2020 October Challenge

With how 2020 has been going so far, I should have known better than to get excited about my favorite movie watching month of the year. 

This year - my fifth straight year of doing the challenge - was disappointing in several ways. First of all, I saw fewer movies than usual due to time constraints, other plans, and just not being into it like I normally am. Second of all, of the movies I did see, most were disappointing and the average rating would have been even lower than it is if it weren't for us rewatching a bunch of movies we knew to be good. And finally, for the first year, my wife and I broke our standard rule of "finish each movie we start, no matter how bad". There were three different movies - The Babysitter: Killer Queen, All Hallow's Eve, and Silent Hill - that were so bad in the first 10-20 minutes that we just couldn't push ourselves to finish. Very 2020, I guess. 

It wasn't all bad, though. I watched a few that I think will improve with multiple viewings and there were a handful of pleasant surprises. 

The movies, from worst to best: 

The Worst of the Worst

* You'll get tired of the doll houses real quick, I bet *

The Lodge (2019) - 1/10   Usually I reserve my lowest of low ratings for movies that don't do anything right, but The Lodge is an exception. It has some great cinematography and production design, but everything else is so dreadful and boring that each minute dragged by. Avoid at all costs. 

* Considerate cast member points the way towards a better movie *

The Crazies (1973) - 1/10   The more I see from George Romero, the more I understand that he must have gotten incredibly lucky with his first feature Night of the Living Dead. Nothing else I've seen is anywhere near as good and some, like this abysmal mess, are nearly unwatchable. If I hadn't already broken my rule twice before at this point, I wouldn't have finished this schlocky, amateurish disgrace of a movie. 

A Step Above, But Still Not Good

* Can you guess the one reason to watch this movie? *

Nurse 3D (2013) - 2/10    I didn't know it going in, but Nurse 3D is basically a softcore porno version of a horror flick. Albeit one with Judd Nelson in a supporting role. If that's the kind of thing you're looking for - no judgement here. 

* One of the standout segments, Seth Green with his new toy *

Holidays (2016) - 2.5/10    As with every horror anthology flick, there are more bad segments than good here, but if you only watched the New Year's Eve, Christmas, and Easter ones, you could have a decent time. Those three alone would probably rate a 5 or 6/10, but the other six segments drag the overall score down. 

* What a happy, handsome couple *

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) - 3/10    The titular bride only appears during the final four minutes of the film - and that's just one of the problems with this sup par sequel. I enjoyed Frankenstein when I watched it last year, but I can't imagine ever wanting to watch this one again. It's silly and lacks the heart of the original, plus it has some really grating performances. 

* What's in the box?!?! *

The Hunt (2020) - 3.5/10    I'm pretty sure this was supposed to be a political satire horror film, but the satire was "beat you over the head" obvious and the scares just weren't there, so the whole thing felt like a bit of a mess from start to finish. There are some entertaining moments and it wasn't dull at all, but I can't recommend it. 

* She's going to regret going to this open house *

1BR (2019) - 4.5/10   A lot of movies are just one or two elements away from being solid and enjoyable, but they just don't quite get there. 1BR is a good example of just such a movie. It's got an interesting concept - a woman moves into an apartment complex where things aren't what they seem - some solid performances, and a moment or two of legit horror/suspense. But things never come together like they should and everything feels a little meh. 

* What a dismal view for your weekend getaway *

Black Rock (2012) - 4.5/10    Much like 1BR, this movie could have been so much better, if it just had better execution. For an R rated horror flick, it's surprisingly tame when it comes to violence. The way it shies away from certain aspects, you'd think you were watching a TV edit of the original movie. It's got "bad" language and nudity, but then PG levels of what it really needs - shocking violence and gore. With a harder edge, I could see this one getting a 6 or 7/10 score. Plus, Lake Bell is always worth watching. 

Worth Watching Once

* I might just be a sucker for Stanley Tucci, but I liked this movie *

The Silence (2019) - 5/10    This one could easily be compared to A Quiet Place and Birdbox, but I think it does enough interesting things that it's worth watching. It's certainly way better than Birdbox, at the very least. Tucci leads a strong cast and the way the humans have to hide and fight against the monsters who hunt by sound is pretty different from A Quiet Place. Nothing groundbreaking, but a fun movie nonetheless. 

* Oh, man. Burt's looking pissed! *

Tremors: Shrieker Island (2020) - 5/10    In what has to be one of the most unlikely series still going, the seventh (!) movie in the Tremors franchise is the best since the original. It's got some fun kills, a decent supporting cast (especially Richard Brake), no Jamie Kennedy (who dragged down the last few installments), and, of course, Michael Gross as Burt Gummer, the glue who holds the franchise together. Plus, the budget must have been increased ten fold compared to the previous flick, since Shrieker Island looks really good, like a real movie and not the straight-to-streaming affair it actually is. 

* You really shouldn't stand on your food *

The Platform (2019) - 6.5/10    I've got to be honest right up front. The Platform is a Spanish language film that I accidentally watched dubbed on Netflix. For some reason, it defaulted to dubbed instead of subtitled and I didn't notice right away, so we just kept watching. The concept, performances, minimalist design, and intermittent moments of violence are all pretty good. With a better, tighter screenplay and a more satisfying conclusion, The Platform could have been really special. 

Very Good and Highly Recommended 

* How much trouble could a weave cause? *

Bad Hair (2020) - 7/10    Horror comedies can be tough to pull off. Some focus too much on either being funny or scary and lose the precious balance between the two. Bad Hair is a socio-economic satire that hits mostly the right balance. I don't know the budget, but I'm sure it's relatively tiny and that's the one big drawback - the effects aren't great, so some of the horror moments suffer. I watched the whole thing being grateful that I don't have to worry about how my hair effects my ability to earn a living or have people immediately judge me. Just one of the joys of being a straight, white male! 

* There's something suspicious on that TV *

Dark Skies (2013) - 7.5/10    This was probably the most surprising - in a good way! - movie of the month for me. I didn't expect much since the description on Netflix wasn't all that interesting, Kerri Russell's not a draw for me, and I had literally never heard of it before. The movie was exciting from start to finish and featured some great characters, interesting performances, and some legitimate scares. This was probably the scariest movie of the month. 

* Resist the urge to kill. Resist the urge to kill. Resist... *

Psycho II (1983) - 7.5/10    Despite the original being one of my favorite horror movies ever, I had never seen any of Psycho's sequels until yesterday morning. Taking place 23 years after the first, Norman returns to his childhood home and motel after being released from the mental institution. There, he does his best to avoid repeating his murderous ways, but things get tough through no fault of his own. Psycho II features an excellent performance from Anthony Perkins and is one of the best horror-thrillers I've seen recently. The sequel isn't at the same level as the original, but few are and I'm excited to watch the other two installments.

The Best of the Best 

* Argh, there be a lighthouse behind ye, matey! *

The Lighthouse (2019) - 8/10    I watched this one alone, since my darling wife deemed it "pretentious and stupid" based on the trailer. It's probably one of those love it or hate it type of movies, but I'm firmly in the love it camp. The whole film has a nightmarish vibe with it's confined framing, haunting score, and unreliable narrators. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are both terrific and I loved the stark cinematography. The Lighthouse is one of those films where you can spend a few hours watching YouTube videos or reading essays in order to fully grasp the symbolism and metaphors hidden within or you can simply watch the movie and let it wash over you, like tides breaking on the shore. Either approach is perfectly acceptable, but I think the more you dive in, the more intricacies will be discovered, making the film that much more intriguing. 

* If you're happy and you know it, raise your hand! *

Midsommar (2019) - 8/10    After Hereditary, I was anxiously awaiting director Ari Aster's next film, but for some reason it took me more than a year to get around to watching it. I'm happy I saved it for this October Challenge, though, as it's the highlight of the month for me. It's not nearly as scary as Hereditary, but it's effectively creepy and off-putting and the I was on edge for most of the running time. The opening segment was a gut punch and then the rest of the movie is a mix of creepy situations, hallucinogenic visuals, disturbing music, and - surprisingly - a fair amount of funny moments to make everything a little more palatable. Pretty much everything about the film is first rate and the only reason it didn't get a higher score is that the plot is a bit predictable. If you've seen a few cult films, you can probably guess the story beats well in advance. 

Full list of what I watched during the month, in chronological order:

* = rewatch

1BR (2019) (4.5/10)

The Silence (2019) (5/10)

* You're Next (2011) (7.5/10)

1922 (2017) (2/10)

* The Cabin in the Woods (2011) (6/10)

The Hunt (2020) (3.5/10)

* Would You Rather (2012) (7.5/10)

The Monster (2016) (4.5/10)

* The Crazies (2010) (7/10)

The Lighthouse (2019) (8/10)

Nurse 3D (2013) (2/10)

* They Live (1988) (7.5/10)

Pet Sematary (2019) (2.5/10)

Species (1995) (3/10)

Eli (2019) (2/10)

Black Rock (2012) (4.5/10)

Dark Skies (2013) (7.5/10)

* Stir of Echoes (1999) (7/10)

Midsommar (2019) (8/10)

Tremors: Shrieker Island (2020) (5/10)

Holidays (2016) (2.5/10)

The Platform (2019) (6.5/10)

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) (3/10)

The Crazies (1973) (1/10)

Bad Hair (2020) (7/10)

Psycho II (1983) (7.5/10)

Night of the Demons (1988) (2.5/10)

I'm Just Fucking with You (2019) (3/10)

The Lodge (2019) (1/10)

Average rating of the 29 titles: 4.76/10

Did any of you watch any good horror movies recently? Any that you'd recommend? I'm always on the look out for new movies to watch!

Thanks for reading!