It's finally here, the final week of Creepy Cinema 2012. I never thought I would ever reach this day. I've learned a lot of new things after spending the month of October devoted to scary movies. I realized that anything scares me. It doesn't matter if it's just a cat running across the screen, a few scary notes or an actual monster, I'm frightened. Also, I learned that my actual scream is scarier than the films themselves. Markus told me many times that I get scared too easily, and when I yell, it scares him more than the actual movie.
1. Grabbers (2012)
This is meant to be a horror comedy in the same vain as Shaun of the Dead. I was sorely disappointed with Grabbers. It was neither funny nor scary. There were a few funny lines and a few scary bits, but nothing too extraordinary. Once they showed us the creature, which was early on, it took away the mystery of the unknown. I think that's what's great about movies like Alien and The Thing. They both have this terrible monster, but they slowly reveal it to you, and they keep you in suspense which adds to the terror that you feel. When movies show the monster right away, you feel less invested and just want to get to the conclusion.
Grabbers is an Irish film and was produced by the Irish Film Board and I think that they had a huge part in the look of the film. There were so many sweeping shots of beautiful Irish landscapes, which was the best part of the movie by the way. Ireland is absolutely stunning and gorgeous, and the only feeling I had at the end of the film was an extreme desire to visit Ireland.
2. Let Me In (2010)
I'm so glad that we waited to watch this the last week of Creepy Cinema 2012. Let Me In is an innocent and moving film with a beautifully written story. It was such a well crafted story that really resonated with me. The main character, Owen, is a young boy, who is living each day as it comes. He's awkward, he's bullied and he's lonely. He's searching for someone to understand him, to accept him and this is something that everyone can relate to.
There is a darkness to this story but it is peppered with sweetness and innocence. The two lead actors are so believable, and really made me feel for their characters. Chloe Moretz is such a great actress and she's so young. She really captured the emotion of a young girl that is caught between being a child but also a terrible monster. Even when she was doing terrible things, I still couldn't help but pity her. I felt as though it truly wasn't her fault for being what she was, and that she had no choice. This film really humanized the "monster," and made me feel nothing but empathy.
3. Devil's Backbone (2001)
This is a Spanish film that was directed by Guillermo del Toro. Usually, I like his films, they aren't my favorites, but he they're always enjoyable. They always have a certain look to them. They're always chock full of fantastical creatures and curious oddities. Visually, his movies are always stunning and unlike anything out there.
Devil's Backbone didn't have the stunning visuals that I'm accustom to in a Guillermo del Toro film, but it still had that touch of the supernatural and creepy. It's set during the Spanish Civil War in a boy's orphanage. The orphanage is haunted by one of the previous orphans who passed away through unknown causes. The story itself is quite interesting and a bit of a mystery. It didn't take long to figure it all out and after about an hour, the movie drags. I think if the running time was cut by 30-45 minutes, this could've been an amazingly tight and touching film. Instead, it's a Spanish ghost story that runs on too long and gets a bit boring for my taste
Well, that completes Creepy Cinema 2012. I surprised myself because I genuinely enjoyed this month. I liked a lot of the movies we watched and found some new favorites. It was exciting to be able to see how my other half lives. Now, I understand why Markus enjoys these kinds of movies and I might be more open to watching more films like these apart from Creepy Cinema month. Although, currently I don't know how much more my nerves can take.
Introduction, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Hotties of Creepy Cinema