dead snow - a bunch of nzi zombies stand in the snow

It’s getting harder and harder to reinvigorate the trope of “bunch of young adults headed to a remote cabin where horror ensues”. You could even argue the attempts to subvert the trope is itself a trope. And yet, even though I don’t really love Dead Snow, writer/director Tommy Wirkola’s attempt to play in the sandbox, there’s just enough schlock and weird moments that make the film fun. Tired, but fun. Also I could have sworn I’d seen this movie before, but I think the trailer was so popular at the time it left an impression. Now that’s a trope we need to re-invigorate: when the trailer/concept is better than the actual execution.

Reviews

Hooptober 11.0 – Dark Water (2002)

Being Film #27 for Hooptober 2024

I’ve been thinking a lot about expectations, and how they impact our viewing of a film. Dark Water, the other Hideo Nakata horror film (Ringu being the first) was a film I knew a lot about, but always held off for one reason or another, thinking there would be time and when I did get to it, I would love it. Well, thanks to the stunning 4K transfer from Arrow Video I did finally get around to it, and while I didn’t love it, it was very surprising, as the horror is a distant second to a rather pointed narrative about divorce, children, and their parents. Looks great, sounds fantastic…just not even remotely scary save for one scene we’ll get into that sadly breaks the tension with a laughable punctuation that I’m sure was NOT Nakata’s intention.

ChrisOctober 15, 2024Leave a comment

Reviews

Hooptober 11.0 – Bhoot (2003)

Being Film #19 for Hooptober 2024

It’s always interesting to see another culture’s take on some tried and true storytelling. The haunted house (or apartment in this case) riff has been going on almost as long as film itself, and seeing the variations play out in Japan (The Grudge) and Indonesia (Satan’s Slaves 2) have yielded some terrific results for the genre. Bhoot comes out of India, and while it might play a little more safely with the formula than the previously mentioned films, a terrific lead performance and a couple of fantastic sequences help elevate this ghost (the literal translation of “bhoot”) story above its humble direction and somewhat rote script.

ChrisOctober 2, 2024Leave a comment

Reviews

Hooptober 11.0 – Death Proof (2007)

Being Film #16 for Hooptober 2024

Outside of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood… I don’t think there’s a more personal, more fanboy love letter to movies in Quentin Tarantino’s filmography than Death Proof. With overt callouts and structural similarities to the films he loves, much of this is readily obvious. But in making his Grindhouse genre offering not only working within the exploitation genre but also the car film, Tarantino luxuriates in the fetish of real honest to go stunt work. It’s there where I think this movie really shines the brightest.

ChrisSeptember 28, 2024Leave a comment

Reviews

Hooptober 11.0 – Planet Terror (2007)

Being Film #15 for Hooptober 2024

I wish Grindhouse didn’t fail as bad as it did at the box office. I remember seeing the entire experience in theaters and it was incredible. For every pale imitation (Hobo With a Shotgun, Rodriguez’s own Machete) it spawned, it also remains a singular experience, both taken as a whole and divided into their individual components. Planet Terror, the Rodriguez segment, plays like exploitation through a kid’s eyes, and I think on this watch that’s entirely intentional. It’s way more goofy fun that I remembered, and his stacked cast makes a meal out of every moment. If it doesn’t exactly match the grimy vibe of those films, it definitely matches the sense of fun folks get watching them for pleasure now.

ChrisSeptember 28, 2024Leave a comment

Reviews

Hooptober 10.0 – Crocodile (2000)

Being Film #26 for Hooptober 2023

Make no mistake: Tobe Hooper may be the director of Crocodile, but this is not Eaten Alive. This is a fast buck direct to video movie that normally would be utterly forgettable except that Hooper can’t help but out a few flourishes that almost – and I mean almost – made it worth sitting through the 90 minute runtime interrupted by a dozen 3 minute ad breaks featuring Trantolo & Trantolo law firm on Plex’s free service. You will get nothing from this movie, but you will smile at Hooper’s sympathies.

ChrisOctober 15, 2023Leave a comment

Cinema Dual (TEST SITE)

Examining a life through the media we consume. In other words, I’m reviewing all of my physical music media in alphabetical order, one day at at a time. Except when I don’t, as has been the case for the past few years. Still, we march onwards…Coffee essential, but not mandatory

Tag: 2000s

Hooptober 12.0 – Dead Snow (2009)

Hooptober 11.0 – Dark Water (2002)

Hooptober 11.0 – Bhoot (2003)

Hooptober 11.0 – Death Proof (2007)

Hooptober 11.0 – Planet Terror (2007)

Hooptober 10.0 – Crocodile (2000)