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Oct 2017 *
EBOSSERT’s OCTOBER CHALLENGE REVIEW THREAD

Well, it’s that time of year again. This will be my ninth attempt at the October Challenge. Here are my results from prior years:

2008 – 34 movies (17 first-time)
2009 – 45 movies (28 first-time)
2010 – 55 movies (38 first-time)
2011 – 35 movies (30 first-time)
2012 – 59 movies (34 first-time)
2013 – 63 movies (46 first-time)
2014 – 63 movies (44 first-time)
2015 – 61 movies (41 first-time)
2016 – 47 movies (29 first-time)

I’ll be tracking my progress in the Official Progress thread, but this thread will provide the opportunity to provide my mini-reviews and hold discussions without cluttering the Official Progress thread with too many reply posts.

Total Viewings – 60

First Time Viewings – 31

1. The Green Inferno (2013, U.S.) – Recommended
2. The Conjuring 2 (2016, U.S.) – Not Recommended
3. Black Hand (2015, Korea) – Recommended
4. Alien: Covenant (2017, U.S./U.K.) – Not Recommended
5. Halloween Nightmare (2015, Japan) – Recommended
6. Halloween Nightmare 2 (2015, Japan) – Not Recommended
7. The Girl With All the Gifts (2016, U.K.) – Recommended
8. Saikyojyureiko (2016, Japan) – Not Recommended
9. Fuuin!! Hoso Kinshi Kensho Douga File Vol.16 (2013, Japan) – Not Recommended
10. Shinrei Toko Shin Shu Noroi No Doga Densetsu (2016, Japan) – Not Recommended
11. Kyo Akurei Jyusan Bon No Norowareta Toko Eizo (2014, Japan) – Not Recommended
12. Annabelle (2014, U.S.) – Not Recommended
13. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016, U.S.) – Strongly Recommended
14. Illusion of Blood (1965, Japan) – Recommended
15. Inferno (aka Kidan) (2005, Japan) – Recommended
16. The Void (2016, Canada) – Recommended
17. Sinister 2 (2015, U.S.) – Not Recommended
18. 31 (2016, U.S.) – Not Recommended
19. All Night Long 4 (2002, Japan) – Recommended
20. All Night Long 5 (2003, Japan) – Not Recommended
21. Hana-Dama: Phantom (2016, Japan) – Recommended
22. Among the Living (2014, France) – Not Recommended
23. Leatherface (2017, U.S.) – Cautiously Recommended
24. The Eyes of My Mother (2016, U.S.) – Recommended
25. Yami Douga 9 (2014, Japan) – Recommended
26. Pod (2015, U.S.) – Not Recommended
27. The Invitation (2015, U.S.) – Not Recommended
28. Blood Glacier (2013, Austria) – Recommended
29. Pumpkinhead (1988, U.S.) – Recommended
30. Zomvideo (2011, Japan) – Recommended
31. Jigsaw (2017, U.S.) – Cautiously Recommended

Repeat Viewings – 29

1. The Conjuring (2013, U.S.) – Recommended
2. House of Voices (aka Saint Ange) (2004, France) – Strongly Recommended
3. Horror Stories (2012, Korea) – Recommended
4. Dabbe (2006, Turkey) – Recommended
5. As the Gods Will (2014, Japan) – Strongly Recommended
6. Horror Stories 2 (2013, Korea) – Recommended
7. Them (2006, France) – Strongly Recommended
8. Cold Fish (2010, Japan) – Recommended
9. High Tension (2003, France) – Strongly Recommended
10. Baskin (2015, Turkey) – Recommended
11. Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989, Japan) – Strongly Recommended
12. Sinister (2012, U.S.) – Strongly Recommended
13. Strange Circus (2005, Japan) – Strongly Recommended
14. Spider Forest (2004, Korea) – Strongly Recommended
15. Dream Home (2010, Hong Kong) – Strongly Recommended
16. Greatful Dead (2013, Japan) – Strongly Recommended
17. Hana-Dama: The Origins (2014, Japan) – Recommended
18. Horror Stories 3 (2016, Korea) – Strongly Recommended
19. Inside (2007, France) – Strongly Recommended
20. Livide (2011, France) – Recommended
21. The Sleep Curse (2017, Hong Kong) – Recommended
22. Haunted School (1995, Japan) – Recommended
23. Haunted School 2 (1996, Japan) – Recommended
24. Haunted School 3 (1997, Japan) – Recommended
25. Haunted School 4 (1999, Japan) – Strongly Recommended
26. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003, Korea) – Strongly Recommended
27. Reincarnation (2005, Japan) – Strongly Recommended
28. Vampire Hunter D (1985, Japan) – Strongly Recommended
29. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000, Japan) – Strongly Recommended
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iceflamez says:
#36, Reply to #35
Oct 2017 *
2 amazing watches back to back, i bet you are having a great time. Yet another top 10 asian horror movies material right there.
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ebossert says:
#37, Reply to #36
Oct 2017
Indeed! emoticon
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ebossert says:
#38
Oct 2017
31 (2016, U.S.) – Five carnival workers are kidnapped and held hostage in an abandoned, Hell-like compound where they are forced to participate in a violent game, the goal of which is to survive twelve hours against a gang of sadistic clowns. All of the characters are poorly written, disgusting and obnoxious, which is no surprise given the fact that Rob Zombie directed this. Camerawork is plagued by so much shaky cam and close-up shots that it’s difficult to tell what the hell is going on most of the time. This is monotonous and boring to watch. Not Recommended
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ebossert says:
#39
Oct 2017
Dream Home (2010, Hong Kong) (repeat viewing) – Ho-Cheung Pang ventures into horror territory with this very violent flick that depicts a late night murder spree in a high end apartment complex. The murderer (played by Josie Ho) is a protagonist/antagonist blend that is humanized through flashbacks and properly developed. One would be wise to avoid reading plot summaries because they will likely spoil the logic and reasoning behind the murders, which is revealed later in the film. The violence is brutal, graphic, and reminiscent of recent European efforts; due to its visceral nature. Pang uses his art-house style to capture some great shots and Ho’s performance is very good. Strongly Recommended
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ebossert says:
#40
Oct 2017
Greatful Dead (2013, Japan) (repeat viewing) – A young woman from a broken family becomes a stalker of other lonely people and eventually becomes obsessed with an elderly man. This is a nicely crafted genre-bender which becomes darker and more depraved as it progresses. Very interesting characters and interaction between them. The story flows freely and is not easy to predict, based on the opening setup. There’s quite a bit of jet black humor, but it’s more of the low-key variety. Newcomer Kumi Takiuchi is impressive in the lead role. Kkob-bi Kim has a supporting role. Strongly Recommended
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ebossert says:
#41
Oct 2017
FYI. I watched the original trilogy years ago. I thought the first one was okay but kinda boring. The second and third films are better, IMO.

All Night Long 4 (2002, Japan) – A young man is fascinated with performing weird experiments on animals. He gets the idea of luring women into his home for proper torture and murder. The first girl dies quickly, which is disappointing, but the second girl is tortured well during a period of days. I actually like the lead actor, which is somewhat surprising. In terms of violence, this is not as morbid or slimy as its predecessors, but it’s still a decent zero budget torture flick. (Viewed without subtitles.) Recommended

All Night Long 5 (2003, Japan) – After witnessing a suicide (a man falling to his death), a young woman runs into a nearby alleyway and pleasures herself to the macabre imagery. What she does not know is that she is being watched by a strange man who later invites her to his house. But instead of torturing her, he wants her to torture him. Interesting premise, but this is very boring to watch. Lots of dull-as-dirt filler, with an almost non-existent bodycount. There’s also a distinct lack of edge for most of the runtime. There are a few scenes of bloody violence, but nothing particularly memorable. Runtime of 99 minutes is way too long; most of the scenes are very drawn out. (Viewed without subtitles.) Not Recommended
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ebossert says:
#42
Oct 2017
The next two films were directed by Hisayasu Sato, who is most well known for his legendary gorefest “Naked Blood” from 1995, but he’s made a plethora of interesting, low budget exploitation films that date back decades.

Hana-Dama: The Origins (2014, Japan) (repeat viewing) – A schoolgirl is relentlessly bullied in this film by Sato. The protagonist here is mentally tough, but decides to endure the bullying until she graduates. The first hour is a teen drama with some uncomfortable moments and nudity, but there is also a nice friendship dynamic between three bullied students. It does get pretty nasty though. The antagonists (which consist of students and teachers) are repugnant scumbags who will make the viewer’s blood boil at times. The horror elements ramp up during the final half hour, and they are bizarre, bloody, and blackly humorous. Fans of oddball, demented, perverted, low budget stuff might want to check this out. It’s definitely a bit different from the norm. (FYI, we get multiple shots of non-pixelated full frontal female nudity, which is rather uncommon in Japanese cinema.) Recommended

It’s nice to know that Sato still has it in him to make a film this weird and depraved. This makes the first Hana-Dama film look classy by comparison.

Hana-Dama: Phantom (2016, Japan) – The plot is about a cinema projectionist who meets a strange young woman who roams the nearby area, but it’s actually quite difficult to explain the lunacy of this film. There are moments of dense atmosphere and there are also some interesting concepts that keep things engaging (e.g., filmmaking is a theme that is explored), but there’s also some weird sex-based humor, over-the-top acting, and a finale that is completely gratuitous, depraved, and shocking. Fans of perverted, disgusting, violent, low budget stuff with a distinct exploitative edge might want to check this out. It’s definitely very different, but most “normal” people will want to stay the hell away. Personally, I found it oddly compelling. (FYI, we get multiple shots of non-pixelated full frontal female nudity, which is rather uncommon in Japanese cinema.) Recommended
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ebossert says:
#43
Oct 2017
Horror Stories 3 (2016, Korea) (repeat viewing) – This is an anthology of four short films (with a total runtime of 94 minutes). This is proficiently directed and acted from start to finish. Some creative stuff here too, with an emphasis on futuristic visuals during two of the segments. “A Girl from Mars” is the wrap-around segment. Set in 2416 A.D., a little girl from Mars seeks asylum at a space station run by robots. This has some very cool visuals involving space and water. “Fox Valley” is set in ancient Korea. Two men visit a desolate area where the villagers believe that the nearby mountain is alive and must be tended to, which causes problems for the visitors. Good stuff, with some very nice lighting; some of the night time shots use an otherworldly dark red that is striking. “Road Rage” is set in the present day. A bickering couple are driving on a highway, but get into some serious trouble when they anger a truck driver. This is probably the most relatable segment, if only because there are many bad and angry drivers on the road in real life. There are a few very good moments of suspense in this. I really liked the ending too. “Ghost in the Machine” (aka “Robot Spirit”) is set in the not-too-distant future. A child robot temporarily malfunctions while babysitting a human boy. The mother finds out and makes the decision to discard it for a newer version, but this thing may not go quietly. Probably the creepiest story of the bunch, with enough horrific robotic imagery to satisfy. Strongly Recommended

Trailer: https://youtu.be/RFwSCoEx6kI
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ebossert says:
#44
Oct 2017
Inside (2007, France) (repeat viewing) – A pregnant woman must elude a killer inside her home. The violence in this movie is very realistic, the body count is impressive, and the sheer quantity of blood is enormous. While most explicitly graphic films are hampered by poor acting and storytelling, this entry has solid performances and a scenario that keeps the viewer engaged from beginning to end. Survival logic is a mixed bag, which does include some stupid decision-making at times. The antagonist is one tough, nasty, merciless bitch who is also wraithlike in her ability to lurk in the shadows. Atmosphere and ominous scoring are also very strong. This is an incredibly brutal slasher that goes down as one of the best ever made. Not for the weak-hearted. Strongly Recommended
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ebossert says:
#45
Oct 2017
Livide (2011, France) (repeat viewing) – A young care-giver and two young men break into a large mansion in search of valuables, but become victims of a mysterious terror. After 30 minutes of “set up” time, the characters begin their exploration. Consequently, this film cranks up the horror elements and becomes more entertaining. There are a few bloody death scenes and some creepy moments. In terms of style and atmosphere, this film is impressive. Story and characters are shallow (with an unnecessarily confusing ending), but the plentiful horror content and visual style make up for some of that. From the directors of “Inside” (2007). Recommended
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ebossert says:
#46
Oct 2017
What the FUCK was this supposed to be?

Among the Living (2014, France) – Three trouble-making kids skip school in order to explore an abandoned film studio lot where they catch site of a woman being dragged across the lot by a masked man. There are some incompehensibly stupid decisions made by the characters. That usually something I can overlook, but it happens so often that it becomes absolutely infuriating. I kid you not, this movie has some of the most maddeningly stupid characters of the last 20 years. Even more disappointing . . . there’s only a little gore! How is that possible, from the directors of “Inside” (2007)? It wouldn’t be a problem if there was suspense, creepiness, or something else to make up for it . . . but there isn’t. This is a wafer thin, stupid slasher film with almost no good death scenes or ominous atmosphere. Given the pedigree of these directors, I cannot believe that this was a problem with this film, but it most certainly is. After the third “cut-away” kill, you’ll want to throw a brick thru your television screen. This is Hollywoodized, spineless crap . . . that was made in France. Not Recommended
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ebossert says:
#47
Oct 2017
Leatherface (2017, U.S.) – Everyone seems to have forgotten that the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” film had very little gore on screen, and instead chose to rely on suspense, atmosphere, dread, and off-screen violence. In any case, “Leatherface” is an uneven film, regardless of whether you accept it as a prequel to this franchise or a spin-off/stand-alone gorefest. The “origin story” premise feels pointless because there’s no psychological exploration of the character at all. Yes, the violence is sufficiently nasty, but some of the situations in which it is implemented are incomprehensibly stupid (e.g., the pig scene, the animal carcass scene, the sex scene, etc.) and there’s not enough suspense or dread to elevate it. This is from the directors of “Inside” (2007), who are very familiar with excessive violence, but that film had an efficient rhythm to it, with a stifling sense of terror and a cool villain. Comparatively, “Leatherface” has a certain juvenility to it that rubbed me the wrong way. It is watchable though, with some pretty good performances (I particularly liked Vanessa Grasse and Stephen Dorff). Cautiously Recommended
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iceflamez says:
#48, Reply to #47
Oct 2017
So i take it you are checking all of Bustillo and Maury's body of work. To me it looks like Inside was one trick pony, i tried my best to embrace Livid but there wasn't much of a connection and it really pales compared to the vastly superior Inside. I am extremely hestitant to check Among the Living to avoid further disappointment.
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ebossert says:
#49, Reply to #48
Oct 2017
Inside is by far their best film. After seeing the rest of their stuff, I'm definitely less excited about their future projects.
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iceflamez says:
#51, Reply to #49
Oct 2017
I mean you have at your disposal your most valuable asset, that freaky woman with the gap in her teeth (fantastic actress) and they don't capitalize on that, they underutilized her in Livid which was the first major let down.
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ebossert says:
#50
Oct 2017
The Eyes of My Mother (2016, U.S.) – A young, lonely woman is consumed by her deepest and darkest desires after tragedy strikes her quiet country life. This is a good flick that’s a bit different from the usual stuff. I like how the main character has a warped sense of normalcy, which makes this an interesting watch. There’s also some quiet intensity. With that said, it does feel static and a bit dull in spots. I enjoyed it though. Recommended
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foz says:
#57, Reply to #50
Oct 2017
loved this one. Has TCM n Psycho dipped in artsy with a splash of awesome sound and odd angled shots
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ebossert says:
#52
Oct 2017
It would be nice to watch a movie today where something actually happens. I just sat thru 3 hours of nothing.

Pod (2015, U.S.) – A family intervention goes horrifically awry within the snowy confines of an isolated lake house. Sound design is very clumsy, with excessively loud segments of score and ambient sounds that will blow your eardrums off. Performances are amateurish. The constant screaming and bickering between the characters gets tiring very quickly, and that’s basically that happens in the film – a few characters yelling at each other in a house. It’s boring, especially considering that the script is very by-the-book and lacking in creativity. Yeah, a monster shows up for a few minutes, but it’s badly filmed with excessive shaky cam and strobe lighting. Not Recommended

The Invitation (2015, U.S.) – While attending a dinner party at his former home, a man thinks his ex-wife and her new husband have sinister intentions for their guests. This movie is sleep-inducing. It relies heavily on slow-burn unease, but the dialogue and character development are tedious and portrayed in the most uninteresting ways possible. The viewer will be waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen, which makes this film incredibly difficult to sit through. When something does happen, late in the film, it’s exactly what you would have predicted. If the filmmakers set out to make one of the most boring horror films of the last decade, they definitely succeeded. Not Recommended
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ebossert says:
#53
Oct 2017
Blood Glacier (2013, Austria) – Scientists working in the Austrian Alps discover that a glacier is leaking a liquid that appears to be affecting local wildlife. Some fantastic natural environments on display, which adds a lot of eye candy. The monsters have some cool designs, and their biological characteristics are interesting and sufficiently deadly. The finale is an anticlimax, but this is good. Recommended
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ebossert says:
#54
Oct 2017
Pumpkinhead (1988, U.S.) – After a tragic accident, a man conjures up a towering, vengeful demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy a group of unsuspecting teenagers. Lots of atmosphere during the opening horror scene, then it reverts to a grungy hillbilly setting for a while before infusing more dense atmosphere and some cool physical monster effects. I also like how the story unfolds, with the protagonist (Lance Henriksen) having to journey and achieve certain tasks in order to resurrect the demon. Recommended
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You have reached the end of Trash Epics.