This week, I’ll be talking a bit about the next round of movies I’ve watched for my October movie marathon. It’s been a wild month, so far, and full of interesting movies for the Halloween season!
1. Trick ‘r Treat This is one of my favorite movies to watch around Halloween-time. It’s a fun film; not a lot of anthology movies get it right, but Trick ‘r Treat is a perfect mix of funny and dark that definitely warrants multiple watches. Plus, little Sam provides a new entry as a horror icon that we didn’t know we needed. It contains various sub-genres of the horror genre that appeals to many audiences, so that only adds to its appeal. 2. The Omen (2006) I’ll admit, the remake to the classic religious horror The Omen is one of my favorites. It’s not necessarily memorable, but its modern take on Damien’s story as the antichrist, I think, was really well done. The imagery and suspense that builds throughout is sturdy and effective, and Schreiber and Styles’ performances as Damien’s parents are great, surpassed only by Mia Farrow as the horrific nanny. It’s dark, crisp, and seriously evil. The Omen is a fine remake that I do enjoy re-watching. 3. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers As inferior of a sequel as it is to its predecessor, Halloween 5 is still watchable. It’s not necessarily high on my ranking of the Halloween films; it doesn’t add anything spectacular to the series, and it seems to drag as a film, as a whole. If it was a bit more contained, it might have worked. Also, the whole “Jamie Trilogy” isn’t my favorite. She is a charming character, but her connection with Michael Myers feels out-of-place and forced. 4. Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers Wow, this movie always makes my head spin. It tries to be so many different things and fails to land any of them. I see what they were trying to do, with the addition of a cult that strives to keep Myers’ presence as a demented killer alive, but it falls flat and feels ultimately hokey. At this point in the series, Donald Pleasance was the only solid piece clinging onto this discombobulated puzzle. And that’s a stretch. 5. Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later This entry into the Halloween series isn’t specifically an eyesore; don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty insane, given its significance to the series (I can’t help but associate it with its sequel), but it holds no candles to the original two films. The return of Laurie Strode is the steel beam holding up this house of horrors. But it does feel rushed, given the fact that Curtis hadn’t been in any Halloween films in two decades. 6. Halloween: Resurrection God, this movie is bad. 7. Halloween (2007) I’m a fan of Rob Zombie, so that does put a bit of bias into my opinion of his reboot of the Carpenter classic. I do like his rendition of Michael’s character, his place in society, and the result of his upbringing being the main cause of his violence. It is over-the-top, as so in good ol’ Zombie fashion, but it does make us feel for the new Laurie Strode. Taylor-Compton’s rendition of the character is charming and, ultimately, badass. I don’t hate this installment, and it is one that I do find re-watchable. 8. Halloween II (2009) This film isn’t re-watchable. But, I had to remain consistent with my Halloween movie marathon, leading up to the new 2018 sequel to the original film. Zombie’s sequel to his 2007 remake attempts to add layers to an already over-stacked cake. The appearance of Michael’s mother with the white horse (and the horribly miscast re-cast of young Michael) is so horrible. It’s not something that adds to Michael’s character; it only muddles the film beyond recognition. I get that Zombie took creative liberties with the franchise, but this sequel was like hitting a home run, but returning to the field with the entirely wrong ball. 9. Halloween (2018) Knowing the rollercoaster-esque nature of Blumhouse, I went into the new Halloween with an open mind. Of course, I was excited, considering John Carpenter’s return to the series. But it did not disappoint. The score was fresh, while still heralding the classic theme, the plot was only minimally hokey (which I’m okay with, given the genre and the franchise as a whole), and Laurie Strode is a total badass. I will be writing a more formal review for this film, because I have a lot to say, but I will say this: Go see Halloween! It succeeds in wiping the Halloween slate (post the original film) clean, and I have no qualms with that. It’s a good Halloween film, and a good film, overall. I’ll see y’all next week for my third October movie update! -Ryan Buy Haunt here. Preview my books here. Find me on social here.
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Hi All,
The last few weeks have been quite a rush. I went to New York Comic Con last weekend, exhibiting at the Globe Pequot booth, and the prep work for that was, needless to say, time-consuming. Head to my social media channels to see some photos from the con! It was an awesome experience, and I would do it all over again (with the right amount of sleep afterwards, of course). Every October, I do my best to watch a scary movie a day throughout the month. Now, I say scary, but Halloween-related movies do apply, given the holiday, like The Nightmare Before Christmas, for example. I figured I’d update through my blog what movies I’m watching every day, and I’ll provide some thoughts. There is a special event happening this year, however, and that is the release of Halloween 2018, the sequel to the original 1978 John Carpenter classic. Anyone who knows me knows my love for Halloween, so my excitement for this new installation is through the roof. I’m planning on watching every movie in the series before the new one comes out, save the original (which I save for the 31st, of course!). Now, I am a few days behind because of NYCC, but here is my watch-list thus far: Wishmaster Wishmaster didn’t age well. I mean, it wasn’t a great movie at all, but it’s one of those that I can watch and laugh at and enjoy. Plus, the design of the Wishmaster himself is great; his voice alone is awesome. Andrew Divoff is perfect as the Djinn. While this film wants so badly to be Hellraiser, it’s still a good time. Under the Skin This was a first-time watch for me. The atmosphere of this film had me hooked from the start, and while it does feel like it drags at certain moments, it’s still a beautifully shot movie. Some might argue that this is more of a sci-fi and that it’s not scary at all—sure, I agree with that, but the tone, soundtrack, and imagery definitely have horror elements that I’d still say apply. At least, it still applies to my October marathon! All-in-all, I thought the film was great, save some specific moments that I won’t divulge in this thread. But Scarlett Johanssen’s performance wowed me; she did an excellent job playing this part. Night of the Living Dead (1968) It goes without saying that Romero’s classic is just that—a classic. This is one of those films I can watch repeatedly and love even more every time. I love Romero and Russo’s zombies, their exploration of humanity, and the fact that they sparked a trend that still continues to this day. This is a staple of the horror genre, for sure! The Mummy (1932) Ok, The Mummy is not the best of the Universal monster classics, but I enjoy the camp, and the set and monster designs are just so cool. Besides, this one is eons better than any other Mummy incarnation we’ve seen since. And Boris Karloff is a champion. I also can’t stop thinking about the scientist at the beginning, who watches the mummy come to life. As he walks off screen, the scientist breaks down into hysterics, laughing maniacally, unable to process what he’d just seen any other way. As goofy as it might seem, I still think it’s such a great scene. Halloween II (1981) As I’ve stated, I’m a sucker for the Halloween series. Yes, I know that basically none of the sequels to Carpenter’s original aren’t any good, but I love ‘em. The (first) direct sequel to the original is a close second for me. Sure, the characters are kill-fodder, the absence of a full staff at a hospital (on Halloween night!!) is wonky (like, where are the other patients?), and Michael’s familial relationship with Laurie Strode feels totally shoehorned in, but the movie is what it claims to be: a slasher. We get a guy hacking and slashing his way through helpless victims, and that’s all we need. Forget the fact that Michael is shot several times (again), or that he’s blown up and there are still sequels. He’s a horror icon, and I’ll keep watching until they stop making these movies. Halloween III: Season of the Witch This was my first time watching the movie all the way through. I think I agree with most complaints about the film, that it could have been great had it been written better and had it not have been filled with plot holes. This big block of Swiss cheese forgets about the existence of time zones, and it fails to make us care about the characters. But I will say, it goes above and beyond with gore and visuals. So it’s not a complete loss. But in terms of the series, it sticks out like a sore thumb. And Halloween: Resurrection exists (even though I don’t think anything can be worse than that one, here). Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers I’m going to start off with a note-to-self: Ryan, the Myers masks only get worse from here, and you’re aware of that. Pretty sure everyone is. For some reason, I remember this portion of the Halloween series being super scary, as a kid. But re-watching, all I see are scenes filled with the same lines: “Stay with me, I’ll protect you! But while I do, I’m going to need to leave you alone for at least 20 mins of screen-time, because logic is the name of this slasher game.” I love the trope of “one cop is in charge of protecting dumb teenagers from a killer who can unexplainably teleport, even though several cops are involved, and can help at any time.” Sigh. But, again, these movies are just fun. I’m hoping the new installment carries a bit more weight than anything after the first two original films, sans the Zombie remakes, which I don’t necessarily hate! That’s as far as I’ve gotten, so I’ll try to post Friday blogs more often this month, as opposed to every other week. October is a good month for Nothing Peak! Stay spooky, friends. - Ryan Buy Haunt here. Preview my books here. Find me on social here. When it was first announced that Valak, the demon from The Conjuring 2 that took the form a nun with razor-sharp teeth, would get its own spin-off film in the vein of Annabelle, I wasn’t exactly cheering for joy. It was a hard sell, considering that only one of the 4 “Conjuring Universe” films was exceptionally refreshing. But I’m not a cynic when it comes to horror films—I tend to love even the cheesier ones. Those that know me wouldn’t let me lie about owning copies of Pumpkinhead and every last Saw entry. I own ‘em, and I enjoy ‘em in all their goofiness. The best thing about horror is that you don’t necessarily have to take them seriously. It’s likely that any horror film you’re watching is in some shape or form paying homage to the classics that came before it. I guess it’s safe to say you know where I’m going with this review of the most recent horror hit: The Nun.
Directed by Corin Hardy (The Hallow), and starring Demián Bichir, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons, and Taissa Farmiga, The Nun follows a priest sent by the Vatican to investigate the bizarre death of a nun in Romania. Accompanied by a young woman about to complete her final vows to become a nun herself, the priest ventures into a realm much less holy than expected. I’ll be honest, the trailers and marketing for The Nun impressed me. I wasn’t too thrilled by the first Annabelle, but the second was surprisingly better than I initially thought it would be. So with the assumption that the studios and writers might have learned from past choices, and with the final jump-scare in that first trailer harkening back to Exorcist III’s iconic hospital scene, I figured I’d go into this movie with an open mind. And I have to say, while The Nun was no filmmaking feat, I did have fun with it. The film’s downfall was, for one, showing Valak far too much. Or at least by the end, I felt like the demon’s presence was overbearing. Considering the cool uses of shadow and perspective throughout, I was a bit disappointed that Valak didn’t do much else other than pop out and bare its fangs, like any mean Internet video from 2007. And at this point in horror cinema, if I see another crucifix hanging on a wall turn itself upside-down, I might just let Valak put me out of my misery. I do think, with the momentum of the Conjuring films and their creepy-crawling spider legs of spin-offs, this film did have potential to be something really cool. What did save The Nun from being a total Exorcist II (hey, that series had it’s up’s and down’s, even if it was mostly down’s), however, were the performances by Bichir and Farmiga, as well as the film’s refusal to take itself completely seriously. Yes, it did at times feel like spooky Shutterstock wallpaper on a Windows ’95 background, but it kept up the creep factor throughout to the point of slight hilarity, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sure, jump-scares are cheap and lazy, but I didn’t go into this film expecting The Witch. This wasn’t trying to be a literary period piece. This was an evil nun preying on fear from the shadows, which is all it really could be, given the lackluster writing and plot. It was campy fun disguised as Hereditary-esque lore and demonic factor, and ineffectively so. Needless to say, I didn’t expect much, and that allowed me to enjoy myself. And building upon my mention of the performances, Bichir and Farmiga aren’t winning Oscars for this one, but I’d still say they held their own in this film; I didn’t want their characters to be hacked off within the first half hour. Farmiga’s character was intuitive, and her useful curiosity fed the film’s scares. Bichir’s priest did feel a bit characteristic of most male characters in horror, going into every situation like he knows everything and definitely won’t be scared at all, nope, but in this case, they both felt like a pretty good pair. They supported each other and pretty equally saved each other from potential peril. All-in-all, if you’re looking for a fun Halloween-season movie, and you aren’t expecting the next Silence of the Lambs, you’ll enjoy The Nun. It’s a wobbly-placed stake in the chest of modern horror, but it still at least broke the surface. As for its place in this series of Warren-led films, I am a bit torn, given how it ties in, but I won’t spoil anything for anyone. Let me know in the comments what you think, and let me know what you thought of The Nun! - Ryan Buy Haunt here. Preview my books here. Find me on social here. Hi all!
As some of you may know, one of my poems from Haunt, "The Oldest Rules in the Book," is being included in a new poetry anthology published by Moon Tide Press. The collection, Dark Ink, is a compilation of poetry inspired by the horror genre, and I'm so excited to be a part of this project. The brains behind this book are super pumped for everyone to see it, and so am I! I wanted to promote this in my blog since the pre-order process is currently underway. You can pre-order Dark Ink: A Poetry Anthology Inspired by Horror here. The book is being published next month--like Moon Tide Press on Facebook for more updates! I’ll start off by saying that Andrea Gibson is one of my all-time favorite poets. Their words have struck a chord with me from the first time I listened to “Staircase” and “Photograph” when I was in high school, and since then, I’ve seen them live twice, own a few of their books, and have met them in person and given them a big hug. Andrea is kind, sincere, and vulnerable, and they use those qualities to their advantage in their work, allowing lightning to strike, charging every line with powerful energy. With the announcement of their newest book of poems Lord of the Butterflies releasing this fall, I wanted to post a review of my favorite collection of theirs, Pansy.
Pansy (2015) is a collection that grabs the reader by the hand and whisks them away into a world that doesn’t hold back. Pansy teaches them that, in order to survive, they mustn’t hold back, either. This is our world, one that leaves its mark on us in many ways, sometimes physical, sometimes painful. While Andrea does write and speak with beautiful metaphors and imagery in a calming voice that hugs you hard and holds you close, their poems remind us that yes, these are poems, but they are also snippets of a life. It is clear that Andrea has lived a rollercoaster of a life, but through it all, they still have the beautiful view in the distance in their peripheral. Amongst poems of heartbreak, sexual identity, and social upset, there are pieces that pay homage to Gibson’s dog Squash, for example, cooing, “Never had a better reason to / stop playing dead than that day / I saw your face at the shelter: / your little nose / pressed against the cold glass / staring up at me / like I was a gay Noah’s Ark.” I still think about the poem “The Madness Vase, AKA The Nutritionist,” an ode to life that cries to the heavens a culmination of hurt shared between us all, as the world cries back in the shapes of life and loss. But hope still peers through the cracks in each of Gibson’s works. “What I know about living is the pain / is never just ours. / Every time I hurt I know / the wound is an echo, so I keep listening / for the moment the grief becomes a window, / when I can see what I couldn’t see before.” I’d list every poem in the book, but if I had to pick some of my favorites besides those I’ve mentioned already: “Elbows,” “Angels of the Get-Through,” “To the Men Catcalling My Girlfriend While I’m Walking Beside Her,” “Plum,” and “Truce.” I could talk about each of Andrea’s poems, examining every sentence and every line. But I recommend reading them for yourself, even listening to the audio tracks on the album versions as you read along. Only then can you truly feel the emotions that are wrung from this poet’s hard-working lungs. I have learned a lot, not only about poetry and spoken-word, but also about myself, through their writing. There are so many words to say but no way to say them, without quoting each of their works to relay my feelings about them. I felt the same way when I met Andrea, a few years ago; barely able to formulate sentences because I had so much to say, I simply asked for a hug, and I wish I could give them a hug for each poem I’ve read of theirs, because they deserve it, for both their hardships and their achievements. Pick up a copy of Pansy, and don’t put it down, but maybe keep a box of tissues nearby, just in case. - Ryan Buy Haunt here. Preview my books here. Find me on social here. This past week was National Friendship Day. What screams “friendship” more than a good ol’ scary movie with some pals? If you’re anything like me, nearly any horror movie is at least entertaining to watch, if not a genuinely good film. It’s hard to find those in the horror genre. What’s even harder, though, is finding a movie that you can invite your friends, horror-lovers and non-horror-lovers alike, to watch. For example, you probably won’t invite just anyone to watch 2016’s literary period piece The Witch (or “The VVitch,” if you’re annoying). Robert Eggers’ slow-burn demonic drama isn’t a popcorn flick, and isn’t necessarily something you can chill out with friends and enjoy; nor is it a good background-noise film for parties. That’s not to say not just anyone can enjoy it, but you need to know what you’re in for, and I wouldn’t consider it “fun.” It’s not party friendly! But hopefully I can help, if you’re trying to plan a movie night that you can enjoy with friends of many tastes. Here are my top five.
Runners-Up:
Have I missed any horror films that you think would be a good fit to show to friends with many tastes? Comment some of your favorites and they might appear on future lists! Also let me know what lists you’d want to see next on the Nothing Peak blog. Until Next Time, -Ryan Buy Haunt here. Preview my books here. Find me on social here. Recently, I was given a copy of Cold Blue Steel, a collection of poems by Sarah Cortez that chronicles life as a street cop in Houston, Texas. This honest account is powerful. It’s full of fear, pride, humor, and truth. And its truthfulness provides for the reader a fly-on-the-wall position, one that is unbiased and vulnerable to everything this book throws at them. What it doesn’t sacrifice for the sake of content is its role as a book of poetry; Cold Blue Steel houses beautiful poems written by a talented poet.
The opening stanza of the first poem in the book, “After the Swearing-In,” sits you down firmly in a chair, points a finger at you, and tells you exactly what you’re in for: not only an account of police life in Houston, but an account of a woman who wears the badge. And these poems deliver exactly that—the reader can tell that Cortez was in the force without reading any bios. They can tell this wasn’t researched, nor was this a few-day attempt to try it out. This was a lived experience. That alone holds power. In the poem “Phil Says,” the titular Vietnam veteran tells the speaker, “Some things I don’t / want to remember.” Those lines echoed in my head even after I moved on to other pieces in the collection. And the stanza break that follows those lines infers that the speaker relates. The hardships and rawness that we experience through each poem makes those lines that much more understandable. Some of my favorite pieces besides the two I’ve mentioned are: “Miracle,” “Investigator’s Prayer,” “Headquarters,” “Poem for A Dying Officer,” “Tuesday AM,” “Dog Remembers Night,” and “Prayer of an Arson Investigator.” I’m so glad I was shown this book. It’s not one I would have picked off a shelf but Cold Blue Steel provides perspective without being preachy, given the combative state of current society. This is good poetry, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys poems or the subject matter. Sarah Cortez’s work speaks for itself, and her acclamations and achievements in poetry shine through each piece. - Ryan Buy Haunt here. Preview my books here. Find me on social here. Hello all,
Happy Friday the 13th, and welcome to the first post of my brand-new blog, Nothing Peak! This blog will be a place for me to share my thoughts in the form of reviews, post writing updates, promote events, and write about anything to do with poetry, horror, writing in general, and whatever else comes to mind. I’m excited to be writing more regularly, to not only keep the ideas flowing but also to remain consistent with my activity here on the site as well as on my social channels. I’ll be honest, I’ve been a bit neglectful of Haunt and the beams supporting it, but I’m happy to state that some exciting things are coming up--one being my first reading to promote the book! Check out the flyer below. You can look forward to Nothing Peak blog entries once every 2 weeks; the next post will be a poetry book review, which I can’t wait to share with all of you when the time comes. For now, I’ll leave you with a question, which I’ll try to do at the end of every post: What are some of your favorite blogs that you regularly follow? Let me know in the comments! - Ryan |
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