So-so film. The Terry Gilliam opening credits is pretty off putting to start with. Vincent Price is great to watch in even his worst film, so there is that.
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4,613 reviews
[Listen to me talk about <I>Nightbreed</i> on <B>The Letterboxd Show</b> Podcast <B><A HREF="https://pod.link/letterboxd/episode/39964f85ef60d3a99e8c6f084f37c941">here</A></b>]
Over thirty years ago, I was introduced to Clive Barker's <I>Nightbreed</I> on opening day at a small movie theater on Long Island. Because I was too young to go alone (and I needed a ride), my mother accompanied me, resulting in us being the only two people there. When you go into a theater, you expect to be taken away to a magical place for a short period of time, which is exactly what this film did.
I had already been exposed to a large number of horror films featuring serial killers, possessed homes, and aliens. None of them affected me quite like this film.
To this very day, <I>Nightbreed</i> still ranks #1 on my list.
Every horror film that I had seen prior to <I>Nightbreed</I> featured monsters that were evil and committed unspeakable acts on people of all ages. In <I>Nightbreed</I>, the roles are reversed. While we were introduced to hideous monsters with unbelievable capabilities, it turns out that humans are the real monsters.
<blockquote><I>To be able to fly, to be smoke, or a wolf? To know the night and live in it forever? That's not so bad. You call us 'monsters,' but when you dream, you dream of flying, and changing, and living without death.</I></blockquote>
The film blesses us with strong performances from both Craig Sheffer and David Cronenberg (yes, <B>that</B> David Cronenberg), the latter whose character, Dr. Philip K. Decker, is a vicious, human monster who is hellbent on destroying what he will never be. Throw in a love story, a brief history about Midian and how it came to be, and a to-the-death match in an underground world, this film is <B>everything</B>. While I'm a fan of the original theatrical cut, <B>The Cabal Cut</B> does offer a more in-depth look into the film's full vision (cut), including additional scenes and deaths, so I do suggest checking that version as well.In addition, <I>Nightbreed</I> is a superhero film. It's, as I read somewhere, the "X-Men of Monsters".
Overall, if you're either looking for a horror film that features a stellar performance from David Cronenberg or a film where you root for the monsters, <I>Nightbreed</I> is for you.
<b><i>The Stylist</i></b>, which is <a href="https://boxd.it/eLrRs" title="one of my favorite films from 2021">one of my favorite films from 2021</a>, is now streaming on Shudder!
This is the second time I'm watching this film (per @ainm91's recommendation). The cinematography was great, but that didn't cover for some of the actors and dialog that came with it.
This had been on my watchlist for a long time, but I forgot about it... and I hope to forget about it once again now that I've watched it.
While I do like films that are influenced by or similar to <I>Saw</I>, I can't believe how much this film actually copied from it/them. Some of the kills and traps weren't bad, but the film was just a laughable mess.
Wow, that was bad.
Kal Penn’s acting ruined this film.
I never saw <i>Titanic</i>, but, wow, this is absolute shit.
I’m not sure anyone who isn’t familiar with the source material would get it, and many fans of the source material might not care for the changes they made, which makes this a hard sell for just about anyone.
I for one really enjoy it, though it does feel like one of those movies where they take an entire season of a TV show and condense it into a two hour time slot, which in a way this is. In some universe there is a full hour long episode series instead of the abridged movie.
C. L. A. S. S. I. C.
Before viewing, I didn’t read a single review or synopsis, nor did I watch any trailers in order to come in and just see what happens. In other words, I wanted to be surprised and not see an entire movie spoiled in a trailer.
The story took a little while to develop. At times, I was a bit confused as to what was going on, but began to piece things together as the film began to wind down. The acting and sound design were both at par level, but the cinematography (also written about below) made up for it.
The setting, a mostly dark, somewhat secluded location (apartment building or complex), was fitting for the film as our main character shunned himself from the outside but embraced technology to communicate with others. I wish there was more information for this.
Overall, it’s worth a watch. Jenifer Reeder is a fantastic director, and I can’t wait to see more of her work.
Bonus points for casting Michael Shannon and forcing his always-confused look.
