Holiday Movie Suggestions 2: Halloween

WARNING: The following movies I am reviewing are all extremely inappropriate for children. If you were hoping for recommendations for a family movie night, then this post is not for you. Feel free to read my first Holiday Movie Suggestions for Halloween back in 2016 for more kid friendly material. Thank you!

This year, Halloween landed on a Wednesday- smack dab in the middle of the week. So, I'm sure a lot of people celebrated the spooky holiday during the weekend, but if you're still in the spirit to rattle your bones with some creepy movies then you came to the right place. The following movies I'll be talking about aren't necessarily made specifically for Halloween, but could be watched around this time if you're looking to be disturbed. I have seen all of them fully.

I was to stress that these movies can be very shocking for most viewers, but I picked them because as  a viewer myself, they stood out to me. Whether they be for good or bad reasons, you'll discover shortly. I'd suggest watching any of these if you're looking to be scared, and not just a quick jumpscare. Like, contemplate life and human decency- terrified.

*All movie summaries are from Imdb.com*
.
.
.
.
.

OLDBOY (2003)

After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must find his captor in five days.

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HkjrJ6IK5E

Rating- R
Genre- action/drama/mystery
Warnings- disturbing imagery/extreme violence/body mutilation/swearing/attempted sexual assault/sexual content

'Oldboy' is an adaptation of a comic by the same name that was created by Nobuaki Minegishi. This movie is directed by Chan-wook Park and written by Garon Tschiya, and is about a man named Dae-su Oh (Min-sik Choi) who is suddenly freed from incarceration after over a decade. After his release, he vowed to kill the man who put him in his entrapment in the first place. 

Make sure that if you want to watch 'Oldboy' that you're checking out the original Korean version made back in 2003. While this is the only version of the story that I've watched, I've heard that Spike Lee's version in 2013 lacks what makes the original so great. This story will leave you speechless; you may think you know where it is heading but by the time you're done with it, it will stay with you for a while. I don't think it's anything enlightening where you learn a lesson about your own life, but rather makes you think of how disturbing everything gets as the story movies on.

The character is very tragic, but is no victim. He gets out of prison ready to fight and there are a lot of gruesome and well executed fight scenes that an action fan will love. The choreography is stellar, and it made me want to get out of my bed and kick some butt too. With violence usually comes some bloody and wince-inducing scenes and that's exactly what this movie gives you, so if you're uneasy by that idea then this isn't the movie for you. There are also sexual scenes including nudity and an intense, prolonged sex scene that could make one uncomfortable if they're viewing this with other people, so be aware of that before you even consider watching this for family movie night.

This is such a gritty, intense film that might leave you screwed up and numb by the end of it with its psychological twists. It might also make you confused as well depending on how you interpret the ending. I think it's worth it though; I'd recommend at least one viewing by yourself or maybe with some close friends who can bare a few uncomfortable moments. 

I give 'Oldboy' a 5 out of 5 stars.

TEETH (2007)

Still a stranger to her own body, a high school student discovers she has a physical advantage when she becomes the object of male violence.

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCGbdgm0B_Q

Rating- R
Genre- comedy/fantasy/horror
Warnings- disturbing imagery/extreme violence/swearing/body mutilation/sexual content/sexual assault

(Description on Poster: Every rose has its thrones)

'Teeth' is an American film that was directed and written by Mitchell Lichtenstein and it is one of the strangest horror comedies I've ever watched. When you think you've seen it all, something comes along to prove you wrong and at the time I watched this 'Teeth' was that movie that made me question whether I should admire or be disgusted at the writer's creativity. 

You can probably take a good guess by the poster and summary what the lead character's advantage is when fending off desperate men, and it's just as uncomfortable and shocking as you can imagine. This movie follows the life of Dawn (Jess Weixier) who is an active member of her high school chastity club, but after an encounter with a boy she discovers that she is the living example of a deadly myth.

I see this movie as an odd cautionary tale by how often Dawn is placed in uncomfortable situations with the male population. There are countless scenes where Dawn is learning more about her ability because of how often she is being assaulted by people. This alone can drive many people away from this movie as a lot of these scenes are visual on screen, and I remember part of myself regretting watching this. 

You just grow a distrust for any man on the planet by the time you're done with this film, but since this is a comedy I think what the writer was going for it an exaggeration on what actually occurs in real like and what people in those situations would love to do to their assaulters. If you take it that route and see this more as Dawn being a strong female character, then this movie can become very enjoyable for you. 

While the violence is enough to make you want to close your legs tighter together, some of the attacks are just so ridiculous based on the reactions of the victims and even Dawn, that it could illicit a laugh or two. I could definitely see how this is a comedic film, but for me, I was was growing sick seeing the constant mistreatment of the main character happening over and over. Still, it is a fairly cheesy movie that is out of this world that could be a laugh riot for you or a group of friends. Just note that this might deter you from having any sexual relations for a couple of days.

I give 'Teeth' a 3 out of 5 stars.

DEADGIRL (2008)

Two high school boys discover an imprisoned woman in an abandoned mental asylum who cannot die.

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU1oTQGRHCw

Rating- R
Genre- horror
Warnings- disturbing imagery/extreme violence/swearing/body mutilation/necrophilia/graphic sexual assault

'Deadgirl' comes from the mind of writer, Trent Haaga and is directed by Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel. This is a movie that would be alarming to the average viewer as it focuses mainly on someone who is not even alive. Two teenage boys discover a female body in an abandoned building that they come to realize while she is animate, she is also dead. What the boys decide to do with that body may leave you with your stomach churning- I know it did for mine. 

I don't know what I was expecting really; I had a feeling that this would dive into some dark areas of humanity that scares me the most because of how real some of the events in this movie can actually happen. The story follows each of the boys as they conflict over what should become of the dead girl, and the girl herself is the victim between their dispute. The story eventually expands to other characters who have their own intentions for the girl, and this ultimately ends up being this macabre observation on how easily people are swayed to act upon their impulses with the promise of pleasure.

This too is a movie where by the end of it you'll be disgusted with all of the male characters and wish nothing but hell for them. It desensitizes any sort of humanity they have, and unlike 'Teeth' it is not done as a way to be funny. It just is. 

The setting is awfully dull with dark aesthetics taking place mostly in the building where the dead girl is found. There are a lot of bloody scenes and scenes that are simply gross in its nature. You could probably imagine what would be gross about having a dead girl "alive" and all. There's also several scenes including terrible images of assault- physical and sexual.

I would recommend watching this if you have a strong stomach to brace for the duration of this movie. I wouldn't watch it again because I remember being so angry by the end and wondering why was it all necessary. All I could think of is the fact that people can be down right evil, and this is an example of how being vulnerable can motivate those people to commit heinous acts. This movie will leave you with a bad stomach, distrust for the male population, and a lot more questions asked than answered. 

I give 'Deadgirl' a 1 1/2 out of 5 stars.

ZOMBEAVERS (2014)

A fun weekend turns into madness and horror for a bunch of groupies looking for fun in a beaver infested swamp.

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR-SMWo0hHI

Rating- R
Genre- comedy/horror
Warnings- disturbing imagery/extreme violence/swearing/sexual content

(Description on poster: You'll all be damned!)

'Zombeavers' is a comedy horror flick that was directed by Jordan Rubin and also written by him, along with Al and Jon Kaplan. Judging by the title, I knew that I was in for a wild ride. You cannot tell me that you'd expect something serious from a title like 'Zombeavers' and you never do. 

It's about some stereotypical teenage friends who go on vacation to have fun on a campsite when they're suddenly faced with killer beavers. The beavers were actually terrifying to look at; obviously they look fake, but it still gives off a chill down my spine. Because of this, there are some bloody moments and moments where the victims of the beavers undergo some transformation that is even more scary to look at. However, you probably wouldn't care about who dies because what's usually associated with stereotypes? Little to no character arc.

These characters are carbon copies of either the typical get drunk and have sex teenager or the pure innocent virgin teenager. There's no in-between, but this movie does have a couple of plot twists that worked to its favor. Nearing the end, I wasn't sure about where this story would lead and with a story about killer beavers, it's not that hard for the movie to keep your attention. 

There was poor acting, but I'm sure that was just attributing to the comedy aspect of it. It might make you laugh, but I'm personally not a fan of acting that tries really hard to be bad that it's just bad acting in general. There is certainly at least one sex scene that is- again- used for comedic purposes but is still a little visually graphic. I would recommend this movie if you want to get a good laugh out of teenagers biting the dust to some animals. As funny as it can be, it's nothing a child should watch. It's better to watch with some good friends who you could joke with and rant about how you'd survive better than any of the characters in this film.

I give 'Zombeavers' a 1 1/2 out of 5 stars.

RAW (2016)

An innocent teenager, studying to be a vet, develops a craving for human flesh.

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFlXVX2af_Y

Rating- R
Genre- drama/horror
Warnings- disturbing imagery/extreme violence/swearing/cannibalism/sexual content

(Description on poster: What are you hungry for?)

'Raw' is a French movie that was directed and written by Julia Ducournau. It follows Justine (Garance Marillier) a girl just beginning her first year at a veterinary college when she is overcome with the desire for human flesh. I remember that it took me until the very end of the movie to figure out why in the world the lead would suddenly crave this, but if you were to watch this a second time the clues are several and nearly obvious. However, in relation to the first time I watched this I felt puzzled by the whole situation and the characters' actions didn't help at all.

In this universe, being a cannibal is uncommon yet everyone including Justine treats it as if she just got a paper cut and is just waiting for it to heal itself. I was shouting internally for her to just visit a nurse and see what the cause was for this behavior, but that never even crosses her mind. On top of that, practically every character you meet is unlikable and makes the viewing of this movie rather draining.

However, since I know that there are hints to the truth behind Justine's hunger for other human beings, I do like the mystery behind it. That mystery motivated me to continue watching and figure out what was happening- or rather why it was happening. Once the ending comes along, if you were as clueless as me then it would hit you like a bullet.

Even so, it's like a cycle: with one good thing about this movie, it brings me back to my faults with it. Once you know the twist, you wonder why certain characters acted a certain way in the first place. What happens to Justine could have been better avoided, but it's not, and that leaves me annoyed.

There's a lot of scenes that involve blood and dead animals, plus harm done to the human body, making it a lot of body mutilation for one movie. There are also some intimate scenes and a graphic sex scene that could make even the most sex positive person uncomfortable.

I watched 'Raw' because I heard a lot of praise for this movie, and while it's not the worst thing in the world, it just didn't sit well with me. The character motivations are unpredictable, the plot is mostly just build up to the twist which makes you question everything you just watched, but the cinematography is well done and some scenes provided a good sense of tension that still stick with me now.

I give 'Raw' a 3 out of 5 stars.