@synth_cinema: August 2016

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HCF Review - The Gate

STRANGER THINGS (2016) SEASON ONE


Is it just me or has that old 80s nostalgia trip actually been pushed into overdrive recently rather than fading over time? With the likes of Turbo Kid and It Follows among many others, this latest eight part offering from Netflix is in a similar vein as other releases in the last few years. Whether it’s your kind of thing or not, the novelty value has certainly evaporated by now. Here they’re aiming for that Super 8 feeling with the D&D playing gang of outcast kids-on-bikes style adventure, albeit one with a modern horror and sci-fi element included. However it’s not that simple as the cast includes many other characters with intertwined stories. But like all these releases the genuine atmosphere and overall tone of an older film is more difficult to capture than the makers seem to realise.

Horror Bites - Who's Laughing Now?

DRAG ME TO HELL (2009)

With all the press quotes about how scary this is, it must have been confusing to people at the time when what they actually got is another wacky Sam Raimi film. What a surprise. But I know, as you probably do reading this, that his body of work is full of garish colours, crazy camera movements and gross out splatter gags. But with Ash vs Evil Dead back for more TV episodes I sat down to reconsider this big screen venture into demonic madness. It was something I slighted at the time as being kind of amusing but lacklustre, however recently I felt compelled to reconsider.

Scorecard

JULY

FILM OF THE MONTH: Barton Fink ☆☆☆☆
The Revenant ☆☆☆☆
The Untouchables ☆☆☆☆
The VVitch ☆☆☆☆
Yes, Madam (Aka Police Assassins) ☆☆☆☆
Mad Max 2 ☆☆☆☆
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ☆☆☆☆
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ☆☆☆☆
Scarface '83 ☆☆☆☆
Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn ☆☆☆☆
JFK ☆☆☆☆