Month: October 2018

31 Scary Movies: ‘[REC]’

Jeff Mitchell

“[REC]” (2007) – This Spanish horror film – that spawned three sequels and an American remake (and sequel) – generates plenty of fear with its effective documentary-style screenplay, but “[REC]” is a frightening concept, no matter what method is used to convey its story. Local television reporter Angela Vidal (Manuela Velasco) is after a story too!  She’s the host of “While You’re Asleep”, and tonight, she’s filming – with her cameraman Pablo (Pablo Rosso) – the Bravo 128 Fire Company. They will document how firemen live, work, and eat! With…

31 Scary Movies: ‘Slither’

Jeff Mitchell

“Slither” (2006) –  Alien wormlike parasites terrorize the folks from Wheelsy, a sleepy little town in the U.S. South, but a local named Grant Grant (Michael Rooker) is the most adversely impacted in this monster invasion-zombie-comedy mash-up. The film includes buckets of ghastly and twisted body horror that rivals “From Beyond” (1986), but also includes plenty of hilarious discourse and two appearances of Air Supply’s “Every Woman in the World” (1980). Not too many writer/directors could make this cinematic concoction work, but James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014), “Guardians…

31 Scary Movies: ‘High Tension’

Jeff Mitchell

“High Tension” (2003) – This savagely violent picture from France innocently begins when Alex (Maiween Le Besco) invites her college friend Marie (Cecile De France) to her family’s farmhouse for rest and relaxation. This big and beautiful home – surrounded by corn fields, a clothesline in the backyard and a welcoming family inside – seems like a Norman Rockwell painting that has come to life. Mayhem, however, is soon to follow, and director/co-writer Alexandre Aja splatters buckets of blood all over the pristine aforementioned figurative artwork.  Aja doesn’t shy away…