Wow, you guys all really turned out this year! Lots of great new and old recommendations, and I had a blast! Just a few more final reviews from late last night...
34. The Witches
Witches at an annual convention concoct a plan to turn all children into mice, but a curious boy (with the help of his grandmother) try to foil their plan. Roald Dahl, the author behind dark children's tales such as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "James and the Giant Peach" and "Matilda" has little nostalgia for childhood, as always it is a time to be frightened of adults who are more ill-behaved than the children. Director Nicholas Roeg (Don't Look Now, The Man Who Fell To Earth) pulls no punches here: the witches are grotesque and evil, particularly the excellently cast Angelica Huston who has never had a more delicious role than that of the Grand High Witch. The scary scene where a boy is transformed into a mouse was an example of how practicaI effects can far outshine CGI. 4 out of 5 stars.
35. Drag Me To Hell (Unrated Director's Cut)
A banker is cursed by a gypsy who had been turned down for a loan. Now she must find a way to reverse the curse or risk being dragged to Hell. I'd seen this movie theatrically but I'd never seen the unrated director's cut. Honestly, the film is exactly how I remember it: fun, over-the-top, and a bit lightweight. Sam Raimi's direction and use of sound are the real reasons the movie succeeds, the various creaks and howls make for some fun demo material for your home theater, giving all 7 (or 5) of your speakers a workout. As with the Evil Dead, there are moments where you are laughing at how much bodily fluid can be produced by a single person--my favorite scene is when the corpse tumbles out of the coffin and ejects pea-green vomit directly into the lead actress' mouth. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
36. House of the Devil
A college girl finds out she's gotten more than she'd bargained for when a weird couple hires her as a babysitter. Ti West's tribute to the Satanic films of the late 70's/early 80's is a refreshing change of pace, a movie that is not afraid to explore the silences between horrific events, and to take its time building up the atmosphere. The finale may be a long time coming for the impatient, but it takes your breath away. Tom Noonan (Manhunter, Robocop 2, Monster Squad) is excellent in a creepy understated role as an awkward, almost shy man. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Well, that's it guys! 36 movies in one month (4 on Halloween alone--five if I wanted to count "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"). I'll try to come up with some overall "best of" rankings for the month at some point in the near future.
Bob's October 2013 Horror Movie List
FTV denotes first time viewing
1. Some Guy Who Kills People (FTV)
2. Uzumaki (FTV)
3. The Pact (2011) (FTV)
4. Midnight Son (FTV)
5. Excision (FTV)
6. Absentia (FTV)
7. Sleep Tight (FTV)
8. Lunacy (FTV)
9. Frankenstein's Army (FTV)
10. The Woman in Black (FTV)
11. Color Me Blood Red (FTV)
12. Chained (FTV)
13. Frankenweenie
14. Mum and Dad (FTV)
15. Malevolence (FTV)
16. V/H/S/2 (FTV)
17. Juan of the Dead (FTV)
18. The Awakening (FTV)
19. Blood and Black Lace (FTV)
20. Naboer (Next Door) (FTV)
21. Carrie (2013) (FTV)
22. Eye of the Devil (FTV)
23. Splinter (FTV)
24. The Shining (1980)
25. Taxidermia (FTV)
26. Poltergeist
27. Maniac (FTV)
28. Hotel Transylvania (FTV)
29. Eden Lake (FTV)
30. The Tunnel (FTV)
31. Citadel (FTV)
32. The Revenant (FTV)
33. Vampyr
34. The Witches
35. Drag Me to Hell (Unrated Director's Cut)
36. House of the Devil