Scream Bloody Entertainment

The horrible beauty of the final response to insanity.

Year: 2006
Number of episodes: 26 (aprox. 20 minutes per episode)
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

It is June 1983. The heavy battering of a baseball bat can be heard and we are only left to imagine what it is striking at or who is holding it. The bat accidentally hits the light bulb. Everything in the room turns to darkness. The battering continues. Blood bursts in different directions, all over the room. The boy starts panting, but he doesn’t stop the repeated violent blows with his baseball bat. An intense feeling of horror can be noticed in his wide open eyes. He suddenly stops. The sound of blood pouring fills the empty silence in the room. He drops the bat. The two girls are as good as dead – their bodies are drenched in blood. The expression in the boy’s eyes never once changed. It remains the same. Horror.

The opening scene of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is extremely visceral and even though it lasts less than 30 seconds it leaves its mark like a wound on the body of its viewer. Thus begins a brutal tale of mystery and terror that will lead the audience down an unsuspecting road filled with imminent darkness that only awaits its release. Such is the violent, raw nature of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, also known as When They Cry (or When the Cicadas Cry, if you will) and we are only left to wonder, and fear, what comes next.

When They Cry is not your typical anime, or even horror anime for that matter. The first episode starts in an easy-going, casual manner and it is confusing to try to figure out how that disturbing opening scene will connect with these seemingly innocent, even humorous events that fill in the rest of the episode. Nothing seems to stand out or hint at a possible disaster, which is rather bewildering and troubling. One thing is for sure, though: something is terribly wrong and we all know it.

The story of When They Cry is divided in a series of chapters which take place either at different times or in a completely different timeline. Several events may unfold in different ways as the chapters change and another scenario is introduced. The anime is centered around the strange events that take place in the village of Hinamizawa during the course of a few years. The main characters are a group of teenage friends who attend the local school, each of them carrying a different past and various secrets.

Even with its affinity for gore and violence, When They Cry remains more of a psychological mystery filled with intrigue and intelligence. The story is incredibly well-written and its creative power and originality feels incredibly fresh and unique. It is not very likely that you have witnessed something even slightly similar to what When They Cry offers. There’s a lot of gore present, but it is used in well calculated doses and at appropriate times. Disturbing scenes are not missing here either, and you will find yourself shocked and surprised at how effective and intense they can become.

The best quality of When They Cry is the characters and their development. Every character present in the story has a purpose and a well-written personality. It is incredibly impressive how this anime can take a character which feels so familiar and cliché and turn it into a bloody killing machine in a matter of minutes. We start to learn more about every character and their inner self as the story progresses and the distressing events start to kick in.


It won’t be an easy ride going through the whole anime. There will be times when it will be too confusing to even begin putting all the pieces of the puzzle together and nothing will seem to make sense. Some questions will be answered by the end of the season, but many of them will be left in the dark. The second season, entitled Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai, will answer the rest of the questions. It may seem like a pointless exercise, but fear not: even without knowing what heck is happening you will be drawn into the plot and every episode is involving enough to keep the entertainment value going.

The animation and art of When They Cry is its biggest flaw. Most of the art feels way too simplistic and monotone, even to the point where it is a bit of a turn-off. The visual appearance of the anime falls in contrast with its complex nature and the elaborate plot, which doesn’t sit too well with most of the audience. It is not as bad as I make it out to be and fortunately the visuals keep well together during the more important and crucial parts. The art of the characters look particularly impressive and effective and their faces bear more expressiveness and emotion than what we are used to in anime.

There’s really no other way of find out whether this anime fits your taste other than to actually watch it. It is certainly entertaining and can get highly emotional at times, so it’ll definitely hold on to you until the very end. Things can become quite gruesome and disturbing, so be ready for when that happens. Is it worth watching When They Cry? It is definitely worth watching and it is a unique experience that will remain with you for a very long time.

Welcome to Hinamizawa. Enjoy your stay and beware of killer lolis.

What you pass by is the usual forked path.
What you run by is the dark corner.
Where you reach is the pitfall to destruction.

Half of 2010 is gone and we didn't get too many horror flicks this year, but fear not: 2010 is far from over and lots and lots of interesting horror films are awaiting release this year. I managed to track down some of them and delivered all the info I could straight to you, my bloodthirsty friends!

Splice (4th of June 2010)

Vincenzo Natali, the director of Cube, directs this interesting movie that looks very different from what we are used to see in horror these days. Splice stars Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley and by the looks of the trailer, it's gonna rock!

Plot: Elsa and Clive, two young rebellious scientists, defy legal and ethical boundaries and forge ahead with a dangerous experiment: splicing together human and animal DNA to create a new organism. Named "Dren", the creature rapidly develops from a deformed female infant into a beautiful but dangerous winged human-chimera, who forges a bond with both of her creators - only to have that bond turn deadly. (taken from IMDb)



Black Death (11th of June 2010)

Christopher Smith (director of Creep, Severance and my personal favourite, Triangle) is back and this time he's got freakin' Boromir to watch his back! That's right, Sean Bean fights zombies (supposedly) in medieval England. Sounds awesome? It is awesome!

Plot: Set during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague in England, a young monk is tasked with learning the truth about reports of people being brought back to life in a small village. (taken from IMDb)


Predators (9th of July 2010)

Directed by Nimród Antal and produced by none other than Robert Rodriguez, Predators has true potential to become the next big thing in its franchise. Sure, the Alien vs Predator crossover flicks sucked, but did they have a cast comprised of Adrien Brody, Danny Trejo and Laurence Fishburne? Well guess what, Predators does and it's ready to rock! Let us hope this movie redeems the reputation of the Predator franchise.

Plot: A group of elite warriors are hunted by members of a merciless alien race known as Predators. (taken from IMDb)



Piranha 3-D (27th of August 2010)


Whaaat? We get to see Piranhas have their way with countless cliche teenage victims? All that in 3D? Okay, maybe this may not turn out to be the next big thing in horror, but that doesn't mean it won't be fun, right? I, for one, am looking forward to this one and I expect some entertainment out of it! Plus, Eli Roth will play the contest emcee and there's a possibility that he will appear on the screen for over one minute! And let us not forget the gratuitous nudity (no one said anything about that, but we all know it's gonna happen)! How about that, huh?

Plot: After a sudden underwater tremor sets free scores of the prehistoric man-eating fish, an unlikely group of strangers must band together to stop themselves from becoming fish food for the area's new razor-toothed residents. (taken from IMDb)



Resident Evil: Afterlife (10th of September 2010)


Alice is back and she's ready to kick more zombie ass! Milla Jovovich and Ali Larter join forces with 3D and are ready to deliver Resident Evil: Afterlife (in 3D!). A lot of people give the Resident Evil movies shit, but I've always loved them! Fun is all they need to be, and that they certainly are, my friend. I am looking forward to this one!

Plot: Resident Evil: Afterlife picks up where the third film ended. Since the events of Resident Evil: Extinction, Alice has been roaming the world searching for any remaining survivors. (taken from Wikipedia)



Let Me In (1st of October 2010)

There's a lot of skepticism regarding this remake of the highly acclaimed 2008 Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In, but I think this movie has potential due to Chloe Moretz (who kicked ass in Kick-Ass) and Kodi Smit-McPhee (delivered an impressive performance in The Road) who play the main characters. Sure, Let the Right One In may be impossible to top, but that doesn't mean that Let Me In won't turn out to be an interesting remake. Let us not dismiss it so easily.

Plot: A bullied young boy befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian. (taken from IMDb)



Fading of the Cries (2010)

I know nothing about this movie, but after seeing the trailer I have to say that I'm totally hooked. I can't wait for its release and I'm looking forward to seeing it. Fading of the Cries has huge potential and I'm sure you will agree with me after seeing the trailer.

Plot: The Story tells of a young man who defends his town from evil forces, aided by a magic sword. He saves Sarah from a malevolent evil that begun plaguing a farmland town, in search of an amulet that had belonged to Sarah’s uncle. The couple set out to get to Sarah's house safely, while traveling through streets, fields, churches and underground tunnels, while being pursued by hordes of demonic creatures. (taken from Wikipedia)

Last week flew by so fast and I managed to get quite a few things done. I finished up the list of my favourite horror flicks of 2009, I managed to bring myself to write a review (lazy alarm!) and summer break is pretty much here. It is time for fun, it is time for great things to happen! Like sitting on my computer and watching movies! Yeah... I know.

Thursday (20.05.2010)

Death Ship (1980) - 2/10
I wasn’t expecting much from this movie, but I have an obsession with horror movies that take place on ships (check out Triangle) and I thought I would get something out of watching this. I was so freakin’ wrong. Death Ship is a terrible, terrible movie. It’s not exactly bad in a ridiculous amount (take the acting for example: it’s bad, but it isn’t ridiculously bad – I’ve seen worse), but it just doesn’t do anything. One hour and 30 freakin’ minutes and nothing happens. Nothing. The plot is pretty much non-existent and don’t go in (if you ever decide to, for fuck knows what reason) expecting to see some cool shots on the sea, think again. The only shots you’ll see is of a rusty old ship that looks like it was rented for a couple of pennies. And don’t even get me started on George Kennedy (he plays the grumpy veteran ship captain who gets half-possessed by an even older ship captain) and his acting skills, which are very freakin’ close to zero. That dude was so bad he makes the movie look even worse! There’s really no reason for anyone to see this movie and don’t even think about going in hoping to get a few laughs because it’s so bad – it’s not the Plan 9 from Outer Space kind of bad movie. Just avoid it.

Friday (21.05.2010)

The Terminator (1984) - 8/10
“I’ll be back!” Who doesn’t love hearing that line or grins every time Arnold starts saying it in his weird thick accent? Add in James freakin’ Cameron and an awesome retro sci-fi 80s feel and you’ve got yourself a classic. That’s exactly what The Terminator is. You can’t go wrong with this movie (the sequel isn’t pretty bad either, ha!) and it’s one of the most entertaining and fun cinematic experiences you can possibly have. I saw the movie way back when I was a kid (when it would constantly pop on TV every other night) and upon viewing it yet again at this time I noticed that the special effects actually look pretty neat even today. I call that success! As said before, this movie is a classic and should not be missed under any circumstance (and I suggest watching the sequel as well).

Saturday (22.05.2010)

Kick-Ass (2010) - 8/10
I finally got to watch Kick-Ass and see for myself what all the fuss was about. To be honest, I didn’t have too high expectations for this one. I’m not one who’s very excited about superhero movies and even though I watch a lot of them I don’t consider them to be among my favourite movies (most of them, anyway), but Kick-Ass I did not expect. You may ask yourself what’s so good about this movie (much like I did before watching it) and I have to tell you that there’s no satisfying answer other than to see for yourself. To put it simply, though, Kick-Ass is a hell of a lot of fun and it’s got a lot of memorable badass moments. This isn’t a typical superhero movie where all is nice and dandy and there’s a well-drawn line between the good guys and the bad guys, it’s much more than that. Not to mention that it’s also incredibly brutal: for example you’ll see an 11-year-old girl slaughter tons and tons of people with blood squirting all over the place. Doesn’t sound too ideal, I know, but it’s very thrilling. Kick-Ass feels like a very fresh movie and it’s definitely something you shouldn’t miss. Check it out!

Sunday (23.05.2010)

Meet Bill (2008) - 6/10
I recently discovered this movie and I thought I should give it a try sometimes when I’m in the mood for a comedy. I got to watch it soon after that and I have to say that it was a lot of fun. I didn’t expect it to be so good, but the movie actually had quite a few laughs to offer and it was very entertaining. The acting was surprisingly good and enjoyable. Aaron Eckhart did a good job as the protagonist and supporting actors Elizabeth Banks, Jessica Alba, Timothy Olyphant and even relative newcomer Logan Lerman played their parts very nicely. The only problem with Meet Bill is its narrative structure and the weird pacing throughout the movie. I found myself a bit confused during a few parts and wasn’t exactly sure where everything was going. Other than that it’s a surprisingly good comedy and definitely worth a watch when you wanna have some good time and a few laughs.

“Film lovers are sick people.” – Francois Truffaut

Most people go to the movies in order to watch the protagonist defeat the bad guys and get the girl in the end. A happy ending is necessary, of course. That was pretty much the building stone for movies over the years and many have tried evading that situation, but the formula still makes its way into most films to this day. Some think that movies should be in contrast with life, that they should represent the high points of humanity and portray beauty at its finest. Not many want to spend their time on a depressing film that will only dramatize their real life situations even more and it’s is only normal to feel that way, but sometimes a realistic movie is exactly what everyone needs, what everyone desires for, even though most of us do not know it.

Kick-Ass is not your typical kind of movie. It is a superhero movie to some extent, but its roots go much deeper than that. One would encounter an unnaturally big surprise if one would go into seeing this movie without any knowledge whatsoever of what it is like. Knowing what to expect may not always do the job either, and a lot of viewers will find themselves utterly shocked at all the controversial things that happen throughout the movie. Kick-Ass is indeed controversial, but it all depends on the individual as to how striking it actually is. Some may not be able to embrace the movie due to its violent nature and that’s totally fine. This film is not for everyone, that’s for sure, but the ones who decide to embrace it will find themselves experiencing something very different than what they are used to, something very new.


So what makes Kick-Ass such a controversial movie? For all we know, superhero movies are the least controversial because they usually feature one good guy saving the day and teaching the bad guys a lesson. Nothing wrong there. Well, for those who have not heard yet, one of the protagonists (or superheroes, if you may) in Kick-Ass is Hit-Girl, an 11-year-old girl. That’s right, you’ll get to see a mere child killing bad guys (yes, blood will squirt in all directions) and using swear words whenever she gets the chance (including the infamous C word). Oh, she also happens to get shot a couple of times throughout the movie and there’s also some strangling involved somewhere. Pretty hardcore, huh? It’s not surprising that a lot of people reject this movie due to its immoral nature and everyone else will also have hard time taking in everything Kick-Ass throws at them, more or less.

The movie starts off in a rather casual way as we follow the ordinary life of high school student and devoted comic book reader Dave Lizewski as he hangs out with his equally average friends and desperately tries to get noticed by the girls in his school. One day he asks himself a rather interesting question that should have wandered around the viewer’s mind as well: why has no one tried to be a superhero in real life? Quite an intriguing question considering that everyone can come up with thousands of arguments, but not one of them would be decisive enough. And so begins Dave’s adventure as he struggles to fight crime (more like struggles not to get his butt kicked by crime) dressed in a ridiculous costume and under the not-so-fitting name Kick-Ass. He soon comes across Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, a couple of vigilantes who seem to be practicing his unusual method as well, albeit with bigger weapons and more dangerously.


Matthew Vaughn directs his third film with Kick-Ass, following his previous work in Layer Cake and Stardust, and his filmmaking skill are really put to the test in this one. He has had quite a difficult goal ahead of him, but he has proven that he knows how to handle action scenes, create impressive visuals and demand quality acting. It’s even more impressive once you know that the movie was made with less than $30 million, a rather small budget compared to the money invested in superhero movies these days. What is even more astonishing about Kick-Ass is how well it works and how exciting it can become, considering that its subject is much more realistic and grim than most modern feel-good movies.

Giving it a quick look, it seems that Kick-Ass has all the right ingredients to make a good movie: it’s thoroughly entertaining, the action scenes are really exciting and the acting is surprisingly good. But what makes this movie so special is the increased level of reality present. The action scenes may be awesome, but they aren’t perfect like in other superhero movies. They don’t like a well-choreographed dance; they look like real fight scenes. The main characters never come out of the fight unharmed while everything is good and dandy. Dave Lizewski shows us how brutal and different real life is compared to all the superheroes in comics from his very first encounter with ‘the bad guys,’ which also answers the question as to why no one has tried being a superhero in real life before. That’s the main feature of this film – its brilliant use of realistic situations and the gritty feature of our protagonists.


The cast of Kick-Ass is mostly comprised of actors of the new generation, but there are a few veterans present as well (Nicolas Cage stars as Big Daddy and Mark Strong plays Frank D’Amico, the ‘bad guy’). Aaron Johnson takes on the main role as wannabe superhero Dave Lizewski as he slips into the mask (or overalls, rather) of Kick-Ass. Johnson seems to have no problem leading this movie and he shows potential by displaying a good range of emotions. Let us not forget Chloe Moretz, who plays none other than Hit-Girl, the 11-year-old girl turned into a relentless killing machine by her father, Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage was awesome in this role). Other actors include Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Red Mist and Clark Duke as Marty, one of Dave’s closest friends.

There’s a lot more I could say about Kick-Ass, especially considering the various discussions and arguments that it sparked due to the controversy regarding its use of profanity and violence, but I prefer not to get too deep into that. Suffice to say that this movie is guaranteed to shock most of its viewers, and not because the increased accent on violence (come on, we’ve all seen plenty of more violent and graphic movies). It will shock because it does what not many movies have dared to do before with underage actors and it does so without any mercy, without any compromise. Some will love it for its courage while others will hate it even more. It all depends on the individual viewer for the end result, but it’s safe to say that Kick-Ass did leave a mark on us, on all of us.

I'm kinda late with this week's update, but I had to finish up my top-horror-movies-of-2009 list, which by the way you can find here. On a side note, I got to catch up with a lot of movies that were released in 2010, so I may be writing a couple of reviews in the following weeks. Looking forward to this summer, there's a lot of films that have real potential, so it's going to be exciting to see how it all plays out. Okay then, here's last week's summary!

Friday (14.05.2010)

The Others (2001) - 8/10
I saw The Others way back when I first got a DVD player and started renting out every movie I came across in the video store. God knows I saw a lot of bad movies during that period, but I also discovered a few hidden gems, like The Others. I was relatively new to horror at that time, but I found ghost stories rather intriguing and captivating. The Others definitely drew my attention, but I didn’t think much of it at that time since I was consuming movies day and night. Things have changed now and upon a second viewing of this surprisingly well-done movie I came to realize just how precious it really is. Few horror movies managed to portray a ghost story as efficiently as this film did, a feat which deserves a lot of respect from moviegoers. The movie still creeps me out to this very day and it has a lot of emotional value going for it. The Others is an excellent horror movie and I recommend it to everyone in the moody for a chilling story and an unforgettable atmosphere. Enjoy it!

Saturday (15.05.2010)

Mulholland Dr. (2001) - 9/10
This is definitely the most confusing movie I’ve ever seen, but it’s totally worth it once you begin to understand. That is after reading countless pages of theories and interpretations, of course. David Lynch is one of the most passionate directors when it comes to his movies and you can easily notice that in Mulholland Dr. This movie is filled with memorable moments, quotes and scenes. The acting is excellent all around and the story is a real beauty. It’s rather disturbing to witness the wicked minds of humans put to extreme situations, but that is why this movie is so powerful. It left a mark on me and I found myself thinking about it over the following days, vividly recalling various scenes that have left me in complete awe. Mulholland Dr. is a prime example of how wondrous and mesmerizing the world of cinema can be and it must not be missed by anyone who values movies to some degree.

Sunday (16.05.2010)

Sin City (2005) - 9/10
I saw Sin City back when it was first released, but to this day I can clearly remember the feeling I had when watching this movie. I was amazed and puzzled at the same time. Amazed at how fierce and brutal Sin City was in its execution and puzzled as to how exactly someone was capable of creating such a stunning looking film. I have never seen a movie as original and unique as Sin City was at the time I saw it and it instantly became an all-time favourite for me. I recently bought the DVD and I finally got around watching it yet again and I have to say that my opinion hasn’t changed at all. It still remains as striking and powerful as it was the first time I saw it. I understand that this movie isn’t for everyone considering the insane amount of violence present in the film, but I view that as a necessary element in this movie’s portrayal. I consider Sin City to be a titan in modern cinema. That’s all I need to say.

Those who survive the ghost ship are better off dead!

A group of survivors of a sudden shipping collision board a mysterious ship that happens to be passing by only to find out later that the ship is actually a Nazi torture ship in search for victims.

- the misleading first few minutes
- the scenes showing the ghost ship on sea
- one awesome shower scene
- it ends after an hour and a half

- the movie is missing an actual script
- horrible acting (especially from George Kennedy)
- awful cinematography
- the way the ship is killing people is simply ridiculous
- no gratuitous boobies (for the most part)
- incredibly boring and dull
- the story makes no sense whatsoever

- one ugly candy poisoning
- death by strangling
- lots of frozen corpses in one room
- one bloody shower

- two ships can collide even though one is sailing during the day while the other one is shown at night
- brown water is an acquired taste
- when you gotta go, you gotta go
- some possessed captains have a knack for finding Nazi uniforms in perfectly good condition

There's not much to say about Death Ship other than the fact that it was simply a horrible movie. You would think that even bad movies have some worthwhile scenes or memorable quotes, but this film has nothing. It's just plain awful. You won't get anything out of watching this and you certainly won't miss a thing if you don't. Every 5 minutes while watching this movie I was checking the time to see how much of it was left. That's how bad it is. Avoid it, or George Kennedy's Nazi-possessed ghost will come after you!

horror meter: 1 bladder-infected star (out of 5)

I know, I know, it's already near middle of 2010, but I just couldn't bring myself to finish this list sooner. I've had a lot going on and I simply don't have as much access to movies as other people (hell, there's not even one cinema in my city), but you know what they say: better late than never. And thus I give onto you my personal favourite horror flicks of 2009. It's safe to say that even though the year started off a bit slowly, we've had quite a good deal of horror movies come our way. I'm sure everyone has already seen or even heard of the famous sleeper hit that terrified audiences all over the world with its fresh take on the supernatural film genre. Pretty much every horror addict can recall Halloween of 2009 when one of the most pleasant horror anthology film in years was released. But wait, there's more! A lot more. Babysitters and satanic rituals, bloodthirsty vampires, hungry zombies, a few clueless gravediggers and even a grieving couple that starts doing things that are too nasty to post here. Yes, 2009 was indeed a good year for horror. But enough with the chatter. Let us take a look at the best horror flicks of 2009.

• The Descent: Part 2 - A surprisingly enjoyable and well-made sequel, something we don't get a lot of these days.
• From Within - One of the better movies at Horrorfest.
• Infestation - A low-budget B movie with style, humor and entertainment. Who would have thought that they still make them these days?
• My Bloody Valentine - It may not be the best horror movie around, but it was still a lot of fun. Worth a watch, I say.
• Orphan - The horror genre just doesn't have enough evil kids around these days, but Esther is here to help.
• Saw VI - A big improvement over the last couple of movies in the series, though not as proficient as the first ones.

And now, here are the 13 best horror films of 2009.

Number 13: Carriers


A deadly virus spreads across the globe and turns into a pandemic that all but eradicates mankind. Sound familiar? But wait: there are no zombies this time. Carriers follows four survivors and their struggle to avoid contamination in a lonely and depressing post-apocalyptic world. The efficiency of this movie lies in the fact that once you’re infected with the virus, you’re pretty much dead. It also explores the relationship between the survivors and their gradual increase in paranoia as they begin to suspect each other for infected. An interesting take on the end of the world and a dark, grim look into the heart of humanity.

Number 12: The Uninvited


Based on the South Korean horror film A Tale of Two Sisters, The Uninvited tells the story of Anna, a young girl who returns home after spending time in a psychiatric institution due to her mother’s tragic death. The Uninvited may not be as powerful or original as A Tale of Two Sisters, but it sure has plenty of frightening moments and a creepy atmosphere to go around. The film is easily dismissed due to the bad reputation American horror remakes carry these days, but you may find something quite valuable if you decide to stick around.

Number 11: Antichrist


Lars von Trier takes on a pure form of filmmaking in this movie centered upon a grieving couple who seek treatment and redemption in the woods. Antichrist delivers horror through the most unconventional and unorthodox ways encountered in the most recent years of cinema. It may not be an easy ride, but it’ll produce something the audience won’t forget very quickly. Some call it gratuitous while others take it as a symbol with several interpretations. Whatever your view on it may be, it’s surely going to leave a mark somewhere.

Number 10, never sleep again: Deadgirl


Two high school seniors wander into an insane asylum and discover a woman chained to a table in the basement who seems to be immortal. The rest of the film depicts the growing conflict between these two friends since one of them wants to keep the “deadgirl” as a sex slave while the other one wants to do the right thing. Deadgirl is a raw horror film and contains some disturbing scenes, but behind its mask lies an extremely effective movie that looks at a common problem through a different scope: the objectification of women.

Number 9: Dead Snow


There’s a point in every horror addict’s life where he stops and asks himself: what comes after zombies? And then a Norwegian horror movie comes out of the snow and delivers the inevitable answer. Nazi zombies! This hilarious horror flick scores on all levels. There’s plenty of dumb and stereotypical characters to kill off, tons of scenes to laugh your butt off and a lot of zombies. In Nazi uniform! Time for our helpless protagonists to grab every weapon available and start a Blitzkrieg on those dead bastards! Notice how many exclamation marks I used? That’s how awesome it is!

Number 8, gonna stay up late: I Sell the Dead


Dominic Monaghan and Larry Fessenden join forces in this delightful zombie comedy where they play two shabby grave robbers who encounter the living dead during their adventures together. I Sell the Dead is a successful blend of comedy and horror, never feeling too forced and always keeping its audience entertained and laughing. The script is one of the best we got in a horror movie for quite some time now, and the acting is fitting and convincing. There are lots of great scenes and quotes in this one, something we don’t get enough in horror flicks these days. I had a lot of fun with this little flick and you should too.

Number 7: The House of the Devil


College student Samantha takes on a shady babysitting job, desperate to pay for an apartment she’s been planning to move into. Things start to slowly turn for the worst after she realizes that her clients are actually planning to use her in a satanic ritual. Ti West proves that he knows how to make a good horror movie and he also manages to deliver a nostalgic look back to 1980s horror flicks. The movie may play out a bit slowly and it sure takes its time to build up the suspense, but it is totally worth it once you get to the remarkable climax that leaves the viewer in complete awe. The ending is also quite satisfying – yet another reason not to miss this terrific horror flick.

Number 6, grab your crucifix: Zombieland


A deadly virus strikes. People start dying. Dead people turn into zombies. Thus the zombie apocalypse arrives. You know the deal. But few movies actually managed to inject comedy into the whole thing. We’ve all seen Shaun of the Dead. That’s an exception. But here you’ve got Jesse Eisenberg playing some random nerd who somehow managed to survive the apocalypse and encounters an AK-wielding badass (played by Woody Harrelson) who is on a quest to find the last Twinkie on earth. And kick some zombie ass, of course. They join forces and chaos ensues (laughter as well). A movie as fun as this should not be missed.

Number 5: Drag Me to Hell


If there’s one thing Drag Me to Hell taught us, it’s to never refuse to extend a loan to an old gypsy woman. Christine Brown learned that the hard way and her life turned into a living hell the moment she made that horrible mistake. A demon is chasing her, an old woman wants her dead and a goat starts calling her ugly names. Tough break. Sam Raimi is back in the game with this incredibly original horror comedy that will leave the audience totally disgusted, but nonetheless laughing. Some failed to realize that this is indeed supposed to be half comedy and consider that a bad move. Shame on them. For everyone else, this is truly a delight to watch. Especially the part where the old woman’s dead body starts vomiting green liquid…

Number 4, better lock your door: Paranormal Activity


I watched it at 2 AM with all the lights off and the doors closed. I was alone. By the time the movie ended I was unable to even move from my seat, that’s how terrified I was of what I had just witnessed. Few movies actually managed to disturb me as much as this one did. Paranormal Activity is a low-budget horror flick filmed in the famous style of Blair Witch Project where we follow a couple who is being haunted by a supernatural presence in their home. It really does matter a lot when and where you watch this movie and a lot of people have complained how this film “blows” because they watched it with their mates during daytime and weren’t scared at all. No shit, Einstein. But if you do decide to watch it in an appropriate environment, like I did, and you feel the same things I felt, then you know. You truly know.

Number 3: Triangle


Jess joins her group of friends for a yachting trip, but things take bad turn when a sudden electrical storm capsizes their boat and everything gets even worse when they decide to board a nearby ship that just so happens to be passing nearby. You cannot prepare for a movie like this one because it is so unique and unlikely anything we’ve come across before. It’s not an easy ride – Triangle is filled with several moments that will leave you either confused or unable to solve the puzzle. Most of the mystery does get solved by the end of the film and there are plenty of theories to wrap your head around until you’re satisfied enough to accept its sheer brilliance. Christopher Smith delivers yet another fascinating horror movie after his triumphant horror-comedy Severance and we are left to wonder what else this promising filmmaker has in store for us.

Number 2, Freddy's coming for you: Trick 'r Treat


Michael Dougherty may have given us a movie sweeter than any candy one could hope for on Halloween. No horror anthology has ever been this powerful since Creepshow unleashed its claws back in the 80s, but Trick ‘r Treat has a lot going for it. You’ll find everything you could ever hope for in a movie made for this beloved holiday and the atmosphere is couldn’t have been more fitting. There are a lot of surprises along the way and a good deal of remarkable ideas is incorporated into the story, resulting in a fascinating and entertaining ride for the viewer. This became an instant horror classic the moment I saw it and it’s pretty obvious what I’ll be watching during Halloween from now on. Trick ‘r Treat is just that good.

Number 1: Thirst


Park Chan-wook turns towards a darker side and embraces the horror genre in his newest film, Thirst. The movie revolves around a priest who volunteers to be the host of a deadly virus in order to hopefully come up with a cure. The experiment goes terribly wrong and he becomes a bloodthirsty vampire. Park Chan-wook has already showed the world what he is capable of, but he doesn’t slow down in Thirst either. His proficiency in filmmaking is observable throughout the whole movie and the film has a very distinguished style compared to what we are used to encounter in typical vampire flicks. The way this remarkable movie unfolds and the various memorable sequences and shots are truly breathtaking. Needless to say that Thirst is pure cinematic art in its finest form.

As you may or may not have heard, heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio passed away on the 16th of May 2010 on a Sunday. He was 67. It doesn't matter if you're only slightly familiar with his work or if you know everything about him, there's no denying that this man has had an incredible gift.

His powerful voice has turned every one of his songs into a soothing melody that will please the ears and make hearts beat faster. Heavy metal band Black Sabbath wouldn't have been as successful without him and even though some may prefer Ozzy over him, there's no denying that RJD has been a big part of that highly influential band. Other bands he has been part of during his career include Rainbow, the recent Heaven & Hell and, of course, Dio.

Ronnie James Dio has been battling with stomach cancer for six months when he passed away on Sunday morning.

"Today my heart is broken," Wendy Dio wrote on the singer's site, adding he died at 7:45 a.m. "Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away.

"Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all," Wendy Dio continued. "We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us ... Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever."

(Excerpt from the Yahoo! article which can be found here.)

Ronnie James Dio may have left us and this world, but his music and work will live forever. His awe-inspiring voice still echoes among many rainbows in the dark. Rest in peace.

Year: 2007
Number of episodes: 12

Futatsuki no Kishi, the second season of Zero no Tsukaima takes us back to the magical world where Louise and her familiar Saito continue their adventures. The first season was pretty entertaining and that hasn’t changed much in the second one either. The problem with season two is that most of the episodes follow an individual plot and build up the main storyline slower than what we have encountered in season one. There’s action going on, sure, but the whole bang starts during the last few episodes. Some may not care as much, but it will undoubtedly turn off a couple of less tolerant viewers.

Surprisingly enough, Saito and Louise’s relationship hasn’t changed much. From the very first episode it seems that they’re back to square one and Louise quickly goes back to whipping Saito as if nothing ever happened between them. I didn’t appreciate the lack of progress very much and Saito doesn’t help much either: even though he confessed his love to Louise, he keeps staring at other girls’ boobs and keeps the perverted thoughts coming. There are some nice little touches here and there, and there are a lot more significant scenes that depict the intimacy between Saito and Louise.

There are also a couple of new characters introduced and some really add some edge to the overall feel of the series. First you’ve got Louise’s sisters Eléonore and Cattleya, who seem to start playing a significant role in the anime, but are later overlooked and neglected. Cattleya is of more of a gracious and good willed character than her other sisters and only resembles Louise due to her pink-coloured hair. Eléonore, on the other hand, is just as scornful and arrogant as her younger sister and she’s even got her own whip!

By far the best character introduced is Agnès, the captain of Henrietta’s musketeer force. She is portrayed as being a tough military leader and her skill in swordsmanship is quite impressive. Many will consider her as being a tomboy and she does have a small story arc going on for a couple of episodes. Her presence throughout the anime is indeed significant and she does give the audience a nice break from Saito and Louise’s tiring situation. Another new character would be Julio Chesaré, a transfer student from Romalia who starts showing affection for Louise, which in turn leads to an interesting and funny conflict between him and Saito. There’s an entire episode devoted to his development as a character, but he turns out to be of little importance after that.

The most negative thing about season two is Siesta’s character, which is completely butchered throughout the entire series. Many will recall her as the goodhearted love interest of Saito and a lot actually preferred her to Louise during the first season. There’s an obvious change this time around, though, and the character is completely butchered in season two. The kind and delightful girl suddenly turned into a lying and manipulative bitch that will do anything to sabotage Saito’s relationship with Louise and win Saito over. Not nice, not nice at all.

As mentioned before, the story doesn’t progress too well and there are a lot of things that lack balance and don’t make too much sense. It’s still entertaining, though, which is always a plus, especially when you’re talking about anime. There are also a lot more ecchi scenes during season two – there are never enough anyway! The final episode is much more powerful and climatic than the one in season one and there’s a lot more emotion involved this time. There really isn’t any reason to skip Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi if you’ve seen season one and there’s enough entertainment to keep it from failing, even though it’s not as proficient in substance as the first season was.

Sooner Or Later They Will Find You.

A woman living in a huge mansion along with her two photosensitive children starts to encounter strange occurrences around the house and becomes convinced that there is someone else inside her family home.

- zero special effects
- very atmospheric
- surprisingly claustrophobic
- excellent storyline
- great acting
- can become incredibly tense and scary
- the twist is carried out well
- satisfying ending

- some minor plotholes
- the score may be impressive, but it just doesn't fit the situation at certain times
- the cinematography takes a little time to get used to

- old people disguised as children
- a couple of spooky photographs
- one creepy old woman

- sometimes servants leave without even asking for their pay
- if you think there's someone else in your house, it's probably Nazis
- long lost husbands returning from World War II sometimes bleed

The Others is a perfect example of how appearances can be deceiving. The film may not carry a potential look at first, but things change as the story progresses and the viewer is left with an chilling ghost story that is as frightening as it can ever be. Alejandro Amenábar directs this one with a clear vision of what he has to accomplish and the unusual, yet effective cinematography only makes this movie more powerful. Those who have long sought for a smart and scary horror flick will surely find their place among The Others.

horror meter: 5 photosensitive stars (out of 5)

Summer's knocking at the door and some potentially awesome movies are coming our way. Oh, how I love this time of the year. I already filled my mind with tons and tons of movies I plan on seeing over the summer (I'll never get to see all of them, as usual) and prepared myself for incoming white nights over the following period. Time to have some fun!

Tuesday (04.05.2010)

Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) - 6/10
I sure wasn’t expecting Hellbound: Hellraiser II to be as good as the first one, but I feel like I didn’t quite receive what I had hoped for. Hellbound: Hellraiser II is in no way a bad movie, but it sacrifices too much to deliver more action, gore and visual style. The plot is all over the place and a lot of stuff remains unexplained. There are a lot of random scenes throughout this movie and most characters just seemed to be either completely stupid or just heavily sedated. Hell, I don’t even know who the villain was in this flick. On the other hand, I did get to see more of Kirsty Cotton, which is one of my favourite female protagonists in horror flicks, and the Cenobites were also nice to see come back for some more badass talking and fighting (especially Pinhead). To sum it up, this movie does have its downs, but it also has plenty of ups to keep it from failing. Only worthwhile if you enjoyed the first one, though.

Thursday (06.05.2010)

Severance (2006) - 7/10
I didn’t have as much fun with a movie in a long time. Severance is a mix of comedy and horror, but it blends the elements together so nicely that you’re left with not only an impressive flick, but also one thrilling ride. There’s a lot of satire to horror movies going on, so one may need more of an extensive experience with horror to get all the jokes. They’re totally worth it if you do, though. I was surprised to see how well this movie worked on a horror level as well. Even though a lot of humour is involved, this movie still manages to deliver enough suspense and gore to keep it from becoming a parody. I was thoroughly entertained during the entire length of the movie, which I can’t say about to many modern horror movies. Christopher Smith is really starting to grow on me as a director and his films only seem to be getting better and better. That’s about all I have to say. Now go rent this yummy flick, call all your friends, buy some popcorn and go have some fun!

Saturday (08.05.2010)

I Am Legend (2007) - 7/10
I saw I Am Legend back in 2008 when it was first released on DVD, but I’ve always wanted to get another look at it. Luckily for me, opportunity arose and I got to watch the movie again. My opinion did not change much after seeing it twice, but I did get to notice more of its flaws and the reason I enjoyed it as much. I have to say the I Am Legend is one of my personal favourite films centred around the end of the world and there’s a lot of reasons to that. I simply loved how the movie depicts this survivor living alone and slowly going crazy due to his loneliness and Will Smith sure knew how to play that role, because he did more than an excellent job. His performance alone is a reason why this movie is so effective. There are also some things I didn’t appreciate too much, but they are rather small and don’t matter too much. Bottom line is that if you like post-apocalyptic films, under no circumstances should you miss out on this one.

Sunday (09.05.2010)

Aliens (1986) - 10/10
Alien became an instant classic right from the moment that I saw that movie and even though I only heard good stuff about its sequel, I couldn’t possibly imagine it to be better than the first one. Fortunately, I was wrong. Aliens is more of an action movie rather than a horror flick and even though I myself am not a big fan of action movies, this one just blew me away. Everything about this movie is perfect. James Cameron is truly a master at his craft and this is just one of the many top-notch flicks he has delivered throughout this career. This masterpiece just answered the question posed by every fan of Ridley Scott’s epic original: “What’s better than Alien?” A freakin’ lot of them!


So what are your plans for the summer?