#horrorchallenge2024

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [36/?]

↳“I don't get tired. I'm strong, obedient, I have no desires outside of fulfilling yours.“ Subservience (2024) dir. S.K. Dale

Plot: Follows a struggling father who purchases a domestic SIM to help care for his house and family, unaware she will gain awareness and turn deadly.

Starring: Megan Fox, Michele Morrone & Madeline Zima

So, the last movie to talk about that I watched recently that was just not very good is this one. It's more sci-fi thriller than a straight up horror since it's not scary at all but then that still counts tbh. Quite honestly, I knew it would be bad but the premise sounded like it would be the fun kind of bad since I mean, Megan Fox as a robot?? Something about that sounded so right. lol I do think she was actually rather convincing as one, which I don't think people understand could be a hard challenge for an actor. My main problem with it was that it was too predictable and not enough fun. There is some hint of campiness to it in the writing maybe but not near enough that this is gonna become a cult classic later on by any means imo. It takes itself too seriously at certain parts, at least until the final act or so. They really try to sell hard the relationship between Michele Morrone & Madeline Zima (a rather familiar face to me) but when you consider how truly easy it was for him to cheat on her with Megan's Alice, I call total bullshit. lol Basically everything you could predict that would happen with a concept like this does happen, there was like no originality to the story. Even the final action sequence was kinda lame imo. And ofc they gotta hint at a sequel. I wish I could say they found the little bit of magic that M3GAN found that made it work for some people but it really didn't. What a waste. Could have been a fun little B-movie vehicle for Megan. Oh well. At least her other movie with S.K. Dale (Till Death) was that kinda vibe for me, despite all its faults.

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [31/?]

↳“What do you mean you don't like it?” (How could I not use that as the quote? but also lmao it's so vague with no context) Milk & Serial (2024) dir. Curry Barker

Plot: A surprise birthday prank takes a turn for the worse when a popular social media duo must face the reality of the terrifying aftermath.

Starring: Curry Barker, Cooper Tomlinson, Adlih Torres, Sterling L. Pope, Jonnathan Cripple, Gloria Karel, John Simmonds, Paul Santoli & Rob Harrow

I finally got myself to check this out after hearing so much hype for it lately and man, when I tell you that it genuinely shocked me, I mean it. What a ride! This movie was made on an $800 budget and I think when you compare it to any found footage movie made with a significantly bigger one, I actually think it'd be hard to tell the difference tbh. I gotta admit I have a soft spot for found footage horrors because when they're done right, they're able to be quite effective. Now, I know it's not a subgenre for everyone so naturally that means this movie isn't going to be for everyone's taste but if you like found footage, this is at least worth checking out imo. To think you can just click on YouTube and watch it for free almost seems crazy cuz it's that solid. It's literally only 2 minutes over an hour so it's a fast watch (even though Curry Barker says a 82 minute version exists, which btw I really wanna see still ngl) and somehow he was still able to jampack twists & turns in here without losing me. I will say that might be why the ending felt perhaps a little too abrupt BUT you're not gonna forget it, that's for sure. Also, can I just say, he delivered on the laughs for sure but the dread throughout as well? Like, I wasn't scared per se but once certain things happen, I was kinda on the edge of my seat cuz I was so unprepared for where we were going. lol Anyway, I think this movie shows so much promise for Curry Barker and his performance in this is truly so good. I just might need to go down a rabbit hole watch of the 'that's a bad idea' channel cuz wow, this is some top tier hidden gem stuff apparently. Sign me up! (Note: loving that the last three watches for the challenge have all been faves hehe)

Link to the movie

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [62/?]

↳“The Devil's only an idea, Bob, an excuse for evil, just as your God is an excuse for good. They're concepts." God Is a Bullet (2023) dir. Nick Cassavetes

Plot: Taking matters into his own hands, Detective Bob Hightower tries to infiltrate an evil cult to save his kidnapped daughter and avenge the murder of his wife.

Starring: Maika Monroe, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Karl Glusman, January Jones, Jamie Foxx & Paul Johansson

Honestly, I only watched this because of Maika. lol That's my modern scream queen right there as I always say so it was bound to happen. And it's the second watch for this year's challenge for her to be the lead of the movie, the first ofc being Longlegs. Now, this movie is kinda borderline horror since it's more action/thriller but I've seen it being grouped as adjacent to horror, and really, that's fair. The subject of girls being kidnapped into cults and the extreme violence are horrific enough elements to the story. I will say it loses a lot of its steam for me because it feels so focused on being as violent & exploitive as it can be that it's kinda hollow storytelling imo. The cast is fine though even if it feels like there's more characters in here than I was really trying to keep track of. Maika was wonderful but then I'm biased so. lol Nikolaj Coster-Waldau gave her nice support since really the movie is the pair of them trying to find his daughter and there's a certain chemistry between them that shines in quieter moments. I wasn't sure if it was meant to be romantic but once it was clear that it was, I was able to believe it. Anyway, I didn't really like this overall truthfully but I've already proven I'll watch Maika in anything so trust that eventually I'll watch Tau (since I've seen it counts as horror adjacent) & the upcoming movies she has on deck (including the It Follows sequel) And that's all I got.

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [44/?]

↳“Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? Younger, more beautiful, more perfect. One single injection unlocks your DNA, starting a new cellular division, that will release another version of yourself. This is the Substance.“ The Substance (2024) dir. Coralie Fargeat

Plot: A fading celebrity takes a black-market drug: a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

Starring: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley & Dennis Quaid

Omg, the hype is very much real!!! lol This was meant to be saved for my Halloween movie marathon since I do always try to include at least one of my most anticipated movies for it (cuz naturally I'm expecting it to be a good watch) but they just had to release it today. Smh But yeah, I couldn't chance being spoiled (I'd already seen a couple out of context comments about it that made me go "Oh no, scroll away" XD) The hype has been building for it these last few months & all my reviewers have been saying this is the horror movie to beat this year. Gotta say, I wholeheartedly agree. It left me speechless. I swear it changed me and I'm never gonna forget it. As Haunted Hippie on YouTube declared, it's a body horror masterpiece. From start to finish, it's an insane ride. It truly tested me with the gore though, I'm ngl. To think Terrifier had me tapping out at the hacksaw scene, meanwhile I stuck it out with what this movie had in store for its audience. lol I resonated so much with the message behind this movie, it being a truly fascinating exploration of self-worth from the woman perspective. Beyond the script though, you gotta talk about the acting, the effects, the music/sound design. So many interesting things to talk about with this one. I'm gonna be predictable and say what others have been, that Demi Moore really did give possibly the best performance of her career. It was a ballsy move doing this movie and I'm glad she did it. Margaret Qualley may be a nepo baby but give her the props she deserves. She's been consistently getting cool roles lately & playing them well, so my hat's off to her. The effects are absolutely amazing in this imo. I was truly impressed. And gah, the music!! I loved it. It fit the tone so well. I've seen people split on that last act, but as far as I'm concerned that was a major highlight. It tested my stomach a bit but it was batshit crazy and I enjoy when a movie isn't afraid to dip its toes into being a little campy. I was surprised by how much it made me laugh at parts. I was thoroughly entertained by pretty much all of it. For an almost 2 1/2 hour movie, it feels like it breezed on pretty quickly imo so that's impressive as well. This really might be horror movie of the year for me. I don't feel like anything else can top it. It set the bar so high. Automatic classic in my book.

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [89/?]

↳"I thought I'd lost you forever.

"Lose me? No. You can never lose me, Laura. I'm your monster.” Your Monster (2024) dir. Caroline Lindy

Plot: After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster living in her closet. A romantic-comedy-horror film about falling in love with your inner rage.

Starring: Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Kayla Foster & Meghann Fahy

Yes, the annual challenge is technically over since I always declare Halloween as the last day of it, but honestly, I might just have to keep it going on the whole year from now on at this point because, let's face it, horror movies still get released after October. And well, I have thoughts to share about certain ones. lol Now I'll watch older movies for the first time during this little limbo between challenges and not type up a review just because that's gonna slip my mind tbh. And it's not like I have a real audience for this thing anyway (despite plenty of people liking my reviews) so what's it matter, you know? That said, these newer movies, I have thoughts to share, and it only makes sense to get those thoughts out here where I can ramble for myself. Anyway, I kept hearing about this movie but felt like I wasn't getting the clearest idea what it actually was. Having watched it, I do get why. It's a very genre-bending movie that isn't necessarily going to be for everyone, which I think is why its rating keeps lower little by little each time I see it. I can't say that it's a complete 10/10 for me, but I actually think it mostly worked for what it was. I'm sure people went into it expecting a pure romcom since yes, its plot certainly had its inspiration from Beauty and the Beast, and it has plenty of that vibe, but it does also focus on Melissa's character outside of that where it's more about her dealing with her prior heartbreak & wanting approval from her ex, and then, without spoiling the ending, it takes the narrative a step further in a way that leaves some things up for interpretation for its audience. I personally didn't hate that the story went that way. I don't know if it necessarily stuck the landing when that happened, but I think Melissa sold it very well. I saw someone saying she was miscasted, but I actually liked getting to see her play a much softer character than I'm used to. It felt refreshing. Now again, I don't know if I'd say she hit every beat perfectly imo (I'm thinking more when her character was crying, and yeah, I know it was meant to be funny, but it did get a little shrilly at certain parts), but I think it was a great career move on her part. It was a good chance to show her range as an actress and she made me laugh. The strongest part of the movie for sure was her chemistry with Tommy Dewey as Monster. I think he really helped her make this movie work because he's so present in his scenes with her, and he definitely had me dying with laughter at certain parts. I really enjoyed their dynamic. Also gotta mention, I love that Meghann Fahy is finally getting some proper love lately since I adored her on The Bold Type, and while she doesn't necessarily get much to work with here, she was perfectly cast since ofc everyone's gonna love her. lol What's interesting is you'll watch it and wonder, so where's the horror element beyond him being a monster? Well, it comes near the end, but I promise there's something. It's not a scary movie by any means, but there's a bloody sequence, that's all I'll say. I know this movie was probably a hard sell to producers, and that's why it got the small theatrical release, but it's a solid enough indie movie that was trying to be a little different. Overall, I enjoyed it. If I had to place it in my earlier rankings, I think I would have wanted to put it in my Honorable Mentions category. I feel like it worked enough for me that feels right as a placement.

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [43/?]

↳“Something's happening in that part of the lake." Caddo Lake (2024) dir. Logan George & Celine Held

Plot: When an 8-year-old girl disappears on Caddo Lake, a series of past deaths and disappearances begin to link together, altering a broken family's history.

Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Eliza Scanlen, Lauren Ambrose & Eric Lange

This one is another stretch for this challenge I'll admit. Ik there's definitely been quite a few this year like that for me so Idk what to say, but at least with this one I have a good reason to cheat. This movie is M. Night Shyamalan-produced and the trailer was giving slowburn horror vibes. I think there could be an argument for it still being counted as that maybe, but only if there had been any actual scares. lol As far as I'm concerned, most of the movie is giving mystery drama with a twist. But I also think this is a good way to let people who haven't watched it yet understand what they're getting into. I totally get that the main plot of the movie is like one big spoiler beyond the Anna character disappearing but what's frustrating is that it takes almost an hour before we get to really realize the sci-fi part is happening. You can guess there's an element like that based on the trailer, sure, but the execution was a little too slow getting to the point a bit for me. I tried getting invested with the characters since the leads are both people I like watching, in particular Dylan O'Brien (IYKYK lol), but like I said, I just felt like I was waiting for the real plot to get going. That said, the acting was solid enough. I don't think it was enough to really save it tbh, but Dylan & Eliza do their best to carry this as the leads, especially Eliza. She really is one of the best of her generation so props to her being able to do so much with so little to work with. I think the plot twist(s) aren't too hard to figure out once the movie gets to a certain point since there's some obvious clues throughout but also logistically, I was still a little confused. lol And I can't really tell if it makes much sense or not either, even if it's not that hard to figure out per se. Overall, it was kinda just mid for me personally. I will say it's cool they filmed it on the actual Caddo Lake and they were able to use its aesthetic to really sell that part of the story. So, that could count as a highlight I guess. But yeah, if it wasn't for the people involved, I probably wouldn't checked it out or kept watching, but it was okay enough for that reason alone. Not the worst watch ever, but out the movies I've seen with any kind of Shyamalan involvement this year (producer or not), this was my least fave. Anyway, that's all I've got. Can't say I'd recommend it tbh but then maybe if you're curious about the twist, a one time watch is fine?? Idk. lmao Just keep expectations low I guess?

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [1/?]

↳“They say time heals all wounds, but time is the wound.” Lisa Frankenstein (2024) dir. Zelda Williams

Plot: A coming-of-rage love story about a teenager and her crush, who happens to be a corpse. After a set of horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a journey to find love, happiness - and a few missing body parts.

Starring: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry, Joe Chrest & Carla Gugino

Goodness, another horror challenge has officially begun (technically this wasn't my first horror watch of the year, I have a few others I need to make a review for) but it figures this would be the one that convinces me to make the first post for this year's challenge (my 8TH YEAR doing it!) I was excited about it when I first heard it was going to be a thing. It looked like it was gonna be super fun as a concept. Not that it's completely original (reanimating life has been done more than plenty. Case in point - I literally watched Poor Things before this. lmao) but knowing that the script was coming from the zany mind of Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer's Body) I knew to go into this expecting the tone to be at least slightly off. And well, ofc it was. lol I don't know if it ended up being an instant classic as I thought it would be but I honestly don't really care because overall, I did really enjoy it. Kathryn Newton really impressed me once again like she did in Freaky, really owning that scream queen title. I loved her so much. And her chemistry with Cole was rather solid imo, despite his role mostly being silent. I thought Liza Soberano was a definite scene stealer as her step-sister Taffy as well. And ofc I gotta mention the wonderful Carla Gugino who is always good because her character was quite memorable, despite not being in it very long. I'm a sucker for a comedy horror so I'm not surprised I ended up liking it even though I've seen some mixed reactions (tho more good) It probably could have been better but I will say, even the movies from the 80's that you can tell inspired this one even had their flaws so let's not pretend they were perfect. I think this lived up enough to my expectations that I'm gonna say it now, I can see this one making it on the end-of-the-year faves list. Maybe it won't be for everyone but I think it was pretty good, for whatever that's worth. lol

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [71/?]

↳“Why are you doing this?“ "Because you let me." Speak No Evil (2022) dir. Christian Tafdrup

Plot: A Danish family visits a Dutch family they met on a holiday. What was supposed to be an idyllic weekend slowly starts unraveling as the Danes try to stay polite in the face of unpleasantness.

Starring: Morten Burian, Sidsel Siem Koch, Fedja van Huêt, Karina Smulders, Liva Forsberg & Marius Damslev

I've been meaning to watch this one for a while and I've been considering whether to watch the remake as well but it didn't feel right if I didn't at least see this one first so here we are. I needed to understand why they would feel the need to remake a movie that is only 2 years old beyond the sake of a cash grab situation. Now, I won't be able to have an answer until I after I watch the remake later on today (I want a little time between so it's not too fresh in my mind but just enough I can call out the obvious parallels I'm sure will be in there) but I'm hoping there will be some changes in the story a bit. Just because I really need these production companies to understand one thing - remakes/sequels, they should at least attempt to bring something new to the narrative in some way so that there's value in exploring it more. Anyway, about the actual movie, I enjoyed it, at least I think. lol That almost feels like a weird thing to say because it is sooo tense. It's very much a slowburn so a lot of it is just this sense of dread that something is gonna happen eventually but you don't know what. I'm sure it'll be a little too slow for some people, which I can understand, but it had me for most of it. I couldn't help feeling uncomfortable for the Danish couple being such fish out of water with the Dutch pair, which you know is very much the intention. And then it takes that turn in the end and I was like, wow, talk about bleak. I appreciated that there was a social commentary going on with the narrative. Even as an American, I could understand what was going on with that. I am curious how they handle that aspect in the remake since I did see that was one of the things people worried about. I did also notice it has a slightly higher IMDB rating than the original so maybe they did a good job with it after all. Like I said, we'll see. Overall, I thought this one was pretty good. Worth the watch imo.