Change Your Image
janetplanets
Reviews
Masters of Horror: Deer Woman (2005)
"deer woman" - not too bad
"Deer Woman" was okay. I was pleasantly surprised. That especially so after having seen the horrendous "Imprint" right before it. Model Cynthia Moura did a good job as the mysterious Indian deer woman who has hoofs. The director John Landis ("Twilight Zone movie", "American Werewolf in London") makes the most of the subject, by turns making a spoof and also giving us some genuine scares.
This is probably one of the slightly better ones to be expected in the series. The only thing that bothered me quite a bit was the storyline kept going in circles when we knew all along that she was the killer. It was very predictable in that regard. It was also the first episode that was shot in the series back in 2007. This is one of the ones from Masters of Horror that should at least be checked out if you are into the series. 6/10.
Changeling (2008)
An okay Eastwood movie
I was kind of disappointed in this movie because it turned out to be much more of a melodrama than a thriller. There were a few good scary moments, like when Angelina Jolie realizes that the kid is not hers at the train station. That was great Eastwood directing.
While Angelina Jolie delivered one of her most believable and moving performances, I still could not help feeling that she was somehow miscast. As for the story, it had some good twists but overall it got pretty predictable mid-way through when we realized that most likely this crazy killer had kidnapped walter and other kids. The rest played like a made-for-TV movie, but higher caliber because Eastwood is the directing. I also didn't like the ending, it came across as much sillier than I think it was intending to. Kudos also go out to John Malkovich who was great (as usual) in this movie.
Hit and Run (2009)
pleasantly surprised
This horror flick somehow reminded me of the "Creepshow 2" episode 'Dead Man's Curve" and less, but to a certain degree, "I Know what you did last summer". This film holds up pretty well on its own, though. The story seems to be based on an urban legend where someone finds they accidentally hit a stranger at night and brought them back home to the garage stuck on the bumper and barely alive. I found that whole idea entertaining and scary. This is followed by an attempted murder and revenge.
The acting for a horror film is pretty good. The lead girl Mary and the boyfriend Rick are convincingly authentic, much more than I expected. Kevin Corrigan (from The Departed) plays the twisted bad guy and while I wish there had been more of him, I liked what I saw. He had a certain creepiness that caught me off guard.
All in all, much to my surprise, this little movie offered a lot more than I thought, intense action sequences, some gore, horror, suspense and last but not least, some good dance music.
Funny Games (1997)
disturbing in many ways
Where to start with "Funny games" directed by Michael Haneke? I happened to see it a few years ago ( before the remake was made) when I rented it at the local video shop. I had only heard that it was extremely violent and scary. The hearsay was right.
Two psychotic teenagers who are very clean and well groomed take a couple and their son hostage and play nearly unviewable sadistic games with them that come off as all too real. At one point when the woman escapes, you think there could be hope but then she is recaptured and tortured more.
This film is so disturbing because it is directed almost like a snuff movie. It has nothing to do with other more funny horror movies in the genre, there's no humor and no redeeming qualities to make it bearable to watch. It made me feel queasy and sick, like it has to so many other viewers, it was that real. The only thing that bothered me is that movie is in German and the subtitles were distracting.
Joy Ride (2001)
A prank gone terribly wrong
"Joyride" is really not a bad horror film despite some believability problems. It transcends those problems well because it's well directed by John Dahl ("Red Rock").
Paul Walker ('The Skulls') does a very good job, and Steve Zahn ('Out Of Sight') is good as his older brother. Lee lee Sobieski is in good form here too. The whole film brings to mind overtones in a positive way of the more superior film "The Hitcher".
When the three teenagers use their CB to pull a nasty and uncalled-for prank on a lonely trucker known only as Rusty Nail, things start to rapidly go downhill for them. Rusty nail turns out to be a total psycho who did not take their joke well. He starts pursuing them everywhere they go on the highway trying to kill them off. This part is truly scary and pulled off in a surprisingly realistic way.
Except for a few more unbelievable moments, the film is very good with keeping the far- fetched situation from getting too unrealistic. I should mention that on the DVD there are a few deleted scenes that are interesting like when Zahn comes onto Lee lee, but it's clear why they were removed, they had nothing to do with the main story.