84 Responses to “Official 2014 Horror Recommendations Post”

1. 

   CJ Holden

   October 8th, 2014 at 12:02 pm

   Yesterday I watched MODERN VAMPIRES, a pretty crappy, but on the other side also kinda creative and enjoyably weird Richard Elfman film, starring Casper van Dien, Natasha Gregson-Wagner, Craig Ferguson, Kim Catrall, Rod Steiger and Udo Kier.

   That’s all I got. I’ve never been a huge help in that field, but this year I’m completely empty.

2. 

   Amazing Larry

   October 8th, 2014 at 12:09 pm

   How about Abel Ferrara’s THE ADDICTION? Just throwin’ it out there.

3. 

   Toxic

   October 8th, 2014 at 12:10 pm

   Since you reviewed the first two, I’m going to suggest GINGERDEAD MAN 3: SATURDAY NIGHT CLEAVER again.

4. 

   Kev

   October 8th, 2014 at 12:36 pm

   WOULD YOU RATHER was pretty enjoyable, with some neat little twists and a great Jeffrey Combs performance. Definitely worth a shot.

5. 

   One Guy from Andromeda

   October 8th, 2014 at 12:48 pm

   Jodorowsky’s (strongly influenced by Argento) Santa Sangre!

6. 

   Mr. Subtlety

   October 8th, 2014 at 12:56 pm

   Vern, I suggest checking out some of the micro-budget horror of the last couple years. For my money, stuff like ABSENTIA, RESOLUTION, THE PACT, ALYCE KILLS, THE SIGNAL, THE REEDS, THE CORRIDOR and EXIT HUMANITY have delivered way more bang than any studio horror I’ve seen in a long time (just stay away from POP SKULL, it’s terrible).

   Otheri interesting ideas I had this year (note that I said INTERESTING, not necessarily good)

   PRISON (1987 — Renny Harlin directs Viggo Mortensen in a haunted prison movie)
   PUFFBALL (2007 — Nicolas Roeg from THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH/ WALKABOUT directs a 2007 horror movie??)
   THE AWAKENING (1980 — Charleton Heston fights a Mummy in a Bram Stoker adaptation!)
   THE VISITOR (1979 — Psychadellic horror with John Huston, Glenn Ford, Lance Henriksen)
   SCHALKEN THE PAINTER (1979 — disturbed painter must rescue a former model from a horrifying fate)
   PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES (1966 — The last real zombie movie before George Romero reinvented the concept, one of the best Hammer movies)
   MAGIC (1978 — Richard Attenborough and Anthony Hopkins made a killer dummy movie?)
   David Schmoeller movies (Director of TOURIST TRAP and CRAWLSPACE with Klaus Kinski. Maybe his other movies are good too? NETHERWORLD? CATACOMBS? PUPPET MASTER?)
   Every Hammer Horror movie ever? Just finished the FRANKENSTEINs, surprisingly high quality throughout except for the terrible EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN. Let’s move on to the Mummys and maybe a REPTILE or two.

7. 

   The Original... Paul

   October 8th, 2014 at 1:11 pm

   Yeah I got nothing except the two I’ve already recommended – the adaptation of Jo Nesbo’s HEADHUNTERS (there’s a basically invincible killer in it, but otherwise it’s more of a crime drama with horror elements than a straight horror movie) and THE PACT (agree completely with Mr Subtlety on this one, it was surprisingly great).

   I thought THE SIGNAL was great also, but haven’t you already done that one? I seem to remember a review of it.

8. 

   Bunta Sugawara

   October 8th, 2014 at 1:20 pm

   The Edogawa Rampo adaptations of Akio Jissoji (“Ultraman”) are very good:- “The D Slope Murder Case” (1998), “Mirror Hell” (part of the 2005 “Rampo Noir” anthology), and “Watcher in The Attic” (1994, not to be confused with the 1976 version). Available from http://japaneiga.free.fr/. But unfortunately no-one’s fansubbed “Watcher” yet :(

   And while we’re talking Rampo:- Shinya Tsukamoto’s “Gemini” (1999) and Teruo Ishii’s “Horrors of Malformed Men” (1969).

9. 

   The Original... Paul

   October 8th, 2014 at 1:56 pm

   And also… “Carry On Screaming”.

   Because a Vern review of “Carry on Screaming” would be the second most awesome horror-related thing ever (the first would be “Carry on Screaming” itself.)

10. 

    The Original... Paul

    October 8th, 2014 at 1:59 pm

    And… ok, I’m on a roll here… how about a “Bodysnatchers” triple-bill? I know you’ve already done the Daniel Craig / Nicole Kidman movie, but what about the first three? I know I’m kinda biased towards this series (ok, very very biased indeed) but I’d like to hear your take on them. My own is that they’re all great films in very different ways; and they also all reflect the time that they were made in, again, in very different ways.

11. 

    Sternshein

    October 8th, 2014 at 2:11 pm

    Vern, please watch Intruder already or fix your search engine to show you reviewed it. Either way it’s a great slasher movie.

    Also, I agree that The Pact is good stuff.

    But Vern you most review The Visitor if only to help explain what the fuck is going on with the film.

12. 

    Toxic

    October 8th, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    I’m assuming you’ll review SEE NO EVIL 2 since they’re releasing it in a couple of weeks but just in case it somehow fell off your radar, well, remember, SEE NO EVIL 2, October 17 on VOD, October 21 on DVD/Blu-Ray.

13. 

    Darren

    October 8th, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    This is my favorite time of the year for horror films. My local store usually brings out titles I haven’t seen before, or have been missing from my collection. Picked up a few of the newer HELLRAISER sequels.

    I also did a blind buy last week of a 1983 slasher called CURTAINS, with that exceptional arsehole character actor, the great John Vernon. It’s top of the pile to be watched, so I can’t comment yet, but this was the photo of the masked killer that sold me on the movie –

    https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSz8Er63mPDV_VbMp0zdcYFxoo1XzYWmDlyhbmm59C7KmS3MiAD

    Nothing scarier than a killer in a hag mask, on ice skates, wielding a sickle.

14. 

    Darren

    October 8th, 2014 at 2:54 pm

    I’ll second the following, from the above commenters –

    – THE SIGNAL(nicely done horror/end of the world-ish low budgeter with 3 intersecting survival stories and some absurd black humor/social commentary. That AJ Bowen sure gets around the horror movies.(He’s also in Ti West’s THE SACRAMENT, which wasn’t bad.)

    – Thanks to Mr Subtlety promoting these in Slasher Search 2013 – ABSENTIA and THE PACT – both very similar, psychological/kinda supernatural horrors, and pretty creepy. I believe the Absentia guys also made the recent OCCULUS(haven’t seen yet.)

15. 

    Rymar

    October 8th, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    BLOODY MOON (1981) – pretty wild gory slasher by Jess Franco, not slow-paced like many of his other movies and no porn elements. It falls in a similar category as PIECES, but I like BLOODY MOON a little more. The saw-mill sequence is especially messed-up. The outfits the characters where are all pretty outrageous, each new one gets a reaction from the people I’ve watched it with. The blu-ray that just came out is beautiful too.

    also if you’re interested in checking out some proto-slashers, SPIRAL STAIRCASE (1946) is very good and creepy, with a plot involving a mute woman being stalked by a killer who’s been mutilating disabled women in town. You can see the influence on movies like BLACK CHRISTMAS even, thirty years earlier.

    PEEPING TOM (1960) is also a classy but still disturbing version of movies like DON’T GO IN THE HOUSE and MANIAC (1980).

    non-slashers:

    BLACK ROOM (198?) – underrated classic, a grounded take on a vampire flick – sadly it hasn’t been released on DVD yet, just VHS, but well worth checking out. Also pretty disturbing, especially the last ten minutes.

    BEYOND THE DARKNESS (aka BUIO OMEGA, 1979) – nauseating and perverse romantic shocker, soundtrack by Goblin. Rich guy’s maid is in love with him, she kills his girlfriend with a voodoo doll. He can’t let go, digs her up, taxidermies her, and things get pretty gross from there. A+ Italian horror –

16. 

    Kyu

    October 8th, 2014 at 5:03 pm

    Every year I also do horror movies throughout October, at least 31 (this year aiming for 60) with full reviews. Some of my favorites from last year:

    -EDEN LAKE, a really good, taut, realistic horror movie about a couple who gets mixed up with some teenagers while on vacation. (It’s sort of like a serious Tucker and Dale.)
    -TETSUO: THE IRON MAN, a deranged Japanese movie about a man turning into metal and screaming a lot. The story is confusing but the filmatism is mindblowing.
    -PEEPING TOM, an absolute classic.
    -MR. BROOKS, a serial killer movie that was much better than I was expecting… it’s a little messy, but kind of like watching a really good season of Dexter in 2 hours.
    -CITIZEN X, not really a horror movie, but a serial killer procedural set in the Soviet Union. Very well-done. (made for HBO)
    -LAKE MUNGO, a fake documentary from Australia about a family in the aftermath of their teenage daughter’s death. Restrained, moving, and eerie.
    -THE DARK HOURS (or HEAD GAMES), a pretty decent “trapped by sadistic killers” entry (ala Funny Games or whatever), filtered through Canadian politeness. Neat ending.
    -TIMECRIMES, a clever low-budget sci-fi/horror from Spain.
    -FALLEN, a noir-ish horror with an innovative villain, great mood, and a bang-up cast (Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, etc).

    And a few from the year before:
    -ABSENTIA, a pretty good low-budget effort by the director of OCULUS, about a woman who starts seeing her missing husband now that she’s finally declaring him legally dead.
    -LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END DRIVE, a really fascinating, sort of artisinal torture porn–authentically creepy, this was a lost movie for decades, rumored to be an actual snuff film.
    -THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES, a fake doc about a serial killer who filmed his victims. Very creepy.

    Favorites so far this year:
    -PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, Peter Weir’s classic about the mystery of several girls who go missing on Valentine’s Day, 1900.
    -THE HAUNTING, Robert Wise’s classic adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel. Fantastically well shot.
    -THE CONSPIRACY, a fake doc about filmmakers who, during a project about nuts who believe conspiracy theories, stumble into what may be a real one.
    -YOU’RE NEXT, a recent crowd-pleasing slasher-cum-actioner. I think this one is right up your alley.

17. 

    Sternshein

    October 8th, 2014 at 7:10 pm

    Oculus is one of the worst horror movies I’ve ever seen.

18. 

    Dtroyt

    October 8th, 2014 at 7:38 pm

    I agree with the others who suggested THE SIGNAL. I also recommend YOU’RE NEXT which I watched earlier this week with zero expectations and ended up really liking.

    Looking forward to seeing what surprises you have in store this year.

19. 

    Al T

    October 8th, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    Vern already reviewed YOU’RE NEXT last year, unless there’s another movie with that title worth noting.

    For old-school slasher films, I would suggest Joseph Zito’s THE PROWLER and TERROR TRAIN. While it’s more of a thriller, I think THE FAN with Lauren Bacall and Michael Biehn is worthwhile. I lean towards sci-fi/horror, so I recommend the Japanese GOKE: BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL and the last decent Christopher Lee/Peter Cushing team-up HORROR EXPRESS.

20. 

    Mr. Subtlety

    October 8th, 2014 at 9:04 pm

    A hearty second to CITIZEN X, one of my very favorite serial killer police procedurals of all time. Not really a horror movie, but a great mystery/drama with a fantastic performance from Stephen Rea.

    Also agree with Al T, HORROR EXPRESS is a great Lee/Cushing teamup, and a rare instance where they’re both more or less good guys. Also you gets some Telly Savalas action later on, and one of the most bizarre UK horror plots of all time.

    Final suggestion: Just watched Larry Fessenden’s BENEATH, it seems like it was roundly hated by everyone but I sort of loved it. Think JAWS on a lake with a giant catfish, but it turns out the horror is actually in the things the situation brings out in the characters. IMHO Fessenden’s best effort yet.

21. 

    Timmy

    October 8th, 2014 at 9:10 pm

    As previously discussed, review Sledge Hammer. Its bad but enough weirdness to make a good review

22. 

    anaru

    October 8th, 2014 at 9:11 pm

    “interesting traditional ’80s slasher movies that I’ve somehow missed”

    BOARDINGHOUSE, BOARDINGHOUSE, BOARDINGHOUSE

    also AEROBICIDE

    also BOARDINGHOUSE

23. 

    Rymar

    October 8th, 2014 at 9:15 pm

    AEROBICIDE is also known as KILLER WORKOUT, directed and starring the Prior brothers who also did SLEDGEHAMMER – really enjoyed both those, especially SLEDGEHAMMER – more slow motion than any other movie ever

24. 

    solongyoubastard

    October 9th, 2014 at 12:49 am

    The Majorettes.

25. 

    AU_Armageddon

    October 9th, 2014 at 1:33 am

    1) I recommend you take another crack at tracking down a copy of I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAEiPblGH9w

    2) You might’ve missed Dead Set (5 part English series, 40min per part, essentially a straight and awesome 3 hour zombie movie). I’ve seen over 600 zombie movies now and this is in top 5 for me. The Signal (2007) is another top 5 zombie flick that you might’ve missed.

    Will list from memory horrors I caught in the last year or so that I enjoyed and you may have missed.

    The Colony
    Exam
    Untraceable
    Town Creek
    Wasting Away (witty zombie comedy)
    The Divide
    Session 9
    Wakewood
    Outpost Trilogy (all 3 are decent)
    The Reef
    Rec 3 (1&2 brilliant if not seen)
    Little Deaths
    Straw Dogs
    ATM
    247 Degrees Fahrenheit
    The Innkeepers
    Husk
    Demon Knight
    Afterlife
    Penance (admittedly just for Rooker)
    Deadgirl
    The Lost Coast Tapes
    Would You Rather
    The Human Race

    Only listed the ones I enjoyed watching, but have now arranged it in order of how much I enjoyed them.

26. 

    Shoot McKay

    October 9th, 2014 at 1:47 am

    It´s not a slasher but how about DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE a.k.a THE CEMETARY MAN? That is quite a unique little horror movie. Visual and poetic as fuck. I know somebody here recommended it last year

27. 

    Vern

    October 9th, 2014 at 3:28 am

    Oh come on fellas, you know how I feel about shot on video.

28. 

    Griff

    October 9th, 2014 at 3:55 am

    Vern, I believe I mentioned this a few years ago when I watched, but check out HOUSE 2: SECOND STORY

    it’s not as scary as the first movie, it’s more of an 80’s adventure movie than a straight up horror movie, but it’s nevertheless an awesome movie, it also features cameos by both John Ratzenberger and Bill Maher (of all people) playing (what else?) an asshole

29. 

    The Original... Paul

    October 9th, 2014 at 4:27 am

    AU-Armageddon – DEAD SET was the best ever thing to come out of “Big Brother” (awful, awful reality show featuring people living in a house while being voted off by the general public). It’s also the best thing “Big Brother” host Davina McCall has ever been in. And yes, she does get eaten by a zombie. (Ya see, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, this is how you do it. Still can’t believe that movie actually had a Vernon Kay cameo and didn’t have him get eaten. Fuck you Edgar Wright!)

    TERROR TRAIN is one of the better eighties slasher movies, but does suffer from a common trope of eighties whodunnits of the time that you’ll recognise pretty early on. Still a good use of Jamie Lee Curtis and David Copperfield. Seems more like my kinda thing than Vern’s, but it might make a good review.

    FALLEN isn’t great, but it has one of the greatest movie insults ever (the sandwich – I’m sure those of you who’ve seen it will know what I’m talking about) and it’s one of the more interesting Denzel movies of its time. I like it. I think Vern would have a bit to say about its use of the Rolling Stones (whether positive or negative though, I’m not going to theorise).

    I disagree with Sternshein about OCULUS by the way. I reviewed it in the forums. It’s got some fantastic direction, atmosphere, and good acting throughout. It’s not without its problems though. A lot of the movie could’ve been resolved without needing to go where it did go, the ending is pretty obvious, and the pacing is way off for the last half of the movie. That said, a lot of it really stuck with me and it’s absolutely worth seeing IMO.

30. 

    Eliza Bennet

    October 9th, 2014 at 4:35 am

    The recent horror film I liked was called The Returned and it was more of a drama than horror.

31. 

    KaeptnKrautsalat

    October 9th, 2014 at 4:47 am

    First a couple of current films:

    -THE BABADOOK: Don’t let the silly title fool you, this is an extremely effective psychological horror film with great atmosphere and stong acting.
    -HOUSEBOUND: A horror comedy in the style of DRAG ME TO HELL with very likable characters.

    A couple of classics you might not have seen yet:

    THE TENANT: Roman Polanki’s forgotten masterpiece. I can’t explain why, but this film is just creepy as fuck.
    NOSFERATU (Remake): Mandatory viewing for those interested in the fine art of mega-acting.

32. 

    Brian

    October 9th, 2014 at 4:58 am

    Killer’s Moon is a pretty enjoyable, British, exploitative movie. It’s kind of a unique melding of prim and proper and sleazy. It’s also pretty funny.

33. 

    Brendan

    October 9th, 2014 at 6:04 am

    Just saw a really good one: HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON. From Mario Bava, it starts out as pretty solid precursor to AMERICAN PSCYHO/MANIAC with it’s “Slasher movie from slasher’s perspective” set-up, but then somewhere around the halfway point it takes a completely insane left turn. Lot of fun.

34. 

    Rymar

    October 9th, 2014 at 8:32 am

    KILLER WORKOUT is shot on film and is a pretty funny dumb 80s slasher with a pretty bleak ending, might be of interest to you, Vern,, moreso than SLEDGE since that one’s shot on video – though that one has a lot of the comforting 80s slasher tropes and just enough weirdness on display.

35. 

    Charles

    October 9th, 2014 at 8:49 am

    So many great suggestions it hard to add to the list but any Slasher by Mario Bava would be good. I am not sure what ones you have already reviewed.

    What about MANIAC COP 2? You might have already reviewed it, but it impressive commando film making shot on location in NY without permission or permits with incredible stunt work and practical effects. It is also available on Blu ray with a stunning transfer.

    In addition, I recently saw THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW and dug it. If you have not reviewed it I would recommend it. And if you want to go outside the box and check out some foreign horror I would recommend RIGOR MORTIS. It is a modern HK vampire Kung Fu movie with some stunning visuals.

    But if I could only recommend one horror film for you to review (if you have not already) it would be BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW. It is a disturbing and captivating modern Giallo from Panos Cosmatos (son of Goerge P. Cosmatos).

36. 

    Jek Porkins

    October 9th, 2014 at 8:58 am

    I submit THE STUFF (1985) for your consideration for review. The titular icky-looking goop oozes from the ground. Families become enslaved by it. An ice cream magnate named Chocolate Chip Charlie fights for his dessert empire. While being menaced by a racist military man who has his troops travel by taxi (Paul Sorvino). A kid trashes a grocery store. Minds are controlled, then exploded, in yogurt colors. Is it funny? Yes. Horrific? Yes. Did someone think they were making the Dr. Strangelove of consumerism? Probably. Directed by the guy who wrote CELLULAR and PHONE BOOTH, apparently before he thought so much about phones.

37. 

    CEPE

    October 9th, 2014 at 9:09 am

    Doesn’t look like you’ve reviewed it before, so I’m gonna suggest Stephen Norrington’s DEATH MACHINE.

38. 

    Randy

    October 9th, 2014 at 9:41 am

    how about a Street Trash review? seems like something you could really dig deep on. Combat Shock? I know these aren’t conventional horror, but I gotta put my two cents in where I can

39. 

    sweetooth0

    October 9th, 2014 at 11:26 am

    Clive Barker’s Nightbreed.

    Scream Factory is releasing the director’s cut this October. Pretty big deal since it’s been 25years coming (the original elements were thought to be lost) and it has over 40mins of different footage from the theatrical cut.

    Cool hybrid of horror, fantasy, slasher (wi8th David Cronenberg playing the killer) and action.

40. 

    Mr. Subtlety

    October 9th, 2014 at 11:46 am

    Oh, and whoever said BLOODY MOON above is a genius. Perfect combo of gore and ridiculousness. Vern, if you haven’t seen that one, it should be at the top of your list. HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON is pretty great too, although not as gory and not a traditional slasher structure, more like MANIAC where you follow the killer.

41. 

    Darren

    October 9th, 2014 at 12:47 pm

    I heard DEAD SET suffered from vomit-inducing-handheld-shakycam-disease so I’ve avoided it like the plague.

42. 

    Republican Cloth Coat

    October 9th, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    I’ve never seen The Burning, starring Jason Alexander, but you recommended it back in 2009. And I need to know more! A good slasher search entry, anyway.
    https://outlawvern.com/2009/10/22/a-slasher-overview/

43. 

    Dan Prestwich

    October 9th, 2014 at 1:38 pm

    BLOODY MOON is a hoot overall, but worth it for the fashion alone. Holy shit, I would love to find out what the costumer designer was on.

44. 

    Rymar

    October 9th, 2014 at 2:12 pm

    Thanks Mr Subtlety!

    The costume designer for “Bloody Moon”, Rolf Albrecht, also apparently designed a hotel in the Caribbean –
    https://www.google.com/search?q=jungla+caribe&espv=2&biw=853&bih=396&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=gfk2VPG4NeLE8AHM4YHgBA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAw

45. 

    Vern

    October 9th, 2014 at 2:43 pm

    SPOILER: I already have KILLER WORKOUT in my stack with a bunch of other stuff. I’ll try to find a couple of these other ones.

46. 

    The Original... Paul

    October 9th, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    Darren – I’ve rewatched a few minutes of “Dead Set”. It definitely uses shakycam but, on DVD at least, it’s not so bad. It didn’t bother me the first time I watched it. (Of course, now that you’ve brought it up…)

47. 

    Ben

    October 10th, 2014 at 7:13 am

    BRAINSCAN with Eddie Furlong. Not amazing by any means.. but cool atmosphere and something they obviously thought was going to kickstart a franchise if it had been successful. The Trixster character is an obvious Freddy Kreuger wannabe.

48. 

    CJ Holden

    October 10th, 2014 at 8:58 am

    Also the actor who plays him is the voice of Baron Ünderbeith on THE VENTURE BROS.

49. 

    Franchise Fred

    October 10th, 2014 at 11:34 pm

    Ever see STUDENT BODIES, from the 80s? CUTTING CLASS reminded me of it. It’s definitely more spoofy but not so SCARY MOVIE that it’s without horror.

50. 

    Ben

    October 11th, 2014 at 4:29 am

    Now I feel li,e an idiot because I made this recommendation in a “completely off-topic” way in the posts following your Cutting Class review, before I realized you had this special thing set up purely for recommendations.

    In any event, this is hardly an obscure movie, but it would be fun to get your take on the Keanu Reeves/Al Pacino quasi-horror movie THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE.

    For one thing, it’s got some huge mega-acting by Pacino (particularly near the end) that rivals Nic Cage. It’s also an interesting moment in Reeves’ career, landing a couple of years after speed, and a couple of years before the Matrix. In this one, he kind strays way off-type, playing with a bad southern accent the whole time. This character is much more cocky that his usual shtick; it feels like a character that the Top Gun-era Tom Cruise would have played.

    I’m not saying it’s a great movie, but there’s something interesting about it. You’ve probably seen it before, but maybe not recently? It’s on my mind because I happened to catch most of it on tv the other night for the first time since I saw it in the theater all those years ago. It was better and weirder than I remembered.

51. 

    Captain Aktion

    October 11th, 2014 at 11:03 am

    Have you seen Scream and Scream Again? I didn’t see that one recommended at a glance.

    Also backing the vote for Death Machine.

    A couple of random one’s that do share a couple of connections: Proteus and Nightscare.

    Within the Rock was total VHS crap that I watched recently, so, of course I recommend that one.

    Oh, and the insane Steel and Lace.

52. 

    The Original... Paul

    October 11th, 2014 at 12:05 pm

    Franchise Fred – I have a lot of love for STUDENT BODIES myself. It’s pure silliness – there’s not an atom of it that’s supposed to be taken seriously – but when it’s funny, it’s very very funny. The bit with the weapons cabinet at the start of the movie particularly sticks out in my mind.

53. 

    james

    October 11th, 2014 at 12:13 pm

    THE GUEST is very good and should be out in cinemas now or very soon. I would strongly recommend.

54. 

    Franchise Fred

    October 11th, 2014 at 1:19 pm

    Oh fuck yeah, RESOLUTION. It’s kind of an answer to all the found footage knockoffs. (It’s not found footage at all but I see a comment in there)

    THE SIGNAL is also very good and if Vern wants he could compare it to the completely unrelated Laurence Fishburne THE SIGNAL from this year which is well done but predictable. And that’d make Paul happy too.

55. 

    Bartel

    October 11th, 2014 at 1:57 pm

    How bout LESSON OF THE EVIL. Takashi Miike. Slasher. Good one.

56. 

    The Original... Paul

    October 11th, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    James – Vern reviewed “The Guest” a couple of weeks ago – check his review out.

    I wrote something about it in the forums before that as well (I think we might’ve gotten it over here before the Americans for once?) but basically, I don’t know of anybody who didn’t at least like it. I thought it was very good indeed, a couple of minor things short of being great, but still definitely worth a watch.

57. 

    The Original... Paul

    October 11th, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    Fred – and now, thanks to that one facetious and completely off-the-cuff comment in the “Cutting Class” review thread, I’m gonna be forever associated with Larry Fishburne, aren’t I? Oh well.

58. 

    Darren

    October 11th, 2014 at 2:50 pm

    Paul – take heart, in my mind you will always be the guy who never saw EVIL DEAD 2013.

59. 

    Josh

    October 12th, 2014 at 1:58 pm

    Vern, how about REYKJAVIK WHALE WATCHING MASSACRE, a nice little slasher from Iceland. Caught it on a film festival a few years back. Despite the silly and outrageous title I remember having fun with it.

60. 

    Bill

    October 13th, 2014 at 2:25 pm

    “the Burning” because it’s truly a classic slasher and “the pit” because there has never been anything like it. I’m 100# sure that you’re going to love it and I can’t wait to get your take on the Jamie and the trollaloggs. Lol

61. 

    Mr. Subtlety

    October 16th, 2014 at 12:31 pm

    I got to take an early look at the new VHS sequel, V/H/S VIRAL. I actually enjoyed it more than I was expecting to; it’s definitely the weirdest, most story-driven VHS of all, with the second-best segment of all (after Gareth Evans/Tjahjanto’s amazing one from part 2) by Nacho Vigalondo. It’s a little shorter and on average a little more visually comprehensible than the other two, though of course it still has its problems with that.

    (full review, for anyone interested: http://wearecursedtoliveininterestingtimes.blogspot.com/2014/10/vhs-viral.html )

    anyone else finding anything unexpected and interesting?

62. 

    Darren

    October 16th, 2014 at 3:52 pm

    If you can get over the fact that the director, named Makinov, has one of those pretentious singular names, then I can recommend his COME OUT AND PLAY, which is a remake of WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? The beautiful Vinessa Shaw and Vincent-Cassel-look-alike husband go to a touristy Spanish island for a day trip and start to think somethings up when they realize there are no adults around, only evil, murderous kids.

63. 

    Ancient Romans

    October 16th, 2014 at 5:49 pm

    Someday, I hope to watch The Beverly Hills Have Eyes on Halloween.

64. 

    Final Bobby

    October 16th, 2014 at 10:21 pm

    The Prowler. It is exactly what you are looking for: classic, basic slasher done really well. Good quality all around, working well within the well established framework. Really high on my list of slashers.

65. 

    ShootMcKay

    October 17th, 2014 at 12:44 am

    At first I though it stood The Beverly Hills Cop Have Eyes on Halloween

66. 

    ShootMcKay

    October 17th, 2014 at 12:47 am

    Vern- Have you reviewed INTRUDER? From the review database, it doesn´t look like it.

67. 

    NaBroleon Dynamite

    October 17th, 2014 at 10:26 am

    The

    Last

    Circus

68. 

    Vern

    October 17th, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    Damn, I really thought I had reviewed THE PROWLER, but Google disagrees. Maybe time for a rewatch.

69. 

    CJ Holden

    October 17th, 2014 at 1:58 pm

    I am pretty sure you have reviewed THE PROWLER too. WHAT IS GOING IN HERE?!

70. 

    Ancient Romans

    October 17th, 2014 at 5:06 pm

    Ernest Scared Stupid, followed by a November long Jim Varney retrospective.

71. 

    bastardjackyll

    October 17th, 2014 at 6:47 pm

    Close out the critically acclaimed Hatchet trilogy: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1870419/

72. 

    Mr. Majestyk

    October 17th, 2014 at 8:36 pm

    Well played, Ancient Romans. The Ernest films no doubt represent a source of some serious psychological trauma for anyone named Vern. What could be more horrifying than that?

73. 

    Griff

    October 18th, 2014 at 2:00 am

    oh man, Ernest, I like to think I had pretty damn good taste in movies as a kid, but I embarrassingly had a soft spot for the Ernest movies (though in fairness the Christmas one is not too bad), what can I say? he was a funny southern guy who vaguely reminded me of my grandpa (partly because they had the same first name)

    make no mistake though, they weren’t like favorites of mine, just movies I “tolerated” when I could find nothing else to rent or one was on TV, however those final two straight to video ones, ERNEST IN AFRICA and ERNEST JOINS THE ARMY were so fucking mind bogglingly awful then even I realized it and quit watching them

74. 

    Griff

    October 18th, 2014 at 2:01 am

    oh, I’m sorry it was actually ERNEST GOES TO AFRICA, clearly that mistake had to be corrected

75. 

    Shoot McKay

    October 18th, 2014 at 2:23 am

    ERNEST GOES STRAIGHT TO VIDEO. Whenever the Ernest-flicks comes up in a discussion, that old Simpsons-joke always makes me laugh.

76. 

    CJ Holden

    October 18th, 2014 at 2:59 am

    ERNEST GOES TO AFRICA has actually my favourite joke of all Ernest movies, but I’m not telling you what it is, because I love it only because of its randomness and just telling it makes it sound even more unfunny than it technically is.

    And yes, ERNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS is his best one.

    But don’t bother with that Jim Varney-less reboot THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST. Rupert Everett is cool, but he is no Jim Varney. (Also they spelled Ernest “Earnest” in the credits, so I guess it’S obvious that they didn’t even bother.)

77. 

    Griff

    October 18th, 2014 at 3:37 am

    “ERNEST GOES TO AFRICA has actually my favourite joke of all Ernest movies, but I’m not telling you what it is, because I love it only because of its randomness and just telling it makes it sound even more unfunny than it technically is.”

    is it when he holds those diamonds up to his eyes and says “we have taken over your planet!”? because I remember that being the only funny moment

78. 

    Ancient Romans

    October 18th, 2014 at 8:53 am

    OMG, I didn’t even make the Ernest/Vern connection! Yeah, sorry if that is, in fact, traumatic. I just love Ernest stuff. I even read the book that Ernest Goes to Africa was based on, The Snows of Kilimanjaro. I’ll warn you, they took a lot of liberties in the adaptation.

79. 

    NaBroleon Dynamite

    October 18th, 2014 at 11:15 am

    As much as I wanna see “The Last Circus” Vern-a-tized, I must admit that Ancient Romans murked shit with his/her/their suggestion.

80. 

    CJ Holden

    October 18th, 2014 at 12:12 pm

    Griff: No, his random encounter with the crocodile, which, now that I thought about it, might have been in ERNEST IN THE ARMY,. But life is too short to research which Ernest movie had him poking the nostrils of a crocodile.

81. 

    renfield

    October 18th, 2014 at 1:52 pm

    I recommend Magic Magic. Scariest movie I’ve seen in a while. Different.

82. 

    Zombie Paul

    October 19th, 2014 at 9:33 am

    @Renfield – I just bought that one! Haven’t watched it yet… I’m looking forward to doing so.

83. 

    heimp

    October 19th, 2014 at 10:23 am

    Have you done A Bay of Blood aka Twitch of the Death Nerve yet? I didn’t see it in the list of reviews but I probably missed it.

84. 

    Anne Billson

    January 18th, 2015 at 6:05 am

    It Follows.