Starring:Dennis Quaid, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, Eddie Albert, Kate Capshaw, David Patrick Kelly, George Wendt
Genre:Drama/Science Fiction/Thriller/Horror
Running Time:99 Minutes
Plot:
In order to diagnose the psychic traumas suffered by his patients, Dr. Paul Novotny gets young Alex Gardner to enter their dreams.
Review:
It’s a shame that 1984’s DREAMSCAPE isn’t as cool as the misleading poster that’s advertising the film. Instead of an INDIANA JONES romp with some horror elements implemented, DREAMSCAPE is pretty much a sci-fi drama that becomes a bit more political as the film moves forward. The film takes elements of movies before it, like SCANNERS and THE DEAD ZONE, while at the same time being a movie that probably inspired others that improved on its premise like INCEPTION or PAPRIKA. Hell, this isn’t even the best 1984 film involving nightmares or an evil person with claws!
Yes, the nightmares look pretty bad 40 years later due to the obvious green screen effects. Yes, the film has a lot of plot threads going on that don’t feel like they should connect or even feel important by the end of the film. And yes, the characters are pretty much archetypes without much depth. Most of them are even unlikable in several ways, including our main protagonist played by Dennis Quaid.
But you have to admire DREAMSCAPE’s ambition for trying to balance all of this out, even if it doesn’t fully reach its potential. Despite the not-so-great visual effects, the nightmare scenarios are still pretty cool to see realized. That Snakeman monster is just awesome looking and he should have had more of a presence throughout the movie. And the plot is intriguing enough to make you want to see how it’ll all end.
Plus, you can’t go wrong with that cast. Dennis Quaid is great as a smug jerk who later becomes heroic. Kate Capshaw, who gets more to do in THE TEMPLE OF DOOM the same year, isn’t bad as Quaid’s love interest. Having Max von Sydow and Christopher Plummer, two masterclass actors, play against each other is wonderful. David Patrick Kelly brings some of that WARRIORS villainy in what should’ve been a bigger role. And George Wendt is here too!
DREAMSCAPE is a decent timewaster that’s worth a look if you want to see a film about nightmares in 1984 that wasn’t directed by Wes Craven. This one could probably use the remake treatment, although I feel like INCEPTION was pretty much the peak of these dream scenario movies.
Starring:Odessa Young, Joe Cole, Siobhan Finneran, Rory McCann, Turlough Convery, Lewis Gribben
Genre:Horror/Drama/Mystery/Supernatural
Running Time:89 Minutes
Plot:
A 19th-century widow is tasked with making an impossible choice when, during an especially cruel winter, a ship sinks off the coast of her impoverished Icelandic fishing village. Any attempt to rescue survivors risks further depleting the starving villagers’ supplies.
Review:
In 2024, the movie season started with the terrible NIGHT SWIM - one of the several Blumhouse disappointments of 2024 that I don’t even remember or even want to rewatch. Fortunately things picked up throughout the year, but man did 2024 start out rough.
At least 2025 is kicking things off slightly strong with the independent horror film, THE DAMNED - a film I knew nothing about before blindly buying a ticket for it yesterday. Didn’t watch a trailer for it. I never looked at reviews. I just wanted an excuse to go to a theater, considering it’s a dead weekend, and this seemed like the only choice.
THE DAMNED has some good things going for it. The acting is pretty solid, especially lead Odessa Young. The cinematography by Eli Arenson is strikingly beautiful. Considering the film takes place in Iceland, you definitely feel the cold while admiring the gorgeous snowy location. And director Thordur Palsson crafts such a layer of a bleak and moody atmosphere that it would give Robert Eggers a chub the size of Nosferatu’s dong.
I also liked the themes of grief, guilt and isolation throughout, which is represented when the characters start seeing apparitions that may or may not relate to some local legend that haunt those who have sinned in some way while at sea. But then you start wondering if the ghosts even exist or is this all psychological due to hunger and cabin fever. THE DAMNED wants to create this rollercoaster of emotions for the characters, which really comes into fruition during the third act.
It’s a shame that the narrative is so thin and not all that interesting. The characters, besides Young’s “Eva” and Joe Cole’s “Daniel”, are pretty interchangeable at times. Hell, I don’t even know their names and I just watched this movie. The first act is pretty strong, but once the inciting incident happens, the middle portion of the film is such a slow burn that you’ll end up falling asleep. I personally had trouble keeping my eyes open during this portion. Thank goodness for those jump scare stingers to keep me from napping. And there are some unresolved things in the story as well that I wish were explained or explored more.
There’s even a twist at the very end that I’m on the fence about. The twist itself is not overly surprising, but there’s no real resonance when it happens. Certain characters react to it but then, the film just rolls into the end credits. Instead of feeling the effects of the reveal, you’re just left telling yourself - oh, that happened.
But THE DAMNED is a beautiful looking film that may please those looking for a slow burn horror-mystery with a short runtime. Just be in the mood for it and drink a lot of caffeine in case your eyes get drowsy during that middle portion. Worth checking out if this is your bag. Better start for the year than NIGHT SWIM at least.
Since I don’t have as much time to write longer reviews than I used to, I figured I would just post shorter reviews for horror/cult films that I feel deserve your attention.
PLOT:In postwar Japan, a new terror rises. Will the devastated people be able to survive… let alone fight back?
REVIEW:
GODZILLA MINUS ONE may be the surprise film of 2023 for me. I had never planned to watch this new installment of Toho’s iconic monster in theaters, but friends kept mentioning it and decided to watch it on opening night on a whim. While I expected awesome monster action and cities getting destroyed by a giant lizard, I didn’t expect an actual human story that not only is emotional, but made me forget that I was watching a GODZILLA movie at times.
The entire cast, especially Ryunosuke Kamiki as former kamikaze pilot Koichi, is incredible in MINUS ONE. Kamiki, in particular, juggles a lot of emotional beats as a soldier who struggles with deserting his country at the end of World War II. Things get worse when Godzilla shows up and murders a bunch of mechanics on an island Koichi lands on, guilt building when he had a chance to save them all but is too scared to confront the monster face-to-face. We watch Kamiki play Koichi as a man struggling with PTSD - distancing himself from a woman he meets [who also has a child she’s taking care of due to the death of the child’s parents during the war] and feeling like a ghost in a devastated post-war Japan. When Godzilla shows back up and sees the damage the creature causes in front of him multiple times, he knows he has to confront his literal monster even if he has to off himself to do it.
The story is so well-written, well-paced and gives so many character arcs to multiple characters that we actually care about their encounters with Godzilla, hoping they find a way to stop the monster. Godzilla, playing a role closer to his original incarnation from 1954, is a complete villain here, destroying everything in its path and coming across as entirely unstoppable. This is a Godzilla who doesn’t care who or what it is destroying, as long as he gets to unleash its devastation as many times as possible.
Director Takashi Yamazaki takes a $15 million budget and makes MINUS ONE look better than most Hollywood blockbusters have looked in the last few years. And these films have budgets that are ten to fifteen times as much as MINUS ONE. Yamazaki lets the human story simmer and plays it all seriously, letting things build up towards the film’s exciting final act while twists and turns happen when you least expect it. The action sequences are thrilling and look phenomenal for the film’s budget. Godzilla, in particular, looks awesome - especially when he’s building up that atomic heat ray that destroys whatever is in its path. The pacing is so damn good and I loved the homage to JAWS anytime Godzilla swam underneath ships that were searching for it. The use of the original GODZILLA theme also made me giddy and was used at appropriate times. I hear Yamazaki wants to direct a STAR WARS film and I would be down to see what he does with that property with a much larger budget.
Seriously, GODZILLA MINUS ONE is not only one of the best installments in this multi-decade franchise, but it may just be the best installment of them all. It clicks in every way and checks every box that I would ever want in a GODZILLA film. I’m super happy word-of-mouth on social media has helped the film continue its success in America because this movie deserves it. One of the best films of 2023.
Directed By:Rhys Frake-Waterfield
Starring:Craig David Dowsett, Chris Cordell, Amber Doig-Thorne, Nikolai Leon, Maria Taylor, Natasha Rose Mills, Danielle Ronald
Genre: Horror/Slasher
Running Time:84 Minutes
Score:0.5 Howls Outta 4 (2 out of 10)
PLOT:Christopher Robin is headed off to college and he has abandoned his old friends, Pooh and Piglet, which then leads to the duo embracing their inner monsters.
REVIEW:
So apparently while Disney owns the rights to the Winnie the Pooh characters when it comes to their own franchise within the studio, the original Winnie-the-Pooh book from 1926 had its rights go to public domain for the first time in decades. This allowed filmmaker Rhys Frake-Waterfield the opportunity to write, direct, produce and edit a slasher film called WINNIE-THE-POOH: BLOOD & HONEY, starring these classic characters to the surprise and anger of many. And I totally understand the fan reaction to this because I’m surprised I watched this in one entire sitting and I’m angry I wasted 80 minutes of my life giving this a shot.
I mean, the concept for this movie is actually quite good. Christopher Robin befriends the Winnie-the-Pooh characters throughout his young life, leading to the characters to be emotionally attached to their human friend. But once he grows old enough for college and decides to leave them for a higher education and pursue his adult life without them, the characters grow bitter and resentful enough to want revenge on Robin and other humans who enter 100 Acre Woods. That sounds like a cool horror movie!
Too bad this only works for the first ten minutes of the movie, leaving 74 minutes of Pooh and Piglet stalking bland and annoying female characters who do the most dumb things I’ve seen characters do in a horror film in a very long time. It almost borders on misogynistic, as Pooh and Piglet have no issues targeting young women for slaughter but aren’t as brutal on the male characters that show up. It doesn’t help that these female characters are way too ignorant or lack any common sense for any audience to care about them in any sort of meaningful way other than to watch classic characters eliminate them. I mean, sure you can talk to hostages for five straight minutes in Pooh’s lair. It would be smarter to free them and have them explain things once you’re safe enough from danger, but what do I know right?
Other than a cool idea, an amusing pre-credits sequence and decent gore sequences, WINNIE-THE-POOH: BLOOD & HONEY has nothing else to offer. The direction isn’t all that impressive. The acting is not good. The costumes look alright I guess, but doesn’t save the film from being terrible. I’m sure some will laugh at how stupid and bad this film is [especially if you’re under the influence of certain substances]. But I think most will just be frustrated by the end of this film, wishing death on everyone on screen. This honestly may be the worst film I’ve watched that was released in 2023. I’m actually sad this is getting a sequel because that means I’ll probably have to watch it for a review. And I thought Eeyore had a depressing life.
Directed By:Tyler MacIntyre
Starring:Jane Widdop, Joel McHale, Justin Long, Jess McLeod, Katharine Isabelle
Genre: Horror/Thriller/Comedy/Slasher
Running Time:87 Minutes
Score:2 Howls Outta 4 (5 out of 10)
PLOT:Winnie’s life is less than wonderful one year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve. When she wishes she was never born, she finds herself magically transported to a nightmarish parallel universe. With the murderous maniac now back, she must team up with a misfit to identify the culprit and get back to her own reality.
REVIEW: A horror take on the 1946 Frank Capra holiday classic IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE [with some elements of 1983’s A CHRISTMAS STORY implemented], I was expecting a scary version of a familiar story. Considering it was written by a co-writer of 2020’s FREAKY and riding the wave of time-traveling horror films like 2017’s HAPPY DEATH DAY and 2023’s TOTALLY KILLER, it should have been mostly a slam dunk. Unfortunately, IT’S A WONDERFUL KNIFE is just a mediocre slasher film that has a really cool concept but doesn’t bother to execute it to its fullest potential.
The first act is the best part of this film, as it gets into the plot right away and reveals things that will be important once the time changes for the rest of the film. And while seeing a different timeline is cool at times in IT’S A WONDERFUL KNIFE, not enough time is given to really flesh out the major changes that the Final Girl Winnie has to deal with in order to get her back to her original timeline. While relationships are different and the mystery of the killer gets a bit more complex, things just happen because they need to in order for the story to move forward towards its conclusion. There’s no real tension, suspense or drama that’s brought out from these changes, making one wonder why even bother using this concept to begin with. The final act also feels way too convenient and easy for the main characters to achieve that Hollywood ending, which is a shame.
While some shots are cool looking, mainly due to lighting and framing, Tyler MacIntyre and his team didn’t really wow me with their visual presentation. It does what it needs to do to get from Point A to Point B. The actors are probably the highlight here, especially Justin Long as this greedy narcissistic Mayor and Joel McHale playing a serious role that actually works for the most part. It’s also nice to see Katharine Isabelle doing her thing, while Jane Widdop does what she can with the material. I would like to see her in a better project.
I really wanted this to be an annual holiday tradition, but I honestly can’t see myself willingly watching this again unless it was to show friends or for a podcast for whatever reason. While it’s definitely better to just stick with IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, there’s nothing wrong with more holiday horror. So if you’re curious, check it out. I just hope you don’t wish that you were watching a better film like I did.
Directed By:Jenn Wexler
Starring:Georgia Acken, Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Gus Kenworthy, Chloe Levine, Derek Johns, Laurent Pitre, Madison Baines
Genre: Horror/Thriller/Supernatural/Demons
Running Time: 99 Minutes
Score:3 Howls Outta 4 (7 out of 10)
PLOT:Christmas break, 1971. Samantha and Clara, two students who are staying behind for the holidays at their boarding school, must survive the night after the arrival of uninvited visitors.
REVIEW:
Did any of you watch this year’s THE HOLDOVERS and wish it had a more horror slant involving a group of serial killers murdering people in order to summon a demon during the holidays? Well if you did, THE SACRIFICE GAME is definitely your jam.
I didn’t know what to expect out of this, even though the trailer was intriguing. But a lot of this film worked for me, both visually and narratively. Jenn Wexler was smart in using a 70s vibe, a time where Satanic Panic was at its peak. It added an old school horror feel to THE SACRIFICE GAME that added a bit of atmosphere to film that mainly takes place indoors the entire time. I also thought the horror elements were used sparingly well, with the special effects looking very good. The final act isn’t shy about showing blood and gore, which was a nice change of pace from the more quiet and talky first two acts.
The story is also pretty simple, as a group of people are going from home to home killing people to collect blood in order to summon a demon that’s trapped inside of a boarding school. It plays straightforward for the first half of the film, until the twists begin that make the movie a lot of fun to watch. It’s tough to discuss the last half without spoiling stuff, but I like how misunderstandings and not doing enough research can get some really stupid and greedy people in trouble.
The acting is hit-and-miss, with some actors really hamming it up with some interesting line readings that amused me more than get me invested in their character arcs. Mena Massoud, the live-action star of 2019’s ALADDIN, really twirls that proverbial mustache as the film’s lead villain, chewing up scenery any chance he gets. It works in some instances and it’s really distracting during others. But at least Massoud is having fun. I thought the two younger actresses, Georgia Acken and Madison Baines, were very good - especially Acken since she’s given more to do. Gus Kenworthy doesn’t get a whole lot to do, but he’s a recognizable name that will interest some viewers.
While the holidays are over, I still recommend this one if you have Shudder. I think it has enough interesting twists and good enough acting to earn a recommendation for anyone looking for a recent Christmas horror flick.
This will probably be a new feature, similar to the old monthly LUNAR CYCLE I used to do. I figured I would just post quick thoughts on films I've recently seen, while giving bigger/solo spotlights to more popular/important films. Let's see how this goes.
BLOOD FOR DRACULA (1974)
Directed By:Paul Morrissey
Starring:Udo Kier, Joe Dallesandro, Vittorio de Sica, Maxine McKendry
Genre:Horror/Vampires
Running Time:103 Minutes
Score:3 Howls Outta 4 (8 out of 10)
Plot:Deathly ill Count Dracula and his slimy underling, Anton, travel to Italy in search of a virgin’s blood. They’re welcomed at the crumbling estate of indebted Marchese Di Fiore, who’s desperate to marry off his daughters to rich suitors. But there, instead of pure women, the count encounters incestuous lesbians with vile blood and Marxist manservant Mario, who’s suspicious of the aristocratic Dracula.
Review:
Presented by Andy Warhol after the cult success of FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN, BLOOD FOR DRACULA is director’s Paul Morrissey’s superior follow up that focuses on Dracula and her servant traveling to Italy searching for virgin blood, as Dracula is severely ill from a lack of pure sustenance. While the acting is not great and the story isn’t the strongest, BLOOD FOR DRACULA is very worthwhile for a few reasons.
One, Morrissey’s direction is very good, as he uses many camera techniques and shot-scales to enhance the narrative. The cinematography is also well done, as this film is quite beautiful to look at.
Two, the subtext in this film is very strong and shows that a Dracula in a modern world probably wouldn’t survive for too long. There’s commentary on politics, class status [a rich Count is feeding on the poor to make himself richer] and the deterioration of religion when it comes to sex. The fact that this Dracula turns literal green after feeding on non-virgin blood twice within a supposed religious household says it all.
And three, this has to be one of the sleaziest DRACULA films ever put to screen. Incestuous siblings, a servant who forces himself on women [who ends up being the hero strangely] and disgusting acts like Dracula crawling on the floor to lick up virgin blood after a girl has been sexually assaulted to save her life from the Count. Not to mention, the epic finale that will probably make you lose a few limbs like you’re a Black Knight in a Monty Python sketch.
This is a DRACULA story that needs to be watched if you enjoy a memorable vampire flick.
VAMPYRES (1974)
Directed By:José Ramón Larraz
Starring:Marianne Morris, Anulka Dziubinska, Murray Brown, Brian Deacon, Sally Faulkner
Genre:Horror/Vampires
Running Time:88 Minutes
Score:2.5 Howls Outta 4 (6 out of 10)
Plot:A duo of bisexual female vampires prey on passing motorists, whom they seduce and murder in the English countryside.
Review:
A story of bisexual vampires luring people at night to satiate their bloodlust, Jose Ramon Larraz’s VAMPYRES is a visually stunning film that unfortunately doesn’t have much of a story to really invest in. This film is a sleazy slow burn, with the two lead actresses seducing characters and the audiences with their good looks and sexual chemistry with each other. Cinemax would be proud of the sex scenes displayed in this movie. The use of the film’s main setting, a mansion in the countryside, is well done. The forest outside of this mansion almost seems like a character in itself, as these beautiful vampires just lurk around waiting for victims. It’s just too bad there’s not much of a story besides the brutal opening scene and a love triangle of sorts between the two vampires and a male victim one of them is in love with. VAMPYRES is not a scary film, more focused on titillating the audience. But watching the male lead kiss one of the actresses multiple times was pretty nightmare inducing. Open mouth, flailing tongue and just nasty love making all around. Even beautiful vampires can have a lack of taste, I guess.
FASCINATION (1979)
Directed By:Jean Rollin
Starring:Franca Mai, Jean-Marie Lamaire, Brigitte Lahaie, Fanny Magier
Genre:Horror/Vampires
Running Time:80 Minutes
Score:3 Howls Outta 4 (8 out of 10)
Plot:A runaway criminal breaks into an eerie chateau, taking its two frightened chambermaids hostage. As night falls, a group of mysterious aristocratic women arrive and the criminal begins to realize the women are hiding a sinister secret.
Review:
My first Jean Rollin film ever, believe it or not, the French-language FASCINATION is a vampire movie that surprised me with how well shot and how well told it was. The plot is super simple, with a thief hiding inside a chateau with two beautiful servants who obviously aren’t as they seem. The film is romantic, melodramatic and has very memorable moments throughout. I think the iconic scene is the scythe sequence, which is full of tension and suspense. It’s also quite stunning to look at. For an 80 minute film, it sets up a lot for the first two acts before crashing into a sinister and bloody final act that feels mostly ironic to what we knew of these characters and their situations before. It’s also interesting how they tried to make the thief into an anti-hero of sorts by the end, even though it doesn’t really feel earned. But love will make you do some strange things, whether it’s returned or not. FASCINATION proves that there’s beauty in horror.
THE HUNGER (1983)
Directed By:Tony Scott
Starring:Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, Susan Sarandon, Cliff DeYoung, Beth Ehlers, Dan Heyada
Genre:Horror/Drama/Vampires
Running Time:97 Minutes
Score:3 Howls Outta 4 (8 out of 10)
Plot:Miriam promises her lovers the gift of eternal life, but John, her companion for centuries, suddenly discovers that he is getting old minute by minute, so he looks for Dr. Sarah Roberts, a researcher on the mechanisms of aging, and asks her for help.
Review:
The late Tony Scott’s directorial debut, this cult classic adapted from a novel didn’t get a lot of love 40 years ago. And while it’s definitely imperfect, it shows Scott’s style that would only improve in his future works like TOP GUN and TRUE ROMANCE. It’s visually sleek, looking atmospheric and moody like those early MTV music videos, with quick editing and juxtapositions to make certain moments pop. While the story could be stronger, I do appreciate the themes addressed in the film. Having the man deal with the effects of aging instead of a woman is an interesting touch, especially when this struggle also seems to be a commentary on the AIDS epidemic that had only just become known two years prior. The performances are very good with Catherine Deneuve being a strong presence as Miriam, who gives her lovers the promise of an eternal life but had all of them age on her quickly for some reason. David Bowie is captivating as Deneuve’s husband, John, getting to play with aging makeup and a pretty messed-up murder sequence. And Susan Sarandon is stunning as the doctor who is studying these aging effects, but gets caught up in Miriam’s web to bad results. Any film that starts out with a Bauhaus performance definitely deserves one’s attention.
