This year, I did what most content creators do, and I revisited a host of horror titles for Halloween. I always try and have a range of horror, from the truly scary, to the horror comedies, to films for the whole family. While I will catch up on the newer titles, I reviewed a bunch of catalog titles for purposes of this event. it is a lot easier to put thoughts on camera, than to type out a review for every single film, especially as I feel like sometimes spell check is out to get me. Much like how I do the small screen diaries, here’s a look at October, featuring a range of movies I actually started watching in July, all the way through this month. So, my recollection of specifics on each film is going to be different, and likely most of these titles aren’t still on the streamer they were on.The best I can do is confirm that audio description exists, in an existential “the truth is out there” way.
I also took advantage of several films celebrating an anniversary this year. Let’s do this t
Gremlins: 40th Anniversary- This Joe Dante classic is a horror comedy that knows what it is selling. I used to watch these films a lot as a kid, and it has been years. I actually forgot the main kid had a father who got him the Mogwai and instead had this rewritten version in my head where he got it himself.It’s a classic, and one that I’m surprised hasn’t been rebooted or remade outside the MAX animated series. Walt Disney really wanted to do this, but that project was abandoned. It also works as a Christmas film, since that is when the movie takes place.
Gremlins 2: The New batch- The sequel knows it is campier, and fully embraces it. There’s more absurdity here, especially with a talking Gremlin, and one that is dressed like a femme fatale. I think the hardest thing about the audio description for each of these films is trying to describe every Gremlin, since they all have such distinct looks. Still, Gizmo is my favorite, and if he was my pet, I’d just follow the rules so I could have him around all the time.
Midsomer- I’ve now seen the complete works of Ari Aster and this was just the regular theatrical cut. While I can see the skill in a lot of the film, and a solid performance from Florence Pugh, the movie degrades into nightmare fuel in such an odd way that seems hard to really accept when you look at the broader picture of how likely it is that more visitors came before, and will come later. Do they do this all the time? Is it just because he peed on the tree? Ari makes bold choices, and doesn’t really answer him. However, he certainly is not a boring director by any means, and often has moments of brilliance.
Open Water: 20th Anniversary- Not the only shark movie on the list, but certainly the most boring. It is basically two people floating forever. There’s some lead in, but I had such a hard time latching onto this movie and accepting it as an interesting found footage survival story.
Sleepy Hollow: 25th Anniversary- I do remember this having really solid audio description, inn terms of managing the high amount of decapitations. I did want more theme and scenery from this, because Ithis is a rewatch for me, and burton’s style is very specific, and I wasn’t sure any of it really made it into the film. Sleepy Hollow, a film I liked before, has waned a bit for me since 1999. I’d still recommend it to someone who has never seen it, but I also don’t want to watch this ten more times.
I’m Thinking Of Ending Things- I’ve always had this recommended to me as a very unsettling film. I assumed horror, but save like 10 seconds of the film, it is just a very weird Charlie Kaufman film. However, to some people, his monotonous way of making you feel insane will be scary. The riding in the car with the windshield wipers kept making me think a jump scare was coming because we had such a rhythm going. Excellent audio description. This is a Netflix exclusive, so it is still there. One of the few on the list I can promise hasn’t moved.
The Entire Child’s Play Franchise- I watched all eight films, including the remake. Previously, I actually had only seen the first three, though each more than once, but mostly due to cable edits. I also was a fan of the recently cancelled Chucky series, so being able to connect the dots was fun. I didn’t really dislike any of the films, but some are campier than others. I think after the first two films, they really know people aren’t scared of Chucky, so they start to have fun. In the later films, that equates to more gore. Jennifer Tilly is an excellent addition to the franchise. The remake isn’t all bad, as I thought the dynamic of having a group of friends who were kids as the focus changed it up in the positive direction from the original. In don’t hate Mark Hamill’s performance either, as that is really hard to do. But, Brian Tyree Henry is stuck in a pointless role, and those kids are far too calm about having to gift wrap a decapitated head.
Tucker and Dale VS Evil- One of my favorite movies in this genre.I’ve seen this a few times, for a movie that really isn’t that old. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine are perfect, and if you love horror comedies, this is one of the very best. I do believe this audio description track was on Amazon, and that it was TTS. Nothing will stop me from enjoying Tucker and Dale.
In The Mouth Of Madness- 30th Anniversary- Another TTS track, but very well written. Some amazing human worked overtime on this. It is perhaps the only TTS audio description I’d recommend, because John Carpenter’s underrated horror classic is just so totally off the wall bananas that the audio description has a lot to describe, and it really goes head first into some disturbing material. Not for the faint of heart.
Beetlejuice- I rewatched this a while back thinking I’d see Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in September. That didn’t happen, but when joker started getting abysmal reviews, I decided my October theatrical journey would be the legacy sequel. the original is a lot of fun, and unless you watch it regularly, it will always strike you just how little Michael Keaton is actually in this, despite the title, and how iconic his character has become.
The Babysitter- Another Netflix original. Mcg directs a pretty solid horror comedy. I had always heard good things, and I’m glad I checked it out for this spooky season. I liked the audio description track as well. And yes, I did watch…
The Babysitter: Killer Queen- While I would have made different choices, it is amazing how entertaining this is, despite basically just regurgitating the first film on us. I wish more changes had been made, as this is not the perfect sequel, but it still is oddly fun for the most part. Again, there’s a lot to describe in a horror comedy, and the description was good. It’s still stuck on Netflix.
The Platform- Because there was suddenly a sequel to something I’d never seen before, i also watched this Netflix dystopian horror. the first film is much better than the second, as the second almost expands the lore a bit too much. Both films are worth watching, but this first film is brutal and gory. It’s also Spanish, with English Audio Description, so a rare international win for us American viewers.
Dawn Of The Dead: 20th Anniversary- Zack Snyder’s first film in many ways is still my actual favorite of his. I don’t know what has happened to him as a director, but he used to be really good. I’ve seen this a lot of times, with this being somewhere around my 5th-7th time through. But, this anniversary lined up perfectly with another.
Dawn Of The dead: 45th Anniversary- Yes, George Romero’s original horror classic is also in an anniversary year, and I had never checked it out before. There’s a lot that’s the same, and a lot that got changed. But, I really enjoyed Romero’s version, almost as much as Snyder’s remake. I feel that’s blasphemous, but the larger cast in the sequel works for me more, while the original is more contained.
Christine- Another John Carpenter film off my list. This one is the one with the possessed car, from Stephen King’s book. I’d like to say this was great, but it can be a bit silly at times. Not quite as silly as King’s only directorial effort Maximum Overdrive, but still. cheesy. I think this was technically the first of my spooky season watches all the way back in July.
The Entire Paranormal Activity Franchise- I had to jump between three different streamers, but I eventually got all seven films. I’ve only ever seen the first before, as the sequel concept to this felt silly.It defeats the purpose of being found footage when we really know it isn’t. My favorite is still the first, though I actually enjoyed the second more than I thought I would. ghost Dimension is easily the worst, though most of them aren’t great.
End Of Days: 25th Anniversary- I saw this and Toy Story 2 back in the day on the same day, as they opened the same weekend. What a weird day for me. I love Arnold Schwarzenegger films more than I should, but this is a Millenium themed apocalypse movie that wasn’t great to begin with, and hasn’t aged well. I was happy that the audio description is trying to describe the albino guy in this movie.
You’re Next- Way more violent than I expected. This film went hard, but the audio description went along with it. A slasher film for people out in the middle of nowhere. It’s like if the Strangers were badasses.
Van Helsing: 20th Anniversary- I wasn’t a fan initially, but on second viewing, I did hate this movie less. It is not perfect, and throws everything but the kitchen sink into one film, but in my old age I’ve seen worse films than this. I went from thinking this was awful to ranking this a bit more average.
Unfriended- A movie that takes place entirely on a computer screen was more effective than I thought it would be. The audio description did a good job of trying to keep us appraised of the various goings on as the movie slowly kills them off one by one.
repo Man: 40th Anniversary- Not really the most obvious choice, but this cult classic has some horror in it, and has some alien undertones. I’ve sent his before, and just wanted really an opportunity to see it another time. The anniversary pushed it over the edge.
Deep Blue Sea: 25th Anniversary- A desert island movie for me. Sure, it isn’t technically perfect, but I enjoy cheesy action horror. I’ve seen this at least 10 times. I owned it on VhS, and I own it on DVD. I’m all about this title.
Little Monsters: 35th Anniversary- this Fred Savage/Howie Mandel kids movie is for the whole family, and I liked it as a kid. I was able to see it before losing my vision as an adult, and the effects, while practical, sure looked low budget. I’m glad someone audio described this though.
Coco- Disney’s día de los muertos film has a special place in my heart as the last film I took myself to, fully, as I was losing my vision. It was coming home from Coco I realized I had some problems seeing lines in the road, and I stopped driving. I’ll always love coco. It’s on Disney Plus.
Hours On Haunted Hill (original)- Interestingly, this film is in the public domain. That is why it is on damn near every streamer, because everyone can host it. That means anyone can put audio description on this. no one owns the rights. the same cannot be said for Dark castle’s same titled remake, which celebrated its 25th Anniversary this year, and has no known audio description.
It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown- Yes. I also watched Apple’s classi, and wondered why it is such a classic. in my opinion, there are better Charlie Brown specials, and the audio description doesn’t always tell you which character is doing what.
Halloweentown- I always just wrote this off as some dumb Disney Channel original film, and then I found out Debbie Reynolds was in this, and I had to watch it. It has audio description on Disney Plus, but not every film in the franchise does. It was better than I expected, but I’d still prefer Hocus Pocus.
