The Damn Thing (01)

The Damn Thing wasn't the best start for this season of Masters Of Horror. I was expecting a better start, since the first season was so freakin' disappointing. Yet again, it isn't that bad. I mean, the story is kinda weird (as it should be), but special effects and acting made it look really lame.

It all started in the hometown of a cursed family, where some violent and strange deaths start occurring - due to some strange force, people start killing each other. So far, all is good, if acting wasn't so bad... And that ending, oh my god. As Kevin (the main character) prepares to kill Dina and Mikey (his wife and his son), the Damned Thing rises from the earth: a giant semi-solid creature of oil - which is lame, and not a good choice. It swallows Kevin, and Dina and Mikey run away in their vehicle. However, they run out of gas down the road and the creature attacks them, meaning it is not known if they survive - which is a positive point to it, since the ending is part left in mystery.

Overall, this isn't really a must watch, but i advise you to give it a try.

Masters Of Horror - Season 2

So what to say about the second season of Masters Of Horror (2006) ? It isn't really different from the first one, it had some really awesome episodes, and others that were really disappointing. I really wasn't expecting wonders from the second season, since the first one wasn't that good. When i'm about to see something that came from the mind of a certain director, i tend to get high expectations about it, and in the end i usually get disappointed. In this season, that happened with Tobe Hopper (the Texas Chainsaw Massacre mastermind), Dario Argento and Joe Dante (among others).

I still think the idea is there and it is good, but maybe some stories could have better developed, maybe get a bit scarier and so on. It wasn't a bad season, but it also didn't topped the first one.

Insidious (2011)

Ever since all the hype about Insidious had begun that i've been wanting to watch the movie. And for several reasons: first, it is directed by James Wan, who won it's fame in my world through movies like Saw or Dead Silence (and i liked them both). Then, of course, the screenplay by Leigh Whanell (another Saw veteran, and quite good in acting). And beyond this there was only a catchy trailer and a good synopsis.

But i must say, Insidious didn't quite match the high expectations i had upon it. Roughly speaking (or writing, but that doesn't really matter now), my first thought of Insidious was that we had one hour of boredom and 40 minutes of almost non-stop action. Yet, this is what i would like to name a 50-50 movie, since it is amazingly balanced.

The story is great, of course, a bit old and there's nothing really original about it - i could tell some scenes quite similar to movies like Paranormal Activity (without the whole home-made movie stuff, and oh!... does the name Oren Peli ring a bell?), The Exorcist (what a freakin' classic idea) or even The Exorcism of Emily Rose. This of course, in subjects that concerned all types of supernatural events and priests and desperate families. Still, it's a story with a lot to it, that made good use of the scare-factor (with a huge hand from the soundtrack and incredible acting). It doesn't leave any loose ends, being also easy to follow and understandable, what makes of the screenplay the highest point of Insidious.

Now moving on to the not-so-good part. There were a few things about this movie that really "grinded my gears". And the first one was the absolutely annoying soundtrack (yeah, it was creepy and scary and all that stuff - but still pretty annoying). Then, hearing Rose Byrne screaming (quite a performance indeed) - she was too loud and histerical, and her highest notes weren't the best (okay, i just didn't liked her voice, period). And, last but not least... Those special effects left quite a bitter taste in my mouth. I mean they were good, but they weren't flawless, and a certain demon's characterization definitely left a lot to be desired.

Overall, i suppose Insidious is a good movie (and it will make you grab your pillow, chair, or anything/anyone next to you). Not great, perfect or flawless, but still pretty damn good.

The Task (2011)

This is one of those not so rare cases in which the trailer is actually better than the movie it self. Meaning: when i saw the trailer of "The Task", i was expecting a good movie. Which was stupid, since the movies from AfterDark are getting more and more disappointing.

About the movie itself and why it was so disappointing, i suppose it was the story and what they made of it. I mean, they had an awesome story to begin with, and it was enough to make a good movie, but something went wrong in the middle. Perhaps bad acting was lending a little hand on that point. Also, there were a few loose ends, and the ending was something like "now guess what happened" (although it was a bit obvious that - SPOILER ALERT! - they all died in the end, except for Snow and Angell who were already out of the prison).

The story had a positive point in it, nonetheless: i really liked that part when they made it seem like a huge prank for the producer of the TV show. Of course that after that it was the typical "rewind-freeze-you're dead" thing.

Overall, i thought the movie was weak, with a lame soundtrack and a story that was promising more than it actually gave.