Change Your Image
aronharde
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againReviews
Anatomie 2 (2003)
Different and over the top, but entertaining
In 2003's "Anatomie 2" we are introduced to Jo, who is a young medical student that gets invited to a secluded research group for muscle enhancement. His original goal was to help his brother who is bound to a wheelchair but soon he finds himself in a seriously dangerous environment.
The movie starts with a shocking intro sequence where a young man kills himself with a scalpel blade shouting that he doesn't feel a thing from his wounds. After that we get to meet our protagonist and what starts off as harmless research quickly goes over the top after being introduced to the research group from Müller-LaRousse. While the first movie was an atmospheric horror slasher which was grounded in reality, this movie definitely goes towards the silly and over the top side. There are many silly scenes that take all of the seriousness away but the movie still manages to be a thrilling ride mainly thanks to its lead portrayed by Barnaby Metschurat. There is some weird editing and many sequences were rather meant to be funny than shocking or scary. We are introduced to a handful of different and enjoyable characters and sets look convincing.
Even though this movie goes more towards the trashy side and has some pretty weird ideas, it's certainly manages to entertain and be a stand out film that is definitely memorable in it's own way. The overall quality drops quite a bit but in the end I was entertained and that's the main goal. [5,8/10]
Anatomie (2000)
A german classic
In 2000's "Anatomie" we are introduced to a young German medical student that arrives at the university in Heidelberg and shortly after her arrival she sees a body on the dissection table of a guy she just met days before. She immediately gets suspicious and starts questioning how he could have died.
The acting is great and the overall production is also pretty good and with this rather unique premise the movie immediately had my attention. The movie decides rather early, round about the middle part to show the audience what is going on at the university which also was a nice surprise and therefore avoids a quick and abrupt ending, but much rather focuses on the storytelling from there on.
This movie is also one of the rare occasions where German cinema went International which is always a nice surprise. And while the movie was released in the year 2000 and as far as I'm concerned the plot is also supposed to be from that year it has a rather old-school feeling to it like it's from the early 90s. The effects and make up look pretty good for the 24 year old movie and definitely hold up. The end result is not perfect but definitely worth watching and certainly manages to entertain for the runtime. [6,1/10]
Fatal Affair (2020)
Another badly made version of Fatal Attraction
In 2020's "Fatal Affair" we are introduced to Ellie Warren, who is a married woman that is being stalked by David Hammond, who is an old friend that is obsessed with her. After meeting in a bar they both got drunk and made out in the toilet but right before it got serious Ellie managed to resist and went back home to her husband. After that David keeps texting and calling her and even starts a relationship with her best friend to get closer to Ellie. Of course his obsessive behavior will soon be a threat for Ellie and her whole family.
This trope has been seen countless times in movies and it's getting really boring by now. The absolutely generic premise has nothing remarkable or outstanding to it and therefore is completely forgettable. The only movie where this premise genuinely worked and was interesting to see was in 1978's "Fatal Attraction" but since then all these copycats were just boring additions to the genre and this one might be one of the worst. In itself the movie is not terrible and there's a decent production value behind it with it being a Netflix film but I can't imagine that many audiences will enjoy this, especially if they have seen one of these movies before. [4,0/10]
The Maid (2020)
Flawed and generic premise with a decent ending
In 2020's "The Maid" we are introduced to a young maid that is being haunted by a spirit in her new workplace. She keeps seeing this spirit in form of another maid which is mostly shown through cheap jump scares and small cuts of her running around or just standing in the corner. There's also an intro sequence with a monkey doll that absolutely made no sense and therefore was completely unnecessary. The overall effects looked decent and the acting was fine but the movie borrows lots of scenes from other movies and therefore is unable to tell an original story on its own without relying on generic sequences. It is pretty clear that something happened to this other maid who is now is spirit and our protagonist is starting to uncover the truth. This is the premise that has been done before by multiple movies and this flick doesn't add anything remarkable. Towards the end the movie shifts and I think that is the strongest aspect the movie has. The ending is rather large scaled compared to the rest and almost goes a little over the top which I genuinely liked. The whole movie is divided into three nameless chapters but only one of them is really enjoyable. Overall I think it was an average flick with not much to show but definitely able to pass some time. [5,2/10]
The Craigslist Killer (2011)
Below average serial killer flick
In 2011's "The Craigslist Killer" we are introduced to a young medical student called Philip Markoff who appears to be just a normal guy on the surface. After meeting a girl they quickly bond and decide to marry. But what she doesn't know is that Philip is a serial killer who chooses his victims with the help of Craigslist. The movie keeps jumping between his almost perfect relationship with his soon to be wife and his dark little secret where he meets up with women and then kills them shortly after. The killings are not explicitly shown and the scenes are being kept really short, therefore the brutal and aggressive side of Philip is not well portrayed for the viewer. On the other side you can't root for him and even if his character is portrayed as a smart sympathetic guy, you wouldn't mind if he got caught immediately. The movie in general doesn't manage to involve the audience emotionally. There is nothing remarkable or memorable about this and it plays out just like many other movies about serial killers we have already seen. The only small twist is that Philip Markoff's killings were initiated through Craigslist. Probably the most interesting aspect is that it is based on true events but the dull execution quickly erases those interesting details. [4,7/10]
Bumperkleef (2019)
And the award for the stupidest characters goes to....
In 2019's "Bumperkleef" we are introduced to a family from the Netherlands on a road trip to the fathers parents. Like on many road trips with multiple children, the mood is tension filled. Therefore the father, after being harassed by another car on the road, flashes his headlights and drives really close behind a white van. Shortly after that, the family meets the driver of the van at a nearby gas station where he demands an execute and after the father denies it and curses at the man, the trouble begins.
Before we are introduced to the family, there's a short opening that immediately lets the audience know that the driver of the white van is not joking. It's compact and unique and immediately sets the mood for what's about to come. In general I think the whole topic is really interesting because I feel like the amount of reckless drivers are getting more and more and there are so many people out there that have their egos hurt in traffic by really small details and therefore endanger other people's lives just to take revenge.
To make a horror thriller out of this simple premise is a pretty good idea and could have made up for a great movie. Sadly the movie was really hard to enjoy because it is equipped with the stupidest character's you could imagine. I don't mind characters not being super smart and making the wrong decisions in the heat of the moment but in this film there were so many moments that could have prevented everything. And of course the movie needs the characters to make the wrong decisions for it to keep going because otherwise the runtime would not exceed 20 minutes. But here the characters are just being annoyingly stupid for no reason and that really got my blood pumping. At least the movie got a reaction from me and I guess it has a certain memorability to it, however I can't say that the final result was good. The movie also has some sort of message which I think is important but the delivery was lacking. This flick had so much more potential and could have been an amazing horror-thriller but the characters and decisions really dragged the whole thing down. [5,4/10]
Alien Trespass (2009)
Nice tribute, but not much to see
In 2009's "Alien Tresspass" we are introduced to multiple characters witnessing something crashing down on Earth. Shortly after an alien inhabits the body of a local and with the help of a waitress he tries to recapture another alien monster that escaped from the wreckage of his spaceship. This movie is a good looking tribute to 1950s Sci-Fi and the sets and characters look convincing. The effects and costumes were adjusted to a 1950s look and therefore didn't look good but suitable for that time. The dialogues and acting were also good and there are some familiar faces in this.
However the biggest problem that alien trespass has is that besides being a tribute it also should have focused on entertaining the viewer. And I think it's that point that really drags the movie down because while a similar flick from 1950 would profit from the nostalgia and the effects that were well done for this time, this movie does not have those advantages. Therefore it didn't manage to entertain much or provide anything to admire. [4,7/10]
Raging Grace (2023)
A decent look at classism and immigration with some twists
In 2023's "Raging Grace" we are introduced to an undocumented Filipina immigrant who was able to land a job as a care worker. She is working for a woman and her terminally ill uncle who doesn't speak or even react. She also brings a little secret to the job in form of her little daughter who she brings with her into the mansion without permission. She is happy with the job and only wants to secure a better life for her daughter and her but soon she uncovers some secrets and strange occurrences.
The movie has a pretty decent production value and the rather simple setup gets more complex and intriguing throughout. There are multiple twists and turns that give you a new perspective to look at characters and the way they are behaving. The movie deals with classism and immigration in an interesting though rather effortless way. The acting is pretty good especially from the young daughter who enters her rebellious phase not wanting to listen to her mother and doing her own thing. Overall it was a decent watch but the slow pacing and overall forgettable premise will only stick to some audiences. [5,2/10]
Exhibit A (2007)
Ahead of it's time
In 2007's "Exhibit A" we are introduced to a British family of four and we are experiencing their daily lives through the video camera of the daughter. It starts off relatively normal, but the fact that the family is under financial pressure causes some horrific events to happen. The premise is pretty simple and sounds intriguing and the found footage aspect gave the movie a scarily realistic feeling. It does take some time before it gets going but I think in the end it's worth it. The movie is not without its flaws however it's a solid watch and was certainly ahead of its time. If the same movie would come out now in 2024, it would be less effective but for a movie from 2007 this is an impressive piece of cinema. And I think that makes the movie even more enjoyable and interesting. It's an interesting approach to what financial pressure and the human psychology can do to Humans. [5,8/10]
Anchiporuno (2016)
Just because it has meaning it doesn't make it a good movie
In 2016's "Antiporno" we are introduced to Kyoko who is a renowned artist and her assistant Noriko. You immediately get a sense of what kind of person Kyoko is and how she behaves towards others. She is a psychotic lunatic and she loves to humiliate others for fun. There are lots of weird scenes and the movie mostly takes place in a colorful room with some paintings and a poorly decorated interior. The movie also contains lots of nudity and sexual content which is one of the main traits the movie deals with. Then there is a sudden turn of events which completely turns the movie upside down and gives you a new perspective to look at. After some time you also get a glimpse in to the mind of Kyoko and what events had lead her to the current situation. The movie is certainly equipped with a deeper meaning and a message but that alone doesn't make a good movie. To be honest, most of the time I was looking at the screen not knowing what the movie is trying to tell me. There are lots of weird scenes with lots of screaming and sexual talk involved and in the end the movie did not succeed as is source of entertainment and that is what I'm looking for when I watch a movie. [3,8/10]
They Nest (2000)
Decent flick with some nasty bugs
In 2000's "They Nest" we are introduced to Dr. Ben Cahill, who moved to a small Maine island to get some peace. He bought an old house there which he wants to renovate. Some local hillbillies don't really enjoy his company and give him a hard time while the local beauty seems to really like him (of course). After finding some cockroaches in his fridge he makes it his task to eliminate the troublesome bugs, who turn out to be a massive problem later.
The movie has many cliches and there's nothing groundbreaking implemented in the movie. You have the new guy in a small town with the townsfolk being skeptical about his appearance and the one local beauty starts flirting with him for unknown reasons. The acting is fine and the effects look decent for a movie from the year 2000. The overall story has nothing special about it and it's literally our protagonist against a massive bug infestation. The movie has some flaws but the result is enjoyable and worth watching if you enjoy this type of movie. [6,2/10]
Headless (2015)
Disturbing and that's it
In 2015's "Headless" we are introduced to a skull masked killer that abducts and tortures women. This movie was a short sequence from the movie "Found" (2012) where the young protagonist watches a V/H/S named "Headless". We only see a short sequence with some disturbing imagery which was stretched to feature length in this movie. I thought that "Found" had its strengths but also weaknesses like the acting and overall failed to entertain. This movie's strengths and weaknesses are in the same areas. There are some pretty good looking effects that enhance the torturing scene with brutality and realism. In general the movie is more violent and cruel. However the plot is almost non-existent and therefore pretty terrible. The acting is also really bad and it was hard to take any of the characters seriously. Basically the only strength this movie has is its effects and the disturbing imagery shown throughout but apart from that the movie fails and most aspects. [3,5/10]
Found (2012)
Would have been just as disturbing and even more entetaining as a short
In 2012's "Found" we are introduced to a young boy who is obsessed with horror movies and after discovering that his brother is a real-life serial killer his life changes forever. Marty is struggling with being bullied and having a dysfunctional family and the only way he can escape his real life problems are horror movies. He finds out that his brother regularly kills people and now has to deal with this secret.
I watched this movie a couple of years ago and I remember it being disturbing but overall not great. After giving it a rewatch yesterday, I stick to my opinion. The movie is really dark and violent and has some disturbing imagery, especially towards the end. It's slow and the peaceful atmosphere is a big contrast to the brutality shown. You follow the story from the perspective of the young Marty and therefore get a sense of how he feels and how conflicted he is with his thoughts and decisions.
The movie is really low budget and you can tell because some of the acting is horrible and apart from some nice effects the movie doesn't have much to offer. There are some nods to horror classics like Hellraiser and you can tell that director Scott Schirmer is a fan of the horror genre. Overall I think the movie has a hard time entertaining for 103 minutes run time and apart from some nice effects and one scene especially, there is not much entertainment value. I think this could have worked way better at the short film with only the important scenes included. It would have been just as disturbing and dark while saving the viewer lots of unnecessary scenes and conversations. [5,1/10]
Huesera (2022)
Wrong expectations for an otherwise decent movie
In 2022's "Huesera: The Bone Woman" we are introduced to a young woman whose biggest wish is to becoming a mother. After she and her husband finally manage to become pregnant, she is met with an evil spirit making her question her life decisions.
I waited a long time to see this and now I finally managed to get my hands on this movie. It had some decent ratings and looked promising enough. Sadly I was really misled with the trailers and my expectations because I was hoping for a dark and evil horror movie with a creepy and unique entity that is torturing our protagonist. However this movie is not quite that. It's really slow paced and beautifully shot. You have likable characters and a nice relationship that starts to break the further the narrative progresses. Also the movie is not your average horror flick, but instead the story about how you shouldn't let others decide how your life is supposed to be. It has an important message, however the approach that was taken here will definitely disappoint lots of horror fans that just went in with the wrong expectations just like me. That being said the movie is not bad but I found it hard to find entertainment value throughout. [4,4/10]
Sabaha (2019)
Decent but at last forgettable
In 2019's "Svaha: The Sixth Finger" we are introduced to Pastor Park who is hired to look into a suspicious cult thinking that their foundation is built on evil. I really enjoy South Korean horror and I think they always have unique ideas and this movie is no exception. It is mysterious and interesting and there is lots of things packed into the two hours run time. However I think that this movie could have been 20-30 minutes shorter and with all the things implemented in the movie none of them are really elaborated or have any impact. The movie is really slow paced which I don't mind if the payoff is good enough and in this case I would say that it's a decent pay off that is worth the wait. The movie is nothing groundbreaking and we follow Pastor Park unraveling the story and what's behind all of it. I enjoyed the watch but I think that this movie wasn't too memorable and therefore just an enjoyable cult flick some with some nice ideas. [5,7/10]
Guan yu wo han gui bian cheng jia ren de na jian shi (2022)
Focused on the emotions, but leaves the rest behind
In 2022's "Marry My Dead Body" from Taiwan, we are introduced to a young police officer that forms a special bond with a ghost. After having some trouble at work our protagonist suddenly keeps seeing a young man that no one else can see. This young man was recently killed in a car accident after a dispute with his father because he was about to propose to his boyfriend, which the father wouldn't accept. Now the ghost calls our protagonist his husband which he definitely doesn't like at first. After having some trouble connecting, the two form a special friendship and relationship which might be helpful finding the person who ran the ghostly young man over in the hit and run incident.
The story is really unique and you have some lovable characters that all do a good job portraying their characters. The movie adds some supposedly scary looking CGI-faces that serve as cheap and unnecessary jump scares. I think they really drag down the watching experience and some of the effects look laughably bad. I know this movie is not about the effects or the horror, but instead it conveys a beautiful and important message that had some emotional weight to it. However I think that some of these scenes made it seem like the movie didn't know what it wants to be. The story unfolds and takes some really predictable turns but I would definitely lie if I would say that the ending kept my eyes dry.
Overall it's a unique and interesting story with some major flaws but also great message and interesting characters. However I think the result was not as good as I was hoping it would be and sadly therefore the movie turned out pretty mediocre. [5,1/10]
Melancholie der Engel (2009)
Artsy, unconvoluted, disturbing and way too long
In 2009's "Melancholie der Engel" we are introduced to a group of people that have gathered in an old house and from there on the movie turns to a pretentious art house movie with disgusting imagery. There are quite a few scenes in this that are stomach-turning because they are so disgusting and disturbing that not everyone will even be able to watch this. The plot is weird and full of artsy stuff that was not entertaining at all. Every now and then something sick and disturbing happens to shock the audience just for the sake of it. In between there are quite a few nice shots and the overall cinematography was pretty good considering the low budget. However the overall result is way too long and unconvoluted. In the end some of the pictures will stay in the viewers head for a while but that's about the only achievement this movie gets. [3,0/10]
August Underground's Penance (2007)
Why would they make 3 of these?
In 2007's "August Underground's Penance" we are introduced to a young couple of serial killers that torture and kill innocent people. This is the third movie in the franchise and with the other two being absolutely terrible and disturbing I wasn't expecting anything else here. And obviously that's exactly what I got. This movie differentiates a little because in the beginning the movie feels a little tamer then it's predecessors. But about halfway through the movie gets off the rails and continues exactly where the other movies left. It's a sick and disturbing found footage horror movie that basically does not entertain at all. The gore is pretty good but that's about it. One movie of this kind was more than enough but this unnecessary franchise has thankfully stopped by now. [2,8/10]
August Underground's Mordum (2003)
A more disturbing continuation with equally much entertainment value
In 2003's "August Underground's Mordum" we are introduced to two friends that are serial killers who bring along a newcomer for their daily cruelties. I watched the first movie and I was not a big fan. It was basically just disturbing stuff and not much entertainment value. And here we are with the sequel that is probably even more disturbing and sick than the first movie. It's a pretty low budget found footage flick filmed with a bad camera, but also provides some pretty nasty and realistic looking gore. I think the overall tone is just like the first movie and if you enjoyed that for some reason then you might enjoy this one too. Like I said I did not enjoy the first one and with this being just a continuation that's even more sick I obviously disliked it too. I can understand why the first movie was made but why did they have to make a sequel? [2,9/10]
August Underground (2001)
Disturbing and dull
In 2001's "August Underground" we are introduced to two serial killers who record their daily horrible behaviours and cruelties. It's a found footage movie with a pretty low budget that shows many sick and disgusting acts by our lead characters. You follow these two monsters torturing their victims and attacking random innocent people. The camera quality is pretty bad, which can't be said about the gore. Some scenes look really disturbing and almost felt like you are actually watching footage of people being tortured and murdered. The movie does not provide much entertainment value and can probably only be enjoyed by those who enjoy disturbing stuff. [3,2/10]
Requiem (2006)
Wrong expectations
In 2006's "Requiem" we are introduced to a young girl who claims to be possessed during her first year at university. The movie is based on the true story of Anneliese Michel who died during an exorcism in 1976 in Germany. This movie is a character study where you follow Sandra Hüller portraying the young girl and her daily struggles and breakdowns.
The movie is really slow and is heavy on the drama which I did not expect. The story of Annelise Michel inspired another movie called "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" (2005) which was also full of drama but mixed with some horror aspects. In this movie you don't have horror at all even though it's tagged as horror. The movie really manages to look like it plays in the 70s and the acting is great. Especially Sandra Hüller who is an astonishing actress does an amazing performance, therefore making it easy to empathize with her. However I honestly was bored throughout most of the film, which doesn't mean that it's bad. It's more that it's my personal preference and that I needed the pacing to be slightly faster for the movie to have some memorable scenes. Overall I liked the approach from The Exorcism of Emily Rose much more and was overall disappointed by "Requiem". [4,0/10]
Be My Cat: A Film for Anne (2015)
Realistic and innovative but also limited in it's ability to entertain
In 2015's "Be My Cat: A Film for Anne" we are introduced to an independent filmmaker from Romania who is so shooting some sort of documentary for a movie where he has planned to cast Anne Hathaway. It's a found footage movie with a scarily realistic approach and we follow the young man documenting the process of his movie for Anne as if it was a fan video dedicated to her. He is casting three young woman to be part of his movie that obviously don't know of his true intentions.
Adrian Tofei who is playing the aspiring filmmaker also directed the flick and his portrayal as this delusional sick man who is obsessed with cats and Anne Hathaway was really convincing and his acting was pretty good. The movie had a realistic feel to it which made it the more disturbing.
However the movie really takes it's time before something happens and it's really slow paced. There's pretty much no gore to be found which was surprising to me and you could tell that the budget was really limited. I honestly found myself bored throughout the film because except conversations not much is happening and even though Adrian Tofei's performance is entertaining it is not able to provide for almost 90 minutes. But still the movie is innovative and definitely unique and disturbing in its own way however that doesn't automatically make a great movie. [4,7/10]
The Bunny Game (2011)
Watching a woman being tortured for over an hour is not entertaining
In 2011's "The Bunny Game" we are introduced to a prostitute living a pretty miserable life and after she hitches a ride with a truck driver her personal hell begins. The movie immediately starts with an explicit oral scene that looks like it might have been real. The whole movie in general consists of much nudity and sexual violence and actress Rodleen Getsic really has to go through something here. She does her best at screaming all the time and doesn't have to speak much because there is barely any dialogue in the movie. Also there is an unnecessary black and white filter over the whole thing which is a weird artistic choice that doesn't compliment the movie in any way. Throughout the film we get to see the trucker torture the woman in various ways. For me that is not entertaining at all and while there is definitely some shock value this movie doesn't reinvent the genre and all it provides for the audience is to basically see the woman suffer. [2,8/10]
Slaughtered Vomit Dolls (2006)
First one and only movie with a 1 star rating
This movie has been on my watch list for a while and since I'm a huge horror movie fan with about 2000 rated horror movies on ImDb it was time to give it a try. I do not skip movies or have any "no goes" as far as horror movies go, so even with this really unappetizing title I would have watched this sooner or later anyway. And thank God I did so it is over and I do not have to watch this horrible thing ever again.
It started off like a collection of videos of some sort of serial killer who drugs and assaults sex workers before killing them and doing even more weird stuff with them. It was immediately a weird feeling but it was halfway watchable, but then the vomiting starts and at that point the movie almost gets unwatchable. I don't mind if a character throws up in a movie or there is explicit gore shown but this was just pointless and annoying. There is no plot at all and I genuinely have to ask why did this movie get made and who enjoys this. At least in or other disturbing films there is usually some sort of plot to follow or maybe even a message but this was just random disgusting clips cut together. Usually I'm pretty generous with my ratings and I never rate movies below three stars but this was just so unwatchable that I think this might be my first one star movie from almost 2000 horror movies watched by me. [1,2/10]
Warning (2021)
Confusing and messy
In 2021's "Warning" we are introduced to multiple characters within multiple interconnected stories set in the near future. One of these characters is Thomas Jane as an astronaut who is in space completely alone after an accident on a satellite. After that the different stories with their characters are being told apparently trying to explore the meaning of life.
My biggest complaint with the movie was that I had no idea what was really going on most of the time. I genuinely tried to pay attention but the movie just felt like something you have turned on in the background and where you barely follow the narrative. Because the movie doesn't really have a structured narrative. There are multiple weird stories set in the near future with different characters in different story lines and none of them were genuinely entertaining and most of them felt unfinished.
Probably the most engaging story was one where a young woman offers her body to a creepy man so that he has full control over her and the first thing he does is to go on a private party and after that things start to go wrong. But even that story wasn't fleshed out or nearly interesting enough to keep my attention. The movie also really varied in quality with some stories feeling lower budgeted than others in terms of lighting and directing even though only one director is credited.
The overall acting was actually fine and I somehow even enjoyed the ending of the movie but that doesn't answer all these questions that pop up when you watch this. Overall I'm just pretty confused, but not in the good way. [3,3/10]