Horror Comedies, Anyone?

Horror, Meet Comedy

By Kristin Battestella

Of course, I prefer when my horror films are really dark, scary, macabre, and well, horrific. However, sometimes a viewer needs to lighten things up for spooky parties or frightful family fun nights. Here’s your viewing list for an evening of friendly scares.

Munster, Go Home! and The Munsters Revenge- Boxers or Briefs? Lennon or McCartney? The Munsters or The Addams Family? Enjoy this funny, charming family of monsters in their 1966 theatrical debut Munster, Go Home! as they take their hijinks-now in Technicolor!- abroad. Though more about the caper at hand instead of the family, The Munsters Revenge is still a treat for fans of Herman, Lily, Eddie, and Grandpa.

Elvira Mistress of the Dark- There’s a touch of mature innuendo, but it’s a treat to see Cassandra Peterson’s alter ego host in a full length picture. The plot’s a predictable fish out of water scenario; with sexy Elvira taking an inheritance in a quiet, conservative town. Nevertheless, Peterson’s wit, bosom, and personality are all in spooky good fun.

Ernest Scared Stupid- Everyone loves Jim Varney and his plethora of goofy characters. Add a creepy house, trolls, and Halloween and you’ve got all the hijinks for a family fright fest. Yes, it might be stupid as the title suggests, but who cares?

Beetlejuice- Don’t say the bio-exorcist’s name three times! Michael Keaton leads an all-star cast in this humorous tale about a country couple turned ghosts trying to rid their house of a snotty New York family. Winona Ryder is creepy as the goth daughter Lydia, and all of director Tim Burton’s odd touches have their moments-from Juno’ smoke coming out her slit throat to Delia’s infamous ‘Dayo!’ dance party. Multiple viewings are in order here.

Idle Hands- Devon Sawa, Jessica Alba, and Seth Green star in this creepy teen comedy warning kids about idle hands being the devil’s workshop. Dumb in some ways, but hysterical in others-the cast has plenty of gory fun here. Some of the gore, teen sex jokes, and drug use might be much for youngins, but this one’s perfect for a safe, indoor night or mature fun.

High Spirits- Peter O’Toole and his Irish friends turn their foreclosed castle into a haunted showplace to attract American tourists. Unfortunately, Daryl Hannah and Liam Neeson really haunt the place! Some goofy humor, funny romance, even a few scary scenes make this Neil Jordan haunt a keeper.

Once Bitten- Jim Carrey and Lauren Hutton are quite the humorous pair as the aging but sexy vamp and the virgin she needs to bite. Sometimes I’d rather this be a straight vampire flick-the talent is certainly there. But the valley talk, Halloween fun, and kinky camp save this movie from total drivel ala the similar My Best Friend’s A Vampire. Again, there’s some mature innuendo, but young fans can enjoy Carrey’s early horror hijinks.

Family Friendly Fantasy and Science Fiction

Family Friendly Fantasy and Science Fiction

By Kristin Battestella

Hello again with another quick list of recommendations for your rainy days and family fun nights. Here are a few genre keepers that can be enjoyed by the entire family-young and old, modern and classic.

­The Adventures of Robin Hood - This 1938 classic may seem hokey to some, but tales of Sherwood Forest don’t get much better than this. Juvenile audiences and old time memories still make Errol Flynn’s be greened Robin, Olivia de Havilland’s Maid Marion, and Basil Rathbone’s Sir Guy of Gisborne a delight.

Swiss Family Robinson- Forget Pirates of The Caribbean, this 1960 Disney classic has tree houses, wild animals, tropical locations, and pirates! How can you not love Dorothy MacGuire and the scrawny boy who’s obviously a girl? Everyone can still enjoy this one-and it looks great on DVD. Disney just doesn’t make ‘em like they used to.

Clash of the Titans- This sword and sandal fanfare looks so bad yet still looks so good. The All-Star cast, Harryhausen-laden visuals, and story filled with meddling gods and mythical creatures is a delight for young and old. Very young children might be scared by the darker imagery and there’s a touch of toddler nudity; but kids 10 and under can still delight in this 1981 charmer.

Ladyhawke- Yes the music’s bad and the ending is weak, but this fanciful and tragic love story is still beautiful and moving. Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer are bittersweet as two cursed lovers who can only see each other for a moment at dawn. Fine characters, witty humor, and nothing scandalous make this a family keeper.

Jurassic Park- This Steven Spielberg extravaganza isn’t exactly one of my favorites, but the sequels are down hill from this groundbreaking and visually stunning dinosaur ‘what if’. A fine cast and some awesome dinosaurs will always look good to the paleontologist at heart.

Stargate- The long running series and spin-offs have their fans, but the original 1994 Stargate is a commitment free fix for a night of archeology and action. Kurt Russell’s Colonel O’Neill has more edge, and who doesn’t love a little bit of aliens with their Ancient Egypt?

Batman Forever- Not as dark, serious, and thought provoking as the recent Batman installments, this 1995 edition from Joel Schumacher has comic book fun, color, Robin, and Bat Girl. Nicole Kidman, Jim Carrey, and Tommy Lee Jones add the supporting grit, humor, and charm. Kids can enjoy the lighthearted take on the Caped Crusader while parents critique Val Kilmer’s entry as Batman.

The Mummy- Another original film that reigns above its sequels and direct to DVD spin-offs. Here’s more Egyptology and fantasy to inspire the kids, along with charm and wit from Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. The mummy effects still look good to the mature, critical eye, and despite some humorous romance; there’s nothing skimpy and offensive.

X-Men- Perhaps not the best one in this mutant superhero trilogy, X-Men still packs in a lot of introductions and back-story, setting the scene for a fantastic look at discrimination. Teens who don’t already enjoy X-Men will love this tale of the gifted and misunderstood for its reflection of their own lives.

Bruce Almighty­- Though humorous and a little fresh in some places, Jim Carrey proves here that he can handle drama and mature story telling. Morgan Freeman is charming as God, and Carrey’s everyman struggles to do the right thing when given such enormous opportunity. Family friendly or even acceptable for youth group-beat that!

Summer Sees and Skips

Summer Sees and Skips for the Whole Family

By Kristin Battestella

With all the holidays and vacays, you and you’re family need to know what to watch during you’re summer movie nights. Here are some tips on what to enjoy- along with a few pictures to avoid.

See and Enjoy

Napoleon Dynamite- After finally seeing this 2004 teen comedy I was pleasantly surprised by its coming of age wit and awkward stuck in the eighties silliness. Not quite for children, but teens and folks who remember graphic t-shirts will laugh.

Little Miss Sunshine- A fine ensemble cast-including Steve Carell, Toni Collette, and Alan Arkin- gives this quiet picture the umph, charm, and plenty of humor. Some parts are a little sentimental, and you should know if you’re kids can handle some of the heavier subject matter before viewing; but this one has drama and family analysis for the intelligent audience.

Mr. Bean’s Holiday-He’s not as cruel as he used to be, but Mr. Bean’s hijinks still have laugh out loud moments and English wit for the whole family. This road trip sequel does far better than the titular Bean and even has some heart-warming charm, too.

The Departed- Put the kids to bed for this gritty undercover cop and mole game from director Martin Scorsese. Plenty of hardware and fine action from Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Mark Wahlberg add spice and intrigue-and more than make up for an ambiguous ending.

The 6th Day- Sure there’s action that we expect from Arnold Schwarzenegger, but this 2000 sci-fi thriller has science, intelligence, and religious debate to thicken the mix. More than just an excuse to have two Arnolds about, director Roger Spottiswoode presents cloning issues that aren’t that far from current science.

Yes Man- Jim Carrey’s latest starts off like Liar, Liar but grows into a charming mix of humor and drama. Fine support from Zooey Deschanel and Terrence Stamp add reflection and warmth. Outside of brief nudity and innuendo, the whole family can enjoy-not often said for a Carrey picture.

Traitor- Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce are dynamite in this international thriller. Touching upon the FBI, CIA, radical Islam, and the American Way, Traitor is complex, intelligent, intricate, and yet wrapped with a fine cast and realistic action.

Donnie Darko- A little obvious and weird; but a fine ensemble, intriguing premise, and good old teen angst keep this quirky picture interesting. Go for the Director’s Cut DVD for more scenes and food for thought.

Finding Neverland- Sentimental and full of Victorian Charm, fans of Kate Winslet, Johnny Depp, and all things Peter Pan will love this little film. The whole family can enjoy the drama, fantasy, and trouble with growing up while learning a thing or too about J.M. Barrie.

Avoid

In The Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale- I have tried to watch this poor imitation of the Lord of the Rings at least a dozen times. So many things are wrong with this Uwe Boll film-from the blatant Peter Jackson ripoffs to the woeful cast. Ray Liotta’s Goodfellas’ delivery does not work with Matthew Lillard and his Shaggy squeaks-and that’s if you can figure out what the hell is going on.

The Golden Compass- Another children’s fantasy book rushed to the screen, creating a mishmash of effects with an incomplete story. Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig are wasted along with some fine young talent. Some were upset about the anti-Catholic sentiments in the novels, but there isn’t much of anything worthwhile here.

Pathfinder- We don’t see nearly enough Viking pictures, but a great story idea is lost amid all the action and barely there bad dialogue. What might have happened if Vikings encountered early Native Americans? The racial stereotypes here certainly don’t tell us.

The Other Boleyn Girl-I like Medieval films and Tudoresque material, but this adaptation of the Philippa Gregory novel boils the reign of one of England’s most infamous monarchs down to a sisterly catfight. Erica Bana, Natalie Portman, and Scarlet Johansson are wonderful elsewhere, but an international cast was not needed for what should be some definitive Englishness.

Halloween Hits And Misses

Horror Hits and Misses For Your Halloween Marathon

By Kristin Battestella

Already thinking about what films to add to your Horrorfest viewing this fall? There’s plenty of classics or low budget, recent or hi tech spooky films for your enjoyment, so I’ll save some of my time and yours with a quick list here of films to avoid and horror flicks worth your time.

You’ve Lost Your Head If You Watch These

I’m not going to do full length reviews of these lackluster haunts.

28 Weeks Later-Very weak sequel follows stupid kids who ignore all the rules of a zombie flick and don’t even adhere to the science established in the first film.

30 Days of Night- Vampire comic book adaptation tries too hard at something new, again leaving obvious threads unanswered and cast looking stupid.

Alone in the Dark- Christian Slater as our hero and Tara Reid as the scientist versus monsters from video game, need I say more?

Darkness-Poorly done ‘American girl, in a foreign country, with a kid involved in the horror’ copycat.

I Know What You Did Last Summer- Guilty pleasure of Jennifer Love Hewitt’s boobs only. Oft imitated teen slasher style has not stood test of time.

Ring Around The Rosie- Tom Sizemore is creepy, but did we need another sisters reliving sex abuse horror flashback film?

The Reaping- What could have been a very interesting religious and horror thriller cops out with cults and evil kids.

The Eye- Another unfulfilled premise that somehow manages to work in a completely unrelated creepy kid (again).

Actually Worth Your Trick or Treat Time and Money

I’m hoping to get around to full fledged reviews on these, but here’s a few spooky recommendations.

28 Days Later- Intelligent zombie update adds social, science, and military commentaries along with fine action and effects.

11:14- Not horror per se, but a violent, creepy flick that weaves a cryptic timeline and makes the viewer think.

The Gathering- Not just another ‘American Girl in a foreign country with a kid involved’ tale. Religious implications and morbid philosophies add spice.

Shaun of the Dead- Laughter and wit mixed with emotional characters and honest relationships in a zombie flick? Yes.

The Number 23- Jim Carrey is delightfully twisted in this mind freaky and dark tale of obsession and murder.

Agree or disagree? Leave a comment!