October Horror Movie a Day 2012

[GordonZola]

The Innkeepers
A Ti West film.  I first heard about West when Brad Jones mentioned him as a director he liked, but thought his segment in VHS sucked.  So, even though I hadn't heard of this, I tried it on the chance I might like it.

I actually did.  It is a slow, building character study of two bored hotel clerks stuck for one last weekend in their reputedly haunted New England hotel before it shuts its doors forever.  Between a few last minute weirdos staying in the place, they're pretty much free to screw around and check behind corners, and Claire (Sara Paxton) soon starts blurring the lines between what might be real ghosts and just her imagination playing tricks on her as things start getting weirder and weirder.  But the movie itself is smart, funny, creepy, and incredibly good at walking the line of "Is it real or not?"  It's certainly no gorefest, but at the same time it's one of those indy movies that plays to the strengths of its actors and its low budget and does things right.

Based on the recommendations in this thread I watched this last night and was scared in a way I haven't been in years. Nice movie, and I liked the way it all tied up together fairly neatly at the end without answering all the questions. Good film.
Thanks!

[Bob]

Just a little heads up to folks, there's a number of horror movies uploaded to youtube in their entirely right now. Since they're all uploaded in their entirety in a single video, I choose to believe that there's some good reason for them to be allowed to exist (and will therefore overlook my normal hardline "No Piracy" protocols). Anyway, here's two great movies that well worth a watch:

Pontypool:

Pontypool is very good

[Starman!]

Does E.T. count?

[JimJ]

Movie #21: Angst (1983)

Another movie that is available for free on YouTube, it also hasn't been officially released in the US, for those looking for a movie for that achievement. This is an Austrian film about a serial killer who gets released from prison after 10 years and immediately feels the need to kill again. The camera work is very good and makes everything feel very real and claustrophobic. The killer is in pretty much every frame of the film and his inner monologue is practically the only spoken lines in the movie, so you kind of feel like you're trapped in this psychopath's demented psyche.  It's different and probably not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. 4/5

[SJP]

Does E.T. count?

Hmmm...tough call.  I wouldn't necessarily call it a horror movie, but it does have Halloween in it (and spends a long time on it) and I know E.T.'s scream certainly scared the crap out of me the first time I saw it...

I'll allow this one.

[Starman!]

Well in that case, I've updated my pathetically small list on page 4.

[JimJ]

Movie #22: The Loved Ones (2009)

Really good Australian movie about a crazy chick taking out revenge on the guy who turned her down when she asked him to the prom.  Really intense movie.  The performances are great, especially from the main character and the villain.  One of the best I've watched this month so far.  4.5/5

[GordonZola]

Watched "The Reeds", which I thought was an Oliver and Lou biopic for a second.

Only watched 3/4 of the way through....pointless gore and you could tell it was never going to make sense at the end. They could have a done a nice little NFN** psychological twist or a "how do you find your way back in the dark" thing, but no.

Then me and the wife watched "Vanishing on 7th Street" and went to bed very depressed. What a fucking pointless movie! What was it about? Is Detroit Purgatory (I have my own answer to that, but will refrain...). Several BWDT++ moments.

**"Normal for Norfolk" or inbred

++++"But why didn't they...." where the logic of the movie or the behavior of the characters makes no sense

[Compound]

Okay, I just watched an Australian film. That counts as non-English, correct?

[ScottotD]

Okay, I just watched an Australian film. That counts as non-English, correct?

Racist

[GordonZola]

Okay, I just watched an Australian film. That counts as non-English, correct?

Racist

Wowser

[JimJ]

Movie #23: Paranormal Activity (2007)

Rewatching this series to get ready for the release of part 4.  I don't think I need to say much here, as everyone knows what this is and how they feel about it.  I'm a fan of the series so I enjoyed the rewatch.  Also, Micah is still an insufferable douche. 3.5/5

This marks the first film that I've watched for this challenge that I'd seen before.  I'm still going to try to do at least one movie per day that I've never seen.

[ScottotD]

Okay, I just watched an Australian film. That counts as non-English, correct?

Racist

Wowser

huh?

[Compound]

Pony Trouble (2005, first viewing)

In the future, a film crew is dispatched to chronicle the exploits of a group of fans of the world's most popular RPG, The Pony Game. It's a cross between a LARP, a pen and paper game and a furry con. Things go badly. After about an hour of orgies, drug use and prancing around the forest looking for head-eating faeries, the pony fans then eat the film crew as part of a mystic ceremony to gain emerald power. And then, after chopping off various limbs from bystanders, they get into a fight with corporate security while they look for the Rainbow of Might. Oh, and there's a bondage scene with a care bear too.

Oh, lord this sucked. It's a "comedy" but I think I've laughed more during the Noun Movies. The acting sucks. The fight scenes have horrible choreography.  None of the characters are remotely interesting. The music is horrible. (Mostly. Looking at the credits, there's some Freezepop songs in there. This is pre-Rock Band stardom, I guess.) Let me put it this way- the CGI birds in Birdemic? Better characters than anyone in this film. Better actors too. Dear lord, I have more respect for After Last Season than for this film.

And while I shouldn't bring Bronies into this, I will. (Since this film predates the current show by 5 years, it's a bit unfair.) There may be a film about psychotic Bronies out there, waiting to be made. But this isn't it. Pass, pass, pass.

[JimJ]

Movie #24: Bloody Pit of Horror (w/Rifftrax) (1965)

This movie was awful, but it was enjoyably bad.  Mickey Hargitay's  gives one of the most unintentionally hilarious performances I've ever seen.  Enjoyed the riff, but probably would've been able to enjoy the cheesiness of the movie on it's own.  2/5