Forgotten Frights II: Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

 

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

 

 

 

 

What came before it: The first two films in the Halloween series, those classic slasher flicks following mass murderer/William Shatner mask enthusiast Michael Myers on his pursuit of his sister, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), and his psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance).

 

What remains: Laurie returns to fight off her estranged bro on the 20th anniversary of their first meeting (and the events of the first film), that fateful night when Mike escaped from Smith's Grove Sanitarium and came at her, her friends and the kids she was babysitting with a butcher knife.  It's even more a family affair this time, with Laurie's son (Josh Harnett) and his friends also being targeted. Dr. Loomis, however, is nowhere to be found, presumably seeing as he died by Michael's hand in the sixth flick (Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers).

 

Why it deserves a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• It is specifically designed with fans in mind, making many references to earlier instances in the series (i.e. the nurse from Halloween and Halloween II appears in the opening scene, there are closet stabbing flashbacks). This is most likely Kevin Williamson's (Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer) doing. Apparently he wrote the first draft of the script.
• There are nods to other non-Halloween horror classics as well. My favourite has to be the interaction between Curtis and her mom, Psycho star Janet Leigh. As the two converse as coworkers on screen, you can hear the Psycho theme and see Marion Crane's Ford Sedan in the background.
• The supporting cast is kinda out of control. In addition to Hartnett, we've got a young Michelle Williams and one of the most badass iterations of LL Cool J ever (next to the one in Deep Blue Sea).
• A 3rd Rock era Joseph Gordon Levitt also makes an brief appearance ... before getting a skate to the face!
• The ridiculous events of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth movies are basically ignored. I mean, those ones claimed Laurie Strode, the original Survivor Girl, has died! As if!
• "Mr. Sandman" is back and as haunting as ever. Although it technically didn't come into play until Halloween II, I've always considered it the unoriginal soundtrack to the series.
• Creed provides an original song for the actual soundtrack. Just in case you didn't realize that it was shot and released in the late '90s.
• There is a brilliant showdown scene between Michael and Laurie involving cafeteria tables.
• The ending is a perfect wrap-up to the series, providing brutal closure for both Laurie and the viewers. That is, if you ignore the fact that Halloween: Rescurrection and those awful Rob Zombie adaptations exist.

Forgotten Frights II: REC 2

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: A found-footage Spanish zombie movie that's adored by horror critics and fanatics alike. A documentary reporter is filming at a fire station when the fire fighters get an emergency call to an apartment building. However, while there, they find out that an infection has broken out in the apartment complex and they've got to "quarantine" it immediately (hence the English remake of the film, Quarantine), sealing everyone in with it. They soon find out, that this is far from any ordinary virus and symptoms are terrifying.

What remains: There are two ways to talk about this sequel: safe and spoilery. I'll go with the former so that if you haven't seen it yet, you have a chance of loving it just as much as I do. The story picks up right where the first one left off, literally beginning with the last film's ending scene, and continuing with found footage. This time, we're with a special ops squad, before switching perspectives to a group of young teens who managed to sneak back into the building.

Why you should give it a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• Everything we loved about REC is back and amazingly, even better.
• Some of the mystery from the first film is answered (and developed into a greater mystery).
• If you don't feel like reading subtitles, you don't really have to most of the time. The story is mostly action-driven, but intelligently so. It's definitely not about cheap scares and bloodbath.
• On that note, although it's not excessively gory, all blood and guts are perfectly placed, warranted and shocking.
• It's even more creative than the first, delving slightly sci-fi at times.
• It's got a ridiculous twist ending that puts a new spin on the zombie genre (if you'd call it a zombie movie at that point) and it will make you want to watch REC 3 immediately.

Sorry, I'm giving you a teaser trailer. You'll thank me later.

Gimme Five!: 1970s Horror Themes

Join us as we treat you to a handful of the best and worst movies, characters, scenes, lines and or other significant cinematic moments. At least in our opinion.

What do you hear when you look at that photo from the Psycho shower scene? Amazing, right?

There are several elements essential to horror and we know that we don't have to tell film buffs that music is one of the most important of all. A stroll in the woods is no more than a stroll in the woods without piercing violin. Skinny dipping in a lake is no more than skinny dipping in a lake without deep, heartbeat-like notes. A stalking scene is, well, always creepy, but made even better by low, heavy thuds. Sometimes the most important of all is the film's theme. That's what lasts. Let's take a look at one of the decades that did it the best: the 70s.

(Note: If you're hoping for Jaws, it's not happening. Definitely a great score, but not "horror" enough for me.)

5) Phantasm

A theme song that's inexplicably familiar even if you haven't seen the movie (yeah, it's been sampled a lot but that's not quite it... have fun with that link, by the way).

4) The Amityville Horror

An extremely underrated horror with an extremely chilling (Academy Award-nominated) score. Creepy voices that seem to know more than you do, the sharpening of an axe and ominous bass sounds.

3) The Exorcist

From the same composer as The Amityville Horror, it's another one that's brilliantly creepy. You know you know it, even if you're not sure what it's from.

2) Halloween

If you don't know by now, we're both mega-huge fans of John Carpenter's Halloween series. And guess what makes it even better? Carpenter composed this suspenseful, dramatic score himself. Two notes, jumping octaves here and there, it couldn't be simpler—or more perfect.

1) Suspiria

It's strange and it scares me. The film's entire score was composed by Italian prog rock band Goblin. It's bizarre, bold and unforgettable, much like the film itself.

Forgotten Frights II: Scream 2

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: Scream, Wes Craven's 1996 homage to horror movies. As the original “ghost-face killer” hunts down a group of teenagers, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends try to abide by the rules of scary movies (Never say, “I'll be right back,” for example) in order to survive.

What remains: Everyone that made it out alive the first time is back for more! Sidney is now attending college where she's joined by everyone's favourite film geek, Randy (Jamie Kennedy). When someone is murdered at the premiere of Stab, the film based on Gale Weathers' (Courtney Cox) best-selling book, The Woodsboro Murders, Deputy Dewey (David Arquette) arrives to protect Sid and Weathers is there to get the story. Just like old times.

Why it deserves a second (or third, or fourth) chance: 

• You'll see some horror movie regulars in this “killer” cast, including Sarah Michelle Gellar (I Know What You Did Last Summer) and Rebecca Gayheart (Urban Legends).
• In general, this is a star-studded cast. You'll also see brief appearances (some more so than others) by Jada Pinkett Smith, Portia de Rossi, Joshua Jackson, Luke Wilson, Tori Spelling, Heather Graham, Omar Epps, Liev Schreiber, Jerry O'Connell... the list goes on.
• The film class scene in which class members discuss the merits of sequels is perfect. Favourite line: “Stab 2? Who would want to do that? Sequels suck.” – Randy
• Just like the first film, you'll be screaming at the television as the soon-to-be victims break every scary movie rule. “Are you serious? Don't run up the stairs!!” and “Come on! Do you really need to make sure he's actually dead!?”
• Fans of a little gore will be pleased to know that “the body count is always bigger” in sequels.
• Fans of a little romance will enjoy watching Gale and Dewey/Courtney Cox and David Arquette's (ill-fated) love blossom.

BY: Regan Reid
DREAM CAST: Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, Mia Wasikowska, Saoirse Ronan, Emma Thompson

The night I lived 28 Days Later

Toronto is home to the most innovative and interactive little movie club in the world. It's called 360 Screenings and as the website boasts, it aims to bring cinephiles of all ages and genders an immersive moviegoing experience.

OK, that wording made it sound slightly pretentious. But in truth, it is the most brilliant film-related event I've ever been to. Imagine a shadowcast scenario meets mystery dinner theatre. Instead of the actors recreating scenes on stage, they come up and talk to you and involve you in them.

Basically, you buy a ticket for an upcoming flick/theatre experience not knowing what you'll be watching or where it will be held. The day before, 360 sends you an e-mail with instructions on what to wear/bring, as well as the address of the event. The next day, you arrive at the location and are immediately brought into scenes of the chosen film, spending time with the characters and walking through recreations of scenes and eating themed food items before the film is finally revealed and screened.

The first 360 screening, held back in the spring, was themed around Ghost (a fortune teller in a loft with a pottery wheel!). The last one, which took place in August, was centred around Fight Club. It took place at an abandoned warehouse, featured actors beating each other up and making soap and was accompanied by mini servings of lobster bisque (if you've seen the flick, you should be gagging right now).  Yeah, I smack myself in the face everyday for that one.

Last Wednesday night, I attended my first 360 Screenings party, a Halloween-themed and gory film geekfest of the highest order. On Tuesday afternoon, I got an e-mail telling me to show up at the Berkeley Church at 7 p.m., wear army-like gear and glasses/goggles and bring a canned food item ("You'll be hungry where we're going."). "There are the infected. There are the survivors. Then there is you," the message read. 

I headed out to the Berkley Wednesday evening with multiple military-themed horrors on my mind (Day of the Dead? Planet Terror? Rec 2?). This is what awaited me:

A soldier screaming something about salvation.

A dinner party with a sergeant, some Maltesers and one omlette.

The last hospital patient

The writing's on the mirror.

Three blood-stained sheets to the wind.

In case you couldn't figure it out from these pictures (and my spoiler-rific title for this post), the chosen movie was 28 Days Later.  I figured it out as soon as I entered the dining room and saw the actress dressed as Selena. My assumptions were further confirmed when I saw the man sitting on the hospital bed (Cillian Murphy, is that you?).

Having solved the big mystery,  I was able to analyze the set-up and all the intricately organized hints the 360 crew set up. A glass of cheap wine (price, not taste-wise) and a slider in the other, I jumped face first into the festivities. Literally. I got my face done up like a zombie and everythang. Going home on the subway later was a bit of a trip, but it was worth it, considering the nerdlicious awesomeness I had just witnessed.

Remembering the fallen.

Fancy some creme de menthe?

Boy, you'll be an orphan now. 

But do they have brains?

A fellow survivor. 

The Gory Four: An Infographic

It's not Halloween without your favourite slashers, so we thought we'd have a little fun looking at how the masters of gore stack up against each other.

Forgotten Frights II: The Return of the Living Dead

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: Night of the Living Dead. I know what you're thinking: isn't Dawn of the Dead the sequel to Night of the Living Dead? Technically, yes. But that was George A. Romero's sequel. This is a darkly comedic adaptation of Night cowriter John Russo's completely separate novel follow-up.

What remains: Just a leftover bin of zombie bodies from Night of the Living Dead. Return of the Living Dead reanimates the late guys and gals that come after the punk rock protagonists of this flick.

Why it deserves a second (and third, and fourth) chance:

• It is the reason "Braaaaaains!" has become the official zombie manifesto. It was the first movie to have the walking dead chow down on grey matter and utter the now famous phrase.
• It's highly self-aware, name dropping Night of the Living Dead right off the bat.
• Unlike some of the Romero sequels, it's really quite funny, intentionally and unintentionally (those costumes!).
• The soundtrack is stellar, featuring an hot mess of pop-punk tracks that take the B plot to a whole other out-of-control level.
• There is a wicked cemetery party scene in which one of the spiky-haired hipsters inexplicably strips down to her skivvies and dances atop a tomb. Talk about raising the dead! (Eww. I just wrote that.)
• There are characters named Spider, Trash, Scuz, Suicide and Tarman. Oh, and two characters named Burt and Ernie (no relation to the ones on Sesame Street).
• It was written and directed by Dan O'Bannon, scribe of Alien and the original Total Recall.
• The zombie puppet stuff was done by a former Muppeteer.

Forgotten Frights II: Friday the 13th Part II

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: (Note: I'm going to be very spoilery.) Years after two teens were murdered at Camp Crystal Lake, the camp is being re-opened (because that's a camp you want to send your kids to). Counsellors start prepping for the incoming campers when they mysteriously start getting picked off one by one. By picked off, I mean stabbed, sliced and otherwise torn to pieces. Soon, we've got one girl left, Alice. Frantically searching for help, she finds a woman who turns out to be the woman behind the murders, Pamela Voorhees, a mother avenging the death of her son who drowned years ago at the hands of neglectful and otherwise preoccupied counsellors. In the end, Alice prevails before seeking escape in a canoe. She's pulled underwater by a deranged and deformed boy who suddenly appears. Flash to her waking up in the hospital, they never recovered any boy. "Then he's still there," says Alice.

What remains: For one, Alice. But not for long. A new group of counsellors gather to set up a new camp. You think they'd learn not to return to the site of a dozen murders with the nickname of "Camp Blood," right? Well, it's not exactly the same camp, it's just right beside it, on the same lake. It's totally fine.

Why you need to give it a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• There's a new, mysterious murderer, and this time he's bigger and badder.
• Alice is back! For a few minutes, but a few very worthwhile minutes.
• The story is taken a level further. Yeah, sure, we love slashers for their senseless fun, but a good story goes a long way.
• It's fun to take part in the terror. Who's going to die next? What will be their misstep? Is that Jason peering through the woods? (The answer to the latter is almost always "yes.")
• It's not too bloody (which could be a pro or con depending on your taste), but it's got great jumps and truly shocking moments.
• It takes itself seriously and it pays off, which is a lot more than several of this series' other sequels can say.
• An ending the rival's the first's. Not to spoil anything, but we love a clever heroine.

Forgotten Frights II: The Curse of the Cat People

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: A B-movie called Cat People about a strange woman named Irena who turns into a panther when she's aroused (sexually or angrily). However, being a cat person psychologically tortures Irena, as she's not allowed to express her love. Things take a turn for the worse when she catches her husband getting too friendly with another woman. Eventually, her inner darkness leads to her demise.

What remains: The couple from the first film now has a six-year-old daughter, Amy, who feels isolated and left out by her peers, much like the feelings Irena felt. One day she calls out for a friend. Irena appears and befriends her, a secret she must keep from her parents. However, when her parents find out, they refuse to believe her and force her to feel even further isolated.

Why you should giving it a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• It focusses on the psychological torment of a young child and her greatest fears of loneliness and betrayal. Plus, there are some very strange and spooky moments.
• It reminds me of The Turn of the Screw. We think we believe, but we're always doubting whether or not Irena is actually a ghost or a figment of Amy's imagination.
• Amy says some disturbing things about herself, like after she blew out her birthday candles, "You know what I wished, daddy? I wished that I could be a good girl," making us wonder if she's actually a malicious child or just misunderstood.
• Reference to Robert Louis Stevenson's poem "The Unseen Playmate" about children's imaginary friends but in the context of a horror story, with lines like "When children are playing alone on the green, In comes the playmate that never was seen," it can get creepy.
• Truthfully, it's not exactly a horror movie. It's more haunting and unsettling, but sometimes that's what you need for a more lasting effect.

Forgotten Frights II: Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: The hugely successful original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) centred around a cannibalistic family led by a killer carrying a chainsaw and wearing a human skin mask. The sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) is an overly-campy and silly version that reduced Leatherface to a lovesick and sexually confused monster, relying heavily on classic 80s cheese.

What remains: This sequel should have been the original sequel! This version is much closer to the feel and structure of the original. They keep the general plot outline and the whole Leatherface family is back, but with some additions. We meet Michelle and her boyfriend who are road tripping through Texas (always a good idea) and after being rerouted by a crime scene, stop at a gas station owned by a pervert (who else would own an almost-abandoned gas station?). When the pervert gets a little too creepy, a young, handsome hitch-hiker played by Viggo Mortensen, saves the day (seems legit). All goes wrong when the couple leaves and the hitch-hiker is shot by the gas station owner! It turns out the two strangers were in on it the whole time and as our leads soon find out, the strangers are more than perverts.

Why it deserves a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• This movie is worth it just for Viggo. He's creepy and charming at the same time and he wears a floral apron to save his shirts from blood splatter.
• The family and the Leatherface house is just like the original (they kept the bone room!). The family has just a few additions but instead of being a strange, campy version of the original, they're a revamped but more realistic version.
• There are so many more layers in this one. There are more characters (an escaped victim who is equally creepy as the family) and plots twists (are they dead or aren't they?!).
• This version keeps the most important line from the first sequel, "The saw is family," but this time, it's engraved onto a brand new, custom made chainsaw.
• This one is also creepier! Nothing beats the original but compared to the first sequel, this version is tense, gross and actually creepy, thanks to pretty good sets and mood lighting.
• Just wait for the lake of bodies and the chainsaw fountain/fight scene.

By Isa Montagnese
Dream cast: Gene Wilder. That's it.

Forgotten Frights II: Aliens

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before: Ellen Ripley, crew member aboard an intergalactic but very vague mission on behalf of a space exploration and development company, was the sole survivor after the crew became infected by a face-sucking alien species that impregnated them with a parasite that burst through their chests and killed them (obviously). At the end of Alien, Ripley put herself and her cat into stasis while her space pod floated away, with the hopes of being rescued by a passing ship.

What remains: Ripley is the only character left (and the cat). She finds out that she’s been floating in space for 57 years, and everyone she knew and loved is now dead, including her daughter. Ripley is discredited by her employer, but when the company loses contact with the colony that has been living on the planet where the alien comes from, Ripley agrees to go investigate. The rest of the rescue crew finds out she’s not crazy soon enough, as face-suckers show up very quickly. Added bonus: the company wants to bring home specimens of the face-suckers with the hope of developing them into biological weapons.

Why it deserves a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• Paul Reiser as the evil company guy who wants to bring home specimens of the aliens for biological weapon development. Nice to see him in a non-Mad About You way.
• Classic scene where the alien rips through Ripley’s stomach. Every pregnant woman’s worst nightmare. (Ripley’s, too.)
• We learn more about the alien, even if it is through the heavy-handed lens of maternal protection/biological determinism. We learn there’s a female, and she’s the Queen, and she’s smart, and she’s definitely the scariest of them all.
• James Cameron wrote and directed. That guy knows how to make a blockbuster.
• 7 Oscar nominations, including Sigourney Weaver for Best Actress.
• Hey, remember when the third Matrix came out like 6 months after the second Matrix? And how awful it was? Well, Aliens came a good 7 years after the original. They took their time to get it right, I say.
• Bill Paxton, being kind of shrill.
• This movie was definitely bigger and badder than the first, by far. Alien had a more horror-movie sensibility to it; it was quieter, creepier. Aliens was an action movie, pure and simple. But it was a smart action movie.
• Personally, I think this may be the best of the franchise. It’s relentless, high-adrenaline, and your nerves are frayed by the end. It’s more terror than horror. I really, really love Alien as well, but the franchise clearly heads into a tailspin after this film.
• Ripley is a feminist film-lover’s dream.

By: Jennifer Simpson
Favourite (non-existent) section of the video store:

Women Talking to Other Women About Things Other Than Men

Forgotten Frights II: Urban Legends: Final Cut

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: Urban Legend. The 1998 slasher flick about a parka-clad killer offing college kids by bringing modern myths (i.e. Boyfriend Hanging from Tree, Kidney Heist) to life.

What remains: Aside from Reese (Loretta Devine), a.k.a. the best Foxy Brown-obsessed movie security guard ever,  none of the original's characters return. Instead, we follow a set of film students (including Matt "Warner Huntington III/Alaric Saltzman" Davis, Once Upon a Time's Jennifer Morrison and Joey Lawrence) who are getting tortured by a new urban legend-obsessed killer in a fencing mask. What's more, Morrison's character has centre her final year film on, you guessed it, an urban legend-obsessed killer.

Why it deserves a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• Like the first one, it's straight-up PG-13 '90s slasher stuff. The kills are more clever than brutal and the costumes are laughably dated (what modern, pseudo-popular college girls rock pigtails legitimately these days?).
• In addition to Davis, Morrison and Lawrence, the all-star cast also includes Eva Mendes, Yani Gelman (Pretty Little Liars, The Lizzie McGuire Movie), Anson Mount (Crossroads) and Anthony Anderson.
• The urban legends used for the death scenes are more elaborate and, given the whole film within a film thing, meta. I particularly love the scene that takes place inside an abandoned mining ride. Are those body parts part of the shoot, or are they real?
• The opening sequence is a fun fake-out that could easily have been a jokey outtake of the plane scene from the first Final Destination film.
• Please just look at the poster and how it unintentionally matches our Forgotten Frights II logo.
• The ending ties everything together in the most campy way and features a surprise cameo. Don't get too excited though. It's not Robert Englund or Brad Dourif, who both made brief appearances as a professor and a gas station attendant in the first film.
• It won the Teen Choice Award for "Choice Horror/Thriller." I mean, how can you argue with that?

Forgotten Frights II: Inferno

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: Then a hit, now a cult favourite, 1977's Suspiria, from famed Italian horror director Dario Argento. Vivid, thrilling and sometimes revolting, the story follow the new girl at a prestigious dance school in Germany who slowly discovers that there's something dark lurking behind closed doors.

What remains: Not much at all. You might not even consider this a sequel if it weren't the second film in Argento's "Three Mothers" trilogy. This time, the story follows a young man in New York who again encounters a similar dark secret while investigating the disappearance of his sister. Although not as story-driven as the first, it's still got a lot going for it (if you enjoy Argento's brash style).

Why you should give it a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• Like the first, suspense is done perfectly. Even when aren't really sure what's going on (which happens more than once), you're nervously on edge in anticipation for what's about to happen next.
• This one's got a strangely interesting score too. While it's not Italian rock band Goblin, like the first film, this one's got a mix of synthier-sounding effects and discordant piano, plus classical and opera bits.
• It's a lot grosser than the first, not in terms of gore itself (though there is more of that too), but more in the "get this rotting corpse off me" sense.
• Pop art style film. Bright colours, nonsensical visuals and the unexpected. You will either love it or hate it.
• Trivia: The creepy, withered hands with the long nails were Argento's.
• With Argento's signature touch, there's not much else like it. If nothing else, it's really refreshing.

Note: If you haven't seen the movie, you might not want to watch this trailer. Actually, I highly advise you don't.

Forgotten Frights II: 28 Weeks Later

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before: The original 28 Days Later was a fast paced horror film about a young man who wakes up from a coma to find London deserted. It turns out the city has been evacuated thanks to a vicious, fast-acting virus that turns its victims into fast, strong, violent, zombie-like monsters. The original stars Cillian Murphy and is directed by Danny Boyle. This indie-style, fast-paced film style and feel revamped the zombie genre.

What remains: The sequel picks up in London six months after the virus has spread, the city is occupied by American military who are trying to secure a small part of London to contain survivors of the virus and reunite families. The plot centres around two kids who return from a refugee camp trying to find their family. They're helped and guided by a military doctor played by Rose Byrne.

Why it deserves a second (or third, or fourth) chance: 

• This movie rocks a jacked cast! Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau and Idris Elba. But I still miss Cillian Murphy.
• Though Danny Boyle isn't directing this time, the feel and style is still there! The style is exciting and fast-paced but never feels overdone.
• I love when a newer movie still makes a real effort with practical effects and makeup. They nailed it with the makeup, enhancing the freaky infected zombie look.
• The plot is stand-alone from the original and it's a bit more complicated and twisty. They weren't afraid to get rid of main characters and the filmmakers tried to up the stakes by making the virus fast-acting and the story more violence-driven and complicated. The writers explain the original but this film is enough of a story to please audiences that haven't seen the original.
• I liked the two kids as the lead characters! They added a different feel for the film, instead of a lot of politics and adult problems. The kids made everything uncomplicated and gave it a different perspective. They weren't totally innocent and they understood what was happening but I felt myself rooting for them more than I normally would!

By Isa Montagnese
Dream cast: Gene Wilder. That's it.

Forgotten Frights II: The Bride of Frankenstein

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: 1931's Frankenstein, based on Mary Shelley's 1818 classic novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The story follows mad scientist Dr. Frankenstein (strangely renamed Henry from the novel's Victor) as he attempts to create life from lifeless body parts and the brain of a murderous criminal.

What remains: This story picks up right where the first left off, though not without a clever introduction from actors in the roles of Mary Shelley, her husband Percy and Lord Byron, in a setting much like what inspired the real-life Shelley to write Frankenstein. In this opening scene, Shelley tells Lord Byron that her story of Frankenstein wasn't finished the first time around (flashing back to scenes from the first movie), and continues with the monster's quest for a mate. Most of the original cast returns (at least those who matter), as does the director (though he almost didn't).

Why you should give it a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• A much better film than the first, a real rarity for a sequel.
• An immensely detailed and seemingly authentic sets.
• A more complex and well-rounded cast than the first. An array of characters small to significant are played by a very talented and entertaining cast.
• Boris Karloff credited as just Karloff, because he's just that good.
• A well-placed, dramatic score that swells, fades and falls off just when it needs to.
• A better-than-expected interpretation of the monster, even moreso than the first. When I read the book, I was afraid that the movies might have played up his treacherousness too much, when actually he's supposed to be a character we feel empathetic toward. However, this film truly maintains the integrity of Shelley's characters. We really feel for the monster. He's just like anyone else under his hideousness, and like us, he just wants someone to love and to be loved by.
• Some clever references to the first film, like the monster telling Dr. Frankenstein to "sit down" with the exact same motions.
• Brilliant special effects that aren't even too shabby by today's standards.
• A movie that's still really entertaining 77 years after its release.

Forgotten Frights II: The Devil's Rejects

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: House of 1000 Corpses. The brutal, yet campy 2003 Rob Zombie flick about the psychotic Firefly family, who get their kicks from maiming, torturing and killing any and every innocent traveler they can get their perpetually dirty hands on.

What remains: The focus is on the most compelling members of the criminally insane clan - Captain Spalding (Sid Haig), Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie), Otis (Bill Mosley) - and the hellbent sheriff (William Forsythe) tracking them after raiding their carnage-laden home in search of his missing brother. Mother Firefly (Leslie Easterbrook), Tiny (Matthew McGrory) and Rufus (Tyler Mane) also appear, but Spalding, Baby and Otis are the ones we watch run for their lives while still dementedly taking others.

Why it deserves a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• While the original was just straight up, balls-to-the-walls gross-out horror, this is more of disturbing character study. Zombie has said he was influenced by classic crime dramas like Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch and Badlands, and you can definitely tell.
• We spend more time with each family member, getting to know their individual kinks and coming to understand that while they hate everyone else with an insatiable, sadistic fire, they love each other to death.
• By chipping away at the personalities of Baby, Spalding and Otis, Zombie achieves the incredibly awful: he makes you root for them. Even though you know that they've offed countless people in despicable ways, you'd rather see the sheriff die than see them get caught.
• I'm still not sold on Sheri Moon Zombie's acting skills, but Haig and Mosley are superb. Particularly Mosley. He glides smoothly between pissy hilarious (don't you dare ask him to make an ice cream pit stop!) and relentlessly revolting. 
• The tone of the film is like the open road: slow and winding. This makes the death scenes both easier and harder to take. On the one hand, since they are less over-the-top and frantic, you feel a definite sense of relief. On the other, they almost become more horrifying because they are not sensationalized and thus, appear uncomfortably real.
• Zombie throws in some great meta background stuff. Like having a movie critic pretentiously explain how each Firefly is named after a character from a Groucho Marx movie.
• The soundtrack is beyond brilliant. I mean, the bullet-laden finale is set to the entirety of "Free Bird." We don't even hear the shots get fired. We just hear that epic guitar solo go down.
•  Danny Trejo has a small role as a bounty hunter.
• There's a fun side-plot involving Spalding's pimp buddy Charlie (Dawn of the Dead's Ken Foree). The scene where the two reunite is filthy, awkward and hysterical
• So you can finally understand why Zombie is this modern horror icon. Cause we all know those Halloween remakes are all kinds of blasphemous.

Sinister: A comparative scorecard

Sinister advertising brags that this is another movie from the same guys who brought us box-office horror hits Paranormal Activity and Insidious. What this really means is that Jason Blum is the producer and if you liked those movies, you should buy a ticket for this one. So I did (with very high expectations). And on that invitation to compare, here we go.

IDEA	B	A	A
EXECUTION	A	A	B-
ORIGINALITY	B-	A	B
SCARINESS	A	A	C
SCORE	What score?	A+	A-
VILLAIN	B+	A	B
ACTING	C	B+	A-
COMMENTS	This film is an example of a tired idea with skilled, yet simple, execution. What also makes it work is the way it plays off of the fear of the unknown. However, the "demonic haunting" parts could have been played up a whole lot more.	The first thing you notice about this film is its brilliant score, reminiscent of horror classics. It's also got near-flawless sci-fi logic and a monster we still fear when he is revealed. It's become one of my favourites.	What saves this film is stellar acting from Ethan Hawke in the lead. However, while the villain's mythology intrigues, the more we know, the less we're afraid. This film's execution unfortunately dampens a clever idea.
FINAL GRADE	B	A	B

While Sinister wasn't nearly as terrifying as I hoped and expected it to be, it was still a well-crafted horror movie (well, except for the crucial element of genuine scares). Lesson learned: I'll try not to set the bar too high next time. But it's kinda tough when Blum's next film, Area 51, is about one of my greatest fears of all.

Forgotten Frights II: The Exorcist III

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: I'll give you one guess. The series began with one of the most iconic, memorable horror movies of all time, in which young girl is possessed by a demon, who learn more about in failure of a sequel.

What remains: The story picks up [SPOILER] following the death of Father Damien Karras from the first film, with absolutely no relation the second film. We follow Lieutenant William F. Kinderman (played now by George C. Scott, previously by Lee J. Cobb) who follows a series of crimes seemingly committed by the Gemini killer, who was executed 15 years earlier. What does this have to do with demonic possession? You'll just have to see for yourself.

Why you should give it a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• It's a well-crafted, supernatural mystery that picks up after the first film where the second film should have. Why the second film decided to investigate the story of the priest who died at the hands of the demon as opposed to the priest who called possession upon himself and tried to kill the demon is beyond me.
• Although the horror scenes in this film are few, when they happen, they're done absolutely perfectly.
• The university president saying that his favourite movie is The Fly, coming from the actor who starred in The Fly II a year earlier.
• The lieutenant's creepy, symbolic dreams, foreshadowing the crimes to come.
• Speaking of his dreams, Fabio also appears briefly and inexplicably as an angel in one of them.
• The most haunting statues ever, some crying blood, some headless, some opening their eyes and some wielding daggers.
• When the Gemini killer, Brad Dourif (a.k.a. Chucky) ends his conversation with the lieutenant with "It's child's play," before opening the next scene with the shot of a doll-like, red-haired little boy.
• William Peter Blatty is back! After seeing The Exorcist movie, Blatty, the author of The Exorcist book, came up with a sequel for the movie. However, The Exorcist II (unrelated to Blatty) was released first. Blatty was approached for the third installment, but his screenplay didn't work out so he turned it into a best-selling book before turning it back into a screenplay, with the hopes of John Carpenter directing (obviously, right?). When Carpenter declined, Blatty decided to do it himself and it was a hit. You show 'em how it's done, Blatty!
• It's (arguably) the best film in the series. Personally, I'm undecided (it's a toss up with the first), but it's safe to say that it's regarded as one of the better horror sequels of all time.

Oh and here, have a look at the very spoilery trailer: