Resident Evil (2026)

October Challenge Day 2

My brother called up me recently and asked if I wanted to see the latest Resident Evil film. I wasn't exactly thrilled - it wasn't totally on my radar, and I had lost track of the series after the first film from a lifetime ago (aka 2002). Then he added "It's getting really great reviews". Coming from him, that's a big deal. I said, Okay. Let's go.

Let's talk about:

Resident Evil

I got us balcony tickets at the Cinerama, grabbed some popcorn and drinks, and settled in for an adventure - as I walked in completely blind.  

This film had me roaring with fears and cheers. I was bouncing all over my seat at the jump scares, cackling at the ridiculous, and overall having a great time. I was having so much fun I didn't notice my brother was sitting there .... silent.

By the end of the film I excitedly turned to him and asked, "What did you think? I loved it!"

He turned to me and said, decidedly, "I hated it."

I was dumbfounded, as we agree on most films. He added that he thought the main character was stupid and embarrassing - that nothing was scary, and overall it felt cheep and silly.

I said, "Yes, I agree - that's why I loved it!"

That's when I realized:

My brother is a gamer, and when he played this video game he was scared. It was a fun game for him to play.

I am not a gamer, and I think what I saw and experienced from the film was as if I was a player in the game. See, this young man here, our protagonist, is hapless, bumbling, and just making bad decision after bad decision as he navigates a hellscape of creatures and nightmares - like in a game. The same mistakes and misshapes a player would make. 

The monsters were frightening and fun because the film *felt* like a video game, and should I be playing it, I would shout, holler, and laugh too if a man-beast-thing came rolling up the wall after me on it's 15 legs.

In short, I think my brother was looking for a deeper experience, based on his gaming experience. I didn't know what to expect and still play the original Dr. Mario from time to time, and found it a rock n' roll great time. I would recommend this film on the big screen, however!!

Watch this film with friends if you can, laugh and scream together - it's fun. Pairs with very very very buttery popcorn and your favorite drink. 

I caught this film in the theater but I anticipate it will be streaming soon. Or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this wild ride.

Primate (2025) or How I Said Goodbye to An Old Friend

Happy new year my little buckets of blood!

While things are off to a rocky start for the new year, politically, economically - well, in general, I wanted to take a moment in my disconnection (for my health) to talk about: 

The Varsity Theater

Friends and family know I am a history fan, an architectural fan  - even wrote a book about it! So when I heard on a Tuesday that the last movie theater in the University District of Seattle was closing on Thursday, I asked my brother "want to see a movie?"

We saw the second to last film shown in this 80+ year old gem of Americana. And it was:

Primate

*I would post a photo of the poster but IMDB and Blogger no longer allows it. I .... have thoughts*

Was it the best film to say goodbye to? No. 

Was it hilariously appropriate for this theater?

Yes. 

I fell in love with this theater when I walked in, over 20 years ago, and realized it's more than a little messed up - in all the best ways. It's grungy, grimy, crooked, sloppy, and totally overrun by locals and cinephiles.  

It takes an alarmingly long time to take the stairs up to the two other smaller theaters that were created in the 70s (??). The bathrooms are wildly haunted. Haunted by ghosts or something else is debatable - they were always scary places. 

But my fondest memory is when I had a laughing attack (in the same theater I was sitting in on Thursday) during a film festival. It was a very serious film, theater was packed, and I just lost it in a laughing fit. 

I escorted myself out of the theater and laughed until I couldn't breathe and had tears running down my face. The feeling of the carpeted walls that I desperately clung to, remains in my veins.

That's how I'm going to remember this place - which is likely going to be torn down, to rest its tired bones. This is one building where I am okay to see it go. It carried too much and couldn't let things go. The place felt like a trap and that's what I gathered from the one and only person running the entire theater on that Thursday.

Which brings me to all the fun I had, watching Primate, as one of three people in the entire theater. 

This film is ridiculous. Silly. And the effects are rather spectacular.

While money was not spent in more solid character development, it was certainly spent on the practical effects and pure brutality. 

I let loose with this film - and this theater. I reacted to the jump scares with vigor, I screamed, jumped, my friends kept texting me and I didn't turn the sound down on my phone, I ate nearly the whole bag of popcorn and drank the large soda, threw my hands up in the air and talked aloud. I sat in discomfort a few rows in front of the seats that were ACTIVELY DECAYING - roped off for security reasons - in front of me.

This was MY theater and I was sending it out with a salute to its decades of entertainment and communal connection. 

Little sad it was Primate as the film but I also laughed about it. This film, while not good, was excellent entertainment for entertainment purposes. 

The story follows a family who lived with a chimpanzee for most of their lives. And then the chimpanzee gets bit, gets rabies, and their entire privileged life falls apart. 

The film is absurd in many ways - my brother and I laughed through most of it - but a serious acknowledgement to the work that went in to to the gore, the chimpanzees' decline, and general malice. 

This film is excellent entertainment if you just want to loose yourself for a little while.; just.... just to be in this rich, liminal space and recline to the chaos that is created from chance. 

While tragic, this film also gives CEOs dying in the ocean vibes. So. Take that for what it's worth. 

RIP Varsity! You were a noble dame who saw 80+ years of people through heart ache, hope, fear, and empathy. Rest now.

You will be missed. 

The Children (1980)

October Challenge Day 24

I think it's kinda funny that this movie came out in the same decade as announcements on TV asked "It's 10 o'clock, do you know where your children are?" Let's talk about:

The Children

Here we have the classic tale of nuclear waste.

And this waste escaped RIGHT into a school bus full of children! These kids then turn into radioactive beings, going around hugging people to death.

To say this film is a hoot is an understatement. 

Naturally, we have the small town sheriff going around trying to solve the weirdness, and primarily driving around at night looking for these kids. These kids, by the way, who hug people to the point of disintegrating them on the spot! The transitions and practical effects are a sight to behold!

We have pregnant moms who are smoking and drinking, half naked moms just sitting around outside in their underwear, moms drinking next to the pool with their boy toys, police playing shoot out with these wandering kids, a Jaws theme song (??) playing when the kids are slowly walking towards their prey, and so much more.

While this is all fun and games, there is one scene that involves a dog that actually shook me up a bit. I think an "Eeegads!" or "My god!" would be an appropriate response. 

This film pretty much screams "f*ck them kids", and it's wildly entertaining for it. 

[Note, I took a brief break while watching this film and ran into my pregnant neighbor]

Best watched with your child-free friends or frankly, the friends with kids who just need a break. Pairs with beer and your favorite trash food.  

I watched this film on Prime, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this uncut gem.

MadS (2024)

October Challenge Day 21

OH MY GOD.

THiS iS AmaZING! Let's talk about:

MadS

What an absolute bat shit ride this was! Filmed in one tracking shot with no breaks, this one will grab hold of you the instant it starts and won't ever let go.

I say it all the time - I have a love hate relationship with French horror, and this is one I love. 

This story jumps starts at a drug dealers house, where a spoiled little rich boy takes a snort of some drugs before he heads off to his birthday party. On the way to the party, a creature of a woman suddenly jumps in his car and he can't tell if he's having a bad trip or not. 

This is when the monstrous chaos begins!

I really can't get over the way this was filmed. I really can't. It's perfection. 

Deranged, fast-paced, and diabolical - if you're looking for a psychotic trip through chaos mountain, time to book your ticket. 

Bonus: I can promise you'll hate all the characters in this film!

Best watched while drinking on an empty stomach or after a wild weekend. Pairs with the sustenance of bad decisions from your youth. 

I watched this film on Shudder or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this acid trip.

Flatliners (1990)

October Challenge Day 9

Everyone in this film has a strange mouth.

Let's talk about:

Flatliners

So, when I asked my brother to please pick this one up for me for my weekly rental, his mind blew. He asked why I wanted to rent it when we watched it all the time as kids, then my mind blew. I said that was incorrect, I have to memory of this film and he has a memory that we watched it all the time. 

Hilariously we just agreed, as the older sister, that HE watched this film all the time and I was just ignoring it all.

Here we have the story of a collection of arrogant medical students who decide they're going to test death and see what happens. 

What really struck me was the landscape, the mood, the buildings, the dark. Extremely moody and blatant with the portrayal of people playing god, the design alone is [chef's kiss]. 

I did not like anyone here, and that's okay.  As someone who works in the healthcare field I am in full support of doctors and surgeons playing god, being arrogant, and doing all they can do to "win" a patient's life by way of their knowledge and skill. As a cancer survivor, among other anomalies that required surgery, my life is in debt to them. My appreciation for all they did to try to keep my husband alive - noticed and respected.

So it was fun to watch these jerks make wildly dangerous medical decisions all for the sake of science and knowledge. March forth, prodigies! 

I can't tell if I liked the film or not. It was an oddly structured story that I couldn't look away from. I'd like to think this is why I have no memory of watching it routinely in my youth - I wasn't ready.

In all, a recommended watch at least once. It's haunting, strange, visceral - it's a great watch for a dark, late night alone or with your med school classmates. Pairs with cheep beer and chips bought from the corner market around midnight.

I rented this film from Scarecrow Video, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's sidebar to see where else you can find this haughty film.

Rabbit (2017)

October Challenge Day 28

I had to sit with this one for a while. It's ... different. Let's take a look at:

Rabbit

This is a story about a woman who feels her missing twin sister is in danger, needs her, and she knows where to find her.

This is kind of neat - a spooky tale about twins being spooky! And it is neat, and weird, and odd, and wait a minute ... what is going on here? 

This film's atmosphere is mesmerizing! Particularly as we join the wanderings of this young woman's journey through eastern South Australia. And wanderings we go, I got left behind a few times and had to catch up, but overall, it's a neat mind trip into this woman's insistence that she'll find her missing sister. 

Things go off the rails though when she stumbles upon a caravan in the woods.... and she might have just found what she was looking for ....

This film lost me from time-to-time, and my head was tilted quite a ways as the film was coming to its conclusion. This is definitely a film that will take you down [ahem] down rabbit holes. I don't see this film being a good fit for all horror/thriller fans. It's pacing is raw and unnerving, which works great sometimes and sometimes you're just not feeling it. 

Overall, it's not a bad film at all but it has a particular flavor that will please certain palates. Best watched near a camp fire. Pairs with scant resources and flasks with a rabbit's foot hanging from key chains. 

I watched this film on the Roku Channel, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you might find this burrow of science and madness.

Melancholia (2011)

October Challenge Day 22

[Drags hands down the face] Uuuuggggghhhh! Why do I watch Lars von Trier films???? [cries]

Let's take a look at: 

Melancholia

Okay. Deep breath. Let's talk about this film. 

On the surface, here we have the story about a woman getting married as a giant new planet is plunging through space, directly towards Earth. People are just going about their lives, mostly confident that the planet will miss Earth, but this new bride here is not so sure ....

Deep down though, this can arguably be a deeper, darker, look into depression, anxiety, avoidance behavior, selfishness, emotional abuse, and overall - a nice collection of lies and fears we tell ourselves.

Fun times!

The wedding scene, which is a significant part of the movie, gave me non stop severe anxiety (which I think is the point, and some of the things von Trier does best). I just wanted to make it stop - just bring the planet now.

What really struck me, personally, was how much I recognized myself in this new bride when she just accepted the world is going to end. More rather, my reactions when COVID-19 lock downs began. I was calm as hell! Wasn't even phased, just "Yup. Sounds about right" and I picked up cross-stitching as a peaceful new hobby. 

What I'm trying to say, I think, is that this is a very curious study into how people react when their world falls down around them. Sometimes it's welcomed ... in a strange and freeing way.

I don't know what else to say about this film. It's going to effect people in all sorts of different way, and I am going to caution watching this if you suffer from severe depression. This is a beautiful film and everyone and everything is mesmerizing, but ... watch at your own emotional peril. 

Best watched while hiding in a kitchen cupboard (or other favorite hiding-from-the-world spot). Pairs with your comfort food.  

I watched this film on Peacock or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this heartbreaking feature. 

Planet Terror (2007)

October Challenge Day 12

I sometimes still kick myself for not making it to the theater to see the Death Proof and Planet Terror double feature. Dang it! 

Alas, my bad. 

I also have no idea why it took me 16 years to see this amazing film! Hell, it took me 11 years to see Death Proof. Well, in any case, I've finally seen: 

Planet Terror

Sweet baby jesus, this gore fest is FANTASTIC! I shouldn't be surprised, particularly when Tom Savini is involved ... 

Fast and ferocious, this absolute mess of blood, guts, monsters, and humor is some of my favorite things! Oh my goodness this one is so gross! Hahahaha! Love IT!

Here we have the classic story of when sketchy science combined with sketchy people is let loose in the world and a pandemic - some of the nastiest zombie-like creatures I've ever seen - takes over the world.

This isn't your typical creature feature, it's rock and roll, it's wild, it's hot, it's ruthless and completely unapologetic in every shape and form. Aghahaha! I want to watch it again!

Everyone is so great in this film. The effects are TOP TIER! How is Cherry Darling here, able to shoot directly from her gun leg? Who knows! Who cares! I sure didn't. 

I laughed so hard when the film cuts, half way through, and apologizes to the audience for missing a reel of the film - and then cuts back to the movie (clearly jumping far ahead) without explanation for why everyone is now gathered in a building. Lolololololololololo

Oh it brought back memories of when I worked in a movie theater, in the late '90s, and I had to haul film reals around, and to and from other theaters. Those containers are heavy as hell! I won't be surprised if I ever learn how often one of those containers would get lost. 

Fantastic film. 

Best watched on a lazy ass movie night. Alone works but probably best with company. See if you can find yourself a bar with a big screen and enjoy with strangers! Of course highly recommended to watch it as the intended double feature with Death Proof. Pairs with a ton of booze. 

I watched this film on the Roku channel or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this balls to the wall wild ride. 

The Lair (2022)

October Challenge Day 6

I'm a sucker for military horror films. Or even military-esk horror films (e.g. John Carpenter's The Thing, etc).

Now, Dog Soldiers is - hand's down - one of my favorites and probably kick-started my love of this horror story style. I've tried understanding why but I'm guessing I just really like the fast-paced action, the witty banter right before something terrible happens, and the teamwork-oriented kickassery. 

Could be that or perhaps it's just me coming from three generations of military families and I'm just trying to get through some generational trauma. Either way! Military horror films are some of my favorites. 

So when I saw a trailer for this film, I was all "...hell yeah. Doesn't even look great but now I have to see it". Let's check out:

The Lair

Yeah, this one starts off strong with a military plane being shot down and some big tiddies. And that's when I knew exactly where this film was going. So, with an unsurprising sigh, I cracked open a beer and waited for the monsters to arrive. 

This film follows some troops in Afghanistan who stumble upon a Soviet bunker that is filled with evil scientific, and forgotten experiments.... Uh Oh!

Yes, this film is exciting, visually, fast-paced, filled with quite the cast of characters, and loaded with epic fight and kill scenes. The dialogue though is lacking... but in a fun way, if you're prepared for it. The monsters on the other hand are Excellent! Super stellar fun monsters!

Overall, rather ridiculous but fun if you're looking for a fling-style movie night. Best watched in a bunker, or a living room blanket fort will also work well. Keep lights low and load up on comfy, cozy, blankets and pillows. Pairs with chicken nugget dinners (or chicken curry), beer, seltzers, or another drink that no one else really likes or understands but brings you joy. 

I watched this film on Shudder or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this military monster feature. 

Misbegotten (1997)

October Challenge Day 5

I can't even with this one. I can't!  Hahahaha! It just touches on so many ... things. Let's take a look at:

Misbegotten

This poster image! LOLOLOLOLOLOLO

Let's see what we can do here ... um. This film is about a serial killer who is OBSESSED with getting a woman pregnant. When his seed accidentally ends up in a fertility clinic, and a loving couple discovers they are pregnant thanks to the clinic's science, he becomes deadly obsessed with them. 

[drags palms down the face]

There's a lot going on here, folks.

Okay, first of all, as I do with all October Challenge films, I walked in blind to this movie, I'm just randomly selecting films, and I had no idea what this film was really about when I started it. Let me tell you. Let Me Tell You! The ick I had - the full body skin-crawl ick I experienced by this killer's obsession with inseminating a women - reached new heights.

Also, this is not really a great movie. It's pretty ... bad ... but it's also so off the charts with the plot that I was completely invested, much to my turning stomachs' suffering. 

Now, I also never had children. Never will want children - thank god my eggs are dying at rapid speed and I'm in the heart of perimenopause, of which I'm welcoming with open arms - because the idea of pregnancy already turns my stomach. [belch] Thank you to all the parents out there carrying on the human race! Lord's work, I imagine. 

I share all this because maybe that is why this mediocre at best film somewhat traumatized me? It got me thinking and came to some horrified theories: How often does this happen, really? Meaning, how many men out there are so frustrated at being unable to reproduce (reproduce vs. intercourse, specifically), they turn violent, psychotic? Is that part of the mania, the need for control AND reproducing? 

My brain just went down all sorts of rabbit holes and I started thinking about 28 Days Later  - the sexual slavery in that film very nearly made me throw up. I have panic attacks when I try to watch The Handmaid's Tale. I just gave up. I can't do. It's defeated me. 

Folks, I watch and listen to A Lot of true crime and it absolutely astounds me the level of stupid, violent sh*t men, in particular, do when they don't get their way. Also, October is Domestic Violence Awareness month.

In all, this film is a little nuts (this is one of my better puns - particularly when you see the ending of this film). It can't quite be rated. It's an experience. It's also unintentionally hilarious in many ways. It embodies the '90s low budget schlock while also being completely unhinged. 

Best watched with alone? I don't know. This one's hard. You might also need someone else there to validate what you're both seeing. Pairs with pepto bismol.

I rented this film from Scarecrow Video or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you might find this tummy turner. 

The Vow (Television Show, 2020)

Somewhere around 2004 I watched What the #$*! Do We (K)now!? and my mind was BLOWN! Shortly there after I bought the book the documentary is based on - both the film and book still sit on my shelves. 

Fast forward many years later and I stumble across an article about this group called NXIVM, an accused cult, and I just couldn't wrap my head around about what I was reading. Sex cult? Health cult? How in the hell do you pronounce this nonsense name? And I put the article down and didn't think much more about it - it was just so ... weird.

Didn't think much more about it until I now have stumbled upon this documentary. I was looking (ready) for answers. So imagine my surprise when one of the first things that came up in the documentary was the film What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?, and I absolutely was not ready to be dragged down the sadistic rabbit hole by author and director, and previous cult member: Mark Vicente.

Let's take a look at: 

The Vow

This drama show is a terrifying look into how *easily* good people can suddenly find themselves doing monstrous things - all in the name of mental and emotional health, and helping the world be a better place. 

The story follows a handful of defectors from the cult, as soon as they found themselves riding a runaway train to destination f*cked. A real, terrible, horror crawled under my skin as I sat wondering - considering how vulnerable I've been in different stages of my life and based on this cult leader's teachings of finding the science in your well being - would I have fallen for it? 

I actually think I would have, or at least entertain the idea for a while. I am pretty certain I would not have seen 'cult' scratched into the foreheads right away. Manipulation has a very distinct and nauseating smell, however. So I'd also like to think I would have seen myself out the door as soon as that poisonous air was detected. 

This is a harrowing rollercoaster of the ride folks! Harrowing and sad, you feel for the folks (some of them...)

One thing I found so absolutely terrifying is that viewers didn't really hear, in significant detail, all the of the teachings from leader I-Think-He-Doth-Protest-To-Much-Keith Raniere. This is a Blessing! By the last episode you're pretty bombarded with his damaging words and I don't think I would have been able to handle more than one episode of that. Physically, mentally painful just watching snippets of a video tape. I am speechless at what it must have been like for victims, in person. 

Escaping abusive relationships is the most dangerous time for escapees, and this documentary not only documents the cult's growth but also the escapes and take-down by law enforcement. It's a rollercoaster - a very real, very scary, very dangerous rollercoaster. 

This stuff scares me. The real horror stories.

Best watched alone, and when you think you have all your shit together. Pairs with food you love (and DON'T count the calories!). 

I watched this film on HBO or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this nightmare of a decades long situation. 

Take care folks! Don't get sucked into cults!

The Undead (1957)

October Challenge Day 23:

OH YEAH! Give me some of that Roger Corman goodness!! Welcome to the weird and hilarious but oddly captivating world of:

The Undead

Don't let the dramatics of this absolutely fantastic poster fool you - this one is fun for the whole family. It also carries, much to my surprise, a heavy moral tale of the ethics of research. 

Here we have a couple of research scientists recruiting a sex worker for a little secret mental experiment (the internal review boards are SCREAMING). 

The research is on hypnotism and past lives. They take this woman back in time - to a past life where she was accused of being a witch and sentenced to die. 

More alarmingly, one of the scientists is able to "follow" her in this past life in attempts to save - her life.... Things essentially just Quantum Leap from there. 

While this is not my favorite Corman film, it certainly has it's charm and quirkiness. I was rolling - rolling - with the attempts at Medieval speech, but I also didn't care. It was Saturday afternoon and I was getting ready for a birthday dinner. 

There's a bonus real "witch" in this film who wanders around with her familiar, and I legit found their transformations and disappearances so utterly delightfully weird that I'm going to recommend watching this film *just* for this experience. 

In all, this is a great pick for a weekend afternoon or, if you're not into the real scary stuff, a cheeky and snuggly late night. 

While the storyline was going all over the place, I was honestly surprised at the weight of the tale. 

Corman's A Bucket of Blood still stands as one of my most favorite satirical horror stories, (It Is AMAZING) I also admire his attempts with this one at drawing attention to ethics and religious morals.

Best watched alone or in a very, very small group. Pairs with mead, bread, and soups. 

I watched this film on Amazon Prime or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's sidebar to see where else you can find this charming feature. 

Demon Seed (1977)

October Challenge Day 13

Ah yes, this film asks the big questions that have plagued humanity since the beginning:

What would happen if an incel douche canoe was turned into a smart home device? Let's take a dive into:

Demon Seed

My, my, my - this one suprised me. And disgusted me. And was weird. 

Here we have a scientist building a super computer, and lives in the world's first smart house. Complete with a "camera doorbell", an "Alexa" that answers questions, plays music on command AND make drinks, along with a slew of other "smart" things that make life at home a tech marvel. 

Husband and wife are seperating though, and he is leaving the house to her despite her reservations. 

She was right to be cautious, as the house and all it's devices have been taken over by the super computer, and it wants her to have it's child...

This this an alarmingly claustrophobic film, and I found myself irate at the machine's "logic". 

This gaslighting, narcissistic, abusive, and irrational thing had my blood boiling. So, the movie is effective in getting my heart racing! 

Disturbing - despite the totally outrageous plot - this film is legit disturbing. Also, while you'll have a good chuckle at the dated technology, it's also pretty impressive the level of similarities with what is available now. 

You will probably laugh at the psychedelic imagery, intended to give a "tech" experience.  I did, but it comes with the edgy 1970's territory.  

In all, this film is upsetting. Particularly by the end. 

Best watched alone, with all your smart devices listening. Pairs with tea and an Extremely healthy breakfast.  

I watched this film on Hoopla or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to locate where else you can find this science gone bad feature. 

Bats (1999)

October Challenge Day 27: 

OH SAINTS PRESERVE US - I LOVE LOVE LOVE:

Bats

How in the world did this film escape my knowledge for this long?!?!?!?!?! I had actually started it a few months ago but turned it off after the opening scene where two teen lovers are taken out by a colony of flying creatures. The scene was so epic and unexpected that I wanted to wait until I could truly appreciate the experience (by not vacuuming and doing dishes).

OMG I love this film

I mean, just get a load of this particular creature!!

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO

Seriously folks, the bats in this film are 100% worth checking out. Not only are they funny at times, but they are also alarmingly weird, uncomfortable, and legitimately a little terrifying in a weird, uncomfortable, and a little terrifying sort of way. How this film isn't mentioned in cult classics along side Tremors and Gremlins more often is beyond me. I'll try to stir up some better recognition though. For instance, there is a battle in the town square that blew my mind. I was left speechless but so entertained I think I actually clapped a little bit. 

Bonus! It stars Lou Diamond Phillips, who plays a wise-cracking, small town sheriff and he does it so well I was delighted to read in IMDB that he ad-lipped many of his character's parts. 

Fun fun fun fun - dated, a little, in the characters ... but fun fun fun fun fun!

Premise: genetically mutated bats are on the loose in quaint, little Gallup, TX. 

That's all you need to know! Now run for your lives!

I don't think I can stress enough how entertained I was by this film. Not entertained by the "cheapness" but rather by it's quality. It's good. It's running on typical and somewhat generic material, but there's a clever effort here and it shows. I think it helps that nearly all of the bats are *not* CGI. 

Overall, I legit enjoyed this movie and look forward to watching it again. It has skyrocketed to the top of my favorite '80 - '90s creature features. 

Best watched in a fun setting (perfect for a Halloween night with the right family, for instance) or movie binge night with friends. Pairs with comfort foods, a cigar, and western attire. 

I watched this film on Amazon Prime, or use the Find it! Watch it! links on Horror Habit's sidebar to locate where else you can find this howler of a fun feature. 

A Field in England (2013)

October Challenge Day 26:

Yet another film that has been on my To Watch list for *years* but I've been avoiding it because I suspected it might irritate me. 

And irritate me it did! In the art house horror way I knew in my deep, dark, horror loving art house heart, was there. Let me introduce you to the experimental and wind-tossed:

A Field in England

I actually started watching this one over five years ago - and 3 minutes in I was all "Not today, Satan". Films like these often require a very specific time, mind set, and place, to fully appreciate the art that went into it's full creation. You need to create a 'museum-like' atmosphere, for lack of better words, because trust me you're going to see some sh*t that will baffle, delight, and require your full attention.

Here we have a small handful of soldiers deserting a battle during England's civil war. War weary and near broken, one of them mentions there's a pub not far from their current location. A pint sounds delightful to all and they head on their way. 

Already absurdist the sick, dry humor is settling in - things get more sick and truly bizarre when an alchemist is conjured up, kidnaps the crew and demands they dig for suspected treasure in the field, all while everyone is tripping balls on psychedelic mushrooms. 

Obviously, the seriousness of the film is in the allegory - which some could argue is about power, money, control, pride, masculinity, historical context of England during the time, etc. While these arguments could last hours, the film is also a visual, visceral, piece of work. It's the visuals that irritated me the most. Irritated in a good way, art creating a response. 

The film, also in black and white, reminded me a lot of 1995's Dead Man. I loved that film, LOVED IT, so if you also like Dead Man then I think you'll get a kick out of this one, as it shares so many similar qualities. 

Overall, absolutely not a film for everyone, but a film for those who are ready to dive deep into realms we'd often rather not talk about. 

Pairs with mutton soup, mushrooms, and ale. Best watched alone or in a small group during a wind storm. 

I watched this film on the Roku channel, or use the Find it! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to locate where else you can find this trippy feature. 

Spawn of the Slithis (1978)

October Challenge Day 22:

I've been hitting the harder movies lately, so I thought I would bring things down a bit - have a little stupid fun again. So when I saw this poster I knew exactly what had to be done:

Spawn of the Slithis aka Slithis

I mean, just get a load of that font - how can you *not* watch this film. I want to frame this poster.

Don't want to frame the movie, however. It's gloriously trashy - by far the trashiest movie I've seen this month so far. That doesn't matter though, there's a time and a place for every movie type and today it was this specific trash. 

Here we have a mutated sea creature that's crawling out of the poisoned waters and eating (...or sucking, I was never quite clear...) the fine folks of Venice Beach, CA. Bumbling, wayward, and hilarious dialogue ensues.

Again this [rubs face] is not a good film - in fact it's even worse than I expected and I'm usually pretty good at navigating these things. At one point I mumbled to myself something about how boring this film turned out to be when a scene suddenly appeared - a man and a woman, after meeting at a party, are heading back to the man's boat so as to rock it, when things took an absolutely hilarious turn (just for a little bit). 

I'm talking laugh out loud, cringe binge, 1970's soft porn acting/build up - naturally this creature showed up and made everything even more awkward, weird, and downright hilarious. The whole sequence is surprisingly long and I think it really held the movie watching experience together. 

It's funny, folks. Funny in an absurdist way.

Overall, again, this is a terrible film but it's a really great one to have on in the background while you're getting your Halloween decorations hung up or costumes ready. Also a great one for bars that have movies silently playing in the background - this movie was built for these situations.

Pairs with day drinking or for cultivating a fun atmosphere, best watched side-eyed or with the occasional glances back to the TV. 

I watched this film on Amazon Prime or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this ludicrous feature. 

The Werewolf (1956)

October Challenge Day 19:

In my family werewolves are our #1 monster. Seventeen years of siblings and each of us - each one of us - has a legit fear of werewolves. Why? I have no idea. It just is what it is. 

Ironically, I also love werewolf films and regularly hunt [heh] them down. This film though, this film is not your typical werewolf story.

The Werewolf

Don't let the pulpy cover fool you, this is a deep and introspective film about, well, a werewolf. 

Well, a werewolf and medical ethics...

Here is the story of a man who wanders into a small mountain town bar for a drink. He's disheveled, confused, and desperately trying to figure out what just happened to him, and then someone tries to rob him and all hell breaks lose. 

What really struck me about this opening scene is the texture of the town and the people. The wood bar, the quiet mountain folk, the small town atmosphere. It's quaint and endearing but don't let that fool you either, it's also a menacing backdrop and breathes new life into the term "backwoods people".

This is not a "scary" film as creature features go. It's scary film as far as people horrors go. Humans are just the worst sometimes, folks. Just the worst.

Pairs with a schooner glass of light beer, peanuts, and heartbreak. Best watched alone or with one other person - ideally seen in a mountain resort town.

I watched this film on Crackle or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this intense thriller. 

The Rift (1990)

 October Challenge Day 14: 

This is a film I've heard about many times and I've seen the poster countless times, but I've actually never seen it and knew nothing about:

The Rift

In a word, this film is a "hoot". 

Here we have a tale of submarine-housed deep sea scientists on a mission to find another, lost, team of submarine-housed deep sea scientist. Antics unfold that include a wide range of in team fighting and deep sea creatures so insane they actually caught me off guard. 

Although most of the acting, creatures, and premise very much felt like something from a 1950's creature feature, it was R. Lee Ermey who really won me over. 

Did not go all Gny. Sgt. Hartman in this film, but still awesome

Overall this was a fine film to watch late at night with a few drinks - just sit back and enjoy the silly fun. For example, get a load of these images from the film - it will give you a good idea of what's in store:

I watched this film on Prime, or us the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can catch with wacky feature. 

The Invisible Man (2020)

There are few films where I've walked out of a theater and had a raw, visceral reaction emanating from my body and psyche.

The top ones are -

I Just Need A Gaddamn Moment To Process This: The Sixth Sense, The Others

Crying My Gaddman Eyes Out - Don't Touch Me: The Orphanage, A Tale Of Two Sisters

WHAT IN THE GADDAMN SCARY AMAZING HELL WAS THAT? SOMEONE WALK ME HOME: Dog Soldiers, Brotherhood of the Wolf
*Werewolves get me every time.

Based on the dates of these films, you can probably guess that I haven't had a *raw, visceral reaction* when walking out of the theater, in a while...

That changed when I saw the breathtaking remake of: The Invisible Man.

A quick history why this new The Invisible Man even exists and why I thought it was based on a true story:

Universal made the monumental mistake of trying to connect all the classic horror monsters into a series of re-booted classic creature features - hopping on the tails of comic book franchises. Why this didn't work is for another time, but it didn't work, until now. Until the monsters became their own again and this masterpiece was released - reinventing the horror of *An* Invisible Man.

A few weeks earlier I was sitting at a pub, not thinking about how the Universal Picture's Dark Universe no longer existed, when I saw the trailer for The Invisible Man. My initial thought and, embarrassingly, first words to the unsuspecting person to my left was: "This is based on a true story."

I'm dead now from mortification when I think about it - especially because of the look I got from this stranger - but I legitimately thought the trailer was about a remake of The Entity - a well documented story about a woman who was terrorized and abused by an invisible being. 

That story terrifies me, along with the story about the San Pedro haunting. BOTH ARE PISS YOUR PANTS TERRIFYING, and have many similarities.

As I was watching The Invisible Man, I wondered if both these stories actually played a part in the film. Particularly, since all stories take place in California and there is a scene in The Invisible Man that looks *an awful lot like the attic in the notorious San Pedro clip*. The fact that a woman with a history of being abused is terrorized by an invisible man, is aiding in this connection.

In all, there were a good several weeks were I thought this film was not actually a remake of a Universal cult classic, but based on allegedly true story(ies). 

And you know what - none of that matters because this is a remarkable film and what makes it terrifying is that it has ties to reality:

REAL LIFE FUCKING PSYCHOS

Hold on to your pants folks, this is a nerve-wrenching film. 

It's harrowing because it's so real and battles monsters that live next door - in the next room. The escape from and trying to get people to believe that these types of monsters exist *is* a huge portion of the terror of this film. Tread at your risk, those who have experienced this. It may not be the film for you right now. For me, it's a film where I walked out, heart beating, and I kinda wanted to scream "f*ck you, fight me* at everyone. 

In other words: This film will put you through the ringer, if you're not a gaddamn waste-of-space narcissist, anyway. It garners a lot of what makes us uncomfortable but also what makes us a bad ass. 

Pairs with an overnight bag and bottles (to drink out of or smash...). Best watched with best friends who would hide a body for you. 

I watched this film in the theater, right before Washington State was shut down for COVID-19. I understand that Universal released this film for streaming, in the wake of this crisis.

Be safe and take care of each other, everyone!

Murder by Television (1935)

October Challenge Day 24

The title of this film was the only reason I watched it - well, that and the year it was made.

Beloved Bela Lugosi stars in Murder by Television as two people, twins!! And what's this about killer televisions?

Not dissimilar to the thriller, Sorry Wrong Number - and well, any horror film that incorporates the horrors of modern technology - this one ties in the latest marvel of home televisions with a bonus who-done-it.

This is a quiet, slow film though. Absolutely not for all horror fans (I thought the TV was going to be more of a killing machine. It's not) but it is for fans of the classics, particularly if you love having them on in the background or curling up to them in the evening before bed. 

The story revolves around a scientist who is reluctant to sell his amazing new TV technology. He dies, suspiciously - mystery ensues. So not 'horror' but certainly a spooky mystery. I love this sh*t.

What I loved most about this film is when they reveal this new amazing technology - the ability to see the world in real time, on a tiny screen, instantly, from anywhere. And there I was on my phone at the time and I *might* have been arguing about something with a stranger or I was loving on a cat who lives halfway across the world. 

Technology! Love you, you clever devil. 

Again, this is a film for classic film lovers, late night non-horror lovers, and curling up on cold nights. It's slow, quiet, and mediocre but quaint. 

I watched this film on Amazon Prime. Use the Find It. Watch It. links on Horror Habit's sidebar to locate where else you can see this spooky TV feature.