The Runner (2022)

Chaos. Compulsion. Carnal Impulse. 

I really don't know what I just watched but the music was great. Let's take a quick look at:

The Runner

This is possibly a 40 minute music video. Or it could be a sharp art house film that not everyone will understand. Or, still, it could be just a very creative look into madness, monsters, and music. 

Actually, it's all of these things I think.

And I Love it!

Here we have the story of a woman - feral, hungry, and out looking for blood - just wandering around in the woods. She finds herself in a small town that is still stuck somewhere in a fever dream. Watch out for this one, folks. She's messy. 

I really don't have much else to add. You have to walk in blind like I did. In fact, I watched this film twice! First time I was making meatballs and red sauce, trying to get glances from the kitchen. Then I sat down, with my meatballs and red sauce, and watched it watched it. Oddly, this was a VERY fitting meal for this short. 

A lovely exploration into our inner monsters and the ways in which we release them - with music being the back drop for those complicated inner selves. 

Best watched in a weird head space. Pairs - obviously - with meatballs and red sauce.

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 intoxicating drunk dream of a film. 

Cocaine Bear (2023)

Oh I've been excited to see this film! The trailers alone promised a clever gore fest and it did not disappoint! Let's just dive into the delight that is:

Cocaine Bear

So my brother and I love going to the theater to watch films. A particular favorite (although it's not good for business) is when it's just us in the theater! Such as the case with this film - which was a surprise to me because the movie is titled "Cocaine Bear"! Who doesn't want to see this?!?!?

Anyway, so yeah, in these cases we treat the theater like our own lavish entertainment room. Complete with just shouting at each other from across the room. Using the plug-ins to charge our phones, and absolutely MST3K-ing it up! And I got to say, based on personal experience, to truly enjoy this movie you best be in a place where you can be loud, hoot, holler, and cringe all over the place at the kill scenes.

Okay, so this film is a goretastic thrill binge of a feature. It cuts right to the chase with the chaos - and the humor. It's a little ol' story about a bear that stumbles upon a whole lot of cocaine dropped from the sky. Pretty straight forward, pretty much instant insanity. 

The amount of 1980's detail that went into creating this film absolutely slays me, though. It was like my brother and I were back home, single parent household, with Mom in the hot pink windbreaker outfit. 

I actually can't remember if Mom had that specific outfit ... but it was close!

We both laughed out lout at the kids-just-roaming-free wildness of the era. We were them. So much so that Mom put up a bell on the back porch and rang it 1880's farm house style to signal when we could come back inside or it was time to eat. We could hear it from quite a distance away, which were usually were. 

So yeah, again, the details that went into creating the mid-'80s here is STELLAR. We were knocked right back into our childhood and thank goodness it didn't have a bear hopped up on cocaine in it. 

The kills scenes are some of the grossest I've seen in a long time. Long Time! I looked away at some points, cringed every time, and marveled at the creativity. So well done, so .... dare I say ... funny at times? 

There's not much else you need to know, really - I mean, the film is called Cocaine Bear! Hahahahaha!

So yeah, this thrill ride of blood and guts tested all the right limits with exceptional skill, it's a hell of a good time. If you get the chance to see it in the theater then please do!

Best watched with friends and trashy but delicious food and beer, (don't do drugs, kids). 

I watched this film in the theater, drinking beer and shoveling a hot dog in my mouth. Again, if you don't catch this one in the theater, check out the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find exceptional creature feature. 

Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story (2019)

Hey hey hey, welcome to 2023, everyone!

Well, I've been exploring, lightly, horror films for the last several months because I mostly got stuck in comedy and true crime. As you do.

But tonight, as I was experimenting making a fancy pasta dish, I turned on the TV and the nice streaming service recommended this film. I have an excellent view of the TV from my open kitchen, and I know the true history of this story so I was all: Hell Yeah - let's do this (as I was accidently burning things in the kitchen).

Let's check out the Lifetime Movie version of the very real story of: 

Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story

I'm not a good cook, I try, but I'm not good. I am pretty good at history though. So I was oddly excited to see what part and how this story was going to be told. *also note the very nice The Yellow Wallpaper background in this poster. Noted. Noted, whoever made this.

The film kicks off immediately how I didn't want it to - which caused me sad alarm but I stuck with it. By the end I realized this made-for-TV show was playing the narrative backwards from Nellie's original story. And to be fair, I actually respected what was being done (after I wrapped my head around it). It's trying to grab your heart strings first, not your Pinkerton-level knowledge of the background behind the story, as Nellie told it.

I'm not going to give secrets away but you must read this after watching the film. Please, please, please read Nellie's original words after watching. 

The story follows a young woman trapped in a horrible insane asylum in late 1800s New York. Things are not good, not good at all. Worse yet, most women trapped there are just there because they don't speak English, are old, or had a nervous breakdown because being a woman at that time was HORRIBLE and their husbands wanted them out of the way.

There were some ground-breaking changes in mental healthcare that resulted from Nellie's experience, however. And as someone who works in healthcare with a behavioral science degree, to this day, I notice something new is learned everyday. 

Some people are monsters because they want to be and take pleasure in it because that's all they know as a human connection. Some are circumstantial(?) monsters because of ignorance and societal norms. Some are monsters because they are horrified by what we are capable of and do terrible things anyway, out of fear. This movie is about the monsters we have to constantly fight that make a society and haunt our heads. 

In all, this was a truly captivating story when I first read it some 17 years ago. Obviously I haven't forgotten about it. Nellie is an icon in my eyes.

I can't say this is a great film, but it's a neat one. I also really appreciate stumbling upon the controversial historical characters Christina Ricci has been portraying for the last several years. Mad respect. These ladies are complicated. 

Overall, I found this to be quirky (liberties were made of course) but a perfect pick for making a messy kitchen evening - the evening called for a made-for-TV Lifetime movie. Particularly about a bad b*tch in the late 1890s.

Pairs with rotted meat and potatoes and a sack for clothing. 

I watched this film on Hulu, or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this fun (? no that's not right) feature. 

Happy Halloween! Here's 18 Short Horror Films You Need To See! (2022 edition)

October Challenge Day 31:

Happy Halloween everyone!! Here is 18 brilliant short horror films to spook up your day.

Why 18 you ask? Because this is the 8th month of the old Roman calendar and the 10th month of the current calendar. BRAINS!

So without further ado, below is my pick of some of the best out there. With a review of 18 words or less, and in no particular order, please enjoy Horror Habit's 2022 Short Horror Film Festival.

*Note, Blogger has gone through an update and I can no longer embed videos as I have done in previous years. Simply click on the title links - they'll take you directly to the films.

The Rule of Three: OCD and a lonely cabin in the woods brings out a clever bloodbath.

Ivy: A flirtation at the local cafe turns deadly when they head back home to get better acquainted...

Threshold: Tinkering around, late at night, in the garage takes some unexpected twists.

Phantasmic: David Lynchian, nightmare inspired, chaos show. 

Papa-Figo: Just a couple of kids, doing kid stuff, when something goes terribly, terribly wrong.

Killer Date: A dude thinks he knows all there is about dating and one-night-stands....

Visitor: The widow was not expecting this particular knock at the door...

Final Grave: Something sinister is lurking in the back of this man's mind, and home.

Arcade: A cheeky little slasher with all the '80's vibes.

No mires ahí (Don’t look there): A touching and heartbreaking little tale about grief and ghosts. 

20 Matches: A menacing, unique, and succinct little tale about a serial killer.

The Drawing: A charming and frightening short, short about a deadly doodle.

Granny: A hilarious story about Grandma refusing to go into a nursing home, quietly. 

Demon: Absolutely brilliant - edge of your seat horror! Watch in a dark setting. 

The World Over: A young couple discover a portal to a parallel universe in their house. Things get really damn weird!

Rest My Bones: This little tickler has fun twist on a chat with the Devil, sort of...

Spectral: A ghostly little snack of jump scares!

A Night in Camp Heebie Jeebie: Let's finish this year's short horror fest with a fun one for the whole family!

Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! (2022)

October Challenge Day 30

Hahahahaha! Oh my goodness - did I find a perfect, fun little film to watch when you wake up after a night on the town with friends?:

Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!

Yes. 

Did I just forget how funny Scooby shows were or did they just get readjusted for adults? I mean, I loved Scooby-Doo as a kid but I haven't seen a Scooby cartoon in over 30 years. How smart, silly, and modern, is this movie! Very!

So yeah, as I was saying:

When you wake up with a groan, throw on a robe, walk over last night's costume laying on the floor, put your hair up in a messy bun, and as you're making your fizzy water/coffee, the prior night's events come flooding back to you. Such as How Much Damn Fun you had with friends at the burlesque musical about the misadventures of Jack Skellington. And then you all found a strange little hidden bar  - but then you all kinda all got separated, as nights out with a big group of friends do -  but somehow all found each other again at another pub in another neighborhood. 

And then, as you're cheering on your friends as they sing karaoke, you turn around to find a dude dressed as Robin Hood, I mean William Shakespeare, sitting right there at your table, next to you - just helped himself. And instead of simply saying "Hello", you say with, cringe clarity, "Where did you come from?" OMG.

And you stayed out too late, you had too much fun, and for some odd reason this cartoon seemed like a really good idea first thing in the morning. And I'm here to confirm: IT IS! Also, the sound track is rockin!

Also, and to quote the show I went to last night: This Is Halloween!! 

So have all the fun, get dressed up, laugh so hard your sides hurt, love your friends, eat the candy, and watch cartoons! Particularly on a weekend morning, it brings all the childhood memory vibes back. 

Watch alone with your cats, or with friends when you're lounging the day away in pajamas, or with the whole family. You're sure to find it a delight! For an extra dose of flare - enjoy that Halloween candy or that costume change with the film's score.

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 freaky fun feature.