2018 October Challenge

Another year, another October filled with horror movies.

As in both of the previous years, this October consisted of more "misses" than "hits", but there were still plenty of good or great films to keep my wife and me going throughout the month. Unlike last year - when we watched Train to Busan, Alien, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the first time - I didn't discover any movies that would rival those already on my Top 10 Horror Movies list. Of course, that's a lofty goal to shoot for, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

Some of the more "memorable" movies of the month:

The Worst of the Worst -

* When the best part of the movie is this makeup job, you know you've got problems *

Jeepers Creepers - 1/10  While I had very low expectations going in, I never site my sights this low. No one should expect a movie to fail on pretty much every level, but that's exactly what happened here. I can't imagine anyone wanting to see more of this story, but there are two sequels that I'll never be checking out!

* He's not even that deformed! *

Phantom of the Opera (1943) - 1/10  I have no fucking clue why this version of Phantom of the Opera was included in the Universal Monsters: The Essential Collection set that I purchased. From all accounts, the 1925 version starring Lon Chaney is better, but I can't imagine anything being worse. With laughably bad acting, terrible dialogue, a boring and meandering plot, and an unnecessary large amount of FULL LENGTH musical numbers, this movie was the biggest chore of the month to sit through. It's 92 minutes, but feels like three hours. 



* A semi-truck with a face?! What's not to love? *

Maximum Overdrive - 2/10  I was really hoping for a "so bad, it's good" kind of movie, but only got the first half of that request. There's just not much of anything here, though I did chuckle at a couple of things and I guess the AC/DC soundtrack was alright. I love a lot of Stephen King's books, but I think Hollywood dodged a bullet when he decided never to direct another movie after this disaster. 

* I've been to local, rinky-dink haunted houses that were scarier than what they offer in Hell House *

Hell House, LLC - 2/10  While there were a handful of adequate jump scares sprinkled throughout the 90 minute runtime, they couldn't make up for the insipid characters, boring plot, or my general desire to see the vast majority of found footage films burned in a raging fire.

Not Terrible, but Not Good, Either -

* You've gotta be careful where you're sticking your hand... *

Teeth - 3.5/10  With an interesting premise - vagina dentata for the win! - and a surprisingly decent lead performance from Jess Weixler, Teeth should have been much better. As is, it definitely has some interesting moments, but on the whole, I can't recommend it. I think it would have been much better if it had leaned even farther towards the comedy elements.

* I really love the animation style of Seoul Station *

Seoul Station - 4/10  As soon as I found out there was a prequel to Train to Busan - one of my favorite films, horror or otherwise - I immediately began to look forward to it. While there are some really good moments and a fantastic ending, I was immensely disappointed in Seoul Station. Even though the film is animated, that doesn't excuse all the characters from acting cartoonish. None of Busan's subtlety or character depth exist here. I'm still happy I saw it, but I can't imagine ever wanting to see it again.

* One of several shocking scenes *

Shivers - 4/10  Shivers starts out with a bang - a violent scene involving a young woman dressed in a schoolgirl uniform and a seemingly sadistic doctor - and goes on to be thoroughly interesting. I don't know much of David Cronenberg's filmography, but this early effort has plenty of blood and sex and, like I said, it's never boring. But the acting is subpar at best and the characters are all a bit too silly and one-dimensional for my tastes. Honestly, with all the horror remakes that happen, this seems like a fantastic candidate for an update. 

Worth Watching Once -

* The look of a man who truly enjoys his work *

Terrifier - 5/10  While it doesn't do much of anything new as far as horror flicks go, Terrifier is a fun watch. The main draw of the film is its excellent villain, an equally sadistic and funny mime who really knows how to commit to his "bit". Throughout the whole movie, the legitimately creepy mime doesn't say a word and even silently screams when he's hurt. There are a few scares, but go into Terrifier expecting to laugh more than anything and I think you'd have a good time. 

* He's very visible when decked out in his robes and bandages *

The Invisible Man - 5/10  Claude Rains is so much better here than compared to his turn in Phantom of the Opera that it's almost impossible to believe it's the same actor, just separated by a decade. Though most of his titular performance here is just voice work, he really nails it. The story and rudimentary special effects are engaging, but I wish the rest of the cast and the dialogue were just a bit better. I feel like this could have been a much better film, but as is it's still significantly better Hollow Man from 2000, which was my introduction to this iconic character.

* This fan film looks better than any of the "legitimate" entries of the franchise *

Never Hike Alone - 6/10  Earlier this year, my wife and I watched the entire Friday the 13th series and it was excruciating at most points and mildly entertaining at others. It speaks volumes about our OCD nature that we actually completed the series, but it wasn't until I discovered this unauthorized fan film (coming in at a brisk 55 minutes) that I found a Jason movie I rated higher than a 5/10. The cinematography is first rate and the main human character is actually engaging, unlike all the practically nameless teenage victims Jason has slaughtered throughout the years. If you like the Friday the 13th series or just slashers in general, check this out on YouTube! 

* Ash (Bruce Campbell) in all his bloody glory *

The Evil Dead - 6.5/10  Part of me can't believe it took so long to finally get around to watching The Evil Dead. I've been a fan of Bruce Campbell for a while, I like a bunch of Sam Raimi movies, and I even saw the 2013 remake in the theater, but for some reason it took me until 2018 to see the original. I'm happy I did, not because I absolutely love the movie, but because I love the passion behind the movie. The amateur filmmaker in me loves that Raimi, Campbell, and the rest of the cast and crew worked for so long and made this ambitious little movie that spawned a whole franchise and achieved undying cult status. I'm looking forward to watching the sequels and the recent TV series. 

Very Good and Highly Recommended -

* If you'd get out of his habitat, maybe he'd leave you alone! *

The Creature from the Black Lagoon - 7.5/10   So far, after having watched half the films in the set, this is my favorite of the Universal Monster movies. It's a fun, slightly suspenseful film that is solidly made all around. The entire cast is effective and the characters are entertaining. The highlight, probably not surprisingly, was the monster. The amphibious creature was wonderfully designed and he is portrayed in such a way that he comes across as slightly sympathetic, but not to the point where you forget he's a vicious killing machine. Plus all the underwater footage was really well done!

* Everybody say "Never go camping in the woods!" *

The Ritual - 8/10   Coming about halfway through the month, The Ritual was my first really great first time viewing. I didn't know what to expect and couldn't even remember why I had added to my Netflix queue in the first place, so I went in totally blind. That's generally the best way to approach any type of movie, but it's especially helpful when dealing with horror movies. So my recommendation is to watch this movie, but try to avoid reading much or anything about the plot or themes. You can thank me later.

* I said never go camping in the woods... *

Eden Lake - 8.5/10   Eden Lake doesn't break any new ground with its plot, characters, or action, but it does manage to do just about everything perfectly. While the setup - a couple goes through the woods to camp at a remote lake for the weekend - is fairly standard, the execution elevates everything. The performances from the main couple (Michael Fassbender and Kelly Reilly) and the boys (including a young Jack O'Connell) who torment them are all excellent. The level of suspense and dread is almost too much to handle at times, plus the amount of realistic gore is enough to make even a seasoned horror fan like me grimace. All in all, Eden Lake is a harrowing movie and one that I can't recommend strongly enough. 

* Spider/Gremlin hybrid! *

Gremlins 2: The New Batch - 8.5/10   Probably the most fun I had all month. I was laughing pretty much straight through, even annoying my son at different points since he didn't quite get what I found so funny. I guess I had seen this movie when I was a kid (since I loved, loved, loved the original) but I didn't remember a single frame of it, so I'm counting it as a first time viewing. What a treat! It improves on the original in every way - it's funnier, more interesting, scarier, and has 100% more Hulk Hogan! I can't wait to watch it again and again!

The Best of the Bunch -

* One of my favorite scenes of all-time *

The Thing - 9/10  This is a movie that I love just a little bit more with each viewing. It's just so damned entertaining! And it's not just a fun gross out horror flick with some cool practical effects. The Thing manages to pack in a lot of character depth, suspense, and intrigue to go along with the scares. Plus, the large cast (with a fantastic Kurt Russell in the lead) and soundtrack is fantastic, too! I wrote a full length review after seeing this for the first time a couple years ago, but it's a little out of date now. All the things I loved about it then, I love even more now. And the things that bothered me (especially about the characters/cast) then have nearly shrunk away entirely and The Thing is now firmly among my favorite horror movies. 

* "They're coming to get you, Barbara." *

Night of the Living Dead - 9/10  Another Top 10 Horror Movie for me (and now something I own on Blu-ray thanks to an awesome Criterion Collection edition) and easily the best movie I watched all month long. While the zombies might look a little primitive compared to what we're used to now, everything else about the film is timeless. The characters, writing, and George Romero's direction all combine to create something truly special. It's a movie I never tire of revisiting. 

The full list of everything I watched during the month, in order:
        (* = rewatch)

Terrifier (2016) - 5/10
The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018) - 5/10
Maximum Overdrive - 2/10
* Night of the Living Dead (1968) - 9/10, up from 8.5/10
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) - 2.5/10
As Above, So Below (2014) - 5/10
Crush the Skull (2015) - 2/10
Clown (2014) - 4/10
Cube (1997) - 3.5/10
Teeth (2007) - 3.5/10
Seoul Station (2016) - 4/10
 * Gremlins (1984) - 6.5/10
Downrange (2017) - 4/10
The Howling (1981) - 2/10
The Evil Dead (1981) - 6.5/10
Candyman (1992) - 5/10
Hell House, LLC (2015) - 2/10
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) - 2/10
The Ritual (2017) - 8/10
The Invisible Man (1933) - 5/10
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) - 8.5/10
Jeepers Creepers (2001) - 1/10
Eden Lake (2008) - 8.5/10
* You're Next (2011) - 7.5/10, up from 6/10
Never Hike Alone (2017) - 6/10
Shivers (1975) - 4/10
* The People Under the Stairs (1991) - 7/10
Bad Samaritan (2018) - 2/10
* Hush (2016) - 8.5/10, up from 7/10
* Monster House (2006) - 6/10
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) - 7.5/10
Phantom of the Opera (1943) - 1/10
Dracula (1931) - 4/10
* The Thing (1982) - 9/10, up from 8/10
Cargo (2017) - 5/10

35 total movies with an average of 4.91/10, which makes this the highest rated of my three years doing the October Challenge!

What about you guys? Watch any good horror movies recently? Do you agree with any of my thoughts on these movies? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Thanks for reading!