New Blood

Just finished rewatching Con Air on Tubi and it was a lot of fun. Probably haven’t seen it since the late 90s. It had a great cast and went by pretty fast even though I thought the ending was tacked on and dragged the film a tad. Overall I really enjoyed this loud stupid movie. Although it doesn’t take the prize of best 90s action film like I’ve heard people talk about. That honor goes to Stone Cold and Parole Violators!

Just watched THE GHOST OF PETER SELLERS on Criterion Channel this morning and if you like documentaries about disastrous movie productions, check this out. It's directed by Peter Medak (The Ruling Class, Changeling) about his failed pirate film GHOST IN THE NOONDAY SUN [1974]. It starred Peter Sellar who was absolutely insane on the set and that was just part of all the problems that had started from day 1 in production. I loved this.

My Top 30 Favorite First Time Watches of 2021: 1. Three Colours: White [1993] 2. Six String Samurai [1998] 3. Smiles of a Summer Night [1955] 4. Hana-bi [1997] 5. A Lonely Place [1950] 6. Kill List [2011] 7. Fade to Black [1980] 8. Beau Travail [1999] 9. Invasion of the Body Snatchers [1956] 10. The Big Country [1958] 11. Three Colours: Blue [1993] 12. Three Colours: Red [1994] 13. Switchblade Sisters [1975] 14. Master of the Flying Guillotine [1977] 15. Patrick Still Lives [1980] 16. Liquid Assets [1982] 17. Deadbeat at Dawn [1988] 18. Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! [1965] 19. A Bay of Blood [1971] 20. Demolition Man [1993] 21. Deranged [1974] 22. Bubba Hotep [2003] 23. Skin Flicks [1978] 24. Blood Games [1990] 25. From a Whisper to a Scream [1987] 26. Prisoner of Paradise [1980] 27. Thunder Road [1958] 28. Carny [1980] 29. Toys Are Not for Children [1972] 30. Slither [2006]

Nice list! I really went back and forth on Night and Day. I really love the atmosphere of Night and the pure nihilism of Day. There's a good chance I could switch to Night when I do this list again next year to see what changes. As for Hellraiser 2, I love how much bigger the vision of the film is compared to the first (which I almost picked as well). It took that queasy feeling of the first and ramped it up and I love the vision of Hell in this. It rivals that of Jigoku in my opinion. As for not having Psycho, Seven or Silence of the Lambs is that I really like those films, I just haven't seen them in over a decade. I need to rewatch them sometime in the next year. How does everyone else feel about Michael Powell's Peeping Tom? I really liked that but haven't seen it in forever as well. I know alot of people argue that it's better than Psycho.

Here are my Top 100 favorite horror films. Just to get more films in the list, I tried to keep it one film per series/franchise with one exception (Halloween III). 100. The Autopsy of Jane Doe [2016] 99. Burial Ground [1980] 98. Baba Yaga [1973] 97. The Crazies [1973] 96. Audition [1999] 95. Gozu [2003] 94. Black Roses [1988] 93. Tucker and Dale vs Evil [2010] 92. Sugar Hill [1974] 91. Nightmare [1981] 90. Dead & Buried [1981] 89. Blood and Black Lace [1964] 88. Amityville II: The Possession [1982] 87. House by the Cemetery [1982] 86. Mountaintop Motel Massacre [1982] 85. Blood Rage [1987] 84. The Mutilator [1984] 83. Night of the Demons [1988] 82. Re-Animator [1985] 81. The Conjuring [2013] 80. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon [2006] 79. The Poughkeepsie Tapes [2007] 78. Lake Mungo [2008] 77. The Wicker Man [1973] 76. Slumber Party Massacre II [1987] 75. Who Can Kill a Child? [1976] 74. Witchfinder General [1968] 73. What Have You Done to Solange? [1972] 72. Burnt Offerings [1976] 71. Nosferatu the Vampyre [1979] 70. Race with the Devil [1975] 69. Grave Encounters [2011] 68. Let the Right One In [2008] 67. Pieces [1981] 66. The Devil Rides Out [1968] 65. Alice Sweet Alice [1976] 64. Cat People [1942] 63. The Blair Witch Project [1999] 62. Let’s Scare Jessica to Death [1971] 61. Eraserhead [1977] 60. City of the Dead [1960] 59. Angst [1983] 58. Possession [1981] 57. Society [1989] 56. Frankenstein [1931] 55. Jigoku [1960] 54. My Bloody Valentine [1981] 53. The Haunting [1963] 52. Kwaidan [1965] 51. Let Sleeping Corpses Lie [1974] 50. Pumpkinhead [1988] 49. The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh [1971] 48. Creepshow [1982] 47. Don’t Go in the House [1980] 46. Mandy [2018] 45. City of the Living Dead [1980] 44. Day of the Dead [1985] 43. Tombs of the Blind Dead [1985] 42. The Curse of Frankenstein [1957] 41. The Fog [1980] 40. Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key [1972] 39. All the Colors of the Dark [1972] 38. Don’t Look Now [1973] 37. From Beyond [1986] 36. The House on Haunted Hill [1959] 35. The House of the Devil [2008] 34. Carrie [1976] 33. Tourist Trap [1979] 32. The Witch [2016] 31. The Black Belly of the Tarantula [1971] 30. The House with the Laughing Windows [1976] 29. Don’t Torture a Duckling [1972] 28. Martyrs [2008] 27. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer [1986] 26. Halloween III: Season of the Witch [1982] 25. Trick R Treat [2007] 24. Martin [1976] 23. Torso [1973] 22. Demons [1985] 21. Black Christmas [1974] 20. The Changeling [1980] 19. Deep Red [1975] 18. The Brood [1979] 17. A Nightmare on Elm Street [1984] 16. Alien [1979] 15. Phantasm [1979] 14. The Return of the Living Dead [1985] 13. Videodrome [1983] 12. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter [1984] 11. Suspiria [1977] 10. Maniac [1980] 9. Tenebre [1982] 8. Halloween [1978] 7. The Thing [1982] 6. The Exorcist [1973] 5. The Beyond [1981] 4. The Evil Dead [1981] 3. Hellbound: Hellraiser II [1988] 2. The Shining [1980] 1. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [1974]

Here are some of the horror films I’m looking forward to seeing for the first time this spooky season:

I’m really looking forward to this!

I really enjoyed this film. It’s basically a faux local tv broadcast of a Halloween special of a news reporter going through a supposedly haunted house. Throughout the film has commercial breaks as if it’s an old vhs tape that was found. I really enjoyed the commercials but found them to be too repetitive. It’s a blast! Looks like Terror Vision Films will be putting it out on blu ray next month.

So this week I got my Halfway to Black Friday haul from Vinegar Syndrome and my Barnes & Noble 50% Criterion & Arrow Video haul in the mail: Vinegar Syndrome: Six String Samurai Angel Champagne & Bullets (aka Road to Revenge/Geteven) Televised Terror Volume 1 box set Forgotten Gialli Volume 1 Murder Weapon/Deadly Embrace Nightmare Sisters Don't Panic Fade to Black Hitcher in the Dark Unmasked Part 25 Criterion Collection: The American Friend Hearts & Minds Two Lane Blacktop Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! Arrow Video: Edge of the Axe Switchblade Sisters The Witch Who Came from the Sea The Crazies What Have You Done to Solange?

Revisiting a bunch of comic book movies looks like a fun project my wife and I will take soon. Here is a rough Top 30 of my current favorites that will probably change as I watch more: 30. Deadpool 29. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm 28. Sin City 27. American Splendor 26. A History of Violence 25. Oldboy 24. Conan the Barbarian (1982) 23. Ichi the Killer 22. Fist of the North Star (1986) 21. Lady Snowblood 20. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) 19. The Wind Rises 18. Snowpiercer 17. Captain America: Winter Soldier 16. Batman Returns 15. Cemetery Man 14. Baba Yaga 13. Logan 12. Joker 11. Dredd 10. Guardians of the Galaxy 9. The Addams Family (1991) 8. Batman 7. Akira 6. Scott Pilgrim vs The World 5. The Crow 4. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns 3. Ghost World 2. Ghost in the Shell 1. Lone Wolf and Cub Unofficial #1: Creepshow. While not based off an actual comic, it presents the look and feel of the old horror comics like Vault of Horror and Tales from the Crypt.

I spent some money on the Vinegar Syndrome sale. Beware My Brethren Blue Vengeance Taboo Ms. Magnificent Best Friends Liquid Assets L.A. Wars

I whittled my to watch list down to films I have a strong feeling could end up on my ballot and a few others I really want to watch:

I thought horror this decade was ok for the most part. There’ll be a decent chunk of them on my ballot. The Autopsy of Jane Doe Berbarian Sound Studio Bone Tomahawk The Conjuring 1 & 2 Get Out Greasy Strangler Green Room I Saw the Devil It Follows The Lords of Salem Mandy Train to Busan Under the Skin Us We Are What We Are (2010 & 2013) The Witch (top 5 contender)

I think documentaries have been the strongest genre of the last 20+ years. With how affordable film equipment have become and the amount of interesting voices that are out there, there’s so much to choose from. Here are some that will make my ballot: The Act of Killing Exit Through the Gift Shop Holy Hell I Am Not Your Negroe The Invisible War Jiro Dreams of Sushi Jodorowsky’s Dune Memphis Heat: The True Story of Memphis Wrasslin’ Nostalgia for the Light Project Nim Rewind This! Searching for Sugar Man Tickled

I really loved Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai. I loved the 1960s original and loved Miike’s remake. This will be a top 10 pick for me. The Blade of the Immortal is another great samurai film. I Saw the Devil is another top contender for me. Incredibly bleak and horrifying. Incendies the film that put Denis Villeneuvre on the map before Prisoners. The Skin I Live In really hit me in the gut when I first saw it. Big fan of Almodovar. Tyrannosaur great film about anger. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives The World of Kanako was another gut punch for me when I watched it for the first time last year. A great film about just how little a parent can know about how awful their child can be.