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Los Parecidos (2015)
FINALLY, a writer/director/producer who's thinking outside the box.
I really liked this movie! There will be zero spoilers here; I'll be getting straight to the point.
Where horror films are concerned, I'm beyond weary of the seemingly endless stream of remakes and reboots coming out of Hollywood. For years I've been waiting for someone — ANYONE — to start thinking out of the box and create something original. Finally, the writer/director/producer of "The Similars" did just that. His name is Isaac Ezban. Remember it... because I have a strong feeling that Guillermo Del Toro will be getting a bit of home-grown competition on 'the horror front' before too long.
'The Similars' is sort of a 'period piece' that's set in 1968, with the Tlatelolco Massacre hovering over it like a dark, ominous cloud from start to finish. (If you're unfamiliar with the incident, Google it.) This movie is also a tribute to the horror classics of the 1960s. Interesting and attention-grabbing from the start, it straddles the fence between 'bizarre' and 'comically absurd' before then veering straight into 'old-school horror' territory with a rather unexpected sci-fi twist. If you want or need to know more? Track it down and watch it. Seriously. The less you look into this movie ahead of time, the better. Allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised.
Das Boot (1981)
Dated, yes, but still one of my favorite WWII films
A little-known fact is that eighteen countries had submarines in the water during World War II. Whether a country had one vessel (Brazil) or over nine-hundred vessels (Germany), and whether those vessels saw action in battle or not, all of their crews endured the same living and working conditions as the crew of the fictional German U-96 depicted in this film. That is what makes this film as important as it is riveting. You will experience what life was like for those who served on submarines during the war, many of whom were just teenagers. It was a life lived in dim lighting for months at a time. A life lived in close, cramped quarters with no privacy whatsoever. A life where anxiety and fear were ever-present. A life spent wondering when, or if, you would see your loved ones again. Whether or not you are a World War II enthusiast, do yourself a favor and see this film at least once in your lifetime.
The Skeptic (2009)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: A "haunted house" film for those who thought they'd seen it all.
I have seen hundreds of horror movies. There isn't much in the genre that shocks me anymore. New releases (whether original or remakes of classics) hit the theaters on a regular basis, all with variations of the standard "Scariest film of the year!" review. In my opinion almost all have be mediocre at best, failing to live up to the hype that preceded them. Sadly, it has been decades since a horror film caused me to jump and scream at various times. I'm thrilled to report that "The Skeptic" was able to do just that, which means I'm recommending it as a must-see for all lovers of "haunted house" films who thought they'd seen it all before.
The title character is a lawyer, Brian Becket (brilliantly played by Tim Daly). Becket is someone you'll love to hate, someone you can't wait to see get "his comeuppance". He is self-assured, sarcastic, arrogant, insensitive, emotionally frigid and (of course) skeptical of everything. He will not give credence to beliefs that can't be backed up with indisputable facts. Upon moving into the home of a recently deceased aunt he begins to experience strange phenomena that he, at first, believes are hallucinations brought on by sleep deprivation and high stress. As the film unfolds, Becket learns shocking truths about his aunt's house and his own past. Through the course of the film he slowly begins to change...and the proverbial shoe moves to the other foot. He is now the one who must successfully explain the unexplainable to skeptics...and he frustratingly cannot win a single argument because there are rational explanations for everything. About half-way through the film you'll stop hating Becket and not only start liking him, but begin empathizing with him and eventually feel sorry for him.
This film has everything you could possibly want in a "haunted house" film: an eerie-looking mansion filled with bizarre antiques, creaky floors and dark corners, a mysterious locked closet, ghostly images that will truly come out of nowhere, etc. What this film does not have is a satisfying ending. To those who enjoy psychoanalyzing films for hidden meanings, the ending will be poignant and acceptable. To others, the ending will be an abrupt disappointment and can be summed up this way: "That's it?!?
THE BOTTOM LINE: On a scale of 1-10, it is a very strong 8. I highly recommend "The Skeptic" to all horror/thriller buffs who are looking for a great "haunted house" story. If you are a fan of blood and gore, this film won't deliver. If you prefer movies with endings that neatly tie off all their loose ends, this film won't deliver either. HOWEVER...if you enjoy films filled with riveting suspense that slowly builds, throwing unexpected shockers at you along the way, then you will really enjoy this film.
The Cell (2000)
"The Cell" is a sojourn into a nightmarish world created by a sick and tortured mind.
I have always been fascinated with dreams. They are guaranteed escapes from reality that we all share, and we don't need psychedelic drugs to take us there. All we have to do is close our eyes and fall asleep. Our dreams can be vivid, or they can be sketchy. They can be based on what's familiar, or be total fantasies. They can be realms of happiness, or be chambers of horror. There is one thing, however, that we can all agree upon: dreams most certainly are mysterious.
I've often wondered if dreams are much, much more than simply a means of purging and recharging the brain. Could our dreams be significant? Could they have meaning? Could we learn from them? Could they be applied to our waking lives and be advantageously used to, perhaps, help solve problems? And if so, could the opposite also be true? Could our dreams harm us, or even kill us? Are we resigned to be merely silent witnesses, forced to go where our dreams lead us, or could we be active participants in them?
These questions have been explored in films before, most notably "A Nightmare On Elm Street" and "Dreamscape" (both released in 1984) and "The Matrix" (1999). The best-selling author Stephen King explored these questions in "The Stand" (1978) and "Insomnia" (1994). Now, "The Cell" can be added to the list. All are based on the theory that within us lies an ability to control the direction, flow and outcome of our dreams...provided that we realize we are dreaming. Once we do, we'll realize we are not constrained by the rules and laws of nature. In dreams, we can create our own rules. In dreams, everything is possible.
I believe that the cast of "The Cell" could not have been more perfect. Vincent D'Onofrio is phenomenal as Carl Stargher, a serial killer who's perhaps as tortured as his victims. I could not help but feel sorry for this man. He seemed to be "made" a murderer against his will by a combination of severe childhood abuse and a virus that destroyed his mind. Vince Vaughn is excellent as Peter Novak, a homicide detective consumed by frustration, exhaustion, and desperation. Jennifer Lopez is surprisingly good as the soft-spoken social worker/parapsychologist, Dr. Catherine Deane, who is as empathetic and courageous as she is beautiful.
What unfolds is a compelling story of a race against time to save a killer's last victim...but incredibly, most of the action in this film takes place in the killer's mind. The cinematography, set direction and special effects are mesmerizing, both beautiful and horrific. The bottom line: "The Cell" is essentially a sojourn into the nightmarish world created by a sick and tortured mind.
I have seen this film at least a dozen times since it's release, and each time I've noticed details that I'd somehow overlooked in the past. If you are a fan of science fiction and horror, this captivating film should not be overlooked.
Patrick (1978)
A sojourn into the area of psychic phemonena
As others have commented, this film is a bit of a love story that delves into the area of psychic phemonena, in particular psychokinesis and, though it isn't overtly expressed, astral projection.
The title character, Patrick, is a patient in a private, long-term care facility. He's been in a seemingly irreversible vegetative state for three years, the result of psychological trauma experienced after the murder of his mother and her lover. Kathy is a new nurse at the facility who's main responsibility is the care of Patrick. She refuses to accept that he is unaware of his surroundings and repeatedly attempts to communicate with him. Spending long periods of time at his bedside she develops a bond with him, and it is soon revealed that he develops an even stronger bond with her.
The well-written story progresses very slowly but the performances are quite strong. There was not much "action" in this film, nor were there many special effects...yet as a psychodrama I suppose they weren't necessary. I found this film to be riveting. It easily drew me in, despite the lack of thrills one would expect in horror films. I was disappointed that there weren't many surprises, although truth be told as the film drew to its close there was one scene that was eerily unsettling and another scene where I literally jumped out of my skin (and that does not happen often). So all-in-all I enjoyed this movie.
I've been an avid fan of horror films for over 30 years, yet somehow I'd never heard of this one until a few days ago. I particularly enjoy films that do not rely on graphic violence, nudity and the use of four-letter words. In such films the writing, acting and directing is what categorizes them as great or awful. Though this film isn't one of the greats, it's not one of the worst films ever made either. I'm glad that I came across it, and I recommend it to any fan of horror.
Cries in the Night (1980)
Though not a 10-star film, it was surprisingly good for a B-Movie.
I thought I'd seen all the B-Movie horror films of the 1970s-80s. Apparently not, for this one somehow got by me. The title "Funeral Home" was a bit misleading as there was nothing "funeral-homish" about this film other than that most of the action took place in a converted funeral home. I'd been under the impression there would be ghostly or ghoulish occurrences, something most "reformed funeral home" films seem to be filled with. There were none, however the story, as it slowly unfolded, was remarkably well done.
In my opinion, 1980 was a pivotal year in the horror industry. A whole new generation of films started to appear that became known as "slasher films" (or "gore-fests," depending on who you ask). There was a new trend developing where nothing was left to the imagination. Though equated with slasher films, "Funeral Home" is nothing like "Halloween" or "Friday the 13th" since it's violence was more implied than graphic. When films contain graphic violence the shock value of "blood and guts" can all too easily take over and render story-lines and characters irrelevant. This was not the case here.
I was impressed with the character development in this film. The primary characters, and almost all of the secondary ones, were given "histories" that were revealed in dribs and drabs as the story moved along...and as is common with people in small towns, everyone seemed to be connected to everyone else in some way. The dialog could be corny at times and didn't quite flow as "normal conversation" would (particularly with regard to the teenagers) but the performances were good enough to make it credible.
Being a horror film veteran, the ending did not surprise me. From about 1/3 of the way into the film I had a pretty good idea where it was heading, but there were some surprises that made the film enjoyable despite seeming routine. It was also refreshing to see a film stand on it's own without resorting to pools of blood, nudity and four-letter words. Though not a 10-star film and not very high on the "shock-meter," it was surprisingly good for a B-Movie.