October = Horror Movies

Who doesn't love a little crazed psycho chasing you with a knife while wearing a mask? Or a creepy ghost crawling down a flight of stairs, bones cracking each movement with a little boy somewhere close by meowing like a cat? How about human torture, limbs being ripped off bodies and seeing the insides of a person ending up on the floor?

Well, actually, a lot of people don't like that kind of stuff.

But there are plenty of people who are the minority, including myself. Only a small percentage of them do not require some sort of mental therapy, but they count as horror fans too. Here are some of the most recent horror films I have watched, good and bad.

30 Days of Night - Possibly the best vampire film since 1987's Lost Boys (featuring a not-so-ass kicking Keifer Sutherland.) Blood and suspense was a plenty, and without the token hot teenage girl that screams for 75% of the movie. After a mundane start to the movie, business picked up and didn't slow until the credits rolled. Vampires overtaking a mostly deserted city in Alaska. Who would have thought it to be good? The graphic novel is also worth a read if you're into that sort of thing.

The Hitcher (2007) - Sophia Bush and some guy star. (Zachary Knighten) Oh and the killer. (Sean Bean) That's all you really need to know. Really, if you're a guy you'll just enjoy watching Sophia run around screaming and scared, but then try the famous take on the baddie alone approach. If you're not a guy, well then I got nothing for you. It's not a bad movie, but there are better options.

Grudge 2 - I enjoyed Grudge. I had a hard time understanding why there needed to be a second one though. And after watching the second installment, I have an even harder time thinking that there could possibly be more on the way. There were some decent scares, but there are also plenty of times that you were supposed to be scared, but weren't so you have nothing to do for the several seconds that you're supposed to be composing yourself, so you laugh hysterically instead.

Hills Have Eyes 2 - As a fan of movies like the Saw franchise, Hostel and the first Hills (2006, not 1977) I enjoy a bit of blood, gore and general twistedness in movies. This movie pushed that to my limit. It actually made me gag. In the opening minutes nonetheless. If you have a strong stomach, you'll be ok with it. It wasn't overly scary, but was deeply disturbing. Of course it had the token attractive, unintelligent female lead role, who had to shed clothing to fight the deformed miners, but that happens all the time. If you're good looking, female, are carrying an assault rifle and have to fight some deranged, deformed men who want to kill you, first things first, take off the top layer of clothing. Common knowledge.

Well, that's all I have time for in this first movie review segment. There will be lots of these, since that is what I do with myself in any spare time that I come across. Until next time...