"Oh, that's right. And I seem to remember breaking your face." |
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All right, I think it's about time that I informed you people peering in through your internet filled screens on some more kick-ass movies. Like I said around a month ago, not all of these will be horror or sci-fi, so hold your tongues! Also, I've noticed that a few of my columns titles have the word "flesh" in them. I think I'll try to limit that from now on, if only to quell those perverted thoughts going on about me in your heads.
SEVEN
SEVEN (also known as SE7EN) is probably my favorite David Fincher film. FIGHT CLUB was for a while, but this barely nudges it out. With a fantastic cast (Freeman, Pitt, Paltrow, Spacey) and gripping script, this is a movie that both entertains and inspires. It inspires creativity that is, not hopefulness or some sappy emotion. This film uses aspects from a few genres, film-noir and psychological thriller being the main two. Like DARK CITY, this movie is dark and dreary, without being melodramatic like in old style noir films.
The basic plot has two detectives working together, unwillingly, on a serial murder case. Each murder is 
"Oh, you know... dishes or furniture, moving around by themselves." |
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seemingly motivated by the certain sin the victim has been living in, whether it be gluttony, greed, lust, etc. There's a great twist at the end, and Morgan Freeman shows us once again that he is the wisest man alive. If you want to contest that, go watch THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and be silenced.
POLTERGEIST
Written by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper, POLTERGEIST was a groundbreaking modern horror film. Allowing the central themes to be family and love, and not gore and fear, helped this movie become the gem it is. The plot has a family's home being haunted by poltergeists, and the youngest daughter actually taken by them. With limited special effects, the film does very well, especially in one scene where a man has a daydream of pulling apart his face.
This movie even has some horror elements in reality. There is a legend, that a curse was put upon the people who worked on the POLTERGEIST film and it's sequels. Six of the actors in the three films have died under strange circumstances, and other bizarre happenings occurred during the filming of the 
"The hills are alive with the sound of SCREAMING!" |
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series.
THE HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS
This, in my opinion, is director Takashi Miike's opus. This film mixes comedy, clay-mation, musical-style scenes, horror and just plain ridiculous-ness into one big, wonderful flick. The basic plot is that a family buys a bed-and-breakfast and all of their guests keep turning up dead. And then come back as zombies. Who do a musical number. Also the family becomes giants and a volcano erupts.
This film has everything, and is genuinely funny throughout. I believe Miike was intending to have this film be something everyone can enjoy. His style is known to be for creating Yakuza mobster movies or horror films, but recently he has been delving into more family-oriented territory. Along with "HAPPINESS", he also directed THE BIRD PEOPLE OF CHINA and THE GREAT YOKAI WAR; both movies are heartwarming and fun.
So go! Run to your nearest movie store or mailbox if you have Netflix! Or website if you download illegally! And watch these movies. They might not change your life, but they'll sure as hell keep you entertained, and that's what movies are for damn it.
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| The Lair of the Mad |
Every other Tuesday
'The Lair' discusses the many aspects and qualities of the horror genre. From actors, to make-up, to music, James Shafie explores everything the "cult" genre spews up.
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| James Shafie |
James Shafie is an avid watcher of movies of all sorts, but the horror genre is closest to his heart. He loves to read and is addicted to music, mostly metal and it’s thousands of sub-genres. He was once fired by Blockbuster, which we see as a strong character trait.
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