[Mateo Sanboval]

I'm half way through Mr Mercedes and, having read the Steve King source novel, it's thoroughly gripping. Brendan Gleeson is, of course, charisma personified - but the support cast are all excellent. Especially whoever is playing his neighbour, a very presentable woman in her sixties whose libido has designs on Gleeson. But Harry Treadwell, Molly Parker and Kelly Lynch (yes, Kelly Lynch!) all make their marks too.

The Americans is absolutely fantastic - best dramatic/thriller show I've seen in many moons. Utterly watchable, and outstanding turns from the real-like married pairing of Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as the transplanted Soviet 'illegals' whose marriage and kids are a spy cover. I can't recommend this one enough. There are a handful of genuinely 'wtf' gruesome moments too, grounded in what one presumes is the reality of their situation/trade craft. Brilliant stuff. I burned insatiably through all six seasons in just over a month - but don't tell my GF! We watched S1 together and she was into it (a rare joint-viewing show! She's of Russian decent with a Russian Lit professor as a father and has spent a bit of her childhood over there...so it pulled her in - especially her fave game of spotting real vs fake Russians!) but she was so busy this month that I couldn't hold back and binged the whole lot in secret. Seemed appropriate to the theme of the show tbh ;)

Nothing like a little clandestine telly! I'll try to give both of them a look soon. The Americans really did not intrigue me when it first started airing, but all these strong recs have me almost completely turned around.

[ScoJo]

Already had a v.early morning screening of NoES 5: The Dream Child, super fun. I think on balance they have to be my favourite horror franchise- even the crappiest entry is packed with wacky surrealism and dark imagination. Beyond Halloween III (and with ALL the F13 movies) the emphasis on brutal slasher kills in the other two main horror series' just doesn't get me going as much as the trippy, insane shit that happens on Elm St.

Now having a break from sound mixing so throwing on some solid 90s neo-noir. Jason Patrick at his height...

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[deafmetal]

Beyond Halloween III (and with ALL the F13 movies) the emphasis on brutal slasher kills in the other two main horror series' just doesn't get me going as much as the trippy, insane shit that happens on Elm St.

Well said, Scott.

[ScoJo]

Continuing a little horror franchise re-visiting. H2O.

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Sadly, still just not very interesting. Perfectly well made- but feels like a 90s 'I Know What You Did...' entry more than a Halloween.

And wtf happened to The Shape's mask?? Looks straight up goofy in some scenes :-/

Still, nice to see Janet and Jamie together again.

[Mateo Sanboval]

I enjoy the idea of H20 far more than the execution. It has it's moments here and there, but if you told me Kevin Williamson did an uncredited script treatment, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

[Hatter313]

I have a huge soft spot for 90's/dimension/Kevin Williamson horror, I actually just did a full rewatch of Scream 1-4, and i think that those elements might be WHY i enjoy H20 so much. It's probably my third favorite in the franchise (insert usual caveat about III not being in this list and standing on its own). and yeah that mask is rough, and i'm pretty sure is actually CGI in some scenes if i'm remembering correctly. Also that moment with Janet walking to her car and the Psycho theme playing is great.

Re; NOES, it was my favorite growing up, but the older i get the more Halloween still ranks tops. i do think installments like 5 and 6 (and the rightfully loathed 8/resurrection) are weaker than almost anything in elm street, but for me there's on element in Halloween as a series that keeps it winning. Loomis. no other franchise gives us such a consistent character to root for. Dream Warriors and New Nightmare are so highly regarded in part because we have Nancy again, same can be said for Tommy Jarvis' run in F13 (especially 4 and 6, despite casting changes), but halloween gives us the scene chewing glory of Donald Pleasance to root for straight through part 6. (insert follow up reminder about III). In fact, i firmly believe one of the many reasons the Resurrection is such a miss is because we have neither Laurie OR Loomis to ground us, and the beginning of the film is just such a weak exit for Laurie that it leaves a sour taste for the rest of its miserable run time (i really dislike that movie, which has the less enjoyable elements of that 90s/Dimension vibe to it)

Thats all :)

[inksb]

I'll chime in on this topic. NOES has always been my favorite franchise horror series. I had recurring nightmares of Freddy before ever seeing the film due to catching a glimpse of a TV spot. The first film I find truly scary and easily is one of my favorite films of the 80's. Part 3 is one of my favorite films as well, it's obviously an inferior film and starts the "catch phrase" Freddy that he became in the end but it is a blast from start to finish and has some of my favorite practical effects ever. Friday the 13th has never done much for me, I love Jason the character, but none of the films are all that great. I enjoy them for what they are and have fun when I watch most of them. Part IV is probably my favorite from the franchise. Halloween I love the first and third, that's about it. I think out of the three franchises this one has the worst sequels overall, 1-4 are good, everything after is pretty bad. I revisit films from NOES and F13 often but only watch 1 & 3 from Halloween annually.

[Mateo Sanboval]

And yet out of all the near thirty films that make up those three series there is still only one truly great film. Kind of remarkable really.

[Hatter313]

And yet out of all the near thirty films that make up those three series there is still only one truly great film. Kind of remarkable really.

Finally, someone else that understands the sublime perfection of Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, I don’t know about you Mateo, but it’s somewhere right between Casablanca and Kane, maybe just north of The Godfather.

Also, ink, I had a similar experience with Freddy, when I was a kid my neighbor had a Freddy dummy that was out on Halloween every year and it scared the hell out of me, years before I could ever watch those films.

God damn guys, this has got me hankering, I should probably do F13 before the summer is over, and obviously there will be the annual Halloween marathon, especially this year, but I think it’s time to do a NOES rewatch, looks like it’s a slasher summer this August.

[Hatter313]

And yet out of all the near thirty films that make up those three series there is still only one truly great film. Kind of remarkable really.

All jokes aside, you make a really interesting point. As a genre fan, I get all bent out of shape when people dismiss horror in general and refer to the exceptions as “transcending” the genre, but now I’m thinking objectively about it and trying to see what horror films I’d put up there like that. Off the top of my head: Halloween, the exorcist, Rosemarie’s baby, the shining, night of the living dead, Alien, the haunting (original of course). I’d probably make a case for TCM, poltergeist, evil dead 2, and the uninvited (1944) if I was feeling feisty. Theres probably more, but I’m trying to curb my natural bias.

[Mateo Sanboval]

And yet out of all the near thirty films that make up those three series there is still only one truly great film. Kind of remarkable really.

All jokes aside, you make a really interesting point. As a genre fan, I get all bent out of shape when people dismiss horror in general and refer to the exceptions as “transcending” the genre, but now I’m thinking objectively about it and trying to see what horror films I’d put up there like that. Off the top of my head: Halloween, the exorcist, Rosemarie’s baby, the shining, night of the living dead, Alien, the haunting (original of course). I’d probably make a case for TCM, poltergeist, evil dead 2, and the uninvited (1944) if I was feeling feisty. Theres probably more, but I’m trying to curb my natural bias.

And Leprechaun In the Hood.

I think about this all the time. I'm fascinated by what people (and myself) choose to purchase and watch over and over compared to what wins accolades and awards. The two overlap far less often than I'd've guessed.

[inksb]

For years I would try to keep up with all the awards season darlings in an effort to stay up on my current film knowledge but it got me no where. How many people continue to talk about 99% of those films 5 years later? No one. I never revisit any of them. I watch Hot Fuzz more than any award winning film from the last decade. I love entertaining film, whether it be horror, comedy, action, sci fi, animation, anime, what ever. If I enjoy it then that's all that matters to me anymore. I've got too much shit to watch to care about what's good on the general publics opinion.

I've gone back to finishing Tokyo Vampire Hotel from Sion Sono. It's truly insane and I love it. It's a mess in every way but it's visually striking, some fun characters and just batshit insane.

Also started watching Safe on Netflix with Michael C Hall. I'm three episodes in and it has my interest, every one in the show has something fucked up to hide and everything keeps getting peeled away and revealing more messed up stuff. It's very strange hearing Michael C Hall do that accent, I feel like he's not quite pulling it off but maybe I'm just used to hearing him in his normal American accent. Any of you folks have an opinion on that?

[maxlevel]

@inksby we watched that, just for Micheal C Hall really. His accent is fine, however a lot of the scenes are set in and around Manchester and so his accent isn’t quite geographically correct even if it dosnt slip often. I’d expect a slight accent even in the most upper class areas. Not Liam Gallagher twang but a gentle vowel twist.

There’s also one scene where you can see Piccadilly Records in Manchester City centre. The scene is in what was the Night and Day bar on Oldham Street. No idea what it’s called now but I will never forget the smell of red stripe and cigarettes. Pretty much where it all started for me

[ChrisMcQueen007]

That discussion today about 80ties slashers inspired me (no franchise but as good as any F13 imo).

[inksb]

That discussion today about 80ties slashers inspired me (no franchise but as good as any F13 imo).

I'm going to watch Joe Bob Briggs Last Drive-In of this soon. I can't wait.

[ScoJo]

I'm a out half way through watching (in totally random order) all Halloween, F13 and NoES movies, starting with the ones I've not seen/watched the least/a long time ago. I'm having a helluva good time!

My ultimate goal is to produce a personal ranking (fave-to-least fave) across all three franchise's together- one list to rule them all!

The top and bottom of these lists is going to be pretty easy, the middle is gonna be a cluster fuck! :-O

[Hatter313]

I’m with you, inspired by all this recent talk I’m sitting here in the middle of NOES 2....still think this movie is one of the poorest installments, but the score is superb and there are some solidly interesting effects and dream sequences, the opening with the bus is still great.

My Halloween ranking has been set for a while, but NOES and F13 will require some revaluation I think. It’s been a long time since I’ve watched through elm street, gonna be a weird day.

Interested to compare rankings in the near future

[Hatter313]

You know what.....I think I need to push this movie up a little bit in my ranking, it’s been years since I’ve watched this, but there are some incredible moments in the movie and englund does some of his most sinister Freddy work ever. The transformation in Grady’s room is top notch effects work and the whole sequence at the pool straight through to the end is so perfectly surreal.

[ScoJo]

You know what.....I think I need to push this movie up a little bit in my ranking, it’s been years since I’ve watched this, but there are some incredible moments in the movie and englund does some of his most sinister Freddy work ever. The transformation in Grady’s room is top notch effects work and the whole sequence at the pool straight through to the end is so perfectly surreal.

Glad to hear that dude. I rate Part 2 highly myself- it's a truly fascinating horror film (full stop, not just as an NoES entry), which was seemingly created by a disparate group of people who genuinely had no idea what they were actually putting on screen! Incredible.

Think I need to be 'crystal' (heh) clear about how I'm planning to rank these movies- all in one list, all mashed together. Not planning separate solo-franchise rankings. CAN IT BE DONE??! SHOULD IT BE DONE!!? YOU DECIDE!!

[Hatter313]

Yeah I just reread your post and realized what it is you are attempting. Interesting idea, looking forward to the results!

[Bezulsqy]

[Bezulsqy]

Spaghetti western number 31 is Giuseppe Colizzi's 1968 I Quattro dell'Ave Maria.
The second part of his Terrence Hill/Bud Spencer trilogy.
Score by Carlo Rustichelli

[inksb]

I loved this one. Really surprised me last year with how good the performances were, how creepy it was. The third act wasn't quite the payoff I wanted but overall I enjoyed it quite a bit.



I have seen all of the MCU films. While I don't love them and a handful of them I find outright boring, the past few years have been pretty good. Civil War, Guardians 1&2, Antman, Thor Ragnorak and Doctor Strange I enjoyed much more than I expected. I unfortunately missed this in the theaters so I've managed to avoid all spoilers before sitting down the other night to watch this. It was quite good while being a touch underwhelming at times. The film lacks a main character, well I guess you could say it's Thanos, I do love that they tried to make an actual character out of him rather than the traditional Marvel villian, bad man do bad things, super heroes stop him. I expected some real deaths in this film but Marvel doesn't have the balls to do that apparently. It ended on a down note and will pick back up in the next one and I'm sure it reverse almost everything it did because time stone. Even though I want to see the conclusion of this story I am more excited about Captian Marvel than I am about the next Avengers. Plus I love Brie Larson.

[NathanLurker]

Autopsy of Jane Doe is a good one. imperfect in the end but a good one nevertheless. I played it to a couple of friends at my place once without telling them anything at all about it and they all liked it.

[Bezulsqy]

Autopsy of Jane Doe is a good one. imperfect in the end but a good one nevertheless. I played it to a couple of friends at my place once without telling them anything at all about it and they all liked it.

I agree. I thought it was very scary. Third act was a bit of a let down.