Frontier(s)

The French have been at the forefront of cinema since the beginning and they certainly haven't left out the horror genre. Lately I have been watching a lot of French horror films, and they have been hitting the spot. They not only bring the shock and scares, but tie it all in with some great stories.

Frontier(s) is one of those films.

When it starts, it doesn't really feel like a horror movie. Shows a group of young adults in France during some riots. And ends in a totally different place you never see coming. These young adults flee the city, on the run from authorities and the riots caused by a current political election. They stop at an inn in the middle of the countryside. This is where things start to get strange, and more dangerous than the riots in the city.

Things get weird pretty quick, then they get suddenly violent. This is where it all gets pretty damn crazy. I don't want to give much about that away because it's a fun ride. However, know that it involves a herd of mutant children, a Nazi, cannibalism, pigs, a table saw, one melting person, and a hell of a lot of blood. Frontier(s) is an interesting and intense film, and certainly does it's job to entertain and shock. I enjoyed this one.

Shock or not? Shock

Film: 4/5
Shock: 4/5

[rec]2

The [rec] series had a rather interesting origin. It all began when two Spanish filmmakers wanted to make a movie that didn't have any music. This spawned [rec] (which spawned the embarrassing American remake Quarantine). The first of the series was very good. Shooting a horror film, or zombie film to be exact, all from a first person point of view.

I had the honor, and absolute joy, of viewing [rec]2 for the first time in theaters. A rarity for the American audience. It was at the wonderful Portage Theater here in Chicago, IL. In a theater is really the proper place for this film to be seen. It blew me, and the entire audience, away.

It hits hard and with a frantic pace. It is brutal, and amazingly well done. I totally loved it. And guess what...its actually a unique take on the zombie film. What?! Yea, that's right. It's not the same old stuff. The first person viewing (from the helmet cameras of a swat team, and hand held camera of teens) really puts the viewer in the film. You can't help but feel like this is all happening to you. You will fear for your life while watching this, and it feels great. I would also like to mention that the main "creature" is quite possibly one of the most creepy, disgusting things I've ever seen. I later found out it was all done without CGI which blew my mind, and made it even more creepy.

A friend of mine who was at the screening said it was the first time he's seen a horror movie get an actual fearful reaction out of me. So that means something. For those of you who like or love zombies, this is a must see. And don't be ignorant, watch it with subtitles (yes, it is in Spanish). This is a great, and terrifying film. Go purchase it, get your friends together with the biggest TV and sound system you can find, and enjoy.

Shock or not? Shock

Film: 5/5
Shock: 4/5

Dr. Giggles

You may not have heard of this film. I stumbled upon it late one night while with a group of friends. It ended up being one of the most entertaining film viewings I've ever had. Although the laughs weren't delivered on purpose, the shock certainly was.

Dr. Giggles is exactly what it appears to be. A horror film about a crazy doctor. Pretty straight forward stuff. However, it does throw in a few curve balls. One in particular that has led me to review it on this site. While going back to show us why Dr. Giggles is the way he is there is a scene that was pretty crazy. I'm pretty sure out of all of us there, I was just 1 of 2 people who kept their eyes on the screen during it.

Dr. Giggles' father, umm...Dr. Giggles, Sr.? Is a crazy doctor as well. Back in the day when his wife was dying of a heart condition he started taking people's hearts to give to her, blah blah. The police caught on, yada yada. Then, the Giggles boys hatch an insane plan. They cut open the dead mother and sew the young Giggles into his dead mother (we don't see this part). Later, when on the table in the coroner's office, he cuts himself out of her. We see a little boy cut and crawl his way (pretty much naked) out of his dead (and totally naked) mother. It was a rather unbelievable site and what I think has earned this film the status of shock.

The rest of the film is just the doctor going around this town killing people with medical instruments and horribly hilarious medical related puns. The puns were arguably the best part as my friends and I turned it into a game of who would guess correctly what the next pun would be. We cheered as if we were watching the Super Bowl.

It was a very enjoyable experience, and one of the key elements was that it didn't take itself seriously. If you're looking for medical violence and a lot of laughs, I highly recommend it.

Shock or not? Shock

Film: 3/5
Shock:3/5