The Most Dangerous Game (1932)

Starring: Joel McCrea, Fay Wray
Director: Irving Pichel




Premise:
After his ship sinks, a man finds himself on an island owned by ruthless hunter who enjoys hunting man.


My Take:
For a movie made in the early 30's, the glory days of Hollywood studio flicks, it's a decent watch. And the story has been used time and time again.


Rating: In the middle











Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Atrocioius (2010)

Director: Fernando Berreda Luna


Premise:
After a family is murdered the police take a look a the home video footage left behind.

My Take:
There's a lot of footage of nothing being shot while the people talk off screen. It's boring. As are the characters.
The movie would have benefited greatly from some further character developmental and more focus on the legend the kids are exploring to help with the suspense.
Despite the movie faults, the final ten minutes are very solid.

Rating: Warning






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Dark Tower (1987)

Starring: Jenny Agutter, Michael Moriarty
Director: Ken Weiderhorn


Premise:
A newly constructed is being haunted by a vengeful spirit.


My Take:
A nice, twist ending (well sort of) just isn't enough to make the movie worth wild. 
It's a bad take to try and capitalize on Poltergeist success of the time.

Rating:Warning


 

Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Grimm, Season 1 (2012)

Starring: David Guintoli, Silas Weir Mitchell, Russel Hornsby


Synopsis:
A police detective discovers he is the next in a long family line of Grimm, an order of humans tasked to keep supernatural beings (like the ones from fairy tale) in check.  


The first season deals with Nick discovering his abilities, befriending a werewolf who helps him solve cases, and deciding how to use his new power. Among this is a sect of supernaturals trying to kill him.

My Take:
I like the unique premise of the series. This season has laid a nice foundation for future seasons and an interesting and much larger mythology.

Favorite Episode:
"Woman In Black" -  They saved the best episode for last. Nick finally comes clean to Juliette, who happens to be under a deadly spell. Hank's sanity nears the brink of breakage. And a mysterious woman shows up claiming to be Nick's mother.

Rating: In the middle (but in a really fun way)



Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Mother's Day (2010)

Starring: Rebecca De Mornay, Jamie King, Shawn Ashmore
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman


Premise:
After a botched bank robbery, three brothers go to their mother's home only to find out it has been repossessed by the bank and bought by new owners, who are throwing a party. The brothers take the group hostage and call their mother for help.

My Take:
A very good remake. It takes the essence of the original movie and make a totally new one.
A fine cast, excellent direction, and good gore. What more can you ask for? This is an intense movie with a lot of twists and turns in it.

Rating: So Good






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

A Lonely Place To Die (2011)

Starring: Melissa George
Director: Julian Gilbey


Premise:
A group of friends mountain hiking when they find a young girl trapped. They rescue her and soon the kidnappers are on their tail wanting the girl back at all cost.

My Take:
I'm torn on this movie. About half of  the script is a fairly smart and refreshing take on an old cliche, which surprised me.
While the other half is sort of the typical action movie which I loathe. An example is the main character is climbing down a treacherous part of the mountain when she is hit in the shoulder by a falling rock causing her to plummet hundreds of feet through trees, hitting branches along the way, and into the river where nearly drowns but manages to get to surface just in time to jump up and run unscathed.  This is the stuff that drove me nuts.
Bonus points for great villains (almost slasher like in their mannerisms) and awesome cinematography. The scenic woods and mountains are beautiful.


Rating: In the middle






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Deranged (1974)

AKA: Deranged: Confessions of a Necrophile


Starring: Roberts Blossom
Director: Alan Ormsby, Jeff Gillen


Premise:
A man is taking care of his sick mother who has abused him mentally for years on the evil ways of women. Eventually she dies. Grieving and lonely, the man digs up her body to bring home. Then he starts killing women to put his mother back together.

My Take:
While this might have been some what shocking nearly forty years ago, it is very tame by today's standards. The only thing that kept me interested the lead character's performance. 
The movie is based off the serial killer Ed Gein.

Rating: Warning





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

Starring: Elizabeth Olson, John Hawkes, Sarah Paulson
Director: Sean Durkin


Premise:
Martha flees from a cult. She is staying with her sister attempting to readjust to society after the damage caused and with the danger of the cult finding her once again.

My Take:
Elisabeth Olson is fantastic in the lead role as a vulnerable, slightly crazy, and paranoid woman. In the fact the whole cast is great.
There is horror in how a person can be manipulated and essential brainwashed into a group. Then effects of such when trying to readjust into a every day society. 
The movie also has an air of looking over you shoulder constantly as you are never quite certain if some things are real or part of this girl's imagination. This is proven by the wide open ending. Great editing work too as the story jumps from the present to flashbacks.

Rating: So Good




 



Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Supernatural, Season 7 (2012)

Starring: Jensen Ackles, Jared Padelicki,


Synopsis:
Season 7 has a new enemy accidentally gets releases by Cass from deep within the bowels of purgatory called leviathan. They quickly assimilate into society and come up with a plan to take over the world and turn humans into mindless feed.


My Take:
Things don't get any easier for Sam & Dean this season. Dick Roman proves to be a great villain and the leviathan a good enemy. And of course old enemies and friends show up along the way.
This is still one of my favorites show. It's created a great mythology.



Favorite Episode:
"The Girl With the Dungeons and Dragon Tattoo" - Such a fun episode with guest star Felicia Day as a computer hacker who works at Dick Roman's corporate headquarters. She gets assigned the task to find out what is on the hard drive stolen from Frank. In the process she learns about the leviathan and the Winchesters.

Rating: So Good (but a long way off from seasons 1-5)




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Undocumented (2010)

Starring: Alona Tal, Scott Mechlowicz, Kevin Wiesman, Yancy Arias, Peter Stormare
Director: Chris Peckover


Premise: 
A group of documentary filmmakers attempt to illegally enter the United States with a group of Mexicans. They are caught by a group of radicals who take their punishment into their own hands.

My Take:
The movie has a lot to say and does it in a good way. A solid cast brings it all to life.
For being a "found footage" movie, it goes for more a steady camera shooting instead of chaotic jerky style which is nice. A decent amount of gore and lots of psychological terror.

 Rating: So Good


 


Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Tales From the Dead (2008)

Director: Jason Cuadrado

Premise:
An anthology film with four stories focusing on how greed can lead to evil which follows us into death.

My Take:
Above all else I found this movie a boring. Perhaps on a different day it would have been better as the acting was decent and so were the stories. 
The wrap around story deals with a  hitchhiking medium. 
The first story is about a family who purchases a house, haunted by the spirits of a murdered family with a connection them.
The second story is about an accountant who attempts to take money from the Yakuza.
The third story has a salesman offering more moments in time with a past lover to a loser in exchange for a contract taking time away from his life.
The fourth story is about a group of wives who murder their wealthy husbands.

Rating: Warning (but watchable)
  



Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Being Human, Season 2 {US version} (2011)

Starring: Sam Huntington, Sam Witwer, Meahgan Rath


Synopsis:
A ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf share an apartment while trying their best to resist their supernatural tenancies and be human.

In Season 2 consists of Sally learning the joys and horrors of possession and reaping souls; Josh finding purebred werewolves, dealing with Nora's desention into the wolf curse, and a old flame returning to his life; and Aiden helping his former love gain control over Boston after she return from a 80 year hiatus in exchange for freedom.

My Take:
In the debut season the North American series followed basically the same path as the UK series. But in season two it has become a show all its own. Which is great because I dont feel like I'm watching the same show with different actors.
Each character went down a dark path this year and each deal with some sort of loss because of their choices. The final couple episodes were really a dark.
I love where the show is heading and will be very excited for its return.

Favorite Episode:
"Dont Fear the Scott" - Josh and new girlfriend Julia decide to have dinner with Aiden & Suren. While Sally tries to block Scott the Reaper out her mind.
The episode is dripped with comedy, awkwardness, and surprises. It's combines everything I enjoy about the show.

Rating: So Good




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Fringe, Season 4 (20011)

Starring: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble


Synopsis:
A division of the FBI, called the Fringe Division, investigates strange and unusual cases with the help of a brilliant scientist and his son.

Season 4 concentrates on the parallel universes working together to help stop the riff and eventual destruction of both worlds. Peter reemerges with no place in either time line and tries to figure out where he really belongs. And the "observers" continue to watch as an old nemesis  of Fringe Division attempts to aid in the destruction of the all worlds.

My Take:
Season 4 got a little confusing for me. There is just too damn much to remember with the multiple timelines and universes and what roles each characters were playing in each. I started losing interest as felt like I needed cliff notes to keep up with the material. 
The final third of the season got somewhat back on track and got me interested again. Especially from the episode set in the future through the season finales.
The series definitely has many interesting things to wrap up in the final season next year. I'll be interested to see the outcome.

Favorite Episode:
"Making Angels" - The always terrific Jasika Nicole was the star of this episode as the Astrid from both universes join forces to help the Fringe team try stop a deadly toxin.

Rating: In the middle (poor first half and solid second half)



Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Dont Deliver Us From Evil (1971)

AKA: Mais Ne Nous Delivrez Pas Du Mal

Director: Joel Seria


Premise:
Two young girls who live at a convent boarding school make a pact to serve Satan. Mischief and games follow.

My Take:
A rather strange movie with no a lot of blood or gore or really suspenseful moments. These two girls basically go around causing havoc to those around them in the name of Satan. 
Captivating at times and annoying at others. It's a unique drama with horror overtones.

Rating: In the middle



 



Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Rabies (2010)

AKA: Kalevet


Director: Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado



Premise:
A group of friends traveling through a forest get intertwined with a serial killer, his prey, and the police.

My Take:
Billed as the first horror movie from Israel, this movie is not your typical slasher. The story is very creative on how it combines all the characters into the story. Plus the cinemaphotography looks great.
My biggest complaint is the movie often falls too much into the dark comedy with the choices made by some characters.
Give this above the norm flick a chance and I think you'll be happily surprised.

Rating: In the middle (but with many positives)






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

The Fifth Cord (1971)

AKA: Giornata Nera er L'ariete

Starring: Franco Nero
Director:


Premise:
An alcoholic reporter is assigned to a serial killer case. Soon he becomes part of the investigation.


My Take:
An above average giallo with a fine performance from Franco Nero. 
It kept me guessing.


Rating: In the middle





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.