Aliens - 1986

I watched the original Alien for our first ever Creepy Cinema back in 2012. I loved that movie and it was everything I wanted in a horror film. To quote myself, “I spent half of the movie screaming, even when nothing scary was happening. Just knowing that something horrible could happen put my nerves on end. I kept screaming even when people were just running onto screen.” I was hoping to get the same experience from Aliens. For this sequel, the director changed to James Cameron and it’s quite obvious from the first few minutes. 

The film immediately follows the events of the first film and focuses on Ellen Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, returning to the moon where she first encountered the alien. I expected this film to be a bit more scary than it was and it came across as more of an action film. This didn’t make it any less enjoyable, but it was just a different experience. There is nothing like Weaver portraying Ripley. She’s such a badass character that is fun to watch and I love that she overshadows even the burliest of men. Most of the new cast members aren’t memorable and play into the stereotypical characters in this kind of movie. I did enjoy the addition of the young girl Newt, who acted the heck out of her role and was better than some of the adults. While this film wasn’t as good as the first, it’s still a great movie that expands on the Alien franchise. 

The Craft - 1996

The Craft  was one of my favorite movies when I was a teenager. It came out the year before I entered high school, and I thought my experience there would be similar to what I saw in this film. So imagine my disappointment when I didn’t face off against a coven of witches or meet any hotties who resembled a Skeet Ulrich type.

The film is about a high school girl who’s magical powers begin to awaken when she transfers to a private school. She doesn’t quite fit in with the popular kids so she gravitates to a group of three misfit girls. These girls aren’t your typical outsiders. They dabble in magic and they’re seeking a fourth for their coven. I’m happy to report that I still love this movie. It’s so good on so many levels. There’s teen angst, rivalries, a bonafide 90s heartthrob and the best of the 90s including music and fashion. Also, I always wanted to play the “Light as a Feather” game, but I didn’t have a group of girlfriends who would do it. Anyway, it’s a movie that ranks high on my list of classic 90s movies and one that I will always recommend!

Return of the Living Dead - 1985

Woah! I had no idea what to expect from this movie. Markus gave me very little background information and I didn’t do any research so I went in with a clean slate. The film follows two groups of people, a gang of punk teens out for a joyride and a medical supply warehouse manager and his staff. Their storylines converge when both groups encounter the titular living dead, and must band together to survive.  

This film is a cult classic and one that I’m surprised I never heard of before this year. I really enjoyed this movie and definitely see why it’s so admired. The story is familiar but has a distinctly unique take on zombies. Even though it wasn’t as scary as it could be, there were lots of WTF moments. I can’t even count how many times, I screamed or just stared in shock over something. The zombies in Return of the Living Dead are unique and instantly iconic. I was the most impressed with the famous “Tarman” zombie. He was simultaneously grotesque, funny and terrifying. I found myself just saying “What?!” over and over. If you’re looking for a gory-fun time, check out this flick.