Tonight we watched Scream (1996). I think I remembered about 5% of this movie - I don't know if I've seen it since I was ten years old... It was a lot of fun! I don't know if Gen Z will appreciate it, though. It's almost entirely out of date 😂
My goal is to watch the whole series this year, so I'm looking forward to revisiting Scream 2 before long!
I just got done watching The Void. My official review:
The story was okay
There were a lot of creepy, badass monsters! 👍
I think the breakneck pace kind of holds this one back. If there was more room to breathe, this could have been epic. Instead, it felt like the creators were rushing to get everything onto the screen. Still, it was entertaining and some of the imagery will stick with me for a while
I'm late posting this, but my retro gamer friend and I had a game night the other night. He had the perfect thing to help celebrate the Halloween season: Nightmare Creatures on N64! It's pretty jank, but we had a great time kicking werewolves 😄
This morning, I watched "His House" and I was immediately captivated by it. What a great movie! It's definitely my favorite of the season so far. It's got it all: a great and meaningful story, a freaky monster, charming characters, and excellent effects. This should be on every horror fan's radar!
I forgot to mention that I finished "The Only Good Indians" a few days ago. My official review is:
Great story 👍
Awesome monster 👍
The only bad thing I can say is that the last act lost me a little bit - without spoiling anything, I think it started off kind of silly. Otherwise, the rest of the book was genuinely terrifying. A great book that is definitely worth the read!
Interesting story 👍
Not enough monster screentime (unless you count Johnny Depp) 👎
Still, I liked it okay. I watched it when I was younger and didn't like it at all (see my point about monster screentime). But this time I was able to see all of the German expressionist influence and was able to appreciate it. The visual design for this one is beautiful!
I forgot to mention that I had some stuff to do today, so I turned on "Scream Queens" to play in the background. I didn't give it all of my attention but it still got some good laughs out of me. Not bad for a show I'd never heard of before!
Whew! My Halloween reading push is going well: I finished "This Thing Between Us" this morning! My review:
Heartbreaking story 👍
Okay monster 😐
I think I might need to chew on this one a bit longer... Right now I feel like I have more questions than answers. Still, it was a wonderful read (you know, as wonderful as a soul-crushing book can be) and I recommend it if that's your thing!
@bookstodon We just finished watching Scream 2. My verdict:
Pretty decent story 👍
One good killer, one dud 😐
I think this one is technically better than the first, but I think it lacked some charm that the first one nailed. (I miss Stu! 😢) This one had me jumping out of my skin, though! It's a fun thrill ride that no slasher fan should miss - just try not to compare it to its predecessor
I read "Natural Beauty" last night. Here's my review:
Interesting story 👍
The monster is a good person?! 👍👍
It's a very quick read but it crams a lot of stuff into its ~200 pages. It gave me a lot to think about and it was able to make me literally cringe at least once. You can't go wrong with this one - give it a shot if you get the chance
Tonight, we had some edibles and watched "The Toxic Avenger". I don't know if I'd call it horror, exactly, but it's horror adjacent 😂 Anyway, my review:
Probably one of the best monsters 👍👍
The story isn't really important 😐
Wow! This one definitely punches in all directions. Still, there are some laughs to be had. And, of course, Toxie is a saint. Just watch with caution if it's on your radar
I had fun playing this one and definitely recommended it... but I have some Thoughts. There's too much to put in a toot, though. I'll be sure to update this with a link to my Steam review when I get it typed up
This afternoon, I re-re-rewatched Annihilation. My review for this one stands firm:
Excellent, thought-provoking plot 👍👍
Horrific monsters that leave an impression 👍👍
This is one of my favorite horror movies - as well as one of my favorite movies, period. If you're looking for a sci-fi horror movie that's both beautiful and terrifying, this is a must see. It'll stick with you a long time after!
Just for shits and giggles, we watched "The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell". I didn't plan to, but I'll give it a review:
Is there really a story? 😐
The Muppet monsters are phenomenal! 👍👍
This was a lot of fun! Calling her crafts impressive is an understatement. And the cast of Muppets that accompany her is awesome! Definitely worth watching it if that's what you're in the mood for
Last night, we watched Candyman (1992). My review:
Great monster 👍
Terrifying story 👍
This was not what I was expecting, AT ALL. I always figured it was another slasher but, even though it has slasher moments, it's much more of a psychological horror movie. There are only a few scenes where things take a violent turn but, holy shit, they are really creepy and brutal. I was pleasantly surprised!
I also finished "Mexican Gothic" yesterday. My thoughts:
Disgusting, truly freaky monster 👍👍
Interesting story 👍
I like this take on the traditional haunted house story! It has a pretty unique premise that will get under your skin if you let it - it had me worried about what is lurking in my basement. This is currently my favorite book of the season. Definitely worth a read!
I don't know why, but I haven't put the audiobooks I've listened to on here. Anyway, here's a review for "Yours Cruelly, Elvira":
No monsters to speak of, other than Hollywood execs 👎
A mostly fun and funny story 👍
I didn't know anything about Elvira before listening to this. She is so cool! Now I want to watch everything that she's been in 😂 Definitely a good listen that I'd recommend!
I've also listened to "The Lady from the Black Lagoon". My final thoughts:
Gill Man is a great monster 👍
A story I didn't think was going to grab me until it did 👍
I love the "Reading Glasses" podcast, so this one has been on my radar. I didn't think it would take a whole book to tell this story - but I was wrong! Milicent led such an interesting life. She's a real inspiration, to boot!
We just got home after watching "The Exorcist: Believer". My thoughts:
Wait, there was a monster in this movie? 👎
The story has been done to death 👎
This one was boring in its best moments and felt like a rated R "God's Not Dead" at its worst. They tried making it inclusive to other religions, but it mostly pandered to various Christian denominations. Very little horror in this one. Hard pass
I finished "Willy's Wonderland" this morning. My review:
A bunch of goofy (and freaky) monsters 👍
There are a few minutes of ridiculous backstory 😐
Any description of this one sounds like a fever dream: "it's like 'Five Nights at Freddy's' but Nic Cage shows up and whips everybody's ass." It's a lot of dumb fun and it's worth a watch if that's the kind of thing you're looking for 😄
Okay, time to play a little catch-up! Last night we watched "Totally Killer":
The killer was kinda lame and predictable 👎
The story was a lot of fun 👍
This definitely wasn't my favorite movie of the season, but worth a watch if you're at a loss for what to watch next. If you're in the mood for something like "Back to the Future" meets Scream, this one will do the trick
I watched "Tetsuo: The Iron Man" earlier today. My review:
Awesome, very disturbing monsters 👍👍
I think I missed something when it comes to the plot 😐
I don't know exactly what it was that I watched here (who was the track star?), but I know I liked it. It's visually and thematically unlike anything I've seen. And it's really horny? Wicked monsters and a killer soundtrack kept me enthralled!
Finally, I finished reading "The Rust Maidens". My thoughts:
Very cool and creative monsters 👍
A plot that contains a lot of thought provoking themes 👍
This book managed to explore gender, capitalism, and tradition simultaneously without missing a step. The only thing keeping me from loving it is something about the tone... The narrator was too aloof maybe? Still, definitely worth a read
We just finished watching "Little Shop of Horrors":
Audrey II is an impressive, entertaining, and creepy monster 👍👍
Catchy songs move the plot forward 👍
I saw this as a teenager so I wasn't able to appreciate the work that went into the monster's design. I'd love to see some BTS footage about how it worked! The songs were great, the cast was awesome, and the direction was solid. Loved this one!
I finished "The Black Guy Dies First" the other day:
Tons of iconic monsters 👍
An engaging and interesting history of black creators in horror cinema 👍
This is absolutely a worthwhile read (or listen, in my case). The author shares a detailed timeline of black created/influenced horror films over the decades up until 2021 or 2022. Shines a light on hidden gems for any level of horror fan
the story takes unexpected turns at every opportunity 👍👍
This is almost certainly my spooky game of the year! 🏆 I might be biased as a fan of "The Cat Lady" and Downfall, but I 1,000% recommend this one to anyone looking for a puzzle/story focused horror game
We finished "Interview with the Vampire (2022)" tonight:
These vampires are true monsters 👍
The story kept me captivated throughout 👍👍
I really, really like this new take on the original story. Every change feels right and is thoughtfully explored. Somehow, it manages to change a lot without changing the overarching story. If you liked the original, this is a must-see, if you ask me
I forgot to mention that I played "Zombies Ate My Neighbors" at my friend's place the other day. We got a lot farther than I would have expected - which is not very far, actually 😂 It's a lot of fun! ...I wish it would work on Steam Deck 😤
Time to play catch-up again! I finished "Red X" a few days ago:
Heartbreaking and thought-provoking story 👍👍
The monster is seriously stomach-turning👍👍
This is, so far, my favorite book of the season. It deftly alternates between horror and drama. It has kept me chewing over it for the last couple of days (ie, the best thing that horror can do). Definitely worth a read!
Last night, we had an early celebration for my wife's birthday and we attended a live performance of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". Both of us were virgins but we plan to go again in the future. It was a freaking blast! 😆
I finished "The Between" by Tananarive Due this morning:
There isn't much of a monster, per se, but plenty of supernatural stuff 👍
The story is consistently tense throughout and delivers gut-punch after gut-punch 👍👍
This is tied for my favorite book of the season. Even without a true monster, it is probably the most frightening book I've read this year. This is one that I would consider a must-read!
Finally, I ALSO finished "Strange Frequencies" by Peter Bebergal:
Tons of ghosts in this one, if that's your thing 👍
There's not really a story in this one (it's nonfiction) 😐
This is my favorite nonfiction book of the season, hands down. (It's been a great week for spooky books 😁) A fascinating look at how people use modern technology to bridge the gap between life and the spirit world!
Last night, we watched "When the Screaming Starts":
A couple of very memorable killers 👍
The story was predictable but fun 👍
This one was okay. It got a few big laughs out of me and the kills were pretty intense. The special effects were well done, too! Not a bad slasher movie, if that's what you're in the mood for and don't have anything else to watch
This morning, I watched "The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster":
There wasn't enough screentime for the monster 👎
The story was just a modern reinterpretation of "Frankenstein" 😐
I found the main character unlikable, the monster was barely in it, and it's a story we've (mostly) heard many times before. Some thought provoking moments here and there but, sadly, I wasn't very impressed by this one
A lot of monsters, and they're all cheesy as hell 👍
The story was fine. It existed, I guess 😐
Not a bad watch by any means but, unless you're looking for stilted acting and bargain bin special effects, it's hard to recommend. Some kills toward the beginning were hilarious but they lose steam as the movie goes on. Overall, a little better than okay
I'm not sure if this falls under horror or not. There might be supernatural stuff. It's probably closer to sci-fi... Still, the actors did a great job and the script is pretty interesting. Not a bad watch if you're okay with small-ish budget character studies
The story is presented as a found footage montage 👍
This has been on my watchlist for years and I'm glad we finally watched it! One of the most genuinely freaky movies I've watched this year. If you're looking for interesting characters, tasteful jump scares, and lingering psychic damage, this is a must watch!
I finished my last novel for this spooky season this morning. Fittingly, it was "I'm Thinking of Ending Things":
No monsters to be found in this one 😐
The story kept me guessing for a long time 👍👍
The only reason this doesn't immediately beat "Red X" and "The Between" for the best novel this season is because I guessed the ending a little early. Still, a thrilling and interesting read!
Add comment