Grimmfest 2017: Not Long Now

As you may know already I have attended Grimmfest for the last five years and I intend to see as much as I can this year too!

If you are not familiar with Grimmfest I'll give you a quick update; it is Manchester's biggest horror festival and takes place on the first weekend in October. If you want to know the calibre of movies that have played at previous festivals then please read my past posts on the festival.

This year the festival is showing many films I am excited to see. You can find the full lineup here along with trailers but I just want to say which films I am most excited to see.

Thursday is the opening night and this year has the world premier of Habit which is set in Manchester and is directed by Simeon Halligan who also happens to be the Co-Director of the festival so no pressure Simeon! Following Habit is Ruin Me set at an extreme horror themed camping site where the events turn from fun to deadly.

Due to work I will be unable to attend the majority of screenings on Friday but I do hope to get there for Better Watch Out as everyone loves a Christmas themed horror movie. Also the trailer for Tag has my attention.

On Saturday the movies I'm most excited about is Double Date due to the humour that I love in a British horror movie, Leatherface which is a remake of Texas Chainsaw The Beginning. I know it's not a remake but if you think about it it kinda is. I'm also looking forward to Fake Blood.

Sunday showings I'm looking forward to are Dave Made A Maze, Borley Rectory which is the movie I'm looking forward to the most at this years festival and Attack Of The Adult Babies which sounds fucking crazy!

These are just a few of the movies that are playing at this years festival there are plenty more to see over the four days which I'm sure will be great. I'm really looking forward to this year, if you don't have plans over the these four days you should definitely try and pop in and catch a film or two. Hopefully see you there!

   

Review: The Three

The Three by Sarah Lotz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The Three by Sarah Lotz had a great premise that I really wanted to enjoy but for some reason it just didn’t grip me the way I like books to grab me.

It might have been the format of the book that let it down for me. After the promising opening chapter the format changes to a documentary style where it’s a collection of transcripts from Skype conservations, Twitter feeds, emails, message board chats and documents that tell the story of the world going crazy after four plans crash in one day and on each plane apart from one (or all four?) a creepy child survive.

Although the story does has a few horror elements I wouldn’t classify it as horror. I was over halfway through the book before the story started getting interesting for me. The story did pick up pace and I am happy I finished it. I just wonder what the book would be like if Sarah would have wrote the book in the same format as the opening and closing chapters.

I give the book 2.5/5


View all my reviews

Death Note Movie Review

The latest offering from Adam Wingard has been released on Netflix and it’s safe to say he’s done it again. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve seen so far from Adam Wingard and just like You’re Next, The Guest and last year’s sequel to The Blair Witch Project, Death Note is a fun movie to watch.

It’s probably worth noting that I’m not familiar with the Japanese Magna that the film is based on but that puts me in a better position to judge the film on its own without any emotional connection to the source material.

The movie follows a high school student named Light who discovers a mysterious notebook called Death Note. He is then visited by a Death God named Ryuk who goes over the rules of the notebook and tells him that he can cause the death of anyone he writes in the pages. All he needs is the name, be able to picture their face in his mind and the way he wants them to die. Along with his girlfriend he then proceeds to rid the world of criminals under the guise of Kira. This starts a cat and mouse chase between Light and a super detective known as L who tries to track down Kira.

It’s not the best movie in the world but it serves its purpose of entertaining you. The story is good, all the effects are spot on and the cast all play good roles. Adam Wingard was a perfect choice to direct this as he is very capable of killing of his characters in imaginative ways and I look forward to more movies from him.

I would have been happy to watch this in the cinema but Netflix are cutting out the middle men and are making some really good content and delivering it right to you wherever you are and however you want to watch it.

3.5 / 5

IT: Chapter 1 Movie Review

IT has finally been unleashed upon us all and it is one of the best horror films in such a long time!

After spending years in development and having numerous writers and directors attached to the project we finally have a movie that the book deserves. I will go as far and say it is my best adaption of a Stephen King story. My other favourites are Stand By Me, Shawshank Redemption and The Mist.

  

I'm going to assume you are familiar with the story of IT either from reading the book or watching the TV movie from the 90's so I'm not going to go over the details of the story. This is the first of a two part movie and focuses solely on the Loser Club members when they are children. The movie is set in the 80's as appose to the 50's when the book is set and the next movie will be set in the present day moving it from the 80's when the Losers face IT again as adults.

They really have turned the horror up on this one, from the opening scene you realise that this is going to hold no punches, if it wasn't from the comedy relieve that comes mainly from Richie and Eddie this would have been one hell of a dark movie.

The whole cast are brilliant, some characters outshine others but I can't find fault with any of the performances. Now this can be seen as a double edged sword for the next chapter as the adults that have to play the same characters have a very hard act to follow.

IT Chapter 1 is going to be very successful at the box office and deservedly so. This is a great movie and the marketing campaign has been excellent. I know it must help to be promoting a character such as Pennywise who is already a household name, up there with Freddy, Jason and Michael but there wasn't any big name actors attached. I do hope this success leads to more big budget horror movies in the future or studios putting some good marketing behind some of the great indy movies that are made year after year.

IT: Chapter 1 proves you no longer have to be terrified of remakes apart from the fact that it's scary as fuck. I admit there has been many unnecessary remakes recently but when the movie is adapted from a book I always look forward to see how someone else can bring the pages to screen especially when it's a book I love. You will always have the saying that the movie isn't as good as the book and the same can be said about this version of IT but it's a much better adaptation then the previous outing.

I give IT: Chapter 1 5/5

Stephen King Overload

The last couple of months have been crazy with Stephen King related content so I thought I would gather together what I can in case you missed any of it.

First up is the Castle Rock TV series announcement.

Being developed by Bad Robot for Hulu not much is known about the series but judging by the trailer it gathers up a collection of characters from the Stephen King universe and dumps them into Castle Rock. Really not sure how the show is going to work, I did joke at the time that the plot was that bunch of kids break into Stephen King’s house and find all his manuscripts which have been locked up and when the kids open them it unleashes all the horrors inside on Castle Rock.

I’m not entirely sold with the little information that is known or if it’s something that needs to be done. How much do people want to see Pennywise go on his holidays to Castle Rock and meet up with Danny Torrance and Annie Wilkes who are also on their holidays there? But it’s definitely got my attention and I’m pretty sure I will be watching once it is released.

Something I am completely sold with is the new IT teaser trailer and it seems I’m not the only one with a record breaking 197 million views in 24 hours. I am very excited for this movie as a kid I found the original TV movie comical but as a adult I found the novel terrifying. I feel this is one remake that everyone who has read the book can agree is necessary. I will now avoid all following trailers and look forward to the actual movie released in September.

Sony have released a poster for the upcoming Dark Tower movie but still no footage has emerged. Unfortunately the release date has been push back to August. As much as I’m looking forward to this movie I feel Sony are struggling with how to market it. They need to do something soon just to ride the waves created by the IT trailer.

Other movies and series based on Stephen’s work to look out for this year is The Mist, Mr Mercedes, 1922 and Gerald’s Game.

Now if that’s not enough to look forward to we also have books being released this year. I’m trying my best to catch up and read everything King has released but he is not showing any signs in slowing down in the writing department meaning my to read list just keeps getting longer and longer.

First up is a novella written with Richard Chizmar set in Castle Rock called Gwendy’s Button Box. Later in the year Sleeping Beauties will be released which he co wrote with his son Owen King. Sleeping Beauties is also being adapted into a TV show.

Now you know what I do. If I have missed anything off then please let me know as I possibly don’t know.

Renew The Exorcist Series

I have just finished watching episode 8 of the new Exorcist TV series and up to now it is my favourite horror tv series so why hasn't it been renewed yet?

Now this post will contain spoilers so if you have not watched the show and plan on doing so then please stop reading and enjoy the show as it really is good.

If you haven't yet watched the show and don't plan on watching it then please continue to read and hopefully I can convince you to start watching.

I noticed on Twitter a campaign to try and get the show renewed with the #renewtheexorist hash tag and a show this good really should be renewed and got me asking myself why isn't it getting the viewers it deserves?

I believe the reason it hasn't had as many viewers is the way it was marketed. All I knew before watching it was that they were making a series of The Exorcist. I originally thought it was going to be a remake which I know many horror fans don't even entertain the thought of watching a remake so anyone that avoids remakes regardless would have already put it on the shit pile. The original trailer didn't help as it looked like a remake with a mother trying to get help for her possessed daughter.

It was during the first episode that I realised it was set in the same world as the original movie when we see a glimpse of a news article with a picture of the famous stairs from The Exorcist. It was at the end of episode 5 when we found out, (now this is the spoiler bit...) it is a direct sequel to the frist movie! Regan is now grown up, changed her name and has daughters of her own, one of which is being possessed by the same demon Captain Howdy as Regan.

So why was it never promoted as a sequel? I'm guessing the reason is they wanted to shock the audience with the big reveal which work very well with me. I was very shocked at the end of episode 5 and couldn't wait for the next episode and made a series I was already enjoying that much better.

Now you would think the people that rubbished the show of as another shitty remake would be able to enjoy the show as the sequel it is however fans of the show can't tell them it is a sequel. The way the shock ending of episode 5 played out it would be classed as a major spoiler if fans were to give that story away and no one wants to be the person that gives spoilers away.

Which leaves us all at a kind of stand off. Fans of the show want a second season and in order to get that the show needs more viewers and the only way to create more viewers is to create a buzz about the show which means talking about the which fans can't talk about without giving spoilers of the show away. Saying it's shuch a good show isn't enough to encourage people disenfranchised by remakes to give it a go. I feel the makers of the show felt just having The Exorcist title would be enough to generate viewers which unfortunately hasn't happened. Also not including Tubular Bells as the theme tune hasn't helped.

So where do we go from here? I really want a second season, I've noticed the official Twitter account hasn't had a problem giving spoilers away as you can see from the screen shots from below. I've had to stop following them as the US is ahead of the UK on episodes.

So should us fans give away these spoilers in the hope that more newcomers will come and watch the show giving it a more likely chance of it being renewed? I think it's worth being being that person that gives spoilers away if it pays off.

Grimmfest 2016 Highlights

Grimmfest is one event I look forward to every year and before you know it it's been and gone. This was my fifth year attending the genre film festival and it makes me proud to have witnessed how it's evolved into what it's become today.

Kicking of on Thursday evening and finishing on Sunday night they screened 20 feature films and 10 shorts. Returning to Odeon Printworks, Manchester they had a new sponsor with The Horror Channel who brought along a wall for you to graffiti with your favourite quotes from horror movies. There wasn't as many stalls as the previous year but Arrow Video had their usual stall and they never have a problem with parting me from my money. 

Here are my highlights from the festival. Unfortunately I was unable to attend on the Saturday so missed a few of the screenings but there was one film everyone I spoke to gave high praise for which I must see when I next get the opportunity is Trash Fire. A few honorable mentions for the films that didn't make my highlights but are worth a watch goes to Directors Cut, Darling and Beyond The Gates.

What We Become
A neighbourhood becomes a quarantine zone when virus epidemic breaks out.
What makes What We Become different from other zombie movies is you see how the breakout slowly unfolds with characters you care about this is a must see for any zombie movie fan.

My Father Die
A brutal revenge southern gothic movie where a deaf and mute man seeks revenge on his dad for murdering his brother.
There is never a dull moment in this movie beautifully filmed with a shit load of action and you never know which way it's going to go.

Train To Busan
A father and daughter catch a train when a zombie epidemic breaks out.
Yes this is Zombies On A Train but it's so much better than that. Easily my favourite movie of the festival. It's an emotionally charged adrenaline rush that is so well made I can't see any zombie movie fan not liking it.

Tonight She Comes
This is a great movie that starts of as a typical slasher movie then spirals into something much more.
Inspired by the slasher films of the 70s and 80s to the point where they lovingly rip of a certain kill scene this movie has a lot going for it. It will make you laugh and it will turn your stomach but it won't disappoint.

The Rezort
Think Jurassic Park but with zombies. The Rezort is a holiday island that has been set up after a zombie pandemic almost wiped out the planet for wealthy guest to go hunting zombies.
Another well made zombie film from this years Grimmfest. It good to see some new ideas being used for the zombie sub-genre when I was starting think everything has already been done.

Thank you for reading and be sure to check out these movies when they become available for you. Unfortunately I don't have release dates but when I get some information I will be sure to let you know.