joel.'s top 13 horror films of 2018.... #11

Every year, you never know what the horror genre is going to unleash upon the world. You have an unsuspecting audience, just waiting to have their deepest and darkest fears manipulated.... all in the comfort of an air conditioned theater or their home. Not every year has been full of winners, some have proven to be better than others, but 2018 has yielded some very interesting genre fare that is full of a little bit of everything under the sun. My fellow creeps, I've put together what I feel (in my humble opinion) to be the best of the best for this year. There were a few that were nudged out by only inches and that's not a bad thing. It just proves that there are more stories to tell and makes me dream about all the amazing scares yet to come. So, without further adieu, I give you my top 13 horror films of 2018! (based on release dates and not the years they were filmed.... although some may be in the last quarter of 2017.)

11) 'The First Purge'

I have no shame in my love of 'The Purge' franchise. The first one didn't show us enough of the world that was built. The second and third, took us out into the open and slowly shifted to a more action based horror film. With a TV show and the fourth film, the series felt like it could be bordering on over saturation of the market. Once I finally saw this entry into the series, I felt like things were still alive and well. Despite mixed reviews and some hate being thrown its way, I felt like this kept the story moving forward and was worth being counted as a continuation of the series. What makes this all work, is that the world today is creepily close to reaching this outcome. I hope we never come to that, but in the meantime, it just cranks up the tension and makes this that much more frightening.



Suggested snack to eat while watching: something to binge on, before you purge

The Creepercast 'Halloween' Retrospective: joel talks about 'Halloween 2' (2009)

When Rob Zombie's 2007 vision of 'Halloween' ended, I really had no second thoughts that he would make a sequel. Instead, I imagined the studio finding a similar gritty film maker to pick up the mantle and begin a new cycle of Michael Myers madness. That's truly the thought that went through my mind. Then I saw interviews with him where he commented that he'd said all he needed to say and was stepping away in favor of other projects. Little did I know, that he did have more to say. Now, there's some debate as to whether the motive was creative or cash driven, but regardless of what your stance is on the whole topic.... Rob made a slasher film that was different from the original and very different from a lot of the sequels we've ever seen or even any other horror films we've ever seen. This time around, he wasn't going to follow the template that was laid out in the subsequent follow ups to Carpenter's first film. Rob Zombie was out to make a Michael Myers film that was truly all his own. Love it or hate it, this film exists now and you can't deny that it didn't leave a hell of a mark.

This film takes place, literally minutes after the first films ending. Just before that, we get a brief glimpse and a little foreshadowing of events to come, as a young Michael (not played by Daeg, as adolescence had made it impossible) hearing about the white horse. Cut to Laurie wondering down the empty streets, bloodied, bruised, broken and barely breathing. Sheriff Brackett finds her and rushes her off to the hospital, where you truly see the kind of havoc that was caused to her body by the night of terror she had just endured. Right off the bat, you know this is going to be something different. Meanwhile, the 'meat wagon' shows up to get Michael's body and transport him to the morgue. Along the way, the two paramedics (one played by the later cast as Doom Head, Richard Brake) share a little gallows humor before hitting a cow head on and crashing the truck. We quickly find out that Michael isn't dead and he's about to pick up right where he left off. We also see the vision of his mother and the aforementioned large, white horse. This is something that has divided fans across the board and was one reason so many of them felt like this film was not the follow up they were hoping for. It creates a backdrop for what's actually going on inside the mind of a killer. It's a bit of high art that isn't typically seen in your run of the mill cut em' up and for that, I give Rob credit. He took a big risk and for me, it proved to be something that makes this film stand apart. We then see Laurie in the hospital, recovering from the massive trauma she's just sustained, but her respite is short lived as soon Michael shows up and starts murdering everyone in his path back to Laurie. She makes it out of the hospital (note to the reader: the theatrical and unrated version differ pretty largely during this sequence) and to a guard outside. He attempts to calm her down and get her back to her hospital room. What happens next is one of my favorite visual scenes in the film, which is Michael in the rain. He kills, Buddy the guard, and then proceeds to kill Ms. Strode.... or does he?

She wakes up screaming and we come to find out that this was all a nightmare or at least parts of it. It's never clearly defined what actually happened, other than Michael showing up to dispatch her. Now, this is where the film really starts to shine. One of the two main reasons I will defend this film and consider it to be a worthy successor to his first outing is the portrayal of Sheriff Brackett, by Brad Douriff and with the way that we see the true repercussions of a killer on a rampage. We rarely see the collateral damage or what happens to the victim, post attack. About 95% of the time, the 'final girl' becomes a raging bad ass who will take on the killer, head on, in an act of vengeance and anger. While I can certainly appreciate and enjoy the empowerment of women in these scenarios, the reality would truly be something entirely different. Instead, we see a young woman who is fragile and traumatized by the events that transpired. She's not out to take on all the evil of the world, she's just trying to get her life back together. Just that alone deserves some credit. Instead, most of the viewers seemed to see this film as a confusing piece of cinema that didn't ring true for them. Why do we always have to follow the same formula? Horror doesn't have to be a cut and paste mad lib that just adds slightly different elements to create the same final product. If you do this too often, you become stagnant and the genre turns into something that people don't take seriously. Along her journey, we see Laurie in counseling and struggling with PTSD. We see her having difficulty having normal human interactions and trying to move past something that her small town society won't let her do. This is the reality that isn't normally shown. Again, for that, I give Rob all the credit. It's not pretty or what's expected, but it's more of what might be true to life in this horrific situation. Another point of deviation from the original is how Dr. Loomis goes from a loving and caring professional to a straight up media whore. As I said in my previous piece, he, in his own way, becomes a monster. Casing in on the tragedy of those around him for the sake of the almighty dollar. While I know that the initial take on the character from the original films was more of counterpoint to Michaels' mayhem, I like Malcolm McDowell's spin on him and his character arc.

During a scene where Mr. Myers is still roaming the countryside on his way to Haddonfield, we get the sense that perhaps he and Laurie are more than just linked by blood. When he decides to eat a dog that was caged with the three owners of the land he was trespassing on that he dispatches rather abruptly. As he's eating, so is Laurie. It's established that she's a vegetarian and while she's having her meat free pizza, she becomes violently ill, as if what Michael is eating is effecting her. It's never explicitly said, but rather implied throughout the film. After all of this, Michael sets up shop at the Rabbit In red, where his mom used to dance. Brutally slaying the owner, bouncer and dancer in one of the most vicious killings in both films. The murders in and of themselves aren't as gory, but the methods are just insane. I think because in a lot of ways, Michael is taking it out even harder on them because it's personal. They're not just random people. The next morning, Dr. Loomis releases his latest book that reveals that Laurie is in fact, Michael's little sister. This spins her out and while trying to drink away her problems, she spends the evening at a Halloween party with her two best friends. Once again, Michael picks them off one by one, until he ends up at the Brackett's, where he finally finishes what he started with Annie. Once again, there is an implication of more violent acts than what we're shown. It's one big point of contention I do have with this film. If what Rob is implying is what actually happened, it was unnecessary and completely out of character for Michael. I'll leave that up to your own interpretation. Things at this point go into overdrive as all of the world's come crashing together at a small shed where Michael has taken Laurie to be a family again. The standoff comes to an end with Sheriff Brackett, Dr. Loomis and an large fleet of police officers are looking for a chance to take him out. While it's interesting to watch, it doesn't end up holding the same weight as the end of the first installment. That brings us to the last shot of the film and the way the Rob ends it with almost no way for Michael to continue on and with Laurie set to take up the mantle. It's a bold choice and one that doesn't totally feel out of character, based on the events that led up to it's conclusion. In my personal opinion, it bookends nicely with the original film and always leaves me feeling like it was a complete story. With all the other original films, I always felt like there was one more movie yet to come and with the newest chapter being released this year with 'Halloween' (2018), I was right.

Love them or hate them, Rob Zombie's 'Halloween' films are two stand alone pieces in an alternate reality to the one we grew up with. I found them to be gritty masterpieces of modern horror. Telling an entire lifetime of story in a mere (roughly) four hour window of time. There is a beginning, middle and ending that tie up any lose ends and leave me feeling satisfied. His choice of music, set design, actors, costuming, color pallet, right down to the best version of the mask we've seen since the original.... he puts his passion on a plate. I know that I'm in the minority with my feelings on these films and I'm okay with that. As I said at the beginning of my two part retrospective, I'm a Rob Zombie fan, no two ways about it. However, that's not the only reason that I love these films. I love them for what they are. The original films were a tale of a modern day boogeyman that started out with a two part bang, but quickly faded into a rather wimpy shadow of what he once was. These films brought him back to life for a new generation and made him terrifying again. I think we can all agree that John Carpenter's original 1978 film is a masterpiece of horror that did something that was new and unique. I feel that these were a love letter to those first few films, but bravely paved a new path to set itself apart of it's predecessors. That's the legacy that these film will leave behind..... or maybe it's just me?



We continue to look back in retrospect at the Halloween franchise films that we have loved, or at least found entertaining, before they cease to exist with the release of the new Halloween II on October 19th.

my thoughts on.... 'Victor Crowley'

As with all of my reviews of films for The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....

Adam Green, oh how I love your work. You never let anyone get in the way of what you want to do, which is usually something steeped in your love of the horror genre. Your 'Hatchet' series was a love letter to the 80's over the top slasher genre that took things to another level of insanity, but in a good way. Granted, I'm not the biggest fan of the Victor Crowley design, however, that's a minor hang up. You consistently get staples of the genre to join you in your madness, as your 'Hatchet Army' wallows in the fruits of your labor. In this 4th installment in the series and a re-branding of the franchise, Adam continues to do things his own way. This time, there seems to be a much lower budget, but he makes use of every dollar to make an incredibly fun film that features some of the mainstays and plenty of new faces to get ripped off. I think the best way to describe Adam's body of work is, “Metal”. There's a certain air to his projects that just feels like a heavy metal concert. Not just his use of metal icons, (I'm looking at you, Dee Snider in 'Holliston') but the way he presents his films. He also loves to blend a healthy dose of comedy among all the blood, guts, gore and icky stuff. It gives the audience a chance to breath and to laugh a little at the pure craziness that's unfolding before them. In 'Victor Crowley', he has some genuinely laugh out loud moments that are undeniable. By now you can probably tell that enjoyed this film. It's no secret that I'm a fan.

This time around, it's been 10 years since Victor Crowley's last rampage. No one has seen or heard from him and it seems like maybe he's gone forever. In the time that's passed, the Honey Island swamp has become a tourist attraction. People flock from miles around to visit his old stomping grounds. There are even toys in his likeness. The only survivor, that's telling the tale, is Andrew (played by Parry Shen). He's written a, somewhat factual, book on the events that nearly took his life. While on a promotional book tour, he's offered the opportunity to go back to the swamp and do an interview. Hesitant at first, he eventually gives in, when the money is too good to pass up. Meanwhile, a trio of indie horror film makers are trying to get their film adaptation of the massacre off the ground. They try and enlist Andrew to be a part of it, but he's already on his way out the door to the swamp. They head to the same destination to make a mock trailer of the film to get funding. While they're there, they begin playing the chant on YouTube that was used to bring him back from the dead. Not realizing that by doing this, they're starting the whole cycle over again. As Andres is on his way there, his plane crashes in the swamp. The trio goes to help and thus the rebirth of Victor Crowley begins.

While this film truly feels like it's on a budget, that doesn't make it any less enjoyable or entertaining. Adam utilizes minimal sets and actors, to increase the amount of blood shed and money shots. There are a few missteps in terms of special effects, but overall it's above par. This is one of the biggest draws of these films though. The over the top gore. With the 'Hatchet' films, there is zero subtlely when it comes to the violence. It's almost to the level of a Road Runner cartoon, but with entrails and eyeball gouging. It legitamtely feels like an 80's slasher film ala Tom Savini in his prime. While that may light a lot of us onlookers fire, there are some other horrific moments that don't require a blood pack or innards. Case in point, a drowning. Adam does his best to drive the point home so that when the death finally happens, it has meaning. It doesn't quite get to that level, but kudos to him for trying. He also pulls out all the stops with some fun casting choices, Kane Hodder ('Friday the 13th'), Laura Ortiz ('Holliston'), Brian Quinn ('Impractical Jokers'), Felissa Rose ('Sleepaway Camp'), Tiffany Shepis (anything low budget horror, probably has Tiffany in it), Jonah Ray ('Mystery Science Theater 3000' from 2017), Tyler Mane ('Halloween' 2007 and 2009), Adam Green (makes a cameo), Joe Lynch ('Holliston') and even Tony Todd ('Candyman') makes a comeback of sorts. Also, if you stick around through the credits, you might find another surprise. If that's not enough to get you interested, then you're reading the wrong blog.

At the end of the day, this is another decent entry in his incredibly fun franchise. If you don't mind spending almost the entire movie in or around a crashed, tiny airplane. If you like your horror on a budget. If you enjoy a solid laugh, while peeing yourself a little at the horror. If any of those things seem like something you'd dig, then this is a movie for you. It's a prime example of a film where you kind of shut your brain off at the door and just enjoy the hour and a half with old friends. It's a film that you can watch with your other Creepercast friends and share in the glow of a genre fanatics love letter to his fans. This film felt like Adam was paying tribute to his followers and thanking them for sticking by him for all these years. He didn't have to go back to the well, but I think we're all a little better for it. We don't have enough film makers in horror that just kind of do something for the sake of doing it. You can't have prime rib every night of the week forever. Sometimes you need some cotton candy. Something light and sugary to cleanse your palette. A treat that makes you feel like a kid again. That's what 'Victor Crowley' is. As long as you go into it with that mentality, then you won't walk out disappointed. I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars, for being the perfect piece of bloody candy. If you're a fan of the first three films, this may feel a bit unfinished, but I have a feeling that we're going to get another sequel at some point. If Jason Voorhees taught me anything, it's that you can't keep a good villain down.



If you like this, check out: 'Hatchet', 'Hatchet II' and 'Hatchet III'

my thoughts on.... David Gordon Green and Danny McBride's 'Halloween'

Ever since Michael Myers first stalked the babysitter in 1978's horror defining classic, 'Halloween', we've longed for a return to form and a decent follow up in that original franchise. 'Halloween 2' is about the closest they ever came to a proper follow up to the original, with sequel after sequel continuing to further take the story away from it's roots. To make Michael less and less frightening and more about how messed up his mask can get. However, I'm going to leave Rob Zombie's take on the series, out of this conversation. To me, they are 2 films unto themselves. Neither carrying on the story that started so many years ago, but rather to tell the story from another perspective. Granted, I'm a huge fan of Rob's work and feel that those 2 films are great examples of how to take something and make it your own. Love them or hate them, they are what Rob wanted them to be. A boogeyman built for a new generation.

With John Carpenter's masterwork slowly losing it's credibility over the years, fans have clamored for someone new to take the helm and bring us all back to basics. A streamlined piece of horror cinema that relies as much on music and mood, as it does murder and mayhem. There have been many rumors and whispers amongst horror fans for years. There have been fan films and comics and merchandising galore. There is no doubt that Michael has just as much power over the public now, as he did back in the late 70's and early 80's. People love him. In the past year or so, there were talks of John Carpenter traveling back to Haddonfield for role as producer in a new 'Halloween' installment. The buzz around this was insane. Fans were ready for him to resurrect the monster he created and to bring him back to form. Over time though, things kind of quieted, until this week. The new word on the street is something a bit unexpected. It was just announced on February 10th, that David Gordon Green (Stronger, Our Brand Is Crisis, Joe, Pineapple Express) and Danny McBride (Alien: Covenant, Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals) were in talks to bring 'Halloween' back, but they're not alone.

Now, unless you've been under a rock for the past decade, this is kind of an unusual pairing of ideas. Taking a couple of guys who don't have any real experience in the genre and handing them the keys to the kingdom. But wait, is that a bad thing? Another unlikely horror hero came out of the woodwork a while back and has been breathing life into the genre. None other than Elijah Wood. Yes, THAT Elijah Wood. It turns out, that the man is a horror fiend and ever since dipping his toe in the pond, he's been creating some pretty amazing stuff. For example, 2013's remake of 'Maniac' or 2014's 'Cooties', just to name a couple. He's also created his own production company and has been championing scary movies left and right. If this doesn't give you a little bit of hope, that two other non-fright films kind of guys, might be able to create something good.... I don't know what will. It's been proven time and time again that some of the most unsuspecting people will surprise you with how truly terrifying they can be. Maybe it's time we got a fresh set of hands on this franchise?

Danny McBride, when talking about what their 'Halloween' would be, had this to say: “You know, it’s not a remake. It’s actually, it’s gonna continue the story of Michael Myers in a really grounded way. And for our mythology, we’re focusing mainly in the first two movies and what that sets up and then where the story can go from there. Green and I are definitely going to [do] a straight-up horror. Halloween has always been one of my favorite movies of all time. There’s a simplicity and an efficiency to that first one that I think allows the movies just to be scary as hell. And so Green and I, our approach is to get back to that.” He continued on to say, “David and I are thrilled to step outside of our comedic collaborations and dive into a dark and vicious horror. Nobody will be laughing.” Right there, I get a little bit of goosebumps thinking about the prospects. Granted, 'Texas Chainsaw 3D' was the wrong way to continue a story from a fixed point in time, but if it's done right, it could be pretty amazing. Malek Akkad was even quoted, talking about the project: “It’s been a long journey with many starts and stops, but I can honestly say that I’ve never been more excited than by the team that we have assembled for the new ‘Halloween’. I truly feel this film will thrill fans, old and new, as well as being a high point in this legendary franchise.” I'm ready to see what this team might come up with. With John Carpenter still in the executive producers chair and possibly even heading up the music, and Malek Akkad behind it all, then I say let's give someone else a chance to play in this iconic sandbox. I'm ready for Michael to get back to his roots. What say you, Creeps?

My #7 pick for best Horror films of 2016 By William S. Mayfield

Sequels, yea that's a good word and sometimes it's a bad word but this time it's a very good word.

The Conjuring 2 follows Ed and Loraine warren after the events of the first movie with the Amityville house. They are called to England by a mother who is at her wits end because of the thing terrorizing her children. Now, this story is based on the Warrens case and this one did get a lot of attention back in 1977. It was referred to as The Enfield Haunting and affected Peggy Hodgson and her children. There is a subplot of a demon that has attached itself to Lorraine on a previous case and she deals with this during her time in London. The movie has some very disturbing visuals and has a damn good story. There were a few jump scares, but to me they were well placed the sound effects were very disturbing. All in all The Conjuring 2 delivers, for what it is, especially a sequel.

News: The Predator: Upcoming Sequel Gets New Release Date

via iHorror

Despite an up-and-down history of sequels and spin-offs, sci-fi/horror fans continue to hope that one day a new Predator film will come close to the sublime glory of the original 1987 John McTiernan masterpiece. The latest entry into the Predator canon is simply titled The Predator, the hotly anticipated brainchild of respected writer/director and occasional actor Shane Black.

The man behind recent theatrical action/comedy The Nice Guys, Black played Hawkins in the original Predator film, and has gone on to write and/or direct such memorable projects as Lethal Weapon, Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and of course cult classic The Monster Squad. Plot details on The Predator are still scarce, although Black has confirmed that the titular creature will receive a badass redesign for the film. A return by original hero Arnold “Dutch” Schwarzenegger has also been teased, but not officially confirmed.

Up until this week, The Predator was set to stalk theaters on March 2nd, 2018. In a move sure to please fans, FOX has now bumped the sequel’s release date up nearly a month to February 9th, 2018.