Harvest-2 Reviews

Daimajin (1966)

Good movie

[21 October 2002]

I have to admit, I'm a bit of a sucker for the giant monster on a rampage flicks that came out of Japan in the late 60's/70's, and picked this up expecting more of that. After the opening scene, showing just how powerful Daimajin actually is (let's just say, he's more a force of nature than a giant monster), I was completely hooked. The entire series is fairly grim, and I loved the fact that Daimajin isn't necessarily a good or bad guy. He does what he does because he wants to, for whatever reason, be it that the villain offended him, or he felt sorry for one of the people who suffered over the course of the movie. They're not exactly art films, but they're not quite the kitsch of the later Godzilla movies, either. Highly recommended.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Cinematic perfection?

[10/10 · 4 January 2002]

I want to say that The Fellowship of the Ring is the most perfect example of cinema to come along since the large-scale productions of the 50's and 60's. I want to say that everything in it works, from the acting, to the special effects, and all the things that fall in between. I want to say these things, but I can't. What I can say is that I have not seen a more affecting story or a more rousing adventure on screen since films like Raiders of the Lost Ark or the original Star Wars. The film just works, in spite of the flaws, and gives me hope that maybe (I know I'm dreaming here) Hollywood will remember what made movies like the ones I mentioned before truly great, and give us more, and less of the soulless, heartless drek that fills the theaters now.

303 Fear Faith Revenge (1999)

Well worth seeing

[8/10 · 1 December 2000]

An unusual slasher flick, in that it's actually pretty good, and it was not made in the US.

A group of boys at a Catholic school in Thailand become obsessed with a student who committed suicide 8 years before. As they begin to investigate his death, going so far as to contact his spirit with a ouija board, someone begins murdering students on the campus. The deaths are fairly typical slasher fare (pushed out of a window, electrocuted in the shower, axe to the back), but the direction is stylish, and the acting is decent. Worth seeing if you can find it.

Carnival of Souls (1998)

Complete and utter garbage.

[18 September 2000]

This is not a remake, nor does it really have anything at all to do with the original Carnival of Souls. It is a cheaply made, poorly acted film with pointless special effects and an incredibly weak story. It isn't scary, it isn't even bad enough to be funny. Honestly, I can't think of a single good reason to see this film. If you want something scary and atmospheric, watch the original, and forget about this pathetic excuse for a horror film.

Vampyr (1932)

They don't make them like this anymore

[10/10 · 26 July 2000]

First off, anyone looking for modern scares along the lines of The Exorcist or Rosemary's Baby, look elsewhere. Vampyr is incredibly creepy, in a way that gets under your skin and stays there long after you finish viewing the film. Don't let the fact that it is nearly 70 years old, and that there is virtually no dialogue put you off. This is a great film, plain and simple.

The Day of the Beast (1995)

Somewhat sick, somewhat twisted, somewhat funny

[8/10 · 1 June 2000]

But unfortunately only somewhat. In trying to be horrific and funny, the movie stays squarely in the middle of both without really succeeding in either. A few scenes stand out, especially in the beginning when the priest begins trying to turn evil, and at the end with the appearance of Satan, but the middle section of the movie simply does not go far enough to really be satisfying. Well worth watching, mostly since I doubt we'll see anything like this again, but don't go into it with high expectations.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Be afraid...

[10/10 · 19 July 1999]

Like most people now, I think I have become jaded to just about everything in movies. Violence, sex, the monster popping up at an unexpected moment, it's all been done before. The Blair Witch Project has none of that, and has only one scene that shows blood, but it is still the scariest film I have seen in over 10 years. I don't know if I agree that it is the scariest movie of all time, as I can think of some notable exceptions that still get to me today, but it defintely ranks up there with films such as The Haunting, Night of the Living Dead, and The Exorcist. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has seen it, but I will say that at no time do you believe the people in the film are simply acting, and the power of suggestion, not the power of visuals, work to unsettle and frighten the watcher. Definitely go see this one in the theater, if you like to be scared, you will not be disappointed.