Tag Archives: Movies

31 Days of Horror: October is the Best Month

When I first started my 31 Days of Horror blog in October of 2010, I was determined to watch and review a horror/spooky/scary movie every day that month. We all know the saying about planning and laughter, though, and of course, that was true for me too, when a beloved family member passed unexpectedly in the third week of October. Nevertheless, I threw myself back into my favorite movie genre later to do some catching up, using the horror on my screen to escape that horrible event in my life. These early movie reviews were a bit more like movie summaries (so fair warning if you go that far back into the archives that they may slog along a bit). As my reviews progressed through the years, I worked hard to make sure they picked up the pace, that there were no spoilers, and I called out movies not worth wasting your time on.

Also since the beginning of this blog, I have tried to be a bit more realistic in my personal goal in order to be sure I’m enjoying the month as much as providing reviews others might find helpful when choosing their next good (or groan-worthy) watch. So while some days I’m still watching a horror movie, other days I’m rewatching a favorite which I’ve already reviewed. That’s why some years you’ll see 15 reviews, some years less, some years more. And while I call this 31 Days of Horror, please note that to me “horror” can encompass spooky, ghostly, paranormal…the usual. It can also include 1950’s B-movies that might make you cringe, or quiet makes-you-think movies with universal themes, or campy take-offs on popular blockbusters. I love ’em all (though I am not a fan of anything too over-violent or gory for violence/gore’s sake or which demeans people based on their sex, race, etc.).

One final note: I personally save all my scary movies for the month of October. If a great movie comes out in March (why are horror movies being released in the spring?!?), I add it to my list of movies to watch when October rolls around. If one of my TOP 5 is streaming when I walk past the living room, I skedaddle…my family knows I won’t be joining them for Halloween in June, no thank you! This is simply my personal preference. So if you’re looking for a new movie to be reviewed in December, I’m afraid you’ll need to wait until the following October or head to IMDB for their take.

Thanks for joining me here at 31 Days of Horror! Take a look around to find your next watch, or to enjoy the occasional bit of humor thrown in to help you catch your breath.

31 Days of Horror: mother! (R; 2017; 121 min.)

How to describe and review a movie that left you a bit speechless and more than a bit confused? Well, in the case of mother!, I had to think about it for a good 24 hours, along with reading up on some of the theories surrounding the symbolism the movie is drenched in.

mother! on the surface is the story of a couple living in a beautiful, secluded home. The younger Mother (Jennifer Lawrence) is restoring the home following a fire, while middle-aged Him (Javier Bardem) attempts to work on his poetry despite writer’s block. When a couple (Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer as Man and Woman, respectively) arrives needing a place to stay, and Him welcomes them in with open arms, things start to get very weird. Chaos erupts and expands quickly, causing this middle-aged writer to experience stress, panic, and high blood pressure. As the story unfolds and Mother’s life and surroundings completely unravel, extreme chaos/craziness ensues, which oddly allows Him to finally have a breakthrough. The ending is not only sad and overwhelming, but, for me, dispiriting as well.

Now, as I said, that’s all on the story’s surface. In order to not give away too much here, I will leave my review at that, with encouragement to watch first, then read some interpretations here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5109784/reviews?ref_=tt_urv

  • Top Scare: ALL the guests
  • Heartbeats: 3 out of 4
  • Gore Factor: 2 3/4 out of 4
  • Suspense Factor: 3 1/4 out of 4
  • Recommended for: 17 and up

31 Days of Horror: The Invitation (NR; 2015; 100 min.)

A bit horror, a bit, mystery, a bit drama, this movie could be a bit ho-hum in the suspense department. But it’s not, and those who don’t like the usual horror fare might dip their toe in with this slow-burn.

Two years ago, Will and Eden’s son died tragically, the couple divorced, and now Will has received an invitation to a dinner party at Eden’s house (where they used to live as a family). The story unfolds slowly over the course of the evening, as Will, his new girlfriend, and several old chums meet Eden’s new guy David and the couple’s friends, and are also introduced to Eden’s new positive outlook on life. Will begins to feel some very weird vibes from the situation and events, soon suspecting there is more than a simple dinner party on the agenda. But his hold on reality is often tenuous at best due to his still raw grief over losing his son and returning to the house where he once lived. Is Will just being paranoid? Why is he so suspicious? As the clock ticks by, Will must decide: was this really just an invitation to a dinner party, or should they all have RSVP’d NO?

  • Top Scare: a friend of David’s
  • Heartbeats: 2 1/2 out of 5
  • Gore Factor: 2 out of 5
  • Suspense Factor: 3 out of 5
  • Recommended for: 16 and up