Reviews by Ron

Horror Movie Reviews

[roncopper]

Ron its Tom from CAHE, I just watched Skinamarink the other day, you gotta see it. Lost your email thats why im contacting this way lol.

Hey Tom, I saw it opening night, thanks for the recommendation! I liked it for what it was, $15000 budget?!

[roncopper]

#21

Film: Spiral

Year: 2020

Shudder

Plot: A couple move to a new town with their daughter, but something seems strange about the new neighbors

Review: I am really glad this was recommended to me, I almost missed this one. I would classify it as more of a psychological thriller but it absolutely fits in with many other horror films. The lead actor did a great job, and the way that the story unfolded kept me interested the entire time. I do not want to spoil anything but I recommend this movie for anybody looking for a great 2020 Horror film. Excellent watch.

Rating: 🔪🔪🔪🔪

Alternatives:

Society

The Invitation

Rear Window

[roncopper]

#20

Film: Host

Year: 2020

Shudder

Plot: Friends reconnect during the social distance protocols going on around the world. What virtual experience do they share? A seance over Zoom...

Review: This one was pretty interesting. So many parts of it seemed to seamlessly update the supernatural themes in a 2020 Pandemic style manner. Great job there. The events themselves were not as scary as other films in the same category, but the idea of the terror felt while disconnected from the ones you love really touched on something for me. The use of technology and the supernatural is an evolving independent genre, and this one was a great addition and wonderful movie for 2020.

Rating: 🔪 🔪 🔪

Alternatives:

The Den

Grave Encounters

Unfriended- Dark Web

[roncopper]

#19

Film: The Cleansing Hour

Year: 2020

Shudder

Plot: Exorcisms are streamed live.

Review: I saw an advertisement for this movie and it looked interesting. It is a very good spin on possession movies, the dangers of the internet and using religion for personal gain. The plot was interesting yet campy, the characters were predictable and the momentum was pretty consistent. I liked it, but I would never watch it again.

Rating: 🔪 🔪

Alternatives:

Unfriended Dark Web

The Den

The Taking of Deborah Logan

[roncopper]

#18

Film: Terrified

Year: 2017

Shudder

Plot: Paranormal investigator look into strange events in Buenos Aires.

Review: I started watching this one months ago, and did not restart from the beginning when I watched it last night. Just as creepy, and that is the word I would use to describe it.... CREEPY. This is a Spanish language film, and while I was really happy that I could understand enough to know what was different between the dialogue and the subtitles, I still needed to use the subtitles which took away from the scares a little. That said, this 👏🏾 was 👏🏾 creepy 👏🏾 . Watch this one alone in a dark room at night and you may get just the terrified experience you’re looking for this season.

Rating: 🔪 🔪 🔪

Alternatives:

Baskin

The Descent

Paranormal Activity

[roncopper]

#17

Film: The Mummy

Year: 2017

Plot: A mummy is unearthed and the end is near..

iTunes ($3.99)

Review: I am a big fan of the Brendan Frasier The Mummy, and I was confused as to why this remake was happening. Universal planned on making a bunch of monster movies that were connected and this was suppose to be the introduction of the universe. As a horror movie, this one ranks low. As an action or adventure movie, I enjoyed this more than Indiana Jones and the Crystal. Would I watch this again, no. Am I glad I watched, I mean I guess!? It felt like a movie made to justify a theme park ride/experience, which would probably be quite fun.

Rating:🔪🔪

Alternatives:

Human Centipede III: Final Sequence

American Werewolf in London

Gremlins II

[roncopper]

#16

Film: Goosebumps

Year: 2015

Amazon ($3.99)

Plot: Zack moves to a new town and meets his new neighbor, but get suspicious that her father might be up to something...

Review: I try to watch a few family friendly movies every season, and this one was a great find. Jack Black is hilarious, the puns and references are hilarious and there was even a subtle note of surprise. This was definitely a Halloween movie and would make for a great family movie night (or drinking game).

Rating: 🔪🔪🔪

Alternatives:

Scream 4

Coraline

Paranorman

[roncopper]

#15

Film: Mine Games

Year: 2012

Hulu

Plot: A group of post-college students spend some Time in a cabin. They find an abandoned mine.

Review: This was recommended to me by one of my students. At first I couldn’t tell if this was a really  corny earnest movie or a great parody. It turned out to be both?! I don’t actually want to give anything away about the plot so I will sum up the movie with this comment: “...Is this mothaf*cka ‘bout to go spelunking?!”

Rating: 🔪🔪🔪

Alternatives:

Cabin in the Woods

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Tucker and Dale vs Evil

[roncopper]

#14

Film: The Lodge

Year: 2019

Hulu

Plot: Two kids hang out with their Dad’s new girlfriend... the survivor of a cult.

Review: This one was great! I usually feel like I know what is about to happen in most movies, but this one left me surprised a number of times. Similar to Relic, I don’t know if I would call this one a traditional horror film but if I were one of the characters I would be horrified.

Rating: 🔪🔪🔪🔪

Alternatives:

The Others

Relic

The Ritual

[roncopper]

#13

Film: Hubie Halloween

Year: 2020

Netflix (NetflixParty!)

Plot: Hubie Dubois really loves Halloween, and his mother, and keeping the town safe. And soup.

Review: This was the first NetflixParty if the season and wow what a way to start. I laughed for most of this one, for soooo many reasons. It has a very 80’s vibe, a great cast and ridiculous cameos, plus there are numerous references to classic horror films throughout the whole movie. It was absurd, slapstick, had jump scares and visual comedy. I loved this one, it is a Halloween movie more than a Horror movie, and while I wasn’t afraid to go to sleep I did think that this will become a classic Halloween Comedy.

Rating: 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪 The rare 5 machete rating, and the first “Chris Harrison Award for Halloween Excellence”

Alternatives:

The Dead Don’t Die

Tucker and Dale vs Evil

Shaun of the Dead

[roncopper]

#12

Film: Relic

Year: (2020!!) there are many movies with this title!

iTunes ($3.99)

Plot: A woman and her daughter go visit Grandma after she seemingly becomes confused and goes missing for a number of days.

Review: Wow. While I would not necessarily call this one Scary, it was disturbing and beautiful. It was recommended to me by Molly, who would not say anything about the plot. This was the most “Horror” of all the films I’ve seen so far this season, and without giving the plot away I highly recommend giving it a watch. This one might inspire a number of different conversations..

Rating: 🔪🔪🔪🔪

Alternatives:

Darling

Hereditary

The Taking of Deborah Logan

[roncopper]

#11

Film: Tremors

Year: 1990

iTunes ($3.99)

Plot: A desert community is rattled by something killing the livestock...

Review: 1990 at its most 1990! This one stars Kevin Bacon and Reba Mcentire in what appears to be the exact opposite set from the Popeye film. A scientist discovers that strange readings of tiny earthquakes are happening in one area and the people of the small community discover what is causing those readings. I remember seeing this one when I was younger and as an adult it was hilarious. Might be good for a group viewing, might be too campy for some.

Rating: 🔪🔪🔪

Alternatives:

Slither

The Faculty

Tucker and Dale vs Evil

[roncopper]

#10

Film: Wrinkles the Clown

Year: 2019

Plot: In the last few years there have been a number of Clown sightings.. this documentary explores one in particular.

Review: okay.. This was a documentary. Keep that in mind when watching. That fact made most of this movie really creepy. While viewing, I kept thinking “I may have seen this one already”, but that is because I remember seeing some of the images on the News while the actual incidents were happening. Is this scary? Depends on how you feel about clowns. Was this creepy and worth a watch, yes..

Rating: 🔪 🔪 🤡 (two machetes and a creepy clown)...

Alternatives:

Hush

Creep

Clown

[roncopper]

#9

Film: Pet Semetary

Year: 2019

Plot: A family moves to a rural area and the parents do a bad job of watching their kids.

Amazon Prime

Review: Aesthetically, this is a big step up from the previous iteration of this Stephen King novel, but that is where the improvements end. The plot has many holes, and even John Lithgow’s acting can only do so much. It this movie is 1.5 hours, it takes about an hour before it gets going. The only recommendation I have is that if you start watching it, FINISH IT. Would I watch again, no.. Am I glad I watched, yes.

Rating: 🔪 🔪 (almost 3 machetes but not quite)

Alternatives:

The Shining

Contracted

Hereditary

[roncopper]

#8

Film: Grave Encounters

Year: 2011

iTunes ($3.99 to rent)

Plot: A reality TV show explores strange occurrences at an abandoned mental institution.

Review: I love a good Found Footage horror movie. This one takes place in Maryland (Shout out to my Dad). It had a very subtle tone to start but still reminded me of the MTV show Fear. I really enjoyed it, I’m glad I watched it and I recommend it (unless you hate found footage movies)!

Rating: 🔪 🔪 🔪 🔪

Alternatives:

Hell House LLC

Red State

1408

[roncopper]

#7

Film: Errementari - The Blacksmith and the Devil

Year:

Netflix

Plot: A blacksmith is hiding a dangerous secret.

Review: This one was recommended to my by Whitney years ago. The first line is “Hell...” and this is based on basque folklore. This one had a lot of plot holes but it was a fun story. The plot is very similar to an episode of the cartoon “Disenchanted”, when the main characters have to go to hell and save somebody. I would say this is a great scary movie for teens or people that like a good folktale. It turned into a family friendly movie, then a buddy cop story and finally they go to hell. Confusing but interesting ride.

Rating: 🔪 🔪

Alternatives:

Pan’s Labyrinth

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Rec

[roncopper]

#6

Film: Antebellum

Year: 2020

iTunes (19.99 to rent?! But it’s about the price of a movie ticket)

Plot: I won’t discuss the plot at all, if you have any interest at all in this one just watch it.

Review: This movie opened with an eerie continuous shot through a civil war era plantation in the south. I don’t want to give anything away, but this is one that takes a while to get rolling. The minute the tone changes.. it changes. If this was released a few years ago it may have done better, but the events of 2020 move from horror to drama/thriller. Rotten Tomatoes gave this one a really low score but it holds up.

Rating: 🔪 🔪 🔪

Alternatives:

The Village

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