HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch is well obviously the sequel to the 1984 film. However unlike its predecessor, this one does not take itself too seriously, and it knows it. In this movie the Gremlins return only this time causing chaos, havoc, mayhem, and mischief in a New York City building. Though it got a PG-13 rating, because well, it finally existed at that time, this film happens to have a more lighter, comedic, and campy tone than the first. The first was kind of comedic and campy too but not too a full extent. The first had some scenes where…
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Based on an Off-Broadway show that was based off a 1960 film directed by Roger Corman, I consider the 1986 musical film Little Shop of Horrors to be a somewhat underrated musical. I'm sure the film and the stage musical were big hits when they came out, but now I hardly hear any of them being mentioned today. I honestly thinks it needs to be looked at more. The story is about a young man named Seymour who grew up in the skid row slums of New York City, looked after and working for a flower shop owner, and falls in love with the beautiful A…
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street is considered to be one of the classic and most famous of "slasher" films. The film's main villain Freddy Krueger is considered to be one of horror's greatest villains, if not one of all cinema. When seeing this first time I have to honestly say that a lot of the goofy and cliched elements surprisingly blend in well the more serious and dramatic moments. That's right, this film does have well done dark and dramatic moments, I did not even expect that when going into this movie. Sure you have the …
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: Gremlins (1984)
What other film can you say starts off as a typical cute and innocent family film, and out of nowhere to a crazed and demented ride straight out of an asylum. Well Gremlins seems to be that specific film. Gremlins is a movie that completely changes its tone during the middle of the plot, and it is one of those good surprises a film can give. Like Ghostbutsers, though I can't really say is as good, has that type of different and fantasy-like world that we people at the time just happened to accept. It has a perfect blend of well done cute s…
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: Poltergeist (1982)
Poltergeist, probably one of the most creepiest and traumatizing of all...family films. That's right this film is a family film. Well how family can it be with ghosts, scary images, scary ideas, and overall scary moments. Well family enough to get a PG rating but this was back in the 80s in a time before PG-13. The story follows the life of a normal American family as they find out that their house is haunted. Probably the best aspect of the film is the family. What makes them so great and entertaining is that they are a normal functioning…
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: The Shining (1980)
Today's review features a classic from my favorite director Stanley Kubrick. The Shining, based on a novel by Stephen King, follows a delusional writer named Jack Torrance, played by the great Jack Nicholson, and his family while they overlook a hotel during the winter as supernatural occurrences and cabin fever ensues. Like many great horror films, this film has a disturbing and an uncomfortable tone throughout giving the audience a hint of what to prepare for. Jack Nicholson like always is great as this type of character. The character J…
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: Halloween (1978)
What makes more sense than reviewing a movie for Halloween called well, Halloween? That's a rhetorical question by the way. Anyways, like Psycho, Halloween is considered to be one of those horror movies that pushes the envelope on the "slasher" genre. And as one of the first, as expected it is not half bad. It is definitely a classic in the "slasher killing teens" genre. What makes this movie so good is both the suspenseful tone and the character of Michael Myers. The pacing of the story is rather well done as it succee…
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: Jaws (1975)
A film about the dangerous side of nature, Jaws is about a killer great white shark that eats people alive near a small New England island. Originally supposed to be a rushed B-Movie, director Steven Spielberg decided to add so much to this film that were risky during actual production, but more than worth it when the finished product was released to the general public. This film back in the summer of 1975 actually scared people away from the beaches because they did not want to experience the horrors that were featured in this film. The idea …
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcist is known as one of the scariest films ever to be put out in Hollywood cinema. And to be honest I could not agree more. The feel, the tone, the story, the atmosphere, the whole overall look of the film is all around gothic, dramatic, epic, and of course frightening. This is probably one of the first horror films to deal with the topic of possession and exorcism. Though nowadays there a TON more, they do not do this classic justice where those films rely on cheap effects and jump scares. this film is good and succeeds at being a hor…
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Night of the Living Dead is often considered the essential zombie movie. I am not sure if it is the first but what I do know is that it is definitley one of the most famous. When I saw this film for the first time, I have to say I had a pretty interesting experience. For one, most of the characters, I CANNOT stand! There's a family with the father who thinks he's the smartest person in the hiding house, and is completely obssesed with basement, even though hiding in the basement wouldn't be such a good idea. But the biggest idiot o…
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: The Haunting (1963)
The Haunting is a classic horror film directed by famed director Robert Wise; it is a film about how many of your fears can exist and how dangerous they can be that they can mess with your mind. This a very clever ghost story because throughout the film you never know how much of the supernatural elements are real, you do not even know if they are real or not. Throughout the film we follow the story of our tortured protagonist Eleanor as she is invited to an abandoned mansion by a paranormal scientist along with another woman and a jock to stu…
HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: Dracula (1931)
Starting today until Halloween I will review either horror, Halloween-related, ghost and goblins-related, etc. movies I recall seeing in the past during the rest of October. It is only fitting since it is the month of Halloween ! So let's dive in to the first Halloween Review of the Day review Dracula, the famous vampire film released in 1931 by Universal and starring Count Dracula himself, Bela Lugosi. The one thing that makes this film stand out is of curse Lugosi's performance. I know there is not really anything new to be said what…
RANDOM REVIEW OF THE DAY: Coraline (2009)
A film that's a good example that a film doesn't need to be sugar coded sweet with whip cream on top to be a good family film. All is needed is a original story, some great and memorable characters, and a fun and entertaining environment that both kids and adults can enjoy. Coraline is that film. I do not know if people either complimented or criticized this film for being dark. From my perspective whenever people talk about this film, they like that it's dark and intriguing. It definitely has a creepy premise, but it follows the …
RANDOM REVIEW OF THE DAY: Psycho (1960)
A true classic in the horror genre and probably the first of many slasher films to come out after. Psycho is a film that likes to play with your adrenaline and keep you desperate to find out what is going to happen next. Psycho truly uses the art of suspense to its full potential. We all know about the infamous "shower scene", everybody knows it, probably even 5-year olds know it, because it has been referenced and parodied in countless movies and TV shows especially in cartoons. So when I saw the film for the first time I knew …
