The Stoning of Soraya M. (2008)

October Challenge Day 6

Folks, I've been watching the protests in Iran. I've been watching the girls and women fighting back the suppression they've suffered under for the last 43 years.  

AND I WANT THEM TO BURN IT ALL DOWN TO THE GROUND. BURN THAT REGIME TO THE GROUND YOU BAD BITCHES!

In 2008, and with very little knowledge of what exactly life was like for women in Iran, I took myself out to a movie, this movie, and I still have not forgotten the horror I saw here - knowing that this is the life woman face in Iran. 

Want to know why these protests are occurring and why these bad bitches are burning their hijabs and shouting all sorts of curse words and chants? Let's check out:

The Stoning of Soraya M. 

I was in jaw-dropped horror in the theater, as I watched and understood that people Actually Think Killing A Woman in Public is Socially Acceptable! Not just acceptable - required! Because some dude said so. 

The dude in question here is her abusive husband.

Want to know why? Because he could. That's it. That's it. Oh and he wanted to marry a teen girl.

[Screaming, so much screaming, just outright rage - the walls are shaking]

Folks, I'm still mad as hell about the Roe v Wade overturn!!!

[Things are being thrown, items crashing on the wall, shelves are cleared in one swoop of a rage-fueled tattooed arm]

In this story, a caring aunt tries to get the story out about her niece's stoning to a passing journalist - even much at her own - and the journalist's - peril. And of course this is based on a true story. Because of course it is. It's Iran. It's the world. It's just being a woman and this is the shit we face.

I stand with you, woman of Iran. 

The Black Phone (2021)

October Challenge Day 5

So I am a true crime podcasts, book, documentary, TV shows, CONSUMER.

In the shower? Listening to podcasts or books. 

Riding the bus? More of the same.

Cleaning the house? Catching a glance at the TV as I'm vacuuming. 

Overhearing a conversation about this topic? I'm Jumping Right In!

I even made a TikTok video about it. I'm on mf TikTok now! Lololololol. Come find me. I'm still working out the details about how to do movie reviews here but, I'll figure it out. 

Back to the movie. 

I bring all this up because this movie is a true crime, real life nightmare. Let's check out:

The Black Phone

Okay, folks. This is a story about child abduction and their deaths.

Here we have a fucking waste of space kidnapping young men and smuggling them away in his creepy van to their final days in a derelict basement. 

But his reign of terror is coming to an end when he kidnaps a boy who can speak to the dead through a strange phone in this basement. The ghosts of the boys call him through this phone and give him some bad skills to KICK SOME FUCKING ASS. 

I don't normally give spoilers but I feel it's important to know that this story ends with catching some hands.

The filming is beautiful, despite it's morbid story line. The writing and characters are brilliant and you feel connected in so many ways. The 1970's background is so tangible you can almost feel the wood paneling and scratchy, ugly couches.

Best watched when ready to explore trauma and retribution. 

I watched this film on Peacock or use the find Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's sidebar to see where else you can find this punch in a bully's face of a film.

Ghost Writer (1989)

October Challenge Day 4: 

This film has been on my To Watch list for a while now, but I couldn't find it anywhere. So when I got a Letterboxd notification that it's now available to stream, I jumped into my jim-jammies, cracked open a beer, and settled on the couch with a load of blankets and two cats.

I'm Here For This Delightful Campy Shite!

Let's check out:

Ghost Writer

Oh lordy. Folks. I love THIS STUFF!

Here we have a journalist just trying to take a break from things in her distant relative's beach house. Little did she know, the house is haunted by a famous movie star who allegedly committed suicide several decades earlier. 

The ghost makes an appearance and the journalist is determined to solve the star's actual murder. 

This film is so '80s you can smell the neon and Aqua Net. I LOVE IT!

They make no effort hiding that the ghost is a Marilyn Monroe knock-off. Didn't even try. That's fine, it actually kinda grew on me. They also made no effort in providing the journalist with an even remotely interesting and less cringey love interest. I was making the yikes face every time he came on screen and I kept wanting to scream "guuurrl! Get Out Of There". Nope. This is an '80s film and we're just all going to laugh at the sexism. They look happy though, but if you look close enough, the journalist is blinking twice for help.

This is all cheese, cheek, and cuteness. Don't ask for anything in-depth, don't ask for stellar acting or dialogue. If you're an old hat at these films then you know exactly what you're getting. If you're new then well, welcome, this is an acquired taste. 

Watch with complete and total nonsense and zero shits to give. Pairs with food eaten directly out of bags, and a whole bottle of something because you're worth it. 

I watched this film on Hoopla or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you might find this ghostly gem of silliness. 

Alone With You (2021)

 October Challenge Day 3:

I have this uncanny ability to judge movie posters (and the type of movie it will turn out to be) with savant-like skills. I have yet to be wrong and I will eat my shoe when I am. 

So when this film showed up as I was scrolling I was all: Yep. This will be pure anxiety. 

GUESS WHAT? IT IS!

Let's take a little look into:

Alone With You

Here we have a woman waiting for her girlfriend to come back home - she's been traveling and our young woman here is looking forward to the romantic reunion. 

Folks, it should come as no surprise that this reunion is not going to go as planned. 

This film focuses on one person 99.9% of the time, and claustrophobicly in a New York City apartment. We have heart break, madness, no sense of time, and hard, cold realizations that someone doesn't love you anymore. 

This film gives off all the anxiety and feelings of loss. I typically pace back and forth with these films, pausing the movie often. While some would argue these are not 'horror' films, I have and will continue to state they are nightmare-inducing and therefore, horror stories. More horrifying still, they tap into Very Real, everyday experiences. 

Best watched alone, with a bottle of wine on an empty stomach. Feel free to take a bath afterwards. 

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 sad chiller. 

Raw (2016)

October Challenge Day 2:

I have a love/hate relationship with French Extremism horror. More often than not, I end up totally traumatized and vowing never to watch another one of these films again. Which is why this one sat on my To Watch list for years.

I am happy to report that this film and I jived most excellently. Let's take a look at:

Raw

Here we have a promising young woman going off to veterinary school. She joins her older sister there and the party begins. Oh, and they are vegetarians. Oh, and hazing involves eating meat.

Uh Oh.

She experiences a transformation....

This film is chaos - complete and utter chaos, but rolled out so well, smoothly, and drenched in blood. Literally. 

Apparently people passed out in theaters when watching this film, which I totally expect from French extremism horror, but I did not.  I have a complicated relationship with food and in fact threw up my soup when watching Inside. To be fair, I did not like my soup and it was sitting poorly. 

This is a beautifully disgusting blood bath of sexuality, coming-of-age, mental transformations and addictions. It feels like a fever dream wrapped up in vague memories you can't trust. I also can't stop laughing at this review from Letterboxd:

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