Interview With Turkish Director Can Evrenol On His New Horror Short: BASKIN

 ~by Marie Robinson

 Have you ever seen a Turkish horror film? Odds are your answer is “no” due to the country’s strict film distribution laws. On top of that, horror cinema is relatively absent, and the handful of films are do exist fare better as comedies. Istanbul based director Can Evrenol dreams of exposing the world to quality horror cinema, and is driven to see his newest film, Baskin, become the first mainstream genre film from Turkey.

Since Turkey prohibits their 18+ over films from receiving wide release, festivals are essentially the only international exposure Evrenol’s horror films get; but with perseverance he hopes to eventually find a sponsor who will give his film the wide distribution he craves.

Evrenol works on commercials to pay the bills, but his real passion is for the silver screen with a particular taste for the darker side of cinema. He has directed six short films, all of which can be viewed on his website, here (http://canevrenol.com/shortfilms/), with the exception of his latest, Baskin. Evrenol’s films pack a punch—if you were being punched by a baseball bat covered in exposed nails. Atrocious avant-garde, there is no shortage of on-screen slaughter, and don’t even think of praying for a cutaway, they’ll go unanswered. Innovative and disturbing, Evrenol often couples innocence and deviance, splattering any boundaries between them like a skull on the sidewalk. His 2010 short film To My Mother and Father won such awards as Best Short Film of the Year (Boston Underground), Best Lovecraftian Short Film (A Night of Horror), and Most Disturbing Short Film (HP Lovecraft Festival).

Evrenol’s latest, Baskin, was featured at last year’s Fantastic Fest where it was received with bloodcurdling screams (the good kind). It follows a troupe of policemen who receive the call-in from hell. Within a derelict building they find a satanic den where all manners of atrocities are seemingly performed and the most diabolical creatures reside. Tense and terrifying, Evrenol’s quick tour through hell is one of visual splendor. Baskin may only be eleven minutes but one could easily find themselves watching half of it through their fingers. It is a story that I would love to see fleshed out into a feature film. I had the pleasure of speaking with Can Evrenol about the possibility of such a wonderful, nightmarish thing coming to be, among other things:

What does Baskin mean?

Turkish for 'The Raid'. It was the working title, but it stuck. I loved the way it sounded. I didn't want another 'The Raid' in festival circuit, so I thought of just keeping the international title the same as the Turkish title. A good friend Ryan Haysom, director of 'Yellow: A Neo Giallo', said in his feedback that it sounds ancient and Lovecraftian. That was it! I kept it. 

It does have an Old Ones ring about it. There is overt evidence of Lovecraft inspiration in several of your films. Who are some of your other influences?

Veerhoeven, Cronenberg, Lynch, and Kubrick are some of my favorite directors that immediately come to my mind when asked. Unfortunately I wasn't introduced to Lovecraft until the age of 25. My first ever memory of 'horror literature' is probably an early 80's animation of Swan Lake. I remember I was fascinated and terrified when I heard Tchaikovsky's music fade in for the first time! My inspiration comes in many mediums of literature, be it computer games, or graphic novels - and of course the most horrifying of them all, life itself. 

Your talent and ambition is solidifying you as an important filmmaker not only to your country, but to the genre, as well. How did you find your place in horror, and what brought you to the decision to make horror movies?

Well, thank you! It's great to hear such kind words coming from you. I think it all happened when I shot my second short film 'The Chest'. I was watching plenty of Fulci, Romero, listening to Slayer and reading Lovecraft at the time. But even before that, one can say my first short film 'Screws' is a dark adaptation of one of my favorite Turkish short stories. And even way before that, when I was 7, I was in love with the cassette covers of Iron Maiden, Manowar and Over Kill. 

Have you ever thought of relocating?

I was based in the UK for about 9 years. I loved it. But every city in the world has its pros and cons when compared to the crazy, crazy Istanbul. It's a beautiful city. Especially when you grow up here all your life and build your whole network around it. But it's also disturbing and things keep getting darker and darker lately. I recently returned here where I pay the bills by shooting TV commercials, and most importantly where I'm most resourceful. 

What is next for you? Any plans for a feature film?

I struggled to find sponsors for a horror feature film here for 2 years after the success of my short film 'To My Mother and Father' in 2010. But to no avail. I dropped it. Then came 'Baskin'. It too became successful in Fantastic Fest and Sitges. Eli Roth and Richard Stanley loved it in Sitges. I had priceless feedback. It is also successful here at home. It is nominated as the best short film to SIYAD, Turkey's most prestigious film critics' award. 

But still, it seems impossible to find any sponsors for Baskin The Motion Picture. It will be in Turkish language, so foreign sponsors are distant to it. Censorship and conservatism in Turkey is growing more extreme and more illogical day by day. A wide cinematic release would be a miracle. Although films like Hills Have Eyes, Texas Chainsaw, or Martyrs do get small cinematic releases here, a Turkish film could draw more heat and therefore can have less of a chance for a wide release. Funding by the ministry of culture with the content at hand is out of question. There are no respectable Turkish horror films to follow. Neither sponsors, nor serious filmmakers touch it with a 10 feet pole. It seems impossible to meet a fellow like-minded private Turkish money man who would invest in a crazy horror picture. So it seems like a dead end. 

But I do have a hunch that all these negative circumstances can work for the film when it
gets made, and it can have a huge reputation for being so crazy in such a political and cultural atmosphere! That will be the uniqueness of it.

I do have a new plan now. Currently I'm in the works for shooting a non-horror feature film this summer. And I hope to use the money I make from this film, for making Baskin the Motion Picture, next year. Fingers crossed. 

*Keep an eye out for Can Evrenol, and in the meantime, watch the trailer for Baskin below.

http://vimeo.com/71899005

Sunday Bloody Sunday: Maniac (2012) Edition

 

Sunday Bloody Sunday: The Burning Edition

Sunday Bloody Sunday: À l'intérieur Edition

(Because it sounded ridiculous to say "Inside Edition", I chose to use the French title.)

Poor Sarah (Alysson Paradis) - she really had a horrible Christmas.

The Banshee Chapter (2013): Drugs And Techno Don't Mix, But Create Great Suspense!

Review by Marie Robinson
 
I had good feelings about The Banshee Chapter (a.k.a. simply Banshee Chapter) from the moment I heard about it, and my gut was not wrong.

The film begins with footage of James Hirsch (Michael McMillian, True Blood), an aspiring writer who becomes fascinated with an alleged hallucinogenic drug that the U.S. government once tested on unwitting patients, with disturbing results that have been kept secret ever since. James acquires the drug, which is described as a pure—and therefore much more potent—batch of Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) from “friends in Colorado” and gets a buddy of his to film him as he ingests it. It isn’t long until James and his sober friend are visited by some mysterious malevolent entity, which results in the disappearance of the pair.

After hearing about the incident, old college friend and investigative journalist Anne Roland (Katia Winter, Sleepy Hollow) decides to embark on a mission to uncover the truth not only about James’ disappearance, but also the truth about the drug. Nothing could ever prepare her for what she finds, which include sinister government experiment tapes, cryptic radio broadcasts, and the horror of the cosmos. She is joined by a Hunter S. Thompson-esque character named Thomas Blackburn (Ted Levine, The Silence of the Lambs) who can help her piece together the rest of the mystery; but finding the answers could be deadly.

Dimethyltryptamine, also known as DMT, is a hallucinogen that when ingested offers an intense and immersive experience. While on the drug one may feel completely separate from reality, and many have reported seeing strange, celestial beings. There is a subculture that believes that these sights and experiences are not merely hallucinations, but actual transcendence. Such was the subject of the 2010 documentary DMT: The Spirit Molecule. DMT is found commonly in mammals, and has been located in the human brain where it acts as a neurotransmitter. Since DMT has been discovered in the pineal gland, it is thought to be one of the chemicals released when one dreams… and dies.

A few years ago a friend of mine turned me on to a very peculiar variety of shortwave radio broadcasts called “number stations”. Number stations are characterized by an artificial voice reciting numbers and/or letters. The voice, played only against crackling static, is more often than not female, and sometimes sounds like that of a child. Sometimes the voice gives way to a stream of choppy music that sounds similar to me like that of an ice cream truck. The nature of these encoded broadcasts is essentially unknown, but is often speculated as being government-run stations used to transmit messages to spies. Whatever they really are, they are downright eerie.

The Banshee Chapter is an impressive directorial debut from Blair Erickson that incorporates elements from both found footage and mockumentary subgenres in an intriguing and creative way. The film is smart, entertaining, and—oh, yes—scary. There were plenty of chilling moments that had my skin crawling, and I jumped out of my seat more than once. The story is not only presented in a stimulating way, it is also a compelling story with feelings of Arthur Machen’s “The Great God Pan” and overtones of H.P. Lovecraft. A particular story of Lovecraft’s, “From Beyond”, is directly referenced in the film, but the similarities go deeper than just that.

Treat yourself to something different than all those possession films flooding the box office, and maybe even get unnerved by The Banshee Chapter.

*And below is a sample of one of the many "numbers stations" out there....

Sunday Bloody Sunday: Evil Dead (2013) Edition

 Thought I'd try something new with the Sunday Bloody Sunday feature. Every once in a while I would put up a week dedicated to one theme or film, and that's what we have here.  The newest Evil Dead movie was chock-full of the red stuff. (Hard to pick just six pics!)
So here's one of the first new theme weeks: 

We Are What We Are (2013): And Today's Special Is.......

I've expressed my undying indifference to remakes many times in the past on this very blog, even trashed several along the way.  And though I'm always hoping against hope for filmmakers to come up with original ideas (i.e. Jug Face, thank you very much!), I have witnessed  some very good - perhaps even excellent - remakes over the years.

Movies such as The Thing (1982), Dawn of the Dead (2004), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), The Fly (1986)...all of these are downright smashingly great, there's no doubt.  And even to some extent, films like 2010's Let Me In showed that a re-envisioning of a movie can work, even if it's only a few years since the film has been done. 

I do tend to find that sometimes if the film is foreign it's easier to experience as a remake, as Let Me In did, as well as a film from this past year that is ending up on quite a few year-end honors lists, with good reason.

We Are What We Are, directed by Jim Mickle (Stake Land, Mulberry Street), is a prime example of how to do a remake right.  I was so impressed with this film from start to finish. It presents a subject so taboo in such a way that we ultimately feel sorry for the family involved, and truly hope it all works out - when in reality we should be locking them up and throwing away the key.

If you've already seen the first-rate original, then you'll know what subject I'm talking about. I don't think I'm giving anything away by telling you that the Parker family has a disturbing secret. A fairly nasty one that is steeped in their family's old-time traditions and apparently one that they (at least the father) are unwilling to deviate from.

Suffice it to say, daughters Iris (Ambyr Childers) and Rose (Julia Garner) are becoming increasingly more disenchanted with the family's customs and even more so when tragedy befalls their mother as she gathers supplies at the local market.  She suffers what appears to be a stroke and meanders outside the store. Meanwhile, a serious rainstorm whips through the small town, causing flash flooding. In her confusion, she slips and falls, hitting her head and lands in a drainage ditch that swiftly fills with water, effectively drowning her in quick order.

Even as the family grieves, Iris, as the eldest child, is expected to assume the matriarchal duties of the household. This includes preparing the family meals - which unfortunately does not consist of just opening a box of Kraft macaroni & cheese.   As her father Frank (Bill Sage) spews his religious bullshit and directs his impressionable younger not to be afraid and to follow Jesus, Iris is busy getting reacquainted with a local boy she went to school with who is now the sheriff's deputy.

As the Parker family grieves and makes their own special blend of homemade soup, the town doctor begins to investigate and furthermore becomes suspicious after his dog uncovers a bone that has washed up from the constant deluge plaguing the town. Naturally, it's not an animal bone, causing Doctor Barrow (the always impeccable Michael Parks, Red State) to realize there's something fishy going on in his little town. Add in the fact that there have been several people that have gone missing within a thirty mile radius of the town over the years (including the Doctor's own daughter), and he is forced to consider what the facts are blatantly telling him.  He also discovers something else too bizarre to comprehend.  The Parker family mother, upon autopsy, was showing signs of a rare disease known as Kuru - which is prevalent only in tribal regions of Papua New Guinea.
Google it, people.

We Are What We Are is honestly fantastic. Even though the story is nothing if not incredibly bleak, and the material is certainly beyond the pale, anyone watching the film won't be able to look away.  The performances are all stellar, but Childers and Garner are just sublime. I haven't been that impressed with acting in a horror film in years (though again, mention must be made of Jug Face and in particular Lauren Ashley Carter). The depth of feeling they exude so effortlessly makes them seem well beyond their young years. It would be hard to choose one over the other, but if pressed I'd have to congratulate Julia Garner for her stunning and honest portrayal. She is assuredly a blossoming talent and one to watch.

Also thrown in for some relatively important pivotal scenes is Kelly McGillis in a supporting role as a caring neighbor helping the family through their grief.

The littlest Parker family member Rory (Jack Gore) is a bright little spot in an otherwise morose and weather-beaten (yet excellent) storyline that rivals any depressing period film. His life seems relatively unchanged, even without his mother. And to hear the poor little guy always complaining of being hungry certainly pulls at your heartstrings. Until, that is, you find out what's for dinner.

So don't write off this remake because it came so soon after the original 2010 Mexican thriller.  If you've seen that one (as I have) you may have reservations, thinking you don't need to see another re-telling so soon. You'd be wrong.  The stories differ very much,  aside from the premise. And both are quite worthy of a look.  But if I was being completely honest (and why wouldn't I be?), I think I prefer this Americanized version about twice as much.
 Definitely one of the best of 2013. Hands down.

Upcoming Must-Read: James Newman's 666 Hair-Raising Horror Movie Trivia Questions: Test Your Horror Acumen!

I'm not generally the type of blogger that makes a big deal about press releases and I almost never post the one sheets and DVD covers of upcoming films or books, etc.  There are news sites that are custom-made for things like that, and I typically leave them to their business.  But when an author I really like has something new coming out, I tend to make an exception.

James Newman - author of one of my favorite books in the last several years, The Wicked (review here) - has a new book coming out the end of this month, and I think it's something every horror fan will want to get their hands on.  I have a copy of said book that I am just getting down to reading, so a review will be forthcoming, but I wanted to make mention of the formal press release, as it does explain a bit of what you're in for. 

From the official press release: 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

NEW TRIVIA BOOK CHALLENGES GENRE FANS:  “THINK YOU KNOW HORROR MOVIES?  PROVE IT.”
666 HAIR-RAISING HORROR MOVIE TRIVIA QUESTIONS by James Newman

Ever been called a “weirdo” because you know more about Night of the Living Dead than you know about current events?  Do people look at you funny because you have no interest in reality-TV but you can name every film in which Vincent Price appeared?  Do you feel like an outsider because you’ve never cared about sports, yet you cheered at the top of your lungs when some kids played soccer with a severed head at the end of Hostel, Part 2?  If you would rather visit Count Dracula’s castle than take a trip to the beach . . . if you’d prefer hanging out with Pinhead, having lunch with Leatherface, or babysitting for Rosemary instead of spending time with your real friends and family . . . this book is for YOU.  Test your film knowledge with 666 Hair-Raising Horror Movie Trivia Questions compiled from over a century of genre cinema!

Now available from Post Mortem Press, 666 Hair-Raising Horror Movie Trivia Questions guarantees hours of fun for trivia-loving film fanatics who welcome a challenge.  Covering the history of the genre from silent movies like Nosferatu to modern-day blockbusters like The Conjuring, no bloody stone is left unturned in this collection of questions divided into seven categories:  Vampires, Zombies, Werewolves, Ghosts & Demons, Maniacs & Madmen, It Came From Another World, and Miscellaneous Madmen.  In the end, fans will grade themselves against the “Who Will Survive . . . and What Will Be Left of Them?” scoring system, proving once and for all whether they’re “Just Another Victim” or a true “Master of Horror”. 
  
Fangoria Editor Chris Alexander called 666 Hair-Raising Horror Movie Trivia Questions “a chump-stumping shock cinema party book of the highest horror order!”.  Adam Minarovich (“Ed” from AMC’s The Walking Dead, screenwriter of Chop and Pawn Shop Chronicles) said “(it’s) a must-read . . . worth crawling out of your grave for!”

About the Author:  James Newman has been obsessed with horror since he was just four years old, when his father took him to see The Incredible Melting Man.  His published works include the novels Midnight Rain, The Wicked, Animosity, and Ugly As Sin, and the collection People Are Strange. 
666 Hair-Raising Horror Movie Trivia Questions is scheduled for release on January 28, 2014.  For more information visit:  http://www.postmortem-press.com/666.php/, or the author’s official website:  www.james-newman.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
This is James' first non-fiction outing, and it looks to be something special.  After just reading the first few introductory pages, I know this is written by someone just like me: a crazy-obsessed horror fan whose life revolves around the next great horror film or novel.

I know this from comments like this one:  "I’d be willing to bet my entire DVD collection that nobody here in my little hometown in North Carolina lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps horror movies and horror literature like I do."  And this one, which I think encapsulates the reason that many of us watch horror in the first place:  "When things get to be too much in the real world . . . when the bills pile up, or the boss just chewed out three-quarters of your ass . . . what better way to push it all aside than losing yourself in Seth Brundle’s infinitely worse problems in Cronenberg’s remake of The Fly? Or to laugh at Ash’s splatstick escapades in the Evil Dead series? Step away from the real world for a while, won’t you, and pray that a van full of harmless hippies guilty of nothing more than believing in astrology and picking up hitchhikers ultimately survive The Texas Chainsaw Massacre . . . ."

When someone that feels this passionately about horror gives fans the gift of something a little different, a book that challenges us fans to see just how much we know about the genre we love so much, well that's what I call a must-read.  I love trivia, and when you combine that with horror, well I'm just over the moon.
After answering the first ten trivia questions (in the "vampires" category) correctly, I knew this was the book for me!

 It's going to be a blast, and I hope you'll join me!

Mindless Movie Monday: The Secret Village (Warning: You'll Fall Asleep Before The Secret Is Revealed!)

While the premise of The Secret Village (beautiful young journalist seeks headline story by investigating the sinister history of a small town) seems intriguing, this film is pretty much a dud from the word go. I truly believe that anyone that would give this film an outstanding review is either related to someone who worked on the film or has quite possibly fallen and hit their head.

Rachel (Ali Faulkner) is a journalist that is staying in a small western Massachusetts town so she can look into some apparent ergot poisonings and other strange happenings that occurred as recently as a few years ago. (Of note is the fact that back in 1692, ergot poisoning was thought to be the cause of the apparent "bewitchments" of several young girls that eventually led to the deaths of proclaimed witches in Salem village.)

 No one in the village wants to talk to Rachel except Paul (Richard Riehle), who warns her people will not want her snooping around. He agrees to give her some back story but almost as soon as he starts talking, he winds up dead.

There are lots of folks walking around in black ritual cloaks, a freaky ghost-type woman who is in desperate need of a hair appointment, and mysterious strangers leaving notes on Rachel's door warning her to leave town. Borrring!

Rachel has a new friend, Greg (Jonathan Bennett) - a screenwriter who at the beginning of the film moves into the adjoining room of her rented house to work on his script. By the halfway point they are kissing and getting to know each other better, which feels just a little too convenient. When she divulges the mystery she's working on to him, he soon disappears, leaving her alone to face the "pure evil" alluded to on the cover of the DVD. Yeah, not so much.

The film just meanders on at such a ridiculously slow pace that you could probably could read a magazine or even do your taxes and not miss anything. There's a lot of walking around in the woods, searching houses for clues, mundane chase scenes, people injecting others with mysterious liquids in syringes, and basically a whole not of nothing going on. Not in the least bit frightening, I honestly could have fallen asleep several times. Zero zero zero thrills!

The acting is completely wooden, with sadly not one actor really having any redeeming quality about them. I really think most of the problem is the lame script, but the cast didn't seem to be able to pull themselves out of the abyss and make the material any better.  The lead actress is doing her best to look like Kristen Stewart, and perhaps she's hitting her mark in her quest to emulate her, for there are countless surprised expressions and rolling eyes, but no actual depth of feeling or acting chops to speak of.

Perhaps the worst element of the movie is the ghastly soundtrack.  With polarizing blasts of sci-fi-esque tones that have no real theme, it is just awful.  It matched nothing going on in the film, and the sound editing was awful as well, with loud and obnoxious noises combining with quiet dialogue you can barely hear.

I won't discuss the twist at the end because it's just not worthy of a mention.

I seriously had trouble getting through this movie. It was SO lackluster that when my husband came home from work and saw me trying not to pull my hair out he asked why I didn't just turn the damn thing off.  But I have sat through this crap-fest so that you don't have to.  Take my word for it.
Two thumbs down.

Keep Calm And Say Goodbye To 2013: A Random Recap

Another year has come and gone, and though 2013 was a really rough year for me outside of horror, I made it through and am looking forward to 2014!

The horror genre saw some really good strides, with tons of horror on the small screen (more on that in a bit) and some decent films as well.  I'll be the first to admit I didn't see as many as I'd like, but for the most part what I did see I generally did enjoy.

This is by no means your normal countdown of the yearly best.  Some of these films are not even from this calendar year, that just happened to be when I saw them. (So no nasty comments, please.) I just wanted to say goodbye to 2013 by giving my thoughts of what I saw, enjoyed, and could have lived without!

So here's my random rundown of what impressed me the most (and what made me throw up in my mouth a little bit, too!)

BEST HORROR EXPERIENCE OF 2013:   Seeing The Shining on the big screen.  I was just a little too young to see it in theaters when it came out in 1980, so the opportunity to see it this year (on the day before Halloween, no less) was one I couldn't pass up.  To see Jack's face that close when he exclaims, Heeeeere's Johnny! probably made my whole year.

In second place would really have to be The Walking Dead.  I have never looked forward to Sunday nights (because of their place in the week that is eversoclose to Monday morning and the ugly thought of going back to work). But at least I have TWD to make me forget about it for an hour or so.  This season, though great, had me in tears more than once when we lost several main characters.  Can't wait for February when we see where the story goes then! Onward!

The Conjuring

FAVORITE THEATER EXPERIENCE (BESIDES 'THE SHINING', OBVIOUSLY):  The Conjuring.  I saw this one a few weeks after it came out and was lucky enough to be the lone person in the darkened theater.  Love that feeling! And I was rewarded with a pretty solid spooky flick.  More, please.

Byzantium

TWELVE MOVIE
PURCHASES I'M HAPPY WITH:
1) Carnival of Souls: One of my all-time faves, I got the Criterion edition this Halloween. It never fails to creep me the hell out. One of the best ghouls ever.
2) Eyes without a Face: Another Criterion edition I picked up this year. With a ghastly plot like this one, you've got to have it on your horror life-list.
3) Sleep Tight: One of the more disturbing films I've seen in a while.  A quiet creep fest that will have you looking under your bed for sure.
4) Evil Dead (2013) : While not the best film of the year by far, I still think they did a decent job with the content. However, it doesn't hold a candle to the original. 
5) The Awakening: Old fashioned ghost story that has good atmosphere and a great score.
6) Byzantium: And it's back to real vampires, finally! Great relationship-vampire film, if that makes sense.
7) Maniac: This was the best remake I've seen in years, hands down. Gritty, grimy, and great.
8) The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh: From the founder of Rue Morgue magazine comes one of my favorite films of the year.  Just an ever-so-quiet movie with loads of atmosphere and an affecting story.
9) Oldboy: The original. Because I never owned it until now. Woot!
10) The Uninvited: The 1944 classic ghost story, Criterion edition of course! Waited for this release forever!
11) The Rocking Horse Winner: A pal from the UK turned me on to this oldie but goodie.  And when a film involves horror AND horse racing, it's a surefire winner (no pun intended) for me! (Thanks Pauline, btw!)
12) Cold Prey II: Because I'd been waiting FOREVER for this one!

Stoker

TEN FAVORITE NETFLIX RENTALS THIS YEAR:
1) Jug Face: From writer/director Chad Crawford Kinkle comes a backwoods tale of a community that worships a pit.  No, seriously.  And you have no idea what you're missing if you write this one off.
2) Dark Skies: Wasn't really expecting much from this one, but was surprisingly entertained and thoroughly spooked out. Finding a good movie about aliens or alien invasions is rather difficult to do.  This film will do quite nicely.
3) Kill List: From 2011, this British film seems a little all over the page, and has a rather surprising ending. But the violence is good, the story is wild, and the acting is very credible. Oh, and did I mention the ending??
4) Julia's Eyes:  A Spanish thriller from 2010, this one was recommended to me by The Mike of From Midnight with Love.  It's a bit of a slow burn, but it gets under your skin and is really a solid film.
5) The Bay:  Holy shit was this film disturbing.  I have this thing...this innate FEAR of creepy crawly things inside your body, and this movie almost did me in.  Everyone should see it - it makes a political statement while telling a ghastly story of a small town that has a growing problem...
6) Citadel:  I loved this movie. While I don't think it's for everyone, this little Irish film packed a punch and Aneurin Barnard's turn as main character Tommy may be one of my favorite performances in horror. A feeling of quiet, impending doom surrounds the entire film, an atmosphere which I can't get enough of.
7) The Call: Maybe I'll get some smack talk for putting this movie on this list, but I think it was a tight, exciting thriller with the added benefit of getting to look at Halle Berry (ever-important when trying to keep a husband awake through an entire film).
8) Stoker: This film really snuck up on me, and I think it was one of the best releases this year.  I certainly think it would have benefited from a different title, for I - like many I'm sure - originally thought it was a film about the author of Dracula. Just a beautiful piece of film making from Park Chan-wook.
9) World War Z:  Pretty shocked that I actually liked this one, considering I heard it was so different than the book, and the fact that I blatantly detest almost everything Brad Pitt has done.  But this one was fun!
10) All the Boys Love Mandy Lane: While I don't think I was as enamored with this 2006 release that finally made it to our screens in 2013 as many others were, I did appreciate the ending, as well as the music. It wasn't really all that unique in horror, truth be told.  But yeah, Amber Heard is all kinds of hot.

The Black Waters of Echo's Pond

SEVEN "WHY THE HELL DID I RENT THIS" MISTAKES FROM NETFLIX:
1) The Black Waters of Echo's Pond:  Lotta pond scum here, folks.  Sorry Danielle Harris but this one reeks of stinky excrement.
2) Evidence: Though I hear it was a decent film, I almost immediately got sick from the found footage-type effects.  I just cannot watch those films anymore.
3) The Purge: I wanted this to be decent.  Ethan Hawke's Sinister topped my list last year. But this film was an uninspired, prosaic addition to the home invasion sub-genre. I could see the ending coming a mile away. Very dull.
4) My Amityville Horror:  While I can't say I wasn't semi-entertained with this semi-autobiographical mess, watching Daniel Lutz make a case for himself for an intense need of counseling made for some pretty insipid viewing.
5) The Tortured: We just didn't need another movie that combines revenge horror with intense Saw-esque elements. Stop. Now.
6) The Possession: I was a little late to this party, and I should've skipped it altogether.  If you want a movie about a box, watch Hellraiser, not this ridiculous waste. Sorry Jeffrey Dean Morgan (you beautiful man!). Sorry producer Sam Raimi (I still love you) but.....UGH.
7) The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Which took place in.....Georgia?  Why in the name of all things good and sacred would someone use an awful sub-title like Ghosts of Georgia? In fact, why would they even use any of that title? I'm still trying to figure it out.

Mama

THE 'WHY THE HELL DID I BUY THIS' AWARD:
Mama: While it did have some creepy moments, I would have been satisfied renting from Netflix or watching it one of the three hundred times they have played it on HBO.

SIX FILMS I'M PRETTY GLAD TO HAVE MISSED AND HAVE NO INTENTION OF SEEING:
1) Carrie: Heard nothing good about this remake, sorry.
2) I Spit on Your Grave 2: Capitalizing on a film title assures us this will be crap.
3) Hatchet III: While I didn't hate the first one, I didn't lose my mind over it.  Never saw the second one, so there you go.
4) Bad Milo: I have enough stomach problems that I really don't need to see a flick about an intestinal demon that kills its host's enemies. Say what?
5) The Last Exorcism Part 2: Why was this necessary in life?
6) Pacific Rim: Heard nothing good, but how can they say that when Charlie Hunnam is the star? I'll just stick to Sons of Anarchy I guess.

Curse of Chucky

ELEVEN FILMS I MISSED SO I CAN'T CRITIQUE YET:
1) American Mary
2) The Complex
3) Insidious Chapter 2 (just bought it so we'll soon see!!)
4) Warm Bodies
5) Curse of Chucky (want to buy it since most people loved it)
6) We are what we are (remake, and I hear it's really good)
7) The Battery (another I can't wait to see!)
8) Antiviral
9) Oldboy (2013)
10) Berberian Sound Studio
11) Sightseers

The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh

MY FAVORITE THIRTEEN FILMS OF 2013:
1) The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh - As stated above, I really loved this movie. Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere!
2) Byzantium - Vampires have returned. With teeth and without conscience.
3) The Conjuring - The clap game? No thanks!
4) You're Next - Compared to The Purge, this home invasion film is the I-Ching.
5) Stoker - What a stunning piece of film-making, profoundly affecting.
6) Maniac - Hands down the best remake in nearly ten years.
7) The Lords of Salem - Stop hating Rob Zombie and just watch this damn movie!
8) The Invoking (aka Sader Ridge) - Independent horror at its best. Just a creepy, persistent film.
9) Jug Face - Another indie winner that will keep people out of the backwoods...again.
10) Dark Skies - I really liked this X-Files-ish aliens-among-us movie. Give it a chance!
11) Resolution - One man tries to save his drug-addled best friend in a run-down crack house in the woods. With unusual results.
12) Evil Dead - Admittedly, it's nothing close to the original and yet it still managed to entertain. Gotta give it props for that.
13) World War Z - Brad Pitt saves the world. Or at least tries to. Great popcorn horror. 


 

EIGHT FILMS I'M MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2014: 
1) Godzilla
2) 7500
3) The Green Inferno
4) Horns
5) Devil's Due
6) Oculus
7) The Quiet Ones
8) I, Frankenstein

Bates Motel

MY FAVORITE HORROR TV EXPERIENCES OF 2013: Even though it has been an absolutely banner year for horror on television, as mentioned previously I don't think anything could top my enjoyment of The Walking Dead this year, but two series came DAMN close.  American Horror Story and Bates Motel.
Finishing up in early 2013, AHS: Asylum was a rollicking good time thanks mostly to Jessica Lange's turn as Sister Jude.  She amped it up a little more in the fall as witch supreme Fiona when AHS: Coven came to the small screen to bring witches back to the forefront where they belong.  Throw in some voodoo tricks by Angela Bassett as Marie Laveau and Kathy Bates as the torturous, racist Delphine LaLaurie and it's a fine recipe of devilishness.
Bates Motel is the critically acclaimed series developed as a prequel to the 1960 film and stars Freddie Highmore as Norman and an excellent Vera Farmiga as his nurturing smothering mama. It's obviously a character-driven show, with enough frights to keep the viewer panting for more.  I love this show!

MY FAVORITE BOOK I READ IN 2013:  Joyland by Stephen King. 
King is my favorite author, so it was great to have him back at his best with this release in the summer of 2013. I still have Doctor Sleep on my nightstand to read and when all the hubaloo of the holidays is over I will get serious about this sequel to The Shining.  But Joyland was wonderful.  My review is HERE.

NON-FICTION READ:  Horror Films FAQ: All that's left to know about Slashers, Vampires, Zombies, Aliens and More by John Kenneth Muir.
Muir is one of my favorite genre critics. He's a great writer/blogger and a helluva nice guy. And this is an awesome book with loads of info and even a few tidbits that seasoned fans may not know. Makes a great gift, too!

FAVORITE GENRE MAGAZINE:  Gorezone! Back from the dead, this red-headed stepchild of Fangoria serves up a heaping helping of gore, violence, sex, and shock in every blood-soaked issue.  Available only by subscription, it is two tons of fun.

FAVORITE MOVIE SCORE:  Byzantium by Javier Navarrete.  Sometimes chilling, sometimes just plain beautiful. A perfect accompaniment to an afternoon of writing....or whatever you may be doing!  The version of The Coventry Carol and the pieces that sample it and weave around it are just haunting. 

Moonrise Kingdom

FAVORITE NON-HORROR FILM I SAW IN 2013:  Moonrise Kingdom.
I didn't get to see this one until January 2013, and watched it countless times this year.  It is one of the best movies I have ever seen.

Random Year-End Awards:

*THE "I CAN'T BELIEVE I SAT THROUGH THE WHOLE MOVIE" AWARD:  The Black Waters of Echo's Pond.  Gah! Nothing more I can really say about this bomb.

Maniac

*THE "SURPRISE! THIS REMAKE IS ACTUALLY GOOD" AWARD:  Maniac. An excellent, excellent redo of the 80's classic. Good job Elijah Wood! You made me forget Frodo for 90 whole minutes!

*THE "WHEN THE HELL IS THIS TITLE GOING TO GET A DOMESTIC RELEASE?" AWARD:  All The Boys Love Mandy Lane - A movie made in 2006 FINALLY makes it to American shelves.  Was it the almighty second coming of Christ? Nah. But it was a solid flick.

*THE "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS MOVIE ABOUT, ANYWAY?" AWARD:  Evidence. As I mentioned before, too much found footage. I couldn't sit through it and never really figured out what was going on.

Evil Dead

*BLOODIEST MOVIE I SAW IN 2013": Evil Dead (2013).  There was so much bodily fluid and blood in this one I doubt anything could compare.

*THE "IT BETTER BE AS GOOD AS EVERYONE SAYS BECAUSE I'M DAMN SICK OF THE HYPE' AWARD:  The Conjuring.  For weeks, no - months, I'd heard about this movie. Over and over. It was going to be so scary! Have you seen the trailer? Oooh, James Wan has done it again!  Well folks, it was pretty much all true.

*MOST CURIOUS TITLE OF AN UPCOMING FILM: Oculus.  I really have no idea what it's about but if it is the same Mike Flanagan that brought us Absentia, I'm there.

The Purge

*THE "SOOO DIDN'T LIVE UP TO THE HYPE" AWARD: The Purge. They advertised this film like a raped ape but it fell totally flat for me and countless others.  On the opposite side of the coin: The Conjuring, which did indeed, live up to the hype.

*THE "I REALLY DON'T GIVE A SHIT WHETHER I EVER SEE THIS" AWARD:  Again I say: Bad Milo. I know a lot of people have it on their year-end lists in the "like" column, but you'll have to forgive me this one.

*THE "I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL" AWARD: Honestly I can't think of a single film I would want a sequel for. But I'm sure there are several already in the works.... I know The Purge has one coming, among others. And that film was mediocre at best. Ugh...

Godzilla

*MOVIE I'M MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2014:  Godzilla. Premieres May 16, 2014. Bring it!

*MOST EXCITING NEWS OF 2013: Both Marie and I were asked to join the writing crew at Eli Roth's new horror app, which is bound to change the way we experience horror forever! So, go to the App store and download the new (FREE) app for iPhone (Android access is right around the corner!) and keep an eye out for our contributions amongst some of the best writers in horror! It's interactive, too - so anyone can post on the community boards and get involved!  Do it now!


*THE "THIS IS WHAT I'M WATCHING TONIGHT SO I HAVE TO GET OFF THE LAPTOP" AWARD:  Insidious: Chapter 2.  Time for a trip further into the further. /ch