DVD Talk Forum - The 19th Annual "October Horror Movie Challenge" (10/1 (2024)

Oct 16th
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52.) Death Warmed Up (1984) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: A fun New Zealand holiday to the beach and WWII historical sites turns into mutant zombie mayhem as our group of Aussie Teens run afoul a an asylum full of re-animated patients.

I bought this a few years back during one of Severin's Black Friday sale and they happened to be clearing out a T-sh*t for this movie as well for super cheap. So for years I wore this shirt kind of dreading that this movie would be terrible but it was not too bad! Total fashion vindication, in fact I am going to put it on right now.

The story is nothing spectacular but that Australian zing to everything just makes it a fascinating watch. The location, the mannerisms, the bizarre Rocky Horror inspired art design of the hospital, the constant threat of Roo attack. I do feel like Severin holds a low opinion of its viewing audiences though as you when you click play it asks you if you want subtitles on, as if that Auckland speak was incomprehensible.

Eagle eyed viewers will spot the skeevy uncle from Dead Alive and are these WWII tunnels real? As that seems like something that would be fun to visit.

In the end I am just really jazzed this wasn't awful and I can keep wearing this shirt!

(3.5 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts: The like brain surgery was gross, especially when they touched the brain. When they were drilling it looked kind of like a baby doll… the threads. Who would wear a mask that doesn’t work as a mask? It kind of reminded me of Italian movies.. kind of. They are kind of weird like Italian movies, maybe a little bit better than Murder Rock because more things like happened.

(3 out of 5)

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...115862b509.jpg

53.) Malatesta's Carnival Of Blood (1973) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: You have got to watch this with the American Horror Project intro. As it really sets you up with the right cognitive shift to appreciate the movie. Still not sure if most will enjoy it but at least with the mind set of paranoid/psycadelic place/time experience it has a fighting chance of not being awful.

Basically there is a carnival and it's killing people, there are a few "investors" that go in to try and find a missing child and must battle their way thru the weird. Not a movie you watch for the plot, this is something you watch fo the 70's carnival stuff. The acting is all over the place bad/goofy/normal movie but yeah, as a back ground or experience movie this was...intriguing. If anything it made me remember that I need to hunt down that Romero carnival film.

(3 out of 5)

Oct 17th
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54.) Gutterballs (2008) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Low budget bowling alley set rape revenge slasher that borderlines on p*rnographic.. unless you choose the option to watch the p*rnographic inserts version... in which case I guess it's over that particular line. Although a quick look at the cut scenes seem to be a close up of a fake male and a real female(?)... I did not pursue investigation further into this aspect of this film.

The first think you will notice abut this movie is the acting, its bad. An effective rape revenge really needs good acting to sell that one. Having a perfect looking p*rn star that accrues no battle damage during a gang rape really doesn’t docent work for that sub-genre. Where was I? Oh yes. And the second thing you will notice is the pacing, you guessed it also bad. 10-15 minutes could have been trimmed from this one to generally positive effect. As we get to our, primarily bowling pin inspired, massacre reel this does get somewhat better with it's over the top Troma mentality. But at that point you have spend 50 minutes just hating all the actors so you really don't care if they die or not.

Loved the behind the wall shots of the bowling ally machinery through. Also I don’t normally talk about image quality but I feel like my blu ray dollars are wasted here as this looks very SD.

(2 out of 5)

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...37462e9431.jpg

B-12.)Whole Hog Beer: Pumpkin Ale (Wisconsin)*

My Thoughts: This has had by far the best pumpkin spice scent. Especially with the cinnamon, nothing else has really had that aggressive of a cinnamon zing. And it plays thru to the pallet! This is real pumpkin spice beer, everyone got so caught up with trying to do hints of real pumpkin and weird earthy concoctions that they all forgot why we were doing this in the first place; a beer equivalent to the pumpkin spice latte. And this is it! Medium heavy, lots of cinnamon, if I had a note I would have either gone for a more wheat or barley as this just gives craft beer with a heavy dose of the spice. But that’s a pretty good taste.

(4.5 out of 5)

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...4fcb5fece0.jpg

55.) Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: "Just like a millennial using words they don’t understand that they heard once in Tik Tok." I feel attacked.

Hello fellow kids. Here we have another young rich teenager who dun it slasher. This time after playing a IRL game of Among us called Bodies Bodies Bodies the guests start mysteriously dropping like flies. All of those traditional hallmarks are here, the secluded house too far out to get help, a storm knocking out cell service and of course a killer in the midst. Where this differentiates its self is its very modern send up of Gen Z politics and culture. Defiantly some of the most fun I have had all month.

Also I gotta get the soundtrack for this, I'm not even on drugs and this really made me want to dance.

(4.5 out of 5)

Oct 18th
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56.) Frightmare (1983) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: After the passing of an aged hour icon, who is maybe suppose to be Christopher Lee(?), a local college horror film fan club steals the body for one last hurrah with his biggest fans. Unfortunately for them his wife holds a seance to learn to location of the recently Shanghai’d deceased and brings him back as a mystical killing machine.

Once he’s awake the pace of this movie slows down to a crawl as he uses various Jedi powers to take out the aforementioned horror club. There are some fun deaths here but I found the killing reel to be surprisingly a bit of a dull slog.

Now this horror club… How crazy fancy is this set up for a 7 person college club? They get a club vehicle and a… mansion to live in?

This is a movie I think would greatly benefit a bit of fun poked at it, so after I kill my brain with some Amityville non-sense I think I am going to listen to that Hysteria Continues commentary.

(3 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

(3 out of 5)

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...f2ae1400cd.jpg

57.) Amityville 1992: It's About Time (1992) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: This is what our house has been missing… a Haunted Clock!

Taking a page out of Friday the 13th The Series this installment in the Amityville franchise follows 1 extra haunted/cursed clock and its journey to bring woe to another suburban family. I had always written off the Amityville evil clock movie but this was ok. Very 90's creature feature feel to it, think Ice Cream Man/Ticks. A bit of not quite Society level effects. And that one particular kind of slight over acting that the decade is known for or at least was until the Scream reset in 97.

Better at least than Amityville 4, I can't compare it to 5 if Amityville Curse is even canonical. Or really is anything after 4 canonical? I would have watched a commentary for this.

(3 out of 5)

Oct 19th
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58.) Commentary For Frightmare (1983) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: A much more reserved track than what I am used to from The Hysteria Continues. Shade thrown at Troma and Demi Moore. But the most interesting anecdote for this one was the James Cameron poster art connection and it's resulting fisticuffs. Otherwise this seemed pretty low energy for The Hysteria Continues and is surprisingly my list favorite offering from them.

(2.5 out of 5)

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...d8fa2c337f.jpg

B-13.)Prison City Brewing: Oktoberfest Lager (New York)*

My Thoughts: Nondescript Oktoberfest smells a bit off and too sharp. I am not looking forward to this tallboy…. Yeah…. something funky with this monkey. Taste somewhat… tainted, like maybe I am drinking it out of a moderately used gym shoe. Very little carbonation, a musky bitter finish. You know, lets see what it taste like paired with Pixy Sticks. Oh yeah, way better. I can’t let this count for my official score but yes with Pixy Sticks.

(2 out of 5)

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...465d1da416.jpg

59.) The Black Phone (2021) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Every now and then I think about my daughter getting older and maybe riding her bike to school or something and then I f*cking see something like this.

1970's period piece about ever parent's worst nightmare. This time there is a supernatural aspect to the story that keeps things fresh also we have a good child actor lead as our main protagonist, not that I can say the same about all the child actors in this movie though.

I generally liked this and it even gave me some of the feels. Probably should have watched it with daughter just so she could have has some strats in the back of her mind... just in case. The ending leaves a bit to be desired as their attempt to Signs the climax felt a bit ham fisted but overall well worth a watch.

(3.5 out of 5)

Oct 20th
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60.) Spontaneous (2020) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Romantic travel vomit montage.

This is a story about love in the face of random and terrifyingly unexplained insta death. Shortly before graduation the senior class begins to haphazardly pop in explosive fountains of over the top gore. I wish this had come out when I was in high school as I would loved it so much more, kind of hard to be super into high school movies at my age but I am young at heart and everyone loves a little excessive pre-LOTR Peter Jackson style violence.

Additionally, total parent thing to say, I am usually against main characters abusing drugs. Not out of any personal moral compass reasons but just because I don't think it is a good idea in general and the long term health and mental effects of substance abuse can really ruin lives. All that being said there has never been a more justified circ*mstance for substance than this one. That feeling of at any moment you could just be gone, nothing but a stain on the rug... terrifying. Also hilarious. I loved this movie.

A big thanks to Chad for joining out this clearance title.

(4 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...7d7b8a3408.jpg

61-62.) Haunted S01E01-04 (2002) (DVD)*

My Thoughts: First of Phase 4 Films is a terrible dvd label. I would generally recommend any of their releases.

2 years before Lost, Mathew Fox is a private investigator who’s lost it all and then loses his life too but is revived just in time. Subsequent to which he now gets help on his cases from ghostly apparitions. Good thing everything he is hired for involves a murdered person… I guess. This is an ok idea and one that would go on to be done better by other creators but this one struck me as incredibly bland. So much so that I only made it 4 episodes when I had intended to binge the whole thing.

I guess there was a reason the entire series was only $1.88 at Big Lots.

(2.5 - 3 out of 5)

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...f575994613.jpg

63.) The Muppet Show S01E19 (1977) (Streaming) (Wild Card #2)*

My Thoughts: Vincent Price hamming it up for those 70's kiddies. A rendition of Under My Skin with a muppet being consumed by another muppet, ghost muppets, seasoning kermit so he can be eaten, monster furniture and vampire kermit biting a guest (pictured). They definitely hit those halloween themes in a light children's context. VP is out there looking a lot more like a friendly grandfather than a deranged murderer. An interesting piece of pop culture history.

(3 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

(3 out of 5)

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...961ee5e72f.jpg

64.) Goosebumps S01E05-06 (2023) (Streaming)*

My Thoughts: Episodes Reader Beware and Night of the Living Dummy. The gang gets trapped in a book and we get a very familiar ventriloquist tale. Not sure if I really fig the art design for this sloppy. Yes he is creepier than before but so much so that you down he would go onto the popularity he did. I mean everyone is going to look at him and immediately go, yeah evil dummy. That being said the flash back episode with its multiple period pieces has been my favorite of the bunch. Felt super like an episode of Friday The 13th The Series.

(3 - 4 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...c98d2e6227.jpg

B-14.) Southern Tier Brewing Co: Caramel Pumpking (New York)*

My Thoughts: OK wow, pungent. Pumpkin smoothy and I hate to say it but a bit of a vomit scent to this one. Taste wise it is also shocking. Mid-pallet caramel-ish and then back of the pallet pumpkin with a bitter and lingering ashtray aftertaste. I can’t tell if I like this or not but it’s not boring and it has a higher abv. I almost don’t feel like it is worth it drinking stuff like this but we’ll see how i feel as my personal abv rises.

(2.5 out of 5)

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...37f12d3f4c.jpg

65.).Commentary For The Chooper (1971) (DVD)*

My Thoughts: "She is going to sleep right on the stain!"

There is a bit of panic that occurs when you first put this in and go to the Extras section and not see the Joe Bob Briggs commentary. But fear not you have to select Bonus Second Feature: The Chopper and then you will see it.

Joe Bob thinks Hitchco*ck, he hates montages and even Joe Bob runs out of things to say during the excessive rodeo inserts (well at least about this movie). I had told myself I would never ever watch this movie again and then Red Letter Media had to go and feature it. After selling my old VHS copy on eBay for a crazy amount, crazy that anyone would pay anything for this garbage actually, I decided to see if Joe Bob could save it. And while I still don't think I would ever watch this again proper I gotta say this commentary is the only way to make this bearable. Just remember to never watch this as intended and don't forget to shoot the rodeo.

“Somehow we sense that Carolyn’s has never been in as much danger from the Chopper as she is at this very moment, and yet we are more fascinated with her cute butt as it moves in very interesting ways in those tight pants.”

(3.5 out of 5)

Oct 21st
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66.) 30 Days Of Night (2007) (Blu-Ray)

My Thoughts: The crest of the wave for Josh Hartnett. It would be another 15 years before he would be in another hit film, at the time he seemed to be in everything I was watching and honestly until googling it today I kind of thought he had quit acting.

Picked this one up to watch with the daughter after an errant conversation ventured into quirky locations that receive less sunlight than others due to their location on the globe. This film is set in a small town in Alaska which is buckling down for their extended night or 30 continuous days worth of it (in the real town this movie is based on it actually runs for 66 days). Vampires, who had admittedly been around for at least several hundred years, finally stumble on this particular factoid and arrive with the onset of the extended night to feast on the Vitamin D deficient townsfolk.

One of my main gripes with this one is that you really don’t feel like any time has passed at all, the movie takes place over 30 days but it really only feels like 1 or 2 despite Josh Hartnett’s growing scraggly beard. That coupled with the overall blandness of the vamps makes this a rather meh genre entry. I remember thinking the same thing when it came out and was surprised that people were so excited about it at the time. Perhaps people enjoyed as a return to form after the then string of Blade & Underworld movies.

(3 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

(3 out of 5)

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67.) Old (2021) (4K UHD)*

My Thoughts: It’s an M Night movie so you can’t really talk about it without talking about spoilers. Obviously if you haven’t seen the movie, see that first but also obviously if you haven’t seen the movie, why would you be reading this rando’s review?Basically we got this Death Beach, go there and age 100x until you die. I suppose the twist is the reason they’re there but really this felt a lot less twisty than most M Night properties. There’s no big reveal you are just on board this whole time. Now if you could come into this having never seen the trailer then that would be something.

Big question of course is how ethical is practice of this “evil” pharma company? I think maybe I could be OK with it, if they didn’t choose families. Surely they’re prisoners with medical problems that we could send to the death beach, right? Also the implications at the end, the life that will be.. yikes.

Otherwise, it’s kind of a fun, mysterious beach place a little exploring a lot of drama I would say this is a return to form for M Night, especially after Glass. Also if you liked the intrigue here but wanted it a little less more horror and a little more sci-fi (with a bit of humor thrown in) then I highly recommend The Resort on Peaco*ck (not the movie The Resort, the miniseries).

(3.5 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

(4 out of 5)

My Wife's Thoughts:

(4 out of 5)

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...b87d7a061e.jpg

B-15.) OK Cider Co: Appletoberfest (Oklahoma)*

My Thoughts: Yep, smells like apple cider. All I can think of when I smell this scent is cheese fondue, man I could go for some cheese fondue right about now. Maybe it’s got a bit of twang to it... unusual for an apple cider. Also it seem really less carbonated than I was expecting. In fact… seems flat? I wanted to like this, I dug the retro bottle and was in the mood for some cider. But in the end this is best described as shotgunning flat apple Cider over a piece of sourdough bread. Bleh.

(1.5 out of 5)

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...d8a5292f0b.jpg

68.) American Gothic (1987) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: I have had several near misses with this one of the years. My video store had the cover prominently on display but I guess it was one of those titles that was never returned. Then later towards the early days of DVD there was a music store that had it perpetually in their 50% off clearance bin but it was 50% off of $100 so yeah no. Cut to 20 years later and Scream Factor finally hooks me up on a modestly priced Blu-Ray.

I’m not sure this movie lived up to its iconic poster art and my 30 year desire to see it in the end though. A group of 20 somethings decide to take a trip up the coast in their little personal aircraft after one of them gets out of the psychiatric hospital. Just stop right there, I know what you are thinking, it’s not her. Anyway they have to put down on a small island off the Oregon coast due to engine problem and it is there that the come across a house stuck in time, not Amish or anything but with a group of people that just didn’t want to be a part of society anymore. This old people have old kids who cringily act like little kids and people start dying one by one.

This movie has all of those 80's slasher hallmarks but the old actors playing kids ended up being more embarrassing than unsetting. I did like the TCM vibe that got going here but it wasn’t enough to propel this one out of oh hum territory. The end did very nearly though, and it for sure saved this one from a more disastrous score.

(3 out of 5)

Oct 22nd
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69.) Body Melt (1993) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Frantic Troma-esk Australian movie about an evil pharmaceutical company and supplements that melt their takers. Between the sound design and frequent speed cranks and the myriad of sub plots this was a frenzied experience. Bloaks splode, Aussie inbread rednecks cannibalize, rollerbladers crash and burn and all with that 90’s flair. This one will be going right next to Street Trash and Slime City on the shelf.

I think I might have just said this with Death Warmed up but I need to see more of this Australian schlock!

(3.5 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...9feacd7206.jpg

70.) Tragedy Girls (2017) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: There is nothing like a good friendship movie. Our titular Tragedy Girls are 2 BFFs doing their best to make a name for themselves on the web by way of capitalizing on a series of brutal killings but when events just don’t happen the way they are suppose to they start taking a more hands on approach to the mayhem. Think Spree meets Jawbreaker... the movies not the candies.

Perfect blend of horror and dark comedy, how did I miss this renascence of meta horror comedy in the mid 2010? Between this, The Final Girls and You Might Be The Killer, I really need to get on the ball. It’s almost like I only watch horror one month a year anymore...

(5 out of 5)

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...98787364ef.jpg

B-16.) Rahr & Sons Brewing Company: Rumpy (Texas)*

My Thoughts: Rum Barrel-Aged Pumpkin ale you say? Love that can art, very moody. Don’t know if I am getting rum barrel scent but it definitely smells like an old library, a fancy one. OK but your do taste the rum barrels. With this being 10% alcohol do they leave rum in the barrel when they are making it? It tastes like they do. It’s pumpkin beer with rum, it’s good.

(4.5 out of 5)

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...933b9ac34e.jpg

71.) Selfie Man (2018) (DVD)*

My Thoughts: I knew I needed to watch just some absolute garbage after watching Tragedy Girls to bring me back back down and this was it.

Also known as Selfie From Hell this DVD I bought on clearance as October fodder appears to by tying to cash on the brief jump in popularity of Slender Man with the rebranding. This mysterious generic Slender turns up only when using your camera in selfie mode. I feel like I have seen a preview for another movie with this exact same premise. Also you only start seeing him after watching 1 particular..cursed?..haunted? video. Now I know we have all seen that in a couple of movies.

While none of the scares in this worked at all I will give them props for an ok-ish representation of the dark web. Also it was shot well, it mostly didn't look like trash... at least when characters weren't speaking.

And beyond that how many other movies have dramatic music stings for website loading errors?

(2 out of 5)

Oct 23rd
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72.) Hoarders (2018) (DVD)*

My Thoughts: This Dollar Tree garbage was actually Dollar Tree copper!

Done in that trashy reality tv style (A&E they are doing A&E) this an amalgam of Hoarders and Ghost Hunters. Our Haunted Hoarders crew is out to investigate the spooks and cut the clutter. We have the perpetually wrong psychiatrist, the perky host, a couple of weirdo ghost chasers and our salt of the earth cleaning crew. And surprisingly everything kind of works, especially if you have seen the shows that this is lambasting. Yes there is a bit of amateur acting here and there and the hoarding isn’t nearly as bad as anything in the actual show but the humor hits.

Highly recommend for anyone that has compulsively watched Hoarders or that actively hates it.

(3.5 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...afbe9df5cb.jpg

73.) Shock Waves (1977) (DVD)

My Thoughts: This is an older DVD and the question is, is it still “The best of the Nazi zombie movies” as claimed by the case? Given the movies that have come out in the 20 years since I would say it’s no longer an accurate statement. Still top 3 though.

I reviewed this movie in 2011 and here is an except from that: “The zombie/monsters were laughable bad but something... the film stock, the setting, the actors... something just really really worked for me here. But what I cannot say.” Looking at this today it’s the feeling that this movie gives off, a foreboding gothic… vacation. I could see this playing in the background in my old age…

Looks like the BR of this came out in 2006 so it’s about time for a 4K release, yeah? IIRC this had a pretty good commentary but a historian track would be much welcomed as well.

(4 out of 5)

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...8d6820d16f.jpg

74.) Commentary For Army Of Darkness (1992) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Over the years like many of us I have upgraded the Evil Dead movies, most multiple time. But for whatever reason this is the only one one I never upgraded past VHS. And then after biding my time and waiting for a decent sale on the Scream Factory release they immediately announce a 4K version after I picked this one up…

This track has Bruce, Sam Rami & his brother. It is a very pleasant tack as the guys are all life long friends. There is lots of back and forth ribbing and stories changing based on who is telling them. I dug all the random "Thanks to this shot my left shoulder is still bothering me to this day" moments. I will say if you have listened to Bruce's audiobooks there is some retread on this track.

I will leave you with this one prothetic quote from this nearly quarter century old commentary: "We are going to eliminate all growth in part 4 and bring Ash back down to the lowest common denominator" And they would deliver on that promise with Ash Vs The Evil Dead a few decades later.

(4 out of 5)

Oct 24th

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B-17.) Yonkers Brewing Company: Terror On The Hudson (New York)*

My Thoughts: Let’s just hope they didn’t source their water from the Hudson... That was a joke but the way this taste they might have. Unpleasant potato skin and cigarette ash taste to this one. With a slightly off putting lack of clarity to the base liquid, like they didn’t use river water for real right? This is one of those 'question the decisions that got you here' beers.

(1.5 out of 5)

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...279af7eeea.jpg

75.).Rampant (2018) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Those Train To Busan zombies are back but this time in feudal Korea.

We don’t get a lot of traditional zombies in period pieces so this was interesting for having that but I feel like there might be less threat from a zombie menace when everyone has a sword? Seems very effective for dispatching the undead. I didn’t find this to be exceptionally good or bad. It really was missing the relationship aspect that made Train to Busan work so well. Do we really care all that much about the Prince and the village girl he is attempting to woe?

Also I always wonder if I am missing some nuance with these films when it comes to relations between Japan, Korea and Japan. I don’t have to worry about thousand year old historical diplomacy in more modern zombie films.

(3 out of 5)

Oct 25th

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76.).Evil Dead Rise (2023) (Streaming)*

My Thoughts: Evil Dead does Demons 2 but better.

This was some top tier Evil Dead! But dropping the food, earthquake or no, is unforgivable. This kids deserved… at least 10% of what happened to them.

Being a step and a decade away from the original reboot I feel like I had a chance to appreciate this one more than I did that one. I wasn’t constantly wishing Ash was part of the mix just enjoying the depravity visited upon this small community of people. The turned mother was a very interesting way to go with this property, something a little extra twisted about the filicidic implications here that we have never really had in one of the evil dead movies before (not counting those few episodes of Ash Vs The Evil Dead).

What’s going on with these improving sequels lately? That’s not how it’s suppose to work, it’s just suppose to be cheaper, repeat..ier and generally less interesting. Man the times they are a changing.

(4.5 out of 5)

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...2bd172bfbd.jpg

B-18.) Great Divide Brewing Company: Pumpkin Ale (Colorado)

My Thoughts:Well this has been kicking around in my cabinet since 2021 but it’s the only thing cold so let’s give it a go. Smells like wheat bread… not sure if that’s a bad omen or not. Tasting it…. I think it was a bad omen. Root beer flavored seltzer water with an old shoe aftertaste… ok with a brown beer aftertaste (bitter, yeasty no hops no barley). While this doesn’t taste that good it’s not as much of a burden to drink as some of the beers have been so far. Looking back it looks like I did review this in the 2021 challenge. Back then I described it as "dark/hoppy forbidding smell to it with an ever so slight hint of pumpkin spice. Wood. Liquorish. Bitter". So it would seem like a few years of kicking around did have a measurable effect on the flavor profile on this one.

(2 out of 5)

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...277b182228.jpg

77.).Bats (1999) (VHS)

My Thoughts: I’m gonna be honest I really just wanted to watch a VHS to be extra. I do miss those trailer reels that movies use to all start out with though. I counted and there were 8 on this one which does seem obsessive but there was also an add for 1-800-VIDEO411 to answer… what? Where to buy movies locally before the internet? Additionally I needed a refresher before listening to the new How Did This Get Made?

After a gruesome, but still PG-13, murder government helicopters swoop in Jurassic Park style to recruit the services of the leading Bat Biologist and her wisecracking assistant. Mutant bats are on the loose and nobody will listen. You have seen this plot before and done both way better and way worse. When this came out I was aghast at the effects but watching it now it stacks up really well against the Birdemic level drivel that people like to pretend is ironically funny.

The majority of this movie is its two now mostly forgotten late 90’s sidekicks trying a plan, having that plan fail and then trying again intercut with some Ghoulies-esk puppet bats for closeup and cartoony animated bats for flying scenes.

Bats wasn’t very good when it came out in 1999 and it’s still not very good today but I do appreciate it a lot more.

(2.5 out of 5)

Oct 26th

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78.).Till Death (2021) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: They made enough money from those Soup For The Soul books to make movies? And they make exploitation movies?

Thinking about Jennifer's Body the other day and wondered to myself if Megan Fox had ever done anymore horror movies. And that's how I came into possession of Till Death. A failed marriage and a ruin career lead to one last hurrah as plot device husband drives Jennifer out to the middle of nowhere to a house staged to work against her and then kills himself while handcuffed to our leading lady. Things happen, Jennifer lifts with her legs, whether related injuries potentially occur. While I got this for me because of Megan Fox I think maybe this is more a movie for the ladies, as my wife seemed to really enjoy it every time she walked by.

Excellently executed secluded winter thriller.

(4 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

(3 out of 5)

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79.).Cut And Run (1984) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: A friendlier more approachable cannibal adventure. Or maybe not quite but that is the general vibe you get with this Italian feature just without the real animal deaths and those guts pulling/chomping scenes. It’s like weird fusion of a cannibal, a generic 80’s horror and… Scarface?

A team of investigative journalists travel to South America intent on interviewing the leader of a drug cartel (because that is totally safe). Additionally they have a sub mission of resuing a captive Zapped co-star; Willie Aames. The drug cartel staffed entirley by generic jungle aboreganies eccept for the leader which is played by toasted baddie Richard Lynch, who feels real out of place in the jungle, and Michael Barryman (cool guy) who is perpetually popping out of the water.

Not a perticulary good movie but it is so weird that it’s hard not to be glued to the screen. Also those grainy inserts of the the original uncensored version are a fun touch.

There is no audio commentary on the Code Red blu-ray but there is quite a few interviews. You only need to watch one though, the Willie Aames one. He has a ton of great stories from making this, his interview is legitimatly more interesting than the movie.

(3.5 out of 5)

Oct 27h

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80.).Five Nights At Freddy's (2023) (Theater)*

My Thoughts: Well, it was either this or The Nun 2, bit bleak this year for Halloween theatrical offerings.

Five Nights At Freddie's is the big screen adaptation on the popular youth video game of the same same name. It follows a down on his luck feller with extreme childhood trauma that works as an overnight security guard at a defunct children's arcade/pizza restaurant a la Chucky Cheese. Not content to do what he was hired for our protagonist takes drugs in an attempt to lucid dream at work hoping to uncover details of his brothers abductions in the recesses of his memory. FNAF was beaten to the screen by 2 other movies that cashed in on its success as a game with slightly different promises; The Banana Splits movie and Willies Wonderland. The former of which I have seen and the later of which I have seen the trailer for and quite frankly I think that's enough.

While FNAF does not break any new ground it is a solid intro genre movie with songs and nostalgia for the parent in the audience too. I have to point out one thing that really bugged me though. And that was the games in the middle of the arcade which are those stop the light ticket games, those were not out in the 80's or 90's those are a staple of modern day arcades and way out of place in this otherwise charily decrepit throwback.

The thing I liked the most about this movie was how into it my daughter was, she jumped at all the right places, shook like a leaf a few times and generally had a great time and that's something that is really a bit more important to me than how much I like or don't like a film anymore.

(3.5 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

(4.5 out of 5)

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81.).Kill Katie Malone (2010) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Oh no, Phase 4 films again? Will this be the Wild Eye Releasing of the challenge?

Fever dreams of the decadent delights that a crappy Dean Caine horror movie might hold are dashed when one realizes that this is just one of those ‘rent an actor’ for the day deals. We get Dean at the beginning and the very end of the movie. His acting performance is leaps and bounds better than the other “actors” in this travesty, just too bad he wasn’t the star.

Watching the film you quickly realize why they couldn’t afford to have Dean frontline as this seems to be a movie shot primarily in a dorm room. Haunted dorm rooms are not scary. Bad actors reacting to haunted dorm rooms are additionally not entertaining.

I started to do a little write up on the haunted box plot of this movie and then I realized it just wasn’t worth it. Wasn’t worth my time to watch it and definitely not your time to read about it. Ugh and I own it.

(1.5 out of 5)

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...938a77e6a4.jpg

82.) Goosebumps S01E07 (2023) (Streaming) (Wild Card #3)*

My Thoughts: Episode: Give Yourself Goosebumps. It's a middle episode ending on one of those classic Goosebumps cliffhangers. Adults finally start taking some actions, teem gets trapped in a ghost scrapbook. I am a fan of testing the boundaries of mystical spaces. Especially the door into an abyss that was giving me heavy bathroom mirror from House vibes. Overall I really like where this series is going and look forward to more future bumps. Maybe even without Slappy?

(3.5 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

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83.).Snow White: A Tale Of Terror (1997) (DVD)*

My Thoughts: I gotta kiss that corpse.

The unfortunately named Snow White: A Tale Of Terror is a bit more like Snow White, The One Dwarf And The Six Rape-y Huntsman. I will spare your recap of the plot on this very familiar tail, but it’s that with a bit more murderous intent than the Disney version that we are all familiar with.

This movie is a product of it’s time sand doesn’t really fit in with the more modern dark retellings like Gretel and Hansel and gives of a very made for tv vibe. A bit of puppetry and the third act of this film would really fit right in with Jim Hensons Storyteller. But hey you get to see some famous actors doing the thing and you don’t have to listen to cheery music, it’s a fine alternative.

(3 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...119aa66025.jpg

B-19.) 450 North Brewing Company: Zombie Kush (Indiana)*

My Thoughts: Not sure what this drug reference means but it does look a lot more like a juice than beer. Very fruity mango passion fruit scent, highly acidic. Yeah not beer. It’s just a mixed drink yeah? Fruit juice with little alcohol. Very lightly carbonated. It’s good… well it’s good compared to a bad beer. Definitely weird if compared to other fruit juice drinks…. What is the audience for something like this? I feel like I could get behind this a lot more at 10% alcohol but at 6 something? Not quite.

(2.5 out of 5)

Oct 28h
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84.) Lycanimator (2018) (DVD)*

My Thoughts: Wild Eye Releasing, when no other studio will touch your horror… “movie”.

Sometimes I watch complete and total pieces of garbage like this and lose all respect for people who rate competent studio movies that they just didn't vibe with a zero out of whatever. My guy you need a cinematic pallet cleanser.

The best parts of this movie were its frequent inserts of public domain horror movies and it's constant effects and flashes made it at least not boring to look at. Also maybe the old guy who gets a knife at a truck stop and slowly walks thru the woods towards the murder house to help the kids, I needed way more updates on his status.

At one point I thought to myself "How much longer do I have to put up with this?" And mercifully this turkey is only an hour long (8 minutes of which are credits).

(1.5 out of 5)

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...dfb1e48a0a.jpg

85-87.).High School Of The Dead S01E01-12 (2011) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Perhaps I was the degenerate all along?

“This is just like one of those movies that weirdos love.” A well endowed character states after jiggling to comedic sound effects.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...04a7a831c5.jpg

B-20.) Toppling Goliath Brewing Company: Limited Edition Oktoberfest Lager (Iowa)*

My Thoughts: No offensive scent! Maybe that Kush was a big pallet reset. Well.. I got too excited. Despite its large head this is very under carbonated, hits you with the hops way too hard for an Oktoberfest and really lingers with a hop pellet bitterness in the bottom corners of the mouth. And it feels so thin… that’s the last time i am going to get my German beer from... Iowa.

(2 out of 5)

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...0befa40767.jpg

B-21.) Lone Pine Brewing Company: Pumpkin Party (Maine)*

My Thoughts: A Tallboy at less than 5%? This better be ambrosia. Well it does smell like a seasonal cookie so you got me there…. But it for sure it loses in the taste category. So watery… This is like beer you would drink on one of those 5k beer runs. It kind of taste like beer, beer flavored water with the tiniest bit of pumpkin spice. Disappointingly hydrating.

(2.5 out of 5)

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88.) Nope (2022) (4K UHD)*

My Thoughts: Best UFO movie since Signs.

This movie is a weird slow burn with a lot of uncomfortably awkward moments at the beginning but once it gets going it is a blast.

I loved every character except maybe the lead (but I suppose that was kind of the point). Also there is something about a group of people working together to execute a feasible plan that gets me every time. I have heard it called competence p*rn. A human in an unusual situation, making mistakes but then making rational decisions to fix it. Big draw of The Martian, which if you liked go read or listen to Project Hail Mary right now.

Mysteries of the Universe with shades of Jaws.

(4 out of 5)

Oct 29th
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89.) Destroy All Planets (1968) (DVD)*

My Thoughts: Japanese Boy Scouts have access to submarines?!? But those Japanese lady counsellors tho…

Aliens try to take over the planet but they didn’t count on Gamera! Later they return and scan Gamera’s memory to try to find his weakness, yes that’s right it’s a clip show movie. But it is a clip show of things I have never seen before so… better?

Others this is the cliche 60’s kanji movie you are expecting differentiated somewhat by our alien menace and 2 rapscallion lead boys.

(3 out of 5)

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...c904975300.jpg

90.) Forbidden World (1982) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Could you always tell that it was egg cartons and fast food containers in the wall? Is it just now with blu-ray that such details become evident?

Forbidden World is a run of the mill Alien knock off from Roger Corman. Coming out a year after the above average Galaxy of Terror I went in with perhaps too high of expectations for this one.

Our rouge-ish hero, who has scars all the ladies dig, responds to a distress call at a remote bio-genetics facility. There he tasked with subduing the creation that got out of hand, bedding the female staff and for the love of god not bumping into the walls. There are many alien ripoff I would suggest instead of this but it does enough to keep the lights on.

(3 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

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B-22.) Welltown Brewing: Oktoberfest Prost! (Oklahoma)*

My Thoughts: Doing a keyword search on my old reviews to see if I had ever reviewed this one before. Wow, I have written the word prostitute a lot.

Clean hoppy scent, back on track maybe? Ehh, I don’t know. Too many oktoberfests? Maybe just a perpetual string of meh ones lately? A passably decent beer after about the first quarter. I have run out of ways to describe Oktoberfest ales, this is an average one. Like the crest on the can.

(3 out of 5)

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...0ebdd78f65.jpg

B-23.) Two Roads Brewing Company: Roadsmary's Baby (Connecticut)*

My Thoughts: First off love the theme. Scent is a little more gingerbread than pumpkin spice here. And taste… Heavily pumpkin leaning, lightly carbonated. Not a lingering bitterness or awful aftertaste. Just a hint of liquorish, complex yet simple not over bearing. Man this one was a breath of fresh air.

(4 out of 5)

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...8dc6178f92.jpg

91-94.) The Fall Of The House Of Usher (2023) (Streaming)*

My Thoughts: I had no idea there would be this many Phara bad guys and killer Chimpanzees this challenge…

Mike Flanagan’s annual Netflix project has become my new AHS fix after that one lost its way. And this might very well be his return to form. Before this there head been a very prominent diminishing returns on his projects. All still really good but the Midnight Club was less than Midnight Mass which was less than Bly which in turn was less than The House On Haunted Hill (One of my very few 5 out of 5 rated movies of the challenge). Would I still consider that a 5/5 today? An 8 hour movie is not revisited lightly.

The Ushers are a super rich 1%-er family with lots of character flaws and skeletons in the basem*nt. I turned to my wife at one point earlier in the series and said to her “see, if we win the lottery we can go to these kind of parties”. That of course was before it turned into the worst orgy ever. As it goes terrible people are just fascinating to watch and even more fascinating to watch die. With the Fall each Usher in turn meets a Poe-esk ending, some of which are a bigger stretch than others. Andy while the lore here is a bit murky you can’t say that this is not now the best Poe film, sorry 2012’s The Raven.

Do you think he could do zombies? Or maybe he will go a but more Cthulhu with the next one, either way I will be there next year lining up my Netflix lockout to make sure I get that one free week off my friends account just in time for the 2024 OHMC.

(4 out of 5)

Oct 30th
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95.) Prom Night (2008) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Why did they rent this suite? So everyone could get laid at once? Also what kind of high school has the prom in a hotel, that's just asking for bad prom night decisions.

Full disclosure, this is probably a movie I would have never purchased but it just so happened when I was looking to pick up 30 Days Of Night it was the same price to buy that movie by it's self or get it in a two pack with this one, so now I own the Prom Night remake. Now the original Prom Night was kind of a mystery, no? At least that is how I remember it but admittedly it could be just that the VHS I own is so dark that it’s hard to see what is going on. But I felt like there was a mystery aspect to it? Anyway there was no mystery aspect to this. This was just straight here is the killer and now watch him kill. That can be fun but here it is fairly bland. Interesting to see a younger Idris Elba though.

The 2000’s were not a good time for horror movie remakes. As this gave me similar irrelevant The Fog remake vibes. Ohhhhh, this is PG-13... that explains a lot.

(2.5 out of 5)

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...b1f5cb95af.jpg

96.) Commentary For The Blob (1988) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: There were two tracks on this release and I went with the one with Shawnee Smith. And while she does not give a very substantive track, despite best efforts by the moderator, she is unusually likable and positive… and I liked that.

Smith is mostly watching the movie and reacting to it, there are frequent sections when she doesn’t talk at all and when she does she isn’t even talking about The Blob half the time. But despite all of this… girl is infectiously likable. And I got to say by the end I did want to be friends with Shawnee. I’m not gonna be looking forward or searching out more track she’s done because I learned all of nothing… well accept that she dated one of the other actors, but yeah, it was… it was different. I almost could’ve done without the moderator completely as the dude is struggling (not quite so hard as the one on The Burning) and just had her talking while I watch the movie. Lots of non-word reaction sounds.

(3 out of 5)

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...958b6085fa.jpg

97.) Bram Stoker's Shadowbuilder (1998) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: Bram Stoker. MVD Rewind Collection. Yondu!

I was jazzed for this one but then immediately was like... ah that's why I had never heard of this before. Awful CG and a 90's TV show shot composition set the stage for this lack luster outing. Its has a solid premise of a demon hunter-ask priest out on a mission to stop the end of the world but just delivers it in the flattest, blandest and most unforgivably boring way.

You know watching the trailer for this on IMDB, it seems to be VHS sourced and the effects look way better in lower fidelity magnetic tape. Maybe the way to see this one is not to watch it on Blu-Ray?

(2.5 out of 5)

Oct 31st
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98.) Out There Halloween Mega Tape (2022) (DVD)*

My Thoughts: Copywrite free nostalgia p*rn.Inversely the the first one this one starts out a bit weak but finishes very strong. The commercials which were the draw of the first film also felt a bit more tame and less interesting but also at the same time I suppose more realistic. I liked seeing the evolution of the main tv personality here from trashy Sally Jessy Raphael to more respected local newscaster and the ending alien theme really lined up well with that late 80’s/early 90’s X-Files fever everyone had at the time. One does wonder why watching this how niche you can get? How many people even know about the mega tapes?

Poor Stefan.

(3.5 out of 5)

My Daughter's Thoughts:

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B-24.) Blue Point Brewing Company: Oktoberfest (New York)*

My Thoughts: The challenge's penultimate beer smells the most like an oktoberfest of any beer of the challenge. Really popping on that caramel malty scent. Also I don’t know if this is just because I walked 4 miles Trick or Treating but this is f*cking delicious. Mellow malty, caramel and just a touch of black liquorish. OK the more I drink the more I realize the finish is not as good as it could be. I bit too sharp and bitter I mean not crazy but enough to knock it down a few pegs.Later that same can: Well I had intended for this to be the penultimate ale of the challenge but I am just beer'd out. I think next year I am going to do a clean up year of all the beers still hanging around and then it’s off to hard alcohol, less calories, better for me, right? Or maybe I will switch to wine and I could really pretend like that is better for me. Do they have Halloween wine?

(3.5 out of 5)

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...aea8b76af5.jpg

99.) Best Of The Worst: Halloween Spooktacular (2023) (Streaming)*

My Thoughts: Reviewing Red Letter Media is hard. While I watched and quite enjoyed this I know without a doubt that almost everyone that watches this blind would not think this is humorous at all. You really have to know the group to to not think that their jokes are just dumb… Well I mean they are.. but layers.

This year’s Halloween Spooktacular covered Tim Ritter’s Killing Spree (A movie I now know not to aquire), Night Of The Demon (A movie I reviewed for the OHMC at the behest of Mondo Cane some years ago) and Vampire Riderz (a movie I would never even have considered). There’s booze, bad movies, worse jokes fleetingly competent movie talk here. I always like how they have a special set piece for their Halloween episodes and it’s always better for them to suffer through these movies than me.

This year was a smidgen better than the last few. But again a very specific kind of humor only for existing parasocial victims.

The boy who cried haunted clown.

(4 out of 5)

Nov 1st
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100.) Ready Or Not (2019) (Blu-Ray)*

My Thoughts: I mean, who hasn't been hunted by rich people?

Something about that Samantha Weving, I think it's her face it's both beautiful and oddly bizarre, I just can't stop looking at it (kind of like Anna Faris now that I think about it). In this movie Waving is marrying up into a rich board game magnet family. Upon marriage the new family member must play one of several random common games with the family as a prerequisite condition of a supposed faustian deal made long ago. She picks the bad one and bloody mayhem uses across this the mansion.

A very satisfying cumulative injury black comedy a la Mayhem or The Hunt. Horror comedy has really been on point since the industry gave up on spoofs. Feels like a good time to be a horror fan again.

(4 out of 5)