Totenkindly
@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
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I liked Insidious overall, though certain elements annoyed me. Didn't care for Saw; too much gore and not enough substance.
I think the first Saw was kind of rough, although I was most put off by carey Elwes over-the-top performance -- I started laughing versus being freaked out.
I think any power in the series comes from the John Cramer character, since he isn't really a serial killer in the typical sense... he actually is portrayed as more of a "healer" with a fixation on tough love. He believes he is saving lives, not taking them -- and in a weird way, he's right and you can follow his logic.
When he vanishes from the storyline in later sequels, I think the whole quality starts to drop. I did think some of the twists and turns are interesting, and especially when sequels don't follow chronologically but overlap with prior movies. But it felt like the series lost its way at some point.
Still... gotta say, some of the most gruesome things I think I've witnessed in a movie.
For the most part. I remember watching a lot of Tales From the Crypt as a child. But horror is a broad genre. I like psychological thrillers and suspense. Se7en was a good movie, but the senseless blood and guts of most slasher flicks is off-putting to me. They're not particularly scary, just disgusting. I guess that's why I prefer the supernatural themed movies, if they are done well. I like the mysteriousness of it all.
You mean the HBO TotC? That was all over the spectrum; some episodes great, some average, some pretty spotty.
I'm not into senseless blood and guts either. At best, I get bored -- like with Evil Dead (2013). Gore that makes sense against a dramatic background? Much better.
I have mixed feelings about se7en (I honestly just didn't like Kevin Spacey much, he was boring). But the production quality and ambiance was excellent. The SLoth moment was awesome... at least in terms of making the skin crawl.
I liked the first Paranormal Activity. That particular scene was rather ominous. I thought the movie was well done, especially on such a low budget, compared to the bulk of horror movies. Unfortunately, every PA since the first one has been way too repetitive.
I agree. Really disappointed with the "sequels." But the first? Thought it was pretty cool. And I did grow up in a house that left me terrified to go into the dark places in it at night. The film awakened those sensations and memories. I think films like that are really partly based on what the viewer brings to the film (past experience + being willing to "enter the world of the movie").
seen either one of those. Or the first V/H/S. I've avoided much of the horror genre over the past few years because it's been so disappointing, but I might give Sinister a shot.
I think it's worth a viewing. I just wish it would have been better.
I'm one of the few people who will admit to liking the Blair Witch Project. That was pretty much the film that pioneered the found footage trend anyway. I especially liked the Curse of the Blair Witch documentary they released prior to the film which built up suspense and led many people to believe that it was real. They should totally do a prequel that delves into the legend that preceded the events of the first movie. That horrendous sequel should've never been made though.
I just rewatched it again this past week because my teenage son watched it himself a few weeks back and loved it. I filled him in about how it really standardized/mobilized the entire found film genre, in that sense it's a classic. I loved the marketing angle too, as well as the confusion they caused about "whether it was real." honestly, it's a great example of how to market a film like this. I also think it was pretty decent, considering their pre-production budget and how stripped down the cast and props were. Aside from the camera and sound recording equipment, this is a movie someone could make in their own neighborhood (if they live in boondocks MD).
I looked it up some more after watching it. Turns out while I grew up about 40 minutes max from Burkittsville and my entire area where I lived looked like that. (It's kind of west, not far west, of Frederick MD.) ANd where I live now in Catonsville? Well, the house was up near Granite somewhere on the edge of part of Patapsco Valley State Park -- that's probably what, 5-6 miles from here as the crow flies? Funny. I think they might have torn down the house now, due to all the tresspassers after the film who were stealing parts of the house + it being in pretty bad shape.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know there's at least two more fans out here.
Never watched the "sequel," but I think everyone agreed it was a dog.
The only thing I wouldn't really find funny is something tasteless like leading a person to believe that a loved one has died, or something along those lines.
Yeah, that's pretty horrible.