Every get jaded on horror?
The same things happen a lot, the same decisions made and we’re supposed to just dig in. I am not a fanatic, I’m just one man with opinions on the genre that I grew up with it. My parents allowed me to start watching horror when I was a child and would often times leave me at home alone and to this day I find the genre to be quite interesting. There are a lot of complexities that are pointed out within the confines of this type of cinema, but there are moments when even the best horror movie doesn’t really hit home.
I’ve been struggling to find a connection with the movies that I’ve seen in recent years, and more often than not find myself falling asleep instead of paying attention. That doesn’t bode well for readers of this site that have been with me longer than my marriage lasted. I’m in a new relationship and things are going well, and with that comes a new set of responsibilities and ideas. I have been fortunate enough to be pushed a little to watch and review horror movies that I have mustered enough of an opinion to write about in recent weeks, but things are going to change yet again.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be adding more content as I have a new found love for horror movies that transcends understanding. Instead of negativity, I’ve found some positive things to denote in a lot of the movies that I have seen recently. Heck, Sinister was a slow moving opus, but you know what? It was creative and it had some good moments. With that in mind, I will be updating the site with all new content sooner than later. Just stay with me, as I move things around and get rid of the annoying background image that messes up my phone whenever I visit my own website.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
3 Scary Movies That Will Keep You Guessing
When it comes to scary movies, you probably assume cheese or at jump scares. While that is a great proponent of many classics, that is not always the case when trying to find the best of the genre. When looking for the best, you will have to look a bit below the surface, and find horrific happenings in some of the more interesting of ideas. The following list will have you second guessing the genre of horror and will get you thinking about possibly watching again, for the first time. The list contains 3 scary movies that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Audition
What’s so crazy about a man that wants to meet a woman for the purpose of dating? At first glance this film is quite tame, until you start to get a closer look at what really is going on. There are several clues sewn throughout the film that will have you guessing, but not everything is fully explained. You will even get a second guess in the end, and you will be wrapped up exactly where Takashi Miike wants you to be. This film is one of the creepier movies you will find. There are moments of brutal terror that relies heavily on only the sound design, which is something you will not necessarily understand the first time you see it.
Frailty
What if God told you to kill the evil ones? Well, that premise is taken into some strange moments with this film. This is one of the gems that you will have to see to believe as there are some super natural elements, slasher, and horror themes that will definitely have you second guessing until the last moments. Is it real? Is it fake? What is really going on with this small town man and his two boys? Is it the devil? What is going on?! Frailty rocks hard and will send sheer horror up your spin.
Seven
David Fincher does something right, and it still has people guessing. Two detective have to solve a string of cases that are deeply rooted in the deadly sins of the Bible. Turn after turn the two get closer to solving the case until they figure it all out, but the villain is the one with the last laugh as he plays one hell of a trick on the police. If you were to make this a Batman film, it would beat out all incarnations of the character, because it is tightly wound and horrific all in the same.
For those that have seen all 3 of the preceding movies, you know exactly what it’s like to venture forth into movies that will keep you guessing, and for those that haven’t seen them, rent or buy these today, they will definitely be worth your time.
Audition
What’s so crazy about a man that wants to meet a woman for the purpose of dating? At first glance this film is quite tame, until you start to get a closer look at what really is going on. There are several clues sewn throughout the film that will have you guessing, but not everything is fully explained. You will even get a second guess in the end, and you will be wrapped up exactly where Takashi Miike wants you to be. This film is one of the creepier movies you will find. There are moments of brutal terror that relies heavily on only the sound design, which is something you will not necessarily understand the first time you see it.
Frailty
What if God told you to kill the evil ones? Well, that premise is taken into some strange moments with this film. This is one of the gems that you will have to see to believe as there are some super natural elements, slasher, and horror themes that will definitely have you second guessing until the last moments. Is it real? Is it fake? What is really going on with this small town man and his two boys? Is it the devil? What is going on?! Frailty rocks hard and will send sheer horror up your spin.
Seven
David Fincher does something right, and it still has people guessing. Two detective have to solve a string of cases that are deeply rooted in the deadly sins of the Bible. Turn after turn the two get closer to solving the case until they figure it all out, but the villain is the one with the last laugh as he plays one hell of a trick on the police. If you were to make this a Batman film, it would beat out all incarnations of the character, because it is tightly wound and horrific all in the same.
For those that have seen all 3 of the preceding movies, you know exactly what it’s like to venture forth into movies that will keep you guessing, and for those that haven’t seen them, rent or buy these today, they will definitely be worth your time.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Sinister Review
I wanted to see this movie when it came out initially, but as always, I wasn’t able to go for a variety of reasons. I tend not to have any money, and since no one that reads this site helps me out financially, it just isn’t possible for me to get entertained and write at the same time. It’s one or the other, and neither one pays. It’s that sort of reality that drives this movie, as we meet our hero, a struggling writer that moves into the house where a whole family is killed on a quest to write the best true crime book that he can. As he starts to connect the pieces of what really happened in the home, a manifestation starts to appear.
Much like other found footage movies, this one relies heavily on the premise that there was something supernatural on the other side of the film that caused the problems. In the end we get to see this demon of sorts and well, it’s highly predictable and laughable the way it ended. I didn’t like the way it turned out as it was a long and tedious romp through boredom to get to the final answer and to really understand what was going on.
Premise and boredom aside, Sinister does bring to light some very unique elements into the horror genre. There is the found footage thing, but the acting, and the urgency of the characters involved made you think twice about simply throwing in the towel for other entertainment choices. I found myself not only caring for the main characters but also wanting them to survive without a scratch. You know that wasn’t going to happen, and when you get the reveal, you feel a bit uneasy.
Overall, Sinister is an ok horror movie. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, unless they are diehard collectors. If you want to get it, it’s available on Blu Ray and other formats. Check it out, buy it on amazon and help a brotha out.
Monday, April 29, 2013
The Pound Coin Turns 30 Press Release
19th April 2013
NEWS RELEASE
This Sunday (21st April, 2013) marks the 30th anniversary of the launch of the £1 coin. To celebrate, MoneySupermarket has launched ‘The Story of the Pound Coin’, looking back at the history of the coin and comparing the buying power of £1 now, compared to 1983.
Launched at the height of the Conservative Government, the £1 coin was reportedly disliked by the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, however, its popularity, and distinctive design led to its forerunner, the £1 note, eventually being withdrawn from circulation in 1988.
Although 30 years have passed since its first became legal tender, the similarities between then and now couldn’t be clearer. The UK was recovering from recession in 1983, while politically motivated chart hits weren’t uncommon!
However, the buying power of £1 has changed considerably in 2013 compared to 1983. In 1983, £1 would buy 1.4 pints of beer compared to 0.3 pints currently, while you could get 5.9 Mars bars for £1 compared to just 1.7 now.
In 1983, £1 would let you watch 34 minutes of a Manchester United match, while you wouldn’t even manage to watch injury time at Old Trafford, with £1 buying just three minutes of action. Fans of Glastonbury would be able to see over 6 hours of entertainment for £1 in 1983, compared to just under an hour now.
Clare Francis, editor-in-chief at MoneySupermarket, said: “So much has happened over the last 30 years, with the cost of living having risen significantly. This has had a major impact on what £1 will buy you now compared to when it was launched in 1983. The average family’s shopping basket has rocketed in price, with a loaf of bread increasing over 300 per cent, milk increasing over 250 per cent and the cost of eggs having surged by more than 400 per cent.
“The £1 coin is so familiar to us now, but few of us probably give a second thought to its history. To mark its 30th birthday, we’ve launched an interactive tool so people can track the journey it has come on.”
For more information on The Story of the Pound Coin, visit the website at
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/savings/infographics/story-of-the-pound/.
For more information, please contact Martin Carter.
Contact details: martin.carter@stickyeyes.com, 0113 391 2929.
Full list of references are available on the MoneySupermarket.com The Story of The Pound webpage, or on request.
Milk and Beer statistics: ONS Statistics for 1983 and 2012
Mars bar: http://specials.ft.com/nicocolchester/FT3XZDJSEIC.html and Sainsburys
Man U tickets: http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/prices.htm and current Man U ticket prices on website
Glastonbury: http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/history/1983/ and current Glastonbury ticket prices on Glastonbury website
Coffee, Bread, Eggs: ONS Statistics for 1983 and 2012
NEWS RELEASE
THE £1 COIN AT 30
This Sunday (21st April, 2013) marks the 30th anniversary of the launch of the £1 coin. To celebrate, MoneySupermarket has launched ‘The Story of the Pound Coin’, looking back at the history of the coin and comparing the buying power of £1 now, compared to 1983.
Launched at the height of the Conservative Government, the £1 coin was reportedly disliked by the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, however, its popularity, and distinctive design led to its forerunner, the £1 note, eventually being withdrawn from circulation in 1988.
Although 30 years have passed since its first became legal tender, the similarities between then and now couldn’t be clearer. The UK was recovering from recession in 1983, while politically motivated chart hits weren’t uncommon!
However, the buying power of £1 has changed considerably in 2013 compared to 1983. In 1983, £1 would buy 1.4 pints of beer compared to 0.3 pints currently, while you could get 5.9 Mars bars for £1 compared to just 1.7 now.
In 1983, £1 would let you watch 34 minutes of a Manchester United match, while you wouldn’t even manage to watch injury time at Old Trafford, with £1 buying just three minutes of action. Fans of Glastonbury would be able to see over 6 hours of entertainment for £1 in 1983, compared to just under an hour now.
Clare Francis, editor-in-chief at MoneySupermarket, said: “So much has happened over the last 30 years, with the cost of living having risen significantly. This has had a major impact on what £1 will buy you now compared to when it was launched in 1983. The average family’s shopping basket has rocketed in price, with a loaf of bread increasing over 300 per cent, milk increasing over 250 per cent and the cost of eggs having surged by more than 400 per cent.
“The £1 coin is so familiar to us now, but few of us probably give a second thought to its history. To mark its 30th birthday, we’ve launched an interactive tool so people can track the journey it has come on.”
For more information on The Story of the Pound Coin, visit the website at
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/savings/infographics/story-of-the-pound/.
For more information, please contact Martin Carter.
Contact details: martin.carter@stickyeyes.com, 0113 391 2929.
Full list of references are available on the MoneySupermarket.com The Story of The Pound webpage, or on request.
Milk and Beer statistics: ONS Statistics for 1983 and 2012
Mars bar: http://specials.ft.com/nicocolchester/FT3XZDJSEIC.html and Sainsburys
Man U tickets: http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/prices.htm and current Man U ticket prices on website
Glastonbury: http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/history/1983/ and current Glastonbury ticket prices on Glastonbury website
Coffee, Bread, Eggs: ONS Statistics for 1983 and 2012
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Dead Cell Phones in Horror
While watching horror movies in these modern times, you’ll always find that one of the many plot points involves technology. It never really points to it in the positive, in fact, many times you’ll end up seeing negative actions in regards to it. This is especially true when dealing with cellular communication, which many of us take for granted. Sure, in real life, when out far, we depend on certain functions and coverage to help us out, and for those that utilize best orange deals, or something like that, it seems to be quite reliable. However, what about the people in the movies? It seems cliché to lose signal right when you need it most.
There are a lot of movies that this happens in. Most recent in my memory is none other than the horror piece that was The Ruins. That film needed a phone bad, because if there was just a little bit of communication to the outside world, things would have been a lot better for our college kids trying to escape the clutches of a curse on Mexican soil.
Signal plays a role in a lot of ways, especially when it’s no longer an option to use when moving forward in a plot. For instance, that of the plot points in The Human Centipede, or better yet the atrocious remake of The Hills Have Eyes. Did you catch those two plot twists? The signal that was so strong, just so happened to break away and drop to oblivion. Perhaps it was an accident that takes it out, because of course if someone has one of these great devices, they are going to immediately call the authorities right? Well in the film Funny Games, it just didn’t happen, and that’s unfortunate.
The death of cellular communication seems to be something that many people don’t really talk about until it happens in the movies of horror based characters. Think about this for a moment, it just so happens that this is an answered question in nearly all major movies, including the last few that I personally reviewed. Maybe the answer is not so much that it’s there, but that it’s used with care and featured with a certain amount of brevity for the audience to buy into. For instance, Scream utilizes this for a great deal of the film’s franchise and it doesn’t bother me. Then again, the signal was strong, so maybe that wasn’t a good example after all. I don’t know about you, but it’s going to bug me a lot, until movie makers stop using that crutch.
There are a lot of movies that this happens in. Most recent in my memory is none other than the horror piece that was The Ruins. That film needed a phone bad, because if there was just a little bit of communication to the outside world, things would have been a lot better for our college kids trying to escape the clutches of a curse on Mexican soil.
Signal plays a role in a lot of ways, especially when it’s no longer an option to use when moving forward in a plot. For instance, that of the plot points in The Human Centipede, or better yet the atrocious remake of The Hills Have Eyes. Did you catch those two plot twists? The signal that was so strong, just so happened to break away and drop to oblivion. Perhaps it was an accident that takes it out, because of course if someone has one of these great devices, they are going to immediately call the authorities right? Well in the film Funny Games, it just didn’t happen, and that’s unfortunate.
The death of cellular communication seems to be something that many people don’t really talk about until it happens in the movies of horror based characters. Think about this for a moment, it just so happens that this is an answered question in nearly all major movies, including the last few that I personally reviewed. Maybe the answer is not so much that it’s there, but that it’s used with care and featured with a certain amount of brevity for the audience to buy into. For instance, Scream utilizes this for a great deal of the film’s franchise and it doesn’t bother me. Then again, the signal was strong, so maybe that wasn’t a good example after all. I don’t know about you, but it’s going to bug me a lot, until movie makers stop using that crutch.
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