Scream (1996) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Scream (1996) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Wes Craven’s Scream remains surprisingly effective 22 years on.  A post-modern slasher film that (much like Tarantino was doing in the gangster film) referenced the very films that predated it.  It’s a film that plays by and yet subverts the rules of its genre.  This may have led to horror eventually eating itself with Scream clones (including certain Scream sequels) but what Craven does here is first rate.  Okay so it could have had a bit more gore for my liking but still it’s an effective slasher film with an iconic villain and some real scares.

Best Bit: “Do you like Scary Movies? ”

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Scream 2, From Dusk Till Dawn

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1978) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1978) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Invasion of The Body Snatchers is one of my favourite science fiction films of all time.  It’s hugely claustrophobic, oppressive and nihilistic.  It leaves you feeling unsettled both through its naturalistic cinematography and performances, in a story that feels just one step away from possible.  Director Kaufman is on top form and Sutherland, Nemoy and Adams deliver memorable performances.  In short I consider the ’78 version of Body Snatchers essential viewing.

Best Bit: THAT Ending

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1956), Body Snatchers, The Invasion 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Serenity (2005) – A Hall of Fame Quick Capsule Review

Serenity (2005) – A Hall of Fame Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Hall of Fame Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
One of the best sci-fi films in recent memory, Serenity (based on the superb but brief TV show Firefly) is an action packed, superbly crafted ride that delivers you so much more than blockbusters with 3 times the budget. It’s also not afraid to throw in a few surprises… not least killing one of the casts most loved characters. Almost 15 years on it holds up surprisingly well.  In short I adore this world and we are all worse off that we’ve never been back.   As Mal would say… Shiny!

Best Bit: The Bar

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Firefly, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Pitch Black

★★★★★★★★★★

Hall-of-Fame

 

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Satanic Panic (2019) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Satanic Panic (2019) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Satanic Panic is a tonal mess.  Is it a horror, a comedy, a horror -comedy? For sure the film has no idea. Which is a shame as it could have worked really well as either but failed to nail doing both at the same time. That said it’s far from terrible and the Fangoria labeled film has enough charm to just about get over the tone issues.  Director Chelsea Stardust gives us an impressive and empowered female led cast and does well by them but never manages to take the film to be more than just an entertaining if forgettable midnight movie.  But then horror film fans are pretty forgiving and, no doubt, there’s enough here to warrant a watch.

Best Bit:Jerry O’Connell is suitable slimy

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Tone-Deaf, The Banana Splits Movie, Haunt

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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The Dead Don’t Die (2019) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

The Dead Don’t Die (2019) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
The Dead Don’t Die is a total waste of time. More than that it’s pretentious approach, intolerable fourth wall breaking and pretentious direction make it one of 2019’s worst films.  Don’t worry however it still cant beat Holmes & Watson.  Thing is… a film starring Bill Murray & Adam Driver (as well as many others) should be better than this just BECAUSE they are in it but Jim Jarmusch’s  direction just saps the life out of the performances.  I could go on but I couldn’t finish this mess so it just wouldn’t be fair…

Best Bit: Turning it off

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Avoid

If You Liked this Try: Shaun Of The Dead, Zombieland, Dawn Of The Dead

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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MA (2019) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

MA (2019) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Blumhouse has a sickening good track record of modestly budgeted but highly successful horror films.  From Happy Death Day, Halloween and The Purge films (and many, many more) the name Blumhouse tends to denote at worst a highly watchable film. At best… well just take a look at the Oscar nominated Get Out.   MA is no different – another original, fun and highly watchable horror thriller from the uber horror studio.  Hatched from a conversation with lead Octavia Spencer where she told director Taylor she was “sick of only being offered the same role and never getting to be a lead”, MA is pretty messed up… even by Blumhouse standards.  But it’s also a lot of fun.  That said without Octavia Spencer at its core the film would be very different – her performance is fully unhinged and all the more enjoyable for it.  She rates at least an 8 on the Jack Torrance scale.  So  fan of Blumhouse, horror or just well paced sub 100 minute films… then MA is for you.

Best Bit: Old flame

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Happy Death Day, Get Out, Truth Or Dare

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Halloween 3: Season Of The Witch (1982) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Halloween 3: Season Of The Witch (1982) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Halloween 3: Season Of The Witch is so incredibly underrated.  It’s honestly terrifying – from robots to Witchcraft, face mashing and head ripping…. it’s a brutal film, made worse (better) by its incredibly downbeat ending. Yup time hasn’t been kind with the films fashions and technology but beyond that it’s a film that leaves you incredibly unsettled.  It works on every level you’d want a horror to work on.  Yup it didn’t have Michael Myers and yup it tried (and failed commercially at least) to take the franchise in a new direction but for me this is probably the real stand out of the Halloween sequels.   Brave, bold and scary AF.  Well worth a rewatch!

Best Bit: THAT ending

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (if you can find it)

If You Liked this Try: Halloween (2018), Halloween, Halloween (2007)

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Joker (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Joker (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Let’s cut to the chase…. You can fully believe the hype here – Joker is one of the best films of 2019.  Period.   It’s dangerous, intense and brutal… a game changer of a film that does so much more than I expected it to do.  Playing out like part V For Vendetta part Taxi Driver, The Hangover’s Todd Philips delivers a film that you’d think had been done by a master filmmaker.  Not the guy who delivered some pretty average films.   Joker is stylish but without being in your face and, contrary to the Birds Of Prey trailer that screened beforehand, relies on performance and nuance over flash. Philips is a revelation.  But for all the films expert direction it would be very different without Joaquin Phoenix’s central performance as Arthur Fleck.  He’s mesmerising, edgy and, at least for a time, highly sympathetic. Phoenix must be a shoe in for an acting nomination at the Oscar’s next year. Joker delivers more than it had any right to and become essential viewing in the process.

Best Bit: Joker On TV

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Cinema

If You Liked this Try: V For Vendetta, Taxi Driver, The King Of Comedy , Fight Club

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Trial by Fire (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Trial by Fire (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Trial by Fire tells a very interesting story but sadly not really in a way that engaged me, even if the ending was surprising.  Based on a true story, Trial by Fire features lots of solid performances but needed a stronger hand behind the camera to tie it all together to make it feel less like two films stretched together.   Pacing wise the film plods at points whilst skipping past other more important and relevant moments (such as the trial and investigation itself).  It’s not a mess for sure but these issues don’t help you engage with, what could have been, an interesting film.

Best Bit: Solid performances

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Time To Kill, A Few Good Men, Summer Of Sam

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Gerald’s Game (2017) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Gerald’s Game (2017) – A ’31 Days Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Gerald’s Game is yet another 2017 Stephen King adaptation.  This one sits between the most excellent I.T and the less than excellent (but still not as bad as everyone says!) The Dark Tower. With some strong central performances, a tight story and a nippy run time it works well, even if the tones and story is a little bit familiar.   Another strong Netflix original…

Best Bit: Netflix Hits again

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: IT, The Stand, Fifty Shades Of Grey, Misery

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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