A Few Good Horror Flicks

Thanks to reading Fangoria and Rue Morgue magazines again I've found quite a few gems in the horror industry lately that I may have otherwise missed. I've been sort of out of the loop on non-mainstream releases for the past few years, but it's good to be back in the know. It sucks having to wait for dvd releases, but at least my city wasn't skipped over for the Hatchet release! What a great movie. Here are a few of the more noteworthy films that I've seen lately beginning with Hatchet but in no particular order:

Hatchet - Wow, was this movie awesome! A horror movie for horror fans for sure. It actually exceeded my lofty expectations. It was bloody. And it was funny. It was bloody funny, haha. The story itself was good (it was cool to see Kane Hodder as the monster again), the acting was good (Joel Moore impressed me), and the timing of the horror and comedy was GREAT. Adam Green's got what it takes. This is one of the best recent horror films I've seen. And definitely some good old fashioned American horror.

Severance - Fun flick! It's a dark comedy about a group of co-workers (of a weapons company) who go off on a team building weekend trip in the mountains of Eastern Europe only to find they are being hunted by a group of crazed killers. It could've been a little bit tighter in spots, but overall it was a well made movie. It's lighter on the gore than what I expected, but there is one scene that had me cringing right along with the cast. Humor, good acting, well defined characters and good plot make this one a fun time for dark comedy/horror fans.

Wind Chill - For a movie that takes place in such a small area (on a secluded piece of snowy road) and almost entirely in the confines of a (wrecked) car, I truly felt a sense of tension. It's a low budget but well written movie. And I liked it very much. I only rented, but a purchase would not have been a disappointment. It was well paced and for a movie to rely so much on its characters, was well acted, too. And I'm glad the writer didn't go for a cheap thrills ending. It made for a very moody ghost story.

Dog Soldiers - Werewolf movies are like Vampire movies. They usually suck. However, Dog Soldiers is definitely an exception. Anyone who likes werewolves and military-like settings should check this out. You'll enjoy the characters and appreciate the developed plot. Oh, and the werewolves are badass.

The Changeling - I'm embarrassed to admit that I had not seen this before until recently. But it's never too late, right? Great ghost story/haunted house movie. It's without a doubt one of the best ghost stories and does not get the attention it deserves. Well acted, well written, well paced and well directed.

The Host - Good movie. Cool monster. I was very impressed with the mix of sadness and humor and really liked the lead character. The bonehead in all of us can relate to this guy, lol. I didn't really understand why the need for an epilogue, but whatever. Maybe not the classic Jaws is, but I think The Host lived up the expectations I had for it.

First Draft Blues

Actually, I don't have the blues, it's just the best I could do on short notice.

Whew! Who would've thought that writing a script for a 20 minute short would feel just as taxing as if I were writing a feature length script? Not me! But I'm not complaining. It's good practice working on a 3 act structure and character development regardless of its length.

The good news is that I am officially done with the first draft of Project: Bigfoot. However, there is still work to be done. Like adding more suspense and tension!!!

*cue scary music*