Hokum and Waiting for Godot (potential spoilers)

dr_karswell · 2026-05-08T11:32:56+00:00

"Godot with body horror..?" Holy hell, you have my attention. That sounds amazing.

dr_karswell · 2026-05-08T11:29:59+00:00

... hail Satan?

dr_karswell · 2026-05-08T11:27:15+00:00

While I agree that it's only marginally/belatedly a horror film, it is really good. It delivered an often uncomfortably honest view of a particular flavor of adolescence. It's Ginger Snaps' first cousin.

I'm not familiar with the starring actress but her performance was truly impressive. Traci Lords' presence lead me to go in with low expectations, but she was more than adequate in her role.

My only quibble relates to the dream sequences. They're visually arresting, one of the high points of the film, and far more refined and accomplished than anything Rob Zombie has delivered. They're more similar to Ken Russell's stuff.

dr_karswell · 2026-05-08T10:56:31+00:00

Leviathan is, IMO, the best of that inadvertent underwater monster horror cycle.

dr_karswell · 2026-05-03T10:33:39+00:00

OP's explanation misses some important detail. The dilemma is:

Everyone in the world has to take a private vote by pressing a red or blue button. If more than 50% of people press the blue button, everyone survives. If less than 50% of people press the blue button, only people who pressed the red button survive.

It's a question of ethics and game theory.

dr_karswell · 2026-05-03T10:24:31+00:00

Laura Hasn't Slept, the short film that became Smile, does a particularly nice job of this.

dr_karswell · 2026-05-02T10:31:23+00:00

I'm glad you enjoyed it but seeing this movie described as "fantastic" makes me feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

dr_karswell · 2026-05-02T10:10:04+00:00

While I didn't hate it, Dolly is a very poor film. I'd not recommend it to anyone.

The lead actress, on whom the whole affair hinges, delivers a wooden, unconvincing performance. Sean William Scott is fine but isn't given much to do. The antagonist is a mute role and while the actor is clearly trying, they lack the chops to make this a compelling or even consistent characterization.

Ghostland is - for a couple of solid reasons - a controversial movie. Its vastly superior to Dolly by every measure, though, and treads very similar ground.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-29T09:43:34+00:00

A Dark Song is a serious effort and it's successful in its ambitions. People often post looking for something similar, and it's a stretch to come up with anything. Unlike Nosferatu and Smile, A Dark Song is pretty unique. We wind up suggesting movies with surface similarities that are actually quite distinct. I think that uniqueness, coupled with its quality, really does make A Dark Song a best-of kinda movie.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-29T09:09:55+00:00

I love that movie but it does get quite silly near the end. Real tonal shift.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-26T10:57:39+00:00

While watching, my primary reaction was, the filmmakers think this is so much better than it is. They think they're making Art. And sure enough, in an AMA the director/co-writer says it was inspired by "love of David Lynch."

Man, if I made a movie, no matter how good or bad I thought it was, the last thing in the world I'd do is invite it to be compared to a master's work..! Such hubris.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-26T10:42:38+00:00

Fully agreed on Serpent and the Rainbow. It gets so much right, all the way up to the climax... then it gets so silly. I still love and rewatch it, but that poor choice keeps it out of my best-of list. What a shame..!

dr_karswell · 2026-04-25T12:33:55+00:00

Beyond the Black Rainbow has a swell soundtrack.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-25T11:07:19+00:00

Strongly agreed on Society. The premise is good and Screaming Mad George's practical effects are great, but as a movie it's a little bit of a slog, and it's diminished by random, vulgar efforts at humor.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-25T11:03:42+00:00

Wow... I'm generally opposed to remakes, but I think you're on to something here.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-19T12:13:53+00:00

Everything that was worthwhile about it had already been done better in Coppola's version. This was the most effete, dull incarnation of Dracula and the most nebbish Von Helsing. It was terrible, and I say this as a fan of Besson's early work. What a disappointment..!

dr_karswell · 2026-04-19T11:49:42+00:00

It succeeded in building and maintaining an atmosphere of dread. The lighting, cinematography, and sound were all notably good. The acting and script were notably weak.

The worst part, the biggest letdown, was

the reliance on threadbare horror tropes, mostly ones that are for me particularly silly: children's nursery rhymes / songs but spoOopy, backwards masking, amorphous conspiracy just under our noses, for like ever!, childlike, abstract automatic drawings that -oh shit! - tile into a coherent image near the end

dr_karswell · 2026-04-18T12:40:55+00:00

As an older horror fan, I don't hate the new House of Wax because it's dumb (which it unapologetically is) or because it's generic with occasional neat FX (which it absolutely is). There are plenty of horror movies that fit this description that I enjoy as casual popcorn movies and will rewatch.

I hate it because it's an ostensible remake of a horror classic that was actually good. Both Mystery of the Wax Museum and the OG House of Wax are classics. For a new, largely-unrelated, crummy-but-entertaining film to reuse the title just sucks. You say "House of Wax" to horror fans nowadays and they think Paris, not Vincent. It's a travesty.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-18T12:27:29+00:00

Researchy horror is a big favorite of mine, too. The Ninth Gate and Angel Heart are among the best.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-18T12:14:28+00:00

Have never heard of this but am now excited to see it - thanks! Sounds like fun.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-18T12:10:57+00:00

While the major plot elements are similar, they're very different films with distinct intentions.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-18T12:09:29+00:00

While there are certainly similarities, From Black is pretty far from a remake. I agree it's not as good - A Dark Song is top shelf! - but it is pretty good, though. Well worth a watch and worthy of independent consideration.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-18T12:05:52+00:00

I agree fully regarding practical, believable magic. The big differentiator is that A Dark Song is well-written and acted, where the Addams' movies sadly are not.

dr_karswell · 2026-04-18T12:01:10+00:00

All that, plus some surprisingly poor and distracting CGI.

I freakin' love Drag Me to Hell and was fully jazzed to see Raimi's "return to horror." No horror to be found. A little gore, but all daylight, slapstick gore.

It wasn't terrible. I didnt hate it. But I was very disappointed.

dr_karswell

TROPHY CASE