This year’s Creepy Cinema is much shorter than years past, but I still wanted to keep my promise and continue the tradition. It's been five years of scary flicks with Markus, so we decided to watch five movies that ranged different genres, tropes and time periods. There’s something for everyone on the list. There’s monsters, zombies, a freaky haunting and a creepy witch. I hope you enjoy my thoughts on these movies and hope you guys have a Happy Halloween!
Poltergeist - 1982
This is one of those movies that you expect everyone has seen at least once, but somehow I missed it. I think even my mom, who hates scary movies, has seen it. She always compares the creepy medium lady to someone we know in real life. I didn’t know much about the plot before we watched it, and wasn’t sure what to expect. Poltergeist overall is pretty good. I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect movie, because there were definitely some slow parts as well as weird character development. I felt like the paranormal team could’ve been fleshed out a bit more. Despite there being a lot of focus on the mom, I still didn’t feel a connection to any of the family members. However the real draw to the movie is the special effects, which are great for the 80s and must have been groundbreaking back in the day.
The Fly - 158
As a fan of Vincent Price and old movies, this was the one that I was most excited for. The original House on Haunted Hill is fantastic, and I highly recommend it. I also had high expectations for this movie, and was not disappointed. Since I knew the basic premise and possibly the entire plot, I expected this movie to be boring and slow, but it wasn’t at all. The acting is top notch and despite knowing what was coming, I was completely absorbed in the story. I will say that there is a reveal at the end that I was not expecting, and even though it’s not as jarring by today’s movie standards, it was still haunting and unforgettable.
The VVitch - 2015
Of all the movies I’ve watched for Creepy Cinema, there is no comparison to The Vvitch. Robert Eggers, the screenwriter and director, has created something so haunting yet absolutely beautiful. Instead of relying on jump scares, like most horror films, this film expertly builds a rising atmosphere of paranoia and fear. It’s a film that really uses everything to tell the story. The cinematography is incredibly beautiful, the film score strikes the right tone and the 16th century setting itself invokes terror. On top of all that, add in isolation, witches and the unexplainable...and it’s a recipe for something truly scary. Of all the five films I’ve watched this year, The VVitch was by far the best and one that I will recommend for years to come.
Scouts Guide to the Apocalypse - 2015
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a movie like this. Scouts Guide is a teen horror comedy and it has heaps of raunchiness and gore. The film follows three teenage scouts who must use their training to survive the zombie apocalypse. It has lots of teenage angst and humor, but was a lot funnier than I anticipated. There were lots of immature jokes, but I think that was the point. There’s one particular scene that involves a trampoline and the main character evading a horde of zombies, that caused me to just lose it. I seriously couldn’t stop laughing. After watching such a stressful film, The VVitch, it was nice to see something lighthearted and silly. This isn’t the sort of movie that I would watch again, but it was definitely a lot of fun.
The Brainiac - 1962
Man, this movie had so much potential. When Markus explained the premise, I was excited to watch it. I mean, a vintage Mexican horror B-movie with cheap sets and a guy in a rubber suit; what’s not to like? Well this the film follows a heinous Baron as he is executed in 1661, only to reincarnate in 1961 and seek vengeance on the ancestors of those who killed him. It’s such an interesting story, but the execution falls flat. It’s such a shame because the sets have that b-movie charm, the acting is what you’d expect, and the monster is goofy yet somehow genuinely creepy. However it’s all delivered at a snail's pace! The film clocks in at an hour and fifteen minutes, but it feels like a three hour epic. I spent half of the movie on my phone wishing it was over. I like b-movies, especially from this era, but this one was a bit of a slog-fest.