Blu-Ray Review – Attack of the Werewolves

 Feel pity for the low budget horror comedy. Not only does it have to be scary, but it also has to make you laugh and let’s face it, it’s not easy to do either. Evil Dead 2 nailed it where many others have failed. Shaun of the Dead hits the funny bone and has a nice bit of gore but doesn’t try to scare you. An American Werewolf in London balances mirth with mayhem like a professional but in general, horror comedies tread a too thin line between making us feel fear and making us chuckle; one is just bound to cancel the other out.

Following successful efforts of the last few years such as Tucker & Dale vs Evil, Rubber and The Cabin in the Woods, comes a Spanish entry into the comedy horror hybrid genre. Re-titled from the original Lobos de Arga into Game of Werewolves (why?) and then finally to Attack of the Werewolves (does what is says on the tin), this film is almost as confused as the people tasked with giving it an English title.

Terribly sorry if you're tired of reading this but please read the full review of Attack of the Werewolves at Filmoria. 

2011 List #2: Horror

I watched 32 horror films (first viewing) this year.  I re-watched many others but those are not included here.  Many of this list were watched as part of my research for my PhD.  Many were just watched becuase I love a bit of horror.  Like my list of best documentaries I watched this year, this list does not just consider films released in 2011, but just those films I watched this year and had not seen before. 

As with most years, I've seen some sick shit on screen.  People being stitched ass to mouth... check!  A tyre blowing it's victims heads up... check.  And as for A Serbian Film... well I'm not even going to discuss the non-stop waterfall of vicious, disgusting, sick and twisted shit that showered over me while watching that.

So anyway, on that note... Merry Christmas for yesterday merry readers!

5 stars

1. Rubber 

 4 stars

2. Rare Exports - A Christmas Tale 
3. Lake Mungo
4. The Horde
5. The Thing
6. Frankenstein
7. Let Me In

3.5 stars

8. Insidious
9. Resurrecting the Street Walker
10. The Human Centipede - First Sequence
11. The Collector
12. Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil
13. The Last Horror Movie
14. Stake Land

3 stars

15. Man Bites Dog 
16. Paranormal Entity
17. Re-Cut - Blu-ray
18. Home Movies
19. Paranormal Activity 3
20. The Last Exorcism
21. Exhibit A
22. F

2.5 stars

23. Saw VII - The Final Chapter 
24. Colin
25. A Serbian Film
26. Atrocious
27. World of the Dead - The Zombie Diaries 2
28. The Fourth Kind - Blu-ray

2 stars

29. The Collingswood Story 
30. Snuff Movie
31. Baghead

1 star

32. The Silent House (La Casa Muda)

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (Eli Craig, 2010) Review

 Surprisingly enjoyable silly horror comedy with nods to classics like Evil Dead and Texas Chain Saw Massacre.  When college kids meet hillbillies in the woods, chaos ensues.

But these college kids aren't your average bunch of slasher fodder.  And these hillbillies aren't trying to rape or kill anybody.

In fact Tucker and Dale are the nicest characters on offer and all genre cliches are flipped, reversed and mocked in this gory but funny film.

Sexist but sweet, the film clocks in at under an hour and a half but still manages to slightly outstay its welcome come the inevitable final showdown. 

Alan Tudyk is reliable as ever, but the real star is Tyler Labine as Dale.  The teens are adequate, but the actresses and female characters are severely short changed, with the exception of Katrina Bowden as Allison who at least gets some good scenes before being relegated to damsel in distress status.

Nevertheless it's fun and quite clever and does something original with the tired hillbilly, cabin in the woods, teen slasher sub-genres.