To be spilled, to be spattered, to be in excess, to be shimmering even in black and white, to leave an impossible stain on your clothing. Blood is the name of the game with the next 5 films for Halloween, and indeed the driving force of these narratives, be it viral, explicit, for revenge, for greed. The Greek and I both recommend the following.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
Try as I might, the only reason I can find against crowning this lean, tight and concise project with a rare 5-star rating is the fact that Emile Hirsch’s vague facial resemblance to Jack Black threw me off at certain points. Seriously. That’s it. Needless to say, that’s not enough of a basis. – – – The Greek
Train to Busan (2016)
The title is a real spoiler here, the majority of the action taking place on that very train on its way to Busan. Thankfully, what the movie’s name doesn’t indicate is the explosive events that very soon occur on said train. For sure, this journey turns out to be the last for many, as an outbreak of zombilific proportions erupts through the confinement of the moving carriages. Imminent death, bloodshed, ultimate human fear, all collide with mesmerizing energy, if you think you have time to catch your breath, think again. A modern horror masterpiece, a one of many excellent films out of South Korea in 2016, Train to Busan also boasts some genuine heat and soul amidst the mayhem.
The Belko Experiment (2016)
Axe meet Face. Face meet A…
Face? What is… Face where ar…
F… Face?
……….
…Face…?
……….
Rude.
I didn’t come here for the production value. It’s not the possibility of thrilling character progression, mind-bending plot development, or even the potential of exciting performances that lured me in. Sometimes, I hit ‘play’ looking for blood. And blood I fucking got. – – – The Greek
American Mary (2012)
You’d be slightly misunderstood if you, like me, went into this expecting a trashy, meaningless horror flick. Katharine Isabelle’s Mary is an ambitious medical student, who takes her surgical skills to a new, rather unethical, outlet. Sister Jen and Sylvia Soska wrote and directed this unusual, gushingly bloody, but somehow relevant movie where body image might be concerned. And even amidst the graphic violence there’s a clear-as-day gesture to women’s liberation.
The Eyes of My Mother (2016)
Nicolas Pesce’s directorial debut as a writer-director (and editor) is a lingering, penetrating little chiller, displayed across the screen with such panache and beauty largely thanks to the black-and-white cinematography of Zach Kuperstein. The rural, farm-house-set tale is gory, eerie, and genuinely scary, as Francisca’s lifestyle appears to revolve around an inability to let go (literally) of her mother and father. Theres home invasion, massacre, eyeballs removed, kidnapping of a young mother, mutilation, body preservation. A true horror delight you might say, all the more surreal and intelligent as much of the violence is off-screen, so you can let your imagination run wild – like you have a choice.
Let us know your thoughts on these movies when you have seen them, as well as recommending your own blood and guts must-sees, in the comments below.
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