Halloween 2010: September 29

I don't have a whole lot to say tonight, other then September being over too quickly and October looking far too busy.

Mini-Reviews:

Subspecies IV: Bloodstorm (1998)
The plot is convoluted, juggling far too many story lines for a movie like this. I dislike the way two major characters from the previous films are killed off, off-screen, in the opening minutes. Michele’s behavior is inconsistent. The special effects are much, much cheaper. The ending has no punch. They should have called it quits after part three. (4/10)

Phenomena (1985)
The first act is much slower then I remember it being. Even a drunk Donald Pleascene and a helper monkey can’t defeat that. However, there are some great moments, even in these slower scenes, such as the opening kill and the sleepwalking sequence. However, Dario knocks it out of the part in the final lap. That last act is perfect, EC Comics horror stuff, over-the-top horror shenanigans that resolves the film’s of its earlier flaws. I also love Simonetti’s main theme.(8/10)

Pig Hunt (2008)
I suspect this got the greenlight during the Hogzilla/Monster Pig phenomena from a few years ago. Ultimately, that pig ends up being the film’s weakest aspect. It’s not the most convincing creature make-up, first-off, and the movie starts to loose steam once the cult of pig worshippers show up in the last act. The character set-up in the first act is kind of slow too. It’s the middle section, with the band of revenge seeking rampaging rednecks, that this movie really shines. Dirt bikes, dune buggies, weird baseball bat hook things, lots of high-pitch action direction… It’s during these moments that the movie most reaches the “Southern Comfort,” “Deliverance” on PCP feel I suspect the filmmaker was going for. It’s also the most entertaining bits here. If nothing else, this proves that James Isaacs doesn’t have his head completely up his own ass. (7/10)

Frozen (2010)
Setting up characters can be hard. The trio in this flick comes off as both a group of legitimately likable people and, at times, kind of jerks, loaded with the kind of petty relationship drama that usually sinks flicks like this. However, once the worse case scenario kicks in, all that stuff gets pushed away. The movie does a really good job of putting the audience in the character’s seat (Pun.) and, when things go really wrong, you feel that same sense of panic. The cast also mostly prevents making contrived, stupid decisions, the other thing that usually sinks flicks like this.(8/10)