Day 6 - 10 Cloverfield Lane - October Horror Movie Challenge

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE (2016)

"There's been an attack." "What?" "An attack, a big one. I'm not sure yet if it's chemical or nuclear but down here we're safe..."

(There will be major spoilers so skip if you don't want to be spoiled)

Michelle is running from something, she's packed up all her bags and she's left an engagement ring behind and she's driving away. In the car she gets a call from Ben who's clearly her ex-fiance begging her to come back. But Michelle's car gets hit by a truck and when she wakes up she's chained to a pipe. A man comes in and lets her know she's safe, there's been an attack and the world outside has basically come to an end. But he saved her. He lets her unchain herself and introduces himself as Howard.

When Michelle is shown the rest of the place she realizes she's in an underground bunker with Howard and another guy Emmett. Michelle is instantly suspicious of Howard, not really believing that the world has ended outside, and when he shows her outside all she really sees is his truck with blood on it. But later on she manages to steal his keys and as she attempts to escape, a woman appears at the hatch window covered in blisters and blood acting insane. After that Howard confesses to Michelle that he did hit her car with his truck but it was a complete accident, he was rushing home after hearing about the attack. He felt bad so he brought her home with him and saved her.

So now that the world is ending, and Michelle, Emmett and Howard have to live in this shelter until it's safe to leave they begin to get comfortable and play board games, watch movies, and fall into a routine. But why does Howard keep bringing up his daughter Meghan? And why does the photo he has of her look like a girl named Britney who went missing two years ago? And what are those strange noises the group are hearing coming from outside?

Alright...so what did I love about this movie?

• Amazing score throughout and the few songs that play - excellent choices. Try not getting "I think we're alone now" stuck in your head after watching this movie.
• Beautifully shot. When I was taking screen caps I just wanted to screen cap every scene.
• Claustrophobic, incredibly tense....at times I felt like I couldn't breathe and at other times I was screaming for the characters. 
• The scene where Howard shoots Emmett, I straight up yelled out loud. I was in shock and had to pause the movie for a bit to get over it.
• Great story line, great performances by all three - especially Howard. When Howard snaps it's horrifying and so well done. John Goodman is at his finest here. Mary Elizabeth Winstead absolutely brought it to this movie too.

 
What I didn't love?

• Nothing! This movie was flawless to me.

Overall? 

I've been waiting for this movie for so long, HOLY CRAP, and now I've finally watched it and I already want to watch it again. A few people at my work saw this movie in the theaters and all of them gave me bad reviews. But I was convinced I would like it. AND I WAS RIGHT. I still remember watching that teaser trailer back in January and being in shock. I couldn't believe it was actually happening. And it didn't disappoint me at all. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and the ending was so fucking good. I was screaming with joy and fear and just being so wrapped up in the story. ALIENS MOTHERFUCKKKKEERRRRR!!!!!!!!!

This was the directorial debut of Dan Trachtenberg and I can't even believe it. Give this man a million more movies. It was stunningly beautiful!

10/10

Stay spooky!

In which I am stressed and blab on about Stephen King a lot

Hey guys,
I'm still alive, sorry for the lack of updates. What with the new pup in the house, worrying about having to move soon, constant money struggles, and a busy few weeks at work...I haven't found time to watch any horror films. And believe me I'm devastated about it. But enough woe is me, let's get into some horror news with my absolute promise that soon I will be posting reviews again here!

The Purge: Election Year. We spoke about it last time. We're excited for it. But they've released new marketing and it's absolutely on point.

They released a new trailer that reads like a campaign video and it's priceless! Check it out here and here's the new poster:

I love this! As a Canadian watching on as America goes through their campaigning right now, I think this is a hilarious choice by The Purge and makes me love the franchise that much more.

Things with 10 Cloverfield Lane are just getting completely out of control in the best way possible. Including, a guy digging up a box and finding USB's inside that the studio planted in a damn field in the middle of nowhere. I'll stop updating about it until I see the film because it's too much to explain, but I'm following along closely, and you can too by checking out R/10cloverfieldlane

Rings has been pushed back once again until October of this year. I'm starting to lose faith/stop caring about this film. Just throw that shit on VOD and let us have what we want damnit!

There's talks of Stephen King's The Mist being turned into a tv show on Spike? Which....I don't love? The short story was flawless, the movie was even better...soooooo....let's just leave it? I guess King has given his blessings and Spike has given the pilot order for it. Christian Torpe and Dimension Films are involved. I just...do we really need another TV show about the "end of the world"? Because that's all I can really think of them doing. The Mist follows a group of people, specifically a son and his dad, as they are all trapped within a supermarket as a mist filled with monsters envelops the world around them. In the short story, the mist never ends, in the movie, the mist is clearing up. But either way they go, really all this is is another "post apocalyptic" type show. Booooooring.

Speaking of Stephen King (which I basically always am), I recently re-read Cell because they've made that into a movie but I'm hoping like freakin' crazy that it turns out well. I'd only read the book once before so I barely remembered anything from it when re-reading it. It's an absolutely great book that you can't put down. And it's still, in fact even more so, easy to relate to today. Starring Stacy Keach, Isabelle Fuhrman, John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson, Cell tells the story of a powerful signal that is broadcast across cell phone networks worldwide. All of the users' minds are instantly re-programmed. Clay survives this and heads off to search for his wife and son, picking up a rag tag group of survivors along the way. Stephen King himself wrote the screenplay so I'm so damn excited!!

I've also just started re-reading IT for the tenth or so time and even though the movie keeps getting pushed around and changing hands, I'm still so ready for this two part horror fest. Even if it takes four more years to make.

Alright, that's it for today. Again, I apologize for the lack of reviews, I'm the worst. I will get back to horror movies hopefully this weekend! And hopefully my stress level comes waaaaay down.

Stay spooky ya'll!

Horror news and a casual stroll around an insane aslyum

HORROR NEWS ROUNDUP!!

The Purge: Election is here and it looks insane! I vaguely remember mentions of The Purge's second sequel but was happily surprised yesterday when the trailer dropped and we got a premier date. And a sub title! The Purge: Election.

And it looks to be just as violent and action oriented as the second. Frank Grillo returns in his role only this time it's to protect Senator Charlie Roan who is determined to end the annual purge while running for president. After a betrayal from inside their own team, the two face purge night alone and outside on the streets of Washington D.C.

It comes out July 1st and check out the trailer here
because I can never figure out how to embed videos here (if anyone can help, can you comment please?)

This is your emergency broadcast announcing the commencement of the annual purge

Next up is an exclusive from bloody disgusting....we've got a poster for JEEPERS CREEPERS THREE!!!!!!!!!!! They are filming early this year here in Vancouver so we won't see the movie for awhile, but that doesn't mean we can't start getting excited. This film will have Victor Salva returning, but none of us really care about that pedo. It also has Jonathan Breck returning as the creeper himself which is wonderful.

The third film will show the last day of the Creeper's feeding frenzy while Sergent Tubbs tries to end him for good.

And this....is the poster:

LOVE IT!

Every twenty-third spring for twenty three days it gets to eat.

Last year I read the book Hostage to the Devil which tells the true stories of Exorcists. And now there is a documentary by the same name. It took 5 years to make and is directed by Marty Stalker. The documentary plays out the never ending debate of good versus evil and questions the existence of the Devil, all through the life of Malachi Martin, a controversial Jesuit priest.

Covering multiple countries, the documentary sits down with some great paranormal experts like Lorraine Warren and Ralph Sarchie. It will also have some interesting looking archival footage! The doc will go over, in graphic detail, the exorcisms that were performed, specifically that of a 4 year old girl. This was the last exorcism performed by Malachi before his suspicious death. 


watch here

Also....there's a new 10 Cloverfield Lane trailer and the ending....MONSTER CALL!?!?!?!? I'm losing my mind waiting for this damn movie. Check it all out here

In my own life....Obie is here!!!!

My best friend and her boyfriend drove him down from Calgary. And yesterday the three of us went and explored the grounds of the abandoned insane aslyum here known as Riverview Hospital. It's also used in all kinds of horror films and shows like Supernatural and See No Evil 2. It was also the inspiration and setting for Grave Encounters 1 and 2. It was a tone of fun to walk around, and the grounds are absolutely massive, just filled with so many abandoned buildings. It's completely eerie. I took a few shots:

It was a tone of fun and if you are visiting here I highly recommend wandering around, but be prepared for a long walk.

Stay spooky!

The conspiracy continues....

Let's get into some horror news! In my own life I'm super excited because tonight we're headed over to our friend's place to house sit and puppy sit my god daughter Ginny. Then in just a few more days Oprah will be here along with our new fur child, Obie!!!! Very exciting few days coming up.

But WHO CARES?! Let's talk about the important stuff:

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE....Yeah, I'm still talking about it. And apparently so is the rest of the internet. Remember back when Cloverfield came out and no one had any idea what the movie was or where it came from? And after the first teaser we were even more confused? But then this massive in depth marketing campaign came out and it blew our minds. Well, the same marketing tricks seem to be in place for 10 Cloverfield Lane.

Cloverfield's marketing campaign surrounded a company called Tagruato who spent their money and time drilling in the deep ocean. But it wasn't for oil, it was for a flavor to use in a Japanese drink called Slusho!!! Which, if you watch Cloverfield, is the company Rob is going to work for in Japan before...well...ya know...the statue of liberty's head smashed the street he was on. Tagruato was targeted by TIDO Wave who were protesting the drilling. None of this was actually explained in the movie but lead us to believe this was the backstory and this was how the Cloverfield monster came out of the depths it had fallen into.

Now currently, if you email the Tagruato account you get a response telling you that the account is no longer active....from "Vanessa Gwon, Director of Public Relations, Employee of the Month: 2016 January". NO LONGER ACTIVE? YET THIS BITCH IS EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH? WHAT IS HAPPENING?

But wait, there's more. In the 10 Cloverfield Lane trailer you can spot a soda branded Swamp Pop. If you go to the website for this pop you can buy the product but you can also buy a "Long-Term Shelter Supply" for a tone of money...$4,813.00 to be exact. Except wait....it's sold out. And double wait...4813 is the number that gets punched into the jukebox at the beginning of the trailer that starts playing I Think We're Alone Now.

Someone on the internet named Sarah Rose actually contacted Swamp Pop about getting one of those shelter supplies and got this response:

So people started buying Swamp Pop in six packs and some people on Reddit realized they were also receiving puzzle pieces with the orders. So everyone got together and put together the puzzle which forms the Eiffel Tower....WHAT?!


But wait....in the trailer you can see that there's multiple framed pictures of the Eiffel Tower in the background and on the girls t-shirt:

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?!?!?!?!

Now the IMDB description says this:
Waking up from a car accident, a young woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) finds herself in the basement of a man (John Goodman) who says he’s saved her life from a chemical attack that has left the outside uninhabitable.
 
WHAT IS HAPPENING?! AND WHY CAN'T I WATCH THIS MOVIE RIGHT NOW?!?!

Let's keep putting on our tinfoil hats, watch the trailer a few more times, and eagerly count down the days until we can finally watch this damn film!!!

~~ I think we're alone now, there doesn't seem to be anyone around ~~

Second up, I'm super excited for the movie Green Room which now has a brand new trailer! Starring Patrick Stewart, Green Room is set to release nationwide April 29th and is already getting amazing reviews.

It looks super intense, claustrophobic, and violent! Patrick Stewart is unrecognizable and creepy as hell. It's about a punk rock band who have finished an unsuccessful tour but take one last booking at a run-down club. But after the show the band witness something incredibly violent and become trapped backstage, facing off against Stewart's character and his henchmen.

Watch the trailer:

And last, but certainly not least...February is WOMEN IN HORROR MONTH!!! HOORAYYY!!! WiHM is all about supporting and showcasing the underrepresented work of women in the horror industry. Throughout the year they update their site and blog alerting you to the great things women are doing in the genre, they also have the Ax Wound Film Festival. But February is when they go all out celebrating the women that bring and support horror in every way.

As a woman in horror myself, I have experienced the judgement that comes from being just that. Men won't take your opinion seriously, especially on the internet. And people in general are shocked to learn I'm a massive horror fan. Why though? I can get rowdy over a messy beheading just like the average Joe.

So take a look at their site here, support them on social media, and give a little shout out to the women in your life who love the horror genre! Cause hey...we all float down here.

Stay spooky!

CLOVERFIELD'S BACK YA'LL and other news

Hey everyone,
After a very awful and stressful day where I basically had my entire paycheck taken away from me and now I'm not sure how to get through the next two weeks....let's talk about things that make me happy....HORROR NEWS!

These are my favorite stories right now and what I'm most excited about up and coming so LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

First up, the sequel to The Conjuring, an amazing movie that came out awhile back and features my favorite demon hunters - Ed and Lorraine Warren. Now they're back investigating the Enfield Poltergeist. Which, in real life, they had not a lot to do with, BUT this is mostly fictional so I'm excited nonetheless. Hopefully it's even better than the amazing mini series I spoke about a few entries ago. In 1977 Peggy Hodgson and her four children are haunted by a poltergeist like spirit in their home. And now we have a trailer and some photos!

Bloody Disgusting is also reporting that The Conjuring 2 will open with The Amityville Horror Case which is kind of fucking amazing. Look for it in theaters on June 10th!

Next up is Rob Zombie's 31.
I've talked about this movie a bit over the last year because I'm a big Rob Zombie fan and an even bigger Sherri Moon Zombie fan. The news we have now is that is is officially an R rating....after receiving an NC-17 a few times. And in celebration of that rating, and the upcoming Sundance premier we got a sort of poster/collage type showing us all the great looking characters. I'm so damn stoked to see this bloody, violent film which tells the story of 5 friends who get kidnapped the day before Halloween and get held hostage at a place called Murder World. aka my new home. They have to play a game called 31 which gives them 12 hours to survive against a group of evil clowns.
NOW GIVE ME A TRAILER!

Up next? TNT is reviving Tales From the Crypt and the show's curator is none other than M Night Shamalamadingdong. Obviously everyone is furious and I'm like, guys, please, just give him another chance.
The next bit of news is that Bloody Disgusting reported the new revival won't feature the Crypt Keeper like we remember him, voiced by John Kassir. This is because HBO owns the original one so the new host will be something different, or as Shamalamadingdong puts it "cool and dark" but we can't trust him. The host could've been dead the whole time. OR BE A TREE.

Anyway, reports are saying the new show will be closer to the original comic series. But let's all chill guys, we'll all watch it no matter how bad it is. So lets just get excited!

And last but certainly not least BECAUSE THIS IS THE CRAZIEST BEST NEWS EVER.....

A couple of years ago a movie was spoken about called Valencia which was produced by JJ Abrams and directed by Dan Trachtenberg. But apparently those mother fuckers were being sneaky as hell and Valencia was actually the secret title for 10 Cloverfield Lane. THATS RIGHT YA'LL. WE'RE GETTING A SEQUEL. ALL OUR CONSPIRACY THEORIES ARE COMING TRUEEEEE.
Yep, it's been confirmed, it's connected to 2008's amazing film Cloverfield. Abrams said that they wanted to make it a "blood relative" to Cloverfield whatever that means. But when you watch the trailer, at the end when the title appears, Cloverfield shows up first, then 10 and Lane. So err....WHAT ELSE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO THINK.

And this morning we got this trailer dropped on us and NO ONE WAS PREPARED.
omg.
like no one in NYC was prepared when the Cloverfield monster attacked.....

It's headed our way on March 11th and I was not prepared for this in any way and I'm going opening night and screaming about it every damn day until it happens. I CANT STOP YELLING ABOUT IT.

And let's talk about those stars!!! John fucking Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Final Destination 3) and John Gallagher, Jr.


WHY ARE YOU STILL READING THIS? WATCH THE TRAILER!!!!

Alright,
I've calmed down.
I'm going to go enjoy my weekend and try not to cry about my gypsy cursed life.
This weekend I'm also going to try and watch some more horror movies that were on my list, but I also need to watch the Oscar noms because I have no aspirations in life.

Stay spooky!