didn’t get along in real life. Their public dislike for each other provided publicity and increased curiosity about the film. What two actresses could replicate that these days? Would modern audiences even care? Pass.
The Lost Boys (1987). With the right cast, I think that this would work.
The House Of Usher (1960). There’s been a remake that didn’t do well. Period pieces are a tough sell. Pass.
The Exorcist (1973). The Exorcist spawned several sequels. Movies about exorcisms are released fairly regularly. I’m not sure if a reboot of the classic that kickstarted the genre would work. For those reasons I say, “Pass.”
The Birds (1963). This is perhaps the most surprising horror film on Cailyn Szelinski’s list. It would be tough to top Hitchcock. Would modern audiences buy in to it? Szelinski says, “Nature is not a common antagonist in modern horror movies, as they rely on masked killers and illnesses that spread rapidly and turn people into zombies.” She’s right. But what if the birds are attacking people and carry a virus that turns folks into zombies? Who wouldn’t want to see that movie? (Or is it just me?)
Here are a few horror films, I’d like to see rebooted…
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). It’s been remade once, but that was decades ago. Both the original and the remake are consider classics. Let’s reboot this baby.
The House on Haunted Hill (1959). This would be an easy one. Several strangers trapped in a haunted house just need to survive one night. But when people start getting murdered…
Them (1954). It’s a classic, but I’d love to see someone give it a reboot.
I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958). I loved it as a kid. The campy title might need to be changed, but the idea that a new bride believes her husband has been replaced by an alien has potential.
The Invaders (1967 – 1968). Maybe skip The I Married a Monster from Outer Space reboot and instead do a feature film adapting The Invaders tv show. UFOs are in. It could work!
What did we miss?
Frank Frazetta created the art above. It’s for a panel from his last comic book story. Werewolf tells the tale of a great hunter hired to track and kill a creature believed to be a demon. Werewolf appeared in Creepy #1 published in 1964 by Warren Publications.
While individual back issues of Creepy are hard to find and expensive, reprints are coming. Creepy Archives Volume 1 reprints Creepy magazine issues #1–#5 and includes original letters pages, text features, and ads. Frazetta’s Werewolf is worth the price of admission. My order is in. Click on the link if you want on board as well.
Love the poster and trailer. Deal me in.
The legend of Dracula is born. Watch the trailer for The Last Voyage of the Demeter now.
Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula, The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo—fifty unmarked wooden crates—from Carpathia to London.
Strange events befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship. When the Demeter finally arrives off the shores of England, it is a charred, derelict wreck. There is no trace of the crew.
The film stars Corey Hawkins (In the Heights, Straight Outta Compton) as Clemens, a doctor who joins the Demeter crew, Aisling Franciosi (Game of Thrones, The Nightingale) as an unwitting stowaway, Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones, Clash of the Titans) as the ship’s captain and David Dastmalchian (Dune, the Ant-Man franchise) as the Demeter’s first mate.
The film also features Jon Jon Briones (Ratched, American Horror Story), Stefan Kapicic (Deadpool films, Better Call Saul), Nikolai Nikolaeff (Stranger Things, Bruised) and Javier Botet (It films, Mama).
From DreamWorks Pictures and the producers of Zodiac and Black Swan, The Last Voyage of the Demeter is directed by Norwegian horror virtuoso André Øvredal (Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, Trollhunter), from a script by Bragi F. Schut (Escape Room), Stefan Ruzowitzky (The Counterfeiters) and Zak Olkewicz (the upcoming Bullet Train), based on the chapter “The Captain’s Log” of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
The film is produced by Brad Fischer and by Oscar®-nominated producer Mike Medavoy and Arnold Messer for Phoenix Pictures and is executive produced by Matthew Hirsch.
Risen (2021)
Director: Eddie Arya
Writer: Eddie Arya
Stars: Nicole Schalmo
Tagline: “We’re at the edge of a mass extinction”
The Plot…
When a meteor strikes near a small town, toxic gas is released and people begin dropping dead. A containment perimeter is set up. The government calls in Lauren Stone, an astrobiologist to assist with the study of the meteor impact zone. When some of the dead bodies reanimate it becomes clear we have a problem.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Risen starts off well enough. A meteor impacts near a remote house, almost destroying it. We are left to wonder if the family inside survives. The movie then jumps about 20 years into the future. One of the children who survived the meteor blast is now an astrobiologist. She struggles with terrible memories of the meteor strike.
Then it happens again. Another meteor strikes near a remote town. The astrobiologist is called in to assist. This isn’t a bad set-up. The problem is Risen moves so slowly. I kept thinking it would get better after the dead re-animated. I was wrong. I finally tapped out at 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Risen (2021) rates 1 of 5 stars.
The Belko Experiment (2016)
Director: Greg McLean
Writer: James Gunn
Stars: John Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Adria Arjona, John C. McGinley, Sean Gunn, David Dastmalchian, Gregg Henry, Michael Rooker, and Abraham Benrubi.
Tagline: This Is Not A Drill
The Plot…
Belko Industries is situated in a remote building on the outskirts of Bogotá, Colombia. It hires people from all over the world to work for them. On for the first day of work an implant is placed in the base of a new employee’s neck in case something happens to them.
One day when Mike (Gallagher) arrives at work, he notices a new squad of security guards telling the Bogotá staff to go home. Mike thinks little of it and checks in. A short time later a voice comes over the intercom. It instructs everyone to stop and listen. They are told that unless two employees are killed within 30 minutes, more will die. Suddenly steel shutters come down on all windows and doors sealing everyone in the building.
Reactions vary, but most believe it to be a terrible prank. When 30 minutes pass and no one is killed the voice returns to the intercom. It announces since the group did not comply, instead of two people dying, four will. Four employees are killed when the implants in their heads detonate. The voice then says that unless thirty employees are dead within two hours sixty will die.
All hell breaks loose.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
James Gunn of The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker fame wrote the screenplay with the intention of directing it. When the film was ready for production, Gunn was going through a divorce and passed on directing. Still, several actors who regularly appear in Gunn’s films were cast including Sean Gunn (his brother), Michael Rooker, Gregg Henry and Stephen Blackehart.
I loved the concept, but felt that we didn’t get to know any of the characters. I would have preferred to care/know more about who lived and died with less emphasis on gore.
The Belko Experiment (2016) rates 2 of 5 stars.
Watcher (2022)
Director: Chloe Okuno
Writer: Chloe Okuno based on the screenplay by Zack Ford
Stars: Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman, Burn Gorman
Tagline: Evil Wants to be Seen.
The Plot…
Julia (Monroe) and Francis (Glusman) are newlyweds. They’ve just moved to Bucharest, Romania for Francis’ job, While Francis is at work, Julia is alone. She doesn’t know anyone and isn’t able to speak the language. When Julia sees a man in the apartment across the street constantly staring into her apartment, it begins to creep her out. Then she notices a man following her. Julia tells her husband but he thinks it’s just her nerves.
When Julia learns that a serial killer known as The Spider is torturing and beheading women in Bucharest, she is sure that the killer is planning for her to be his next victim.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Maika Monroe is very good in this role. I look forward to seeing more of her in the future.
Chloe Okuno adapted Zack Ford’s screenplay. Ford had originally set the story in Brooklyn. It was a smart move to change the location to Bucharest. It made Julia even more isolated and increased the probability that her nerves were playing tricks on her.
Burn Gorman was excellent as the creepy neighbor.
Watcher is a slow burn. The ending plays with the viewer. Overall there’s a Hitchcock feel to the film and that’s never a bad thing.
Watcher (2022) rates 3 of 5 stars.
It’s unfortunate that Romero’s Resident Evil didn’t happen. At least we get this documentary.
In 1998, Constantin Film set out to adapt the greatest horror video game franchise of all time, hiring legendary film director George A. Romero. Now, Key 13 Films, in association with Point Five Films and director Brandon Salisbury set out to uncover the mystery behind why Romero’s vision was never produced.
George A. Romero’s Resident Evil is a stylized documentary, utilizing archived footage, unearthed documents, and newly filmed interviews with a wide variety of personalities. The documentary combines elements from Capcom’s hit video game series and the raw, visceral style of George A. Romero to full immerse the audience in a cinematic horror aesthetic.
Now, audiences everywhere will experience the “darkest day of horror the world will never know”, as they uncover the unrequited vision of… George A. Romero’s Resident Evil.
Twilight Zone fans are gonna love these posters created by Erik J. Kreffel. You can see more of Kreffel’s art at his website or on Twitter.
I Saw the Devil (2010)
Director: Jee-woon Kim
Writer: Park Hoon-jung (screenplay), Jee-woon Kim (adaptation)
Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik
Tagline: To Catch A Monster He Must Become One
The Plot…
When a serial killer murders a government agent’s pregnant wife, the agent captures, tortures and then releases the killer. The agent then captures, tortures and releases the killer again. How long will this go on before one murders the other?
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I Saw the Devil is well directed. Jee-woon Kim is an excellent director. He creates shots that are impressive and scenes that produce tension, fear and humor as needed. The two leads are very good. Where it goes off the rails for me is with the story and the gore.
The film loses me when the agent releases the serial killer after torturing him. The serial killer then attacks a girl. The agent stops him, but not before the killer has sexually assaulted the young woman. The agent beats the killer and then releases him yet again. The killer then attacks another woman. And the agent stops him mid-attack. Rinse and repeat. The agent could have saved these women from ever being molested. It’d be one thing if the killer was taken in and escaped to attack women. To have the agent release him so the agent could capture and torture him again is just stupid… and sick.
Speaking of sick, I Saw the Devil contains many gory scenes. It wallows in scenes of torture. While some movie fans enjoy graphic depictions of abuse, I’m not one. The agent’s final plan to end the serial killer’s life involved a scene worthy of the Saw franchise. The killer is beheaded when the killer’s elderly parents and his young son open a door. The killer’s head rolls to sit in front of his little boy and his parents. How sick is that? Too sick for my taste. Keep in mind that I Saw the Devil has earned high ratings on IMDb as well as many awards. Your mileage may vary greatly from mine on this one.
I Saw the Devil (2010) rates 2 of 5 stars.
